Chapter 206: Kunyun Arrives in Person, A Conversation with the True Transmission!

Within the Imperial Palace Ancestral Temple of the Great Shun Capital.

The Old Emperor huddled entirely beneath the blank Spirit Tablets, his spiritual sense carefully surveying the sky above the capital. For a moment, his scalp simply went numb.

"A clash of Divine Powers... is this a clash of Divine Powers!?"

As the Son of Heaven of Great Shun, it wasn't that the Old Emperor had never seen cultivators in the Divine Powers realm, but Xuanyin, Xuanhe, and even Chenlong all far exceeded his expectations.

None of the Divine Powers cultivators he had met before could compare to these three.

In his eyes, the initial appearance of the Ink Sea Thunder Whale was already absurd enough. He had originally been cheering for Xuanyin, thinking that the beast who deceived him was dead for sure.

Then Chenlong emerged—a Martial Dao Great Grandmaster whose combat strength was vastly superior to when he had just broken through. He actually withstood the Ink Sea Thunder Whale head-on, their battle shaking the capital to its core... The Old Emperor thought that was the absolute limit, but just as Chenlong was forced to retreat, an even more ruthless figure arrived.

"Who exactly is he?"

The Old Emperor looked up at the sky, gazing at the little Daoist priest from Taoshen Temple whom he had never once taken seriously. All of his previous fury had vanished.

In its place was a terror of the unknown.

Without a doubt, this was absolutely no mere firewood-adding disciple of the furnace. Could it be the reincarnation of a true transmission? But if that were the case, why hadn't the Grand Ancestor told him?

At this thought, the Old Emperor glanced back at the Spirit Tablets behind him.

Only then did a faint rumble of thunder echo by his ears, piercing through the crown of his head before transforming into a voice he could understand:

"I understand now!"

"Grand Ancestor?" the Old Emperor asked, somewhat bewildered.

'Understand what?'

A second later, the originally faint thunder suddenly grew deafening. Crackling bolts echoed as if the Corpse Dissolution Immortal behind the thunder were laughing aloud:

"So that's how it is, so that's how it is!"

"Should I say he truly lives up to his reputation? Such cultivation, such methods, such sheer nerve..."

"And his timing was absolutely flawless. Using Kunyun's life tribulation to hook into destiny... no one can say a word against it. They can only swallow the loss."

The thunder continued for a long time before gradually softening.

"Just watch."

By the Old Emperor's ear, that Dashun Taizu, a Corpse Dissolution Immortal of the Yang Wood path, spoke in a relaxed tone. "To witness this game firsthand can be considered the fortune of three lifetimes for you."

"If you can comprehend it, you might have hope of reaching Qi Refining!"

...

Almost the exact moment Wang Ping and "Xuanyin" locked eyes.

A brilliant green-blue flame roared to life, instantly engulfing Xuanyin's entire body before spreading to his magical power, his Divine Powers, and even his Grotto-Heaven.

In the blink of an eye, Xuanyin was reduced to ash within the blaze. His Divine Powers and Grotto-Heaven melted down right along with him, eventually condensing with the flames into a new silhouette.

He stood with his hands clasped behind his back, his gaze looking down upon the world.

Merely standing there, he exuded the majesty of heaven's own judgment. His very breaths inhaled and exhaled heavenly fire and lightning, surging with unfathomable magical power.

'Possession by divine sense... no, this was instantly refining Xuanyin, using him as a disposable puppet to bear that divine sense, seeking nothing but maximum sheer power.'

The relevant Daoist theories quickly flashed through Wang Ping's mind.

'Xuanyin cultivated Heavenly Yang Water, but after entering the Eight Trigrams Furnace, he was influenced by the spiritual environment of the Turbid Earth and Darkened Heavens, undergoing a transformation.'

That which was of the heavens turned darkened and plummeted to the earth.

That which belonged to Yang shifted into turbid Yin.

As a result, not only was Xuanyin's magical power suppressed, but it gained traces of the essence of Earthly Yin Water, which perfectly supplemented Heavenly Yang Wood.

'And that is the exact qi Kunyun cultivates!'

Heavenly Yang Wood, Thunder Sound Universal Transformation Azure Thunder Qi!

If Xuanyin were still alive and recalled what Kunyun had told him when sending him to the Eight Trigrams Furnace, he would certainly have a sudden realization.

