area51novel Chapter 92 The Great Power of the Nascent Soul, the Changing World
Chapter 92 The Great Power of the Nascent Soul, the Changing World
Chapter 92 The Great Power of the Nascent Soul, the Changing World
The spiritual pressure was accompanied by a bone-chilling cold, as if a glacier from the far north had rolled over it, and all the cultivators along the way felt as if they had fallen into an ice cave.
On the streets of the market, the monster meat on the cutting board of a butcher who was practicing Qi cultivation was instantly frozen stiff.
The Foundation Establishment elder in the teahouse, raising his cup, suddenly had frost-like patterns form on the spiritual tea within.
Everyone stood frozen in place, not daring to even move their eyes.
Chen Yi hid in a secret chamber three zhang underground, and dark golden lightning patterns suddenly lit up all over his body.
He did his best to conceal his aura: the jade spirit mist shrank into a thin veil that clung tightly to his meridians, the three-colored divine consciousness transformed into fine threads and buried in his divine aperture, even the blood and qi of his copper bones solidified like iron and were absorbed into his bone marrow, the thunder patterns on the surface were hidden inside.
However, when that divine sense swept over, it was like ten thousand years of mysterious ice cutting through flesh and blood, reflecting all the hidden golden radiance and the exotic fluctuations of extremely pure Taiyi magic power within his body.
"what?"
Thousands of feet in the air, a figure walking on the wind let out a soft exclamation.
The Emperor Qi's black dragon robe fluttered in the wind as he glanced down toward the market, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes.
"This desolate place actually hides a few interesting little creatures. Perhaps we can have the royal family members come here to exchange ideas later."
In the cultivation world of Qi Kingdom, talented individuals are not limited to the royal family and major sects!
His gaze lingered briefly on a few subtle auras, then he chuckled and shook his head.
With a flick of his sleeves, he fell into the heart of the lake like a meteor.
At the bottom of the lake, before the secret realm,
The three Core Formation cultivators—the Sect Master of Jade Dragon Sect, the Sect Master of Profound Cloud Sect, and the City Lord of Clear Phoenix City—respectfully awaited their arrival.
"Greetings, Your Majesty. The explorers in the secret realm have been cleared out. We request Your Majesty's presence."
It was like the might of heaven pressing down on you.
The instant that divine sense swept over...
Chen Yi's muscles were taut like iron, and the dark gold lightning patterns of his fully formed copper bones were flashing wildly under his skin, yet he didn't dare to even entertain the slightest thought of resistance.
His prized jade magic solidified in his meridians, and his three-colored divine consciousness curled up into the deepest part of his sea of consciousness like a startled fish—
This is an absolute crushing defeat on a life level.
The dark figure in the gale didn't even target him intentionally; a casual glance as he passed by made the secret chamber where he was hidden three zhang underground appear transparent.
The unusual fluctuations of the [Thunder Spirit Golden Radiance] and [Taiyi Longevity Power] within his body seemed to be hidden very deeply.
But if the other party wants to see, Chen Yi has nowhere to hide.
"So this is what a true cultivator is like."
After the terrifying spiritual pressure dissipated, Chen Yi realized that his Taoist robe was soaked with cold sweat.
He looked down at his trembling hands; the lightning patterns dancing between his knuckles now seemed utterly ridiculous.
What are the Great Completion of Copper Bones and the Foundation Establishment of Earth Grade? In front of a Nascent Soul Grandmaster, they are nothing more than an ant that can crawl turning into an ant that can fly, without any difference.
The life-or-death struggle in the Medicine Valley Secret Realm, the step-by-step maneuvering in Qingfeng Immortal City, and even the recently completed Foundation Establishment transformation—all the self-righteous trump cards and calculations have now become a joke.
"My current cultivation level is far from sufficient!"
He clenched his fist tightly, and his dark golden bones creaked under the strain.
The image of that storm-like vortex of spiritual energy kept flashing through his mind:
The ability to trigger extraordinary phenomena in the world while walking, and to see through thousands of miles of rivers and mountains with a sweep of divine sense—this is the true realm of "freedom".
"Those who are among the most powerful figures in the cultivation world are the ones who truly yearn for a sliver of freedom."
Without reaching the Nascent Soul stage, one will forever remain an ant on the chessboard of the cultivation world.
Whether we've reached the Foundation Establishment stage or the Bone Refinement stage, our lives will still be precarious, a mere existence of survival!
At this moment, Chen Yi felt an intense longing for true power and for formidable cultivation.
Emperor Qi nodded slightly, his figure flashed, and his nascent soul burst forth with light, allowing him to squeeze into the secret realm alone.
The reason he had to squeeze was because the spiritual energy within his body was too powerful. After ten thousand years of spiritual energy loss and interaction with the outside world, the spiritual energy-bearing barrier of the secret realm's small world had become fragile.
Ten thousand years ago, this secret realm could accommodate the cultivation of two Nascent Soul cultivators, as well as several Nascent Soul level demonic cultivator prisoners.
now,
Even when Emperor Qi entered alone, he could still faintly sense the tremors throughout the entire secret realm.
The feeling of being squeezed was like a large, fat person falling into a bathtub that was almost full of water. The moment he fell in, the water in the bathtub overflowed, and the bathtub, which wasn't very sturdy, creaked as if it were under a heavy load.
At this moment, this was exactly how Emperor Qi felt.
He frowned slightly, scanned his surroundings with his divine sense, and sighed with a hint of disappointment:
"It is indeed one of the secret realms conquered by the Thunder Soul Sect ten thousand years ago, in the near-ancient period."
Unfortunately, the truly valuable resources have long since dissipated, and they cannot help me break through to the late Nascent Soul stage.
This place cannot withstand the torment of a Nascent Soul cultivator.
Well then, let's leave it to the younger generation. For those little ones, it's an extremely rare opportunity.
"Those countries have recently been experiencing a period of great upheaval."
Emperor Qi squinted as he gazed into the distance, his mind flashing back to the recent actions of the Nascent Soul cultivators from the neighboring cultivation kingdoms.
"It's time to give the little guys here a real test."
True geniuses cannot be nurtured in a greenhouse; only those who have been burned to ashes are truly valuable.
This secret realm, with its divine soul, thunder array, spiritual herbs, inheritance, and opportunities, is indeed suitable.
However, there are a few evil spirits that are beyond the scope of what's needed, and we'll have to deal with them.
Emperor Qi made up his mind.
He did not set off again to fly deeper into the secret realm.
With a mere outstretched hand, a small, pale gold sword, about an inch long and shimmering with blue light, suddenly appeared in the air above his palm.
The sky suddenly darkened.
Emperor Qi stood with his hands behind his back on the clouds, his black dragon robe fluttering without wind, and his eyes seemed to hold the galaxy turning.
Wherever his gaze fell, the thousand-mile-long secret realm unfolded as if he were reading the lines on his palm, and all the demonic soul fragments lurking deep within the thunder array revealed themselves—
A dark soul in the late stage of Core Formation huddled in the eye of an ancient array, spitting out resentment and malevolence left over from antiquity; several demonic shadows comparable to those in the False Core stage roamed the earth's veins, devouring the souls of the adventuring cultivators as if they were food.
"Oh."
A soft laugh, yet it sounded like a divine decree, causing the clouds within a hundred miles to shatter.
Emperor Qi slowly raised his right hand, his fingertips lightly tracing a line in the air—
"Zheng—!"
A pale golden sword light leaped from his palm, its blade wreathed in a blue glow powerful enough to freeze the soul. The moment it appeared, the entire ley lines of the secret realm trembled.
The sword light was only an inch long, yet it seemed to carry the destiny of a nation, shining brightly like the sun in the sky.
"cut."
With a single, understated word, the sword's edge suddenly multiplied into countless forms.
The first golden light pierced through the core of the secret realm, pinning the late-stage Core Formation demon soul that had devoured twelve Foundation Establishment cultivators to the lightning array.
The second blue light swept across the earth's veins, and the seven pseudo-core level demonic shadows melted away like snow meeting the blazing sun.
The third wisp of sword energy swept across the outer perimeter, causing all remaining fragments of consciousness to disintegrate into a foul-smelling black rain.
