Chapter 548: The Top Hundred
Hearing Li Hao's words, the youth understood—Li Hao was treating him as the gatekeeper of this imperial platform.
Though it felt a bit humiliating, there was no other choice. He could go to another platform and fight there, but those were all contested too. Here, there were already open spots. As long as he didn't face another freak like Li Hao, he was confident he wouldn't lose to anyone else.
Even those five Yun Jin royals—if he fought them one-on-one, he was sure he could suppress them all.
"Alright."
He agreed, then lifted his head and scanned the area around the platform.
Feeling the gazes of over a hundred people, a cold gleam flashed in his eyes. He didn't hold back, releasing his full aura.
The crowd outside the platform had also heard Li Hao's words, and their eyes all focused on him.
Even though his earlier clash with Li Hao was short and ended with him being overpowered, they could still tell—this youth wasn't weak.
"Since there are still two spots, let me give it a try!"
The first youth Li Hao had scared off earlier suddenly stepped forward, giving a casual smile to the Nine-Petal Immortal Mark youth.
The youth's face cooled slightly, but he didn't respond. As soon as the challenger stepped onto the platform, he activated his Immortal Mark, unleashing terrifying sword qi. The nine-petal mark on his forehead glowed brilliantly, and he once again used the same sword move he'd used against Li Hao.
"Nine-Turn Sword Sovereign Path."
Boom!
Immense sword intent surged out, clashing with the challenger.
The challenger's expression hardened, and he drew his sword as well.
Both were swordsmen, and two fearsome auras erupted—one domineering and proud, the other quiet and restrained.
In moments, the challenger's sword light shattered, and he was thrown off the platform.
"Anyone else?!"
The Nine-Petal Immortal Mark youth sheathed his sword and looked around arrogantly.
Outside the platform, many eyes flickered. One move. He'd defeated the challenger in just one strike.
The sword intent from earlier had been overwhelming—they could feel it even from beyond the platform, and it was even stronger than when he'd fought Li Hao.
That earlier fight hadn't let him release the full force of his sword path before Li Hao's punch shattered it.
"So strong!"
Lin Qingying and the others watched the scene, their expressions growing serious.
By now, Li Hao had withdrawn his hundred-zhang form. The Heaven and Earth Dharma Image behind him had faded too. He didn't bother watching the duel; instead, he looked across to the other imperial platforms.
On some of them, he sensed a few auras even stronger than the Nine-Petal Immortal Mark youth.
As his gaze swept over, Li Hao spotted Di Linchen. The man sat calmly in white robes like snow, eyes closed atop the platform. People fought nearby, but nothing disturbed the space within ten steps of him.
Elsewhere, Shen Wuji of the Ancient God Clan was locked in battle with over ten people. It looked like he'd stirred up a group attack. But from one glance, Li Hao could tell Shen Wuji was in control. It was only a matter of time before he beat them all.
"A field full of good players."
Li Hao thought to himself.
With the eye of a chess master, he could tell—these were all worthy opponents for the game ahead.
Time passed.
While Li Hao sat in quiet rest, the Nine-Petal Immortal Mark youth continued to accept challenger after challenger.
Li Hao always allowed him time to recover, which also saved him the trouble of dealing with them himself. It was a fair arrangement.
The others, intimidated by Li Hao's presence, didn't dare gang up or break the rules. They could only abide by the standard he set for the platform.
After all, if they couldn't defeat the Nine-Petal Immortal Mark youth, there was no point in dreaming of challenging Li Hao.
Half an hour later, the youth was finally defeated. His opponent was a princess from the Wang Qin Immortal Dynasty. She also possessed a Nine-Petal Immortal Mark, along with an ancient chaotic bloodline. She commanded both Form and Control Daos, which she combined into a powerful immortal technique.
After beating him, Qin Xiangyu casually chose a spot beside the platform to sit. Her gaze swept toward the young man surrounded by others.
She had watched the battle earlier and felt a rising fighting spirit in her heart.
Still, this was just a contest for the top hundred. She held back from challenging Li Hao. Now wasn't the time to reveal her trump cards.
"She's strong too."
Lin Qingying and the others stared at Qin Xiangyu. Though the battle had been intense, they had the sense that she hadn't gone all out.
She also had a Nine-Petal Immortal Mark, and among her powers were four sequences—Form, Control, Water, and Fire—two pairs of mutually opposing Daos.
