Chapter 176: The Origin of the Primal Demiplanes

Chapter 176: The Origin of the Primal Demiplanes

"Damn... Has Phoenixfall Kingdom lost their minds?! Sending three Archdukes to assassinate an Apex Archduke?!"

Xi Yan clenched his teeth, witnessing the swift demise of Wan Shen San.

Without hesitation, he withdrew and fled in the direction where the Western Emperor had previously departed, the moment he confirmed Wan Shen San's death.

Xi Yan, hailing from a side lineage of the Eye of Demon Empire's royal family, was well aware of the power disparities among warriors.

In the vast universe, the Apex Archduke realm was the ultimate limit for those in the True Seed Realm. However, due to factors like racial talents and secret arts, some Archdukes possessed significantly greater power, far surpassing the Archduke threshold.

To distinguish these exceptionally powerful individuals, the term "Apex Archduke" was coined.

Wan Shen San, as one of the Divine Sons of the Four Divine Temples, was a leading figure among his generation of warriors. Yet, just months ago, he had reached the Apex Archduke realm, only to fail in blocking Ji Jingqiu's sword strike!

What kind of monster was this?! Phoenixfall Kingdom had truly gone insane!

Noticing the commotion at the temple, Ji Jingqiu halted and gathered the nearby Federation warriors.

A flash of cold light streaked across the sky, slicing through Xi Yan's neck. He could distinctly feel the chill of the blade against his skin, and his vision blurred.

The winding path leads to the heart's secrets, the path of conscience.

"Hey, you old guy..."

Over twenty Federation warriors immediately surrounded him, and in just two breaths, they reached the end of the staircase, their speed leaving other warriors in awe.

"Does your cousin brother hold such deep affection for this Demiplane that he'd rather die than leave it?" Ji Jingqiu asked, his tone carrying a hint of ridicule.

Most of those present were Celestial-ranked warriors, and even through the projection, they could sense the terrifying power contained in that sword strike.

"What does the Cangqing Temple represent?" Ji Jingqiu inquired.

For a moment, everyone seemed to erupt in chaos.

He should have fled more decisively earlier; with so many people around, couldn't he have hidden among the crowd? From ten kilometers away, he locked onto the Western Emperor and rapidly transmitted his thoughts using the Heart Mystic Art.

At that moment, his heartbeat quickened as his gaze extended, and he couldn't help but reveal a look of astonishment.

"Are you from the Northern Cang Commerce Alliance?" Ji Jingqiu asked directly.

At the top of the staircase, the stone door, which had been partially open, now fully revealed itself, as if welcoming their arrival.

"Can't block it..." Xi Yan's heart sank as he recalled the earlier encounter.

Ji Jingqiu took the lead, stepping onto the staircase. As he took the fourth step, an invisible restraint from the Legal Principle descended upon him, as if the entire world was rejecting his presence.

As Ji Jingqiu advanced, he inquired about the whereabouts of Yue Youcong and the others.

The surrounding warriors were left dumbfounded by the retreating warrior's actions.

The Cangqing Temple was not a singular entity; in the explored regions, there were already five temples spread across various locations.

"Big brother, back me up! This person wants to kill me!"

...

The sky, illuminated by gentle and sacred light, teemed with vibrant life.

Everyone's gaze turned towards several representatives from the Northern Cang Commerce Alliance in the field.

As expected, the Western Emperor remained silent, causing Xi Yan's heart to sink.

A million years. Faced with this daunting timespan, not only Ji Jingqiu but also Diao Xingyun and the others fell silent, expressing their respect.

These imperial royal family members were indeed filled with schemes and calculations, devoid of any familial bonds. Unlike the Black Sun Tribe, where offspring were scarce and reproduction challenging, the Black Sun Tribe excelled in unity and stability. When one of their own was attacked, the entire tribe would rally together.

Duan Xuanji gazed at the divine script, gaining a vague understanding, but he couldn't fully grasp the intricacies within, as if something was blocking his comprehension.

"The one who opened the Bosa Demiplane was a supreme being worthy of deification in the vast universe!"

Ji Jingqiu looked at the two passages on either side, unable to discern any differences. He turned to the elven girl, who shook her head, indicating her lack of knowledge as well.

The passage grew increasingly dim as they ventured deeper, and a faint mist had somehow enveloped the air.

"Charging over ten li and delivering a fatal strike, leaving the opponent no chance to react. Truly a radiant sun warrior!"

"Earlier, I contacted you through our tribe's Three-Eye Technique, one of its functions being communication via plants."

