Chapter 778: The Center of Attention

Huang, a name brimming with eerie and formidable power!

When his identity was revealed, the crowd erupted in an uproar, shocking all the heroes present, their clamor soaring into the heavens.

“How could it be him? A disciple from a declining minor sect is actually Huang?!”

This was an earth-shattering revelation. The deafening noise quickened the blood of many, their eyes widening as they stared at the delicate-looking youth before them.

From ordinary cultivators to Venerable Ones, and even deities—men and women, young and old—were all profoundly shaken. It was truly exhilarating, as if a surge of heat coursed through their veins.

“Heavens, he’s Huang! Finally, we see him in person. Such methods—truly defying the heavens!”

Many cried out in disbelief, finding it all too incredible.

The news was too astonishing, the truth too abrupt. None were mentally prepared, and upon learning the result, they were all overwhelmed with excitement and disbelief.

Huang, who rose to prominence in the Five Elements Province, battled various prodigies and made his name known across dozens of provinces. Later, his entanglement with the Celestial Clan led to many sect leaders converging upon the Celestial City, stirring up storms there.

Now, he had arrived here, his identity exposed, naturally becoming the focal point. Everyone was discussing him, their eyes wide as they stared at him as if he were a monster.

“Slaying the Netherworld Prince, beheading the Sun God Vine, stewing the Purple-Gold True Lion, battling the inheritor of the Immortal Palace, defeating the War King—one feat after another, his achievements are too glorious!”

“And now, he has crushed You Yu, bisecting the Celestial Clan’s top young supreme. Truly divine valor!”

Many young cultivators gazed at the youth in the arena with fiery eyes, their blood boiling with reverence. To them, he was the peerless powerhouse of their generation.

“I knew it! With his delicate looks and transcendent aura, like an exiled immortal, how could he be the so-called scoundrel those people spoke of? He was merely temporarily residing in a declining minor sect—he is Huang!”

At the Celestial Immortal Academy, some female students’ eyes sparkled as they clenched their delicate fists, their expressions brimming with excitement. Earlier, they had argued with others over this very matter.

“Incredible! He’s Huang, the one who shattered the Myth of Destiny. A divine prodigy!”

Many were exhilarated, some filled with admiration, others with fear, their emotions tumultuous as they gazed upon the formidable youth in the arena.

If anyone was most disheartened, it was undoubtedly the Celestial Clan. At this moment, they felt as if they had stepped into an abyss, their world turned upside down, their vision darkening.

This outcome left them trembling, filled with shame. Even You Yu had been utterly defeated, nearly dying on the spot.

Divine-level experts radiated with power, flames surging, their killing intent piercing the heavens. Yet, moments ago, they had failed to strike him down, unable to match his speed, forced to watch as he delivered that fatal slash.

“Ah—!” A deity roared, his hair wild with fury, unleashing boundless killing intent that caused leaves to fall from countless trees.

Someone cradled You Yu, swiftly tending to his wounds, preventing the lightning runes from corroding his body further and averting his demise.

You Yu had lost the lower half of his body, blood splattering everywhere, his face deathly pale. Once a peerless young powerhouse, capable of dominating the elites of all clans, he had now suffered a crushing defeat, reduced to this state.

For the younger generation of the Celestial Clan, this was a devastating blow. That single slash had shattered their confidence, severed the pride of their imperial lineage, and cut down the glory of antiquity!

A prodigy of the imperial clan, fused with the Stone of Destiny and having unlocked the Myth of Destiny, had reached the pinnacle of strength—yet he had been bisected. How terrifying was that?

You Yu was no ordinary figure; he was the Celestial Clan’s strongest representative, at the very peak of his power, yet he had been cleanly cut down. This was the most crushing blow of all.

It struck at the very heart of the clan, grievously wounding a core belief of theirs!

“Ah—this can’t be real!” Some of the younger members screamed, unable to accept this reality.

Many looked on with sympathy for the Celestial Clan. Of all people to provoke, they had encountered such a monstrous talent. This battle had nearly shattered the Dao hearts of their younger generation!

Among the Celestial Clan, Yun Xi stood dumbfounded. Never had she imagined that this was Huang—the youth from the lower realm, Shi Hao. Her delicate frame trembled, her heart thrown into chaos.

