Chapter 351: Battlefield of the Heavens
"Just as I thought..."
Feng Boping, hearing these words, didn't show any joy on his face but instead sighed softly and said, "Do not mention this in front of others. This realm is special; it can condense divine blood and transform the mundane into the divine. The offspring of the God Clan inherit a portion of their ancestor's physique, making their cultivation progress incredibly fast, comparable to the ninth-level war physique of the mortal realm!"
The ninth-level war physique was already considered the highest aptitude in the mortal realm, enough to bring fame to an entire region.
Li Hao was surprised that Feng Lao also knew about the God Clan's secrets and asked, puzzled:
"If that's the case, isn't it a good thing?"
"While it's indeed a good thing, it's also a disaster."
Feng Boping shook his head. "The God Clan's cultivation progresses at an extremely rapid pace, and their lineage grows too quickly. Their descendants can also cultivate the path of Extreme Dao to sainthood. However, Extreme Dao requires slaughter and the transcendence of lost souls. If the God Clan reaches a certain size, where nearly everyone possesses this ability, what will the world look like?"
Li Hao paused, realizing he hadn't considered this deeply.
But seeing Feng Lao's expression, his own face darkened.
"In the land of the Saints, the God Clan initially emerged, and their descendants flourished. However, as their numbers grew, internal strife arose. To vie for the opportunity to attain sainthood through Extreme Dao, they went so far as to deliberately incite disasters. At that time, wars were rampant, and the calamities spread to many smaller worlds, surpassing even the current influence of the Buddhist Sect..."
Feng Boping glanced at Li Hao and continued, "Although the original ancestor of the God Clan did not intend for this, their numerous descendants created chaos. In the end, a Supreme Saint took action, joining forces with the other Saints to suppress them, finally quelling the chaos. Otherwise, the land of the Saints today would already be a battlefield of endless war across all realms."
Li Hao remained silent. Previously, when he had heard from Ying Xiaoxiao that the God Clan was wrongly accused of being demons, he had felt some indignation. But now, he realized that everything had its reasons.
"After the incident with the God Clan, the Supreme Saint decreed a ban on cultivating this ultimate realm."
Feng Boping looked at Li Hao and said, "Luckily, the power that comes from reaching the ultimate realm isn't immediately obvious. Plus, the cultivation is difficult. Many people don't bother with it. However, there are still some who secretly pursue it. The Supreme Saint turns a blind eye to this, as long as they don't excessively propagate their bloodline or form new clans."
Li Hao hadn't expected that cultivating the ultimate realm would become a taboo due to such events.
"You were unaware of these matters in the mortal realm, so you cultivated it without much concern. It's not a major issue, as long as you don't publicize it. Some things can be done in secret without consequence, but if you flaunt them, others will be forced to take action."
Feng Boping advised.
Li Hao nodded, adding, "Then, shouldn't the Buddha Lord of the Buddhist Sect also be secretly cultivating this ultimate realm?"
"That bald-headed monk, with his lack of desires, can cultivate this path without the Supreme Saint intervening. But I doubt he'd dare to reveal it openly," Feng Boping said.
Li Hao asked, "What about you, Feng Lao? Have you cultivated this realm? It seems like a quick path to sainthood. Can a mere decree truly stop everyone from pursuing it?"
Feng Boping sighed, "Though it offers power, it also invites trouble. Moreover, reaching the ultimate realm isn't something you can just decide to do. Do you think everyone can cultivate it as easily as you?"
Shooting a sideways glance at Li Hao, he continued, "Cultivating this isn't a crime, but if those in power say it is, then it becomes one. It's like how the imperial court has laws banning quick ways to get rich—everyone knows they work, but how many dare to try them?"
Hearing this, Li Hao began to understand.
The power of the Supreme Saints was no less than that of emperors in the land of the Saints.
The Buddha Lord might dare to touch this power because he was already a Saint, and he could hide his cultivation discreetly.
It was much like how nobles and ministers ran shadowy businesses—loan sharks, gambling dens—things forbidden to ordinary people, punishable by death. But to those with power, these were lucrative side earnings.
