Chapter 1762 - Elapsed Years
Shi Hao’s primordial spirit returned to his original location, his eyes suddenly opening. He stood in place for a long time without moving, extremely quiet, thinking for a long time.
On the side, the golden eyes of the golden lion who was watching over him were flickering continuously. It was also pondering to itself; just what kind of place was that? Even Huang became a bit absent-minded.
A contest was being carried out between those of the Nine Heavens Ten Earths, fighting over the qualifications to enter that Immortal Domain, as well as the recognition of Immortal Domain’s powerful inheritances.
Shi Hao thought carefully to himself, at the same time recalling that unfathomable young master. His mind couldn’t help but tremble greatly.
If he hadn’t been afflicted by the Immortal Breaking Curse, that creature would have actually wanted him to follow a so-called young master. This was a bit unexpected.
“Be someone else’s follower?” Shi Hao was silent. He was estimating just how powerful that creature was exactly.
He had a sense of urgency, feeling that he had to bitterly cultivate, tread on his own path, or else in the future, he might really encounter some terrifying opponents.
At the same time, he felt grand emotions. He was going to silently cultivate in the lower realms, similarly reach his goals, and then sooner or later, he was going to rush out again.
The struggle of the higher realm and the chaos of Immortal Domain would definitely stir up great waves. Meanwhile, he would keep a low profile, cultivate his own methods, examining his own dao, all the way until everything was perfect.
Stone Country’s eastern district, this disaster came to an end.
Soon afterwards, when Shi Hao returned to Stone Country Imperial Capital, there were great cheers, many people calling out ‘Stone Emperor’, expressing sincere gratitude.
Inside Stone Country Imperial Capital were some guests, for example, Princess Qianqian, one of Mysterious Region’s ten great beauties. When Shi Hao entered the lower realms, she was the first one he met, and now, she came for a visit as expected.
There were many guests here today. When they confirmed the Little Stone’s return, a large group of people came to visit.
The Nine-Headed Golden Lion Jin Hong came, his entire body flowing with golden light, nine heads glistening with brilliance, extraordinary like a deity. This race truly was dignified in appearance.
He turned into a human body, becoming like a normal person, bringing some others to visit Shi Hao. The Flame Crow, Five-Colored Luan, Sable, and Three-Eyed Clan’s brothers.
It could be said that these were all people who couldn’t become friends without fighting.
First, the Nine-Headed Lion was bullied miserably by Shi Hao, treated as a mount. Of course, this was because the Nine-Headed Lion was too arrogant, looking down on Shi Hao.
The others like the Five-Colored Luan were also rather miserable, the luan having a large piece of its flesh chopped off by Shi Hao, roasted and eaten by Shi Hao in the Hundred Shattering Mountains.
In the end, these people got closer and closer to Shi Hao, with the Nine-Headed Lion Jin Hong even becoming the Little Stones sworn brother.
After all these years, when the Little Stone’s past events were mentioned, many people would bring up the Nine-Headed Lion.
“You’ve made progress!” Shi Hao smiled, welcoming them. Now that he reunited with the Nine-Headed Lion and others, he felt joy, as well as endless emotions.
Even the Nine-Headed Lion himself shook his head, laughing in self mockery. Twelve years ago, the two hated each other bitterly, the fact that they could forget their former enmity and become sworn brothers really was a bit inceivable.
“Who is this? My family’s brother?” The Nine-Headed Lion sized up the golden lion.
The golden lion was always arrogant and conceited, never having the concept of turning into a human, at the very least it didn’t want to right now. It felt like its clan was high up above, that turning into human form was beneath itself.
Right now, when it saw a lower realm lion size it up, even call it a brother, it immediately became angry, full of dissatisfaction.
“A little lion even dares treat me with disrespect!” The golden lion bared its fangs, intimidating the Nine-Headed Lion.
Pa!
Shi Hao wasn’t polite at all, directly smacking its head, saying, “Stop baring your fangs, you can’t act randomly.”
Then, he turned around to tell Jin Hong that this was his mount.
“I say, my clan’s brother, you really lack maturity. How could you end up asking to be my sworn brother’s mount?” The Nine-Headed Lion Jin Hong said.
Shi Hao became speechless. This fella wasn’t of the good sort either, mocking the golden lion.
The golden lion was furious. In its opinion, all of the creatures of the lower realms, including its own relatives were nothing. Daring to speak like this to it was the same as being tired of life.
This was a pure-blooded Nine-Headed Lion, known as one of the ten great mounts, but they were extremely savage, previously killing deities, even killing the ones who rode on them instead, their vicious reputation well-known.
Strictly speaking, their bloodline really was close to the Fearless Lion, just that the golden lion with nine heads was clearly a mutated species.
“When you have the time, teach him some of your secrets.” Shi Hao said to the Fearless Lion.
“Why?!” The Fearless Lion was furious.
“This familial brother of yours has also served as my mount before, but became sworn brothers with me later. If you teach it some tricks, I believe he’ll give you some pointers on how to be free.” Shi Hao conned it.
The effects of this were extremely clear. Later on, the Fearless Lion and the Nine-Headed Lion stuck quite close together.
Soon afterwards, another group came to visit them. They came from the lower realms’ Heaven Mending Pavilion, this time, Qingfeng also came to receive them.
