Chapter 770: An Ominous Future

After a pitch-black, thunderstorm deluge, the vast grasslands appeared even fresher, stretching endlessly in emerald hues.

Low-lying depressions had transformed into shimmering lakes, radiant and azure. A herd of pristine unicorns emerged, bathed in holy light, numbering in the hundreds, trotting gracefully toward the lakeshore.

This was an auspicious omen, one that would have delighted the nomadic herders of the plains. Yet, the Celestial Clan had no such joy in their hearts. Before them lay a collapsed mine, divine blood staining the earth, and losses too grievous to bear. Their faces were ashen with fury.

“This was the foremost divine mine, yielding countless treasures over the years—now reduced to dust in a single day, struck down by lightning, with three True Gods slain in the process.”

Mo Luo, the Celestial Deity of the Celestial Clan, stood expressionless before the ruins. His overwhelming aura pressed down like a mountain, stifling the air, making it hard to breathe.

“This is not the main issue. A divine mine can be reopened! What is truly intolerable is that this was done by *Huang*—a mere *Zunzhe*—while all of you stood helpless as he escaped unscathed. What could be more absurd? Even True Gods failed to stop him! Useless!”

Mo Luo roared, unable to contain his fury. The events of recent days had been nothing short of humiliation for the Celestial Clan, leaving even him and another Celestial Deity disgraced.

“We acknowledge our failure,” the group murmured, heads bowed, not daring to meet his gaze. Many trembled under the weight of his divine pressure, some even dropping to their knees.

“Acknowledging failure means nothing!” another Celestial Deity bellowed. “Can you retrieve the lost Immortal Seed? It was priceless—perhaps capable of birthing a Celestial Emperor!”

What infuriated the two Celestial Deities most was that the perpetrator was *Huang*, a rising star they had sought to suppress. Yet here he was, striking back with impunity.

This was blatant humiliation. Shi Hao was retaliating—avenging his imprisonment in the Black Prison, where he had endured brutal torture, his body riddled with bloody wounds.

From the moment he escaped, there was no turning back.

Had his vengeance begun?

Yet the two Celestial Deities felt no regret. The Celestial Clan’s actions were for the greater good of their people. Had they obtained the Kun Peng’s techniques or the Thunder Emperor’s arts, their clan’s power would have surged immeasurably.

The implications were profound. Given time, the Celestial Clan might have risen again, reclaiming their imperial glory.

But an unforeseen variable had emerged—Ye Qingxian, who struck a deal with the Ancient Celestial, allowing Shi Hao to leave. This was beyond their expectations.

“Just moments ago, we received word—the Guardian will arrive personally. You had best prepare yourselves,” Mo Luo said coldly.

“What? The Guardian…” The crowd froze. The clan’s Guardian was a figure of terrifying origins. Had it not been for the Six Celestials of the ancient era, he would have been revered as their sacred totem.

“But… isn’t the Guardian nearing the end of his lifespan?” someone whispered.

Everyone knew the Guardian was on the brink of death, his vitality nearly extinguished. Why would he emerge now?

“Because of *your* failures!” the other Celestial Deity snapped.

Had they not lost the supreme treasure imbued with the essence of the world’s primordial energy, the Guardian would not have been disturbed. Now, he would expend his final embers of life.

“The Guardian will use his last moments to divine *Huang*’s location—all because of *you*!” Mo Luo’s rage sent his hair whipping wildly.

The very space around him twisted, fissures splitting the void, plunging the surroundings into darkness.

*Thud!*

The entire assembly, including True Gods, dropped to their knees.

They understood—the Guardian’s final act would be to pinpoint Shi Hao’s exact whereabouts, sacrificing his own life in the process.

This meant the Guardian would perish.

At the same time, dread gripped them. The Guardian’s actions indicated two things: the Immortal Seed’s immense value, and the terrifying potential of that youth from the Lower Realm.

“Is that young man truly so fearsome, worthy of the Guardian’s sacrifice…?” someone muttered, their expression betraying their horror.

Throughout history, prodigies had risen across the realms, but most perished prematurely or faded into obscurity. Never had one provoked such alarm from an imperial clan.

This time was different. The Guardian had chosen to act in his final moments—what had he foreseen?

Those of supreme cultivation, even in their twilight years when their strength waned, often gained glimpses of the unseen.

The thought sent chills through them all. The Guardian must have glimpsed fragments of time—perhaps a dire future.

Thus, he would expend his last breath to hunt down *Huang*, to capture and execute Shi Hao!

“Do you grasp the severity now?” Mo Luo’s voice thundered, the black void fissures around him expanding ominously.

The other Celestial Deity roared, “Your only chance at redemption is to find and kill him before the Guardian arrives!”

The grasslands turned icy. Silence reigned. They knew—catastrophe loomed.

“Mobilize all forces! Summon every allied faction, every warrior at our disposal. They’ve been searching these past days—report any leads!” Mo Luo commanded.

