“Let go!” the young man bellowed, his face twisted with fury. His cultivation was formidable, and he rarely encountered opponents who could challenge him. Moreover, his background was so illustrious that most would retreat at the mere sight of him. Never had he suffered such humiliation.
Shi Hao held him aloft, a cold smirk playing on his lips. If this fellow truly was some distant relative of his, then he deserved an even harsher lesson—especially since his identity hadn’t even been confirmed yet.
*Slap! Slap! Slap!*
The crisp sound of resounding strikes echoed through the air. Over a dozen brutal slaps landed in quick succession, sending blood spurting from the young man’s nose and mouth. His teeth scattered across the ground, and his face swelled grotesquely.
Many onlookers stood frozen in shock. No wonder the crow perched on his shoulder had a penchant for slapping people—this was clearly a trait passed down from master to pet!
Those from the Profound Domain, however, were utterly horrified. Ignorance of the young man’s origins might have excused such audacity, but knowing them—who would dare provoke him? The reputation of Mount Immortal shook realms far and wide.
“Stop this!” The other youths who had been blasted away earlier now shouted in unison, charging forward.
Shi Hao lifted his gaze, his eyes icy. An invisible force field manifested, freezing them mid-air, rendering them utterly immobile. Then, with a mere exhale, a tempest of gale-force energy surged forth, striking them like ten-thousand-pound hammers. The sickening crunch of bones breaking resounded instantly.
The crowd turned to stone. What kind of monstrous existence was this? Without even moving his body, he had sealed their movements with sheer presence alone. A single breath had shattered their bones! Even the infamous mad cousin of Princess Qianqian couldn’t possibly wield such terrifying might!
Everyone stared at Shi Hao as if he were a ghost.
A deafening boom shook the void as Shi Hao withdrew his aura. The youths plummeted to the ground, howling in agony.
“Ah—!” Their bodies wracked with pain, countless bones fractured, they trembled in fear. Just what level of strength did this young man possess?
“Release me!” The youth in Shi Hao’s grip paled, realizing he had kicked an iron plate this time. Anyone with such power surely had an equally formidable background.
*Slap!*
Another brutal strike sent blood flying. Shi Hao glared at him. “Disgracing your parents with your behavior—this is what you get for failing to learn propriety.”
The onlookers gaped. The scene resembled an elder disciplining a wayward junior—so domineering! Did he truly have no fear of Mount Immortal?
Humiliated beyond measure, the youth’s face burned with shame. To be disgraced so thoroughly before the Ten Beauties of the Profound Domain—he wished the earth would swallow him whole. A vicious glint flickered deep in his eyes. He loathed Shi Hao with every fiber of his being.
“Still harboring resentment?” Shi Hao delivered another flurry of slaps, nearly dislocating his jaw, before casually tossing him out of the hall, sending him tumbling down the jade steps.
“Scram already!” the Crimson Bird jeered, throwing the youth’s own words back at him.
The injured group dragged themselves away, not daring to utter another word. This humiliation was too great—they couldn’t even muster a parting threat.
Silence reigned in the opulent hall. For a long while, no one spoke. Just who was this person? More overbearing than even the descendants of Mount Immortal!
At this moment, they finally understood why the crow on his shoulder was so vicious—like master, like pet.
Princess Qianqian’s eyes shimmered as she studied Shi Hao, as if seeing him for the first time. “Brother, you’ve stirred great trouble. I advise you to leave at once, lest Mount Immortal seeks retribution.”
Even with her exalted status, she wouldn’t dare handle the youth so ruthlessly—slapping him like a stray dog. This was sheer dominance.
Though she despised the youth, her fear of Mount Immortal had kept her from acting. Watching him beaten today filled her with immense satisfaction.
“Flee? That’s not our style,” the Crimson Bird declared, lifting its head proudly.
Shi Hao remained calm, unperturbed. He truly feared nothing. Over the past few days, he had learned of the impending calamity—the great tribulation was near. Most powerhouses had secluded themselves, avoiding the catastrophe.
Soon, some began to leave, particularly the members of the Black Cloud Clan, who cast icy glances at Shi Hao as they departed.
“Keep glaring, and I’ll slap you dead!” the Crimson Bird threatened.
“Brother Daoist, who exactly are you?” The youth with the royal bloodline of the Winged Tribe spoke up. Likely the strongest in the hall, a radiant halo crowned his head, enhancing his heroic aura. He sought to spar with Shi Hao.
“You are no match for me,” Shi Hao replied flatly.
The crowd gasped. A royal-blooded Winged Tribesman was a rarity—destined to become a peerless expert once matured. Yet this youth dismissed him so casually!
