Cultivating with Top Enlightenment Chapter 841 - 355: Acquiring Another Exotic Treasure (2)

Is it truly endless?

This sentiment wasn't merely directed at Sikong Xuan; it was a warning to everyone present.

The underlying implication suggested that should any of them choose to interfere, Ning Qi would treat them with the same ruthless efficiency.

At that precise moment, a spectral silhouette manifested before the crowd.

Everyone gathered witnessed the incarnation of the Mountain and Sea Realm Will reveal itself proactively.

The moment it arrived, the entity gave a slight nod toward Ning Qi with a look of distinct familiarity.

"Proceed with whatever you have planned; I shall back you in all your endeavors!"

Ning Qi cupped his hands in a gesture of gratitude. "My thanks, Realm Venerable."

He had not anticipated that the Mountain and Sea Realm Will would choose to support him so openly.

The assembled Unity realm experts were left even more baffled, struggling to understand why the Realm Venerable held this young man in such high regard.

As for Sikong Xuan, his visage drained of color, turning a sickly, hepatic shade of fear.

He had long harbored a deep vendetta against Ning Qi, constantly nursing dreams of retribution.

Yet, in this very instant, he finally comprehended the folly of his quest for revenge against such a figure.

Sikong Xuan’s reaction was remarkably instantaneous.

He collapsed to his knees, slamming his head against the earth in frantic, rhythmic kowtows.

"Ning Qi, please show mercy! Spare my life!"

Ning Qi released a cold, sharp huff.

The surrounding spectators looked on with pure disdain, disgusted to see Sikong Xuan discard the dignity expected of a Unity realm cultivator so shamelessly just to preserve his own breath.

Noticing Ning Qi’s stony silence, Sikong Xuan redirected his desperate kowtows toward the Mountain and Sea Realm Will. "Realm Venerable, I am a loyal constituent of this realm. With such a formidable enemy at our gates, I beg you to speak on my behalf so I may live to atone for my transgressions."

The manifestation of the Mountain and Sea Realm Will maintained an icy indifference, refusing to acknowledge him in the slightest.

In a final surge of desperation, Sikong Xuan turned his gaze to the other Unity realm cultivators.

The experts simply rolled their eyes and ignored him entirely.

With the Realm Venerable having already made his stance clear, who among them would be foolish enough to risk their reputation to plead for such a pathetic soul?

Realizing there was no respite to be found, a wave of despair washed over Sikong Xuan.

He had clawed his way through cultivation to reach the Unity Realm and stand as a sect ancestor, yet he was now being undone by a mere practitioner from a minor domain? How incredibly unfortunate!

Naturally, it never crossed Sikong Xuan's mind to reflect on his own faults; he simply cursed his bad luck.

Sensing no hope for survival, he abandoned his groveling and attempted to harness the elements, riding winds and thunder to bolt in a desperate attempt at flight.

Ning Qi merely flicked his wrist in the direction of the retreating figure.

To the sheer astonishment of all, Sikong Xuan was yanked back, returning to his original position far faster than he had managed to flee.

Completely trapped and incapable of either fighting or escaping, the realization of his doom finally set in.

He turned back, his expression twisted with hatred, glaring at the onlookers as if he meant to curse them with his final breath.

"If you refuse to let me live, then you shall all perish with me, ha!"

He surged with essence, intending to initiate a self-destruction that would drag as many others down with him as possible.

The cultivators gathered below the Unity Realm went pale instantly.

The detonation of a Unity realm expert, fueled by all their cultivated rules, would be catastrophic.

The other Unity realm powerhouses panicked, bellowing, "Everyone, combine your strikes! We must extinguish this wretch before he can detonate!"

However, a soft voice, calm as a gentle spring breeze, silenced the rising chaos.

"How noisy!"

Ning Qi teleported instantly to a position directly above Sikong Xuan, planting his foot firmly downward.

That solitary step, heavy as a Divine Mountain, instantly suppressed the volatile rules swirling inside Sikong Xuan’s Dantian.

Looking up at the sweeping shadow of that foot, the light in Sikong Xuan’s eyes vanished completely.

Suddenly, a whisper reached his ear.

"Weren't you always searching for Lord Zhanxuan? The truth is, there is no such person; it was always me in disguise all along. You may depart into the void knowing this—no need to offer your thanks!"

A flicker of realization sparked once more within Sikong Xuan’s dying gaze.

"So, it was you!"

That was his final thought before reality reclaimed him.

BOOM!

The monumental force of the rule-based foot shadow pulverized Sikong Xuan, driving him deep into the crushed earth.

Sikong Xuan let out one final, agonizing cry before he was silenced forever.

Ning Qi returned to his position among the crowd with an air of complete composure.

Sikong Xuan had been utterly obliterated, his existence erased from the world entirely.

The nearby Unity realm cultivators prepared to offer their thanks to Ning Qi.

However, the Mountain and Sea Realm Will gave a sudden cough, directing his attention toward Ning Qi. "You there, come with me."

Having little choice, Ning Qi stepped aside to follow the entity.

The remaining experts began to whisper among themselves, curious about the identity of this young man.

