Fortunately, Shi Jian did not alert the Heavenly God Realm or even higher-ranked Gu worms and Ghost Demon Gods. After harvesting most of the fruits, he led Tang San Shao out of the Divine Fruit Forest.
Behind them, large swathes of black shadows gave chase, densely packed. The army of insects charged fearlessly, swooping down at once as continuous black patches filled the sky.
However, Shi Jian unfolded his Hell Furnace, and all the insects could only turn into nourishment for his cultivation. A Gu worm, an inch long, crossed the sky like a black dragon, its monstrous, fierce aura on the verge of collapsing the Void Realm. Yet, Shi Jian's Hell Furnace unfolded and melted everything within it.
Once the insects entered the range of the Hell Furnace, they would instantly split open, splashing black blood. After a long while, they finally realized they couldn't harm Shi Jian and retreated.
Facing such a terrifying insect nest left Shi Jian a bit fatigued. While eating a buffet was enjoyable, this frequency had exhausted him. However, his gains were substantial.
Although the energy contained in the densely packed insects was limited, their sheer number allowed nearly 10,000 Giant Elephant particles within Shi Jian's Physical Body to awaken at once. His strength surged.
Besides that, the most important gain was naturally the Half-Ginseng Fruits. One crystal-clear fruit after another, shaped like humans, dazzling and resplendent, their fragrance permeating for several miles.
Shi Jian casually took one out and bit into it. The juice flowed, turning into a surge of energy and scattering endless holy light. The effect of this divine medicine was astonishing, its incredibly rich power nourishing his Physical Body.
He roughly estimated that this many divine medicines should be enough to help him ignite the divine fire of various world cultivation systems and cultivate Immortal Qi. Although he had already transformed into a Divine Fire expert, this transformation was not yet complete. Only when he truly cultivated Immortal Qi would it be considered finished.
Just as Shi Jian was feeling delighted, the Six-Crowned King, Ning Chuan, also arrived. Dressed in white, he stood amidst the mist, gazing at the fierce nest. He took a step, and the stars seemed to shift as he entered the mysterious ancient land. He walked step by step, neither fast nor slow, looking confident. Evidently, this was not his first time here, though he had not gained anything before.
Six-Crowned King Ning Chuan held a string of beads, warm and crystal clear, strung with the rune bones of powerful initial-generation experts. He had strung them together and nurtured them. This was the Six Paths Reincarnation Bead.
"Once I obtain the opportunity here, I will go and kill the descendants of the Sin Blood," he thought to himself.
…
After plundering the Divine Fruit Forest, Shi Jian led Tang San Shao further on. However, after only a short distance, they encountered another group of experts blocking their way, intending to rob them.
They stepped forward, approaching Shi Jian and Tang San Shao. Among them were several initial-generation experts from one of the states, possessing astonishing combat power.
"We saw a divine tree garden outside. You came out of it, so you must have obtained Divine Fruits, right? We are willing to purchase them from you…" one of them said, looking at Shi Jian and Tang San Shao sinisterly. Although their words sounded polite, they were clearly plotting to seize the fruits by force.
"The Divine Fruits are right there. Why don't you go pick them yourselves?" Shi Jian pointed to the location of the forbidden land.
"Hmph, do you think we don't know how dangerous that place is?" someone responded coldly.
Evidently, this group had also ventured into the forbidden land where the Divine Fruit Forest was located and had suffered some losses.
"You've been there?" Shi Jian was a little surprised. He couldn't quite understand their thought process.
"You, such a large group, went there but were repelled. Then I went, was not repelled, and returned with Divine Fruits."
"Doesn't it seem that I am stronger than you?"
"Where do you get the confidence to face me?" Shi Jian spoke with a smile, though his voice was extremely cold.
The group of people exchanged glances. They were a strong alliance, led by four or five initial-generation experts. As long as they didn't encounter ancient freaks or world-shaking prodigies, they were considered invincible. But they had suffered a setback in that Divine Fruit Forest, and some initial-generation experts had even perished there.
If Shi Jian could pass through it, obtain the fruits, and retreat safely, then his strength really did seem to be greater than theirs.
"Alas!" Shi Jian sighed. He couldn't understand their logic, but that didn't stop him from acting. With a wave of his finger, he instantly cut the crowd into pieces.
