Inside his immortal's cave, Qi Yuan turned around, his gaze falling upon the porcelain bottle.
[Comprehension Elevation and Blood Shaping Pill: When consumed, temporarily stimulates comprehension and elevates bloodline. Several flaws present. Upon correction... effect can be enhanced threefold.]
Seeing this information, Qi Yuan lowered his brow.
"This is good stuff. My brain has been a bit lacking lately—I couldn't even win an argument against Horned Sis. Once I go to the Ultimate Principle Dao Discussion Conference and take it, I'll definitely become a lot smarter."
Elevating comprehension and bloodline boosted one's mental faculties in the short term; it was indeed a treasure.
"Still... this pill can be optimized..."
Looking at the pill, Qi Yuan prepared to hand it over to his Divine Infant.
His gaze then shifted to the Ten Thousand Soul Banner he had picked up from Mona.
"This banner offends heavenly harmony, but... the concept is pretty good."
As Qi Yuan examined the Ten Thousand Soul Banner, his eyes perceived many things.
This soul banner required gathering the souls of worldly beings to strengthen itself. With a single wave of the banner, heaven and earth would shatter.
"How about refining a Human Sovereign Banner based on this?"
Qi Yuan let his thoughts wander.
Lately, he had entertained the idea of crafting a Creation Treasure.
After all, he had also been studying Creation Treasures during this time.
Creation Treasures were divided into many kinds, primarily functional auxiliary types and combat types.
The Gate of Ultimate Principle, the Wall of Ultimate Principle, the Moluo Well, and the Buddha Realm all belonged to the auxiliary type.
Combat types, on the other hand, were relatively rare.
Many combat-oriented Creation Treasures were artificially modified... or refined.
For a Yang God Heavenly Venerable, the amplification in combat power provided by a combat-type Creation Treasure was terrifyingly immense.
Of course, Qi Yuan was merely entertaining the thought. Modifying or refining a combat Creation Treasure was hardly that simple. It required an expert of the Great Ultimate Principle Realm, blessed with immense fortune, who could spend endless eons grinding away to achieve it.
"For now, I'd better cultivate the Ancestral Blood Art and boost my cultivation!"
The Ultimate Principle Dao Discussion Conference was about to begin, and Qi Yuan needed to aggressively ramp up his strength. Otherwise, if he ran into a formidable enemy without the ability to protect himself, all he could do was cry.
With that thought, Qi Yuan waved his hand, and the ancestral blood spiritual water Ziyuan Xiaolu had gathered for him appeared.
It was vivid red, just like blood, with a faint metallic tang.
"Why does this look a bit like period blood?"
Qi Yuan did not dwell on it. Instead, he received data from the smart micro-probe bugs to pinpoint the whereabouts of ancestral blood.
If he cultivated by the book, Qi Yuan estimated it would take a century to reach completion. And that century referred to a domain like the Sixth Heaven. In the Fifth Heaven or worlds where time flowed faster, it would take far longer than a hundred years.
A century was simply too long.
Qi Yuan was still a young man, wasn't he? Although quite a lot of time had passed in the games, in reality, he was barely in his early twenties.
"Barely at Ultimate Principle now; I'm still too weak!"
"Gotta hurry up and gain a bit more self-preservation capability!"
Qi Yuan let out a faint sigh.
His gaze settled upon the ancestral blood spiritual water. The path of seeking Black Demon Ancestral Blood remained long and arduous.
***
Guiyu Heaven.
Gloomy, terrifying, dark, and eerie.
An expert of the Ultimate Principle Realm appeared, bearing three heads upon his neck: the face of an old man, the face of a woman, and the face of a child.
These three aspects were tied to this Ultimate Principle's Dao. When he killed too many of a certain kind of person, it would solidify into a head.
"Greetings, Heavenly Venerable!"
The several Yang Gods present lowered their heads, their expressions filled with deference.
Three Faces Heavenly Venerable's gaze was crazed, terrifying, and immensely powerful. He had once slain a Yang God Heavenly Venerable, boasting astonishing combat prowess. Among the Ultimate Principle Yang Gods of Guiyu Heaven, he stood supreme.
Most of the Yang Gods present did not dare look Three Faces Heavenly Venerable in the eye.
At this moment, their thoughts were tangled.
After all, just moments ago, that Great Ultimate Principle from the Black Demon Abyss had slain a Yang God of Guiyu Heaven.
