Follow the path of Dao from infancy Chapter 1789 Chapter 463: Return (Part 2)

Gu Yan and Yue Xi employed their Divine Sense to pinpoint Li Hao's location, dashing toward him the moment they detected his presence.

Li Hao greeted them with a wave, holding off until they drew closer before inquiring, "How did you come to the Primordial True Realm, and where is the Sect Master?"

Upon hearing Li Hao bring up the Great Dream Master, Gu Yan hurriedly explained, "Senior Brother, after you departed from the Southern Domain, the Sect Master utilized the Great Dream Clan's quota to bring Senior Sister Yue Xi and me here. It was a secured position among the top hundred clans."

Li Hao understood now; that explained how Yue Xi and Gu Yan had managed to enter as well.

"The Sect Master called us the sect's great hope. If he learned that you've arrived too, he'd be thrilled beyond measure," Yue Xi added, her eyes growing misty with emotion.

Li Hao, the brightest talent in their sect, had nearly perished in the Southern Domain, cornered by a Supreme and driven away. This lingering pain haunted their hearts in silence.

Li Hao gave a subtle nod, though a quiet sigh stirred within him. On this return, once he advanced and claimed kingship, he planned to honor the Great Dream Master's favor. Yet, stepping back into the Southern Domain would alert that Supreme, potentially dragging the Great Dream Master into peril.

Never return to the Southern Domain unless I become an Emperor.

Shen Wuji, the Ghost Tribe sisters, and the rest gathered around Li Hao, eager to hear of his path since fleeing the Southern Domain.

Li Hao shared openly, offering a concise account of his travels to the Northern Domain.

Su Muqing and her companions observed from nearby, watching Li Hao encircled by elite prodigies, their emotions swirling in a tangle of envy and awe.

Though Di Lincen, Shen Wuji, and the others lagged behind Chi Yuan and Luo Ningshuang at present, it stemmed merely from their brief time in the Primordial True Realm. With enough years, they would rise to dominate the Immortal Lord Realm, much like the eventual Luo Ningshuang.

Su Muqing reflected on the reports she'd gathered: this youth had crushed every True Immortal in the Southern Domain, only to escape northward under a Supreme's pressure, where fate had led her to cross paths with him...

With that in mind, she pressed her lip tighter, until it split and blood trickled forth.

In this heartfelt gathering, Li Hao conversed warmly with them, accepting invitations from the Ghost Tribe sisters and Shen Wuji to visit their clans someday.

As crisp voices rang through the emptiness, experts from diverse groups arrived to collect their charges. With reluctance, everyone vowed to reunite once they'd all ascended to kingship.

They understood that Li Hao's comeback meant he'd soon shatter his limits and become a king, departing the Primordial True Realm.

In contrast, their own paths demanded thousands more years of cultivation, fusing every one of the 23 Chaos Laws before that crucial leap.

"Little Junior Brother, Sixth Junior Sister!"

A warm voice called out, and Senior Brother Gu Mofan's form materialized overhead for Li Hao and the group.

Spotting Li Hao amid a crowd that included Luo Ningshuang, Su Wanyi, and Xue Consort—all supreme talents who had fused 23 Chaos Laws—Gu Mofan revealed a flicker of astonishment, yet he grasped how prodigies naturally drew together.

"Senior Brother."

Li Hao glanced upward, offering a grin as he hailed his senior brother.

"Looks like you've reaped impressive rewards from this journey. Anything left to handle? If not, return with me to make your report," Gu Mofan suggested with a friendly smile.

At that, Li Hao bid farewell to Gu Yan, Di Lincen, and the others with a wave.

"Haotian..."

Just as Li Hao prepared to depart, Su Muqing called out abruptly.

Li Hao turned to her in astonishment, right when she seemed ready to speak, a burst of seven-colored Divine Light suddenly wrapped around him. In an instant, a figure emerged at his side, clad in green robes, her breathtaking features strikingly familiar—exactly like her own!

The words caught in her throat, as though an invisible barrier sealed them, silencing her completely.

"You're back."

Shi Miao gazed at Li Hao with tender warmth, a gentle curve touching her lips.

At the sight of her, Li Hao's face lit up with a smile as he replied, "It's been a long wait."

"Let's head home; we can talk there," Shi Miao murmured softly.

Li Hao nodded in agreement.

Right away, the pair, fingers intertwined under the watchful eyes of all, trailed after Gu Mofan's silhouette, vanishing from Boundary Flipping Mountain together.

Su Muqing remained frozen in place, staring at the unfolding scene. Only after the figures faded entirely did she jolt awake, her complexion draining to ashen.

"That person..."

Di Lincen and the others abruptly registered Shi Miao's visage, a perfect match for Su Muqing's, and turned to her with wide-eyed wonder.

