“This… Could it be that the Immortal Ancient is about to split open, and we can finally enter?!”
Outside, everyone’s hearts trembled with excitement. Some were already shaking uncontrollably, their bodies spasming from sheer exhilaration, barely able to suppress the urge to roar at the heavens.
This was utterly astonishing. The Immortal Ancient held the greatest fortune in this world. Whoever truly obtained it could stand unrivaled for eternity, achieving the ultimate transcendence.
Unfortunately, cultivators beyond the Venerable realm could not enter—a tremendous regret. The sect masters and divine beings of the world could only watch from afar, unable to approach.
But now, a faint crack had appeared, stretching across the vast, uninhabited wilderness. Perhaps the opportunity had finally arrived!
“Whoosh!”
Someone struck. It was a Moonlight Gilded Bell, its chimes resounding like celestial music. Coated in a thin layer of radiant Immortal Gold, it shimmered brilliantly, flawless and pure.
The moment the bell appeared, the heavens shattered. Its power was so overwhelming that even divine beings shuddered in fear. It could crush an entire group of Heavenly-ranked experts with ease.
Undoubtedly, a sect master had acted immediately, attempting to widen the crack and force their way into the Immortal Ancient.
“Clang!”
Yet, something shocking occurred. A mysterious law emanated from the faint fissure, repelling the Moonlight Gilded Bell.
Even the sky had collapsed under the bell’s resonance—how could this already fractured region remain so unyielding, even deflecting a sect master’s weapon?
The terror did not end there. The crack glowed, its laws terrifying as it unleashed a dazzling aurora, striking the bell once more.
“Crack!”
A shattering sound echoed—the Moonlight Gilded Bell was damaged!
Though its outer layer of Immortal Gold remained intact, the interior had fractured, crumbling from within.
In the Upper Realm, weapons infused with even a trace of Immortal Gold were considered peerless treasures, possessed by only a handful of sect masters.
Yet now, this Moonlight Gilded Bell had been destroyed, a sight that pained all who witnessed it.
But precisely because of this, everyone was reminded—the Immortal Ancient was not so easily breached. Even with a crack, truly opening it would be near impossible.
**Boom!**
Another sect master attacked, but this time, they dared not use a treasure, fearing its destruction. Instead, they unleashed a supreme divine ability.
The crack remained unchanged, releasing a mist of radiant energy that dissolved the attack. A powerful counterforce surged back, striking toward the sect master.
They dodged, but the mountains and rivers behind them instantly turned to dust. Watching towering peaks crumble into nothingness, even the gods trembled in fear.
“Fellow Daoists, let us join forces and break through!” a sect master shouted.
They were the rulers of the Upper Realm, the most powerful beings alive. Now that the Immortal Ancient had shown signs of weakness, how could they resist the temptation?
“We guide the masses, bearing the great fortune of heaven and earth. It is only right that we partake in this opportunity. Fellow Daoists, let us act together!” another responded.
The next moment, a group of sect masters unleashed their divine arts, concentrating their power on a single spatial rift!
Within the Immortal Ancient ruins, everyone was alarmed. The crack was enormous, spanning all minor realms and inciting panic. What did this mean?
Was this ancient land about to collapse, vanishing forever?
What unsettled them most was that in one of the minor realms, the crack trembled slightly, as if enduring an assault—someone outside seemed to be trying to force their way in!
However, given the current state, the boundary was unlikely to break. The great fissure was interwoven with mysterious laws, even faintly exuding immortal energy.
For now, it was safe. But if this continued for months… disaster might strike.
The natives were anxious. They had heard tales of the outside world. If this realm were to split open, the consequences would be unimaginable.
As for the outsiders, many cheered, for this meant their sects might soon arrive.
For some, this was the best news. They knew they stood no chance against the ancient freaks in the Immortal Ancient’s competition.
Many once-proud geniuses now tasted bitterness. After witnessing the true power of the ancient kings, they were left with nothing but defeat.
“Hahaha… Our sect’s divine beings are coming! Shi Hao, let’s see how you escape this calamity!” someone laughed uncontrollably.
“Rejoice! Welcome our sect master, who will sweep away all enemies! Whether it be the Banished Immortal or Shi Hao, all shall be crushed. Your brilliance now will only end in futile lament!”
Such voices were not few—remnants of the Nether Clan, Celestial Nation, Divine Temple, Crimson Cloud Cave, and Dragon Demon Sect, among many others.
They desperately hoped their sect masters would arrive, conquer the Immortal Ancient, and seize the greatest fortune of all time!
Yet, for now, everyone suppressed their excitement and rushed toward the Cloud Realm. There, the immortal arena had opened, accompanied by a colossal golden palace.
At this moment, not only outsiders but even the natives flooded into this minor realm, packing it to the brim.
