Chapter 961: 199 Fairy Plays the Zither_2

Chapter 961: Chapter 199 Fairy Plays the Zither_2

In the void, a colossal and shadowy hand seemed to materialize, slowly tightening its grip, attempting to seize Li Hao.

Li Hao’s expression shifted slightly. If the Mixed Heaven Saint captured him now, it would devolve into a pure battle of strength—one he wasn’t confident he could win.

“What I see is what I think; what I think is what I break!”

Sword scars gleamed in Li Hao’s eyes, and at this moment, his Only Me Swordsmanship seemed to elevate once again, advancing sharply in power as he struck fiercely.

The Eternal Dao Domain and the Extreme Doctrine of the sword shadow in his eyes condensed instantly, slashing outward.

The massive, blurry hand in the void suddenly cracked apart, rupturing silently, without so much as an explosive sound.

Li Hao darted through the dark fissure, breaking free.

“A pity… my movement technique is too slow. If my movement technique could align with Sacrificial Dao, just combining it with the Extreme Realm would be enough to aid my escape!”

Li Hao sped forward relentlessly, yet felt his speed wasn’t enough. Despite his cultivation having already achieved astonishing velocity, there were still countless domains left for him to refine and enhance.

“Hmph!”

The Mixed Heaven Saint, watching Li Hao shatter his divine skill, gave a slight, icy smile before pursuing him once more. Though his specialization in the Extreme Strength Saint Path enabled him to crush all forms of magic, movement techniques weren’t his forte. Yet, even so, he surpassed most Three Calamities Saints.

In the blink of an eye, the Mixed Heaven Saint closed the distance again.

Li Hao’s silhouette flickered as he surged toward the summit of an Ancient Mountain, aiming directly at the ethereal figure of an Immortal Divine sitting atop it.

The Immortal Divine figure remained seated, seemingly unmoved by Li Hao’s approach. Only as Li Hao rushed closer did it slowly open its eyes, its gaze appearing to pierce through time, locking onto this precise moment in the future.

Then, the ethereal figure’s gaze briefly settled on Li Hao before shifting to the Mixed Heaven Saint pursuing from behind.

Its eyes grew colder, as if sneering softly before raising a hand with an effortless wave.

A beam of light shot forth from its palm, but as the light traveled further from its body, its power rapidly dissipated.

“Just a shadow, yet you dare attempt to suppress me?”

Noticing the attack directed at him, the Mixed Heaven Saint roared in anger. He charged forward head-on, colliding with the attack and scattering it directly, leaving only faint smoke wafting from his body alongside slight cracks that quickly healed in an instant.

After delivering the strike, the Immortal Divine shadow gradually faded, disappearing atop the mountain summit.

Li Hao was aware that this was merely a shadow being etched into the fabric of time. What terrified him, however, was that the shadow seemed to possess an independent consciousness.

To reach that level of cultivation… what kind of power would one need?

Li Hao didn’t look back; he kept rushing forward, capitalizing on the Immortal Divine’s attack to widen the gap between him and the Mixed Heaven Saint.

Using Returning Ruin Instantaneous Movement repeatedly, Li Hao tore through rifts in the heavens and escaped the Ancient Mountain, teleporting tens of thousands of miles ahead along the path, only to arrive at another Ancient Mountain.

This mountain was similarly surrounded by thunder fire, shrouded in tribulation power, with an Immortal Divine figure seated in cultivation atop the summit—but its appearance differed from the one prior.

Li Hao dashed toward the summit as the Immortal Divine shadow opened its eyes, locking its gaze firmly on him.

It wasn’t long before it sensed the Mixed Heaven Saint pursuing from behind. Upon seeing the Mixed Heaven Saint, a glint of cold malice shone in its eyes.

Then, it raised its hand, mirroring the actions of the previous Immortal Divine shadow, and launched another attack—a piercing spear of light cutting through space.

The Mixed Heaven Saint roared with fury, charging forward without hesitation.

Li Hao couldn’t determine if these Immortal Divines mistook the Mixed Heaven Saint for a demon, causing them to avoid targeting him and focus their attacks solely on the Saint.

Without turning back, Li Hao continued hurtling forward.

The path led past mountain after mountain. Li Hao traversed seven Ancient Mountains in succession, relying on the Immortal Divine shadows atop them to barely keep a slight distance ahead of the Mixed Heaven Saint.

“Huh?”

Upon reaching yet another mountain, Li Hao noticed something odd—it lacked the familiar thunder fire and tribulation power, its surface instead adorned with clouds of shimmering crimson gold, as though brushed with radiant gold dust, making it incomparably beautiful.

At the summit rested an otherworldly structure—a celestial pavilion by a divine waterfall and spiritual pool. A female Immortal Divine shadow sat serenely in the pavilion at the cliff’s edge, lightly playing her zither.

Streams of Daoist Charm swirled around her like flowing rainbows, creating an unparalleled vision of beauty.

