Chapter 346: The Favor of the Fire Emperor

“Big brother, you truly are divinely mighty!” Shi Hao stood up, uttering just this single sentence that nearly caused Huo Ling’er to topple from her hovering treasure artifact. She gritted her silver teeth, her delicate brows furrowed in anger, her beautiful eyes wide with fury—she looked as if she could devour the little troublemaker in one bite.

The newcomer was tall and imposing, enveloped in a radiant glow, his stride as majestic as a dragon and as powerful as a tiger, exuding an otherworldly aura. With each step, the ancestral land trembled as if resonating with the Great Dao itself. This being was extraordinary, covering hundreds of feet in a single stride, arriving from the horizon as if compressing space—a true master of boundless divine power.

“Know how to speak properly, or don’t speak at all!” Huo Ling’er snapped.

Shi Hao chuckled awkwardly. He already knew who had arrived—how could he not, when Huo Ling’er had already spoken? The Fire Emperor possessed an unparalleled majesty, his every step in harmony with the pulse of heaven and earth. This was no ordinary unity of man and nature, but a transcendent state—true dominion over the world.

With a smile, Shi Hao glanced at this imperial powerhouse, then at Huo Ling’er, who was barely keeping up on her treasure artifact, panting from exertion.

“Greetings, Your Majesty, the Fire Emperor,” he said again.

Huo Ling’er gnashed her teeth, eyeing him. At least this address was acceptable—had he repeated his earlier words, she would have lunged at him without hesitation.

“What did you say earlier?” the Fire Emperor asked calmly.

This was a desolate land, barren and lifeless, save for a vast lake of magma that radiated scorching heat. No other figures could be seen in the area.

Shi Hao scratched his head and grinned.

The Fire Emperor, dignified and composed, did not press further. A figure of his stature had witnessed countless grand scenes, facing even beings from the ancient divine mountains with composure. He had merely found the earlier exchange amusing.

This was not the Fire Emperor’s true form, but an avatar—a spiritual projection. His arrival in the ancestral land was unstoppable.

Truthfully, Shi Hao felt uneasy. After all, this was the ancestral land of the Fire Clan, and his presence here as an outsider was inappropriate.

“Since Ling’er permitted your entry, I shall say no more,” the Fire Emperor said, as if reading his thoughts.

“What guidance does the Fire Emperor offer?” Shi Hao asked humbly. A figure of such stature would not appear without purpose.

Overall, Shi Hao held the Fire Emperor in high regard. Over two years ago, when he had nearly perished while opening his tenth heavenly passage in the Void God Realm, ambushed by various sects, only the Fire Clan had sent aid.

“I heard of your exceptional talent in cultivation and came to see for myself.”

Shi Hao’s heart stirred as he glanced at Huo Ling’er.

“I noticed you’ve been struggling with your cultivation recently. Since my father’s avatar happened to be in the ancestral land, I invited him here. If you have any doubts, you may seek his counsel,” Huo Ling’er explained.

Shi Hao looked up, deeply moved. This was no small favor—to have an emperor personally offer guidance was an immense privilege, something only Huo Ling’er could arrange.

In truth, Huo Ling’er was not optimistic about his impending battle with Shi Yi. The latter possessed the legendary dual-pupils, extraordinary talent, and even the Supreme Bone that had once belonged to Shi Hao—making him virtually invincible. Their last encounter had ended in a draw, but Shi Yi had yet to reveal his full strength.

Thus, she had sought the Fire Emperor’s aid, hoping he could provide Shi Hao with a path forward.

“Thank you!” Shi Hao said earnestly, his gratitude extending to both father and daughter.

The Fire Emperor stood in harmony with the world, his presence both ethereal and imposing, exuding an overwhelming pressure that commanded reverence.

“Go,” he said, dismissing Huo Ling’er before seating himself upon a bluestone. Instantly, the barren land was shrouded in mist, as if suffused with primordial chaos, brimming with the aura of the Great Dao.

With Huo Ling’er gone, only the two of them remained.

“The world is on the brink of chaos. One day, when you are capable, I hope you will ensure Ling’er’s safety.”

The Fire Emperor’s calm words struck Shi Hao like a thunderbolt.

“Your Majesty reigns supreme over the Barren Lands. With you here, who would dare harm the princess?”

“The future is uncertain. Many great figures will fall—nothing is impossible.” The Fire Emperor did not demand a vow, merely a request.

“Very well. I will do my utmost!” Shi Hao replied solemnly, his tone resolute.

“If you have any doubts in your cultivation, ask now.”

The Fire Emperor sat amidst swirling mist, the aura of the Great Dao thick around him. An ordinary person would have trembled under such pressure, but Shi Hao remained composed, his ten heavenly passages radiating serenity.

This was the most basic test—if one could not withstand the Fire Emperor’s natural presence, they were unworthy of his teachings.

As the Fire Emperor, he had inherited the legacy of his lineage, ruling from the heart of the Fire Nation for years, its vast resources at his disposal. Like a sacred guardian, he had undergone the baptism of divine flames, his cultivation profound beyond measure.

