There stood the Seven Elders and a Guardian Divine Beast. The Guardian Divine Beast was only two meters tall, a meter shorter than the Seven Elders who were wearing Guardian Divine Armor. Li Qiang could tell at a glance that the beast was Tianzhen.
A roar came, followed by a wave of energy. Li Qiang immediately understood that it was the phrase "I'm so pitiful," only it was spoken in the Language of the Gods.
Li Qiang laughed so hard he stomped his feet repeatedly. The Elder Da, bewildered, asked, "What are you laughing at?"
Li Qiang barely managed to suppress a laugh and waved his hand, saying, "No, I just suddenly remembered something funny, but it has nothing to do with this place."
He tried to appear serious, but his Tianzhen look was just too funny, so he couldn't help but lower his head and make strange "hissing" sounds.
Elder Liu said, " Tianzhen cannot yet retract the Guardian Divine Armor. With his formidable strength, he will be able to retract Guardian Divine Armor in a short time. Once he can retract the armor, he will become Guardian Divine Beast that can be mistaken for the real thing."
The Tianzhen creature shook its triangular head, looking quite dejected, and occasionally let out a series of roars.
Li Qiang clicked his tongue and exclaimed, "Tsk tsk, the Tianzhen Beast is truly remarkable! It killed a Guardian Divine Beast so quickly and obtained the Guardian Divine Armor. I admire it! I admire it!"
A violent tremor came. "Bastard! You framed me! I'm so pitiful!" Tianzhen already understood what the Guardian Divine Armor was all about, but it was too late for regrets now.
Before Li Qiang arrived, Elder Yu and Elder Liu first recounted the benefits of the Guardian Divine Armor. After Tianzhen was happy for a while, they then described the disadvantages of obtaining the Guardian Divine Armor in an exaggerated manner.
Tianzhen was almost driven mad with anger. He then realized that unless he found a way to lift the restriction, he would never be able to leave again. Of course, he didn't know that he could be safe and sound as long as he went to the Primordial Realm.
After finally calming down, Li Qiang said, " Tianzhen, you've always wanted to go to the main hub of the Illusory God Hall. It's impossible to do so without paying a price. Fortunately, as long as you can successfully reach the main hub, you can completely unlock the restrictions on the Guardian Divine Armor. That should be something you can handle, right?"
Tianzhen fell silent. He stood there blankly for a while, and the Guardian Divine Armor flashed, seemingly being absorbed into his body.
He squatted on the ground, panting heavily.
The Seven Elders looked surprised. The Elder Da sighed, " Tianzhen's strength is indeed superb. He adapted to the constraints of the divine armor in such a short time, while it took me ten times longer to subdue the Guardian Divine Armor. Amazing." He praised Tianzhen highly.
Li Qiang laughed and said, " Tianzhen, don't exaggerate like that. Congratulations... on becoming the new generation's Guardian Divine Beast, hehe."
Tianzhen looked at Li Qiang, both amused and exasperated, and said, "Little brother, why does what you're saying sound so awkward? A new generation of Guardian Divine Beast, and you're congratulating me? Sigh, I become a divine beast just because I'm wearing the Guardian Divine Armor? What kind of god did this? That's so mean! I... I'm so pitiful." He couldn't help but wail.
Elder Zhai said calmly, "If it weren't for the fact that the Elder Da accidentally obtained the Guardian Divine Armor, all of us who came later would have died without a burial place... This is the only way to survive in the Illusory God Main Hall. Unless you have the Divine Ability of the Lord of the Primordial Realm, you're doomed."
Li Qiang didn't want to continue the topic, so he asked, "Can we go in now?"
The Elder Da hesitated for a moment, unsure whether Li Qiang could enter the central hall. He said, "You haven't obtained the Guardian Divine Armor. Once you enter, it will trigger a wide-ranging restriction... Since we haven't been inside either, the dangers are beyond our control."
