Chapter 279 - 264: Now, I Lack Nothing
The pure silver luster in his eyes faded away, replaced by a supreme, all-encompassing cyan-gold hue.
As the color of his eyes shifted, the manifestation of the [Daluo Heaven] behind him, which supported the Star River Sky Curtain, abruptly solidified.
An indescribable power, vast and primordial, capable of commanding all laws and ordaining the universe, surged forth from the depths of the chaotic halo!
[Venerable Divine Technique—Daluo Decree]!
This was the Divine Technique bestowed by the heavens when Qi Yun had forged his Venerable Dao Foundation.
This Divine Technique could directly elevate the Realm of a magic technique. It could upgrade a Qi Refining Technique into a Foundation Establishment Technique, or it could instantly raise a Foundation Establishment Technique by an entire "version."
And what Qi Yun wanted to upgrade now was the [Human Emperor Banner].
He pressed his index and middle fingers together. A point of utterly pure, cyan-gold divine light flared at their tip. He aimed at the jet-black [Human Emperor Banner]—which had been hovering beside him, its surface rippling as an ethereal light flowed across it—and tapped the air.
"Decree!"
With a single spoken word, the Celestial Constitution was enacted.
BUZZ—!!!
The point of cyan-gold divine light shot from his fingertips. It seemed to move slowly, yet it was incredibly fast, instantly sinking into the pole of the Human Emperor Banner.
In the next instant—
The entire [Human Emperor Banner] trembled violently!
On the banner’s surface, the dark gold patterns depicting mountains, rivers, and the state itself seemed to come alive, radiating a Daoist Intent that was even more profound and weighty than before!
The originally jet-black surface of the banner deepened into an inky black. Within it, countless minuscule soul-lights flickered like stars. A grand symphony—faint, yet piercing straight to the Divine Soul—emerged, composed of the prayers of myriad spirits, the clash of conquest and slaughter, and the rise and fall of dynasties.
[Human Emperor Banner 5.0: New Mechanism Added—Unity of Man and Banner!]
Archaic characters quietly materialized on the Magic Technique Panel in the corner of Qi Yun’s vision.
Almost at the exact moment the text appeared, the Human Emperor Banner hovering above Qi Yun’s head erupted with an ethereal glow!
On the banner’s surface, three figures with solemn auras and reverent expressions emerged simultaneously.
They were none other than the three Foundation Establishment Masters—Xuan Ping, Mo Shou, and Xuan Heng—who had been put through Refinement to become the banner’s Main Souls!
At this moment, the Three Souls took up positions representing Heaven, Earth, and Man. They raised their hands in unison, their fingers blooming like lotus flowers as they formed a series of intricate and profound Spells.
As they moved, the vast, ocean-like space within the banner began to seethe!
All the True Spirits cried out in unison!
Their cries merged into a single, magnificent, and overwhelming aura.
BOOM!
The Human Emperor Banner’s main body—the jet-black pole forged from some unknown, peculiar material—was the first to emit a hum of protest, as if overburdened. Fine, vein-like patterns of dark gold appeared across its surface.
Then, the entire massive banner, from its tip to its tassel, began to... melt!
It transformed into a majestic beam of divine light, condensed to its absolute limit. Its color was as deep as eternal night, yet it held an endless Flowing Light of dark gold within.
With unstoppable momentum, it slammed into Qi Yun’s chest!
There was no obstruction, no rejection.
The black-and-gold divine light sank into Qi Yun’s body without the slightest resistance.
"Ugh—!"
Qi Yun’s body jolted violently.
He felt a power that was vast, heavy, and cold, yet imbued with a kind of ancient fervor. Like a Star River bursting its banks, it instantly flooded his limbs and meridians, surged into his Dantian, and rushed straight toward his Purple Mansion Divine Soul!
RUMBLE—!!!
Deep within his Foundation Establishment Realm, in the boundless void where his [Daluo Heaven] Dao Foundation resided, a dramatic change took place!
A black-and-gold [Mountain and River Illusion]—seemingly woven from innumerable miniature mountains, rivers, cities, territories, and scenes of conquest—abruptly materialized from the void below!
