"Rotten wood, I've got no grudge against you, so how dare you sell me out!"
At the Golden Lion's feet, a stone was cursing furiously.
The stone was only the size of a thumb, yet a complete face had appeared on its surface, with a mouth, eyes, teeth, and even ears. It was extraordinarily tiny.
"What did you say? Rotten what? What wood?"
The ancient tree, its branches and leaves luxuriant, chewed on a wisp of Sun God Essence gifted to it by Shi Hao and replied to the stone with utter indifference.
"Here we go again! Playing deaf and dumb again! Do you really think your Grandpa Stone is someone you can bully?!!"
The stone flew into a rage. Clearly, it had suffered at the old tree's hands more than once.
"God-Striking Stone, I've been looking everywhere for you. So this is where you were."
A long, slender hand tore through the air and snatched the stone up.
The God-Striking Stone was one of the Ten Archaic Evils.
It was incomparably sturdy, and its attacks had a one-hundred-percent hit rate. Only a few had existed throughout history. Whenever ancient divine beings refined artifacts, they all yearned to obtain one, but few had ever laid eyes on it.
Its innate divine ability, the God-Striking Stone Art, was even famed for never missing a strike.
Among the Ten Archaic Evils, if the Heaven-Horned Ant represented the pinnacle of strength, Kunpeng the pinnacle of speed, and the Nine-Leaf Sword Grass the pinnacle of sharpness, then the God-Striking Stone represented the pinnacle of toughness.
The opening verse of Perfect World, "A grain of dust can fill the sea," referred to it.
"I'm not! I didn't! Don't make things up!!"
The God-Striking Stone's expression changed dramatically when it heard that, and it frantically denied everything. "I'm just an ordinary, stubborn rock in this herb garden. I happened to gain sentience after the Spirit-Connecting Divine Flower enlightened me, and that's how I learned to speak. I really am not one of those Ten Archaic Evils you mentioned."
"Oh, so the God-Striking Stone is one of the Ten Archaic Evils."
Shi Hao rubbed his chin as if he had discovered some earth-shattering secret.
If he had only been suspicious before, now he was completely certain.
From beginning to end, he had only mentioned the God-Striking Stone. He hadn't said a word about the Ten Archaic Evils. How could an ordinary stubborn rock in the Hundred Herb Garden know such a secret?
Even in the outside world, few cultivators had ever glimpsed the Ten Archaic Evils in their entirety.
"I... I... I'm definitely going to die of sheer stupidity!"
The God-Striking Stone's defense abruptly faltered. Resigned to its fate, it simply clammed up.
"Golden Fur, go take care of it."
Shi Hao smiled without a word, then gestured toward the ancient tree.
That fellow would call anyone its mother as long as they fed it. It clearly couldn't keep its mouth shut. It knew he possessed the God-Striking Stone, and it lived at the entrance to the Hundred Herb Garden, where people came and went. He couldn't afford to let it live.
"Understood, my lord!"
The Golden Lion grinned wickedly and immediately unleashed the powerful divine ability of the Golden Lion clan, mercilessly attacking the ancient tree.
"Good! Beat that rotten old tree to death!"
The God-Striking Stone watched, its face flushed with excitement as it flipped head over heels several times.
"What? Ready to talk again?"
Shi Hao couldn't help laughing as he teased it.
"Ahem. Human boy, since you've captured me, just lay out the terms and tell me what you intend to do with me."
"But let's get one thing straight first: I'm a descendant of the Ten Fiends. No matter how hard the wind blows from the east, west, south, or north, I won't be afraid. I won't disgrace my ancestors."
The God-Striking Stone gave an awkward smile, then spoke with a swaggering air.
But despite its words, the little eyes it kept sneaking toward Shi Hao to gauge his reaction gave it away completely.
"Not afraid to die, are you? Easy enough. I like people who aren't afraid to die."
