Chapter 547: Suppressing the Imperial Platform
"Haotian Shixiong (Shidi)!"
Yuexi and the others stared in shock. They'd seen Li Hao's sword before—razor sharp—but they hadn't expected his fists to be even more terrifying than his sword Dao. That single punch swept through and forced back the Yun Jin imperial clan and the other four, their bodies now covered in cracks. The suppressed death law instantly flooded their forms. These once-glorious prodigies now looked like withered elders, some even rotting, as if divine beings had been punched into demonic sludge.
"Ten Extreme Realms, two End Realms—no wonder he's a peak-level monster."
A celestial sect powerhouse from another immortal dynasty muttered, his gaze serious.
In this top-level battle for the Imperial Platforms across the Southern Domain, such a freakish prodigy shocked many—though it also seemed like something they'd come to expect.
"An Extreme Ten Realm genius is a once-in-ten-thousand-years phenomenon, and this time several of them have appeared at once."
"His fist Dao isn't inherently overwhelming, but fusing it with other Dao sources massively boosts its power."
Someone had already seen through it. Li Hao's fist Dao, by itself, was only average among the elite, but infused with the power of time, space, and the terrifying strength of the Ten Extreme Realms, it was like pairing plain white rice with a royal banquet—put together, it became top-tier in every way.
"How can this be?!"
Jin Ziyin glared at Li Hao in shock and fury. His immortal body was now cracked all over. Though his was one of the ten great immortal bodies—comparable to Li Hao's Ancestor Immortal Body—he hadn't cultivated it to perfection yet.
After all, while peak immortal bodies were powerful, cultivating them required extreme comprehension and rare heavenly treasures.
Now his green glow flickered, and the previously stunning face—so beautiful it could make men falter—was fractured and withered. His hair had turned grey, filled with decay.
"Stop holding back. If we don't finish him now, we won't even make the top hundred—let alone fight for higher spots!"
Jin Ziyin's voice was sharp and cold. He didn't need to say it—everyone already understood. Li Hao was a tough nut to crack. Without going all out, they had no chance of bringing him down.
Until now, they'd all been saving techniques for later battles. But at this point, thinking ahead was pointless.
"Ninefold Sword Sovereign Dao!"
The Nine-Petal Immortal Mark youth's face turned grim. His aging wounds healed quickly, forcefully suppressed by his immortal Power. As he raised his hand, a piercingly sharp sword intent burst out of his body, no weaker than Gu Yan's sword intent during his fight with Jin Yushu.
Seeing that sword intent, Gu Yan's gaze grew cold. He'd thought his own sword Dao was near the top among this group of elites. He hadn't expected to randomly run into someone just as strong in swordsmanship.
Still, he could tell this young man absolutely had what it took to enter the top hundred—and might even aim for the top twenty.
As the nine-petal immortal mark on his forehead glowed like divine radiance, nine layers of intent emerged behind him and merged into a single sword aura. He gripped it with killing intent burning in his eyes.
"Let's see if your fists are harder, or my sword is!"
Li Hao's performance stirred his fighting spirit. He actually wanted to challenge him one-on-one.
Whoosh!
Everything happened in an instant. The youth charged forward with his sword. His Heaven-Earth Dharma Form followed him, swinging a massive divine sword straight toward Li Hao's Dharma Form.
Li Hao's golden hair whipped upward, his eyes cold like frosted stars. As he stepped forward, the entire Imperial Platform shook violently. That tremor echoed like a stomp on everyone's heart, causing all observers—inside and outside the platform—to feel a sudden thump in their chests.
An unstoppable force radiated from his steps.
What is Heaven and Earth? Between his two feet lay a world of its own.
Within this half-step world, Li Hao's invincible aura erupted. At that moment, he looked like a war god ready to take on ten thousand armies, his gaze casting down on all other Imperial Platforms.
Many waiting outside for their chance turned pale, their faces filled with disbelief.
BOOM!!
The unmatched force of his fist tore the sky apart, smashing straight into the Nine-Petal Immortal Mark's sword aura without dodging.
In a blink, terrifying sword intent burst forth—but it was instantly swallowed up by Li Hao's condensed, storm-like fist intent. Then, with a loud crack, it was shattered!
Pfft!
The Nine-Petal Immortal Mark youth coughed up blood. It splattered across his white robes as his body flew back, his eyes filled with rage and disbelief.
He was a bearer of the Nine-Petal Immortal Mark! In terms of immortal Power amplification, even if Li Hao bore an Eight-Petal Mark, his own strength should still have been over twice as strong!
That twofold difference should've made victory inevitable!
Even if Li Hao had other secret techniques to compensate, bridging that gap should've been nearly impossible. His own sword arts and immortal techniques were all top-tier!
Yet he had just been utterly overpowered.
As the youth was sent flying to the edge of the Imperial Platform, seriously wounded, Li Hao looked on with disdain. He didn't even bother to follow up, as if the opponent wasn't worth it. He simply turned toward the remaining eight and took another bold step forward.
"How… how can this be?"
Jin Ziyin and the others looked stunned. The sword strike just now had been fearsome. If they weren't using a formation, any one of them would've struggled to withstand it alone.
Yet that terrifying sword was crushed in an instant—by one punch from Li Hao!
'This youth only has a hundred years of soul life—how can he be this terrifying?!'
"Kill!"
Jin Ziyin roared, his entire body glowing with radiant green light. Behind him, the phantom of a giant chaotic stag cried out with a long, echoing call. It contained terrifying primordial spirit power—enough to attack the soul directly!
But as that soul-piercing sound attacked, Li Hao acted like he didn't even notice. He charged forward, fists drawn like a fully drawn bow, his hundred-zhang form radiating wild and primal physical might. He swung his fist straight ahead.
Boom!
The space on the Imperial Platform twisted as if turned into a vortex, blasted forward by that punch toward the eight.
At the same time, the Yin-Yang Destruction Array activated. The Dao of Destruction spun like a wheel, trying to grind Li Hao's fist force into dust.
But the power of destruction, as well as the yin and yang Dao, had no effect at all on his punch!
Seeing this, Jin Ziyin and the other four were all shocked.
Their proudest formation—Cloud Jin Immortal Dynasty's strongest True Immortal formation—was failing?!
"How can this be?!"
Their only answer was the terrifying fist force howling toward them. The spatial vortex swept them all up, flinging them back to the edge of the Imperial Platform, nearly tossing them off entirely.
The other three looked stunned. When they had sided with the Yun Jin royal clan earlier, they had experienced the overbearing might of the Yin-Yang Destruction Array. And now, before Li Hao, it was completely useless!
"No, impossible!"
Jin Yushu spat a mouthful of immortal blood and struggled to her feet, eyes wide with fear as she looked at that towering, demon-god-like silhouette.
A memory flashed in her mind—something her royal clan's instructor once told her. The Yin-Yang Destruction Array was said to be unbeatable, but there was one condition under which it wouldn't work at all.
Back then, when she first learned the array, she had asked curiously, "What condition?"
The royal clan instructor smiled calmly and said, "If you ever face a bearer of the Nine-Sequences Immortal Mark, no formation in the world will work."
All paths under heaven originate from the Nine Sequences!
Jin Yushu had always known that truth. Anyone who had mastered the Nine Sequences, if their comprehension was deep enough, could break through all Dao.
After all, the Nine Sequences are the source—Yin and Yang, Destruction, all extended from them. How could they ever trap the Nine Sequences?
That old conversation passed through her mind in an instant. Her face lost all color as she stared blankly at the towering figure radiating invincible might.
Nine Sequences... Immortal Mark?
Even that Nine-Petal Immortal Mark youth had been a top-tier contender in the Southern Domain's battle. But Nine Sequences... that was another level entirely—someone even the Supremes would want as a personal disciple and nurture at all costs.
Not only Jin Yushu, but Jin Ziyin and the others also suddenly realized it. Their expressions twisted with horror.
