In the Celestial City, within a grand hall.
A group of people grew restless, and even the Celestial Deities were anxious, for the Guardian was on the brink of death, showing signs of imminent departure.
“How could this happen? The Guardian is in critical condition, and our clan is about to lose a supreme powerhouse,” Celestial Deity Moro said with deep concern. The outcome was far too grim.
“It’s all because of that little brat! Every calamity our clan has faced recently is tied to him!” Another Celestial Deity scowled, his aura dark and violent.
They were uneasy. The Guardian, already nearing the end of his lifespan, had attempted divination—trying to capture and kill Shi Hao from an immeasurable distance to eliminate the source of misfortune. But instead, he suffered severe backlash.
For those without innate spiritual constitutions, even supreme powerhouses generally avoided peering into the future, lest they incur “Heaven’s Wrath.”
“A mere little Venerable, yet he’s thrown our entire clan into chaos! He must not be spared!” Celestial Deity Qituo growled in a low voice.
“Cough…” The Guardian coughed up blood, his face ashen and devoid of vitality. His aged body decayed further, likely with little time left.
“I refuse to accept this! I couldn’t even divine the fate of a mere young Venerable!” His gaze was icy, filled with boundless hatred.
At the same time, a deep terror gripped him—this divination had been too horrifying, stirring profound unease.
In truth, the others also trembled inwardly. Their mighty Guardian had nearly severed his own lifeline just by attempting to divine the fate of a single youth.
“He’s in Sin Province! We must kill him!” Celestial Deity Moro roared.
“Find a way to preserve the Guardian’s life! He cannot fall!” someone urged frantically.
The ancient Celestial had already departed, venturing into the vast Forbidden Lands to fulfill an ancient covenant. Whether he would return was unknown, and the clan still needed a supreme powerhouse to hold the line.
“The Guardian didn’t fully divine the little wretch’s location, nor did he take further action. He shouldn’t incur Heaven’s Wrath. Perhaps… there’s still a chance for him to survive!”
They began employing every means possible, all to prolong the Guardian’s life.
The Celestial City was shrouded in gloom, its atmosphere oppressive and tense, unsettling many.
—
**Sin Province, where spiritual energy was thin.**
Shi Hao remained unaware that a terrifying powerhouse, who had risen to prominence since the ancient era, had nearly lost his life trying to scheme against him. Had he known, he would have laughed wildly.
After all, the Guardian had brought this upon himself!
“Is this the Fire Nation?”
Shi Hao had traveled far, arriving at an ancient kingdom established by the Fire Clan. It had existed for countless years and was now a force to be reckoned with.
At the very least, in Sin Province, the Fire Nation held significant influence, boasting a lineage with Celestial Deities and even a few sect masters among its ranks.
Of course, compared to the transcendent powers of the Upper Realm, they were still somewhat weaker.
The towering Fire Phoenix Trees, ten in a row, soared into the clouds, their massive forms wreathed in blazing crimson radiance. They stood in the Fire Nation’s capital, flames roaring around them.
The Fire Clan had built their teachings upon fire, with flames as their emblem.
The Fire City bustled with activity, its streets teeming with people and carriages.
The entire city was unique—from afar, it glowed red, its structures crafted from fiery crystal stones.
Beings of various races walked the streets, and in recent days, a flood of cultivators had arrived, filling every inn to capacity.
Everyone knew why they had come, yet none dared to drive them away—these visitors hailed from major sects, and offending them would be unwise.
“Such a vast Fire Nation, such a massive city… Will I be able to find Huo Linger easily?” Shi Hao murmured, longing to reunite with his old friend from the Lower Realm.
But he suspected that even if the Fire Emperor had ascended to the Upper Realm, he wouldn’t have taken residence in the Fire Nation’s imperial palace. No matter how exceptional, it would be difficult to make waves here.
He even worried—had the Fire Emperor and Huo Linger arrived safely at all?
“Huo Linger? Never heard of her!”
Sure enough, Shi Hao’s inquiries yielded disappointment. No one seemed to know the name.
“Young man, you’ve asked several times now. I can assure you—I know all the outstanding and powerful women in the capital, and this person doesn’t exist,” an elderly merchant said impatiently.
Shi Hao didn’t want his search to draw unwanted attention, so he only questioned ordinary folk. With a sigh, he realized his hopes of reuniting here might be in vain.
He truly feared that something might have happened to the father and daughter.
Shi Hao lingered in the Fire Nation’s capital, unwilling to leave. He sought other clues, not wanting to miss anything.
Though he found no trace of the pair, he did learn that many extraordinary experts had gathered in the city—powerful Venerables from various provinces, even a few young Paragons.
Shi Hao frowned. Why had even young Paragons come to Sin Province?
