Void God Realm

In truth, this fusion precious technique had also incorporated a small part of the spatial elemental laws and the Mental Interference Domain. That was why it produced such an eerie effect—it could vanish into thin air or arrive without a sound, catching enemies completely off guard.

Huo Yuhao picked up the spoils that had fallen to the ground—the Golden Bone Scissors—and stored them in his storage ring. Then, as though nothing had happened, he left the deathly silent stronghold and leisurely returned to Stone Village.

Worried about Huo Yuhao's safety, Shi Yunfeng had been preparing to leave the village and support him. Yet just as he stepped beyond the village entrance, he spotted a familiar figure appearing on the distant horizon, walking toward him.

When Huo Yuhao saw Shi Yunfeng waiting at the village entrance, he quickened his pace and swiftly returned to Stone Village, arriving before the clan chief.

"Child, it is wonderful that you are safe." After examining Huo Yuhao and confirming that he was unharmed, Shi Yunfeng finally let out a breath of relief.

Huo Yuhao nodded. "I'm fine. The bandit leader and their sacrificial spirit were no match for me. Have everyone go carry back the Black Gold the bandits looted. I can't move so much stuff alone."

After being shocked by Huo Yuhao's strength, Shi Yunfeng barely managed to compose himself and smiled. "You brat, so you came back to fetch reinforcements."

Of course, Huo Yuhao could have immediately stored all the Black Gold in the stronghold inside his storage ring by himself. Yet he did not do so, choosing instead to share these resources with Stone Village.

"Black Gold is a rare metal capable of restraining formations, and it is also a precious material for forging weapons. These bandits collected more than ten thousand jin of Black Gold. That alone proves that countless innocent souls must have perished at their hands."

Looking at the half-meter-square blocks of Black Gold within Stone Village, Shi Yunfeng could not help sighing like this.

Half a month later, Shi Hao and Tang Wulin successfully returned to Stone Village. Shi Qingfeng and Grandpa Ancestor followed behind them. The four dismounted from the unicorn and Golden Hunt Leopard respectively, then greeted the Stone Village residents who had come to welcome them home.

Afterward, Shi Hao told Shi Yunfeng about the strange and interesting things he and Tang Wulin had encountered along the way, introducing Shi Qingfeng and Grandpa Ancestor's origins as well.

Huo Yuhao also shared everything that had recently happened in Stone Village with Shi Hao. At the same time, he gave the Golden Bone Scissors to Shi Hao and explained how to use them.

"Brother Yuhao has already broken through to the Cave Heaven Realm so quickly. Looks like we can't fall behind either." Tang Wulin nudged Shi Hao beside him with his elbow.

Shi Hao understood and nodded. "Of course. As the saying goes, deep accumulation leads to a great breakthrough. It is time for us to break through to the Cave Heaven Realm as well."

After making all the necessary arrangements, Shi Hao and Tang Wulin each found a cave to serve as their secluded cultivation grounds. They sat down on the ground and began meditating.

One year later.

The Primordial True Explanation emitted auspicious radiance. Shi Hao repeatedly studied and contemplated the scenes of ancient ferocious beasts battling that it recorded.

Just as Shi Hao comprehended some of its true meaning, runes swirled around his body. His whole being seemed to undergo sublimation, becoming crystal clear and flawless. He successfully opened four Cave Heavens and smoothly broke through to the Cave Heaven Realm.

After Shi Hao emerged from seclusion, he discovered that Tang Wulin had already completed his breakthrough, more than a few months ahead of him. Shi Hao knew that Tang Wulin had Huo Yuhao, who had already broken through to the Cave Heaven Realm, guiding and protecting him. Naturally, his cultivation progressed twice as efficiently with half the effort.

Shi Hao saw and remembered the close relationship between Huo Yuhao and Tang Wulin. From the bottom of his heart, he greatly envied the deep bond between the two brothers.

Moved by the scene before him, Shi Hao sighed, "It would be wonderful if I had blood brothers like you."

Huo Yuhao answered with a serious expression, "Aren't Wulin and I your good brothers?"

Tang Wulin agreed, "I dare say that even your blood brothers might not treat you as well as we do. After all, we are brothers who have faced life and death together."

Thinking of how Tang Wulin had repeatedly saved him from sneak attacks by ferocious beasts during their six-hundred-thousand-li journey through the Great Wilderness, Shi Hao nodded in deep agreement. "Yes, we are brothers who have faced life and death together."

The next moment, the enormous willow tree suddenly rustled with the sound of fluttering leaves, alarming everyone in Stone Village. Men, women, old, and young all hurried over to worship their sacrificial spirit, the Willow God.

