Chapter 431: Pre-Heaven Stage Achieved, the Life Tribulation Begins!

For Wang Ping, this sensation was a first.

Now that his nine qi manifestations were perfected, they formed a profound stairway stretching to the heavens, piercing straight into the subterranean yin water's [Hidden Dragon Meridian-Circulating Nether-Penetrating Qi]. He had never been this close to the cosmic qi.

Because of this, he could feel it with absolute clarity.

The mighty power of the subterranean yin water—the fury of the offended cosmic qi—was like a suppressed volcano, continuously building pressure, on the verge of erupting.

'I took this step too fast.'

Wang Ping realized this, yet he paid it no mind. The instant he took that step, a faint intuition had already confirmed it—he had made exactly the right move.

As for the impending backlash from the cosmic qi, he had anticipated it and made preparations well in advance. Rather than the fury of the subterranean yin water, he focused on his four newly acquired qi manifestations. He wondered what methods their corresponding major divine abilities would provide, and how they would aid him in his life tribulation.

[Underground Spring Vein], [Nourishing All Things].

[Cyclic Origin Qi], [Extreme Yin Weak Water].

With a shift in Wang Ping's thoughts, the qi manifestations flashed through his eyes one after another. Their corresponding major divine abilities awakened autonomously, howling within his sea of consciousness.

[Underground Spring Vein] was one of the most fundamental qi manifestations of the subterranean yin water. It was a versatile foundation—lacking much offensive power on its own, but capable of amplifying other qi manifestations.

The divine ability he selected for it was [Nine Hells Spring]. It could amplify the [Netherworld Communication Profound Arbiter], doubling the might of that life-destroying major divine ability. Right now, it roared to life, condensing entirely into a speck of dark luster between his brows and intensifying the aura of extreme peril and malice clinging to him.

Wang Ping stood with his hands behind his back, looking up.

"Crash!"

His gaze swept outward, taking in the complete collapse of the [Incense-Draped Hall]. Sky and earth shattered simultaneously, with all things plummeting into a bottomless abyss.

This was the collapse of a world.

At this moment, the apocalyptic spectacle of the world's end was completely recorded by his [Netherworld Communication Profound Arbiter], transforming into churning, profound imagery within his ghost domain.

It was just like Tianhou's dao fruit from before. That bloody battlefield had recorded the death of a True Person, elevating its life-destroying might to the absolute peak. He was doing the exact same thing right now—recording the destruction of the [Incense-Draped Hall] and turning it into a part of his divine abilities, and even his qi manifestations.

This was not something just anyone could accomplish.

To achieve this, one's own qi manifestations first had to be complete enough, and their divine abilities had to be capable of bearing the weight of such catastrophic imagery without suffering a backlash.

By augmenting the [Netherworld Communication Profound Arbiter] with the [Nine Hells Spring], Wang Ping barely met the requirement.

Secondly, the cultivator themselves had to share a karmic connection with this great destruction. The heavier the karma, the deeper the record, and the greater the feedback from the resulting imagery.

On this point, among all the Qi Refining practitioners who had entered the [Incense-Draped Hall] this time, only he fit the bill. The others fell far short of the standard.

'After all, I'm the chief culprit.'

Even without Wang Ping, the [Incense-Draped Hall] would have eventually collapsed, but definitely not this quickly. It was Wang Ping's schemes that had single-handedly accelerated the process.

Such heavy karma allowed Wang Ping to record the scene of this world's destruction to the maximum possible extent, converting it into nourishment for his own qi manifestations.

'Right now, this nourishment might only boost the might of the [Netherworld Communication Profound Arbiter] and enhance my combat strength,' Wang Ping thought. 'But given enough time, when I attempt to break through to the Qi Refinement Third Layer in the future, it will inevitably become a crucial foundation for cultivating my dao fruit. This is often exactly how a cultivator's foundation is built.'

No wonder quiet meditation and secluded cultivation were out of fashion these days.

If one wanted their cultivation to advance rapidly, their qi manifestations to stand above the rest, and their combat strength to reach the next level, they had to stir up trouble. The bigger the trouble, the greater the improvement.

Just like now.

'My nine qi manifestations are now perfected, and I practically orchestrated the destruction of the [Incense-Draped Hall] with my own hands. I could absolutely use this as my grand achievement to break through to the Qi Refining Second Layer.'

Despite that, Wang Ping was in no rush to break through.

The reason was simple.

'It's not enough!'

For an ordinary Qi Refining practitioner, breaking through to the Qi Refining Second Layer using the destruction of the [Incense-Draped Hall] as their achievement would be a massive, once-in-a-lifetime stroke of luck.

But for Wang Ping, this level of achievement was only mediocre at best. At the very least, compared to the terrifying life tribulation he was about to face, it was mere child's play.

