In the distance, the ancestral altar bore the weight of ancient epochs and the imprints of the Great Dao, its blood energy surging overwhelmingly. The three towering figures it had condensed stood like colossi, dominating the mortal realm.
Now, as the golden path unfurled toward them, their forms grew even more formidable, their blood energy tinged with a faint golden hue, exerting overwhelming pressure across the cosmos!
From afar, one could see a burly man with a thick beard, wielding a massive bone club, clad in animal hides, his upper body bare—wild and untamed, as if emerging from an ancient tribe!
Another was bathed in flames, gripping a golden bone fragment, his back adorned with divine wings resembling those of a true phoenix. His eyes crackled with lightning, and divine fire surged like an ocean as he surveyed the heavens and earth with disdain.
The third figure remained somewhat indistinct, not fully manifesting.
These three beings exuded an aura of primal terror, their forms woven from blood energy shimmering with golden light—not their true bodies, yet lifelike and radiating boundless divine power!
Were these the ones who had been in seclusion at the ancestral altar, hailed as invincible, their ages so vast they eclipsed even Wang Changsheng and Meng Tianzheng by half a generation?
When the three Shi brothers each stepped onto the golden path, the very heavens trembled, as if the immortal realm had collapsed and its shockwaves reached the mortal world!
The intensity of this disturbance sent chills down everyone’s spines. Wang Changhe, Gu Mingdao, and others turned deathly pale, unable to withstand the pressure. They were struck by an invisible force and collapsed to the ground.
Many others fared even worse, prostrating themselves in involuntary worship!
These were supreme ancestral deities, seemingly enraged as they stood beneath the firmament, glaring down at those who had slandered the Shi Clan, instilling sheer terror.
The situation had taken a drastic turn.
“Nailed to the pillar of shame, you dare speak so brazenly? How audacious!” Ye Qingxian spoke coldly, her gaze fixed on Gu Mingdao, Wang Changhe, and the Jin Clan.
“Elders, forgive us! We spoke out of turn!” they pleaded, trembling in fear, never expecting such a turn of events. Their minds reeled with shock.
The figures from the ancestral altar were of unparalleled status, rarely seen by anyone except legends like Meng Tianzheng and Wang Changsheng.
Yet today, three invincible manifestations had descended, their blood energy blotting out the sun and moon as they loomed over the crowd. Who wouldn’t be terrified?
Had these beings chosen to obliterate them on the spot, none would dare seek retribution—not even their own ancestors would protest.
“Wait for me!” Cao Yusheng waved from behind, the only one left standing. Even the golden ant had already perched itself on Shi Hao’s shoulder.
Despite his plump frame, Cao Yusheng moved with surprising agility, darting onto the golden path like a sprightly hare.
As the grand golden path receded, accompanied by thunderous rumbles, countless Dao runes manifested, enveloping the three Shi brothers and resonating with their bones.
“Heavens! This is Dao resonance, a baptism of divine power! They’ve gained a significant opportunity!” someone whispered in awe.
Golden mist swirled around them, including Cao Yusheng, before being absorbed back into their bodies. For ordinary individuals, such a blessing from invincible beings would have caused a complete metamorphosis. Though these three were already exceptional, they still reaped considerable benefits.
Was this the stance of these supreme elders?
Everyone shuddered, realizing they had openly shielded the Shi brothers—an act of monumental significance.
Did this imply hidden truths behind past grievances? Gu Mingdao and Wang Changhe paled, though they were at least relieved to escape punishment.
As the Shi brothers were escorted away, those who had fallen scrambled to their feet, faces burning with shame and lingering dread. The intervention of these three supreme beings was utterly unforeseen.
They prayed the matter would end here, fearing further repercussions.
Involving such supreme figures meant any punishment would be unbearable, even for immortal clans.
“Who are these elders from the ancestral altar? They’re rarely seen—what are their origins?”
Only after a long silence did murmurs arise, seeking answers about these living ancestors.
Their origins were lost to antiquity, their power unfathomable—legends claimed they could inhale entire galaxies to replenish their essence.
“Older than Jin Taijun, Wang Changsheng, and Meng Tianzheng… likely born at the end of the previous epoch!”
“Some glimpsed their silhouettes from afar, describing them as golden-skinned skeletons, their age beyond reckoning,” someone muttered, not daring to voice the thought that they were nearing their end.
Yet, the three figures they had just witnessed were robust and imposing, contradicting such descriptions.
None dared probe further—who would dare approach the ancestral altar without permission?
“Stone carvings? Not real people?!”
