The golden lion exhaled clouds of mist, its yellow haze shrouding the land, enveloping mountains and rivers—a truly terrifying sight!
Carrying Shi Hao on its back, it surged forward, treading upon the mist and clouds. Its golden body was robust, its mane cascading down to its forepaws, exuding an overwhelming majesty.
A lion like this was not just a rare sight in the Three Thousand Provinces—even in the Nine Heavens, it would be considered a fearsome beast of extraordinary bloodline. The Fearless Lion was a species rarely seen in this era.
This race was immensely powerful—how many could dare to ride them as mounts?
At this moment, the lion seethed with fury. A descendant of the ancestral lineage, a race that once dared to challenge the Immortal Monk King, now reduced to being ridden by a mere mortal.
“Roar—!”
The golden lion let out a thunderous roar, low yet earth-shaking. Had Shi Hao not slapped it, forcing it to suppress the terrifying ripples of its Dao, the mountains below would have crumbled beyond count.
Even so, within a radius of tens of thousands of miles, peaks trembled violently, ancient trees snapped, and gales howled—a scene of sheer awe.
The sacred land of plant cultivators—the Demon Sunflower Garden—lay ahead, not far now. Dark radiance shimmered, auspicious energy billowing.
Here dwelled the Sunward Demon Sunflower Clan, a formidable and mysterious race that few dared to provoke.
Though called a “garden,” it was nestled within the mountains—the Black Orchid Mountain.
This place was renowned throughout the Three Thousand Provinces.
The master of the Demon Sunflower Garden was known by some as the Demon Lord, a figure of immense power, profound magic, and terrifying might.
Yet, those who knew the truth feared most the old sect master behind him—the true ancient Demon Lord, whose magic was peerless.
Of course, few knew that the old Demon Lord still lived.
The towering, majestic Black Orchid Mountain loomed ahead.
The grand mountain gate stood imposing, within which ancient trees and Sunward Demon Sunflowers thrived, exuding dark radiance, saturating the area with astonishing spiritual energy.
**Roar!**
Upon arrival, the golden lion let out a deafening roar. Shi Hao did not restrain it, descending directly from the sky astride his mount.
Mist churned and spread, making the golden lion appear every bit the savage beast it was. Its roar shook the entire mountain gate.
**Crack!**
As it landed, the stone steps before the gate shattered, and cliffside inscriptions exploded, sending debris flying.
These were no ordinary stones—they were divine tablets reinforced with magic, embedded with formations that could withstand meteor strikes from beyond the heavens.
Yet now, merely the aura of the golden lion’s descent threatened to annihilate the mountain gate entirely.
“Who goes there?”
A group of elite guards stationed at the gate shouted in challenge. Behind their heads, black divine halos shimmered—undeniable proof of their Sunward Demon Sunflower heritage.
“Retreat! Don’t engage!”
A voice boomed from the sky—the Second Elder of the Demon Sunflower Garden. He had fled ahead of the golden lion, yet ironically, he now lagged behind.
The plant cultivators of the Demon Sunflower Garden—all spirits and demons of flora—were stunned, their hearts quaking with fear.
Even the Second Elder was terrified—who was this intruder?
“Fang! It’s Fang from back then!” someone finally recognized.
**Boom!**
Without a word from Shi Hao, the golden lion strode forward. Its massive golden paws descended, shattering the mountain gate and splitting the stone peaks, sending boulders hurtling skyward.
Like an unstoppable demon king, wherever it passed, stone steps collapsed, and mountains toppled.
All the plant cultivators were dumbfounded. The lion’s might was unparalleled—this place was protected by formations, yet they crumpled like paper.
If even the mount was this terrifying, how much more fearsome must the rider be?
The crowd was paralyzed with shock.
The higher-ups knew of the events at the borderlands and Fang’s exploits, but the lower ranks were clueless.
How could Fang have grown so powerful in such a short time? It was unbelievable.
Had Fang come for revenge? Storming the Demon Sunflower Garden—who could stop him?
“Where is the Demon Lord? Summon the Demon Lord!” someone screamed.
Turning back, they realized the Second Elder had already vanished. The entire crowd despaired—if even their elders fled, how could they resist?
They scrambled deeper into the mountain.
Shi Hao had no intention of indiscriminate slaughter. He did not seek to bathe the Demon Sunflower Garden in blood, merely advancing atop the Fearless Lion.
Yet, his sheer presence terrified all who beheld him.
Within the mountain gate, towering ancient trees and majestic palaces stood amidst dark radiance and dense spiritual energy—a true sacred land.
“Fang, what is the meaning of this?”
A voice boomed from within, challenging him.
“Your sect once sought my life. Today, I’ve come to you,” Shi Hao replied.
Fang had returned—direct and unyielding, storming the mountain gate, leaving the Demon Sunflower Garden in shock at his rapid growth.
“The Demon Lord is not here,” a cold voice echoed from the depths of Black Orchid Mountain.
Shi Hao paused. He had come specifically to test the sect master’s strength and settle old grudges—yet he was absent?
**Thud!**
Shi Hao dismounted, his foot slamming into the ground. The earth split, and all peaks trembled violently.
The oppressive aura made everyone pale with fear.
“To call oneself ‘Demon Lord’—such arrogance. I say he is unworthy!” Shi Hao declared.
