Chapter 234: Abyss Layer Four, Quasi-emperors Descend! Tianguang Alliance And Gu Xi Demon Emperor Join Forces To Assassinate Ji Qing!
“Crack.”
Ji Qing grabbed the jade slip.
Then, with a dizzying sensation, Ji Qing suddenly found himself teleported out of the Nirvana Forbidden Zone.
Inwardly, Ji Qing also received a message.
He could no longer go to Tian Ku Mountain in this life.
This made Ji Qing feel a bit disappointed.
Tian Ku Mountain had so many treasures; if he could find a way to challenge the black stone statue again, wouldn’t he be able to snatch all the treasures of Tian Ku Mountain?
Unfortunately, Tian Ku Mountain did not give him the opportunity.
Each person could only receive one chance for a reward from Tian Ku Mountain.
“Forget it, I can’t have everything. Obtaining this Method of the Mortal Immortal is the greatest opportunity from my trip to the Nirvana Forbidden Zone.”
Although Ji Qing coveted those Emperor Weapons and other precious treasures,
this Method of the Mortal Immortal clearly satisfied Ji Qing even more.
Therefore, Ji Qing immediately traversed space and returned to the Purgatory Realm.
At this moment, within the Purgatory Realm, the return of the Thirteen Lineage Masters had already caused a stir.
Everyone knew that it was Ji Qing who, by his own strength, ventured alone into the Nirvana Forbidden Zone and rescued the Thirteen Lineage Masters.
He had made great contributions to all thirteen lineages!
Old Ancestor Changfeng also said with a smile, “Fellow Daoist Ji, I didn’t expect you to actually rescue the Thirteen Lineage Masters. I tried every method, but I was powerless.”
At the same time, various Divine Abilities, Dharma Aspects, and even Great Experts from the Thirteen Meridians of Purgatory gathered, shouting loudly towards Ji Qing, “Welcome, Old Ancestor Ji!”
The scene was undeniably grand.
Many old acquaintances were among the crowd, such as Bai Xi, Li Muye, Su Qingyao, and so on.
There was also Ji Qing’s sister, Ji Yao, and some old acquaintances from Heavenly Martial Sacred Land.
They were all genuinely proud.
After all, Ji Qing had emerged from Heavenly Martial Sacred Land and, to everyone’s surprise, had become the most elite and eye-catching existence even in the vast Black Ruins.
Old Ancestor Changfeng also took this opportunity to announce loudly, “Today, I officially declare that Fellow Daoist Ji Qing will become the Sacred Venerable Old Ancestor of our Spirit Fusion Lineage!”
“Boom.”
This news immediately swept across the entire Purgatory Realm.
All the cultivators were deeply shocked.
But upon careful consideration, it seemed to be within reason.
“Congratulations, Old Ancestor Ji, best wishes to Old Ancestor Ji!”
The cultivators of the Thirteen Meridians offered their congratulations once more.
From this day forward, Ji Qing was the rightful Old Ancestor of the Spirit Fusion Lineage among the Thirteen Meridians of Purgatory!
Some Core Disciples who were contemporaries of Ji Qing were now filled with envy.
But Ji Qing’s strength was evident to all; he possessed the combat power of a Sacred Venerable, even a top-tier Sacred Venerable.
Ji Qing becoming an “Old Ancestor” was well-deserved!
There was not a shred of “water” in it.
Ji Qing returned to Ninth Peak.
He found that Yunmeng Goddess and Baoyue had not yet returned.
However, it was normal for them not to have returned, as training expeditions could last for decades or even centuries.
If they encountered real trouble, they would surely send a communication talisman to Ji Qing.
Ji Qing entered the Secret Chamber of his Cave Dwelling and, first and foremost, took out the jade slip containing the Method of the Mortal Immortal.
He immediately immersed his consciousness into the jade slip.
Instantly, a mortal immortal method appeared in Ji Qing’s mind.
This Method of the Mortal Immortal was called the Nine World Reincarnation Art.
It meant that one must live through nine lives, and in each life, one must cultivate to the extreme, be perfect in all aspects, lay the most solid foundation, and only after nine lives, by gathering the accumulation of all nine lives, can one achieve immortality in the mortal world!
Ji Qing’s first feeling was that it was difficult!
Too difficult!
Almost impossible.
To cultivate to the extreme in each life meant that one’s mind, cultivation, and physical body could have no shortcomings whatsoever to be called extreme!
How incredibly difficult was that?
Now Ji Qing understood why the reward from Tian Ku Mountain, regarding the Method of the Mortal Immortal, had mentioned that the cultivation conditions were too harsh and the cultivation too difficult.
This was indeed too difficult.
Cultivating the Nine World Reincarnation Art itself was not difficult.
Even without using Origin Points, Ji Qing could cultivate it to perfection.
But the requirement for each of the nine lives to reach its peak was exceedingly difficult.
If there was a single mistake in one reincarnation, all previous efforts would be in vain.
All previous accumulations would be lost in an instant.
“Achieving immortality in the mortal world is too difficult…”
Ji Qing also fell into contemplation.
It was unlikely that anyone would truly succeed with such a difficult Method of the Mortal Immortal.
Ji Qing even suspected that the person who created this Method of the Mortal Immortal might have done so experimentally.
