Chapter 424: Nine Heavens, Heaven Defiance Palace Descends!

Dao Tomb.

While Hua conversed with Wang Ping, Yang had already awakened all the Dao lords. Grand divine senses converged within the hall.

Yang relayed the crucial intelligence Wang Ping had shared: the Heaven Defiance Palace was about to descend into the Star Grave Sand Sea. In an instant, just as Yang had reacted when he first heard the news, fury rapidly swept through the howling divine senses.

Among them, Po was the most blunt.

"Can we kill him?"

His voice clanged like clashing metal. "If we just kill Yi Shentong before the Heaven Defiance Palace arrives, the problem is easily solved."

"Practically impossible."

Zai's deep voice countered, "He is now a pawn in the game between the Immortal Gate and the Brahma Nation. Moving a single hair affects the entire body; he will not be so easy to kill."

"We have to try."

Po's voice carried absolute resolve. "If we don't kill Yi Shentong, he can threaten us this time, and once he achieves his goal, he will only use this method to threaten us even more."

"We are already surrounded by a pack of wolves, our backs to a cliff. To retreat is to fall into the abyss; we might as well step forward and fight the wolves to the death."

Led by Po, several divine senses earnestly began discussing a plan to quickly kill Yi Shentong. The two sides rapidly fell into an argument, until an even more ancient consciousness awakened. After grasping the situation, it joined the discussion: "There is no need to worry too much."

The calm voice carried a compelling weight that halted Po and Zai's argument. Both turned their attention toward the speaker.

"Dao?"

The ancient voice paused before continuing. "We can temporarily handle the problem of the Heaven Defiance Palace. I have spent many years repairing the Dao Tomb; it was not all for nothing."

"Even if the various True Monarchs start a war here, and even without the Heaven Defiance Palace suppressing it, I can still use the Dao Tomb to hold down the graveyard star's rampage for a short time—at least long enough for them to finish their fight. The crux of this issue lies not with the Heaven Defiance Palace, but with Yi Shentong himself."

"He is deliberately dragging us down with him."

"His intentions warrant death!"

A hint of murderous intent seeped into Dao's tone. "Po was right about one thing: we must find a way to eliminate Yi Shentong."

"Otherwise, if he truly takes another step forward after this tribulation, he will inevitably escalate matters. All of us will be dragged down and buried alongside him."

"How do we eliminate him?"

Li sounded somewhat helpless. "He is currently a pawn for the True Monarchs. Until the grand scheme concludes and the True Monarchs withdraw their hands, he practically holds a death-exemption medallion."

"To kill him, his schemes must either fail—causing his cultivation to regress instead of advance, thereby losing his value to the True Monarchs—or the eight of us must enter the game and forcibly kill him ourselves. The former is out of our control, and the latter carries far too many unpredictable variables."

For a time, the grand hall fell silent.

The quiet broke when a new voice finally spoke up, changing the subject with a soft question directed at Yang. "How is that young man?"

"Fu."

Yang's expression turned solemn. "Exceptionally good. Although his combat strength is somewhat lacking, his comprehension is the highest I have ever seen in my life!"

He added emphatically, "He has already comprehended the word 'Yang'. He might have relied on a treasure of Dao comprehension, but he gained insight from a single glance. Just one glance."

"I believe he is not inferior to the Human Emperor!"

Those words instantly sent ripples through the divine senses in the hall. Someone voiced their disbelief. "Not inferior to the Human Emperor? You are exaggerating."

"What kind of natural talent did the Human Emperor possess? Since the Heavenly Exalted imparted the Dao, the Cosmic Deep Space has only produced one such person. Even if another were to appear, it would take tens of millions of years. How long has it been since the Great Rebellion was destroyed? A mere tens of thousands of years at most. How could another genius on par with the Human Emperor appear so soon?"

"Absurd."

"Ever since the Human Emperor died, claiming someone has 'the aptitude of a Human Emperor' has practically become the norm. Yang, there's no need to deliberately elevate this person just to convince us."

Facing the Dao lords' doubts, Yang remained perfectly calm. "I speak absolutely no falsehoods."

Those simple words gradually quieted the doubts. They were all brothers sharing the same prison, and they knew each other's temperaments inside and out.

Seeing Yang so certain, the others turned serious and stopped questioning him. Curiosity took hold instead, and for a moment, they all secretly began to calculate. To receive such high praise from Yang... could he truly be a peerless genius comparable to the Human Emperor?

Soon, Wang Ping's experiences were reflected in everyone's divine senses.

"Let's set aside talent comparable to the Human Emperor; at least he has the guts. Stealing destiny... As long as he doesn't die, he has a real chance to achieve the same great feats the Human Emperor once did."

However, since Wang Ping was in the midst of a life tribulation, the vast majority of his karma was difficult to calculate clearly.

After calculating for a moment, Po couldn't hold back. "Yang, what do you mean when you say this person's combat strength is somewhat lacking?"

"It just means he's not strong enough."

Yang explained, "His spell-fighting primarily relies on Spiritual Treasures, but he isn't exactly weak either."

Confusion seeped into the divine senses of everyone present. Po was even more blunt: "If he relies primarily on Spiritual Treasures, how is that not weak?"

"He has far too many Spiritual Treasures."

Yang chuckled. "Quantitative changes lead to qualitative changes. Even though his usage is very crude, the sheer amount is overwhelming. Moreover, his comprehension is far too good, and his Dao attainment is frighteningly high."

