Chapter 1284: Holy Emperor's Lingering Thoughts

Sun Qi raised his hand, trying to touch the sky. Without deliberately trying to absorb it, the surrounding spiritual energy eagerly surged into his body.

This feeling… Sun Qi hadn't experienced this for a long time. It was as if a towering tree that had been pressing down on him was toppled; Sun Qi felt an unprecedented lightness.

“Hahahaha…” After a moment of stupor, a hint of ferocity gradually appeared in Sun Qi's eyes. “Indeed, families and relatives are nothing but burdens! Reversing the Universe, the Universe Reversed — the end of this path leads to being eternally unique! I am the Sun family! The Sun family is me! The prosperity of a family, all belongs to one person…”

He had lived his entire first half of life in the shadow of his family. Now, by a strange twist of fate, all his relatives were dead. Yet, Sun Qi felt little sadness; instead, he felt a gratification he had never experienced before. He even vaguely sensed that with the demise of the rest of the Sun family bloodline, the family's overall fortune had not directly dispersed or vanished. Instead, it was slowly converging upon him.

“Give me ten years—no, five years—and I will not only regain my cultivation but might even achieve the Dao Integration realm…” The beautiful future foreseen by his strong intuition made Sun Qi's body tremble with excitement. He even wanted to burst out laughing.

However, another whistling silver-white arrow overhead instantly made his face turn pale and sent a shiver down his spine. “By the Heavenly Venerate! Could it be that cultivators from outside the Xuanhuang Realm have really attacked…?”

Sun Qi hunched his shoulders, then glanced at the white mist barrier not far away. Gritting his teeth, he actively accelerated his absorption of spiritual energy. “I can't stay in Tianling Province. I must leave quickly… It’s a pity that all those burdens were captured by the tentacles. To cross the white mist barrier, I still have to rely on myself.”

Sun Qi, who had dispersed his cultivation and re-cultivated, progressed extremely fast, returning to the Qi Refining Completion stage in less than the time it takes to drink a cup of tea. More and more bandits flew across the sky, and Sun Qi felt increasingly urgent.

“Now that I can control a flying magical artifact, I should go to a safe place first. Crossing only one provincial barrier won't significantly reduce my lifespan. Only after returning to the Foundation Establishment stage can I observe future fortunes again. But I can’t wait now…” Sun Qi made up his mind, and a transparent sphere enveloped him, flying directly into the white mist.

Just as he saw Shanteng Province within reach, Sun Qi was horrified to find faint human figures within the white mist ahead. Terrified, he immediately controlled his artifact to stop flying. But it was too late.

“Who’s there!” A furious roar, accompanied by multicolored spell attacks, flew out from the white mist, all striking Sun Qi. Before he could even let out a scream, Sun Qi was instantly annihilated!

“Target eliminated, alert canceled!” Cai Yongchen, a corporal of the Great Qi Third Legion who was performing garrison duty, checked the scene and then reported. “Only at the Qi Refining cultivation level, probably a panicked cultivator from the Immortal Alliance trying to escape. Unlucky, I thought it would be a big fish! He's also an unlucky guy, to actually stumble into our alert zone…”

“Stop chattering and quickly sweep this area clean!” Cai Yongchen snorted, interrupting his subordinates’ idle talk. He suddenly sneezed. It was as if something from the Immortal Alliance cultivator, who had been blasted into smithereens, had lingered and entered his body.

Cai Yongchen's mind tensed. After a careful check, he found no abnormalities. However, his professional integrity as a corporal of the Great Qi Legion prevented him from simply ignoring it. Instead, he very seriously reported the origin of the incident and his own sensations in detail through the Sacred Emperor's Grand Network. Only after reporting did he sigh in relief. He then continued to lead his subordinates in their cleanup mission.

In Sun Erlang's sea of consciousness, reports of such incidents continuously appeared. This included the number of Holy Army puppets and Sky-Patrolling Arrows lost in battle, injured and fallen Great Qi soldiers, and even the list of Immortal Alliance factions that had been captured or surrendered. There was also a list of newly produced materials from the rear areas within the Holy Dynasty of Great Qi. Sets of vast, real-time changing data constantly flickered. Based on this, the Dao Transformation Stone, glowing faintly blue in Sun Erlang's sea of consciousness, also showed corresponding changes in its internal projections of the battlefield.

