“Hmm, where did those two go?” Shi Hao stirred awake as his true Niwancompleted, only to find that the Divine Stone and the Emperor Butterfly were missing from his hair.
He leaped from the tree, breaking through the golden barrier protecting the Sun Tree, and plunged again into the magma below, releasing his divine consciousness to search for them.
“Ao…” Amid a surge of crimson magma, a luminous stone was enveloped in red radiance, slightly tinged with light gold, as it cried out in an eerie voice.
The Divine Stone was brimming with joy; it had consumed vast quantities of quintessence over the past few days, enhancing its spirit. Anyone who saw it would be envious—it was a raw embryo of the finest divine treasures.
It had become even more extraordinary, radiating a crystalline luster.
At this rate, it would naturally evolve into an ultimate treasure without any refinement or sacred engravings, becoming an incomparable weapon all on its own.
Waving his hand, Shi Hao caught the stone in his palm; it was warm, translucent, and shimmering with brilliance. The more he examined it, the more awestruck he became.
“In the future, it will surely become a supreme treasure,” he murmured. With a flick of his wrist, he hurled it into the crimson ocean below. Instantly, the area below exploded, waves of red surging heavenward.
The Divine Stone cried out as it churned mountains and rivers, flying back with a trail of red light, praising loudly and without restraint.
“Big Brother, you are the lighthouse of my life, guiding me across the foggy seas to liberation, leading me to transcendence…”
Ever since it had followed Shi Hao, it had continuously obtained opportunities and was now completely unwilling to leave. It flattered him enthusiastically, transforming into a small, crimson-gold stone that reattached itself to Shi Hao’s hair.
At the same time, the Emperor Butterfly emerged, exuding a strange aura. It landed on the barrier surrounding the Sun Tree, drawing in golden radiance, similarly gaining immense benefit.
Though it had the form of a golden insect, translucent membranes appeared on its flanks, resembling transparent wings that allowed it to fly.
“So much magma essence—wasting it would be such a shame!” Shi Hao’s mischievous side shone as he drooled in excitement.
Although he no longer needed it himself, he knew his clan and Stone Nation did. His guiding principle had always been: “What’s mine, is mine—everything is mine!”
He opened the Bronze Treasure Chest, summoning Yue Chan, the incomparable beauty, and used the World Treasure Chest to absorb the magma essence.
“What is this…” The fairy Yue Chan, clad in white silk, was ethereally beautiful, otherworldly. Witnessing this, she hesitated to believe her eyes.
“Chan Chan, I’m gathering a dowry for my bride. Soon we’ll have the strongest-blooded children,” Shi Hao teased, stroking her smooth chin.
With a thunderous roar, crimson waves surged skyward, pouring into the World Treasure Chest as divine energy spilled forth.
Unfortunately, the World Treasure Chest wasn’t very large—its internal space could only be measured in zhang, yet even so, it was terrifying to behold, considering it held spirit essence.
In the end, Shi Hao sealed Yue Chan inside the Qian KunBag.
The fire essence of this sacred liquid was lethal, blazing and overwhelming, and only the World Treasure Chest could contain it. Shi Hao lamented that the Qian KunBag had even greater space.
“We should ascend too—there’s a grand opportunity atop the Golden Tree!” Shi Hao declared, leading them up the boundless ancient tree.
The golden body of the tree exuded mighty divine vibrations. Leaves, branches, and even the ancient bark were priceless treasures.
If one could sever even a fragment, one would obtain divine power. Unfortunately, it was impervious, impervious to any external force, not even a single golden bark could be detached.
The higher Shi Hao climbed, the more awestruck he became. This ancient tree was beyond comprehension, vast and infinite. Particularly stunning—each golden leaf bore a nascent star, slowly gestating.
“This is true myth becoming reality,” the Divine Stone exclaimed.
Perhaps, he could say, myth was unfolding.
“I figured it out—the tree is Niwan-ing. It can no longer be called the Sun Tree, for it has surpassed itself and is now evolving into a World Tree,” the Divine Stone declared.
Shi Hao paused. Was it recreating a realm?
He too felt that this surpassed the former power of the Sun Tree. This golden colossus was unyielding and eternal, as if it were forging the cosmos anew.
In times past, the Kun Wood was the World Tree, linking all dimensions, serving as a bridge between gods and mortals, until it was felled in an apocalyptic battle.
Now, after countless eons, was this golden ancient tree about to evolve into the World Tree?
“I can’t even bite into it. Even if I could tear a piece off, I couldn’t digest it,” the Divine Stone grumbled, gnawing fruitlessly at the golden bark, which didn’t so much as scratch.
It usually subsisted on earth, stone, or magma-like substances. Thinking the golden bark was akin to gemstone, it had tried to chew, only to be stymied.
The Emperor Butterfly emitted a glow, even more eager to feed upon this transforming World Tree, but alas, the tree was sentient, radiating holy brilliance, defending itself, preventing the devouring of its leaves.
“This is a divine herb; if I could bite off even a piece, it would be a great opportunity!” Shi Hao declared, attempting repeatedly as he climbed, only to find the tree invulnerable.
Though the Emperor Butterfly was extraordinary, it was still in its larval stage. Landing on tender leaves, it could only extract a small amount of golden essence to nourish itself.
