Chapter 954: Somewhat Baffling

“You…” Ma Yuan’s face turned ashen as he pointed at him. This brat was too arrogant, completely disregarding him, a Heavenly Deity.

“What about ‘you’? Did you forget how I beat you up last time? Still haven’t learned your lesson? I’ll thrash you again in a bit, then finish you off for good,” Shi Hao said.

Everyone was stunned. This guy truly had no filter—daring to say anything.

Ma Yuan’s face twisted in fury, his expression savage. How dare this brat challenge him in such a tone, acting all high and mighty as if he could actually suppress him?

“Old man, don’t act all indignant. Didn’t I thrash you last time? You really are the type to forget pain the moment you eat,” Shi Hao continued to taunt him.

“Nonsense!” Ma Yuan roared. His illustrious reputation—when had he ever been beaten up by a mere Divine Flame Realm cultivator? Sure, he’d been cursed last time, but that was just carelessness.

“Stinks!” Shi Hao burst into laughter.

“Insolence! Kneel!” Ma Yuan bellowed, unleashing a Heavenly Deity secret art, sweeping out with his strongest spiritual pressure to crush Shi Hao’s divine sense and shatter his mind.

A glow emanated from Shi Hao’s brow. His divine sense was nearly at the Heavenly Deity level, not much weaker, so he remained unshaken.

“Old turtle, what are you screeching about? Performing a one-man show? Don’t you get tired of rambling to yourself? It’s annoying,” Shi Hao said lightly, arms crossed.

Last time, Ma Yuan had nearly killed him. Naturally, his words held no mercy—he was here to provoke.

Ma Yuan’s rage surged, but a chill also ran down his spine. He knew this youth had once suffered severe injuries, bearing wounds from the Great Dao. Yet now, he was brimming with vitality, completely unharmed.

The other Heavenly Deities noticed it too. His spirit was in peak condition, his Dao injuries clearly healed—something astonishing. Once wounded by the Great Dao, even they would struggle to recover.

Such injuries usually meant death for Heavenly Deities, requiring an eternity to mend. Yet this kid had done it alone.

This one was extraordinary—he had to be killed swiftly. That was the consensus among the Heavenly Deities. Shi Hao was too terrifying, having healed his Great Dao wounds by himself.

“Enough talk. Just kill him!” the Qiu Long said coldly.

“Agreed. Destroy his divine sense, but leave his flesh. We’ll decide its fate later,” the Golden Ancient Elephant declared, striking first. Its trunk lashed out like a mountain ridge, splitting the void.

“I’ll take him!”

Suddenly, a massive, furry golden hand reached from the void, aiming to seize Shi Hao. It belonged to an ancient ape, its body covered in scales with golden fur peeking through—a formidable, nigh-invulnerable creature that had once hunted Shi Hao.

“Pathetic. Why isn’t that bastard Di Kun here? I could’ve killed him too and saved trouble,” Shi Hao muttered, darting aside to evade the strike, reappearing on the other side of the lake.

The Heavenly Deities halted abruptly. This was a forbidden zone. If their attacks struck the lake, chaos would ensue.

“You scum—none of you are leaving. I’ll kill you all,” Shi Hao declared.

The crowd gaped. Such audacity! A Divine Flame Realm cultivator daring to challenge Heavenly Deities, even claiming he’d slaughter them all? It was… unthinkable!

Ma Yuan took a few steps back. He knew Shi Hao wasn’t a fool or a madman. If he wasn’t courting death, he must have a plan.

Many cultivators noticed this, their expressions shifting. Even the Heavenly Deities’ eyes gleamed with suspicion.

“Hahaha…” Shi Hao laughed heartily, then pointed at Ma Yuan with a single finger, his face full of disdain.

“Brat, what’s so funny?” Ma Yuan snapped, humiliated and enraged.

“Timid old horse, why don’t you just scram? How did trash like you even reach the Heavenly Deity Realm? Did my words just now scare you half to death?” Shi Hao’s tongue was vicious.

Damn it! Ma Yuan was fuming. This was unbearable—a Heavenly Deity, repeatedly humiliated by a junior!

“Why waste words? Just kill him. We are Heavenly Deities, supreme beings. With so many of us here, nothing can stop us!” The ancient ape roared, golden light blazing as it attacked again.

“Right. Attack!” This time, Ma Yuan charged boldly, blocking one side.

The others moved too, encircling the black lake, sealing the void. There was no escape—no matter how extraordinary Shi Hao was.

The onlookers held their breath, retreating swiftly. If Heavenly Deities struck, the aftermath would be unimaginable. None wanted to die in the crossfire.

Heavenly Deities’ wrath meant rivers of blood, mountains of corpses—utter terror.

