Chapter 381: Zhaoming Realm

When Wang Ping came to his senses, the surrounding firelight had faded. In its place was the sensation of solid ground beneath his feet and a stretch of resplendent gold.

He was standing inside a grand palace hall.

Standing in the very center, he glanced toward the window. Through it, he could see a continuous stretch of pavilions and towers bathed in soft golden light.

An immortal realm!

Wang Ping wasn't surprised. The only being capable of fishing someone out of the Brahma Nation's pure land was a True Monarch. Even a True Person would fall short of such a feat.

"This is the Zhaoming Realm."

Lian Ruzhao's voice drifted over from beside him. "The lord of this realm cultivates the Fire-Earth Jin. It sounds flashy, but that's just what the people here told me earlier."

As a pure martial artist, Lian Ruzhao knew absolutely nothing about ultimate cosmic stations or immortal realms. After that brief remark, she had nothing else to offer by way of explanation. Wang Ping wasn't in a hurry, however. The main event was yet to come, and someone would eventually arrive to explain things.

But before that, he needed to make some preparations.

After all, his current state as a Corpse Dissolution Immortal was highly inappropriate for meeting the direct lineage of a True Monarch. If word got out, it would completely disgrace water qi and his Deity Transformation identity.

"Master, please wait a moment."

A second later, Wang Ping retrieved a physical body he had prepared before transitioning into a Corpse Dissolution Immortal. Without hesitation, he stuffed his current immortal self into it.

Scripture of Nourishing Qi and Forgetting Words to Guard the One, Heaven-Mending Method!

Wang Ping calmed his mind and stilled his qi. Keeping silent and steadying his spirit, he quickly melted his Corpse Dissolution Immortal form into the physical shell, reintegrating it deep into his limbs and bones.

Immediately after, he felt his consciousness rising from the abyssal depths of the sea. This brand-new body acted like a fishhook, hauling him out of his previous state of being rooted in the qi of heaven and earth. It also served as a crucial anchor for his consciousness, returning him to normal.

"Phew...!"

A long time passed before Wang Ping finally opened his eyes, exhaling a puff of steaming white breath. The rushing of his blood and the steady thud of his heartbeat resounded within his body once more.

Correspondingly, his cultivation regressed.

His destiny form, his Divine Powers, and his magical power—everything that had been refined into the qi of heaven and earth was fished out by the physical body and safely secured back inside him.

He had regressed to the Tribulation Transcending Third Layer!

Compared to a Corpse Dissolution Immortal, his current "weakness" at the Tribulation Transcending Third Layer brought Wang Ping a long-forgotten sense of discomfort. However, what he felt more than anything was joy and satisfaction.

The True Monarch truly favors me after all. He didn't hinder my path.

This also served as a great reassurance. Moving forward, as long as he had enough physical bodies in reserve, he could break through into a Corpse Dissolution Immortal at any time to boost his combat power.

He turned around to find Lian Ruzhao standing to the side, studying him with keen interest. Meeting his gaze, she gave a light chuckle. "You're a bit weaker than before, but this flesh-and-blood state is much easier on the eyes. Otherwise, even practicing martial arts would be inconvenient."

"Forgive my unseemly display, Master."

Wang Ping cupped his hands in respect. He then summoned the Profound Unity Tribulation-Crossing Ring to float behind his head. Layers of radiant light rippled outward like water, shrouding him once more in a dark, profound silhouette.

With his water qi concealed, this appearance perfectly matched his identity as the Profound Unity Dao Child.

Without wasting another moment, Wang Ping sat cross-legged to regulate his breathing. Although he had returned to a physical body, the injuries inflicted by Shasheng had not magically disappeared.

My Dao foundation has been shaken...

Looking at his somewhat withered destiny form, the Dormant Dragon Kun, a frown touched Wang Ping's face. However, right at this moment, a gentle voice suddenly rang out.

"That injury was caused by the Brahma Nation's Dragon-Subduing Sanskrit Sound. Shasheng is, after all, an experienced subordinate of the Bodhisattva. He saw that your destiny form carried the hidden draconic transformation of the Qian Trigram, so he specifically wove a targeted method into his Dao discourse, maximizing its ability to shake your Dao foundation."