Although there was some resistance in various provinces of the Myriad Immortal Alliance, most of the Alliance territories had fallen completely under the control of the Holy Dynasty. The Sky City's Dharma Transmission Image was suppressed by the Holy Emperor's Talismans, and new suppression and connection arrays were rapidly established.

“In the deductions, the Holy Dynasty's win rate on the outer battlefield is getting higher and higher. Once the situation stabilizes, we can focus on those tough nuts to crack. Currently, thirty-four Dao Integration cultivators from the Immortal Alliance have appeared on the outer battlefield. There are still about a hundred more who should have appeared but haven't…”

Thinking of this huge number, Sun Erlang couldn't help but feel a sense of heaviness. Although the Immortal Alliance had the Sky-Patrolling Arrows as a great weapon, Dao Integration cultivators were not just sitting ducks who would stand still and let themselves be attacked. Great Qi soldiers were needed to hold them in check. Casualties were unavoidable.

“Fortunately, the previous World-Severing Rainbow Light plan transferred away a large number of veteran Dao Integration cultivators from the Immortal Alliance. Otherwise, this war would have been even harder.” Sun Erlang looked at the miniature map of the Immortal Alliance before him. Besides the yellow and purple marking the contested areas between the two sides, a unique gray color was indiscriminately spreading across all regions. Centered in Tianling Province, it slowly diffused outwards. Wherever the gray occupied, in the Dao Transformation Stone's deductions, the Holy Dynasty directly and swiftly concluded battles with absolute victory.

“Dao Yi Worm…” A scene appeared before Sun Erlang: a Dao Integration cultivator from Shanteng Province being captured alive by a team of Golden Core stage Holy Army soldiers clad in sacred armor. The Heaven and Earth Spirit sacrificed by this Immortal Alliance Dao Integration cultivator was the Crimson Vine. Only after Shanteng Sky City was conquered by the Holy Dynasty soldiers did this Crimson Vine Immortal Venerate finally arrive late.

Innumerable vines, like fiery horned dragons, erupted across the world, growing wildly and unrestrained. The vine branches swept furiously with immense, unrivaled power, striking down large numbers of Holy Dynasty soldiers from the sky like swatting flies. The Crimson Vine rooted itself in mid-air and proliferated on the ground. In the blink of an eye, it had already covered the entire Shanteng Province. The original continuous mountains and rivers had astonishingly transformed into a dense, primeval jungle of vines.

The military forces of the Holy Dynasty's three legions immediately fell into a bitter struggle against the omnipresent crimson long vines, each seemingly possessing its own intelligence. Though protected by puppet armor, they couldn't withstand being constantly roasted and absorbed after being entangled. It was as if this Immortal Alliance Dao Integration cultivator genuinely intended to turn the tide and reclaim Shanteng Province by himself.

However, the tide of battle instantly changed after a mysterious shadow descended and enveloped the sky. The previously vibrant crimson vines suddenly became as weak and flaccid as frostbitten eggplants, their attacks losing all power. Even the color of their crimson flames inexplicably became somewhat dull. In contrast, the Holy Dynasty soldiers, who had previously been deeply mired in bitter combat and exhausted, were instantly revitalized after the gray arrived, their fatigue vanishing, and they became full of vigor again. Their attacks even became fiercer than before! Any casual attack they launched, imbued with spiritual energy, would tear open a breach in the previously seemingly indestructible Crimson Vine. The Crimson Vine's wounds did not heal as before; instead, they grew larger and larger during the continuous battle. It was as if some unseen entity was constantly gnawing at it!

The Holy Dynasty's counterattack lasted only one hour. The colossal entity that had occupied an entire province eventually dwindled to half the size of an adult. It was captured alive by Holy Dynasty soldiers and imprisoned in a specially designed cage used exclusively for detaining Dao Integration cultivators from the Immortal Alliance. This cage could sever the cultivator's connection with the outside world and force the Heaven and Earth Spirit within the Dao Integration cultivator's body into a state of mandatory dormancy. Once imprisoned, a Dao Integration cultivator became like a powerless mortal, completely unable to escape. All captured Immortal Alliance Dao Integration cultivators were sent to the rear of the Holy Dynasty of Great Qi for centralized imprisonment. As the Dao Yi Worm spread, the number of captured Dao Integration cultivators also continuously climbed.

