Chapter 986 - Wild Prelude
A bonfire jumped about, meat fragrance wafting through the air.
That night, in Soul Island’s forest, a silver flame jumped about, flickering like stars.
On the bonfire, the meat was quickly cooked into a golden color, grease dropping into the flames, creating chi chi sounds. A fragrance that made one drool with desire quickly began to spread. Together with divine wine that was several thousand years of age, this place became incredibly fragrant, making one feel intoxicated.
“So fragrant! It’s the first time I ate heavenly deity meat!” Shi Hao’s eyes shone with sparkling color, tearing off a chunk of meat from a roasted golden bird wing, tossing it into his mouth. He produced an incredibly infatuated look.
“I haven’t eaten heavenly deity meat for several hundreds of thousands of years as well,” said the Soul Race’s ancient ancestor, his hair disheveled. He sat in this forest. Right now, he was eating meat in large mouthfuls, drinking large bowls of alcohol.
Ever since his curse became serious, becoming muddle-headed for several hundreds of thousands of years, what pleasure was there to speak of? He spent all of his days in a murky state.
If others learned that two people, one young one old, were eating heavenly deity meat here, they would definitely be stupefied, truly frightened badly.
That was but a heavenly deity, individuals with top level power, each clan not even producing that many, a few at most. Who dared to eat them like food?
This was definitely a great taboo!
Even the three thousand provinces’ exceptional sect masters whose magical force were heaven reaching, normally speaking, wouldn’t dare do this. This was, unless they privately captured a heavenly ranked divine beast and secretly ate it.
“This Golden-Haired Single-Horned bear, apart from the bear paw, the other parts really aren’t as tasty as this Silver Swan.” Shi Hao commented.
“That’s only natural. Among delicacies, those that run aren’t as good as those that fly. However, this bear paw really isn’t bad, this old one hasn’t eaten heavenly deity level bear paws yet.” The Soul Race ancestor replied.
“Hey senior, you’re crossing the line! That bear paw is mine!” Shi Hao shouted.
In the cauldron, four bear paws had been cooking for an entire day already. Right now, the two of them uncovered the cauldron, already impatient.
In the cauldron, brilliant colors flowed about. The bear paws were all brilliant and shining, the sparkling radiance making one drool from a single look. Even the Soul Race’s ancient ancestor’s eyes were shining.
Gudong!
They ate while drinking, all of the wine fermented for thousands of years, created from all types of precious medicines and wondrous fruits, a single gulp enough to increase an ordinary person’s cultivation.
“What enjoyment!” They ate the divine wings and bear paws while drinking, feeling extremely carefree.
In the distance, a few Soul Race disciples began to drool, but they also felt fear. Those were four great heavenly deities! They were being treated as food just like that!
Apart them two, the Soul Race’s old heavenly deity came as well, basking in their spotlight. After chewing on a Golden Crane wing, his face flushed with rosy color, appearing extremely satisfied.
This was great mending medicine for anyone. The body of a heavenly deity was comparable to other great precious medicines.
“The first time I ate a heavenly deity, not bad, the taste is extremely good.” Soul Race’s old heavenly deity spoke like this, now quite drunk from drinking.
“Senior, since you like to eat, we can just kill a few more.” Shi Hao poured a cup for the both of them, but in the end, this shocked them until they became completely sober.
“Little friend, I already established a great karma with the outside world. Truly cannot do any more…” The Eight Armed Soul Race’s old ancestor spoke. This really violated too many taboos.
“Little friend, this is already too much. To eat heavenly deity meat at your level, your body won’t be able to handle it!” The old heavenly deity spoke up as well.
Shi Hao released a bitter laugh, but he still gorged himself, not feeling the slightest bit unwell, not eating less than those two. His entire body shone with golden light, spiritual essence surging.
Four great heavenly deities died. Soul Island’s people didn’t dare act in a brash manner, not willing to let those of the outside world learn of it. Otherwise, it will definitely bring them great trouble.
They currently hoped that Shi Hao could break through quickly and face tribulation, help them neutralize the curse power. If they could rescue a few more sect masters, they could group together, thus not needing to fear the outside world’s attacks anymore.
“Little friend, how much longer do you need?” The old heavenly deity asked.
“If the heavenly treasures I need can be found, then I can immediately make preparations. It wouldn’t take that long.” Shi Hao said.
“Saint Wood?” Soul Race’s ancient ancestor
“Correct!” Shi Hao nodded.
“You are going in that direction?!” Soul Clan’s heavenly deity was shocked.
“It’s essential!” Shi Hao nodded his head seriously. Ever since he appeared in the world, he continuously rushed at the limit, forging ahead vigorously. He naturally wished to take the most complete path.
“That path is dangerous!” The old heavenly deity spoke, but he closed his mouth soon after. How could he evaluate Shi Hao with normal reasoning? His rise in Immortal Ancient’s power struggle already proved everything.
“Immortal Ancient indeed has Saint Wood, but they all grow in dangerous places. There are vile beasts and poisonous bugs roaming about, so you must be especially careful.” Soul Clan’s ancient ancestor nodded.
He could send people out to investigate and see which areas had the best Saint Wood, the easiest to remove.
“If you walk that path, you will need large amounts of weapons as well, needing to use precious artifacts as sacrifice to help neutralize the danger. My clan can provide that for you,” said the old heavenly deity.
As long as Shi Hao could advance and break through, then they wouldn’t spare any cost in their assistance. Even abandoning a few powerful precious artifacts wasn’t out of the question.
“There is no need. My path doesn’t need other weapons. My fist, my flesh, are the best and most powerful weapons!” Shi Hao said.
Until now, he still hadn't specially nurture and refine a divine weapon for himself, only using the weapons that he seized along the way.