Li Qiang wasn't very interested in entering the central hall's main hub. If it weren't for Tianzhen's persistent pestering, he wouldn't have come to the Illusory God Hall at all. Especially now that cultivators on Sealed Fate Planet were migrating on a large scale, he needed to be in charge in the Primordial Realm. He also had to go and take care of the secluded cultivation grounds set up for a group of disciples and friends.
Li Qiang laughed and said, "That's fine. You go in and explore, and I'll come back to the Luoge Grand Hall after a while. Whether we succeed or not, as long as you come back, I'll take you into the Primordial Realm. Is that alright?"
Tianzhen vehemently objected, not wanting Li Qiang to return; with him there, their strength would be far greater.
Li Qiang spread his hands and said, "It's not that I don't want to go, it's that I can't go. This... rather than me wasting my time here, I'd rather go back and take care of other things."
The Seven Elders also knew Li Qiang's importance. Once they reached the Primordial Realm, they could escape their predicament. However, if Li Qiang didn't return and they couldn't find a solution for self-destruction, everything would return to square one. The seven recalled the long years they spent in the Illusory God Main Hall. If they couldn't escape this time, they simply couldn't endure it any longer.
After considering for a moment, Elder Liu said, "I have a plan; perhaps we can take him with us to the central hub of the main hall."
Tianzhen and the others were overjoyed. The Elder Da asked, " Elder Liu, what's your plan? Tell us quickly!"
Elder Liu said, "The eight of us are just scouting ahead. With the Guardian Divine Armor, most of the restrictions here will be ineffective. Only a very few Ancient God Restriction can restrict us. In fact, all seven of us know that the most difficult part of getting to the central hall is passing the Vortex Crystal Platform. We tried it together before and it seemed like we were just about to pass. Now that there are eight of us, we should be able to get through this."
After a pause, Elder Liu continued, " The Vortex Crystal Platform is not under Ancient God Restriction, so he can join us in the trial. There are many safe spots along the way to the central hall, free from the threat of restrictions. We are very proficient in the temple's teleportation restrictions; that's the only way to avoid the Ancient God Restriction. As long as we reach a safe spot, we can teleport him over."
Li Qiang said, "Uh, so you mean you'll escort me all the way there? Heh, that saves me a lot of trouble."
Tianzhen muttered, "What a lucky guy! He got here without any effort and was able to enter the main hub without any trouble. But I have to get some Guardian Divine Armor, and I'm made to look neither human nor beast. I... I'm so pitiful... Ah..." He then drew out his voice and shouted again.
Li Qiang slapped him hard across the face, "What's wrong with you?!"
The Elder Da nodded and said, "This is a feasible method. However, we don't know the path beyond the Vortex Crystal Platform. We can only try to move forward. If it really doesn't work, we'll immediately enter the Primordial Realm. To be honest... I'm already fed up with everything about the Illusory God Hall."
The usually taciturn Elder Ku and Elder Fu nodded silently.
Elder Zhai said, "Yes, I also want to leave this place as soon as possible; I've had enough."
Li Qiang said with a grin, "Okay, shall we go to the Primordial Realm now?"
Tianzhen cried out, "No! We've come this far, I have to go in no matter what!"
The Elder Da said, " Elder Ku, Elder Yu, Elder Zhai, the rest of us will take him to the Vortex Crystal Platform first. Elder Liu, the three of you take Tianzhen and we'll meet up ahead. The Vortex Crystal Passage should be in the correct position now."
The Seven Elders swiftly transformed into Guardian Divine Beast, and the four Elder Da simultaneously unleashed five golden beams of light. The golden beams converged above Li Qiang's head, forming a golden net that tightly enveloped Li Qiang upon landing.
With a roar, the Elder Da and his four companions led Li Qiang inside.
Li Qiang felt reassured; with Guangwang (Optical Network) supporting him, he no longer needed to worry about security.
