Chapter 296: Esc

The powerful pure-blooded creature was taken away, leaving everyone stunned and silent. This was indeed a terrifying event.

Even the Chishen Dragon was in shock. Although it had long anticipated the youth's strength, it had not expected him to be this powerful and sinister. The youth had subdued the demon spider effortlessly.

"Let me go," the demon spider struggled, trying to escape. However, the ceramic bowl was special, endowed with powerful runic magic. It did not seal the bowl's mouth, but the runes coiled around it and autonomously suppressed the spider.

The demon spider was firmly stuck to the bottom of the bowl and could not escape. Even a slight push from Shi Hao would unleash a terrifying force to refine it.

"You think you can just come to the imperial capital and stir trouble with a tiny spider? If not to suppress you, then who?" Shi Hao said, holding the small bowl and inspecting it closely.

He treated the pure-blooded creature as if it were an ordinary spider, saying, "It’s not enough to guard the village, the alchemical fire isn’t ready yet. It’s just a young spider and needs some time to grow."

Everyone was dumbfounded. Who was this person? Treating a pure-blooded creature as if it were a pet was astonishing—this was more like raising a pig and waiting to slaughter it when it was fattened.

At that moment, even Princess Sixteen, the elder sisters of the Lei Clan, and the pearls of the imperial capital were shocked. This was simply astounding.

"Who are you?" A descendant of a noble family asked. With such a powerful figure appearing, they were unaware of his identity and felt somewhat out of the loop.

"I’m just passing through," Shi Hao said with a smile, offering no further explanation.

"Brother, you’ve done a great job. I’m very grateful that you’ve subdued this spider," said a drunkard from the Martial King’s residence, who was now fully sober due to the gravity of the situation.

Meanwhile, a few young men looked very displeased. They were strong figures who had accompanied the demon spider, including people from the Martial King’s residence and other creatures.

"Can this Daoist brother spare a moment to talk?" a young man spoke up.

"Say what you need to," Shi Hao replied calmly.

"Do you know that this demon spider's identity is quite significant? It might not be wise to treat it this way. I hope you will be merciful and let it go," the young man said.

"What’s wrong? Just because it comes from the Demon Spirit Lake, should it be allowed to act recklessly? This is the imperial capital of the Shi Kingdom, not the Demon Spirit Lake," Shi Hao’s expression turned serious, and his voice grew louder as he scolded, "You are a member of the Martial King’s residence, not a servant of this spider. You are surnamed Shi, not Zhu. Do you know what you’re doing? Step aside quickly!"

The young man was scolded until he was red-faced and nearly furious, but he did not dare to lash out because the youth was too formidable. He muttered, "You’re making a big mistake. No one will save you."

Shi Hao looked at him with disdain and said, "Fool, don’t you understand? With such an incident, you, as a member of the Martial King’s residence, are involved. This is truly foolish. You are bringing shame to the entire residence and provoking public ire."

The few young men were speechless, their faces flushed red with anger. They were from the Shi family’s faction and had recently allied with people from the Demon Spirit Lake, so they were naturally enraged.

"Get lost," Shi Hao roared. Just this single word shook the Qinglin Garden like thunder, and the nearby Bi Lake churned with waves soaring to the sky.

Everyone was astonished. This youth was so forceful—pointing out the world, subduing the ancient demon spider’s descendants, scolding the noble descendants. He was fearless, truly like a youthful supreme.

"You traitors, get out and bring shame to your families!" The drunkard and other members of the Martial King’s residence roared, already displeased with the people opposite.

"Alright, alright, alright, just you wait," the few young men, enraged and embarrassed, turned and left, casting a fierce glance at Shi Hao.

Shi Hao sneered, flicked his sleeve, and a gust of wind swept the group away. There was a splash as they all fell into the lake, drenched like drowned chickens.

"Get lost quickly. If I see you acting as lackeys or servants of the demon spider again, I’ll cut you down next time." His voice was cold, chilling to the bone.

"Understood."

At this moment, not only the drunkard and his group but many noble descendants were also cheering. Shi Kingdom was founded on martial prowess, and as the direct descendants of the nobility, many were filled with fighting spirit.

Recently, some powerful pure-blooded creatures had entered the imperial capital under the guise of celebrating the Emperor's birthday. This had caused some weak-willed nobles to flatter and ingratiate themselves, which annoyed many strong-willed nobles.

Today, Shi Hao’s forcefulness had naturally stirred the fighting spirit within many, evoking a passionate response.

"Hehe," the Heavenly Fox Fairy smiled brightly, her graceful figure swaying as she walked. Her ivory-like body was exquisitely shaped, and her dress could hardly conceal her curves. Her black hair flowed freely, and her fair, charming face was full of allure, with large, sparkling eyes.

Such a stunning girl made people unconsciously make way for her. The sorceress said, "This demon spider in your hands is a source of trouble. Give it to me."

Everyone was stunned. She actually wanted to take this pure-blooded creature. Was she going to share the burden of trouble for this youth? What was their relationship?