This sent a chill through the hearts of all the Yang Gods present. Powerful though they were, before a Great Ultimate Principle, they wouldn't even have time to flee.
Could this be an omen that the Black Demon Abyss was about to go to war with Guiyu Heaven?
With the Great Ultimate Principles secluded, Three Faces Heavenly Venerable was the de facto ruler of Guiyu Heaven. They all wanted to know how he viewed the matter.
"The Banner Lord has decreed that once the Ultimate Principle Dao Discussion Conference concludes, we shall go to war with several divisions of the Black Demon Abyss!" Three Faces Heavenly Venerable announced frenziedly.
Hearing this, the Yang God Heavenly Venerables present were shaken to the core.
The news caught them completely off guard.
Why had the Banner Lord suddenly become so audacious?
One had to know that the Black Demon Abyss's raw strength undoubtedly surpassed Guiyu Heaven's. Going to war over the fall of a single Yang God Heavenly Venerable seemed far too reckless. Between major powers of this scale, friction was constant, but formal declarations of war were exceptionally rare.
None of the Yang God Heavenly Venerables present were fools; they immediately sensed that the waters behind this ran deep, and the truth was definitely not so simple.
"As for the reason..." Three Faces Heavenly Venerable narrowed his eyes. "Once the Ultimate Principle Dao Discussion Conference ends, you will understand."
He looked at these Yang Gods, his eyes tinged with pity and sorrow.
Cultivators of the Yang God Heavenly Venerable realm enjoyed longevity equal to heaven and earth; stars might fall, yet their bodies remained imperishable. Barring powerful nemeses or encountering the Root Demon Tribulation while attempting breakthroughs, they had practically no reason to fear death.
Alas... they had run into the Linya Molt.
Upon hearing the Banner Lord mention the Linya Molt, Three Faces Heavenly Venerable had been horrified as well.
Who could have thought that beings as mighty as Yang Gods—capable of extinguishing Heavenly Daos and devouring worlds at a whim—were, in a sense, nothing more than chess pieces?
"This..."
"Just what is going on?"
The Yang God Heavenly Venerables exchanged glances.
They knew nothing of the Linya Molt. Generally speaking, only Great Ultimate Principles and certain unique beings were privy to such matters.
"The war against the Black Demon Abyss may span ten thousand years, perhaps even a hundred thousand. Recently, several fine seedlings have emerged from the Black Demon Abyss: one named Hei Jian, and one named Blood Robe."
At the mention of Hei Jian, even Three Faces Heavenly Venerable's expression turned solemn.
That individual had been specifically singled out by the Banner Lord, who wished nothing more than to see him eliminated.
The man's talent was peerless, though still within reason; the Sixth Heaven never lacked geniuses. But his bloodline was utterly terrifying. The supreme bloodline of the Black Demon Abyss paired with monstrous talent made for a lethal combination. The Banner Lord had even deduced that he stood a chance of becoming a Great Ultimate Principle who grasped a Supreme Ultimate Principle.
This made Three Faces Heavenly Venerable all the more envious and resentful.
In the entire Sixth Heaven, the total number of Great Ultimate Principles wielding a Supreme Ultimate Principle amounted to fewer than two hands' worth. Guiyu Heaven had no shortage of Great Ultimate Principles, yet not a single one commanded a Supreme Ultimate Principle.
"When the Ultimate Principle Dao Discussion Conference opens, Wu Gong, you will be responsible for slaying Hei Jian!" Three Faces Heavenly Venerable declared flatly, killing intent glinting in his eyes.
The Yang God Heavenly Venerables present were somewhat surprised to hear this.
Heavenly Venerable Wu Gong was a Yang God at the Great Heavenly Position consummation, merely a single step away from the Ultimate Principle Realm. Attending the conference this time, he stood a high chance of stepping into the Ultimate Principle Realm.
How many years had it been since Hei Jian attained Yang God? Had it even been three thousand years? In the realm of Yang God, he was practically a newcomer. Dispatching someone at the Great Heavenly Position consummation showed immense regard for him.
"Understood," Heavenly Venerable Wu Gong replied calmly, his face veiled behind a layer of mist that obscured his features.
"As for Blood Robe..." Three Faces Heavenly Venerable looked toward the crowd, his demeanor relaxing. "Who among you is willing to take this minor merit?"
Slaying Hei Jian would undoubtedly be a monumental contribution to Guiyu Heaven, one that even the Banner Lord would reward. Blood Robe, however, was only a minor merit. Powerful as Blood Robe might be, in the eyes of these Yang Gods, anyone who had not attained Yang God was ultimately of little consequence.