It was because the more he understood, the more he felt that only by becoming powerful himself was the right way. It was because even this heaven and earth’s laws were unpredictable, let alone weapons.
One could become an immortal in the last great era, but in this great era, even immortal energy was difficult to cultivate. This type of great change was too terrifying.
After eating and drinking their fill, the ground became covered in heavenly deity bones, all of them bird wings, bear paws, and others. The old heavenly deity ordered others to clean these up. These were all top level artifact materials that couldn’t be wasted.
“This coffin is indeed strange!”
The three of them surrounded the jade coffin, observing it. Shi Hao asked the two to help him out, see if they could open this coffin and forcefully acquire that scripture.
The old heavenly deity tried for a long time, but couldn’t open it.
Soul Race's ancient ancestor released a grunt. His arms shone, and then under rumbling sounds, forcefully pried open the jade coffin. All types of auspicious light emerged, the radiance hazy.
Only a sect master could use brute force, heavenly deities not enough.
Chi!
The jade book and immortal seed rushed into the sky, about to escape.
The three had already made preparations. Several large hands reached out, grabbing forward.
Weng!
The dao book shook, immediately sucking in the immortal seed, and then turning around and rushing towards the ground. With a peng sound, sparks flew everywhere. Symbols erupted, stopping it.
Heaven and earth were closed. The three individuals and the scripture were suppressed within.
This was Soul Race’s ancestral artifact, a stone furnace that could seal the void, restricting the world. The jade book could not escape.
It was stopped by the furnace walls, randomly bashing about here.
“Seal!” Soul Clan’s ancient ancestor released a shout. The jade book no longer moved, sealed. It entered his hands.
This scripture was brilliantly colored, carved from five-colored divine jade. Within the strange mysterious power inside, one could see strange characters one after another.
Soul Race’s ancient ancestor’s great divine force erupted, lifting open a page. Five-colored divine light rushed into the heavens, producing chaotic energy, the scene so abnormal it was astonishing!
“This is a dao book of paramount value!” He couldn’t help but sigh in admiration.
They were Immortal Ancient’s natives, so they had a bit of understanding of the last great era, hearing quite a few rumors. In the last era, precious books like this one were definitely the greatest inheritance!
Even if the entire great era was searched, they still wouldn’t find many of them!
Soul Race’s ancient ancestor frowned, because… he didn’t recognize the characters inside, unable to make out a single one.
Shi Hao also moved over, examining every single one carefully. In the end, he was similarly stumped, unable to recognize a single character. These weren’t bone texts, so he had no way of comprehending them.
“Seniors, aren’t you all Immortal Ancient’s natives, the races left behind from the last great era? How come you can’t understand it?” He asked.
“Under the vicissitudes of time, everything will be changed to adapt to the new world. Our cultivation methods have all changed, let alone our language. Moreover, these aren’t normal words of Immortal Ancient, these are the ‘immortal text’ that few geniuses could grasp.” Soul Race’s ancient ancestor sighed.
Otherwise, he would have been extremely expectant as well. However now, he could only stare helplessly at it.
The old heavenly deity held it, but he couldn’t even move the pages. Only as sect master level figure could forcefully open this book.
What was he supposed to do then? Shi Hao wanted to use this dao book to comprehend a method, but now, he discovered that he didn’t have that type of qualification.
“When you learn immortal text, you can then try to comprehend it. This is without a doubt a type of unmatched inheritance!” Soul Clan’s ancient ancestor sighed, reluctantly handing it back to Shi Hao.
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Outside, the other eight heavenly deities were all endlessly bewildered as well. They discovered that four of them went missing, losing all connection with them!
Even though they obtained some rewards, for a few of them to immediately disappear after entering, it was still a bit frightening, all of them feeling shocked inwardly.
As for the outside world, in the uninhabited region, the great sect masters felt helpless. They didn’t know what was happening inside, because when these heavenly deities entered, they couldn’t be seen on the Immortal Dao Flower Petals.
They speculated that because those people didn’t go in through the petals, they wouldn’t appear on their surface either.
“ Haha, the first batch have smoothly entered, a total of twelve heavenly deities, this already proves that this passage is stable, allowing for heavenly deities to enter. Now, the second batch can be sent out!” A sect master said with a smile.
In reality, the first batch had a few important figures from great sects, but not all of them were in the first batch.
The second batch of people were all elites, for example, Immortal Palace’s heavenly deity, Underworld Clan’s ancient corpse, Divine Temple’s great figure, Beast Sea’s Star Devouring Beast, Western Sect’s Doctrine Protector, all of their backgrounds astonishing.
Even though they had previously fought over the names, when the first batch were being sent in, they didn’t dare send in all of the elites, fearing that they might be attacked or the passage being unstable.
Now, they saw that there weren’t any natives stopping them, none of them taking action.
“Many years of easy life has made those natives lose their ambition, lacking a will to fight, this… is very good!”
“After entering, capture Huang for me. He must be killed. Bring him back, I want to refine him into an underworld slave!” Underworld Earth’s lord spoke. Yin mists overflowed into the sky, ordering the ancient corpse that turned into a heavenly deity.
“Dao friend, Huang should be handed over to us. His master and my sect are old enemies.” Someone from Immortal Palace spoke.
“ Hehe, give him to me, I will seal him in a killing sword for years and years, have him endure the corrosion of killing energy to nourish my sword!” There was someone from Heavenly Country who also spoke up.
These people were arguing over what to do with him before even capturing Shi Hao.
Just like that, the most important group of heavenly deities were sent in. A great storm was heading towards Immortal Ancient!
Meanwhile, at this time, Shi Hao also moved, heading towards an ancient place. There was Saint Wood there. He prepared to break through there, entering a higher cultivation realm.
His path was different from ordinary cultivators. Once he succeeded, he would be regarded as a Divine king!