A Heaven-Sent Opportunity
"Buzz----"
The last fragments of extinguished Buddha light, like a flickering candle in the wind, quietly dissipated into the void.
Above the West Sea, the strange phenomenon dissipated.
The shattered space, under the self-healing power of the universe, struggled to mend its jagged cracks, emitting a faint "creaking" sound, like the movement of a glacier.
The vast void, cleansed by Sword Qi and Buddhist light, is now once again filled with sparse Spiritual Qi from all directions.
Below, the West Sea, which had been pressed into a deep abyss, began to roar again after a brief pause, pouring in from all directions and creating pale white columns of water that connected heaven and earth.
The world gradually quieted down.
However, this "stillness" contained a suffocating sense of oppression even more intense than the earth-shattering battles that had followed.
In the distance, more than ten Xuanhuang Great True Person stood frozen in various parts of the void, like clay or wooden sculptures.
Their gazes were fixed intently on the figure standing quietly in the center of the battlefield.
Qi Yun.
His dark blue Daoist robe was torn in many places and stained with pale gold and dark red bloodstains, clinging tightly to his slender but obviously tired body.
He simply stood quietly, his head slightly bowed, his dark hair flowing freely, partially obscuring his face.
Yet this seemingly frail figure, as if a gust of wind could blow him over, was now seen by the assembled Great True Person as an ancient divine blade, stained with blood and sheathed, yet still sharp and capable of piercing the heavens!
He stood there, becoming the sole fulcrum of this shattered world.
While the intangible aura is no longer domineering and outwardly displayed, it has gained an indescribable, settled weight and majesty.
"He... killed the World-Honored One?"
After a long silence, the deathly stillness was broken by a dry, hoarse sound, like rough sandpaper rubbing together.
The Great True Person Lunzhuan from the Yellow Springs Netherworld was surrounded by a thin, almost transparent gray mist. His will-o'-the-wisps flickered violently as he stared intently at Qi Yun, as if questioning himself and this absurd reality.
Upon hearing this, the surrounding Great True Person all trembled slightly.
They opened their mouths several times, their lips moving as if they wanted to say something, but found that any words seemed so pale and powerless at this moment.
Having witnessed firsthand the entire process of the Buddha's palm being pierced, the sword formation manifesting, the final flash of gray light, and the annihilation of the World-Honored One, any wishful thinking or doubt becomes a joke.
"It should be—just an incarnation of the World-Honored One Honored One descending through the body of Arhat— " Black Mountain True Person took a deep breath, trying to make his voice sound calm, attempting to find a "reasonable" explanation for this unbelievable fact.
It applies to both others and one's own moral compass, which is on the verge of collapse.
"It was not the World-Honored One himself who appeared."
Upon hearing what Black Mountain True Person said, the almost frozen blood of the Great True Person seemed to warm up slightly, and their pale faces eased a little.
Yes, it's just an avatar, though equally terrifying.
But it's still easier to accept than actually slaughtering the World-Honored One himself, right?
However, this newly formed, faint "comfort" was ruthlessly shattered the next second by the voice of the Dragon Crown Prince of the South Sea, filled with lingering fear and bitterness.
"Even if it is an incarnation—" The voice of the Dragon Crown Prince of the South Sea trembled almost imperceptibly. His enormous dragon eyes looked at Qi Yun, then at the void where the World-Honored One had vanished, and his dragon whiskers swayed unconsciously.
"Isn't that a true embodiment of the status and methods of True Lord?"
These words plunged the entire room into a deathly silence once again.
True Lord!
That is the highest realm they pursue their whole lives, yet may never be reached!
It is a supreme being who is truly transcendent, wielding a portion of the power of the universe, and whose life and death can be decided with a single thought!
Even if it is just an avatar, the level, power, and understanding and application of the Great Dao it represents are beyond the comprehension of Great True Person, let alone matching or even killing!
Ke Qi Yun did it.
With the power of Great True Person, he annihilated the World-Honored One One's incarnation, who was at the True Lord level, with a single sword strike!
This process, though unbelievable, truly happened before their eyes.
Silence, like the heaviest lead weight, pressed down on the hearts of every Great True Person.
Ultimately, it all turned into a deep chill and a sense of retreat.
Fortuitous opportunity? Heavenly Court? Hope for Enlightenment?
In the face of being alive, all these things suddenly seem less important.
