The bamboo was as white as jade, nearly translucent, radiating myriad rays of divine light, auspicious colors soaring into the heavens, entwined with thunderous arcs, and churning with primordial chaos—divine and awe-inspiring!
Shi Hao had never imagined that a bamboo could be like this, as if it had witnessed the creation of the world. The area around it was untouchable, with divine light dancing and sacred mist billowing.
“It doesn’t look too far, but I don’t know if you can get close. I dare not go any further,” the old farmer said. As he spoke, his form dissolved into a shadow, drifting backward until it merged into a cliff, becoming a stone carving.
Shi Hao paused briefly, then strode forward with determination. He had come for the Evil-Warding Divine Bamboo, and now that he had seen it, how could he possibly turn back?
“Whoosh!”
A blood-dripping spear pierced through the void, hurtling toward Shi Hao. The sheer force and killing intent it carried were enough to freeze one’s soul in terror.
Even someone as strong as Shi Hao felt his heart tremble. His body, seized by the invasive killing intent, stiffened uncontrollably, as if on the verge of shattering.
“Roar!”
With a mighty roar, Shi Hao’s brow glowed as his divine soul seemed to ignite, surging violently until it resembled a boiling golden ocean.
This was his soul struggling, burning, and erupting!
Breaking free from the restraint, he took a deep breath and swung the Great Luo Sword Embryo in his hand, slashing forward.
“Clang!”
The sword clashed with the spear, sending radiant light soaring between the two weapons, like a star igniting and exploding.
At the same time, Shi Hao shuddered, sensing the spear’s power diminish drastically. Otherwise, it could have pierced through stars—yet now it trembled.
With a muffled groan, the blood-dripping spear transformed into a bat and was sent flying backward. This was a vengeful spirit, incredibly powerful and daring enough to attack.
Shi Hao understood—it had once possessed world-shaking power but was now suppressed by the sword in his hand.
After all, many spirits along the way had retreated at the sight of the Great Luo Immortal Sword, not daring to approach.
Yet this bat had attacked.
The bat was crimson as blood, its eyes golden. Suddenly, it swelled and emitted a terrifying sonic wave, transforming into blazing ripples that surged toward Shi Hao.
“Hum!”
The Great Luo Immortal Sword shone, releasing a rain of light and multicolored mist that blocked the ripples. A humanoid figure emerged from the sword, as if ascending in divine radiance.
“Boom!”
In the end, a dazzling explosion of light erupted. The bat let out a piercing shriek and fled, never to return.
Silence returned. Shi Hao gasped for breath, his chest heaving violently. A faint crack had formed on his brow, blood trickling out. Moments ago, he had felt a chilling cold, certain he was about to die.
A place of peril!
That had been no illusion. The vengeful spirit was unlike those outside the mountain gate—strong, ruthless, and exuding killing intent. Had it not been suppressed by the Great Luo Sword Embryo, Shi Hao would have perished.
The power it wielded was beyond his level, terrifying enough to possess him, invade his mind, and replace him.
How many years had passed? Why did these lingering spirits remain so potent? Had they regained fragments of their past memories?
Shi Hao’s heart was unsettled, even trembling. What had seemed simple was, in truth, a deadly encounter—the bat had been absurdly strong.
“In the past, others must have entered here. If they were also Heavenly Gods, how did they escape the kiss of death?” Shi Hao murmured.
He caressed the sword. Without it, everything would have been different. He believed other Heavenly Gods must have relied on treasures or secrets to survive here.
“The old farmer also said that the stronger one is, the greater the suppression they face,” Shi Hao mused, his eyes flickering.
He pressed onward swiftly.
“Hmm, why is it still so far?” Shi Hao wondered in disbelief. Though he could clearly see the white bamboo, the distance seemed barely diminished despite his speed.
Finally, after half an hour—countless miles traversed—he reached the foot of the mountain.
There, a barren clearing lay before him, devoid of vegetation, only scorched earth separating him from the stone mountain.
“Awoo—”
The next moment, something horrifying happened. The moment Shi Hao stepped forward, countless vengeful spirits emerged, wailing like ten thousand vengeful ghosts, swarming toward him in a dense, overwhelming tide.
Beams of light erupted as dragon-sparrows, demonic apes, spiders, bats, and other powerful beings—all incomplete spirits—lunged at Shi Hao.
“Slice!”
The Great Luo Immortal Sword roared, unleashing thousands of sword beams, radiant and fierce, engaging in a fierce battle.
Shi Hao’s skull had already fractured into countless pieces, yet his soul remained intact. Countless spirits rushed toward his divine consciousness, seeking to claim it.
“Thud!”
The Great Luo Immortal Sword pierced through the spirits. Some screamed and fled, others turned to ash, while the most relentless still charged forward, attempting to invade his body.
With a thunderous crash, Shi Hao donned a battered suit of armor, rusted and full of holes—possibly left by the Thunder Emperor. Lightning erupted in billions of arcs.
