At this moment, the heavens and earth fell into silence. No one dared to breathe, and countless beings knelt densely upon the ground.
None of the cultivators present were weak—they hailed from various sects and belonged to different races. Yet now, they all bowed their heads, not daring to look up at the sky, nor even entertain the thought of gazing upon the celestial steeds. One by one, they prostrated beneath the vast firmament.
Eight celestial steeds, their bodies robust, sinews like steel, and scales dense as dragon hide, hovered motionless in midair, silently accepting the worship of the masses.
Shi Hao stood still, unmoving, facing an overwhelming crisis. How could he resist?
“Foolish and reckless! To refuse to bow before a true immortal—this is a crime punishable by the extermination of your entire lineage!” the elder from the Immortal Palace roared.
Who would dare speak now? Who would dare stand up? Faced with the might of the crippled immortal, no one was a match. Trembling in fear, many knelt on the ground, not daring to utter a word.
Even the two supreme beings from the Nine Heavens had vanished without a trace.
They were not foolish—they knew that appearing now to save Shi Hao would be meaningless, only resulting in their own deaths.
Only by retreating to the Nine Heavens could they escape this calamity.
They had heard that the crippled immortals of the Three Thousand Provinces rarely left their slumber. First, because their injuries made long journeys difficult, and second, because the forbidden lands of the Nine Heavens loomed as a deterrent.
For the crippled immortals, unless circumstances forced them, they would never venture to the Nine Heavens before fully recovering!
“A crime punishable by extermination? On what grounds? Why should I bow?” Shi Hao spoke, his tone cold and composed, devoid of panic or fear.
His words sent a shock through the crowd. He truly dared to speak! That was a crippled immortal, yet he defied them with such audacity, refusing to acknowledge their authority.
“You truly have the gall of an immortal, daring to speak like this before a peerless master,” the elder from the Immortal Palace said icily. “The entire world knows that one must bow before a true immortal—they are our ancestors, supreme masters, and former sages who once defended our lands, achieving unparalleled feats! You, in your arrogance and ignorance, dare to defy them? Do you seek to rebel against the natural order?!”
His words thundered across the heavens and earth, pressuring Shi Hao with overwhelming force.
“Former sages with great achievements?” Shi Hao remained unmoved, instead laughing—a laugh tinged with coldness and melancholy. “The true sages with great achievements are all dead. Some perished before the Immortal Ancient Era, others fell in battle at the frontier, their bones buried in the wasteland! What reason do I have to respect a so-called ‘strong one’ who dared not fight?!”
“Do you even know what you’re saying?” the elder from the Immortal Palace snapped, his eyes flashing like lightning, cold and ruthless. He sought to suppress Shi Hao.
“Of course I know. Am I not speaking the truth?” Shi Hao stood tall, unafraid. “If they truly had the courage to fight to the death against the enemy, there would be no ‘crippled immortals’ today. They only excel at internal strife!”
“I have heard that during the Immortal Ancient War, the Kun Peng was grievously wounded, and at the dawn of this era, it was ambushed—likely by the crippled immortals. Perhaps their injuries were inflicted by the Kun Peng!” Shi Hao had truly thrown caution to the wind, daring to speak such words even in the presence of a crippled immortal.
Below, many faces paled. Kneeling on the ground, they dared not move. How could a mere youth dare to expose the crippled immortal’s shame?
“Defending our lands? I’ve heard that the so-called crippled immortals once condemned the descendants of meritorious heroes. When the titled kings passed, did they think they could dominate the world?”
“Should I respect such people? Where were they during the great war at the frontier? Nowhere to be seen! Now that peace has been restored, they dare to emerge and flaunt their power—what fine ‘true immortals’ they are! Such peerless masters are not worth mentioning. I’d rather respect the nameless veterans of the frontier!”
Shi Hao’s scathing rebuke was merciless, spoken straight from the heart, sending chills down everyone’s spines.
They knew he was bold, but to mock a true immortal to their face? It was unthinkable. He truly had no regard for his life.
“Silence!” The elder from the Immortal Palace cut him off, shouting in reprimand, afraid he would say more. Such reckless words left even him pale-faced.
Yet, the being within the silver war chariot remained calm, showing no anger, as if carved from stone—untouched by any emotion.
“Little brat, what do you know? A true immortal gazes upon eternity, planning for the greater scheme of things. How could a mere cultivator like you fathom their thoughts? Do not measure an immortal’s heart with your own!” The elder from the Immortal Palace was frantic, trying to defuse the situation, fearing the crippled immortal’s wrath might extend to him.
“Enough.” The being in the silver war chariot spoke, silencing the elder. Then, he transmitted his voice to Shi Hao: “Come forth.”
His tone remained indifferent, yet it carried an undeniable authority—a spiritual pressure that forced all beings to bow, even gods and buddhas, none daring to defy.
Shi Hao felt as if struck by lightning. Though not physically attacked, his soul seemed on the verge of shattering.
The crippled immortal’s aura surged forth, a clear warning—if he dared to defy again, he would be obliterated. A great crisis loomed!
“Are you truly forcing my hand?”
Shi Hao muttered to himself. He would not retreat. He was prepared to stake everything, to fight with his life.
There was no room for compromise. Even if he bowed now, it would be meaningless. In the eyes of a true immortal, he was as fragile as an infant.
To those who had not ascended to immortality, they were nothing but ants!
“My child!”
In the distance, Qin Yi Ning cried out in fear, her voice trembling. She dreaded the thought of Shi Hao being slain before her eyes.
“Child, come back!” Shi Zi Ling also shouted. He knew that no matter how strong his eldest son was, he stood no chance against a true immortal.
Now, all they could hope for was for Shi Hao to return—even if death awaited them, they would face it together as a family.
At this moment, they stood within the Qin Clan, not kneeling, for the Five Elements Mountain shone brightly, protecting the sacred land below.
“Kneel and come forth!” the elder from the Immortal Palace bellowed.
“This is too much!”
Qin Chang Sheng spoke. At the same time, he struck his chest, where a radiant light burst forth—a dazzling crimson glow that lit up the heavens.
“Hmm?”
Not just the others, even the crippled immortal in the silver war chariot showed surprise, emitting a sound of astonishment.
The rest were even more shocked!
That blood—bright red like diamonds, shimmering with brilliance—though scant, dyed the heavens scarlet, as if burning the sky with its radiance.
Immortal blood!
Many realized this was no ordinary blood—it was the blood of the immortal path.
It carried dense immortal energy and overwhelming power, surging forth.
Many were stunned. How could Qin Chang Sheng possess such a thing? What was his origin?
Shi Hao’s pupils contracted. He understood—that was truly immortal blood, sealed within Qin Chang Sheng’s body and now unleashed.
Long ago, Qin Chang Sheng had obtained an immortal bone, nurturing it within himself until it fused with his being, producing true immortal blood. Yet, he could not control it and had deliberately sealed it away.
Now, he had released it, sprinkling the immortal blood upon the Five Elements Mountain to help it break its seal!
Shi Hao realized that Qin Chang Sheng still held secrets he had not fully revealed.
“Boom!”
As the immortal blood fell upon the Five Elements Mountain, chaotic energy erupted. The wails of gods and demons echoed, their shadowy forms flickering in a terrifying spectacle.
Upon the mountain, countless primordial deities wept and mourned, as if lamenting the passing of an era—or perhaps rejoicing at their revival.
In an instant, the heavens cracked, and the world trembled!
All nearby beings shuddered in horror, their souls quaking in terror.
What had Qin Chang Sheng done? Why had the Five Elements Mountain become so terrifying?
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