He was very calm, as if residing at the center of the sun, radiating endless golden light. Just standing there made everyone tremble in fear and feel powerless to resist. Those who knelt before him were trembling.
"Human Emperor, do you want us to cease hostilities?" the man with green hair asked amidst the battle. The conflict between him and the Fifteenth Master had grown increasingly intense, with blood splattering from his wounds, no longer as composed as before.
The Fifteenth Master was in a similar situation. He faced a formidable opponent, with terrifying wounds and his clothes stained with blood, causing concern about his condition.
"You have crossed the line by coming to my imperial capital," the Human Emperor spoke.
Everyone was astonished. The Demon Spirit Lake was a terrifying place, just like the Ancient Divine Mountain, inhabited by divine birds and pure-blooded fierce beasts.
"I am only a remnant of my body, not my true self. It shouldn’t be a big deal," the green-haired man responded calmly.
Everyone fell silent. If a mere remnant could engage in such a fierce battle with the Fifteenth Master, one could only imagine how terrifying the true self would be. If it emerged, it would undoubtedly have the power to dominate the world.
"Leave," the Human Emperor said with great authority.
In his youth, he had competitors during the ancient kingdom’s battles, but as the Human Emperor, he had completely surpassed everything. His former rivals were destined to be forgotten.
"It is possible to spare him, but he must first admit his mistakes and clear out the Martial King’s Mansion," the green-haired man said. As someone invited by Shi Ziten, he had to make some demands.
"How dare an outsider come here and make demands? Who do you think you are?" the Great Demon God said, still strong despite his injuries.
"You saw it yourself. He sought death. Can you blame me?" the Demon Spirit Lake's powerful being sneered, looking at the Human Emperor with his wild green hair.
"You have practiced for over a hundred years, and yet you are no better than this. There is nothing to be proud of before me. If the battle continues, it’s hard to say who will end up killing whom," the Fifteenth Master said.
Despite facing such a powerful opponent, he remained undaunted, eager to fight to the end.
"Shi Huang, do you see this? This battle must continue. Don’t blame me," the green-haired man said with a grim expression, his eyes even darker.
"Fine, then let’s fight to the end," the Fifteenth Master declared.
The battle ignited the imperial capital. The leaders of various clans arrived, as the presence of the Human Emperor meant they no longer needed to watch from a distance. They all came to the scene.
However, upon arrival, they realized that they could not enter the mansion. The green-haired man had sealed it with eight pieces of bone, and only the Human Emperor had the power to break through.
These individuals did not forcibly breach the barrier, as they did not want to offend the Demon Spirit Lake’s powerful being or provoke the Martial King’s Mansion, which could lead to misunderstandings.
"Vroom"
The green-haired man also sealed the void, summoning several pieces of bone to create a massive light curtain. He was afraid the Fifteenth Master might escape.
The Great Demon God’s eyes were cold. He said nothing and continued the battle. Despite numerous wounds, some caused by runes and hard to heal, he fought fiercely, undeterred.
Various magical techniques flew, divine light filled the sky, and the two fought fiercely, with bloodshed all around.
People trembled. The power of the Demon Spirit Lake’s beings was already formidable, but the Fifteenth Master’s strength was equally astonishing, shocking everyone.
The more powerful the beings from Demon Spirit Lake, the more it indicated the Great Demon God’s terrifying nature.
The bronze tower clashed with the black-and-white arrows, and the two continued to collide, fighting endlessly.
"Kill"
As the battle progressed, the green-haired man went berserk. His arms whirled like windmills, radiating endless runes, as he engaged the Great Demon God in a brutal contest of fists and palms, growing increasingly intense.
At this point, the Fifteenth Master’s disadvantage of having only one arm became evident. He was severely passive under the relentless assault.
"Boom"
His sleeve exploded, and his severed arm was cut cleanly at the shoulder, making it difficult to block the opponent’s attacks. Defending with only one arm was extremely taxing.
"What do you use to compete with me?" the green-haired man roared.
"Who do you think you are?" the Fifteenth Master roared back. Several cave heavens appeared simultaneously, and different beings emerged, such as the golden-winged roc. With a loud cry, they soared and attacked.
A suanni, purple with golden stripes, thundered through the nine heavens, its power concentrated to kill the green-haired man.
