Chapter 1029
Quasi-God!
Inside the great tomb, Fang Qing's figure flickered and ventured deeper.
He pushed the speed of the Wings of Freedom to its limit. Combined with the deductions of his Wisdom Spirit, he could always find the next plane entrance with the most radiant light and the richest vital energy in the shortest time, and then plunder it without any hesitation.
This frenzied absorption and accumulation allowed his cultivation to take off in an unprecedented manner.
On the Immortal Ladder, the sixth step—the Step of Enlightenment—solidified almost the instant he realized that this divine tomb was the "Universe of Gods," containing the true meaning of all things.
The so-called enlightenment is not only a thorough understanding of one's own path, but also a sudden and complete understanding of the origin of the universe, the laws of all things, and even the significance of the existence of this divine tomb before one's eyes.
Following this, after devouring several planes containing the essence of different divine rules, his perception of "fate," "destiny," and "cause and effect" became clearer than ever before.
On the seventh level, the Steps of Destiny were also completed, allowing him to perceive and grasp the future with greater precision.
Subsequently, after he devoured a chaotic ruin plane filled with various distracting thoughts, remnant souls, and fragments of memory, his state of mind underwent a strange change.
Those external memories and emotions washed over his will like a tide, but his true heart remained as firm as a rock, unmoved. Instead, he forgot all these impurities, leaving only the purest understanding of the Tao.
The eighth level, the Step of Oblivion, came into being, making his Dao heart even purer and free from external temptations.
Finally, in a strange, void plane, there was no trace of matter, energy, or even rules, only pure "emptiness" and "nothingness".
Fang Qing was immersed in it, feeling the true meaning of all things returning to nothingness and all things being empty, which resonated strongly with the ultimate mystery of his Great Dao of Chaos.
In an instant, his consciousness transcended all constraints and entered an indescribable state of absolute emptiness!
The highest level of the Immortal Ladder—the ninth level, the Vacuum Steps—was completely solidified and illuminated in this profound understanding!
The nine-tiered heavenly ladder is now fully connected!
From the first step into wisdom, to unwavering perseverance, fearless progress, complete understanding of one's true nature, clear vision of destiny, forgetting worldly disturbances, until finally reaching the ultimate state of emptiness and wonder.
This is not merely an accumulation of strength, but a complete and profound leap forward in terms of life level and spiritual realm.
At the very moment when he achieved the ninth level of enlightenment and the perfection of his Dao foundation, with the infusion of endless divine resources from the Divine Tomb and a profound contact with the rules of the "Divine Universe," Fang Qing's essence, energy, and spirit, his chaotic inner world, and all his laws and Dao fruits underwent a fundamental transformation.
He touched upon that mysterious and profound threshold, far surpassing "immortality"—"the mystery of the gods".
This is not true godhood, because it lacks the most crucial divine nature as the core and proof.
However, his life essence, power level, and control over the rules have far surpassed those of ordinary immortal emperors, reaching a completely new level.
This level of attainment can be called—"quasi-god"! Or, to put it another way, "demigod"!
If the combat strength of an ordinary Vacuum Realm expert is defined as "one", then Fang Qing's combat strength has soared to an astonishing level—one hundred thousand! Or even higher!
Moreover, his strength continued to soar as he devoured the resources of the Divine Tomb and deepened his understanding of the rules of the Divine Path.
Within his body, the numerous Daoist techniques and supernatural powers that had been cultivated for countless years, originated from all the heavens and myriad worlds, and were integrated with the true meaning of primordial chaos, under this unprecedented qualitative and quantitative change, condensed into "Dao Fruits" that shone with boundless light and contained infinite mysteries.
Each Dao Fruit is a complete universe operating under a specific system of laws.
They float within Fang Qing's chaotic inner world, like brilliant stars, constantly interacting and resonating with the inner world itself, generating unimaginable and immense power.
The benefits here are so immense; it's practically a place tailor-made for him to attain enlightenment.
Without pausing, Fang Qing continued to advance deeper into the tomb.
He could sense a more powerful and purer divine fluctuation deep within certain special planes, which was likely the location of the "ghost soul" or other core treasures.
After traversing countless crossroads and passing through numerous glittering planes, Fang Qing arrived in a completely different region.
