Since you've decided to take a low-key approach, you've been in seclusion all this time, even without challenging Yu Dao Hong. In the eyes of outsiders, you're just an ordinary disciple of the Taiyi Emperor's Palace. Only the old monsters of the Taiyi Emperor's Palace know how extraordinary you are, capable of surpassing all the prodigies of your time and being the hope for the future of the Taiyi Emperor's Palace.
Time passed, and about a hundred years later, after fully consolidating your cultivation, you decided to leave seclusion and took Lin Qinghe to the inheritance place of a certain generation of Swallowing Immortal Demon Body.
As you arrived, you saw vast graveyards. This situation reminded you of the place of life and death. However, you knew that although this place was somewhat similar to the Land of the Dead, it wasn't the same. It was just a sinister and dangerous place. While it could be considered a death trap for cultivators below the Saint Realm, it didn't pose a significant threat to those above the Saint Realm. Many Saint Realm and above experts ventured into this place seeking opportunities, hunting zombies, and obtaining cultivation resources.
You and Lin Qinghe didn't hesitate and entered the area. Due to your strength and the presence of your Time-Space Dao Body, you easily advanced, encountering no obstacles on your way. Eventually, you reached the deepest part and found a tombstone.
As Lin Qinghe dropped her blood onto it, the tombstone began to emit a bright light, and the fabric of space twisted, pulling both of you inside. During this process, you tried to resist but found it futile.
Soon, your surroundings changed, and you found yourself in a pitch-black palace. Seated atop the palace was a man who emitted no signs of life; he appeared to be completely deceased.
However, you remained cautious and drew your Imperial Artifact, prepared for any potential confrontation. You knew that this man was likely the owner of this place and the previous Swallowing Immortal Demon Body possessor. Even in death, such beings often left behind remnants or could play tricks.
As you anticipated, the man opened his eyes with crimson irises and glanced at Lin Qinghe before looking at you, appearing surprised. He commented on the current Swallowing Immortal Demon Body, praising her exceptional talent as she arrived for the inheritance ceremony, calling her a delightful surprise.
Hearing this, Lin Qinghe's expression changed, and she instinctively stood in front of you.
You, on the other hand, narrowed your eyes and activated the might of your Imperial Artifact. This Swallowing Immortal Demon Body seemed intent on devouring you directly. However, you quickly calmed down. The Swallowing Immortal Demon Body before you was just a remnant presence. While it still possessed considerable power, it had eroded over time, and it would be impossible for it to defeat you with your Imperial Artifact and the incarnation of the Taiyi Emperor.
You calmly responded, stating that even if the Swallowing Immortal Demon Body wished to devour you, it lacked the strength to do so. Moreover, if it dared to harm your disciple, Lin Qinghe, you wouldn't spare it.
This statement surprised the male Swallowing Immortal Demon Body, who asked if you weren't Dao companions. He didn't expect you to have a Master-disciple relationship. However, he remarked that both Dao companions and those who dared to take a Swallowing Immortal Demon Body as a disciple had faced dire consequences throughout history.
Lin Qinghe appeared bewildered by this remark, not fully understanding its implications. Inside her, the remnant soul of the previous generation's Swallowing Immortal Demon Body felt complex emotions.
You furrowed your brows and asked the male Swallowing Immortal Demon Body for an explanation. He chuckled, revealing that the Swallowing Immortal Demon Body was not a natural-born constitution from the Upper Realm but originated from the chaos and darkness of various dimensions. Some powerful individuals from different dimensions invaded the source of darkness, obtained a portion of its power using specific artifacts, and combined it with the cultivation path of devouring. This process eventually created the Swallowing Immortal Demon Body as a unique constitution.
While each generation of Swallowing Immortal Demon Bodies might not necessarily be malevolent, they had connections to darkness. As such, they attracted the curse of the heavenly dao. Therefore, none of them had a good ending. Additionally, those who were intimately connected with the Swallowing Immortal Demon Body suffered consequences as well.
Upon hearing this explanation, you fell into deep contemplation, surprised by the origins of the Swallowing Immortal Demon Body.
"The pitfall of the Swallowing Immortal Demon Body is this significant?"
