Chapter 211: Mutation, The Four Demons, and the Conjoined Lotus

Chapter 211: Mutation, The Four Demons, and the Conjoined Lotus

As Kun Qianzhou faced a dire situation, the middle-aged man's face burned with anger, but he was also startled by the fleeting glimpse he had just witnessed.

Was that just now the power of a cultivation ground?

But then he thought it was impossible. This boy was clearly in a divine journey realm, an exceptionally talented genius, and while there were many geniuses on the ancient path, he had never heard of anyone capable of manifesting a human body in a cultivation ground while in the divine journey realm.

Gritting his teeth, he knew that Kun Qianzhou was in a dire situation, and there had to be an explanation. He left Kun Qianzhou with only a faint breath of life and boldly took action, releasing a blazing spiritual light from his body that was as scorching as the sun, enveloping the surroundings.

This was not a domain or a law realm, but a unique life stance of the Shackles Realm, which in theory could suppress all life forms with a lower life essence than one's own.

At this point, Ji Jingqiu also had the intention to retreat.

Continuously forcing the inner universe to affect the outer universe and using the power of the cultivation ground had taken a toll on his body, and he was now in a brief period of weakness.

Facing the middle-aged man's attack, Ji Jingqiu quickly retreated, parrying with his sword. His chest heaved as his inner energy surged, and his face suddenly changed.

The divine seed that had entered his hand began to 'melt' into his flesh, releasing a powerful mental fluctuation and vying for control of his body!

At the same time, a vast and immeasurable divine power emanated from the distant temple.

Within the temple, a shadow manifested in the world, constrained by the bonds of divine power and faith. Though not towering and majestic, its aura remained majestic and profound, inviolable.

Following the mark of the divine seed, the shadow locked onto Ji Jingqiu.

This sudden turn of events left everyone momentarily dazed.

The followers of the Four Divine Church raised their arms in joy:

"The Divine Lord has revealed himself! The Divine Lord has revealed himself!"

"Please let the Divine Lord reveal himself and suppress this villain!"

The middle-aged man, who had intended to seize the opportunity to continue attacking Ji Jingqiu, was shaken. He halted his offense and hastily retreated.

He retreated a hundred meters before stopping, cautiously observing Ji Jingqiu's movements from a distance, too wary to approach.

On the distant platform, several members of the Radiant Heaven Alliance breathed a collective sigh of relief, seemingly certain that Ji Jingqiu would not escape this calamity.

The one who had taken action was one of the Four Pillars of Chaos, and even a divine power avatar would possess unfathomable means.

Someone sighed softly, "I never expected the Four Divine Church to have such a method. With this ability, the Four Divine Church is virtually invincible."

"It's a pity for Brother Lin, and also for Brother Kun..."

The others nodded. Being able to manifest a divine lord's incarnation through the power of faith meant that even without Kun Qianzhou, the Four Divine Church could still stand in the ancient path.

After seeing the divine lord's incarnation reach out to grab Ji Jingqiu, the crowd's tension eased. They spoke softly among themselves, mourning the loss of their friend.

Only Xuan Youwei remained expressionless, a chill in his heart.

The Four Divine Church indeed had such a method, but their so-called divine sons could not achieve this level.

This was the Divine Lord's autonomous manifestation.

And the key to it all was that divine seed!

Even before entering the ancient path, the Fourth Divine Lord had already calculated everything. Kun Qianzhou was not blessed by divine grace but was merely a pawn in his plan.

If he could win, it would be best, but if he couldn't, it didn't matter, as the Divine Lord would intervene personally.

In that instant, Ji Jingqiu calmed down. Regardless of whether this was a trap, he would take the bait, as this divine ability was too well-suited to him, and the mastermind behind it all had likely calculated this as well.

He remained composed as the giant hand reached out to grab him, but Ji Jingqiu was not flustered. He stabilized his mind and body with Mountain Stabilization, regaining control. He stomped his foot, stirring up a large patch of sand and stones, and his body retreated wildly, flying backward.

But this did not solve the immediate crisis.

The real challenge lay within his body, with the divine seed.

[Running the visualization, entering the inner world.]



