Chapter 144: No Time
Night fell.
No gradual dusk, no slow fading of light. Day vanished in an instant.
Under the now-inky sky, a pair of Heaven-Eclipsing Divine Eyes—immense and otherworldly—rose slowly like twin stars, terrifying in their silence.
In that moment, all living things caught in their gaze were seized by an indescribable fear.
Their limbs trembled, the air grew heavy and cold, and dread crept into the deepest parts of their souls.
It wasn't just fear. It was Primordial Dread, ancient and absolute—something too immense to put into words.
Even Ancient Descendant Beasts, creatures with bloodlines that echoed from the Primeval Era, collapsed in terror, pressing themselves flat to the earth. Only Pure-Blooded Ferocious Beasts managed to stay upright, stubbornly clinging to their pride.
But even those mighty beasts—creatures who could shake mountains with a roar—had no strength to resist. If anyone attacked them now, they wouldn't have the power to retaliate. They'd just die.
And still, this was barely a sliver of Shi Yi's full power. Not even a tenth of it.
People often asked themselves:
How strong was Shi Yi, this Holy Son of the Heaven-Mending Sect? What did he represent in the Lower Realm's Eight Regions?
Simple.
If the Upper Realm did not intervene, Shi Yi reigned supreme. No one could match him.
He had pushed the Blood Transformation Realm to its theoretical peak: a strength of 108,000 jin. He had mastered Thirteen Supreme Dao Scriptures, opening the path to Ten Heavenly Sacred Gateways. His Cave Heaven Realm had undergone a flawless transformation. His physical body had transitioned from acquired to innate constitution, turning his very flesh into a living sacred elixir.
And that wasn't all.
Shi Yi, together with both the Main Body and Clone Body of Yue Chan, had deduced the workings of the Starry Sky Array—an ancient formation that mapped celestial mechanics—and engraved it within his own body.
He had reached Perfection in both Rune Inscription and Formation Arts. These two paths—carving ancient runes and assembling arcane formations—were among the highest mystical attainments.
Once the Starry Sky Array was fully embedded, Shi Yi had attained Peak Array Formation Realm, a level rarely seen even in the Upper Realms.
The Venerable Realm? That was about seeking one's Dao.
But Shi Yi wasn't rushing it.
His heart still lay in the Eight Regions of the Lower Realm.
To outsiders, this seemed odd. Why didn't the strongest prodigy leave for the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths of the Upper Realm?
Because he was still human.
If he left, his mother and aunt would be left alone—vulnerable. He was their foundation, the person holding their lives together.
He wasn't writing a story where you could just "send the family off to the countryside" and be done with it. If something really went wrong, there'd be no do-overs.
He could ascend anytime. With Liu Shen backing him and nurturing him like a gentle flame, there was no lack of opportunity.
As for the so-called Bai Duan Mountain Secret Realm?
He couldn't care less. The Heaven-Mending Sect gave him whatever he needed. He only came to the Hundred Broken Mountains because Huo Ling'er asked, and because he wanted to win some resources for others in his group.
Take the Primordial Water of Taiyi, for instance. To him, it was nearly useless. But to Yu Yuexian and Yu Zimo, who possessed water-aligned constitutions, it was more precious than even an Undying Divine Medicine.
Shi Yi wasn't selfish. He didn't want to walk his path alone and turn back someday to find no one with him.
A dozen breaths passed.
In the sky, the vast Heaven-Eclipsing Eyes—like jeweled mirrors fixed in the void—slowly closed. The pressure vanished. Life across the land exhaled in unison.
But the sky didn't stay quiet.
Suddenly, stars near and far blinked to life.
They didn't appear randomly. They moved—shifting, aligning, outlining a vast celestial diagram in the sky.
The moment the array completed, a Stellar Passageway opened in the heavens.
