Chapter 1880 - The Great Showdown Begins
“Where are you all from? Do you not belong to this time-s.p.a.ce?” s.h.i.+ Hao gazed into the starry skies.
He stood under the night scene alone, couldn’t help but start thinking to himself. The stars in the sky really were brilliant. He opened his supreme being heavenly eyes, wis.h.i.+ng to peer through the everlasting, see through the long river of time.
In the Nine Heavens Ten Earths, Ye Qingxian’s remains were found in many ruins, some clues regarding the empress also related to her. This really was incomparably shocking.
However, this was still the limit, they didn’t make any further discoveries.
But there was already no Ye Qingxian to be found in this world, it was unknown where she was, what place she was currently at.
Desolate Border’s battle ended less than four hundred years ago. Where could she even go? He didn’t find her no matter where he searched, but she didn’t enter Immortal Domain back then, disappearing silently just like that.
Even though this matter was extremely strange, and also extremely astonis.h.i.+ng, when he thought deeply about it, there was no way s.h.i.+ Hao would invest extra energy either. There were more important matters awaiting him.
He needed to cultivate, truly rise up before the great showdown descended!
Even if it wasn’t for himself, for his clansmen, for his close friends, he still had to continue living, becoming strong enough, only that way could he protect an area, not let blood and chaos arise.
He prepared to continue on his way, to visit the Dam World. This time, he was going to bring even more people with him!
Apart from Mu Qing, Heavenly Horned Ant, crimson dragon and the others, there were several hundred from the eight hundred disciples, all of them coming with him to sharpen themselves.
The Cultivationless Age descended, making the people of this world despair. Meanwhile, even though the Dam World was dangerous, there was still hope there. If one could make it through in that place, they would obtain tremendous benefits!
This time, the restricted region lord gave them a hundred and fifty years, prolonging it!
Mu QIng, crimson dragon, Heavenly Horned Ant, and others were all moved. A hundred and fifty years, together with their current cultivation period, it already exceeded the gateway of five hundred years!
Could they find an opportunity, break through into the Supreme Being Realm?
They were hopeful, their emotions rising and falling.
Hong!
Dazzling radiance shone, the sky flickering with symbols, formation patterns wrapping around several hundred people, bringing them to the Dam World once again.
This time, s.h.i.+ Hao was especially careful, even the Heavenly Horned Ant, Mu Qing, and the others were careful. It was because even more people came, so they had to watch over them.
After all, these disciples weren’t as strong as themselves, they needed to be protected in the beginning.
A hundred and fifty years, for them, was extremely long. There were some whose natures were strong, but in the end, they couldn’t hold on, dying near the Lightning Abyss.
When more than ten people died, Mu Qing and the others warned them that they couldn’t try to be brave, to act according to their own abilities.
Even s.h.i.+ Hao was alarmed, coming here and telling them that there were still many chances in the future, everyone still had time to grow, to not be anxious here.
“Don’t try to run before you can walk. In cultivation, the natural is extremely important, don’t try to force it!” s.h.i.+ Hao’s voice was grave, saying how for the sake of becoming a supreme being, he ended up having many hidden dangers. If he didn’t redo it, his great dao path would have been snapped right there.
Many people sat at the edge of the Lightning Abyss, no longer trying to be brave.
A hundred and fifty years pa.s.sed by quickly. s.h.i.+ Hao could sense that his acc.u.mulation grew even deeper, but his dao skills didn’t improve, still unable to ascend to immortality!
He released a light sigh. Immortal ascension was no easy feat after all. Even though he reached the peak of Mortal Dao, he still couldn’t take that extra step.
Was it really related to cultivation time? He frowned. He previously heard that immortal ascension was too difficult, needing time to slowly mature, slowly comprehend. Even if one’s dao skills were ample, without reaching a certain age, it couldn’t be done.
“Perhaps this is also a type of tempering, perfect what is already outstanding, only then can one truly ascend to a higher level.” He consoled himself.
A hundred and fifty years pa.s.sed. s.h.i.+ Hao went to the Lightning Abyss to pick up Mu Qing and the others.
The hundreds of disciples were all excited. Their dao skills made improvements, many of them increasing in level.
However, the leading figures were still dispirited, unable to break through into the Supreme Being Realm.
Now, these people were all older than five hundred years of age, but they still couldn’t see any hope, unable to undo the shackles of Self Release Realm.
Without a doubt, the Heavenly Horned Ant, Mu Qing, and the others all long stood at the absolute peak of Self Release Realm, just a hair away, but they just couldn’t break through.