As the situation on the outer battlefield slowly stabilized, the pressure on Sun Erlang's shoulders eased slightly. Pressing his throbbing forehead, Sun Erlang did not rest but instead re-examined the information gathered from the previous battlefield to ensure no details had been overlooked. Soon, he noticed Cai Yongchen's report. He did not believe Cai Yongchen's sensation at the time was an illusion. Sun Erlang pondered for a moment and ordered Cai Yongchen to be brought back from the battlefield. After isolating him, a thorough examination was conducted. The result was the same; no abnormalities were found. But Sun Erlang still felt something was amiss in his heart. After some thought, he ultimately reported the full details of the incident and his findings from examining Cai Yongchen to the Holy Emperor via the Starry Grand Network.

After only a moment, the Holy Emperor replied. “The abnormality within his body is likely stray Qi of Qiankun. Qiankun means heaven and earth. Qi means the origin of all things. It is a blessing, not a misfortune; there's no need to worry. However, this stray Qi of Qiankun comes from a fallen cultivator. It may carry lingering mental imprints of the former owner, so it is not advisable to remain on the battlefield for now…”

Sun Erlang immediately understood after receiving his master's guidance. At the same time, he marveled at the wonder of Cai Yongchen's opportunity; this Qi of Qiankun could barely be considered half a Heavenly Wonder. Although Cai Yongchen had only absorbed a stray part of it, its effects were still boundless, even capable of directly combining with his own Dao foundation to bring forth numerous profound benefits.

“You should first return to Great Qi and rest in the Sacred Heart Palace. Only after fully absorbing this Qi of Qiankun should you return to the battlefield!” Sun Erlang explained the origin and nature of the Qi of Qiankun to Cai Yongchen, then commanded. Cai Yongchen's face showed joy, but also a hint of regret. “I hope the war will be over by the time this humble subordinate returns.” Cai Yongchen bowed deeply and turned to leave. Sun Erlang issued a personnel transfer order and filled Cai Yongchen's position. Although it was just a small interlude, it revealed the impact of efficient communication on the overall war situation, eliminating all potential hidden dangers. Small increments of win rates accumulated, ultimately securing victory.

Days passed, and on the outer battlefield, only a single-digit number of provincial regions remained locked in fierce combat. The rest had all been captured by the Holy Dynasty's army. Sun Erlang did not rush to order a general siege of the remaining Immortal Alliance territories. Instead, he ordered all legions to construct and establish garrison bases on the spot. Concurrently, he systematically transferred all captured Immortal Alliance cultivators and resources into the Holy Dynasty of Great Qi. Over the years of war preparations, Great Qi had long since prepared ample space for accommodation and imprisonment.

Sun Erlang's gaze once again turned to the four central provinces of the Immortal Alliance. “The Myriad Immortal Alliance’s true counterattack should be coming soon.” From the sealed moonlight, faint fluctuations emanated, leading Sun Erlang to this judgment.

In Tianquan Province, at the Moonlight Boundary, Lu Xichan watched as wisps of rising green energy obscured the moonlight, a hint of joy flashing in her eyes. Although only eight days had passed in real time, the Immortal Alliance headquarters had already run countless deductions. They had finally found a sliver of possibility to break the formation. Since this formation was so profound it was difficult to comprehend, they decided to simply abandon the idea of "breaking" it. Instead, they would directly use "Spirit-Suppressing Qi" to corrode the formation's units.

Spirit-Suppressing Qi could suppress all spiritual energy fluctuations. Under its continuous pervasive exhalation, it indeed produced results. The moonlight, which had originally resembled a silver ribbon, slowly began to look like it was enveloped in green smoke. It seemed as if the formation would be broken at any moment.