In the Ancestral Sacrificial Land, Shi Hao sighed. He had received word—the arena’s opening was good news, but if the Immortal Ancient split too soon, disaster loomed.
“I must race against time. Before the outsiders break in, I must rise to the top, stand upon that arena, and crush all challengers!” Shi Hao declared.
Otherwise, catastrophe would strike. The true fortune might slip from his grasp. Once the sect masters entered, they would stop at nothing—just the thought sent chills down his spine.
For Shi Hao, it could mean death.
“Cough!”
Shi Hao spat blood, his face pale as paper, his body swaying unsteadily.
“The Willow Deity’s technique is truly extraordinary,” he murmured. This was the art of life, the path to eternal dao. Once mastered, not only would his offensive power soar, but even severe injuries would heal in moments.
Yet, this technique was incredibly difficult to cultivate. To comprehend the laws of life, one had to walk the line between life and death.
Once perfected, his vitality would surge endlessly, his blood energy towering like that of the Ten Calamities reborn, making him one of the strongest in his realm.
This was a transformation of rebirth!
But to achieve such overwhelming vitality, he first had to burn himself, exhausting his essence.
To gain, one must first lose—this was the balance of the technique.
Now, he was in the midst of this metamorphosis. His once-golden divine body had dulled, his flesh withering slightly.
“Damn it! I’m on the verge of a breakthrough, yet the arena has opened!” Shi Hao’s eyes gleamed with resolve. He would not miss the tournament.
But now, he had to break through, burning his own vitality in the process.
“I must go. The sooner I defeat my rivals and dominate the arena, the further I distance myself from danger!” Shi Hao clenched his fists.
His skin grew increasingly ashen, his body frail and drained.
**Boom!**
The next moment, golden flames of blood energy erupted around him, blazing fiercely.
From afar, he shone like a golden furnace. But up close, it was horrifying—this was not a breakthrough but a consumption of his very life.
Like a firework, he blazed brilliantly, but at the cost of his vitality.
“Disaster strikes at the worst time. What do I do?” Shi Hao frowned.
The Eight-Armed Soul Clan was alarmed. Their patriarch rushed over, exclaiming, “Young friend, what happened? Do you need my aid?!”
They were more terrified than Shi Hao. If anything happened to him, their entire clan would grieve—they were counting on him to lift their curse.
“Young friend, take this Demon-Repelling Pill!” Another divine being arrived in haste, offering a precious elixir, mistaking his condition for qi deviation.
Shi Hao smiled bitterly. This had nothing to do with qi deviation—he was simply burning his own vitality.
“What?! Igniting your own life force? That’s madness!” The patriarch immediately ordered someone to fetch divine herbs.
“No!” Shi Hao stopped them. He could not “replenish” himself—that would only fuel the flames, worsening the burn.
“What now? I can’t afford to seclude myself.” Shi Hao’s frown deepened.
He truly shouldn’t move. His condition was dire, his essence rapidly depleting, his body withering further.
Now he understood why the Willow Deity had warned him to cultivate this technique only at a higher realm. To achieve surging vitality, one must first experience annihilation.
“Should I go now, or wait until I emerge from seclusion?” Shi Hao wrestled with the dilemma.
In the Cloud Realm, the golden palace loomed majestically—a Conveyance Ancient Hall, though none knew what it truly summoned.
Beside it, the arena stood dull and ancient, its surface stained with black blood, a testament to past battles.
It hovered mid-air, vast beyond measure.
The ground and sky were packed with people, buzzing with excitement and speculation.
“Who dares to step onto the stage first?”
Many hesitated, unwilling to be the first to exhaust themselves and fall prey to others.
“Fear not. The arena is fair. No one can exploit loopholes. Whoever ascends must win a hundred consecutive battles before resting.”
“What?!” Many were stunned.
A hundred straight victories? That was brutal. Every participant in the Immortal Ancient was a genius, a prodigy among their peers.
The difference between them was minimal. Who could guarantee a hundred wins?
Many felt their hearts turn cold. This was nearly impossible!
“If you can’t, others can. The strongest prodigies, the ancient kings—they can all achieve it. Unless, of course, their mortal enemies appear.”
“Fine, I’ll go first!”
A Three-Headed Hellhound roared and leaped onto the colossal stage, appearing as insignificant as a leaf.
For the arena was unimaginably vast.
Suddenly, a commotion erupted in the distance as the crowd parted.
“Shi Hao… He’s here already!” someone gasped.
In that instant, all eyes turned to him, tension thick in the air.
“How is he here so soon? Does he plan to leave no chance for anyone else?”
Many speculated that Shi Hao intended to dominate the arena, forcing all challengers to retreat.
With the Banished Immortal, Ning Chuan, and the Ten Crown King seemingly slain by lightning, who could stop him now?
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