Cultivating with Top Enlightenment Chapter 855 - 362: Advancing Toward Harmonization (2)

"Suit yourself!"

Its proclamation echoed through the Mountain and Sea Realm Will to all listeners, as most followed obediently, yet several such as Leng Qingao rejected it outright.

Fan City’s trio counted among those dissenters.

"Realm Venerable, Ning Qi remains merely an Integration Realm cultivator. With everyone else adhering to the Realm Venerable’s directives, we Harmonization cultivators from the Three Domains shall safeguard Ning Qi."

His declaration carried ironclad determination, offering no space for debate.

"Moreover, since he serves under the Mountain Ancestor originally, how can we fail to stand for the Mountain Ancestor?"

The Mountain and Sea Realm Will stayed hidden, gazing down icily upon Fan City, Jin Guanghua, and Mu Qingtian’s Harmonization cultivators.

Outwardly, they had shown it mere surface deference, while inwardly harboring true indifference.

Ever since Haoshan rose as the mightiest cultivator in the Mountain and Sea Realm, those loyal to the Mountain Ancestor thought solely of the Vast Immortal Sect.

No reply came from the Mountain and Sea Realm Will to the trio, and it had no plans to inform Haoshan of their actions.

Their schemes were perfectly clear to it.

Let them target Ning Qi if they dared—the Mountain and Sea Realm Will figured Ning Qi could unleash some pent-up rage in the process.

...

Southward Ning Qi fled relentlessly, as Vast Realm Harmonization cultivators trailed him, scanning the area and clashing lightly with Mountain and Sea Realm Harmonization experts.

But with the Mountain and Sea Realm Will orchestrating this ploy, how could it allow them to witness the real picture?

Drawing on its innate Realm Power, the Mountain and Sea Realm Will conjured hordes of Harmonization illusions to shadow Fan City’s Three Domains forces.

Open deception paired with hidden maneuvering defined the tactic.

Actually, the bulk of Harmonization cultivators had already shifted to the Central Domain.

Ning Qi pressed on southward, ensuring no one overtook him.

Awe gripped the hearts of the pursuing Harmonization cultivators as they fixed on his retreating figure.

Little surprise the Saint Ancestor prized him so much—so many Harmonization powerhouses failed to close the gap, underscoring Ning Qi’s vital role.

Mi Hui noted their advance nearing a third of the Southern Domain.

From his dull gray eyes erupted two massive swords of will.

A ocular sword art unleashed purely from the gaze, shapeless and ethereal, boasting terrifying destructive force.

Those twin swords of will hurtled toward Ning Qi in a flash, poised to pierce his back.

Right then, a Spirit Sword burst forth from Ning Qi’s rear.

Dragon-like, the Spirit Sword cleaved straight through the pair of shapeless, ethereal swords of will.

Using the corporeal to fell the incorporeal—Mi Hui reeled in shock at Ning Qi’s feat!

In that instant of clash, Mi Hui the Sword Cultivator keenly detected a unique will within Ning Qi’s Spirit Sword.

Not Ning Qi’s own, but fused with the Mountain and Sea Realm’s will.

Eyes narrowing faintly, Mi Hui mused, "So that’s the escape trick the Mountain and Sea Realm Will bestowed upon you?"

Though Ning Qi slipped away once more, Mi Hui recalled the Vast Immortal Sect Leader Jiang Yingchu’s orders.

Abruptly, he flicked his hand, halting every Harmonization cultivator.

"This marks our boundary; no further pursuit."

Mid-air, the Harmonization cultivators suspended themselves, their flight ceasing in perfect sync.

Reluctance tinged their stares at Ning Qi, tempered by sharp discipline.

Witnessing this, Ning Qi came to a stop as well.

He grasped the foe’s limits.

Suddenly, Fan City’s Three Domains Harmonization cultivators overtook the Vast Realm group from behind, positioning themselves at Ning Qi’s rear.

Spotting the move, Leng Qingao darted to Ning Qi’s flank.

Her stunning pink eyes ignored the confronting Vast Realm Harmonization cultivators, locking fiercely on Fan City’s crew.

"Fan City, what are you planning?"

Fan City smirked coldly, "Planning? Naturally, we’re here to guard Ning Qi."

Jin Guanghua and Mu Qingtian beside him burst into mocking guffaws.

