Since the battle on the Primordial God Star, after annihilating the avatar of the star's will and suspending its remains in the heavens, Li Qingshan did not linger at all, continuing to travel through the boundless Void following the coordinates of the Primordial Ancient Star.
His cultivation at the Saint Fifth Heaven, coupled with the Nine Secrets: Xing and the true meaning of space, enabled him to traverse star fields at an unbelievable speed.
What ordinary cultivators consider unreachable interstellar distances, measured in generations or even the rise and fall of civilizations, are to him nothing more than a series of strolls of varying lengths.
However, about three days after leaving the Primordial God Star Domain Stone Gate, while he was briefly adjusting his breathing at the edge of a desolate nebula belt, sensing the Dao rhythm contained within the pulse of the universe and waiting for the Stone Gate to open, an unexpected change occurred without warning.
A sense of "dislocation" originating from the most fundamental source of life and soul, like a deep whirlpool suddenly appearing beneath a calm lake, silently enveloped him.
The cold, constant starlight around him, the sparse yet uniquely frequency-containing radiation of nebulous matter, and even the faint resonance of laws he had established with this universe were all stripped away and confused in an instant.
Li Qingshan's mind suddenly sharpened! This feeling was not entirely unfamiliar to him; it was the power of the Stone Gate being activated!
The scene before my eyes became completely blurred and shattered, turning into billions of flowing blocks of color and lines, and the scales of time and space lost their meaning at this moment.
Consciousness seemed to be stretched into an infinitely thin thread, then instantly compressed into a point with no volume.
The only thing that was clear was that ancient and desolate Stone Gate, which flashed by in the depths of my consciousness. The mottled patterns on the gate seemed clearer than ever before, vaguely outlining some indescribable patterns that seemed to contain the trajectory of the birth and death of all things.
I don't know how much time has passed; it could be a moment, or it could be ten thousand years.
When Li Qingshan's senses reassembled and his perception of the laws reconnected with the outside world, he was shocked to find that he was now in a completely different world.
What came from beneath my feet was no longer the emptiness of a vacuum or the hardness of a meteorite, but a heavy, moist, and rhythmically undulating "solid" tactile sensation.
The air that filled my nostrils was thick with moisture, a faint salty smell, and a vibrant, complex primordial energy that was completely different from that of the Big Dipper Star Domain, the Primordial God Star Domain, and even Earth.
In my ears, there is a ceaseless, powerful rushing sound, a natural symphony produced by the reciprocating movement, collision, and friction of a massive body of water.
Li Qingshan suddenly opened his eyes.
What comes into view is an endless expanse of deep blue water.
The ocean.
He was standing on a vast, boundless ocean, not on land, but the seawater was solid as flat ground, supporting his body.
The night sky was as black as ink, with no familiar stars, nor the unique emerald green nebula of the Primordial God Star Domain. There were only a few exceptionally bright stars with an unfamiliar arrangement, and a nearly full moon with a slightly cold white glow hanging in the sky.
As the night deepened, his primordial spirit spread silently like mercury spilling onto the ground, instantly enveloping the surrounding tens of thousands of miles of sea.
Unlike the perception of the Shrouding the Heavens Universe," which is based on matter and energy and manifests the laws of the Dao, his first impression of the "heaven and earth" of this world was that it was both "profound" and "dynamic."
The primordial energy of heaven and earth is unusually active, but it is not evenly distributed. Instead, it subtly resonates with the positions of mountains, rivers, seas, the sun, moon, and stars, and even with certain places where "thoughts" gather.
A kind of "principle" flows in the Void, distinct from the "Tao," seemingly emphasizing the interaction between spirit and matter, and focusing on "contemplation" and "shaping."
"This is not just an ancient star in the cosmos." Li Qingshan made a quick judgment.
The spatial structure, energy properties, and underlying laws of this world are vastly different from those of the Shrouding the Heavens World.
Following the strongest " Cause and Effect lines" and "points of convergence of fortune" in his primordial spirit's perception, he quickly located several special entities in this sea area.
Li Qingshan thought to himself, "So this is the world I've come to."
