A Thousand Armies Charge into the Forbidden Land!
This was no empty boast—it had become reality. The armies of the foreign realm surged toward the Heavenly Beast Forest, preparing to encircle key locations.
From their movements, it was clear they were desperate, urgently seeking to capture Shi Hao and seize the Rotten Wooden Chest!
Over a dozen squads had already split off from the main force and plunged deep into the forest.
Though the foreign realm was mighty, they dared not send their entire army into the forbidden land. Only select hunters were dispatched.
The cost of an unforeseen disaster would be too great.
Despite their strength, the foreign realm was not omnipotent. Otherwise, why would places like the Burial Grounds, Heavenly Beast Forest, Lost Sea, and Immortal Ruins remain forbidden, untouchable by all?
In the past, there had been reckless figures from the foreign realm who led large forces into such forbidden lands—only to vanish without a trace.
These tales were common knowledge.
Of course, part of the reason was that the Immortal Kings could not intervene directly.
—
Within the Heavenly Beast Forest, Shi Hao stood motionless for a long time, carefully examining his surroundings. What he saw sent chills down his spine. What kind of ancient tree was this?
Its branches were withered, yet it still possessed such terrifying power.
The Sky Rat, the old woman—none were weaklings, all at the Dunyi Realm, yet they had been effortlessly impaled. Most had perished, leaving only the Dunyi cultivators’ bodies behind, bowing step by step as they vanished into the depths of the forest.
“What exactly is the Reincarnation Pool? Is this forest truly a prison?” Shi Hao frowned. The unknowns here were too many, the dangers too great.
He stared ahead into the dense woods, where everything seemed blurred, unfathomable. Was that where the withered tree took root?
Taking a deep breath, he pressed forward, determined to uncover the truth.
Yet, as he advanced, he sensed nothing unusual. The area was eerily calm. Even after traversing hundreds of miles, he found no trace of the withered tree.
What was going on? Where was the tree that had slain the Sky Rat? He had traveled so far without detecting its presence.
Shi Hao steadied himself, spreading his divine sense, searching for the tree’s location.
He knew it had already noticed him. If it could kill the Sky Rat in one strike, it was clearly extraordinary. He wanted to attempt communication.
“Hmm?”
A shiver ran through him. Only when he visualized the withered branch in his mind did he sense something amiss.
“Could it be like Anlan and Yutu—where merely invoking its name or meditating on its form summons its power?” His expression darkened.
His heart pounded, his chest tightened, and his soul nearly left his body!
This was dire. As a Void Path cultivator, merely sensing an ancient tree should not provoke such a reaction.
Finally, he rose into the air, gazing into the distance. Faintly, he glimpsed a tree rooted hundreds of miles away.
Shi Hao turned and fled without hesitation.
In that moment, he felt an overwhelming dread, as if his very soul might collapse. That tree was not to be approached—disaster awaited those who dared.
Changing direction, he acknowledged the tree’s lethality. There would be no communication—only death for those who trespassed.
—
Over the next two days, Shi Hao’s expression grew grim. A great crisis loomed. He had clashed with multiple foreign realm squads, barely escaping with his life.
Most were at the Severing Self Realm, just one step above him.
The foreign realm knew of his extraordinary talent. Though young, his strength was unmatched among his peers. Sending ordinary warriors was futile, yet deploying Dunyi experts risked catastrophic losses—for this was the Heavenly Beast Forest, where even the strongest might perish.
Thus, their forces were carefully balanced: Void Path cultivators as support, Severing Self experts as the main force, with a few Dunyi leaders.
After several bloody battles, Shi Hao was severely wounded. The more he fled, the more hopeless his situation seemed.
Every escape route was blocked. The foreign realm had woven a net across the forest, determined to trap him.
“This place is too dangerous. I should retreat and escape through the Divine Medicine Mountain Range,” he muttered.
After another fierce battle, he barely evaded a Dunyi pursuer.
“Blocked!” Hiding in the woods, he sighed in frustration.
The path to the Divine Medicine Mountain Range was sealed. The foreign realm had flooded the area.
“If you’re this desperate to send so many experts after me, then I’ll give you a fight to remember!” His voice was icy.
He had realized that every time his location was exposed, the foreign realm’s squads adjusted their positions, tightening the noose.
They possessed mystical artifacts that allowed instant coordination, tracking his every move.
—
Outside the forest, foreign realm elders roared in fury.
Their elite forces had suffered heavy losses.
An entire squad had been wiped out—no survivors. They didn’t know it was the withered tree’s doing.
“It couldn’t have been that brat. They must have encountered a fearsome beast.”
More reports arrived: Void Path prodigies slain, Severing Self experts ambushed.
“The Nine-Headed Qilin’s young master is dead! Executed by Shi Hao in ten moves—his nine lives couldn’t save him!”
This was catastrophic. The young master had been a rising star, destined for greatness.
“Who let him in? We warned them Shi Hao was dangerous!”
Such a loss—a future Immortal King candidate, gone.
“He wanted to defeat Shi Hao, prove himself. He had escorts, but…” A Qilin elder lamented.
It was clear: Shi Hao’s infamy had drawn challengers, especially among newly emerged geniuses eager to make their mark.
“Report! Heavenly King Qi Lun has fallen—killed by Shi Hao!”
Another devastating blow. Qi Lun, ranked third among the Ten Young Kings, a disciple of an Immortal King, was dead.
“When did he enter? Who allowed this?” The elders were livid.
Another elite lost.
“This is a disgrace! Half the Ten Kings slain by one man—what face do we have left?”
Since the desert battle, Shi Hao had dominated their young generation. Many sought to kill him, especially newcomers needing glory.
Qi Lun was the highest-ranked victim yet, though some argued the Qilin young master had greater potential.
“Report—” Another messenger arrived.
“Don’t tell me Shi Hao killed another!”
“Indeed… among the Ten Kings…”
The elder exploded. “Will he slaughter them all? How many are left?”
The answer: almost none.
“Useless! With so many Dunyi experts, how has he not been killed?”
“He’s been severely wounded, but he keeps escaping. We’re closing in.”
“Shameful! Is there no one among our youth who can kill him?”
“The young lord of the Imperial Clan has entered. The Gu Clan’s heir is on his way!”
These names brought relief. Their power was undisputed.
“He Zi Ming has arrived!”
“Finally! After enlightenment and training under his ancestor, He Wushuang, he mastered the Indestructible Scripture—just to kill Shi Hao!”
“The one destined to slay Shi Hao is here!”
Excitement spread. The humiliation had gone on too long.
—
Meanwhile, the Imperial Pass buzzed with the news.
“Shi Hao is slaughtering their elites?”
“Incredible! The Ten Kings nearly wiped out—what a legend!”
Cheers erupted. The reports were exhilarating.
“They say an Imperial Clan genius is coming, along with the Gu Clan’s heir… even someone claiming to be Shi Hao’s executioner.”
“Empty boasts! I hope Shi Hao butchers them all—let the foreign elders’ faces turn green with rage!”
Tai Sui Yellow Amulet Paper FuLu Taoist Love Talisman Traditional Chinese Spiritual Charm Attracting Love Protecting Marriage