Chapter 888
The Core of the Dao Artifact, Refining the Immortal Palace
Lu Qing's main body stepped into the Star River Array.
His main body is far more powerful than his divine consciousness clone.
Although that vast aura was restrained, every gesture he made seemed to blend into the entire world.
The starlight that fell on him was quietly dissolved by the Daoist aura that flowed around him, unable to get close at all.
The distorted space, chaotic laws, and layers of restrictions within the Star River Array were all useless to him.
He could see all the changes in those folded spaces that could disorient ordinary Dao Integration Realm cultivators with just a glance.
He lightly touched the traps and machinations that could ensnare and kill powerful individuals, and found the safest path.
He strolled leisurely through the Star River Array as if taking a leisurely walk.
In the blink of an eye, Lu Qing had already passed through the entire formation and entered the Guixu Secret Realm.
Suddenly, everything became clear.
Everything before my eyes remained the same; numerous outer palaces came into view, and countless restrictive lights still flickered.
Lu Qing didn't linger; with a thought, he took a step forward.
The next moment, he had arrived in the celestial palace and appeared before the old Azure Dragon and the others.
The old Azure Dragon, the black bull, and the Crying Phoenix were standing in the main hall, seemingly still savoring the scene of their divine encounter with their master.
Suddenly, a figure appeared out of thin air and landed in front of them.
This startled the three strange beasts, who almost attacked them.
Fortunately, they recognized Lu Qing's face immediately, which relieved them greatly.
At the same time, I was also amazed.
They hadn't sensed Lu Qing's arrival at all.
The old Azure Dragon was especially horrified, because it hadn't sensed even the slightest spatial fluctuation just now.
With its expertise in spatial manipulation, coupled with its control over some of the Celestial Palace's authority.
Even if a Dao Transformation Immortal descends into this secret realm, it can still detect a trace of him as long as he uses spatial teleportation.
But it didn't sense anything when Lu Qing appeared.
It was as if he appeared out of thin air, without any warning.
What does this mean?
This shows that Lu Qing's mastery of the Dao of Space far surpasses that of the Dao.
The old dragon was deeply shocked.
Although it knew that within the Great Dao that Lu Qing's divine sense had merged with and entrusted to, there was the Great Dao of Space.
But only now did it truly realize that Lu Qing's control over space had far exceeded its imagination.
The black bull patted its chest and said, "You scared me half to death! Ah Qing, could you at least give me a heads-up next time you come? My heart almost jumped out of my chest!"
Mingfeng also tucked in her slightly ruffled feathers, looking as if she hadn't recovered from the shock.
Lu Qing smiled slightly and didn't say anything more.
With a thought, the divine consciousness clone standing to the side transformed into a stream of light, flew into his body, and returned to its original form.
In an instant, Lu Qing's aura became even stronger.
The old dragon watched this scene and sighed inwardly once again.
It had already felt immense pressure when it faced Lu Qing's divine sense clone.
Facing the real body now, the pressure increased exponentially.
Lu Qing stood there quietly, without making any movement, yet it gave the feeling of facing an abyss, unfathomable.
“Ah Qing, your current strength…” the old Azure Dragon murmured, “has completely surpassed ours.”
Lu Qing shook his head and said modestly, "Senior, you flatter me. I am only a beginner in the Dao Integration stage and there is still much for me to learn."
The old dragon gave a wry smile: "Just entered the Dao Integration stage? If you say that, I'm afraid no one will believe you."
It paused, then said seriously, "Ah Qing, you came here in your true form this time to refine the Immortal Palace, right?"
Lu Qing nodded: "That's right. Refining the Immortal Palace is no small matter. It would be difficult to do with just a divine sense clone, so I had to come in my true form."
The old Azure Dragon said, "That's to be expected. After all, the Immortal Palace is a Dao artifact, and one can only refine it by using the original body."
Lu Qing asked, "Senior, how should I refine the Immortal Palace?"
The old dragon pondered for a moment, then slowly began to speak.