Moreover, he discovered that frequent gatherings of geniuses had been held recently, as if awaiting the arrival of an extraordinary figure. This stunned him—even Paragons had come just to meet this person?!
A chill ran down his spine. He had a premonition of who it might be. Would this figure pass through the Fire Nation’s capital?
“I should go and see for myself—just how powerful and peerless is this person?”
Yet, he was disappointed. While someone of great importance might appear, there was no certainty of their arrival, nor any indication of when.
Still, all the young Venerables in the city remained in anticipation, none willing to leave.
It was like a hundred birds awaiting the phoenix, or beasts heralding the arrival of their king!
In recent days, numerous gatherings had been held, where talents exchanged insights and sparred.
“Ah, tonight there’s a grand banquet hosted by the Sixth Princess. Many geniuses and powerhouses will attend—it’s a high-profile event, with only the most elite from each province invited.”
This was no secret; word had already spread.
For Shi Hao, however, it was valuable news. He listened carefully, learning the location.
In essence, the arrival of a “Phoenix” had stirred the winds, leading to these gatherings.
“I’ll go and see,” Shi Hao decided.
—
**Evening.**
The sky burned crimson, clouds edged in gold, as if flames rolled across the horizon.
A vast estate lay outside the capital, its grounds sprawling and magnificent.
Figures moved about, arriving one after another—some descended from the skies, others rode golden war chariots, all exuding grandeur.
“Move aside!”
A voice rang out as a violet-gold carriage approached, drawn by auspicious beasts that shook the void with their thunderous steps.
The invited guests were all figures of great stature.
Yet, even among them, some stepped aside upon seeing this carriage—including a golden war chariot and a bone-carved palanquin.
Clearly, those aboard these vehicles were of significant status, yet they yielded, unwilling to provoke trouble.
Shi Hao arrived as well. Though he never bowed to others, he wasn’t reckless. He stepped back with the crowd.
Only an ancient azure war chariot refused to yield, continuing forward.
With a mighty leap, the auspicious beasts pulling the violet-gold carriage soared over it, landing with a crash that kicked up dust.
Laughter, bright and unrestrained, rang from within the carriage.
The occupants of the azure chariot seethed with anger, ready to retaliate, but were held back.
“Brother, calm yourself. Do you know who she is? She’s not to be trifled with.”
“Who?”
“Her origins are extraordinary… and she may be connected to that legendary figure rumored to pass through here.”
Gasps filled the air. The crowd trembled—this woman was tied to the peerless young powerhouse whom all awaited?!
One by one, guests entered the estate. When Shi Hao’s turn came, though he lacked an invitation, he was still admitted.
In these turbulent times, with geniuses from all provinces gathering, even the Fire Clan’s princess dared not offend lightly.
Who knew if a monster might appear? Barring entry could easily lead to bloodshed.
The estate was vast, its courtyards layered and resplendent, glowing faintly in the dusk like a celestial palace on earth.
“Look! That’s a renowned Venerable from the Luan Clan, ranked within their top twenty. Even he’s here!”
“That’s nothing. Over there—someone from the Zhu Yan Clan! Even their notoriously violent temper is present. Heavens, did the Thunder-Mouthed One hear me?!” The speaker vanished in a flash.
“What? You’re the prodigy from Demon Province? An honor to meet you!”
“And that man—he’s from Mang Province, a top-ten Venerable there!”
The estate buzzed with activity as talents mingled, exclamations rising at the sight of famed figures.
“So many powerhouses, all elites of their clans. This trip was worth it,” someone marveled.
Others debated the current generation’s top talents, ranking the strongest.
“Let me list the ten greatest young powerhouses of our era. Listen and see if you agree…”
Shi Hao found this intriguing, but a sudden medicinal fragrance caught his attention. He swiftly moved forward, soon arriving at a herb garden.
“How…?!” Even Shi Hao’s nerves tightened in shock.
The garden was protected by a formation, its runes forming a luminous barrier. Inside, radiant light shimmered, spiritual phenomena manifesting.
A crowd had gathered, murmuring in awe.
“They say this banquet was arranged here specifically because a certain exalted figure wished to see the Fire Clan’s herb garden.”
“These are… Sacred Herbs! How are there over a dozen?!” someone gasped.
The sheer number was unbelievable.
“Originally, there were hundreds of spirit herbs, but most withered. Only these dozen survived… and mutated, evolving into Sacred Herbs.”
“What?! Then what’s their origin?”
“Rumor has it… they were brought up from the Lower Realm,” a knowledgeable cultivator revealed.
Nearby, Shi Hao’s heart pounded. He had found his clue—this had to be tied to the Fire Emperor and Huo Linger. They must have brought these herbs.
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