Chapter 298: The Main Battlefield, Primordial Qi, and Tian Qiu, the Dao Companion

Chapter 298: The Main Battlefield, Primordial Qi, and Tian Qiu, the Dao Companion



In the world of Huang Tian, beneath a crimson cliff, a river of lava winds like the spine of a giant dragon, and volcanoes stretch into the distance, their flames dancing yet not affecting the ancient Paulownia tree forest within.

Huang Zhi Yan, with her aura protecting her body, isolates herself from the rising fire poison and gale winds from underground.

Not far away, the ancient Paulownia tree, the oldest in all realms, supports the entire world. On its leaves, blue flames dance, and a red Phoenix Bird stands on its branches, engulfed in a torrent of fire, revealing only its silhouette and a pair of captivating golden eyes.

In the ancient nest behind it, life's breath lingers, and several small Phoenix birds, full of spiritual energy, sneakily poke their heads out, blinking their eyes with a lively and adorable charm.

"Old Ancestor Chi Huang, I wish to pay my respects to the Ancestral Master!" Huang Zhi Yan bows respectfully.

These Phoenix birds nesting in the Paulownia forest are the most elite mythical creatures by bloodline, with a long heritage. Among them, the strongest can even rival the naturally born and nurtured giant beasts of the void.

The Chi Huang before her is a pet raised by the Ancestral Master of Huang Xue Palace since childhood, with profound cultivation, comparable to a Heavenly Venerable.

In the nest, a small Phoenix bird recognizes Huang Zhi Yan and sticks out its body, flapping its not-yet-fully-grown wings, almost falling from the edge of the nest.

Chi Huang spreads its wings, gently pushing the mischievous chick back into the nest, and says softly, "If it's about the Yanhuang Federation, you can go back. She won't change her mind, and you shouldn't provoke her further."

Huang Zhi Yan persists, "But... why? Not long ago, wasn't our relationship with the Yanhuang Federation good? And that Ji Jingqiu is truly extraordinary!"

Chi Huang remains calm, "Not long ago, the Tian Ji Realm sent people to visit us, revealing an ancient secret from ten thousand years ago. They confirmed that Ji Tian Xing was a fraud. Although she didn't get angry, she won't give the Yanhuang Federation any favors."

Huang Zhi Yan is stunned. Was Ji's ancestor a fraud?

"As for Ji Jingqiu, he's just a small fry who can't stir up much trouble. He might be rampant for the next ten or twenty years, but if you have dealings with him, remember to remind him that his current recklessness will require a hundredfold repayment in the future."

Huang Zhi Yan bites her lip, "But if we support Ji Jingqiu, the Ninth Feisheng Platform is within reach. Why should we give up?"

"Because our goal has shifted."

Chi Huang spreads its wings and slowly descends, the crimson fire seeming to have a life of its own, like a vast ocean, engulfing Huang Zhi Yan within its brilliance.

It emerges from the sea of fire, revealing its true form, no longer just a vague silhouette, its body as red as jade, its brows cold and proud.

But when it looks at Huang Zhi Yan, its gaze softens.

The sea of fire separates the inside from the outside, creating a secluded area.

"She's very angry because Ji Tian Xing deceived her, but that's not the fundamental reason for our change in goal."

Huang Zhi Yan's heart trembles slightly, as these words are completely different from what she heard before. What could the ancient Federation's General Ji have deceived the Ancestral Master about? To make the Ancestral Master so angry!

"The fundamental reason is that the Ninth Feisheng Platform is the hunting ground of the Four Demons, and we don't want to confront the Four Demons at this time."

Chi Huang speaks softly, its divine feathers glowing, enveloped in red mist, and continues,

"The various Saints have reached a tacit understanding. If the Ninth Feisheng Platform truly becomes the Four Demons' hunting ground, the Saints will spare no effort to destroy it together."

"The Four Demons' hunting ground?!"

Huang Zhi Yan exclaims in shock,

"But when I went there this time, I didn't sense the presence of the Four Demons in the Yanhuang Federation. Their Sea of Darkness is even 'cleaner' than the other realms!"

"That's because they've been resisting all this time." Chi Huang's eyes deepen, "From a certain point ten thousand years ago, the Yanhuang Federation became the main target of the Four Demons' attacks."

"Although due to certain unexpected events, the offensive of the past ten thousand years shifted to the depths of the Sea of Darkness, with the upheaval in the Grand Universe and the weakening of certain existences in the Yanhuang Federation, everything will return to normal."

Huang Zhi Yan is unable to comprehend, "How have they managed to hold out against the Four Demons' attacks until now?"

