Chapter 468: Entering the Heavenly Palace

Afterward, Wang Ping waited patiently for another month. During this time, he didn't even visit Bright Light City; he simply stayed in the Dao Tomb, cultivating steadily and adjusting his condition.

Finally, the message arrived.

"Please come meet me in front of [Heaven Defiance Palace], Daoist friend."

It was from Quan Zhenhong.

Wang Ping's true body immediately sensed a vague restraint. This was the [Heaven-Answering Dao Contract] he had signed with Quan Zhenhong, and its bindings had fallen upon his true body.

However, with a mere thought, he activated the scripture scroll [Forsaken by Others], severing this karmic burden and transferring it to his avatar. His true body remained completely still as his avatar stood up. He then called [Fu], [Dao], [Li], and [Zai] together.

With a solemn expression, he said, "Seniors, I am setting off immediately."

This concerned the future of the Ancient Cultivator Orthodoxy, so he hid nothing. He immediately relayed the intelligence regarding the anchoring of the future, as well as all his own speculations, in meticulous detail.

A heavy silence fell over everyone.

After a long while, [Fu] spoke in a low voice, "Anchoring the future. I know of this. I've always suspected that the Fire Qi Immortal did something similar in the past."

"Otherwise, how could he have stood on the victor's side during every revolution of the Immortal Dao? He placed his bets nine times, and unexpectedly never failed once."

He looked at Wang Ping. "Do not underestimate such methods. Sometimes, your actions themselves might bring about the very future you foresee."

"This junior understands," Wang Ping replied.

Wang Ping nodded, then his expression turned serious. "If nothing unexpected happens, my trip to [Heaven Defiance Palace] this time will inevitably result in being besieged by cultivators from various orthodoxies."

"They dare?!"

[Zai] was the first to speak, his voice cold. "The Immortal Dao was ruined precisely by these orthodoxies obsessing over internal strife. To think they would actually try to stifle a talent like Wang Ping."

"If you ask me, whichever orthodoxy makes a move, we'll go cause trouble for them. It's nothing more than starting another great war and detonating the [Star Grave] one more time..."

Before he could finish, [Li] interrupted him in annoyance, "Easy for you to say. It's not you perishing in mutual destruction. This old man's true body is still in the [True Realm] buried alongside Zhaoxuan. The [Star Grave] is our last resort; it exists to force the Immortal Gate to play by the rules with us."

"And unfortunately..."

Pausing here, [Li] sounded a bit helpless. "They are actually following the rules quite well this time. They only sent out Qi Refining practitioners; the True Persons and True Monarchs haven't made a move."

"You call that following the rules?"

The corner of [Zai]'s eye twitched. "Each sect is sending out a bunch of old monsters—starting at Breaking Seven Layers—just to gang up on Wang Ping. If you ask me, they've already broken the rules completely!"

"We could also send people in."

[Fu] shook his head. "However, on our side, the Daoist Lords cannot enter, and anyone below Daoist Lord won't be of much use. There's nothing we can do but swallow this bitter pill."

"This is an objective gap in power. We have no choice but to endure it."

"What a joke!"

Seeing that [Zai] still wanted to argue, Wang Ping took the initiative to interrupt the debate. "Senior [Zai], you don't need to worry. This junior already has a plan for this matter."

"Seniors, you don't need to be anxious about the [Heaven Defiance Palace]; I have my own arrangements. There is only one thing I need to mention to Senior [Zai] in advance."

With that, Wang Ping looked at [Zai]. "May I ask, Senior, what exactly must be done to perfect that [Upholding the Three Disasters Orthodox Dharma] ritual inside the [Jade Firmament Palace]? And what did True Person Wuli of the [Profound Law Bureau] promise you? What does he need you to do? I must know these details first in order to formulate a plan."

"...It's actually very simple."

[Zai] pondered for a moment before replying in a deep voice, "The ritual of [Upholding the Three Disasters Orthodox Dharma] is actually an array disk in shape. It requires my dao-certifying artifact to be embedded within it."

As his voice fell, he reached into his sleeve and took out a scroll. He slowly unfurled it, revealing a diagram depicting three bright stars.

One of water, one of fire, and one of lightning.

[Profound Bane Three Disasters Scroll].

"Place this diagram in the center of the ritual, and the ritual will operate naturally. When that time comes, the three disaster stars in the diagram will hang high in the Cosmos, claiming the position of the Immortal Dao's orthodoxy."

Immediately after, [Zai] added, "However, there is one problem. The ritual needs time to operate. And once my Great Dao becomes the Immortal Dao's orthodoxy, all cultivators in the world—save for the Supreme True Monarchs—will have to endure the trial of the three disasters. This will serve as a declaration of my orthodox position."

"Oh?"

Wang Ping was taken aback. "The trial of the three disasters? What's so hard about that? Anyone at the Tribulation Transcending Second Layer can pass it. It shouldn't have any effect on Qi Refining practitioners at all, right?"

"It's different."

