55: Chapter 55 Resolving the Initial Mana Form, the World's Will?

Ye Qingxuan stood up, feeling his cultivation base at the Early Stage of Soul Transformation, close to the Middle Stage. He then strolled out, his domain of law gradually pulling back into his body as he walked. Seeing Xiao Jiu still looking around, Ye Qingxuan smiled faintly and reached out to hold it over.

"Meow meow, Daoist, are you done cultivating?" Xiao Jiu's eyes lit up. The Daoist had become even better-looking!

"Let's go, I'll take you to eat roast meat!" Ye Qingxuan patted Xiao Jiu's head, and the little cat purred comfortably. "Roast meat, roast meat, the cat wants to eat roast meat!"

With a single step, he arrived at the Longgu Village square. After breaking through to Soul Transformation, his usage of Divine Abilities had become even smoother.

Looking at the people sitting cross-legged all over the square, they were all taking advantage of Ye Qingxuan's domain of law and the overflowing Spiritual Qi to step through the doorway of cultivation—some cultivating immortality, some Battle Qi, and some magic.

This was the effect of a domain of law; it could allow even someone with no talent to directly enter the doors of cultivation. However, the future would still depend on one's own Comprehension Ability and perseverance.

Looking at Bai Yuekui, who possessed the strongest Aura among the crowd at around the strength of the Late Stage of Foundation Establishment, she hadn't cultivated those two Cultivation Techniques. Instead, she had drawn upon Ye Qingxuan's understanding of the Dual Cultivation of Nature and Life to sort through her own deficiencies.

"Huh, Saber Intent?" There was a wave of Saber Intent coalesced around Bai Yuekui without dispersing.

Bai Yuekui seemed to hear Ye Qingxuan's voice. Opening her eyes, she saw him standing in front of her.

"Did you... make a Breakthrough?" Her tone carried a bit of curiosity.

"I broke through. Poor Daoist plans to go solve the mana ecology right now. Until I return, do not leave Longgu Village," Ye Qingxuan instructed, then turned and walked away holding Xiao Jiu.

"Wait a second!" Her voice sounded a bit strange.

"Hmm?" Ye Qingxuan turned back, a puzzled look on his face.

"Are you... confident?" Her voice was suppressing something. Hope? Panic? Probably both.

"Poor Daoist never does anything without certainty." Having said that, he transformed into a streak of sword light and flew toward that giant flower.

"You are the last hope. Operation Ape Strike? How ridiculous," Bai Yuekui murmured to herself, watching the distant streaming light.

— Live Stream Room

"Fellow Daoist Yuanxin, with Qingxuan's current strength, does he have a chance of victory if he faces the Void Return Stage?" Celestial Master Zhang suddenly asked a baffling question.

"I'm not quite sure. The gap between Soul Transformation and the Void Return Stage is too immense, but he should have no trouble protecting himself," Master Yuanxin pondered before giving a vague answer.

"Fellow Daoist Yuanxin, you forgot that Immortal Master Qingxuan also mastered a Divine Ability."

Master Kongming reminded him, glancing at Celestial Master Zhang. Old Daoist, aren't you just trying to show off the ultimate power of the Five Thunders Orthodoxy?

"Poor Daoist almost forgot." Master Yuanxin realized it as well. So what if it's Mastering the Five Thunders? What's there to show off about? Once Qingxuan's cultivation is high enough, this old Daoist will hand the Zhuxian Array Diagram over to him!!

Sister Qing: "???" What riddles were these three big shots speaking in?

— Bullet Screen Section

"Daoist Ye is going to work!"

"We can strengthen our bodies again!"

"Arrogant Huaxia people, just wait, that cheating Ye will soon be torn to pieces!!!"

"Ho, looking at the ID, it's an Indian brother again. Back to complain about sour grapes because he can't have them."

"To the person above, they're just a bunch of clowns. Ignore him and let's watch Daoist Ye unleash his Divine Might!"

"Upvoting the person above!"

For a clown trying to farm attention, ignoring him was the greatest counterattack.