Sensing the sharp aura emanating from behind, a Celestial-ranked warrior spoke up, his gaze piercing as he scanned the crowd, focusing on a few individuals.

"Get out of the way!" Xi Yan's face contorted, and he roared, his three eyes opening wide, emitting a powerful mental wave.

This was too fast...

"It's a legacy! The legacy of a supreme deity!"

"Brother Ji, with your martial prowess, have you already grasped the mysteries here?" Xuanji Duan asked excitedly.

Diao Xingyun shook his head. "We got separated. They might have been forced to go to other temple locations."

"Whether it's the left or right path, let Brother Ji decide."

After all, it was the temple of a supreme powerhouse, and respect was necessary.

It was only later that he learned the true meaning of that path from Jiang Minghuan of the Wild Doctrine Sect.

A gentle breeze blew in through the stone door, rustling the leaves and creating a soothing, purifying sound.

The gathered warriors nodded in agreement.

Wherever Ji Jingqiu passed, he swept through like an autumn wind, leaving no one standing among the Archdukes. Even if an Archduke retreated slowly, they would meet their eternal rest in this place.

"Hey, is that youth Ji Jingqiu? Is he from the Dragon Tiger clan, doing their dirty work?"

Ji Jingqiu finally suppressed his belligerent heart after realizing the gravity of the situation.

To be honest, he didn't have much confidence in killing Xi Yan just now.

This reminded Ji Jingqiu of the mysterious encounter he had in the Mind Ocean, and the path he had taken.

The tree trunk was majestic and towering, supporting the operation of countless worlds, engraved with the imprint of time...

Yao Heshan was also puzzled as to why the "stage" was suddenly changed without reason, and it seemed that only Old Man Mu had the ability to do so.

When Ji Jingqiu and the others arrived in front of the temple, the hundreds of steps were almost filled with warriors from various civilizations.

Ji Jingqiu shook his head, "There's no direct evidence, but this matter probably doesn't need evidence. After we go out, I'll report it to the higher-ups and see how they handle it."

Under Ji Jingqiu's leadership, the federal warriors who were being hunted down turned the tables and counter-hunted, thoroughly venting the pent-up frustration.

"The Bosa Demiplane is one of the Five Primal Demiplanes. The so-called Primal Demiplanes are the divine kingdoms opened up by the five supreme powerhouses when the Great Universe first began."

Yue Wukong looked at the Western Emperor with a peculiar gaze.

He saw it in an instant...

69

"Hehe, if I have this ability, I'll sweep through your Vast Sea Academy's library another day."

Ever since he attained the Primordial Body, his five senses and six perceptions had been enhanced, becoming even sharper than before, as he combined it with the serene bamboo forest in his inner world.

After carefully examining the corridor before him, Ji Jingqiu suddenly said:

They all clearly understood what the opening of this temple meant!...

Sensing the strangeness behind him, he glanced back and almost cried out. Why was Ji Jingqiu staring at him in pursuit? Had someone from the Phoenixfall Kingdom found Ji Jingqiu and sold him out, or did he suddenly flee, attracting Ji Jingqiu's attention and making him a target to assert his dominance?

As the perspective shifted to the Mu Family's ancestor on the mountain peak,

But this was an internal struggle within the Federation, and the goal was merely to exclude Ji Jingqiu from this selection tournament, not to conspire with foreign race warriors to harm their own people, which were two completely different concepts!

The latter nodded seriously, "There is indeed such a rule. Many areas within the temple prohibit conflict and bloodshed. Otherwise, it will be considered disrespectful to the temple, and the consequences range from being expelled from the demiplane to being directly struck down!"

As Ji Jingqiu and the others walked forward, Yue Wukong, standing beside him, cautiously moved to the side.

Ji Jingqiu's Martial Wisdom had already been proven over the past few months!

...

"What's wrong?"

"Then let's go right, it looks more pleasing." Ji Jingqiu's expression turned solemn as he took the lead.

When he stopped, not only did the federal warriors behind him halt, but other warriors from various civilizations who had followed them at some point also stood there, eagerly watching him.

"The Cangqing Temple... Our family once had an elder who came to the demiplane for trials. In his autobiography, he recorded that the temple was very dangerous, and everyone should be extra careful."

Ji Jingqiu wondered to himself, if the Supreme Deity Kingdom opened by Mu Shuai had not perished, would it be qualified to compare with this place? Unfortunately, no one could give him an answer to this question for now.

Yue Wukong originally wanted to hold his ground, after all, losing to a person doesn't mean losing face, and he still had many warriors from the Black Sun Tribe behind him. As a leader, he couldn't lose face.

