Chapter 717: Heaven’s City

“Elder, I appreciate your kindness, but I have urgent matters to attend to and won’t disturb the Celestial Clan,” Shi Hao declined tactfully.

The Bloody Plains had quieted down, no longer restless, and the various forces had withdrawn one after another. The land grew desolate, with only a few powerful figures still wandering about.

“This is no way to treat a guest. You saved Yun Xi and risked your life to escort her. By both sentiment and reason, our clan must repay you generously,” Qi Tuo spoke up.

Clad in flowing purple robes, he exuded nobility, encircled by divine chains of a Heavenly Deity, his body shrouded in misty radiance. He appeared to be around forty years old, his eyes sharp and bright.

Shi Hao had no desire to visit the Celestial Clan, but he knew he likely couldn’t defy the will of a Heavenly Deity. Assessing his own situation and strength, escape seemed impossible.

“I have always held the royal clans in high esteem. I will surely visit another day,” he said, unwilling to give up his last effort.

Qi Tuo chuckled. “Young friend, you worry too much. There’s no need for such hesitation. We merely wish to express our gratitude.”

Around them, divine chains intertwined, forming a dazzling net—mysterious and mighty—enhancing the transcendent and godly aura of the Heavenly Deity at its center.

In the end, Shi Hao set off with Qi Tuo. Under the earnest invitation of a Heavenly Deity, he had no choice but to comply.

The Bloody Plains faded into the distance, gradually blurring until it became a faint crimson line on the horizon.

The Celestial Province was lush and verdant, with towering mountains and swirling spiritual energy.

Compared to the Demon Province, the Celestial Province was vast, majestic, and peaceful—a land of talent and prosperity, where various clans thrived, deities manifested, and conflicts were rare. It was home to many beautiful myths and legends.

Along the way, there were ancient immortal caves, primordial mountains, cliffside steles, and places that reached the heavens—countless wonders and relics.

“Mo Xi!”

Yun Xi was astonished to see Shi Hao in a city. She hadn’t yet returned to her clan but had reached an absolutely safe region—a Celestial City.

“We meet again,” Shi Hao said with a smile.

The Celestials around them turned their gazes, for Yun Xi’s status was now extraordinary. She was destined to become a supreme powerhouse in the future.

Shi Hao was puzzled. The important figures of the Celestial Clan hadn’t left but had chosen to linger here.

“We’re searching for the other two,” Yun Xi murmured.

A large group of Celestial Clan youths had entered a mysterious ancient land, but only four had obtained and fused with Destiny Stones—a sign of immense potential.

On their return journey, they had been scattered. Under the protection of Heavenly Deities, they fled separately.

Now, only two—including Yun Xi—had escaped safely. The other two were still missing, and the Celestial Clan’s elders would not abandon them. The search continued.

“Clues about them have been found. Whether alive or dead, we’ll have answers in the coming days,” Yun Xi said.

“Roar!”

A day later, a deafening roar echoed. In the distance, a mountain split apart, and a Heavenly Deity appeared on the horizon, his hair standing on end, divine power surging, and flames shooting into the sky.

Filled with fury, he cradled a bloodied body and descended upon the Celestial City, causing chaos. All the important figures rushed over.

“Return to the clan at once. Place him in the Divine Pool—there may still be hope,” Qi Tuo whispered.

Of the two missing youths, one had already perished, while the other clung to the last thread of life, his primordial spirit shattered and his condition dire.

“Go!” The Heavenly Deity, his eyes bloodshot, carried the youth toward the city’s center, where a massive teleportation array could traverse tens of millions of miles.

The Celestial Province was vast and magnificent, home to many races. The Celestial Clan’s ancestral lands were still far away, requiring such an array for travel.

With solemn expressions, the group activated an ancient altar and stepped into a radiant path, setting off.

They vanished from the city and arrived on a land brimming with spiritual energy—a territory of the Celestial Clan, dotted with cities and majestic mountains.

Here, the spiritual energy was palpably denser than the outside world. Cultivating in such a place for years would yield twice the results with half the effort.

The teleportation array couldn’t send them directly into the ancestral lands, lest enemies invade too easily.

A massive purple bone ship hovered in the sky, waiting for them. As soon as they appeared, it descended, carrying them toward the heart of the Celestial Clan’s sacred land.

Below, numerous vast cities sprawled across the land, home to the Celestial Clan. Occasionally, the auras of powerful figures surged into the clouds.

Soon, they arrived before a range of mountains wreathed in purple mist, coiled like true dragons, exuding faint immortal energy.

This was their ancestral land. After inspection, the crystalline bone ship halted nearby. Bathed in holy light, it vanished.

Shi Hao was amazed. The defenses of this sacred land were impenetrable—outsiders would find it nearly impossible to infiltrate.

With a flash of radiance, the warship reappeared from the void, landing deep within the mountains.

