Chapter 345: Eternal Dao Domain, A Beating for the Holy Son
Lin Qingying held the pill Li Hao had handed her. Although it was a rare divine healing pill, her grandfather was Lin Shanhai, and her Heavenly Space contained at least dozens of gourds filled with such pills.
She knew Li Hao had another reason for giving it to her, so she accepted it and then looked at him intently:
"Your real name is Haotian, isn't it?"
Li Hao glanced at her and nodded slightly, "Yes."
"And your surname?"
Lin Qingying asked softly.
Li Hao turned his gaze away and coldly fixed it on the Twin Holy Son. "No surname."
Lin Qingying was momentarily stunned. She just wanted to know Li Hao's full name, sensing that the revelation of his identity today would bring him considerable trouble. They might soon part ways.
In a vast world, if they were to meet again, she would at least need to know his full name. Otherwise, how would she inquire, where would she even begin to look?
Unsure whether Li Hao was unwilling to answer or if there was another reason, Lin Qingying silently nodded, not pressing further. She tightened her grip on the pill, put it away, and whispered, "Be careful."
After giving her final warning, she took one last glance at Li Hao before turning and stepping off the platform.
In an instant, only Li Hao and the Twin Holy Son remained on the platform. The others, having witnessed Li Hao's earlier dominance, had abandoned their pursuit of first place.
Seeing these two, once old enemies, now facing each other, everyone grew excited. A fierce battle seemed inevitable, but could Haotian defeat the saintly reincarnated Twin Holy Son?
Li Hao and the Twin Holy Son stared at each other, clearly seeing the killing intent in each other's eyes.
Li Hao's cold light was undisguised, while the Twin Holy Son wore a compassionate expression, his face half in shadow, his smile appearing somewhat forced.
Li Hao knew that by slaying the Buddha Lord's incarnation, he had destroyed the saint's path, creating an irreconcilable hatred.
Since it couldn't be resolved, there was no need to try!
After all, slaying the Buddha Lord was to avenge Elder Feng. Killing the Buddha Lord had already balanced the scales, but now it seemed the debt was still unsettled!
"I had intended to wait until after this contest to personally descend into the mortal world and deal with you. But I didn't expect you to come here, to the Canglan Realm of all places. This is our destiny!"
The Twin Holy Son's eyes were deep, believing in karma and fate. He realized that Li Hao represented a trial on his path to sainthood. He had to overcome this obstacle; otherwise, he would never complete his saintly Dao.
"Destiny? You think you're worthy? I slew you in the mortal world, and today, though you stand in this sacred land, I may spare your life, but you will not escape punishment!"
Li Hao's cold voice rang out, filled with the regal majesty of a young emperor.
He knew that revealing his identity today would bring danger. And being in the sacred land of Buddhism, killing the Twin Holy Son was impossible. Li Hao couldn't fathom the Buddha's true nature, nor could he predict if the Buddha would intervene against him like the Void Saint had.
But with things as they were, he had no choice but to leave life and death to fate, doing his best.
Even if today ended in bitterness, he would have no regrets. After all, he had lived each day earnestly and had not squandered his time.
Hearing Li Hao's words, the crowd was astounded. They hadn't expected him to show such domineering arrogance in the face of the Twin Holy Son.
This was a saint reincarnated, and it was clear that the Twin Holy Son had awakened his saintly memories. Li Hao was facing someone who, in essence, was a Buddhist saint whose cultivation had been reduced to the Dao Realm!
"Indeed, after I slay you and sever this karmic bond, your mission will be complete as well!"
The Twin Holy Son's smile faded as brilliant Buddhist light radiated from him. At the same time, rolling black smoke emerged from his kasaya, transforming into the fearsome visage of a Heavenly Demon.
This demon appeared terrifying, yet it bore the face of a Buddha, with eight arms and three heads, its eyes wide with rage like copper bells.
As the Heavenly Demon manifestation appeared, dark clouds gathered above the Buddha Hall, and the sky dimmed.
"Is this the Heavenly Demon that the Twin Holy Son has been battling since childhood?!"
"My heavens, this is terrifying!"
"I've heard that when the Twin Holy Son was reincarnated, a Heavenly Demon sensed it and tried to kill him in the womb. But the two became entwined, sharing one body. As a result, the Twin Holy Son must completely eradicate his inner demon before he can become a saint!"
"His cultivation path is not about techniques, but about Buddhism—cultivating himself!"
Discussions broke out across the Canglan Realm, with many people feeling sympathy for the young Buddhist prodigy's struggle.
When the radiant Buddhist light from the Twin Holy Son's body shone forth, it was as if the crowd could feel his strong will to save the world, and many began to chant his praises.
