After some discussion, Shi Hao decided to go out to sea with them to search for the Kun Peng's treasured techniques. However, when it came to the matter of meeting up, there was a problem.
"We will come and fetch you, no matter how far. Just give us an exact location, and we can quickly get there," one of the divine servants said.
Shi Hao naturally refused. The location of Stone Village must not be revealed under any circumstances; otherwise, it could cause great trouble. To him, that place held significant meaning, a spiritual refuge that no one could intrude upon.
However, if he didn't have them transport him, would he have to traverse the vast wilderness himself? The desolation stretched for millions of miles. Who knew when he would be able to reach the destination?
"Just tell me the location, and I'll meet you there," he said, leaving behind this one sentence before departing.
Returning to Stone Village, Shi Hao wore a troubled expression and sought help from the Willow Deity. Without assistance, it would take him a year or two to reach his destination by traveling on his own.
"That’s not a problem. It’s easy," replied the charred tree trunk, its dozen or so glowing green branches swaying as it reassured him confidently.
"That’s great!" Shi Hao rejoiced. He was not keen on a long journey.
Upon learning that he was going to leave again, the men and women, young and old, all came out to surround him, reluctant to see him go.
"Child, you just returned a few months ago. Why do you have to leave again? Can’t you stay longer?"
"The outside world is so dangerous. How can we be at ease with you out there alone?"
These warm words made Shi Hao’s heart swell with emotion. He patted his chest and said, "Don’t worry. If I go out, they’ll treat me like a calamity. No one will dare to bully me."
"Haha!" A group of teenagers laughed at his words. They had recently entered the Void God Realm and learned a lot about the infamous reputation of this troublemaker, who was indeed a scourge—a figure that incited both gods and men.
"You silly child, always trying to comfort us. You don’t even know how much hardship you’ll face out there. Always be careful, and remember to protect yourself first in any situation."
"Kid, you must come back safe. Your uncles and the elders are still waiting to see you get married."
Everyone repeatedly reminded him, reluctant to part. Many of the aunties shed tears, feeling tender affection for this child who had grown up without parents and treating him as their own.
"Rest assured, this time when I go out, I’ll bring back even more good things," Shi Hao said cheerfully, determined to bring gifts for his clansmen.
"Don’t go to so much trouble. We don’t lack anything in Stone Village now. Look, we even have dozens of spiritual herbs, and the quasi-sacred medicine has borne fruit. Plus, we’ve got Eight Treasures Chickens and other wonders. That’s already a great fortune."
The villagers kept reminding him to be careful and return early.
The big red bird was itching to go, but Shi Hao refused. The journey would be too dangerous, filled with creatures from divine mountains. Who knew what they might encounter?
As for the bald-tailed bird, it shook its head from the start, refusing to go. It seemed to have some deep connection with the ancient divine mountains and didn’t want to meet those people.
"Take care, brother," Qingfeng waved as they bid farewell.
No one knew when they would meet again. If things went smoothly, it might only be a few months. But if there were great dangers, it was hard to say.
At the village entrance, the lightning-struck tree was covered in runes, coiling like a true dragon or roaring like a heavenly beast. The charred bark was streaked with markings. The Willow Deity glowed as a dozen branches swayed, and a brilliant array of symbols appeared. A glowing green passage opened, leading to an unknown destination.
"Goodbye," Shi Hao said, turning to glance back. Though he smiled, his heart was filled with reluctance, and his eyes nearly reddened. Who knew how many years might pass before they met again? The wilderness was vast, and the ocean was endless, filled with too many unknowns.
"Swish!"
A streak of golden light flashed as the furry little ball leaped and landed on Shi Hao’s shoulder at the last moment, determined to follow.
Shi Hao was initially going to refuse. The road ahead was fraught with dangers, and the ocean was bound to be filled with storms of blood. But in the end, he remembered the golden furball’s possible origins and allowed it to come along.
"Come back soon!" a group of people called from behind, their eyes red.
