Chapter 422: World-Shocking Comprehension

As the voice faded, Wang Ping immediately threw a punch.

The punch was incredibly weak. He used no Immortal Dao profundities, relying only on the incomplete power of the Xiantian realm, yet Lian Ruzhao was thoroughly satisfied.

In response, she countered with a backhand punch.

Boom!

When their fists collided, Wang Ping instantly felt a terrifying force crash into his physical body, only for his Divine Intent to reduce it to nothing.

[Great Victory Golden Body]!

Seeing this, Lian Ruzhao looked pleasantly surprised. She hadn't gone all out, merely using a fraction of her intent and ego.

Yet Wang Ping forcibly withstood her punch. Neither the unrivaled physical force of the strike nor the Divine Intent eradicating all phenomena managed to shake his body. Although his path was still incomplete, she firmly believed that given enough time, it would become entirely distinct from her own.

With this thought, Lian Ruzhao instantly retracted all her strength.

"Ah! I've been defeated~~"

She flew backward as if struck by a prehistoric beast, completing a full three-hundred-and-sixty-degree spin in midair before tumbling away.

Wang Ping: "..."

Such stiff acting, Master! Way too stiff!

On the other side, Yang, who had been secretly observing this battle the entire time, couldn't help his eye twitching. "These two know each other... that Qi Refining practitioner actually knows the Martial Dao?"

Despite saying this, the ancient Dao Lord harbored no anger over them throwing the match. Instead, he stroked his chin with keen interest. An orthodox Qi Refining practitioner actually cultivating an alternative lineage showed a rebellious heart. It reminded him of the cultivators during the great Immortal Dao revolution from long ago.

It was exactly like this back then.

The so-called qi-ingesting practitioners had originally transitioned from being qi nurturing practitioners. To the qi nurturing practitioners of that era, the Qi Consumption lineage was much like the Martial Dao of today.

"Good, very good!"

A Qi Refining practitioner who wasn't firmly planted on the side of the Immortal Gate—this discovery pleasantly surprised Yang, elevating his impression of Wang Ping.

Since he planned to nurture a Qi Refining practitioner, he didn't want a loyalist who advanced and retreated with the Immortal Gate, had no interest in ancient lineages, and was purely here to fleece them. Someone who rejected the Immortal Gate and cultivated alternative lineages was undeniably more suitable—and much easier to win over.

Thinking of this, Yang made his decision.

Meanwhile.

Wang Ping and Lian Ruzhao sat facing each other. Having abandoned any intention of continuing the fight, they began discussing the design of the [Great Abundance Scripture].

"The concept behind your dharma body path is already perfect."

Lian Ruzhao spoke with enthusiasm. "The problem is the high barrier to entry. Although it's much simpler than my Martial Dao, it remains too difficult for Mortals."

"Your [Great Abundance Scripture] was born from Chenlong's Invincible Divine Intent. It requires the practitioner to believe they are invincible from beginning to end, but is anyone in this world truly invincible? Such unwavering belief is fundamentally an illusion. Aside from a very select few who can hypnotize themselves, or those with unreasonable confidence, practically no one can successfully cultivate it."

"Master's meaning is...?"

"You need a stepping stone," Lian Ruzhao said with certainty. "Between the ordinary Great Grandmaster Rank and the Xiantian realm, you need to add a transitional step to bridge the gap."

"This step must be relatively easy for Great Grandmasters and Mortal martial artists to achieve, while also seamlessly connecting to your [Great Abundance Scripture] cultivation."

Upon hearing this, Wang Ping experienced a flash of understanding. It was like laying a solid foundation for a towering pavilion; only with a stable base could the structure rise. Perhaps this was the flaw of the Xiantian realm. Alongside the [Great Abundance Scripture], he needed to create a [Minor Abundance Study] to bridge the gap.

In short.

After attaining the Great Grandmaster Rank, a practitioner would challenge the world, accumulating "minor abundances" through continuous victories, and then transform those into the invincible belief of "great abundance."

"Yes, exactly!"

Listening to Wang Ping's line of thought, Lian Ruzhao clapped her hands and nodded. "This approach is correct. It doesn't require any ethereal comprehension."

"Your dharma body path doesn't need all that."

Wang Ping was quite satisfied as well.

According to this design, even Mortals entirely lacking comprehension—practically monkeys in the eyes of cultivators—could successfully cultivate the dharma body path and reach the Xiantian realm.

He instantly realized the universal value in this. The current dharma body path still had limitations, peaking at a strength comparable to the Tribulation Transcending Third Layer, but what if he could deduce it all the way to the True Person or even True Monarch level? It would inevitably be rabidly pursued by countless independent cultivators!

Furthermore, this could seamlessly link with his Master's Martial Dao. If someone lacked talent and Divine Intent, they could simply cultivate the dharma body path. If they possessed world-shocking talent, they could use it as a springboard into the true Martial Dao.

Between the two, the Martial Dao undoubtedly held much higher potential.

Compared to the dharma body path, which merely stabilized the physical form, the Martial Dao used Divine Intent to construct an entire worldview. It was akin to containing heaven and earth within the body.

It accommodated both the mediocre and the genius. It was simply perfect!

Wang Ping felt a surge of excitement, itching to discuss with the First Seat how to tightly integrate the [Minor Abundance Study] and the [Great Abundance Scripture].

