Slaying Demons: Starting with Upgrading my Calligraphy-Chapter 436 - 388: To Achieve a Great Dao Body, Master the Heavenly Gods in the Palm!_2
Only... a slip of paper?
He had thought that what was concealed inside this glassy jade bead might be some kind of Secret Technique or perhaps the essence of some Treasure. But it turned out to be just a slip of paper.
His expression turned somewhat strange. Qi Xiu picked up the paper and slowly unfolded it. The sprawling, bold script on the yellowed paper suddenly leaped into his vision.
[Hunyuan gives birth to Ten Thousand Laws, a single Qi breaks the firmament; to forge the great Dao Body, command the Celestial Cycle in your palm!]
This handwriting...
Looking at the familiar script on the slip of paper, Qi Xiu’s complexion gradually turned solemn and serious. His lips parted to utter a name, "Daoist Qingya!"
「In a domain beyond reach, outside the known realms.」
An immense ocean, vast and boundless, stretched out. This expanse of water sometimes churned with terrifying waves, and at other times, it lay as tranquil as a mirror. In the center of this ocean stood an odd island, its shape resembling the legendary giant turtle, silently guarding this territory.
The island was blanketed with snow that never melted year-round, a silvery world as if cleansed by moonlight, crystal clear.
Mountain peaks like ice sculptures pierced the heavens, forming a stark contrast with the surrounding waters, like an exquisitely cold ink painting.
Sitting cross-legged atop a cold and peculiar peak, Elder Shui held a carving knife, meticulously shaping an ice sculpture of a man with a majestic appearance, handsome features, and two Dragon Horns on his forehead.
DING—
The carving knife gently scraped, shedding a flake of ice. Elder Shui’s fluid movements suddenly halted. "What brings you here unexpectedly?"
"Just passing by, came to see you."
A jovial voice came from behind. Still dressed in his loose, greasy Taoist Robe, the plump Daoist Qingya casually found an ice stool and sat down.
To see me? Surely not just that.
Turning slowly to face Daoist Qingya, Elder Shui’s gaze fell on the right hand of the fat daoist.
Below the wide sleeve, a piece of white cloth peeked out, faintly stained with blood.
"Injured?" Elder Shui asked with furrowed brows.
"Mm."
Daoist Qingya nodded slowly. "My last intervention still went awry; the boy’s development has deviated from my original design. Destiny can no longer lock onto me, so it started to bring him and that sword together. The boy is bold, using the Observing Qi Skill to directly peer into the future, only to be slain by that sword in that foreseen future. I intervened and got stabbed by the sword, but he also received a palm strike from me, which will put him to sleep for a while."
It shouldn’t be possible, Elder Shui thought, his brows furrowed in doubt. The child is protected by Human Path Merit; how could destiny exert any influence over him?
"Human Path Merit is not omnipotent. Besides, destiny brought him into contact with that sword without any explicit malice, which is why Human Path Merit failed to prevail. Now the tricky part is, I reckon the boy will have to transcend the Great Tribulation of Dao Body soon."
What? How long has it been? How could his Cultivation have grown so quickly? Elder Shui appeared surprised and incredulous.
In just over twenty years, he leaped from the Blood-stained Double Realm to the Blood-Stained Peak and began to face the Great Tribulation of Dao Body.
Even the True Dragon Clan does not progress in their Cultivation this swiftly.
"The boy’s fortune is excessively prosperous, filled with serendipitous encounters. I’ve tried to suppress him secretly on several occasions. Yet, he always turned these attempts to his advantage, enhancing his Cultivation. Nevertheless, that’s all negligible. But just now, he has opened that Lustrous Jade Sphere."
In Daoist Qingya’s slender eyes, a tinge of unusual color swirled as he lightly pressed on his wounded hand; the bloodstain on the white cloth seemingly grew a bit larger.
"What are his chances of surviving the tribulation?" Elder Shui asked gravely.
"Initially, he had a one-in-ten chance. If I were not injured, I could have assured his complete safety."
"And now?"
Gazing slightly upwards, Daoist Qingya’s eyes reflected an image of a grandiose, lofty purple sun, as if it reigned supreme in the heavens.
"I cannot see."
You cannot see?
"The boy went to the Valley of Deceased Gods; there’s something of his there. My sight cannot reach that place. This time, transcending the tribulation is all up to him."
Stepping forward abruptly and grabbing Daoist Qingya by the neck, Elder Shui, expressionless, lifted him high, his eyes filled with icy murderous intent, "Do you know, he is the sole surviving member of the True Dragon Clan."
