Ripples shimmered as dawn light burst forth, resembling a silver river flowing through the void, splitting it open to form a gateway, exuding a mysterious aura. A small world! This was not the first time Shi Hao had seen such a space; from the Bai Duan Mountains to the World Treasure Box, each had been a self-contained realm, varying in size. His eyes radiated a brilliant glow as he stared inside, confirming it was not a trap set by Yue Chan and the others. He confidently strode in and arrived at a dim expanse. It was desolate, seemingly a wasteland devoid of vitality, though its territory was quite vast, stretching dozens of miles.
“This is a forsaken space. It suffered a recent calamity that nearly shattered it,” Shi Hao murmured to himself, observing carefully. The small world was exceedingly gloomy, lacking light, shrouded in swirling mists, with cracked ground like a spider’s web spreading into the distance. Even the void itself was unstable, threatening to collapse at any moment.
“Is this the small world of the Stone Emperor?” Shi Hao mused, his gaze intrigued. Who else could it be? A realm recently destroyed, left abandoned, with its remnants likely belonging to that supreme ruler whose throne still stood in the imperial palace.
Outside the Heavenly Palace, the kings remained silent, a group of nobles standing in solemn anticipation without uttering a word. The War King, enraged, declared, “A disgrace, the greatest shame our Shi Clan has ever known! Our sacred palace grounds are trespassed upon by outsiders with no resistance.” He had tried to intervene but was defeated by the experts from the Three Sects. The other nobles kept quiet, unable to respond, for they recognized the overwhelming power of Bu Tian Jiao and Buxian Shan, sects tied to the higher realms. To oppose them would be to defy the “will of heaven.” Otherwise, how could they have freely entered our restricted palace, even when the revered experts were absent, leaving the nobles as the top force?
“Humiliation!” another noble roared.
The steps of the Heavenly Palace had been cordoned off, but not by the Shi forces; it was the experts of the Three Sects guarding the area, forbidding others to approach. They stood firm, determined to trap and kill Xiao Shi. Within the small world, Shi Hao walked slowly, sensing carefully, searching diligently. What had the Stone Emperor left behind?
“Weng!” Suddenly, the entire realm trembled as a luminous, crystal-like seal emerged, exuding brilliant radiance like a miniature sun, ascending from deep beneath the earth.
“Hey, what is this?” Shi Hao queried, intrigued.
The seal was small, no larger than a walnut, transparent and exquisite, encircled by infinite dragon energy and a mysterious aura. As it rose, auspicious light surged, filling the entire small world.
“What a powerful artifact,” Shi Hao realized. No need for further thought: the sheer splendor that filled the world suggested it was of incredible worth, emanating a serene and divine presence.
“Certainly, it must be an ancient supreme treasure like the Reversal Seal,” Shi Hao’s heart raced.
The magical seal rotated, showering a gentler glow, its mystical aura intensifying as it hovered above Shi Hao’s head. Cascades of light poured down, enveloping him like curtains shielding him within their embrace.
He marveled at the sight—these were no ordinary streams of light but auspicious energy. Standing beneath the seal, he felt an indescribable comfort, as though on the verge of ascending into the heavens. What kind of treasure was this? Even more, as Shi Hao inhaled, a resonance echoed between him and the seal, attracting mysterious energies and dragon vitality, making him even more convinced of its uniqueness.
“There’s an immense force hidden within the seal, seemingly connecting to my body. Is this what the Stone Emperor left behind?” Shi Hao wondered.
The seal floated, still no larger than a walnut, yet radiating boundless dragon energy and mystic power. No wonder it awed Shi Hao.
Suddenly, from among Shi Hao’s hair, the yellowish Dazhen Stone howled in rage, wriggling free as it leaped toward the seal. “Peng!” Alas, it was immediately repelled, a thread of imperial aura hurling it into the farthest recesses of the small world, dazed and disoriented.
“Outraged! To meet a fellow clan member and be treated so? Brother, I’ll fight you,” Dazhen Stone clamored, returning swiftly.