Yet even then, he was overwhelmed by the spirits. The area boiled with the wails of ghosts and the cries of the dead.
Who knew what had happened here in the past? Countless spirits of fallen warriors lingered, filled with resentment, eager to tear everything apart.
This was nothing like the spirits outside the mountain gate—this place was pure danger!
“Bang!”
Blood rained as Shi Hao’s body nearly shattered, bones exposed. The spirits surged, attempting to invade his flesh and collide with his skeleton.
“Slice!”
Shi Hao counterattacked, the Great Luo Immortal Sword’s light enveloping him, even piercing his own body in a desperate, brutal struggle.
He had never imagined that harvesting the Evil-Warding Divine Bamboo would lead to this—everything had spiraled beyond expectation.
Dazed, he lost track of time. When the spirits finally fled, the sword trembled, humming softly before silence returned.
His body was in tatters, drenched in blood. His mind was blank, unsure of what had just transpired.
“Is it over?”
He rose and pressed onward.
“Boom!”
At the mountain’s base, a massive boulder shattered, and a nearly transparent figure emerged. Under the sunlight, it shimmered with dazzling radiance.
“A Diamond Clan member!”
Shi Hao was stunned. This was a being formed from diamond stone—rare and indestructible—yet it had been turned into a puppet.
In an instant, the diamond man erupted with overwhelming law power, as if capable of annihilating the world.
But another force immediately suppressed it, reducing its power to just half a realm above Heavenly God.
“Suppression!” Shi Hao muttered, recalling the old farmer’s words. This place inevitably suppressed intruders, yet left a sliver of hope—the diamond man was stronger than a Heavenly God but not overwhelmingly so.
“Boom!”
An earth-shaking battle ensued. The Diamond Clan’s physique was peerless, relying on sheer brute force to dismantle Shi Hao.
It was deadly—his bones, fractured in the golden ancient temple by the War God’s imprint, had yet to heal.
“Bang!”
The diamond puppet fought with unmatched ferocity, engaging Shi Hao in a battle of pure physical might.
Blood splattered, bones flew. Shi Hao suffered grievous wounds. He had never expected a simple herb-gathering trip to become a hellish ordeal.
“Boom!”
After countless clashes, Shi Hao was nearly torn apart, his blood and bones scattered. Yet, he finally shattered the diamond puppet.
“Did I win?” Gasping, covered in wounds, he watched as his bones flew back into his body, reassembling.
Never had he experienced such brutality—not against famed geniuses, but against an ancient puppet. The realization weighed heavily on him.
Next, he ascended the mountain, approaching the ancient Evil-Warding Divine Bamboo.
Glancing back, he saw the diamond puppet reform, flawless once more, before vanishing into a boulder.
He inhaled sharply.
At the summit, the thunder faded, leaving only primordial chaos enveloping the snow-white bamboo, its leaves like frost.
The bamboo towered into the heavens, as thick as a water vat, exuding sacred majesty that made one feel unworthy. It seemed the noblest plant in existence.
It could dispel curses and annihilate all evil.
“Overturning Heaven and Earth.” Only these four words lingered here. Were they describing the bamboo?
Shi Hao fell silent, pondering the various omens of doom. Could this bamboo truly counter them?
“Clang!”
At the final moment, a pitch-black metal man appeared abruptly, its body etched with Dao marks, indestructible and fearsome.
“Dark Immortal Gold?!” Shi Hao was stunned. This was a being forged entirely from the rarest metal.
Such extravagance—who could have crafted this?
Soon, he understood. This had once been a mighty warrior, subdued, stripped of life, and forcibly turned into a puppet.
Another puppet!
“Boom!”
The dark immortal gold figure punched the sky, tearing through the firmament. Stars exploded in the void, their fragments plummeting.
Shi Hao shuddered. How could he possibly contend with such power?
Yet, the same suppression took hold, reducing the metal man’s strength to just above Heavenly God.
“Again!” Shi Hao’s heart pounded.
“I hail from the other shore of the world, following an immortal of old, only to perish here,” the dark immortal gold figure transmitted a fragmented thought.
Shi Hao froze. This was a creature from the foreign realm, once following an immortal being here. For what purpose?
Beside the bamboo, a violet-glowing boulder shone, revealing an imprint—a terrifying being, as if capable of traversing time itself.
Seated there, its emotions unreadable, it spoke: “How laughable. An immortal like me, seeking the so-called Evil-Warding Divine Bamboo to dispel doom? Absurd. Would others mock or scorn me if they knew?”
“I am doom itself. What is there to dispel?!” It roared madly before fading away.
Shi Hao stood stunned, staring at the violet boulder, speechless. What had happened in the past? He vaguely grasped fragments of the truth.
On one segment of the bamboo, a hole dripped pure white sap, pooling at its roots into a radiant pond, brimming with divine liquid.
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