Perfect World

Chapter 588: Chapter 588: The Strongest God
 

Shi Hao fell silent. Had the elder said so much simply to test whether he was truly a disciple of the Supreme Hall? If so, he naturally wouldn’t join the Immortal Hall.

“I do wish to obtain the Detachment Chapter, but unfortunately, I lack such an opportunity,” he shook his head.

“Opportunity often presents itself when least expected. With your talents, young friend, I would not wish to see you become a successor of the Supreme Hall one day and stand in opposition to our Immortal Hall,” the elder remained amiable.

“You jest,” Shi Hao said as he looked at the elder, sensing a hidden ferocity emanating from him—not at all like a human, but rather like some sort of predator or Ferocious Beast.

His name was Yellow Feather. Could he be a Primordial fierce bird? Shi Hao pondered, unable to discern his true form, but it felt as dazzling as a golden sun.

“The elder comes from the Immortal Hall, must have cultivated nature greatly, and possesses an extraordinary perspective. With so many talents emerging from the higher realms, what is my meager potential in comparison?” Shi Hao said.

“There are only four adults in the Immortal Hall. What am I compared to them? I am just an old servant; how could I be qualified to be a member of the Immortal Hall?” the elder Yellow Feather said.

“Just now, I heard the elder suggest bringing me into the Immortal Hall, why this modesty now?” Shi Hao grew more convinced that the elder was testing him.

Yellow Feather smiled and said, “As the old servant of the Immortal Hall, despite my insufficient cultivation and lack of talent, I am still quite accurate in judging people. If there are any exceptionally brilliant ‘Primordial’ individuals or geniuses, I have the right to report them, and they might be able to join the Immortal Hall.”

“I am accustomed to being carefree. If I join the Immortal Hall, I am likely to repeatedly offend the rules,” Shi Hao shook his head.

“This is an opportunity. I will report it, and although it may not be successful, there is still some hope. Are you truly willing to give up so easily?” asked Yellow Feather.

“Forget it. I just want to live a peaceful life in the Lower Realm,” Shi Hao said.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ƝονǤ0.ᴄ0

For a moment, neither of them spoke. The elder, on the restaurant’s roof, leisurely poured and drank his own wine.

Shi Hao sat on the ridge of the imperial palace roof; although the two were more than twenty miles apart, they communicated telepathically through Divine Sense as if they were next to each other, without alarming anyone else.

“What does the elder seek to achieve by finding me?” asked Shi Hao, feeling that a battle was likely unavoidable.

“Of course, I prefer to coexist peacefully. I am not inclined to resort to arms,” the elder nodded, downing a cup of wine as if he hadn’t wandered the mundane world for a long time, finding even the ordinary food and drink intriguing.

“I have three conditions. As long as you agree, you can be the emperor on your own terms, and I will pursue my own fate without conflict,” said Yellow Feather.

“Speak!” Shi Hao knew it couldn’t be simple. There must be some issue, and he was curious about the elder’s conditions.

“First, my true form is that of a Divine Bird, and I wish to observe your Kun Peng’s technique to enhance my own Daoist practice,” Yellow Feather’s face was smiling as he stated his first condition.

“Continue,” Shi Hao said impassively.

“Second, I desire to study your Supreme Bone. Rest assured, I will not break it, merely observing with my body,” Yellow Feather’s smile was gentle.

Shi Hao remained silent, calmly looking at him.

“Third, I want to seal you for a hundred years, keeping your cultivation at the Venerable Realm, preventing any further breakthroughs,” Yellow Feather explained as his smile faded, further elaborating, “You’re growing too fast. Even if I mean to live peacefully with you, in a few decades, you would surpass me, and we could not coexist without conflict.”

“Why not just get rid of me directly? It would solve everything once and for all, so why bother with such trouble?” Shi Hao said coldly; the conditions were too harsh.

“Young friend, only this way can we truly coexist peacefully, without conflict. My word is my bond,” Yellow Feather said with a smile, his face wrinkles unfurling with the grin.

“If I agree, what freedom would I have left? My techniques would fall into your hands, my True Body suppressed, unable to cultivate, and my life and death under someone else’s control. How is this peaceful coexistence?!” Shi Hao retorted.

“This is the only way to avoid a fierce battle. Trust me, it’s beneficial for both you and me,” Yellow Feather said.

“I fail to see the benefit for me,” Shi Hao’s face darkened.

“I will help you unify the eight regions and become the Human Emperor of the Lower Realm, with billions of miles of territory under your control,” the elder said with a smile, golden flames flickering around him.

“And then?” Shi Hao asked coldly.

“Then, you and I will join forces to seek the great fortunes of the Lower Realm. For example, the Supreme Hall you care about—we could enter together,” the elder said.

“You’re after my blood, aren’t you?” Shi Hao’s expression turned even grimmer. He had discovered from the Three Gods’ sea of consciousness that entering the Supreme Hall required a special kind of Supreme Blood.

Yellow Feather’s wrinkled face spread out, as if he had suddenly grown younger by a dozen years, and with a gentle smile, he said, “This is a win-win.”

“You’re forcing me into a battle,” Shi Hao sighed and raised his voice, “Do you think I’ll just sit back and let you manipulate me?”

“Young man, you must think carefully before you act; there is no medicine for regret in this world, and some things cannot be undone once done,” the elder said calmly.

