As the Supreme Heaven Pride Battle drew near, Li Hao repeatedly stirred the Dao Sound Small Bell and contemplated the Painting Dao during the quiet before the storm.
By the fourth stirring, Li Hao's understanding of the Painting Dao had reached the pinnacle of the ninth dan.
He could vaguely touch the transcendence lying just beyond that final threshold. Advancing from the ninth dan to the tenth meant rising from the mortal dust to become a Sage, possessing a Painting Dao of his own.
Li Hao stirred the Dao Sound Small Bell a fifth time, hoping to break through in one stroke.
But although countless flashes of inspiration gathered, they remained within the thoughts and insights he had already sensed. Inspiration alone could not carry him across that final threshold into the Painter Saint Dao. Though stirring the Dao Sound Small Bell resembled sudden enlightenment, it was ultimately not true enlightenment.
Realizing that the little bell alone could not elevate his technique to sainthood in one leap, Li Hao swiftly shifted his thoughts to the Chess Dao while the echoes of the Dao sound still reverberated.
His Chess Dao was at the eighth dan. If he could comprehend the ninth dan, his strength would also improve tremendously.
As inspiration gathered, his understanding of the Chess Dao deepened at a tremendous pace, countless insights bursting forth.
Li Hao then stirred the Dao Sound Small Bell a sixth time. By now, its color had grown extremely faint, as though it might dissipate at any moment.
The inspiration brought by its reverberations sent Li Hao's Chess Dao soaring, bringing him close to the ninth dan.
Without pausing, Li Hao pressed on and stirred it a seventh time. This time, the crimson glow vanished completely. Once its vibrations ended, the Dao Sound Small Bell