Touching taboo subjects wasn't about courage; it was about having the right backing.
"Attaining sainthood through Extreme Dao is no different from attaining it through incense offerings in terms of power. The only difference is the speed."
Feng Boping looked at Li Hao and said, "The Buddhist Sect and Xu Sheng see you as a thorn in their side. They won't let you smoothly attain sainthood and will try to cut off your incense offerings. However, if you manage to take first place in the Supreme Prodigy Battle, you'll instantly receive enough incense to become a Saint, and they won't be able to stop you."
Li Hao thought to himself that Feng Lao was indeed astute. Over the past few days, he had noticed that his incense offerings were dwindling. The portion from the mortal realm remained intact, but the incense offerings from Canglan Realm were steadily decreasing.
It was likely that the Buddhist Sect had sent people to the Canghai Divine Dynasty to ruin his reputation and diminish his incense offerings.
"Even if you don't win first place, it won't matter. I have the incense offerings from ten divine dynasties. I've absorbed most of it already, but now I'll set up an array to reverse the flow and send it all to you. From this day forward, you'll accumulate enough, and within about thirty years, you'll reach sainthood."
Feng Boping continued, "In the Small Thousand Realm, they wouldn't dare to come. This is my domain. In a Saint's own domain, they are nearly invincible."
Though Feng Lao spoke calmly, Li Hao couldn't help but feel a deep sense of gratitude.
Feng Lao was still the same, with a kindness as deep as a mountain.
Incense offerings were precious, even to Saints, as they were a direct source of power. Yet, Feng Lao was willing to give Li Hao thirty years' worth of his own incense offerings. This level of generosity was something he likely wouldn't even show to his personal disciples.
"Feng Lao, I appreciate your kindness, but I still want to try the path of Extreme Dao. If I can master both, it would be even better."
Li Hao replied, determined to win first place in the Supreme Prodigy Battle and continue down the path of Extreme Dao.
As for Feng Lao's offer of incense, he was reluctant to accept it.
The more someone gave him, the less he wanted to let them suffer a loss.
Feng Boping was surprised by Li Hao's intentions. After a moment of pause, he muttered, "You're quite ambitious, wanting to cultivate both paths to sainthood. I've heard of people trying, including the God Clan's ancestor, but they all failed. The two paths aren't compatible. You're probably wasting your efforts."
"Not compatible?"
Li Hao was slightly taken aback. So far, he hadn't encountered any issues absorbing both Extreme Dao power and incense offerings.
But if Feng Lao said so, he wasn't likely to be wrong. This could explain why the Supreme Saint's decree had been so well-observed. If people could only choose one, then Extreme Dao, while faster, was far more dangerous than the steady accumulation of incense.
After a brief silence, Li Hao said quietly, "I still want to try."
Aside from Extreme Dao, he also wanted to merge three paths into one—a path that might lead to the pinnacle of sainthood. Li Hao didn't want to miss this opportunity.
Since he was cultivating, he would aim for the highest road.
Feng Boping saw that Li Hao's determination hadn't wavered. He knew the young man was still full of vigor and wouldn't easily accept defeat.
He didn't try to stop him. He had always treated Li Hao as a peer, rather than playing the role of a mentor, offering sage advice and guidance from a higher position.
"If that's the case, then I know that the Battlefield of the Heavens will soon open. You can go there to absorb Extreme Dao power and try to reach sainthood through the path of slaughter. Maybe by the time the Supreme Prodigy Battle comes, you'll have already transcended and become a Saint, and winning first place will be just a matter of collecting your prize."
Feng Boping's tone shifted, returning to its previous lightheartedness.
"The Battlefield of the Heavens?"
"Yes, in the myriad worlds, Saints stand at the pinnacle. Conflicts between them are inevitable, and even divine dynasties clash. But Saints rarely intervene directly—it would damage their reputation and incense offerings. Plus, when Saints fight, it often leads to the devastation of entire realms. So, they let their followers handle the disputes."
"This leads to bloodshed, and in the Battlefield of the Heavens, there's a sea of corpses—perfect for cultivating Extreme Dao." Feng Boping explained.
