After over a hundred years of traveling through the Red Dust in the Great Qin Imperial City, Mu Yaoyao gained an intuitive and profound understanding of the current prosperous civilization of the primeval Human race.
She marveled at the miracle of this combination of immortality and civilization, and more profoundly understood the heavy responsibility on her lover's shoulders. Her state of mind became increasingly consummate during her travels, and her comprehension of the Law of Taiyin and the earth imperceptibly deepened as her knowledge grew.
"Husband! ——"
"I am ready to go into seclusion and undergo the 'Earth Tribulation!' ——"
Mu Yaoyao desperately wanted to help her lover, so she prepared to enter seclusion to welcome the 'Earth Tribulation', so that she could become Qin Yi's right hand in the future, helping him benefit the Human race and fulfill his mission.
"Good! ——"
Qin Yi nodded.
Then, holding her soft hand, he stepped through space and time, returning to Shouyang Mountain.
To allow Mu Yaoyao to Cultivate more efficiently, Qin Yi specially opened up a cultivation quiet room for her, channeling the convergence of Shouyang Mountain's vein essence and the Nine Heavens' moonlight to form a unique "Taiyin Thick Earth" Dao field.
Mu Yaoyao sat cross-legged on the enlightenment futon temporarily lent by her lover. On one hand, she diligently studied the Taiyin True Scripture, deducing the Dao that suited her better; on the other hand, she began to try integrating what she had seen and felt during her travels, along with the meaning of the "civilization spark" contained within the Human race's Fortune, into her own Taiyin Dao rhyme.
Time flew, and years passed leisurely.
In the blink of an eye, nearly two thousand years passed quietly.
On this day, Mu Yaoyao, who was closing her eyes in the quiet room to perceive the pulse of the earth, suddenly felt her mind shake.
She felt a strange rhythm coming from the earth beneath her feet—not an earthquake, but a deeper "call" and "restlessness" originating from the Origin of the earth.
The Earth power accumulated within her body also seemed to be triggered, beginning to echo and resonate with the outside world.
"Is the Earth Tribulation approaching? ——"
Mu Yaoyao opened her eyes, a flash of understanding crossing her pupils.
Similar to how she triggered the "Thick Earth Tribulation" due to deep contact with the earth in the Creation Valley, over the past two thousand years, she had wholeheartedly comprehended the Law of the earth, long establishing a close connection with the primeval earth far exceeding ordinary Earth Immortals. It was only natural that she triggered the Earth Tribulation ahead of time.
She did not panic; instead, she had the calmness of matters running their natural course, so she directly transmitted her voice to inform her lover.
"Whoosh! ——"
Qin Yi brought her outside Shouyang Mountain, to a desolate valley specially used for Transcending Tribulation—Zhenyue Valley.
"Yaoyao! ——"
"Rest assured in Transcending Tribulation, I am here for everything! ——"
Gently patting the back of her hand, Qin Yi flashed and left Zhenyue Valley.
"Mn! ——"
Mu Yaoyao gently nodded, holding her breath and gathering her focus to welcome the arrival of the 'Earth Tribulation'.
She saw the ground of the valley begin to vibrate slightly. It wasn't a violent shaking, but rather like a giant beast turning over in its sleep, carrying a heavy, slow, yet irresistible rhythm.
Aura strands of earthy yellow rose from the cracks in the ground. Initially thin, they quickly became as dense as substance, shrouding the entire valley.
Unlike the last "Thick Earth Tribulation" where nourishment and pressure coexisted, this earthy yellow aura was more violent and chaotic, filled with the Qi of "Earth Fiend"!
Mixed within it were the filth, stubborn ailments, violent Qi accumulated deep in the earth, and various heterogeneous earth vein powers, as if they wanted to completely erode, assimilate, and tear apart the intruder!
"Earth Fiend Tribulation! ——"
Qin Yi's gaze narrowed. This was one of the more perilous types of Earth Tribulation, mostly seen in those with deep Foundations and close connections to the earth. They needed to directly endure the baptism and scouring of the Earth Fiend power with their Physical Body and Dao base, refining the purest Origin of the earth in order to survive it.
The process was perilous, but after surviving it, the benefits to the mastery of the Law of the earth and the consolidation of the Physical Body's Foundation were also immense.
"Yaoyao! ——"
"Guard your original mind, cleanse the turbidity of the Earth Fiend with the clear brilliance of Taiyin, and bear the ferocity of the Earth Fiend with the thick virtue of the earth! Transform the fiend into the Foundation, and then you will obtain the true meaning!"
Qin Yi's voice transmission resounded in Mu Yaoyao's Sea of Consciousness.
Mu Yaoyao nodded, moonlight blazing around her, and the cold radiance attempted to disperse and purify the incoming Earth Fiend Qi.
At the same time, she circulated what she had gained from her comprehension over the past two thousand years, connecting her Dao base even deeper to the earth beneath her feet, trying to guide and channel that violent Earth Fiend power.
"Boom ——!"
