“Anyone up for a trip to the Three Thousand Provinces? From there, we can head to the Void God Realm and witness the so-called prodigies of the Immortal Domain getting their teeth knocked out!”
On the Ninth Heaven, Cao Yusheng was rallying friends and allies, eager to join the commotion in the Three Thousand Provinces. His heart burned with excitement upon hearing the news from the Void God Realm.
In contrast, the little golden Heavenly Horned Ant was far more direct, loudly proclaiming that Shi Hao was undoubtedly unharmed, his cultivation intact, and that it was he who had suppressed Yi Hai.
“Hahaha, what a delight! That Yi Hai thought he was invincible, strutting around and challenging everyone with his arrogance. I’ve wanted to teach him a lesson for ages, but my brother, the Desolate, beat me to it. Heh, I heard he got slapped so hard his teeth flew out, and his bones were shattered into marrow porridge!”
The little Heavenly Horned Ant was undeniably brutal in his straightforwardness. While others were still half-doubting and unsure who was behind the act, he had already pinned it on Shi Hao.
“That’s absolutely his style, no doubt about it!” The Heavenly Horned Ant thumped his chest, adamant in his conviction.
The group was speechless. It almost felt like he was the one who had done it, given how excessively proud he sounded.
“Princess Yaoyue, I’ve found you a husband. Forget the tournament and hurry to the Three Thousand Provinces!” This was the message Cao Yusheng sent to the princess of the Eternal Imperial Dynasty.
“Yuechan, Qingyi, have you truly merged into one? Time to come out of seclusion and visit your old flame in the Void God Realm.” It had to be said—Cao Yusheng was truly skilled at provoking hatred.
“Kid with Dual Pupils, your brother’s back. He’s inviting you for a rematch!”
“Ten Crown King, my brother captured Yi Hai. Dare you suppress another visitor from the Immortal Domain?”
“Jin Zhan, Wang Xi, Wang Shi, got the guts to fight in the Void God Realm?”
Truly, those who loved drama never feared escalation. Some of these provocations came from Cao Yusheng and the Heavenly Horned Ant, while others were fake messages and rumors spread by troublemakers.
The commotion spread everywhere, with famous figures being invited to the Void God Realm to uncover the truth and identify the infamous “Great Calamity.”
“I can responsibly inform you all that the Desolate is finished. Talking about his current strength is a joke—he’ll never appear again!”
This was the prediction from the experts of the Immortal Palace, delivered with absolute certainty. They declared that Shi Hao was a relic of the past, doomed to fade from the cultivation world and live as a mere mortal.
Their confidence stemmed from a ritual they performed at the resting place of the Fallen Immortal, where they received confirmation: Shi Hao had indeed been struck by the Soul-Severing Curse. His foundation was irreparably destroyed—no exceptions.
The world buzzed with debate. Many set out, some already gathering near the gates of the Spirit Realm, waiting for companions before descending to the lower realm.
The Great Calamity was feared, and most dared not venture alone. They waited for numbers to grow before making their move.
Shi Hao paid no further attention to these developments. He had anticipated this and left it to Bird Grandpa and Essence Wall Grandpa to handle.
Now, he and the Golden Furred Ape ventured deep into the wilderness, tracking down the Mountain Treasure.
Years ago, when the Mountain Treasure emerged, radiant light surged, and the heavens trembled. It sparked a fierce battle among the Qiongqi, the Devouring Sparrow, the Vermilion Bird, and the Scarlet Sparrow.
Back then, the Willow Deity had just revived from near-death and did not participate.
Thinking of the Willow Deity, Shi Hao sighed again. From its destroyed form, reduced to a seed, to its near-death encounter with mysterious lightning—what had it provoked?
From the Ancient Immortal Era to this life, it had undergone several “reincarnations,” falling from the pinnacle to the lowest, only to slowly rise again.
“What path did the Willow Deity walk? Where was it headed? What was its final fate?” Shi Hao pondered the secrets of its disappearance—the same place where the master of the forbidden zone met his doom. What lay beyond that dam?
When the Willow Deity resided in Stone Village, it shattered its own invincible golden body, starting anew from the lowest point. The villagers knew well—in its early years, it was charred black, leafless, utterly withered, devoid of life, as if dead.
Only after several years did it revive from its weakest state, sprouting a single tender branch, barely clinging to life.
In the following years, it slowly cultivated, accumulating strength.
Otherwise, it wouldn’t have needed to avoid the four fiends fighting for the Mountain Treasure.
