**The Land of Fire, Ancestral Grounds.**
The temperature was scorching, waves of heat rolling across the vast desert, as if the very earth were about to ignite. Though barren and lifeless, it was far from desolate—shadows of figures flickered in the distance, with powerful beings frequently appearing, including creatures from beyond the realm. At the edge of the desert stood towering mountains, while golden dunes stretched endlessly on the other side. The terrain was complex, once silent and forsaken, but now bustling with activity as countless cultivators gathered for trials.
Shi Hao had returned. The battle had ended with him coughing blood, his spirit retreating back into his body. His eyes snapped open, his face pale. There had been no victor, no death—only a brutal exchange. Injuries sustained in the Void God Realm reflected upon the physical body, a cruel reminder that this was no mere illusion. It was as if his true self had fought.
He now understood—Shi Yi was no ordinary foe. Perhaps even *terrifying* was a better word. A reincarnated divine being, living up to his legend. Had they truly fought to the death, unleashing forbidden techniques, the consequences would have been catastrophic. Regardless of the outcome, the price would have been immense. This was Shi Hao’s first true adversary since emerging into the world.
*”You’re injured?”* The big-eyed beauty and several youths nearby looked at him with concern, their expressions complex. They had witnessed the battle firsthand and were deeply shaken. In the Void God Realm, Shi Hao had been peerless, his brilliance eclipsing the heavens. He had crushed ancient clans like the Rain Clan, stormed the Demon Spirit Lake, and slain pure-blooded creatures as if it were mere legend. There, he had been unstoppable—save for one obstacle: the Double-Pupiled One.
The Double Pupils had shaken the world for years. Not only was Shi Yi known throughout the Stone Country, but even the Fire Nation recognized him as a future calamity—a threat already marked by royalty and nobility alike. And yet, this boy before them—deprived of his master’s bone—had stood toe-to-toe with that prodigy. How staggering was that truth?
Fire Spirit handed him a pill, its fragrance rich and soothing, glowing like a precious pearl in her palm, inscribed with mystical runes. Without hesitation, Shi Hao swallowed it. His bones crackled like thunder, his complexion swiftly regaining vitality. Truthfully, his injuries were nothing he couldn’t heal on his own—his constitution alone would suffice—but the pill hastened his recovery.
*”Shi Yi is terrifying. In a month, will you be ready?”* Fire Spirit asked.
*”He is formidable,”* Shi Hao admitted. *”They say the Double Pupils can split heaven and earth. I’d like to witness that for myself.”*
*”What will you do now?”*
*”Train.”* His answer was firm, his expression grave.
Now, there was only one path—strengthening himself. This battle had allowed both him and Shi Yi to gauge each other’s limits. Both would push themselves to the brink.
And indeed, both felt the pressure.
Shi Hao suspected Shi Yi was at a critical juncture—reciting scriptures, wandering in contemplation, seeking perfection. He had likely reached the pinnacle of Engraving. This was no good news. Shi Yi had years of cultivation over him, an innate psychological advantage. If he achieved true completion, his spirit would be flawless, his confidence unshakable.
The outside world was in turmoil.
From the Stone Country to the Fire Nation, news of the battle in the Void God Realm had spread like wildfire, stirring discussions across the ancient lands. Even the sacred peaks of the Divine Mountains could not remain indifferent—grown pure-blooded beings spoke of these two human youths who dared challenge the supremacy of the ancient races, hailed as Young Supremes.
Every major faction felt the weight of this development, especially the Divine Mountains and forbidden lands, where pride had long been theirs alone. Waves rippled across the land, unrest spreading through sects and clans. Even forces from beyond the domain—like the Heaven Mending Sect and the Severing Sky Sect—were shaken, their agents in the wasteland closely monitoring the situation.
The Heaven Mending Sect, in particular, mobilized its experts, seeking both Shi Yi and Shi Hao, believing them to hold deep connections to their teachings. These sects—Heaven Mending, Severing Sky, Western Heaven—were titans among factions, their mere interest enough to stir storms. Yet they acted discreetly, allowing their agents to handle matters quietly.
