One month later, in the Central Continent.
Feathered Divine Dynasty old land.
The fierce winds, like an eternal guillotine, have slashed this once glorious land of the divine dynasty into a desolate Gobi desert where even time seems to stand still.
However, as soon as Li Qingshan stepped into this area, a suppressive aura originating from countless ages ago permeated his entire body like ice water.
This energy is not a murderous intent directed at living beings, but a solidified "field," Eternal "Dao wound" left behind after the laws of heaven and earth were brutally torn apart and the ancestral dragon energy was forcibly severed.
This place, originally the "heart" of the most ancient ancestral vein in the Central Continent, has absorbed all the Fortune of heaven and earth, becoming an unparalleled pure land.
Two hundred thousand years ago, a slender hand, entwined with Flying Immortal light and rain, descended from the depths of the universe, not only turning the once-prosperous Feathered Divine Dynasty to ashes in an instant, but also severing the main trunk of the dragon vein that nourished the Central Continent Plains in half.
The dragon's energy dissipated and fled elsewhere to evolve into new veins, while this place, once a place of extreme "life," became a place of utter "death," where life was almost completely extinguished.
This place can be considered the turning point in the life of that legendary empress.
An ordinary little girl who returned from picking mulberry leaves, only to find her brother gone forever, "died" here. A Ruthless Great Emperor, who had slain all the world's geniuses and silenced all races in the universe, awakened here.
In pursuit of the elusive "path to immortality," the Feathered Divine Dynasty sacrificed a young Sacred Body who was expected to challenge the Great Emperor, ultimately resulting in the Feathered the entire sect and the destruction of its lineage.
If the ruler of the Feathered Divine Dynasty back then had known that this action would lead to such annihilation, would he still have been so fanatical?
Li Qingshan composed himself, his gaze calm yet profound.
This place is no ordinary place; besides its inherent ominousness, it also has a strange, acquired arrangement.
In a flash, Li Qingshan made up his mind.
With a slight thought, the mysterious yellow energy rose from the Bitter Sea, and the Central Wuji Apricot-Yellow Flag.
Although not fully unfolded, wisps of Xuanhuang Mother Qi descended, transforming into thousands of golden lotuses that enveloped him completely. Jeweled pendants dangled, gleaming with golden light, naturally exuding an aura of invulnerability to all magic and the repulsion of all evil.
Immediately afterwards, the acupoints all over his body seemed to resonate with this desolate world.
A resounding hum echoed from within his body, and the Saint Dao Laws and his cultivation at the peak of the third level of the Immortal Platform completely merged. His aura was no longer concealed and continued to rise, and his combat power had firmly established himself at the Saint King level! Although the immense pressure was held back, it caused the surrounding solidified "field" to tremble slightly.
Faced with potential unknown dangers, he had no desire to explore further, only seeking a swift victory and overwhelming his opponents with absolute strength.
A warrior whose combat power rivals that of a true Saint King, possessing supreme treasures, is a walking legend in the Big Dipper at this moment.
Li Qingshan was surrounded by a black lotus of golden light. With one step, he was like a meteorite crashing into the dark mist that had permeated the outer perimeter of the ancestral temple for over two hundred thousand years and was enough to corrode the golden bodies of Mighty Figure beings.
Within the mist, shadowy figures loomed, the wails of wronged souls materialized into sonic attacks, and there was also a natural field that distorted space.
His gaze was like lightning, and he Nine Secrets: Qian" technique, deducing a glimmer of truth amidst the chaos and calamity.
In an instant, his eyes shone brightly.
"Break!"
With fingers extended like a sword, make a light, sweeping motion forward.
The thick, impenetrable black mist seemed to be cleaved in two by an invisible blade, rolling and dissipating to both sides, revealing a dilapidated little world floating in the void behind it.
The temples stretch out in a row, their rubble bearing the weight of time's dust heavier than the mountains themselves.
Behind the ancestral temple, a hazy mist hangs like an unchanging curtain.