"I didn't expect it. After decades, Xiangyu's improved this much."
Above the clouds, the Tianzhao Emperor spoke softly.
The Chu Emperor also watched Li Hao's platform. Across the others, many Tianzong elites and members of the Yan Chu royal clan had already been eliminated, failing even to secure a place on the platforms. Only Li Hao, representing Yan Chu, had seized a spot and held it.
"You've met her?"
The Chu Emperor asked casually.
The Tianzhao Emperor chuckled. "Remember the Ancient Demon Sea Hunt, decades ago? Our Tianzhao Immortal Dynasty joined forces with Wang Qin back then. That little girl was one of the vanguard officers. She performed well in the demon hunt, but nowhere near this level. She must've been holding back."
The Qin Emperor said calmly, "She had a breakthrough after that battle and entered seclusion afterward."
The Tianzhao Emperor smiled noncommittally. "If I'm not mistaken, the path she's cultivating is the Divine Demon Path, right?"
"The Divine Demon Path?"
The Yuanzun Empress's eyes narrowed. "You mean the ancient path from a hundred thousand years ago? The one that required fusing ultimate opposing Daos? I've heard it was lost long ago. Some even say it involves merging immortal and demon powers—a primordial origin path rivaling destiny itself."
"If that's true, then even a fragment of it would be enough to become a great ruler."
The Chi Emperor whispered, his gaze locking onto the young girl on the platform.
The Qin Emperor answered coolly, "That path was lost long ago. You're overthinking it. But if she truly holds such ambition, it would make me proud."
At that, no one said more. They quietly observed the fights across the platforms.
Besides Li Hao's platform, other battles were raging just as fiercely.
This Top Hundred battle had many cultivators aiming to hold a platform—and that inevitably stirred anger. Others teamed up to knock them off. Every platform was a battleground.
Only three platforms were quiet, already filled with ten people each. No one dared challenge them again.
"Looks like there are plenty of interesting folks this time. I hope the real Top Hundred battle won't disappoint me."
Shen Wuji had secured his platform and swept his gaze over the others. Compared to the boring fights he'd seen within his own clan, this was on a whole different level. His battle spirit flared hotter than ever.
His gaze swept toward Li Hao's platform and was surprised to see that challengers were actually lining up to fight one by one.
"That kid…"
Shen Wuji narrowed his eyes slightly. Earlier, he had sensed a terrifying punch aura rise from that platform and had turned his head slightly, noticing that it was Li Hao who had struck.
"But that punch path is still a bit lacking. Hopefully, that wasn't your full strength," Shen Wuji thought to himself.
"Only one spot left now, and one hour remaining."
On the platform, Li Hao quietly watched the Nine-Petal Immortal Mark youth continue fighting. His sword path was strong, but the integration of other Dao origins into it was lacking. That was why he hadn't yet entered the ranks of the top geniuses.
Lin Qingying, Yuexi, and the others sat beside Li Hao, watching the nonstop duels with mixed expressions.
They realized the people challenging the Nine-Petal Immortal Mark youth were all stronger than they were. If not for Li Hao's protection, it would have been very hard for them to even compete for a spot in the Top Hundred.
Gu Yan sat cross-legged, clearing his mind and focusing completely on the sword techniques the youth was using, replaying them in his head. His own sword comprehension was rising quickly. As the Ancient Sword Immortal Body, his sword-path comprehension was among the best in the True Realm. He had gained a lot already from this competition.
With thirty minutes left, another youth stepped forward to challenge the Nine-Petal Immortal Mark youth. In just a few exchanges, he defeated him and secured the spot.
"Another expert!"
Lin Qingying and the others narrowed their eyes. Just like Li Hao, this man hadn't even used his Immortal Mark and had already beaten the Nine-Petal Immortal Mark youth.
"That seems to be someone from the Taikun Clan, ranked ninth among the Hundred Clans!" Yuexi whispered behind Li Hao, her expression serious.
Her Huoluan Clan ranked at the bottom of the Hundred Clans. Back when Tianyang Immortal Emperor was around, the Huoluan Clan had ranked in the top twenty under his rule. But in recent years, they had declined.
After all, the True Realm had countless clans, and only one hundred were in the Hundred Clans. The competition for those spots was unimaginably fierce.
