Chapter 369: True Spirit Reincarnation, Severing Heaven and Earth

Chapter 369: True Spirit Reincarnation, Severing Heaven and Earth

For a moment.

Luo Yan even forgot her Master, and in one step, she was outside the Pavilion, confirming that what remained inside was just a Dao Trace.

Celestial Kings, who had touched the essence of the Great Dao, could occasionally leave Dao Traces in the world under special conditions, which could last for thousands or even tens of thousands of years. These traces were etched with the unique Dao patterns of their creators.

"This is... a Sword Mark?"

Luo Yan saw several seemingly random slashes on the pillars of the Pavilion.

But there was no need to guess who had left them here.

Luo Yan's thoughts focused, and just as she was about to examine them closely, her entire body tensed, and she took several steps back, her Qi Aura reaching its peak, as if facing a formidable enemy!

Beside her, Yun Jinghe looked puzzled. What was going on?

In Luo Yan's eyes, an overwhelming aura surged from the random slashes on the pillar, as if someone had slashed down from above!

This single slash contained boundless true intent, myriad phenomena, as if the universe, the ancient past, and the starry sky were all encompassed within!

The vast and all-encompassing imagery was so profound that the moment the blade's intent struck, Luo Yan felt her mind being drawn in, unable to break free.

Her figure wavered, and she let out a muffled groan before finally shaking off the impact of the blade's intent and momentum.

"This is the Sword Mark he left behind?!"

Luo Yan was shocked. Just a single Sword Mark left behind had almost injured her mind. After twenty years, this person had indeed reached an inconceivable realm!

At this moment.

A middle-aged man wearing a Daoist cap walked out from the depths of the courtyard, carrying a baby in his arms. The baby had a delicate and beautiful face like a porcelain doll, with large, lively eyes, looking very adorable.

"Senior White Deer", Yun Jinghe greeted.

The man walking over was none other than the White Deer Daoist from the Dragon Tiger Daochang. He nodded slightly, looked at Luo Yan, then at the Sword Mark, and without saying anything, he got straight to the point:

"Are you Senior Luo Yan from Xinzhai Palace?"

According to their seniority, Luo Yan, as a High Cultivation Disciple, was almost on par with the founding Masters of the various families in the Federation.

Luo Yan stared at the baby in White Deer Daoist's arms, lost in thought, and almost forgot to respond. The baby also tilted its head to look at her.

This was not unexpected for White Deer; such scenes had happened before.

The True Spirits of the forebears had been nurtured within their Inner Worlds until they were completely reborn.

Suddenly.

The baby in White Deer's arms seemed startled and began to cry.

Luo Yan snapped out of her daze, let out a surprised "Ah", and hurriedly took the baby from White Deer's arms, stammering:

"Th-This is Master's reincarnation?!"

As a Heavenly Venerable, Master's True Spirit was immortal, and reincarnating anew, how could he have become a mere baby?!

White Deer Daoist smiled and said, "This is indeed the reincarnation of Senior High Cultivator. There is no mistake about that."

Luo Yan didn't know where to place her hands, took a deep breath, and asked, "Does Master still retain his past memories?"

"Of course."

White Deer Daoist nodded and explained,

"This time, the forebears reincarnated and refined their bodies using the True Spirit Pool, and with the favor of the Great Universe's will, they all have Innate Bodies. They are currently in the Innate Fetal Breath stage and have yet to solve the Fetal Mystery."

"Once this period passes and their condition stabilizes, they will recover their memories, and their growth rate will experience a significant leap."

Hearing this, Luo Yan let out a sigh of relief and felt an extraordinary joy.

Innate Body, and with past memories...

Luo Yan knew that although Master was originally a Heavenly Venerable, his early Dao foundation had limited his progress. This time, reincarnating and re-cultivating might allow him to surpass his former self!

Looking at the infant version of Master, who yawned and seemed a bit sleepy, still in the Fetal Mystery stage...

Luo Yan blinked, using her mental power to soothe him, never having imagined she would see this side of Master.

At White Deer Daoist's invitation, the two entered and took their seats.

"Are we not the earliest to arrive?" Yun Jinghe asked.

White Deer Daoist nodded and said, "Chongxiao Hall and the Heavenly Sword Daochang have already sent people to take away two of the forebears."

Yun Jinghe's expression was peculiar, "Chongxiao Hall took away Senior Qingyi? What about Senior Fanzhou?"

