Chapter 197: Terrifying Double Shis
"Descendants of Sinful Blood!" The Heavenly Gods and powerful cultivators from various Ancient Sects stared at the Supreme Ancient Altar with Killing Intent.
Shi Jian alone was enough to make them tremble with fear, but they never expected the other Sinful Blood Prodigy to be so terrifyingly powerful.
Shi Hao had slain many of their outstanding disciples, and his arrogant demeanor was exactly like Shi Jian's.
Before the Supreme Ancient Altar, Shi Hao's clothes were unstained by blood, his gaze was clear, and he exuded an Aura of invincibility, standing there like a single man holding off an army. He was determined to kill all the disciples from forces like Fire Cloud Cave and Luofu True Valley.
"Arrogant! What does he take Fire Cloud Cave, the Demon Dragon Dao Sect, and other forces for? He's just a Venerable, yet he dares to disregard all heroes under Heaven!" Someone spoke with a chilling voice.
This time, a total of eight or nine Ancient Sects had sent their outstanding successors to guard the path to the Supreme Ancient Altar. How could Shi Hao alone be a match for so many people?
"Dong!" A bell rang, incredibly muffled, echoing here like a thunderclap that cleansed everyone's Dao Heart. People only felt their blood accelerate, their bodies trembling violently.
"Begin ascending the altar!" A cold, ancient voice rang out, devoid of any emotional fluctuation. This was a manifestation of the rules, presiding over this trial.
Seven or eight hundred thousand Venerables walked along the eight paths. In the sky, thunder suddenly roared.
Streaks of five-colored lightning fell from the sky, striking into the crowd. "Ah!" Among the crowd, dozens of people screamed, struck by lightning and turned to dust.
These were disciples who had not previously blocked Shi Hao's path; they had mingled in the crowd. Now they were precisely targeted and killed by the lightning.
Shi Jian unfurled his angelic wings behind him. The wings stirred up gusts of strong wind, and he appeared below the Supreme Ancient Altar. His entire being exuded a terrifying Aura. A five-colored cloud sea covered the entire sky, and flashes of lightning occasionally emerged from within the thick cloud layers.
"Ancient Sect disciples, die!" Shi Jian's gaze was icy as he slowly uttered a few words.
He and Shi Hao jointly guarded below this Supreme Ancient Altar. Behind one was the Kunpeng Divine Wing, with Yin and Yang Qi flowing and exuding an overwhelming Aura. Behind the other, angelic wings unfurled, endless Holy Light swirling, like a Heavenly God.
These were two terrifyingly powerful young Devil Kings. They were also the "Sinful Blood Prodigies" in the mouths of ordinary people!
After Shi Hao saw Shi Jian, the two exchanged glances and nodded. "Kill!" Their figures instantly vanished from their original spots.
They did not ascend the altar; instead, they headed toward the remaining paths below the ancient altar.
"Look quickly, they didn't go straight up but changed direction!" People were startled.
"They're going to hunt down people on other paths, how terrifying! Crossing over the ancient altar to kill those from the Ancient Sects?" People were dumbfounded.
Most people would feel immense pressure walking on this ancient altar. Yet, Shi Jian and Shi Hao were going to other directions to intercept and kill powerful cultivators?
It was truly unbelievable. Such a decisive and murderous attitude made one tremble. It had been many years since such an event occurred. Wielding a blade against the top Dao lineages of the Upper Realm, the Sinful Blood Descendants were indeed powerful and unrestricted.
No wonder Shi Jian dared to use such a title. All eight paths were guarded by outstanding successors sent by Ancient Sects. These Ancient Sects had even bestowed Supreme Artifacts for this purpose.
Now, people on two of the paths had been utterly defeated. These two Sinful Blood Prodigies were even killing their way to other paths.
"Two mere Venerables dare to treat our eternal Ancient Sects with such contempt; they are truly arrogant!" The spectating beings were furious.
But besides anger, they were also helpless. Behind these two Sinful Blood Prodigies, there was an unimaginably terrifying existence presiding. Those strong enough dared not cross the rules to act against them, and those weaker were not their opponents.
There was truly nothing they could do about them. They could only rage in futility. As they raged, Shi Jian and Shi Hao had already killed their way to other places.
The Supreme Ancient Altar was grand, towering above mountains. Cultivators in different directions at the bottom were in their own areas, making it difficult for them to sense what was happening elsewhere.
