Chapter 293: The Legacy of the Ancients, Let's Make a Deal

Chapter 293: The Legacy of the Ancients, Let's Make a Deal

As more and forth between the Grand Universe and the Three Realms increased, the martial artists from both sides began to interact more frequently.

Among them, the martial artists of the Three Realms were broadly divided into two categories.

One group consisted of those who had once launched a massive offensive on the Heavenly Road, attempting to directly invade the Grand Universe through a "blood sacrifice."

The other group included those who had never participated in the conquest of the Heavenly Road.

The former group temporarily kept a low profile, well-versed in the art of biding their time and staying out of the spotlight.

The latter group, on the other hand, began to socialize and search for connections and acquaintances they had made in the Grand Universe.

In fact, martial artists from the Grand Universe who had traveled to the Three Realms on multiple occasions would often form connections with several powerful individuals of the same cultivation level from the Three Realms.

The Six Great Clans, in particular, had established connections with numerous families and regularly sent members for "advanced training."

Ke Family:

A white-haired young man strode into the Ke Family compound, his laughter echoing as he met Ke Tianjin's puzzled gaze, "Brother Ke, it's been a century since we last met. Have you forgotten me? Let's go, let's celebrate my arrival and wash away the dust of my journey!"

Ke Tianjin's eyes widened in surprise, "Is it really you, old fellow? I thought it would be your nephew. How did you end up losing your Heavenly Human position? Did you self-decapitate?"

The white-haired youth smiled, "I had to self-decapitate to enter the Grand Universe."

Ke Tianjin's voice turned solemn, "Why go to such lengths?"

The white-haired youth's expression remained light and carefree, "You know my situation. I took the wrong path, and the road to becoming a Heavenly King seemed hopeless. Remember, I risked my life to save the three of us back then."

"Sigh... You stubborn old friend, let's go and have a drink," Ke Tianjin sighed.

"Hahaha, let's go!" The white-haired youth laughed, then suddenly remembered something and asked curiously, "By the way, what happened to Brother Yang? I tried contacting him using the method he left, but I couldn't reach him."

Ke Tianjin shook his head, "Nothing happened to him, but the Yang Family is in trouble. They've discovered the emergence of Heaven Demon followers within their clan and are conducting a thorough investigation."

"Heaven Demon followers?!" The white-haired youth's expression turned serious, his voice heavy as he asked, "Do you need my help? Putting aside other matters, when it comes to dealing with Heaven Demons, our Holy Temple has some effective methods and experience."

Ke Tianjin gave him a sidelong glance and squeezed his shoulder with a smile, "Little Bai, you still need more training. With your small frame, if you went to the Yang Family now, you'd be swallowed whole."

The white-haired youth's face darkened, and he grumbled, "You old fool!"

As they walked past a corridor, they happened to see Ke Pingluan leading Tian Qingzi out of the Ke Family compound.

"Junior," Ke Tianjin greeted them and introduced, "This is an old acquaintance of mine from the Three Realms, named Bai Yuan, from the Holy Temple. Two years ago, he was a Heavenly Human at the peak of perfection, just one step away from becoming a Heavenly King."

"Two years ago?" Ke Pingluan glanced at the white-haired youth and nodded in acknowledgment.

Tian Qingzi, standing behind Ke Pingluan, was startled. Bai Yuan from the Holy Temple? He was a genius from his master's generation. Why was he here, and why was his aura so unstable?

The next moment, the words 'self-decapitation' flashed into Tian Qingzi's mind, and his face paled slightly.

Self-decapitation as a Heavenly Human? This person truly had guts! Wasn't he afraid of never breaking through again?

As they watched Ke Pingluan and Tian Qingzi's departing figures, Bai Yuan asked curiously, "That person just now, is he the direct descendant of your Grand Master?"

Ke Tianjin nodded.

Bai Yuan sighed, "Your Grand Master is a top-notch Heavenly King who has comprehended the art of sitting in oblivion. He is just one step away from becoming a Heavenly Venerable."

According to his knowledge, martial artists who achieved the Heavenly King realm or higher in the Grand Universe usually possessed greater strength than their counterparts of the same level in the Three Realms.

The higher the cultivation level, the more significant this disparity became.

