Became a Monk?

Led by Zhao Jia, the fifty hastily cultivated Yang Spirit erupted with pure Yang Dao aura, transforming into fifty scorching miniature suns. Their intense light instantly engulfed Zhao Xuanji and his remaining Imperial Dragon Qi!

How dare you—!!!

Zhao Xuanji's eyes widened in fury, filled with shock and rage. The dragon aura that had dimmed around him and the remaining Daoist principles of heaven and earth surged wildly, attempting to resist.

He was ultimately at the Peak Yang Spirit, and even with his full power unleashed, his might was still astonishing.

A condensed, pale golden dragon-shaped burst of energy roared as it met the first few attacks from the Yang Spirit.

However, two fists cannot fight against four hands.

Besides, it's fifty to one!

These hastily cultivated Yang Spirit, though their individual cultivation levels were slightly inferior.

However, through Qi Yun's secret technique of "Planting Demon Seeding in the Dao Heart," they secretly planted the seeds of absolute loyalty, and their hearts were subtly connected.

Furthermore, through long-term training, they honed their combined attack techniques.

At this moment, their simultaneous attacks were not chaotic, but rather subtly formed a formation. Their pure Yang energy intertwined, transforming into a vast, all-encompassing golden net that descended upon Zhao Xuanji!

"Boom! Boom boom boom--!!"

The pure yang flames collided violently with the imperial dragon energy and were annihilated.

Zhao Xuanji charged left and right, his dragon-shaped energy tearing apart several pure yang chains in succession. A phantom image of a jade seal of inheritance appeared in his palm, drawing upon the remaining national fortune to suppress all directions.

In a short time, he even managed to repel several Yang Spirit in close combat, demonstrating his profound strength and unwavering determination.

But the gap is simply too vast.

The fifty Yang Spirit, like tireless and absolutely obedient killing machines, launched a relentless barrage of attacks.

For every person Zhao Xuanji repelled, two more would take their place; for every Pure Yang Chain he tore apart, more chains would wrap around him.

His dragon energy was rapidly depleting, and the remaining Daoist essence of heaven and earth was constantly being scorched and stripped away by the pure Yang flames. His bright yellow dragon robe was charred and torn in many places, and blood with a faint golden luster spilled from the corner of his mouth.

In the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, Zhao Xuanji was already disheveled, his aura was weak, and the dragon energy around him was so faint that it was almost transparent. The illusory image of the jade seal was also covered with cracks.

His cultivation level was ultimately forcibly raised by [Heaven's Will].

Although his cultivation level was higher than Zhao Jia and the others, he was still too unfamiliar with both combat experience and fighting techniques.

"Puff--!"

Zhao Jia seized an opening and unleashed a solid, condensed Pure Yang Fist imprint that slammed into Zhao Xuanji's back.

Zhao Xuanji's body trembled violently, and he staggered forward as his protective dragon aura completely dissipated.

The next instant, several pure yang chains coiled around him like venomous pythons, locking his limbs and neck tightly.

The blazing pure Yang energy invaded his divine palace, completely sealing away his last bit of resistance.

Zhao Xuanji was trapped in mid-air, unable to struggle, and could only raise her head with difficulty, her bloodshot eyes fixed on Qi Yun, who had been calmly watching the battle from not far away.

His eyes were filled with boundless hatred, regret, and a trace of the sorrow and resentment of an emperor's demise.

Qi Yun met his gaze, his face expressionless, his eyes indifferent as if he were looking at an object about to break.

He nodded almost imperceptibly at Zhao Jia.

Zhao Jia understood. He stepped forward, his large, fan-like hand reaching out to firmly grasp Zhao Xuanji's neck, reflected in Zhao Xuanji's wide, terrified, and desperate pupils.

No unnecessary words.

Only one clear and cruel "snap!"

The cracking sound of bones shattering was particularly jarring in the desolate ruins, made even more deathly silent by the high-level battle.

Zhao Xuanji's body stiffened abruptly, the light in his eyes quickly extinguished like a candle flickering in the wind, and his head tilted to one side at an eerie angle.

The last trace of pale golden dragon energy around him let out a mournful cry and completely dissipated.

The illusory image of the jade seal, riddled with cracks, vanished into specks of light with a "bang."

The Great Cang Emperor has fallen.

Zhao Jia released his grip expressionlessly. The body, still clad in its tattered dragon robe, fell limply onto the scorched, cold earth like a puppet with its strings cut, making a dull thud.

Qi Yun's gaze didn't linger on the corpse for even a moment longer.

He calmly raised his eyes, his gaze leaping over the ruins and landing on the higher, more distant sky.

The view from the sky at this moment is far more breathtaking than that below.

The golden and azure light had completely merged and blended, transforming into a strange and chaotic vortex that covered the sky for tens of thousands of miles.

The vortex spun slowly and terrifyingly, each rotation causing the entire Azure Gate Realm to tremble slightly, and the strings of rules groaned under the unbearable burden.

This fierce battle could not be decided in an instant.

The sun rises and sets, the stars shift and the constellations turn.

For a full ten days and ten nights.

During these ten days, the celestial phenomena of the entire Azure Gate Realm were completely disordered. During the day, stars could be seen flashing brightly, while at night they were as bright as the midnight sun.

Until the eleventh day, before dawn.

The enormous, chaotic vortex high in the sky suddenly contracted inward!

A condensed essence of golden divine light, refined to its extreme, pierced through the last layers of azure light and shot down from the core of the vortex!

The divine light was so fast that it tore through space and arrived in front of Qi Yun in an instant.

Qi Yun's pupils contracted slightly, but he did not dodge.

Because he sensed a familiar aura from it, like that of the Desolate Halberd True Lord.

