Perfect World

Shi Hao breathed deeply in and out, causing his chest to rise and fall. This battle had left him completely exhausted. Even though not much time had passed, it was still a difficult battle.

Just now, he had displayed everything he had studied up to this point and pushed his body to its limit. Otherwise, the battle would have persisted for at least half a day.

Since even Shi Hao treated it seriously, it was clear just how difficult that test had been. Only by risking it all against the true flame could he win. This was quite a rare sight.

After he made his first public appearance, the number of times he had to fight so seriously could be counted on one hand!

It was easy to talk about, but this battle was truly not easy for him to win. The black arena had completely vanished, and the only thing that could be heard within the vast palace hall was his heavy breathing. Only after a long time did he calm down.

“Truly worthy of being known as an ancient deity’s challenge!” He said.

Regardless of whether it was Little Red’s ancestors or the Fire Nation’s Holy Emperor, they were all deities. After he thought about it for a bit, he realized that an arena left behind by ancient deities should be this difficult.

If it was any normal person, they would not have any hopes of passing. Even pure-blooded creatures would fail!

Four thick pillars lit up. The entirely vermillion pillars towered within the ruined arena, seeming as if they could prop up the heavens. An extremely shocking fluctuation was released from them.

Shi Hao walked forward. This was the Archaic Vermillion Bird’s Four-Fold Barrage!

There was a record carved on each pillar. They were tyrannical imprints, and the divine might they exuded could be felt from far away. The pressure was so great that it was almost suffocating.

Shi Hao stopped before the first fiery pillar. It was wrapped in flames, and fiery light surged all about. A Vermillion Bird was moving about, displaying the stance of breaking into the nine heavens.

It was not an immobile figure. Its wings continuously moved about, taking it up into the skies and down into the underworld.

Shi Hao calmed his mind and began to carefully research it. His natural talents in cultivation were extremely high, and no matter what he learned, his speed would be extremely fast. He could use ordinary symbol precious techniques with just a glance.

However, he did not move for a long time and carefully studied it. He was scared of missing anything, and so he wholeheartedly devoted his attention.

Just like that, Shi Hao stood there pondering for an entire day and night. Afterwards, his limbs slowly extended. His arms were like a pair of wings, and his legs stepped on the air itself. His entire body erupted with a domineering aura.

He soared into the air and continuously evolved. He displayed the tyrannical Archaic Vermillion Bird’s attributes to great detail, and a domineering wave of Yang power erupted.

The archaic Vermillion Bird’s control over the essence of fire could burn down gods and demons. It was extremely ferocious and tyrannical.

The Four-Fold Barrage was not a fire dao divine ability. Instead, it fully displayed the Vermillion BIrd’s domineering might by pushing one’s flesh and symbols to an unimaginable level.

Even someone like him whose powerful body did not fear even the golden body of Heaven Mending Sect, his bones were continuously making sounds. Pi pa sounds rang out continuously, like that of beans being stir-fried. His entire body trembled.

Any normal person would have already split apart into small pieces. They would have been destroyed before this tyrannical technique was even utilized.

Following that, Shi Hao walked towards the second large pillar. After studying there for a while, the sound of chanting rang out through the entire area, startling him quite a bit. When he looked up, he saw faint golden light flickering about.

“Divine Manor…” He was shocked! The Holy Emperor’s Palace actually had this kind of effect. Even after cultivating here for a few months, only a few days would have passed in the outside world.

After thinking about it, he felt that this should be the case. Even the ordinary divine palaces had miraculous effects, let alone this even more extraordinary place.

As a result, Shi Hao relaxed. He no longer had to worry about missing the great decisive battle!

The four enormous scarlet pillars revealed the archaic Vermillion Bird’s technique. Shi Hao’s thoughts submerged himself completely into an intense state of mind.

Sometimes, he would stand for several days and nights on end, and other times, he would suddenly leap into the air and continuously unfold his body. What emerged was a forceful and oppressive technique that gave off the grandeur of a heaven shattering dao.

It was just four strikes, yet they embodied and contained a tremendous amount of symbols. These were things left behind by a few deities, and even if someone was able to reach where he was now, they would still find it difficult to understand everything.

This did not leave Shi Hao discouraged but instead made him even more excited. It seemed like this technique was sizing him up in order to activate it. The necessary body strength to support the technique wasn’t an issue for him at all.

He brought out a few magical artifacts and tossed them into the air. He then soared up and spread his limbs to move as nimbly as a Vermillion Bird. It was as if he could strike down the stars from the nine heavens.

Bo!

The sound of shattering rang out in midair. It was just too bold and powerful! The Archaic Vermillion Bird’s Four-Fold Barrage was ferocious and tyrannical. His entire body was wrapped in scarlet flames and crimson light. When he rushed out like that, several precious artifacts cracked apart and exploded into pieces. They were turned into ashes in midair.

Just the initial test already produced frightening power!

After analyzing it for several more months, the four-fold strikes were advanced to their peak. He had already thoroughly comprehended the complicated mysteries within. The requirements for those that used it were extremely high.

Shi Hao had met all of the requirements. His body did not break, and his physique was firm and powerful, so he was not injured in the slightest when using the Archaic Vermillion Bird’s Four-Fold Barrage.

An overbearing technique like this was extremely suitable for decisive battles. It was fierce and oppressive. When used, it had enough power to shake the stars in the sky!

Needless to say, the archaic Vermillion Bird from back then could look down on the nine heavens and earth. It could pluck stars from the sky and overpower the sun without any problems.

Four stone steles appeared before him without a sound. They were pitch-black and flowing with a dark and cold luster. There were a few characters on top that explained that they could be used to test whether the cultivation succeeded.

