The ancient divine ape charged forward once again, its paw clenched into a fist, erupting with a brilliant golden light, like a massive pillar crashing down with an unstoppable might that seemed to defy all opposition.
Shi Hao met the attack head-on, not retreating a single step, his own fist swinging with tremendous force. The entire black arena trembled under the overwhelming power, as ferocious winds howled.
The size difference between the two was enormous, yet when they collided, it was as if the heavens and earth were being torn apart. The battle was evenly matched, with neither side gaining an overwhelming advantage.
With a thunderous boom, divine radiance exploded between their fists, like violent lightning flashing through storm clouds, seeming to tear apart the very fabric of space, enveloping the black arena in a blinding glow.
This was a brutal clash, both sides displaying extreme force and ferocity. The destructive power they unleashed was astonishing; if not for this special location, mountains would have crumbled, and rivers would have been shattered.
Lightning flashed, and thunder roared as the sounds of explosions filled the air. The two clashed like divine beings in an epic battle, their movements sweeping across the arena, sending dark clouds churning, with radiant divine light flashing in every direction.
The meeting of these two powerhouses was truly a confrontation of titans, a needle-point against a sharp blade, their struggle captivating and awe-inspiring.
Overall, Shi Hao held the upper hand, forcing Zhuyan (the ancient ape) to retreat several steps each time, its massive body trembling. This was shocking, as Zhuyan, known for its unparalleled physical strength in the ancient era, seemed slightly weaker than Shi Hao in terms of raw physical prowess.
With a whoosh, the scene in the arena suddenly changed. The ancient divine ape vanished, replaced by another Shi Hao, whose movements and techniques were identical.
The two figures intertwined, turning into beams of light as they continued their fierce battle.
The Daoshen Stone was momentarily stunned, exclaiming, "This is bad! Which one is real? Could it be trying to take your place?"
Shi Hao’s eyes widened in surprise. The resemblance was uncanny. Not only did the creature copy his appearance, but its techniques were also strikingly similar. This went beyond mere imitation; it was almost an exact replica in both form and spirit.
"Monkey, how dare you imitate me! There are some things I doubt you can fully replicate!" Shi Hao shouted, opening his mouth to unleash a stream of brilliant lightning symbols, which filled the air. At the same time, he formed a seal with his hands and pressed forward.
Suddenly, dozens of Suanni (mythical lion-like creatures) appeared, all with purple bodies and golden spots, each as large as a small mountain, surrounding Zhuyan.
Among these Suanni were the lightning symbols that Shi Hao had unleashed, merging together like a sea of thunder, descending to suppress the violent ape.
With a deafening roar, the Zhuyan, now in Shi Hao’s form, responded. It didn’t transform into a Suanni but instead turned into a sea of lightning, resembling the thunder god himself, pounding on a giant drum and unleashing a torrent of lightning.
“This thing is really tough to deal with,” muttered the Daoshen Stone.
Shi Hao hadn’t expected the divine ape to be this difficult. He moved swiftly, extending his hand to grab the Daoshen Stone, which immediately let out a wail.
"Ah! What are you doing?"
Shi Hao threw the stone with great force, sending it hurtling through the sea of lightning. It smashed right into the ape’s forehead with a loud clang, like striking metal, sparks flying in all directions.
Both a howl of pain and an enraged roar echoed simultaneously. The Daoshen Stone rolled back, while the divine ape bellowed in fury, now even more enraged.
The Daoshen Stone, having been dormant for so long, had evolved to an incredible degree. After consuming various powerful materials like Chaos Earth, it had become almost indestructible and immensely powerful.
Although the divine ape’s skull wasn’t cracked by the impact, its body staggered, swaying as it momentarily lost focus. Shi Hao seized the opportunity, rushing forward and delivering a mighty slap that made the ape roar in pain, its limbs flailing as it struggled to fight back.