"So it was the Taikun Clan. No wonder his blade just now was so overbearing. I heard the Taikun Clan's physique is born a hundred times stronger than humans. Even at the same level of physical cultivation, they're a hundred times more powerful than us!" said a disciple from the Qiangyuan Sect.
Though his race wasn't one of the Hundred Clans, he was very familiar with them, especially the top ten. They were terrifying races spread throughout the Four Domains. Even the Heavenly Palace Supremes treated the Taikun Clan with respect.
Being in the top ten meant that even without an Immortal Emperor, their clan possessed means to rival one—like legacy Immortal Forbidden Emperor Artifacts or ancient forbidden arts passed down.
"Taikun Clan!"
The Nine-Petal Immortal Mark youth, now healing his body, looked at the black-robed youth who had defeated him, his face dark and heavy.
His loss felt unjust due to the pressure of racial bloodline, but there was nothing he could do.
"You're called Haotian, right? Hope we meet in the Top Ten!"
The Taikun Clan youth didn't even look back after defeating him, speaking to Li Hao.
Nine-Petal Immortal Marks weren't rare in his clan. His peers had just taken longer to comprehend theirs, with soul lifespans over three thousand.
He was here by the clan's orders, and partly to see whether any Imperial Clan members were joining. He was hoping to cross paths with someone from the Imperial Clan—an opportunity rarely granted.
"Sure."
Li Hao smiled and nodded. The Taikun Clan's power was indeed impressive, and he wanted to test himself against it.
"Hmph."
The Taikun youth snorted coldly and sat at another spot on the platform.
"Time is almost up. Those not yet on a platform—better hurry."
At that moment, the voice of the Immortal Guard Commander rang out.
Tension rose outside the platforms. Many people now looked at the Nine-Petal Immortal Mark youth with hostile eyes.
The youth's expression shifted slightly, his gaze turning cold as he swept across them. He had no respect for this bunch of hesitant cowards.
Soon, waves of challenges began again, and every platform grew even more intense.
Some tried their luck on the three quietest platforms, but the moment they stepped on, they were swatted away before they could even fight back.
"It's almost over."
On one platform, a green-robed girl looked at her senior brother, Jianxin, and asked, "What are your plans once this South Domain War ends and we head to the Original True Realm?"
"Master said the Original Immortal Sovereign left behind three peak secret arts there. One of them is a sword technique—I want to comprehend it."
Jianxin answered.
"Me too."
The girl nodded slightly, her gaze drifting across the other platforms. She looked a bit uninterested—until her eyes fell on the quietly drinking youth. She said:
"Can't wait for this to end. That Imperial Clan guy might finally give us a good fight."
Jianxin glanced at him and nodded slightly.
Other than the Imperial Clan, he didn't see anyone else as a threat—not even the Ancient God Clan youth or the other monstrous talents from major clans.
Soon, the battle for the platforms reached its conclusion.
In the final few minutes, competition grew frantic. At Li Hao's platform, things got messy as people tried to rush in at the last moment.
They thought that if they could be on the platform when time ran out, they'd be counted. But Li Hao, the Taikun youth, and Qin Xiangyu all knew their intentions. As soon as someone charged up, they moved to knock them out.
The Nine-Petal Immortal Mark youth managed to hold on until the end and claimed a spot.
As the Immortal Guard Commander's voice echoed out, barriers formed over the ten imperial platforms. No one outside could step onto them again.
But on two platforms, battles were still ongoing.
The Immortal Guard Commander had anticipated this. He declared that no one else was allowed to join—only those already inside could fight for the final ten spots.
Those who'd tried rushing at the last second were driven out and banned from reentering.
"Congratulations. You've entered the Top Hundred of the South Domain!"
The commander's voice rang out, carrying across the ten imperial platforms and even to the various Immortal Dynasties of the South Domain.
With that, the Top Hundred challenge ended. The remaining people atop the platforms quietly breathed sighs of relief.
"They all made it in!"
Outside, Li Tiemu was overjoyed. He hadn't expected Li Hao to not only secure a spot but bring Yuexi, Gu Yan, and the others in too.
This time, the Da Meng Jiu Yuan Sect had six people in the Top Hundred!
Even the top-ranked sects only had two or three members who made it.
The Da Meng Sect Master was all smiles. Earlier, when challenger after challenger came—and especially when the Taikun youth appeared—she had been worried. There were more elite contenders than she had expected.
Clearly, many had held back during the earlier trials and only revealed their full strength now, during the platform battle.