Without pausing, Li Qingshan raised his right hand, and chaotic energy surged within his palm, causing an ancient banner to quietly appear.
The banner transforms from the ethereal to the tangible, with Divine Markings flickering on and off, revealing a supreme Daoist rhythm that flows through it, signifying the Heaven-Opening and the re-establishment of earth, water, fire, and wind.
He held the Pangu Banner and gently brushed it against the gray mist.
"Sizzle,"
A soft sound, like the tearing of cloth.
The dark mist that was enough to block the eyes of sages was as fragile as the thinnest paper. It was easily torn open by an invisible yet extremely sharp "qi blade," leaving a huge, smooth-edged gap that was perfectly stable.
He stepped inside.
Only upon entering the ancestral temple can one truly appreciate the vastness of its interior.
From the outside, it appears to be nothing more than a cluster of ancient temples; but upon entering, one discovers that each courtyard is a space that has been forcibly carved out.
It is a stable, independent little world, with each realm connected and progressing layer by layer. Its scale and the sophistication of its techniques are truly divine and unfathomable.
Li Qingshan remained expressionless, his purpose clear.
With his left hand, Apricot-Yellow Flag hung down, protected by a black-gold lotus, making him impervious to all magic; with his right hand, the Pangu Banner occasionally flicked, unleashing bursts of Chaos Sword Qi.
Walking through this world community that has been silent for over two hundred thousand years, it's as if we're in an empty field.
In the shadows, an ominous creature, startled by the aura of a living being, had just condensed into a ghostly claw shadow. Before it could even pounce, it was illuminated by the mysterious yellow aura naturally emanating from the Apricot-Yellow Flag. Like snow meeting the warm spring sun, it sizzled and dissipated into green smoke.
Occasionally, a bizarre being comparable to Mighty Figure would pounce from the Void. With just a slight ripple of its aura, a barely perceptible stream of chaotic energy would sweep past, completely erasing any trace of its existence, as if it had never existed.
He forged ahead, and any obstacles vanished before they even reached him.
Having pierced through the ten-layered temple microcosm, on the eleventh layer, malevolent energy condensed into black clouds, and deafening beast roars converged into a tide.
An army of ancient, exotic beasts, led by several ferocious beast kings, shattered the Void and swept in like a world-destroying torrent, their momentum overwhelming.
Li Qingshan didn't stop walking; he merely glanced up briefly.
The Apricot-Yellow Flag above their heads fluttered slightly, and the Xuanhuang Mother Qi cascaded down like a waterfall, radiating brilliant golden light.
The charging beast tide, including those few ferocious beast kings, collided with this seemingly gentle dark golden light as if it had struck an ancient divine mountain!
"Boom!"
With a muffled thud, the dozens of strange beasts at the forefront, along with the two beast kings, trembled violently, and then exploded in the magnificent and righteous golden light that warded off all evil. Their flesh and blood were purified into nothingness before they could even splatter.
The beasts behind them were terrified and scattered in all directions, howling in agony. They crashed into each other and were completely routed in an instant.
He walked with ease and continued deeper into the area.
Ghostly soldiers borrowed a path? Illuminated by the Xuanhuang Qi, the soul and body disintegrated.
A strange beast blocked the way? Chaotic energy swept by, and both body and soul were annihilated.
No matter what methods you employ, before the power of these two supreme treasures, you are no different from an ant or dust, and cannot even earn his second glance.
Thus, they strolled leisurely through the thirty-two levels of the temple world and arrived at the thirty-third level.
At the entrance, an ancient stone tablet stands tall, the four characters " Thirty-Three Heavens " revealing the ambition of the former divine dynasty to surpass all the heavens.
In the distance, the palace shone brightly, and the blood groove on the altar was dark red.
Within the Divine Source above, sealed away lies a piece of Immortal Gold, speckled with teardrops and dripping with vibrant green, exuding breathtaking beauty and value.
" Immortal Tear Green Gold "
When Li Qingshan saw the radiant, Immortal Gold that seemed to embody the purest vitality and sorrow of heaven and earth, his eyes brightened slightly.
