Clearly, there is an ideal candidate in the lower realm—the master of the Forbidden Zone. That is a fierce individual who once traversed the “Dam World,” overwhelmingly powerful beyond measure.
Of course, he is also crippled now, reduced to half a skull. Yet, his obsession seems even stronger. He should have perished long ago, but refuses to let his Dao dissipate into the heavens and earth.
The fist-sized altar floated quietly, the crystal skull, golden palm bone, and blood-dripping eyeball upon it now still and silent, temporarily at peace.
Shi Hao reached out, releasing a strand of light that flickered into a flame, enveloping the small altar before carrying it away from the deepest reaches of the Western Tomb Realm.
He had no desire to linger in this place. The suspected remnants of the Demon King Pu might still be alive and occasionally visited here. If they were to cross paths, it would likely spell trouble.
Though he believed the Demon King Pu must have suffered severe issues and was far from his peak—otherwise, why hide and skulk around? He would have simply refined the three old monsters outright.
Now, Shi Hao could stand against the three sacred spirits on the altar. Even if he encountered the Demon King Pu, reduced to mere fragmented remnants of his soul, he was confident he could put up a fight.
However, he needed to rapidly improve his cultivation. The world was too chaotic, and despite being in the twilight of the Dharma Age, the dangers only grew. Once the most terrifying era of slaughter arrived, the weak would have no hope of survival.
Even if just for the sake of his family and friends, he had to survive and protect them.
During the Immortal Ancient War, the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths were nearly wiped clean of all races. Who knew what would happen this time?
A single strike from a True Immortal could shatter an entire starry sea, let alone the might of a true supreme expert—a peerless Immortal King!
Back then, the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths were shattered into fragments, and all living beings perished for this very reason. Ordinary cultivators from various sects could be reduced to ashes by a mere glance from a supreme powerhouse passing by.
Outside, the battle raged fiercely. The creatures here were endless, the land vast and boundless, densely populated with ancient beasts.
Primordial mountains stretched endlessly, one after another, with towering ancient trees piercing the clouds. Pixiu, luan birds, true roars, three-legged golden crows, and more trampled the heavens, tearing through the skies with dazzling radiance as they lunged forward.
Mu Qing, Zhu Lin, and Shi Zhong were all wounded, their bodies stained with blood. Some were already motionless, lying on the ground under the protection of others.
Powerful creatures surged forth, overwhelming the young leaders. The sheer number of beings here was staggering, and they numbered only a few hundred in total.
Shi Hao stood motionless, calmly observing. With a whoosh, the big black turtle rushed over, hiding behind him and peeking out cautiously before patting its chest in exaggerated fright. “Scared the shell off me! Damn it, ran into an ancient turtle that kept chasing and biting me—definitely a prehistoric monstrosity!”
Boom!
A mountain collapsed instantly as a massive black claw pressed down upon it, revealing the enormous black head of a giant turtle behind.
This turtle was formidable, its defenses astonishing. The youths of Stone Village couldn’t even scratch it. Its shell glowed, its black body as if forged from immortal metal, clanging loudly under their attacks.
“Kill!” Mu Qing struck, his piercing power terrifying. A thunderous divine spear appeared in his hand as he merged with it, transforming into a golden lightning bolt that charged forward without hesitation. With a thud, he impaled the turtle—a peak-level escape cultivator—right there.
Boom!
The Thunder Emperor’s treasure technique erupted violently, centered around the divine spear. Many surrounding beasts convulsed under the electric onslaught, their bodies charred, while others exploded outright.
Mu Qing was among the strongest in this group. Wherever the fiercest beasts appeared, he stood to block them.
Even in training, practicality mattered. Creatures too powerful for the other youths weren’t just a challenge—they were a lethal threat.
Still, everyone needed to experience bloodshed, to feel the oppressive weight of death. Only then could they truly temper themselves.
The battle grew frenzied. All the youths fought desperately, and even those lying on the ground eventually staggered back to their feet, continuing their bloody struggle.
Shi Hao remained still, watching calmly. No matter how perilous or bloody the scene became, he showed no intention of intervening. This was their fight alone.
The battle was apocalyptic, the sun and moon dimmed, the ground stained with blood and scattered bones—many belonging to the youths of Stone Village!
The beasts here seemed endless. Who knew how many skeletons had been buried in this place? Countless battle spirits, nourished by the Western Tomb Realm, had all attained a divine quality.
“Kill!”
Zhu Lin had four feathers and a bone spike embedded in her body, locked in a desperate struggle against several fierce birds and beasts.
Among them was a golden crow, its feathers gleaming brilliantly as they shot through the sky, piercing Zhu Lin’s body in multiple places. Blood poured as it relentlessly attacked her.
There was also a unicorn, its body white as jade but incredibly savage. In its frenzied state, it underwent a drastic transformation, sprouting a row of white bone spikes from its back—one of which impaled Zhu Lin’s chest.
The battle grew even fiercer. At this point, everyone faced grave danger, far beyond the ordinary.
“Kill!”
By the end, they were all exhausted, their energy and spirit drained. Yet, the monstrous creatures of the Western Tomb Realm continued to emerge endlessly.
“Just how many skeletons are buried here? How can there be so many lingering souls and obsessions, now semi-corporeal, with spiritual power and demonic blood revived? It’s bizarre,” Shi Hao mused.