A bixie roared, with golden light flashing various black stripes. It opened its mouth, emitting a brilliant light like a starry river, attacking fiercely.
The Fifteenth Master fought desperately, deploying all his spiritual bodies to attack the green-haired man in a decisive battle.
"I heard your arm was eaten by a Pixiu. The remaining one is mine," the green-haired man shouted in a harsh tone, his rage evident.
He had originally thought he could quickly defeat the Fifteenth Master, but as the battle dragged on, it became increasingly difficult.
They fought with their lives on the line, blood splattering frequently. The intense battle made the green-haired man struggle, almost having his chest pierced.
"Boom"
The Fifteenth Master’s strength was immense. His leg swept out with tremendous force, crashing into the opponent’s body, causing a massive explosion as runes scattered widely.
The green-haired man was severely injured. After being hit by the leg, he bled from his mouth and continued to spit out several large streams of blood, causing him significant harm.
"Seeking death"
He could no longer maintain his calm demeanor. From the initial ethereal state, he had become murderous. His hollow eyes now had cross-shaped stars, and he unleashed terrifying magical techniques. The Fifteenth Master fought back fiercely, with all his spiritual bodies joining in to beat the man.
"Kill"
Suddenly, the void trembled and buzzed, startling everyone. The green-haired man, enraged, used all his power to mimic his true form with his spiritual bodies, showcasing terrifying demonic might.
One after another, waterfalls appeared in the void, intertwining into a net that forced the Fifteenth Master to retreat. The runes were dense, with lightning flashing and thunder roaring, creating a frenzied scene.
In reality, these were not true rivers but threads of silk.
In the same location, a giant spider appeared, covered in steel-like green hairs. It was enormous, about ten zhang long, and the silver waterfalls were its silk.
Its eyes were pitch black, like two black holes, more terrifying, swallowing souls.
The spider's silk emitted constant lightning, interwoven with lightning to form a giant net, condensed into a powerful magical chain.
"Black-eyed Demon Spider," the crowd gasped in horror.
It was an ancient demon spider, whose true form far exceeded that of a king or prince. Even after the calamity that befell its spiritual body, its performance was world-shaking.
"Die"
The Black-eyed Demon Spider roared, its presence horrifying. The spider web and lightning merged into a dazzling light curtain that descended, its aura like a black ocean, threatening to destroy everything.
The Fifteenth Master fought desperately, but one of his spiritual bodies was ensnared by the giant web, tightly bound. The enormous demon spider attacked and devoured it.
Although it was only a spiritual body, the scene was brutal, causing the Fifteenth Master to spit out blood and suffer significant injuries.
If this had been a battle between true selves, with the physical body clashing with the physical body, the sight of a giant spider consuming a human would have been horrifying beyond imagination.
"Kill!"
Beside the Fifteenth Master, a crimson bird sprang into the air, unleashing raging flames to attack, aiming to burn the giant web and kill the spider.
This was a suppression in terms of species, but the actual strength still mattered. Clearly, the ancient demon spider was stronger at this moment. A special silk thread flew out, unaffected by the flames, piercing the crimson bird and forcing it to retreat.
When the green-haired man revealed his true form, it was fearsome and enormous, very different from his previous appearance.
People found it hard to imagine why such a large spider, in human form, had seemed so ethereal and devoid of menace.
Their battle reached a boiling point, with the bronze tower and two divine arrows wailing and constantly clashing. The runes dimmed, and the divine might weakened.
As the battle progressed, they were on the verge of collapse.
"Be careful, Fifteenth Master," suddenly, a woman's voice transmitted secretly, as melodious as the sound of celestial music, warning the Great Demon God.
The Fifteenth Master, initially retreating, suddenly became alert. He realized the danger as he neared the bones the opponent had set up to seal the surroundings.
"Boom!"
Indeed, a purple bone shot up, suppressing him. The demon spider, frustrated by its prolonged attack, began to use these symbolic bones to form a killing formation to defeat the Fifteenth Master.
With a cold snort, the Great Demon God raised his hand. Several bones flew out, along with a beast hide that quickly spun to form a killing array to counter the opponent.
The beast hide was a formation map, and the bones were like daggers, emitting endless brilliant sword energy, reaching the sky.
The area became extremely intense and heated.
The Fifteenth Master nodded inwardly. The girl who had warned him was truly remarkable, able to perceive the intentions of a powerful being of this realm. She was a promising individual.
