Chapter 576: Qi Yuan's Road to the Fourth Layer of Yang God

Chapter 576: Qi Yuan’s Path to the Fourth Layer of the Yang God

“So explosive?”

“I too have tasted the master’s flavor, but the fourth layer of the Yang God has yet to…”

“This newcomer… has quite the nerve.”

At the mention of the fourth layer of the Yang God, these members of the Society of Myriad Changes all wore expressions of reverence.

They were almost all realm lords.

And not a few were realm lords of the Heaven-Opening stage.

But even the Heaven-Opening stage, though only a step away from the fourth layer of the Yang God, was separated by a vast chasm.

It could be said that while the Society of Myriad Changes had many Heaven-Opening realm lords, the probability of breaking through to a higher realm was less than one in a hundred.

“This newcomer has some strength.”

“He’s joined the ‘Soul Summoning’ and ‘Time Machine’ projects—this guy is also infatuated.”

“This is about forming a dao companion with someone at the fourth layer of the Yang God; if it were me, I’d be infatuated too.”

Generally speaking, beings at their level rarely had dao companions of similar strength.

Even if they did, the entanglement was shallow, just occasional dalliances.

“Pity, both ‘Soul Summoning’ and ‘Time Machine’ rank among the top ten in difficulty; after so many epochs, almost no progress has been made.”

“Joining these two research projects is unwise, a waste of time.”

“Our lifespans are endless—what’s a little wasted time?”

…

A gentle breeze blew, and the Goldfinch swung her legs, water droplets sliding between her jade-like feet, her toes crystalline, tender and delicate.

Her gaze fell on the voluptuous figure in the mist, half-hidden, then she glanced down at herself, a blush coloring her pretty face: “Damn it, so tempting, even I want to take a bite, let alone Qi Yuan!”

She was referring, naturally, to the gap between herself and Jiang Lingsu.

“Hmph.” Ning Tao, in a lace black dress, snorted coldly, her exquisite face bearing an untouchable, aloof air, “Don’t sell yourself short—your… husband likes it too, doesn’t he?”

Her tone carried a hint of displeasure.

The Goldfinch was also her, yet so lacking in confidence.

To her, she was the one most worthy of her husband.

As for Jiang Lingsu? Just a big-chested, brainless fool.

Jin Li? On the surface, a pure jade maiden, cold and dignified, but in reality… more forward and fiery than anyone, a stark contrast.

She was the principal wife.

Of course, in truth, when it came to initiative and possessiveness, she surpassed the other two.

Back then, she had clearly agreed with the Goldfinch to teach Qi Yuan a lesson.

But the moment Qi Yuan returned, she was more eager than anyone, stripping before they’d even exchanged two words.

As if only when they were tightly joined did Qi Yuan belong entirely to her.

The Goldfinch blushed and muttered under her breath, “Shameless.”

Ning Tao was utterly unbothered.

Just then, Jiang Lingsu emerged gracefully from the mist, a puzzled look on her face: “Sister Ning Tao, today is the Realm Lord Ceremony of the Azurefall Realm Lord… should we really not call the senior brother?”

Some days ago, an invitation had arrived at Purple Edge Heaven, eventually reaching Ning Tao’s hands.

That venerable one from Azurefall Heaven had broken the restriction that the Sixth Heaven of the Immortal Realm could not step into the third layer of the Yang God, becoming the first realm lord in the Immortal Realm.

The news shook the Sixth Heaven of the Immortal Realm.

Countless major powers were moved.

For so many years, the Sixth Heaven of the Immortal Realm had seen its first cultivator at the third layer of the Yang God.

Geniuses as brilliant as that one from the Grand Radiance Palace, and ancient mysteries like the Venerable Dragon Turtle, had all failed to break the boundary and advance to the third layer of the Yang God.

Yet the Venerable Azurefall had succeeded.

The remaining venerable ones, and those at the second layer of the Yang God, were all curious how the Venerable Azurefall had broken the limit.