The Earth Fiend Qi seemed to have found an outlet, frantically pouring into Mu Yaoyao's body!
In an instant ——
She felt as if countless tiny "sand grains" filled with corrosive and chaotic intents rushed into her meridians, bones, internal organs, and even Divine Soul!
Severe pain washed over her, far worse than the tearing sensation of the Heavenly Tribulation's thunder. It was a slow, persistent erosion and destruction starting from the very Foundation!
In front of the Earth Fiend Qi, the purification effect of her Taiyin immortal power was greatly discounted, and she could only barely protect her core. The earth power tried to bear and channel it, but it also appeared sluggish and difficult. The Earth Fiend Qi was too heterogeneous and violent, far exceeding the scope she could easily control at present.
Mu Yaoyao let out a muffled groan, blood spilling from the corner of her mouth, and grayish-yellow spots began to appear on the surface of her immortal body, which were signs of Earth Fiend erosion. However, her gaze was firm and unyielding.
"Although the Earth Fiend is turbid, it is also a part of the earth. Thick virtue carries all things, and it can also accommodate the turbid and contain filth!"
She recalled Qin Yi's pointers, and even more so the earth's attribute of encompassing all things and digesting everything. No longer blindly resisting and purifying, she tried to use her own Dao base as a "furnace", the Taiyin power as "tinder", and the earth-bearing thought as "furnace walls", forcefully incorporating the rushing Earth Fiend Qi into her body for difficult refining!
This was an extremely painful and dangerous process. The Earth Fiend Qi rampaged through her body, violently colliding with the Taiyin power, attempting to contaminate her Dao base.
Her immortal body was constantly damaged, and then laboriously repaired under her tenacious will and the operation of the Cultivation Method. Sweat mixed with blood threads and Earth Fiend turbid Qi was discharged, forming a turbid mire beneath her.
Time passed bit by bit. The Earth Fiend Qi seemed endless, continuously gushing out from the underground and pouring into Mu Yaoyao's body.
Her aura was sometimes as weak as a candle in the wind, and sometimes burst forth in the limit with a trace of purer and thicker meaning.
Qin Yi saw this clearly from the outside. Although he had concerns in his heart, there was more appreciation.
He could perceive that under the frantic scouring of the Earth Fiend Qi, Mu Yaoyao's Dao base not only did not collapse, but instead, like fine iron hammered a thousand times, its impurities were bit by bit weeded out and discharged, and its essence became increasingly resilient and pure.
Her comprehension of the Law of the earth was also rapidly improving in this extreme "close contact"!
A full forty-nine days!
When the last strand of thick Earth Fiend Qi underground was laboriously refined and absorbed by Mu Yaoyao, the earthy yellow aura in the valley suddenly cleared!
Following that ——
A pure, thick, gentle, and vibrant Origin power of the earth gushed out from underground like a feeding-back, wrapping Mu Yaoyao within.
Nourished by this pure Origin of the earth, her damaged immortal body rapidly recovered, becoming even more crystal-clear, vaguely turning into a jade-like luster with a heavy texture of the earth flowing across it.
Mu Yaoyao's aura began to skyrocket rapidly. Her Dao base had fused the clear brilliance of Taiyin and the thick virtue of the earth, and after being extremely quenched by the Earth Fiend, it reached a solid and stable degree that was astonishing!
Seven-colored auspicious light mixed with dense earth-yellow Dao rhythm descended once again, its scale far surpassing anything before.
The Earth Fiend Tribulation was successfully transcended! — —
Mu Yaoyao opened her eyes, her pupils brimming with divine light. A lunar wheel floated and sank in her left eye, while earth veins crisscrossed in her right, adding a sense of calm and resilience forged through tribulation.
She gently clenched her fists, feeling her strength surge by more than ten times. Her control over the surrounding earth power, Origin, and Taiyin power became even more effortless due to her solidified Dao Foundation.
Qin Yi descended, carefully inspecting Mu Yaoyao's condition. Confirming that she was safe and sound, he revealed a gratified smile:
"Good! — —"
"Earth Fiend Body Tempering has cleansed your mortal bones. From now on, your Foundation is flawless, and a future in the Dao can be anticipated!"
Mu Yaoyao smiled brightly and was about to speak when suddenly — —
"Rumble!!! — —"
The ground beneath their feet emitted vibrations far more violent yet even more "hollow" than during the previous Earth Tribulation! It felt as though some colossal creature was turning over deep beneath the earth, or as if a space sealed away for a long time had been forcefully ripped open!
In the center of Zhenyue Valley, the ground suddenly collapsed, revealing a bottomless, pitch-black giant fissure!
Inside the fissure were not soil and rocks, but churning chaotic spatial turbulence and an unimaginably dense Innate water Qi! An ancient, desolate aura imbued with immense fated opportunity rushed forth from the depths of the fissure.
"A Secret Realm has emerged?! — —"
Qin Yi's gaze narrowed as his Divine Sense instantly probed into the fissure. With his current cultivation and understanding of the Primordial World, he immediately judged that this was an Innate Secret Realm that had manifested because the intense earth vein changes and Earth Fiend power triggered during Mu Yaoyao's Transcending Tribulation had coincidentally blasted open a sealed node!
