Demigod, Demigod!

A month later, on the vast training grounds outside the Qie Residence in Cloud Sea Prefecture City.

At that moment, the training grounds were filled with a clamorous din.

Several hundred carefully selected, burly miners had gathered on the left.

Most of them looked honest and simple. They had all been recruited by the Qie Clan over the past month with generous wages.

Now, curiosity about the unknown work still lingered in their expressions.

On the right stood the Qie Clan's well-equipped core knights.

They stood in orderly ranks, knowing that this trip must involve an important mission.

But they couldn't help wondering.

Why had the clan head suddenly summoned so many miners? And why did they need elite knights to escort them to a safe vein?

Fang Yun and Qi Lingfei stood on the platform, surveying the assembled crowd.

The two exchanged a glance.

Only they knew the true state of the mine from a year ago.

Although there was no longer any danger there, without Qie Qiong's orders, neither of them would reveal a single detail to outsiders.

As for this assembly, they had only said that the mine was short-handed and needed workers.

Fang Yun took a deep breath, preparing to emphasize the importance of this mining operation to everyone.

Just then.

An indescribable pressure rose from deep within the Qie Residence. In an instant, it enveloped the entire residence and several surrounding blocks.

Buzz—!

The hubbub on the grounds vanished instantly. Whether miners or knights, everyone felt as though an invisible hand had clenched their hearts, and their breathing seized.

A weighty force from Heaven and Earth pressed down on everyone.

The crowd fell silent. Only their heavy breathing remained.

No one knew how long it lasted. Then the sudden pressure receded like a tide, vanishing without a trace as if it had never appeared.

As the pressure disappeared, a huge wave of discussion erupted across the grounds.

"My God, what was that just now?!"

"I thought my heart was going to leap out of my chest. I couldn't breathe!"

"Impossible! That feeling... it was an aura! An unimaginable aura!" A Silver Moon Rank knight's face had gone pale, and his voice trembled slightly. He had once felt Qie Yunzhou's Title Rank pressure from afar, but compared with the pressure just now, it was like a firefly beside the bright moon.

"That pressure seemed to come from deep inside the residence." Another knight pointed toward the depths of the Qie Residence, his voice unconsciously filled with shock and awe.

"It was the clan head. It must have been Lord Qie Qiong." Someone seemed to have guessed what was going on. "Could the clan head have broken through again?"

"That's right, that's right. My lord reached Title Rank several years ago." A young knight said in disbelief, "Could that feeling just now have been the legendary Transcendent realm?"

"Transcendent?" The moment this guess was voiced, it set off even more discussion among the crowd.

"Yes, it must have been Transcendent. Who else but a legendary Transcendent powerhouse could unleash such terrifying pressure from so far away?"

"My God, the Qie Clan has another Transcendent knight!"

"This is the second one. How many years has it been since Lord Qie Yunzhou broke through?"

"Right, how old is my lord? He's in his twenties, not even twenty-five, I think. That's just..."

Apart from those raised in families with deep traditions, most people in the mortal world knew little about the Transcendent realm.

But it was precisely this ignorance that made the words "Transcendent realm" carry even more weight.

A faint sense of pride at being part of this rose in their hearts.

They were serving a Transcendent powerhouse.

Of course, deep down, they felt even more awe toward this power.

Fang Yun and Qi Lingfei stood on the steps, smiling as they exchanged a glance.

In their view, Qie Qiong had released his pressure at this time and revealed that he was Transcendent as a matter of fact, adding another layer of security to the operation ahead.

And once word of Qie Qiong's breakthrough spread, the Qie Clan in the mortal world would be under the two of them from then on.

"Silence!" Fang Yun took a deep breath, channeled his Dou Qi, and shouted in a deep voice.

His voice held a trace of excitement he himself hadn't noticed, instantly drowning out the discussion.

Everyone's gaze immediately focused on him.

In their eyes, Fang Yun was undoubtedly one of the people closest to the clan head, and someone who could answer their questions.

Fang Yun slowly swept his gaze over the crowd, trying to appear calm.

"It seems you all felt it just now. That's right. A month ago, the clan head said he was about to break through to the Transcendent realm. It seems he has now successfully broken through and entered the Transcendent realm."

Hua—

Although they had already guessed, when Fang Yun himself confirmed the news, the grounds still erupted in irrepressible gasps and cheers.

"Heaven bless the Qie Clan!"

"Lord Qie Qiong is mighty!"

"Transcendent! Our Qie Clan has another Transcendent powerhouse!"

The Qie Clan knights were even more excited, their faces flushed and their eyes filled with pride and anticipation for the future.

