Chapter 728: Great Turmoil Among the Heaven-Origin Clan

This was a man with piercing eyes that darted about like hooks, scrutinizing everything around him.

“Ahem!”

A soft cough from his clansman beside him served as a reminder—the Peacock Clan had arrived in force, not just a handful, but a group of formidable experts.

Instantly, the man straightened up, his roving gaze vanishing. Clad in a five-colored Daoist robe, he now exuded an air of transcendent grace, a stark contrast to his earlier demeanor.

The Celestial Clan remained silent, having long noticed him. Among these terrifying peacocks, he was the only one still at the Divine Flame Realm, making him the weakest link.

“May I ask your name, Daoist Brother?” a True God inquired. The Peacock Divine Master walked ahead, accompanied by cautious Heavenly Gods, while this man, despite his lower cultivation, followed closely—clearly someone of unusual status. Hence, the attempt to befriend him.

“This humble Daoist is Qiu Ji, haha…” The man laughed heartily. “I share deep ties with your clan—my Dao companion is from the Celestial Clan.”

He was none other than Kong Qiu Ji, the infamous “Baldie” of yesteryears, who had ascended to the upper realm through the Celestial Clan’s formation.

Some among the Celestial Clan were stunned, recalling that this peacock had once appeared in one of their territories—he hailed from the lower realm!

“The fellow Daoist who came with Yun Canghai?” someone whispered. Yun Canghai was Yun Xi’s grandfather.

“Where is Yun Xi? That girl should call me Great-Uncle,” Kong Qiu Ji remarked with a grin, his jet-black hair and bright eyes gleaming.

“Yun Xi is in seclusion,” a Heavenly God replied.

Baldie was taken aback. He had merely been chatting casually with a True God, mentioning Yun Xi in passing, yet a Heavenly God had responded. Was this necessary?

“Esteemed Senior, this way, please.” Several Heavenly Gods bowed respectfully, ushering the Peacock Divine Master into a grand hall, treating him as an honored guest.

Kong Qiu Ji did not enter, instead wandering outside, intending to seek out Yun Xi’s grandfather, Yun Canghai.

“I heard of turmoil within the Celestial Clan and came to see for myself,” the Peacock Divine Master declared, seated upon a throne wreathed in chaotic mist and radiant five-colored light, his presence awe-inspiring.

It was well known that the Peacock Clan was a terrifying force in both the lower and upper realms, producing countless experts, including Heavenly Gods who roamed the world unopposed. They were among the most fearsome races.

Even in its heyday, the Celestial Clan had only formed an alliance with them, never daring to look down upon them—let alone now!

And their leader was no ordinary figure. He was a sovereign, revered as the Peacock Divine Master—a title that spoke volumes.

“Many thanks, Esteemed Senior,” Heavenly God Qi Tuo expressed gratitude. With mounting pressure from external forces, the arrival of the Peacock Divine Master was not unwelcome.

After all, the two clans maintained amicable relations, far from hostility.

“Is the youth named Huang in the Celestial City?” the Peacock Divine Master inquired.

The Heavenly Gods of the Celestial Clan tensed. This topic was unavoidable, yet it placed them in a difficult position.

“Why hasn’t the Ancient Ancestor awakened yet?” they fretted inwardly. The Peacock Divine Master was too formidable—even as Heavenly Gods, they were no match for him.

Only the Old Celestial could suppress him slightly. Beyond that, none could.

In truth, the Peacock Divine Master was not of the highest seniority. Though born in the ancient era, compared to the Old Celestial, he was merely a junior.

Yet now, their strengths were not far apart. In a sense, they stood within the same grand realm—one at its peak, the other just beginning.

“Huang is indeed within our clan,” Heavenly God Qi Tuo replied reluctantly, unwilling to divulge more.

“The Thunder Emperor—an enigmatic figure, rumored to be an immortal from the Immortal Ancient Era, surviving into this age, yet unverified,” the Peacock Divine Master mused. Then, shifting the topic, he added, “I am curious to meet this heir of the Thunder Emperor, to sense whether he carries the aura of immortality.”

The Heavenly Gods stiffened. As expected, this was the crux—inescapable due to the Peacock Divine Master’s might and their alliance.

Offending him would spell disaster.

Finally, Heavenly God Qi Tuo ordered someone to fetch Shi Hao.

As the escort descended, Kong Qiu Ji waved them over. “Where are you headed?”

“To retrieve Huang,” a True God answered.

“Haha, I’ll join you. I’ve heard this Huang is extraordinary—slaying a War King and humbling the heir of the Immortal Palace. Truly remarkable.” He acted as if they were old friends, utterly at ease.

The two True Gods hesitated, tempted to refuse.

But Kong Qiu Ji was quick-witted, weaving connections effortlessly. He claimed kinship with Yun Xi, the Celestial Clan’s hope, calling himself her Great-Uncle—no outsider here.

After brief deliberation, the True Gods relented. Letting him see Huang early was no great matter.

The underground black prison was frigid, howls echoing from ancient caves where monstrous beings of antiquity languished, never seeing daylight.

In one stone chamber, the stench of blood was overwhelming.

In a short time, Shi Hao had endured over a dozen sword thrusts, his body pierced, blood dripping freely.

His azure robes were tattered, riddled with holes, crimson stains spreading across the floor, each drop audible in the silence.

The scene was gruesome—multiple wounds clean through his body. For a Supreme Being, though not fatal, such injuries were debilitating.