However, in the next second—

Wang Ping blinked, and the scenery instantly warped. He looked back to find that the First Seat had vanished. He was now standing in an entirely different domain.

Before him lay an incredibly vast hall. On the wall directly ahead, exactly thirty stone carvings were arranged in complete disarray. The imagery within each carving was highly abstract, depicting no recognizable objects, yet together they surged with an extraordinary Dao profundity.

"Where is this...?"

Just as Wang Ping was pondering this, a majestic voice rumbled throughout the grand hall: "Comprehend one carving to leave this place!"

As the voice faded, right beside Wang Ping—

Clad in white, Yang stood with his hands clasped behind his back. Having spoken, he observed the first Qi Refining practitioner to ever step foot in this place with keen interest.

"To gain Ruzhao's recognition and exchange blows with her while only at the Qi Refinement First Layer, instead of being killed in a single punch—in terms of combat strength, he is already considered strong."

Although Lian Ruzhao had ultimately thrown the match, Yang's eyes were sharp. He had made a precise assessment of Wang Ping's combat capabilities. The massive gap between him and Lian Ruzhao wasn't because Wang Ping was weak, but because she was far too exceptional to be judged by common sense.

Pathfinders were always exceptional.

Recalling the past, wasn't the Living Buddha just as invincible? It was a pity that the supreme karmic merit belonging to a pathfinder could only be held by one person per era.

After founding the Brahma Nation, the Living Buddha passed away abruptly, taking that supreme karmic merit with him. It became a lost legend, and the upper limit of pathfinders plummeted.

Blessed with that supreme karmic merit, Lian Ruzhao could have been even stronger. Among their own eight members, only Fu had wielded it back in the day, yet the fruits of his success were stolen by the Fire Qi... Regardless, in Yang's eyes, Wang Ping's combat strength was passable.

The real question was: how was his comprehension?

For a cultivator, comprehension was undeniably more crucial than combat strength. No matter how poor one's combat strength, it could always be forcefully elevated by equipping seven or eight Spiritual Treasures.

Comprehension, however, was intangible, and very few external forces could supplement it.

Without high comprehension, immense combat strength was merely temporary brilliance. Comprehension was the cornerstone that determined whether one could ascend to higher Realms.

The gaps between major Realms were practically impossible to cross.

The higher the Realm, the truer this became.

Transitioning from Tribulation Transcending to Qi Refining might still hold the possibility of fighting above one's level; at the very least, a heaven-defying Tribulation Transcending cultivator could manage to escape from the weakest Qi Refining practitioner.

However, even the most heaven-defying Qi Refining practitioner facing the weakest True Person would be annihilated in a single breath. There was absolutely zero room for resistance.

Let alone the gap between a True Person and a True Monarch, or a True Monarch and an immortal.

Just like the current situation.

He was standing right next to Wang Ping, yet Wang Ping couldn't even see him. They existed in entirely different dimensions; the disparity was just that vast.

This was exactly why mighty cultivators, elusive as dragons before one's breakthrough, would suddenly seem to spring up everywhere once the Realm barrier was broken. If one's Realm wasn't high enough, they couldn't enter that dimension; even the act of "seeing" was a luxury. Immortal Dao cultivation had always been this brutal.

A look of anticipation rose on Yang's face.

The thirty stone carvings in this hall were the [Thirty Qi Dao-Evolving Stones]. As the name implied, each carving corresponded to a strand of heaven and earth's qi.

While they didn't encompass all variations of the thirty qis, each carving detailed a single qi manifestation corresponding to that specific strand.

This was his test.

The first step was to locate the carving corresponding to subterranean yin water. If he couldn't even manage that, he was an incompetent mediocrity.

Mediocrities were not worth nurturing. By Yang's standards, finding the subterranean yin water carving within one shichen barely constituted a pass.

Next came comprehension.

The [Thirty Qi Dao-Evolving Stones] possessed the profundity to create a Dao-comprehending environment. If Wang Ping could master the corresponding qi manifestation within fifty years, his comprehension would be considered superior. Thirty years would make him a cultivation seed. Ten years would mark him as a genius with the hope of becoming a future True Monarch.

With this thought, Yang stared intently at Wang Ping.

Which category would you fall into?

"Come, let me see what you are capable of!"

Wang Ping had already found the stone carving corresponding to subterranean yin water.

It wasn't difficult; he had spotted it at a glance. The problem was that, rather than comprehending the stone carving, his attention was fixed on the Scripture Scroll Anomaly occurring within the [Taiping Sutra].

[Invoking Deities]!

This scripture scroll, which hadn't reacted in a very long time, now lit up brilliantly. It had sensed a massive ocean of consciousness fragments radiating from the thirty carvings!

"To think such a thing is actually possible..."

Wang Ping was overjoyed.

Up until now, [Invoking Deities] had acted as an early-stage scroll, gradually showing its limitations: it had a definitive ceiling.

Once an entity reached the True Person level, their existence became harmoniously unified, leaving no scattered consciousness fragments behind. [Invoking Deities] could only summon Qi Refining practitioners, not True Persons. When Supreme Dao Lord Xuangong previously gifted him a drop of the Master of Secret Traces' dharma blood, he had tried it.

