Chapter 309: Granting Opportunity – The Swift Path to Mastering Domain

Gray Figure couldn’t believe it. A mere youth newly entered into the Xian Tian Jing realm had managed to see through the illusion of his Puppet Body. After all, the three brothers’ Puppet Bodies were meticulously crafted by the ancient Tian Kui Sect—artifacts so refined that even in the previous cultivation era, only those at the Zhu Ji Qi stage or higher could detect their flaws.

Lu Qing might be talented, but he was still just a novice in the Xian Tian Jing. How could he possibly possess such keen perception?

“This boy is no ordinary youth,” said the Third Holy Lord, shaking his head in quiet dismissal of his Second Brother’s disbelief. “He was able to trigger Jie Yun and pass through Jie Shu the very moment Heaven and Earth shifted and the rules of existence were first refined. Such an anomaly—this era’s rarest of phenomena—must carry secrets beyond our imagination. That he sees through my Puppet Body? Nothing strange about it.”

The Third Holy Lord recalled their battle yesterday—the boy’s calm, unblinking gaze. It had felt as though every secret within him had been laid bare, utterly exposed. Even now, the memory sent a chill crawling up his spine. He had lived for centuries, yet never before had he felt so completely seen, so utterly transparent. That sensation was far more unnerving than any display of combat power.

“The first soul to cross the threshold after the Tian Di Bian Hua,” Gray Figure murmured in awe. “This boy must be hiding a great secret. But regretfully, he’s far too cautious to come up the mountain. If he had, even his immense talent would have been powerless against us. Blame us—we were in seclusion when he last came. Had we acted then, we might have uncovered his truth.”

The Third Holy Lord remained silent. He had never agreed with his brother’s plan. Now, that Lu Qing refused to ascend only brought him relief. To a Holy Lord—standing atop all existence in this world—such petty scheming against a child was beneath his dignity.

“Enough, second brother,” said the Black Figure, seated at the center, who had remained silent until now. His voice was calm, yet the weight of it silenced the room. “That kind of thought—discard it. We’ve been granted the recognition of Sheng Shan Yi Zhi. To live and cultivate here is already the greatest opportunity this world can offer. As long as we advance steadily, there may yet be a chance to break free from this cage. This youth is clearly favored by Heaven and Earth—an anomaly of this age. Why provoke him? If you stir up karma, you’ll regret it.”

Gray Figure stiffened. He nodded, solemn. “Yes… I understand. I only meant to see if the boy truly possessed something extraordinary after seeing my brother’s loss. I never intended harm. Since he refuses to come, we’ll let it be.”

Black Figure sighed inwardly. He knew his brother was hiding the truth. But last night, he had been deep in meditation, unraveling the newly formed Heavenly and Earthly Rules—unable to stop his brother’s Holy Decree in time. He wondered now if the boy had already grown wary.

He would have to make amends later.

With that thought, Black Figure closed his eyes once more, returning to his cultivation. These were trivial matters. The real pursuit—cultivation advancement—was paramount. Though they had been granted immense opportunity through the favor of Sheng Shan Yi Zhi, that very gift was also a chain. If they failed to reach a high enough Jingjie in their lifetimes, they would be trapped within Sheng Shan for all eternity, unable to escape.

…

Lu Qing and his companions rode in their carriage, propelled by Array Power, racing through the sky. Only by dusk did they finally halt. After such a long journey, they had already put thousands of miles between themselves and Sheng Cheng—the colossal city now far behind.

“You two thickheads, feel good now?” Ma Gu chuckled, watching the two Dragon Blood Stallions puffing heavily, their eyes bright with energy. “Must’ve been pent up in the city. As soon as we left, they bolted like mad. Nearly lost control of the carriage. Had to whip them both to calm down. Otherwise, who knows how wild they’d’ve gotten.”

He unfastened the restraints and let the two beasts roam free to graze.

Meanwhile, Lu Qing and the others set up camp, lit a fire, and began preparing dinner. After a hearty meal, they gathered around the flames.

Lu Qing pulled out a Jade Bottle. “Ma Ye, Zi An, I’ve something for the two of you.”

“What is it?” Ma Gu and Wei Zian turned to him, eyes curious.

“This bottle,” said Lu Qing, “was taken from those Xuan Kong Shan monks. It contains the Benyuan Qi they stole. I’ve used some of it, but there’s still surplus. Want it?”

Ma Gu and Wei Zian froze, staring at the bottle in disbelief.

After a long silence, Ma Gu swallowed hard. “Lu Qing… you’re saying you’re giving us the Benyuan Qi—something so fiercely fought over by Xian Tian Jing masters in Sheng Cheng? The kind of thing that made dozens of them risk their lives?”

“That’s right,” Lu Qing said. “Ordinarily, an ordinary person can only refine one strand of Benyuan Qi. But here, everyone else already has their own. Since there’s extra, you two should each take one.”

With a subtle mental command, two threads of Benyuan Qi shot from the bottle, drifting toward Ma Gu and Wei Zian before sinking into their bodies.

Then, Lu Qing handed them two Jade Tokens. “This Qi is still too strong for you to refine on your own. You must first bond with these tokens—burn your blood into them. Once done, they’ll conceal your Opportunity Qi, hiding it from detection by Xian Tian Jing Qiang Zhe.”

Ma Gu and Wei Zian numbly accepted the tokens. Only when they felt the warm, gentle pulse of the jade did they snap back to reality.

But their minds remained stunned. How could this be real?

