Chapter 842: A Little Heist

The scorpion was peeled open, revealing its pure white, crystalline flesh, giving the illusion that it might be shrimp or crab.

Eating such a thing was undoubtedly a gamble between life and death. If the venom of the fire scorpion accidentally seeped into the cauldron, the consequences would be unimaginable.

The venom of the fire scorpion was lethally potent—enough to slay even a true god. It could corrode one’s primordial spirit and destroy one’s cultivation.

“Delicious! This fire scorpion meat surpasses even the golden bull,” Shi Hao praised. Seeing that he ate it without issue, the others tentatively tried it as well.

Indeed, the jade-like scorpion meat drew exclamations of amazement from Luo Dao. Though terrifying in appearance, the moment it touched the tongue, it transformed into a delicacy, its fragrance seeping into the bones along with the juices.

“Lan Yichen, aren’t you a metal man? Why are you joining in the feast?” Shi Hao asked.

“My cultivation allows me to shift between flesh and metal, absorbing the essence of such treasures,” he replied, unwilling to miss this opportunity. After all, what was being cooked in the cauldron was the flesh of a first-generation descendant—an unparalleled tonic.

“Come, try this fragrant meat,” Louis said, finally loosening up. He brought over the silver mastiff, carved off several large chunks, and tossed them into the cauldron.

“Dog meat is the most fragrant—utterly satisfying,” Shi Hao remarked, cracking open several jars of fine wine. They drank and feasted heartily.

“Metal man, can you teach me how to shift between stone and flesh?” The Divine Striking Stone couldn’t resist joining in.

“Apologies, but this is an innate divine ability—it cannot be taught,” Lan Yichen replied.

The Divine Striking Stone grumbled in frustration.

“Toss in a sacred herb to enhance the flavor,” Shi Hao suggested. A radiant ancient herb was thrown into the cauldron, instantly releasing a shower of light and a fragrance that spread for miles.

This only heightened their appetite.

“The Purple-Gold Crane—a rare delicacy. This is my first time tasting it,” Shi Hao said, slicing off a large piece and adding it to the cauldron. After taking a bite, he nodded in satisfaction. “Truly, second only to divine phoenix meat—a rare and exquisite dish.”

The purple-gold flesh was tender and fragrant, its aroma permeating the air and even leaking beyond the formation.

“What’s that smell? So fragrant!” Many who were barred from the central area outside grew curious.

They would never have guessed that the leaders—those mighty first-generation descendants—had been stewed and were now being devoured.

Had they known, they would have vomited blood in shock and fled in terror.

“I think roasting the dragon sparrow would be better than boiling it,” Shi Hao mused, eventually eating a golden roasted wing and a leg.

The others, however, could eat no more.

Only Shi Hao continued, sampling every ingredient thoroughly before finally lying back, utterly satisfied.

He burned all the hides and feathers with a flick of flame but kept the meat for later, planning to enjoy it slowly on the Azure Stone Path.

Unexpectedly, the original feathers of the Purple-Gold Crane and the dragon sparrow survived, which he stored in his Qiankun Bag for refining the Five Avian Fan.

Back in the lower realm, he had once collected five divine feathers to craft this fan. Though most were only from Venerable One (Venerables), with one or two true divine feathers, it still became a divine flame artifact of immense power.

The most peculiar aspect was that it required no activation of magic power—a mere wave would unleash its divine might, as it contained a miniature realm that drew upon the heavens and earth for energy.

The Five Avian Fan was undoubtedly one of the strongest artifacts of antiquity, worthy of further refinement.

Thus, whenever Shi Hao encountered suitable divine feathers, he collected them. They might prove invaluable in dire straits—perhaps even a life-saving trump card when his divine power ran dry.

“This is the Eight Treasures Qilin.”

Lan Yichen produced a jade box, opening it to reveal a purple-glowing plant about a foot long, shaped like a Qilin—hence its name.

“A plant?!” Shi Hao was stunned.

He had assumed the Eight Ancient Treasures were all beasts and birds, never expecting the first to be a plant.

“Though it’s a plant, its texture is no different from meat,” Lan Yichen explained.

The plant’s leaves resembled Qilin horns, glowing faintly, with only two forked leaves. Its roots took the form of a Qilin, and it had the peculiar ability to burrow deep into the earth upon contact with soil, making it nearly impossible to catch.

Lan Yichen had stumbled upon it while meditating underground, merging into a metal mountain. Had it not been for sheer luck, he would never have even glimpsed it, let alone captured it.

“A refreshing fragrance!” Shi Hao marveled.

Though the scent was subtle, it brought a sense of tranquility, making it a treasure for cultivators.

“No wonder it can amplify the effects of sacred and divine herbs—this is no ordinary thing.”

Without hesitation, Shi Hao pocketed the Eight Treasures Qilin. His goal was to break through, bridging the chasm of his cultivation path to forge an unparalleled road, surpassing all predecessors.

As for the sacred herbs Lan Yichen and Luo Dao had gathered, Shi Hao left them for their own use.

He also gifted them Cloud-Patterned Dao Copper, looted from the Immortal Palace—a divine material for forging supreme artifacts.

