Chapter 354: The Four Strikes of the Ancient Vermilion Bird

The sound of the chant was distant and ethereal, as if it came from beyond the nine heavens. The further they advanced, the more grand and deafening it became. Eventually, it felt as if there were enormous crimson bells booming all around them, with the mysteries of the heavens flowing and endless symbols flickering.

In the vast hall, such a phenomenon was naturally awe-inspiring.

Shi Hao and Huo Ling’er moved forward. The crimson bell appeared faintly, and the recitation became clearer, as if it was right next to their ears.

Eventually, they arrived at a place where a towering Dao platform made of red rock stood ahead. On it lay an ancient scripture exuding an archaic Daoist aura.

“What’s this?” Even Shi Hao’s mind was shaken. How could it be so straightforward to find a scripture right upon arrival?

He had expected the journey ahead to be filled with dangers and numerous challenges before achieving anything, but instead, they had directly encountered a scripture on the Dao platform in front of them.

The crimson bell continued to rumble, and the runes flickered, suspended over the Dao platform and enveloping the ancient scripture, creating a melodious sound.

The hall was incredibly vast, and seeing such a Dao platform with an ancient scripture guarded by a great bell naturally unsettled one's mind.

“Is this the ancient scripture of the Saint Emperor?” Huo Ling’er asked excitedly, her beautiful and flawless face filled with longing.

The Dao platform was red with fading runes, and the scripture on it flowed with various ancient symbols, exuding a pervasive Daoist aura. It was clear that it was not an ordinary object.

However, as soon as Shi Hao approached, he was met with a tremendous force that pushed him away, preventing him from getting closer.

“I’ve heard that this scripture is very special and cannot be forcibly opened. One must sit here and listen, and how much one can comprehend depends on personal luck,” Huo Ling’er said.

Shi Hao sighed, realizing that this was likely a sacred object of the Fire Clan, and he probably didn’t have the right fortune to access it.

Huo Ling’er moved forward but was also stopped by an inexplicable force. However, she quickly sat down and began to harmonize with the recitation.

Her pure white body glowed, and the scriptures and Dao sounds of her clan resonated on her surface, manifesting numerous crimson symbols and releasing a mysterious aura.

“It works. You should give it a try too,” Huo Ling’er said, glancing back and indicating to him.

Shi Hao, upon hearing this, sat down, closed his eyes, and silently attuned himself to the scripture on the red Dao platform, hoping to align his pulse with it and comprehend the true meaning of the Dao.

Unfortunately, all he could hear was the grand recitation, but he couldn’t distinguish what it was, as it was overshadowed by the rumbling of the great bell.

After sitting for half an hour, Shi Hao had not gained anything and saw that Huo Ling’er had already entered a meditative state, her demeanor solemn and serene, like a goddess, surrounded by a hazy light.

He stood up and walked around the Dao platform, carefully observing the ancient scripture. Did it require the Fire Clan’s inheritance to comprehend?

This was indeed a challenge for him. The scripture was clearly meant for those with the Vermilion Bird bloodline, and as an outsider, it seemed impossible for him to gain anything, which made Shi Hao sigh.

Three days later, Huo Ling’er opened her eyes, her spirit revitalized, with countless crimson symbols appearing all over her body from the listening of the ancient scripture.

“It is just as Father said. The true meaning that each person hears here is different. This is an astonishing ancient scripture authored by the Saint Emperor,” she said joyfully.

Her father had once comprehended the Dao here, which laid the most solid foundation for his later rise to greatness.

“Did you gain nothing?” Huo Ling’er asked.

Shi Hao shook his head and smiled, “Can you teach me some of the Fire Clan’s runes? They don’t need to be profound, just something that has been passed down in the world.”

“You’re quite thick-skinned,” Huo Ling’er replied, knowing that Shi Hao also wanted to gain insights here. However, the true Fire Clan’s mysteries could not be divulged, even though they had a good relationship.

She thought for a moment and then passed down a set of basic runes, which were not considered secret and were also known outside.

“Thank you,” Shi Hao said with joy, immediately sitting down to begin reciting the scripture and attuning himself to the scroll on the Dao platform.

