The expression on Feng Xing Tian’s face froze, his mouth agape, but no words could escape—only frothy blood continued to gush forth.
His body crumbled entirely, splattering crimson blood in a horrifying spectacle.
*Thud!*
He ceased to exist, reduced to a pile of blood and bones—just like that, he was dead.
Shi Hao was astonished. The Six Paths Reincarnation Ancient Heavenly Art was indeed formidable. This single strike, overwhelmingly domineering, had slain a prodigious genius.
Not far away, Princess Yao Yue and Xuan Kun were even more shocked. A favored son of heaven, one who possessed three strands of immortal qi, had fallen just like that? It truly shook them.
This was no trivial matter. It could shake Boundless Heaven—Feng Xing Tian, a peerless talent, had withered away just like that!
A golden bone flickered amidst the bloody light, attempting to soar into the sky.
*Swoosh!*
Shi Hao reacted swiftly, summoning a bolt of lightning that morphed into a roaring Suan Ni, pouncing forward to intercept the golden bone.
Yet, this bone was peculiar—it pierced through the Suan Ni and surged upward once more, trying to escape the underground palace and the abyss.
Princess Yao Yue acted, conjuring a gentle moonlight that poured onto the bone talisman, momentarily halting it.
*Boom!*
Xuan Kun also struck, forming hand seals that transformed into surging radiance, sealing the talisman.
Shi Hao understood immediately—this was a life-preserving talisman, a secret treasure bestowed by the Celestial Academy. Unlike those given to ordinary disciples, this one was extraordinary.
Shi Hao manifested the Six Paths Reincarnation Heavenly Art. Six black holes emerged, rotating and intertwining, instantly immobilizing the bone talisman before grinding it into dust.
A faint, agonized scream echoed—Feng Xing Tian had truly perished, with no chance of revival.
Shi Hao stood silently for a long time. He had just slain a young supreme being with three strands of immortal qi—it felt surreal.
Was the Six Paths Reincarnation Heavenly Art too powerful, or was Feng Xing Tian simply too weak?
This was the first time Shi Hao had killed someone with three strands of immortal qi. If word spread, it would undoubtedly cause a massive uproar, sending shockwaves through the world.
“Too weak. Could it be that Feng Xing Tian was artificially nurtured through some sinister method? Were his three strands of immortal qi stolen from others, not cultivated by himself?” Shi Hao mused aloud.
Hearing this, Princess Yao Yue and Xuan Kun were left speechless.
Soon after, the two separated from him, wary—this was a dangerous individual. Killing Feng Xing Tian here would have enormous repercussions!
Of course, there was also Feng Hou, an even more terrifying figure—one who could have become a supreme ruler of his generation. Yet, he had died here, unexplained and unrecorded.
“How should we explain today’s events?” Princess Yao Yue said, staring at the two pools of blood on the ground. Both individuals had formidable backgrounds—if word got out, the fallout would be endless.
“Feng Hou died here, but who knows he was ever here?” Xuan Kun remarked.
“Exactly!” Shi Hao nodded, pleased with the reasoning.
Feng Hou held a prestigious status. If news of his demise here leaked, it would invite severe trouble—even Princess Yao Yue, Xuan Kun, and Shi Hao would face intense scrutiny.
Thus, none of them wished to speak of his fate.
*Crack!*
At that moment, the divine pool began to fracture, its sounds drawing the trio’s attention.
“Huh? Why is this ancient butterfly also cracking apart?” Princess Yao Yue’s expression shifted.
The decaying butterfly’s body shimmered with runes, fissures spreading until it nearly disintegrated, splitting into fragments.
Disappointingly, there was no Dao scripture or immortal artifact within—only emptiness.
Only Shi Hao was excited. The Emperor Butterfly was undergoing a transformation, concealed nearby, absorbing the immortal aura from the decaying butterfly, undergoing a stunning metamorphosis.
In truth, Feng Hou’s death was largely due to the Emperor Butterfly. It had resonated with the ancient butterfly, uncovering its secrets.
The ancient butterfly was long dead, but its combat instincts remained, terrifyingly potent.
As a kin, the Emperor Butterfly could commune with it, leading to the earlier events.
Princess Yao Yue and Xuan Kun sighed as they watched the shattered ancient butterfly decay further, its essence dissipating. Resolute, they turned and dashed deeper into the underground palace.
They knew this so-called immortal’s remains held no opportunities. Rather than waste time here, it was better to seek fortune elsewhere.
Princess Yao Yue and Xuan Kun moved together, vanishing swiftly—clearly wary of Shi Hao, fearing he might pick them off one by one.
