Chapter 301: Spirit Realm War
Xuanzhen Domain merges the Northern Xuan Region and Southern True Domain, thoroughly returning to its peak.
Meanwhile, Boundless Sword Sect occupies the center of Xuanzhen Domain, commanding the sects within the domain and straightening out the rules of heaven and earth spiritual energy within the domain.
With these premises in place, Ning Qi became the well-deserved Xuanzhen Domain Lord.
Vaguely, he suddenly had a feeling.
Just like a sect leader, who controls the territory of one sect, or a monarch of a country, who controls the lands under his sovereign prestige.
Now, Ning Qi also felt a strange sensation, perceiving that he had gained a thread of control over the entire Xuanzhen Domain.
It was not control over every corner of Xuanzhen Domain through control of the various sects, but a bizarre feeling of acting on behalf of heaven.
Ning Qi flew into the high sky and suddenly reached out, making a gesture as if covering the sky.
Layers of dark clouds instantly formed in the sky, piling up like cotton, in the blink of an eye covering the extreme range of sight.
This change naturally drew many people from Boundless Sword Sect flying out.
Seeing the sect leader casually reach out and cause the weather to change, the congregation felt shocked, not understanding what had happened.
These cultivators of theirs, after reaching profound cultivation, could influence celestial phenomena, but that required using their own power to affect heaven and earth.
But on the sect leader, there was absolutely no energy fluctuation, and above the sky, there was also no energy response—this was the reason for the congregation’s shock.
Everyone just stared dazedly at the sect leader, not daring to disturb him.
They could see that Sect Leader Senior Brother seemed to be trying something as well.
Ning Qi’s outstretched hand suddenly flipped, and the dark clouds covering the sky dispersed in the blink of an eye, revealing a pure blue sky.
Sunlight fell on him, giving those watching him an illusion as if he were an exiled immortal.
Ning Qi seemed to have stepped onto a height they could hardly reach, entering another world, where the congregation could only look up.
Even though Ning Qi was clearly in their sight, they found it extremely difficult to approach.
Everyone was puzzled and confused by this feeling, not understanding what had happened to Sect Leader Senior Brother.
Ning Qi stood in the high sky, stroking his chin, thinking of many things.
The Mountain Sea Realm Will seemed to have opened some permissions to him, allowing him to control the entire Xuanzhen Domain from a macroscopic power level.
He had become a special existence in Xuanzhen Domain similar to a “World Lord” or “Spiritual Realm Lord,” possessing the corresponding status, able to call upon Spiritual Domain Realm Power to suppress enemies.
Or rather, the power he used was Spiritual Domain Realm Power!
Different from cultivators’ spells, different from various powers of rules, it was a transcendent macroscopic great power above them.
Just like the realm power after Ning Qi’s main body fused with True Martial Realm, this reincarnated body of his had been granted the domain realm power of this spiritual domain, Xuanzhen Domain, by the Mountain Sea Realm.
Of course, compared to his main body’s realm power, this domain realm power was merely a permission given to him by the Mountain Sea Realm, not truly owned by Ning Qi himself, but it still allowed Ning Qi to completely control the entire Xuanzhen Domain.
From now on, no matter who from other spiritual domains of the Mountain Sea Realm came, they could not win against Ning Qi, who wielded Spiritual Domain realm power.
Unless the opponent had the power to oppose the entire Xuanzhen Domain!
In any case, Ning Qi’s strength had indirectly surged. Even if Si Kong Qing from the neighboring Fuyao Region’s Qingxuan Immortal Sect came again, Ning Qi could openly defeat or even kill him.
Ning Qi’s figure descended back into the Sect Leader Hall, sitting there in contemplation.
Sword Ancestor entered the hall and sat opposite Ning Qi, asking, “Kid, what was that power just now?”
Ning Qi looked up and replied, “Sword Ancestor, have you heard if the Mountain Sea Realm Will grants power to the lords of spiritual domains within it?”
Sword Ancestor was slightly stunned. Though he was a ten-thousand-year-old monster with astonishing talent, he clearly had not yet come into contact with such secrets concerning an entire realm and domain.
So he honestly shook his head and said bitterly, “It seems I can no longer help you. The height you’ve reached is no longer something I can glimpse.”
Ning Qi comforted him, “Actually, this isn’t anything special. It should be a rule set by the Mountain Sea Realm Will for the various spiritual domains within the realm. As long as one can truly master a domain, one can obtain corresponding permissions from the Mountain Sea Realm and the right to call upon the power of that domain.”
