Chapter 934: Defeat

“One last time,” Shi Hao murmured, closing his eyes, holding the immortal seed in his hand. His mind was serene, his entire being empty and clear.

The next moment, a deafening roar erupted as countless runes reappeared, descending from the void.

They resembled divine chains, radiating brilliance, intertwining together to weave Shi Hao into a celestial net, encasing him at its very center.

Flames blazed, and the Great Dao thundered!

The furnace of heaven and earth manifested, and Shi Hao sat cross-legged within it, enduring the most brutal refinement. Only one final opportunity remained.

He was solemn beyond measure. If he failed again, could he still press forward? Because if this chance was wasted, the next would truly mean facing death.

At that moment, how many in this world would still have the courage?

Especially since this path was so treacherous. Both ancients and moderns had deduced it to be a quagmire, a dead end, a severed road.

“Boom!”

Thousands of runes transformed into a waterfall, crashing onto the cauldron before igniting into a terrifying inferno.

Within the ten-zhang chamber, nothing else was visible—only the dazzling flames and the deafening roar of the Great Dao, incinerating everything in its path.

How many in this world could disregard life and death to walk such a path?

The flames scorched the cauldron, refining his soul and bones. This time, Shi Hao endured for an eternity, unmoving like a statue, as if he had become an unshakable immortal.

He had already undergone this nine times—died nine times, revived nine times—and had traveled far along this path. Thus, he could endure and continue forward.

Nine deaths and rebirths—this would be the most precious treasure of his life, even if he ultimately failed to cultivate the second immortal qi. The gains were immense.

As long as he lived, those gains would manifest.

Only by experiencing death could one truly appreciate the brilliance of life and comprehend the essence of existence. The Dao heart fell silent, darkness became eternal, and one lost all sense of self, as if trapped in a cycle of reincarnation without a trace.

All of this was the most invaluable experience for a cultivator.

Setting aside everything else, merely surviving death had elevated his Reincarnation Treasure Technique to a qualitative leap, its power now even more formidable!

A deafening roar echoed as the ten-zhang chamber unexpectedly expanded into a world!

This spectacle was the most terrifying—like a mustard seed containing a universe, encompassing heaven and earth, constructing a cosmos.

Within the chamber, rules evolved, and Great Dao runes intertwined, forming a magnificent landscape of rivers and mountains, blazing fiercely as they crashed toward Shi Hao and the cauldron.

“Clang!”

The impact shook the heavenly furnace, and Shi Hao trembled violently within, his form unsteady.

And this… was only the beginning!

Light manifested in the void, dotted with stars. A massive celestial body could be seen plummeting from beyond the heavens, trailing a long, sweeping tail as it streaked across the sky and collided with the earth.

“Boom!”

The sound reverberated as the heavenly cauldron dented, deformed, and cracked. Inside, Shi Hao swayed, blood trickling from his nose and mouth.

Then, one after another, stars appeared in the firmament—each a manifestation of a different Dao principle—transforming into comets that bombarded downward.

The next moment, the scene shifted again. The heavens and earth were filled with ferocious beasts and birds of prey, ablaze with the flames of the Great Dao, lunging downward to shatter the cauldron.

Afterward, all things in creation—every blade of grass, every tree—manifested, resonating with clarity. Some unleashed sword qi, others released the power of rules, flames surging endlessly.

The myriad Daos of heaven and earth pressed down, ever-changing and unpredictable!

“Bang!”

Finally, the cauldron shattered. Shi Hao resisted with his flesh, burning his true self, his entire body glowing before gradually turning charred black, enduring the most harrowing trial.

Then, he stopped, swallowing sacred medicine to heal his wounds—for he had nearly perished.

Thus, time and again, he returned from the brink of death, using sacred medicines and other means to prolong his life, striving to take that crucial step and cultivate the second immortal qi.

Yet, he always fell short. He was strong enough, yet success remained elusive.

Silent and still, Great Dao runes covered his body, etching into his soul, seeking to erase him!

Shi Hao’s body cracked all over, even his primordial spirit. This path was too arduous. He had reached the final juncture, yet the second immortal qi still refused to appear.

He had a feeling—it was close, yet always just out of reach. The flames of myriad Dao runes scorched his body. Anyone else would have long turned to ashes.

Yet he endured, standing firm, refusing to yield.

This was his last chance. He sat cross-legged in the ten-zhang chamber, enduring the endless torment for one final sprint.

“Crack!”

A crisp, trembling sound echoed as the cauldron shattered completely, vanishing into nothingness. His flesh also began to split apart.

Time passed, and Shi Hao could hold on no longer. With a muffled “pfft,” his brow exploded, and his primordial spirit was annihilated by the myriad Daos!

The last time—he had failed again, unable to cultivate the second immortal qi on this path.

Emptiness, nothingness, darkness. He had no idea how much time had passed before he revived, reassembling his body and returning to life. He sat there in utter silence.

Shi Hao reflected, pondering—how much further did he have to go to glimpse the second immortal qi?

The rough stone walls once again displayed scenes of the past—the unwillingness of the Little Immortal King.

“My path, my Dao—why can I see no light, only darkness?”

“Again and again, I die. Ten times now—how much further must I go?”

