The day of Shi Hao's final baptism had arrived. He was now eleven and a half, with ten cave heavens, and his Supreme Bone had revived earlier than in the original story. Now it was time to see how he performed.
The great cauldron stood in a clearing in Stone Village, filled with precious medicines and blood that had already been simmered together. There was precious blood from venerable beasts, as well as Heavenly Horned Ant precious blood and true dragon precious blood supplied by Jun Moxiao. Several drops of Supreme Liquid had been added at the end.
Shi Hao soaked inside with the lid closed. All manner of terrifying roars rang out from within, while the mountains, rivers, sun, moon, stars, and fierce beasts depicted on the cauldron began to move, lifelike and vivid.
Shi Hao felt as though every muscle and bone in his body was being hammered, but he could still endure it. The power contained in the true dragon precious blood and Heavenly Horned Ant precious blood was simply too great.
Willow Deity also channeled magical power through her branches, helping Shi Hao absorb the energy in the precious blood and medicines.
Two days later, the lid opened. Shi Hao shot into the sky and let out a mighty roar, like a thunderclap out of a clear sky, that resounded throughout the Great Wilderness.
Jun Moxiao had been sleeping soundly beneath the willow tree when Shi Hao's howl jolted him awake.
Jun Moxiao rolled over and sprang up, shouting, "Shi Hao! What are you howling for? You're so loud!"
"Oh! Your baptism is over?"
Shi Hao quickly dressed and said excitedly, "Xiaoxiao, I just finished my baptism. I feel incredibly powerful. I'm absolutely confident I can open eleven cave heavens."
Jun Moxiao told Shi Hao what opening eleven cave heavens would bring. "Then get ready and make your breakthrough outside Stone Village. I reckon lightning will strike you. You're going to break the rules, after all. Are you afraid of pain?"
Willow Deity also warned him, "Yes, the Heavenly Dao may send down a lightning tribulation."
Shi Hao said nonchalantly, "Isn't it just getting struck by lightning? Willow Deity, you don't know this, but I spent eight months with Ancestor Mu Yan at the Heaven Mending Pavilion, getting struck by lightning every day. Don't worry, I can take it. Besides, you've now taught me the Thunder Emperor Precious Technique. I might even collect some Lightning Tribulation Liquid during the tribulation."
Jun Moxiao took out a large bottle of Spring of Life and handed it to Willow Deity for when she guarded Shi Hao.
"Sister Willow Deity, when Shi Hao opens his cave heaven, send some Spring of Life into his body from time to time. It'll help him recover faster."
Willow Deity said, "Xiaoxiao! Don't worry. I'll keep an eye on him."
At last, the day for Shi Hao to open eleven cave heavens arrived. Dozens of kilometers outside Stone Village, Shi Hao sat down and adjusted his condition, planning to open the eleventh cave heaven between his brows. It had to be said, this fellow was truly bold.
Willow Deity took the form of a woman of peerless grace. A hazy aura of chaos veiled her face, emerald willow branches surrounded her, and manifestations of the three thousand divine kingdoms circled her body.
Jun Moxiao had seen her true face within her space, but Shi Hao could not see it no matter what he tried.
But why didn't Willow Deity get herself a pair of shoes? Did experts all go barefoot?
Was this what they meant by the barefoot having nothing to fear from those wearing shoes?
I'll have to find Sister Willow Deity some shoes later-at least an Immortal King weapon-grade pair. Otherwise, if she keeps floating without touching the ground, that sight will be too beautiful. Won't she become the Barefoot Immortal? Jun Moxiao found the thought amusing.
After adjusting his condition for a while, Shi Hao roared, "Open!"
A cave heaven slowly emerged between his brows. This fellow really was bold, daring to open his eleventh cave heaven there.