After a few breaths, the sword light receded back into his palm.
Qi Huang looked down and saw that the largest demonic soul fragment in the secret realm had fallen to the early stage of Core Formation and was cowering in fear in a dead corner of the formation.
"It's good to leave some whetstones for those little guys."
He turned and flicked his sleeve; as his dragon robe swept past, the sea of clouds gathered again. He stood at the entrance to the secret realm.
It's as if I've been here, yet it's as if I've never been here.
Then he turned and left.
And long, long after he left
Deep within the secret realm, in an underground stone palace, a tortoise statue remained completely unmoved.
Hidden within that tortoise statue is an ancient tortoise thousands of years old, as if dead, without breath, without temperature, without any fluctuation.
Only in the deepest recesses of its soul does a demonic shadow with a human face occasionally flash by.
Similarly, deep within the secret realm, in the dark forest, there are several demons that have been bound for ten thousand years, their auras now weakened to the Foundation Establishment or Pseudo-Core Formation stages.
They also dodged the wave of sword beams swept by Emperor Qi.
Then, Emperor Qi directly took charge of the Lake and Sea Market for two months.
In an instant, the security situation in Lake Hai Market and the surrounding area for thousands of miles became exceptionally good.
These included burly body cultivators and strongmen with scarred faces, a fierce aura, and a penchant for ripping off rogue cultivators and bullying honest ones.
We often see them doing good deeds such as bringing spiritual tea to elderly monks and helping to repair city walls.
That smile was so genuine.
Those cultivators who had previously worked full-time or part-time as Tribulation Cultivators were now even more obedient than the last.
Some even stayed secluded in their caves for two months without leaving, not even going out to buy more spirit rice and pills when they ran out.
Its main feature is its ability to withstand attacks!
As for establishments like the Blood-Clad Pavilion, they've long since closed down.
The elders of the Blood-Clad Tower stationed at Lake Sea Market have fled directly to Qingfeng Immortal City.
The Blood-Clad Pavilion was deserted, with only Li Yudie running her ordinary talisman business.
After Li Yudie had half a meal at Chen Yi's house last time, she returned to the Blood Robe Tower and reported Chen Yi's situation to the elders.
"After working as a cook for a few years, I stole some spiritual food and picked up Qin Chengcheng's leftovers?"
How dare this brat speak ill of Qin Chengcheng behind her back?
The elder pondered slowly, analyzing not only the intelligence he had gathered, but also Chen Yi's attitude as he spoke.
His attitude towards Qin Chengcheng was such, even at a private dinner with only two or three close friends, and even if he was possibly drunk.
This also illustrates certain issues.
"Hmph, it might not just be leftovers. Maybe their relationship is closer than it appears."
The elder of the Blood-Clad Tower calculated with his fingers and, recalling Qin Chengcheng's loss of memory over the past few years,
He suspected that the cook might not be so simple.
"Okay, please continue."
Li Yudie then recounted Chen Yi's other fortuitous encounters, such as unexpectedly acquiring a superior Qi-refining technique that perfectly complemented his spiritual root talent, resulting in strong magical power.
He unexpectedly helped Qin Chengcheng detect a deadly poison, and thus obtained the Foundation Establishment Pill.
Furthermore, during the foundation-building process, he unexpectedly gained the favor of Deputy City Lord Liu, and thus received preferential treatment in terms of spiritual vein support.
In addition, he was lucky during his Foundation Establishment stage, unexpectedly reaching the upper limit of mana quality and touching the threshold of Earth-grade Foundation Establishment.
The elders of the Blood-Clad Tower carefully examined each piece of information, analyzing for any inconsistencies.
He incorporated the information into his existing knowledge base and began to deduce it using specific divination techniques.
Ultimately, it was discovered that aside from some questions regarding Chen Yi obtaining some advanced Qi-refining technique,
The others are reasonable.
"But when so many coincidences come together, it's no longer a coincidence."
The elders of the Blood-Clad Tower recalled the concept of "luck" in the cultivation world.
