Free Web NovelChapter 190: Chapter 183: Brute Force Creates Miracles
"So, what you’re saying is that the Fire Foundation Establishment Object, empowered by the lingering will of this Sitting Arhat, has actually developed a considerable spiritual nature of its own over the long years?
And it has already injured three senior brothers at Qi Refining Great Perfection who tried to retrieve it?"
After interrogating Zhu Qing and Shi Xin separately and finding their stories corroborated each other—virtually eliminating the possibility of collusion—Qi Yun couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow, his fingers unconsciously stroking his chin.
This news was indeed somewhat unexpected.
It wasn’t unheard of for a Foundation Establishment Object to develop spiritual nature.
But it usually required extremely harsh conditions and a long time to nurture.
However, a spiritual Foundation Establishment Object in the [Shiyi Realm], brought into being by the lingering will of an Arhat, was clearly far more powerful and difficult to handle than an ordinary one.
"That’s right," Zhu Qing answered breathlessly, enduring his pain, his voice tinged with lingering fear. "That Foundation Establishment Object is said to have been formed from the largest and most central fragment left after that Arhat’s own Dao Foundation shattered.
It has been here for many years, steeped day and night in the Arhat’s lingering will and the Buddha Realm’s Dao Rhyme. It’s long been full of spiritual nature and can even autonomously mobilize some of the power of this place."
He paused, a hint of resignation on his face.
"Although senior brothers at Qi Refining Great Perfection have begun to touch upon the mysteries of their own Dao Foundations and can wield some of their power...
...they are not true Foundation Establishment Masters, after all. There is a fundamental difference in their level of power.
But that Foundation Establishment Object... it originates from an Arhat’s Dao Foundation. In this place, it’s like a fish in water, with almost no such limitations.
Add to that the suppressive effect of this [Milo Mountain] on us Holy Sect Disciples...
...the defeat of those few Great Perfection senior brothers was... utterly infuriating."
On the other side, when Qi Yun questioned him again, Shi Xin gave a nearly identical answer, adding:
"That thing is very cunning. It knows how to use the terrain to its advantage and can even command some of the Buddha Fire and residual Restrictions. It’s incredibly difficult to deal with."
"That Foundation Establishment Object, is it still in Burning Karma Valley now?" Qi Yun asked Zhu Qing for confirmation after a moment of silence.
"It is." Zhu Qing nodded affirmatively. "Although it repelled three Great Perfection senior brothers in a row, it also consumed a great deal of its own spiritual power and is said to have sustained some damage.
It’s currently hiding in the depths of Burning Karma Valley, which is filled with powerful natural Restrictions and berserk Buddha Fire. This has formed an excellent barrier, making it difficult to force one’s way in."
Having received nearly identical testimonies from both men, Qi Yun waved for the Dharma Guardian Vajra to take them away again and keep them under guard, while he himself fell into deep thought.
He paced slowly, his brow slightly furrowed, secretly pondering the situation before him.
From the information he had gathered, it was clear that forcefully seizing the Foundation Establishment Object with his own strength was not a viable option.
He was very self-aware.
Three at Qi Refining Great Perfection—these were existences that already had one foot through the door to Foundation Establishment, their strength far surpassing that of an ordinary Qi Refining Ninth Layer cultivator.
Even they had returned in defeat, and injured at that. Even if he had many trump cards and his true combat strength was greater than the average cultivator at the Peak of Qi Refining, he was still no match for a true Qi Refining Great Perfection cultivator.
Charging in recklessly would be no different from throwing an egg against a rock.
’Then... what if I include this Dharma Guardian Vajra?’
Qi Yun’s gaze involuntarily fell upon the Copper Man standing solemnly beside him, its aura profound and deep.
This Dharma Guardian Vajra was incredibly powerful. It had disabled two cultivators at the Peak of Qi Refining with just two punches. Its strength had definitely reached the threshold of Foundation Establishment, and might even be higher.
If he could command it to fight against the Foundation Establishment Object...
...his chances of success would undoubtedly increase dramatically.
But as soon as the thought arose, he dismissed it.
’No... This Dharma Guardian Vajra obeys me now because it mistakenly recognizes me as an "Arahant" and is compelled by the residual Buddhist Sect aura on me.
But that Foundation Establishment Object is also empowered by the lingering will of the Arhat who was the original master of this Shiyi Realm!
Fundamentally, their powers come from the same source; they are both parts of what that Arhat left behind.
Making the Dharma Guardian Vajra deal with the Foundation Establishment Object would be like making it fight itself, like the left hand hitting the right.
This path, most likely, is also a dead end...’