This Realm Lord gathering had already drawn the attention of nearly all Yang God cultivators.

This upheaval was far more shocking and attention-grabbing than the Venerable Ten Thousand Suns’ destruction of the Grand Radiance Palace.

Now, the Azurefall Realm Lord was already seen as the foremost figure in the Sixth Heaven of the Immortal Realm.

So, upon seeing the invitation from the Venerable Azurefall, Jiang Lingsu couldn’t help worrying for her senior brother.

If the senior brother didn’t go, would he offend that realm lord and bring trouble?

Ning Tao’s expression remained cool: “Husband is in seclusion cultivating; no important matters should disturb him.”

Hearing this, Jiang Lingsu still felt a knot of anxiety.

Just then, the Goldfinch spoke up: “Sister Lingsu, don’t be afraid. Husband is the strongest, invincible; no one can harm him.”

When it came to Qi Yuan, the Goldfinch always believed blindly, with unreserved trust.

No matter what, Qi Yuan was the strongest, a god descending to earth; she only needed to be like a little follower, clinging to him.

Ning Tao stood aloof, but inwardly she couldn’t help rolling her eyes at the Goldfinch.

Calling her sister?

Just then, a mysterious aura wafted over.

Joy lit up the eyes of the three women.

“Husband!”

“Qi Yuan!”

“Senior brother!”

The moment the words fell, the three women seemed to feel a tremendous pull, all drawn into Qi Yuan’s embrace.

“So, how’s the new technique I learned?” Qi Yuan boasted.

This time, with the *True Scripture of Devouring*, he had entered the gate in a single day.

These past days, he had finally cultivated the *True Scripture of Devouring* to great completion.

After great completion, cultivation became much harder, with little progress to be made, so Qi Yuan had come out.

“Very impressive,” Ning Tao said first.

The Goldfinch felt the strange pull, as if she were about to merge with Qi Yuan, her eyes filled with anticipation: “Why don’t you just devour me?”

Qi Yuan lightly kicked the Goldfinch’s jade foot: “Don’t talk nonsense—I’m a law-abiding good citizen.”

Then, Qi Yuan turned to Jiang Lingsu and asked, “The Venerable Azurefall has become a realm lord and is hosting a Realm Lord gathering?”

“Yes,” Jiang Lingsu nodded, offering no further opinion.

Although her heart also wished to relieve the senior brother of his troubles,

When she first met him, she could still play the wealthy patron, gifting techniques and spirit stones to aid him.

Now, with her low strength and limited insight, speaking recklessly would only add to the chaos.

“You, say whatever you like—we’re all family.” Qi Yuan smiled.

He naturally knew his junior sister’s worries.

Such concerns, Qi Yuan felt, were utterly unnecessary.

As the saying goes, all are equal.

Moreover, every living being is a unique and irreplaceable individual.

Who knows, some brilliant idea might emerge.

Take Great Wisdom True Lord, for instance—though he had only just broken through to the Purple Mansion, every exchange with him left Qi Yuan feeling greatly enriched.

Great Wisdom True Lord’s clever mind was of great use.

Jiang Lingsu felt warmth in her heart and pondered briefly.

At that moment, she stood from Qi Yuan’s perspective.

“I heard a rumor that the Azurefall Realm Lord wants immortal veins as a congratulatory gift.

First, our Divine Radiance Sect only has spirit veins, not immortal veins; second, you’re not familiar with the Azurefall Realm Lord… if you’re not familiar, better not send a gift.” Jiang Lingsu said earnestly.

“Right, don’t send it—we don’t have many good things ourselves!” the Goldfinch said a bit stingily.

“You’re both right. I’m not familiar with this Azurefall Realm Lord, so I’ll skip the gift.”

He naturally couldn’t be bothered to send a gift.

Now that his *Devouring True Scripture* had reached great completion, it was time to go to that universe and continue devouring stars.