Deep within the imperial city, before the enigmatic ancestral altar, the scene was far less resplendent than outsiders imagined.
The place appeared ancient and dilapidated, more like ruins than a sacred site.
Cao Yusheng gasped, staring at the destination of the golden path—three stone engravings, not living beings.
He had expected three invincible figures seated amidst celestial mist, stars orbiting them, their gaze summoning lightning across the heavens. Instead, he found only carvings on an ancient wall, the rest obscured by chaotic energy.
The engravings depicted the same three figures from earlier, their lifelike forms seemingly ready to step out of the stone!
“Where are their true bodies? Elders, I humbly seek your guidance!” Cao Yusheng bowed repeatedly.
“Do you truly wish to see them?” Ye Qingxian approached, her grace ethereal, her beauty breathtaking.
Even the usually unflappable Cao Yusheng grew bashful under her gaze, grinning foolishly.
“Who are they?” Shi Hao asked.
“The one with the bone club is an ancestor of the Shi Clan. The one wreathed in flames is from the Fire Clan. The third was their comrade,” Ye Qingxian replied.
Shi Yi and Qin Hao tensed, scrutinizing the carvings.
Shi Hao’s heart raced—were these three of the legendary Seven Kings of the Borderlands? The resemblance was uncanny, recalling the blurred figures he’d seen on the bloodstained black ship.
Taking a deep breath, he asked, “Are they three of the Seven Kings?”
“Correct,” Ye Qingxian nodded, then turned to Cao Yusheng. “Still want to meet them?”
“Absolutely!” The chubby youth rubbed his hands, already fantasizing about acquiring treasures.
“It’s difficult. You’d need to sever your own life first,” she said lightly.
“What?!” Cao Yusheng gaped.
“This is the ancestral altar—a place of seclusion and sacrifice. These three are ancient figures, their fates unknown,” she explained.
How could such lifelike manifestations, their blood energy shaking the heavens, be mere carvings?
The Shi brothers were equally baffled.
“To aid you, I offered sacrifices to awaken the lingering will within these carvings. Perhaps they still live,” Ye Qingxian mused.
“What kind of sacrifice could achieve this?” Shi Yi frowned, stunned.
“Just some old bones—remnants of fallen ancient beings from the other realm. Useless to me, so I offered them,” she said casually, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear, her beauty dazzling.
The golden ant froze.
Shi Yi and Qin Hao were speechless.
Cao Yusheng: “…”
Shi Hao was awestruck—bones of ancient beings from the other realm? That was beyond astonishing.
Anlan and Yutu were supreme ancestors of the other realm, invincible founders of imperial clans, their might unrivaled, having crushed the Immortal Ancient era!
Even the fallen Luomo, with his five-colored true blood, had slain a peerless immortal of this realm who possessed chaos blood.
What was Ye Qingxian’s background, to possess such relics and use them so casually?
“Don’t gawk like fools. I didn’t slay them—my family found them. They were just collecting dust with me,” she laughed.
Even so, it was staggering.
This altar, crafted by true immortals of the Immortal Ancient era, was a conduit to the divine. With worthy offerings, it could summon lingering spirits of heroes.
Clearly, the bones of the other realm’s ancestors were sufficient tribute, a balm to the souls of fallen warriors. Thus, Ye Qingxian had succeeded in summoning them.
“Wasn’t it wasteful, using such treasures for us?” Cao Yusheng muttered, then smirked. “Unless… you fancy me?”
*Thud!*
He was sent flying, landing headfirst in a muddy pond.
“No need for violence if you don’t like me!” he wailed.
Ye Qingxian giggled. “It wasn’t wasted. If their spirits endure, these offerings help sustain them longer.”
“Will this deception hold?” Shi Hao asked.
“Relying on living deterrents is dull. The real fun is when they learn the truth—their humiliation will be priceless,” she said mischievously.
The others were speechless.
Outside, Wang Changhe, Gu Mingdao, and others seethed with resentment. Why would invincible elders shield the so-called “sinful blood” descendants? Seeking answers, they turned to their connections.
The immortal clans had deep roots in the city.
“Elder, why would those in seclusion intervene for mere youths?”
When Gu Mingdao posed the question to an ancient, wizened elder, the old man’s expression turned peculiar.
“You seek the truth?” The elder’s wrinkled face resembled dried orange peel.
“Yes!” Gu Mingdao nodded fervently.
Nearby, Wang Changhe, Jin Zhan’s elders, and other powerhouses watched eagerly, desperate for answers.
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