Lasa's voice was as clear as a heavenly sound, and Ji Jingqiu was surprised that Lasa was helping him at this critical moment instead of taking advantage of his predicament.

To be honest, he had always been somewhat guarded against Lasa, even with the assurance of several divine lords.

Ji Jingqiu visualized the Hell of Fire, and the divine seed within him trembled slightly, sensing something again.

Suddenly, Ji Jingqiu sent the divine seed into his inner world.

In the inner world, a slender white finger gently tapped the divine seed.

[Hehe, it's indeed a bait.]



Hela chuckled, and if you dare to cast it, this boy dares to receive it!

She casually flicked the divine seed out of the Pure Land, exposing it to the blood and fire, allowing it to be tainted by the power of the Suffering Sea.

Not only would they be unwilling to be tainted by the power of the Suffering Sea, even if it were just a projection of the Multiverse Suffering Sea.

They had spent countless resources in the past to escape the Multiverse Suffering Sea and would never willingly be tainted by its karmic power, let alone fall back into the Suffering Sea?

In just an instant, the divine seed stopped trembling and fell to the ground, becoming silent. The mysterious power within it was quickly exhausted.

Hela waved, beckoning with a smile.

The seed didn't move, as if its spirit had been exhausted as well.

When Hela realized this, her face stiffened.

At that moment, the guardian deity outside the Pure Land, who had been enduring the karmic power of the Suffering Sea, opened his eyes. He carefully picked up the divine seed and held it in his palm, entering the Pure Land for the first time. He knelt by the lotus pond, gently placing the seed into the water.

The divine seed sank into the pond and slowly settled at the bottom.

The guardian deity sat with closed eyes, his hands clasped in meditation, revealing a hint of Zen. A faint Buddhist chant echoed through the air, and illusory Brahma flowers blossomed:

"All dharmas are empty, and everything arises from conditions..."

As the Buddhist chant became more ethereal, the heart lotus that had nurtured the Brahma World in the pond slowly opened, with each petal glowing with Sanskrit script.

The divine seed fell into the heart lotus, and the petals closed, as if nurturing something anew.

Finally, the lotus bloomed with a single thought.

Hela's expression shifted between gloom and brightness, wondering about Ji Jingqiu's background as a guardian deity and the identity of the Supreme Buddha.

Speaking of which, was this divine seed truly a trap? Hela's mind raced with countless possibilities, analyzing the connections to uncover the identity of the so-called Fourth Divine Lord.

Ji Jingqiu suspected a connection with Mu Shuai, but Hela disagreed. The other three divine lords would never allow Mu Shuai to live, as their murderous intent towards him was even greater than that of He Donghuang.

But this person must be related to Mu Shitian! Otherwise, he wouldn't possess the remnants of the World Honored lineage's divine abilities. He is most likely also connected to the Yan Huang Federation, but the nature of their relationship—whether it's good or bad—is difficult to determine.

If he truly replaces himself and ascends to the Divine Throne, then even if he was once a member of the Federation, he will become an enemy to all the living beings in the Federation and even the entire Great Universe, all for the sake of the millions under the Divine Throne.

This is the price of ascending to the Divine Throne.

As Hela pondered, the situation outside was also rapidly changing.

After sending away the divine seed, Ji Jingqiu regained his composure. He looked up at the divine incarnation of faith, his gaze cold and piercing, and the energy within his body resumed its flow.

Just as he was about to lose control, a large hand reached out, heavy and terrifying, restraining everything beneath it.

The hand that grabbed him wasn't particularly large, but it filled his field of vision, reminiscent of the style of Kun Qianzhou's divine abilities, yet far beyond what Kun Qianzhou could achieve.

However, the opponent wasn't the true body, and their faith power was limited. Although their manipulation of power and interference with the laws were mysterious and profound, the essence of their power wouldn't exceed the Divine Journey Realm.

Ji Jingqiu quickly assessed his condition, feeling a killing intent rising in his chest... and a compassionate heart awakening within!

With his inner universe in disarray and unable to sustain the dao field, he decided to fight back.

Ji Jingqiu adjusted his posture, gripping the hilt of his sword tightly. Qing Zhu sensed his intention, and the sword resonated with his will, emitting a clear and high-pitched ringing sound.