'If I survive this life tribulation, it will undeniably be an unparalleled achievement. Only by using that to break through to the Qi Refining Second Layer can I fully unleash the foundation of my nine perfected qi manifestations. And if I fail to survive the life tribulation... then I'm dead either way. Breaking through or not won't make a difference.'

The bold gorge themselves, while the timid starve.

Since he had the opportunity, Wang Ping would naturally pursue the strongest path. Otherwise, wouldn't he have risked his life and endured the schemes of so many superior cultivators for nothing?

At that thought, Wang Ping calmed his mind.

He spread out his divine sense, quickly merging it into the collapsing world around him, feeling as though he were at the bottom of a vast ocean. Only when he sensed a specific threshold did he open his eyes.

"Rumble!"

In an instant, his figure vanished from the world. When he reappeared, he had landed in a dark, ethereal realm where an infinite torrent of spiritual energy was pouring in.

'So this is a [Graveyard Star]...'

Looking across the Cosmic Deep Space, there were many factors that led to the formation of a [Graveyard Star]. One of the biggest was the collapse of a star and the annihilation of a Grotto-Heaven.

Simply put, the Grotto-Heavens and immortal realms forged by cultivators, as well as the many naturally occurring worlds, were like nails driven into the Cosmic Deep Space. Normally, they were fine, but when a nail was pulled out, a pitch-black hole would appear out of nowhere. This was the prototype of a [Graveyard Star].

Of course, a [Graveyard Star] in its prototype stage was actually nothing to worry about.

As long as the [Graveyard Star] hadn't had time to grow, a Qi Refining practitioner was strong enough to snuff it out. Even if it did grow, True Persons and True Monarchs were more than capable of resolving it.

To date, there was only one [Graveyard Star] that no one could resolve and could only be suppressed.

Wang Ping looked around, then formed a hand seal and began to channel one of his four newly acquired qi manifestations, [Nourishing All Things], along with its corresponding major divine ability.

"There is a thing confusedly formed, born before heaven and earth."

[Profound Female Complete Heaven Wondrous Art]!

In a flash, all the incoming spiritual energy was completely absorbed by Wang Ping. He then used it to prop up this dark, ethereal realm, dividing the clear from the turbid to recreate a landscape of mountains, rivers, seas, and land.

He was constructing a Grotto-Heaven!

This major divine ability lacked offensive power; it was purely a method for building Grotto-Heavens. Naturally, its results were far beyond what other Grotto-Heavens could compare to.

Up to this day, Wang Ping had seen quite a few Grotto-Heavens.

The worst were those created by Tribulation Transcending Second Layer cultivators, while slightly better ones belonged to Corpse Dissolution Immortals. However, all those Grotto-Heavens were actually quite inferior.

Though called Grotto-Heavens, they were in truth nothing more than cordoned-off areas within the Cosmos that had been refined into personal territory. They were just oversized, mobile mansions lacking any true, formidable profundity, and anyone could find them. His Grotto-Heaven, however, was far beyond such shoddily made imitations.

Simply put.

His Grotto-Heaven was a recreation of heaven and earth in the truest sense. It did not borrow the mighty power of the Cosmic Deep Space; rather, it created something out of nothing, forging its own independent pocket of space.

Only this kind of Grotto-Heaven, anchored to the Cosmic Deep Space, could fill the void left behind by the destruction of the [Incense-Draped Hall] and prevent the birth of a [Graveyard Star].

At the same time, Wang Ping would gain an excellently located Grotto-Heaven residence, which would be incredibly convenient whether he used it to avoid disasters and dodge tribulations, or to cultivate and seek the Dao.

Avoiding disasters went without saying. A Grotto-Heaven forged with this method relied on no external power and was practically a world of its own. As long as he didn't manifest it, no one could find it. If he ever started losing a magical battle, he only needed to hide inside and he would be impossible to track down, allowing him to evade even the heaviest karma.

As for cultivation, that depended on the cultivator's own methods.

Take [Daoist Master Hanguang Danyang], for example.

This True Person's current achievements were inextricably linked to the assistance of his [Dao Proving Mountain] Grotto-Heaven. The benefits brought by taxing the entire Immortal Gate were immeasurable.

'Further up the ladder are the immortal realms of True Monarchs,' Wang Ping mused.

He inspected the Grotto-Heaven he had just built. It spanned a mere thousand miles—a far cry from the [Deity Transformation Realm] and the [Radiant Clarity Realm] he had seen before.

Moreover, the laws within this Grotto-Heaven were no different from those of the Cosmic Deep Space; they were still governed by the cosmic system of Twenty-Four Qi. It utterly lacked the profundity of a True Monarch's immortal realm, which forged an entirely new set of laws. He had only taken the very first step on his long path of cultivation, and he still needed to forge ahead.

'I suppose I should give it a name.'

Wang Ping rubbed his chin, not in a rush. After all, he still hadn't decided what his Grotto-Heaven's primary function would be in the future, so there was no need to name it immediately.

