"Eat more fish so the Heavenly Pillar can be sturdier," Qi Yuan said beside her.
This round of visualization had brought immense improvements to his subjects, as well as to himself.
The first phase of his three-step plan could now be considered successfully accomplished.
What he needed to do next was lead his host to annihilate the evil god army in Qingheng Province with lightning swiftness.
The evil god spiritual power he obtained would be just enough to support him in using the Lost Glowstick once more to return to the past for one final breakthrough.
As for when that final journey into the past would take him, Qi Yuan had no idea.
Perhaps it would be somewhere between the present day and the Hongtang Great War.
Or perhaps it would be to an unimaginably distant epoch.
Regardless, stuffing the Holy Mother of Inedia with more food to make the Heavenly Pillar firmer was always a good thing.
The accumulation for the next visualization would be even greater than this one.
Recalling something, Qi Yuan asked, "Do you know of the Ancient Clan's Ancestral Land?"
Qi Yuan had always been rather curious about the Ancient Clan's Ancestral Land.
Regrettably, he had never managed to glean any information about it from anyone else.
The Holy Mother of Inedia's expression turned complicated. "That is an exceedingly perilous place. Even a Mythological being would fall upon stepping into it."
"Indeed. Without a special method, one can't enter at all, and rashly barging in could bring about the demise of even a Mythological," Qi Yuan mused.
It seemed the Holy Mother of Inedia did not know much about the Ancestral Land either.
The Holy Mother of Inedia lowered her head to eat fish, saying nothing more.
Qi Yuan gazed at the stars across the firmament, his complexion somewhat pale.
Fortunately, his level had increased considerably of late, so the repercussions of losing Glazed Flawless Blood were not overly severe.
Only...
"Before I leave, make some more fish. Boiled fish, spicy grilled fish, pickled mustard greens fish—whip up a bit of everything," Qi Yuan added.
"All right."
During the remaining half-day, the Holy Mother of Inedia spent her time as an angler.
Clad in a crimson dress, she sat fishing beside the lake, her dark hair draping down to her waist, an unmelting chill seemingly lingering in her eyes.
Qi Yuan reclined casually on a lounge chair that the Holy Mother of Inedia had scavenged from who-knew-where, though he wasn't truly resting.
Watching the fish swimming in the lake, his mind felt exceptionally tranquil.
Suddenly, a thought crossed his mind, and he asked the graceful silhouette not far away:
"If you returned to the past like me, unable to change history, what would you do?"
He genuinely had no effective way to alter the past.
He couldn't even impart the formidable God Visualization Arts to people of the past.
A God Visualization Art had to be observed directly; it could not be conveyed in words.
Thus, he could not truly bolster the strength of the Mortal Heart Realm back then.
Was he supposed to teach the Holy Mother of Inedia nuclear fission?
The very thought was laughable.
Besides, in the eyes of True Gods, such things were truly no better than weapons for blasting fish.
If he had returned to the past in his true body, Qi Yuan would have had the confidence to alter history.
In this form, however... he could not.
The Holy Mother of Inedia hesitated a moment before softly speaking: "Be a passerby. Gazing upon the rivers and mountains would be enough."
"As expected of the number one figure in the Mortal Heart Realm—so free and easy," Qi Yuan remarked. He recalled the Holy Mother of Inedia during the Hongtang Great War, who had walked beside him, measuring the mountains and rivers with her footsteps.
Some hours later, a variety of fish dishes were laid out across the table.
The Holy Mother of Inedia did not appear greedy, preparing only a single table's worth.
A mouthwatering aroma wafted through the air, though Qi Yuan was destined to never smell it.
Looking at all these fish, Qi Yuan felt a pang of heartache for his blood.
Even so, he dripped Glazed Flawless Blood onto each dish.
As the filth was purged once more, Qi Yuan's figure swayed slightly.
It felt remarkably like a cultivator's version of hypoglycemia.
