Chapter 507: Secret Revelations

“Where do you think you’re going?” Xiao Ta cried out. The four-tier tower emitted a glow, shattered the void, and swept out chaotic sword qi, attempting to trap its target.

The Immortal Being had already surged forth, his eyes glowing golden beams, his fist smashing through space, vanishing into the chaos.

Willow God remained still, accompanied by a sacred ancestral tree, nearly transparent, exuding an ethereal mist, carrying a vague and divine aura.

The Immortal roared, shattering the void, but it was too late; he failed to stop the Five Elements Mountain. Once beings reached such a level, if they truly wished to escape, it was nearly impossible to suppress them, let alone kill them.

The Five Elements Mountain transformed into a stream of primordial essence, vanishing into the bronze Palace in the Deathless Mountain. The hall radiated brilliant divine light, and in an instant, it was gone, leaving behind an astonishing wave of energy.

A formation shattered, and the bronze Palace trembled violently.

Xiao Ta pursued, uttering curses.

The Five Elements Mountain had gone to the Upper Realm, disappearing from sight, breaking free from the eight realms’ prison. To see it again would mean only one path: ascending the Heavenly Road.

In the next moment, the Immortal Being and Xiao Ta returned to the Ancient Treasure Realm. Since they had failed to catch up to the Five Elements Mountain, they might as well hurry here to seek great opportunities.

At their level, common heavenly treasures held no interest. Only the rarest divine beings born from chaos could catch their eyes, especially the ancient glyphs left behind in the chaotic expanse.

Deep within the Ancient Treasure Realm, there were magnificent waterfalls, endless lakes, towering mountains, ancient trees reaching the heavens, and divine energy flowing like radiant mist.

“What’s wrong with Willow God?” Shi Hao asked in surprise upon returning, noticing Willow God still standing where it had been, as if sensing something.

Finally, it sat cross-legged beneath the willow tree, glowing with green light, silently calculating, as if facing a great mystery.

“What’s going on?” Xiao Ta flew near, shining with light, also attempting to sense the energy.

“There’s something strange!” The immortal being folded his golden wings, the feathers on his back vanishing as he donned golden armor. His hair became shorter, still golden-yellow, and though not tall, he appeared in his twenties, with sharp, well-defined features and a faint golden complexion.

His human appearance was impenetrable, revealing nothing of his true nature.

At fifteen, Shi Hao, precocious yet naturally curious, secretly activated his Divine Eye of Twin Pupils, hoping to glimpse the immortal’s true form and even uncover Willow God’s true visage.

However, as the sacred eye emerged, a blinding golden light flared forth, burning with radiant intensity too dazzling to behold.

Shi Hao was startled, his divine consciousness scorched and pained, unable to see the immortal’s true form. Yet, he perceived a golden sun, ablaze with sacred light.

The immortal glanced at him, his gaze unfathomable, without uttering a word.

Shi Hao felt a chill run through him. Indeed, beings of such power were terrifying, beyond comprehension.

“Don’t bother looking—he’s beyond your perception. Want to know what he is?” Xiao Ta descended, shimmering with white radiance.

Though embarrassed, Shi Hao nodded.

“He hatched from a stone, born of heaven and earth,” Xiao Ta laughed.

“What kind of being is that?” Shi Hao looked at the immortal, even more intrigued.

The immortal shot Xiao Ta a sharp look, golden pupils shining like blade-light, emanating a mighty pressure.

“Truth tends to breed hatred. I even rescued him from peril,” Xiao Ta pretended to pout before whispering mysteriously, “Actually, he hatched from an egg—but one that incubated for over a million years. That’s why I say he burst forth from stone.”

Shi Hao was stunned. A life-form that stayed in an egg for a million years? The very idea was terrifying.

“Otherwise, how could he be so strong? A being of posterior birth yet unslayable, having reached the peak of existence,” Xiao Ta added.

Rarely hearing such secrets from Xiao Ta, Shi Hao humbly inquired about the path to supreme power and questioned the concept of posterior birth.

“He was born posterior but buried inside a chaotic microcosm for a million years, where he was nurtured. Upon hatching, he naturally became peerless in strength, bearing a Primordial Mark. Such calamity accompanied his birth that the entire chaotic realm collapsed,” Xiao Ta explained.

Shi Hao pondered. Was it only the innate-born primordial beings that could attain ultimate power? He couldn’t help but frown.

Willow God awoke from meditation, sensing his confusion. “It doesn’t matter if one is born innate or acquired. Acquired growth means deeper experiences, and if one ultimately rises, perhaps even stronger.”

Nodding, Shi Hao eagerly listened.

This was a rare opportunity, with three great beings present. Anything they said could occupy his mind for ages, so he listened with the utmost humility and seriousness.

Eventually, he voiced his curiosity about how both Willow God and the immortal had assumed human form, thinking it a trivial remark—but received a solemn answer instead.

Some forms are naturally aligned with the Dao—humanoid form is one such. Suitable for cultivation, it allows proximity to eternal existence.

Shi Hao was amazed. Such knowledge was too profound for him at this stage. Without Willow God’s insight, he might never have known such a truth.

“This senior possesses a human form, but hasn’t he kept a pair of golden wings?” Shi Hao cautiously glanced at the immortal.

“That’s because he never fully transformed. Those golden wings are now the embodiment of the greatest power and Dao he has achieved, yet also a hindrance to further progress,” Xiao Ta added gleefully.

