Chapter Thirty-Nine: Settling Old Scores, Eradicating the Roots

Time slipped by like a fleeting white colt, and before anyone realized, three years had passed.

In Stone Village of the Great Wilderness, a vibrant willow tree at the village entrance exuded boundless vitality. Wisps of cooking smoke curled through the air, and a group of shirtless men honed their bodies in the central square. Massive boulders, each as large as a small hill, seemed weightless in their hands, their bronzed skin emitting a radiant aura of power.

Accompanied by the spirited yet still youthful shouts of children, a group of boys and girls—none older than eleven or twelve, the youngest barely three or four—ran around the training grounds, lifting stones of various weights. Beads of sweat streamed down their small faces, but not a single one uttered a word of complaint.

On the hill outside the village, where Chen Xing had so often stood in silent contemplation, a boy of about ten gazed into the distance from the summit, a monkey companion quietly at his side.

Longing filled the boy’s eyes. This was the same Little Stone—Shi Hao—of years past, now ten years old. After three years of diligent cultivation, his Primal Chaos Heaven-Opening Scripture had reached its third layer, making him one of the strongest among the village children.

Over these three years, all the villagers had practiced the Ninefold Mystical Art left by Chen Xing. Their strength had soared; the strongest among them, building upon already solid foundations, had reached the fifth revolution within three years—equivalent to the Escape One Realm of this world, only a step away from the Supreme Realm. Should word of such swift progress leak out, the great powers would surely tremble, perhaps even unite in desperate struggle to seize this cultivation method.

With a soft sigh, Shi Hao turned to the demon ape beside him. “Brother Ape, three years have passed, and Master has still not returned. Could something have happened to delay him?”

The demon ape shook his head. “No. Your master’s skills are beyond imagination. If he wished to return, nothing could stand in his way.”

“Then why hasn’t he come back? Since Master left, even the Willow God has not appeared in true form. If only he had, I could have asked him and perhaps found a clue.” Shi Hao’s voice was tinged with disappointment.

The demon ape did not respond further. Benefiting from Shi Hao’s presence, he too had studied the Ninefold Mystical Art and now possessed Supreme-level strength. Within Stone Village, only the Willow God and the three Golden Spirits surpassed him; even Shi Hao’s grandfather, the Demon King Shi Zhongtian, was a little inferior.

Just as Shi Hao prepared to return to the village with the demon ape, a cool and ethereal voice echoed at his ear: “Child, come here.”

“Willow God!” Shi Hao cried out in delight, racing toward the village.

At the village entrance, the Willow God—who had not assumed a human form for three years—stood by the altar, still cloaked in green radiance that concealed his appearance. Yet unlike before, flickers of fiery red now danced within the emerald glow, lending an eerie and mysterious air.

Shi Hao hurried to his side, his face shining with joy. “Willow God, have you awakened?” For three years, he had visited the Willow God countless times, always receiving no response. Now, seeing him awake, Shi Hao was overjoyed.

Before the Willow God could answer, Shi Hao anxiously asked, “Now that three years have passed, my master promised to accompany me to the Stone Kingdom to settle the score with the Shi Yi bloodline. But he’s still nowhere to be seen. Willow God, do you know where he has gone?”

Seeing Shi Hao’s anxious expression, the Willow God sighed inwardly and replied, “When your master left, he instructed me to take you to the Stone Kingdom when the time came. He will appear when the moment is right. Go and make your preparations; I will take you there shortly.” With that, he vanished from Shi Hao’s sight.

Though the Willow God’s answer left him somewhat disappointed, Shi Hao remembered his master’s promise and felt hope rekindled. He rushed back to the village to arrange matters for the journey to the Stone Kingdom.

Shi Hao’s news caused a stir throughout the village. When they heard he was heading to the Martial King’s Palace of the Stone Kingdom to avenge the theft of his Supreme Bone, everyone was indignant and insisted on accompanying him to seek justice.

Under the old village chief Shi Yunfeng’s direction, nine villagers would accompany Shi Hao to the Stone Kingdom, while the rest would remain to guard the village as a reserve force in case anything happened.

Seeing everyone’s preparations, Shi Zhongtian could not help but laugh wryly. The so-called Martial King’s Palace, with its highest cultivation at the Marquess level, could not possibly withstand the onslaught of these villagers. A single Golden Spirit at the True Immortal Realm could destroy the entire kingdom, let alone the presence of the Willow God.

Those accompanying Shi Hao included the three women—now True Immortals—who had resolved from the moment Chen Xing left that they would depart with him once this matter was settled. The Supreme-level demon ape, Shi Hao’s battle companion, was also an essential part of the group.

Shi Zhongtian and Shi Ziling, both at the threshold of the Supreme Realm, along with Qin Yining at the Sever My Ego Realm, were Shi Hao’s family and could not be left behind. Fire Spirit Princess and Shi Hao, both insistent on joining, rounded out the group to nine. The toddler Qin Hao in Qin Yining’s arms was simply ignored by everyone.