Li Hao listened to the cheers below, his expression growing colder, a sneer forming in his heart.
This so-called "inner demon" was clearly something the Twin Holy Son had cultivated himself, yet he portrayed it as a Heavenly Demon invasion, making himself the victim. No wonder he could openly display his demonic form without being questioned.
The Buddhist Sect had long paved the way for him, spreading his story.
Good and evil were merely a matter of perspective. Whoever controlled the narrative was deemed righteous.
"Great Demon-Subduing Finger!"
The Twin Holy Son raised his hand, and in an instant, the radiant Buddhist light on his body condensed into a single point at his fingertip. Behind him, a dharma manifestation began to appear, but it didn't reveal its full form—only a massive finger!
The finger seemed to pierce through the dark clouds in the sky, descending like a colossal peak. Its fingerprints were clearly visible, rough and weathered.
It came crashing down on Li Hao with the force of a meteor.
Countless people held their breath. What was this technique?
Li Hao looked up at the dharma finger, which seemed to burn the air as it fell. He twirled his sword, and in a flash, swung it upwards!
Boom!
As the sword was unleashed, it shook the heavens and the earth like a clap of thunder.
The dark sword shadow glowed with an ethereal brightness, illuminating the eyes of countless onlookers.
The surging sword energy shot forth like a roaring dragon, colliding with the dharma finger. In the next instant, it cut through the finger like a mountain cleaving in two, producing a resounding crash.
The dharma finger shattered, its fingerprints torn apart, and the Buddhist light atop it disintegrated.
Li Hao didn't even bother to look at his handiwork. Instead, his gaze was fixed coldly on the Twin Holy Son. In a flash, he took a step forward—Return to the Void, instant teleportation!
In the blink of an eye, his figure appeared right in front of the Twin Holy Son.
"Dao Domain, Divine-Demon Extreme Domain!"
The Twin Holy Son seemed to have anticipated Li Hao's attack. In an instant, he unleashed his Dao Domain. Layer upon layer of Dao Domain unfolded, rising rapidly until they reached 81 layers! These 81 layers, however, did not merely stack like Li Hao's original Dao Domain. Instead, they merged into a strange force field, pulling everything together, resembling the structure of an Eternal Dao Domain!
Within this single domain, bizarre phenomena of Buddhist and demonic forces appeared, containing a chaotic power that distorted yin and yang.
"What kind of Dao Domain is this?!"
"81 layers merged in an instant!"
"I've heard of a Dao Domain cultivation method—this must be the legendary Dao Domain technique!"
"Even though he only has 81 layers, with the Dao Domain technique, it might be more formidable than Haotian's Hundredfold Dao Domain!"
The crowd erupted in shock. The Dao Domain cultivation method was an extremely rare secret technique, found only in the most elite sacred lands. It allowed multiple Dao Domains to be woven together, making them incredibly formidable.
As soon as Li Hao's Return to the Void technique brought him into the Twin Holy Son's Dao Domain, the terrifying tearing forces of the domain enveloped him. If not for his body having been cultivated to the absolute peak, he would have been torn apart instantly.
But even so, his body began to ooze golden blood.
Yet, just as the divine blood began to flow, it swiftly retracted into his body. At the same time, Li Hao's eyes widened in anger—Eternal Dao Domain appeared!
Boom!!
A terrifying aura descended upon the battlefield.
In an instant, time and space seemed to freeze, stopping in their tracks.
The Twin Holy Son's Divine-Demon Extreme Domain froze as if encased in ice, the phenomena within it solidifying.
Even the Twin Holy Son himself was immobilized, his body frozen in place. Only his eyes could move, his thoughts still racing. A look of shock flashed in his gaze.
Boom!
Li Hao didn't use his sword but instead raised his fist, slamming it hard into the Twin Holy Son's face.
The Twin Holy Son's body was sent flying, crashing into the formation at the edge of the platform. His Divine-Demon Extreme Domain, which had just manifested, was immediately suppressed by Li Hao's Eternal Dao Domain, and it disintegrated. The terrifying phenomena that had just appeared evaporated before they could unleash their full power.
The clash of Dao Domains was simple and brutal.
This sudden reversal left the crowd dumbfounded. Moments earlier, their shouts of awe had been silenced as if someone had pressed the mute button. They stood frozen in shock.
It wasn't just the crowd and the people watching from across the Canglan Realm through the Realm Stone. Even the Buddhist half-saints, as well as Yaohzu and Shanzu, who had come to watch, stared at Li Hao in disbelief.