"Combine that with the fact that he bears Mingda's karmic merit... You all understand."

The crowd immediately grasped his meaning. "The Ominous Loss of Dao?"

That female demon's grand ominous karma had been incredibly famous even in their era, and it was particularly suited for cultivators with high Dao attainment and excellent comprehension.

However—"Using Dao attainment for spell-fighting is the most idiotic method!"

Po sneered. "Dao attainment and comprehension are meant for cultivation. Bringing them into a spell-fight is a complete waste of talent, not to mention it introduces far too many unstable factors."

In the vast majority of cases, the Dao foundations of Dao-entering cultivators were difficult to see through. Shattering them with Daoist theory required a Dao attainment far higher than the opponent's. It was one thing to bully lower cultivators, but in a battle between peers in the same Realm, such a massive gap in Dao attainment usually couldn't be pulled open.

Even taking a step back and assuming that gap could be opened.

Fundamentally, it was still firing a heavy cannon to kill a mosquito—using ten parts of strength to produce three parts of effect. In Po's eyes, this couldn't even be called knowing how to spell-fight.

"It's just relying on the sheer numerical value of water qi."

Po still sounded somewhat unresigned. "A shameless method like the Ominous Loss of Dao is useless against someone with truly absolute combat strength."

To ancient cultivators like them, a cultivator's level of spell-fighting—their so-called combat strength—ultimately came down to whether they could secure sufficient advantages across three domains.

Foundation, karma, and skill.

Foundation meant the number of grasped qi manifestations, the grade of one's divine powers, the height of one's Dao attainment, and the quantity of Spiritual Treasures possessed. It was a combination of personal aptitude and external items.

Karma went without saying. The acknowledgment of destiny practically ran through the entire Immortal Dao system; in many cases, a single karmic merit could reverse the tide of battle.

Finally, there was skill.

This was also straightforward. In short, it was the ability to utilize one's foundation and karma, and whether one could unleash one hundred percent of their profundities and might.

"If what Yang said is correct, then this kid's foundation and karma are practically maxed out. Even I didn't have conditions like his back in the day. However, his skills are far too poor... Of course, I can't say he has none. If his comprehension is truly that high, his application of Dao attainment definitely won't be bad."

"But it only stops there."

Skill was not limited to just Dao attainment; it included qi manifestations, divine powers, Spiritual Treasures, and even martial techniques. This aspect was equally vast and profound.

Beyond that, there was one more point.

"What about his scheming and shrewdness?"

Fu, who had brought Wang Ping up earlier, spoke again. "With extremely high comprehension, a slight lack in combat strength can be compensated for. But scheming and shrewdness are the hardest things to learn."

Because these often required events to teach a person.

When a person taught another person, the principles made sense, but the actual execution would be a mess. Only when events taught a person could they learn instantly. The downside was that such lessons tended to be fatal.

One careless mistake resulted in sudden death.

Therefore, compared to comprehension and combat strength, scheming and shrewdness were the truly rare abilities. Possessing them meant a person had emerged victorious from countless life-and-death struggles.

"Hua is currently testing him."

Yang didn't offer a direct conclusion, saying cautiously instead, "Regardless, he is a Dao Child under Mingdu's rule. His baseline is definitely guaranteed."

No one raised further doubts. That female demon had forged more than half the reputation of the water-qi demonic path; her credibility was rock solid.

Just then, a divine sense flew into the hall. "Hua?"

Everyone looked over.

"So fast?"

"Is the test over? How is that young man?"

Seeing that everyone was awake, Hua was greatly surprised. However, after Yang informed him of the situation, his expression quickly turned serious.

"Very good, exceptionally good!"

After pondering for a moment, Hua gave his evaluation. "Not only is he bold and ruthless, but he also clearly understands how to deal with higher cultivators. He knows how to borrow strength to strike back. He carries quite a bit of Mingdu's demeanor from back in the day."

Upon hearing this, the crowd grew even more surprised.

Resembling Mingdu—to these ancient cultivators, such an evaluation was the highest of praise. It was clear just how highly Hua thought of him.

With Yang and Hua both showing such high regard, the other Dao lords were somewhat swayed. Only after a long while did someone speak up. "It seems you both lean toward entering the game."

Yang and Hua exchanged a glance and nodded simultaneously. "At the very least, we can try to protect this kid. He is worth protecting."

"It won't be that easy."

Fu's voice sounded again. His divine sense was clearly a cut above the rest; observing destiny, he forcibly intercepted a fragment of information. "Water qi, fire qi, gold qi, Brahma Nation—four True Monarchs. Earth qi and Yi Shentong—one True Person and one Dao lord. According to destiny's principle of fairness, this kid's current situation should be split evenly. He has two True Monarchs and one True Person as helpers; the rest are enemies."

"If we enter the game..."

"Either a third True Monarch enemy will enter after us, or the existing factions will be completely reshuffled, and then our opponents will be delineated."

"It might even force his current helpers over to the other side... After all, in all fairness, we probably aren't very popular in the Immortal Gate nowadays."

Laughter instantly broke out in the grand hall.

How was it merely 'not popular'?

The only reason the two sides hadn't yet erupted into an all-out war was because the Star Grave Sand Sea was too unique. No one wanted to shoulder the karma of detonating the graveyard star.

However, as Fu's voice faded, the crowd fell back into silence. Viewed this way, the risks of entering the game without authorization were still too massive.

Finally, Po shattered the silence.

"...Let me do it."

