Chapter 742: Chapter 145: The Holy Land of Wen Zong, Eighth Extreme Realm
The war had ended, and Li Hao was not idle. He quickly contacted Zhan Tan through the Flower Order to discuss paintings.
“You’re not going into seclusion?”
Zhan Tan was somewhat surprised. She hadn’t expected Li Hao to be so eager to discuss paintings with her immediately after the great battle ended. It seemed as if the Heavenly Pride Battle had actually delayed Li Hao’s painting instead. Which was the main focus and which was secondary?
Contacting you means going into seclusion… Li Hao thought to himself.
If he could reach the Artistic Path Ten Stages, Li Hao would be able to ascend to sainthood through the Sacrificial Dao, which was his most urgent goal at the moment.
Aside from the Artistic Path, there was also the Cooking Dao which was at the Ninth Stage, both of which held the possibility of breaking through to the Tenth Stage.
To reach the Tenth Stage, one must comprehend the State of Mind, but before that, the experience bar needs to be filled up as quickly as possible.
“Qingfeng is truly carefree. It seems he doesn’t hold the fame and profit of the Supreme Genius Battle close to his heart.”
Ye Ancestor sighed.
“Qingjiu, take a hint from Qingfeng, huh? Do both your names contain the word ‘Qing’?”
Green Ancestor suddenly perceived a blind spot.
A shadow loosened, revealing Qingjiu. He had also heard from Zhan Tan of Li Hao clinching the first place in the Solo Battle. Although it was akin to a small world’s preliminary round, the real competition for slots in the Heavenly Pride Battle was yet to come.
“I don’t have that leisure.”
Qingjiu said with a wry smile.
He had been in seclusion recently and upon receiving the news, he felt some pressure from a few monsters.
Although he claimed to be indifferent, having cultivated for less than a hundred years, he still had an unextinguished fire in his heart.
“That boy Qingjiu, proclaimed to be a genius at Chess Tao, yet has never played a game with this old man at the Flower Travel Association, always secretly in seclusion.”
Ye Ancestor shook his head, having already seen through the fire in Qingjiu’s heart, but he didn’t blame or disdain him. After all, at their age, they were even crazier than Qingjiu. Back then, aside from cultivation, everything else was sidelined, even to the point of fighting for fame, fortune, and treasures, and committing massive killings. Now, having experienced it all, there was a sense of desolation as the prosperity faded.
“Don’t blame Qingjiu. With his strength, a little effort might land him in the top ten of the Supreme Genius Battle. It’s normal for him to push a little harder. If it were too far-fetched, Qingjiu would probably take it easy.”
The youthful shadow spoke. He too was a Semi-Saint, named Fire Ancestor.
Hearing Fire Ancestor’s words, Qingjiu gratefully looked at him and said:
“Fire Ancestor understands me. Now I’m set up, the Holy Land and my master have great expectations for me. Besides, the intelligence I’ve received indeed makes me wary, and with a bit more effort, the top ten is hopeful.”
“You brat, your ambition is not limited to the top ten.”
Ye Ancestor saw through his little scheme and chuckled.
Qingjiu, seen through, said sheepishly: “Old Ye, stop teasing me. I’m content if I can make it into the top ten.”
“Nonsense.”
Ye Ancestor snorted: “The chess game you promised me ten years ago, I wonder when you’ll come to play!”
“Next time for sure!”
Qingjiu immediately assured.
Zhan Tan said to Li Hao: “You really coming?”
“Yep.” Li Hao nodded.
“Okay, then I’ll send someone to pick you up tomorrow. Actually, I also watched your Solo Battle.” Zhan Tan said with a light laugh.
Li Hao was somewhat surprised, and after thinking for a bit, he replied: “Alright.”
Qingjiu looked at Li Hao enviously and said, “Qingfeng, you really are at leisure. But I hear that the Buddha Child from your Canglan Realm is a bit tricky. You must be careful when you encounter him; that guy is also one of the hopefuls for the top ten this time, and all forces are watching.”
“Thanks for the tip.” Li Hao smiled.
After a few more casual conversations, Li Hao left the Flower Travel Association and went back to his courtyard to focus on Carving.
The next day, Gui Qingshuang came to Li Hao’s courtyard, bringing news from the Canglan Divine Dynasty.
“Incense Fire increased from ten to fifteen cities?”
Li Hao was somewhat surprised when he heard Gui Qingshuang’s words, but soon realized it must be due to the war.
As a result, the time to achieve Incense Sainthood would be reduced by another 20 years, now only requiring 240 years.
If he were to take first place in the Supreme Genius Battle, one could achieve immediate Incense Sainthood, and the accumulated Incense Fire would also become a part of the Saint Realm’s power, the more, the better.
After Gui Qingshuang respectfully bid farewell to Li Hao, it wasn’t long before a flower palanquin trotted up, from which a pretty woman dressed in a pink floral dress alighted. She gently knocked on the courtyard door, and her voice called out, clear as the song of a oriole:
“Yue Ying, following the orders of Tan Ancestor, has come to escort Mr. Qingfeng.”
Li Hao swept his Divine Thought out and saw the attractive woman outside; her demeanor was not inferior to that of a family’s young miss, even less so to a princess. He replied: “Wait for me for thirty minutes.”
The woman outside responded respectfully and stood quietly waiting outside the courtyard door.
Li Hao continued his Carving in the meantime, soon completing a statue that bore the likeness of Yao Ancestor.
He placed the carved statue on a shelf inside the courtyard, where many other sculptures were displayed.
Li Hao stood up, patted off the sawdust from his body, and suddenly thought of something. With a wave of his hand, the Heaven and Earth Space opened, and he called out:
“Xiyan, come out.”
A streak of crimson light flew out from within, transforming in place into a girl in a red dress.
“So rich in Heaven and Earth Energy.”
As soon as Xiyan emerged, she felt the energy of the Land of All Saints, incomparable to the Mortal World.
Li Hao laughed: “You must be feeling stifled. Let’s go; we have an appointment.”
“It’s fine, I could spy on the outside from the Master’s Heaven and Earth Space.”
Xiyan giggled, not asking about the nature of the appointment they were to attend, and with a twirl, she transformed into a red light that coiled around Li Hao’s wrist, becoming a crimson bracelet.
Previously at the Sword Ancestor Holy Land, Li Hao was unfamiliar with the place and did not dare to release Xiyan, only allowing her to watch from inside the Heaven and Earth Space. Furthermore, the Sword Ancestor Holy Land was filled with Sword Cultivators who advocated exterminating Demons and were particularly hostile toward them.