Shi Hao sat cross-legged beside a meditation cushion.
Inside the alchemy furnace, silver arcs, crimson thunderbolts, golden lightning, and black flashes intertwined, brimming with immortal dao energy.
Two golden pages floated within, absorbing the thunder and lightning from the celestial river, growing increasingly radiant and crystalline. Eventually, they faintly reflected a small world—hazy and indistinct.
Shi Hao was astonished. He was certain he hadn’t misseen—within the flashes of lightning, fragmented shadows emerged, revealing the ruins of an ancient site.
There, massive black mountains stood, all broken and shattered. Golden palaces sprawled across the land, though most had collapsed. Silver rivers, nearly dried up, snaked through the desolation.
It was a wasteland—mysterious and shrouded in mist, littered with rubble and crackling with lightning, a place no ordinary being could approach.
“Thunder Emperor’s Palace!”
Shi Hao sucked in a sharp breath. Amid the ruins, he spotted a plaque bearing those three words, though it was long covered in dust.
“Is this the depths of the Forbidden Zone?” he murmured to himself. According to legend, the Thunder Emperor did not belong to the three thousand provinces of the Upper Realm but hailed from a far more mysterious and expansive forbidden land.
Suddenly, the meditation cushion beside him trembled, emitting a faint glow. The battered armor he wore also resonated, harmonizing with the golden pages.
“Hmm?” He was startled as the blurry vision before him shifted—living beings appeared.
In an instant, an overwhelming aura surged toward him, as if he were facing the entire cosmos. The pressure was suffocating, leaving him powerless to resist.
It was a humanoid figure, standing outside the ruins of the Thunder Emperor’s Palace, like a ruler from the primordial era, gazing down upon the heavens and earth. Shrouded in mist, its presence alone was terrifying.
Even across the vast gulf of time and space, Shi Hao felt his heart tremble, as insignificant as an ant before a celestial dragon.
This being was overwhelmingly powerful!
“Yuan Tian Supreme?” Shi Hao whispered, recognizing the armor the figure wore—forged from Heaven-Mending Stone, pale blue in hue, capable of repairing the heavens themselves. It was an unparalleled immortal material.
He had seen this armor before in the Armory of Blades, cracked and buried within a crystal tomb, unmovable, resting alongside an ancient supreme being.
Soon, another figure appeared, emerging from the depths of the boundless Forbidden Zone, stepping into the ruins of the Thunder Emperor’s Palace to confront Yuan Tian Supreme.
The two clashed, erupting into a swift and brutal battle.
The vision blurred. The mere aura of their battle was enough to make gods tremble—utterly terrifying. Waves of chaotic killing intent surged forth as if the world itself were being annihilated.
Shi Hao’s face paled. He quickly activated the *Primordial True Interpretation* to protect his mind!
Was this a projection recorded by the golden pages?
Then, the meditation cushion glowed, revealing a set of bone inscriptions that recounted a hidden secret.
Yuan Tian Supreme, gravely wounded and on the brink of death, had barely escaped the ruins of the Forbidden Zone, bringing back two golden pages—the legacy of the Thunder Emperor. He then entered seclusion.
“The Thunder Emperor is said to be an immortal. Even Yuan Tian Supreme sought to study his techniques,” Shi Hao marveled, astonished by this revelation.
Unfortunately, Yuan Tian Supreme failed in his nirvana, succumbing to his injuries and perishing.
He had raised a Lightning Hound, which inherited the first half of the Thunder Emperor’s legacy and eventually evolved into a Dragon Mastiff—proof of just how world-shaking this treasure technique was, capable of shaking the ages.
“Hmm, was this battered armor also brought from the depths of the boundless Forbidden Zone?” Though Shi Hao had suspected as much, having it confirmed by the markings on the meditation cushion still left him stunned.
Regrettably, it was only mentioned in passing, with no detailed explanation.
“What? The Thunder Emperor might be one of the Ten Calamities?” When he read this passage in the bone inscriptions, Shi Hao was utterly shaken, his mind reeling with disbelief.
The so-called Ten Calamities of the Primordial Era were a term coined by later generations.
In truth, the Primordial Era was already their twilight. The Ten Calamities existed in an age so ancient that their origins were impossible to trace.
Some even claimed that some of the Ten Calamities still lived today, never truly perishing—they were the true immortals.
“The Divine Path and the Immortal Path… I feel like there’s an enormous secret hidden here,” Shi Hao murmured. Nowadays, most spoke only of the Divine Path, even in terms of cultivation realms.
Yet, whenever the ancient past was mentioned, immortals always came up.
Regardless, he now knew the origin of the golden pages and understood their supreme value—even Yuan Tian Supreme had sought to abandon his own path and cultivate this method after his nirvana!
Shi Hao wasted no time, studying the bone inscriptions on the golden pages. They only manifested when absorbing the immortal dao’s thunderous energy.