Hearing this, Sword Ancestor finally understood what power Ning Qi had just used.
He said in realization, “You mean, among the over a hundred spiritual domains in the Mountain Sea Realm, the Mountain Sea Realm Will grants its power to every person who can dominate a domain?”
“Right, so I suspect other domains have the same situation.”
Sword Ancestor added, “Does the neighboring Fuyao Region have someone like you who controls a spiritual domain?”
Ning Qi speculated, “There probably isn’t in Fuyao Region. After all, I was favored by the Mountain Sea Realm Will only after completely controlling Xuanzhen Domain. All the sects within listen to my commands, and everyone jointly reveres me as Alliance Leader and Domain Lord.”
“So, existences like me won’t be too many, nor too few. After all, with many sects in each domain, few people can truly control the entire domain.”
Sword Ancestor nodded, indicating understanding, and added,
“If Fuyao Region truly has someone who reached this step, he definitely wouldn’t be satisfied with controlling only Fuyao Region. He would probably have moved against the previous Northern Xuan Region and Southern True Domain long ago, and wouldn’t have watched the two domains remain independent for hundreds of thousands of years.”
After Sword Ancestor said this, both suddenly realized something from these words.
They looked at each other, and Sword Ancestor said, “Does this mean you can seize Fuyao Region before it produces a domain lord?”
Ning Qi thought for a moment before saying, “It’s indeed feasible, but there’s one point: Spiritual Domain realm power is only effective within Xuanzhen Domain. If I want to control Fuyao Region and fight across domains, I fundamentally can’t use this domain power!”
“Right now, Fuyao Region has two immortal sects. With my own strength alone, I still can’t take them down.”
Sword Ancestor pondered, “This is probably also an intentional outcome of the Mountain Sea Realm Will.”
Ning Qi nodded slightly.
“I also don’t know if in the battle that caused Xuanzhen Domain’s shattering back then, those two immortal sects realized the existence of a domain lord, leading to the great war and Xuanzhen Domain’s split.”
“Very possible,” Sword Ancestor looked at Ning Qi and smiled. “You’ve resolved a doubt for me. I was wondering why those two immortal sects fought so desperately back then. If it was to control the domain and become the domain lord, that makes sense.”
Afterward, the two exchanged some recent situations before parting.
Ning Qi was alone, his eyes narrowing slightly.
His mind flashed to the intelligence he had obtained back then: within the Mountain Sea Realm, there were two great experts, one Mountain Ancestor and one Sea Ancestor.
Their names had been passed down to this day, and it was unknown how many tens of thousands of years had passed, yet they had never encountered challengers.
Over so many years, prodigies had emerged like carp crossing the river, yet no one could surpass them.
Presumably, the two ancestors definitely wielded domain power, perhaps even from multiple domains, to maintain their unchallenged status.
Thinking of this, Ning Qi considered another issue.
After the Mountain Sea Realm Will opened Spiritual Domain realm power to domain lords, did the Mountain Sea Realm count as having some of its realm power control divided?
Though the Spiritual Domain realm power mastered by domain lords wasn’t truly owned by them, no matter what, it was still usage rights taken from the Mountain Sea Realm, wasn’t it?
Just like an emperor enfeoffing the world: the emperor could control the overall momentum of the entire world, but specifically, power over each small place was delegated downward.
Ning Qi thought, if that was truly the case, then when True Martial Realm and Mountain Sea Realm went to war in the future, his chances of victory would be greater.
Moreover, after each domain lord obtained Spiritual Domain realm power, they absolutely wouldn’t be satisfied with the status quo and would definitely want to truly make this power their own.
This time, in the Mountain Sea Realm’s battle with Haoran Realm, there was the will of Mountain Ancestor and Sea Ancestor pushing it.
It was possible that the two ancestors had already seized part of the Mountain Sea Realm Will.
Next, Ning Qi began to seriously study the Spiritual Domain realm power granted by the Mountain Sea Realm Will.
He directly went into closed-door cultivation, silently opening a space channel and drawing over a thread of True Martial realm power from True Martial Realm, placing it in his left hand.
He then used his domain lord ability to summon a thread of Spiritual Domain realm power, placing it in his right hand.
Ning Qi divided the various powers in his body into two streams, pouring them simultaneously into the two different realm powers.
True Martial realm power, being solely under his control, was far superior in might to Spiritual Domain realm power.