However… The bright moon in the sky once again shone down its radiance. In an instant, the lost parts were replenished. Even though Lu Xichan had anticipated this and ordered everyone to resist desperately, they still could not prevent the moonlight from descending. Seeing the formation restored to its original state, Lu Xichan's face turned ashen.

“Chief…” Her subordinates, the formation masters, also turned pale at the sight, despair showing in their eyes.

“I will go invite the Formation-Breaking Discs,” Lu Xichan said in a deep voice, acknowledging her failure to break the formation. She transformed into a rainbow light and vanished into the sky.

Less than half a day later, Lu Xichan returned. Behind her followed a cultivator clad in a dark green Daoist robe, with a mirror-like mark engraved on their forehead. Their face was indistinct, and their gender indistinguishable. If Li Fan were present, he would immediately recognize this as the unique attire of the Mirror Master lineage of the Myriad Immortal Alliance.

The Mirror Master directly ignored all the formation-breaking cultivators present. First, they looked up at the silver moonlight enveloping the surroundings and nodded slightly. Then, they bowed slightly towards a void space. The mirror mark on their forehead emitted rays of light. A white jade disc appeared in the area as the light shone. The white jade disc flew by itself, slowly approaching the moonlight cast down from the sky. The moonlight was seen twisting and being absorbed by the white jade disc. In the light and shadow bursting from the white jade disc, countless evolving formation patterns seemed faintly visible.

The Mirror Master examined it for a moment, frowning slightly. Then they released another white jade disc. However, the effect seemed still unsatisfactory, so they directly released all nine discs at once. The nine discs orbited each other, drawing the moonlight to their center. The illusory patterns of the changing formation instantly sped up by countless times.

“What kind of formation-breaking disc is that? It’s astonishingly powerful!”

“According to Chief Lu, it is a secondary entity born from the Heavenly Profound Mirror, named the Dissolution Disc.”

“Hiss, to think there’s such a wondrous item in the world. If it can easily break formations, then what use are we formation masters?” The present formation masters discussed via spiritual transmission.

Lu Xichan, however, stared intently at the changing patterns in the center of the Dissolution Discs, her brows still tightly furrowed. “Venerable One, it seems…” The Mirror Master nodded, looking at the celestial formation, their expression growing more solemn. Then their movements paused, as if they had made a decision. They flew above everyone's heads, assumed a strange posture, and then bowed down profoundly towards a void space ahead.

With a gentle kowtow, the mark on their brow burst forth with a flash of light. Then, the illusory image of an item quietly appeared. The Mirror Master kowtowed nineteen times in a row. Nineteen illusory objects, varying in shape, also appeared in the area. There were round discs similar to the Dissolution Discs, but of different colors. There were also white jade rulers, and green jade slips… The nineteen objects, as if sentient, flew to the periphery of the nine Dissolution Discs. They spun rapidly. The already somewhat ethereal images became even more blurred in their rotation. Their appearances consequently changed, astonishingly becoming very similar to the Dissolution Discs in the inner circle! And with the assistance of the outer Dissolution Discs, the flickering speed of the deduction images in the center of the ring increased explosively once again. It became almost impossible to discern.

After observing for a while, the Mirror Master said, “In three days, a breach in this formation can be opened. We must seize this opportunity to completely resolve the containment formation.” The Mirror Master pointed at the bright moon overhead and said.

Lu Xichan bowed her head and said, “I will explain it to the Dharma Transmitters.” The Mirror Master said no more, focusing intently on guarding the Dissolution Discs and the nineteen illusory figures.

The observing formation masters, after witnessing this extraordinary sight and remaining slightly stunned for a moment, finally slowly regained their composure. “How did nineteen more Dissolution Discs appear? The formation-breaking capability of just one Dissolution Disc is terrifying. Nineteen stacked…”

“I know! The Profound Azure Mirror, the Heart-Measuring Ruler, the Scripture of Heaven and Earth… these are all Heavenly Profound secondary entities!” A single statement stirred up a thousand waves, and all the formation masters present felt deeply shaken.

“Nineteen! I only knew that the Heavenly Profound Mirror had secondary entities, but I never imagined there would be so many!”

“No, no, no, after all these years, it’s understandable that nineteen have been nurtured. But I’ve never heard that they can transform into each other! Doesn’t that mean each secondary entity can unleash more than a dozen times its own power?”

