Upper Realm Interrogation

Hai Zu sat dignifiedly on the jade coffin, looking at Ning Qi with a puzzled expression, and simply nodded.

The next second, she saw Ning Qi's entire body also erupt with a golden celestial radiance, which appeared exceptionally dazzling within the silver celestial radiance emanating from the Spirit Jade Coffin Mountain Ancestral Immortal Body.

Ning Qi took a deep breath and leaped out of the silver immortal radiance, flying towards the Golden Immortal gate a hundred feet away.

Under Hai Zu's slightly shocked gaze, it could be seen that as Ning Qi entered the area emanating from the Golden Immortal Gate, the powerful resistance that separated immortals and mortals and blocked time and space caused Ning Qi's figure to suddenly stop.

But it was only for a moment. Immediately afterwards, the golden celestial radiance surrounding Ning Qi seemed even more dazzling than the celestial radiance emitted by the Golden Immortal Gate.

Ning Qi's figure seemed to be unstoppable, flying straight towards the Holy Ancestor in front of the Immortal Gate.

The Holy Ancestor was pushing the Golden Immortal Gate, and having already pushed it halfway open, he looked at Ning Qi who had landed beside him and instantly felt a sense of unreality.

"Kid, how did you do that?"

Once the immortal gate is formed, it can isolate the mortal and immortal realms and block time and space.

Whether it was the Mountain Ancestor's ascension to immortality or the fact that he had just witnessed Ning Qi and the other person being forced to retreat, both were true and undeniable.

But now Ning Qi suddenly broke through the terrifying barrier and appeared beside him, right in front of the Golden Immortal Gate. Who wouldn't be shocked?

It was as if Ning Qi had once again broken through a truth universally acknowledged as an unbreakable rule.

There are no many reasons, nor is there any need to look for reasons. Ning Qi's presence alone means that everything has already changed.

Ning Qi did not answer him; now was not the time for the two of them to communicate.

There was something new in his left palm—a golden key, radiating intense Immortal Power. It was the same key he had obtained before.

The Golden Immortal surrounding Ning Qi was emitted autonomously from the Golden Key.

Since obtaining the golden key from Ning Qi, Ning Qi has gradually discovered its many wonderful uses.

The first time was when Ning Qi discovered that it could suppress Boundless Evil Qi. Ning Qi used this to help the Sword Ancestor extract the Boundless Evil Qi from his body, allowing the Sword Ancestor to recover his health.

The second time was after the Mountain Ancestor became an immortal and summoned the Immortal Gate. Ning Qi was surprised to find that the golden key seemed to have some kind of connection with that Immortal Gate.

Ning Qi then realized that the golden key seemed to have come from the upper realm.

The third time was when Ning Qi cracked the Divine Ability of detecting the Immortal Gate. During the time when Ning Qi was testing the level of his own condensed Immortal Gate, he used a portion of the power of this golden key.

It can be said that Ning Qi himself did not exert much power that time; he relied entirely on the power of the Golden Key to condense the immortal Golden Immortal Gate.

Ning Qi thus further confirmed that the Golden Key was definitely related to the Immortal Sect, and might even be able to manipulate the Immortal Sect.

That's why Ning Qi gradually started plotting against the immortal sects.

Now, Ning Qi appeared before the Golden Immortal gate formed by the Holy Ancestor, and the resistance above the Golden Immortal gate could no longer harm him.

He stood before the Golden Immortal Gate, seemingly more relaxed than the Holy Ancestor who was undergoing the gate's examination.

After all, the Holy Ancestor needed to completely open the Golden Immortal Gate in order to become an immortal.

Ning Qi grew increasingly curious about the origin of the golden key in his left hand.

He still didn't know what the golden key was for, but the Unseen Ning Qi had a feeling that it was probably at least a relic of a powerful immortal from the upper realm.

Ning Qi gripped the golden key tightly in his left hand, while his right hand slowly reached out to touch the Golden Immortal gate.

"Is this the true immortal sect?"

This was Ning Qi's first real encounter with the immortal sects, although it wasn't him who became an immortal.

He was more like a troublemaker, leaving even the Holy Ancestor, who was pushing the Golden Immortal Sect forward, unsure of what to do.

Touching the Golden Immortal gate, Ning Qi felt the immortal radiance and Immortal Power flowing from it.

Both are incredibly pure, and in quality they are significantly superior to the Immortal Power within the Mountain Ancestor's body.

Just by looking at the Immortal Gate, one can see the hierarchy of cultivators in the upper realm and the treatment of different people.

Most people would probably accept this situation, and might even feel happy about it.

But Ning Qi was determined to get to the bottom of things; he didn't want to be defined by others.

Ning Qi felt the brilliance of the immortal sect, and the Immortal Power permeated his body, transmitting to the golden key in his left hand.

In that instant, Ning Qi seemed to perceive something completely different.

He looked out through the opened celestial gate, where a blurry image seemed to appear within the dazzling Golden Immortal light.

"Kid, should I keep pushing the door open?"