The four Half-Saint level God-Slaying Insect that were sealed nearby were already stiff and lifeless under the faint chaotic aura of the Pangu Banner.
With a flick of his finger, a condensed, silken strand of Flying Immortal Power swept past, and the ancient altar quietly turned to dust, revealing the miniature stone palace beneath it, a masterpiece of nature.
Inside the palace, the remains of two God-Slaying Insect King, capable of killing Ancient Saint, jointly guard a miniature stone coffin carved with dragons and phoenixes.
" Ancient Coffin of the Gods." Li Qingshan took it into his hand, feeling its ancient vicissitudes, and solemnly put it away. "Not bad, such a treasure actually exists; it seems I am destined to have it."
Upon entering the thirty-fourth floor, the air was filled with the wails of ghosts and the howls of gods, and countless ancient corpses and vengeful spirits filled the heavens and earth.
The golden lotus surrounding Li Qingshan intensified slightly, its boundless golden light illuminating everything. Wherever it passed, evil spirits vanished like snow being poured over boiling water, revealing a tranquil gateway to the thirty-fifth floor.
The thirty-fifth floor is extremely quiet.
The palace is majestic, and the stone carvings all praise one person, the Feathered Great Emperor. The face of the statue is blurred, resembling both Buddha and farmer, silent through the ages.
"You've come."
An aged voice echoed from the depths of the ancient palace. A young male Daoist boy slowly emerged, his appearance youthful, but his eyes as withered and lifeless as decaying wood.
"You've got guts."
On the other side of the high hall, a little girl stood quietly, her voice hoarse like an old woman's.
Li Qingshan stopped in his tracks. The Apricot-Yellow Flag in his left hand shimmered with golden light, while the Pangu Banner in his right hand was shrouded in chaotic energy. Although he did not activate it, the two auras already caused the surrounding Void to tremble slightly, as if it could not bear the weight.
"Courage?" Li Qingshan's lips curled into a half-smile. "Two corpse demons and Yin Spirit, awakened by external forces and barely clinging to life, dare to talk about courage?"
"Presumptuous!"
The two young Daoist priests shouted in unison.
The sonic boom, carrying the oppressive aura of Saint and eerie soul power, swept over, enough to crush even King's soul. " The Great Emperor's Daoist temple is not to be desecrated! Kneel down and apologize, and perhaps your true spirit may be spared!"
These two were actually at the Saint Realm.
However, as the oppressive force descended upon him, the golden lotus surrounding Li Qingshan gently spun, and the terrifying impact vanished without even lifting a corner of his clothing.
" Feathered truly here, then let him come out to see me," Li Qingshan said calmly. "Otherwise, get out of my way."
The two boys' expressions darkened. The boy said coldly, "Does the Great Emperor exist so easily? However, since you are determined to die, then come inside and pay your respects."
With a flick of her sleeve, the heavy Stone Gate in the distance burst open.
In an instant, auspicious clouds filled the sky like a sea, celestial light surged forth, and the roars of dragons and phoenixes intertwined with the sounds of Daoism and Zen chanting. Finally, the last layer, the thirty-sixth heaven, was revealed before our eyes.
The remaining essence of the ancestral dragon vein of the Central Continent is gathered here.
Ancient temples stand scattered about, some entwined with Order Divine Chains, some spewing forth astonishing divine essence, and some imprinted with supreme scriptures.
At the very core, at the entrance of the ancestral vein cave, lies a rough stone body, absorbing the essence of all directions, with a hazy imperial aura permeating the air, like the center of heaven and earth.
"Please enter and pay your respects to the Great Emperor." There was a hint of sinister intent hidden in the voices of the two young disciples.
Li Qingshan's gaze swept over the dazzling light, pausing slightly on the stone core, and he understood.
His expression remained unchanged as he calmly stepped into this "sacred" place.
The instant his feet stepped into the core area, "Boom!"