Shi Hao remained still, waiting for the Emperor Butterfly’s triumphant return.
“Did those two notice the Emperor Butterfly?” Shi Hao frowned, uncertain.
Once they left, the decaying butterfly in the fractured pool worsened, some parts dissolving into pus and ashes.
Sensing their departure, the Emperor Butterfly blazed with radiant light, like an immortal lamp aflame.
The immortal aura within the pool surged into its body, the mystical energies raging—especially a drop of golden true blood that merged into its flesh.
Not a fusion, but a temporary seal, requiring time for true refinement and absorption.
Even Shi Hao was stunned—this was a tremendous fortune.
Undoubtedly, others would envy this. It was the blood of an immortal, perfectly compatible with its inheritor.
“This is the legacy of my Emperor Butterfly lineage, passed through blood,” the Emperor Butterfly transmitted to Shi Hao.
Shi Hao was thrilled. The Emperor Butterfly would grow even stronger, its future achievements boundless.
“I’ve absorbed the residual immortal aura. My body is evolving again, entering metamorphosis. I must sleep,” the Emperor Butterfly said.
Shi Hao was speechless. This creature had just awakened, yet it was already sinking back into slumber. How long would it sleep this time?
He had two such companions—the Divine Striking Stone and the Emperor Butterfly—both constantly dormant, their ultimate transformations uncertain.
But one thing was clear: once they awakened, their changes would be astounding.
Shi Hao wasted no time. He, too, ventured deeper into the palace. At the very least, a divine herb awaited. If he could find other Dao scriptures or immortal artifacts, the rewards would be even greater.
Silence.
The area was eerily desolate, devoid of sound. Ancient trees densely covered the ruins.
Shi Hao moved like a specter, drifting in and out of crumbling structures.
Alas, all were empty—scattered with broken artifacts and decayed bones, nothing of value remaining.
Clearly, this place had been looted long ago.
A celestial battlefield, where the immortals of the Ancient Immortal Epoch had fallen, their treasures plundered.
Shi Hao sighed, feeling powerless. The enemies of that other world surely possessed the secrets of the Ancient Immortal Epoch. How could they be defeated?
In the previous epoch, they had achieved absolute victory, leaving that era in despair. Now, with access to its lost knowledge, resistance seemed futile.
No wonder the ruins were filled with pessimistic records, lamenting lost hope.
Perhaps the only path to victory was to forge an entirely new cultivation system, transcending the old ways.
After scouring the ruins fruitlessly, Shi Hao arrived at the deepest part—the central palace.
A colossal structure, towering like a mountain, half-buried in vines yet still majestic.
In a flash, Shi Hao entered. Wisps of chaotic energy lingered—proof of its extraordinary nature.
He heard Princess Yao Yue and Xuan Kun’s shouts. They were here, chasing a divine herb—a Flameleaf Orchid, blazing red like fire, radiating auspicious light.
A legendary herb, rarely seen in the modern era, yet here it was.
Divine herbs, though not as unique as longevity medicines, were still exceedingly rare—each type numbering no more than a handful.
The Flameleaf Orchid, crimson as jade, flickered in and out of the earth, evading capture despite the duo’s prowess.
Shi Hao stepped forward, intent on seizing it. Yet, he knew divine herbs could meld into the earth upon contact, making them nearly impossible to catch.
The legend held truth—why else would even these two fail?
Shi Hao tried, but the herb vanished underground the moment he reached for it.
Then it reappeared, as if taunting them.
“Hmm?” Shi Hao tensed. He sensed a familiar presence—the headless creature.
Was the herb luring them to linger? If the headless being returned, none would escape.
Shi Hao paused, gazing deeper into the palace. A grand altar stood there, adorned with ornate boxes—all empty, mere decorations.
The most prominent box seemed meant to hold a treasure, yet nothing remained.
Shi Hao approached. Inside the box was a palm-sized indentation—clearly shaped for a key.
Absurd. The grandest altar in the central palace once held a key, preserved in the finest box.
Now, it was gone.
The altar itself was cracked, unrepaired.
Shi Hao activated his Heavenly Eye, searching meticulously—yet found nothing. This was but a forsaken ruin.
The other two still chased the herb, having arrived earlier yet lacking patience.
*Thud!*
Shi Hao attempted to move the cracked altar, testing if anything lay beneath. It was astonishingly sturdy.
With great effort, he finally shifted it, worsening its fractures.
“What?!” Shi Hao gasped. Beneath the altar, through the cracks, lay a white bone key, polished from luminous bone.
Confused, he recalled his Heavenly Eye had detected nothing earlier. Why was it visible now?
Then, elation surged. Could this be the original key once enshrined here?
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