Cultivation Begins from Infancy - Chapter 318

Volume 3 - Chapter 53: The Supreme Haotian - Part 2

Ji Yun Yue asked nervously, "But if he’s truly in the Blood Lake, even someone at the Wen Dao Realm would have suffered immensely by now and struggled to escape. If he’s been submerged for this long, he must already be dead."

The elder glanced at the abyss, frowning slightly, and said, "The lingering will of Wen Ren Ji likely obtained the divine power from his Sacred Bones. Having transcended and discarded his mortal body, his will either fulfilled itself and dissipated naturally or completely disappeared."

"Third Ancestor, that child does not possess Sacred Bones," Ji Yun Yue hurriedly added. "He only bears a Saint’s Mark."

"A Saint’s Mark?"

The elder paused in slight surprise, his gaze shifting. "The faint trace of sacred energy I sensed a few days ago—could it have been when he received the Saint’s Mark?"

"It should be," Ji Yun Yue replied.

"That makes it even more impossible for him to have survived. Without Sacred Bones, what level has he even reached?" the elder asked.

"Three Immortals Realm," Ji Yun Yue replied quickly, adding, "But he created miracles—he defeated Ji Xuan Shen, who has Sacred Bones, and even shattered Ji Xuan Shen’s Dao Domain while still in the Three Immortals Realm. If that child were to step into the Four Pillars Realm, I can’t even imagine how powerful he’d become!"

"Three Immortals Realm, breaking through a Dao Domain?"

The elder’s gaze sharpened instantly. "Are you certain? Was there some Supreme Treasure involved?"

"No, he relied solely on his fists," Ji Yun Yue emphasized. "He has cultivated the Four Extremes to perfection. One of them must be the Earthly Immortal Realm, allowing him to unleash unimaginable power in short bursts."

"Earthly Immortal Realm…"

The elder froze, understanding dawning on him. He too had once reached this pinnacle.

"I see…"

The elder felt a subtle stir within as he gazed down at the rippling Blood Lake in the abyss. His eyes revealed a trace of regret and anger.

"By all accounts, he’s indeed a peerless prodigy—someone with the potential to step into the Saint Realm. But why would you let him come to such a place?!"

"He’s of mixed blood. His mother was imprisoned here for secretly marrying someone from another race, and he came to rescue her," Ji Yun Yue explained with a plea, "Third Ancestor, please save him. He might still be alive."

"Mixed blood…"

The elder was momentarily startled. Having no Sacred Bones was already a significant drawback, and to think he was also of mixed heritage.

Looking at Ji Yun Yue’s tear-streaked, aged face, the elder frowned deeply. The fact that Wen Ren Ji’s remains were drawn to the sacred energy was something he had only realized at that moment. There was no use blaming anyone now.

With a sigh, the elder said, "Stop crying. He cannot have survived. Even though Wen Ren Ji was merely a shell of his former self, he wasn’t someone a Dao Seed could withstand."

He raised his head toward Prison Sky Island, his expression darkening as he observed the situation there. Grabbing Ji Yun Yue, he vanished as though teleporting, reappearing in the skies above the island moments later.

"Third Ancestor!"

The sudden appearance of the elder and Ji Yun Yue left the people on the verge of conflict below momentarily stunned. Their faces soon turned pale as they dropped to their knees.

Ji Yunqing, whose face had been flushed red with anger, froze at the sight of Ji Yun Yue. Ignoring the need to greet the Third Ancestor, he urgently asked, "Fourth Sister, where’s Leping?!"

"Leping fell into the abyss!" Ji Yun Yue sobbed.

The fleeting joy and excitement in Ji Yunqing’s heart were immediately crushed, leaving him dazed as if struck by a drumbeat in his chest.

Ji Yun Yue had survived alongside Li Hao, yet the boy had not?

"Third Ancestor, please save Leping! That child is a Dao Seed of the Ji family, a peerless prodigy! He must not die!"

Ji Yunqing abruptly regained his senses and knelt, pleading.

"Third Ancestor, please save my son!"

Ji Qingqing knelt as well, her voice trembling with emotion.

Li Tiangang, realizing the terrifying power of the elder hovering above the abyss, quickly knelt and kowtowed forcefully, begging, "Senior, please save my son! I, Li Tiangang, am willing to serve the Ji family for life…"

"There’s no saving him," the elder interrupted coldly, his gaze sweeping over the crowd before landing on the Abyssal Sky Monument.

With just one glance, the elder pieced together what had occurred here. His expression turned icy.

"Hmph!"

With a cold snort, the elder said nothing further. With a wave of his sleeve, he swept everyone into his sleeve-world.

Then, raising a hand, he summoned the two Abyssal Sky Chains hanging into the abyss, which flew toward him as if drawn by an unseen force.

With another wave of his hand, he straightened the tilted Prison Sky Island, moving it above the abyss. The two Abyssal Sky Monuments soared back into place with a resounding clatter as the chains anchored them into the island.

Once the Prison Sky Island returned to its original state, the elder cast one last glance at the abyss, his expression dark. Without lingering, he collected Ji Yun Yue into another sleeve and disappeared instantly.

...

Three breaths later, his figure appeared atop the Sacred Mountain. In mere moments, he had crossed hundreds of thousands of miles.

With a flick of his sleeve, he released the people who had been on Prison Sky Island. Then, he freed Ji Yun Yue from the other sleeve.

