A Thousand Transformations
The void returned to its chaotic clamor, and the suffocating shadows and ominous aura slowly dissipated, as if the terrifying scene of "True Lord carrying coffins" and driving away powerful beings was just a dream.
Qi Yun hovered at the relatively safe edge of the void, and did not leave immediately.
He narrowed his eyes, gazing in the direction where the ancient coffin had disappeared, then glanced at the vast and boundless outline of the Xuanhuang Home Realm. Countless thoughts flashed through his eyes like lightning.
"The being inside that ancient coffin—"
Qi Yun murmured to himself, his thoughts churning.
"Was it the work of those [above the True Lord]?"
As far as he knows, there are three individuals who have either explicitly or tentatively reached the profound realm above the True Lord level:
First, of course, is the [World-Honored One] who caused such a huge commotion and almost successfully "returned".
Its power is so terrifying that it would make any True Lord turn pale at the mere mention of it.
Secondly, there is the [Ancestral Dragon] of the Overseas Dragon Clan, who has almost become a legend, the source of their bloodline, and a pillar of stability.
However, this one is much more stable than the previous one.
Thirdly, there is that mysterious being who silently influenced the Dao Fruit of many True Lord in the [All Wonders Heaven], almost triggering a great war among True Lord.
The methods he employed were so ingenious that he could manipulate things at the very source of the Great Dao, clearly demonstrating that his level of attainment had transcended that of an ordinary True Lord.
Each of these three has revealed only the tip of the iceberg, far exceeding the limits of the True Lord's understanding.
The terrifying and eerie aura emanating from the Lord of the Ancient Coffin that is now being used to drive away the True Lord, and the ominous presence that sends shivers down one's spine, undoubtedly point to the same level.
"Fourth place----" Qi Yun slowly exhaled a non-existent breath of turbid air, as if to expel the heaviness and doubt in his heart.
He shook his head, the sharp light in his eyes gradually fading, turning into a deep, calm pool.
"Forget it. With my current cultivation level, trying to fathom the intentions and plans of such a being is like an ant trying to shake a tree, only causing unnecessary confusion."
He knew very well that the gap between True Lord and those "above" was perhaps even greater than the gap between a mortal and True Lord.
That involves the essence of the Great Dao and the origin of time and space, which cannot be fathomed at present.
Forcibly suppressing the surging speculations and a hint of unease in his heart, Qi Yun concealed all his aura, his figure slowly fading into the void. With a slight thought, the profound and unfathomable [Six Realms Heaven] within his body began to circulate slightly.
Clear objective - [Lingyong].
The trip was full of twists and turns, and we even witnessed a being who seemed to be above the "True Lord" taking action.
However, this did not shake Qi Yun's fundamental purpose.
The things that need to be done still need to be done.
Chaos is boundless, and time and space are unpredictable.
But for Qi Yun now, traversing the void is no longer a difficult task.
He was no longer as cautious and prudent as he had been when he first went to [Azure Gate], but instead rode [Six Realms Heaven].
With immense power, his form transformed into a barely perceptible ray of light, weaving through the crevices of the void.
Along the way, one might see stars fading into Ruins of Return, spewing out their final brilliance and destruction; or chaotic storms sweeping across, shredding everything tangible and intangible; or faint fragments of ancient ruins floating by, telling untold stories of the past.
Qi Yun passed by in a flash, his mind as still as a deep well.
I don't know how much time has passed, perhaps months, perhaps years.
In the perception of the [Six Realms Heaven], a world aura, distinct from the Xuanhuang Home Realm, gradually became clear from the depths of the chaos ahead.
The aura was vast and ancient, carrying a unique rhythm of vitality and a tightly knit network of rules.
This is our destination – the [Lingyong] Great Realm.
Approaching this boundary, Qi Yun did not rashly approach.
That time, as soon as he entered Azure Gate, he aroused the alert of the Heaven's Will of that realm, and was forced to seal his cultivation, restrain everything, and turn into a stone statue to lie dormant for a long time before he barely managed to avoid being captured by the Heaven's Will.
The process was extremely dangerous.
"A fall into a pit, a gain in your wit." Qi Yun stopped in the void, still a safe distance from [Lingyong], and stood silently.
Compared to when he was a novice with limited experience, he has undergone tremendous changes.
Leaving aside cultivation level, their understanding of the will of Heaven's Will and their application of the [Six Realms Heaven] are incomparable.
They also became more patient and better at achieving their goals with minimal cost.
He did not choose to force his way in, nor to confront the Heaven's Will of this vast world head-on.
Even if he is somewhat confident that he can put up a fight for a short time.
But that would be unwise and prematurely expose him, contradicting his original intention of not wanting to make a fuss about his trip.
He's waiting.
He was waiting for an opportunity, waiting for a "guide" who could allow him to Heaven's Will and unnoticedly integrate into [Lingyong].
In the void, there is neither sun nor moon.
Only the eternal chaotic currents and the occasional fleeting glimmer of starlight remain.
Qi Yun found a relatively stable point where the void turbulence converged, sat down cross-legged, and his aura blended perfectly with the surrounding environment.
Time slowly passed in the desolate wait.
For ordinary people, it may be a long time.
But for Qi Yun, it was merely a fleeting moment in his understanding of the Great Dao.
He was calm and patient.
About a year passed.
On this day, Qi Yun, who sat as still as a statue, suddenly had a glint of light flash in his eyes beneath his slightly closed eyelids, as if a pebble had been thrown into a silent ancient well.
"Finally—he's here."
A slight smile played at the corners of his lips.
At the edge of his perception, somewhere within the thick, eggshell-like world barrier of the [Lingyong] Great Realm, a subtle yet clear ripple of rules spread out.
