Chapter 1739 - Return to Stone Village
The warship was extremely fast, like a streak of transient light as it cut through the sky. When the divine light was released, many people in Mysterious Region mistook it for a falling star.
Soon afterwards, the warship tore through the realm wall, starting to cross through another region.
Desolate Region, they finally arrived, returning to this familiar land.
The warship stopped, floating in the sky.
Shi Hao stood at the front of the ship, overlooking the boundless great earth. The land was vast and boundless, ancient trees towering from primitive mountain forests.
This was a great wilderness, most of Desolate Region like this. Otherwise, it wouldn’t be called Desolate Region.
Shi Hao took a deep breath. Compared to the higher realms, the spiritual essence really was extremely thin, unable to provide the body and soul with essential nutrients.
However, Shi Hao didn’t feel the slightest bit disappointed, his heart calm, feeling a type of satisfaction, feeling moved and blessed.
It was because he finally returned!
This was a familiar feeling, the homeland he cherished.
He had left this great earth for many years. When he carefully added it up, it had been more than a decade already. He really did hold this place dear to his heart. Now, when he looked at this world, he felt incredibly fulfilled.
Shua!
Shi Hao’s figure rushed out, leaving the bow of the ship, rushing towards the great earth, descending from tens of thousands of zhang, stepping onto the great earth with a peng noise. He grabbed a clump of earth, and then raised it up.
“I’ve returned!”
Shi Hao roared out. Even though this was the great wilderness, it still belonged to Stone Country’s border, as well as a path he had walked through before, connected to Stone Village.
“Follow behind me, I’m going first.” Shi Hao shouted, and then he rushed into the forest.
It was because he was scared that a massive warship moving over the sky would disturb Stone Village. That was a pure land, a place of refuge, aloof from worldly affairs. The villagers were too simple and down-to-earth.
He wished that place eternal peace, this was his heart’s natural harbor.
At the border of the great wilderness, the plant life was luxuriant, many vicious birds and savage beasts roaming about, all of them wild descendants, the larger ones comparable to mountains.
Back then, when Shi Hao was still a youngster, he had personally crossed this great wilderness, constantly facing trials of life and death, having to avoid all types of powerful ancient beasts and vicious birds.
Now, when he walked through this great wilderness, he seemed to have become a great humanoid vicious beast, all of the divine birds and others avoiding him.
Aohou…
A golden-winged divine ape jumped out, its body massive, several zhang tall. It had a pair of golden wings behind it, its wide mouth full of fierce teeth. It threw itself at Shi Hao.
This was a beast king, no one its match within a range of thousands of li. All of the birds and beasts bowed down before it.
When it saw a humanoid vicious being walking through this place, making all beasts flustered, it leapt out, attacking Shi Hao.
“Even a little monkey dares act wildly. You should just come back to Stone Village with me to guard the gates.” Shi Hao reached out his hand, pressing out. Five-colored multicolored light was released, directly restraining it.
He carefully examined it, revealing a strange expression. He actually recognized this creature! Back then, when he was passing through the mountain range, he had even hidden from it. At that time, he was extremely weak, still a child.
Now, more than a decade later, he could easily capture this divine ape.
When he thought of the past events, and then about his experiences over the years, Shi Hao felt a strange feeling. He felt blessed, but also bitter.
Back then, he was only eight or nine years old, yet he already dared rush into the great wilderness, bringing his brother Qingfeng with him as he ran around, hurrying to Heaven Mending Pavilion to enroll. He really was quite daring back then.
Shua! He tossed the divine ape onto the warship a hundred li out, extremely accurate.
Shi Hao moved through the mountain forest with large steps. This was a path he had walked on before. He was searching for his past memories, only, things were completely different now.
Along the way, he didn’t need to hide, didn’t need to avoid certain areas. That was why from time to time, there were some vicious beasts who attacked him. However, just by releasing a bit of his aura, all of the kings of the forest would flee.
