Chapter 830: Chapter 830: Breaking Through

The bluestone path was tranquil, as it had been since time immemorial. Other than the initial gathering of prodigious talents, it was desolate the rest of the time, so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

Wisps of chaotic mist hovered faintly. The three thousand ancient roads, weathered with the marks of ages, lay in silence.

Shi Hao sat cross-legged, silently pondering. If he continued on, it would likely lead to a life-threatening outcome. None of those from ancient times who walked this path had come to a good end.

Specks of scarlet light glimmered, radiating a brilliant red glow. It was a Divine Medicine resembling coral, snatched from the Nether Race. He offered it up and sent it to the Emperor Butterfly in the distance.

“Kid, you’re really biased. That’s a Divine Medicine, and you’re so generous to just give it away. Yet when I ask you for a few stones, you make it so difficult,” the Divine Striking Stone grumbled indignantly.

“You have the audacity to say such things?” Shi Hao gave it a sidelong glance and said, “Whether it’s the Heavenly Destiny Stone or the Primeval Stone, which one hasn’t shocked the higher realms upon its appearance? I gave them all to you.”

“Uh…” The Divine Striking Stone was exceedingly undignified, belching loudly on the spot, before becoming sheepishly silent.

The Emperor Butterfly transformed into a golden streak of light and shot over, clutching the dazzling precious medicine resembling red coral. It began to gnaw on it while nodding to Shi Hao in gratitude.

“I said before that upon entering Immortal Ancient, I would find all kinds of great medicines for you to enable your transformation,” Shi Hao smiled.

The Emperor Butterfly had lent him significant aid on Demon Island, leading the Insect Clan’s army to sweep through the enemy. Its contribution and might had left him astonished at the time.

In addition, Shi Hao was curious to see what kind of extraordinary transformation and power a legendary Emperor Butterfly could attain as it evolved.

According to vague records within the bone texts, history had only ever seen one Emperor Butterfly. It had emerged from the deepest reaches of the No-Man’s Land in the higher realms, before descending to the Lower Realm.

Its exploits were scant; with a mere flick of its wings, it had turned three Celestial Gods to dust, annihilating them instantaneously–a feat for which it was remembered by future generations.

Of course, it was remembered only in the Lower Realm.

In the higher realms, legends about it were sparse; few had witnessed its supreme image of soaring dance or the unparalleled power of its wings slicing through Celestial Gods.

“Drawing upon one hundred and eight kinds of Dao flames hasn’t yet shown anything exceptionally remarkable,” Shi Hao murmured softly, touching his arm where scars and bloodstains were visible.

During his duel with Luo Dao, the opponent’s hair had suddenly extended and wrapped around his forearm, causing some damage. Though not fatal, he had sustained injuries.

Shi Hao reflected: So far, igniting himself with the Dao flames from the bluestone path had yet to reveal anything truly heaven-defying. His current strength was entirely derived from his foundation–his past accumulation.

“Unless I ignite hundreds, even thousands of flames… At that point, maybe some unique phenomena will manifest?”

However, the mere one hundred and eight flames had already injured him, burning his body badly. If it were hundreds or thousands, how terrifying would it be!

Shi Hao understood that his journey was just beginning. Everything was only at the initial stage; the real crises and life-and-death trials lay ahead.

Otherwise, why would so many supreme cultivators of antiquity, after stepping upon this path, either die seated, become crippled, or encounter some mishap?

“Let’s begin!”

Shi Hao calmed his mind and began his closed-door cultivation.

For the next few days, he remained perfectly still, as if petrified, without any disturbance.

He was adjusting himself, healing his previous injuries completely, and preparing to continue his journey in the peak state–igniting the Dao flames and achieving transformation.

A light wind blew through, dispersing the hazy mist.

Five days later, the bluestone path was no longer tranquil. One road after another emitted faint light, transforming into symbols that spread to the ground and wrapped around a youth.

One road, two roads…

Soon, one hundred and eight roads had reached their limit. Flames surged and engulfed him, filling the area with brilliance.

Upon closer inspection, one could see the flames containing countless symbols. Dense and intricate, the patterns intertwined and constructed, evolving into vigorous blazes that enshrouded Shi Hao.

