Follow the path of Dao from infancy Chapter 1786 Chapter 462: Heaven's Mandate Authority
Previously on Follow the path of Dao from infancy...
Li Hao sensed himself shrinking into a tiny ant, vulnerable to being trampled without mercy.
A dark veil of death seemed to cloak him entirely, while the overwhelming force of that will nearly pulverized his Divine Soul, leaving Li Hao struggling to draw breath.
He sensed that without yielding, his very existence—body and spirit—would be erased, all his years of cultivation reduced to ashes!
Yet yielding would render those same years of effort pointless too, wouldn't it?
If I'm no longer myself, bound by fate's chains, then what am I?
"This Heavenly Heart, I will not prove it!!"
Li Hao tilted his head skyward, staring at the heavens, the booming thunder like the fury of the Heavenly Dao itself, as he shouted toward the clouds.
Heavenly Heart mirroring my heart, versus my heart as the Heavenly Heart—the order flips, and so does the essence.
Detecting Li Hao's unyielding resolve, the relentless thunder grew sharper and more intense, as though aiming to demolish him completely, but as the rumbles persisted, they began to fade, the encircling dread power easing away bit by bit.
Li Hao drew in ragged breaths, drained to his core, as if he'd just clawed his way back from the brink of the underworld.
He realized that even a brush from that force could have reduced him to nothing; such was the Heavenly Dao's might—peerless and awe-inspiring, far beyond anything he could stand against.
"Proving the Heavenly Heart, that's what it means, claiming the Emperor Road from above, ascending as the Heavenly Son..."
In that instant, Li Hao grasped why proving the Heavenly Heart could crown one as Emperor; even as the Great Emperor, that one becomes the "Heavenly Son"!
As the Heavenly Son, acceptance of heaven's decree is essential!
Had his Dao Heart lingered merely at the Eternal Dao Heart stage, he might have surrendered, embraced the decree, and seized eternal life—the very goal of the Eternal Dao Heart.
But his Dao Heart had evolved far past eternity, now bearing half an Emperor's Heart, so how could he stomach being granted power by another!
During this bid to prove the Heavenly Heart, Li Hao recognized his failure; this supreme chance, now fully clear to him, wasn't what he'd imagined or desired, so in truth, it wasn't a true setback.
He descended from the pinnacle of this heavenly road, ready to depart, when suddenly the clouds swirled wildly, and a beam of light plunged from the skies, piercing his brow, as a commanding will settled over him, chains rattling across the realm, myriad Tao laws surging and quaking, countless paths harmonizing in chorus.
Simultaneously, within Li Hao's Sea of Consciousness, that energy formed a enigmatic mark, radiating an air of ultimate sovereignty.
Suddenly enlightened, Li Hao instantly knew the nature of this enigmatic mark—it was the King's Authority!
Armed with this authority, he could direct the myriad paths, grasp numerous Great Dao Origins, and surge forward in his progress.
"Is this meant for me?"
Li Hao glanced upward at the sky, whispering to himself.
The heavenly grandeur slowly faded, the heavenly road's crest fell quiet once more, leaving only the vivid authoritative symbol lingering within Li Hao's form.
With a mere mental probe, he could wield this remarkable force—the privilege to govern the myriad paths outright, granted by the Heavenly Dao!
Li Hao felt a touch of confusion; he'd outright rejected the Heavenly Heart, and surviving alone would have been fortune enough, yet the Heavenly Dao had gifted him this strength instead.
"Defy the Heavenly Heart, gain Heaven's Will..."
Li Hao whispered to himself, puzzled by the Heavenly Dao's motives. He lingered in silence, lost in thought with no answers. Moments later, he peered down the heavenly road, spotting distant shapes drawing near—the black-robed youth he'd overtaken before, trailed by the massive forms of the Chaos Ancient Clan.
More climbers were steadily ascending as well.
Li Hao shook off his daze, sighing softly. This heavenly road held no further appeal for him to chase.
For the treasures of the Endless Heavenly Domain, he'd secured his share, and with time to spare, he could observe Elder Qi and the rest in their pursuits, though exiting now might prove tricky, and with the clock ticking, better to seek out Gu Yan, Yue Xi, and fellow companions.
With that in mind, Li Hao moved ahead, vaulting from the heavenly road's peak and descending the slope.
At the same time, the black-robed youth and his companions on the heavenly road caught the whoosh of air rushing overhead. Glancing up, they spotted Li Hao's silhouette streaking past from above.
"You..."
The black-robed youth froze in shock, unprepared for Li Hao to abandon the summit so swiftly.
Before he could hail Li Hao, the figure had soared beyond them, racing toward the base.
"Did he fail?"
"His face looks far too composed for that."
"You all caught that earlier voice, right?"
Besides the black-robed youth, Chi Yuan and the others traded looks, noting the glee sparkling in one another's gazes.
They'd all heard Li Hao's declaration from the peak, refusing to prove the Heavenly Heart, and his words rang with unmistakable defeat!
Thus, they hurried upward, hoping for a chance of their own, only to find Li Hao already gone from the top.
The black-robed youth's brow creased; he'd lost to Li Hao once, handing over this shot to the youth. He'd assumed the other was heaven's own pick, but that shout earlier—had he truly botched proving the Heavenly Heart?
He held his tongue, then surged forward in speed, racing to the summit.
The rest caught on quickly, pushing harder toward the peak.
Before long, the black-robed youth reached the top first, unleashing a fierce aura that swept over all below, blocking any advance.
"Approach any further, and I won't hesitate to strike you down!"
The black-robed youth declared icily.
His threat left Chi Yuan and the others stunned and furious, Luo Ningshuang and Su Wanyi included, all glaring at him in clear discontent—the path to proving the Heavenly Heart lay open, yet he sought to claim it alone.