Watching this, Wang Ping's expression became serious, and he couldn't help but feel somewhat helpless. After arriving in the Upper Realm, he had already elevated his talent to an astonishing level. Still, he had been having a tough time in the simulations. Perhaps this was due to the heavenly dao's disapproval, hindering his rise in fortune.
"I'm probably overthinking it. It's not like I didn't have bad luck before I accepted Lin Qinghe as my disciple."
Wang Ping remained silent for a moment and then shook his head, not wanting to place blame on his obedient disciple.
"The Swallowing Immortal Demon Body is so powerful, won't I lose out?"
Furrowing his brows, Wang Ping muttered to himself. He had only used the Swallowing Immortal Demon Body to break through the Saint King bottleneck before. This decision now seemed to be a waste.
"Anyway, thinking too much about it won't help. I need to focus on the present."
王平 let out a sigh and pushed aside his strange thoughts. He continued to gaze at the screen.
He was now curious about which cosmic force had the ability to venture into the Dark Source and extract a portion of its power to create the Swallowing Immortal Body, and then pass on its legacy. In theory, a constitution despised by the Heavenly Dao like the Swallowing Immortal Body should not continue to exist. Unless someone from that force used a certain method to ensure its continued presence and that someone lucky would inherit this constitution.
Next, you pondered the question and asked the male Swallowing Immortal Body if he knew which cosmic force had created the Swallowing Immortal Body.
In response to your inquiry, the male Swallowing Immortal Body wasn't surprised and answered with three words: Nine Stars Pavilion.
Hearing the three words "Nine Stars Pavilion," you were shocked and surprised. You hadn't expected the Nine Stars Pavilion to be behind all of this. However, considering the power of the Nine Stars Pavilion among the cosmic forces in the Upper Realm, it seemed reasonable.
Based on the information you had, the Nine Stars Pavilion was the most powerful cosmic force in the Upper Realm, surpassing all others. Even though you were familiar with the Abyssal Realm and the Slaughter Paradise, both of which had only one Emperor-level figure, you didn't know if these forces had hidden their true strength. Nevertheless, they couldn't match the might of the Nine Stars Pavilion, a colossal entity.
However, you couldn't quite understand the true purpose of the creator of the Nine Stars Pavilion behind this scheme. Why would they go to such lengths to enter the dangerous Dark Source and extract a portion of its dark power to create the Swallowing Immortal Body constitution?
You couldn't help but wonder about the intentions behind this act. The Upper Realm was indeed a dangerous place, and the more you improved your cultivation and strength, the more you realized the threats and the intricate web of plots among the formidable beings. It was becoming increasingly difficult to protect oneself.
You couldn't help but feel uneasy. If the Upper Realm was like this, what would it be like in the Celestial Realm or the Realms of Heaven's Joy? The higher one climbed among the cosmic forces, the more perilous it seemed. Unless someone could truly transcend, surpassing all the cosmic forces, and look down upon them all, perhaps that was the only way to achieve true freedom.
You tried to gather your thoughts and realized that the Upper Realm was indeed a dangerous place. As your cultivation improved, you encountered more formidable beings and hidden secrets, making it increasingly challenging to protect yourself. You couldn't help but feel that the Nine Stars Pavilion posed a significant danger, potentially on par with the enigmatic force plotting against the great Emperors and prodigies.
You thought about your own situation. Now that you had taken Lin Qinghe as your disciple in the real world, you were inevitably going to find yourself in opposition to the Nine Stars Pavilion. However, it was unlikely that both sides would immediately become hostile to each other. Nevertheless, you couldn't rule out the possibility that the Nine Stars Pavilion might have noticed you because of Lin Qinghe.
If that were the case, it could become troublesome. While the Nine Stars Pavilion hadn't taken any direct actions during your simulations, you knew that they might be planning something. Being targeted by such a dangerous force could be a significant problem.
However, you comforted yourself with the fact that if the Nine Stars Pavilion had plans for you, they wouldn't act recklessly. They would likely wait for the right moment to strike. Through your simulations, you hadn't seen any hostile actions from them even in scenarios set tens of thousands of years in the future. Even the Dark Star Great Sage had been more of an unexpected encounter and hadn't shown any explicit hostility toward you. While this didn't guarantee anything, it was a somewhat positive sign.