Seemingly aware of her subordinates' murmurs, Lu Xichan cast a cold glance and then transmitted a message: “Don’t just watch; discuss and research the parts of the formation that the Dissolution Discs have deciphered. Don’t tell me you think everything will be fine once the formation is broken? If we can’t make amends for our past failures, then watch—our Myriad Immortal Alliance’s Formation Planning Hall will be completely replaced from top to bottom.” These words made the formation masters break out in a cold sweat, their attention shifting from the Heavenly Profound secondary entities to the flickering illusory formation patterns.

At the Sacred Emperor's Throne, the Holy Emperor's gaze penetrated the formation's barrier, falling upon the twenty-eight Heavenly Profound secondary entities, including the nine Dissolution Discs. “The Heavenly Profound Mirror, self-birthing its form, dividing to embody the Dao…” The Holy Emperor nodded thoughtfully, sincerely praising, “Even fallen into the mortal realm, it has never given up on transcending again. The Heavenly Profound Mirror truly lives up to its reputation as a crucial artifact passed down from ancient times in the Xuanhuang Realm.”

The Holy Emperor gently held down Maobao, who was peeking out slightly, eyes full of curiosity, seemingly about to leap. Restrained by the Holy Emperor, Maobao was slightly displeased. It lightly nipped the Holy Emperor’s finger, but after being blocked by a ball of golden origin energy, Maobao finally relented. It then lay back down on Li Ping's shoulder to rest.

“Oh, mighty Holy Emperor, those things down there are all great treasures.” Daoist Yi Jue, with both eyes extended into the vortex channel, could still clearly see things in the Xuanhuang Realm below, and he clucked his tongue, speaking out. “Each secondary entity is equivalent to a Dao path replicated and separated from the Heavenly Treasure Mirror. Some of these Dao paths are even ones that the Heavenly Profound Mirror itself did not possess but were detected by the Heavenly Treasure Mirror during its years of observing this world. If this old Daoist were still in human form, I would seize one even if it cost me my life. Using it as a foundation, it would be of great use even if I were to attain Dao and become an immortal in the future!” Daoist Yi Jue continuously boasted, seemingly inciting the Holy Emperor to seize them.

Li Ping, however, was completely unmoved. “Within the sea of stars, I can comprehend the Dao of Heaven and Earth on my own. Why would I need external objects? Furthermore, the Dao observed by the Heavenly Profound Mirror may not necessarily be true.” Li Ping chuckled lightly, leaving Daoist Yi Jue speechless.

“Mighty Holy Emperor, will you just watch them try to break the formation without acting? If we send someone to harass them, even if we don't seize some Heavenly Profound secondary entities, it would be good to delay their formation-breaking time,” Daoist Yi Jue spoke out after a moment of silence.

“Yi Jue, just do what I told you to do,” Li Ping said indifferently, glancing at Yi Jue. Daoist Yi Jue chuckled awkwardly a few times and said nothing more.

“This old man wasn’t such a chatterbox before. It seems those mirrors below are indeed very useful to him,” Tianyang, who had been silent, suddenly spoke. Some of the Du’e Sect paper figures below nodded slightly, not denying it. However, Daoist Yi Jue remained absolutely silent about their specific use.

“You people of the Ten Sects are as annoying as ever,” Tianyang whispered. As if an invisible wind swept through the Sacred Emperor's Throne Hall, the Du’e Sect paper figures instantly swayed violently. Even the Du’e Sect's mountain gate showed signs of being affected by the wind. Daoist Yi Jue waved his hand, and the paper figures curled up, resisting the wind. Tianyang snorted coldly and shifted his gaze. So the strong wind gradually subsided.

“It seems you’ve indeed made significant progress,” the Holy Emperor said with a hint of joy.

“Having regained consciousness, I have a new understanding of Ancestor’s memories. Moreover, during these years of slumber in the earth veins, although my main body perished, the experiences of my puppet body are still a wealth. Seas turn into mulberry fields, time flows on, and all things in the world are like this…” Tianyang’s childlike body spoke profoundly ancient words. “Oh, right… look at this.”

