“Congratulations, felicitations! Each of you six young daoists has reaped tremendous gains. Your future achievements are boundless—perhaps one day you may stand shoulder to shoulder with the ancient progenitors of the various clans.”
Gu Yi beamed, his hunched figure crowned with silver-white hair tinged with golden radiance as he offered his well-wishes to the supreme beings of the Imperial Clans.
The others felt a shiver of discomfort, for this demeanor was entirely unlike the old man’s usual style.
“Stand shoulder to shoulder with the ancient progenitors? Let us not speak such words,” said the middle-aged powerhouse from Yu Tuo’s lineage.
The others tensed, their hearts gripped by wariness and even dread. In this world, hierarchy was absolute. The Immortal Kings were revered as supreme—none could rival them!
In this vast realm, merely invoking their names with reverence could summon their avatars, their overwhelming might beyond comprehension.
One must understand—this ancient world was unimaginably vast, stretching far beyond the combined territories of the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths!
Chi Meng Hong, Yu Yu, Suo Gu, and the others rose to their feet, their gazes locking onto Shi Hao with icy indifference, murderous intent flickering briefly in their eyes.
Some of these young Imperial Clan elites truly wished to slay Shi Hao, to bathe in his blood and forge an invincible reputation!
Others, however, harbored killing intent solely because of the shared ordeal within the furnace. Upon reflection, they realized they had grown stronger because of him—a fact that pricked their pride. They yearned for a decisive battle to prove who stood supreme.
“Raising Gu worms…” Gu Yi’s voice was barely a whisper, yet the faint words reached the ears of the youths.
Their eyes turned colder. The so-called “raising Gu” referred to sealing a swarm of divine insects in a vessel, forcing them to battle until only one king emerged alive.
What did the old man mean by this? The implication unsettled them—were they, who had once shared the Yin-Yang Furnace, being likened to such creatures?
Chi Meng Hong and Yu Yu’s killing intent deepened. If such words spread, it would tarnish their prestige. Moreover, they realized that Shi Hao had indeed catalyzed their growth—now, they sought to slay him to validate their own paths!
Soon, they departed the stone valley, greeted by many who approached with smiles and congratulations.
“Esteemed daoists, this way, please. This is a joyous occasion worthy of celebration. I have prepared a feast with ancient wines from the Immortal Ancient Era. Shall we share a cup?” Gu Yi proposed.
The group was led to an open area where a cluster of metallic palaces stood against the mountains, shrouded in immortal mist.
This was a sacred site of the Gu Clan, reserved only for honored guests and visiting Immortals. Today’s reception was of the highest honor.
“These halls once bore the footsteps of countless great figures—a place for future generations to revere. In the previous epoch, peerless beings like the Endless Immortal King and the Samsara Immortal King once graced these grounds,” remarked a cultivator from An Lan’s lineage, his tone nostalgic.
The others shuddered, studying the metallic structures intently. These palaces had been relocated from the Nine Heavens, once serving as the Gu Clan’s grand reception for Immortal Kings.
“Young friend, you are extraordinary—a genius born for battle,” Gu Yi said warmly, approaching Shi Hao with an appraising gaze.
“Bring forth the immortal wine!” he commanded.
“Could it truly be wine from the Immortal Ancient Era? After so many years, even if preserved, would it still be drinkable?” some wondered aloud.
Soon, a jade-carved vat was carried forth, its surface shimmering with restrained immortal essence, embodying the principle of returning to simplicity.
Gasps and murmurs of awe filled the golden hall.
“Such rich fragrance!”
*Thud!*
Someone collapsed, overwhelmed by the mere aroma.
This was no ordinary wine. All present understood—this vintage carried an inexplicable dao charm, a hidden power within.
A rare treasure indeed! Many exclaimed in admiration, raising their cups to the viscous, jelly-like liquor. Merely gazing at it was intoxicating.
Then, like falling leaves, people dropped one after another. A single sip was enough to render them unconscious.