— National Destiny Space

After Ye Qingxuan reached Soul Transformation, his light-travel escape speed grew even faster, covering ten thousand miles in just a few breaths. Soon, he saw the colossal Mana Flower that seemed to connect heaven and earth, surrounded by desolate, devastated ruins.

"Xiao Jiu, go into the ring first. The upcoming battle isn't suitable for bringing you along." Ye Qingxuan looked at the flower and rubbed Xiao Jiu's head.

"Okay, Daoist, be careful!" Seeing the giant vines, Xiao Jiu went directly into the ring.

With no more worries holding him back, Ye Qingxuan directly activated the Zhuxian Sword Intent, and endless Sword Qi emerged.

Densely packed sword shadows spanned across the sky. Feeling the threat, Mana caused countlessly thick vines to shoot out from underground like earth dragons.

"Heaven and Earth Lose Color!"

Unleashed with a cultivation base of the Soul Transformation Stage, in an instant, the entire world fell into a standstill and turned into a monochrome gray-white.

Ye Qingxuan looked at the vines frozen in place with a bit of confusion. "It barely reaches the level of Soul Transformation, not even as strong as that birdman. Is it this weak?"

"Extinguish!"

Under Ye Qingxuan's voice of the Dao, were the vines turned to ashes?

All the vines were swept clean, revealing the core inside. Without a moment's hesitation, Ye Qingxuan condensed endless Sword Qi, ultimately forming tens of thousands of giant swords hundreds of meters long.

"Go!" Ye Qingxuan pressed his fingers together like a sword, and thousands of sword shadows poured down onto the vines like a torrential rainstorm.

The Sword Qi contained Zhuxian Sword Intent, possessing the ability to slay and annihilate the Divine Soul. Once a living being was hit by the Sword Qi, its Divine Soul would be eradicated by the Sword Intent.

The Mana Flower was likewise a living being; without any surprise, it was turned into ash and smoke.

"Too weak! Are you still not coming out?" Ye Qingxuan looked toward the void.

— Live Stream Room

"Who is Daoist Ye talking to?"

"The National Destiny Game hasn't even announced task completion yet, so there's definitely a mastermind behind the scenes."

"So strong! A giant monster like that was wiped out in just two strikes!"

"Look quick! An even stronger one is coming out!"

———

"Outsider, you are very strong!" A language never heard before sounded out, automatically translated by the National Destiny Space.

Thud, thud, thud. The void shattered, and a giant stepped out from within. His Aura was roughly at the Perfection of Soul Transformation, though somewhat unstable and liable to drop down to the Late Stage of Soul Transformation at any moment.

"Are you the Mana Prime?" Ye Qingxuan looked at this humanoid giant "person," slightly puzzled.

"Human... committed taboo... outsider... you deserve to die." The giant looked at Ye Qingxuan, his tone furious and surging with killing intent.

Ye Qingxuan smiled: "It seems that because Poor Daoist killed most of the Sustenance-seekers, your strength dropped significantly. And you are mistaken—you are the outsider!!"

Buzz, buzz—!! The hum of swords rang out as the Zhuxian Sword Intent manifested once more. A heaven-and-earth-shaking sword hum suddenly exploded!

The three thousand strands of hair around Ye Qingxuan danced wildly. His moon-white Daoist robe billowed loudly from his violent magic power, and teal-gold magic power shot up into the sky from his body like a world-ending torrent.

As his Primordial Spirit domain of law expanded, that Aura even stronger than the Mana Giant caused the giant's pupils to shrink abruptly, its mountain-like body instinctively taking half a step back.

A roar capable of shattering galaxies erupted from the giant's mouth as strange Mana language mixed with the National Destiny translation echoed through heaven and earth.

A colossal palm pressed down like a blotting sky. Wherever the palm wind passed, space vibrated with ripples under the tremendous force. The power behind it was strong enough to kill ordinary Soul Transformation Cultivators!

Facing the earth-overturning force, Ye Qingxuan stood tall in the high sky, his figure upright like an eternal sword peak, without a single ripple of emotion in his eyes.