For example, a Nascent Soul elder from a major Nascent Soul sect in Zhongzhou was originally an ordinary rogue cultivator from the small cultivation kingdom of Zhao.
His path of growth and the opportunities he gained all seemed reasonable, but his journey from a rogue cultivator to Foundation Establishment, Core Formation, and finally Nascent Soul...
That's one that only comes along once in hundreds of millions of cultivators.
This is unreasonable.
This person had experienced no fewer than ten life-or-death crises during his growth.
He always managed to escape danger.
In the tradition of their divination skills, this situation is called "being blessed with good fortune."
However, with his current second-tier divination ability, he cannot see through the concept of destiny.
After thinking for a moment, the Blood-Clad Elder said:
"Continue to lie low and observe for now. Report back after you've figured out the source of his advanced Qi-refining technique."
At the same time, observe him for another ten or twenty years. If during those ten years he encounters danger but always manages to turn it into safety,
That person might be a chosen one, and should be reported to the master.
Although Li Yudie didn't understand it, she thought it was very sophisticated, and she felt a little excited.
If the elder's analysis is true, she might encounter a person of exceptional fortune, one in a million among cultivators.
She was able to be around such a person and witness the rise of such a powerful figure.
Just thinking about it made her legs tremble with excitement!
It's just a pity.
Chen Yi had no intention of taking any more risks.
now,
The news that the Lake and Sea Secret Realm had been cleared by Emperor Qi and then transformed into a trial ground for all the geniuses of Qi quickly spread among the upper echelons.
The royal family specially dispatched a Core Formation cultivator from the royal family to oversee the event and congratulate the Core Formation elder of the Jade Dragon Sect on the establishment of the Hall of Lakes and Seas Secret Realm.
The income from the secret realm is now split 40/60, with the royal family taking 60% and the Jade Dragon Sect taking 40%.
Furthermore, cultivators entering the secret realm are no longer subject to inspection of their storage items or magic treasures upon entry and exit, nor are they required to collect a share of the resources they gain.
Instead, it became an entrance fee.
The fee for each person to enter the secret realm varies depending on their cultivation level.
For example, the entry fee is 5000 spirit stones for the late Foundation Establishment stage, 3000 for the early Foundation Establishment stage, 1000 for the early Foundation Establishment stage, 800 for the Warrior stage, and 500 for the Qi Refining stage.
It is not recommended for fake Core Formation cultivators to enter. If there is a special need to enter, an entrance fee of 20000 spirit stones will be charged.
Since it's a one-time fee, the price is the same even if you only stay in the secret realm for one day.
This fee is extremely high.
Because the spiritual energy in the secret realm is chaotic, it can pollute the cultivator's magical power.
Most ordinary Foundation Establishment cultivators cannot stay in the environment of the secret realm for more than half a month.
Regardless of how long you stay or what opportunities you gain, the entrance fee remains the same.
This is Emperor Qi intentionally raising the bar.
This is to exclude cultivators with insufficient foundation and poor background.
Almost all independent cultivators and the vast majority of ordinary cultivators from sects were excluded.
Only the true prodigies of those sects, those confident they will gain enough opportunities after entering, dare to venture in.
And this opportunity was precisely what Emperor Qi had prepared for them.
It contains numerous opportunities for Core Formation, even special Core Formation spiritual objects, as well as some inheritances from ancient sects.
Therefore, the Huhaifang Market has become increasingly lively recently.
Emperor Qi did not stay idle during his two months here.
He personally led some royal array masters to carry out a major undertaking.
Above the sky, the dragon robe billowed.
Emperor Qi stood with his hands behind his back on a cloud, the churning waters of a lake flowing into the sea beneath his feet. His eyes flashed like lightning, and his five fingers were spread out in his sleeves—
"rise."
With a single imperial decree, the landscape was transformed.
Dozens of royal array masters, dressed in dark gold robes, simultaneously made hand seals, causing the earth's veins to emit a muffled rumble.
In the distance, a verdant mountain peak was uprooted, its surface covered with dense patterns of mountain-moving formations. Amidst the rosy glow of the sunset, it crashed into the lake mouth, forcefully severing the waterway that had flowed into the sea for thousands of years.
