“The Divine Artifact—the Armguard—is a heirloom of my clan. It must not be lost. I can lend it to you this time, but if you survive, you must return it to me,” said the purple-clad maiden Yun Xi.
“I thought you were going to gift me the armguard itself, or even the other one to make a pair. Then I could slay both the Great Demon Spider and the one from the Azure Sky Divine Mountain. What a disappointment,” Shi Hao replied.
Yun Xi gritted her teeth in frustration. Why did this guy always have such an inflated sense of self-importance? Talking about slaying two Venerable Ones as if he were still in the North Sea Kun Peng’s Nest. Besides, the armguard had been extorted from her in the first place—why should she give him anything else?
The memory of their tussle in the Hundred Broken Mountains flashed through her mind—how he had wrestled with her and even bit her ear. The thought made her skin crawl, as if tiny insects were skittering across her flawless jade-like body.
“You’re so shameless,” Xue Lin muttered under her breath.
“How do you know I’m shameless? You’ve never touched my face,” Shi Hao retorted, glancing at her before locking his gaze onto Yun Xi’s delicate, translucent ear.
“You *are* shameless,” Yun Xi added.
“Nonsense! If you don’t understand, don’t spout nonsense. My face is the thinnest—yours are both thicker. If you don’t believe me, let’s touch and compare.”
In the distance, the crowd was stunned. Many young men cursed inwardly—this shameless brat had no decency at all!
Yun Xi and Xue Lin both glared at him. They had never met someone so brazen—and now he was actually stepping forward, reaching out to touch them!
“Go die, go die!” they shrieked, backing away with flushed faces.
“See, Junior Sister? Their faces *are* thicker than mine. They don’t dare let me touch them—clearly guilty!” Shi Hao turned to Huo Ling’er with a grin.
The crowd was speechless. This guy truly invited the wrath of gods and men alike.
The youths from the Ancient Divine Mountains were practically frothing at the mouth, their blood boiling with rage. Their goddess had been insulted—how could they tolerate this?
Yet, in the end, none dared act. They knew all too well how ruthless this guy was. The four youths with gray hair had been kicked so hard their backsides were ruined—a vivid warning.
“The armguard… return it to me afterward,” Yun Xi said stiffly.
Shi Hao gave her a sidelong glance. “If I die in battle, the Venerable One will take the armguard, and your Divine Mountain will surely reclaim it eventually—after all, we’re old acquaintances. Now you’re asking for my promise to return it if I survive? Hah, what a clever scheme. Either way, you’ll get it back after this battle. But why should I? This is collateral. You broke your word first—it’s mine now. Why not gift me the other armguard too?”
Yun Xi clenched her jaw. This guy was impossible—unyielding, unwilling to suffer even the slightest loss, like an unshakable boulder.
But the armguards were a pair of ancient relics from the Divine Mountain, carrying special significance. They couldn’t be left in outsider hands.
“Here, I’ll give you a Divine Movement Talisman. Return the armguard and flee while you can. You’re no match for two Venerable Ones—even with a true divine artifact, the gap is too vast,” Yun Xi urged.
“Do I look like someone who runs from trouble? Fleeing isn’t my style. With this armguard, the world is mine. Just watch—I’ll beat those two Venerables until they cry for their mothers,” Shi Hao declared confidently.
Nearby, the youths from the Ancient Divine Mountains heard every word, their jaws dropping. This guy’s confidence was off the charts! Did he even realize what he was saying?!
“Enough about the armguard. Unless you’re willing to guard my village for me, don’t bother trying to persuade me,” Shi Hao dismissed, turning back to his antics.
The crowd watched, dumbfounded. This guy even dared to mock a divine maiden, suggesting she guard a village? It sounded more like he was taming a primordial beast!
Yun Xi and Xue Lin seethed, itching to team up and beat him up—but they knew they stood no chance.
The banquet commenced. Jade tables were laden with delicacies, the aroma of fine wine intoxicating even before the first sip. The liquor was thick, shimmering like liquid crystal.
Huo Ling’er, given her status, could have sat in the central palace as a representative of the Fire Emperor. Yet she chose to remain outside, her jade table placed beside Shi Hao’s—she was more familiar with this little terror here.
“Not enough food! Bring me another serving!” Shi Hao called out. Each guest had their own table piled high with delicacies, yet he had already devoured his share, smiling at the serving maid.
“How can you eat so much?” Huo Ling’er regretted sitting next to him—this was beyond embarrassing.
“Can’t we have a buffet? Just roast a beast right here—that’d be enough for me,” Shi Hao suggested.
“Keep your voice down!” Huo Ling’er glanced around, mortified.
“Why bother?” Shi Hao muttered, pulling out his Heaven-Transforming Bowl. Flames flickered in his palm as he began roasting something inside—faint screams soon echoed from within.
“That’s disgusting! You’re roasting a spider?!” Huo Ling’er recoiled, her appetite ruined.
“What do you know? This is a pure-blooded one—a key ingredient for refining divine pills,” Shi Hao retorted.
“Pure-blooded demon spiders are lethally toxic. Without proper treatment, even a Heavenly God couldn’t save you if you eat that!” Huo Ling’er warned.