After all, the Qie Clan's knight order had produced Transcendents before. Now both clan heads had become Transcendents, so they would surely have more resources in the future. Perhaps one of them would become a Transcendent, just like those predecessors.

Moreover, the news that Qie Qiong had reached the Transcendent realm at such a young age would undoubtedly shake the entire Cangyun Empire, and the Qie Clan's standing would rise to unprecedented heights.

The miners were so excited they didn't know what to do with themselves. They could only cheer along with the knights.

Fang Yun raised a hand, signaling for everyone to quiet down again. He continued:

"The clan head's advancement to the Transcendent realm is a great occasion for our Qie Clan. However, my lord needs time to stabilize his new realm and cannot come in person for now. I hope everyone will take the task we have gathered here to carry out seriously."

Fang Yun surveyed the crowd, his tone turning stern and grim.

"Our destination is the mine in Cloud-Resting Mountain. Everything about the mine is the Qie Clan's highest secret. You need only remember one thing: your task is to obey orders and complete your work in the mine. If anyone dares to leak even a single detail about this trip..."

Fang Yun's voice turned cold. His gaze swept across every person as he spoke each word distinctly. "Kill without mercy!"

Qi Lingfei cooperated by unleashing the aura of a Peak Silver Moon Rank knight toward the miners.

"We will obey your orders, my lords!" All the knights immediately wiped the smiles from their faces, straightened their backs, and answered in unison, brimming with killing intent.

The knight order had lived and died alongside the Qie Clan for a thousand years. Some of the knights' ancestors had belonged to the order, so now they were all the more devoted.

The miners held their tongues in fear and nodded again and again.

They knew that although the Qie Clan had always enjoyed a good reputation in Cloud Sea Prefecture City, this was a world where the strong preyed on the weak. Obedience was the only way to live longer.

After briefing everyone, Qi Lingfei and Fang Yun immediately organized them to head for the mine in Cloud-Resting Mountain.

After all, there were many ordinary people with them this time, and the Qie Clan didn't have enough magical beast mounts. If they walked, it would probably take several days to get there.

The next day.

The news that another person in the Qie Clan had reached the Transcendent realm after Qie Yunzhou swept through the surrounding prefectural cities at astonishing speed, and even spread throughout the Cang Yun Material World.

Thunder Sacred Land, Qie Yunzhou's residence.

In the courtyard, Qie Yunzhou sat cross-legged.

Since entering the Sacred Land, Qie Yunzhou had received the assets left by generations of predecessors, and his realm had advanced rapidly.

By all rights, he should have been happy, but now he looked deeply troubled.

If it was because he was worried about his son, Qie Qiong, in the mortal world...

That wasn't quite right, either. After all, he knew Qie Qiong had long since become Transcendent and would soon be able to come to this "Thunder Sacred Land."

Suddenly, the air in the courtyard trembled violently without warning.

A golden scroll entwined with purple lightning appeared out of thin air. It radiated a heart-pounding majesty.

It unfurled on its own, and a blurry phantom clad in robes of thunder instantly coalesced above it.

"Qie Yunzhou, receive the decree!" The voice shook the rare flowers and plants in the courtyard, making them sway from side to side.

Qie Yunzhou rose to his feet and casually bowed.

He knew that this scroll belonged to the imperial family and was used only for major events, but to him, it was nothing special.

The phantom didn't care about Qie Yunzhou's attitude and continued in the same voice:

"Yesterday, Qie Qiong of the Qie Clan broke through the mortal shackles in Cloud Sea Prefecture City of the Thunder Empire and reached the Transcendent realm."

"Qie Yunzhou, heed this order: As Qie Qiong's father, you are to serve as the Reception Envoy. Within three days, set out to escort Qie Qiong to the Thunder Sacred Land."

As soon as he heard this, Qie Yunzhou remembered that this year was also the day their ten-year pact with Qie Qiong came due.

Qie Yunzhou's pupils contracted, and his fists clenched.

A few years ago, Qie Yunzhou would have wanted this day to come as soon as possible. But ever since that incident, he no longer knew what he felt.

As a father, he was proud of his child, but now he also felt a deep sense of helplessness.

The majestic voice carried an intense urgency as it pressed him. "This is the highest order of the Elders' Hall. Carry it out immediately."

As the voice faded, the golden scroll and the phantom vanished into thin air.

Silence fell over the courtyard, and Qie Yunzhou let out a long sigh.

Perhaps bringing Qie Qiong to the Thunder Sacred Land was a good choice after all. A Transcendent in his early twenties was someone the other two empires absolutely wouldn't let go of. Perhaps he could live in peace in the Thunder Sacred Land.

Thinking this, Qie Yunzhou no longer hesitated. He turned into a Flowing Light and shot out of the courtyard.

