Cultivating with Top Enlightenment Chapter 991 - 426: Seizing the Mountain Ancestor’s Sword (Part 2)

Ancestor Mountain clenched the sword hilt with all his might, struggling to draw the blade free.

Yet, no matter the amount of power he exerted, the sword in his grasp felt irrevocably lost, no longer responding to his will nor obeying his command.

Ning Qi swiftly swung his empty left palm.

A potent force caused Ancestor Mountain’s hands to be violently wrenched apart, leaving him open to a solid strike from Ning Qi.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

Ancestor Mountain clutched his chest, staggering backward repeatedly through the void.

A look of utter confusion dawned in his eyes as he gazed at the sword sheath now held by Ning Qi, completely baffled by what had transpired.

"This is impossible!"

Ning Qi stood his ground, the sword held steady, and calmly met Ancestor Mountain’s stare. "Nothing is impossible!"

As the dark Divine Sword vanished, the previously contracted space immediately expanded, regaining its vibrancy.

Furthermore, the damaged areas within Ancestor Mountain's immediate space began to mend at an astonishing rate.

Mere shadows of trees materialized in the void, their diverse leaves intertwining to seal the breaches.

It was reminiscent of Ning Qi’s past efforts in repairing the rifts of the Mountain and Sea Realm using the Seed of Jianmu, but this time the recovery occurred with far greater speed, almost instantaneously!

The spatial fabric was flawlessly restored, emitting a faint luminescence, becoming utterly seamless.

Ancestor Mountain was suddenly seized by a premonition of grave danger.

It felt as though the entire vicinity had transformed into a sealed enclosure, trapping him within.

Observing this, Ancestor Mountain's scarred countenance gradually settled into a state of calm.

He regarded Ning Qi, his eyes alight with profound curiosity, as if he had unearthed a priceless treasure.

Ancestor Mountain murmured, "The Seed of Jianmu does indeed possess the ability to mend worlds. However, both you and I possess branches from the Seed of Jianmu, and I hold the corresponding inheritances. How then were you able to take the branch from my possession?"

At this juncture, even the slow-witted would recognize that something was amiss.

After all, Ancestor Mountain had previously witnessed Ning Qi acquiring the Dragon Scales, formed from the leaves of the Seed of Jianmu, from the World-Devouring Roaming Dragon. This was understandable, as Ning Qi had apparently seized the main body of the Seed of Jianmu, thus enabling such feats.

But subsequently, Ning Qi had employed the Secret Technique of Buzhou Mountain to transform that withered branch into a Divine Sword.

With the legacy of Buzhou Mountain and his own comprehension of the interconnected nature of the Seed of Jianmu, Ancestor Mountain was certain that no one in this world could wrest the branch from his grasp again.

Conversely, he believed that if Ning Qi were to reveal the body of the Seed of Jianmu, he could reclaim it through a reversal of the process.

However, the unfolding events diverged entirely from Ancestor Mountain's expectations; he even began to doubt the accuracy of his own inherited knowledge!

The inheritance itself could not be flawed; otherwise, he would not have ascended to his current standing as the preeminent cultivator across two realms, nearly sacrificing both had Ning Qi not intervened.

Therefore, the crux of the matter rested entirely on Ning Qi.

Ancestor Mountain refused to believe Ning Qi possessed such immense power on his own. While he sensed Ning Qi's strength was still nascently growing, it was far from catching up to his own.

Thus, the sole plausible explanation was that Ning Qi must possess an artifact of extraordinary value!

Connecting this to Ning Qi's abrupt ascent, Ancestor Mountain's mind raced through numerous possibilities; perhaps Ning Qi, much like himself, had stumbled upon a powerful inheritance, possibly one that dwarfed even the legacy of Buzhou Mountain.

Ning Qi calmly inquired, "Do you truly wish to know?"

Ancestor Mountain narrowed his eyes slightly. "Are you inclined to tell? After all, it is only the two of us here; you might as well reveal it."

"Haha, defeat me, and I shall tell you!"

Ning Qi executed a graceful sword flourish before consigning it to his Storage Space.

Meanwhile, at another location, Ning Qi’s primary form retrieved an item from the Storage Space and then cast it into the upper reaches of the True Martial Spirit Realm.

The Enlightenment Realm Tree spontaneously lowered a tendril, which gently enveloped the Sword Body.

The Sword Body instantaneously reverted to a tree branch, settling back onto the Enlightenment Realm Tree, becoming a newly formed limb.

The branches of the tree swayed gently, seemingly in contentment, as if expressing gratitude to Ning Qi.

Ning Qi’s primary form offered a subtle smile, continuing his endeavor to relocate the entire Vast Realm.

...

Within the confines of the cave space.

Ning Qi utilized the Enlightenment Realm Tree to restore the cave's integrity, effectively sealing both himself and Ancestor Mountain inside.

Ancestor Mountain ambled about with an unhurried air.

While he had felt a measure of disquiet earlier, that anxiety had completely dissipated.

Even if the exterior Vast Realm were to vanish, mirroring the fate of the Mountain and Sea Realm, he harbored no concern.