“Fine, I’ll save it for alchemy later.”
Finally, the serving maid brought him another tableful of delicacies, temporarily satisfying his appetite. These were no ordinary dishes—each brimmed with spiritual energy.
He drank cup after cup, reveling in the fragrant wine, nearly forgetting everything else.
“You’ve got a battle later. If you’re not careful, you’ll be drunk before the fight even starts,” Huo Ling’er scolded.
“Don’t worry. I’ll just kick their backsides later,” the little terror replied cheerfully, raising his cup to others around him—including the Rain Clan’s experts and the Tuoba Clan’s members.
Those men cursed inwardly, their faces dark as they turned away.
“By the way, what’s the deal with that Venerable from the Azure Sky Divine Mountain? I never provoked him—why did he shamelessly bestow a sacred artifact to have his disciple kill me?” Shi Hao asked.
Many around him were speechless. This guy’s nerve was unbelievable—only now was he asking?
“Junior Sister Yun Xi, what’s the background of that old geezer from the Azure Sky Divine Mountain?” Shi Hao strolled over with his wine cup to where the Ancient Divine Mountain’s youths gathered.
“You ate his descendants and don’t even know who he is?” Xue Lin gasped.
“The old guy hid his head and tail—how was I supposed to recognize him? Besides, who even knows where the Azure Sky Divine Mountain is?” Shi Hao mused.
The crowd’s expressions soured. The mighty Ancient Divine Mountains—reduced to “some backwater” in his eyes? This was… infuriating.
The youths seated here were all proud descendants of the Ancient Divine Mountains, accustomed to superiority. Now, they were utterly speechless before this little terror’s audacity.
A young girl, no more than five or six, muttered dejectedly, “So our Divine Mountain is that weak? Big Sister lied to me—she said we were the strongest race in the world.”
“Don’t listen to his nonsense. Our Divine Mountain isn’t weak. Freaks like him are one in a million,” an older girl consoled.
“Hey, fatty, watch your words,” Shi Hao shot back, eyeing the girl.
“Don’t bully people here,” Yun Xi and Xue Lin stood up, wary of his mischief.
“I was just asking a question. When did I bully anyone?” Shi Hao spread his hands innocently.
The crowd felt even worse. They were pure-blooded beings, the most elite young talents of the wasteland—yet here they were, being framed as victims. It was tragic.
“The Azure Sky Divine Mountain houses divine avians. That Venerable is the progenitor of the Azure Cloud you devoured in the North Sea,” someone finally told him, eager to shut him up before he demoralized them further.
“Ah, an adult pure-blooded Azure Luan! I like that. I’ll have to negotiate—his corpse must be preserved for roasting!” Shi Hao mused.
The crowd: *”#@%$#@…”*
This kid was getting more outrageous by the minute. Just wait—he’d be crying soon enough. They cursed inwardly, unable to believe how little he regarded a Venerable One.
But the truth would soon be revealed.
Meanwhile, the human cultivators were stunned. Some young girls even gazed at the little terror with fervent admiration—seeing him domineer among pure-blooded beings was awe-inspiring.
Just then, loud laughter rang out. Several figures strode through the grand archway into the plaza before the palace, their auras terrifying.
Soon, some pure-blooded beings rushed to greet them, their enthusiasm obvious.
These were older pure-blooded beings, ranging from their twenties to thirties, each formidable, their blood energy oppressive enough to suffocate.
“What? Someone dares challenge my grandfather? Where is this fool who doesn’t know death?!” A golden-haired youth sneered, scanning the crowd. They had arrived late but had caught wind of the news.
His pupils were golden, shooting out two terrifying beams of light. His robes, too, were golden—a Daoist garb. His entire body radiated a brilliant gold as he zeroed in on Shi Hao.
“This little brat? Still reeking of milk, yet so arrogant?”
With a whoosh, he was before Shi Hao, a golden gale sweeping out like blades against skin, his blood energy crashing like tidal waves.
“Speak. Who put you up to this? Insulting my grandfather—do you have a death wish?” he hissed.
“Who are you? Got a screw loose? Get lost—you’re blocking my view,” Shi Hao replied dismissively.
The golden-haired, golden-eyed youth’s expression darkened further. “No one can save you now. I’ll chop you into a hundred pieces—slowly.”
Gasps and murmurs spread.
“That’s a disciple of the Demon Spirit Lake—a Golden Spider!”
“Golden Spiders are rare, surpassing ordinary demon spiders. He’s a powerful pure-blooded youth!”
Shi Hao caught the whispers and immediately understood. He gave the youth a sidelong glance.
“Oh, a golden venomous spider. Useless—can’t even eat it. Scram.”
The crowd: *”…”*
The Golden Spider was livid. Never in his life had he been so insulted. Rage burned through him, threatening to explode.
He was a pure-blooded being—a mighty Ancient Golden Spider! And this brat dismissed him like trash? Unbearable!
“Calm down. The banquet’s almost over. Just watch—later, I’ll deal with your grandfather. Then you’ll understand,” Shi Hao said amiably, patting his shoulder.
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