Chapter 1729: Unwavering Resolve

“Little friend, you… alas!”

The supreme beings from the Immortal Academy had arrived, and the ancient one from the Sacred Academy had come as well. Both powerhouses were filled with regret and anger, yet there was nothing they could do.

They felt a deep sense of guilt toward Shi Hao, burdened by self-reproach.

“It’s not your fault, elders,” Shi Hao said.

Because the one who struck was a crippled immortal. Had the two supreme beings not chosen to return to the Nine Heavens, they too would have likely fallen victim, crippled right here.

Neither of the two powerhouses was foolish, yet they still felt remorse toward Shi Hao.

After words of comfort, sighs of regret, and lingering sorrow, the two supreme beings finally departed, carrying the iron-blooded war banner back to the Nine Heavens.

The Qin Clan gradually fell into silence.

“Let’s go, Yun Xi. It’s time for us to leave,” said the elder from the Heavenly Clan.

Though he had remained composed earlier, refraining from mocking Shi Hao, now he couldn’t help but smirk with satisfaction.

With Shi Hao crippled, what was there to fear? No need to worry about him ever reaching the pinnacle and dominating the world.

The Heavenly Clan elder laughed. In this situation, there was no need to grovel anymore. He intended to take Yun Xi away.

But to his surprise, Yun Xi refused, unwilling to leave.

“What are you doing? He’s already crippled. There’s nothing to worry about. Later, we’ll ask the ancestor to personally negotiate with Qin Changsheng to reclaim the Flying Immortal Stone. You don’t need to stay,” the elder said.

“I must stay!” Yun Xi insisted.

“Have you lost your mind? He’s already finished! There’s no need for this!” The elder was baffled.

Because before this, when bringing Yun Xi to the Qin Clan, she had resisted vehemently, unwilling to come at all. Even in the Qin Clan’s grand hall, she had openly refused.

Yet now, she wanted to stay?

The Heavenly Clan elder truly couldn’t understand.

“Before, Shi Hao stood high above, his momentum unstoppable, rising through the world. Yet you wanted me to stay by his side, to get close to him. It made me feel ashamed,” Yun Xi said.

“Is that still the Heavenly Clan? To grovel like that—it’s a disgrace, unworthy of the name ‘Heavenly.'”

“But now, with his body ruined, I’m willing to stay. Because I once wronged him. Back then, he fought bloody battles to protect me across hundreds of thousands of miles, only to be treated so poorly upon reaching our clan.”

“From this day forward, even if he becomes a mortal, losing all his cultivation, I will go with him to the lower realm and care for him.”

Yun Xi spoke calmly, without impulsiveness.

The elder’s expression darkened. “Have you gone mad? What are you thinking?!”

“I owe him. I must make amends!” Yun Xi was resolute.

“When he was glorious, I would only watch from afar. Back then, I refused to fawn over him like you did. But now that he’s weak, I want to be near him. He needs someone to care for him!”

With that, Yun Xi turned and walked toward the Qin Clan.

Inside the Qin Clan, Shi Hao was surrounded by a crowd trying to examine his condition, but he refused.

Even his parents and younger brother were not allowed to touch him. “This curse is within me. If you probe, I fear something might go wrong.”

Then, unexpectedly, Yun Xi arrived.

Shi Hao’s mother, Qin Yining, was stunned. Even she hadn’t expected this girl from the Heavenly Clan to return.

“Shi Hao, don’t despair. Don’t be anxious. There will be a way…” Yun Xi said.

“Young lady, you…” Shi Ziling began.

“I want to care for him and return with him to the lower realm,” Yun Xi said calmly, stepping to Shi Hao’s side.

“This…” The crowd was speechless.

“Why? Soon, I’ll be no different from a mortal. For you to follow me to the lower realm is entirely unsuitable,” Shi Hao shook his head.

“I want to return with you to Stone Village. Being a mortal is fine—at least there’s peace and quiet, free from all this chaos,” Yun Xi said.

Compared to before, she was far more open and direct. Years ago, she would never have spoken like this.

“You’re a cultivator. Coming with me would be inconvenient, truly inappropriate. But I do wish to live as a mortal, in tranquility, for a few peaceful years.”

As he spoke, Shi Hao actually smiled.

