Breaking the Record

The Initial Ground was packed shoulder to shoulder, almost bursting at the seams. Golden passages kept forming on the bluestone, shimmering with radiance, but they were still in short supply. People appeared in wave after wave. Someone wanted to break Shi Yi's record, setting off an uproar that shook every corner of the land. Experts cultivating in the Heavenly Caves and blessed grounds all emerged from seclusion.

In recent years, there had never been a day as lively as this one. The population of the Initial Ground had swelled tenfold, even a hundredfold. People crowded together, shoulder to shoulder.

"Why is it that heaven-and-earth-defying brat again? Is he trying to defy the heavens? Setting two records in one day was already astonishing, even if not exactly glorious. There's no need to be so arrogant, is there? He actually wants to break Shi Yi's record?!"

"I'll wait and see if he can pull it off. So many geniuses have been defeated and sent packing—not to mention princes of ancient kingdoms and the finest heirs of divine lands. If this Skinny Kid really succeeds, it'll shake the world."

People chattered among themselves. In the end, everything Little One had done in the Initial Ground was dug up.

"Hmm, I heard he's quite the piece of work. He actually extorted the Four Great Clans and seized four jars of precious blood."

The unfortunate Four Great Clans listened to everyone's chatter, their hearts bleeding. The news had spread so widely that they were utterly humiliated and on the verge of going mad.

At that moment, not only was the Void God Realm in an uproar, but the real Stone Kingdom was, too. The commotion was especially intense in the imperial capital, where the great marquis clans were all discussing the matter.

"Whose child is that Milk Baby? He doesn't look ordinary at all."

"Do you think he might be a descendant of the War King? Is he already going to fight Shi Yi, the Double-Pupiled One, for the Human Emperor's throne?"

Vast Stone Kingdom: Shi Yi was at the height of his fame. Though he was not yet an adult, word of him had already spread throughout the ancient kingdom, and he was regarded as the strongest contender for the Human Emperor's throne.

At that moment, who knew how many people were following the matter from the estates of the various marquises and the Pure Lands of the great sects? The younger generation needed no mention—they were already in an uproar.

"Senior Brother, come out of seclusion quickly! Get into the Void God Realm—the big news is over there!"

"What happened?"

"Someone wants to challenge Shi Yi's record."

At that moment, all the geniuses were stirred. They were astonished and hurried into the Void God Realm.

Beyond the Stone Kingdom, several neighboring ancient kingdoms were also shaken. It was like a meteor plunging into the ocean and raising monstrous waves.

"Senior Sister, hurry up! I'm going into the Void God Realm first. Come find me in a bit."

"I'm coming!"

"We have to see who dares to break Shi Yi's record!"

The imperial palace of the Wood Kingdom.

"Ninth Sister, I heard something big happened in the Void God Realm. Let's go take a look!"

A beautiful woman in splendid clothes took the hand of a green-clad girl, who was dressed just as ornately.

"Okay!" Lin Jiuge replied...

Every year, the great ancient kingdoms held sacrifices to Heaven as a nation. Thus, the experts in all the giant cities and important regions could enter the Void God Realm.

In the Void God Realm, Little One's decision had stirred up a great commotion. Both here and in the real world, the peace was shattered in an instant.

Somewhere in the imperial capitals, even those who ruled the fate of the ancient kingdoms murmured in surprise, stirred by this Skinny Kid.

Void God Realm, Initial Ground.

Little One moved with light, steady steps, as if nothing were the matter. He couldn't understand why so many people had followed him. Had that "big brother" already become famous enough to shake the world?

"Hey, little guy, could you hurry up?" someone urged him.

"What's the rush?" Little One muttered.

"If no one had dared to break Shi Yi's record in the past two years, and you hadn't set two records in a single day while also looting and extorting the four great clans, I wouldn't have come."

"Exactly. I came all this way because I heard about this heaven-and-earth-defying brat. Child, don't disappoint us. We hope you'll work a miracle!"

"You're the one who's heaven-and-earth-defying! It's just an ordinary record. What's there to get excited about? If I can break it, I will. If I can't, you can just watch." Little One was displeased.

His composure and nonchalance drove the crowd nearly mad. Was this child really going to break the record? Why wasn't he even a little excited? He was far too calm.

"Move along, move along!" the crowd urged.

"The emperor isn't worried, but the eunuchs are!" Little One whispered.

The crowd rolled their eyes. What kind of thing was that to say? But then they remembered all the shameless things he had done and decided not to hold it against him.