Earlier, You Yu had secretly informed the clan’s divine-level experts that his opponent was Huang, but the younger generation, including Yun Xi, had been kept in the dark.

Only now, as the battle concluded and Huang’s identity was fully exposed, did Yun Xi understand. She couldn’t help but shudder as she gazed at the youth before her.

Rising from the lower realm, laughing through battles, once despised by gods and men alike, once domineering as a demon king, once stubborn as a rogue, once heroic as a warrior facing seven deities in a desperate struggle to turn the tide…

This youth, following his heart, had fought his way to the upper realm, carving out the name “Huang” that now drew the attention of all factions, shaking the great sects.

Yun Xi fell silent, her exquisite face etched with complexity. Shi Hao had once bled for her over tens of thousands of miles, only to become a prisoner of the Celestial Clan. And now, in this place, under these circumstances, they met again—Shi Hao, peerlessly powerful, bisecting the Celestial Clan’s supreme prodigy, You Yu. Waves of emotion crashed within Yun Xi’s heart…

In the distance, Qing Yi wore a faint smile, her snow-white robes pristine, her hair flowing softly, her eyes clear and serene, standing aloof as she quietly observed the figure in the arena.

She had long known this youth possessed formidable methods and would not be defeated. Even facing the Myth of Destiny, he could protect himself—because she knew him all too well. And now, what she had foreseen had come to pass.

“Qing Yi, did you already know he was Huang?” Feng Wu asked.

“I had my suspicions,” Qing Yi replied with a smile.

“What a pity. He had successfully passed the Celestial Stairway and was about to join our Celestial Immortal Academy, only for this mishap to occur,” an elder lamented, pounding his chest in regret. He, too, had pieced everything together.

But what more could be said? After being snatched away by that notorious figure, could they still hope to reclaim him?

“What? He’s Huang, the one who once passed the Celestial Stairway at our academy?” Some students, upon hearing this, were stunned into silence.

“This senior brother…” Many were at a loss for words. They had once scorned him, even organizing efforts to suppress this so-called miscreant. Who could have imagined the layers of his identity? The so-called disciple of a minor, declining sect was merely a facade—he was truly someone not to be trifled with!

“He traversed the Celestial Stairway of the Celestial Immortal Academy?!” Cultivators from various clans erupted in renewed uproar, the revelation causing a sensation.

After all, the Celestial Immortal Academy was renowned, and their ultimate trial had long piqued the interest of disciples from other great sects, who had studied it in detail. Who didn’t know the difficulty of that stairway? For ages, none had succeeded in crossing it.

“Of course! Because he is Huang, such strength is only natural. His success makes perfect sense!”

After the initial shock, everyone came to terms with it. Simply because this was Huang, that was enough.

In a sense, the crowd held him in the highest regard, recognizing Huang as one of the foremost young elites of the current upper realm.

For a moment, all eyes turned toward that figure.

Upon the mountain, Shi Hao stood tall, holding a peculiar stone in his hand. It shimmered with myriad colors, emitting dazzling light rain that soared into the clouds, enveloping the area. At times, it was pure as jade; at others, crimson as sunset; and still others, wreathed in violet mist.

The Stone of Destiny, no larger than a fist, radiated terrifying fluctuations, like a raging ocean, causing the ancient trees on the mountain to sway and tremble.

Moreover, its brilliance was overwhelming. When crimson, it dyed the entire sky red; when violet, it resembled the auspicious eastern mists, as if vast clouds had descended.

A sacred aura permeated the air, its radiance soaring from Shi Hao’s palm like a towering beacon.

Without a doubt, this was a divine treasure of the highest order!

At this moment, Shi Hao was the center of attention, the focus of all the great sects’ powerhouses.

“Huang, with your vile nature and cruel methods, repeatedly targeting and insulting our Celestial Clan, we cannot allow you to remain in this world any longer!”

A cold voice rang out—belonging to a powerhouse of the Celestial Clan, divine flames flickering, boundless and blazing, accompanied by rolling killing intent.

Hearts pounded among the crowd. What was destined to come had arrived.