[Zai] shook his head, then raised his hand, pinching his thumb and index finger together to indicate a tiny amount. "It will be just a little bit greater than the one at the Tribulation Transcending Second Layer."

"To be precise, my orthodoxy will indiscriminately bring down the three disasters' trial based on a cultivator's strength. The stronger they are, the greater the trial. Essentially, it is designed to filter out the peerless geniuses truly suited for cultivating immortality, rather than those wastes who only know about borrowing the false to cultivate the true but actually possess no talent at all."

Wang Ping understood.

"So... I'm afraid Senior's orthodoxy will not be welcomed by contemporary Qi Refining practitioners. And as it happens, the ritual requires time to operate; it cannot be accomplished in a single step."

"Exactly."

[Zai] gave a bitter smile. "Not only that, but because it is replacing the current orthodoxy, the commotion will be massive. Basically, all cultivators near the ritual will be able to sense it."

"The reason this ritual wasn't carried out to the end back then was because the Human Emperor considered that it would destabilize the entire lower-level cultivator community, so he delayed it for a while."

"In the end, who could have expected that the Great Rebellion would suddenly perish..."

At the mention of the Great Rebellion's demise, [Zai] still couldn't hide his stifled frustration. After all, back then, he had truly been only one step away from becoming an Ancient Cultivator Dao Lord.

"I see," Wang Ping said, his eyelids drooping.

'So as long as I activate the [Upholding the Three Disasters Orthodox Dharma] ritual, I will inevitably become everyone's target. This is a perfect tool for drawing hatred.'

'It looks like I'll have to carry the ritual with me when the time comes, otherwise it will definitely be destroyed. As if my situation wasn't dangerous enough. But looking on the bright side, if I can complete the ritual at a crucial moment and suddenly bring down the three disasters' trial, it might just become the key factor in turning the tables...'

At this thought, Wang Ping suddenly raised his head and looked at [Zai].

"May I ask, Senior, given my current strength, if the trial of the three disasters were to descend, how much of an impact would it have on me? I need to assess this in advance."

"...You?"

[Zai] was momentarily stunned, but then he said without hesitation, "You won't be tested. With your comprehension, you fall under the category of exempted cultivators in my orthodoxy."

After all, when it came to talent, other aspects could be supplemented later on. Comprehension, however, was something you either had or you didn't. External items could, at most, add a bit of a multiplier to the original foundation.

Therefore, in [Zai]'s view, comprehension was the most important talent. As long as one's comprehension was high, even if their other foundations were temporarily lacking, it could be completely compensated for. If an extraordinarily perceptive cultivator were to be killed by the three disasters simply because of some foundational deficiency, it would absolutely be a loss to the Immortal Dao.

"That is truly... good news."

The corners of Wang Ping's lips curled up slightly.

However, he quickly composed his emotions and took the [Profound Bane Three Disasters Scroll] from [Zai]'s hands.

"Senior, just wait for my news," he said solemnly.

"...Alright."

For the first time in many years, [Zai] once again felt nervous.

On the other side, [Fu], [Dao], and [Li] exchanged glances, all of them seeing the surprise in each other's eyes, followed by relief.

Wang Ping might not have realized it, but only they—his fellow prisoners—understood just how much trust [Zai] was showing by choosing to hand over his dao-certifying artifact to Wang Ping.

"This guy trusts Wang Ping way too much."

"It's mainly because his orthodoxy favors those with high comprehension. I suspect he discriminates against people with low comprehension, and he believes that people with high comprehension definitely aren't bad people..."

"I suspected he was the informant before, but looking at it now, it really doesn't seem like it."

After putting away the [Profound Bane Three Disasters Scroll], Wang Ping immediately put on a solemn expression.

[Fu] understood implicitly and offered, "I'll send you over."

"I'll have to trouble you, Senior."

There was no need for further words. Under [Fu]'s protection, Wang Ping quickly returned to the Dao and Virtue Grotto-Heaven. He rode his escape light, looking down at the scenery of the entire grotto-heaven.

The majestic [Heaven Defiance Palace] came into view.

With a sweep of his divine sense, Wang Ping instantly locked onto Quan Zhenhong's position. Quan Zhenhong was dressed in a black robe, his aura completely concealed, and surprisingly, he had two people following beside him.

In the next second, Wang Ping brought his escape light down.

"Little Quan, I trust you've been well."

"Greetings...!"

Quan Zhenhong's movements suddenly stagnated, and the Rain Master—the old grandfather who had been manipulating his body, intending to converse with Wang Ping just as before—was even more taken aback.

"He actually saw through it? Good lad!"

Wang Ping suddenly calling out Quan Zhenhong's identity undoubtedly caught the Rain Master off guard. On the contrary, Quan Zhenhong himself was secretly rejoicing in his heart.

'As expected, choosing him back then was definitely the right move. This old ghost has been attached to my body for many days and has already become my life tribulation. If I can't find a way to eliminate him, my body will die and my Dao will vanish. But the old ghost controls my sea of consciousness, so none of my actions can escape him. I was originally worried about how to send a message...'

'But everything is fine now!'

He hadn't even done anything, yet Wang Ping had already seen through his identity. This way, as long as they coordinated from the inside and outside later on, there was great hope of slaying the Rain Master.

'As expected of someone who cultivates Water Qi!'

Quan Zhenhong was incredibly surprised in his heart, but he didn't dare show the slightest bit of emotion. Instead, he waited patiently until the Rain Master's voice faintly echoed in his ear.

"You talk to him."

"This brat is a bit strange. Even though his main cultivation isn't Earth Yin Fire, he was actually able to see through my [Profound Karma Form-Substitution Technique]. His methods are likely far beyond those of ordinary cultivators."

Quan Zhenhong suppressed his emotions and quickly regained control over his body. Then, he simply removed the concealment on his body, raised his head, and cupped his hands at Wang Ping.

"Greetings, Senior Brother Victorious."

Hearing this, Wang Ping narrowed his eyes slightly and said, "Little Quan, you really kept me in the dark."

Quan Zhenhong gave a bitter smile. "It was just an insignificant trick. I've made a fool of myself before you, Daoist Brother. However... do you still remember that you once owed me a favor?"

Wang Ping certainly remembered.

Back when he had headed to [Ghost Axe Grotto-Heaven], Quan Zhenhong had blocked him halfway, offered him a verbal pointer, and left behind a request:

[This time I have offered you a slight pointer, Senior Brother. If you break out of your tribulation in the future, I sincerely hope you remember today's karma, and when the time comes for my life tribulation, you can come and offer me a pointer as well.]

'He is dropping a hint for me.'

After reviewing Teng Xian's memories of the future, Wang Ping naturally knew that Quan Zhenhong and his accompanying old grandfather absolutely did not have a relationship of like-minded comrades.

It was entirely a cooperation of mutual interests.

The accompanying old grandfather most likely harbored malicious intentions, while Quan Zhenhong also wanted to eliminate the old grandfather. Furthermore, in the end, it was highly probable that Quan Zhenhong had won.

Thinking of this, Wang Ping immediately smiled and said, "I naturally won't forget."

"—That is good."

Quan Zhenhong secretly breathed a sigh of relief. He wasn't worried that Wang Ping hadn't caught his hint; after all, Wang Ping was the Dao Child of Water Qi, so he definitely had at least that much ability.

Following that, he turned sideways.

"Besides you, Daoist Brother, there are also two seniors who will be accompanying us," he said with a smile. "Let me introduce them to you."

Wang Ping looked over accordingly.

Following his gaze, one of them was surging with billowing red light that emanated an intense aura of slaughter. However, it didn't carry the slightest hint of ferocity, but rather felt somewhat gloomy and sinister.

As for the other, he didn't even have a physical body. His human form was entirely molded from a divine power, and his true core was actually a longsword located at his waist.

"This is Senior Chiyi of the [Profound Law Bureau], whom I spent a great fortune to hire. As for the other, he is a divine artifact that my master requested from the Immortal Realm, called [Zhixuan]. He is here specifically to protect me. With these two seniors and Senior Brother Victorious, this trip is bound to be an immediate success."

Hearing this, Wang Ping instantly circulated his profound arts.

[Covered Lamp Fire]!

This fruition rank was truly useful for prying into secrets. Most importantly, not only could it spy on secrets, but it also wouldn't be discovered while doing so.

A flash of firelight flickered in the depths of Wang Ping's eyes, and he instantly saw through the cultivation levels of these two people.

'This Chiyi is actually quite decent. He has unexpectedly reached Breaking the Fifth Heaven.'

The [Profound Law Bureau] had three departments for their operations: Red, White, and Black. The cultivators of the Red Department were responsible for assassinations and specialized in magical combat. As the chief, Chiyi's combat strength was on par with the Dao Children of the Immortal Realm. For a cultivator who didn't hail from the Immortal Realm, this was already extremely impressive... or perhaps, he had originally been a Dao Child of the Immortal Realm all along?

'It's a pity I can't see his true body.'

The Profound Law Armor still carried quite some weight. Back when Bai Yi had introduced it, he had claimed that even True Persons couldn't see through it, so relying solely on the [Covered Lamp Fire] naturally wouldn't work either.

'As for the other one... I'm afraid he is an old monster.'

Wang Ping shifted his gaze and glanced again at the cultivator called Zhixuan. In this era, anyone capable of surpassing Breaking Seven Layers was either Mingyou or an old monster.

Wang Ping had seen many similar existences: the Yin Spirits of Water Qi, the divine corpses of Earth Qi, the old demons of Fire Qi... Yet, this one before him was completely different from them.

'He should be of Metal Qi.'

'Transforming into an artifact spirit to circumvent the limits of lifespan is a pretty good method. But compared to other orthodoxies, it seems a bit crude.'

He didn't look much longer. After roughly figuring out the combat strength of the two, Wang Ping spoke up on his own initiative.