Amid the chaos, the two protagonists remained silent.
Neither showed themselves, vanishing from the world after their clash. Though unseen, their names spread like wildfire—two rising stars whose brilliance might one day shake the wasteland itself.
Shi Yi had disappeared from the Martial Prince’s estate, wandering through sacred mountains and rivers, watching waterfalls cascade and sunsets paint the sky. He was at ease, immersed in his own form of cultivation. Sometimes, enlightenment came not from seclusion but from the world itself.
Meanwhile, in the Fire Nation’s ancestral grounds, an old servant of Fire Spirit analyzed Shi Yi’s situation with startling accuracy.
*”He has reached that stage—terrifying indeed. Now, he tempers his mind and spirit, accumulating strength. Just imagining it sends chills.”* The old man, a master in his own right, had chosen to serve Fire Spirit willingly. *”Reciting scriptures, wandering—this is true comprehension of the Dao. Aren’t you worried? Will you stick to your own path?”*
Shi Hao smiled, unshaken.
*”All paths lead to the same destination. Enlightenment can come in the mortal world or in life-and-death trials. Just because he walks a radiant road doesn’t mean I must change mine.”*
The old servant was struck by the boy’s clarity. He saw the truth—Shi Hao needed only to follow his own rhythm.
*”Perhaps his earlier serenity was just an act, meant to pressure you,”* Fire Spirit suggested.
Shi Hao said nothing. Speculation was pointless. He would focus on himself.
And so he did.
Day after day, he trained without haste or worry, advancing steadily toward his goal. The big-eyed girl and others scouted ahead, locating volcanic lakes and powerful beasts, aiding his search for divine materials to break through swiftly.
Within days, Shi Hao captured hundreds of Sunfish, refining their golden essence in the Heaven Transformation Bowl before consuming it, tempering his body and comprehending the Dao.
He seemed to forget the coming battle, his mind serene, his progress methodical.
*”The Sky Battlefield this time will be in the Spirit Transformation realm. You should consider how to adapt,”* Fire Spirit reminded.
*”All realms are connected. Insights from Engraving apply elsewhere,”* Shi Hao replied.
His progress had been rapid—he had already reached the mid-stage of Engraving, his understanding deepening as he experimented with new techniques.
Now, in seclusion, he closed his eyes, visualizing his flesh and bones. He began inscribing runes, his expression solemn. Within him, divine light shifted—now a heavenly sword, now a divine furnace, now a cauldron—each form producing vastly different effects.
When the light took the shape of a sword, his aura turned razor-sharp. As a furnace, his power blazed unrestrained. As a cauldron…
Finally, all light condensed. He focused, channeling his will—and from his brow emerged a single rune, forged from his spirit. Golden radiance swirled, and from it burst forth a Kun Peng.
This was no mere construct of runes—it was a strand of divine light, refined into form.
He attempted to forge a second Kun Peng, striving to shape his inner energy as freely as he did cauldrons and towers. But this was no easy feat.
The Kun Peng was one of the Ten Ancient Fears, its techniques peerless. Even gods would struggle to master it in a glance—let alone condense it into the most fundamental strands of divine light.
Yet if he succeeded…
If every strand of energy within him became a Kun Peng, his power would be unimaginable. Quantity would birth quality, and the unleashed force would shake the heavens.
But the path was arduous. The Kun Peng’s essence, distilled into a single rune, was more complex than the stars themselves.
Frowning, Shi Hao accepted the difficulty. He could only carve rough approximations, embedding them within his flesh.
Then—
A figure appeared on the horizon, each step causing the earth to tremble, as if the world itself bowed in submission.
Who was this?
Shi Hao’s eyes snapped open, wary.
*”Father!”* Fire Spirit’s voice rang out as she hurried forward.
The Emperor of Fire had arrived.
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