Lost

"He has truly broken through."

Big Gold Dog stared at Su Ye, his expression one of shock. The fellow before him was already formidable; now that he had broken through, his strength would likely become even more terrifying. Was he destined to be a slave for his entire life?

No.

The Qilin race shall never be slaves.

Big Gold Dog's gaze was resolute. He had only recovered three lineages and had not yet fully undergone nirvana. Once he successfully achieved nirvana, he would surely suppress this man and make him understand the might of the Qilin race.

"BOOM."

Another thunderous roar erupted, shaking the heavens and the earth. A gray, hazy Heavenly Passage appeared in the void, spewing out massive amounts of auspicious light. Various runes manifested, elucidating the profound mysteries of the laws of the Great Dao.

"Two Heavenly Passages?"

Big Gold Dog's expression was one of astonishment, then he muttered to himself, "This fellow has a deep foundation; opening two Heavenly Passages in one breath is normal."

"BOOM."

Suddenly, another booming sound rang out. Runes filled the sky, transforming into an ocean of symbols. Amidst those runes, lush mist permeated the air, and auspicious light billowed.

"A third Heavenly Passage?"

Big Gold Dog could no longer sit still. He stared in horror at Su Ye, whose entire body was bathed in a rain of light. He had not expected this fellow to open three Heavenly Passages in one go.

Opening three Heavenly Passages was not necessarily a grand feat, but doing so in a single breath was no small matter. The opening of a Heavenly Passage did not merely represent the creation of the space itself; it represented a creature's own foundation and their mastery over runes.

Since ancient times, those capable of opening two Heavenly Passages in one breath were as rare as phoenix feathers and qilin horns. As for three, only those top-tier pure-blooded beings and the descendants of gods could achieve such a feat.

Su Ye ignored Big Gold Dog's shock. At this moment, he was contemplating the Heavenly Passages. They were incredibly profound, giving him a sensation as if he were merging with the world. As his consciousness entered the passages, it even gave him the feeling that he could command the heavens and the earth.

However, this was merely an illusion—a mirage brought about by a sudden surge in strength.

Su Ye drew upon the power of the world's origin through the Heavenly Passages, allowing his body to undergo further transformation. His flesh became increasingly crystalline, as if it were no longer mere blood and bone, but translucent immortal jade.

BOOM.

The heavens and earth roared once more. Runes permeated the air, and thousands of them transformed into an ocean, shrouding the firmament. Beside the third Heavenly Passage, a hazy, small world emerged.

A fourth Heavenly Passage.

Su Ye had not opened three, but four. The four great Heavenly Passages reflected upon the sky, and rolling essence poured out continuously, rendering this patch of heaven and earth incomparably sacred.

By now, Big Gold Dog was too shocked to speak. Three had already left him stunned and feeling it was inconceivable, but the man before him had opened four in one breath—it was simply too staggering.

How could he possess such a terrifying foundation? Even a True Dragon cub would likely struggle to compare with him.

Su Ye contemplated the four Heavenly Passages, pondering their mysteries. He did not continue to open more, for four was his current limit.

Had he not consumed a large amount of Divine Marrow Treasure Liquid, his original foundation would have allowed him to open at most two. Of course, had he suppressed his progress for a time, he might have managed three.

By refining the vast quantity of Divine Marrow Treasure Liquid, his physical body had reached one hundred and eight thousand catties, surpassing the extreme limit. Combined with his comprehension of the technique suspected to be that of the Willow Deity, his mastery of runes had reached an even higher realm, which was what allowed him to open four Heavenly Passages in one breath.

The Mist Mountains were treacherous, yet they held many opportunities. With good luck, one could undergo a transformation here; with bad luck, one would be buried within.

Su Ye rode atop Big Gold Dog, walking through the desolate mist.

Whether it was their bad luck or simply the vastness of the place, several days had passed without them encountering a single living creature. The entire world felt incredibly eerie.

"Are we lost?"

Big Gold Dog asked, his expression somewhat fearful. Even if the Mist Mountains were vast, a great number of creatures entered them every day. Yet, they had been here for at least half a month and had not encountered a single soul.

"You are the one leading the way, and you ask me?"

Su Ye looked down at Big Gold Dog with an unkind expression, for he too felt that something was wrong. This place seemed... to give him a very strange feeling. It was as if countless eyes were watching him from all directions, leaving him with a hair-raising sensation.

He had just used his Samsara Eye to observe the surroundings, but he had seen nothing. That, however, was what made him feel most uneasy; after all, the unknown was the most terrifying thing of all.

"This..."

Big Gold Dog pondered for a moment. It did seem he was the one leading the way. He looked at the mountain peak amidst the clouds ahead, then turned around and said, "When we entered, we were facing the Mist Immortal Mountain. Now that we have our backs to it, we will surely be able to walk out."

With that, he began to pace forward.

Su Ye said nothing. Although he felt it was impossible to walk out this way, for now, he could only take it one step at a time.

His consciousness entered the Totem Pillar behind him, intending to ask Fairy Menglian—that is, the Little Dream God Lotus—for advice. Since she had lived here for a long time, she likely knew something of the situation.

Inside the Totem Pillar world.

Su Ye's consciousness avatar appeared upon the vast, smoke-like sea of energy, feeling the surging life essence between heaven and earth, which was incredibly refreshing.

"Hmm?"

Su Ye suddenly furrowed his brows and looked toward the energy sea. Just a moment ago, he felt as if something were spying on him.

His figure flickered, appearing above the energy sea. Runes manifested in his eyes as he tried to investigate, but he saw nothing, leaving him filled with doubt.

However, he did not dwell on it too much; it might have just been an illusion. He flew toward the Divine Temple to find Fairy Menglian and ask about the Mist Mountains.

Outside the Divine Temple.

Fairy Menglian sat cross-legged outside the hall, her body permeated with auspicious light. Her skin was crystalline and brilliant, her bearing peerless and a delight to behold.

Fairy Menglian was different from God Emperor Qimu; while the God Emperor was reduced to a mere remnant soul, Fairy Menglian still possessed a small section of her root system, and though it was only a small piece, it was enough for her to be reborn.

A true rebirth.

Although Fairy Menglian had only reached the True God realm at her peak—not the Heavenly God realm, which allowed for rebirth from a single drop of blood—her true form was that of a divine herb, meaning that as long as she had sufficient energy, she could condense a physical body once more.

And the one thing this Totem Pillar world did not lack was energy.

Sensing Su Ye's arrival, Fairy Menglian slowly opened her eyes. Those eyes were beautiful, like stars, and as she looked toward Su Ye, her voice was melodious as she asked, "Why have you come?"

"I am lost."

Su Ye did not beat around the bush, nor did he feel any embarrassment; he stated his current predicament directly, asking, "In these Mist Mountains... or rather, this battlefield as it is now, where are the treasures, and where are the dangers?"

Upon hearing this, Fairy Menglian rolled her eyes at Su Ye, a gesture filled with charm and playfulness, though her expression quickly turned cold as she said, "It would be best not to venture too deep. This battlefield is far more dangerous than you can imagine; there are Cult Master-level existences who have fallen here, and more than just one."

"What?"

Su Ye's expression changed drastically at her words.