With a flash, Shi Hao moved sideways, the electric light vanishing. He swung his right leg, unleashing the power of the Kunpeng (a legendary bird), and his leg erupted in a dazzling radiance, reaching its peak strength.
Zhuyan’s eyes flickered, recognizing the danger. This time, it didn’t meet the attack head-on. A golden cloud appeared beneath its feet, lifting it into the air with astonishing speed.
Seeing this, Shi Hao leaped into the air, his fist raised toward the sky, with fierce winds swirling around him.
The golden cloud was extraordinary, not dispersing under the force of Shi Hao’s attack. Zhuyan was equally relentless, glancing downward before straightening its leg and stomping fiercely, aiming its heel directly at Shi Hao’s head.
“How savage!”
Shi Hao’s eyes blazed with light. His palm glowed as ancient symbols flickered, and a black fish emerged, surrounded by dark light, embodying the power of the Taiyin (Yin energy).
With a loud bang, Shi Hao countered strength with softness, catching the ape’s leg, which could easily crush mountains. He then spun the ape around and hurled it toward the ground.
Boom!
The black arena trembled violently. The divine ape was slammed into the ground, creating a deep pit as rocks flew in all directions. The sheer force was terrifying, and the arena, which had withstood all the previous battles, was finally damaged, revealing its extreme hardness.
Zhuyan’s eyes shone with fierce light. Injured, it immediately charged out of the pit, grabbing Shi Hao and engaging in a life-or-death struggle, its immense strength capable of crushing mountains and leveling lakes.
Shi Hao’s palm glowed once more as a golden Peng bird appeared, merging with his hand. He swung his palm down fiercely.
Boom! The two clashed, causing the heavens and earth to shake. It was a massive collision, as the Kunpeng spread its wings, capable of tearing apart the sky. The exchange was terrifying.
Zhuyan let out a low growl, its fingers trembling, blood covering its body, as it sustained heavy injuries.
With a whoosh, the ape transformed into golden light, its entire body becoming insubstantial. In the end, it morphed into a Kunpeng, diving toward Shi Hao.
There was no doubt—this was the legendary Seventy-Two Transformations, a peerless technique. It displayed a terrifying aspect, mimicking the opponent’s most powerful abilities. Although it couldn’t truly possess them, it could temporarily unleash a similar attack.
Boom!
This collision was so intense that the black arena cracked and then shattered. Sand and stones flew, while demonic clouds surged. Shi Hao let out a cold snort, charging forward with fierce determination. Zhuyan could no longer replicate the Kunpeng’s powers and, after a single strike, was sent flying, forced to use other divine abilities.
“That beast! No wonder the legends say Zhuyan could tear apart gods and devils, devouring them as food. It’s incredibly strong,” remarked the Daoshen Stone. It understood just how powerful Shi Hao was, yet this divine ape had managed to hold its own.
In the end, Zhuyan was finally killed by Shi Hao, falling in the black arena.
It transformed into a Dao talisman, shining with golden light and radiant clouds. Just a glance revealed that this talisman was far more powerful than the previous ones. With a puff, it ignited and turned to ashes.
“Zhuyan truly is one of the most powerful ancient beings. This was just a talisman, not even capable of showcasing its full abilities, yet it was still so strong,” Shi Hao muttered to himself.
“Indeed, if the one that caused havoc in the Western Sect were here, the outcome would have been uncertain. It’s said that one was golden, not white-headed, and very unusual,” the Daoshen Stone remarked.
Shi Hao was intrigued. The furball he knew was also golden and had horns on its head—certainly not ordinary.
The Seventy-Two Transformations of the Zhuyan lineage, along with their physical cultivation techniques, were renowned across the heavens, claiming to be unmatched divine arts. Shi Hao couldn’t help but feel a deep yearning for them, though it was currently out of his reach.
“The Zhuyan’s physical techniques are slightly flawed. However, it’s said that if completed, they could rival the ultimate techniques of the ten most ferocious ancient beings,” the Daoshen Stone said, adding that the monkey who caused havoc in the Western Sect had nearly perfected that physical technique.