He sped toward the Space Gate of the Thunder Sacred Land.

The sooner he reached Cloud Sea Prefecture City, the less danger Qie Qiong would face.

In the quiet chamber of the Qie Residence.

That vast, ocean-like pressure quietly receded like a tide.

At the center of the quiet chamber, Qie Qiong slowly opened his eyes.

Deep in his pupils, golden and silver threads interwove, revealing a mystery beyond words.

"Demigod..."

Feeling the endless Dou Qi within him, Qie Qiong was overcome by an indescribable feeling.

The step from Peak Saint Rank to Demigod was another watershed in the levels of life, signifying yet another leap in the very essence of life.

His dantian and sea of Qi contained terrifying energy, as though resonating with the rules of the entire world.

This was not merely an accumulation in quantity, but a leap in quality.

With the aid of the Ocean World Stone, his Dou Qi had completely entered the Demigod level.

Of course, even more important was the sublimation of his soul. A Demigod's soul was stronger than ever before, and its perception of the rules of Heaven and Earth became clearer than ever.

"So that's how it is." A knowing smile touched the corner of Qie Qiong's mouth.

He finally understood why the original work said that a Demigod's power was nearly inexhaustible. Aside from the Dou Qi stored within a Demigod, there was also his connection to Heaven and Earth.

What delighted him even more was how greatly the Demigod realm aided his comprehension of True Meaning.

The True Meaning of Space, which had already been clear, now became even clearer under his powerful soul's perception.

He could feel his understanding of the first level of the Space Myriad Existences Realm progressing at an unprecedented pace.

He even felt that, with the complete True Meaning of Space, the "Golden Light" secret tome, and his own comprehension, it would take only another ten years.

"The 'Golden Light' secret tome..." At a thought, the mysterious tome in his Sea of Consciousness emanated the two great True Meanings of Golden and Space, becoming more intimate and lively.

The Demigod realm had brought him another step closer to becoming a Grade Two True Meaning Transcendent.

After briefly consolidating his realm, Qie Qiong habitually swept his mental power across Cloud Sea Prefecture City.

Then he prepared to go to the mine vein on Cloud-Resting Mountain and check on Fang Yun and Qi Lingfei's progress.

However, the moment his mental power swept across the area, he keenly caught an exceptionally familiar aura rapidly approaching Cloud Sea Prefecture City.

That aura carried the mysteries of the Wind of the Myriad Existences Realm. It was none other than his father, Qie Yunzhou, who had left ten years ago.

"Father?" Qie Qiong was slightly taken aback, then understood. "By my reckoning, Thunder Sacred Land should be responding by now. I didn't expect Father to come escort me."

Qie Qiong stood up, instantly drawing in his aura and pressure.

He wanted to surprise Qie Yunzhou.

A feeling of returning to the natural emerged from him.

His silver robe stirred, and then he vanished from the quiet room.

The next moment, he appeared above the Qie Residence, standing with his hands behind his back as he quietly waited for the streak of azure light that cut across the sky.

Before long, the Wind of the Myriad Existences Realm gathered and formed into Qie Yunzhou, clad in armor.

His gaze quickly and precisely settled on his son, who hovered in midair and quietly watched him.

Their eyes met.

Qie Yunzhou immediately sensed that something about his son was different—a quality of returning to the natural.

Before he left, his son had already been far stronger than him, but back then, he absolutely hadn't given off this feeling.

Qie Yunzhou's heart jolted. Could this kid have made another tremendous improvement in this barren mortal world?

He had no time to think it over and was about to tell Qie Qiong of the order from the sacred land.

But before he could utter the sacred land's order, he sensed an extremely faint pressure—the instinctive oppression one felt when facing a higher level of life.

Though the fluctuation was exceedingly restrained, his Transcendent soul still caught the aura of a higher life level at such close range.

This was absolutely not a feeling a Sky Realm Transcendent should give off! Qie Yunzhou's eyes widened, filled with disbelief.

"Father, have you been well all these years?" Qie Qiong said, then flashed to a spot in front of Qie Yunzhou, a smile on his face.

Qie Yunzhou's throat bobbed as he forcibly suppressed the storm raging in his heart.

His gaze scrutinized the son before him.

By his perception, that level of life was beyond what an ordinary Sky Realm Transcendent could possess.

And when his son had just appeared before him, he hadn't seen any trajectory at all. It had been just like teleportation.

"Qiong'er..." Qie Yunzhou's voice carried a hoarseness he hadn't even noticed himself. He asked to confirm, "Have you broken through to a higher realm?"

"I was just lucky." Qie Qiong nodded, his tone calm. "Two days ago, I reached the Demigod realm, Father."

"Demigod!"