The Waste Land's Shadow

Though separated by over a thousand li, the terrifying sight of demon clouds blotting out the sun and the heavens themselves cracking apart was still clearly visible. That was undoubtedly a supreme expert—perhaps a paragon among the Supreme Ancestral Gods, perhaps a near-complete Stone Man, or perhaps even a Stone Man who had already taken that legendary final step.

The black corpse-fog stretched for tens of thousands of li, utterly overbearing. Yet this was not arrogance—it was the unguarded expression of true power, for this being was strong enough to roam the Celestial Realm without fear. For tens of thousands of li, not a single living thing dared rise to challenge it. The entire region lay in absolute silence.

Xiao Chen had long since hidden himself within the divine diagram, sealing the ancient scroll outside it and finally offering up the half stone skull. With three layers of supreme power shielding him, he masked his aura. He had no desire to be dragged out the moment he arrived in the Celestial Realm. The situation was unclear, and he urgently needed to understand this sacred land, lest he court lethal disaster.

Rolling demon clouds surged like a tide, all pouring into that chaotic passage. Without a doubt, it led to the Waste Land. Xiao Chen watched from afar, wanting to see what that ancient relic of a bygone age would do next.

Before long, the corpse-qi that stretched for tens of thousands of li had all rushed into the passage and vanished completely. Heaven and earth returned to clarity. He waited long, but no black mist emerged.

"He has entered the Waste Land..." Xiao Chen frowned. The passage now held only a single great palace. He wondered if that figure could breach it.

And so Xiao Chen waited for a full twelve hours, but not a single ripple came from the passage. It was only three days later that the chaotic channel erupted with surging divine power, like a volcano spewing forth. Black mist gushed out, blotting out heaven and earth, and without pausing for a moment, it surged toward the distant horizon like a mighty river.

It came and went in haste, but its departure seemed somewhat hasty—it had shattered a long section of the chaotic passage.

Xiao Chen was unsettled. Had that being encountered resistance in the Waste Land? On reflection, only that great palace could wield such power, for it had once crushed a Stone Man to death alive. He was about to step out from hiding when two streaks of rainbow light flew in and stopped before the chaotic passage. Their forms were hazy, their true features obscured. They did not enter the passage, only watched.

"So something has truly happened. No wonder that ancient relic of a Stone Corpse extended its divine sense here. The Waste Land's portal, sealed for eons, has burst open."

"A being like that Stone Corpse is rarely stirred. Legend says the Waste Land was once a place of fearsome renown. That Stone Corpse has lived through untold ages, so naturally it is sensitive to such a place."

The two hazy figures murmured before the chaotic passage. Though they were a thousand li away, Xiao Chen could clearly catch their spiritual fluctuations. "Should we enter and explore?"

"Forget it. If there were any benefit, the Stone Corpse would have claimed it already. Going now would be nothing but pointless risk. Remember, that place once produced not just a single Stone Man—it was not much weaker than the Celestial Realm of old. Even though it is now destroyed, some forbidden things cannot be erased. The Stone Corpse's hurried departure just now shows it gained nothing."

"Eh… is this not the region where the Lotus King's divine city once stood?" another powerful cultivator exclaimed in surprise. "I recall a blood lotus later grew here, cultivating to the War Ancestor realm—nothing to be underestimated. But now it has vanished."

The other figure swept the area with a frown. "That blood lotus has likely fallen. I can feel residual blood energy in the lake. Let us leave this place quickly, lest we bring trouble upon ourselves."

"Agreed. But do you think the sudden opening of this passage was the work of some person, not the erosion of time? Could someone within the Waste Land have survived, entered the Celestial Realm, and killed the blood lotus?"

"That kind of speculation must not be spoken carelessly. Let us withdraw."

They transformed into two rainbows and vanished in an instant. Xiao Chen waited a long while before manifesting his true form. He did not linger, but instantly teleported tens of thousands of li away, putting great distance between himself and that place.

He had only just arrived in the Celestial Realm, yet he had already heard of two great figures: the Lotus King and the Stone Corpse, both apparently at the very peak of the Celestial Realm's hierarchy. The black mist he had seen was merely an aftershock of the Stone Corpse's divine sense probing outward—one could only imagine how unfathomable the being itself was. This filled Xiao Chen with immense pressure. He was a stranger in the Celestial Realm, knowing no one. Rushing into an encounter with a being of that level would likely end in obliteration without even a chance to cry foul.

Whom could he seek for aid? There should be supporters of the Nine Provinces in the Celestial Realm, but now he was a foreigner with no friends or family. He urgently needed to learn everything about this place.

The Celestial Realm was truly beyond vast. Xiao Chen walked more than twenty thousand li and saw not a single cultivator, not even a trace of human activity. He encountered many strange beasts, many of which were legendary extinct species, and from them he gleaned fragments of information about the Celestial Realm.

After traveling thirty thousand li, he saw fire blazing into the sky ahead. Waves of powerful divine energy rolled forth.

Three great mountains stood side by side, their peaks piercing the clouds. They were red all over, glowing like heated iron, radiating scorching light. Around the three blazing fire mountains, flames raged fiercely, enveloping several hundred li in a sea of fire. Scorching heat blasted his face.