With these thoughts in mind, you calmed down and regained your composure.
He was growing at an incredibly fast pace, and as long as the other side didn't notice his abnormal situation, he didn't need to worry too much. Perhaps the creator of the Nine Stars Pavilion had some plans involving the Swallowing Immortal Body, but the chances of them noticing Lin Qinghe, who had yet to fully mature, and taking an interest in her were not high.
Even if the situation turned out to be unfavorable, in reality, he could escape using Alpha, teleport to other worlds, or enter the Realms of Heaven's Joy to evade danger. With his growth rate, it wouldn't take long for him to return and confront them head-on. While it might require more than Emperor-level power to deal with them all at once, Wang Ping had full confidence in his growth potential. If being an Emperor wasn't enough, then he would become an Immortal! Wang Ping was confident that he could deal with this group of old monsters one way or another.
He collected his thoughts and continued to gaze at the screen.
On the way back to the Taiyi Emperor Palace, Lin Qinghe hesitated and decided to resign. She felt that staying by your side might put you at risk. Furthermore, the Swallowing Immortal Body needed to consume powerful cultivators and prodigies to grow perfectly. In this situation, staying with you while remaining in the Taiyi Emperor Palace was even more unsuitable.
Hearing Lin Qinghe's words, you frowned and fell silent. Lin Qinghe wanted to break free from the fate of being a pawn, and it seemed she would do whatever it took to become stronger. At this point, you couldn't protect her, and even the Taiyi Emperor Palace was unsuitable.
In the end, you sighed and didn't stop Lin Qinghe, allowing her to leave. You knew that Lin Qinghe was a determined individual, and once she decided on something, she would pursue it relentlessly.
After thanking you, Lin Qinghe chose to leave. You watched her departure, wondering how strong she would become when you saw her again. It was not impossible for someone like Lin Qinghe, who had the complete Swallowing Immortal Body inheritance and didn't have to worry about enlightenment, to progress at an astonishing rate.
Back in the Taiyi Emperor Palace, you continued your low-key cultivation, paying no attention to what was happening outside. However, regarding Lin Qinghe's departure, you reported it to the high-ranking members of the Taiyi Emperor Palace. As a result, they expelled Lin Qinghe from the Taiyi Emperor Palace, in accordance with your and Lin Qinghe's wishes.
Soon, it was time for the Immortal Mansion to open. Numerous cultivators gathered in the Immortal City, and you witnessed the scene of the young nun carrying the weak young Daoist into the city. This time, you smiled faintly and acted ahead of Gu Xuan, confronting the Supreme-level figure and protecting the young Daoist.
This scene surprised many people. They hadn't expected you, a normally low-profile Prince of the Taiyi Emperor Palace, to have the courage to confront a Supreme-level figure. However, they quickly realized that it wasn't because of your own abilities, but rather your status and your Dao Protector that prevented the Supreme-level figure from acting recklessly. It wasn't worth arguing with someone like you when they had their own powerful backers. Protecting two random lower-level cultivators wasn't something they were interested in.
As for Gu Xuan, when he saw you take the lead and rescue the two individuals, he furrowed his brow and stared at you with deep contemplation, his thoughts unclear.
You noticed Gu Xuan's gaze and nodded at him with a friendly smile, as if saying hello. You knew that by taking the initiative, you might attract Gu Xuan's attention and that of others who were plotting behind the scenes, but at this point, it didn't matter anymore. Once the Immortal Mansion opened, their plans would be set in motion, and you couldn't stop them. Revealing their intentions wouldn't make anyone believe you, and you would end up like the other prodigies, hunted down.
Honestly, your plan was to avoid entering the Immortal Mansion altogether. The danger level inside was too high, and even in your current state, you couldn't guarantee your survival. Therefore, you intended to observe the situation from the outside and then attempt to break through to the Supreme level. Your purpose in coming to the Immortal City was to intercept the young nun and the young Daoist because if Gu Xuan valued them, there was something special about them. By taking them under your wing, you hoped to open up new plotlines and possibly find clues about the mysterious force.