“Audacious!” Multiple voices roared from the mountain’s depths.
“You dare insult our Demon Sunflower Garden? Do not think yourself invincible!”
“Entering Black Orchid Mountain does not grant you the right to act recklessly!”
As a sect renowned across the Three Thousand Provinces for centuries, they had their pride. Cold, defiant voices rang out.
“Summon your so-called Demon Lord. Otherwise, I will raze this place,” Shi Hao said icily.
**Boom!**
Simultaneously, he unleashed his aura without restraint. The sheer force shook heaven and earth, threatening to tear the entire landscape apart.
**Crack!** Even with protective formations, divine mountains began to explode.
“Activate the formation—Twilight of the Gods!” someone commanded.
Ancient, intricate patterns surged from the ground like molten iron—a peerless formation capable of slaying deities.
Yet as Shi Hao’s power erupted, many of the formation platforms shattered.
He made no effort to conceal his Dao-Fleeing Realm cultivation. His blood energy pierced the sun and moon; his divine might crushed Black Orchid Mountain. The very heavens trembled and cracked.
For tens of thousands of miles, spatial rifts tore through the sky—a scene akin to the apocalypse.
Even meteors from beyond the heavens plummeted toward the earth.
**Boom!**
Chaos reigned. The entire mountain range teetered on collapse; the Demon Sunflower Garden was on the verge of annihilation.
And Shi Hao had yet to strike a single blow—merely the fluctuations of his unleashed power were enough to sever stars.
“Kill him!”
The Demon Sunflower Garden’s elders panicked. This was an existential threat. They had to activate the ancient formations and strike first.
They attacked, channeling the formations to besiege Shi Hao.
Yet their efforts were futile. Even the most lethal formations could not harm him. Standing firm, the gates within his body opened, emitting a clear light that formed a protective halo around him.
**Invulnerable to all laws!**
At this moment, Shi Hao was untouchable. Every attack dissolved against his radiant barrier.
**Boom!**
When he glared, unleashing his full power, the resulting shockwaves froze the very air, shattering formation platforms.
Banners meant to suppress him exploded mid-air, reduced to dust.
Towering platforms meant to crush him detonated into brilliant flames, scattering debris.
Like an indomitable demon king, Shi Hao stood unmoved, his black hair billowing without wind, dismantling all assaults.
**Pfft! Pfft! Pfft!**
Many coughed blood, staggering back.
And this was Shi Hao holding back—restraining himself from wholesale slaughter.
“Bring out your so-called Demon Lord!” Shi Hao demanded coldly.
“The Demon Lord and the old master are away, visiting allies. We do not know when they will return,” someone stammered.
They were petrified. Such power was beyond comprehension—perhaps even surpassing the Demon Lord, rivaling the old master himself.
**Humph!**
With a cold snort, Shi Hao flicked his sleeve. A tempest erupted, lifting entire mountains into the sky before they exploded into nothingness.
Many shuddered in terror. Then, dark specks of light emerged as their magic drained away, eliciting screams of horror.
Those who had secretly harbored killing intent upon recognizing Shi Hao found their cultivation waning, their divine seeds forcibly extracted.
Most plant cultivators here were Sunward Demon Sunflowers, their power concentrated in their seeds. Now, Shi Hao seized them.
“You dare?!”
An elder erupted from Black Orchid Mountain’s depths, wreathed in demonic energy—a late-stage Severing Self cultivator of immense power.
This was the Demon Sunflower Garden’s Grand Elder.
**Roar!**
The golden lion intercepted him with a deafening roar, shaking the heavens and forcing the elder to cough blood.
All were stunned. The Grand Elder was a powerhouse, yet he couldn’t even withstand Fang’s mount.
**Squelch!**
The Fearless Lion’s claw tore through the elder’s body, leaving a gaping wound.
“The Demon Lord and the old master will not spare you!” the elder howled.
“Threatening me?” The golden lion’s eyes gleamed with savagery. With a single swipe, it crushed the elder’s skull, annihilating his soul.
Silence fell over the Demon Sunflower Garden. All plant cultivators trembled in fear.
Shi Hao waved his sleeve, collecting thousands of pounds of glistening black sunflower seeds—essences of divine power, potent nourishment.
He thought these would make fine gifts for Stone Village. The children following him would surely delight in them, strengthening their blood and souls.
“I have no wish for indiscriminate slaughter. But provoke me, and I will show no mercy,” Shi Hao declared.
Then, he struck again, breaching the Demon Sunflower Garden’s underground palace.
What lay within stunned even the golden lion. Piles of divine materials, rare herbs, and precious medicines abounded.
Among them were crystalline jade bottles containing unique sunflower seeds.
“These are the legacy of past elders—divine seeds, the essence of their cultivation,” someone whispered fearfully.
“Good. I’ll take them. Once I settle matters with your Demon Lord, our feud ends here,” Shi Hao said.
These divine seeds were treasures—foundations for geniuses, capable of refining one’s physique, bloodline, and soul.
The Demon Sunflower Garden’s members paled, not daring to speak.
“Young man, you are strong. But our old master has his own origins. Push too far, and you may regret it,” an elder warned.
**Thud!**
The golden lion swatted him down, nearly crushing him entirely. His cultivation crippled, the elder trembled, silenced.
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