Besides, he hadn't even survived his life tribulation yet.

'Never mind.'

With a shift in thought, Wang Ping stepped out of the Grotto-Heaven. Perhaps because his Grotto-Heaven had filled the void, the collapse of the [Incense-Draped Hall] had noticeably slowed down.

Immediately after, he opened his palm.

[Cyclic Origin Qi]!

The third newly achieved qi manifestation abruptly emerged, condensing in his palm before finally transforming into an ancient, rustic book a hundred pages thick.

[Cyclic Life-Substituting Book]!

This major divine ability could house his life force, using the book's one hundred pages to absorb lethal damage on his behalf. It was hailed as an art of immortality. However, if all one hundred pages were used up and not restored in time, causing the divine ability to break, all the accumulated injuries it had substituted for would instantly rebound onto him. It had both clear advantages and severe drawbacks.

As for the final qi manifestation.

Wang Ping lowered his gaze, his eyes falling upon the brightest of his nine qi manifestations. In a daze, he felt as though he could see thousands of perilous and profound visions within it.

[Extreme Yin Weak Water].

'The karmic changes left behind in the subterranean yin water by a True Monarch. It represents the ultimate, perilous profundity of the [Kan Trigram], and now it is the first manifestation of the subterranean yin water...'

No, that wasn't right.

Wang Ping's pupils violently contracted. 'It's not just the subterranean yin water, but the entire water qi! This [Extreme Yin Weak Water] is the first manifestation of all six water qi across the three realms of yin and yang!'

Staring at this qi manifestation, an epiphany naturally rose in his heart:

North of Kunlun lay a body of water so lacking in buoyancy that it couldn't support even a mustard seed. A goose feather could not float upon it, and reed catkins would sink straight to the bottom. Thus, it was named Weak Water—the most vicious and treacherous water in the world.

This reminded Wang Ping of the karmic achievement he carried.

[The Peril of Losing the Dao].

His intuition told him that this achievement was the key to allowing [Extreme Yin Weak Water] to become the first manifestation of water qi, representing that True Monarch's supreme accomplishment.

'It's hard to imagine just what kind of massive achievement they accomplished during their Qi Refining stage to propel [Extreme Yin Weak Water] into becoming the first manifestation of water qi. That old bastard Mingyou probably fell short in this exact aspect, which is why his combat strength only broke through the eighth heaven but failed to reach the extreme peak of the ninth.'

Wang Ping opened his hand.

Amidst the surging weak water, a ray of flawlessly pure, pale light slowly rose up like a halo. Resembling a bright moon hanging in the sky, it hovered behind his head.

It perfectly integrated with the [Profound One Calamity-Crossing Ring].

[Moon Abode]!

Corresponding to the [Extreme Yin Weak Water], this was the major divine ability bestowed upon him by the mysterious old man in front of the [Deity Transformation Realm]'s Dao Transmission Tower. It roared to life.

When it came to this divine ability, its essence could actually be summed up in a single sentence: "Wherever the Moon abides, one must face it; it cannot be turned away from."

In short, one could not turn their back on this major divine ability; they could only face it head-on. It had two applications: the first was for cultivation, and the second was for combat.

When used for cultivation, [Moon Abode] could link karma and destiny together. When scheming against another cultivator, it left the target with no room to evade—they had to directly confront his trap. In other words, it artificially manufactured a life tribulation. It was exceptionally useful for extracting reality from falsehood and bullying lower-level cultivators.

When used in combat, it was even simpler.

It left enemies with nowhere to run, forcing them to take his attacks head-on. Even if they managed to temporarily flee, he could use this divine ability to drag them back through space.

Of course, this technique could also be used in reverse.

When fleeing himself, he could leave the [Moon Abode] behind. His pursuers would be forced to face the divine ability, completely stripping away their ability to chase him.

"Phew...!"

Wang Ping closed his eyes and sensed his power for a long time before finally opening them again. In a flash, his pupils overflowed with bright light, and he commanded all his qi manifestations as easily as moving his own arm.

Yet the very instant he gained complete control over his skyrocketing qi manifestations and cultivation, a terrifying sense of crisis finally descended from the subterranean yin water overhead.

"Rumble!"

Wang Ping looked up, only to see the [Hidden Dragon Meridian-Circulating Nether-Penetrating Qi] crashing down, enveloping him in an endless, murky luster that felt like a vast ocean.

The profound sea was falling from the sky!

There was no complex profundity to it; it was purely the crushing weight of the cosmic qi. It was one of the Twenty-Four Qi orthodoxies currently manifested in the Cosmic Deep Space, and it was violently striking back at Wang Ping!

In a split second, Wang Ping was swallowed by the profound sea.

Yet he didn't care at all. The already saturated [Lesser Abundance Study] roared into action, and the [Great Abundance Scripture] proudly reared its head beneath the sky-blotting profound sea!

At that moment, a dense array of golden light erupted from the center of Wang Ping's brow. It rapidly spread across his face and down through his limbs and bones. Anchoring itself to his physical flesh, his martial Divine Intent stood unshakable and indestructible, allowing his body to plant its feet firmly in the depths of the profound sea's surging waves.

The [dharma body path], Pre-Heaven Stage achieved!

In that instant, Wang Ping felt as though he could see outside the [Incense-Draped Hall], where that magnificent, profound figure radiating boundless light and heat like a noonday sun cast a sidelong glance in his direction.

The Fire Qi True Monarch.

'The human yang fire has sensed me.'

Wang Ping looked toward the sky, sensing that the fire of civilization symbolizing "creation" had turned its gaze toward him because of his [dharma body path], though not with overwhelming scrutiny.

'That makes sense. After all, my [dharma body path] is a mutation of the [Martial Dao]. The [Martial Dao] is the main trunk, while I am merely a branch, so the human yang fire is still exercising restraint. I imagine the human yang fire will no longer hold back only when I manage to make the dharma body path fully independent and separate it from the [Martial Dao] in the future.'

Wang Ping reined in his thoughts.

Just then, however, he suddenly realized that the backlash from the subterranean yin water had intensified. As a result, his body sank even deeper into the profound sea.

"Crack!"

Under the increasingly crushing weight of the profound sea, the Divine Intent surrounding his body began to fracture. The golden body forged by his Martial Dao Pre-Heaven Stage suddenly showed signs of giving way.

'...Something isn't right.'

Wang Ping furrowed his brow. Before his breakthrough, [Break] had specifically run calculations for him, confirming that his Pre-Heaven golden body was absolutely capable of withstanding the cosmic qi's backlash.

An unexpected variable had appeared.

'Is it because of the [Extreme Yin Weak Water]? Did mastering the first manifestation of water qi elevate the subterranean yin water's backlash to a higher level?'

'It's possible.'

Wang Ping looked at himself. The cracks on his golden body were expanding bit by bit. Though he could still hold on for now, the countdown to his body's collapse had already begun.

'How long will this backlash last?'

Absolute silence reigned.

Suddenly, Wang Ping's expression shifted as he realized another change—because the subterranean yin water's backlash had intensified, he was being pinned down in the deepest depths of the profound sea.

And down here, the profundity of the subterranean yin water's [Hidden Dragon Meridian-Circulating Nether-Penetrating Qi] was pushed to its absolute limit. Its greatest characteristic was concealment. Now situated at the bottom of the profound sea, he couldn't even see the True Monarchs or True Persons outside the [Incense-Draped Hall] anymore. Everything was hidden!

'This is... a natural hiding place!'

Unknown to True Persons, unperceivable to True Monarchs!

Even better, all of this had happened in a perfectly logical manner. Even if the subterranean yin water's backlash had abruptly spiked, it could easily be blamed on the [Extreme Yin Weak Water].

Therefore, no one would be suspicious.

And even if they were, with the True Monarchs keeping each other in check, none of them could forcibly tear open the cosmic qi to investigate. Observing from afar wouldn't allow them to see through the veil either.

'Perfect timing!'

In a flash of insight, a spark of hope flared in Wang Ping's heart. 'Was this intentional? Is this why my True Monarch supported me in perfecting my nine qi manifestations?'

It was a golden opportunity!

This was a chance to bypass the other True Persons and True Monarchs, communicate with him in secret, and place a vital piece on the board. 'As expected of a True Monarch. Their schemes are truly reliable!'

At that thought, Wang Ping excitedly looked around.

Yet he waited patiently for a long time, and that noblewoman-like voice of his True Monarch—the one that sounded incredibly accommodating and maternal—never rang out in his mind.

'What's going on?'

Wang Ping thought about it and formed a vague guess: 'This isn't like the time in the [Eight Trigrams Furnace]. I'm afraid all the True Monarchs are guarding against my True Monarch contacting me.'

Strictly speaking, during the [Eight Trigrams Furnace] incident, his True Monarch had been punching down against lower-level cultivators. Hiding from the gaze of a few True Persons was hardly a challenge. But this time, aside from Her, there were three other True Monarch-level heavyweights keeping a constant watch. It was highly unlikely She would find another loophole to exploit.

'No, there has to be a way.'

Wang Ping raised an eyebrow. Such a perfectly concealed environment, possessing ideal timing, terrain, and circumstances, had absolutely been deliberately orchestrated. There was definitely room to maneuver behind the scenes.

'Outside, the True Monarchs are watching each other, so nothing can be done there.'

'If that's the case, the key lies inside, on my own person... Am I carrying something that allows me to secretly contact the True Monarch without anyone knowing?'

Wang Ping immediately began to search.

He rummaged through everything related to the [Deity Transformation Realm]—the [Profound One Calamity-Crossing Ring], his divine abilities, the previous oral decree from the True Monarch—he checked it all.

Yet he came up completely empty-handed.

'What could it be?'

Wang Ping's thoughts raced until another idea suddenly popped up. 'Wait, the True Monarch doesn't necessarily have to contact me directly. Getting the message across is all that matters.'

He tried putting himself in his True Monarch's shoes. Water qi's reputation was notorious, and everyone was on guard against it. That being the case, why not use that paranoia to Her advantage? She could act as bait, drawing everyone's attention, while secretly using someone else to pass the message.

'A collaborator.'

Exactly. [destiny] was absolutely fair; his enemies and allies were bound to be evenly matched. Given that, his True Monarch was guaranteed to have a collaborator.

At this point, Wang Ping was certain.

His True Monarch still loved him. At the very least, the credit She had built up with him wasn't ready to be cashed in yet. This time, She was still on his side.

Therefore, Her collaborator would be an ally as well.

So who was it?

Which other True Monarch or True Person had left a back door for communication on him? Wang Ping racked his brains, and his past experiences surfaced one by one.

A moment later, he abruptly raised his head.

'...No way.'

A spirit treasure materialized in his hand. It was a large drum with two drumsticks hovering beside it, orbited by swirling streams of profound and azure light.

The [Drum of Purging Vice and Quelling Turmoil].

This was the final item on him related to another True Monarch or True Person. He had tested everything else, and none of it worked.

But this meant that:

'[Daoist Master Hanguang Danyang] might be my ally in this tribulation?'

At this thought, Wang Ping initially couldn't help but massage his forehead with a sigh. But upon closer consideration, 'It's not entirely impossible. In fact, it's highly likely!'

'After the Great Rebellion's schemes failed, the Brahma Nation became [Daoist Master Hanguang Danyang]'s optimal choice. Therefore, his murderous intent toward the [Master of Secret Traces] is beyond doubt. Teaming up with my True Monarch is perfectly logical. But the question is, what kind of hidden back door did he leave in this spirit treasure?'

A thoughtful expression crossed Wang Ping's face.

He tried grabbing the drumsticks and heavily striking the drumhead, but nothing happened. [Daoist Master Hanguang Danyang]'s clone didn't suddenly jump out as he had half-expected.

It made sense.

With the True Monarchs and True Persons keeping each other in check, [Daoist Master Hanguang Danyang] wouldn't have had the opportunity to slip a clone next to him. That would have only been discovered by the others.

Therefore, 'I have to decipher it.'

Wang Ping implicitly understood. There was a high probability that a crucial piece of information was attached to this [Drum of Purging Vice and Quelling Turmoil], and he needed to figure it out from scratch.

With that in mind, Wang Ping recalled his one and only encounter with [Daoist Master Hanguang Danyang] to date—the moment he left the [Unchanging Non-Action Dao Field]. At the time, the master had come representing fire qi, correctly guessed [Lake Fire Revolution], and left him with a single phrase: "The answer lies right on the surface of the riddle..."

Wang Ping's expression slowly brightened.

'Right! It doesn't add up. If [Daoist Master Hanguang Danyang] was in touch with my True Monarch from the beginning, he wouldn't have needed to go out of his way to question me.'

So, [Daoist Master Hanguang Danyang] had known about the [Lake Fire Revolution] path paved by the water qi right from the start! Questioning Wang Ping was purely an act!

'An act meant for the fire qi to see!'

On the surface, [Daoist Master Hanguang Danyang] was acting on behalf of the fire qi. But in truth, he had secretly allied with the water qi long ago. He was a spy for the water qi!

'What a two-faced and double-dealing scoundrel!'

Wang Ping couldn't help but marvel.

No wonder the man had achieved the True Person realm and was even gunning for the True Monarch Pinnacle Station. Based purely on his skill at keeping a foot in both camps, there was a lot to learn from him.

At the same time, this revealed another crucial point:

'In all likelihood, the fire qi is my enemy in this life tribulation!'

The truth was steadily becoming clear.

Water qi, fire qi, metal qi, and the Brahma Nation—four True Monarchs, plus two True Persons, the Dao Lord and [Daoist Master Hanguang Danyang]. The answer was self-evident.

Of the two True Persons, [Daoist Master Hanguang Danyang] was a friend.

Then [Supreme Dao Lord Xuangong] was the enemy!

As for the four True Monarchs, water qi was a friend, and fire qi was an enemy. The Brahma Nation's [Master of Secret Traces] was obviously an enemy as well. Since the metal qi was collaborating with the water qi, it was undeniably a friend.

Having worked this out, Wang Ping slowly furrowed his brows.

'Then why are these factions divided into friends and foes? Where do their interests conflict? And why would the fire qi team up with the Brahma Nation?'

This was what baffled him the most.

