The Sacred Leaves Family's Wishes for Peace

Fang Hao was still a little dazed.

"As expected of an immortal's relic—the illusion was that real!"

When he had faced those nine True Saint Ninth Layer black-robed cultivators, every detail had felt perfectly real—indistinguishable from the trial tower's experience back in Zhentian City of the Mingyue Immortal Dynasty.

But that wasn't the most terrifying part.

What truly chilled him was what came after—when he received all those incredible treasures. Even though he had initially sensed something was off, suspecting it might be an illusion, he quickly forgot all about it. He went on to cultivate, plan, and live just as he normally would—without noticing a single inconsistency.

If those treasures had been real, he wouldn't have acted any differently.

It hadn't been a vivid dream—it felt like a lifetime, and now he had been reborn.

The depth and precision of the illusion were awe-inspiring.

But as he thought back, many details were vague—blurred and impossible to remember clearly.

That was because the illusion had not shown a real future, but had instead simulated one based on his own thoughts, knowledge, and desires.

Countless scenes, factions, and trajectories were constructed, not actual.

"Now that I think about it… those two experiences must have been shaped by the obsessions in my heart."

One such obsession was his failure to conquer the ninety-ninth floor of the trial tower. He had gotten so close—and never let it go.

But the greater obsession—the core of his Dao heart—was helping the Fang Clan. He wanted to protect and uplift his kin, giving them strength and security.

In the illusion, Fang Ting had kept asking him to rest—trying to shake his resolve.

If Fang Hao had chosen comfort over struggle, he would have failed the trial. His Dao heart would've been compromised.

Just as he was digesting everything, a streak of light suddenly surged into his consciousness.

Fang Hao froze—staring blankly before slowly recovering.

A wry smile appeared on his face.

Good news: He passed the trial and gained a powerful Immortal Technique—one he had longed for.

Bad news: It was soul-bound. Only he could cultivate it. It couldn't be passed on.

Overall, he was disappointed.

After all, he could always return to the Immortal Realm. The technique was valuable—but he believed his clan needed it more than he did.

He would have preferred to forgo it himself if it meant his family could share in its power.

But this wasn't his choice.

If other geniuses found out Fang Hao had acquired an Immortal Technique and still felt dissatisfied, they'd probably curse him as greedy beyond reason.

"Still, the Ancient Battlefield remains open for two more years—I'll keep searching."

Fang Hao left the golden hall immediately.

Even so, five cultivators started tailing him.

They came in two groups—three in one, two in another.

All of them had set their sights on Fang Hao.

Fang Hao fled instantly, activating his movement technique and sprinting nearly 6.2 million miles through the battlefield. He managed to shake off the trio, but the remaining two stayed close behind.

A man and a woman—both familiar.

They were Yun Chenglai and Fairy Qingyu, fellow top-tier geniuses from the Mingyue Immortal Dynasty.

Suddenly, they both accelerated, closing in from the front and rear. Fang Hao was forced to halt, tense and on alert.

He had no intention of revealing his identity.

He knew it wouldn't help—even if they recognized him, it wouldn't buy mercy. Worse, it might attract even more danger.

Yun Chenglai wore a warm smile—cultured and approachable.

"I was worried those other three would cause trouble. Fortunately, your evasion technique was refined—you lost them for us. Saves us some effort."

Fairy Qingyu, though still stunning, now looked impatient and harsh—not the soft-spoken beauty of old.

"Enough talk. Let's finish this before more people arrive."

This was the Ancient Battlefield—dangerous geniuses were everywhere. Caution was key.

Yun Chenglai nodded calmly.

"Whoosh! Whoosh!"

He formed hand seals. Behind him, a celestial white tiger phantom took shape.

The tiger roared—and a violent storm erupted, dozens of wind blades slicing through the air like razor hail.

Fang Hao's robes flapped wildly. The force nearly threw him from the sky.

Yun Chenglai's strength matched his reputation.

Fairy Qingyu acted too—uncorking a white jade bottle.

A stream of aqua-blue water poured out, morphing into a giant flood dragon nearly 330 feet long. Its scales shimmered in the sunlight like living metal.

"ROAR!!"

The dragon bared its claws and fangs, snarling fiercely.

Back in the Battle of a Hundred Cities, only the Fourth Prince, Mountain-Seizing Marquis, Yun Chenglai, and Fairy Qingyu had reached the summit, earning their battlefield slots with True Saint-level cultivation.

They were among the strongest of their generation in the Mingyue Immortal Dynasty.

Fang Hao wasn't inferior in talent—but he lacked cultivation time.

He was still at Fusion Realm Ninth Layer, while they were both True Saint Fourth Layer.

Their bodies, techniques, and weapons were all top-tier.

Trying to surpass four minor realms across a major boundary and defeat two such opponents? Impossible.

If they had been within the same major realm, Fang Hao might have had a sliver of a chance by burning every last card.

But right now? The gap was too great.

"Star-Cleaving Slash!"

Fang Hao swung his blade.

A vast silver arc split the heavens, severing the cosmos.

"BOOM!!"

"BOOM!!"

The giant blade shadow opened a vacuum in the wind storm, but it quickly lost momentum. The dragon struck with a claw—shattering the arc.

"CRASH!"

The flood dragon slammed into Fang Hao's golden bell artifact, sending him tumbling backward.

The bell trembled violently under the barrage of claws and tail strikes. Fang Hao struggled to maintain balance.

After just one exchange—he was already on the defensive.

"As expected. They may only be True Saint Fourth Layer, but their combat strength surpasses nearly all peers. I can't even handle one of them, let alone two."

If you can't win—run.

Fang Hao didn't hesitate.

He slashed once more, buying time—then turned and fled.

"Trying to run?!"

Yun Chenglai was faster.

He grabbed Fairy Qingyu—and gave chase.