"Let's go, make it a quick trip. I'm actually quite interested in the [Jade Firmament Palace], which is reputed to be the number one thunder mansion, as well as the methods of [Heavenly Thunder]. If we gain anything, it shouldn't be too much to ask for me to take a share of one technique, right?"

"That is only natural!"

Quan Zhenhong smiled apologetically, then looked at Chiyi and Zhixuan beside him with a solemn expression.

"With the [Heaven-Answering Dao Contract] as proof, how could I deceive you all?" he said.

"...Let's go."

Chiyi nodded upon hearing this. On the other side, Zhixuan was even more reticent, simply walking beside Quan Zhenhong in a manner that suggested it wouldn't leave his side for a single step.

Soon, the three of them stepped into [Heaven Defiance Palace].

This entire scene was reflected in a precious mirror.

The mirror was located far outside the Dao and Virtue Grotto-Heaven. In front of it stood eight cultivators, both men and women, in various postures. The qi they emanated was so condensed it caused the void to shatter layer by layer.

Yin Yu, a female demon from the [Resounding Transformation Realm], stuck out her fork-like split tongue and licked her plump red lips.

"What a fine [Yin-Harboring Round Light Mirror]. Daoist Brother Zhuchuo's treasure is truly magnificent," she said with a smile.

A middle-aged man wearing a crimson robe, with long horns on his head and hair growing on his palms, chuckled.

"Junior Sister flatters me," he said. He then pulled open his sleeve, stored the precious mirror away, and lowered his voice. "They have already gone inside. Shall we pursue them immediately?"

As a voice rang out, a person stepped forward from the crowd and stood at the very front. His azure clothes fluttered, and as he spoke, sand and dust continuously rolled off his clay-sculpted body.

"...No rush," he said.

It was none other than Chu Huaijing.

"The [Heaven Defiance Palace] is vast. While there are many opportunities, the dangers are just as numerous. Furthermore, this boy has been there once before everyone else, so he is familiar with its profound changes," Chu Huaijing said.

"If we want to make a move, it is best to first trap him in one of the halls. Otherwise, if he manages to escape, there will be too many variables. The slightest carelessness will cause unexpected complications."

"Then what does Daoist Brother suggest?" someone asked.

"My lord gave a hint. These people are heading to the first lightning mansion, the [Jade Firmament Palace]. However, this is only temporary; once they go in, they eventually have to come out."

Chu Huaijing thought for a moment before continuing in a deep voice, "In my opinion, we should let them enter first, then set up an ambush at the entrance using two layers of formations—inside and out. It would be best if they are profound-grade formations. The outer layer will block reinforcements, while the inner layer will seal off their escape route. Waiting until he comes out to strike is the only way to ensure nothing goes wrong."

The crowd looked at each other in dismay upon hearing this.

Truthfully, they felt Chu Huaijing was making a mountain out of a molehill. He was just a contemporary Daoist child of Water Qi who had been cultivating for less than ten years. What did he amount to?

Reaching the Third Layer Heaven Breaking stage was already his absolute limit.

Meanwhile, the weakest among those present was at the Breaking Seven Layers stage. As long as they guarded against methods that severed lifespan and reduced longevity, they could suppress a mere Wang Ping with a flip of their hands.

However, Chu Huaijing was, after all, a great cultivator at the Ninth Layer Heaven Breaking stage who had reached the absolute apex of Qi Refining. Therefore, the crowd did not dare to refute him and lose him face. They could only turn their heads to look at another person.

That was also a cultivator wearing an azure robe. But unlike the clay-sculpted Chu Huaijing, his entire body surged with a vast ocean of vitality that made everyone present envious. His face was glowing with health. A gourd was tied to one side of his waist, and a wooden sword hung from the other. In terms of qi, he was only slightly inferior to Chu Huaijing.

"...Daoist Friend Changheng?"

Chu Huaijing cast a sidelong glance. This person was the great cultivator at the Ninth Layer Heaven Breaking stage sent by the Wood Qi faction's [Observing Eternity Realm]. Back in the day, he could be considered a cultivator of the same generation as Chu Huaijing.

Unfortunately, one was still in his youth today, while the other was like a dying piece of rotten wood... To be honest, just looking at the other party forced Chu Huaijing to suppress his intense disgust.

Changheng clearly understood the current situation of the [Observing Eternity Realm], which was despised by everyone. He immediately lowered his posture and cupped his hands.

"Daoist Friend Chu's plan is exceedingly thorough. We will follow your arrangements," he said.

Since the two great cultivators at the Ninth Layer Heaven Breaking stage were in agreement, there was naturally no need to say more. The crowd immediately rode their escape lights and flew down into the [Heaven Defiance Palace] one after another.

Inside the [Heaven Defiance Palace].

Wang Ping, Quan Zhenhong, Chiyi, and Zhixuan sped along the way. The four of them soon arrived at a crevice between palaces, a place where light and shadows intertwined.