"This old man will handle it personally," Heavenly Venerable Da Le stepped forward, a smile touching his eyes. "Mosquito meat is still meat."
"Approved." Three Faces Heavenly Venerable nodded.
Originally, he had considered sending several Mythological experts to kill Blood Robe, but that lacked certainty.
"To ensure nothing goes awry, an avatar of the Ten Thousand Soul Ghost Banner can be lent to you two to drag them both into an extraordinary land and execute them!" Three Faces Heavenly Venerable said.
With a Yang God Heavenly Venerable making a move, bolstered by an avatar of the Ten Thousand Soul Ghost Banner within an extraordinary land, executing two prodigies would be as simple as could be.
Presumably, the Black Demon Abyss would never anticipate that Guiyu Heaven would dare to retaliate so boldly, let alone declare war.
***
"Hard, hard, harder than ascending to the blue heavens," Qi Yuan muttered.
Then he caught himself.
"These ancient sayings are really behind the times. Ascending to the blue heavens is pretty easy nowadays, isn't it?"
Just like the saying, *If you haven't eaten pork, at least you've seen a pig run.* Nowadays, it ought to be changed to, *If you haven't seen a pig run, at least you've eaten pork.*
"Through my painstaking efforts, plus a tiny bit of Black Demon Ancestral Blood, the Ancestral Blood Art has finally reached the eleventh layer."
During this period, Qi Yuan had followed Ancestor Ziyuan's instructions and stayed within the Black Demon Abyss. However, he had plenty of Divine Infants. Whenever he learned the whereabouts of Black Demon Ancestral Blood from the smart micro-probe bugs, he dispatched a Divine Infant to retrieve it.
Now, with the Black Demon Ancestral Blood entirely consumed, he had finally stepped into the eleventh layer.
At the ninth layer, Qi Yuan's Myriad Dao Martial God strength had already rivaled an Ultimate Principle. Now at the eleventh layer, the surge in his combat power was extraordinarily terrifying.
Yet Qi Yuan knew that a vast chasm still separated him from a Great Ultimate Principle.
"Still, if I run into a Great Ultimate Principle now... running away shouldn't be an issue, right?" Qi Yuan mused.
Both Ultimate Principle and Great Ultimate Principle belonged to the second layer of Yang God, yet the disparity between them was immense. The further along one went, the gap between minor realms could prove even wider than the gap between major realms earlier on.
"I need to go comprehend a Supreme Ultimate Principle; otherwise, I just don't feel secure."
Qi Yuan thought to himself.
Even so, his foundation remained too thin. After all, he was still only at the Purple Mansion realm—his cultivation stage simply wasn't high enough. Even if he comprehended a Supreme Ultimate Principle, he likely still wouldn't be a match for those veteran Great Ultimate Principles of Taihuang Palace.
"I might lose to that one from Taihuang Palace, but talking back to Horned Sis? I'll definitely win."
At that thought, Qi Yuan's mood brightened.
A Supreme Ultimate Principle was indeed very useful. Once his Myriad Dao Martial God cultivation rivaled a Great Ultimate Principle, combined with a Supreme Ultimate Principle, he could probably contend with that Great Ultimate Principle from Taihuang Palace.
"No, I need to go ask Ancestor Ziyuan just how strong a Great Ultimate Principle actually is."
Qi Yuan pondered.
He still lacked a clear concept of Great Ultimate Principles. Conveniently, Ancestor Ziyuan had told him he could call upon him once he reached the ninth layer.
"Old geezer, you there?"
Qi Yuan withdrew all his formations and shouted into thin air.
All was silent; no one responded.
"Old geezer, I reached the ninth layer of the Ancestral Blood Art!"
Still, no one answered.
"Oh, right, the old geezer is you, Ancestor Ziyuan!"
Qi Yuan suddenly realized he hadn't called the man by name. He probably couldn't hear him.
In an instant, time and space across heaven and earth seemed to freeze, and Ancestor Ziyuan's faint voice drifted over: "What is it now?"
"Didn't you say I could look for you at the ninth layer? I reached the ninth layer!"
"The... ninth layer?" Ancestor Ziyuan swallowed hard.
Last time... weren't you only at the seventh layer? It had been less than a year.
Well... understandable.
"What do you want with me?" Despite the shock rippling through his heart, he forced himself to sound nonchalant.
