Cultivating with Top Enlightenment

Chapter 952: Chapter 408: Identity Exposed_2

Ning Qi nodded, as he already realized this, but evidently, things were not that simple.

Sure enough, he heard the Mountain and Sea Realm Will continue:

"But besides my original will, there are other entities inside."

Ning Qi’s expression grew solemn, "What exactly are these entities?"

The Mountain and Sea Realm Will glanced at Ning Qi’s chest, seemingly trying to perceive something, but failed to sense what it sought.

He vaguely confirmed further that the Ning Qi before him was not the same Ning Qi within the War Realm.

Moreover, since arriving here, his original will was just behind the portal, making his perception of Ning Qi increasingly clear.

The feeling of kinship Ning Qi gave him grew deeper and deeper.

A hint of caution crept into the expression of the Mountain and Sea Realm Will, as he said: "Do you remember the two exotic treasure leaves I gave you? It seems you didn’t bring them with this incarnation."

When the Mountain and Sea Realm Will glanced at his chest, Ning Qi realized something and connected the current world to it.

He suddenly opened his storage space and retrieved a broken, withered leaf.

The broken, withered leaf was pinched between Ning Qi’s two fingers, "The exotic treasure is still here!"

Back then, the Mountain and Sea Realm Will gave him two leaves, one broken and one intact, but both appeared like autumn leaves, dry and yellow.

In the War Realm, they helped Ning Qi shield the perception of the Vast Realm Will, allowing him to seize many hidden nodes and integrate into the True Martial Realm, moving freely within the territories dominated by the Vast Realm.

However, aside from blocking the perception of the Spirit Realm Will, Ning Qi hadn’t discovered any other functions of those two leaves.

Any power injected into them seemed to vanish without a trace.

Previously, he had dispatched an incarnation to venture out of the Sea of Realms and explore the Vast Realm, giving the intact leaf to his incarnation to prevent detection by the Vast Realm Will.

Therefore, Ning Qi currently held only this withered exotic treasure leaf.

The Mountain and Sea Realm Will gazed at the withered leaf in Ning Qi’s hand, and the caution hidden in his eyes seemed to diminish.

He finally said, "Within the portal below, besides my original will, there is another treasure, which is the original form of the leaf I gave you."

Ning Qi was slightly moved.

Quite a revelation; previously, the Mountain and Sea Realm Will informed him that this leaf was discovered from a small world, offered by the cultivators below as tribute, and he didn’t know if it had other uses.

And now, after Ning Qi sought to unravel the secrets of the Mountain and Sea Realm, it was revealed that the original form of the leaf was also below.

Evidently, the Mountain and Sea Realm Will hadn’t told him the truth before.

Sensing Ning Qi’s expression, he explained:

"Originally, I didn’t tell you the truth, but I thought you’d understand that it was better for you not to know too much back then."

Ning Qi nodded.

One sees the world according to one’s status; he understood this point well.

"It was my mistake in the past, informing the Mountain and Sea Ancestors, which led to their betrayal and sealing of me. This lesson was indeed too significant for me!"

The Mountain and Sea Realm Will’s voice was slightly low, mentioning past events.

Ning Qi pinched the withered leaf, watching it sway in his hand.

This withered leaf in hand had previously revealed no other uses or peculiarity to him, but now that he was here, it seemed to evoke a subtle call to Ning Qi.

At this moment, a faint power was pulling at Ning Qi from the leaf, seemingly urging him inward.

The pull was so delicate that Ning Qi wouldn’t even notice without a careful inspection.

Ning Qi glanced below, noticing that the patterns on the surrounding barrier had somehow formed into leaves.

There were big and small, thick and thin, green, yellow, and withered, displaying the forms of every kind of tree leaf in the world.

Ning Qi questioned, "What kind of tree’s leaves are these, powerful enough for the Mountain and Sea Ancestors to confine the Realm Venerable here and usurp your strength?"

The Mountain and Sea Realm Will’s phantom replied, "If you truly want to know and aren’t afraid of being sealed inside, then enter the portal with me."

Ning Qi couldn’t understand why entering this space would make him unable to return, possibly even being sealed.

To be cautious, he still asked, "Realm Venerable, before entering, I have one more question I need you to answer."