But the stunning knife that Ji Jingqiu used to kill Wan Shen San was still vivid in his mind.

Pei Jing spoke up, coming from a thousand-year-old martial arts family.

"What kind of method is this? Divine Skill, Secret Art, or Innate Divine Ability?" Someone looked at the Dragon Tiger Dojo with a solemn expression, "If it's the former two, is there potential for promotion?"

"Within the temple, bloodshed is forbidden!" Sensing his "kind" gaze, Yue Wukong quickly spoke up.

Ji Jingqiu frowned and nodded.

"Hey, why did the screen suddenly change? Who switched it? Switch it back quickly! Ke Pingluan is fighting with the Divine Son of the Four Temples at a critical moment!"

Diao Xingyun hurried over and punched Ji Jingqiu's shoulder, his expression excited, "Damn, that knife was so cool, killing with a single strike!"

After Ji Jingqiu locked onto a new enemy, the federal warriors near Xi Yan quickly spread out, intercepting without hesitation, their actions decisive and swift.

"Spread out?" someone suggested.

...

It wasn't really a matter of seeing through.

In front of this person, sheer numbers had lost their meaning. If they were really going to be serious, they basically couldn't stop Ji Jingqiu's unrestrained knife.

"The temple has truly opened in this era! The prophecy is correct!"

At this thought, Ji Jingqiu's mind drifted, recalling the Supreme Deity Kingdom he had witnessed in the Mind Ocean.

He clearly sensed that among the people he had just saved, someone was showing hostility and fear towards him.

Ji Jingqiu looked up at the temple ahead, supported by a round crown of tree shadows, and said solemnly, "This matter isn't urgent. Everyone, let's go to the temple first."

Thinking of the second possibility, Xi Yan's heart suddenly filled with regret.

Under the gaze of the warriors from other civilizations, they walked halfway without encountering any mishaps, as if it were a smooth path.

Not choosing to withdraw when being hunted earlier, but now choosing to withdraw when the situation is favorable? Something's fishy!

Ji Jingqiu suddenly stopped.

"This knife..." A Celestial warrior's expression turned solemn, and he said in a low voice, "Among the True Seed Realm, few can take this knife!"

"Not bad, I just saw the Qin family's female knife-wielder suppressing the Black Sun Tribe's Heaven's Pride. Who did this?"

Could it be that the private communication he had with the other royal families was discovered by this cousin? A gust of wind blew behind his head, and Xi Yan was startled, had he caught up already?

Xi Yan wiped the blood from under his nose, still recovering from the shock to his Mind World. He casually remarked, "Who knows? Maybe there's some issue with the survival technique, or maybe it's just one of those unexpected occurrences that happen every moment in this world. We can't avoid them, we can only endure, just like how we're enduring the appearance of Ji Jingqiu at this moment."

"Hmm... This seems to be the 'Path of Mysterious Depth', also known as the 'Path of Conscience'. You either rely on your Mind Realm to withstand it or follow the correct sequence. The correct sequence is hidden in the patterns on the corridor floor," Mu Rouzhi whispered, "This trial tests either your Mind Realm or Martial Wisdom."

Yue Wukong, standing nearby, paled and couldn't help but advise, "Brother Ji, please be careful. Once you step on this path, your survival technique will become ineffective."

From the perspective of others, Xi Yan didn't resist or choose to exit the demiplane. Instead, he almost willingly offered his neck, and as the blade light flashed, his head flew high into the air.

As the representative of the Federation, Yao He Shan narrowed his eyes at Lin Dongyang and the other merchant alliance representatives, his tone devoid of warmth, "Let's follow Brother Qingyang's plan."

The group stood before two stone gates, several dozen meters high, feeling insignificant. They wondered who these gates were built for, perhaps a race of giants? As they entered the temple, light filtered through the skylight above, like fine golden sand, scattering onto the ancient stone floor.

These words were like a stone dropped into a calm lake, stirring up waves of emotions among the crowd.

It wasn't a matter of strength, but the vast distance between them. This guy could choose to leave the Bosa Demiplane at any time if he wanted to.

However, he didn't leave as expected, and his blade didn't even graze the demiplane as he passed through.

At this moment, a hurried voice of an elf girl came from the vegetation beside him.

Faint voices of conversation could be heard ahead.

He knew that this was due to his insufficient Martial Wisdom.

"Brother Ji, the temple has changed!"

During the previous encirclement, Ji Jingqiu had killed Wan Shen San with a single slash, who was clearly the leader of many warriors. He was extremely powerful but couldn't withstand Ji Jingqiu's strike.