Bang! With a loud crash, the giant's fist seemed to hit an invisible wall, unable to advance an inch. It was Ye Qingxuan's palm. The scene was utterly absurd—a 185-centimeter human raising a hand to block a punch from a hundreds-of-meters-tall giant.

To Ye Qingxuan, it was like raising a hand to hold up a piece of foam board. Behind him, a massive crater was blasted out by the terrifying shockwave.

"Heaven and Earth Lose Color!"

Heaven and earth turned gray-white once again, fixing the Mana Giant in place within its panicked gaze.

Ye Qingxuan circulated his magic power once more. With a single thought, the Sword Qi between heaven and earth instantly wrote out the Carefree Travel.

"Clearing After Snow!"

Teal-gold Sword Qi runes manifested, circulating around Ye Qingxuan like countless chains.

"Go."

Buzz, buzz. The Sword Qi runes acted like chains, binding the giant firmly.

Ye Qingxuan then turned his right palm upward. A wisp of golden light rose from his palm, turning into a massive banner—it was precisely the Karma Magic Treasure, the human emperor banner.

When the Mana Giant saw the human emperor banner appear, fear filled its eyes. It was this eerie banner that had swallowed countless Sustenance-seekers, causing it to lose most of its Life Source Essence and weakening its power.

"Poor Daoist's human emperor banner is still missing a primary Soul. Today, I'll use you to complete it! Go!"

Jingle, jingle. Countless golden chains reached out from the human emperor banner, piercing through the Mana Giant's body like cutting through tofu. A powerful devouring force continuously absorbed the giant's Origin.

"Roar! Humble human!! Let me go!" The giant roared, its voice forming visible shockwaves spreading across heaven and earth.

— Longgu Village

"Roar, roar—"

A thunderous roar washed over them, mixed with a language they could not understand. Hearing this familiar yet foreign language, Bai Yuekui's face showed worry. She had heard this language before—it was the language of the Mana Prime.

"You must win, Ye Qingxuan!!"

— Live Stream Room

"The outcome is set; this giant is done for." Master Yuanxin watched the giant being devoured by the human emperor banner.

"This giant's strength is greater than that world will, but Qingxuan is just playing around. He hasn't used his full power at all!"

Celestial Master Zhang saw through it. Ye Qingxuan was playing around from start to finish without using any real skills. He had thought the enemy possessed Void Return Stage strength and hoped to see that Divine Ability manifest.

"Amitabha, the dust has settled!" Master Kongming recited a Buddhist chant, sighing inwardly. A giant with the strength of Soul Transformation Perfection was dealt with in just a couple of moves?

Sister Qing also looked reverent: "As expected of Daoist Ye, accomplishing it so effortlessly."

— Bullet Screen Section

"Daoist Ye never disappoints. So freakin' awesome!"

"Don't forget, when Daoist Ye was only at the Golden Core Stage, he killed a Soul Transformation Perfection opponent, let alone now when Daoist Ye is also at the Soul Transformation Stage!"

"As a fellow immortal Cultivator, I wonder if I can ever have Daoist Ye's strength in the future?"

"To the person above, don't even dream of the Soul Transformation Stage. If you can Cultivate to the Void Return Stage, you might be able to have Daoist Ye's current strength."

"Whether I can break through to the sixth layer of Qi Refining before the Grand Ritual of Luotian begins depends on the rewards Daoist Ye gets!"

— National Destiny Space

"Still putting up a deathbed struggle! Come out!" With a single command from Ye Qingxuan, countless Souls inside the human emperor banner were released, surrounding the giant and gnawing at it relentlessly.

"No!!!" Even the Mana Giant's enraged roars could not slow down the speed at which it was being devoured.

Before long, the Mana Giant was completely devoured, and the human emperor banner gained its primary Soul.

"Hmm? As expected, this Mana Prime isn't the root of the mana ecology. So the mastermind behind the scenes is you, world will!"

Ye Qingxuan recalled the eye he saw when his Primordial Spirit Left the Body after breaking through to Soul Transformation.

