Descendants of the Sin-Blooded were actually being discussed within Emperor Pass, their names even mentioned—this made Shi Hao narrow his eyes. It seemed things weren’t simple; there were some “old grudges” lingering here from the past!
“You dare call us descendants of the Sin-Blooded? Which of your eyes saw our ancestors commit any great wrong?” Qin Hao, young and hot-blooded, refused to accept this and argued back.
“Some matters have long been settled. Moreover, many here now know that certain clans once committed unforgivable sins,” someone said coldly.
“What’s there to say about the Sin-Blooded lineage? Everyone knows of it,” Wang Changhe sneered.
The Wang Clan had dispatched a hundred thousand elite soldiers here, and even their Five Dragons had been exiled to this place, surviving in harsh conditions—likely never to return. Naturally, Wang Changhe bore deep resentment toward Shi Hao.
Qin Hao was furious and wanted to argue further, but Shi Hao stopped him. “What’s the point in talking to them? He’s a sinner himself, exiled to the desolate Emperor Pass for his crimes. How dare he judge others?”
Shi Yi, rarely speaking up, added, “Indeed. Former prisoners banished here are the true sinners, serving their penance. What right do they have to criticize others?”
Wang Changhe’s face darkened, alternating between green and pale. The direct insult left him no room to retreat.
A chilling aura radiated from him—he was a supreme expert, surpassing the Void Dao Realm, capable of suppressing and even erasing the three Shi Clan youths with boundless potential.
But he didn’t dare. At least not within Emperor City, under the watchful eyes of many. Any reckless action would likely get him obliterated by a single finger from someone present!
Yet, he couldn’t swallow his pride. “What nonsense are you brats spouting? If you don’t believe it, ask anyone—does the Shi Clan bear sin? Everyone in Emperor Pass knows!”
Though he refuted them, his words lacked the crushing dominance he desired, leaving him deeply dissatisfied.
Others around him, however, chimed in agreement.
“The Shi Clan once brought calamity to the borderlands, committing grave sins. This is acknowledged by most, even if a few dissent,” a golden giant nodded.
“Indeed, the Shi Clan was once mighty, peerlessly so. But wrong is wrong. The mark of Sin-Blood stains their descendants,” a high-ranking member of the Jin Zhan Clan declared.
A behemoth like the Jin Clan carried immense weight with their words.
“Hmph, mere descendants of Sin-Blood. If it were up to us, they should have been wiped out long ago, eradicated completely to spare us the annoyance!” a cold voice spoke—a powerful figure here to receive Six Crown King Ning Chuan.
Others might have held back, but this man’s words ignited a divine light in Shi Hao’s eyes. In the past, Six Crown King Ning Chuan had relentlessly targeted the Shi Clan, backed by those behind him.
Those behind him were undoubtedly key players—a coalition of forces determined to exterminate the Sin-Blooded lineage. In the Three Thousand Dao Provinces, an entire province had been designated to imprison Sin-Blooded descendants.
The thought filled Shi Hao with fury.
“What, young man? Do you harbor killing intent toward me? If not for Emperor City, I’d strike you dead where you stand,” the man behind Ning Chuan said icily. He was an ancient being, his cultivation age terrifyingly long, his power boundless—a supreme expert within the city.
“Who are you, old yet so domineering? If you’re not a sinner in the borderlands, how many battle merits have you earned?” Shi Hao retorted coldly.
Many were speechless. This youth dared call him old and tyrannical—was he insulting both his Dao heart and character while questioning his achievements?
“You’re all despicable!” Qin Hao shouted, seething with anger.
The Shi Clan, with its ancient lineage, had once been glorious, leaving countless legends in the borderlands. Yet, the three brothers had barely arrived before being targeted simply for their surname, filling them with humiliation.
The man behind Ning Chuan glared at Shi Hao. “Young man, if not for your minor reputation, I’d have taught you a lesson already. If you wish to cleanse your shame, renounce the Shi name. Only then might you find forgiveness in this city.”
His arrogance knew no bounds—even suggesting a name change, a blatant insult.
Of course, his mention of Shi Hao’s “minor reputation” had a reason. The battle at Great Scarlet Sky’s border, where a youth single-handedly defeated ten kings in succession, had caused quite a stir even in Emperor Pass.
If anything happened to this youth now, it would draw significant attention. Thus, the man behind Ning Chuan dared not act recklessly.
The Wang Clan, too, restrained themselves. Outside, they could act with impunity, but within Emperor Pass, they had to tread carefully—there were far too many formidable figures here.
Yet, one thing was clear: no one had come to receive the three Shi brothers, an embarrassing situation indeed.
It spoke volumes about the Shi Clan’s precarious standing here, mired in controversy, their descendants facing dire circumstances.
“Ahem, I’ll keep you company. I’m also unloved, with no one to welcome me,” Cao Yusheng scratched his head, his thick skin barely masking his discomfort.
Some smirked coldly, while others openly mocked, “See? The Sin-Blooded lineage—how repulsive.”
