Chapter 294: Negotiations and the Great Way Sacred Artifact (Happy New Year)

Chapter 294: Negotiations and the Great Way Sacred Artifact (Happy New Year)



Impossible.

Bai Yuan and the other two were silent, having never heard of someone being passively pushed towards the threshold of the Heavenly Human Boundary.

Perhaps this person was exaggerating to drive up the price, which seemed a bit out of character compared to his previous demeanor of being the only one worthy of admiration.

The Heavenly Human Boundary was the first restriction from the universe, requiring one to endure the Heavenly Tribulation in the dark, which could be considered the prototype of the Wind, Fire, and Thunder Disasters.

Breaking through this boundary marked the next stage of the Martial Dao, where one began cultivating the inner world.

This stage was a significant transformation in the Martial Dao, from borrowing the power of the universe and Dao principles to relying solely on oneself, with the inner world remaining intact even if the universe were to perish.

All three of them were top-notch Heart Image cultivators, and Bai Yuan was once a Heavenly Perfection. None of them had ever heard of someone with such a solid foundation that they were passively pushed towards the Heavenly Human Boundary and had no choice but to break through.

But what if...

Soon, a thought occurred to the three of them.

What if it were true?

After all, they had never heard of anyone capable of defeating a God's Forbidden Warrior with a single strike.

"I wonder what realm Brother Ji has reached now?" Bai Yuan politely asked.

Ji Jingqiu replied honestly, "I feel the Heavenly Human Boundary right above me, ready to be pierced, and it's slowly descending."

This was a truthful statement without exaggeration. In the past two days, he had been integrating, filling in the gaps, adjusting his innate body, and addressing minor flaws after achieving the Unity of Heart and Body. He then used the water from the Bitter Sea to cleanse his physique and solidify his Dao Foundation.

With this, he truly stood at the level of a top-notch Heart Image cultivator.

Ji Jingqiu had also sought advice from other top-notch Heart Image cultivators on how they continued their cultivation after this point.

Everyone's answer was to continue refining their Dao Foundation, hoping to sense the location of the Heavenly Human Boundary in the dark.

"Slowly descending?"

Bai Yuan also felt a bit lost.

He had experienced breaking through the Heavenly Human Boundary himself and had helped numerous juniors from his sect to do the same, but he still couldn't understand what Ji Jingqiu meant by "slowly descending."

Was the Heavenly Human Boundary "lowering its difficulty"? Could it be related to the turbulence in the rules of the Grand Universe, making it easier for everyone to break through the Heavenly Human Boundary from now on?

This couldn't be a good thing... Bai Yuan thought to himself.

"Has Brother Ji already comprehended the Lawbound Realm?" Huang Zhiyan suddenly asked.

Ji Jingqiu nodded.

The other two weren't surprised by this, as most God's Forbidden Warriors throughout history had comprehended the Lawbound Realm in the Mind Reflection Realm, laying the foundation for the Great Dao.

Since Ji Jingqiu had already started planning to break through the Heavenly Human Boundary, he must have found the key to establishing his Dao.

Huang Zhiyan fell silent for a moment before speaking, "Has Brother Ji found his own path to establish his Dao?"

Ji Jingqiu replied calmly, "I'm still perfecting it."

After his visit to the Ke family, he had completed the initial integration of his Martial Dao path and created the Origin of One.

This was not only a divine ability but also a Heavenly Dao Field closely connected to his inner world. It could be said to be his path to establishing his Dao without any doubt.

During the recent Hundred Pulses gathering, he had further perfected the Origin of One.

Huang Zhiyan said with a hint of awe, "Brother Ji is indeed extraordinary. Even at this stage, he continues to elevate the height of his Dao Foundation."

Bai Yuan suddenly realized that the so-called "descending" actually referred to Ji Jingqiu's "elevation."

Tian Qingzi was also secretly amazed, wondering what height one needed to reach to consider the Heavenly Human Boundary, which had stopped countless geniuses, as merely a layer of paper that could be pierced with a single poke.

The three of them exchanged glances, feeling the burning fighting spirit within each other, and decisively started their little game of competition.