Moreover, judging by this dense water Qi and that ancient, desolate Dao rhythm, it was by no means an ordinary Secret Realm!
"Hiss — —!!!"
Almost at the same time the Secret Realm fissure stabilized, a sharp, piercing screech that seemed capable of piercing through the Divine Soul came from the far horizon!
A massive, ink-black figure stretching for who knows how many thousands of li was seen driving towering floods and dark clouds, speeding toward Shouyang Mountain at a terrifying velocity!
That figure resembled a giant python with a single horn on its head and four protruding limbs faintly visible under its belly. Its entire body was covered in dim scales, exuding a ferocious, greedy, and terrifying aura of the Taiyi Golden Immortal level!
"Ba Serpent! — —"
Shi Feng, who had come to congratulate Mu Yaoyao, narrowed his eyes fiercely, Killing Intent faintly manifesting between his brows.
The Ba Serpent was a variant Ferocious Beast of the Primordial World, fond of devouring, especially items and treasures containing Innate water Qi. It often triggered flood disasters and possessed formidable strength.
This Ba Serpent was only at the Early Stage Profound Immortal realm. After sensing the aura of this Innate Secret Realm's emergence, its Innate talent predicted that the Innate water Qi contained within the Secret Realm held a fatal temptation for it, hence it rushed over desperately to snatch it!
"A mere Early Stage Profound Immortal Ba Serpent dares to run amok at my Shouyang Mountain?"
Shi Feng snorted coldly, directly guiding the power of the Formation, preparing to instantly kill it so as not to frighten the Empress.
"Shi Feng! — —"
"This is Yaoyao's Human Tribulation, do not act rashly!"
Qin Yi directly stopped him.
"Human Tribulation? — —"
"Didn't the Empress just transcend the Earth Tribulation? Why is she crossing the Human Tribulation so quickly?"
The expressions of everyone present were filled with astonishment.
Aside from witnessing Qin Yi transcend the three tribulations of Heaven, Earth, and Humanity with their own eyes and experiencing them themselves, they had never expected that the Human Tribulation would begin immediately after the Earth Tribulation ended.
This was truly somewhat incredible!
A smile graced Qin Yi's face as his gaze looked toward Mu Yaoyao, who had just successfully transcended her tribulation and whose aura was at its peak, directly transmitting his voice via Divine Sense to her:
"Yaoyao! — —"
"You already achieved Immortal Ascension on Earth, and now you have transcended the Heavenly Tribulation and Earth Tribulation in the Primordial World. Your own Dao Foundation and strength are extraordinary, which is why the final Human Tribulation has followed closely behind."
"Do you have the confidence to slay the Ba Serpent and transcend the Human Tribulation?"
Upon hearing her lover's voice transmission, Mu Yaoyao was slightly startled, and then a blazing Battle Intent ignited in her beautiful eyes.
"Husband, rest assured, I will definitely successfully transcend the Human Tribulation!"
Having just made a breakthrough, she was currently in high spirits, and she had an intuition deep down that if she could consecutively transcend the Earth Tribulation and Human Tribulation, she would very likely obtain additional benefits.
As for danger — —
With her lover here, what else was there to fear?
"Hiss! — —"
"A mere Human race ant dares to snatch the fated opportunity here?"
"Become this deity's dessert! — —"
A tyrannical roar came from the Ba Serpent's Divine Sense. Its massive snake tail carried the momentum to shatter mountains and split the earth, entwined with murky floodwaters and a foul wind, fiercely lashing toward Mu Yaoyao!
As Mu Yaoyao's Human Tribulation target, all its focus was placed on Mu Yaoyao; it did not notice Qin Yi and the others high above in the clouds at all.
"Taiyin Profound Ice, condense! Earth Barrier, rise!"
Mu Yaoyao rapidly formed hand Seals with both hands, instantly condensing massive Profound Ice shields dozens of zhang thick, crystal-clear yet marked with earth-yellow patterns, blocking in front of her in layers upon layers. At the same time, the earth beneath her feet bulged upward, forming thick rock walls path after path.
"Boom! Crack! Rumble — —!"
The snake tail lashed out, shattering the massive Profound Ice shields one after another, cracking the rock walls and washing over them with floodwaters! Mu Yaoyao was shaken until her blood and Qi churned, flying backward for hundreds of zhang, but there was no trace of fear in her eyes; instead, they grew even brighter.
"Such powerful strength! But, it is not unbeatable!"
She steadied her figure, wildly circulating the Taiyin immortal power and earth power within her body. Her immortal body, tempered by the Earth Fiend, was incomparably tough, and the previous impact had not caused substantial damage.
"Moonlight Chain, bind! — —"
Her hands pulled through the void, and countless chains condensed from pure moonlight with earth-yellow glowing edges sprouted from the void, winding around the Ba Serpent's massive body like spiritual snakes.
