Shi Hao sighed softly. In the end, with no other choice, he sought guidance from the master of the Forbidden Zone.
Originally, he had been full of confidence, hoping to break through all constraints and surge forward unstoppably, truly rising from the impossible. But now, he was forced to seek advice.
He couldn’t understand—why, despite being so powerful, with his cultivation refined to the peak of the Dunyi Realm, standing invincible in the world, was he still unable to take that crucial final step?
The master of the Forbidden Zone fell silent for a long time, somewhat stunned. This young man wanted to become a Supreme Being in such a short span of time?
Did Shi Hao not know that, not just in this era, but even in the Immortal Ancient Era, there had never been a Supreme Being under five hundred years old? Such a feat required time, tempering, and baptism.
“You are too impatient,” the master of the Forbidden Zone could only sigh. He didn’t dare to use himself as an example—compared to this young man who sought to become a Supreme Being in his thirties, it was simply too humiliating.
“How can I not be impatient? The war in the Upper Realm rages endlessly. Who knows when the dark corruption will completely consume everything? I must rise to power in the shortest time possible!” Shi Hao’s tone was resolute.
“Then do you know that in this world, there has never been a Supreme Being under five hundred years old? At least not in the last one or two epochs!” the master retorted.
Shi Hao was stunned. Was his demand truly too high? He couldn’t help but ask, “Really, none?”
The master of the Forbidden Zone remained silent. Was this young man mocking the achievements of his predecessors?
“Why not?” Shi Hao pressed.
“There have indeed been those who reached the peak of Dunyi early, but like you, they stalled there, unable to advance further until they endured the passage of time. The reason is simple—becoming a Supreme requires more than just accumulated power or condensed mana. It demands tempering of the heart,” the master explained.
“What must I do, then?” Shi Hao felt a deep anxiety, as if time was slipping away. If he didn’t ascend soon, standing shoulder-to-shoulder with the great figures of the world, he might never get another chance.
“To enter the Supreme Realm, you must experience the myriad facets of life, struggle through the mortal world, and temper your heart unceasingly. Only when your heart is liberated, when the shackles break in an instant, will you stand at the pinnacle of the human path—as a Supreme,” the master said.
“Must I walk through the trials of mortal life?” Shi Hao frowned deeply. It sounded tedious, a process that would consume too much time.
Though he knew this tempering of the heart was necessary, an inevitable step, he still felt time was slipping through his fingers.
The master of the Forbidden Zone continued, “The path of cultivation has certain great barriers that require specific, often harsh conditions to overcome. The Supreme Realm, being the final stage of the human path, is naturally the hardest to breach.”
“But why can the dark creatures ignore heart tempering? As long as their power accumulates sufficiently and their blood is pure enough, they can break through,” Shi Hao countered, referring to those beings.
Over the years, he had cautiously experimented with dark blood, though he had never fully baptized himself with it.
At the same time, he had forged another body, slowly adapting to the dark blood, never fully merging with it.
“Those creatures are merely strong in power—slaves, incapable of true greatness. Their so-called ascension to the Supreme Realm is only in strength, an illusion, not the real thing. Only the Dark Seeds, the chosen ones, are exceptions. But delve deeper, and you’ll find horrors beyond comprehension!” The master’s words hinted at truths left unspoken.
“I will temper my heart!”
Shi Hao departed, traveling between the Lower Realm and the Three Thousand Provinces, leaving traces of his presence everywhere.
For the next ten years, he wandered the mortal world in various forms—sometimes a teacher, sometimes a silk gatherer, a ranch owner, even a beggar.
Shi Hao immersed himself fully, experiencing all facets of life, struggling through the tides of the mortal world, diving into every field to understand the human condition.
Ten years later, he returned.
Yet, to his dismay, he still failed to advance.
“Temper again!”
After months of reflection, he set out once more, abandoning cultivation entirely. Wherever he went, he observed, traveling through famous mountains and great rivers.
Though thoughts of cultivation lingered, he cast them aside, no longer touching upon them, letting himself drift with the currents of mortal life.
Yet, another decade later, he returned—still no Supreme.
Shi Hao sighed, unable to remain calm. He sought the master of the Forbidden Zone once more.
“You cling too deeply to your obsessions—always fixated on becoming a Supreme, desperate to break through. The more you grasp, the further success eludes you,” the master shook his head.
Shi Hao was silent. How could he let go of his desire to rise swiftly, to stand among the greats?
“And your obsessions are many—saving those in the Foreign Lands, altering the course of the coming war. These burdens are too heavy. How can you pass such a trial?”
“Even if I can’t, I must!” Shi Hao gritted his teeth.
“In this state, you are already bordering on demonic possession. My advice? Sever your path, step away from the world of cultivators, and return to the mortal realm.” The master’s words struck like a thunderclap, solemn and divine.
Shi Hao’s face twisted in turmoil, fists clenched, emotions warring within him.
After a long silence, he finally calmed, offering a deep bow. “Thank you for the warning, Elder. You have awakened me.”
Shi Hao left, walking slowly until he vanished. He returned to the Desolate Wastelands, back to Stone Village. From that day onward, he gradually set aside cultivation, neither thinking nor dwelling upon it.
This state was peculiar—as if he had forgotten the ways of cultivation, his mind letting go of many secret arts, letting them fade into obscurity.
This time, it wasn’t deliberate avoidance, but an inner baptism, a wavering between relinquishment and gain, a self-liberation. In the end, he cast everything aside, temporarily departing the world of cultivation.
“Child, after all these years, what still holds you back? Your obsessions run so deep. Your father and I truly wish for you to marry and have children.”
Qin Yining spoke up, revisiting the old topic once more.
“So, even in matters of marriage and family, my obsessions remain, burdened by hesitation,” Shi Hao murmured with a sigh.
Then, suddenly, he lifted his head, eyes bright and clear, as if enlightenment had dawned. “I… can marry.”
Shi Ziling and his wife were stunned, then overjoyed.
Over the years, they had come to accept Yun Xi—that ethereal maiden from the Celestial Clan, who had followed Shi Hao from the Upper Realm, never abandoning him even when he was crippled, staying true to her word.
Stone Village brimmed with celebration. When the news spread, Old Patriarch Shi Yunfeng and the others couldn’t stop smiling. The village buzzed with laughter and joy, as if celebrating a grand festival.
Now, many of the children had grown, married, and started families. The villagers had long hoped Shi Hao would leave behind descendants. Today, that wish was finally coming true.
“Yun Xi—does she consent?” Shi Hao asked his mother. He would force no one.
“That child’s heart is known to me. She is willing. Otherwise, why would she have stayed by your side, descending to the Lower Realm when your body was at its weakest?” Qin Yining replied.
Shi Hao nodded silently.
Some things were unavoidable, yet choices had to be made.
He gazed into the distance. Could he wait for an entire epoch? Would the figure beneath the fire mulberry tree still be there when time had flowed so far?
A soft sigh escaped him. In his mind’s eye, he saw the fire mulberry blossoms blooming across the mountains, their crimson petals drifting like rain, carried away by the wind.
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