The Emperor b.u.t.terfly fluttered about, resplendent like gold. With a light flap of its wings, the heavens and earth would collapse, killing deities and buddhas alike, but it just couldn’t reach the supreme being level.
The Lightning Spirits gained the most benefits. Their cultivation levels had long caught up, their evolved forms now even more shocking. They weren’t True Dragons, but their auras weren’t any weaker.
These three creatures were now half a person in height, movements fast like lightning, destructive force too great. Even Mu Qing and the others weren’t willing to face all three of them at the same time.
Unfortunately, the three Lightning Spirits couldn’t become supreme beings either.
When they returned to Stone Village, they found that there were a few more graves on the mountain behind the village. The pa.s.sage of time was irreversible.
The old clan chief was still alive, the immortal blood from the past containing vigorous life essence energy, extending his life force considerably. Now, even though he was old, his spirit was still healthy.
“Swap out our men!”
s.h.i.+ Hao said. Last time, he didn’t bring all of the disciples with him because the Imperial Court needed them, so he left half of them behind.
This time, he was going to bring that group with him.
Ao…
After a period of rest, a howl rang through the village, scaring the little children. During all these years, Stone Village had always been peaceful and calm. This roar was too shocking.
“Stone, it’s that stone, it’s alive again!” There were kids who cried out.
Next to the nine dragons pulling coffin, a stone was rollin and howling. The Divine Striking Stone woke up.
Pilipala!
It was cracking apart, shedding off a large part of itself. The inside was sparkling and translucent, releasing primal chaos energy. A wave of boundless force surged outwards.
Sou!
s.h.i.+ Hao immediately reacted, raising his hand and grabbing it, then throwing it into outer s.p.a.ce.
It was because its aura was too powerful, it would harm the villagers.
Hong!
In outer s.p.a.ce, a great star directly exploded, smashed into by the Divine Striking Stone, turning into dazzling flames, destroyed in the starry sky.
“Ao, which b.a.s.t.a.r.d is attacking this great one?!” The Divine Striking Stone screamed.
Immediately afterwards, s.h.i.+ Hao appeared in outer s.p.a.ce, standing at its side, not afraid of the fiery light and star fragments all. He seized it with a single grab.
“Brat, what cultivation level are you at now?” The Divine Striking Stone was stunned. When it woke up, its entire body was releasing primal chaos, about to turn into the most precious treasure, yet it couldn’t do anything to s.h.i.+ Hao.
“I’ve killed even ruined immortals, do you want to give it a try?” s.h.i.+ Hao asked.
The Divine Striking Stone immediately lost all of its temper. Originally, it wanted to act c.o.c.ky, fight s.h.i.+ Hao for a bit, but it now immediately became listless.
When they returned to the surface, it quickly got caught up on everything that happened during these years. It immediately cried out, noisily saying that it wanted to go to that Dam World.
“Please bring me there, I want to achieve immortality!”
This time, Mu Qing, s.h.i.+ Zhong, the crimson dragon and others didn’t go. They felt like the Lightning Abyss didn’t have much meaning for them anymore. No matter how they continued to temper themselves there, they couldn’t enter the Supreme Being Realm.
In the end, s.h.i.+ Hao brought the Heavenly Horned Ant with him. He wanted to try again, see if there were any opportunities. He wanted to become a supreme being, help the others produce a path.
Of course, the Divine Striking Stone had to go.
This time, it lasted for two hundred years. The Heavenly Horned Ant was still like before, not breaking through, forcefully stopped right there!
During these two hundred years, the Divine Striking Stone went crazy, pleading s.h.i.+ Hao to catch a lightning pool for it. It crazily devoured many of them, Stone Village’s disciples’ eyes all went completely wide.
In the end, it even more so went to the Dam World, crazily eating stones, leaving even s.h.i.+ Hao speechless.
The Divine Striking Stone was also stuck, unable to become a supreme being.
They returned, coming back to Stone Village.
In this life, s.h.i.+ Hao was now over seven hundred years old, while the others like Mu Qing, Heavenly Horned Ant and others didn’t necessarily cultivate for much shorter than him. Unfortunately, they were all stuck.
“Why? Is the Cultivationless Age this terrifying? We already changed to a different place, but we couldn’t even find hope in the Dam World.” Someone said with a sigh.
In the following years, s.h.i.+ Hao researched ancient texts, trying to find ways to deal with this situation.
He finally discovered some clues. There were some recordings left behind in a ruined jade book from the last great era that helped him dispel his doubts.
The descent of the Cultivationless Age, the most terrifying was the blade of heaven’s will that hacked at the body. If one wished to achieve the dao again, it would be extremely difficult, this reality was difficult to change no matter where they went.
