“Whoosh!” The runes surged like molten lava, blazing brilliantly as they cascaded through the void. Several divine servants acted in unison—any later, and Qing Yun would have been cleaved in two. Shi Hao sighed and swiftly intervened. Simultaneously, the descending runes enveloped Qing Yun, shielding him in an attempt to reclaim him. Truth be told, Qing Yun’s own formidable strength had saved him; otherwise, Shi Hao’s earlier strike would have split him in half, leaving no chance of survival.
“Boom!” With his final attack before releasing his grip, Shi Hao’s hands blazed with power, channeling all his force into the green-haired youth. The impact shattered dozens of bones in the boy’s body, the cracks echoing like snapping twigs. Unfortunately, the divine servants’ runes intervened, mitigating the full force of the strike. These beings were formidable, effortlessly neutralizing Shi Hao’s overwhelming might.
“Seize him!” The divine servants moved as one, intent on suppressing Shi Hao. The boy’s prowess had surpassed their expectations. The fusion and interconnection of ten heavenly passages—what kind of divine might was this? It radiated an undying resonance, as if he were forging a miracle, treading a path none before him had walked! If they allowed him to escape today, how far would he grow in the future? Even the divine mountains would tremble at the thought. Moreover, his ability to break through the limits, surpassing the boundaries of predecessors, was nothing short of awe-inspiring for even the revered ones. Capturing him might yield unprecedented insights.
Among the divine servants were Golden Beasts and ancient relics of cultivation, each terrifyingly powerful, capable of stirring chaos with their mere presence. Yet, here, they were suppressed. The Kun Peng’s nest pulsed like tidal waves, restricting them to the strength of the Transformation Realm. Even so, their power was horrifying. The runes blazed like a shower of crystalline stars, shaking the heavens with a resonant hum.
Shi Hao wisely retreated, avoiding direct confrontation. As a newcomer to the Transformation Realm, this wasn’t the time for him to dominate. His earlier feats were already commendable.
“Where do you think you’re going?” The divine servants roared, charging forward—only to be met with a scorching wave, as if the void itself were melting. Crimson light surged like a tide, overwhelming the sky.
“What is that?” Everyone gasped, not just the divine servants. All creatures on the vast stone steps recoiled, hastily clearing a path. The emerald sea churned, its mist stretching like a celestial curtain from sky to water, rolling like immortal clouds enveloping the boundless ocean.
From the sea, a crimson tide surged forth, so intense it nearly vaporized the waters, transforming the ocean into a billowing fog that ascended the stone steps.
“Those are… Flame Fish!” a sea creature exclaimed in terror.
Ranging from a few feet to several yards in length, these fish glowed a vivid red, radiating unbearable heat. Their advance resembled an underwater volcanic eruption, their collective presence more scorching than molten lava. Legends spoke of Flame Fish as a terrifying force, appearing in swarms of tens of thousands, each born with an affinity for fire essence, their bodies imbued with fiery runes. United, their might was fearsome.
In ancient times, a Flame Fish ascended to godhood, challenging the sea deities for dominion. The ensuing battle shook the oceans, ending in defeat and the sealing of their kind. Yet here they were, resurfacing.
“Crack! Crack!” The Flame Fish leaped like arrows loosed from bows, landing on the stone steps and slithering forward on their tails. A swarm of over a hundred thousand, unstoppable in their path, destined to reduce all to ashes. Were it not for the Kun Peng’s indestructible steps, any other place would have been reduced to molten ruin.
The crowd retreated hastily. Provoking these swift, deadly fish meant instant annihilation.
“Bang!” A divine servant exchanged one last blow with Shi Hao before retreating. The Flame Fish surged like a torrent, carving through the center of the path with unstoppable force.
Shi Hao faced them across the scorching waves, unwilling to engage in a bloody battle now.
“You wait! Once I recover, I’ll personally end you!” Qing Yun roared, his face twisted in agony, his legs split open and bleeding.
