The Captain was a sharp man. This trip to invite Zhao Rui and the others to a barbecue at the military camp was also a way to build a good relationship.

With the arrival of Gui Xu, strength was paramount.

Taking this opportunity to befriend several True Dharma Masters would be of great benefit to him.

"This stuff is tender and smooth, but also firmer than ordinary fish..."

The Captain introduced the food as he enthusiastically sliced the meat for everyone and sprinkled on some seasoning.

Master Qingyang and the others had come from Gui Xu, so they were naturally no strangers to Exotic Beast Meat and didn’t find it particularly novel.

And while Zhao Rui had also been to Gui Xu and eaten barbecued Exotic Beast Meat before, he had never tasted these few Sea Beasts.

He, too, ate with great relish.

"The coastal joint defense mechanism has now been activated, and precision satellite strikes have been implemented. Masters, you no longer need to trouble yourselves with staying on the coast..."

The Captain said with a smile, raising his cup.

"We must thank Captain Jian for his hard work in defending Dongqi," Master Qingyang said with a laugh.

With the debut of the Court’s new equipment and the increasing strength of the military, the True Dharma Masters could finally return to their respective Sects for some rest and recuperation.

"It is a soldier’s duty. We are bound to it!" Captain Jian said heroically. With a weapon in hand, his confidence was high.

Over the past week, he had led his soldiers and killed a considerable number of Exotic Beasts.

They had even managed to kill a large Exotic Beast, a type that was previously difficult to contend with, thanks to the help of the True Essence Cannon.

With such a battle record, Captain Jian was brimming with confidence.

"Is Zhao Zhenren planning to return to Qingcheng Mountain?" Master Qingyang asked in a low voice, turning his head during the idle chatter.

"I haven’t decided yet," Zhao Rui said casually.

"In that case, why not come and stay at my Taishan Sect for a couple of days? Our Sect Leader has long admired you, Master, but has never had the opportunity to meet you."

"How could I dare trouble Master Qingxu? It is I who have been discourteous. In that case, I will impose on you, Brother."

Zhao Rui didn’t refuse. He hadn’t seen Miao Miaomiao in a long time, so it was a good opportunity to go up the mountain and see how her training was progressing.

The meal at the military camp was relatively simple. After all, they were True Dharma Masters; they naturally wouldn’t indulge in extravagant feasts of meat and wine like common martial artists.

After eating, the group left the military camp.

"Fellow Brothers, until we meet again!"

"Take care!"

The group had been together for some time, fighting side-by-side against their enemies, and had formed a bond.

"Brother Zhao, I’m heading back to Qingcheng Mountain first! If anything changes, notify me immediately."

"Alright. Thank you, Brother."

"We’re family, no need to be so formal. Farewell."

"Farewell!"

Cang Zhenzi gave Zhao Rui a few words of advice before striding off towards Sichuan Province.

The fact that Qing City’s members had come to Dongqi to help was entirely out of respect for Zhao Rui.

It could also be seen as an apology for their previous mistake of trying to seize Qingcheng Mountain, a gesture to show their new stance.

After all, when they had come to fight the Exotic Beasts, Zhao Rui was still in Gui Xu, his fate unknown.

Zhao Rui naturally understood this sentiment.

After seeing off the other Masters, Master Qingyang smiled at Zhao Rui and said, "I’ve long heard that the Gang Wind of the Nine Heavens can carve metal and stone, its power unstoppable. Now that Blue Star is whole, why don’t we explore the high heavens?"

"Why would I not dare?" Zhao Rui laughed heartily.

The two of them then rose into the air, executing a Peak Lightness Skill. Enveloped in True Qi, they flew toward the sky.

Their direction was toward Taishan, but their altitude of ascent clearly exceeded that of normal travel.

Master Qingyang manifested the Tai Mountain Stone Guardian to protect his front as he charged toward the firmament.

The high-speed rush formed a brilliant barrier of airflow before him, dispersing all the air to the sides.

A True Dharma Master’s Soaring Skill was different from an ordinary rocket; it didn’t need to overcome gravity.

Instead, it utilized a Light Body Skill.

Covered in True Qi, one’s body became as light as a feather, nullifying one’s own gravity.

This was also the reason why True Dharma Masters could travel at extremely high speeds for short periods.

However, even with gravity nullified, increasing one’s speed still consumed a massive amount of True Qi.

Once the generation of True Qi could not keep up with its consumption, a True Dharma Master could no longer accelerate.

Ultimately, they could not yet roam the heavens and earth at will.

"Fellow Daoist Zhao, how is this Gang Wind?"

Master Qingyang flew to an altitude of tens of thousands of meters. Feeling the solitude of a world that had fallen silent, he couldn’t help but look down.

"The Gang Wind is indeed fierce, but why have you stopped ascending, Brother?"

Zhao Rui paused his steps slightly, standing buoyant in the air, and looked at Master Qingyang curiously.

"My Force is insufficient; I cannot continue."

Master Qingyang looked up at the brilliant galaxy and the clearly visible sun and moon above.

