Chapter 725
I Can See Through Everything – Chapter 725
Chapter 725: Hidden Motives and Surging Undercurrents — Turning Illusion into Reality
When that bamboo-green flying boat appeared, everyone’s hearts tightened instinctively.
Disciples of the Black-and-White Temple, the Netherworld Palace, and the Enchantress Pavilion, in particular, showed visible unease.
The Kongming Sect was another immensely powerful sect—its foundation rivaled theirs.
What made matters worse was that Kongming Sect prided itself as a righteous path sect, known for hating evil and meddling in others’ affairs. Naturally, they had always been at odds with those three sects.
As expected, the moment the Kongming Sect arrived and saw Hei Ming and the people from Demon-Slaughter Mountain, their faces immediately twisted in disgust.
The cool-tempered woman in green didn’t even spare Hei Ming a glance. She guided her flying boat directly beside that of the Heaven-Shattering Sword Sect.
“Senior Brother Yu Jian, Qing Xi greets you.”
The woman in green gave a graceful bow to the white-robed young man.
“Junior Sister Qing Xi, it’s been a long time. I didn’t expect Kongming Sect to have you lead the team this time,” Yu Jian replied with a warm smile.
“I guessed it would be you leading the Heaven-Shattering Sword Sect this time,” Qing Xi said with a faint smile.
“Hmph, fox spirit.”
The Tao Fairy from Enchantress Pavilion snorted coldly when she saw the two chatting amiably, a flicker of killing intent flashing in her eyes.
Enchantress Pavilion and Kongming Sect were old rivals, and Qing Xi’s refined demeanor only made her feel sick.
She had already made up her mind—once inside the Gui Xu Secret Realm, she would definitely cause trouble for Kongming Sect.
And if she could ensure that this “bitch” Qing Xi never came out alive, that would be even better.
As such thoughts flickered through her mind, Tao Fairy’s eyes shimmered with a dangerous light.
“Senior Brother Yu Jian, since this area is crawling with sinister forces, when the Gui Xu Secret Realm opens, why don’t our two sects join forces? We can watch each other’s backs and prevent those villains from plotting in the shadows. What do you say?”
After exchanging greetings, Qing Xi raised her proposal again.
Yu Jian hesitated for a moment, then glanced around before nodding. “Very well. Our two sects have always been on good terms. We’ll enter together.”
Yu Jian recalled the instructions given by his sect master before their departure:
Even if they failed to obtain any treasures or opportunities, they must not allow them to fall into the hands of demonic sects such as the Netherworld Palace or the Black-and-White Temple.
If they allied with Kongming Sect, their odds of success would increase greatly.
When Yu Jian agreed, the other three sects’ representatives exchanged uneasy looks.
That alliance made their side the weaker faction.
Hei Ming and the others began silently formulating countermeasures.
Their first thought was, of course, to form their own alliance.
But that idea was quickly dismissed.
If the alliance partner were the Heaven-Shattering Sword Sect, that would be ideal—Yu Jian was known for his integrity and gentlemanly conduct, and he never went back on his word.
But with the other sects, none could guarantee they wouldn’t be stabbed in the back at a crucial moment.
Yet if they didn’t ally with anyone, how could they compete with Yu Jian’s group once opportunities appeared?
While Hei Ming and the others were still deep in thought, several new waves of spiritual fluctuations rippled from the distance.
They turned their gazes and saw several more flying boats approaching.
Over the following months, more and more powerful factions gathered at the Sea of Annihilation.
By the end of it, dozens of powerful sects and clans had assembled outside the Sea.
“So many factions want to enter the secret realm?”
Aboard a golden flying boat carved with a dragon’s head, an elder frowned as he looked at the densely gathered vessels radiating immense power.
“This can’t be right,” murmured a middle-aged man in a purple dragon robe.
“There were only eighteen entry tokens to the Gui Xu Secret Realm.
Even accounting for the few that went missing, no more than twelve or thirteen factions should possess them.
The rest must be seeking alliances—or hoping to fish in troubled waters.
Not every one of them can have a token.
Just like the Heng Clan, who tried to contact us through Old Thirteen for cooperation.”
The elder’s expression eased as he nodded. “True. The Gui Xu Secret Realm was left behind by the Daoist of Transcendence. Even if some factions lack a token, they’d still try every means to enter.”
“We don’t need to worry about most of them,” the man in purple said calmly. “They are no match for us Immortal Clan.
The ones worth paying attention to are the Heaven-Shattering Sword Sect, the Black-and-White Temple, the Netherworld Palace, Enchantress Pavilion, and the Kongming Sect.”
He gazed toward the frontmost group of flying boats. Those major sects were the true contenders for the fortune hidden within the secret realm.
“Indeed,” the elder agreed gravely. “Yu Jian, Hei Ming, Mo Tushan, Tao Fairy, Qing Xi—each of them is a top-tier Eighth-Tribulation Nascent Soul expert, extremely difficult opponents.”
Though they had anticipated these factions’ involvement, facing these famed powerhouses from the surrounding immortal domains still filled them with pressure.
Due to certain restrictions, beings above the Nascent Soul Realm could not act freely in the starry void.
Most Ninth-Tribulation cultivators were also in secluded cultivation, attempting to transcend that realm.
Thus, Eighth-Tribulation Nascent Soul experts were essentially the strongest active forces in the cosmos.
And since Yu Jian and the others came from great sects with deep foundations and hidden trump cards, they were not to be trifled with.
Even the purple-robed leader couldn’t guarantee victory over them.
“Fortunately, we followed Old Thirteen’s advice and allied with the Heng Clan. With their support from the shadows, we need not fear these sects.