These chains not only contained the sealing and freezing power of Taiyin, but also carried a trace of the heaviness and stability of earth power, causing the Ba Serpent's movements to instantly stall.
"Wrath of the Earth, suppress! — —"
Treading upon the void, Mu Yaoyao invoked the earth power within a radius of a hundred li, transforming it into an illusory earth-yellow mountain that suppressed downward right toward the Ba Serpent's head! This was an attempt to initially integrate the Law of Earth into her attacks.
The Ba Serpent roared, black light surging wildly around its body, forcibly snapping many of the Moonlight Chains. Its single horn shot out a pitch-black light of water fiend, colliding head-on with the suppressing illusory mountain!
"Bang!!! — —"
Energy storms ravaged the area. Although Mu Yaoyao's potential was extraordinary, there was still a gap between her and the veteran Profound Immortal Ba Serpent. The illusory mountain was shattered, and she was once again blasted back, a trace of blood overflowing from the corner of her mouth.
But the Ba Serpent was also weighed down by the suppression containing earth power, and its movements slowed down once more.
"Taiyin True Fire, burn! — —"
Mu Yaoyao wiped away the blood, a fierce look flashing in her eyes.
She opened her mouth and spat, and a wisp of grayish-white flame flew out, growing rapidly upon meeting the wind and transforming into a sea of fire that enveloped the Ba Serpent.
This was precisely the embryonic form of the Taiyin True Fire she had refined back when she transcended her Heavenly Tribulation. After two thousand years of nurturing and this Earth Fiend Body Tempering, its power had vastly increased, specifically countering cold and water attributes!
"Hiss, hiss, hiss—!"
The Taiyin True Fire landed on the Ba Serpent's protective black light and scales, producing a violent burning sound.
The Ba Serpent felt pain and let out a startled and angry hiss; it hadn't expected this Human race woman's methods to be so bizarre and tricky, actually possessing a flame capable of injuring its Origin!
The battle fell into a deadlock—
Relying on her terrifyingly solid Foundation, exquisite application of the Taiyin and earth Laws, and the miraculous effect of the Taiyin True Fire, Mu Yaoyao actually fought back and forth with this Taiyi realm Ba Serpent. Although she was at a disadvantage and frequently injured, she was full of tenacity, growing braver the more she fought, and her application of her own strength became increasingly proficient.
Qin Yi watched the battle from the air and nodded slightly.
Mu Yaoyao's performance exceeded his expectations; this contingency response in battle, Law Fusion, and indomitable will already possessed the potential to become a powerhouse.
The battle lasted for several whole months. Unable to take her down after a long time, the Ba Serpent grew increasingly anxious. Moreover, being tickled by the Secret Realm's aura making it unbearably itchy, it finally couldn't hold back and unleashed its killing move!
"Swallowing the Heavens and Devouring the Earth!—"
The Ba Serpent's giant mouth opened to an unbelievable angle, forming a huge black hole vortex. A terrifying suction force came over, not only wanting to swallow Mu Yaoyao, but even causing the space of the Secret Realm fissure below to start distorting, as if it was about to be swallowed into its belly in one gulp!
"Not good!—"
Shi Feng and the others' expressions changed slightly. This move already contained part of the meaning of the Devouring Dao, and its might far surpassed the Early Stage Profound Immortal realm.
Qin Yi waved his hand indifferently, stopping them.
Since the Ba Serpent was the target for Mu Yaoyao's transcending of the Human Tribulation, their strengths were naturally comparable. Moreover, Mu Yaoyao possessed the Xuanyin Body and still had his essence Origin within her body, so she naturally had the means to deal with the Ba Serpent's ultimate strike.
"You want to swallow? Then I'll let you swallow your fill!"
"Taiyin Annihilation, Earth Core Explosive Flame!—"
Facing the Ba Serpent's ultimate devouring, not only did Mu Yaoyao not retreat, but instead compressed and mixed the remaining Taiyin immortal power and earth power around her in a manner akin to self-destruction, forming an extremely unstable energy core interwoven with grayish-white and earth-yellow, actively throwing herself into the Ba Serpent's giant black-hole-like mouth!
After finishing all this in a short instant, her figure retreated rapidly, and her hands formed the final Dharmic Seal.
"Explode!—"
"Rumble rumble rumble—!!!!"
A heaven-shaking loud noise came from within the Ba Serpent's body!
Its massive body suddenly stiffened, then violently expanded and distorted. Blinding grayish-white and earth-yellow light burst from the gaps in its scales on its body surface! It let out an extremely painful hiss, its Heaven-Swallowing and Earth-Devouring Divine Ability was forcibly interrupted, and the black hole vortex collapsed.
This near-suicidal strike by Mu Yaoyao detonated the highly compressed, conflicting forces of Taiyin and earth inside the Ba Serpent, causing it unprecedented heavy damage!
The Ba Serpent's aura instantly withered, and its massive body tumbled and fell from the air, smashing and collapsing several peaks with smoke and dust soaring into the sky.