His brow furrowed tightly. Qi Yun subconsciously began to rapidly spin the string of Platinum Buddha Beads on his wrist.
’I finally found a Fire Foundation Establishment Object that is not only within arm’s reach but also compatible with my Daoist Intent, and I can’t even take it?’
The warm, smooth feel of the Buddha Beads reached him. Qi Yun’s mind raced, piecing together and reorganizing all the information he had, trying to find that one possible, overlooked sliver of hope.
After gathering all the information, Qi Yun’s body flickered, and he once again transformed into a faint wisp of Pure Qi, suspended in mid-air. The fingers of his right hand began to move with lightning speed, like butterflies flitting through flowers, forming complex seals.
[Blood-Drawn Profound Mechanism]
PTHOO!
The moment the Spell began, Qi Yun felt a tightness in his chest as a coppery sweetness rose in his throat, and he spat out a mouthful of fresh blood.
But this was only the beginning.
As his calculations deepened, countless invisible Cause and Effect Threads began to wind around him, the other ends connected to an unfathomable mist and a severe backlash.
His body of Pure Qi began to twist and collapse in a bizarre manner.
Some parts even became abruptly transparent and void, as if they had been erased!
The backlash from the [Blood-Drawn Profound Mechanism] began to erupt.
However, just as his body was about to collapse, Qi Yun formed a seal with his left hand, activating the [Gathering Form and Scattering Qi] technique.
The Pure Qi flowed back and condensed, his collapsing form reassembling once more!
Collapse—reform—collapse again—reform again!
It was an extremely painful and dangerous process.
Qi Yun’s consciousness was like a small boat tossed about on stormy seas.
He had to maintain the uninterrupted divination of the [Blood-Drawn Profound Mechanism].
At the same time, he had to endure the agony of his physical body and Divine Soul being constantly torn apart and forcibly stitched back together.
Beneath the hazy halo of Pure Qi, his face began to take on a sickly pallor.
One day, two days, three days...
In this secluded mountain hollow, if not for the Dharma Guardian Vajra standing solemn guard and isolating the area...
...the intense fluctuations in his aura and the strange phenomena he was causing would have long ago attracted unnecessary trouble.
Three full days passed.
When the dim yellow light of the fourth day shone down once more...
...the Pure Qi that was Qi Yun contracted violently, then completely solidified, revealing his original form.
His face was as pale as paper, completely drained of color. His lips were chapped and his eyes were dim, as if he had just recovered from a major illness. Even his stance was unsteady.
He slowly released the Spell he had been holding for three full days.
"Huuu..."
A long breath of foul, blood-scented Muddy Qi escaped his lips.
But in his exhausted eyes, a flash of clarity and sharpness appeared, like the sun breaking through the clouds. freewebnøvel.com
He had succeeded!
The [Blood-Drawn Profound Mechanism] was tyrannical and dangerous, but its effect was truly heaven-defying.
Using a method that bordered on self-mutilation, he had forcibly snatched the only viable key to breaking the deadlock from within the intricate and complex fog of cause and effect!
His gaze fell on his left wrist.
The string of platinum-colored Buddha Beads, warm and smooth as jade, was wrapped quietly around it.
"So... the key to breaking this deadlock was here all along," Qi Yun muttered to himself, his voice hoarse but filled with the certainty of sudden enlightenment.
The results of his divination clearly pointed to this string of Buddha Beads, which had been condensed from the lingering will of Little Monk Ming Xin and a Buddha Source.
It was not merely a cultivation treasure that provided Divine Rhyme.
It also contained the [Dao Position] of a true Arhat.
With this item in hand, he could suppress the spiritual nature of that Foundation Establishment Object and prevent it from running rampant.
His mind made up, Qi Yun immediately summoned the Dharma Guardian Vajra and ordered it to stand strict guard outside and allow nothing to disturb him.
He then sat down cross-legged and began to circulate the [Innate Qi Heart Method].
At the same time, he took out a few treasured Elixirs and put them in his mouth.
Feeling the warm current from the dissolving Elixirs nourishing his ravaged meridians and Divine Soul, Qi Yun gained a deeper understanding of the [Blood-Drawn Profound Mechanism].
’This [Blood-Drawn Profound Mechanism] is just as the Elder Master said.
It’s purely a "brute force creates miracles" type of approach.
It disregards skill and evasion, instead forcefully offering one’s own body to clash head-on with cause and effect.
The results are truly amazing, and the backlash is truly severe...’
He used Introspection to look at the internal injuries that were slowly healing inside his body, feeling a sense of lingering fear.
’If the [Gathering Form and Scattering Qi] technique weren’t so exquisite and profound, allowing it to almost infinitely reconstruct my physical body...