This was due to the restrictive rules of the Grand Universe, where each Heavenly King was unique.

Compared to the Three Realms, their cultivation journey was more urgent, as Heavenly Humans only had a thousand-year lifespan. Those who broke through to the Heavenly King realm were undoubtedly the cream of the crop.

Not to mention those who had comprehended the art of sitting in oblivion.

In any True Immortal Sanctuary, such individuals would be regarded as quasi-Heavenly Venerables, eligible to compete for the leadership position within the sanctuary for the next ten thousand years. If successful, the position of Heavenly Venerable would be guaranteed.

Suddenly, Ke Tianjin asked, "Aren't you afraid that after self-decapitation, you might never break through the Heavenly Human boundary again?"

Self-decapitation for a Heavenly Human, especially one at the peak of perfection, had terrifying consequences. The most direct result was the self-destruction of their inner world, making it significantly more challenging to break through the Heavenly Human boundary again.

"This is my only hope of breaking through to the Heavenly King realm," Bai Yuan replied with a bitter smile. "Standing at that position, I couldn't see even a glimmer of the Heavenly King's path. No matter how long I lived, it would be meaningless, just a torment of passing time."

Ke Tianjin shook his head and sighed, "How is your recovery after self-decapitation? Compared to your peak Mind Reflection state, are you stronger or weaker now?"

"My injuries have stabilized," Bai Yuan shrugged. "I'm definitely much stronger now. The mind cannot be self-decapitated, and I'm considered to have reached the pinnacle of Embryonic Breathing in the Mind Reflection realm."

"Divine Prohibition?" Ke Tianjin blinked.

Bai Yuan's face twitched, "Do you think Divine Prohibition is some sort of cabbage? I'm still in the Embryonic Breathing realm, but my physique is far from adequate. My unity with the Heavenly Human realm is only at seventy percent, and due to the disharmony with the Grand Universe, I have to reduce it by another ten percent."

"Surely your comprehension of divine abilities and techniques hasn't been affected by self-decapitation?"

"What's the use? For Heavenly Humans, unity with the Heavenly Human realm is fundamental. Without achieving that, no matter how powerful the divine abilities are, they are just a sideshow."

Ke Tianjin nodded thoughtfully.

He was well aware of his old friend's strength.

It seemed that the Divine Prohibition expert from the Five Virtues Palace was not someone to be taken lightly.

"Why are you suddenly asking this?" Bai Yuan asked, perplexed.

"A Divine Prohibition from the Five Virtues Palace has arrived, and I want to gauge their worth against yours," Ke Tianjin explained.

Bai Yuan sighed helplessly, "Do we even need to gauge that? Every Divine Prohibition is known as a Holy Immortal seed. Whether it can sprout or not is another matter."

After saying this, he clicked his tongue, "The Five Virtues Palace has produced another Divine Prohibition in this era? No wonder it's the most ancient Holy Immortal Sanctuary, with such a profound foundation... Sigh, it seems like tough times are ahead for your Federation."

Bai Yuan furrowed his brows at this thought. The Divine Prohibition from the Five Virtues Palace had come to the Ninth Ascension Terrace, indicating a significant investment. This was certainly not good news.

"Fortunately, it hasn't caused much of a stir yet," Ke Tianjin said, leading his friend deeper with his hands behind his back.

"What do you mean? Has your Divine Prohibition made a move?" Bai Yuan asked, then shook his head.

The appearance of the Five Virtues Palace's Divine Prohibition represented the will of the entire sanctuary. Even if they took action, what could they do?

Ke Tianjin raised a finger.

Bai Yuan was puzzled, "What do you mean, barely winning with one move?"

"One strike," Ke Tianjin described casually, "and the person was gone."

Bai Yuan became more bewildered, "What do you mean?"

What did it mean that one strike ended a person?

Everyone knew that the Five Virtues Palace's Five-Colored Divine Light could sweep through all things, and those who bore its protection were invincible.

Among peers, even if the Five Virtues Palace's Divine Prohibition couldn't defeat their opponent, they would still stand unyielding.

Ke Tianjin chuckled, "Literally, our Federation's Divine Prohibition nearly sent the Five Virtues Palace's Divine Prohibition packing with just one strike."

