Moreover, he knew deep down that this was only the beginning. Once he stepped into the Engraving Realm, he would have even more opportunities to experiment—things far more significant than these! Over a dozen days had passed since he first entered this ancient hall. Shi Hao had broken through the extreme limits, his entire body now glowing like a blazing furnace, far more powerful than before.
Having perfected the Spirit Transformation stage, he had finally taken that terrifying step—a true ultimate ascension. He had become incomparably strong!
Shi Hao looked up. The grand hall was riddled with cracks, on the verge of collapse. It had already lasted an astonishing ten-plus days—far longer than usual, which was merely a few days at most. Pushing open the doors, he strode outside as the hall behind him crumbled with a thunderous roar.
Now, he could have broken through to the Engraving Realm, but time had run out. The hall was turning to ruins, and he needed to find another place to cultivate. A single day of cultivation here was worth dozens outside, but constructing such a hall required an immense amount of rare materials—something most factions couldn’t even dream of affording!
The world was balanced. While he had gained precious cultivation time, it came at the cost of destroying countless heavenly treasures—a trade that felt almost wasteful.
A surge of crimson lava rolled forward. Shi Hao expanded a radiant barrier around himself, piercing through the molten lake as he soared into the sky.
“He’s out!” someone shouted. Cultivators had been waiting outside.
“Whoosh!”
A streak of golden light shot toward him—a blinding golden arrow. Someone had been lying in ambush, waiting to strike.
Shi Hao dodged, his eyes narrowing as he spotted the golden-haired youth standing in the distance, gripping a massive bow, his entire body bathed in golden radiance.
“You truly are persistent. Attacking me earlier was one thing, but now you dare show your face again?” Shi Hao remarked calmly.
“You killed two of my servants. Did you think that would be the end of it?” The golden-haired youth’s voice was soft, but it carried a bone-chilling coldness.
Tall and strikingly handsome, he bore a pair of golden wind-and-thunder wings crackling with lightning, making his presence as dazzling as a celestial being descended upon the world.
“You should know they provoked me first,” Shi Hao replied.
“I know. But what does that matter? Kill my people, and no excuse will spare you. Only I can decide their fates. Who do you think you are?” The golden-haired youth’s golden pupils gleamed with an eerie light. His words, though spoken softly, carried an imperious arrogance, as if he were a descendant of gods looking down upon mortals.
“Big words for someone acting like this is your backyard. Out here, no one will indulge you,” Shi Hao shot back, his temper flaring.
“If we were in my domain, I might hesitate before saying such things. But in the Desolate Wastes? Heh, what does this place even amount to?” The golden-haired youth sneered.
Figures appeared on the horizon. Many had known the golden-haired youth was waiting here for the one who had entered the divine hall, lingering for days. The moment the fluctuations erupted, everyone rushed over to witness the battle.
“Young Master, finish him quickly. We still need to venture deeper into the Fire Clan’s ancestral grounds. Don’t miss out on other great opportunities,” urged one of the golden-haired youth’s attendants, their auras formidable and their gazes sharp.
“Fine. We’ve wasted enough time. Once I behead him, we’ll move on,” the golden-haired youth said, as if discussing something trivial.
He switched bows—this one dull and unremarkable, its gray-brown material unknown. A flick of his finger produced a metallic hum.
Drawing an arrow, he nocked it and pulled back the string. Instantly, an indescribable aura filled the air, accompanied by the roar of a flood dragon.
“Gasp!”
The crowd inhaled sharply, their eyes locked onto the massive bow. The scene was astonishing—the crystalline bowstring transformed into a coiling dragon, its howl radiating terrifying divine power.
Simultaneously, an even larger flood dragon materialized in the sky, woven from divine light, its mountainous form swirling protectively around the golden-haired youth.
This… was beyond shocking!
Everyone realized the bowstring must have an extraordinary origin—likely the sinew of a true flood dragon. Otherwise, how could it unleash such might?
Shi Hao’s expression turned grave. His body gleamed with radiant light as he focused ahead, bracing himself.
The bowstring was drawn taut like a full moon, the aura intensifying as dragon roars and tiger growls echoed. A colossal flood dragon soared into the sky, glaring down at Shi Hao.
“Whoosh!”
A blinding golden streak shot forth, breaking the limits of speed—its divine might unstoppable!
Shi Hao’s expression shifted. This arrow carried overwhelming force. The opponent’s bow was undoubtedly a deadly artifact. Rather than meeting it head-on, he sidestepped, narrowly avoiding it.
“Boom!”
By the time the explosion sounded, the golden streak had already shot past, stirring a tempest that cracked the earth and sent molten waves surging into the sky.
The power of this single arrow was terrifying—a truly fearsome magical weapon!
On the horizon, a low hill shattered into dust, obliterated by the arrow’s force. Yet, it didn’t stop there. The golden streak curved back, homing in on Shi Hao with undiminished might.
Shi Hao roared, exhaling divine light that condensed into a radiant shield before him, intercepting the arrow.
“Pop!”
