A vast, icy Saint pressure swept through the entire deep valley in an instant, like a cold tide engulfing heaven and earth.
Bone-chilling dark cold enveloped the surroundings, freezing the sound of the wind and stifling the air currents. The entire space became heavy and rigid, filled with the absolute oppression of a Saint.
Hidden in the shadows of the dense forest, Shi Hao knew his whereabouts had been completely exposed.
Before a true Saint's spiritual perception, all concealment, disguises, and suppression of one's aura were meaningless.
He no longer deliberately suppressed his aura, nor did he remain in hiding.
The surging hot blood in his chest slowly settled, and all the restless spiritual energy throughout his body drew inward and became one.
With an unhurried step, Shi Hao slowly emerged from the dark shadows of the dense forest.
The thirteen-year-old stood tall as a mountain peak, his figure straight as a sword.
Though his body still bore the youthful slenderness of a boy, he stood beneath the Saint pressure with his back straight and his pride unbending.
His eyes were clear and sharp. Fearing neither the powerful enemy nor the pressure, he faced the veteran Saint before him without the slightest retreat or timidity.
In the valley clearing, the high-ranking members of the Shadow Church gathered at the stone stronghold's entrance all turned at the sound.
Several cold gazes instantly locked onto the boy who had suddenly appeared, and their expressions changed.
Among them, the warrior of the ninth rank who served as their captain had spent years traveling abroad, gathering intelligence, and broadening his knowledge. The moment he saw Shi Hao's face clearly, his body jolted and his pupils sharply contracted.
Disbelief filled his face as he cried out involuntarily, his voice laden with utter shock:
"It's him!