“You may call me Bird Lord,” the Crimson Bird announced.
The foreign beings present were speechless. This rogue was truly audacious, daring to call himself a lord! Did he have some connection to the infamous Bird Lord of the Void God Realm?
After a moment of silence, the Winged Tribesman still stepped forward. “I seek your guidance.”
Shi Hao did not rise. Instead, a violent aura erupted from him, chilling the entire hall as if they stood amidst mountains of corpses and seas of blood.
What kind of youth was this? How could he possess such killing intent?
The Winged Tribesman sighed. “Indeed, I am not yet your match. Farewell.” He turned and left.
The crowd shuddered. Even the royal-blooded Winged Tribesman had retreated. Could this youth rival the legendary Little Stone?
A gale howled, black mist surging like demonic energy, shaking the grand hall. As the wind stilled, the mist coalesced into a young man who landed outside before striding in, battle intent roiling.
“A Black Cloud Clan expert!”
Clearly, he had come seeking vengeance after receiving word of his clansmen’s humiliation.
“Was it you who injured my kin?” The youth’s pupils blazed with killing intent as he took in Shi Hao’s youthful appearance.
Shi Hao had no favorable impression of this clan. They had sought to summon him through Huo Ling’er, acting with unwarranted arrogance.
“You’re mistaken. It was I who taught them a lesson,” the Crimson Bird interjected.
Black mist erupted from the youth, mirroring his fury. Dark runes swirled around him like a demonic god, shaking the entire hall.
“One of the Black Cloud Clan’s prodigies!”
The Crimson Bird’s heart clenched. This youth was terrifyingly strong—far beyond its current capabilities.
Shi Hao stood, eyeing the black mist. “You wish to fight me?”
“Insult my kin, and you shall pay—regardless of who you are!” The Black Cloud genius snarled, black symbols weaving into lightning that lashed toward Shi Hao.
In an instant, the hall’s protective formations trembled, on the verge of collapse from the overwhelming energy.
“Incredible! This Black Cloud genius is truly formidable!”
Shi Hao snorted. His aura exploded like a true dragon ascending from the abyss, dominating all. The sheer pressure sent terror through every heart.
This was no ordinary youth—he was a peerless genius, perhaps even on par with the Twin Stones!
Princess Qianqian’s eyes sparkled as she watched Shi Hao’s back.
Shi Hao took a step forward, sealing the hall’s instability. His mere presence forced the Black Cloud genius back, dispersing the mist.
A second step, and blood trickled from the youth’s lips as he staggered, his body on the verge of bursting.
A third step sent him flying, coughing blood as he crashed outside the hall.
The crowd was aghast. What kind of dominance was this? A rising star of the Black Cloud Clan couldn’t withstand three steps before being sent flying!
Shi Hao strode out, his aura receding as he left the grand palace without another glance.
“A youth so young, yet wielding invincible might! Aside from the Twin Stones, has the Desolate Domain birthed another such prodigy?”
“This… he rivals Little Stone himself!”
Then, realization struck.
“Could he… be Little Stone?!”
The moment the words left their lips, shock rippled through the crowd. They rushed to the entrance, but the youth had already vanished.
Princess Qianqian murmured, “Among his peers, he has no equal. His gaze has already turned to the older generation.”
If none in his generation could restrain him, then this was undoubtedly Little Stone, re-emerging into the world!
Though unconfirmed, the rumor spread like wildfire, stirring a commotion.
Days later, Princess Huo Ling’er of the Fire Nation emerged from seclusion, hosting a banquet in a royal villa for foreign elites. Tired of constant visitors, she decided to receive them all at once.
“Has that fellow truly reappeared?” Huo Ling’er mused, having heard the rumors.
The royal gardens sprawled luxuriously, adorned with bridges, pavilions, and flowing streams.
“So many have come?” Huo Ling’er frowned. What was meant to be a small gathering had drawn nearly every foreign powerhouse in the Fire Nation’s capital.
“Mount Immortal has arrived—an immortal legacy none dare provoke,” someone whispered, eyeing the two middle-aged men leading a group of youths.
“Is that… Moon Fairy? Even the Western Heaven Sect and the Severing Heaven Sect have sent important figures. What’s happening?”
“Haven’t you heard? After a year and a half, Little Stone may have returned.”
The Little Stone from the Twin Stones’ battle was coming? The news spread like wildfire.
Anticipation surged. If Little Stone appeared, who could stand against him?
For over a year, his name had dominated discussions. His return would set the Fire Nation’s capital ablaze.
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