"Since his disposition, shrewdness, talent, and comprehension have all gained your acknowledgment, and he merely lacks combat strength, we will fill in the gaps for him."

"I will teach him personally."

"If he truly possesses that kind of talent and can fix this final shortcoming on his own, then he will be the talent most worthy of our support since the Human Emperor. If we miss this chance, who knows how long we'll wait for the next. We might as well gamble. It's better than sitting here waiting to die."

Po's tone was incredibly firm, pressing forward with indomitable will. Mentioning 'waiting to die' caused the others' thoughts to gradually sway.

Just then, Fu spoke up once again. "...We must add one more condition."

"Combat strength, comprehension, scheming."

"Even if he possesses all three, lacking a bit of luck can still lead to failure... Hua, is this person currently striving for the perfection of nine qi manifestations?"

Hua nodded.

"Then let that be the standard."

Fu made the final decision. "If he patches up his shortcomings in combat strength and achieves the perfection of nine qi manifestations, we will enter the game and protect his life."

Within another grand hall.

Hua had already retracted his Dharma body of towering mountains and rivers. Transformed into a young Daoist, he landed in front of Wang Ping with an appreciative smile.

"Little friend, we have made our decision."

There was no need for secrecy, so Hua cleanly informed Wang Ping of the Dao lords' discussion and their final decision.

"That being said, we cannot guarantee you will survive. In fact, after we enter the game, your situation might become even worse. The eight of us are not Supreme True Lords, nor can we genuinely fight to the death for your sake. Even if we intervene, we will only be doing our best."

Wang Ping didn't care in the slightest about Hua's disclaimer.

On the contrary, intense joy filled his heart. Eight Dao lords joining hands could block a True Monarch for him? It couldn't get any better!

Therefore, he didn't hesitate for a second.

Thud!

"Many thanks, seniors!"

Wang Ping prostrated himself, kowtowing once again. He was already certain: achieving the perfection of nine qi manifestations was the exact lifeline to surviving his life tribulation!

Looking at it from this angle... maybe the True Monarch still loves me.

He had obtained all the Major Divine Abilities in the Deity Transformation Realm. If his own True Monarch was unwilling to let him achieve nine-qi perfection, why give him so many?

It was gradually becoming clear!

Wang Ping's eyes grew brighter. He felt he had faintly touched upon the friend-and-foe factions of this life tribulation; they were separated by only a thin layer of fog.

The next second, a voice rang out. "Stand up."

Wang Ping lifted his head, only to see that Hua had vanished. Replacing him was a tall, robust man with sword-like eyebrows and starry eyes.

The sharpness radiating from his body was so intense that just meeting his gaze made Wang Ping's eyes sting, a needle-like sensation prickling his face.

"My name is Po."

The man said evenly, "I do not know how to teach people; I only know how to kill them. So next, while maintaining the same Realm and Dao attainment as you, I will do everything in my power to kill you."

"Your goal is simply to survive."

Holding up three fingers, the man said, "Don't say I didn't give you a chance. I'll count to three to let you prepare. Three... begin!"

Rumble!

Before his voice faded, Wang Ping's vision blurred. Blinding white light of immense might and sharpness completely enveloped his sight.

"Sword light!?"

Wang Ping recognized the true form of the light, but discovered it lacked the enhancement of Spiritual Treasures like a Sword Pellet or flying sword. It was a profundity entirely constructed from divine powers and qi manifestations.

With this thought, Wang Ping activated his Free and Unfettered Wandering to pull away. To his surprise, the opponent's sword light spawned the exact same profundity. It linked with his very thoughts, moving as he moved—however far he retreated, the sword light pursued just as far, remaining fixed three feet from his face!

"Huu...!"

Exhaling a breath of turbid air, Wang Ping summoned pitch-black bricks and tiles from beneath his feet. The Yellow Springs circulated, enclosing heaven and earth to prop up a towering ghost-domain city.

Netherworld Communication Profound Arbiter!

Within the ghost domain, the Profound One Calamity-Crossing Ring spun. Yin spirits flew out one after another, buffing the divine power and qi manifestation to lock down that streak of sword light.

Seeing this, a sneer rang out from within the sword light: "Too weak!"

Boom!

The ghost domain flashed white. Unmatched sharpness effortlessly tore through the suppression of the Netherworld Communication Profound Arbiter, maneuvering swiftly through the siege of yin spirits.

This was a sword cultivator...

Wang Ping furrowed his brows tightly. Since ancient times, sword cultivators had been famous for their high combat strength and incredible speed; thus, they were the least afraid of group attacks in a spell-fight.

Just like now. Merged with the sword light, Po didn't care about the yin spirits' siege at all. He moved so fast their divine senses couldn't even track him. A single flicker crossed ten thousand miles; after dodging their attacks, another flicker brought him right back in for the kill. He darted left and right, entirely unhindered.

Very soon, casualties appeared among the yin spirits.

Bang!

With a flash of sword light, Chu Tianqiu's Dharma body was severed at the waist and instantly exploded. By the time the other yin spirits reacted and converged on that spot, the sword light was already far away.

Black lines appeared on the faces of Tao Shaobo, Jing Lang, and the other cultivators Wang Ping had plotted against and killed. The feeling seemed to recall memories of how Wang Ping had scammed them to death.

It had been exactly like this back then; it was simply an old man teasing naughty children.

The opponent's speed was too fast, seizing the initiative at every turn. Furthermore, unlike Po now, Wang Ping had only been able to rely on Daoist theory to spell-fight them back then.