He stared intently outwards, the surroundings shifting between light and shadow, the scenery changing rapidly. He was secretly alarmed. If he were to enter and attempt the challenge, the danger might not be great, but he was certain that reaching that Vortex Crystal Platform would require countless years and immense effort; it was impossible to arrive so easily.
After several pauses along the way, the group finally arrived at the Vortex Crystal Platform.
The Elder Da said to the illustration book, "This is the first part of the Vortex Crystal Platform. It's only a short distance from the Vortex Crystal Platform. Look... the most difficult part is just ahead, the Vortex Crystal Platform. If we can get through Vortex Crystal Platform, we can obtain the Silver Divine Stone, or kill a higher-level Guardian Divine Beast. This way, our Guardian Divine Armor can be upgraded, and perhaps the rest of the journey will be easier."
Li Qiang stood on a black, crescent-shaped platform, about half a meter above the ground. The ground below the platform was very strange, as if it were flowing liquid, looking like melted crystal. Its color was also strange, and its crystal-clear surface shimmered with iridescent light.
This is a very large space. Apart from the Half-Moon Platform protruding from the ground, the space is filled with these flowing crystals, which shimmer with iridescent light, making the colors in the space appear bizarre and fantastical.
After a brief ripple, Tianzhen and his companions arrived at the Half-Moon Platform.
Tianzhen looked around in surprise and exclaimed, "Good heavens, Flamefire Flowing Crystal... I can't believe I've seen so many Flamefire Flowing Crystal here! Is this the Vortex Crystal Platform?"
Li Qiang knew that Flamefire Flowing Crystal was also a material for refining weapons. This was the first time he had ever seen it. This kind of material for refining weapons was extremely rare, and even the Immortal Realm rarely produced it.
He chuckled, " Elder Da, could I possibly acquire some Flamefire Flowing Crystal? Hehe, as far as I know, Flamefire Flowing Crystal are the best material for forging immortal armor. With Divine Yi Power and the relevant cultivation methods, cultivating divine armor wouldn't be difficult."
The Elder Da looked at Li Qiang with a wry smile, not expecting Li Qiang to have such leisure time. He couldn't help but say, "We're always on edge when we come here. We've never thought about taking the Flamefire Flowing Crystal. Aren't you afraid at all? Anything can happen in the temple..."
Elder Liu said, "If you're willing, then go ahead and take it. Just be careful. Look at that Vortex Crystal Passage ahead; we need to go through it."
Li Qiang first recorded the exact location of the Half-Moon Platform on the Star-Fixing Disc, and then said, "Alright, how do we get there?"
Tianzhen asked, "Aren't you going to accept the Flamefire Flowing Crystal anymore?"
Li Qiang said casually, "As long as I know this place, I can come and collect it anytime, so I'm not in a hurry."
He had successfully found two footholds and could enter the Primordial Realm at any time. Relying on his status as the Lord of the Primordial Realm, he felt he could come and go as he pleased.
The Seven Elders and Tianzhen had nothing to say; Li Qiang certainly had the authority to say that.
After a long pause, the Elder Da said, "We can't use powerful restrictions here; we can only force our way through using our own strength. Also, the nine of us must work together. There are three obstacles inside the Vortex Crystal Passage. We've successfully passed two before, but failed at the last one. Hopefully, we can get through this time."
Li Qiang conjured the Evolving Incantation Divine Armor, with the Ninefold Evolving Gilt swirling around his body. He chuckled easily, "I'd better try to minimize my attacks. Hmm, I'll just fly among you."
Tianzhen said angrily, "You're very strong, why are you holding back? You can't be lazy now!"
The Elder Da nodded and said, "Yes, you should indeed minimize your actions. We all have Guardian Divine Armor to conceal our movements. You should stay behind me as much as possible so I can take care of you."
Li Qiang chuckled and said, " Tianzhen. I'm not trying to slack off. Sometimes helping can actually make things worse. I'll only step in as a last resort. There are too many variables here, and I don't want you to have worked for nothing."