Shi Hao cast one final glance back and then rushed into the glowing passage. His figure blurred and gradually disappeared.
The symbols intertwined, and the dozen willow branches danced, sending out a radiant light that guided his departure.
When Shi Hao reappeared, he found himself in a land of towering mountains and vast terrain. The landscape looked like an ancient dragon coiling or an old tortoise in hibernation. This was a land of gods. Just stepping into this place made his body feel lighter, as the spiritual energy was so dense it automatically flowed into him.
In the distance, great mountains pierced the clouds, majestic and imposing. This was an ancient divine mountain.
Shi Hao arrived, his delicate face filled with awe. Even without approaching the true divine mountain, the ground beneath his feet—this land of coiling dragons and resting tortoises—was already extraordinary.
Nearby, spiritual waterfalls cascaded down stone cliffs, and the fragrance of ancient herbs filled the air. Rare birds and exotic beasts roamed in the distance.
To his surprise, there were also some thatched huts nearby, inhabited by powerful beings from various races who lived reclusively, cultivating here.
These were the legendary pilgrims he had heard about—extremely powerful individuals who wished to enter the divine mountains and were willing to build huts here in hopes of being accepted.
Some creatures were even willing to serve as servants to gain entry into the mountains, hoping for guidance.
Of course, it depended on the location. Most divine mountains were occupied by ancient fierce beasts, and there was no guarantee that a god resided there. If that were the case, no creatures would dare linger nearby; they would be devoured immediately.
It seemed the ruler of this divine mountain was relatively kind-hearted.
"You’re here," a calm voice said as an old man appeared silently, his power overwhelming.
Shi Hao turned to see an elderly golden beast with a human body covered in golden fur. His age was apparent, his body hunched, but his aura was incredibly strong, enough to make anyone tremble and instinctively want to submit. However, Shi Hao remained unafraid, brimming with natural confidence as the ten caves of heaven flickered within him, resisting the faint pressure.
Upon closer inspection, Shi Hao felt the figure looked familiar. He had seen this old servant in the Void God Realm before, and he had even threatened him back then.
"Heh heh, are you scared, young one?" The divine servant’s laugh was a bit chilling. He was far too powerful and would be treated with the utmost respect in any ancient kingdom.
"Wow, so you’re this strong. I can hardly believe it. Then why weren’t you much of a big deal back in the cave realm?" Shi Hao asked brashly, showing no reverence.
The divine servant’s sinister smile froze on his face. Whether in the Void God Realm or reality, this child was always so bold and unafraid to speak his mind.
"Youth, this is not the Void God Realm. Ahead of you is the ancient divine mountain," the divine servant said sternly, his golden aura surging like a blazing sun, his presence terrifying.
Shi Hao was forced to activate all ten of his heavenly caves, buzzing with energy as they radiated brilliantly.
"What’s so great about the ancient divine mountain? I’m from the Divine Spirit Village. Don’t act high and mighty with me. Aren’t you going out to sea? Lead the way already, and stop wasting time," Shi Hao said.
The divine servant had intended to discipline him, thinking it would be troublesome if the boy didn’t cooperate during the journey. But to his surprise, the child’s nature was such that he simply wasn’t intimidated.
This guy, even when facing the divine mountain, still appeared so confident and fearless. Could he really be the descendant of a god? But according to what people knew, he was likely the child of that Stone couple.
"Hurry up and take me to see the divine mountain; time is precious." The kid’s eyes sparkled, having long set his sights on this treasure-laden land.
"Ah, you…" The servant sighed deeply, truly unable to handle him. After all, they needed him, someone with Ten Caves, to open the forbidden path.
The servant was a bit frustrated, his entire body emitting a divine glow as a radiant path stretched out before them, bypassing ancient trees, rocks, and streams, like a divine bridge laid across the ground.
"You are so powerful, old man. Teach me a supreme treasure art, and I’ll repay you in the future." Shi Hao's eyes gleamed with desire, his delicate face full of eagerness.
