Transforming qi into a sword!
Qi Yuan had already attained perfection in the Metal phase, possessing a surging abundance of Metal qi within his body.
Metal qi and dharmic power could be converted into one another.
He pointed a finger, and a golden radiance flashed.
A golden sword materialized abruptly in his hand!
The blade was formed entirely from the Metal qi of the five elements.
Its edge was peerlessly sharp.
Beside him, Dong Xian’s eyes went wide at the sight.
What was this?
Senior Brother Qi Yuan really transformed qi into a sword?
How did he do it?
Deep within his soul, Elder Qi looked thoughtful.
"This seems somewhat like a martial dao divine ability."
Having transformed his qi into a sword, Qi Yuan said slowly, "Watch me cleave a flying bird from the sky with a single strike!"
As he spoke, he raised the golden sword toward the firmament.
Yet right at that moment, a sudden bolt out of the blue plummeted from the heavens, darting straight toward Qi Yuan.
On a broad, sunny day, where did lightning suddenly come from?
And why was it striking at him?
It gave Qi Yuan quite a fright. "Damn it, I held it too high and drew down the lightning!"
With a swift flick of his wrist, he tossed the golden sword away, sending it flying into the distance.
The lightning instantly slammed into the sword.
In a split second, the golden sword shattered, dissolving back into Metal qi before dissipating into thin air.
The heavenly lightning vanished as well.
Beside him, Dong Xian was completely flabbergasted by the sight.
What in the world just happened?
Just then, Elder Qi sent a mental voice transmission into his mind.
"Qi Yuan has most likely cultivated some bizarre forbidden art to transform qi into a sword, but incurred heaven's retribution, which is why heavenly lightning struck down at it. Whatever you do, do not learn this method of transforming qi into a sword," Elder Qi warned.
Dong Xian understood at once. He had once read records regarding heavenly lightning in the imperial archives.
Nowadays, heavenly lightning rarely ever manifested in the mortal realm.
However, cultivating strange forbidden arts could provoke heavenly lightning to appear.
With that in mind, Dong Xian hurriedly said, "Senior Brother Qi Yuan, you mustn't use this method of transforming qi into a sword again! This is a forbidden art, intolerable to the heavens!"
To tell the truth, Dong Xian was still trembling with fear, terrified that Qi Yuan might be struck dead by lightning.
If that happened, would the master of Seven Colors Peak ever spare him?
Meanwhile, Elder Qi in his mind felt that something was utterly bizarre.
Logically speaking, when someone cultivated a forbidden art and heavenly lightning punished them, it should punish the cultivator.
Qi Yuan had thrown the sword away, so why did the lightning only strike the sword and spare the person?
Hearing Dong Xian's words, Qi Yuan wore an odd expression. "Wasn't it just because I raised it too high, and since the sword is a conductor, it drew down the lightning? Could this really be a forbidden art?"
Beside him, Dong Xian didn't understand the first half of Qi Yuan's words, but he understood the latter half. He emphasized, "Senior Brother Qi Yuan, you'd best refrain from practicing this technique in the future!"
Dong Xian felt truly fortunate that he had asked Senior Brother Qi Yuan to demonstrate first.
If Senior Brother Qi Yuan had simply taught him the cultivation method and he practiced it blindly, he might have been struck dead by lightning before even forming a sword!
As for the 'transforming qi into a horse' that Senior Brother Qi Yuan mentioned earlier, did it mean... riding on a horse made it harder to escape when struck by lightning?
"Senior Brother, I take my leave." Dong Xian bowed in farewell and swiftly scurried away from Qi Yuan.
Indeed, madmen were not only troublesome to provoke, but staying near them for too long was simply far too dangerous.
Back on Seven Colors Peak, Qi Yuan sat on the ground, lost in thought.
Transforming qi into a sword!
He suddenly sprang to his feet and transformed his qi into a sword once more!
Without warning, heavenly lightning crashed down again.
Qi Yuan hurriedly tossed the sword away, and the lightning pulverized it in an instant.
Seeing this, Qi Yuan remarked, "It seems it really is a forbidden art!"
Yet there was no disappointment in his eyes; instead, he was exceedingly excited.
