A shattered seed, wreathed in chaotic energy, yet it was not withered—it pulsed with life, a faint thrum of vitality.
“Fellow Daoist!”
A voice echoed, followed by a seed emerging from the pool, floating into view.
“The Seed of the Chaos Azure Lotus?” Shi Hao’s expression shifted in surprise. He had truly encountered an ancient seed, hidden away here.
Clearly, the Azure Immortal of the past had also encountered it and was guided here by it.
“My body is broken, having suffered calamity after nirvana, slumbering through endless ages, barely clinging to existence,” the Azure Lotus Seed murmured.
Having spent so many years in the Immortal Domain, Shi Hao was well-informed. There had indeed been a Chaos Azure Lotus, a supreme being, but it had ultimately perished, its fate unknown.
Who would have thought it was here?
“Do you need my help?” Shi Hao asked.
“My injury lies in the origin imprint,” the Chaos Azure Lotus sighed.
Shi Hao reached out, cradling the seed in his palm. His eyes blazed with radiance as he scrutinized its origin. Then, with a wave of his hand, immortal light surged, dense vitality enveloping the seed.
Finally, he let a drop of his own essence blood fall, nourishing the lotus seed.
**Boom!**
The Chaos Azure Lotus trembled, its form glowing emerald-green, entwined with chaos, showing signs of recovery.
“Thank you, Fellow Daoist. Such a great kindness cannot be repaid with mere words. In the future, as long as I live, no matter how many epochs pass, I will repay this debt,” the Chaos Azure Lotus vowed.
It was shaken—ordinary Immortal Kings could never wield such power. Even supreme beings might not achieve this.
Shi Hao waved his hand dismissively. “I hope you recover fully.”
“Fellow Daoist, this era is fraught with calamities. As a Chaos Azure Lotus, a primordial being, I once foresaw something in the chaos. You must be careful,” the lotus warned.
“I know,” Shi Hao nodded.
“Today, you bestowed upon me your essence blood. In the future, no matter where you are—even if you undergo nirvana, reincarnation, or rebirth—if I still exist in this world, I shall repay you with my own chaos essence blood, aiding your return to the pinnacle.”
This was a vow, intertwined with ancient oaths, binding their fates together.
Shi Hao chuckled but said nothing. After death, was there truly rebirth? Was there truly reincarnation?
“Better to believe than not—such is the helplessness of our existence,” the Chaos Azure Lotus said.
Hearing this, Shi Hao sighed. A futile hope, indeed.
“Fellow Daoist, we part here. As for the descendants of my Azure Lotus lineage, let them live or perish in the lower realm. After enduring their tribulations, they will likely avoid worldly entanglements,” the lotus declared.
With that, it transformed into a streak of azure light, piercing through the void and vanishing into the chaos.
It was a being who had perished long ago, its past karmic ties scattered. Now, it sought refuge in the chaos to recover—perhaps for an epoch or two, it would not reappear.
For it sought nirvana once more, and in doing so, might forget everything.
Only its most primal imprint would guide its path. When it would fully awaken, none could say.
—
The Burial Grounds remained tranquil.
Shi Hao’s arrival stirred the Burial Kings, awakening Shen Ming and San Zang. But upon recognizing him, they exhaled in relief.
“Decades of millennia have passed in a blink, Fellow Daoist. Your name shakes all realms—even our desolate Burial Earth trembles under your might,” said Burial King Huo Heng.
Now, whether in the Foreign Lands, the Burial Grounds, the Immortal Domain, or the Sea of Worlds, legends of a young powerhouse spread far and wide.
That man was Shi Hao, for his combat prowess was unmatched—capable of slaying supreme beings—naturally drawing the attention of countless experts.
“What brings you here, Fellow Daoist?” Burial King Han Zhuo inquired.
“First, to reunite with old friends. Second, to witness the Origin Ancient Artifact,” Shi Hao replied.
The mighty figures paled. The Origin Ancient Artifact was something even they avoided, unwilling to meddle with at their level. Yet Shi Hao sought to behold it?
“Brother Shi, you are gambling with your life!”
“Shi Hao, this is perilous!”
San Zang and Shen Ming both urged caution.
“Fear not. I merely wish to see the truth. I will not act recklessly. You may have heard—I once clashed with the Foreign Lands’ Origin Ancient Artifact and survived,” Shi Hao said with a smile.
The Burial Kings hesitated, then considered—Shi Hao had indeed interacted with their own Origin Ancient Artifact before and lived.
Yet they wondered if he would emerge unscathed a second time.
“Fellow Daoist, it is not stinginess but genuine concern for your safety!” Huo Heng stated bluntly. The Origin Ancient Artifact was sinister, unpredictable, capable of threatening even beings of their stature.
