Shi Hao walked deeper into the mist, which crackled with electromagnetic energy. After advancing several thousand zhang, a crimson ray suddenly slashed through the air, accompanied by a thunderous sound.
He did not attempt to dodge. The red lightning arc struck his raised palm, erupting into a dazzling shower of radiant light, both Enchanting and Seductive and beautiful.
Shi Hao felt a chill in his heart—the power of the arc was immense, causing a tingling numbness in his fingers. His physical body was exceptionally strong, surpassing that of ordinary Venerable One and many precious artifacts.
After walking dozens of miles, Shi Hao discovered many scattered bones along the way. These were remnants of countless years passed, their blackened skeletons evidence of the tragic deaths they had suffered.
Suddenly, a chill crept down his spine. He swiftly turned around, only to face a pair of blood-red eyes that shot open and unleashed a thunderous assault toward him.
With a crackling sound, bolt after bolt of lightning surged forth, accompanied by raging winds so powerful they sent boulders flying. This was a formidable creature.
Shi Hao sidestepped the lightning and looked closely, surprised at what he saw—it was, astonishingly… a fish!
Its entire body was covered in fine silver-white scales that shimmered with electricity. Its length exceeded ten meters. Opening its enormous blood-stained maw, the beast spat lightning and swam through the void toward him.
There were no rivers or lakes in sight—Demon Island’s land was dry and hard, littered with massive stones. How could such a large fish exist here? Shi Hao was greatly astonished.
“Ka-cha!”
The beast swung its tail, unleashing another bolt of lightning as it charged. Its power was formidable, surrounded by a storm of electric Runes erupting in all directions.
“This is truly strange. How could it grow without water?” Shi Hao raised his hand, which began to glow. A mark shaped like a lion-dragon appeared, absorbing all the electricity before he struck and killed the fish.
Suddenly, the hairs on his body bristled. Turning his gaze to the distance, he saw one pair after another of crimson eyes opening and rushing toward him.
“A school of fish?” Shi Hao widened his eyes, realizing things were taking a turn for the worse. In the distance, countless red eyes gleamed like stars, converging rapidly upon his location.
At this moment, retreat became necessary. The number of fish was overwhelming and terrifying, swarming forward like a storm of thunder, deafening and immense.
Lightning illuminated the scene. Shi Hao saw thousands of silver-colored vicious fish, some meters long, others tens of meters, all charging together, their divine power immense.
Before retreating, Shi Hao released one final strike—guided by the sword intent of a grass blade, he slew several large fish as a warning.
“Grrr…”
A terrifying roar erupted, shaking the earth with surging bolts of divine lightning that illuminated the entire land, dispersing the thick fog into white brilliance.
Turning back, Shi Hao felt a chill down his spine. He spotted several enormous fish at the rear of the swarm, as large as mountains, hideous and terrifying, swaying their tails within the void.
They were far more terrifying than any ocean beast, their size overwhelming. Even more alarming—some had ignited divine flames, unleashing lightning of incomparable intensity.
The next moment, Shi Hao accelerated his escape. No sooner had he departed than waves of lightning struck the spot where he previously stood, illuminating it like daylight.
Shi Hao fled. It was unwise to engage—the fish swarm was too numerous to fight one-on-one, and with divine-level beings in the rear, the danger was extreme.
The dense swarm pursued relentlessly, chasing him across a hundred miles until finally abandoning the pursuit upon losing his trail.
“What a bizarre place.” As Shi Hao ventured deeper, he grew increasingly wary of Demon Island’s terrors. Occasionally, piercing beams of light would flash through the air—like celestial blade cuts capable of threatening Venerable One themselves.
The deeper he ventured, the denser the electromagnetic mists became. Ordinary individuals would find it impossible to endure. Along the way, he spotted many corpses, some freshly fallen.
Clearly, many who had entered before him had perished.
Several days later, he encountered a lighthouse, remarkably conspicuous amid the thick fog, like a flickering divine flame, causing him hesitation.
