Chapter 435: The Four Layers of Spatial Essence
The Way of Chess: The world is the board, the sun, moon, and stars its pieces.
The vast expanse of space holds all of heaven and earth.
What is space?
It is both empty and not empty, existing yet not existing.
All is void, yet all is not void.
In that instant, Li Hao felt a sudden, profound clarity, as though a great revelation poured into his mind. His thoughts buzzed with an overwhelming hum.
His Chess Dao had already reached the tenth level, entering the realm of sacrificial paths. Yet despite this, he had never been able to defeat Wang Lao. When the old man played seriously, his moves were like divine interventions, overturning entire games. A single perfect move would reverse the tide, exploiting gaps and weaknesses Li Hao could never perceive.
At this moment, however, Li Hao had a sudden epiphany.
What he could see of the "space" on the board was fundamentally different from what Wang Lao could see. That was the crux of his repeated defeats.
"Wang Lao, let's have another match."
Li Hao's voice rang out.
Wang Lao was momentarily stunned. A faint smile touched his lips, and he opened his mouth to dissuade Li Hao, but then he noticed the intense focus in the young man's eyes. Li Hao was staring at the chessboard with unprecedented determination and clarity. Whatever Wang Lao was about to say, he swallowed back.
With a faint nod, Wang Lao said, "Very well. This time, I'll take it seriously."
Both of them reached out simultaneously to grab their respective pieces, selecting black and white for first moves.
Li Hao immediately plunged into the game, placing his pieces with utmost concentration.
"Hmm?"
Wang Lao's expression shifted slightly. His eyes flashed with a hint of astonishment.
Li Hao's placement was exceptionally sharp, leaving ample room for flexibility while also creating endless opportunities for future maneuvers. Compared to before, his movements were much more agile and deliberate.
Could it be that this boy had just experienced some sort of realization? But they had only been discussing cultivation moments earlier…
A wave of bewilderment washed over Wang Lao. To use insights from cultivation to grasp the Way of Chess—how deeply invested in this art must one be to achieve such a leap?
For a brief moment, Wang Lao felt a pang of guilt. Was his insistence on pushing Li Hao down the path of cultivation truly the right thing to do? Yet when he thought of the True Realm, the opportunity to leave this secluded place, and the boundless benefits of becoming a formal disciple, he steeled his resolve and pushed those thoughts aside.
"Wang Lao, your move."
Li Hao's calm voice broke Wang Lao's train of thought.
Returning his attention to the board, Wang Lao glanced at Li Hao's initial layout, then placed his own piece with precision.
But as soon as his piece landed, Wang Lao hesitated. A soft sound of surprise escaped his lips. His expression subtly changed.
He had noticed that Li Hao's earlier move was not as simple as it appeared. Beneath its surface lay a deeply concealed pathway that disrupted the flow of the board.
When Wang Lao saw Li Hao's subsequent placement, his eyes brightened, and the corners of his mouth curved upward. But inwardly, he tensed.
The boy was already pressing him step by step.
Still, Wang Lao wasn't ready to admit defeat. With decades of experience playing against Li Hao, he believed that if he got serious now, he could still recover and claim victory.
However, as the game progressed, Li Hao's strategy tightened. Each move was like a hunter closing a net, cutting off all escape routes.
On the board, two winding paths emerged like coiled dragons. In those two paths, the outcome of the game was sealed.
Wang Lao stared at the board, his throat feeling dry. His complexion shifted as he analyzed the situation. No matter where he looked, every move he could make was foreseen and countered by Li Hao, as if each attempt had been preemptively snuffed out.
One misstep, and the entire game was lost!
"You've won."
Wang Lao withdrew his hand, the black piece between his fingers hovering over the board before being slowly set down. His tone was laced with complexity.
He stared at the chessboard for a long while, as if searching for a way to reverse the outcome, but in the end, he lifted his gaze to Li Hao.
The expression in Wang Lao's eyes was difficult to read—a mixture of relief, admiration, and lingering regret. Yet his appreciation for the boy was unmistakable.
