Yun Xi felt a sudden pain in her ear, instantly understanding what had happened. She swiftly shifted sideways, her delicate face flushed red with embarrassment as she couldn’t help but scream.
The same thing had actually occurred again—the only difference was that this time there wasn’t chaos on the ground, but it was enough to make her feel humiliated. Her shriek caused everyone nearby to instinctively cover their ears.
“You little rogue… you…” Yun Xi was furious. She hadn’t expected that using Shi Hao’s reputation would backfire so badly—and many witnesses had seen everything.
It felt like losing both wife and army in one fell swoop.
Her fair face, once radiant, had turned crimson red; even her entire body had flushed pink, trembling involuntarily. The sensation left her angry and frustrated, and the whole affair filled her with unbearable shame.
How could things have gone this way? She was too embarrassed and upset to speak—she had aimed to manipulate him, yet instead, she ended up being taken advantage of, paying a “heavy price.”
Everyone stood stunned, witnessing such an unexpected scene.
“Get together and carry him off!” the Scarlet-feathered Bird squawked loudly, its voice echoing through the yard.
The cultivators within the courtyard all exchanged glances. This bird was audacious indeed, daring to say such things aloud. Didn’t it see how the Golden-winged Roc was grinding its teeth?
However, recalling who the bird belonged to, they understood. What was wrong with saying it? After all, Little Stone’s might needed no explanation. Even members from the Immortal-Defying Mountain were sliced down like vegetables.
Her cheeks flushed bright red, Yun Xi shot a glare at the Scarlet-feathered Bird. After screaming, she turned toward Shi Hao, clenched her fists, unsure what to say.
Meanwhile, a group of young warriors from the Ancient Divine Mountains watched in shock. That girl was their revered goddess, now defiled by Little Stone. They were astonished—and enraged.
“How could this happen?” One boy murmured to himself, unable to accept the sight before him.
To the minds of beings like the Dragon Serpent (Chi Long) and the Fire Phoenix (Bi Fang), the young girl from the Tianren race remained sacred and inviolable. Among the younger generation in the Ancient Divine Mountains, she held an irreplaceable status, akin to a Holy Maiden.
“Are you provoking the Ancient Golden-Pelican Mountains?” A golden-haired youth said coldly, his tone sharp. He glanced at his elder brother beside him, already eager for battle.
Provoking the Ancient Golden-Pelican Mountains?
Shi Hao turned around, facing the youth. The boy appeared barely a year or two older than him, exuding waves of golden battle-energy.
“Yun Xi is destined to marry into our clan! How dare you disrespect her?!” The golden-haired youth raised his sword-like eyebrows, eyes cold, twin beams of pale-gold light shooting from his golden pupils.
A mighty aura burst forth from the Golden-Winged Roc Clan. Powerful ripples spread outward, shaking the entire garden. This was a prodigy—one whose cultivation attainments were astonishing for his age.
“I seem to recall Yun Xi stating clearly that she has nothing to do with your people,” Shi Hao replied calmly.
Yun Xi’s chest heaved, her graceful figure rising and falling enticingly. Her slender curves stirred endless imaginings. Gradually, she regained composure.
“Jin Yun Xiao, I have absolutely no connection to your Pelican Mountains!” she declared firmly, casting Shi Hao another fierce glare.
“You!” Jin Yun Xiao’s expression darkened, deeply displeased at having his words so openly refuted. It was an intolerable humiliation.
He hailed from the Pelican Mountains—a proud and formidable bloodline. Regarded as a rare genius among mortals, he already resented Little Stone’s disdain earlier. Now, his discomfort intensified.
“Hey, didn’t you hear her say she has nothing to do with you? Haven’t you heard it enough times already? You thinking of forcing her, huh?” The Scarlet-feathered Bird sneered mockingly.
Jin Yun Xiao’s face grew grim, though he remained silent, merely sweeping his gaze between Yun Xi and Shi Hao. He believed something unspoken existed between them.
