Chapter 715: Dao Heart Demon Seed
Chapter 715 -711: Dao Heart Demon Seed
Inside the Nine Yang Hall, Lin Hao sat cross-legged as scene after scene replayed within his eyes.
He was replaying everything that had just transpired.
Just moments before, the shattered Devil Emperor had reformed. Lin Hao had expected an even more perilous battle.
But the outcome had been far beyond his expectations.
The reformed Devil Emperor had not attacked.
After one glance at Lin Hao, he simply dissipated into the void.
Lin Hao had been stunned.
But he soon understood what had happened.
The reformed Devil Emperor wasn’t a clone, but a projection of the Devil Emperor.
The Devil Emperor, residing in the upper realm, possessed supreme divine might and could project himself directly into the lower realm.
However, he had yet to transcend the Great Dao, so his projection in the lower realm was merely a form, devoid of any combat power.
He was using this method to plant a seed in Lin Hao’s mind—a seed intended to crack his martial heart.
One could even say he was planting a demon.
Planting a demon within the Dao heart!
He wanted to become Lin Hao’s Heart Demon.
Once he understood the reason, Lin Hao immediately appeared back inside the Nine Yang Hall.
First, Lin Hao pushed all thoughts of the Devil Emperor aside and began replaying the entire battle.
He was searching for his own weaknesses.
Lin Hao was as still as a mountain, his breathing ceasing entirely. If not for the scenes constantly shifting within his eyes, one might have mistaken him for a corpse.
Two hours later, the scene in Lin Hao’s eyes shifted once more.
This time, the Devil Emperor appeared within his eyes.
Eventually, the Devil Emperor in his eyes was shattered.
But then, the Devil Emperor reformed once more.
This time, he did not dissipate, but instead battled Lin Hao within his eyes.
This was Lin Hao’s simulation, a mental deduction.
He intended to use this method to purge the Devil Emperor’s lingering negative influence and crush that seed before it could sprout.
This mental exercise lasted for several days.
During this time, Lin Hao coughed up blood on countless occasions.
The Devil Emperor’s projection was simply too terrifying. Even though Lin Hao had advanced to the Sealed Martial Realm, he was still no match for it.
𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝚠𝕖𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝕖𝚕.𝚌𝗼𝗺
Within his simulation, Lin Hao lost count of how many times he was killed.
But each failure made him stronger.
His Path of Enlightenment was broadening, allowing him to advance further.
It was an unimaginable outcome.
If the Devil Emperor knew that the seed he had planted was being used by Lin Hao to further his Path of Enlightenment, making him ever stronger, he would undoubtedly fly into a rage.
On the tenth day of Lin Hao’s simulation.
「Divine Demon Destruction Domain, the Endless Forest.」
The Endless Forest was a unique place within the Divine Demon Destruction Domain. It stretched for tens of thousands of miles, seemingly infinite to the naked eye.
It was a paradise for the ancient vicious beasts.
Ten thousand years ago, ancient vicious beasts ran rampant. Tyrannical and domineering, they wantonly slaughtered the Martial Artists of the Human Race in an attempt to overthrow them. But Emperor Hongtian burst onto the scene and ultimately forced the beasts into the Endless Forest.
Ever since, the Endless Forest has been a forbidden zone. No one can enter, and no ancient vicious beast can leave.
After ten thousand years, the Ancient Trees of the Endless Forest now truly scraped the heavens.
At this moment, in the deepest part of the Endless Forest, a figure sat cross-legged.
The figure was shrouded in Chaos Qi, its features obscured.
A massive vacuum extended around him, spanning at least a thousand meters in every direction.
Beyond that thousand-meter radius, countless ancient vicious beasts lay prostrate.
Taowu, Qiongqi, Taotie, Suanni…
These vicious beasts, which had once dominated the world in ancient times, were now as docile as lambs. They didn’t even dare to breathe.
This alone was a testament to the terrifying power of the seated figure.
Suddenly, the figure’s body shuddered.