"Blue Silver Grass Entanglement!" Seeing this, Tang San Shao used his ability to deal with the remaining people. Then he began to collect the spoils of war for Shi Jian.
"My Lord, here is a stone carving…" Tang San Shao said, seeming to show off as he handed a stone carving to Shi Jian. It depicted a blood moon traversing the sky, stars shining, and ten suns arrayed side by side—precisely the scene within the fierce nest.
"This is the internal route map," Tang San Shao explained, not expecting such a gain. "There have always been rumors that ancient maps of the fierce nest are scattered throughout the Immortal Ancient Era. Following the stone carving can help avoid a lot of trouble."
This item was equivalent to a dungeon map. Extremely important.
Shi Jian put away the stone carving and continued to search for treasures in the area. Unfortunately, he did not encounter any other great opportunities similar to the Divine Fruit Garden. He didn't harvest many treasures, but he robbed many people. As the saying goes, if your neighbor stores grain, I store guns; my neighbor's granary is my granary.
The Spiritual Qi here was so dense that many strange herbs could evolve into Holy Medicine. Although Shi Jian arrived late and most had been picked, as long as those medicines hadn't been used and the people hadn't left, they would eventually fall into his hands.
Shi Jian thus fought his way toward the fierce nest, experiencing many battles and killing many ill-intentioned people. A few days later, he arrived at Fallen Immortal Ridge.
This was the only way to enter the fierce nest; crossing this place would lead into the ancient land shrouded in Chaos Qi. Here, mountains undulated, and the soil and stones were dark red. Legend has it that an Immortal once fell here, their corpse lying in this place, hence its name.
Figures flickered as countless people headed towards the central area. Shi Jian arrived before the astonishingly anomalous nest.
There were many mountains here, resembling hollowed-out volcanoes accompanied by Chaos Qi. It was like the nest of some giant beast, with many exits connected to the outside world.
Chaos Qi permeated the air, displaying astonishing anomalies: 10 blood suns traversed the sky, 33 blood moons hung high, and 3,000 stars revolved. These were legendary celestial bodies, stained red with blood and refined to envelop this place, revolving like millstones.
"A blood sacrifice is needed," Shi Jian noted, a thoughtful expression on his face as he looked at the entrance. The anomalies here made it difficult for ordinary people to enter. Only the blood of a divine person, a bloodline with an astonishing aura, could trigger a change and open the mysterious paths.
Of course, one could also directly charge through the volcano-like passages, but those would be much more dangerous.
Such divine blood was not easy to obtain. Surely Shi Jian couldn't sacrifice himself, right? In the original work, the three Shi family brothers sacrificed the spiritual body of Six-Crowned King Ning Chuan to open this passage. Ning Chuan was extraordinary and sacred, his blood containing blessings from heaven. He was the best sacrifice.
However, the situation had changed significantly now, and Shi Jian didn't know if Ning Chuan would come. After wandering around for a few days without finding a suitable sacrifice, he didn't want to waste any more time.
"Entering the fierce nest from here is extremely dangerous. You should retreat first," Shi Jian instructed Tang San Shao. He had placed a soul imprint on Tang San Shao, making him one of his own. His living presence brought more benefits than his death. If a safe path could be opened, that would be fine, but Shi Jian was going to force his way through.
He had the Five Emperors Canopy to withstand the danger. Tang San Shao, however, might not. Although his Invincible Golden Body had some merits, it was not a truly invincible body.
"Alright!" Tang San Shao agreed and then fled.
Shi Jian unfurled his Angel Wings, summoned the Nethergod Guard and the Five Emperors Canopy, and then charged straight towards the volcano-like passage.
Divine light flowed above the fierce nest. When Shi Jian touched the light curtain, it suddenly erupted with terrifying power, and a force of annihilation pressed down on him. The Five Emperors Canopy on his body glowed, resisting the special power within the light curtain.
Rumble, rumble!
A colossal sound erupted as Shi Jian's forceful entry triggered anomalies. However, although the suppressive force was terrifying, it ultimately failed to break his Five Emperors Canopy.
Shi Jian smoothly entered.
"Someone broke into the fierce nest? It doesn't seem difficult!" People near the fierce nest were dumbfounded when they saw this. They had been wary of the anomalies and dared not venture in. Now, seeing Shi Jian effortlessly slip inside truly shocked them.
"Could it be that the anomalies here are all bark and no bite?" someone wondered. Seeing Shi Jian enter so easily, they also had a thought and charged toward the nest.
