A gentle breeze swept through the desolate expanse of the Heavenly Domain.
Shi Hao walked alone, having left the Desolate Domain and arrived in the Heavenly Domain.
This was the place he had descended from the Three Thousand Provinces, and now he sought the Forbidden Land of Life.
After much deliberation, he believed that the only one who might be able to help Ge Gu was the master of the forbidden land—a being who had once mentored multiple True Immortal-level disciples and passed down countless profound techniques.
Shi Hao suspected that this master might be well-versed in the True Dragon Treasure Technique!
Originally, he had planned to come here anyway, as he had made a prior agreement with the forbidden land’s master to return.
Moreover, time was running short for him. He also wanted to ask whether the curse upon him would inflict severe harm.
Previously, he hadn’t been overly concerned, because even when everyone—including the crippled immortal—believed he was doomed, he could sense that the situation wasn’t as dire as they thought.
At the time, the mysterious flame within his body had silently ignited, suffusing his flesh and blood.
Yet, the Immortal-Severing Curse remained, unburned by the flame, lingering within him.
Back then, perhaps only the Five Elements Mountain had noticed the anomaly, as it had long been aware of the enigmatic fire within Shi Hao.
At the time, the Five Elements Mountain had declared Shi Hao crippled—likely to play along and lull the crippled immortal into complacency.
The situation had been perilous. Aside from the crippled immortal’s true form, there had been another immortal-level figure’s weapon and decree looming nearby as a threat.
*”I didn’t come here for myself, but for you. This disciple is definitely worth taking in,”* Shi Hao murmured to himself.
He felt that he truly needed to prepare—taking on a disciple was necessary, especially one as extraordinary as a True Dragon. Such a rare opportunity couldn’t be missed.
The region grew increasingly desolate, shrouded in silence and depth.
As Shi Hao approached the edge of the Forbidden Land of Life, he retrieved an ancient jade token—without it, one could easily lose their way here.
The heavens and earth shifted, the scenery blurred, and the void twisted as if concealing an ancient realm within the landscape.
**Boom!**
Shi Hao transformed into a streak of lightning, streaking across the sky as he charged forward, breaching the ancient land where the forbidden zone lay.
Swift as the wind, he traversed millions of miles in an instant.
Finally, he arrived, once again laying eyes upon that shattered ancient land.
Low hills, withered herb fields, a dried-up lake, and scattered metallic ruins lay before him.
**Rumble!**
Suddenly, the landscape came alive. In an instant, the barren land flourished—streams flowed, bridges spanned, pavilions and palaces emerged. The once-dark, mist-shrouded land now gleamed brilliantly, akin to a celestial paradise.
The herb fields exuded a rich fragrance, filled with divine herbs and nothing else!
Upon the mountains stood grand metallic palaces, majestic and sacred.
Not far away, at the foot of a mountain, lay a tranquil lake beside a thatched cottage. A man in white robes, radiant as jade, sat sipping tea, his eyes gleaming with wisdom.
Behind him stood a young man and woman, both strikingly beautiful.
*”You’ve come.”*
*”Yes, Senior.”*
This time, Shi Hao faced no trials. He strode across the Cosmic Lake and arrived unscathed.
*”Faster than I expected,”* the white-robed man remarked, setting down his teacup to observe him.
*”I seek your guidance, Senior,”* Shi Hao said bluntly.
*”Speak.”*
*”I wish to learn the True Dragon Treasure Technique.”*
*”I no longer teach any treasure techniques. The path I once followed has been proven wrong. Before you, eight peerless geniuses learned my methods—all perished,”* the man replied calmly.
Shi Hao was stunned. This was not the response he had anticipated.
The refusal was absolute.
Confused, he wondered why the white-robed man had summoned him here if not to pass on his legacy.
*”You misunderstand. I seek to nurture a supreme warrior—one who may become the strongest in history. But he will not be my successor,”* the man clarified.
Shi Hao remained silent.