The barrier in the passage here is no longer a pitch-black divine stone, but has turned into a translucent crystal that flows with crimson light.
An intensely hot aura rushed towards me, as if I were standing in a giant volcano.
Before them lay a colossal plane entirely composed of fire.
An endless sea of crimson fire surged and roared in the plane, with flames of various colors and properties, such as the true fire of the sun, the fire of the southern bright fire, the fire of the nine netherworlds, and even the heavenly fire of the divine realm with a faint divine quality, intertwining and burning here.
The void itself was burned and twisted continuously.
What's even more chilling is that, amidst this sea of fire, Fang Qing saw countless "Giant Spirit Kings" formed from pure flames.
Some of them were thousands of feet tall, while others were only the size of an ordinary person, but without exception, they all exuded a powerful fighting aura and fluctuations of the rules of fire.
Their combat power is generally equivalent to those on the fourth or fifth step of the Immortal Ladder, and some of the leaders of the Flame Giant Kings even have an aura that faintly reaches the threshold of the Vacuum Rank.
"There's actually a complete fire elemental plane inside the tomb? And it's even teeming with so many fire creatures?"
Fang Qing's heart stirred slightly.
Rather than a burial ground, this place is more like a specimen repository preserving various ecosystems and rules of the divine realm.
Just as he was intently observing this fiery plane, pondering whether to devour it.
"What? Is it strange?"
A cool, calm, yet ancient female voice suddenly rang out from behind Fang Qing.
Fang Qing's expression remained calm as he looked into the distance. Less than ten feet away from him, in the void, stood a woman with a slender and graceful figure, wearing a light blue ancient Taoist robe, with an exquisitely beautiful face but a frosty expression, as if she were a ghost.
She stood amidst the surging flames, the raging fire around her mysteriously extinguishing itself when it came within three feet of her. Instead, a crystal-clear, chilling "aura of extreme cold" naturally emanated from her.
This extremely cold aura completely isolated those terrifying flames, and condensed into a thin, yet incredibly strong, transparent light membrane, perfectly protecting her from any external harm.
Fire and ice, two extreme forces, formed a delicate balance and confrontation around her, making her even more ethereal and otherworldly, like a snow lotus in fire and a fairy in ice.
Fang Qing's spiritual wisdom swept over the other party in an instant, and he made a rough judgment.
This woman's combat strength is probably around level 30, which is equivalent to a relatively powerful existence in the Vacuum Rank, but definitely not at the level of "quasi-god".
When the woman saw Fang Qing looking at her, her expression remained aloof, and she continued to speak in that cold tone.
"This tomb floated over from the realm of gods, drifting along the ancient road to the gods for a full ten thousand years. When I entered the ancient road to the gods to cultivate, I saw the tomb floating over, so I went inside to explore. Unexpectedly, I returned to the immortal realm... or rather, to the era in which the immortal realm exists."
Her words revealed a startling message.
She actually entered this floating divine tomb on her own initiative while cultivating on the Ancient Path to the Gods, and descended into this era along with the divine tomb.
Moreover, judging from her tone, her age and background are probably astonishingly ancient!
Upon hearing this, Fang Qing asked, "And who are you?"
"I am Qingyi Daozu."
The woman said calmly, "He was also a cultivator from ancient times."
Ancient times!
It is even older than the Primordial Era, and it is located in that chaotic yet glorious era before the Ancient Era.
Fang Qing's heart stirred. He knew that those who could enter the Ancient Path to Divinity were all exceptionally talented individuals, outstanding figures in their respective eras.
Just like the "Qingyi Dao Ancestor" in front of him, although his combat strength is only around thirty in his opinion, in the outside world, he is definitely a giant who can awe the heavens and create an unparalleled lineage.
Moreover, her words reminded Fang Qing of some rumors.
It is said that in a very distant era, after the gods disappeared, there was a brief "time gap".
After that period of stagnation, a large number of geniuses and powerful individuals emerged.
They felt that they could no longer achieve godhood in this world, so they chose to enter the ancient path to the gods, seeking the distant divine realm and pursuing even greater breakthroughs.
The "Qingyi Dao Ancestor" before us is probably a figure from that era!
That era was even earlier than the time when the four Heavenly Emperors of the "Ancient Heavenly Court" rose to power.
