The runes fell upon him, endlessly, too numerous to count. Each one was translucent and crystal-clear, an essential link in the chain of cosmic rules, irreplaceable.
Shihou was immersed, comprehending endless secrets, his mind and body fully absorbed, unaware of his own location. In this moment, he seemed to return to the ancient times, to an era where heroes contended and countless races thrived.
A fleeting glance felt as distant as an eternity.
"Boom"
Eagles struck through the sky, bringing down star after star.
The true wolf howled at the moonlit night, wailing at the heavens. Several moons exploded, turning into a silver rain that showered down upon the earth.
The Azure Dragon soared, stirring the heavenly winds, knocking down divine temples from the nine heavens like falling meteors, raising clouds of dust on the ground.
Was this the ancient times? There were so many powerful beings, a period of intense rivalry and supreme dominance, with countless heroic figures and beautiful women, writing legends.
This was merely a retrospective of time. Through the inheritance of the Kunpeng, Shihou glimpsed fragments of the ancient world and was stirred by the grandeur of that era, where prodigies emerged, stirring awe.
Of course, it was a time that brought immense joy to the powerful, yet many beings did not wish to have been born in that age.
Shihou realized that the Kunpeng technique was born in that era and had an inseparable relationship with that grand environment. Thus, he immersed himself, striving to capture those scenes.
To be born in that era and understand the broader context was crucial to fully comprehend this supreme divine power.
So, he threw himself into it, with a golden vortex swirling around him. Each rune contained a profound secret, uncovering the most powerful sequences of the world.
During this process, the runes on his body changed continuously, transitioning from blazing gold to black, from a Peng bird into a Kun fish, floating in the blood pool.
Gradually, Shihou fell into a deeper state of enlightenment, isolated from the outside world, entering a wondrous realm.
In the Devil's Cave, the calm returned. A young man, stirred by the void, soared through ancient times, comprehending supreme techniques.
Meanwhile, on the altar, the battle reached a fever pitch. It was truly brutal, with blood splattering everywhere. Major forces clashed, all going mad.
For the supreme technique, even the elders had lowered their status, fighting desperately here. Even when suppressed, they pressed forward, continuously battling.
"Not good, a piece of treasure bone has fallen into the hands of the Fire Flame Fish Clan!" someone shouted, sensing the situation was dire.
With over a hundred thousand Fire Flame Fish, though they had left the waters, they were still unaffected. They used their tails to the ground, spewing fire runes, combining their power. Who dared to challenge?
Han Tian was powerful. The Divine Lamp glowed, repelling a group of powerful beings. He snatched a bone and returned it to his clan.
"Kill!"
On the other side, the people of the Ancient Divine Mountain fought desperately, battling all heroes. Several pure-blooded beings fought their way in and out, finally seizing a piece and fiercely defending it.
"Get away or be killed without mercy!" Mo Shang roared, sweeping his golden war spear like reaping wheat, causing bodies to fall in rows.
On the altar, blood flowed like rivers. The forces of all races contended for the Kunpeng bones, with everyone driven mad with bloodlust.
This treasure was of immense significance. If obtained and thoroughly understood, it could swiftly elevate one race to dominance in the wasteland, leaving no opponents.
In fact, even obtaining a single piece was valuable. At most, it could be exchanged with the elders for priceless treasures.
The experts fought fiercely on the altar, and the armies clashed below. The entire cave was filled with slaughter and cries, completely boiling over.
It was unclear how many had died. The carnage reached its peak, even someone as powerful as Mo Shang, a descendant of the Sea God, was severely wounded and nearly dead, with many targeting him.
All the warriors he brought had died, with no survivors. Even his war platform was shattered, the Sea God’s runes burning across the heavens.
Of course, many attackers also died in large numbers. Near him, bones piled up like mountains. He transformed into a demon, covered in blood, his golden spear turned red.
It was a bloody battle. Mo Shang originally had two bones, but was forced to discard one to escape the most terrifying battlefield.
The battle lasted for days, from the grand hall to other stone chambers, from the seabed to the surface, creating utter chaos.
This was a blood-stained demonic land. The races did not know how many corpses they had lost. The entire Kunpeng cave was bathed in blood, with corpses everywhere.
The six bones were each obtained by different major forces, none could secure more than one piece. The inheritance was scattered among land and sea factions.
For the elders, this result was extremely disappointing. The appearance of Kunpeng's treasure was a huge boon, but its dispersion was unacceptable.
Nevertheless, the fierce battle that lasted for days temporarily came to a close, leaving countless corpses in the cave.
Many forces did not leave, still confronting each other, unwilling to accept the outcome.
Some even aimed for the "Sky Desolate," but all returned empty-handed. The weapon's shockwave fell, crushing a group of beings into meat paste.
"Unless the restriction here disappears, we must wait for the elders to come and collect it."
"Ancestor, we should retreat. It’s too dangerous here."
"Not easy. The end of this sea is likely a dragon’s lair or tiger’s den, even more perilous," many worried.
Even the superpowers that obtained the treasure bones were grave-faced, unwilling to act recklessly. They knew that the most severe battles were yet to come.
