Chapter 551: I Used to Belong to Nanyang, Now Nanyang Belongs to Me

Chapter 551: I Used to Belong to Nanyang, Now Nanyang Belongs to Me

Refining essence into qi, it begins with the initial realm and ends with the fusion of the elements.

This technique allows cultivators to hide their qi within their acupoints, refining Golden Pills and nurturing nascent infant spirits.

Then, by seizing the infant spirit, one can completely discard their mortal shell and achieve the refinement of qi into a spiritual body.

The path to returning to the void is long and arduous, with the Twelve Peaks and Five Cities serving as the avenue to ascension.

Finally, Shen Yi had reached the end of this heavenly path, not only opening the Five Cities but also catching a glimpse of the Heavenly Gate beyond.

It signified that with one more step forward, he would transcend the mundane and embark on the immortal path.

If one possessed sufficient opportunity, they could even ascend to the immortal court, be recorded in the immortal ledger, and receive offerings from mortals.

"..."

Shen Yi calmed his mind. These were mere thoughts, as there were countless Grand Masters of Unity in Hongze, but none had truly ascended. The only story he had heard was about a white dragon with purple whiskers, which had become a mount for an immortal.

He slowly opened his eyes, having finished reading the Unity technique that Elder Qin had prepared for Xuqing within the precious pearl.

[Unity (Spirit). Manual of the Five Immortal Palms: Not Yet Initiated]



Even after a span of a hundred thousand years, one could still vaguely discern from this pearl Elder Qin's careful arrangements for Xuqing.

As the name suggested, to perfectly execute this technique, the Five Immortals were a crucial standard, corresponding to five divine weapons.

The rise of the Seven Sons of Nanhong was swift, but their downfall was equally rapid. They did not have sufficient time to accumulate a deep foundation, and the spirit technique might have been the best option Elder Qin could find.

Unite the weapon with the land.

This was the process of a cultivator gradually becoming one with a treasure land. Each divine weapon represented a tribulation, and by sealing it into the treasure land, one could control the cycles of life and death.

Excluding tribulation, the cycles of life and death formed a complete reincarnation. In other words, with just four divine weapons, one could gain complete control over the treasure land and attain perfection in the realm of the land.

In other words, only those who had opened the Four Cities were qualified to step into the next realm.

"..."

Shen Yi adjusted his breathing, channeling the lifespan essence of the demons and beasts into the Manual of the Five Immortal Palms.

[Remaining Lifespan Essence of Demons and Beasts: 1,820,000 years]



[First year, Yue Tianji opened the Unity technique and glanced through it casually. Having already cultivated for a long time in various immortal sects, he immediately began to cite classics and explain the technique to you... You sat with your legs crossed, nodding as if you understood, but you didn't really comprehend the allusions he mentioned.]



Shen Yi remained silent as he watched the lifespan essence of the demons and beasts flow away.

He somehow felt that the Central Palace Master was more like a cultivator than he was.

If he remembered correctly, it seemed that since the Spirit Refinement phase, he had abandoned the orthodox path of cultivation and started relying on pills. After the Returning Void phase, he had solely advanced by relying on the suppression of demons and beasts... With such a huge gap, it would be extremely difficult to get back on the right path.

To the extent that when Yue Tianji explained the profound and abstruse texts using interesting anecdotes, he couldn't even understand the stories.

"It's fine. At least there's plenty of lifespan essence from the demons and beasts."

Shen Yi reassured himself and closed his eyes to meditate.

...

In the Ancestral Hall.

Xuqing leaned against the door, his eyes nervously fixed on the sky.

He really wanted to know what Sect Master Shen wanted him to see.

Was it about sealing the weapon within the land and attaining Unity, or attempting to cross the most dangerous fifth tribulation? With Sect Master Shen's talent, he must be able to see the Fifth City.

Thinking of the latter, Xuqing's fingertips began to tremble.

It was something he had once yearned for, and in Hongze, opening the Yan'an Grand City was even more terrifying than breaking through the Unity realm.

While Unity cultivators were rare, there was not a single one among the Seven Sons of Nanhong who had reached the White Jade Capital of the Five Cities.

He really wanted to... see that city again.

A moment later, Xuqing suddenly let out a bitter laugh. Perhaps Sect Master Shen had given Nanyang Sect too many shocks, as he actually found himself waiting here. Nothing in this world happened so quickly.

Crossing the tribulation was extremely dangerous, and one could never be too prepared.

Just as Xuqing was about to look away, a dazzling golden light exploded in his pupils, quickly spreading into a golden haze that enveloped the entire inner door.

