The Yaochi Holy Maiden, the Ji Family Divine Body, the Great Xia Prince, and other prodigies exchanged glances, all seeing the fighting spirit in each other's eyes.
The next moment, they each used their unique abilities to rush towards the last few steps.
While everyone was struggling to climb the steps, Lin Hao had already quietly arrived at the main gate of the Azure Emperor Palace.
He didn't take the steps, but appeared directly in the square—the entrance to the Gate of Life was located to the side of the palace, and he took a slight detour to avoid the steps.
At this moment, he stood in front of the towering jade palace gate, looking up at the three characters " Azure Emperor Palace " on the plaque.
"Using the Chaos Green Lotus as a foundation to evolve the cycle of life and death is quite interesting."
He reached out and placed his hand on the palace gate.
The palace gates were as heavy as mountains, forged from divine metal mixed with Chaos Stone, and could not be opened by brute force. The gates were engraved with complex array patterns, personally arranged by the Azure Emperor. Even Saint might not be able to forcefully break through them.
But the moment Lin Hao's palm touched the palace gate, the array patterns seemed to have met their master, automatically separating to the sides and revealing a crack in the door.
"Squeak--"
The heavy palace gates slowly opened inwards.
There was no dazzling golden light, no extraordinary phenomena, only an ancient and weathered aura emanating from within the door, as if the ages sealed away had been awakened anew.
Lin Hao stepped inside.
Inside the gate lay a vast and boundless world.
It was not inside the palace, but a small world. The sky was a chaotic color, the earth was bluish-black, and countless exotic flowers and plants grew there, many of which were ancient species that had long since disappeared from the outside world.
In the center of the small world, there is a nine-story platform, built with five-colored divine soil, with different divine herbs planted on each level.
The bottom layer contains elixir of immortality that is ten thousand years old, the second layer contains elixir of immortality that is fifty thousand years old, the third layer contains Immortal Medicine that is five hundred thousand years old.
On the ninth floor, there is only one plant.
It was a three-foot-tall Green Lotus, rooted in the chaotic energy. As the lotus leaves swayed, scenes of Splitting Heaven and Earth appeared, and strange phenomena of the birth and destruction of stars flowed.
Chaos Green Lotus!
It is not the Azure Emperor's true form, but an incarnation he left behind, containing all his understanding of the Great Dao and a portion of the origin of life.
Lin Hao's gaze fell directly on the ninth-floor platform.
He didn't rush forward, but instead scanned the entire small world first.
Besides the central high platform, there are eight side halls arranged in the Bagua (Eight Trigrams) orientation, corresponding to "Qian, Kun, Zhen, Xun, Kan, Li, Gen, and Dui" respectively. Each side hall has different ancient demon scripts engraved on its door.
Qian Hall: The Sutra Repository.
Kun Palace: Weapon Forging Pool.
Zhen Palace: Lightning Tribulation Liquid.
Xun Palace: Wind Spirit Marrow.
Kan Palace: Dark Nether True Water.
Li Dian: The Solar Essence Fire.
Gen Palace: Wu Earth Divine Essence.
Dui Palace: Geng Metal Divine Iron.
" The Azure Emperor is quite generous, categorizing his collection and leaving it to those who are destined to receive it."
Lin Hao chuckled and strode towards the central platform.
He didn't go to the side hall; those things were of little significance to him. Only the Chaos Green Lotus incarnation on the central platform and the Dao traces left by the Azure Emperor were worth seeing.
The moment I stepped onto the platform, the surrounding scenery changed.
He seemed to be in a state of chaos, in front of him, a Green Lotus was floating in the chaos, breathing out primordial purple energy, and evolving into earth, water, fire and wind.
Then, Green Lotus transformed into a man in a green robe, his face blurred, but his eyes were as clear as a blue pool, reflecting all the heavens and the myriad worlds.
The phantom of the Azure Emperor.
It was not the real Azure Emperor, but merely a mark he left behind to pass on the Dao.
"The latecomer."