That fiend on the other side could even slay the incarnation of the World-Honored One without a second thought. These "ants" who had previously besieged him, coveted the Heavenly Court, and even tried to obstruct him—what difference was there between them and pigs and sheep awaiting slaughter in his eyes now?
Let's go----
Someone spoke softly, in a barely audible voice, as if afraid of disturbing something.
This statement, like a pardon, instantly resonated with everyone.
Go! We must leave immediately!
While he appears weak now, before he can "settle the score"!
Upon hearing this, the assembled Great True Person exchanged a perfectly synchronized glance, their eyes filled with unspoken fear.
Without words, without farewells, and not even daring to unleash too much Law Power, they retreated silently and slowly, like the most cautious thieves.
However-
Just as everyone had retreated less than a hundred miles and their minds had calmed down, thinking they could escape alive...
"Etc."
A calm, indifferent, yet crystal-clear voice entered everyone's ears and reached the depths of their Divine Soul, like an invisible shackle, suddenly resounding!
Hiss-!
All the Great True Person who were quietly retreating froze in their tracks!
My scalp tingled, my Divine Soul trembled violently, and my heart nearly jumped out of my throat!
Broken!
This boy is from the Holy Sect! He's going to—
Settle scores later! Slaughter them all!
In an instant, those eight bloody characters flashed through the minds of all the Great True Person.
Qi Yun called out to the crowd, but did not act immediately.
He kept his head slightly bowed, as if trying to adjust to the churning pain and emptiness within his body.
After a few breaths, he slowly and somewhat laboriously turned around.
His brows betrayed a deep, unyielding weariness.
The earth-shattering "sword slaying Buddha" that just happened seemed incredibly glorious and awe-inspiring throughout the ages.
But only he himself knew the dangers and the price he paid.
Using the body of Great True Person, he forcibly "managed" the True Lord -level power from the "Immortal-Slaying Dao Fruit"----
Every step is like dancing on a knife's edge, or walking on the edge of a cliff.
The backlash was far more severe than imagined.
"For at least a hundred years, this power must not be used recklessly again, otherwise the Dao Foundation will be in danger of collapsing—" Qi Yun knew this perfectly well.
He lowered his eyes and looked at his outstretched, slightly trembling right palm.
There, a thin, jagged crack with faint gray edges stretched from the tiger's mouth to the wrist, as if it had been cut by an invisible sword.
Deep within the crack, faint, gray Sword Qi slithered like small snakes, bringing a persistent stinging pain and a feeling of weakness.
"Call----"
Exhaling a deep breath, forcibly suppressing the exhaustion and weakness that was almost overwhelming his consciousness, Qi Yun raised his head again. His eyes, still deep but unable to hide his weariness, slowly swept over the Great True Person in the distance who looked as if they were facing a formidable enemy, their faces pale.
His self-illumination didn't linger on anyone for long, as if they were merely insignificant background figures.
His gaze pierced through the shattered void, crossed the surging tsunami, and reached the endless, distant sky—where the blurry phantom of the All Wonders Heaven still hung high.
Although the previous seal was pierced by a small hole by the gray light of the "Immortal-Ending" Dao Fruit, the overall isolation still exists.
Qi Yun could clearly feel that beams of light, vast, indifferent, and filled with inquiry and complex emotions, were being cast down from the All Wonders Heaven, like invisible tentacles, enveloping the entire West Sea battlefield, scrutinizing him, and scrutinizing everything that had just happened.
Those are the gazes of the True Lord.
The emergence of the Heavenly Court has stirred up the Xuanhuang and triggered a great calamity. They may not be able to directly intervene due to certain restrictions or agreements, but they are certainly paying close attention.
"The emergence of the Heavenly Court this time, though triggering a great calamity and causing turmoil in the Xuanhuang, resulting in the deaths of cultivators like rain—"
Qi Yun's mind raced.
However, fortune and misfortune are intertwined.
Great calamities also contain great fortuitous opportunity.
Cultivators from all over the world, regardless of righteousness or evil, race, or cultivation level, were all drawn by this "Heavenly Court fortuitous opportunity" and flocked to the West Sea.
A sharp glint slowly appeared in the depths of his eyes, dispelling some of his weariness.
"Such a scale and such a thorough gathering is rare in history."
