Cultivating with Top Enlightenment Chapter 1013 - 437: Burial to Become Immortal (2)

"Very well, you have repeatedly thwarted my attempts at breaking through, so I shall no longer pursue perfection!"

Ning Qi remained seated in the void, unaffected by the Mountain Ancestor’s words.

In contrast, the Saint Ancestor and Sea Ancestor’s expressions changed dramatically.

The Mountain Ancestor’s mention of not pursuing perfection seemed like a dreadful signal, impacting the hearts of both.

It seemed the Mountain Ancestor was about to forcibly break through!

The Saint Ancestor and Sea Ancestor previously thought they were on the same level as the Mountain Ancestor, with only one step away from a breakthrough.

The onset of the Spirit Realm War, irrespective of its righteousness, whether by the aggressor or defender, was seen by the Saint Ancestor and Sea Ancestor as a potential opportunity for their breakthrough.

However, as the battle progressed, both realms vanished, and only then did they realize the Mountain Ancestor was much closer to the limit, with one foot already stepped into the Immortal Gate.

The two of them might still need a clear opportunity or greater tempering to smash open the Immortal Gate, but the Mountain Ancestor was evidently confident in breaking through.

"Could it be he no longer wishes to wait?" the Saint Ancestor murmured.

The Sea Ancestor breathed heavily, her pupils flickering, and her gaze silently fixed on the Mountain Ancestor through the gaps between the large hands.

She clenched her fist tighter, discovering a layer of cold sweat in her palm.

"After millions, perhaps tens of millions of years, none have become Immortal, can he really break through?"

The three Ancestors undoubtedly were filled with longing for becoming Immortal, a lifelong aspiration for them.

For them, becoming Immortal was not just an elevation to another realm but a transcendence from the Spirit Realm into the Sea of Realms, a once-unprecedented elevation of life.

As the Ancestors of a realm, everyone respected them across the two realms, but human desires are boundless.

Just like emperors in mortal history, who unified vast territories and held the lives of millions, yet their hearts remained unsatisfied.

They yearned for immortality!

And for the three Mountain Ancestors, becoming Immortal was their sole pursuit, not merely being content as realm Ancestors.

The seemingly revered status of an Ancestor was merely an accessory of their power.

Perhaps everyone envied their status, but the three of them were actually tired of such a life.

The Spirit Realm had trapped them for too long!

Their lifespan wasn’t infinite either; if they didn’t break through soon, they would begin to decline in the middle of their path, making becoming Immortal even more difficult.

Thus, the Spirit Realm War started with all three intending to seize this chance to become Immortal.

But now, with the Saint Ancestor and Sea Ancestor suppressed, they relied on Ning Qi’s sudden rescue.

Both of them nearly forgot their goal, their morale almost crushed by the Mountain Ancestor.

Of the three, it went without saying, only the Mountain Ancestor could seize the opportunity to step out!

The Saint Ancestor and Sea Ancestor’s throats moved, unable to remain calm, unable to take their eyes off the Mountain Ancestor.

On one hand, they feared the Mountain Ancestor really would break through, yet on the other, they wanted to see if he truly could, which would provide them a future reference.

If they still had a future, should they be lucky enough to survive this time.

As the Mountain Ancestor finished speaking, the Dual-faced Dharma Body ceased pursuing the True Martial Spirit Realm, no longer aiming to devour it to achieve perfection, and instead halted.

The Dual-faced Dharma Body’s form began to shrink, eventually reducing from the size of a small mountain to a height of ten zhang.

Yet, the three huge hands remained stacked together, enough to imprison Ning Qi and the others.

The next second, the palms of the Mountain Ancestor’s three giant hands exerted force, surging out endless Divine Power, while the reality of Buzhou Mountain in the other hand approached, seemingly to completely annihilate the trio.

The terrifying force suppressed the trunk of the Realm Tree protecting the three, causing it to creak with multiple cracks appearing.

As it was about to break, Ning Qi, seated in the void, suddenly awoke from his contemplation.

A golden gleam flashed in his eyes, shooting into the Realm Tree’s trunk, instantly repairing its cracks.

Even Ning Qi felt a bit of pressure at this moment.

His repair speed was almost equal to the Mountain Ancestor’s rate of destruction.

Fortunately, countless roots of the Realm Tree extended towards the Mountain Ancestor’s giant hands; even if they couldn’t penetrate, they provided sufficient support to maintain this space from collapsing under the Mountain Ancestor’s pressure.

The Realm Tree, in its inscrutable way, continued to siphon the Mountain Ancestor’s potent essence.

Detecting Ning Qi's unyielding resistance, the Mountain Ancestor, one colossal hand gripping the Buzhou Mountain artifact, pulsed with a nascent chaotic luminescence. This power was intended to be marshaled above the already encompassing three immense hands.

