Heavenly Passage

The willow branches, resembling the Order Divine Lotus, easily pierced through those Qilin heads, with thousands of them swarming toward the Big Gold Dog to strike.

This was a Precious Technique Su Ye had comprehended within the Divine Temple. His insight differed from that of God Emperor Qimu; the Precious Technique God Emperor Qimu had derived focused on commanding thousands of ferocious beasts. While it appeared more powerful, it was merely a hollow facade, lacking the true essence of the art.

Possessing the Heavenly Eye, he could see the essence of the Great Dao, peer into the true meaning of the carvings, grasp their genuine Dao rhymes, and comprehend that supreme, wondrous method.

Hum.

The Big Gold Dog's entire body was suffused with runes, those on its four limbs glowing with particular brilliance. It vanished from its spot in an instant, reappearing above Su Ye's head before bringing a foot down. The swirling runes transformed into a massive golden pillar, appearing like a pillar supporting the heavens.

Qilin Foot.

This was a Precious Technique of the Qilin clan. Of course, the Qilin Foot unleashed by the Big Gold Dog was not the true version, but even as a fragment, it remained terrifying enough to crush mountains and rivers.

Boom.

The giant foot descended, the earth shattered, and the terrifying force left a massive crater in the ground, which had been hardened by the infusion of divine blood.

Su Ye's body was filled with runes, and a rich vitality spread in all directions. Where the ground had been lifeless, willow trees began to sprout. The willow branches swayed, and soon, they surged madly toward the Big Gold Dog.

"A mere broken willow tree? Watch me destroy it."

The Big Gold Dog looked at the willow branches with disdain, opened its maw, and gathered golden flames within before spitting them out directly.

The golden inferno scorched the heavens and earth, causing the ground to begin melting, and those willow branches gradually turned to ash within the flames.

Watching Su Ye struggling to hold on amidst the fire, the Big Gold Dog said arrogantly, "Kid, it's not too late to bow your head and admit your mistake. Being the pet of a future hegemon who looks down upon the Desolate Region is your honor."

Hum.

Within the flames, streaks of runes emerged. These runes devoured the terrifying golden Qilin Fire. As the flames vanished, golden willow branches appeared, swaying incessantly.

"..."

The Big Gold Dog stared at those golden willow branches and blinked. Its own natal fire had just been swallowed like that?

What kind of monster was this?

This flame was no ordinary fire; it was its natal fire.

Qilin Fire.

It belonged to the top tier of flames, difficult to compare even with the spiritual fires of heaven and earth, yet now it had been devoured just like that.

It seemed it would not do to hold back any longer.

The Big Gold Dog stood on its hind legs, its body suffused with runes as its form shifted, turning into a half-human, half-dog state. Although it was a ferocious beast, that did not mean its beast form was its strongest state.

Su Ye watched the Big Gold Dog's transformation with astonishment. The opponent actually possessed such an ability; ordinary descendants could only take human form upon reaching the Spirit Transformation Realm, and only pure-blooded ferocious beasts could do so at the Heavenly Passage realm.

Hum.

Radiance filled the Big Gold Dog's body, but this glow was not merely golden—it had become tricolored: gold, black, and red.

"To be able to force Me to use this move, you have enough to brag about for a lifetime."

The Big Gold Dog spoke coldly and charged directly at Su Ye, ignoring the willow branches, its body wreathed in tricolored light.

Hum.

Su Ye did not know what ability the Big Gold Dog was unleashing, but he sensed danger and manipulated the willow branches, which resembled the Order Divine Lotus, to strike at the Big Gold Dog.

When those willow branches touched the tricolored light, they went limp instantly.

Su Ye's eyes widened in disbelief. His Precious Technique had actually failed—how could this be? But he had no time for shock, as the Big Gold Dog was already upon him.

Boom.

Man and dog collided, erupting with terrifying force.

The tricolored light on the Big Gold Dog struck Su Ye, and instantly, Su Ye felt the power within his body turn chaotic; his blood energy surged, making it difficult to control his own form.

Puff.

Su Ye spat out blood and was sent flying backward.

Mysterious patterns emerged beneath the Big Gold Dog's feet. With one step, it appeared directly behind the retreating Su Ye and kicked out.

"Little dog, don't go too far."

Su Ye spoke, his body spinning in mid-air. He suppressed the turbulent blood energy within him, and a terrifying power erupted from his body. His blood energy soared to the heavens, scattering the tricolored light from his body.

The Big Gold Dog's expression changed drastically, and it prepared to use the mysterious Qilin Step to escape.

But Su Ye gave it no such opportunity.

Fists the size of sandbags rained down upon it.

"Much better."

Su Ye stretched his body, looking satisfied. Behind him, the Big Gold Dog lay twitching, covered in wounds, its previous arrogance entirely gone.

"I am going to break through. Guard me."

Su Ye said, then sat cross-legged, preparing to break through to the Heavenly Passage realm.

The Big Gold Dog watched Su Ye, its eyes flickering as it considered whether to launch a sneak attack, but it quickly abandoned the thought.

The human before him was wickedly cunning; who knew if he was just fishing for a trap, only to end up eating dog meat?

No, eating Qilin meat.

Su Ye ignored the Big Gold Dog, his expression calm as he entered a profound, self-forgetful state, forgetting everything, forgetting himself, and immersing his consciousness into a wondrous world.

The entire process lasted for several days.

On this day, Su Ye's body shone with brilliant radiance, his skin blooming with magnificent light as streaks of runes flew out from within him, dancing in the surrounding void.

The Heavenly Passage is not merely a realm, but also a method of cultivation—to carve out an immortal conduit, either within or outside the body, used to commune with heaven and earth.

The more Heavenly Passages one opens, the more bridges to heaven and earth one possesses, allowing for a greater influx of natural energy and a faster cultivation speed.

At the same time, through these Heavenly Passages, one can peer into the mysteries of the world and comprehend the laws of nature; the more passages one has, the clearer the perception of the world becomes, and the deeper the enlightenment will be.

This is why many living beings choose to settle in the Blood-Moving Realm, strengthening their foundations as much as possible to reach perfection, striving to open as many Heavenly Passages as they can upon reaching the Heavenly Passage Realm.

"Boom."

Suddenly, the world roared, a grand and magnificent sound erupting that shook the land, causing the earth to tremble as if the heavens were collapsing and the ground sinking.

Endless runes danced, branding themselves upon the world as they surged toward the firmament, as if to pierce through the heavens; the dense swarm of runes bloomed with resplendent light.

The heavens were pierced, and a hazy, illusory small world emerged amidst the radiance, with light-rain steaming and auspicious clouds flowing. Within this hazy world lay a spring, constantly gushing forth dense life essence.

The hazy world appeared like Kyōka Suigetsu, yet upon closer inspection, it seemed truly real, appearing indistinct only because the radiance was too dazzling.

Surging life essence flowed out.

Bathed in the radiance, Su Ye's body became increasingly brilliant; at this moment, he stepped into another realm, his life force undergoing a sublimation.

Opening a Heavenly Passage is to seize the fortune of heaven and earth to nourish oneself; as long as the Heavenly Passage exists, it can continuously draw in power to replenish the body and maintain vigorous vitality.

Thus, once a cultivator reaches this realm, they rarely face the problem of excessive exhaustion, and because the Heavenly Passage can commune with the boundless void, they can draw upon the power of heaven and earth during battle to amplify their own strength.