Aside from today, there will likely be no second chance to gather all the cultivators of the Xuanhuang Realm in one place.
Without hesitation, he acted immediately.
Despite feeling utterly empty inside and suffering from hidden pain from his Dao wounds, he still mustered his strength and activated the depths of the already dimmed sword scar between his brows, borrowing the last trace of power belonging to True Lord.
Facing the All Wonders Heaven high above, Qi Yun waved his hand.
"Buzz-!"
A seemingly thin, dense fog appeared out of nowhere, spread rapidly, and instantly blocked the All Wonders Heaven.
Thick fog rolled in, blocking all prying eyes and completely isolating the entire All Wonders Heaven.
Within the All Wonders Heaven, the light screen before the eyes of all the True Lord suddenly blurred, then transformed into a swirling gray mist, making it impossible to see anything that was happening in the West Sea below.
"Um?"
What is this child's intention?
"It can actually conceal our senses?"
The True Lord all frowned, their gazes involuntarily turning towards the direction of the Holy Sect Sect's camp.
This method clearly borrowed the power of that Dao Fruit, and the intention was obvious: to prevent the True Lord from watching any longer.
"Desolate Halberd, Wudao!" The Sage Wang of the Hao Ran Holy Land, with a gentle face but piercing eyes, spoke first, his voice calm yet carrying an undeniable majesty.
"What is the meaning of this by your disciple?"
"The affairs of the Heavenly Court are not yet resolved, and the turmoil in the West Sea has not yet subsided. What is his intention in obstructing the view of All Wonders Heaven?"
The Desolate Halberd True Lord was grinning widely, relishing the heroic figure of Qi Yun unleashing the World-Honored One Honored One's incarnation, and planning how to show off to his old rivals, the Sword Pavilion and the Azure Sect, when he returned.
When Sage Wang asked him this, he raised his thick eyebrows, turned his head, and revealed an even more "simple and honest" smile, scratching his head with his large, fan-like hand. "You're asking me? How about I go down to the mortal realm and ask for you?"
"Hmph, quick-witted." True Lord Vast Sea and Fine Dust snorted coldly, but was too lazy to say anything more.
They knew the temperament of these True Lord of the Holy Sect: they were protective of their own, domineering, and unreasonable. If they really got into a debate, they would only end up getting so angry that their livers ached.
Seeing this, the other True Lord wisely chose to remain silent.
Since the Holy Sect has made it clear that they will protect their own, it's better to wait and see than to break off relations now.
However, gazing at the thick, chaotic fog that obscured the secrets of heaven, a shadow fell over the hearts of all the True Lord, and they fell into deep thought.
This boy has slain the incarnation of the World-Honored One and obscured the secrets of Heaven—what else does he intend to do?
Above the West Sea, in the void.
He could cover the sky with one hand, blocking the view of all the Myriad Wonders True Lords.
A soft shout silenced the dozen or so Great True Person below who were trembling with fear and trying to flee.
Having done all this, Qi Yun stood with his hands behind his back before the massive Southern Heaven Gate of the Heavenly Court, which was covered with sword marks and charred traces.
His figure still appeared somewhat frail, and his breath remained weak.
But against the backdrop of the magnificent Heavenly Court, shrouded in the chaotic mist above, and set against the backdrop of the vast, undulating West Sea below, it exudes an indescribable aloofness and an aura of complete control.
He's waiting.
His profound gaze seemed to pierce through the boundless void, looking towards all directions of the Xuanhuang Land, towards the countless cultivators who were rushing from all directions due to the emergence of the Heavenly Court and the fluctuations of the great battle, some riding escape lights, some riding flying boats, and some tearing through space.
Low-level, high-level, Rogue Cultivator, sect members, righteous cultivators, demonic cultivators, humans, Demon Race ----
All cultivators in the land were mobilized upon hearing the news.
They all converge here.
Come on—come on, everyone—
Qi Yun silently chanted in his heart, and the divine light deep in his eyes grew brighter and brighter, like a star ignited in the darkness.
"If it weren't for the bait offered by the Heavenly Court, if it weren't for the overwhelming force of this calamity sweeping across the Xuanhuang, how could all the cultivators in the world have been gathered here? And how could I, Qi Yun, have had such a once-in-a-millennium opportunity, to achieve this in a single day—"
"Find the nine supreme beings scattered throughout the vast sea of humanity!"