On the golden platform, battles raged as factions fought over the azure bone fragments. Some still had their eyes on him, unwilling to leave, waiting for the thunderous power to dissipate.
It was a bloodbath. The platform was stained with blood as factions clashed, all vying for the supreme legacy of the secret realm.
“Damn it!” Shi Hao’s heart lurched as the two golden pages finally calmed. The Scorpion, the Jade Mantis, and several other first-generation prodigies pounced, their eyes gleaming with malice.
“You think I’m some weakling just because I haven’t fought back?!” Shi Hao roared, leaping to his feet.
“Hao’er, don’t act recklessly! This way!” the Great Demonic God transmitted secretly. Their gains were already substantial—obtaining the golden pages was more valuable than anything else.
Moreover, they had gleaned some divine abilities from the azure bone fragments.
Especially the Lunar Grace Fairy and the little fatty—though they had been chased around earlier, they had held onto the azure bone fragments for a long time, reaping immense benefits.
“Still trying to escape?!” The man holding the golden lamp finally made his move against Shi Hao, his expression icy. He was one of the strongest first-generation prodigies present.
His aura was overwhelming, his soul power surging like an ocean. With the bearing of a dragon and the stride of a tiger, he advanced.
Above his head, the golden lamp shone. From its wick, a rain of light scattered, transforming into blazing crimson stars that descended to suppress Shi Hao. On each star sat a deity, mysterious and terrifying!
“Whoosh!”
At the same time, Zhen Gu struck, coagulating blood in his hand to form a crimson spear that pierced through the void with a mournful wail. The spear’s tip carried the phantom images of gods and demons as it thrust toward Shi Hao.
The Jade Mantis and other deities also attacked, their killing intent boiling over.
This was a fierce battle. Shi Hao fought valiantly, but soon blood stained his body. Facing so many powerful enemies—some even at the deity level—it was astonishing he hadn’t fallen immediately.
Silently, a sapphire scorpion tail appeared, piercing through Shi Hao’s protective runes. If not for his sole heavenly passage weakening the strike, he would have been impaled alive.
The scorpion tail was terrifyingly sharp. Not long ago, it had effortlessly pierced through the body of another first-generation prodigy—brutal and merciless, like the deadliest poisoned spear.
Shi Hao narrowly avoided disaster. His heavenly passage weakened the runes, slowing the scorpion tail, but it still grazed his shoulder, drawing black blood.
“Boom!”
He swiftly activated his bone inscriptions, forcing the poisoned blood out in a geyser over ten meters high. A chunk of flesh exploded away from his shoulder.
This was despite Shi Hao’s famed indestructible body. The scorpion tail had still managed to pierce him.
“This damn armor!” he muttered. The shoulder plate had a gaping hole, perfectly aligned with the scorpion’s strike.
Though this armor was a mysterious treasure, it sometimes felt unreliable.
Everyone else paled. Even the inheritor of the Immortal Palace and the golden lamp man tensed—this scorpion was undoubtedly one of the most fearsome beings at the Deity Ignition Realm in the secret realm.
“If we were at the same cultivation level, it wouldn’t have pierced me. But as a deity, my flesh can’t withstand its tail,” Shi Hao said coldly. Having suffered this loss, he began his counterattack.
“Hum!”
The scorpion tail lashed through the air, fearless, striking again. Having witnessed Shi Hao’s battle with the inheritor of the Immortal Palace, the scorpion believed it could kill him—after all, it was a deity.
Splat!
The next moment, the scorpion tail struck Shi Hao’s chest, drawing blood. Some spectators gasped, their expressions shifting.
“Did the Young Demon just… die?”
“It actually worked!”
Yet a shrill, agonized scream froze everyone’s expressions—it came from the scorpion.
On Shi Hao’s chest was a clump of yellow mud. When the sapphire tail struck it, the venomous appendage rapidly dissolved, turning into bloody sludge.
The corruption spread upward, the entire tail turning yellow and melting into a puddle of mud, blood spraying high.
“Ah—!”
The scorpion shrieked. Its divine abilities were concentrated in its tail—losing it was like a human losing their supreme bone. Though not completely crippled, it was close.
This was a shocking turn of events.
Many paled. This was the demonic yellow mud brought in by the Solar Divine Vine, originating from the boundless Forbidden Zone. Shi Hao had stored it in his alchemy furnace, and now he had unleashed it.
Boom!
Without mercy, Shi Hao charged forward, his fists glowing with the profound truths of Samsara and the Kun Peng, aiming to obliterate the scorpion.
At the same time, others also seized the opportunity, fearing the scorpion’s recovery, and joined in to eliminate this terrifying deity.
Pitifully, the mighty scorpion was reduced to bloody mist, annihilated body and soul.
“What a waste. The meat inside that scorpion’s shell looked tender, like crab meat. Such a pity,” Shi Hao lamented.
Everyone rolled their eyes at his words.