"All done. I must get going." Having finished his task, Qi Yuan clapped his hands.
The Holy Mother of Inedia glanced at where Qi Yuan stood, then turned her eyes toward the fish on the table.
"Thank you."
"No problem! Helping one another is a traditional virtue!" Qi Yuan grinned.
Inwardly, though, he was grumbling.
*Playing a damn game costs me Glazed Flawless Blood. This game is literally draining my life away.*
Qi Yuan hesitated no longer; his figure dissolved and vanished in that very instant.
Inside the desolate bamboo hut, the expression on the woman in the red dress froze, as if she had uncovered some hidden truth.
A hysterical voice surged unbidden from within her heart:
*Devour him... devour... everything...*
A glint of coldness flashed through her eyes. Chopsticks in hand, she gazed at the fish before her, her expression turning profoundly complicated.
Chewing slowly, taking half a day to eat, she consumed only half a fish.
...
Within Feiwu City.
A throng of figures abruptly materialized in an open clearing.
Terrifying auras radiated from each of them, and every face beamed with exhilaration and excitement.
Ancient God Wangsong murmured under his breath, still feeling as though he were adrift in a dream.
"To think that in this lifetime, I, Wangsong, would have the chance to set foot into the Five Steps of Sky Treading!"
Five Steps of Sky Treading meant becoming a Great Venerable.
Even among Great Venerables, he was by no means weak.
Furthermore, he had reached perfection in the Five Steps of Sky Treading; one more step, and he would reach the Six Steps of Sky Treading.
"Sigh... sigh... sigh." Venerable Zanghui let out three successive sighs.
In the end, he could not follow the examples of Zhu Zhuangshi and the big black dog, and Great Venerable Shenlei remained an insurmountable threshold before him.
Great Venerable Shenlei... had actually stepped into the Mythological realm!
That was the Mythological realm!
Ever since the Hongtang Great War, the Ancient Gods of the Mortal Heart Realm had possessed no Mythological beings!
Naturally, the gods before him were green with envy.
Qi Yuan swept his gaze over the gods present, a smug gleam in his eyes. "Take a day to properly settle your foundations. One day from now, I have great things to do!"
Their strength had soared all at once, so they needed time to adjust and familiarize themselves with their new power.
That way, when the great war began, sweeping through the enemy would be all the easier.
"Understood!" the thousand-plus True Gods responded in solemn chorus.
"Here is Divine Aperture Primordial Liquid, ten vials per person. Whether you can open your divine apertures will be up to you." Qi Yuan waved his sleeve again, and ten vials of Divine Aperture Primordial Liquid appeared in the hands of every venerable present.
The supply of Divine Domain Celestial Liquid was limited and couldn't be handed out en masse.
With Divine Aperture Primordial Liquid, however, there was no such concern.
He had plenty—a tremendous amount, in fact.
"Our deepest gratitude, Celestial Venerable!"
Over a thousand True Gods bowed in unison, leaving Qi Yuan walking on air, very much as if he were the Jade Emperor himself.
Right then, Qi Yuan's figure dissipated once more.
When he reappeared, he was inside the City Lord's Manor.
At this moment, Qi Qi was furrowing her brows in thought.
The moment she spotted Qi Yuan, she scrambled to her feet. "Godfather!"
Nowadays, all the logistics, intelligence synthesis, and even diplomacy of Qi Yuan's fief were managed by Qi Qi.
It had to be said that she kept everything running in impeccable order.
This drastically reduced the difficulty of Qi Yuan's gaming experience.
All he had to do was go into god mode and slaughter his way through, without needing to worry about petty chores.
"Godfather, there are some guests waiting in the hall," Qi Qi said quickly. "They are from the Ancient Ape Clan, the Well Dragon Clan, the Ancient God Alliance..."
Currently, representatives from several major Ancient God factions of Qingheng Province had arrived in Feiwu City.