It was highly probable that no one had yet achieved immortality in the mortal world through the Nine World Reincarnation Art.
However, regardless of how difficult the Nine World Reincarnation Art was, it was, after all, the only chance to achieve immortality when the Immortal Path was severed.
Moreover, even Great Emperors and Supreme Experts had their lifespans come to an end.
When their lifespan limit arrived, Great Emperors and Supreme Experts would also die with regrets.
But the Nine World Reincarnation Art had one benefit: it allowed one to live out a second, third, and even a ninth life!
From another perspective, this Nine World Reincarnation Art was equivalent to extending one’s lifespan by nine times.
Even if one couldn’t achieve immortality, one could still extend their lifespan by nine times.
In that case, this Method of the Mortal Immortal would be incredibly valuable.
“I am still very far from becoming a Great Emperor, let alone the problem of achieving immortality. Also, I may not necessarily cultivate the Nine World Reincarnation Art in the future, nor will I necessarily become a Mortal Immortal. Perhaps the Immortal Path will be reopened by then.”
Anything was possible.
To worry about the problem of “achieving immortality” now would be to worry needlessly.
Ji Qing was currently a Great Expert of the Nirvana Realm.
The next realm after the Nirvana Realm was the Saint Venerable.
Ji Qing had some understanding of Saint Venerables, but it was only superficial.
He only knew that Saint Venerables needed to undergo a Lightning Tribulation.
However, he had no idea how to cross the Lightning Tribulation or what its secrets were.
Ji Qing personally went to visit Old Ancestor Changfeng.
After all, Old Ancestor Changfeng was currently a Saint Venerable, having already crossed one Lightning Tribulation, making him a One Tribulation Saint Venerable.
As for the Mission Elders,
once one achieved the Great Expert realm, there were no more Mission Elders.
Everything had to be cultivated through one’s own efforts.
Or one could seek advice from elders with higher cultivation, or communicate with peers.
In any case, the cultivation techniques of the Thirteen Meridians of Purgatory could be freely viewed by Great Experts.
There were no restrictions on cultivation techniques.
The rest depended on the Great Expert themselves.
“Fellow Daoist Changfeng, I have come this time to seek your guidance on the matter of crossing the tribulation to achieve Saint Venerable status.”
Ji Qing got straight to the point, speaking directly.
“Saint Venerable… I had long guessed that you would come to me. After all, your cultivation has reached its limit in the Nirvana Realm, and it is time to consider how to cross the tribulation to become a Saint Venerable.”
“The Saint Venerable of the Martial Dao System corresponds to the Tribulation Crossing of the Immortal Dao System. Both paths lead to the same destination, requiring tribulation crossing. This ‘tribulation’ refers to the Lightning Tribulation.”
“This Lightning Tribulation is not ordinary lightning, but the lightning of the Heavenly Dao. The Black Ruins we live in, the operation of all things, has its own laws. This law can also be called the Heavenly Dao. All living beings that survive in the Black Ruins are under the rules of the Heavenly Dao. And for cultivators to advance further, especially to the ‘Saint Venerable’ or ‘Tribulation Crossing’ realm, it is equivalent to touching the Origin of the world, and the Heavenly Dao rules will descend a Lightning Tribulation as punishment.”
“Crossing a Lightning Tribulation is truly as difficult as ascending to heaven. This Lightning Tribulation not only contains lightning power but is also accompanied by terrifying inner demon erosion. The Lightning Tribulation will shatter the physical body, crush the Dharma Aspect and Laws, and extinguish all extraordinary powers. If one withstands the Lightning Tribulation against the physical body and Dharma Aspect, but fails to withstand the inner demon erosion, their mind will also be annihilated, resulting in death.”
“Therefore, to cross the tribulation, the physical body, Dharma Aspect, Laws, and mind cannot have even the slightest disadvantage. If any aspect has a weakness, it will be exploited by the Lightning Tribulation, ultimately leading to failure in crossing the tribulation and perishing.”
Ji Qing understood.
Crossing the tribulation must succeed; failure was not an option.
Once failed, one would undoubtedly perish, and everything would return to the Black Ruins.
Moreover, the Lightning Tribulation became stronger with each attempt.
Thus, one had to continuously improve oneself.
If one could not improve, then the next Lightning Tribulation would be fatal!
The key point was that once tribulation crossing began, it could not be stopped.
The “Heavenly Dao” would continuously monitor those in the Tribulation Crossing Realm or Saint Venerable Realm.
It would generally descend once every hundred years.
If one could not pass, they would die.
Of course, cultivators could also voluntarily undergo tribulation crossing.
However, the number of cultivators who voluntarily crossed tribulations was very small.
Many Saint Venerables tried their best to avoid the Lightning Tribulation.
“Wait, that’s not right. If there’s a Lightning Tribulation every hundred years, then many Old Ancestors have been Saint Venerable Old Ancestors for tens of thousands of years, and they are still Saint Venerable Old Ancestors now…”
Ji Qing immediately noticed something was amiss.
“Crossing the tribulation is too difficult, causing many Saint Venerables to lack confidence. Therefore, some people have created methods to avoid tribulations. The methods for avoiding tribulations in the Black Ruins are numerous and varied. As long as one uses a method to avoid tribulations, and does not actively cross the Lightning Tribulation, no Lightning Tribulation will descend.”