"I want to refine a Sacred Ancient Artifact, and I just happen to be missing one of the main divine materials. I've heard the God-Striking Stone is the finest choice for artifact refining throughout history. So I'll first erase your consciousness, then take your body back and refine it into a treasure."
Shi Hao was deeply moved by its words, so he raised his hand and unleashed a barrage of peerless precious techniques, raining them down on the God-Striking Stone in his palm.
"Human boy—no, no, Dao brother! Dao brother, spare me! Please spare my stony life!"
The terrified God-Striking Stone burst into loud sobs, and the precious techniques filling the sky vanished at once.
"Dao brother, I was wrong, all right?"
"I shouldn't have bragged. Truth is, I'm scared to death. My whole body's trembling. Please, for the sake of my possibly being the last member of the God-Striking Stone clan, let me go. I'll give you whatever you want."
"Besides, I'm also a grandmaster of formations. There isn't a formation in this world that I can't unravel. How about I teach you the way of spirit formations?"
The God-Striking Stone forced back its tears and surrendered to the great demon king, Shi Hao.
"Serves you right for bragging!"
The Golden Lion snickered to itself, completely forgetting how readily it had caved in earlier.
"Formations? No, thanks. I want the God-Striking Stone Art."
Shi Hao answered without a second thought, immediately naming the most valuable thing.
"Uh..."
The God-Striking Stone instinctively wanted to refuse, but then remembered its predicament: it was meat on the chopping block, and Shi Hao held the knife. It couldn't refuse, but it couldn't bring itself to agree either.
For a moment, sorrow welled up within it.
"Don't rush to refuse. I won't take advantage of you. I'll make an equal exchange. Come with me."
Shi Hao picked up the God-Striking Stone and deliberately stepped outside the Hundred Herb Garden's stone gate.
Precious techniques were forbidden inside the Hundred Herb Garden, and the Grotto-Heavens couldn't be opened either, so he needed to avoid the mysterious field's coverage.
"An equal exchange? Do you think the Ten Fiends Precious Techniques are cabbages by the roadside, growing in endless heaps?"
The God-Striking Stone muttered to itself.
But to save its stony life, it had already made up its mind: as long as Shi Hao brought out a divine treasure or precious technique that wasn't too shabby, it would grit its teeth and trade.
At least it would have given away the God-Striking Stone Art "willingly," right?
That way, it could face the worthy sages of the God-Striking Stone clan with a clear conscience.
"God-Striking Stone, look at this."
Outside the Hundred Herb Garden, three Grotto-Heavens opened with a rumble. A True Dragon roared, a True Phoenix danced, and a Nine-Leaf Sword Grass stood proudly rooted in the Void.
A rune evolved into a god, and a Grotto-Heaven nourished a supreme being!
"True Dragon Precious Technique, True Phoenix Precious Technique, Grass Sword Art! Human, did you dig up the graves of the Ten Archaic Evils?!!"
The God-Striking Stone, which had been paying no attention, suddenly opened its eyes wide and let out a string of shrieks.
If Shi Hao hadn't been holding it, it would have rushed forward at once to swim among the three supreme beings.
"My lord, my lord! I'm willing to trade! I'll exchange every divine ability and precious technique of my Golden Lion clan, including all the Divine Treasuries of Lion Mountain!"
"Awooo! My lord, I've done great things for the village!!"
Before the God-Striking Stone could agree, the Golden Lion let out a howl, leaped into the air, and pounced at Shi Hao's feet, showering him with flattery.
By the Ancestor Emperor, just who was its master?!
From now on, even if its grandfather, the Nine Spirits King, came to rescue it, it still wouldn't leave. Even if Shi Hao personally tried to drive it away, it would refuse. It would rather die by its master's side!
"Golden Fur, get the hell off me!"
Shi Hao was furious. He grabbed the Golden Fur Dog clinging to his leg and kicked it away hard.
The Golden Lion clan's rubbish divine abilities—did it really think those could be traded for his Ten Fiends Precious Technique?
That stupid dog must have a death wish, trying to take advantage of him!
Before you continue