Chapter 826
, Part 2: The Mystery and the Mandate of Heaven
Chapter 826 The Second Mystery, A Matter of Destiny (There's a prize quiz at the end of the chapter, please vote with your monthly tickets!)
"The Five Elements Returning to the Source Plate, the Dragon and Phoenix Celestial Instrument, the Nine Luminaries Celestial Balance Instrument, and the Sun, Moon, and Stars Guiding the Way."
As Chen Ping'an watched the phantom that suddenly appeared behind Hua Ruyue, countless thoughts flashed through his mind.
Star chart, chaotic spirit pearl, dragon scales and phoenix feathers, seven-colored glazed glass.
Legend has it that the Moon Shadow Divine Arrow, Hua Ruyue, possesses a rare and precious treasure that can shrink distances to mere inches, allowing for rapid expansion of the gap.
These words are merely rumors circulating in the streets and should not be taken seriously.
No one has ever seen Hua Ruyue use such a precious treasure before.
But today it seems that the rumor was not unfounded.
Hua Ruyue truly possesses such a treasure, and the quality and power of this treasure far surpass the rumors and descriptions.
In that instant, countless solutions flashed through Chen Ping'an's mind.
This Hua Ruyue is simply unreasonable. I thought I had victory in my grasp and that I should get close to her and use my physical strength to suppress her.
But unexpectedly, the other party had such a method to break the deadlock.
Having painstakingly created this situation, Chen Ping'an was unwilling to give up now. If they waited for Hua Ruyue to escape and be prepared, it would be much more difficult to create a similar scenario again.
With a sudden change of heart, Chen Ping'an did not hesitate at all and truly used his hidden power.
hum~
Within the spiritual platform, the colorful pearl shone brightly, its purple light flowing like a dream, as if trying to solidify the entire space.
A subtle, twisting force emanated and instantly illuminated the surrounding space.
The Dream Orb, the Second Mystic, Twisted!
At that moment, the surrounding space seemed to be forcibly distorted. The golden starlight, which had just dissipated from its original location, was forcibly pulled back out.
This level of power is no longer manifested in conventional interception, but rather involves a deeper, more profound application within the realm of artistic conception.
Hua Ruyue's magical escape technique was of extremely high quality, and conventional methods would have been completely ineffective in stopping it. However, under such distortion, space froze, and Hua Ruyue's radiant figure, like clouds and sunlight, reappeared before Chen Ping'an once again.
For the first time, Hua Ruyue's face showed astonishment at this moment. Her eyes, as golden as amber, were filled with shock and surprise.
Clearly, in the instant the light faded, she never imagined that the man in front of her would have a way to forcibly keep her here.
The reason it's called "Qimen Dunbao" (奇门遁宝) is precisely because its escape method is far beyond what ordinary methods can comprehend. Even within a confined space, it can shrink the distance to an inch and quickly disappear from that place.
These treasures are a perfect match for archers skilled in ranged attacks. Even in times of crisis, they can handle the situation with ease and composure.
But reality didn't go as expected, and Hua Ruyue was forced to stay behind.
The fierce attack caught Hua Ruyue off guard, and she barely managed to dodge it. The golden glitter on her sleeve was torn off, revealing her fair wrist.
Before you could catch your breath, the intensely hot heat hit you.
At this moment, the two figures were very close.
Chen Ping'an seemed to have already smelled the fragrance on Hua Ruyue's body. Unlike any woman he had ever met before, Hua Ruyue's fragrance had a unique interpretation to him. It was beautiful and lasting, refreshing and delightful, like golden gauze mist or dew on a young phoenix.
However, the fragrance is merely a minor, delicate fragrance. The current situation is to suppress Hua Ruyue here.
He had no intention of making a move, but now that the other party had made a move, he naturally wouldn't hold back at all. He would take advantage of her weakness and kill her!
We'll talk about the deal later!
If it can be decided in one fell swoop, or...
boom!
The blazing, boundless energy crashed down, and the dreamlike purple light instantly intensified, its seemingly contradictory nature—eerie and alluring, yet perfectly fused together at this moment.
Wow~
Golden light surged forth in a vast, dazzling display, as if everything around it had been gilded. Even the magnificent, dreamlike purple light was now tinged with gold.
