Chapter 718: The Bridal Price?

“Dao Companion, cultivation, life.” Shi Hao stroked his chin, offering no comment.

“Youth is the most dazzling, like the morning glow, like summer flowers, leaving behind beauty. Not waiting for the desolation of autumn leaves, only to be left with melancholy and regret,” the old woman sighed.

Then, she stood up without delving deeper into the conversation.

She left behind two young maidens, fresh and elegant, with extraordinary beauty, who would be responsible for attending to Shi Hao’s daily needs.

“So she just left like that? What about the promised Dao Companion and peerless beauty? Why no mention of them?” Shi Hao muttered under his breath, watching the old woman’s retreating figure with longing eyes.

The two maidens were first stunned, then stifled giggles, and finally burst into laughter.

“Actually, I’m not that reserved. You could sit down and have a proper, long talk with me,” he said, pouring himself a drink.

The two maidens were torn between laughter and exasperation. Was this the prodigious genius their clan’s deity held in such high regard? He was utterly lacking in self-restraint! They both covered their mouths, secretly amused.

“Eh, could it be the two of you? The so-called Dao Companions—two for the price of one?” Shi Hao turned to the maidens, his large eyes sparkling with mischief.

“Ah, no!” The two maidens paled, their hearts pounding like startled deer as they hastily retreated.

“Are you sure?” Shi Hao laughed, scrutinizing them.

“Whoosh!”

The two maidens fled at top speed, rushing out of the bamboo grove and away from the azure lake before finally stopping to pat their chests and exchange glances.

“That was terrifying! Is this guy really a genius who killed a War King?”

“I feel like he’s utterly shameless, with no sense of propriety!”

By the azure lake, Shi Hao’s smile faded as he watched them leave, frowning slightly and murmuring to himself, “My reputation is ruined.”

He was a bit worried. How could he leave the Heavenly Clan? Staying too long would inevitably expose his identity—there was no way to keep it hidden.

Holding his wine cup, he stood up and followed a small path through the bamboo grove, arriving at the foot of a stone mountain. He climbed it, ostensibly to admire the lake’s beauty, but in truth, he was secretly surveying the entire colossal city.

Unfortunately, the city was too vast, like a small world unto itself, with no end in sight. Countless caves and elegant peaks were shrouded in pristine immortal mist.

Moreover, there were broad main roads and clusters of palaces and pavilions, much like an ordinary city.

Without much thought, he knew the entire Heavenly City must be protected by an awe-inspiring grand formation. Even if he tried, let alone him, even a Heavenly God would find it impossible to breach or escape.

Before long, the two maidens returned, cautiously attending to him—from introducing nearby sights to serving tea, pouring wine, and arranging dishes—all with great diligence.

Of course, this was mainly because Shi Hao refrained from teasing them further.

“Are there any particularly noteworthy sights here?” Shi Hao, bored out of his mind, asked the maidens.

“The entire Heavenly City is a sacred land, a supreme paradise. Countless clansmen dream of entering but lack the qualifications. Everywhere is a magnificent sight,” one maiden replied.

“Any especially unique places? Like a True Dragon Cave, a Phoenix Nest, a War Emperor’s Tomb—no, wait—the Supreme Heavenly Tomb, for example,” Shi Hao suggested.

The two maidens rolled their eyes. What kind of places were those? True Dragons and Phoenixes weren’t mere worms or pheasants—they were among the Ten Fears! How could there be remnants of them lying around?

“My lord, could you please be more careful with your words? We are the Heavenly Clan. How could we have a War Emperor’s Tomb? And it’s best not to mention the Supreme Heavenly Tomb—it’s taboo,” one maiden muttered.

“Fine!” Shi Hao sighed, rubbing his forehead.

The other maiden’s eyes sparkled mischievously as she said with a faint smile, “My lord, I know of an ancient site rumored to be connected to immortals.”

“Where? Take me there at once!” Shi Hao perked up, bored as he was from being trapped here.

The two maidens exchanged glances. They had planned to take him there anyway but lacked an excuse—now was the perfect opportunity.

