The City of Medicine had low walls, even crumbling in places, bearing the mottled marks of time. Yet since ancient times, the city had thrived—it no longer needed walls.
Over the past few days, Shi Hao had reaped bountiful rewards. Prominent figures from various sects came to pay their respects, none arriving empty-handed. Some even brought spiritual herbs.
“Is this a flower from that spiritual herb tree by the city gate?” Shi Hao was exhilarated. The jade box in his hand emitted a fragrant, crystalline glow, its petals translucent as if shimmering with starlight.
This was a rare flower, priceless and only blooming a few times a year. Countless eyes were fixed on it, and even if one wanted to buy it, there was no chance to queue up.
This was a mutated spiritual herb that had once absorbed a small pool of lightning tribulation liquid. Over thousands of years, it had evolved into a spiritual herb tree, nearly transforming into a sacred medicine—an incomparably precious treasure.
Shi Hao’s eyes burned with excitement as he took a deep breath, filling his senses with the medicinal aroma. Instantly, his spirits soared, and the vital energy within his body surged, brimming with vigor.
“Many thanks, Daoist Brother!” he expressed his gratitude. The value of this flower far surpassed ordinary spiritual herbs, and he could even sense the divine insect hidden in his hair stirring restlessly.
The giver was an elderly man, unremarkable in appearance, yet he turned out to be the sect master of the Cauldron Alchemy Sect.
Upon learning more, Shi Hao was astonished. This was an ancient sect with a lineage far older than even the Divine Medicine Sect, once renowned across the world. But over the endless flow of time, everything changes—they had declined, now reduced to a forgotten, dilapidated sect within the City of Medicine.
“I have a son, gifted since childhood, who dreams of restoring the ancient glory of the Cauldron Alchemy Sect. He left home years ago in search of our lost heritage. If you ever encounter him, I hope you can lend him a hand,” the old man said.
Shi Hao naturally agreed, nodding after understanding the situation.
It was said that throughout history, only four people had ever refined the Nine Revolutions Divine Pill, and the founder of the Cauldron Alchemy Sect was one of them. Consuming this pill could instantly elevate one to divinity, ascending amidst radiant clouds.
One could imagine how astounding their heritage was. If recovered, it might one day restore their former glory.
“Time to go!”
Having even obtained a flower from the spiritual herb tree, Shi Hao felt no regrets about his visit to the City of Medicine. He decided to leave for the imperial capital of the Stone Country to read that letter.
Of course, he hadn’t forgotten his original purpose—gathering spiritual herbs to refine a batch of Small Nirvana Pills, a golden path to breaking through to the Venerable realm.
With chaos looming, even Venerables were fleeing—how terrifying would it be? Strength was the key to survival.
Spiritual herbs were rare. In theory, only one could grow on a single spiritual mountain. If not for the City of Medicine, Shi Hao would never have had such a harvest.
Yet even so, by the time he left, he only had ten herbs to his name. This trip had drained him completely, leaving him penniless.
The imperial capital of the Stone Country surely had spiritual herbs—many great clans resided there, along with founding kings and marquises. He was certain the royal medicinal fields held rare treasures.
Shi Hao had made a name for himself in battle, now a contender for the throne of the Stone Country, even holding a significant advantage. If nothing unexpected happened, his visit would yield great rewards.
Soon, they left the City of Medicine, heading toward a desolate area to use the beast hide for void traversal.
“This journey might be dangerous,” Huo Ling’er warned.
“I know,” Shi Hao nodded, but he was fully prepared.
“We’ll go with you. We also want to see the Stone Capital,” the Nine-Headed Lion, Fire Crow, and Purple Marten insisted on accompanying him.
“Hey, girl from the Celestial Clan, why do you keep following me?” Shi Hao agreed to the others but glared at the purple-clad maiden with dissatisfaction.
Yun Xi was stunningly beautiful, her aura transcendent, but now she gritted her teeth in frustration. His scorching gaze swept over her, making her deeply uncomfortable.
Shi Hao continued, “You won’t even introduce me to a divine mountain, refuse to lend me a sacred herb, yet you keep trailing me for that divine armguard. Should I just carry you off right now?”
Yun Xi’s beautiful face darkened, her eyes flashing with disdain. She suppressed the urge to punch him, vowing silently to teach this brat a lesson someday.
“I’m not following you. I’m close with the others—I’m traveling with them. Where I go is none of your business.”
“Are you provoking me?” Shi Hao grinned at her.
“Ah! What are you doing?!” Yun Xi shrieked as she was suddenly hoisted onto his shoulder. Her slender, graceful figure writhed in protest, her cheeks flushing crimson.
“I’ve decided—I’m taking you back to my village,” Shi Hao declared.
“Why bother? Just marry her off. I have a cousin—handsome and noble, a perfect match,” Huo Ling’er chimed in.