As a result, the person was instantly annihilated before even touching the light membrane.
The others felt immensely grateful after seeing this. This fierce nest was truly dangerous. Shi Jian could enter so easily because he was amazing, not because the nest was weak.
…
"The Sin Blood Great Fiend has entered the fierce nest. What a pity. If he had waited a few more days, he would have encountered Six-Crowned King Ning Chuan!" people outside lamented.
Ning Chuan was also heading towards the fierce nest and would arrive in a few days. If the two of them met, it would have been a proper Dragon-Tiger Battle. What a pity that Shi Jian had entered in advance.
"Haha, don't rush! Isn't the other Sin Blood Great Fiend also in the fierce nest?" another person said. "Six-Crowned King Ning Chuan might meet him. Besides, so what if he enters? The Six-Crowned King will also enter. If they don't meet outside, they will meet inside."
On a light curtain, a familiar figure was reflected. This person was none other than the other Sin Blood Great Fiend, Shi Hao. He had also fought his way into the ancient nest.
Shi Hao walked out of a magnificent palace where the sound of the Dao flowed. There was an astonishing legacy within. When he first entered the ancient land outside the fierce nest, he was inexplicably teleported here, where he obtained a legacy related to runes and a pool of Divine Liquid.
The Divine Liquid, combined with the items he had plundered and the energy accumulated from eating and drinking, was almost enough to support his transformation. However, Shi Hao was always greedy. He also wanted to enter the ancient nest to search for a great opportunity.
Shi Hao also arrived at Fallen Immortal Ridge. He strolled leisurely, checking for any opportunities. The ancient trees were exceptionally tall, and streams flowed between them, appearing very peaceful. After checking the streams and digging through the trees, he found no treasures and pouted in disappointment.
However, at that moment, he seemed to sense something and looked in a certain direction.
In the distance, a young man stepped through the Void Realm, powerful and confident, moving very quickly. This aura was somewhat unforgettable for Shi Hao. He had once fought this person to the point of exhaustion. If not for his breakthrough at the last moment, the outcome would have been unknown. It was the most arduous life-and-death battle he had ever encountered.
Shi Hao looked into the distance, his eyes piercing. The figure appeared before him.
That person had undergone earth-shattering changes compared to two years ago. When they last fought, they were like children. Now, one was heroic and confident, looking down upon the world with powerful self-assurance. Within his eyes, suns perished, moons sank, and galaxies vanished.
That was the Heavy Pupils.
The other person had long black hair flowing behind him, with a handsome appearance that also exuded firmness.
This was Shi Hao.
Two years later, the two met again. Their appearances had changed drastically, but they recognized each other's aura instantly.
Shi Hao discovered the Heavy Pupils. The Heavy Pupils also discovered him.
"I didn't expect your cultivation to improve so quickly," Shi Hao exclaimed, looking at Shi Yi. He had obtained a drop of mysterious blood and returned to the Immortal Ancient Era, only then breaking through to the Venerable Realm and achieving a massive leap in just two years. What did Shi Yi rely on? There must be a demon guiding him from behind!
"I didn't expect you to also ignite the Divine Fire," Shi Yi's battle armor flowed with a soft luster. His eyes were incredibly deep, with galaxies evolving within them and Chaos Qi permeating his being. Just standing there, his aura was exceptionally outstanding.
The two brothers, separated by a great distance, discovered each other simultaneously and spoke at the same time, saying words with the same meaning. Was this a kind of telepathy?
Two years ago, both condensed the Ten Great Heavenly Passage Boundary. Two years later, both ignited the Divine Fire.
An invisible Qi field permeated between them. The ancient trees and giant stones in the space between them were crushed into powder. A stone mountain crumbled inch by inch and disappeared before everyone's eyes.
The surrounding people were horrified. What kind of existence was this? Separated by a mountain, with just one glance, the release of their aura caused such terrifying consequences.
[Inorin Note:
If you wish to support me so I can continue to survive and afford proper food, you can join my membership on Patreon [ Be sure to check out "The Founding Pillars"—a special, limited-time tier that offers all the benefits of "The Plot Uncoverer" at a discounted price! Slots are limited, so grab yours before they run out. Besides membership, you can also donate via Ko-Fi [ hope I am still worthy of your support. My life truly depends on this... haha, I know I'm so shameless.]