Asura Emperor Venerable

Chapter 178: Chapter 178: Sky-Flipping Seal

Shi Hao began practicing the Sky-Flipping Seal, yet despite having all the secret incantations in his mind and someone demonstrating it in person, he just couldn’t grasp it.

Is it really that difficult?

Shi Hao fumbled with the incantations, their bitterness incomprehensible. And in the application of strength and Soul Power, it defied all common sense, rendering his experience utterly useless.

All of this made Shi Hao doubt himself. Could it be that he was not a genius, but rather quite ordinary?

One month, two months, three months—he had broken through to the third step of Soul Nurturing, yet he still couldn’t master the Sky-Flipping Seal until after the fourth month when he finally began to catch on.

Once he had a clue, he studied further, and suddenly, he had an epiphany.

So that’s how it is.

His understanding kept rising, leading him to demonstrate it himself. His hands formed seals, and he blasted forward.

Boom!

With one strike, a large stone in front of him completely turned into dust.

Such emptiness!

Shi Hao cried out, staggering, barely able to stand firm.

This one strike had completely drained his strength, making it difficult for him to even stand.

The Sky-Flipping Seal had only one move, but this one move could undergo endless variations, implying an infinity of possibilities.

The problem was, the consumption was too great. Shi Hao had used just one move and was already collapsing. No matter how many possibilities there were, what good would they do him?

“What level of Martial Technique is this?”

Shi Hao was astonished because even Sun-Level advanced Martial Techniques could only double the strength, and he could squander his strength for half an hour before it would be exhausted.

But this?

A single strike and his strength was gone.

He sat on the ground, and after a short while, less than the time it takes an incense stick to burn, his physical strength recovered by a small fraction.

“Sun-Level Martial Techniques, at most, unleash the body’s strength at three times the speed.”

“However, this Sky-Flipping Seal… one strike alone, and it empties all the strength inside the body!”

“From a power perspective, it might exceed a hundredfold!”

Shi Hao believed that this one strike could instantly kill someone at the ninth step—if someone at the ninth step of Soul Nurturing faced him head-on, it could even clash with an entity from the Other Shore.

The problem was, if the strike didn’t kill in one hit, then he was like a lamb to the slaughter, needing nearly half the time it takes an incense stick to burn to recover a bit.

“Use it sparingly! Use it sparingly! Only in desperate situations.”

“But I saw in my memory, the person demonstrating it was continuously using the Sky-Flipping Seal, with endless variations.”

“Which means, my current strength is too weak, which is why one strike drained me completely.”

“Such a Precious Technique… it surpasses everything Yuan Chengmie possessed.”

“Just twenty years, if I can’t find the Neptune Star Divine Herb, I’m going to die.”

Days went by, and he also found the “Soul Chasing Mark,” not knowing when it had appeared on his back, just the size of a copper coin and blood-red in color.

But in Yuan Chengmie’s memory he located, this Soul Chasing Mark was extremely terrifying, if it erupted, except if his cultivation was higher than that of the caster, death was certain.

Fortunately, there were twenty years.

Whether he found the Neptune Star Divine Herb or surpassed that old man in strength, it all had to be done within twenty years.

“However, what exactly is the Neptune Star Divine Herb, even Yuan Chengmie had never heard of it.”

Shi Hao pondered for a while, then set the matter aside.

In the seventh month after Bao Dongsheng went into seclusion, he finally emerged.

Boom!

The commotion was immense, shaking the entire mountaintop so violently people thought the Kuangsha Sect was attacking again.

Bao Dongsheng immediately sent for Shi Hao. When Shi Hao arrived, he found that Bao Dongsheng’s vitality had changed.

—Like a peerless Divine Sword with its edge fully revealed.

Shi Hao believed that it was because Bao Dongsheng had just broken through and was not yet able to control his aura well. After some days, he should no longer reveal such sharpness.

“Congratulations, Sect Master, you’ve made a breakthrough!” he said with a smile.

Bao Dongsheng laughed heartily, clearly very delighted.

Having broken through Self-Observation, he had gained an additional fifty years of life, enough to make White Cloud Sect the number one sect in the world.

However, when he heard the news from Shi Hao that Kuangsha Sect had already been destroyed, his expression turned awkward.

There was no need for him to take action?

Shi Hao told him about Xia Mengyin’s situation but concealed the matter of the elder in the ancient relic, merely mentioning that the place was bizarre and even the Almighty of Founding King Court dared not enter.

Thus, he believed that no one from White Cloud Sect would venture there seeking death any longer.

Bao Dongsheng was stunned for a long time before he accepted the fact that he was merely a frog at the bottom of a well.

The vastness of this world far exceeded his imagination.

“Are you going out?” Bao Dongsheng finally asked.

Shi Hao nodded, “Yes.”

“Good!” Bao Dongsheng nodded, “When you return, I will present you with the strongest White Cloud Sect. I hope you can recreate the miracles of Gu Shiyun from the past and have the Myriad Sects pay homage!”

The old man had grand ambitions.

Shi Hao felt a little excited and nodded, “It’s a promise!”

…

Now that Bao Dongsheng had come out of seclusion, there was no reason for Shi Hao to stay at White Cloud Sect any longer. He made preparations to depart.

For example, he filled the Black Spirit Ring with Spirit Stones.

If he was going to other places, could he carry silver notes issued by Hua Yun Nation or other nations?

Who would acknowledge them?

Hence, Spirit Stones were better, they were universally accepted currency and far more valuable than gold and silver.

Unfortunately, the space inside the Black Spirit Ring was limited, so he could only carry so much.

Shi Hao then took another trip to Hua Yuan Nation to question Wu Shibai.

But, there was still no clue about his origins, as if he had appeared out of thin air.

At least there were some clues on Lin Yuyue’s side, but when it came to him, every lead was cut off.

Shi Tianyang had found him in the river, so surely someone must have thrown him in there.

Even though this was a matter from over a decade ago, one would think that by leveraging the resources of an entire nation to investigate, some traces would be found.

For now, he would have to find Lin Yuyue first.

Their appearances were very close in time, so there might be a connection.

He began to long for the vast world beyond.

The Fatty, Lin Yuyue, Xia Mengyin, Luo Qing’er, and others must be on the other side of the vast ocean.

Furthermore, to find the Neptune Star Divine Herb, he would definitely need to search for clues abroad.

Twenty years was not a long time.

Departure!

Shi Hao set off with the big yellow dog, heading west.

According to what Xia Mengyin had said, the Cursed Land was closest to the Eastern Fire Continent, and since the Eastern Fire Continent was to the west of this place, he would first need to hurry to the western seaboard and then sail forth from there.

After half a month, he reached the westernmost point where a vast ocean stretched before him.

He arrived at a coastal town and rented a boat for a sea voyage.

However, upon learning that he wished to venture deep into the sea, the boat captains all shook their heads.

Their vessels were only adequate for fishing in the sea or traveling to nearby islands; they dared not venture deep into the ocean.

“Young man, let me tell you, it’s too dangerous in the depths of the sea, a mere large wave can capsize a boat!” the boat captain kindly warned.

Shi Hao nodded, and since he couldn’t rent a boat, he decided to buy one and venture out to sea himself.