Cultivating with Top Enlightenment

Chapter 973 - 418: Ancient Path Sacred Map True Copy (2)

Above the space, a grand will descended and a human figure emerged beside Ning Qi.

Not far from the desk and bookshelf, the newly condensed figure appeared instantly next to Ning Qi, becoming more and more solid, revealing the form of the Saint Ancestor.

In the void, countless golden chains clanked and swayed, like whips or arrows, shooting towards Ning Qi, and already flew within a zhang of him.

However, in the next moment, they suddenly softened like limp ropes, completely slackening and disappearing in an instant.

Not far away, the black mule, obedient to Ning Qi’s orders, stared at Ning Qi’s position blankly, mouth agape.

It had followed Ning Qi into this place, always thinking it was very safe here, never expecting it was due to Ning Qi and the protection of a dead leaf.

Now it just realized that there is great terror hidden here.

From the two phantom shadows that suddenly appeared, it felt a terrifying force, enough to easily extinguish it.

"Are these two phantom shadows perhaps the strongest existence in the Vast Realm?"

The black mule’s hooves continuously retreated, afraid of being caught up, but seeing Ning Qi still poised, it felt less fearful.

However, its pair of black, shiny donkey eyes kept watching ahead, wanting to understand Ning Qi’s relationship with those two phantom shadows.

It was quite confused; if Ning Qi was friendly with the two, why sneak into the Vast Realm?

Yet, if they were not on good terms, why did both halt upon seeing Ning Qi? It was utterly bizarre!

Ahead, the Vast Realm Will and the calligraphy-painting avatar left by the Saint Ancestor were both startled to see Ning Qi present here.

The Saint Ancestor’s avatar asked, "Boy, how are you appearing here?"

The Vast Realm Will said nothing and merely adhered to the role of a student as long as the teacher was present.

Ning Qi said, "The situation in the Mountain and Sea Realm is resolved, but I found that the Mountain Ancestor seemed to have sent people to your Vast Realm, so I traced them here."

"What?"

The Saint Ancestor’s avatar and the Vast Realm Will were both shocked.

The Saint Ancestor’s avatar frowned. This avatar was left by the main body in the Vast Realm as a precautionary measure.

The main body was trapped in the Mountain Ancestor’s Buzhou Mountain phantom.

The Vast Realm Will was different. Though he was fighting alongside the Saint Ancestor in the war realm, he kept most of his power in this realm to maintain its vitality.

"How did you resolve matters back in the Mountain and Sea Realm, and why are you so certain that the Mountain Ancestor sent someone here? You should know with Zhili and my avatar here, the Mountain Ancestor couldn’t easily intrude."

The Saint Ancestor’s avatar had many questions.

After all, he still thought Ning Qi was in the Mountain and Sea Realm and didn’t expect him to appear here.

Ning Qi, clutching the dead leaf, released an invisible and intangible force covering himself.

"Even my entering this place went unnoticed by you, how about the Mountain Ancestor’s envoy?"

Seeing this, the Saint Ancestor stared intently at the dead leaf in Ning Qi’s hand, his expression slightly grave, and said:

"Could this be the leaf from the hidden tree in the Mountain and Sea Realm mentioned by the Sea Ancestor? It truly is miraculous, making it so that even Zhili and I couldn’t perceive your presence."

"Now is not the time for this discussion; I’ve sensed using a Secret Technique that the person sent by the Mountain Ancestor entered behind the waterfall, old man, what’s hidden behind your waterfall?"

Ning Qi pointed at the waterfall.

Upon hearing this, both the Saint Ancestor’s avatar and the Vast Realm Will’s expressions changed again.

"Not good, hurry, follow us inside!"

Both of them flew straight into the waterfall.

Seeing this, Ning Qi also leaped into the waterfall.

The waterfall was initially a small water stream falling from a mountainspring, but as Ning Qi approached, it expanded in his eyes into a vast river.

Ning Qi’s physical body broke into the waterfall, clearly feeling as if entering a torrent of rules, the Power of Rules washing over him, causing a slight pain.

After a breath, Ning Qi’s physical body brushed past the waterfall, entering another space.

This space resembled an underground cave, constantly echoing with the sound of water dripping.

Drip, drip!