...I’m afraid my body would have already collapsed more than a hundred times...’
Relying on his Peak of Qi Refining Cultivation and powerful foundation, this was the first time he had ever fully activated the [Blood-Drawn Profound Mechanism] for such a long time and without regard for the cost, all to divine a solution to a specific problem.
Although he had ultimately succeeded in peeking at heaven’s secrets and finding a path forward, it had left him mentally and physically exhausted. His Divine Soul was severely depleted, and his physical body was pushed to its absolute limit.
He had come dangerously close to a point where even [Gathering Form and Scattering Qi] couldn’t pull him back from the brink of collapse.
After meditating for about half a day to regulate his breathing, Qi Yun slowly opened his eyes, feeling that he had recovered enough to at least move without issue.
Though still weary, his gaze had once again become firm and spirited.
"Next, it’s time to pay a visit to this Foundation Establishment Object."
...
[Burning Karma Valley]
Even before he truly got close, a suffocating heat wave washed over him.
The mountainsides on either side of the valley entrance were not made of ordinary rock and soil, but a dark red crystalline substance with streams of unquenchable golden Buddha Fire flowing across its surface.
This Buddha Fire was no mortal flame; it did not burn grass or trees, but specifically incinerated Evil Qi, karmic debt, and demonic thoughts.
For a Demon Cultivator, touching it would be like having maggots clinging to their bones—extremely difficult to get rid of.
Inside the valley, light and shadow danced in a bizarre display.
The ground was split by countless fissures from which viscous, golden-red flames churned—at times as calm as a lake, at others gushing like a fountain.
The air was filled with the mixed scent of scorching ash and a strange sandalwood fragrance.
And on the outskirts of this deadly place, near the valley entrance...
...figures with deep and heavy auras could be seen, appearing and disappearing from view.
Their auras were contained, their gazes sharp; they were all extraordinary individuals, the weakest among them at the Peak of Qi Refining.
These were the Holy Sect Disciples guarding this place, trying to find an opportunity to retrieve the Foundation Establishment Object from within the valley.
They maintained a tacit distance from one another, mutually wary, while all kept a close watch on any movement within Burning Karma Valley.
In the midst of this oppressive and tense silence...
...a brilliant golden gleam, like a sharp sword tearing through the dim yellow sky, shot over from the distance, its target clearly the entrance to Burning Karma Valley!
’Someone else is here?’
’Who is it? So fast!’
’This Escape Light... looks familiar, doesn’t it?’
The hearts of the people hiding outside the valley tightened. They all swept their Divine Sense over, subconsciously raising their guard as True Essence surged within their bodies.
In a place like this, one more person meant one more competitor.
Especially one who was so undisguised and headed straight for the objective; it usually meant they were either extremely confident in their own strength...
...or had something to rely on.
But as the golden gleam drew closer and revealed its true form, all the Divine Senses probing it snapped back as if they had been scalded.
The hidden figures all stiffened in unison, their faces simultaneously breaking into extremely strange expressions.
The reason was simple!
The one rapidly approaching Burning Karma Valley was not a Holy Sect Disciple at all.
It was the one that struck terror into the hearts of all on [Milo Mountain], the one whose fists were hard enough to shatter Magical Artifacts—the Dharma Guardian Vajra.
Almost everyone who had managed to stay here and survive until now had suffered at the hands of this monster.
Seeing this baleful star heading straight for Burning Karma Valley...
...was an almost instinctual reaction. Everyone instantly concealed their auras to the absolute limit, shrinking further and further into the shadows.
They all averted their gazes, no longer daring to look directly at the Copper Man.
They were terrified that a single careless glance would attract its "attention" and earn them a senseless beating.
As for why the Dharma Guardian Vajra had come to Burning Karma Valley? What it wanted to do inside? No one knew, and no one dared to ask.
In any case, it could take whatever it wanted from this godforsaken place, as long as it didn’t come looking for trouble with them.
Meanwhile, Qi Yun, who had transformed into a nearly invisible wisp of Pure Qi and was silently attached to the Dharma Guardian Vajra, took in all of the crowd’s reactions with his "eyes." ƒreewebηoveℓ.com
He looked at these senior brothers, who were usually influential figures back in the Inner Mansion.
Now, they were like quails that had met their natural predator, each one concealing their aura and holding their breath, wishing they could bury themselves in the ground.
A grin spread across Qi Yun’s face.
’Since my senior brothers are "looking out" for me so well...’
’...then I won’t stand on ceremony.’
And so, right under the noses of a crowd of the Inner Mansion’s top disciples, Qi Yun openly hitched a ride on the Dharma Guardian Vajra, safely entering the [Burning Karma Valley].
...