Based on the intel he possessed, the only possible scenario for a reconciliation between the fire qi and the Brahma Nation was if the Living Buddha descended to the world, forcing the fire qi into submission beneath overwhelming might.

Before that happened, the fire qi would absolutely never make peace with the Brahma Nation. Yet the truth was, according to his own deductions, the fire qi had somehow collaborated with the [Master of Secret Traces], and both were working against him with lethal intent. This was incredibly bizarre, and he completely failed to comprehend their motives.

'No, I shouldn't think of it that way.'

'The [Master of Secret Traces] is one thing, but I don't have any karmic ties with that Fire Qi True Monarch. It's impossible for them to go out of their way just to crush a lowly lower-level cultivator like me.'

'I need to change my line of thinking.'

'It's not that the Fire Qi True Monarch is intentionally trying to kill me. It's that in the Fire Qi True Monarch's plan, their actions and desired gains will inevitably result in my death.'

'Then what is it they are trying to do?'

Wang Ping stroked the [Drum of Purging Vice and Quelling Turmoil] in his hands, utterly bewildered.

He muttered under his breath, "The answer lies right on the surface of the riddle. Right on the surface of the riddle."

It was a tangled mess.

Wang Ping sighed. This was truly beyond human capability. It wasn't that his comprehension was lacking; his cultivation realm was just too low. Trying to surmise the thoughts of beings separated by two entire major realms was simply too difficult.

'No wonder the Immortal Gate's philosophy on fighting above one's realm insists that suppressing the opponent by two major realms is the only safe bet. It's true—with a gap of just one major realm, there might be a glimmer of hope to glimpse a fraction of the whole picture. But with two major realms separating us, everything is lost in clouds and fog. Even with plenty of clues, it's impossible to piece together the truth.'

With that thought, Wang Ping calmed his mind.

He entered the [Taiping Sutra]. Upon the towering scripture scroll, [Invoking Deities] shone brilliantly. The portrait of Yang was nearly complete, reflecting in Wang Ping's eyes.

'Should I use it?'

Wang Ping fell into deep thought. If he could invoke Yang, the entity's Dao Lord-level cultivation should be enough to pierce the fog obscuring his life tribulation.

However, his brow knitted tightly. He didn't immediately activate the scripture scroll. Instead, he shifted his gaze to examine the other scrolls, his expression fraught with hesitation.

The reason was simple:

'Unlike [Outer Heavenly Demon], the [Invoking Deities] scripture scroll is incredibly well-concealed. It's highly unlikely that [Daoist Master Hanguang Danyang] knows about it.'

Then came the question.

'Without knowing I possess [Invoking Deities], would that guy really leave behind a riddle that requires a Dao Lord's level of cultivation to solve?'

"The answer lies right on the surface of the riddle."

'By that explanation, the truth should be incredibly simple. It shouldn't require a Dao Lord's cultivation at all. In fact, it shouldn't require any cultivation—it should be obvious at a glance.'

'If that's the case, using my one-time [Invoking Deities] here would be a massive waste. There might be places where I'll desperately need it later on. If I use it up prematurely and don't have it when I truly need it down the road, what will I do then?'

[Choice].

An epiphany abruptly struck Wang Ping's heart: 'This is my final choice in this life tribulation. Once I've decided, the tribulation's difficulty will be locked in.'

It was a matter of life and death!

Only after a long while did Wang Ping heavily exhale a breath of foul air. He withdrew his consciousness from the [Taiping Sutra]'s space, choosing not to activate that precious scripture scroll.

He decided to trust his own judgment.

'Hold back!'

'At least for now, the key to breaking this deadlock is definitely not [Invoking Deities]. It's an easier path, but it will very likely bury hidden dangers for the future.'

Wang Ping sat down where he stood.

To be honest, he was getting a little tempted to tear apart the [Drum of Purging Vice and Quelling Turmoil]. What kind of crucial intel could possibly be hidden inside this piece of junk?

'There has to be a clue.'

'In this domain devoid of heaven and earth, brought about by the subterranean yin water's backlash, there must be some sort of shady, vital information that needs to be communicated to me while keeping the other True Monarchs and True Persons in the dark.'

'Wait, I've got it backwards.'

Wang Ping's thoughts shifted: 'If it were something hidden in plain sight, with so many True Monarchs watching me around the clock, how could [Daoist Master Hanguang Danyang] possibly keep it hidden?'

So the key wasn't what he had on his person.

It was what had been added in this very moment.

'The subterranean yin water.'

Wang Ping surveyed his surroundings, gazing at the boundless profound sea enveloping him and sensing the profound qi manifestations churning within it. 'This is the most important answer to the riddle.'

'Water resides in the subterranean yin, earning the title of Hidden Dragon. It circulates through the nether veins and governs the affairs of ghosts and gods. Starting from this cosmic qi, let's think—what do I have that relates to it? My qualitatively transformed mana, my nine major divine abilities, the karmic achievement "Wandering of the Cosmos," the spirit treasure [Profound One Calamity-Crossing Ring], the crowd of yin gods I've refined...'

'Hm?'

Wang Ping snapped his head up, his expression severely shaken.

He had figured it out!

'Could it be—yes, if that's the case, everything makes perfect sense! The answer lies right on the surface of the riddle. It really is right on the fucking surface!'

'Incredible...'

In a flash, Wang Ping's eyes were filled with absolute astonishment. Based on that brief spark of inspiration, the conclusion he arrived at was practically earth-shattering.

'However... there's no supporting evidence. And there can't be any supporting evidence. Yes, this secret must be kept hidden from all the True Persons and True Monarchs for it to work.'

Wang Ping knew what he had to do.

The very next second, Wang Ping formed a hand seal. The profound energy around him split into clarity and turbidity, and all his Immortal Dao cultivation was siphoned away, manifesting as a figure of clarity that stood squarely in the center of the profound sea.

Meanwhile, his turbid body maintained the state of the Martial Dao Pre-Heaven Stage, comparable to the Immortal Dao's Tribulation Transcending Third Layer. Though it seemed weak, this was purely the combat strength of his physical flesh. If an ordinary Qi Refining practitioner were to completely discard their mana and divine abilities and rely solely on their physical body, they wouldn't necessarily possess the strength of the Martial Dao Pre-Heaven Stage.

"Go," he said softly.

With the figure of clarity standing tall, Wang Ping reached out and gave a push. His turbid body—which anchored his life force—instantly sank into the profound sea, vanishing into the depths of the [Hidden Dragon Meridian-Circulating Nether-Penetrating Qi].

After completing this step, the profound sea that had been perpetually bearing down on him finally receded like the tide. The cosmic qi's backlash seemed to simply end just like that.

The clouds scattered, and the sky cleared.

Wang Ping found himself back inside the shattered [Incense-Draped Hall]. His expression was calm, and the [Paradox-Resolving Pacifying Arrowhead] in his hand flowed with a bright yet deep radiance.

But even without this True Monarch proving weapon, he knew the True Monarchs' gazes had returned, piercing in and out of his body.

They were inspecting him.

They were checking to see if any new profundity had appeared on him, and whether he had received another player's piece—in matters like this, almost no one could slip past them.

Fortunately, there was nothing for them to find.

After all, he was now left with only a figure of clarity and possessed all the qi manifestations of the subterranean yin water. To put it bluntly, he was essentially just a miniature version of the subterranean yin water.

Therefore, no matter how the True Monarchs searched, they would only find subterranean yin water.

Besides that, there was nothing else.

At that thought, Wang Ping became even more at ease. And outside the [Incense-Draped Hall], after meticulously examining Wang Ping, the numerous gazes quietly withdrew.

There were truly no abnormalities.

Compared to before, the only difference was the transformation into clear and turbid bodies. It held some profundity, but that was it—in the eyes of the True Monarchs and True Persons, it wasn't even worth mentioning.

[Unchanging Non-Action Dao Field].

Atop the [Torch Mountain], the corpse sitting upon the golden throne suddenly moved. Boundless profound imagery gathered around him, morphing into a golden sun that slowly melded into the corpse.

"Nine perfected qi manifestations..."

The corpse opened his eyes and gazed at Wang Ping from afar. Looking at this spirited youth whose path forward seemed infinitely wide, a look of reminiscence colored his eyes.

The Human Emperor of yesteryear had been just like this.

Ascending to the pinnacle station in merely thirty years, carving out a miracle unprecedented in history—what unparalleled spirit! At that time, the entire Cosmic Deep Space had blazed with brilliance because of the Human Emperor's emergence.

Yet the ways of the world were fickle.

The Human Emperor rose because of it, and perished because of it as well. He had attained the Dao too quickly, bypassing the grinding polish of time, which led him to value certain things even more than the Great Dao itself.

The result was his body perishing and his Dao vanishing.

Since then, he had understood that the Human Emperor's path was a dead end. Though he had once walked alongside the man out of admiration for his character, they inevitably had to part ways.

At that thought, the corpse looked back at Wang Ping, his mind whirring: 'An art for anchoring one's life force. The only thing left behind is a breath of clear energy, while his true life force is harbored within his physical body... He used the backlash of the subterranean yin water to hide it deep within the yin water. Quite a clever trick.'

'Unfortunately, it's still futile.'

'The subterranean yin water is ultimately just a cosmic qi, not the [Kan Trigram]. An entity at the true cultivation level can effortlessly track his life force straight through that figure of clarity.'

'Paltry subterranean yin water isn't enough to hide him.'

'He can't escape.'

Such survival tactics might let him live through encounters with Qi Refinement Third Layer experts, but in the face of True Persons, let alone True Monarchs at the pinnacle station, they appeared incredibly naive.