“This wine is potent—was it brewed exclusively for Immortals?” muttered a supreme being from Chi Wang’s lineage, swaying after a single cup.
He sat cross-legged, ignoring the others, closing his eyes to meditate. The wine’s dao principles demanded contemplation.
Soon, silence enveloped the hall.
“Young friend, come with me,” Gu Yi beckoned, leading Shi Hao away from the ancient palace.
Inside, Chi Meng Hong opened his eyes—he had not drunk. A cold light gleamed as he hissed, “Gu Clan, though you dwell in our realm, does your heart still linger in the Imperial Pass? Do you seek annihilation?!”
Accompanying Gu Yi were not only Shi Hao but also Gu Hong, who had also benefited greatly within the Yin-Yang Furnace.
“Hong’er, remain here,” the elder instructed, taking only Shi Hao back to the stone valley.
“Do you have something to say to me?” Shi Hao finally voiced his suspicion. This elder had crippled him, then indirectly restored him, even tempering his body in the furnace. Without it, reforging his true form would have been impossible.
“Ah, in those days, our lineage too hailed from the Nine Heavens. What a glorious era it was—Immortal Kings soaring, Immortal Kings roaring in battle. Even beings from older epochs emerged, joining the fray. The brilliance of that age is beyond imagination,” the elder mused.
One could envision the splendor—Immortal Kings clashing, blood staining both realms, a spectacle that shook the ages.
“Yet, as foretold by our ancestors, that epoch was but a skirmish. The true cataclysm will unfold in this era—darkness shrouding the earth, blood soaking all realms, the heavens themselves sinking into ruin. A true reckoning approaches. To live in such times… I tremble, yet I burn with anticipation. When will it come? What horrors await?” Gu Yi sighed, his wrinkled face alight with fervor and fear.
“What are you trying to tell me?” Shi Hao pressed.
“In this, the most brutal epoch in history, survival is precarious. My clan must reclaim its past glory, or perish. Without ascending to Immortal Kinghood, we are but ants—unable to protect even our own. Every clan must fight for survival in the coming storm,” Gu Yi lamented.
“What calamity approaches? Who will enact this reckoning?” Shi Hao demanded, hungry for the truth.
“Witness the withering of the world, listen to the dirges of the supreme. Then, you shall know. Peerless beings will rise, ancient clans return, and slaughter will drown the epochs in blood,” Gu Yi whispered, trembling with awe and terror.
Even he did not fully comprehend. These were the dying words of his ancestors, their prophecies.
Yet now, he might finally understand—for he was about to step into that place, to stand once more before that supreme existence.
“Why tell me this?” Shi Hao questioned.
“To collect a debt from your clan. The Shi owe us an Immortal King!” Gu Yi’s voice turned icy.
Though small and stooped, he straightened, declaring, “Once, our clan was to birth a peerless sovereign—an Immortal King. But your Shi ancestors struck him down!”
Shi Hao shuddered. Such enmity existed between their clans? His spine chilled. This elder bore no goodwill—he sought vengeance, contrary to Shi Hao’s earlier assumptions.
“My Shi ancestors stood tall, defending the borderlands with their lives, their blood staining the earth. If they struck down your Gu progenitor, they had just cause!” Shi Hao retorted.
“Heh!” Gu Yi’s laugh was frigid, his gaze terrifying.
*Crack!*
The stone valley split, revealing a stairway descending into the earth—beneath the hovering Yin-Yang Furnace, wreathed in mist, its pressure suffocating, as if it could crush the ages.
Gu Yi led Shi Hao underground.
“The path of ‘using the body as a seed’ was conceived in the Immortal Ancient Era. My Gu progenitor was among its architects,” Gu Yi explained.
The passage was dim, dry, and long, leading to a stone chamber—plain, unadorned, devoid of carvings or dao patterns.
“Ancestor, at the critical moment, your form was shattered, your Immortal King foundation severed. Today, I bring you a seed—one who has succeeded in using the body as a seed, tempered through fire!”
Gu Yi knelt, pressing his forehead to the ground in devout obeisance.
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