This was an experience he had undergone before; walking it again did not harm his body.

“Now, the real crisis begins.” Shi Hao took a deep breath as the surging flames entered through his nose and mouth into his abdomen, making divine flames erupt across his body.

Clang!

Shi Hao began forming a copper cauldron, using the heavens and earth as material, extracting the void to construct a “great artifact” to refine himself.

The void twisted and blurred. A copper cauldron gradually took shape, enveloping him and allowing him to absorb the essence of the heavens and earth, transforming into an ancient artifact.

Other bluestone paths lit up, with symbols spreading and flames congregating to ignite the cauldron. Rays of light blazed skyward, piercing the clouds.

The ancient grounds were no longer serene. Shi Hao’s life-or-death trial began as the Dao flames increased, road after road–both as a beacon of hope and as dread-inducing Divine Chains that coiled around him.

“One hundred and nine, one hundred and ten…”

One flame after another accumulated. Over time, they reached one hundred and fifty. Shi Hao felt an unbearable heat, his body throbbing with pain, on the verge of being scorched through.

This was undoubtedly a grinding ordeal. Merely adding dozens more flames had already caused injuries to his flesh, yet so many more remained ahead–how could he possibly traverse it?

He did not despair or lose heart, convinced that step by step, he would succeed. Hope burned brightly within him, his eyes like dazzling divine lights, unwavering in belief.

At one hundred and seventy flames, the blaze reached the skies!

At this moment, everyone witnessing this scene from the outside was deeply moved. Adding just dozens of flames had amplified the momentum dramatically.

From afar, it seemed the flames roiled and consumed everything. Dao symbols intertwined, resembling lightning–a terrifying sight that alone evoked dread.

“Pfft!”

Shi Hao coughed up a mouthful of black-colored blood. The raging fire was too vigorous, nearly burning through the Heaven and Earth Furnace, warping it significantly.

Enduring the pain, he silently observed the flames’ symbols and Dao laws–not to follow the path of those before him, but to utilize them as fuel, forging his True Self.

At one hundred and eighty flames, Shi Hao’s body developed several ghastly holes. It was horrifying–those newly added flames pierced through his flesh, illuminating his entire body.

This was suffering, but also an opportunity. The Dao symbols scorched his bones, entangled with dozens of kinds of Dao laws, generating a resonant chanting sound within his body.

Time passed, and Shi Hao himself lost track of how many days had gone by. Upon lighting the two hundredth flame, his body became desiccated and unimaginably frail, teetering on the edge of losing its vitality. His entire being was charred black, even more severely than during his first experience, his body riddled with translucent holes from front to back.

Shi Hao sat solemnly, unmoving, his flesh extinguished. Yet his gaze, burning bright like twin golden lamps, illuminated the surroundings, filled with brilliance.

He no longer added flames, quietly enduring, carefully comprehending, letting the two hundred flames flow, scorching his blood and bones, motionless.

Days passed. Eventually, he adapted to the searing agony, his flesh consumed until almost nothing was left. Blackened old skin enveloped his bones, with many symbols from the flames etched upon it, resembling dragons swimming and flowing through his entire frame.

Shi Hao felt a sense of detachment; though his body seemed about to be destroyed, he felt as though he transcended the situation, perceiving it from an external perspective. Pain occasionally receded, leaving only a profound understanding of the Dao.

After a long time, the two hundred flames finally extinguished, and the cauldron shattered. Shi Hao fell to the ground.

“Kid, are you insane?” The Divine Striking Stone rushed over, and the Emperor Butterfly, clutching the unfinished Divine Medicine, transformed into a beam of light and landed by his side, filled with concern.

“It’s fine.” Shi Hao stood up.

Though still human-shaped, his appearance was nearly unrecognizable. His blackened old skin cracked, his eye sockets hollow, his body utterly dried out.

Meanwhile, his torso housed two hundred spheres of light, blazing flames continuing to burn within him.

“Just a minor injury; I’ll recover within two days.” Shi Hao spoke lightly. Of course, this was no ordinary injury–his body had been pierced through and utterly devastated.

