At this point, what is there to fear? As long as I don’t fall into a deadly formation, I’ll fight with everything I’ve got!
The Celestial Clan’s territory is vast and densely populated, but the Celestial City lies hidden in a secret land, accessible only through obscure paths.
Finally, Shi Hao arrived via a teleportation array, stepping into a pristine land spanning a hundred thousand miles—a place that served as both the Celestial Clan’s herb garden and the sacred grounds for divine beasts.
The Celestial City, suspended high in the heavens!
It was invisible to the naked eye, shrouded in the Great Dao, with only chaos visible.
Now, Shi Hao was no longer the same as before. His strength had surged, and he was no longer a weak cultivator who could be bullied and suppressed at will. He could now roam the world freely.
Whoosh!
At this moment, Shi Hao flapped his Kun Peng wings, with the dual energies of Yin and Yang swirling behind him, intertwined with lightning. In an instant, he tore through the void and ascended into the sky with ease.
In the past, this would have been impossible—he would have needed to rely on a divine formation just to approach the Celestial City!
With each step, a new phenomenon emerged; with each step, illusions rose and fell.
Shi Hao, wreathed in divine radiance and auspicious light, strode across the firmament, ascending step by step until he broke through the layers of Great Dao restraints and emerged above the sea of clouds!
The Celestial City had existed since ancient times.
Here, immensely powerful and terrifying formations guarded the Celestial Clan’s ancestral heritage.
One could clearly see faint ripples emanating from the ancient city—manifestations of the Great Dao’s order and divine rules, forming a domain that warped the surrounding space.
The domain around the Celestial City was overwhelmingly powerful!
Anyone foolish enough to attack recklessly would face immediate retaliation. Ordinary cultivators would be torn apart in an instant, crushed into dust.
The Celestial City was as solid as an impregnable fortress.
If one took refuge within its walls, defending it would make it nearly impossible to breach. In the past, a group of powerful experts had joined forces to assault it, even summoning celestial bodies from beyond the domain to rain down like a storm of stars upon the city. Yet, it remained unshaken.
In the end, the city erupted with blinding light, its ripples expanding into a sacred domain that reduced every star that touched its walls to dust!
Boom!
Black lightning crackled through the void around the Celestial City, followed by explosions of five-colored divine radiance. Finally, crimson Great Dao patterns intertwined, setting the area ablaze.
Shi Hao had forced his way through, approaching the city with the intent to attack, causing the Celestial City to tremble violently.
“Who dares trespass into our clan’s forbidden land?”
Shouts of alarm rose from the city walls. Someone was attempting to invade the ancient metropolis—a great enemy had arrived, triggering the activation of the city’s formations.
Shi Hao frowned. The Celestial Clan was indeed formidable—slipping in unnoticed would be difficult.
At this point, he halted. Generally, he wouldn’t recklessly endanger himself, especially since this was the Celestial Clan’s ancestral land, once a place of unparalleled glory.
No one dared underestimate a race that had once shone so brilliantly.
Now, Shi Hao no longer needed to hide. He revealed his true form, standing tall in the distant sky, his cold gaze fixed ahead.
Back then, he had been forced to hide, unable to show his true face—largely due to the Celestial Clan’s relentless pursuit!
“Shi Hao?!”
Some cried out in shock, recognizing him instantly as the youth from years past. Though his appearance hadn’t changed much, his aura was entirely different—still refined, but now carrying an unspoken majesty, imposing even without anger.
“Fang!”
Someone whispered, their face paling.
By now, Fang’s name had spread across the three thousand provinces. After his battle in the Spirit Realm, his “ferocity” was known to all, witnessed firsthand!
Several great sects had tried to block his return, only for him to forcibly tear open the Spirit Realm’s gates and turn back to unleash a massacre, leaving many factions devastated.
Whether the Celestial Clan had participated remained unknown.
However, some of their experts had secluded themselves—perhaps not a good sign.
Especially since rumors of the Border War had begun to spread, not just among the higher echelons of various clans but even among the lower ranks.
Thus, many on the city walls felt their heads throb, their hairs standing on end.
This was a ruthless figure who had dominated the Border War, sweeping through opponents with ease. Among his peers, he might already be unmatched—even the highest bloodlines of the foreign realms had fallen to his blade.
Now, this legendary and fearsome figure had returned. How could they not tremble?
“Defend the city!”
“Activate the barriers!”
Some shouted in sheer terror.
Their fear was justified. Everyone knew what they had done to Fang—plotting to steal his treasures, betraying him despite his kindness, imprisoning him in the Celestial Dungeon, and torturing him nearly to death.
Such enmity was not easily resolved.
With a deafening roar, the Celestial City trembled violently, unleashing boundless radiance that transformed into rippling waves, expanding outward to crush all tangible objects.
The Celestial Clan had not only activated their defensive formations but were also preparing to counterattack.
Shi Hao’s expression remained cold. His body flickered between reality and illusion, his overwhelming aura filling the sky, yet also ethereal as he vanished from his original position and reappeared elsewhere.
He did not engage head-on—there was no need for that yet!
Flash!
Divine light erupted as he disappeared, returning to the ground below.
After all, this hundred-thousand-mile expanse was filled with herb gardens and sacred beast grounds—plenty of treasures to be had.
With a flick of his sleeve, Shi Hao released the Golden Lion. “Go. Strip this place bare.”
During his journey, he had traveled at extreme speeds, not riding the lion but tearing through the heavens himself, crossing countless miles.