"The Immortal Palace is a treasure passed down through generations of the master's lineage. It is also a Dao artifact. When the master roamed the starry sky, he used this treasure to turn danger into safety many times. Later, when the master created the Guixu Secret Realm, he placed the Immortal Palace here as the core of the secret realm."
It paused for a moment, then continued, "When the master left, he originally intended to take the Immortal Palace with him, since this Dao artifact had been with him for many years and was connected to his heart. But later, for some reason, the master left this Dao artifact behind."
The black bull interjected, "Back then we were wondering why our master left the Celestial Palace behind. This treasure was his most precious possession."
Mingfeng added, "Yes, we all thought our master would take it away, but he didn't."
The old dragon said, "Now that I think about it, the master left the Immortal Palace for two purposes: one was to wait for your arrival and leave you a useful treasure, and the other was to protect us."
"Protect you?" Lu Qing asked.
The old dragon nodded: "The Immortal Palace possesses the power of Dao artifacts, which can isolate heavenly secrets and conceal cause and effect. The master is probably worried that if a powerful being from another world uses the art of cause and effect to deduce this place, the Immortal Palace can protect us from being found."
Lu Qing recalled what Guixu Daoist had said earlier and seemed to be deep in thought.
This master's actions were truly well-thought-out.
The old dragon continued, "Ah Qing, if you want to refine the Immortal Palace, you need to go to the deepest part of the Immortal Palace. There is a control core there. As long as you can refine that core, you can control the entire Immortal Palace."
"Control core?" Lu Qing asked.
The old dragon nodded: "Yes, that is a jade pillar that reaches the heavens, covered with countless profound runes. The master said that it is the foundation of the Immortal Palace and the linchpin of the entire Dao artifact. As long as it is refined, one can control everything in the Immortal Palace."
It paused, looked at Lu Qing, and its gaze was somewhat solemn.
"However, refining that jade pillar requires extremely high levels of spiritual willpower."
The jade pillar itself contained the power of a Dao artifact. Ordinary Dao Integration Realm cultivators' souls would be unable to breathe even if they approached it, let alone refine it.
Even seasoned Dao Integration Realm cultivators might not be able to do that.
"So, I'm not sure if you can succeed, Aqing. You need to be mentally prepared."
Upon hearing this, Lu Qing simply smiled slightly.
"Please lead the way, senior."
Seeing his composure, the old dragon felt a surge of anticipation.
It turned around and led Lu Qing deeper into the celestial palace.
Black Bull and Mingfeng followed behind.
This time, the old dragon didn't walk; instead, it used spatial teleportation.
It carried Lu Qing, traversing through the many layers of space in the Immortal Palace, one after another, one after another.
Lu Qing noticed that the internal spatial structure of this celestial palace was extremely complex, with layers upon layers and interlocking rings.
Some spaces are incredibly spacious, some are exquisitely small, some are filled with various restrictions, and some are completely empty.
Without the old Azure Dragon leading the way, even he would have needed a considerable amount of time to find the core.
After traversing countless layers of space, the old azure dragon finally stopped.
Before me lay a vast space.
This space is much larger than the previous main hall, covering an area of about a hundred miles.
The dome soars into the clouds, its top invisible.
The surrounding walls were engraved with countless ancient runes, emitting a faint glow.
The runes were densely packed, layer upon layer, forming a massive array.
In the center of the space stood a jade pillar reaching to the heavens.
The jade pillar was about a hundred feet tall and about ten people could hug it. It was pure white and emitted a soft light.
The surface of the jade pillar is covered with countless mysterious runes. Some of these runes resemble words, some resemble paintings, and some resemble some kind of mysterious totem. They are densely packed and layered, as if recording some ancient secret.
Around the jade pillar, faint light flowed, forming ripples that spread in all directions.
However, Lu Qing had already obtained all of Guixu Daoist's inheritance.
Although he had not yet cultivated them to the highest level, he could still see that these runes were inherited from the Guixu lineage, only they were more profound and mysterious.
