# Chapter 1949: Asking the Dao Is Difficult
On the steps, the figures from the Human Emperor Palace looked up at the sky. Then, Ren Tianxing turned to the crowd and spoke, "The time has arrived. Those who have not come today will be temporarily removed from the Emperor's List. If any of them return in the future, they may challenge the geniuses on the Emperor's List on their own. For now, the vacant positions—whoever wishes to occupy them, feel free to do so."
Today's Emperor's List Dao Inquiry would inevitably disrupt the order. Occupying the positions of those who had not yet arrived was merely temporary, and thus inconsequential. What mattered was being able to hold onto them.
As Ren Tianxing's words fell, some immediately stepped forward, moving toward the nearby Human Emperor Heavenly Pillars. Since there were vacancies, advancing one position was naturally permissible. At the same time, among the crowd, figures walked through the void, stepping onto the empty Human Emperor Heavenly Pillars. On today's Emperor's List Dao Inquiry, even those not on the Emperor's List could knock others off.
Before long, upon the one hundred Human Emperor Heavenly Pillars, each pillar bore a single figure, totaling one hundred people, majestic and imposing.
"Junior Brother Feng, you will preside over the first stage," Ren Tianxing said to Feng Shentian. Feng Shentian nodded slightly, stepped into the void, and swept his gaze across the crowd. "How many more wish to contend for a seat on the Emperor's List? Step forward now."
"I'll give it a try," a figure said, stepping out, and another figure appeared in the void.
"I'll try as well," another figure descended into the void. In just a few moments, four or five figures had appeared in the void.
"Lone Defeat of the Divine Seal and Langxie—they've both stepped forward." Lin Feng's eyes flickered as he looked at those who had stepped out. The Divine Seal King Body, Lone Defeat, and the Realm King Body, Langxie—both were king physiques. Although their cultivation levels were still at the Mid-rank Emperor realm, as king bodies, their combat strength could not be measured by ordinary cultivation standards.
At this moment, Lin Feng turned his gaze toward the Heavenly Terrace direction, where two figures simultaneously walked out. They were none other than Hou Qinglin and the Sword Blind.
"There's no need to elaborate on the Sword Blind's strength. He is certain to have a place on the Emperor's List. Second Senior Brother has comprehended the Dao of Reincarnation, so he too will secure a spot on the Emperor's List." Lin Feng revealed a faint smile. As for the Divine Seal King Body, Lone Defeat, and the Realm King Body, Langxie, he wondered how their strength was now. Speaking of old acquaintances, Chu Chunqiu's progress was the most terrifying—he had reached the High-rank Emperor realm, comprehended the Heaven Devouring Dao, and possessed fearsome strength. The Heavenly God Academy was filled with rumors about him.
"Thirteen people wish to contend for the Emperor's List and replace those above." The crowd looked at the figures who had stepped into the void, their eyes flickering. The Emperor's List Dao Inquiry Day was indeed a day of great upheaval for the Emperor's List.
"Those who hear the Dao in the morning may die content in the evening. On today's Emperor's List Dao Inquiry, those who voluntarily seek the Dao shall have their lives determined by fate. No one may interfere." Feng Shentian's body radiated a sharp sword aura that spread across heaven and earth. No one retreated. The thirteen experts still stood tall and unwavering.
Feng Shentian's gaze then fell upon the last thirteen people on the Human Emperor Heavenly Pillars, and he said to them, "Now, those of you who wish to contend for the positions ahead may also step forward. Otherwise, once someone challenges you by name and you are defeated, you will be directly expelled from the Emperor's List."
"On the Emperor's List Dao Inquiry, if one is expelled by a junior before even inquiring about the Dao, what is the point of inquiring?" one person slowly spoke.
"If one can be expelled by a junior, then moving forward is also meaningless," another person slowly said, causing Lin Feng to show a hint of surprise. He had originally thought these people would want to move forward first, but he hadn't expected that all thirteen would remain still. Perhaps, as they thought, if they couldn't even handle these rising challengers, then even if they could move their positions forward, it would be meaningless.
