"Elder Shi, you must be joking. What exalted beings Pureblood Creatures are! We have none."
The Pavilion Master's face darkened, his tone stiff. The Heaven Mending Pavilion certainly had deep reserves, but who could imprison a Pureblood Creature in the Forbidden Land as emergency rations? Those were primordial overlords that ruled entire regions.
Shi Hou curled his lip.
"As for firing up the pot, I'll talk about it someday when I'm in a good mood."
"And you call yourselves an Ancient Pure Land. You don't even have these few ingredients. Sigh."
Veins throbbed at the Lone Peak guardian's temples, and he lifted a foot to charge into the courtyard.
Just then-
Hum!!
A low, resonant vibration came from the center of the courtyard.
Everyone's gaze turned toward Shi Hao at once.
"Seven Heavenly Caves, and he looks no older than ten. Which clan's prodigy is this?!" the Lone Peak guardian exclaimed, drawing back the foot he had stepped forward with.
"He must be that milk-drinking brat who broke several of Shi Yi's records in the Void God Realm!!"
"He's the one who destroyed the assessment formation?!"
"These two brothers... they're nothing but trouble magnets!!"
Amid the surrounding green light, the phantom of the eighth Heavenly Cave hovering above Shi Hao's head trembled violently.
The golden runes along its edges flickered uncertainly, and the half-formed phantom suddenly began to break apart outward. Rampaging essence crashed in every direction like a herd of beasts gone out of control.
Shi Hou's smile vanished, and he flashed to Shi Hao's side in a few steps.
Shi Hao sat cross-legged, his little face flushed scarlet and veins bulging between his brows. His lips were pressed tightly together. Dull sounds of bones grinding against one another came from his body as essence spilled out beyond his