Chapter 326: I Am Truly a Stubborn Fool

A heavy sound echoed, yet it never reached the interior of the Eight Trigrams Furnace. If a True Person's words were to fall unshielded upon the mortal world, they would inevitably trigger a cataclysm.

Thus, this sigh—whether of praise or fury, it was impossible to tell—reverberated solely within the realm of cultivating truth. Inside the Heavenly Craft Cave Abode, however, the Heaven-Stealing Thief seemed to sense something. He suddenly looked up at the sky, a distinct smile breaking across his blurred face:

"Seniors, you flatter me."

He was the first to strike.

Not even the three True Persons had anticipated that this junior—who had not even reached Qi Refining—would dare to be the first to unveil his overarching layout.

That was what had prompted that cry of "Such audacity."

After all, the earlier a scheme was revealed, the easier it was for others to find its flaws. It would become a target, countered by latecomers until it inevitably failed.

Yet the Heaven-Stealing Thief did exactly that.

Inside the Heavenly Frost Cave Abode.

A wisp of the Mysterious Wood Qi Daoist Master's will turned, intending to immediately return and exterminate these lower cultivators who dared to run rampant right under his nose.

Soon, however, he realized something was wrong—he could not leave. At this moment, the massive Heavenly Frost Cave Abode had become a prison, firmly locking away this wisp of his will. Although his power was more than enough to break free, it would require a considerable amount of time.

"A trap...?"

The Mysterious Wood Qi Daoist Master narrowed his eyes, quickly realizing the truth. "No, not a trap. I see. It seems I overlooked this layer of transformation."

Heavenly Yin Metal was the absolute death ground for Five Elements Yin Wood!

He was a True Person of the Xun Trigram, and in the yin and yang of the Five Elements, the Xun Trigram symbolized Yin Wood. His very imagery was perfectly countered by this Heavenly Frost Cave Abode!

Normally, such a counter would not be enough to restrain a True Person like him. However, the transformation into the Yin Wood death ground amplified the phenomenon of "Heavenly Yin Metal being eradicated," which managed to stall his footsteps. At least for a short time, this wisp of his will had no way to interfere with the outside world.

At most, he could send out one or two Heavenly Yin Metal spiritual objects.

"...Impressive skill."

At this realization, the Mysterious Wood Qi Daoist Master openly offered praise. Clearly, the Heaven-Stealing Thief had accounted for his presence from the very beginning of the layout.

"Tianqu's identity failed to deceive him after all."

"And since he wasn't fooled, then that other one... was likely not fooled either. Good, very good. As expected of my Immortal Gate's disciples—you were all just putting on an act with me?"

He abruptly shifted his gaze.

His eyes fell upon Wang Ping. Having scattered the Brahma Cultivators, Wang Ping had stopped in place, regulating his breath to recover while looking up to observe the shifting phenomena in the heavens.

As time passed, however, his vision began to blur. This compelled him to look back toward the Heavenly Craft Cave Abode. So far, it was the only one of the five great heavenly abodes to manifest in the mortal world. If it vanished once more alongside the Heavenly Craft Supreme Yang Nine Smeltings Qi...

...then the flaw in the five great heavenly abodes would be mended.

When that happened, the Heavenly Frost Cave Abode would naturally be unable to open, and this wisp of his will would be thoroughly trapped to death within a heavenly abode erased from the world!

Though it was only a sliver of will and its loss would not harm his main body far beyond the heavens, it would severely disrupt his plans. That was unacceptable.

"...Fine, then."

With that thought, the Mysterious Wood Qi Daoist Master acted. Under the interference of his mighty power, a spiritual object was immediately drawn out from within the Heavenly Frost Cave Abode.

Then, unerringly, it plummeted toward Wang Ping.

He was giving him the Heavenly Yin Metal!

This was a step meant for the very end, but the Mysterious Wood Qi Daoist Master decided to adjust his timing to avoid being trapped to death in the heavenly abode.

