This decision was a bit risky, but he didn’t want to miss the opportunity. He couldn’t shake the feeling that there was some important secret hidden behind that radiant gate, drawing him forward.
Shi Hao took a deep breath and stepped forward, wading into the spiritual liquid as he walked through the water toward the gate.
In the past, he wouldn’t have had the strength—he would have been crushed by the field surrounding the gate. But today, he had already taken half a step into it.
The branches of the World Tree lay there, unmistakably prominent. Naturally, Shi Hao didn’t hesitate to move them aside.
Some of the branches had already shattered. These were things said to be indestructible through countless calamities, eternal and unbreakable, yet a small portion had still been destroyed, making Shi Hao wince in regret.
What could have happened? Even the branches of the World Tree had rotted in places—it was truly shocking.
The World Tree was an ancient entity from the dawn of creation, with only one existing in a complete world. Yet now, it lay broken.
Shi Hao sighed. By now, how could he not understand? This was likely the World Tree of this realm, destroyed right here.
There was no need to dwell on it. During the Immortal Ancient War, the World Tree had been uprooted and utterly annihilated. The remnants left behind had also perished at the beginning of this era.
“Such a treasure…” Shi Hao carefully collected the broken branches, handling them with reverence.
Unfortunately, the supreme essence it once contained had long since dissipated, leaving only faint traces behind. Otherwise, its value would have been immeasurable.
The crushing pressure threatened to shatter his very soul. Half of Shi Hao’s body had already entered the radiant gate.
“Hiss!”
He sucked in a cold breath. Could it be that only his divine soul could enter, while his physical body could not? His flesh felt as if it were about to split apart—even the Indestructible Scripture couldn’t fully ease the agony.
Ssshh!
Yet when he extended his divine soul, a sharp pain struck him. Beams of radiant light descended like heavenly blades, threatening to cleave his spirit apart.
“This place…” Shi Hao staggered, nearly collapsing at the gate’s entrance.
Finally, he took a deep breath, withdrew his divine soul, and stepped forward once more—this time with both body and soul, forcing his way into the gate.
An excruciating tearing sensation overwhelmed him. His body felt as if it were being ground between millstones, while his soul was being sliced apart by invisible blades. The pain was unbearable, inside and out.
Shi Hao squeezed through the gate, his body feeling as though it carried the weight of dozens of stars. His back bent under the pressure, his bones creaking as if they might snap at any moment.
At his brow, metallic clangs rang out, as if blades were hacking at his divine soul.
“What a brutal tempering!” Shi Hao muttered, treating this as a form of refinement.
Had a cultivator at the Dunyi Realm attempted this, their body would have been crushed without question. In this radiant world, an individual seemed utterly insignificant.
Time blurred—whether it had been moments or centuries, Shi Hao couldn’t tell. Gradually, he adapted. Lifting his head, he squinted slightly, surveying his surroundings.
This was a tranquil world, a peaceful paradise.
Beneath him, a golden river flowed silently, its waters unhurried.
The land itself shimmered with a soft golden glow. The plants were pristine, emitting a gentle radiance. All in all, it was serene and harmonious.
Were it not for the pressure on his body and soul, one might mistake this for an untouched paradise—a place of seclusion, free from worldly strife.
“A Pure Land… Perhaps the True Immortals once dwelled here,” Shi Hao mused.
His body now stood straight, having adjusted after a long struggle. He took a step forward, his heavy footfall splashing water loudly, shattering the silence.
Thud!
Finally, Shi Hao stepped onto the shore. Lush grass stretched before him, veiled in misty spiritual energy, with wisps of radiant fog rising.
Even the greenery bore flecks of gold, lending it a sacred aura.
In truth, the entire world seemed gilded, as if countless suns had just risen, casting golden brilliance across the land.
It was too quiet. Too peaceful. This truly resembled the domain of primordial deities, a Pure Land of True Immortals—no clamor, no worldly disturbances, only undisturbed tranquility.
Shi Hao tensed his body, resisting the unseen pressure with all his might as he pressed onward, toward the deepest reaches of this mysterious land.
He walked along the riverbank, for it was this very river that had once carried the bloodstained paper boats downstream.
The world seemed desolate. Shi Hao walked alone at the edge of existence, seeking and exploring, venturing into the eternal unknown.
He truly didn’t know where this path led or what awaited him at its end. All he could do was endure the pressure threatening to crush his bones, step by step. Here, flight was impossible—all his power was spent resisting the oppressive force.
Time flowed strangely—sometimes feeling like millennia, other times mere moments. It was disorienting, an anomaly in this realm.
Shi Hao remained vigilant, cautious and wary.
At last, the scenery shifted ahead. Mist thickened, the sky darkened, and the golden radiance faded from the earth. The vegetation withered.
Along the way, life itself seemed to wither away. The land grew parched and hard.
A wall of gray mist, towering like the heavens themselves, severed the Pure Land, dividing it into two distinct regions.
Beyond this point, everything changed.
After a brief hesitation, Shi Hao pressed on, still following the river as he ventured deeper. His body was soon swallowed by the gray fog.
“Hmm?” He frowned in surprise. The river’s color had changed—no longer golden or brimming with spiritual energy, it now flowed in a dull gray, devoid of divine light.
This was a barren land, a dead zone, devoid of life.
And still, no trace of the bloodstained paper boats.
Time became meaningless. Eventually, Shi Hao passed through the gray mist and emerged into a vast expanse—a world unto itself.
Here, his mind reeled, his eyes filled with bewilderment.
This was a land of death, even more silent than before. His footsteps made no sound. He couldn’t even hear his own heartbeat.
The entire world seemed frozen, like an ancient, weathered painting forever suspended in a single moment.
In the distance, there were living beings, cities, temples, and ancient trees—yet all stood motionless, as if carved from clay or wood. The very cosmos seemed locked in stillness.
Withered trees bore shriveled fruit, some of which hung midair, never reaching the ground.
Creatures walked the roads, their feet raised but never descending, eternally suspended.
This was a static world—mysterious and terrifying.
It was utterly silent, as if some sudden calamity had frozen it in this instant.
Clearly, this realm had witnessed a fierce battle. Weapons had been unleashed, divine light had flashed—yet all had been arrested mid-motion.
A city struck by a treasure artifact lay half-destroyed, its rubble and dust frozen in midair, the moment of collapse eternally preserved.
Nearby, a mountainous creature, drenched in blood and wielding a halberd, was caught mid-charge, never completing its motion.
It was as if, in the midst of bloody combat, an external force had intervened, freezing the world in place.
Shi Hao moved forward, his heart pounding with shock. He alone could move in this place, gazing upon this scene with deep confusion. How many years had this world been frozen? It was like a painting of history, preserved in time.
Tai Sui Yellow Amulet Paper FuLu Taoist Love Talisman Traditional Chinese Spiritual Charm Attracting Love Protecting Marriage