The capital city was vast and grand, with crisscrossing streets. Each main road was paved with bluestone, wide enough for several bronze beast carriages to travel side by side without issue.
On the streets, ferocious beasts roared from time to time, pulling the carriages with thunderous rumbles, exuding an imposing air.
People were long used to such sights. When a prince or noble descendant went out, it was always with beasts leading the way, luxurious carriages gleaming, and radiating splendor.
These displays often became the subject of conversation, with people discussing which family's bronze carriage was the most magnificent, or which beast was the most fearsome, during their idle chats.
Of course, wealthy merchants and well-off families could also own bronze carriages, but they generally couldn't afford ferocious beasts, relying instead on ordinary livestock to pull their vehicles.
Today, the streets were especially lively, as war chariots rolled by one after another. The beasts pulling them were exceptionally large, exuding a terrifying and menacing aura.
Pedestrians hurriedly avoided them, not daring to provoke the occupants, knowing they were nobles.
One particular street was the most bustling. Bronze carriages, and even golden war chariots, charged forward, with fierce beasts roaring, their scales gleaming as they all headed in the same direction.
"What’s going on? Why are there so many carriages? They seem to belong to the noble families. Could something major be happening? This is too concentrated—what are they up to?"
"You don’t know? The geniuses from all the noble houses have returned one after another to celebrate the emperor’s birthday. They're gathering for a little get-together first."
"These geniuses have been away from the capital for years. Some are close friends, while others are naturally sociable. After so long apart, of course, they need to reunite."
"It’s not just that. Some families and their geniuses don’t get along, so such gatherings are bound to involve comparisons, even direct confrontations. It’s going to be lively."
Many people looked on with envy as the chariots rumbled by, radiating brilliance, inscribed with dense runes, resembling torrents of power.
"What an extravagant display." Shi Hao was also on his way, heading to the gathering. Along the way, he saw many bronze carriages speeding by, stirring up fierce winds with flashing runes, all exuding incredible strength.
Most of these were descendants of princes, nobles, or geniuses from aristocratic families. There were even princes and princesses among them, all with a commanding presence.
In comparison, guests like Shi Hao, who traveled on foot, were rare but not entirely absent. He stood out a bit, but since he was still on the road, no one knew he was also heading to the gathering.
Qinglin Garden, located in the northwest corner of the capital, occupied a vast area. In addition to its grand palaces and towering halls, it also boasted expansive gardens full of vitality, lush with greenery.
Having such a large garden in this bustling capital was no small feat, given the sky-high land prices. Not only did it have ancient trees and gardens, but also lakes and even a few mountain peaks.
It was considered one of the best scenic spots in the capital, and large gatherings were often held here.
At that moment, outside the grand stone gates of Qinglin Garden, a steady stream of guests was arriving. The bronze carriages further highlighted their owners’ status.
Shi Hao complained inwardly that the distance was too far. The capital was simply too large. He had left the inn without using any special techniques or activating bone inscriptions, which had delayed him considerably.
Even so, he hadn't yet arrived and still had some distance to go.
"Rumble, rumble—"
The war chariots roared, pulled by six ferocious beasts. These were all powerful descendants of ancient species, tall, muscular, and fierce, their scales shimmering as they crushed the ground beneath them.
Almost at the same time, another silver chariot rushed forward to match pace, with the roars of the beasts shaking the heavens.
"Hmph."
A cold snort rang out as the two chariots veered toward each other and collided in a terrifying crash. With a loud explosion, runes flared up, light flashing as if thunder had struck.
The silver chariot was dented, its shafts damaged, and the runes shattered, causing it to veer off to the side.
Meanwhile, the bronze chariot remained unscathed, with brilliant rays flashing before slowly dimming. As it continued forward, a voice came from it: "The chariot from the Marquis of Ziwei’s house is no good—it needs major repairs."
"Don’t get cocky. We’ll meet in Qinglin Garden soon enough," came a cold voice from the silver chariot.
Clearly, there was enmity between them. They had just engaged in a fierce competition, clashing head-on. Such incidents were common. Many who came to the gathering today were not on good terms, and there was competition among them.
And this was hardly the worst of it. In the distance, a few chariots returned with large patches of blood on the ground—there had been deadly battles earlier.
Shi Hao was quite surprised and asked a passerby, "Do they act with such blatant disregard? No one manages this?"
The passerby shook his head, glancing at him. "You must be new to the capital. How could you not know? These people are either noble descendants or young powerhouses, all of them unruly and defiant. Who dares to challenge them? It’s common for things like this to happen—no one bothers to stop it."
The Stone Kingdom had always been a martial state, with a tradition of rugged strength. In fact, the princes and nobles encouraged their descendants to be strong-willed. Even the emperor himself had said similar things, expressing that he didn’t want his children and grandchildren to be weak.
Especially at a gathering like this, where competition and rivalry were the norm, even if bloodshed occurred, no one would investigate too deeply—it had long become a custom.
"I like it," Shi Hao nodded. Having grown up in the Great Wilderness, he was used to freedom. What he feared most was being bound by rigid rules and protocols.
Now it seemed that this gathering would be quite enjoyable—unrestrained and rough. Any grievances could be settled face-to-face.
"Hey, young man, where are you headed? Don’t go the wrong way—that road leads to Qinglin Garden," someone warned him.
That road was dangerous today, with hardly any pedestrians. Only geniuses and noble descendants traveled there. Walking on that path might get you trampled, as the carriages sped by, often side by side, with iron armor clattering and cold gleams flashing—quite intimidating.
"I’m going to the gathering," Shi Hao replied.
