59: Chapter 59 Origin

[Leaving Wanzhen Sect, you didn't subdue Yang Cong this time. After all, as a Void Refinement Stage cultivator, he couldn't help you much beyond opening the secret realm.]

[You need to wait for the Hehuan Sect's secret realm to open in the Spirit Ruins Realm. One reason is to obtain the spirit sealing ring and that crystal coffin.]

[Secondly, the cultivation you obtained from the simulator did not include the techniques for the second layer and beyond of the Yaojiu Mysterious Art; you still need to go there to comprehend them.]

[However, it's still a long time before the Hehuan Sect's secret realm opens, so you decide to head to the Middle Pond to take a look.]

[Arriving at Nibin City, you are filled with emotion.]

[You wonder if you'll encounter Zhang Xiaobai again this time, or the disciples you met in that previous simulation.]

[You still remember them: one is Guan Qingqing, and the other is Sanqing, one of the disciples you took in.]

[Looking at it now, Sanqing is likely the reincarnation of some powerful being, though perhaps the awakening wasn't complete.]

[Having a sudden inspiration, you spend the next few months in Nibin City establishing a force called the Blue Star Orphanage, specifically to recruit orphans with cultivation talent.]

[As for Yang Cong, you leave him here to be the director. With his Void Refinement Stage strength, no one would dare cause trouble.]

[You also instruct him to secretly search for "seeds" in the Western Regions and recruit them as well.]

[As for you, you tear open a gap in the formation and head directly to the Middle Pond.]

[At age 23, you travel across the entire Middle Pond, slaying many messengers of the Tanyan Sect along the way.]

[However, you don't see a single one of the "seeds" they mentioned; you suspect most of them may have already been killed.]

[During your travels, you are drawn to a divine mountain in the Middle Pond called the Lunkun Divine Mountain, a place designated as a forbidden zone by the locals.]

[Rumor has it that a great terror is sealed here, and any cultivator who enters to explore never returns.]

[However, your Perfect Great Dao Body allows you to sense that the world's Dao Rhyme here is different from other places, giving you a faint suspicion.]

[Entering the Lunkun Divine Mountain, you encounter many demonic beasts, including several of the fifth and sixth ranks.]

[Reaching the depths, you even encounter a peak seventh-rank snake demon!]

[Fortunately, dealing with the Soul Transformation Stage is like slicing vegetables for you now; you quickly subdue it and collect its beast blood.]

[After tempering your clone to the Soul Transformation level, you feel this is already the limit for Daoist Sanguang's body.]

[You slightly regret not refining Daoist Lan Hai into your clone, but your current clone is sufficient for this realm.]

[The deeper you go, even as an Body Integration Stage cultivator, a faint sense of unease grows in your heart.]

[Nevertheless, you persist in going deeper, the dangers along the way steadily intensifying.]

[There are even Void Refinement Stage tree demons here, and their strength seems unsuppressed by the Heavenly Dao.]

[Finally, you reach a narrow crevice.]

[Sleeping before the entrance of the crevice is an Body Integration Stage demonic beast whose aura is not inferior to yours at all! It appears to be a One-Horned Qilin.]

[You are shocked; the Qilin is a divine beast from ancient times, and this one being one-horned makes it a once-in-ten-thousand-years rarity.]

[The Qilin senses your arrival, and its eyes snap open, filled with hostility.]

["Outsider, leave at once!"]

[Majestic words come from the Qilin's mouth; you can't help but be shocked that it can actually speak.]

[But you aren't afraid of it; after all, it only warned you and didn't attack directly.]

[Considering the crevice behind it, you suspect there must be some treasure hidden there, and this Body Integration Stage demonic beast would be a great supplement for you!]

[You hesitate no longer and boldly launch an attack at the Qilin.]

[A golden palm print, laced with a hint of withering power, surges toward the Qilin.]

[Indeed, thanks to the Perfect Great Dao Body, you have completely comprehended the second layer of the Yaojiu Mysterious Art.]

[Now, you can use not only the power of life but also the opposing power of withering!]

[The Qilin's expression changes drastically; it didn't expect you to attack, nor that your strength had reached the Body Integration Stage!]

["Who are you? Has the Nine Heavens Domain invaded again?"]

[The Qilin's voice rings out with fury as it counters with a move of its own, suddenly revealing its peak Body Integration Stage strength!]

[Once the battle truly begins, you realize its strength is roughly on par with yours, likely because it is injured.]

[However, you take note of its words; since it knows about the Nine Heavens Domain, the Qilin's identity must be extraordinary.]

[As you clash repeatedly, you ask where it learned about the Nine Heavens Domain.]

[It merely snorts coldly and continues its relentless assault.]

[Dodging its attack with a side step, you use your strongest technique: Thousand Wind and Cloud Palm!]

[With your Perfect Great Dao Body, you integrate the local Dao Rhyme into the technique, giving it an overwhelming momentum that rivals the Tribulation Transcendence Stage!]

[After several exchanges, you fight with increasing ferocity. The Yaojiu Mysterious Art provides you with surging vitality, and you even begin to burn your lifespan to enhance your combat power.]

[However, the Qilin soon becomes unable to withstand your attacks and stumbles to the ground.]

[Just as you are about to step forward and finish it off, a look of determination flashes in the Qilin's eyes.]

["Even in death, I will not let you set foot upon the origin of my Spirit Ruins Realm again!"]

[Its body then begins to swell rapidly; it intends to use self-detonation to stop you!]

["Don't be rash; he is of this realm."]

[Just as the Qilin is about to self-detonate, an ethereal and gentle voice drifts out from the crevice behind it.]

[The Qilin's body calms down accordingly, but its eyes are filled with astonishment.]

["Are you certain, Master? How could someone from this realm break through to the Body Integration Stage?"]

[Listening to their conversation, a bold guess forms in your mind.]

[This place is regarded as a forbidden zone by those in the Middle Pond not only because it is fraught with danger, but for another important reason.]

[You suspect that this place is the very center of the Spirit Ruins Realm.]

[That is to say, the world origin of the Spirit Ruins Realm that you have been searching for so desperately!]

["Come in, child."]

[As the ethereal voice reaches your ears, you feel your blood surging, and the exhaustion from the recent battle seems to be completely smoothed away.]

[Without hesitation, you glance at the Qilin and stride into the crevice.]

[At first, it was extremely narrow, barely wide enough for a person. After walking dozens of paces, it suddenly opened up into a broad expanse.]

[Opening your eyes, you find the place to be entirely pure white, remarkably similar to the scene when you comprehended the Yaojiu Mysterious Art in the last simulation.]

["The laws of space-time upon you... it's the power of the space-time mirror, isn't it? Is this currently just your... future?"]