“An immortal, a white turtle carrying an immortal—this is an auspicious sign for the world! To think there’s a living immortal in this realm is simply unbelievable.”
Some trembled with excitement, charging forward, while many others knelt in reverence from afar, prostrating and chanting, “Supreme Immortal Lord, please accept us as disciples!”
The sight before them left most stunned. Even the most powerful first-generation prodigies, who had earlier recklessly sought to plunder the ancient herb garden, now hesitated.
The white-clad immortal emitted a sacred aura, accompanied by a mist of immortal light, untouchable and divine. Even from a distance, the presence of immortal dao was palpable.
“Heavens, is this not an illusion but real?” they gasped in awe.
Even Jun Dao, hidden in the shadows, stiffened, staring in disbelief, not daring to act rashly.
The turtle’s shell was as white as jade, translucent and radiant. On its back stood a woman in snow-white robes, her silver hair flowing, her eyes misty, surrounded by a rain of light—ethereal, sacred, and transcendent.
“We pay homage to the Immortal of Eternal Life!” some cried out. Though they had breached the void rift and could see the herb garden, none dared approach, only bowing in reverence.
A melodious song, like celestial music, drifted from the herb fields.
The ancient turtle crawled forward, its shell whiter than mutton-fat jade, carrying the snow-robed immortal with an air of unfathomable mystery.
The song brought tranquility, dispelling all killing intent. Many found their minds wandering, their weapons slipping from their hands.
The woman’s voice was serene, her silver hair cascading, her eyes deep and spirited, her entire being otherworldly, shrouded in immortal mist as if untouched by mortal tribulations.
Shi Hao couldn’t help but marvel. The herb of eternal life was indeed astonishing. He had seen such visions before, but they were mere illusions conjured by the Void Divine Vine—nothing compared to this!
This was like a true immortal, accompanied by immortal qi, so vivid it was hard to discern reality from illusion.
After a brief moment of awe, Shi Hao steadied himself. This wasn’t his first encounter with such a herb. Back in the lower realm, he had seen one hailed as the “First Spiritual Root.”
That herb bore three flowers: one could transform into a tiny figure meditating beneath the plant, another into a weapon hovering above the figure, emitting dao resonance, while the third remained enigmatic to this day.
“This is the second herb of eternal life I’ve seen. I wonder if I can get close,” Shi Hao mused, his eyes gleaming.
He knew that even if discovered, obtaining it was another matter. Such beings were sentient, surviving since ancient times. Though lacking terrifying combat prowess, their escape skills were unparalleled.
They could vanish into the void, impossible to chase.
“Whoosh!”
The Ancient Saint moved, not lingering for long. After a brief pause, he charged toward the ancient herb garden left from the previous era, intent on breaking in.
Clearly, the ancient king of the Heavenly Kingdom was unaffected, vanishing in a flicker.
“How can they be so disrespectful to an immortal?” someone gasped, bewildered.
The strongest first-generation prodigies narrowed their eyes, sensing something amiss. After careful consideration, many lost their reverence and began to move.
“I understand now! This is the legendary herb of eternal life—a treasure only the mightiest immortals could possess!” someone suddenly declared.
In an instant, the crowd was stunned.
Soon, those versed in ancient history and herbology trembled in realization. “It truly is the herb of eternal life! Fragmented records of it were found on unearthed steles from the previous era!”
“A turtle carrying an immortal—heavens, it’s that herb! Has the world gone mad? Even legends are manifesting!”
“The White Turtle Carrying Immortal—said to transcend calamities, never decaying, granting eternal life—has truly reappeared in the mortal realm!”
With these words, the silent crowd erupted like a flood, surging through the void rift toward the ancient herb garden.
Eyes burned with greed. In a world where immortals were absent and none could achieve immortality, the discovery of such a divine herb was irresistible.
Consuming it would allow one to shine with the sun and moon, coexist with heaven and earth, and remain unbroken through countless calamities.
Not just them—even the mightiest figures of the upper realm would wage bloody wars for it. Its appearance alone could plunge the three thousand provinces into chaos, rivers of blood and mountains of corpses.
Fortunately, it was within the Immortal Ancient, accessible only to those present.
“Thud!”
Suddenly, over a dozen cultivators silently split apart, their blood spilling, their bones severed as smoothly as tofu under a sharp blade.
“What happened?”
Panic ensued. No enemy was seen, yet over a dozen experts had perished.
“The Heavenly Kingdom—was it their king who struck?” someone trembled, voicing the suspicion.
“Hmph, speak not of what you don’t understand. My lord has already advanced and is not here,” a voice sneered, materializing behind a man. With a “thud,” his head was severed.
“Can we not discuss this peacefully? Why such brutality?” Others nearby protested, finding the Heavenly Kingdom’s tyranny unbearable.
“Fools like these would die anyway. Better I send them off now,” the shadowy figure chuckled before fading away.
“These are void currents, forming void slashes. Be cautious,” someone warned, though many had already realized.
“Whoosh!”
A sword gleam flashed from the void, targeting the speaker.
Clearly, the Blood-Dripping Divine Sword of the Heavenly Kingdom took offense, seeking to silence dissent.
“Thud!”