He looked around and saw a teenage girl with a graceful figure and exceptional beauty, rare and enchanting.
"What is your name?" the Great Demon God asked quietly.
"My name is Aman," the girl responded with a sweet smile.
"Boom!"
The battle grew even more intense. Blood splattered, bodies ruptured, the bronze tower wailed, and the two divine arrows trembled. The combatants were on the brink of death.
"Imprison!"
The Great Demon Spider roared, and with those two words, the web of spiders and lightning descended, trapping the void and making movement almost impossible.
These spider webs were not physical entities but runes, binding the entire space, leaving the Fifteenth Master immobile.
It was clear that this divine power consumed immense energy. The Black-eyed Demon Spider swayed, on the verge of collapse, and cruelly declared, "What can you do now? Die!"
It launched a final attack, extending a spider leg like a terrifying divine spear, piercing towards him.
At this moment, the two divine arrows were locked in a standoff, unable to descend or offer aid.
"Kill!"
Despite being covered in blood, the Fifteenth Master shouted. His brow glowed, and black and white energies emerged, forming a divine bow. At the same time, a light arrow automatically condensed.
No one held the bow or nocked the arrow; everything was accomplished automatically by the Fifteenth Master’s will. Though his physical body could not move, his spiritual power was terrifying, manifesting as the supreme bow and arrow.
"Whoosh!"
A divine light shot out, and the ancient demon spider let out a shriek. The spider leg, which had been poised to strike, froze in mid-air, unable to pierce the body.
The thought-based divine arrow was countless times faster than physical movements, surpassing everything. It directly pierced the demon spider’s head, killing the spiritual body.
The Great Demon God could move again. He rushed forward, his right palm slicing down with a "puff," decapitating the demon spider and holding its head triumphantly.
The battle finally ended, and the imperial capital’s conflict was over.
The battle concluded, and the demon spider fell.
The Fifteenth Master, tall and bloodied, exuded a powerful aura as he held up the giant demon spider’s head, like a mighty demon god. The surroundings fell silent, awed by his presence.
The Black-eyed Demon Spider, ten zhang long and fierce, lay dead on the ground. Its steel-like green hairs were stained with blood, creating a terrifying scene. The outcome was beyond everyone’s expectations.
A shower of light appeared, and the massive corpse on the ground, along with the giant head in the Fifteenth Master’s hand, began to disintegrate like melting ice and snow, quickly vanishing.
This was the spiritual body of the ancient demon spider, not its true form. Now that it was dead, it became the source of divine power, dissipating into the void.
The bronze tower in the sky emitted a brilliant light, and a powerful will seemed to roar from it. This was the mark left by the ancient demon spider in the tower.
"How dare you kill my spiritual body?"
"This battle is over; everything has ended," the Human Emperor said, his entire being radiant and majestic, obscured in a golden aura as if standing in the center of the sun.
At this moment, everyone was astonished and somewhat unnerved. Had the Human Emperor anticipated this outcome and agreed to the battle, imposing restrictions?
A cold snort echoed, and the bronze tower trembled, opening a silver passage that vanished in an instant.
On this day, the imperial capital was in upheaval. The Great Demon God returned, striking fiercely. First, he defeated the Martial King, then the Rain King, and finally slew the ancient Black-eyed Demon Spider, astonishing everyone.
Everyone was shocked. A person thought to be dead had reappeared, more powerful than ever. The entire imperial capital was in an uproar.
Soon after, the Human Emperor summoned the Great Demon God to the palace.
News quickly spread that the Human Emperor intended to make him the Demon God King, opening a new mansion, and granting him immense power and status.
That night, all the major clans were in turmoil, unable to remain calm. Many struggled to sleep. Although the news was not yet confirmed, it had already stirred their emotions.
During the years that the Fifteenth Master and Shi Ziling had been missing, several major clans had significantly altered their attitude towards the Martial King’s lineage. That night, they were deeply agitated.
In the morning, at the Northern Sea.
The sun rose from the sea, initially red and soon turning brilliant, casting golden rays over the ocean like a sea of fragmented gold.
A ghostly ship sailed steadily in one direction.
On the ship, a quirky young boy stretched and looked towards the horizon. Rubbing his large eyes, he said, "We must be close to land."