As starlight blazed and space distorted, Shi Hao emerged first, stepping forth with absolute confidence. Behind him came Huo Ling'er, Yu Zimo, Hu Niu, Yun Xi, and even the Taiyi Divine Water, now shaped into a graceful humanoid form—a manifestation of its Dharma Body.
But no one drew attention like Shi Hao.
The moment he arrived, even the proudest Ferocious Beasts bowed their heads.
They kneeled.
"We pay our respects to the Holy Son!"
Even beasts as ancient and fearsome as the Skyfissure Devil Butterfly, the Divine Golden Ant, the Poison Demon Tree, and the Bi Fang—creatures spoken of in awe—were dust beneath his presence.
The cries came like thunder:
"Ancient Divine Mountain, Three-Eyed Clan, pays respects to the Holy Son!"
"Xiling Beast Mountain, Azure Luan Clan, pays respects to the Holy Son!"
"Zhu Lu Academy, War Goddess, pays respects to the Holy Son!"
Even Human Clans joined in. No one dared to stand too tall in front of Shi Hao.
He scanned the crowd. He gave only the briefest of nods to the Three-Eyed and Azure Luan Clans.
But when he reached the War Goddess from Zhu Lu Academy, his gaze lingered slightly. The title intrigued him.
War Goddess?
Was she really that strong?
He didn't ask. It felt awkward. So, he just stayed cool and aloof, as always.
"No need for ceremony," Shi Hao finally said.
The War Goddess, unfazed by his cold demeanor, stepped forward and whispered close to his ear, "Holy Son, do you know when the Divine Tide in the Hundred Broken Mountains begins?"
She was the opposite of Xia Youyu, the reserved senior of the Heaven-Mending Sect. This woman was direct, even forward—clearly trying to get close.
Shi Hao leaned back slightly.
"Probably tomorrow," he answered.
Her body leaned in further—close enough to feel the tension between them. Her skin was pale, her chest heaving. She was clearly trying to seduce him.
"Holy Son, are you free tonight?"
Shi Hao frowned.
"No time."
His tone was blunt. Direct.
He didn't want to play around. He wasn't here for that.
Far off, Huo Ling'er, Yu Zimo, Hu Niu, and Yun Xi had seen everything. Fortunately, Shi Hao had shown some restraint—otherwise, someone would've exploded on the spot.
"Another shameless woman," Huo Ling'er muttered.
"Are you calling me that too?" Hu Niu gave Yun Xi a sidelong glance. The girl's face was dark.
"In my eyes, you're all the same," Yu Zimo said evenly.
She didn't like Huo Ling'er. Didn't like the Sixteenth Princess. Definitely didn't like Hu Niu or Yun Xi.
To her, only Yue Chan's Clone Body was worthy of Shi Hao.
"Human emotions are fascinating," the Taiyi Divine Water said with a half-smile.
She had spent years hidden deep in the Hundred Broken Mountains. After all, she wasn't just a water spirit—she was the Primordial Liquid of Taiyi, an ancient divine substance.
If someone with ill intent had found her first, they might've simply consumed her.
Thankfully, she'd met Shi Hao and Yu Zimo.
Shi Hao would never hurt her. Not only out of principle, but also because he knew his own mother's cultivation was pitifully average.
The day passed quickly.
The next morning, Shi Hao casually picked up a bloody bird leg and a wing—still fresh, as though ripped from its owner moments ago.
"Brother, that's mine—"
"Wash it."
"…Okay."
He cleaned it, then roasted both pieces slowly over a flame.
Once he had eaten, the sun stood high in the sky.
At the gate of the ruined mountain, Human Clans and Ferocious Beasts stood side by side. The mountain trembled faintly.
It was coming.
The Divine Tide of the Hundred Broken Mountains—a phenomenon born of ancient spiritual remnants—was about to erupt.
Inside, countless treasures awaited. But they would not come easily. Blood would flow. Only those with power and daring would leave with something in hand.
A slaughter was about to begin.
And everyone was waiting.
Waiting for the gate to open.