As Wang Lao conceded, Li Hao's interface lit up with a surge of chess-related experience—over ten million points.
At the same time, a notification flashed across his mind.
[Congratulations, you have comprehended the True Essence of Chess Dao.]
Chess Dao advanced to the eleventh level!
As his Chess Dao ascended, Li Hao felt as though a great bell resounded within his mind.
An influx of vast, ethereal thoughts descended like snowflakes, imbuing his consciousness.
His spirit seemed to enter a spiraling domain where primordial sounds of heaven and earth murmured softly, and ethereal silhouettes danced, enacting divine techniques.
Li Hao felt his perception of space itself fracture and reassemble. He saw himself shrink into infinitesimal dimensions, peering into a single grain of sand that contained an immense, thriving kingdom—a divine dynasty where countless beings lived and flourished.
The Way of Chess encompasses the foundational essence of space.
Li Hao gained clarity.
As the vision faded, Li Hao returned to reality. He saw the chessboard before him once more, along with Wang Lao's figure seated opposite him.
Simultaneously, a new entry appeared on Li Hao's interface.
[Chess Dao: Level 11 (Spatial Essence, Fourth Layer)]
[Heart State: True Essence (1)]
Through the Myriad Dao Record, Li Hao learned that all foundational essences of the myriad paths consist of ten levels.
However, reaching the highest tenth level was a feat achievable only by an Immortal Emperor.
The likes of Xu Sheng and Xu Zu, whom Li Hao had previously encountered, could only be considered to have grasped the rudimentary aspects of the Spatial Essence, falling far short of the first layer of Spatial Essence.
Attaining the First Layer of Spatial Essence meant that one could use the True Essence of Space to condense an immortal mark, achieving the True Immortal realm.
The Third Layer of Spatial Essence, however, was a rarity even among the realms of Immortal Lords and was virtually unheard of within the True Immortal realm across the myriad worlds.
Now, having gained insights into Spatial Essence through the Chess Dao, Li Hao was both surprised and delighted. At the same time, he faintly sensed a hidden significance in the myriad skills recorded on his interface.
"Next, I need to comprehend the True Essence of Time."
Li Hao's eyes gleamed with determination. His gaze drifted across the other skills listed on his interface:
Fishing, Carving, Painting, Cooking, Music, Poetry, and Literature.
"Cooking… it might allow me to comprehend the essence of Fire."
His eyes sparkled slightly. Through cooking, he had already reached the tenth level, mastering the Chaos Divine Flame, which could roast even the flesh of ancient demons into culinary perfection. If he could delve further into the Chaos Divine Flame, it might lead him to the True Essence of Fire.
"Painting… the brush and ink…"
"Fishing…"
Li Hao's gaze lingered on Painting, which had already reached the tenth level.
Painting, as the mastery of brush and ink, could use the heavens and earth as its canvas and the Dao as its brush, with mountains and rivers forming its artistic landscapes.
"The highest virtue is like water."
The words from the Dao Scripture surfaced in his mind, bringing with them a profound sense of clarity.
Suddenly, Li Hao stood up, turned swiftly, and ran towards the meditation platform.
Wang Lao was momentarily stunned. It was the first time he had seen Li Hao so eager to approach the platform. A subtle sense of warmth and emotion welled up in his heart.
But as he continued watching, he saw Li Hao stop before an empty meditation seat, sit cross-legged, and then raise his hand to summon a canvas in mid-air.
Then, using his fingers as brushes and the Dao as ink, Li Hao began painting furiously on the blank canvas.
Wang Lao: "…"
He had long known that besides chess, Li Hao possessed a profound talent for painting.
When Li Hao had been sketching the Heavenly Bell in front of the platform previously, Wang Lao had taken note of it.
However, he had not expected Li Hao's enthusiasm for painting to rival, or perhaps even exceed, his passion for chess.
