“Eh? There’s a protective array here, can’t tear through the void.” Shi Hao was startled, attempting to cross with his Void Halberd but failing.
Space twisted, silver glyphs shimmering densely ahead. Beneath the Ten Thousand Poison Divine Tree, a terrifying array activated, blocking the opening of a void passage.
“Then we’ll fly over. Even if there are True Gods, they won’t stop us,” the holy terror declared boldly.
It believed such a short distance could be crossed in a single leap, and once inside the array, it would dominate.
“Whoosh!”
It acted first, charging forward only to retreat just as swiftly, returning with lingering fear.
The Ten Thousand Poison Divine Tree was unleashing its power, shaking off thousands of auspicious rays—divine nourishment for venomous creatures but calamity for others.
This poison had transformed into light, capable of corroding divine power and weakening one’s cultivation.
Though the holy terror was indestructible, it feared its cultivation being tainted. With a breakthrough imminent, it refused to take such risks.
Shi Hao tested and found his Primordial True Eye could endure the crossing, but the corrosion would still be severe.
Xiao Tian opposed this, as an upcoming battle demanded his peak condition—even the slightest loss of divine power or cultivation was unacceptable.
She summoned the Azure Moon Flame, only to provoke the Ten Thousand Poison Divine Tree. It rumbled violently, as if a disaster had been unleashed, awakening swarms of venomous creatures ready to descend upon them.
“No wonder this ancient divine tree, the array, and the venomous creatures are key to his safety. No surprise he chose this place,” Shi Hao murmured.
He attempted to summon a divine cauldron, hiding inside to rush through, but the treasure corroded and shattered.
“Seems we’ll have to use this instead. Today’s the perfect chance to test its strength.” Shi Hao dodged swarms of True God-level venomous creatures with his Earth-Spanning Divine Art and retrieved the alchemy furnace.
Inside the furnace were lightning and curses, but since mastering the Thunder Emperor’s techniques, they no longer harmed him.
Shi Hao stored Xiao Tian and the holy terror in his Qiankun Pouch, then hid inside the furnace, piloting it like a meteor into the array.
Emerging, they marveled at the furnace’s resilience.
The Ten Thousand Poison Divine Tree was terrifying, emitting ripples nearing Heavenly God-level fluctuations, surrounded by dense, horrifying glyphs.
“This thing has divine power?” The holy terror gaped in shock.
Shi Hao was equally stunned. A divine tree, invaluable as medicine for certain beings, also possessed formidable combat prowess—remarkable indeed.
Typically, even ancient divine herbs, though sentient, lacked such abilities.
“This is extraordinary, no wonder True God-level venomous creatures worship it like a sovereign. It commands all venomous powerhouses,” Xiao Tian observed.
Ordinary beings couldn’t break through—they’d be slain en route.
They examined the furnace closely. Its lid bore an ancient phoenix, lifelike and crimson, while its body coiled with a true dragon, vivid and divine.
This ancient treasure, retrieved from the river before the Immortal Tomb on Demon Island, lacked offensive power but boasted astonishing defense.
“It might have a mysterious origin,” Xiao Tian speculated.
Without delay, they pressed deeper into the array, advancing toward a pocket realm.
The entrance lay beside the Ten Thousand Poison Divine Tree within an ancient array—no safer location existed.
The array was formidable. Had the holy terror not witnessed the Willow God’s formations, it couldn’t have guided them in. Missteps meant certain death.
The winding path was paved with divine stones and lined with emerald bamboo, shrouded in mystery and suffused with terrifyingly dense spiritual energy.
“Who’d have thought? Outside, poison mists and swarms of venomous creatures, yet inside—a paradise,” Shi Hao sighed.
Entering the pocket realm, they navigated intricate paths, avoiding lethal arrays, and reached the heart. Radiant lights streaked past, white mist swirling like an immortal’s abode.
Shi Hao vividly recalled the Immortal Palace’s heir provoking a Heavenly God-level flood dragon when choosing his seclusion spot upon entering the Immortal Ancient.
This place, devoid of flood dragon aura, was clearly another sanctuary.
He marveled at the Immortal Palace’s profound heritage and deep exploration of the Immortal Ancient, knowing countless treasure sites.
Ahead, a divine spring bubbled, auspicious energy rising, white spiritual mist transforming the area into a transcendent haven.
Purple spirit bamboo surrounded it, veiled in mist and crisscrossed by divine rainbows, resembling an immortal’s meditation ground.