They recalled how Li Hao had taken down the Nine-Petal Immortal Mark bearer with one punch—that alone might've been proof. Who else could do something that insane besides someone with the Nine-Sequences Immortal Mark?
"You, you bastard!"
Jin Ziyin stood up, furious and stunned. He hadn't expected the platform he chose to contest would be this tough. If he'd known, he would've picked another one!
Among the imperial clans, Supreme disciples, and ancient god clan monsters, he had chosen Li Hao's platform specifically—thinking it was a soft spot among the top ten Imperial Platforms. Who would've guessed this so-called soft target was even tougher than the rest?!
Even that Ancient God Clan youth might not have condensed the Nine-Sequences Immortal Mark!
Outside the platform, among the other Cloud Jin royals who had failed in the earlier rounds—or even those far away in the Yun Jin Immortal Dynasty who couldn't compete due to soul-life limits—faces turned pale as they saw the Yin-Yang Destruction Array fail.
"Hmm?"
High above, Jin Emperor's eyes narrowed. For the first time, his face turned serious.
Earlier, Li Hao's performance had only made him find the youth amusing—maybe even worthy of admiration.
But now, he instantly understood that this youth held terrifying, peerless talent.
A soul-life of less than a hundred years—and he already bore the Nine-Sequences Immortal Mark. That was a level even many Immortal Emperors had never reached!
Even the Supreme of the Heavenly Palace had taken a thousand years to condense a Nine-Sequences Immortal Mark—and was still considered an ultimate genius!
"Nine-Sequences Immortal Mark... he actually has the Nine-Sequences Immortal Mark?!"
On the ground, Jin Fengling's expression twisted in shock and disbelief.
He suddenly recalled the golden Dao fruit he had failed to obtain. That ancient tree must have given it to this boy!
Otherwise, even if Li Hao had the Nine Sequences, to completely ignore the Yin-Yang Destruction Array, he'd still need to comprehend it at least to the Third-Origin Realm!
"Damn it, that old tree bastard! You deserved to be kicked outside the Origin City!"
"You little brat—stealing my fortune! You should die!"
Jin Fengling's eyes filled with fury and killing intent as he glared at the silhouette on the Imperial Platform.
While the Cloud Jin royals were all shaken, Li Hao himself had no idea that his Nine-Sequences Immortal Mark had been exposed—nor did he care to hide it. He simply didn't feel the need to use its power yet.
At that moment, he stepped forward again, walking straight toward the last three remaining opponents.
"You're tough, I'll give you that."
One of them looked grimly at Li Hao, then turned and flew off the platform.
Clearly, he had seen that Li Hao was untouchable now. From start to finish, he hadn't even seen Li Hao unleash the full might of his Immortal Mark.
Once the power of the Immortal Mark is fully activated, it will appear on the forehead. This meant Li Hao hadn't even gone all out yet. That was terrifying.
The other two hadn't expected someone to flee mid-fight. Their expressions shifted, but neither was planning to back down. One of them, a young man, said, "To meet someone like you in the Southern Domain Grand Battle—what an honor. Let me see what you've got!"
As he spoke, a long blade formed in his palm, and his aura deepened. A sea-blue glow radiated from his body.
Li Hao could see it clearly—his opponent wielded an extremely deep water Dao origin, a Fourth-Origin level.
Anyone competing for a top hundred spot couldn't be taken lightly.
But even so, compared to him, the gap was massive.
Without changing his expression, Li Hao threw a Half-Step Invincible Fist. A single punch condensed with Fourth-Origin time and space power.
The blue blade light slashed forward, carrying not just a Fourth-Origin water Dao, but also a Fourth-Origin blade Dao—enough to stand out among the peak True Immortal cultivators.
But in an instant, that carefully refined blade intent shattered in the face of Li Hao's time-space force. His invincible fist intent burst out like a mountain pressing down.
