Capturing Mounts

"Deep within the Wild Wolf Plain lies a divine grotto. I intend to join forces with over twenty prodigies from other races, including the Nine-Headed Golden Lion, the Feather King, and the Silver-Blood Giant, to explore it. I wonder if Brother Shi Hao would be interested?"

Ever since learning that Little Shi was barely ten years old, Huo Ling'er had refused to call him 'Brother' in the sense of a peer, switching instead to the term for a junior disciple.

Heh, women!

"The divine grotto deep in the Wild Wolf Plain? I think I'll pass."

Shi Hao thought for a moment, then added, "That is the resting place of a wolf deity. Inside the grotto lies an unhatched egg left behind by the Wolf God, but it is guarded by ten thousand wolves. You must be careful when you go to retrieve it."

"A Wolf God's egg? Doesn't that mean it's an unhatched infant god?!"

Huo Ling'er was clever enough not to ask how Little Shi knew this, quickly steadying herself. "You're really not coming with me? That's an infant god—a future deity! I'd be getting a massive bargain at your expense."

After long ages of worship, an infant god could very well grow into a true deity, becoming yet another ancient existence to anchor the foundation of the Fire Kingdom.

"Oh, right. You mentioned that one of the alien prodigies in your alliance is a Golden Lion? I happen to be in need of a mount. Take me there."

Shi Hao, who had just been about to refuse, suddenly smiled.

The Nine-Headed Golden Lion was once one of the ten great mounts of the Primordial Era.

Its entire body looked as if it were cast from gold, and with its nine heads and majestic, awe-inspiring appearance, it was highly favored by the gods, who vied to capture them as mounts.

However, their ancestral bloodline was formidable, flowing with divine blood. In the Primordial Era, they were known as God Kings, and there were countless examples of descendants whose bloodlines awakened, leading them to turn around and devour the gods themselves.

"Fine, consider it payment for the information you gave me."

The Fire Kingdom princess bit her red lip, agreeing without a moment's hesitation; she felt no psychological burden in selling out her temporary allies.

"Don't worry, I won't make things difficult for you. I'll just take my mount and leave."

Shi Hao's smile grew even brighter; the Golden Lion's appearance was truly top-tier.

Deep within the vast, wolf-infested grasslands, a towering mountain stood abruptly, its mid-slope cavern looking like the maw of a demon, leading into the unknown.

At the foot of the mountain, a group of alien beings of various shapes and sizes sat or stood.

There was the nine-headed Golden Lion, the Silver-Blood Giant standing over a dozen meters tall, and the Feather King, a prodigy with a golden horn on his head and a pair of five-colored wings on his back. They seemed to be waiting for something.

"The people of the Fire Kingdom have finally arrived."

The nine-headed lion, its body appearing as if cast from gold, stood up. Its sleek mane flowed with dazzling golden divine light, and the muscles beneath looked like coiled dragons, full of explosive power and aesthetic beauty; majesty and artistry were perfectly fused within it.

In the distance, over forty human geniuses escorted an iconic crimson Phoenix Chariot as it approached rapidly, surrounded by several figures who were clearly seal-bearers.

"Princess of the Fire Kingdom, you are late... Uh, and who are you?"

The winged humanoid had just begun to complain when he saw a handsome youth with red lips and white teeth flash out from the Phoenix Chariot, causing him to pause abruptly.

"I'm not here for you, so beat it."

Shi Hao, having leaped from the Phoenix Chariot, let his gaze drift past the Feather King and land directly on the fierce and extraordinary Golden Lion. He waved a hand. "Lion, come back with me."

"Lion? Do we know each other?"

A flicker of confusion crossed the eyes of the nine-headed Golden Lion. The human youth's unusually familiar attitude made it struggle to recall anything.

"We don't, but from today on, you are my mount."

Shi Hao lifted his chin, as if bestowing some great honor upon the Golden Lion.

"Human, you seek death!"

A voice like the tolling of a divine bell rang out, making everyone's ears buzz.

