The towering walls were a pale golden hue, crafted from the finest royal stones—chosen not just for their durability but also for the aura of serenity and imperial might they exuded. The grand pavilions were adorned with glazed tiles that shimmered under the setting sun, casting a divine radiance. Shi Hao strode forward confidently, having already passed through the city gates and entered the royal forbidden grounds—a place where ordinary folk dared not set foot even half a step.
An oppressive atmosphere weighed upon him as he took in the vastness of the imperial palace. Towering halls stretched endlessly, resplendent in gold and jade, exuding solemnity and the overwhelming pressure of imperial authority. The stronger one was, the more palpable this pressure became, demanding reverence. The fate of the entire nation converged here—this was the heart of the Stone Country, the most sacred land, passed down since ancient times, steeped in countless divine legends.
The grand celestial gates loomed ahead, layered in multiple tiers. Shi Hao had only just crossed the first threshold when he immediately sensed a chilling hostility. The war general from the city walls now stood before the second gate, flanked by a host of cultivators, their expressions icy as they glared in his direction, murderous intent rising like a tide.
A group of elders surrounded Shi Hao—some from the Desolate Heaven Marquis’s estate, others veteran imperial guards—all stern-faced as they advanced alongside him.
“What is the meaning of this? Repeatedly obstructing the Desolate Heaven Marquis from entering the palace—do you seek rebellion?!” one of the old guards bellowed.
“We are merely fulfilling our duty to guard the palace. We cannot allow unauthorized individuals to trespass,” the war general replied with a hollow salute, his tone ambiguous. Clearly, he had already chosen his allegiance. Someone had entered before Shi Hao, and this general had already pledged himself to them, rejecting Shi Hao’s authority—even defying the late Stone Emperor’s final decree.
The old comrades of the Fifteenth Grandfather scowled in fury, while the palace guards narrowed their eyes and roared, “Do not forget—this nation bears the surname *Stone*, not some foreign lineage!”
“We are well aware,” the war general replied coldly, unmoved.
Shi Hao stepped forward without hesitation. “If you act for the public good, I admire you. But if you have turned traitor, groveling to outsiders and betraying the Stone Country, then today, I will annihilate you!”
Though only fifteen, his youthful face belied an overwhelming authority that forced the cultivators to stagger back.
“Desolate Heaven Marquis, such arrogance! But remember—this is the imperial palace!” the war general sneered, his expression darkening.
Shi Hao ignored him entirely, striding past the palace gates and advancing deeper into the complex, forcing the guards to retreat again and again, none daring to stop him.
“Hold this position! At the first sign of movement, seal the palace and slaughter everyone inside!” the war general hissed to his soldiers, whose faces paled at the command.
Shi Hao passed through four layers of palace gates before arriving at a vast open space—nearing the central celestial palace. There, he encountered an unfamiliar face.
A young man, no older than twenty, clad in violet robes with phoenix-like eyes, exuded an air of untouchable nobility. He stood beside a jade pool, where lotuses bloomed amidst swirling spiritual mist, making him appear transcendent—as though a deity had descended.
Even Shi Hao narrowed his eyes. This man was extraordinary. Though handsome, he radiated the presence of a dormant beast—one that, if provoked, would unleash unimaginable terror.
“Brother Shi, I’ve been waiting for you,” the young man said.
“He is from Mount Immortal,” an old guard whispered to Shi Hao.
Shi Hao nodded inwardly. “Did the Stone Emperor’s decree summon him as well?”
“Impossible!” the guard replied firmly.
A surge of fury ignited within Shi Hao. The audacity of these foreign sects, infiltrating the imperial palace so brazenly—was this still the Stone Country’s royal seat? They sought to usurp the throne, no doubt having already chosen their puppet.
Without a word, he turned and strode back, his aura surging like a volcano on the verge of eruption.
“Brother Shi, why leave without a word?” the violet-robed youth called after him.
Ignoring him, Shi Hao returned to the second palace gate, his gaze icy as it fell upon the blockading soldiers. The war general’s heart lurched, his face darkening with killing intent—yet compared to Shi Hao’s overwhelming presence, it was nothing.
“You wretched cur! How dare you allow outsiders into the imperial forbidden grounds? You deserve death!” Shi Hao’s voice was frigid. He had refrained from killing earlier to avoid appearing bloodthirsty—given the tense political climate. But now, he needed to make an example.
“What nonsense! Activate the formation—kill him!” the war general roared, revealing his full betrayal. He had long defected to the foreign sect.
“Those who retreat now will be spared. Those who remain—annihilation awaits.”
Panic spread. Many soldiers fled instantly, regretting their involvement. Even with foreign backing, this was still the Stone Country—history would brand them traitors.
