Chapter 114 - 29-37

Chapter 29: Difficult to Deal with

After consulting the information provided by the Sky Mechanism Tower, Jiang Li had a comprehensive understanding of the Mysterious Secret Realm.

Initially, he just wanted to know the location of the Mysterious Secret Realm.

The founder of the Mysterious Secret Realm, known as the Dream Hermit, was a cultivator at the Body Integration Realm who exhausted his strength and died during the Transcendance Tribulation eight hundred years ago. Perhaps he sensed that he would not pass the trial, so he left behind the Mysterious Secret Realm before crossing the tribulation, leaving something behind for future generations and providing some opportunities for Foundation Establishment stage youths, thereby creating good karma.

The Mysterious Secret Realm opens once every ten years, and the challenges it presents each time are different. Sometimes it tests comprehension, sometimes combat power, sometimes resistance to money and beauty. Even the Sky Mechanism Tower cannot find a pattern. What is certain is that the Mysterious Secret Realm has two levels, and the rewards one ultimately receives vary depending on performance.

For example, the challenge of the Mysterious Secret Realm five hundred years ago was related to combat power. Each person had a token that could be snatched away by others. The person with the most tokens would be ranked first.

Zhou Dynasty. Each time it opens, it attracts nearby sects. These sects, regardless of whether they have Divinity Transformation stage cultivators, would not refuse a secret realm left behind by a power almost at the Transcendance Tribulation Stage.

Jiang Li, having disguise his appearance, arrived near the Mysterious Secret Realm.

At this point, many sects had already brought their core disciples here, waiting for the secret realm to open.

Although Jiang Li's cultivation exceeded the Foundation Establishment Stage and did not meet the standards for entry into the secret realm, his cultivation was also superior to that of the Dream Hermit.

The opening of the Mysterious Secret Realm was a minor event for the southern part of the Great Zhou. At that time, all known sects from the southern part of the Great Zhou would come to participate, showing off their outstanding disciples.

Jiang Li looked around but was unable to recognize any sects. The actual situation was similar to what the system had said. Most of those present were in the late Foundation Establishment Stage, with only a few in the middle Foundation Establishment Stage. Naturally, the sects at the later stage would give advice to those at the middle stage.

Without making a fuss, Jiang Li disguised himself as a late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator and blended in unnoticed among the crowd.

He could also straightforwardly admit his identity: 

"Stop pretending, I'm the Human Emperor. Give me some respect and let me enter the secret realm to take first place."

Jiang Li might not value faith, but he cared about his reputation.

A dignified Mahayana Realm cultivator intruding into a secret realm intended for Body Integration Realm cultivators, competing with a group of Foundation Establishment Stage juniors for opportunities—it would be a joke among his friends if word got out.

"Hey, brother, so your sect didn't send anyone either?" A friendly fellow approached Jiang Li. 

"Would you look at that, neither did mine."

Most people had their elders present to watch over them, to prevent the juniors from being bullied. However, there were always exceptions, such as the man beside Jiang Li.

He introduced himself as Qin Luan, first brother and retired disciple of the Wind Stabilizing View. His master had been wandering for over a decade and had not returned. As his disciple, he was pleasantly unoccupied, practicing cultivation happily on his own.

"Can't be helped, I'm the oldest in my sect, so there's no one to accompany me."

Jiang Li's words were not false. His sect, the Imperial Palace, was run by him, the Hall Master of the Imperial Palace; naturally, he was the highest in seniority.

But from Qin Luan's perspective, Jiang Li was implying that all the elders in his sect had died, leaving him alone.

He thought his Wind Stabilizing View, with only two members, was the most miserable sect. He never expected that there could be a sect more miserable than his own, which subsequently aroused his sympathy.

"Don't worry, Brother Kong Li. Considering we share the same plight, I'll cover for you in the Mysterious Secret Realm!" Qin Luan assured himself, patting his chest.

Jiang Li didn't use the alias 

"Zhang Li", instead, he modified his surname to 

"Kong Li".

Every time he heard "Zhang Lit', he would remember the face of the smug Sect Master of Dao Sect, which annoyed him to no end.

"Hopefully, there won't be any underhanded people this time." Qin Luan was a chatterbox. Seeing Jiang Li not talking much, he continued to talk enthusiastically.

"You know, Brother Kong, the last time, there was a guy who intentionally suppressed his strength. It was only after entering the secret realm that he broke through to Golden Core and came out on top. Such people are so shameless. If I ever meet one, I'll make sure to give him a couple of swift kicks while he's breaking through, teaching him not to cheat."

Jiang Li felt that Qin Luan might not be looking for a companion, just a listener.

Suddenly, it went dark above their heads. An enormous eagle landed nearby, its piercing eyes seemingly imbued with Sword Qi.

"A hawk with a trace of golden eagle lineage. Who could it be?" Qin Luan cried out, diligently playing his part as a commentator.

Two individuals descended from the hawk, both were carrying long swords, donned in spotlessly clean white robes and staring straight ahead, completely ignoring the hullabaloo of the crowd.

"It's people from the Forgetful Sentiment Sect. Members of this sect place no value on emotions, trusting no one but their own swords," Qin Luan accurately identified these two," that's Daoist of the Seven Murders and his elder."

A hint of solemnity crossed Qin Luan's face: "A difficult opponent to deal with.

I've fought him before and only won eight out of ten matches."

Jiang Li was slightly surprised: 

"Using 'Seven Murders' as a title, does he have anything to do with the Seven Murders Stele in the Immortal Realm?"

He was supposed to have heard of such a person, so why hadn't he heard anything previously?

"No, he just thinks the title 'Seven Murders' is pretty cool."

"Hmm? Where did these flower petals come from?" Qin Luan looked up to see two women in pink skirts gently descending, with pink petals dissipating around them. The younger one was lively and cute, while the elder one was cold, keeping admirers at a distance.

"It's people from the Falling Cherry Blossom Sect!" someone called out before Qin Luan could.

"It's Song Ying and her master." There was a hint of seriousness once again on Qin Luan's face: 

"A difficult opponent to deal with. I've fought her before and only won six out of ten matches."

As soon as Song Ying landed, she looked around eagerly. Spotting Qin Luan, she hopped up to greet him enthusiastically.

"Hehe, Qin Luan, we meet again. I won't lose to you this time." After saying this, she shook her small, pink fist.

However, Qin Luan ignored her and instead warned Jiang Li.

Qin Luan grew even more serious: 

"Be wary of Song Ying. She knows she can't beat me, so she wants to unsettle my Dao heart with her beauty. She's quite calculating!"

Jiang Li thought, even a blind person like me can see that she likes you. Can't you see that her master can hardly wait to draw his sword and slash you, this fool?

"Is it possible that she genuinely likes you?" Jiang Li couldn't help but ask.

"Absolutely not," Qin Luan said unequivocally. 

"One time I asked her, 'Do you like me?' and she said, 'Who would like an idiot like you?"'

Jiang Li nodded slightly; it seemed that Song Ying indeed did not like Qin Luan.

"You have to be careful of these two, they will be your biggest competitors."

This time, Jiang Li didn't nod. In his view, the biggest competitor this time was someone else.

He set his eyes on an insignificant disciple.

A late-stage Foundation Establishment body, but a Divinity Transformation

Soul within.

Possession..

Chapter 30: The Weakened Secret World

"Look, there's Qin Luan from the Wind Stabilizing View!" People's eyes were focused on the puffed-up Song Ying, and finally someone noticed Qin Luan. Judging by her tone, Qin Luan seemed to be someone with quite a reputation.

As for Jiang Li, he appeared ordinary and not that noteworthy, so people dismissed him.

"I heard that this guy was picked up by the master of Wind Stabilizing View. When he was tested for his talent at the age of eight, he turned out to possess a rare single-element Thunder Spiritual Root. Many major sects tried to extend an olive branch to him, but all were turned down."

"Everyone thought that although his talent was commendable, without the support of a major sect, he would only waste it. But who would have expected that relying on his comprehension and good fortune, he has surpassed the disciples of the major sects!"

Spiritual Roots also vary in quality. The best ones are the dual Heaven and Earth Spiritual Roots, followed by single spiritual roots, and the worst are the Five Elements Spiritual Roots.

Among the single spiritual roots, the five elements of Gold, Wood, Water, Fire, and Earth are the most common, while Wind, Thunder, and other variant spiritual roots are rare. Variant single spiritual roots are slightly superior to regular spiritual roots, although not as good as the Heaven-Earth Spiritual Roots, they are considered the epitome for single spiritual roots.

"Why pretend you don't see me!" Song Ying arrogantly puffed up, her eyes glaring at Qin Luan.

