The Star-Devouring Vine, a primordial deity, was vast beyond measure, its roots anchored in the cosmos. Lush and verdant, it gently unfurled serpentine tendrils that coiled around celestial bodies, swallowing them whole.
Alas, though born of chaos as a divine entity, it lacked higher consciousness. Had it possessed such, this creature would have been truly terrifying. Instead, it acted mostly on instinct.
“This is the Graveyard of Realms,” Shi Hao explained. “Legend says countless shattered ancient worlds overlap here. Only in this place can one still find perfect Dao Seeds!”
Years ago, when he was still at the Celestial Academy, he had visited and even witnessed a perfect seed firsthand. Yet, none had been able to claim it back then.
Cao Yusheng clicked his tongue in frustration. He too had been here before, and the sight of this familiar land left him speechless. A thousand years ago, as a youth, he had trained in these very grounds—and now, he had returned.
Around them, broken stars drifted in the void, remnants of a forsaken realm.
The dim cosmos was littered with ruins—ancient landmasses floating in the distance, shattered stars, and rules severed by sword-light.
Mu Qing and the others finally understood why this place was called the Graveyard of Realms. Everywhere they looked, they saw skeletal remains of stars and fragmented continents—a true wasteland of the universe.
**Boom!**
Suddenly, the Star-Devouring Vine stirred. Several of its massive, emerald tendrils lashed out like colossal dragons, sweeping toward Shi Hao’s warship.
Standing at the prow, Shi Hao raised a finger, releasing a soft glow.
**Rumble!**
The vine erupted with overwhelming power, wreathed in mist and blazing green radiance. The sheer force of its energy caused nearby shattered stars to tremble violently before exploding.
The very fabric of space cracked, forming abyssal chasms.
Shi Hao’s fingertip unleashed countless beams of light, ensnaring the vine before hurling it back into the cosmic darkness with a sharp **shriek!**
Silence returned as the destroyed stars left behind endless cosmic dust.
“Equivalent to a Supreme Being’s power, but lacking versatility. Nothing to fear,” Shi Hao remarked, assessing the vine’s threat.
Cao Yusheng was stunned. Back in the day, they had avoided the Star-Devouring Vine at all costs. Now, were they truly so powerful that they could stride through this place unhindered?
Their group pressed onward, traversing through layers of barrier-like light bands, delving deeper into the Graveyard of Realms. Each passage took them through another shattered ancient world.
“What kind of creature is that? It’s enormous!”
Soon, they encountered a beast resembling a hyena, adorned with dragon horns and vermilion wings, its colossal form dwarfing even the stars.
A corpse, long drained of vitality for countless eons.
“A primordial deity, born of chaos. Had it lived, it would have wielded power at least on par with a Supreme Being,” Shi Hao observed.
Slowing their pace, the warship drifted through the dim expanse. Shi Hao remembered that something of great fortune lay hidden here.
“Found it. It’s coming,” he murmured.
In the distance, an ancient, battered ship emerged from the void, its hull stained with blood and steeped in the aura of ages. Silent as death itself.
“What is that?” Zhu Lin couldn’t help but ask.
“A ghost ship—or rather, a Wraith Vessel. Aboard it are spectral beings born from the lingering consciousness of the dead. They are natural soul seeds, invaluable for refining elixirs to nourish the spirit,” Shi Hao explained.
Excitement surged through the group. Legends spoke of such creatures within the Graveyard of Realms—extracting their essence could greatly strengthen one’s soul.
The ship was massive, towering like a broken moon as it drifted closer.
**”Aoo—!”**
A piercing howl shattered the silence. A violent psychic ripple surged forth as a colossal silver bear lunged at Shi Hao, its claws descending like falling mountains.
“A Supreme-level Wraith?!” The group was stunned.
Unfazed, Shi Hao stepped forward, intercepting the terrifying force. He clashed with the golden bear—a transformed remnant of a fallen being’s soul.
**Whoosh!**
A gale erupted as a golden roc burst from the ghost ship, its wings splitting the heavens as it dove toward Shi Hao.
Horror gripped the onlookers. A single ghost ship harbored **two** Supreme-level Wraiths?