Bai Yuan fell silent, deep in thought. He searched his memory for historical battles between Divine Prohibition martial artists and specifically looked into the past performances of the Five Virtues Palace's Divine Prohibition.

Which Divine Prohibition could be defeated by a peer with a single strike? Was this generation's Divine Prohibition from the Five Virtues Palace so useless?

But it was said that this generation's Divine Prohibition from the Five Virtues Palace had also gained the favor of the Qingtian Observatory's master and possessed the legacies of both lineages, surpassing those of the past...

Ke Tianjin, with his hands behind his back, sighed, "I initially thought that the level of Divine Prohibition wasn't as formidable as I imagined. However, you, a complete Heaven Person, couldn't even reach the Divine Prohibition's level after self-amputation. It seems they are indeed formidable."

Bai Yuan's eyes twitched.

"Tell me the details!" Bai Yuan suddenly perked up and said excitedly.

After learning the specifics from Ke Tianjin, Bai Yuan pondered for a moment, then looked up and said solemnly, "Introduce me to this person. I have something to discuss with them. If it goes well, your Federation's disaster may be resolved!"

Facing Ke Tianjin's disdainful gaze, Bai Yuan spoke seriously, "I'm not joking!"

"The latest news is that the various Holy Immortals will be spreading their teachings and establishing doctrines in the Grand Universe, and the Divine Prohibitions will be the first choice for those who establish the path!"

Ke Tianjin raised his eyebrows, "You want our Federation's pride to become your Holy Temple's representative in the Grand Universe?"

"Why not?" Bai Yuan spoke frankly, "Our Holy Temple doesn't have a Divine Prohibition in this generation. The internal selection for this position is still ongoing. To be honest, my self-amputation is also related to this matter. Even if I can't take the top spot in the subsequent teachings, just sitting in the back rows will be enough for me!"

Ke Tianjin's eyes deepened, as the current situation in the Federation could be described as a dangerous turning point.

If Ji Jingqiu could gain the support and backing of the Holy Temple, it might be possible to turn the tide for the Federation.

However, the final outcome would still depend on Ji Jingqiu's attitude.

To be honest, Ke Tianjin wasn't optimistic about Bai Yuan's proposal.

Because Ji Jingqiu was not only the heir of General He, but also the heir of General Mu's lineage...

It was uncertain if he would be interested in the Holy Temple.

...

Recently, East 3 Huang Star had become livelier.

Firstly, the Grand Martial Tournament hosted by the Hundred Pulses on East 3 Huang Star attracted numerous martial artists from various realms, ranging from the True Seed Realm to the Mind Reflection Realm, and even Heaven People participated.

This drew the attention of many martial artists from different worlds, eager to test the Federation's strength.

Secondly, there was a recent rumor spreading like wildfire within the "Worlds Group" – the Divine Prohibition from the prestigious Five Virtues Palace couldn't withstand a single strike from the Federation's Divine Prohibition and was defeated and forced to flee.

This news sparked heated discussions and attracted a large number of martial artists from various realms to East 3 Huang Star.

Even at the risk of their lives, these people wanted to witness the young man who defeated the Five Virtues Palace's Divine Prohibition with a single strike.

However, upon arriving at East 3 Huang Star, they hadn't even seen Ji Jingqiu's brilliance when they were first impressed by the splendor of the Federation's various lineage legacies.

At this moment, the Mind Reflection Realm's platform competition was taking place on East 3 Huang Star.

"This Thunder Law... It looks so familiar. Is it from Divine Cloud Mountain?"

"The Heavenly Serpent Transformation Technique across the way also seems familiar..."

"Is this Yanhuang Federation really a second-rate civilization in the Grand Universe's countryside?"

"Now I'm curious about Ji Jingqiu's lineage. What is the Venerable Ancestor Lineage?"

"According to research, the Federation's Venerable Ancestor from ten thousand years ago was most likely a Holy Immortal..."

"Holy Immortal? That's ridiculous! Although the Abyss Sea reappeared ten thousand years ago, it didn't shake the rules of the Grand Universe. How could a small place like the Yanhuang Federation give birth to an Ancient Saint?"