Only the black and white imagery seems to stand out from the crowd, offering a brief respite.
The four-sided space seemed to be immersed in an extremely luxurious golden dream.
"This is."
Chen Ping'an's heart skipped a beat, and a strange expression appeared on his face.
His strike, imbued with the essence of blood and qi, instantly lost its power, barely brushing past Hua Ruyue's face like a spring breeze, slipping through her golden hair.
That blow, which contained terrifying shockwaves, ultimately became a gentle spring breeze caressing the face and smoothing the hair.
Chen Ping'an's descent into the realm of celestial beings was met with a formidable opponent at this moment, and was being suppressed relentlessly. If it weren't for the entanglement of the black and white realms, it would likely have completely dissipated by now.
Pong!
Amidst the deafening roar, golden light and dreamlike illusions intertwined, while black and white echoed each other with radiance.
Rumble~
The space trembled, a wave of sound swept through, and amidst the dazzling golden light, the two figures retreated.
"Fourth-tier Body Refinement!?"
Chen Ping'an's figure shot forward, surrounded by dreamlike light.
"No! It's not body refinement! It's some kind of secret technique!"
Chen Ping'an's blood and qi surged like boiling water; he had felt a sense of evenly matched strength in that attack.
Most importantly...
hum~
With a flash of purple light, Chen Ping'an steadied himself in mid-air, his pale purple eyes gazing at the elegantly dressed woman in the distance who had also regained her footing.
Hua Ruyue's eyes, as white as gold and as red as amber, looked at him, and their gazes met in mid-air.
Looking at the woman in the dazzling gown before him, Chen Ping'an felt as if he were facing the chosen one of destiny.
Watching one's own methods and schemes unfold only to have the opponent reveal layer after layer of hidden cards, easily thwarting their plans, leaves one disheartened, bewildered, and even prone to self-doubt.
Having finally gotten close, I never expected that my opponent would be so skilled in close combat.
Compared to him, they were not inferior at all.
They finally created a great opportunity and even used their trump cards, but unexpectedly, it ended like this.
"I should have just grabbed her ponytail and pulled her over, then how would she have escaped!" Chen Ping'an thought to himself, his resentment running high.
However, such thoughts remained just that—thoughts. The situation just now wasn't that he didn't want to do it, but rather that objective factors made it impossible for him to take that step.
The golden light seemed to possess a strange power, dissipating his immense strength. His entire body's energy and blood, under the golden light, appeared to melt away. Their exchange of blows was evenly matched, not because Hua Ruyue had cultivated body tempering, but because his power had either dissipated or been transferred away.
Even after leaving the golden light, his blood and qi were still surging and boiling, but recalling the scene just now, it was clearly not an illusion.
Clearly, Hua Ruyue possesses some kind of extraordinary technique that allows her to defuse crises and even gain the upper hand in close combat.
Looking at the woman in front of him, Chen Ping'an felt extremely aggrieved.
At that moment, he suddenly understood why the villains in those biographies would spout so much nonsense at the very end. Who could imagine that someone who had cultivated to the utmost, invincible throughout their cultivation journey, would suddenly encounter someone of lower cultivation whom they couldn't defeat? Time and again, their hopes were dashed.
Who could imagine such frustration?!
When you're finally about to win, if you don't say something, you just can't vent your frustration.
Let's stop with the nonsense and calm down. Even if we win this battle, it would be a waste of all the experiences we've had in the past.
Don't blame the villains for talking so much nonsense. The more invincible they are along the way, the more steadfast their Dao heart becomes. When they face being attacked across borders and then win, the impact they face is even greater.
Who could have imagined that this prodigy, who always fought across borders, would one day be outmaneuvered?!
What magnitude will this impact on one's Dao heart?
When we rediscover our original intentions and lay a solid foundation for the future, if we don't say something, the path we've walked will not be smooth!
Chen Ping'an's emotions were in turmoil, but he calmed himself down.
Anyone would be anxious in this situation!
He always prided himself on his composure and stability; when facing an opponent, he either didn't act at all, or when he did, it was a devastating blow. This time, however, he made an exception, to test his combat prowess, and with the initiative in hand, he fought against the Dream-Eating Lotus Lord of the Heavenly Lotus Sect.