A delicate frown creased Leng Qingao’s refined brows as she pierced their motives.

Shockingly, both Realm Venerable and Mountain Ancestor permitted such behavior.

Worry flickered in Leng Qingao’s gaze toward Ning Qi.

Ning Qi, blind to the nuances, shot her a look and sent mentally, "Why haven’t you left yet?"

His words struck a pang in Leng Qingao’s chest.

Why question her lingering? She trailed him out of worry alone!

Yet, recalling his earlier save, she clenched her pearly teeth in annoyance and replied, "If danger weren’t looming, I’d berate you thoroughly!"

"Quit fooling around—get out of here fast, or you won’t escape later!"

Another mental message flew from Ning Qi to her.

His intent was to finish off these scum while fulfilling the Mountain and Sea Realm Will’s mission; now Leng Qingao complicated matters.

Leng Qingao shot back mentally, "You brat..."

Midway through, Ning Qi closed in swiftly, seized her waist, and hurled her with force.

Endless distances seemed to blur past for Leng Qingao, who upon blinking found herself displaced a thousand miles distant.

Surprise flashed in her lovely pink eyes; Ning Qi’s technique had caught her utterly off guard!

Details aside, the real issue was Ning Qi’s endgame.

She whirled back instantly toward his location.

Arriving there, she saw Fan City and company herding Ning Qi onward.

The Three Domains’ Harmonization forces loomed in the sky behind Ning Qi, subtly arrayed to seal his retreat completely.

A wicked grin twisted Fan City’s face.

"Ning Qi, endless running isn’t wise; won’t you shake off those chasing Harmonization cultivators?"

Ning Qi answered with feigned innocence, "Sir, bringing your forces to aid me fills me with gratitude."

Fan City shared looks with Jin Guanghua and Mu Qingtian.

"Is the boy truly clueless, or just pretending? Does he not grasp their purpose here?"

Meanwhile, Ning Qi’s eyes turned ahead.

Palms opening wide, he addressed Mi Hui and the retreating group:

"You’ve witnessed it; both realms clearly treasure me greatly. They block my flight—will you depart now?"

Unease stirred in Mi Hui and the Vast Realm cultivators.

Ning Qi could flee onward easily, yet these Mountain and Sea Realm Harmonization elites aimed to halt him.

As though they posed the real threat.

Whatever the exact twist, it favored the Vast Realm side!

"Kill!"

Mi Hui’s roar ignited the surrounding Harmonization cultivators into a unified assault.

A torrent of strikes barreled toward Ning Qi and Fan City’s group.

Attacks on Ning Qi mostly comprised binding arts like seals and locks.

The devastating blows, though, zeroed in on Fan City and his allies.

With pursuers from both factions converging, roughly fifteen hundred Harmonization cultivators amassed.

Such biased onslaughts tempted Fan City and kin to curse their forebears.

Has Ning Qi become your revered forebear?

Why did these foes now shield Ning Qi upon arrival?

No leisure for rumination gripped Fan City and company.

His mental command raced to them.

"With Ning Qi surrounded by us, launch our strikes too—slay him amid the chaos and pull back swiftly!"

Consensus swept through instantly.

Fan City and others then unleashed a barrage of lethal blows at Ning Qi’s rear.

The sight made Vast Realm Harmonization cultivators’ eyes contract sharply.

Numerous attackers veered abruptly, intent on intercepting Fan City’s strikes toward Ning Qi.

Roles flipped in a heartbeat between the factions.

Amid the storm of assaults, Ning Qi stayed utterly calm.

Hands parting, he summoned an item forthwith.

A miniature mountain-like magical treasure emerged, unleashing its Divine Mountain Illusion to shield Ning Qi entirely.

Every assault skirting Ning Qi slammed into the Divine Mountain Illusion, splintering apart.

Ning Qi eyed the tiny mountain artifact approvingly; truly the Mountain Stabilizing Seal wielded by the Mountain Ancestor.

His gaze swept over the clashing cultivators from both sides, a cryptic smirk curling his lips.

"Too few have arrived, what a shame."

Magic power erupted from Ning Qi’s frame, surging from feet to crown in a rush.

A piercing crack resounded across the area, akin to a colossal gate shattering open within Ning Qi’s body.

Harmonization cultivators all stared at Ning Qi.

"Such is his bold assurance and counter to us? Breaking into Harmonization right here?"