There were no consciousness fragments whatsoever.

Yet now, he discovered these thirty stone carvings were different. Clearly, the person who forged them intended to use them to pass down their insights.

When refining the carvings, they hadn't retracted their intent. Instead, they actively released it, attaching their insights to the stones—which was exactly why these consciousness fragments existed!

These were highly likely Dao Lord-level consciousness fragments, comparable to those of a True Person...

A heaven-sent opportunity!

Wang Ping practically wanted to leap onto the thirty stone carvings right then and there and inhale deeply, but he immediately collided against a barrier of dharma light.

The flowing dharma light blocked him thirty zhang away from the carvings. It acted like a basin of cold water, instantly extinguishing his enthusiasm.

"I can't touch them... the distance isn't right!"

Wang Ping's eyes nearly split with frustration. He couldn't even get close to the carvings, let alone use [Invoking Deities] to collect their consciousness fragments.

No, I have to find a way to dig these things out.

He immediately began pacing in front of the carvings, tapping here and knocking there, searching for a place to start.

"What is he trying to do?"

Watching Wang Ping wander aimlessly with no intention of sitting down to meditate, Yang frowned—until he saw Wang Ping draw his blade.

Clang!

The [Heavenly Martial Conquering the Profound First Blade], carrying a razor-sharp blade intent, cleaved directly into the dharma light, leaving Yang completely dumbfounded.

What was the meaning of this?

After a long moment of watching Wang Ping hack left and chop right, it finally dawned on him: Did this kid want to dismantle the stone carvings?

The moment he figured it out, Yang almost laughed out of sheer anger. The [Thirty Qi Dao-Evolving Stones] was a Spiritual Treasure he had personally refined. It wasn't particularly precious, but it had sat here for countless years. Over that time, many had come to comprehend it, yet Wang Ping was the only one whose first reaction was to dig the whole thing out and take it away.

These bitch-born Qi Refining practitioners!

Meanwhile, Wang Ping altered his tactics. Brute force clearly wasn't working, so he would have to use trickery. He raised his hand and activated a Major Divine Ability.

[Natural Splendor Heavenly Treasure Armory]!

A resplendent, golden armory portal opened wide behind Wang Ping, revealing an expanse of numerous Spiritual Treasures. Aiming directly at one of the stone carvings, a golden light swept down.

[Nurturing Earth and Cultivating Metal]!

Supported by this qi manifestation, the Armory could collect items of metal and earth. Since the carvings were sculpted from stone, they qualified.

Boom!

In an instant, the golden light surged, acting like a giant hand clasping the stone carving. However, the carving remained absolutely immovable, failing to budge a fraction of an inch.

Witnessing this, Yang shook his head.

Such behavior showed absolutely no reverence. Had he guessed that I was watching from the sidelines, thinking that by acting uniquely and playing smart he could win my favor?

Little did he know, this dharma light was autonomously generated by the [Thirty Qi Dao-Evolving Stones]. It appeared to prevent outsiders from approaching, but in truth, it held a hidden profundity. If one sat down and comprehended it meticulously, they could use the fluctuations of the dharma light to find the stone carving that corresponded to their strand of heaven and earth qi. Trying to destroy it was shooting himself in the foot.

Clowning around to please the crowd.

A mere Major Divine Ability, and a knockoff of the [Hundred Treasures Great Abundance Granary] at that. Did he really think he could just dig out the [Thirty Qi Dao-Evolving Stones]? It was delusional—holy shit?

Yang's eyes suddenly bulged.

Before his eyes, Wang Ping took a step back and summoned the yin god Tao Shaobo. The moment Tao Shaobo appeared, he formed a hand seal and muttered, "Respectfully requesting, [Hundred Treasures Great Abundance Granary], open your doors!"

The real deal was here!

As a portal several times larger than the [Natural Splendor Heavenly Treasure Armory] materialized, Yang could no longer sit still. The real deal was entirely different from a knockoff!

As the Granary exerted its power, its profundity of collecting any treasure took effect. It parted the dharma light surrounding the thirty stone carvings and forcibly gouged one right off the wall. Almost simultaneously, Wang Ping struck out with his palm, shattering Tao Shaobo into pieces.

Boom!

With the caster dead, the Granary lost its profound support and slammed shut with a heavy rumble. Only a fallen stone carving remained.

Thud!

Success!

Looking at the fallen carving, Wang Ping excitedly rubbed his hands together. He hurried over and placed a hand on the stone.

On the other side, Yang stared with wide eyes.

The bandits of the Metal Qi... Wait, didn't Yi Shentong say this person originated from the demonic path of the Water Qi? How was he connected to that gang of bandits?

In an instant, his entire opinion of Wang Ping shifted.

Lacking the ability yet acting smart was clowning around. Actually having the capability to pull it off was an entirely different matter.

Wang Ping was undoubtedly the capable type. He had genuinely dug out a stone carving, and what made Yang look at him in a completely new light was: "He actually dug out the correct one."

The stone carving lying on the ground was precisely the one corresponding to subterranean yin water: [Hidden Dragon Meridian-Circulating Nether-Penetrating Qi]!

Was it an accident, or intentional?

Yang recalled Wang Ping's earlier movements. Let alone one shichen, his gaze had barely lingered on the subterranean yin water carving for a moment.