Passing through a bustling market district and crossing several cave-dwelling areas, they arrived at a solemn and sacred training ground. A few people were cultivating there, though not many.

The training ground was vast, spanning dozens of miles.

Some sat in meditation, others practiced breathing techniques. The place was imbued with an inexplicable Dao rhythm, and the spiritual energy was several times denser than elsewhere, making it ideal for cultivation.

Deep within the training ground stood a peculiar stone, resembling a jade stele, about ten feet tall—not particularly large—resting there quietly.

“That’s it? Doesn’t seem special at all,” Shi Hao said, puzzled.

“My lord, it’s called the Flying Immortal Stone. It’s extraordinary. Sometimes, it emits light rain akin to an immortal’s ascension, dazzling beyond compare. Standing before it, one can reflect upon oneself, gaining deeper insight and enlightenment,” one maiden explained.

“Oh? Tell me more,” Shi Hao said, intrigued.

“The Flying Immortal light rain is rather elusive—it might not appear for dozens of lifetimes. But self-reflection can be done anytime, especially for those of the First Generation. They can observe their bones, blood, and flesh, further comprehending their own Dao and techniques.”

“Is that so…” Shi Hao mused, pacing over to stand before the Flying Immortal Stone.

At that moment, not just the two maidens but everyone else turned their gazes toward him, watching intently.

The Flying Immortal Stone trembled slightly, startling everyone. Eyes widened, but upon closer inspection, the stone dimmed and fell silent again, showing no further reaction.

“Tsk,” some sighed in disappointment.

The two maidens were visibly let down. One asked, “My lord, aren’t you of the First Generation?”

“Why do you ask?” Shi Hao didn’t turn around, his heart racing. He was suppressing himself—just now, he had nearly entered a state of enlightenment!

This stone was a supreme treasure! Cultivating here would yield immense gains!

“This stone is special. If one possesses immortal bones, divine skin, or heaven-bestowed coagulated blood, it can reflect them,” the maiden explained. In short, it could detect the innate true bones of the First Generation.

Soon, word of what happened reached the old woman in golden robes. Upon hearing it, she murmured, “Pity, not a First Generation.”

Then she asked, “Did you have him try to move the Flying Immortal Stone?”

“No,” the messenger shook his head.

“Killing a War King proves his extraordinary nature—his combat prowess is terrifying. The only flaw is that he’s not a First Generation,” the old woman mused.

At the training ground, Shi Hao was reluctant to leave. He truly wanted to steal this stone—it had nearly induced enlightenment in him!

Moreover, in that fleeting moment, he had vaguely glimpsed an immortal-like radiance—mysterious and terrifying!

The Heavenly City was grand and vast, but many areas were off-limits: the Fire Cliff for alchemy, the ancient scripture caves, the Dao Mountain for enlightenment, and the residences of the Heavenly Gods.

Two days later, Shi Hao grew restless. Staying longer risked exposure. If the ancient Heavenly One awoke and took notice of him, it would be disastrous.

“Please inform them that I’m honored to have visited the Heavenly Clan’s sacred land, but I have urgent matters and must take my leave,” Shi Hao instructed the maidens to relay.

The old woman, Qixia, received the report and came personally. Though a True God, she had been overseeing Shi Hao’s affairs, indicating the clan’s high regard for him.

Such a prodigious genius was worth recruiting. When Yun Xi mentioned he had slain a War King, many in the clan were astounded.

“Young friend, there’s no need to rush off. These past two days, we’ve been refining a cauldron of precious pills and have neglected you. When it’s ready, we’ll gift it to you.”

“You’re too kind, Elder. I don’t need pills,” Shi Hao said modestly, eager to leave—though he hated to part with the Flying Immortal Stone.

“These are Divine Flame Pills, crafted from several sacred herbs and countless rare treasures—priceless and crucial for your current stage,” the old woman said.

Shi Hao’s heart stirred.

The Divine Flame Realm was a critical threshold. Breaking through with sufficient foundation could elevate one to great heights, shaping future achievements!