But Spiritual Domain realm power had its unique aspects, as it was after all part of Spirit Realm’s realm power, innately higher in grade than True Martial realm power.
After all, True Martial Realm still couldn’t count as a Spirit Realm; it merely had some more rules.
Ning Qi injected his power into the two streams of realm power. True Martial realm power quickly absorbed his power.
Spiritual Domain realm power was different; it seemed to look down on his power, filled with arrogance.
In its view, Ning Qi was a creature within the Mountain Sea Realm, and all his power originated from it.
Like a king viewing the common people as his private property—would the king care if the people offered their things to him?
Ning Qi smiled helplessly.
What a Spiritual Domain realm power, actually looking down on him.
However, he wasn’t angry and didn’t try to fuse True Martial realm power with Spiritual Domain realm power.
It wasn’t time yet; if the Mountain Sea Realm Will detected True Martial Realm’s power, it would be over.
He continued to carefully compare the two streams of realm power.
As expected earlier, Spiritual Domain realm power was higher in grade. As Spiritual Domain realm power, Ning Qi clearly felt it was more complete than True Martial realm power.
It contained Myriad Daos, could fuse Myriad Daos, could wield Myriad Daos—truly formidable.
Ning Qi gazed at this Spiritual Domain realm power, coveting it endlessly, wondering if he could absorb it.
Since the Mountain Sea Realm Will opened permissions to domain lords, it couldn’t just be usage rights with no other benefits, right?
Thus, Ning Qi first dispersed the True Martial realm power, then gritted his teeth and tried to fuse the Spiritual Domain realm power into himself.
As soon as this thread of Spiritual Domain realm power entered his body, he shuddered all over.
Ning Qi clearly felt something locking onto him. What could instantly reach his body must be the Mountain Sea Realm Will.
But it merely glanced at Ning Qi, then conveyed a segment of consciousness to him through that thread of Spiritual Domain realm power.
“Domain Lords may fuse Spiritual Domain realm power for cultivation, up to ten threads per year!”
“Domain Lords have their duties: help Mountain Sea Realm manage a domain. Execute more tasks needed by Mountain Sea Realm, such as conquering various small worlds and integrating them into Mountain Sea Realm, for greater rewards.”
Afterward, the Mountain Sea Realm Will disappeared.
Ning Qi sat cross-legged in the void and suddenly opened his eyes, a smile appearing on his face.
As expected, being a domain lord came with additional benefits!
Mountain Sea Realm needed domain lords to help manage the domains and manpower to help conquer various small worlds, making it stronger.
So, the Mountain Sea Realm Will was willing to allocate ten threads of realm power each year for their cultivation, indirectly helping them increase strength.
And if they completed what Mountain Sea Realm needed, it would grant domain lords even more realm power.
Ning Qi’s eyes shone brightly.
Though he couldn’t break with Mountain Sea Realm yet, he could secretly draw its power from it.
With Mountain Sea Realm’s authorization, Ning Qi directly shattered the thread of Spiritual Domain realm power in his body and fused it into himself.
He silently sensed everything. Ning Qi clearly felt that the various daos in his body had grown a bit.
At the same time, he seemed to have gained a slight sense of the powers of rules he hadn’t mastered yet.
Ning Qi was immediately delighted.
This Spiritual Domain realm power truly lived up to being Spirit Realm power. True Martial realm power required him, the realm lord, to constantly increase and strengthen it with his own efforts.
But this Spiritual Domain realm power could instantly help him perfect the various powers in his body.
Ning Qi directly drew another thread of realm power from the spiritual domain.
Thinking about it, the Mountain Sea Realm Will hadn’t specified the length or thickness of a thread, so Ning Qi exerted his full power and directly drew out a thread one meter long and as thin as a hair.
With his current power, he could only draw one meter long—who knew if the Mountain Sea Realm Will had imposed limits.
In any case, looking at this Spiritual Domain realm power twisting like distorted light threads, Ning Qi felt the previous thread had been a loss.
The initial thread had been a tentative draw without full power, merely ten centimeters long—such a huge loss.
Afterward, Ning Qi continued drawing the remaining eight threads, nine threads of Spiritual Domain realm power lined up before him.
Ning Qi fused another thread into his body, immediately feeling his strength rise another notch.
Next, Ning Qi didn’t swallow them all at once like a glutton. He continued comparing with True Martial realm power, wanting to comprehend some differences from it.
Time passed, and in the blink of an eye, another ten years went by.
