Shi Hao stood clad in golden robes, the Divine Halberd of the Nation strapped to his back and the Sacred Law Sword gripped in his hand, exuding the majesty of a celestial emperor descending upon the mortal realm. His sheer presence and aura struck awe into the hearts of all who beheld him. Though merely a youth, he commanded reverence. Countless generals, endless soldiers, and even princes and marquises trembled in his presence, compelled to kneel—not out of deference to his status, but from a deep, instinctive tremor of the soul, as though facing a divine sovereign.
As Shi Hao patrolled the city, traversing every main street, the mansions of other titled nobles and the strongholds of rebellious factions quivered in fear. On this day, not only was the Rain Clan obliterated, but other defiant great clans were also reduced to ashes. Under the might of warriors like the War King and the Mountain-Splitting King, these remnants of the old order were utterly crushed. Shi Hao’s presence alone served as an effective deterrent, shaking the city to its core and completing a grand purge.
Soon after, he returned to the imperial palace, and the clamor of battle within the city gradually subsided. Peace was restored, and the capital was now firmly under his control.
“Your Majesty, it is time to proclaim your ascension to the world,” suggested the War King, his towering frame drenched in blood, his martial prowess unmatched after slaying numerous powerful foes in recent battles.
Shi Hao nodded. Though he had already ascended the throne, his authority had yet to be announced beyond the capital. After the great calamity, chaos had spread across the land, and rumors of the old emperor’s demise and the absence of a ruler had sown unrest. It was imperative to issue an edict swiftly, stabilizing Shi Nation before the situation spiraled out of control.
It was foreseeable that some powerful lords, swayed by the whispers of the three sects, might harbor treacherous thoughts. If even the capital had been in turmoil, how much more so the regions under the control of influential nobles? Yet, in the face of righteousness and the greater good, most of Shi Nation’s great cities would likely heed the decree and refrain from rebellion.
“The succession to Shi Hao…” The old emperor’s decree, once etched into the void with undying runes, had been transcribed by powerful nobles and was now engraved anew on golden parchment, dispatched across the land. The capital’s sacrificial altar was activated, enabling the opening of teleportation arrays to distant regions through offerings.
In an instant, the edict spread like wildfire—the new emperor had risen, and the Little Stone’s ascension sent shockwaves through the realm. Shi Hao’s own decree was concise: first praising the old emperor’s civil and martial virtues, then directly naming traitorous nobles like the Rain Clan, the Su King, and the Kun King, exposing their treachery before declaring his unwavering resolve.
The world erupted in turmoil. The rise of the Little Stone as emperor became the greatest upheaval in recent memory. Though many had anticipated a new ruler after the old emperor’s disappearance during the calamity, none had expected it to be Shi Hao—and none foresaw his ruthless decisiveness.
With the three sects having infiltrated the capital, their forces poised to install a puppet ruler, how could anyone have imagined that the Little Stone would single-handedly storm the city, defeat countless experts, and slay rebellious nobles in the heart of the palace, suppressing the three sects’ might and overturning the tide of fate? Such a feat was nothing short of miraculous, shaking the world to its core!
“The Little Stone is divine—his strength defies reason! He defeated all challengers and forced the three sects to retreat from the capital. Truly unparalleled!”
“Though we had heard rumors and suspected that if the old emperor fell, a prodigy like the Twin Stones would succeed, it’s still astonishing to witness.”
Discussions raged across the land, from bustling streets to quiet alleys, among both cultivators and commoners. Shi Hao’s dominance inspired awe—his solo conquest of the capital was proof enough of his qualifications to rule. Yet, his ruthless methods also struck fear into the hearts of regional lords. No previous emperor had executed nearly a dozen nobles upon ascension.
Most of Shi Nation’s great cities pledged allegiance, acknowledging the new emperor, while a handful remained silent, offering neither support nor opposition. Even so, Shi Hao’s gains were immense.
