Chapter 188 : Eighth Realm Kings
Chapter 188: Eighth Realm Kings
“Creak!”
The door opened. As soon as Li Yunqing stepped out of the room, she saw that quite a number of people were already standing in the courtyard.
“Congratulations to the Imperial Preceptor for your great advancement in strength and for opening a new path once more!”
Di Qing spoke, dressed in a golden dragon robe, bowing from afar.
Behind him stood twenty Dao Realm experts.
Aside from Bai Yunting, Meng Sanchuan, Chen Mengsheng, and others she recognized, the rest were new faces.
Within this year, quite a number of geniuses had broken through into the Dao Realm.
At this moment, following Di Qing’s gesture, they all bowed, their eyes shining as they looked at Li Yunqing, filled with respect.
Clearly, Li Yunqing’s strength and talent had already earned everyone’s admiration.
The strong, no matter who they were, would always be respected by countless people.
“Greetings, Your Majesty. Greetings, everyone!”
Li Yunqing cupped her hands in return.
At her current status, even a cupped-hands salute was already considered solemn.
Aside from her master, parents, and close kin, there was likely no one in the world who could make her bow deeply.
“Greetings, Sword God Master, Mistress Xiuning, Sword Saint Master!”
Li Yunqing slightly bowed toward them.
Then she nodded with a cupped-hands salute toward Lu Xingzhou, Xun Fei, Ying Qianqian, and the others in the crowd.
Her gaze shifted slightly and landed on Gu Yuan behind the Sword Saint and Sword God. “Gu Yuan, are your injuries healed?”
If this little brat had recovered, and still dared to cause trouble, she could properly discipline him.
“Big Sister, my injuries are mostly healed!”
With so many people present—no fewer than twenty or thirty—Gu Yuan behaved like a little adult, very polite.
This was likely the upbringing of the Great Scarlet Heaven Royal Clan.
When alone, he could act willfully, but in public, he maintained royal dignity.
“That’s good.”
A gentle shimmer appeared in Li Yunqing’s eyes as she observed the condition within Gu Yuan’s chest.
The place where his Dao Bone had been dug out was still like an empty black hole, but the external wound had already healed.
He had also begun cultivating the path of the Fallen Immortal Land and had already reached the Divine Realm.
An eight-year-old in the Divine Realm—truly shocking.
Perhaps it would not be long before Gu Yuan could open a phenomenon and become a Dao Realm expert.
“He is also cultivating the methods of Great Scarlet Heaven—walking two paths at once, yet progressing this quickly!”
Seeing his strength clearly, Li Yunqing was inwardly astonished.
But thinking of his Innate Dao Bone, his unmatched talent, and his destined future as a Supreme, she felt it made sense.
The thought passed in an instant. She then looked at everyone and asked, “Did I miss the Dao Demonstration?”
“You didn’t miss it.”
Di Qing smiled. “We only agreed on two years later; no fixed date was set. Even if we go now, it will still be in time.”
As cultivation grew higher, a single seclusion could take months or years.
Thus, at this level, only approximate times were usually set.
Moreover, the earlier phenomenon had manifested, and the deeper revival of heaven and earth had made everyone aware that the Path Pioneer was in seclusion—no one dared urge her.
“In that case, let’s go.”
Li Yunqing nodded slightly. The sooner it was done, the sooner she could return to cultivation.
If not for her responsibility as a Path Pioneer to spread the Dao of the Fallen Immortal Land, she would have preferred to remain in seclusion until invincible before emerging.
With the Great Xia armory behind her, she had ample resources for seclusion.
After all, with each passing year, the Ten Lands Reincarnation Battle drew closer.
If she dared slack off, she would inevitably be captured in the future and turned into a plaything.
“Good! Please board the carriage, Imperial Preceptor.”
Di Qing responded, then looked at the others. “Everyone, accompany us!”
“Boom!”
Nine dragon-like creatures pulled the carriage into the air.
Inside the carriage, Xiaolan, Ying Qianqian, Xun Fei, and Jiang Xiuning sat together. Even Gu Yuan, the little brat, could not sit still, wandering about inside.
As for the others, aside from Di Qing riding alone in the imperial carriage, they all flew through the air, guarding the sides.
At the center of the capital stood six towering divine mountains forming a circle.
A vast imperial palace hung midway up the mountains, like a true dragon coiling.
At the peaks, enormous waterfalls descended like a galaxy, only to be reversed by formations, flowing back into the sky.
Clouds and mist swirled, refracting sunlight into seven-colored brilliance—like an immortal realm.
Below the palace, at the base of the six mountains, lay a vast, open plaza.
At its center, layers of white jade stairs spiraled upward, like pillars supporting the palace, connecting to it.
This was the path for the officials and generals of Great Xia to ascend and meet the Emperor.
“This is my first time seeing such a scene!”