"Hehe, I heard that the struggle between the two saints of the Heavenly Holy Lake has intensified, and there's a trend of 'splitting up'?" Bai Yuan's smile hid a sharp edge.

"Indeed," Huang Zhiyan agreed, nodding, "In the past, the Heavenly Holy Lake had two saints, and all realms paid homage to them. How glorious and prosperous it was! But in the end, it couldn't avoid the situation of two tigers not being able to share the same mountain."

Tian Qingzi countered, "If I remember correctly, the last God's Forbidden Warrior in the Saint Temple 'went crazy' and fell? It's absurd for a God's Forbidden Warrior to end up in such a situation."

"Doesn't the Phoenix Blood Palace only accept female disciples and true descendants of the Phoenix bloodline?"

With that, the three of them began to attack each other.

"I've long heard that the Phoenix Blood Palace's inheritance holds great terror. When its founder became a saint, there was a terrifying phenomenon of blood burning throughout the heavens!"

"The internal power struggle in the Saint Temple doesn't seem any better than the Heavenly Holy Lake, does it? I heard that there's someone in the Saint Temple who is expected to make further progress in this era. Can you really bear to let go of this 'Patriarch' position? Brother Ji, don't end up doing all this just to benefit others!"

"Doesn't the Heavenly Holy Lake already have a God's Forbidden Warrior? If Brother Ji goes there, will he really receive cultivation guidance? He might have to engage in another internal struggle!"

"How good is the Saint Temple's inheritance? The one at the top of the Ancestral Hall was dug out from the ruins!"

Ji Jingqiu remained silent, showing no intention of stopping them. He didn't even blink, afraid he might miss the juicy gossip.

This kind of secret information wasn't something just anyone could know. Only these rivals, who knew each other inside out, possessed the inside scoop.

When the three of them had argued enough, either running out of words or reaching a point where continuing would reveal their sects' secrets, they started glaring at each other.

At this moment, Ji Jingqiu finally stepped forward and said, "Please don't argue anymore. I'm a practical person. Let's talk about the future today, and obtaining cultivation resources is what truly matters."

For a moment, the three of them didn't know whether to feel speechless or amused. Ji Jingqiu's intention was clear—he wasn't interested in empty promises but wanted tangible gains.

This made Bai Yuan hesitate for a moment. Unlike the other two, he was impressed by Ji Jingqiu's talent and had decided to recruit him. However, he hadn't received a response to his application from his superiors yet.

If he were to offer something substantial, it would be difficult for him to fulfill the promise right away, and he would need to consult with his superiors. Otherwise, it would be empty talk.

Huang Zhiyan was confident. After reporting Ji Jingqiu's achievements, the higher-ups in the palace paid great attention.

The disciples jointly cultivated by the Five Virtues Palace and Qingtian Observatory had never defeated Ji Jingqiu. If they could win him over, most of their problems would be solved at once.

Tian Qingzi would have even less pressure.

The Ancestor had said that as long as he brought back a Divine Prohibition, no matter who it was and regardless of any prior promises, they would recognize it!

So he directly made a decision:

"The Heavenly Holy Lake can meet any request of Dao Brother."

Huang Zhiyan: "?"

Who are you trying to impress? Bai Yuan frowned. Are the two Holy Immortals at the Heavenly Holy Lake being unfair or trying to monopolize the deal?

One Divine Prohibition wasn't enough. Were they really asking for two to pass on their teachings?

For a moment, he didn't dare to "follow" rashly.

As far as he knew, the higher-ups in the temple were indeed fighting for the position of "Patriarch."

If he could really win over a Divine Prohibition, the Ancestor would definitely be happy, but the people below might not be. Moreover, it would require a huge amount of resources...

Bai Yuan had a headache. It was clear to him that if they agreed too easily now, they might also turn their backs just as easily later, and he feared that the girl from the Phoenix Blood Palace would be proven right.

Just as Huang Zhiyan was about to speak, they heard Ji Jingqiu say:

"Actually, my request is not much. I am about to break through the Heavenly Human Boundary, and I need a major breakthrough. I require a Divine Herb to solidify my foundation and establish the foundation of my Inner World."

Huang Zhiyan's eyebrows furrowed slightly. A Divine Herb... which kind of "Divine Herb"?

