Cultivating with Top Enlightenment Chapter 950 - 407: Sea Ancestor’s Cultivation Grounds 2

At the apex, Exotic Beasts from the early Integration stage dwelled, yet descending towards the base, their might attained the Realm of Perfection.

Among this formidable collection were several Exotic Beasts possessing extraordinary talents, their emitted auras clearly surpassing the Realm of Perfection.

Intriguingly, Ning Qi identified a mutated monster; however, when contrasted with those summoned by the Saint Ancestor in the War Realm, its distortion was comparatively mild, falling far short of the hideously terrifying.

This creature appeared to be in the nascent stage of mutation, its flesh and bones merely folding and twisting.

Ning Qi found himself genuinely pondering the duration the Sea Ancestor invested in crafting this domain and the methods employed to seize these Exotic Beasts from the Sea of Realms.

The sheer diversity of Fierce Beasts confined here numbered no less than a thousand.

Confronted with such a multitude of high-level, potent Fierce Beasts, Ning Qi would have readily assumed the Sea Ancestor had procured them from beyond the Boundary Wall of the Mountain and Sea Realm, had he not personally traversed the Sea of Realms.

Yet, his sojourn within the Sea of Realms had revealed that the territories bordering realms like the Mountain and Sea Realm or the Vast Realm were characterized by the Gray Mist Area.

The Gray Mist Area, by nature, could not sustain such an abundance of formidable Exotic Beasts native to the Sea of Realms!

This then posed the perplexing question: From precisely where did the Sea Ancestor capture these denizens of the Sea of Realms?

Ning Qi's bewilderment grew as he and the Mountain and Sea Realm Will descended to the central depths of the space.

The entirety of the domain resembled an inverted celestial bowl, with a subtle luminescence undulating at its base, suggesting an enormous starfish pattern etched into the surface.

No, it was not an imprinted design but a colossal, living starfish reposing at the bottom, its true form only appearing as a flat pattern due to the ambient light.

Ning Qi perceived the environment to be quite dim.

He mused that if the Sea Ancestor had cultivated within this place for extended periods, absorbing the potent essence of the Sea of Realms, a descent into madness would seem almost inevitable.

Ning Qi shifted his gaze towards the phantom manifestation of the Mountain and Sea Realm Will.

It gave the impression of being disinclined to remain.

With a firm step, he landed upon the starfish below, and in that instant, the creature seemed to awaken, thrashing its appendages wildly.

Irrespective of its struggle, it proved incapable of breaching the confines of this space.

Abruptly, its five starfish arms plunged into five specific locations, adhering to a predetermined configuration.

Immediately, Ning Qi felt the very fabric of the space convulse violently, as if the oceanic waters from the outside world were on the verge of intruding.

Concurrently, the Exotic Beasts within the surrounding aquatic prisons emitted agonizing cries, their intrinsic powers being siphoned away relentlessly, channeling towards Ning Qi and the Mountain and Sea Realm Will beneath their feet.

Ning Qi discerned not only the presence of the Sea of Realms' power but also the exceptionally yin and gentle energy that the Mountain and Sea Realm Will had previously alluded to.

This, he realized, was the Sea Ancestor's power, which assimilated the capabilities of the Exotic Beasts from the Sea of Realms through its extreme yin and gentle nature.

"Water benefits all things and does not contend, therefore it is close to Dao, thus nothing in the world can contend with it."

These words, reportedly from the Sea Ancestor's legacy, surfaced in Ning Qi's consciousness.

The preceding events seemed to serve as a profound validation of this principle.

Ning Qi directed his attention once more to the area beneath him.

The colossal starfish, akin to skeletal remains discovered on the ocean floor, appeared to function as a form of mechanism or trigger.

The accumulated power from all the Exotic Beasts of the Sea of Realms gradually coalesced into a blackish-gray lotus bud pattern directly underfoot.

*Pop!*

The Mountain and Sea Realm Will snapped its fingers.

Instantly, a pleasant fragrance permeated the air; the lotus bud unfurled, and astonishingly, the entire subterranean space erupted in brilliant light, generating an immense suction force that drew Ning Qi and the Mountain and Sea Realm Will inward.

Following a dizzying, spiraling descent, they felt as though they had been spirited away, or perhaps teleported, losing all track of time before experiencing a sensation of being expelled.

Ning Qi instinctively channeled his internal force, allowing him to hover steadily within the void.

The phantom of the Mountain and Sea Realm Will materialized beside him, equally suspended.

To Ning Qi's considerable surprise, they had materialized in an entirely different dimension.

This new locale starkly contrasted with the preceding one; the horizon teemed with the sounds of birdsong, the air was filled with floral scents, sunlight bathed the area, and lush fields stretched out – it was as if they had entered a new, vibrant world.

"Hmm?"

As Ning Qi attempted to descend, a complex array pattern situated ahead repelled him forcefully.

The phantom of the Mountain and Sea Realm Will observed passively from the periphery, offering no intervention.