The Stone Gate behind them slammed shut!
The two children instantly changed their expressions, their childish faces twisting into ferocious smiles, and they rapidly chanted ancient and malevolent incantations. "With the Emperor Weapon as the guide, with the holy soul as the sacrifice, the eternal dragon energy, heed my command, return! Return! Descend upon this body!"
Suddenly, countless dark red, blood-like patterns lit up the ground beneath Li Qingshan's feet, intertwining to form a massive, sinister altar that enveloped him at its center!
The Dao patterns frantically extracted the malevolent energy and dragon resentment from the remaining ancestral veins underground, transforming them into filthy, blood-red chains that coiled upwards and became tightly connected to the stone embryo at the cave entrance.
The stone core trembled violently, cracks spread across its surface, and it unleashed a terrifying suction force that devoured the heavens and the earth, directly targeting Li Qingshan's soul and blood, and even trying to forcibly seize the Pangu Mantle from his hand!
The hazy imperial aura instantly turned eerie and tyrannical, the stone embryo like a black hole, threatening to devour everything.
"It's done!"
The two children's eyes blazed with wild joy and greed. " The Divine Immortal Body is the perfect sustenance for the Great Emperor's revival!"
However, their ecstasy came to an abrupt end.
Li Qingshan, entangled by countless blood-red Dao-patterned chains and facing the devouring power of the stone embryo, didn't even flinch.
Around him, thousands of golden lotuses spun leisurely; their golden light, though gentle, was indestructible.
The moment those filthy, bloody chains approached, they were purified by the golden light into wisps of green smoke, unable to touch his body at all.
The stone embryo's devouring power acted on the golden light, but it was like an ant trying to shake a tree—it remained completely unmoved.
"Those monstrous tricks of manipulating corpse energy dare to presume to claim the return of the Great Emperor?" Li Qingshan's voice rang out calmly, yet carried a chilling sarcasm. "Today, I will show you what true crushing power is."
He didn't even move a step, but simply gently shook the Pangu Banner in his right hand.
There was no earth-shattering roar, no dazzling divine light.
There is only one "mark".
A "trace" that seemed to have existed since the Heaven-Opening, separating the pure from the impure and defining Yin-Yang, silently spread out from the tip of the banner.
The "mark" swept across the blood-red altar. The Dao patterns, controlled by the Yin Spirit of the Saint and connected with the resentment of the ancestral lineage, vanished instantly, like a stain erased by an eraser, leaving no trace of resistance.
The "mark" swept across the ferocious, devouring stone embryo. The stone embryo suddenly froze, the eerie light flowing on its surface solidified, and a faint but teeth-grinding cracking sound came from within.
The next moment, the entire stone structure, like a weathered sand sculpture, turned into the most primitive gray powder and scattered.
Within the powder, only a few dim, feather-like specks of light flickered briefly before extinguishing completely. This was the so-called "Imperial Majesty."
It vanished without a trace.
Finally, the "trace" lightly swept over the two determined young Yin Spirit in the distance.
The sinister smiles on the two Daoist priests' faces froze completely, and for the first time, boundless horror and fear appeared in their eyes.
They tried to escape, to vanish into the Void, to use life-saving techniques, but they discovered that in the face of this seemingly slow "mark," the surrounding space, time, and even everything about themselves had been completely "locked," making it impossible for them to make any moves!
That's an absolute difference in levels! It's the despair of an ant facing the heavens!
"No, what is this?" the boy uttered in broken, soulful voices.
The "Daoist mark" descended upon me.
Two eerie Yin Spirit, whose strength was comparable to Ancient Saint and who had existed for countless years, vanished like erased phantoms, their forms shifting from solid to ethereal, then fading into nothingness, until they disappeared completely from the world without leaving a trace.
All traces of their existence were completely eradicated by this "trace".
From the moment Li Qingshan was "trapped" on the altar to the altar's destruction, the stone core turning to ash, and the Yin Spirit vanishing, the entire process took only a blink of an eye.
