Chapter 351 – Origin
Shi Hao’s mind was going through one major thought after another!
When he was really young, he had heard before from the elders about the matters of the mountain treasure. In the end, several ancient creatures appeared and fought intensely in the mountain abyss. An incredibly large scale slaughter was unleashed.
All of this was because of the mountain treasure!
“When I return, I’ll ask Hairy Ball and get to the bottom of this,” Shi Hao said to himself.
The ancient trees reached into the sky with luxurious leaves covering its complex branches. It took root within the magma and continuously derived its divine energy. The ancient tree trunk was upright and strong with cracked bark covering its body. The entire tree was sparkling with radiance.
The fiery bird sorted out its feathers, causing scarlet multicolored light to swirl about. When it heard his words, its gem-like eyes radiated. It was obviously moved.
Shi Hao’s face had a resolute look as he said, “When the time comes, you can come back to Stone Village to study the mountain treasure together with me.
When saying these words, his mind couldn’t be considered calm. Even though this bird wasn’t large, it was extremely aggressive. It could fight viciously against the Heaven Swallowing Sparrow and Qiongqi. Back then, it almost passed away while fighting over the mountain treasure, so would it really be unperturbed after receiving this news?
The entirely bright red bird squinted its eyes. It was still somewhat satisfied. “I guess I’ll go out of the way and study it together with you later.”
“Then why don’t you go out of the way to teach me a divine ability too?” Shi Hao tried to negotiate some benefits.
“My precious technique is too deep and complex. Your natural talents are too inferior and don’t have enough comprehension power. You won’t be able to comprehend it.” The little red bird looked at him with disdain. It was clear that it didn’t want to teach it.
“If that is what you are claiming, then I am not willing to give up. As long as you pass it down, I promise that I will quickly learn it,” Shi Hao said.
“Are you questioning my decision? Do you want to be beaten?” The scarlet little bird jumped into the golden nest and looked at him with contempt. Even though its voice was melodious and pleasant, it was clearly speaking with malicious intent.
“You truly don’t have any sincerity. I invited you to take a look at the mountain treasure out of good intentions, yet you aren’t even willing to give up a single feather,” Shi Hao muttered.
Even though he knew that it was the Fire Nation’s guardian spirit, he did not have a single bit of reverence. It was because he felt that this fellow wasn’t some old fellow, and its age wasn’t that great.
“What are you implying? What kind of words are those? So vulgar!” The little red bird looked at him with disdain. It then shifted its head and said, “I believe I did gift you a feather before.”
Shi Hao was stumped for words. How did he end up encountering a fellow like this? The little pagoda was its own character, leaving behind only a single feather, yet this small red bird was also like this.
“You even dare to show off a feather. How could I even show such a thing? If I bring it up, I would definitely be ridiculed by others. I might as well put it at the end of an arrow!” Shi Hao was aggrieved.
When Little Red heard this, it immediately flipped out. It once again threw him into the Heaven Transforming Bowl. Fiery light surged, burning him within. Shi Hao cried out loudly, and his entire body was scorched black.
In the end, he was completely helpless. He shut his lips and walked out after being bitterly dealt with.
The scarlet bird did not reveal what the mountain treasure was. Shi Hao felt that it knew a lot more, but this fellow’s mouth was tight and he was incredibly arrogant.
As for this place, it actually revealed a bit of information. This was the only temporary residence of the archaic Vermillion Bird established within the Wasteland Region. From its words, it seemed like the main heavenly palace was in another great region.
Despite this being the case, this place was still full of endless divine substance. In the past, the archaic Vermillion Bird underwent nirvana here, turning this area into a fiery domain as a result.
The fiery bird’s ancestor was a descendant of the archaic Vermillion Bird. Countless years ago, it had awakened within this fiery domain, and after obtaining the Vermillion Bird’s true blood, it was able to look down on the rest of the world and become a deity.
