A jade jar came flying, trailing a long tail of light like a star plummeting from the heavens, streaking toward Shi Hao.
In truth, dozens of jade jars were now streaking across the sky near the various powerhouses, creating a dazzling spectacle akin to a meteor shower.
It was both sacred and resplendent—these were rare substances for enlightenment, stirring the hearts of all who beheld them, filling everyone with anticipation.
“Haha, here they come!” Some laughed in delight, overjoyed, for these enlightenment tea leaves were truly precious. With luck, a single leaf could spark enlightenment, allowing one to advance in cultivation.
How could anyone not covet and yearn for such a treasure?
Shi Hao also smiled, his eyes narrowing slightly, his deep pupils gleaming as he reached out, about to grasp the jade jar that had been drawn toward him.
“Hmm?” Suddenly, he frowned. The jade jar was struggling to break free, pulled by some strange force, resisting his control.
He swiftly increased his strength, his fingers glowing as he stabilized the struggling jar, guiding it back toward his palm.
“Haha… got it!” In the distance, some cheered as they successfully claimed their own jars.
It was clear that those who succeeded were no ordinary cultivators—they were either from imperial clans or the most powerful noble lineages. There was no luck involved; only the strong could obtain these treasures.
“Hum!”
The jade jar in Shi Hao’s hand trembled once more, threatening to escape again. He immediately realized someone was interfering, using a powerful secret treasure to contest his claim.
If it were anyone else, they might have let it go—but to dare snatch something from the hands of the infamous “Huang”? That shocked onlookers.
Shi Hao’s gaze sharpened like lightning, pinpointing the source—it came from the direction of the Chi King’s lineage.
Chi Meng Hong had already secured his own jar, catching it smoothly. Behind him, apart from the young human, his three elderly servants were channeling their magic, secretly activating a treasure that could disrupt space, attempting to steal others’ jade jars.
Shi Hao let out a cold snort. His arm flared with light, and with a resounding hum, the heavens and earth trembled. A Kun Peng materialized, its golden body streaked with black patterns, transforming into the dual energies of yin and yang. With a thunderous roar, it seized the jade jar outright, and the swirling yin-yang energies rapidly expanded.
Some sank into the earth, others dissipated into the void, vanishing swiftly.
**Boom!**
In an instant, the ground behind Chi Meng Hong exploded, spewing forth plumes of black mist, followed by the shattering of space as golden light erupted!
The converging yin and yang energies clashed violently, producing a deafening explosion.
**Pfft!**
The three elderly servants coughed up blood, staggering as the secret treasure in their hands clattered to the ground. All three were grievously wounded.
“Huang, what is the meaning of this? Do you dare disrupt the Tea Ceremony? Such audacity!” The human servant behind Chi Meng Hong stepped forward, shouting in rebuke.
Yet Shi Hao remained silent. The lingering yin-yang energies surged downward, and with a sickening **splat**, the servant’s right shoulder exploded into a bloody mist.
Had it not been for a crimson light erupting to block the yin-yang energies, he would have been obliterated entirely—body and soul annihilated.
At the critical moment, Chi Meng Hong had intervened, saving his human servant from death.
Behind Chi Meng Hong, the three elderly servants’ faces darkened, blood trickling from their lips. Despite their high status—even as servants, they were profound cultivators—they had been injured so effortlessly.
As for the human servant, his face was deathly pale. He had never imagined that, as a servant of an imperial clan, he would come so close to death. Accompanying Chi Meng Hong, he was usually revered by all clans, his status surpassing even some noble lineages. Yet today, he had been treated like an ant, nearly crushed without hesitation.
“Huang!” Chi Meng Hong narrowed his eyes, saying no more. A battle between them was inevitable—irreconcilable.
“Control your underlings,” Shi Hao said coldly. Others might tolerate it, but for a mere servant to dare contest his enlightenment tea? Truly bold.
Of course, the deeper reason was their confidence—Chi Meng Hong stood behind them, backing their audacity.
“You—!” The human servant behind Chi Meng Hong seethed with rage. His status, his prestige—today, they had brought him not glory, but humiliation.
