At the same time, outside the Divine Tree.
Figures jumped down from the Divine Tree, pushed out by a repelling force from the tree.
"Is it over? I was just a little short of comprehending the third level!"
"So fast, did seven years really pass this quickly?"
Many figures landed beneath the Time Divine Tree, and immediately communicated with their personal immortal artifacts via consciousness, confirming the time and knowing they were about to leave this Source Secret Realm.
"Have seven years already passed? The Southern Region Great Battle..."
Beneath the Divine Tree, Chu Yueli stood among the crowd, her eyes somewhat dazed. Seven years had passed in a blink of an eye, and the Southern Region Great Battle was about to begin.
Her gaze suddenly turned towards the Divine Tree, where she saw a figure seated on a branch. Her expression couldn't help but change slightly, revealing a hint of sullenness.
But quickly, relief appeared in her eyes. Seven years had passed, but the other party's cultivation realm had not improved; he was still at True Immortal Stage Nine.
Cultivating one's realm in the Source Secret Realm was indeed a waste of time; comprehending the Great Dao was more worthwhile.
However, even if Li Hao could step into True Immortal Stage Ten in the remaining time, breaking through to the Immortal Lord realm required opportunity and sudden enlightenment.
"What if he only gets a high ranking in the True Immortal group? His final overall ranking won't even be as good as the lowest Immortal Lord realm!" Chu Yueli sneered inwardly. By then, she would also have an excuse to ask her imperial father to annul the engagement.
On the Divine Tree, Chu Tianhuang and several other figures, on branches dozens of meters above Li Hao's head, also slowly opened their eyes. They withdrew their consciousness, hiding regret in their hearts but revealing no emotion outwardly. They slowly stood up, bidding farewell to the Divine Tree.
If they could have continued cultivating here for a few more years, they felt they would definitely have great gains, but time waits for no one.
"Let's go, see you at the Southern Region Great Battle." Chu Tianhuang saw Li Hao also getting up on the branch below, and smiled, greeting him.
The other figures also glanced at Li Hao, remembering the young man's face in their hearts, but didn't pay too much attention.
Although Li Hao's performance on the Path of Time made them value him, the gap in the True Immortal realm was obvious. If they were to fight, the difference would be vast, and by the time Li Hao reached a combat power that could match theirs, they would have long since climbed to higher realms.
Only combat power is the ultimate standard; otherwise, whether it's the Great Dao of Time or the Great Dao of Space, they are just empty frameworks.
"Okay." Li Hao nodded and descended with Chu Tianhuang.
"Haotian." Yue Xi saw Li Hao and quickly called out.
Li Hao glanced at her, flew towards her, and asked, "How was your comprehension?"
"It went well, but my immortal seal gained a flower, and it's the Great Dao of Time." Yue Xi said, excitement in her eyes. Being able to come here to comprehend the Great Dao of Time and add a flower to her Immortal Seal meant her strength had greatly increased compared to before.
"Congratulations." Li Hao smiled.
On the other side, Chu Yueli saw Li Hao chatting and laughing with Yue Xi, who was dressed in snowy white and had an exceptionally beautiful and ethereal face. Her expression suddenly changed slightly, a flash of anger crossing her face.
Engaged to her, yet he was publicly acting intimately with other women? He clearly didn't regard her at all.
But remembering the previous times she had tried to talk to Li Hao and been rebuffed, she just clenched her teeth secretly and endured. She swore in her heart that she must go back and ask her imperial father to annul the engagement.
"Let's go." Li Hao invited Yue Xi to leave together.
At this time, those under the other Divine Trees also looked at each other. Some who seemed to have had friction spoke out to challenge someone to a fight.
Li Hao also saw Jin Fengling, whom he had met before, among them. The other party also noticed him. The two just exchanged a glance, neither speaking, but both saw a killing intent in the other's eyes.
Li Hao's expression was calm as he left with Yue Xi.
