“You… truly climbed up from below?” The woman’s eyes shimmered with electric brilliance, her golden gown fluttering as radiant mists flowed across her skin, making her glow like a celestial being.
Shi Hao’s gaze flickered, glancing across the altar where another path existed—this one ascending. Faintly, he glimpsed a vast world above: misty with immortal aura, ancient trees towering, endless mountains, divine birds soaring, and mighty beasts roaring.
White mist drifted, obscuring the vision. It had only been a projection.
“Where does that path lead?” Shi Hao asked.
“You don’t know?” She sounded surprised, her lips curving into a playful smile. “I came to Copper Sparrow Terrace to mourn the ancients and admire their legacy, never expecting to meet you. It’s been tens of thousands of years since a great beast last climbed up. What luck! I’ll capture you.”
“You’re truly some ancient demoness who’s lived for millennia?” Shi Hao questioned.
“Am I truly that old?” Her beautiful eyes sparkled with divine light as she replied without anger, “This place is the Bronze Sparrow Altar—it restrains cultivation power, making it the perfect battlefield. Here, we can duel at equal strength.”
“Then you certainly won’t be my match.” Shi Hao said lightly, hands clasped behind his back.
The golden-clad woman burst into laughter, radiant and brilliant. “Reveal your true form! If you’re a Nine-Headed Lion or a Divine True Howl Beast, I’ll take you as my mount and find a way to bring you up.”
Shi Hao’s eyes gleamed with interest as he circled around her. “You seem delicious indeed. Being a mount wouldn’t be bad, but there’s no need for you to reveal your true form—this appearance is just fine.”
Upon hearing this, the woman arched her delicate eyebrows. Two dazzling streaks of lightning flashed from her beautiful eyes as her aura suddenly intensified severalfold.
Her long hair flew as her graceful, slender frame swayed forward. A veil covered her face, but her luscious red lips were clearly visible.
Her smile widened. “You want me as a mount?”
“Mm, sounds good.” Shi Hao nodded. “You might even be tasty.”
Her elegance deepened as she smoothed her glossy hair, her smile growing sweeter by the second while her aura surged powerfully, shaking the surrounding void.
“Then come and try!” She darted forward like a spirit, leaving behind an afterimage. She moved faster than imagination itself.
She employed the ancient art of Earth-Contraction, a renowned divine speed technique. A golden Rainbow of light, she arrived instantly, her pristine, slender fingers flicking toward Shi Hao’s face.
Golden light flickered as Shi Hao sidestepped, leaving behind a phantom. Pale-gold radiance splashed outward—this was the Kun Peng’s divine locomotion, countering Earth-Contraction move for move.
“Chi!”
The woman moved at incredible speed, her golden gown fluttering as she spun. Her extended right leg lashed toward Shi Hao—sharp and decisive.
Shi Hao slightly tilted his body, narrowly avoiding that pale, beautiful limb. His fingers gleamed with golden light as he slashed downward, aiming for her shin bones.
The golden-clad woman twisted swiftly, evading the strike. With her back now to Shi Hao, she swung her delicate arm in a graceful arc, glowing with crystalline brilliance. Her elbow carried a flurry of glyphs, striking toward Shi Hao.
A smile tugged at Shi Hao’s lips. Another daring to engage him in hand-to-hand combat? Judging by the woman’s confidence, she must indeed be exceptionally strong.
He stepped backward a few paces, letting her strike miss before launching forward. His fingers grazed her snowy neck while the other hand clenched into a fist, unleashing a ten-thousand-foot golden blaze toward her back.
Her instincts flared. Without turning, her body bent with remarkable flexibility. Her beautiful leg lashed backward like a whip, sweeping upward at blinding speed.
“Bang!”
Blinding light erupted between them.
Shi Hao’s fist collided with her foot. Glyphs flared and then shattered. Both flew backward from the force, streaking in opposite directions.
In a flash, the woman landed gracefully, her movements embodying a perfect blend of agility and elegance. Her golden gown fluttered in the wind, adding to her captivating presence.
“You really are something—truly fierce, just as legends say, for climbing up from below.” The woman licked her crimson lips, visibly excited. Her eyes sparkled like stars as if she’d found the perfect prey.
Shi Hao was astonished. What was this woman, possessing such formidable physical strength? If not for her graceful and curvaceous build, he might have mistaken her for a beautiful fierce beast.
“What an amazing rarity—a beast this powerful! Lucky me!” she exclaimed sweetly before charging wildly at him once again.
Her speed was astonishing. Hands forming mystic seals, she moved so fast that multiple afterimages formed, all humming as if a divine bird flapped its wings, generating terrifying gales.
In just an instant, they clashed hundreds of times—not merely physical combat, but accompanied by intricate symbols glowing like cascading starry rivers, dazzlingly magnificent.
“Peng!”
Their fists collided, sending both flying backward.
Yet the woman rushed back immediately. As she advanced, golden lotuses bloomed beneath her feet, scattering shimmering petals in her wake—each one dazzlingly brilliant.
She gathered the momentum of the heavens and earth. Her eyes gleamed like lightning, her graceful yet formidable presence growing stronger with every motion.
“Hong!”
Shi Hao sealed his palm, unleashing a purplish-gold Saber-Toothed Lion from his hand. Lightning crackled as it surged forward.
The woman was unruffled. Golden petals rained from her surroundings, transforming into blazing golden symbols that countered the lightning. Meanwhile, she charged forward at extraordinary speed.
Another titanic clash unfolded. Their hands moved like those of a thousand-armed god, continuously pounding against each other, so fast that it seemed impossible, engaged in fierce, real combat.