Among the bamboo stood a peculiar stone, wreathed in immortal mist and thousands of radiant lights, accompanied by faint dao chants.
“It’s him, deep in enlightenment,” Shi Hao murmured, eyes fixed on the figure seated motionless on the stone, oblivious to the outside world.
“Don’t act recklessly. This bamboo grove hides deadly traps—ancient Immortal Palace arrays. A misstep means annihilation!” Xiao Tian warned.
Shi Hao nodded, already sensing the danger.
The stone, half a zhang wide and gray-brown, seemed plain but swirled with countless lights and wisps of immortal energy—utterly extraordinary.
Xiao Tian whispered, “This resembles the Immortal Palace’s Enlightenment Stone. Legend says there are three. To think he brought such a sacred relic into the Immortal Ancient.”
Hidden far away, they wouldn’t disturb the heir.
“I want that stone!” The holy terror drooled.
“Don’t even think about it,” Shi Hao refused. This treasure was priceless for those seeking to surpass predecessors and forge new paths.
With the Immortal Ancient’s final opening, the Immortal Palace pinned hopes on its heir to seize the ultimate “fortune.” Hence, they bestowed this sacred stone for his enlightenment.
This era, from the first bloom of immortal dao petals to the exhaustion of three thousand dao principles, had yet to reveal the ultimate “fortune.” All speculated it would emerge now.
The Immortal Palace, desperate to obtain it, had invested heavily.
Near the stone lay stacks of bone scriptures—ancient insights aiding his enlightenment—and a crystal shard sealing traces of sacred, crimson blood.
Shi Hao and Xiao Tian exchanged glances. That was immortal blood, mostly absorbed—only remnants remained.
On the stone, the heir sat still, dao chants resonating as crimson immortal light coursed through his body, radiating immortal dao aura.
“Using immortal blood to temper his body—how extravagant!”
Ordinary beings would kill for a drop, yet he possessed a cluster. Outside, it would spark sect wars.
The bamboo grove also held semi-divine herbs, sacred liquids, and radiant divine pills sealed in jade bottles—countless treasures to tempt anyone.
Shi Hao’s eyes burned with determination to seize them.
“How long to break the array?” he asked the holy terror.
“Though similar to Stone Village’s arrays, it has variations. We can advance halfway, but further requires time to decipher,” it replied.
Doing so would alert the heir.
“Then forget breaking it. Let’s scare him into qi deviation!” Shi Hao and Xiao Tian plotted, deciding to use dao chants to disrupt his enlightenment.
Xiao Tian taught him the Dragon’s Roar technique, while she prepared the Phoenix’s Cry. Combined, their power would multiply.
The Dragon’s Roar, though mana-intensive, was simple to master.
Shi Hao practiced briefly, then readied himself.
He also activated the furnace, preparing to unleash lightning against the array, while the holy terror set up offensive formations.
“Begin!”
Instantly, Shi Hao and Xiao Tian unleashed their divine chants—dragon’s roar and phoenix’s cry—shaking heaven and earth, a hundred times fiercer than thunder.
Simultaneously, the bamboo grove’s array was assaulted, erupting in demonic shrieks, plunging the area into chaos.
The heir, deep in enlightenment, convulsed as if struck by lightning or cursed, spewing silver-tinged blood.
The immortal blood within him raged, emitting blinding crimson light, cracking his flesh.
Disturbed by “external demons,” he suffered severe backlash, nearly perishing.
Immortal blood wasn’t easily tamed. Though its killing intent had been purified, its runes, not fully comprehended, overwhelmed a mere deity.
“Ah—!” The heir, half his body ruined, hair disheveled, collapsed onto the stone like a vengeful ghost.
Shi Hao felt no pity—the heir had repeatedly tried to kill him, even cursing his subordinates.
“You…!” The heir, half his body numb from the blood, glared furiously.
“Kill!” Shi Hao signaled the holy terror to feign effortlessly dismantling the array.
They stormed deep into the grove with shocking speed.
Panicked, the heir, severely wounded, knew he’d die if they reached him.
Gritting his teeth, he gathered treasures but failed to move the stone.
“Legend says it’s heavier than stars, impossible to store,” Xiao Tian noted, eyes gleaming.
As they closed in, the heir, consumed by rage and despair, activated a nearby teleportation array and fled.
“Wait two hours—I’ll return and slaughter you all!” he roared.
“Thanks for the enlightenment stone, ancient insights, and treasures. Much appreciated!” Shi Hao laughed.
“Pfft!”
Blood sprayed from the teleportation array as the heir, mad with fury, vanished.
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