As for Little Red’s mother, it was all due to the ancient era. Being born within this sea of flames, it ultimately successfully lit its divine flame and became the Fire Nation’s guardian spirit.
This bloodline was formidable. Even though it was only the branch of the Vermilion Bird after a long line of descendants, they were still extremely powerful.
Unfortunately, few descendants of this bloodline are produced. The heavenly deity from back then vanished without any traces. Little Red’s mother had then passed away, leaving the present Fire Nation without an ancient power.
“No wonder. I was about to ask how someone like you could even become the Guardian Spirit of an ancient country! It turns out that they were short handed and you were put on the spot.” Shi Hao silently cursed.
Little Red’s spiritual awareness was just too sharp. It was as if its large eyes could see through his mind. “Brat Hao, what kind of look is that?”
Shi Hao still had some unanswered questions. He had heard from Little Red that after the archaic Vermillion Bird established a temporary residence here, all of its descendants later on remained here to this day. Why didn’t they relocate?
He had been wasting time rambling and chatting away with the little red bird, making him feel like this ancient country’s Guardian Spirit wasn’t all that serious and wasn’t someone he couldn’t provoke. He wanted to obtain a few things from it.
“I was even going to share the mountain treasure with you, yet you aren’t even willing to teach me a divine ability! This is a bit too unreasonable, right? Even at the worse, you still need to gift me a precious artifact!”
“I’ve gifted you a divine feather before.” The little red bird boldly and confidently said.
Shi Hao nearly lost his temper on the spot. Why did he always encounter stingy fellows like this?! He really should let the little pagoda have a good chat with it. The two of them would probably hit it off immediately.
“Everyone immediately shakes their head and frown after I bring out the feather you gave me. It’s truly too embarrassing to bring out!” Shi Hao saw its little face darken and immediately said, “How about this. I do not want your Vermillion Bird’s great divine ability. Why don’t you gift me a precious artifact, or how about your primordial true feather?”
“Pei! Yeah, right! You actually want my Vermillion Bird race’s great divine ability. Unless you are exchanging with the true dragon’s precious technique, then forget it!” Little Red revealed a look of scorn.
“I already said I don’t want it anymore, so can’t you just give me a primordial true feather?” Shi Hao’s skin was rather thick.
“That is the sole true feather connected to the primordial symbol bone. Unless you become a deity, one will only have one their entire life, yet you want me to give you such a thing?!” Little Red shot him a murderous look.
“Endless years have passed since the ancient era until now. Your bloodline should have more than a single great individual. There should be one or two left behind, right?” Shi Hao wasn’t willing to give up. He then vaguely hinted that he was even willing to share the mountain treasure with it.
Even though Little Red’s nature was one that wouldn’t even want to pull out a single feather, at this moment, it still felt a bit awkward. It was still proud and arrogant, and after being asked like this it hesitated for a moment before saying, “Let me think about it.”
Shi Hao could already see that this Vermillion Bird descendant would definitely not pass down the divine ability to him.
“Are you trying to refine a Five Bird Fan?” Little Red was extremely sharp and able to discern his objective. His gaze wasn’t great as he said, “How many true primordial feathers have you obtained?”
Shi Hao was speechless. This fellow actually set its eyes on him and mentioned the true feathers on his hands. He wouldn’t admit it even if he was beaten to death. “Not even a single one.”
“The Five Bird Fan is indeed formidable. During the ancient years, it displayed an outstanding vicious might. With a single fan, mountains and rivers would collapse. Divine peaks would be completely annihilated. I do not believe that you would be able to refine it,” Little Red spoke arrogantly.
Shi Hao’s eyes moved about its body.
“If you continue to set your eyes on me, then I’ll peck out your eyes.” Little Red threatened viciously.
It thought about it for a bit, and then said, “There is a ruined palace. I believe that there is a Vermillion Bird’s true feather inside.”
Shi Hao’s eyes immediately lit up, and he found it hard to calm down. He was just pressing his luck, but he never thought that there really was a divine feather that was left behind.