Xi Yan seemed to want to say something more, but at this moment, he suddenly sensed a change and turned around abruptly. His expression changed dramatically, filled with surprise, shock, anticipation, and various emotions intertwined, evident on his face.

"Follow me."

"Tsk, no wonder he's from the imperial royal family," Yue Wukong looked at him with a hint of apprehension.

"Brother Ji, do you have evidence? When we return, we can report it to the official authorities. When dealing with forces outside the six major families, the officials are not to be trifled with." Someone suggested.

There weren't many people in the temple hall, and Ji Jingqiu didn't see Yue Wukong or Xi Yan. Apparently, they had already ventured deeper into the temple.

Xi Yan was a member of their royal main lineage, and by generation, he was Xi Yan's cousin.

"Let's go. With Brother Ji leading, we can fight any first-rate civilization!"

Yue Wukong was equally shocked by this scene, unable to speak.

"Which passage should we take?" someone asked.

After witnessing Ji Jingqiu's slash and subsequent sweep, many had completely abandoned the idea of opposing him.

Ji Jingqiu glanced at him suspiciously and sought confirmation from the elf girl beside him.

Just based on the power of this strike, it was the first of the Precipice Style!

His gaze quickly fixed on the young man in the projection.

He quickly calculated in his mind where this strike would rank among the numerous True Seed warriors he had seen in the past thousand years.

"What are you all looking at me for?" Ji Jingqiu glanced sideways, "If you have ideas, go ahead yourselves!"

In an instant.

Born in the Heavenly Mechanism Dojo, he had read various miscellaneous books under his master's influence and instantly recognized the strange symbols on the corridor as a kind of Divine Script! Here, these Divine Scripts functioned similarly to the principles and rules of Heaven and Earth Law.

The scenes within the demiplane seen by the Federation's Celestial warriors also changed uniformly.

It wasn't a matter of embarrassment, as he indeed possessed astonishing Martial Wisdom, but at this moment, the one who had seen through the mystery of the staircase was actually the Bodhimanda Insight.

"It's not appropriate. We don't have many people, so we should gather all our strength."

"Awesome! Slaying a warrior who is at least an Archduke with a single strike, this is the style our Federation's Heaven's Pride should have! This guy is much more straightforward than Ke Pingluan!"

He turned and joined the other Federation warriors in counter-encircling the various civilizations' warriors who had previously blocked them.

"That guy is Xi Yan!"

Among them, some had also received orders before entering to conduct a joint operation to hunt down Ji Jingqiu.

Xi Yan's escape broke the surrounding silence, naturally drawing Ji Jingqiu's attention.

At the last moment, he turned around, his gaze fixed on Ji Jingqiu, as if wanting to remember this face.

Yue Wukong stood solemnly in a corridor, with bottomless abysses on both sides.

This kid hadn't shown this trump card before...

"Good!"

Ji Jingqiu's gaze condensed, without a moment's hesitation, his figure flew towards Xi Yan's position.

Not only True Seed Realm, but even many Divine Journey Realm warriors might not be able to withstand this strike head-on! Long Qingyang didn't even bother to respond to those asking about the technique, and his hand, stroking his beard, slightly tugged at a few strands, causing a slight sting.

It was also a kind reminder, and Ji Jingqiu nodded slightly. The Federation warriors behind him didn't hesitate either, and one by one, they followed his footsteps onto the corridor.

Countless green "raindrops" fell, and upon mere contact, they felt a surge of rich vitality entering their bodies!

Not long ago, he had also evolved the Bodhimanda Insight, further enhancing his subtle intuition.

Ji Jingqiu was momentarily at a loss for words.

Xi Yan took a deep breath, suppressing the excitement in his heart, and stared intently at the unexpected change ahead.

"Who is this guy chasing? Wait—what excellent bladework!"

Long Qingyang said calmly, "Since he's exited the demiplane, let's call this young man over and ask what's going on."

Ji Jingqiu glanced around but didn't see Xi Yan's figure, probably having gone the other way, leaving Yue Wukong stranded. Ji Jingqiu's heart softened, and he wanted to help Yue Wukong transcend in this place...

Thinking of that one sword...

Ji Jingqiu's expression shook. This Bosa demiplane was actually an inner universe and inner world created by an apex powerhouse! He slowly raised his head, his gaze piercing through the layers of emerald green, looking towards the World Tree trunk visible from any direction.

Some struggled with each step, while others merely carried a heavy burden, their footsteps heavier, yet steady as they climbed upwards.