"It seems I will have to find an Ancestral God-level expert to enlighten me," Xiao Chen murmured, staring at the three red mountains. He sensed that this was no ordinary place—some extraordinary figure must reside here.

Suddenly, he stopped. For ahead, someone was performing great divine arts. Colliding sacred techniques ought to have sent divine light blazing into the sky, but they were sealed within the three mountains by a boundary. "Chihuo Qi, I am only borrowing that fire treasure from you, not taking it by force. Why so stubborn?"

"I told you—that fire-attributed supreme treasure is in the hands of the Qilin Ancestor. I have no idea where it is."

"Chihuo Qi, do not force me to be unpleasant. The Qilin Ancestor vanished long ago. It is said that the fire treasure was passed down, and he has only a few descendants of impure blood. It cannot be with anyone else—it must be with you."

"No means no. I have nothing more to say." Chihuo Qi's tone was resolute.

"Chihuo Qi, do not spurn kindness and refuse toast for wine. You are nothing but a War Ancestor—do you truly believe you can stand alone against the Celestial Realm? Should war break out, people without backing are the first to suffer."

"Are you threatening me? Sorry, no means no."

Another exchange of divine arts clashed fiercely, shaking the mountains. "Enough. Let us go to the Phoenix Palace on the Sun Star and borrow a powerful fire treasure there." A young voice spoke, and the clash stopped. At the same time, divine splendor soared, ethereal music drifted, and a group of cultivators surrounded two divine chariots drawn by eight bizarre primordial beasts of different kinds. The chariots flew into the distance.

"What a grand display," Xiao Chen remarked inwardly. He could see that the cultivators around the chariots were not worth worrying about—they were transformed plants, insects, and beasts. But the people within the chariots were mysterious, clearly of some background. He could not gauge their depth.

"One of them should be a War Ancestor. His clash with Chihuo Qi just now didn't settle the winner." Xiao Chen guessed, as he had heard their voices from the deep mountains even though he could not see the fight.

When the two chariots had completely disappeared, Xiao Chen walked toward the blazing red mountain. Only a cultivator of his level could withstand the heat; any ordinary practitioner would have been reduced to ashes. "A wandering cultivator of the Celestial Realm seeks an audience with Senior Chihuo Qi," he transmitted his voice at the mountain gate.

"This mountain is closed. No more visitors. Please return."

"I have no ill intent—I only came to seek guidance." Xiao Chen had finally found a powerful cultivator and was not about to give up. Sensing Xiao Chen's strength and knowing he could not easily block him, the mountain emitted a thunderous rumble. A staircase of ninety-nine flame stone steps descended and spread before Xiao Chen, blazing with fire. He climbed up and soon reached the midsection of the central mountain, stopping before a cave-mouth that roared with divine flames.

A red-faced, middle-aged man wreathed in fire emerged from the blazing cave. "I do not participate in the struggles between major powers. The fire treasure is not here. I have told you the truth. Please return."

Xiao Chen was startled. It seemed the Celestial Realm was not at peace either—some major event was brewing. "I did not come for the so-called fire treasure. I truly wished to ask Senior some questions."

"Fine words. You all scour the world for the Five Element treasures, hoping to gather them into one, all to find that heaven-defying war treasure." Though Chihuo Qi was wreathed in divine flames, his voice was ice-cold. "Senior, you misunderstand. I have been in seclusion for many years. Only now have I emerged, only to find that a day in the cave is ten thousand years in the world. The Celestial Realm has changed so much that I feel utterly lost. I wanted to ask Senior to enlighten me on what has happened here over the years."

Hearing this, Chihuo Qi's expression softened a little. "It is nothing more than the various great powers, each backed by a giant among the supreme beings, fighting to overturn heaven and earth tens of thousands of years ago. The Celestial Realm was greatly changed. Now they are at each other's throats again, and it will likely bring suffering to the common people. A heaven-defying war treasure is about to appear—many have already divined it and are preparing to gather the Five Element divine treasures to search for it."

"Giants among the supreme beings?" Xiao Chen frowned. The Celestial Realm seemed precarious. "Naturally, it all stems from the fuse of the lower worlds spreading upward." Chihuo Qi frowned as he spoke. "This time, it seems very bad—it might repeat the nightmare of the chaotic lands." Suddenly, two beams of fire shot from his eyes as he stared at Xiao Chen. "You are not from the Celestial Realm. You came up from the lower world. How is that possible?! All passages are sealed now. Even Celestial Realm beings cannot go down easily. How could you come up?" He staggered back a few steps, his face dark and uncertain. "Leave quickly. I have not seen you."

"Senior, what do you mean?"

"I do not want to be caught up in the fallout. Leave this place now." Chihuo Qi was absolutely firm. "How do you know I come from the lower world?" Xiao Chen was deeply surprised—he had to clarify this. "Those who have long lived in the Celestial Realm can naturally sense that the aura on your body is different. The divine essence you have condensed is not of the Celestial Realm. If you do not wish to be discovered, you must quickly find a secluded place, wash away the lower-world divine essence, and recondense the Celestial Realm's vital energy. It will not take long."