But against Shi Hao, it was futile. Standing at the pinnacle of mortality, he feared no such assault.
With phantom-like steps, he beheaded the silver bear and tore the golden roc asunder, reducing both to motes of radiant light—pure spiritual essence that nourished the soul.
Shi Hao absorbed only a fraction. His spirit had already reached its zenith; only ascension to immortality could further refine it.
Not one to waste, he dispersed the remaining essence to his companions.
“Astounding! My soul truly feels stronger!” they marveled.
“If this continues, we might actually break through to the Supreme Realm!”
“Attack!”
Not just Mu Qing and the Crimson Dragon, but even the Lightning Spirit, Imperial Butterfly, and God-Slaying Stone joined the assault on the ghost ship.
A fierce battle ensued. The ancient vessel unleashed a horde of spectral beasts—nine-headed birds, platinum lions, hellhounds—each a fearsome entity.
Under the combined might of these millennium-old prodigies, the ghost ship shattered, its wraiths annihilated.
“Such bliss, having one’s soul nourished like this!” someone sighed.
Yet, despite their glowing, crystalline spirits, none could ascend to the Supreme Realm.
These malevolent wraiths slaughtered all intruders. Without Shi Hao’s presence, the group would have perished—especially against two Supreme-level foes.
Crossing through more broken realms, they arrived at the Five Elements Continent, home to an inverted Five Elements Formation guarding a coveted **”Heavenly Seed.”**
Shi Hao bypassed it, pressing onward.
Their true destination lay ahead—a mystical treasure tree, a flawless seed he had once witnessed but been unable to claim due to its guardian.
At last, they arrived. Unlike the other shattered realms, this was a paradise.
Plants here bore blossoms and fruits imbued with Dao principles—each a potential Dao Seed.
But Shi Hao sought only one: the **Tree of Ten Thousand Daos.**
“After all these years, I wonder if it remains. Back then, it wasn’t fully matured. Now, it must be perfect,” Shi Hao mused.
Along the way, they saw countless plants bearing fruits infused with fragments of the Great Dao.
“Even if we can’t obtain the perfect seed, cultivating here and consuming these fruits would bring immense benefits!” the Crimson Dragon exclaimed.
Yet lingering was unwise. These lands were fraught with unknowns. Decades of cultivation might invite catastrophe.
“You’re invincible among mortals. Could even this place threaten you?” the Heavenly Horned Ant asked.
“There’s an ancient being here—likely a true immortal,” Shi Hao admitted.
Years ago, it was this very guardian that had forced his retreat, preventing him from taking the Tree of Ten Thousand Daos.
Without delay, they pressed on toward the ultimate prize.
At the westernmost edge lay a floating island, wreathed in lightning and spatial rifts—impassable for most.
Shi Hao acted, steering the warship straight through the tempest and onto the island.
Yin energy swirled alongside solar flames, a convergence of opposing forces. The air shimmered with sacred radiance, though thunderous roars of destruction echoed in the background.
At the island’s heart stood a tree—its trunk coiled like a slumbering dragon, branches gnarled and leaves rustling, unleashing endless divine light.
Upon it grew exactly ten thousand fruits, each embodying a distinct Dao principle—hence its name, the Tree of Ten Thousand Daos.
This tree itself was a supreme Dao Seed. Planted within one’s flesh, it could guide its bearer to comprehend all Daos, eventually ascending them to immortality.
Around it, thunder roared, and lightning pools churned—a sight both majestic and terrifying.
One of the most precious seeds in existence, surpassing even the sapling of the World Tree!
“Someone’s here!” The Heavenly Horned Ant stiffened, spotting another group aboard a massive ship, gazing at the tree.
The strangers, noticing Shi Hao’s arrival, tensed in turn.
“People from the Immortal Domain!” Cao Yusheng whispered.
The ship bore the markings of that realm. Were there old acquaintances among them?
Even Shi Hao’s expression shifted slightly as he studied the vessel.
Tai Sui Yellow Amulet Paper FuLu Taoist Love Talisman Traditional Chinese Spiritual Charm Attracting Love Protecting Marriage