Blood sprayed as the man dodged, only losing an arm. He retreated dozens of feet, furious. “Does the Heavenly Kingdom truly think itself supreme?”
“At the very least, here, we decide your life or death. Trash like you has no place here,” came the icy reply.
Many seethed but dared not speak, fearing they’d be next.
“Enough noise. A mere clown dares claim supremacy and act recklessly? Begone!”
A cold voice rang out as a youth stepped forward, wielding the Great Luo Immortal Sword with a casual sweep.
All souls trembled—this was Shi Hao, the one who had earlier faced several ancient freaks alone. Though wounded, his valor was awe-inspiring.
If even the terrifying assassin leader couldn’t kill him, why fear a mere killer?
The Heavenly Kingdom’s hunters had dwindled, most slain by Shi Hao. This one paled at his sight.
He tried to flee but found himself immobilized. The sword’s swing warped space, locking the area in a domain!
“Thud!”
His head flew, his soul extinguished, his headless corpse collapsing in a pool of blood.
All stood frozen. Such a powerful hunter, unable to move, slain in an instant—just how transcendent and fearsome was Shi Hao?
The earlier kingly battles hadn’t fully conveyed his might. Now, they understood—he was on a completely different level.
With one strand of immortal qi, he stood above all, invincible to others.
“This void is unstable, riddled with hidden rifts. Void slashes erupt unpredictably, capable of cleaving even True Gods. Proceed at your own peril,” Shi Hao warned before vanishing.
The crowd exchanged uneasy glances, hesitating.
“Ah—!”
Ahead, agonized screams rang out as fifty were bisected, then shredded by another void slash, leaving no survivors.
Chills ran down their spines. Though the immortal herb garden was within sight, the path was perilous, each step a gamble with death.
“Perhaps… we should leave. Nothing is worth more than life!”
Many turned back, fleeing without hesitation, fearing temptation would overcome reason.
Yet others gritted their teeth and pressed on. The allure of the garden was too great—even at the risk of death, they’d gamble for that sliver of hope.
What if they succeeded? The rewards would be divine!
The garden’s herbs shimmered brilliantly, and perhaps more than one herb of eternal life lay within.
The island floated amid the void currents, untouched by time. Even void slashes couldn’t harm it, protected by ancient runes.
Lush and vibrant, every plant glowed, radiating auspicious light and sacred energy.
“Whoosh!”
A silver streak grazed Shi Hao, severing a lock of hair. The danger here was immense—even he faced multiple close calls.
Nearing the island, the void grew more unstable. Some currents rivaled Heavenly God strikes, making him pale.
“This power erupts from dimensional rifts. What cursed place is this, connected to endless dimensions?” the Divine Striking Stone exclaimed.
“Likely the work of a supreme being from the previous era. They wouldn’t make it easy to approach, using dimensional forces as barriers,” Shi Hao deduced.
The Divine Striking Stone nodded, then brightened. “Ah, but time has worn it down. The defenses are in shambles!”
“Wait—battle remnants have damaged the formations,” it corrected.
Shi Hao frowned. Near the garden, corpses floated in the void, preserved by the cold darkness.
“Heavenly Gods?!”
He spotted remains of natives, undoubtedly at the Heavenly God level.
“And stronger ones!” the Divine Striking Stone added gravely, though it reassured, “But worry not. These are ancient relics. The defenses here are mostly gone.”
Shi Hao tested the area with a True God-level bone blade. It shattered instantly against the chaotic currents.
“A death trap indeed,” he muttered.
“But there are weak points. See those corpses on the island? Some made it,” the Divine Striking Stone pointed out.
Nodding, Shi Hao and the stone searched for a safe path.
Circling the island, Shi Hao activated his Martial Dao Heavenly Eye, piercing illusions but still facing near-death encounters.
“Found a few entry points. This route seems safest,” the stone indicated.
Proceeding cautiously, they breached the void currents and landed on the island!
“So many herbs! Sacred trees everywhere!” Shi Hao’s eyes widened.
“Ten-Thousand Poison Divine Tree?” the stone gasped, eyeing an ancient tree.
“No—Heavenly God Ancient Tree! Legend says its fruit can elevate one to Heavenly Godhood,” Shi Hao corrected, stunned.
The island was a paradise of saintly herbs, brimming with spiritual energy and radiant splendor.
Amid the foliage, he glimpsed an ancient tree exuding Heavenly God aura—but it vanished instantly.
“Do the herb fields move?” the stone wondered.
“More like that tree can flee!” Shi Hao said.
The gnarled tree, resembling a coiled dragon, had bark like scales and leaves glowing brilliantly—yet it fled in a flash.
“Stay alert. Danger lurks everywhere,” the stone warned.
The herb of eternal life was long gone, too perceptive and transcendent to be easily caught.
“By the heavens! A phoenix—the legendary undying phoenix!” the stone suddenly shrieked, forgetting its own caution.
“A phoenix nest?!” Shi Hao gasped.
Ahead, an ancient nest perched on a cliff, phoenix silhouettes circling above, exuding an aura of mystery and sacred blood.
The stone trembled with excitement. “Phoenix Blood Stones inside? Or—could there be a phoenix egg? The signs suggest it! We’re rich!”
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