Jun Moxiao found Shi Hao immersed in grueling cultivation and took a look. Good grief! After half a year of fiercely competitive training, Shi Hao had actually broken through to the mid Formation Arrangement Realm.
Jun Moxiao said to Shi Hao, "Hao Tian, not bad. You've actually reached the mid Formation Arrangement Realm."
Shi Hao said, "Of course I have, Xiaoxiao. I still have to thank you for giving me so many supreme treasures. I forged a zither and a sword, and I've already decided on their names: the Hao Tian Zither and the Hao Tian Sword."
Jun Moxiao said, "Why not call them the Desolate Heaven Zither and the Desolate Heaven Sword? I think 'Desolate Heaven' holds more meaning for you. You're a genius who emerged from the Desolate Region. From now on, you should call yourself the Desolate Heaven Emperor."
Jun Moxiao looked up at the sky. Surprisingly, there was no thunder. It seemed he would become so powerful in the future that even the Desolate Heaven Emperor wouldn't dare do anything to him.
Hearing Jun Moxiao's words, Shi Hao exclaimed, "Now that you mention it, 'Desolate Heaven' suddenly sounds much more imposing."
Jun Moxiao continued sweet-talking him. "Exactly! Look, don't I have a Quasi-Immortal Emperor Weapon, the Haotian Pagoda? If you make two divine weapons and also name them Hao Tian, what if the Haotian Pagoda says, 'Kid, you made two weapons that weak and still dared to call them Hao Tian?' Besides, 'Desolate Heaven' suits you better. That name will accompany you as you grow."
Shi Hao thought it over and said, "I've decided. These two Lifebound Divine Weapons will be called the Desolate Heaven Zither and the Desolate Heaven Sword. From now on, I'll use the title Desolate Heaven Emperor."
Just then, thunder cracked overhead, startling them both, but nothing else happened.
Little Pagoda, perched on Shi Hao's head, said, "Could the name 'Desolate Heaven' involve some tremendous karma?"
Jun Moxiao inwardly grumbled, Shi Hao called himself the Desolate Heaven Emperor. What are you thundering for?
Jun Moxiao said to Shi Hao, "It's fine. Maybe Heaven is celebrating for you!"
Shi Hao didn't think much of it either and said to Jun Moxiao, "Then you should give yourself a title too!"
Jun Moxiao thought it over. In the future, he would leap beyond the Three Realms and stand outside the Five Elements, becoming a transcendent being who roamed freely through heaven and earth. Thus, he said, "I'll call myself the Free and Unfettered Heavenly Emperor. Free and unbound, heaven cannot shackle me, earth cannot bury me, and neither the myriad threads of karma nor the passing ages can touch me-a transcendent being beyond the Three Realms and outside the Five Elements."
Shi Hao and Little Pagoda were stunned, both declaring, "That's way too outrageous!"
Hmm! There's actually no thunder in the sky. Could I really become a transcendent being above sacrificial dao in the future? Forget it. I'll take things one step at a time.
Jun Moxiao said, "I think it's fine. People should have dreams. What if they come true? Oh, right! Willow Deity sent word that beings from the Outer Regions are gathering in the Fire Kingdom. We should go see what they're up to."
Shi Hao said, "We definitely have to go. With so many Heavenly Prodigies coming, junior sister will have trouble handling them alone."
Jun Moxiao said, "You just want to see her, don't you? We'll bring Big Red along. I reckon those Fierce Beast little brothers of yours have come this time too."
Jun Moxiao went to Willow Deity and asked Witch, "Feng Jiu! Want to go take a look?"
Without even thinking, Witch immediately said, "Yes! Wherever you go, I'll go. How could you leave me out of something so fun?"
Willow Deity said, "Feng Jiu, go ahead. You've been refining your divine weapons every day lately. It's time you relaxed a little."
Jun Moxiao asked, "Feng Jiu, what divine weapons did you forge?"
Witch summoned hers, and surprisingly, they were also an ancient zither and a sword.
Jun Moxiao rubbed his forehead and said, "Why did you all make the same things? How is your comprehension of the divine abilities coming along?"
Shi Hao chimed in, "We couldn't help it. Xiaoxiao, when you used that Fuxi Zither divine ability before, it was so exhilarating, so elegant. Everyone wants to master that kind of divine ability. I'm still improving my musical attainments, and I've also been trying to incorporate some precious techniques and divine abilities."
Witch said, "We're not absurdly monstrous geniuses like you, Xiaoxiao. Just becoming proficient in the thousand scores you taught us would be good enough."
Willow Deity said, "The Dao of music also holds myriad transformations and endless mysteries. Few cultivators have followed this path before. Take your time comprehending it."
Jun Moxiao said, "All right! As long as you like it."
Jun Moxiao and his two companions bid farewell to Willow Deity and everyone in Stone Village, then dragged Big Red over to serve as their mount, carrying the three of them toward the Fire Kingdom.
Carrying the three of them, Big Red said, "Big brother! Three people is a bit over the weight limit."
Jun Moxiao said, "Big Red! You're already at the peak of the Inscription Realm, and you're telling me you're overloaded? Speaking of which, you took Little Red Vermilion Bird as your master, so why do you keep hanging around Stone Village? Don't you know to go visit your own master?"
Big Red shamelessly said, "I mainly want to stick with you big brothers."