The enmity between Huang and the Celestial Clan was well-known to all present. There would be no peaceful resolution.

The Celestial Clan was now consumed by fury, their killing intent towering. Earlier, they had held back, coldly observing.

Their initial urgency had been to prevent You Yu’s defeat, but now that the outcome was decided, whether they acted sooner or later made no difference.

Failing to save You Yu, watching him be bisected and lose the Stone of Destiny, had filled the Celestial Clan’s powerhouses with anguish and rage.

“Still slandering me? Have you no shame? Such hypocrisy! Name one instance where I wronged you!”

In the arena, the youth remained composed, his sole Heavenly Passage glowing like a golden sun, enveloping him in radiance, making him appear dazzling and mighty, like a battle immortal.

“You infiltrated our Celestial City with vile intentions, seeking to steal our clan’s treasure, the Flying Immortal Stone. When exposed, you slandered our clan. Now, in Fire Province, you’ve ruthlessly slaughtered our experts and destroyed our divine mines. Your actions are despised by gods and men alike, devoid of humanity! You deserve divine retribution!” a deity declared coldly.

The mountain was crowded with cultivators from various sects, their murmurs filling the air.

Recently, these events had stirred up a storm, and many had heard of them.

“I heard the Celestial Clan sought to seize his treasure techniques.”

“This time, Huang was truly ferocious, single-handedly wreaking havoc, destroying the Celestial Clan’s divine mines. His methods are astounding.”

Some criticized, others praised. With so many present, opinions varied, but truth could not remain hidden forever. Sooner or later, it would come to light.

“Laughable! I saved your clan’s Celestial Maiden, only to be forcibly taken to the Celestial City, where you plotted to steal my treasure techniques and imprisoned me in a black dungeon. Is there any clan more shameless and ungrateful than yours?!” Shi Hao rebuked loudly.

Some powerhouses believed actions spoke louder than words, but Shi Hao trusted that exposing the truth before the world—even if false—would spark discussion and reflection, ultimately leaving the Celestial Clan disgraced and scrambling.

In the distance, Yun Xi lowered her head, her face flushed with shame and sorrow.

Shi Hao continued, “I destroyed your divine mines—that was me collecting interest. But your Celestial Clan is truly pathetic, unworthy of being an imperial lineage. Your so-called experts are like scarecrows, and even your so-called young supreme is weak, easily crushed!”

These words turned the faces of the Celestial Clan ashen, some nearly fainting from rage, their bodies trembling.

The crowd erupted once more. This formidable youth held nothing back, daring to speak so bluntly, striking at the Celestial Clan’s sorest spots. Where would they hide their faces now? The gloves were off!

And it was hard to refute.

After all, who didn’t know of Huang’s rampage through Fire Province, turning the grasslands upside down, crushing the Celestial Clan’s forces, and even drawing out a Heavenly Deity to salvage the situation?

As for the defeat of the Celestial Clan’s young elites, that was even more undeniable—it had just happened before everyone’s eyes.

Now, with Huang tearing open these wounds, it was a bloody, painful blow, worse than killing them, leaving the clan with a profound sense of defeat and humiliation.

In truth, Shi Hao’s few simple words, spoken publicly, carried more destructive power than several battles, the destruction of the divine mines, or even his defeat of You Yu!

Many in the Celestial Clan were red-eyed, barely containing their fury, on the verge of howling at the heavens.

Sometimes, a few spoken words struck harder than a sect leader’s full-force blow, leaving an entire clan defeated and humiliated. Now, many in the Celestial Clan trembled, fists clenched.

“You vile wretch! Spouting nonsense, maliciously slandering our clan! Setting aside everything else, just your wanton destruction of our divine mines and slaughter of our clansmen is enough to deny you another day in this world!” someone roared.

“Yun Xi, unleash your Heavenly Deity artifact and kill him!” a cold voice commanded from the shadows, ordering her to act.

Yun Xi shuddered, her head snapping up.

“This is our clan’s shame. If you, his peer, can slay him, it might salvage some shred of our dignity,” the voice said icily.

Yun Xi trembled, then finally raised her head to gaze at the youth in the arena.

At the same time, Shi Hao sensed her gaze and turned to look her way.