Therefore, he had always needed to stop and expound on Daoist theory.

Po didn't need to. No matter what profundities or divine powers were thrown at him, he just slashed with his sword light and slaughtered everything in his path, without speaking a single word.

Wang Ping saw it clearly: he was being crushed on an entirely different level. It wasn't Dao attainment, but pure combat strength. The clash was like striking a stone with an egg.

But the problem was, there shouldn't be such a massive gap.

Wang Ping could tell Po hadn't gone back on his word. The cultivation level he displayed was exactly the same as Wang Ping's, perhaps even weaker, since Po wasn't using any Spiritual Treasures.

So why was this the result?

Wang Ping didn't panic. He activated the seventh scripture scroll, Golden Sea Desiccation, purging his mind of distracting thoughts to remain perfectly composed.

The next second, he issued a command to the yin spirits.

"Self-destruct."

The many yin spirits stopped in their tracks. Without a word, they detonated their Dharma bodies simultaneously. Blossoms of fire instantly illuminated the ghost domain!

Wang Ping's idea was simple. If the opponent's speed made him uncatchable under normal circumstances, he would use a wide-range saturation attack to seal off all avenues of escape and force a head-on clash. No matter where the sword light fled, it would face the shockwave of a yin spirit's self-destruction!

His idea was perfectly validated.

Faced with the self-destruction of over a dozen yin spirits, the sword light leaped up, choosing to break through the weakest Qi Nurturing yin spirits. This fell exactly into Wang Ping's plans!

"Gotcha!"

Wang Ping channeled his divine power with all his might. Taking advantage of the moment the sword light was dealing with the self-destructions and temporarily unable to maneuver, he poured the ghost domain's Yellow Springs waters right at him.

Within the surging Yellow Springs, a deep, gloomy speck of light emerged.

Light of Mystic Past Karma!

This thread of light was equally fast. Responding to the torrents of destiny at the cost of karmic merit and life force, it landed upon the sword light in the blink of an eye.

But right at that moment, a voice rang out from within the sword light: "Heavenly Ruins Divine Fiend Slash!"

A single divine power and a single qi manifestation instantly bloomed with unprecedented radiance, roaring through the entire ghost domain like a surging torrent.

In a flash, the ghost-domain city was pierced through the middle and torn in two. Wang Ping's highly anticipated killing move, the Light of Mystic Past Karma, was completely drowned out by the torrent's radiance. After shredding the ghost domain, the torrent collapsed back toward its center.

Soon after, the torrent dissipated.

The sword light flew out completely unscathed and locked onto Wang Ping once again. Linked with his thoughts, it lit up the depths of his eyes in the blink of an eye!

The blinding white sword light illuminated Wang Ping's face.

Despite the Netherworld Communication Profound Arbiter being broken, no hint of panic showed on Wang Ping's face. His eyes were icy as snow, and he broke into a sudden smile of comprehension.

"So that's how it is..."

Before his voice faded, the sword light arrived!

Yet in the very next second, Wang Ping vanished out of thin air. The sword light that should have remained linked to his thoughts and pursued him to the kill suddenly halted.

"Hm?"

Within the sword light, Po let out a soft sound of shock and pleasant surprise, having seen exactly how Wang Ping escaped.

He had to admit, even though Wang Ping's combat strength was full of flaws and not worth mentioning, the kid really knew how to run. He was as slippery as an eel.

To a certain extent, this made up for his issues in combat strength.

More importantly, he saw Wang Ping's comprehension. It wasn't just comprehension in cultivation, but in spell-fighting. It truly made one's eyes light up.

"Did you learn it?"

"To answer Senior... I am not too proficient at it yet."

In the distance, Wang Ping appeared out of thin air, gloomy ripples surging around his body. He had precisely used 'the gentleman should hide his implements at the right time' to sever the sword light's spatial lock on him.

Prior to this, doing so had been impossible.

The sword light Po executed was overwhelmingly sharp. Even 'the gentleman should hide his implements at the right time' wouldn't have kept Wang Ping concealed beneath its glare.

There was only one reason he could achieve this now.

His divine power had grown stronger.

"Senior's divine power, this Heavenly Ruins Divine Fiend Slash, is indeed impressive in its might. But if we truly compare profundities, it is actually inferior to my divine power."

After all, both the Netherworld Communication Profound Arbiter and 'the gentleman should hide his implements at the right time' were True Monarch-level Major Divine Abilities. Po himself was only at the Dao lord tier, a status comparable to a True Person; the Major Divine Ability he cast was naturally far inferior. As for why the result had still been such a one-sided domination...

"The gap doesn't lie in the divine powers, but in the people."

"I couldn't beat you because my application of divine powers and qi manifestations was far inferior to Senior's." Wang Ping's eyes filled with realization. "It's the qi manifestations."

He saw it clearly. The sword light Po had used at the end to sever the Netherworld Communication Profound Arbiter held might far exceeding its previous state. Every change within it had been captured in full view.

"Right now, Senior is just like me, having grasped five qi manifestations. However, when I utilize a divine power, only one qi manifestation responds. Senior used a special method to make all five qi manifestations answer the divine power. Doing it this way, a massive gap naturally emerged."

"He truly comprehended it."

Seeing this, Po sighed in admiration internally, giving a slight nod. "This is the art of Dao foundation corroboration. It is a special technique for communing with the qi of heaven and earth."

"It allows one's own Dao foundation to commune with the qi of heaven and earth."