The plundering of the Immortal Palace in Radiant City was a major event. Though they tried to suppress the news, word still spread that a powerful figure had infiltrated.

Though the extent of the losses was unknown, it was clear something grave had occurred.

Soon, reports came in that someone had stormed Silver Grind Mountain to rescue Lan Yichen and was now trapped in the formation.

“Let’s go support them and see what’s happening. Who could be so formidable?” Many doubted, believing only the strongest divine flame cultivators could rival so many first-generation descendants.

Yet when they arrived, the mountain was empty—save for a faint aroma of meat, everything had been burned clean by Shi Hao.

“Where did they go? Lan Yichen must have escaped, and the eight pursuers gave chase. Search for them!”

“What incompetence! Though you guarded the perimeter, did none of you notice what happened inside?”

The arriving group berated the guards, who could only shrug helplessly—the formation had been too powerful for them to breach.

At the edge of the Forbidden Zone, many breathed sighs of relief upon learning Shi Hao had left. The newcomers hadn’t crossed paths with him, easing their tension.

Reflecting, they realized they had unwittingly grown fearful of “Huang,” dreading their disciples encountering him on the path of death.

“Unbelievable… A youth from the lower realm has us worrying over our juniors facing him. How pitiful!” an ancient Heavenly God lamented.

Indeed, aside from sects like Sword Valley, Dragon Palace, and Divine Temple—which housed ancient freaks—who else dared not fear Huang?

Perhaps only the heirs of the Immortal Palace, the Dark Divine Son, and a handful of others remained unafraid.

“Disaster! He’s heading for Radiant City!”

Many outside paled, realizing Shi Hao and his group were advancing toward the city.

Now, most dreaded him, knowing he never followed rules or conventions. With the likes of the Dark Divine Son, Six Crown King, Lone Sword Cloud, and Ancient Sacred Son still in seclusion, who could stop him? He was invincible!

If he rampaged through Radiant City, the carnage would be unimaginable!

Panic spread among the factions, especially among elders, who grew fearful for their disciples.

This was unprecedented—never since the opening of the Immortal Ancient had a single individual caused such dread and unease.

Radiant City glowed with a pale yellow light, its bone scripts shimmering like a golden fortress.

“Wait—isn’t that Luo Dao? He dares return to Radiant City?” someone exclaimed in shock upon recognizing him.

“Lan Yichen too! He escaped? Did those factions fail to capture him, or did he surrender the Eight Treasures Qilin?”

Many onlookers wore strange expressions—this was unexpected.

Yet few dared act, as they were first-generation descendants. Some hurried off to report to the Divine Temple, Immortal Palace, and Dark Divine Palace.

Soon, it became clear the group was heading straight for the Dark Divine Palace.

“Halt! Who goes there?”

“You—why have you returned?” someone recognized Shi Hao, their face paling with fear.

“What… do you want?” The Nether clansmen trembled, recalling how this man had once swept through their formation, leaving only corpses in his wake.

“Here to rob you,” Shi Hao said lazily.

“You—!” The Nether clansmen were both furious and terrified—to be so brazenly challenged at their doorstep!

Bystanders gaped in disbelief. Robbing the Dark Divine Palace? Such audacity!

“This is bad—Radiant City’s experts left for Silver Grind Mountain. This was a diversion, and they’re here to plunder!” someone deduced.

Shi Hao ignored them. Today, he would sweep through these great factions’ treasuries.

“You stole my Eight Treasures Qilin. Now I’m here to collect interest.”

Without another word, Shi Hao swatted his palm, leveling the grand gates and courtyard of the Dark Divine Palace. The group strode in.

“How dare you!” defenders shouted.

Lan Yichen and Luo Dao, first-generation elites, made quick work of the remaining guards.

*Boom!*

The black treasury doors, forged of divine material, were shattered by Shi Hao’s palm, leaving onlookers stunned. Even first-generation descendants would struggle to damage them.

“Pathetic. Only a few sacred herbs? The Dark Divine Son is a miser—how does he even cultivate?” Shi Hao scoffed.

The Nether clansmen seethed silently, utterly defeated.

“Did you hide the rest? Not even a single half-divine fruit?” Shi Hao demanded.

The Nether clansmen had no answer. Divine herbs were near-mythical, and half-divine fruits were equally rare.

“We had half-divine fruits, but they were taken a month ago. These sacred herbs were recently gathered,” someone explained miserably.

“Tell me—where is the Dark Divine Son in seclusion?” Shi Hao pressed, planning to raid his hideout.

“Unknown. The Divine Son always retrieves the herbs himself. No one knows his location,” the Nether clansmen admitted.

“Next target,” Shi Hao declared after a thorough inspection with his dual-pupiled gaze, confirming nothing was missed.

The next raid yielded far richer spoils than the Dark Divine Palace.

“Bad news—I just heard the Six Crown King Ning Fei is returning!” Luo Dao whispered urgently after the second plunder.

This was shocking news. Once the Six Crown King emerged, none could rival him—he was peerless.

“Oh? Does he have a faction in this city? Let’s head there, then!” Shi Hao said.