Cultivating with Top Enlightenment Chapter 938 - 402: Conditions to Achieve Supreme Strength

The instant Gong Tiandao's array patterns materialized, Ning Qi had already made his move.

Array patterns simultaneously bloomed under his own feet.

The resultant flickering light actively disrupted Gong Tiandao's formations.

Ultimately, only Gong Tiandao, the cultivators under his command, and the nearby followers of the Sea Ancestor vanished from the sight of all observers.

When awareness returned to everyone, they found themselves inexplicably within the Divine Mountain Illusion, positioned directly beneath the Mountain Ancestor.

This sudden shift in scenery left all present profoundly startled.

Sword Ancestor, Qi Keqing, and the others felt a residue of fear, pondering their potential fate had they been transported by Gong Tiandao's array patterns.

Similarly, the cultivators aligned with the Sea Ancestor, including Zhao Yujun of the Moon Sea Immortal Sect, displayed evident trepidation.

Their fear wasn't directed at Gong Tiandao himself, but rather the terrifying prospect of being whisked away into the Mountain Spirit Illusion, falling directly into the Mountain Ancestor's clutches.

None could ascertain the specific destiny awaiting them under the Mountain Ancestor's control, but it was universally understood to be grim.

A wave of gratitude was directed towards Ning Qi by Zhao Yujun and the others.

Had it not been for Ning Qi, whose mastery of arrays was exceptionally high, they might all have been spirited away by Gong Tiandao.

Thanks to his intervention, only approximately one-tenth of their number were actually transported.

"Fellow Daoist Ning, my sincerest thanks!"

Despite a flicker of anxiety crossing her beautiful features, Zhao Yujun offered Ning Qi a warm smile.

Ning Qi responded with a slight shake of his head.

"There's no need for thanks between us, especially since I couldn't save everyone."

Zhao Yujun countered, "Please don't say that, Fellow Daoist Ning. I believe Sea Ancestor would also be greatly appreciative. Without your intervention, Sea Ancestor might have faced even graver peril!"

While her assessment was largely accurate, Ning Qi didn't directly comment. Instead, he advised, "Let's withdraw a little further with our people, and then continue our observation."

Following his lead, he and Zhao Yujun guided their respective cultivators in a strategic retreat further into the Vast Realm.

At this juncture, everyone felt the conflict had escalated far beyond their initial comprehension.

Previously, the situation had been manageable, confined to clashes with cultivators from opposing worlds.

However, the emergence of the three Ancestors had injected an unsettling and peculiar dimension into the war.

The initial dynamic of Sea Ancestor versus Mountain Ancestor and Saint Ancestor had shifted unexpectedly to Sea Ancestor and Saint Ancestor now fighting in tandem against the Mountain Ancestor.

How would this war for the Spirit Realm ultimately resolve?

Such questions surfaced in their minds, accompanied by growing doubts about their own safety.

It was a frustrating irony to have survived until the war's twilight only to face imminent demise right before its conclusion!

All eyes remained fixed on the distant Mountain Spirit Illusion.

Both Saint Ancestor and Sea Ancestor were visibly stunned upon witnessing Gong Tiandao use his teleportation arrays to transport a multitude of cultivators into the Mountain Ancestor's Mountain Spirit Illusion.

They, too, were taken aback by this maneuver.

The Mountain Spirit Illusion could only be perceived through the enhancement of Immortal Dao Aura, which effectively doubled one's sight.

What was the Mountain Ancestor's objective in summoning so many cultivators into his domain?

Saint Ancestor felt a surge of immense relief, recalling that he had previously facilitated the return of numerous cultivators from the Vast Realm to their homes.

This contrasted sharply with the situation on the Mountain and Sea Realm's side, where the two Ancestors had forbidden their cultivators from retreating, and the Mountain Ancestor had specifically sealed the path back with the formidable Mountain Spirit Illusion.

"Haoshan, release my people immediately!"

Sea Ancestor's long hair surged upwards, radiating intense malevolence as gray Sea of Realms energy swirled around her terrifying visage.

Yet, this display of fury seemed insignificant to the Mountain Ancestor, who was deeply engrossed within the vast expanse of the Mountain Spirit Illusion.

It appeared the Mountain Ancestor held little regard for either the Sea Ancestor or even the Saint Ancestor.

His primary annoyance stemmed from Gong Tiandao's failure to transport all the nearby Mountain and Sea Realm cultivators, which caused a minor disruption to his forthcoming enchantment.

The blame for this inconvenience fell upon that unexpectedly capable youngster!

With a piercing gaze, the Mountain Ancestor's attention shifted towards Ning Qi in the distance.

His divine sight was razor-sharp, seeming to contain the very cosmic phenomena of creation and destruction.

Underneath that single glance, Ning Qi felt an unsettling sensation, akin to being scrutinized by a formidable predator.

It had been a considerable time since he had experienced such a feeling.

He hadn't felt this even when facing the Sea Ancestor or the Saint Ancestor. Nor had the previous iteration of the Mountain Ancestor evoked such an oppressive aura, but the current Mountain Ancestor certainly did.

Fortunately, the Mountain Ancestor's focus was not solely fixed upon Ning Qi; the latter was merely viewed as a cultivator of moderate talent.

The Thirty-six Layers of Celestial Tribulation and the feat of surpassing all historical records across two realms would soon fade into obscurity.

Within the ethereal confines of the Mountain Spirit Illusion, Mountain Ancestor floated majestically, his posture radiating an unshakeable, supreme arrogance as he gazed down upon Sea Ancestor and Saint Ancestor.

"Sea of Emotions, why do you remain so hopelessly naive?"

A faint smirk played on his lips as he elaborated, "Had you mustered the courage to wield the might of the Sea of Realms from the outset, engaging me in a fight to the bitter end, this day would never have dawned upon you."

"Do you perchance fathom the reason for your perpetual downfall against me?"

Sea Ancestor's voice was icy as she inquired, "Pray tell, why?"

Mountain Ancestor exuded an air of utter contempt, a dismissive shake of his head accompanying his words, "Though you may appear to rival me as Sea Ancestor, you are fundamentally bereft of the resolute mindset befitting a true powerhouse, the very aura of primacy!"

"You are perpetually ensnared by your self-imposed limitations, dwelling within the tempest of your emotions, forever ruminating on bygone events. With such a multitude of constraints, how could you possibly attain the pinnacle?"

Sea Ancestor's visage, exquisitely beautiful, even her azure eyebrows, seemed to bristle with indignation.

She countered, "I remain ignorant of what boons you gleaned from the legacy; all I comprehend is that your previous self was not this transformed figure. Is this pursuit of being 'the first' truly paramount? So vital that you would cast aside all else, even perpetrate heinous deeds like slaying your own master?"