Approaching cautiously, he saw a bone tower glowing with gentle radiance—an artificial formation. Several cultivators were seated inside, absorbing spiritual energy and healing their wounds.
Shi Hao confirmed there was no trap, then approached. More than dozens of cultivators were resting here.
Some opened their eyes briefly before closing them again, while others whispered among themselves, discussing their gains from within this perilous domain.
Shi Hao sought their counsel, asking about the bone tower, as many aspects remained unclear to him.
“This area is perilous. It was once constructed by ancient experts as secluded cultivation grounds, later becoming sanctuaries for those who followed,” someone explained.
Such places were not uncommon—like beacons, they guided those who ventured after.
Over countless eons, many ascetics had come here to hone their cultivation and seek blessings. Upon achieving enlightenment, they would establish retreats or formations.
Eventually, these retreats and formations were used and continuously expanded upon by later visitors, evolving into luminous beacons.
Shi Hao nodded. Wherever such ruins existed, they were relatively safe. However, once one entered the innermost forbidden zone, sanctuary would vanish entirely.
“Odd, is this a painting?” He noticed a drawing pasted on the tower. It depicted his grandfather, with clear writing stating that the Qin Clan offered a divine artifact to anyone who could provide information on this individual.
“This is a bounty issued by Immortal Mountain. Initially, they sought to capture this man, but later changed it to a rescue mission,” another voice joined in.
“I heard the one-armed man came from the lower realm; he was exiled here by the Qin Clan. Later, his descendants also entered the upper realm, prompting Immortal Mountain to shift stance swiftly.”
“I know! A man named Shi Zi Ling went into a rage, storming in here. Because of him, the Qin Clan altered their policy and began searching for the one-armed elder, switching to a rescue mission.”
Shi Hao frowned. Despite the lengthy poster campaign, there was still no news of his grandfather, causing him deep anxiety.
“They say Shi Zi Ling’s son is extraordinary, having successfully fused two Fairy Bone, shaking the foundations of the upper realm. This prompted Immortal Mountain’s sudden change.”
“Silence! Avoid discussing this openly. Many have died because of this Fairy Bone topic.”
“The young man from the Qin Clan is destined to become an unrivaled prodigy. Qin Hao’s rise seems inevitable. Few can match him anymore.”
…
Later, the group shifted topics to discuss their gains—some creatures within the electromagnetic fog would possess “Thunder Stones” inside, rare and precious materials indeed.
These creatures were unique, innately mastering thunder abilities. With luck, one might obtain lightning Runes from them.
“Now I understand,” Shi Hao nodded, then resumed his journey.
Not long after, he encountered golden ancient crocodiles glowing with lightning energy, thriving in the void. After a conflict, he slaughtered over a hundred, obtaining a few Thunder Stones.
Demon Island was vast, referred to as an island yet stretching like a continent, boundless and endless. Its creatures were all imbued with thunder attributes, savage and formidable, each race led by Venerable One-level or higher rulers.
Several days later, Shi Hao nearly met with disaster.
He encountered a giant serpent coiled around dozens of peaks, motionless like a mountain. As a group of explorers passed by, unaware, the beast suddenly erupted, reducing several Venerable One instantly to ashes.
Undoubtedly, a divine-level expert, terrifyingly ferocious!
Shi Hao had witnessed all of this with his own eyes. If not for his keen perception detecting danger in time, he, too, might have been in peril. He carefully bypassed the area.
Eight days later, after surviving many dangers, he reached deeper into the perilous domain. The inner regions exuded increasing pressure of thunder laws, as though enveloping the entirety of heaven and earth.
Shi Hao felt his pulse quicken. This was the ideal place to cultivate his understanding of thunder principles. He had no intention of stopping—he sought to reach the very depths, to study and consume that mysterious grass.
The final beacon vanished, signaling his entry into the most perilous domain.
The fog was dense, frequently illuminated by thunderbolts streaking across the sky—both dazzling and deadly, capable of reducing entire mountains to dust in an instant.
Deeper within this forbidden realm, life became scarcer, yet any creatures discovered were extremely terrifying and powerful.