"smoke."
Emperor Qi flicked his finger, and the Heaven-Shaking Array rose up, unleashing boundless spiritual power.
The lake surface was instantly engulfed in a whirlpool hundreds of feet wide.
Nine black dragons, formed from spiritual energy, flew out from his palm.
As the dragon's jaws opened wide, billions of tons of lake water were drawn from the lakebed.
The ice crystal vein, dormant for millennia, was revealed beneath—the dark blue crystals refracted a blinding, cold light under the blazing sun, and deeper within, a secret stone gate covered with ancient runes was exposed.
Three days later, the earth was reshaped.
The once vast and misty lakebed has now become a basin.
Centered around the entrance to the secret realm, three thousand six hundred black iron golems, controlled by the royal puppeteers, work tirelessly day and night.
Water-repelling patterns floated on the obsidian-paved streets;
Seventy-two arrow towers concealed crossbows capable of sniping Foundation Establishment cultivators;
The core of the secret realm plaza was even reinforced with molten third-order cold iron, forming a sealing array powerful enough to suppress the fluctuations of Core Formation.
Most astonishingly, in the center of that towering immortal city—above the entrance to the secret realm—float nine spirit source pearls the size of dragon eyes.
The leaked spiritual vein from the secret realm was forcibly restrained and enhanced, transforming it into a near-third-tier spiritual vein spewing forth pale purple spiritual mist.
Lightning patterns could be faintly seen moving within the spiritual mist; these were lightning-based restrictions personally imposed by Emperor Qi using the power of the secret realm's lightning array.
When the last puppet was fitted with the array eye stone, the entire immortal city suddenly lit up with a bright blue light.
Emperor Qi turned away with a flick of his sleeve, his black dragon robe sweeping across the newly built city walls, leaving behind a declaration that echoed for miles:
"The Immortal City by the Lake and Sea shall be established today. We cordially invite the pride of the Qi Kingdom to come and explore its mysteries."
With this, the royal family officially took over this celestial city and secret realm.
The royal family took over this place partly to keep the resources in their own hands.
In addition, he also had special spatial array masters observing the area to prevent the secret realm inside from being eroded by other spaces, thus affecting the cultivation world of the Great Qi.
Because Emperor Qi had already observed that the secret realm's lifespan was less than a few thousand years, and spiritual energy had already begun to permeate beyond the void.
Energy interacts with each other; if spiritual energy can go out, then other things can come in.
In the void, nothing is surprising.
The Emperor of Qi must be on guard. If something appears that even he, a Nascent Soul cultivator, cannot handle, then it will be a disaster for the Great Qi.
Of course, that possibility is very small, because there is nothing in the entire Great Qi that would be of interest to such a being.
The original lake that flowed into the sea underwent a dramatic transformation; a celestial city rose from the ground and stood tall in the center of the lakebed.
The original lakeside market area has become the secondary city center of the second-tier spiritual vein on the outer perimeter of the Immortal City.
While all the cultivators in the market were watching with awe the immense power of Emperor Qi, who was at the Nascent Soul level, from afar...
Chen Yi's expression changed slightly.
"not good!"
He immediately vanished into his underground chamber, which led to a hidden waterway thirty feet underground.
The immense power of Emperor Qi in moving mountains and filling seas is triggering a chain reaction, causing the rock strata at the bottom of the lake to begin to twist and deform.
His escape route may be exposed to the world.
Chen Yi needs to block the outside exit before anyone notices!
In the underground secret chamber,
He made a hand seal with his fingertips, and the jade magic power shimmered, causing the underground formation to quietly activate.
The Xuan Yin Iron essence liquefied, instantly sealing off the passage to the bottom of the lake.
Just as Chen Yi was about to breathe a sigh of relief,
He suddenly froze.
Just a moment ago, he clearly sensed that some extremely powerful being seemed to have glanced at him.
As expected, Chen Yi quietly observed the Qi Emperor standing motionless in the air through the array.
The other person glanced at him almost imperceptibly, a slightly amused expression on their face.
"Ah, the little insects here are quite interesting."
"We've been discovered."
