Chapter 357: Bone Might

Shi Hao focused inward and was immediately startled, deducing the origin of the small figure. It was transformed from the runes on the Supreme Bone, now condensed into a human form.

This was enough to astonish other beings. It was truly worthy of the Supreme Bone of the human race. Once revived, it exhibited such a world-shocking performance, manifesting a human form and aligning with the Dao.

This was vastly different from other divine powers. Normally, even if a precious technique manifested, it would take the form of fierce birds or beasts, never a human form.

In the ancient history of cultivation, humanity had always been at a disadvantage, struggling and imitating in the beginning, then gradually evolving and creating new methods over a long period.

Ultimately, this was because humanity did not have its own runes; all of these were derived from ancient blood, and only later were they created.

However, there were exceptions. A few individuals, through intense cultivation, step by step, eventually achieved mastery over creation. They became invincible in heaven and earth and produced their own runes, which were unique and unparalleled techniques.

Even rarer were those like Shi Hao, who were born with Supreme Runes that could command the world and traverse the nine heavens and ten earths.

The condensation of such runes, ultimately manifesting as a human form, embodied the profound mysteries of humanity. On the endless path of cultivation and among many precious techniques, this was truly rare.

Moreover, such precious techniques undoubtedly contained supreme mysteries. Every time they appeared, they caused a great upheaval, with their power being legendary.

However, the current situation was quite strange. There was no precedent for a small figure sitting on a Dao Bone, chanting scriptures, which would undoubtedly shock the world if it were to spread.

At this moment, Shi Hao's entire vital energy was being drained. Even though he was strong and known for his indestructible body, he was trembling. The light within his flesh and blood surged towards his chest.

As time passed, the liquid in the Nirvana Pool dwindled, almost drying up. It was hard to imagine how powerful that bone was, absorbing everything as if it wanted to drain the essence of heaven and earth.

After two days, Shi Hao had changed dramatically. His flesh was withered, even his internal organs no longer gleamed. His bones lost their luster and appeared listless.

This change was astonishing, causing the God-Slaying Stone to shiver and retreat. If it had been closer, it might have been drained as well; it was like a bottomless pit.

Yet, Shi Hao's spirit grew even more vigorous. His flesh was withered, but his heart was full. Seeing the Supreme Bone evolving, he was filled with joy.

However, the bone was too terrifying. The amount of energy required for its growth was immense, almost unimaginable.

The pool contained the essence of the ancient Vermillion Bird's Nirvana. If taken outside, it would cause a sensation, with even the revered ones fighting to get it, sparking a great calamity.

Although the Nirvana Pool was primarily composed of magma and not all divine material, it was still impressive, representing years of accumulation.

A single piece of Supreme Bone the size of a finger had consumed all the liquid. It was clear that it had not continued to grow but had become more radiant.

Most importantly, there were intricate, inscrutable symbols flashing on the bone, nurturing within it and explaining the mysteries of the heavens.

Shi Hao felt overwhelmed. He had been observing the bone, which was not very large, white and translucent. The symbols on it were so mysterious that he had not been able to decipher them.

Firstly, the runes flashed and vanished, not clearly manifesting. Secondly, they were too complex, like a sky full of stars constructing the universe.

Several days later, the Nirvana Pool dried up. The bone within Shi Hao's body remained the same size, with a figure surrounded by celestial mist sitting on it, continuously chanting scriptures.

Eventually, the essence from the ancient Vermillion Bird's Nirvana became too thin to nourish the bone. Everything slowly returned to calm and came to a halt.

The bone fell silent, the radiant figure disappeared, turning into a symbol hidden within the bone.

Shi Hao sat silently. The Nirvana Pool was now only filled with rocks. He furrowed his brow, trying to activate the Supreme Bone and reveal its mysteries.

However, he felt a tightness in his chest, accompanied by intense pain. His chest glowed; though the bone was small, its aura was overwhelming, almost as if it could split the heavens.

At this moment, forcing its activation posed a danger of cracking his own body.

It was hard to control, which was a major problem.

Shi Hao realized that this was mainly because the Supreme Bone was not complete and had not fully manifested. Activating it now was misaligned in many aspects.

Nevertheless, he was persistent and fearless, continuing to try to use the bone.

Finally, he felt a piercing pain as if his soul was being severed. His spirit weakened suddenly, and his chest cracked, causing a terrifying event.

All this was due to the forced revival of the bone, emitting a tremendous wave that made him suffer greatly.

Shi Hao persisted and did not give up. Eventually, he felt as if he were about to be shattered into pieces. His entire body was about to faint, his chest bleeding, and his brow splitting open, a severe situation.

Boom!

A terrifying light shot out from his chest, piercing through the Great Palace, causing the earth to tremble and magma to surge.

What’s happening? Is there a change in the Sacred Emperor Palace?” On the surface, in a volcanic region, a small red bird perched on an ancient tree, showing a look of confusion.

It was unclear how much time had passed before Shi Hao felt his soul returning to his body. It had been extremely dangerous. That symbol light was beyond his understanding, transcending everything and shaking his soul out of its shell.

