Chapter 1758: The Divine Being

The divine being arrived with overwhelming might, only to have half his body bitten off by a lion in a single snap, shocking everyone present!

This was nothing like what anyone had expected!

“Ah—!” The divine being screamed, shattering the silence as blood rained down. He writhed in agony, struggling violently.

This defied all expectations—the divine being was in a pitiable state, his lower half devoured by the lion’s bloody maw, crunched and swallowed whole.

In excruciating pain, his remaining body convulsed, his upper half barely intact. His face was deathly pale, as if he had seen a ghost, his gaze locked onto the golden lion and Shi Hao.

Given his combat prowess, he should have been able to hold his own even against a True God. How had he suffered such a devastating loss?

Previously, he had thoroughly investigated Shi Hao—a mere youth in his twenties. No matter how talented, how could he possibly defy the heavens to such an extent?

This divine being had believed Shi Hao couldn’t possibly have become a True God—he was too young, lacking the foundation!

Ascending to godhood was no easy feat; it wasn’t just empty talk. Even if Shi Hao had prematurely reached the level of a Venerable, it should have been impossible for him to achieve True God status within a mere decade.

Yet reality was cruel and bloody, laid bare before his eyes, leaving the divine being utterly stunned.

He realized now that Shi Hao’s strength far surpassed his imagination. Even his mount alone was this terrifying—what more of the master himself? Fear gripped his heart.

“Am I seeing this right? Shi Hao’s mount just took down a divine being?”

“Heavens! What did I just witness? A lion devoured half of a god!”

…

As the crowd snapped out of their daze, murmurs erupted, and the capital of the Stone Country erupted in uproar.

“You—!” The divine being’s face was drained of color, his upper half barely managing to escape the lion’s jaws. He was utterly terrified.

Where had this lion come from? It was beyond savage, tearing into him as if he were sugarcane.

This was nothing like what he had imagined. He had believed that even if Shi Hao was monstrously strong, he would still be able to suppress him once he arrived.

After all, Shi Hao was still young—how many years could he have possibly cultivated?

“Where did this little shrimp come from? Do you even know the rules, shouting and screaming here? Have you forgotten your own name?” The golden lion lazily lifted its eyelids, its tone dripping with disdain.

With its massive, bloodstained fangs on full display, the lion looked every bit the savage beast. The divine being shuddered, his scalp tingling with fear.

A divine being—a pinnacle existence in the lower realm, a supreme expert—was now being called a “little shrimp.” The humiliation was unbearable.

But the divine being dared not voice his anger. The situation was against him—if he spoke out now, this vicious golden lion would likely swallow the other half of his body without hesitation.

“By the way, where are you from?”

The golden lion glanced at him, idly picking its teeth with a massive claw, smearing blood everywhere in a grotesque display.

Even the onlookers felt chills down their spines. This was undoubtedly a super-ferocious beast.

Clearly, the golden lion had changed compared to before.

In the past, it had been cold and taciturn, mainly due to its unwillingness to submit to Shi Hao.

But now, its words and savage demeanor suggested it had no choice but to align itself with Shi Hao.

“I… came from the sea,” the divine being stammered.

He was terrified, no longer daring to act arrogantly. At the slightest pressure, he immediately revealed his origins.

During the great upheaval of the Eight Domains, not all experts had perished.

Some had hidden in secluded lands, escaping the calamity.

This sea beast was one such survivor. At the time, he had been in seclusion within an ancient ruin deep in the ocean.

When he emerged later, he counted himself fortunate—even overjoyed. With the Eight Domains drastically changed, he now had the qualifications to dominate a single domain, with few able to oppose him.

Shi Hao remained silent, seated atop the golden lion, motionless as he watched it handle the situation.

“If you ruled the seas, why come to the Stone Country?” asked an elder of the Stone Country.

Under normal circumstances, even a ruler would fear a divine being, not daring to provoke one. But today was different—the young Human Emperor had returned. Even his mount could devour gods—what was there to fear?

“I was invited,” the divine being admitted, his head lowered in submission.

As these words left his mouth, the faces of certain major clans in the Stone Country paled—this was related to them.

Aside from the two powerful clans tied to the deposed princes, other influential families had also been involved.

Unable to hold back any longer, the key figures of these clans stepped forward, trembling as they knelt in submission.

“How did they even find you?” Shi Hao finally spoke. He doubted ordinary beings could locate a divine being.

As earlier investigations had revealed, it was the Rain Clan that had acted as the intermediary, summoning this god from the sea.