Even the various Saints' realms, once their core locations are discovered, can only choose to relocate, as they cannot resist the joint invasion of the Four Demons. They would be 'ground down' to death.

"Ten thousand years ago, they were dazzling, as if they had inherited the destiny of the Grand Universe, but in the end, they could only barely survive."

Chi Huang speaks with a hint of melancholy,

"They were dazzling because of the Sea of Darkness, and in the end, they were destroyed by it. This is the law of cause and effect, and even True Saints cannot escape it."

After a long silence, Huang Zhi Yan asks, "Next, will all parties withdraw from the Ninth Feisheng Platform?"

"No." Chi Huang's expressionless, "The harm caused by the Four Demons needs no further explanation. The Saints have reached a tacit understanding and are strictly monitoring the Ninth Feisheng Platform. If the worst-case scenario occurs, they will take action."

Huang Zhi Yan speaks softly, "The Yanhuang Federation is on the verge of collapse. Is there any possibility of guiding Ji Jingqiu?"

Chi Huang's eyes flicker with deep meaning, "If I remember correctly, his surname is Ji, not Ji."

Huang Zhi Yan shakes her head, denying the elder's implication, and says solemnly, "At this stage of Shen Jin, he is truly transcendent. He defeated Chang Sheng of Wu De Palace with a single move and even mastered the Tian Wang Feature [Ubiquity] ahead of time. He is worth the Palace's investment."

Chi Huang shakes her head,

"We already know the details from Wu De Palace. He is indeed exceptional, but not to the extent of overwhelming the other Shen Jin. It's just that for some special reasons, after reaching Tian Ren, the outcome is difficult to predict."

"Also, he's not worth the investment. The old ancestor of the Tian Ji Realm has calculated that Ji Jingqiu once had an extremely deep connection with the Four Demons. No one knows if that Tian Mo entering the Grand Universe will lead to hidden dangers."

Huang Zhi Yan's brows furrow, surprised by Ji Jingqiu's deep connection with the Four Demons.

She couldn't help but reveal a hint of regret.

Speaking of the Demon, once there was a deeper karmic connection with this person during their weak hours, even if the problem was temporarily resolved, there would still be hidden dangers that could suddenly erupt in the future.

Similar incidents have occurred more than once in the various realms.

This is the difficulty of the Four Demons.

Huang Zhi Yan sighed lightly.

The Four Demons joining forces... the Yanhuang Federation is likely to be in a precarious situation.

Chi Huang suddenly tilted her head, as if listening to a divine decree.

A red feather, adorned with the chains of the law, slowly descended and landed in Huang Zhi Yan's hand.

"Go to the Yanhuang Federation again. As the supervisor of the Phoenix Blood Palace, if there are signs of the Four Demons' arrival or if you discover Ji Tian's whereabouts, contact me through this divine feather."

Huang Zhi Yan hesitated, "But what about Ji Jingqiu?"

Chi Huang solemnly instructed, "Maintain a distance. Don't be swayed by his sweet talk. Even if the Yanhuang Federation survives in the end, he will still be a hot potato."

Huang Zhi Yan was speechless, wanting to say that the guy didn't have any sweet talk at all, but his words could choke someone to death. That kind of arrogance seemed to flow from his blood and bones.

She sighed again in her heart.

She wanted to pull Ji Jingqiu into the Phoenix Blood Palace.

But now it seems that not only Ji Jingqiu but the entire Yanhuang Federation is on the edge of a cliff.

...

...

The Four Shrine Star.

Ji Jingqiu sat cross-legged in the temple, eyes closed in meditation.

Behind him, a holy fetus appeared, formed by the concentration of his spirit, like a miniature version of himself, sitting cross-legged in the void, connected to the ocean of spirits.

The holy fetus version of Ji Jingqiu slowly exhaled, transforming into another miniature version of himself, with a rebellious look in his eyes, appearing quite amusing.

Ji Jingqiu had not yet mastered the ability to evolve three clones from a single breath, a skill passed down by Master He. The key to this technique was not based on the premise of comprehending 'I am who I am,' but rather, this was just the most fundamental foundation.

The true core involved the River of Time!

This divine ability evolved one's past, present, and future, emphasizing the creation of three bodies that occupied all moments in time.

To fully master this divine ability, according to Ji Jingqiu's deduction, even the state of 'Sitting in Oblivion' might be a prerequisite for cultivation.

At this moment, he was deducing the 'Demon Transformation' in reverse, evolving his outer demon under the watch of several divine masters.

This was an attempt he had wanted to make ever since creating the 'Demon Transformation,' but he was discouraged by La Jiang.

The terror of the outer demon lay in its formlessness, a direct manifestation of the original body.