"You may not believe it, but the latest intelligence shows that among the Federation's Seven Commanders, the one with the surname Ke is none other than Ke Qingxu, the Tai Sui who single-handedly guided the destruction of Green Lotus Mountain!"

"Tai Sui Ke Qingxu?! Is that murderous star a martial artist from the Yanhuang Federation? What about the other six, and how can they match his prowess?"

"Hmm, I've already verified with my sect, and among the Seven Commanders, Yang Shuai is the one who plundered the treasury of the Lonely Heaven ten thousand years ago and was known as the 'Chivalrous Thief,' Yang Qingshan!"

"Oh, isn't this person the Dao brother of Lonely Heaven?"

In an instant, the martial artists from Kuji Tian were surrounded, as if a gust of wind had blown them together, all seeking to verify the truth of the matter.

The martial artists from Kuji Tian were furious.

As an ancient ten-directional sect, they had never experienced such salt being rubbed into their wounds.

Just as he was about to act in anger, he received a warning, as if from a higher power, that sent a chill down his spine. He was both shocked and furious, but could only temporarily endure it.

With a dark face, he forced his way out of the crowd, leaving behind a resentful remark, "Someone just asked about the Venerable Ancestor Lineage? Well, I suggest you go ask the people from Wan Jie Shan, they'll know best!"

"Qin Tianfeng... That name sounds familiar. Wasn't he the ruthless one who, ten thousand years ago, claimed to act in accordance with the will of heaven in everything he did?"

"Ouch, now that you mention it, I remember... That person was truly unreasonable. The Blood Demon Palace didn't provoke him, but because he couldn't stand their actions, he forcefully demolished ten branch palaces of the Blood Demon Palace and had a showdown with the Blood Demon Ancestor!"

"To be fair, I also couldn't stand them, but unfortunately, I'm no match for them."

"Be careful with your words, fellow Daoist!"

"Wait, if Qin Tianfeng is that person, then what about Li Shoucheng... If I remember correctly, after the Blood Demon Ancestor was severely injured by Qin Tianfeng, this Li Shoucheng..."

"There was almost a war between the Blood Demon Palace and Changsheng Guan!"

"It's true that Changsheng Guan has indeed gone through several changes in leadership over the past ten thousand years."

No one knew when it started.

The group fell silent, and the chat group they had formed across the realms was filled with long ellipses.

Before coming here, most of them had considered the Yanhuang Federation as a second-rate civilization occupying a tiny area, unfortunately located at the site of the former Ninth Ascension Terrace.

But now, after cross-referencing their sources, they discovered a shocking truth.

The martial artists of the Yanhuang Federation were all highly skilled, each one surpassing the last. Just based on this, the predecessors of the Federation must have been extraordinary, otherwise, even a typical True Immortal Dao Field wouldn't be impressive enough!

In an instant, many of them understood.

It wasn't a phoenix rising from a chicken coop, but rather a fallen phoenix nest, where the bloodline hadn't completely perished, and a new phoenix had emerged.

"I remember a rumor," someone whispered, their voice carrying a hint of mystery, "Ten thousand years ago, among the Four Demons, the Dream Demon fell from his divine seat and disappeared without a trace..."

Everyone was startled.

"Are you saying that this matter is also related to this place?!"

"I'm not sure. I inquired with my sect, but they didn't respond. I suggest you ask them as well."

"Don't you find it strange that we had no news before we arrived?"

"Haha, I just asked a member of a force that has a long-standing relationship with the Federation's six great families. They only knew that the six families have a long heritage and are old acquaintances with my sect, but they also don't know about the reputation and deeds of the ancestors of the six families..."

As these words spread, an uneasy feeling arose among the group.

Could it be that they were just here to pave the way?

"Impossible! Are you saying that the God's Forbidden Warriors of the Five Virtues Palace are also here to scout the path?!" Someone immediately refuted.

"I've asked my sect, and that person is actually here to find the Saint King's lineage, the Red Princess. The Federation is just a stop along the way. The main battlefield of the Five Virtues Palace isn't the Ninth Ascension Terrace; they've joined forces with Qingtian Observatory and already consider the Sixth Ascension Terrace as good as theirs."