With various thoughts running through your mind, you brought the young nun and the young Daoist to the Immortal City amidst their expressions of gratitude. As for Gu Xuan, he had his own plans, and although he had lost the young nun and the young Daoist, he didn't seem too concerned. He would deal with them after his plan succeeded.
"Seems like Gu Xuan is saving these two individuals because he knows something about the future. I wonder who would save them if Gu Xuan and I didn't intervene. What secrets do these two hold that make Gu Xuan value them so much?" Wang Ping thought to himself as he read the simulated text.
"This time, I don't plan to enter the secret realm. It looks like it's going to be a one-day tour of the Immortal Mansion. Judging by the simulated actions of Wang Ping, in the second round of assessments, there will definitely be some deliberate act of not entering the secret realm. However, by doing so, it feels like the simulated Wang Ping won't be able to enter the Immortal Mansion."
Wang Ping shook his head as he thought about the Immortal Mansion. However, he had made up his mind not to enter, even though it might inconvenience the Taiyi Emperor Palace. It was still better than being trapped and killed inside.
His ultimate goal this time was to survive until he reached the Supreme level. Of course, if he could reach an even higher realm, that would be even better. However, considering the simulated Wang Ping's luck, it would be quite challenging.
As Wang Ping was silently complaining about himself in his mind, the simulation continued.
"Next, you still met Ji Bingyan and Ji Ziqing. You remained indifferent towards Ji Ziqing, while Ji Ziqing was extremely hostile towards you, seemingly eager to find an opportunity to eliminate you."
"After interacting with Ji Bingyan, you unexpectedly bumped into familiar faces like Ye Chen and others, engaging in conversations with them one by one. Ye Chen complained about his misfortune to you, saying how tough his life had been. You found it amusing and didn't sympathize with him. After all, having such strong vitality and powerful opportunities, cultivators could only envy."
"However, what surprised you was that while chatting with everyone, you ran into two more familiar individuals in the Immortal City."
"These two people were none other than Moshaoli and Baitianhong. At this moment, Moshaoli's cultivation had miraculously reached the Saint King level. As for Baitianhong, his cultivation had also miraculously reached the Saint King level."
"You were quite astonished, as these two individuals had never appeared in any of your previous simulations. Moreover, in the few times Moshaoli did appear, she was only at the True God level."
"Next, you used your Broken Source Heavenly Eye to observe the two individuals and uncovered their secrets, causing your expression to turn serious."
"You discovered that Moshaoli's physique had miraculously transformed into a powerful Saint's Body. As for Baitianhong, his physique had similarly undergone a change, turning into the Supreme Sword Body, a physique known for easily comprehending the path of the sword and reaching the Supreme level, which was no less powerful than some Saint's Bodies, and even stronger than a few."
"This puzzled you. It wasn't that you believed these two had no chance at obtaining such opportunities. In this world, there might indeed be chances or techniques for late-stage awakening or refining special physiques. After all, the Heavenly Cold Ice was one such opportunity for cultivators to gain powerful physiques. The same went for Ye Chen's technique."
"The reason for your astonishment was that you sensed a familiar aura from the two individuals. This feeling was similar to what you had observed using your Broken Source Heavenly Eye when fighting the indigenous creatures in the secret realm, battling the shadowy figures, and confronting Gu Xuan. You had confirmed that Gu Xuan had a connection with the mysterious force before the simulation."
"This led you to suspect that these two might have encountered the mysterious force in this simulation and were recruited. This could explain how they obtained such powerful physiques and easily advanced to the Saint King's Great Perfection level."
"This rapid advancement also reminded you of the secret realm. After all, in that secret realm, it was effortless to advance to this level."
"Seeing Bai Tianhong again after multiple simulations, I didn't expect him to have arrived in the Upper Realm at some point and even directly joined forces with the mysterious force. It really leaves me speechless," Wang Ping commented as he read the simulated text.
"What can I say? He's the savior who will eliminate the mysterious force, and his disciple has become a lackey of the mysterious force, wanting to oppose him and kill him? That's quite absurd."
"However, in a way, this might be a good thing. After all, it provides an opportunity to gather more information," Wang Ping thought to himself, suppressing his emotions.
He then continued to read the simulated text, analyzing it thoroughly.