He was Huang, the one who possessed the Immortal Scripture of the Thunder Emperor—the golden parchment—and now he stood within the Celestial City, drawing peculiar gazes from all around.
The hall was silent, shrouded in mist. Several Heavenly Gods sat cross-legged on meditation cushions, their forms hazy yet exuding immense power. No one spoke, the atmosphere thick with tension.
“How could this be?!” Yun Xi’s violet hair shimmered as her flawless, jade-like face twisted in shock. The companion she had traveled with for hundreds of thousands of miles, Mo Xi, was actually Huang, hiding another identity.
Yu Yu, dignified and imposing, fixed his blazing gaze upon the composed youth before him. So this was Huang? The one who had slain first-generation prodigies and even a War King—yet he appeared so unassuming.
The hall was tense, the air oppressive.
Shi Hao stood there, awaiting judgment. He knew that once this identity was exposed, danger would follow. No major clan could resist the temptation of what he held.
After all, the Thunder Emperor’s techniques were known as the Laws of Heaven, the Immortal Scripture—capable of invoking divine tribulations, the most terrifying force of all. Even taboo figures would covet such power.
“Where do you come from? Which sect do you belong to?” A Heavenly God spoke from within the mist, his voice calm yet carrying an overwhelming pressure that filled the hall with a sense of boundless authority.
“I hail from the depths of the vast forbidden lands beyond the three thousand provinces,” Shi Hao replied, keeping his tone steady. His eyes remained unreadable as he met the Heavenly God’s gaze.
The words sent ripples through the upper echelons of the Celestial Clan. Though the Heavenly Gods maintained their composure, their hearts surged with shock.
This youth came from the terrifying uninhabited regions? They were deeply skeptical yet couldn’t afford to dismiss the claim lightly.
That place symbolized the bizarre, the powerful, the horrifying, and the unknown. Even the Celestial Clan wouldn’t dare claim dominance over it.
“Are there sects within the uninhabited regions?” another Heavenly God asked, his voice devoid of emotion.
“My family resides there, but I cannot speak of it,” Shi Hao responded, neither submissive nor arrogant. At this point, he had no choice but to weave a grand lie—perhaps his only chance at survival.
Yun Xi was stunned, her beautiful face etched with disbelief. The youth she had journeyed with for so long was now an enigma.
The hall fell into silence as the Heavenly Gods pondered, each lost in thought.
In the ancient era, the Celestial Clan had been incomparably glorious, with six Celestials reigning supreme, establishing their imperial lineage and conquering the world. Yet, when those six peerless beings ventured into the uninhabited regions, disaster struck.
Of the six, only one returned alive. The others vanished without a trace.
Now, faced with this youth who claimed ties to that forbidden land, the Heavenly Gods couldn’t afford to act rashly. If his words held even a shred of truth, they had to tread carefully.
This could be a matter of monumental significance.
“You come from that place. How does it differ from the outside world?” a Heavenly God inquired, his gaze piercing as he studied the youth below.
Shi Hao tensed. Was this a test? He knew mere words wouldn’t convince these seasoned figures. Their instincts were too sharp to deceive.
“Bound by ancestral decrees, I cannot speak of it,” Shi Hao replied. In truth, he knew nothing of the uninhabited regions, while the Celestial Clan had an elder who had returned from there. Any misstep could expose him.
“No matter,” Heavenly God Qi Tuo chuckled, his tone amiable. Yet invisible chains of law intertwined in the void around them.
Shi Hao’s heart skipped a beat. He sensed that today’s ordeal would not end easily.
“Mo Xi… you’re Huang?” Yun Xi spoke up beside him, her luminous beauty radiant even as her expression turned complex.
“Yes,” Shi Hao nodded.
Yun Xi opened her mouth but said nothing. They had traveled together for so long, yet she had never known his true identity.
The Heavenly Gods pressed him with more questions, their solemnity suffocating. Shi Hao answered each one with composure.
“Enough. You may leave,” Heavenly God Qi Tuo finally declared, dismissing him from the hall.
Shi Hao was led out of the sacred decision-making chamber, his face betraying nothing as he walked away.
Inside, the Heavenly Gods deliberated in hushed tones.
“Do you believe him?” Qi Tuo asked.
“Of course not,” one replied with a faint smile.