In an instant, dark clouds filled the sky and thunder boomed. A bolt of lightning as thick as the mouth of a bowl struck straight at Shi Hao. He roared and unleashed a precious technique directly at it, scattering the bolt. Then a projection appeared in the sky, a humanoid figure wielding a weapon as it attacked him. Another followed, then another, one after the next. Even a projection of Willow Deity appeared and fought him. Soon, a host of projections were battling Shi Hao.
Watching the scene, Willow Deity explained, "These are great dao imprints. Those projections are past Supremes, Immortal Kings, and others."
Jun Moxiao said, "Shi Hao is receiving the love of his predecessors' fists. Only peerless prodigies get this kind of treatment."
Willow Deity sent several drops of Spring of Life into Shi Hao's body and continued, "Only geniuses who break convention can enjoy a lightning tribulation of this level. The geniuses back then never received such treatment. This can also be considered the Great Dao's trial for Shi Hao."
Suddenly, a dragon's roar echoed through the sky, accompanied by the roars of the other Ten Fiends. The imprints of the Primordial Ten Fiends had arrived, even fiercer than before.
Willow Deity hurriedly transmitted her voice to Shi Hao. "Shi Hao! These are the imprints of the Primordial Ten Fiends."
She sent another thread of the power of the Law of Life into his body.
Shi Hao had scattered the earlier imprints, but blood seeped from all over his body, showing just how terrifying that battle had been.
Shi Hao roared at the lightning tribulation imprints of the Ten Fiends in the sky, "Come on! Let the storm rage even harder!"
The imprints attacked Shi Hao together with the lightning, while Willow Deity continuously infused him with Spring of Life and the power of the Law of Life.
Besides battling the great dao imprints of the Ten Fiends, Shi Hao also had to fight the imprints of countless Immortal Kings, including Willow Deity.
The battle lasted four hours. At last, Shi Hao's Supreme Bone released Heavenly Tribulation Light, scattering the entire lightning tribulation. It was finally over. Shi Hao's hair stood on end, his whole body was charred black, and his clothes were in tatters, but his vitality flourished and his aura was powerful.
Seeing him like this, Jun Moxiao could not resist teasing him. "Shi Hao! How did it feel, getting struck by lightning for four hours?"
Shi Hao's mouth split into a broad grin across his soot-blackened face. "Hahaha! Xiaoxiao, I did it! I even collected Lightning Tribulation Liquid. This stuff is a treasure!"
With that, he gulped it all down, and his wounds healed at a speed visible to the naked eye.
Willow Deity checked Shi Hao's condition. He was doing extremely well. To be honest, even she had not expected him to be so strong.
She promptly praised him. "Shi Hao, you've done very well. You broke the rules and surpassed all who came before. Your future is limitless."
Shi Hao said, "Willow Deity, thank you for guarding me."
Jun Moxiao said, "Shi Hao, from here, I suggest you take the path of merging your eleven cave heavens into a unique cave heaven divine ring, just like mine. As for how to do it, I can't teach you. You'll have to comprehend it yourself."
Shi Hao said, "I was planning to open twelve cave heavens, then thirteen, so I could catch up to you!"
Jun Moxiao warned him seriously, "I feel that opening a twelfth cave heaven will kill you-the kind of death that destroys both body and soul. I'm not joking. If you don't believe me, ask Willow Deity."
Willow Deity agreed. "Yes, that's right. Opening eleven cave heavens just now was a brush with death. Don't compare yourself to Xiaoxiao. Following the path that suits you is how you become strongest."
Jun Moxiao said solemnly, "Shi Hao, there's a saying: those who learn from me live; those who imitate me die. Everyone's cultivation path is different. Your talent, will, and spirit are all strong enough. Establish an invincible heart, forge your own path, and keep walking it without turning back. Then you'll be the strongest."
Willow Deity offered her own view. "Shi Hao, from the moment you opened eleven cave heavens, you already had your own path. Even I can't offer you guidance, because all I know are the cultivation paths of those who came before."
Shi Hao said, "I understand, Willow Deity, Xiaoxiao. Thank you both for helping me achieve what I have today. I'll forge my own strongest path."