The willow tree was reborn. Green radiance blazed brilliantly, its new branches emerald and its auspicious glow stretching in countless streams. The slumbering Willow God had finally awakened, and the vitality within it had become even more abundant.

After exchanging greetings, Shi Yunfeng shared the good news with the Willow God that Shi Hao, Huo Yuhao, and Tang Wulin had all broken through to the Cave Heaven Realm.

The Willow God replied approvingly, "You three are quite good."

Shi Hao stepped forward and asked, "Willow God, do you know where the Primordial Divine Mountain is? Grandpa Ancestor said my father and mother are there."

The Willow God replied, "Even if I knew, you cannot go there now. The Primordial Divine Mountain is incomparably dangerous, inhabited by countless pure-blooded ferocious beasts. Even after opening four Cave Heavens, you would not be their match. Only by opening ten Cave Heavens and becoming the supreme existence at the limit of this realm can you gain the means to contend against others."

Shi Hao clenched his fists, blaming himself for not being strong enough. "I cultivated for a whole year just to open four Cave Heavens. When will I ever reach ten Cave Heavens and see my father and mother?"

The Willow God suddenly swung five willow branches around Shi Hao, Huo Yuhao, and Tang Wulin. It separated the three of their spiritual bodies and sent them to the Path to Heaven, ultimately delivering them into a strange world.

The three then heard the Willow God's voice transmission. "I will first send you to the Void God Realm for some training. I hope you will gain something from this path of cultivation."

According to the Willow God, the Void God Realm was a strange world constructed by ancient deities working together with spiritual thoughts. Experts from ancient nations could enter this place through their spiritual bodies. Any insights and gains obtained by their spiritual bodies would ultimately be fed back to their bodies in the real world.

Following the Willow God's guidance, the three stepped through a teleportation gate flickering with runes. In an instant, they entered the true Void God Realm.

A corner of the Void God Realm, Origin Land.

Shi Hao had sharp eyes. The moment he entered Origin Land, he noticed four Precious Bones buried beneath the bluestone ground of the Origin Land Passage. He was immediately intrigued and wanted to dig them up for study, so he crouched down and tried to excavate one of the Precious Bones.

Huo Yuhao smiled helplessly. "As expected of the greatest person of all time. Your way of doing things is truly unique."

Tang Wulin nodded. "I have to admit, Shi Hao really is too interesting."

Shi Hao curled his lip. "Why are you two still standing there? Hurry over and give me a hand."

The two immediately walked over after hearing that. Huo Yuhao promptly replied, "We were just asking around about the rules of the Void God Realm."

Tang Wulin added, "That's right. We heard that you need to break an extreme record in some aspect here before you can obtain a Precious Bone as a reward."

Huo Yuhao continued softly, "And from what I have observed, the Void God Realm recognizes physical strength."

Shi Hao suddenly understood. "No wonder I felt the Precious Bones rejecting my precious technique power. So it was the Void God Realm's rules at work."

From the crowd gathered nearby to watch the excitement, two old men suddenly emerged. The white-haired old man on the left had a brightly feathered purple bird perched on his shoulder. The old man on the right held Essence Jades in his hand as though he could not bear to put them down.

The old man on the left glanced at Shi Hao, who was being watched by everyone, and smiled at the old man on the right. "How strange. Someone is even more obsessed with money than you."

The old man on the right did not mind. He spoke directly to Shi Hao. "If you can dig out a Precious Bone, I can trade Essence Jades for it."

Without any hesitation, Shi Hao named the old man on the right to his face. "Thank you for your kindness, Elder Jingbi. But I prefer Precious Bones, so I do not plan to trade with you."

After glancing at the purple bird belonging to the old man on the left, Shi Hao gave him a name without the slightest reservation as well. "Bird Grandpa, that is not right. How can enjoying research into Precious Bones count as being greedy for money? I am clearly an enterprising scholar."

Huo Yuhao and Tang Wulin, standing beside him, silently gave Shi Hao a thumbs-up at the same time.

Elder Jingbi had originally been sighing over Shi Hao's refusal to exchange the Precious Bone. Yet Shi Hao calling his old companion Bird Grandpa immediately amused him. As for Shi Hao's name for him, Elder Jingbi found that he could accept it well enough.

Elder Jingbi teased, "The names you gave us are rather nice. I approve."

Bird Grandpa snorted coldly, but there was nothing he could do.

Tang Wulin suddenly changed the subject and asked Shi Hao, "So, have you decided which extreme record you want to break?"

Shi Hao replied confidently, "Isn't that simple? I decided long ago."

Bird Grandpa and Elder Jingbi immediately became interested upon hearing this. They watched Shi Hao with curious expressions, waiting for his next answer.