Immediately afterwards, a figure enveloped in pale blue light shot out from within the realm like an arrow, breaking through the chaos and speeding towards a certain direction in the outer void.
This streaking light was quite fast, and the energy fluctuations it emitted, in Qi Yun's perception, were roughly equivalent to the Foundation Establishment Realm True Person level of the Xuanhuang Home Realm.
His cultivation level was even three points stronger than when he first left Xuanhuang and went to Azure Gate.
"It's you."
Qi Yun remained seated cross-legged, without moving, but stretched out a hand towards the direction of the azure light.
There was no earth-shattering momentum, no dazzling supernatural Divine Ability.
The hand simply reached forward, fingers slightly spread, as if casually grasping something from thin air.
However, the instant he spread his five fingers, the void within a thousand miles centered on that azure light suddenly froze!
The surging chaotic air currents froze, the scattered energy points stiffened, and even the pale blue escape light itself was like a mosquito trapped in amber, instantly frozen in mid-air, unable to move!
The cultivator in the escaping light didn't even have time to fully show his shock before he completely lost all perception and control over himself and the outside world.
Foundation Establishment True Person?
Slightly stronger than Qi Yun back then?
Unfortunately, he encountered the Qi Yun of today.
He is the number one Great True Person of Xuanhuang, who has experienced many extraordinary encounters, made great progress in his cultivation, and reached the pinnacle of the Great True Person realm!
The gap between the two is now as vast as heaven and earth.
"Photograph."
Qi Yun uttered a single, indifferent syllable.
The outstretched hand gently grasped.
In the frozen void, the pale blue light, along with the figure of the cultivator within it, was as if seized by an invisible giant hand, instantly traversing a long distance and forcibly pulled in front of Qi Yun.
The cultivator was still enveloped in stagnant escape light, and his face still retained a trace of vigilance towards the outer void and anticipation for the road ahead that had not completely dissipated, but his eyes were already filled with blankness and solidified fear.
Qi Yun didn't waste any words, and didn't even glance at the cultivator's terrified face.
Suddenly, two deep, swirling lights shone in his eyes, piercing straight into the other's Ancestral Aperture between his eyebrows!
Soul Search!
Slice your soul!
"Ugh... Ahhh!!!"
The cultivator's frozen body was unable to move, but from the depths of his Divine Soul erupted a silent, extremely shrill scream and struggle.
However, under Qi Yun's absolute power, all resistance was like a candle flickering in the wind, extinguished in an instant.
A massive amount of information, like a flood bursting its banks, surged into Qi Yun's Sea of Consciousness.
From this cultivator's origins, cultivation Cultivation Method, interpersonal relationships, and mission objectives, to the power distribution, realm divisions, customs and taboos, and unique aspects of the rules of heaven and earth in the [Lingyong] Great Realm----
Even the "Realm Mark" fluctuations, unique to the beings of [Lingyong] and faintly resonating with the Heaven's Will within the realm, were meticulously peeled away, analyzed, and imprinted into Qi Yun's heart.
A moment later, the divine light in Qi Yun's eyes faded.
The cultivator's body was still intact, but his eyes were completely empty, and his Divine Soul essence had been completely seized and dissected, leaving only an empty shell.
His soul had already been scattered and his body was completely dead.
Qi Yun remained expressionless, as if he had only done a trivial matter.
With a thought, the empty shell of his body vanished like dust into the chaotic airflow, leaving no trace.
"[Lingyong]----I see."
Qi Yun muttered to himself, digesting the information he had just received.
"That makes things much easier."
Qi Yun closed his eyes, and his internal energy began to undergo extremely mysterious changes.
The bones hummed slightly, the skin texture shifted, and the aura emanating from the pores of the body rapidly diminished and changed, converging with the essence of the cultivator from before.
A few breaths later, he suddenly opened his eyes.
The divine light in his eyes had been completely concealed, transforming into the same spiritual agility as that cultivator, belonging to the [Lingyong] Foundation Establishment cultivator.
As his thoughts stirred again, the simple dark blue Daoist robe he wore began to change in style, texture, and even the subtle Spiritual Qi reactions of the material.
Ultimately, it transformed into the same light blue robe worn by the monk in my memory.
On his chest, a "cloud-patterned ancient seal" mark representing his sect of origin faintly appeared.
The Primordial True Body!
Ever-changing!
Not only his appearance, clothing, and aura, but even the unique "Realm Mark" fluctuations deep within his soul that were faintly connected to the Heavenly Dao of [Lingyong] were perfectly simulated and replicated by the Divine Ability power of [Primordial True Body]!
At this moment, Qi Yun has transformed himself, and no matter how you look at it, he is exactly the same as Zhou Zimo, the Foundation Establishment cultivator who just flew out of [Lingyong]!
Furthermore, due to its profound foundation and exquisite control over power, the aura it simulated was even more refined and condensed than the original Zhou Zimo's.
Qi Yun, or rather, the current "Zhou Zimo," stretched his wrists, adjusting to his "new" body and identity, a satisfied smile appearing on his lips.
He raised his eyes and looked at the vast [Lingyong] Great World not far away, where the ripples of rules on the world barrier still seemed to be gently undulating.
"Colleagues of Lingyong, I, Qi, have arrived."
With a familiar Holy Sect smile on his lips, Qi Yun transformed into a pale blue streak of light, identical to the previous cultivator. After adjusting his direction, he flew unhurriedly towards the [Lingyong] Great World, the void node where he had recently "left".
His escape was steady, his aura pure, clearly that of a native cultivator from [Lingyong] who had completed his external duties and was returning to his sect.