A few miles were but a stone’s throw for them, and they dashed forward in a flash, leaving the burial ground behind.
Suddenly, the female Burial Knight staggered, nearly falling. She swayed unsteadily before coming to a complete halt, unable to advance further.
“What’s wrong with you?” Shi Hao asked in surprise.
“This area is problematic—it affects Burial Knights severely. I… feel the yin energy in my body boiling, and I can’t go any further,” the girl said.
At that moment, her true form was once again shrouded in black mist. After leaving that sacred land, deathly energy coiled around her, veiled by dark clouds, her previous sanctity and serenity now gone.
Burial Knights were a mysterious race. Though they disliked sunlight and the like, they were not afraid of it—in truth, they could adapt to almost any environment. Yet here, she was visibly affected.
What was going on? Both of them wore expressions of shock.
“No wonder that immortal herb lured us here. It must know how to deal with Burial Knights. The path ahead is surely harmful to you—don’t go any further,” Shi Hao said.
That longevity tree was cunning, clearly targeting both of them.
Shi Hao remained unaffected because he wasn’t a Burial Knight—right now, he was merely a skeleton.
“I remember now! This place is a forbidden zone for Burial Knights, adjacent to our sacred land!” the female Burial Knight exclaimed.
Because this sacred land had long been abandoned, no Burial Knights came here anymore, and the legends surrounding it had nearly been forgotten.
Sacred soil accompanied cursed land!
The so-called cursed land was right next to this place!
“There’s such a saying?” Shi Hao asked, astonished.
“Burial Knights slumber, and our dwelling places are meticulously chosen. Only certain cursed lands can restrict us—this must be one of them. Of course, for powerful Golden Burial Knights, the effects of cursed lands are negligible,” the female Burial Knight explained.
“Wait here. I’ll go in!” Shi Hao urged her to retreat. Being led here by a herb, as if they were being led by the nose, didn’t sit well with him.
He prepared to enter alone, determined to capture the immortal herb himself.
“Be careful. Cursed lands are ominous for us Burial Knights—I don’t know if they’ll affect you!” the female Burial Knight warned.
“It should be fine. Otherwise, I would’ve reacted already. Besides, this is an opportunity. If I pretend to be affected and stagger in, I might be able to deceive that herb and catch it,” Shi Hao chuckled darkly.
The female Burial Knight said no more and retreated toward the ancient altar, hoping to see if any great fortune awaited her.
This area was indeed strange. Vegetation grew here, but it was sparse, and not a single animal—not even an ant—could be seen. Silence reigned.
The wind blew, carrying an air of desolation and barrenness.
Shi Hao staggered forward, nearly falling several times, yet he pressed on, venturing deeper into this ancient land.
The immortal herb appeared intermittently, stopping and going, luring him further in.
“Once I catch you, I’ll keep the roots, but the tender shoots are going straight into a cauldron to refine immortal pills!” Shi Hao muttered. This herb had some nerve, taunting him repeatedly.
“Huh?”
Suddenly, Shi Hao was startled. Ahead, marks covered the ground—black spots densely arranged in eerie patterns.
These spots were spread across a vast area. Up close, they seemed insignificant, but Shi Hao sensed they formed a deliberate design.
He leaped into the air, looking down from above, and his body stiffened in shock!
The patterns connected to form a ghastly black skull—sinister and bizarre, shaped by the dark soil below.
He quickly descended, feigning a few more stumbles, unsure if the immortal herb was still nearby.
Shi Hao recalled that this black skull pattern was identical to the one on the beast-skin map he’d seen in Emperor Pass. Back then, he’d thought it was a warning—but now, it seemed the pattern was real!
Was this the ancient land he sought?
The place encircled by the Divine Medicine Mountain Range, the Heavenly Beast Forest, and the Ancient Burial Zone—the land of fortune he had been searching for.
Earlier, he’d thought it was in the sacred land the female Burial Knight had led him to. Never had he imagined it would be here!
Cursed land!
Here, he felt a chill. What kind of place was this? What lay hidden within?
Creatures from the other side must know something. They had been searching for this place earlier, trying to come here. Even the forbidden zones of the Nine Heavens must have caught wind of it and sought to investigate.
“This place must be extremely terrifying. Charging in recklessly is a death wish!” Shi Hao muttered to himself.
So far, though he had entered, no danger had befallen him.
And that longevity tree had also come in, trying to lure them deeper. Did that herb know the secrets of this place?
After advancing a distance, Shi Hao stopped. He feared something ominous might happen, and his initial purpose had been to catch the herb.
He staggered, feigning increasing weakness, mimicking the female Burial Knight’s state. Finally, he collapsed in place, motionless.
Would this trick work on the immortal herb? Shi Hao wasn’t sure. In fact, he felt it was rather foolish—that herb was surely too slippery to fall for it.
He was simply trying anything at this point. The herb would be cautious in the short term, making it hard to catch.
Shi Hao was patient, remaining still for hours, suppressing all his aura, not moving an inch.