Wang Changhe scoffed, “Who’d willingly associate with this clan? Unless… could it be Elder Meng Tianzheng’s descendants coming to fetch them? Oh wait, I heard they’ve gone to war.”
“History remembers clans nailed to the pillar of shame,” the man behind Ning Chuan—Gu Mingdao, a fearsome powerhouse—declared.
Yet some sighed. Shi Hao’s ten consecutive victories at Great Scarlet Sky had shaken many here. Without that, their situation today would’ve been far worse.
This was Gu Mingdao and Wang Changhe’s regret—otherwise, they could’ve crushed the Shi brothers without restraint.
“Let’s leave. Watching the Sin-Blooded scorned like this is… unsettling,” someone said mockingly.
“Hah, as expected—no one comes. No one would stand up for the Shi Clan. As it should be,” Wang Changhe shook his head with a laugh.
Some pitied the Shi brothers but remained silent. The Shi Clan’s past was too controversial, its stains unerasable.
“Can’t even sleep in peace. Which brats are making noise?” The golden ant on Shi Hao’s shoulder rubbed its eyes as it woke.
Both Wang Changhe and Gu Mingdao tensed. This was a descendant of the Heavenly Horned Ant—a being not to be trifled with in Emperor Pass for certain reasons.
Footsteps approached from afar. A slender figure, transcendent and radiant, clad in white robes, moved with divine grace.
“Someone fearless enough to stand with us, heh…” Cao Yusheng grinned. The woman was stunning, her beauty almost blinding, making others feel inadequate.
At that moment, many recognized her, their expressions shifting.
“Young man, I’ve come to welcome you. It’s been many years since we last met,” the girl said playfully, smiling at Shi Hao.
Shock rippled through the crowd. Her origins were anything but simple—many feared her. And she knew Shi Hao?
“Ye Qingxian!” Shi Hao recognized her instantly. Her impression on him was unforgettable—not for her beauty, though she was flawless, a masterpiece of heaven, with a lithe figure, jade-like skin, and eyes brimming with clever mischief.
He remembered her for her actions. It was she who had once revealed the Ancient Oath of Taigu, humbling the Celestial Clan with a smile and summoning even the mighty War Emperor of the War Clan.
Those in Emperor Pass knew her well—several of the most ancient and terrifying figures doted on her.
“Lady Qingxian, these are descendants of the Sin-Blooded,” Gu Mingdao reminded, his hostility toward the Shi Clan unyielding.
“Fairy Ye,” Wang Changhe greeted, an uncharacteristically deferential gesture for the Wang Clan.
“I heard many spewing nonsense—Sin-Blooded, calamity upon the borderlands, even nailed to the pillar of shame,” Ye Qingxian said coldly, her smile gone.
“It’s the truth,” a Jin Zhan elder insisted.
“Perhaps not. All of you must apologize—deeply. Some may even need to slap themselves,” Ye Qingxian’s voice was icy.
The Shi brothers tensed. Did Ye Qingxian know something? Could she shield them?
“Fairy Ye, your status is exalted, but it’s best not to involve yourself in this dispute. The Shi Clan’s shame is fact—who can deny it?” Gu Mingdao retorted boldly.
“Sin-Blooded? Shame? Dare you repeat that?” Ye Qingxian challenged.
Gu Mingdao, Wang Changhe, and the Jin Clan hesitated but reaffirmed their stance.
**BOOM!**
A divine might erupted in the distance, crushing down. Even the strongest cultivators trembled, many collapsing to their knees under the overwhelming pressure.
“This…” Wang Changhe shuddered, his body betraying him, forcing him to prostrate.
Gu Mingdao quaked, his soul trembling, nearly kneeling.
All who had opposed the Shi Clan felt doom upon them. One by one, they dropped to their knees, kowtowing.
“The Ancestral Altar—where the invincible ones reside!” someone gasped.
The Ancestral Altar was a sacred place, accessible only to a select few—legends whose ages might even surpass Meng Tianzheng and Wang Changsheng.
Three towering figures of blood qi emerged, their auras vast as the abyss, shaking all who beheld them.
Any one of them could annihilate all present.
Such beings had been roused!
Shi Hao’s heart raced. The figures reminded him of the Seven Kings of the Borderlands.
“Dare you slander the Sin-Blooded?” Ye Qingxian sneered. “The truly invincible are angered. Will you repent?”
**Whoosh!**
Three divine beams shot forth, forming golden pathways beneath Shi Hao, Shi Yi, and the others, beckoning them.
**Thud!**
Many collapsed in terror.
“Spare us, elders! We were wrong!” Wang Changhe kowtowed, drenched in cold sweat.
Gu Mingdao, pale with disbelief, gritted his teeth. “I… I shouldn’t have said the Shi Clan was nailed to shame. My fault.”
**Slap!**
He struck himself, admitting his error.
The Jin and Wang Clans followed, bowing deeply in repentance.
Cao Yushen and the golden ant were stunned. These proud figures had been forced to kneel—even slap themselves.
Unbelievable.
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