Having exhausted her strength and suffered backlash, Mu Yaoyao's complexion was as pale as paper, and she was swaying precariously.
"Swish!—"
Qin Yi instantly appeared by her side, supporting her, and a pure and gentle strand of magical power was channeled into her body.
"Hubby!—"
Mu Yaoyao lay against her lover, her originally tense mind and spirit completely relaxing.
"Yaoyao!—"
"I knew you were the best!—"
Qin Yi gave her a light kiss.
"Hum!—"
At this very moment.
The firmament began to vibrate gently, and a cluster of golden clouds of Merit condensed.
Purple Qi came from the east, and rosy clouds filled the skies.
Amidst waves of Dao sounds, a beam of golden light enveloped Mu Yaoyao. The rewards of heaven and earth Merit and Fortune left countless people present deeply shaken in mind and spirit.
Ever since Master (Your Majesty) attained the Primordial World's first Three Tribulations of Heaven, Earth, and Man Immortal Dao Fruit, although the Human race's transcending of the Three Tribulations of Heaven, Earth, and Man had become much easier, they had never received Merit rewards again.
And now—
Mistress crossed the Earth Tribulation and Human Tribulation back-to-back, and actually obtained Merit and Fortune rewards.
She is truly worthy of being Your Majesty's Dao Companion!
...
"Swish!—"
Just as Mu Yaoyao finished receiving the rewards of heaven and earth Merit and Fortune, a streak of Innate treasure light soared into the sky from the Secret Realm below.
Only to see the endless aura of Innate water spirits transform into a hazy mist that permeated the air. Deep within the mist, six dazzling azure lights, seemingly containing an oceanic world, could be vaguely seen slowly circling and floating according to some profound trajectory.
The six azure lights slowly rose from the Secret Realm fissure. Each one was as big as a dragon's eye and crystal clear throughout. Inside, it seemed to Seal an endless azure ocean, shimmering with ripples, tides rising and falling, containing the supreme Dao rhythm of heaviness, vastness, and suppressing all water elements.
As they circled and floated, they emitted a soft blue halo, illuminating the entire Zhenyue Valley to look as dreamy as an underwater crystal palace.
"Th-This is an Innate Spirit Treasure?!—"
"How incredible! There's actually an Innate Spirit Treasure here!"
Shi Feng, Qin Huatuo, and the others looked at the Innate treasure aura within the Secret Realm and these six azure treasure lights, instantly knowing that this was the legendary Innate Spirit Treasure, and each of their expressions was extremely excited.
"This is the dinghai pearl?!—"
Through the Dao aura emitted by these six beads, Qin Yi immediately thought of this famous Innate Spirit Treasure.
Legend has it that there are a total of thirty-six dinghai pearls, conforming to the number of Tiangang. Every single one of them can be called a heavy treasure, possessing the ability to stabilize earth, water, fire, and wind, and evolve the heavens.
During the Battle of the Gods, Zhao Gongming once shone brilliantly relying on twenty-four dinghai pearls, successively defeating several of the Twelve Golden Immortals of the Chan Sect. However, because he failed to unleash the true might of the dinghai pearls, after the Chan Sect's Deputy Sect Master Randeng seized them, he used the Qiankun Ruler to open up twenty-four heavens, making him leap to become a top-tier quasi-sage almighty of the Primordial World!
"The dinghai pearl?—-"
Hearing her lover's words, Mu Yaoyao's flawless pretty face couldn't help but reveal a trace of surprise.
Although she had never seen the dinghai pearl before, as a Transmigrator, she naturally knew that the dinghai pearl shone brilliantly during the Gods Tribulation, so she prepared to let her lover put away this dinghai pearl.
"Hum!—"
At the very instant when the six dinghai pearls were about to completely break away from the Secret Realm fissure and fully manifest in the world, space fluctuated violently. Three peerlessly tyrannical Divine Senses, filled with wildness and greed, were like three sharp blades that instantly tore through the sky and locked onto those six dinghai pearls!
"Hahaha!—"
"An Innate Spirit Treasure has manifested! It is destined to be obtained by this seat!"
An arrogant burst of laughter came over. In the eastern horizon, demonic clouds rolled, and a divine bird with an entirely crimson body, wings spread to block out the sun and sky, and radiating the pressure of the Middle Stage Taiyi Golden Immortal drove the all-inclusive flames as it galloped over!
"This treasure is brimming with water vapor, perfectly fitting my Dao! Who dares to compete with this king for it?"
In the north, black water surged to the heavens. A flood dragon with a single horn on its head, four claws under its belly, covered all over in dark blue scales, and whose aura had already reached the Late Stage Taiyi Golden Immortal stirred up the wind and clouds, its dragon roar shaking the heavens!
"Treasures belong to those fated to have them. Two Fellow Daoists, why not yield a share to this poor Daoist?"
From the west, a seemingly auspicious yet hiddenly sinister white light of escape arrived in an instant. As the light dissipated, it revealed a Daoist dressed in white robes with a horsetail whisk in hand, possessing a face as jade-crowned yet born with a pair of triangular snake pupils. Shockingly, he was also a great demon of the Middle Stage Taiyi Golden Immortal!