However, some people from Fire Cloud Cave, the Demon Dragon Dao Sect, and Luofu True Valley had escaped and mingled with others, bringing news of Shi Hao and Shi Jian.
"It's bad… people from Luofu True Valley, Fire Cloud Cave, and the Demon Dragon Dao Sect have been killed…" The faces of those guarding one of the paths changed.
Just as they were about to react, Shi Hao had already killed his way to their front. He descended with a boom onto this path.
Someone raised a bone mirror and shone it toward him. Shi Hao's forehead suddenly erupted with Holy Light, dispersing the clouds in the sky. The people on this path immediately knew who the newcomer was.
"Sinful Blood Descendant, you are too arrogant! We didn't come looking for you, yet you dare to show yourself and seek trouble with us?" Someone was enraged beyond measure.
While they were angry and frustrated, they also felt fear. Before this, people from several great Dao lineages had always looked down on Sin State. They had an inherent psychological superiority.
Now, this Sinful Blood Descendant was rebelling against Heaven. He actually came to find trouble with them?
"Noisy, I'll send you on your way…" Shi Hao didn't want to waste words and directly attacked. In an instant, light radiated in all directions.
Bone inscriptions layered upon layers, and Divine Power fluctuated violently. The entire area was enveloped by Shi Hao's powerful strength. The Supreme Vine on his body exerted its Divine Might.
These people would not sit idly by and wait for death; some sacrificed Supreme Artifacts. However, it was useless.
There were six paths remaining. Shi Hao still wanted to compete with his "little brother" to see who could slaughter more paths. How could he have the patience to argue?
In the blink of an eye, a woman holding a Supreme Artifact let out a tragic scream. Threads of blood seeped from her glabella. Her entire forehead was pierced, and her corpse flew horizontally.
Streaks of sword light flashed, and countless powerful cultivators were cut in half. The people at this location resisted with all their might but could not avoid the fate of defeat.
After a few breaths, only one young man remained standing, the ground beneath his feet stained red with blood. "This is challenging several great Ancient Sects! His strength is too formidable…" The other Venerables on this path exclaimed in shock.
They didn't know yet that Shi Hao had already slaughtered the people on another path. Moreover, there was also another Sinful Blood Prodigy who was also mowing down cultivators effortlessly.
"Kill!" Shi Jian's side had a team of several hundred people, a very large scale. However, he slaughtered his way through them in the blink of an eye. Heads kept falling.
It was still the Doomsday Catastrophe enchantment, fists and feet striking the heavens. One genius after another was blown apart by him.
Some Heavenly Gods watching from outside the arena clenched their fists after seeing this scene. Their disciples and followers were being slaughtered like dogs. This was simply a humiliation. These two youths were causing such a massacre; this was a blatant provocation.
The onlookers, on the other hand, were excited and boisterous. It was none of their business, so they were happy to watch the ancient Dao lineages' jokes unfold.
Toward the end of the killing, some people were so terrified by Shi Jian that they collapsed. A woman directly ended her own life, a long sword flashing across the air. Her entire being transformed into a rain of light and vanished from the Spirit Realm.
Such a scene caused an uproar. A disciple was literally killed to the point of a Dao Heart collapse, retreating by committing suicide. If this spread, it would be utterly disgraceful.
"This guy is really lucky…" Shi Jian looked at the suicidal female cultivator with surprise, saying that an unstable Dao Heart had saved her life.
She committed suicide. She only suffered a setback to her Divine Soul, leaving a shadow. If he had killed her with his Doomsday Calamity, she would either be in a coma or a vegetable for the rest of her life.
After clearing out the people in this place, Shi Jian circled the Supreme Ancient Altar and rushed toward another direction. Outside the arena, countless spectating eyes followed the actions of the two.
After thoroughly slaughtering those from the great Dao lineages, Shi Jian and Shi Hao then ascended the Supreme Ancient Altar. The altar was divided into nine layers. The pressure faced would increase several times with each layer ascended.
However, this pressure was nothing to them. They moved swiftly, unhindered by any resistance, and instantly ascended to the highest point of the first layer. Without the slightest pause, they rushed up to the second, the third…
Upon reaching this point, the paths from the original eight directions merged into one. Here, Shi Jian and Shi Hao encountered people blocking their way.
This group of people, led by six white-robed figures, looked at them with an aloof gaze.
"You are very strong, but today you cannot escape this calamity!"
