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 diminished to a mere ant, vulnerable to being trampled underfoot at any moment.
A shroud of deathlike darkness seemed to engulf him entirely, while the overwhelming force of that will nearly pulverized his Divine Soul, leaving Li Hao gasping for every breath.
He sensed that without yielding, his very existence—body and spirit—would be erased completely, all those years of cultivation reduced to utter nothingness!
Yet yielding would render those same years of hard work equally pointless, wouldn't it?
If I lose who I am, bound by the chains of fate, then what am I truly?
"This Heavenly Heart, I will not prove it!!"
Li Hao tilted his head skyward, staring into the heavens as thunderous booms reverberated like the fury of the Heavenly Dao itself, and he bellowed his defiance toward the vast expanse above.
Having the Heavenly Heart as one's own heart differs vastly from making one's heart the Heavenly Heart; flipping the order alters the essence entirely.
Detecting Li Hao's unyielding resolve, the relentless thunder grew sharper and more intense, as though intent on demolishing him outright, yet as the rumbling persisted, it began to fade, and the terrifying energy around him started to recede bit by bit.
Li Hao drew in ragged breaths, his body drained to the core, as if he had barely clawed his way back from the brink of the underworld.
He realized that even the slightest brush from that force could have reduced him to ashes; such was the might of the Heavenly Dao—supreme, awe-inspiring, far beyond anything he could ever withstand.
"Proving the Heavenly Heart, so that's what it entails, accepting the Emperor Road straight from the skies, ascending as the Heavenly Son..."
In that instant, Li Hao grasped why proving the Heavenly Heart could elevate one to Emperor status; even as the Great Emperor, such a figure remains the "Heavenly Son"!
As the Heavenly Son, acceptance of heaven's mandate becomes inevitable!
Had his Dao Heart merely reached the Eternal Dao Heart stage, he might have indeed submitted, embraced the mandate, and secured eternal life—that very goal the Eternal Dao Heart chases.
But his Dao Heart had evolved far beyond mere eternity, already harboring half an Emperor's Heart; how could he possibly tolerate being granted power by external forces!
Through this bid to prove the Heavenly Heart, Li Hao recognized his failure, yet this supreme chance now revealed itself plainly—not aligning with his expectations or desires, so in truth, no real setback occurred.
He descended from the pinnacle of this celestial path, ready to depart, when suddenly the clouds swirled violently, and a brilliant beam pierced downward from above, lodging into his brow; a commanding will flooded his form, chains rattled across the realm, myriad Tao laws surged and quivered, while countless paths harmonized in chorus.
Simultaneously, within Li Hao's Sea of Consciousness, that energy coalesced into an enigmatic emblem, radiating an aura of unparalleled sovereignty.
As comprehension dawned, Li Hao instantly recognized the emblem's nature: it was the King's Authority!
Armed with this authority, he could direct the myriad paths, delve into numerous Great Dao Origins, and surge forward in his progress.
"Is this given to me?"
Li Hao glanced upward toward the sky, whispering to himself.
The divine grandeur slowly faded away, restoring tranquility to the heavenly road's apex, with only the emblem of authority lingering vividly within Li Hao's being.
Whenever his thoughts brushed against it, he could wield this remarkable force—the privilege to command the myriad paths directly, bestowed by the Heavenly Dao!
Li Hao felt a touch of confusion; he had outright rejected the Heavenly Heart, and surviving alone would have been fortune enough, yet surprisingly, the Heavenly Dao granted him this extraordinary gift.
"Defy the Heavenly Heart, receive Heaven's Will..."
Li Hao whispered softly, unable to decipher the Heavenly Dao's motives. He lingered in quiet reflection, drawing no conclusions. Moments later, his gaze shifted down the heavenly road, spotting approaching silhouettes—the black-robed youth he had overtaken before, trailed by the massive forms of the Chaos Ancient Clan.
More climbers were steadily ascending as well.
Li Hao pulled himself from his reverie, shaking his head. He had no interest in vying for this heavenly road any longer.
For the treasures within the Endless Heavenly Domain, he had claimed all that belonged to him, and with time still remaining, he could observe Elder Qi and the rest in their pursuits once more; departing immediately might prove tricky, and since little time was left, better to seek out Gu Yan, Yue Xi, and fellow companions.
With such notions in mind, Li Hao advanced, vaulting from the heavenly road's summit and descending toward the base.
At the same time, the black-robed youth and his companions on the heavenly road caught the whoosh of air rushing overhead. Lifting their eyes, they spotted Li Hao's distant yet rapidly nearing silhouette.
"You..."
The black-robed youth froze in shock, hardly anticipating Li Hao's swift departure from the heavenly road's peak.
Before he could hail Li Hao, the figure had soared past them, racing directly toward the mountain's 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, each spotting the delight sparkling in their companions' eyes.
They had all heard Li Hao's proclamation from the summit, declaring his refusal to prove the Heavenly Heart, and the conviction in his voice left no doubt—he had failed!
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 furrowed; he had lost to Li Hao once before, handing over this very opportunity to the youth. He had assumed the other was favored by the Heavenly Dao, but that earlier outcry suggested true failure in proving the Heavenly Heart?
He fell silent, then surged ahead with greater haste, charging toward the summit.
The rest quickly followed suit, propelling themselves faster up the path.
Before long, the black-robed youth reached the peak first, unleashing a formidable aura that swept over the scene, glaring down at the group and barring their advance.
"If you come any closer, don't blame me for killing without mercy!"
The black-robed youth declared icily.
His threat stunned and infuriated Chi Yuan and the others, including Luo Ningshuang and Su Wanyi, who all scowled in disapproval at his greed; the route to proving the Heavenly Heart lay open before them, yet he sought to claim it solely for himself.