The others also stepped onto the teleportation passage in front of the Divine Tree, leaving the City of Space-Time Origin.
"Young man, the opportunity of the Dao Source is hidden within the Dao Heart." Just before Li Hao left, a clear, cold, and calm voice suddenly entered his mind.
Li Hao was slightly startled. He couldn't help but turn his head and glance at the brilliant, heaven-reaching Time Origin Divine Tree behind him. Then, he stood still, clasped his hands, and bowed deeply. Only then did he turn and leave.
Meanwhile, Yue Xi beside him was a little confused by Li Hao's action, but thinking that they had come here to comprehend the Dao and had received the favor of the Time Origin Divine Tree, she immediately copied Li Hao's action and bowed to the Divine Tree.
Passing by people noticed the actions of the two, just sneered slightly, and flicked their sleeves, walking away.
After leaving the City of Space-Time Origin, Li Hao and Yue Xi arrived on the Heavenly Dao Bridge outside.
At this time, the Heavenly Dao Bridge was filled with figures, while the myriad streams of light on the bridge had already become silent and disappeared.
"Come here. When everyone is here, I will send you all away together." An aged voice came. Li Hao recognized it as the voice of the Old Grand Tutor. He looked up and around, and soon found the figure of the Old Grand Tutor in the void outside the bridge. He immediately flew over with Yue Xi.
"Thank you, Senior, for your previous help." Yue Xi saw the Old Grand Tutor and quickly bowed, saying.
The Old Grand Tutor waved his hand and said, "If you want to thank someone, thank this friend of yours. This old man was just entrusted by him."
Yue Xi was startled. She couldn't help but look at Li Hao beside her and suddenly understood. A look of inexpressible emotion appeared in her eyes, and she whispered, "Thank you!"
Li Hao smiled and said, "We are all from the same power, there's nothing to thank for."
Hearing this, Yue Xi stopped talking. She just stood beside Li Hao, waiting with him for others from the Yan Chu Immortal Dynasty.
Soon, figures successively flew over from the Heavenly Dao Bridge, gathering around the Old Grand Tutor.
Chu Tianhuang and others also arrived. As the leader of the royal family, other royal family members quickly gathered around him, and Chu Yueli was no exception.
However, as there were many people around at this time, when Chu Yueli saw Li Hao, her expression was completely calm, acting as if she hadn't seen him.
She didn't challenge Li Hao publicly to avoid the matter of the engagement becoming widely known, which would make her lose face.
Not long after, Gu Yan and others also came out successively.
After not seeing him for several years, Li Hao noticed that Gu Yan's aura had significantly changed compared to before, becoming more restrained and profound. His cultivation was already at the peak of True Immortal Stage Ten, but he hadn't yet stepped into the Immortal Lord realm.
Although there was only a step's difference between the True Immortal and Immortal Lord realms, many prodigies were stuck at this bottleneck for tens of thousands of years and might not be able to break through. Being able to break through the bottleneck within a thousand years was considered both opportunity and luck.
Gu Yan saw Li Hao, nodded, and greeted him, but his expression was extremely calm, like a treasured sword hidden in its scabbard.
"We meet again. Which city did you go to?" A figure accompanied by starlight appeared. It was Xing Lan. She floated over from the Heavenly Dao Bridge, and when she saw Li Hao, she couldn't help but ask with a smile on her lips.
Li Hao noticed she was more radiant than before. The starlight all over her body shimmered faintly, as if forming some kind of innate Dao pattern.
"The City of Space-Time Origin. And you?" Li Hao asked.
Envy immediately appeared in Xing Lan's eyes. She said, "I didn't have such good luck and didn't capture the origin of the Great Dao of Space-Time. I could only settle for the next best thing and went to the City of Form Control Origin."
Li Hao also guessed where she went in his heart. After all, he had been to the Five Paths Origin Cities and the City of Space-Time Origin but hadn't seen her.
"That's not bad either. After all, it's the Ninth Sequence," Li Hao said.
