“Ah?” The silver-robed woman halted abruptly. A string of luminous beads on her wrist began to glow—it was a bracelet crafted from golden bone, each bead crystal clear, causing her to look startled.
“Be on guard!” she cried sharply, as though facing a formidable foe.
Around her, powerful warriors clad in dark-gold armor rushed forth, forming a protective circle. Wielding treasures such as halberds and bronze spears, they aimed their weapons at all directions.
With a ‘pop,’ radiant light whirled forth. The silver-robed woman instantly crushed a talisman in her hand, employing a secret technique to send out a message.
The martial arts arena fell into chaos. Leaders from various tribes and young talents alike were startled, realizing that the woman from the painting might have appeared!
The golden bone beads around the woman’s wrist radiated blazing light, enveloping her in a protective barrier, sealing her tightly within a glowing dome as a defense.
Moreover, golden glyphs pointed intently in one direction, continuously pouring forth.
Shi Hao was astonished. This matched precisely the silver glow he had caught from the corner of his eye moments ago. Could it be that this female envoy from the city possessed a treasured relic capable of sensing the woman in the painting?
Quietly, he retrieved his Heavy Eyed Pupils and peered secretly into the distance. He noticed a flash of silver divine light vanish into the farthest horizon, completely disappearing.
He sighed softly. He must cultivate his own Divine Eye for martial cultivation. Relying too much on the Heavy Eyed Pupils made him feel overly dependent. He needed to develop his own Eye of Heaven!
Yet, any form of Divine Eye was immensely difficult to cultivate. Though the world teemed with countless cultivators, few indeed succeeded in opening such eyes.
At the same time, the silver glow from the golden bracelet around the woman’s wrist dimmed, becoming dark and lifeless. This revealed how acute its perception had been.
“Shall we pursue, my Lady?” asked the old Lord of Huai City, murmuring softly.
Though still young, the silver-robed woman held great authority. She was the daughter of the Prefecture City Lord. Her face had gone slightly pale. Deep in her heart, she knew how terrifying that mysterious woman could be.
How could she dare to chase her? She had only come to seek some clues, never intending to confront her directly. Even if the foe had suffered severe injuries, she was still no match for such an adversary.
All she could rely on was this golden bone bracelet, given to her by a Lord from the Immortal Shrine, which could protect her in times of danger. But to initiate a fight would surely be perilous.
“Stay here, and no one must move! Wait quietly for the arrival of that Lord!” the silver-robed female commanded sternly.
Half a quarter later, thunderous sounds shook the heavens, making every cultivator’s blood churn violently. A line appeared in the void, speeding forward with terrifying swiftness.
He moved so rapidly that every cultivator found it hard to believe—within an instant, he had traversed from the horizon to their very front.
“Boom!”
Then the void exploded open, and a vague figure emerged, exuding boundless radiance, like a celestial deity standing mid-air, commanding the urge to kneel and bow in reverence.
His true form was impossible to discern, wrapped in dazzling glyphs, mysterious and mighty. Yet, it was palpable—he was a young man of overwhelming might.
He seemed like an emerging dragon, making every soul tremble, his eyes the only identifiable feature, unfathomably profound. Within them were scenes of stars revolving and swirling chaotic mist, as though creation itself was unfolding.
It was, indeed, a gaze that could evoke such astonishing visions!
In his hand was a war halberd, partially veiled in glyphs, awe-inspiring to the extreme, nearly vanishing into emptiness. It exuded an eerie and terrifying aura.
The Void Halberd!
Shi Hao’s heart pounded heavily. This was an invaluable treasure, forged from the primal true bone of Void Beasts. Hence, it could traverse vast distances through space itself, appearing directly before its target.
Such a powerful artifact could only be owned by a distinguished young master from the Immortal Shrine. Its value was immeasurable, so exceedingly rare was it!
“Where?” came the calm voice of the young man, clearly indicating his composed and confident nature.
“In that direction,” the silver-robed woman replied, pointing outward. Only now did her expression ease slightly.
“You needn’t worry. The golden bone bracelet I provided will ensure your safety.” The young Lord of the Immortal Shrine spoke with tranquility.
“As you command,” the woman replied, with a respectful nod.
Mid-air, the young warrior wielding the Void Halberd appeared as a heavenly king descending to the mortal realm, every inch of his form exuding sacred glyphs. His long hair flowed freely as he closed his eyes, subtly sensing the surroundings. An indistinct yet palpable pressure swept over the entire assembly, causing palpitations in their hearts.
Thankfully, his search was only for that silver-haired woman, not directed at the others; otherwise, the tribal leaders and youths would have been rendered completely helpless beneath his presence.
“Most probably her Spiritual Avatar, intentionally drawing me here.” After a brief pause, the young Lord of the Immortal Shrine spoke again, his composure unshaken.
“My apologies, my Lord,” the silver-robed woman replied, lowering her head in self-reproach, though her standing was high, she paled in comparison to the figure before her.
This young Lord of the Immortal Shrine was destined to dominate the heavenly realms, a peerless genius across the Three Thousand Continents.
“There’s no blame on you. Similar appearances were reported elsewhere. Her Spiritual Avatars manifest across regions, aiming to distract me for her escape.”
As he spoke, he swirled the Void Halberd, slicing through the air. With a ‘puff,’ space ruptured, instantly opening a passageway—an awe-inspiring sight!
This mighty halberd could not only unleash extraordinary power but also traverse dimensions, granting him freedom to roam the world unrestrained.
Suddenly, he halted mid-step, muttering softly, “Perhaps it’s a feint. It might not be a Spiritual Avatar at all—maybe her true body is here.”
His gaze swept over the crowd again, causing every heart to race, feeling immense pressure that threatened to shatter their very souls.