"If I hadn't noticed you, how could I have introduced you to Brother Kong?" Qin

Luan replied, sounding quite justified, 

"I just don't want to deal with you."

Noticing the brewing quarrel between the two, Jiang Li asked, 

"Brother Qin, do you know who that person over there is?"

Qin Luan thought for a while but couldn't recall. Song Ying, seeing that Jiang Li was on good terms with Qin Luan and concluding that they might be friends, answered on Qin Luan's behalf.

"That person is Li Litong, the True Disciple of the Stone Dragon Gate. I heard he used to be mediocre in terms of talent and comprehension. However, ever since he fell off a cliff, he had a breakthrough, and his cultivation has notably advanced. In just half a year, he advanced from the early stage to the later stage of the Foundation Establishment Stage. I had a match with him. Although I easily won, I feel that he was holding back and hadn't shown his real level."

Jiang Li nodded, then gestured for the two to continue their argument.

Amid the quarrel between the two, the Mysterious Secret Realm finally opened.

The number of people allowed in the Mysterious Secret Realm is fixed, with only eight hundred spots. When all eight hundred disciples from the various sects entered the Mysterious Secret Realm, Jiang Li, being the 801st, casually entered the entrance of the secret realm.

Everybody thought this might be a loose cultivator trying to fish in troubled waters. But to their surprise, this person actually entered the Mysterious Secret Realm and was not expelled by the realm.

Could they have miscounted?

Just as Jiang Li entered the secret realm, he felt a pushing force. The force was like a three-year-old child trying to push away a large elephant, even with all its might, it just wouldn't budge.

Soon, the secret realm seemed to realize it couldn't get rid of this unwelcome guest, so it gave up this fruitless effort and focused all its power on examining him.

In front of Jiang Li's eyes, a stream was forming, composed out of spiritual energy coalescing into spiritual water. Drinking a single mouthful is comparable to three months of cultivation for a Foundation Establishment cultivator. Not far away, a wooden qin was playing naturally, and fairy cranes were dancing along with the sound of the qin. In the distance, fairy mountains were floating, and the idyllic landscape made people reluctant to leave.

Jiang Li was captivated by the scenic beauty and compulsively walked over to the wooden qin, cut it down, and watched the fairy cranes.

The fairy crane sensed danger and tried to fly away but was forcefully held by Jiang Li.

Soon, smoke arose by the riverside, and the scent of roasted meat spread far and wide.

From not far away, a weak cry for help can be heard, from the sound alone you could imagine the owner of the voice was a beautiful and delicate woman. Jiang Li turned a deaf ear to this and continued roasting his meat attentively.

The voice got closer and closer until it reached Jiang Li.

"Sir, please save me!"

The extremely beautiful girl's clothes were torn, her body barely covered. She most likely got her clothes torn when running from danger, exposing much of herself. She looked pitiful, enough to awake a man's protective instinct.

Jiang Li was a serious man; therefore, he continued roasting his meat.

The girl was momentarily shocked by Jiang Li's demeanor, seemingly having never encountered such a situation before. But remembering she was being pursued, she quickly turned to Jiang Li for help.

"Sir, please save me. There's a brute trying to assault me. If you can save Chun'er, I'm willing to dedicate myself to you. And all my family's fortune will be yours!"

The girl named Chun'er deeply bowed, revealing more than an average girl of her age would.

What cultivator could withstand such a test?

Jiang Li could.

At a glance, he could see that the girl was only about eighteen; her strength was probably only at the Qi Cultivation First or Second Level. That would make her talent a first-rate crippled one in the Nine Continents.

Judging by the fact that such a girl could escape, the one pursuing her would not be too powerful.

Sure enough, before Chun'er had the chance to speak again, the pursuers arrived from the bottom of the mountain. With cruel smiles on their faces, they surrounded Chun'er and Jiang Li.

The strength of those people was slightly stronger than Chun'er's, probably at about the half level of the Qi Cultivation Second Stage.

Usually, during the Qi Cultivation Stage, only full levels from one to nine are considered; there is no such thing as a half level. But Jiang Li decided to grant these people an additional half level out of pity.

Qi Cultivation Second and a half level – the compassion of the Human Emperor.

"You little girl, run! Let's see how far you can run!" The man with lewd smile on his face was the leader. It was clear what he was thinking, 

"Today you will die with your boyfriend!"

"He…he isn't my boyfriend!" Chun'er suddenly blushed.

The group didn't care about Chun'er's reaction. At the leader's command, they were all thrown down the mountain by Jiang Li before they could join forces to attack.

"Benefactor, thank you for saving my life. I have nothing to repay you, but I'm willing to give myself to you!" Chun'er looked endearing, her eyes filled with affection.

Of course, Jiang Li would not refuse Chun'er's good intentions. He gently said, 

"Maybe in the next life."

Chun'er: 

"… My benefactor, you certainly have a sense of humor. Please allow me to invite you to my village to show my gratitude for your life-saving grace."

The spiritual energy density within the secret realm was several times higher than in the Nine Continents. On the way to the village, Jiang Li saw that the wild fruits beside the road could be considered heavenly treasures. They would

Be very beneficial even for Golden Core or even the Nascent Soul Stage cultivators.

If a Foundation Establishment cultivator came here, they would probably want to live in this secret realm directly.

It's amazing that Chun'er managed to maintain her level at the Qi Cultivation Level half stage despite the abundance of such heavenly treasures.

Chun'er's village was appealing, according to Chun'er, all the men of the village had been conscripted by the nation to go to the battlefield, and after ten years, not one had returned. Therefore, only a group of widowed beauties and young girls were left in the village.

These beautiful women and girls were attractive, and Jiang Li felt as if he had come to an unworldly realm upon his arrival.

Chun'er further mentioned that currently, the country was torn by war, men were rare, leaving behind many widows and young girls. Their looks were not inferior to those in this village. Jiang Li, with his impressive cultivation, could unify the world and reign supreme if he were to plunge into the battlefield.

During the conversation with Chunter, Jiang Li understood that people in the secret realm could not cultivate to be immortals; they could only train their muscles and enhance their martial arts. The heavenly treasures were useless to them.

Chun'er was considered talented among them. She was a post-natal master at a young age, Above post-natal was the pre-natal master, and above that was the scarcely seen Grandmaster!

The realm of Grandmaster, only appearing in legends!

And according to Chun'er's description, the realm of Grandmaster equates to the Qi Cultivation Seventh to Ninth Level!

Upon hearing this, Jiang Li took a sharp intake of breath, causing the temperature in the entire secret realm to plummet several degrees.

What a weak secret realm world!

Chapter 31: Beauty, Treasure, Power

Qi Cultivation at the eighth or ninth level is considered to be legendary, and Foundation Establishment Stage practitioners are treated as Immortals descending to the mortal realm.

For the Foundation Establishment Stage practitioners trapped in the lower planes of the Nine Continents, this secret realm is as wonderful as a dream.

With countless beauties throwing themselves at them, so-called Grandmaster Realm opponents are unable to withstand a single blow, there are massive amounts of heavenly treasures and natural resources to help them ascend to the Nascent Soul stage, and they are able to establish countries and enjoy royal majesty.

To put it accurately, it's beyond even their wildest dreams.

These things didn't have much attraction for Jiang Li, but he roughly guessed what the secret realm wanted to test. Out of respect for his seniors, he still acted according to the desires of the secret realm.

Surrounded by the twittering of beautiful women, Jiang Li decided to dominate the world.

Jiang Li restricted his power to the late Foundation Establishment Stage, defeated eighteen feudal lords in three days, established the country and selected officials in five days, and the people named this event 

"The 5-3 Founding Day".

Other countries, hearing that Jiang Li was an Immortal Being, flocked to pay tribute and submit to his will.

All the nations paid tribute to the Lord of All Under Heaven!

No one in the course of history could surpass Jiang Li at this moment!

Seven days after arriving in the secret realm, the vigorous new country was rising. Jiang Li sat inside the immense palace with a blank expression on his face.

Chun'er had stayed beside Jiang Li during his battles and was now the queen. She was currently at Jiang Li's side.

Many ministers collected beautiful women for Jiang Li to fill his harem. These women admired Jiang Li and served him willingly without being forced.

There were also diviners who believed Jiang Li to be from the Immortal Realm and therefore collected all sorts of heavenly treasures and Spiritual Stones and wines for him. These treasures filled the national treasury to the point that even those at the Divinity Transformation stage would feel envious.

"This is not a place for lonz stavs, I must leave," Jianz Li said in a calm tone,

Speaking perhaps to himself, or perhaps to Chun'er.

Upon hearing this, Chun'er sniffled, with tears falling, soaking her valuable clothes in no time.

"I know that benefactor is not from this realm, but is there nothing here to hold your remembrance?

Jiang Li answered honestly: 

"No."