First and foremost, he was a teenager.
His physical body was in a simple military camp on the coast hundreds of miles away. His heartbeat was steady, and although his blood and energy were not vigorous, he was upright and peaceful, with a hint of scholarly refinement and unwavering will.
At this moment, on the sea, a somewhat ethereal yet solid and focused " Yin Spirit " is practicing under the moonlight.
The Yin Spirit contemplated a fierce Bodhisattva, standing on a golden dragon and a white elephant, with bulging muscles and wide-open, angry eyes.
This visualization method shares the same name as the one I used in the Great Emperor of the Cosmos world, but their systems are quite different.
For example, the core essence of the Great Emperor of the Cosmos visualization method is to visualize the object of contemplation seeking the universe outward, using the great power of the universe to nourish oneself, emphasizing transformation, conquest, and evolution. Cultivation is like interstellar warfare, where the victor seizes the Fortune of heaven and earth to forge an immortal battle body.
The core essence of the eye-contemplation method is to delve into the inner self through the visualization trajectory, viewing the human body as a furnace of heaven and earth, emphasizing harmony, tempering, and transcendence. Cultivation is like carving jade into a vessel, removing the dross and retaining the essence to obtain the pure Yang nature.
As the visualization deepened, the fluctuations of the Yin Spirit resonated with the illusory image of the Bodhisattva. Streams of "power" were absorbed and refined, causing the boy's Yin Spirit to solidify and grow stronger at a visible speed, as if it truly possessed the potential to move mountains and cross seas.
"Using spiritual power to mimic ancient beings and draw upon their symbolic power to temper one's soul—that's interesting." Li Qingshan's self-light flickered slightly. This cultivation method was not mainstream in the Shrouding the Heavens Realm; it was more akin to some unorthodox methods of forging spiritual power. However, it seemed to have become a fundamental method in this realm.
The strength of this young man's Yin Spirit is roughly equivalent to the soul level of a cultivator in the early stage of the Sea of Bitterness realm in the Shrouding the Heavens Realm, but his focus and growth potential are quite remarkable.
As his primordial spirit circulated, Li Qingshan perceived the boy's appearance, aura, and even the faint traces of fate surrounding him.
" Hong Yi," the name naturally came to mind.
The "power" gathered on that young man is closely connected to a key "node" in the laws of this world, and it faintly shows signs of burgeoning and soaring, stirring up the winds and clouds in the future. He is one of the more obvious "destined ones" in the current stage of this world.
Throughout his life's trajectory, the principles of "change" flow continuously, subtly implying transformation and innovation.
"This lad has just established his foundation; his Daoist arts have not yet reached the level of Ghost Immortal, and his martial arts have not yet reached the Martial Saint. This timing is just right." Li Qingshan nodded to himself.
If it were any later, given the speed at which these chosen ones grow, they would likely already be giants in their own right, making it difficult to access their core growth trajectory and various inheritances.
Immediately, his attention was drawn to another, even stranger sight.
About a thousand miles away on the sea, a giant clam, as big as a floating boat, floats on the waves, its shell slightly open, facing the bright moon in the sky, as if swallowing and spitting out.
The clear, cold moonlight was drawn by some invisible force, flowing into the mouth of the clam like rivers flowing into the sea, where it gathered and refined on a fist-sized, golden bead nurtured within.
The bead possessed a mellow and profound aura, containing extremely pure life essence and lunar yin energy, which had a miraculous effect on nourishing and replenishing both the physical body and the soul, making it a true treasure. However, for Li Qingshan at this moment, it was nothing special.
"A thousand-year-old clam, Primordial Feminine Heavenly Pearl." Li Qingshan recognized the object.
In the original story, this old clam had cultivated for a long time, but it seemed to be limited by its race and cultivation method. Its intelligence was not developed, and its power was crudely used. It had a huge amount of blood and essence accumulated, but it failed to transform and sublimate.
Not far from the giant clam, a young girl dressed in a pale yellow gauze dress and barefoot on the water was playing a jade flute, her voice ethereal and melodious, yet imbued with a certain rhythm.