“Still clinging to servility, daring to provoke me?” Shi Hao cast him a frigid glance. With a soft command, the lingering yin-yang energies in the air suddenly condensed and violently quaked.
**Pfft!**
This time, the human servant’s body exploded outright, blood splattering in all directions as his form was utterly destroyed.
**Thud!**
Only his head remained, rolling across the ground to stop at Chi Meng Hong’s feet, eyes wide with terror. He tried to scream, but no sound emerged—only a soul-piercing wail.
“Ahhh…!” His spirit howled in agony.
Silence fell over the mountaintop. The gathered experts were stunned. Huang was as domineering as ever, living up to his reputation as a storm-bringer.
This was truly a dragon crossing the river—daring to provoke even the descendant of the infamous Chi King, known as the most ruthless lineage.
The servant’s body had burst apart, blood spraying everywhere. Had it not been for Chi Meng Hong’s protective barrier, the crimson droplets would have splashed onto him.
“Good. It only makes me more eager to claim your head. Even if the undying issue decrees, I will refine your essence, extract your marrow, and take it back to make sauce!” Chi Meng Hong’s eyes burned crimson, his grin revealing gleaming white teeth as he licked his lips, sending chills down the spines of all who witnessed it.
“Heh. You’ll make history—the first of this generation’s imperial youth to fall in battle,” Shi Hao replied lightly.
His words were soft, yet they carried an icy killing intent. The two were like spear and shield—destined for a bloody, fatal clash.
“Now, fetch water to brew the tea!” An elder beneath the Enlightenment Tea Tree announced.
The mountaintop stirred as many rose, gazing into the distance where towering mountains pierced the clouds, perpetually cloaked in snow.
Now, amidst swirling snowflakes, the cultivators began collecting divine ice from the sacred peaks, preparing to brew their tea.
Snowflakes danced, and divine ice flew through the air, leaving shimmering trails of crystalline light.
This was no ordinary ice—it was said to contain mystical energies, the perfect water for brewing tea. Legends spoke of an undying king who once meditated here, imbuing the glaciers with Daoist aura, making their meltwater extraordinary.
As the ice was gathered and placed into vessels, some began kindling Dao flames to slowly heat the water.
Soon, wisps of fragrance wafted forth, refreshing the soul. Even those without the privilege to drink felt their spirits lighten.
Shi Hao examined the tea in his jade cup, his expression shifting.
From the moment he obtained the leaf, he had been intrigued. Its shape was unremarkable—just an ordinary tea leaf, not resembling a cauldron, dragon, or other symbolic form.
Only now, as the tea steeped, did faint immortal mist begin to swirl within the cup.
A wisp of primordial fog rose from the leaf, hazy yet seemingly containing an extraordinary power.
Shi Hao closed his eyes slightly, taking a sip. The flavor was exquisite, but more importantly, it brought an unparalleled tranquility. Even in this foreign land, with no path home in sight, his heart settled into serenity.
He marveled—this Enlightenment Tea was indeed miraculous, instantly clearing his mind and thrusting him into a state of enlightenment.
In that moment, the world blurred, auspicious energy flourishing around him. He forgot all else, immersed in the rhythm of the Great Dao, sensing the unlocking of his body’s hidden treasures.
“Primordial Qi!”
His heart jolted. He sensed it—the strand of Primordial Qi within him stirring, surging like a vast ocean of power.
This strand was peculiar, predating even the three immortal qi within him. It had lain dormant until one day, he had suddenly discovered it.
This tea leaf was extraordinary. Could the mist rising from it be connected to the Primordial Qi?
Shi Hao’s eyes narrowed further, his mind growing ever more lucid, his body and spirit serene. He felt points of clear light within him, gates on the verge of opening—linked to the Primordial Qi.
In an instant, he sensed the stirrings of a breakthrough!
His body radiated light as he sat cross-legged. The gates of his inner treasures cracked open slightly, bathing him in a sacred glow, dazzlingly radiant.
Many watched with envy, knowing that Huang had gained something significant.
“Am I about to reach the late stage of the Slashing Self Realm?” Shi Hao wondered, exhilarated. Such speed in cultivation was indeed terrifying!
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