"By temporarily abandoning control over the other qi manifestations, you exchange them for a massive boost to a specific qi manifestation, thereby reinforcing the might of the corresponding divine power."

"You must understand that the qi manifestations of the qi of heaven and earth vary in strength. Depending on a cultivator's traits, there will always be some qi manifestations of little use to you. By using the art of Dao foundation corroboration, you temporarily forfeit those in exchange for significantly boosting the more useful ones. Its value goes without saying."

At the very end, Po simply dispelled the sword light.

"To think you could comprehend this much after just crossing blows once. It seems Yang wasn't wrong; your comprehension can truly be described as world-shaking."

Immediately after, Po sat down cross-legged on the spot.

He beckoned Wang Ping to do the same.

"I am here to teach you how to spell-fight. We won't talk about Dao attainment or cultivation, only combat strength... Do you know how ancient cultivators judged the combat strength of those at the Dao-entering level?"

Wang Ping shook his head and cupped his hands. "I ask Senior for guidance."

Po chuckled lightly. "We called it the Nine Heavens."

"The Heavens have nine layers: the Central, the Envious, the Compliant, the Changing, the Pure, the Boundless, the Complete, the Sunken, and the Accomplished. Above the Nine Heavens is the pinnacle realm of cultivation."

"For these Nine Heavens, there is no distinction between Qi Nurturing, Qi Consumption, or Qi Refining. Regardless of what Dao lineage you cultivate, whichever Heaven you break through represents the combat strength of that Heaven. It doesn't matter what Spiritual Treasures, skills, Dao attainment, or even external enhancements you factor in. It purely measures your combat strength."

"It is clear at a glance."

"And above the Nine Heavens lies the domain of true cultivation. Of course, we used to call it cultivating the Dao. Those who wish to prove their Dao must shatter the Nine Heavens with raw power."

Po spoke with confidence. "Don't think this is easy. This is combat strength, not cultivation level or Dao attainment. High cultivation and Dao attainment don't necessarily guarantee high combat strength."

"Take yourself, for example."

"A Qi Refining practitioner who has grasped five qi manifestations would have been considered to have reached a limit in the Qi Refinement First Layer back in the old days, yet you couldn't even break through the first Heaven."

"Of course, I can't blame you."

"After all, many favored children of heaven who achieved perfection in the Qi Refinement Third Layer—or even ultimately succeeded in true cultivation—might only have reached the level of breaking the seventh Heaven prior to that true cultivation."

"Ultimately, cultivation level is the root of everything. Combat strength is just icing on the cake. In the same amount of time, you could push your combat strength up to the Nine Heavens, making you undoubtedly invincible in Qi Refining. But by then, the other guy has attained true cultivation and could blow you to death with a single breath. Therefore, very few cultivators deliberately try to increase their combat strength."

"As time went on, the concept of the Nine Heavens naturally vanished."

"I reckon only ancient immortal realms boasting long lineages and True Monarchs residing in the world might still use this system as a standard."

Po suddenly smiled. "Of course, you have already met a cultivator who broke through the first Heaven, and even experienced it with your own eyes."

Wang Ping immediately understood.

"The First Seat?"

"That's her." Po nodded, guessing his thoughts. "As a pathfinder, even though she has just broken through, her combat strength is incredibly high."

"Her combat strength sits firmly at the level of breaking the first Heaven, and she is still improving rapidly. Right now, she should be very close to breaking the second Heaven."

"However... you aren't bad yourself."

Looking at Wang Ping, Po's tone shifted. "Controlling five qi manifestations and five Major Divine Abilities—two of which are True Monarch-level—you can actually break the first Heaven as well."

"At the very least, your foundation has already met the requirements."

"You couldn't do it before due to a lack of skill. The art of Dao foundation corroboration is just one of them; it is merely the basic literacy of spell-fighting skills."

Po continued, "Another skill is the art of mana synchronization. It involves integrating a special grand Dao frequency into your mana to elevate the resonance intensity between your divine powers and qi manifestations. My Heavenly Ruins Divine Fiend Slash possessed such might just now because I utilized this very technique."

"Aside from that, there is also the art of Dharma body breathing."

"By using this method to breathe the qi of heaven and earth, you can enhance your physical body... This is a skill for qi-ingesting practitioners. You know it as well; qi-ingesting practitioners prioritize the physical body."

As his voice faded, Po patted his chest.

"Take me, for example. I may be a sword cultivator, but my physical body is just as strong. Otherwise, I wouldn't be able to bear the pressure caused by the resonance between the divine powers and qi manifestations."

Wang Ping seemed to understand.

The art of Dao foundation corroboration can boost divine powers, the art of mana synchronization can enhance communion with the qi of heaven and earth, and the art of Dharma body breathing can strengthen the physical body.

Spell, mana, Dharma body.

The first two elevated output, while the latter carried the burden brought on by that high output. These were the three great foundations of a cultivator. By possessing all three, one could break through the first Heaven!

Wang Ping's expression lifted greatly, and he immediately looked at Po.

"Please teach me, Senior!"

"Good."

Po nodded slightly. "For the next month, learn from me. If you can elevate your combat strength to consistently break the first Heaven, the perfection of nine qi manifestations might not be out of reach."

"Yes!"

Dao Tomb.

As time passed, news that the Heaven Defiance Palace was about to descend into the Star Grave Sand Sea spread out, making this cosmic death trap increasingly lively.