Shi Hao’s eyes were clear and bright. When he raised his hand, his palm and fingers were bright red. A symbol appeared at the center of his palm as he forcefully pressed his arm down.

Hong!

The first stone tablet was shattered, the second one exploded, the third split into pieces, and the fourth one cracked apart before ultimately collapsing!

These were fragments of stars that were refined into steles through a technique. They were solid and nearly indestructible like the Archaic Divine Mountains, yet in the end, they were completely shattered with a single palm.

According to what was inscribed, this was prepared for a true Vermillion Bird to test their results. Needless to say, he had just passed it perfectly!

Everything disappeared, and even the four stone structures were flattened. The marks on top faded before completely vanishing.

Several days later, Huo Ling’er woke up. Her entire being seemed extraordinary. The Holy Imperial Scripture above her head weakened before flying away. Soon after, it vanished into a drizzle of light.

Many natural laws appeared within Huo Ling’er’s mind. She was clearly much different now. Even her lively eyes seemed much deeper now, and only after a while did they return to normal.

“The great hall is quite big, so we should continue forward. Their should still be some more good things.” Based on what she heard from the Fire Emperor, even though each person’s opportunities were different, it definitely was not only this much.

“Alright, let’s proceed forward. I’m hoping to get a Vermillion Bird’s true bone from this,” Shi Hao said.

When Huo Ling’er heard what he said, she shot him a look. Their clan possessed the blood of the Vermillion Bird within them, so there was a deep connection between them and the ancient bird!

Her graceful body shifted into various postures, and her beautiful hair flew about. Her tall and alluring body did not possess the slightest blemish, and after experiencing the dao comprehension, her entire being became more refined and otherworldly. A holy radiance was emanating from her pure white skin.

Mist covered the main hall densely. Streaks of scarlet multicolored lights would dance about as the two sped along. The areas they passed through were all extremely quiet, and only after a long time did a bright and resplendent region appear.

They could see a brilliant light even from far away. The main hall was no longer hazy, and instead was bright and blazing with radiance. Sounds of water could be heard from up ahead.

“What is this?” Shi Hao was startled.

Up ahead, the mist had dispersed, but the dazzling light was difficult to overcome. It came from two ponds, as if divine treasures were appearing in this world.

Huo Ling’er also cried out in surprise, as if she was looking at the most shocking sight in the world. She clenched her small fists, and on her face, extreme joy and excitement could be seen. She was jumping and hopping about while squealing continuously, completely losing her earnest and dignified appearance.

“I didn’t think that we would be able to find this place! This is the Pond of Rebirth, and it isn’t something that everyone who enters will have the luck of encountering! This is the foundation of the Holy Emperor’s Palace’s greatness.” Her eyes were burning with passion, as if she had discovered a heavenly treasury.

Shi Hao discovered a monument, and on top were the words ‘Pond of Rebirth’.

They hurried forward. There were two ponds in front of them, arranged side by side. They were both incomparably bright with gold and crimson lights erupting forth together. Magma filled the interior, and there was even vegetation growing.

Just the words ‘Pond of Rebirth’ on the monument alone was enough to stir Shi Hao’s heart greatly.

After drawing closer and examining it a bit more, he became extremely shocked. Each pond was one zhang in length and full of scarlet magma. There were golden lotuses growing within that surged with vitality.

“These plants grow within the magma?”

There were ten or so inside, filling up the magma pond. They were not that large, but they were extremely brilliant. The petals were golden in color and emitted a sweet fragrance.

Furthermore, the most unique part of this place was that every once in a while, a drop of golden liquid would descend into the scarlet liquid, bringing with it a faint golden luster.

“Divine substance!” Shi Hao was moved.

He realized that the most unique part of the Pond of Rebirth was the liquid dropping from above. The golden liquid was a bit familiar.

The golden divine substance refined from the Yang Fish also possessed this aura, but it was far from being this powerful. In addition, the scarlet lava together with the faint golden drop that descended from midair produced a sweet scent.

This was something far purer than the divine substance he acquired so far.

Of course, within these two packed ponds, other than these objects, it was just magma. The liquid that dropped from above was diluted.

“Rebirth Liquid!” Huo Ling’er’s breathing became hurried as she declared what this was. She then spoke about its origins.

The archaic Vermillion Bird had appeared within the Wasteland Region in the past and created a temporary palace here. It had undergone rebirth here, and thus came into being Fire Nation’s holy land. This was also where the divine substance originated from.

Everything was created from the essence left behind by the archaic Vermillion Bird when it underwent rebirth, and this essence was known as Rebirth Liquid.

The successive generations of the Fire Clan were only able to soar to greatness after entering due to the flame pool. They underwent rebirth here, allowing their bodies to undergo an unfathomable transformation. As soon as they emerged and cultivated again, they would advance by leaps and bounds.

Huo Ling’er obtained the Holy Imperial Scripture already, and now, she even saw the Rebirth Liquid, so her mind was shaking. If nothing unexpected happened, then she would travel on an incomparably glorious path in the future. This was a path that several generations of Fire Emperors treaded on!

Shi Hao’s heart was also quite restless with great waves rising and falling. This time, his gains were truly enormous. He had no idea what kind of transformation would take place after this.

“This Rebirth Liquid is the most sacred and must not be contaminated. Only after one’s body is without any impurities could one enter. In addition, one must follow an ancient ceremony of sacrifice to the archaic Vermillion Bird, or else there won’t be any changes,” Huo Ling’er warned.

“Without impurities… don’t we need to take a bath then? Afterwards, we will each undergo a separate baptism?” Shi Hao asked.

“What is that suspicious look in your eyes? How about I help you gouge them out!” Huo Ling’er spoke fiercely. She once again thought about what happened before.