What tremendous power and prestige! Just his gaze alone was enough to overwhelm!
Shi Hao stood silently like the rest, making no move. He was still in a state of transformation and could not afford to provoke any conflict through the use of his treasure spells.
“You keep searching. Report immediately if anything occurs,” the young Lord of the Immortal Shrine commanded, holding the Void Halberd. With a ‘boom,’ it pierced the void again, emitting a roar like a tidal wave, vanishing into the city outskirts in pursuit.
Shi Hao watched him leave, coveting the war halberd. Such an invaluable treasure—it would be a dream to own one. Back in the lower world, he had heard of Shi Yi possessing a similar treasure.
Unfortunately, such treasures were extremely rare, seldom available, and always in the hands of those with extraordinary destiny.
Simultaneously, a rumor echoed in Shi Hao’s mind. In the lower world, from the Immortal Grove, he had learned of another wielder of the Heavy Eyed Pupil in the upper realm, one who was causing ripples across the Heavenshatter Prefecture, an outstanding and awe-inspiring genius who had joined the Heavenshatter Academy.
“Could it be him?” Shi Hao questioned, uncertain if Shi Yi was still alive.
As a result of this incident, the martial arts arena became restless. Many young tribal warriors felt dejected. Though of similar age, they paled in comparison to the geniuses from beyond their lands.
“Do not feel discouraged, my young friends,” consoled the old Lord of Huai City. “That Lord is an unrivaled warrior across the Three Thousand Continents and comes from an entirely different realm. Don’t be disheartened.”
He further explained that excellent performances in the selection trials could earn them invitations from sects and schools to enhance their capabilities—an opportunity rare and precious.
Because of this disturbance, the selection trials were interrupted and postponed to the next day.
Yet, merely one day later, profound transformations unfolded within Huai City. Numerous mysterious figures had arrived, all scouring for something, exhibiting extraordinary strength.
“Saints?” Shi Hao’s heart skipped a beat. Some of these individuals were at the Sage Lord level, yet even they were merely messengers or servants dispatched for reconnaissance.
He grew increasingly cautious. More powerful individuals were arriving and prowling around this area.
Clearly, these figures hailed from various major sects, all searching for the silver-haired woman from the painting. Something unusual was definitely afoot.
“What exactly did she do to warrant so many formidable people gathering here?” Shi Hao pondered.
The next day, young warriors from numerous tribes gathered in the martial arts arena. The selection trials commenced, marking the initial stage of the Grand Gathering of a Thousand Rivers—a significant event across the regions.
“Our selection is simple. We won’t hold life-or-death combats. We mainly test your potential.”
This trial offered promising youths the chance to shine. Even those lacking exceptional skills could still gain invitations from various sects if they displayed sufficient talent—an opportunity of great fortune.
Within the martial arena stood massive stone blocks and extremely heavy bronze tripods. The first stage tested one’s physical strength.
The youths from Zhu Village, eager and energized, took turns stepping forward. Warriors from other tribes followed suit, adjusting their breath and mustering their bodily power.
“Uplift!” one youth shouted, hoisting a bronze tripod weighing six thousand jin—decent enough to draw many sidelong glances.
“Watch me!” a youth from the Black Tiger Tribe stepped forth, bare-chested, his copper-toned skin gleaming. With a mighty roar, he lifted a nine-thousand-jin tripod.
This was pure physical might—exceptionally impressive for a youth from a common village. The crowd couldn’t help but cheer.
“Wonderful! Divine strength!”
“With just a flex of his arms, he displays the might of ten thousand jin. Definitely a future warrior!”
Amidst the trials, Shi Hao casually lifted one massive stone millstone, weighed it briefly, and set it down. Suddenly, he tilted his head, gazing far into the sky, an expression of shock forming.
A dazzling golden light enveloped a lone figure like a burning flame, illuminating half the sky. The youth, possessing a pair of golden wings, soared across the sky, his aura sweeping across the heavens.
“Could that be… Zhen Gu?”
Huai City had already seen many arrivals, including numerous Sage Lords. Upon witnessing this sight, all were astonished, with someone exclaiming in disbelief.
“He’s the First Heir of the Spirit Clan, a young Sovereign who was born wielding Blood Coagulation!”
“Gifted by Heaven, Blood Coagulation transformed into a war spear, existing from birth, said to pierce through all barriers in the world!”
Mighty cultivators trembled at the revelation.
Shi Hao was stunned. In just a day’s time, yet another ‘First Heir’ had arrived—this was far from ordinary. Was it all concerning that silver-haired woman?!
“Even his younger brother is extraordinary. As the elder, he was born with Blood Coagulation spear in hand, reputedly far surpassing his brother, a true prodigy.” Shi Hao had encountered the younger brother before in the Astral Realm atop the Bronze Sparrow Altar, a formidable foe indeed.
Then, people cried out again, seeing several radiant figures cross the sky, briefly hovering above Huai City before vanishing into the distance.
“It’s several of the ‘First Heirs’! Several have appeared consecutively. Could the legend truly be real?”
Whispers spread as elderly servants and retainers from various factions hastily returned to relay the news.
Shi Hao was flabbergasted. For such a small city to witness the arrival of multiple ‘First Heirs’ was bizarre indeed.
“The Sorceress!” Shi Hao’s heart jolted. He quickly suppressed his aura, unwilling to be noticed at this time or to interact with her. He never expected her to arrive as well.
Soon, people in Huai City were astonished to see again the young Lord from the Immortal Shrine, alongside a white-clad lady of peerless beauty at his side.
Shi Hao’s pulse quickened; that woman could only be the main body of Lunar Grace.
The two strode forward together, both glowing with divine light, searching the skies.
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