Chapter 1503: The Ancient Beasts of Supreme Power

Everyone halted in their tracks, utterly stunned, their expressions filled with disbelief as they gazed at the forbidden land ahead!

Though rumors of this place had circulated, how many had truly seen it with their own eyes?

It was said that an ancient beast slumbered within the Celestial Beast Forest, a supreme existence whose might overshadowed all, revered even by the celestial beasts of every domain.

Yet, whether from the Imperial Pass or the foreign lands, few truly knew its origins.

Where they stood, the vegetation was lush and vibrant, glowing like emerald jade, brimming with life essence so dense it was almost tangible. Yet ahead, the land was barren, a stark contrast.

“Second Under Heaven?!” someone gasped in shock.

The terrain of these mountains was peculiar, but that wasn’t what sent chills down their spines—it was the creature itself.

Like Shi Hao at first, everyone seemed petrified, standing frozen as they looked up at the lifeless stone mountain, watching the roiling immortal mist and the creature suspended mid-air.

The beast was covered in silver scales, resembling both a pangolin and an ancient crocodile—yet far more massive, its limbs thick and powerful.

Of course, it was neither. Upon its head sat a pair of true dragon horns, and its skull bore an uncanny resemblance to that of a dragon.

Not a crocodile’s head, nor that of any other ferocious beast—but one akin to a dragon!

Moreover, on its back stretched a pair of colossal wings, vast enough to blot out the sky, silver-white and densely scaled, shimmering with radiance.

This creature was terrifying beyond measure, its size dwarfing even the largest stone mountains.

When its wings spread, even unconsciously, they stirred the primal chaos, casting a hazy, dreadful aura. Immortal light surged from it, making the very void tremble!

This was an absolute powerhouse. Merely hovering there, its oppressive might was unbearable—even some at the Dunyi level trembled, knees buckling in involuntary worship!

It was beyond their control.

And yet, this creature’s eyes were closed, its essence entirely sealed within, not a wisp of aura leaking out. It was as though it had locked away its very spirit.

The immortal mist and chaotic light surrounding it were merely natural phenomena, born from its prolonged presence here!

What manner of being was this? Its vitality sealed, fossil-like, suspended in the void—yet still commanding awe and dread.

Especially when some bold cultivators from the foreign lands attempted to probe it, only to cough up blood violently.

*Thud!*

In an instant, over a dozen Dunyi-level beings collapsed. These were the strongest among the group, daring enough to try divining the secrets of this place.

The result? It was as though a silver furnace had erupted before them, searing their minds and bodies, leaving them grievously wounded.

Unthinkable—merely peering at this creature, probing it in secret, had invoked such backlash. No ill intent could be directed toward it.

And as everyone’s gaze fixed upon it, the entire area seemed suppressed, every living being shuddering under its unseen weight.

*Thump!*

Sure enough, many couldn’t resist—they dropped to their knees, compelled by instinct, their bodies moving of their own accord in worship.

“Disaster looms!” someone cried out, sensing impending doom.

“How can this be?!” Cold sweat drenched the strongest among them as if facing the highest deity, compelled to prostrate.

A few resisted, refusing to submit—only for their bodies to split apart with a soft *pop*, collapsing in pools of blood, barely clinging to life.

Only a handful remained standing, their faces deathly pale.

“Don’t look at it—don’t even think about it, or we’ll all perish!” one expert roared in warning.

Panic spread invisibly among the foreign cultivators as more fell, some even exploding into nothingness, their forms and spirits annihilated.

How horrifying was this?

They hadn’t even acted—merely observed, attempted to uncover its secrets—and this was the result.

“It has sealed its senses, locked its blood, closed off its body—not a trace of essence escapes. It exists in a state beyond life and death!” one expert deduced.

At this point, Shi Hao was the least of their concerns—survival was all that mattered.

This was a sudden calamity, a sleeping beast dragging them all toward death.

“How? If it’s sealed itself entirely, why are we still in danger?” It defied belief.

“Precisely because of that. The moment we observe or ponder it, disaster strikes. Try it—look away.”

Soon, some regained composure, stepping out of death’s shadow, no longer trembling.

The rest followed, exhaling in relief. That had been too close—had no one realized the truth, catastrophe would’ve claimed them all.

At the foot of a stone mountain, Shi Hao was drenched in sweat, far from the foreign cultivators. He, too, had nearly been obliterated.

Only when he tore his focus from the creature did the danger recede.

Gulping down golden elixir from the Divine Medicine Mountain, he steadied himself.

“This creature’s level is unimaginable—perhaps rivaling the pinnacle beings of our world!” someone murmured.

In this dormant state, its essence locked away, it should’ve been no different from a rock. Yet it still posed a lethal threat.

“Neither alive nor dead—this is the deepest form of hibernation, where not a shred of life is lost,” another observed.

“If it awakens, we’re dead. None could withstand its pressure—we’d explode instantly,” an elder said grimly.

Everyone’s faces darkened, thoroughly shaken.

Some suspected this was a survivor from the previous era, one who’d escaped the final war, now in a deathlike state—perhaps healing.

Shi Hao, overhearing this, felt his mind reel. If this beast awoke, every Dunyi expert here would perish?

How terrifyingly powerful was it?

His face paled as he recalled the earth-shaking roar from two days prior, when he’d first approached the Celestial Beast Forest. That had undoubtedly been this ancient beast.

Though distant, its sheer magnitude had been unmistakable.

“It’s not perpetually dormant—it awoke just two days ago. That means it could rouse at any moment!” The realization sent chills down his spine.

“What *is* this creature?” Now that they averted their gaze, the crushing pressure lifted, allowing hushed questions.

This puzzled Shi Hao. If not from the foreign lands, did it belong to the Nine Heavens? Had it not fought in the last war?

Or was it even older, having missed the cataclysm entirely?

Something was undeniably wrong.

A massive chain bound the beast, anchoring it to a stone tablet below. And embedded in its skull—a spear, unmistakably an immortal weapon, rusted yet still exuding wisps of immortal energy.

Why hadn’t such a powerful being removed it?

Had its spirit already been nailed to death?

“Understood—it’s severely wounded. Despite its might, it’s been bound here, that bloodied spear likely part of its seal,” a foreign expert concluded.

Hard to imagine—such a beast, subdued and imprisoned!

Shi Hao dared only fleeting glances, knowing prolonged focus invited death.

If even the foreign forces didn’t recognize it, only knowing scraps of legend, its antiquity was undeniable—perhaps predating the last great war.

“I know what this is—its origins!”

A voice rang through the forest, golden light blazing as a majestic golden lion strode forth.

“The Fearless Lion!” Shi Hao’s eyes narrowed.

This lineage had once belonged to the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths before defecting to the foreign lands, slaughtering their former kin.

If the Fearless Lion recognized this beast, it likely confirmed one thing—this ancient creature was once a paramount figure of the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths!