Not long after the experts from the three factions entered the underground nest, the land rumbled loudly.
What astounded the seven mortals outside, including the old man Lu You, was that the rumbling grew louder. It rapidly approached them until the entire mountain was shaking vigorously.
“What are they doing?”
“We might be fishing in troubled waters, but these waters are too troubled. We could drown!” The seven mortals flew away in fear. As they flew, they stared at the shaking mountains.
Finally—
“Boom!!!”
An earth-shattering blast boomed. The mountain range that spanned about five kilometers exploded, instantly pulverizing everything inside. Furthermore, a shockwave blasted out in every direction! Thankfully, the seven mortals had long flown out of the mountain range’s vicinity. They were still desperately flying as far away as possible. By the time the shockwave traversed about a hundred kilometers to reach them, its might had greatly weakened. It could do nothing even to ordinary Connate realm cultivators.
Lu You’s eyes condensed runic patterns as he looked into the distance. He saw treasure light appear from the giant chasm created by the explosion.
“The appearance of treasure light. There must be important treasures there.” Lu You could not help but mumble.
“It’s too huge a commotion. Those Essence Souls are all extremely perceptive. Perhaps nearly half the Ancient Augury World will sense it.” The other mortals had bitter expressions. “Once they send voice transmissions to each other, it will not take long for every one of the top Essence Souls in the Ancient Augury World to learn of this.”
“Yes, and it won’t take long for a huge group of Essence Souls to storm this area.”
“With so many experts around, there will be nothing left for us.”
The seven mortals felt a little helpless.
******
Qin Yun remained oblivious to the huge commotion in the underground nest.
After all, he was in a Grotto-heaven that completely isolated him from anything in the outside world.
“Whoosh!” A gentle wind blew in the Grotto-heaven, sending a few peach blossoms falling to the ground.
Qin Yun continued holding the portrait. As he looked at the butterfly and dark land in it, his various insights transformed into individual sword techniques.
“Acquiring comprehension of the Dao in the morning leaves one contented even if one dies in the evening. I, Qin Yun, finally know how far away I am from Golden Immortals and Buddhas.” Qin Yun rolled up the portrait and carefully placed it in his Cosmic Bag. He also believed that the portrait was drawn by a mighty figure. Although he had only looked at it for half a day, he had already reaped massive insights from it.
Back when he created the fifth move of the Dreamlike Sword, Traveling in Solitude, he was already approaching the Dao realm of a Skyimmortal. He was not far from achieving ‘A Sword Forming a Grotto-heaven By Itself.’
After learning so much from the Butterfly Portrait, he had torn through that thin membrane that obstructed his progress. Deep down, he had grasped a brand new level of understanding towards space.
Qin Yun could even clearly understand the construction of the peach forest Grotto-heaven he was in. He was confident that he could destroy the Grotto-heaven with one strike! This was something he was incapable of in the past.
Although he had penetrated a rather thin membrane, it was a qualitative change.
His Sword Dao was a perfect system. Without even needing to cast it, Qin Yun already knew that his Dao domain had reached fifty kilometers! The qualitative change of fifty kilometers allowed one to have absolute confidence in surviving the tribulations to become a Skyimmortal.
Not just that, but it was relatively easy to condense an Essence Soul in the Effulgent Great World due to its richer Heaven Earth Essence Qi.
But the tribulations of the Effulgent Great World were even more intense! One needed their Dao domain to reach fifty kilometers with a Dao realm of a Skyimmortal should they dare hope to survive the smiting of the Heavenly Tribulation! If such a Dao realm was attained, surviving the tribulations was a certainty. If one failed to attain it, the tribulations would almost certainly end in failure. Of course, there were tricks to help, such as amassing merit. The might of the Heavenly Tribulation would be lessened if one was endowed with merit.
For example, Ninth Hong and Eighth Zhu had reincarnated to amass merit.
The female warrior could not help but ask, “Did you benefit greatly from looking at it all day?” She wished for Qin Yun to avenge her master so she naturally wanted him to become stronger.
“Yes, I benefited quite a lot.”
Qin Yun nodded.
He extended his right hand and immediately, the Misty Rain Sword appeared. It enlarged to three feet like a sword of ordinary length.
Qin Yun closed his eyes.
Over the past day…
The large amount of insight he received left him brimming with thoughts of a new sword move. He was forcibly repressing that urge to continue perfecting it. Finally, he brandished his sword after holding onto the Misty Rain Sword with his eyes closed for some time.