Shi Hao also said, "Big Red, we'll probably run into Nine-Headed Lion and the others on this trip. It's been ages since we've seen them. I wonder how they're doing."
Big Red thought that among all his Fierce Beast friends, he might be the strongest. This was the perfect chance to show off, so he immediately said excitedly, "Sit tight, everyone. I'm speeding up!"
Heavenly Prodigies from the other seven regions of the Eight Lower Domains, the great sects of the Upper Realm, the Primordial Divine Mountain, and other forces gathered in the Fire Kingdom. Many Venerable powerhouses had also arrived.
Beyond discussing the Desolate Region Calamity, these gathered powerhouses actually wanted even more to uncover the Fire Kingdom's secrets. The Fire Kingdom held the secret to becoming a god, enough to drive countless Venerables mad. Others were asking about the secrets of the Supreme Divine Treasury.
The Fire Emperor had a headache too, busy dealing with the Venerable heavyweights from every faction, while Huo Ling'er received the prodigies. Powerhouses filled the entire Fire Kingdom Imperial Capital, and the Fire Emperor thought, If those two monsters, Jun Moxiao and Shi Hao, were here, I wouldn't have such a headache.
Watching the many Heavenly Prodigies from the Outer Regions act so arrogantly, Huo Ling'er also felt a headache coming on. She thought, If only junior brother Xiaoxiao and that rascal were here.
Most of these prodigies were arrogant and overbearing, strutting about with their noses in the air because they had Venerable powerhouses backing them. Some were relatively decent, however, such as Princess Qianqian, one of the Mystic Domain's ten great beauties. Princess Qianqian was indeed a stunning beauty, but she probably wasn't human. Two adorable white dragon horns grew from her forehead, rather like the Little Dragon Maiden in Sunny Pigsy. She was probably from some dragon race.
As Princess Qianqian walked along the imperial capital's streets, her stunning figure drew the attention of many prodigies. "Look! That's Princess Qianqian, one of the Mystic Domain's ten great beauties. She's also a prodigy, almost ready to enter the Formation Arrangement Realm and be crowned a king at such a young age."
Others said, "I heard Princess Qianqian has an older male cousin who's a madman. He joined the Western Heaven Sect and cultivated an indestructible vajra body. His cultivation has already reached the Formation Arrangement Realm, and he's been crowned a king."
Some Desolate Region Heavenly Prodigies said disdainfully, "No matter how impressive they are, let them try taking on Invincible Handsome Guy. Even Marquis of Desolate Heaven Shi Hao is beyond any of them."
Many beings from the Outer Regions had never seen Jun Moxiao or Shi Hao and immediately refused to accept this. Among them, Heavenly Prodigies from the Fire Bull Clan and Black Cloud Clan said, "You make your Desolate Region Heavenly Prodigies sound so godlike. Have them come compete with us. We'll make sure to trample them underfoot."
Just then, a Nine-Headed Golden Lion strode over imposingly, accompanied by members of the Fire Crow Clan and Five-Colored Luan Bird Clan. These were all Fierce Beast friends Shi Hao had made back in the Hundred Broken Mountains.
When Nine-Headed Lion heard these beings from the Outer Regions looking down on his big brother, anger immediately flared. He said, "Trash like you dares look down on my big brother? If you've got the ability, come fight me."
Huo Ling'er said worriedly, "Nine-Head, don't be rash."
Nine-Headed Lion said, "Princess, these fellows are too arrogant. I have to take them on and bolster my big brother's prestige."
Huo Ling'er could do nothing either. Those Outer Regions Heavenly Prodigies didn't think anything of the Desolate Region's Heavenly Prodigies at all. Clearly, they hadn't encountered junior brother Xiaoxiao and the others yet. Otherwise, none of them could have been so arrogant.
Nine-Headed Lion began fighting the Fire Bull Clan Heavenly Prodigy. After witnessing Jun Moxiao and Shi Hao's monstrous strength in the Hundred Broken Mountains, Nine-Headed Lion had returned to Xiling Beast Mountain and cultivated diligently. With the support of his grandfather, Nine-Spirit Saint King, his strength had risen to the mid Inscription Realm. He was doing quite well, defeating the Fire Bull Clan Heavenly Prodigy in just a few dozen exchanges.
Nine-Headed Lion declared imposingly, "I, Golden Lion, am mighty and majestic! You've seen how formidable I am now, haven't you?"
The Fire Bull Clan Heavenly Prodigy watched Nine-Headed Lion's smug expression and gnashed his teeth in hatred.
Meanwhile, urged on by Shi Hao, Big Red flew at full throttle and reached the Fire Kingdom Imperial Capital.
The moment they arrived, Jun Moxiao spotted Shi Hao's other little brother, Nine-Headed Lion, who had defeated the Fire Bull Clan prodigy and was roaring excitedly.
A Black Cloud Clan Heavenly Prodigy immediately issued a loud challenge, stepping forward to fight Nine-Headed Lion.
Jun Moxiao said to Shi Hao, "Let's change our appearances first. Hide Furball properly, and have Big Red shrink down too. Let's let those Outer Regions Heavenly Prodigies show off for a while, then step out and slap them in the face."
Shi Hao gave a mischievous grin. "I like that."
Thus, they quietly changed their appearances and watched in silence.
Before you continue