Cultivating with Top Enlightenment Chapter 975 - 419: Homeless (Part 2)
Previously on Cultivating with Top Enlightenment...
A radiance akin to a massive beam pierced straight through the oppressive, gray mist.
"Who dares? Who is covertly aiding Ning Qi in snatching my Mountain and Sea Realm? Reveal yourself!"
He bellowed like a man possessed, his eyes blazing with a divine light as he peered into the shroud of gray fog.
Suddenly, a subtle undulation seemed to disturb the very fabric of the gray fog.
The Saint Ancestor and Sea Ancestor also detected this anomaly and couldn't help but turn their attention towards that disturbance.
They found it utterly unbelievable that Ning Qi alone could cause the entire Mountain and Sea Realm to vanish, thus leaning towards the possibility of external intervention.
Furthermore, they surmised that this unseen individual's power must be on par with their own, otherwise, the Mountain and Sea Realm could not have disappeared with such astonishing speed.
The sudden disappearance of the Mountain and Sea Realm was undeniably a monumental event, yet neither the Saint Ancestor nor the Sea Ancestor perceived it as an entirely negative development; at the very least, it halted the Mountain Ancestor's relentless power grabs from within the Mountain and Sea Realm.
However, the new quandaries emerging from this abrupt alteration compelled both of them, as well as the Mountain Ancestor, to pay close heed.
This was because a strong probability existed that a distinct, equally formidable third faction had entered the fray!
If such a third party was involved while they were locked in their bitter struggle, it spelled significant trouble.
Naturally, the Saint Ancestor and Sea Ancestor did not necessarily view this as a disadvantage; their own positions were precarious, and the emergence of a third player might actually work to their benefit, compelling the Mountain Ancestor to divert his focus as a defensive measure.
The Mountain Ancestor's gaze, sharp as a sharpened blade, immediately darted towards the area where the gray fog had rippled.
"Zzz!"
Abruptly, the sound of flesh being sliced open, followed by a brief, piercing scream, echoed through the silence.
The three individuals possessing keen sight all witnessed the target of the Mountain Ancestor's piercing gaze.
It was a colossal fierce beast from the Sea of Realms, its size rivaling that of a mountain, instantly annihilated by the Mountain Ancestor's sheer will!
"Was it merely a fierce beast from the Sea of Realms then?"
This question materialized in the minds of both the Saint Ancestor and the Sea Ancestor simultaneously.
The Mountain Ancestor's gaze shifted, continuing its relentless sweep across the Sea of Realms.
Despite his recent feat of slaying a fierce beast, his conviction remained strong: a third party was indeed lurking in the shadows.
Within the Mountain Ancestor's heart, a profound sense of haste and impending crisis began to brew.
Although he currently held the upper hand in their ongoing conflict, he had yet to fully subdue the Sea Ancestor and the Saint Ancestor.
His original plan was to deal with these two adversaries, then absorb their respective realms before achieving his breakthrough.
But now, with the vanishing of the Mountain and Sea Realm, the very essence he needed for absorption was nearly halved; this was a most unwelcome development!
The Mountain Ancestor's gaze, like a divine sword, continued to cleave through the expanses of the Sea of Realms.
However, besides felling a few more stray fierce beasts that dared to intrude upon this domain, he discovered no other presence.
Finally, the Mountain Ancestor retracted his penetrating gaze and abruptly shut his eyes.
His lips moved imperceptibly, as if murmuring a private thought or dispatching a clandestine order.
"Quickly, subjugate the Vast Realm and bring Ning Qi before me!"
"Understood!"
The Mountain Ancestor's eyes snapped open once more, his gaze descending upon the Sea Ancestor and Saint Ancestor positioned below.
"I had no intention of concluding this struggle prematurely; my objective was to solidify my foundation further. But as you can now see, circumstances have drastically shifted!"
He suddenly unfurled his arms wide, a turbulent surge of energy emanating from him, flowing outward towards the ethereal projection of Buzhou Mountain from all directions.
The Sea Ancestor and Saint Ancestor, observing from below, felt Buzhou Mountain visibly expand once more.
Previously, for reasons unknown, the Mountain Ancestor had deliberately refrained from allowing the phantom image of Buzhou Mountain to completely engulf the boundary of the war realm, preserving its final vestiges.
But now, the spectral form of Buzhou Mountain expanded instantaneously, consuming the last remaining fragment of the war realm's boundary.
In an instant, the phantom image of Buzhou Mountain materialized within the Sea of Realms!
The entirety of the Sea of Realms churned violently, countless threads of gray mist swirling around Buzhou Mountain's spectral manifestation.
These tendrils of mist, reminiscent of vapor drifting through mountain peaks, served only to accentuate the grandeur of Buzhou Mountain's phantom form, causing it to appear even more colossally majestic as it gently hovered within the Sea of Realms.
With this decisive advancement, Buzhou Mountain's illusory image undeniably attained a far more substantial presence, its dimensions swelling to truly terrifying proportions.
Bang! Bang!
On the left flank of Buzhou Mountain's spectral depiction, a formidable vortex of suction erupted, latching itself firmly onto the Vast Realm.
Now conjoined, the sheer immensity of Buzhou Mountain had only increased!
The entire Vast Realm was compressed as if a colossal mountain had been brought down upon a sphere.
Within the boundless Sea of Realms, the surface of the Vast Realm emanated a soft, golden luminescence, and surrounding it, countless smaller spheres adhered, also imbued with this same golden radiance.
These lesser spheres were initially connected to the Vast Realm, much like the smaller worlds found orbiting the former Mountain and Sea Realm.