In ten years, Ning Qi drew a hundred threads of Spiritual Domain realm power and fused them into himself. Combined with his own cultivation, his cultivation had stepped into Late Integration Realm.
Though only advancing one stage in cultivation, Ning Qi’s own strength had increased considerably.
For example, the previous Five Elements Divine Chain: Ning Qi’s main body placed it in the Sea of Realms, and one year could condense one rule origin for True Martial Realm.
Now, one and a half years could condense two for True Martial Realm, its power increased by fifty percent.
Similarly, Ning Qi’s various cultivation methods and supernatural powers had also increased by about fifty percent in power.
Over ten years, True Martial Realm gained sixteen new rule origins.
The Five Elements Divine Chain condensed ten from the Sea of Realms, and the other six were rule origins Ning Qi generally comprehended and generally induced while fusing Spiritual Domain realm power.
Among them, one rule was particularly important: space rules. Ning Qi’s comprehension of it was natural progression.
Because Ning Qi could open space channels between two realms, plus his heaven-defying talent in formations, and having studied Spiritual Domain realm power these ten years, he naturally comprehended the extremely rare space rules.
Space rules, always on par with time rules, belonged to legendary divine-grade rules.
In a realm, among billions of trillions of creatures, few could comprehend them on their own.
Even if certain species were innately skilled in some spatial supernatural powers, they hadn’t comprehended them themselves but were born with them due to their creator’s favor.
Thus, Ning Qi created a new supernatural power called Great Void Nowhere.
This supernatural power could instantly open a space belonging solely to Ning Qi at the original location, pulling enemies in to trap and then bury them.
It could also let Ning Qi bring people inside to evade pursuit by strong enemies. In short, it was a supernatural power with extremely strong extensibility.
At the same time, Ning Qi’s other abilities also made huge progress after mastering space rules.
For example, previously, he needed to expend great power and many resources to open a teleportation gate.
But now, with no need for such complexity, with space rules’ enhancement, Ning Qi could rapidly open stronger teleportation gates with minimal resources and power.
At the same time, his comprehension of space deepened; even mid-teleportation, he could pause midway and replan the landing point.
As for spatial attack supernatural powers like space slashes, Ning Qi naturally mastered them effortlessly, nothing unique.
Rather, they could combine with his other mastered powers, making each power elusive and hard to guard against.
Over the ten years.
Xuan Zhen Alliance had entered the right track. All sects in Xuanzhen Domain abandoned their previous mutual wariness, even enmity, and fully integrated.
With Xuanzhen Alliance Headquarters as a place that could accommodate personnel from various sects, each year the sects would send many people to exchange and study, each taking what they needed.
Among them, Boundless Sword Sect shocked all sects once again.
Though Ning Qi hadn’t appeared, the newly promoted batch within had strength surpassing the older generation.
They dominated exchanges with various sects, their insights shocking others and making them sigh that Boundless Sword Sect had gathered eighty percent of the domain’s prodigies.
To this, Boundless Sword Sect members merely humbly shook their heads and said, “We were mostly mediocrities before, but encountering the sect leader’s guidance gave us our current fortune.”
Thus, the various sects revered Domain Lord Ning Qi even more.
Boundless Sword Sect also had astonishing development over these ten years.
Originally with over twenty Void Dao Realm great experts, now directly doubled.
The cultivators of various realms below also doubled.
The top ten true disciples had all advanced to perfection of Void Dao Realm, with the outstanding ones even touching the threshold of Half-step Integration Realm.
The older generation also progressed; many stepped into perfection of Void Dao Realm, and Half-step Integration Realm gained two more: Vice Sect Master Cang Wanhe and former sect leader Jiang Baichuan.
True Person Ziyang advanced to Early Integration Realm, becoming Boundless Sword Sect’s third Integration Realm expert.
Jiang Ruhai had yet to break through, still at Half-step Integration Realm.
Other sects’ strengths also surged greatly, and the entire Xuanzhen Domain’s vitality was renewed.
…
Within Xuan Zhen Alliance, there was a spiritual garden where spiritual herbs swayed with dewdrops glistening, various immortal trees rustled in the clear breeze.
The sect leaders of various sects gathered here, successively sitting, with only the main seat always empty.
Xuan Zhen Alliance had been established exactly ten years, so the congregation agreed to celebrate properly.
Niu Ding Tian first glanced at the empty main seat, then looked toward the even grander Boundless Sword Sect beside it, his bull head staring straight.