Prior to this, the Star Grave Sand Sea had only been prowled by ancient cultivators. Only rarely would Qi Refining practitioners from the Immortal Gate approach to collect star sand and forge treasures. However, as the day of the Heaven Defiance Palace's manifestation drew closer, the number of Qi Refining practitioners appearing here surged.

In a short time, the very appearance of the Star Grave Sand Sea changed.

All sorts of flying ships and palace halls radiating spiritual light stretched across the cosmos. Like scattered stars, they added luster to this gloomy death trap.

"There are more and more people."

Dazzling brilliance shone like the midday sun. Not even star sand could draw near it, revealing a towering palace hall where a man in resplendent golden robes stood.

Beside the man stood a slender Daoist, surrounded by trickles of spring rain and thin, misty drizzles. His vital energy morphed alongside the shifting clouds.

"Is it bad to have so many people?"

Yunlong let out a light chuckle. "It's only lively with lots of people. This is the Heaven Defiance Palace, arguably the Great Rebellion's final legacy. What Qi Refining practitioner wouldn't covet it?"

"It's just too many."

Mingde shook his head, his expression icy. "In my view, it would have been enough for only the major immortal realms to send people. To actually share such fortune with these Qi Refining practitioners outside the immortal realms is simply a sin."

The luxuriously dressed Mingde shook his head again. "The Great Rebellion has been dead for so many years, yet the legacy it left behind is still enough to feed these lower Qi Refining practitioners. Their cultivation surges dramatically, giving birth to wild ambitions of attaining true cultivation. They are no longer as obedient as before. It is a disaster with far-reaching consequences."

Yunlong remained noncommittal.

"Regardless, since that Dao lord guided the Heaven Defiance Palace to fall into the Star Grave Sand Sea, there is a high probability he has other plans. He won't just obediently follow orders."

"Merely a cornered beast's struggle."

Mingde was unbothered. "His true cultivation cannot be separated from the mortal yang fire, from the Li Trigram, or from fire qi. Therefore, no matter which path he takes, the True Monarch can subdue him."

"As for the others, however..."

This fire-qi Dao Child hailing from the Radiant Clarity Realm shifted his gaze toward the other corners of the Dao Tomb with a cold sneer. "They certainly arrived quickly."

Yunlong also cast a sidelong glance over.

Entering his line of sight was a radiant brilliance of interwoven gold and fire. Two auspicious clouds sat firmly in a corner of the cosmos, one before the other, appearing thoroughly unhurried and composed.

"Mingyou, Tianxing..."

Yunlong laughed inwardly, knowing exactly why Mingde had suddenly voiced that lamentation. He had seen a repulsive Qi Refining practitioner arrive.

Mingyou was indisputably the number one Qi Refining practitioner in the Immortal Gate today. However, they were not a direct descendant of a True Monarch from the immortal realms, nor even a direct descendant of a True Person. Even though they had sought refuge under Daoist Master Hanguang Danyang, they hadn't accepted his karma. Though nominally a subordinate, Mingyou retained autonomy.

More importantly, rumors stated that Mingyou's current achievements were due to securing a massive stroke of luck during the Heaven Defiance Palace's last manifestation.

The manifestation of the Heaven Defiance Palace didn't happen all at once.

Or rather, the Heaven Defiance Palace that vanished alongside the Human Emperor was far more than a single palace—it was a sprawling architectural complex.

The Heaven Defiance Palace was merely the core.

Surrounding the Heaven Defiance Palace was an ocean of auxiliary halls. Before the main palace manifested, the auxiliary halls would always descend first.

Unlike the main Heaven Defiance Palace, which strictly forbade Qi Refining practitioners from entering, these auxiliary halls broke free from the palace's protection upon entering the world. As a result, Qi Refining practitioners could enter them. Even as mere auxiliary halls, they had bathed in the glory of the Great Rebellion. The countless opportunities inside were of tremendous help to Qi Refining practitioners.

For instance, during the Heaven Defiance Palace's last manifestation.

The Heaven-Stealing Thief, possessing Tribulation Transcending cultivation, had entered the main hall and claimed a huge fortune. Meanwhile, Mingyou had swept the auxiliary halls clean, laying the foundation for their status as number one in the Immortal Gate.

Back then, this fire-qi Dao Child had seemingly fought Mingyou.

Thinking of this, Yunlong stroked his chin. Yeah, he didn't win. Not only did he lose, but he was beaten until he scrambled away with his head in his hands.

Hahaha!

Yunlong laughed inwardly, but kept his face composed, shifting the topic. "Let's put Mingyou aside for now. Tianxing is here too, which means that lord should be present as well."

"The Divine Weapon Courtyard... True Monarch Fengxian Daozheng. My lord told me that Tianxing received this lord's true transmission. By borrowing Mingyou's momentum to pursue true cultivation, his chances of success are likely thirty to forty percent. He must have come seeking the fortune of the Heaven Defiance Palace because his time is drawing near. It should be within the next ten years."

When mentioning that gold-qi True Monarch, even Mingde's arrogant tone betrayed profound reverence. He didn't dare show the slightest offense.

Right at that moment, another streak of light sped through the cosmos.

"Oh?"

Mingde and Yunlong simultaneously revealed looks of surprise. They gazed at the solitary figure, clearly not expecting him.

"It's Hengxu."

"The Dao Child of the Observing Eternity Realm. It looks like he broke through to Qi Refining recently. Can the wood faction actually bear to send him here? Aren't they afraid he might perish in this place?"

