Leaving

Jin Luantian’s pupils were like blades, and they shot out golden intimidating light when he blinked. He looked at the brat in front of him and held back his urge to attack Shi Hao, fearing that he would provoke the deity behind Shi Hao.

Such a thing was a great treasure even for the Peng Race. A Golden Peng with terrifying strength could only produce one true feather in its entire life, and it wasn’t weaker than the primordial symbol bone.

There were only three or four of them in the entire ancestral mountain, sealed within the treasury. Not every Golden Peng old ancestor could leave one behind, and some of them had been used up over the endless years.

“Thank you, Senior Jin.” Shi Hao’s bashful appearance was truly repulsive in Jin Luantian’s eyes. That shameless scourge deserved a spanking.

“Brother Jin, just forget about it. Although that’s a great treasure, compared to crossing realms, it’s nothing. If we enter the higher realms, what kind of divine materials and rare treasures can’t we find?” Yun Canghai suggested.

Hou Race’s elder also nodded with a smile, walking up to console Jin Luantian. However, no matter how one looked at it, he seemed to be taking joy in Jin Luantian’s misfortune, making Jin Luantian extremely unhappy.

In the end, Jin Luantian’s face darkened. He nodded and ordered people to return to the Peng Race’s divine mountain to retrieve the true feather. Of course, it had to be an important person. Normal people wouldn’t be able to come into contact with the clan’s sacred object.

“Senior, let’s go through the transport formation. It’ll be faster. The great calamity is about to arrive, so we have to hurry,” Shi Hao kindly reminded.

“Hmph!” Jin Luantian snorted. With a flick of his sleeves, he left. Even though he knew that there was a deity behind Shi Hao, he still didn’t wouldn’t show the latter any respect.

Then, Shi Hao gathered Huo Ling’er, the Nine-Headed Lion, Sable, and the others, informing them of the severity and urgency of the situation. A great calamity might descend at any time.

They were all nervous and had no intention to waste time here. They all wanted to immediately return to their clans to deliver a messageso that their clansmen could prepare for the disaster. A great storm was about to arrive.

“You aren’t leaving the wasteland region?” The Nine-Headed Lion looked at Shi Hao in astonishment. He, Flame Crow, and the others had already made their decision. In any case, there were no supreme experts in the clan, so they wouldn’t leave.

The Celestial, Golden Peng, and True Hou were all descendants of heavenly-ranked creatures. If they crossed realms together, without supreme experts leading them, it really would be too dangerous.

Shi Hao nodded and said, “That’s right. I don’t want to leave. My parents and loved ones haven’t been found yet. If they don’t leave, then I can’t either.”

“You… aren’t leaving?” Huo Ling’er looked at him.

Shi Hao nodded. He already made his decision.

Huo Ling’er was speechless. The situation was different. The Fire Clan had extremely powerful figures, for example, the present world’s human emperor. His magical force was unfathomable, and it would be extremely dangerous for him in the great calamity. What choice would he have? Perhaps he could only go through this archaic formation.

However, if they stepped onto this formation, she would most likely follow as well, leaving the wasteland region and entering the higher realms. That might be a great opportunity, but why was she reluctant? Perhaps it was because there were some people and some things that were destined to be hard to forget.

On the mountain, multicolored light emerged from a transport formation. A Golden Winged Peng flew out from the sky and landed on the ground. It quickly turned into a human form. In his hands was a stone box with a seal stuck to it.

“Many thanks to Peng Race’s seniors.” Shi Hao ran over eagerly. Upon seeing his solicitous and bashful appearance, the person who came wanted to smash his face with the stone box.

“This devilish brat is so hateful.” That was what every Peng Race member was thinking.

Shi Hao removed the seal. A string of symbols lit up, quickly igniting. The yellowed paper was burned to ashes, and the spell was ineffective.

He carefully opened the stone box, feeling rather excited. This was the third one, and he already obtained the Green Luan and Vermilion Bird’s true feathers. He was getting closer and closer to his goal.

