Cultivating with Top Enlightenment Chapter 883 - 375: Near-Immortal

"This..."

Ripples stirred once more in Zhao Yujun’s azure eyes.

Ning Qi had truly accomplished it!

As Sect Leader of the Moon Sea Immortal Sect, her decades of study in the Array Path had elevated her mastery to nearly merge with the Dao itself.

Despite this deep foundation, Zhao Yujun couldn’t pierce through the array Ning Qi had set up so casually.

Ning Qi now positioned himself inside the grand array, three formations whirling under his feet.

Unlike the ones the other two had inscribed earlier, Ning Qi’s foot-drawn array looked far more refined, visually stunning, and infused with profound Daoist mystery.

By comparison, the other two’s arrays instantly appeared crude and overshadowed before it.

Gong Tiandao snapped out of his arrogant delusion, fixated on the array on the ground, murmuring nonstop: "This is impossible, this isn’t real!"

Zhao Yujun let out a cold sneer.

"The truth lies plain before our eyes, Gong Tiandao. As a sect leader, can’t you accept someone else’s superiority?"

Gong Tiandao’s expression shifted repeatedly, refusing to accept it.

"It’s merely a minor array. Pour in greater power, and it’ll crumble for sure."

With those words, ignoring Ning Qi entirely, he pinched his fingers again and channeled a strand of Power of Rules into his previous array.

Whoosh!

Ning Qi gave the ground a light stomp, triggering the full grand array in an instant. A surge of fused Rule power branched off, snaring Gong Tiandao’s incoming Rule power and drawing it in like scooping up a sphere.

In truth, Gong Tiandao had covertly employed a Divine Technique of the Zhou Mountain Immortal Sect, "Move Mountain, Set Star," during this strike. He never anticipated Ning Qi absorbing it so smoothly and weaving it into the array.

"You... Taoist Friend Ning is truly powerful; Gong bows to you!"

Gong Tiandao adapted fast, promptly buttering up Ning Qi with flattery.

Ning Qi met his gaze with steady composure.

"Daoist Gong, care for another attempt?"

Gong Tiandao shook his head vigorously.

Though built like a rugged giant, his sly nature clashed with his burly frame.

"Taoist Friend Ning’s presence guarantees our victory in this fight."

Zhao Yujun, after years of rivalry with Gong Tiandao, understood his ways well. Without the upper hand, he’d back off at once.

She wondered if her own pressure had shaped him this way.

With Ning Qi’s skills now demonstrated, Zhao Yujun saw no point in clashing further with Gong Tiandao in the War Realm.

"Fine, no more delays. Powerful foes await us still. Let our three armies begin inscribing arrays without delay. Given Taoist Friend Ning’s exceptional Array Path expertise, why not have you lead the etching?"

Ning Qi agreed without hesitation.

By mentioning the three armies, Zhao Yujun no longer viewed Ning Qi as underling but treated his group as an equal powerhouse.

Ning Qi found this woman remarkably sharp.

Ning Qi eyed Gong Tiandao, surprised by his lack of protest.

"I agree!"

Next, Ning Qi picked array-inscribing experts from the three armies. Together with Zhao Yujun and Gong Tiandao, they swiftly deployed formations across the southern Central Domain.

Every cultivator marveled at his Array Path mastery.

Zhao Yujun and Gong Tiandao even started feeling overwhelmed.

Gazing at the bewilderingly intricate grand array on the ground—much of it drawn from their sects’ own designs—how had Ning Qi’s tweaks rendered it utterly alien?

The pair shook their heads firmly.

Hold on, why the sudden dizziness?

They rubbed their foreheads, clearing their minds to recover, and deepened their respect for Ning Qi.

Gong Tiandao’s envy grew fiercer, though he concealed it masterfully, occasionally boasting of Ning Qi’s prowess to his followers.

Zhao Yujun warned Ning Qi, "Watch out for that fellow. He’s far craftier than he looks."

Ning Qi gave a subtle nod and a confident glance.

Zhao Yujun felt deep astonishment too, yet without Gong Tiandao’s jealousy.

She likely revered the mighty, particularly a youthful powerhouse like Ning Qi.

Her foresight stretched farther.

The grand array beneath their feet sparked a wild thought in Zhao Yujun, one she deemed ridiculous.

Ning Qi might one day eclipse even the Mountain Ancestor and Sea Ancestor!