If things truly reached that point and he could not even send out the Heavenly Yin Metal—causing his entire grand scheme to collapse—he would truly want to weep but lack the tears.

Following that, he ignored Wang Ping and shifted his attention back to the Heavenly Craft Cave Abode. More accurately, he focused on the figure whose aura was already climbing, step by step refining his magical power and Divine Powers to elevate his destiny form—he remembered this subordinate of the Heaven-Stealing Thief.

The Immortal Gate True Transmission, Kunlun.

Almost simultaneously, Kunlun also looked up. A towering treasure furnace slowly surfaced above his head, a cluster of supreme-yang fire burning fiercely within.

The Rigid Flame Furnace!

This was the new destiny form he had condensed after reincarnating to cultivate anew. Meanwhile, the divine power known as the Heavenly Craft Creation Hammer radiated brilliant light from his hand.

"I respectfully invite the fire qi to take its throne. Heaven and earth serve as the furnace, yin and yang as the charcoal; let the flames rise and blaze with light!"

The incantation finished.

Kunlun's destiny form grew even brighter. Billowing rigid flames surged from the furnace, completely obscuring the treasure furnace's physical shape until it looked like a blazing sun suspended above his head.

He had already survived his life tribulation. At this moment, destiny revealed the path to a higher realm for him. All the barriers that had stood between him, the Earth Yang Fire, and the Heavenly Craft Supreme Yang Nine Smeltings Qi parted to the sides. The once lofty qi of heaven and earth now plummeted downward.

Because it had suffered too much damage.

After all, this strand of heaven and earth qi had been in a state of concealment, huddled inside the Eight Trigrams Furnace. To make matters worse, Ghost Axe—the Corpse Dissolution Immortal tied to it—had just died.

Thus, it offered absolutely no resistance when facing Kunlun.

Especially since, under the manipulation of the Heaven-Stealing Thief, Kunlun had also taken on the identity of Ghost Axe. This pushed the heaven and earth qi's affinity toward him to the absolute peak.

In an instant, Kunlun's eyes were illuminated by the fiery light.

Wherever his gaze landed, it was as if the most profound mysteries of heaven and earth had willingly unveiled themselves to him. He saw a supreme essence of fiery yang crash into the earthly plane.

The Bing fire of the bright heavens, forging the earth into a furnace.

Its brilliance soared through the universe, refining and molding the cosmos itself. All profound marvels seemed within arm's reach. As long as he wished it, they would instantly transform into the foundation of his cultivation.

'Earth Yang Fire...'

At this moment, Kunlun felt utterly mesmerized—until, amidst that blazing firelight, he saw a towering figure standing atop the heaven and earth qi.

The figure displayed no profound marvels; he simply stood there quietly, yet he radiated a peerless nobility as his gaze bore directly into Kunlun.

A True Person.

The next second, a voice rang in Kunlun's ears. "A practitioner of Qi Refining Entering the Dao, though still a false entity, has nonetheless reached the pinnacle of this realm."

"In the primeval eras, such a figure would also be hailed as an immortal, possessing an endless lifespan."

"Even in the present day, they boast a lifespan of ten thousand years and roam the cosmos unhindered, transcending all things. Countless people would crack their heads open just for a chance to achieve this."

"Take your senior brother, for example."

The True Person's voice drifted over, carrying a trace of a sigh. "And now, this realm is within your grasp. Are you really going to just give it up?"

Kunlun looked up at the sound.

With a True Person's level of cultivation, he had naturally seen through the Heaven-Stealing Thief's schemes, as well as the ultimate consequence of Kunlun's attempt at Qi Refining.

Kunlun cultivated Earth Yang Fire, resonated with Earth Yang Fire, and ultimately intended to eradicate the Earth Yang Fire. Yet, once that heaven and earth qi was eradicated, what would be left for him to cultivate? He would naturally fall short of success at the final stage. His Qi Refining would fail, and he would be ground to dust right alongside the eradicated qi!