"With three thousand beauties in the harem to choose from, isn't benefactor moved?"

"I have seen more beautiful ones."

"I don't believe it!" Chun'er shook her head resolutely. She was confident in her appearance. On becoming the queen, it wasn't just because she spent the longest time with Jiang Li, for seven solid days, but also because her beauty outshone all others.

"I have seen the Red Dust Fairy."

Chun'er immediately fell silent, but it wasn't clear where she had heard of this title.

She didn't give up and continued: 

"Can't the heavenly treasures in the national treasury attract benefactor? I've read the introduction. There is a Divine Vertical Light Fruit in the treasury that if one consumed, it's as good as cultivation for thirty years of an immortal. There is also the Bi Bo Division Sea Technique. If practiced to its completion, one can split rivers and seas with a single sword. And also…"

Jiang Li didn't reply, but silently took out a Nine-Transformation Creation Pill.

This pill could make anyone ascend instantly if the path to Immortality had not been severed. Its value was immeasurable!

Apparently aware of its value, Chunter fell silent.

In fact, she wanted to say, give me the Immortal Pill, can I go back to the Nine Continents with you?

Chun'er still hasn't given up, continuing to ask: 

"In a few days, benefactor will be able to unify the world, becoming the true ruler. This is a grand accomplishment that emperors throughout history have envied to the point of madness, does benefactor not treasure it?"

Jiang Li sighed: 

"As the current Human Emperor, I am revered throughout the Nine Continents. Isn't that better than being a lord in the secret realm?" Chun'er was stunned for a moment, unable to react.

Jiang Li continued: 

"Actually, all the reasons above are just pretexts, the real reason is, why should I stay in an illusion?"

"Isn't that right, Dream Pure?"

Upon hearing this, Chun'er no longer disguised herself and switched back to her previous attire. It was dignified and grand, yet distinct from her current outfit, carrying a slight historical feeling.

"I thought my Illusion Technique was exquisite and could deceive fellow daoist, but it seems I overestimated myself."

The information from the Sky Mechanism Tower once mentioned that a female cultivator named Dream Pure was the most beautiful woman in the world eight hundred years ago.

As for the illusion, Jiang Li had realized that he was inside an illusion from the moment he stepped into the secret realm. Everything was an illusion.

Dream Pure, a female cultivator who excelled in the way of illusions. It was said that once the way of illusion was cultivated to its limit, the illusion could be turned into reality, and a simple thought could make something real or fake, which was extremely terrifying.

Crack—

The illusion shattered like a mirror, scattering in pieces, the numerous fragments fell like drops of water melting into the earth, disappearing without a trace.

With the complete disappearance of the illusion, the true appearance of the secret realm was revealed: a primal jungle. Using his Divine Sense, Jiang Li detected that the space was vast, roughly equivalent to a quarter of Tianqing

Prefecture.

Jiang Li was standing in a clearing. At the same time, eight hundred disciples from various sects were lying on the ground. Their expressions varied, some were conflicted, some were joyful, others had murderous expressions, and it was unknown what choices they had made in the illusion.

Dream Pure stood before Jiang Li, speaking with slight regret, 

"I was unaware of the current Human Emperor's presence here, it was my oversight."

The information from the Sky Mechanism Tower was correct. Dream Pure had indeed perished in the Heavenly Tribulation. What was appearing now in front of Jiang Li was just a backup she had left before facing the tribulation, a residual thought.

"No, no, I just carelessly broke into the secret realm and caused trouble for senior Dream."

Seeing Dream Pure hesitating, Jiang Li smiled and said, 

"Senior Dream, if you have anything to say, just say it."

Dream Pure said, "I have also met the Human Emperor of my time. He could be considered a heroic figure, but he was not comparable to you, just like an Immortal. Can it be that the Nine Continents have found the path to

Immortality?"

"Not really, it's just that I was lucky to break through to the Mahayana stage."

Dream Pure's pupils slightly shrank, apparently the news that Jiang Li broke through to the Mahayana stage was even more astonishing than the emergence of the path to immortality.

"I always thought the Mahayana stage was merely a legend, but it turns out that someone can indeed break through to the Mahayana stage."

"Just a fluke, just a fluke," Jiang Li avoided saying more about it, "Is senior Dream trying to test the little guys' resistance towards beauty, treasures, and power with this illusion?

"Yes. As long as they can resist any one of these, they pass and can enter the next layer."

It wasn't too hard to guess. First, there were the willing beauties, then heavenly treasures as plentiful as though they were being given away for free, and finally even Foundation Establishment Stage practitioners could dominate the world.

Upon reflection, one would realize that there were many illogical things within the illusion. For instance, where did the people who entered the secret realm with him go? There were too many beautiful women. The other countries submitted too quickly and so on.

The miracle of the art of illusion was such that it made cultivators automatically ignore these illogical things. The more one was entrapped in the illusion, the deeper one would fall until they could no longer free themselves.

"Hmm—

Qin Luan, lying on the ground, made an unclear sound. It was a sign that he was about to break out of the illusion.

Time inside the illusion was different from reality. In exchange, Qin Luan had already been in the illusion for a month.

Being able to break the illusion in a month was considered strong determination in Dream Pure's eyes.

Seeing someone about to awaken, Dream Pure smiled faintly: 

"Fellow daoist, let's chat more after this secret realm trial is over."

She revealed a mysterious smile, disappearing after leaving one sentence behind.

"The next test might be more suitable for fellow daoists."

Although she did not know Jiang Li's purpose, his cultivation level could manipulate her secret realm at will, yet he didn't.

Since the other party had given her face, she would not delve into his real purpose..

Chapter 32: A Flaw in the Mindset

Qin Luan was somewhat dazed after waking up. As he gradually became alert, he realized that everything he had just experienced was an illusion, which startled him somewhat.

Upon seeing a frail woman asking for help, he saved her out of compassion. Also driven by sympathy for the common people, he aimed to unify the world, ending wars and bringing about a peaceful and prosperous era.

Although he managed to end the wars and establish a new country, he knew very well that his so-called 

"compassion" was simply lust for the female body!

If it weren't for his strong belief in advancing his own cultivation, abstaining from ingesting heavenly and earthly treasures, he might have truly fallen into the illusion.

Qin Luan was quite intelligent—he quickly figured out what the secret realm was testing for.

Seeing that only he and Jiang Li were awake, he realized that they were the only two who had passed the first test of the secret realm.

And Kong Li, who had woken up even earlier, was someone he couldn't help but admire.

"Brother Kong truly hides his strength well," he commented with heartfelt admiration, self-ridiculing his previous arrogant claims about others.

In his view, breaking through the secret realm in a month was extremely fast— he believed no one of his generation and level could surpass him. Yet, the reality was, he was still not the best among his peers.

He had to curb his arrogance.

Breaking through the secret realm didn't enhance Qin Luan's perspective, but seeing someone superior to himself—Jiang Li—made him aspire to reach higher.

"All luck, just pure luck," Jiang Li laughed.

What a humble person.

Qin Luan gained even more respect for Jiang Li.

As Jiang Li waited, somewhat bored, he turned to Dream Pure and started to mutter, 

"Could older sister Dream allow me to see how the youngsters are performing in the illusion?"

Not long after he spoke, a smooth, mirror-like surface that seemed to be composed of condensed mist appeared, reflecting the others' performances inside the secret realm.

Thinking this was a perk for those who woke up first, Qin Luan moved closer to watch.

The man whose body had been taken over was called Li Litong—the watery mirror was displaying his illusion.

Most of the illusions were quite similar—with a pitiful young girl asking for rescue. But while Jiang Li had encountered Dream Pure and Qin Luan had encountered another girl, Li Litong found himself facing a different girl.

After rescuing the girl, Li Litong also pacified the world and saved the masses in accordance with the girl's suggestion. But his methods were brutal with countless murders, and he blunted countless blades.

He believed that saving the masses was a condition for passing through the secret realm.

Even though he was in a body that had undergone Divinity Transformation, if his former self had come here, he still wouldn't have been able to detect it was an illusion!

Li Litong's cultivation also gradually increased as he murdered, approaching the limit of the Foundation Establishment Stage.

Jiang Li recognized that his cultivation technique was linked to the absorption of Qi and blood. Killing would maximize the release of a person's Qi and blood, which he could then absorb. Such techniques were similar to the demonic path, though they were not exactly the same.

The demonic path is a concept, while techniques are merely techniques.

There are no demonic techniques, only practitioners who follow the demonic path.

Most who practice such aggressive techniques usually choose to join law enforcement or military institutions. There are also a few who join sects and rely on the battles between sects to advance themselves.

Li Litong belonged to the latter group.

Li Litong felt at home in the illusion, having a large number of Qi Cultivators at his disposal for advancing his own cultivation.

