Chapter 453 – Central Heavenly Palace
Sparkling light flowed about the majestic heavenly palace. The grand and magnificent structure was formed from immortal golden stones. It was incredibly breathtaking. All of the country’s energies were exchanged here.
This was one of Stone Country’s most sacred places. Majestic and powerful human emperors had sat here one after another to oversee and look after the clan since the ancient times.
Shi Hao walked inside. In front of him were twelve thick and simple-looking obelisks that looked like they supported the heavens. Carved and engraved on them were the Kun Peng and true dragon.
The palace was extremely spacious. He didn’t feel like he was standing inside of a building, but instead a small world. Mists swirled about within this place.
Ta, ta…
Shi Hao’s footsteps were the only sound in this place, and they echoed far into the distance. This place was incredibly vast. He looked all around him. This place was solemn and sacred, containing the blessings of an entire country.
As Shi Hao stood here, he felt at peace. His body and mind felt clear, and it was as if he could hear the prayers of the past cross space-time to reach his ears.
This wasn’t an illusion. This was the draconic energy that successive generations of Stone Clan ancestors gathered and refined within the palace. If one listened carefully, they could vaguely sense something.
Through the worship of the people, the ‘great power’ of the true dragon was given form.
Shi Hao stood calmly, taking a moment to harmonize himself with this heavenly palace. A majestic wave of draconic aura surged over. Stone Country’s energy gathered towards his body, making him feel as if he was a sovereign ruling over a world.
After staying silent for a moment, he proceeded. He felt that there was still someone else in this palace hall.
He didn’t try to conceal himself at all and walked forward steadily. Every sound made in this spacious palace hall echoed far into the distance. When he reached the depths of the heavenly palace, he saw a figure.
“It’s you…”
This was a young man clad in white. He wasn’t very old, and he possessed a heroic aura. His eyes were deep and intelligent. This was clearly a brilliant young individual.
This was the Stone Emperor’s nineteenth son, an extremely unordinary individual. Shi Hao had seen him before the last time he caused havoc in the imperial capital. He had heard others talk about this youth before, and he had even seen fairy Yue Chan walk quite close to him in the past.
Shi Chong normally kept a low profile. In the past, he had participated in the Hundred Race Battlefield and killed forty-nine creatures in a row. When news of this achievement came back, a huge uproar was created in the Stone Clan. He didn’t emerge from the battlefield known as someone who killed too much, but rather as someone who didn’t suffer a single loss.
“Shi Hao!” The nineteenth prince Shi Chong looked at him. His eyes flickered with radiance, revealing a strange expression. He knew quite a bit about the little Stone and was well aware of how terrifying he was.
Shi Hao also looked at him. This was an extraordinary young man and a well-known figure among the imperial children.
Those that dared to enter the Hundred Race Battlefield were all heroic talents.
Shi Hao had heard too much about the Hundred Race Battlefield. His grandfather’s arm was lost inside because he killed a Pi Xiu, causing the Pi Xiu supreme expert to hunt him down.
“Are you here to fight for the title of emperor against me?” Shi Chong asked. His expression had already became calm again when he looked at the youth in front of him who was a few years younger than himself.
“The Stone Emperor has summoned me, so I am just here to take a look. I do not wish for my clan’s foundation to fall due to the foreign great sects.” Shi Hao spoke clearly. The nineteenth prince admired Yue Chan, so it was best not to cause any misunderstandings.
Shi Chong’s eyes sank into a state of contemplation. After staying silent for a few moments, he said, “If my father the emperor wanted to pass the title onto you, what would you choose to do?”
“Even if that is the case, it is still unlikely that I will succeed the throne. However, there is one thing which I cannot tolerate. Anyone that wants to become a puppet of the foreign inheritances will be killed by me!” Shi Hao replied.
Shi Chong released a sigh. His expression was a bit complex, as if he was experiencing some inner conflict. After a long time, his eyes suddenly released deep divine light. He released a breath of air and said, “Alright. Stone Clan’s foundation cannot fall.”
He walked forward. He reached out his hand, and spoke rudely, “I want to see for myself just how powerful you are!”