Unfortunately, he couldn’t break through the dome of heaven and earth and ignore the Laws of Heaven and Earth.

"Does Fellow Daoist still have strength to spare?" Master Qingyang asked with a curious smile.

"Not much left. I can probably only climb a few dozen more meters at most!" Zhao Rui said with a smile, hiding his true strength.

With all the Acupoints in his body open, flying another thousand or so meters would be no problem at all.

But that would cause Master Qingyang to lose face.

There was no need for that.

"Haha, Fellow Daoist’s talent is truly extraordinary, much stronger than this old Daoist."

"Not at all, it was just a momentary burst of energy. Even now, I can feel my True Qi is running a little low," Zhao Rui laughed.

"You are too modest, Fellow Daoist."

Qingyangzi stroked his beard slightly as he gazed at the firmament, his voice resounding, "Back in Gui Xu, we couldn’t see the sun or moon. I secretly thought that was all there was to the world. Only after studying the Ancient Texts of our predecessors did I learn of our origins..."

"Now, seeing the sun, moon, and stars is like an ant seeing the vastness of heaven and earth. Only now do I realize my own insignificance..."

"Fellow Daoist, the Great Dao is boundless. We must still strive forward!"

Hearing his heartfelt words, ripples spread through Zhao Rui’s heart.

He glanced around and saw that the Blue Star below them had become so enormous that he couldn’t even see the curve of its arc in a single glance.

It was as if the sky was round and the earth was square.

’Since True Qi isn’t air, does True Qi exist in the universe?’

’If True Qi is Dark Energy, and the universe is so vast, with Dark Energy everywhere, does that mean humans can also rely on True Qi to soar through space?’

A tremor ran through Zhao Rui’s heart.

Images from his past life of incredible people roaming through space, their physical bodies flying through the void, couldn’t help but surface in his mind.

’If I use my Domain Power, could I break through the boundary?’

A myriad of thoughts raced through Zhao Rui’s mind.

"Travel to the North Sea in the morning and Cangwu in the evening! ...The Stilt-Riding Skill isn’t about walking on one’s feet; it is merely the divine control of the six energies!"

Master Qingyang muttered to himself, lost in the vastness of the starry sky and the might of the cosmos.

Zhao Rui, meanwhile, pondered whether his idea of soaring through the heavens could be realized.

The two of them unexpectedly fell into a strange Void Realm at the same time. 𝑓𝑟𝑒𝘦𝓌𝑒𝑏𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝘭.𝒸𝘰𝑚

This Void Realm was a perfect match for the void of space around them, implicitly aligning with the Daoist School’s concept of the unity of heaven and man.

An unknown amount of time passed!

Zhao Rui finally came to his senses, breaking out in a cold sweat.

He looked around and found Master Qingyang still lost in his trance. He secretly became vigilant, standing guard for him.

After a little while longer, Master Qingyang actually began to practice his Martial Arts.

His every move seemed to contain a profound mystery of the universe, like the brilliance of the starry sky or the emptiness of space.

"Starlight!"

Following Master Qingyang’s low shout, his right hand suddenly emitted a brilliant light. Then, a stream of True Qi as thick as an arm, carrying an invisible Star Power, suddenly shot forward.

It flew for a long time until it left Zhao Rui’s field of vision and disappeared over the distant horizon.

After executing this move, Master Qingyang sat cross-legged, True Qi swirling around him, faintly suffused with starlight.

He had clearly achieved some sort of epiphany.

Zhao Rui couldn’t help but smile wryly. None of these old seniors who fought their way out of Gui Xu were simple. Such talent was truly enviable.

Just then, a warning flared in his mind. It seemed an invisible, formless power was approaching.

His eyes narrowed and the True Qi around him surged as he instantly activated his Spring Rain Domain.

Although there was no wind or rain here, this Domain Power wasn’t natural wind and rain. Rather, it was a manifestation of the potential for wind and rain, derived from comprehending the Laws of Heaven and Earth.

Even in the void of space, he could still conjure wind and rain.

As soon as the Spring Rain Domain unfolded, it enveloped both Master Qingyang and himself.

To be cautious, Zhao Rui also deployed the Metal Shield that Academician Zhang had given him.

Just a moment after he had fully raised his defenses, a bizarre phantom descended outside his Domain.

Zhao Rui stared at the phantom, and his blood ran cold.

It was a Celestial Demon, the same kind he had seen before.

’Are Celestial Demons really Demons from beyond the heavens?’

The phantom of a Celestial Demon was different from that of a Divine Void Realm expert. Although it was illusory, it felt incredibly solid.

It was as if the illusion *was* their true form.

"JIE JIE!"

The Celestial Demon slammed against the Domain several times. Seeing that it couldn’t break through the defense, it grew agitated.

Its entire illusory figure became fearsome and terrifying, baring fangs and brandishing claws.

On land, Zhao Rui had plenty of ways to defeat this Celestial Demon, but here in the void, he dared not act rashly.

Who knew where these Celestial Demons came from? If there was one, could there be a second?

The standoff continued for the better part of a day.

Master Qingyang finally, slowly, opened his eyes.