Follow the path of Dao from infancy Chapter 1764 Chapter 452: Tai Cang Ancestor Skill, Descending the Mountain to Reap
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"Indeed," Li Hao replied, nodding in deep agreement.
Once one achieved the Final Realm of Cultivation, the threat of others vanished. For Li Hao, the ability to preserve his own life was more than enough.
Elder Qi watched him, a flicker of astonishment crossing his eyes. Now in the sunset of his life, the Elder possessed no remaining desire for conflict. However, the arrogant youths who styled themselves as sovereigns and emperors usually couldn't bear to hear such passive sentiments—especially the rising prodigies. Those in their prime, fueled by hot-blooded ambition and the drive to conquer, typically viewed such logic with disdain. Even if they nodded along under duress, their hearts remained unconvinced.
Having endured through countless eras, the old man had developed the ability to read souls. In the teenager standing before him, he saw a serene composure, like the stillness of autumn after a vibrant harvest.
"Your purpose here is to harvest Heavenly Dao Power, isn't it? Shall I have him guide you on a hunt?"
Changing the subject, Elder Qi rested his palm upon the black dog sitting by his side.
The beast cast a suspicious glance toward Li Hao. As a Chaos Dao Seed itself, it harbored a natural reluctance toward outsiders who came to slaughter its kind indiscriminately.
However, as it felt the gentle stroke upon its head, it grasped the old man's intent, and the hostility in its gaze quickly dissolved.
"That won't be necessary; I can manage on my own."
Li Hao declined with a shake of his head, though he paused, wondering if he was being overconfident. "Senior, how do the most formidable Chaos Dao Seeds in this region compare to him?"
Observing Li Hao's cautious nature, Elder Qi chuckled. "The strongest? He is the peak."
"Him?"
Li Hao shifted his gaze to the black dog. At the mention of its strength, the creature puffed out its chest and lifted its chin, eyeing Li Hao with a visible sense of vanity.
Internal relief washed over Li Hao; this hound was truly a powerhouse. It had survived his earlier encounter without being instantly slain, successfully retreating here. It was clearly on a different level than the four he had ambushed near the Chaos River.
"Then I can proceed without worry."
Despite his words, Li Hao did not depart. He wished to linger and observe the match between the two elders, sensing that merely watching their play could grant him a wealth of Chess Dao insights.
As for the hunt... there was no urgency. The area teemed with Chaos Dao Seeds, and even if every cultivator arrived at once, they could only thin the numbers so much.
Furthermore, having already conquered the Eighth Layer Heavenly Domain, his reserves of Heavenly Dao Power were already immense.
"Senior, regarding the Tai Cang Cultivation System you spoke of—how is it practiced?"
Li Hao’s curiosity got the better of him.
Before the rise of the Emperor Dao System, the world existed in a primal state. Li Hao found it difficult to fathom what the methods of Cultivation were like in such an ancient era.
Elder Qi smiled and countered, "Are you looking to learn? You have already committed to the Emperor Dao System. Mastering the Tai Cang Ancestor Skill alongside it would make reaching the Final Realm nearly impossible, unless you have endless eons to spare..."
He paused as a whimsical thought struck him, and he gestured toward a nearby cluster of stalks.
"Go and fell some of that bamboo. If you do, I shall instruct you."
"Cut the bamboo?"
Li Hao blinked in surprise. He had only intended to ask a few questions and hadn't expected the Elder to actually offer any teachings. Elder Qi was proving to be far more open-handed than anticipated.
"Can these two distinct systems actually coexist?" Li Hao inquired.
A cryptic, playful grin touched Elder Qi’s lips. "That is for you to discover."
Left speechless, Li Hao realized the old man was likely treating him as a bit of an experiment.
"Very well, I will give it a try."
Li Hao accepted the challenge. Having lived a leisurely soul life spanning centuries, he was naturally drawn to the mysteries of the distant past.
Approaching the grove, he raised his hand and manifested a sharp blade of Sword Qi, sending it whistling toward the stalks.
He expected to clear a wide path with a single strike, but the moment his Sword Qi collided with the first bamboo, it snagged and dissolved into nothingness.
Stunned, Li Hao’s eyes widened. His strike hadn't even left a mark?
In that instant, it became clear that cutting this bamboo was no simple chore—it was a genuine test of skill.
Yet, the plants looked perfectly normal. Li Hao inspected a stalk, tapping the surface; he felt a dense surge of Chaos energy within, but nothing else seemed out of the ordinary.
Elder Qi spared him a brief glance, remaining silent as he focused back on the chessboard.
Rather than asking for clues, Li Hao decided to solve the puzzle himself.
He summoned his Destiny Sword Kill and lashed out at the wood. To his horror, the strike failed to produce even a tiny scratch.
"Is this possible? Even Domain Artifacts aren't this durable!" Li Hao was shaken. Was this entire grove composed of materials on par with sacred Domain Artifacts?
He immediately channeled a multitude of Chaos Laws, weaving twenty-four of them into a singular force. He transformed the energy into the Law of Decay and the Law of Time, applying them both to the bamboo, yet every attempt was rebuffed.
After half an hour of relentless effort, Li Hao stumbled upon a chilling realization: the bamboo wasn't inherently hard; it was simply immune to all Law Powers!
Recalling Elder Qi's words about different Cultivation systems, Li Hao understood. The powers he currently commanded were useless here. The bamboo likely responded only to the specific energy cultivated by Elder Qi and his peers.
"If immortal energy and laws are void, I'll have to rely on raw physical power!"
Li Hao steeled his resolve.
He unleashed the full might of his physical frame, his blood and Qi roaring like celestial dragons. He gripped the bamboo with his bare hands and began to pull with all his might.
To his surprise, the previously immovable stalk began to groan under his grip. It actually started to bend!
A spark of hope lit up Li Hao's eyes. Giving it everything his body had, he strained until the bamboo was curved at a sharp angle, yet its resilience was terrifying; it simply refused to snap.
"I can't break it. My physique has already hit the ceiling of the Final Realm, matching the peak of an Immortal Monarch. My raw strength cannot go any higher. If I can't snap it now, I never will—unless I slowly grind it down until it finally fractures!"