After a short shout, the center of the nineteenth prince’s brows shone. A Bi’an jumped out and erupted with golden light. It looked like a ferocious tiger, but had a pair of dragon horns. Not only were there streaks of light running through its body, there were also scales covering it.
“Archaic vicious beast’s divine ability?!” Shi Hao was astonished. This was definitely not the technique of a descendant, but actually a pure-blood precious technique. The aura it produced was astonishing.
The Bi’an roared. Specks of golden light shone everywhere, affecting the stability of the space here. It possessed incredible strength and savageness. Within vicious beasts, it was an incredibly powerful race.
Peng
Shi Hao reached out an arm, and it collided with the enormous golden claw. With a honglong sound, the entire palace hall trembled. However, it wasn’t destroyed, because there was an ancient formation carved here.
“So powerful!” He was quite shocked.
Even though Shi Chong was quite famous, as a prince, he couldn’t go about challenging others. As such, his fame wasn’t that widespread, and it was hard for outsiders to understand his strength.
Hu!
The Bi’an swung its tail, and it was as if a golden whip thrashed down. It was actually the tail of dragon, sweeping forward with numerous symbols surrounding it.
Shi Hao was a bit shaken. With a raise of his hand, the end of his finger stopped the golden tail with a peng sound. An intense explosion sounded. All of the symbols were wiped out, and the Bi’an was forced backwards.
Shi Chong’s gaze was profound. His mind was greatly shaken. This pure-blooded precious technique was one of Stone Clan’s most profound pure-blooded precious techniques and a country protecting treasure. He had cultivated it since his youth and was extremely proficient in it. However, he never would have thought that it would not affect that youth in the slightest.
Shi Hao was actually even more shocked that he was. For a human race individual to have this level of accomplishment was already incredibly shocking. Being able to cultivate to this level was rarely seen.
“Worthy of being an imperial prince. Even though your fame isn’t as widespread, you are still rather outstanding.” This was Shi Hao’s evaluation.
Shi Chong released a loud shout, and many primordial symbols appeared above. Then, they blossomed, forming several vicious beasts and divine birds. There was a golden crow, great Peng, Pi Xiu, and others. Their spiritual bodies all emerged and rushed forward murderously.
The Bi’an was at the center. It took in and sent out the energy of this space, eventually affecting the stability of this place. A sphere of terrifying energy was released that tried to seal up Shi Hao.
The Bi’an possessed a natural sealing ability. People often times carved its image on prisons and used it to guard the doors.
Hong!
Shi Hao erupted with power. The Kun Peng was fully displayed, because he was facing an incredibly outstanding human expert. He did not want to underestimate his opponent and decided to fight him seriously.
The Bi’an fell over, and after several collisions, Shi Chong ultimately flew outwards. Blood flowed from his mouth, and with a light sigh, he said, “I’ve lost. In the end, I cannot best you.”
At present, anyone that could exchange several dozens of moves against Shi Hao was already an extraordinary expert that was more powerful than pure-blooded creatures. He was worthy of being an imperial prince.
Shi Hao didn’t say anything, because he didn’t know what the other party was implying.
Footsteps sounded from outside the heavenly temple. Three figures appeared from the twelve obelisks. The woman was untainted by the world of mortals and so beautiful she looked like she came from a dream. This was precisely fairy Yue Chan. The other two’s auras were terrifying, and it was quite clear that they weren’t ordinary people.
One of them wore purple clothes. He possessed an outstanding temperament. Between his brows was a heavenly eye that possessed a type of matchless heroic spirit. He was quite similar to Qin Yong who he met previously, but it was clearly not him.
“Qin Lun.” He declared his own name.
The third individual’s skin was faintly gold. His hair was quite short, and at the back of his head was a halo that only those from the Western Sect possessed. He looked like a reincarnated deity. He was extremely young and seemed rather simple looking, but Shi Hao had a feeling that this individual was extremely dangerous.
He also declared his own name. “Zhang Six.”
This was an extremely strange name. Within the Western Sect, the highest accomplishment was the Zhang Six Golden Body. It couldn’t be taller, nor could it be shorter. By calling himself this name, his aspirations were quite clear.