Who would have thought that the Dream Lotus Lord, who was at the same cultivation level, wouldn't put much pressure on him? It was just Hua Ruyue, a Grandmaster of Martial Arts, who came to increase his strength.
Having just killed a Celestial Being of the same realm, he felt his combat power was unparalleled and that he could probably hold his own against a seasoned Celestial Being of the Second Realm. With the treasure pearl as his trump card, he could probably even put up a fight against a Celestial Being of the Second Realm who had reached the peak of the Second Realm.
结果
That's it?
They encountered a grandmaster halfway through and ended up fighting like this!?
Chen Ping'an was thinking this, but little did he know that Hua Ruyue's heart was also filled with ripples of emotion.
Although the man in front of her had not yet entered the second realm, the pressure he exerted on her was even greater than that of the Heaven-Mending Thief she had been chasing all along.
While the opponent's condition was not at its peak, such killing power was definitely comparable to that of a normal second-stage perfect cultivator.
The twisting force that almost solidified space at the end, in particular, left her stunned and astonished.
The way she looked at the man in front of her became more scrutinizing.
Chen Ping'an was stunned, but his expression was eerie and charming, showing great interest.
There was a strong sense of eagerness to try again and compete for superiority.
He looked at Hua Ruyue's tattered gold robe sleeves and a playful smile appeared on his face.
"I never imagined that the renowned Moon Shadow Divine Arrow Hua Ruyue was so well hidden? She is only at the Grandmaster level, yet she can contend with me and stand on equal footing."
Looking at the languid and carefree, otherworldly young man in the distance, Hua Ruyue's eyes, as bright as a golden spring, rippled like drops of gold on a lake.
This was the first time since she began her cultivation that she had been truly brought close to someone in combat.
And
She glanced at the sleeve of her clothes; the tear wasn't large, but it was indeed a piece that had been ripped off.
Looking at the golden fragment in the other person's hand, a hint of displeasure appeared in Hua Ruyue's eyes, but it disappeared in an instant.
"Huan Qianye! Who are you?"
"Oh?"
Chen Ping'an chuckled softly, his eyes filled with surprise: "Since Lady Hua is so curious about me, does she have some thoughts about me?"
Chen Ping'an's tone was languid, seemingly teasing, but in reality, his mind was tense, ready to strike swiftly at the slightest provocation. This Hua Ruyue was utterly incomprehensible. How could a mere Grandmaster have mastered such a level of Celestial Intent?
He didn't know if a third-realm celestial being could reach this level of skill, but it was definitely not something a second-realm celestial being should normally possess.
Even a Celestial Being at the Piercing Rainbow Realm can achieve this level of artistry, so how could Hua Ruyue, who is merely a Grandmaster, possess such profound understanding?
You must know that she has not yet overcome the illusion of inner demons, the barrier between heaven and man.
If one can already possess such a profound understanding before even reaching the realm of the Celestials, how far will one go after ascending to that realm?
At that time, let alone a Grandmaster of the Hidden Radiance Realm, even...
It's doubtful they'll be able to maintain a firm grip on the situation.
What exactly is Hua Ruyue planning? With such temptation before her, why is she still hesitant to break through the barrier between heaven and man?
According to the rankings, her combat strength is more than ten times weaker!
"The rankings have misled me!" Chen Ping'an thought bitterly.
He dared not estimate the extent of her combat power; at least below the Hidden Radiance Realm, almost no one could do anything to her!
Grandmaster, she is the true Grandmaster!
This is the protagonist of destiny, the chosen one, yet he's so unreasonable!?
If all the protagonists in biographical novels were like that, then it's no wonder that so many villains meet tragic ends.
nonsense!
Normally, if a Grandmaster were to be sent, even with their peak combat power, sending a Celestial Being would already be considered a great honor. Let alone many, even sending a Second-Realm Celestial Being would be an exceptionally high level of achievement.
If this arrangement were to be made, the outcome would be self-evident.
