Shi Hao stood atop a golden cloud, with the hymns of gods echoing behind him and divine demons dancing in unison—a sight both awe-inspiring and terrifying! The radiant auspicious clouds granted him unparalleled speed, a sensation he had never experienced before. In the blink of an eye, he lunged toward the colossal lotus before him.
Around him, an array of divine treasures manifested, forged from arcane glyphs—a celestial phenomenon that defied mortal comprehension. Bells, pagodas, swords, and cauldrons resonated with deafening metallic clamor. With a mere gesture, a massive golden bell, inscribed with shimmering runes, soared forth, its sonorous toll reverberating across countless miles as it crashed toward the heart of the lotus, intent on obliteration.
*Pop!*
The lotus petals recoiled, unleashing a mist of blinding radiance—an eruption so terrifying it resembled a boiling sea of stars, where suns and moons flickered amidst the boundless cosmos. The golden bell collided with the mist, their clash sending shockwaves of thunderous resonance.
From afar, the onlookers stood dumbstruck. What manner of spectacle was this?
*Clang!*
The bell tolled once more, its echoes stretching into eternity. Countless stars dashed against its surface, sending tremors through the soul. Yet, in the end, the bell shattered, dispersing into the void. The starry mist, equally formidable, was forced back into the lotus’s core, as though celestial bodies were plummeting from the heavens.
This was the eighth lotus, still not fully unfurled. Though it had been drained of much of its essence by Shi Hao, it still possessed the power for one final assault. Shi Hao’s body was on the verge of bursting, unable to absorb or refine any more energy. Thus, he launched his attack, his divine might unyielding!
*Swoosh!*
A divine sword materialized beside him, its golden blade erupting with a brilliance so fierce that none could bear to look upon it directly. Gripping the weapon, Shi Hao slashed forward, runes swirling like a storm as lightning crackled in its wake. The sword cleaved through the lotus, its petals scattering and exploding midair.
“Such a devastating strike!” the crowd gasped in unison, their breaths stolen by the sheer might of the blow.
Yet, as swiftly as it had appeared, the golden sword vanished, unable to endure beyond that single attack.
*Hum!*
The lotus trembled, its remaining petals unfurling. The eighth bloom was far more potent than its predecessors. Shi Hao summoned a towering pagoda, also forged from runes, and hurled it with all his might. It pierced through a petal, hurtling toward the Rain Clan members—his intent to eliminate them and dismantle their spell from within.
*Boom!*
But then, something eerie occurred. The eighth rain curtain—the eighth lotus—seemed to possess a will of its own, swelling violently to block Shi Hao’s advance. From its core, the mist surged forth once more, now resembling cascading rivers of starlight, its lethality unmatched.
“That’s the essence of Rain’s power!” someone murmured, the tension among the spectators palpable.
“Break!” Shi Hao roared, hurling every weapon at his disposal—cauldrons, spears, and more—toward the lotus. Though each could only strike once, their combined might was catastrophic.
*Boom!*
A blinding explosion erupted. The eighth lotus shattered, and Shi Hao was sent flying, blood trickling from his lips. Yet, his indomitable physique allowed him to recover swiftly. In an instant, he was back on his feet, charging toward the Rain Clan.
*Slash!*
His broken sword swept horizontally, bisecting a dozen foes in a single stroke.
But to his shock, despite their losses, a ninth lotus bloomed in the heavens—unbidden, unsummoned.
He retreated hastily.
“Is the Rain God still alive? The Rain Clan’s treasure technique is said to manifest eight lotuses. The ninth is a projection, born when the Rain God senses his descendants’ call,” a distant voice mused—likely a marquis-level expert observing the battle.
The crowd erupted in exclamations. Legends spoke of the ninth lotus as a forbidden strike, one that only appeared under extraordinary circumstances. Few knew the truth: it was the Rain God himself, reaching across the endless void to unleash a fragment of his power.
Shi Hao channeled his techniques furiously, absorbing boundless energy. The fading clouds beneath his feet reignited as he prepared to face the blooming lotus. Around him, weapons rematerialized, their metallic clangs resounding.
Even more strikingly, the silhouettes of gods grew tangible, lining the skies as if chanting incantations—a sight so terrifying it seemed as though deities and demons had descended upon the mortal realm.
This was the might of the Kun Peng’s treasure technique, though the onlookers mistook it for mere illusion.