In the final moment, he roared, expressing the true intent in his heart, and drew his sword towards the large hand that was reaching for him!

【A glimmer of hope】!

Countless onlooking cultivators witnessed a dazzling sword light, brilliant beyond compare, born from the calamity, seeking a glimmer of hope amidst annihilation!

The divine incarnation of faith paused, seemingly surprised by Ji Jingqiu's ability to resist its grasp.

Seizing the opportunity, Ji Jingqiu didn't hesitate. He took a step back, releasing the force and creating distance.

With the Spirit Mechanism in hand and the great medicine in his possession, he had no reason to stay.

As the divine shadow above the temple was about to reach out again, the sky above suddenly stirred, rapidly forming a swirling vortex of clouds.

The cloud vortex descended, carrying a pressure that made everyone's hearts tremble, an aura that even the laws of nature couldn't escape.

Amidst the absolute silence, a golden, hazy shadow descended, observing the divine incarnation of faith with an air of transcendence.

Soon after, a light sigh echoed in the air.

【You've ruined my plans. The karma is sealed. In the future, I will sever your heavenly incense, breaking the cycle of karma】

Following this, the divine incarnation of faith exploded with a 'puh' sound, vanishing into thin air, and the entire temple below collapsed and crumbled.

The golden, hazy shadow paid no heed to the threat.

Its gaze fell upon Ji Jingqiu.

A cultivator carrying the Supreme Inheritance was passing through, either seeking a path or vying for the Heavenly Lineage's dao inheritance.

【Can enter... middle-stage of the Upper Rank】

The whispered words were inaudible to others. The golden shadow slowly faded, and the flow of time in this world returned to normal.

Ji Jingqiu didn't bother to look back. He sprinted forward, not stopping to consider what was happening behind him.

He had taken a palm strike, sustaining injuries, and one could even say that this was the first severe injury he had suffered in his cultivation journey so far.

Countless cultivators' pupils constricted like needle points, witnessing the stunning sword technique. They felt its power but couldn't quite articulate its brilliance. Even the divine incarnation of the Four Divine Church couldn't withstand this cultivator!

Unlike those of lower cultivation levels who couldn't grasp the profound intricacies of this sword technique, the elderly cultivator of the Shackles Realm and the middle-aged cultivator stood side by side. The elderly cultivator sighed, his brows furrowed in sorrow.

"Why did we not encounter such an exceptional talent before?"

The middle-aged cultivator sighed, unable to respond.

They, as natives of this world, had hoped to support a cultivator who could achieve a good ranking on the Ten Thousand Year Monument, potentially freeing them from the Ancient Road and allowing them to venture into the outer world.

However, tonight's events had dashed their hopes. They now knew that there were many powerful cultivators hidden along this Ancient Road.

...

...

Ji Jingqiu noticed the insect-like creature following him but paid it no heed. He directly left the Heavenly Awakening City and entered the Ancient Road, then randomly chose a plane world and charged in.

Fortune was on his side as this plane world consisted of undulating mountains, and distant roars of exotic beasts echoed, indicating a primitive and untamed land.

Ji Jingqiu found a cave and politely asked the giant bear residing within to make room for him.

He planted Qing Zhu into the ground, setting a boundary for the bear, who could only watch as this intruder invaded its home and forbade it from leaving.

Only after settling down did Ji Jingqiu have time to assess his injuries.

As he delved into his inner world, Ji Jingqiu's thoughts turned to Kun Qian Zou. It seemed that Kun Qian Zou's revival was no coincidence, but rather a deliberate move aimed at him.

This also implied that the Fourth Divine Lord was indeed connected to Mu Shuai, as evidenced by the Divine Seed he possessed.

Ji Jingqiu reached out to the Dharma Protector God, seeking information about the seed. He learned that it contained the first style of the World Honored One's highest protective dharma, the "Rulai Shen Zhang" (Tathagata Palm), as well as a mental dharma called "Da Lei Chan Xin" (Great Thunder Zen Mind).

