"Gulp."
As the Dao Fruit Golden Core entered his stomach, a gentle yet indescribably powerful torrent of chaotic colorful energy instantly swept through every corner of Qi Yun's limbs, Purple Mansion, and Divine Soul!
"Boom-!!!"
An unprecedented sense of supreme power, encompassing all things and seeing through everything, burst forth within Qi Yun's consciousness!
He felt his "perception" being infinitely magnified and elevated!
Without needing to use his Divine Sense, with just a slight thought, the vast outline of the entire Xuanhuang Home Realm, the direction of mountains and rivers, the flow of the earth's spiritual energy, and even the fine yet intricate threads of cause and effect entangled on the bodies of countless living beings, all appeared clearly before his "eyes" as if he were looking at the lines on his palm!
He could even take the entire Xuanhuang Home Realm into his palm with just a gentle open palm and a clenched fist, its existence and demise at his command!
One thought brings all things into being!
One thought and the world is shattered!!
However, one "is still not enough—"
Qi Yun slowly raised his eyes, those chaotic, colorful eyes that reflected all things in the heavens and the cycle of cause and effect, and gazed calmly and firmly into the depths of the endless, high sky.
Thump!
Without further hesitation, he slowly stepped forward, facing the seemingly empty void above him, and took a single step!
"Boom!!!"
The instant his foot touched the ground!
A terrifying, muffled roar, as if the earth for billions of miles pulsated simultaneously, suddenly exploded!
Centered on his landing point, visible, thick, dragon-like ripples of chaotic color spread wildly in all directions, like the surface of an ancient well being hit by a boulder!
"Crunch!!!"
The entire vast and boundless Xuanhuang Home Realm visibly sank slightly downwards as he took that step!
One step, and the world sinks!
Thump!
Thump!
Thump!
Qi Yun's expression remained calm as he took the second, third, and fourth steps—his pace was slow, yet as steady as a mountain and as resolute as iron!
Every step they took resounded with a world-shaking roar!
As he walked step by step upwards, deeper into the sky, the vast pressure that had slightly dissipated around him due to his initial attainment of the Dao Fruit began to spontaneously and continuously contract, condense, and purify inwards!
With each step he took, the pressure grew heavier and more solid, more restrained and profound, yet its true nature became increasingly terrifying!
His aura had become so powerful that even the many Great True Person watching from below felt their Divine Soul tremble and were tempted to kneel in terror.
"Buzz----"
Above Qi Yun's head, in the depths of the endless sky, which had become somewhat low due to his ascent, a faint, cold, and indifferent gray-white light suddenly appeared.
The faint light, initially as small as a bean, quickly spread and stretched, and in the blink of an eye, it outlined an enormous, long, vertical gray-white streak in the sky!
"Hmm? This is—"
" The Xuanhuang Heaven's Will?! It—has been disturbed?!"
Within the All Wonders Heaven, the True Lord who had been closely monitoring the movements in the lower realm all tensed up the moment that grayish-white light appeared!
"As expected—this child's path is too domineering and arrogant— Heaven's Will will not allow it."
Qingyuan True Lord Wendao stood with his hands behind his back, his usually calm face now showing an unusually solemn expression.
"Boom-!"
Just as the Eye of the Sky fully opened and its cold gaze fell upon Qi Yun, Qi Yun's steady upward stride, which seemed poised to ascend to the heavens, suddenly halted!
An overwhelming, unyielding, and terrifying pressure, like the collapse of the ancient heavens, crashed down upon his shoulders.
"Click----"
The void surrounding Qi Yun, crushed by this pressure of Heaven's Will, emitted a mournful sound like shattering porcelain, revealing countless spiderweb-like black cracks.
Raise your head to meet that eye of the Xuanhuang, reflecting the rise and fall of countless millennia.
"Call----"
Qi Yun exhaled softly, his breath carrying a chaotic, colorful aura that slightly dispersed the invisible pressure pressing down on him.