Though fear flickered in his eyes, the war general stood his ground. With a vicious grin, he summoned a blood-red gourd. Uncorking it, a sword-light erupted, aimed straight for Shi Hao’s head.
“A Sage artifact!” the old guards gasped, rushing to shield Shi Hao.
“Stand back!” Shi Hao commanded.
No wonder they dared oppose him. In this era where divine beings had vanished, such weapons were deadly threats. But he was unafraid.
A blinding radiance erupted from Shi Hao, like divine swords piercing the heavens, engulfing the palace in light. None could see what transpired.
In truth, this was mere concealment.
Shi Hao’s chest glowed—he was unleashing his ultimate trump card: the Supreme Bone. A year and a half of cultivation had elevated him to the King of Arrays realm, and though he hadn’t fully mastered the bone’s power, he could wield a fraction of its might.
A single beam of light repelled the sword-energy, then seized and sealed the gourd itself. With another pulse, Shi Hao refined the artifact, erasing its previous owner’s imprint before tossing it to an elder of the Desolate Heaven Marquis’s estate.
“Losing a King-tier weapon but gaining a Sage artifact—no loss.”
As the light faded, Shi Hao’s expression remained cold. With a flick of his hand, a colossal sword-light slashed out—bisecting the war general midair.
Despite his desperate evasion and defensive techniques, the man was cleaved in two, his body collapsing in a pool of blood. His dying eyes brimmed with despair and regret.
The remaining soldiers trembled. What kind of power was this? A Sage artifact had been neutralized in an instant—just how terrifying was the Desolate Heaven Marquis?
Shi Hao was merciless. Sword-light erupted from his body, severing heads in rapid succession. Blood painted the ground, the stench thick in the air.
“Spare me! I was forced into this!” some pleaded, but Shi Hao showed no mercy. He had given them a chance.
This was a massacre. No matter what treasures or techniques they unleashed, none could withstand Shi Hao’s assault. Channeling the Kun Peng’s divine speed, he became a golden streak, leaving corpses in his wake.
Unstained by blood, his pristine robes fluttering, Shi Hao strode forward like an exiled immortal—before turning back toward the palace depths.
“Those who remain—guard this place!” His voice echoed, leaving the survivors trembling in obedience.
“Brother Shi, you’ve returned?” The violet-robed youth still stood by the jade pool, sensing Shi Hao’s killing intent. He had underestimated this young man—daring to enter the capital alone and slaughter so brazenly.
“Why shouldn’t I return? This is my Stone Clan’s imperial forbidden ground. The question is—how did *you* get in? Do you seek to steal my Stone Country’s legacy?” Shi Hao’s tone was icy.
The youth smiled. “Brother Shi, you may not know this, but we might share blood ties. I am from Mount Immortal.” He introduced himself as Qin Yong.
Shi Hao remained silent. His instincts screamed that this man was formidable—likely one of Mount Immortal’s top talents of this generation.
“Brother Shi, if you are willing, we can help you ascend as the new emperor,” Qin Yong offered.
“A puppet emperor?” Shi Hao’s gaze sharpened.
“Not at all. You would merely lend some aid to Mount Immortal. We would not interfere otherwise.”
“Shall I execute you now, or will you flee?” Shi Hao cut him off, his dominance unshaken.
“Do you truly believe you can sweep aside all opposition alone?” Qin Yong’s smile remained, though strained.
Without another word, Shi Hao summoned the blood gourd from his clansmen and activated it, aiming to annihilate Qin Yong on the spot.
Qin Yong’s expression shifted. Though a prodigy—one of Mount Immortal’s Three Peerless Youths—he paled before a Sage artifact. He carried one as well but had no desire for a deathmatch.
“Very well. I shall withdraw for now.” With that, he retreated swiftly, unnerved by the young man before him—who felt less like a mortal and more like the scion of an ancient primordial beast.
The lack of a direct confrontation surprised many.
Shi Hao pressed onward, finally reaching the central celestial palace. Above, a true dragon of imperial aura coiled through the skies, its roars shaking the heavens.
The area was crowded—foreign powerhouses and Stone Country’s own marquises and lords stood in tense silence.
As Shi Hao arrived, flanked by his guards, all eyes turned to him.
“Foreign intruders—leave the Stone Country’s imperial forbidden grounds at once, or face extermination!” His first words were a declaration of war.
“Traitorous lords who collude with outsiders and seek upheaval—I grant you one chance to repent. Refuse, and death awaits.” His second statement was just as ruthless, his voice ringing like a sword’s song, trembling the skies and shaking all who heard it.
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