Once the villains behind the scenes realize what's happening and send in cultivators at the second level of cultivation, or even those at the Hidden Radiance Realm, they'll likely find themselves facing a protagonist who has already entered the Heavenly Human Realm and ascended to the Heavenly Human Realm.
Even if a powerful cultivator from the Hidden Radiance Realm arrives in person, so what!?
This is outrageous, absolutely outrageous!
Supermodels are disheartening; if all biographies' protagonists were like that, the villains wouldn't be so unjustly defeated!
Even with an overestimation, no one would equate a Grandmaster of Martial Arts with a Grandmaster of the Hidden Radiance Realm. A Grandmaster who has offended a powerful force and is prepared to be eliminated as soon as possible wouldn't even attract the attention of a Grandmaster of the Hidden Radiance Realm in the early stages, let alone have a Grandmaster personally take action.
Even though Hua Ruyue was ranked first among the powerful and renowned throughout the four realms, his experience in cultivation still led him to subconsciously underestimate her. No matter how much he valued her, he could never value her to such an extremely high degree.
Even if he himself was once a prodigy, no matter how much he elevated the other party's judgment, he would only think: "Grandmaster? No matter how strong a Grandmaster is, he is just a Grandmaster."
Even considering his own experience, he never believed that, at his peak, his opponent could defeat him.
It was precisely this mentality that led to the current situation after the war began.
If he were to die here today, in a biographical novel, he would be nothing more than a typical passerby on the path of the protagonist's destiny. Someone who would perish here without leaving behind any deeds.
He is merely a protagonist destined by fate, a stepping stone on the path of cultivation.
But he
He was also the protagonist of his own story.
But with his death, all that had happened vanished.
Everyone who embarks on the path of cultivation has once been the protagonist of their own story, but some die, some fall behind, and in the end, only a very, very few can truly make it to the end.
Behind them was a large group of people who had long since fallen behind.
Looking at the people behind them, they reflected on their journey, immersed in their own world, believing themselves to be the most special ones in the world.
But when he comes out of his reflection and looks ahead, he will find that this is the path.
We're not done yet!
Those who have achieved this level of cultivation have all had their own unique experiences and opportunities that cannot be shared with outsiders. Each of them has a different sense of superiority when facing cultivators of lower realms or even those of the same realm.
Like the villains encountered by the protagonist in a biographical novel, they were all similar figures on their previous cultivation paths. Only after meeting the protagonist did they truly realize that they were never the protagonists in this world.
Unfortunately, it was too late to realize all this.
When discussing biographical novels, some critics argue that the villains are too brainless. Knowing the protagonist has potential, why offend them for a small gain? Or, knowing the protagonist has unlimited talent, why not send a top-tier expert to eliminate them from the start, instead of giving the protagonist so much leeway?
They sent out experts along the way, like suicide missions, to gain experience points.
But if we return to reality, which of those established masters doesn't consider themselves not the main character? Who would think that they are merely stepping stones on the path of others?
They had witnessed too much tolerance and submission from others, and experienced too many successes. They never imagined that an unintentional act of humiliation towards a lower-level cultivator would lead to the annihilation of him and his entire family.
When people read the biography of the villain, they only saw his one failure and didn't understand his motives. But they never imagined that he had also succeeded countless times.
He may have only failed once in his life.
But this one failure defined his entire life.
In the biography of the protagonist of Destiny, he appears as a passerby, becoming a stepping stone on the protagonist's path to the top.
But no one ever imagined that he was once the protagonist of his own story.
He overcame countless hardships and surpassed countless people of his generation to reach this point.
He also has his own advantages and a unique sense of accomplishment.
Unfortunately.
These advantages and achievements are nothing but dust in the face of the real protagonist, easily scattered.
And the protagonist is destined to be the protagonist.
Looking at the magnificent Hua Ruyue before him, Chen Ping'an suddenly felt a sense of enlightenment.
Only those who make it to the end are the main characters!
Today he dies, and all that he has, along with his life, will return to the heavens and earth.
Today, like a flower in full bloom and the moon shining brightly, her talent and profound knowledge, like a hidden secret, have completely vanished from everyone's sight.
Some people will remember her, some people will recall her, but probably no one will know that her talent, in the world and on the list, is far more than ten times greater!
But none of that matters anymore.