"That was how he shattered your technique with a single word."

Wang Ping looked up to see a man standing in the grand hall. He hadn't noticed when the stranger arrived. The man stood with his hands clasped behind his back, a cluster of auspicious clouds billowing gently above his head.

A Qi Refining practitioner!

A Qi Refining Dao Child on the same level as Tianxing. Wang Ping's expression immediately turned solemn. He stood up and said, "So that's what happened. Thank you for clearing my doubts, Senior."

"I dare not accept the title of Senior."

The newcomer was dressed in splendid golden robes and possessed handsome features. However, it was his eyes that were the most captivating—specks of golden radiance drifted out from the absolute depths of his black pupils.

They looked just like the sunrise at dawn.

This divine trait made the man stand out even more. He raised a hand in greeting. "I am Mingde, the Dao Child of the Zhaoming Realm. I merely started cultivating a few years earlier than you, Junior Brother."

After speaking, he deliberately paused.

Seeing this, Wang Ping understood the unspoken cue. He immediately offered his alias as the Profound Unity Dao Child.

"I am Hua Shen."

Mingde nodded in satisfaction. Smiling, he said, "Junior Brother Hua Shen, you absolutely cannot ignore an injury to your destiny form. It is best to treat it as early as possible."

He then reached into his sleeve and produced a small treasure box. The moment he opened it, a refreshing fragrance washed over Wang Ping. Looking inside, he saw a pill resting within. Gathering a brilliant spiritual light, it was as crimson as fire. Its grade was not the least bit inferior to the Ququan Life-Preserving Pill!

"This pill was forged under the Heavenly Yin Fire and carries a few traces of the Li Trigram's essence."

Mingde explained, "Heavenly Yin Fire is also known as the Night-Illuminating Qi of the Hanging Stars. Just as the stars only shine brilliantly when night falls, this fire only burns brightest when it approaches total obscurity."

"As the saying goes: the sun sets, and the stars return."

"In other words, the greater the loss, the brighter it shines."

"This pill is perfectly suited for you, Junior Brother."

Wang Ping raised an eyebrow. This profound characteristic felt remarkably similar to the perilous intent of the Kan Trigram—the greater the danger, the more profound the mystery.

Mingde, however, seemed to have fully anticipated his surprise and continued speaking.

"In the Li Trigram, it represents that single speck of yin within absolute yang."

"Therefore, it is called the 'Hollow within Li.' As the saying goes, water and fire complement one another. The absolute yin within yang is simultaneously the true water within fire, which is how it acquired the essence of the Kan Trigram."

"The Kan Trigram follows the same principle: it remains hidden first before manifesting brilliantly. This concept of manifestation also originates from fire qi, from the Li Trigram. It is the true fire within water, the absolute yang within yin, which is why it is called the 'Fullness within Kan.' Since ancient times, our two factions have always been allies, advancing hand in hand."

"...Thank you, Senior Brother."

Wang Ping silently memorized Mingde's Dao discourse. He then accepted the pill and swallowed it in a single gulp. Instantly, a gentle fire ignited within his body.

It was exactly as Mingde had described. This pill of Heavenly Yin Fire carried the profound principle of "the sun setting and stars returning." His destiny form was currently damaged, perfectly matching the imagery of the sun setting over the western hills.

But soon, as the fire soared and the pill's profound power circulated, it was as if the stars had returned to shine brilliantly in the night sky. The qi lost to his "setting sun" state was rapidly replenished and repaired. The previously withered Dormant Dragon Kun instantly regained its vigor, and all the damage to his Dao foundation was entirely smoothed over.

It really is a divine pill!

Wang Ping marveled inwardly. Such a pill could obviously only be concocted by a Qi Refining practitioner. Otherwise, its profound properties wouldn't be able to directly commune with the shifting qi of heaven and earth.

Of course, it also had its drawbacks.

Just like the Ququan Life-Preserving Pill from before, its actual effects could be easily manipulated when facing a Qi Refining practitioner of the corresponding Dao path.

Wang Ping then looked up at Mingde once more.

