Li Yun Cong felt suspicious. Lately, he had been staring at the edge of the Milky Way, sensing something had occurred there – glyphs flickered and thunderlight flashed ominously.
Unfortunately, he was unable to proceed when he was still over a hundred miles away from the Immortal Tombs, encountering a severe curse. With a quiet sigh, he had no choice but to retreat.
He had only recently emerged from seclusion, cultivating the Lion-Dragon Treasure Art near the Milky Way, and successfully refining that piece of Thunder Godwood retrieved from the river. His gains had been immense.
“I wonder how Brother Huang is doing. Could he really be near the Immortal Tombs?” he muttered, turning and retracing his steps.
Soon, he returned to the ruins and saw the three-thousand-feet-high warm, glowing stone tablet. Although much time had passed, there were still many people gathered here, and every day, more powerful cultivators came to observe it.
“Strange…” Li Yun Cong overheard people talking, feeling quite surprised as he muttered to himself, “Someone altered the Battle Power Chart?”
He approached closely, looking up. In an instant, he turned to stone. Atop the divine tablet, he saw an engraved sitting figure. The word “Huang” was faint but strikingly clear.
“Huang Brother… Huang!” He immediately understood: the youth he had encountered achieved such a remarkable feat!
This struck him powerfully. He already knew that the young man was extraordinary, but he never imagined him to be absolutely terrifying, sitting atop Qin Chang Sheng’s head.
The Battle Power Chart comprehensively considered age, cultivation realm, and various other factors, representing rankings among peers.
“Amazing!” Although he himself was also a prodigy, invincible in his province, Li Yun Cong knew he could never match that level, to stand above ten provinces.
He did not test himself here, unwilling to reveal his presence.
Li Yun Cong realized that a formidable young Supreme Ruler was rising, who would shake the Upper Realm. He was fortunate to have sparred and exchanged insights on thunder cultivation with this young genius.
This youth was like a brilliant star rising, destined to command the respect of three thousand provinces!
“Ah, some suspicious individuals have arrived at Demon Island. They must be after Huang. It’s already been more than three months, yet they still haven’t detected his trail.”
“Where’s Huang? Could he have made it to the edge of the Milky Way?”
“It would be best if he doesn’t show up; otherwise, he’ll likely be in grave danger.”
The crowd discussed, gathered from various sects.
Recently, numerous experts from the Immortal Youth Mountain arrived at Demon Island, searching nearby, wanting to know who Huang actually was.
In addition, other sects had also dispatched people. The appearance of such a mysterious powerhouse capable of dominating ten provinces had stirred great commotion, with some immortal sects attempting to recruit him.
At this moment, Shi Hao had also begun his return journey. Passing by the stone mountain floating in the void, he stopped. Seeing the message left by his grandfather, his heart was in pain.
“Hao Er… are you still alive?”
One could imagine how desolate the old man must have felt, suffering calamity at the Immortal Youth Mountain, and later discovering the catastrophe in the lower world must have devastated him even further.
“Grandfather… where are you? I must find you!”
He didn’t want his grandfather to feel sorrow, wishing to make him aware he was still alive, ready to face all the prodigies and powerfully rise in the Upper Realm.
Tears misted Shi Hao’s eyes as he stood there for a long time, contemplating deeply before he started searching in all directions with this location as his center.
Fifteenth Uncle definitely hadn’t reached the end of the Immortal Tombs. Shi Hao had arrived at the destination and found no trace of him.
“Grandpa must not have turned back either, fearing capture by the Black Prison’s people.”
That meant Fifteenth Uncle likely walked some distance along the Milky Way before leaving, sensing the intense curse, choosing to break through.
This realization made his heart race, knowing that many powerful beings lived in areas far from the Milky Way, masters of thunder skills, including those who had lit divine flames—extremely dangerous.
“Grandfather, we will reunite!”
Shi Hao left the riverbank and descended from the sky, flying toward Demon Island, as the long river flowed through the void.
He summoned both the Divine Stone and the Royal Butterfly to help seek clues.
Demon Island floated in the heavens, filled with electromagnetic mist, dim and vast. Searching for anyone there would be extremely difficult and dangerous.
Nearby, a pair of golden eyes lit up before a loud caw echoed, and a lightning arc flew out, dazzlingly brilliant.
It was a strange snake, golden all over, about a hundred feet long, with a black horn on its head, transparent wings on its back, and had reached the level of Venerable, attacking Shi Hao.
Shi Hao didn’t recognize this snake, but knew it was highly venomous, possessing formidable thunder techniques.