His thoughts were shared by many youths from the Ancient Divine Mountains—they stared in confusion. How could their normally aloof and untouchable Yun Xi Goddess act this way? Not only did she approach that youth willingly, but she still rejected the Pelican Mountains even after being “reversed.”
“What’s wrong with Yun Xi? Could she be under coercion? But she doesn’t look like it.” Someone whispered softly, unwilling to accept reality.
In a way, they would rather see Yun Xi marry the strongest prodigy from the Pelican Mountains than associate with Shi Hao—after all, the former seemed more fitting.
Jin Yun Teng, the most outstanding genius from the Ancient Pelican Mountains, had wandered across various divine mountains, becoming well-acquainted with these youths. Having never tasted defeat since birth, he had ventured alone beyond the Wasteland for harsh training years ago, solely to sharpen his fighting prowess. Yet despite his absence, his prestige remained high among the young crowd.
Out of familiarity, if they must choose a husband for Yun Xi, they hoped she would wed into the Pelican Mountains.
“Yun Xi, don’t act rashly. Yun Teng Elder Brother is such a fine match,” said a green-haired girl, fairly pretty, trying to persuade her.
Though Shi Hao impressed them greatly, he was undeniably not one of their own. Especially after learning about his ruthless acts—how he slaughtered elders from the Divine Mountains and even ate an Azure-Scaled Eagle—it made their hearts sink.
“Yun Xi, what’s going on with you? Even if you don’t wish to marry, why reject him so harshly? Elder Brother Yun Teng is a true prodigy—you should know better. This rejection hurts,” another girl chimed in gently.
Among these young folks from the Divine Mountains, many men admired Yun Xi, viewing her as their sacred maiden. Seeing her act this way left their hearts hollow and confused.
As for the women who emerged from the Ancient Forbidden Grounds, they leaned toward supporting Jin Yun Teng. His legendary feats had earned admiration from many young girls.
Though Yun Xi had mostly calmed down, recalling the recent intimacy reignited the blush on her face. Silently gritting her pearly teeth, she sighed inwardly. Indeed, when attempting to use someone else, one often pays the price.
“I know how to choose. Right now, I truly don’t want to think about personal matters,” she stated simply, offering few further words.
Now, everyone realized she genuinely resisted this match. Most likely, she tried using Shi Hao as a shield, only for him to play outside the rules, acting outrageously.
Understanding this twist, the male youths from the Ancient Divine Mountains collectively exhaled in relief—this choice suited Yun Xi best.
Even their gazes toward Shi Hao softened, seeing him merely as a temporary shield, not a real threat.
Golden-haired Jin Yun Xiao scowled, casting Shi Hao a frosty glance and silently snorting. He found today’s events damaging to the Pelican Clan’s honor.
“Though you are impressive, don’t overstep yourself!” he sneered coldly.
“Did you just call him ‘Little Stone’?!” The Scarlet-feathered Bird rebuked. Nowadays, ‘Little Stone’ was an affectionate title—but usually reserved for senior generations. Peers rarely dared adopt such familiarity.
Jin Yun Xiao gazed arrogantly forward, radiating terrifying fluctuations directly at the bird. Clearly, he harbored killing intent toward Shi Hao.
Everyone felt a palpable dread, nearly suffocating under the pressure. Truly shocking—this youth from the Golden-Winged Roc Clan was fearsome indeed.
Not only did his peers shudder, but even the elder generations were moved. Once matured, such an extraordinary talent would undoubtedly become a formidable Sovereign—beyond question.
The Scarlet-feathered Bird struggled to breathe, its current strength far from matching that of a pureblood entity like this. Nearby, the Nine-Headed Lion also showed surprise, feeling the immense pressure.
Shi Hao snorted coldly. Daring to attack someone near him was tantamount to provocation—he wouldn’t let it slide.
Though his body didn’t move, his cold snort carried profound Daoist resonance, striking like a massive hammer slamming forward, causing space itself to tremble with a thunderous boom.