Qin Yining and Shi Ziling were stunned. Shi Hao didn’t seem to be forcing a smile—he was genuinely calm and relaxed.

How thick-skinned must their eldest son be to react like this? Was he truly not grieving or despairing? There was no trace of anxiety or worry in him.

Earlier, before the crippled immortal and the various sects, he had been solemn and silent. Now, he was like this.

“Child, if your heart is heavy, cry if you need to. Don’t hold it in,” Qin Yining said tearfully, fearing her son’s sorrow would harm his health.

“I’m not forcing a smile. My heart is truly at peace,” Shi Hao said, wiping his mother’s tears.

At that moment, Yun Xi stepped forward, handing him a handkerchief and standing by his side.

“Big brother will be fine. I believe he’ll return one day, striking down the crippled immortal and crushing all his enemies among the immortal beings,” Shi Hao’s younger brother, Qin Hao, declared.

He added, “If big brother truly loses his will to fight and chooses to live in seclusion in the lower realm, I will act in his stead. Sooner or later, I will destroy all those powerful foes!”

Hearing this, even Shi Hao was taken aback. He patted his brother’s shoulder but said nothing.

Shi Ziling and Qin Yining’s eyes reddened, their hearts aching as they embraced their two sons.

Soon after, Yun Xi brewed medicinal soup for Shi Hao, urging him to drink it. She stayed by his side, tending to him carefully.

“I’m not crippled yet. I still have a month,” Shi Hao said, looking at her.

…

Three days later, some sects sent lavish gifts—ten times their previous offerings. Though furious, they dared not risk provoking Shi Hao.

But some factions ignored his warning, believing they were safe under the protection of the Immortal Palace, to whom they had paid tribute.

“Haha, Shi Hao is finished, no longer a threat. Our true immortal suppressed him, teaching him a lesson. He should know his place now,” an elder from the Immortal Palace declared, reassuring them.

Those sects grew bold, even mocking and humiliating the Qin Clan’s envoys who came to collect.

Yet on the fourth day, Shi Hao struck with thunderous force!

When a sizable sect was stormed and crushed by Shi Hao, the world trembled. Many turned pale with fear.

That day, Shi Hao obliterated the sect, slaying over a dozen of its leaders, looting its treasury, and leaving nothing behind.

He then moved to other locations, toppling several more sects, their leaders and elders dying in bloody battles.

News spread, shaking the world. Many were terrified.

“Wait—this is a misunderstanding! We’re willing to offer treasures!”

Some sects panicked, rushing to the Qin Clan with piles of rare treasures, desperate to explain.

Others fled, seeking the Immortal Palace’s protection in terror.

“Shi Hao, have you forgotten the lesson the true immortal taught you?” came the Immortal Palace’s warning.

“Then let that crippled immortal come out again!” Shi Hao retorted.

The world was stunned. Had he gone mad?

Soon, people realized—perhaps Shi Hao, with little time left, was embracing his final madness!

How could anyone provoke such a lunatic?

Many regretted their defiance. Why not endure for just one month? Once he was truly crippled, all would be well.

“Shi Hao, you’re courting death!” roared the Immortal Palace’s supreme being.

But in the end, he dared not act, suspecting Shi Hao was luring him out to be ambushed by the two supreme beings from the Nine Heavens.

Thus, the Immortal Palace remained silent, leaving the sects in even greater terror.

In the end, every sect demanded to pay tenfold tribute scrambled to deliver their offerings.

Their treasuries were drained, faces green with regret. Some even had to seek additional resources to meet the demand.

The Jade Flower Sect was no exception. Its leader’s face alternated between green and pale, wishing he could slap himself.

“Immortal Palace, aren’t you coming to suppress me again? I’m waiting!” Shi Hao taunted.

Because he knew—the crippled immortal wouldn’t emerge again. His earlier appearance had already cost him dearly. Now, he was surely hiding in his immortal spring, not daring to move.

As for the Immortal Palace’s supreme being, Shi Hao had seen through his hesitation—fearing an ambush by the two powerhouses from the Immortal and Sacred Academies.

Thus, no one dared to face Shi Hao. Many sects had no choice but to grit their teeth and return to the Qin Clan’s Mount Neveraging.

“Father, it’s time for us to leave. Let’s go home.”

Ten days later, Shi Hao announced his departure—he was setting off on his journey back!