He didn’t dodge. He wanted to test his cultivation progress over the past few months. He let the lightning arc enter his body, merging into his own thunder glyphs without sustaining any injury.
“You’re too weak.” Shi Hao said, raising his hand as a flame erupted from his palm, which he threw out, exploding and instantly turning the strange snake into charred remains.
Transforming thunder into flame, unleashing its full destructive potential, was Shi Hao’s greatest gain from standing before the Immortal Tombs, showing him the direction for his cultivation.
He continued forward and didn’t go far before encountering several more golden snakes, each with considerable strength.
One of them, after being killed, left behind a golden crystal pulsing with lightning and glyphs—an extremely valuable treasure material.
On Demon Island, a few living creatures contained such crystals internally, making them rare materials for forging weapons, highly prized in the outside world.
After killing the eighth golden snake, Shi Hao sensed something wrong. Suddenly, ahead, two suns appeared, shining brilliantly in the void.
“Heavens!”
Shi Hao’s body tensed as a nearby ridge suddenly radiated life energy—it was a huge snake lying in ambush. Now awakened, it turned its gaze onto him.
It was so massive that it spanned the land as if it hadn’t moved in centuries, covered in dust. Suddenly, it opened its mouth, unleashing a massive thunderbeam.
A Divine!
Shi Hao’s expression changed, controlling the lightning as he turned and fled toward the Milky Way.
“Boom!”
The earth cracked apart as the black horn on the beast’s head glowed, emitting thunder that collapsed nearby mountains. Its transparent wings flapped, launching the massive creature skyward in pursuit of Shi Hao.
Finally, near the Milky Way, it hesitated, sensing the curse and reluctantly retreating.
Escaping this calamity made Shi Hao more cautious. The strange snake was formidable, likely nearing the realm of True Divine, extremely terrifying.
“Grandfather, please be safe.” He resumed his journey, filled with concern after witnessing the perils of Demon Island.
A few days later, Shi Hao entered another region. In the distance, he saw a silver centipede spanning a hundred feet, spewing electromagnetic mist, spreading poison, and burning with divine flames—an extremely terrifying sight.
No wonder this was a deadly place, encountering another ancient insect deity.
Shi Hao carefully circled around, not disturbing the divine insect still in cultivation.
The more he explored this deadly place, the more terrifying it became. Such creatures were not uncommon, spewing lightning, absorbing electromagnetic mist, lying hidden, ever-ready to strike.
Shi Hao continued searching, crossing countless dry mountains and facing multiple dangers. Though devoid of trees, only rocks, they too concealed beasts and Raptor, impossible to anticipate.
“Strange…”
He was amazed as shimmering lights floated like a swarm of fireflies dancing, beautiful and dazzling.
Yet before Shi Hao could approach, brilliant symbols flared and a deafening roar erupted.
A swarm of silver butterflies—thousands strong—flapped their wings together, unleashing power that tore apart a golden beast towering like a mountain, exploding it amidst thunderlight.
Shi Hao inhaled sharply. The seemingly fragile butterflies, together, had become so powerful.
“If only I could control so many butterflies to help find Grandfather.” Shi Hao murmured softly.
Suddenly, the Royal Butterfly in his hair glowed, stretched its wings, nodded at him, and flew toward the swarm of silver butterflies.
“Be careful!” Shi Hao exclaimed, surprised at the Royal Butterfly’s independent action. Unexpectedly, as the Royal Butterfly approached, countless silver butterflies fell, trembling and fearful before it.
Shi Hao stared in shock. The Royal Butterfly was still a larva, far from matured, yet it exuded such immense prestige.
“No wonder there were legends. In ancient times, a Royal Butterfly emerged, flapped its wings slightly, and instantly shattered the world’s most powerful celestial beings into dust. Such racial pressure is truly overwhelming.”
Eventually, all the silver butterflies flew off in different directions, searching for clues.
Still, Shi Hao quickly recalled the Royal Butterfly, worried that if any divine silver butterflies appeared, suddenly attacking could prove catastrophic.
Soon after, Shi Hao and company encountered another species—the golden-armored beetles. This was another communal creature, thousands upon thousands, filling the skies like golden particles.
The Royal Butterfly flapped its wings, appearing there, and this species also submitted.
Not only was Shi Hao astonished, but the Divine Stone was equally surprised, finding it inconceivable that the Royal Butterfly was this mighty.
“What a pity. This species only appeared once, back in the ancient times, and little is known about them.” the Divine Stone remarked.
It was only recorded once because its battle feats were unparalleled. Just a single flap of its wings destroyed several terrifying celestial beings.