Tian Qingzi smiled and asked, "The Heavenly Holy Lake has plenty of 'herb fields'. Which rare and precious herb does Brother Ji need?"

Ji Jingqiu earnestly replied, "The category? I'm not particular about that. As long as it's a Divine Herb."

Tian Qingzi's smile froze.

After a moment, he tentatively asked, "Brother Ji, are you talking about a Divine Herb that is above Celestial Herbs?"

Ji Jingqiu nodded.

The atmosphere became silent for a moment.

Especially Tian Qingzi.

It wasn't that he was confident; he simply hadn't expected that the Divine Herb Ji Jingqiu mentioned would indeed be just a "Divine Herb."

This term shouldn't have come from the mouths of juniors like them.

The word "Celestial" in Celestial Herb refers to the innate, which carries a portion of the Great Dao's patterns. For Immortals, it is a rare treasure, and even Heavenly Kings can benefit from its effects.

As for Divine Herbs...

Their rarity lies not in their effectiveness for specific individuals but in their extreme scarcity, so scarce that they are hard to find across all realms.

At least Tian Qingzi had never seen one, and it could even be said that no one in the Dao Field had ever heard of it.

"...Is this all the compensation Brother Ji requires?" Tian Qingzi asked tentatively, thinking that even if Divine Herbs were rare, the two Ancestors should have some in their collections, right?

He could just pluck one later...

"I need a Divine Herb as a foundation for my breakthrough to the Heavenly Human Realm," Ji Jingqiu said, not wanting to be too blunt, yet he had essentially said everything.

The three of them understood instantly.

This meant receiving payment in installments, and each time, they would only take action after receiving the payment.

Huang Zhiyan smiled, watching the show, curious to see how the one who had just made the bold claim would handle the situation.

There were only a few Divine Herbs in the Phoenix Blood Palace, planted in the Ancestor's Dao Field, and they were all cherished by the Ancestor. It was possible to offer one to win over Ji Jingqiu, but it would require the Ancestor's approval, and she didn't have the authority to represent him.

The problem was, if breaking through the Heavenly Human Realm required a Divine Herb, what about breaking through to the Heavenly King Realm in the future?

Would the Three Heavens of Immortal require...?

Tian Qingzi recalled the Ancestor's words in his mind and said solemnly, "The Heavenly Holy Lake accepts the request!"

Bai Yuan cursed under his breath, feeling envious and resentful. Divine Herbs... When he had reached Heavenly Perfection in the past, he had only consumed a few special pills and potions made from Celestial Herbs.

Huang Zhiyan took a deep breath and said, "Brother Ji, give me a few days."

Ji Jingqiu nodded slightly.

At this moment.

A conversation was also taking place in Ji Jingqiu's Inner World.

"You said these three places, which one do you think is the most suitable for me?"

Rationally, Ji Jingqiu was more inclined towards the Phoenix Blood Palace, after all, there was a connection with Mu Shuai's family, and this power had a closer relationship with the Federation.

The Saint Temple was unclear.

The Heavenly Holy Lake... his relationship with them was a bit complicated.

He couldn't possibly become Tian Qiuzi, could he?

But then again, Tian Qingzi must have come this time because he guessed that Tian Qiuzi was related to him.

Hela said indifferently, "Aside from the Saint Temple, you want both of the other two places, so you'll have two Divine Herbs."

Ji Jingqiu was speechless. Only children make choices; adults want everything?

Suddenly, he realized, "Do you mean I should just take the benefits and not do anything? That's difficult. These places aren't fools; they'll definitely require signing a contract."

Ji Jingqiu shook his head. He had thought about it before but ultimately found it unrealistic.

Hela thought, this guy actually considered taking the benefits and not fulfilling his end of the deal?

Hela warned him, "I advise you not to think like that. If you have no connection with them, then fine, but once you establish a cause and effect, and if you break your vow first, haha, you'll know what the means of a Holy Immortal are."

Ji Jingqiu was cautious, "Not even the Grand Universe can stop it?"

"The Grand Universe also has the Fate River. All living beings have their causes and fates."

Ji Jingqiu frowned. The methods of a Holy Immortal were a bit beyond his understanding.

"What they want you to do is to establish a Dao."

