A mighty figure of an era had just perished like this!
Undoubtedly, he was a figure of the Immortal Dao, though the extent of his strength was hard to define or articulate.
Yet, in the end, he died just like this—guarding the Myriad Dao Tree for endless ages until it matured in recent years, while he himself turned into a cold, lifeless stone statue.
Placing his hopes in the uncertain cycle of reincarnation was both ethereal and tragic, but he had no other choice, for he had already sustained fatal wounds in the past.
The Myriad Dao Tree glowed, suspended right before Shi Hao. Its leaves were ancient and unadorned, exuding chaotic energy, while its gnarled branches coiled like dragons, stretching and winding.
Bearing countless Dao fruits, the tree flickered between brilliance and obscurity—shining as dazzling as the sun one moment, then dimming into the unfathomable darkness of the cosmos the next. The tree itself was tangible, but its fruits were manifestations of the Dao.
Such a tree was truly priceless, beyond any exchange.
A vessel of the Great Dao, it naturally gathered the laws of the myriad heavens. To cultivate by integrating it into one’s body was unimaginable!
With a *swish*, the entire tree shrank to a mere foot in height, yet its ancient aura intensified. Tens of thousands of Dao energies cascaded down like waterfalls.
Each strand of energy was unique, falling from different fruits, swirling like ten thousand star rivers hanging from the heavens!
“Fellow Daoist, this is the Dao Seed left by my clan’s Immortal King Ao Sheng for his descendants,” the middle-aged Supreme Being in the distance reminded.
Shi Hao paid no heed. Instead, he bowed to the stone figure before carefully storing it away, intending to find a suitable resting place to fulfill his promise and settle the karmic debt.
Then, with a *bang*, he grasped the foot-tall Myriad Dao Tree, feeling the surging power of the Great Dao. He planted it within his body, silently sensing its resonance.
“Fellow Daoist, do you intend to take it by force?” another Supreme Being spoke, stepping forward aggressively.
“Hmm?” Shi Hao turned, his gaze icy as he regarded the two Supreme Beings. “That senior made it clear—the Myriad Dao Tree does not belong to Ao Sheng, nor is it tied to your clan. It has been given to me. Who dares to seize it?”
With a glare, he unleashed a killing intent that made the entire group tremble. The two Supreme Beings hurriedly cast protective spells, shielding the younger generation with sacred radiance.
They were helpless. If a fight truly broke out, even if they all attacked together, they wouldn’t stand a chance against this young man!
Though they had heard rumors, witnessing it firsthand was still shocking. This was the desolate Nine Heavens and Ten Earths, barren and incomplete, where even the Great Dao was flawed—yet such a terrifying young being had emerged here.
“As expected of Huang, the one who slew the Imperial Clan of the Foreign Lands, unrivaled among his peers. Truly formidable. Even in the Immortal Domain, you would surely carve out a place for yourself,” the middle-aged Supreme Being remarked.
The other remained silent, having long recognized Shi Hao’s uniqueness. Even the prodigies born from Immortal King families might not compare.
“Fellow Daoist, would you be willing to part with it? We are prepared to offer a price in exchange,” they negotiated.
“No. I have great use for it,” Shi Hao refused flatly.
Luo Lin, Qing Yi’s disciple, fluttered in her yellow robes and spoke up, “You’ve already reached the Supreme Being realm. Why cling to it? Even if you fuse with it, the benefits would be minimal. Why be so stubborn? Ao Kun here needs it for his cultivation. If he succeeds in the future, he will surely remember your kindness!”
She pointed to a young man beside her—Ao Kun, the focal point of their group. Though only at the Heavenly Deity realm, his talent was extraordinary, hailed as the “prodigy of the Ao Sheng family.”
Ao Kun’s potential was immense. Even now, he dominated his generation. Though young, his name already resonated across the Immortal Domain, unmatched among Heavenly Deities!
“I have disciples of my own who need it more,” Shi Hao replied indifferently.
“Huang, you truly lack flexibility. Ao Kun will one day become an Immortal King. If he succeeds, how could he forget your kindness? He would surely look after you!” Luo Lin pressed.
Shi Hao’s cold gaze swept over her, causing the void to tremble and the heavens to crack. Stars above quivered, threatening to fall.
Did he need the future protection of a junior? What a joke!
Luo Lin paled, swaying on her feet, nearly collapsing again.
Shi Hao remained silent, but others were not so restrained. Mu Qing stepped forward, pointing at her. “Do you have a death wish?”
That single sentence made the entire opposing group tense.
