Chapter 178 - 177: Really Don't Want It? 1
Ao Qianchi and Immortal Emperor Tian Yuan both shifted their gazes towards the Inner City where the primary cause of the Dead Spirits’ invasion resided- within the Inner City!
Immortal Emperor Tian Yuan pondered, “The Chaos Yuan Heavenly Scripture can indeed refine all types of powers for one’s own use, but the strength of the individual inside is extremely terrifying. Li Cheng, only having achieved Complete Profound Immortal, might not be able to withstand the power that leaks out from that person.”
Ao Qianchi nodded, “When the time comes, let him give it a try. If he succeeds, that would be best, but it’s not a problem if he doesn’t.”
The seal of Grand Venerable Bai Jie could still be maintained for hundreds of years, and by then, the Venerable might have already returned.
Moreover, at present, only the power leaking out had drawn these Dead Spirits. To Ao Qianchi, these Dead Spirits posed no threat, so whether it worked out or not, the impact wasn’t significant.
Outside the city, the Purple Void Jade Emperor’s Tripod followed Li Cheng. For every Dead Spirit Li Cheng annihilated, the Purple Void Jade Emperor’s Tripod would immediately capture its soul and suppress it within the Tripod.
Li Cheng’s method for slaying Dead Spirits was simple: he utilized the Rule of Fire to stir up Heaven’s Hidden Soul Nourishing Flame, enveloping the Dead Spirits in a wide range. Under the influence of Heaven’s Hidden Soul Nourishing Flame, those Dead Spirits couldn’t persist for more than a few breaths before they perished.
As more and more Dead Spirits fell, the strength of Heaven’s Hidden Soul Nourishing Flame grew stronger and stronger.
Its inherent property was to absorb Soul Power, so this battle was essentially like a fish in water for it.
Immortal Emperor Tian Yuan watched this scene with a smile. He had nurtured the Heaven’s Hidden Soul Nourishing Flame for a long time and naturally hoped that it would evolve into Immortal Fire, which was why he proposed that Li Cheng undergo trials.
After all, the invading spirits were from the Immortal Realm, with powerful Soul Power. If Heaven’s Hidden Soul Nourishing Flame absorbed enough, it would definitely evolve into Immortal Fire.
To wield Spiritual Fire with such power, he must have mastered at least a hundred paths of the Rule of Fire, and with other Laws, there should be over five hundred paths. That’s even more than what ordinary Immortal Emperors control,” said Ao Qianchi after observing for a while.
Immortal Emperor Tian Yuan nodded and then asked curiously, “How many did Grand Venerable Bai Jie master?”
Ao Qianchi was astonished and chuckled, “How would I know? Such existences as the Venerable are not something we can speculate about.”
“What about you then?” Immortal Emperor Tian Yuan asked further.
“Why ask me? Weren’t our strengths comparable back in the day? Don’t you know how much I’ve mastered?” replied Ao Qianchi.
Immortal Emperor Tian Yuan laughed, “From Li Cheng, I’ve perceived the conditions for transcending this world of Heaven and Earth. Do you want to know?”
Ao Qianchi’s brows lifted, “Let’s hear it!”
Immortal Emperor Tian Yuan didn’t conceal his thoughts, “Li Cheng has not experienced the Baptism of Heaven and Earth or even crossed Tribulation, yet he has condensed an Immortal Body. The reason lies in his understanding of a certain quantity of Laws, which has gained the recognition of the Order of Heaven and Earth.”
“So, I surmise that understanding a certain Law to its limit would enable one to control the corresponding power of order. In doing so, one would naturally be able to perceive the secrets of the universe and transcend the Heaven and Earth!”
Finished speaking, Immortal Emperor Tian Yuan looked at Ao Qianchi teasingly.
Ao Qianchi was silent for a long time but eventually sighed, “What you’re talking about, ‘the limit’, should be the understanding of 129,600 paths of Law. But you know, those ancient Immortal Emperors in the Immortal World, who have lived for nearly a hundred million years, have not achieved this step, always lacking something.”
“Now that you mention it, I’m beginning to wonder if the Order of Heaven and Earth in the Immortal World is incomplete, preventing the understanding of 129,600 paths of Law?”
Immortal Emperor Tian Yuan nodded, “That’s entirely possible. In the previous era, Deities were born, and after the Immortal World and Cultivation World split, there were no longer Deities. It could be that some Great Divine Power hid away part of the Order of Heaven and Earth.”
