Follow the path of Dao from infancy Chapter 1762 Chapter 451: Chess Tao Thirteen, Formless Chess Heart
Previously on Follow the path of Dao from infancy...
During this time, Luo Ningshuang and Su Wanyi, along with others who had successfully integrated 23 Chaos Laws, arrived one after another.
On the prestigious Chaos Heavenly Dao list, fewer than thirty individuals have managed to fuse 23 Chaos Laws. Half of that number have already broken through to the Immortal King Realm or even ascended to the status of Quasi-Emperor.
Currently, only slightly more than ten such experts were present, though a few who had fused 22 Chaos Laws were also among them, possessing the courage to venture into this dangerous territory.
Since the Eighth Layer of the Heavenly Domain had been entirely cleared, they had no choice but to investigate the Ninth Layer. If hunting proved impossible here, their only option would be to retreat to the Seventh Layer.
"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 Clan struggle. Despite their combined strength, they were clearly at a disadvantage. Her expression grew increasingly grim when she realized that the Chaos Laws they unleashed were completely ineffective against those Chaos Dao Seeds.
It was no mystery why the Ninth Layer of the Heavenly Domain was considered a forbidden zone that no one dared to enter. Had the Eighth Layer not been cleared, she would never have rushed into this place so recklessly.
"It appears we must find allies to team up with if we intend to enter and hunt."
Looking around, Luo Ningshuang quickly spotted Su Wanyi, her fellow Sect member. Su Wanyi noticed her as well. The two women shared a brief look, instantly understanding each other's intent, and nodded in silent agreement.
Just as they formed their pact, a nearly imperceptible figure dressed in black flew toward them from the outskirts.
This black-clad individual spared only a calm glance at the Chaos Ancient Clan members engaged in the fray before flying directly past them into the interior.
He did not stop to join the chaotic skirmish, choosing instead to head toward a different area.
Seeing someone successfully enter the Ninth Layer, Luo Ningshuang and Su Wanyi stopped hesitating. They moved out together, bypassing the active combatants to explore the deeper reaches of the Ninth Layer.
Although they considered taking advantage of the ongoing chaos, they noted that the four Chaos Ancient Clan members had not yet deployed their Domain Artifacts. Attempting to steal the prize now would only trigger a desperate war over Domain Artifacts, which was a risk they weren't willing to take.
Such treasures were meant to be saved for the competition on the Heavenly Ascension Road. Since each person only possessed three, using one now meant having one less for the final struggle.
"We should go as well."
The Divine Venerable spoke to Xue Consort, casting a glance at the girl standing beside her who looked like a simple servant.
Any individual capable of reaching this place, even one who treated Xue Consort with such humble respect, possessed an aura belonging to the highest tier of Heavenly Pride, marking them as truly extraordinary.
Xue Consort nodded. Having lost interest in watching the fight, she prepared to venture further in with her companions.
Gradually, the crowd began to filter into the Ninth Layer of the Heavenly Domain.
Some of the latecomers who had fused 22 Chaos Laws chose to retreat after witnessing the brutal combat at the entrance, while others formed groups and pressed forward into the Ninth Layer.
Meanwhile, deep within the heart of the Ninth Layer of the Heavenly Domain.
Li Hao stood behind Elder Eight in front of a modest bamboo hut. His eyes, however, were hollow and vacant, as his entire consciousness was trapped within the chessboard.
Having become a chess piece himself, he felt a crushing pressure from every direction. He moved frantically, weaving through space-time to escape, yet the lethal maneuvers of his opponent followed him relentlessly. Danger was everywhere; no matter where he sought refuge, he could only find a few seconds of peace before the threat returned.
"This cannot continue indefinitely!"
Drenched in sweat, Li Hao felt a desperate urge to tear everything down and rebuild the world—to reset the board and the pieces.
However, he lacked the power to do so. He was forced to continue his flight, jumping between the dimensions of the past and the future.
Yet even with this constant shifting, the pursuit was inescapable. He was trapped in a dead-end.
"A single mistake at the start, and the entire game is forfeit..."
During his endless flight, Li Hao lost track of how many times he had dodged death. He was bone-weary and drained, but the killing intent of the game would not permit him a moment's rest.
He suddenly understood that his very first move had been the error. His current struggles were nothing more than a futile attempt to patch a collapsing dam.
If he had never initiated the move, he wouldn't be fighting for his life now.
Destiny... if he could only return to the beginning and undo that choice, this struggle would vanish.
He continued to leap between spaces, hiding as the destructive force of the other chess pieces resonated around him, threatening to tear his soul apart.
"Fate..."
A realization began to take root in Li Hao’s mind. The tangled, chaotic lines of the world suddenly straightened, leaving only a single, taut thread stretching from the horizon. It wrapped around his body and violently yanked him out of his predicament, breaking the stalemate of the move.
He leaped outward and was suddenly met with a vision of a vast sky and a boundless ocean. The air was clear for thousands of miles, and the galaxy sparkled above, as if everything had returned to the very moment of creation.
"The cause of yesterday is the effect of today; sever the cause and the effect is cut... The player, the deceiver, the strategist—to be formless is to be revered, to be formless is to be 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 shackles of destiny.
A notification flashed before him in an instant, but Li Hao ignored it. An overwhelming flood of insights regarding the Chess Dao poured into his soul.
He had achieved his own Chess Heart, the World Heart of Chess Dao!
He had ascended from a 12-section worldly chess game to the 13-section: The Formless Chess Heart!
To be formless is to be untraceable and unpredictable, shifting with every moment!
Without cause, there is no effect; without a past, there is no future. By moving according to his will, he embodied infinite change!
At 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 his grief. He spent another century on the path of Musical Rhythm. He had been stuck, missing two pieces of the puzzle, but here in the Ninth Layer, by observing a single game, he had shattered the 12-section bottleneck and reached the thirteenth section!
This marked his second thirteenth-section State of Mind!
Reverse Time Painting Heart and the Formless Chess Heart!
Suddenly, the vast rivers of stars faded from Li Hao’s sight. His vision snapped back to reality as his consciousness returned to his physical body.
He was no longer a piece on a cosmic board; he was standing once again in the bamboo grove, positioned behind Elder Eight.
It felt as though no time had passed at all, as if he had returned to the exact second their conversation had ended.
As Li Hao regained his focus, he found himself looking into the eyes of Elder Qi, who wore a faint, surprised smile.
"Young man, have you found your answer?"