Cultivating with Top Enlightenment Chapter 923 - 394: The Legend of Ning Qi (Part 2)

Within the vast expanse of the Wind God Realm, numerous cultivators existed, yet many have now vanished. It is undeniable that they all met their demise in the War Realm. Furthermore, if the cultivators from the Vast Realm were truly this formidable, would the Saint Ancestor have needed to intervene to rescue them?

Some voices inquired further, asking, "Could it be that the Mountain and Sea Realm possesses such immense strength?"

The cultivator addressing the assembly scoffed at these questions.

"Hmph, the cultivators of the Mountain and Sea Realm are on par with us of the Vast Realm. One might even say our organizational prowess surpasses theirs. However..."

His expression shifted, a shadow of unpleasant memories crossing his face as he clenched his teeth and stated, "The reason for our catastrophic defeat this time is solely due to one individual!"

"Who is this person?" someone immediately demanded, anger rippling through the crowd.

"Who is this person?" others echoed the outcry, their shouts merging into a fervent, ceaseless clamor.

"That person’s name is Ning Qi!" a cultivator who had maintained his composure throughout the ordeal declared.

"Ning Qi?"

"Who is Ning Qi? We've never encountered this name before. The most powerful figures in the Mountain and Sea Realm should be the Mountain Ancestor and the Sea Ancestor, with Sect Leaders Zhao Yujun and Gong Tiandao beneath them. Where has this Ning Qi emerged from?"

The first cultivator, still visibly seething, responded.

"Ning Qi is an unparalleled prodigy, born in a remote Spirit Domain within the Mountain and Sea Realm. It is precisely because of his existence that our faction has suffered such grievous losses."

"We had multiple clear opportunities to shift the tide of the battle, but each time, Ning Qi intervened, thwarting our efforts. This brat... this brat..."

His chest heaved with emotion, rendering him unable to continue.

The previously composed cultivator interjected, his voice steady, "Allow me to elaborate; your emotional control is somewhat lacking."

The first cultivator nodded in agreement.

With a gesture of his right hand, the calm cultivator silenced the surges of angry inquiries that had just erupted.

It became apparent that this individual commanded significant respect among them.

He continued, "Ning Qi devised a compass within the War Realm capable of mapping out the terrain and strategic points. This immediately put us at a disadvantage against the cultivators of the Mountain and Sea Realm from the outset."

"In the subsequent phase, Ning Qi exploited this advantage by first eliminating our cultivators in his vicinity, systematically capturing those territories and consequently ceding ground to the Mountain and Sea Realm. We lost the initiative, though the subsequent strategies orchestrated by the Saint Ancestor and Realm Venerable helped us recover from our precarious situation."

The crowd listened with rapt attention. High above, a black donkey, carrying Ning Qi, was also privy to their conversation.

The black donkey occasionally cast glances downwards, then back at Ning Qi. If its memory served correctly, the master it bore was also named Ning Qi. Could these cultivators be discussing him?

Yet, how could this be possible? The master on its back possessed the ability to traverse different worlds freely, while the Ning Qi they spoke of seemed to lack any overtly extraordinary powers.

Contemplating this, the black donkey concluded it must be a mere coincidence of identical names and continued to listen.

Ning Qi, seated atop the donkey, scanned his surroundings.

"So, this is the Wind God Realm?" he mused.

He recalled that the first Domain Master he had defeated in the War Realm appeared to be from the Wind God Realm. It seemed likely, though he didn't particularly remember their names with precision.

Below, the assembled group continued to recount astonishing tales concerning Ning Qi.

"If Ning Qi is so formidable, why hasn't a contingent of high-level cultivators been assembled to eliminate him?"

"If you can conceive of such a plan, do you believe the Saint Ancestor and Realm Venerable haven't considered it? Naturally, they attempted it. When Ning Qi was still in the Integration Realm, we dispatched twenty cultivators, who had self-severed to the Harmonization Realm, to assassinate him. However, had they not possessed an artifact belonging to the Saint Ancestor, they would have been annihilated by Ning Qi."

A collective intake of breath swept through the onlookers upon hearing this.

"Is Ning Qi truly that terrifying?"

"That's not even the most alarming part; that's what followed!"

The calm cultivator's eyes narrowed sharply, as if reliving horrifying memories.

"He endured an unprecedented Heavenly Tribulation, eradicating over a thousand Harmonization Realm cultivators from our Vast Realm, and yet, he ascended smoothly into the Harmonization Realm himself!"

"What?"

"He thwarted the Saint Ancestor's avatar from summoning a Harmonization phantom and even engaged the Saint Ancestor's avatar in a spatial battle, holding his ground for an extended period!"

"..."

The crowd below listened, their hearts feeling as though they were being crushed.

The initial indignation they felt when questioning Ning Qi’s identity had completely vanished, replaced by stunned silence upon hearing he could contend with the Saint Ancestor’s avatar without defeat.

In their minds, the Saint Ancestor was the supreme deity, the pinnacle of cultivation, a being whose name alone inspired awe and quelled any thought of defiance. The notion that Ning Qi could stand toe-to-toe with the Saint Ancestor’s avatar left them utterly blindsided and struggling to comprehend.