The silent skull on the small altar spoke again. “At least millions. Otherwise, how could such a small world form? It’s all built upon them.”
“Enough. The battle ends today,” Shi Hao declared. The youths were stubborn, fighting on even as some teetered on the brink of death.
Shi Hao finally acted. With a sweep of his sleeve, all the giant beasts were flung away like scarecrows, clearing the area of threats entirely.
Then, he personally intervened, channeling the essence of his Supreme Realm cultivation to heal the wounded, pulling them back from the jaws of death. Without his aid, they would have perished.
“There are still some treasures here—at least, they’re great supplements for their current level,” the crystal skull remarked, informing Shi Hao of a hidden trove deep beneath the Western Tomb Realm.
“Get up. We’re digging underground,” Shi Hao ordered.
The youths obeyed without question, rising despite their exhaustion and treating this as part of their training.
Earth and stone churned as the ground split open.
Everyone was shocked. Beneath lay countless skeletons—rare species, some as massive as mountains, others as small as a thumb. But one thing was common: they had all been immensely powerful in life.
As they dug deeper, the soil grew moist. Soon, they uncovered jade marrow veins, ice, frozen caverns, and snow tunnels.
“This place…”
The corpses here hadn’t decayed, their flesh still intact, brimming with vast reserves of blood essence.
“Ugh, we practically ate this stuff until we were sick back then!” The youths from the borderlands grimaced at the sight.
The crystal skull was speechless. It had intended to gift them a treasure trove—a grand offering. These ancient beasts had been of high cultivation, their blood essence akin to divine elixirs if refined.
“Take it all back!” Mu Qing commanded. Everyone worked together, privately estimating the terrifying potency of the essence within these beasts and divine birds.
“Don’t waste it. We’ll extract the marrow—the essence within is the most potent!” Shi Zhong said with experience.
“Indeed. There are even quasi-Supreme corpses here. Even we can use them. Purge the killing intent, and they can be refined into supreme human medicines!” Zhu Lin nodded.
In the end, they returned laden with the bodies of ancient beasts.
But this wasn’t all. According to the crystal skull, deeper underground lay an even more terrifying layer—one where even Shi Hao might face danger.
“Supreme corpses?” Shi Hao was astonished.
“Search carefully. There are stronger beings down there, their blood rare and precious—peerless medicines, perhaps not far inferior to immortal herbs.”
“Anything stronger?” Shi Hao pressed.
“Yes,” the crystal skull confirmed.
Shi Hao was skeptical. What level could that be? This place was far too horrifying, burying so many terrifying beings.
“The deepest layer… is where we are buried,” the crystal skull said eerily.
Shi Hao froze, understanding completely.
“Does the marrow in your bones still remain? Do you still need it?” Shi Hao whispered.
The crystal skull stared coldly at him, purple-gold flames flickering slowly in its eye sockets. The golden palm bone floated up, and the blood-dripping eyeball glared.
Shi Hao promptly shut his mouth, abandoning that line of thought.
“Honored seniors, since the underground here is layered with such treasures, I ask that you look after these descendants in the future,” Shi Hao requested.
“You want us to lead them here for training?” the crystal skull asked.
“Precisely,” Shi Hao nodded.
“Aren’t you afraid of the Demon King Pu?”
“I fear nothing for myself. And with your protection, these youths should be safe,” Shi Hao replied.
“We took an interest in you, yet you ask us to babysit and teach these brats?” the crystal skull grumbled.
“Come, pay your respects to these seniors!” Shi Hao called.
The youths moved in unison, bowing deeply and addressing them respectfully.
They returned to Stone Village, where they began extracting marrow and refining blood essence, crafting rare divine pills—priceless supplements.
As for Shi Hao, he took the small altar and its three inhabitants straight to the master of the Forbidden Zone.
As they approached, the master sensed them—unlike before, he rose into the air, clad in snow-white robes, his demeanor peerless as he gazed down from above.
“A fellow Daoist?” he asked, his voice magnetic. Had he been alive, he would have been a top-tier beauty, exuding extraordinary grace.
The small altar trembled. The crystal skull, golden palm, and blood-dripping eyeball shuddered, uneasy under the overwhelming pressure they felt.
“Brother, your path stretches far!”
“I knew it. This kid agreed too readily, then spoke of forming ties. He just wanted to intimidate us. How vile.”
“Hey, brother, in which era did you live? When did you transcend?”
Not only the crystal skull but even the golden palm and the eyeball emitted divine thoughts, joining the conversation.
“I likely came after you. Have any of you ventured beyond the dam?” the master asked.
“You… went there?!” The crystal skull was shocked.
“That’s the source of all calamity. You entered and returned alive?!” The blood-dripping eyeball stared intently.
“My body perished, but my Dao lingers. My obsession lingers in this world, my heart still unwilling,” the master replied.
Then, he politely invited them to sit and share tea, wishing to converse in detail.
But the three beings had no physical forms and couldn’t manifest their true bodies, so they remained floating above the altar.
Shi Hao’s heart raced. He realized he’d made the right choice in bringing the three old monsters here. The master of the Forbidden Zone was the right person to discuss these truths with—truths he himself wished to uncover.
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