"This kid… he should be focusing on cultivation!" Wang Lao thought with a bitter smile. Still, he chose not to intervene. If Li Hao was truly unwilling to exert himself in cultivation, Wang Lao wouldn't force him. After all, if becoming an official disciple wasn't enough to inspire him, pressing him further would likely be counterproductive.
At that moment, Li Hao's focus was wholly immersed in painting.
On the canvas, the Heavenly Bell materialized, hovering mid-air. As the canvas gradually faded, only the bell's majestic image remained.
It appeared as though it were a projection of the actual Heavenly Bell, reflecting its grandeur.
However, it emanated an undeniable aura of the Dao, as if it might resonate at any moment, unleashing a reverberation across the heavens and earth.
"It's still not enough."
Li Hao's eyes narrowed with concentration. He casually dispersed the image and began anew.
During his desperate battle on the second level of the True Honor Tower, he had gained a deeper understanding of the interplay between illusion and reality.
Illusion, taken to its extreme, becomes emptiness. Emptiness, taken to its extreme, becomes reality.
Reality, taken to its extreme, is Earthly Essence, capable of supporting all things.
Like a man possessed, Li Hao's fingers continued to dance across the void.
His fingertips carried the softness of the Dao, stretching out like flowing ink. The strokes he left behind in the void were faint black marks—tiny cracks that split the fabric of space itself.
In no time, a second painting of the Heavenly Bell was completed.
Yet, it still lacked the ethereal essence he sought.
Li Hao raised his hand to erase it and began anew. The third painting, the fourth painting…
Not enough, still not enough!
There was a trace of obsession in Li Hao's gaze, a hint of madness. He had long since lost count of how many renditions he had painted.
Finally, when the most perfect vision of the Heavenly Bell he could imagine came to life on the canvas, he stopped. In that moment, the world seemed to fall silent.
Li Hao stared at the painting in a daze before bursting into ecstatic laughter.
Perfect.
At this moment, from his current perspective, the painting was absolute perfection.
A surge of painting-related experience points flashed across his interface.
When Li Hao came back to his senses, he noticed that his Painting Dao had also ascended to the eleventh level.
The previously full experience bar, long stuck at its peak, had now been broken through.
[Congratulations, you have comprehended the True Essence of Painting.]
Painting Dao advanced to the eleventh level!
Just like with the Chess Dao, an influx of profound insights surged into his mind. They fell like a blizzard of snowflakes, enveloping him entirely.
Li Hao found himself once again in that transcendent state of enlightenment, where countless figures danced and demonstrated profound truths.
After a long while, when he returned to awareness, he noticed changes on his interface.
[Painting Dao: Eleven Layers (Water Essence, Two Layers) (Earth Essence, Two Layers) (Spatial Essence, Four Layers)]
[Mental State: True Essence Core (2)]
Li Hao froze for a moment, shocked and stunned. But the profound insights of the Dao flowing through his mind were undeniable. At this moment, he had developed a deep understanding of both Water Essence and Earth Essence, far beyond his previous grasp.
What astonished him even more was that his Spatial Essence had reached the fourth layer!
This level was something even many Immortal Lords struggled to achieve.
He glanced at his Chess Dao attribute and discovered that the Spatial Essence noted there had also risen from the third to the fourth layer.
It seemed the two were interconnected, rather than additive—otherwise, the results would have been absurd.
Pulling his focus away from the interface, Li Hao carefully reflected on his recent enlightenment and the insights that had been transmitted to him.
Through his Painting Dao, he had unlocked two layers of Water Essence, two layers of Earth Essence, and one layer of Spatial Essence.
Painting inherently requires an understanding of space—of empty and filled areas.
Closing his eyes, Li Hao immersed himself in absorbing these revelations.
Meanwhile, the other saints on the meditation platform had their eyes wide open, all staring at Li Hao. They had been utterly startled by his frenzied state just moments ago.
Lost in his painting, Li Hao had been oblivious to his surroundings. But the completion of his final painting had shaken the very foundations of the Dao, awakening the saints from their meditation despite the protective barriers of their mental states.