Xing Lan smiled and said, "Seven years is too short. If it were seven hundred years, that would be great."
"I guess everyone thinks so," Li Hao smiled.
Chu Yueli not far away had a cold gaze and turned her head away.
Not long after, as more and more people came out, when almost everyone had arrived, the Old Grand Tutor said:
"Let's go, I will send you away. Go back and prepare well for the battle. You are all the prodigies of our dynasty; you must bring glory to our dynasty."
"Yes." Many people responded loudly, emerging from the regret of parting with this Source Secret Realm, expectation appearing in their eyes.
Following the Old Grand Tutor's lead, he brought everyone back to the Source Reception City, and then opened a passage in the sky above the courtyard, sending everyone out one by one.
"Little fellow, time is tight this time, so I won't keep you. If you have a chance to come here again, play a game of chess with this old man." When seeing Li Hao off, the Old Grand Tutor sent a voice transmission into Li Hao's mind.
Li Hao was slightly startled and quickly replied, "Next time, definitely!"
"Then you must perform well. If you can get a good ranking in the Southern Region Great Battle, His Majesty will definitely reward you with a spot to come to the Source Secret Realm for comprehension." The Old Grand Tutor said with a smile via voice transmission.
"Okay." Li Hao agreed and immediately stepped into the teleportation passage together with Yue Xi, Gu Yan, and others, leaving the Source Secret Realm.
After coming out from the Source Secret Realm, outside was surprisingly the Chaos Secret Realm they had entered earlier. On the plain here, many figures were gathered. In front, there were also strong individuals with Immortal King realm aura, imparting Dao and knowledge here, answering questions for cultivators regarding Dao comprehension.
As Li Hao and Chu Tianhuang, this batch of prodigies from the Source Secret Realm, came out, the quietness on the Chaos Secret Realm was also broken. Many people successively opened their eyes, feeling many powerful and familiar auras.
"It's Chu Tianhuang!"
"The royal family, they are all back!"
"Xing Lan, Tian Hongyi, they have all returned! Is the cultivation in the Source Secret Realm over?"
"Yes, it's been seven years, it's already seven years!"
Everyone in the Chaos Secret Realm successively stood up. Their eyes showed both shock and envy, and also regret. At the same time, there was also a hint of anticipation for the upcoming Southern Region Great Battle. Although they couldn't compete with monstrous talents like Chu Tianhuang, if they could show their brilliance and display their own prowess at the Southern Region Great Battle, they would similarly be remembered by countless people.
One must know that this Southern Region Great Battle would spread throughout the Southern Region of the Great Thousand True World. Even if one ten-thousandth of the gazes focused on oneself, it would still be an unimaginable number.
"So strong! Compared to seven years ago, their aura seems to have become stronger!"
"That's right! Our senior disciple brother Nie Yuanshan from our sect is clearly more formidable than before!"
"Cultivation in the Source Secret Realm is said to be like advancing a thousand li in a day. Now the gap between us and them is even bigger! In the future, I'm afraid it will widen again!"
"I heard that after the Southern Region Great Battle, those who get high rankings will have a chance to enter the Primeval True World for cultivation! That place is the highest cultivation holy land in the True World!"
"Don't think too much about it. Although the Primeval True World is suitable for cultivation, I heard it's also extremely cruel and dangerous. In the past, there were also prodigies who entered, but they were all buried within."
On the plain of the Chaos Secret Realm, everyone was discussing animatedly.
The Yan Chu Immortal Dynasty had a thousand spots for participation, but only a mere hundred or so were capable of entering the Source Secret Realm. The remaining nine hundred spent their time in this Chaos Secret Realm.
Amidst these discussions, sounds of dragon roars suddenly rang out, roaring from afar.