Above hung a square stone, resembling a large plaque, with a few incomplete and blurred words on it.

"Water Curtain... Cave... Heaven!"

Ning Qi glanced over this plaque and vaguely read a few words.

Yet he did not think much of it, for the Saint Ancestor’s avatar and the Vast Realm Will continued to delve deeper into the cave ahead.

Ning Qi followed after them, holding the dead leaf compared to the urgent pace of the other two.

"Closer!"

Now that he had entered here, Ning Qi felt the lost branch of the Seed of Jianmu much more keenly.

Guided by the direction of the dead leaf, Ning Qi actually leapt ahead of the Saint Ancestor and the Vast Realm Will.

"Follow me, I sense his location."

The two paused briefly, choosing to trust him without further question.

Ning Qi led the way, swiftly crossing the cave.

The Saint Ancestor’s avatar stared at Ning Qi’s back, quietly sensing the aura Ning Qi emitted.

Unexpectedly, this sensing startled him.

Goodness, there was a force within Ning Qi entirely akin to his own.

But he had only recently imparted his legacy to Ning Qi.

More astonishingly, the Saint Ancestor’s avatar vaguely sensed the power of the Sea Ancestor and Vast Realm Power, and even the Mountain and Sea Realm’s might within Ning Qi.

He once thought his senses were wrong.

Could Ning Qi indeed be a Celestial Being?

However, the Saint Ancestor’s avatar did not question Ning Qi further, continuing to follow him to the familiar place.

Soon, the trio reached the end of a branch cave inside the cavern.

The Saint Ancestor rejoiced to find a human figure appeared ahead.

The figure sat cross-legged on the ground, seemingly doing nothing.

Above his head floated a segment of a withered branch, with nothing extraordinary about it, yet they could not sense any aura from this person.

Also pleasing to the Saint Ancestor, this branch cave wasn’t a vault for keeping significant items, but a cultivation site.

A small space node ahead could be opened, leading directly to the Sea of Realms.

The Saint Ancestor’s practiced Dharma Method, "Snake Swallowing Elephant Divine Techniques," was cultivated here.

In the next moment, the Saint Ancestor’s avatar felt a chill in his heart.

Because, on that seated figure’s lap, there seemed to lie a scroll that greatly alarmed him.

It was the Ancient Path Sacred Map True Copy!

The envoy sent by the Mountain Ancestor had already obtained his most important treasure—the Ancient Path Sacred Map!

What the Saint Ancestor had given Ning Qi before was a replica of the map, at most containing one Ancient Saint’s Dharma Method.

But the true copy held far more secrets.

The figure turned his back to the trio and was seated as if he had fallen into a state of cultivation.

But he was astonishingly perceptive. As soon as the trio made out his appearance, he rose and faced them.

"You managed to discover my presence so quickly?"

The figure wore a dragon-shaped mask, concealing his face, and in the slits of the mask, his pupils appeared exceptionally bright and sharp.

"Who are you?" The Vast Realm Will, Zhili, leaped forward to inquire.

However, the figure did not answer, seemingly dismissive of the Vast Realm Will.

His gaze swept past the Vast Realm Will and the Saint Ancestor’s avatar, finally landing on Ning Qi.

"Oh? How come it’s you again, Ning Qi, weren’t you in the Mountain and Sea Realm?"

As soon as he said this, he seemed to realize something, suddenly blinking.

In his eyes, a Divine Intent wave seemed to transmit or send some signal through blinking.

His aura was like the abyss of the starry sky, the pinnacle of the universe.

In the next second, the trio, Ning Qi, felt a tremor behind them.

The Vast Realm Will couldn’t help but look back. Being the Spirit Realm Will, it sensed most clearly.

All it said was, "Teacher, there was just a massive tremor in the war realm; that Mountain Ancestor went wild, and activated a divine light, shattering the Boundary Wall of the Mountain and Sea Realm that Ning Qi repaired."

The Saint Ancestor’s avatar acted as though he hadn’t heard anything; he continued staring blankly at the masked figure ahead, eyeing the Ancient Path Sacred Map True Copy in his hand!

Ning Qi also gazed at the Sacred Map in his hand, his eyes, clear and distinct, seeming to see endless Immortal Dao Aura within.