After a while, Tianyang took out a child's skeleton. “Hmm? Isn’t this your body from before you died?” The Holy Emperor recognized the skeleton at a glance.

“Yes, it is…” Tianyang's expression was unreadable. “I can vaguely sense an extremely peculiar power on it. It originates from the obsession I had before I abandoned this body back then. It's different from any current cultivation method…”

Hearing Tianyang's words, the Holy Emperor also became much more serious. At Tianyang’s gesture, Li Ping took the skeleton and frowned in contemplation. After a long moment, he shook his head slightly and truthfully said, “I didn’t sense the energy you mentioned.”

Tianyang stroked his chin, then pondered, “Perhaps this way will work.” A crimson-gold color instantly surged onto his skin surface. Tianyang's body then dissolved and vanished into this abruptly appearing crimson-gold armor. The crimson-gold armor split into several pieces and flew, one after another, to the Holy Emperor's side. They donned themselves sequentially. They spontaneously transformed to fit the Holy Emperor's physique. In a short while, a set of puppet battle armor, seemingly custom-made for the Holy Emperor, had formed. It enveloped his entire body, exuding an aura of majesty and sanctity.

Tianyang's voice came from his mind: “Do not resist. Please, see my life…”

“Tianyang, it’s time for your medicine!” Countless images instantly appeared before the Holy Emperor Li Ping. Those were the things Tianyang had experienced throughout his life before death. However, as Tianyang actively transmitted them, it was as if Li Ping truly became Tianyang himself, experiencing everything personally. His senior martial brothers and masters, who had embodied the Dao, voluntarily went to battle one by one to their deaths to protect him. The utterly real scenes and emotions deeply moved the Great Qi Holy Emperor.

“Tianyang’s life was not inferior to anyone’s!” The cry from Tianyang's heart also materialized from nothing, truly ringing in Li Ping's ears.

Therefore… The Great Qi Holy Emperor was finally able to simultaneously sense an extremely peculiar wisp of energy emanating from Tianyang's remains. It seemed out of place with everything in the world. Like a winter plum blossom in snow, proudly independent. Although it appeared quite weak, it had persisted for thousands of years, not fading with the passage of time. Instead, it grew stronger with age.

“This is…” Li Ping seemed to recall something, his hand trembling slightly. But an invisible presence severed this connection once more. The Holy Emperor felt a sense of profound loss. But with his extraordinary resolve, he quickly suppressed this anomaly. He first used Maobao to probe, and after discovering that Maobao also couldn't identify this peculiar energy, he looked down at the Du’e Sect. The Du’e Sect paper figures seemed completely unaware. Still huddled together.

“Yi Jue, do you know anything?” Holy Emperor Li Ping asked, though uncertain. Daoist Yi Jue, at this moment, surprisingly retracted his bulging eyes from the channel. His two eyeballs, trailing long paper ribbons, flew to the side of Tianyang's remains. They circled several times in a row. Judging from Daoist Yi Jue's expression, he seemed to have truly recognized something.

“This old Daoist only has a guess. It might not be true.”

The Holy Emperor waved his hand: “But speak freely.” As if fearing being overheard, Daoist Yi Jue even turned his eyeballs to look outside the Holy Emperor's Throne. Only then did he speak, word by word: “Regarding that Grand Master Tiandu, our Du’e Sect has had a conjecture since ancient times. The Grand Master has already fallen. What transmits the immortal arts of the Ten Sects is merely a wisp of thought preserved after his demise. It upholds the Grand Master’s lingering intention to transmit the Dao.” As Daoist Yi Jue spoke these words, the Du’e Sect paper figures huddled even tighter, as if some terrifying presence was about to draw near.

“The lingering intention to transmit the Dao is neither a living being nor energy. It’s more like…”

The Holy Emperor mused, then continued, “Dao resonance.”

Daoist Yi Jue clapped his hands and praised, “The Holy Emperor truly has great comprehension! When immortals fall, their Dao becomes void. Yet, the immortal Dao is omnipresent. If anyone can even slightly approach its essence, it will create Dao resonance. Within Tiandu, it is the Dao of transmission. And upon this skeleton, perhaps it is the Dao of contention.”