Towards Heaven Mending Pavilion, they all shared great emotions. After all, they had all cultivated there together, all of them past Heaven Mending Pavilion disciples.
Of course, this was different from the Heaven Mending Sect.
Even if Shi Hao had cultivated in Heaven Mending Pavilion before, he only acknowledged Ghost Grandpa, not the Heaven Mending Sect.
The lower realms’ Heaven Mending Pavilion was established in the lower realms by Ghost Grandpa after he was expelled by the higher realm’s Heaven Mending Sect.
Back then, too many things happened. Shi Hao felt great emotions, sighing inwardly. He would go and take a look again. The guardian spirit, that gourd vine, has it regrown, did it undergo rebirth?
“Outstanding Horn!”
When he saw the people from Heaven Mending Pavilion, Shi Hao roared with laughter when he saw a silver-robed individual. This was Xiao Tian, the strongest individual of the same generation in Heaven Mending Pavilion beneath Shi Hao back then.
When he heard these words, the silver-robed Xiao Tian’s forehead became covered in dark lines. You can hurt a person physically, but don’t attack their face!
Back then, Shi Hao’s first meeting with this person was too dramatic, continuously smacking him with a black brick, using it as a bludgeon, covering Xiao Tian’s forehead with bumps, tormenting him endlessly, which was how this ‘Outstanding Horn’ appeared.
“Haha…” Everyone roared with laughter.
These people included Zhou Yuhao, Yan Xin, Xiao Yue, and others, all old friends from Heaven Mending Pavilion.
Now that they all met up again, they were all cheerful. Qingfeng also raised cups with them, while Shi Hao was asked about matters of the higher realms. After a light sigh, he told them some things.
There were many things he couldn’t speak about in too much detail, as it was just too monstrous and variegated, inconceivable.
Everyone misunderstood Shi Hao’s cultivation as being at the Heavenly Deity Realm, but despite this being the case, it still left everyone shocked. In just ten years, just how heaven-defying was this cultivation speed?
Shi Hao smiled bitterly. His childhood companions would become distant one day. He knew that when he left again, perhaps it would be difficult for these close friends to gather again, because his path was too distant, too far, difficult and dangerous, even more so lonesome.
Right now, he almost became a bit envious of those Immortal Domain ancient inheritances. When those youngsters grew up, their childhood companions would still be advancing with them.
He released a light sigh, a bit disappointed and frustrated.
However, Shi Hao also stopped himself. Being able to see them all again after coming back this time was already enough. Even if it was hard to meet again in the future, their paths already so distant, being able to share such emotions and laughter, share such beautiful memories was already enough.
In the end, he saw everyone off, agreeing to see them one by one later on.
In reality, the next day, Shi Hao arrived in Heaven Mending Pavilion. This was a homeland rebuilt on ruins, carrying their past memories.
In that battle of the past, too many people in Heaven Mending Pavilion died. In the end, a group of youngsters moved together, rebuilding this homeland.
In this place, Shi Hao met another familiar person -- Xia Youyu, her talents similar to Xiao Tian, strength great. This woman had previously left Shi Hao with a deep impression as well.
It was because when Shi Hao left Stone Village, entered the great wilderness, this was the first outsider he met.
At that time, Xia Youyu just happened to be in Stone Country’s border wilderness, meeting the seven-year-old Shi Hao in the primitive mountain forest.
“Greetings, Senior Sister Xia!” Shi Hao called out in this familiar land, his thoughts immediately returned to the past.
Heaven Mending Pavilion still had some elders, but their numbers dwindled , only a few left. Shi Hao seriously paid his respects to each and every one of them, feeling great emotions in this place.
Qingfeng even more so teared up, feeling extremely bitter, almost crying.
Back then, when Heaven Mending Sect was destroyed, so many elders gave up their lives for the sake of ensuring the disciples’ survival. There were many senior brothers and sisters who, for the sake of bringing up the rear, letting the younger children escape, died too early, falling in battle.
“Senior Mu Yan, I came to see you.” Shi Hao paid his respects before a grave, his eyes sore.
This was an elder he greatly respected. Back then, he taught him the lightning dao divine ability, could be considered his master. In the end, he passed away in the chaos.
Before parting, Shi Hao went to see a vine in Heaven Mending Pavilion. His eyes were brilliant, staring at it. This was a seed left behind by the past guardian spirit, later on found by someone.
Now, it grew vigorously and replete with moisture, divine multicolored light surging, clearly became extremely strong!
However, soon afterwards, Shi Hao became sad. This vine didn’t remember its past. Even though it was reborn, it had already forgotten about everything else, only a new divine vine.
“It is good as long as there is hope. The tender shoots are green and vigorous, full of life essence.” Shi Hao left, bringing hope with him as he left into the distance.
His emotions were complicated. Coming here to see everything was more like saying farewell. He was paying homage to the events that took place in the past, as well as the passed time, because he knew that he might not be able to return.
The past places he had visited, this was perhaps an early goodbye.
Once he stepped on the path of his heart, then it might be an eternal parting, forever unable to turn back!
After leaving, Shi Hao didn’t have Qingfeng accompany him, even more so shooing the golden lion away. He wandered about alone, silent, not saying a word, heading straight for the Northern Sea.
The great sea surged, pitch-black like the night.
Shi Hao gazed forward. He returned to the lower realms, so he had to head there. He had to fully investigate this place: the Kun Peng Nest!