"The Six-Crowned King wants your lives; no one can change that!" They spoke these words.
"Just you?" Shi Hao laughed loudly. "What is the Six-Crowned King? If he wants to kill me, why doesn't he come himself?"
The white-robed figures stood high, looking down at Shi Hao. "With the Six-Crowned King's methods, he will bestow death upon you!" Each figure glared with fury, their entire bodies exuding Killing Intent. Their Auras were as blazing as the sun.
Six-Crowned King Ning Chuan was a legend, a myth. These people were all top figures among several Ancient Sects, but out of admiration for him, they followed his command.
Others who were struggling to ascend the ancient altar diverted their attention to the situation. The most astonishing Six-Crowned King in history sending people to kill the Sinful Blood Descendants was shocking.
However, what was even more puzzling was: Why didn't he come himself?
A white-robed figure attacked Shi Hao. A flame erupted from his palm. This was Innate Li Fire, incredibly scorching.
"Is that all?" Shi Hao pointed his hand, and a bolt of lightning flew out. It pierced through the flame and struck toward the white-robed figure.
A box in his hand cracked open. Inside was a bird's beak, which spewed flames that merged with the flames on the man's body, doubling their power. This was a Magic Treasure bestowed by Ning Chuan.
Another white-robed figure moved at this moment. The treasure box in his hand cracked open, and a purple scale exploded from within. This person was not attacking Shi Hao; instead, he lunged toward Shi Jian.
"There are quite a lot of good things…" Shi Jian understood the reason why Ning Chuan sent people. He was probably not confident in taking them down, so he sent people to test their limits.
"Divine Dragon Sword — Slash!" The third treasure box exploded, revealing a tooth within. It was dazzling and colorful, with Killing Intent soaring to the sky, transforming into a lightning Dragon that attacked Shi Jian!
"Illusion Break!" The treasure box in the fourth white-robed figure's hand also exploded, and a luminous pearl appeared, making the surrounding scenery blurry. An illusion enveloped Shi Jian.
The treasure boxes of the last two people also exploded, and six rays of light enveloped the area. All six Magic Treasures were refined by Ning Chuan from items taken from his slain enemies.
Five items came toward Shi Jian. Under such an attack, many cultivators would have to suffer a bitter defeat on the spot. Of course, this did not include Shi Jian.
Shi Jian waved his hand casually, and terrifying force poured out, instantly knocking all the Magic Treasures away. Shi Hao also unleashed a Divine Light, causing the person holding the bird's beak to cough up large mouthfuls of blood.
"Fusion!" Suddenly, a white-robed figure shouted, then everyone let go. The various items rushed into the sky, strung together, and merged into one. It turned into a string of treasures.
"Could this be Ning Chuan's Six Paths Supreme String?" Someone exclaimed in surprise.
Six Magic Treasures transformed into a bracelet. It possessed terrifying power, capable of slaying Divine Souls and eroding one's Dao Foundation. A figure coalesced.
"Die! The Six-Crowned King wants you dead; not even the heavens can forgive you!" The white-robed figures combined their strength to push the small object, suppressing Shi Jian.
"Petty tricks…" Before Shi Jian could act, Shi Hao felt ignored and moved first. Bone script burned on his body, and his form glowed. He then soared into the air, reaching for the precious bracelet.
In an instant, Killing Intent surged, impervious to all techniques. Shi Hao gave a gentle tug, and the bracelet broke apart.
"What? He shattered the treasure bestowed by the Six-Crowned King?" The onlookers were greatly shocked. The six white-robed men also changed their expressions.
If Shi Jian had been the one to tear it apart, they might have been able to accept it. After all, Shi Jian had forged a formidable reputation. But who in the world was Shi Hao?
"So you've learned to steal kills now, have you…?" Seeing Shi Hao act first, Shi Jian gave him a sidelong glance. He extended a finger, and instantly, blood splattered as all six white-robed figures were slain by him.
The remaining people fled frantically. Shi Hao revealed an innocent expression. Then, without giving the others a chance to escape, he activated his Spirit Body, striking mercilessly and harvesting one life after another.
The bracelet erupted with light, illuminating Shi Jian and Shi Hao. It was collecting their Auras and engraving their spiritual fluctuations to facilitate finding them after entering Immortal Ancient.
Shi Jian became even more certain of his thoughts. He coldly looked at the bracelet. "Hiding your head and showing your tail, not daring to face me directly in the Venerable Realm?"