The servant felt slightly out of sync with this child’s rhythm. Just a moment ago, he was acting so fearless, and now, he was pleading to learn his secret techniques so directly.
"What a grand mountain! Was this really the dojo established by the ancient gods? It’s still so sacred today." The little guy marveled.
The mountain body was like a true dragon, majestic and towering, connecting rivers and mountains, as if it had life. Streams flowed, waterfalls cascaded, and rare plants grew.
On the cliffs, spiritual serpents coiled, while on giant trees, birds nested. In piles of rocks, divine martens roamed, and in deep pools, black turtles floated.
This place was astonishing, filled with rare creatures and extraordinary species.
As soon as Shi Hao arrived at the mountain gate, his eyes widened. He saw a pair of Eight Treasures Chickens, pecking at spiritual herbs leisurely. Without hesitation, he jumped off the radiant path and rushed towards them.
"Hey, where are you going?" the servant called after him.
"Catching chickens!" the little guy responded. These were one of the Eight Ancient Treasures, extremely rare. He hadn’t expected to see a pair right outside the mountain gate.
The servant felt exasperated. This guy was really a handful.
"Those are sacred birds of the mountain, don't capture them recklessly."
"They’re not even inside the mountain yet!" Shi Hao complained.
"Hurry up and come back. If you can open the forbidden path to Kunpeng, we’ll give you not just a pair of spiritual birds, but we can even collect all the Eight Treasures for you."
Shi Hao reluctantly turned back, constantly glancing at the chickens. "So extravagant. You guys aren't raising them just to eat, right? That would be such a waste."
"Is this the human genius that the Celestial Mountain recruited? So brutal, he won't even spare a chicken," a boy about fourteen or fifteen approached from the opposite side, his whole body radiating a blue divine light, mocking Shi Hao.
Behind him were several elderly servants, each shrouded in holy light, appearing terrifyingly powerful.
"Not only would I not spare a chicken, I wouldn’t even spare you." The kid glared at him, his mouth practically watering, as if he had discerned the boy’s true form.
"How audacious!" the boy shouted, his gaze sharp as lightning, blue hair flying in the wind.
"You’re the audacious one! Are you looking for a beating?" Shi Hao glared and strode forward. Even though they were now on the divine mountain, he showed no fear, stunning the servant beside him. This kid was so fierce, acting the same no matter where he went.
"Ahem," the servant quickly cleared his throat and said, "Our families have joined forces for this expedition. There should be no internal conflicts."
The elderly servants behind the blue-haired boy quickly intervened to stop him from acting out.
The blue-haired boy’s eyes were cold as he stared at Shi Hao for a moment before letting out a cold snort.
"Behave yourself. If you snort at me again, I’ll eat you!" the ferocious kid threatened.
"This…" The servant was speechless. Whose territory was this anyway? How could this brat be so defiant, showing no fear at all?
The blue-haired boy became furious, his whole body glowing with blue divine light, ready to strike.
"Stop! We joined forces to search for the Kunpeng’s treasure art. There's no time for infighting," someone shouted from the distance.
A group of boys and girls walked over, each surrounded by blazing divine light, like gods descending to the mortal realm, holy and terrifying.
Behind each of them were several elderly servants, all enveloped in divine radiance, incredibly powerful.
The girl in purple was a descendant of the Celestial Mountain’s leader, and she was the one who stopped the silver-haired boy from attacking.
The little guy muttered quietly, "All these girls, with their slim waists and big hips, seem so well-fed. Life must be good on the divine mountain, making everyone so plump."
A girl enveloped in silver radiance, her face radiant and beautiful, was puzzled. Even her hair was silver and glistening. She asked quietly, "Who’s he calling fat?"
The purple-clad girl heard this and felt a headache coming on. She opened her mouth, unsure how to explain. The little guy’s sense of beauty was clearly out of sync.
(Note: The final lines about obtaining the original artwork have been excluded as they pertain to a non-narrative context.)
No comments:
Post a Comment