The Pangu Banner flickered slightly and returned to Li Qingshan's palm, as if it had been done with nothing more than a trivial matter. The golden light of the Apricot-Yellow Flag continued to fall softly.
Li Qingshan didn't even glance at the place of annihilation, as if he were merely brushing away non-existent dust from his sleeve.
After speaking, he formed profound hand seals, and runes originating from the Source Heaven Book and containing his own understanding of the Holy Path flew out and disappeared into the earth. They gently soothed the remaining malevolent energy of the ancestral veins that had been agitated by the evil array earlier, and stabilized the foundation of this small world that was on the verge of collapse, so as to prevent it from collapsing and affecting the outside world.
After a long while, the earth's veins calmed down. Only then did Li Qingshan raise his eyes and look at the cluster of eighty-one ancient temples before him, bathed in a myriad of rays of light and radiating a precious aura.
"Now, it's time to collect the spoils."
With a thought, the Pangu Banner and the Apricot-Yellow Flag Banner shimmered with light.
As the Pangu Banner grew larger, the chaotic energy swept through, embodying a sense of "accommodation" and "bearing." Wherever it passed, ancient temples containing ancient scriptures, divine materials, elixirs, and secret treasures were uprooted and shrunk in the chaotic energy, orderly incorporated into the stable space temporarily created by the Pangu Banner.
The Apricot-Yellow Flag drooped down, casting streaks of golden light that smoothed out the subtle spatial ripples caused by the "relocation," ensuring everything remained stable.
Extremely efficient, yet effortlessly so.
"The treasures left behind by the Feathered are indeed abundant." Li Qingshan strolled around, as if inspecting his own treasury.
With his left hand outstretched, a piece of Phoenix Blood Red Gold, as bright as fire and containing Divine Phoenix patterns, floated in the golden light;
On the right, an ancient scripture imbued with Daoist charm automatically turns its pages.
Upon reaching the forty-ninth Star Chart Ancient Hall, he stopped, opened the secret chamber according to the law, and saw the exquisitely crafted miniature star map, as well as the coordinates of four physical stars.
"Earth, Ziwei, Feathered, Gou Chen," the four sets of star coordinates described by the Bagua symbols were deeply imprinted in his mind, especially that blue star, which made his gaze linger for a moment.
The key to returning home has finally been obtained.
Finally, he entered the most central celestial palace.
On the wall that comes into view, the two characters "Become an Immortal" exude a heavy and imposing aura.
Li Qingshan's gaze slowly swept over the ancient paintings on the wall. There were Ancient Emperor ruling over all races, Great Emperor wanting to knock on the Immortal Gate, and Amitabha Buddha building a Buddhist kingdom on earth. Each carving told the deepest yearning of all living beings when they were sinking in the Bitter Sea, to break free from the shackles of heaven and earth and achieve Eternal immortality.
He withdrew his gaze, gently shook his head, and with a sharp mind, severed all distracting thoughts.
"The path to immortality is long and arduous; one can only rely on oneself, everything else is vain."
The gaze finally settles on the stone platform in the center of the main hall. The platform is covered with a thick layer of dust from the passage of time, yet it faintly emits a pale blue halo, flowing serenely.
Li Qingshan stepped forward, his sleeves fluttering lightly, dispersing the dust. In an instant, a blue light filled the room, illuminating the entire hall.
Two items were quietly displayed on the stone platform, which suddenly made his eyes light up.
First, there is a scripture forged from Feathered Green Gold. The cover is engraved with three ancient characters, exuding an endless aura of supreme power. " The Feathered Scripture."
"The scriptures left behind by the Feathered Great Emperor?"
Li Qingshan's fingertips lightly caressed the book. Wing-like patterns rippled across the lapis lazuli surface, as if it were about to transform into light and ascend to immortality at any moment. With a little divine power, the Dao patterns spread out like ripples, peaceful and magnificent, almost drawing one's consciousness into oblivion.