"Those who have comprehended the Dao come first. Who will step forward?" Feng Shentian's gaze fell upon Hou Qinglin and the other thirteen.
The Sword Blind's aura showed no fluctuation whatsoever. He quietly stepped forward—calm, indifferent, his pupils lifeless. This caused many to show surprise. This person was actually blind.
"State your name. Have you comprehended the Dao?" Feng Shentian asked.
"Sword Blind. The Dao of Light." The Sword Blind's expression was calm as he spoke indifferently, causing many to freeze. The Dao of Light.
Feng Shentian's gaze turned to the last thirteen and he spoke calmly, "Who will face him?"
"To experience the rare Dao Intent of Light, even in defeat, this journey is not in vain." A figure stepped forward, standing before the Sword Blind. A vast aura radiated from his body, causing his long robe to billow, as if a terrifying power was seeping out.
The Sword Blind stepped forward, his aura still calm. Suddenly, light blazed brilliantly. His speed became extremely fast. A sword light appeared—one sword's radiance chilled the entire province. The whole heaven and earth seemed to light up with brilliance, dazzling to the extreme, forcing the crowd's eyes to close, unable to open. That stretch of void was buried by light.
"Roar!" A rolling explosive roar rang out, followed by sizzling sounds and terrifying explosive noises filling the air. Several dazzling, boundless cold lights crisscrossed in the void. When the light show ended, the expert facing the Sword Blind had blood flowing from both pupils, extremely ferocious. His eyes had been stabbed blind.
"You made me see the Dao of Light, yet you also made me blind, unable to see light again. I will remember you, Sword Blind." The man's eyes continued to seep blood. Then he stepped away from this place, while the Sword Blind descended onto the Human Emperor Heavenly Pillar where he had just stood.
"The Sword Blind's comprehension of the Dao of Light is growing deeper and deeper." Lin Feng's eyes flickered. This Sword Blind was truly a heaven-defying genius. Unlike others of the Heavenly Terrace, who still needed the Heavenly Derivation Scripture, the Sword Blind relied entirely on his own obsession with martial arts, his obsession with light. Because he was blind, he could only see light through the Dao of Light.
On the steps, someone from the Human Emperor Palace picked up the Human Emperor Brush and carved the Sword Blind's name onto the Emperor's List, temporarily placing it in a certain position. The true ranking had not yet begun.
Hou Qinglin also defeated his opponent. More than a year ago, Hou Qinglin had comprehended the Dao of Reincarnation, transforming the Dao into reincarnation. Now, Hou Qinglin's Reincarnation Dao was even more exquisite, nearly causing his opponent to fall into eternal damnation. When that person stepped down from the Human Emperor Platform, he said to Hou Qinglin, "Grasping reincarnation, within three years, a top three position on the Emperor's List will surely be yours."
Two people were successively removed from the Emperor's List, replaced by the Sword Blind and Hou Qinglin.
Although the others had not comprehended the power of the Dao, several had begun to touch upon the power of the Dao, reaching the edge of Dao comprehension. The Divine Seal King Body, Lone Defeat, and the Realm King Body, Langxie, both secured positions. Now, Lone Defeat had three thousand divine seal halos swirling around him, his king aura blooming, forming a great seal that encompassed the heavens. That kind of attack power caused countless observing High-rank Emperors to feel their hearts tremble, silently acknowledging that this was indeed a king physique.
As for the Realm King Body, Langxie, his realm force attacks were violent and fierce, and he could use realms to disperse attacks, also defeating his opponent.
Watching their battles, Lin Feng felt a sense in his heart: once these king bodies comprehended the Dao, their strength would undergo a qualitative leap. With their king physiques' powerful natural talent attacks, they could already erase the gap in cultivation levels. Once they comprehended the power of the Dao, their strength would be astonishing, allowing them to contend for the top thirty positions on the Emperor's List.