“If I cannot surpass the ancients, how can I follow my father’s footsteps to that battlefield, to fight and shed my last drop of blood? I want to resist, to wage war!”

The young man, unyielding, raised his head to the heavens, his gaze profound, fists clenched.

“You’ve failed. It’s proven—this path leads nowhere. Stop here,” someone advised.

“I have not lost. I still live. I can still walk, still continue!” The young man, radiant and unbroken, refused to despair. He insisted on pressing forward, declaring, “If I do not become the supreme, if I do not tread the peerless path, what use am I on that battlefield? My forebears’ blood has already been spilled. I must rise!”

The images blurred, fading into darkness.

Shi Hao gazed at the rough stone wall and sighed softly.

He steadied his mind, recalling the Little Immortal King’s final moments of breakthrough. Closing his eyes, he compared it to his own path before rising to his feet.

Ten deaths—no rebirth!

He had died ten times here, yet still failed to cultivate the second immortal qi. But he felt it was close—he had caught a glimpse of its trajectory and was on the verge of grasping it.

Suddenly, his body turned cold as he thought of the Little Immortal King’s fate. The White Tortoise had once said that the peerless genius had failed, dying on this path.

Back then, the Little Immortal King had been unyielding, refusing to give up, determined to walk this road to the end.

Shi Hao pondered—did he and the Little Immortal King share the same conviction, both believing they were on the cusp of success? If so, continuing forward might make him the second Little Immortal King, doomed to perish.

“But… I truly have no retreat left,” Shi Hao sighed.

He left the chamber, stepping out—only to encounter a second radiant gate. Without hesitation, he entered.

In an instant, the fragrance of medicine filled the air, and dazzling lights shimmered.

This was still a stone chamber, but not for seclusion—it was an alchemy room. Mysterious ripples flowed across the walls, as if liquid longevity itself coursed through them.

“Essence of medicinal properties!”

Shi Hao was astonished. He knew well that ancient cauldrons, furnaces, and jars, after years of refining elixirs, would absorb traces of mystical “medicinal essence,” accumulating over time within their walls.

Clearly, this peculiar chamber contained such essence, preserved by unique sealing rules that had kept it intact to this day.

Shi Hao took a deep breath and sat down, drawing in the medicinal essence to take some with him. If combined with sacred medicines, it could vastly enhance their efficacy.

However, he could only collect a portion before the rest became inaccessible. He sealed what he could into a jade jar.

At that moment, the chamber trembled, and the rough stone walls displayed another scene—once more, he saw that upright young man: the Little Immortal King.

He realized their paths were the same, allowing him to perceive the imprints left on the walls long ago.

But this time, what he saw was not a living person—but a cold, lifeless body being carried into the alchemy chamber.

“Did he perish in failed enlightenment?”

Shi Hao stared at the image. The body looked lifelike, as if still alive, but from the bearers’ murmurs, it was clear he had died.

Shi Hao stood silently for a long time. The images had long faded, yet he remained fixated on the rough stone wall.

“How do I walk my path?” he sighed.

All signs pointed to this being a dead end. Continuing would only lead to his demise.

The Little Immortal King of old had thrown himself into the flames of the myriad Daos, determined to achieve something on this path—only to fall into eternal slumber, never to awaken again.

“His body remained intact, unburned to ashes. What happened?” Shi Hao murmured.

Silence returned, filling the chamber.

A long time later, Shi Hao finally spoke. “Am I afraid? Has his fate shaken me? Indeed, seeing inevitable failure and death, I wavered, hesitated, and faltered, unwilling to move forward.”

He reflected, contemplating his path.

“He was the Little Immortal King. I am Shi Hao. I am not him.”

His voice was calm, his mind restored to tranquility.

“His failure does not mean mine!”

Some had tried to dissuade him, but the Little Immortal King had pressed on fearlessly, steadfast in his conviction! He sought to forge his own invincible path, to carve out a peerless road, and then march to the battlefield to spill his blood against the enemies of the Immortal Ancient Era.

Shi Hao’s eyes gleamed. “How could I possibly fear?”

His resolve solidified. He would not abandon his path midway.

At this moment, his heart was as unyielding as iron, immovable.

Yet, he had no intention of dying in vain, nor would he throw his life away. He would enter seclusion, meditate deeply, and truly comprehend every facet of this path. He sought success—not death!

With that, he stepped out of the hall and walked away.

“Ghosts and gods! You… emerged unscathed, alive?” The White Tortoise shrieked in shock.

It had assumed that even if Shi Hao returned alive, he would be grievously wounded. Those ten trials were lethally difficult—it was hard to believe someone from this era, with its diminished cultivation environment, could achieve such feats.

“After clearing all ten trials, I entered seclusion. Yet despite dying ten times, I still failed to cultivate the second immortal qi,” Shi Hao sighed.

“You… monster! You truly reached that point!” the White Tortoise exclaimed.

“Do you know of any rumors about this path I walk?” Shi Hao asked.

“There are some—mostly warnings to later generations not to tread it, as it’s practically ten deaths with no life,” the White Tortoise replied before sharing a few tales.

Shi Hao nodded, then stated plainly that he intended to gather some sacred medicines. He would enter seclusion and, within days, reach a conclusion.

Success or failure—the final breakthrough would decide it all!