The light was so frightening it was hard to believe, piercing through above, damaging the Sacred Emperor Palace, with an astonishing force.

Shi Hao found it difficult to gauge the strength of this strike because his soul was shaken out of his body, leaving him dazed, only knowing it must have been terrifying.

However, such power was difficult to control and hard to wield. He had barely managed to activate it, resulting in a dreadful outcome, almost ending himself.

“My body, as strong as it is, has been damaged,” Shi Hao said, unsettled.

After his spirit returned, he felt excruciating pain throughout his body. His chest felt as if it were rotting, with blood and flesh in a mess. Some bones inside were fractured, which was terrifying.

This left him speechless. It was truly dangerous; he had nearly killed himself.

Shi Hao silently assessed his physical condition. Using the bone would be troublesome, but it should be fine for defense.

“It’s still not fully grown and uncontrollable, which led to this outcome.”

Nevertheless, after a brief moment of distraction, Shi Hao felt invigorated and his gaze became fiery. He knew that if the Supreme Bone had such power even before it was fully matured, it would be immensely terrifying once it was complete.

He vaguely realized that this was the most suitable technique for him, inherently born in this world and unparalleled, surpassing anything previously obtained.

Even if Shi Yi had obtained his bone, it would be different because his own bone had first withered and remained dormant for years before being reborn, which was entirely different.

“Looking forward to Nirvana, waiting for it to truly mature,” Shi Hao muttered to himself.

The next moment, he gritted his teeth, not only because of the injuries sustained from recklessly activating the Supreme Bone but also because his body was in poor condition. During the evolution of the bone, he had burned with energy, nearly draining himself dry.

His flesh was withered, his organs lost their luster, and his bones had lost their translucence. He looked like a tragic figure cast down from the heavens.

If others saw him, it would be unimaginable what kind of catastrophe he had gone through to leave this once indestructible youth in such a dire state; it was quite frightening.

Fortunately, it did not damage his foundation; it was only superficial damage. With some recovery, he could return to his former state in a short time.

Shi Hao took out the Monkey Wine and poured it into his mouth, gulping down more than a pound. His body began to glow and gain luster, no longer appearing as dull and lifeless as it had before.

He focused on the God-Slaying Stone, which had been hiding. He quickly detected its presence and looked up to see it suspended in the void, behaving like a thief. It was silently collecting the divine liquid with its mouth open.

The liquid produced during the Nirvana of the ancient Vermillion Bird was hidden within the fire domain. Every once in a while, a drop would seep into the Fire Emperor Palace, appearing in the void.

This was how the two Nirvana Pools had accumulated over time.

At this moment, the God-Slaying Stone was blocking the spring of the void, having consumed a few drops over the past several days.

"This is not just stone and earth. Why are you making a fuss?" Shi Hao said.

"Nonsense. The liquid mixed with magma counts as stone. Naturally, I can refine it," the God-Slaying Stone replied, alert like a protective mastiff.

"Oh, there’s a piece of Chaos Stone over there," Shi Hao exclaimed in surprise.

"Where?" The God-Slaying Stone turned around and then screamed, "Kid, you're lying to me!"

In an instant, Shi Hao had swapped places with it, catching the drop of liquid that was red with a hint of gold. He then descended to the ground.

The God-Slaying Stone was furious. After waiting for a whole day and night, just as the drop was about to fall, it was snatched away.

"I have injuries and need it for healing," Shi Hao said, then sat down and stopped speaking.

The Nirvana liquid was truly astonishing. Shi Hao had several fractured bones inside his body. After absorbing this drop of liquid, he immediately felt explosive sounds as his bones reconnected and vitality was restored.

For someone with a physique comparable to an indestructible golden body, a broken bone was a serious matter. Normally, such injuries would indicate severe damage.

But now, those bones had reconnected in the blink of an eye.

In the following days, Shi Hao and the God-Slaying Stone competed for several more drops of the Nirvana liquid. Shi Hao was fully restored and had replenished the essence his body had depleted.

He had recovered to his peak and became incredibly powerful.

At this point, he naturally stopped competing with the God-Slaying Stone and enjoyed the peace.

The Fire Spirit was still in its cocoon, surrounded by a fiery red glow with a hint of golden sheen. She was in deep slumber, undergoing the most crucial transformation of her life.

Shi Hao walked forward and stopped a few hundred yards away, where there was a grand wall with an ancient stone door every short distance apart.

"What is this?" he wondered aloud.

Each stone door was immense, with fierce beasts, divine birds, and other figures carved into them. The intense aura seemed as if prehistoric creatures were about to burst forth.

He stood in front of one stone door and touched the carved Pixiu figure. Instantly, a roar resonated, shaking the area.

This startled him. He quickly withdrew his hand and did not rush to open the door.

He moved to another stone door, which was carved with a vividly detailed golden-winged Roc. Its imposing and god-slaying demeanor was awe-inspiring, seeming almost ready to burst through the wall.

"What’s inside?" he wondered with uncertainty.