“Yes!” The crowd responded stiffly. None dared dissent now.

The *Edict of Annihilation* echoed across the plains. The Celestial Clan rallied every affiliated race and sect, hunting Shi Hao without restraint.

This was a full-scale manhunt—no cost spared, only results mattered.

Yet, the Celestial Clan still concealed Shi Hao’s true identity as the Lower Realm’s Shi Hao. Their greed for his techniques remained, hoping to monopolize them.

Chaos engulfed the region. Blades gleamed, armor flashed, and an aura of slaughter permeated the air.

Shi Hao heard the rumors but paid them no heed.

Standing atop a mountain gate, he gazed downward and murmured, “My identity will likely be exposed soon.”

Surprisingly, his heart was calm. Fear had no hold on him. Instead, his path grew clearer, his resolve firmer. He would grow stronger.

“If I become an Emperor, who would dare humiliate me? Who would dare seize my treasures? Who would dare imprison me?”

He sighed softly. Such was the ruthless law of the Upper Realm’s Three Thousand Provinces—the weak were prey, and reason often failed.

But once one rose to power, all clans would bow, all powerhouses would pay homage.

At the Celestial Immortal Academy, unrest stirred among the Celestial Clan’s Six Heroes.

Aside from You Yu and Yun Xi, the others had arrived later, drawn by the Immortal Seed’s rumored enlightenment potential.

None had anticipated such chaos. The grasslands were in turmoil, and the clan’s divine experts were overwhelmed.

“I wish I could tear *Huang* limb from limb! How dare he disgrace our clan like this? He deserves death!” Yu Lun declared, clad in white robes, his violet hair flowing.

One of the clan’s top talents, he had once rivaled You Yu in combat. Though he lacked a Destiny Stone, his standing among the Six Heroes far surpassed Kun Mo, who had been ousted.

“Regrettably, none of us are his match. Even You Yu cannot guarantee victory,” another said—the lowest-ranked of the Six Heroes.

“He killed True Gods—surely through some artifact or trick. His true strength cannot be that monstrous,” another reasoned.

Indeed, the outside world shared this belief. No *Zunzhe*, no matter how prodigious, could slay True Gods unaided.

“Enough. That so-called ‘Great Senior Brother’ from that wretched mountain dares provoke us. Should he be allowed to live?” Yu Lun’s gaze turned icy.

He had received reports—clansmen defeated, Kun Mo crippled. He had long desired to crush that upstart.

Now, news arrived that this “Great Senior Brother” had visited the academy, boasting he would annihilate any challengers. Yu Lun’s fury burned.

Amid the clan’s misfortunes, such insolence was intolerable. His killing intent surged.

“Caution is wise. He crippled Kun Mo—we should not act rashly,” the sixth-ranked hero advised, though he too yearned to strike.

“Fear what? I examined Kun Mo’s injuries. That man is no match for me. Even if he could rival me, I wield a divine artifact bestowed by a Celestial Deity. Killing him would be effortless.”

“Best to remain calm. Our clan is already in turmoil,” the sixth hero urged.

“Precisely why I must vent this rage! Even vermin dare insult us now—unforgivable!”

“I’ll consult You Yu,” the sixth hero said. Another nodded in agreement.

They parted on uneasy terms.

Yu Lun’s pride burned. Had You Yu not been a Primordial, he might not have surpassed him. Even the Destiny Stone was mere luck.

“Brother Yu Lun, have you heard? That wretch from the mountain claims he awaits your challenge, ready to slaughter you all.”

Yu Lun, strolling with a darkened expression, sneered, “What trash dares provoke the Celestial Clan? When I visit for leisure, I’ll erase him as an afterthought.”

The academy buzzed with whispers. Many watched, intrigued.

“The Celestial Clan is in disarray, humiliated by *Huang*. Can they even capture him?”

“Strange—the Six Heroes haven’t stormed that mountain yet. Are they afraid?”

Yu Lun’s face darkened further. Handsome in white robes, he now radiated killing intent.

Each rumor stoked his rage. As a proud scion of an imperial clan, one of its Six Heroes, such disrespect was unbearable.

Without the Destiny Stone, he might have been the clan’s strongest.

“Who knows the way? I’ll slaughter that fool—a nobody from a ruined sect, a reckless madman. A single strike will suffice!”

His words ignited excitement. Many volunteered to guide him.

“If my clansmen seek me, tell them to warm wine. I’ll return with that fool’s head and share a drink. Inform Kun Mo—his vengeance is at hand.”

The academy gates erupted in noise. Crowds gathered, eager for spectacle.

Yu Lun whistled. A white-scaled *Jiao* beast, lightning crackling under its hooves, streaked across the sky.

The creature—equine in body, draconic in head—gleamed with radiant scales, exuding terrifying might far beyond ordinary youths.

“Lead the way. I go to kill him.” He mounted the beast.