Divine Flame Pills were prepared precisely for this purpose.

Of course, some prodigies sought legendary flames like Star Essence or Nine Netherworld Fire to forge this realm—dangerous but potentially yielding greater accomplishments.

Others had obtained once-in-an-era immortal flames or chaos flames, only to burn themselves to death without success.

Regardless, Divine Flame Pills were essential—like kindling to ignite the divine flame.

“Young friend, you saved Yun Xi. We have no way to repay you, so we intend to gift you a cauldron of Divine Flame Pills,” the old woman said.

A single Divine Flame Pill was incredibly valuable, requiring many rare herbs. For the Heavenly Clan to offer an entire cauldron was a grand gesture.

“Thank you for your generosity, Elder!” What else could Shi Hao say? If they insisted on giving and wouldn’t let him leave… well, he’d just have to accept it all!

The old woman, Qixia, smiled. If they could truly keep Shi Hao, even more precious treasures would be worth it—this was a young prodigy capable of slaying a War King!

“About the matter of a Dao Companion I mentioned earlier—have you considered it?” Qixia asked.

“That might not be appropriate. Yun Xi is the Heavenly Clan’s jewel, fused with the Destiny Stone and highly regarded. If I became her Dao Companion, I’d likely become the enemy of the clan’s younger generation,” Shi Hao said.

True God Qixia was speechless. How could this kid’s face be so thick? She hadn’t even specified anything, and he was already picking and choosing, setting his sights on a target?

Moreover, recalling how he’d brazenly declared he wouldn’t be reserved and urged them to send him Dao Companions and peerless beauties, Qixia felt a vein throb on her forehead.

Was this kid reliable? Marrying a clanswoman to him—wasn’t that like pushing her into a pit of fire?

“Ah, by the way, Elder, where’s Yun Xi? I haven’t seen her these past two days,” Shi Hao asked.

“She’s fusing with the Destiny Stone. She’ll emerge in a few days,” Qixia replied, eyeing him with growing skepticism. He was far too forward!

Was he some kind of libertine? She frowned.

“Our Heavenly Clan has three jewels, each a peerless beauty renowned across dozens of provinces. Many great clans have offered priceless betrothal gifts, but we’ve refused them all,” Qixia said.

As a True God, she wasn’t lying. The Heavenly Clan numbered in the hundreds of millions and was once a royal lineage. Their three most dazzling beauties were naturally extraordinary, famed among all clans.

“Three radiant jewels, peerless beauties… Elder, are you planning to have all three become my Dao Companions? Why not invite them out to meet?” Shi Hao said.

Qixia’s eyelid twitched!

“No one can marry all three of them!” She regretted this—this kid was too proactive, hardly reassuring. She’d never seen someone so “unreserved”!

“Yun Xi is one of the three, right?” Shi Hao asked.

“Yes!” Qixia snapped.

“I’ve met her. What do the other two look like? Will they be appearing soon?” Shi Hao’s face was thick as a wall.

Beside him, the two attending maidens stifled laughter. They’d never seen someone so eager—wasn’t he afraid of scaring off the women? Thankfully, the other two jewels weren’t here, or they’d have beaten him up.

“Our Heavenly Clan’s jewels do not marry out. Typically, we invite Dao Companions to join our clan,” Qixia said darkly.

“Oh, so it’s marrying into the family. I get it!” Shi Hao nodded, acting as if he understood completely and didn’t mind in the slightest.

True God Qixia: “…”

They stared at each other. She was having second thoughts—this guy didn’t seem like a “good-natured” sort.

Silence fell.

“Elder, can’t the four of us become Dao Companions together?” Shi Hao broke the silence.

Four people… the three jewels and him? Qixia’s eyebrows shot up, a vein pulsing on her forehead. She was tempted to give him a good thrashing.

Before long, the Heavenly Clan’s two peerless beauties got wind of this and rushed over, their expressions dark, ready to demand answers.

“If you want to become our Dao Companion, you’ll have to lift the Flying Immortal Stone. Otherwise, even a First Generation wouldn’t cut it!”