Three Taiyi-realm great demons!
Almost simultaneously sensing the strong Innate water-spirit fluctuations and treasure light triggered by the birth of the dinghai pearl, they crossed realms recklessly to come here!
Shouyang Mountain had not yet been officially exposed, and the surroundings were relatively barren, but who would have thought that three Taiyi experts would be dispatched all at once? If this were in those blessed lands of caves and heavens, wouldn't Da Luo powerhouses come flooding in?
"Your Majesty! ——"
"Teacher! ——"
Sensing their aura, Shi Feng, Qin Huatuo, and the others wore expressions filled with solemnity.
Knowing their inner worries, Qin Yi simply waved his hand gently with a calm and collected demeanor. Then, his gaze calmly swept across the three aggressively approaching great demons, deep within his eyes lay a sheet of icy indifference.
"Mere Taiyi, how dare you clamor in front of Us! ——"
Qin Yi's voice was not loud, but it clearly rang in the hearts of every living being, carrying an unquestionable majesty and a trace of faint mockery.
Hearing this, the divine bird, the Dragon, and the white-robed Daoist—the three demons—finally shifted their attention away from the dinghai pearl and looked toward Qin Yi and the others.
When they sensed the terrifying aura on Qin Yi that was vast like an abyss yet restrained like the sea, their hearts all shivered.
"The Human race? Hmph, merely an Acquired weak race that luckily obtained some Fortune, yet you dare to style yourself as 'Us'?"
The divine bird had a violent disposition. Although it felt Qin Yi's aura was unfathomable, relying on its profound cultivation and tyrannical bloodline, and seeing that Qin Yi was merely at the Early Stage Taiyi, it didn't take him to heart at all.
"Fellow Daoist, you are mistaken."
The white-robed Daoist looked polite, but craftiness and greed flashed within his triangular snake eyes.
"After all, this place is the territory of the Human race. It is indeed somewhat abrupt for us to come and take treasures. How about this: regarding these six pearls, the three of us demons shall take two each, and we can form a good affinity with the Human race, how does that sound?"
He seemed to be making concessions, but in reality, he wanted to divide the treasures first before plotting other things.
The Dragon did not speak, only staring fixedly at the dinghai pearl, its dragon eyes filled with a determination to win it, while water-Qi surged around its body, obviously ready to snatch it at any moment.
Hearing this, a mocking arc curled the corners of Qin Yi's mouth.
He ignored the three demons, instead lowering his head to speak gently to Mu Yaoyao in his arms: "Yaoyao, look, this is the Primordial World, where the weak are prey to the strong and treasures move people's hearts. Even right at our own doorstep, evil guests still come knocking."
Mu Yaoyao had recovered a bit of strength by now. Cuddled against Qin Yi and looking at the three great demons emanating terrifying auras as if they could tear heaven and earth apart, her heart inevitably felt somewhat nervous, but there was even more trust in Qin Yi.
"I know! ——"
Mu Yaoyao nodded gently, beginning to have a true understanding of the Law of the jungle in the Primordial World.
"It's good that you understand! ——"
Qin Yi nodded slightly, then let her retreat to a safe area. Once uncontrollable factors appeared, she should return to Shouyang Mountain with Shi Feng and the others, relying on the power of the Innate Formation to protect herself.
Next——
With a slightly cold gaze, Qin Yi looked toward the three great demons.
"Our Human race loves peace. If you all withdraw, We are willing to spare your lives!"
"Arrogant! ——"
"Mere ants, how dare you act presumptuously before our Demon Race?"
The divine bird flew into a rage, its wings flapping as the all-over crimson divine fire transformed into countless fire crows, sweeping toward Qin Yi and the others to cover the sky and earth. Wherever the flames passed, space twisted and all things were burned to ashes—this was precisely the Innate Divine Ability of the divine bird clan: Burning Sky Fire Crows!
The Dragon also made its move at the same time, roaring to the skies. Its single horn shot out a dark blue beam of light containing extreme cold and corrosive power, heading straight for Qin Yi. At the same time, it opened its mouth and spat, and a black water dragon composed of Xuanming True Water roared out, pouncing toward the six dinghai pearls, wanting to sweep away the treasures first.
The white-robed Daoist was even more insidious. Waving the horsetail whisk in his hand, countless white fine lights as thin as cow hair and coated with virulent poison silently sprinkled toward Qin Yi's vital points. At the same time, his figure flickered, transforming into a blurry white shadow, actually wanting to bypass Qin Yi and directly snatch the dinghai pearls!
The three demons joined forces, and their might shook the heavens and earth!
Flames, cold light, poisonous stings, water dragons... Various Divine Abilities dyed half the sky into chaotic colors. The terrifying pressure caused the valley below to tremble; if not for the protective Formation previously set up by Qin Yi, it probably would have long turned into dust.
Just as Mu Yaoyao and Shi Feng were extremely worried, Qin Yi merely took a step forward gently.