Unfortunately, Kunyun hadn't explained a thing at the time, and inner sect disciples naturally had no way of knowing theories involving the interactions and transformations of the Twenty-Four Qi.

The result was exactly as it played out: he was foolishly tricked into the Eight Trigrams Furnace by Kunyun, seized, and instantly refined into an avatar. He thought he had grasped a lifeline, never realizing it was a death warrant. From the very moment he became a Furnace-Tending Disciple, his fate was sealed!

"A pity..."

Right at that moment, Kunyun spoke.

"This bait was originally meant to reel in my good junior brother Kunlun. In the end, he didn't take the hook, but it dragged up another big fish instead."

Every word and action carried the absolute authority of speaking heavenly statutes.

Merely hearing the voice subjected Wang Ping to immense pressure, and this wasn't even intentional on Kunyun's part; it was entirely natural.

'Magical power that has undergone three qualitative changes.'

Wang Ping marveled inwardly. For a voice to evolve to such an extent meant that, without a doubt, Kunyun's magical power was approaching the Dao, aligning infinitely close with the heaven and earth qi it belonged to!

"Ten Thousand Gods Terrestrial Chart."

A second later, Kunyun continued, "Gui Water magical power cultivating a Wu Earth Divine Power, blending Yin and Yang, Uniting Earth to Behold Fire. What is your relationship with my junior brother Kunlun?"

"Junior Sister You picked this Divine Power out for you, didn't she?"

'So it really was exposed...'

Wang Ping's expression remained calm, unswayed by Kunyun's words. After all, he had guessed long ago that Kunyun already suspected there was a problem with You Xuexin.

"I am indebted to Senior Sister's care."

Wang Ping said softly, "This Major Divine Ability suits me quite well."

Kunyun sneered at this. "Suits you well? Do you even know that the Ten Thousand Gods Terrestrial Chart harbors a massive peril? That it is suspected to be a scheme laid out by a True Person?"

"...What!?" Wang Ping's expression shifted slightly.

"You were deceived."

Kunyun's tone was dark and elusive. "Did you really think Junior Sister You cherished you? She likely just used you as a stepping stone to establish contact with my good junior brother in the Eight Trigrams Furnace. Xuanyin was my pawn, and you are simply a pawn of my good junior brother and Junior Sister You, used to force a trade of pieces with me!"

"Like right now, for instance."

"This avatar forged from Xuanyin bearing my divine sense was originally meant to execute my good junior brother, yet now I am forced to waste it on you."

Hearing this, Wang Ping looked rather grim.

However, his heart was as placid as an ancient well. After all, this was the exact truth he intended to present once he determined Kunyun had discovered the issue with You Xuexin.

What surprised him was Kunyun's current attitude.

Even though he had completely refined a talent like Xuanyin into an avatar, it was still difficult for it to flawlessly sustain the divine sense of a Tribulation Transcending Third Layer cultivator.

Therefore, Kunyun's time was limited.

And yet, despite that, he was still chatting with him with keen interest, acting as though he were in no rush to attack. This was highly intriguing.

"Senior Brother... wishes to persuade me to surrender?" Wang Ping said quietly.

Kunyun nodded. "As long as you explain your connection with Kunlun and your conversation with the Heaven-Stealing Thief, then leave with me, I will spare your life."

With that, he shifted his gaze toward Xuanhe.

"And you... I certainly underestimated you. But are you aware that concealing the incident in the Eight Trigrams Furnace is punishable by the highest penalty according to sect rules?"

"Highest penalty..."

The corner of Xuanhe's eye twitched upon hearing this, and he immediately shook his head without hesitation. "Senior Brother must be joking. I stopped being a Furnace-Tending Disciple long ago, so what does that have to do with me?"

"The current Furnace-Tending Disciple is Xuanyin."

"During my tenure, there wasn't a single irregularity with the Eight Trigrams Furnace. If something has gone wrong now, handling it according to sect rules makes it Xuanyin's problem."

"Sharp-tongued."

Kunyun smiled and shook his head. "No matter. The same goes for you. Leave the Eight Trigrams Furnace with me, and I will spare your life and let bygones be bygones."

"How can Senior Brother guarantee that?" Xuanhe shot back.

"There is no guarantee."