As long as we seize the treasures within the Gui Xu Secret Realm, our Immortal Clan will have hope of rising again!”
The man’s eyes flickered with determination.
He stared at the foremost flying boats—the Heaven-Shattering Sword Sect and others had taken the central, most prestigious positions. The surrounding factions all gave them a wide berth out of respect.
A pang of humiliation welled in his heart.
Once, their Immortal Clan had commanded such reverence—wherever they went, all sects yielded.
Now, they were forced to linger at the periphery, reduced to a minor power.
“Soon,” he muttered, clenching his fists under his sleeves. “Once we obtain that treasure, our clan shall reclaim its former glory.”
“Hmm? That dragon-headed flying boat… could it be the spirit vessel of the Great Yuan Immortal Clan?”
From the Netherworld Palace’s flying boat, Hei Ming’s eyes narrowed as he noticed it.
“The Great Yuan Immortal Clan?”
The Tao Fairy beside him frowned in thought, then realization dawned.
“Senior Brother Hei Ming, you mean that once-glorious clan that ruled over the Great Yuan Immortal Domain before falling into decline?”
“Indeed,” Hei Ming said coolly. “I heard they no longer have anyone above the Nascent Soul Realm. I didn’t expect them to dare venture into the Gui Xu Secret Realm.
That means they must also possess an entry token.”
“Well, they are descendants of the Daoist of Transcendence after all,” Tao Fairy said with a light laugh. “They must still have some foundation left.
It seems they wish to regain their ancestral glory through this expedition.”
“Without sufficient strength, even if they acquire a treasure, they won’t be able to keep it,” Hei Ming replied indifferently.
“With no power above Nascent Soul to guard them, they’ll likely be plundered as soon as they emerge.”
“Survival of the fittest—that’s the law of this world,” Tao Fairy said casually. “Anyway, let’s not waste thoughts on a fallen clan.
You mentioned an alliance earlier—were you serious?”
“Of course. I, Hei Ming, never lie.”
“My, how flattering. Then how would Senior Brother like us to cooperate?”
“This is simple…”
The two conversed through Divine Soul transmission, their words unheard by others. No one knew what agreement they reached in secret.
The Gui Xu Secret Realm would not reveal itself for several more years.
During that time, countless factions would weave a web of alliances and betrayals beneath the calm surface.
On the outside, all seemed peaceful—but beneath it surged endless undercurrents.
…
Compared to the turbulence among the stars, Lu Qing’s home world was far more tranquil.
Ever since his return—after he slew the four late-stage Golden Core demons and left the Sacred Mountain with a trove of talismans—the mountain had launched a grand crusade against the demonic cultivators.
Over two or three years, the demonic path was nearly wiped out.
Most were slain; the few survivors could only scurry in the shadows like rats, too afraid to show their faces.
The world regained its peace.
During this time, Lu Qing had been secluded within the Jade Transformation Chamber, cultivating in deep meditation for two years.
At last, he slowly opened his eyes, awakening from the deepest layer of enlightenment.
“I didn’t expect comprehending the Divine Ability of Phantasm to be so much harder than Great Strength. But in the end… I succeeded.”
A flicker of relief crossed his gaze.
When he first began, he thought Phantasm would take no more than a month or two—just like Great Strength—to elevate to a Major Divine Ability.
But he soon realized he had underestimated the difficulty.
Comprehending the Dao of Illusion was vastly more complex than the Dao of Strength.
It was boundless, intricate, and full of falsehoods.
If one mistook illusion for truth, they could stray off course, perhaps forever unable to return.
Lu Qing himself had nearly fallen into that trap early on. Had he not reacted in time, he might have lost the very seed of the Divine Ability he sought to refine.
That near-disaster taught him a valuable lesson—the Dao of Illusion was as unpredictable as its name.
Carelessness could destroy everything.
From then on, Lu Qing cultivated with unprecedented focus, immersing himself wholly in enlightenment.
Even with his innate gift, it still took him two full years to distinguish truth from falsehood and grasp the faint thread of insight needed to elevate Phantasm from a Minor to a Major Divine Ability.
“This difficulty lies in my weaker foundation on the soul path compared to the body,” Lu Qing mused thoughtfully.
The Path of the Divine Soul was ever-mysterious—few cultivators truly mastered it.
Even Nascent Soul experts often found its mysteries elusive, and thus, techniques specializing in soul cultivation were rare.
His foundation in the body—fortified by the legacies of the Wu Clan—was far stronger than that of the soul.
Coupled with the deceptive nature of the Dao of Illusion, this explained why the process had taken so long.
Still, the effort was worth it.
Raising his hand, a miniature world appeared in his palm—mountains, rivers, forests, and oceans.
If one looked closely, they would find its terrain almost identical to his home world.
“Once Phantasm reached the Major Divine Ability level, it became far more than mere illusion—it can now influence reality, blurring the line between true and false.
At higher levels, it can even turn illusion into reality—creating matter from nothing, a true world from emptiness.”
Lu Qing’s eyes shimmered with enlightenment as he gazed at the world in his hand.
At this level, Phantasm could project large-scale illusions into the real world.
Those who entered them, unless possessing a perfectly steady Dao Heart, would lose all sense of truth and become trapped.
In the distant future, if his cultivation deepened, he might truly achieve “turning illusion into reality.”
Of course, that goal was still far beyond reach—even perfection in the Major Divine Ability might not suffice.
He would need to advance Phantasm to the realm of Supreme Divine Ability before such creation could become possible.
And to evolve a genuine world… even ascension beyond the Nascent Soul Realm might not be enough.
“Still, the gains this time are immense. My cultivation has also improved—I’m ready to face my first Nascent Soul Tribulation.”
A faint smile spread across Lu Qing’s face.
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