At that time, the four Great Emperors were probably nothing special, just "minor characters" among many geniuses.
Only after many older and more powerful figures chose to enter the Ancient Path to Divinity and leave this world were they able to rise rapidly and establish the ancient Heavenly Court that would shake the ages.
Qingyi Daozu's gaze lingered on Fang Qing for a moment, a barely perceptible hint of surprise flashing in her eyes.
She could sense that the young man in front of her, who looked not very old and was dressed in contemporary clothes, exuded a profound and vast aura that even made her feel a little uneasy.
That's something that ordinary Vacuum Realm cultivators can't possess!
"Your strength is impressive," Dao Ancestor Qingyi said directly. "This great tomb is fraught with danger and teeming with treasures. Fighting alone may not be the best option. I see that you are no ordinary person either. Why don't we join forces to explore the mysteries of this tomb together and reap the benefits together?"
Her suggestion seemed reasonable; in an unknown and dangerous environment, it was indeed a good choice for strong individuals to join forces to increase their survival and success rates.
However, Fang Qing had her own considerations.
He is not opposed to joining forces, but the prerequisite for such a collaboration is that both parties need to have sufficient understanding and trust, and at the very least, they need to be clear about each other's bottom line and style of operation.
Although this mysterious and ancient Dao Ancestor Qingyi took the initiative to propose cooperation, Fang Qing knew almost nothing about her.
Moreover, Fang Qing's combat power has soared, his confidence has swelled to an unprecedented level, and he has many means such as the Wings of Freedom and the Primordial Spirit of Wisdom. Even if he explores alone, he is very confident in dealing with various crises and seizing opportunities.
Joining forces with an ancient entity whose background is unknown would be of little significance.
In the blink of an eye, Fang Qing had already made a decision.
His expression was calm as he looked at Dao Ancestor Qingyi and slowly said, "Joining forces to explore is not impossible."
Upon hearing this, a barely perceptible relaxation appeared on Qingyi Daozu's cold and arrogant face, as if she felt that the other party knew when to back down.
However, Fang Qing changed the subject: "But before that, we need to confirm one thing."
"Oh? What is it?"
Qingyi Daozu raised an eyebrow slightly.
"I need to know just how much weight my future partners carry."
Fang Qing's voice remained calm, yet it exuded an undeniable strength and confidence. "So, before we truly join forces, why don't we spar a little? Just enough to test each other's strength, how about it?"
Let's exchange a move! Making friends through martial arts is also the most direct way to establish each other's status and voice!
Upon hearing this, Dao Ancestor Qingyi's expression immediately darkened.
As an ancient Dao Ancestor who dominated an era, when had she ever been "tested" like this before? Especially since the other party was a junior who looked so young.
To her, Fang Qing's words were undoubtedly a sign of contempt and provocation!
The already chilling aura emanating from her instantly became even more intense, and the surrounding flames seemed to freeze for a moment, making a crackling sound.
Her eyes flashed with a chilling light: "You... want to fight me?"
His voice already carried a hint of anger.
"Exactly."
Fang Qing remained unmoved, as if he hadn't sensed the other party's anger. "One move will suffice."
"Good! Good! Good!"
Qingyi Daozu said "good" three times in a row, then laughed in anger, "I want to see what kind of ability you, a junior, have that makes you so arrogant."
Before she finished speaking, she had already made her move.
There was no sign of any complicated starting stance from her; she simply pointed her slender right finger lightly in the direction of Fang Qing.
"Mystic Ice Divine Finger, Eternal Annihilation!"
In an instant, an indescribable, terrifying chill erupted from the center of her finger. It was not ordinary cold air, but a supreme, profound ice power that had been condensed to the extreme and contained the power of "annihilation" and "freezing all things and time".
The raging sea of fire around them instantly lost all its luster and heat in the face of this chill, and was frozen into a huge, transparent ice sculpture world, as if even space itself was frozen!
A crystal-clear, icy blue finger strike, radiating a chilling light below absolute zero, silently pierced through the void and shot towards Fang Qing's brow.
Wherever it passed, all vitality and rules were frozen and rendered lifeless.
