Follow the path of Dao from infancy Chapter 1760 Chapter 451: Chess Tao Thirteen, Formless Chess Heart (5K)

This was a spectacle beyond anything Li Hao had ever witnessed, even when watching his master, the Dao Origin Immortal Emperor, unleash his power.

The Chess Tao mastery of the two elders before him was clearly far superior to his own and surpassed even his master’s level. It had likely reached the fourteenth or even the fifteenth stage!

Li Hao felt himself transform into a single pawn on the board. From this perspective, he could only catch glimpses of an infinite starry sky, where the ten thousand Dao laws served as the fundamental order. Starlands were scattered everywhere, layered with different realms and overlapping time, creating a scene of pure fantasy.

"Law order acts as the thread, space-time overlaps, connecting past and future..."

Li Hao’s gaze turned hazy. This was Chess Tao—a game where the board was akin to heaven and earth.

A sudden epiphany struck his heart: the emperor of Chess Tao treats all living beings as pieces; the sage of Chess Tao views heaven and earth as the board, utilizing the stars, rivers, sun, and moon as his pieces; but the ultimate Chess Tao treats the entire universe and ancient chaos as mere fragments, all serving as pieces.

His own Chess Tao focused on defying Yin and Yang to rewrite fate, where all beings were pieces—including those of his opponent, which he could cleverly turn into his own tools. Yet, the Chess Tao displayed here vastly exceeded that, transcending the board entirely to arrange itself within the heavenly chaos.

"I am a piece..."

Li Hao looked around and realized he was already trapped.

This piece representing him had become a dead piece.

In a mere heartbeat, it would be crushed and swept away from the board.

"A way out... there must be a way out..."

Li Hao’s breathing grew rapid, his eyes darting intensely across the board. Every path was sealed; there was no escape to the heavens or the earth. Where was the exit?

"Space-time... I must cross this space-time barrier..."

In this moment of dire crisis, a spark of inspiration flashed in Li Hao's mind. His Time Origin had reached the Eighth Layer, allowing him to glimpse a path into the past that had not yet been barricaded. He charged toward it with all his might.

"Hmm?"

A flicker of astonishment appeared in the eyes of the two elders sitting at the chessboard. Elder Qi glanced at the youth standing behind Elder Eight; the young man seemed completely lost in a trance, his eyes glued to the board.

Just a moment ago, the boy's Divine Thought had actually brushed against a piece on the board, giving it a gentle nudge!

Infused with the power of time, that moved piece escaped its fate and vanished, reappearing in a square from the past and narrowly avoiding the total blockade.

Strictly speaking, this violated the rules; a move once made cannot be retracted, so how could it be shifted?

Furthermore, this wasn't a genuine solution to the predicament.

Nevertheless, the fact that he could perceive this opening amidst their interwoven Chess Tao abilities left the two elders stunned. After all, this youth’s soul life spanned only a few hundred years—not even a fraction of the age of those who claimed the title of Emperor.

"A true gentleman observes a match in silence, yet this little fellow makes a move without saying a word..."

Elder Qi couldn't help but let out a soft, appreciative smile.

...

At the border of the Ninth-layer Heavenly Domain.

Above the lake, the once vibrant green water was now stained a murky reddish-brown with blood. The violent, crashing waves had finally settled into a calm.

The fierce struggle that had broken out here was over. High in the sky, the snow-haired woman panted heavily, her robes drenched and torn in several places. Despite her wounds, she tightly gripped three silver-white orbs of light.

"Hmm?"

Suddenly, her expression shifted as she felt a premonition of danger. Without a second thought, she retreated from the lake back to the land, reaching the safety of the surrounding void.

"Miss, are you harmed?"

The snow-haired girl hurried to her side, her voice filled with urgency.

The snow-haired woman remained silent, quickly beginning to absorb the three clusters of Heavenly Dao power. Just then, the whistling sound of something cutting through the air signaled the arrival of others—it was the Chaos Red Demon Clan and the other Chaos Ancient Clans she had crossed paths with before.

"Hmm?"

The youth from the Chaos Red Demon Clan and his companions spotted the snow-haired woman. Realizing she had reached the Ninth-layer Heavenly Domain before them, their faces darkened. Seeing her injuries, which proved she had already been in combat, made their expressions even more sour.

That Human Race cultivator had already plundered the Chaos Dao Seeds in the Eighth Layer. If the Chaos Dao Seeds of this Ninth-layer Heavenly Domain were snatched up as well, they would be forced to retreat to the Seventh Layer.

That would mean falling significantly behind the others.

"As expected of the Ancient Immortal Clan, your speed is truly impressive."

The Chaos Red Demon Clan youth spoke with a sneer.

"Have you encountered the Human Race?" asked another youth from a Chaos Ancient Clan, who possessed black wings on his back.

Sensing the hostility from the four newcomers, the snow-haired woman regained her composure. "Whether I have or haven't, what business is it of yours?" she replied coolly.

"You!"

Cold light flickered in the eyes of another Chaos Ancient Clan member, his hand ready to strike. Although she was a genius of the Ancient Immortal Clan, if the four of them combined their strength—even if they had to risk using a Domain Artifact—they had more than enough power to overwhelm her.

Their confrontation was suddenly cut short by a low roar echoing from the land. Three massive Chaos Dao Seeds took to the air. Two were terrifying, bird-like monsters, while the third was a bizarre fusion of lion and scorpion—with a scaled body, a razor-sharp tail, and a golden lion’s head.

"Three Chaos Dao Seeds!"

The eyes of the Chaos Red Demon Clan youth and the others lit up at the sight of the giant beasts.

The snow-haired woman’s gaze narrowed. Having just survived the battle over the lake, she knew better than to underestimate the Chaos Dao Seeds of the Ninth-layer Heavenly Domain. She was lucky she had pulled back when she did; in her weakened state, being surrounded by these three would have forced her to burn a Domain Artifact just to escape.

"You've already had your fill of hunting earlier. These three belong to us!"

The black-winged youth declared, his tone laced with a clear threat.

The other three shifted their focus toward the snow-haired woman, prepared to fight if she moved to interfere.

Seeing their resolve, the snow-haired woman gave a chilling smile, her eyes sharp. "If you actually have the skill to kill them, then they are yours—before I decide to change my mind."