The Observing Eternity Realm wasn't nearly as glorious as it used to be. Their True Monarch had lost his throne, and to nurse his wounds, he had plundered the lifespans of Qi Refining practitioners across the world. This act had deeply offended the myriad cultivators. Now, lacking the True Monarch's protection and entering this place alone, the probability of being attacked by bandit cultivators was practically one hundred percent.

At the very least, Mingde wouldn't mind playing the role of a bandit cultivator this once.

However, another brilliance surfaced in the distance. It transformed into a rolling auspicious cloud that covered the sky and swallowed the earth, sheltering the solitary Hengxu dead center.

"The Protector Courtyard!"

The light in Mingde's eyes shone brighter. "The earth qi has also sent people... They certainly wouldn't want to miss an event like this. Most likely, they've come to cannibalize our Daoist friend from the Deity Transformation Realm."

"Heh heh, entirely expected."

Yunlong's expression remained unchanged. "My Dao Child is loaded with karmic merit, so it's only natural the earth qi set their sights on him. I'm afraid they're just waiting for him to die to steal his karma."

"It seems the Deity Transformation Realm is also preparing to abandon its own Dao Child?"

Mingde cast a glance at Yunlong.

"How could that be!"

Yunlong shook his head decisively. "The True Monarch has always harbored a heart of universal love, treating lower cultivators as his own children. Since the Dao Child has won his approval, how could he be abandoned so casually?"

I don't believe a word of your bullshit!

Mingde knew he wouldn't pry any important information out of this water-qi yin spirit's mouth. Too lazy to ask further, he simply entered a state of meditation and waited.

In another corner of the cosmos, Tianxing and Mingyou were also surveying the surroundings.

"It will be within these next few days."

Mingyou formed a hand seal, and a faint lantern-like glimmer lit up at their fingertips, illuminating the heavenly secrets. "Within three days, the auxiliary halls of the Heaven Defiance Palace will descend here."

Tianxing wasn't bothered; instead, he asked curiously, "Tell me, will that good disciple of yours get involved? I heard my lord say he's also reached Qi Refining now. This auxiliary hall is a massive stroke of luck for him too."

Mingyou thought about it for a moment before saying with absolute certainty, "He definitely will."

That little beast had always scraped the sky three feet high and shaved the earth seven inches thin. He was an absolute reincarnation of a Pixiu—leaving the house and not finding money was considered money lost. How could he possibly miss such a great opportunity?

"Then should we help him?"

Tianxing continued to ask.

He was rewarded with Mingyou looking at him like he was an idiot. Help him? What kind of saint do you think I am? I scrape the sky three feet high too, you know!

And to think you're the gold-qi Dao Child; how have you not learned a single bit of the gold faction's style?

Sigh, the True Monarch really spoiled you rotten!

Thinking this, Mingyou rolled their eyes in a mix of sourness and irritation. "You wouldn't understand even if I explained. Just follow me later. Whatever I say, you do. That's it."

"Got it!"

Tianxing broke into a satisfied smile. This was exactly what he'd been waiting for Mingyou to say. Some might think he was acting dense, but that was an illusion.

Treading the Tiger's Tail. If I want to elevate this karma to its absolute peak and align it with myself, I need to obey every word and instruction. If I don't, how am I supposed to borrow its imagery?

I'm actually very shrewd!

Meanwhile, in a corner of the cosmos, Hengxu—the Dao Child of the Observing Eternity Realm who had just reached Qi Refining—had his hands tucked inside his sleeves, looking around with a hint of vigilance.

"Daoist friend Hengxu!"

A cultivator descended from the sky with a friendly smile. "Long time no see. Congratulations, Daoist friend, for finally refining your qi and entering the Dao."

"Daoist friend Xiaoling..."

Hengxu's eyes shifted slightly. He recognized this earth-qi Dao Child from the Protector Courtyard. The man's secular name was Chen Yuanfu, and he cultivated under the earth-qi True Monarch Xuanshi Yiyang.

None other than the 'Earth Thunder Return' True Monarch.

"Daoist friend, for you to come here all alone is far too unsafe." Chen Yuanfu's attitude was enthusiastic. "Why not travel alongside our Protector Courtyard?"

"...There's no need."

Hengxu shook his head decisively.

He knew full well just how unpopular his Observing Eternity Realm was among the Immortal Gate's Qi Refining practitioners right now. If he rashly traveled with anyone, there was a huge possibility he'd be stabbed in the back!

For all he knew, they might be walking along, and he'd suddenly find himself surrounded by bandit cultivators.

"Then never mind."

Chen Yuanfu wasn't bothered by the rejection. He continued to smile. "Still, our two houses are family friends of many generations. We should definitely interact more in the future."

Hengxu treated the words as nothing more than passing wind.

The Immortal Gate had always been incredibly pragmatic. When his True Monarch was fine, they were naturally family friends. Now that his True Monarch was unwell, it became a case of 'how could a lowly cultivator dare to climb so high.'

He's ninety percent just selling me a favor upfront. Just in case I actually score some fortune in the Heaven Defiance Palace's auxiliary hall, they'll definitely use this generational friendship to demand a cut. When I'm useful, they preach about deep bonds; when I'm not, they turn hostile on the spot. These bitch-born bastards... how did the Immortal Gate turn out like this!

Hengxu couldn't help but curse bitterly in his heart.

However, Chen Yuanfu suddenly lowered his voice. "Daoist friend Hengxu, since we're already here, why don't we join hands later to kill a few ancient cultivators?"