What, you wanted to hold it against him? Hadn't this little miser even resorted to dirty tricks at the passage into the Void God Realm? Then he'd played weak, luring the four great clans over until they walked right into his trap and were all extorted. If you provoked this Milk Baby, he might do something outrageous to you, too. After all, this was the Initial Ground, and the child's combat strength was so absurdly high it was frightening.

At last, they reached their destination. The mountain landscape was magnificent. A vast lake lay before them, its clear waters rippling like crystal, while a waterfall cascaded behind them, white as a bolt of silk and roaring like thunder.

The mountains teemed with vicious beasts and fierce birds. Massive figures could be seen charging past as roars shook the sky. Vast wings blotted out the heavens as they disappeared into the distance, their cries echoing across the firmament.

"This is the mountain. Back then, Shi Yi stamped his foot and shot straight into the sky, landing on its summit," Grandpa Essence Jade said.

An old man chimed in. "That's right, this is the mountain. I was fortunate enough to witness that miracle back then. Many Clan Elders were present, as were the heads of several great clans, yet not one of them could reach that height."

In the Initial Ground, one could only wield the strength of the Blood-Moving Realm. When Shi Yi set this record, he had relied purely on his fleshly body to leap straight into the sky.

The mountain stood tall and imposing, its entire surface a brownish color. There was little vegetation, just a dozen towering ancient trees and a few old vines climbing over them.

Water churned at the summit, where a waterfall plunged down and stirred up a hazy mist. Clouds and rosy light shrouded the mountain, making it seem dreamlike. Beneath the sun, it shimmered in five colors, like a rainbow phoenix asleep.

"Child, are you ready?" Lord Bird asked.

"What's there to get ready for? I just have to leap," Little One said.

Everyone present looked surprised. This child was far too casual. Was he really here to break the record? Why did it feel like he was just going through the motions?

"Could someone have tricked us? Can this child really break the limit?" someone questioned.

Just then, streaks of light tore through the distance. A huge beast hide appeared, skimming over the ground at extreme speed, with a row of people standing on it.

"Good heavens, what a sight! What family are they from, to dare use such a treasure in the Void God Realm? Aren't they afraid something might happen to it?" people exclaimed.

Ordinary weapons were difficult to manifest in the Void God Realm. Only things like the Treasure Bones of Primordial Remnants were unaffected. But if they were lost, the corresponding treasures in the real world would gradually lose their divine power.

The beast hide shimmered with runes as it drew near. More than ten beautiful women stood upon it, each one striking, dressed in white as snow, like a group of female immortals descending to the mortal world.

"They seem to be outstanding heirs of the Heaven Mending Pavilion. They actually came together and aren't hiding their identities." Quite a few people were astonished.

A flash of rosy light appeared as a bone fragment, shimmering with violet radiance and wreathed in mist, sped over from the distance. A group of people stood atop it, men and women, old and young. Among them, a green-clad girl stood out in particular.

"What a grand procession. That's..."

"Shh, keep your voice down. They seem to be members of the imperial family of an ancient kingdom!"

More and more people arrived, all of distinguished status, until the entire mountainside was packed.

"I refuse to believe anyone can really break Shi Yi's record. This is nothing but grandstanding!" Several young men stood together in the crowd, their expressions cold as they watched Little One. They were all geniuses, and some had once challenged Shi Yi, only to suffer crushing defeats and find themselves utterly outmatched. Now a child so small was challenging him. If the child won, what would that make of them?

"Look, that's the Female War God of the Deer-Hunting Academy. She came, too."

Amidst swirling clouds, a Five-Colored Luan Bird flew over, carrying a woman. Colorful mists curled around her. Though she was only dimly visible, she wore golden armor and glowed from head to toe. Her figure was graceful, her hair flying in the wind, and her gaze was sharp.

People were a little surprised. She had actually ridden here on a strange bird. Her golden armor gleamed brilliantly, and she truly looked like a beautiful War God.

"Hmm, is this the child? What's his background? Why does he want to break Yi'er's record?"

In the distance, more than ten people stood side by side on a mountain peak. Among them were elders, middle-aged men, and young people, all wearing cold expressions.

"We haven't found out where he comes from. Today is his first time entering the Void God Realm, and he really is powerful."

"Tell the people of my Rain Clan to keep a close eye on him and investigate his background."

This was a group of powerful people—the direct line of the Rain Clan. They had also hurried here to see whether the challenger could break Shi Yi's record.

"Hey, move aside! Are you going to let me break the record or not?"