Su Muqing sensed their stares scorching her skin, and for the first time, she loathed her own reflection intensely.

…

Atop Extreme Dao Mountain.

Li Hao trailed Gu Mofan and Shi Miao on the return, joined by Di Lingshu.

"Senior Brother, you won't believe..."

En route, Di Lingshu detailed how Li Hao had forsaken the Heavenly Heart for his Dao breakthrough, leaving Gu Mofan and Shi Miao stunned, their eyes fixed on him in utter disbelief.

Facing their odd, questioning looks, Li Hao inwardly wished he'd left this senior sister behind. He appreciated her worry for him, but broadcasting it to all wasn't necessary...

Arriving at the summit, they proceeded directly to the Extreme Dao Hall, where their master, the Dao Origin Immortal Emperor, reclined calmly within. His expression held a subtle, enigmatic smile, tempered with profound dignity yet softened for easy approach.

"Master."

They all lowered their heads in deep respect.

"Little Junior Brother, Sixth Junior Sister, you've returned at last. How did it go? Any successes?"

From the hall's side, Fifth Senior Brother Long Qingge questioned with keen interest.

Nearby, Third Senior Sister Zhan Qinghuang eyed Li Hao and Di Lingshu with evident intrigue.

The full assembly of senior brothers and sisters had convened.

Still, Li Hao discerned these were mere incarnations; their primary forms stayed elsewhere.

"This..."

Gu Mofan recalled Di Lingshu's earlier tale and glanced toward Li Hao.

Before Li Hao could respond, Di Lingshu unleashed a torrent of details about the Endless Heavenly Domain, recounting every event vividly.

Yet prior to diving in, she'd sent a voice transmission to Li Hao, seeking his okay on revealing the two elders from the Ninth-layer Heavenly Domain to their master.

Li Hao opted for full disclosure without hesitation. Apart from his private panel, he saw nothing worth concealing from this master.

Furthermore, those chaos elders, Elder Qi and Elder Eight, hailed from antiquity, and he yearned for his master's insights on them.

"Swept through the Eighth Layer Heavenly Domain, and even the Ninth-layer Heavenly Domain?"

Zhan Qinghuang and the rest froze at Di Lingshu's account, staring at Li Hao in sheer amazement. Dominating the Eighth Layer alone was a fearsome feat. As for the Ninth-layer, their own forays had limited them to snaring Chaos Dao Seeds on the edges, too wary to press inward. Yet Li Hao had conquered it entirely?!

Di Wushè locked eyes on Li Hao. He trusted Di Lingshu spoke true, but overrunning the Ninth-layer implied this junior brother's battle prowess bordered on the horrifying.

"Moreover, within the Ninth-layer Heavenly Domain, we crossed paths with two peculiar elders..."

Di Lingshu described the meeting with Elder Qi and Elder Eight.

"Elders born at the dawn of Chaos?"

Gu Mofan and Di Wushè both recoiled in surprise, their faces adopting contemplative looks.

The Dao Origin Immortal Emperor's gaze flickered momentarily, a trace of reminiscence crossing his features as he remarked, "I never imagined you'd meet the Elder Ten. How are they faring these days?"

"Elder Ten?"

Li Hao furrowed his brow in confusion.

"In the Chaos dawn, ten supreme powerhouses emerged. They ruled as the era's unchallenged forces, and we call them the Elder Ten."

The Dao Origin Immortal Emperor spoke gently, "Afterward, the Great Emperor Era arose, birthing the Emperor Dao Cultivation Method we follow today, which supplanted the Elder Ten's time. Still, they stand as worthy legends from the bygone age."

"Master, how were they able to access the Endless Heavenly Domain?"

Di Wushè voiced his curiosity without restraint.

The Dao Origin Immortal Emperor elaborated steadily, "It ties to their cultivation path. That realm served as their origin, granting them entry. Should any of you train under the Elder Ten, you'd gain free passage to the Endless Heavenly Domain too. Its Heavenly Dao Power would flow endlessly for you. But from what I know, the Elder Ten haven't taken pupils in ages."

Di Wushè and the others shared knowing looks, prompting Gu Mofan to inquire, "Master, who holds the edge—you or the Elder Ten?"

The Dao Origin Immortal Emperor offered a light smile and replied, "Of course, it's me. This is the Emperor Dao era, after all. The Elder Ten's age lies in history. Even at their cultivation's zenith, their might equates to the Quasi-Emperor Realm, trapped by an unbreakable chain. It's an inevitable fate, akin to how Emperor Dao now culminates in the Great Emperor. Perhaps eons from now, a fresh era will emerge, birthing entities surpassing the Great Emperor."