“There is a holy palace within this fiery region. Inside, there are many powerful restrictions, making it incredibly dangerous. I recall that there was a true primordial feather from my race inside,” Little Red said.
Shi Hao began to giggle and rub his hands together. Wasn’t that place the Fire Clan’s sacred land? It was a place where even Huo Ling’er and the imperial family wanted to enter, so he was naturally moved.
The little Vermillion Bird berated, “It hasn’t been seen for many years. It seems like you are becoming more and more shameless! What is there to laugh so foolishly about? I could tell with a single glance that you aren’t a good person!”
“Nonsense. I’ve always been a good person.” Shi Hao spoke as if he was deadly earnest.
“When I first met you back then, you seemed like a pretty porcelain baby. Now, even though you are still rather pretty, no matter how I look at it, I feel like you need a good beating.” Little Red shot him a look.
Shi Hao wanted to refute it, but found that that it wouldn’t end well for him. He decided to keep his mouth shut.
“The palace requires one to have a great destiny to enter. The Fire Emperor sought me out in the past in hopes of letting one of his daughters enter. I was still considering it.”
“Then what are we still waiting for? Send the two of us in already,” Shi Hao laughed and said.
“I am a Guardian Spirit with principles!” Little Red arrogantly said.
Afterwards, it then lowered its head again and muttered in a low voice, “The Fire Emperor promised me a pot of True Divine Flame, and together with your promise for me to comprehend the mountain treasure, this… isn’t something that can’t be considered.”
After thinking to this point, it suddenly raised its head and said, “After you guys enter, you cannot speak nonsense. This is something you’ve obtained through your destinies, okay?”
“Okay!” Shi Hao’s reply was simple. He was obviously going to follow its words, but deep down, he curled his lips. He cursed inwardly that this fellow was stingy, without principles, and arrogant.
“You should go first. I’ll think a bit more about the princess,” said the Vermillion Bird.
“Female?” Shi Hao uttered this sentence for some strange reason.
“Get out!” The little red bird glared at him with killing intent. Then, with a peng sound, it sent him flying with a kick. He soared across the endless ancient forest and exited the ancient restricted land.
“Ah…” Shi Hao screamed miserably along the way. He muttered inwardly, why did its mouth have to be so sharp?
His entire body was burning as scarlet flames curled about him. His entire body felt as if he had been struck by lightning. If his body wasn’t comparable to Western Paradise’s Unbreakable Vajra Body, that kick definitely would have split his body into pieces.
Shi Hao found Huo Ling’er as quickly as possible and told her that a stingy, unprincipled, and arrogant little bird was going to lend them a hand to enter the Holy Emperor’s Palace.
“Are you serious?” Huo Ling’er’s eyes widened. She knew that there were only two ways of entering. The first was through pure coincidence, and the second was through the Guardian Spirit.
Shi Hao was also somewhat speechless. The Fire Emperor had already took action, yet didn’t even tell his own daughter. She was definitely receiving a great opportunity through this!
“It is quite dangerous in there. Even though there are great opportunities within, those that successfully enter might not necessarily all come out alive.” Huo Ling’er was a bit worried.
“It’s fine. WIth that unprincipled and arrogant little red bird there, it shouldn’t be a problem,” said Shi Hao.
Hong!
A huge expanse of flames descended from the skies, directly submerging him. He was burned until he hopped about in pain and shouted loudly. It truly hurt too much! The flames burned him down to his bones.
“I’m warning you! If you say bad things about me behind my back again, then I’m going to cook you for a hundred days. In addition, I will warn you again that once you enter the Holy Emperor’s Palace, you will be isolated from the outside world. If there is any danger, not even the heavenly deities can save you. Don’t count on me or the Fire Emperor lending a hand.” The little red bird was panting with rage.
Finally, a passage of flames was opened that led below the ground. Magma roiled about and scarlet multicolored light surged. An enormous heavenly temple emerged, moving up and down within the lava.