If he was in the outside world leading troops, he would certainly be at the Foundation Establishment Stage, just cannon fodder. But battling the forces in the illusion made him feel like a war deity!

In that moment, he felt like he had returned to his previous self at the peak of Divinity Transformation, admired by the masses!

Li Litong did ingest heavenly and earthly treasures, but very carefully, taking only minimal quantities. Clearly, he knew that excessive reliance on such treasures would have aftereffects and would lead to difficulty in making breakthroughs later on.

He unified the world in twenty days and consolidated his power in a month and a half. He even advanced to the early phase of the Golden Core stage, but he still couldn't pass the test.

However, Li Litong was in no hurry. This respect from people made him very content—it was quite similar to his previous life's experiences.

Beyond the nine great empires in the Nine States, there were hundreds of small nations with rulers at around the Divinity Transformation Stage.

Two months later, as Li Litong did not indulge in the pleasures of the harem, the illusion determined that he had not succumbed to lust, thus crossing the threshold.

Although Li Litong liked beautiful women, his cultivation technique was the Child Technique, which forbade him from indulging in sexual desires.

There was no choice—the most powerful technique he knew was the Child Technique. His situation was quite hopeless.

However, upon closer examination, Li Litong actually did have a strong will, fulfilling the criteria needed to pass.

After Li Litong woke up and found out he was still in the later phase of Foundation Establishment, he realized he had gone through an illusion, and felt somewhat hollow.

Seeing Jiang Li and Qin Luan intently gazing into the water mirror, he knew that he only ranked third.

This made him very unhappy. As someone who had undergone body possession, he looked down on Foundation Establishment cultivators and thought he was naturally superior to them.

He even had the ambition to become the first in this secret realm trial, hoping that the reward for getting first place would greatly aid his return to the Divinity Transformation stage or advancing even further.

However, if he only ranked third in the first layer, to become the overall first, he would need high scores in the second layer.

He felt uncertain.

With this in mind, he had a cold, murderous look on his face—as all had signed a life and death contract before entering the secret realm—if something happened within, the Great Zhou wouldn't be held responsible!

Boom—

With his energy surging, Li Litong cut into his palm and used his blood to form two blood daggers, which he then sent flying towards Jiang Li and Qin Luan, like cannonballs.

After all, martial power was the foundation for cultivators!

He had great confidence in his martial power!

"Brother Kong, look out!" Shouted Qin Luan, standing protectively in front of Jiang Li. He could feel an immense pressure—this person was more intimidating than Song Ying and the Seven Killers, and he might actually lose!

Without uttering a word, Jiang Li kicked Li Litong aside, with neither Qin Luan nor Li Litong himself reacting in time!

"So, someone of such a caliber could become a Divinity Transformer? I'm really curious about what fortune he had stumbled upon."

Mockingly, Jiang Li went back to watching the water mirror after his casual remark, which was clearly transmitted directly into Li Litong's mind. This exposed Li Litong's biggest secret, sending him into a fearful cold sweat, as if he had just been fished out of the water.

At the Unity Stage! This was the Unity Stage!

Jiang Li noticed Li Litong's reaction with his Divine Sense, and shook his head lightly. It appeared that his intention to poke at Li Litong's weak spot was in vain.

Since it was a transmission directly into his mind, Qin Luan didn't hear it, and only admired Jiang Li even more.

"Brother Kong, which sect do you belong to? Your cultivation is impressively powerful!"

In Qin Luan's view, Jiang Li's strength was due to his powerful technique. Jiang Li laughed and replied, 

"Want to join my sect? It's not impossible."

Jiang Li didn't deceive Qin Luan. With his talent and state of mind, he totally had the qualifications to become a candidate for the Human Emperor and compete for the position of the next Human Emperor.

"Look, now it's Song Ying's illusion."

Qin Luan wanted to say something else, but upon hearing it was Song Ying's illusion, curiosity got the better of him—he was eager to see how Song Ying had chosen..

Chapter 33: Strengthening as Desired

The illusion created by Song Ying was different from others. The one she saved wasn't a handsome man or a beautiful woman, but Qin Luan, who was at the Qi Cultivation Stage.

In the illusion, Qin Luan said that as soon as he entered the illusion, he was suppressed to the Qi Cultivation Stage and was currently being chased by bandits, relying on Song Ying for protection.

Song Ying was so delighted that she couldn't close her mouth for a long time.

After Song Ying unified the world and shared the throne with Qin Luan, she found rare treasures to feed Qin Luan and finally let him recover to the late stage of Foundation Establishment.

Afterward, Song Ying gave up the world and retired to the mountains with Qin Luan.

The illusion determined that Song Ying had resisted the temptation of power and passed the level.

Qin Luan's expression was dull, as if he didn't understand everything Song Ying had done in the illusion.

Why, wasn't the demoness supposed to disrupt my moral compass?

Why did she save me, why didn't she eat the treasures of heaven and earth, why did she give up the throne, why…

Qin Luan's body trembled slightly, he didn't speak, but he didn't have the mood to watch the water mirror anymore and walked to a distant place.

He wanted to be undisturbed for a while.

Afterward, people passed the Illusion one after another, but it took a long time. The one Qin Luan had faith in, Seven Kills Daoist, took a whole year to pass, others took even longer, and some even died of old age in the illusion before coming out. Obviously, they couldn't pass.

The voice of Dream Pure came from the sky.

"At present, everyone has left the Illusion. The top hundred fastest people can enter the next level, and the others fail the challenge and leave the Illusion."

Neglecting the objections of those ranked in the rear, Dream Pure directly expelled most of the people from the Illusion.

"Now announce the ranking of the first level's test."

Somehow, Jiang Li heard a tone of schadenfreude from Dream Pure's voice. Probably it was an illusion created by the distortion of the voice.

"First place, Emperor Jiang Li." 

"Second place, Qin Luan." 

"Third place, Li Litong."

"Fourth place, Song Ying." 

"Fifth place, Li Fugui, remark, this is the Seven Kills Daoist."

"Hundredth place… "

When 

"Emperor Jiang Li" was announced, the crowd was like a barrel of gunpowder, exploding all at once.

The first place was Emperor Jiang Li?

The first reaction of the people was that the secret realm was wrong, but then they realized that the owner of the secret realm fell eight hundred years ago and didn't know Emperor Jiang Li at all!

It could only be that the real Emperor Jian Li had arrived here!

Thinking of this, people were excited. Who would care about the test of the second level? Everyone was looking for Jiang Li's figure.

Qin Luan and Li Litong's reactions were the biggest. Qin Luan was standing right next to Jiang Li. Now he didn't dare to take Jiang Li lightly, he became cautious.

Li Litong was struggling whether he should shamelessly kowtow to Jiang Li or pretend not to care to show off his noble character and let Jiang Li look up to him.

Suddenly, a wave of unignorable sleepiness surged into their hearts, even the excitement of Emperor Jiang Li being next to them could not resist this sudden sleepiness.

Jiang Li was alright. Only he felt that this sleepiness was related to the second level, and took out a quilt from the Storage Ring, comfortably entering the dream.

Everyone was amazed to discover that they were in the place where the mountains and seas met, with towering mountains on the left and endless blue waves on the right. Moreover, after entering the dream, they actually saw other people.

Could it be that the dream was interconnected?

Li Litong knew what was going on, but he didn't condescend to explain it to a group of Foundation Establishment Stage cultivators.

"It's the Dream Path." The well-informed Seven Kills Daoist figured out what was happening.

"Everyone, don't make a noise, listen to Li Fugui!" Someone tried to keep order, which made the Seven Kills Daoist's veins bulge. Who the hell called that? I'll chop him to death!

Oh, it's Qin Luan. It's fine then.

Seven Kills Daoist calmed his emotions, went on to say, 

"I've heard from my elders that there's a rare cultivation method named Dream Path. You can cultivate in your sleep, and when you encounter an enemy, you can force your opponent to fall asleep, drag them into your dream, and confront each other in the dream. It's just like the current situation."

Jiang Li nodded. The Seven Kills Daoist wasn't wrong, but he didn't mention a crucial point.

I didn't know whether he genuinely didn't know it or was deliberately withholding information.

"Now announce the second level's test."

Dream Pure's voice echoed again in the black space; this time, Jiang Li was sure that she was gloating.

"There are currently a hundred cultivators entering the dream. Here, you can imagine your strength at will!"

"Please start fighting, and the last person standing wins!"

Everyone was confused. The last sentence wasn't hard to understand; the challenge was the fight, but what did it mean by 

"you can imagine your strength at will"?

Do you mean that if you think you're strong, you can be strong?

The Seven Kills Daoist quietly snorted.