Abruptly, the Mountain Ancestor’s twin visages snapped backward, their blood-red irises piercing the profound depths of the Sea of Realms.

A visible shift occurred in their countenances, a flicker of stark urgency now present.

"Huh~"

The Mountain Ancestor let out a breath, proclaiming, "For now, I shall grant you a reprieve!"

This declaration came from one of the dual faces.

The other side remained conspicuously silent, inquiring with a trace of confusion, "What did you perceive? Why was I aware of nothing?"

"It is but a trifle, gleaned from the inheritance," the first face responded. "First, secure them, prevent their escape! I must divert some strength to contend with imminent post-Immortal tribulations!"

The duplicitous Mountain Ancestor, engaged in this self-directed dialogue, left the three figures trapped within the colossal hand formation utterly bewildered.

They struggled to grasp the reason for the Mountain Ancestor's schizophrenic demeanor, appearing as two distinct entities.

The alternate Mountain Ancestor, without a word, complied. One of its three massive restraining hands slowly retreated from Ning Qi and the others.

This released hand moved towards the Buzhou Mountain artifact held in the other hand. Levitating the artifact, the two resulting giant hands interlocked, forming a mountain-shaped Dharma Seal.

Instantly, from within the very essence of Buzhou Mountain, a formidable power surged into the Mountain Ancestor's dual hands.

Concurrently, the Mountain Ancestor's unified dual form drew forth its own reserves of power, establishing a potent resonance with the Buzhou Mountain artifact.

Both halves of the being closed their eyes.

The Sea of Realms remained eerily placid, and the Mountain Ancestor now proceeded with heightened caution, meticulously avoiding any ripple or disturbance within these sacred waters.

"What are you doing?"

Suddenly, the secondary Mountain Ancestor's voice, laced with curiosity, broke the silence.

Ning Qi and his companions turned their gaze in that direction.

It was then they truly observed that the face of this particular Mountain Ancestor was marred by countless scars – the very same visage that had confronted Ning Qi within the Vast Realm.

The Sea Ancestor's brow furrowed. She had always assumed that scarred face represented the true Mountain Ancestor, yet the unfolding events clearly indicated the dominance of the other aspect.

The scarred Mountain Ancestor, whose facial blemishes had once vanished after being bathed in the blood of countless beings, now found them inexplicably reappearing.

"Why the outcry? Is this not part of the path to Immortal ascension?"

The other Mountain Ancestor admonished sharply.

Upon hearing the term 'Immortal ascension,' the previously questioning Mountain Ancestor fell silent once more, appearing to passively endure the forceful extraction of power.

"Hmm?"

Ning Qi, observing the peculiar interaction, raised his eyebrows, blinked, and mentally projected his thoughts to the Saint Ancestor and Sea Ancestor standing behind him:

"Am I misinterpreting, or does the scarred Mountain Ancestor seem to be diminishing in size?"

The Saint Ancestor, upon hearing this, also focused their potent Secret Technique for observation.

"Your perception is accurate; it does indeed appear so."

The Saint Ancestor confirmed.

The Sea Ancestor remained wordless, a sense of unease pervading the strange spectacle.

Time flowed onward, and the withdrawal of the Mountain Ancestor's colossal hand significantly lessened the oppressive force bearing down on Ning Qi and the others.

However, the transformation affecting this Dharma Body became undeniably more pronounced.

Ultimately, the scarred visage contracted to precisely half its original stature, exhibiting clear signs of energy depletion and a gaunt appearance.

Conversely, the Mountain Ancestor's face on the opposite side grew increasingly flushed, almost vibrant.

"Haoshan, your form..."

The Sea Ancestor could not refrain from speaking.

The scarred Mountain Ancestor seemed to register a dawning realization upon hearing her words.

While enduring the drain of his life force by his counterpart, and still holding Ning Qi and the others captive, he had kept his eyes shut, oblivious to his own physical alteration.

At this critical juncture, he opened his eyes, directing his gaze toward his own body.

This sudden inspection sent a jolt of shock through him.

Ning Qi could distinctly feel the grip on them weakening considerably.

"I am the true self! Are you draining my power?"

He questioned again, a mix of confusion and disbelief in his tone.

The other Mountain Ancestor also opened its eyes, crimson light erupting from them, piercing the Sea of Realms.

"Heh, you awaken to the truth too late. When you embraced the inheritance and birthed this future iteration of myself, you should have understood: the future eclipses the past!"

With these words uttered, the scarred aspect of the Mountain Ancestor withered away, much like a bloom fading into nothingness.

"Are you truly... me..."

A faint, lingering query of fear escaped his lips, its echo softly dissipating within the vast expanse of the Sea of Realms.