Back in Sheng Cheng, they had seen with their own eyes how violently Xian Tian Jing masters fought over Benyuan Qi. The terrifying aura of over ten such warriors storming into the Xiao Yuan—still etched in their memories. Only Lu Qing and Old Doctor’s strength had saved them. And afterward, they’d heard from Tian Ji Lou Zhu Lou that, that day alone, more than twenty Xian Tian Jing Qiang Zhe had died over the prize. Countless Hou Tian Jing warriors had fallen as well.

To think that such a priceless opportunity—something so coveted it caused bloodshed—was now being handed to them so casually…

It felt like a dream.

Lu Qing said nothing. He let them absorb the shock. Giving them Benyuan Qi had been his decision all along. They’d endured the journey together, supporting each other through hardship. Ma Gu, in particular, had served as the driver—uncomplaining, steadfast. While others had received great opportunities, Ma Gu and Wei Zian had gotten nothing.

As a friend, Lu Qing couldn’t allow such unfairness. The Benyuan Qi meant little to him now. So he’d shared it freely—everyone happy, no one left behind.

After a long silence, Ma Gu finally regained his composure. He looked at the Jade Token in his hand, hesitant. “Lu Qing… how do I bind this?”

“Just press a drop of your blood onto it,” Lu Qing replied.

They each pricked their fingers and pressed a single drop onto the token. Instantly, a bond formed. They felt the connection, the way the jade responded to them.

Amazed, they began fiddling with the tokens, marveling at their power.

Seeing their delight, Lu Qing smiled. Then he turned to Old Doctor, who had been watching quietly, a soft smile on his face.

“Master,” Lu Qing said, “there’s something I’d like to ask you.”

“Go ahead.”

“Right now, my 【Yi】 has nearly reached completion. But I still have no clue about Domain. You’ve mastered it to a profound level. How did you come to understand it?”

Domain was a rare and profound Jingjie within the Xian Tian Jing realm. Few cultivators could grasp it. Most Xian Tian Jing masters, even those at the peak of their power, struggled to perceive it. Those who truly mastered Domain were as rare as Xian Tian Jing Wan Man.

Lu Qing had achieved an extraordinary depth in 【Yi】, his understanding far surpassing most Xian Tian Jing Qiang Zhe. Yet Domain remained elusive—beyond his reach.

“Domain?” Old Doctor paused, eyes narrowing in thought. After a moment, he sighed. “A Qing… I’m afraid I can’t teach you directly. My own awakening was accidental—sparked by a sudden flash of insight, a stroke of fortune. I can’t explain exactly how it happened.”

Lu Qing nodded slowly. So even Master didn’t know how he’d unlocked it.

He thought for a moment, then asked, “Could you… show me how your Domain works? I’d like to see if I can glean any insight.”

“Of course.”

Old Doctor extended his hand. In an instant, a glowing sphere formed above his palm—within it, countless tiny Sword Qi swirled and danced in perfect harmony. The Sword Qi shimmered in red and white, flowing like living threads, mesmerizing in their beauty.

The sight drew everyone’s attention. Even Lu Qing felt a stirring in his soul.

“Master’s control over his Domain… this is the level of mastery?” Lu Qing murmured, awed.

To the outside eye, it seemed effortless—light as a breath, calm as still water. But only one who had truly mastered Domain could achieve such grace. To summon a miniature Domain so effortlessly was proof of supreme command.

Though small, Lu Qing sensed the immense power contained within. If unleashed, it could shatter even a Xian Tian Jing Mastery.

Earlier, when facing the Third Holy Lord, Lu Qing had been impressed by the man’s Shen Rong Tian Di—its mastery of Heavenly and Earthly Qi. But now, witnessing Master’s own Domain, he realized: this was no less astonishing. It stood equal in brilliance.

“Master is truly a genius. His cultivation insight surpasses mine by an ocean’s breadth,” Lu Qing thought in reverence.

Without hesitation, he activated his Abilities, focusing intently on the glowing sphere.

Old Doctor, seeing his disciple’s earnest gaze, offered no resistance. He poured every understanding of Domain into the miniature Sword Qi Domain, letting it unfold before Lu Qing’s eyes.

Lu Qing watched, breath held. Then, in his mind, a series of words appeared.

【Sword Qi Domain: A miniature domain formed by Chen Song Qing, using his mind to shape and refine Heavenly Qi.】

【Though small, it holds immense power—unbearable to ordinary foes.】

【Contains both Water and Fire energies, harmoniously fused—amplifying its might.】

【Heritage discovered. Download Simulation?】

Lu Qing’s heart leapt. It worked!

Just as Master’s Abilities had allowed him to download simulations during Nourish Body Fist cultivation—this time, too, it succeeded.

He focused, silently replying: Yes.

【Downloading… 1%, 2%, 3%… 98%, 99%, 100%.】

【Download complete. Begin Simulation?】

He answered again: Yes.

【Simulation in progress… 1%, 2%, 3%… 98%, 99%, 100%.】

【Simulation complete. Begin study?】

“Master,” Lu Qing said, “you can stop now.”

“You’ve grasped something?” Old Doctor asked.

“A little insight. I need to reflect on it. Please, withdraw your Domain.”

Old Doctor nodded, dissolving the glowing sphere.

Maintaining such a domain was taxing—especially for a full-scale manifestation. Even he, at his current level, could only sustain a miniature version for long. Domain cultivation consumed vast amounts of mental energy.

With the Domain gone, Lu Qing immediately sat cross-legged, closed his eyes, and mentally selected: Study.

Instantly, a flood of understanding surged through his mind—knowledge of Domain, its structure, its flow, its essence. His soul trembled under the weight of revelation.

“…So this is Domain?”

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end