On that day, across the vast expanse of Shi Nation, faint wisps of essence energy converged from countless cities, traversing thousands of miles to gather in the capital. Shi Hao, seated in meditation, suddenly opened his eyes in astonishment as countless strands of dragon energy materialized from the void, coalescing into mighty dragons that surged toward him.
Engulfed in boundless dragon energy, the celestial dragons around him grew more vivid and immense, their roars shaking the heavens. Their numbers swelled to eighty-one, coiling around the central palace, framing Shi Hao at their heart.
The old guard, Peng Jiu—ninth disciple of the former commander, the Great Roc, and on the verge of becoming a Venerable before the calamity—trembled. “Even the old emperor never manifested such majesty at his coronation. If he were to refine this energy now, he could ascend to Venerable status in an instant!”
“This is the fruit of the imperial throne,” mused the War King. “The new emperor’s fame already shook the wasteland before his ascension. Now, with his repulsion of the three sects, his prestige soars even higher, resonating with the hearts of the people. Hence, the dragon energy converges so swiftly.”
Peng Jiu nodded in agreement. Indeed, the Little Stone’s brilliance had long shaken the world. With such momentum, his coronation was bound to stir the souls of many, drawing the land’s fortune to him.
Had Shi Hao wished, this would have been the perfect opportunity to ascend to Venerable status, merging with the dragon energy to solidify his rule. Yet he refused. Not only would such a breakthrough risk drawing the ire of the upper realm, but it also contradicted his beliefs. Relying on external forces for strength—no matter how vast Shi Nation’s foundation—would leave him adrift should he ever lose it.
In the days that followed, the imperial palace grew ever more sacred and imposing, bathed in swirling dragon energy. A radiant golden halo formed around Shi Hao, dazzling to behold. Some of the dragon energy even seeped into the Imperial Seal, enhancing its luster.
“Within the capital, the new emperor might now rival a Venerable in combat,” Peng Jiu observed privately.
Yet Shi Hao was far from complacent. For days, he secluded himself in the treasury, refining a treasure—a pitch-black figurine no larger than a fist, known as the Indestructible Golden Body. Even damaged, it was a treasure coveted by gods. In his weaker days, it had allowed him to challenge nobles. Now, with the empire’s resources at his disposal, including rare divine materials, he sought to repair it further, hoping it could withstand a Venerable’s might.
But the figurine was peculiar, requiring esoteric materials rarely found in the world. Despite numerous attempts, none of the divine materials in the treasury proved compatible. Frustrated, Shi Hao scoured the palace in vain.
“Your Majesty, there are additional materials,” Peng Jiu interjected.
“Ah, I nearly forgot. Lead the way.”
The confiscated treasures of the purged nobles had been transported to the palace, heaped in a grand hall. Among them, Shi Hao discovered a fist-sized, mist-shrouded stone. Or rather, the black figurine sensed it first.
Cracking the stone open revealed a nail-sized substance resembling amber but far more spiritual, exuding an ethereal aura as though alive. Fusing it with the figurine, Shi Hao felt the Indestructible Golden Body gain vitality, as if awakening.
Somewhere, the little pagoda wailed in regret. “I napped for a moment and missed a treasure! Unforgivable!”
“What is it? It’s just a tiny fragment,” Shi Hao asked, amused.
“Wanfa Stone! Even a sliver is a miracle, unseen for millennia!” The pagoda seethed, its chaotic aura flaring as if tempted to seize the figurine.
Wanfa Stone—capable of engraving countless laws, a material for crafting peerless treasures. Any artifact infused with it could evolve endlessly, a divine rarity that would drive even gods to madness.
Chuckling to himself, Shi Hao knew the Indestructible Golden Body had been significantly enhanced. The surprises it held would be worth the effort.
For days, he alternated between scouring the treasury and honing his techniques, preparing for the storm he knew would come.
Five days later, it arrived—the three sects returned, stepping once more into the capital.
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