Little Shi Hao had quietly made his way to the mountain gate. Everything here filled him with curiosity.
Nearly everyone's gaze was fixed on the Azure Sky Roc.
Hardly anyone had even noticed Little Shi Hao.
"Where did this little wild brat come from?"
A young man dressed in fine clothes glanced at Shi Hao, his face full of disdain.
"This is the Sky-Mending Pavilion's examination grounds, not a refugee camp. Have you even been weaned yet?"
Laughter rippled through the crowd.
"Look at how filthy he is. He must be some savage who crawled out of the Great Wilderness."
"Hey, kid, hurry home and drink your milk. Stop making a fool of yourself here."
Little Shi Hao was focused on tackling the beast milk in his jar. Hearing their jeers, he wrinkled his little nose in displeasure.
"What's wrong with drinking milk?"
Little Shi Hao wiped the milk from the corner of his mouth and retorted with a serious expression.
"The grown-ups all say that drinking lots of milk makes you stronger."
"Look how skinny you are. You probably didn't drink enough milk when you were little."
"You!"
The young man in fine clothes flew into a rage. He was the son of a powerful lord, and people had always fawned over him. When had anyone ever dared lecture him like this?
"You sharp-tongued little brat! I'll teach you a lesson on behalf of your parents!"
The young man strode forward, his blood and qi surging. He was actually at the middle stage of the Blood Moving Realm.
He struck out with his palm, its fierce force aimed straight at Little Shi Hao's face.
Everyone around them watched for the spectacle. No one stepped in to stop him.
The survival of the fittest was simply the law of the cultivation world.
However, just as the palm was about to land—
"So annoying."
Little Shi Hao sighed and reluctantly set down his milk jar.
"I was trying to keep a low profile."
"Why do you have to make me do this?"
Before his words had even faded—
A terrifying, suffocating wave of power suddenly erupted from Little Shi Hao's tiny body.
Boom!
A thunderous crash rang out.
The space behind him suddenly exploded.
A crimson volcanic crater appeared out of nowhere, spewing forth surging essence.
Then a second appeared, followed by a third...
Eight Cave Heavens, all at once!
The eight Cave Heavens joined together, transforming into a brilliant Divine Ring that hung behind Little Shi Hao's head.
Lava seemed to flow within the ring, while Divine Radiance burst forth. It radiated an overbearing aura of supreme nobility.
"Get lost!"
Little Shi Hao gave a soft shout.
The Divine Ring shuddered violently.
A visible shock wave burst outward from him, sweeping in every direction.
Bang!
The young man in fine clothes hadn't even managed to touch the hem of Little Shi Hao's clothes before the shock wave sent him flying.
He traced an arc through the air and slammed down more than ten meters away, foaming at the mouth before passing out.
And he wasn't the only one.
Everyone nearby who had been laughing at Little Shi Hao was knocked to the ground by the overwhelming force. They lay there covered in dust, looking utterly miserable.
The entire arena fell silent.
Everyone stared, mouths agape, as if their throats had been clamped shut. In the middle of the grounds stood the little boy, still wiping milk from his mouth.
"E-Eight... Eight Cave Heavens?!"
"Oh heavens! Am I seeing things? Eight Cave Heavens?!"
"How is that possible? How old is he? Three? Four?"
"What kind of wild child is he? He's clearly the offspring of a primordial Fierce Beast!"
Shock rippled through the crowd.
Eight Cave Heavens—that was the hallmark of a Young Supreme.
Even across the entire Eight Lower Realms, those capable of opening eight Cave Heavens at this age were as rare as phoenix feathers and unicorn horns.
Up on the High Platform—
The Sky-Mending Pavilion Master, who had been speaking with Ye Xuan, was also drawn by the commotion below.
When he saw the eight brilliant Cave Heavens, he yanked out several more hairs from his beard.
"Th-This is your younger brother?"
The Sky-Mending Pavilion Master's voice trembled.
He had assumed Ye Xuan was powerful, and that his younger brother would be no ordinary person. He had only expected a gifted youth.
He hadn't expected a monster!
Eight Cave Heavens!
As long as he survived, he was bound to become a Venerable one day. He might even kindle divine fire and become a god!
"That's right."
Ye Xuan looked at Little Shi Hao below and smiled faintly.
"He's a mischievous child. I hope you'll forgive him, Pavilion Master."