Such an assembly could sweep across the entire Lower Realm and its Eight Wastes. To direct such overwhelming power at the Martial King’s Palace and the Shi Yi lineage was almost bullying, Shi Zhongtian thought with a wry smile.

The ten of them gathered at the village entrance to bid farewell. Behind the Willow God, thousands of willow branches shimmered with profound runes, enveloping the group in a green radiance that whisked them away from Stone Village in the blink of an eye.

The villagers were unconcerned by the Willow God’s temporary absence; with the village’s current strength, there was no longer any power in the Great Wilderness that could threaten them. Who could have imagined that a tiny Stone Village now possessed the might to dominate the entire region?

...

At the Martial King’s Palace of the Stone Kingdom, the entrance was tranquil—until a shimmering emerald light descended from the heavens, blanketing the area before the palace gates.

In an instant, several figures rushed out of the palace and gathered at the entrance. As the green glow faded, more than ten figures became visible.

“Who dares trespass upon the Martial King’s Palace!” a thunderous voice roared.

From among the palace defenders, an old man stepped forward, shouting at the newly arrived group.

“Ninth Brother, it’s been years—you’ve grown more imposing! Martial King’s Palace? What an impressive title,” a cold, sinister voice replied from the newcomers. A tall elder stepped forth, anger etched across his face as he glared at the old man.

“Fifteenth Brother!” the palace elder gasped.

This was none other than Shi Zhongtian, Shi Hao’s grandfather, and the group behind him were the villagers from Stone Village. The elder called Ninth Brother was Shi Li, the same man who had led the attack on Shi Hao’s father years ago when the palace was thrown into chaos.

Unlike the original path, Shi Hao did not storm the Martial King’s Palace alone, nor had he opened ten cave heavens, nor gained fame at such a young age. To outsiders, this group seemed utterly ordinary, devoid of any oppressive aura.

Upon seeing Shi Zhongtian, Shi Li’s face darkened to the point of dripping water. Because of Chen Xing’s intervention, this reckoning had come three years earlier than in the original timeline. Shi Zhongtian had been rescued and never returned to wreak havoc at the palace; he had learned of Shi Hao’s Supreme Bone being stolen only from his own son.

“My dear Ninth Brother, you really served my branch well!” Shi Zhongtian thundered, finally unable to suppress the fury he’d harbored for years.

His precious, perfect grandson, born a Supreme, had his Supreme Bone gouged out by his own kin—leaving an infant barely a year old at death’s door. Had fate not intervened, the child would have perished. How could he not be consumed with rage?

Shi Li, realizing Shi Zhongtian knew the truth, dropped any pretense. “What’s done is done. For the future of the Martial King’s Palace, there was no other choice.”

“The future of the Martial King’s Palace?” came a clear, ringing voice. Qin Yining and her husband Shi Ziling stepped forward, cradling Qin Hao. “I have another Supreme Bone here—should I offer it to you as well?”

“You… you’ve returned?” Shi Li recoiled in shock.

Years ago, Shi Ziling and his wife had stormed the Martial King’s Palace and given Shi Li a thorough beating. Now, confronted with them again, he could not help but feel fear.

Only now did Shi Li notice just how many people had arrived. Fixing his eagle eyes on Shi Zhongtian, he demanded, “Fifteenth Brother, have you come to take vengeance on the Martial King’s Palace? Don’t forget, you are one of us—are you not afraid of the Sovereign Emperor’s judgment?”

“Oh? And now you fear consequences? When you committed such vile and ruthless deeds, did you ever consider this day would come?” Shi Hao stepped forward to stand beside his mother, his tone cool and calm.

“Exactly! Anyone capable of such cruelty should have known this day would come. What you owed then must be repaid today!” Fire Spirit Princess declared fiercely. As a royal of the Fire Kingdom, she hardly cared about a mere Stone Kingdom—let alone its Martial King’s Palace.

Seeing even these youths dare to act so arrogantly, Shi Li’s face grew darker. “And who are you two to speak so boldly? Are you not afraid of annihilation?”

Shi Hao saw his grandfather about to lose control and gently stopped him, replying coldly to Shi Li, “Who are you to ask my name? Where is Shi Yi? Bring him out. It’s time the old accounts were settled.”

“Hahahaha! You think you can just meet Yi’er? He is the pride of the Martial King’s Palace, not someone a nobody like you can see!” Shi Li laughed, his anger boiling over.

Before Shi Hao’s group could respond, a blur swept through the scene. Shi Li’s laughter was suddenly cut short as he shrieked in agony—his limbs severed, leaving only his torso writhing on the ground, not even comprehending what had happened.

All eyes turned to the golden-furred monkey standing in the center of the field. Its furious voice thundered, “Dare insult my master, and death will be a mercy!”

Shi Hao, unfazed by the demon ape’s action, said calmly, “Brother Ape, my master said that today, the Shi Yi bloodline must be rooted out—no one is to be spared.”

Instantly, a murderous aura engulfed the field, surging into the heavens, pressing down on the Martial King’s Palace and leaving all within gasping for breath.