Chapter 2009
Shi Hao’s expression was grave, becoming more and more solemn. However, he didn’t move. His body was quiet, as if petrified, standing tall there.
He wanted to leave, but he also wanted to get rid of some hidden dangers before heading on his way. For example, the four great experts’ primordial spirits had to be refined. If an accident happened that allowed them to get away, then it would be a huge disaster.
As for what exactly lied in the ultimate ancient land, he didn’t know either. Perhaps he could start his investigation from Feather Emperor and the others.
This place was extremely bleak. It was Imperial Court’s remains, already uninhabited for many tens of thousands of years. There were only some great graves here, some that stood tall for hundreds of thousands of years and some that were erected not too long ago.
Wormwood, withered vines and old soldiers who remained close. Shi Hao released a sigh. His white hair scattered down, his heart already experienced great changes.
When he turned around and looked at his life trajectory, many people and things had already left forever, never to be seen again.
Back then, he was still a youngster who roasted vicious beasts with his old friends like Fatty Cao, Chang Gongyan and that Lunar Jade Rabbit who never grew up.
The events filled with laughter and grief always left him reminiscent and deeply hurt. Those people were replaced by these yellow earth tombs one after the next.
There were some who were sealed in Divine Origin Liquid by him, not allowed to appear in the world, but in the end, they still undid their seals one after another, cultivating until today and then participated in the battle.
For example, Chang Gongyan, his child the new Little Stone, the eight hundred old soldiers and others.
A bonfire burned. Shi Hao sat in front of these great tombs, feeling sentimental and grieved alone. Even though he was a half immortal emperor, there were some emotions that could never be erased.
The old soldiers didn’t walk up to disturb him, only silently cleaning up the distant ruins. The only thing remaining behind from the past few hundreds of thousands of years were broken walls and ruined debris.
However, legends of Imperial Court’s great name still existed in the world.
During this period, Huang’s slaughter represented a one manned Imperial Court. He slaughtered his way into Realm Sea alone, and then later on even more so returned with great victory in hand.
All of this was also forced because of the circumstances. In the past, he was worried that Imperial Court’s troops would suffer disaster, head into destruction just like history’s Imperial Courts.
That was why he would rather just take on all of the karma alone.
In front of Shi Hao was a rock, dull and lightless. This was the Divine Striking Stone, its body and spirit were almost extinguished. This was the final piece of its ruined body that he found.
There was a strand of primordial spirit flame within.
Now, Shi Hao personally nurtured it. He was a half immortal emperor, so even if it was injured to this extent, he could still make the Divine Striking Stone revive.
Apart from this, there was a golden butterfly whose wings were torn off, lying on Shi Hao’s shoulder in a sluggish manner. It was precisely the Emperor Butterfly.
It was also in ruins, its primordial spirit in pieces. Shi Hao was also helping it adjust its soul.
Those old friends of his from the past, just how many of them were left? Even the two at his side were already like this!
In front of Shi Hao was a Law Pool. Right now, there was fiery light jumping about, the flames of half immortal emperors. These four experts were currently being ruthlessly refined within.
Qiang!
At the same time, there was an immortal sword that released blinding light, entering the pool, tangling about the primordial spirits of the four great experts, assisting in the refinement.
“Later generation, today, you are killing us four half immortal emperors, but in the future, you will die as well!” Grand Emperor said.
He was proficient in derivations, grasped the fate of the world, seeing a corner of the future.
One had to understand that at this level, half immortal emperors couldn’t be investigated at all, impossible to see through.
It was just like how in the great river of time, if one sought out the past, present and future of a half immortal emperor, this was just too hard. There was no way.
For example, the white-clothed empress had previously travelled through endless time, entering the great river of time many times. She possessed special methods, grasped the true blood left behind by Heavenly Emperor Huang, and only then could they meet a few times.
This time, the reason why those from the future came was completely because Huang, World Eradication Elder, Feather Emperor and the others’ battles were too intense, the terrifying aura shaking up the great river of time.