He spotted it in a single glance?

Yang wasn't entirely sure. While it sounded exaggerated, it wasn't unprecedented. The Cosmos was vast, and there was never a shortage of favored children of heaven.

If it was intentional, then Wang Ping's comprehension had undeniably passed the first test. With this thought, Yang's annoyance over the damaged stone carvings rapidly dissipated. Geniuses always enjoyed certain privileges. He was curious to see what else Wang Ping could do.

Now that you've dug the carving out, you still have to comprehend it, right?

If his comprehension was truly peerless and he mastered the qi manifestation within ten years, a mere stone carving was nothing. So be it; at worst, I'll just carve another one.

Reaching this conclusion, Yang let the matter go.

Wang Ping hadn't dug out the entire [Thirty Qi Dao-Evolving Stones]. It was just a single piece of subterranean yin water—he could afford the loss. If it was gone, it was gone!

Following this, Yang simply sat down.

He prepared to enter meditation. Since comprehending the stone carving would take ten years at the absolute fastest, there was no need to stare constantly. Waking up after Wang Ping finished wouldn't be too late.

Meanwhile, Wang Ping entered the [Taiping Sutra] space.

He absorbed all the consciousness fragments from the subterranean yin water carving into [Invoking Deities]. A somewhat blurry portrait quickly surfaced.

[Yang] (Incomplete).

"Why is it incomplete?"

Wang Ping frowned slightly, then attempted to activate the scripture scroll to invoke the spirit. In the next second, an unprecedented sensation caused him to shudder.

"Hiss...!"

The feeling was akin to his brain suddenly hooking up to an external supercomputer. All thought processes were accelerated to the extreme, and every question instantly retrieved an answer.

Wang Ping looked down at the subterranean yin water carving in his hand. In a trance, he saw a faceless man clad in white holding a carving knife, meticulously whittling a towering piece of profound black stone into a detailed chart, laying bare its mysteries without reservation.

Boom!

In an instant, Wang Ping fully comprehended the qi manifestation hidden within the subterranean yin water carving. Bright light flowed through his eyes before he slowly exhaled.

The exhaled breath instantly reflected a brilliant, luminous light. It rose clearly, swirling quietly above his head before transforming into yet another Wang Ping.

As for his original physical body, it was entirely enshrouded in a murky radiance, concealed in formlessness.

[Ascending Purity and Descending Turbidity Aspect]

This Major Divine Ability, which previously could never unleash its full power, had reached absolute perfection, successfully separating Wang Ping's pure aspect from his turbid body.

The reason lay entirely in the qi manifestation contained within the stone carving.

[Pure and Turbid Division]!

This qi manifestation directly corresponded to the [Ascending Purity and Descending Turbidity Aspect]. Under its enhancement, the divine ability naturally perfected itself, officially pushing the number of qi manifestations Wang Ping had mastered to four.

He was already nearly halfway to the perfect nine!

The changes brought by the [Ascending Purity and Descending Turbidity Aspect] left Wang Ping quite satisfied. The most important detail was that neither his pure aspect nor his turbid body possessed fatal weaknesses.

The reason was incredibly simple.

"I practice martial arts."

The pure aspect took away all his profound arts and dharma power, but the turbid body could still use martial arts. As long as he operated the [Great Victory Golden Body], he retained the indestructible power of the Xiantian realm!

"If I become a Martial Saint in the future, the pure aspect and turbid body can act as two separate combatants. I can even intentionally expose the turbid body's flaws. Once an enemy pays a massive price to bypass my pure aspect and locate my turbid body, thinking they can deal a fatal blow, I'll serve them a massive surprise..."

Tanky, with high damage output!

Just thinking about it made Wang Ping feel his future was blindingly bright. Merging the Immortal and Martial paths had serious potential!

"Pity, it's gone..."

Wang Ping freely immersed himself in the omnipotent feeling of bringing another qi manifestation under his control. It took him quite a while to snap back to reality, revealing a look of regret.

With [Pure and Turbid Division] mastered, the invoked portrait was completely exhausted. The consciousness fragments only contained Yang's understanding of subterranean yin water, offering nothing else. No wonder the scripture scroll specifically marked it as incomplete—it truly was fragmented to the extreme.

Just as Wang Ping was sighing with emotion—

Yang unexpectedly opened his eyes, jolted awake by the commotion of Wang Ping's breakthrough. Had ten years passed so quickly?

Time flies so fast!

Although entering meditation often induced the illusion of time flying by, feeling it fly this fast was a first. It felt as if only a few seconds had passed.

Yang subconsciously calculated the time on his fingers.

"...Huh?"

The exact temporal shift registered in his mind. Yang's movements abruptly froze. He lowered his head and stared blankly at his hands.

What did I just calculate?

After a moment of silence, Yang meticulously ran the calculations a second time. The result didn't change in the slightest. Then it could only be the truth.

"Twelve seconds?"

Even with his steady temperament, Yang felt a surge of bewilderment. Had he really only meditated for twelve seconds?

Wasn't it supposed to be twelve years?

He turned his head to look at Wang Ping... [Pure and Turbid Division]. He genuinely possessed an additional qi manifestation. There was absolutely no mistaking it.

Then the problem lies with me.