"Truly worthy of being the will of the Xuanhuang Home Realm, which has nurtured countless cultivators and witnessed the rise and fall of numerous True Lord ----"
Qi Yun murmured to himself, his tone carrying a hint of genuine admiration.
"Compared to the Heaven's Will of those realms beyond, it's like a firefly compared to the bright moon, or a fly compared to a true dragon!"
After a soft sigh, Qi Yun's lips curled into a slight, composed smile.
"But----"
So what?
The moment the words left his mouth, "Thump!!!"
Qi Yun's right foot, which had been suppressed by Heaven's Will and slightly paused, suddenly stepped forward again, stomping out heavily!
"Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!"
This step was like lighting the final fuse of a powder keg!
The entire endless sky was utterly enraged!
The gray-white eye of the sky suddenly shone brightly. In its cold pupil, endless gray-white lightning erupted like a volcano that had been suppressed for countless ages, transforming into a vast sea of lightning that blotted out the sky and covered countless miles of the heavens!
"Snap! Snap! Snap-!!!"
Within the sea of light, countless terrifying bolts of lightning, as thick as mountains and grayish-white in color, roared and thundered like awakened world-destroying dragons, freezing the souls of all living beings!
The thunderous roar resounded throughout the heavens, and the terrifying destructive pressure, like a tangible tsunami, descended from the sky, frantically washing over and crushing everything below!
The pressure was so strong that it even penetrated the spatial barrier, causing all the True Lord in the All Wonders Heaven to feel a clear numbness in their bodies and a stinging pain in their Divine Soul!
"The Heavenly Punishment of Xuanhuang —The True World-Destroying Thunder!"
A True Lord gasped softly, his eyes filled with solemnity.
Even True Lord would have to be careful to deal with a heavenly thunder of this scale and power!
If we were to be directly engulfed by this sea of lightning—the consequences would be unimaginable!
However, facing this terrifying sea of lightning that blotted out the sky and seemed capable of destroying the world, Qi Yun's expression remained calm and resolute.
He didn't even look up at the sea of thunder crashing down.
He took a slight breath and then lifted his left foot again.
Thump!
Another step has been taken!
"Presumptuous!!!"
In the the Unseen, it seemed as if the cold, merciless voice of the Heavenly Dao resounded!
"Boom-!!!"
A sea of thunder, obscuring the sky, crashed down with a deafening roar, like a thunderous celestial realm descending from the heavens!
Billions of gray-white lightning bolts tore through the sky, carrying an absolute will to obliterate all variables, and frantically slashed and shot towards that tiny yet dazzling deep blue figure!
The lightning's power had completely transformed the area within a million miles of Qi Yun into a thunderous inferno!
Every inch of space was filled with violent, destructive lightning!
"Buzz--!"
Just as the first wave, thousands upon thousands of bolts of lightning illuminated Qi Yun's calm face!
Qi Yun's body suddenly erupted with the Hunyuan Great Luo Dao Intent that had been restrained!
Boundless, majestic, and profound, seemingly containing the origin of all colors since the beginning of time, the chaotic color essence intertwined and condensed above his head in an instant, transforming into a chaotic auspicious cloud with a diameter of no more than three zhang!
The auspicious cloud slowly rotated, casting down countless strands of chaotic, necklace-like Daoist light that completely protected Qi Yun.
Above the auspicious clouds, one could vaguely perceive the evolution of earth, water, fire, and wind; the rising and falling of the sun, moon, and stars; the cycle of birth and death of all things; and an unparalleled realm of being impervious to all laws, repelled by all evil, and supremely honored by one's own path!
"Crackling sound!!!"
The first wave of heavenly lightning struck the Chaos Clouds with overwhelming force!
The gray-white lightning, powerful enough to severely injure True Lord, struck the Chaotic Auspicious Clouds, but it was like raindrops falling onto a red-hot iron plate, instantly dissolved and assimilated by the chaotic colorful intent flowing on the surface of the auspicious clouds!