If they weren't mistaken, when Li Hao revealed his Eternal Dao Domain, 360 layers of Dao Domain flickered in an instant before merging into one.
That was 360 layers of Dao Domain!
Below, Jiang Yingyue stood frozen, her mind blank. He had 97 layers? Reaching 100 layers would already be remarkable, but 360?
On the Buddha Hall, even Wen Sheng and Jian Sheng were momentarily stunned, clearly not expecting Li Hao to display such a terrifying power.
"This seems to be the Four Extremes Realm."
Wen Sheng's expression was grave as he muttered quietly.
360 layers of Dao Domain—simply on the basis of Dao Domain alone—was like a weapon of mass destruction in this Supreme Heaven's Prodigy Battle.
Unless others possessed equally extraordinary methods, Li Hao's Dao Domain alone could allow him to sweep through the competition, potentially claiming a spot in the top ten across the heavens! Given the age restriction for the Supreme Heaven's Prodigy Battle—within a hundred years—there wasn't enough time to cultivate 360 layers of Dao Domain. Even if one cultivated three layers a year, it would still be impossible!
Not to mention that one still had to train in other aspects, including other extreme realms, skills, and techniques.
There simply wasn't enough time!
The Buddha's face shifted slightly, but he quickly regained his calm, the benevolent smile from before now gone.
On the platform, after unleashing his Eternal Dao Domain, Li Hao strode toward the Twin Holy Son.
With every step he took, the platform trembled, shaking as though the peak of the sacred Buddhist land itself might collapse.
The overwhelming momentum and his unparalleled figure left countless people in awe.
"So, this is the strength of your true self? Too weak!"
When he approached the Twin Holy Son, Li Hao suddenly vanished—Return to the Void—reappearing right in front of him, lifting his leg and kicking out violently.
Boom!
The Twin Holy Son's body was sent flying, crashing into the formation on the other side of the platform. His kasaya gleamed with treasure light, seemingly protecting him from further damage.
Li Hao wasn't deliberately tormenting him. He knew that if he truly wanted to kill the Twin Holy Son, one sword strike would suffice. But if he were to strike that sword, the Buddha would surely intervene—there was no way he would watch as Li Hao killed this saintly reincarnation in the sacred Buddhist land.
Since he couldn't kill him, he would punish him!
As for whether he would offend the Buddha—that wasn't a concern for Li Hao. Even if he surrendered or begged for mercy, if the Buddha wanted to act, he still would. Pleading for mercy would only lead to a death without dignity.
Boom! Boom!
Li Hao's figure continued to flicker, his Return to the Void teleportation technique swift as a ghost. The entire battlefield seemed to become his domain. Under the suppression of his Eternal Dao Domain, even the dust floating in the air remained suspended.
The Twin Holy Son's body was helpless against Li Hao's relentless kicks, bouncing back and forth like a ball.
The scene left the entire holy mountain silent, and the dozens of divine dynasties within the Canglan Realm also fell into a stunned hush.
The Twin Holy Son, once deemed an invincible prodigy, was now being toyed with by Li Hao, unable to fight back. This shocking turn of events left everyone speechless.
"Roar!"
Suddenly, the Heavenly Demon manifestation behind the Twin Holy Son let out a low growl, its eyes emitting a red glow.
The demon seemed to break free from the suppression of the Eternal Dao Domain. Li Hao, sensing the subtle shifts within his domain, noticed that the Heavenly Demon manifestation contained an extremely deep saintly will—it wasn't just a simple demonic phantom.
Could it be...
Li Hao's gaze sharpened, sensing the saintly will within the demon. A cold glint flashed in his eyes.
Could it be that the Heavenly Demon manifestation housed part of the saintly consciousness from the Twin Holy Son's previous life?
In other words, the reincarnation wasn't complete!
If the Twin Holy Son's previous life practiced both Buddhism and demonic cultivation, his so-called reincarnation might only have involved his Buddhist mind, while his demonic consciousness remained hidden within the demon, lying dormant as a safety net in case something went wrong.
Such a method was beyond Li Hao's imagination, but based on what he could perceive, it seemed like the only explanation.
As the saintly will within the Heavenly Demon manifestation emerged, Li Hao felt a surge of demonic energy clashing against his Dao Domain, gradually forcing its way into motion.
At this moment, the Twin Holy Son's eyes also flared red, his face twisting in rage as the demonic mind completely overshadowed his Buddhist heart.
"Four Extremes Realm! You've reached the Four Extremes Realm!"
The Twin Holy Son's face contorted, his expression twisted under the influence of the demonic mind. His once radiant Buddhist light was now submerged under seething demonic energy, transforming him into a youthful Demon Lord.