"I want to know... just how strong Great Ultimate Principle experts are. For example... where do you rank among Great Ultimate Principles?" Qi Yuan looked earnestly toward Ancestor Ziyuan.
"Ahem, why are you asking about this?" Ancestor Ziyuan turned his head away. "Among Great Ultimate Principles, this old man ranks in the third tier."
"Top three? Pretty strong! How many tiers are there in total?"
"...Three tiers."
"All right, dead last. You don't seem all that impressive, do you?"
"Hmph, mopping the floor with you would still be effortless." Ancestor Ziyuan was remarkably good-tempered—at least toward Qi Yuan. No one else in Ziyuan Heaven would dare speak to him like this.
"The third tier is like me: generally having survived three Root Demon Tribulations and possessing an auxiliary Creation Treasure," Ancestor Ziyuan explained.
"Root Demon Tribulation?" Qi Yuan heard the term once again.
"Anyone in the Ultimate Principle Realm who wishes to advance their strength must endure the Root Demon Tribulation. It is a terrifying tribulation, both tied to one's mental state and yet entirely detached from it. Completely unpredictable and utterly chaotic. As for the Root Demon Tribulation, you can simply think of it like the lightning tribulations or inner demon tribulations of ancient times." Mentioning the Root Demon Tribulation brought a grave expression to Ancestor Ziyuan's eyes.
Since attaining Great Ultimate Principle, he had survived it three times. As for the next Root Demon Tribulation... he had no confidence in passing it. If he attempted it, he might very well perish.
"So the Great Ultimate Principle Realm is judged by the number of Root Demon Tribulations one has survived?"
"Yes and no," Ancestor Ziyuan clarified. "Take Heavenly Venerable Penglai, for instance. He has passed only one tribulation, and my cultivation surpasses his, yet if I were to fight him, I couldn't even manage to wound him. Surviving tribulations increases one's cultivation, but it is not the decisive factor. What truly decides the outcome are Creation Treasures and the grade of one's Ultimate Principle."
Heavenly Venerable Penglai was a newly ascended Great Ultimate Principle of the Black Demon Abyss.
Qi Yuan listened intently; this was crucial information.
"However, if I were a Great Ultimate Principle who commanded an offensive Creation Treasure, I could injure him," Ancestor Ziyuan said, his expression complex. "Those are the experts of the second tier among Great Ultimate Principles. Offensive Creation Treasures are far too scarce, extraordinarily rare."
Offensive Creation Treasures were mostly refined over endless eons by Great Ultimate Principles who once wielded Supreme Ultimate Principles, modifying ordinary Creation Treasures through tremendous fortune. In the present Black Demon Abyss, only two Great Ultimate Principles possessed offensive Creation Treasures.
"As for the first tier, you can probably guess: a Great Ultimate Principle who has grasped a Supreme Ultimate Principle and possesses an offensive Creation Treasure. Such an entity... can kill a Great Ultimate Principle!" Ancestor Ziyuan's expression grew profoundly solemn.
Hearing this, Qi Yuan grew thoughtful. "I have a question."
"Speak."
"What if a Great Ultimate Principle has grasped a Supreme Ultimate Principle, but doesn't have an offensive Creation Treasure? And what if a Great Ultimate Principle doesn't even have a Creation Treasure at all? Which tier would the former belong to, and which tier would the latter belong to?"
"If a Great Ultimate Principle who grasped a Supreme Ultimate Principle couldn't even manage to secure an offensive Creation Treasure, he would be too ashamed to go on living—he'd be dead, nonexistent!" Ancestor Ziyuan said, utterly exasperated.
Scarce though offensive Creation Treasures were, any Great Ultimate Principle who commanded a Supreme Ultimate Principle was the founding ancestor of a major power. How could such a person fail to obtain an offensive Creation Treasure?
As for auxiliary Creation Treasures, even certain factions in the Fifth Heaven and other realms possessed them. If an expert of the Great Ultimate Principle Realm truly wanted one, would they ever need to worry about being unable to acquire it?
"Are Great Ultimate Principles really that fragile?" Qi Yuan's eyes lit up. "Say I have a Great Ultimate Principle enemy, and I cyberbully him every day, rallying an army of internet trolls—could I flame him to death?"
He had so many Divine Infants; if he could flame that person from Taihuang Palace to death, that would be truly amusing.
"Get lost..." Ancestor Ziyuan was left completely speechless.
Did this kid simply not understand human speech?
Chapter 438