Hela explained, "They won't give you their core inheritance. At most, they'll give you a little 'scrap' as a medium for entering the Grand Universe in the future.

"You can establish one rule, or even two, it doesn't matter. Moreover, you already have your own core Dao foundation, and you can revoke it at any time in the future, so it won't affect you."

Ji Jingqiu understood and turned to Huang Zhiyan, "I agree."

Then, he looked at Tian Qingzi, "Dao Brother, I think you and I need to have a deep conversation."

Bai Yuan was helplessly excluded. Although he had the intention to draw Ji Jingqiu to his side, he lacked the authority to do so. He himself was merely a struggling seeker on the path of Dao.

...

"That's Huang Zhiyan from the Phoenix Blood Palace, and the other one I don't recognize. Are they here to negotiate with Ji Jingqiu?"

"Don't tell me that some people were right, and those True Saint Dao Fields that haven't cultivated God's Forbidden Fruit are eyeing Ji Jingqiu, wanting him to become the leader of the Grand Universe's religious group? Can we trust him?"

The various martial artists lingering in the East 3 Huang Star keenly noticed the two figures departing from the high-altitude Dao Palace.

"There's nothing to worry about, it's just a collaboration."

"Establishing a religion and spreading the Dao... Ji Jingqiu is really soaring to the heavens."

"That's not the point. The person himself is already a God's Forbidden Warrior, standing above the masses."

"Being a God's Forbidden Warrior is impressive, but you have to consider the comparison! As the leader of a religion, how many God's Forbidden Warriors in history have had such a ready-made great opportunity?"

For a moment, everyone fell silent.

There is no mistake in the first issue of the 169 book!

When martial artists reach the peak of the Heavenly King, if they want to continue progressing, they need to establish a Dao tradition and spread the Dao across the world.

The 'Establishing Dao and Spreading the Dao' of the various Saints in the Grand Universe is something that countless Heavenly Kings, and even Heavenly Sovereigns, would envy.

The key lies in the great blessings of the Dao contained in this act of spreading the Dao.

Unfortunately, due to the limitations of the Grand Universe, they can only envy for now.

...

After Bai Yuan and Huang Zhiyan left, only Ji Jingqiu and Tian Qingzi remained, sitting opposite each other.

Tian Qingzi got straight to the point, his eyes burning with intensity, "Brother Ji, have you already traveled through the various realms and taken the Dao name 'Tian Qiuzi'?"

Ji Jingqiu did not deny it. Instead of answering, he asked, "Has the Heavenly Holy Lake lifted the arrest warrant on me?"

Tian Qingzi shook his head, "Before I left, the warrant was still in effect. According to the meaning of the Ancestor, this time I'm only bringing back Tian Qiuzi."

Ji Jingqiu somewhat understood the intention of the Heavenly Holy Lake.

Was this self-deception?

"Do you mean that if I choose the Heavenly Holy Lake, I'll need to accompany you back there?" Ji Jingqiu furrowed his brows.

How could safety be guaranteed during this trip? It was common knowledge that the headquarters of the Heavenly Holy Lake had two True Saints in residence!

The strength of the Heavenly Holy Lake was indeed terrifying. If not for internal conflicts, they would be at the top even among the various True Saint Dao Fields.

Ji Jingqiu secretly wondered which Ancestor he had offended... or if it was both of them?

Tian Qingzi felt embarrassed, also aware of the crucial point, "I must go back to pay my respects to the Ancestor."

After saying this, he spoke solemnly, "The Ancestor is an extraordinary figure, whose words can shape the laws of the realms. It's not like they would deceive or trick Brother Ji, that would be..."

He really wanted to say, that would be too disgraceful.

A Heavenly King might covet the body of a Chosen One, hoping to start a new life, but a True Saint... with a glance, they could annihilate a small realm. They had long ago transcended fate and would not stoop to such actions.

Ji Jingqiu glanced at him sideways, his eyes seeming to say, 'You don't know what you're talking about.'

"The worries of an extraordinary talent... even True Saints are coveting me..."

Ji Jingqiu murmured to himself, communicating with Hela in his mind, asking if he could create a clone with the power of a God's Forbidden Warrior using the Formless Heavenly Demon Great Law.