Saying that, he made a hand gesture.

Following the gesture, Hengxu shifted his gaze. He quickly spotted a number of ancient cultivators in the Qi Nurturing and Qi Consumption stages gathered around the Dao Tomb below.

For a moment, his hands felt itchy. Although the vast majority of these ancient cultivators were penniless, the ones with the guts to fight over the fortunes in the Heaven Defiance Palace's auxiliary halls were basically all sect masters of various Dao fields. They still held some good items. Not to mention anything else, carrying two or three Spiritual Treasures was standard issue.

These were exactly the soft persimmons he loved to squeeze!

It wasn't just Hengxu. Nearly all the Immortal Gate's Qi Refining practitioners in the Star Grave Sand Sea couldn't help but look at the ancient cultivators as prey.

After all, in the eyes of orthodox Immortal Dao cultivators like them, ancient cultivators were nothing but a bunch of stinking heretics who absolutely deserved to be ruthlessly humiliated.

The ancient cultivators surrounding the Dao Tomb naturally felt this atmosphere as well.

"This is bullying to the extreme..."

"Preposterous!"

"Cultivators in the Qi Refinement First Layer actually dare look at me, someone at the Qi Nourishing Third Layer, like this! If my karma hadn't shattered back in the day, I would never suffer such an insult!"

In an instant, countless ancient cultivators were filled with righteous indignation.

Among them, Yi Xuangong had restrained his vital energy. His expression couldn't hide his heavy thoughts; recent events gave him a bad premonition.

The Dao lord...

Drawing the Heaven Defiance Palace into the Star Grave Sand Sea, not hesitating to throw all the ancient Dao lineages onto the poker table as bargaining chips... this was not the Dao lord's style.

Yet this was exactly what the Dao lord had done.

This made Yi Xuangong recall his experiences over the long years. In the beginning, he had frequently met with the Dao lord seated upon the golden throne.

He would comfort the Dao lord, and together they would bitterly curse the betrayal of the Four Great Wisdom Kings. The Dao lord would earnestly seek ways to break the stalemate, freely discussing future plans. Back then, a sharp resolve still lingered between the Dao lord's brows. He believed it was impossible for the Human Emperor to simply fall, and that things were bound to take a turn for the better.

However, as time went by...

The Yingti Willow irrepressibly marched toward decline. The Dao field withered away, and the Dao lord's injuries grew heavier... Gradually, the Dao lord stopped speaking.

His meetings with the Dao lord grew fewer and farther between.

In the end, he couldn't even take the initiative to see the Dao lord at all. As for the Dao lord sitting on the golden throne, the light of the Yingti Willow grew colder.

This was a bad omen.

Yi Xuangong had no idea what exactly had happened to the Dao lord. Utterly powerless to do anything about it, the feeling nearly drove him mad, and his expression grew increasingly gloomy.

Soon, a few more days passed.

On this day, the crowd of Qi Refining practitioners and Dao field sect masters jolted awake from their meditation. Raising their heads, they saw a layer of the void abruptly split open.

"It's here... The auxiliary hall of the Heaven Defiance Palace has entered the world!"

"Which one is it this time?"

Boom!

From amidst the deep gloom, a pavilion glowing with flowing colors slowly emerged. Directly above its main entrance hung a plaque engraved with a few words:

Incense-Draped Hall.

In the distance, in the direction of the water and fire qi, Mingde stood up. Golden suns shone dazzlingly in his eyes. "To think it's this one... One of the Great Rebellion's Five Thunder Divine Firmament Mansions."

The next second, he abruptly looked toward Hengxu, realization dawning on his face. "So that's how it is. No wonder this wood-qi Dao Child was willing to risk his life."

"Unfortunately, he alone will not be able to claim the fortunes within."

With this thought, Mingde rode out on a streak of light.

And it wasn't just him. Including Tianxing, Mingyou, Hengxu, and Chen Yuanfu... all the Qi Refining practitioners and Dao field sect masters universally flew toward the palace hall!

Inside the Dao Tomb.

Rumble!

A muffled rumble echoed down the Corridor. Immediately after, a heavy, profound gate was pushed open, and a young man strolled out.

He wore armor and carried a bow on his back. A saber hung on one side of his waist, a quiver on the other. Placed visibly inside were five arrows, and his body radiated an unshakeable sharpness.

"Are you sure you want to go?"

Po's voice rang out faintly. "The time you've spent learning the art of Dharma body breathing is too short. Your physical body is not yet strong enough to bear the burden of elevated divine powers and qi manifestations."

"You can break the first Heaven for a short period, but you cannot sustain it."

"If you take the time to push your physical body's strength up, perhaps you will still have a chance."

"This junior's mind is made up."

Wang Ping shook his head. The art of Dharma body breathing could elevate the physical body, but it was not the only way. He had a much faster method.

The dharma body path.

This gathering of countless cultivators is exactly the opportunity I need to accumulate 'small wins' into a 'big win,' thoroughly perfecting the Innate Realm. If I can take this step...

The physical body's requirements will absolutely be met.

When that time comes, I will use the momentum to break through and strive for the perfection of nine qi manifestations.

"Since I need to elevate my combat strength, how could I just sit here cultivating?"

"It is only right that I see some blood."

As his voice faded, Wang Ping gazed far into the distance, just in time to see the crowd of Qi Refining practitioners and Dao field sect masters riding streaks of light straight into the Incense-Draped Hall.

"I will use this sky full of immortal cultivators to validate my divine powers."