"Hum——!"
An invisible fluctuation centered on him suddenly spread out.
Time seemed to freeze at this moment.
The fire crows howling across the sky, the shooting dark blue beam of light, the silent poisonous stings, the roaring water dragon, and the Daoist speeding as a white shadow... Everything, at the instant Qin Yi took that step, stagnated mid-air!
This was not some spell or Divine Ability, but a deeper level—controlling the Dao!
Entering the Dao with the Taiyi Law achieved the Undying Dao Fruit, while Da Luo directly controlled the Dao Law to leap out of the River of Time, carefree and eternal. There was a cross-dimensional gap between the two.
Unless one had a heaven-defying supreme treasure, could they break this dimensional gap!
The grinning, greedy, and ferocious expressions on the faces of the three Taiyi great demons instantly froze, replaced by boundless shock and fear!
They found that they could no longer move! Not only their bodies, but even the magic power, Primordial Spirit, and even thoughts within them seemed to have fallen into a boundlessly viscous mire, becoming slow and arduous!
"This... This is controlling the Dao Law?!"
The divine bird's Sea of Consciousness let out a terrified screech.
"Impossible! ——"
"You are clearly merely at the Early Stage Taiyi, how could you control the Dao Law?"
The dragon's eyes widened round, its dragon soul trembling.
The white-robed Daoist's heart churned with monstrous waves. Being knowledgeable, he vaguely guessed something, but that guess made him even more desperate.
Qin Yi did not give them the chance to continue speaking.
He extended a single finger and gently tapped toward the Divine Abilities frozen all over the sky.
"Disperse! ——"
Word Follows Law!
Those Burning Sky Fire Crows, sufficient to burn mountains and boil seas, vanished silently without leaving even a trace of a spark.
That dark blue beam of light that froze the Divine Soul and the Xuanming water dragon that corroded all things instantly melted and evaporated like ice and snow under the sunlight; those insidious and vicious thousands of poisonous stings directly turned into nothingness.
It was as if these terrifyingly powerful Taiyi Divine Abilities had never appeared in this world before.
Following closely, Qin Yi's gaze landed on the three Taiyi great demons pinned firmly in place by the Dao's pressure.
His gaze was as calm as water without a ripple, as if he were looking at three insignificant ants.
"Offending Us and forcibly seizing supreme treasures, you deserve to be executed! ——"
As his voice fell, without seeing him make any movement, the massive bodies of the three Taiyi great demons began to disintegrate simultaneously!
"Whoosh! ——"
As Qin Yi's imperial edict fell, the divine bird's crimson body that blotted out the sky, like a weathered sand sculpture, began from the tips of its wings to turn bit by bit into the purest fire-attribute Spiritual Qi particles, scattering with the wind.
The dragon's ferocious dragon body, a thousand zhang long, had patches of deep blue scales peeling off, its flesh, blood, and bones melting away to transform into pure water-attribute Origin, while the white-robed Daoist's body became covered in cracks like porcelain, subsequently shattering into countless spots of light without even emitting a single scream.
Their Divine Souls were also forcefully extracted, compressed, and refined by an invisible force amidst this silent disintegration, transforming into three incomparably pure Divine Soul Origins radiating various colors (crimson, deep blue, and pale white).
The entire process was terrifyingly quiet.
There were no earth-shattering explosions, nor any tragic and bloody battles.
Three great demons of the Taiyi realm, who were powerful enough to lord over a region in the Prehistoric and make countless living beings tremble in fear at the mere mention of their names, were turned to ashes in the span of Qin Yi's casual two sentences, a single glance, and a flick of a finger, leaving behind only three of the most essential Origins floating in the air.
Silence!
Deathly silence!
Not only was Mu Yaoyao below—who had just finished Transcending Tribulation and was staring at all this in dumbfounded astonishment—
Even important Human race ministers like Shi Feng, Shi Yan, Qin Huatuo, and Qin Hai, who had long witnessed a portion of Qin Yi's might, could not help but gasp a breath of cold air at this moment, their minds shaking violently!
They knew Your Majesty (Master) was strong, and even the Ancestral Witch Houtu, who shook the Prehistoric, held him in extremely high regard, but they had never imagined that Qin Yi had grown strong to such a degree!
Facing the joint siege of three Taiyi realm great demons, it was as relaxed and effortless as brushing away dust; that Dao pressure transcending everything above, that method where his words became law and caused the Taiyi Divine Ability and the demon sage's body to silently annihilate, had already exceeded their cognitive category of "strength"!
Was this Your Majesty's (Master's) true strength?!
Mu Yaoyao's mind went even more blank, her cherry lips parted slightly, and her beautiful eyes widened round, looking in disbelief at Qin Yi standing with his hands behind his back in the air, as if he had merely done a trivial matter.
She knew Qin Yi was very strong, being the Human Emperor of the Prehistoric, with a revered status.
But the concept of the "Human Emperor" was still somewhat abstract to her; her more intuitive feeling was Qin Yi's gentleness, care, and omnipotent support for her.