Half immortal emperors themselves shrouded heavens’ fate. Regardless of whether it was his past, present or after he died, there would be mist that was difficult for one to see through.
Ah...
Grand Emperor and Gray Emperor were both screaming out. They endured too much suffering, their primordial spirit lights were hacked apart by that immortal sword and then melted down by the Law Pool.
They could feel their bodies breaking down again and again... a single year or two might not be enough, unable to even kill them.
However, they couldn’t resist endless time. Huang had more than enough time. As they were continuously refined over the years, they were still going to die in the end, their primordial spirits breaking apart, their body and dao perishing.
“What does the ultimate ancient land carry?” Shi Hao asked.
Feather Emperor and Grand Emperor remained cold, not saying a word, not willing to respond to this question.
Shi Hao sat in front of the new graves, looked at his son’s tomb. A vicious glint flickered past his eyes. He fiercely activated the immortal sword and dao flames, carrying out an interrogation on their souls.
He felt anger, resentment and sadness. Shi Hao began to refine the four great experts over Imperial Court’s ruins.
“We are half immortal emperors, even if we die, we cannot be insulted.” World Eradication Elder said coldly.
“Sure, I’ll let all of you leave without too much disgrace, scatter your own imprints.” Shi Hao coldly replied.
“The ultimate ancient land has an opportunity for becoming an immortal emperor.” World Eradication Elder told him.
At the same time, Feather Emperor, Grand Emperor and Gray Emperor also revealed strange expressions. They yearned for this, also carrying regrets, but in the end, they all became silent.
How could they scatter their own imprints? They cultivated to this level, so all of their wills were incredibly firm, even sturdier than Immortal Gold.
As long as there was even a trace of hope, they wouldn’t choose death.
Towards this, Shi Hao didn’t treat them with any politeness. He was extremely cold and ruthless, each day activating his half immortal emperor flames to refine them.
Not far out, three experts were wrapped within hazy light, quietly watching everything.
Then, they disappeared, heading towards Realm Sea’s dam.
These were the white-clothed female empress, Without Beginning and the existence with the great cauldron floating above his head. The three great experts still didn’t leave, they wished to converse with Shi Hao, but the amount of karma that was involved was too great!
In the end, they didn’t try to defy the heavens.
If it was just some useless words, then there was no need at all.
However, once it went deeper, it would be too shocking, affecting the stability of the great river of time.
Time continued, over a thousand years passed in the blink of an eye. Shi Hao refined the four half immortal emperors, not going anywhere during this time, personally watching over them here.
The dozens of old soldiers who remained were loyal and devoted, staying with him, repairing these ruins.
The Heavenly Horned Ant survived and the Crimson Dragon was half ruined, but also still here. They came to see him from time to time.
During these years, Shi Hao continuously derived the past, stared into the river of time. He wasn’t there when some of his old friends perished.
Now, when he looked into the past, peering into the past scenes through great magical force, he felt a bit disappointed and frustrated, feeling even greater regret, as well as a type of great pain inside.
He saw the Lightning Spirit that was like a giant dragon, warping and weaving through the world, but it was ripped apart by a fallen king in the end, its blood dyeing the sky dome.
He saw Mu Qing being smashed to pieces, his primordial spirit extinguished. The only fortunate thing was that a ruined body remained behind, sealed by Shi Hao here.
“Mu Qing, you followed me for so long. If I become an Immortal Emperor, I will definitely shatter space-time and revive you.” Shi Hao said to himself.
He watched as Exiled Immortal was swept through by a group of kings. That aloof and transcendent immortal figure was completely eradicated, turned into blood and a rain of light.
He also saw the Lunar Jade Rabbit and witch. Their primordial spirits were all scattered, only some imprints left behind. Now, he was nurturing them in two jade coffins.
Princess Yao Yue, Number Two Under Heaven, Ecliptic Immortal Gold Daoist, Golden Fur Hou, restricted region lord... they all perished.
Shi Hao couldn’t bear to continue watching.
