Chapter 1353: Shentu Ao

Chapter 1352: Shentu Ao

The ancient Dragon Hall of the Great Wilderness stood towering and majestic.

Throughout the generations of the Great Wilderness, those of the Royal bloodline with the noblest lineage had presided here, holding dominion over the entire realm.

In ages past, this Dragon Hall had been the supreme and most exalted place in all the Great Wilderness.

Royal clans gathered like clouds, nobles filled the ground, and King Soldiers clad in Four Symbols Sacred Armor stood watch. It had been resplendent, imposing, and supremely dignified.

But now, there was nothing.

No royals. No nobles. Not even the King soldiers who once guarded the Dragon Hall.

The surroundings were utterly empty, exuding desolation and deathly stillness.

No one felt as though they had arrived at the supreme “Dragon Hall” of the Great Wilderness. Instead, the eerie sensation in the air grew heavier.

The night sky above was blood-red, so deep it was nearly black.

Elder Xuanyuan frowned.

An elder of the Yuwen clan spoke up, “Elder Xuanyuan… is something not right?”

The other elders also felt an inexplicable strangeness.

Elder Xuanyuan shook his head. “Things have come to this. There is no path of retreat. The Great Wilderness Royal clan must be exterminated to the last.”

After speaking, Elder Xuanyuan stepped forward.

The great doors of the Dragon Hall stood tightly shut. Upon them, carvings of Azure Dragons were dim and lusterless—bodies present, but eyes absent, their pupils pitch-black.

An inexplicable chill stirred in Elder Xuanyuan’s heart, yet he still placed his hand on the door and, channeling the peak cultivation of Golden Core, pushed it open.

With a heavy rumble, the doors of the Dragon Hall slowly opened.

Blood-colored moonlight shone into the grand hall, yet within it was dark and gloomy, nothing could be seen.

Even divine sense that entered was completely swallowed.

Elder Xuanyuan could only lead the group inside the Dragon Hall of the Great Wilderness.

The Royal descendants and royal clan of the Great Wilderness bore the blood of the Karmic Dragon, their physiques enormous, like small giants.

Thus the Dragon Hall had an extremely high threshold, and the eaves soared skyward like a celestial palace beyond the heavens.

Inside, dozens of ancient bronze pillars coiled upward like giant dragons ascending to the sky, supporting the roof of the great hall in a scene of breathtaking grandeur.

But now, the interior of the hall was stained with old black blood. Pitch-black veins writhed continuously, and chunks of flesh on the ground bulged like tumors. The place resembled a grotesque lair of flesh and blood.

Seeing this, everyone felt dread in their hearts.

“This is… the Dragon Hall of the Great Wilderness? How could it become like this?”

“Has the Great Wilderness defied the natural order and suffered a curse from the Heavenly Dao?”

Mo Hua’s heart tightened, his fists clenching.

In his palm, he gripped a straw dog. At this very moment, he could only hope that the fate technique left behind by the Grand Shaman Priest would actually work.

Elder Xuanyuan and the others walked a few steps further.

Within the darkness, blood-colored moonlight suddenly poured down, illuminating the path ahead, the great hall, and a vast “blood pool” in the very center of the hall.

No one knew when the Dragon Hall had become a blood pool.

Nor did anyone know whose blood had gathered here, or how long it had been congealing.

But at this moment, the blood pool in the Dragon Hall had already condensed into black.

At the center of the black blood pool stood a burly figure, shrouded in darkness, tall like a monster, muscles knotted all over, ferocious dragon patterns writhing across his body. His limbs were swollen, no longer resembling a human at all.

The monster’s eyes were closed. There was not the slightest aura, like a lifeless object.

Everyone unconsciously softened their breathing.

Mo Hua slowly stepped forward a few paces. By the light of the blood-red glow, he made out the monster’s face. Though he had expected it, his pupils still shrank.

“Shentu… Ao…”

Dan Ling’s face turned deathly pale. “Your Highness…”

The other elders and prodigies looked at each other, all frowning.

“This is… the prince of the Great Wilderness? How did he become like this? Has the Royal clan… fallen into demonic corruption?”

“Elder Xuanyuan…” many turned toward him.