In terms of cultivation, he truly had extraordinary talent. Even new methods became instinctive in his hands, and he quickly mastered them.

In an instant, flames burst forth from his body, with crimson runes covering him, and Shi Hao felt a grand voice resonating.

It was an ancient Dao, but with a hidden majesty and the aura of an emperor, as if a Saint Emperor was seated on the Dao platform, explaining the mysteries of heaven and earth.

Shi Hao had gained some methods, but they were not what he sought. He needed divine abilities and longed for the Vermilion Bird’s treasures, not the Saint Emperor’s inheritance.

In a moment, Huo Ling’er’s mouth formed an “o” shape, astonished by how impressive Shi Hao was to be able to comprehend with just the Fire Clan’s runes.

Shi Hao continued his Dao comprehension, and now what he heard was different—more complex and profound. Most importantly, he could see some phenomena.

Ahead, a vague figure appeared on the Dao platform, shrouded by the crimson bell, with some indistinct characters around it. Upon closer inspection, some were visible.

Shi Hao was astonished and carefully recognized the various hints such as Dharma manifestations, runes, and Vermilion Bird true fire, seemingly waiting to be chosen.

Each was incredibly tempting. Shi Hao examined them closely, saw the words “treasures,” and without hesitation, resonated with it, hoping to select it.

“Boom!”

A surge of fire erupted, and a red divine bird appeared on the Dao platform, glaring down from above.

Shi Hao knew something was wrong. The fierce bird charged down, and he found himself in a fierce battle, sweating with fear. He was unable to move while sitting, and it seemed he couldn’t get up.

“Wait, I must be in some sort of illusion. I need to be fully alert to perceive this,” Shi Hao muttered to himself. His forehead glowed, and a blazing light emitted.

In the next moment, he could move, breaking free from the constraint, and charged toward the red fierce bird.

“What are you doing?” Huo Ling’er shouted from a distance.

“Clang!”

At the same time, a loud noise erupted, like a great bell resonating. Shi Hao was startled to find that he had not collided with the red divine bird but had struck the crimson bell with his palm.

With a thunderous sound, a wave of force swept over him, sending him flying backward, struck by an overpowering Daoist aura. The force was extremely domineering.

Fortunately, Shi Hao quickly mitigated the force and used the Kunpeng technique to dissolve it with the power of the lunar yin, avoiding injury.

“What’s going on?” Shi Hao wondered aloud.

Huo Ling’er approached and asked him in detail, then frowned and said, “My father once said that if someone from outside the clan comes, they can still have a chance. They can challenge the obstacles set by the Saint Emperor’s ancient scripture.”

She speculated that Shi Hao had just fallen into such a situation and needed to challenge the difficulties created by the Saint Emperor’s ancient scripture.

At this moment, they felt that the great palace was different. There was an inexplicable aura, the Dao platform had vanished, the ancient scripture was gone, but there was light shining ahead.

The two of them were puzzled and continued forward.

There, they found a meditation mat with flickering runes, emitting the sound of Daoist thunder, as if an elder was teaching and guiding the younger generation.

“Hmm, this is the place. After obtaining the inheritance, you need to cultivate and solidify here.” Huo Ling’er, who knew a lot, walked straight ahead. Before she could get close, the meditation mat pulled her in, and she sat down upon it.

In an instant, the sounds of the Dao filled the air. Various crimson symbols appeared, enveloping Huo Ling’er, and something strange occurred: the earlier ancient scripture reappeared, hovering above her head, rustling as it turned pages by itself.

A crimson mark of a small Vermilion Bird appeared on her forehead, glowing brilliantly and flashing in sync with the scripture.

At this moment, Huo Ling’er was astonished and then filled with joy. She glanced at Shi Hao in the distance and said, “I might fall into a deep meditation. Be careful yourself and don’t do anything reckless.”

She had gained a tremendous opportunity, recalling her father’s arrangement. The runes and seals inscribed in her body had indeed taken effect, causing the Saint Emperor's scripture to revive and merge with her.