Like an incomparably solid pedestal, it began to slowly rise... lifting!
As the [Mountain and River Illusion] lifted it, Qi Yun felt the Status of his once-stable Foundation Establishment Early Stage Dao Foundation being pushed by a powerful external force.
It was being raised, ever higher!
VWOOM!
Qi Yun’s aura, which had grown faint from the consumption of Magical Power, suddenly exploded like Fierce Fire thrown into boiling oil, surging with incredible ferocity!
His Deep Blue Daoist Robe billowed without any wind, rustling like a battle standard in a gale. Every Dao Pattern on it seemed to acquire a faint, black-and-gold sheen.
The gray-white cliff beneath his feet could not withstand the sudden pressure. It silently crumbled and disintegrated into dust.
With him at its epicenter, a terrifying pressure as heavy as one hundred thousand mountains descended, spreading out in all directions like a physical tide!
For ten miles, then a hundred... the very dust in the air froze in place, and the chaotic Spiritual Mechanism was forcibly calmed.
At the same time, the [Daluo Heaven] manifestation behind Qi Yun underwent an astonishing transformation.
The once-ethereal manifestation began to rapidly solidify as Qi Yun’s Dao Position rose!
The edges of its halo sharpened, and the scenes within—of the sun, moon, and stars, of the evolution of earth, water, fire, and wind—grew more real, more vivid. It was as if it were no longer just a mere manifestation.
Instead, it seemed ready to break the boundary between the illusory and the real, to truly "descend" from the unseen Dao Realm into the physical world!
An even more vast and fundamental aura emanated from the solidifying [Daluo Heaven], weaving together and fusing with the surging pressure from Qi Yun’s body.
This elevated his presence to an unbelievably terrifying level.
Temporarily wielding the power of the Foundation Establishment Middle Stage!
By borrowing the power of the Human Emperor Banner’s ten thousand souls, the very essence of its three Master Main Souls, and the elevation of the banner’s Realm via the [Daluo Decree], he had achieved the state of "Unity of Man and Banner."
At this moment, Qi Yun temporarily possessed a majestic power that could rival, or perhaps even slightly surpass, that of an ordinary Foundation Establishment Middle Stage Master!
He slowly raised his head. In his eyes, the cyan-gold hue and the silver starlight reflected one another. The vertical silver mark between his brows was now overlaid with a deep, black-gold sheen, making him appear all the more mysterious and imposing.
Feeling the terrifying power within him—a power that felt capable of tearing apart the Celestial Vault and overturning mountains and rivers—Qi Yun gently clenched his fist. His knuckles cracked with the crisp sound of jade striking gold, and the very space around him rippled in response.
"Now..."
He took a step forward. The void beneath his feet spontaneously condensed a black-and-gold lotus of Dao Patterns, lifting his body as he slowly ascended into the sky.
"...I’m not missing a thing."
He slammed his hands together before his chest!
The moment Qi Yun’s palms met, there was no thunderous clap, yet it was as if two invisible worlds had violently collided in the small space between them.
VWOOOM!!!
A grand resonance that pierced the boundary between the tangible and the formless echoed throughout this corner of Heaven and Earth.
The halo of Chaos Color that had been hovering behind Qi Yun, constantly cycling through creation and destruction, suddenly collapsed inward and condensed!
Infinite Light contracted, and all Dao Rhyme flowed into one.
In an instant, a "heaven"—tangibly real, yet utterly transcendent—descended!
Within this "heaven" floated countless indescribable, ever-changing "laws" and "principles." Sword Qi slashed through the air, Talismans fell like rain, Array Patterns paved the ground, and stars went through their Reincarnation...
All manner of Daoist Intent scenes—contradictory, disparate, grand, or bizarre—existed in parallel without conflict, transforming one into another in a ceaseless cycle.
This was the signature technique of a Foundation Establishment Middle Stage Master—the [Foundation Establishment Realm Heaven]!
The moment this Realm Heaven descended, within a thousand-foot radius, the Ten Thousand Laws were present, and all principles abided.
