Chapter 114 - 100: Path of Seeking Immortality, Zhang Tiesheng’s Shock

Chapter 114: Chapter 100: Path of Seeking Immortality, Zhang Tiesheng’s Shock

In an instant, Jiang Hao felt as if his heart had suffered a heavy blow. The scene before him was unforgettable and utterly shocking. An old man, exuding the majestic aura of an emperor, stood there. Though he had a kind face and radiated righteous energy, a trace of heaven-slaying majesty lingered between his brows. With every gesture, he seemed capable of shattering mountains and rivers with a mere thought.

"I, Jiang Hao, pay... pay my respects to the Human Emperor..." Out of pure instinct, Jiang Hao immediately moved to kneel. It was a subconscious urge stemming from the deepest depths of his soul.

But in the next second, the old man gently raised his large hand. A terrifying force instantly held Jiang Hao up, preventing him from kneeling.

"He who possesses it need not kneel before emperors, bows only halfway to heaven, and is revered by the earth.

"You are now its master. No one in this world can accept your kneeling.

"Child, from this moment on, you are the new generation’s Human Emperor who succeeds me.

"My time is running out, so I will spare you the pleasantries. I do not ask you to rebuild the dynasty in the future. I only ask that if you ever encounter my descendants, you look out for them."

BOOM!!!

As soon as the old man finished speaking, he didn’t even give Jiang Hao a chance to reply. He waved his large hand, unleashing countless streaks of sword aura. The sword auras surged madly into the center of Jiang Hao’s brows. This sudden influx made his mind go dizzy and his body stiffen. As the sword auras entered him, Jiang Hao was shocked to discover that phantoms of towering Sword Steles were slowly materializing within his Xuanhai.

"When the Sword Steles appear, a catastrophe befalls the myriad realms.

"These Sword Steles form what is known as the Heaven-Opening Sword Field. There are one hundred and eight in total. I obtained them through a stroke of fate. Relying on them, I opened the Taoist Sect, founded the dynasty, and remained invincible for a hundred thousand years.

"A sword is not just a sword, and the Dao can be comprehended. One stele represents one Dao. They are neither martial arts nor Cultivation Techniques, but rather a domain for enlightenment.

"Comprehending one stele advances you to one realm. Thirty-six makes you a saint, seventy-two brings you into the divine, eighty-one crowns you an emperor, and comprehending all one hundred and eight allows you to pry open the Celestial Sect with your sword and ascend.

"Throughout my entire life, I only achieved the eighty-one unifying as one. I hope that one day, you can comprehend all the Sword Steles, find that ethereal Immortal Dao, and prove to the eons that immortals do exist in this world."

As the Ancient Emperor’s voice gradually faded, all one hundred and eight Sword Steles had fully formed in Jiang Hao’s Xuanhai. Each Sword Stele radiated an earth-shattering Sword Intent that pierced the highest heavens, as if threatening to cleave the myriad realms apart. Jiang Hao knew he had just acquired a terrifyingly heaven-defying fortune. He would enter the Dao through the sword, and cultivate the sword to seek immortality.

Jiang Hao didn’t know how much time had passed. However, when he opened his eyes again, he saw the illusory figure slowly dissipating. The Chaos Sword Embryo trembled and hummed to the extreme, as if bidding farewell to its master. Just before the old man’s figure completely vanished, he revealed a relieved smile and gently waved his withered hand one last time.

BOOM!!!

In an instant, boundless imperial qi emerged within the grand hall and surged madly into Jiang Hao’s body. The imperial qi gathered in his Xuanhai and eventually condensed into a massive seal.

The Human Emperor Seal!

At the very moment the Human Emperor Seal formed within Jiang Hao, another deafening blast echoed.

BOOM!!!

The entire Ancient Imperial City seemed to come alive. Endless imperial majesty rippled through the heavens and earth, erupting from within the Imperial Palace and sweeping across all directions. Countless Cultivators witnessed this spectacle. Although they had no idea what was happening inside, they all understood one thing: the young man in white had obtained an incredibly terrifying legacy.

At this moment, Jiang Hao felt as if he had incarnated into a nascent emperor, ruling over this desolate and extinguished territory. However, this sensation was fleeting. Once the Human Emperor Seal took shape, it instantly fell silent, hovering together with the one hundred and eight Sword Steles in his Xuanhai.

With the complete dissipation of the ancient Human Emperor, the Chaos Sword Embryo hummed violently before suddenly releasing a world-shocking burst of power and dropping to the ground. Jiang Hao could sense that the Sword Spirit within the blade, seemingly unable to bear the eternal parting with its master, had erased its own Spiritual Sense. Though the Sword Spirit remained, it was no longer the sentient being it had just been; it had become a mass of spiritual energy devoid of self-awareness.