The golden-furred Fearless Lion had long since submitted, no longer daring to resist. The longer it stayed with Fang, the more it understood his terror.
“Roar—!”
A lion’s roar shook the land. Within a hundred thousand miles, all rare birds and beasts trembled, prostrating themselves in fear.
Even the divine avian creatures soaring in the sky landed, shivering uncontrollably.
The Golden Lion was terrifying, its golden aura surging to intimidate all directions. Only someone as ruthless as Shi Hao could tame it—otherwise, it would have roamed the world freely, unmatched among its peers.
Then, it retrieved a spatial treasure, devouring everything like a whale swallowing the ocean, as if intending to flatten the entire hundred-thousand-mile sacred garden.
Countless herbs were uprooted, and all the beasts were seized, stored within the spatial artifact.
In the Celestial City, many were stunned before erupting in fury.
These were their cultivated herb fields and raised spirit beasts—now being plundered wholesale.
“How dare you?!” someone bellowed.
Shi Hao knew the Celestial Clan’s true treasures weren’t planted here but surely lay within the city. Still, stripping this hundred-thousand-mile expanse bare would undoubtedly leave them livid.
Mounted on the Golden Lion, Shi Hao soared back into the sky, returning to the Celestial City’s outskirts.
By now, the city’s higher-ups had learned of the youth’s return, and all were shaken.
On the walls, rippling barriers and glowing screens protected the ancient city. Many stared in shock at the young man before them, their hearts pounding.
This youth was terrifyingly strong—even his mount was enough to make one’s blood run cold.
“Shi Hao, what is the meaning of this?” someone demanded.
“Debt collection,” he replied coldly, his gaze sweeping over the familiar and unfamiliar faces on the walls.
These were the very people who had once scorned him, nearly killing him. Now, he looked down upon them from above.
“Ancient grievances should be left in the past. Must you be so aggressive, young friend?” an elderly voice interjected.
This was a senior member of the Celestial Clan, an elder of great age.
“Ancient grievances, left in the past? How lightly you speak—yet I recall no such resolution,” Shi Hao retorted icily.
Back then, they had humiliated him, imprisoned him, pierced his chest with divine swords, nearly killing him. Did they think a single sentence could erase that?
“Young friend, did our clan’s patriarch not meet you at the border and share a drink in camaraderie?” the elder pressed.
“Hahaha—!” Shi Hao laughed abruptly before cutting off. “Shared a drink? Is that what you claim? As the one involved, I recall no such thing.”
He had indeed encountered the Old Celestial, exchanging a few words, but there had been no further interaction. At the time, the Old Celestial had been more foe than friend.
“Heh…” Suddenly, another figure appeared on the walls—the Old Celestial himself.
He remained aged, but compared to before, his complexion was rosier, his vitality greatly restored.
Clearly, he had reaped great benefits at the border, consuming rare herbs to extend his lifespan. Otherwise, he should have long since perished.
“Young friend, it seems you hold many misunderstandings and grudges against us. Why not enter the city and discuss this?” the Old Celestial offered.
Shi Hao remained cold, his gaze sweeping disdainfully across the crowd. He did not enter—he knew all too well how dangerous this place was.
Having been to the border, he knew the truth behind the legends of the Six Ancient Celestials. This city was not to be entered lightly.
“So, you survived after all,” Shi Hao said coldly.
During the Border War, he had clashed violently with the Old Celestial, engaging in several bloody battles. Yet, the old man had returned unscathed—a testament to his fortune.
In the final battle, though only a portion of the city’s forces had participated, there had been several large-scale bloodbaths in the desert beforehand.
“By heaven’s grace, this old man survived. To meet you again here is truly a blessing,” the Old Celestial said with a faint smile.
Now, more figures appeared on the walls—key members of the clan, including elite youths and renowned figures.
Among them were the former top genius, You Yu, who had nearly been crippled by Shi Hao, as well as the twin jewels, Fu Qu and Manjusaka.
Then, the Three-Stone Heavenly Monarch appeared—a prodigy rumored to be dull-witted in his youth, yet who had grown into an unfathomably powerful figure.
Finally, a purple-robed maiden emerged, stunningly beautiful, her violet hair gleaming, her fair face filled with shock. Her luminous eyes shimmered with divine light—this was Yun Xi, another key figure from the past.
“I’m not here for idle talk. We both know what happened back then. Today, I’ve come to collect. If you satisfy me, I’ll leave. Otherwise…” Shi Hao’s tone was blunt.
The city walls buzzed with unrest.
Was this the era where someone could blockade the Celestial City for debt collection? Such audacity!
Especially since it was just one person—a mere human youth at that. It was staggering.
The younger generation watched Shi Hao intently. None were unfamiliar with him—their past battles had been brutal. Their expressions were complex, none having expected his return.
Yun Xi’s hair fluttered in the wind, her graceful figure emitting a faint glow. She was deeply shaken, her heart in turmoil. After all these years, that person had returned—from the border, no less.
She had heard of Shi Hao’s exploits in the Border War, his clashes with the foreign tribes. Yet, this former acquaintance had not perished but returned with glory.
Now, she saw him again.
“Ah, young friend, your divine talent is unmatched. To think you’d return riding a Fearless Lion, besieging our city alone—do you intend to breach the Celestial City?” the Old Celestial mused, his eyes glinting.
All shuddered inwardly. The Fearless Lion race had long vanished—yet here one was, tamed as a mount. It was chilling.
Some could tell—that lion’s cultivation was terrifyingly high!
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