The towering celestial palace shimmered with an ethereal glow, grand and majestic, constructed from immortal golden rock, exuding an aura of imperial magnificence. It was the spiritual sanctum of the Shi Clan, where generations of emperors had presided, overlooking the world with an air that commanded mountains and rivers. Since ancient times, it had embodied the clan’s deepest convictions.
Shi Hao stepped inside, greeted by twelve colossal stone pillars, ancient and unadorned, as if holding up the heavens themselves. Carved upon them were depictions of the Kun Peng and the True Dragon. The palace was vast, less like a building and more akin to a miniature world, shrouded in drifting mist and an enigmatic haze.
*Tap… tap…*
Only Shi Hao’s footsteps echoed through the hall, distant and hollow. He gazed around, sensing the solemnity and divinity that bore the weight of a nation’s fortune. Standing there, he felt an unusual tranquility, his body and mind clear as if purified. Faint chants of ancient rituals reached his ears, as though echoing across time from the distant past.
This was no illusion—it was the lingering dragon qi, accumulated over generations of the Shi Clan’s celestial worship, resonating within the hall. Those who listened carefully could faintly perceive its presence.
A True Dragon Emperor, born from the communion of heaven and earth, praised by all under the sky, blessed by the *Great Momentum*—this was a place where dragons were nurtured.
Shi Hao stood still, merging with the palace’s aura. A surge of mighty dragon qi enveloped him, the fortune of the Shi Clan converging upon his body, granting him the sensation of ruling the world.
After a moment of silence, he advanced, sensing another presence deeper within. He made no effort to conceal his approach, his footsteps resounding in the empty hall.
Soon, he saw a figure.
*”It’s you…”*
A young man in white robes stood before him, exuding an extraordinary heroic aura. His eyes were deep, his bearing noble. This was none other than the Nineteenth Prince of the Shi Emperor—a figure of great significance. Shi Hao had encountered him before during his rampage in the imperial capital and had heard tales of his exploits. He had even seen him walking closely with the Lunar Grace Goddess.
Shi Chong.
A man of quiet renown, he had once fought in the Hundred Clans Battlefield, slaying forty-nine opponents in an unbroken streak. His flawless record had sent shockwaves through the Shi Clan—not for the bloodshed, but for his unyielding dominance.
*”Shi Hao!”*
The Nineteenth Prince’s eyes flashed with surprise. He knew much about the Little Stone—and how terrifying he was.
Shi Hao observed him in turn. This was no ordinary man—he was among the finest of the emperor’s progeny. To dare enter the Hundred Clans Battlefield marked him as a true elite.
Shi Hao had heard too much about that battlefield. His grandfather had lost an arm there, slain a Pixiu, and incurred the wrath of the Pixiu Venerable.
*”Have you come to contest the throne with me?”* Shi Chong asked, his expression calm as he regarded the youth before him, several years his junior.
*”The emperor summoned me. I merely came to see, to ensure our ancestral legacy does not fall into the hands of foreign sects.”*
Shi Hao knew well that the Nineteenth Prince admired the Lunar Grace Goddess. He hoped the man would not be led astray.
Shi Chong’s gaze darkened. After a long silence, he spoke. *”If our father passes the throne to you… what will you do?”*
*”Even then, I may not accept it. But one thing I will not tolerate—anyone who seeks to become a puppet of those foreign powers will die by my hand.”*
Shi Chong sighed, his expression conflicted. After a long struggle, his eyes suddenly blazed with divine light.
*”Good. The Shi Clan’s legacy must not be lost.”*
Then, without hesitation, he struck.
*”I wish to see just how strong you are!”*
With a roar, a golden Bi An burst from his brow—a ferocious beast resembling a tiger, yet adorned with crystalline dragon horns, its body covered in stripes and scales.
*”A divine ability of an ancient dire beast?!”*
Shi Hao was startled. This was no diluted bloodline technique—it was a pure-blooded treasure art, exuding terrifying power.
The Bi An roared, golden radiance flickering, distorting the very fabric of space. It was a creature of immense strength, unrivaled among dire beasts.
*Boom!*
Shi Hao met its massive golden claw with his own palm. The impact shook the entire hall, yet the ancient formations inscribed within prevented its collapse.
*”Strong!”*
Shi Chong, though not widely known for his battles, was clearly a force to be reckoned with.
The Bi An lashed its tail—a golden whip infused with dense runes, capable of sweeping away armies.
Shi Hao raised a finger, meeting the tail with a thunderous clash. The runes shattered, forcing the beast back.
Shi Chong’s heart trembled. This was one of the Shi Clan’s supreme arts, a national treasure he had mastered since childhood. Yet, it could not even scratch the boy before him.