Quan Zhenhong's expression was solemn.

"This is the place," he said.

He then voluntarily released control of his body, allowing Rain Master to surface once more. Rain Master formed a hand seal with one hand, channeled his dharma power, and muttered, "Above, supporting the Human Emperor; below, governing yin and yang..."

Before his words fell, an arc of light emerged. Seeing this, Quan Zhenhong didn't hesitate at all and immediately crashed into it. The others followed closely behind.

Seeing this, Wang Ping was not in a hurry. Instead, he first summoned a Yin Spirit and threw it inside. He then carefully sensed it to ensure there was no danger before finally stepping in.

In an instant, the world shifted.

What met their eyes was a vast expanse of profound clouds. Purple lightning shuttled through the clouds, and palaces drifted about in suspension, looking like an active formation.

Wang Ping looked back and saw that everyone had appeared inside one of the dilapidated palaces. The thing connecting the inside to the outside behind them was a formation platform used for teleportation.

However, right at this moment.

"Boom!"

A loud explosion rang out as the formation platform suddenly collapsed. It was actually the doing of Quan Zhenhong—or, more accurately, the old man, Rain Master, who was currently controlling Quan Zhenhong's body.

'As expected... I was already guarding against you!' Wang Ping thought with a sneer, completely unpanicked. For one, this was just an avatar of his, so he wasn't afraid of dying at all. Secondly, he had an inside contact here.

However, an angry expression quickly appeared on his face.

"Bastard, what are you doing!?" he demanded.

On the other side, Chiyi and Zhixuan also looked over with hostile gazes. Clearly, neither of them had expected Rain Master to suddenly destroy the formation platform and sever their exit route.

Seeing this, Rain Master was entirely unhurried.

"Fellow Daoists, you have misunderstood," he sneered. "This formation platform is merely a decoration. It will automatically repair itself as long as we wait for a period of time."

"The only reason I destroyed it is because I don't want any Fellow Daoist to flee without permission if they feel the upcoming matters are too dangerous... Of course, according to the rules of the contract, I will not stop you if you insist on escaping. However, since you can't get out, doing so would be futile."

Rain Master's tone was somewhat smug.

Admittedly, according to the rules of the [Heaven-Answering Dao Contract], he could not stop Wang Ping and the others from giving up halfway. But since he had locked their retreat, where could they possibly run to?

Rain Master smiled. "Rest assured, there won't be too much risk. I won't hide it from you all anymore. There is a true artifact inside this [Jade Firmament Palace], left behind by the [Heavenly Banner Pardoning True Monarch] in the past."

"As long as you all help me subdue this true artifact, you will definitely be heavily rewarded. You may freely take any of the remaining opportunities in this place that you desire."

"Are you kidding me!?"

Chiyi gritted his teeth, his tone ice-cold. "A true artifact left behind by the [Heavenly Banner Pardoning True Monarch] cannot be subdued by anyone other than a True Person! How could a few Qi Refining practitioners like us possibly touch it?"

Rain Master chuckled. "That was in the past. Now that the Heavenly Firmament Five Thunders Daoist Orthodoxy has been severed, I am the only orthodox lightning cultivator left. I have the confidence to gain the true artifact's recognition."

"Taking ten thousand steps back, even if the true artifact does not recognize me, I still have a way to suppress it and ensure it cannot unleash power at the true artifact level."

'He's talking about the [Divine Firmament Five Thunder Tome], isn't he?'

Wang Ping understood perfectly.

'According to Teng Xian's memories, the [Divine Firmament Five Thunder Tome] was left here by the [Heavenly Banner Pardoning True Monarch] specifically to guard two important rituals.'

'Shouldering such a heavy responsibility, how could it possibly be subdued by someone?'

'This old man actually doesn't know?'

'It seems there's a high probability he isn't some formidable character. He merely knew there was an opportunity here, so he rushed over excitedly without knowing many of the details.'

At this thought, Wang Ping completely lost interest in him. Compared to an old ghost from nowhere with a ridiculous, ignorant greed, he had more important things to do. Thinking of this, he immediately raised his head and looked at the surrounding profound clouds and ink-black sea.

"What are you still standing around for?" he said softly.

As soon as these words came out, everyone looked over, especially Rain Master. He had already been guarding against Wang Ping, but he never expected Wang Ping to suddenly spout this sentence.

'What does he mean? Who is he talking to?'

Wang Ping, however, turned a deaf ear to them.

"Little Gan, do it," he continued.

No one heard this sentence.

Because before that, their thoughts had been seized by another kind of profound mystery. Even though it was only for a split second, they still froze in place.

[God-Stealing Thief]!

Although the three of them reacted in the very next second, it was already too late. In just this brief moment, a deep and heavy dark abyss had already unfurled within this ink-black sea.

[Netherworld Communication Profound Arbiter]!

The yin wind was miserable, and the ghost qi was eerie. The Yama's Treasure Hall rose from the ground, while the Yellow Springs encircled the city, locking onto the three of them with a profoundly deep killing intent.