“Tearing apart gods and devils, devouring them—it’s truly an astonishing display of power,” Shi Hao remarked, before turning his gaze to the Daoshen Stone. “Now, are you ready to tell me the origin of this place?”
“Let’s look around first, see what we can find,” the Daoshen Stone replied. It had only heard rumors and had never seen this place for itself.
The arena was vast, like an empty small world. At the far end, a wall blocked the path, covered in numerous carvings of the creatures Shi Hao had just slain.
"This is truly horrifying," Shi Hao sighed, realizing that this place had been arranged by someone to refine such talismans, with methods that could be described as otherworldly.
The more he thought about it, the more terrifying it seemed. There was a profound silence as he considered that this was the ancient Zhuyan, and yet someone could recreate its divine might with just a single talisman, almost as if it were an authentic manifestation.
"I believe this must be something left by an ancestor of the Zhuyan lineage. Otherwise, no one could reproduce such astonishing divine power with a mere talisman," the Daoshen Stone said meaningfully. After careful consideration, Shi Hao agreed that this was likely true.
Aside from this, there were no other findings; it was simply a pure arena, with nothing else of note.
"I have heard of the Wall of Gods and Demons. It is a path that is extremely strict and has been rarely traversed since ancient times," the Daoshen Stone whispered.
It didn't know what it truly represented or its ultimate significance.
"There are two such walls in the entire desolate domain, appearing only briefly each time. Now, it's unknown where they have disappeared to. It is said that there are similar walls in other regions as well."
"Other regions as well?" Shi Hao was surprised and puzzled, finding the situation quite enigmatic.
"Only those with unparalleled talent and abilities can see them. Only those who can surpass an entire realm can take that step forward. That's how it's always been said, but no one knows how this path really works," the Daoshen Stone continued.
Based on Shi Hao’s speculation, this wall might have been brought in by Xiaohong’s ancestors or the Fire Clan’s Holy Emperor in ancient times, seemingly unwilling to have it revealed to the world.
"Regarding this wall, there must be earth-shattering secrets," Shi Hao muttered to himself.
They left the arena and exited through the stone door.
"Hey, look, some of the doors are merely shapes and haven’t been truly excavated, just as the legends said," the Daoshen Stone exclaimed in surprise.
The doors engraved with True Dragons, Vermillion Birds, and other symbols were merely ornamental and had not been fully carved through.
According to the Daoshen Stone, the desolate domain was originally supposed to have only one Wall of Gods and Demons. The first wall was incomplete and problematic, which led to the existence of a second, intact one.
The Daoshen Stone said, "Do you want to try and see if you can pass through? If you can overcome all the trials, you might be able to walk that path."
"This isn’t a complete Wall of Gods and Demons. Even if I have the strength to fight through 1,808 arenas, it won’t work," Shi Hao shook his head, his eyes clear and bright as he continued to search.
"Hey, this door is a bit special," Shi Hao said in surprise.
Upon closer inspection, he noticed that this door was shimmering with a crystalline light. The engraving on it depicted a human figure but wasn’t fully carved out.
The figure was beautifully detailed, with no imperfections, and the hand was as white as jade, almost lifelike.
After battling Zhuyan, he had already guessed that whatever was depicted on the stone door would be the strongest being within.
"Let’s go in and take a look. Worst case, we fight again," Shi Hao said, wanting to see what kind of humanoid being was inside.
He took the Daoshen Stone with him, pushed open the stone door, and was greeted by an ancient and desolate aura. The interior was extremely quiet, as if their arrival had disturbed an ancient tranquility.
Inside was another arena, seemingly stained with black blood. However, no fierce beasts sprang out; it was eerily quiet.
“There’s something here,” the Daoshen Stone’s spirit was disturbed.
Shi Hao was startled as well and quickly retreated. He then saw a familiar object, one he had seen in the Northern Sea. Floating down was a small black paper boat, only palm-sized.
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