The Vermilion Sparrow danced amidst the celestial winds, the divine fire of the Southern Li Emperor accompanying it as it dove down with shocking ferocity. Shi Hao raised his hand, summoning surging waves of Yin energy, and pointed a single finger at the sparrow’s head. Between them, countless runes erupted, illuminating the heavens.
The Golden Crow cried out, declaring itself the Celestial Emperor, its golden wings slicing through the skies like divine blades, and its three feet gleamed with peerless sharpness as it clawed toward Shi Hao’s crown, merciless and blazing with Solar Essence Flame.
Shi Hao’s right hand trembled; golden glyphs flickered in his palm, shattering the Solar Flame. With a mighty slap, he unleashed the colossal palm strike of the Roc, clashing head-on with the talons and wings of the Golden Crow, sending sparks flying.
The True Phoenix descended, carrying the mysteries of life and death, reborn from its own ashes, it swooped down upon Shi Hao. With a flap of its wings, it shook the heavens and earth. Shi Hao roared, releasing a jet of refined essence from his mouth, dual streams of Yin and Yang erupting forth to suppress the Phoenix.
…
The battlefield erupted, ablaze with descending celestial flames.
Celestial flames rained down, divine birds attacked, how ruthless was this battle! Who could rival it? The Fire-Gold Clan, once one of the Ten Great Clans, woven the profound meanings of countless races into this ultimate divine art, unmatched and unparalleled.
Of course, they only possessed fragments of those meanings. Otherwise, this divine technique would have surpassed the heavens, standing unrivaled in the world.
Even so, this divine bottle technique was formidable enough to sweep across the present era, with few arts capable of withstanding its might. It absorbed the strengths of many, forging a new path, seizing the blessings of the world.
Only Shi Hao, having inherited the complete divine art of the Roc, the legacy of one of the ancient great fiends, a fierce beast feared across the skies, could stand against this peerless technique.
At this moment, the battle raged, divine birds cried out, and boundless divine light shot in all directions—it was truly a confrontation between titans.
Since his battle with the Twin-Pupiled One, Shi Hao had rarely felt such exhilaration. He gave his all, fighting with his life, soaring into the air, forming the Roc seal, and cutting toward Teng Yi within the blazing sun.
A deep hum echoed.
In the next instant, the sun trembled violently and roared even more intensely, with Teng Yi seated within suddenly vibrating, his entire form engulfed in flames.
He had not expected Shi Hao to be so powerful, pushing close enough to kill him. He had originally intended to capture the fiend, taking him back to guard his sect’s gates, but now that proved extremely difficult.
With a mighty boom, the sacred bottle formed by his hands grew even grander, dripping with crimson brilliance, radiating ever more brilliant fire.
“Hm?” Shi Hao, pressing forward, sensed something wrong. The Vermilion Sparrow, Golden Crow, and True Phoenix were all incomplete—indicating that the meanings of each race had been merely partial. They now revealed their flaws.
Such a secret should never be exposed. Why did Teng Yi display his incomplete techniques to his foe?
In the next breath, he understood. The divine birds collided together, and fire suddenly engulfed the world, blasting Shi Hao backward violently.
It was too violent, too overbearing. Several divine birds self-destructed, releasing power that made Shi Hao’s lips bleed, suffering wounds.
At the same time, the fire before the fallen divine birds changed colors—from black to deep purple, and finally to a blood-like red, growing bizarre and terrifying.
The divine birds vanished, leaving only pure flame, like flowing blood, rapidly rushing toward Shi Hao, its aura making even him shiver.
“Karmic Flame!”
Someone cried out, their face pale with shock.
Every heart carries darkness; karmic flame burns away all sins, purifying evil and erasing all crimes into nothingness.
It was not necessarily stronger than the Southern Li Fire or the Golden Crow Fire—its power lay in its specificity. In battle, igniting the darkness within one’s heart would lead to total annihilation. It was the most terrifying of all.
A crimson glow, laced with an aura of evil, radiated with a sinister energy wave, instantly engulfing Shi Hao. The world turned red.
All hearts trembled. People believed the great fiend known as Haotian was finished. Nothing but avoidance could save one from this fire; being touched meant certain destruction.
“Boom!”
Yet the result was shocking. A terrifying aura erupted from the battlefield, and a figure like a divine demon could be seen rising, expanding his limbs.
Shi Hao extended both arms, one finger pointing to the heavens, the other to the earth, each radiating Yin and Yang energy. The two energies swirled around him, forming a divine garment of Yin and Yang that draped over his body.