Xiao Chen broke out in a cold sweat. "Leave. I do not want to bring trouble upon myself." Chihuo Qi's tone was resolute. "The Celestial Realm today is very delicate. Not only do the giants gaze down upon all gods, but there are also undying warriors from eons past..." He suddenly stopped, as if afraid to speak further, and only urged Xiao Chen to leave.

Seeing this, Xiao Chen knew he could not stay. He did not wish to truly bring great calamity upon someone else. As he turned to leave, he said, "I am leaving now. But please do tell me—how vast is the Celestial Realm? Which direction should I take to avoid disaster?" He had no intention of recklessly charging into the territory of some giant or terrifying figure, for the Celestial Realm was rumored to be fraught with hidden perils.

"The Celestial Realm has no boundaries. Even the strong of this realm cannot fathom its limits." Seeing Xiao Chen truly leaving, Chihuo Qi added, "You had best not barge into anyone else's domain. If you encounter a supreme expert, they might see through your origin at a glance. You should be from the Nine Provinces—blood of the chaotic lands. They are at a disadvantage in the Celestial Realm."

Xiao Chen nodded in gratitude for the kind warning. As he walked out of the mountain gate, he asked another question, "Those people just now...?"

"They are your enemies. Avoid them." Chihuo Qi watched Xiao Chen's fading figure. "Be careful. It is possible that your appearance in the Celestial Realm has already been divined by some supreme being."

Xiao Chen was jolted. He was now a being comparable to an Ancestral God—could someone still see through such heavenly secrets? Did he have no secrets at all? This Celestial Realm was terrifying beyond measure. He left the three blazing red mountains and traveled a few hundred li before the flames receded.

Suddenly, he felt a powerful murderous intent!

Beasts roared. The two divine chariots that had disappeared earlier now appeared in the sky, eight primordial monsters bellowing as they rode the clouds, blocking Xiao Chen's path. The transformed attendants of plants, insects, and beasts all halted in the distance, daring not advance. The two experts within the chariots seemed to have considerable backing—otherwise, why such a grand display? They had earlier claimed they were going to the Phoenix Palace to borrow a fire treasure, yet now they lay in ambush here. They must have noticed him earlier.

"We truly did not need to go to such trouble—scheming and lying in wait. We could have simply killed that Chihuo Qi and taken the fire treasure. There was no need for such fine calculation." The middle-aged man's voice was full of dominance and arrogance, as if Chihuo Qi and Xiao Chen were no concern of his.

A young man's voice came from the other chariot, indifferent and cold. "What if one day that Qilin Ancestor comes back alive and learns we killed his few remaining descendants? That would be a great mess. Isn't it safer to wait here? Let others go on the borrowing mission. When they bring out the treasure, we kill them. In these troubled times, the deaths of a few minor figures will not be investigated."

"What faction do you belong to? Under which giant's banner?" The middle-aged man in the chariot asked coldly through the curtain, as if everything was under his control. "What does it matter to you whose banner I am under?" Xiao Chen replied forcefully, knowing he had to be strong, or his weakness would be exposed. "Hm? Speak up. It would be unfortunate if we killed someone from our own camp."

"It has nothing to do with you." Xiao Chen first adjusted his identity as a wandering cultivator, implying a powerful legacy. "I did not come for the fire treasure. You should be able to sense that I carry no fire-attribute spiritual treasures. If you are waiting to intercept the treasure, you may be disappointed."

The middle-aged man's voice turned bitingly cold. "You are quite arrogant. If you do not speak, do not blame us for acting without mercy."

"Are you trying to kill me?" Xiao Chen swept his gaze over the two chariots. "You may not be able to keep me here. If it comes to that, we shall see how this ends."

"An ant trying to pass itself off as the descendant of some giant is ridiculous. You may not know that true descendants of the great powers all have special marks..."

Xiao Chen sneered. "I might as well tell you. I am the successor of an undying warrior from eons past!"

"Impossible!" Shocked exclamations came from both chariots. "Something is wrong!" The young man's voice came from the other chariot, filled with surprise. "He is not from the Celestial Realm. He has the aura of the lower world. He is... a sinner from the chaotic lands! How is that possible?! How did he get up here?!"

At the same time, Xiao Chen was even more shocked than they were. For a certain brand within him was trembling—the supreme imprint of an Otherworld Stone-Man King, fully manifested with divine resonance, was on the verge of condensing into a tangible form within his body. The descendant of that Otherworld Stone-Man King from eons past! Xiao Chen made the judgment instantly. A descendant of that king had actually reached the Celestial Realm...

"Kill him!" the young man in the chariot shouted. "He must not be allowed to contact anyone else!"

"Do not let him escape alive!" the middle-aged man also issued a cold, merciless command.

At this moment, the great Dao imprint in Xiao Chen's heart grew clearer, on the verge of fully manifesting. Seeing this, his eyes also filled with killing intent. Even if they had not planned to surround and kill him, he would have to eliminate them proactively—otherwise, the trouble was unimaginable! This inheritance must not be allowed to escape. If this Dao lineage continued, the threat was beyond imagination!