Silent and cold, the wilderness was bathed in the ethereal glow of the moon, casting a pale, misty veil over the entire forest. The breathtaking figure, as if stepping out of a painting, stood flawless and untainted, radiating a soft, luminous glow under the moonlight, facing Shi Hao in a tense standoff. A battle could erupt at any moment.
“Kill me if you dare,” Shi Hao said indifferently.
“You are, after all, a disciple of my Heaven-Mending Sect. You may be stubborn, but I cannot be heartless. I spare your life today, hoping that in the future, we may share a drink as friends,” the Lunar Grace Goddess murmured, her jade-like face tinged with regret.
Shi Hao chuckled, unmoved. “If you don’t kill me now, someone will regret it later.”
“I hope it never comes to that. Take care of yourself—now go,” she replied calmly, her curvaceous figure bathed in sacred moonlight.
“Hahaha…” Shi Hao laughed heartily, giving her a deep look. “I’ll return those words to you. Take care of yourself. I hope we never meet in battle, or else I’ll have to carry you off as my trophy.”
“You—” The Lunar Grace Goddess finally lost her composure. Repeatedly insulted, her expression turned icy, and a terrifying killing intent surged forth like a divine sword shattering the void.
Unfazed, Shi Hao turned and strode away, leaving his back exposed without a shred of fear. Moments later, he vanished beyond the horizon.
Only then did a divine light erupt behind him, reducing everything within a hundred yards to dust.
“Lunar Grace, why let him go? That boy is anything but ordinary. Now is the best time to kill him before he grows stronger. Otherwise, he’ll bring trouble in the future,” an old woman materialized silently.
“Let it be,” the Lunar Grace Goddess replied impassively.
“No! I know your talent is unparalleled, and even if he is the best of his generation, he will never surpass you. But he could harm our Heaven-Mending Sect. Few can stand against him if he reaches adulthood,” the old woman insisted, her aura surging like a tempestuous ocean, silencing all creatures in the vicinity. “I’ll kill him now and eliminate the threat. Besides, since Shi Yi has joined our sect, eliminating his greatest rival is only fitting.”
“Don’t pursue him. He’s dangerous,” the Lunar Grace Goddess suddenly interjected, blocking her.
“A mere late-stage Glyph Realm youth? I could crush him with a finger. What danger could he pose?” the old woman scoffed.
“He killed two Venerables in the Stone Nation’s capital. Regardless of how he did it, we shouldn’t act recklessly until we understand his methods,” the Lunar Grace Goddess said calmly.
“Even if he did, the cost must have been immense. He can’t possibly do it again,” the old woman muttered, though doubt flickered in her eyes.
“Avoid unnecessary risks,” the Lunar Grace Goddess whispered.
“I understand. Given time, no enemy can stand in your way. Nothing can hinder your divine path,” the old woman said fervently.
As the terrifying aura receded like a tide, Shi Hao, far on the horizon, shuddered and glanced back, sensing the awakening—and subsequent slumber—of an ancient beast deep within the mountains. Unshaken, he smirked and continued onward.
Returning to the Fire Domain at dawn, Shi Hao sought the big-eyed girl, instructing her to relay his request to Huo Ling’er: he needed the Fire Nation’s teleportation array. The one-month deadline was approaching, and he had to prepare for the great battle. Only by entering the Void God Realm from Stone Village could he fight without worry.
Meanwhile, the Fire Clan rejoiced. Huo Ling’er had successfully undergone nirvana, gaining the potential of the Fire Emperor. She would soar to unimaginable heights, unstoppable by anyone. Elders marveled at her transformation, surpassing even the legends of their ancestors.
“Not a Vermilion Bird, but perhaps even greater!”
“Indeed, our blood carries that ancient lineage. The Vermilion Bird is our forebear!”
Amidst the celebration, only Huo Ling’er’s siblings were disheartened, their last chance at competition lost. Barring unforeseen events, a new empress would rise.