Still, Shi Hao was amazed—its power had indeed somewhat increased, the transparent membranes on its golden body becoming ever clearer.
“Pity,” he murmured. “If the Emperor Butterfly could feast on the Sun Tree, it would definitely undergo a transformation.”
“Quickly, let’s press onward! This is the World Tree—forget about even the Chaos Ancient Hall, this tree alone is one of the greatest opportunities in existence. It might even bear World Fruits! If you could obtain one, you’d become legendary!” the Divine Stone urged.
Shi Hao’s heart stirred with longing, and he dashed upward rapidly.
The tree pierced clouds and shattered the heavens. A single golden leaf could bear a mountain, as if entering a fairy tale—unbelievable.
Shi Hao accelerated, seeing that the Emperor Butterfly could absorb divine radiance from the tender leaves. He let it stay below to slowly gather energy, hoping it might break through.
Days later, Shi Hao and the Divine Stone had no idea how far they had climbed, feeling as if they had already reached the cosmic void. Though he couldn’t fly, he ran endlessly, covering infinite distances.
“Chi!”
A burst of five-colored brilliance flashed, a magical artifact suddenly appeared, striking the back of Shi Hao’s head with ruthless precision. It was a deer horn, exuding the Majestyof a Venerable.
Shi Hao lightly shifted his stance, dodging with grace. He turned to see a five-colored deer, now in human form, eyes filled with killing intent—it was the attacker.
“Again you!” Shi Hao had seen him before.
“You have quite the audacity. You’re not even a Venerable yourself, yet you dare to come here! Surrender your treasures, and I will spare your life,” the five-colored deer stated plainly, with no pretense.
“Why should I?” Shi Hao asked, scanning his surroundings and noticing this place was clearly an ancient battlefield.
Obviously, many beings had come here in ancient times. Bones were embedded in the trunk, on branches, and even on golden leaves, creating a chilling scene.
A sacred tree, yet one marred by scenes of death.
“Such is the way of cultivation—an endless struggle, the strong survive. I am a Venerable, you are merely a Formation warrior,” the five-colored deer said coldly.
At the same time, he pointed a finger, and the deer horn whirled, rapidly expanding. Waves of five-colored divine torrents cascaded down, swallowing Shi Hao beneath.
But to his shock, a glow erupted from Shi Hao’s chest. Mysterious symbols appeared, forming a halo around him.
The power of the five-colored deer could not penetrate, and the horn itself began to crack!
“What kind of power is this?” the deer exclaimed, disbelieving.
Shi Hao reacted instantly, transforming into a divine Rainbow, rushing forward, surrounded by a divine halo composed of radiant symbols, invulnerable to all.
The five-colored deer tried activating divine spells several times, but every one was neutralized, vanishing like oxen swallowed by the sea, unable to pierce the barrier.
Moreover, Shi Hao closed the distance in a blink, his body enveloped in dense symbols, like a sacred scripture, displaying supreme wisdom, bearing down with divine Majesty.
The five-colored deer was stunned. This Formation warrior was only at the Formation stage, his divine energy couldn’t rival a Venerable’s. Yet why did he feel such fear?
He turned to flee, but for a Venerable to retreat from a Formation warrior was a disgrace. Still, he couldn’t care less.
A Venerable’s instinct was keen, a survival mechanism far beyond ordinary understanding, and his told him that if he didn’t escape, he would face death.
Yet he realized this too late. The gap between them was too narrow. His earlier confidence had prevented him from withdrawing in time.
Besides, Shi Hao was too fast, his divine technique disrupting the deer’s five senses; nearing him obscured his very divine perception.
“No!” he screamed.
His protective rune light extinguished. Several Magic Treasureflew from his body, but all shattered instantly before the divine halo.
“How is this possible?!” The deer was filled with terror. There was a realm difference; never had he heard of a Formation warrior defeating a Venerable without ancestral treasures. Yet this youth had done it—through mere divine skills!
“Defying logic, could he be… an Initial Supreme?” the deer howled, suddenly understanding, screaming as he tried to break free.
However, the symbols descended, enveloping him. His body withered, burned, and finally, with a flash, vanished into light.
“A freak!” the Divine Stone muttered.
Shi Hao lingered in the experience, his confidence in his newly-developed glyphs spiking, proving far more potent than expected!
The five-colored deer had been scavenging the ancient battlefield for relics. Weaker than most, it had been following stealthily, only to confront Shi Hao, mistaking him for an easy target—only to perish.
Passing through the ancient battlefield, golden mist thickened above, growing ever more mysterious. Some leaves bore pavilions—remnants of ancient architects. In addition, many stone statues paid homage to the Solar Crow, recounting the myths of the Crow Clan.
All were built upon the golden trunk and atop the vast golden leaves, a breathtaking sight.
“We’re here!” Shi Hao spotted the Chaos Ancient Hall at the very summit, nearly reaching the pinnacle of the Golden Tree.
Simultaneously, he saw figures moving atop a nearby sacred mountain next to the hall, locked in fierce combat.
“There’s a mountain too?” Shi Hao was amazed.
The Chaos currents swirled, the mountain appearing and disappearing, teeming with powerful vitality.
“This is the World Mountain, born from the World Tree itself. A peerless opportunity! Hurry, climb upward!” the Divine Stone cried.
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