Although Tianzhen was very unhappy, he understood that Li Qiang made sense. He cried out, "I'm so pitiful! Transform! I... I'm going to become a divine beast again! Sigh!"
After saying that, he transformed into Guardian Divine Beast, roared at Li Qiang for a while, and then turned to look at the Vortex Crystal Passage.
Li Qiang smiled slightly, not caring about the Tianzhen attitude.
The Seven Elders also transformed, and the eight Guardian Divine Beast rose into the air together.
Li Qiang dared not be careless and immediately flew to the middle of the eight people.
The Elder Da transmitted a message: "Everyone follow Elder Liu. Tianzhen doesn't need to act for now; wait for my instructions. You stay with me."
Li Qiang quietly flew behind the Elder Da, and at this moment he appeared very obedient.
The Seven Elders formed a simple impact formation, and a wave of energy emanated from them; the operation had begun.
The seven people roared simultaneously and flew forward rapidly.
Li Qiang followed closely behind the Elder Da. He appeared indifferent on the surface, but he was very cautious in his heart. Every action in the temple had to be taken with care. There could be no mistakes here, or it could be fatal.
As Li Qiang flew closer, he realized that the passage was faintly visible on the surface formed by the Flamefire Flowing Crystal. This was something that the Elder Da had found after a long period of exploration. This passage would change constantly over time, sometimes disappearing suddenly, and sometimes appearing in other locations. Only the current location was correct.
The nine people rushed into the Vortex Crystal Passage. In an instant, the Evolving Incantation Divine Armor on Li Qiang's body shone brightly, and the passage formed by the Flamefire Flowing Crystal suddenly began to distort. He was startled.
The Elder Da at the forefront sent a ripple through the crowd. "This is bad, outsiders still cannot enter the Vortex Crystal Platform!"
It was too late to retreat at this point. Li Qiang had already mastered the Language of the Gods. After emitting a wave of energy, he suddenly disappeared into the air.
He told everyone that he would return to the Primordial Realm first to wait. Fortunately, he acted very quickly, Vortex Crystal Passage gradually calmed down after losing its target.
Li Qiang fled back to the Primordial Realm, shaking his head helplessly. He knew that unless he obtained the Guardian Divine Armor like Tianzhen, he would never be able to reach the main hub.
Feeling unwilling to give up, he returned to the Half-Moon Platform and observed carefully for a while, discovering that the Vortex Crystal Passage had been closed.
Looking at the flowing Flamefire Flowing Crystal Half-Moon Platform, Li Qiang decided to collect them. He squatted on the edge of the platform, reached out and grabbed in mid-air. A ball of Divine Yi Power probed into the Flamefire Flowing Crystal, easily sucking up a fist-sized ball of Flamefire Flowing Crystal.
He casually tossed it into the air, Flamefire Flowing Crystal, freed from the Divine Yi Power's embrace, immediately formed a hard crystal shell. Before it even hit the ground, Li Qiang sucked it into his hand.
The Flamefire Flowing Crystal, originally the size of a fist, shrank to the size of an egg. It was a pale red crystal with a liquid-like substance flowing slowly inside. Its thin shell was covered with countless tiny crystal fragments, making it look very beautiful.
Li Qiang frowned slightly; the quality of this Flamefire Flowing Crystal was not pure enough. He looked around and saw an unusual red light flashing on the ground not far away. He tried to fly above the red light, hovering about a foot above the ground, and observed it carefully.
Li Qiang saw a thin stream of bright red water flowing slowly two feet underground.
He had a deep understanding of materials for refining weapons. Although this was the first time he had seen Flamefire Flowing Crystal, there were many records about it. He realized that what was flowing underground was the essence of Flamefire Flowing Crystal —the famous Crimson Flowing Crystal.
In addition, there is another form of Flamefire Flowing Crystal that is even more precious: Silver Flowing Crystal.