Staring at his hands, Yang felt a sense of unfamiliarity for the first time. He instantly channeled his profound arts, drew upon all his divine sense, and calculated it one more time.

Karmic obscuration? Break for me!

Heavenly secrets hidden? Open for me!

"...Why is it still twelve seconds?"

Having calculated the exact same number three times in a row, Yang finally accepted the reality of the situation. Twelve seconds to master a qi manifestation?

Not even the Human Emperor was this fast!

When the Human Emperor was at the Qi Consumption First Layer, his fastest mastery of a qi manifestation had taken half a year. Who on earth mastered one in twelve seconds?

What kind of world-shocking comprehension was this?

"He definitely relied on an external item!"

Yang instantly made his judgment. Not only was it an external item, but it had to be a heavy treasure at the True Person level at the very least. Otherwise, elevating a Qi Refining practitioner's comprehension to this degree would be impossible.

Thinking of this, Yang frowned deeply. Although comprehension provided by an external item was still comprehension, external aids had limits. A True Person-level Dao-comprehending treasure might be incredibly useful at the Qi Refining First Tier, but once a cultivator reached the True Person level, they had to rely on their own genuine comprehension.

After all, one couldn't rely on a heavy treasure all the way to becoming an immortal.

Blindly relying on shortcuts and external forces might allow one to walk fast, but not necessarily far. Even if they succeeded, they would remain in the absolute weakest tier.

This was not what Yang had expected.

What he expected—or rather, what the dying ancient lineages expected—was a peerless prodigy capable of fighting the entire world single-handedly!

Therefore, he needed to know Wang Ping's actual comprehension.

Only then could he make the correct decision.

"How troublesome..."

Yang felt a headache coming on. How did this bitch-born have so many flashy tricks, completely turning his perfectly designed test into a total mess?

"...This won't do."

Yang shook his head.

Since he didn't cultivate Water Qi, he could only produce a single subterranean yin water qi manifestation. He would have to hand this person over to Hua to test his true worth.

Hua cultivated Water Qi. Letting him judge this person's Dao attainment and comprehension regarding Water Qi would yield a much more reliable conclusion.

With this thought, Yang finally 'condescended,' proactively lowering his operating dimension and silently stepping behind Wang Ping.

"Well done."

Quick as lightning, Wang Ping snapped to reality. Without the slightest hesitation, acting purely on instinct, he threw a punch.

However, nothing happened.

Whether it was the Martial Dao, the Immortal Dao, divine abilities, or dharma power, all of Wang Ping's methods were completely frozen, trapped in absolute, dead silence.

Wang Ping sharply inhaled. This suppression was entirely different from the First Seat's intent and ego. It was an absolute crushing force from a higher dimension. There was no technique or mechanism involved, just pure numerical dominance. A True Person? No, an ancient Dao Lord from the Dao Tomb!

"Junior cultivator Wang Ping greets Senior!"

Having grasped the situation, Wang Ping dropped to his knees in front of Yang with a loud thud, delivering a heavy, exceedingly sincere kowtow.

Yang was momentarily stunned.

No, is there really a need for such a grand gesture?

Wang Ping's sudden action caught Yang slightly off guard. However, being deeply experienced in the ways of the world, he quickly adjusted his emotions. "By fully comprehending [Pure and Turbid Division], you have passed my first test. Your performance... was so-so. A bit worse than mine back in the day."

"You still need practice."

Wearing an utterly sincere expression, Wang Ping kowtowed once more. "Thank you for your guidance, Senior."

"...No need for formalities."

Yang raised his hand, pulling Wang Ping up with an invisible force, and continued, "I am never stingy with talented cultivators. Speak, what is it that you desire?"

Wang Ping froze. A clearance reward?

"What do I want... is anything fine?" Wang Ping couldn't help but ask.

Yang laughed.

"Of course."

What a joke. If he couldn't satisfy the request of a mere junior cultivator, there was no point in him being a Dao Lord; he might as well yield the position.

"I want to kill the [Master of Secret Traces]..."

Yang: "..."

Wang Ping stood in place somewhat nervously, only to see the white-clad ancient Dao Lord looking at him with an incredibly bizarre expression.

"Kill the [Master of Secret Traces]—you really dare to dream!"

It would be more believable if he asked for the Master of Secret Traces to kill him... Feeling helpless, Yang spoke in a deep tone, "Say something relevant to yourself. Stop indulging in wild fantasies."

Wang Ping sighed. He knew his request was highly unrealistic, but considering he was enduring his life tribulation, he had hoped to recruit a Dao Lord teammate. Seeing that the possibility was practically zero, he hastily changed his tune: "Then can Senior bestow a true treasure upon me?"

A Spiritual Treasure could challenge a Qi Refining practitioner, and the finest among them could even kill one. A true treasure should be comparable to a True Person at the very least, and could absolutely save his life at a critical juncture.

However, the response he received was silence.

The white-clad man's expression tightened further, his gaze growing sharp enough to kill... Truthfully, Yang's mood had soured.

If it wouldn't ruin his image, he would have directly cursed out loud: I am a Dao Lord!

As everyone knew, he cultivated the Dao. Where on earth would he get a true treasure?