For these people, no matter where they were, they still experienced the Cultivationless Age!
They experienced the most intense changes of heaven and earth, everyone was swept through by the blade of heaven’s will, even s.h.i.+ Hao was almost not an exception before.
This was etched into their bones!
On the mountain behind the village among the new graves and old graves, there were many more. This left s.h.i.+ Hao disappointed and frustrated. Dazhuang, Ermeng and the others all grew old, while many of their parents were already no longer in this world.
Before he left, he left behind immortal blood medicines, but no one used them.
“My dad said that eating it is the same as wasting it, that he will leave it for the future, for others who need it.” Pihou said. The most naughty and mischievous child from back then was now already in his late years.
“Pihou, Dazhuang, Huzi, Ermeng!” s.h.i.+ Hao hugged them, his voice shaking slightly, choking with emotions. His childhood companions had now all aged, he was worried that he might never see them again.
s.h.i.+ Hao didn’t dare leave. When he went into seclusion, there were immediately so many who departed from this world, many eternally separated, he could never see them again.
He cared a lot about these comrades, he was scared that when he went to cultivate, these people would also be sleeping under graves.
s.h.i.+ Hao still had immortal blood on him, the village had divine medicines, but even if all of it was used, how many could be saved? Moreover, Dazhuang, Ermeng and the others all insisted that they wouldn’t eat them.
“What about my blood?” s.h.i.+ Hao lowered his head. He still hadn’t achieved immortality, there was no way it could be refined into undying blood medicine.
However, he still tried refining his own true blood.
“Stop! This will harm your own dao skills! Right now, you shouldn’t think about anything, just quickly break through the peak of Mortal Dao! Achieving immortality is the most important!” Dazhuang grabbed his arm.
“It’s fine, let me give it a try.” s.h.i.+ Hao shook his head.
However, his childhood comrades all rushed up, stopping him.
“Everyone dies one day. How long can you keep us here? One era, two eras, in the end, we will still part. We might as well just pa.s.s away naturally in our home.” Huzi said.
s.h.i.+ Hao was disappointed and frustrated, his heart extremely bitter.
He agreed on the surface, but he still took action in secret, refining his own essence blood, helping them cleanse their bodies at night.
In the following period of time, s.h.i.+ Hao even refined the immortal corpse in Western Tomb, obtaining several jars of blood medicine, and then he brought people into the higher realm.
After several hundred centuries, Imperial Court was now majestic, becoming a huge power.
Mu Qing, s.h.i.+ Zhong, Zhu Lin, and the others did well, enlightening the creatures of darkness. Now, the wars over the Nine Heavens Ten Earths had all stopped, the b.l.o.o.d.y battles in the darkness regions ending.
The various inheritances all saw the benefits of will force, all of them building temples.
However, this type of will force was related to s.h.i.+ Hao’s creation process, related to Imperial Court. The world was now calm, Imperial Court’s temples built in various places, the most powerful will force gathering there.
“Something is strange.” s.h.i.+ Hao said to himself. He could sense that after arriving in the higher realms, the various divine statues Imperial Court built acc.u.mulated tremendous will force, surging towards him.
This was the acc.u.mulation of hundreds of years, now reaching a critical point. It immediately surrounded him.
“This is a path, achieving immortality through will force…” s.h.i.+ Hao frowned. However, it didn’t agree with the path he was currently taking.
Even so, this still brought him tremendous enlightenment. Perhaps it can establish other paths for Mu Qing, the crimson dragon, and the others.
Imperial Court became more and more prosperous, truly reaching a grand scale. It didn’t seem like they were in a Cultivationless Age, looking more as if they were in a golden age.
“Found it, that giant tortoise appeared!”
That day, Zhu Lin cried out in joy, coming to report to s.h.i.+ Hao.
During these years, s.h.i.+ Hao gave them a mission, which was precisely to find Supreme Hall, find Qi Daolin.
They found Supreme Hall, carried by a giant tortoise. It appeared at the edge of the three thousand provinces, tearing apart the great earth, smoke and dust surging.
s.h.i.+ Hao set out personally, hurrying there, capturing that giant tortoise.
Normal people really had no way of capturing it, this giant tortoise was too big, possessing inconceivable strength.
“It’s not a real living creature, its body was refined into a puppet, its primordial spirit retaining a bit of self-awareness. This is simply a weapon.” s.h.i.+ Hao saw through its true nature.
When he was young, he had seen this ma.s.sive tortoise before, just nearby Stone Village. It had previously reached out a great claw, covering heaven and earth. Now, he saw it again, eight hundred years pa.s.sing by just like that.