Fang Daoming and Wang Tenghai immediately turned their inquiries toward Qi Keqing and Zhu Yanchuan.

The two recounted their journey with Ning Qi through a private voice transmission.

As the tale unfolded, Fang Daoming and Wang Tenghai stood flabbergasted.

Ning Qi had single-handedly rescued them, designed the specialized Compass for Navigating the war realms, decimated an entire domain of Vast Realm cultivators by his own hand, and successfully captured multiple war zones...

Any one of these feats would have been considered an unparalleled accomplishment for the Mountain and Sea Realm!

Fang Daoming muttered, "Is this why the Sea Ancestor sought to claim the Profound Truth Realm?"

He recalled a previous conflict within the Mountain and Sea Realm where two Ancestors clashed, coinciding with the Sea Ancestor seizing the Profound Truth Realm situated near their borders.

At the time, they had been oblivious to the true motivation behind the Ancestors' erratic behavior.

Now, Fang Daoming finally grasped the truth.

Everything had been plotted to court this singular genius!

He felt a sharp pang of regret for not establishing a rapport with the Profound Truth Realm—which sat right next to their Fuyao Realm—much sooner.

A sudden thought occurred to Fang Daoming, and he gestured toward Qi Keqing, "You stated earlier that you kept the Fuyao Realm army stationed in the southwest; was that with this specific intention...?"

Qi Keqing replied, "Indeed, Elder Fang. I have gained significant insights following Domain Master Ning, and I desire for my colleagues to benefit as well. Besides, you Unity realm cultivators operate on a completely different battlefield than we do."

Though Fang Daoming felt a bit isolated without his own disciples, he acknowledged the broader picture.

He recognized that if his subordinates were allowed to follow Ning Qi’s lead, the potential gains would be immense.

Beyond that, simply having a solid connection with someone of Ning Qi’s caliber would be an invaluable asset.

After all, the fact that two Ancestors had vied for his presence, and that the Mountain and Sea Realm Venerable treated him as a peer, spoke volumes.

...

The Mountain and Sea Realm Will led Ning Qi into a secluded area.

"Realm Venerable?" Ning Qi prompted.

The virtual shadow turned to gaze into the distance, pondering something deep within the heavens.

After a lingering silence, the entity turned to Ning Qi. "You have traversed the entirety of these war realms; in your estimation, what are our true odds in this conflict with the Spirit Realm?"

Ning Qi thought to himself that the situation looked dire, but after a moment of consideration, he answered, "Our Mountain and Sea Realm currently holds the advantage!"

The spectral figure stared intensely at him. "Is that truly enough?"

"What is it that the Realm Venerable is implying?"

The shadow appeared visibly pressured as it replied, "I had not assigned you a direct mission previously. Now, however, I have decided: how would you feel about ambushing the Unity realm cultivators of the Vast Realm?"

He continued, "You have traveled through all the regions and understand the shifting landscape, and you still possess the leaf I granted you, which will mask your presence from the Vast Realm Will’s detection."

Ning Qi chuckled with a hint of irony. "Realm Venerable, you truly hold me in high estimation!"

"I am, after all, only one individual. To ambush these Unity realm experts, unless I find them in complete isolation, I have no real chance. Furthermore, the very moment I begin a struggle, the cloaking effect of that leaf will be compromised, exposing my position. Since the Vast Realm already views me as a massive thorn in their side, wouldn't walking into their territory be equivalent to walking into a prepared graveyard? I doubt you wish to see me fall into their clutches."

The virtual shadow cut straight to the point. "Tell me, what are your conditions for accepting this task?"

Ning Qi’s gaze sharpened. "The Realm Venerable is a person of direct action!"

He rubbed his palms together and said, "I have to ask, does the Realm Venerable possess a more potent exotic treasure that can completely shield my aura from the Vast Realm Will? It isn't that I am unwilling to undertake this, but if I attempt to liquidate a Unity realm expert, the release of my own power will be a death sentence without superior protection."

The Mountain and Sea Realm Will understood the logic, recognizing that Ning Qi’s requirements were quite reasonable.

For anyone staking their life in such a dangerous endeavor, the provision of high-tier protective gear was simply good sense.

"Very well. I will grant you one hundred large Rule Fragments and one hundred units of Mountain and Sea Realm Power. You should also focus on overcoming the Unity Realm tribulation as quickly as possible; reaching that level of power will vastly increase your chances of survival!"

"For every individual Unity cultivator you eliminate, I shall provide equivalent rewards. Does this satisfy you?"

With a wave of his hand, the spectral figure produced an object.

A completely intact leaf materialized, which he then handed to Ning Qi.

"This is a whole leaf, unlike the fragments you obtained previously. It should prove sufficient to mask your signature from the Vast Realm's perception even in the heat of battle."

Ning Qi accepted the item with a knowing chuckle.

As he inspected it closely, he noted that it was indeed significantly more complete than the previous shard, although it retained that characteristic dry, withered yellow hue.

After tucking it away, Ning Qi inquired, "The Realm Venerable wishes for me to execute this mission as a lone operative, but what of the army currently under my command?"