Even taking a ten thousand steps back, if he did possess a treasure comparable to a true treasure, it would be his Dao-proving treasure. If he gave it away, what was he supposed to use? How dare this junior even ask!

Furthermore, it was glaringly obvious that Wang Ping was deeply entrenched in a life tribulation, heavily entangled in karma, and wrapped up in massive trouble. If Yang handed him a powerful treasure to help survive the tribulation, what would happen if it dragged him—or the entire Dao Tomb—into the mess? The ancient lineages could no longer withstand such massive waves.

So bold, always eager to push his luck at every opportunity...

Yang had shown himself primarily to interact with Wang Ping face-to-face, wanting to see exactly what kind of temperament this bitch-born Qi Refining practitioner possessed.

Now he could see it clearly.

This kid truly was a bitch-born Qi Refining practitioner. No wonder Mingdu had favored him; his thick skin was practically an ancestral trait, and there was an inherent demonic nature deep in his bones.

Otherwise, he wouldn't have dropped to the floor and kowtowed the moment they met. Recalling the past, Mingdu had behaved in much the same way. After that immortal created destiny and briefly stopped to rest in the Cosmos, everyone else was terrified to approach. She was the very first person shameless enough to fly over and beg to be taken as a disciple.

Just look at this prostrate posture.

Spot on. It was cast from the exact same mold as Mingdu, though he didn't smash his head hard enough. When Mingdu kowtowed, she had smashed her scalp wide open.

"Sigh..."

Retracting his thoughts, Yang stopped reminiscing and finally spoke. "Your life tribulation involves too much. I will not intervene, so abandon any fantasies regarding that. Make a request unrelated to your life tribulation!"

Wang Ping's face filled with disappointment.

However, he quickly cheered up and continued, "Then can Senior help me perfect my nine qi manifestations? I'm currently only five short."

"..."

Silence once again.

Seeing the white-clad man purse his lips and refuse to speak, Wang Ping's expression gradually shifted from anticipation to speechless scrutiny.

No way, you can't even do this?

Was this really an ancient Dao Lord? It couldn't just be the stone carving's artifact spirit coming out to fool people, right?

Looking at Wang Ping's deeply suspicious face, Yang felt a surge of anger. His hands genuinely itched to grab Wang Ping by the head.

Ignorant junior, what is the meaning of that attitude?

"Cultivating qi manifestations is not that easy."

In an effort to save face, Yang explained, "Because the more qi manifestations you control, the greater your influence over heaven and earth's qi."

"Do you honestly believe the qi of heaven and earth won't resist you?"

"Managing to master five qi manifestations is basically the absolute limit of Qi Refining. Every single one you add after that is an act of defying heaven!"

Yang spoke in a deep tone. "Cultivating six qi manifestations would make you a cultivation seed in the past, and even today, it offers hope of achieving the True Person level. Seven makes you a guaranteed cultivation seed. Eight grants you a massive hope of becoming a future True Person. As for nine qi manifestations... since ancient times, there have only been a sparse handful of individuals."

"And most of them went on to become Supreme True Lords."

"For instance, the Human Emperor. For instance, Mingdu."

Yang lowered his eyes, scrutinizing Wang Ping. "Do you truly think you compare to such mighty figures?"

"I think I can."

Wang Ping answered frankly. "And if I don't compare myself to them, how would I ever know?"

"..."

Hearing this, Yang's anger vanished. It was true; if one didn't try to compare, how could they ever know? Possessing this level of courage already placed him far above countless mediocrities.

"Good. You have guts."

Yang clapped his hands and smiled. "In that case, I will grant you an opportunity. Exactly how much you manage to comprehend will be entirely up to you."

The moment he finished speaking, Wang Ping felt the ground quake violently. Looking to the side, he saw a stone wall inside the hall rise, revealing a dark, eerie corridor. Billowing spiritual qi rushed out like roaring river waves, immediately making Wang Ping realize that whatever lay at the end was related to Water Qi!

"Go."

Yang smiled faintly. "While I cannot guarantee you nine qi manifestations, if you truly have the skill, perfecting at least five should be no problem at all."

Having said that, Yang concealed his form once again.

He had decided to send this troublemaker away.

Water Qi cultivators were best handled by other Water Qi cultivators. Moreover, Hua was currently deep in meditation and slumber, providing the perfect excuse to wake him up.

Otherwise, having to stay awake and effectively serve a prison sentence while everyone else slept beautifully was psychologically unbalancing. He simply had to drag a companion down with him.

Furthermore, since a piece of the [Thirty Qi Dao-Evolving Stones] had been dug out, he needed to carve a replacement. Otherwise, the profundity of this Spiritual Treasure would eventually become damaged. He still planned to use it to test the ancient cultivators of the Star Grave Sand Sea in the future; he couldn't just leave it missing a corner.

Meanwhile, Wang Ping had fallen into deep thought.

This Dao Tomb really is a land of opportunity. Just as Supreme Dao Lord Xuangong said, this is a place specifically utilized by the superiors to boost my cultivation.

"After all, the higher my cultivation base, the more effectively I can use karma to shake the Master of Secret Traces' Bodhisattva Position. This forces the Master of Secret Traces to act as quickly as possible to kill me."

He truly didn't have much time left.

Under these circumstances, compared to raw cultivation, what he needed far more was a perspective to break the deadlock—a superior cultivator's perspective capable of helping him see through the thick fog of his life tribulation.