Boom—

Amidst the golden haze, a streak of reddish-golden light, like a dragon's roar, pierced through the heavens!

It transformed into a massive pillar of light that connected the clouds and the earth.

Such a stunning scene seemed like an illusion, causing no harm to any living beings.

All the cultivators within the inner door were stunned, their actions frozen.

"..."

Xuqing opened his mouth. As the former personal disciple of the sect master, he had traveled far and wide and naturally recognized this scene.

Unite the weapon with the land, grasp the life tribulation! Attain the Unity realm! Even if the first tribulation was only the initial control of the treasure land, one still needed to have a profound understanding of this land and spend a long time harmonizing with it.

Moreover—

What was this golden haze that filled the sky?

Shouldn't it be filled with purple clouds instead?

Xuqing took a few deep breaths, his eyes filled with shock, and then he suddenly realized something. The shock in his eyes gradually faded, replaced by a hint of sadness. "Is it this treasure land or the Seven Sons of Nanhong that made you stop before that city?"

In the end, Sect Master Shen had chosen Unity.

He didn't believe that someone who dared to speak such heretical words would be afraid to push open the immortal gate of Yan'an Grand City.

The reason he didn't take the gamble was probably because he now had something to hold him back.

This was truly a cause for sorrow.

Xuqing closed his eyes, took a light breath, and felt the spiritual essence of the heavens and the earth flowing within him, but it had changed in flavor.

This was not just his feeling, but the experience of all living beings within the inner door. However, the higher one's cultivation, the clearer one could discern the difference.

Having swallowed this strand of spiritual essence, they would no longer absorb the essence of the heavens and the earth... To be precise, they would absorb the essence of another incarnation of the heavens and the earth, and from then on, their lives would be tied to that person.

For those with high aspirations, this was something they could not accept, and they would subconsciously resist it in their hearts.

But within the entire Inner Sect, including Xuan Qing, there was no hint of strangeness, as their very lives hung on the shoulders of that young man, no different from before.

Breathing in that familiar spiritual essence, on the contrary, made them inexplicably more at ease.

"Congratulations, Sect Master, for becoming one with the heavens and the earth."

Xuan Qing put aside his heartache and sorrow, and reverence reappeared on his face as he softly congratulated.

The Sect Master had grown to the extent that he no longer needed Xuan Qing to speak for him, as everyone in the Nanyang Inner Sect could sense his presence.

Instead, Xuan Qing decided to ride on this strand of spiritual essence and accompany the Sect Master on a journey through this Nanyang world that belonged to him.

With this thought in mind, Xuan Qing's lips curved slightly upwards, and he closed his eyes.

In an instant, a beautiful painting unfolded in his mind, from the Inner Sect to the Outer Sect, to Wutong Mountain, and even to the Great Qian Empire, which encompassed the Nine Provinces, as well as the boundless mountains and rivers.

Just at that moment, his smile suddenly froze.

Because above the Imperial City of the Great Qian, a second golden haze spread rapidly, illuminating the entire Great Qian as if it were a fairyland, and a thick black light, carrying an unstoppable force, once again pierced through the heavens and the earth!

In the Martial Temple, many familiar figures emerged, looking up in astonishment at the changing heavens, completely unaware of what had happened to bring about such an auspicious omen...or so they hoped. As they watched the black light descend amidst the golden haze, they couldn't help but feel a little uncertain.

Until someone sensed the familiar aura permeating the golden haze.

Several temple celebrants, clad in green robes, trembled as they spoke, "He's back...where is he?"

Zhu Que inhaled sharply, his eyes darting around, unable to see that familiar ink-clad figure, yet feeling his presence everywhere.

...

Grasping the second tribulation...Mid-Earth Realm?!

The scene unfolding in his mind completely shattered Xuan Qing's cognition.

How could there be someone in this world who could control a treasure land so quickly?

He stood there dumbfounded, and after a moment, tears fell from his wooden eyes, so hot that Xuan Qing couldn't help but reach up to wipe them away.

If one had to find a reason for this.

It could only prove that this treasure land originally belonged to the other party; it was not an attempt to gain control but merely taking back what was rightfully his.

"So it really is you who have returned."

Xuan Qing's voice suddenly choked up, no longer arrogant as before, nor despondent after facing setbacks, only leaving a childlike helplessness.

He desperately closed his eyes, searching for the lingering trace of that spiritual essence, finally returning to the perspective from before.