This is a killing move from the Supreme Profound Ice Divine Art that made Qingyi Daozu famous. Even experts at the same Void Realm must be cautious when facing this finger, as a slight mistake could freeze their soul and sever their life force.
Faced with this terrifying finger strike capable of freezing galaxies and annihilating eternity, Fang Qing's face remained completely expressionless.
He didn't even retreat, nor did he adopt any defensive stance.
Just as the icy blue finger strike was about to hit him, he also raised his right hand and extended his index finger.
This time, he did not use "Heavenly Origin Strike". Instead, he concentrated his Chaos Primordial Divine Power, which had already advanced to the "Quasi-God" level, at his fingertip and then flicked it lightly.
"Boom."
The Xuanbing Divine Finger Force, powerful enough to freeze and kill even a Void Realm expert and containing the intent of eternal annihilation, completely melted away when it came into contact with the extremely refined Chaos Divine Power at Fang Qing's fingertip.
Along with the surrounding frozen sea of fire and space, everything instantly returned to normal, as if the devastating ice seal had never happened.
Extinguished with a flick of the finger! A casual remark!
Dead!
Absolute silence enveloped this fiery plane! Only the crackling sound of the distant sea of fire and the low, terrified roars of the fire giants could be heard.
Qingyi Daozu stood frozen in place as if she had been frozen in place. The cold arrogance and anger on her face had vanished without a trace, replaced by extreme shock, bewilderment and disbelief!
Her lips trembled slightly, and her beautiful eyes were wide open, staring intently at Fang Qing's seemingly ordinary finger that had just been withdrawn, as if trying to see through it.
How can it be?
Her "Mysterious Ice Divine Finger, Eternal Annihilation" is an unparalleled killing move that she has cultivated for billions of years, fusing the ultimate ice law with the true meaning of annihilation.
Even on the Ancient Road to Divine Intervention, he used this skill to severely injure several powerful enemies of the same level!
How could... how could she have been so easily defeated by the other party, even in a way she couldn't comprehend?
"How was it? Does this move prove its effectiveness?"
Fang Qing's voice startled Qingyi Daozu from her shock.
Qingyi Daozu took a deep breath, barely suppressing the turbulent emotions in her heart. When she looked up at Fang Qing again, the cold arrogance in her eyes had vanished, replaced by an unprecedented solemnity, scrutiny, and complex apprehension.
She is not stupid. On the contrary, the reason she has been able to live from ancient times to the present and survive in the Ancient Path to Godhood is because of her absolute strength and her keen insight into the situation.
The young man before her was undoubtedly one of the most terrifying and unfathomable beings she had ever seen in her life; his strength was probably far beyond her imagination.
Making an enemy of such a person is clearly extremely unwise. But if cooperation could be achieved...
Thinking of this, the anger in Qingyi Daozu's heart caused by being slighted had long since dissipated, replaced by an unprecedented sense of urgency and opportunity!
She took another deep breath, her expression becoming solemn and serious, and bowed slightly to Fang Qing—a gesture of respect and recognition, completely different from her previous aloofness.
"I was rude just now."
Her voice also became much calmer, "Your strength is extraordinary and admirable. This move is enough to prove everything."
She paused, her gaze growing even more fervent and sincere: "As you say, within this mysterious and unpredictable tomb, danger and opportunity coexist. We have no enmity between us; on the contrary, we share a common goal—to explore the tomb and seek the opportunity to become gods!"
"I apologize for my previous abruptness and failure to fully demonstrate my sincerity. Now, I formally extend this invitation!"
Her tone became more serious and urgent than ever before, “I am willing to cooperate more closely and deeply with you. I can offer you the experience I have accumulated over ten thousand years of cultivation on the Ancient Path to the Divine, my understanding of certain areas of this great tomb, and some ancient secrets I possess!”
"And you, with your unfathomable strength, if we join forces, we will surely be able to go further in this great tomb and obtain more and better benefits!"
Her words were filled with unprecedented sincerity and urgency.
Clearly, Fang Qing's seemingly casual yet awe-inspiring finger strike completely shattered her defenses and pride, making her realize the enormous gap between them and revealing an unprecedented opportunity.
The allure of allying with someone who may have already touched the "threshold of godhood" was simply too great for her, an ancient Dao Ancestor who had long been striving to become a god.
"Okay." (End of Chapter)