The corpse slowly exhaled.

In the process, the profound imagery around him ignited like firewood. Blazing like a sky lantern, it drew the attention of a certain cosmic qi.

[Civilization-Manifesting Ultimate-Founding Qi]!

Without a shred of hesitation, the very moment Wang Ping perfected his nine qi manifestations and survived the cosmic qi's backlash, the corpse began to commune with this human yang fire.

As he did, the foundation of his lifelong karmic Dao—and his final lingering light—the freezing sun manifested from the [Firefly Bank Willow] slowly began to collapse. Its golden light gradually turned into a deep, profound black, enveloped by the human yang fire that lunged at it like a starving wolf, burning it bit by bit into nothingness.

'From now on, I am a great demon too.'

The corpse mocked himself in his heart. He looked up at the raging flames burning around him, and in his vision, it was as if a trigram stretched across the Cosmic Deep Space.

Heaven and earth held the two yang lines, while humanity occupied the single yin line in the center.

The [Li Trigram]!

This trigram resembled a gaping, bloody maw. Its top and bottom were blindingly bright, yet its center was as dark and deep as an abyss, poised to devour his Dao orthodoxy.

This was the hollowness within the Li Trigram.

It was also the true nature of the [Li Trigram] and the fire qi orthodoxy—it fed on Dao orthodoxies yet could never be satisfied. The label of a demonic path couldn't be more accurate.

The next second, sensing a presence, the corpse turned his head.

"Amitabha!"

At some point, a young monk had appeared on [Torch Mountain]. His bald head gleamed, and he was clad in a profound black kasaya, staring at him with a face full of regret.

"Senior, you have truly made a mistaken choice."

The corpse paid it no mind.

"Shuofang, back in the day you were nothing more than a mere errand boy serving under Mingdu," he retorted. "Today, do you expect me to bow beneath you?"

"Why not?"

The young monk shook his head.

"For people like us, differences in cultivation realms are only temporary. It's a real shame that Senior cannot see through this."

Hearing this, the corpse curled his lip.

"You certainly talk a good game. We spent an entire lifetime of arduous cultivation to reach our current realms—who could possibly cast that aside? Who would be willing to?"

"Even if it were you, aren't you still being strung along by Mingdu just to keep the Bodhisattva throne beneath your ass? Aren't you still forced to lift a finger against a lowly Qi Refining cultivator?"

The young monk brought his palms together and sighed.

"We have nothing left to say to one another."

The corpse shook his head.

"There's no need for further words."

With that, the corpse gently swept his sleeve. The young monk's figure was instantly erased by the flames, proving that there was no longer any room for reconciliation between the two sides.

The human yang fire beside him flickered slightly, as if expressing its approval.

Following that, the corpse moved.

As the [Firefly Bank Willow] was incinerated by the human yang fire, his body—which had been nothing but a corpse—gradually sprouted flesh and blood within the firelight. His shriveled frame swelled with vitality once more.

His Dao orthodoxy had already been devoured by the [Li Trigram]. However, in exchange, he had become a part of the [Li Trigram]. The human yang fire served as the bridge connecting the two, allowing him to rapidly shed the defining traits of a Dao Lord. The air of twilight completely vanished from him, replaced by the ethereal presence of a true immortal.

In a trance-like blur, the corpse vanished.

In his place sat a young Daoist priest of peerless, celestial bearing. Perched upon the golden throne, he was confident and proud, as if he had returned to his most glorious era.

Back then, he had been bursting with spirit.

Walking side-by-side with the Human Emperor, he had wielded a bow to shoot down thirty cosmic qi as an offering to the Immortal Court, swearing to annex the five elements and replace the cosmic pinnacle station with his own Dao orthodoxy.

Now, looking back.

[Supreme Dao Lord Xuangong] lowered his head to look at his hands—they were not those of a youth. They were densely covered in wrinkles, unequivocally the hands of an old man on death's door.

The young Daoist priest had been a fleeting illusion that vanished like a night-blooming cereus.

The figure sitting on the golden throne was undeniably a white-haired old man.

Years of bitter hardship, sitting idle in one place, had nearly boiled away his supposedly infinite vitality. Today, he was no longer the young man he once was; his time was finally up.

Thus, he had no choice.

He had to reclaim his youth and recover his vitality. For this... he could now let go of all the things he couldn't let go of in the past.

And so, "Rumble!"

He slowly rose to his feet, standing up from the golden throne. Utterly severing ties with the Dao orthodoxy he had once taken such pride in, his figure rapidly began to blur.

In the blink of an eye, he transcended the mortal world.

Forsaking the Dao to cultivate the truth!

Almost simultaneously, Wang Ping, who was inside the [Incense-Draped Hall], sensed the shift. He looked up, hearing a heaven-shaking roar echoing from the torrent of [destiny].

His life tribulation had begun!