"To push me this far, you deserve death!"
The Twin Holy Son roared, no longer chanting a Buddhist mantra. He raised his hand, and demonic light surged from his palm, forming a massive handprint that came crashing down on Li Hao.
At the same time, the Divine-Demon Extreme Domain reappeared. Though it merely mimicked the merging of realms, unlike Li Hao's true Eternal Dao Domain, under the influence of the saintly demonic will, it managed to struggle against Li Hao's domain.
Li Hao's eyes flickered with killing intent. "Incarnation or true self, you're both destined to be defeated!"
He roared and took a step forward, raising his black sword and slashing out.
My Sole Sword Dao!
Boom!
The sword light roared like a cataclysm, slicing through the demonic handprint. Despite the support of the saintly demonic will, it was cleaved apart by Li Hao, unable to resist.
The Twin Holy Son's blood-red eyes were filled with shock. Though he hadn't yet gone all out, and their duel hadn't reached its peak, he could see just how terrifying Li Hao's sword Dao truly was. Could it really sever anything?
One sword cut through the demonic hand, and Li Hao didn't stop. He swung his sword again.
The crescent-shaped sword light howled forward, moving like Return to the Void, striking the Twin Holy Son's arm.
His arm was severed, blood spraying forth.
The sword's residual energy continued, tearing through the dark clouds above the holy mountain, returning the sky to clarity.
With just two sword strikes, the Twin Holy Son's demonic power had been crushed and swept away.
Seeing this, the countless spectators below were wide-eyed, unable to believe what they were witnessing.
"The Twin Holy Son's arm was severed!"
"Is he going to lose? Could a saint's reincarnation actually lose?!"
"Could Haotian also be a saint's reincarnation? This is terrifying!"
"Doesn't it seem like the Twin Holy Son is more like a demon compared to Haotian?"
On the platform, Li Hao stood with his green robe and sword, his face cold.
Meanwhile, the Twin Holy Son's face twisted in fury, his eyes blood-red, and his kasaya was soaked with blood, the treasure light on it already extinguished from Li Hao's earlier brutal kicks.
In the blink of an eye, the severed arm of the Twin Holy Son regenerated.
Li Hao's eyes narrowed slightly. This kind of regeneration was all too familiar—it was the Seventh Extremes Realm: Undying and Indestructible!
The Twin Holy Son also possessed the ability to regenerate from a single drop of blood. The rumors had claimed he had mastered six of the extreme realms, but it seemed he had skipped the Transcendent Immortal realm.
Still, after his fight against the Void Saint's incarnation, Li Hao had learned the flaws of regeneration. If he truly wanted to kill the Twin Holy Son, he knew how to do it.
For a brief moment, the battle paused. Below the platform, the crowd still hadn't recovered from their shock.
"So, this is his true strength?"
The Haoyue Holy Son stared blankly. Before, he had harbored some resentment and had wanted to close the gap through seclusion. But now, he felt only awe.
It was like staring up at an insurmountable mountain.
How could there be such a huge gap between peers?
Within the Wen Zu Holy Land, many other Holy Sons and Daughters were also silent.
Li Qingyi's eyes were dazed. No wonder Li Hao hadn't even drawn his sword when he fought her before. He had only casually unleashed some sword energy to defeat her.
She had thought his sword Dao was his most terrifying ability, but the most frightening thing was his overwhelming Dao Domain!
Lin Shuhai's smile had long since faded. His eyes quietly focused on the lone figure standing
on the platform, his expression serious.
"This is what he looks like when he's not injured…"
Lin Qingying stared blankly. She had found Li Hao severely injured and brought him back, thinking he was just an ordinary wounded warrior. But she had never imagined that his strength was this overwhelming.
And if he was this powerful now, how terrible must the danger have been that left him so badly injured and unconscious in the wilderness?
On the stage, the Twin Holy Son's face was twisted in rage, his body surging with demonic energy. His eyes blazed with a killing intent so intense it seemed ready to burst out of his skull.
"Today, you don't dare to kill me, but I swear I will kill you!"
He glared at Li Hao, his voice filled with malice as he transmitted his thoughts.
"As a saint reincarnate, speaking such words—has your saintly heart become clouded? I feel embarrassed for you."
Li Hao's expression remained cold, a slight smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth. "Though I may not kill you today, that doesn't mean I can't give you a good beating!"
With that, Li Hao stepped forward once more, instantly closing the distance.
The Twin Holy Son's pupils contracted, his body surging with demonic energy. The Heavenly Demon manifestation behind him suddenly released a surge of saintly willpower.