"The Ancient Ape Clan and Well Dragon Clan likely came to seek refuge and join us in resisting the enemy. As for the Ancient God Alliance... a Great Venerable came, their alliance master himself. His stance is ambiguous, and he doesn't seem to come with good intentions." Qi Qi briefed Qi Yuan on the traits of each faction.
"Also..." Qi Qi paused. "Representatives of the Phoenix Clan have arrived, willing to aid you as well, Godfather."
Qi Qi herself possessed Phoenix Clan blood.
"Mm, got it. I'll head over and see who's willing to become my subjects."
Having spoken, Qi Yuan vanished.
Meanwhile, in the reception hall, more than a dozen Ancient Gods sat conversing with varied expressions.
"The sunset at Sunset Slope was truly awe-inspiring, and it temporarily resolved our crisis!"
"When that Great Sun hung high in the sky, even an old man like me felt dread in his heart. That strike was not even one from beyond True God, yet it was already so overwhelming. Just how terrifying must the realm beyond True God be?" Patriarch Yuan Kun of the Ancient Ape Clan spoke, his tone filled with helplessness.
He was at the Three Steps of Sky Treading, his physical body peerless.
Yet merely a sliver of that blazing sun's radiance could have shattered his supreme treasure-body to pieces.
"What happened at Sunset Slope is utterly bizarre, but that isn't something we should be dwelling on. It was likely the handiwork of that mysterious powerhouse in the Southern Lands who visualized eight Mythological beings. What we must consider is how to deal with Army Lord Liyang! The disaster at Sunset Slope was mere pocket change to him; who knows when his next army will come charging in?"
"Yuan Kun, didn't the Origin Celestial Venerable slay your grandson? Why are you here?" an Ancient God Alliance member chimed in, seemingly trying to stir up trouble.
"Hmph. An unfilial descendant who was used to throwing his weight around—killed is killed. I, Yuan Kun, can still distinguish the greater good of our realm from personal grudges!" Yuan Kun retorted, displeased with the ancient god who brought it up.
"The greater good of our realm—who among us here lacks that?" the alliance god replied.
Hearing this, Yuan Kun couldn't help sneering, "Then why are you still demanding control over the North Sea God Eye?"
Yuan Kun had always found these sanctimonious hypocrites of the Ancient God Alliance repulsive.
This time, the Ancient God Alliance Master had come personally, accompanied by two Great Venerables.
Three Great Venerables arriving together—this was hardly coming to negotiate cooperation; it was an obvious ploy to usurp another's nest.
Nobody thought highly of the Ancient God Alliance to begin with.
What was worse, over a hundred ancient gods under the alliance had defected to the enemy and died at Sunset Slope, making the ancient gods present hold them in even greater contempt.
"Precisely because the realm comes first, the North Sea God Eye should all the more be held in the hands of our Ancient God Alliance. The Origin Celestial Venerable has plenty of capable subordinates, but Qionghua is his only Great Venerable. With the North Sea God Eye under his control, our alliance cannot rest easy. Meanwhile, our Ancient God Alliance puts the realm first and prioritizes the greater good. With the three of us presiding over the North Sea God Eye, everyone's safety will undoubtedly be secured," the Alliance Master said calmly.
Right now, the only way to fend off the evil god army was the North Sea God Eye.
If multiple Great Venerables joined hands to construct a defense and unleash the eye's maximum potential, the evil god host might give up rather than squander lives.
The Ancient God Alliance was determined to claim the North Sea God Eye.
Listening to these words, Ye Liuyun's disdain deepened.
If you want power, just say so; why put on such a sanctimonious act?
In Ye Liuyun's eyes, the Ancient God Alliance was nothing but a pack of cowards who bullied the weak and feared the strong.
Lacking the courage to face the evil god army, they had come to push around the Origin Celestial Venerable instead.
Of course, the Alliance Master had no idea that Qi Yuan was the one who had visualized twenty-one Legendaries and eight Mythologicals, let alone that the phantom of the sun had been summoned by him.