Standing in front of the jade pillar, Lu Qing could clearly feel a vast power emanating from it, pressing down on every corner of this space.
Its power was so immense and overwhelming that it instilled fear in ordinary cultivators at the Dao Integration Realm, making them dare not approach.
"Is this the core of the Immortal Palace?" Lu Qing asked.
The old dragon nodded, a hint of awe in its eyes.
"Yes. That's it. The master said that this jade pillar was crafted by many predecessors of the Guixu lineage with countless efforts. It contains the mysteries of the Guixu lineage in array formations, weapon crafting, and runes. As long as you refine it, you can control the entire Immortal Palace."
It looked at Lu Qing and warned, "Qing, be careful. The power of this jade pillar is extraordinary. If you can't handle it, don't force it."
Lu Qing nodded without saying anything more.
He gazed silently at the towering jade pillar, his eyes deep and thoughtful.
It truly lives up to its reputation as a Dao artifact.
The sheer power emanating from it was enough to make even those at the Dao Integration Realm feel oppressed.
That oppressive aura was like a mountain pressing down on one's heart, making it hard to breathe.
Ordinary Dao Integration Realm cultivators, let alone refine it, would find their soul power suppressed to the point of being unable to move an inch even if they tried to get close.
Even he, standing in front of this jade pillar, could feel a sense of pressure.
The pressure wasn't great, but it was definitely there.
This shows that the jade pillar is of a higher level than he had imagined.
However, Lu Qing did not back down. His primordial spirit had undergone several transformations.
From the initial ordinary primordial spirit, to achieving the perfect primordial spirit, then breaking through the nine tribulations to reach the twelfth tribulation, and finally merging with the nine great paths simultaneously.
Each transformation elevates his primordial spirit to a new level.
Now, the essence of his primordial spirit has reached a level that is difficult for others to fathom.
The pressure from an unattended Dao artifact alone was not enough to suppress him.
Without much hesitation, Lu Qing stepped forward.
He walked step by step toward the towering jade pillar.
With each step taken, the oppressive aura intensified.
When he reached a distance of three zhang from the jade pillar, the oppressive aura had become tangible, transforming into an invisible force that tried to push him away.
Lu Qing remained expressionless and continued forward.
Two zhang, one zhang.
Finally, he arrived in front of the jade pillar.
He raised his right hand and slowly pressed it onto the jade pillar.
In an instant, a vast power surged from the jade pillar, flowing down his arm and into his body.
That force was incredibly domineering, as if it wanted to tear him apart.
But Lu Qing's body remained completely still.
He closed his eyes, and the power of his divine soul surged forth like a torrent, rushing into the jade pillar.
boom!
Lu Qing felt a blur before his eyes, and his consciousness entered a strange space.
It was a state of chaos.
Boundless chaos, without sky, without earth, without up or down, without directions.
Only endless, hazy fog flowed slowly all around.
In the center of that chaos, there was a huge jade pillar, emitting a bright white light.
That jade pillar was a projection of the towering jade pillar outside.
Lu Qing understood that this was the internal space of the jade pillar, its core.
Without hesitation, he transformed his divine soul power into a stream of light and flew towards the jade pillar.
The closer you get, the stronger the pressure becomes.
It was a kind of oppression from the depths of the soul, as if a mountain was pressing down on the heart, making it almost impossible to breathe.
That was the instinctive resistance of the Dao artifact, its rejection of outsiders.
But Lu Qing's spirit was incredibly resilient.
He has experienced countless life-and-death trials, and his will is now as firm as a rock.
The mere resistance of a Dao artifact could not crush him.
His spiritual power continued forward, ever forward.
Finally, his soul touched the jade pillar.
In an instant, countless pieces of information flooded into his mind like a tidal wave.
The information contained details about the structure of the celestial palace, the arrangement of restrictions, the operation of formations, and the mysteries of runes.
Vast as the ocean, profound and extensive.
For ordinary cultivators, simply receiving this information would be enough to overwhelm their souls and cause them to collapse on the spot.
