Chapter 303: Dao Treasury
Li Hao's remarkable achievements surpassed even those of the Li family's ancestors. As Li Tiangang looked at the young man, now admired by the masses like a bright star, a sense of confusion welled up in his heart.
Meanwhile, Li Hao was checking on Emperor Yu's injuries. After the six adversaries were slain, the Dao laws that had been afflicting Emperor Yu dissipated. His crushed arms and self-severed legs had already regenerated. Though he appeared somewhat weak, there were no significant issues.
Li Hao then approached the elderly Daoist, noticing his weakened state. He asked, "Can you heal yourself?"
The bedridden Qin Zhenren looked up at the young man who now blocked the sunlight, his expression complicated as he offered a bitter smile.
"I'm fine. It's thanks to you this time."
"Good to hear," Li Hao replied with a nod. He didn't have any divine pills or precious medicines to offer the Daoist.
Other martial experts who had come to aid them also approached Li Hao to express their gratitude. Among them were renowned figures like Gun Saint Wang Xiezhi and Blade Saint Zuohan, both of whom had been famous for centuries. Facing this youthful and handsome young man, they couldn't help but feel their age.
Other members of the imperial family also stepped forward to thank Li Hao.
At the edge of the crowd, Li Muxiu did not approach. Instead, he quietly watched the dazzling young man, a mix of pride and joy in his eyes. However, when he noticed Li Tiangang beside him, his smile faded, and he coldly asked, "You once criticized him at every turn. Now, do you think this former son of yours is worthy?"
Li Tiangang's body trembled slightly, but he did not turn to look at Li Muxiu. Instead, he silently gazed at the young man, sensing an unbridgeable chasm that now separated them.
At this moment, Li Hao had made his way to the rear hall of the imperial palace.
Emperor Yu had dismissed the others for treatment, knowing that Li Hao didn't care for pleasantries. Once alone, Emperor Yu sighed and said, "This time, we owe everything to you. How can I possibly repay you? Given your current strength, there's no need for titles or rewards. Just tell me what you want, and I'll give it to you!"
His voice grew more serious as he finished speaking, emphasizing the weight of his words.
Li Hao smiled and replied, "Didn't I mention before, Your Majesty? I'm interested in music scores and famous paintings. Have you forgotten?"
Emperor Yu frowned and said, "I'm being serious. Stop joking around."
Li Hao sighed inwardly. "I'm serious too, Your Majesty... But if you insist on compensating me, then... I've heard that the Dao Treasury in Qiandao Palace contains the world's most extensive collection of secret techniques. May I take a look?"
"Is that all?" Emperor Yu asked, giving him a scrutinizing look. After a moment, he realized that with Li Hao's current power, there wasn't much in the human world that could entice him.
After a brief pause, Emperor Yu dismissed the medical attendants and spoke softly to Li Hao.
"My Jiang family emerged from the Great Wilderness and established this dynasty with the goal of reviving our ancestors. The incense we've gathered is nearly sufficient."
He looked at Li Hao and continued, "In about ten years, the collection will be complete. When that time comes, I'll have you inherit the new Dao lineage and build a temple in your honor. For the next three thousand years, you will be revered, and the incense gathered will help you become a saint!"
Li Hao's eyes flickered as he thought about the three paths to sainthood: incense, sacrificial Dao, and extreme Dao.
The most common path to sainthood was through the collection of incense. As long as one gathered enough, they could ascend.
The sacrificial Dao, however, was the most difficult. It required extraordinary insight, surpassing even that of a saint. One had to comprehend something that even saints had not fully grasped, despite not yet reaching the threshold of sainthood.
The final path, extreme Dao, was similar to the incense path, but instead of incense, one gathered energies such as slaughter and resentment.
Three paths, three ways to sainthood.
With his panel, Li Hao leaned towards the sacrificial Dao, which seemed most suited to him.
However, he wondered, could these three paths—incense, sacrificial Dao, and extreme Dao—be pursued simultaneously?
There was no answer to this question, as no one had ever accomplished it.
"In that case, I thank Your Majesty," Li Hao said, accepting the offer without rejecting the incense path.
Seeing that Li Hao had agreed, Emperor Yu nodded with a smile. "Although you'll inherit the new Dao lineage, don't worry about being bound by it. Go wherever you wish. Dayu is too small to confine you. If the Immortal Gate reopens, perhaps you can explore that side. There are more opportunities there."
"I haven't seen all of the human world yet," Li Hao replied.
Emperor Yu was momentarily stunned before bursting into laughter.
Li Hao continued, "But I do need to address the matter of that Saint Son who escaped. We must prevent future trouble."
Emperor Yu's expression grew serious as he recalled the Saint Son who had fled to the Immortal Gate. He now understood that this person had orchestrated everything from behind the scenes.
"The Saint Son is likely at the peak of the Dao Law realm, seeking to ascend to sainthood by taking Dayu's incense. If he returns, he may try again, possibly with the help of others. However, saints cannot easily intervene in the human world, as it damages their bodies. Unless there is a significant favor owed, he won't be able to summon a saint."