Otherwise, how could he possibly dare to spout such arrogant nonsense?
Just then, a languid voice drifted in.
"Yo, who's the one talking with such pretentiousness? Could it be... a branch of the Palace of Light?"
Robed in green, Qi Yuan appeared in the hall.
Taking the main seat, his gaze locked unreservedly onto the Alliance Master of the Ancient God Alliance.
Seeing Qi Yuan, Ye Liuyun hurriedly sent a voice transmission: *Brother Qi, be careful. The Ancient God Alliance did not come with good intentions.*
The Alliance Master glanced at Qi Yuan and said neutrally, "My request may be somewhat forward, but as long as Your Excellency hands over control of the North Sea God Eye to the Ancient God Alliance, our alliance will certainly compensate you!"
"Do you not understand human speech?" Qi Yuan's gaze turned chillingly cold.
The moment those words were spoken, the Ancient Gods present felt their hearts skip a beat.
The Origin Celestial Venerable possessed astonishing nerve to address three Great Venerables like this!
At the same time, it was immensely satisfying.
They had despised the Ancient God Alliance for a long time, but had always been intimidated by their strength!
The Alliance Master's expression did not waver much as he continued, "It is only natural for Your Excellency to feel upset. So long as you yield control of the North Sea God Eye to the Ancient God Alliance, this old man shall not—"
"Seems some people really don't understand human speech," Qi Yuan cut him off, spreading his hands with an air of mild exasperation. "When I said you're a branch of the Palace of Light, I wasn't making small talk with you. I was telling you... it's time for you to meet your maker."
As Qi Yuan's languid words fell, the faces of the Ancient Gods drained of color.
Ye Liuyun's eyes widened in disbelief.
*How does Brother Qi dare!*
*Why does every single encounter with him leave my jaw on the floor?*
The other Ancient Gods were equally shocked. The Origin Celestial Venerable's words had thoroughly offended the Ancient God Alliance.
The alliance might hold back from attacking Qi Yuan right now out of deference to their shared status as ancient gods, but they would undoubtedly strike from the shadows later.
The Alliance Master's expression shifted slightly, though he maintained an air of refined composure: "There is still time for the Origin Celestial Venerable to take back what you just said."
Upon hearing this, Qi Yuan seemed to realize something. "I indeed should take it back, because you people are very strong..."
The Ancient Gods in the hall were dumbfounded once again.
This... his skin was truly thicker than a fortress wall.
Backing down right after throwing down the gauntlet?
Ye Liuyun also wore a bizarre expression.
*Did Qi Yuan just back down?*
A sliver of a smile glinted in the Alliance Master's eyes, looking quite genial.
Beneath that genial smile, however, lurked a barely perceptible murderous intent.
Then they heard Qi Yuan continue: "The Palace of Light is far too weak, just a bunch of Purple Mansions. That's why I'm taking back what I said earlier. You aren't a branch of the Palace of Light—you're the headquarters! And you aren't due to meet your maker—you're already on your way to meet him!"
The smile on the Alliance Master's face froze solid, and that hint of killing intent was no longer concealed.
"For the greater good, I shall not hold your words against you," the Alliance Master declared.
Qi Yuan replied lazily, "For the greater good, please just go die."
With that, Qi Yuan clapped his hands.
"Huanghun, Huolian—these three from the Ancient God Alliance, send them to meet their maker!"
Beside Qi Yuan's figure, two terrifying silhouettes abruptly materialized.
Overwhelming auras surged and permeated the room in that instant.
The Alliance Master's face changed drastically.
"Huanghun... how did you become a Great Venerable?"
"And Huolian... what is going on?"
The faces of the ancient gods from the Ancient God Alliance contorted in sheer shock.
Not long ago, they had seen Venerable Huanghun and Venerable Huolian.
Both had been at Step Two of Sky Treading, still a fair distance from Step Three.
Now... how had they become Great Venerables?
Chapter 223