Follow the path of Dao from infancy Chapter 1732 Chapter 439: World Heart_2

Upon listening to his master's guidance, Li Hao was momentarily stunned before the realization hit him; his previous efforts were mere practice, but this was the true path forward.

"I understand."

Li Hao stood up immediately. Since his experience bar was now full, he knew that continuing to paint his mentor would grant him little further progress. His Eye of Painting Realm could only capture a fragment of the truth, making it impossible to fully perceive the true majesty of a Great Emperor.

In contrast, observing those in the Immortal King Realm—a level not far beyond his own—would offer far more transparent insights.

"The Realm... the World Heart..."

Li Hao performed a respectful salute to bid his mentor farewell. He whispered these words to himself as he exited the grand hall and began his journey down the mountain slopes.

Extreme Dao Mountain was home to countless Dao fields. The closer a disciple's location was to the peak, the greater their latent talent. Just below the summit's primary tier sat many disciples of the Immortal King Realm, all deeply immersed in their personal cultivation and comprehension.

With a flicker of movement, Li Hao’s form descended upon this area.

His sudden appearance caught the eye of a nearby cultivator, whose eyes widened in shock. The man yelled out with excitement, "Senior Brother Haotian!"

Even though Li Hao had joined the Sect much later than the others, his status as a Direct Disciple—despite being the youngest among them—demanded that they address him as Senior Brother with full respect.

The shout of that disciple acted like a beacon, causing many others to snap their eyes open. Upon identifying Li Hao, a wave of shock and enthusiasm swept through the crowd as they rushed to surround him.

It was a rare event, perhaps occurring only once in a thousand years, for a Direct Disciple to visit these lower Dao fields.

Usually, Direct Disciples like Gu Mofan or Di Lingshu were preoccupied with comprehending the Chaotic Star or secluded in private cultivation; they rarely had a moment to spare for such places.

Beyond their natural gifts, the diligence of a true prodigy is often a hundred times that of an average person.

"It truly is Senior Brother Haotian!"

"He has actually come here!"

"Look, everyone! That is our Senior Brother Haotian. I’ve heard rumors that he has already refined twenty-one strands of Chaos Law. What a monster!"

A large group gathered around him. Although the majority were in the Immortal King Realm and possessed higher cultivation levels than Li Hao, their eyes remained filled with reverence and awe.

They were well aware that Li Hao's ascension to the Immortal King Realm was inevitable. Once he achieved that breakthrough, his status as a Direct Disciple meant he would rapidly eclipse them all in power.

Just like Long Qingge and Lei Jingfeng before him, reaching the Immortal King Realm allowed them to become dominant forces almost instantly, like a True Dragon finally reaching the vast ocean and soaring nine thousand miles high.

Li Hao felt slightly overwhelmed by the bustling crowd. Seeing so many Immortal King Realm disciples bowing toward him, he hurriedly gestured for them to rise.

"Fellow Junior Brothers, please, there is no need for such ceremony. I have come here today to consult with you and discuss the Dao."

"Consult with us?"

The disciples were stunned by his request. One man in the crowd laughed and replied, "Senior Brother Haotian, you are being far too humble. Whatever you wish to say, please speak plainly. If anything, we are the ones who should be seeking your guidance."

"That’s right, Senior Brother! We were actually hoping you could teach us the secrets of refining those Chaos Laws."

"Senior Brother has only been an apprentice for a century and has already refined twenty-one strands. Meanwhile, we have toiled here for millennia and have barely scratched the surface of law refinement. There is simply no comparison between us."

Several disciples spoke up in quick succession.

Seeing their reaction, Li Hao clarified his goal; he wanted to gain a profound understanding of their various realms, which required them to manifest their powers openly for his study.

"If that is all you require, Senior Brother Haotian is being much too polite! My name is Xie Qiubai, and I have formed the Nine Elephants Realm. If you do not mind its simplicity, please observe it. I would be honored if you could offer me some pointers!"

A smiling young man stepped forward from the group.

"I have condensed the Hundred Battles Realm. Within it, the Laws of Ten Thousand Dao are forged into a hundred distinct paths. It uses battle as its Tao and the World Heart as the master of slaughter. Senior Brother, you are welcome to inspect it."

Another youth with thick eyebrows added with a laugh.