However, looking at all this, the first reaction of the three was, 'That's it?'

Admittedly, the [Netherworld Communication Profound Arbiter] was a very strong divine power, but limited by Wang Ping's Water Qi cultivation, it was at best at the level of the Third Layer Heaven Breaking stage.

In an instant, the originally somewhat panicked Rain Master set his mind at ease and stopped worrying. He even felt a surge of anger because of his momentary panic just now.

'To think that a dignified Rain-Distributing Immortal Official of the [Incense-Draped Hall] like me—who luckily survived even that great calamity back then, and was finally awakened by the massive upheaval of the [Incense-Draped Hall] crashing into the present world, allowing me to escape and regain my freedom—was actually frightened by a junior from tens of thousands of years later! This is truly outrageous!'

Thinking of this, he immediately prepared to voice his mockery.

"You..."

Before his words fell, the world before Rain Master's eyes suddenly blurred. The originally unified time seemed to experience a subtle dislocation at this moment.

[Time-Stealing Thief]!

Although Little Gan had just entered Qi Refining and its cultivation was a bit lacking, possessing no ability to clash head-on, if it focused purely on support, it was still quite good at creating combat opportunities.

Wang Ping pondered inwardly, but his movements were not slow in the slightest. With a cold sneer, he rolled up his sleeves, raised his fist, and stepped through the distorted time to rapidly close in on his primary target.

The [Netherworld Communication Profound Arbiter] was just a diversion. The goal was not to kill, but to use this wide-ranging divine power to forcibly sever their divine sense perception. Now, with the [Heaven-Stealing Thief] assisting from the side, the effect was taken to a whole new level, perfectly creating a brief window for a one-on-one confrontation.

Then, he threw a punch!

"Boom!"

Without the slightest deviation or any flashy tricks, it was simply a punch containing thunderous force smashing down. In an instant, it had already eclipsed Chiyi's entire field of vision.

'...Huh?'

'Why me?'

In the time it takes for a spark to fly off a flint, although Chiyi was filled with doubt, his movements were not slow in the slightest. A radiant light had already emerged from the center of his brow; it was a bright sword pellet.

The moment this sword pellet appeared, it immediately erupted with incomparably resplendent sword qi.

This item was called the [Crimson Essence Sword Pellet], obtained during one of his fortuitous encounters. There were three streams of sword qi stored within the sword pellet, and every single one possessed the might of the Breaking Seven Layers stage.

The reason he was able to become the Chiyi of the [Profound Law Bureau] was partly due to his own combat strength at the Breaking the Fifth Heaven stage, and partly thanks to this very sword pellet.

Unfortunately, cultivation always came with tribulations. To this day, he had already used up two of the three streams of sword qi. Now, only the last one remained. He had always been unwilling to use it again, but now, facing Wang Ping's peerless punch at such close range, out of instinctual vigilance, he still decisively activated this trump card.

"Clang! Clang!"

A clear, resonant sword chime rang out.

"Oh?"

In that instant, Wang Ping couldn't help but narrow his eyes in surprise, because from that whistling sword qi, he saw a familiar profound mystery.

[Calamity-Breaking Disaster-Eradicating Sword Cultivation Path].

'It's a relic of an ancient sword cultivator.'

Wang Ping understood clearly. 'With such sword qi, this sword cultivator's [Sword Observation Mind Clarity] could be called perfect. Before they died, they had even made preliminary contact with sword intent.'

Immediately after, he let out a sigh.

"What a pity," he said. "To actually dare face my fist head-on."

"Boom!"

In the next instant, Chiyi only felt his vision plunge into darkness. For a moment, he thought he had closed his eyes and hadn't opened them yet, and only belatedly reached toward his head.

His head was gone.

Only an empty stump remained on his neck. The shattered sword qi was swept up by the wind of the punch, scraping against his body like a gale. It instantly sliced away countless chunks of flesh and blood, akin to death by a thousand cuts, causing his dharma body to disintegrate inch by inch. Furthermore, the very punch that had shattered his head was still pressing down toward his torso.

'Are you kidding me!?'

Amidst infinite terror, Chiyi decisively detonated his dharma body, allowing his soul to flee. Yet, his divine sense simply could not tear itself away from the figure walking out of the overwhelming splash of bloodlight.

In this instant, only one, completely pure question remained in Chiyi's mind: 'How strong is he?'

That was sword qi at the Breaking Seven Layers stage!

Logically speaking, after this sword strike, how could a cultivator at the Third Layer Heaven Breaking stage possibly block it? The one fleeing in panic right now should have been the other party!

'Why?'

Wang Ping naturally wouldn't explain it to Chiyi, even though the answer was actually as simple as could be—because his defense hadn't been broken. Yes, it was just that pure of a matter.