“You dare boast? Without rescue, you’d be dead already. You stand no chance,” Shi Hao taunted dismissively.
The green-haired youth coughed blood, furious at his own carelessness. He had underestimated his foe, seeking a quick victory, only to be humiliated and nearly slain. The frustration choked him, his roars echoing to the heavens.
The divine servants sighed. With the Flame Fish’s arrival, they had missed their chance to eliminate Shi Hao, a potential future calamity.
As the Flame Fish army passed, all creatures gave way.
“Each Flame Fish carries a trace of divine fire essence, but extracting even a drop requires thousands. Its value is immeasurable—a rare divine material for forging sacred artifacts.” Yet none dared provoke them.
This was a formidable competitor in the race for the Kun Peng’s treasure. Their ancestors had once waged war against gods.
Shi Hao vanished into the crowd, not lingering. The desolate cliff was vast, like a continent unto itself. The higher he climbed, the smaller he felt, dwarfed by the runes that shaped this realm.
Days turned into weeks as they ascended, the journey stretching over twenty days before they reached the summit—only to find the Kun Peng’s nest gone, replaced by swirling chaos.
The cliff was barren, shrouded in mist and faint radiance, its mysterious energy palpable.
“An ancient teleportation array!” Later arrivals discovered groups of strong beings vanishing from the cliff, stepping into the distance.
“I knew the Kun Peng’s nest wouldn’t be ordinary. A being of the Ten Calamities wouldn’t nest on a mere sea surface. There’s another realm,” an elder mused, unsurprised.
“Legends say the Kun Peng’s domain lies in the divine realm. Or perhaps it’s a self-contained sacred land.”
The stone cliff was merely a gateway, the nest a projection.
Shi Hao stepped onto the ancient array, vanishing with the others.
After what felt like an eternity, light returned. They had been transported to an unknown ancient land.
Rune masters whispered estimates—they had traveled at least several hundred thousand miles, perhaps farther.
They stood on a small island bathed in golden light, its flora shimmering like gold. Similar islands dotted the sea, each glowing in different hues.
Every island teemed with life, their arrivals scattered. The air was thick with spiritual energy, invigorating with every breath.
The sea itself was crystalline, its waves gentle, mist rising like primordial essence.
“There! The Kun Peng’s nest!”
Ahead, the colossal nest rested on a reef, level with the sea, dwarfing nearby islands.
The crowd surged forward, eyes alight with greed, but the entrance was already a battlefield.
“The seal weakens! It might break soon!” someone murmured.
Yet despite the bloodshed, none had breached the nest. The reef was littered with corpses, the struggle brutal.
Shi Hao joined the charge, stepping onto the reef, nearing the ancient nest.
Built of divine timber, the nest emanated chaos, its grandeur awe-inspiring.
Patience was required—the nest wouldn’t open yet.
Shi Hao knew that besides those with ten heavenly passages, others had come prepared. Some divine mountains possessed Kun Peng remnants to force an entry.
The top factions had their advantages.
On one path, a youth stood with his back to the crowd, clad in golden armor, radiant as the sun. His blue hair flowed like a waterfall, and in his hand, a golden trident gleamed.
“Turn back. This path is closed,” he declared coldly.
“A descendant of the Sea God!” someone gasped.
“Who are you to decide?” another challenged.
“Begone!” The golden-armored youth didn’t turn. His trident trembled, releasing a golden tide that obliterated the challenger and his companions in a burst of blood.
His might was terrifying.
The Kun Peng’s nest loomed vast, its entrance guarded by multiple paths, each contested.
Shi Hao hesitated, noticing another marvel on the reef—a towering gate, glowing as if linked to the divine realm. A river of liquid spiritual energy flowed from it into the sea.
“Spiritual energy condensed into liquid!” Shi Hao marveled.
Few paid it attention, all eyes on the nest.
Then, Shi Hao’s eyes widened.
A black paper boat drifted from the golden gate, carried by the river’s current.
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