The people at the crossroads were stunned. No carriage? Wasn’t he just asking to be laughed at? These geniuses cared most about appearances.
Sure enough, as several chariots passed by, some people noticed him, showing looks of surprise. Guests arriving on foot weren’t unheard of, but they were certainly rare.
"Sister, look, another person trying to stand out. Does he think he’s the Little Marquis of Lingbo? That guy is truly powerful and unparalleled. He’s always been like that, never riding in a chariot. But this one is just imitating."
As a silver chariot passed by, a young girl’s voice rang out. The curtain lifted, revealing two beautiful faces, whispering in soft discussion.
Shi Hao felt annoyed. Being modest was not an option here, it seemed.
As more chariots passed by, the people inside cast strange glances at him, making him quite uncomfortable. He realized he had made a mistake and was quickly becoming the subject of gossip.
"Hehe," a soft laugh rang out, charming and alluring. A radiant carriage approached, pulled by auspicious beasts, surrounded by mist, giving it an ethereal and powerful appearance.
"Are you trying to stand out to catch a lady’s attention by walking like this? You’re a bit late to the trend. People were doing that a long time ago," a young girl said with a pout. It was none other than the little fox.
The carriage stopped, and the young woman of the Heavenly Fox Clan poked her head out. Her snow-white face was so beautiful it was breathtaking. Her large, watery eyes sparkled as she said, "Come on, let big sister give you a ride."
"Forget it, I’ll walk by myself," Shi Hao quickly declined. Instinctively, he knew this young girl from the Heavenly Fox Clan was extremely dangerous, exceedingly powerful. Although she possessed an allure that could enchant the world, she was not someone to trifle with.
"Miss, you have no idea how wicked he is. When I mentioned selling him a pure and holy fairy, he even asked for a buy-one-get-one deal, wanting you thrown in as well," the little fox nearby tattled.
"Well then, when we get to Qinglin Garden, tell that pure fairy that people don't even want to buy her alone," the Heavenly Fox girl said with a sweet smile.
Shi Hao was starting to get a headache. He felt increasingly that this fox spirit was trouble. If he stayed too close, she'd definitely use him against that fairy. It was best to avoid her.
"If you don't want a ride, we're leaving," the fox spirit laughed, her delicate white figure swaying enchantingly.
The carriage moved off into the distance. Shi Hao rubbed his nose, thinking this woman was indeed trouble. He really didn't want to get dragged into her schemes, or worse, be implicated in some fiasco.
"Move aside!"
A voice suddenly shouted from behind. The sound of hooves thundered, and a war chariot pulled by eight fierce beasts came charging in violently, their vicious energy overwhelming.
Shi Hao felt exasperated. He had already stepped to the side of the road, not blocking the way at all, yet they still yelled at him. This was simply too domineering.
He retreated even further, unwilling to cause trouble, but the chariot still charged towards him, skimming the edge of the road. This was a blatant attempt to collide with him.
Shi Hao backed up once more, but one of the beasts roared, raising its massive hoof the size of a face, and stamped directly towards his head. The cold, ruthless energy surged forward.
Shi Hao was immediately enraged. This was simply too much. He had retreated repeatedly, but the other party still unleashed their beasts upon him. That hoof, the size of a large faceplate, was aiming directly for his head, full of ferocity.
This was sheer brutality. If that hoof landed, it would certainly cripple him. Their arrogance had reached an outrageous level.
"Are you guys insane?" Shi Hao shouted. He leaped into the air, dodging the attack, and landed a distance away.
The chariot screeched to a halt, stopping abruptly. The driver glanced at him sideways and shouted, "My master wants to know why that carriage stopped earlier. What did the Heavenly Fox maiden say to you?"
"What does that have to do with your master?" Shi Hao replied coldly, giving no face at all. There was no need for pleasantries.
"How dare you! Do you know who you're speaking to?" the driver yelled.
Shi Hao could already tell. The master of the chariot clearly had a thing for the Heavenly Fox girl. Either he wanted to court her, or he had some other interest. Shi Hao shook his head. That fox spirit was indeed trouble—just talking to her had already caused him this much hassle.
"Did you hear me? I’m asking you a question!" The driver’s shout didn’t cow Shi Hao. The person inside the chariot finally spoke.
There were several people inside, all around the same age as Shi Hao, clearly from noble families, judging by their tone and manner.
"Are you guys sick? You need treatment," Shi Hao said bluntly, staring straight ahead.
"You're courting death!" The driver raised his whip and lashed out fiercely. He was indeed powerful, with a string of runes trailing behind the whip as it flew towards Shi Hao’s face.
But Shi Hao was no pushover. A wild and reckless kid, he had never been afraid of anyone. He leapt up, shattering the whip with a single kick. His foot then landed squarely on the driver's face, sending him flying dozens of feet through the air, his teeth spraying out of his mouth, screaming in agony.
If Shi Hao hadn’t held back, the driver’s head would have exploded. Even so, his cheekbones cracked, and the pain left him crying on the ground, rolling around.
"You’re dead for this! How dare you touch my man!" A young noble leapt out of the chariot, roaring.
"Let me help you with that," Shi Hao said, stepping forward aggressively. His right hand turned black, a shadow of a mysterious turtle appearing. With a loud boom, he crushed the young noble underfoot and then flung him to the ground.
"You—!" Several more youths jumped out of the chariot, fuming with rage, but they were immediately struck by purple lightning. Their bodies jerked, black smoke rising from them as they fell.
Shi Hao kicked each of them off the chariot one by one and said, "I’m commandeering this vehicle."
With that, he drove the chariot off into the distance.
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