*Boom!*
The ninth lotus, only half-open, withered before fully blooming. Yet, the divine power it unleashed was enough to send shivers down Shi Hao’s spine. The moment they clashed, he was blasted away, unable to fully refine the energy. Blood gushed from his mouth as his flesh trembled.
Though the lotus decayed into mist, its core spewed forth an even more terrifying radiance—was it truly starlight? Suns and moons flickered within, and amidst the haze, a faint figure sat cross-legged, shrouded in celestial mist.
Not just Shi Hao—every witness was stunned. How could a mere construct of water and rain glyphs birth such an entity?
“Heaven be praised! The Rain God lives!” the Rain Clan cried out in ecstasy.
“Ancestor Rain God endures, even across the endless void!” Their fervor was manic, a mix of weeping and laughter that unsettled all who beheld it.
If the Rain God truly lived, what did that mean?
Shi Hao had no time to ponder. He unleashed everything—his weapons, his strength, his will. The rune-forged armaments surged forward, aiming to shatter both the figure and the mist.
*Boom!*
The haze dispersed, revealing a majestic figure seated in the void, eyes closed, exuding an aura so sacred it compelled worship.
“Could it be…?” a distant marquis whispered. “Is the Rain God truly trapped beyond our realm, yet still alive?”
Shi Hao’s weapons crumbled, but he remained standing, the black broken sword in hand, facing the projection. Around him, the gods’ shadows persisted, their chants amplifying his presence.
Though pressured, Shi Hao smirked. Before him stood the Rain God’s shadow, but behind him were the echoes of countless deities.
The spectators gaped—such a confrontation was beyond imagination.
*Hum!*
The seated figure stirred, as if attempting to open its eyes. Though it failed, its mere movement unleashed a devastating force.
Shi Hao bore the brunt, coughing blood despite his defenses.
“God or not, I defy you!” he roared, charging forth. The figure’s hand rose slowly, its power overwhelming.
Shi Hao’s body blazed as he merged with his Indestructible Golden Body, his radiance blinding. He would fight with everything he had.
This was no true deity—only a wisp of a shadow cast from beyond time and space. He would shatter it!
“Where is the Rain God imprisoned? If he lives, is he suffering?” murmurs spread even from the imperial palace.
Shi Hao’s power surged, his Indestructible Golden Body elevating him to marquis-level might. The gods’ shadows solidified further as he prepared his final strike—the Kun Peng’s secret technique.
Fearless as ever, the “holy terror” sought to topple even a god’s projection.
*Boom!*
Golden rain filled the sky—a feint. The true attack was the Kun Peng’s power channeled through his broken sword, a black beam cleaving downward. He concealed his technique, ensuring none recognized it as one of the Ten Ancient Evils’ legacies.
Unless the Dual-Pupiled One himself appeared, none would see through it.
The impact was cataclysmic. The gods’ chants amplified the strike, shaking heaven and earth.
*Crash!*
The shadow’s palm met the black light. For a moment, silence—then an explosion that shattered the skies.
Shi Hao was hurled back, blood erupting from his lips.
Yet, the Rain Clan’s cheers died in their throats.
The projection’s arm… was cracking.
Then, it shattered.
“What?! The Rain God—!” they screamed in disbelief.
“Calm yourselves!” a Rain Clan elder bellowed. “This is but a projection! The true Rain God is too distant, his power weakened by the void!”
Whispers spread among the marquises watching from afar.
“Past rumors were false. The Rain God isn’t dead—he’s stranded in another realm.”
“Yet his state must be dire, for his projection is so feeble.”
Shi Hao steadied himself, wiping his bloodied mouth. Without hesitation, he devoured several spirit herbs, their energy flooding his veins.
The golden clouds beneath him vanished, the gods’ shadows faded, and his weapons dissipated.
Yet, he remained unshaken.
The Indestructible Golden Body gleamed coldly as the broken sword in his hand pulsed, its tip aimed at the Rain God’s wavering projection.
*Swoosh!*
With one final, desperate lunge, Shi Hao struck.
The projection shuddered, its form destabilizing. Its eyelids trembled—as if struggling to open—and an overwhelming divine pressure radiated forth.
But before it could act…
The battle reached its climax.
Tai Sui Yellow Amulet Paper FuLu Taoist Love Talisman Traditional Chinese Spiritual Charm Attracting Love Protecting Marriage