“As expected of a land where martial arts flourish!”
Seated in the main position of the carriage, Li Yunqing looked over the capital.
In her previous life, this city would have been the greatest wonder in the world.
But in the Nine Heavens and Ten Lands, it was likely just ordinary.
At least compared to what she had seen in Great Scarlet Heaven, it was far less awe-inspiring.
That place was truly akin to an immortal realm.
“Boom…”
The carriage glided through the air with immense momentum.
Yet when she saw the plaza below the palace, Li Yunqing was still startled and couldn’t help but exclaim, “So many people!”
The plaza was enormous—a circular expanse formed by the six mountains, with a diameter of a hundred li.
At this moment, it was packed with people.
Commoners watched from the edges, soldiers in armor patrolled in orderly formations, and countless martial artists were spread across the area.
Only the center—the towering white jade stairs—was left empty, forming a vast elevated platform.
The platform hovered a hundred meters above the ground, like a small mountain.
Clearly, it was constructed using formations.
“People from all nine provinces of Great Xia have come, so naturally there are many,” Di Qing transmitted his voice to Li Yunqing. “The four regions—east, south, west, and north—are now each considered a province of Great Xia.”
“The northern region where you came from is called Yu Province.”
“The eastern, southern, and western regions are called Xuan Province, Li Province, and Xun Province, guarding the four directions of Great Xia.”
“I see.”
Li Yunqing responded via transmission, her gaze falling upon the plaza.
As she looked at the crowd, they naturally saw the carriage descending from the sky.
In that instant, countless voices gathered like thunder, resounding through heaven and earth.
“We welcome the Emperor’s descent!”
“We welcome the Imperial Preceptor’s descent!”
“We welcome the Path Pioneer’s descent!”
With the voices, the crowd surged like waves.
Everyone bowed deeply in salute.
In the world of martial and immortal paths, strength was revered, but there was no kneeling ritual.
Once one knelt, it signified submission—like a slave to a master.
“Rise.”
Di Qing’s voice echoed across the heavens.
Only then did everyone straighten and look toward the platform.
Li Yunqing and the others stepped off the carriage and stood at the edge, overlooking the entire plaza.
“There are quite a few familiar faces!”
With a sweep of her gaze and divine sense, Li Yunqing saw Jiang Yu, Jiang Jing, Qin Yu, and members of their families.
Perhaps due to Dao Fortune, all of them had achieved considerable strength.
“Father, elder brother, and the Li Clan members and elders are here too!”
Her gaze paused among the crowd.
There stood Li Yansong, her brother Li Shuo, and more than twenty members of the Li Clan.
“Father has entered the Profound Realm?”
“Brother has reached Profound Realm perfection, just one step from the Divine Realm—this must be the effect of Dao Fortune.”
“After the demonstration, I should bring them into the Imperial Preceptor’s Residence.”
Her gaze shifted again, somewhat surprised as she looked toward the edge of the plaza.
There stood a small Sword Pavilion. The broken sword she once obtained lay quietly within.
Clearly, even after two years, no one had resonated with it to obtain that half-move.
That half-move exhausted everything—seeking neither afterlife nor reincarnation, only to unleash a peerless strike.
Such a sword move required someone willing to abandon everything for their conviction.
“What a pity.”
“It seems I can only slowly deduce that half-move from memory.”
“The Seventh Realm… is approaching.”
Li Yunqing swept her gaze across the area. Wherever she looked, the crowd fell silent.
At Di Qing’s nod, she stepped directly into the void, releasing her aura without restraint.
“Boom!”
In that instant, heaven and earth resonated. An invisible force spread like ripples, enveloping the entire plaza.
“I, Li Yunqing, greet you all!”
Her voice was gentle, yet vast like waves, echoing in everyone’s ears. “What is the new Dao? Please observe, and may you all gain enlightenment!”
As her voice fell, a vast moon rose behind her.
Endless moonlight filled the plaza, rivaling the sun in the sky.
Yet it was not blazing like the sun, but gentle like water, bringing joy to the heart.
“The Dao gives birth to One!”
Though she had never experienced such a scene, Li Yunqing remained calm and composed.
“Boom!”
As her voice sounded, a vague figure appeared within the moon.
At its lower dantian, light shone brightly, forming a phantom heaven and earth.
“This is the Qi Realm!”
Li Yunqing stood in the void, her robes and hair flowing. “One gives birth to Two!”
“Boom!”
The figure trembled. Its forehead shone brightly, forming another world.
“This is the Profound Realm!”
“Two gives birth to Three!”
“Boom!”
Its chest lit up, forming yet another world.
“Three gives birth to all things!”
As her voice rang out, the three dantians merged, forming a vast phenomenon.
“This is the Dao Realm—the beginning of the new Dao, the Fifth Realm!”
As the phenomenon spread, everyone saw it like a small world, merging with heaven and earth.