Like a robe woven from the Dao itself, it shielded him from all influences, leaving the karmic fire unable to approach, failing to ignite his body or soul.
At the same time, Shi Hao shot upward with astonishing speed, forming the Roc seal once more, crashing toward the golden sun, cutting toward his formidable opponent.
With a tremble of hum, the golden sun shattered beneath his might. He moved like lightning, his right arm like a celestial sword, sweeping toward Teng Yi’s neck, while his left hand aimed at his forehead, seeking to destroy his spirit.
Teng Yi, engulfed in flames, still maintained his bottle-shaped seal over his head. Now, he swiftly brought it down to counter Shi Hao’s ultimate strike.
“Boom!”
The sacred bottle blocked the path, forming a brilliant light barrier, halting the attack.
“Ding!”
A resonant sound rang out as Shi Hao’s left finger struck the bottle, producing a sharp tone not heard by the ears, but resonating deep within the souls of countless spectators, nearly sending their spirits flying from their bodies.
The crimson sacred bottle dimmed, its divine fire withdrawn, violently trembling.
Shi Hao’s other hand slashed down, shattering the bottle and nearly crushing it down on Teng Yi’s neck. A flash of golden light vanished, and blood sprayed into the air.
Teng Yi’s body erupted with flames, rapidly shifting sideways. A shattered sun enveloped him as he retreated a hundred yards away.
All watching trembled inwardly. The battle was moving too quickly—runes densely packed, divine techniques blooming, a series of attacks that left minds and eyes dazzled.
Who had fallen? All held their breath.
Shi Hao stood still, adorned in the Dao’s robe woven from Yin and Yang energies. He wiped blood from his lips, his body glowing as he healed his wounds.
Across from him, the golden sun reappeared. Teng Yi stood no longer seated, his neck gushing blood from a dreadful wound, nearly decapitated.
He brushed his hand over it, the wound healing, his body glowing again as he healed.
Both were injured. Who was weaker? Who stronger? The conclusion could not yet be drawn.
Shi Hao’s dark hair danced as he regained calm, like a banished immortal, his body flowing with Yin and Yang energies. He took initiative, stepping forward to slay his opponent, to defeat him.
“Boom!”
Lightning surged to the heavens before and behind him—more than a hundred lion-dragons, each as massive as a mountain, filling the void.
Every lion-dragon roared, exhaling lightning. In truth, they were all manifestations of lightning, now conjuring a sea of thunder, accompanied by countless stars, roaring forward to submerge the battlefield.
“All ways must retreat!” Teng Yi cried.
He strode through the void, a vine forming behind him, crystalline and brilliant, like condensed golden light. With a slight tremble, it unleashed immeasurable fire, shielding him.
The blazing sun enveloping him was formed from the golden fire of this vine, separating him from all other arts, existing beyond the mundane.
Relying on this vine, he radiated fire, creating a domain that resisted the endless lightning. Between them, runes flashed fiercely before crumbling, marking a great confrontation.
At the same time, Teng Yi formed his seal again, still creating the sacred bottle, but this time golden and brilliant, like sword energy piercing the heavens, condensing into a bottle.
The Fire-Gold Sacred Bottle Seal naturally divided into fire and gold. Previously, only one meaning had been displayed. Now, the second truth emerged, and in an instant, a strand of eternal celestial light shone forth, like a divine sword being born.
“Zheng!”
Sword energy pierced the heavens. The bottle seemed a celestial sword, unleashing thousands of sword beams forward, burying Shi Hao in their onslaught.
Shi Hao frowned, pointing with his hand as Yin and Yang energies rotated, forming a shield to block the ocean of sword light. He himself pushed forward with the shield, rushing ahead at great speed.
“The Infinite Fire-Gold Sacred Bottle Severance!” Teng Yi cried out, radiating divine light. Holding the sacred bottle aimed at Shi Hao, the surging sword energy poured forth like an ocean, cutting forward.
“Boom!”
A thunderous sound erupted from Shi Hao’s body as his Dao robe glowed, protecting him. With both hands joined, Yin and Yang energies fused. He roared:
“Yin and Yang Reversal!”
Between his palms burst astonishing runes, a result of Yin and Yang merging into one, accompanied faintly by strands of chaotic energy.
Gasps echoed through the crowd. Chaos divided into Yin and Yang, and now their reversal returned to the primordial state. Though only a fragment, it was indeed world-shaking.
It was known that no race could surpass its origin no matter how far one cultivated other races’ techniques.