Li Qiang really wanted to use the restriction, but ultimately gave up. The risk of using the restriction here was too great. He had no choice but to use the most ordinary method, using his Divine Yi Power to probe the flowing surface and dig it out.
The Crimson Flowing Crystal was two feet long and about the thickness of a finger. It took him more than a dozen Crimson Flowing Crystal to collect it all.
Li Qiang kept circling around the crescent-shaped platform, trying to find the Silver Flowing Crystal, but he couldn't find them. So he could only collect the ordinary Flamefire Flowing Crystal.
Flamefire Flowing Crystal is the main material for cultivating immortal armor. When combined with other materials, one can construct and cultivate immortal armor.
Cultivating a set of immortal armor generally requires thirty Flamefire Flowing Crystal. Li Qiang had collected over a hundred crystals, and with the Crimson Flowing Crystal he had collected earlier, he felt that was enough.
He flew back to the Half-Moon Platform and waited for a while, but nothing had changed. He sighed in disappointment, knowing that the Seven Elders and Tianzhen would not return, so he returned to the Primordial Realm.
When Li Qiang found Gu Xing, Chiming had already left. Lone Gu Xing was wandering around in the Primordial Realm, unable to find his way out. Seeing Li Qiang arrive, he smiled bitterly and said, "You should take me back to the plaza of the Illusory God Hall. High Person Yuangu will come to pick me up."
Li Qiang asked, "Did you get the Azure Slip?"
Gu Xing nodded and said, "That Chiming is outrageous! He just threw the Azure Slip at me without saying a word, and ran away before I could even ask him anything. He's getting more and more audacious... Never mind, let's not talk about him anymore. If High Person Yuangu were here... Hmph, he would definitely suffer a lot."
Li Qiang knew that Chiming was annoyed with Gu Xing, so he laughed and said, "As long as we can find Azure Slip, I'll take you back to the plaza of the Illusory God Hall."
Gu Xing nodded and said, " The Spiritual Qi in the Primordial Realm is very special, quite different from that of the Immortal Realm. If I have the opportunity in the future, I would like to cultivate in the Primordial Realm."
Li Qiang laughed and said, "Great! I'm very happy to welcome Lord Gu Xing Star to the Primordial Realm. There's a teleportation array on Sealed Fate Planet that leads to the Primordial Realm. It's located above the Sleepless City on Sealed Fate Planet, so it's easy to find."
Gu Xing exclaimed in surprise, " Sealed Fate Planet?" He couldn't understand why Li Qiang would build a teleportation array on Sealed Fate Planet. After a long while, he suddenly understood and asked, "Do you mean you want to allow cultivators to enter the Primordial Realm?"
Li Qiang laughed and said, "Yes, most of the cultivators on Sealed Fate Planet will migrate to the Primordial Realm." He thought for a moment and then asked, "How did you know there was Azure Slip in the bracelet?" This question had always puzzled him.
Gu Xing said, "I didn't know there was Azure Slip in the bracelet. It was High Person Yuangu and Azure Emperor who found me together... High Person Yuangu mentioned the Azure Slip in this bracelet in the Cultivation Method he received in the God Repository Tower, so they... well, the Azure Slip is used in conjunction with that Cultivation Method; neither can be missing."
Li Qiang then understood. Gu Xing continued, "Once High Person Yuangu has fully deciphered this Cultivation Method, he will give it to you. Hehe, this is what he asked me to tell you."
Of all the figures Li Qiang knew, there were only four top-tier individuals: Heavenly Aunt, Azure Emperor, Boju, and Heavenly Nuo God. Among them, Heavenly Nuo God was slightly weaker, and being Bona People, he was unwilling to associate with the other three.
In fact, Heavenly Aunt, Azure Emperor, and Boju have formed a small group to help each other. Li Qiang, because he possesses the Primordial Realm, has also been included in this group and shares in their achievements.
