The warship moved with incredible speed, like a fleeting light or a passing shadow, streaking across the heavens. When it emitted divine radiance, the people of the Profound Domain mistook it for a falling star.
Soon, the warship tore through the domain barrier once more, embarking on another cross-domain journey.
Finally, they arrived at the Desolate Domain, returning to this familiar land.
The warship came to a halt, hovering in the sky.
Shi Hao stood at the bow, gazing down at the vast, boundless earth below. Towering ancient trees dominated the landscape, most of it untouched wilderness.
This was the Great Wasteland—most of the Desolate Domain was like this, which was why it bore such a name.
Shi Hao took a deep breath. Compared to the Upper Realm, the spiritual energy here was truly sparse, insufficient to nourish the body and soul year-round.
Yet, he felt no disappointment. His heart was at peace, filled with satisfaction, warmth, and joy.
Because he had finally returned!
This was the familiar scent of home, the land he had longed for.
After so many years away—over a decade—he felt an overwhelming sense of belonging as he looked upon this land once more.
Whoosh!
Shi Hao leaped from the bow, plunging toward the earth from tens of thousands of feet in the air. With a resounding thud, he landed, scooped up a handful of soil, and tossed it into the wind.
“I’m back!” he roared.
Though this was the Great Wasteland, it bordered the Stone Country—the very path he had once taken, leading to Stone Village.
“Follow behind me. I’ll go ahead,” he called out before charging into the dense forest.
He feared the massive warship might disturb the tranquility of Stone Village, a peaceful haven untouched by worldly strife, where the villagers lived in simplicity.
He wished for it to remain serene forever—his sanctuary of the soul.
The Great Wasteland stretched endlessly, teeming with lush vegetation and fearsome beasts, many of them ancient and colossal, some as towering as mountains.
Back when Shi Hao was just a youth, traversing this wilderness alone had been a constant trial of life and death, forcing him to evade powerful beasts and vicious birds.
Now, as he strode through the same land, he had become like a human-shaped apex predator, causing even divine birds to flee at his approach.
“Roar—!”
A golden-winged divine ape lunged at him, standing several zhang tall, with massive fangs and a pair of golden wings on its back.
This was a beast king, unrivaled for thousands of miles, commanding the fear and submission of all creatures.
Seeing this human intruder disturbing the peace, it leaped out to intercept him.
“A mere monkey dares to act wild? Come guard Stone Village for me,” Shi Hao chuckled, flicking his fingers. A burst of five-colored light immobilized the beast instantly.
He studied it closely, a strange expression crossing his face. He might have recognized it—back when he was weak and fleeing through these mountains as a child.
Now, over a decade later, he could effortlessly subdue this divine ape.
Memories of the past and all he had endured over the years stirred complex emotions—happiness, bitterness, and everything in between.
Back then, he had been just eight or nine years old, bold enough to brave the Great Wasteland with his brother Qing Feng, scrambling their way to the Heaven Mending Pavilion to enroll.
With a flick of his wrist, he hurled the golden-winged ape onto the distant warship with pinpoint accuracy.
Shi Hao strode through the forest, retracing his old path, searching for the feelings of the past—though everything was different now.
No longer needing to hide, he occasionally drew attacks from wild beasts. But the moment he released even a hint of his aura, the so-called kings of the forest would flee in terror.
Along the way, he encountered massive creatures that had once posed mortal threats. Surviving the Great Wasteland back then had been no small feat for a boy with limited cultivation.
Shi Hao expanded his divine sense, scanning the wilderness for any particularly powerful beings.
“Hmm?”
He was surprised to detect a divine flame burning within these mountains—a god-level existence!
In the entire Desolate Domain, such beings were exceedingly rare, especially after the great calamity that had erased divine traces.
His expression turned grave as he flashed toward a mountain range nine hundred li away, determined to investigate.
With Stone Village nearby, the presence of a god-level creature could pose a serious threat.
He worried—had the village faced any hardships in his absence?
The area was picturesque, shrouded in mist from a silver waterfall cascading into a deep pool, filling the air with spiritual energy.
A black creature lounged lazily on a large boulder by the shore, legs crossed, tossing roasted fish into its mouth while basking in the sun.
Shi Hao’s expression turned odd. He knew this fellow all too well.