“When it comes to methods of avoiding tribulations, the strongest is our Jie Mie Lineage of the Thirteen Meridians of Purgatory. The number of those old immortals in the Jie Mie Lineage is too many, so many that even Supreme Experts find them troublesome. This is also why, unless a Supreme Expert is born from our Thirteen Meridians of Purgatory, the Jie Mie Lineage can subtly become the head of the Thirteen Meridians, due to the sheer number of Saint Venerable Old Ancestors who avoid tribulations.”
“However, since it is avoiding tribulations, there is naturally a price to pay, and this price is very high! Once one chooses to avoid tribulations, they are essentially bidding farewell to the ‘Emperor Realm’ and will likely never break through to the ‘Emperor Realm’ again. This is because once one avoids tribulations, their mind will develop a fatal flaw, and if they were to attempt to cross the Lightning Tribulation again, they would not be able to pass the inner demon tribulation.”
“Of course, this is not absolute. Historically, there have been instances where individuals used methods to avoid tribulations, lived for tens of thousands of years, and then actively crossed the Lightning Tribulation, leading to rapid progress and ultimately breaking through to the ‘Emperor Realm’. However, the number of such cultivators is extremely rare, almost negligible.”
Ji Qing understood.
To break through to the ‘Emperor Realm’ and become a renowned Great Emperor, truly standing at the pinnacle of the Black Ruins, one must not avoid tribulations.
Every hundred years, there is a life-and-death ordeal.
This continues until the tenth Lightning Tribulation is crossed.
A Nine Tribulations Saint Venerable is the peak.
There are no Ten Tribulations Saint Venerables.
Because once ten Lightning Tribulations are crossed, it is the ‘Emperor Realm’.
Therefore, in the Black Ruins, cultivators between the ninth and tenth Lightning Tribulations are commonly referred to as ‘Quasi-Emperors’.
It is a very special realm.
Ji Qing would naturally not avoid tribulations.
A Lightning Tribulation every hundred years?
For Ji Qing, a hundred years was a very long time.
He did not believe that he would be unable to improve his strength to the point of withstanding the next Lightning Tribulation within a hundred years.
“Achieving Saint Venerable status through tribulation crossing… this is a major event in the Black Ruins! Every ‘Saint Venerable’ is watched by major powers in the Black Ruins. Even a rogue cultivator, once they become a ‘Saint Venerable’, can immediately establish a sect and create a major force.”
Ji Qing’s heart stirred.
“What about the Black Abyss? The Lord of the Black Abyss seems a bit special…”
Ji Qing asked.
“Yes, the Lord of the Black Abyss is indeed a bit special. As long as they are within the Black Abyss, the Lord of the Black Abyss is equivalent to a Great Emperor, barely considered a top-tier force. But once they leave the Black Abyss, the Lord of the Black Abyss is at most equivalent to a high-level Saint Venerable, not even reaching ‘Quasi-Emperor’ level.”
“Therefore, the forces in the Black Ruins are somewhat wary of the Black Abyss, but not excessively so.”
Ji Qing nodded.
No wonder the Lord of the Black Abyss wanted to cultivate Qian Mingri.
Only with Qian Mingri’s talent was there a sliver of hope for him to achieve Great Emperor status.
This would allow the Black Abyss to completely become a top-tier force.
However, this sliver of hope was very small.
But even if Qian Mingri could not become a Great Emperor, becoming a high-level Saint Venerable or Quasi-Emperor would be good.
“Then how do I induce the Lightning Tribulation to achieve Saint Venerable status?”
Ji Qing asked.
Saint Venerables held a revered position.
Far beyond that of Great Experts.
Every Saint Venerable could be considered to stand at the pinnacle of the Black Ruins.
Moreover, because Saint Venerable was a special realm, very few Saint Venerables could truly walk freely in the Black Ruins.
Most had used methods to avoid tribulations, were in slumber, or were hiding in a special place.
“To induce the Lightning Tribulation is very simple. We cultivators act against the will of heaven. We only need to expose ourselves to the ‘Heavenly Dao’. But the gap between the Heavenly Dao and us cultivators is immense, isn’t it? It’s like an elephant and an ant; no matter how much an ant struggles, how can it attract the attention of an elephant?”
“It’s the same for us cultivators. To attract the attention of the ‘Heavenly Dao’, and even make the Heavenly Dao perceive us as a threat, thus descending the Lightning Tribulation, we must actively expose ourselves to the ‘Heavenly Dao’.”
“As for the method, it is actually very simple, and that is through Laws! By utilizing one’s own Laws, one can trigger vibrations in Laws of the same attribute within the Black Ruins. This disturbance would be immense, and the ‘Heavenly Dao’ would definitely focus on you, thus descending the ‘Lightning Tribulation’ as punishment.”
“To trigger the vibration of Laws, one must possess Top-tier Laws and Supreme Laws. This is because only these two types of Laws are high-level Laws, capable of triggering vibrations in a large number of low-level Laws, thereby causing vibrations in the Origin of the Black Ruins, which would be discovered by the ‘Heavenly Dao’. From another perspective, to undergo tribulation crossing and become a Saint Venerable, only Great Experts who have embodied Top-tier Laws or above have the opportunity to become a Saint Venerable.”