Along the way, he saw a few giant beasts. Being able to survive while making his way through the great wilderness in the past really wasn’t easy. After all, back then, he was still young, his cultivation insufficient.
Shi Hao began to release his divine awareness, searching this great wilderness, wishing to see if there were any especially powerful creatures.
Yi?
He really did discover something, revealing an expression of shock. There were experts who lit their divine flames here?
A deity level existence!
One had to understand that there weren’t many people in the entire Desolate Region, especially later on, after that great purge, all deities disappeared, no longer in this world.
Shi Hao’s expression became serious. With a flash, he rushed into a mountain range nine hundred li out, wishing to see just what kind of creature it was exactly.
After all, there was Stone Village in this great wilderness. A deity level existence appearing here would most likely be a great threat.
He was extremely worried. After all these years had passed, did Stone Village experience something?
This was an elegant and refined place, water vapors rising. A silver waterfall descended from the mountains, roaring as it poured into a pool, producing mist, making the spiritual essence here hazy.
A black creature lazily laid on a large limestone on the shore, one leg crossed over the other, extremely relaxed, currently throwing roasted fish into its mouth, basking under the sunlight.
Shi Hao immediately had a strange expression on his face. It was too familiar, he recognized this fella.
This was a large black tortoise. It was really big, many times larger than even a millstone, entirely pitch-black. It had a lazy appearance, extremely comfortable and relaxed as it laid there.
Why would an ordinary tortoise do this? It laid there, limbs that long, able to even cross its legs, this kind of appearance really didn’t make it look like it was of the good sort.
“Third Blackie, why are you hiding here?” Shi Hao said.
He naturally recognized this fella, it was the tortoise who ran down from the higher realms. Back then, Shi Hao captured it, turning it into a mount. However, when the seven deities stirred up chaos, it ran while Shi Hao faced the enemies.
Later on, Shi Hao wasn’t able to find it, in the end leaving for the higher realm.
“A ghost!”
The black tortoise’s body immediately went taut, the movements too quick and swift. Its arms and legs reached out, while carrying that ‘big black pot’ on its back, it quickly ran.
“What are you screaming for, did you already forget about me?” Shi Hao shot it a look of disdain.
This rascal ran even faster than a rabbit back then. When he risked it all against the seven deities, this black tortoise was running with everything it had.
“How is it possible for you to be here? Heavens, a ghost! Just hurry and leave!” The big black tortoise screamed, turning around and running.
Peng!
How could it get away? Shi Hao grabbed its neck with a single motion, dragging it over, revealing a mouthful of snow-white teeth. “I’m hungry, feel like having some tortoise soup. You just happen to have a black pot on you, it really saves me the trouble of fetching one.”
“Big bro, please spare my life! It really is you! I have eyes but fail to recognize Mt. Tai, I thought a bastard was pretending to be you!” The big black tortoise’s face really changed quickly, immediately revealing a lowly smile.
“A bastard? Are you cursing me, or are you cursing yourself?” Shi Hao stared at it, not pleased at all.
“Cursing myself.” The large black tortoise hurriedly slapped its own mouth. Its tortoise arms were extremely long, movement nimble to the point of leaving one speechless.
“Big bro, how did you come back? I really am shocked to the point where my soul almost left my body, which is why I spoke so irresponsibly. You are a magnanimous great figure! I was too shocked, and also extremely curious. I never thought that after ten years, I would still be able to see your great self!”
“I’m not even as old as you, still in my prime. The twenties are the golden age!” Shi Hao rolled his eyes.
The big black tortoise really was shocked. Even though its expression was exaggerated, one could tell that it really was absolutely horrified. It never would have thought that it would see Shi Hao again like this.
At the same time, it was extremely speechless, inwardly apprehensive. Why did this master come back again?
Back then, when Shi Hao left the lower realms, it had cheered loudly, screaming that this world belonged to it.
It was because at that time, its strength was great, could be considered a top level figure under heaven. Once Shi Hao left, who could still restrain it?