With his body gone and his path extinguished, he will never be seen again on the path of cultivation!
Both he and Hua Ruyue had signs of destiny in their previous life experiences!
But if I die today, then all of this will be meaningless.
No one knows that once, a prodigy, at the age of twenty-seven, ascended to the realm of celestial beings. With unparalleled talent, he could even rival celestial beings at the second level.
Before meeting Hua Ruyue, he knew there were countless geniuses in the world, but he never imagined that someone could be so amazing!
perhaps
The enemies he encountered in the past must have also expressed such amazement, right?
Now that he's in that position, experiencing things from a different perspective, he has a completely different experience.
These experiences, though not pleasant, were unique for him, enriching his spirit, ambition, and perspective.
A slightly painful, somewhat disheartening addition.
Having personally experienced this, he could truly understand why people often say that there were once brilliant and talented geniuses who were full of vigor and ambition, but after setbacks, they naturally became discouraged and could not recover.
Such insights are so genuine that while others might hear them as amusing anecdotes, the feelings experienced by the person involved are immeasurably deeper.
If everything goes smoothly, encountering this sudden event might truly be devastating.
From this perspective, Chen Ping'an could understand why, even now, despite his many talents and abilities, there are still dissenting voices.
They believed that his talent and abilities might not be enough to sustain him until the end.
From an outsider's perspective, his journey has been far too smooth.
Starting from the outer city of the Wei River, everything went smoothly. They encountered no obstacles whatsoever, and even when faced with criticism, they were always helped by benefactors, turning misfortune into good fortune.
Given these feelings, it's not hard to understand what others are thinking.
With things going so smoothly, if he were to suffer a major blow in the future, Mang Dao might not be able to maintain his momentum. Even if he doesn't collapse completely, he will still suffer a severe setback.
No one expected that his journey had never been smooth sailing. And the heavy blows he suffered did not need to come later; he had already experienced them firsthand when he was still insignificant.
That day, he punched his fist countless times within the courtyard wall. He repeatedly admonished himself, trying to find peace within himself and to let time tell the story.
The past, with its flaws and omissions, is just as vivid as it is now.
Throughout his journey, nothing has been unacceptable to him. He rose from humble beginnings, and even if he suffered setbacks and heavy blows, it was nothing to worry about.
Let's start over!
"Fortune and misfortune are interdependent; the ancients were right."
After figuring out these key points, Chen Ping'an felt extremely relieved.
It is not self-hypnosis or self-deception, but an ultimate feeling of mental clarity, a clear mind, and a pure spirit.
There are countless talented people in this world, why bother getting upset over others?
My spiritual practice is solely for my own sake. As long as I keep moving forward, one day I will have witnessed all the wonders of the world and, high above the clouds, savor the human experience!
Some people walk fast, some people walk far, and some people walk both fast and far!
But what do all this have to do with me?
The path I'm walking is long and arduous; what I'm after is reaching the ultimate summit!
Chen Ping'an's purple eyes shone brightly, like stars in the sky. When he looked at the woman in front of him, his expression became even more casual.
Chen Ping'an's words contained a hint of flirtatious and frivolous intent, but Hua Ruyue's expression did not change.
Or perhaps, her thoughts are not outwardly revealed.
"You are not from Bicang!"
Hua Ruyue spoke with certainty, and a golden light seemed to shine in her eyes, which were as clear as a golden spring.
"Oh?"
Chen Ping'an's heart stirred, his expression languid.
"Lady Flower, how can you teach me?"
Having said that, he slightly raised his eyes, his gaze carrying a hint of scrutiny, open and aboveboard without any concealment: "I am already married, so Miss Hua should not even think about it."
Chen Ping'an's words did not elicit the expected anger or outburst, nor did they elicit any change in his emotions.
Hua Ruyue stared at Chen Ping'an for a long time before her clear, melodious voice finally rang out in front of him.
"Is the deal you just mentioned still valid?"
Quiz with prizes: Question: Why did Hua Ruyue change her mind?
Those whose answers are closest in the comments below can go to the fan group to receive a thousand points (a 10 yuan red envelope). The first person to receive the answer will be awarded the prize based on the time of submission.
(End of this chapter)