Ning Qi glanced at it, sensing no inclination for an explanation, and offered a slight cough, his expression seemingly one of encouragement.

Ning Qi then cautiously initiated his descent once more.

This time, adopting a more prudent approach, he halted his descent just as the array pattern began to materialize.

A golden glint flashed in Ning Qi's eyes as he activated the Illusion-breaking Golden Pupils.

A golden effulgence shimmered, meticulously examining the intricate array formations unfurling beneath. Initially, Ning Qi found himself utterly mesmerized, as though beholding the most exquisite and captivating spectacle in existence. Within moments, a tremor ran through his entire being.

"What on earth is this formation? I've never even heard of it, let alone seen it!" Ning Qi felt he had ascended to the pinnacle of array mastery within the Two Realms, yet the patterns before him defied all his comprehension. Even with an unwavering gaze fixed upon a single point, they would shift instantaneously, a truly bewildering phenomenon.

For a fleeting moment, Ning Qi struggled to distinguish several array pattern models. But in the very next instant, he doubted his own perception, the metamorphoses proving too profound to grasp. With his refined senses, anything appearing before him should fall within the scope of his understanding.

Ning Qi became certain: such array patterns ought not to exist in this world. They seemed utterly alien, not of this realm!

Upon his arrival, the Mountain and Sea Realm Will appeared somewhat revitalized. He cleared his throat, a slight flush on his face, and inquired, "Do you sense that these array patterns don't seem to belong to this world at all?"

Ning Qi offered a slight nod.

"Realm Venerable, please enlighten me."

The Mountain and Sea Realm Will suddenly let out a hearty laugh. "Haha, even you find yourself mistaken. Have you ever considered that this might not be an array pattern at all?"

"Hmm?" Ning Qi was taken aback. Not an array pattern? He had never entertained such a possibility!

Ever since arriving at the Moon Sea Immortal Sect, traversing countless realms, he had finally reached a world that appeared tranquil. Suddenly, a complex array pattern materialized, arresting his descent, only for the Mountain and Sea Realm Will to reveal it wasn't an array pattern? Ning Qi found this revelation almost impossible to accept!

Nevertheless, his adaptability was exceptional. He immediately resumed his observation. The Golden Pupil of Illusion-breaking was pushed to its absolute limit, even employing the Divine Text Eye inherited from the Saint Ancestor, activating a sliver of Immortal Dao Aura.

This time, the patterns below swirled with renewed vigor, still shifting kaleidoscopically within Ning Qi's vision. However, armed with the insight provided by the Mountain and Sea Realm Will, he began to perceive that these patterns indeed lacked the hallmarks of artificial construction; they possessed an inherent, natural quality. Within them, myriad paths intertwined, easily mistaken for array patterns.

If they weren't array patterns, then what could possibly form such intricate designs? Ning Qi's heart pounded, sensing he was on the precipice of uncovering the true secret of the Mountain and Sea Realm. This secret was intrinsically linked to the Mountain Ancestor, the Sea Ancestor, and the Mountain and Sea Realm Will itself.

Why had the Mountain and Sea Realm Will been sealed by the Two Ancestors? And why did it seem, as the Sea Ancestor had once mentioned to the Saint Ancestor, that they had obtained something significant? All the answers lay just ahead! Ning Qi was convinced that once the enigma here was unraveled, everything would be laid bare.

Ning Qi subtly channeled his internal force towards his feet, making light contact with the pattern-like markings. The True Martial Realm Power, Mountain and Sea Realm Power, and Vast Realm Power – the forces of the Three Realms coursed through him. But upon contact, Ning Qi immediately felt his own power being siphoned away. Had he not reacted swiftly, had he not severed the connection decisively, all the power within him would likely have been extracted and consumed by these patterns.

Ning Qi’s gaze fixed upon the ceaselessly shifting colors and forms beneath his feet. He switched his internal force to the Realm Power of the Sea. Isolating a single strand, he directed it towards the patterned barrier. This minuscule thread of Realm Power of the Sea, as fine as a hair, cautiously approached the patterns.

At the moment of contact, Ning Qi's eyes perceived the patterns as if they sprang to life, drawing in the power with an almost voracious hunger. Yet, in the subsequent instant, the patterns recoiled with what seemed like repulsion, expelling the Realm Power of the Sea. Witnessing this, a peculiar sensation bloomed within Ning Qi.

For reasons unknown, the previous space reappeared in his mind – the very place where the Sea Ancestor had once imprisoned the Exotic Beasts of the Sea of Realms, cultivating the Realm Power of the Sea. He believed the spaces he had traversed were not isolated incidents but were interconnected in some profound way.

However, Ning Qi had yet to fully grasp the intricate connections. He couldn't comprehend why these peculiar patterns would actively reject the Realm Power of the Sea.

Standing beside him, the phantom of the Mountain and Sea Realm Will spoke once more: "Try using the key from the Sea Ancestor's legacy."