Follow the path of Dao from infancy Chapter 1697 Chapter 427: Sixty-Nine Stars in a Day, Shocking the World (Double-Length) (Part 4)
Previously on Follow the path of Dao from infancy...
"The final one."
Li Hao fixed his gaze upon the Chaos Stone Wall, where 138 law cracks crisscrossed in a complex web. This was a spatial Chaos Star, a place riddled with invisible spatial rifts and treacherous ravines where a single lapse in concentration could lead to one being lost forever.
Fortunately, the young prodigies who journeyed here for comprehension were supported by Immortal Kings. These powerful guardians suppressed the Chaos Domain, allowing their charges to bypass the turbulent spatial fissures with ease.
This necessity explained the scarcity of comprehension slots on the Chaos Stars. Each genius required the focused energy and protection of an Immortal King; however, such masters were rarely idle.
It wasn't long before the patterns of every law crack on the Chaos Stone Wall were etched into Li Hao’s memory.
Moments later, the 138 Chaos Pillars surrounding him ignited simultaneously. Brilliant light surged as the chaos formation manifested, sending tremors through the entire star.
While countless eyes turned toward the phenomenon, the "culprit" responsible for the disturbance had already retreated from the subterranean cavern.
Hovering in the firmament above the Chaos Star, Li Hao and Shi Miao were in no rush to depart this time.
There were no further Chaos Stars to visit; they had successfully navigated them all!
"69 Chaos Stars..."
Li Hao’s eyes flickered with a sharp light. His master had once mentioned that these 69 Chaos Stars held the Ten Thousand Dao Laws, and now, he had achieved full comprehension of them.
His status on the Chaos Heavenly Dao list had also surged, skyrocketing to the 260,000th rank!
This position was higher than Li Hao had anticipated. He had initially assumed that mastering all 69 Chaos Stars would break him into the top 10,000, but Shi Miao had clarified that understanding the stars was merely the opening move.
The second step involved synthesizing those stars to weave one’s own unique Chaos Law!
Upon reaching this second stage, even the creation of a single Chaos Law would result in a massive spike in combat strength, far exceeding the power gained from the 69 Chaos Stars alone.
Li Hao had studied all 69 stars specifically to master the 23 Chaos Laws.
"The result is quite impressive," Shi Miao remarked to Li Hao. "Your next task is to settle your spirit and organize the laws from the 69 stars to weave your personal Chaos Law. I am confident you will move through the second step swiftly!"
Her words weren't empty flattery; she held genuine conviction in his potential.
Li Hao nodded in agreement. "I feel as though the threads are already coming together; I could begin the weaving at any moment."
He truly felt that way. Since reaching the second stage of the Chaos Dao, the complexity of those laws no longer felt overwhelming to him.
"In truth, there were originally 72 Chaos Stars," Shi Miao shared, revealing an ancient secret. "That equated to 24 Chaos Laws, but three stars vanished long ago. Rumors suggest they were obliterated, hidden away by a Great Emperor, or perhaps stolen by the Ancient Demon Clan during an infiltration of the Primordial True Realm!"
"Because of this, mastering the 23 Chaos Laws became the pinnacle of achievement."
A shadow of regret crossed her expression. "If those three missing stars were recovered, the overall strength of the Primordial True Realm would increase tenfold!"
"That much of an impact?" Li Hao asked, visibly stunned.
"Absolutely," Shi Miao confirmed. "If a genius could master 24 Chaos Laws, the consequences would be world-shaking. Such power would perfect one's Foundation Establishment, vastly strengthening the Immortal King Realm and clearing the path to the Emperor Realm. Even if one only reached the peak of the Immortal King Realm, they would be worth an entire army."
Li Hao understood then. The absence of that final Chaos Law prevented perfection, creating a ceiling that left many who sought the ultimate peak forever one step short.
"Still, don't dwell on it too much. Just refining those 23 laws requires immense talent. Even I struggled significantly to refine them back in my day!" Shi Miao admitted.
Li Hao was taken aback. If Shi Miao, a premier prodigy of her era, had barely managed to refine 23 laws, the difficulty of this path was truly daunting.
"But you can do it, I have faith in you." Shi Miao suddenly flashed a captivating smile at him.
Li Hao was momentary dazed by her radiant expression, feeling as if the very air had sweetened.
With a slight smile, he asked, "Shall we head back to Extreme Dao Mountain?"
"Yes."
Shi Miao nodded. "Your rank has climbed so drastically that you've caught many eyes. I worry that staying here might invite those with dark intentions."
As she spoke, a cold glint flickered in her eyes.
Li Hao nodded slowly, grasping her point: even if he sought no conflict, his rapid rise would naturally draw trouble to him.
Fame that comes too quickly can often be a burden.
"Let’s depart."
Shi Miao activated a Space-Time Array, whisking Li Hao back toward Extreme Dao Mountain.
By the time they arrived, the Primordial True Realm was already buzzing with excitement.
The three Great Emperor Domains and several Chaos Immortal Cities were in an uproar, and even the Chaos Ancient Clans were whispering the name "Haotian."
Those ranked near him had leaked his standing on the Chaos Heavenly Dao Prodigy List.
Rank: 260,000.
Time taken to rank: A single day!
The news traveled like wildfire, leaving the masses in a state of disbelief.
When the Dao Origin Immortal Emperor had previously announced his seventh direct disciple, most major factions had only taken a passing interest, merely wanting to avoid future friction.
Now, however, the situation had changed. The unprecedented speed of his ascent shattered all common understanding, sparking a flood of rumors and theories.
"Haotian?"
On a distant Chaos Star, a woman in a black gauze dress sat in quiet meditation, her figure slender and elegant.
Hearing the chatter around her, her eyes grew misty. Was it that same member of the Human Race?
"How is this possible..."
She was filled with shock. During their duel in the Northern Domain ten years ago, even though he had bested her while in the second stage of the Immortal Monarch Realm, she hadn't felt the gap between them was insurmountable.
Yet now, in just a decade, had he really comprehended all 69 Chaos Stars in one day?
Had he already mastered Chaos Power back then, using it to defeat her?
...
Within the Original Land, nestled among the peaks.
Ancient arrays sat atop every summit, drawing in the Chaos Power of the world to enhance cultivation efficiency.
In the main halls of two separate peaks, meditating figures suddenly snapped their eyes open.
"Is it truly him?"
An elder clad in blue robes looked on with shock, his expression eventually turning grim.
"When the Dao Origin Immortal Emperor sent word a year ago, I assumed it was a mere coincidence of names. I thought that boy had perished. To think he reached the Primordial True Realm and became the disciple of an Immortal Emperor..."
"A direct disciple of an Immortal Emperor cannot serve two masters. It seems he hasn't officially joined my master’s sect or inherited his Dao lineage..."
On the neighboring peak, a man in dark golden armor radiated a domineering aura, his eyes burning with divine light.
He had reached the Perfect Immortal Monarch Realm. Tao Laws swirled around him, heavy with the scent of Chaos. Twenty-two distinct Chaos Laws could be seen interwoven within his aura.
"It seems I must find an opportunity to return to Heavenly Calamity. My master’s legacy must still be there. Since that brat hasn't claimed it, then it is destined for me..."
He whispered to himself.