A streak of light rushed out, and then the entire sky was covered in golden multicolored light. It was as if a treasury had been opened, and it was extremely gorgeous, making one unable to look directly at it.

This was a golden Peng feather. It was a meter long and glistening yellow in color. Mysterious symbols were hidden within the feather, and astonishing fluctuations swirled about. Peng roars could be vaguely heard as they shook the skies.

Shi Hao pulled out the true feather, and with a light stroke, the void trembled, releasing howling sounds. Golden multicolored light filled the sky like specks of stars, striking in all directions, which was terrifying to the extreme.

Moreover, a thick streak of golden divine radiance followed. It was like sword energy, but also like lightning. Its offensive power was astonishing, fully displaying the Peng Race’s ferocity and power.

“Amazing!” Shi Hao said to himself. This wasn’t any weaker than the primordial symbol bone. Using it like this already made it an extremely formidable weapon, let alone refining it into the legendary Five Bird Fan.

It wasn’t just him. Even the Golden Peng’s own clan, as well as the celestials and True Hou Race’s experts were jealous. How could such a thing be passed on to outsiders? Normally, it was left behind in the clan to refine secret treasures.

Shi Hao closed the stone box and put it away. He was extremely satisfied. In the future, he would most likely be able to refine a world-shaking magical artifact. Once that precious fan appeared, with a light wave, the mountain range would turn into ashes, and the rivers would dry up. Its power would be incomparable.

Kong Qiuji returned, and no one knew what he discussed with Yun Menglan. The two of them stood together, and there was a tranquility that belonged to someone who had experienced hardships. After reuniting after so many years, there was no need to say anything.

“I wish to stay behind.” Second Baldy spoke these words.

Shi Hao was stunned. “Don’t you know how severe the situation is?”

The Peacock Supreme Expert of the past gave Yun Menglan a look. It was clear that he wanted to be together with her no matter what.

“You have to understand that the higher realms and the future are full of unknowns. It’s hard to say which way it’ll go,” Shi Hao reminded him.

For some reason, the Willow Deity seemed to be quite willing to help them. It handed over a special willow leaf that was a faint golden color. It wasn’t dark green, and it landed in Second Baldy’s hands.

“Before activating the formation, you have one chance. You can bring a person back to Stone Village.”

Peacock Supreme Expert was immediately moved and was very grateful. He bowed toward the void. Others couldn’t hear or see, but they guessed that it was definitely that divine being.

“Menglan, I’ve proposed on behalf of this brat.” Second Baldy pointed at Shi Hao and then looked at Yun Xi, who wasn’t far away.

Menglan and Yun Xi spoke softly. She was extremely disgusted with her father and brother’s arrangements back then, which caused her to be separated from Kong Qiuji. They almost couldn’t meet again in this life, so she interfered and asked Yun Xi.

“What? You’ve given him your Spiritual Rhinoceros Pendant long ago?” Yun Menglan was shocked.

“No, that little thief stole it.” Yun Xi was a bit flustered.

Members of the Celestial Clan were all shocked because the adults all knew that the clan’s women had Spiritual Rhinoceros Earrings, which were normally used as a token of love. Why was Yun Xi’s Spiritual Rhinoceros Earring given to Shi Hao several years ago?

“I see. I’ll help you out.” Yun Menglan nodded.

“Grandaunt, it’s not what you think,” Yun Xi explained, but how could she explain it clearly? Back then, when that devilish brat bit her earlobe, she lost the earring to him. However, no matter what, she couldn’t tell the others about it.

Moreover, back then, she didn’t know much. She only learned recently that the Spiritual Rhinoceros Pendant was of great importance.

“Older brother, you heard it as well. Several years ago, the Spiritual Rhinoceros Pendant was given away by Xi’er. I believe you won’t make things difficult for those two youngsters again, right?” Yun Menglan looked at this were her older brother.