The shield cracked. The arrow’s power was monstrous. At the last moment, Shi Hao’s hands trembled as a towering lion-dragon materialized, clamping its jaws around the projectile.
“Boom!”
A cataclysmic explosion erupted. Lightning surged like tidal waves, and the purple lion-dragon shattered into countless electric arcs. The arrow, too, finally dimmed, dissolving into motes of light.
The distant crowd was stunned. The power of that single arrow was immense—casually drawn, yet rivaling a supreme divine ability, even shattering the Lion-Dragon Treasure Art!
Shi Hao stood firm, his gaze locked onto the golden-haired youth. This was a formidable foe.
He didn’t underestimate his opponent. Emerging from seclusion only to face such an enemy meant an inevitable battle. This wasn’t someone at the Spirit Transformation stage—this was an expert of the Engraving Realm.
“Interesting. You’re not bad, but far from enough. That arrow was less than a tenth of its true power. How long can you last?” The golden-haired youth sneered mockingly.
His words sent tremors through the crowd. Just how powerful was this youth? Was he exaggerating, or did he truly possess such strength?
“If you have the skill, come kill me. If not, then prepare to die,” Shi Hao retorted, his tone calm and unshaken.
“Divine power—amplify!”
The golden-haired youth wasn’t in a hurry to unleash his full strength, as if toying with his prey. He drew the bow again, the dragon’s roar shaking heaven and earth.
Another golden streak shot forth, howling like a hurricane, wreathed in endless lightning that blotted out the sky—a display of his divine might.
This arrow was infused with thunderous divine power, magnitudes stronger than before.
The onlookers paled. Any ordinary Spirit Transformation cultivator would have been obliterated instantly. Even from afar, the shockwaves were terrifying, shaking their souls. How could one resist up close?
It wasn’t an arrow—it was like a true flood dragon, roaring as it charged toward the human youth.
“Break!”
Shi Hao bellowed, his fists erupting with divine light—the Lightning Fist, embodying the essence of the lion-dragon without its form, only the purest runic mysteries.
Mist dispersed as a primordial symbol materialized on his fist, replacing the purple lion-dragon. It was the most fundamental force of heaven and earth.
The symbol spun, meeting the golden arrow head-on before erupting in dazzling radiance—purple tinged with gold—resisting with all its might.
“Crack!”
Finally, the arrow snapped, exploding midair into a storm of lightning and divine power, golden brilliance flooding the world.
Shi Hao stood unwavering, having destroyed yet another arrow.
Now, the golden-haired youth’s expression darkened. Blocking the first arrow was one thing, but the second being shattered was extraordinary.
“You’re still at the Spirit Transformation stage?” he questioned suspiciously.
“Indeed. And I’ve yet to use my full strength. Come at me!” Shi Hao replied icily.
The golden-haired youth’s heart clenched. He had already stepped into the Engraving Realm, yet his opponent—still at Spirit Transformation—had withstood his attacks. This was no ordinary talent!
“Don’t rush. There are more arrows to come. Let’s see how long you can endure,” the golden-haired youth said coldly, his eerie gaze intensifying.
“Hum!”
The bowstring trembled as the third arrow was loosed. With a roar, his divine might shook the ancient land, his aura skyrocketing as he unleashed immense power.
This was a true strike from an Engraving Realm expert. Though he mocked, this arrow was different—its power had surged to terrifying new heights.
Shi Hao’s expression shifted. His body gleamed like crystal, divine light surging as countless tiny bells materialized around him. At this moment, he was transformed—his entire being radiant, resonating with the tolling of a great bell.
This was his newly comprehended Dao—the very breakthrough that had allowed him to surpass the limits of Spirit Transformation and defy legend!
Now, every wisp of divine light within him had become a tiny bell, forming bone inscriptions that flowed through his flesh. Together, they made his body akin to a golden Dao Bell.
“This is…” The golden-haired youth was stunned. His opponent’s display exceeded expectations—his entire being exuded a terrifying Dao rhythm, his aura so overwhelming it made even Engraving Realm cultivators shudder.
What kind of power was this?
“Dong!”
The great bell tolled, unleashing boundless light—or rather, Shi Hao’s body resonated like a divine bell, golden ripples spreading outward to block the arrow.
In the end, the arrow shattered upon contact, exploding into dust before it could reach him.
Everyone was stunned. Shi Hao, at the Spirit Transformation stage, had clashed with an Engraving Realm genius from beyond their domain—and he had done so with overwhelming dominance!
“Whoosh!”
Golden light flashed as the bell’s toll echoed for miles. Shi Hao’s body, now like a golden Dao Bell, vanished from his spot and reappeared right before the golden-haired youth.
“Now, taste my power!”
His aura shifted. The golden bell faded, replaced by countless tiny swords formed from divine light within him. Bone inscriptions churned, and his entire demeanor sharpened—like an immortal sword cutting through eternity!
The golden-haired youth, a renowned genius even beyond their domain, barely managed to evade—but the attack still grazed him.
Golden locks scattered as blood streamed from his scalp, a chunk of flesh sheared away. His once-handsome face now bore a twisted, sinister expression.
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