Follow the path of Dao from infancy Chapter 1762 Chapter 451: Chess Tao Thirteen, Formless Chess Heart

At that moment, Luo Ningshuang and Su Wanyi arrived, accompanied by others who had successfully merged 23 Chaos Laws.

On the prestigious Chaos Heavenly Dao list, fewer than thirty individuals have achieved the fusion of 23 Chaos Laws. Half of that number have already ascended to the Immortal King Realm or even reached the heights of the Quasi-Emperor Realm.

Currently, only a dozen or so are present here, though a few who have only fused 22 Chaos Laws have also dared to venture into this territory.

Their presence was a matter of necessity; with the Eighth Layer of the Heavenly Domain fully cleared, their only options were to explore the Ninth Layer or retreat back to the Seventh Layer if hunting proved impossible here.

"Are those Chaos Dao Seeds truly that powerful?"

Luo Ningshuang’s eyes narrowed in shock as she watched the four members of the Chaos Ancient Clans struggle. Even while fighting together, they remained at a disadvantage. Her expression turned grave when she realized their Chaos Laws were proving ineffective against the Chaos Dao Seeds.

It was now clear why the Ninth Layer of the Heavenly Domain was considered a forbidden zone that few dared to enter. Had the Eighth Layer not been cleared, she would not have dared to rush here so boldly.

"It appears that if we intend to hunt in this place, forming a party is mandatory."

Scanning the area, Luo Ningshuang quickly spotted Su Wanyi, her fellow Sect member. Su Wanyi noticed her as well. The two women shared a silent look, instantly reaching a mutual understanding and nodding to seal their alliance.

Just as their cooperation was established, a nearly invisible figure dressed in black streaked toward them from the outskirts.

The black-clad individual spared only a calm glance at the Chaos Ancient Clan members engaged in the fray. Without stopping for a moment, he flew directly into the interior.

He did not involve himself in the chaotic skirmish, choosing instead to head toward other regions.

Seeing someone successfully enter the Ninth Layer, Luo Ningshuang and Su Wanyi cast aside their hesitation. They moved together, bypassing the active combatants to explore different sectors of the Ninth Layer.

Although they considered seizing an advantage during the chaos, they noted that the four Chaos Ancient Clan members had not yet deployed their Domain Artifacts. To strike now would trigger a full-scale war over those artifacts, which was an unnecessary risk.

They preferred to save their strength for the upcoming competition on the Heavenly Ascension Road. With only three artifacts each, every use was a permanent loss.

"We should head inside as well."

The Divine Venerable extended an invitation to Xue Consort, briefly glancing at the girl standing beside her who looked like a mere servant.

However, anyone capable of reaching this place—even one acting with such a respectful, servant-like demeanor—possessed an aura of a top-tier Heavenly Pride.

Xue Consort nodded. Having lost interest in the current skirmish, she prepared to venture further in with her allies.

Gradually, the crowd filtered into the Ninth Layer of the Heavenly Domain.

Those who arrived later with only 22 Chaos Laws reacted differently to the fierce battle at the entrance; some retreated in fear, while others formed groups to brave the Ninth Layer together.

Meanwhile, deep within the heart of the Ninth Layer.

Standing behind Elder Eight in front of a modest bamboo hut, Li Hao’s expression was blank. His consciousness was entirely lost within the depths of the chessboard.

He had transformed into a chess piece, feeling intense pressure closing in from every side. He moved desperately, flickering through space-time to evade, yet the killing intent followed him like a shadow. No matter where he sought refuge, the danger remained, offering him only fleeting seconds of respite.

"I cannot keep this up forever!"

Drenched in sweat, Li Hao felt a desperate urge to tear everything down and rebuild the world—to reset the board itself.

Yet, he lacked the power for such a feat. He could only continue his frantic flight, jumping between the spaces of the past and the future.

Even with this constant shifting, the pursuit was relentless; every path led to a dead end.

"One false move, and the entire game is forfeited..."

Li Hao lost track of how many times he had fled. He was drained and exhausted, but the lethal moves of his opponent forced him to keep moving.

He suddenly understood that the very first move of the game had been the error. All his current struggles were merely futile attempts to patch a collapsing dam.

If the game had never begun, this struggle would not exist.

Destiny... If he could only return to the origin and refrain from making that move, the deadlock would vanish.

As he continued to leap through various dimensions, the reflections of the enemy pieces threatened to tear him apart.

"Fate..."

Something began to germinate in Li Hao's mind. The tangled lines of chaos suddenly straightened into a single, taut cord. It seemed to stretch from the very horizon, wrapping around him and violently yanking him out of the hopeless predicament and the stalemate of the move.

He leaped outward, and suddenly, his vision opened to a boundless sky and a vast ocean. The sky was clear for thousands of miles, and the galaxy shone brilliantly; it was as if everything had returned to the very beginning.

"Yesterday’s cause is today’s effect; sever the cause and the effect is cut... The chess player, the strategist, the trickster—the formless is the most honored; the formless is king!"

Li Hao whispered to himself. The confusion in his eyes was replaced by a piercing clarity, like the first light of dawn. He looked through the layers of fog, seeing past the cycles of space-time and the traps of destiny.

A system prompt flashed before him, but Li Hao ignored it, his mind flooded with the profound insights of Chess Tao.

He had attained his own Chess Heart, the World Heart of Chess Tao!

He had ascended from a 12-section worldly chess game to the 13-section: The Formless Chess Heart!

He himself was now formless, impossible to track or predict, ever-shifting!

With no cause, there is no effect; with no past, there is no future. Moving at will, he now embodied infinite potential!

In that moment, Li Hao reached full enlightenment.

He had spent a century seeking the Dao on Extreme Dao Mountain, comprehending the Reverse Time Painting Heart through grief. He spent another century on the path of Musical Rhythm. He had been stuck just short of his goal, but here in the Ninth Layer, by observing a single game, he broke through the 12-section limit and reached the thirteenth section!

This marked his second thirteenth-section State of Mind!

The Reverse Time Painting Heart and the Formless Chess Heart!

Suddenly, the vast rivers of stars faded. Li Hao’s vision snapped back to reality as his consciousness returned to his body.

He was no longer inside a cosmic chessboard but was standing once again in the bamboo grove behind Elder Eight.

Time seemed to have stood still, as if the world had returned to the exact moment their conversation ended.

As Li Hao recovered his senses, he found himself looking into the eyes of Elder Qi, who wore a surprised yet knowing smile.

"Young man, have you found your answer?"