Yun Canghai smiled bitterly. He had heard his granddaughter briefly say that the Spiritual Rhinoceros Pendant was lost, and he didn’t feel like she was giving it away on her own. However, now that Yun Menglan said this, it was clear that she still carried resentment, hating the events of the past. She hadn’t gotten over it yet, so how could he say no?

He cleared his throat.

“Alright, that’s it. Young man, since you’ve already obtained the Spiritual Rhinoceros Pendant, you can come and propose marriage in the future.” Yun Menglan said decisively.

“Huh?” Shi Hao scratched his head. Wasn’t this a bit too direct? Was that a keepsake? How could his marriage be determined so easily?

As for the Golden Peng, Green Luan, and True Hou Race’s cultivators, they were even more stunned. The Archaic Divine Mountain’s most famous goddess, Yun Xi, was engaged? That was so reckless.

This was especially true for the group of youngsters, who couldn’t help but cry out in grief. Their gazes were simply murderous, and all of them viciously stared at Shi Hao, wishing they could pounce over together.

“Why are you all glaring at me? It’s not like I’m going to the higher realms. When the time comes, who knows who she will marry? There must be a lot of shameless geniuses in the higher realms, right?” Shi Hao muttered.

“What did you say?” Yun Canghai shot this brat with a sidelong glance.

“It’s nothing. Since we’re family now, why don’t you give me another pile of materials? Apart from divine materials, I also need all types of precious materials to repair the village’s formations,” Shi Hao said. He had long thought things through. So what if she was a female heavenly deity? They would be separated by two realms, so what was the point?

He couldn’t just carry her away, right? Or perhaps she was willing to stay behind and not enter the higher realms.

Only heaven knew what kind of mysterious place the higher realm was. It was obvious that there were all kinds of ancient and glorious ancestral sects. Yun Xi was probably the most ideal candidate for marriage.

“You brat!” When Yun Canghai heard him mutter, he flung his sleeves and left. However, in the end, he still gave him a pile of precious materials. This made many people within the Celestial Clan jealous, and quite a few people frowned.

“Seniors, do any of you have any more divine materials? Or you can give me a primordial true feather. I’ll have Peacock Supreme Expert teach you all the formation diagrams. In the future, anyone can repair this formation.” Shi Hao threw out another condition.

However, the experts of the other clans were all grinding their teeth, not paying him any attention at all. He took away a small half of the dozen or so divine materials, yet he still wanted to exploit them. They wouldn’t allow it!

Shi Hao was embarrassed. He cupped his fists, saying goodbye in the language of the martial world. “Green mountains never change, and blue waters flow forever. One day, we’ll meet in the higher realms. Dear, you should properly nurture our child.”

“Die!”

…

In the end, Shi Hao’s group set out, using the formations here to head out separately. The Nine-Headed Lion, Flame Crow, and the others bid farewell to each other and returned to their own clans.

With the Willow Deity’s great divine ability, there was no need for Shi Hao to use the divine mountain’s formation. The Willow Deity opened up a path, and Shi Hao left, leaving the experts of several clans horrified.

Suddenly, the void distorted, and the passage became unstable. This wouldn’t affect their safety. After all, the Willow Deity was here, and it was the one who opened the passage.

Boom!

There was a type of restlessness and a wave of valiant aura that seemed to crack apart the void.

Multicolored light flashed. They walked out from the passage and saw an inconceivable scene. An enormous claw reached out from the ground and scattered the clouds in the sky.

It was thick and simple as if it had been buried underground for endless years. There was still a mud crust between its talons, carrying the vicissitudes of time.

Just now, the claw was precisely the thing that affected the stability of the passage. Right now, they were still several thousand miles away from Stone Village.

Shi Hao was immediately shocked. This great claw could cover the heavens. He had seen it before. Back then, when he left Stone Village alone and headed to Stone Country’s western border to train, he saw this terrifying claw while riding on a unicorn.

At the same time, dazzling light streaked across the sky. There was a crack in the void. Someone from the higher realms was trying to break through the realm wall.