Back then, he thought that Supreme Hall intentionally set up a diversion, that this ma.s.sive tortoise carrying a palace was fake, but now, it seemed like he worried too much, this was the true inheritance.
“The mountain treasure has appeared in Stone Village, it left it there.” s.h.i.+ Hao sighed.
Sure enough, after capturing the giant tortoise, he found the complete inheritance inside the palace, many recordings inside!
“I’ll leave it to Imperial Court, hand it to Stone Village’s children!” s.h.i.+ Hao said. This inheritance was extremely special.
“Master Qi!” When s.h.i.+ Hao was organizing the texts, his heart trembled. He cried out.
He saw a soul lamp, but it had already gone out. The last words of the dying were left here, some words carved, left behind by Qi Daolin.
Qi Daolin found Supreme Hall when he was alive, moreover, he discovered a path, seeing that there was a bone gate at the end of it. After leaving behind a soul lamp, he charged in.
s.h.i.+ Hao’s eyes were a bit sore, shedding tears. His mouth continuously repeated the two words Qi Daolin.
He knew that this was the primordial gate. Back then, Willow Deity and the little paG.o.da departed precisely through that gate, how did Qi Daolin discover it? He charged in rashly, now his soul lamp already went out, this was enough to explain everything.
s.h.i.+ Hao went on his way alone. He carried great sorrow. Even after all these years, he always had Imperial Court’s people search for Qi Daolin, but in the end, this was the result he waited for.
He charged into that uninhabited region. As for him, he had even fought in Desolate Border, why would he fear this place?
However, he knew that this place was strange, indeed having great dangers. All of it was left behind from Immortal Ancient, so he had to be a bit more careful.
There was a blood pool there, extremely bewitching. Even from far away, it felt as if one’s soul would be sucked in. This was a scene s.h.i.+ Hao encountered two years after entering this place.
“True immortals died in battle, more than one corpse left here. They turned into blood, gathering into a pool.” He saw through the truth.
If not for him being a supreme being, when normal people came here, it really would be dangerous.
With a raise of s.h.i.+ Hao’s hand, divine light shone endlessly, refining this blood pool, seeing if there was any essence left, if he could extract any immortal blood great medicine.
Pu!
In the end, a clump of yellow earth flew out. This blood pool dried up, the yellow earth chunk flying towards him.
Peng!
s.h.i.+ Hao formed a magical imprint, immediately smas.h.i.+ng it aside.
That yellow earth was too strange, it could corrode all things, even the void melting.
“Undying beings, true immortals, after they died, their corpses were piled here, flesh becoming mud. It is this type of thing!” s.h.i.+ Hao understood.
The blood pool didn’t have any essence, it instead nurtured this type of sinister object.
This lump of earth was too terrifying. If not for s.h.i.+ Hao being strong enough, he really would have been injured by it. In the end, he continuously took action, sealing it up. This was a vile object, but it was also a rare material for refining treasures.
Three years later, s.h.i.+ Hao continuously searched about in the boundless uninhabited region, encountering a vicious battle.
Those were heroic spirits, trapped in an ancient cave. There were extreme formations s.h.i.+ning, within them were past undying beings, the ruined souls of true immortals that turned into spiritual bodies, their strength extremely terrifying.
Even though they didn’t have their past peak strength, they weren’t much weaker than ruined immortals.
s.h.i.+ Hao discovered this nest of heroic spirits, some formed from undying beings, some formed from the ruined souls of true immortals, naturally encountering dangers. Only after struggling for more than a year did he kill them all with great difficulty!
“Tears of an immortal king!”
Five years later, when s.h.i.+ Hao was about to conclude his journey in the uninhabited region, he gathered a drop of sparkling liquid. The aura was extremely terrifying, enough for a Self Release Realm cultivator to refine.
After carefully studying it, he discovered some spiritual imprints. This was the tear of an immortal king, for creatures of the Mortal Dao, it possessed a fatal threat.
Ah…
That day, s.h.i.+ Hao heard a miserable cry. When he raised his hand, he saw a comet-like radiance tear through the sky, crossing the Nine Heavens Ten Earths. It was too brilliant.
“A ruined immortal?!” He was shocked.
His pupils immediately contracted, chasing after it.
Then, he saw a law blade hack into that ruined immortal, cleaving him into two. He fell onto the great earth, clearly unable to survive.
“Who is pursuing you?” s.h.i.+ Hao asked.
This was too strange.
After all these years, he was always looking for the other three ruined immortals, but in the end, he didn’t obtain any results. He never expected there to be a divine light flying across the world today, a ruined immortal falling.
“Great settling… the great showdown is starting!” That ruined immortal cried out, his eyes filled with horror.