“There’s that as well?” Shi Hao asked in surprise.

The immortal sneered. “I do not see them as a hindrance. If I were to fully shift into a form better suited for cultivation, what then? Could even I take that final step? Keeping my golden wings, incomplete as I am, they have become one of my greatest strengths, granting unmatched battle prowess, unmatched power. Isn’t that freedom itself?”

“What about you, Xiao Ta? You aren’t in a human form either,” Shi Hao asked.

“The tower form itself is suited for enduring existence, a vessel naturally aligned with the Dao,” Xiao Ta boasted proudly.

“The peak of one’s strength may eventually become the barrier to further transcendence,” Willow God mused.

“Then did you go through a rebirth?” Xiao Ta asked.

“How do you know it wasn’t the result of a life-or-death battle instead?” Willow God countered.

The immortal was moved, casting a complex gaze at Willow God, as if recalling something profound, his expression turning solemn as he gazed at the heavens.

Xiao Ta also shuddered slightly and asked cautiously, “They say that ancient ones who attempted to take that final step encountered great danger and strange mysteries?”

Willow God nodded. Behind it, the sacred green tree swayed in the wind, exuding holy and serene light.

“That’s true,” Xiao Ta suddenly interjected. “Though I’ve heard your name, you aren’t of this heaven and earth, are you?”

Willow God smiled and shook its head. “You’re imagining things.”

As it spoke, the divine tree behind it transformed into a green beam, shrinking rapidly into a sacred halo glowing with Immortal Radiance, encircling its head.

Shi Hao, watching nearby, felt a deep inner impact. Though he couldn’t entirely understand, he suspected much.

Willow God turned to him, sensing something within. It gazed at his chest and said, “A new bone has joined your body; in the future, you will possess boundless power and great abilities.”

Shi Hao froze, realization dawning.

“A great pity to sever it,” Xiao Ta sighed.

At those words, Shi Hao was even more startled, the meaning becoming clearer.

“Why destroy it? Retain it instead; it will be your greatest advantage as you roam heaven and earth,” the immortal scoffed.

Willow God said nothing more, ending the conversation. The path must be sought alone; on this great Dao, no one could claim absolute certainty.

“Time’s nearly come. I must go now,” Willow God said.

“You sensed something just now, didn’t you?” Xiao Ta asked, suddenly recalling Willow’s earlier calculations.

“The Primordial Gate might have reappeared,” Willow God replied.

“What! The entrance from before creation, hidden in chaos?” Xiao Ta exclaimed.

“Is it here in this Ancient Treasure Realm?” The immortal was shaken.

“You… surely aren’t planning to enter it? Legend says everyone who has entered vanished, leaving only blood behind,” Xiao Ta cried out in alarm.

The immortal’s expression darkened, caught between fear and determination.

“I will observe first and decide after,” Willow God said.

Shi Hao felt as if Willow God had become distant—seemingly near, yet seemingly far away, as if truly about to depart.

“Willow God!” Shi Hao rushed forward.

“The Original Gate, born of chaos, has only appeared a few times—once triggering the Ancient War, and again during the Primordial Age. Who imagined it would appear again now,” Xiao Ta sighed.

With a flash of radiance, Willow God vanished into the depths of the Ancient Treasure Realm, gone without a trace.

Shi Hao embraced Xiao Ta and followed close behind.

At the furthest depths, the breathtaking landscape faded into chaos, an indistinct, magnificent expanse like a boundless sea.

“That gate always hides deep in chaos, whether revealing itself in the Upper Realm or within a smaller world,” the immortal said, eyes gleaming. “I won’t enter. I’ll gather the essence I need here and then ascend to the Upper Realm, where I’ll unleash havoc across the heavens.”

“I still want to take a look,” Xiao Ta insisted.

“What about me?” Shi Hao asked.

“You’re not strong enough for the chaotic realm. Seek your own opportunities outside.”

“Hey, don’t rush in yet! What if the Deathless Patriarch or the Western Sect’s leader project themselves again?” Shi Hao looked worried.

“Descending here is no easy feat. Even a projection demands a heavy price. Once repelled, they can’t return,” Xiao Ta said.

Before Shi Hao could protest, Xiao Ta unleashed a technique, teleporting Shi Hao countless miles away. The Chaos Realm trembled violently.

“Hold on! My parents are still imprisoned with the formation. You didn’t free them?” Shi Hao shouted, already far away, helpless.

With the Upper Realm’s ruler unable to descend and Willow God about to vanish—could this be the case? Worried by the thought, Shi Hao felt uneasy, with so many unspoken words and unanswered questions.

“Don’t worry. I will settle everything regarding the Upper Realm before departure,” Willow God’s voice echoed into his mind.

“Willow God! I truly wish to follow you through that gate!” Shi Hao shouted. But no answer came.

Deep within the Ancient Treasure Realm, chaos surged violently, laws intertwined, Daoist symbols densely scattered, shrouded in mystery.

“If they’re gone, then it’s truly up to me alone,” Shi Hao murmured softly, clenching his fists.

Suddenly, he felt several familiar auras, immediately recognizing some noble experts and unique geniuses from the Upper Realm whom he had previously seen at the entrance. Now they had already entered deeply.

At the same time, he saw a golden crow soaring across the sky, a native being of this treasure realm, radiant as a blazing sun, emitting terrifying pressure.

Shi Hao’s heart quivered. He quickly focused his mind. He knew this primal land might conceal tremendous opportunity.