“By the way, when Jinli returns, tell her that Qi Jianjun is back.” Qi Yuan said to Ning Tao.

Jinli was currently at the Moon God Palace, handling some family matters.

As for that fishing fanatic Qi Jianjun, he had finally come home from fishing.

She would also need to go see her mother Jinli.

After spending some tender moments with the three women, exchanging a few favors, Qi Yuan’s form appeared in that vast cosmos.

“They say men lose their edge after thirty—what a rumor that is.

I’m over a hundred, old enough for a pension, yet still comparable to a high schooler or a jock.” “Given the pride of men on Blue Star, if they couldn’t manage five times a night after thirty, wouldn’t they die of shame?”

Qi Yuan muttered to himself, gazing at the brilliant stars ahead.

“These… will all become my golden cores.”

At that thought, a surge of pride welled up in his heart.

The *Devouring True Scripture* began to circulate at that moment.

In an instant, on all the stellar golden cores, the original devouring rules blazed forth.

The stellar golden cores had already been imbued with devouring rules by Qi Yuan, but under the *Devouring True Scripture*’s enhancement, the devouring speed grew even faster.

“At least fifty percent faster… and… still increasing.”

As Qi Yuan murmured, one star after another fell like ripe fruit into a basket.

The number of stellar golden cores within Qi Yuan’s body kept increasing.

His strength also rose continuously.

“What is the end of the golden core path?”

“Devouring all the stars in this universe?”

Qi Yuan pondered.

Suddenly, he narrowed his eyes, as if something had occurred to him.

“This… is somewhat similar to the Black Heaven.”

The Black Heaven… devours everything to become the sole Black Heaven.

And his stellar golden cores devour all stellar golden cores.

“Is this also the path to the fourth layer of the Yang God?”

“After devouring all stellar golden cores, will my stellar golden core step into the final stage of the fourth layer of the Yang God and become a divine treasure?”

Qi Yuan mused.

If his stellar golden core entered the fourth layer of the Yang God, then his true spirit would not be annihilated.

He would also possess the combat power of the fourth layer of the Yang God.

“Could it be… that this is my true Yang God path?”

“No, this isn’t strong enough. Facing a Dao Lord, I still cannot prevail.

If I can’t even kill a Dao Lord, I don’t deserve to be called a Yang God.”

“So, I must also personally step into the fifth layer of the Yang God?”

“Stellar golden core at the fourth, the true self at the fifth—both advancing in sync?”

After a moment’s thought, Qi Yuan shook his head.

Once he became a Dao Lord,

the space he occupied would fall into a cycle.

For Jinli, Ning Tao, the Goldfinch, Jiang Lingsu, and countless other beings, that might not necessarily be a good thing.

Qi Yuan naturally didn’t want to see those lovely people live lives of repetition and monotony.

“The Yang God path is too difficult, but the golden core path—I can walk it a while longer.”

…

The Realm Lord Gathering came to an end.

The Azurefall Realm Lord sat in the seat of honor, his expression restrained, yet his mere presence radiated boundless pressure, like a sovereign of this world.

The Second Chief of the Principle Assembly wore a fawning expression: “All gods bow their heads—this is how we cultivators should be.”

At the recent Realm Lord Gathering, nearly all the major figures of the Immortal Realm had attended.

When the Azurefall Realm Lord appeared, he released a trace of pressure that moved even the second-layer Yang Gods present.

Such combat power was truly invincible.

“However, the Ten Thousand Suns Supreme, the Moon Goddess Primordial, and the Purple Fate Heaven… none of them came.” The Second Chief of the Principle Assembly mentioned it casually.

The Dragon Turtle Supreme’s heart tightened.

But then the Azurefall Supreme revealed a breeze-like smile: “The Realm Lord Gathering was held solely for immortal veins. Whether others show face or not… matters little. In this world, the most important thing is… strength.”

In the past, facing the Ten Thousand Suns Supreme, he had been immensely wary, treating him as a rival.