The illusory figure of the Azure Emperor spoke, his voice gentle yet carrying supreme majesty.
"Your arrival here signifies a connection with me. My legacy resides on this nine-story platform. Those who ascend, comprehend the Dao, and receive my teachings must bear the consequences of my actions."
As soon as he finished speaking, the Azure Emperor's illusory figure vanished, turning into specks of azure light that merged into the high platform.
At the same time, the first level of the platform lit up, and countless Dao patterns emerged, intertwining to form profound designs, illustrating the original mysteries of the Dao of Plants.
"Start with the basics?"
Lin Hao did not refuse, sat down cross-legged, and began to meditate.
Although his cultivation far surpasses that of the Azure Emperor, the path to enlightenment is boundless. The Azure Emperor's attainments in the Dao of the Life of Plants are indeed unique and worthy of emulation.
Time flows by in the process of enlightenment.
After an unknown amount of time, Lin Hao opened his eyes, having fully comprehended the Dao patterns of the first level.
I got up and stepped onto the second floor.
The second layer of Dao patterns is even more profound, involving the growth and transformation of plants and trees, as well as the strengthening of the origin of life.
Lin Hao continued to observe and comprehend.
The third layer, the fourth layer, the fifth layer...
He ascended the platform faster and faster, and the Dao patterns on each level held no secrets for him; he could often grasp their true meaning in just a moment.
It's not that he's stronger than the Azure Emperor, but rather that the difference in their cultivation levels is too great. It's like a college student looking at an elementary school math problem—they know the answer at a glance.
He quickly arrived at the eighth floor.
The Dao patterns on this layer represent the pinnacle of the Dao of Plants, illustrating the transformation from ordinary herbs to Immortal Divine Medicine, and containing the ultimate mystery of the cycle of life and death.
Lin Hao stayed on this floor for a little longer.
Half an hour later, he stepped onto the ninth floor.
On the ninth level, the Chaos Green Lotus sways, with Dao patterns naturally formed on its leaves. These are the core of the Azure Emperor's Dao —chaos gives rise to all things, and all things return to chaos.
Lin Hao reached out and gently touched the Green Lotus.
The moment the fingertips touch, a flood of information rushes into the mind:
The complete text of the " Azure Emperor Scripture ".
The various secret techniques created by the Azure Emperor.
His deduction of the path to immortality.
And... his confusion and regrets in his later years.
"I see."
Lin Hao withdrew his hand, a knowing glint in his eyes.
In his later years, the Azure Emperor had already touched the threshold of Immortal Dao, but due to the limitations of the world, he was ultimately unable to truly become an immortal. Before his death, he left behind a legacy in the form of Chaos Green Lotus, hoping that future generations could complete the path he had not yet walked.
"His ambition is commendable, but unfortunately his method was wrong."
Lin Hao shook his head slightly.
The Azure Emperor wanted to use the cycle of plants and trees to evolve a microcosm within his body, creating his own world, thereby breaking free from the limitations of the external environment and achieving immortality.
The idea is correct, but it's too difficult. Even a true Immortal King might not be able to evolve a Perfect World universe within his body, let alone a Great Emperor.
"However, the ' Azure Emperor Scripture ' he left behind is a good cultivation method, especially suitable for spirits of plants or those with a wood-attribute physique."
With a thought, Lin Hao imprinted the " Azure Emperor Scripture " and many secret techniques into a jade slip.
This technique is useless to him, but it is of reference value to the Snow Empress and to the wood-attribute cultivators who may be recruited in the future.
After doing all this, he looked at the Chaos Green Lotus incarnation.
"Your essence, though of little use to me, can help others transform."
He reached out and grasped, Chaos Green Lotus to tremble slightly. Strands of azure essence were drawn out and condensed in his palm into an azure bead the size of a longan, within which a phantom image of Green Lotus floated.
This is a portion of the life essence of the Chaos Green Lotus, enough to transform a cultivator, even altering their physique, and enabling them to achieve the Azure Emperor Wood Sovereign Body.
After removing 30% of the original source, Lin Hao stopped.