“You’re holding my neck ready for slaughter, yet you talk to me about thinking carefully. If our positions were reversed, how would you choose?!” Shi Hao rebuked.

“This world ultimately speaks with strength; there are not so many ‘what-ifs.’ I advise you not to start a war, or you won’t stand a chance,” Yellow Feather said with an undiminished smile on his face, though his tone had grown much heavier.

“Are you so sure of yourself?!” Shi Hao stood up, and though they were twenty-some li apart, his fighting spirit was high.

“The older I get, the more fearful I become. I have been to the Heaven Mending Pavilion, the North Sea, and even traveled around the Xiling Realm to understand things better. I should be able to take you down,” Yellow Feather stated.

Shi Hao was left speechless. The elder had really been cautious, going to such lengths to deal with him, a mere cultivator.

“Are you the strongest being who has crossed realms?” Shi Hao asked.

“Some were stronger than me, but they died in the process of crossing realms. Even the higher realms’ Sect Hierarch, who battled against destiny, had his limits,” the elder replied.

Regardless, he was the strongest among the Seven Gods who had survived.

Shi Hao leaped into the air and left Stone Capital, heading toward the distant mountains, unwilling to risk a potential battle affecting the great city.

“My friend, I urge you to consider this seriously, not just for yourself, but for the people of Stone Country,” the elder said peacefully, following behind unhurriedly.

“Are you threatening me?” Shi Hao’s eyes emitted Divine Radiance as he stood above a mountain range.

“It’s not a threat. I used to be a Ferocious Beast, and in earlier years, I killed to satisfy my hunger, eating many lives. For years I have restrained myself, especially since becoming the old servant of the Immortal Hall. But now that I have crossed realms, I feel I can appropriately release my instincts and eat some food,” the elder spoke before opening his mouth to create a golden vortex that sucked in the essence from all directions. From a small town some tens of li away, terrified screams rang out as figures were lifted into the sky, rapidly flying towards them.

In the blink of an eye, several hundred figures fell into the golden vortex, disappearing into his mouth.

“You!” Shi Hao was furious. The old man appeared weak, but was in fact ruthless and would stop at nothing once he decided.

“Human flesh really does have a good taste, it’s memorable,” he said, wiping a trickle of blood from his mouth, looking eerily strange. He seemed to be a kind and benevolent old man in a Daoist robe, but he had just devoured hundreds of people.

“You ferocious beast, utterly vicious and evil, even if I can’t eliminate you today, someday someone else will slay your Three Souls and Seven Spirits!” Shi Hao said, his face darkening.

“So, you’re insisting on fighting me?” Yellow Feather asked with a faint smile, his expression cooling, “Young man, being so impulsive, you mostly won’t live long.”

“Come and fight!” Shi Hao held the golden halberd and pointed at him, then flew towards even more distant mountains to avoid populated areas and prevent the innocent from being harmed.

“Since you’re so eager, I’ll make an effort and accompany you in a battle. However, you should not harbor illusions of taking me to the Xiling Realm, nor focus solely on fleeing; otherwise, I might just turn around and head back to Stone Capital, start by devouring a few tens of millions of people, then go to Immortal Mountain to visit your parents, brother. And maybe I should invite the War King, Peng Jiu, and others you know from Stone Capital out for a chat about the delicacies of this world, whether human flesh is the ultimate,” the elder said nonchalantly as though discussing a trivial matter, but there was an undercurrent of bloodthirstiness in his tone.

“You demon!” Shi Hao soared into the sky, speeding thousands of li to arrive in the great desolate area, halting in his tracks.

The mountainous area was vast, with continuous ridges and towering peaks, ancient woods, and dense forests.

Yellow Feather followed at a leisurely pace and said, “Since you’re willing to fight, then it’s a good opportunity for me to fulfill a wish from a great person from the higher realms and chop you down.”

“Is it that old husband from the Netherworld?” Shi Hao sneered.

Yellow Feather shook his head and replied, “No, my Immortal Hall has never cared for others’ thoughts. It was a very young adult from the hall who asked me to do this – someone only a few years older than you.”

“I don’t recall offending anyone from the Immortal Hall,” Shi Hao said coldly, genuinely puzzled.

“This adult, during his youth, traveled and was invited to visit the Heaven Mending Sect; after repeated requests from a prominent figure, he passed on a scroll of ancient scriptures to them. That scroll was secretly sent to the Lower Realm later and obtained by Fairy Yue Chan who wanted to cultivate primary and secondary avatars for immortality. I’m not sure if she succeeded. Recently, some news reached the higher realms suggesting Fairy Yue Chan confronted you, and some rumors emerged. That young adult from the hall was very displeased,” Yellow Feather explained, his smile growing colder.

“What does it have to do with him?!” Shi Hao rebuked.

“The Heaven Mending Sect intends to befriend my Immortal Hall, and Fairy Yue Chan has an extraordinary background, born under portents, destined to have great fortune. She may become a companion to a great person in our hall. When he heard the rumors, of course, he was displeased and had me take care of you on the side,” Yellow Feather stated, his smile chilling.

“What a displeasure, what a casual resolution. That so-called young adult is truly carefree, self-assured to the extreme. Do they really think the Immortal Hall rules over all?” Shi Hao said icily.

(To be continued. If you like this work, welcome to Qidian (qidian.com) to vote for recommendation tickets and monthly tickets. Your support is my greatest motivation. Mobile users, please visit m.qidian.com to read.)