Once again, the group fell silent.

They all understood what this meant.

"What's there to be afraid of?" Someone suddenly spoke up coldly, "The generation of the Federation from ten thousand years ago has mostly died out. Those remaining are just a bunch of unambitious descendants."

"Are you talking about Ji Jingqiu?" Someone interjected.

"A single person can't support the entire Federation."

"But he can support the East 3 Huang Star." Someone said calmly.

The East 3 Huang Star was their destination, the former Ninth Ascension Terrace.

"Just lure him away. If you're willing to take the risk, there are ways. If you're so afraid, you might as well return to your sect and complain." Someone said expressionlessly and turned to leave.

The Grand Martial Tournament among the Hundred Pulses of the Federation continued.

Martial artists from various realms either stood silently in the corners, their eyes flickering with uncertainty, or turned and left.

Regardless of who they were, none of them noticed that a seed had been planted in a corner of their hearts.

Whether it would blossom into a flower of demonic thoughts was just a matter of a single thought.

...

...

The tournament continued.

Ji Jingqiu held one discussion after another with the representatives of the Hundred Pulses.

The talks mainly revolved around the difficulties the Federation would face in the future and the development of the martial arts lineages.

With more and more martial artists from various realms entering, chaos was inevitable. If not controlled, the Federation would disintegrate.

In the era of the Grand Universe, the biggest problem was the vastness of its territories. The current Federation lacked a Grand Master to preside over it. If the Immortals were scattered across the Federation, it might work for a short time, but once the martial artists from various realms broke through the Heavenly Human Boundary on a large scale, it would become a daunting task.

The best solution in this situation was to consolidate, but it would be extremely challenging to relocate and resettle hundreds of millions, or even billions, of Federation citizens to the central region in a short time.

For the Federation to achieve stability, not only the Hundred Pulses martial artists but also the major families and the government needed to set an example and work together to maintain peace.

After several discussions, the Hundred Pulses finally established the initial charter. Ji Jingqiu stepped back, and Ji Anquan took his place, taking charge.

Ji Jingqiu then returned to his cultivation, seizing the opportunity to stand at the Heavenly Human Boundary.

According to his estimation, after breaking through the Heavenly Human Boundary, his spiritual power would further increase, and at that time, he would achieve Ubiquitous Reach.

The characteristics of the Wanxing Realm should encompass most of the stellar system.

"If you can master the Dao of Cause and Effect, and use it to lock down your enemies, you can further expand the range of Ubiquitous Reach," Hela instructed him.

Recently, Ji Jingqiu had been frequently discussing the Dao of Cause and Effect with Hela, while also contemplating the methods of the Venerable Ancestor Lineage.

The Venerable Ancestor Lineage had a classic saying:

The Four Great Elements are Empty.

When he first met the old ancestor of the Mu family, the other party had mentioned that the essence of the Mu family's inheritance lay in the word 'empty'. The Four Great Elements are empty, and all things in the world are void. Everything arises and passes due to causes and conditions, and these too are empty.

The key lies in the arising and passing of causes and conditions.

When causes and conditions come together, there will be a result.

But contemplation is one thing; truly understanding the Dao of Cause and Effect is extremely difficult. For Ji Jingqiu's current cultivation realm, it was a very challenging task.

The Dao of Fate is inherently a path that only the strongest Heavenly Sovereigns can master.

Following Hela's suggestion, Ji Jingqiu prepared to cultivate the Heavenly Mystery Technique to get closer to the Dao of Cause and Effect and Fate.

During this time, he also imparted his newly improved Mind Flame Wanxiang Lamp to the martial artists of the Hundred Pulses.

After completing these tasks, he checked the Xuanhuang Merit Qi he had condensed, and it was still eight strands, with no apparent changes. However, it seemed a bit more solid, though he wasn't entirely sure.

As for the Holy and Merit Qi, there were no noticeable changes either.

He felt that the number of people he had influenced was too small, and further observation was needed.

What he regretted most was not being able to reach the Five Virtues Realm.

Unfortunately, these two were predetermined by fate, and they were either the legacy of ancestors or the blessings of past lives.

"I think I can start breaking through the Heavenly Human Boundary. Do you have any suggestions?" Ji Jingqiu asked in his heart.