As the various factions stirred and everyone waited in anticipation, Little One grew displeased. There were simply too many people, and they were blocking the very person at the center of it all.

"Come on, make way!" urged a crowd of impatient people, telling everyone to clear a path for Little One.

Little One looked the mountain up and down. It was indeed very tall. Leaping to its summit with nothing but physical strength would be astonishing.

He walked a circle around the area, then looked at the neighboring mountain. The two were about the same height, but the latter was indeed a dozen or so zhang taller.

"I'll choose this one," Little One said.

Everyone nodded. These were the Twin Mountains, and the slightly taller one beside it was the best choice if he wanted to break the record.

"Everyone, back away," Little One called out.

"We're already far enough away. Can't you move freely now?" someone scoffed.

Though many people had come, few believed he could break the record. It was too far-fetched. Shi Hao was no ordinary person—he was a godlike youth, impossible to surpass!

"All right, then. Do as you please." Little One said no more. He stood where he was and began regulating his breathing.

The scene fell silent at once. Only the waterfall could be heard, its silver ribbon surging down as colorful mist swirled nearby, dazzling to behold.

"Rise!"

With a soft shout, Little One stamped both feet hard against the ground. The entire earth rumbled like a massive earthquake!

The ground had been made of the hardest rock, but now it split apart and shattered. Great fissures spread in every direction like lightning as dust billowed into the sky.

Everyone was stunned. That strength was astonishing. Was this really a human child? If someone said he was the offspring of a human-shaped True Hou or a young Golden-Winged Dapeng, they would have believed it.

That single stomp shattered the rocky ground, crisscrossing it with fissures!

Little One's aura changed. He grew sharp in an instant, like a young heavenly god, soaring into the sky, breaking through the clouds and mist as he shot upward. His eyes blazed with such intensity that no one dared meet his gaze.

Everyone was stunned. Without using the secret power of runes, relying only on his physical body, he soared into the sky, pierced the mist, and rose above the towering mountain!

"He broke it! He broke the record!" someone shouted.

He had truly surpassed it. The tiny figure was like a heavenly god, divine light blazing from his eyes as he pierced the clouds and mist, two streaks of lightning cutting across the sky. At that moment, Little One exuded a terrifying presence. His black hair whipped about, his eyes flashed like lightning, and he truly looked like an ancient sage!

With an explosive force beyond the reach of ordinary people's imagination, he leapt skyward, not only surpassing the peak where Shi Yi had landed, but also the neighboring gray-brown mountain.

To everyone, this was a miracle. An unparalleled powerhouse had appeared, rising to prominence that very day. He had broken the record Shi Yi held, and a tempestuous storm was bound to follow.

He was high in the sky, while dust already billowed across the ground below, which had completely collapsed. Enormous cracks spread everywhere. Many people were flung into the air, and even more cried out in alarm.

With a boom, the whole area sank. It was hard to imagine how much strength Little One had in his feet. Even Adamantine Rock, said to be the hardest of all, had been ground to dust.

And that wasn't all. The great fissures spread hundreds of meters, and the lake water surged along them, pouring inland. Many people fell into the water.

"Is this... really human strength?"

Many people had been standing there, and now they were all drenched. The lake water surged in with a tremendous rush.

His stomp was like a divine punishment. Even the lake it had stirred up went wild!

"Look! There are just as many great fissures in the lake. Shi Yi must have shot upward in the same way back then, causing the lake water to flood in." Someone with a keen eye had discovered the truth.

A section of the lakebed had collapsed. Now that the waters had rushed in, the broken area was exposed, revealing the truth of what had happened back then.

"How terrifying!" People felt genuine awe toward those like Little One and Shi Yi.

No wonder the child had warned them to stand farther back. It really had been necessary. One stomp and mountains crumbled, the earth split, and the lake itself shifted.

"So powerful! He's still just a child, yet he's already defied the heavens and broken the record. How many people will be able to hold him in check in the future?!" Even a group of old men shouted without a thought for their dignity.

In the sky, the small figure spread his wings like a Golden-Winged Dapeng. After wheeling through the air, he landed on the taller peak of the Twin Mountains. The mountain wind swept past him, his black hair fluttered, and his deep eyes gazed into the distance.

Everyone was stunned. What was this child thinking? His bearing seemed out of keeping with his age. His powerful aura even made people feel a little afraid.

"He surpassed it! He really broke the record!"

"The genius said to be impossible to surpass, the godlike youth—someone has conquered his record, and surpassed it in one leap!"

The whole place erupted. The result was world-shaking.