Heaven Mending Sect, Immortal Mountain, and Western Sect’s most powerful disciples had arrived. For Shi Hao, these were definitely the greatest enemies. If all three took action at the same time, then it would be difficult for him to act kindly.
It was quite obvious that if there was a battle, blood would flow. It would be extremely dangerous for him!
However, Shi Hao didn’t show any fear. Instead, he laughed with a bit of anger. This was the glorious Stone Country Imperial Palace and a restricted zone, yet outsiders were allowed in, and no one could stop them!
His gaze was chilly. He first gave Shi Chong a look. As the prince, was he not going to say anything? The reason fairy Yue Chan could represent the Heaven Mending Sect and enter the palace was most likely related to him.
Teng!
Suddenly, golden flames burned about, rising from the twelve stone pillars. The fiery light burned fiercely, brightly illuminating this area. A divine aura pervaded the air.
“Yue Chan, you all should stop. The title of emperor… I am not suitable.” Shi Chong said softly. It was he who opened the divine formation to stop the three great experts.
“You are the prince, the one with the most noble blood within Stone Clan. In addition, your cultivation is high enough.” Yue Chan spoke. Her fine black hair fell down like a waterfall. Her eyes were like limpid autumn waters, and her red lips flickered with moist luster. Her voice was gentle and soft.
“Yue Chan, I am truly not suitable.” When he spoke these words, Shi Chong’s eyes did not look at anything else, only at Heaven Mending Sect’s fairy.
The main hall became quiet. The three great experts didn’t forcefully rush in, because there was a divine formation guarding this place. With their level of power, they couldn’t enter at all. As such, they sank into a state of silence.
Originally, they were waiting for Shi Hao to come and were going to suppress him together. However, it seemed like that was momentarily difficult to do.
Shi Hao gave Shi Chong a look. He nodded, and without saying anything, he directly walked forward.
Following Shi Hao’s footsteps, the draconic energy filled the imperial palace. It was stirred up, as if it sensed his aura, and began to rumble.
Chi, chi…
On the ground, holy light surged streak after streak. It was as if great dragons were rushing into the heavens one after another. They erupted with endless light.
The expressions of those behind him all changed. Their line of sight was blocked, and even with their powerful divine senses, they still couldn’t see through the current situation.
“The Stone Emperor was waiting for him after all!” Qin Lun said.
The others sank into a state of silence. They had entered a few times already, but they didn’t discover anything. However, when the little Stone came, there was this strange scene, and a response was produced.
“Shi Chong, you can activate the divine formation to refine him. This is your chance.” A few other individuals emerged from behind the twelve obelisks. These were the elders of the foreign great sects.
Shi Hao heard what they said, but he didn’t stop his steps. Since he dared to come here, he naturally made his own preparations. He wouldn’t rashly put himself in danger.
“Too late.” This was Shi Chong’s reply.
Shi Hao ascended onto the human emperor’s throne, and he saw a damaged imprint here. His pupils rapidly shrunk. This was the jade seal that represented the country’s energies, and it was actually shattered!
He calmly looked at it. There was a powerful divine formation here, but it was also broken through. Apart from this, there was a hole poked through by a spear, as well as over a thousand sword markings.
When the great calamity descended, this place suffered a terrifying attack.
“What are the circumstances of the Stone Emperor?” Shi Hao asked.
“Father has disappeared. He… might have been captured.” Shi Chong said painfully from the distance while fiercely grabbing his hair.
Outside the twelve obelisks, more and more people came. The Heaven Mending Sect, Immortal Mountain, and Western Sect’s experts all hurried over. They were going to surround and kill Shi Hao, not allowing him to escape.
Shi Hao stood at the highest place, and then he silently sat down on the throne.
The draconic aura was dense. Holy light shone brilliantly, isolating this place from the outside world. No one knew what was happening.
Shi Hao remained indifferent. He calmly sank into his thoughts. If he left this place, there would definitely be a great bloody battle, possibly the most terrifying battle yet since he appeared in the world. After all, apart from fairy Yue CHan, there was Qin Lun and Zhang Six, both of which were great enemies!
Suddenly, a bit of light blossomed. It appeared in midair, and then it quickly enlarged. A door into a world that flowed with auspicious multicolored light appeared in front of Shi Hao’s eyes.