"You want to break through after entering Immortal Ancient and then slay me?"
"I've even slain True Gods; I'll wait for you to come and die!" Shi Jian directly stated Ning Chuan's intention, a look of disdain on his face.
Shi Hao also responded with indifference. "When I enter Immortal Ancient, I will definitely slay you!"
Their gazes were cold, and their words were filled with a domineering Qi. This posture left many people wide-eyed and speechless.
"The petals of the Immortal Flower will appear; then we'll see if you suppress everything or grovel at others' feet!" Among the Ancient Sects that had suffered heavy losses, many had gloomy expressions.
Shi Jian's guess was indeed correct. Ning Chuan was not confident in defeating Shi Jian in the Venerable Realm. Therefore, he used this method to verify his strength.
Ning Chuan had accumulated knowledge over several lifetimes, and his comprehension of the Dao was terrifyingly strong. He had deliberately suppressed his cultivation all this time. Once he ignited his Divine Fire, the accumulation of countless times would erupt, pushing him to an extremely terrifying Realm where dealing with Shi Jian would be as easy as flipping a hand.
"What if we let you be arrogant for a while longer?" Those figures from the great Sects thought to themselves. Upon entering Immortal Ancient, after Ning Chuan broke through his Realm and then slew Shi Jian, that great figure would likely have nothing to say.
Outside the battlefield, a young girl appeared, and with a wave of her hand, the bracelet instantly transformed into a stream of light and flew toward her. Shi Jian and Shi Hao watched this scene coldly and did not pursue further.
The two of them continued to ascend the steps, their speed rapid, making the others feel greatly powerless. The others climbed step by step as if carrying great mountains on their backs, yet these two walked as if nothing was amiss.
Their figures disappeared before the many climbing Venerables. Only faint, indistinct voices dissipated in the wind.
"You want to kill Ning Chuan too? If you kill him, then who will I kill?"
"Isn't there also the Immortal Palace successor? We can each take one…" The Venerables who heard these voices exchanged glances. The two brothers seemed to be arguing over who should kill Ning Chuan, as if he were a lamb awaiting slaughter.
And that Immortal Palace successor? These two brothers even wanted to make a move on him? Truly unyielding.
The two leaped over the fifth level, their speed not slowing down in the slightest. Here, several figures were struggling to climb. They were all outstanding among the Venerables of their respective states.
Now, their speed was like that of a crawling turtle. They had reached their limit on the fifth level. Shi Jian and Shi Hao, however, seemed completely unhindered. They crossed the fifth level in just a few breaths.
The struggling climbers were stunned and speechless. "Are these even human?"
Upon reaching the sixth level, the two finally felt a trace of pressure, but it did not affect their progress in the slightest. Here, there was a pair of male and female cultivators, both extremely powerful, who were sweating profusely as they moved.
They took a long time to shift even a little. Yet, their hearts were filled with infinite fighting spirit because reaching the sixth level already proved their strength. Now, suddenly seeing Shi Jian and Shi Hao moving rapidly, they nearly stumbled and fell in shock.
The disparity between people was truly absurd.
Everyone expected Shi Jian to perform as he did, but Shi Hao was able to keep up with him. For one sect to produce one such genius was already exaggerated enough. How could two appear among the descendants of "Sin Blood"? It was truly shocking.
Throughout the long years, some powerful geniuses had only managed to reach the seventh level with extreme difficulty. Now, these two youths were so casual, ascending all the way as if strolling through a leisurely garden.
Under the gaze of countless people, the two stepped onto the eighth level in one go. Even a Divine Fire Realm expert would likely be crushed to the ground by this terrifying pressure, but Shi Hao and Shi Jian acted as if nothing was there.
The cultivators watching from afar were all dumbfounded. It had been nearly thirty thousand years since anyone had ascended the eighth level of the altar. These two youths had set a new record, breaking thirty thousand years of tranquility.
"Dong!" "Dong!" The two stepped, treading on the eighth level. The Supreme Ancient Altar, more immense than a mountain, trembled slightly.
The hundreds of thousands of Venerables climbing below were stunned. Their footsteps were steady, like the beating of a divine drum, yet it caused some Venerables to cough up blood, unable to bear it.
"They broke the eighty-thousand-year record… These two ascended the ninth level of the altar!" At this moment, everyone's expressions froze. A crystalline stone tablet appeared in the Void Realm, emitting divine, radiant light. Anyone who ascended to the ninth level could leave their name here.