The celestial material Feathered Green Gold is already extremely rare in the world. At this moment, as its radiance ripples, it is as if countless divine feathers are fluttering, resembling the long plumes of a phoenix, dazzling and radiant.
Only the scriptures of the Great Emperor are worthy of being passed down through such divine materials.
He solemnly picked up the scripture. The book was not thick; he casually flipped through it and found only nine pages.
Unfolding the title page, one sees ancient characters, as fine as dust, densely covering the paper, cast from Feathered Green Gold.
Each word is like a miniature sun, radiating divine brilliance, its light as sharp as needles, making it difficult to look at for long.
He glanced through it. The first eight pages contained a complete record of the scriptures created by the Feathered Great Emperor, from the Sea of Bitterness to the Immortal Platform, with a comprehensive and complete system.
The last page is inscribed with many forbidden secret techniques, whose power is unfathomable.
Li Qingshan secretly compared it with the " Western Emperor Scripture " and found that the two were actually quite comparable.
He smiled slightly and put the scriptures into the Bitter Sea.
Then, his gaze shifted to something else.
It was a simple, unadorned spear with a faint blue sheen. It must have been forged from Eternal Blue Gold, but it was broken and incomplete. The spear shaft was broken in two, with a section missing in the middle, its whereabouts unknown.
Li Qingshan's expression immediately turned solemn. He sensed an extreme divine aura on the spear that was similar to that of the Western Emperor Pagoda!
Emperor Weapon!
Or rather, they were once Emperor Weapon.
He carefully held the spear, gently probing with his divine sense, only to encounter a deep, deathly silence.
The divine essence within has long since vanished and ceases to exist.
Emperor Weapon are supposed to be immortal and indestructible, existing for eternity; such a situation is truly extraordinary.
"The divine essence remains, but the Dao is crippled." Li Qingshan examined the broken spear closely and instantly understood its fate. "That palm strike from the Ruthless Great Emperor not only destroyed the Divine Dynasty but also severed the form and spirit of the Emperor Weapon."
In Li Qingshan's mind, a scene from the past vaguely appeared: a giant hand descended from the heavens, carrying the supreme power to suppress all ages.
The Feathered Divine Dynasty mobilized all its power, drawing upon the ancestral veins of the Central Plains, causing this eternal blue-gold imperial weapon to unleash its ultimate divine might and soar into the sky to meet the attack.
However, all efforts were in vain. The great hand shattered all laws, and with a single blow, the ancestral vein of the Central Continent collapsed, and the divine dynasty was overthrown.
Even this Emperor Weapon, which should have lasted forever, was obliterated by a single blow, its divine power destroyed and crumbled, returning to the ancestral temple only by a wisp of instinct.
"The gods have vanished, and even the Ultimate Dao Laws within it are incomplete." Li Qingshan slowly stroked the spear. "It is far from the true power of Emperor Weapon."
"Very well, obtaining Earth's coordinates is already a success, and all the objectives of this trip have been achieved. Consider the damaged Emperor Weapon and the ' Feathered Scripture ' as an unexpected bonus."
Even though it no longer possesses its former divine power, it is still forged from Eternal Blue Gold. Even if it is no longer usable, it can be remelted into an unparalleled celestial material.
o
Li Qingshan took one last look around the now deserted core of the ancestral temple, without the slightest lingering attachment. He gently swiped the Pangu Mantle in his hand into the Void.
"Laugh!!"
A smooth spatial rift quietly opened, connecting to the outside world.
His figure transformed into a streak of light, and he stepped inside, disappearing without a trace from the deepest part of the Central Continent Feathered Ancestral Temple in an instant.
Behind them, the last wisp of sunset glow at the Feathered Ancestral Temple gradually faded away, returning to the eternal silence and darkness, as if nothing had ever changed.
Only the completely erased Yin Spirit and stone embryo remain, leaving behind the last trace, indicating what kind of being once set foot here, taking away the last remaining legacy of the divine dynasty with irresistible force.
Ahead, the starry sky stretches endlessly, and the journey home is already in sight.