“If one has not even embodied Top-tier Laws, they will forever remain a Nirvana Realm Great Expert and will be unable to undergo tribulation crossing to become a Saint Venerable, because they cannot even induce the Lightning Tribulation.”
Ji Qing suddenly realized.
It was no wonder that during the gestation of Divine Path Fruits, many cultivators would try their best to gestate Peerless Dao Fruits, because only with Peerless Dao Fruits would the Dharma Aspect cast in the future be stronger.
The Dharma Aspect will become stronger, and only then can it bear top-tier Laws.
All of this was built upon a solid foundation, step by step.
Without bearing top-tier Laws, it would be almost impossible to become a Saint.
The path of cultivation can at most lead to a Nirvana Realm Great Expert.
Anyone who can undergo Tribulation Crossing to become a Saint has an incredibly solid foundation.
Every single one of them is a true Heavenly Talent!
“As for the technique to shake Laws, the Spirit Fusion Lineage has many insights written down by various Saint Venerables. You’ll understand if you take the time to look through them. Furthermore, you are bearing Supreme Laws, the true king of all Laws. With the might of Supreme Laws, shaking Laws of the same attribute is as easy as pie.”
“Ji Qing, it won’t be difficult for you to draw down the Lightning Tribulation, but if you wish to undergo Tribulation Crossing to become a Saint, your Mind must at least be at the Fourth Realm. The Lightning Tribulation will be accompanied by the Tribulation of Inner Demons, which is extremely terrifying. You must be fully prepared. Your Physical Body, Dharma Aspect, and Laws will have no problem passing the Lightning Tribulation, but your Mind is still too weak…”
Changfeng Old Ancestor reminded him.
“Mind…”
Ji Qing understood.
“Thank you, Fellow Daoist, for your enlightenment.”
“It’s nothing. If you can successfully undergo Tribulation Crossing to become a Saint, it will be a joyous occasion for our Spirit Fusion Lineage and even the Thirteen Meridians of Purgatory. However, I must still advise Fellow Daoist Ji to be extremely cautious!”
“Ji Mou will cautiously undergo Tribulation Crossing.”
Ji Qing nodded.
He then rose and bid farewell to Changfeng Old Ancestor.
Ji Qing returned to Ninth Peak.
He naturally would not rashly undergo Tribulation Crossing.
The Mind was indeed a problem.
Ji Qing then asked Canopus to find some ancient texts from Saint Venerables, while he himself studied the techniques for shaking Laws of the same attribute.
This was child’s play for Ji Qing.
In fact, because he was bearing Supreme Laws, he didn’t even need to master those techniques.
Supreme Laws are the kings of Laws, ruling over all lower-tier Laws of the same attribute.
As long as the Supreme Laws vibrate, the lower-tier Laws of the same attribute will surely vibrate.
For Ji Qing, the truly difficult part was still the Mind Realm.
In fact, over a long period of time, the Mind could naturally grow stronger.
However, Ji Qing’s cultivation time was precisely too short, and he was too young.
Other Great Experts had basically cultivated for thousands or even tens of thousands of years.
How could their Minds not be strong?
By enduring time, one could also reach beyond the Third Realm Seventh Order.
At that point, it would be easier to try to break through to the Fourth Realm.
But Ji Qing?
He was too young.
He hadn’t even reached five hundred years old yet.
Let alone thousands or tens of thousands of years.
Naturally, his Mind could not be too strong.
However, Ji Qing did have a method to improve his Mind.
That was “Use My Heart to Replace Heaven’s Heart.”
In fact, it was quite effective.
It was a pity that Ji Qing couldn’t last even a single moment back then.
That was with the help of immense Fortune.
Although Ji Qing had also accumulated a considerable amount of Fortune over the years.
Especially his feat of killing nine Demon Great Sages in the Jade Immortal Demon Domain had spread throughout the Black Ruins, bestowing a great deal of Fortune upon Ji Qing.
But it was still not enough.
At most, it could improve his Mind by a few tiers.
But to break through to the Mind’s Fourth Realm would be like a fool’s dream.
It was simply impossible.
“Improve Mind… Right, the Reincarnation Lineage! The previous Lineage Master of the Reincarnation Lineage also invited me to visit the Reincarnation Lineage when I had time. They have the Reincarnation Mirror there, which seems to be able to improve one’s Mind.”
Ji Qing thought of the supreme treasure of the Reincarnation Lineage, the Reincarnation Mirror.
He would go and see it first.
Ji Qing immediately got up and left Ninth Peak, heading to the Reincarnation Lineage.
Soon, the Lineage Master of the Reincarnation Lineage personally received Ji Qing.
“Greetings, Old Ancestor!”
Upon seeing Ji Qing, the Lineage Master of the Reincarnation Lineage also bowed respectfully to Ji Qing.
Ji Qing was now a genuine Sacred Venerable Old Ancestor of the Thirteen Meridians of Purgatory.
Even a Lineage Master would not dare to be presumptuous.
“Lineage Master, I have come this time to observe the Reincarnation Mirror. I wonder if I can still use this Reincarnation Mirror?”
