Shi Hao’s eyes instantly lit up. He didn’t say anything more—the old man truly was domineering. Two words had said it all, exactly what he needed!
“Desolate. That’s a good name. Go ahead.” Qi Daolin closed his eyes and resumed his meditation.
Shi Hao had already turned to leave, but his body stiffened slightly, pausing for a moment before walking away. The old man had only mentioned “Desolate”—why hadn’t he brought up his real name, Shi Hao?
“Does he already know I’m from the lower realm?” he wondered inwardly but didn’t voice it.
Qi Daolin was as serene as ever, cutting him off every time he tried to speak, never giving him the chance. He must have already figured everything out.
Shi Hao left and began his preparations. The first step was to gather detailed information about the Heaven Clan’s divine mines in Fire Province—he needed to know everything clearly.
At the foot of the mountain, a group of people walked back in a subdued atmosphere. The events they had witnessed today at a minor sect were beyond belief.
“Fellow Daoists from Celestial Immortal Academy, what is that person’s name?” one of the Heaven Clan members asked, his tone not particularly friendly. They felt deceived today.
How could Celestial Immortal Academy have failed to warn them about such a formidable figure?
Kun Mo, his face ashen, was being carried on someone’s back. He clenched his fists, gnashing his teeth, his eyes filled with venomous hatred. Today had been a disaster—he had been crippled.
This punishment was worse than death. It was a declaration of war, a message to the Heaven Clan!
“We don’t know. He called himself the Eldest Brother,” someone from Celestial Immortal Academy replied.
“The Eldest Brother?” Disciples from various sects exchanged glances. That was an unusual title—arrogant, but fitting given his terrifying strength.
“Was he really from a minor sect?” someone asked, voicing the confusion shared by all. Today’s events had been too bizarre.
“Yes. The sect had declined for thousands of years, its lineage nearly severed. It only recently revived,” a Celestial Immortal Academy disciple answered, though somewhat reluctantly.
“What sect is it exactly?” someone pressed impatiently.
“The Supreme Dao Field,” a female disciple from Celestial Immortal Academy whispered.
“That sounds familiar. Why does a minor sect leave such an impression?” murmured a prodigy from the Sacred Feather Clan.
Someone from the Slanted Moon Ancient Cave gasped, as if recalling something.
“The Supreme… Dao Field?!” Kun Mo gritted his teeth in fury before realization struck him—this was a heretical sect!
The founder of this sect had once been infamous in the upper realm, stealing techniques from hundreds of schools, infiltrating major sects to learn their secret arts.
Disciples from the Yin-Yang Academy also looked shocked, clearly aware of the sect’s history. They sighed inwardly—who would have expected this sect to resurface?
“How dare this sect reopen its gates?” someone sneered with hostility. It was one of the most notorious sects in the upper realm, infamous for stealing sacred halls and pavilions from various clans, earning universal condemnation.
After so many years, this sect had reappeared, defying all expectations.
“I remember, thousands of years ago, this sect had a few disciples, but they were beaten so badly by other sects that they never dared return. It became a joke. And now they dare reestablish themselves?”
Mention of this sect made many major sects grind their teeth. Qi Daolin had been utterly shameless back then, stealing techniques and even looting iconic structures from various clans.
“The most infamous lineage has returned. I bet things will get lively there.”
“No need to do anything else. Just spread the word, and many will come knocking, replaying the events of thousands of years ago. Their disciples will be hunted down and forced to flee again,” someone predicted.
Clearly, this land was about to become chaotic!
Yet, some frowned, knowing Qi Daolin was not to be trifled with.
Despite his infamy, he had survived multiple sieges by major sects and escaped unscathed. After all these years, he was undoubtedly even more formidable.
Fire Province—an endless expanse of grasslands.
A young man traveled at incredible speed—Shi Hao. He had secretly visited Celestial Immortal Academy and obtained valuable information from Yue Chan. Now, he raced across the vast land.
He had learned much, carefully studying the map of Fire Province and identifying the territories of major sects as he advanced toward his target.
**Boom!**
Ahead, silver flames erupted, covering several miles of land. The vegetation remained unharmed, but living creatures were reduced to ashes.
Shi Hao’s heart chilled. The harsh environment of Fire Province was even more treacherous than he had thought—flames could appear and vanish unpredictably.
“What a strange land. What lies beneath the earth to cause such mysterious fires?”
Even now, Shi Hao didn’t know.
In truth, not even the major sects of Fire Province fully understood the phenomenon.
The Heaven Clan’s divine mines bordered Celestial Immortal Province, not deep within Fire Province, so Shi Hao didn’t need teleportation arrays—he could simply fly there.
Hours later, he arrived.
This was the Heaven Clan’s mining territory, vast and rich in rare materials—a renowned treasure trove.
Among the Heaven Clan’s holdings, two divine mines stood out, excavated for years yet still yielding endless divine materials.
Rumors said one mine had even produced traces of immortal gold, causing a massive uproar. Major sects had nearly gone to war over it.