Soon after, several communal species on Demon Island were mobilized to search for Fifteenth Uncle.
A few days later, a silver butterfly flew in, transmitting psychic waves to inform Shi Hao that it had once seen the one-armed man.
Some silver butterflies were loners who strayed from their kind, and this one was clearly among them, having returned after a long absence.
“What?!” Shi Hao exclaimed, filled with excitement at the sudden glimmer of hope. Urgent and desperate, he asked, “Where?”
The silver butterfly led the way, revealing it had seen the man over half a month ago.
Shi Hao felt both joy and anxiety—his grandfather was indeed still on Demon Island. Following the silver butterfly over a great distance, he finally arrived at the location.
“Grandfather, please stay safe—I’m coming!”
Arriving there, Shi Hao’s blood boiled with excitement. Suppressing his emotions, he actively requested the Royal Butterfly’s help, summoning various communal races in search of Fifteenth Uncle.
Soon, several golden-armored beetles flew in, transmitting messages through spiritual awareness, informing Shi Hao that they had seen Fifteenth Uncle ahead—they also encountered others pursuing his trail.
“There are others searching for my grandfather!” Shi Hao furrowed his brow, immediately rushing down anxiously, fearing that those pursuing could be enemies.
Thus, he continued searching, receiving definite news two days later: some wanted Fifteenth Uncle dead, in hot pursuit.
Of course, another group was also searching, but with no ill intent.
“The group with good intentions must be connected to my father.” Shi Hao murmured softly.
Still, he felt uneasy, greatly fearing that Fifteenth Uncle was being pursued by enemies wanting his life.
Soon, he received troubling news: the well-meaning group had given up, unable to find Fifteenth Uncle.
“Mobilize all forces—we must find him soon!” Shi Hao’s voice trembled. He felt anxious, even fearful, terrified of anything happening to his grandfather.
It became one massive search. Undeniably, the Royal Butterfly performed unexpectedly and incredibly. Along the way, communal species without a divine guardian responded to the call and joined the search.
“Found him… almost there!”
Four days later, Shi Hao’s chest rose and fell rapidly. A swarm of earthworm-like creatures resided in these mountains, providing clues. These underground worms could travel through the earth and also harnessed lightning.
Just the previous day, they still saw a few men and women chasing an old man.
“Hurry!”
Shi Hao clenched his fist, eyes aflame with both excitement and fury, his body trembling involuntarily.
A few hours later, Shi Hao discovered the trail of a middle-aged couple. They were unhurried, following signs left by others, relentlessly pursuing.
At this moment, the two whispered together, conversing softly.
“He’s amazing. Though from the lower world, he’s no ordinary person.”
“Definitely impressive. He’s escaped our siege multiple times.”
“This time we’ve tracked him again. Don’t let him be a phantom body. After such a prolonged search, we must eliminate him.”
…
Shi Hao activated divine glyphs recorded in the Ten Thousand Life Chart, suppressing his presence nearly into oblivion. Silently moving like a phantom, he followed closely.
His heart was tight, fearing unexpected dangers.
At last, he reached the destination, a large clearing ahead where glyphs occasionally flared—someone had set up a grand array, sealing the area.
Inside, six cultivators, male and female, surrounded a one-armed old man. With the newly arrived couple making eight total.
Among them, some cultivators had ignited divine flames, their terrifying aura radiating.
“I want to know why you seek my life!” the one-armed old man spoke. He bore the marks of suffering, his face etched with hardship, bloodstained and weary.
“Because you have a talented grandson, born with two immortal bones. Certain parties don’t want you two to reunite, fearing your ideals and lifestyle might influence him.” One person declared.
“My grandson…” the old man’s voice trembled. He gazed at the sky, his eyes misty, full of sorrow. “I have another grandson.”
“Another grandson? Do you mean the one from the lower world? He’s already dead, buried underground for over a year.” someone coldly replied, merciless in their cruelty.
Evidently, the lone-armed elder had already heard this news but still staggered back, devastated, struck by unbearable grief.
“There’s no need to mourn. You have a gifted grandson, possessing two bones destined to shake the Three Thousand Provinces, Invincibleunder heaven.” an old woman with divine flames replied.
“Qin Hao… With Immortal Youth Mountain, I don’t need to worry.” The lonely elder, usually a stalwart man, now sounded weak and sorrowful. “How could my grandson die?”
Shi Hao had arrived. Witnessing the elder’s desolation and sorrow, seeing the old man’s weary, weathered face, he couldn’t hold back. His eyes reddened, tears rolling out.
“Grandfather… I’m alive!”
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