Chongxiao Hall was one of the few True Saint Daochangs still standing behind the Federation, and one of the few that still had a True Saint in residence, making it a genuine True Saint Daochang.

The issue was that among the forebears who sacrificed themselves twenty years ago, Qingyi and Feng Zhouzi were a couple, and the latter had once joined the Heaven and Earth Xuanmen.

"Of course, he was taken by Heaven and Earth Xuanmen."

White Deer Daoist could naturally guess what Yun Jinghe was thinking and smiled faintly.

Yun Jinghe sighed. It seemed these two would still face many obstacles to be together.

Luo Yan resisted the urge to pinch the sleeping Master's cheek and asked,

"Does Young Master Ji have the rank of Celestial King yet?"

From her perspective, Ji Jingqiu was a descendant of Héngōng Hóng and Mù Shìtiān, making him a contemporary of hers.

But in the generation ten thousand years ago, the seven marshals held a status above the hundred lineage Masters, and many people were under their command, so she called him "Young Master."

It was a complicated relationship, and everyone treated each other based on personal connections.

White Deer Daoist shook his head, "Young Master Ji has not yet reached the rank of Master."

Luo Yan unconsciously let out a sigh of relief.

This person had not yet achieved the astonishing feat of becoming a Celestial King in just twenty years.

But soon, she recalled what she had seen in the Pavilion and said seriously,

"He must be close, though. I saw the Dao Trace and Sword Mark left by Young Master Ji in the Pavilion earlier."

Not yet reaching the rank of Heavenly King, yet able to leave behind a Dao Trace, this can only mean that Ji Jingqiu’s cultivation of the Illusory Great Dao has already surpassed the ordinary threshold of a Heavenly King.

However, for some unknown reason, he has not yet crossed this threshold.

But this situation is not uncommon, as this step has a profound impact on a martial artist, directly relating to their future Heavenly Venerable status.

The key to breaking through to the rank of Heavenly Venerable lies in two aspects: one is Sitting in Oblivion, and the other is evolving one's Illusory Great Dao into a True Great Dao, gaining the recognition of heaven and earth.

White Deer Daoist nodded, then shook his head, leaving Luo Yan puzzled.

"By all logic, he should be close, but the specifics are something only Junior Brother Ji himself knows", White Deer sighed. "We can no longer see through his realm."

"May I have the honor of meeting Little Master Ji?" Luo Yan asked in a deep voice. "This time, my senior brother repeatedly instructed me to deliver a message to Little Master Ji."

After finishing, to prevent the other from taking it lightly, she added:

"This matter concerns Daluotian!"

Upon hearing this, not only did White Deer, but Yun Jinghe also narrowed his eyes.

In the past twenty years, if one were to rank all major and minor events, the appearance of Daluotian would certainly be among the top three.

This is a realm jointly opened by the Five Pillars, currently accessible only to Heavenly Kings and above.

White Deer shook his head and said:

"On the day when the senior cultivators’ true spirits were fully nurtured, he left. This matter had been troubling him for years; otherwise, he would have left several years ago."

Hearing that Ji Jingqiu had already departed, Luo Yan furrowed her brows, then suddenly reacted:

"But isn't this realm his Inner World? Since he has already left, what is the status of this realm?"

An Inner World is one of the fundamental aspects of a martial artist’s Dao, and also a source of power. Unless they die and their Dao dissipates, it is unheard of for someone to separate their Inner World and leave it in the external world.

This not only weakens oneself but also leaves a target for others to strike.

"This is one of the mysteries of Junior Brother Ji's Inner World", White Deer explained. "The Dharmadhatu he has cultivated is called the One True Dharmadhatu. Strictly speaking, most of Donghuang Heaven can now be considered his Inner World."

He did not elaborate on the specifics of its mysteries, only giving a brief explanation, which the two understood.

Luo Yan was inwardly astonished. This person had indeed achieved the realm of the Heavenly King's Dharmadhatu. Combined with the cultivation of the Illusory Great Dao, the two together would likely allow him to immediately break through to the rank of Heavenly King.

"Is this Donghuang Heaven Little Master Ji's Path Convergence Place?"

Luo Yan suddenly asked.

A Heavenly King merging their Dharmadhatu with a realm is the fastest recognized method for cultivating the Heavenly King Realm.