Elder Xuanyuan’s gaze hardened. Without the slightest hesitation, he said in a low voice, “Attack together. Kill him with thunderous force!”

The moment he spoke, Elder Xuanyuan summoned a golden longsword and activated the ancestral Xuanyuan Sword Art, forming an incomparably sharp streak of golden light that slashed toward the half-man, half-demon Shentu Ao.

The elders of the various great clans also brought out their magic treasures, unleashing their sects’ supreme Dao techniques to suppress and kill Shentu Ao.

Mo Hua, meanwhile, retreated a step, hiding behind the group of Golden Core elders, his expression grave.

Sect-suppressing sword light, water-and-fire spells, and all kinds of spiritual power manifested by numerous magic treasures poured into the blood pool at once, shredding Shentu Ao’s physical body.

Inside the Dragon Hall of the Great Wilderness, terrifying killing fluctuations erupted.

So many Golden Core elders joining forces—some even late-stage or peak-stage Golden Core experts—produced destructive power that even ordinary Feathered Ascension cultivators might not withstand head-on.

Violent spiritual pressure filled the entire Dragon Hall.

When the waves of slaughter subsided, everyone looked carefully.

The blood pool had cracked, black blood flowing across the ground.

At the center of the pool, Shentu Ao’s body had indeed been unable to withstand the bombardment of so many Golden Core experts.

Flesh had fallen away, exposing ghastly white bones. Half of his body was gone, covered in wounds, completely devoid of life.

Elder Xuanyuan and the others slowly let out a breath.

But before that breath could fully relax, the black blood on the ground suddenly began to tremble.

Not just the blood, chunks of flesh also began to writhe.

These masses of black blood and flesh seemed drawn by some force, flowing back toward the blood pool, eventually turning into viscous blood that poured into Shentu Ao’s body.

Blood turned into flesh, generating bone, sprouting like buds of meat, stitching together Shentu Ao’s shattered body.

Elder Xuanyuan’s expression changed. “Quick, keep attacking!”

Before his words had even finished, he sent out another streak of golden sword qi.

The other elders also unleashed their Dao techniques.

Several clan elders were body cultivators. Ignoring the danger, they tried to charge into the blood pool to chop off Shentu Ao’s head.

But in the next instant, black blood shot into the sky, condensing into eerie formation patterns that shielded Shentu Ao within.

The charging elders had no time to dodge. Tainted by the formation-pattern black blood, they fell to the ground in terror. In just a few blinks, their flesh corroded away, and even their bones turned into black ash.

Everyone’s faces went pale.

Meanwhile, as Shentu Ao’s flesh writhed and regrew, his eyelids began to tremble.

Elder Xuanyuan grew frantic. “He’s about to wake up, kill him!”

Someone shouted, “Sword control—break the black blood!”

At once, more than a dozen Golden Core sword cultivators chanted incantations, raising their spiritual swords. Without sparing spiritual power, they poured energy into their blades.

Vast sword qi gathered together, emitting a sharp, piercing screech.

Then came the sound of air being torn apart—over a dozen flying swords, carrying tremendous force, slammed directly into the curtain of black water.

The black water formation patterns were shredded by the sword qi, breaking apart one after another and revealing a large opening.

Two other Golden Core sword cultivators seized the moment. Moving like swords themselves, they flashed through the crack in the black water, gripping greatswords in both hands, sword qi as heavy as mountains, and fiercely charged at Shentu Ao.

Their movement techniques were fast, their speed astonishing, and the might of their greatswords terrifying.

One blade from the left, one from the right, both hacked toward Shentu Ao’s neck at the same time.

If those greatswords struck, with the overlapping sword qi, Shentu Ao would be beheaded on the spot.

It was at that very moment that Shentu Ao opened his eyes.

These were not human eyes. The pupils were pitch black, the edges tinged with a dark greenish-brown—like a demonic beast’s, or some fiend’s.

The moment the eyes opened signaled Shentu Ao’s awakening.

Black blood on his body trembled like boiling water, and an utterly terrifying power erupted from within his bloodline.

The two Golden Core sword cultivators felt their minds buzz; the blood in their bodies nearly stopped flowing.