Amidst the endless mountains and rivers, a red light fell within the golden haze, and the boundless ocean was also tinged with gold, with streaks of white and black running through the water! Late Earth Realm! Perfection in the Earth Realm!

Such a swift and unbroken advancement faced almost no obstacles.

Yet, Xuan Qing no longer felt any surprise.

Now that he had reclaimed the treasure land, it was only natural that he would regain his former cultivation.

Becoming one with the heavens, once again stepping into the Heavenly Realm! Xuan Qing focused all his attention on the sky, but he could not see that familiar figure, nor did he see him merging with the heavens. Instead, he saw the fifth golden haze appear right at the heart of the treasure land.

With this, the entire Nanyang treasure land was bathed in golden light.

In this magnificent scene, a patch of dark and sinister clouds fell, sweeping across the earth.

"Huh?!"

Xuan Qing never imagined that he would see the long-awaited Fifth City under such circumstances, so much so that he wasn't even prepared with an expression to face it.

So...the Sect Master didn't give up on ascending because he had attachments; it was just that he ascended too quickly, so quickly that no one even saw it, causing Xuan Qing to misinterpret the situation.

With all five tribulations complete, this person was probably the one who had perfected the control of the treasure land the most out of all the Earth Realm cultivators in Hongze.

At this moment, everyone saw the illusory figure sitting cross-legged amidst the golden haze.

Shen Yi's face remained fair and handsome, almost unchanged from when he was in Boyun County.

He towered above the heavens, opening his eyes to gaze upon the void.

All the beings in the treasure land looked up, staring blankly at this incarnation of the Nanyang Heavens and Earth, wanting to know what he would say.

That anticipation felt like it could burst out of their chests.

The words of the heavens and the earth, an order that could not be disobeyed.

However, perhaps due to their low cultivation, they could only see this incarnation open its mouth, after which the golden haze rolled back, and everything returned to calm.

Only Xuan Qing's expression changed once more, as he was probably the only one in the entire Nanyang treasure land who had heard those words clearly.

The Sect Master said...he said...

...

"Stubborn, aren't you? Why aren't you being stubborn now? Keep resisting!" Shen Yi's breath was rapid, and his face carried a hint of anger.

Learning that broken technique had already made him lose face in front of the Town Stone, and now this Nanyang treasure land was still resisting fiercely, acting as if they weren't very familiar with each other.

It had been several years since he crossed over, and they still weren't familiar? Usually, it would take a cultivator at the Unity Realm a few hundred thousand years at most to subdue a single divine weapon, and four weapons together would take around a million years at most. Yet Shen Yi had taken almost a million years to forcefully suppress all five divine weapons.

"Hoo."

Shen Yi exhaled, his eyes scanning the panel.

[Unity (Spirit). Manual of the Five Immortal Palms: Perfected]



[Remaining Lifespan Essence of Demons and Beasts: 870,000 years]



Wait...Shen Yi didn't even have time to experience his new realm before he suddenly raised his head.

The technique had been perfected, yet the lifespan essence of the demons and beasts was still being consumed? He quickly sank into his mind, checking to see what the problem was, and his gaze finally landed on Yu Lan within his sea of consciousness...or to be precise, the Myriad Demon South Palace where she resided.

He saw that beneath this South Palace, a palace made of green stone had appeared at some point, seemingly located deep within the waters, and within it was a huge black abyss.

At this moment, with the infusion of the lifespan essence of the demons and beasts, the South Palace, like an illusion, slowly descended towards the green stone palace.

Within the pitch-black abyss, something seemed to be lurking.

"What's going on here?" Shen Yi instinctively wanted to stop Yao Shou from infusing the Five Immortal Palm Technique, but he suddenly sensed a familiar aura within the abyss.

It was similar to Ke Shi San, yet its dragon-like demonic aura was countless times stronger.

This gave Shen Yi pause.

Could it be that the function of the Myriad Demon Hall was not limited to just the White Jade Capital? Soon, Shen Yi winced as he watched the remaining lifespan essence of the demons and beasts deplete, and the Myriad Demon South Palace was only a small distance away from completely enveloping the green stone palace beneath it.

At this moment, in addition to his Nanyang treasure land, he suddenly sensed another expanse that seemed infinitely vast.

After a quick scan, Shen Yi's eyes twitched slightly.

South Hong! All of South Hong!

"Huh."

Barely managing to suppress the shock in his heart, Shen Yi suddenly wanted to try something. Since he could sense it, could he manipulate the aura of South Hong a little, just like how he manipulated the Nanyang treasure land?