Someone vaguely understood Dream Pure's meaning and tried to lift a distant mountain by pretending to hold it with his hand. And that mountain was indeed lifted by him!

"How is this possible!"

Seeing this, the others understood Dream Pure's meaning.

This place is a dream, and you can do whatever you want.

Your strength is only limited by your imagination!

"Golden Core! I've broken through to the Golden Core!" Someone imagined himself as a Golden Core cultivator, overjoyed that he had actually broken through the Foundation Establishment stage and become a Golden Core cultivator, even a first-class Golden Core cultivator with a fully formed Core!

"Golden Core, what's that? Watch me break through to the Nascent Soul!" Someone sneered at the Golden Core and imagined himself as a Nascent Soul master. He jumped past the Golden Core and directly became a Nascent Soul cultivator!

"All you know is breakthroughs. Look at my true Qilin form!" That person transformed into a Qilin of thousands of miles, rushed into the ocean like a sword, and turned into a huge Qilin causing huge waves in the sea!

"What good does a mythical beast have? Come, Dharma Manifestation in the

World!" 

"Come on, fight!"

"Come on, fight!"

The Qilin emerged from the ocean, turned back into the Roc and stirred up a massive storm, clashing with the giant person who had manifested heaven and earth-sized magic.

At this moment, both the Golden Core and Nascent Soul were nothing but dust, they didn't marvel at them. The battle between the Roc and the Dharma Manifestation in the World was comparable to a desperate fight between great cultivators at the Body Integration Realm!

With the Roc and Dharma Manifestation in the World as examples, everyone finally understood Dream Pure's meaning.

In an instant, the scene was in chaos, with long-lost tribes pulling the golden crow for a tug of war.

Someone was lifting a mountain to fill the ocean, someone turned into a real dragon howling, someone roared and shattered the nine heavens, someone was like a walking Heavenly Tribulation, turning everything he passed into scorched earth.

Everyone was having so much fun, so they all forgot about Jiang Li.

The ability to become as strong as we wanted, to transform into anything, was every cultivator's dream!

"I am a true dragon, the lord ot the tour seas, who is stronger than me!" The person who transformed into a real dragon was extremely arrogant. He was the lord of the four seas, a truly powerful transcendence tribulation expert.

He was a body cultivator. The best medicine bath he had used was also diluted with a lot of Jiao blood. Now, by taking advantage of the dream, he directly transformed himself into a real dragon, which made him very proud!

"True Dragon, you are but a speck of tribulation smoke in the hand of the controller of my Heavenly Tribulation!" The person in control of the Thunder Tribulation said with scorn, and a Thunder Tribulation struck down, causing damage to the real dragon.

"That's all?" The person who had transformed into a real dragon also responded with a scornful smile, and the wounds healed quickly. The real dragon was known for its powerful body, so its healing speed was naturally extremely fast.

The person controlling the Thunder Tribulation was furious: 

"You little mudfish dares to challenge my Divine Might!"

The person who turned into a real dragon was also angry when he heard this:

"If Divine Might is of this level, then I will rebel against this Heaven!"

These two went all out, the dragon howl and the thunder roar mixed together, extremely frightening..

Chapter 34: Intercepting The Seven Killings Stele

The True Dragon passed the Heavenly Tribulation, affecting numerous individuals in its wide reach. The Golden Crow was launched sky-high by a sweep of the dragon's tail, individuals affected by the Dharma Manifestation in the World were rammed by the dragon's horn, members of the Sun Chaser Clan were burnt to a crisp by the Tribulation, and the Kun Peng in the sea were numbed from the lightning strike…

Those affected were enraged. Everyone here was in the later stage of Foundation Establishment, no one showing significant weakness compared to the others. They couldn't stand the two having all the fun and acting like the big shots!

The individual affected by the Dharma Manifestation in the World and the Kun Peng made instantaneous eye contact, forming a temporary alliance.

The individual from the Dharma Manifestation in the World tore off a piece of the Kun fish's tail, spinning it around twice in place before launching it directly at the True Dragon, breaking off one of the dragon's horns.

Some people lifted mountains and tossed them towards the person manipulating the Heavenly Tribulation, only to have the mountains shattered by the sky lightning.

"You think these little hills can hurt me…pfft!"

A Golden Crow, hidden among the mountains, surged skyward like a brilliant sunrise, burning the shoulder of the person controlling the Heavenly Tribulation!

Watching the group's fancy fighting, Jiang Li began to reflect.

He pondered if his own fighting style was too dull—just simply punching through. Should he bring in some flair? Perhaps wielding something like the Xuan Yuan sword to enhance his appearance?

The Seven Killings Daoist's Intercepting The Seven Killings Stele was crazily spinning with his intention, seven paths filled with killing intent breaking through the space. He shouted, "Every creature under the heavens is born of man, but no man is born of the heavens, kill kill kill kill kill kill kill!"

'l'ne seven Killings Da01St loved Intercepting 'L'ne seven Killings Stele and otten gathered related legends. Therefore, the Seven Killings Stele he imagined had a formidable power like a real Immortal Artifact.

This was an imagined power based on his own cognition. He had heard of the imposing might of a Tribulation Crossing Cultivator, but he didn't know how to break through the Transcendence Tribulation Stage. He could only imagine himself as a cultivator newly entered into the Body Integration Realm. His level was about the same as Daoist Xuan Ai, which was somewhat exaggerated. Thus, he couldn't unleash the full potential of Intercepting The Seven Killings Stele. Nevertheless, with a cultivator in the Body Integration Realm controlling an Immortal Artifact, he was indeed terrifying.

"Li Fugui, stop pretending and playing big shot. Do you actually think you've become the Seven Killings Daoist?" Qin Luan sneered from the side. He did not imagine aimlessly. Instead, he continuously imagined his circumstances after Core Formation—what kind of Golden Core would best suit him.

In just this respect, he could surpass everyone present.

On hearing Qin Luan addressing him by his secular name, the Seven Killings

Daoist was instantly infuriated. But seeing Qin Luan merely at the Golden Core Stage, he quickly cooled down. After all, what was a cultivator from the Body Integration Realm winging about with a Golden Core Stage newbie?

He casually threw out a streak of killing intent. He wanted to chop off Qin Luan's sharp tongue!

"Seven Killings Daoist, how dare you!" Song Ying rushed to their defense, releasing an illusionary cyan lotus to block the intentional killing blow.

Jiang Li wore a strange expression. Currently, Song Ying was dressed in the robe of Red Dust Pure Land, her weapon a cyan lotus, looking a lot like Pure Heart Saintess.

Indeed, Song Ying worshipped the Pure Heart Saintess, so she had adopted her appearance in this dream. But as she had never seen the face of the Pure Heart Saintess, she was forced to cover her own face with a veil, adding to the mystery.

"Hehe, what don't I dare?" Facing Song Ying from the Body Integration Realm, the Seven Killings Daoist took it seriously. He was determined to chop off Qin Luan's tongue today. Even if the Human Emperor showed up, he wouldn't be able to stop him. Watch him do it!

The Intercepting The Seven Killings Stele's glow intensified, sword intent crisscrossing through thousands of miles. The True Dragon, entangling opponents on the side, was so badly scratched it lost several scales. Hundreds of thousands of mountains were sliced in half, the top separated from the base.

If the sidelines were already so intense, it was easy to imagine the power of the sword intent faced by Song Ying and Qin Luan.

Song Ying shielded the two of them with multiple layers of cyan lotuses.

However, because the cyan lotuses weren't truly summoned by the Pure Heart Saintess, the defense was limited and ultimately soared off, blown away by the Seven Killings sword intent.

However, it was a blessing that they were protected by the cyan lotuses; otherwise, the endless sword intent would have chopped Qin Luan into pieces.

Jiang Li dissolved the impact on Qin Luan and Song Ying using his Spiritual Energy, helping them land steadily.

On recognizing their savior as Jiang Li, Qin Luan and Song Ying, aware that Jiang Li was the Human Emperor, quickly bowed in gratitude, expressing their appreciation for his life-saving grace.

Jiang Li dismissed their thanks with a wave, 

"It's not life-saving. No one can die in a dream."

After a moment's thought, he said, 

"However, there are great opportunities in the face of great dread. Maybe it would be good for you to experience it once?"

Song Ying rejected immediately while Qin Luan was all eager to try, seemingly eager to experience death.

"Haha, just kidding. It's not advisable to toy with death."

"Quite the hot temper, aren't you?" Jiang Li, turning around, said jokingly to the Seven Killings Daoist.

"Human Emperor Jiang." The Seven Killings Daoist slightly bowed, showing respect but not too much of it. 

"I only wanted to test my potential."

The Seven Killings Daoist recognized Qin Luan, Li Litong and Song Ying, waking up as the fifth person. It was not hard to recognize that Jiang Li had transformed himself into the Human Emperor.