According to her father, the most crucial factor was her powerful bloodline. Although not a Vermilion Bird, she possessed true blood. Over the years, the Fire Emperor had sealed that true blood, waiting for the day she could enter this Saint Emperor's palace to unlock it.

At this moment, flames flickered around her, with true fire engulfing Huo Ling’er. The ancient scripture rustled, continuously turning pages and flowing symbols into her body.

Shi Hao watched in amazement. This was clearly prepared for the Fire Clan, and he could only watch helplessly.

“Hmm, wait a minute.”

He turned around and saw a black arena emerging in another direction, built of dark stones and enormous, with a stele nearby engraved with inscriptions.

This must be a new appearance.

Shi Hao approached and observed carefully. The inscription explained everything: this was for non-Fire Clan experts to challenge, and if they succeeded, they could gain great rewards.

“The Four Strikes of the Ancient Vermilion Bird.” Shi Hao was astonished. He had never imagined the reward would be so astonishing.

The inscription stated that while the Fire Clan's Saint Emperor scripture could not be passed on, other things could be left for those with fate, and were specifically noted to be equally formidable.

What the Four Strikes of the Ancient Vermilion Bird were, was explained below. After reading it, Shi Hao was shocked.

The ancestors of Little Red had once included celestial beings. Her grandmother even ignited divine fire and became a sacrificial spirit of the Fire Kingdom, renowned and influential in ancient times.

They were incredibly powerful, constantly undergoing rebirth, and the true blood of the Vermilion Bird reappeared, making them a truly terrifying race.

However, they did not inherit the ancestors’ legacy. Although their divine abilities were also said to be astonishing, making various divine mountains retreat, they still could not compare with the supreme treasures of the Ancient Vermilion Bird.

The Ancient Vermilion Bird was a truly invincible existence, a celestial-level ancient bird with supreme divine power. Many ancient beasts and divine birds had to bow before it.

Unfortunately, its inheritance was not in the wilderness.

The ancestors of Little Red, those ancient powerful beings, had been trying to deduce and restore the Vermilion Bird’s treasures, but all their efforts had failed.

The Fire Clan’s Saint Emperor was also a deity who had divine blood of the Vermilion Bird and had studied these insights in an attempt to restore the supreme divine abilities.

It was regrettable that neither Little Red’s ancestors nor the Saint Emperor succeeded.

But it was not a complete failure. They developed the Four Strikes of the Ancient Vermilion Bird, a compilation of the insights of several generations of divine beings, which were left as a legacy.

It was said that if one could deduce the Ten Strikes of the Ancient Vermilion Bird, they could restore the supreme technique that could burn through the heavens and gods.

The Four Strikes were called waste scripts, but they were not entirely useless. They could still be used, but the requirements were extremely demanding, requiring a physique comparable to that of the Ancient Vermilion Bird.

Otherwise, once used, it would tear the user apart before harming anyone else, effectively destroying themselves first.

Upon understanding this, Shi Hao was at a loss for words. Such techniques were so domineering that it was no wonder they were called waste scripts. Few could possess such a physique, implying an extraordinary background and inherited lineage.

Without hesitation, Shi Hao directly entered the black arena for the challenge. Just because others could not use it did not mean he couldn’t. Perhaps he could make the waste script shine brilliantly.

Boom!

A fiery red bird swooped down, a divine bird constructed of crimson runes, immensely powerful.

Shi Hao took action and battled it.

The place roared with activity, with various domineering runes covering the area. The heavens and earth were nearly torn apart, a truly terrifying sight.

Clearly, those who set up the challenge knew that only those powerful and confident enough would dare to participate. If one wasn’t strong enough, they had no right to use the Four Strikes of the Ancient Vermilion Bird.

Thus, this test was extraordinarily fearsome. The Vermilion Bird constructed of red mist was extraordinarily fierce, easily capable of erasing ordinary youths. Even pure-blooded beings would be in grave danger.

Shi Hao did not hold back, hoping to quickly end the battle. He even used the Kunpeng power and invoked the Ten Great Realms. The arena seemed on the verge of collapsing.

The entire black arena shook violently, then cracked open, and finally shattered with a loud explosion. The red divine bird was slain, and everything here disappeared.