The mountain was high and, though ancient trees were present, they were sparse. The most prominent feature at the mountain’s peak was a large stone.
Divine flames flickered, and a figure was seated cross-legged, blurred and indistinct, yet the aura emanating from him made all the birds and beasts in the mountains feel suffocated.
His eyes were incredibly sinister, with a red glow like fire. He sat motionless but was intimidating, like a demonic deity in meditation.
Soon, several figures appeared, quickly arriving at the mountain’s peak. Anyone witnessing this would be astonished, as their speed was extraordinary.
Each of them radiated immense vitality, as if a vast ocean was flowing within them. Their power was so overwhelming that it could intimidate even the purest of prodigies. They were all pure-blooded beings with exceptionally strong innate talents.
Upon reaching the mountain’s peak, they proceeded with extreme caution, showing a respectful and awe-filled demeanor as they earnestly paid their respects, then stood in front of the large stone.
“What is the situation?” the man seated in the divine flames asked. The red light in his eyes seemed capable of scorching the heavens, making the few young men shiver.
Even though they were pure-blooded beings, they could not help but retreat, almost kneeling again.
One young man respectfully saluted and reported, “We have found her. Fairy Yuechan is in the ancestral land of the Fire Nation, seeking the essence left behind by the ancient Vermillion Bird’s rebirth.”
“Is that so? I guessed she would fail; someone must have arrived before her,” the man seated on the large stone said calmly.
“We have investigated. Granny Xihua is accompanying her. This old servant is extremely powerful, at least at the realm of a Venerable,” another pure-blooded being added, slightly nervous.
If people knew that these extremely powerful young beings, who could dominate the wilderness and had few peers among their age group, showed such deference and fear before another man, they would be utterly shocked.
Each of these young beings was a standout among pure-blooded beings, hailed as the top of their generation within their respective clans. Once they reached full maturity, they could be called invincible.
Their talent was extraordinary; in a few decades, when they truly reached the peak, their bloodline power and innate ability would likely be able to influence the rise and fall of an entire region.
Yet such prodigious figures were now so respectful and fearful, showing absolute deference to this man.
The man seated on the large stone said indifferently, “An old hag is nothing. There are ways to deal with her.”
His voice was not loud, but it carried a mysterious power that resonated with the world, causing a rumbling vibration.
“Won’t this cause a great feud with the Celestial Sect? There will be endless trouble later,” one of the young men ventured to say.
The others’ faces changed, fearing that “the esteemed one” might unleash his wrath, as his will was uncompromising and he was always decisive in his actions, with no one daring to resist.
The man on the large stone did not show anger and calmly said, “This is just a spiritual body of Fairy Yuechan. No matter how we deal with her once captured, it won’t cause any tremendous upheaval.”
The young men were solemn, fully aware of “the esteemed one’s” domineering nature, but also astonished by his unmatched power. He acted with no reservations.
They knew his temperament well; he had a penchant for those high-born women. Two years ago, he had captured a saintess from a major sect, forcibly taking her as his own, causing a huge commotion.
In the end, he escaped great calamity, becoming stronger through bloody battles.
“Sir, it is just a spiritual body. There is no need for such risk. After all, it is the Celestial Sect. They might mobilize troops for the sake of their honor,” the young men added, seeing that his mood seemed relatively good.
“Entering the wilderness, this Dao body is different; it is solid and not dispersing, possessing true spirit, and is little different from the true body,” he said, smiling coldly and deeply. The red light in his eyes flared up, as if to incinerate the nine heavens.
“Take your time. Start by dismantling her spiritual body, making her true self sense it. I not only want to capture her body but also her heart,” the man on the large stone said.
Although he spoke calmly, it made the young men shiver, and they dared not speak further.
“Why hasn’t Gray Flood Dragon returned from exploring the so-called Supreme Divine Vault? Considering the time, he should have arrived by now,” one young man inquired, showing a hint of confusion.
“He is dead,” the man on the large stone said coldly.
“What? Gray Flood Dragon was killed? Did some ancient monster arrive here?” the young men were astonished.
They knew well that Gray Flood Dragon was quite extraordinary; unless an ancient monster intervened, few in the younger generation could kill him, at least not without difficulty.
“I sensed in the moment before his death that a young man, younger than Gray Flood Dragon, beheaded him. This young man is indeed stronger,” the man on the large stone said.
“A young man, younger than Gray Flood Dragon? Which sect’s most outstanding disciple could this be?” the young men were shaken.
Their hearts were unsettled; a youth who could slay Gray Flood Dragon was undoubtedly a monstrous prodigy from one of the major sects. Such individuals were rare and their identities could almost be deduced.
“He is an indigenous of the wilderness,” the man on the large stone said coldly.
The young men were stunned and then changed color. The emergence of such a figure from the wilderness was truly astonishing.
“We have just entered this region and are unfamiliar with many things. We have been focusing only on Fairy Yuechan. It seems we need to invest considerable effort and attention to understand this area,” one young man said.
“You few can go search. I hope to capture him and have him follow me,” the man on the large stone said.
“Rest assured, sir. We will definitely bring him in,” one of them said with a thunderous voice. He had horns on his head, and his aura was exceptionally terrifying.