His eyes held anticipation as he asked Sword Ancestor, “Sword Brother, the Alliance Leader hasn’t come out of seclusion yet?”
Jian Jingjue smiled, “You know he’s a cultivation maniac; he’s probably gained something again.”
Niu Ding Tian couldn’t help but smile too.
“The Alliance Leader doesn’t seclude unless he does, but when he emerges, it’s always astonishing. I think even all of us together wouldn’t be his match in battle.”
Jian Jingjue was slightly stunned, glanced at the people from various sects in the field, and after a moment said bitterly,
“Don’t mention it; it’s probably true. Even all of Xuanzhen Domain together probably couldn’t defeat him.”
Sword Ancestor knew Ning Qi had received the Mountain Sea Realm Will’s favor and could call Spiritual Domain power. Of course, he had just been thinking of the situation without Ning Qi using Spiritual Domain power.
After all, over ten years ago, Ning Qi could already fight seven Integration Realm experts alone.
Now, though Xuanzhen Domain was unified and had an unprecedented number of cultivators, with Integration Realm experts emerging successively from various sects.
But added up, to defeat Ning Qi after more than ten years—Sword Ancestor felt it was doubtful.
The various sect leaders hearing this felt no dissatisfaction, instead joyfully saying, “The stronger the Alliance Leader, the more we can benefit from his protection in the Spirit Realm War—a great joyous matter.”
They also looked toward Boundless Sword Sect, all expecting Ning Qi to emerge from seclusion.
While the congregation was exchanging, the entire ground suddenly shook lightly.
While dazed, a rumbling sound came to their ears, like thunder beside them!
The congregation looked to the horizon but saw no thunderclouds.
Above the sky, rays of rosy clouds suddenly appeared, then condensed into a golden illusory image, indistinct to the eye.
Most people didn’t understand what was happening.
But Integration Realm experts all stood up, looking at that vast boundless illusory image, their faces changing repeatedly.
“Spirit Realm War begins today!”
A vague dao sound descended from the sky, directly reaching everyone’s hearts.
Instantly, everyone understood what the illusory image in the sky was: the incarnation of the Mountain Sea Realm Will.
From Boundless Sword Sect’s side, a white-clothed figure shot into the sky, auspicious clouds naturally gathering beside him to support his form.
Ning Qi finally emerged from seclusion.
“Sect Leader Senior Brother!”
“Congratulations on Sect Leader Senior Brother’s emergence!”
“Alliance Leader!”
“We pay respects to the Alliance Leader!”
One side was the cheers from within Boundless Sword Sect, the other the responses from Xuan Zhen Alliance.
The congregation was still dazed by the Mountain Sea Realm Will’s announcement of the Spirit Realm War’s start, but Ning Qi’s appearance immediately gave them a pillar of support.
Ning Qi looked at the congregation and nodded slightly.
Without any visible movement, his figure directly appeared within Xuanzhen Alliance Headquarters, sitting on the vacant main seat.
He had just sat down, not yet had time to speak.
Heaven and earth shook violently again.
This time, it was as if the entire world was flipping and toppling. Even though those present were elites of the domain, many couldn’t stand steady and swayed.
The congregation’s faces changed again.
Ning Qi suddenly pressed down virtually.
The entire Xuanzhen Domain seemed to calm instantly. The congregation didn’t understand, only feeling the Alliance Leader had unfathomable might, almost able to influence the momentum of heaven and earth.
Next, the congregation only heard intermittent faint rumbles in their ears.
They looked at the Alliance Leader, all knowing the commotion was probably far more terrifying than before, but all suppressed by Ning Qi.
Everyone was silently speechless, but their hearts, shaken by the Mountain Sea Realm’s changes and the Spirit Realm War’s start, gradually calmed.
The rumbling lasted who knows how long before temporarily easing.
A thread of inexplicable anxiety climbed into everyone’s hearts, their consciousnesses seemingly seeing the same place.
The Mountain Sea Realm Will transmitted a scene.
Outside Mountain Sea Realm was originally the boundless chaotic Sea of Realms, but now, in a certain direction, a massive world appeared.
Mountain Sea Realm had already connected with it, and at the connection point, immeasurable light shone, illuminating the surrounding Sea of Realms.
In the Sea of Realms, energy was chaotic and disordered.
But at this moment, the two realms jointly exerted force, drawing countless energy from the Sea of Realms, beginning to build a two-realm domain at the connection point.
This was the bridgehead for the two-realm war!