The storytellers above exchanged uneasy glances, their narrative faltering. The subsequent events, involving the Saint Ancestor’s avatar summoning twisted monstrosities, were kept under wraps. This matter touched upon the Sea of Realms beyond the Vast Realm, deemed unsuitable for public disclosure. Moreover, the Realm Venerable had issued a strict decree: any leak of this information would result in immediate eradication.

"What transpired afterward?" a persistent voice from the audience inquired.

No one among the storytellers dared to continue. One finally spoke, "Later, the opposing Ancestor also dispatched their avatar. To avert further futile sacrifices, the Saint Ancestor instructed us to return to the Vast Realm first."

"And Ning Qi?" came the follow-up question.

"He is, naturally, perfectly fine!"

The listeners looked at each other, a sense of inexplicable emptiness settling in as they scratched their heads. Had the story concluded so abruptly, stopping at such a crucial juncture?

They refrained from further questioning. These storytellers were cultivators of higher standing, and sharing even these fragments of the epic battle was considered a considerable generosity.

Beneath the feeling of void, one name resonated: Ning Qi!

A figure capable of facing the avatar of the Saint Ancestor, the most revered entity in their hearts.

The black donkey, an avid listener of tales, was particularly restless, having missed the climax of the story. Was the Ning Qi on its back the same legendary individual?

This question lingered in its mind, though it felt inappropriate to pose directly to Ning Qi.

"Let’s depart!" Ning Qi urged, nudging the donkey’s belly.

Having grown accustomed to Ning Qi’s directives, the black donkey readily resumed its journey through the Vast Realm. This time, however, Ning Qi provided a clear destination.

As the donkey’s gaze fell upon the breathtaking panorama of Immortal Islands suspended in the sky, its eyes sparkled. It surged forward with renewed vigor towards the magnificent sight.

This must be the heart of the Vast Realm, the location of the legendary Vast Immortal Sect!

...Within the War Zone Realm.

Ning Qi’s reincarnated form intently observed the unfolding battle between the two Ancestors. The confrontation had escalated significantly, with both Ancestors engaging in a fierce exchange.

The roiling sounds of tumultuous waves and the resonant chants of ancient verses filled the air incessantly. The entire War Zone Realm vibrated with surging spiritual Qi, its fundamental laws thrown into disarray, creating an atmosphere that felt akin to the world’s final moments due to the sheer intensity of their clash.

This cataclysmic display caused considerable distress among the cultivators from the Mountain and Sea Realm who remained within.

Ning Qi, however, had previously descended with Sword Ancestor Qi Keqing’s army. Under his protective aura, the soldiers from both domains stood firm, as unyielding as mountains, experiencing minimal discomfort.

Not far away, Zhao Yujun, the Sect Leader of Moon Sea Immortal Sect, was also shielding the cultivators under the Sea Ancestor. Yet, in comparison to the protection afforded by Sword Ancestor Qi Keqing and others, their situation remained precarious. Even with Zhao Yujun’s efforts, they felt as unstable as mortals aboard a vessel tossed by colossal waves.

Meanwhile, Gong Tiandao, Sect Leader of Zhou Mountain Immortal Sect under the Mountain Ancestor, was on the verge of uttering curses!

"My goodness, life becomes increasingly arduous," he thought despairingly. The cultivators under the Mountain Ancestor fared worse than those under Gong Tiandao’s and the neighboring Zhao Yujun’s protection.

This disparity stemmed from Zhao Yujun’s allegiance to the Sea Ancestor. Naturally attuned to the Sea Ancestor’s power, her group primarily defended against the Saint Ancestor’s power surges, even capable of channeling ancestral lineage power to counter the onslaught. Ning Qi's protection, however, surpassed even this.

Ning Qi himself possessed the strength to contend with an Ancestor’s avatar, holding a slim chance of victory. Consequently, the residual power impacts from the clash of these two mighty Ancestors posed no significant threat to him."

In stark contrast, the cultivators under Gong Tiandao and the Mountain Ancestor appeared utterly dejected, like wilted eggplants. They were forced to endure the force impacts from both the Saint Ancestor and the Sea Ancestor simultaneously. This relentless barrage left many cultivators pale, some even retching on the spot, appearing gravely ill and teetering on the brink of collapse.

Without question, envious glances were cast towards Ning Qi’s contingent. "It’s so advantageous to follow the right person!" they mused. Yet, they hadn't entirely chosen incorrectly; was the Mountain Ancestor not immensely powerful?

The issue was that the Mountain Ancestor had yet to descend, and astonishingly, had not even dispatched an avatar on this critical occasion.

Moreover, Gong Tiandao was not exactly diligent, he wasn't putting his full effort into aiding them.

Consequently, the cultivators beneath Mountain Ancestor endured their suffering in silence.

In truth, Gong Tiandao had been casting furtive glances towards Ning Qi's direction for quite some time.

He harbored a strong desire to step forward and implore Ning Qi for assistance.

However, remembering his prior demeanor towards Ning Qi, a sense of shame prevented him from speaking up.

Of course, that was a lesser concern; the primary reason was Ning Qi's astonishing rate of progress in his Cultivation, advancing so rapidly that even Gong Tiandao himself had to look up to him.

When confronted with such a formidable individual, Gong Tiandao felt utterly devoid of the confidence to even broach the subject.

What if his request was declined? How incredibly awkward would that be?

Beyond just awkwardness, if he somehow managed to provoke Ning Qi's displeasure, he would have no idea how to handle the repercussions!