The Five Elements Peaks stood in solemn grandeur, their grayish-brown surfaces adorned with lush spiritual herbs, wisps of spiritual energy rising from them like ethereal mist. The valley occupied only a small area, protected by divine formations. Shi Hao stood close, his eyes tracing the inscriptions left by divine kings and heavenly deities, densely carved onto a massive boulder.
“This is our heritage,” murmured an elderly man named Qin Fa, who had cultivated for over two hundred years and attained the rank of a venerable decades ago. “Many mighty figures have come here—some perished in meditation, some fell in battle, and some ascended to the higher realms. What seems like countless names is merely the accumulation from the Primordial Era to the present. So many heroes buried by time.”
Shi Hao nodded, engaging in idle conversation while inquiring when the valley would open. He had waited long, the sky darkening with no sign of movement. “It should be soon,” Qin Fa assured. “No later than two days.”
The spiritual energy here was overwhelming. If the valley’s exterior was this potent, the interior must be a sea of heavenly essence, now locked away by the grand formation. His parents had cultivated within for over a decade—why had they never sought him out? A knot of sorrow tightened in his chest.
“How have my parents fared all these years?” he probed carefully.
“They are well,” Qin Fa replied with a smile. “But they miss you dearly. They simply cannot leave the valley due to a divine technique they are cultivating.”
Shi Hao fell silent, then shook his head. Memories surfaced—Willow God unlocking his mind’s eye, revealing scenes of the past. His parents had fought fiercely for him, defying their clan, their love undeniable.
“Have you imprisoned my parents here?!” Shi Hao’s gaze sharpened. “Is this a trap for me as well?”
Qin Fa chuckled. “If we wished to harm you, it would be effortless. Once inside Mount Buxian, even gods and demons could be slain by our formations.” He gestured to a stone table near the valley, where medicinal fragrances wafted through the tranquil air.
“This is a land of spiritual excellence,” Qin Fa continued. “Cultivating here would accelerate your progress.”
“Still trying to imprison me?” Shi Hao’s voice was icy.
“No, we act for your benefit,” Qin Fa countered. “The world is flawed, its laws incomplete. Prolonged exposure harms cultivators. But within this valley, the Dao is whole, the laws perfect. Here, you could plant the seed of a flawless Dao embryo, ascending to the pinnacle.”
He offered Shi Hao the mountain’s resources, promising unparalleled growth. Yet Shi Hao remained skeptical—how could the Qin Clan, once his enemy, now be so generous?
“I cannot stay,” Shi Hao deflected. “I am the new emperor of Stone Country, with duties to attend to.”
“It matters not,” Qin Fa said smoothly. “You have a younger brother now—thirteen years old, a peerless genius. He could rule Stone Country in your stead while you cultivate here.”
Shi Hao’s gaze burned. This was not the first he’d heard of a prodigious sibling. If his parents were truly imprisoned, why was this brother allowed freedom?
“A brother…” he murmured, bitterness rising. Years of struggle, rising from the wilderness, never knowing parental warmth—only to learn they had raised another.
“He wishes to take my throne?” Shi Hao asked woodenly.
“No,” Qin Fa corrected. “He seeks maturity through experience. This is an opportunity for you to reunite with your family, to forge a perfect Dao seed.”
Shi Hao saw through the ruse. “You covet Stone Country, using my brother as your puppet.”
Qin Fei denied it. “We seek only your ascent. The throne means nothing—you and your brother will both ascend to the higher realms.”
“Where is my grandfather?” Shi Hao demanded abruptly.
“He ascended from this very valley,” Qin Fa replied calmly.
Shi Hao’s pupils contracted. Activating his ancient dual-pupiled eye, he pierced through illusions—and spotted arrow marks on the valley walls. Divine weaponry.
His grandfather had wielded divine arrows. The realization struck like lightning.
“You dare harm my kin?!” Shi Hao roared, fury igniting.
A graceful maid approached with tea. In a flash, Shi Hao seized her, probing her mind. Fragments of a battle two years ago surfaced.
“Lies!” Shi Hao’s aura erupted.
Qin Fa stood, unshaken. “This is Mount Buxian. Even gods kneel here. Cease this folly.”
“Defy me, and I will topple this mountain!” Shi Hao’s killing intent soared.
Black light enveloped him as an obsidian battle armor fused with his form. Qin Fa paled, retreating as Shi Hao’s strike shattered his shoulder.
“Venerable realm?!” Qin Fa gasped, coveting the armor. “A relic of antiquity!”
Shi Hao attacked again, his fist like a blazing sun. Qin Fei dodged, sneering. “Arrogant child! This is sacred ground!”
“Blood for blood!” Shi Hao’s hair lashed like dark flames.
Qin Fa’s confidence wavered. What trump card did this youth hold to challenge Mount Buxian itself?
Uncertainty gnawed at him as Shi Hao’s wrath promised annihilation.
Tai Sui Yellow Amulet Paper FuLu Taoist Love Talisman Traditional Chinese Spiritual Charm Attracting Love Protecting Marriage