"I really am a genius! I've created another divine ability!"
"This divine ability shall be called: *I Am Heavenly Lightning's Daddy, It Strikes Wherever I Point!*"
He condensed another golden sword, and heavenly lightning plummeted once again.
"Strike there!"
With a toss of the golden sword, the lightning struck immediately, destroying the seemingly indestructible blade.
"No, I need to change the name. This heavenly lightning is just like a dog—I can't be its daddy."
His sword was like a bone, and the heavenly lightning was like a dog.
Whenever he threw it, the heavenly lightning pounced right on it.
How fascinating.
"I really am a genius! I've created another secret technique!"
The might of heavenly lightning was far greater than that of his qi-transformed sword.
A pity that this secret technique couldn't be used inside the game.
Otherwise, he'd definitely give those primitive extraterrestrial demons quite a shock.
...
In the Yin Yang Forbidden Ground.
Tong looked at Qi Yuan and said slowly, "The Yin Yang Boundary Stone is already in your hands. With the Yin Yang Boundary Stone, if you comprehend life and death and perceive the great terror between them, you can truly take control of the Yin Yang Forbidden Ground."
Qi Yuan held an ordinary-looking stone in his hand, a puzzled expression on his face.
[Yin Yang Boundary Stone: a peculiar stone from within the Yin Yang Forbidden Ground.]
"Comprehend life and death, perceive life and death... how am I supposed to do that?" Qi Yuan asked.
"I do not know," Tong shook his head. "It depends on your own comprehension."
Having said that, Tong climbed back beneath his coffin lid.
Holding the Yin Yang Boundary Stone and Xiao Jia's hand, Qi Yuan departed from the place.
"Comprehend life and death... could it mean I have to die?"
Holding the Yin Yang Boundary Stone, he pondered for a moment, then took out his great sword and poked a hole in himself.
Blood flowed.
Xiao Jia beside him immediately revealed an anxious expression.
In an instant, she covered Qi Yuan's body.
A red armor enveloped him.
The wound on Qi Yuan's body vanished immediately as well.
Xiao Jia had proactively fused with him, assuming a defensive stance.
Seeing this, an inexplicable pang seized Qi Yuan's heart.
His injury was also transferred onto the armor.
"Xiao Jia, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have hurt myself."
As if hearing Qi Yuan's words, Xiao Jia undid the fusion. She pressed closely against him, silently nestling into his side.
Qi Yuan put his arm around Xiao Jia. Seeing that she was uninjured, he said, "My bad, I didn't think it through. I'm a married man now; I can't just do whatever I please on a whim."
As Qi Yuan spoke, he chuckled.
Xiao Jia didn't understand why he was laughing, but she simply leaned against him.
Then Qi Yuan zoned out again. "Just how am I supposed to take control of the Yin Yang Forbidden Ground?"
"Could it be that I have to grasp the true essence of yin and yang—by being sarcastic and passive-aggressive?"
How was a positive, upright person like him supposed to speak with cynical snark?
It was simply impossible!
Yet right at that moment, something unexpected happened.
"Did I switch maps?"
At this moment, he unexpectedly found himself inside a teleportation array. The destination happened to be one of the perils of the Four Forbidden Grounds and Two Perils... Tianjue!
"I haven't even fully taken control of the Yin Yang Forbidden Ground, yet I'm already sent to a new map. Does this count as beating the dungeon?"
Qi Yuan was utterly bewildered.
"Or does holding the Yin Yang Boundary Stone count as clearing the Yin Yang Forbidden Ground? But they haven't even given me the Heavenly Dao fragments yet!"
"Trash game, must be full of bugs!"
Qi Yuan decided that this had to be a game bug.
After some thought, he sent a message to Jin Li.
"Jin Li, you need to be careful. This game is full of bugs. I haven't even finished clearing the Yin Yang Forbidden Ground, and it threw me onto a new map, Tianjue."
Having sent the message, Qi Yuan held Xiao Jia close.
In any case, the teleportation to Tianjue would take a little time.
This time, Jin Li's reply arrived very quickly: "Tianjue? You must be careful! Do you want me to send the Robe Division Imperial Guard over to Tianjue to assist you?"