“Dang!” Fast it came, faster it was hurled away, plunging into the desolation.
Shi Hao was startled. Was this another Dazhen Stone? He was quite astonished, then stared intently, hoping to discern the truth.
“It is said that the first guardian spirit of the Shi Kingdom was a Dazhen Stone, eventually becoming enlightened and attaining divinity,” Shi Hao could no longer remain calm. “Could this be our nation’s guardian spirit? It’s too incredible, almost terrifying.”
The Dazhen Stone grumbled, trembling as it rolled over from afar, clearly irate. “You dare treat me like this, you ungrateful traitor!”
“Show respect. This might be a deity, the ancestor guardian spirit of the Shi Kingdom,” Shi Hao said solemnly.
“What? Wait a moment, something’s clicking,” Dazhen Stone exclaimed, soaring up and hovering as it studied the seal, then declared, “It is a fossilized shell, a stone form discarded by one of our ancestors after reaching divinity.”
Dazhen Stone shrieked, exclaiming, “Now this is merely a treasure seal, no longer related to my kin.”
Since ancient times, only a few of such stones had emerged, revered as supreme treasures on Earth. Even ancient sages and celestial beings dreamed of obtaining such a marvel, though it remains an impossible wish.
“How do you know this?” Shi Hao questioned.
“There are only a few of our kin. How could I not know? This should be the ancestor guardian spirit of the Shi Kingdom,” Dazhen Stone muttered, observing for a long time before proclaiming, “That ancestral guardian spirit must be dead.”
Through this stone, it could perceive many secrets, even asserting that the guardian spirit had perished long ago after attaining divinity.
Shi Hao sighed, finding the rumors indeed true. The ancient guardian spirit of the Shi Kingdom had perished. He had once hoped otherwise, but now, it seemed the truth wasn’t baseless.
In the next moment, the small pagoda within the bronze block was stirred awake. Whenever a rare treasure appeared, it would rush out, eager to negotiate with Shi Hao.
Unexpectedly, after escaping the World Treasure Box, the pagoda remained silent upon seeing the magical seal, behaving unusually seriously, diverging from Shi Hao’s expectations.
“You don’t want it?” Shi Hao asked, well aware of the pagoda’s deceptive nature, always seeking to exploit him. Why was it so docile now?
“A symbol of a nation’s fate, an object worshipped by the entire country—its karmic power is too great; this item is no simple treasure,” the pagoda lamented.
Startled, Shi Hao gazed intently at the seal, then attempted to remove it from above his head. He scrutinized it for a prolonged period, his heart stirred. Could this be the Imperial Seal of the Shi Kingdom—the Emperors’ Seal?
Wasn’t it shattered outside? This must be the real one, the national treasure! The pagoda’s assessment was indeed accurate. Worshipped by the entire nation, shared by emperors and guardian spirits alike, it could accelerate cultivation. Besides them, there naturally existed the supreme national artifact—the Emperors’ Seal.
In a sense, this magical seal condensed an even greater fortune than the emperors and generations of guardian spirits, because from ancient times until now, it had continuously been venerated and worshiped by the Shi Kingdom.
“The power of spirit, embodying a belief, all gathered within this seal. It is the vessel that contains the Shi Kingdom’s enduring fortune,” the pagoda exclaimed.
It sensed a unique force—the accumulated reverence of countless worshippers throughout the ages, converging within this magical seal.
“If you wish to become a Sovereign, possessing this seal could almost immediately grant you success,” the pagoda declared.
Shi Hao was stunned. What unfathomable power! Could it really create a Sovereign in an instant? The magical seal was simply too miraculous.
“You saw it, didn’t you? Strands of secret energy still gather toward the seal. Because whenever the people of Shi worship, their secret energies flow toward it, accumulating upon the seal,” the pagoda elaborated.
Beside it, Dazhen Stone drooled uncontrollably, eager to embrace the treasure seal and gnaw at it endlessly.
“You might not call it a magical artifact, but it’s undoubtedly the greatest treasure of the Shi Kingdom. It’s the root of the nation’s fortune, the focus of all secret energies, the symbol of national prosperity,” the pagoda explained.