"Of course, I know."
"If he suffers even the slightest harm this time, you will accompany him in death!"
As his words fell, the entire oceanic realm abruptly stirred with heaven-shaking waves. These waves rose thousands of meters high, forming colossal figures wielding long spears. Their slightest movements caused the sky to tremble tumultuously and space to rupture, presenting a terrifying spectacle of eerie celestial silence.
Facing Elder Shui’s terrifying intent to overturn Qiong Tian, Daoist Qingya spread his hands helplessly, "Fine, fine, fine, if he dies, I’ll accompany him in death, alright?"
"Hmph!"
With a flick of his hand, Elder Shui released Daoist Qingya and coldly snorted; the frightening apparitions around them instantly vanished. "Aren’t you going to do something? If it really comes to it, I’ll make a trip there myself."
"An Ancient God going to the Valley of Deceased Gods? What, have you really had enough of living and want to pick out a graveyard for yourself?" Daoist Qingya retorted with a smile as he looked at Elder Shui.
"So, we just wait like this?"
"Since he has already opened the Lustrous Jade Sphere, he must have seen the words I left for him."
"Just because of those few words? Can a one-in-ten chance turn into a certainty?"
"Old Shui, if you don’t trust me, you should at least trust the boy, right?"
Seeing Daoist Qingya’s composed eyes, Elder Shui fell into a brief silence. "It was you who said that you personally witnessed his fall during the Great Tribulation of Dao Body. So now..."
"The future is not set in stone; even the slightest interference can lead to countless changes. Besides, this boy... is a variable in his own right. Rest assured, whether you believe it or not, even without you or me, he can grow to a level admired by all beings. It’s just that the process will be more arduous. This Great Tribulation of Dao Body might just be an opportunity. If he successfully overcomes it, then it will completely prove that our choice was extremely correct."
"And if he fails?" Elder Shui asked, eyes fixed intently on Daoist Qingya.
Faced with this question, the usually eloquent Daoist Qingya fell into a rare silence. Several minutes passed before he slowly spoke, "This is the last chance."
「Valley of Deceased Gods, Divine Mausoleum」
Staring at the notepaper with Daoist Qingya’s handwriting, Qi Xiu’s gaze was serious and cold; even the Divine Corpse close at hand was forgotten.
Him again? Whether it was the previous Scarlet Blood Tribulation or this time’s Great Tribulation of Dao Body, why does this mysterious Daoist’s shadow appear every time I face a tribulation? No, that’s not right. The Lustrous Jade Sphere was a gift from Elder Shui; could it be that Daoist Qingya also knew this Ancient God? Elder Shui is a god from the Primordial Era. Daoist Qingya is just a Disciple from the Sect of Luminous Treasures; how could they possibly know each other? Unless... This so-called ’Disciple of the Sect of Luminous Treasures’ is just a front for him!
A glint in his eyes, Qi Xiu regarded the notepaper in his hand, his expression fluctuating with uncertainty.
In that case, our encounter back then was likely no mere coincidence. At that time, I was just a novice cultivator, having newly entered the Initiate Realm, and posed no challenge to him. Why would he, who has connections with an Ancient God like Elder Shui, set his sights on me? And moreover, whether in the past or now, he seems to have been silently watching over me, offering assistance at the most critical moments. What exactly is he plotting?
Unable to trust in unfounded kindness, Qi Xiu slowly clenched the notepaper in his hand. His naturally suspicious temperament caused him to hesitate over the two sentences Daoist Qingya had conveyed through Elder Shui.
To trust or not to trust?
He closed his eyes, and Qi Xiu slowly rubbed the crumpled paper.
After a long while.
Qi Xiu slowly opened his eyes and unfolded the crumpled notepaper. A hint of purple light emerged in his eyes.
Under the special black-and-white interwoven vision of the Observing Qi Skill, two vigorous and powerful characters suddenly appeared on the otherwise ordinary paper.
[Trust me]
Staring at those two words for a long while, Qi Xiu shook his head with a light chuckle. Fat daoist, alright, I’ll trust you one more time.
The gloom swept from his face, and Qi Xiu’s eyes shone with brilliant colors. He stepped confidently toward the Divine Corpse, which was suppressed by mysterious broken iron. Spreading his five fingers, his palm suddenly surged with colorful light, filled with infinite Hunyuan essence.
Hunyuan Attraction!
[To forge the great Dao Body, command the Celestial Cycle in your palm!]
The method to achieve the Dao Body lies entirely within this sentence!