Upon hearing this, Li Hao's eyes gleamed.
This battlefield was indeed a rare treasure for cultivating Extreme Dao.
"If you can attain sainthood, I'll be at ease. Now that your identity is exposed, with the Sixth Extreme Realm, other Saints will undoubtedly be watching you closely. After all, it touches upon the mysteries of gods and immortals and the origins of the land of the Saints. In the Small Thousand Realm, I can protect you, but once you leave, the danger will be immense. If you can become a Saint, it'll dissuade many from harboring ill intentions, and at least you'll be able to engage with them on equal terms."
Feng Boping said.
Li Hao's expression turned serious. He understood that without reaching sainthood, he wasn't even qualified to sit at the table.
The gap between the Dao Law Realm, even Half-Saint, and true Saints was far too vast.
After discussing Extreme Dao with Feng Lao, Li Hao felt an overwhelming sense of urgency. In the upcoming Supreme Prodigy Battle, his real enemies wouldn't be the prodigies of other worlds but the Saints of the Buddhist Sect and Xu Sheng.
Before that battle, he needed to amass enough power.
Driven by this urgency, Li Hao took out his painting tools and began working on a piece for Feng Lao.
Seeing Li Hao's serious demeanor, Feng Boping couldn't help but chuckle. He was still the same, even with the sky falling, he wouldn't lose his composure.
Perhaps it was this very nature that allowed him to cultivate at such an astonishing speed... Feng Lao smiled inwardly and didn't interfere, feeling that Li Hao had his own path and method of cultivation. He didn't need others to interfere.
After all, hard work only benefitted ordinary people; for a true prodigy, they already had their own way.
Before long, Li Hao finished his painting for Feng Lao, earning about 400,000 experience points.
This advanced his painting expertise another notch.
Over the next several days, Li Hao painted dozens of works for Feng Lao, accumulating over two million experience points.
His experience bar was now more than halfway full.
Feng Lao, seeing Li Hao so enthusiastic, didn't stop him. Although he could feel something being drawn from him during the painting process, he didn't mind.
As long as the kid was happy.
When the painting session ended, Feng Lao's efforts to gather items for Li Hao bore fruit.
Numerous rare paintings and chess manuals were sent over, and Li Hao eagerly examined each one, like a treasure hunter. He added the genuine masterpieces to his collection.
His system now had four or five new illustrated attributes, including hallucinogenic attacks, transformation attacks, and one particularly powerful attribute that could convert energy into physical toughness!
For Li Hao, this attribute was a revelation.
He knew some techniques could achieve this effect, but they were generally inefficient.
Most methods only converted two or three percent of energy into physical toughness—hardly worth the effort.
Besides, in most battles, physical toughness was a minor advantage—one well-placed divine weapon could pierce through it.
But for Li Hao, it was different.
His physical body had been refined to its limit, reaching the ultimate form. His body was as strong as top-tier Saintly treasures.
With this new attribute, combined with his ability to draw power from the heavens and earth, his physical body would become nearly invulnerable—even a Dao Tribulation divine weapon might struggle to harm him.
From Feng Lao, Li Hao had learned that even to the Saints, Dao Tribulation divine weapons were incredibly rare. These weren't man-made weapons but rather objects formed by the heavens, bearing the laws of the universe, condensed from the essence of millions of years.
The sword of honor in his possession was a fragment of a Dao Tribulation divine weapon. Though it had lost its divine resonance, it was still incredibly durable.
This new attribute was as valuable to Li Hao as his lethal attack attribute.
Li Hao was overjoyed, feeling like he had just acquired a significant new source of power.
But he knew this was all thanks to Feng Lao's efforts to scour the world for him. If he had gone looking on his own, he might have missed these treasures or spent an eternity searching. For most martial artists, time spent searching for treasures would be better spent on cultivation.
Aside from the paintings and chess manuals, Feng Lao also brought Li Hao a woman.
"This is Princess Hongyue of the Yunxiang Divine Dynasty. She's a renowned prodigy, skilled in painting, chess, calligraphy, and music, but especially in chess."