Hela rejected his idea but couldn't help mentioning, "What did that dog thief He Donghuang give you? Didn't he pass on the fundamental law?"

Ji Jingqiu shook his head. What He Shuai had given him was contained in those two ancient knives, and he was still in the process of comprehending them, using the knife intent within to temper his own.

As for the fundamental law...

Ji Jingqiu recalled his previous visit to the Ke family.

During that time, he had been hesitating, unsure whether to let the Primordial True Self control the myriad phenomena, attaining the formless; or to let the myriad phenomena return to one, breaking through the non-self phenomena, and seeing the True Self of Rulai.

After that, two beams of knife light entered his mind.

One knife split open the heavens and earth, separating the past, future, and present, dividing Yin and Yang, sorting out the Four Symbols, and teaching the Five Virtues...

In the end, it transformed the myriad phenomena, evolving into the Primordial Wuji!

The other knife, amidst the vast and boundless, contained the Great Annihilation, seeing all as illusory, breaking through the non-self phenomena, and seeing Rulai.

It was as if it was telling him—see the Primordial first, then Rulai.

"That dog thief borrowed a lot from the various methods. He even borrowed from the Dao foundation of the other six God's Forbidden Warriors. According to your Federation's saying, he is walking the path of the fusion of Buddhism and Daoism."

"The divine abilities he has learned are numerous and diverse, but the ones he has truly mastered are not many. Among them is a cloning technique called 'One Qi into Three Pure,' which is said to have originally been just a legend in ancient books, without any specific cultivation methods. Yet, he truly created it."

Ji Jingqiu was shocked. One Qi into Three Pure?

Was this a coincidence too?

Speaking of which, many ancient cultures in the Federation could be found corresponding to in his previous life, such as the Dragon Tiger Dao Field and the Xinzhai Dao Field...

The former couldn't be more obvious.

As for the latter, the two characters 'Xinzhai' were mentioned in Zhuangzi's 'In the Human World.'

"You can go and talk to that knife. However, the threshold for cultivating that cloning technique is very high, requiring at least the level of a Heavenly King, and it cannot be maintained for long."

Hela showed him a way, then paused and slightly raised her head,

"The path to the heavens lies within oneself."

Is it because of the integration of the Great Dream Method... Ji Jing Qiu silently pondered.

"That's right," Tian Qing Zi said earnestly, "If you're willing to accompany me to Tian Sheng Lake to pay respects to the founder, you can also compete with the God's Forbidden Warriors of other True Sage Dojos. How did you fare against the God's Forbidden Warrior of the Five Virtues Palace?"

"Oh? Which one?" Ji Jing Qiu showed some interest.

Chang Sheng, the ever-victorious one, had brought him the method of condensing the Five Virtues Qi.

These God's Forbidden Warriors from various lineages possessed extraordinary inheritances, and often in the Heart-Body Realm, they grasped the profound truths of the Great Way that only a Heavenly King could comprehend.

They were the ideal opponents to push and perfect the One Origin of the Beginning.

"It's the God's Forbidden Warrior of the Yin-Yang Dao Palace!"

"I see." Ji Jing Qiu thought for a moment, "If you can bring me a divine herb in advance, I will consider signing a contract with Tian Sheng Lake and going to the ancestral court of Tian Sheng Lake."

Tian Qing Zi's gaze intensified, and without refusing, he nodded, "Okay, I'll inquire above and wait for my news."

...

...

"Who?"

Chang Sheng, who was in seclusion to recover from his injuries, suddenly opened his eyes.

"Chang Shengzi!" The visitor bowed respectfully, "I come from the Yin-Yang Dao Palace. I dare to pay a visit and ask, is it true that Ji Jing Qiu is as invincible as the rumors say?"

Chang Sheng narrowed his eyes, "The self-proclaimed Heavenly Being?"

Before him appeared a middle-aged man with slightly white temples, exuding a peculiar aura.

"Forgive me, Chang Shengzi," the man bowed again.

Chang Sheng suddenly asked, "Has Fang Shou Bai emerged from seclusion?"

"Yes, Uncle Master Fang has come out of seclusion. He is currently blocking the entrance to Tian Sheng Lake, preparing to challenge their God's Forbidden Warrior."