Shi Hao’s response was unexpected. He directly shook his head and refused, saying, "No, this is one of the Five Poisons of Antiquity. To refine a divine medicine, it’s a crucial ingredient."

"Don’t you know? If you don’t hand it over, you might face great trouble soon," the Heavenly Fox Fairy said.

"Does giving it to you mean no trouble? Someone will come seeking revenge. This is a crucial ingredient for a divine medicine. If you want it, trade it for something valuable."

This was meant to be a gathering of talented individuals, but it had evolved into this. Many people’s attention was focused on Shi Hao. His appearance was beyond everyone’s expectations.

Before long, Duke Huitian approached and clinked glasses with Shi Hao, laughing heartily and saying that heroes emerge young, which made him admire Shi Hao.

Duke Huitian was a powerful noble, having been conferred titles for several years. Yet, he was only twenty-five, the youngest regional official of the Shi Kingdom, renowned and formidable.

He left with a beautiful woman, carefree and content, and merely informed Shi Hao that he could find him if he went to the frontier.

Soon, other famous noble descendants came forward to make friends with Shi Hao and clink glasses with him. Regardless of whether he could pass this test, his strength was worth befriending.

To Shi Hao’s surprise, there were more pure-blooded creatures than he had imagined. Besides the Chishen Dragon, he also saw Bifang and Zhu Qian, opponents he had encountered on Hundred Cut Mountain, now in human form.

In addition to these beings, there should be other guests from the divine mountains, as he saw the purple-clad girl Yunxi. She glanced at him briefly and did not approach but was conversing with several powerful beings.

"It’s really lively. I wonder if any esteemed figures will make an appearance. It seems the Wild Lands are really going to be chaotic. These divine mountain representatives should also be gathering information," Shi Hao muttered to himself.

"You’re quite interesting, so powerful yet never heard of before. Could you also be from beyond the domains?" The elder sisters of the Lei Clan approached, smiling and raising their cups to him, with red lips leaving a bright mark on the jade cup.

Gu Linglong was also nearby, looking uneasy. Not long ago, she had wanted to suppress Shi Hao, but a series of events had made her very awkward. As for her brother, he had long since kept his distance, filled with lingering fear.

"I've heard you have a younger sister," Shi Hao asked casually, as he had some vague memories.

"What do you want to do?" The elder sisters of the Lei Clan were extremely cautious. Her sister was the pride of the family, having truly entered the ancient divine mountain sect with radiant glory.

Moreover, the Lei Clan’s second eldest sister held the title of the most beautiful woman in the imperial capital, surpassing all other pearls. Many had their eyes on her.

"Nothing much, just asking," Shi Hao replied.

Nearby, Gu Linglong and others finally relaxed, laughing quietly and showing an understanding look, while the elder sisters of the Lei Clan frowned and glanced at him sideways.

At that moment, a commotion arose in the distance. Fierce beasts roared, and war chariots rumbled, descending from the sky.

"They're here. That’s the noble’s war chariot."

"That’s Shi Ziting."

People exclaimed in surprise, and Qinglin Garden erupted in excitement. Even though they had anticipated this, seeing the powerful figure in person still shocked everyone, clearly signaling that an inquiry for justice was about to begin.

The war chariots came to a halt, and several people disembarked, stepping onto the fragrant grass with solemn expressions.

Shi Ziting was considered a legendary figure. He had joined the Demon Spirit Lake and had always been mysterious, known to few. His presence confirmed many rumors.

Over the years, though he had kept a low profile, anyone who provoked him had never survived. Even those surrounded by glory who had dared to challenge him had ended up dead.

Now that he had personally arrived, it was sure to be a significant event.

Shi Ziting’s hair shone, and his skin was as white as jade, exuding an aura of composure. His eyes were calm, and he appeared to be in his late twenties. He did not show any anger, walking step by step with his footsteps in sync with the rhythm of the world.

At that moment, all sounds ceased, and the place fell silent. He seemed to merge with the natural world, exuding a terrifying Daoist aura.

Everyone felt their hearts tremble.

"You have subdued the disciples of the Demon Spirit Lake," Shi Ziting said.

Behind him, several people ranged from their twenties to forties, all impressive, radiating strong auras and sharp, intimidating gazes, watching intently.

Shi Hao looked up and faced him. According to blood relations, he should address this person as "uncle," but there was no sense of familial affection. Instead, he felt a coldness in his heart.

"Yes, it’s me," Shi Hao responded calmly, holding a small bowl in his hand. It seemed ordinary, but inside, radiant clouds shimmered, and a green spider lay motionless at the bottom of the bowl.

Everyone looked on, sensing that a storm was about to hit.

"Release him," Shi Ziting said, still calm. Though he was standing there, he seemed ethereal, as if he had merged with the natural world.

"No," Shi Hao replied. This was not the first time he had seen Shi Ziting, but it was the first time he would confront him.