Ji Qing asked directly.
His target was the Reincarnation Mirror.
It was for improving his Mind.
“The Reincarnation Mirror?”
The Lineage Master of the Reincarnation Lineage immediately understood Ji Qing’s intention.
“Old Ancestor, you wish to use the Reincarnation Mirror to improve your Mind?”
“Yes.”
The Reincarnation Lineage carefully deliberated before stating in a deep voice, “If I’m not mistaken, Old Ancestor’s Mind is currently at the Third Realm?”
“Yes.”
“The Third Realm Mind is like breaking out of a cocoon into a butterfly, able to see through all illusions. The Reincarnation Realm causes consciousness to cycle, thereby improving the Mind. However, no matter how it cycles, it is still an illusion, and it cannot deceive a Third Realm Mind at all. Since it cannot deceive a Third Realm Mind, it naturally has no refining effect.”
“Therefore, Old Ancestor, I regret to inform you that the Reincarnation Realm cannot help you improve your Third Realm Mind.”
Ji Qing understood.
But he was also truly disappointed.
The Reincarnation Realm couldn’t improve a Third Realm Mind?
“Never mind.”
Ji Qing got up, preparing to leave the Reincarnation Lineage.
However, the Lineage Master of the Reincarnation Lineage seemed to have made a decision, gritted his teeth, and called out, “Old Ancestor, wait a moment.”
“Hmm?”
Ji Qing didn’t understand.
Could the Reincarnation Lineage still have some method to improve his Third Realm Mind?
The Lineage Master of the Reincarnation Lineage immediately said, “Old Ancestor, I am truly ashamed. It was I who invited Old Ancestor to my Reincarnation Lineage, and now I have disappointed Old Ancestor.”
“However, I personally have a treasure that I cannot use for the time being, and it seems that it is most suitable for Old Ancestor to use now.”
Following that, the Lineage Master of the Reincarnation Lineage took out a token.
The token emitted a golden light.
It clearly looked extraordinary.
Moreover, the appearance of this token was extremely familiar to Ji Qing.
“This is… a Heavenly Abyss Token? And it’s golden, which means it’s a token for the Fourth Layer of the Heavenly Abyss. The highest Saint Venerables can enter the Fourth Layer of the Heavenly Abyss.”
Ji Qing’s eyes lit up.
A token for the Fourth Layer of the Heavenly Abyss, this was quite rare.
He hadn’t expected the Lineage Master of the Reincarnation Lineage to possess such a rare token.
The higher one goes in the Heavenly Abyss, the greater the opportunities and fortunes.
The Fourth Layer of the Heavenly Abyss was considered the highest in the Heavenly Abyss.
There was no Fifth Layer.
And the Fourth Layer was usually where Saint Venerables entered.
Great Experts?
Even Top Great Powers would surely die if they dared to enter the Fourth Layer of the Heavenly Abyss!
Therefore, even though the Lineage Master of the Reincarnation Lineage had possessed the token for the Fourth Layer of the Heavenly Abyss for a long time, he had delayed entering it precisely for this reason.
His strength was insufficient.
He dared not rashly enter the Fourth Layer of the Heavenly Abyss.
But Ji Qing was different.
Although Ji Qing’s cultivation was only at the Nirvana Realm.
His strength could rival that of a Saint Venerable, making him fully qualified to enter the Fourth Layer of the Heavenly Abyss.
“Old Ancestor, please accept it.”
The Lineage Master of the Reincarnation Lineage’s attitude was very sincere.
He was genuinely grateful to Ji Qing.
It was also mixed with a little bit of guilt.
After all, Ji Qing had saved his life not long ago.
He couldn’t let Ji Qing return disappointed.
Moreover, the Lineage Master of the Reincarnation Lineage could roughly guess why Ji Qing wanted to improve his Mind.
It was preparation for “Tribulation Crossing.”
If Ji Qing could undergo Tribulation Crossing to become a Saint and advance his strength further, it would be of great benefit to the entire Thirteen Meridians of Purgatory.
This Heavenly Abyss Token should be given to Ji Qing!
“Good, then I will not refuse.”
Ji Qing did not decline and immediately accepted the golden Heavenly Abyss Token.
He indeed needed this Heavenly Abyss Token very much.
If he could obtain a Divine Fruit, it would directly improve his Mind.
Ji Qing left the Reincarnation Lineage. He did not return to Ninth Peak, but instead left the Purgatory Realm and went into the Black Ruins outside the Purgatory Realm.
“Buzz.”
Ji Qing activated the Heavenly Abyss Token without any hesitation.
Immediately, an invisible force enveloped Ji Qing.
The next moment, Ji Qing’s figure instantly disappeared without a trace.
…
In the Fourth Layer of the Heavenly Abyss, Ji Qing’s figure instantly appeared.
Ji Qing was already quite familiar with the Heavenly Abyss; he had obtained many Exotic Items there in the past.
He had even obtained Divine Items.
After Ji Qing used the Divine Item, the effect was immense, and his Mind received a significant improvement.
It had to be said that the Divine Items of the Heavenly Abyss were magical.
Unfortunately, Ji Qing had only obtained one Divine Item.
