In the imperial capital of the Stone Kingdom, an astonishing piece of news spread rapidly, creating a tremendous uproar. Shi Yi had returned, emerging from seclusion at the ancient holy institute of the Patching Heaven Pavilion.
The entire nation was in turmoil, and the people of the capital were restless. The return of the one with the double pupils was sudden and unexpected, signaling that he had achieved a perfect completion of his endeavors. The anticipation for his future accomplishments was immense.
"My dear younger brother, I have returned. Where are you?"
On that very day, Shi Yi's voice echoed through the capital, causing a massive stir. Everyone understood that this was likely a response to Shi Hao's challenge.
The emergence of the one with the double pupils meant a showdown with another young supreme. This news spread like wildfire across the Stone Kingdom, reaching every major city.
The news surged like a tide, quickly spreading to the surrounding ancient nations and beyond, reaching the vast wilderness.
The name of the one with the double pupils shook the world. His exceptional talent was already known to all, rumored to be the reincarnation of an ancient divine being. Few could match his prowess.
Shi Hao's name also needed no introduction—his record-breaking achievements in the Illusory God Realm, the battle in the Northern Sea, and the slaying of a revered elder in the capital had all cemented his legendary status.
The impending battle between these two young supremes ignited widespread debate and excitement, creating a heated buzz.
Amidst the commotion, people couldn't help but marvel.
Two supreme figures from the same lineage were actually brothers.
But alas, everyone sighed in lament.
The Stone Clan, favored by the heavens, was envied and admired by many. Yet, such a problem had arisen, perhaps a sign that the zenith would soon decline, even the heavens seemed unable to tolerate it.
In the Fire Nation, at the ancestral land.
A group of fish swam through the magma, agile and swift. They moved through the red liquid like a scattering of gold, radiating a subtle glow.
These were fish with a golden hue, thriving in the intense heat. They wiggled their heads and tails with a powerful life force, exuding an aura of vitality.
"What kind of fish are these?" Several young men stared in astonishment. Even as descendants of Fire Nation royalty, they had never heard of such fish existing in their ancestral land.
It was not uncommon to find ferocious beasts hidden in volcanoes, but discovering an entire species of fish living in magma was a complete upheaval of their understanding.
"Shh."
Shi Hao made a silencing gesture and led them to retreat behind a boulder by the lake, fearing the fish might be disturbed. His eyes were fervent as he observed the fish. He was excited and overjoyed to see these legendary creatures appearing here.
"There are about forty to fifty of them."
Shi Hao counted. It wasn't a huge number, but considering their rarity, it was quite significant. The challenge now was to catch them.
The fish moved with astonishing speed and had a large appetite. They had traveled from the depths of the lake, consuming most of the crystalline bone marrow particles along their path.
The bone marrow of the beasts, whether wild bulls or silver lions, was enormous, containing abundant vital energy, but it was almost consumed by the fish.
These fish were not large, measuring only finger length, with the largest being half a foot long. Their golden bodies sparkled with spirituality, like lightning dancing.
He took out the Sky Transforming Bowl, preparing to use it, but the fish were highly alert and sensitive, retreating from the shore as soon as they sensed him from a distance.
The leading fish, about half a foot long, opened their mouths and created a remarkable disturbance. They stirred up several whirlpools, causing the magma lake to surge, drawing the fragrant bait from the shore.
"These fish are less than the size of a palm, yet they possess such divine powers." The big-eyed girl was amazed but quickly accepted the situation. Fish living in magma must indeed be extraordinary.
Shi Hao waited, hoping they would come closer so he could catch them all in one sweep.
Suddenly, several figures appeared on the lake shore. Someone exclaimed, "Could these be the legendary Yang Fish?"
Shi Hao realized it was bad. He couldn't afford any more delays, so he activated the Sky Transforming Bowl, sending it towards the magma lake to capture all the fish.
The magma bubbled, red liquid surged, continually pouring into the bowl. The fish panicked and quickly leaped out, scattering in all directions.
Shi Hao was astonished. The fish were indeed extraordinary, slipping through the magma with ease, their bodies covered in glowing runes, capable of penetrating barriers. They could easily escape if he wasn't careful.
"Rise!"
The Sky Transforming Bowl was no ordinary artifact. With a soft command from Shi Hao, the bowl radiated auspicious light, threads of it merging into the scorching magma, anchoring the fish in place.
Some of the Yang Fish, about the size of fingers, had already left the lake surface and were being drawn into the bowl.
Shi Hao was dismayed. It took considerable effort to catch only a dozen or so finger-sized fish. The truly skillful ones were already in the bowl.
The remaining fish were trapped in the magma lake, struggling to move. They were also on the verge of being captured.
"Young man, just leave them alone," a voice called from the shore. A few strangers had intervened, one of whom threw a large flag into the lake. With a loud boom, it created a massive wave.
Shi Hao's expression darkened. At a crucial moment, these people had disturbed him, causing the Sky Transforming Bowl to shake, and the Yang Fish began to escape.