No matter how strong he was, the outer demon would only become 'stronger.'

If the outer demon was not suppressed and allowed to escape, it would create an unnecessary vulnerability, a 'life-and-death enemy.'

The latter's goal was singular—to replace the original master and complete the missing 'self,' an irreconcilable contradiction.

As he gave birth to this heart demon, before it could sense anything, the divine masters took action, sealing it within a five-colored clay figure they had prepared long ago.

Ji Jingqiu raised his hand and touched his heart, extracting a drop of heart's blood, which silently fell into the clay figure.

In an instant, divine light of the five elements steamed, evolving the cycle of mutual generation and mutual destruction. The clay figure, as if infused with a spirit, exuded an enigmatic charm, seemingly coming to life. Faint mist emerged from the orifices of its body.

At this stage, Ji Jingqiu could only watch from the sidelines.

He suddenly sensed that the aura of Helra, which permeated the Four Shrine Star, was becoming increasingly rich and profound.

His spirit extended, and he saw a human-headed serpent-bodied figure with a royal crown standing in the starry sky, overlooking the planet. The face was blurred, like clouds and water, uncertain and ancient, yet sacred. The palm seemed to hold the entire Four Shrine Star.

Behind the crimson mist, a pair of golden eyes, filled with pure divine essence, stared coldly at the temple.

"Thank you, fellow cultivator, for your assistance."

One of the divine masters politely spoke, drawing upon Helra's divine authority to alter the nature of the clay figure before them.

The hazy mist carried a hint of chaos, reminiscent of the scene at the beginning of creation, born from the innate, and in harmony with heaven and earth.

A connection of flesh and blood penetrated the mist, transmitting a message.

Not a single error, a single hair, a single inch, a single appearance, a single book, a single glance!

Ji Jingqiu seemed to have gained a second physical body, capable of perceiving the subtle details of another body—the surging blood, the toughness of muscles, the continuous flow of strength...

He had felt a similar sensation when he returned from his second journey through the realms.

At that time, with the help of the resources of the royal city, he had created a second body and successfully brought it back from the Nine Continents.

However, upon returning to the grand universe, after the coexistence of two bodies in one lifetime, the second physical body showed signs of uncontrollable self-destruction.

But the current body was different.

The clay figure slowly transformed, not taking on Ji Jingqiu's appearance but that of Tian Qiu Zi, whom he had previously created using the 'Formless Demon's Great Dharma.'

"How did you create this physical body? We used Helra's divine authority to forge a primordial body, yet in terms of physical strength, it still falls short of yours?"

The voices of the divine masters, slightly surprised, echoed.

This meant that the materials they had chosen from various heavenly treasures, combined with the results born from Helra's divine authority, which inverted reality, were still inferior to Ji Jingqiu's original body in terms of their origin.

"It's done. The primordial body is formed, and its spirit is naturally imbued. The original spirit, created by the outer demon, has established an anchor and will not go out of control."

"Now, there's just one final step."

A divine master gently blew a breath.

In Ji Jingqiu's eyes, this primordial body, which had already developed its unique spiritual fluctuations, transformed into a wisp of clear air, floating in the air.

In the end, this strand of pure energy surged into Ji Jingqiu's body, wandering through various acupoints before finally settling in his heart, at the center of his eyebrows.

"This is..." Ji Jingqiu's expression trembled.

"Primordial Qi." A Shen Zhu spoke calmly, "What we've created for you is not just a clone, but also a divine weapon, essentially Primordial Qi. In the future, when you comprehend the secret of 'One Qi Transforms into Three Purities', you can use this as a reference."

"Normally, you can nurture this Primordial Qi within your body's acupoints. Not only can it cultivate on its own, but it will also grow alongside your development, with a potential reaching up to the Heavenly Sovereign."

Ji Jingqiu's heart stirred, and the pure energy in his heart transformed into a Primordial Dao body, complete with flesh, blood, and spirit, indistinguishable from an ordinary person.

This "Tian Qiu Zi" stood before him, smiling and bowing:

"Dao You."

Ji Jingqiu quickly stood up, returned the bow, and addressed him as a Dao You.

The feeling was quite peculiar, as if he were looking into a mirror, and the connection between the two was even closer.

"Everything else can be replicated, but not the Great Dao." A Shen Zhu reminded him, "This clone has not established its Dao, which is a flaw. However, since you want to pay respects to the Tiansheng Lake, this is actually a strength. You can use him to comprehend the laws of the Tiansheng Lake."

Ji Jingqiu understood. "Tian Qiu Zi" had not yet established his Dao or sensed the realm of the Fa Jie. With the physical disparity, there was a gap between this clone and his original body.