Jin Yun Xiao grunted in pain, his face paling slightly as he looked at “Little Stone” in disbelief. The gap between them was stark—even as a peerless genius, he stood no chance.
At that moment, his elder brother Jin Yun Teng finally moved. Enveloped in a golden glow resembling a radiant sun, even his golden hair shimmered with holy luster.
Athletically built and tall, he strode forward, the golden radiance spreading outward, shielding his younger brother, restoring color to his pallid face and easing his heart-pounding fear.
Jin Yun Teng didn’t show anger, speaking gently: “Yun Xiao, show respect. Shi Brother is a world-class prodigy—no one can rival him in this era.”
Unexpectedly, instead of a great battle erupting, the Pelican Clan’s strongest genius chose calmness, restraining his younger sibling.
“Brother!” Jin Yun Xiao protested, wanting to argue.
But one mere glance from Jin Yun Teng silenced him completely. Deeply respectful of his elder sibling, he dared not defy him.
“Regardless of anything, Yun Xi can make her own choices—none may interfere,” Jin Yun Teng declared, leading his brother away without conflict.
Everyone was surprised. Intuitively sensing his incredible power—possibly even beyond reason—they still watched him depart with serene ease.
This left the Scarlet-feathered Bird speechless, anticipating an epic duel of prodigies reaching climax, only to watch it dissipate peacefully.
“What about him?” the Nine-Headed Lion asked.
“A strong one—already reached the Formation Array Realm. A young King,” Shi Hao answered. This was the youngest King he’d encountered, emerging from the Ancient Divine Mountains as the strongest peer.
Only eighteen or nineteen, possessing such cultivation was truly remarkable!
Indeed, not everyone was like Shi Hao—attaining Kingship at fifteen, a rarity across ages.
“Be careful—if he were any other King, it’d be fine. But he belongs to the Golden-Winged Roc Clan—the strongest pureblood being ever to emerge from the Ancient Divine Mountains. That’s terrifying,” warned the Fire Raven.
Shi Hao nodded but said nothing.
The commotion passed, yet Yun Xi didn’t leave immediately. She proposed several conditions for exchanging divine artifacts—all politely declined.
Carefully selecting spirit herbs, Shi Hao traded with their owners, gaining numerous valuable medicinal ingredients—over a dozen varieties essential to his needs.
Soon, Huo Ling Er arrived, warmly welcoming Shi Hao, the Nine-Headed Lion, and others as the hostess. However, upon presenting a certain dish, the group was left wide-eyed in shock.
“What is this? Pig ears?!” the Five-Color Luán cried in disbelief.
It was a cold appetizer placed on the jade table, standing out awkwardly among other exquisite delicacies.
“Somebody likes ears so much—I specially prepared this for him,” Huo Ling Er explained with a smile.
“Hahaha…” Laughter erupted from the group.
Shi Hao felt awkward, not knowing what to say amid the teasing.
Yun Xi hadn’t departed either and was seated at the same table. Witnessing this situation, her face reddened further—deeply embarrassing.
She shot Shi Hao a resentful glare, then fixed Huo Ling Er with a determined gaze. Gradually, her demeanor steadied, regaining her composure.
Eventually, Shi Hao bid farewell, finding the atmosphere increasingly awkward.
“Where are you headed, Shi Brother?” asked the Fire Raven.
“I plan to journey through the Wasteland, exploring its magnificent landscapes,” Shi Hao replied.
“Great—we’ve got nothing better to do. We’ll tag along,” the Nine-Headed Lion declared, expressing eagerness for adventure.
“Beware—once you leave the Imperial Capital, some might make moves against you,” Huo Ling Er warned, having caught wind of troubling rumors.
“No worries—I’m not afraid,” Shi Hao responded confidently.
Ultimately, Huo Ling Er decided to accompany them herself, cradling her little wolf pup. Surprisingly, Yun Xi also joined their departure from the Flame Kingdom’s imperial capital.
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