Unfortunately, only a single impure grain of immortal gold was found, not a true vein, so the commotion eventually died down.
Shi Hao observed from afar, not overly nervous. He knew there were no Heavenly Deities here—only True Gods at most.
After all, Heavenly Deities were too exalted to guard mines. They were reserved for cultivation, serving as a clan’s ultimate protectors.
A True God was sufficient. Given the Heaven Clan’s might, few dared to challenge them for their mines—unless immortal gold appeared.
Shi Hao was unafraid. Today, he had fused the Kun Peng Art with the Shrinking Earth technique, making him even faster. Even if he encountered a True God, he could escape.
He didn’t act immediately, instead scouting both famous mines thoroughly.
**Huh?!**
Suddenly, Shi Hao was startled. Using his dual-pupils, he spotted a wisp of Dao energy rising from one mine—something extraordinary.
When he deactivated his pupils, it vanished.
“Something’s unusual here.” He reactivated his dual-pupils, scrutinizing the area. After a long wait, another faint wisp of white mist seeped from the earth—elusive and ethereal.
What was beneath the ground? Shi Hao was puzzled.
Even with his dual-pupils, the mist was hard to detect, appearing only sporadically.
He didn’t strike, instead hiding and observing. The mine seemed ordinary, but its defenses were tight—ten True Gods patrolled, far more than usual.
“Something must be happening here,” he murmured.
“Why hasn’t You Yu arrived yet? This opportunity is rare—we can’t afford to miss it,” someone whispered. Shi Hao, with his keen senses, overheard.
Though the area was mostly grassland, a few mountains stood nearby.
The mine lay at the foot of one mountain, with several True Gods meditating atop different peaks, conversing quietly.
“You Yu is still consolidating after fusing with the Heaven Mandate Stone. Also, several Heavenly Deities went into seclusion after the last incident and haven’t been awakened yet…”
From their words, Heavenly Deities would escort You Yu here. Shi Hao was intrigued—were the Heaven Clan’s prodigies coming for something in the mine?
You Yu’s trip to Fire Province—inspecting mines and visiting Celestial Immortal Academy—was just a cover. His real objective lay elsewhere.
This piqued Shi Hao’s interest. He watched closely, observing the area.
Sometimes, a wisp of mist appeared in moments; other times, it took an hour. The faint mist stirred something in Shi Hao’s heart.
“This stone is extraordinary. It nearly induced enlightenment in us—proof of its immense value.”
“At first, we didn’t pay attention. Who knew it was so miraculous? Had we known, we should have exaggerated our report to shock the higher-ups.”
“I’ve already sent a detailed update. The clan will surely be astounded and dispatch Heavenly Deities immediately.”
From their conversation, Shi Hao was certain—there was a treasure beneath the earth!
“Pity the stone is too fragile. The slightest touch nearly shattered it. We must wait for the Heavenly Deities to decide.”
Shi Hao was surprised—this was something he only heard after hours of waiting.
In that instant, he changed his plan. Instead of attacking the mine outright, he decided to infiltrate it.
If his guess was right, there might be a great opportunity here.
“Could it be an immortal seed? I’ve heard of immortal blood essence or bone fragments being sealed away. Obtaining one could enable a perfect evolution.”
“Indeed. Ancient records mention people who didn’t use divine flames to ignite themselves but instead used immortal blood to ‘plant the Dao,’ achieving extraordinary results!”
Shi Hao was amazed to hear such secrets. His anticipation grew.
Finally, he acted. He couldn’t wait any longer—the Heaven Clan had already sent an updated report. Heavenly Deities might arrive soon.
Using the Shrinking Earth technique, Shi Hao slipped underground, inching closer until he entered the mine.
Though he couldn’t yet fight True Gods head-on, his movement skills were exceptional. He infiltrated silently.
Deeper in the mine, he spotted a peculiar stone—about four zhang long—with wisps of immortal-like mist drifting from it, awe-inspiring.
The stone was riddled with cracks. As the True Gods had said, it was fragile, liable to shatter at the slightest touch.
The Heaven Clan’s experts had halted further action, fearing they might ruin the treasure.
Shi Hao’s eyes gleamed. He wasn’t one for caution—if he got the chance, he’d take the stone outright!
However, True Gods guarded the stone nearby, not just one but several, watching over it carefully.
“Time to risk it!”
Shi Hao steeled himself. This was too great an opportunity to pass up. Of course, he wasn’t overly worried—he had a Boundary-Breaking Talisman as a last resort.
After a day and night of patience, when the True Gods rotated shifts, Shi Hao struck. Seizing the moment, he lunged forward like a bolt of lightning.
**Boom!**
He lifted the stone. Instantly, vast waves of Dao energy surged, and endless primordial qi descended, shaking him to the core.
In that moment, Shi Hao knew—if he could take what lay within this stone, the Heaven Clan would go mad. This was undoubtedly a treasure of the mortal world!
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