The moment the Sword Spirit followed its master into oblivion, the Chaos Sword Embryo fell onto the hall’s floor with a crisp clang, still exuding terrifying Chaos Qi. Clearly, this Sword Spirit had been nurtured by the Ancient Emperor himself, rather than being naturally born from the Sword Embryo. Where the master went, the sword followed; when the master perished, the spirit scattered. This was the nature of a bound Sword Spirit.

"Senior...?" Looking at the spot where the phantom and the Sword Spirit’s sentience had vanished from the world, Jiang Hao called out instinctively, but there was no response. Even the Chaos Sword Embryo seemed to have reverted to its most primitive state.

Time slowly passed. Now, without the Sword Spirit to guide him, Jiang Hao was unable to leave the Ancient Imperial City. The only thing he could do was calm his mind, accept the reality of the situation, and cultivate silently until the ancient ruins closed and the sky screen teleported him out.

A year flew by in the blink of an eye. During this year, Jiang Hao didn’t practice any other martial arts. Instead, he cultivated the "Eighteen Heavenly Hand Forms," advancing it from minor completion to major completion, while also taking time to comprehend the Sword Steles. Of course, the majority of his time was spent cultivating his eight meridians and his spine.

One year later.

Inside the ancient Imperial Palace, a figure slowly opened his eyes, shooting forth two beams of sharp light. A terrifying aura instantly swept in all directions, striking fear into the very air. At this moment, Jiang Hao could only be described as unfathomable.

"It’s been a year," Jiang Hao murmured, watching the ancient ruins slowly close. As countless Cultivators, including himself, were enveloped by the divine light descending from the sky screen, he knew it was time to leave.

He wrapped the Chaos Sword Embryo in cloth and strapped it to his back, quietly waiting to be teleported out. He had to carry it this way because he discovered his Spatial Ring simply couldn’t withstand the immense power of the Sword Embryo. Wrapping it in a black cloth was to prevent it from being exposed to the public eye. As it stood, the Chaos Sword Embryo was far too eye-catching.

He changed back into his black robes and donned his mask. As the light from the sky screen grew blindingly radiant, everyone vanished from this world, forcibly teleported away.

Three months later.

In the Earth Realm of the Celestial City, within the Artifact Refining City.

At the City Lord’s Mansion inside the Zhang Family Mansion, Zhang Tiesheng was scared out of his wits by the grimacing masked figure that appeared before him like a ghost. Feeling the world-shocking aura radiating from the intruder, he immediately tensed up, as if facing a formidable enemy.

But when the words "Uncle Zhang" were spoken, Zhang Tiesheng could hardly believe his ears.

"You... you are... Hao... Hao’Er?"

After three long years, Zhang Tiesheng stared in utter disbelief at the young face slowly removing its mask, feeling as if he had been struck by lightning. The aura Jiang Hao exuded now was so terrifying that it made him tremble.

"Uncle Zhang, it’s me."

Upon hearing this confirmation, Zhang Tiesheng’s shock quickly gave way to clarity. He immediately glanced around the room and tightly shut the doors.

"Hao’Er, is it... is it really you?" Sitting Jiang Hao down, Zhang Tiesheng’s face was filled with a mix of joy and deep concern.

"Child, where have you been these past three months since the ruins closed? The news of your exploits in the ancient ruins has already spread throughout the entire Eastern Domain. Compared to three years ago, the danger you are in now has multiplied more than tenfold!

"Your Uncle Qin and I have been worried to death, and that girl Xiangyuan has been frantically asking around for news of you like a madwoman."

It had been three months since Jiang Hao and the others left the ancient ruins. Without a doubt, he had emerged as the biggest winner. Subduing the Chaos Sword Embryo and entering the Ancient Imperial City to obtain a terrifying legacy—either of these achievements alone was enough to drive the entire Eastern Domain into a frenzy. Now, the forces desperately trying to find him went far beyond just the Celestial Sword Sect.

The Sword Embryo and the Ancient Imperial City’s legacy made him a true public target. Countless terrifying factions were salivating over these two world-shocking fortunes.

"Uncle Zhang, it’s not convenient for me to stay long. I came here because I have a favor to ask of you," Jiang Hao said as he took the Sword Embryo off his back and placed it in front of Zhang Tiesheng.

The moment the cloth was pulled away, Zhang Tiesheng was completely dumbfounded.