Though it was born of a "temporary hold," its foundation was not as stable or at Perfection as that of a true Foundation Establishment Middle Stage Master who had broken through by arduous cultivation. Its duration was also limited.
However, the immense Status and supreme potential originating from his [Venerable Dao Foundation] made the oppressive Dao Rhyme radiating from this [Daluo Myriad Skills Realm] far surpass that of an ordinary Foundation Establishment Middle Stage.
’Temporarily wielding the power of the Foundation Establishment Middle Stage? This kid actually possesses such a technique?!’
Almost at the very instant the [Daluo Myriad Skills Realm] fully solidified.
Several gazes, as if piercing through layers of void and mist, focused on him in unison!
’A temporarily manifested Realm Heaven... yet his Dao Position is comparable to a Great Master... truly befitting the ancient and rare [Venerable Status].’
「Northeast of the Valley of No Life, outside the Central Army Tent of the World-Suppressing Army.」
Celestial Master Chen, who had been standing by quietly as an observer, lifted his head slightly. He gazed up at the Celestial Vault, at that warped, chaotic vista where countless Daoist Skills were born and annihilated.
For the first time, his placid face, usually as still as an old well, showed a clear flicker of emotion. Countless phantoms streamed through his eyes, as if he were performing some rapid divination.
Then, his hands, which had been tucked inside the wide sleeves of his Daoist Robe, seemed to twitch almost imperceptibly.
His fingertips faintly began to form the opening stance of a Spell.
However—just as his fingers moved and the Spell was on the verge of being cast!
BOOM!
Four indescribable gazes, like four Ancient Divine Mountains descending across the void, fell upon the area where Celestial Master Chen stood!
Within a hundred-foot radius of Celestial Master Chen, the light suddenly dimmed, and the air completely solidified.
It was as if he dared to move another inch, a terrifying blow beyond all imagination would descend upon him in the next instant.
The expression on Celestial Master Chen’s face faltered for a moment before returning to one of pure serenity.
With extreme naturalness, he relaxed the fingers in his sleeve that had just begun to rise, letting his hand fall slack once more.
It was as though that subtle movement had never happened at all.
He then raised his head, a faintly resigned smile touching his lips, and gave a slight nod in the direction of the four gazes—formless, yet omnipresent.
"Alright, alright, I am not one to break the rules."
"When the younger generation clashes, they rely on their own skills. They are responsible for their own lives and deaths."
"We old-timers... shouldn’t step in and meddle."
"My fellow Daoists, please don’t be angry, there’s no need for anger..."
His tone was light, as if he were placating a few short-tempered old friends.
However, those four terrifying, almost-tangible gazes did not immediately disperse at his words.
They remained, silently and coldly "pressing" down on him.
Like four primordial gods, they were silently proclaiming an inviolable boundary.
The smile on Celestial Master Chen’s face remained, but his gaze grew more profound as he quietly faced the invisible pressure.
「A few moments later.」
The immense pressure finally receded like a tide.
The void returned to normal, and light began to flow again.
It was as if the suffocating scene from moments before had been nothing but an illusion.
Celestial Master Chen let out a soft breath, the faint smile still on his face. His gaze returned to the distant Celestial Vault, toward the location of the [Daluo Myriad Skills Realm]. He focused on the center of the Realm Heaven, on the young figure in the fluttering Deep Blue Daoist Robe, wreathed in intersecting halos of black-gold and silvery-white.
’Venerable Dao Foundation, temporarily wielding the power of the Middle Realm...’
’This game is getting more and more interesting.’
He muttered to himself. His gaze then shifted slightly, turning toward a certain direction deep within the Valley of No Life.
There, the gray mist was exceptionally thick, and the aura of deathly silence was so palpable it had nearly solidified.
’The gambit for the Imperial Soldiers, with the oriole stalking from behind... and now, another uncalculated factor has been added to the mix: an ’Overseas Dragon.’’
’So many unexpected variables, so much tangled karma...’
’These waters are getting muddier by the second.’
With that, he once again assumed his transcendent and detached air, as if nothing in the world concerned him. He stood with his hands tucked in his sleeves, looking for all the world like a mere spectator.
...