Deep within his flesh and blood, faint strands of light lay dormant, utterly still.
Gazing with his Heavenly Eye, though the vision remained blurred, he recognized it—a cluster of flames, eerily familiar, something he had seen before!
“It actually entered my body, and I never noticed! It didn’t even burn me!”
Shi Hao was utterly shocked. Beside the Nine Dragons Coffin, there had once been a mysterious flame, so unfathomably powerful that it had even forced the Azure Moon Flame to retreat. Just how terrifying was it?
He had once heard Qi Daolin mutter that this flame could incinerate all evil and purify the world. In a sense, it wasn’t even fire—it was composed of symbols.
Only because these mysterious symbols glowed and intertwined did they resemble flames.
How could he awaken it, summon its power? This cluster of mystical symbols held secrets of cosmic significance. If he could fully comprehend them, perhaps all the ominous and eerie phenomena would cease to be a problem.
No matter how much malevolence came, it could all be burned away!
Shi Hao attempted to communicate with it, but it remained motionless, dormant, unresponsive.
For days, his divine sense lingered within his body, circling the enigmatic symbols, trying to rouse them into activity.
Yet, he was disappointed. There was no progress.
With a soft sigh, Shi Hao rose from the Enlightenment Stone and gazed into the distance.
“Qing Yi, burn me with your Azure Moon Flame!” he suddenly declared.
“Are you out of your mind?” The little rabbit mumbled through a mouthful of sacred herb, her large eyes wide with disbelief.
Qing Yi and Cao Yusheng were equally stunned. The Azure Ancient Flame was of legendary origin, born in the Immortal Ancient Era, said to be the remnant “immortal seed” left behind after the fall of the peerless True Immortal, Qing Yue.
Using it to burn someone would undoubtedly end in disaster.
The only reason Qing Yi remained unharmed was because the flame had acknowledged her, coexisting peacefully and even offering the possibility of inheritance.
“It’s fine. Just a little. There’s something inside me that needs testing,” Shi Hao insisted.
When Qing Yi learned that the flame resided within Shi Hao, she was stunned. How could such a thing happen?
A wisp of azure flame emerged, gently approaching Shi Hao like sacred moonlight.
“Ah! It hurts!” Shi Hao gritted his teeth. The moment the flame neared, his flesh felt as if it were being sliced by blades.
Qing Yi carefully controlled the flame, suppressing its destructive force as it neared the dormant cluster of mysterious fire within Shi Hao.
Suddenly, radiant light flashed, and the symbols flared. The Azure Moon Flame retreated on its own, refusing to advance further. No matter how much she urged it, it wouldn’t budge.
Shi Hao sighed. It seemed this flame was beyond his control—unless he resorted to extreme measures, tearing his own flesh apart to unleash the cluster of symbols.
But that… would be far too gruesome.
“Since others have overcome this trial, so can I. I will find a way to forge my own path,” Shi Hao resolved, setting aside the earlier thought.
The dormant flame was his last resort, one he would avoid if possible. Even if he tore his body apart, the symbols might still refuse to act.
“Throughout history, every successful being relied on that strand of immortal energy. If you endure until you can wield it yourself, you’ll overcome everything,” Cao Yusheng advised.
Shi Hao nodded silently.
He entered seclusion once more—not to ignite his Dao Flame, but to delve deeper into his own essence, observing his flesh and soul, seeking to unlock every ounce of potential.
“Are you sure about that? By ‘history,’ you mean the Immortal Ancient Era, right? Are you certain the ominous existed even then?” the little rabbit muttered.
“I’m guessing. Right now, he needs confidence!” Cao Yusheng retorted.
The Lunar Jade Rabbit rolled her eyes and ignored him.
At this point, neither Qing Yi nor the Divine Striking Stone could offer much help—only worry. Strangely, the chubby Cao Yusheng, with his peculiar heritage, seemed to know far more than he let on.
Shi Hao remained patient, focusing on observing his Supreme Blood. He sensed that the dispersed immortal energy couldn’t have been absorbed without causing some change.
After half a month, his Martial Heavenly Eye finally detected something extraordinary.
“A new type of rune is forming, evolving, intertwining!” Shi Hao was astounded.
Beyond the fusion of the Heaven’s Hand and Reincarnation Runes, a third type of rune had emerged in his Supreme Blood—though still in its infancy, its abilities uncertain.
He poured all his focus into it, watching intently, contemplating deeply. This was a brand-new experience for him—witnessing the birth of an unparalleled divine technique!
Soon, Shi Hao was entranced, motionless, his entire world fading away until only the evolving patterns in his Supreme Blood held his attention.
In a trance, he witnessed the origin and evolution of the cultivation path, his spirit wholly immersed, absorbing every detail, drawing inspiration.
Such an evolution was a rare treasure for any cultivator!
