Chapter 565: Great Omen of Heaven

Upon the Bronze Sparrow Altar, Shi Hao leaped forward, soaring thousands of feet in an instant, rushing to intercept them.

One person summoned a magical artifact, a Heaven-Network Umbrella soaring into the air, endlessly rotating and emitting dark rays that swept toward Shi Hao. This object could suppress and kill souls.

Shi Hao raised his hand, and a tiny luminous sword no longer than a finger shot forth, transforming into a streak of light, exuding formidable sword qi that sliced the Heaven-Network Umbrella clean in two.

“Incredible! No wonder he is the descendant of a great Ominous!” someone gasped in awe. The Heaven-Network Umbrella was no ordinary item; its destruction in a single strike shocked everyone.

In fact, the moment Shi Hao was noticed, part of the group had already fled. They had witnessed Feng Wu departing as beams of light and sensed that this ” Ominous” was extremely dangerous.

Whoosh!

Nonetheless, the small sword moved astonishingly fast, dazzling like a rainbow cleaving the void, blocking their escape routes with spraying sword beams.

“This sword seems familiar… it looks like Feng Wu’s sword!” someone whispered, his expression growing graver. They all realized their recklessness—they had never expected an actual Ominous to climb onto the Bronze Sparrow Altar.

“Since everyone is here, why rush off so soon? Come, let’s chat! We can debate legends of the past and present, discuss cultivation and paths of Dao. Won’t that be delightful?” Shi Hao approached with a smile.

Suddenly, mist billowed alongside thunder and lightning, enveloping Shi Hao as someone unleashed the Saber-Toothed Dragon’s Treasure Art!

The Saber-Toothed Dragon could command thunder and lightning and summon fog. Back in the ancient wilds, when Shi Hao was still young and had not ventured into the world, he once used this art to battle a pangolin spirit guarded by bandits.

Later, as his power grew, he lessened his use of fog. Yet today, someone dared employ this very technique against him, hoping to obscure his vision and escape—a clear act of arrogance.

“This is merely a descendant’s technique, not the true ability of a pure Saber-Toothed Dragon. It won’t stop me,” Shi Hao laughed.

In the blink of an eye, the fog thickened even more—it was expelled from Shi Hao’s own mouth, spreading a hazy mist that enveloped the area, provoking a chorus of startled cries.

Especially the one who cast the Saber-Toothed Dragon’s spell was terrified. The opponent was clearly even more adept at this art, and had turned the fog against him, entangling him completely.

At Shi Hao’s level, the mist he exhaled could not only obscure sight but also attack the mind, clouding thoughts and leaving one disoriented—this was the true essence of the technique.

Bang!

A person was struck and flew through the air, crashing down onto the ancient bronze altar.

Boom!

Flames surged into the sky as a warrior unleashed the Southern Flame Divine Fire, shining brilliantly like a massive torch, trying to burn away the fog and find an escape route.

Shi Hao gestured, and a surge of Yin energy flowed forth. A black Kun fish, about a foot long, swam forward, instantly extinguishing the Southern Flame Divine Fire. With a single flick of its tail, it sent the warrior flying, crashing onto the Bronze Sparrow Altar.

“Let’s go all out!”

Shouts rang out. Many people summoned their artifacts and unleashed powerful techniques. Beams of multicolored light filled the air, lightning crackled, divine birds soared into the heavens, and ferocious beasts roared.

The outcome was obvious. These were merely disciples from ordinary sects, no match for Shi Hao. Nearly all were subdued.

Two others were not captured, but had fallen from the Celestial Path in confusion, only to be shredded by mysterious killing energies, thus escaping this place.

When the fog finally cleared, eight people lay captured atop the Bronze Sparrow Altar, unable to move. This time, Shi Hao was especially cautious, locking every part of their bodies to prevent them from breaking out of their bodies.

“W-what do you want with us?” one voice trembled. Everyone present had heard legends of the Ominous of the lower realm, and clearly, this youth was no benevolent figure.

“Don’t be nervous. Let’s just talk. I won’t eat you,” Shi Hao replied with a smile, attempting to sound gentle.

“Eat us?!” Their faces turned pale. Legends spoke of the Ominous devouring millions of lives in a single day, sometimes a hundred times more.

“I said, just a conversation. Cooperate, and I won’t eat you,” Shi Hao said. Still, he felt it necessary to reinforce his words. He retrieved the Soul-Sealing Pagoda, a demonic artifact capable of truly killing within the spirit world.

Instantly, the group collapsed in fear, nodding rapidly like pecking chicks, terrified of provoking his wrath and facing massacre. They were eager to cooperate.

“Behind that golden colossal gate—does it lead to the Upper Realm?” Shi Hao asked.

“Yes, that’s the Upper Realm,” someone immediately nodded, fearful of displeasing him.

Another quickly added, “More precisely, its name is the Spirit Realm, a world constructed by the ancient gods of the Upper Realm through their consciousness. Only the soul may enter, hence the name Spirit Realm.”

Shi Hao nodded. He had heard of such spirit-forged worlds before from Xuan Gui, and their names differed from those of the lower realm.

In an instant, the eight captives continued speaking voluntarily, revealing many details without further prompting.

For example, the golden gates usually remained closed unless someone within the Spirit Realm wished to access the Bronze Sparrow Altar and opened them.

Additionally, the stone figures sitting in meditation once possessed wills of their own but now appeared silent, their spiritual essence extinguished except for occasional flickers of divine flame. They guarded the golden gates, preventing any Ominous from entering.

Shi Hao toyed with the luminous small sword, feeling its vibrant spirit. The captives sweated nervously as they observed it from up close, confirming that this was indeed Feng Wu’s blade.