But after stepping into the third layer of Yang God, he finally realized the vastness of heaven and earth.

As for the Venerable Ten Thousand Days, he no longer regarded him as a rival.

He was utterly unworthy.

The Dragon Turtle Venerable breathed a sigh of relief: “Now that we have gathered ninety thousand immortal veins, in a few more days we can enter the Cosmic Void Realm.”

Upon hearing this, the Azurefall Realm Lord’s expression brightened with joy: “I am indebted to you, fellow Daoist.”

He was also filled with curiosity and anticipation for the Cosmic Void Realm.

“It is nothing; all for the sake of the Immortal Realm,” said the Dragon Turtle Venerable. “Now, it is time for the Azurefall Realm Lord to learn the precautions within the Cosmic Void Realm.”

“Pray tell, fellow Daoist.”

At the mention of the Cosmic Void Realm, a grave look appeared in the Dragon Turtle Venerable’s eyes.

“The Cosmic Void Realm was created by many Dao Lords, or perhaps discovered.

Thus, within the Cosmic Void Realm, there are many powerful Realm Lords!”

He recalled his first entry into the Cosmic Void Realm, standing there like a mere underling.

Those Realm Lords stripped off their clothes before him and plunged into the Cosmic Spirit Sea; at that time, he dared not act rashly, lowering his head and closing his eyes.

After all, he was only at the second layer of Yang God, though possessing combat power at the weak rule realm, he was not a Realm Lord.

If he had chanced to glance at the unclothed form of any Realm Lord, that lord might have been angered and annihilated his true spirit.

He would have had nowhere even to weep.

“In the Cosmic Void Realm, the Azurefall Realm Lord must tread carefully and never let his mind wander or his eyes stray.

Any one of those ancient monsters within is beyond the likes of us to handle,” the Dragon Turtle Venerable said earnestly.

Entering the Cosmic Void Realm offers great opportunities, but also boundless dangers.

The last time the Dragon Turtle Venerable entered, he nearly perished inside.

Fortunately, a kind-hearted female Realm Lord lent a hand, allowing him to escape from a terrifying Realm Lord.

The Azurefall Realm Lord’s expression also turned solemn: “Indeed, one must keep a low profile.”

Only after becoming a Realm Lord did he realize how far his path of cultivation still stretched.

All manner of cosmic rules, first-grade rules, the myriad things, heaven-creation—these were existences he could hardly grasp or touch.

“I ask the Azurefall Realm Lord to prepare for three days; in three days, we shall enter the Cosmic Void Realm together,” said the Dragon Turtle Venerable.

“Very well,” replied the Azurefall Realm Lord.

……

At that moment, amidst the boundless cosmos.

Qi Yuan stood on a planet, curiosity gleaming in his eyes.

“What in the world is this?”

“The life I created through heaven-creation?”

“But... why does it look so shoddy?”

Back then, Qi Yuan had sown seeds in this universe to perform heaven-creation and establish a world.

Now, at last, there were modest results—some simple life forms had appeared.

Hmm, even simpler and more slapdash than a paramecium, like a single pixel of a mosaic.

“Regardless, it counts as success,” Qi Yuan said, as countless time rules swirled in his hand and descended upon this planet.

He accelerated the planet’s flow of time, allowing these creatures to multiply and evolve quickly.

“A bit odd—why did I create heaven in the first place?”

“To keep pets?”

At that moment, Qi Yuan suddenly froze.

The heaven-creation realm allows one to open the heavens and create life.

But what is the purpose of creating life? Just to indulge in the thrill of being a creator?

“No matter what, the more minions the better.”

“Speed up the time flow on the other planets too. When there are enough people, if I bring them back to Blue Star, with sheer numbers, I can get myself elected as the Star Lord of Blue Star through a vote.”

“That would be a glory for my ancestors.”

This time, Qi Yuan’s thoughts ran deep and his vision soared high; he no longer, as before, merely considered sending these people into electronics factories to work for money.

(The chapter ends)