When they saw the Heavenly Bell floating in mid-air, they were dumbstruck.
By all appearances, it was indistinguishable from the real Heavenly Bell. But they knew there couldn't possibly be a second one in existence here.
Moreover, this Heavenly Bell didn't seem like a mere painting—it looked functional, as if it could actually be used.
"Is this… really drawn by Hao Tian?"
"What kind of painting skill is this? This is insane."
"Instead of wasting time painting, he should focus on cultivation. With this level of talent, wouldn't he have claimed the Immortal Emperor's legacy by now?"
The saints were left in shock. Compared to Li Hao's earlier paintings, which had merely inspired awe, this Heavenly Bell resembled a genuine artifact of unimaginable power.
From the distance, Wang Lao appeared silently, his gaze fixed on the Heavenly Bell.
After a long moment, his eyes narrowed slightly. Then, turning to the meditating Li Hao, who had just opened his eyes, his expression became deeply complex.
Earlier, when Li Hao demonstrated his Chess Dao, there was no trace of Spatial Essence. But now, his painting unmistakably bore the marks of Water Essence, Earth Essence, and Spatial Essence—a frightening display of mastery.
A single painting that utilized three types of True Essences was an unimaginable extravagance.
As Li Hao slowly opened his eyes, the murmurs of the saints reached his ears.
Looking up, he saw the Heavenly Bell suspended in mid-air, and a faint smile of satisfaction crossed his face.
Hearing the saints' exclamations, the corners of his lips curled slightly. The feeling of pride surpassed even the satisfaction of defeating a hundred saints in battle.
When praised for his profound cultivation or unparalleled combat strength, he would merely offer a polite smile. But when it came to his artistry, especially a masterpiece like this, it was hard to hide his grin.
"It's just a rough piece," Li Hao said with a modest chuckle. "If anyone wants, they can use it to test their Dao Heart."
Despite his self-deprecation, the trace of smugness in his eyes didn't escape anyone's notice.
For a moment, the saints were speechless.
However, his words sparked curiosity. Could this painted bell really be used to test one's Dao Heart, like the real Heavenly Bell?
"I'll give it a try."
The saint known as Luo Sheng stood up.
Feeling eager to explore its authenticity, he approached the painted Heavenly Bell.
As he began testing his Dao Heart, the surrounding Dao energy converged toward the bell.
Suddenly, a resounding chime echoed from the bell, shaking the heavens and earth!
The crowd collectively gasped, their eyes filled with astonishment.
Those among them proficient in artifact crafting were particularly overwhelmed.
The Heavenly Bell rang again.
Twice.
Thrice.
Four times.
Four chimes—indicative of a Heavenly-level Dao Heart!
Luo Sheng had originally possessed only an Earth-level Dao Heart, but this experience had evidently elevated his understanding.
As the echoes faded, everyone turned to look at Li Hao, unable to find words to express their shock.
The real Heavenly Bell was an artifact left by the Immortal Emperor, with extraordinary powers beyond measure. Yet Li Hao had replicated it so precisely in his painting that it functioned like the original. Wasn't this akin to achieving in moments what artifact smiths might take years to accomplish?
And unlike crafting, which required rare materials, his creation was merely a stroke of the brush.
Li Hao, however, noticed that his painted Heavenly Bell had grown fainter, hinting that it wouldn't last much longer.
He knew that after a few more uses, it would dissipate entirely.
Moreover, its capabilities were only about one-tenth of the real Heavenly Bell, and it could only resonate up to four chimes. If he himself were to test his Dao Heart, the bell would likely vanish immediately.
But this was already sufficient.
Turning to Wang Lao, Li Hao flashed a confident smile. Seeing the elder's complex gaze, he could guess that Wang Lao had discerned traces of the True Essences within his painting.
Still, his mood was jubilant. He decided to challenge Wang Lao to a few rounds of chess to warm up before officially beginning his work on the Nine Blossoms Immortal Seal.