It had been dormant before, awoken by the disturbance and overwhelmed by the sight of this wondrous seal, unable to contain its excitement.
Guardian spirits and emperors accelerated their cultivation through the secret energies from nationwide worship. Now, the seal contained secret energies from ancient times to the present. If Shi Hao drew upon part of it, he could swiftly ascend to the rank of Sovereign.
“I dare not use it,” Shi Hao shook his head. He had consulted Liu God before, who warned that although guardian spirits and emperors cultivated rapidly, damaging the foundation of the land would sever their roots.
The pagoda nodded. “Using it to boost cultivation indeed is inferior. But many powerful figures gather such fortune for other purposes, safeguarding themselves from calamities forever.”
“What about the Stone Emperor?” Shi Hao’s heart quivered.
“He might not be dead. With this seal protecting him, at most, he might have sustained serious injuries, though he’s likely no longer in the Huang Domain,” the pagoda deduced.
“Is this seal that powerful?” Shi Hao was bewildered.
“You think so? That’s why so many guardian spirits exist—to gather this kind of secret energy,” the pagoda stated.
Suddenly, the seal trembled more intensely, becoming even more translucent, then began radiating waves of auspicious light, enveloping Shi Hao entirely. He was surrounded by infinite brilliance, resembling a youthful imperial sovereign.
“What is this?” he felt as if every movement carried the “will of heaven,” capable of shifting mountains and seas and eliminating multitudes.
Despite this, a hint of tension lingered.
“There’s no need to worry. As long as you don’t refine the secret energy, there’s no problem, and you can use this seal to absorb and release it,” the pagoda said with a smirk. “This seal seems to indicate that you are destined to become the emperor of Shi, passing its throne to you.”
“How can that be?” Shi Hao was perplexed.
“Otherwise, why would the seal’s secret energy manifest on you? Worshipped by the entire nation, you have become its greatest beneficiary,” the pagoda said.
After a while, Shi Hao emerged from the small world. As it was already on the verge of collapse, taking away the Imperial Seal caused it to disintegrate and return to nothingness.
Outside the central Heavenly Palace, the experts of the Three Sects gathered, led by Yue Chan Fairy, Qin Lun, and Zhang Liu, setting a deadly trap ready to subdue Shi Hao.
“Shi Hao, how long can you hide? Why not come out?” a senior mocked.
“Boom!” Suddenly, the entire Heavenly Palace shook, the hazy dragon energy and boundless auspicious lights dissipated, revealing the innermost chamber.
Everyone witnessed Shi Hao sitting majestically on the highest throne, gazing down upon them, his entire being seemingly infused with a unique secret energy. He appeared like a person born to inherit the heavenly fortune, exuding an atmosphere of dominating mountains and rivers. He was visibly young, yet his seated presence emitted an overwhelming pressure, making everyone present shocked and fearful in their hearts.
“Shi Hao, you dare to take over the throne? What audacity to sit on the Emperor’s seat! Your rebellion is intolerable!” a noble shouted, emboldened by the experts of the Three Sects present, some growing defiant.
“We were invited here to assist the Shi Kingdom in enthroning a new emperor,” announced an elder from an external sect, grandiloquently. Their presence was ostensibly to help, but in truth, they meant to install a puppet ruler.
Their audacity in storming the palace of a sovereign nation was arrogant and domineering.
Shi Hao coldly surveyed them, his aura intensifying, as if the fate of heaven itself gathered solely towards him, ready to transform him into a celestial deity.
“Boom!” Suddenly, the hall gleamed, radiating boundless golden light, as an immense decree ascended, illuminating the sky, accompanied by a grand Daoist melody.
“Anointing Shi Hao as Emperor…” everyone trembled. The Stone Emperor’s final decree had manifested, bequeathing the throne to Shi Hao!
Tai Sui Yellow Amulet Paper FuLu Taoist Love Talisman Traditional Chinese Spiritual Charm Attracting Love Protecting Marriage