“Do not act recklessly. You are stronger than Gray Flood Dragon, but you may not necessarily defeat him. I do not want any more of my followers to fall,” the man said calmly.
“Is he that strong?” the young men were uncertain.
“If you see his trail, you may report to me,” the man on the large stone said.
The young men departed, moving like the wind and thunder. Wherever they passed, grass and trees shattered, and mountains and rivers roared. They were pure-blooded beings with high realms, able to traverse this vast wilderness.
Soon after, the divine flames on the large stone extinguished, and a figure stood up. Upon closer inspection, he was surprisingly young, only about seventeen or eighteen years old, yet he had a commanding presence.
Thousands of miles away, Shi Hao descended from the sky. Vast amounts of blood had stained the mountains. The Gray Flood Dragon, which was dozens of feet long, had fallen after losing its head, breaking ancient trees and shattering rocks.
The pure-blooded being's flesh was too powerful.
Shi Hao felt distressed; the spilled blood was a treasure. Fortunately, he acted quickly, causing the blood of the corpse to temporarily solidify.
“Kill!”
The remaining beings roared in anger. Three rushed forward to avenge the Gray Flood Dragon, while four others retreated rapidly, attempting to flee the scene.
Shi Hao nocked his bow, which appeared as a full moon. A golden beam flew out and with a puff, shot down one of the fleeing individuals. He controlled the force precisely, killing him without causing an explosion, leaving behind a corpse that revealed its true form as a massive beast.
“Puff.”
He nocked his bow again, and the second arrow flew out without any suspense, blowing apart the head of another being, leaving behind a very large tiger body.
"Let's fight him!" The others who had considered escaping turned around and joined the three who had already attacked Shi Hao, working together to kill him in an attempt to secure their own survival.
It was evident that the outcome of the battle was not in doubt. Even a powerful being like Gray Flood Dragon, who was a standout among pure-blooded creatures and could suppress an entire region, had his head severed by Shi Hao after just one hundred and twenty rounds. How could they, in comparison, hope to stand a chance?
In the end, the few were all captured. Shi Hao began interrogating them to understand their origins.
The result made his heart skip a beat. Their leader, Gray Flood Dragon, had a "Sir" above him, who was said to be so powerful that even youthful deities would be astonished.
"So strong. It seems there really are extraordinary beings from beyond the domain. Fairy Yuechan, the Witch, and others are not the only ones. I am still not invincible; there are enemies in the world," Shi Hao thought, with his usual thick skin, modestly praising himself.
Unfortunately, the captives knew little about that "Sir" and were too afraid to even mention him, not having the qualifications to interact with such a figure.
After thoroughly questioning them and gathering sufficient information, Shi Hao ended their lives swiftly, killing them all with one sword stroke. On the ground lay several large corpses, including fierce beasts and birds of prey.
This was the brutal wilderness, sometimes truly terrifying, a place where the strong prey on the weak, filled with blood and flames of war.
Having grown from an innocent child to his current self, Shi Hao had gradually adapted to this harsh reality; otherwise, he would have been eliminated by the wilderness.
He was in a good mood. A pure-blood Gray Flood Dragon, along with a pile of noble-blooded ferocious beasts and birds, was a great prize. Once he brought them back to the village, it would surely bring joy and excitement to his people.
Shi Hao was eager to return to the village, to experience the warmth and comfort of home, and end the brutal battles outside.
He took out his Universe Bag and stored all the spoils, feeling satisfied. Then he thought for a moment and said to himself, "I’d better not use the fierce birds for transportation. The Western Frontier is unstable. They came for the Supreme Divine Vault, and if I fly in the sky, I might get shot down again."
He took out a yellowed talisman and affixed it to himself. It was a Shrinking Talisman, obtained from an auction in the imperial capital of the Stone Kingdom.
In an instant, his speed began to surge. Coupled with the Kunpeng Movement Technique, he left a shadow in place and darted through the mountain ranges like a lightning bolt, rushing towards the deepest part of the wilderness.
It was incredibly fast. The Kunpeng Technique was already known for its unparalleled speed, and though limited by his current realm, combined with the talisman that could shrink distances, the effect was astounding.
Shi Hao's clothing was burned to ashes by the friction with the air, illustrating just how terrifying his speed was.
In the wilderness, on an ancient tree, a powerful raptor—the Nine-colored Parrot—witnessed a flash of light streaking by and rubbed its eyes hard.
"Someone’s running naked!" The parrot cried out, causing a tremor throughout the wilderness.
Shi Hao grumbled to himself, "Damn parrot."
Indeed, he was running naked, but his speed was so fast that ordinary beings could not see him clearly. Only the strange bird had noticed, and it squawked loudly, making his face turn red.
But Shi Hao had a thick skin and, undeterred, continued his high-speed run naked. He paid no mind to it. When he finally saw Stone Village in the distance and noticed a towering willow tree with emerald-green tendrils hanging down, he stopped and put on some clothes.
"Stone Village, I’m finally back. I’ll prepare for battle here and let the Willow God guard my physical body while my true spirit goes to fight in the Void Divine Realm," Shi Hao clenched his fists.
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