Towering peaks, tens of thousands of feet high, pierced the clouds, majestic and imposing. Waterfalls cascaded like silver rivers from the heavens, shrouded in mist.

Each mountain was encircled by ribbons of immortal mist, glowing with iridescent light, a breathtaking sight.

“Boom!”

The earth trembled as a herd of golden elephants thundered past, their bodies radiant, trunks raised, trumpeting like thunder.

“Roar!”

In the distance, a silver savage ape roared, pounding its chest, its blood energy surging. At the True God realm, it was herding a group of auspicious beasts.

Farther away, a flock of seven-colored divine birds soared across the sky, trailing brilliant light.

The mountains were fragrant with medicinal herbs. Rare treasure trees and ancient vines grew from crevices and summits, bearing golden fruits and crimson blossoms.

“So many divine beasts and rare plants—what a wondrous place,” Shi Hao murmured.

“This is our Celestial Clan’s pasture and herb garden, spanning a hundred thousand miles,” Yun Xi explained.

“What?” Shi Hao nearly dropped his jaw. He had assumed this was the sacred land, but it was merely a corner—the mountain range spanned a hundred thousand miles.

This region teemed with divine beasts, exotic insects, and countless rare plants. Much of what the Celestial Clan’s elites needed was harvested here.

Creatures like the golden elephants, flame bison, and seven-colored divine birds were premium ingredients—though in the outside world, they were ferocious beasts, formidable and deadly.

Protected by grand formations, this land had withstood the attack of a War Emperor during the conflict with the War Clan, suffering only collapsed mountains but remaining intact.

Its resilience was unmatched, its defensive formations ranking among the strongest in the Three Thousand Provinces.

“Where do you live?” Shi Hao asked.

“There,” Yun Xi pointed skyward.

“That’s…” Shi Hao was stunned. Above the towering peaks, wreathed in purple mist, floated a majestic ancient city, suspended in the heavens.

As they spoke, a resonant hum filled the air. A massive white jade staircase descended from the sky, glowing with radiant light and immortal mist.

“So strict?” Shi Hao was astonished.

Returning to the Celestial Clan’s highest sanctum required layer upon layer of inspections, the scrutiny unrelenting.

“Yes. Even our clan’s elders must undergo this to prevent enemy infiltration,” Yun Xi replied. The others, accustomed to the process, remained silent.

They stepped onto the jade staircase, enveloped in mist, and were instantly transported into the sky, arriving before the colossal city.

Throughout the journey, mysterious runes scanned them, checking for threats.

The city was unimaginably vast, the grandest Shi Hao had ever seen. Standing before its walls, he felt as small as an ant.

Above the towering gate hung a bone plaque, shimmering with holy light and mist. Three ancient characters were faintly visible: *City of Heaven*.

This was the true ancestral land—the highest sanctum of the former royal clan, home to the noblest Celestials.

It didn’t rest on the earth but floated in the sky, supported by purple mist rising from the mountains below, glowing like flames.

“Truly worthy of being one of the Ten Great Clans, hailed as the royal clan of the Upper Realm,” Shi Hao marveled, awed by even a glimpse of their past glory.

The clan had once sat atop the nine heavens, overlooking all beings with unmatched grandeur.

Surprisingly, the city wasn’t densely packed with buildings. Instead, it was dotted with spiritual mountains, streets, and clusters of structures—though caves and grottoes were more common.

No wonder the city was so massive—it was a world unto itself.

Upon their return, the Heavenly Deities vanished, rushing the injured youth to an ancient divine pool for healing.

Shi Hao was settled by a sapphire lake, amidst emerald bamboo groves, in a serene and spiritual retreat.

At first, Yun Xi accompanied him, but she was soon summoned away.

“Young friend, we are deeply grateful for saving Yun Xi,” an elderly woman said, clad in golden robes, her demeanor kind.

Shi Hao didn’t dare act arrogantly. This was a True God, hosting him with a feast of delicacies and divine wine.

“Might I ask if you have a Dao Companion?” the old woman asked with a smile, her silver hair gleaming, her divine flames restrained.

Shi Hao hesitated. “Not yet.”

“Good, good, good!” she exclaimed, serving him dishes and studying him closely.

Shi Hao felt uneasy under her gaze—this was a True God, one nearing perfection in her realm.

“Young friend, your heroic bearing is unmatched. With such rare potential, you could slay even War Kings,” she praised.

“You flatter me,” Shi Hao said, raising his cup.

“To battle and defeat prodigies—you are truly a young hero, a rarity in the Three Thousand Provinces,” she continued, her wrinkled face beaming.

The blue lake and green bamboo swayed gently in the breeze, enhancing the tranquility.

“Cultivation is about experiencing life. A Dao Companion is essential for completeness. You should consider choosing one,” the old woman said with a smile.