Thought as action.

Shen Yi slowly clenched his fist, and immediately felt an unimaginable vast power, even though he could only harness a negligible fraction of it, it was still terrifying.

"Why can I only harness this little bit?"

Shen Yi frowned slightly, feeling somewhat unsatisfied.

His gaze swept across the Myriad Demon South Palace, and he noticed that there was now an empty seal box next to Yu Lan's hand, obviously missing a large seal.

Whatever was missing from the Myriad Demon Hall must be related to the panel.

However, Shen Yi did not see anything new that could be condensed, probably because there wasn't enough lifespan essence from the demons and beasts.

"Never mind, this is already pretty good."

He shook his head and tried to manipulate the aura of South Hong again, wanting to know its limits.

At this moment, Yu Lan's shocked cry rang out in Shen Yi's mind, "Master, no!"

Roar—

In an instant, a humongous figure burst out from the abyss within the green stone palace. Its sharp dragon horns, rough claws, and body covered in vegetation all exuded an ancient and decrepit aura.

Just as the Myriad Demon South Palace was about to completely envelop the green stone palace, it suddenly blurred a little.

It seemed to be afraid of being discovered.

However, for some reason, even the aura emanating from this dragon made Shen Yi, who had already achieved Unity, feel a sense of trepidation. But he felt that Yu Lan's fear was not directed at this dragon.

The next moment, Shen Yi instinctively looked up.

His pupils constricted.

In the sky above, a giant rhino that spanned the heavens and the earth had appeared at some point, and in front of this rhino, the massive dragon seemed insignificant.

The body of the giant rhino was translucent and crystalline, more like a beautiful jade carving, neither a living creature nor something that belonged in the mortal realm. Its whole body exuded a delicate, ethereal fragrance that stirred Shen Yi's heart.

It opened one of its eyes, lazily sweeping its gaze towards the south.

Under that enormous gaze.

Shen Yi suddenly felt a sense of helplessness that he couldn't resist.

It's over—

Immediately after, the five Myriad Demon Halls simultaneously raised black winds that enveloped Shen Yi's body.

Whether it was Ke Shi San, who was searching for demons in South Hong, or the Hall Masters hidden in his sea of consciousness, after unleashing this black wind, their stone bodies all cracked.

Fortunately, the Jade Rhino only glanced once and soon closed its eyes again, falling back into slumber.

"..."

When the black wind dissipated, Shen Yi was drenched in sweat.

He lowered his eyes and stared silently ahead for a long time.

First, he checked on the Hall Masters... They were fine, although they were heavily injured, the wounds were not irreparable, and they would recover with some nurturing.

What really made Shen Yi's heart race was the realization of what he had just been attempting.

That giant rhino was not a demon, it seemed to be a treasure used to guard this place.

As for the owner of this treasure, the answer was obvious.

The key point was what this treasure was guarding. With its four hooves spanning the four directions of South, East, West, and North Hong, it was obviously guarding all of Hongze, and what he had just been doing was... stealing the power of that immortal.

"You took my lifespan essence from the demons and beasts, and now you want to take from someone else?"

Shen Yi summoned the panel and almost laughed at the irony.

If it weren't for Yu Lan's quick reaction, if he had continued any further, he would have truly lost his life today, right after achieving Unity and the treasure land.

What a huge loss! Over 800,000 years of lifespan essence from the demons and beasts, and he had nothing to show for it.

Immortals don't die, who would dare to touch South Hong's aura?

It was enough to make people envious.

However... Shen Yi slightly raised his eyes, at least with this opportunity, he now knew how high the heavens were and wasn't completely in the dark about the immortal's strength. Moreover, if he could really make up for the missing seal in the South Palace, there might be some kind of turning point.

As for now.

It was better to forget about this matter, just like losing some money.

He had originally thought about cultivating immortal techniques, but now he could forget about it.

Shen Yi sighed, stood up, and walked slowly towards the door of the Pavilion of Hidden Laws.

He pushed open the flimsy wooden door.

For the first time, he saw the world that belonged to him.

The dense spiritual energy permeating the heavens and the earth seemed to have become one with him.

With just a slight movement of his divine sense.

He could immediately sense the existence of those he cared about.

Shen Yi's pupils swept across familiar figures and faces, watching them walk along the paths of the mountains and rivers, through the mortal realm, and in the bustling streets and temples.

Feeling slightly relieved, he also felt a complex sense of pressure, as two completely different emotions converged upon him.

From this day forth, he was the heavens of Nanyang.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end