"Speak."

"I possess the Sea Ancestor’s inheritance key. If the key can open the portal, shouldn’t it also open the way out? Since the Sea Ancestor crafted this key, she must have entered and exited multiple times. Why do you say I can’t return once I enter?"

The Mountain and Sea Realm Will stared deeply at Ning Qi and responded:

"Previously, I believed you were a rare genius born of the Mountain and Sea Realm, a talent exceeding the Mountain Ancestor and Sea Ancestor’s Immortal Species. But now, I’m uncertain if you are indeed the same person I knew."

Ning Qi was enlightened. It seemed even in his weakened state, the Mountain and Sea Realm Will had not let down his guard.

Evidently, the other party might have realized Ning Qi’s identity, albeit without confirmation.

"I’ve sensed a kindred aura from you. If that’s true, then you’re not like the Mountain and Sea Ancestors; once you enter, you cannot return!"

Ning Qi’s heart was stirred, realizing something profound in the Mountain and Sea Realm Will’s words.

The world below allowed the Mountain Ancestor and Sea Ancestor to enter with the keys they fashioned, but he couldn’t because he was akin to the Mountain and Sea Realm!

He was also a world, a World Will!

Since the original form of the Mountain and Sea Realm Will was confined here by the two ancestors, Ning Qi, as the World Will, would also likely be sealed if he entered!

Ning Qi stared at the withered leaf in his hand and the leaf-patterned barrier below.

Before him, within the portal, lay not only immense danger but also the greatest secret of the Mountain and Sea Realm.

Even though the Mountain and Sea Realm Will had warned that entering might seal him forever, Ning Qi still decided to take a chance!

The brave never fear danger; after thorough preparation, they will enter the tiger’s den despite the presence of tigers.

The predicament between the two realms also left Ning Qi with no retreat.

The Mountain Ancestor’s might, able to suppress the combined efforts of the Saint Ancestor and Sea Ancestor, posed a challenge Ning Qi couldn’t face despite being invincible upon Harmonization, especially against the Mountain Ancestor endowed with Buzhou Mountain’s legacy and Immortal Dao Aura.

Yet, Ning Qi believed that with time on his side, his insight would uncover the final treasure to pacify the Mountain and Sea and Vast Realms.

The Mountain and Sea Realm Will’s phantom watched the changes in Ning Qi’s expression.

Ning Qi’s expression was calm yet firm.

"Let’s go, Realm Venerable. I wish to see what lies within and observe the methods of the two ancestors. I also intend to fulfill my promise to you!"

Ning Qi unexpectedly passed through the Mountain and Sea Realm Will’s phantom. There was no physical collision.

Ning Qi plunged headlong into the portal below.

Behind him, the Mountain and Sea Realm Will watched Ning Qi’s back, a look of shock upon his face.

"He was actually one below me..."

The encounter had truly allowed him to perceive Ning Qi’s identity, yet this reality left the Mountain and Sea Realm Will profoundly shocked.

As he observed Ning Qi’s determined figure, the Mountain and Sea Realm Will experienced numerous emotions.

He paused momentarily before following into the portal.

Perhaps he truly could escape imprisonment!

After all, someone like Ning Qi, by rights, should never have reached this point.

But he had arrived in the Mountain and Sea Realm, deceived everyone, befriended him, and even reached this space where his original form was imprisoned...

Once they entered, the portal vanished.

Proceeding ahead, Ning Qi felt not a shred of fear.

The Mountain and Sea Realm Will sensed his identity and knew he was also a World Will, hence predicting possible sealing.

Yet, the Mountain and Sea Realm Will overlooked a crucial point.

Ning Qi was not only a World Will but also a human cultivator, no different from the Mountain and Sea Ancestors!

The sensation of traversing the world boundary was exceptionally prolonged, and although the barrier’s portal appeared as a thin layer, entering it revealed its incredible thickness.

So thick that Ning Qi felt the journey was longer than his incarnation’s departure from the Sea of Realms.

Finally, they emerged from the boundary wall, arriving in another space.

Behind them, the patterns on the barrier remained in motion, but the world before them was bright.

Instead of examining the entire space, Ning Qi’s attention was immediately drawn to a particular spot upon arrival!