“Brat, you’re quite stubborn. I think it’s time to carve out a few bones,” the jailer sneered, pressing his blade to Shi Hao’s shoulder, ready to sever the collarbone.

“The Thunder Emperor’s treasure art? Your clan can forget about it. If asked, I’ll say it was you who made me refuse,” Shi Hao retorted.

“Are you threatening me?” The jailer’s eyes glinted coldly.

*Thud!*

Shi Hao’s arm was pierced, blood flowing.

Yet he didn’t flinch, instead smiling. “You’ll gain nothing but my death.”

“You think we dare not kill you?” the jailer hissed.

“Do as you will,” Shi Hao replied calmly, blood streaming down his body. Inwardly, he swore—if he survived, he would return one day to raze the Celestial City, toppling its so-called imperial and divine clans from their thrones.

“Didn’t Huang save your Yun Xi? Why is he in the black prison?” Kong Qiu Ji questioned, having followed them into the dungeon.

“He harbored ill intentions, scheming to approach Yun Xi. Our clan uncovered his plot,” a True God explained as they neared the cell.

“Unbelievable. Such a man? Huang, whom I admired—defying the War Clan, battling the Immortal Palace’s heir, slaying prodigies with ease?” Baldie muttered, shaking his head.

“The stench of blood is overwhelming,” one remarked as they pushed open the cell door, stepping into the warded space, brows furrowed.

Clearly, torture had been underway—brutal and bloody.

Entering, Baldie saw a figure drenched in blood, robes shredded, sword wounds grievous.

Shi Hao looked up, recognizing Kong Qiu Ji—the Baldie from Stone Village, whose human form he’d seen before.

“Baldie…” he uttered, never imagining he’d encounter an old friend here.

“Who the hell dares call me—” Kong Qiu Ji fumed. Only in Stone Village had he tolerated such a nickname. Now, as a Peacock Clan elite, he was a rising powerhouse.

“You—” Then his eyes widened in disbelief at Shi Hao’s battered form. Shock, rage, and elation warred within him.

He’d thought the Stone Village youth dead in the lower realm, mourning the loss years ago.

Yet here he was—alive!

An unbelievable, surreal reunion.

Shi Hao smiled, recalling their past—endless laughter, his childhood mischief, capturing Baldie from Hundred Shattered Mountains and dragging him to Stone Village.

Fate was ironic, reuniting them in such dire straits—bitter and sorrowful.

“Who did this? You, old bastard?!” Baldie’s momentary daze gave way to fury, his temper flaring.

Seeing Shi Hao’s bloodied state, the dozen gaping wounds—such torment enraged him.

He turned on the jailer, swinging a slap despite the latter’s True God status.

The jailer dodged, scowling. A mere Divine Flame Realm peacock daring to strike him? Yet he held back—this outsider’s presence here hinted at significant backing.

“This is my brother! Does the Celestial Clan seek death?!” Baldie roared, feathers bristling with five-colored light, veins bulging.

*Crack!*

He shattered Shi Hao’s chains with a secret treasure, swiftly stanching the bleeding.

Though they’d bickered in the past, their bond ran deep—especially after Baldie received aid from the Willow Deity, gaining much in Stone Village.

Those years had given him a sense of belonging, a home among the village’s simple folk.

“Planning a jailbreak?!” the jailer bellowed, framing the act.

“Break your ancestors!” Baldie cursed, furious yet lucid. He shouted outward, “Huang escorted your clan’s genius across tens of thousands of miles, bleeding all the way—and this is how you repay him? I demand an audience with your Heavenly Gods!”

The cell door remained open, his voice carrying. He sought the Peacock Clan’s aid.

“Even a Heavenly God won’t save you!” the jailer threatened, still hesitant to act, sensing Baldie’s importance.

“Scram! I’m here by the Peacock Divine Master’s order. Stand aside!” Kong Qiu Ji barked.

Turning back, he tended to Shi Hao, stunned by this unexpected reunion.

“I thought you’d died young in the lower realm. Yet here you are—Huang, battling prodigies across the upper realm. Incredible!”

Baldie was ecstatic, babbling yet vigilant, shielding Shi Hao from the jailer.

“I never imagined… meeting like this,” Shi Hao murmured, wiping blood from his lips, lamenting life’s twists.

“Don’t worry. Our Peacock Divine Master may know the Willow Deity. Even the Celestial Clan won’t dare harm you!” Baldie assured.

In the grand hall, the Peacock Divine Master’s voice rang out. “Bring that unruly descendant here.”

The Celestial Clan’s Heavenly Gods frowned—trouble in the prison.

Soon, a bloodied Shi Hao and a furious Baldie were brought forth, drawing shocked gazes.

“Ancestor, this isn’t just Huang—he’s my brother from the lower realm, from that mysterious Stone Village, a disciple of the Willow Deity! You must save him!”

Then Baldie unleashed a tirade, pointing at the Celestial Clan’s elites. “Where’s your conscience? My brother safeguarded your genius, and this is his reward—coveting his treasures, torturing him? I’ll—”

The assembly gaped. Heavenly Gods, berated by a Divine Flame Realm junior?

“The Willow Deity…” The Peacock Divine Master’s eyes deepened. While the upper realm believed it had perished in the Primordial Gate, he was certain—that unfathomably powerful entity lived on.

For he remembered, in his youth during the ancient era, witnessing a scene—a luminous willow tree…