Cultivating with Top Enlightenment Chapter 967 - 415: Surpassing Mountain and Sea (Part 2)

The True Martial Realm expands, not into emptiness, but into a state where cultivation becomes more accessible for its inhabitants.

A grand Tao Sound resonates across the entirety of the True Martial Realm, scriptures materialize in the vast expanse, and the waters themselves embody the Great Dao.

Ning Qi's current self, having reincarnated, remains deep in contemplation over the inheritances left by the Saint Ancestor and the Sea Ancestor.

All beings within the True Martial Realm have entered a state of enlightenment, with the spectral image of a colossal tree, the Enlightenment Realm Tree, appearing and disappearing throughout the realm.

Ordinary mortals, having undergone the profound transformations of the True Martial Realm, now possess lifespans stretching to three hundred years, rivaling those of ancient times.

Even without actively cultivating, they find themselves naturally progressing along the path of cultivation, intuitively grasping methods for self-refinement, absorbing the beneficial and discarding the detrimental.

If this is the state of mortals, then cultivators are truly extraordinary.

Both the original inhabitants of the True Martial Realm and those who recently arrived from the Mountain and Sea Realm are now fully engrossed in their cultivation, their auras growing steadily stronger.

Abruptly, at the very edge of the True Martial Realm's boundary wall, the immense spatial passage that Ning Qi had previously opened began to shrink at an accelerated pace.

It vanished entirely from the boundary wall, revealing two distinct figures: Ning Qi himself and the Will of the Mountain and Sea Realm.

The Will of the Mountain and Sea Realm stayed close to Ning Qi, its gaze sweeping over the True Martial Realm as it stands now.

Its eyes widened in disbelief, and it articulated:

"It is truly beyond comprehension that a minor world situated beneath me could evolve into something that now surpasses the Mountain and Sea Realm!"

It then turned its attention back to Ning Qi, continuing, "However, what astonishes me even more is you!"

"To achieve the status of a World Will as a cultivator is a feat I can barely fathom. But that is not all; you managed to infiltrate the Mountain and Sea Realm undetected, deceiving both myself and the Mountain and Sea Ancestors to reach this very point. It can indeed be called a miracle."

Ning Qi offered a slight smile.

"It’s perhaps too soon to sing my praises; we still have unfinished business to attend to."

The Will of the Mountain and Sea Realm appeared somewhat uneasy.

Frankly speaking, Ning Qi had treated it with considerable courtesy.

Yet, upon their arrival in the True Martial Realm, the Will of the Mountain and Sea Realm inherently understood that Ning Qi now held the power of life and death over it.

Having lost the physical embodiment of the Mountain and Sea Realm, it could no longer, in principle, be referred to as the Will of the Mountain and Sea Realm.

At best, it could be considered a being akin to a Mountain Spirit.

The spiritual energies from the Spirit Domain lands of the Mountain and Sea Realm had been integrated into the True Martial Spirit Realm; presently, the Will of the Mountain and Sea Realm could only be recognized as the spirit presiding over these lands.

Nevertheless, even in this diminished state, the Will of the Mountain and Sea Realm harbored no regrets. It was undeniably preferable to being absorbed by the Mountain Ancestor; at least it retained its existence and autonomy.

Ning Qi's gaze swept across the entirety of the True Martial Spirit Realm.

Indeed, just as the Will of the Mountain and Sea Realm had stated, with their combined essence, the True Martial Realm now definitively surpassed the Mountain and Sea Realm.

In terms of sheer size, the density of its internal energy, and even the ambient conditions conducive to cultivation, it exceeded the Mountain and Sea Realm and, naturally, the Vast Realm as well.

The only aspect where the True Martial Realm lagged behind the Mountain and Sea Realm and the Vast Realm was in its relatively short period of development; the sheer number of cultivators and, particularly, high-level cultivators within it still fell short compared to the other two realms.

However, under Ning Qi's guidance, a generation of talents far exceeding those of the previous two realms had been cultivated.

Given sufficient time, they were destined to rise to prominence, forming the very backbone of the True Martial Spirit Realm.

Since Ning Qi and the Will of the Mountain and Sea Realm had returned to the True Martial Spirit Realm,

only a solitary area remained unintegrated into the True Martial Spirit Realm from the former Mountain and Sea Realm.

This was the boundary wall connected to the War Realm.

The spectral presence of Buzhou Mountain within had almost completely enveloped the boundary wall of the War Realm, leaving only a final, slender shell.

The shadow cast by the Seed of Jianmu had solidified, effectively shielding the boundary wall from succumbing to the destruction wrought by the Mountain Ancestor.

Ning Qi directed his gaze toward that particular direction, noting with clarity that this thin shell of the War Realm boundary wall served to obstruct the perceptions of the Mountain Ancestor and the Saint Ancestor, Sea Ancestor residing within, thus preventing them from detecting the True Martial Spirit Realm, which had already been merged with the Mountain and Sea Realm.

Suddenly, Ning Qi summoned forth the Seed of Jianmu.

The shadow of the Seed of Jianmu swayed gently, manifesting within the True Martial Spirit Realm.