It was a massive black turtle—far larger than a millstone—lying comfortably on its back, limbs stretched out in an absurdly human-like posture.
No ordinary turtle would lounge like this, looking more like a rogue than a reptile.
“San Hei, what are you doing here?” Shi Hao called out.
He recognized this turtle—it had fled from the Upper Realm, and Shi Hao had once captured it as a mount. But during the chaos of the Seven Gods’ uprising, it had escaped while he fought.
Later, Shi Hao had left for the Upper Realm without finding it again.
“Ghost!”
The black turtle sprang up with startling agility, its long limbs flailing as it tried to bolt, its shell resembling a massive black pot.
“Stop howling. Don’t you recognize me?” Shi Hao glared.
This scoundrel had fled faster than a rabbit when he was battling the Seven Gods.
“How are you here? Heaven’s sake, ghost! Go away!” the turtle shrieked, scrambling to escape.
Thud!
It had no chance. Shi Hao grabbed it by the neck and yanked it back, flashing a grin. “I’m hungry. Turtle soup sounds perfect—and you even brought your own pot. How convenient.”
“Big bro, spare me! It’s really you! I was blind, thought some bastard was impersonating you!” The turtle’s face switched instantly to a fawning grin.
“Bastard? Are you insulting me or yourself?” Shi Hao scowled.
“Myself!” The turtle slapped its own face with its absurdly long limb.
“Big bro, how’d you return? I’m so shocked my soul left my body! I misspoke—please forgive me! I’m just stunned! And curious! Never thought I’d see you again after ten years!”
“I’m not as old as you. I’m in my prime,” Shi Hao rolled his eyes.
The turtle’s shock was genuine, though exaggerated. It truly couldn’t believe Shi Hao had returned.
Internally, it groaned—why was this demon back?
When Shi Hao had left the Lower Realm, the turtle had celebrated, declaring the world its own. With Shi Hao gone, who could oppose it?
“Why are you here?” Shi Hao asked.
“I was looking for Stone Village,” the turtle blurted, then immediately regretted it.
“What? You ran when I was here, and now you’re sneaking around searching for my home?” Shi Hao narrowed his eyes.
“Big bro, don’t misunderstand! I admire you! I was drawn here in reverence, like a pilgrim!” The turtle clasped its hands in mock piety, though its shifty eyes betrayed its act.
“Were you planning to raid my village?” Shi Hao’s gaze turned sharp.
“Never! Even if you weren’t around, that damn monkey would’ve torn me apart!”
“Who are you calling a monkey?” Shi Hao frowned. The Zhu Yan was a noble ancient species, not some rogue.
“Ah, my bad! That big monkey—er, the Zhu Yan—is terrifying,” the turtle backpedaled.
“Enough nonsense. Since you want to see Stone Village, I’ll take you.”
The turtle’s face fell, its expression souring. The last thing it wanted was to be under Shi Hao’s thumb again.
“What’s wrong?” Shi Hao eyed it.
“I’m overjoyed! Seeing you is like seeing my mother—I could cry! Let’s go drink together!” The turtle forced a tearful smile.
“You’re terrible at lying.” Shi Hao smacked its head. “And don’t call me ‘bro’ in front of my parents later, got it?”
“What’s wrong with turtles being brothers with humans?” the turtle grumbled.
Thwack!
Another smack. “You were my mount. Now you’re getting bold?”
“Fine, we’ll be brothers in private,” the turtle muttered, retreating into its shell.
With that, they raced toward Stone Village.
Finally, in the distance, the village came into view—unchanged, serene as ever, nestled in the wilderness like a paradise.
Shi Hao’s eyes stung, threatening tears.
So much had happened over the years—joy, sorrow, battles, and losses.
He had buried his emotions deep, even in front of his parents. Only now did he let them surface.
At the Borderlands, the Grand Elder had fallen, his blood staining the stars. Huo Ling’er and the entire Sin Province had been taken, their fates unknown.
The war at Emperor Pass had ended, but it felt like defeat—so much bloodshed, so many lost.
The Grand Elder’s death, Huo Ling’er’s capture—these wounds weighed heavily on him, though he never spoke of them.
Returning to the Lower Realm, to Stone Village, was his way of seeking solace.
Now, he was finally home.
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