Endless spiritual energy poured in, strengthening it.
At that moment, Li Yunqing spoke again.
“Once the phenomenon forms, it merges with heaven and earth, nurturing all things!”
“The path of cultivation is nothing more than essence, qi, spirit, laws, and the Dao!”
“Using the phenomenon as a foundation, forging the true self, condensing Dao weapons—this is the Sixth Realm!”
“Boom!”
Within the phenomenon, another figure appeared, alongside a shifting mass of light formed from laws.
Using the phenomenon to merge with heaven and earth.
Forging the true self and condensing Dao artifacts—once complete, their power would be extraordinary.
At this moment, everyone watched her Dao demonstration, entranced.
Many emitted various auras as their understanding deepened.
Spiritual energy surged into the area.
Fortunately, the deeper revival of heaven and earth had occurred; otherwise, there would not have been enough energy for such consumption.
Among the crowd stood a hundred figures, silent.
The nine leading them looked especially grave.
“This path is extraordinary. Its potential does not seem inferior to the path of cultivating immortality.”
“Indeed. Borrowing heaven and earth to nurture oneself, one might reverse the acquired and become innate. Its potential is immense.”
“Taking heaven and earth as a teacher makes comprehension easier.”
“Once one merges with heaven and earth, after the first step, the path ahead will be incredibly smooth.”
This was the advantage of merging with heaven and earth—like copying from the heavens themselves.
Even compared to the original immortal cultivation path, it was smoother.
“Indeed, talent emerges in every generation. For a woman to achieve this is truly remarkable!”
“Look at that child—doesn’t he carry traces of Great Scarlet Heaven’s path?”
“It’s him. He bears traces of both Great Scarlet Heaven and the new Dao of the Fallen Immortal Land.”
“Fortunately, the information arrived in time, and so did we.”
“If this path is allowed to grow and produces a Supreme, all our plans will be ruined!”
“Back then, nine Saints sacrificed themselves to trap the Supremes of the Fallen Immortal Land. Now it is our turn!”
“Fortunately, the laws of this world have revived; otherwise, we wouldn’t have enough power.”
“Though suppressed by this world, it’s enough to kill a group of Fifth Realm cultivators!”
“Since it has declined, it should accept being slaughtered. Resistance will only bring harsher suppression!”
“Being bloodbathed again is self-inflicted!”
“Everyone, act!”
“Capture the boy from Great Scarlet Heaven—he will be useful in the Ascension Battle!”
As the nine figures’ lips moved, they silently spread across the plaza.
Everyone was immersed in enlightenment—no one noticed.
Their forms shifted unpredictably, impossible for ordinary people to detect.
Even Li Yunqing could not sense them.
Their strength seemed to surpass everyone present.
“Nine Lands Absolute Domain… rise!”
Standing in nine directions, their auras erupted as they crushed Dao tokens in their hands.
In that instant, terrifying power surged through heaven and earth.
All were awakened, seeing nine terrifying Dao laws rising like true dragons.
Each seemed to drag a phantom world behind it—the other nine lands of the Nine Heavens and Ten Lands.
Invisible power pierced the void, connecting to those distant worlds.
A fraction of their power descended, forming a unified domain over a hundred-li radius.
This area was completely isolated from the world, forming a sealed domain.
“Boom!”
The floating platform lost its support and crashed to the ground, shattering.
“What’s happening?!”
Everyone was stunned.
This was the Great Xia imperial palace—the place with the most experts in the Fallen Immortal Land. Who would dare cause trouble?
Before anyone could react, a terrifying force erupted, blasting everyone away.
Another force descended like nine invisible mountains, suppressing all.
No matter how they resisted, they could not break free.
Even Li Yunqing was pressed down onto the ground.
“Hahaha… the great situation is set!”
The nine figures laughed, rising into the air, their terrifying aura suppressing all.
“Connecting the power of nine lands… are these Supremes?”
Di Qing’s expression changed drastically as he was pinned down.
But he quickly denied it.
If they were Supremes, they wouldn’t need such methods—they could kill everyone directly.
Moreover, Supremes could not easily enter another world.
A Supreme merged with a world’s Dao—like a ruler of a realm.
If they entered another world, their realm would be suppressed.
But sensing the power connecting to the nine lands, realization struck him.
“A secret technique!”
“A terrifying secret technique!”
“It’s over!”
His face turned pale.
Back then, the Supremes of the Fallen Immortal Land had not appeared in the Ten Lands Reincarnation Battle—they had likely been trapped by such a method.
And now, history was repeating itself.
Even Supremes couldn’t escape—how could they?
At that moment, some reincarnated Immortal Gods suddenly cried out in shock.
Even Gu Yuan shouted loudly:
“Nine… Eighth Realm Kings!”
“Big Sister Fatty, be careful! They are Eighth Realm Kings—run!”