He looked at Li Hao and said, "As long as a saint doesn't come, you should be invincible in the human world."
This was high praise coming from the emperor of Dayu.
Li Hao coughed and asked, "Your Majesty, is our Dayu Divine Dynasty the largest kingdom in the human world?"
Emperor Yu caught the implication in his words and replied with a hint of exasperation, "Dayu stands on the edge of the Eastern Wasteland continent. Beyond the Great Wilderness, in the central regions, many divine dynasties thrive. Overall, Dayu is only considered mid-sized, not even a major power."
"These larger nations were founded by ancient holy clans whose ancestral saints still reside within the Immortal Gate, maintaining their lineages in the human world."
"However, even in those nations, they don't have Dao Law realm experts as powerful as the ones you encountered. Unless they summon their ancestors or half-saints, they won't easily cross into the human world due to the associated costs."
Li Hao was surprised to learn that the vast Dayu was only on the outskirts of the world.
Still, considering that the Jiang family had been secretly developing here to revive their ancestor, he could understand the situation.
For the Dayu Divine Dynasty, thousands of years were equivalent to just a few hundred years in the Land of the Saints.
After conversing with Emperor Yu, Li Hao took his leave and headed for Qiandao Palace.
Qiandao Palace was not far from the imperial palace, located atop a mountain just outside the palace. The Dao Palace stood tall on this peak.
Normally, it was surrounded by incense offerings and visited by many disciples, but now it was eerily quiet, with a nearby side hall partially collapsed.
Qin Zhenren had been informed of Li Hao's visit and had instructed people to wait for him outside the Dao Palace.
From the base of the mountain to the summit, there was another path known as the Ninefold Heavenly Gate Pass.
This pass was a trial ground for disciples seeking to join the Dao Palace.
Anyone who could break through the nine gates could become a disciple of Qin Zhenren.
At this moment, Li Hao effortlessly crossed the Ninefold Heavenly Gate Pass and reached the summit. The gates posed only a minimal challenge to those below the Three Immortals realm, but for Li Hao, they were no more than a breeze.
At the summit, two figures awaited him.
One was a young man with bright eyes and fair skin, exuding an air of innocence. He looked extremely handsome and appeared to be around Li Hao's age, perhaps even a couple of years younger.
The other was a refined and courteous young man.
"Greetings, General Haotian," the young man said with a slight bow. "I am Qingjingzi, and I've been instructed by my master to escort you to the Dao Treasury."
"Thank you," Li Hao replied, glancing at the two of them. Though their auras were restrained, he could tell at a glance that they were in the Four Establishments realm and the Heavenly Master realm, respectively.
The boy, despite being younger than him, had already reached the Heavenly Master realm.
Li Hao was impressed.
Noticing Li Hao's gaze, the boy blushed slightly and shyly introduced himself, "Mingyuejian greets General Haotian. Thank you for saving my master and this world."
The older youth, noticing Li Hao's surprise, smiled and said, "General Haotian, my junior brother was born with a Dao bone, giving him extraordinary insight into the Dao. With our master's guidance, he has been able to keep pace with your cultivation."
"A Dao bone?" Li Hao was intrigued. This was the first time he had heard of such a thing. Previously, Prince Jiang Lichen had a sword bone, while the Dao Seed of the ancient Ji clan was a holy bone.
"Yes, our master says it's a rare cultivation physique, with a natural affinity for the Dao. As long as he cultivates diligently, he can reach the Dao Comprehension realm. Beyond that, the path to sainthood will require incense," Qingjingzi explained with a smile.
Li Hao silently marveled at his luck. He had the system, but others had innate Dao bones—everyone had their own fortune.
"Please, follow me, General Haotian," Mingyuejian said shyly, his face turning even redder after Qingjingzi's explanation.
Li Hao found the boy's shyness amusing, reminding him of a little girl, and followed them to the Dao Treasury.
The Dao Treasury was located behind Qiandao Palace, normally overseen by Qin Zhenren's senior disciple. However, that elder had been killed in the recent battle, unable to resist the six intruders even with his Dao realm cultivation.
"Master said you can stay in the Dao Treasury for as long as you like, read whatever you wish, and do anything you need," Qingjingzi said with a smile.
"Understood," Li Hao nodded, bidding the two farewell before entering the Dao Treasury.
Inside, the space was vast and quiet, with beams of light streaming in and dust particles floating in the air.
Li Hao felt a sense of tranquility as he scanned the room.
Without further ado, he enveloped the area with his divine sense, found a comfortable spot to sit, and began absorbing the martial techniques. One by one, they were recorded into his system.
As the number of techniques in his system grew, they began to reflect off each other, evolving into new techniques.
Thoughts and insights flooded Li Hao's mind as he slowly absorbed and analyzed them.
Many of the techniques advanced, from high-grade to ultimate-grade, and from ultimate-grade to transcendent.
Finally, the transcendent techniques evolved into Dao domains.
The number of Dao domains Li Hao mastered gradually increased from fifteen.