"Not at all! That's the mark of a true spirit! He's blessed with peerless talent!"
The Sky-Mending Pavilion Master's face flushed with excitement.
Without the slightest hesitation, he blurred and appeared above the examination grounds.
"Silence!"
His soft command quelled the uproar.
The Sky-Mending Pavilion Master looked down at Little Shi Hao as if he were a priceless treasure.
"From this day forward, this boy is a Core Inherited Disciple of the Sky-Mending Pavilion!"
"He may enter the Inner Sect without taking the examination!"
"The sect's resources will be devoted to him!"
His announcement sent the crowd into an uproar.
The boys still working their way through the examination line looked on, their eyes red with envy.
He was entering the Inner Sect just like that?
As a Core Inherited Disciple, no less?
Was this how talented people were treated?
Little Shi Hao scratched his head. The outcome didn't surprise him all that much.
He simply turned to look at Ye Xuan in the air.
Ye Xuan nodded to him.
"Go on. Cultivate well here."
"Remember what I told you. Don't let anyone bully you."
Little Shi Hao grinned, hoisted his large bundle onto his back, and picked up his milk jar. Under countless awed and envious gazes, he swaggered through the Sky-Mending Pavilion's mountain gate.
Behind him—
The old man and Shi Qingfeng, who had been silently following him all along, were already in tears.
The old man watched Little Shi Hao stride away, full of confidence, his lips trembling.
"A Supreme... He really is a Young Supreme!"
"Our line finally has hope!"
From that day onward—
The name "Shi Hao" streaked across the Sky-Mending Pavilion like a comet.
It spread at an astonishing speed to the ancient kingdoms and major powers.
Everyone learned that—
The Sky-Mending Pavilion had gained an Eight Cave Heavens prodigy who loved drinking beast milk.
And this was only the beginning.
Deep within the Sky-Mending Pavilion lay a Forbidden Zone sealed by ancient runes.
"Daoist Ye, the entrance to the Ancient Sacred Academy is just ahead."
The Sky-Mending Pavilion Master stopped in front of a courtyard and pointed toward the churning mist.
His expression was grave, even touched with apprehension.
"The academy is the oldest place of inheritance in our sect. They say it's connected to an Ancient Small World. But the entrance is covered with ancient restrictions, and anyone seeking to enter must pass the test of the Nine-Tiered Heavenly Ladder. The slightest misstep could leave you severely injured."
"Over the past several thousand years, our Sky-Mending Pavilion has had no shortage of astonishing talents who tried to force their way in. But..."
The Sky-Mending Pavilion Master sighed and left the rest unsaid. The meaning was clear.
Those geniuses had all failed.
"No matter."
Ye Xuan remained calm, his white robes bright as snow. He stood before the vast mist, utterly composed.
"Sorry for the trouble, Pavilion Master. Please open the seal."
The Sky-Mending Pavilion Master nodded and formed a complicated Dharma Seal with his hands, sending it into the air.
Hum—
Space trembled. Golden ripples suddenly spread across the previously empty space in front of the courtyard.
Then a nine-tiered Heavenly Ladder appeared, constructed from nine kinds of divine jade.
"Please, Daoist."
The Sky-Mending Pavilion Master stepped aside.
Ye Xuan walked forward.
The instant he stepped into the ladder's range, the surroundings changed completely.
The once-calm space suddenly filled with countless crimson Order Divine Chains. Like ghostly hands reaching out from hell, they wound toward Ye Xuan with an aura of destruction.
At the same time, the ground beneath his feet transformed into a mountain of blades and a sea of flames, while thunder gathered overhead.
This was no Heavenly Ladder—it was a deadly trap.
"Interesting."
The corner of Ye Xuan's mouth lifted as he stopped.
"Double Pupils, open."
He spoke silently in his heart.
In an instant, his deep-set eyes changed.
His distinct black-and-white pupils vanished, replaced by two overlapping gray pupils.
Chaos Qi swirled in his eyes, and the world took on a different appearance.
The terrifying crimson chains were instantly broken down before his eyes into their most basic runic lines.
The nodes of the killing array hidden in the air were as clear as lanterns in the night.
Through his Chaos Heavy Pupils, this ancient Killing Array—powerful enough to trap and kill lords—was riddled with flaws.
Then Ye Xuan clasped his hands behind his back and strolled forward.
He walked slowly and steadily.
It was as if he were strolling through his own garden, admiring the scenery around him.
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