More than one person acted; others also took action, with some using blue gourds to compete for the Yang Fish, and others wielding spears to directly attack him and interfere with his efforts.
The auspicious light flared, the Sky Transforming Bowl rose and fell, appearing and disappearing in the magma, capturing a few large fish. However, all other Yang Fish fled, none remaining.
The ceramic bowl spun quickly and returned to Shi Hao's palm, having captured only eighteen Yang Fish, fewer than expected.
As for the others, none had caught a single fish. Their faces were grim as they stared at Shi Hao, eyeing the small, dull bowl in his hand.
"Young man, leave the ceramic bowl and leave quickly," one of them said.
Shi Hao's expression was cold, his anger rising. These people had disturbed the fish and interfered with his catch, and now they wanted to seize it by force.
"Shameless, all of you can die," was his decision.
These people were not weak, ranging in age from their twenties to forties, and came from an external sect with broad experience, thus able to immediately recognize the Yang Fish.
"Young man, we do not wish to conflict, but these fish are of great use to us. Will you part with them? We can offer some compensation, perhaps in exchange for this treasure." One of them spoke, his tone revealing apprehension as he feared encountering a tough opponent.
"Since you can name the Yang Fish, you should know its value. How dare you offer a broken artifact in exchange? Get lost!" Shi Hao glared.
"You speak too harshly. We are trying to make a fair exchange, yet you show such attitude. Since that's the case, we don't mind having a few exchanges with you," a middle-aged man said with a grim expression.
"Whoosh."
One of them directly took out the large flag and suppressed Shi Hao. The flag fluttered, making a deafening noise and emitting a terrifying wave of runes.
Shi Hao's face turned icy. Determined not to let a single fish escape, he quickly merged with his Immortal Golden Body and charged forward. These individuals were disciples from an external sect and were formidable opponents.
However, after the battle commenced, the few people were astonished. Such a talent existed in the Wilderness Region—a teenager in his teens, and yet he was stronger than they were.
"Crack."
After several dozen exchanges, the cultivator wielding the large flag, whose imposing wind and aura were overwhelming, was struck in the chest, breaking his sternum and causing him to spew blood. The flag in his hand was shattered into pieces by Shi Hao’s palm.
The others turned ashen. After a few more exchanges, they were all defeated by Shi Hao, their bodies shattered from his bare-handed strikes.
“What is the use of these Yang Fish?” The few young men, shaken by Shi Hao's prowess, gathered around once things settled down.
Shi Hao was meticulously refining the Sky Transforming Bowl, carefully activating his own Tao fire, and he dared not be the slightest bit careless.
“Legend has it that this is a variant of the Fire Flame Fish, said to be able to live in the sun and known as the Yang Fish. It possesses divine powers,” Shi Hao explained.
Moreover, he knew that, due to the extraordinary nature of the Fire Domain, even ordinary beings born here would carry divine essence. Yang Fish were even more astonishing.
“So small, how much divine substance can it have?” The big-eyed girl sneered.
“It's not that small. This is the nature of the species. If they were to grow over a meter long, it would be quite astonishing. In a few hundred years, they might even become divine,” Shi Hao said.
“What? That impressive?” The others were alarmed.
Eventually, refining a dozen Yang Fish yielded a drop of golden liquid. Despite their small size, this amount of divine substance was equivalent to that from a wild bull or a silver lion, which was astounding.
Just imagining the effect of capturing a large school of these fish thrilled and excited Shi Hao.
Indeed, these were rare beings, gathering the essence of heaven and earth, capable of producing remarkable divine substances. Their value was immeasurable.
Over the next few days, Shi Hao took action again, procuring fragrant bait and choosing a larger lake to catch nearly a hundred Yang Fish at once.
After refining several drops of golden liquid, he swallowed one and immediately went into seclusion. His body rumbled, runes densely covered his form, and his spiritual sense became clear and bright. During this time, he deeply comprehended the law and the way, gaining significant insights.
Several days later, Shi Hao emerged, full of vitality and spirit. The results were gratifying, surpassing his expectations. He felt that if he continued capturing Yang Fish, he would soon break through to the mid-stage of the Inscription Realm.
At this time, some events were unfolding in the Fire Domain. Some people in black clothing appeared, searching various places, and rumors circulated that Princess Fire Ling’er had also arrived.
Two days later, a man in black found Shi Hao and his group, looking uncertain as he observed them.
“You’ve been tracking me for a long time. Is there something you need?” Shi Hao asked.
“I am a general under Princess Fire Ling’er.”
“Where is she? Take me to her,” Shi Hao interrupted directly.
Soon, Shi Hao met Fire Ling’er and learned a very important piece of news: Shi Yi had returned.
Fire Ling’er was tall and elegant, her dress flowing, her slender waist and long, straight legs making her a stunning figure. Standing there, she was breathtaking, with bright eyes and white teeth, radiating an aura of an enchanting fairy amidst flames, possessing remarkable charm.
“Shi Yi is very strong. Even one of my old servants, observing from a great distance, felt a shiver in his heart,” Fire Ling’er said.
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