Chapter 1423 Chapter 340: A Game of Chess at the Foot of the Mountain (Part 2)
Chapter 1423 Chapter 340: A Game of Chess at the Foot of the Mountain (Part 2)
“Tao Realm Avatar!”
Suddenly, Li Hao and the others saw the person at the forefront ascending Wenda Mountain, standing on a series of steps. Their silhouette emerged with an avatar that attacked them.
In an instant, chaos erupted at the front as all the disciples climbing the mountain encountered their own Tao Realm avatars, which launched attacks on them.
Among them, some were caught off guard and injured by their Tao Realm avatars, while others easily dispatched their avatars and swiftly ascended, leaving the crowd behind.
“Is this the Tao Realm Avatar?”
Li Hao examined the chaotic battleground ahead, full of curiosity.
“Go, ignore them. The Tao Realm avatar at the mountain foot is the weakest; defeat it quickly!”
At this moment, Yinjing City yelled from the side and rushed forward.
However, the disciples of the sect turned to look at Li Hao, seemingly awaiting his command.
Yinjing City, who was flying dozens of feet forward, sensed this scene from behind with Divine Sense and couldn’t help but turn red with anger. He was in the Immortal Monarch Realm and a direct disciple of the Sect Master, yet these guys weren’t following him, waiting for that youngster’s attitude instead?!
Beside him, Meng Huaiyue noticed this too, feeling surprised. It wasn’t like this before; something unknown seemed to have happened after the secret realm test ended.
However, with the test on Wenda Mountain starting without pause, she couldn’t ask her master right now.
“Let’s go.”
Li Hao was calm and composed, and seeing everyone wanting to follow him, he spoke.
He led the group to the mountain foot. Despite the gathering of many disciples, there was still room for them to ascend.
Ahead, disciples from other sects fought their Tao Realm avatars. Li Hao directly expanded the Eternal Dao Domain, enveloping his sect’s disciples within, blocking the aftermath of other fights outside.
“Hmm?”
As Li Hao noticed, the attacks of other disciples’ Tao Realm avatars penetrated his domain without hindrance.
“Go, forget about them!”
Ahead, Yinjing City’s expression turned dark upon seeing this, and he charged ahead without looking back.
Meng Huaiyue glanced at the people within Li Hao’s domain, her eyes wavering slightly, but she didn’t linger and quickly followed her senior brother’s steps.
Soon, they encountered their own Tao Realm avatars.
However, as Yinjing City mentioned, these avatars at the mountain foot weren’t strong; they subdued them quickly and rushed up the mountain.
“If you’re strong enough, can you resolve others’ avatars and escort them directly?”
Beside Li Hao, Lin Qingyue asked curiously.
Li Hao glanced around and saw disciples fighting their avatars. Some tried to help but their immortal techniques failed.
Suddenly enlightened, he said, “These Tao Realm avatars can only be affected by oneself; others’ attacks are ineffective!”
“No wonder.”
Yue Xi squinted, “Seems like we can only rely on ourselves.”
“Haotian, you go first, don’t worry about us. You’re the sect’s hope.”
At this point, Gu Yan said to Li Hao.
Others echoed after hearing this:
“Indeed, Brother Haotian, go up first, don’t miss the spot.”
“Since we need to rely on ourselves, we have to do the same. This is the Southern Domain’s battle of talents; we can’t be dead weight.”
“Brother Haotian, we can’t repay the secret realm’s help before, so we’ll rely on ourselves this time!”
Others chimed in.
Li Hao didn’t mind, saying, “It’s fine, time isn’t an issue. I’ll block other attacks; you go ahead.”
“Brother Haotian…”
Someone tried to persuade him.
Li Hao raised a hand to interrupt, saying, “Hurry up, stop dawdling.”
Seeing Li Hao so determined, they ceased their awkward modesty, for the time spent talking was enough to gain a small lead.
As they ascended, soon, within Li Hao’s domain, their Tao Realm avatars appeared for each, initiating attacks.
Li Hao watched the numerous avatars within his domain, amazed. He could manage everything within the Eternal Dao Domain meticulously, yet these avatars appeared suddenly without any forewarning, as if truly out of thin air.
“What kind of power is this?”
Li Hao was curious; he mastered Nine Order Dao, the foundation of the world’s myriad Daos, all contained within. But this power seemed beyond Nine Orders.
Or perhaps his Nine Order Dao Realm was too shallow to perceive it?
As Li Hao pondered, Yue Xi and Gu Yan drew their swords.
They moved decisively, unleashing their full power soon resolving their Tao Realm avatars.
“Brother Haotian, we…”
After defeating her avatar, Yue Xi looked at Li Hao with complex emotions.
Li Hao responded with a carefree smile, “Don’t overthink, go ahead.”
Hearing this, Yue Xi quickly ascended without procrastination.
Others, after resolving their avatars, said goodbye to Li Hao and then sprinted forward.
As the disciples within the Dao Domain departed, the mountain foot grew quieter, as other Immortal Dynasty disciples also ascended. After all, the avatars at the foot were the weakest; failing here meant almost no chance at the Southern Domain battle.
No one failed at the mountain foot; only speed varied.
Once the disciples in the Dao Domain left, Li Hao himself stepped onto the stairs.
Curious, he wondered what his own Dao Domain avatar would be like.
The previously manifested avatars held swords or spears, representing each disciple’s Dao.
But Li Hao believed their embraced Dao wasn’t singular, only the revealed Dao Realm seemed purely single.
Which type would his Nine Order Dao reflect?
As Li Hao pondered, a shadow gathered beside him, forming a Tao Realm avatar mirroring his facial features.
It seemed like his shadow, its body illusory.
The reflected Tao Realm avatar appeared ordinary, lacking strong immortal power aura.
Suddenly, the avatar raised its hand, forming a shadowy force that transformed into a chessboard.
Li Hao was slightly surprised, feeling the Dao aura from the Tao Realm avatar was Chess Tao!
“Do you want a game with me?”
Li Hao couldn’t help but smile. He used to play against himself in his childhood, but now it seemed a real contest against himself.
He immediately raised a hand, indicating for the opponent to choose a place.
The avatar sat down right beside the steps.
Seeing this, Li Hao settled beside the steps without fuss.
The avatar raised a hand, conjuring two chess boxes in the air, filled with pieces. Yet the pieces were shadowy illusions, not black and white but deep black and light gray.
The light gray could pass as white chess.
Li Hao chuckled, grabbing pieces to differentiate between black and white chess.
Upon dropping on the chessboard, he obtained white chess, now the light gray piece.
Soon, the game commenced.
Li Hao noticed the opponent’s chess style was remarkably similar to his own.
“So, in the opponent’s eyes, my chess style is like this…”
Li Hao felt as if observing himself from another viewpoint, seeing more clearly, gaining deeper self-knowledge.
Stepping out to see one’s own self, revealing the true self.
Li Hao suddenly understood the true meaning and purpose of Wenda Mountain.
And this scene was mirrored across the Southern Domain, attracting countless attention.
Previously, True Immortal Realm and Immortal Monarch Realm were divided into two groups; most focused on the Immortal Monarch Secret Realm. But now, both were on Wenda Mountain, garnering the Southern Domain’s gaze.
“What’s that young man doing?”
“Playing chess? Is his Tao Realm avatar really Chess Tao? How unbelievable!”
“I remember his measured soul life was 96 years, right? To cultivate to the True Immortal Realm in such a short time, and he’s proficient in Chess Tao?!”
Countless were dumbfounded, murmuring in shock.