This heaven and earth were no longer silent. Whether it was the Venerables climbing the mountain or those watching the battle, all erupted into a clamor.
The Divine Tablet soared, appearing before the two of them. Shi Jian didn't hesitate at all, carving four large characters onto it.
[Unrestricted]
Shi Hao hesitated for a moment, then left only one character.
[Desolate]
Originally, he wanted to write "I love drinking beast milk" but felt it was too embarrassing. So, for some reason, he wrote this character. Desolate! This character was taken from the Great Desolation.
There were other names on the stone tablet, all brilliant experts from throughout the ages.
"Desolate?" Shi Jian's great name had already resounded throughout the Three Thousand Dao States. Now, another person's name was also destined to resound.
After leaving his name, Shi Hao was the first to walk toward the center. There was a stone bowl there. Inside the stone bowl was Supreme Liquid.
Shi Hao instantly recognized it as a rare treasure and wanted to claim it for himself. The pressure on the ninth level was several times stronger than before. Even with Shi Hao's strength, he felt the pressure.
His bones rumbled. He felt as if he was carrying the heavens on his back as he walked. However, he did not stop, continuing to move at a steady pace.
Shi Jian followed behind him, neither fast nor slow. At the center, a stone bowl floated in the Void Realm, its liquid almost overflowing. A refreshing fragrance wafted out.
Shi Hao's hand touched the stone bowl, and a cool sensation spread through him. The area was instantly bathed in radiant light, becoming incredibly sacred. He gripped the bowl, exerting force, and the Void Realm trembled. Accompanied by brilliant light, he finally lifted the stone bowl.
A line of characters appeared, carved in the Void Realm, revealing the origin of the Supreme Liquid. This was the imprint of the Gods, the condensed essence of the Spirit Realm. It was a sacred liquid for refining the Primordial Spirit and nourishing the Divine Soul, capable of allowing the Primordial Spirit to shed its old shell and undergo extreme sublimation. It was truly extraordinary.
"One mouthful each?" Shi Hao looked at Shi Jian.
Shi Jian did not reply. Instead, his forehead glowed, and a vertical eye suddenly appeared. This was the Eye of the Dominator. The Eye of the Dominator burst forth with brilliant light, illuminating the entire altar.
Shi Jian looked at the stone bowl, which was connected to the Void Realm. Within the Void Realm, there was a small pool. All of it was Supreme Liquid. It was extremely rare, taking tens of thousands of years to produce one bowl. Over a long period, the accumulated Supreme Liquid was more than just one bowl.
The problem was that after everyone arrived, they could only take one bowl of Supreme Liquid.
"Attack this spot with full force," Shi Jian suddenly commanded. He combined his Five Emperors Great Devil Divine Ability with the Nether God's Spear, fiercely attacking in the direction of the stone bowl.
He was not attacking the bowl itself but rather the space in the Void Realm that stored the Supreme Liquid. The Spirit Realm was similar to the Virtual God Realm; once power reached a certain limit, it could shatter the space. Shi Jian intended to break through the upper limit of this space and take all the liquid.
Shi Hao did not have a pupil Divine Ability and could not see the liquid in the Void Realm. But he trusted Shi Jian immensely. Upon hearing his words, he immediately unleashed his full power.
Rumble. The entire Void Realm trembled. The two of them acted like Devil Kings, their black hair flying and their eyes like lightning.
The Void Realm was torn apart by them. The hidden liquid seeped out, and neither of them hesitated. They opened their mouths and inhaled. The Supreme Liquid, like a small pool in the Void Realm, was completely drunk by them.
However, the two did not immediately refine it. They merely kept it guarding their Primordial Spirits, transforming into a dazzling and radiant light.
"We're raking it in…" Both their faces showed expressions of pleasant surprise. The Supreme Liquid in that space was not much, but it was still more than ten times the amount in the bowl. This meant that each of them had received at least five bowls.
This item would be of great use when igniting the Divine Fire. You can never have too much of a good thing!
Having gained a huge advantage, the two jumped off the Supreme Ancient Altar. Now, everything was ready. They were just waiting to enter the vast uninhabited region!
Suddenly, several Venerables were shaken off the altar. Streams of light engulfed the area. Hundreds of great killing weapons targeting the Soul—Soul Extinguishing Needles and Soul Suppressing Pagodas—came at the two of them.