Ji Dao Xin hurried over, teleporting repeatedly until he reached the elder. Bowing deeply, he said, "Third Ancestor."

"Prison Sky Island has been compromised. Wen Ren Ji, who was sealed by the Saint Ancestor, awakened and devoured the Dao Seed," the elder said coldly. "The Ji family’s Dao Seed! How could you have allowed him to go to such a place? Couldn’t someone have brought his mother to the Sacred Mountain instead?!"

Ji Dao Xin froze, overwhelmed by the enormity of the revelation.

"Dao… Dao Seed, devoured?"

His gaze shifted to Ji Yun Yue, trembling as he asked, "That child… is he dead?"

"He fell into the abyss and was devoured by the Sacred Demon," Ji Yun Yue sobbed.

Ji Dao Xin’s pupils dilated in disbelief.

Under the elder’s sharp gaze, Ji Dao Xin regained his composure, his face changing as he bowed his head.

"I intended to wait until the Arid Sea calmed and then send someone to retrieve his mother. But the child couldn’t wait. After seeing his mother’s suffering through the Sky-Gazing Mirror, he insisted on going himself…"

The elder’s face grew darker, though he could understand the reasoning.

Ji Dao Xin’s explanation struck a deeper chord with Li Tiangang and Ji Qingqing, causing their expressions to change. Ji Qingqing trembled and broke into bitter sobs.

"Third Ancestor, what of the Sacred Demon now?" Ji Dao Xin asked urgently.

"It has left. Whether it has transcended into sainthood or dissipated entirely is unclear," the elder replied icily.

"And the child’s remains?"

"No remains could possibly survive. Wen Ren Ji’s flesh rotted into the Blood Lake, and the Dao Intent there is rampant. His body would have long turned to ash."

The elder’s expression was grim. "Even I, who have not yet fully stepped into sainthood, would be affected by such a place. A child had no chance of survival. Even if there were a one-in-ten-thousand chance, I would search. But now, there isn’t even that."

Saying this, he glanced at the crowd below, his eyes cold, and turned to Ji Dao Xin. "You can ask them for the details. Handle the aftermath as you see fit."

With that, the elder flung his sleeve and stepped away, vanishing in an instant.

Hearing the elder’s judgment, everyone, including Ji Dao Xin, was left with faces ashen and lifeless.

A one-in-ten-thousand chance didn’t exist?

Turned to ash?

Li Tiangang and Ji Qingqing both looked pale, their hopes completely crushed.

...

The news of Li Hao’s death spread from the Sacred Mountain, shaking the entire Ji family.

In recent days, Li Hao’s reputation had shone as brightly as the sun in the sky. Everyone knew of him, and even the smallest news about him drew attention. Now, the announcement of his death caused an uproar.

"What?"

In a secluded cave dwelling, Ji Xuan Shen, who was cultivating, stood abruptly as his father relayed the news, his expression filled with surprise and disbelief.

"He’s dead?"

"Yes," the middle-aged man replied, his tone carrying a mixture of astonishment and reflection. "It’s said that the Saint’s Mark on him awakened the Sacred Demon sealed beneath Prison Sky Island, and he was devoured."

The man sighed. "I’ve lived for centuries, but only now do I learn that a Sacred Demon was sealed under that place. It was said to have been defeated by the Saint Ancestor and imprisoned there out of sentiment. Who could have guessed it would save us such trouble today?"

"With that child gone, you’re once again the Dao Seed of the Ji family!"

He looked at Ji Xuan Shen with pride and satisfaction, his eyes gleaming with both relief and reverence.

"People say the heavens envy the talented, and I’ve truly seen it now. That child was blessed with gifts beyond measure but lacked the fortune to bear them. The Saint’s Mark, instead of being a boon, became his downfall. Truly..."

"Enough!"

Ji Xuan Shen suddenly shouted, his voice filled with anger.

The middle-aged man froze, his expression shifting slightly, though he refrained from showing irritation. Instead, he seemed puzzled. "Xuan Shen, you..."

"I, Ji Xuan Shen, do not fear worthy opponents! I lost to him because I wasn’t strong enough!"

Ji Xuan Shen’s eyes burned with fury as he glared at his father. "Do you think I care for a Dao Seed title handed to me because he’s dead?!"

The middle-aged man was stunned. "But... it’s still the Dao Seed..."

"Do sparrows understand the ambition of swans?"

Ji Xuan Shen’s voice was cold, his gaze filled with disappointment and frustration. "Leave. I wish to cultivate in peace."

The middle-aged man looked at him for a moment, sighed in resignation, and turned to leave.

"I was waiting for another battle at the Wen Dao Realm..."

Sitting back on the Dao platform, Ji Xuan Shen’s face turned grim. His defeat at the hands of the boy had filled him with anger but also a drive to grow stronger.

That battle had given him an unprecedented sense of purpose in his cultivation, and he felt he had started to glimpse his own path.

But now, that boy was dead.

"Damn it!"

In a burst of rage, he struck the Dao platform, shattering it.

...

Li Hao’s death sent shockwaves throughout the Ji family. Countless people flocked to the Hall of Deliberation, eager to learn more.

Ji Dao Xin, along with Ji Tian Chao and other War Gods and elders, arrived to interrogate everyone who had been present at the scene.

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