Awakening of the Harem Emperor: I Fight for My Dao Companion

Morning.

The tree-lined path was covered in white frost.

Lin Hao walked alone for a long time before stopping and sitting cross-legged on the ground to meditate.

He was just one Foundation Establishment Pill away from breaking through, but the pill was too precious, and with his current resources, he couldn't afford it.

Typically, cultivators would start preparing the materials for the Foundation Establishment Pill when they reached the ninth level of Qi Refining, spending a year or two collecting them. By the time they reached the Great Perfection of Qi Refining, they would have almost all the materials ready.

However, Lin Hao had only taken two months to go from the sixth level to Great Perfection, so how could he possibly have gathered enough materials for the pill?

With his current cultivation at the Great Perfection of Qi Refining, it was nearly impossible to compete with a Foundation Establishment stage cultivator and win.

He took out a second-grade talisman, Palm Thunder, and played with it in his hand. It seemed he needed to accumulate more talismans!

He had considered trading for a Foundation Establishment Pill from Cui Qing'er, but such a strategic resource was unlikely to be traded unless she was out of her mind.

Feeling it was about time, Lin Hao woke Cui Qing'er, and the two headed to the competition site together.

Today, there were noticeably more spectators than yesterday, and elders and direct disciples from various peaks had also come to watch.

He glanced at the viewing platform and saw the direct disciples in their luxurious clothes, their eyes filled with pride.

Clenching his fists, Lin Hao's face showed a determined expression. Becoming a direct disciple was his greatest motivation for participating in this competition.

His opponent this round was a young man dressed like a scholar, who appeared gentle and weak, but Lin Hao knew he was a master at the ninth level of Qi Refining.

How could anyone who made it to the top forty-eight be weak?

"Brother, I greet you," the scholar cultivator said, bowing slightly with his hands in salute.

Lin Hao remained unmoved, coldly watching his opponent.

The scholar didn't feel awkward at the lack of response and took out two scrolls from the study bag on his back.

"Brother, I'm going to make my move."

With that, his thin body rapidly expanded, almost bursting his scholar's robe.

"With military might, we charge the desert, murderous aura soaring to the skies. Troops arrayed beneath the Red Mountain, camp set beside the Purple Fortress!"

Boom!

The scholar's eyes widened in anger, his once fair face now full of murderous intent, looking more like a general on the battlefield than a scholar.

In front of him appeared a squad of armored soldiers, formed from spiritual energy but indistinguishable from real people.

Lin Hao frowned slightly, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes.

This scholar was actually cultivating the Confucian way. In the Immortal Path, there were three thousand ways to seek longevity, including Confucianism, Daoism, Buddhism, and military strategy.

Sensing the dangerous aura from the soldiers, Lin Hao immediately circulated the spiritual energy within his body.

Great Perfection of Qi Refining?!

The scholar was shocked, a bitter smile tugging at his lips. The gap in their cultivation levels was hard to bridge.

But since he was already here, he had to press forward; there was no retreat.

"Fight!"

The scholar's voice boomed like spring thunder, and the soldiers in front of him charged fearlessly.

"Flame Blade!"

Lin Hao spoke, and three flying blades appeared before him, radiating intense heat.

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!

The blades shot towards the soldiers like lightning.

The dense spiritual energy cut through the soldiers like slicing paper, each blade taking down one soldier.

However, six soldiers still charged at Lin Hao.

"Good timing!"

Lin Hao, full of vigor, punched with unmatched force towards the soldiers.

Boom!

His punch was incredibly fierce, dispersing the soldiers with a single blow.

Looking at Lin Hao, who seemed like a war god, the scholar's gaze was heavy, his legs trembling slightly, and cold sweat dripping down his face.

So... so strong...

The scholar took a deep breath, gripping the ancient scroll, muttering incantations, preparing to recite a battle poem, but his opponent was too fast.

Slash!

Lin Hao wielded his flying sword, moving like lightning, reaching his opponent.

The scholar couldn't recite his battle poem in time and could only hastily pull out a talisman to defend himself. But... a top-grade first-level defensive talisman couldn't withstand his opponent's attack.

Clang, clang, clang!

Lin Hao slashed three sword energies, shattering the opponent's spiritual shield and sending him flying five or six meters.

Pfft!

The scholar spat out a mouthful of blood, smiling bitterly, "I... I concede."

Lin Hao smiled faintly, glanced at his opponent, and said calmly, "If you were at Great Perfection, you would have given me a lot of trouble."

"Alas, I am far from matching Brother Lin."

The scholar cupped his hands in salute and left the arena.

Murong Qinxue, the peak master of Little Bamboo Peak, had been watching Lin Hao's match closely. Seeing him win so effortlessly, her desire to recruit him grew stronger.

But before she could make a move, she received a voice transmission from Feng Cangyue.

"Junior Sister Murong, Lin Hao is an outer sect disciple of my Great Bamboo Peak."

"Oh? He's from your Great Bamboo Peak? Then you're not doing a very good job as a peak master. You didn't even know about such a genius in your sect."

"I'm not as diligent as you, always trying to poach people!"

...

Lin Hao was unaware that he had caught the attention of two beautiful peak masters from the Xuan Yin Sect.

In the top twelve advancement match, Lin Hao's opponent was again at the ninth level of Qi Refining and couldn't withstand two moves before being defeated.

On the other side, Cui Qing'er also easily defeated her opponent, advancing with Lin Hao to the top six.

But during the afternoon draw, the two ended up as opponents.

Jiang Mingfei took the stage for his first match, facing Fang Yuan, who had outperformed him in the previous Demon Beast Hunting Competition.

Though Jiang Mingfei's cultivation was slightly higher, Fang Yuan had more magical treasures. After hundreds of exchanges, Jiang Mingfei won by a narrow margin.

Fang Yuan's chubby face showed dissatisfaction as he glared at his opponent before leaving without looking back.

"Hey, Generous Boy lost but didn't give out a magical treasure. What's going on?"

"Brother, you clearly don't know Generous Boy well. He only gives treasures to those who truly defeat him. Jiang Mingfei only won by a small margin, so why would he give him a treasure?"

Jiang Mingfei stood on the stage, his face alternating between green and white, feeling that even though he won, it wasn't worth celebrating.

"The second match, Lin Hao versus Cui Qing'er!"

Lin Hao walked steadily onto the stage.

Feeling many eyes on him, he didn't mind, focusing solely on Cui Qing'er.

Fortunately, she hadn't broken through last night; otherwise, he would have been stopped here today.