Li Qiang said, "Please thank High Person Yuangu kindness. You should go back now. If Lord Gu Xing wants to come to the Primordial Realm for Gu Xing cultivation, he can simply enter through the teleportation array on Sealed Fate Planet. Um, this is a jade talisman to notify me. Once you arrive in the Primordial Realm, crush this jade talisman, and I'll know you've arrived. I'll then arrange a secluded cultivation place for you, okay?"
He casually took out a jade talisman, quickly cultivated it, and handed it to Gu Xing.
Gu Xing Star nodded and took his leave. He was already satisfied that he had successfully obtained the Azure Slip. High Person Yuangu and the Azure Emperor had promised that he would also receive a share after the Cultivation Method was deciphered.
After seeing Gu Xing off, Li Qiang felt a bit lost. He checked the time and realized that he had been away from Earth for several years. He decided to go back to Earth to take a look.
In the blink of an eye, he returned to Earth.
He returned to Sea City. On the street, Li Qiang was still dressed in very ordinary clothes. He didn't want to go to Hua Meiniang's place for the time being, so he wandered aimlessly along the street.
Walking through the bustling crowd, Li Qiang suddenly felt extremely lonely. This mortal world seemed to be getting further and further away from him. He leaned against a shop pillar, gazing thoughtfully at a large hotel not far away, where people and cars were coming and going in a lively atmosphere.
Li Qiang suddenly had a thought. He turned his head and saw a girl dressed in exaggerated clothes walking from the street corner.
The girl looked to be around twenty years old, a vibrant age. Although she wasn't particularly beautiful, she exuded energy and vitality.
Her skin was slightly dark, with a few freckles on her face. Her thin eyebrows were arched at the ends, giving her a playful look. Her small eyes sparkled with intelligence, and her tall figure was full of vitality.
The girl was wearing a bright red trench coat, a green silk scarf haphazardly tied around her neck, and a string of long earrings hanging from her earlobes, swaying constantly as she walked.
She was carrying a large bag and was walking forward with some difficulty.
Li Qiang found it all very awkward, thinking, "This little girl has absolutely no sense of style; she's really awful."
Watching the little girl disappear at the other end of the street, he was suddenly surprised. How could this little girl have caught his attention?
After a moment's thought, Li Qiang immediately understood. This little girl's constitution was actually fire-based, which meant that she might be suitable for his Foundation Establishment Foundation Establishment Law Treasure — the Flower of Heart Reflection.
The thought had barely crossed his mind when he teleported away. With his powerful Divine Sense, Li Qiang immediately located the little girl.
The little girl walked quickly, crossing several blocks before entering a small shop.
Li Qiang appeared shortly after. He looked up and saw the shop's sign read " Day and Night Cake Shop ".
Li Qiang smiled slightly and slowly walked into the small shop.
The shop wasn't big, with only a row of glass counters. Various pastries were displayed on the metal shelves on the left. The little girl had probably gone into the back and wasn't in the shop anymore.
Behind the counter stood a woman in her forties who greeted her warmly, "Hello, is this your first time visiting our shop? What kind of pastries would you like to buy?"
Li Qiang asked curiously, "How did you know this is my first time here?"
The middle-aged woman smiled and said, "Most of our customers are regulars; we rarely have strangers come in to buy pastries."
As she spoke, she stepped out from behind the counter and stood beside Li Qiang, pointing to the pastries and cakes on the shelf and introducing them one by one. Li Qiang listened absentmindedly; he had no intention of buying any pastries, he just wanted to talk to the young girl.
Li Qiang couldn't think of a way to start a conversation with that girl; it was the first time he had ever felt so troubled.
Seeing that Li Qiang remained silent after talking for a while, the middle-aged woman asked, "Young man, what kind of pastries would you like to buy?"
Li Qiang thought to himself, "I don't want any pastries. Sigh, I can't just force my way in." Suddenly, an idea struck him, and he asked, "Does your shop need any workers?"
The middle-aged woman was stunned and asked, "Young man, what did you say?"