Yet now, the people had a realization—Shi Hao appeared no worse than a true Roc, having seemingly grasped this technique fully, reaching an extreme.
“Dang!”
Runes from Shi Hao’s hands, accompanied by chaotic energy, struck the radiant sacred bottle with a deafening clang.
At this moment, both were sent flying backward. The sacred bottle shattered, and the strange runes from Shi Hao gradually faded.
Both men stood on opposite sides, vigilant and prepared.
The crowd trembled, shocked by the intensity. Could even Teng Yi not subdue the great fiend Haotian from the lower realm?
Teng Yi, who had shaken the Ten Thousand Holy Mountains, remained undefeated for an era, unmatched across four directions.
Yet today, he faced such a formidable enemy, a rarity unparalleled.
No matter the outcome, this battle between Haotian and Teng Yi was enough to shake the Spirit World. His name would spread across the Celestial Immortal State, echoing through the Ten Thousand Holy Mountains.
After a moment of silence, Shi Hao advanced fiercely, shouting: “Let me see how strong your Supreme Art is!”
What he longed most was a confrontation using their innate divine arts, to test the strength of this so-called “Firstborn” of the upper realms, to measure his True Bone.
In the lower world, his art was nearly unrivaled, but now in the upper realms, pitted against a Firstborn, could he still dominate?
The runes born from his Supreme Bone constituted his own technique, capable of reaching the strongest extremity, perfectly attuned to him alone!
“I have run out of time. I cannot perform the Supreme Art.” Teng Yi sighed, filled with regret, saying: “Today, I cannot take you back to the sect.”
The crowd stiffened, instantly understanding. He had crossed into the Spirit World through forbidden arts, allowing him to reach the State of the World from the Ten Thousand Great Mountains instantly, but at a tremendous cost, with limited time for a peak battle.
Shi Hao raged: “What use are you then?!”
His most anticipated confrontation against the Supreme Art ended without resolution, never having the chance to test his True Bone to its limits!
Upon hearing this, Teng Yi grew furious, opening his eyes for the first time, golden light terrifying all who saw. Who dared speak to him this way?
They were shocked. When Teng Yi opened his eyes, he unleashed his Supreme Art, displaying the divine might of the Firstborn, but could he truly use it now?
Sure enough, his body began to dim, unable to perform.
“Futile! What did you come here for?” Shi Hao ranted bitterly, then declared: “Even so, you are still defeated!”
A hum trembled the atmosphere.
His chest bone glowed, mysterious symbols exploding outward, sweeping straight into Teng Yi.
Teng Yi was startled and angry. He had meant to retreat, leaving gracefully to arrange another battle another day, but had been struck instead.
In an instant, he transformed into a vine, then exploded into ash, tiny streams of light rising, flying into the Golden Gate.
Everyone was stunned, watching as Teng Yi truly turned to ash, vanishing. This great fiend indeed was terrifying!
All understood now—one great calamity had been incurred. Teng Yi would surely return in the future for an ultimate battle, with their Supreme Arts clashing in a day of splendor and grandeur!
“What a bore,” Shi Hao muttered, his formidable aura withdrawing. He looked immaculately refined, like a neighbor’s son, expressing dissatisfaction, leaving others speechless.
It was only at this moment that people realized they had overlooked something—he was truly young! Looking about sixteen, he appeared youthful, yet a veil obscured his face, preventing further scrutiny.
“Who dares challenge me?” Shi Hao raised his head, shouting toward the Golden Gate: “Is there any Firstborn, any Supreme One? Step forward and fight!”
That cry sent many fleeing in fear as he advanced toward them.
Today’s battle would surely shake the Celestial Immortal State, reverberating through the Ten Thousand Holy Mountains. The great fiend Haotian was about to Lift up a storm!
“Who will challenge me?” Shi Hao cried once more.
At his words, everyone ran, dashing toward the Golden Gate.
Except the Firstborns and the Supreme Ones of each race, who would dare step forward? And those rare beings were spread far and wide, difficult to encounter.
“This statue is silent, not moving unless I attack?” Shi Hao pondered, approaching the Golden Gate—it still showed no reaction.
Gritting his teeth, he declared: “I’ll go for it, even if I have to separate my spirit from my body again!”
He strode forward, brushing past the stone figure, and stepped into the world beyond the Golden Gate!
“Heavens above! The great fiend has arrived, entering the Spirit World!”
“The great fiend named Haotian has descended into our realm!”
As soon as he crossed the threshold, a crowd cried out in shock and awe.
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