How fearsome this Ominous must be to have claimed Feng Wu’s weapon! It was unimaginable! Could he truly compete with the “Firstborn” and the most elite youths of the Upper Realm?

“Judging by your terrified looks and the way you stare at this sword… Was Feng Wu really that powerful?” Shi Hao asked.

One immediately nodded. “She’s not just powerful; she’s terrifyingly strong. She’s known as the Invincible Queen, unmatched among her generation across the entire region of Tianxian.

Of course, none of them truly knew how vast the Upper Realm was, how many continents it contained, or if other regions even used the term “continent” at all.

In a word, the Upper Realm was a place of countless talents, teeming with Firstborns, prodigies from all races, and countless mighty beings.

From their speculation, Feng Wu might herself be a Firstborn or at least possess talent rivaling such beings—truly an extraordinary and awe-inspiring opponent.

“What a grand stage it must be—an endless expanse of races and rising geniuses! I can’t wait to see it,” Shi Hao’s eyes gleamed with anticipation. He longed to ascend immediately.

That was the domain of true cultivation he sought—one where opponents never ran short, where he could fight without restraint, where even stronger adversaries would drive him ever forward.

As for Feng Wu, she was undeniably extraordinary. During their battle, at the final moment, her forehead had emitted a glow that unsettled Shi Hao—a sign of extreme danger. Unfortunately, she hadn’t completed that divine technique in time. Had she, the outcome might have been unknown.

“I really want to go there now,” Shi Hao murmured.

Following that, he kept asking about the Upper Realm, gradually gaining some understanding of its customs and sects, even though he had not yet ascended.

“Ah, more people are coming. Am I really that easy to catch? Everyone wants to capture me now?” Shi Hao said in astonishment.

Upon the Celestial Path, new figures emerged, drawing closer.

The captives on the Bronze Altar began to sweat. Earlier, not all their companions had arrived—some remained near the golden gate. They must have sent word to others, attracting even more hunters.

“It’s the warriors from the Fire Cloud Cave.”

This group rode flames, their bodies glowing with heat even from afar. They each held ritual flags fluttering in the wind.

“Are they famous?” Shi Hao asked.

“They may not be the strongest race, but they are far from weak. From the spectacle they’re making, they’ve sent a large force, hoping to capture you and extract the secrets of your Ominous techniques,” one of the captives responded.

This new group consisted of red-furred beings not of the human race but resembling spirit apes, each barely reaching five feet tall, their silver eyes glowing eerily.

“Which Ominous lineage do you descend from? Please tell us your name!” an elder, fire-haired ape spoke first.

“You’re the Ominous! Your entire family is Ominous! My name is Haotian.” Shi Hao, growing impatient, retorted. Being labeled Ominous every time someone appeared was frustrating.

“Subdue him!” With a wave of the elder’s hand, the entire group charged forward in unison, wielding their ritual flags. Instantly, the heavens and earth transformed as a grand formation was activated.

Boom!

This time, Shi Hao held nothing back. He unleashed his strongest techniques. Behind him, an endless sea surged forth—an abyssal black ocean embodying the Yin Sea from the Kun Peng Method.

Around him, specks of green light formed—strands of grass rooting into void, exuding an aura of deathless sword intent, sweeping all directions.

Each of these techniques alone could have drawn the attention of masters across realms. Together, their power was unmatched.

The Fire Cloud Cave formation was indeed formidable, yet still insufficient. Shi Hao tore through the ritual flags mercilessly, yet the group reacted swiftly. The moment a flag was lost, the bearers self-detonated, vanishing as beams of light departing this world.

“Must you do this? I only wish to chat! Please don’t kill yourselves. Even if you escape, you’ll need months to recover in the real world,” Shi Hao called out.

“Ahhh!”

As Shi Hao approached the old ape, the latter spat blood and vanished instantly, tearing through space using a scroll to escape.

In the end, Shi Hao captured only five of the Fire Cloud Cave apes, and he felt a slight regret—not seeking to “slay monkeys to scare chickens,” yet it had become exactly that.

In the Upper Realm, within the Tianxian Continent:

“Hey, did you hear? Over a hundred warriors from the Fire Cloud Cave perished, almost wiped out entirely,” someone whispered.

“What happened? The Fire Cloud Cave isn’t weak. These apes are known for their ferocity. Who dared provoke them?”

“They met someone even fiercer! A Ominous from the lower realm has climbed up, something unseen for tens of thousands of years. The Fire Cloud Cave sent their forces to capture him and seize his Ominous techniques, only to end up nearly annihilated.”

“Heavens! This is truly a colossal event! A Ominous has ascended! We should all enter the Spirit Realm to watch. No doubt all the talents and strong beings will gather there.”

“Exactly! We mustn’t miss this spectacle!”

…

Though Shi Hao did no actual killing, his reputation as Ominous preceded him. The Fire Cloud Cave apes had clearly taken their own lives to escape capture, yet the tale spread as a perfect example of “killing monkeys to scare other monkeys.”

In no time, the Bronze Sparrow Altar was littered with fallen beings. Within merely half an incense stick’s time, many cultivators had arrived, eager to glimpse the Ominous known as Haotian. Many ended up staying—forced to remain behind.

“Have you heard? A Ominous called Haotian has climbed the Bronze Sparrow Altar and intends to storm into the Spirit Realm.”

“So fearsome! Some say Feng Wu has already fought him. I wonder who emerged victorious.”

“That powerful? I heard that some ‘Firstborn’ have been stirred and may soon arrive to battle him.”