“Why are you here?” Shi Hao asked it.
“I’m obviously looking for Stone Village.” The big black tortoise blurted without thinking. Then, it immediately regretted it greatly.
“What are you trying to say? Back then, when I was here, you ran. Now, you are sneaking around alone, looking for Stone Village? What are you trying to do?” Shi Hao stared at it.
“Big bro, you absolutely must not misunderstand! Because I admire you so greatly, even more so yearned for Stone Village, I was prompted by a sudden urge recently, which was why I earnestly searched around here with the mindset of making a pilgrimage.” The big black tortoise’s hands moved together, making a devout gesture. Only, those small eyes were moving around, selling out its true intentions, its face looking extremely lowly.
“Don’t tell me you want to disturb my old nest, attack Stone Village?” Shi Hao’s eyes were fierce.
“I’m being accused wrongly! I wouldn’t dare even if I was beaten to death! Forget about big bro still reigning powerfully in this world, even if I rushed there, there is a good-for-nothing monkey there, so I wouldn’t dare act recklessly.” The big black tortoise said loudly, doing its best to beat its chest, express its sincerity.
“Who are you calling a monkey?” Shi Hao spoke out in the Zhuyan’s place. This was one of the glorious, most powerful archaic clans, yet it was called a good-for-nothing by this black tortoise.
“Ah, right, I spoke wrong, that is a great monkey! No, Zhuyan, he is quite strong.” The big black tortoise acted cockily.
“Enough already, stop speaking nonsense.” Shi Hao looked at it and said, “Since you want to go to Stone Village, I’ll bring you there.”
The big black tortoise’s face immediately became like a bitter melon, completely sunken. It directly clenched its teeth. Back then, it even ran, so now, how could it be willing to be controlled by another, follow behind this little demon?
“What is the meaning of this?” Shi Hao shot it a look of disdain.
“I was just too happy, too moved! When I meet big bro, it is simply like meeting my own mother, about to shed tears of joy! Let’s go! I will follow big bro to Stone Village! Us brothers need to properly have a drink, won’t go back until we are completely drunk.” The big black tortoise put on a moved to tears act.
“You scoundrel, really don’t know how to speak properly.” Shi Hao directly slapped it, and then warned, “My parents are in the back, when the time comes, you better not call us brothers, you hear?”
The big black tortoise cried out, “What is wrong with turtles, what’s wrong with tortoises? This is a natural race, could it be that we cannot be brothers with a human?”
Pa!
Shi Hao directly slapped the back of its head again. “Back then, you became my mount, yet now you are showing off?”
“Of course not! Alright, we’ll call each other brothers only when no one is around!” The big black tortoise shrunk its head, hiding into the ‘big black pot’.
Along the way, they moved quickly. Shi Hao didn’t make any more delays. He already reviewed the path from before, now hurrying straight to Stone Village.
He could finally see it from the distance. A village was resting in the great wilderness. That place was extremely peaceful, like Shangri-la. It didn’t change, still there.
Shi Hao’s eyes began to turn sour, almost shedding tears.
After all these years, he felt joy, happiness, but also grief and helplessness.
During this period, he always hid his true emotions. Even when he faced his own parents, he didn’t reveal them, only now did everything from deep within leak out.
In the battle of Desolate Border, Great Elder died, his conclusion tragic, blood dyeing the skies. Huo Ling’er was brought away together with Sin Province, life or death unknown, falling to the other side.
Outside Imperial Pass, there were no more battles, it seemed like they won.
But in reality, they lost. So many people died, so much blood was shed. In the end, the battle only came to an unexpected conclusion.
They could be considered defeated, leaving with regrets and sorrows.
Great Elder’s death, Huo Ling’er and Sin Province’s capture, how could Shi Hao not let this weigh himself down, how could he forget these things? It was just that he hid them at the bottom of his heart, not talking about it.
He wanted to return to the lower realms, return to Stone Village. This was a type of subconscious escape, wishing to return and heal.
Now, he finally came home!