In the thirteen groups of battles, seven people were removed from the Emperor's List and replaced. The Emperor's List Dao Inquiry had not truly begun, yet the crowd already seemed to see the cruelty of this Emperor's List Dao Inquiry. However, this also excited them. This would be a feast of battles. Who knew how many would comprehend the Dao this time?
Every decade, on the Emperor's List Dao Inquiry Day, there would be experts who comprehended the power of the Dao, elevating their strength to a new level.
Feng Shentian swept his gaze across the hundred people, then retreated to the steps. This time, Ren Tianxing personally stepped forward, looking at everyone, and asked, "Among the hundred on the Emperor's List, those who have comprehended the Dao occupy the top thirty-three positions. Adding the Sword Blind and Hou Qinglin from just now, that makes thirty-five people who have comprehended the power of the Dao. If I have missed anyone, please speak."
"Thirty-five people have comprehended the power of the Dao—that's almost all the Martial Emperor realm Dao-comprehending figures in the entire Holy City Province. The path of inquiry is difficult." The crowd sighed inwardly. Thirty-five people—too few. One must know that the vast Holy City Province had endless geniuses and countless Martial Emperors, impossible to tally. The Emperor's List represented the highest combat power of Martial Emperors in the province, yet it barely had thirty-five Dao-comprehending individuals.
"Since there are no omissions, please bring the Human Emperor Bell!" Ren Tianxing slowly spoke. Then, behind him on the steps, an extremely massive ancient bell appeared. Eight disciples of the Human Emperor Palace lifted the ancient bell and rolled forward. With a tremor of their hands, the Human Emperor Bell hung in the void above the Human Emperor Platform.
The Human Emperor Bell, also known as the Dao Inquiry Bell. The sound of the bell would become the sound of Dao inquiry.
"I will not elaborate on the rules. They are the same as before. Since this is the Emperor's List Dao Inquiry, those who have comprehended the Dao will strike the Human Emperor Bell. Whoever cannot bear it will leave the Human Emperor Heavenly Pillar, and those behind may replace their position. If one insists on enduring the power of the Dao inquiry, they may not regret it even in death. The first fifty people shaken off the pillars by the bell's sound will be ranked in the last fifty positions of the Emperor's List and will lose the qualification for subsequent Dao inquiry."
Ren Tianxing slowly spoke, then swept his gaze across everyone and said, "Who will be the first to sound the Human Emperor Dao Tone?"
"I will." A figure stepped forward. This person was Zhu Wuji, ranked twenty-third on the Emperor's List.
"Very well. You shall sound this first Human Emperor Dao Tone." Ren Tianxing's body retreated. Then, on the one hundred Human Emperor Heavenly Pillars, many figures sat cross-legged, releasing terrifying auras, closing their eyes with solemn expressions. The Emperor's List Dao Inquiry was truly about to begin.
Zhu Wuji descended before the Human Emperor Bell, his long robe fluttering. Those ranked lower on the Emperor's List all had heavy hearts. The Emperor's List Dao Inquiry would by no means be easy.
Suddenly, Zhu Wuji took a step forward, opened his mouth wide, and roared.
"Roar..." A terrifying roar landed on the Human Emperor Bell. In an instant, one hundred beams of light shot directly toward the one hundred Human Emperor Heavenly Pillars. The heaven and earth seemed to sound with a heaven-shaking roar.
"Crack, sizzle..." Many people's clothes were torn directly. Some felt their minds tremble violently, as if about to explode. Several people clutched their heads, in extreme pain.
Zhu Wuji stepped forward again, his palm imprinting on the Human Emperor Bell, his voice rolling: "Asking the Dao is difficult. If you seek the Dao, bear the heaven's roar. Kill!"
Another rolling explosive shout struck the Human Emperor Bell. In an instant, a terrifying light screen swept across heaven and earth. The roaring sound shattered the sky. With a booming explosion, a figure was sent flying, blood spilling from his mouth, his head nearly exploding and splitting open.