The Holy Ancestor's hand was still resting on the Golden Immortal Gate, but unlike Ning Qi, he was not calm; instead, he had a strong sense of crisis.

There was no other reason than that there truly was something within this immortal sect, and he couldn't have been mistaken about the sound he had just heard.

The Holy Ancestor understood that there must be immortals behind the Immortal Gate who could see him from the front of the Immortal Gate and detect some of his movements.

"Hold on."

Ning Qi did not act impulsively and allowed the Holy Ancestor to continue pushing forward the Immortal Sect.

The Holy Ancestor's spiritual senses had reached their peak; Ning Qi's appearance here raises the question of whether the immortals within the Immortal Sect have already noticed.

But after waiting for a long time, it seemed that no celestial music came as before.

It's strange that the people inside seem completely unaware of Ning Qi's presence!

The Holy Ancestor quietly transmitted his voice to Ning Qi, saying, "Those from the Immortal Sects seem unaware of you."

"Yeah?"

Ning Qi was taken aback by this.

He couldn't help but raise his left hand and glance at it; it seemed he had underestimated the power of the golden key.

The Immortal Sect is vast; as long as anyone in the Boundary Sea becomes an immortal, they will not escape the watchful eyes of the Immortal Sect.

It can even precisely separate immortals from mortals, preventing anyone from approaching the immortal gate.

But this time, Ning Qi was completely ignored.

Ning Qi didn't believe he had the ability to do this, so it must be the power of the Golden Key.

After Ning Qi took out the golden key, he noticed that the golden key actively released Golden Immortal light, which enveloped him and carried him through the resistance of the immortal gate.

He was even able to draw upon a portion of its Golden Immortal light.

Ning Qi directly faced the Holy Ancestor, separating a portion of his Golden Immortal light and placing it upon the Holy Ancestor.

The Golden Immortal radiance emanating from him was even more dazzling than that of the Holy Ancestor, resembling the sun in the sky.

If the celestial radiance emanating from the Holy Ancestor was the light falling from the sun, then the celestial radiance emanating from Ning Qi originated from the sun itself.

The Holy Ancestor did not know where Ning Qi's Golden Immortal light came from, but in an instant, he felt that the Immortal Power within his body seemed to have increased considerably.

"What's this..."

This obvious feeling made the Holy Ancestor suddenly realize that the Immortal Sects were nothing special after all.

Why isn't it as strong as the power Ning Qi gave him?

"Do you have any particular feelings?"

Ning Qi inquired.

Since this is not the immortal sect he has formed, he still needs to rely on the Holy Ancestor to provide relevant information.

The Holy Ancestor did not answer immediately.

Instead, he stretched his muscles and bones, and once again pushed the Golden Immortal Gate forward.

Squeak...

The distant Sea Ancestor sat cross-legged atop the jade coffin.

The two people before the Golden Immortal Gate, reflected in her pupils, were like two suns.

However, Ning Qi was noticeably brighter, even somewhat dazzling.

She saw the Holy Ancestor exert his power once more, continuing to push the Immortal Gate forward.

The immortal gate creaked and groaned. Although the Holy Ancestor had been pushing it rather slowly before, it now seemed to be moving more and more smoothly.

Haizu couldn't help but lightly cover her lips to hide the shock in her heart.

This little guy has once again broadened her horizons.

"Lord of the Realm, how many secrets do you still hold?"

She couldn't help but think to herself.

The Golden Immortal Gate opened wider and wider, and the celestial light shining from within increased dramatically.

Their light shone not only on the Holy Ancestor, but also on Ning Qi, who was standing nearby.

Both were bathed in celestial light, but strangely, they both felt that the celestial light was only more abundant, and its quality was still inferior to the celestial light emanating from the golden key in Ning Qi's hand.

The Holy Ancestor pushed the Immortal Gate until only two-thirds remained unopened, then temporarily stopped.

A voice finally came from inside the door again.

"You mortal, why do you not answer? Do you dare to look down on us immortals before you have even become immortals?"

This time, Ning Qi was able to clearly hear the sounds coming from inside the Immortal Sect.

"There really is someone there!"

The Holy Ancestor was slightly surprised, since Ning Qi hadn't been able to hear it before.

But this is for the best, so he won't have to repeat it to Ning Qi again.

"Reply to them."

Ning Qi said softly from the side.

He did not transmit his voice, but spoke directly and softly to the Holy Ancestor.

However, Ning Qi used Secret Method to condense his voice into a single sound line, which he then covered with the power of the golden key.

He wondered if this would be detected by the immortals who came after him.

The Holy Ancestor nodded slightly and began to respond to the questions posed by the immortals from the Immortal Sect.

"I am a cultivator from the Vast Realm, and this is my first time becoming an immortal, so I am a little nervous. I hope the immortal understands."

After a while, it seemed that the other side had received a reply from the Holy Ancestor.

A high-pitched, ethereal voice drifted over, sounding incredibly cold and aloof.

"You from the lower realm, are you located in District 15 of the Far Eastern Boundary Sea?"

Upon hearing this, both the Holy Ancestor and Ning Qi looked completely bewildered.