Jiang Li sighed, returning to his original form. 

"I shouldn't have told the truth to Dream Elder. How about it, do you want to compete with me?" Jiang Li could tell that the Seven Killings Daoist was itching to try.

"Please teach me,"

The Seven Killings Daoist took a stance.

He was presently in the Body Integration Realm, and with the Intercepting The Seven Killings Stele in his hand, he had just defeated Song Ying and Qin Luan easily. He suddenly felt that no one was his match and was inspired to challenge Jiang Li.

Jiang Li didn't mind. Young people would not know the extent of their reach, which was normal. When he was in the Foundation Establishment Stage, if something like this happened, he would have dared to challenge the previous Human Emperor, too.

Moreover, compared to everyone else's reverence towards him, he preferred being challenged.

The Intercepting The Seven Killings Stele trembled slightly, the released sword intent shattered the surrounding airspace into a vacuum around the Seven Killings Daoist.

Fortunately, the Seven Killings Daoist was currently in the Body Integration

Realm, capable of completing autointoxication, so he didn't need to exchange oxygen with the outside world. Otherwise, he would have suffocated to death.

The Intercepting The Seven Killings Stele transformed into seven Immortal Swords, levitating vertically around him. The Seven Killings Daoist grabbed one of the swords, shouting one word: 

"Kill!"

The sword thrust out without any fancy maneuvers, but nonetheless Qin Luan saw Jiang Li, who didn't move forward, getting closer and closer to the Seven Killings Daoist!

He immediately realized what had happened and exclaimed, 

"This sword is severing the space between the Seven Killings Daoist and Jiang Li, making the distance between the two of them shorter!"

How sharp this sword could be! Qin Luan knew little about Intercepting The Seven Killings Stele, nor did he know that it could transform into seven Immortal Swords and clip a corner of the Immortal Realm!

Jiang Li, facing this sword, neither dodged nor evaded. Instead, he extended his thumb and index finger, gently holding the Seven Killings Immortal Sword as if he was holding a feather.

The Seven Killings Daoist opened his eyes wide, unable to believe his eyes.

According to his thoughts, even if he couldn't injure the Human Emperor, he should at least be able to put some pressure on him. How was Jiang Li able to catch the Immortal Sword so effortlessly?

This was an Immortal Sword transformed from Intercepting The Seven Killings Stele!

"Well, it's quite something. A regular cultivator at the Body Integration Realm can't block this sword. However, it's rather difficult to even hurt a cultivator at the Transcendance Tribulation Stage with it, let alone harm me," Jiang Li evaluated. With a slight exertion of his fingers, he lightly tossed the Immortal Sword, along with the stunned Seven Killings Daoist, behind him..

Chapter 35: There's no need for idealism in dealing with the Human Emperor, let's all go at once

Qishi Daozi's movements were too drastic, attracting the attention of the other fighters who were deeply engrossed in battle.

They looked at Jiang Li, understanding that he was the current Human Emperor. If it had been in the past, they would have greeted Jiang Li with utter respect and admiration.

Although they still held Jiang Li in high regard, recognizing his strength, they now also felt strong in their own right. They believed they could hold their own against the Heavenly Demons from other realms. This belief diminished their worship of Jiang Li considerably.

Even Li Litong, the man who had seized another's body, shared this viewpoint.

Now that he was a Mahayana Realm cultivator in the later stages of Body Integration, he felt inflated with power and was confident that he could hold his own against any Heavenly Demon.

"My friends, don't you wish to gain guidance from the Human Emperor Jiang?

This is a once in a thousand year opportunity!"

Qishi Daozi who had been tossed aside, managed to stabilize himself and incite the crowd. He gave restive individuals a reason to act.

Jiang Li laughed and responded, 

"Alright."

He then turned to Qin Luan and Song Ying, saying: 

"You two can also join them and fight against me."

Song Ying hesitated a bit. She had not been inflated with temporary power and still held Jiang Li in high esteem, not daring to take action against him.

Moreover, she thought that Jiang Li was speaking sarcastically out of annoyance with the crowd's disrespect towards him.

But Qin Luan knew better. Jiang Li was taking this opportunity to provide them with guidance.

Seeing Jiang Li was already not easy, let alone receiving guidance from him. This was a rare opportunity; if they missed it now, they would regret it for the rest of their lives.

"What a fool! Human Emperor Jiang is willing to guide us, yet you're turning him down!"

Only then did Song Ying realize her misunderstanding. Quickly, she grabbed Qin Luan and joined the eager crowd.

The first to take action was Li Litong. He had been kicked away by Jiang Li before. Believing that Jiang had bullied him because of his lower realm, he was quite resentful. Now that he had gained unimaginable power, he naturally wanted to settle the grudge.

He imagined himself fighting against the world, killing thousands of enemies, gaining an immense amount of energy. This allowed him to reach the later stages of Body Integration.

Right now, his energy was churning like a vast ocean, overflowing to the heavens. His two blood blades had evolved into two machetes that could cut through mountains and divide seas, their aura was impressive!

"Human Emperor Jiang, enlighten me!"

Jiang Li no longer held back, restoring his True Power and delivering another kick.

Rlhvvo blades crossed over and Li Litong used them to shield himself. But against Jiang Li's kick, he still was sent flying far away.

"Brother Litong, let me assist you! "

The Four-clawed True Dragon plunged into Li Litong's ocean of energy. Its dragon blood surged and raw strength spiked. Even the dragon's broken horns began to grow back.

Dragons possess robust physical bodies with abundant energy. Now, amidst this ocean of energy, it pushed the limit of its physical strength up a notch.

Once again, Li Litong used his energy to forge twin blades. Together with the True Dragon, they attacked Jiang Li.

Jiang Li made no polite gesture. He took the twin energy blades in his hands, grabbed Li Litong by both shoulders, and with a gentle force, disarmed the man. He then sent Li Litong flying with another kick.

Li Litong flew at an incredible speed, crashing into three mountains before he finally fell unconscious.

Facing the ferocious Four-clawed True Dragon, Jiang Li shattered three of its scales with a punch, causing the dragon to howl with pain.

"The human race also has body refining techniques. The Arhat of Mount Sumeru can subdue real dragons, and Zhang Konghu from the Imperial Palace can withstand Heavenly Tribulations using his physical body. Why obsess over the bodies of other races?"

Jiang Li grabbed the dragon's horn and threw it into the crowd, causing quite a disturbance.

Under Jiang Li's guidance, the True Dragon had an epiphany. He had been fixated on acquiring high -quality dragon blood to transform himself into a Dragon-human. But the structures of a human and a dragon's bodies are different, a perfect amalgamation is impossible.

The dragon transformed back into a human, and deeply bowed to Jiang Li.

Determined to rethink his body refining path after leaving the secret realm.

Just moments ago, the crowd had seen how strong Li Litong and the Four-clawed Golden Dragon were. They could easily rank in the top ten amongst themselves. However, even they were defeated by Jiang Li in a single move.

Realizing that arrogance would do them no good, they concluded that defeating Jiang Li as individuals would be impossible. They wouldn't even be able to make him moved an inch. They stood a chance only if they came at him all at once.

"There's no need to play fair when dealing with the Human Emperor. Attack together! "

Someone from the crowd shouted, driving everyone launching an attack on Jiang Li.

Qin Luan clearly saw that it was Qishi Daozi who had shouted. After doing so, Qishi Daozi hid within the crowd, pretending to be an innocent bystander.

The golden crow blazed brightly, vaporizing all the moisture in the air in an instant!

The members of the Chasing the Sun Tribe assumed a running pose. The tension in their legs was like a drawn bow, ready to launch at Jiang Li at a speed so fast that it would leave an afterimage. Their massive frames running at such speed was akin to Mount Sumeru moving at high speed. The power was staggering!

A Kun fish leaped out of the great ocean and transformed into a golden roc. Its hundred thousand feathers shimmered with golden light. Mysterious ancient runes danced upon them, revealing the mystery of transformation. The beak of the roc was deadly sharp; contact it with a Body Integration Realm cultivator would elicit a bloody hole in them.

The man of Dharma Manifestation in the World stood tall as a mountain, his hands could blot out the sun. With one sweep of his gigantic hands, it was as though the sky was falling.

Qishi Daozi spat out a mouthful of blood, activating seven Immortal Swords. Earth, fire, wind, and thunder rolled around the edge of the swords, giving the illusion of the reshaping of the world!

The man who controlled the Heavenly Tribulation proclaimed the Heavenly decree, commanding the Heavenly Tribulation clouds to gather above Jiang Li. The silver Heavenly Tribulation had an impressive aura. It could stimulate the Heart Demon of the person facing the tribulation, causing them to succumb to the Heart Demon while struggling against the Heavenly lightning, ultimately being reduced to ashes!