But how many could witness it? Those with Heavenly Eyes were already as rare as phoenix feathers, and even among them, who would encounter such an opportunity—to personally witness the birth of an invincible technique?
Experiencing this transformation firsthand was like opening a new world for Shi Hao, an unimaginably profound revelation.
“The path of cultivation, the path of origin, the path of ascension—they all began like this, step by step, until they flourished into what they are today.”
Time became irrelevant as the Supreme Blood gradually calmed, the runes ceasing their evolution, returning to dormancy.
Undoubtedly, the third invincible technique needed time to fully manifest!
At last, Shi Hao opened his eyes, savoring the insights before stepping down from the Enlightenment Stone, feeling immeasurably enriched.
“One day, I will create an entirely new cultivation method—one unlike the Immortal Ancient Era or the current era, but a path entirely my own, transcending all.”
The others froze at his words. Such ambition—to forge a new cultivation system?!
It seemed impossible. Establishing a new path was harder than ascending to heaven.
The Immortal Ancient Era had its immortal seeds, the current era its bone inscriptions. What other system could possibly exist?
“The road is long. For now, I must accumulate knowledge. My ideas are still vague, but one day, they will take shape,” Shi Hao said.
**BOOM!**
Suddenly, a bolt of lightning descended from the heavens, striking him and sending him flying, blood splattering. The lightning was terrifying—anyone else would have been reduced to ashes, but Shi Hao endured!
The little rabbit gaped, then cried, “See? Talk nonsense, get struck by lightning!”
The Divine Striking Stone, Qing Yi, and Cao Yusheng paled, hearts trembling.
Lightning tribulations had vanished from this era, lost since the end of the previous epoch. Yet here it was, appearing inexplicably.
Legends spoke of supreme beings in the Immortal Ancient Era whose words could summon heavenly thunder. But that was then—how could it happen now?
They stared at Shi Hao, their gazes strange. Could he truly be destined to forge a new path?
If so, the implications would be profound, his achievements immeasurable!
Shi Hao returned to meditation, observing the changes in his Supreme Blood. A month later, he opened his eyes, ready to ignite the Three Thousand Dao Flames.
“Be careful. Don’t push beyond your limits!” The others could only urge caution.
Soon, the Three Thousand Azure Stone Paths blazed with light, flames roaring, runes surging, engulfing the heavens as if to tear the sky apart.
The commotion was unprecedented, resonating across minor realms.
Everyone sensed an inexplicable aura spreading, a palpitation-inducing ripple that left them bewildered.
The Azure Stone Paths burned with Dao Flames, the cosmos trembling like a crucible, refining Shi Hao with the Three Thousand Great Dao Runes as fire.
The resonance of the Dao shook heaven and earth.
Even with the Divine Striking Stone’s isolation arrays, the vast fluctuations still spread outward.
**”ROAR—!”**
After an indeterminable time, Shi Hao let out a mighty roar. Though his body was charred, an indomitable spirit surged from him, his eyes sharp as lightning.
He stood tall. Though wounded, his injuries weren’t as severe as expected. Light radiated from within his body, healing him rapidly.
He had never been stronger, surpassing his former self by leaps and bounds. Without even consuming the Half-Immortal Fruit, he had nearly fully recovered from the Dao Flame tempering.
Moreover, a strand of immortal energy coiled around him like a true dragon, elevating him to transcendent heights. He had succeeded!
Without delay, Shi Hao consumed the sacred herbs offered by Qing Yi and the little rabbit, restoring himself to peak condition.
For the ominous had arrived—just beyond the Azure Stone Paths.
This time, it was different. Not gray mist, but pitch-black currents, devoid of life. Shadowy figures approached.
Ancient lanterns hovered, casting cold light.
Strangely, there were fewer figures in the black mist than before.
“Has the difficulty lowered? Is fate favoring him?” the Divine Striking Stone muttered hopefully.
“Let’s hope so,” Cao Yusheng said.
But soon, their expressions darkened as they beheld the approaching figures.
The first was tall and imposing, with radiant eyes and a pair of black wings adorned with golden patterns.
“Heavens! Those are Kun Peng Wings—just a different color!” the little rabbit shrieked.
The aura was unmistakable.
The second figure emerged, wreathed in black lightning, its armor riddled with holes as if fresh from battle.
“Is… is this a manifestation of the Thunder Emperor’s phenomenon?” the Divine Striking Stone stammered.
The third figure exuded the radiance of heavenly calamity.
The fourth was peculiar, its appearance shifting from elder to child, as if cycling through reincarnation!
“This is bad!”
The group shuddered. These manifestations were the pinnacle of power, the ultimate evolution of their kinds.
Were there more behind them? They didn’t know.
“Not bad. I’ll end them all here and see if the ominous dares return!” Shi Hao declared, his voice resounding through the heavens.
The Three Thousand Azure Stone Paths trembled in response.
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