Boom!
The deafening roar of thunder echoed through the air.
An endless sea of blue-purple lightning instantly flooded the darkened sky.
The majestic might of the heavens was too dazzling to behold.
In the blink of an eye—
Countless bolts of lightning, thick as water barrels, rained down from the thunderous sea, obliterating the hundreds of bewildered ferocious beasts below.
With thunder, shatter the darkness!
As the dust settled—
The first ray of dawn pierced the horizon, flooding into the boy's chest, igniting the nearly shattered bone within.
Suddenly—
A song seemed to rise from the distant sky.
"Like sunlight piercing the night, dawn quietly streaks across the sky. Whose shadow weaves through the cycles of reincarnation? The path to the future lies beneath your feet. Don't grieve, don't fear—face tomorrow with confidence and hope."
As the song swelled to a crescendo, an out-of-place voice interrupted.
"Bro, that's so cringe. Stop singing!"
The boy raised his head to the sky, forcing himself to stand tall. His small frame, battered and bloodied, exuded an unyielding resilience in that moment.
The boy was none other than Shi Hao.
Only Shi Hao knew his brother Shi Yi's quirks. Shi Yi loved pulling embarrassing stunts in front of his little brother, claiming he had his own BGM—background music.
Shi Hao had no clue what BGM meant. All he knew was that his brother was always doing awkward things. Singing was the least of it. The real fear was Shi Yi dragging him into those cringe-worthy moments.
Ahem.
An embarrassed cough came from the sky. A few breaths later, Shi Yi emerged from the sea of thunder, hands clasped behind his back, ten radiant suns hovering behind him.
One step, two steps, three steps—Shi Yi seemed to teleport, crossing the distance in three strides to stand before Shi Hao. Without hesitation, he delivered a swift smack to Shi Hao's head.
In the next instant—
An unimaginable surge of vitality flowed from Shi Yi's palm, gentle as a breeze caressing willows. It transformed into a soft green glow, slowly seeping into Shi Hao's body.
Under this immense vitality, the nearly shattered bone in Shi Hao's chest began to mend bit by bit. The tingling sensation nearly made him groan.
As the bone healed, Shi Hao's nine Heavenly Passages slowly regained their vigor. A faint, illusory tenth Heavenly Passage flickered briefly behind him.
This ordeal was a calamity—but also an opportunity. On the brink of life and death, Shi Hao had glimpsed the truth of the Tenth Heavenly Passage.
"Little brother, after this lesson, are you still going to sneak off and run away from home?" Shi Yi asked.
"I'm not like you, Gege. If I don't step out, I'll never catch up to your footsteps," Shi Hao said, shaking his head.
"You punk, I can't always show up right on time like this. And what's this? You're not even calling me Yi Gege anymore?" Shi Yi couldn't resist giving Shi Hao's head another smack.
This time, Shi Yi didn't use Liu Shen's technique—just a plain, solid whack that nearly sent Shi Hao tumbling into the dirt.
"Gege, I'm not a three-year-old anymore! I've grown up. Besides, isn't just calling you 'brother' fine?" Shi Hao protested, clutching his head with a aggrieved look.
It was only after venturing out and meeting others that he realized his mother, Qin Yining, might have been raising him like a toddler for years.
Pigtails, calling "Yi Gege"—his behavior, his clothes, everything screamed childish. He'd started to think that at ten years old, it was time to grow up.
"Still talking back? Wait till we get home—I'll deal with you, you little bear child!"
Shi Yi raised his hand as if to smack again, making Shi Hao flinch.
"No going home today, I think. You brothers aren't leaving this place."
As Shi Yi and Shi Hao bickered, three massive beastly silhouettes, each a hundred meters tall, emerged from the shadows, encircling the brothers.
Under the radiant glow of Shi Yi's ten Heavenly Passages, blazing like suns, the forms of the three beasts became clear: an adult Pixiu, Bi'an, and Yazi.
The three pure-blood ferocious beasts exuded a terrifying aura that shook the wilderness.
It was a warning—a declaration to the other lurking beasts in the wilderness to stay out.
"Long time no see, Shi Yi. My brothers and I waited two years, and it wasn't in vain. We finally got you," the adult Pixiu said, a smug grin spreading across its face. Though such an expression looked odd on a beast, it hinted at its extraordinary intelligence.
"Cut the grass at the root to prevent future trouble. The words of you puny humans hold some truth. As long as you live, my brothers and I will never rest easy," Bi'an said, pacing slowly like a menacing tiger. It probed Shi Yi's strength, but no matter how it sensed, Shi Yi's aura remained firmly at the peak of the Spirit Transformation Realm.
"The mountain treasure was a lie, meant to lure you here. But you're patient. If your brother hadn't fallen into danger, you probably wouldn't have set foot in the wilderness," Yazi snarled, its gaping maw radiating unbridled killing intent, sweeping over like a hurricane. An ordinary Spirit Transformation Realm cultivator would've collapsed under such pressure.
"You… you used me…" Shi Hao stammered, disbelief etched on his face. The overwhelming presence of these three pure-blood beasts felt like three insurmountable mountains—far beyond anything he could face at his current level.
Am I really a calamity star?
Shi Yi glanced at Shi Hao, whose body trembled uncontrollably. He had no time to comfort his brother, who was questioning his very existence.
It was time—
Time for him to shine.
"Your scheme would've worked on most people. In the face of opportunity, people lose their reason, even if death lurks behind the prize. But for me, your plan is riddled with holes. The wilderness doesn't see mountain treasures popping up this often," Shi Yi said coolly.
"But I'll give you credit—using family as bait is effective. As long as I care about my kin, I can't ignore your schemes. But do you think you've accounted for everything? That I'd walk blindly into your trap and put myself in danger?"
"To survive, you need more than just strength. You need brains."
With that, Shi Yi clapped his hands lightly. Two Human Emperors materialized from the void, startling the adult Pixiu so badly it nearly jumped. Bi'an and Yazi, previously composed, furrowed their brows.
The Stone Nation's Human Emperor stood like an eternal mountain, his presence instantly suppressing the surrounding ten thousand miles of wilderness. Solid, heavy, he carried an unshakable weight.
The Fire Nation's Human Emperor was like a volcano on the verge of eruption. His approachable demeanor masked an indescribable majesty, his eyes too piercing to meet.
"Bi'an, Yazi, you and your brothers have crossed the line. This is the Desolate Domain, not your Heavenly Domain," the Stone Nation's Human Emperor's voice rolled out like thunder, his imperial dragon aura quelling the entire wilderness.
"An eye for an eye—when does it end? You've already avenged the young Pixiu. Now you seek to wipe them out, targeting my son-in-law? You've crossed the Fire Nation's bottom line," the Fire Nation's Human Emperor said, his gaze blazing. If Shi Yi's ten Heavenly Passages merely resembled radiant suns, this man was a true sun descended to the mortal world.
But what truly chilled the hearts of Bi'an, Yazi, and the adult Pixiu—
Beyond the two Human Emperors of the Desolate Domain's ancient nations, a small red bird perched on Shi Yi's head, and a golden monkey stood on his shoulder.
_
If you want to support me and read advanced 100+ chapters and also other stories: patreon.com/Caluem