The greatswords in their hands felt as though they had sunk into a swamp, heavy as a thousand tons.

They struggled desperately, resisting the dragon’s might.

But before they could struggle long, a sudden pain pierced their chests. Blood splattered everywhere. Looking down, they saw Shentu Ao’s demonic arms had already punched through their chests.

One punch each. Their physical bodies were like paper before him.

The two sword cultivators turned deathly pale. They still tried to muster strength to swing their swords, hoping to at least land one strike on Shentu Ao.

But Shentu Ao gave them no chance.

Veins bulged on his arms, tearing through the skin as several black demonic dragons burst out, opening their bloody maws and biting the two Golden Core sword cultivators in half, swallowing them alive.

This scene made everyone’s expressions change drastically.

After the sword cultivators’ flesh and blood were completely refined by Shentu Ao… fresh red blood circled around his body once, then turned into black formation patterns and merged into his back.

Shentu Ao’s aura deepened again.

His heart began to beat like that of a colossal dragon, and a terrifying pressure spread throughout the entire Dragon Hall.

At the same time, a deep, hoarse, torn voice—layered with countless overlapping and eerie tones—echoed through the Dragon Hall:

“I am the prince of the Great Wilderness. I will not die…”

“I will forge my great legacy in the Great Wilderness, rule all races with supreme authority, and suppress all demons with the might of a true dragon…”

“I will let the flames of war spread and burn the entire Great Wilderness.”

“I will gnaw the Dao Court’s soldiers into white bones and trample its lackeys into minced flesh…”

“I will turn the entire Great Wilderness into a purgatory…”

“My throne will be forged from white bones, my royal city built from piled flesh, and I—within boundless slaughter…”

“…shall be crowned king!”

…

Hearing these words, Mo Hua’s pupils lost focus. A powerful warning surged in his heart, and it began to pound violently.

Though the voice seemed to come from Shentu Ao’s mouth, the familiar feeling in his ears was completely…

Mo Hua couldn’t help but look at the straw dog in his hand.

On the other side, Elder Xuanyuan was enraged:

“A mere Great Wilderness fiend dares blaspheme the Dao Court and speak of coronation? Today marks the end of your Great Wilderness royal bloodline!”

“Kill!”

The Golden Core elders all shouted in unison, “Kill!”

Inside the Great Wilderness Dragon Hall, sword light filled the air as an extremely fierce battle erupted. Golden Core power ran rampant.

Seeing the situation turn bad, Mo Hua immediately said to Situ Jian and the others, “We’re leaving first.”

Inside the Dragon Hall, peak Golden Core elders were fighting Shentu Ao. The residual spiritual power and sword qi alone were ferocious, if they were to be caught in it, they would either die or be severely wounded.

Situ Jian and the others nodded.

Feng Zichen and the other clan prodigies were unwilling, but they also knew this situation was far beyond their ability to intervene.

They hadn’t formed their Cores yet. Staying would only get in the way.

The Dao Province prodigies, including Xuanyuan Jing and Wenhua Yu, though arrogant by nature, had no choice but to withdraw as well given the circumstances.

Under the protection of a few elders, all the prodigies temporarily left the Dragon Hall and retreated outside.

Inside, the brutal battle continued, accompanied from time to time by demonic dragon roars, furious shouts from cultivators, and the agonized cries of bodies being torn apart and grievously wounded.

Everyone’s brows were tightly furrowed.

The current situation was extremely grim. Shentu Ao, the Great Wilderness prince—half human, half demon, half dragon—was bloody, sinister, and terrifyingly strong.

To kill him, no one knew how many lives would have to be sacrificed.

Yet only by killing Shentu Ao, crossing the Dragon Hall, and passing through the Dragonbone Path could they enter the Great Wilderness Dragon Pool to form their Cores.

Mo Hua’s brows were just as tightly knit.

After thinking for a moment, he asked, “Does anyone know what the Dragonbone Path is?”

Feng Zichen shook his head, then paused. “Why are you asking us? Ask her… isn’t she a divine maiden?”

He pointed at Dan Ling.

Mo Hua looked at Dan Ling.