Now, Ji Qing had once again arrived at the Heavenly Abyss, and it was the Fourth Layer, the highest layer of the Heavenly Abyss.
This time, Ji Qing had only one goal: Divine Items!
He had to obtain Divine Items!
And it was urgent.
Ji Qing wandered all over the Fourth Layer of the Heavenly Abyss, searching for Divine Items.
However, the Fourth Layer of the Heavenly Abyss was vast, yet Exotic Items and Divine Items were very scarce.
There were even very few cultivators.
Those who could appear in the Fourth Layer of the Heavenly Abyss were all Saint Venerables.
The number of them was naturally very small.
“Hmm?”
Suddenly, Ji Qing saw a Saint Venerable.
And this Saint Venerable also saw Ji Qing.
However, Ji Qing did not recognize the other party.
Seeing that the other party did not act rashly, Ji Qing naturally ignored him.
There was no communication between the two parties.
It was only after Ji Qing’s figure disappeared that the Saint Venerable muttered in a low voice, “It’s actually Ji Qing from the Thirteen Meridians of Purgatory. He has come to the Fourth Layer of the Heavenly Abyss?”
This was big news!
This Saint Venerable was from the Tianguang Alliance and was called “Arc Light Sacred Venerable.”
After the Tianguang Alliance had dispatched Top Great Powers to hunt Ji Qing last time, although they had not taken any further action, they had been keeping an eye on Ji Qing.
“My Heavenly Abyss Token only has a few days left. There’s no need to stay here any longer… The news of Ji Qing being in the Fourth Layer of the Heavenly Abyss should be sent back to the Tianguang Alliance as soon as possible.”
Thus, Arc Light Sacred Venerable left the Heavenly Abyss and immediately sent the news back to the Tianguang Alliance.
The higher-ups of the Tianguang Alliance immediately reacted.
“Ji Qing has gone to the Fourth Layer of the Heavenly Abyss, suspected to be searching for Divine Items!”
“Ji Qing now possesses the combat power of a top Saint Venerable. If he undergoes Tribulation Crossing, even as a One Tribulation Saint Venerable, his strength will likely soar, perhaps possessing Quasi-Emperor or even Great Emperor Combat Power!”
“This might be our last chance…”
“If we really want to make a move, I’m afraid only a ‘Quasi-Emperor’ can ensure it’s foolproof!”
“If Ji Qing must be dealt with, it won’t just be us taking action. The Demon Country, especially the Gu Xi Demon Emperor, also hates Ji Qing to the bone. If this news were to carelessly reach the Demon Country, reach the ears of the Gu Xi Great Emperor, I fear the Gu Xi Great Emperor would spare no expense in dispatching top Demon Race Great Sages or even Quasi-Demon Emperors into Abyss Layer Four.”
The Tianguang Alliance does not permit another Supreme Expert to be born from the Thirteen Meridians of Purgatory.
But if they were to openly surround and kill him, it would easily provoke a strong backlash from the Thirteen Meridians of Purgatory.
But Abyss Layer Four is different.
In Abyss Layer Four, contention and slaughter among cultivators is practically commonplace.
Even a Saint Venerable could potentially perish in Abyss Layer Four.
“Then let’s decide on that… It’s just that choosing which ‘Quasi-Emperor’ to dispatch requires careful consideration…”
The Tianguang Alliance made its decision.
…
In the Demon Country, the Gu Xi Demon Emperor has been very irritable lately.
Because of the Jade Immortal Demon Domain incident, the Gu Xi Demon Emperor suffered a hidden loss, being outmaneuvered by the Human Race, yet he was helpless.
As a dignified Demon Emperor, he had lost immense face.
Now, when facing other Demon Emperors, the Gu Xi Demon Emperor is often teased.
The Jade Immortal Demon Domain itself was not a major issue for the Gu Xi Demon Emperor.
He controlled too many demon domains.
But losing face was something he could not tolerate.
“Your Majesty, we just received some news. Ji Qing has appeared in Abyss Layer Four. He is still in the Nirvana Realm, suspected to be searching for Divine Items to improve his Mind, and has even passed a Lightning Tribulation to become a Saint Venerable!”
Suddenly, a Demon Ancestor reported.
“Ji Qing in Abyss Layer Four? Where did this news come from?”
The Gu Xi Demon Emperor’s golden eyes fixed on the Demon Ancestor.
“Reporting to Your Majesty, the news seems to have come from the Human Race, but who exactly it came from is unknown, and the authenticity of the news cannot be confirmed…”
Cold sweat broke out on the Demon Race member’s forehead.
The Gu Xi Demon Emperor had a short temper recently.
Even the Demon Ancestors feared being torn to shreds by the Gu Xi Demon Emperor in a fit of rage.
“News from the Human Race, and its authenticity cannot be confirmed?”
The Gu Xi Demon Emperor sneered, “This news is most likely true. The Human Race is not monolithic internally; many factions would love for Ji Qing to die. They want to use a borrowed knife to kill.”
“However, it doesn’t matter who wants to ‘borrow a knife to kill’; it has nothing to do with us. We just need to be ‘this knife’ well. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. By dispatching Quasi-Demon Emperors and other top Demon Race Great Sages into the Abyss, they won’t be discovered by the Human Race, and we’ll have a chance to kill Ji Qing!”