Qi Yun his ascent without stopping, braving the chaotic auspicious clouds and the endless, increasingly violent thunder and rain, step by step, steadfastly climbing upwards!
Thump!
Thump!
Thump!
His footsteps tread on the void, on the sea of lightning, and on the oppressive power of the Heavenly Dao, producing a deep and awe-inspiring Dao sound!
"Boom! Boom! Boom!!!"
Thunderous sea boils!
The density and power of the heavenly lightning began to increase exponentially!
The grayish-white lightning gradually took on a dark gold tinge!
The Thunder Dragon swelled in size, its roar shattering the clouds for miles around!
Each bolt of heavenly lightning caused the chaotic auspicious clouds to tremble slightly, their surface glowing and flickering uncertainly!
"Snap--!!!"
Finally, Qi Yun took what seemed like his umpteenth step.
A bolt of lightning, as thick as a pillar and wreathed in dark gold, ripped through the sea of lightning and slammed heavily onto the Chaos Auspicious Clouds.
"Puff--!"
A soft sound, like a bubble bursting.
The once rock-solid Chaos Auspicious Clouds were pierced by a hole the size of a fist!
Although the hole was instantly filled by the chaotic colorful energy surging from the surrounding area.
But "Sizzle--!"
A bolt of dark golden lightning, only as thick as a hair but extremely refined and imbued with the will of the Xuanhuang, struck Qi Yun's left shoulder with tremendous force!
There was no flying blood and flesh, no broken bones.
The moment Qi Yun's left shoulder was struck, it vanished without a trace, like a pencil drawing erased by an eraser!
A surging, chaotic, and colorful aura flowed and disappeared at the wound site!
"Hmm----" Qi Yun swayed slightly, his brows furrowing almost imperceptibly.
But that's all.
"Buzz--!"
A chaotic, colorful aura surged around him, and his missing left shoulder and arm rapidly grew, condensed, and reshaped at a speed visible to the naked eye as the colorful aura flowed!
In the blink of an eye, it was completely restored, its skin texture shimmering with a faint, hazy glow, as if it had never been injured.
However, this first direct breach of defense and injury to the body seemed to have flipped a dangerous switch.
"Snap!"
"Snap!"
"Snap--!"
More and more heavenly lightning bolts pierced through Qingyun's defenses and bombarded Qi Yun's body!
His chest was torn open, revealing a chaotic, colorful galaxy surging within.
The back was pierced, revealing the ever-evolving cycle of all things.
His legs were blasted apart, transforming into the four fundamental energy sources of earth, water, fire, and wind.
Qi Yun's body was repeatedly and severely damaged and shattered under the increasingly dense and terrifying bombardment of heavenly lightning!
His steps toward the heavens began to slow down and become heavier and heavier!
Each step required several times more effort than before to resist the heavenly lightning, repair the body, and withstand the all-pervasive pressure of the Heavenly Dao!
His dark blue Daoist robe was tattered, revealing his body covered in wounds.
His black hair danced wildly in the lightning, sometimes being burned away by the lightning and fire, and then instantly regenerating in the colorful light.
Only those firm and bright eyes remained fixed on the future, without the slightest hint of disappointment!
At the same time.
Above the heavens, beyond the All Wonders Heaven, lies a profound realm transcending time and space.
Two blurry figures had quietly appeared here, silently overlooking the fierce and magnificent battle below where one person was fighting against the Heaven's Will.
On the left was a figure dressed in a simple black Daoist robe, with an upright posture and a face shrouded in a light mist.
The figure on the right was even more indistinct; its clothing was unclear, its gender unidentifiable, and even its specific aura imperceptible. It possessed only a peculiar presence, transcending all things yet seemingly existing alongside them, yet surpassing them all.
At this moment, watching the arduous scene below where Qi Yun Body was constantly being shattered by heavenly lightning, his steps becoming increasingly slow, yet his gaze remained unchanged, the black-clad figure seemed to slightly twitch his face, which was shrouded in mist.