The youth felt a terrifying pressure overhead, as if a primordial beast loomed over him. Li Hao's eyes, under the effect of that overwhelming intent, looked like pitch-black eyes of a primeval demon—deep, cold, and immeasurable.
Bang!
He spat blood and was flung backward, falling straight off the Imperial Platform.
In three lifetimes, he had always been a peerless talent. In his sect and immortal city, he was like a banished immortal—never had anyone stood beside him as an equal.
But here, he was knocked off the platform with a single punch from this youth.
As he coughed blood and climbed to his feet, all he saw was the youth's back—Li Hao didn't even bother to glance at him again.
At that moment, the young man finally realized just how vast the sky beyond the sky truly was.
"I actually…"
His gaze turned dazed, and a bitter smile tugged at his lips. Even after three reincarnations, where he had always stood above the rest, in this peak-level Southern Domain battle, he'd been no more than a stepping stone—a target crushed casually by a true monster.
On the platform, one final woman stood in the air before Li Hao. She hadn't fought yet, but after seeing him defeat that youth with one punch, her face turned pale.
In the end, she gritted her teeth, lowered her head, and said, "I'll concede this platform to you."
With that, she turned and prepared to leave.
But Li Hao's cold voice cut through the air: "I don't need your concession. You're free to try and take it."
Hearing that, her face turned crimson with anger and shame, but she didn't turn back. She quickly fled the platform, knowing that if she said another word, she'd probably be sent flying with one punch too.
In the blink of an eye, only the Yun Jin royal clan and the Nine-Petal Immortal Mark youth remained on the platform—and they were all badly wounded.
Seeing that even the last three couldn't withstand Li Hao, they knew the battle was over.
"Haotian, is it? I'll remember that name."
Jin Ziyin's wounds had already healed. As someone with chaotic stag blood, his healing ability ranked among the best of all races. But even though his injuries were gone, he knew he could no longer fight Li Hao.
If Li Hao only had the Nine-Sequences Immortal Mark, they might have been able to grind him down.
But behind him, the starlight-filled meridians of the All-Heaven Star Veins shone brightly. As a Yun Jin royal, he knew the old legends. That was the sign of the Heaven and Earth Veins' End Realm—the All-Heaven Star Veins!
Before the End Realm power, no amount of numbers could help—unless they killed Li Hao instantly.
Otherwise, they'd only be the ones dragged to death.
"Let's go."
Without looking back, the five quickly withdrew from the Imperial Platform.
Staying longer would only drain their strength suppressing the Death Law. The longer they stayed, the more violent it became, and they were already reaching their limits.
As they retreated, the Death Law covering the platform vanished in an instant, as if it had never existed.
Beside them, Lin Qingying, Gu Yan, and the others, who had been silently resisting the Death Law, suddenly felt the pressure lift, letting out a collective sigh of relief.
They looked at Li Hao's towering figure standing like a god and couldn't hide their complex emotions. He had truly suppressed the Yun Jin royal clan and the others on his own—driving them all off the platform.
At that moment, the Nine-Petal Immortal Mark youth stood near the platform's edge. Though the Yun Jin clan had left, he remained—just barely keeping his place as the platform's eighth occupant.
His eyes were conflicted. When Li Hao had effortlessly crushed the Yun Jin clan, he knew that even if he used his last hidden trump card, at best he'd be evenly matched—and even that was uncertain.
After all, Li Hao hadn't even revealed his Immortal Mark's power yet. The youth guessed it must also be a Nine-Petal Immortal Mark—how else could he summon such overwhelming immortal Power?
"I lost."
He said the words to Li Hao.
Li Hao turned and looked at him calmly, his eyes saying, 'Isn't that obvious?'
Seeing that look, the youth's mouth twitched slightly. But as a proud cultivator, he accepted the loss with dignity. He had no complaints.
"There are still spots left on this platform. Can I stay?"
He asked Li Hao directly.
Li Hao raised his head and looked beyond the platform, spotting the dozens of watching figures outside. His gaze turned cold.
"You can stay. There are still two spots left. Anyone else who wants in—beat him."