"Still not coming out? The dog you raised has already been turned into dust and ashes!" Ye Qingxuan said indifferently while staring into the void.

— Live Stream Room

"Hmm?! The mastermind is that world will?" Celestial Master Zhang seemed to have guessed something.

"The Heavenly Punishment of immortality!?" Master Yuanxin wore a realization-struck expression.

"Amitabha, human greed... but how are living beings at fault?" Abbot Kongming had a compassionate expression.

Sister Qing was completely bewildered: "Seniors, didn't Daoist Ye already deal with that Mana Prime? There's still a mastermind behind the scenes?"

Master Yuanxin said calmly, "Just keep watching!"

— Bullet Screen Section

"There's still a mastermind behind the scenes??"

"Wait, is this nesting Russian dolls or what?"

"world will? Doesn't that mean Daoist Ye gets to claim more world Origin?"

"The main ingredient of the butian pill is world Origin. Daoist Ye is gonna be rich!!"

"What a bunch of idiots!! If Daoist Ye hadn't eliminated the Sustenance-seekers and weakened its power, how strong do you think that giant would have been? If even such a powerful giant was just a pawn, how strong is the mastermind behind the scenes?"

"World Origin is a great thing, but you have to actually survive to get it!!"

"Could it have Void Return Stage strength??"

"Trust Daoist Ye. Look at his expression, he definitely has a backup plan!"

"Daoist Ye, be careful!!"

— National Destiny Space

Rumble!

Thunder detonated across the sky as blood-colored clouds swirled, gradually condensing into a blood-red vertical eye. The emotion within the vertical eye made the scalps of everyone watching the live stream go numb—it was too complex: greed, rage, sorrow, anxiety, longing, fear, and every imaginable emotion were contained within that eye.

"As expected, it's you! You raised a good dog, swallowing the essence, energy, and spirit of living beings to enhance yourself. Doesn't feel good to be corroded by the will of all living beings, does it?"

Ye Qingxuan stared at the vertical eye, his tone brimming with mockery and disdain. A world will trying to upgrade itself by consuming living beings? Did it think it was an evil Heavenly Dao? Expecting to upgrade with just this? Dream on!

— Live Stream Room

"The world will devours the essence, energy, and spirit of living beings?!" Master Yuanxin was shocked and speechless. What kind of bullshit world will was this? Was its head kicked by a donkey?

"Poor Daoist has never seen such a stupid world will!" Celestial Master Zhang shook his head as well.

"Amitabha, this poor monk is hearing of such a thing for the first time as well." Even this eminent monk was left utterly speechless.

"Seniors, what does Daoist Ye mean by that? I don't remember any knowledge like this in the hundred solutions to immortal cultivation?"

Sister Qing had been a cultivation illiterate during her last hosting session. Taking advantage of her free time, she had reviewed the hundred solutions to immortal cultivation repeatedly, not asking to recite it backward, but just to recall the content whenever mentioned. Yet this time, it touched a blind spot in her knowledge again.

— Bullet Screen Section

"It's not in the book! Seniors, please explain!"

"Yeah, Seniors, save us poor kids!"

"Begging for an explanation!!"

"My friend wants to hear an explanation before he dies!"

"I am that friend!!"

— Live Stream Room

"Because Immortality Tech shouldn't have appeared so early, the cycle of life was broken. Therefore, the world will used that mana ecology to recycle Life Source Essence," Master Yuanxin explained slowly.

"That Mana Giant was merely a biological weapon of the world will. It consumed too much Life Source Essence and was polluted by human memories—or rather, human nature!" Celestial Master Zhang said in a serious tone.

Abbot Kongming: "In other words, the world will was corrupted by human will. It developed selfish desires and wanted to devour all living beings to elevate itself into the Heavenly Dao."

"For a world will to elevate into the Heavenly Dao, it must be supremely impartial, supremely righteous, emotionless, and selfless! From the moment it birthed selfish desires, it permanently lost the opportunity to ascend!"

"That's why Qingxuan said it was stupid. It has already walked onto a path of no return."

The three of them added to the explanation back and forth.