At this moment, all eyes were fixed on Shi Hao. How could a mere Divine Flame Realm cultivator survive against Heavenly Deities? Such beings could slay other deities with a finger!

The black lake was surrounded. The Heavenly Deities were merciless, each casting their laws, scheming to capture Shi Hao for themselves.

“Good. Now that you’re all here, it’s time to kill you,” Shi Hao said coldly.

Boom!

With a single motion, he punched the lake, shattering its tranquility.

Instantly, chaos erupted. Swarms of mosquitoes surged from the water, attacking the Heavenly Deities in a frenzy.

Shi Hao quickly retrieved the Ten Thousand Spirit Diagram and donned his Thunder Emperor armor, sinking into the lake to watch.

Divine Flame Realm mosquitoes gleamed like red agate, while True God Realm insects shone silver, blotting out the sky.

No one expected him to be so bold—provoking the creatures of the Primordial Mosquito Lake, unleashing such a storm!

“Heavens!” The spectators screamed, fleeing in panic.

The insects were countless, all divine but mindless, attacking anything nearby with savage instinct.

“Don’t tell me this brat’s been hiding in the lake for months! How is he unharmed?!”

The buzzing was deafening, like metal scraping. The swarm overwhelmed even the Heavenly Deities instantly.

Yet their power was immense. Mosquito corpses rained down as they slaughtered the insects by the hundreds—each as large as a boulder, weighing dozens of pounds.

A piercing shriek tore through the air.

“Buzz!”

Golden light flashed as Heavenly Deity-level mosquitoes emerged—several at once. Their offspring had been slaughtered, and they would not tolerate it.

Shi Hao faced danger too, but the Ten Thousand Spirit Diagram shielded him, and the fire within kept the mosquitoes at bay.

“Retreat!”

The Qiu Long screamed in terror. A pair of Primordial Mosquitoes, no larger than palms, had surfaced—wreathed in chaos, exuding an aura that chilled even Heavenly Deities.

Thud!

Before the Qiu Long could finish, it was struck. A bloody hole appeared in its chest, half its essence-blood drained in an instant.

Boom!

It shattered the void, fleeing without hesitation, abandoning any thought of capturing Shi Hao.

“Ah—!”

The Dragon Sparrow fared worst. Greed had lured it too close to the lake. A Primordial Mosquito pierced its wing, detonating it and draining nearly all its blood, leaving it a withered husk.

The other Heavenly Deities shuddered. These mosquitoes were unstoppable. They turned and fled.

Their only saving grace was the mosquitoes’ mindless state. Otherwise, they’d have been doomed.

Even so, injuries piled up. Ma Yuan howled as a mosquito drilled through his calf, draining a third of his blood.

Clang!

The golden-scaled ape, despite its defenses, was pierced. Blood gushed as it staggered, pale from blood loss. With a roar, it tore through space and fled.

…

The Heavenly Deities had fled. The hunt had failed.

Had the mosquitoes been lucid, none would’ve survived.

“Damn it!”

Outside the minor realm, a Heavenly Deity roared in frustration. This was humiliating—defeated by mosquitoes!

Worst of all, Shi Hao had watched from the lake, smirking mockingly as they fled.

Now they understood his confidence. He could hide in the black lake, untouched by the mosquitoes—something no one had anticipated.

News spread, shaking half the Ancient Immortal Realm.

Several Heavenly Deities had failed, fleeing in disgrace, each wounded. It was unbelievable!

“Did I hear right? Shi Hao lives, while the Heavenly Deities barely escaped?!”

Chaos erupted across minor realms. Everyone was stunned.

“Disgrace! Utter disgrace!”

Ma Yuan’s roars were the loudest, rallying the others. Shi Hao had to die, even if it meant storming the Primordial Mosquito Lake.

A day later, they returned—joined by a Pi Xiu and Di Kun himself.

Nearly all of Shi Hao’s pursuers had gathered, returning to the Dark World’s black lake.

This shook the Ancient Immortal Realm. Crowds gathered to witness the outcome. Clearly, the Heavenly Deities had prepared—the lake might no longer shield Shi Hao.

“Di Kun, you old bastard! Still sore from the last beating? Today, I’ll finish you!”

Shi Hao emerged from the lake, taunting them immediately. The spectators winced—this guy was beyond audacious.

“You wretched brat, you’re dead!” Ma Yuan snarled.

“Who can save you now?” the Golden Ancient Elephant hissed.

“Not even a reincarnated Immortal could spare you. There’s no place left for you in heaven or earth!” Di Kun said coldly.

“Hahaha…” Shi Hao laughed, then his expression turned icy. “I’ll send you all to your graves!”