To his surprise, Mingde's expression had turned completely solemn. The golden light radiating from his body gradually spread out, instantly manifesting a profound illusion.

Within that illusion, the morning sun rose to illuminate the earth with brilliant radiance. It climbed until it reached its absolute zenith, only to suddenly plummet into darkness. It then transformed into a blood-red setting sun. The dying embers of the sunset bathed the land, completely stripped of fire qi's glorious manifestation. Instead, it carried an oppressive gloom, feeling eerie, chilling, and heavily shadowed.

A moment later, the imagery began to converge.

Wang Ping didn't need Mingde to explain. He merely narrowed his eyes, instantly gleaning the origin and true name of this profound illusion from the cosmic tapestry of destiny:

Subjugating the Fief.

Seeing this, Wang Ping immediately understood the underlying meaning:

This is Mingde's grand achievement as the Dao Child of the Zhaoming Realm and a direct subordinate of the fire qi Supreme True Lord. In essence, this represents the stance of that fire qi True Monarch.

What did "Subjugating the Fief" mean?

The Dao has not yet reached its full brilliance, thus one must subjugate the fief. As the name implies, because the Dao's lineage has not yet been glorified, one must wage war on their own vassals to eradicate hidden internal threats.

Only then can absolute peril be transformed into auspicious fortune.

Wang Ping's comprehension was never poor to begin with. Moreover, since an achievement was a manifested trajectory of destiny, once it appeared, the world naturally imparted its meaning. Thus, he grasped it effortlessly.

Showing this specific achievement is a declaration of their stance. Although the Living Buddha established his own sect, he once cultivated within the fire qi lineage. Strictly speaking, he is a vassal of fire qi. In the end, he fractured the Li Trigram, preventing the Dao's lineage from reaching its full glory. He is a hidden threat to fire qi—one that must be subjugated and entirely eradicated.

This was the official stance of the fire qi faction.

If the True Monarch hadn't arranged for me to uncover the relationship between the Living Buddha and fire qi on my way here, I would be completely in the dark right now.

Of course, if that had been the case, he probably wouldn't have made it to the Zhaoming Realm in the first place. He would have been forced to commit suicide to escape, leaving the True Monarch to select another Dao Child for the task.

But now, he could properly answer on the True Monarch's behalf.

At that thought, Wang Ping immediately circulated his own profound power. Anomalies surfaced around his body—it was the imagery of water failing to fill a gorge, plummeting into the abyssal pits of Kan. Ultimately, this too manifested into a grand achievement.

Ominous Loss of the Dao.

Kan represented layered hardships and endless peril. Walking through such treacherous lands without the inner virtue of unyielding resolve was known as losing the Dao, which invited supreme disaster—this was the grand achievement the True Monarch had blessed him with.

Naturally, such an achievement couldn't be bestowed upon just anyone.

He was only able to receive the Ominous Loss of the Dao because he had stayed true to his heart when navigating the trial the True Monarch had created for him, choosing to become a Corpse Dissolution Immortal.

Precisely because he had guarded his Dao heart amidst perilous hardship—proving his inner virtue and unyielding resolve—he had survived the disaster of losing the Dao and turned danger into safety. Only by having this exact experience could he bear the weight of the Ominous Loss of the Dao. Had it been forcefully thrust upon him, his Divine Powers and magical power would have been completely crushed by the sheer weight of the achievement.

By the same logic, this grand achievement represented aquatic slaughter.

To lose the Dao externally means to inflict supreme disaster upon the enemy. This is the stance of the water qi Supreme True Lord. It signals his willingness to strike at the Brahma Nation, proving we have a foundation for cooperation.

Subjugating the Fief and Ominous Loss of the Dao.

The two grand achievements hovered side by side, each radiating its own brilliance. They seemed entirely incompatible, yet perfectly complemented one another. Astonishingly, they formed a perfect harmony of water and fire, a flawless union of yin and yang.

Seeing this, Mingde finally broke into a smile.

"Excellent."

Only at this moment did he seem to finally shed the heavy burden from his shoulders. Relaxing, he said, "Come with me, Junior Brother. We'll need a much more secretive place to discuss what comes next."