*”You already possess enough techniques. The key lies not in the number of secrets you master, but in something else. I will temper you, forging you into the ultimate combatant,”* the man stated plainly.
*”But I still wish to learn the True Dragon Treasure Technique,”* Shi Hao muttered.
*”My time is limited. I am but a fading imprint. Each appearance weakens me further. This is no jest—seize this opportunity,”* the man warned.
Then he added, *”I never possessed the True Dragon Treasure Technique to begin with. Even if I wished to teach you, I couldn’t.”*
Shi Hao sighed. The True Dragon Treasure Technique truly was extraordinary.
*”Since you’re here, make the most of this chance.”*
With a flick of his finger, the white-robed man sent Shi Hao soaring toward a silver palace atop a distant peak.
In this realm, countless mountains stood, each crowned by a metallic fortress that anchored space and time.
Shi Hao was thrust into the silver palace, its doors slamming shut behind him.
*”This is bad!”*
The next moment, Shi Hao’s expression twisted in agony. The Immortal-Severing Curse within him erupted violently, corroding his cultivation and essence.
*”This trial is the curse itself. Survive it with your cultivation intact, and you pass,”* the man’s voice echoed.
Shi Hao: *”…”*
He wanted to curse, to rage. He had come here partly to seek advice on the curse—only to have it forcibly activated!
Not only had the forbidden land’s master refused to help, he had deliberately reawakened the curse!
*”The curse isn’t at full strength—only partially unleashed. To become the strongest, you must endure this,”* the man reminded.
*”This curse was meant for True Immortals! And you expect me to withstand it?”* Shi Hao snapped.
*”Only a fraction of its power is active,”* the man replied coolly.
Even that was deadly. A curse designed for immortals, even diluted, was excruciating.
For three days, agonized roars echoed from the silver palace—sometimes like a demon’s howl, other times like the wails of the netherworld.
Shi Hao endured torment akin to hell itself.
The flame within him lay dormant, unmoved as the curse devoured his vitality and cultivation.
*”Return to me!”* Shi Hao’s eyes burned crimson. He refused to let his hard-earned power be stolen.
His body surged with energy, blood essence boiling as he fought back, reclaiming every shred of lost strength.
Finally, the doors creaked open.
Shi Hao stumbled out, disheveled and gaunt, his face pale.
*”Well done. You endured. I look forward to the day you withstand the curse’s full power while still in the Mortal Realm,”* the man said.
In the next moment, the idyllic scenery vanished, replaced by bleak desolation.
On the ground lay a fractured skull, white as jade.
Shi Hao bowed deeply before turning away. With each step, his body grew lighter, his power surging back as if he had escaped hell itself.
—
Returning to Stone Village, Shi Hao sighed. *”No luck with the True Dragon Treasure Technique. It seems I must enter the Void God Realm.”*
The Golden Lion approached, disappointed by the news.
*”By the way, has the Five-Colored Sparrow shown up?”* Shi Hao asked.
The lion’s expression darkened. It had spent days searching the wilderness for the bird—to no avail.
*”Brother, I’ve gathered some intel. The Rain Clan truly can communicate with their ancient god. It’s… unsettling,”* Qing Feng reported.
He had uncovered which factions sought to overthrow Shi Hao’s rule, but the Rain Clan’s divine connection was alarming.
*”A god? I’ll eat him!”* the lion boasted.
*”Big talk! You couldn’t even catch a bird that pooped on your nose,”* a child teased.
The lion’s face darkened further.
*”No rush. After I return from the Void God Realm, I’ll visit these factions personally,”* Shi Hao said.
The Rain Clan would be his primary target.
He wouldn’t underestimate them—a god capable of projecting power from another world was undoubtedly formidable.
Sitting cross-legged in the village, Shi Hao closed his eyes. With a thunderous boom, his soul pierced the heavens, entering the Void God Realm!
Accompanied by the Red Dragon Ge Gu, he would trade ten bronze fragments for the True Dragon Treasure Technique.
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