Beside him, a small, round golden creature with a fist-sized body darted out. It skillfully threw a hook into the deep water and began fishing.
It was Shi Hao and Mao Qiu. Some time had passed since the Battle of the Kunpeng Nest, and he had been traveling back, though not in a rush.
Although he had been abroad for over two years, he had been focusing on cultivation and battles, without exploring the ocean thoroughly. He still found it quite novel, often admiring the scenery and exploring the ruins on various islands along the way.
Mao Qiu spent most of the time sleeping, and when awake, it was all about eating, consuming various seafood and growing even fatter. On the deck, it no longer needed to run; it simply rolled around.
“Eek eek!” Mao Qiu squealed, pulling the line back with its little paws.
“That's a huge lobster!” Shi Hao was surprised. It was a ten-meter-long lobster with a faint golden color on its head, reminiscent of a dragon.
Without hesitation, he put it into his Qiankun bag to take back to Stone Village for his people to taste. Mao Qiu was naturally displeased, protesting before resuming fishing, hoping for even greater catches.
Soon, it began to scream, abandoning the fishing line and quickly climbing to the top of the ghostly ship. It looked out into the distance, where a vast dark area indicated the presence of sea beasts.
“Hmm, could there be a dragon palace below?” The boy’s eyes sparkled.
Along their journey, they had heard many legends about powerful dragon palaces that could rival ancient divine mountains, considered taboo places, alongside places like Sea God Island.
Besides these, there were smaller dragon palaces. Though they bore the dragon name, most did not even house a flood dragon; they might be inhabited by sea beasts.
“I really want to see a dragon palace. We’re about to leave the Northern Sea, and I still don’t know what a dragon palace is like,” Shi Hao murmured.
Mao Qiu chirped in agreement, eager to see what the underwater dragon palace was like.
“Let’s go take a look. This dragon palace should be small; we can observe it secretly from a distance.”
Thus, they stowed the ghostly ship and dived into the sea, heading towards the depths of the ocean.
At first, the water was clear and blue, but it gradually became darker until it was pitch black. After descending several thousand meters, they had entered a deep-sea trench.
They followed the sea beasts deeper into an underwater abyss. After a long time in the darkness, light began to seep through.
Finally, the boy was astounded.
At the deepest part of the ocean floor, a splendid scene emerged. Rays of light burst forth, illuminating an astonishingly beautiful underwater city, which was built from crystals and pearls. It sparkled like a dream, completely dispelling the darkness.
Shi Hao was dumbfounded. The city was constructed from precious gems and rare materials, making the dragon palace underwater truly luxurious.
In the city, some of the pearls were enormous, like stars, adorning the tallest buildings and providing illumination.
“Are those pearls?” Shi Hao wondered, seeing pearls the size of millstones, shimmering silver-white and radiating fiery light.
“That one is even larger, several meters in diameter. It must have come from a giant clam,” Shi Hao said to himself.
Mao Qiu’s eyes were overwhelmed. The underwater city had many treasures that were impossible to find on land, brimming with abundant spiritual energy.
“That’s a blood pearl!” The boy’s eyes widened as he looked at a pearl on a tall building. It wasn’t very large, only the size of a washbasin, but it was blood-red and pulsating with spiritual energy.
This was no ordinary pearl but one formed from the blood, flesh, and essence of a dying old clam.
From the perspective of spiritual energy alone, it was a valuable treasure that could provide the purest divine energy directly absorbed by the body.
Moreover, its value wasn’t limited to this; it could be used in medicine. When a high-level old clam infused its essence into a pearl, it underwent miraculous changes, turning into a blood elixir.
Ancient texts recorded that such blood pearls were worth their weight in gold. Adding powdered blood pearls to medicinal concoctions could significantly enhance their efficacy, making them extremely precious.
“Sea blue marrow!”
Shi Hao soon spotted a blue crystal, used as a plaque on an ancient building, its blue light dazzling and vibrant.
“This material is rare and valuable for crafting treasure tools. It can enhance the power of magical artifacts. If taken to the mainland for trade, it would definitely attract the attention of many major powers.”
The boy’s eyes were full of excitement. Upon arriving, he had already seen several valuable materials and was thrilled.
Eventually, Shi Hao was discovered, as there were many sea creatures around, such as small fish and crabs, hiding in the mud and sand, making it hard to avoid detection.