She did not use the word "dispatch," but rather "send."
Because she always remembered that the Robe Division Imperial Guard belonged to Qi Yuan in the first place.
"No need, they're too weak," Qi Yuan flatly refused.
The strongest among the Robe Division Imperial Guard was only a Supreme Sovereign, not even having reached the Heavenly Domain.
Having received everyone's Divine Reflection, Qi Yuan had gradually grown accustomed to the NPCs' grading system.
On the other end, Jin Li was silent for a moment after reading Qi Yuan's message before replying, "Inside Tianjue, danger lurks everywhere. There is an Ascension Platform there—whatever you do, do not step onto it. Stepping onto it... legend says one will ascend and leave this world. Though it is called ascension, no one truly knows what actually happens."
Seeing this, Qi Yuan replied, "Got it. Don't worry, we haven't even met in person yet. How could I possibly ascend and leave?"
Across the distance, ripples stirred again in the heart of Jin Li, who had been constantly rushing about on military campaigns.
She looked out the window. The Ancient Qi Toon Tree seemed to overshadow the entire Wangyue Continent; its boughs were dotted with specks of starlight, reflecting the full night sky.
It looked just like a Christmas tree draped in fairy lights—an oversized one, exceedingly beautiful.
"All right, then we shall meet in person under the Ancient Qi Toon Tree. The scenery there is extraordinarily beautiful, the most gorgeous place in the world."
"Really? I'm really looking forward to it." Qi Yuan also wanted to know just how breathtaking the scenery beneath the Ancient Qi Toon Tree was, and what Jin Li, whom he had never seen face-to-face, truly looked like.
As they chatted, time flew by.
"Almost at Tianjue. Bye, talk to you later."
Qi Yuan closed the chat interface. Holding Xiao Jia's hand, his gaze grew vigilant.
The scene shifted, and he appeared in an endless wasteland.
"Is this Tianjue?"
Qi Yuan looked up at the sky. High in the firmament floated a massive city in the clouds.
No, calling it a city was inaccurate; it was a gigantic elevated platform floating in the air.
The platform was pitch-black, but the darkness was somewhat eerie, looking as though it had been dyed in blood.
Just how much blood would it take to stain such a gigantic platform entirely crimson?
"Is this the Ascension Platform?" Qi Yuan wondered, gazing at the elevated platform.
Right at that moment, a majestic voice rang out.
"Halt, visitor!"
Qi Yuan looked over and saw a golden-armored man appear not far from him.
The man was tall and burly, clad in golden armor and exuding immense majesty, yet he possessed only one arm. His other arm appeared to have been severed by someone.
"I am the Divine General of the Daylight Ascension Gate, subordinate to the Great Sun!" the golden-armored man declared in a resounding voice.
Qi Yuan looked at the golden-armored man, feeling vigilant.
Great Sun?
The Heavenly God?
The Daytime Fantasy Art he had obtained was acquired from the Great Sun.
However, from the memories of Long Pan, Zanghua, and the others, this person was not among the Heavenly God's Ten Divine Generals.
Moreover, this divine general did not seem to be alive; much like Ancestor Jin, he was merely a wisp of remnant will.
"Whosoever wishes to ascend the Daylight Ascension Platform must endure 129,600 battles! Win every single one, and you may mount the platform! Do you accept the challenge? Once you ascend, life and death are left to fate!"
Qi Yuan had no interest in climbing the Ascension Platform.
Jin Li had warned him that the platform might be dangerous.
He asked, "I want to take control of Tianjue, not ascend the Ascension Platform. How can I control Tianjue?"
The golden-armored divine general spoke mechanically, as if devoid of sentient thought: "Ascend the Daylight Ascension Platform and slay me, and you shall control Tianjue. You shall become the Lord of Tianjue!"
"Really?" Qi Yuan stared at the golden-armored divine general.
It seemed he had no choice but to climb this Ascension Platform.
By the way, NPCs wouldn't lie, right?
The damn game devs wouldn't disgust players like that, would they?
Recalling the game's visuals and cliché plotlines, Qi Yuan couldn't help thinking that the artists for this game definitely rode the game designers to work every day.
Chapter 66