Follow the path of Dao from infancy Chapter 1735 Chapter 441: Artistic Path Thirteen, Heart of Reverse Time

Faint wisps of smoke drifted lazily from the secluded courtyard.

Inside the walls, Li Hao was skillfully preparing Ancient Demon Flesh, sharing the feast with Shi Miao as they both enjoyed the meal.

"The aroma is incredible."

Shi Miao remarked, wiping her lips as she ate. Setting aside the typical poise of a noble lady, she devoured the food with gusto, though her every movement still retained an inherent grace and exquisite beauty. With a smile, she continued,

"I owe this to you; my reincarnated Primordial Spirit has successfully refined a significant amount of True God Blood. If I manage to survive safely until the end of time and reintegrate with my original True God self, I wonder how powerful that existence will become?"

Li Hao recalled Shi Miao mentioning that her true form had reached the Primordial Spirit Final Realm. By refining ten thousand drops of True God Blood, she could reach Final Realm Perfection. At that stage, her Primordial Spirit would ascend into a True God, shedding the limitations of a mortal body to become immune to the erosion of the sun and moon and undefeated by the flow of time!

"If you can push this current body to the Primordial Spirit Final Realm as well, the fusion of two Final Realms might lead to something even more transcendent,"

Li Hao mused.

Shi Miao nodded, a spark of hope flickering in her gaze. While no one had ever surpassed the Final Realm—not even the legendary Immortal Emperors—many of those former sovereigns had attempted various methods to no avail. It remained a mystery whether anyone had ever tried merging two True God foundations.

Shi Miao suspected that an Immortal Emperor might have experimented with this path, but she couldn't be certain. This very uncertainty, however, filled her with a sense of anticipation.

The higher one climbs the ladder of Cultivation, the fewer joys remain. With so many avenues blocked, the mere possibility of forging a new path was exhilarating.

"It is a shame the rate of absorption isn't quicker. Even if we feasted like this every single day, accumulating ten thousand drops would still take millennia!"

Li Hao lamented.

Back on the Huangquan Houtu battlefield, utilizing Ancient Demon Blood, he was only capable of refining ten drops of True God Blood annually.

Now situated in the Primordial True Realm, they lacked that specific blood. Fortunately, his second senior brother, Di Wushè, frequently provided high-tier Ancient Demon Corpses. Many of these remains belonged to the Perfect Immortal Monarch Realm, along with numerous Immortal King Realm corpses. Because of this, they were just barely able to maintain a refinement rate of ten drops of True God Blood per year.

From the state of these Ancient Demon Corpses, Li Hao could sense the extreme danger of the Emperor Clan's border battlefield. It was no wonder his second senior brother always carried a lingering scent of evil Qi whenever he visited, even in his incarnations, appearing as though he had just narrowly escaped a bloodbath.

"That speed is already remarkable."

Shi Miao said with a light laugh.

To her, refining ten drops of True God Blood in a single year was beyond imagination. In her era, refining just one drop per year was considered the pinnacle of speed.

"I only regret that I still haven't grasped the Artistic Path."

Li Hao sighed. The thirteen stages of the Artistic Path proved far more difficult than he had anticipated. Despite years of accumulating experience points and dedicating himself to deep meditation, he had yet to find a breakthrough.

"Be patient. The Immortal King Realm is the final step before ascending the heavens; it is only natural for it to be challenging."

Shi Miao offered comfort.

Having spent a century by his side, she was perceptive enough to realize that Li Hao’s dedication to the Artistic Path and the Path of Music wasn't for leisure, but a core part of his Cultivation. If he could master the Artistic Path, he might finally achieve a breakthrough and become a King.

Still, reaching the King realm is a monumental task. Even with an Immortal Emperor's guidance, a stroke of fate is often required.

While the Primordial True Realm is filled with Divine Medicines and treasures—including supreme lotus elixirs that can substitute for a World Heart, allowing one to plant a lotus realm within themselves to become an Immortal King—such chaotic divine medicines are incredibly rare. True geniuses don't need them, and those without talent aren't worthy of them.

"I understand."

Li Hao nodded. He wasn't impatient, just reflective.

With Shi Miao accompanying him, Li Hao spent his days painting in the courtyard. Slowly, familiar figures began to manifest within his painting realm.

They were the faces of old friends and those he yearned for: Emperor Yu, Feng, Ren Qianqian, Lin Qingyue, and Li Tianzong, who had perished long ago in the Mo River...

Most of them were currently in the True Realm South Domain, but Li Hao refrained from meeting them, fearing his presence might bring them harm.

The painting realm expanded to cover the courtyard. Figures like Feng, Emperor Yu, and Ren Qianqian appeared as shadows within the art, yet they seemed vivid, as if their souls were present. Their conversations and laughter perfectly recreated the days of the past.

The quiet courtyard became bustling and full of life.

Emperor Yu sat across from Li Hao, tapping the table as a chessboard materialized within the painting.

Feng joined Li Hao for fishing, and the painting realm shifted, revealing a Demon Lake floating in the air.

Nearby, Ren Qianqian practiced her sword forms, her techniques sharpening under Li Hao's occasional pointers.

Although they kept him company through chess, fishing, and training, it all happened within the confines of the painting realm. This refined Li Hao's mastery over the art but did not grant him experience in his other skills.

"Now that they are scattered across the world, you must miss them deeply,"

Shi Miao observed.

Li Hao nodded. Having walked the mortal world with them, how could he not hold them in his heart?

"If you could one day transfer the insights gained in this painting realm to them—as soul comprehension or an inheritance—that would truly be something."

Shi Miao suggested.

Li Hao’s eyes lit up at the thought; it was a brilliant concept.

If he could elevate the cultivation of Emperor Yu and the others within his painting and then transmit those gains to their real bodies, it would be a massive boon for them.

However, as enticing as the idea was, it was quite far-fetched.

Within the painting realm, Li Hao was the absolute ruler, making it easy to bolster their power. If such power could be transferred to reality, raising their Cultivation would be as simple as breathing. That was a feat even an Immortal Emperor would find nearly impossible to achieve.

...

"Where is Junior Brother Han Ku?"

Li Hao had arrived at the first floor of the Extreme Dao Mountain dojo for his usual discussions on realm cultivation with the Immortal King Realm disciples, but he noticed several people were missing.

Han Ku, known for his Unbreakable Domain, had left a strong impression on Li Hao. Over a decade ago, during Li Hao's first visit, Shi Miao had shattered Han Ku's Unbreakable Domain with a single strike. Following that, within just five years, Han Ku’s domain had improved immensely, and his Cultivation had climbed a level.