When Shi Hao found Huo Ling’er and made his request, she agreed readily. Even the Fire Emperor’s spiritual avatar appeared briefly to meet him.
“I can send you to the western border of the Stone Nation.”
“Good. I’ll prepare.”
Elsewhere, the old woman beside the Lunar Grace Goddess watched from afar. “I still can’t let it go. He’s a calamity waiting to happen.”
“You must not act,” the Lunar Grace Goddess said coolly.
“Then what do you suggest?” the old woman asked, intrigued.
Without a word, the Lunar Grace Goddess glided through the flames like a pristine snow lotus, ethereal and transcendent.
“I see,” the old woman nodded. “We’ll track his coordinates and let others deal with him.”
She followed, observing the Lunar Grace Goddess’s serene demeanor before adding, “I heard *he* has also come to this realm.”
“He’s here? The barriers between realms are growing harder to breach,” the Lunar Grace Goddess mused.
“He likely came only to observe and will leave soon. I, too, must depart before chaos erupts here. It’s too dangerous,” the old woman said, frowning. “Be careful, my lady. If he crossed realms for you, the danger is immense.”
The Lunar Grace Goddess frowned slightly, acknowledging the difficulty. “I know. Even if I can’t kill him, I can hold my own.”
The old woman smirked. “Perhaps we could lure him into attacking Shi Hao. If he fails, it would be a delightful outcome.”
The Lunar Grace Goddess shot her a glance but remained silent, continuing forward.
“I know he may not act personally, given his status, but his followers might. We could also leak the information to those unruly pure-blooded creatures or those who constantly pursue you,” the old woman suggested slyly.
Back in the Fire Clan’s sacred grounds, a massive altar shimmered with rune-covered bones, tearing open a spatial passage. Shi Hao turned, waved at Huo Ling’er, and stepped inside.
“Be careful!” she called out, worry etched on her face.
In the distance, the Fire Emperor’s avatar flickered, his gaze sharp as he suddenly lashed out, blood splattering the void.
Deep in the Fire Domain, the old woman’s true form emerged, body cracked and bloodied. “Incredible… The Fire Emperor is far more terrifying than we imagined!”
At her feet lay a Void Beast pelt—a treasure once auctioned for an astronomical price in the Stone Nation’s capital.
“My artifact captured the runic fluctuations, but the Fire Emperor disrupted it. I can only approximate the coordinates—somewhere in the Stone Nation’s western border,” she muttered.
The Lunar Grace Goddess remained silent.
“Coincidentally, *he* is in that region. Perhaps they’ll cross paths. And those other troublesome youths are there too, investigating some secret from the Western Paradise—rumors of a Supreme Treasure Vault,” the old woman mused, her eyes glinting coldly. “Since Shi Yi is now one of us, he must not lose. If we can locate Shi Hao’s physical body during their duel in the Void God Realm… we can alter the outcome.”
“Don’t overstep,” the Lunar Grace Goddess warned.
“Rest assured, my lady,” the old woman smiled.
Shi Hao, of course, revealed nothing of Stone Village’s location. The Fire Nation’s array sent him only to the western border, still three hundred thousand miles from home.
Though time was tight, it wasn’t urgent—his time in the Fire Emperor’s palace had flowed differently. Months inside were mere days in the outside world.
Still, he captured a remnant beast for speed, riding it across the wilderness.
“Look, a huge swan! Perfect for a feast,” a group of a dozen hunters exclaimed below.
“Someone’s riding it.”
“Then he’s out of luck,” one sneered, drawing a radiant bow.
With a thunderous release, a green arrow pierced the sky, impaling the massive swan. Blood rained down as the beast crashed into a mountain ridge.
Shi Hao, shaken but unharmed, landed furiously.
The hunters approached, led by a youth whose aura surged like a raging sea.
“You—skin this swan, clean it, and roast it for us,” the archer commanded, pointing at Shi Hao.
“You… are seeking death,” Shi Hao growled, his voice dripping with fury.
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