Feng Boping introduced the young woman, dressed in a red gown, to Li Hao's courtyard.
Hearing this, Li Hao's eyes brightened.
Hongyue, observing the young man in front of her, noticed his gaze and felt a wave of discomfort. However, she hid it well.
She knew her status. Despite being a famous prodigy admired by many princes and nobles, she was standing in the presence of a Saint and his disciple. Her rank meant nothing here.
What disappointed her, however, was that this so-called Saint's disciple appeared less composed than the princes and nobles she had met. At least they concealed their thoughts, whereas this young man made no effort to hide his intentions.
"Greetings, Saint's disciple."
Though she was inwardly dismayed, Hongyue maintained a clever and respectful facade.
"I'm no Saint's disciple. Just call me 'Young Master.'"
Li Hao said.
Hongyue was momentarily taken aback, her eyes reflecting surprise. She quickly corrected herself, addressing him as "Young Master," before glancing at the elderly man nearby.
Feng Boping chuckled and said to Li Hao, "I'll leave her to you. Do as you see fit."
With that, he turned and left.
Li Hao couldn't help but marvel at how considerate Feng Lao was.
Once Feng Lao was gone, he turned to the woman before him and said, "Come over."
Hongyue: "..."
But she obediently walked over, despite feeling conflicted.
Though she was still pure, having been personally sent to a Saint, she didn't dare resist. These were beings capable of erasing her from existence with the flick of a finger. She had no choice but to tread carefully.
"Prepare yourself. Let's begin."
Li Hao said.
A look of shame and anger flashed across Hongyue's face, but she quickly suppressed it and lowered her head. "I am still a maiden, Young Master... Please, be gentle..."
With that, she began to unfasten her clothes.
"What are you doing?"
Li Hao jumped, quickly realizing the misunderstanding. He said, "The chessboard is over there. Never mind, I'll grab it."
With a wave of his hand, the chessboard and pieces flew into the air, landing in front of him.
He looked at her and said, "Let's see how skilled you really are."
Hongyue: "?"
What's going on?
Stunned, she watched as the young man calmly set up the board, clearly not trying to play any tricks on her.
She had been summoned from far away... just to play chess?
Hongyue was bewildered, standing there in a daze. After a long moment, she cautiously asked, "Does Young Master enjoy playing chess?"
"Yes."
Li Hao nodded, not bothering to correct her. After all, why else would he have asked her here?
Realizing that she had misunderstood the entire situation, Hongyue let out a silent sigh of relief.
"Then I shall play a match with you, Young Master."
She said softly, though her cheeks were tinged with embarrassment as she recalled her earlier actions.
"Play seriously. If you win, I'll reward you with rare spiritual pills. If you lose, there will be a punishment." Li Hao added, hoping to prevent her from going easy on him because of his status.
Although by now, few could rival him in chess, especially since few martial artists specialized in it.
Startled by his words, Hongyue assured him she would give her best effort. Inwardly, she smiled, knowing that while this Young Master might excel in martial arts, chess was her domain.
Her eyes gleamed with intelligence and confidence as they set up the board. Hongyue took her position and began to play in earnest.
After a long while, the first game ended.
Li Hao was surprised. Her chess skills were extraordinary, almost equal to his own, and perhaps even slightly superior.
In this first round, he lost by half a point.
Ever since reaching the seventh level in chess, Li Hao hadn't experienced the feeling of losing.
If Li Hao was surprised, Hongyue was utterly shocked.
From a young age, she had been a chess prodigy, effortlessly defeating even the masters who had tutored the princes. Yet, the young man before her had made her work up a sweat.
"Young Master, your chess skills are remarkable."
Hongyue withdrew her hand and sincerely praised him.
For someone at the pinnacle of chess, finding an opponent of equal skill was a rare joy. This match with Li Hao had rekindled that long-lost thrill.
"You're quite impressive yourself. No wonder Feng Lao brought you here."
Li Hao was just as generous with his praise. It seemed Feng Lao had handpicked her from among the best in the Yunxiang Divine Dynasty, perhaps even one of the top chess players in the entire Small Thousand Realm.
