Chapter 1508: The Origins of the Ancient Pool

This was also the concern of others—they felt it best to resolve the issue of Shi Hao as soon as possible, whether by killing or capturing him.

“Throw him up here!” someone shouted. It was a young man, licking his lips and revealing a mouth full of snow-white teeth, his killing intent thick.

“Exactly! How can we let him die in pain? The elites of our world cannot die in vain. We should drag him to their graves to offer sacrifices, make him kneel and atone for his sins!” another suggested.

A group of young people clamored, both excited and agitated, their voices laced with cold-blooded murderous intent.

“Throw him up!” An elder nodded in agreement, believing that capturing Shi Hao alive would be better than killing him outright, as they could extract more secrets from him.

In the lake, the Fearless Lion’s massive claw descended, its golden radiance dazzling and resplendent, shaking the entire body of water.

Though it was undergoing metamorphosis, its movements were still far less hindered than others, allowing it to attack unimpeded.

Beneath the water, Shi Hao’s body felt as if it were being torn apart. The lake was like a terrifying millstone capable of grinding down gods and demons, crushing him beneath its weight, threatening to reduce him to bloody pulp.

Blood seeped from his seven orifices, yet his body still glowed like a comet crashing into the earth, determined to deliver a fatal blow to the lion.

**”Boom!”**

Unfortunately, in this place, his injuries were too severe. His essence, energy, and spirit were rapidly draining, and the suppression of the lake water prevented him from unleashing his full strength.

The outcome was inevitable—when that massive claw descended, he suffered grievous wounds.

The Fearless Lion was enormous, its claw like a golden hook. One of its talons grazed Shi Hao’s body, tearing off a chunk of flesh deep enough to reveal bone, nearly disemboweling him.

“Interesting. You can still move in the lake without your power being completely nullified,” the Fearless Lion remarked.

The creatures on the shore were stunned, for they had tried attacking earlier—any force they unleashed was instantly dissolved.

According to the Golden Lion, the suffering endured here far exceeded the limits of one’s cultivation realm.

**”Splat!”**

At that moment, a spray of blood erupted from Shi Hao’s shoulder as it split open, his entire right arm nearly torn from his body.

Then, with a muffled groan, his right leg convulsed, flesh mangled and bones shattered into fragments, almost completely crushed.

The situation grew increasingly dire. Without the Fearless Lion even needing to act, Shi Hao’s body was on the verge of disintegration—his condition had reached a critical point.

**”Splat!”**

Next, a bloody hole appeared in Shi Hao’s chest, his ribs snapping as lake water rushed in, revealing his heart on the verge of splitting apart.

“Heh… Finally, we’ve reached this point. It seems all I need to do is raise my hand and gently sever your head—nothing more,” the Golden Lion chuckled.

On the shore, many young cultivators watched with envy. The legendary Shi Hao was about to die at the hands of the Fearless Lion—what an enviable feat! The mighty Shi Hao was about to fall.

Even the older generation showed unusual expressions, for the Golden Lion had accomplished an immense feat—it would be the one to reclaim the decrepit wooden chest.

Once Shi Hao died, all the Fearless Lion needed to do was retrieve the chest, and the mission would be complete.

**”Hmm?”**

Though trapped in a desperate situation, on the brink of annihilation, Shi Hao suddenly sensed something peculiar. Despite his body’s deterioration, he wasn’t entirely powerless—a faint, minuscule glow within him released a strange vitality.

Because of this resistance, he could still mobilize a portion of his magic power, and his movements became slightly swifter.

He invoked the Willow God’s technique, attempting to heal his wounds, hoping to restore his arm, leg, and chest.

Unfortunately, this vitality was too weak—recovery was difficult, and the damage inflicted by the lake far outpaced his healing. The overall trend was still worsening.

**”Oh?”** The Golden Lion seemed to sense something, its heart skipping a beat as it swiftly attacked. It, too, was growing uneasy.

In its eyes, Shi Hao was unpredictable. If he somehow endured and became a second Monk King, it would spell disaster.

Even if it successfully forged its golden body, the emergence of a second Monk King would overshadow its achievement.

**”Boom!”**

The Fearless Lion’s massive claw struck down, now intent on seizing the decrepit wooden chest.