After all, those underfoot arrays held essences from both ancestors, and Ning Qi blended them seamlessly, revealing boundless promise.

Weary from years of struggle, Zhao Yujun longed for the Mountain and Sea Realm’s rise.

...

Right after they finished imprinting the grand array, the illusory projection of the Mountain and Sea Realm’s will materialized right in front of them.

"Well done!"

He offered them a single word of praise, yet his demeanor stayed aloof and superior, far from the easygoing attitude he showed when alone with Ning Qi.

Ning Qi grumbled to himself in silence.

This fellow grew ever more unwilling to humble himself before the cultivators loyal to the Mountain Ancestor and Sea Ancestor. Was this his final trace of defiance?

"Realm Venerable, when can the Boundary Wall dividing the north and south be removed?" Zhao Yujun inquired.

The illusory projection of the Mountain and Sea Realm’s will responded, "This Boundary Wall was jointly formed by the Vast Realm and me. Even if I wanted to withdraw my power alone, I couldn’t."

Gong Tiandao cut in sharply, "Doesn’t that mean, as long as the Vast Realm doesn’t withdraw, we’re stuck waiting, letting them delay indefinitely?"

The Mountain and Sea Realm’s will shook its head.

"We’ve seized the advantage outside the domain. If they persist in delaying, once the outer domain falls under my control, we can flank them from behind or shatter the Central Domain. At that point, they’ll have no escape from battle."

"However, I believe that guy is not that foolish."

Right then, the Boundary Wall across from them twisted and churned, as though reacting to the Mountain and Sea Realm’s will.

Everyone snapped their gazes over.

The Mountain and Sea Realm’s will abruptly declared in a grave tone, "I sense a mighty power. Has that guy made his move already?"

"Who?"

Shock rippled through them all.

Could it be...

Their eyes fixed on the other side of the Boundary Wall, with Ning Qi spotting it clearest of all.

In the northern region, blood mist roiled and surged skyward against the Boundary Wall. A tremendous blast ripped open a spatial passageway right through it.

An aged silhouette, faintly stooped, lacking any extraordinary displays, simply descended from the void, planting his feet on the ground one deliberate step after another.

Ning Qi narrowed his eyes just a touch.

The intruder was none other than the Saint Ancestor, the one with whom he’d clashed indirectly on three separate occasions.

Beyond the initial pulse of aura at his arrival, Ning Qi now detected zero energy emanating from him.

"It’s probably not his true form. If it were, the Mountain Ancestor and Sea Ancestor would not sit idly!"

As expected, the Mountain and Sea Realm’s will’s voice rang out nearby.

"That is the Saint Ancestor of the Vast Realm. He has dispatched a clone into this realm, most likely because the Vast Realm suffered heavy losses during Harmonization. Without any edge, that old monster sent a clone in first."

Zhao Yujun and Gong Tiandao, uncharacteristically mute, traded a heavy glance.

Ning Qi picked up on their exceptional gravity.

Just an Ancestor’s clone—did it warrant this much?

Picking up on Ning Qi’s skepticism, Zhao Yujun broke his silence at last.

"Taoist Friend Ning, you haven’t witnessed the Ancestors, so you don’t grasp their terror. Even a clone vastly exceeds what we can withstand."

Gong Tiandao, for once, added a worthwhile point.

"We must count ourselves lucky the war realm hasn’t fully activated, suppressing their power. Otherwise, even if the three of us combined forces, we couldn’t stand against it. The fight would serve no purpose."

"An Ancestor’s clone is that strong?" Ning Qi’s gaze flickered as he voiced the question.

Up ahead, the Mountain and Sea Realm’s will seemed to explain directly for Ning Qi’s benefit:

"Boy, don’t underestimate them. They stand on the brink of breakthrough. Were it not for the Spirit Realm holding them back, they’d have crossed that threshold long ago!"

At these words, Ning Qi’s expression shifted at last, faint tells appearing on his frame.

Like his fists tightening without thought, or his eyes dipping ever so slightly.

To those watching, it appeared as if guilt gripped Ning Qi, yet he knew the truth: excitement surged within.

Neither his original body nor his reincarnated one struggled with Harmonization’s bounds after surviving the Heavenly Tribulation.

Hearing now that multiple Ancestors teetered on the edge of breakthrough meant they were veritable Near Immortals!

Wasn’t this simply another grand challenge hurled his way?