Mentioning the God's Forbidden Warrior of his sect, the middle-aged man couldn't help but reveal a proud smile.

Chang Sheng nodded slightly, "Tell him it's best not to come here. One slash from Ji Jing Qiu is all it takes."

The middle-aged man's smile froze.

"Chang Shengzi, you're too modest," he said politely.

Chang Sheng smiled, understanding the underlying meaning, but he wasn't bothered. He shook his head and said calmly, "You don't know where his true strength lies. It's like looking up at a distant place, as if you're on the first floor and he's on the rooftop. But when you finally reach the rooftop, you'll realize it's the vast sky."

Suddenly, he added, "This is limited to before becoming a Heavenly Being, and before crossing the Wind and Fire Disasters."

The middle-aged man spoke in a deep voice, "Does the Saintly Son of the Five Virtues Palace truly admire an outsider so much? Has Chang Shengzi lost his desire for victory in the martial path?"

Chang Sheng chuckled, not taking it to heart, but he looked at the man before him with pity.

The boundary of becoming a Heavenly Being involves a comprehensive assessment of the mind and physical body.

Once this threshold is crossed, the Unity of Heart and Body advances further, and after enduring the baptism of the Dao Principle and its rules, a Heavenly Being's body is forged, embodying the laws of the universe without any flaws.

At this point, the physical body becomes less significant, and all focus shifts to cultivating the inner universe.

This is because, at this stage, advancing the physical body is as difficult as ascending to heaven, and the gains are not proportional to the efforts. It's far more beneficial and important to cultivate the inner universe.

After all, no matter how strong a pure physical body is, it can never compare to a Heavenly Being's body empowered by the universe itself.

But Ji Jing Qiu had walked an unknown path and spent an unimaginable amount of resources to forge his physical body to a level far beyond that of ordinary Heavenly Beings!

Chang Sheng's assessment of this guy was...

Rich!

Richer than himself!

His master had spent the foundation of several plane worlds to help him condense the Five Virtues Qi and achieve the state of Five Virtues in the Heart-Body Realm.

But even as a True Sage disciple, he wouldn't waste a vast amount of resources on something as insignificant as physical body cultivation.

What a waste!

To reach the pinnacle of the martial path, the key lies in comprehending the Dao Principle, not the physical body.

Therefore, Chang Sheng didn't believe anyone could defeat Ji Jing Qiu in the Heart-Body Realm.

Their abilities were evenly matched, and both had attained the Embryonic Breathing Realm, but their physical bodies were separated by one, or even two, heavenly realms.

How could they compete?

That guy didn't even need Dao techniques or abilities; his absolute "Dao Cultivation" alone was enough to suppress them.

He truly broke through all laws with his power, dominating the crowd! To compete with Ji Jing Qiu, one must wait until becoming a Heavenly Being, which was why Chang Sheng added the remark about crossing the Wind and Fire Disasters.

By then, with a cultivated inner universe, the advantage of the physical body will be greatly diminished by the empowerment of the inner universe.

"Unfortunately, in the recent battle, my Five Virtues Qi hadn't reached the level of condensing and manifesting divine weapons."

"Brother Ji, I truly look forward to our clash as Heavenly Beings."

Chang Sheng's eyes burned with passion as he murmured, and the Five Virtues Qi around him surged and swirled. Among them, the Moral Qi faintly condensed into a scroll, the Blessing Qi transformed into a Ruyi, and the Primal Yellow Merit Qi became a Primal Yellow Pagoda floating above his head...

The middle-aged man was startled and quickly retreated, fearing to be enveloped by the aura.

This young man had already reached the stage of connecting the Five Virtues to communicate with the universe and manifest the sacred objects of the Great Way!

Most importantly, this was the Grand Universe!

Chang Sheng scanned the area and said indifferently, "Remember my earlier reminder, and consider it repayment for the Yin-Yang Dao Palace lending me a strand of Yin-Yang Qi in the past."

After saying this, he closed his eyes again to recover from his injuries.

Upon exiting seclusion, he needed to return to the Five Virtues Palace and head to another ascension site to break through the Heavenly Being rank.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end