The others exchanged glances, murmuring that infighting was unnecessary. Yet the situation didn’t seem dire enough for a split—it almost felt like a setup.
*Ahem.* The Nine-Headed Lion coughed. “Let it go. The Celestial Mountain folks are decent—they once aided my clan.”
He mediated, recalling how a Venerable from Celestial Mountain had gifted his grandfather, the Nine Spirits King, an ancient pill to help him evolve into a pure-blooded being.
The Fire Crow also spoke up, praising the Celestial Clan for their humility. His grandfather, the old Fire Crow, had even visited Celestial Mountain as a guest.
“Finally caught a qualified, hostile fatty—I can’t let her go so easily,” Shi Hao said, refusing to release the tall and graceful Yun Xi. “Unless she gives me a satisfactory answer, why should she keep chasing me for that armguard?”
“Just sell her,” Huo Ling’er suggested, laughing heartily.
“Princess Yun Xi, why do you keep demanding that armguard? Surely Celestial Mountain isn’t lacking divine artifacts—your clan has countless treasures,” the Fire Crow inquired.
“Yeah, what’s so special about it?” the Nine-Headed Lion added.
“Not talking? Fine, you’re coming to my village to guard the estate,” Shi Hao growled playfully, giving her plump rear a sharp slap.
“Ah—!” Yun Xi shrieked, her eyes blazing, her flawless face burning with humiliation. She longed to bite this wretched brat.
Clearly, Shi Hao had conspired with Huo Ling’er and the Nine-Headed Lion to pressure her. He wanted to uncover the armguard’s secret—Celestial Mountain surely hid something monumental.
“Let’s go to my home. You’ve always been curious, right? Today, I’ll take her back to guard the village and invite you all as guests,” Shi Hao said with a wink. “The village chief always hoped I’d bring back a few beautiful, plump girls.”
They boarded the void beast hide, soaring through the sky until they arrived in the western border of the Stone Country. Throughout the journey, Yun Xi struggled and screamed, genuinely fearing she’d become the Bear Child’s captive.
“Let me go!” she demanded, her pride as a divine maiden of the ancient Celestial Clan shattered by this humiliation.
“Almost there—just a bit further to my home,” Shi Hao teased, still carrying her.
“Fine, I’ll talk!” Yun Xi finally relented. Being carried like a trophy was unbearable.
Silence fell as everyone waited for her answer.
“That pair of armguards is a key—to activate an ancient formation and escape this prison realm,” the purple-clad maiden said hastily, unable to endure any longer.
“What?!” Everyone was stunned. The words “prison realm” struck a chord, sparking countless thoughts.
“Where does it lead?” Huo Ling’er asked, her jade-like face filled with shock.
No one could remain calm. Leaving the Desolate Wasteland wasn’t the issue—crossing the barriers between realms was possible with extreme measures.
“The formation only says ‘escape the prison realm.’ We don’t know where it leads,” Yun Xi sighed.
“A monumental secret indeed,” Shi Hao murmured, recalling what Second Baldy had once hinted at.
Back then, Second Baldy—a powerful but unscrupulous figure—had infiltrated Celestial Mountain for a great secret. He barely glimpsed the truth before being hunted down and forced into hiding in the Hundred Shattered Mountains.
The Celestial Clan had guarded this treasure land unknowingly until recently, when they stumbled upon an earth-shattering record among ancient texts left by their ancestors.
The secret was terrifying—even the Heaven Mending Sect, the Immortal Mountain, and the Western Sect would wage war to seize Celestial Mountain if they knew.
“Escape the prison realm… but to where?” Shi Hao frowned, his heart heavy. The world held too many secrets, and this one could reshape everything.
“Put me down first,” Yun Xi demanded, her beautiful face flushed with anger and shame.
*Smack!* Shi Hao spanked her again, eliciting a sharp cry. Yun Xi, abandoning all decorum, bit his ear in retaliation.
“Ow!” Shi Hao yelped in pain, dropping her and clutching his ear.
“You really got me back!” he exclaimed.
Yun Xi spat repeatedly, her face scarlet as she glared at him, torn between fury and embarrassment. As a divine maiden of an ancient Celestial Clan, she had never been so humiliated.
If the other ancient clans learned she had bitten someone’s ear, jaws would drop, and countless young men would despair.
“You’re too vengeful—biting me like that!” Shi Hao rubbed his ear, vowing revenge.
Yun Xi nearly fainted from rage.
“Princess Yun Xi, why are you so eager to leave the Desolate Wasteland?” Huo Ling’er asked earnestly, recognizing the gravity of the matter.
At this point, Yun Xi saw no reason to hide. The Celestial Clan had prepared for the worst—if necessary, they would reveal the truth to Shi Hao and take him with them.
“Because… the truth is too horrifying,” Yun Xi began slowly.
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