“What is that?” Two days later, Shi Hao was stunned, staring up at the heavens in disbelief at the sight before him.
Across the darkened sky flowed a glowing river of thunder, extending infinitely into the distance. The river was immensely wide, radiating silver-white light with streaks of gold.
Shi Hao ascended and gradually approached this river. Its surface was broad and waters calm, flowing endlessly.
“This river…” Shi Hao noticed something horrifying—floating within its waters were numerous corpses. Though long dead, they showed no signs of decay—divine beings.
Soon, he encountered several creatures ahead—some human, others of powerful ancient races—explorers like himself. Approaching them, he struck up a conversation.
“What is the history of this river?”
“This river is mysterious. Some say it formed from ancient Xian Dao lightning, others that it flows with The Demon Lord’s blood. For countless years, it has never dried.”
“And where does it flow?” Shi Hao asked.
“It is said to end at an immortal tomb, with the entire river flowing into it,” a woman replied.
The river was terrifying, accompanied not only by violent lightning but also mysterious curses that amplified in strength depending on the invader’s power.
“Are those corpses in the river… deities?” Shi Hao questioned, greatly shocked. He had seen more than one or two—the further he traveled, the more he discovered.
“Not just deities—some are even Celestial God. Many ancient experts have perished here, their remains eventually ending up within this river,” someone answered.
It was said this was also an opportunity—if someone could retrieve the remains of an ancient master from the river, they might inherit their legacy.
Of course, the more likely outcome was being struck dead by lightning or succumbing to a curse, making success extremely difficult.
“Come on, forget about those divine corpses. Let’s visit the ancient city left by the The Demon Lord and examine the Inscription stone to test our strength,” someone suggested.
Shi Hao decided to travel with them, as he was completely unfamiliar with the area.
Two days later, following the river flowing across the heavens, they arrived at an ancient city sitting by the riverbank.
In truth, it was less a city now and more a ruinous site. Nearly all structures had crumbled, with only fragments of walls remaining.
Moreover, a luminous Inscription sat at the center of the ruins, originally the ancient city’s plaza.
This Inscription towered three thousand zhang high, vast and imposing, radiating a crystalline glow. Legend claimed it symbolized the thirty thousand provinces of the upper realm from eons past—each zhang representing one ancient province.
A crowd surrounded it, discussing excitedly, some visibly thrilled.
“What is this Inscription used for?” Shi Hao, puzzled, asked others.
“It was personally inscribed by a supreme The Demon Lord from eons past. It can test one’s combat strength, talent, and potential. Look! At the very top, brilliant lights shine, displaying the names of countless mighty figures throughout history,” an elder explained.
Shi Hao was amazed, asking, “Who is Qin Chang Sheng?” He observed carefully and found that the Inscription’s top section was divided into several zones. One bore especially radiant names.
“The Immortal Heaven Sovereign—Qin Chang Sheng came here in his youth,” someone beside him mentioned.
This revelation shook Shi Hao’s heart—had even the Immortal Heaven Sovereign tested himself here?
“Look, there are names of many ancient titans, famous across ages. Some are still alive, ranked extremely high!” Everyone whispered, visibly excited.
Shi Hao’s heart quickened. He spotted a familiar name—Qin Hao! It shone even more brilliantly than Qin Chang Sheng’s, blazing like a radiant sun!
“The Qin Clan is truly remarkable! After countless eons, another Qin Hao surpassing Immortal Heaven Sovereign has emerged!” Many exclaimed in awe.
“Those who leave radiant marks upon this Inscription will immediately shake the heavens.”
“Can anyone test themselves here without danger?” A shy young girl asked, staying close to an elder guardian. Clearly, she was from a major sect, here on a trial with protective accompaniment.
“There is no danger. Anyone can test their own combat capability, talent, and potential,” an elderly woman replied.
Shi Hao stroked his chin, observing the many illustrious names left behind by ancient titans still alive and reigning in the upper realm. His curiosity stirred, he felt the urge to try his own hand.
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