“Bo!”
A massive shockwave erupted, separating the two. Space twisted, rumbling continuously.
If not for the altar’s indestructible bronze foundation, this place would’ve crumbled long ago, mountains reduced to rubble.
The golden-clad woman attacked again. Shi Hao had never encountered a girl so combative—she always struck first, taking the offensive.
She looked tall and stunningly beautiful, but her movements were fierce and suffocating. Each motion carried an aesthetic grace, like a relentless storm of attacks.
After an intense exchange, the woman suddenly tensed her body, her divine skin turning silvery white before launching forward like an arrow!
“Divine Arrow Art!” she cried softly, moving with ultimate speed, creating blinding illusions in the void.
Shi Hao waved both hands rapidly. One turned golden, the other pitch-black. He adapted the Kun Peng Technique, using its principles here—one palm radiating Solar Power, the other channeling Yin Energy, forming a vortex to attract the silvery-white arrow.
The woman’s expression changed for the first time in surprise, but her speed was unmatched. She redirected in midair, bypassing the vortex like a silver lightning bolt dashing through the void.
This was the ultimate expression of the ancient Earth-Contraction art, turning it into an offensive weapon. She transformed into a divine arrow, dashing back and forth like thunder dancing.
Fortunately, Shi Hao had mastered the Kun Peng art. Otherwise, he’d be unable to keep up with her incredible speed. She moved so fast, becoming a silver divine arrow, continuously charging forward.
Shi Hao also moved. His Yin Force transformed into a vast black sea, and his Yang Force radiated from his palm like a golden sun, both continuously pounding forward.
Eventually, the Yin and Yang currents entwined, creating vortexes in midair, forming a whole field that ensnared the silver divine arrow like a trap.
“Chi!”
Shi Hao’s right hand glowed as he hurled a golden sun down powerfully toward the silver “divine arrow.” Simultaneously, his left hand swirled, filling the void with black Yin energy, blocking the woman’s escape route.
Yet, in that moment, the rigidly straight golden-clad woman became incredibly supple. Sliding beneath Shi Hao’s arms like a graceful serpent, she twisted her body and lashed her leg at his head like a whip.
“Peng!”
Shi Hao crossed his arms, colliding with the leg striking like a serpent’s tail. Both flew backward, exchanging surprised glances.
They remained silent for a long time before Shi Hao finally spoke. “You’re not truly powerful physically. Rather, you rely on a special unique technique.”
Carefully observing through his divine perception, he finally understood. A crystalline glow covered the woman’s body, protecting it like unbreakable diamond.
He had been puzzled all along—how could a graceful, beautiful woman travel the path of physical cultivation and achieve such a fearsome state?
Now he understood—she possessed a peerless divine art, capable of greatly enhancing her physical form!
“You’re quite impressive. You figured it out—this is my Celestial Immortal Radiance. When spread out, it repels all techniques. My physical form never decays,” the woman said with a confident and charming smile.
“This divine art is truly powerful,” Shi Hao nodded.
“I am Feng Wu from the Immortal Academy,” she smiled. “And you, whose fierce beast are you the descendant?”
“My name is Hao Tian,” Shi Hao replied.
Feng Wu’s smile widened. Confidence made beautiful women even more stunning, but her words weren’t gentle at all. “I won’t waste more time. Let’s decide this now and I’ll capture you.”
“Are you certain you can capture me?” Shi Hao asked skeptically.
“Certainly. Your power is impressive, the descendant from a fierce beast. I’ll consider bringing your earthly body up, letting you accompany me to the Immortal Academy.” Feng Wu declared, then added, “As my mount.”
Had she not added that last sentence, Shi Hao might have smiled. But upon hearing it, he immediately countered, “Then if I win, will you become my mount?”
“We’ll see. Come and try!” The woman smiled confidently, her body radiating light—it was clear she intended to use a forbidden art.
“So confident? Then let’s begin.” Shi Hao immediately unleashed the power of his Sovereign Bone, summoning countless luminous glyphs.
“Ah! No—it’s impossible, you’re a First Generation?” Feng Wu cried in shock, rapidly retreating. Surprise and alarm written clearly on her beautiful face, her forbidden art fizzled before it could manifest.
Nonetheless, a more potent aura surged from her. Her forehead gleamed, indicating some innate divine art—an overwhelming wave of terror radiated outward, causing Shi Hao’s heart to quicken.
However, it was too late. Her radiant light hadn’t fully expanded. Before she could unleash her technique, Shi Hao’s glyphs struck first, affecting her physical form.
In an instant, she rapidly shrank, transforming into a girl of about eight or nine years old—delicate features, adorable and pretty.
“Hey! That doesn’t count! I wasn’t ready yet! You’re a First Generation and still resorted to sneaking up on me. Dare you fight me for real?” She shouted, quickly retreating.
“Hey, keep your word! Didn’t you just say that if you lost, would I need to chase you all the way to your Immortal Academy?” Shi Hao pursued.
The little girl, about eight or nine years old, sprinted off, her fleeing figure graceful despite her fury. She cursed continuously under her breath, clearly infuriated.
She exited the Bronze Sparrow Altar, running down a narrow path. Shi Hao caught up within moments, immediately noticing something ahead that left him astonished.
There stood a pair of golden gates towering like mountains. Though slightly open, the sight beyond revealed a statue standing before them, its body pulsing with divine flames.
It was the sign of a being that had ignited its divine fire—an awakened stone statue sat there, appearing like a guardian.
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