The outside world seethed for days, unable to settle down.
After the Battle of the Two Stones, Shi Zhao struck with overwhelming force once more. She visited each faction that had tried to surround and kill Big Shi and Little Shi that day, razing their mountains, crushing their clans, and sweeping their strongholds clean.
Although the many cultivators of the Desolate Region still respectfully called her the "Sword Immortal" in public, the title "Female Devil" began circulating in private. They considered her methods far too ruthless and decisive.
Of course, most people thought nothing of this. Many even clapped and cheered.
Those great sects and ancient clans were far removed from ordinary cultivators, who found it difficult to sympathize with them. On the contrary, almost everyone had suffered some degree of suppression or even humiliation at the hands of powerful factions.
Moreover, the sudden disappearance of so many major factions meant a wealth of new opportunities. Many independent cultivators and small factions seized the chance to rise, singing Shi Zhao's praises for what she had done.
But none of that concerned Shi Zhao for the moment.
Day after day passed. In the blink of an eye, more than half a year had gone by since she returned to Three Lives Mountain.
"Counting the days, I turned twenty this year," she murmured. Carefully examining herself, she finally brought all three bodies to the same level of cultivation, each reaching the perfected Venerable Realm.
In the Eight Regions of the Lower Realm, apart from those ancient monsters of extraordinary power, ordinary Divine Fire Realm experts were no longer worth her attention.
Even if a True God came in person, she might still be able to hold her own for a while.
At this point, however, climbing another step beyond the top of