Among the crowd, the man who controlled the Heavenly Tribulation was considered the strongest. Even when facing multiple opponents earlier, he had held his own, mocking others for their weakness.

Jiang Li smiled slightly upon seeing such a wide variety of attacks. What an energetic bunch.

"I'm envious that you still have dreams. Unlike me, unable to imagine a being stronger than myself."

Jiang Li sighed, seemingly oblivious to the attacks, feeling sorry for himself.

Although he was in a dream, Jiang Li had not grown stronger. The reason being, he could not imagine any changes that could make him stronger than he already was.o

He wasn't much farther away from becoming immortal, all that he needed to do was enter the Immortal Realm and transform his spiritual energy into immortal power. But what did immortal power look like? He simply couldn't imagine it.

Moreover, he was confident that he could defeat even a true immortal.

As for becoming a member of a certain race, ever since he reached the Mahayana Realm, the title of the strongest race had been firmly held by humans and had never been superseded.

If it was about mastering a particular Divine Skill, he could imagine things like storing a world in his sleeve or sowing beans into soldiers. However, to him, these seemed to be more of life's small conveniences, making it easier to store and move things, and it couldn't make him stronger.

As for mastering a certain Immortal Artifact, he felt that his Halberd was the best among all the things he had stored in his Storage Ring, and it had become dusty due to lack of use because there was no enemy worthy of its use.

As for mastering certain rules, he faced the Heavenly Tribulation as if it were a simple bath, and the rules of time and space were too difficult for him to imagine.

"Oh, how vexing."

Upon hearing Jiang Li's complaints, the crowd couldn't help but intensify their attacks. Even Song Ying, who admired the Human Emperor the most, felt an urge to hit him.

Infuriating!

Chapter 36: Pointing Out

The Golden Crow neighed, akin to a second sun. Everywhere it passed over set aflame, turning the lands into pits of hellfire.

Jiang Li remained unafraid of this heat, not even a drop of sweat flowing down his face. He sidestepped, seizing the Golden Crow by the roots of its wings and allowing it to flail as it pleased.

"It appears you've trained in the cultivation technique of Contemplating the Great Sun Realizing Yang Power. A good technique, indeed, but you've only focused on the Golden Crow as a representation of pure yang power. You've forgotten that the world consists of both Yin and Yang. The Golden Crow is only a part of the Yang aspect, not the entirety. Go forth, seek out other representations of Yang. "

Jiang Li threw the Golden Crow towards the person utilizing Dharma Manifestation in the World. The individual was pressing an enormous handprint towards Jiang Li, but the sudden heat from the sun made him instinctively retract his hand.

Jiang Li unleashed his spiritual energy, forming a similarly enormous handprint, catching the wrist of the person utilizing Dharma Manifestation in the World. With a gentle twist, the person was left crying out in pain.

"Your conceptualization of Dharma Manifestation in the World is commendable—it has both offense and defense. However, a strong exterior is just a facade hiding a weak inner core. If you cannot endure the hardships and pains of cultivation, then on what will you rely? Cultivation demands suffering, yet suffering alone mars the root. The path of the ascetic is difficult to comprehend without clarity. it is through balance you will find the right wav.

Engage in direct combat, let even getting beaten become part of your cultivation."

The person utilizing Dharma Manifestation in the World collapsed in pain. Everyone around was overcome with darkness as this massive figure fell onto the ground, eliciting chants of Divine Skills to create holes in his body and make their escape. They showered him with criticisms of incompetence.

The Peng reacted the quickest with a flap of its wings, soaring upwards to narrowly evade the person utilizing Dharma Manifestation in the World.

He had lost his parents at a young age and had been through countless trials and tribulations only to become the Core Disciple of a sect. Unafraid of pain, the method employed by the Human Emperor had no effect on him.

He refused to believe that Jiang Li could remain unfazed as he charged towards him with such a massive figure.

"You admire the freedom of the Peng, a commendable desire."

Jiang Li could see that this individual was different from the True Dragon and individuals from the Golden House he previously encountered. His transformation into a Peng was simply because of the creature's freedom. The Peng could transform into a fish in the sea to compete with the True Dragon, or transform into a large bird to soar through the skies. If the Kylin was free, then he would admire the Kylin. If the Human Emperor was free, then he would aim to become the Human Emperor!

"But order and law are important attributes in the Greater Zhou Dynasty, they do not suit you. If you sought a place where martial arts are revered, it would be more advantageous for your cultivation."

Jiang Li really didn't evade, he pressed down on the Peng's beak, causing the entire head to curse into the ground. Majority of the body was left awkwardly sticking out, looking quite comical.

Next, Jiang Li methodically pointed out flaws in others, easily defeating them in the process. He hadn't moved a single step throughout, and had even kept one of his hands behind his back the entire time.

Even the descendent of the Sunrace, Qisha Daozi, Song Ying, and so on were unable to withstand even a single move from Jiang Li.

The only ones left standing in front of Jiang Li were the one controlling the Heavenly Tribulation and Qin Luan.

"Human Emperor Jiang, catch this!"

The person controlling the Heavenly Tribulation had been gathering energy during this time. The dark clouds above Jiang Li were as black as ink, seemingly formed not from water vapor, but the convergence of dark heavenly lightning!

His sect was famous for mastering lightning, being the youngest disciple of the Sect Leader, he was naturally well-versed in lightning techniques, especially Heavenly Lightning.

Amongst all Heavenly Lightning, he believed that the Heart Demon Immortal Lightning presented the greatest threat and was the hardest to overcome. Who could possibly contend with the Heart Demon and the immensely powerful Immortal Lightning at once?

He believed that no one could!

"So, it's the Heart Demon Immortal Lightning, what an interesting idea."

Jiang Li had the experience of weathering fifteen trials of Immortal

Tribulation, he instantly realized the type of heavenly tribulation it was.

"However, its power is… lacking."

Jiang Li motioned with his hand, bringing the one controlling the Heavenly Tribulation towards him. They were both now within the range of the Heart Demon Immortal Lightning.

In the world of cultivation, it was a rule that each person had to face their tribulation alone. The more people involved, the greater the power of the tribulation.

The one controlling the Heavenly Tribulation's eyes widened in astonishment. He found himself unable to control the tribulation as the power of the Heart Demon Heavenly Lightning began to uncontrollably expand!

500111!

The sound of the thunder resounded throughout the whole space. All those who heard it were shivering in fright indicating the immense power of the tribulation faced by the two men at the center.

To the very least, the individual controlling the Heavenly Tribulation was terrified to the point his legs were trembling.

Even Dream Pure, who was observing from behind the scenes, was taken aback.

Jiang Li, standing before the overwhelming tribulation, was unperturbed and even started to yawn.

He alone bore the burden of the double strength tribulation while leaving the one controlling the Heavenly Tribulation facing the heart demon.

"Hmm, I don't feel anything." Jiang Li smacked his lips, feeling that the tribulation lacked power. Though the one controlling the Heavenly Tribulation imagined the most formidable tribulation, to Jiang Li it was nothing.

It wasn't surprising, after all, his sect was but a minor one situated in a remote corner of the Greater Zhou Dynasty. He had limited knowledge about the tribulations faced at the Transcendance Tribulation Stage or the Mahayana Realm. For instance, he probably only knew that the Primordial Xiao Fan Lightning was described as an 

"unopposable celestial force." However, specifics about the strengths of this tribulation were beyond his imagination.

Jiang Li also pulled over an utterly baffled Qin Luan.

The power the Heavenly Tribulation increased fourfold!

Qin Luan panicked momentarily, but soon regained his composure and concentrated on fighting the Heart Demon. He trusted that the Human Emperor had only pulled him into challenge the Heart Demon, not to face the terrifying Lightning Tribulation.

Qin Luan's guess was correct, as Jiang Li continued to bear the burden of the Tribulation.

"Hmm, it's a bit itchy." Jiang Li bore the quadruple strength tribulation, still feeling it slightly lackluster. But he didn't pull over more people, allowing those around to breathe a sigh of relief.

The others weren't ready to face such challenges, forcing them to confront the heart demon would be premature.

He couldn't simply destroy the talents of Jiu Zhou just because he wanted a massage from the tribulation.

Jiang Li felt he was being rather sensible.

The one controlling the Heavenly Tribulation kept his eyes closed, visibly trembling as he faced the heart demon.

Jiang Li lightly slapped his forehead, pulling him out of the heart demon's influence.

"Little guy, you're eager to make others face the heart demon, but you seem clueless when confronting your own. After you return, make sure to reflect on how to confront the heart demon."