However, Lu Qing's primordial spirit is far beyond that of ordinary people.
He calmed himself down, patiently and calmly receiving the information little by little, slowly refining the jade pillar.
Time slips away, bit by bit.
Outside, the old Azure Dragons stared nervously at Lu Qing, not daring to breathe.
They saw that Lu Qing's hand, which was pressed against the jade pillar, remained completely still.
His body did not tremble at all.
He stood there quietly, like a statue.
But the light surrounding the jade pillar was constantly changing.
Sometimes bright, sometimes dim, sometimes flickering.
That means Lu Qing is engaged in a fierce battle with the core of the jade pillar.
The old dragon was so nervous that it clenched its claws tightly.
The black bull stared with its eyes wide open, its face full of tension.
Although Mingfeng maintained an elegant posture, she could not hide the worry in her phoenix eyes.
Time passed little by little.
The old dragons and the others stayed there, not daring to leave for even a moment.
Finally, after a day and a night, a sudden change occurred within the Celestial Palace.
It was an indescribable change, as if the entire celestial palace had come alive.
The restrictions, the formations, and the runes all lit up at the same time, radiating a dazzling light.
The old dragon sensed this change, was first stunned, and then trembled with excitement.
"It's a success! Ah Qing succeeded!"
It cried out, its eyes filled with joy.
The black bull jumped up excitedly, its hooves kicking wildly: "Really? It really worked?"
Although Mingfeng didn't speak, her phoenix eyes were filled with excitement.
At this moment, Lu Qing was immersed in a strange state.
His consciousness had become one with the entire celestial palace.
He could sense everything in the celestial palace.
Those layers upon layers of space, those densely packed restrictions, those palaces of all sizes, and those living beings coming and going.
Although at this moment there are only a few of them, including the old Azure Dragon, in the Immortal Palace.
He could sense that the Celestial Palace was rooted in the void, with countless roots extending out, constantly drawing energy from the endless void to maintain its operation.
That energy is inexhaustible and ever-renewing.
This is the power of Dao artifacts.
Once a magical artifact reaches the level of a Dao artifact, it can still draw energy from the depths of the void to maintain its operation even without anyone controlling it.
It can even self-repair and self-evolve.
Lu Qing felt a surge of emotion.
He suddenly remembered the broken jade in the original space of his hometown world.
That shard of jade can also absorb energy from the void.
Moreover, its essence is far superior to that of the Celestial Palace.
After all, it was a fragment of the magic weapon of a Xuanhua master, the Bright and Wish-Fulfilling Jewel.
The Bright and Auspicious is something that surpasses even Dao artifacts.
Even if it shatters into a fragment of jade, it can still absorb energy from the void to restore itself, and may even give rise to a world of life.
In comparison, although the Celestial Palace is powerful, it is still no match for that shattered jade.
However, the Asgard Palace also has its own advantages.
It is a complete Dao artifact, with full functions, integrating offense and defense.
That broken jade was just a fragment; it could only passively absorb energy and could not be actively used.
Lu Qing's mind raced as he silently compared the two.
Then, he opened his eyes.
Before them were the expectant gazes of the three old dragons.
"Ah Qing!" the old Azure Dragon asked excitedly, "You succeeded? You refined it?"
Lu Qing smiled slightly and nodded.
"Success."
The old Azure Dragons became excited.
The black bull trembled with excitement, yelling, "Great! We can get out now!"
Although Mingfeng didn't lose her composure, her phoenix eyes were still full of joy.
Looking at them, Lu Qing felt a sense of relief.
Without hesitation, a thought crossed his mind.
The next moment, an invisible wave emanated from him, instantly enveloping the entire celestial palace.
The old dragons felt a sudden lightness in their bodies, as if something that had bound them for countless years had vanished in that instant.
That's a restriction imposed on them by the Celestial Palace.
"Ah Qing..." The old dragon was so excited he couldn't speak.
Lu Qing smiled slightly.
"Seniors, you are free." (End of Chapter)