Follow the path of Dao from infancy Chapter 1855 Chapter 493: Realm King Emperor Road (2)

Yet at this moment, Li Hao showed no desire to press on any longer.

In his heart, Li Hao viewed Artistic Skill as the very foundation of his existence, urging him to swiftly master the remaining four up to the thirteenth level.

Still, matters like these couldn't be forced, no matter the eagerness.

Li Hao tried to settle his mind, though the chaotic events beyond made true tranquility hard to achieve, were it not for his unyielding Tao heart.

"Cooking, Carving, Fishing, Poetry and Books... among these four Artistic Skills, Cooking depends on destiny, while the Five Paths Divine Tree I traded for earlier suits Carving perfectly!"

Excitement lit up Li Hao's eyes as he prepared to start with Carving.

From his realm, Li Hao pulled out the Five Paths Divine Tree, then activated the All Heavens Star Vein to channel boundless immortal power into it, making its leaves shimmer with crystal clarity.

With the Immortal Sword in hand, Li Hao sliced off a portion of the Divine Wood, noticing how a glossy crystal flow appeared at the cut, infused with the Five Paths' core essence. The wound soon knit back like threads of a spider's silk, slowly blending and growing fresh shoots.

As the All Heavens Star Vein nourished the Divine Tree, Li Hao infused Sword Dao into a keen blade, shaping the Divine Wood fragment he held into his carving project.

Time flowed onward.

Inside the realm, as Li Hao focused on carving and gaining insights, across the Great Emperor Dojo, some disciples trained and pondered the Dao, while others broke through barriers and headed to assault the Heaven Tower.

The Abyss stayed mostly silent.

"Just a brief thousand years—who can predict how far these young talents will advance?"

High on the Heaven Tower, the Immortal Immortal Emperor lingered beside the Star Empress, unmoving much like their arrival.

In the vast stretch of their existence, a moment of reflection might span thousands of years; thus, standing idle for a millennium felt no more than a mortal's short stop.

"The conflict in the Eastern Domain turns ever more dangerous. Fresh reports reveal five Royal Families uniting, so their Five Clans' Immortal Emperors will soon arrive. Whether the Eastern Domain endures remains in doubt!"

"Ancient Demons from rival tribes watch this clash closely too. Should the Eastern Domain crumble, the bulk of those other Ancient Demons would probably band together for another assault."

The pair of Immortal Emperors creased their foreheads faintly, a touch of pressure building. As lofty Immortal Emperors, they could stay detached, but their exalted roles stirred deeper concern; they refused to witness the True Realm's Ten Thousand Clans fade away.

Without that, even famed Immortal Emperors like them would drift as rootless spirits, a truly sorrowful end.

"So far, we've identified five candidates for the Quasi-True King rank."

The Star Empress glanced over areas like the Emperor Clan, Saint Clans, and Taichu Clan, where auras of Immortal King Realm Perfection blazed strong, matching the feeblest Quasi-Emperor Realm in combat might!

Armed with mighty artifacts, they wouldn't fall easily to a descending Quasi-Emperor Realm foe. In all-out war, they could seize control of the field, facing only the Great Emperors from the Ancient Demon Race.

"In so little time, but with three thousand years, those youths might actually hold their ground."

The Immortal Immortal Emperor's eyes drifted to a few youthful silhouettes.

"Some among them are reborn Quasi-Emperors or even Great Emperors, but it's unclear if this reborn Great Emperor would step up as leader in the fight—especially since their former self perished in the prior Ancient Demon disaster..."

The Star Empress's sight skimmed various forms before settling on one clad in dark robes.

Hidden in his personal realm, yet her vision cut through all veils, capturing his every action.

Sensing the scrutiny, the black-robed youth inside abruptly lifted his gaze, staring toward the Heaven Tower and its summit, as if locking eyes with the Star Empress across the void and his own realm.

The Star Empress made no effort to hide. Though startled that he noticed her watch, as a reborn Great Emperor with remnants of his old power—who could say how much?—it made sense.

A slight nod came from the youth, like a quiet salute, before he shut his eyes once more to continue his cultivation.

Witnessing this, the Star Empress held back from deeper intrusion. For a reborn Great Emperor, such prying would smack of rudeness.

"Hmm?"

Something odd caught the Star Empress's attention as she looked elsewhere.

In the realm of the youth who earned a prime nurturing slot, he clutched a chunk of Divine Wood, lost in the act of carving it.

"Carving?"

A flash of surprise crossed the Star Empress's eyes, but realization dawned fast. As an Immortal Emperor far beyond common cultivators, she instantly grasped that he used carving to pursue the Tao.

Yet this roundabout path to enlightenment struck her as strange and wildly wasteful. It resembled a Swordsman honing blades rather than studying chess for Dao insights.

No one would expect a Chess Saint to swing a sword for chess-inspired lethal techniques.

Seeking awakening via a foreign art paled against straight immersion in one's true Tao.

Though taken aback, the Star Empress kept quiet, withholding guidance; with the Dao Origin Immortal Emperor's disciple as a key nurturing pick, they lacked the right to meddle, particularly when the Emperor himself stayed silent.

"Most intriguing. His early trial results were truly standout, but his future path in cultivation? Who can tell. After claiming those resources before, he's already passed the 54th floor."

The Immortal Immortal Emperor spotted Li Hao's efforts and commented with a grin.

These elite seeds drew their constant watch.

"He breached the 54th floor after forging his third peak Realm Heart."

The Star Empress noted, "Plus, juggling three peak Realm Hearts in harmony—it's downright astonishing. His drive screams intent to conquer this Emperor Road!"

"A multi-Realm Heart Emperor Road?"

The Immortal Immortal Emperor grasped Li Hao's bold aim right away. As battle-hardened experts, they saw through such signs: this was no simple bid for Immortal King Perfection, but a shot at Supreme heights.

"This Emperor Road was mere theory before, with no one ever managing to forge it."

"My own Reincarnated Body tried and failed too."

The Immortal Immortal Emperor explained.

Over endless ages, he had emulated the Dao Origin Immortal Emperor by blazing two Emperor Roads.

Alas, pushes for additional paths via reborn soul forms all crumbled.

Even as an Immortal Emperor with vast wisdom and trials, when facing Emperor Road truths, everyone starts from scratch; pouring everything into one paved road left scant energy for another, dooming those tries.

Besides, deeper knowledge could chain rather than free.

"This is the Realm King Emperor Road. No telling if this lad pulls it off. Stretching to four or five shared Realm Hearts? Past bids all flopped."

The Star Empress declared.

Her reborn form had probed the Emperor Road likewise, uncovering old dead ends outside that one path, all barren.

Forging Emperor Roads proves brutally tough, even for Great Emperors like them; only on self-carved roads could they claim Supreme rank, while others felt like fresh beginnings.

"My reborn self hit six shared Realm Hearts, just shy of the end, but that last hurdle loomed largest."

The Immortal Immortal Emperor added.

The Star Empress gave a small nod; her reborn body had stalled at that final barrier too. Hitting six shared Realm Hearts came swift for her, nothing special, yet surging to the seventh brought hurdles multiplied a hundred or thousand times, a crushing void.

Countless tested fixes, all in vain.

"The other three chase their own Emperor Roads as well, each harboring massive dreams."

The Immortal Immortal Emperor turned his view to the rest. The youth stood not alone; similar bold paths marked others, with loftier realms at Immortal King Realm Perfection, and two of them near-certain for Quasi-True King honors.