“I am unafraid,” Shi Hao declared.
If he had a choice, he would not be here. But the path from King to Emperor had failed once. He sought another route.
Legends spoke of the Origin Ancient Artifact’s power to unlock the Emperor’s path. He resolved to risk his life in this attempt.
After deliberation, the Burial Kings relented—but warned him not to push his limits. They absolved themselves of responsibility should disaster strike.
“Thank you, Fellow Daoists!” Shi Hao bowed deeply.
Five Burial Kings emerged, conversed with him, then withdrew.
In truth, the Burial Grounds were relocating, their kings and descendants retreating to distant regions, fearing catastrophe.
Shi Hao considered telling them he might unlock the artifact—but held his tongue.
He did not know what would happen if it truly opened. If calamity befell all present, how could he face the Burial Kings?
He decided to proceed alone, assessing the situation as it unfolded.
“First, I wish to see my brother,” Shi Hao said.
He sought out Cao Yousheng.
Guided by San Zang and Shen Ming, he ventured deep into the Burial Grounds, where Cao Yousheng and the little dog lay in slumber.
Shi Hao had been trapped in the Ten Reincarnation Seals for five hundred thousand years, then spent over eight hundred thousand more in the Immortal Domain—over a million years in total.
“Live well,” Shi Hao murmured.
Once, Cao Yousheng had carried him here, white-haired and desperate, alongside the little dog, fighting to save his life.
Back then, both were aged, their vitality waning, yet they raged against fate for his sake.
No matter what, he would protect these old friends.
Immortal light surged as Shi Hao aided them, shedding two drops of his Immortal King essence blood—stripped of killing intent, pure vitality seeping into the burial soil.
Then he turned and left.
The Burial Grounds’ Origin Ancient Artifact did not always manifest. It appeared only at intervals, sealed away by the kings’ supreme arts.
Shi Hao arrived alone, prepared to tear through the void and confront the artifact.
Behind him, countless burial beings fled, fearing the chaos he might unleash.
As an Immortal King, any disturbance he caused would ripple across the heavens!
**Swoosh!**
Shi Hao rent the void. At his current level, no barrier could stop him—not even the Burial Kings’ seals.
**Boom!**
He breached an ancient hall.
Within, a chest floated, bathed in nine-colored radiance, erupting with sacred light—resplendent, brimming with holiness and tranquility.
It bore the luster of metal and jade, its glow as fierce as the sun.
Few in all creation could endure the artifact’s light. To touch it was death.
The Burial Grounds typically used corpses to bear its radiance.
Over the eons, how many living beings—like the Golden Burial Beings—had succeeded? Shen Ming and San Zang were rare exceptions, spared by luck and thus groomed as Burial Kings.
Yet Shi Hao withstood the luminous rain, unharmed.
“Last time, I relied on the Rotten Wooden Chest to survive. Now, I need not even use it—I’ve developed resistance.”
He summoned his treasures—the Great Luo Sword Embryo, the Primordial True Explanation, the Rotten Wooden Chest—and even roused the flame within him.
Then he advanced, step by step, toward the chest.
**Clang!**
A soft chime rang as Shi Hao placed his hand—capable of shattering heavens—upon the chest, flesh meeting artifact.
**Boom!**
The ancient temple quaked violently. Though sacred, it now burned with blinding light as the Origin Ancient Artifact awakened, trembling, roaring, unleashing terrifying radiance—liquid-like light raining down!
Shi Hao’s expression turned grave as he resisted the indescribable, supreme aura.
The pressure was mountainous, oceanic—as if all the cosmos and infinite starry seas were crushing down upon him.
**Clang!**
He exerted force, shaking the chest.
Not just himself—the Great Luo Sword Embryo, the Primordial True Explanation, even the Rotten Wooden Chest—all struck the artifact.
**Boom!**
A cataclysmic change erupted. Nine-colored light tore through the temple, nearly severing the river of time itself.
The flow of years grew unstable, churning violently.
Shi Hao did not know which artifact was the true key. He used them all—even himself as a catalyst.
**Thud!**
With each strike, the Origin Ancient Artifact cracked further, its nine-colored metallic shell beginning to split open.
**Boom!**
Heaven and earth shattered. Ghosts wailed, gods howled.
Though sacred, the chest emitted horrifying sounds as it opened, accompanied by countless visions—primordial deities perishing en masse, endless dark prisons, dazzling immortal light—all interwoven like fragments of ancient history.
Yet it unfolded too swiftly to grasp.
**Pop!**
A soft sound—the chest bloomed like a flower, its fractured panels peeling back to reveal its contents.
Tai Sui Yellow Amulet Paper FuLu Taoist Love Talisman Traditional Chinese Spiritual Charm Attracting Love Protecting Marriage