A thousand meters away, Ancient Trees as massive as mountains instantly disintegrated into dust.
The prostrating ancient vicious beasts were sent flying by an invisible force.
The figure’s eyes snapped open, terrifying bolts of lightning crackling within. The Chaos Qi surged as an overwhelming pressure erupted, threatening to sweep across the heavens.
But a force from high above the Endless Forest descended, instantly suppressing the pressure.
“Hongtian, I’d like to see just how long you can keep me suppressed!”
The figure spoke, his voice wild and defiant.
“You came from the lower realm and came to rule the Divine Demon Destruction Domain. Now, another has appeared in the lower realm—you must have foreseen this ten thousand years ago. He is indeed extraordinary, managing to crush the very seed I planted within him. But he will die!”
This figure was none other than the Devil Emperor of the Endless Forest.
Just moments ago, he had sensed that the seed planted by his projection in the lower realm had completely vanished.
He knew perfectly well what this meant.
For Lin Hao to discover and crush the seed in such a short amount of time was far beyond his expectations.
“The Dragon Transformation Ancient Realm is about to open. Depart at once, enter it, and kill Lin Hao.”
The Devil Emperor’s voice was calm, yet it carried an irrefutable authority.
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
Several voices responded in unison from within the Endless Forest.
‘To reach the Sealed Martial Realm Third Layer in just ten days… that alone is enough to warrant my personal attention. If not for the lingering remnants of Hongtian’s power preventing me from leaving this place, I would end you myself today. Hmph. I’ll let you live a few more days!’
After that, the Endless Forest fell silent once more.
Meanwhile, back in the lower realm, Lin Hao rose to his full height, his joints cracking like rolling thunder.
The sound was so powerful that the runes of the Nine Yang Hall manifested.
“What a brilliant way to plant a demon in the Dao heart,”
Lin Hao remarked with genuine awe.
Over the past ten days, he had been engrossed in his simulation and his Path of Enlightenment. By borrowing the power of the Nine Yang Hall, he had managed to reach the Sealed Martial Realm Second Layer by the fourth day.
Even so, he was unable to remove the seed the Devil Emperor had planted within him.
On the eighth day, he advanced to the Sealed Martial Realm Third Layer. Only then was he able to affect the seed, finally succeeding in crushing it just moments ago.
‘That was only the Devil Emperor’s projection, countless times weaker than his true self. And my Sealed Martial Realm Third Layer is far more powerful than that of ordinary cultivators. Yet it had still taken me this long.’ Lin Hao couldn’t help but be amazed.
However, he had no more time for wonder.
Suddenly, Lin Hao sensed a soul-shaking power.
The runes of the Nine Yang Hall flared to life, and the entire structure began to tremble violently.
The Nine Yang Hall, which had remained unscathed even during the terrifying clashes of Sealed Martial Realm experts, now looked as if it was about to collapse.
Without a second thought, Lin Hao used the Heaven-Stepping Step to distance himself from the Nine Yang Hall.
He reappeared ten thousand meters away, his expression changing drastically.
The Nine Yang Hall was shaking even more violently. Its runes shot toward the heavens, and the world itself began to roar.
The void twisted and warped; mountains and rivers shattered.
Lin Hao’s eyes blazed as he pierced through the void, witnessing an utterly shocking scene.
A mysterious power was erupting. Everything on the Nine Yang Continent seemed as fragile as paper, disintegrating into the void.
At that instant, the hair on Lin Hao’s arms stood on end, and he retreated even further.
The Nine Yang Hall collapsed, then exploded!
ROAR!
A terrifying roar erupted from beneath the Nine Yang Hall. The vicious beasts that had been suppressed there had broken free.
Immediately, they transformed into several streaks of light and shot off in the same direction.
Lin Hao immediately used the Heaven-Stepping Step to give chase.
Vast mountain ranges no longer existed. City after city vanished without a trace. Countless pools of blood appeared upon the land, the converged lifeblood of innumerable beings…
Everywhere Lin Hao looked, there was only desolation and ruin.