One saw Chu Xiangtian, stepping on an Ancestral Dragon, galloping over. Dressed in imperial armor, he stood in the sky above the Chaos Secret Realm, overlooking everyone, and said:
"The Southern Region Great Battle will take place in three months. At that time, everyone is to gather at the Immortal Ascent Platform in the imperial capital and head together to the Supreme Celestial Palace to participate in the battle!"
"In these last three months, settle down and consolidate well. Also remember, in the Southern Region Great Battle, immortal artifacts, treasured armor, and the like will all be forbidden. You can only rely on your own abilities. Do not play any petty tricks to bring shame upon the Immortal Dynasty!"
His voice was stern and majestic, like the evening drum and morning bell, resonating in everyone's hearts.
As one of the top strongest among the imperial princes, he was already at the peak of the Immortal Lord realm, looking down upon many strong Immortal Lord realm experts, and could even barely exchange half a move with an Immortal King realm expert. This level of strength, for new generation prodigies like Li Hao, was absolutely that of an expert who could only be looked up to!
The plain became quiet, and minds stirred.
"For your sects, for yourselves, I hope you all must give your utmost effort, go!" Chu Xiangtian said loudly.
Only then did everyone feel the pressure above their heads slightly ease. They couldn't help but sigh inwardly. This imperial prince was stronger than the pressure of many sect masters among them. This was the royal family of the Ancient Immortal Dynasty!
Chu Tianhuang and others saw Chu Xiangtian's figure and his majestic appearance. Their eyes, however, were different, flashing with various lights.
"Hmph!" Chu Yueli waited for her imperial brother to finish speaking, glanced at the young man in the distance, flicked her sleeve, and soared away, being the first to leave this place.
The rest of the royal family also seized the time, leaving separately to make their final preparations.
"Brother Haotian, see you again." Before Chu Tianhuang left, he flew in front of Li Hao, smiled, and said.
Li Hao immediately felt many royal family gazes converge on him. His eyes flickered slightly. The other party's seemingly simple greeting, on a royal family member, seemed intriguing, as if announcing the relationship between the two to the other royal family members.
These imperial princes engaged in open and secret struggles, winning over forces and allying with others. Li Hao understood this, but he didn't want to think too much about it. All falsehoods are illusions, all changes arise from the heart. Facing this greeting, he also calmly smiled and nodded in response.
After Chu Tianhuang left, Gu Yan suddenly sent a voice transmission to Li Hao:
"Are you willing to follow this royal family member?"
Li Hao knew that Chu Tianhuang's greeting had already taken effect. If Gu Yan could think this way, other royal family members would likely also think this way. If he encountered royal family members hostile to Chu Tianhuang, they would likely come looking for trouble with him. If he couldn't see through this point, when encountering these troubles, he might instead be pushed towards Chu Tianhuang's side, solidifying their relationship and truly making it close.
"No, just a nodding acquaintance," Li Hao replied via voice transmission.
Hearing this, Gu Yan seemed to show a look of relief in his eyes. He said, "Dynastic struggles are extremely complex. We cultivators should not waste our best years and time on this. As long as one is strong enough, even dynasties will eventually bow down at one's feet. True strong individuals don't need these things."
Li Hao listened to the advice in his words and couldn't help but laugh. He said, "You should stop worrying about me. You also gained quite a bit this time, right? Go back and absorb it well."
Gu Yan gazed at Li Hao and nodded.
"Let's go." Li Hao also set off. In the Sword Abyss, he had implicitly become the focal point. At this time, he took the lead in leaving the secret realm.
Outside the Chaos Secret Realm was the Ancient Immortal Realm. Around the Ancient Immortal Realm, imperial family guards had formed a long line, seemingly waiting for the many prodigies to return from the secret realm.
Guarding the long sky along the way, they escorted them respectfully all the way. Outside the Ancient Immortal Realm was a teleportation immortal array. This was Yan Chu's First Teleportation Immortal Array, capable of teleporting to various locations in the Nine Thousand Immortal Cities.
Li Hao and the others returned to the Great Dream Nine Abysses.
(End of this chapter)