The others nodded, their expressions easing. They saw through the deception, convinced Shi Hao had no ties to the uninhabited regions.
The three young prodigies present were astonished. “How did you determine this?” they asked.
Qi Tuo answered coolly, “Beyond the judgments of sect leaders in the Yuan Heaven Secret Realm labeling him a rogue cultivator, we are Heavenly Gods. Our divine intuition is not so easily fooled.”
Their instincts unanimously deemed Shi Hao’s claims false.
“To deceive us is to disrespect the Heavenly Gods,” Yu Yu frowned.
“How should we handle him?” another Heavenly God pondered. It was a dilemma—weighing the value of the Thunder Emperor’s scripture against the youth’s potential.
The scripture was invaluable, even to their ancient ancestors. Yet Shi Hao’s talent was undeniable—capable of humbling even the inheritor of the Immortal Palace. If nurtured, he could become a guardian of the Celestial Clan.
“Perhaps we should use the Bone Mirror to reveal his true form,” one suggested.
Another agreed but added, “Let him first comprehend the techniques from the Immortal Linglong. We can decide later.”
Clearly, the supreme method Shi Hao had gleaned from the Flying Immortal Stone intrigued them greatly.
“Give him time, and ourselves time. No need to rush. If he chooses to stay, we can mold him into a guardian,” an elder Heavenly God proposed.
The others nodded—a prudent approach.
Of course, “staying” meant leaving his supreme techniques with the Celestial Clan, not merely his presence.
If so, they could nurture him into a peerless powerhouse, bringing immeasurable benefits to their clan.
“Then it’s settled. Let him continue his enlightenment with the Flying Immortal Stone. Both that technique and the Thunder Emperor’s scripture are paramount,” they concluded.
“One thing to guard against—if he harbors resentment, his future growth could spell disaster,” someone warned as they prepared to depart.
“Vigilance is necessary.”
All nodded, a hint of wariness in their hearts.
Shi Hao returned to the lakeside, taking time to calm his mind. He didn’t know what the Celestial Clan would decide, but he sensed the storm was coming.
Yet, for now, all was quiet. True God Qi Xia advised him to focus solely on cultivation.
Shi Hao remained silent. He knew the tranquility wouldn’t last. The Celestial Clan coveted the technique he was comprehending—and the Thunder Emperor’s scripture. Their inaction now was only because he couldn’t escape the Celestial City.
“Perhaps some even hope to groom me into a weapon against the imperial clans,” he mused.
Steeling himself, Shi Hao immersed in meditation, refining his understanding of the Hand of Heaven.
Days passed without disturbance, granting him peace to cultivate. Even the young Celestials who had once harassed him stayed away.
His mind now held only the Dao and its laws.
“Report! Warriors of the War Clan have appeared at our borders!” Days later, news reached the Celestial Clan’s elders.
“Do they seek another battle? On our land, they’ll find no advantage!” a True God sneered.
Soon, experts were dispatched to investigate. Was war truly imminent?
*Boom!*
The celestial war drums sounded, summoning the Heavenly Gods.
“What is the meaning of this?” Qi Tuo demanded sternly.
Other Heavenly Gods arrived, their gazes fixed on the reporting True Gods.
“Elders, grave news—War Clan Heavenly Gods have been sighted.”
The True Gods were pale. They had detected traces of Heavenly Gods and rushed back to warn their superiors.
“It seems they’ve come for Huang,” Qi Tuo deduced.
The War Clan knew Huang had slain their War King. Vengeance and the pursuit of his supreme techniques drove them here.
“To dare encroach upon our territory—do they think they’ll leave unscathed?” a Heavenly God growled, killing intent flaring.
The Celestial Clan, once imperial rulers of the upper realm, would not tolerate such insolence. They would crush all invaders.
“Elders, worse news—other great sects’ bone ships have breached our borders, carrying Heavenly Gods!” Another report came.
Frowns deepened. Even Qi Tuo’s gaze turned piercing as he scanned the horizon.
Soon, word arrived—an emissary from an ark ten thousand miles away sought entry into the Celestial City.
“I see. The War Clan spread word of Huang, rallying other sects to pressure us,” Qi Tuo concluded.
The Heavenly Gods understood. The storm had arrived. Their lands would soon be engulfed in turmoil.
All had come for Huang—and the Immortal Scripture he possessed.
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