Thinking of this, he ignored the corridor and looked back at the stone carvings embedded in the wall. Of course, there were only twenty-nine left now. But if he were to just walk away, wouldn't this originally flawless set be missing a corner forever?

How could that do?

Wang Ping decided to act out of great compassion. Since he was already here, he might as well dig out the remaining twenty-nine carvings too, allowing the entire family to reunite.

Besides, there were consciousness fragments on them!

The consciousness fragment on a single carving was incomplete, but if I assemble all thirty together, I should be able to synthesize a complete portrait, right?

"According to what that Senior just said, there's likely another test of comprehension down that corridor. Just in case, putting together this Dao Lord's portrait will give me another trump card to pass it. Moreover, having a Dao Lord think on my behalf might help me see the reality of my life tribulation clearly."

"Heh!"

Acting on the thought immediately, Wang Ping summoned Tao Shaobo once again. He cast his spell to open the [Hundred Treasures Great Abundance Granary] and resolved to continue digging into the wall.

Yang watched, utterly dumbfounded.

He had originally planned to wait for Wang Ping to leave before crafting a new stone carving. As for the piece Wang Ping had dug out, he was prepared to treat it as a free gift.

Yet the kid had actually resumed digging!

He saw the profundity of the [Thirty Qi Dao-Evolving Stones] and planned to pack up the entire set? You bitch-born bastard, a thief truly never leaves empty-handed, does he!

Yang felt he could no longer endure this.

While the [Thirty Qi Dao-Evolving Stones] was merely something he had refined casually, and forging another set would just take a little effort, he felt that Wang Ping was directly provoking him!

This was no longer an ordinary junior cultivator.

He had to strike hard!

With this thought, Yang's mind moved. He didn't intervene personally, but silently instigated the artifact spirit within the [Thirty Qi Dao-Evolving Stones] to counterattack.

Boom!

In a flash, Wang Ping felt his entire body shudder violently. In his daze, he hallucinated thirty full streaks of light crashing heavily into his body, one after another!

Wang Ping threw his head back.

"Pfft!"

Spitting out a mouthful of dharma blood, Wang Ping was caught entirely off guard by the carvings' counterattack. He had suffered a minor loss, yet his eyes grew even brighter.

What a good treasure—it could actually resist!

Generally, Spiritual Treasures capable of autonomous resistance possessed powerful spirituality; much like the [Ever-Suppressing Six Harmonies Cauldron], their grade would never be low. It was evident that these stone carvings were the same.

Realizing this, Wang Ping flashed a fierce smile. He opened the [Hundred Treasures Great Abundance Granary] once more, gouging the stone carvings off the wall piece by piece. The moment they came loose, he suppressed them directly into the [Natural Splendor Heavenly Treasure Armory], completely disregarding the carvings' resistance, which had begun causing his body to crack and bleed.

Yang was left entirely speechless.

Fine. Encountering someone who valued money over their own life, what else was there to say? Just give it to him. At worst, he would figure out a way to carve a new set another day.

Of course, the premise was that he took back the most important item.

A mere set of Spiritual Treasures was one thing, but there was an extremely important item inside the [Thirty Qi Dao-Evolving Stones] that could not be casually given away.

Thinking of this, Yang reached out a hand, preparing to secretly manipulate it.

However, in the next second, his movements froze once again.

Clang!

Quickly, as the thirty stone carvings consecutively fell, Wang Ping assembled them inside the [Natural Splendor Heavenly Treasure Armory], where they astonishingly connected into a single piece.

[Thirty Qi Dao-Evolving Stones]!

Wang Ping looked over to see a massive mountain stone, fully the size of a river peak. However, after he injected his dharma power and fully refined this complete set of Spiritual Treasures...

The mountain stone began to collapse, ultimately shrinking into a palm-sized, crystal-clear stone that fell into his hands. Its surface was densely covered in charts—the rotation of the five elements, the clashing of yin and yang, the array of the three talents. Pieced together, they astonishingly formed a highly complex cloud seal character.

"This is..."

Wang Ping was stunned. Staring at the cloud seal character inscribed on the [Thirty Qi Dao-Evolving Stones], he felt a touch of inspiration, yet it seemed as if he were separated by a layer of fog.

Feeling this sensation, Wang Ping made a prompt decision.

The seventh scripture scroll, [Golden Sea Desiccation]!

In a flash, all distracting thoughts were completely drained away. Entering a state of epiphany, Wang Ping finally saw the cloud seal character on the [Thirty Qi Dao-Evolving Stones] in absolute clarity. Subconsciously, he muttered, "Yang."

Boom!

Before his voice could even fade, the entire grand hall reacted. Thirty strands of heaven and earth qi remnants from within the Star Grave Sand Sea howled through the air, pouring into the hall all at once.

On the other side, Yang stared blankly, his hand still halfway outstretched.

Holy shit! He comprehended it!?

Compared to mastering the subterranean yin water qi manifestation in twelve seconds, Wang Ping's comprehension in this moment brought him an even deeper level of shock. His eyes widened into perfect circles.

After all, while comprehension was certainly important for mastering a qi manifestation, it was predominantly a matter of grinding time, and there were indeed quick-fix methods utilizing external items to supplement the process.