Standing with his hands behind his back, Kunyun said indifferently, "The fact that I stand here and have not yet struck is my show of sincerity. If you refuse to believe it, I can simply kill you."

Xuanhe was rendered instantly speechless, leaving him no choice but to look toward Wang Ping.

Wang Ping, meanwhile, quietly watched Kunyun. As Kunyun studied him, was he not also studying this true transmission of the Immortal Gate? Suddenly, he let out a laugh.

"Senior Brother, you play the part quite well."

"If Senior Brother truly wanted to deal with Senior Brother Kunlun, wouldn't sending just Xuanyin—a single Divine Powers cultivator—along with one strand of your divine sense be a bit too overconfident?"

"..."

Kunyun did not respond.

Seeing this, Wang Ping continued, "At his peak, Senior Brother Kunlun's cultivation should also have been at the Tribulation Transcending Third Layer. He is certainly not someone a mere strand of divine sense could kill."

"So I'm guessing that the reason Senior Brother prepared such meager methods wasn't to kill Senior Brother Kunlun, but to probe his condition. For instance... after reincarnating so many times, now that Senior Brother Kunlun has regained his memories, has he successfully recovered his Tribulation Transcending Third Layer cultivation!?"

"If he has, then you take a step back and plan long-term."

"If he hasn't, then Senior Brother would use this divine sense, combined with the avatar refined from Xuanyin, to execute him directly and prevent any further complications."

"In other words..."

As he reached the end of his deduction, Wang Ping's tone was calm, yet carried a hidden smile. "The power of Senior Brother's avatar here should be strictly limited to the Tribulation Transcending Second Layer, right?"

"...And what of it?"

"In Divine Powers, cultivation, and magical power, you fall hopelessly short of me."

Kunyun smirked. "Just because I'm restricted to the Tribulation Transcending Second Layer, you think you can beat me? What exactly gave you such a delusion?"

"That is not the only reason, of course."

Wang Ping pointed at the space above his head. "The Thunder Sound Universal Transformation Azure Thunder Qi that Senior Brother cultivates is Heavenly Yang Wood; beneath the Turbid Earth and Darkened Heavens, it is equally suppressed."

"I'm guessing Senior Brother miscalculated in at least two areas."

"The first is exactly as Senior Brother mentioned: you didn't expect me to be the one standing here instead of Senior Brother Kunlun, leaving you with absolutely nothing probed."

"As for the second..."

At these words, the world around the two suddenly began to invert. Amidst the churning sea of clouds, towering white jade pillars slowly rose from the very edges of the firmament.

"Senior Brother also never anticipated that I cultivated this Major Divine Ability, did you?"

"Plans can't keep up with changes. But what Senior Brother probably anticipated even less was that long before Xuanyin even summoned you, he had already fallen into my Divine Power."

As his voice faded, Wang Ping's figure abruptly soared upward, merging with the world itself. Ultimately, an identical face was projected across the infinitely high sky. His eyes hung aloft like the sun and moon. When his lips parted, heavenly tones rumbled through the void, and his breath transformed into fierce gales that buffeted Kunyun, who now looked as tiny as an ant below.

This was the reason Xuanyin had been unable to escape to the outside and was ultimately suppressed by him so effortlessly.

Because from the very beginning, he had already landed inside the Ten Thousand Gods Terrestrial Chart! As merely a single drop of ink upon the chart, how could he possibly contend with the one who painted it?

This fact alone was enough to erase all of Wang Ping's disadvantages!

If Kunyun were currently outside the Ten Thousand Gods Terrestrial Chart, given his cultivation, Dao foundation, Divine Powers, and magical power, he naturally could not be captured so easily.

In that scenario, Wang Ping knew he would not be his match.

Yet right now, Kunyun was completely trapped within the Ten Thousand Gods Terrestrial Chart. As a Major Divine Ability, once someone entered this space, getting out wouldn't be quite so easy!

"Claiming you'd spare my life... were you perhaps just afraid of exposing your weakness if you actually made a move?"

Wang Ping's laughter echoed across the world.

As soon as the words left his mouth, an indescribable chill descended from the heavens. It was like a winter freeze, chilling to the bone, as Kunyun's murderous voice drifted outward:

"Stubborn fool."

Hearing this, Wang Ping's smile vanished in an instant, and he responded in an equally icy tone:

"You bring humiliation upon yourself!"