“Whoosh!” A silver beam streaked through the air, aimed straight at Shi Hao’s nape. It moved with terrifying speed, carrying a gust of fierce wind and erupting with a dazzling array of mystical glyphs. Without even turning his head, Shi Hao sidestepped and reached out, snatching the projectile mid-air with a sharp *thud* above his shoulder. It was a silver arrow, etched with countless arcane symbols, gleaming and enigmatic—capable of piercing through the hides of massive beasts.
With a sudden pivot, he hurled it back toward its origin. The silver arrow shot forth at a speed several times faster than before, tearing through the sky with a thunderous roar. The beam of light intensified, blazing like a silver moon in full eruption as it crashed forward. No longer resembling an arrow, it now seemed like a silver mountain descending with earth-shaking force.
“Boom!” A deafening impact echoed as a figure staggered backward, his longbow and shield shattered to pieces. Blood spilled from his lips—he was gravely wounded. This was no human, but a winged warrior, kin to the servant who had earlier plunged into the magma. Though formidable, he was no match for Shi Hao.
“Is the Fire Nation declaring war on us? Is this an ambush by the Fire Emperor’s command?” the winged warrior sneered, his voice icy. Despite his youth, his arrogance remained unshaken even in injury, his gaze filled with hostility.
“Nonsensical, god-tier logic,” Shi Hao muttered, ignoring him as he focused on the divine mansion below. The magma lake shimmered, its surface rippling as a grand hall flickered in and out of view, adorned with cryptic glyphs. Mist and radiant light surged from the lake, weaving an air of mystery.
Shi Hao narrowed his eyes, eager to delve deeper. In mere moments, dozens had already arrived, securing vantage points, poised for action.
“Whoosh!” A golden beam shot forth—this one even more potent. The winged youth had drawn a mightier bow, its arrow screaming through the air, wreathed in glyphs that filled the sky.
Interrupted, Shi Hao’s brows furrowed. In a flash, he dashed forward, intercepting the arrow mid-flight with a sharp *crack* before closing the distance in an instant. The winged warrior was strong—his storm-wreathed wings slashed like broadswords, crackling with lightning as if channeling the fury of a thunder god.
But Shi Hao understood lightning. With hands weaving seals, he invoked the Suan Ni Treasure Technique, drawing the electric tempest into his body before unleashing a devastating punch—a thunderous explosion amplified severalfold.
“Thud!” The brief clash ended with Shi Hao’s fist shattering the warrior’s defenses. The winged youth staggered, coughing blood, his body charred and cracking. He opened his mouth as if to speak—
“You—”
A single word, then his body exploded in a gruesome burst of blood and gore—utterly annihilated.
The onlookers recoiled in shock. They recognized this as a warrior from beyond their realm, a force not to be trifled with—yet Shi Hao had dispatched him with terrifying ease.
The magma bubbled as the grand hall emerged fully, ancient and majestic, impervious to the molten lake’s heat. Its gates stood wide open, glyphs surging outward like a breath of power.
“Charge!”
Unable to resist, some lunged forward. With only a few dozen present, this was a rare opportunity. Once more arrived, chaos would erupt in a bloodbath.
Shi Hao moved as well, activating his “Dual Pupils” to peer through the illusions below. The magma, mist, and radiant light parted before his vision, revealing the truth.
“Barriers of glyphs—extremely dangerous.”
Indeed, the entrance was densely layered with intricate, perilous formations. Some managed to brave the magma, shielded by treasures, only to scream in terror as their defenses shattered at the threshold, forcing retreat. Two who pressed onward met a grimmer fate—their bodies disintegrated into motes of light, dissolving into the lake.
“This is a trial. Only those who pass the glyph barrier may enter,” someone murmured.
The crowd dispersed, allies conferring in hushed tones. Tensions eased—for now, no one struck at another.
“To enter, one must either possess a body strong enough to endure the glyphs’ trial or wield a profound enough technique to decipher and dismantle them.”