Having added nearly one hundred Dao flames, the increase in power wasn’t merely doubled but far greater!

If he hadn’t already ascended to godhood–with significantly heightened strength–he would undoubtedly have been reduced to ashes, completely dead.

“I can’t afford to delay. Everyone is progressing, advancing along the road. I must heal quickly.” Shi Hao retrieved a Divine Medicine.

Now was no time for hesitation. Even though Divine Medicine was exceedingly rare, it had to be used as sustenance.

The Divine Striking Stone and Emperor Butterfly stepped back, refraining from speaking further, instead vigilantly guarding him.

A black Divine Vine, half a meter long, appeared in Shi Hao’s hand. Its leaves were in the shape of dogs, each shimmering with an intense black light and emitting the sounds of dogs barking as they swayed in the wind.

Shi Hao swallowed the leaves one by one, his body emitting a dark radiance as the concentrated medicinal essence surged into his limbs and bones, restoring and repairing his injuries.

Divine Medicines possessed heaven-defying effects; they could revive the dead, restore flesh and bones, and even nurture the Primordial Spirit.

Shi Hao’s condition underwent rapid change. His life force began to flourish again, his cracked old skin absorbing the essence of the heavens, and his body gradually regained its fullness.

However, the price was substantial. Over the course of several days, he consumed half of the Divine Medicine, repairing the holes in his body and recovering gradually.

If these were ordinary wounds, a mere bite of a Divine Medicine would suffice. Instead, he consumed half the medicine!

“At this rate, you’re committing slow suicide.” The Divine Striking Stone remarked. This path was far too perilous–they had barely begun, yet the challenges were growing increasingly treacherous.

“To seek the Dao is like this. Any path is fraught with perils. If it were easy, those most brilliant in history wouldn’t have ended up dead, crippled, or met with tragedy,” Shi Hao sighed.

He wasted no time and resumed seclusion to temper himself.

This time, after a span of time, he added another hundred flames, refining both body and Primordial Spirit. His entire being became emaciated, and his injuries worsened.

Three hundred flames roared skyward, covering the firmament.

After pausing, Shi Hao swallowed the remaining half of the dog leaf vine, along with half a stalk of Golden Grass–essentially consuming an entire Divine Medicine.

For the situation was even more dire; he required greater medicinal liquid to replenish.

By the time four hundred flames burned through, Shi Hao consumed half of the Golden Grass and an entire stalk of Desert Silver, yet still felt it was insufficient. In the end, he cooked and devoured a dozen Jiao Longs to fully restore his Primal Qi.

“How terrifying; the injuries keep worsening, and the consumption grows considerably heavier. You’re completely out of Divine Medicines now, utterly exhausted,” the Divine Striking Stone commented.

The Emperor Butterfly flew over, offering a red fragment of its medicine stalk–its remainder.

“No need, I still have a stalk of Illusory Heaven Divine Vine.” Shi Hao reassured it with a gentle smile.

The Divine Medicine was miraculous; the Illusory Heaven Divine Vine emitted a radiance akin to a white-gold sun. It rested within a light orb, resembling a True Dragon.

By the time five hundred flames burned, Shi Hao was deteriorating severely. But after consuming one of its pure white leaves, his body crackled with energy, his blood boiling fervently once more.

When six hundred flames completed their course, Shi Hao consumed another leaf and a section of the vine’s tip, recovering again.

As the flames continued increasing, he felt himself growing stronger!

The sensation was enchanting!

When nine hundred flames finished, Shi Hao consumed the Illusory Heaven Divine Vine and witnessed scene after scene–imprints contained within its leaves and vine. He was instantly petrified.

“What is that?” His heart trembled intensely; the images were far too breathtaking.

“Swear to me you won’t devour me entirely,” the Illusory Heaven Divine Vine communicated with him through a unique “wave.”

Shi Hao nodded, stating, “I’ve long said I would never let a Divine Root like you perish completely. I’ll only take parts of your vine and leaves to heal my injuries.” (To be continued. If you enjoy this story, please visit Qidian’s website to vote for it with recommendation and monthly tickets. Your support is my greatest motivation. Mobile users, please visit m.wuxiaworld.site to read.)