“Traitorous wench! My master spares you out of respect for Senior Qing Yi, yet you repeatedly show disrespect. If you seek death, I’ll grant it!” The Red Dragon lunged forward, closing the distance. “You side with outsiders despite being Qing Yi’s disciple. I’ll cleanse the house for her!”
True to his fiery temper, the Red Dragon struck without hesitation.
“You—!” Luo Lin, humiliated and furious, retaliated, but she was no match for him.
*Thud!*
A single swipe of the Red Dragon’s tail shattered her bones, leaving her immobile.
Ao Kun helped her up, but Luo Lin trembled with rage. Despite knowing these people were extraordinary, her innate arrogance made her look down on beings from this realm, believing the Immortal Domain was superior.
“By obstructing Ao Kun’s path, you’ve invited the wrath of his elder brother, Ao Qian!” Luo Lin declared.
Ao Qian, the so-called “Young Lord,” was hailed as one of the Immortal Domain’s strongest prodigies. Since his emergence, only two or three peers—all descendants of Immortal Kings—could rival him.
He was also the one Luo Lin hoped her master, Qing Yi, would form a Dao partnership with.
Shi Hao ignored the threat. Ao Qian? If he came, he’d be slain. Though not yet an Immortal, Shi Hao’s ambition lay in the Immortal King realm.
So-called peers or young prodigies were no longer his concern.
“Ao Qian? Never heard of him. If he dares come, we’ll capture him for our master!” the Red Dragon scoffed.
“Such a person? We’ll handle him,” Mu Qing added bluntly.
Luo Lin was stunned, convinced these people were madmen to dare belittle Ao Qian and defy an Immortal King’s descendant.
“You—you all!” she stammered.
“Enough. If the fellow Daoist refuses, we won’t press further,” one Supreme Being interjected, fearing Shi Hao’s wrath.
“I came with another purpose—to relay a message from my master. In a century, the Immortal Domain will host a grand event. Qing Yi has been seeking a way to bring you there,” Luo Lin said.
Initially, she had withheld this news out of selfishness, but now she genuinely wished for Shi Hao to witness the Immortal Domain’s might and be humbled by its strongest talents.
Shi Hao saw through her intentions. Were she not Qing Yi’s disciple, he would have crushed her already.
“Indeed, in a century, the Immortal Domain will hold a grand event. Though the realms are severed, exceptions can be made for non-Immortals,” the middle-aged Supreme Being confirmed.
It was an invitation of sorts.
Behind them, Tianjiao Ant, Cao Yusheng, and Mu Qing exchanged uneasy glances.
“*Heh*, who in this Age of Decadence is worthy of entering the Immortal Domain? If you wish to go, let me test you first. If you’re too weak, abandon the thought.”
A sudden voice echoed from the void as a hazy light enveloped a figure—an elderly man with white hair and beard, exuding an Immortal’s aura yet bound by chains of the Great Dao.
“Ao Ling, the Ancestor!” Many gasped, including the two Supreme Beings. A true Immortal had descended!
“Ancestor, how could you descend to the lower realm?” they asked in shock.
In this Age of Decadence, true Immortals were forbidden from roaming freely, lest they trigger dire consequences.
“With caution, it’s manageable. These Dao chains suppress my aura,” Ao Ling replied coolly.
“The clan was wary of the guardian of the Myriad Dao Tree—stubborn as a rock in a latrine. I followed in secret to ensure success,” he added, his cold gaze fixed on Shi Hao.
“Hand over the Myriad Dao Tree. It does not belong to you.”
No one had expected an Immortal to lurk in the shadows. Tianjiao Ant, Cao Yusheng, and Zhu Lin tensed with dread. Even the Stone of Divine Slaying grew cautious—they were in grave danger.
“It is mine,” Shi Hao stated simply.
“*Heh*, do you force me to act? Even bound, an Immortal is beyond a Supreme Being’s reach. Hand it over, or perish,” Ao Ling threatened.
“Try me!” Shi Hao’s eyes blazed with battle intent. He had slain crippled Immortals before—this self-restrained true Immortal was no exception.
“Arrogant brat! A lower-realm whelp dares disrespect an Immortal King’s lineage? I’ll capture you myself!” Ao Ling lashed out, his massive hand descending.
*Boom!*
Shi Hao struck back without retreating. The heavens shattered, the earth split, and ghostly wails filled the air as the cosmos itself seemed to explode.
His left hand erupted with golden radiance, drowning the vast expanse of the Grave Realm in divine might.
*Crack!*
Ao Ling’s arm shattered instantly, his body splitting apart as blood sprayed, then detonated into mist.
Luo Lin and the others stood frozen in disbelief.
*This… is Huang?!*
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