This strike did not contain any Dharmic powers.
However, it contained Qin Yun’s will and emotions.
“Whoosh.”
A sword beam flashed as it streaked across a wall. It tore through the peach trees outside, carving a path that ended at the Grotto-heaven’s boundary.
The entire Grotto-heaven trembled gently as the Grotto-heaven’s borders appeared with a quiver.
“What?” The female warrior was astounded. “I did not feel him use any Dharmic powers. Just a simple strike can cause the Grotto-heaven to tremble? If he had powered his Dharma treasure with Dharmic powers, the Grotto-heaven will have probably shattered completely. Master was only capable of such a feat by powering a Dharma treasure with his Skyimmortal Dharmic powers after he survived the tribulations to become a Skyimmortal.”
“He has already grasped a lot more than Master.” The female warrior understood this point.
Qin Yun seemed infinitesimally close to the Skyimmortal Dao realm.
In fact, he had broken through ten minutes into looking at the Butterfly Portrait! He had spent the rest of that time consolidating his insights, making them more robust.
“That strike…”
Qin Yun’s strike was powerful but easily delivered, harmonious, and flawless. It was also very gentle.
It was not as overwhelming as the fifth Dreamlike Sword move, Traveling in Solitude.
It was very gentle, like a spring breeze bringing a slight drizzle. However, this gentle strike had completely taken Qin Yun’s sword to a brand new level.
“This strike is the sixth move of the Dreamlike Sword. I shall name is First Lightning Encounter,” whispered Qin Yun.
First Lightning Encounter.
He still could remember clearly…
Back in Grand Dominance County, by the side of the Flower Solarium river, it was the day when demons attacked at the crowded Courtesan Belle selection.
The woman’s light-blue dress fluttered in the wind. With Palm Lightning, she split her bolts into three, striking the demons.
That was the first encounter Qin Yun had with his wife, Yi Xiao!
Their first meeting was deeply impressed in his soul, something that would eternally be a part of him.
“First Lightning Encounter.” Qin Yun cast the gentle spring breeze-like strike as he recalled that beautiful scene.
Qin Yun then took a step forward and vanished from the yard. He streaked across the sky and landed in a peach forest a few kilometers away. He began practicing his swordplay there, for he was afraid he would reduce the compound to ruins if he continued. His first cast of First Lightning Encounter had left behind cracks in the yard’s walls even without the usage of any Dharmic powers.
In the peach forest, Qin Yun converted all the insights he gained into his sword technique.
There were still differences in something inferred and something cast physically. Only by physically practicing it could he verify any mistakes in his inference.
…
Outside.
Due to the intense commotion that happened in the mountains, teams from various top factions were drawn to the scene. After all, they were elite disciples at the peak third Firmament Essence Soul realm of top sects. They had a high chance of becoming Skyimmortals, Bodhisattvas, or Skyfiends. They entered knowing certain secrets and knew that the mountains hid the supreme-grade Numinous treasure, Fire Raven Calabash.
Such a land of great importance had caused the deaths of many Skyimmortals and Skygods. This naturally meant there were many treasures within, but also that it was considerably dangerous.
Such a loud commotion and the exposure of a treasure trove attracted them quickly.
“More people are here.”
“It’s the Jade Tripod Sect, more Daoists again.”
There were numerous experts gathered around the mountains. There were people from the Buddhist, Daoist, and Fiendcelestial lineages. They saw at a glance a group of Essence Soul experts approaching on a cloud. They were none other than the Jade Tripod Sect, a top sect of the Effulgent Great World. There were three peak third Firmament Essence Souls and six peak second Firmament Essence Souls. There were no first Firmament Essence Souls! Clearly, the battles here would only intensify. Being overly weak would only burden the rest.
“That many Essence Souls?”
“Probably almost half the experts in the Ancient Augury World are here.”
“This is nothing. Everyone is rushing here and I believe more than half the powerful Essence Souls in the Ancient Augury World will end up here.”
The Jade Tripod Sect disciples discussed as they flew.
Meng Huan was among them.
Meng Huan looked curiously at the experts on the mountains, somewhat nervous. After all, once the treasures revealed themselves, a conflict was inevitable.
“Junior Brother Meng Huan, you have engaged in too few life-and-death battles after ascending to the Effulgent Great World. Don’t mess around when it happens. Take heed to obey the instructions of your senior brothers and senior sisters,” whispered a thin man beside him.
“Don’t worry. I understand.” Meng Huan nodded.