Chen Yi remained frozen in place, maintaining his earth-遁 (earth-遁 is a type of martial arts technique).
But then, that was it.
The Emperor of Qi merely glanced at him before ignoring him completely.
As a Nascent Soul cultivator, he had seen far too many brilliant geniuses, and also far too many geniuses fall from grace.
In such a remote market town, it's not unusual to find a small, somewhat "unique" rogue cultivator.
Being able to see him even once is already a blessing.
"call"
The long exhaled breath exploded into tiny bubbles in the soil. Chen Yi solemnly clasped his hands in a fist salute to the Qi Emperor.
The other person may not look at him, but he cannot be rude.
What followed was the process of Emperor Qi casting his spell, causing a thousand-foot-tall peak to crash down, lake water to pour into the air from the ground, and thousands of puppets to build a city.
Chen Yi witnessed all of this firsthand.
He was filled with emotion, remembering how the Li and Dong families had possessed the lake that flowed into the sea for hundreds of years.
In just a few days, it became a fairy city.
It felt like witnessing the transformation of the ocean into mulberry fields.
Experiencing firsthand the earth-shattering power of a Nascent Soul cultivator was incredibly awe-inspiring to Chen Yi.
"In front of the true big shots in the cultivation world, my strength, which is at the peak of the Copper Bone Realm and the Quasi-Heavenly Foundation Establishment Realm, is still like an ant."
At this moment, Chen Yi was filled with fighting spirit to reach a higher cultivation level and possess greater power!
The Emperor of Qi personally intervened, unleashing a massive upheaval in the State of Qi.
Half a month later, the Lake and Sea Market suddenly became lively.
Within the vast territory of the Qi Kingdom, countless Foundation Establishment stage prodigies flocked to the Immortal City of Lakes and Seas.
Among them, the most eye-catching were five men and three women.
They are all true prodigies from various sects and forces; even the least talented among them possess mutated celestial spiritual roots.
Three of them even possessed the legendary innate precious bodies!
Two of these people are from the royal family; they are a brother and sister, both direct descendants of Emperor Qi.
One person was named Qi Wuba, and Qi Yourong.
Right now, the brother and sister are sitting in Chen Yi's private kitchen, having personally brought several top-tier second-level ingredients.
They are all mutated species, and their monster level may not be that high, but their nourishing power is exceptional.
They specifically requested that Chen Yi prepare a table of spiritual food.
These two must have been disguised.
Qi Wuba was nine feet tall, as strong as a tower, and his voice was like muffled thunder.
"Chef Chen, I've heard that you are the most famous chef in this area. Today, I'll give you a chance to taste the culinary skills of this small border town of the Great Qi."
Chen Yi looked troubled. It wasn't that he didn't know how to do it, but he was worried that doing it would cause him a lot of trouble.
"What's wrong? Are you not skilled enough and feel like you've run out of tricks?"
You little cook, don't miss this opportunity!
For your life, prepare this spiritual feast for us.
This might be the only chance you'll ever have in your life to meet a truly top-tier cultivator.
After today, we will be separated by mountains and seas, and there will be no chance for us to meet again.
"Brother! You're talking nonsense outside again. I'll tell Mom to deal with you!"
The girl had an ordinary face, but her eyes were full of liveliness.
"Esteemed chef, we mean no harm. Just treat us as normal customers. Do your best to make these dishes, and all charges will be according to your rules."
My brother is not good with words. We are both cultivators, and we may have a chance to meet again in the future.
Perhaps if you cultivate to the pinnacle of your life, you might have the opportunity, in some future situation, to see us from afar.
Chen Yi was speechless.
You say your brother can't speak properly, but you're not much better!
Although Chen Yi coveted the ingredients the two had, he didn't want to cause himself trouble. He worried that cooking too well would reveal his abilities.
But now, he decided not to be polite anymore.
Anyway, we're separated by mountains and seas, and once we've eaten today, we'll never see each other again.
Chen Yi planned to demonstrate some of his culinary skills and teach the two a lesson, after all, these were top-quality ingredients delivered to their doorstep.
The high-level golden radiance within his body had not accumulated significantly for several days.
(End of this chapter)