Cultivating with Top Enlightenment Chapter 928 - 397: Time Rule

Although the Saint Ancestor felt the urge to teach Ning Qi a lesson, he was currently unable to attend to him. This was because the most formidable powerhouse in the Mountain and Sea Realm, the Mountain Ancestor, had already entered the battle realm and was making a direct advance towards him.

The imposing and burly figure, merely by standing there, exuded a terrifying aura that seemed to prop up the very sky.

"Come then!"

The Mountain Ancestor confronted the Saint Ancestor head-on, issuing a booming challenge.

Without further words, the Saint Ancestor began his measured advance towards the Mountain Ancestor.

Distinct from his previous engagement with the Sea Ancestor, it appeared he had adopted an entirely different approach to this confrontation.

The moment the Saint Ancestor took his inaugural step, his aged countenance seemed to shed years, and his formerly stooped posture rapidly righted itself, akin to a blade being drawn from its scabbard.

One step, then a second, followed by a third... after these three steps, the aged and hunched appearance of the Saint Ancestor had vanished entirely. In his place stood a middle-aged man, his musculature like meticulously stacked stones, his frame as robust as the Mountain Ancestor opposite him, his dark hair flowing freely.

"..."

A wave of astonishment washed over the assembled crowd.

From his initial appearance up to this moment, the Saint Ancestor had consistently projected an aura of scholarly elegance, much like a venerable academic. However, the transformation was now...

Observing the powerfully built, incredibly strong physique of the Saint Ancestor in his middle-aged form, no one could conceive of him as a learned scholar. Yet, equally, no one would question his identity as a formidable Body Cultivator.

The sheer disparity between his former and current presentation left everyone utterly speechless.

"To learn of the Dao at dawn and pass away at dusk."

The middle-aged Saint Ancestor uttered this phrase with a sigh.

Across from him, the Mountain Ancestor's brow furrowed slightly. If one intended to fight, why engage in such wordplay?

A disdainful smirk played on the Saint Ancestor's lips as he responded, "Unlearned."

This specific quote originated from a text penned by an Ancient Saint, discovered within the Ancient Road Sacred Map.

Its meaning conveyed that if one attains profound understanding early in life, their end is near.

The Saint Ancestor had dedicated considerable study to this particular passage, noting that the book from which it came was authored by a prominent Ancient Saint who favored overwhelming opponents, and was titled "Disquisitions."

It was evident to the Saint Ancestor that the Mountain Ancestor embodied the archetype of someone unversed in literature, incapable of grasping such a nuanced statement, and thus, his only recourse was to emulate the methods of the formidable ancient figures and resort to brute force!

However, just as this thought crossed the Saint Ancestor's mind, the Mountain Ancestor suddenly traversed the distance, appearing instantly before him and launching a powerful fist directly at his face.

This single punch, upon its release, caused the very Qi of the vast expanse behind the Mountain Ancestor to tremble and resonate.

As the blow neared the Saint Ancestor's face, an overwhelming power, seemingly emanating from the entirety of the Mountain and Sea Realm, became faintly perceptible to all present.

A single punch capable of agitating half the battle realm and reverberating with the power of the Mountain and Sea Realm was truly awe-inspiring!

With a raised hand, the Saint Ancestor miraculously intercepted the incoming strike with his palm.

The impact of these two muscular titans colliding unleashed the full force of the Dao, and the surrounding space fractured like delicate glass, revealing web-like cracks.

Boom!

The unleashed Dao rules violently erupted in all directions, coalescing into a tempest of rules that swept towards the onlookers.

Ning Qi, Zhao Yujun, and Gong Tiandao moved in unison, countering the encroaching storm.

With a mere gesture, Ning Qi brought the storm to an immediate halt.

Before Zhao Yujun could even react, the Sea Ancestor deployed a divine power infused with rules, effortlessly dispelling the tempest before her.

As for Gong Tiandao, fortune favored him; by the time the storm reached his position and the cultivators allied with the Mountain Ancestor, its ferocity had significantly waned.

Once the tempest subsided, the attention of all refocused on the unfolding duel.

The pace of the Saint Ancestor and Mountain Ancestor's exchange accelerated dramatically.

From punches, they moved to elbow strikes, then to kicks, each maneuver unleashing further waves of rule-infused storms.

However, the greatest astonishment was felt by the Mountain Ancestor himself; he had never anticipated that the Saint Ancestor of the Vast Realm could contend with him so effectively in pure physical combat.

"To learn at dawn and die at dusk!"

Suddenly, the Saint Ancestor roared.

His fists became a blur, lashing out like furious dragons. The two fists radiated distinct hues: one gleamed a vibrant gold, reminiscent of the morning sun, while the other glowed a soft crimson, like the setting sun.

As these twin fists converged, two spectral dragon forms materialized, mirroring the golden and crimson light, lunging to seize the Mountain Ancestor.

The Mountain Ancestor's pupils contracted slightly, a glimmer of genuine difficulty registering in his gaze.

This was because, in this particular assault, the Saint Ancestor's fist had demonstrably incorporated the power of temporal rules.

This significant development did not escape the notice of the Sea Ancestor and Ning Qi.

The Sea Ancestor's normally impassive eyes widened in shock; could it be that the Saint Ancestor had deliberately held back his true strength during their prior encounter?

Ning Qi meticulously activated his Golden Pupil of Illusion-breaking, his gaze locked intently on the two combatants locked in fierce battle.

"To hear the Dao at dawn and die at dusk, is this the power of the time rule?"

Up to this point, he had never witnessed anyone within the two realms employ the time rule, nor even a fleeting glimpse of it.

For the time rule stands as the most peculiar and enigmatic of all principles in existence, practically a divine-tier law for cultivators.

Even with Ning Qi’s exceptional innate understanding, he had yet to achieve mastery over the time rule.

Now, to see the Saint Ancestor's technique exhibit faint traces of the time rule's power left Ning Qi utterly astonished.

Bam!

With a resounding crash, the Saint Ancestor’s dual fists shattered the Mountain Ancestor's defensive barrier, landing squarely on the Mountain Ancestor's robust chest.

Instantly, the Mountain Ancestor was propelled backward a distance of five paces!

Judging by the sheer force of the impact, he ought to have been sent stumbling back at least ten steps, yet he managed to halt his retreat prematurely, stopping precisely at five.

The Mountain Ancestor abruptly lowered his head, his eyes scanning his chest.

Imprinted upon his broad chest were two profound fist marks, emanating wisps of distinct smoke. One bore a faint golden hue, the other a subtle red; these two forces, though akin, were mutually repellent, clearly establishing a clashing energy within his body.

The Mountain Ancestor drew a deep inhalation and, through some unknown wondrous technique, his chest undulated and quivered, causing the deep fist seals to mend swiftly, expelling the lingering power ensnared within them.