Shi Hao did not resist head-on. He sensed the change within himself—his perseverance, his formidable physique—were beginning to take effect. Perhaps things would gradually improve. Maybe he could temper an even stronger battle body through this ordeal.

Thus, his priority now was survival—he could not perish here.

He sidestepped, and for once, the lake, which had felt like a quagmire, did not completely immobilize him. His movements were swift.

However, the Golden Lion held the advantage here. The lake’s restraints on it were minimal, and one of its golden talons nearly pierced Shi Hao’s brow, its runes blazing with terrifying power.

“Kill him!” Some elders, sensing danger, urged the Golden Lion to strike decisively—capture was no longer an option.

“Good. This way, the kill will be more satisfying,” the Golden Lion said coldly.

It advanced, for its golden body was nearly complete. Its newly formed fur gleamed like golden silk, radiant and flawless.

The area erupted with surging divine power, rolling spiritual energy, and dense chains of order.

Shi Hao sighed. Today, he had truly fallen into a death trap. On the shore, a crowd of powerful cultivators watched like tigers eyeing prey—there was no escape upward.

Yet the water was equally treacherous, his body on the verge of being crushed, all while a ferocious Fearless Lion attacked relentlessly.

Finally, gritting his teeth, Shi Hao clutched the wooden chest, took a deep breath, and plunged toward the lake’s depths. Whether he lived or died, he refused to fall into their hands.

“Where do you think you’re going?!” The Golden Lion’s expression darkened as it pursued him downward.

But Shi Hao was resolute and swift. Even if his body disintegrated, he would choose his own fate—he would not be executed by others.

As he descended, his arms, organs, and bones shattered under the pressure. His entire body twisted and deformed, even his skull cracking apart.

His physique, once peerless, now fractured like porcelain in this dreadful lake.

The Golden Lion chased for a distance before halting, its expression grim. It could go no further—its golden body was still forming, and diving deeper would ruin its ascension.

If its transformation remained incomplete, its so-called golden body would be destroyed.

Its cold gaze followed Shi Hao’s fading figure below, watching as his body split apart. Only then did it relax, reassured.

No one understood the lake’s depths better than it—what lay below was far more terrifying than the surface.

Water surged as the Golden Lion resurfaced, its expression shifting between dark and contemplative.

On the shore, the foreign cultivators were startled—the wooden chest had not been retrieved.

“What of Shi Hao? Is he dead? Where is the chest?!” an elder demanded urgently.

The chest was of utmost importance—it could not be lost!

“Rest assured, he is dead. He won’t survive. Once my golden body is complete, I will attempt to retrieve the chest from the lake’s depths,” the Fearless Lion replied.

This answer unsettled the crowd. The fact that it said “attempt” suggested great difficulty—just how fearsome were the lake’s depths?

“This lake is extraordinary—far beyond what any of you imagine,” the Golden Lion said, as if reading their doubts.

“How was it formed? What lies at the bottom?” a powerful cultivator asked.

“It was constructed by ancient monks, infused with the laws of heaven and earth, meant to achieve reincarnation. What appears as terrifying liquid is, in truth, divine medicine—sacred elixir,” the Golden Lion explained, stirring the water with its claw.

“Divine elixir?” The creatures on the shore were puzzled. The liquid had corroded them—how could it be sacred?

“Legend says that generations of high monks, upon their passing, had their remains dissolved within this lake. One after another, ancient monks were buried in this Pool of Reincarnation, becoming its sacred waters,” the Golden Lion revealed.

The revelation sent chills down their spines—the liquid was the dissolved remains of countless ancient monks?

The mere thought of soaking in such a lake made the onlookers shudder.

“You misunderstand. Those who became monk immortals were free of impurity—their flesh and blood had long been purified. Even those who failed to attain immortality purified themselves before entering. This is less a burial ground and more a convergence of their divine power,” the Fearless Lion clarified.

“If Shi Hao descended, could he survive and gain benefits?” someone asked urgently.

“Impossible. The depths are even deadlier. Entering them would shatter his body and scatter his soul into nothingness!” the Fearless Lion declared.

“Why?”

“The lakebed is no ordinary place. It is said that some ancient monks were so powerful, their remains never fully dissolved. Their bodies still linger below. If Shi Hao reaches them, how could he withstand such pressure? He is doomed to annihilation!” the Golden Lion proclaimed.