The man slowly regained his senses from the fear of confronting the heart demon. He hesitated for a moment before asking, 

"Human Emperor Jiang, why were you not affected by the heart demon?"

The heart demon was inescapable. Once triggered, a cultivator could only confront it head-on; there was no other way around it.

He was convinced that even Human Emperor Jiang would not be exempted from this rule!

"Probably because I scared off my heart demon in the past. The heart demon doesn't dare to show up in front of me now." Jiang Li pondered before explaining.

In the past, his heart demon had assumed the form of the various past Human Emperors, shouting, 

"There is no need for chivalry, we should fight shoulder to shoulder!" only to be soundly defeated by him, left crying for mercy.

The situation seemed to resemble the current one.

The man fell silent, realizing Jiang Li's strength really exceeded his imagination.

Making one's heart demon fearful, who was the actual heart demon here then?

He expressed his gratitude for Jiang Li's guidance and retreated quietly.

Before leaving, he shot a glance towards Qin Luan, who was still confronting his heart demon, feeling envious.

If only he had the mental strength of Qin Luan, perhaps he could've earned Human Emperor Jiang's attention too.

It was laughable that before entering the secret realm, he was foolish enough to believe that he could compare himself with Qin Luan. Now, he realized how far he still had to go..

Chapter 37: The Conditions for the Birth of a New Soul

Qin Luan unexpectedly overcame his Heart Demon directly, astonishing the bystanders.

Very few people in all of Jiuzhou could break through their Heart Demons at the Foundation Stage. How could the gap be so substantial among those at the same cultivation stage?

Song Ying blinks his eyes, thoroughly delighted.

Having been put in their place by Jiang Li and had their dreams turned into nightmares, they didn't dare to act oddly anymore. Creatures transformed when needed to, the Dharma appearance of the world was condensed when required, and the descendants of the Zhuritian tribe returned to humanity when necessary.

Before entering the Secret Realm, Qin Luan had approached the lone Jiang Li. Jiang found him kind-hearted. Now that Qin Luan has overcome his Heart Demon, Jiang Li firmly believes his temperament to be excellent.

To Jiang Li, Qin Luan indeed possesses the qualifications to become a candidate for the Human Emperor, excelling in both talent and character.

Whether he can become an actual candidate for the Human Emperor, or even the Human Emperor, depends on his future fortune.

Jiang Li asks, 

"What was your Heart Demon?"

"As a child, my master often left me alone in the observatory, which was pitch-black and seemed haunted. It scared me."

"So your Heart Demon was a ghost?"

"No. My Heart Demon was my master, Yuan Wuxing. The Heart Demon took his form, and I fought it."

Jiang Li thought to himself, 'Well done, you. Your master stopped me at

Qingcheng's gate and you stopped me at the entrance to the Secret Realm. Both of you seem to have a knack for finding me.'

"I wouldn't call it advice for you, rather, a suggestion. It's good to be steady, but at your age, some vitality wouldn't hurt." Jiang Li felt he was too mature, only steadily deducing the next realm within the Dream Path in his dream state.

However, that's merely a suggestion. Maturity and steadiness aren't bad qualities, and being more lively doesn't necessarily mean smoother cultivation.

"With the end of this test, I will reward the top thirty based on their

Performance in these two tests." Dream Pure's voice sounded, indicating the Secret Realm was about to close."

Everyone swiftly bowed to Jiang Li, chorusing, "Thank you for your guidance,

Human Emperor, we will cherish it in our hearts!"

They did not desire the Secret Realm's rewards greatly. Obtaining guidance from the Human Emperor was much more valuable than the Secret Realm's prize tenfold.

During the reward settlement, everyone would be separated to prevent them from seeing each other's rewards and fight once they left the Secret Realm.

"Did Senior Dream enjoy the view?"

Jiang Li met Dream Pure again and asked with a smile.

Dream Pure unhappily responded, 

"Not really. I thought I would witness the legendary Mahayana Realm, but you didn't display your true power!"

"Haha, I didn't have any choice. Besides that little fellow who transformed into a real dragon, with a body comparable to the Transcendence Tribulation Stage, the rest of them were at most at the Body Integration Realm. I couldn't unleash my full power on them. It'd traumatize them. What if I become their Heart

Demon, their cultivation would be affected."

Jiang Li burst into laughter as he provided his explanation.

The Transcendence Tribulation Stage holds many mysteries, far beyond the imagination of the newcomers to cultivation. They could barely conjure an adequate image of the Body Integration Realm, which was their utmost limit. Even Li Litong, who was once at the Divinity Transformation stage, struggled to comprehend the true Transcendence Tribulation Stage, and in the end, could only envision himself at the peak of Body Integration.

Only the person who transformed into the true dragon — thanks to his physical strength — barely reached the edge of the Transcendence Tribulation Stage.

Dream Pure also laughed and said, 

"That being the case, why don't you let me experience the grandeur of the Mahayana Realm?"

Being just short of attaining the Transcendence Tribulation Stage, Dream Pure had watched many high-ranking Cultivators of the Transcendence Tribulation Stage in action and naturally had an idea of their true strength.

Jiang Li, laughing, replied, 

"Senior Dream, do as you wish."

In the dream state, Dream Pure practiced the Dream Path and the Illusion Technique together. The fusion of both could reverse yin and yang, turn the unreal into reality, transforming it into something both real and illusory. Despite her various marvelous spells, they couldn't escape from being solved by a single hand of Jiang Li.

Jiang Li still easily defeated Dream Pure.

"As expected of the Mahayana Realm that is even rarer than ascending to Immortality. Truly formidable."

Above the Transcendence Tribulation Stage stands the Mahayana Realm. This is common knowledge.

During the days when the Immortal Ascension Steps existed, one only needed to cultivate to the Transcendence Tribulation Stage to ascend. There was no need to stay in Jiuzhou to reach the Mahayana Realm. Would it not be better to ascend to the Immortal Realm to cultivate Immortal power? After the Immortal Ascension Steps disappeared, people were forced to reconsider how to cultivate the Mahayana Realm.

They found cultivating to the Mahayana Realm was far more challenging than ascending, leading to only Jiang Li achieving the Mahayana Realm after the disappearance of the Immortal Ascension Steps!

"Jiang, the Human Emperor came in first. According to the reward rules, you can make a request to me. What do you want? My cultivation technique 'the Great Dream of Millenniums'? Do you want me to talk about the past? Or, do you… desire me?"

[Congratulations, host, for completing the task]

Ignoring Dream Pure's playful remarks, Jiang Li laughed, 

"Senior Dream, what are you saying? I broke the rules of the Secret Realm by coming uninvited. It's not fair for the Human EmDeror to snatch 0DDortunities from the cultivators at the Foundation Stage. How about removing me from the ranking list, making the second first, and the third second?"

"As a repayment for Senior Dream not pursuing my entry in the Secret Realm, why not make a request that I can help with?"

Seeing Jiang Li ignore her teasing, Dream Pure felt a bit disappointed. However, his subsequent words cheered her up again.

She asked with anticipation, "Can I leave the Secret Realm and return to

Jiuzhou?"

Jiang Li pondered for a moment and shook his head, 

"Not yet."

"I see." Dream Pure felt disappointed again. 

"Hmm? Not yet?"

Jiang Li sincerely explained, "Senior Dream, you are well aware of your situation. You are currently just a strand of remnant thoughts that linger on in the Mysterious Secret Realm. You must gather all of your spirit and soul to leave the Secret Realm.'

"Human Emperor Jiang, you don't have to comfort me. My physical body failed the Tribulation and has entered the cycle of reincarnation. Where could I gather my soul and spirit from?"

Without hope, Jiang Li would not speak more. And when he does make a declaration, there is a sense of certainty.

"Senior Dream's remnant thought is the most clear-headed I've seen. Based on my speculation, if Senior Dream can maintain this state for another two hundred years, she will birth a soul from nothing, becoming a new life form independent of the Great Dream Scholar!"

Jiang Li spoke with conviction, offering Dream Pure new hope.

The birth of most life forms results from the continuous cycle of reincarnation, but there are exceptions. When an object receives an ample amount of substances containing spiritual energy, such as the essence of sun and moon, for a long period, it will give birth to spiritual wisdom, thereby bringing about a new soul.

Normally, this process takes tens of thousands of years. But for Dream Pure, as a strand of remnant thought containing spiritual wisdom, the time required to birth a soul can be significantly shortened!

This was the conclusion Jiang Li reached while doing research about the direction of the Underworld's gate opening. He also formulated a series of theories about the soul.

Those who cultivate following the Path of Soul Nurturing cried tears of joy after receiving this news. They almost worshipped Jiang Li as the Chongxing Ancestor.

"Two hundred years later, I will protect your Path."

"Thank you, Human Emperor.."