The Nine-Headed Golden Lion's gaze turned cold instantly. It realized it was being toyed with. Jin Hong had always been the one to take others as war-slaves; no human genius had ever dared to try and capture him as a mount. The boy must have been tired of living.

"Whether I'm seeking death or not, we'll know once we've fought."

Shi Hao smiled, signaling the Fire Kingdom group to step back.

The Silver-Blood Giant, the Feather King, and the other alien prodigies watched with amused expressions, but they did not offer support to the Nine-Headed Golden Lion. In the end, their relationship was shallow.

They had only formed a fragile, temporary alliance to explore the divine grotto.

"You want to die? Then I shall grant your wish!"

The Nine-Headed Golden Lion lunged into the air, its entire body glowing, blood qi surging, radiating brilliant divine light as it extended a giant claw wrapped in runes toward Shi Hao.

A single strike from that claw was enough to shatter a hundred-thousand-jin boulder instantly.

"CLANG!"

The sound of metal striking metal rang out, causing the air to roar.

Amidst a myriad of rays, a figure resembling a deity sat cross-legged in a phantom image. Behind its head, a brilliant divine ring circled the heavens, emitting a radiant glow that blocked the giant beast's claw.

"That is..."

No matter how much force the Nine-Headed Golden Lion exerted, it could not advance even an inch.

"My apologies, this is my protective divine ring."

The figure sitting in the void like a deity slowly raised its head and extended a slender hand, striking out without a trace of hostility. With a loud thud, the lion was instantly sent tumbling away.

When the twelve heavenly passages were held in check without being unleashed, they transformed into brilliant divine rings, serving as a protective supernatural ability.

As the twelve heavenly passages roared in unison, they manifested a hazy immortal realm, enabling the feat of flight.

"Such tyrannical physical strength; I fear it has already surpassed the limits of the Heavenly Passage Realm."

The Nine-Headed Golden Lion's blood energy surged throughout its body, yet its gaze remained incredibly piercing, growing more valiant with every strike, as if an ancient deity had descended into the mortal world.

"Roar!"

Its nine ferocious heads opened simultaneously, emitting a heaven-shaking roar; golden ripples, as tangible as substance, swept outward in endless waves like a vast ocean.

The world trembled, boulders shattered, and prodigies bowed their heads.

Lion's Roar!

"Another sound-based killing technique; a mere trifle."

The figure sitting cross-legged in the void like a god formed an ancient seal, unhurried and composed.

"Roar!!!"

A phantom of a purple-gold True Hou appeared behind him, its entire body radiating an intensely dazzling purple-gold divine brilliance, roaring at the heavens with boundless majesty.

True Hou Precious Technique!

In the Three Thousand Provinces of the Upper Realm, an ancestor of the True Hou clan still exists.

During an ancient battle, this primordial beast opened its maw and let out a single howl, roaring down the sun, moon, and stars, and shaking several ancient giants of sect-leader level to death—truly, its divine might was peerless.

"True Dragon Precious Technique, True Phoenix Precious Technique, True Hou Precious Technique, Vermilion Bird Precious Technique, Bian Precious Technique, Suanni Precious Technique, Primordial Golden Crow Precious Technique... just how many supreme arts does this guy possess..."

Huo Ling'er's eyes shimmered with brilliance, her delicate hands tightly clasped and twisting together.

"Bang! Bang! Bang!"

The ocean of sound waves, shimmering with purple-gold luster, surged forward and collided violently with the towering golden ripples, causing rings of energy to ripple rapidly outward.

After intertwining and eroding one another, they quietly dissipated.

"Now, it is my turn to attack!"

The figure sitting cross-legged in the void like a god retracted the brilliant divine rings behind his head and stepped down from the void, his body expanding rapidly at a staggering speed until he transformed into a Titan Giant God that stood between heaven and earth.

"If you will not submit, then die!"

Under the gaze of those filled with shock, the Titan Giant God lifted a leg as massive as a pillar of heaven and brought it crashing down, as if the apocalypse had arrived.

Law of Heaven and Earth!