Only by nurturing a realm can a Heavenly King ensure that their Inner World continues to expand and flourish.

During this stage, the more life forms that evolve within the Inner World, the more complete the heavenly rules become, making it closer to a true realm, thus promoting the growth of the martial artist’s Dao Power and bringing the Illusory Great Dao closer to reality.

The transition from the illusory to the real, in a certain sense, is the essence of the Heavenly King realm.

White Deer shook his head and said, "The path Junior Brother Ji has taken has already surpassed our understanding. We are not clear about the specific details."

Luo Yan sighed regretfully, not pressing further, but feeling a bit disappointed that she ultimately did not meet him.

She composed herself and relayed her senior brother's message, hoping that White Deer would pass it on to him as soon as possible:

"Among the Five Pillars, two have truly returned. According to the old agreement, the five divine systems are about to pass a bill concerning the future direction of the Great Universe and the positioning of Daluotian."

Luo Yan paused and said solemnly:

"It is rumored that someone from the five divine systems has proposed the Severing Heaven and Earth plan, to completely sever the entanglements of the Misty Sea!"

"The so-called 'heaven' refers to Daluotian."

"Once this bill is passed, Daluotian will completely replace the position of the Great Universe, and the eleven Ascension Platforms will become the only passages between Daluotian and other realms!"

"In this bill, the most crucial aspect is the ownership of the eleven Ascension Platforms. As the master of Donghuang Heaven, Little Master Ji will be approached by representatives of the five divine systems. Please have him prepare and absolutely not agree!"

"Why should he not agree?" White Deer asked with a furrowed brow.

Luo Yan said, emphasizing each word: "Daluotian is far from capable of supporting all the races of the Great Universe."

Yun Jinghe’s expression changed suddenly, realizing the crux of the matter.

White Deer pondered and said, "Where did your senior brother get this information? Is it accurate?"

The Yanhuang Federation currently relies on dozens of True Saint Daochang and Ten Directions Sects, yet no such news has been received.

And the Xinzhai Palace now has only two Heavenly Kings in residence.

Luo Yan was well aware of the importance of this, and she said solemnly:

"My senior brother once did a favor for someone in the five divine systems, before the 'heavenly change,' when there was no trace of the Five Pillars returning. It was a favor given in a time of need."

"This message comes from that person. According to my senior brother's meaning, this message is likely being conveyed to Little Master Ji by some people within the five divine systems through him."

Yun Jinghe frowned. Over the years, the news that has come through suggests that the five divine systems are not a unified whole, with significant internal conflicts.

This is to pull Brother Ji into the situation, perhaps even using him as the vanguard?

White Deer thought for a moment and said, "Junior Brother Ji has achieved the Cause and Effect Great Dao. According to his words, even if a Heavenly Venerable wants to see him, he can simply choose not to."

Luo Yan's pupils dilated.

Does this mean that even if a Heavenly Venerable wants to see him, it would be difficult to find him?

What kind of Great Dao has this person cultivated?!

...

...

Ji Anquan slowly put down his brush. On the paper was the message Ji Jingqiu left for him before he left—

If one forgets all emotions and extinguishes love and hate, are they not as lifeless as wood and stone? Freedom is not the withering of a dead tree.

A handsome young man stood nearby, ready with ink and brush, his gaze curious but not daring to disturb this senior master.

He came from the Xuanji Heaven, named Mo Naihe, with such high talent that he was immediately designated as the current Dao Child, seen as a future founder of a new path.

It was precisely for this reason that he was sent here by the ancestral master to cultivate under Ji Anquan.

Over the years, Mo Naihe had personally witnessed how Ji Anquan navigated the complex web of alliances and rivalries among the various Great Dao fields and sects, achieving a delicate balance that made the Yanhuang Federation one of the eleven Transcendent Centers in the Great Universe.

Even the ancestral master's attainment of the True Emperor realm was suspected to be related to him.

To this day, Mo Naihe still did not know what agreement Ji Anquan had made with the ancestral master.

All he knew was that after the ancestral master reached the True Emperor realm, he overruled all objections, took Ji Anquan as a disciple, and placed him in a senior position, second only to the ancestral master himself.

Even Mo Naihe, at his current level, had to address him as senior master.

"Seated Oblivion..."

Ji Anquan sighed softly.