Until this moment, witnessing with her own eyes Qin Yi make three great demons—whose terrifying auras choked her—vanish into thin air with a flick of a finger, did she truly and intuitively realize what kind of terrifying strength capable of destroying heaven and earth and transcending all living beings her lover possessed!
That was not just "strong," that was... a Sovereign!
He was one of the top-tier, most unrivaled existences in this heaven and earth!
An indescribable sense of shock, adoration, pride, and a trace of dizziness brought about by the overwhelming gap swept through Mu Yaoyao's entire body.
Looking at Qin Yi's majestic and upright figure, she only felt her heart beating wildly, and an unprecedented sense of security and admiration filled her heart.
Qin Yi seemed not to feel everyone's shock as he reached out with a beckoning hand, and the three Divine Soul Origins of the Taiyi great demons flew into his hands.
After pondering slightly, he temporarily put them away.
The Divine Soul Origin of the Taiyi realm was a rare treasure whether used for Artifact Refining, Alchemy, setting up formations, or rewarding a Disciple.
Then, he looked once again at the six dinghai pearls that had completely broken away from the Secret Realm and were shining brilliantly in the air.
This time, there were no more obstacles.
Qin Yi reached out and grabbed into the void, and the six dinghai pearls seemed to be guided by an invisible traction, obediently flying into his palm.
They felt warm, cool, and exceptionally heavy to the touch, and each one seemed to support a vast ocean, with ocean phantom images circulating within the beads and natural Dao charm.
He carefully sensed them and confirmed that these were indeed the legendary dinghai pearls, and moreover, their auras were connected among the six, faintly forming a small cycle; although incomplete, their might was already extraordinary.
"Yaoyao! ——"
Qin Yi turned around, came to Mu Yaoyao's side, and handed the six dinghai pearls in front of her: "This treasure is named the 'dinghai pearl', and it is an Innate Spirit Treasure capable of stabilizing earth, water, fire, and wind, and evolving the heavens. You have successively transcended the Earth Tribulation and Human Tribulation, and triggered the birth of the Secret Realm; this treasure has the deepest affinity with you. Today, I will gift it to you, and you can refine it when your cultivation is sufficient."
Looking at the six gleaming blue-light-emitting, vast-aura-possessing treasured pearls before her, and then looking at Qin Yi's gentle and encouraging gaze, Mu Yaoyao's shock and moved feelings were beyond measure.
She did not hypocritically decline, because she knew that what Qin Yi gave her was not just a treasure, but also a heavy trust and expectation.
"Thank you, Your Majesty! ——"
She took the dinghai pearls, which felt heavy in her hand, yet made her feel incomparably grounded.
She could sense the majestic power and profound Dao charm contained within the pearls, which would be an important help and reliance on her future cultivation path.
Qin Yi nodded, then looked toward the Secret Realm crack that was still emitting a dense Innate water spirit Qi: "This Secret Realm opened because of you, and the Innate water spirit Qi inside is dense, plus there is an Innate spiritual spring pool, making it a blessed land for cultivation. I will slightly stabilize and arrange it so that it can serve as your separate manor Dao field in the future, or be developed by the Human race to benefit all living beings."
Having said that, with a wave of his sleeve and the circulation of Dao runes, he stabilized the violently fluctuating Secret Realm crack and laid down layers of Restrictions at the entrance, forbidding anyone from entering without a specific token or permission.
After finishing all this, Qin Yi finally looked around, his gaze seeming to penetrate the void, sweeping across the various Divine Senses lurking in the distance, which had been alarmed by the birth of the dinghai pearls and the brief yet terrifying clash just now.
"This is the territory of the Human race, all of you, disperse! ——"
Qin Yi's voice was calm, yet carried an unquestionable will, clearly transmitting into the minds of every lurker.
Those Divine Senses lurking in the dark—whether coming from surrounding Demon Race forces, secluded Rogue Cultivators, or the eyes and ears of other mighty figures—all felt their minds terrified upon sensing Qin Yi's unfathomable aura and the terrifying method of destroying Taiyi with a flick of a finger earlier, hastily retracting their Divine Senses and not daring to peer even slightly anymore.
After today, the news of "Human race Qin Yi (Human Emperor) destroying three Taiyi with a flick of a finger and acquiring the dinghai pearl" would surely spread across certain circles of the Prehistoric at an astonishing speed, once again deterring countless malicious scoundrels!
"Return to the palace! ——"
Qin Yi took Mu Yaoyao's hand and instructed Shi Feng and the others: "Clean up this place and properly handle the Ba Serpent's remains along with the Secret Realm."
"Obey Master's imperial edict! ——"
"Obey Your Majesty's imperial edict! ——"
The crowd bowed to accept the order, and the looks they directed at Qin Yi added a few parts of near-fanatical reverence amidst their adoration.
Holding Mu Yaoyao's soft hand, Qin Yi then took a step forward, and the two instantly disappeared from the spot, returning to the Human Emperor Palace on Shouyang Mountain