With the [Profound-Dwelling Dharma-Warding Robe] and the [Dao-Guarding Bright Light Armor], coupled with the intrinsic hardness and recovery speed of the dharma body path, as well as a divine power like the [Cyclic Life-Substituting Book] to wear away any fatal injuries—let alone sword qi at the Breaking Seven Layers stage, even if it were the Ninth Layer Heaven Breaking stage, Wang Ping was confident he could endure a hit head-on!

"Face me," Wang Ping said.

As the dharma spell left his lips, a bright moon slowly rose from the gushing bloody light, carrying a boundless, profound might that would sink a feather and ground a flying bird.

[Supreme Yin Dwelling]!

This Major Divine Ability was known as "Where Supreme Yin Dwells, One May Face It But Never Turn One's Back." Just as the name implied, it made it impossible to flee, forcing the target to face its might head-on.

Thus, when the bright moon rose, Chiyi—who had just managed to escape with his life—watched in absolute terror as his soul abruptly reversed course. Like a kite with a snapped string, he plummeted into the depths of that bright moonlight. An extreme chill swept through his mind, leaving behind only profound regret and unwillingness.

This was not his true strength!

He still had Spiritual Treasures he hadn't used, Divine Powers he hadn't unleashed, and trump cards he hadn't revealed... He had been caught completely off guard, which was why he had fallen to this state.

Otherwise, even if he was no match for his opponent, he wouldn't have been killed in just a few short exchanges. At the very least, he could have held on for a while, surviving long enough for his two fellow Daoists to come to his aid.

"Bureau Chief, save me..."

Chiyi's cry for help finally triggered a reaction from his Profound Law Armor. An ethereal voice quickly drifted from the armor and into Wang Ping's ears.

"Bai Er, stop..."

"Boom!"

A Qi Refining Third Layer Great Cultivator, who had achieved Breaking the Fifth Heaven and was akin to a Dao Child of the Immortal Realm, had his soul scattered just like that. Boundless profundities immediately exploded like a raging fire.

Qi manifestations shot into the sky!

The previously disordered time was instantly shattered by the collapsing qi manifestations, yet Wang Ping didn't even blink. With a backhand strike, he shattered Chiyi's Profound Law Armor.

'What Bai Er? I don't know him!'

'What does the main body's identity have to do with my avatar?'

The only thing that made him hold back slightly was that [Crimson Essence Sword Pellet]. Wang Ping planned to keep it and bring it to [Po] later; after all, it was the relic of a sword cultivator.

He had been to the great hall where [Po] resided. Broken swords were scattered everywhere, making it clear that such relics held extraordinary sentimental value for [Po]. Since that was the case, he didn't mind offering a little consideration within his means, which could also be considered repaying the man's earlier guidance.

"Whoosh..."

The wind blew and rain battered as everything drifted away. The bloody light scattered, and the qi manifestations dissipated, revealing Wang Ping's figure. Only then did Rain Master clearly see what had just happened.

But he would rather not have seen it clearly.

"Dead? He's dead?"

The grand Chiyi of the [Profound Law Bureau], a Qi Refining Great Cultivator who had achieved Breaking the Fifth Heaven, had met someone face-to-face and died instantly in less than a single breath?

Even butchering a pig wouldn't be this fast!

And where was his Dao theory? Fucking hell, he was a grand Qi Refining Third Layer Great Cultivator, and you didn't even need a single line of Dao theory to kill him? You just relied on that one fist?

This was completely unreasonable!

However, Wang Ping wasn't going to give him time to regroup. Immediately riding the residual momentum of instantly killing Chiyi, he took a single step and arrived right in front of Rain Master.

"Not good..."

With Chiyi as a warning example, how could Rain Master dare to underestimate this so-called junior before him? He immediately prepared to mobilize all the dharma power in his body.

Then, he was met head-on by a pair of eyes shrouded in blazing white light. Right after, he discovered that the divine sense he used to circulate his dharma power had grasped at nothing.

His dharma power was gone.

It wasn't sealed, nor was it melted away. It simply and suddenly vanished, as if in this moment he had been rejected by [dharma power].

Even so, Rain Master's reaction remained incredibly fast. The instant he realized his dharma power was unusable, he switched to circulating his divine sense, summoning a radiantly glowing precious orb from his soul. This was the extraordinary treasure that had allowed him to survive from the era of the Great Rebellion to the present day. As long as he could hold back the person before him for just a moment...

A flare of firelight interrupted Rain Master's thoughts.

[Heaven Sky Fire].

Boundless bright light spewed forth, transforming into a luminous seal that slammed heavily onto that precious orb. Then, Rain Master discovered he could no longer sense the orb at all.

[Heaven-Inscribing Seal], Strip!

His dharma power couldn't be used, his Divine Powers couldn't be unleashed, and his only Dao-protecting treasure had been snatched away. Rain Master didn't even have the luxury to feel terror; he could only let out a furious roar.

"Ah!!!"

Soul detachment!

In a flash, a hazy gray figure detached from Quan Zhenhong's body and quickly hid itself, seemingly about to dissipate into this stretch of heaven and earth.

Then, a bright lamp was lit.