The Gu Xi Great Emperor’s eyes lit up.
Such opportunities were rare.
If this were in the Black Ruins, once he dispatched “Quasi-Demon Emperors” or a large number of top Demon Race Great Sages, the Human Race would definitely react, and even Human Emperors would intervene.
He would have no chance to kill Ji Qing at all.
But Abyss Layer Four was different.
As long as one possessed an Abyss Layer Four Token, the Demon Race could also enter.
“Quasi-Demon Emperor” was merely a designation for combat power; their cultivation realm was still at the “Great Sage” level, meeting the conditions to enter Abyss Layer Four.
“Go, collect Abyss Layer Four Tokens by any means necessary.”
The Gu Xi Demon Emperor gave the order.
The Demon Race is not like the Human Race.
The Demon Race has a strict hierarchy.
A Demon Emperor controls countless demon domains; a single word from a Demon Emperor can shake countless demon domains. Obtaining Abyss Layer Four Tokens would not be difficult.
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
The Demon Ancestor immediately went to relay the order.
…
In Abyss Layer Four, Ji Qing had not forgotten that the Heavenly Abyss Token had a one-month limit.
He had already spent half a month in Abyss Layer Four.
For a full half a month, Ji Qing had found nothing.
Let alone Divine Items, he hadn’t even encountered a single Exotic Item.
“No, if I continue like this, relying only on luck, I’m afraid the latter half of the month won’t yield any results either.”
Ji Qing was also starting to feel anxious.
The Abyss was too vast.
In his previous ventures into the Abyss, he had never reached its end.
Ji Qing immediately activated the Void Evasion Law.
Ji Qing wasn’t using it to traverse space.
He was using the Void Evasion Law to probe the void within the Abyss.
To see if he could discover anything.
Where certain Exotic Items or Divine Items appeared, the space in the Abyss might undergo corresponding changes.
But this also required time to decipher.
Time passed day by day.
“Hmm?”
“What is this…”
Suddenly, Ji Qing sensed a section of the Abyss’s void collapsing.
The commotion was immense.
Such a large-scale void collapse must be extraordinary.
Could it be that some Exotic Item or Divine Item had appeared?
Ji Qing immediately traversed towards the area of void collapse.
With the mystique of his Void Evasion Law, Ji Qing arrived quickly.
As Ji Qing emerged from the spatial passage, he saw a towering tree growing vigorously. Centered around this towering tree, the void was constantly collapsing.
Moreover, the roots of the towering tree were deeply embedded in the void.
They were dense, making it impossible to shake this towering tree.
But Ji Qing had no intention of shaking the tree.
He looked at the wondrous fruits on the towering tree.
Exotic Items!
All of them were Exotic Items!
And not just Exotic Items, but also Divine Items radiating golden light!
Not just one, but a total of two Divine Items!
Ji Qing’s heart trembled.
Two Divine Items.
However, both the Exotic Items and Divine Items were still in gestation.
It would take some more time for them to fully mature.
Perhaps ten days to half a month.
Or maybe three to five days.
Ji Qing could not give an exact timeframe.
But he could wait.
“Not a single person…”
Ji Qing breathed a sigh of relief.
It was good that there was no one.
With no one else around, he could claim all these Exotic Items and Divine Items for himself.
However, this wouldn’t necessarily be the case if it took too long.
If too much time passed, someone might discover the commotion here.
This was a disturbance at the void level.
Ji Qing only discovered it because of his Void Evasion Law.
But at the physical level, the fluctuations were not significant.
This was also why, after so long, this Treasure Tree had still gone undiscovered.
“Abyss Wonder… through what means does the Treasure Tree nurture Exotic Items and Divine Items?”
“And why does the Abyss Wonder nurture Exotic Items and Divine Items?”
Ji Qing was curious about the Abyss Wonder.
In fact, not only Abyss Wonders but also other Wonders and Restricted Areas were filled with mystery.
Wonders or Restricted Areas were things that had not appeared in the Black Ruins before.
Wonders and Restricted Areas only gradually appeared in the years after the Immortal Path was severed.
Ji Qing could only guess that it might be related to the “Immortal Realm.”
But he didn’t know the specifics, even with his current Saint Venerable combat power.
Even with the current Treasure Tree, Ji Qing was continuously comprehending.
He used his Innate Dao Heart to comprehend.
He also used the Void Evasion Law, or other Supreme Laws, to probe the mysteries of the Treasure Tree.
Unfortunately, he gained little.
Time flew by, and three days passed.
The Exotic Items and Divine Items on the Treasure Tree were almost ripe.
“Buzz.”
Ripples of void spread out in circles.
Immediately after, figures appeared in the void near the Treasure Tree.
Ji Qing took a brief look and his eyebrows twitched slightly, appearing somewhat surprised.
“Demon Great Sages?”
Ji Qing saw the figures.
They were indeed Demon Great Sages!
And not just one Demon Great Sage, but over a dozen Demon Great Sages.
Crucially, the one leading them possessed an extremely terrifying aura.
It far surpassed that of the other Demon Great Sages.
Ji Qing was not too surprised.
That’s how Abyss Wonders were; anyone with an Abyss Token could enter.
Naturally, demons could also enter.