Its condition back then had been dire indeed.
Clearly, this wilderness was no longer near Stone Village but at the edge of the Desolate Wasteland, where jagged rocks and towering stone peaks dominated the landscape.
Shi Hao discovered a massive bird’s nest, constructed from ancient black phoenix trees, perched atop a stone mountain, exuding a faint spiritual aura.
“The Devouring Sparrow’s nest?” Shi Hao was surprised.
Even after all these years, he hadn’t forgotten that vicious bird. Its aura was unmistakable.
But the Devouring Sparrow was long dead. Coming here held little meaning. Shi Hao glanced back at the Golden Furred Ape.
The ape scratched its head. “You should know—back then, I obtained the Mountain Treasure, but I was gravely injured, my true body hiding in the mud. I lost the treasure in the lake, and it vanished.”
The Golden Furred Ape had suffered memory loss, forgetting much until years later. It suspected the Devouring Sparrow had ultimately claimed the treasure, as it later found remnants of the bird’s feathers near the muddy pond.
Of course, it couldn’t be certain. Given their fierce battle, it was possible the feathers had simply been left behind.
“The Devouring Sparrow is gone, but I sensed a powerful presence here.” The Golden Furred Ape led Shi Hao into the nest.
Inside, it was serene, filled with spiritual mist. The nest was lined with golden grass, with cushions and vessels—clearly a place of quiet cultivation.
“Aside from the Seventy-Two Transformations, my clan possesses another ability: to trace the past and reveal recent events in a location,” the Golden Furred Ape explained.
It performed the technique, and a faint silhouette appeared in the nest—an elderly man, wrinkled and white-haired, blurry but undeniably real.
Someone powerful had visited the Devouring Sparrow’s nest.
“My power isn’t enough to identify this person,” the Golden Furred Ape sighed. But this was the most important clue it had found.
Shi Hao was startled. It seemed some strong survivors of the Eight Domains’ chaos still lingered, with deities of considerable power remaining.
“Your turn.” The Golden Furred Ape passed the ancient method to Shi Hao, who performed it himself.
Boom!
Wind and thunder roared as Shi Hao’s technique summoned countless ghostly shadows, filling the area with an eerie aura.
The Golden Furred Ape was stunned. Shi Hao’s cultivation surged—from True God to Heavenly God, then beyond.
“Just how deep is your cultivation?” it asked, echoing the world’s curiosity. Many speculated he was at the True God realm, perhaps touching Heavenly God.
But this proved everyone had underestimated him. He was far beyond that.
“Escape One,” Shi Hao replied.
The Golden Furred Ape was dumbfounded, overwhelmed by shock.
That little brat from back then had grown to this level? It was terrifying. In all the heavens, was there any being with such growth speed?
“Breaking myths, forging an invincible path,” the Golden Furred Ape murmured. It knew Shi Hao’s future was beyond comprehension—destined for greatness, yet fraught with unimaginable trials. Such a figure would never know peace.
“Ah, it’s clearer now. Another demonic bird?” the Golden Furred Ape exclaimed.
Shi Hao’s expression shifted as the elderly figure grew sharper—a white-haired, frail old man who then transformed into a swan goose!
The technique revealed the past, restoring the scene and unveiling the figure’s true form.
“Impossible!” The Golden Furred Ape paled.
“You know him?” Shi Hao asked, puzzled.
“That’s the Swan Sage!”
Shi Hao froze, then remembered—wasn’t that the Devouring Sparrow’s master?
Rumors said the Devouring Sparrow grew powerful under the Swan Sage’s guidance, only to devour him in his twilight years.
The Devouring Sparrow was infamous in the Desolate Wasteland, despised for its treachery. But its strength deterred retribution.
“Interesting. A dead man appears here and takes the Mountain Treasure.” Shi Hao saw the man holding a white, jade-like cube—the very treasure the Golden Furred Ape had lost.
“This man’s cultivation is no joke,” Shi Hao noted.
“That old fiend is chilling. Everyone thought he was eaten in his weakened state, yet here he is,” the Golden Furred Ape muttered, shuddering.
But with Shi Hao at the Escape One realm, it wasn’t worried.
“Investigate. Where did the Swan Sage cultivate? Where did he fall? Where did he frequent? Gather all information, and we’ll find him,” Shi Hao declared.
“Good. With this breakthrough, we’ll soon reclaim the Mountain Treasure!” the Golden Furred Ape cheered.
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