In the ensuing moment, a mystical radiance subtly shimmered across the surface of Buzhou Mountain, projecting towards various sectors of the Sea of Realms.
These luminous projections, akin to divine sabers, sliced through the small worlds encircling the Vast Realm.
Instantly, both the Saint Ancestor and the Sea Ancestor witnessed one small world after another being severed from their link to the Vast Realm, collectively soaring towards the spectral image of Buzhou Mountain.
One, three, five, ten...
An accumulation of over twenty small worlds continuously migrated from all corners of the Sea of Realms, unable to resist, converging upon the phantom of Buzhou Mountain.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Sonorous, reality-shaking **sounds** echoed throughout the Sea of Realms.
These diminutive worlds fractured like fragile soap bubbles, vanishing like mere illusions.
Much like watermelons dropped from a height onto the ground, their rinds shattering to expose the crimson flesh and dark seeds within, scenes of bloodshed, life, and death unfolded endlessly.
Within Buzhou Mountain, the Saint Ancestor observed, his eyes narrowed in intense scrutiny!
Mountain Ancestor exhibited extreme ruthlessness, directly wielding Buzhou Mountain to consume the small worlds adjacent to the Vast Realm.
These very small worlds had also been meticulously nurtured over millennia.
The Sea Ancestor watched this spectacle, a flicker of sorrow in his gaze, which then warped into an expression of bewildering madness.
What left them utterly powerless was their confinement within Buzhou Mountain, inside a rapidly constricting space.
...
Within the Vast Realm.
The True Copy of the Ancient Path Sacred Map was held firmly in the grasp of an enigmatic cultivator adorned with a dragon-shaped mask.
"A treasure, undoubtedly a treasure of immense rarity!"
Ning Qi gazed upon the Ancient Path Sacred Map, his very soul crying out inwardly.
He had inherited the Saint Ancestor's legacy; though the Saint Ancestor's clone accompanying him did not explicitly identify the artifact in the hands of the masked cultivator, Ning Qi recognized it instantly.
He discerned it to be the True Copy of the Ancient Path Sacred Map, the very fountainhead of the Saint Ancestor's cultivation Dharma Method.
While the Saint Ancestor's cultivated path might not rival the heritage of Mountain Ancestor's Buzhou Mountain, the True Copy of the Ancient Path Sacred Map contains the **Dao** of numerous Ancient Saints.
The Saint Ancestor had merely selected one **Dao** to cultivate, subsequently ascending to become the Ancestor of the Vast Realm; if one could master the entirety of the True Copy's legacy, it would surely be comparable, if not superior, to the Buzhou Mountain heritage.
In Ning Qi's perception, the Ancient Path Sacred Map pulsed with seemingly infinite strands of Immortal **Dao** Aura, radiating the potent energy of ancient saints.
It was unfortunate that this supreme treasure was now in the possession of an individual dispatched by Mountain Ancestor, causing the Saint Ancestor clone beside him profound apprehension.
The Saint Ancestor clone remained motionless, his attention fixed on the figure before him.
The individual's face was obscured by a dragon-shaped mask, rendering their identity indiscernible.
"Ning, you must reclaim the True Copy of the Ancient Path Sacred Map. Otherwise, should he deliver it to Mountain Ancestor, all our efforts will be in vain, and two realms are destined for annihilation!"
The Saint Ancestor clone transmitted his urgent plea to Ning Qi.
"Rest assured, my purpose in coming to the Vast Realm was precisely to thwart them."
Ning Qi continued to intently observe the other's handling of the Ancient Path Sacred Map. Only after they utilized their power to seal and secure the map did Ning Qi finally avert his gaze.
Their true identity remained a mystery, yet their tone and voice bore a striking resemblance to Mountain Ancestor.
Disregarding the presence of the Vast Realm's Will and the Saint Ancestor clone entirely, they nevertheless recognized Ning Qi immediately, appearing notably surprised.
Furthermore, they employed a Secret Technique, seemingly establishing contact with Mountain Ancestor within the spectral image of Buzhou Mountain and relaying information.
Despite their clear physical presence, they induced a sensation of spatial vibrations.
It is noteworthy that this location was situated at the very heart of the Vast Realm, quite distant from the war zone; the Saint Ancestor's original sanctuary was concealed within an unspecified pocket of space within the Vast Immortal **Sect**.
The cavern they currently occupied possessed an additional layer of spatial separation!
The Will of the Vast Realm perceived the external disturbance, its countenance growing exceptionally grim.
"This is dire. Mountain Ancestor has lost all reason, annexing every small world surrounding my Vast Realm, allowing Buzhou Mountain's spectral form to devour them!"
"What?"
The Saint Ancestor clone recoiled in disbelief.
Ning Qi was equally taken aback.
His clone had observed these very small worlds during a previous incursion into the Vast Realm.
They had appeared as ripe fruits, adorning the Vast Realm.
Back then, Ning Qi couldn't help but marvel at the peace those lesser worlds residing within the Vast Realm seemed to possess. It was a stark contrast to the worlds situated below their own Mountain and Sea Realm, all of which had been annihilated, with only the True Martial Realm managing to survive. Now, those very same lesser worlds had been shattered by the Mountain Ancestor! Ahead, the eyes of the unfamiliar cultivator seemed to cut like blades, piercingly focused on the trio before him. "Annihilate the Vast Realm and return with Ning Qi!" he declared, having received the Mountain Ancestor's directive, which conveyed all the recent events unfolding beyond their domain.