Hearing the faint, ethereal melody flowing forth, Li Hao paused in awe. Even with his mastery of the Musical Rhythm Dao, he could sense that this was a divine masterpiece unlike any other.

He experienced an almost irresistible urge: if acquiring this song meant being gravely injured or losing decades of his lifespan, he would gladly accept the cost.

“Such an exquisite tune…”

Momentarily lost in its splendor, Li Hao only snapped back to reality upon sensing the killing intent approaching from behind. His expression darkened, and this time, he chose not to lure the Mixed Heaven Saint toward the mountain summit, unwilling to let this fleeting masterpiece dissolve away in time.

Yet, as he turned to leave, the female shadow atop the mountain gently glanced at him, her lips curving into a faint smile. Following her gaze, she plucked the strings once more, releasing a soundwave transformed into a terrifying blade that slashed downward.

“This piece is called ‘Sorrow of Nine Rivers…'”

An ancient and haunting sentiment, impossibly graceful, surfaced within Li Hao’s mind.

Moments later, Li Hao witnessed the female Immortal Divine shadow gradually dissipating. Her fragment of existence, kept by time itself, had vanished completely with the blade’s strike.

Li Hao froze, gripped by an indescribable sense of loss.

Quietly, he etched the song’s name into his heart.

Was the shadow a relic of someone long deceased? Would he ever encounter her again?

He snapped back to focus, feeling the furious roar from behind draw nearer. Without lingering, he continued his charge forward, determined not to let this divine melody fade for nothing.

Coming upon yet another Ancient Mountain, Li Hao found its surface entirely wrecked—broken apart and charred black, as though ravaged by some fierce battle.

At the summit, there was no Immortal Divine shadow in sight. The ground lay darkened and desolate, devoid of vitality.

Li Hao hesitated briefly but chose not to linger, pressing onward.

As he sprinted past the edge of the mountain, something reflective caught his attention. Narrowing his eyes, he took a closer look.

A fractured blade jutted out from a chunk of scorched rock.

Curiously, the blade remained pristine—free of dust and seemingly brand new.

Li Hao stretched out his hand, summoning the fragment. It flew swiftly through the air and landed in his grip.

He examined it closely, sensing neither tribulation power nor Daoist Charm around it.

Still, its presence here suggested it was likely a Tao Tribulation Emperor Weapon, albeit damaged and reduced to a mere remnant.

“Kill!!”

The Mixed Heaven Saint’s bellow echoed from behind, his eyes bloodshot—not entirely from anger, but also from the rage burning within him.

He spread his wings and streaked through the air like a Kunpeng, his talons tearing through the void to shred Li Hao’s body.

Once destroyed, regenerating his physical form would provide the Saint the perfect opportunity to devour him.

Li Hao’s expression sharpened as he hurled the blade fragment outward, then swiftly swung his sword to counter.

A blinding flash of sword light erupted, slashing toward the Saint’s horn in an attempt to trade injury for injury. But the next moment, Li Hao witnessed the Saint’s talon abruptly snap, with blood spraying forth!

The sudden event left Li Hao stunned, and the Mixed Heaven Saint froze in shock, his pupils contracting as he stared at his dismembered talon in disbelief.

The blood soon stopped flowing, the talon regenerating rapidly. Yet the Saint remained dazed.

Li Hao didn’t even bother checking if his Sword Dao strike had connected—his gaze was locked onto the point of severance, which gleamed brightly in the light. His heart thudded violently with realization… could it really be…?

Immediately, he burned his Primordial Spirit, channeling its strength to retrieve the remnant blade fragment.

Without hesitation, he marked the shard with his Primordial Spirit imprint, ensuring the Mixed Heaven Saint would find it exceedingly difficult to snatch and wield the weapon unless his Primordial Spirit strength exceeded Li Hao’s by several multiples.

However, even as a Supreme Saint, the Mixed Heaven Saint’s strength in this aspect wasn’t significantly greater than Li Hao’s—they were both in the Extreme Realm.

“What is this thing?”

The Mixed Heaven Saint’s expression shifted as his gaze fixated on the fragment, discerning that it wasn’t a complete Emperor’s Weapon—which only made it even more astonishing.

In that instant, Li Hao realized the blade fragment was unbelievably sharp despite its incompleteness; perhaps it originated from an exalted Emperor’s Weapon—one that surpassed even Tao Tribulation Emperor Weapons!

No wonder it had retained its luster across endless ages, repelling even the tiniest speck of dust, its edge sharper than imagination.

“Go!”

Li Hao commanded the fragment, sending it slicing toward the Mixed Heaven Saint to test its razor-like essence.

The Mixed Heaven Saint, shocked and enraged, unleashed his Saint Dao Domain while simultaneously reaching to draw forth his own Emperor’s Weapon from the carapace on his back.

Initially, he had refrained from employing his Emperor’s Weapon against Li Hao—it felt humiliating. Like a college student competing in math against a grade-schooler, only to pull out a calculator.

While victory was possible, it would still carry the sting of disgrace.