"Change your clothes first, then let's head back! Grandpa Chief and the others are worried sick. Oh, right! These are Enlightenment Tea leaves, an incredible treasure. They'll help you comprehend and cultivate, getting twice the results with half the effort, and help you figure out how to merge your cave heavens. Use them sparingly. I don't have many either."
Jun Moxiao took out five Enlightenment Tea leaves and gave them to Shi Hao.
Shi Hao accepted them and asked excitedly, "There's even a supreme treasure like this? Where can we find it? Let's go swipe some."
Willow Deity sighed. "Forget it. Treasures like this are usually in the hands of great figures. Once you're stronger, you can go to certain places and snatch some."
Everyone in Stone Village had been frightened by that terrifying lightning tribulation. Although it had been far from the village, Old Grandpa Shi Yunfeng knew that was where Shi Hao was.
Old Grandpa kept muttering to himself, "May the ancestors bless Little One and help him succeed...!"
Just then, Willow Deity's voice reached them. "Shi Hao has succeeded and grown even stronger."
The villagers cheered. "Little One is amazing!"
Baldy said, "A born Supreme. Truly extraordinary."
Big Red bellowed at the top of his lungs, "My big brother is freaking awesome!"
After Shi Hao and Jun Moxiao returned to Stone Village, everyone celebrated for another night.
Shi Hao consumed the Enlightenment Tea leaves and sought to comprehend how to merge his cave heavens into a unique cave heaven.
Jun Moxiao recalled how this fellow had wielded a kitchen knife at the Heaven Mending Pavilion and killed so many enemies, leaving him steeped in the scent of blood. Although he had killed to protect life, he had still killed far too many people, and Shi Hao was only a twelve-year-old boy. Jun Moxiao decided to help clear away his killing aura and free his mind.
So he said to Shi Hao, "Not long ago, you saw me catch fire without getting hurt. Want to know why?"
Shi Hao said, "That's right! You were surrounded by red flames burning all around you. It scared me to death, but you weren't hurt at all. When I came closer, the flames weren't hot. They actually felt comfortable."
Jun Moxiao said, "That's called the red lotus karmic flame. You killed over a thousand enemies in the battle at the Heaven Mending Pavilion, leaving you with a bloody aura and sinful karma. This red lotus karmic flame can burn away that sinful karma and leave your mind clear."
Shi Hao's mouth fell open. "Xiaoxiao! You even have a supreme treasure like this?"
Jun Moxiao summoned the red lotus karmic flame and cleansed Shi Hao of his killing aura.
Shi Hao laughed. "Xiaoxiao, this feels so good!"
Jun Moxiao said, "Keep working on your comprehension. Once you're stronger, you won't need to fear this karma anymore."
Shi Hao nodded, then continued seeking enlightenment.
Jun Moxiao, meanwhile, entered Lazy Fish Mode, lying around beneath Willow Deity's tree every day like a retired old man.
The sight made Willow Deity shake her head. "Xiaoxiao! Can't you cultivate for a while?"
Jun Moxiao thought, What would I cultivate? I already know it all. My strength is just sealed. Who knows when the system's unsealing function will finish? There's no challenge at all, but I can't exactly tell her that.
So Jun Moxiao spun Willow Deity a tale. "Sister Willow Deity, you only see me sleeping, but I'm actually cultivating in my dreams. Out here, I've only taken a nap, but in my dream, I might have cultivated for years."
Willow Deity pursed her lips and said incredulously, "Heh! There's even a method like that? Can anyone else learn it?"
Jun Moxiao declared, "No. Mine is the only one of its kind."
Thinking of the little fellow's mysterious origins and all his supreme treasures-he even had a Quasi-Immortal Emperor Weapon-Willow Deity felt it might be true.
Willow Deity was finding it harder and harder to do without this little fellow. With his help, her strength was recovering incredibly quickly, and she had also obtained many extraordinary cultivation methods and divine abilities. This little fellow was truly her lucky star!
Before you continue