However, they were not attacked but were instead warmly welcomed. The underwater palace was not inhabited by flood dragons but belonged to the merfolk.
A striking figure appeared, with a silver fish tail that flowed gracefully. The upper half was human, with ivory-white skin, a chest covered by shells, and soft, shiny blue hair.
She led a group of merfolk and welcomed Shi Hao warmly, guiding him into the glowing city.
“Thank you for saving me that day,” the mermaid said.
During the battle at the Kunpeng Nest, the descendant of the Sea God, Mo Shang, had fought fiercely and killed her people. The girl had fought with a magic staff but was ultimately defeated.
Shi Hao had stepped in to deal with Mo Shang, allowing the girl to escape a dire situation.
He and the Sea God’s descendant were enemies, and his actions at that time had been merely opportunistic. He hadn’t expected to encounter her here and receive such a warm reception.
Shi Hao, with Mao Qiu, explored the city, marveling at the vast array of treasures, all unique to the ocean, and rare on land.
“Is there anything I can help with?” the mermaid girl asked.
“I want to return to the mainland. Do you have a teleportation array here?” Shi Hao asked. Leaving the Northern Sea wasn’t difficult, but getting back to Stone Village from the Great Wilderness would be a tremendous journey, potentially over a hundred thousand miles.
“Yes,” the mermaid girl nodded with a smile. She then noticed the boy’s intense gaze at the treasures, realizing he was drooling over them.
“I’ll give you some,” she offered with a smile.
“Really?” Shi Hao’s eyes sparkled, and he immediately beamed with joy.
In the end, he received a bundle of materials, including blood pearls, sea blue stones, and flood dragon pills, all top-tier underwater treasures and rare on land.
Over the next two days, Shi Hao lingered in the city, exploring every corner and marveling at it. It felt like a fairy-tale world, with all buildings glowing and crystal-like, with pearls being the most common stones.
At the center of the city stood an altar. The mermaid girl invited the elders of her clan to activate the teleportation array, which emitted a hazy light, revealing a passageway.
Shi Hao did not disclose the location of Stone Village but only mentioned the western border of the Stone Kingdom.
With a flash of light, he stepped into the passage, which then closed behind him. He and Mao Qiu began their journey home, leaving the Northern Sea for good.
Otherwise, if he traveled alone, who knew how many months or even years it would take to return to Stone Village.
He emerged in an ancient forest, within the western border of the Stone Kingdom. A month later, after traversing 300,000 miles of primordial mountain ranges, he finally returned to Stone Village, where he saw a green mist enveloping the sky from afar.
“That’s the Willow Goddess.”
The willow tree had grown taller. The once half-charred trunk had been rejuvenated; most of the old black bark had shed, revealing vibrant new life, with only a few patches of the dragon-scale-like black skin remaining.
The tree now had green silk-like tendrils hanging down, each one glistening like a brilliant waterfall. The Willow Goddess had fifty branches now, extending from high in the air down to the ground, surrounded by a shimmering green aura and auspicious energy.
This transformation was both unique and significant, clearly making the Willow Goddess even more powerful.
“Little one, no, Shi Hao is back!” someone shouted as they noticed him.
After being away for over two years, the villagers had been quite worried, but having experienced his previous departure, their anxiety was somewhat mitigated.
Now that Shi Hao had returned, a crowd rushed to him, enveloping him in a warm welcome.
Even the Willow Goddess awakened and communicated with him telepathically.
“Willow Goddess, I’ve obtained the flawless Kunpeng treasure art. I’ll tell you about it later,” the boy said happily.
Of course, this was a secret, conveyed through private communication. The Willow Goddess had warned him that if he were to obtain the treasure art, he must not reveal it, or it would bring great danger.
“Good,” the Willow Goddess responded, clearly shocked. She hadn’t expected him to succeed. Even someone as powerful as the Willow Goddess was eager to obtain the Kunpeng treasure art.
Then, as if recalling something, the Willow Goddess said, “I’m afraid you’ll need to leave again soon.”
“Why?” Shi Hao was puzzled. He had just returned to the village, filled with joy and happiness, bringing back many oceanic specialties, especially food, enough to form a small mountain. He intended to celebrate with his people.
“Your grandfather has appeared,” the Willow Goddess informed.
“What?” Shi Hao was stunned, his body trembling uncontrollably.
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