However, the sudden appearance of over a dozen Demon Great Sages was indeed rare.
After all, Abyss Tokens were difficult to find.
Even if one obtained an Abyss Token, they would often act alone, entering the Abyss to try their luck.
To see if they could obtain Exotic Items and Divine Items.
“Buzz.”
More ripples spread through the void.
Immediately after, a similar group of over a dozen figures appeared.
However, this time, they were Saint Venerables of the Human Race.
“Tianguang Alliance?”
Ji Qing recognized them.
These individuals were all wearing Tianguang Alliance attire.
Clearly, they were Saint Venerables of the Tianguang Alliance.
Ji Qing’s eyes narrowed slightly.
He vaguely sensed something was not quite right.
How could the Tianguang Alliance dispatch over a dozen Saint Venerables at once?
Each Saint Venerable required an Abyss Layer Four Token.
Even with the Tianguang Alliance’s accumulated “wealth,” taking out so many at once was an unusual move.
Moreover, Ji Qing had not forgotten that his relationship with the Tianguang Alliance was far from friendly.
The Tianguang Alliance considered him a thorn in their side.
They had tried their utmost to prevent Ji Qing from becoming a Supreme Expert and to completely eliminate him.
But they had failed.
“Attack!”
Just as Ji Qing’s attention was on the Saint Venerables of the Tianguang Alliance, the Demon Great Sages beside him attacked.
Without the slightest hesitation.
Without any wasted movement.
Over a dozen Demon Great Sages simultaneously struck at Ji Qing.
Crucially, these over a dozen Demon Great Sages were basically all Seven Tribulation Great Sages.
Especially one of them, whose aura was incredibly terrifying; as he attacked, the void shattered, giving Ji Qing a strong sense of crisis.
That one strike seemed to have surpassed the limits of a Demon Great Sage.
It had stepped into an inconceivable realm.
“Could it be… a Quasi-Demon Emperor?”
Ji Qing also had a bold guess in his heart.
A Quasi-Demon Emperor is equivalent to a Quasi-Emperor of the Human Race.
Every Quasi-Emperor is a profound foundation.
Whether in the Demon Country or for the Human Race.
“These Demon Sages are coming for me. To go to such lengths, to take out over ten Abyss Layer Four tokens at once, to try and kill me, there is only one demon, Gu Xi Demon Emperor!”
Ji Qing had also roughly figured it out.
Gu Xi Demon Emperor!
Back then, regarding the matter in the Jade Immortal Demon Domain, Gu Xi Demon Emperor had suffered a great setback, losing all face, and instead, it had propelled Ji Qing forward.
“Tianguang Alliance, if you’re not going to act, are you planning to reap the benefits without lifting a finger?”
Although demons are short-tempered, they are not foolish.
With over a dozen Human Race Saint Venerable cultivators nearby, wouldn’t the demons have some reservations?
“Our Tianguang Alliance acts honorably and uprightly; we will not associate with you demons! However, this is the Abyssal Realm, and contending for exotic items and divine items is a reasonable act, isn’t it?”
“Fellow Daoist Ji, it’s only because your strength is too great. Only after eliminating you, Fellow Daoist, can we obtain the exotic items and divine items!”
“Therefore, forgive us…”
The Saint Venerables of the Tianguang Alliance also made their move.
Their target was directly aimed at Ji Qing!
Moreover, the people from the Tianguang Alliance even put on a righteous front, never admitting to colluding with the demons.
They only admitted to contending for exotic items and divine items.
In this way, even if Ji Qing survived this encounter and escaped the Abyssal Realm, he would have no grounds to accuse the Tianguang Alliance.
This Tianguang Alliance truly operates flawlessly.
Leaving no loopholes behind.
However, Ji Qing understood this rhetoric perfectly well.
The Tianguang Alliance must have colluded with Gu Xi Demon Emperor, at least in dealing with him, there was a tacit understanding between them.
“One Quasi-Demon Emperor, one Quasi-Emperor, plus nearly thirty top Saint Venerables and Great Sages! You truly think highly of Ji Mou…”
Ji Qing hadn’t expected to encounter demons and the Tianguang Alliance colluding to kill him in Abyss Layer Four.
But he showed no fear whatsoever.
What were two “Quasi-Emperor” level powerhouses?
What were thirty top Saint Venerables and Great Sages?
Ji Qing possessed eleven Supreme Laws.
He also had the heaven-defying ability of the Five Layered Heavenly Domain.
Below the Great Emperor, Ji Qing feared no one!
As for fleeing?
Ji Qing would not flee.
The Treasure Tree was right here.
Two divine items hung upon the Treasure Tree.
To Ji Qing, these two divine items were of utmost importance.
No matter what, he would not leave!
Moreover, Ji Qing also wanted to see the limits of his own strength.
“Boom.”
The next moment, a ten-thousand-zhang tall phantom image of his Ancestor God True Body appeared behind Ji Qing.
The Five Layered Heavenly Domain instantly enveloped Ji Qing.
Along with his twenty-zhang tall Second Stage Giant Spirit Race Physical Body.
Ji Qing, like a tiny giant, directly confronted the combined attack of two “Quasi-Emperor” level powerhouses and thirty top Saint Venerables and Great Sages!