The moment the condensed divine light touched his palm, its brilliance vanished.

Ultimately, it transformed into a thin, delicate strand of hair, about three inches long, with a noble purple hue, gently wrapping around his index finger.

The purple qi was cool, yet incredibly heavy, exuding an indescribable, supreme Daoist charm.

Almost simultaneously, the slightly weary yet still domineering voice of Desolate Halberd True Lord rang directly in his ears, containing only one word. "Go!"

Qi Yun awake, and instantly understood.

Without the slightest hesitation, he took one last look at this Azure Gate land, which had weathered many storms and was still trembling slightly under the lingering power of the heavens.

He took a step forward, pouring all his magical Law Power into the [Six Realms Heaven] within his embrace.

"Buzz-!"

The deep blue light was more intense than ever before, and a stable and profound passageway to his return instantly unfolded before him. At the end of the passageway, the vast aura familiar to the Xuanhuang Realm faintly emanated.

Invoke the [Six Realms Heaven]

Qi Yun suddenly flicked his sleeves.

The fifty Yang Spirit, including Zhao Jia, who were standing solemnly behind him, were instantly swept up and temporarily sealed within the Great Luo Domain Heaven.

Immediately, his figure transformed into a streak of Flowing Light and plunged into the dark blue passage without hesitation.

The channel flashed with light, then quickly contracted and closed.

Ultimately, it vanished completely from this scorched wasteland.

The cold wind howled, stirring up scorched earth and dust.

Amidst the ruins, only Zhao Xuanji remained, his imperial crown askew, his dragon robe stained with dust, his empty, gray eyes staring straight ahead—

The forbidden area of the Wuji Sacred Sect, the ancient cross-realm array platform.

A sudden burst of eerie blue light illuminated the scene.

The light, like mercury spilling onto the ground, rapidly spun and converged in the center of the platform.

Finally, a slightly weathered yet still upright figure in deep blue was revealed.

Qi Yun in the center of the array platform, his feet on the familiar, solid ground of the Xuanhuang Realm.

The energy he exhaled was far more vast and powerful than that of the Azure Gate Realm, and more in tune with his own Dao Foundation.

The pervasive and omnipresent profound meaning of the Xuanhuang, like a warm tide, gently washed over his slightly weary Divine Soul and body.

He gently rubbed his slightly sore brow and slowly exhaled a long, drawn-out breath.

This breath of turbid air seemed to still carry a trace of the lingering dust and smoke of the Azure Gate Realm's calamity. It was quickly dissolved by the Xuanhuang spiritual energy three feet away from the body, leaving no trace.

The fine lines at the corners of his eyes involuntarily relaxed at this moment, revealing a deep sense of relief after experiencing trials and tribulations.

"Finally—I'm back."

He murmured to himself, his voice echoing softly on the empty and desolate forbidden platform.

Without much emotion, Qi Yun stepped out of the arena.

Without moving, a faint light shimmered beneath his feet.

In the next instant, he transformed into a swift yet restrained divine light, tearing through the thin clouds above the forbidden area and heading straight towards the northwest.

The Daoist temple on the Green Mountain Daoist Temple that belonged to him sped away.

The green hills remain, and the ancient pines stand tall and verdant.

The Spirit Mountain peaks where the Daoist temple is located are shrouded in mist and clouds, with clear springs flowing gently, seemingly unchanged from when I left.

But when Qi Yun pressed down the escape light and landed on the platform in front of the temple, paved with bluestone slabs and smoothed by time, he keenly sensed an unusual silence.

It's too quiet.

Only the rustling of the mountain wind through the pines and the tinkling of the distant stream hitting the rocks made the silence all the more striking.

Qi Yun frowned almost imperceptibly.

He did not immediately unleash his Divine Sense to scan the area roughly, but instead walked slowly into the temple gate with his hands behind his back, as if he were returning home as usual.

Everything inside the temple was in perfect order and spotless, clearly indicating that routine maintenance had not stopped, only the temple lacked the vibrancy of human presence.

He stood still until he reached the ancient plum tree in the center of the courtyard.

The profound and vast aura of Foundation Establishment True Person, which naturally blends into the surrounding world, spread silently like ripples, enveloping the entire Green Mountain Daoist Temple.

After a few breaths.

"Call out--!"

A streak of dark light suddenly shot out from the depths of the Daoist temple, as fast as lightning, but stopped abruptly just before Qi Yun.

The radiance subsided, revealing a middle-aged man dressed in a black robe, with a cold and hard face, but whose eyes held a hint of excitement and respect.

It was none other than True Person Ling, who was "rescued" by Bai Yuntian from under the command of Black Mountain True Person and later subdued by Qi Yun.

My Lord!

Upon landing, True Person Ling immediately bowed deeply, his voice slightly low with excitement.

"You're finally back!"

Qi Yun nodded slightly in acceptance of the greeting, then glanced across the empty courtyard and asked, "Where are Situ and Wu Changsheng?"

Logically, when he returns and releases his aura, the two should sense it immediately and rush to greet him.

Upon hearing this, True Person Ling's joy faded slightly, replaced by a look of realization and seriousness. He quickly replied, "My lord, during the years you were gone, a major event occurred outside the sect: the Southern Yin Dynasty has fallen into chaos."

"Southern Yin?" Qi Yun raised an eyebrow and asked, "What happened?"

"The current emperor of the Southern Yin suddenly announced his decision to become a monk."

The entire Southern Yin Dynasty has now been transformed into a Buddhist kingdom on earth.

The south is now in complete chaos.

Situ and the others went to watch the excitement.

"The Southern Yin Emperor has become a monk?" Slightly taken aback, Qi Yun looked surprised.