Ten years ago, when he reached the Heavenly Man Perfection stage, he met Brother Ji, and he imagined that Brother Ji had already guessed that his cultivation had encountered a problem.

Or rather, he had to face the same choice that his ancestor had faced, a fork in the road.

Ji Anquan walked to the window and looked down at the so-called "prosperous era."

Beneath him lay a black city, entirely built from levitating stones, its surface gleaming in the sunlight like a grand heavenly city pressing down on the mortal world.

In front, a massive World Tree towered into the void, its height reaching ten thousand feet, its canopy like an umbrella, supporting the sky and connecting various celestial paths, radiating boundless essence.

This was the tree seed that Ji Jingqiu had obtained from the Cangqing Lineage in his early years, now grown to a height of ten thousand feet.

Countless beings of various races used this World Tree to travel the celestial paths, coming and going.

Not far away, the heavenly palaces and great cities were all built around this World Tree, extending for thousands of miles.

In the distance, pavilions, floating mountains, steel forests, and floating cities...

The title of Transcendent Center in the Great Universe made this place a hub for the civilizations of various races.

The grand plans of the federation, once deemed unrealistic, had all become reality today.

But only people like Ji Anquan knew that this was all like a mirage, the federation's foundation was still too shallow, and its current status was largely due to external support.

It appeared prosperous now, but behind it stood dozens of Dao fields and sects, and only a few were truly united.

"Anquan."

A calm voice suddenly sounded in his mind.

"Have you made your decision? To ignite your divinity and become a deity, or to continue standing still until you break through Seated Oblivion and advance to the Seventh Realm?"

The one asking was the Xuanji True Emperor.

Ji Anquan was silent for a moment, then finally made up his mind and said:

"The latter."

"Good! With such resolve, you might truly have a chance to match your ancestor one day!" the Xuanji True Emperor praised, "But Sitting in Oblivion is Hard to Grasp, you must be mentally prepared. This stage has blocked countless Celestial Kings, and many have failed to break through it for thousands of years."

Ji Anquan whispered, "If I follow the same path as my ancestor, there will be no hope of victory."

Mù Shìtiān gave Ji Jingqiu a thousand years.

And Ji Tianxing also left a nearly impossible task for his closest descendant—

Defeat him once.

"Your ancestor hasn't been very calm lately", the Xuanji True Emperor said calmly, "Not long ago, he and Taiyi jointly intercepted the return of the Divine Lord of the Taoyou Divine System, forcing the latter to delay his return by a hundred years."

Ji Anquan said with a deep gaze, "The five divine systems are not benevolent. The later they return, the better."

The Xuanji True Emperor warned, "The Taoyou Divine System will not give up. They can't find Ji Tianxing, so they will blame you. You must be prepared."

"Let them come. With the Divine Lord of the Taoyou Divine System not returned, what can a single Taoyou Divine System do to our Yanhuang Federation?" Ji Anquan said calmly.

Suddenly, he laughed, "As long as the facade is grand, even if it's hollow inside, the shell is enough to intimidate others."

The Xuanji True Emperor chuckled, understanding his intent, and then left.

"How many Celestial Kings have entered the Donghuang Heaven recently?"

Ji Anquan asked Mo Naihe.

The latter replied, "According to our surveillance, there are six. Our Celestial Kings have already intervened."

"Only six?" Ji Anquan was somewhat surprised, "It seems it's not the Taoyou Divine System acting, but purely targeting Brother Ji?"

Thinking of Ji Jingqiu's departure, Ji Anquan shook his head slightly:

"No wonder the past twenty years have been tumultuous, but to Brother Ji, it's just noise."

"Send a message to Senior Brother Gu. Tell them not to intervene and let them go to the place where Brother Ji has been cultivating and meditating."

Ji Anquan casually instructed.

"Hmm, perhaps we can open Brother Ji's meditation place to the public and charge admission..."

Thinking of the several Sword Marks in that courtyard, Mo Naihe swallowed hard, his heart racing.

Twenty years, and the transformation he achieved was beyond the expectations of many.

According to the elders of his sect, facing those Sword Marks was no different from facing Ji Jingqiu himself!

Newly ascended Celestial Kings of the past twenty years?

Mo Naihe shook his head inwardly.

He followed Ji Anquan, and he knew that during these twenty years, the one who had been thinking was not how to break through to the Celestial King realm, but how to transcend the realm and break the eternal Realm Limit.

Chapter end