“Damn herb, so stubborn?!” Shi Hao cursed inwardly.
The herb never reappeared, as if it had vanished.
Shi Hao was speechless. Was the herb mocking him? If so, it was downright hateful.
Suddenly, he heard footsteps approaching from afar!
Shi Hao was shocked—there were living beings here?
Earlier, the place had been deathly silent, devoid of even an ant. Now, a surge of vigorous life force and blood energy approached.
Was there danger?
Shi Hao considered rising but restrained himself.
Soon, a cold smirk curled his lips. He knew who had arrived. Once those creatures passed through the black skull zone, their identities became clear.
Earlier, the black skull pattern had blocked his perception.
Golden creatures, massive as three mountains, exuded an overwhelming, terrifying pressure.
Three lions, forged from gold, their colossal forms warping space itself, their bodies encased in protective fields.
Yet even they tread cautiously here, shrinking their forms to about ten feet long to avoid detection.
Three experts of the Fearless Lion Clan had actually made it here—Shi Hao was stunned.
“That young lord of the Imperial Clan entered first. I hope he doesn’t seize the fortune before us!” one golden lion muttered, his voice low with worry.
“He carries a supreme treasure. He spent a fortune to pave his way here unimpeded. We only made it this far thanks to him,” another said.
“Everyone thinks he’s here to kill Huang. Only a few of us know he’s after what’s hidden here!”
The three golden lions whispered among themselves, their eyes gleaming like rainbows, their bodies radiant as golden flames.
Shi Hao’s heart stirred. The young lord of the other side’s Imperial Clan had come for this land’s fortune? That unsettled him—he couldn’t let the other side seize it first.
“Do you think he’ll succeed?”
“Doubtful. Over the years, countless experts have failed here, leaving behind their bones. I refuse to believe he’s that exceptional. That said, we must be careful. Going further could be fatal—this place is terrifying!”
Shi Hao listened intently, his mind restless. What exactly was here?
At that moment, the three golden lions drew near, oblivious to the “lifeless” white skeleton nearby.
Shi Hao had suppressed all his aura, appearing as nothing more than a dried-up corpse.
“Huang barged into the Divine Medicine Mountain Range inexplicably—he must be after this place too!”
“Only a few insiders are targeting this place. The rest are clueless, thinking this is about killing Huang. But the Imperial Clan and that expert from the Gu Clan—their goal is here!”
Hearing this, Shi Hao’s killing intent surged. They were all after this place? If he encountered them, he’d settle it then and there.
“Has Huang entered here? He’s terrifying—could he really be a Golden Burial Knight?!”
They recalled Shi Hao traveling with a Burial Knight, their expressions darkening.
“Impossible. He’s undoubtedly from the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths. The Emperor Pass provided irrefutable proof!” one lion declared.
“His combat prowess is too strong. We must kill him now, lest he becomes a calamity and comes for our clan!” another growled.
Shi Hao’s killing intent deepened. He understood their fear.
The Fearless Lion Clan had originated from the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths, defecting to the other side before the great war of the last epoch.
Their betrayal had disastrous consequences, leading other powerful clans to follow.
During the final battle, they had been ruthless, aiding the other side in slaughtering countless beings, their hands drenched in blood.
“What’s there to fear? Huang is just one man, not yet fully grown. He’ll be killed sooner or later!” one lion sneered.
“Exactly. Besides, we have no reason to fear him. Forget our ancestors—in this era alone, our clan has produced a primordial bloodline revivalist, strong enough to rival him!” another nodded.
The divine fire in Shi Hao’s skull flickered. He wouldn’t wait any longer—it was time to strike.
One lion stood too close, its back turned.
**Boom!**
Shi Hao lunged, arriving in an instant. His palm descended like a heavenly blade, a streak of blinding light.
“Who?!” The three lions reacted instantly, unleashing divine arts to block.
But it was too late. The lion with its back to Shi Hao let out a pained roar. Though it dodged the fatal strike, its tail was severed, blood gushing.
Then, like lightning, Shi Hao closed in, his fist aimed at its spine.
“You dare?!” the other two roared.
The attacked lion’s back erupted with divine light as it mustered all its power to counter.
This was a formidable golden lion, already at the Severing World Realm. Yet it stood no chance against Shi Hao’s speed.
**Thud!**
Shi Hao’s fist pierced its body, golden blood spraying.
**Swoosh!**
In the next moment, Shi Hao seized its neck, capturing it alive before retreating swiftly.
“Tell me everything you know, or I’ll kill it now!” Shi Hao demanded coldly. He wanted answers about this cursed land.
Moreover, he held no goodwill for the Fearless Lion Clan. They had acted as enforcers for the other side, wreaking havoc on the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths—a blood-soaked, ruthless clan.
“Huang, stop!” The other two lions were aghast, recognizing him from his soul light.
**Thud!**
Without a word, Shi Hao slashed off one of the captive lion’s legs, blood spurting.
“One more word, and I’ll execute it!” Shi Hao’s voice was ice.
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