The first words out of his mouth were, “You’re not dead yet.” Such coldness, such a tone—even a clay figure would feel a spark of anger. Moreover, having been invited by them to assist and journey together, only to be betrayed at a critical moment—how could Shi Hao not glare with icy eyes, his killing intent flaring?
“Shut up,” the purple-clad girl snapped at the green-haired youth, clearly displeased with his words and actions. Had he not attacked the ghost ship at that crucial moment, they might have convinced Shi Hao to rejoin them. But now… it was difficult.
“Yun Xi, you’ve gone too far. Is that any way to speak to me?” the green-haired youth retorted, his face darkening.
Yun Xi merely snorted and ignored him, turning instead to Shi Hao. “We were wrong before. We’ll make it up to you, or compensate you somehow.”
“That’s right. Qing Yun was reckless and did something unforgivable, but he can make it up to you later—force him to offer up a treasure that’ll make him ache,” Yin Xue added, trying to lighten the mood. Clearly, they still hoped to win Shi Hao over and continue their cooperation.
“I’m only interested in his pure-blood essence. I wonder what race he belongs to—how potent his medicinal properties might be,” Shi Hao mused.
Qing Yun’s eyes darkened, a cold smirk playing on his lips. “See? He doesn’t care for your flattery. He wants to hunt me down.”
The divine servants sighed, knowing reconciliation was impossible. Yun Xi frowned, her luminous eyes shimmering with divine light as she glared at Qing Yun. If not for him, things wouldn’t have come to this.
“This guy’s luck is absurd. Even boarding a ghost ship didn’t kill him. There must be something unusual about him,” Qing Yun muttered, his smirk deepening. “It’s true we need him to open the passage, but cooperation isn’t the only way. We can just capture him.”
His arrogance was palpable as he signaled his elderly servant to strike, intending to seize Shi Hao in one move.
“What do you think?” Qing Yun’s smile turned colder. “Since we’ve met again, he has no choice. Why waste time coaxing him when we can just take him by force?”
His tone and demeanor were infuriating, suggesting they simply capture Shi Hao and compel him to open the passage.
“Come crawl here and die,” Shi Hao challenged.
Qing Yun’s expression darkened. “You might not even be necessary. Rumors say the Kun Peng’s nest has emerged and cracked open on its own—no special method is needed now. When I capture you, don’t struggle. I’d hate to accidentally kill you.”
“Enough chatter. If you’ve got the strength, come at me. Stop wasting time,” Shi Hao replied calmly, his disdain evident.
“Take him down!” Qing Yun ordered.
The elderly servant, a powerful remnant beast now in human form, stepped forward. Though aged and frail in appearance, his eyes burned like lanterns as he struck at Shi Hao with overwhelming force.
“Underestimating me?” Shi Hao’s eyes blazed as his aura surged. A massive Suan Ni erupted from him, roaring before charging forward, unleashing a storm of lightning.
The clash was deafening. The old servant’s arm was scorched, his sleeve incinerated. In the same instant, Shi Hao closed the distance with terrifying speed, his Kun Peng wings enhancing his movement.
With a sharp tug, he disrupted the servant’s incantation, sending him coughing blood. The force shattered bones, leaving the crowd stunned at Shi Hao’s dominance.
The servant roared, summoning mystic symbols to repel Shi Hao, but the young warrior was already moving again—this time, straight for Qing Yun.
“Just entered the Transformation Realm and you dare face me?” Qing Yun sneered, his body radiating green light.
A colossal azure bird materialized, its metallic feathers gleaming as it lunged at Shi Hao.
Shi Hao countered with a thunderous roar, lightning clashing against the avian assault.
“Die!” Qing Yun charged, confident in his superior cultivation. His palm erupted with countless sword-like beams, each capable of splitting the heavens.
But Shi Hao summoned the Kun Peng’s aquatic form—a massive fish that surged from a black ocean behind him, deflecting the swords though not without injury.
Qing Yun’s expression twisted. How could someone just entering the Transformation Realm match him?
Enraged, he unleashed his racial talent—twin beams of starlight meant to immobilize Shi Hao before crushing his skull beneath his foot.
Yet Shi Hao shattered the restraint, his ten divine apertures merging into a radiant halo. The onlookers gasped—Yun Xi’s lips parted in shock, Yin Xue’s face frozen in disbelief.
Even the divine servants trembled. Ten apertures, fused into one? At his level?
Qing Yun, mid-air, realized his grave miscalculation.
The foot meant to humiliate Shi Hao never landed. Instead, Shi Hao seized his ankle and slammed him into the ancient stone steps.
Bone cracked. Blood sprayed. Qing Yun’s face deformed on impact.
Shi Hao didn’t relent. He swung Qing Yun again, shattering more bones, before wrenching his legs apart with brutal force.
A scream tore from Qing Yun’s throat—a pain so profound it would haunt him for lifetimes.
The battle was decided. Not by cultivation, but by sheer, unrelenting dominance.
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