The conclusion left many grimacing. Their physiques were insufficient, and their mastery of glyphs even more lacking.
Attempt after attempt failed. The glyphs shifted too swiftly, their patterns a dizzying blur.
Shi Hao observed briefly before deciding to act. Distant tremors signaled more arrivals—over a hundred now.
This divine mansion’s emergence was no small opportunity.
“Fwoosh!”
Stepping before the gates, Shi Hao’s hands danced, weaving seals. Primordial bone inscriptions—simple yet fundamental—flew forth, merging with the mansion’s defenses. He wasn’t relying on brute strength but on unraveling the glyphs through sheer comprehension.
His focus was absolute, his deductions rapid. Layer by layer, the barriers crumbled.
Then—a surge of overwhelming pressure.
A golden figure descended, wreathed in flames, his storm-wreathed wings gleaming like divine metal. With each beat, lightning veiled the heavens.
Though young, his aura was monstrous, sending shivers through the human youths present. Behind him trailed several others, akin to the archer Shi Hao had slain—all formidable.
“Too late—he’s entering.”
The golden-haired youth frowned, his wings unleashing a tempest of lightning. The sky itself seemed to revolt.
This was no ordinary cultivator—this power surpassed the Spirit Transformation realm!
The lightning crashed toward Shi Hao, poised to strike as he deciphered the final glyphs.
Yet Shi Hao didn’t retreat. His body shimmered, golden vortices swirling across his skin, devouring the storm. The lightning only fueled him, his flesh glowing as the Kun Peng Treasure Technique absorbed its fury.
Still, his heart clenched. This foe was dangerous—already at the Engraving Realm.
Turning briefly, he glimpsed the youth—golden hair cascading, pupils mesmerizing, beauty bordering on the surreal.
“Oh? Interesting. You blocked that.”
Ignoring him, Shi Hao pressed on. Four swift steps—he was nearly inside.
But the golden-winged youth wasn’t done. Drawing his bow, he loosed a golden arrow—not a projectile, but a crushing mountain of force.
The crowd gasped.
Shi Hao’s eyes chilled. This strike was lethal. Dodging would mean restarting the glyph deciphering. Countering would waste precious time, inviting chaos as others closed in.
With a flick of his right hand, glyphs morphed into a coiling flood dragon, diverting the arrow’s path—not negating its speed, but redirecting it into the barrier’s unraveling.
“Incredible!”
The crowd marveled. One hand deciphered glyphs, the other repurposed the attack.
The golden youth’s gaze darkened. Arrow after arrow streaked forth, each aimed at Shi Hao’s vitals—nape, throat, heart.
Shi Hao glanced back, smirking. With a wave, he plucked a lotus herb from the entrance, then vanished inside—leaving only an afterimage as the gates groaned shut behind him.
“Boom! Boom! Boom!”
The golden arrows struck the sealed doors like celestial drums.
The crowd roared, surging forward—but the mansion sank into the magma, its glyphs blazing before disappearing entirely.
Inside, silence reigned. Only Shi Hao’s footsteps echoed in the dim expanse.
“Pity. Didn’t get to test if my body alone could breach it,” he mused. In truth, he trusted his physique implicitly—he’d chosen glyphs deliberately, assessing his strengths and weaknesses.
The hall was vast, untouched for ages. Standing here felt like being the sole survivor in a desolate world.
Ahead, a flicker—a lone bronze lamp, its flame no larger than a pea.
“A divine lamp? Burning since antiquity?”
Approaching, he found it mundane, coated in dust, its glyphs worn. Disappointed, he nearly dismissed it—until he noticed the liquid beneath the wick.
“This is… divine blood?”
Though the lamp was ordinary, the blackened residue radiated a stifling pressure, its divine essence undiminished by time.
“Not for reckless consumption. Best saved.”
Tucking it away, he pressed onward, deeper into the ancient sanctum.
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