[Covered Lamp Fire]!

Light blanketed the world, illuminating all phenomena. Rain Master's newly hidden soul shadow was immediately exposed. He looked up and glanced around blankly, yet couldn't find a single place to hide.

'What the hell is all this...'

'Isn't he a cultivator of Water Qi? Why do the profundities he uses feel similar to Fire Qi? And what made my dharma power disappear? The Great Dao of the Ancient Cultivators?'

'Is he both an Ancient Cultivator and an immortal cultivator?'

'Huh?'

In this moment, an ocean of doubt and confusion completely flooded Rain Master's mind. Right up until the very last instant, he only managed to figure out one thing.

He understood how Chiyi had died.

Wang Ping's hand locked in a death grip around Rain Master's soul. As his five fingers exerted force, the mighty power from the dharma body path instantly crossed the boundary between the material and the spiritual.

"Boom!"

Qi manifestations shot up once more!

Yet another Qi Refining practitioner had fallen, and a pure lightning cultivator at that. Surging pure-white lightning crashed down like snow, splashing over Wang Ping's fluttering robes.

He simply flicked his sleeves lightly, turned around, and looked at the last—and strongest—cultivator present: Zhixuan, who had achieved Breaking Seven Layers. The latter's pupils shrank slightly, his sword light building up power and ready to strike. The hair-trigger tension was only broken when a somewhat cheerful voice suddenly rang out.

"Senior Brother, please stay your hand!"

Quan Zhenhong laughed loudly.

"Senior Zhixuan was invited by me. He previously cultivated in the [No-Evil Realm], and just like Senior Brother, he's here to help me shake off that old ghost. He is not Senior Brother's enemy."

As he spoke, Quan Zhenhong's qi aura explosively surged. At the exact moment Rain Master died, he had also survived his life tribulation, and right now, he was directly stepping into Qi Refining Entering the Dao!

For a time, it seemed as if a rain of gold and stone was falling between heaven and earth. Like large and small pearls dropping onto a jade plate, they clinked and chimed as they completely circled around Quan Zhenhong's body.

This was exactly the [Divine Mansion Heavenly Gold Spirit-Channeling Qi]—Human Yin Metal!

This anomaly lasted for a full half an incense stick of time before finally withdrawing as Quan Zhenhong awakened. The golden rain rolled back, ultimately forging a dharma frame for him.

"Many thanks, Senior Brother!"

Quan Zhenhong opened his eyes and immediately looked in Wang Ping's direction, bowing deeply.

"If not for Senior Brother, I absolutely would not have had this opportunity for Qi Refining Entering the Dao."

"From now on, if Senior Brother has any tasks, please just give the order."

"I will not refuse even if it means dying ten thousand times!"

Quan Zhenhong spoke with absolute sincerity and incomparable excitement. Then, he saw Wang Ping nod in complete satisfaction and pat his shoulder.

"That's great."

"It just so happens that I have a task with a ten-to-zero chance of survival that needs doing. Since you have such wonderful sentiment, Junior Brother, I'll leave this matter to you."

Quan Zhenhong: "..."

After a brief moment of stiffness, completely exceeding Wang Ping's expectations, Quan Zhenhong actually gritted his teeth, stomped his foot, and spoke in a heavy voice.

"Speak, Senior Brother. I will risk my life to do it for you!"

"...It hasn't quite come to that."

Wang Ping smiled. He then reached out and pointed toward the teleportation array platform that Rain Master had just shattered, which was now gradually piecing itself back together.

"If my guess is correct, right outside this [Jade Firmament Palace] at this very moment, there is a group of people plotting to take my life."

"It is likely an inescapable net by now."

"I will leave a Yin Spirit on you. Make a trip out there for me to scout their true strength. If your luck is good, you'll survive. At the very least, you should be able to escape back here."

Quan Zhenhong gulped.

"And if my luck is bad?"

"You'll die."

Wang Ping grinned.

"However, if Fellow Daoist Zhixuan is truly here to act as your Dao protector, then it shouldn't be a big issue. After all, the [Divine Weapon Courtyard] still commands respect."

Having said that, he looked toward the consistently reticent Zhixuan.

Quan Zhenhong wasn't the main concern. The real issue was this divine artifact that had achieved Breaking Seven Layers. Wang Ping wasn't sure if it was truly here to protect Quan Zhenhong's Dao, or if it had come to kill him.

Therefore, the best method was to drive it out.

Thus, if Zhixuan was unwilling to leave with Quan Zhenhong, there would be nothing left to say. Wang Ping would instantly turn hostile and eliminate a nuisance right here and now.

Under Wang Ping's watchful gaze, this Metal Qi cultivator who treated words like gold finally spoke.

"—.—. Go."

The moment these words were spoken, Quan Zhenhong immediately let out a long breath of relief. He then turned his head to look at Wang Ping, his expression completely serious.

"I am willing to make this trip for Senior Brother."

Hearing this, a smile immediately broke across Wang Ping's face.

"Excellent."