As long as Ning Qi was present, even if a portion of the Vast Realm were to be taken, what consequence would it have?

By eliminating Ning Qi, everything would naturally revert to his possession. Mountain Ancestor's gaze now rested entirely upon Ning Qi, whose sudden appearance had indeed caught him by surprise.

He had initially believed his primary adversaries on the path to ultimate immortality were Sea Ancestor and Saint Ancestor. However, with both confined within the shadow of Buzhou Mountain, Ning Qi's emergent presence became the most significant hurdle in his pursuit of godhood. Mountain Ancestor mused on the capricious nature of destiny.

Ning Qi's arrival presented him with an even greater opportunity, one that rivaled the value of Saint Ancestor’s Ancient Path Sacred Map True Copy!

"Well, it’s been an age since anyone dared to challenge me so directly. Are you as fearless as a newborn calf, or do you possess genuinely comparable strength?"

Mountain Ancestor extended his hand, plucking an ancient scroll directly from the void. Ning Qi observed the Ancient Path Sacred Map in Mountain Ancestor’s grasp, his eyes betraying a flicker of thought.

"Let me subdue you with Saint Ancestor's own treasure!" Mountain Ancestor declared with a sudden burst of laughter.

He meticulously separated a strand of Immortal Dao Aura from within his being and infused it into the Ancient Path Sacred Map True Copy. Instantly, the scroll unfurled on its own, hovering above Mountain Ancestor's head. A spectral image of an Ancient Saint descended, accompanied by a shower of Immortal Dao Power that rained down upon Mountain Ancestor.

Mountain Ancestor's already formidable physique expanded subtly, and even more astonishingly, the Immortal Dao Power coursing through him surged dramatically. A faint aura of Immortal Qi enveloped his entire being, giving the impression of effortless ascension.

Ning Qi noted this development, casting a glance at the Ancient Path Sacred Map True Copy now suspended above Mountain Ancestor. However, Mountain Ancestor offered no respite, advancing with astonishing speed to appear directly behind Ning Qi.

At that moment, Mountain Ancestor seemed utterly detached from the mortal realm, transcending the constraints of time and space, utterly unhindered. His velocity was pushed to its absolute limit, bending the very laws of time and space.

With a swift movement, his powerful leg descended like a colossal axe, aimed directly at Ning Qi's back. Witnessing Ning Qi make no move to turn, Mountain Ancestor anticipated landing a decisive blow.

Yet, to Mountain Ancestor's profound surprise, Ning Qi's form dissolved into flowing light, counteracting the forces of time and space. With a resounding impact, the axe-like leg was caught firmly in Ning Qi's grasp.

A smile graced Ning Qi's youthful countenance. "I neglected to mention, Saint Ancestor bestowed upon me all his life's accumulated knowledge. Therefore..."

Ning Qi tightened his grip on Mountain Ancestor's hand and flung him away with immense force. Mountain Ancestor's massive form shot through the void like a dislodged boulder, hurtling towards the spatial fabric.

However, mere moments before impact, Mountain Ancestor arrested his flight, rising slowly to his feet. Ning Qi materialized before him, mirroring his movement with a powerful kick, delivered like a lashing whip.

With a sharp crack, Saint Ancestor's arm shot out, intercepting Ning Qi’s retaliatory kick. Immediately thereafter, the two engaged in a whirlwind of close-quarters combat within the void.

This exchange was markedly different from their previous encounters, imbued with an ethereal quality, as if both combatants had transcended the normal flow of existence. At times, their figures seemed to occupy every point in space simultaneously; at others, their afterimages coalesced into a tableau, traversing past, present, and future.

Unbeknownst to them, time continued to flow as they exchanged blows. A violent gust swept through the void, and suddenly, all their ephemeral traces unified. Space and time itself seemed to merge.

"You and that old scholar have known each other for mere days. Even if he imparted his legacy to you, you could have grasped it over at most a few two-hour sessions. Remarkable, truly remarkable!" Mountain Ancestor exclaimed repeatedly.

His eyes gleamed with increasing fascination, appraising Ning Qi as one might an invaluable treasure. Without question, Ning Qi's perceived worth in Mountain Ancestor's estimation had skyrocketed once more.

"Previously, when I battled that old scholar, he also employed techniques involving the rules of time. I never anticipated that your comprehension of these temporal laws would already surpass his. Tell me, how am I to perceive you? Are you not, in truth, a True Immortal reincarnated?"

Ning Qi remained impassive, declining to offer a response. His engagement with Mountain Ancestor felt more akin to a synchronized exercise, a profound verification of his own learned skills. Mountain Ancestor served as an exceptional sparring partner, especially given his concurrent use of similar esoteric abilities, the Time Rules!

Having clashed with Ning Qi for such an extended period, Mountain Ancestor had developed a clear understanding of Ning Qi's combat prowess. He offered a slight smile, the scars marring his face appearing particularly formidable.

"I shall not be deceived further into serving as your free tutor!" With his declaration, the Ancient Path Sacred Map True Copy above him projected another spectral form, which then merged into his body!