With a light sigh, he tore apart the void. He headed to a mysterious land, looking at the sealed Stone Village. Fortunately, there were still some loved ones and old friends there.
Otherwise, in this vast and boundless world, even if he became unmatched, he still couldn’t feel happiness.
Many people were asleep just like before.
Shi Hao didn’t disturb them, just silently watching along the way. He saw Qing Yi, his grandfather, Grandpa Chief and others, he also saw his parents and the villagers.
He didn’t dare wake up Yun Xi, because the new Little Stone was no longer in this world!
“Little Hao.”
A woman woke up, looking towards him.
“A’man!”
Shi Hao stared at her.
In this world, who dared call him this? Only those who were closest to him.
“What happened?” A’man asked. She sensed that there were much fewer people here, some people leaving this place.
Where were they? A’man was puzzled.
Then, A’man followed him out of this place.
While looking at these graves, at those monuments, A’man was in disbelief. In the end, she shed tears, in grief and heartbroken. Her hands caressed the new Little Stone’s grave, unable to accept this!
She carried tears as she looked at Shi Hao. “If you want to cry, then just cry. Don’t hold it in.” She was worried about Shi Hao.
“How can a half immortal emperor cry?” Shi Hao revealed an expression that was uglier than crying.
After that day, A’man watched over this place, not returning to Stone Village again.
“I am about to head on my way. It’s best if you return to Stone Village first.” Shi Hao said. Within these thousand years, he already pretty much refined the four great experts.
At the same time, during this period, he continuously derived how to become an immortal emperor!
World Eradication Elder, Feather Emperor, Grand Emperor and others’ methods, their divine abilities and systems definitely gave Shi Hao great enlightenment.
“I will just wait for you here. I hope I can be the first to see your safe return.” A’man said while shaking her head.
“Leave after you become an unmatched immortal emperor.” She suggested quietly, fearing that Shi Hao wouldn’t be able to return after leaving.
“I can’t do it.” Shi Hao shook his head. He already tried many times, but in the end, couldn’t truly ascend to that level.
However, he really did stop, not leaving immediately, pondering over the Immortal Emperor Realm, trying to break through.
During this period, it was unknown how many great sects’ lords and old clan chiefs requested to meet with Shi Hao, but they were all turned down by him. The several dozen old soldiers remained outside Imperial Court’s remains, not letting them come closer.
Apart from the Heavenly Horned Ant and Crimson Dragon, these years, only the Butcher and Burial Lord could come.
The two wanted to become half immortal emperors. They consulted about the dao with Shi Hao, seriously asking for guidance.
There were wisps of half immortal emperor light on their bodies, but they just couldn’t cross that moat.
Shi Hao was quite serious, not hiding his own half immortal emperor journey at all. These were the most precious experiences, at the same time telling them about Feather Emperor and the others’ paths as well.
He hoped these two could become half immortal emperors.
Unfortunately, in the end, the two great experts still couldn’t break through, always stuck at the border.
In a flash, thousands of years passed. Shi Hao still remained in this cemetery.
The Butcher and Burial Lord came who knew how many times, continuously discussing the dao with Shi Hao. In the end, they could only sigh. They most likely had to stop here, even with all their achievements, they were still unable to truly step into half immortal emperor level.
Creatures at this level couldn’t necessarily succeed just by accumulating time.
Otherwise, the Butcher and Burial Lord would have long advanced. Their ages were horrifyingly great, but this was useless.
Within the Law Pool, in the end, the four great experts all turned to ashes, completely refined by Shi Hao. World Eradication Elder, Feather Emperor, Grand Emperor and Gray Emperor all completely died.
Shi Hao felt like it was time to continue on his way to the other side of Realm Sea. There were also Huo Ling’er, Great Elder and Willow Deity’s scorched black tree stump, all of them waiting for him to bring them back from the unknown void.
Only, before he even set out for the Realm Sea, a wave of power already appeared, arriving from the other end of the Realm Sea!