Shi Hao did not hold back, posing every doubt in his mind. The Fire Emperor answered each with care.

To receive the Fire Emperor’s guidance was a privilege even the princes did not enjoy—they trained under their own masters. Today, Shi Hao had stumbled upon a tremendous opportunity.

Eventually, Shi Hao brought up his attempts to manifest divine light into forms—cauldrons, bells, and even the Kun Peng. He had succeeded with the first two but struggled with the Kun Peng, unable to solidify more than a few indistinct shapes within his body.

The Fire Emperor’s eyes blazed with intensity. “You’ve already reached this stage?”

“I began in the Transformation Realm, using it to break through my limits. Now, I’m stuck at the Kun Peng.”

The Fire Emperor’s gaze grew complex. “You are remarkable.”

“Why do you say that?”

“Many cultivate their entire lives, even as kings and marquises, without ever touching upon this question—because they lack the qualifications.”

Shi Hao’s dilemma was profound. To have encountered it in the Transformation Realm and achieved his own insights was astonishing.

Strictly speaking, this issue arose at the Inscription Realm, but only a select few could perceive it, taking the crucial step forward over long years.

As for resolution, it would accompany them for life, persisting until the Noble Lord Realm—or beyond!

“Perhaps it will be resolved when you attain godhood. Then, you will witness the divine might born from accumulated transformation.”

Shi Hao was stunned. He had thought this was his own unique insight, something only he had grasped. He had even hoped to enlighten the Fire Emperor in return.

Yet, it seemed the ancients had long known of this path—only the most exceptional would tread it.

Shi Hao had realized it far too early, using it to break through in the Transformation Realm. But this was a challenge that persisted until godhood, not something to be solved at his current stage.

Even the most prodigious figures of antiquity only became aware of it upon reaching the peak of the Inscription Realm. Shi Hao’s case left even the Fire Emperor silent, inwardly shaken.

After half a day, the Fire Emperor departed as gracefully as he had arrived.

Shi Hao lowered his head, deep in thought. Today’s gains were substantial—at the very least, the path ahead had grown clearer. He needed only to stride forward with determination.

According to the Fire Emperor, if he could now manifest divine light into forms like the Suan Ni, Black Tortoise, or Kun Peng, condensing countless primordial symbols within his body, he would be touching the threshold of godhood.

“Then let me begin with a few symbols, inscribing them while deciphering the supreme mysteries of the Kun Peng’s divine ability!”

With that, Shi Hao began his cultivation anew.

The Fire Emperor had not come in vain—he had bestowed a divine mansion, emerging from the cracked earth amidst the magma.

Shi Hao entered, immersing himself in cultivation. He was deeply grateful for this gift, recognizing the Fire Emperor’s kindness. What he needed most now was time.

This mansion was extraordinary, unlike the usual ancient halls of the ancestral land. It glowed with a faint golden light.

“It feels as though a single day of cultivation here equals dozens, even hundreds, outside!”

Freed from worries about wasted time, Shi Hao focused entirely on his training, his potential unleashed. His mind was pristine, his devotion absolute.

The process of refining divine light and inscribing symbols was also one of deciphering the Kun Peng’s primordial runes. He immersed himself in comprehending this peerless divine ability.

Capturing the Yang Fish to absorb their divine essence was crucial, but mastering the supreme techniques at his disposal was even more so.

Thus, within this golden mansion where time seemed to bend, Shi Hao abandoned all restraint, delving deep into seclusion.

Eventually, he even took out a mat woven from Kun Wood, a treasure obtained from the Kun Peng’s nest. Sitting upon it, his form grew indistinct, as if fading from the world.

By the end, the golden hall resonated with the chanting of ancient scriptures, pulling one effortlessly into a state of enlightenment. The mat amplified this effect, its divine hymns even more overwhelming.

The world seemed to shift, as if returning to the primordial era. A massive black fish surged from the depths of the ocean, its waves crashing against the stars, cleansing the heavens. Its body shimmered with dark light, runes flickering as it channeled the power of the supreme Yin, shaking the firmament.

Then, golden radiance flowed as the sea vanished. A colossal bird soared into the heavens, its wings beating with such force that stars shattered and the void trembled. It embodied the supreme Yang, indomitable and unstoppable, as if the cosmos itself could not contain its true form.

…

Upon the mat, Shi Hao sat cross-legged, as if drifting through the primordial world—now cleaving through waters for thirty thousand miles, now soaring beyond the ninth heaven.

He was comprehending the Kun Peng’s divine ability, experiencing its Great Dao as if living its life. The sensation was wondrous.

Finally, the black fish and golden bird merged into one, Yin and Yang converging into the true Kun Peng—a being that could be fish or bird, transforming endlessly.

With a deafening explosion, Shi Hao erupted with a terrifying aura. The entire hall trembled before shattering into fragments.

“I’ve done it! I’ve comprehended the Kun Peng’s divine ability!”

Shi Hao opened his eyes, brimming with joy, excitement, and profound satisfaction. He had never imagined achieving this breakthrough today.