Seeing his chess expertise gain a substantial boost, Li Hao smiled contentedly. Casually, he opened up his spatial storage and pulled out some rare pills that he had received as gifts from Lin Shanhai but hadn't been able to refuse.
"Since you seem to practice martial arts as well, these pills will help strengthen your bones and sharpen your mind."
Li Hao said as he handed the pills over.
Hongyue, glancing at the names of the pills inscribed on the gourds, was stunned. These were legendary pills, highly coveted by even the most privileged nobles.
"This..."
Hongyue was dumbfounded. She had never imagined that simply playing chess could earn her such valuable treasures.
Li Hao chuckled and said, "Go ahead and take them. Let's continue."
Snapping out of her daze, Hongyue looked at the young man before her, her gaze softening as she swiftly tucked the pills away, a flower-like smile blossoming on her face.
"Thank you, Young Master."
In the small courtyard, the chess match resumed.
Whenever Hongyue grew tired from the mental effort of chess, Li Hao would switch to painting or accompany Feng Lao for some leisurely fishing. Life was rich and fulfilling.
Half a month passed, and there were only five and a half months left before the Supreme Prodigy Battle.
One day, Feng Lao approached Li Hao, telling him that the Battlefield of the Heavens had opened and he could now send Li Hao there.
This battlefield was a special zone governed by the laws of heaven and earth. Saints were forbidden from entering, which is why it had been chosen as the site for the inter-realm battles—to prevent Saints from intervening.
Aside from Li Hao, Feng Boping's two disciples, Lin Baichuan and Chu Hanwei, were also entering the Battlefield of the Heavens to undergo a trial.
Training in a sanctuary or through closed cultivation could improve one's skills and understanding of the Dao, but the Battlefield of the Heavens was the ultimate training ground for real combat.
In addition to Feng Boping's two disciples, four other Saint Sons and Saint Daughters from the Stealing Heaven Holy Land were also joining the trial, making a total of seven participants.
Li Hao asked Feng Lao if he could bring Hongyue along.
He wasn't going to the Battlefield of the Heavens to fight. His main goal was to absorb Extreme Dao energy, and he could do that while playing chess. There was no reason the two activities couldn't coexist.
"It's dangerous there. She's only at the Fifteen Mile Realm. Without protection, I'm afraid..." Feng Boping began to say.
Li Hao, having already asked about the details of the battlefield, simply smiled and said, "We'll find a quiet place to stay. As long as I'm there, I can protect her."
Hearing this, Feng Boping thought for a moment. Given Li Hao's strength, there were few in the Battlefield of the Heavens who could pose a real threat to him, except for perhaps a few old Saint Sons who had been cultivating for thousands of years but hadn't yet reached sainthood.
"Very well, then. Take her with you."
Feng Boping didn't object further. Even if something happened to Hongyue, it wouldn't matter to him.
Lin Baichuan and Chu Hanwei exchanged glances, their expressions complicated. The other Saint Sons and Saint Daughters had also heard about the prodigy Feng Lao had personally brought back to the holy land, but since Li Hao rarely showed himself, none of them knew his true identity.
Seeing how much favor Li Hao was receiving, they were all surprised and couldn't help but look toward Lin Baichuan and Chu Hanwei, wondering if even they enjoyed such favor from Feng Lao.
Feng Boping waved his hand, drawing everyone into his sleeve. Then, they arrived at the sky above the Small Thousand Realm, where a dark ripple of energy undulated in the air.
As Feng Boping released Li Hao and the others from his sleeve, he sensed something and looked toward the distance, where the void suddenly rippled, and a figure stepped forth. This figure had a graceful, ethereal presence, with ribbons and celestial auras swirling around her, exuding an otherworldly charm.
Upon seeing Feng Boping, the woman raised her delicate brows slightly and smiled faintly.
"Bringing them to the Battlefield of the Heavens for training as well?"
"You too?"
Feng Boping replied nonchalantly upon seeing the woman.
In Li Hao's mind, he received a transmission from Feng Lao: "This is the Saint of the Deceiving Heaven Holy Land—Deceiving Heaven Saint."