But it was more than enough to fight against other Shen Jin.

Ji Jingqiu asked curiously, "Is there a secret technique to discern his roots?"

"Perhaps there is, but no one will be able to connect it to you. Additionally, you can let him break through the Tian Ren realm first, allowing him to experience the insights of that realm. For you, the Tian Ren realm is not difficult, but you should still make thorough preparations and strive for perfection."

Ji Jingqiu hesitated, "If my original body breaks through the Tian Ren realm in the Grand Universe, where should the clone go?"

"The Tiansheng Lake will have its arrangements; there's no need to worry."

"This strand of Primordial Qi originates from you, and its new spirit is also derived from your Demon Transformation. As long as you wish, you can cover its spirit in an instant and even anchor it to various realms, taking control of this body."

Ji Jingqiu listened carefully to the instructions of the Shen Zhu, feeling a bit itchy inside. He really wanted to control this body and descend upon the realms, living another brilliant and glorious life!

With a thought, the clone instantly dispersed into a cloud of pure energy and flowed into his body.

"For you right now, this is a pretty good 'Divine Weapon', worth exploring its potential."

One of the Shen Zhu commented.

Ji Jingqiu sincerely thanked them, "Thank you, Shen Zhu, for your assistance!"

"No need for thanks. We have a request for you." A Shen Zhu spoke calmly, "We hope that you can remain low-key for a while."

"Low-key?"

Ji Jingqiu was puzzled. With countless warriors from various realms entering the Grand Universe, if he kept a low profile, someone would surely take advantage of the situation.

"Indeed. From now on, return to Dong 3 Huang Xing and focus on your cultivation. Don't emerge until you break through the Tian Ren realm."

Ji Jingqiu remained silent for a moment, then nodded, "If this is the wish of the Shen Zhu, I will comply."

"Return to Dong 3 Huang Xing. That's where your true battlefield lies."

After the clone was created, Ji Jingqiu wasn't sure if it was just his imagination, but the Shen Zhu seemed to show signs of fatigue.

He didn't want to disturb the Shen Zhu further, so he bid them farewell and headed straight back to Dong 3 Huang Xing.

Along the way, he received numerous messages and heard some rumors.

"The Saints have reached an agreement and won't seek cooperation with me? Why target me like this?" Ji Jingqiu frowned, thinking, "Then where should I look for the divine herb? Do I have to continue traveling through the realms to 'seek treasures'?"

As he pondered, he had already returned to Dong 3 Huang Xing. As soon as he exited the spaceport, he was met with numerous gazes, filled with awe, fear, and hidden schadenfreude.

Ji Jingqiu's eyebrows furrowed slightly. Who gave these guys the courage? His gaze swept across the crowd, and in that instant, an overwhelming pressure caused all the warriors from various realms to pale.

Someone blurted out, "We didn't do anything!"

Ji Jingqiu glanced at him and left, leaving the other person's face turning red.

A small incident like this brought everyone back to their senses.

Regardless of the future, for now, Ji Jingqiu was still Ji Jingqiu.

Ji Jingqiu took a step into the void, and his spirit covered the entire Dong 3 Huang Xing. He found a familiar figure.

"Tian Qiu Shidi."

Upon seeing Ji Jingqiu, Tian Qingzi, who had returned at some point, smiled brightly.

Ji Jingqiu was surprised, "The two Saints of Tiansheng Lake, don't they get along with the other Saints?"

Tian Qingzi replied, "What nonsense is this? Are those rumors tainting Tian Qiu Shidi's ears? What does that have to do with us? I've come to invite Tian Qiu Zi. Everyone knows that in our Tiansheng Lake, there's a Shen Jin with the Dao name 'Tian Qiu Zi'."

Ji Jingqiu couldn't help but laugh. So, this was their game?

Tian Qingzi took out a jade ring from his sleeve and smiled, "This is the divine herb that Tian Qiu Shidi needs to break through. I wonder when Tian Qiu Shidi will accompany me to pay respects to the Ancestral Master?"

Ji Jingqiu was moved. The two from Tiansheng Lake were indeed generous.

With this, he couldn't refuse any longer.

A strand of Primordial Qi flowed out of Ji Jingqiu's acupoints, transforming into a Primordial Dao body. In Tian Qingzi's burning gaze, it became the Daoist 'Tian Qiu Zi', who had once wreaked havoc in the fragments of the Universe Light! The spirit of the latter was completely different from Ji Jingqiu's, but his aura was on par with Ji Jingqiu's original body!

At this moment, he bowed and smiled, "Tian Qiu Zi, I've met Tian Qing Shixiong."

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end