The other side clearly knew more about the Boundary Sea Boundary Sea than they did, including which area they were in.

The Far Eastern Boundary Sea —this clearly indicates the direction of the entire Boundary Sea —and District Fifteen—this at least means that the Far Eastern Boundary Sea comprises at least fifteen identical areas.

The Holy Ancestor responded again:

"I'm sorry, I don't know exactly where I am in the Boundary Sea. I've never left the Vast Realm since birth."

His reply was relayed, and this time the other side responded even faster.

"Hmph, have you people of the lower realm forgotten even your own place in the world?"

The Holy Ancestor remained silent for a few seconds, then began to perform in front of Ning Qi.

"We have no idea where the celestial beings of the upper realm are. We are truly unsure of our location in the Boundary Sea, and we are even quite confused about where we will go after we become immortals."

The other person seemed to pause for a moment before replying:

"As you continue to push forward with the Immortal Sect, we also need to explore your potential to see if you are capable of becoming an immortal."

This is clearly an excuse.

The Holy Ancestor looked at Ning Qi, and Ning Qi nodded.

Therefore, the Holy Ancestor continued to promote the Immortal Sect.

Rumble!

As the incredibly heavy Golden Immortal gate opened wider, the divine runes on it seemed to come alive, as if they wanted to fly out of the gate and enter the Holy Ancestor's body, allowing him to complete his transformation from mortal to immortal.

The Holy Ancestor continued to push forward, ultimately leaving only the final step.

Just one step away, the Golden Immortal Gate will be fully opened.

He had witnessed the Mountain Ancestor push open the gate to immortality, and knew that once this step was completed, there would be no turning back.

The immortal power will be transformed into Immortal Power and poured into his body, helping him to ascend to immortality.

The Holy Ancestor feigned being out of breath, seemingly lacking strength, causing the Golden Immortal Sect to retreat considerably.

"Immortal Venerable, I cannot push him away in one go; I must wait a little longer."

Ning Qi, standing to the side, almost laughed at the Holy Ancestor's clumsy acting, unsure whether the other party could truly discern his situation.

He was very curious about what methods the other party used to sense people in the lower realm.

Is it an image, an atmosphere, or something else?

However, it seems that the other side is not using images to sense things, otherwise his appearance would have been detected long ago.

Ning Qi's eyes turned towards the Golden Immortal Gate.

At that moment, a slightly clearer image appeared in his eyes.

He saw a magical stone, crystal clear and radiating Golden Immortal light.

And this celestial stone seemed to reflect some images.

Ning Qi vaguely saw two figures and a place that resembled a pavilion.

Of course, he didn't see it clearly.

Do you see a scene before your eyes?

Ning Qi transmitted his voice to inquire of the Holy Ancestor.

The Holy Ancestor shook his head blankly.

"What scene? All I see is a golden color."

Ning Qi frowned.

Can't you see it?

Another ethereal voice came from the other side.

"You mortal, I still have questions for you. Only after you pass our tests and trials will we register your name in the celestial register and then give you the way to our Great Wilderness Immortal Realm. Be sure to answer truthfully."

The Holy Ancestor respectfully replied, "Yes, Immortal Venerable, please ask!"

Ning Qi also heard this and his heart stirred.

"The Great Wilderness Immortal Realm? It seems this is the force behind the immortal sects. They even register people in the immortal register, deciding whether those from the lower realms can enter the immortal realm."

Ning Qi's last glimmer of hope for a fairyland was shattered.

The fairyland is indeed not a place that is easy to enter, nor is it a paradise where immortals live carefree lives.

Ning Qi saw the two figures opposite him sway slightly.

The two seemed to be communicating, but they couldn't hear what they were saying.

After a long while, one of the figures spoke again:

"I ask you, in your Boundary Sea region, are there many people who are about to become immortals? The Immortal Sect has records of their use; do not attempt to deceive us, or you will absolutely not be able to enter the Great Wilderness Immortal Realm."

The Holy Ancestor glanced at Ning Qi again.

Ning Qi nodded again.

The Holy Ancestor then said, "Reporting to the Immortal Venerable, there are indeed three people preparing to become immortals at our location."

"Hmph, three people? We detected that there was another person who had previously condensed a Silver Immortal Gate; that guy's name is Haoshan."

In response, the Holy Ancestor could only say, half-truthfully:

"That guy named Haoshan was our mortal enemy. It took the three of us a lot of effort to kill him together."

There was a moment of silence on the other end, as if they were considering the veracity of the matter.

"The three of you can defy the immortals and vanquish them?"

A voice with a distinctly different tone asked.

This further confirmed Ning Qi that there were indeed two people on the other side.

"I dare not lie. If the Immortal Lord does not believe me, there is nothing I can do."

"Alright, we'll believe you for now. You push open the Golden Immortal Gate first, and then we'll tell you how to get to the Great Wilderness Immortal Gate."

The opponent consistently forced the Holy Ancestor to fully open the Immortal Gate.

Ning Qi always felt that once the immortal gate was opened, the other party might be able to sense even more.