Ao Qianchi sighed again and shook his head, “Who knows? When the Venerable returns, we might discuss it.”
Immortal Emperor Tian Yuan smiled, “I always feel that the key lies within the Kunlun Realm. When the opportunity arises, you must seize it.”
“In the Kunlun Realm?” Ao Qianchi pondered.
“That’s right. The Kunlun Realm has survived through the ages and still hides many Ancient Ruins. There must be great secrets unknown to others, perhaps the key to becoming a Deity lies within the Kunlun Realm,” Immortal Emperor Tian Yuan added.
Ao Qianchi’s eyes lit up, “How about this, if Li Cheng can resolve the issue of dissipating death energy with the Chaos Yuan Heavenly Scripture, then I will make a trip to the Immortal World, return to the Dragon Clan to retrieve an item for your rebirth, and then, we shall explore together!”
“No, I’ve gotten used to how things are now, let’s not make it complicated,” Immortal Emperor Tian Yuan said with a smile.
Ao Qianchi did not speak further but instead shifted his gaze towards Li Cheng, who was slaughtering left and right.
Half a day passed, and the death spirits collapsed, starting to retreat.
Ao Qianchi was somewhat surprised, “Strange, in the past, every time there would be stronger death spirits appearing, but this time not even one above the Golden Immortal level showed up.”
“Anomalies herald the presence of evil, better check it out!” Immortal Emperor Tian Yuan reminded him.
Ao Qianchi nodded, “I will secretly follow those fleeing death spirits, you and Li Cheng keep a watch here, and if anything happens, have Li Cheng send me a message.”
Having said that, Ao Qianchi left behind a Message Jade Slip and disappeared.
No sooner had Li Cheng returned to the city wall than he saw Ao Qianchi disappear and involuntarily looked northward, vaguely guessing that Ao Qianchi might have secretly followed them.
The Heaven’s Hidden Soul Nourishing Flame seems to have reached its limit, with more cultivation it should be able to evolve into Immortal Fire,” Immortal Emperor Tian Yuan said.
Li Cheng nodded, took out the Purple Void Jade Emperor’s Tripod, “Senior, I’ve collected quite a bit, I hope it can help you recover some.”
“No need, you go ahead and refine with the Chaos Yuan Heavenly Scripture, it should enable you to take the opportunity to step into the Golden Immortal Realm,” Immortal Emperor Tian Yuan said.
Li Cheng hesitated, really not wanted?
What was Immortal Emperor Tian Yuan up to? Disdainful of these souls that seemed weak in his eyes? Or planning to just muddle through until death?
Immortal Emperor Tian Yuan didn’t give Li Cheng the chance to ponder further, saying, “Go and cultivate, Ao Qianchi won’t be back for a while, no need to wait for him.”
Li Cheng nodded and headed towards the Inner City, leaving the Purple Void Jade Emperor’s Tripod behind.
Immortal Emperor Tian Yuan understood Li Cheng’s intention, smiled helplessly, and returned to the Purple Void Jade Emperor’s Tripod, refining the soul power Li Cheng had collected.
Back at the gate passage of the Inner City, Li Cheng began his Enlightenment.
Twenty days passed, and Li Cheng had added three hundred Earth Laws, reaching six hundred in total, and finally he entered the Inner City.
With one step, Li Cheng keenly felt the death Qi pervasive in the air inside the city!
The source of the death Qi was in the city center!
But with the extremely strong gravity inside the Inner City, Li Cheng knew he wouldn’t be able to reach the city center anytime soon, so he continued his Enlightenment.
This place was now known as Misty City, but in reality, it was indeed the Blunt Empty City left by Blunt Empty Venerable, with the Earth Laws being the densest in the city, hence the most abundant Laws understood during Enlightenment were Earth Laws.
Of course, the quantities of other Laws were also increasing.
As time passed day by day, Li Cheng was getting closer and closer to the city center, and every Law he understood now included the Law of Death.
The Law of Death had also increased from a mere five paths to one hundred and twenty paths.
More than two months later, Ao Qianchi returned, but contrary to Li Cheng and Immortal Emperor Tian Yuan’s expectations, Ao Qianchi’s energy was somewhat unstable, clearly he had been injured!
Immortal Emperor Tian Yuan was the first to step forward, saying incredulously, “You’re actually injured? What kind of death spirit did you encounter?”