If the elders from outside acted, it would be the most terrifying event, tearing the heavens apart, with blood flowing back to the ninth heaven.
Many were anxious, hoping their own powerful beings were ready outside. Otherwise, if no one came to guide them, they would all perish.
Some factions were confident, like the beings from the Ancient Divine Mountain, who believed the elders residing in the divine mountain were invincible and awaited their appearance.
Finally, someone stepped out of the sea and spread the news, igniting the Northern Sea.
Especially when the first Kunpeng bone appeared, it was observed by all sides. A giant silver hand descended from the sky, its finger larger than mountains, fiercely grabbing down.
"Dare you!"
A voice of fury came, a giant claw came down, blocking out the sun and moon, purple mist swirling, clashing with the silver hand.
"Leave the treasure bone!"
A golden wing swept down from the nine heavens, cutting through the Northern Sea and rushing in to seize the treasure.
In an instant, the area was obliterated. The elders appeared, engaging in battle over the Northern Sea.
The unfortunate group that emerged, even with their own elders' protection, suffered heavy losses, leaving behind dozens of corpses, and retreated back into the Forbidden Sea.
For the Northern Sea, this was a great disaster, a slaughter.
The battle had far-reaching effects. With the appearance of the six treasure bones, the vast sea shattered, causing the pinnacle of the pyramid to become restless and engage in a bloody fight.
But none of this concerned Shihou. Despite the external chaos, with the sea dried up and battles raging beyond the domain, he remained as still as a mountain, completely absorbed in his enlightenment.
Eventually, it seemed that the aura of an ancient deity emerged, causing the vast universe to tremble.
This battle was so brutal that, even many years later, people would change color when speaking of it. The Northern Sea became a graveyard.
In the end, no one collected all six pieces of bone. They scattered across the wasteland, with gains seen at Sea God Island, the Celestial Mountain, and other places, turning into sites of strife.
Because, powerful beings were unwilling to give up and sought to seize them.
"Rumble"
The Kunpeng nest cracked and sank to the seabed. The altar collapsed into ruins. Divine lights surged, and the Celestial, Black Heavenly Measuring Ruler, Golden Fan, Dragon Tooth Dagger, and others flew away into the vast ocean, disappearing from sight starting from that day.
Some elders broke in and discovered that the restriction had not completely vanished. After much hesitation, they eventually left, not daring to dive into the sea to search.
The battle overseas had far-reaching effects. It was said that not only one elder had fallen, but their true forms had been destroyed, causing a great calamity. The waters of the Northern Sea were stained red.
It was reported that for a long time, sea beings gathered here, crazily swallowing sea water to obtain spiritual essence.
The upheaval lasted for months before the sea calmed down, and everyone left, ceasing further exploration.
In the Devil's Cave, Shihou sat cross-legged, having gained greatly. He had finally engraved all the changes in the runes deep within his mind.
"Swish"
The golden runes changed to pure black, transforming into a Kun fish, still enveloped around him. With a flick of its tail, they both sank into the blood pool.
As soon as they entered, the molten, radiant blood surged, submerging them. The Kun fish floated in this pool.
"Kunpeng Blood"
Shihou was astonished, his eyes snapping open in shock. The blood contained information; a drop of true Kunpeng blood in the pool could shape the heavens and earth.
Over long ages, the divine nature of the blood remained undiminished, nourished in the spiritual spring, giving rise to runes, endlessly enduring.
A single drop of blood, upon merging with the spiritual spring, became the blood pool, demonstrating how potent the effect was. This was left by the Kunpeng for inheritors to refine their bones and marrow.
It was a grand opportunity.
Shihou’s body was strong enough and initially did not need this, but after the intense battle on the altar, his body had been severely damaged, nearly leading to his demise. Now, this drop of true blood revealed its incredible value.
In an instant, his body crackled, his organs vibrating with a metallic sound. Broken bones reconnected, emitting a treasure glow.
When he opened his eyes again, his damaged body was completely restored. He had returned to his peak and even improved further. This drop of true blood was extremely powerful, refining bones and marrow, transforming him completely.
No scars remained on Shihou’s body; he was fully healed, his physique radiant, and his eyes full of vitality.
In the following time, he continuously contemplated the path, memorizing all the runes. The final Kunpeng treasure technique contained only one character, complex beyond the diagrams of the heavens and stars.
He perfectly imprinted that rune in his mind. Understanding it would take time; it could not be achieved overnight, as this was the Kunpeng technique, one of the top ten treasures of the ancient times.
Finally, he began "nurturing the spirit." With the true Kunpeng technique acquired, it was flawless, just right for nurturing the spirit.
In the realm of spirit cultivation, achieving perfection involves three steps: spiritual body formation, true self reconstruction, and cave heaven spirit nurturing.
These three stages can only be approached infinitely and are nearly impossible to truly attain. In the vast wasteland, few can achieve it in a lifetime.
"Once I complete the cave heaven spirit nurturing here, I can return. It has been over two years," Shihou muttered to himself.
Then he began working on the third chapter.
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