The flute music was infused with exquisite spiritual power, transforming into invisible threads that subtly harmonized with the moonlight, the ocean tides, and even the life rhythm of the old clam, seemingly guiding and soothing, yet also setting some kind of trap.
Beneath the girl, a magnificent, snow-white bull floated silently on the sea surface, its eyes flashing with spiritual light, clearly indicating that it was no ordinary beast.
"One of the Eight Great Demon Immortals, Silver Shark King, Chan Yinsha." Li Qingshan knew the original plot and confirmed his identity from the fluctuations in his soul, the aura of his cultivation technique, and his unique beast-taming method.
This woman's cultivation has reached the Ghost Immortal realm. Her soul is refined and her thoughts are pure. She is considered a first-rate expert in this world. However, compared to the realm of the Shrouding Method, she is roughly equivalent to a cultivator who has just entered the Dao Palace. Moreover, she focuses more on the transformation of her soul and the manipulation of the primordial energy of heaven and earth, and her physical body is fragile.
At this moment, Chan Yinsha is using a secret flute technique, combined with the moonlight and tides, to slowly draw the thousand-year-old clam, intending to take the Primordial Feminine Heavenly Pearl it has nurtured.
Although the old clam was not very intelligent, it instinctively sensed the danger. While inhaling and exhaling moonlight, it was also accumulating power. Lightning flashed on the edge of its shell, indicating that it was not without the power to resist.
Li Qingshan took in all of this, his mind racing.
Upon first arriving in this world, one must first understand its laws, acquire the resources and knowledge for spiritual practice, and find a way to integrate into or transcend the Cause and Effect of this world.
The two people and the clam in front of us provided just the right entry point.
He no longer concealed his form. With a thought, the Daoist aura around him, in harmony with heaven and earth, rippled slightly and manifested on this sea.
The moment he appeared, the surrounding sea became still, the moonlight seemed to become more concentrated, and an indescribable feeling enveloped the area.
At the same time, he made a grasping motion with his right hand, drawing upon the active primordial energy and a certain "water" law within this world.
boom!
The seawater below suddenly surged, and a giant hand, formed entirely from seawater yet solid as blue crystal, appeared out of thin air. Dao patterns were faintly visible on its palm. Li Qingshan attempted to simulate some of the Dao patterns of the Shrouding Method with his divine sense and combine them with the elemental energy of this world's water. He casually "scooped up" the thousand-year-old giant clam that was absorbing and spitting out moonlight, along with the surrounding hundred-foot-wide seawater, and suspended it in mid-air.
Startled, the old clam's shell opened and closed violently, emitting a thunderous roar like a tiger's howl. Streams of lightning containing the power of water and thunder shot out from the cracks in the shell, striking the giant hand of the sea, but only causing ripples, unable to shake its structure in the slightest.
The giant clam struggled fiercely, stirring up the suspended seawater as if it were boiling, but it still could not break free.
This sudden change shattered the tranquility of the sea.
"Who dares to steal my opportunity?" A clear, cold voice rang out, containing a hint of shock and anger.
Not far away, Chan Yinsha flashed with murderous intent, and the jade flute in her hand fell silent.
She had meticulously planned for a long time, and was about to succeed in drawing out the pearl from the old clam using a secret method, but unexpectedly someone interfered, and in such an incomprehensible way!
The giant hand formed from seawater contained a level of artistic conception far surpassing any water magic she had ever seen.
She reacted quickly, concluding that the visitor was an enemy, not a friend, and intended to forcibly seize the Primordial Feminine Heavenly Pearl.
Without further hesitation, he held the jade flute to his lips, unleashing the full power of his soul to play a sharp and high-pitched note!
Ugh!!!
The flute music transformed into visible blue sound waves, instantly stirring up the moisture and primordial energy within a radius of dozens of miles! In the sky, dark clouds gathered out of nowhere, and streaks of silver lightning sprouted and meandered within the clouds. On the sea, a fierce wind arose, and towering waves surged!
" Wind and Lightning Rend the Void! Imperial decree!"