Someone Cheats in the Open

Cloud-Mist Mountain Range, deep in the clouds where no one knew the depths. Over these past few centuries, the two women had released quite a few robots and detectors.

Unfortunately, the detection signals were poor, and they had never found the boundary. During this time, Azure Heaven Palace Lord happened to be in seclusion, so Chen Qing started urging the two to explore again.

But they hadn't expected that even spiritual power would be suppressed within the clouds, forcing the three of them not to separate too far.

In the Virtual Universe, Chen Qing's private training room, everyone split off a thread of consciousness and stood behind Original Ancestor, watching the blurry image before them.

"I didn't expect the clouds to interfere with detection this much. It's a bit like the former territory of the Mist Shadow Race!"

Hearing Original Ancestor's words, Chen Qing's heart stirred. The Primal Universe had told him this place was transformed from a supreme treasure of a past powerhouse—could it be this Mist Shadow Race?

"Original Ancestor, could you elaborate? Do you think it might be them?"

Chen Qing asked casually, wanting to get more information.

"Impossible. The Primal Universe won't repeatedly nurture the same race. Once eliminated, it won't nurture them again. Survival of the fittest is how it works."

Original Ancestor shook his head with certainty, but still sent the Mist Shadow Race's data to the three of them.

The Mist Shadow Race was an early race in the Primal Universe. They were both darlings of the wind and water laws and energy-based lifeforms.

Their bodies spanned over a thousand kilometers and could change shape at will, though they couldn't alter their aura like the Demon Slayer Race.

The Mist Shadow Race was extremely fast and had the ability to split into avatars. Logically, their survival capabilities should have been strong.

But because of a single palace-type treasure, they were besieged in the Primal Universe.

"A palace-type treasure!"

Hearing Chen Qing's sigh, Original Ancestor thought he was envious.

"Yes. In that era, if a race had a palace-type treasure, they could be said to have a foothold in the Primal Universe. Too bad it seems no one ever got it."

Chen Qing glanced at Original Ancestor, naturally understanding his meaning.

The Lord of Sky Wolf had a high-grade palace-type treasure and was quite arrogant in the Primal Universe. Though his race played a part, there was no denying how useful a palace-type treasure was.

But Chen Qing was more impressed by the Primal Universe's generosity. If this really was it, it was practically being handed to him!

"In secret realms, treasures are usually found in special environments, but danger often accompanies them."

Original Ancestor only said this softly from the side before walking over to a table and chairs.

Training still had to be done on one's own. It was only because Chen Qing's situation was special, and the place he encountered was also special, that he was called over for a look.

As for the rest, it was all up to the Primal Universe's will. Even if there was real danger, no one could do anything about it.

In the secret realm, the three exchanged glances. Jiang Fang pulled up the detection data from these years.

"According to the AI's analysis, the concentration ahead to the left is getting higher and higher. It might be the source!"

"Let's go. We'll go and have a look!"

Chen Qing's heart burned with excitement. From Original Ancestor's information, the likelihood of a treasure was very high!

Five years later, the fog ahead had turned so thick it was black, and the three's pace had slowed considerably.

Good thing I have my wives with me. If I had to travel every day alone, I'd be bored to death.

Chen Qing felt smug as he traveled, wondering how Original Ancestor had gotten through all these years.

"Watch out!"

Chen Qing's face darkened. He'd only been distracted for a moment, and movement came from the left front—and Sister Fang had to be the one to warn him!

A black pillar of mist shot toward Chen Qing. The blade in his hand moved with his body.

With a hundred times the peak power of a Domain Lord, plus the boost from amplification, even an ordinary strike carried considerable force.

"Boom!"

The violent clash tore through the sky, the pressure clearing the surrounding fog and trees.

Chen Qing's body was sent flying back several miles before he stopped. Jiang Fang and Yao Rao quickly came to his side, glanced at the trench gouged into the ground, then fixed their eyes on the black shadow.

"Little young man, you must have been thinking about something naughty again!"

Yao Rao teased while staying on guard. Jiang Fang helplessly rolled her eyes at the two.

"Judging from the chipped edge on the blade, it's probably a Marquis-level Immortal. Be careful! But at most an ordinary Marquis. Too bad our weapons aren't up to par!"

Chen Qing reluctantly withdrew his weapon and swapped it for another, standing in front of the two women.

The two of them, even with amplification, were still a bit weaker than an ordinary Immortal. Though Azure Heaven Palace Lord had taught them, their secret techniques only barely matched Chen Qing's, putting them at roughly Domain Lord General level.

"You two are still lacking. Stand farther back. If it gets too bad, enter my world!"

"Okay."

"Don't push yourself either."

The three had fought together for so many years that they were already in sync. No one said more than necessary, and they quickly made their decision.

Back in the private training room, Original Ancestor's teacup stopped at his lips, his eyes nearly bulging out.

"Mist Shadow Race?"

The Original Ancestor saw through the figure in the black mist in an instant, a strange feeling rising in his heart.

"No, not the Mist Shadow Race—a puppet! What does the Primal Universe mean by this, dangling that treasure so plainly before our eyes?"

It took him a moment to bring the tea in his hand to his lips. The bitter taste exploded in his mouth, and the Original Ancestor furrowed his brow.

"What is it really after?"

At this moment, Chen Qing paid no heed to the Original Ancestor's thoughts. It was rare to encounter a suitable opponent, and he couldn't afford to capsize now—especially after clearly seeing the black shadow before him.

"Mystic Water!"

Chen Qing's blade light spread like a curtain, its radiance surging like ocean waves.

Mystic Water was a secret art Chen Qing had newly comprehended, an upgraded version of Water Ripple.

Though it only had a single form, it was the most fitting technique, especially when amplified—its power was no less than that of a high-level Marquis!

But this time, he didn't clash head-on. Instead, he dispersed his strength.

"Whoa! That's huge!"

What stood before him was no mere black shadow—it was a mountain of darkness.

Just as Chen Qing marveled, the black shadow writhed and transformed into a "Chen Qing" nearly two thousand kilometers tall.

"It really is the Mist Shadow Race! But there's a layer of patterns on its surface—wonder what that does."

He glanced at the empty-handed black shadow, then at the fifth-tier equipment in his own hand. Helplessly shaking his head, he put the gear away.

"Come, fight!"

With a thought, Chen Qing's body began to grow, stopping at a size of two thousand kilometers.

Jiang Fang and Yao Rao stood in the distance, silently spitting in disdain. They exchanged a glance, then tacitly turned their heads back to watch the battlefield.

"Boom..."

Chen Qing caught the black shadow's fist with both hands above his head, then countered with an elbow strike. But the moment it landed, the secret patterns on the opponent's body flickered, and the figure didn't even budge.

Before Chen Qing could react, the black shadow's fist came again, tearing away a chunk of wood chips.

"Damn it—those patterns are deflecting at least ninety percent of the force."

Chen Qing's face darkened. "Little Cloud, how long can you hold out under attacks like this?"

"Fast to replenish, but it hurts!"

It seemed the mutated Cloud-Touching Vine had indeed grown much stronger. With the help of the Source Land, its recovery speed was high, and it could keep up.

"Little Cloud, hold back a bit—let some of the force through. I have a use for it!"

"Got it!"

Chen Qing hadn't forgotten his goal. With a suitable opponent and no threat from weapons, "So this is how external force can be deflected..."

Feeling the varying degrees of force, he used different methods to let the power ripple, transmit, and finally amplify within his body.

Chen Qing gradually perfected his amplification training, optimizing different nodes, and comprehending the function of the secret patterns to construct and strengthen the stability of those nodes.

Soon, a brand-new Jade Lotus Body took shape in Chen Qing's mind!