Shi Hao was equally impressed. For a human youth to reach such heights was nothing short of world-shaking.
*”Truly worthy of an emperor’s son. Though your fame is modest, your strength is undeniable.”*
Shi Chong roared again, primordial symbols erupting from his crown, manifesting as divine beasts—Golden Crows, Great Pengs, Pixius—all charging forth.
The Bi An, commanding the power of the void, unleashed a sealing force, attempting to suppress Shi Hao.
*”Hmph!”*
Shi Hao erupted with the Kun Peng Fist, meeting the assault head-on.
After a series of clashes, Shi Chong was sent flying, blood trickling from his lips.
*”I’ve lost. I cannot match you.”*
To exchange dozens of blows with Shi Hao was a feat in itself—proof that he surpassed even pure-blooded creatures.
Shi Hao said nothing, uncertain of the prince’s intentions.
Then, footsteps echoed from beyond the palace. Three figures appeared near the twelve pillars.
One was a woman of transcendent beauty—the Lunar Grace Goddess. The other two radiated terrifying auras, clearly no ordinary beings.
One wore purple robes, his bearing peerless, his gaze sharp as a sword. He resembled Qin Yong, yet was not him.
*”Qin Lun,”* he introduced himself.
The third had golden skin, short hair, and a radiant halo behind his head—a mark of the Western Sect. He appeared simple, yet Shi Hao sensed extreme danger.
*”Zhang Liu,”* he said.
A peculiar name—in the Western Sect, the highest achievement was the *Zhang Liu Golden Body*, neither too tall nor too short. His choice of name revealed his ambition.
The strongest heirs of the Heaven Mending Sect, the Everlasting Mountain, and the Western Sect had arrived. For Shi Hao, this was dire. If all three attacked, blood would surely flow.
Yet, he was unafraid. Instead, he smiled coldly, anger simmering within.
*This is the imperial palace of the Shi Nation—a forbidden ground! And yet, intruders waltz in unopposed!*
His icy gaze fell upon Shi Chong. *As a prince, do you have nothing to say?*
No doubt, the Lunar Grace Goddess’s presence here was tied to him.
Suddenly, golden flames erupted from the twelve pillars, illuminating the hall with divine radiance.
*”Lunar Grace… stop. The throne… is not for me.”*
Shi Chong had activated the divine formations, barring the three experts.
*”You are the prince, the noblest of the Shi bloodline. Your strength is sufficient,”* the Lunar Grace Goddess said softly, her voice like flowing water.
*”Lunar Grace… I am truly unfit.”*
His eyes held nothing but her.
Silence fell. The three did not force their way in—the divine formations were beyond their power to breach.
They had come to suppress Shi Hao, yet now their plans were thwarted.
Shi Hao gave Shi Chong a nod, then strode forward.
As he advanced, the dragon qi within the palace surged, boiling as if recognizing his presence.
*Whoosh—whoosh—*
Beams of sacred light erupted from the ground, like towering dragons ascending to the heavens, their brilliance blinding.
Those outside paled, their vision obscured—even their powerful spiritual senses could not penetrate the radiance.
*”The emperor was indeed waiting for him!”* Qin Lun muttered.
The others were silent. They had searched the palace multiple times, finding nothing. Yet the moment Shi Hao arrived, such phenomena manifested.
*”Shi Chong, you can use the divine formations to refine him. This is your chance,”* urged an elder from one of the foreign sects.
Shi Hao heard but did not stop. He had come prepared—he would not recklessly walk into a trap.
*”Too late,”* Shi Chong replied.
Shi Hao ascended to the imperial throne, where he saw a shattered seal—the jade symbol of the nation’s fortune, now broken.
His pupils constricted.
The strongest divine formations had been breached. Spear holes marred the walls, and hundreds of sword scars littered the surroundings.
This place had endured the most brutal assault during the great calamity.
*”Where is the emperor?”* Shi Hao asked.
*”Father has vanished… perhaps captured,”* Shi Chong replied from afar, clutching his hair in anguish.
Beyond the twelve pillars, more figures gathered—powerhouses from the Heaven Mending Sect, the Everlasting Mountain, and the Western Sect, all converging to slay Shi Hao.
Standing at the highest point, Shi Hao silently took his seat upon the throne.
Dragon qi swirled, sacred light cascaded, isolating him from the outside world. None could see what transpired within.
Shi Hao was calm, deep in thought. If he left now, a bloody battle would ensue—perhaps the most perilous he had ever faced.
Beyond the Lunar Grace Goddess, there was Qin Lun, and Zhang Liu—all formidable foes.
Then—
A glimmer of dawn light flickered in the void, expanding into a radiant gateway, a portal to another world, unfolding before Shi Hao’s eyes.
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