Curious, Ji Jingqiu inquired if the Supreme Buddha Sect had a lineage of the "Rulai Shen Zhang." The Dharma Protector God nodded, indicating that the sect also possessed a style known as "Zhang Zhong Jing Tu" (Palm of Pure Land), which required the cultivation of the mental dharma "Po Suo Shi Jie" (Bhrama World) as a prerequisite.

This revelation made Ji Jingqiu realize that the True Buddha had indeed planned ahead by bestowing the "Po Suo Shi Jie" upon him.

The Dharma Protector God explained that the "Rulai Shen Zhang" was a highly esteemed dharma with an extremely high cultivation threshold. It required the cultivation of "Da Lei Chan Xin" first to safeguard one's mental state, ensuring that the practitioner didn't stray onto the wrong path.

Ji Jingqiu's thoughts turned to Kun Qian Zou once more. It seemed that Kun Qian Zou had indeed mispracticed the palm technique, likely due to not cultivating "Da Lei Chan Xin" first. But why would the Fourth Divine Lord grant both dharmas to Kun Qian Zou if he was just bait? Was it because he didn't think Kun Qian Zou could cultivate it?

However, Kun Qian Zou, in his eagerness, had not waited to cultivate "Da Lei Chan Xin" and had rushed into practicing the "Rulai Shen Zhang."

After his contemplation, Ji Jingqiu decided to set aside these thoughts for now and focus on organizing his gains from this trip.

"I've gathered over ten strands of superior spirit mechanisms, but only four of them are Nine Foot Nine. Once I refine all of them, I should be able to enter the Divine Journey Realm..." Ji Jingqiu mused to himself.

The early stages of the Divine Journey Realm in the Federal Martial Arts were not clearly defined, and the concept of 'early' or 'late' stages was relative to each cultivator's unique standards. Some cultivators might reach the peak of the Divine Journey Realm with just three strands, while others might consider three strands as merely the middle stage. It was a highly individualistic journey.

In the annals of the Federal Martial Arts, the Divine Journey Realm was considered complete with the refinement of seven strands. But Ji Jingqiu believed he could surpass this, aiming to refine ten strands.

This realization brought a new challenge—his journey through the Divine Journey Realm would likely be longer than most. By his standards, he still needed to find at least three more strands of Nine Foot Nine.

He decided to explore further, seeking more treasures to aid his cultivation.

...

...

The Sun Moon Plane.

With the Sun Moon Alliance's takeover, the once-named Star Refining Plane was now officially known as the Sun Moon Plane. The once-dominant dragon had lost its voice, reduced to sulking within the ancient castle. Even the main hall, its usual dwelling place, was now being used for meetings of the Sun Moon Alliance's top brass.

In the main hall, a small gathering of the highest-ranking members was taking place. Among them were only a handful, but each was a powerhouse.

Apart from Ziri Xin, who oversaw daily affairs, the rest were all at the pinnacle of their cultivation. There were four Taboo Cultivators present: Sen Luo, Feng Wu, Nosha, and Yang Qu.

The head seat, reserved for the highest authority, remained empty, a symbol of reverence.

On the adjacent seat, Sen Luo spoke with a heavy tone, "Our big brother has shown us great kindness. It's time we unite the Ancient Path and place him on the throne he deserves."

Below, Nosha and Yang Qu exchanged glances, both in agreement.

The Sun Moon Alliance, with its strong foundation, boasted formidable forces. The Nine Palaces, a dominant power, and the Crystal Clan, a top-tier civilization, were among the reliable and fearless members of this alliance.

With four Taboo Cultivators present and their recent alliance with the Moon Palace and the Hunter God Company, their collective strength was undeniable.

Feng Wu, standing nearby, felt a surge of excitement. After receiving the Mind Flame Seed from Ji Jingqiu, he had successfully advanced to the Taboo Realm and undergone several transformations, positioning himself as the second-strongest among the younger generation in the Nine Palaces.

Feng Wu, usually laid-back, was now keenly interested in this matter due to its immense scale.

Uniting the Ancient Path...

This was a rare feat in the history of the Far East War Zone, a symbol of the highest honor. If they succeeded, this achievement would be etched into the annals of the Nine Palaces.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end