Seeing Shi Hao holding the yellow mud atop the alchemy furnace’s lid, all grew wary. No one dared act recklessly—it was a deadly threat.
“Catch!”
The Lunar Grace Fairy, chased around like a rabbit, tossed the azure bone fragment to Shi Hao. With a hum, the bone glowed, imprinting a set of runes into his mind.
“Golden Serpent Leg.”
Shi Hao was momentarily baffled. *Do snakes even have legs?* Soon, he understood—this was a human technique, inspired by serpent-dragons, a treasure art of immense power.
Yet it was named simply “Golden Serpent Leg,” hardly awe-inspiring. But upon closer inspection, the technique was anything but ordinary—it was terrifyingly profound!
Otherwise, it wouldn’t have been recorded in a supreme being’s treasure tome as a secret among secrets!
Now, everyone on the golden platform turned their attacks toward Shi Hao. He had provoked their wrath—not only obtaining the golden pages but also seizing the azure bone scripture. They wouldn’t tolerate it.
Shi Hao fled, hoping to continue deciphering the bone scripture. But it was peculiar—each time someone gained one treasure art, the scripture would fall silent for a time, making it impossible to immediately grasp another technique.
With a flick of his wrist, Shi Hao tossed the azure bone scripture away. He had to make a choice—if everyone ganged up on him, even the celestial river in his furnace wouldn’t save him.
“Grandfather, let’s go!” Shi Hao transmitted secretly. Seizing the opportunity, he bolted in the opposite direction, breaking through the encirclement.
Grandfather and grandson leaped off the golden platform, sprinting madly to escape. Half their pursuers gave chase, while the other half stayed to fight over the azure bone scripture.
“How do we leave this ancient hall shrouded in chaotic energy?” Shi Hao muttered. They had been teleported in—finding the exit was no easy task.
The two ran until they were drenched in sweat, growing anxious.
“Elder, how do we leave?!” Shi Hao shouted, addressing the hidden rules or artifact spirit governing the legacy ground.
“Are you certain you wish to leave, abandoning the supreme legacy?” the grand voice inquired.
Receiving a response, Shi Hao was overjoyed. “Absolutely!”
One must know when to stop. With the golden pages in hand, there was no need for greed—staying would only mean death.
“Whoosh!”
Runes enveloped Shi Hao and the Great Demonic God, and in the next moment, they vanished.
“Wait for me! Me too!” the snow-white rabbit cried, kicking its legs in frustration.
The others hesitated. If they chased now, they would forfeit any chance at the azure bone scripture—a dilemma.
“Whoosh!”
Streaks of light flashed as some gave chase while others returned to fight over the bone scripture.
This time, Shi Hao and his grandfather bypassed the nine sacred mountains, emerging outside the legacy ground through the light gate above the immortal pond.
“Boom!”
The moment they appeared, they were ambushed. A golden toad lashed out with its tongue, a cascading whip aiming to ensnare them.
“Take this!”
Shi Hao hurled the yellow mud, shielded by a portion of the celestial river. The golden toad, sensing danger, swiftly dodged, its eyes wary.
“Ah!”
A moment later, a scream erupted as the golden toad’s tongue snagged a Deity Ignition Realm centipede that had pursued them through the gate, swallowing it whole.
“Splat!”
Simultaneously, an emerald python struck, snapping the Jade Mantis in half and devouring it.
Shi Hao was stunned. The golden toad and emerald python were among the most powerful creatures in the secret realm—he had encountered them before, suspecting they had surpassed the Deity Ignition Realm. He hadn’t expected them to be lying in wait here.
The legacy ground had restrictions. These creatures had entered before but retreated before reaching the nine sacred mountains, as their cultivation was suppressed to the Deity Ignition Realm. They feared being humiliated if they fell inside.
“Young friend, there’s no need to rush. Let us speak,” a voice called out.
Shi Hao had thought he could break free, but seeing this being, his confidence wavered. Even with the alchemy furnace, celestial river, and yellow mud, the odds were uncertain.
It was an ancient tree, its body charred black as if ravaged by illness, walking on its roots—the Demon-Blood Ghost God Tree.
“Elder, what do you wish to discuss?” Shi Hao steadied himself and asked.
“You and I share a fate. I mean you no harm, so rest assured,” the tree said calmly.
Shi Hao wasn’t convinced. He had once diverted the celestial river’s curse into the tree, making it cough endlessly as it fled. Would it really let that slide?
“Beyond the three thousand provinces of the Upper Realm lies my homeland. The armor you wear also originates from there—this is fate. We are not enemies,” the old tree said.
Shi Hao’s heart stirred. He longed to know about the lands beyond the three thousand provinces—the boundless Forbidden Zone. His curiosity burned.
Tai Sui Yellow Amulet Paper FuLu Taoist Love Talisman Traditional Chinese Spiritual Charm Attracting Love Protecting Marriage