"Hmm?" Ji Jingqiu suddenly turned around, his eyes sharp, locking onto someone in the crowd.

...

"In the Nine Provinces, seventh-rank powerhouses can derive and create inner universes, already worthy of the title of deities. But in the greater universe, only ninth-rank powerhouses above Supreme Grandmasters are qualified to be called 'Gods'!"

This was information not marked on the map provided by the Federation, proving that even they weren't clear about it.

After some thought, Ji Jingqiu couldn't come up with a suitable answer, so he stopped overthinking. The person was dead; why bother thinking so much?

At the very top of the temple, a soft column of emerald light shot straight up into the sky, then "exploded" at its highest point, opening up a dazzling halo like the crown of a towering tree.

Mu Rouzhi briefly explained the source of the previous sound, then spoke hurriedly, "The Cangqing Temple has truly opened in this era. Once we go in, be extra careful. The temple opened once a million years ago, and many people died that time!"

"Hmm? What does the Beicang Business Alliance mean by this? Why did the Beicang Business Alliance's warriors decide to exit the demiplane after seeing Ji Jingqiu?"

He didn't want to leave the demiplane just yet. For someone of his royal bloodline, this demiplane trip was an important test, and if he withdrew now, it would affect his subsequent resource allocation.

Ji Jingqiu and the others walked straight to the end of the passage, finally seeing many warriors ahead.

This counter-encirclement continued until a huge change came from the temple.

He gritted his teeth, no longer hesitating. At this critical moment, he reluctantly triggered the life-saving measure of exiting the demiplane.

Ji Jingqiu's figure lightened, and his progress was no longer hindered.

...

Mu Rouzhi spoke with unprecedented solemnity, "In the final moment of life, Xi Yan's eyes held only despair and resentment. He seemed to have guessed something, but this life would give him no chance to verify it."

Unexpectedly, Xi Yan showed no resistance and instead turned around, offering his neck for execution, which surprised him greatly.

Sensing something, he didn't hesitate to open up the Bodhimanda World. The legal principles squeezing in from all sides instantly shattered.

They had endured much gas from being surrounded earlier, but now it was their turn!

A million years ago, the Federation's predecessors were nowhere to be found...

But as soon as he opened his mouth, this person's face showed panic, and he directly crushed the wooden token, choosing to exit the demiplane. He was clearly intimidated by Ji Jingqiu's stern behavior and had guessed to some extent that Ji Jingqiu had seen through their actions. "What's wrong with this guy?" Duan Xingyun exclaimed in surprise.

Ji Jingqiu took a sip.

Ji Jingqiu sheathed his sword and said calmly, "The Beicang Business Alliance is preparing to join forces with Phoenixfall Kingdom to surround and kill me."

"Not bad, let's leave it to Brother Ji to decide."

Thick vegetation could be seen everywhere, including dense trees and vines. These plants had long become symbiotic with the temple, their thick and twisted branches covering the temple's architectural gaps.

"The Federation and Phoenixfall Kingdom don't have a good relationship. They would never tolerate such a thing," Duan Xingyun said slowly.

This staircase required either three steps and a bow or bearing the weight of the legal principles, which became heavier the further one went, unless one had profound insight into the legal principles, making progress difficult.

Ji Jingqiu brushed off the bloodstains on Qingzhu, looking at Xi Yan's lifeless eyes, feeling slightly surprised.

On the way to the temple, Ji Jingqiu met up with Mu Rouzhi.

"Hey, I said Brother Ji was just showing face for everyone in Dongsan Huangxing, finishing the fight in three moves," a warrior said, causing a burst of laughter.

This person probably hadn't calculated Xi Yan's fate before entering, but in the end, he accidentally helped Ji Jingqiu by mistake! And Ji Jingqiu also helped him "reasonably" eliminate a competitor.

Seeing Ji Jingqiu had brought a golden-haired, blue-eyed elven girl, everyone tacitly snickered.

Although the projection only showed a few sentences and images, everyone present was sharp enough to see the underlying scheme.

"Let's go!"

Yue Wukong, standing to the side, didn't have Xi Yan's keen perception, but he noticed his sudden change in reaction and involuntarily followed his fiery gaze.

Yue Wukong suppressed the urge to speak.

He looked down to gauge the distance between them, suddenly feeling unsafe, and silently took a step back.

As he retreated, the Black Sun Tribe warriors behind him exchanged glances and silently took two steps back.

The other warriors from various civilizations, seeing Yue Wukong, didn't make a sound, submitting to the might of the Flaming Sun Federation warrior. They tried to lower their presence even more.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end