Years ago, the Rain Clan had suffered greatly at Shi Hao’s hands. Their failed attempt to kill him had backfired, forcing some of them to flee overseas. Through secret methods, they had contacted the Rain Clan’s ancient gods who had left long ago. By chance, they had also encountered this divine being in the sea, and with the projection of an ancient god vouching for him, this god had obliged their request.

Thus, the Rain Clan had actively conspired with certain major clans in the Stone Country, setting the stage for this impending chaos.

Of course, the former royal lineage of the Stone Clan also harbored ambitions. When approached, they had eagerly agreed, plotting to overthrow Qing Feng.

Their only fear had been the Zhu Yan, rumored to have also ascended to godhood.

But when this sea god retrieved some True God artifacts from the ruins, their confidence soared.

“Interesting. You’re just a being at the Divine Flame Realm, yet with these trinkets, you can rival a True God,” the golden lion remarked.

It had confiscated several enchanted items from the divine being—bone hairpins, a violet-gold crown—all capable of amplifying one’s magic power and cultivation.

The divine being watched in agony as the lion openly plundered his treasures, not daring to resist.

Shi Hao glanced at them. Compared to the Azure Armor or the Everlasting Battle Garb, these were far inferior.

“I’ll give you a chance. Bring me the Rain Clan members, and I’ll spare your life,” Shi Hao declared.

Of course, he wouldn’t let the divine being leave unchecked. With a few palm strikes and finger taps, he sealed the god’s soul with a secret technique—should he try to flee, the curse would activate.

“Even if you die, your soul will remain trapped in your rotting corpse,” Shi Hao warned, ordering him to complete the task swiftly.

The divine being nodded frantically, not daring to argue. Dragging his mutilated body, he immediately departed, healing his wounds as he hunted his targets.

He was truly afraid now. Shi Hao was undoubtedly a killing star, his strength unfathomable—likely a high-tier True God, perhaps even a Heavenly God!

The people of the Stone Country’s capital watched in awe.

As for the kneeling clans, they were paralyzed with terror.

Without a word, Shi Hao raised his hand, sending out divine beams that pierced into the bodies of the guilty.

With a series of muffled pops, the cultivation of many was erased, reducing them to mortals. These once-pillars of their clans were now publicly humiliated.

“Wrongdoings must be repaid,” Shi Hao stated simply, leaving the rest to Qing Feng and the War King.

Earlier, many had believed the Stone Country faced a dire crisis—one that could lead to its decline or even destruction.

After all, battles involving divine beings were beyond the scope of even a great nation.

But now, everything had changed.

Shi Hao had returned, overwhelmingly powerful, suppressing gods and overseeing the clans with ease. What was meant to be a crisis was effortlessly crushed beneath his feet.

“Qing Feng, some of these clans are nothing but ungrateful wolves. Deal with them as you see fit,” Shi Hao said.

He was furious. Before leaving, he had treated these clans with great favor, only for them to betray him at the first opportunity.

The ringleaders were all crippled on the spot, their cultivation irreversibly destroyed.

The rest faced either severed cultivation or imprisonment. The day marked a seismic shift in the Stone Country.

A calamity that had loomed large was instantly quelled by Shi Hao’s return.

What had seemed like a great upheaval was nothing in his eyes.

His intervention today meant total eradication—these clans were doomed.

News spread, shaking the land!

Across the Stone Country, clans bowed their heads, and border regions pledged allegiance to the young Stone Emperor.

That very day, the divine being returned, bringing with him members of the Rain Clan—though not all had been captured.

The god wore a grave expression, delivering troubling news: he had encountered the projection of the Rain Clan’s ancient figure once more, leaving him uneasy.

“It’s fine. If he dares show himself, let him come for me,” Shi Hao said, patting the god’s shoulder reassuringly.

In the days that followed, the Stone Country’s capital buzzed with excitement. Shi Hao’s return was confirmed, and many major clans rejoiced.

As for the common folk, they remembered Shi Hao’s past deeds—his battles against great sects, his defense of the city—leaving an indelible impression.

“Report! Princess Qianqian has arrived!”

Throughout the day, messengers announced the arrival of old acquaintances, all rushing to the capital upon hearing of Shi Hao’s return.

But on the same day, grim news arrived—torrential rains had begun in the eastern region, growing heavier by the moment, as if the heavens themselves were flooding the land!

“Hmm, the Rain Clan? Is their god truly manifesting?” Shi Hao gazed eastward, a cold smirk playing on his lips.

He was eager to see this ancient being who had dared to project his will. If provoked, Shi Hao wouldn’t hesitate to storm into that realm and confront him directly.