Other Immortal King Realm disciples pushed forward, each eager to display their unique realms to Li Hao.

Surprised by their fervor but deeply grateful, Li Hao thanked them individually. He decided to start with the closest senior brother and begin his observations of their internal worlds.

The disciple Li Hao selected first was beaming with pride. Under normal circumstances, revealing one's realm was as vulnerable as exposing one's internal organs—a dangerous risk. However, doing so for a Direct Disciple was a different matter entirely.

"Senior Brother Haotian, please, observe."

The disciple raised his palm, drawing Li Hao into the expanse of his realm.

Shi Miao walked alongside Li Hao. The disciple watched in shock as her form became semi-transparent, effortlessly slipping into his realm without resistance to stay by Li Hao's side.

Feeling his personal space instantly bypassed, the disciple’s expression shifted to one of pure disbelief. He had never encountered such a terrifying Immortal King Realm expert, especially here on the mountain.

The other onlookers noticed as well, and the way they looked at Shi Miao changed instantly.

Previously, they assumed she was merely a protector assigned to Li Hao by his mentor. After all, when studying the Chaotic Star, even a genius needs the protection of an Immortal King Realm domain to endure the pressures of the Chaos Domain.

"You are currently in the Monarch Realm," Shi Miao whispered to Li Hao. "Once you enter another person's realm, your body loses its independence."

This was the primary reason she had forced her way into the domain to stay with him.

Li Hao nodded, understanding the danger. This was the true terror of the Immortal King Realm; no matter how powerful a Monarch Realm cultivator might be, they were at the mercy of the realm's master once caught inside.

The higher the cultivation, the more impossible it became to fight across boundaries. A Great Realm was a chasm that few could ever hope to leap.

"Who is that woman? Her strength is incredible!"

"She bypassed 'Bitter Bridge's' realm without a sound. Does Extreme Dao Mountain really hide such masters? Her aura only feels like the second level of the Immortal King Realm!"

"But Bitter Bridge is already at the third level. This is unbelievable."

The crowd murmured amongst themselves, their focus shifting from Li Hao to Shi Miao. Within the Immortal King Realm, the power gap between single levels was as vast as five levels in the Monarch Realm!

Anyone capable of suppressing an opponent while transcending levels was a true monster, a rule that applied even at the Immortal King stage.

Furthermore, Bitter Bridge was a genius in his own right, having earned a place on the mountain’s main Dao field.

"My domain is known as the Shore Realm."

Bitter Bridge regained his composure. He realized the girl's look wasn't one of disdain, but an unspoken apology for her intrusion.

He offered a wry smile and, without further questioning, began to describe his realm to Li Hao.

Inside the domain, Li Hao observed the subtle traces of the Nine Sequences Origin. There was a Life Sea overflowing with vital Qi, where strange, microscopic life forms were being born. Some crawled onto the banks while others stayed in the water, absorbing life energy to grow larger and more robust.

"The creation of life?"

Li Hao was stunned by the sight.

Could it be that those in the Immortal King Realm were already equivalent to creators?

However, he soon calmed his mind. When the power of the nine sequences merged, the Life Dao was naturally integrated into the Water Dao Origin and Time Origin. Upon reaching the sixth realm, touching upon the stage of nurturing life was a natural progression.

"The shore represents the heart of my realm. All living souls endure suffering; only by building a bridge can they reach the shore, where the Laws of Ten Thousand Daos cannot touch them. This shore acts as both a bridge and a blade, capable of cutting through the Laws of Ten Thousand Daos!"

Bitter Bridge explained the concept of his World Heart to Li Hao.

Li Hao’s eyes shone with admiration. He realized that no one who reached the Immortal King Realm was ordinary. The Shore Realm Heart felt incredibly potent, and he wondered if he could ever conceive something so profound.

"What is the purpose of this Life Sea?" Li Hao asked.

"This serves as the foundation for all realms," Bitter Bridge replied.

He glanced at Shi Miao before continuing, "These developing lives allow us to deduce the Tao Laws through them, making cultivation faster than simply observing the heavens. Furthermore, as these nurtured lives grow stronger, the power of the realm itself increases."

"However, life born within an Immortal King's realm cannot truly cultivate on its own unless it is sustained by the Power of the Heavenly Dao."