"From the Heavenly Human Boundary onwards, no matter how high your talent is, it's hard to compete with the accumulation of time and resources," Hela said indifferently. "If you want to maintain your progress, when you break through the Heavenly Human Boundary, you should thoroughly integrate the True Spirit Pool with your Inner World."

"Doesn't it count now?"

"Right now, it's just one-sided nourishment. You need to form a symbiotic relationship."

Ji Jingqiu glanced into his Inner World.

A little guy was floating in the True Spirit Pool.

He used his spiritual mind as a hand and poked the little guy. It was time to get to work.

Soon after, a divine snake with its tail in its mouth appeared in the Inner World and began its daily patrol.

The aura of the Void Devouring Realm slowly permeated this world.

Hela suddenly said, "The True Spirit Pool can greatly accelerate the construction of your Inner World and temper your Holy Fetus, but the accumulation of spiritual power for your mental cultivation is a slow process that requires other methods."

Ji Jingqiu stroked his chin and asked, "The Bitter Sea Tempering?"

He had already tempered his physical body's origin several times through the illusory Bitter Sea.

Occasionally, he would also ponder whether this method would be effective for tempering his Holy Fetus.

Hela fell silent for a moment.

This guy could be really ruthless to himself sometimes.

He had previously tempered his physical body in the Bitter Sea,

and now he wanted to use the Bitter Sea to temper his spiritual Holy Fetus? She would never do that.

"It's the Contemplation Method," Hela said, rubbing the plump tiger in her arms, her expression unchanged. "You should bring these contemplation objects to life. Don't you think they're too idle?"

Too idle? Ji Jingqiu looked at a certain dead fish in the Merit Pool and nodded involuntarily.

Indeed, they were too idle.

"When you make further progress, you can throw these little guys into the Abyssal Sea to temper their Dao power with its help."

"Additionally, after you enter the Heavenly Human Boundary, your Fire House Buddhist Hell Visualization Diagram will likely enter the next stage. You should prepare for that."

Ji Jingqiu nodded, "I understand."

When he breaks through to the Heavenly Human Boundary, the Bodhi Tree will also undergo a new transformation.

At that time, he can go and seek the Supreme True Buddha.

"By the way, how can I thoroughly integrate the True Spirit Pool with my Inner World?" Ji Jingqiu suddenly asked.

"One way is to invest resources, and the other is to seize the special moment when you break through the Heavenly Human Boundary and recast your law body."

"Is investing resources enough?" Ji Jingqiu asked calmly, exuding the composure of a wealthy family's heir.

There was no other way; with the backing of the Nine Palaces and the Federation, resources were a minor issue.

"Mhm."

Hela appreciated his current attitude.

"Just like the Celestial Herb you transplanted last time, if you add a few dozen more or even a single Divine Herb, it can not only serve as a medium for integrating the True Spirit Pool with your Inner World, but it can also further stimulate the 'vitality' of your Inner World, perfecting the Dao principles within. When you reach the Heavenly King Realm, the competition will be based on the perfection of your Inner World."

Ji Jingqiu: "..."

...

The next day.

Dao Field, Side Hall.

Tian Qingzi glanced at Bai Yuan, surprised that the two of them had met again so soon.

Bai Yuan was also a bit taken aback. He had learned from Ke Tianjin that this young man was from the Heavenly Holy Lake.

But wasn't there already a Divine Prohibition at the Heavenly Holy Lake? Could it be that the two Holy Immortals were planning to have one descendant each? Huang Zhiyan, on the other hand, looked relatively calm. She had already reported to her sect and obtained a sufficient 'budget'.

Ji Jingqiu faced the three of them with sincerity, not wasting any time with pleasantries. He spoke directly, "You three, name your price."

The three of them fell silent for a moment, especially Tian Qingzi and Bai Yuan. They hadn't even stated their intentions, but this young man seemed to already know their purpose, and his words were... blunt.

Facing their varied gazes, Ji Jingqiu sighed, "I had wanted to wait a bit longer, but I'm running out of time. I can't hold back anymore, and I'm about to be forced to break through the Heavenly Human Boundary. Can you understand this kind of frustration?"

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end