He slowly raised his right hand, his fingers slightly spread, a faint, obscure Daoist intent—capable of manipulating the universe and altering cause and effect—began to flow and condense in his palm.
It seems they want to do something.
At this moment, the even more indistinct figure on the right gently waved its hand.
If it can't be... then it's not the person we're waiting for.
The figure in black nodded slowly upon hearing this, his raised right hand pausing slightly.
The obscure Daoist aura that had gathered in his palm also quietly dissipated.
Below, on the path to heaven.
Thump!
"Thump!!"
"Thump--!!!"
Qi Yun's steps were so heavy that each step seemed to use up all his strength.
His body was covered in wounds, and some places were not even fully healed before being struck by new heavenly lightning, making the flow of colorful energy somewhat sluggish.
But he kept going!
One step, one step, and another!
The faintly visible All Wonders Heaven wonders are drawing ever closer!
As they drew nearer, the True Lord of the All Wonders Heaven could clearly see the deep blue figure struggling through the endless sea of lightning, covered in wounds yet with burning eyes!
"He's almost up?!"
"They actually... really... held it?!"
"But—his condition—"
The True Lord were extremely conflicted.
They were unwilling to see such a promising and terrifying "younger generation" actually "intrude" into this All Wonders Heaven in such an unprecedented way, breaking the balance and order that had been maintained for eternity.
Yet deep within their hearts, a certain instinct belonging to "seekers of the Way" makes them secretly hope to witness the birth of a miracle, to witness a brand new, supreme Way, truly and completely descending upon this world!
At this moment, another unexpected event occurs!
"Boom boom boom boom-!!!"
The vast, sky-covering sea of lightning suddenly ceased its relentless bombardment!
All the gray-white and dark-gold lightning bolts, regardless of size or strength, converged madly towards the very center of the sea of lightning!
Thunderous collisions, fusion, annihilation, and rebirth!
It unleashed a terrifying light that was billions of times brighter than the sun!
Just a breath!
The endless sea of lightning was forcibly compressed and condensed into a bolt of Heavenly Dao lightning, no more than a hundred feet in diameter, but seemingly spanning the past, present, and future!
"Boom!!!!!!!"
The Heavenly Dao Thunder, carrying a terrifying force that shook the entire All Wonders Heaven, was like a destiny spear that had existed since the beginning of time and was destined to end everything. It crashed down on Qi Yun, whose steps were almost halted and whose Dao body was in ruins!
In an instant!
A deafening roar swept through the air!
The intense light stung even the True Lord's eyes.
Soon, the light faded.
The group of True Lord strained their eyes to search for that resolute and stubborn figure.
"No----"
Qingyuan True Lord Wendao frowned deeply, and his hands, which had been clenched tightly in the dark, slowly loosened.
"In the end—was it still just one step short—?"
"What a pity----"
He murmured softly, as if putting an end to this breathtaking, heaven-defying act ahead of time.
Not only him, but True Lord Vast Sea and Fine Dust, Sage Wang True Lord, Zhuan Lun Wheel-Turning True Lord —and even Desolate Halberd True Lord and True Lord Wudao —all showed a complex expression on their faces at this moment.
It seems that everything will end in that final thunderbolt.
However, just as the group of True Lord looked at each other, seeing the complex and unfathomable emotions in each other's eyes...
A clear, resonant shout, carrying the feeling of great freedom and ease after breaking free from all constraints, suddenly echoed throughout the All Wonders Heaven!
"The Thirty-Three Heavens Beyond Heaven,"
"There are immortals beyond the nine heavens."
"Gods and immortals were originally mortals."
"I fear that mortals' hearts are not steadfast!"
"A single word or two can reveal profound truths,"
Why bother with thousands of volumes of sacred texts?
"If a person is not burdened by their physical form,"
"Before us lies the Great Luo Heaven!"