The moment it appeared, the entire form of the tree seemed to tremble.

Both Ning Qi and the Will of the Mountain and Sea Realm distinctly sensed an overwhelming wave of excitement emanating from it.

The Seed of Jianmu had remained dormant for innumerable eons, its eventual discovery by the Mountain Ancestor occurring within the ancient legacy of Buzhou Mountain.

Transported back to the Mountain and Sea Realm by the Mountain Ancestor, it eventually encountered the Realm Will, leading to its new germination.

For countless millennia thereafter, it parasitized within the Mountain and Sea Realm, drawing sustenance from the world's power to reach its current colossal size.

However, its growth was always under the watchful control of the Mountain Ancestor, with the combined efforts of the Mountain and Sea Realm Will and the Sea Ancestor preventing it from unhindered consumption of world power.

Yet, under Ning Qi's influence, with but a single moment of enlightenment and the release of the Immortal Dao Aura, it experienced an immediate growth spurt of ten centimeters.

Now, with the Seed of Jianmu positioned within the True Martial Spirit Realm by Ning Qi, it perceived an undeniable sense of liberation.

Immediately, innumerable tendrils sprouted from its base, writhing and reaching out into the void, seeking to draw power from the True Martial Spirit Realm.

Ning Qi, however, intervened with a mere flick of his finger.

A dark, grayish light radiated from the tip of his finger.

This light swiftly engulfed the Seed of Jianmu, and with a sudden, visceral pang akin to a living being's pain, it instantly retracted its extended tendrils.

Facing Ning Qi, its entire form trembled, appearing like a dejected, wronged young child.

Despite the abundant world power available, Ning Qi would not permit its unchecked consumption.

"The True Martial Realm has finally reached this stage; it is not meant to be your nourishment!"

Ning Qi gazed intently at the Seed of Jianmu, his voice stern and resolute.

Having guided the Seed of Jianmu for a considerable duration, he had gained some understanding of its function.

Still, Ning Qi remained uncertain as to why the entity thrived by consuming world power, a process strikingly similar to the shadow of Buzhou Mountain summoned by the Mountain Ancestor.

He mused whether the legendary Jianmu of antiquity operated in a similar fashion.

Wasn't it said to be the very bridge connecting the mortal and celestial realms?

The Seed of Jianmu was adorned with lush green foliage, each leaf distinctively showcasing forms reminiscent of various tree species and blossoms, like jade leaves, emitting a soft radiance.

Periodically, its leaves would shift, transforming into foliage characteristic of entirely different arboreal types.

Abruptly, Ning Qi produced a fragment of a leaf.

This was the very fragment bestowed upon him by the Mountain and Sea Realm Will.

Previously, Ning Qi had examined it briefly before setting it aside without deep scrutiny.

This leaf fragment had once served to mask his presence from the Vast Realm Will within the War Realm; now, Ning Qi brought it forth once more.

As Ning Qi held the fragment between his fingers, it writhed like a live creature, generating a potent force, clearly striving to break free from his grasp and propel itself towards the Seed of Jianmu.

Whoosh!

Ning Qi relinquished his hold, and the fragment instantly morphed into a streak of light, soaring directly towards the Seed of Jianmu.

Upon approaching the Seed of Jianmu's vicinity, a verdant luminescence descended, anchoring the fragment in place.

The fragment reacted as if a starving infant suddenly cradled by its mother, being nourished.

Enveloped by the green light, the damaged edges of the leaf fragment swiftly mended, the withered leaf regenerating into a vibrant, lush green, brimming with life force.

Soon thereafter, an additional sprig emerged on the Seed of Jianmu, and the repaired green leaf settled upon it, appearing as a completely new growth.

Witnessing this miraculous transformation, Ning Qi stood momentarily awestruck.

The Seed of Jianmu was indeed capable of restoring its scattered, withered leaves, revitalizing them to a state of rebirth!

Ning Qi then contemplated a more significant implication: if this fragment could assist him in evading the perception of the Spirit Realm Will, what then would be the capability of the entire Seed of Jianmu?

"Realm Venerable," Ning Qi inquired, addressing the Mountain and Sea Realm Will, "Having coexisted with Jianmu for so many years, does it possess any other remarkable abilities?"

Beside him, the Mountain and Sea Realm Will gestured expressively.

He spoke first, stating, "I can no longer bear the title of Realm Venerable. You are the Realm Venerable now. Much like the Sea Ancestor, simply refer to me as Mountain and Sea. I shall now be the Mountain and Sea Spirit within your True Martial Spirit Realm, awaiting your canonization, Realm Venerable."

Ning Qi observed him, noting the solemnity in his expression, conveying he would not proceed unless Ning Qi acquiesced.

Ning Qi relented: "Very well. We remain friends. I shall officially designate you as the Mountain and Sea Spirit within this True Martial Spirit Realm."

A palpable sense of relief washed over the Mountain and Sea Realm Will. He spread his hands and smiled.

"This arrangement allows me to remain here with complete peace of mind."

Mountain and Sea paused briefly before continuing, "Although I now understand its name is Jianmu, it possesses an additional profound ability: it can obstruct the entire Spirit Realm!"