However, the character 'Yang' was completely different.

This was the Celestial Venerable mantra he had managed to preserve by discarding his own Dao title, bearing it with his Dao foundation, linking it by karma, and even transforming it into karmic merit by utilizing destiny. The true treasure of the [Thirty Qi Dao-Evolving Stones] was precisely this mantra that he had personally inscribed.

Just how difficult was it to comprehend?

Even if someone possessed a True Person-level Dao-comprehending treasure, a lack of inherent talent would make it impossible. After all, the character 'Yang' had long since been eliminated.

A Celestial Venerable mantra was already incredibly difficult to comprehend, but after being eliminated, the difficulty multiplied several times over. An ordinary person looking at it wouldn't feel the slightest reaction.

At most, they would just think the cloud seal character looked a bit complex.

Yet right under his nose, Wang Ping had merely glanced at the [Thirty Qi Dao-Evolving Stones] and managed to forcibly comprehend the character 'Yang' inscribed upon it!

For a moment, Yang felt there was no need to test him further. Comprehending this single character 'Yang' and speaking it aloud meant his comprehension was absolutely top-tier!

More importantly—

"The opportunity has come..."

Being able to fully comprehend 'Yang' meant there was hope of re-nurturing the thirty strands of heaven and earth qi remnants within the Star Grave Sand Sea, subsequently transforming them into a brand-new profundity.

Because this person was a Qi Refining practitioner. Using him as a medium, once the heaven and earth qi remnants transformed, it would be equivalent to borrowing a hen to lay eggs, allowing these remnants to undergo a complete rebirth, regain a new life, and integrate into the current Immortal Dao orthodoxy. This person might just possess the hope of making ancient cultivators great again!

Yang grew thoroughly excited.

Of course, the current Wang Ping was still very far from that step, and his weight within the Immortal Dao was insufficient. At the very least, it would only be possible after he achieved the True Person level.

However, a single 'Yang' mantra was far from enough.

Li, Hua, Zai, Po, Fu, Dao, Ze—the remaining seven eliminated Celestial Venerable mantras had to be utilized as well.

But comprehending 'Yang' didn't guarantee he could comprehend the others. These Celestial Venerable mantras had once engaged in Dao struggles against one another, meaning inherent conflicts existed between them.

Regardless, it was a glimmer of hope at last.

What world-shocking comprehension...

Yang sighed.

Since he began sitting withered in the Dao Tomb for countless years, this was the second hope he had ever witnessed. The previous one had been the Human Emperor, yet that hope had ultimately collapsed in absolute ruin.

What would happen this time?

The Human Emperor had enacted the act of 'Stealing Heaven's Will,' and in a short thirty years, they had seen the fruits of his labor. With Wang Ping following in his footsteps, could he perhaps become the next Human Emperor?

For a brief moment, Yang felt shaken!

He began seriously considering whether he should intervene in Wang Ping's life tribulation. In his eyes, Wang Ping's life now possessed immense value to save!

With this thought in mind, he began calculating.

In a flash, a brand-new mighty power intervened in the torrent of destiny. Yang quickly witnessed a turbulent current so unimaginably massive it defied reason.

That was Wang Ping's life tribulation.

Its scale was so vast, and the number of participating supreme beings so numerous, that the turbulence of this life tribulation astonishingly occupied nearly a tenth of the entire destiny torrent.

The Brahma Nation, Water Qi, Fire Qi, Metal Qi... Four lineages, each fielding a True Monarch or a Bodhisattva, plus Yi Shentong, as well as an Earth Qi True Person. Beyond them, countless others watched from the shadows, scrutinizing the situation. Pull a single hair, and the entire body moves...

This was simply too exaggerated.

Such a lineup was second only to the battle that annihilated the Great Rebellion.

It was only missing immortals descending to the mortal realm.

Thinking of this, Yang's scalp went numb.

As an outsider, this was all he could see. To see the situation clearly, he would have to personally enter the game. However, once he did that, there would be no turning back.

"The risk is too high."

If it were merely True Persons involved, he would have entered the game without hesitation. Even if it were a single True Monarch, the eight of them could unite and fight.

But four of them...

"It just feels like there is no saving him."

Yang shook his head helplessly. But on second thought, since this was a life tribulation, the absolutely fair destiny couldn't possibly leave a junior cultivator without any chance of survival.

"Perhaps, it's just missing my part?"

Looking at Wang Ping, Yang felt a surge of self-doubt. Had he also been pulled in by destiny, acting as a hidden boost in this child's life tribulation?

The more he thought about it, the more likely it seemed!

"However, just me isn't enough."

Yang shook his head. He was genuinely tempted, but there were eight Dao Lords residing in the Dao Tomb; his thoughts alone couldn't dictate the actions of the others.

If he acted alone against a life tribulation of this magnitude, it would be a drop in the bucket. Therefore, Wang Ping had to gain everyone's approval. Only if all eight Dao Lords were willing to intervene in his life tribulation would there be any hope of swaying the final result.

"Forget it."

Gathering his thoughts, Yang looked at Wang Ping—who had already put away the [Thirty Qi Dao-Evolving Stones] and was striding toward the corridor—and a sense of anticipation rose in his heart. "We'll just have to wait and see."