Having seen Shentu Ao’s state and realizing the prince was no longer truly alive, Dan Ling had been in silent anguish. Now she only sighed and said:

“I’ve already told you everything I know. I’m not clear on the specific details of the Dragonbone Path either.”

“I only know it lies beyond the Dragon Hall and is connected as one with the restrictions inside the Dragon Pool.”

“That restriction is meant to protect the Great Wilderness princes while they successfully form their Golden Cores.”

“The Great Wilderness Dragon Pool can only be entered by princes at the Foundation Establishment realm. Other cultivators at Golden Core and above cannot enter, to prevent ill-intentioned people from slaughtering the princes.”

“And within the restriction, certain killing methods are also suppressed…”

Hearing this, Mo Hua couldn’t help but grow puzzled. “The Dragon Pool’s restriction… its function sounds somewhat similar to the Heavenly Dao Grand Formation?”

Though in reality, they weren’t quite the same.

The Heavenly Dao Grand Formation operated on absolute taboos, violate them and death was certain.

The Great Wilderness Dragon Pool’s restriction, on the other hand, was more like a “limitation,” forbidding higher-realm cultivators from setting foot inside.

Mo Hua had never seen such a method before and had no idea what principle it operated on.

But anyone capable of establishing such restrictions was definitely no ordinary figure.

There were likely many secrets hidden within these restrictions.

As for what those secrets were…

That could only be explored after they broke through the Great Wilderness Dragon Hall, killed Shentu Ao, and personally entered Dragon Bone Path.

As for now…

Mo Hua turned his head again to look at the Great Wilderness Dragon Hall. A layer of gloom once more shrouded his heart.

“Martial Uncle… where exactly are you…”

Having come this far and seen Shentu Ao with his own eyes, Mo Hua could almost feel that he had already stepped into his Martial Uncle’s vicinity.

Especially Shentu Ao, who had returned from death.

Those eerie formation patterns in the black water.

Shentu Ao’s words, that strange voice layered with familiar tones.

Every one of these bore an extremely strong trace of his Martial Uncle.

Others might not recognize it, after all, in the entire cultivation world, those who had met his Martial Uncle and lived to tell the tale could be counted on one hand.

But back then, Mo Hua had traveled alongside his Martial Uncle. He had been directly involved. These signs were all too familiar to him.

Yet if what stood before him were truly his Martial Uncle’s methods, they seemed far too gentle.

If his Martial Uncle had truly acted, things would never look like this. In an instant, all these Golden Core elders would probably be dead.

But they weren’t dead. They were still fighting Shentu Ao. Mo Hua hadn’t even seen large patches of despairing death omens on their foreheads.

That didn’t resemble his Martial Uncle’s style at all…

Why?

What exactly was his Martial Uncle trying to do?

Or was everything so far merely an “appetizer,” with his Martial Uncle’s real methods waiting deeper within the Dragon Pool for them?

Mo Hua’s expression grew solemn, his heart uneasy.

But there was nothing he could do for now. He could only wait.

Wait for Elder Xuanyuan and the others to kill Shentu Ao, break through the Great Wilderness Dragon Hall, and advance toward the Dragon Pool.

…

Yet as time passed and the situation unfolded, Mo Hua soon realized he had oversimplified things.

Even if this were just an “appetizer,” they might not necessarily be able to swallow it.

Because this appetizer… was Shentu Ao.

The current Shentu Ao was no longer the same demonic sect Shentu Ao from years ago.

More than a decade ago, in the Qianxue State boundary, Mo Hua had seen that demonic sect’s blood pool.

Back then, Shentu Ao had cultivated demonic arts within that blood pool, nurturing an evil dragon formation diagram.

But that blood pool from those days couldn’t even compare to the one now in the Great Wilderness Dragon Hall.

And what was carved upon Shentu Ao’s body was no longer the original prototype of the Four Symbols Azure Dragon Diagram.

His skin had been flayed off… and then restored.

The one who restored his dragon diagram… was Martial Uncle.

In other words, what Shentu Ao now bore upon himself was a Four Symbols Strange-Dao Dragon Diagram born from Martial Uncle’s own hand.

If he truly fought without restraint, he alone might very well slaughter all the Golden Core cultivators present, along with every prodigy here.