Compared to that, the alternative path was incredibly radiant.

"Abandon your mission to eradicate the Earth Yang Fire. Instead, refine the qi here and now, guiding its return to the mortal world. You will surely earn a great merit, which will vastly benefit your Qi Refining path."

"You may even have hope of cultivating to become a True Person in the future."

"Why cling to an already dead Great Rebellion? Why remain bound by Gan Wujiu's orders? The Great Dao is walked alone. This is your opportunity for Qi Refining Entering the Dao!"

Hearing this, Kunlun merely shook his head and laughed.

"You misunderstand, True Person. What this junior seeks is not the Immortal Dao, but the order of the Immortal Dao left behind jointly by destiny and the Great Rebellion."

"Order?"

"Indeed." Kunlun nodded slightly.

"An order just like this moment—where even someone as exalted as a True Person must try to win me over, reasoning with me and appealing to my emotions, rather than viewing me as an ant."

Immortal Dao cultivation had not always been like the current Immortal Gate.

Once upon a time, the higher a cultivator climbed—through Tribulation Transcending, Qi Refining, cultivating truth, and seeking immortality—the more independent they became. To higher cultivators, lower cultivators held absolutely no value.

Seeking immortality and pursuing the Dao relied entirely on one's comprehension and innate talent. Immortals, True Monarchs, True Persons, and even Qi Refining practitioners sat high above, immovable for tens of millions of years. It was not until destiny emerged that the concept of lower cultivators ascending even existed, and it was not until the Great Rebellion appeared that newly advanced True Persons and True Monarchs were born.

Just like them.

Even as exalted True Persons, did they not still have to "borrow the false to cultivate the true," using these mundane, false entities to push their cultivation forward? To that end, they meticulously laid out schemes and manipulated the mortal dust.

Because of this, those Qi Refining practitioners, True Persons, and True Monarchs had no choice but to cast their gazes down upon the mortal world. They had to protect this vast mundane realm from being destroyed by outside forces.

This was not out of any grand mercy on their part.

It was because of destiny. It was because the Great Rebellion had once been here.

"So that is how it is..."

The True Person's tone shifted. "I have never heard of a cultivator who did not aspire toward the Immortal Dao. To think there is someone as dense as you among the true transmission disciples."

This was not mockery.

On the contrary, the True Person's tone carried a distinct trace of admiration, and perhaps even a hint of nostalgia, as if he had been transported back to a turbulent era of old.

"I have merely relied on the shelter of my ancestors."

Kunlun bowed slightly. He was the direct descendant of a Corpse Dissolution Immortal, which was how he had become a True Transmission in the first place, yet his cultivation could not compare to that of his mortal-born senior brother.

"I am truly but a stubborn fool."

Thus, he obstinately clung to his own path.

From the very beginning, he had never intended to step into Qi Refining. In fact, after his revival, he had asked the Heaven-Stealing Thief to personally remove the true spiritual root from his body.

If the true spiritual root remained, he would actually have had a great chance of succeeding in Qi Refining right now. But without it, even with the heaven and earth qi right in front of him, trying to refine it meant certain death. In this way, he had severed all his distracting desires right at the root.

Kunlun let out a soft chuckle.

"To seek the Immortal Dao, Senior Brother risked his life and forgot about death; his Dao heart remained steadfast to the end. I do not possess his talent or his Dao heart, but I have a different kind of resolve."

"Otherwise, we wouldn't have parted ways back then."

His calm voice echoed out, causing the scene before him to suddenly blur. The True Person's figure slowly faded away, leaving behind only a faint, lingering sigh.

"...Very well."

The next second, Kunlun's consciousness plummeted back to reality.

His conversation with the True Person seemed to have taken place in the split second he made contact with the Heavenly Craft Supreme Yang Nine Smeltings Qi. In the blink of an eye, Kunlun had already begun to circulate his Immortal Physique.

Reversing Heaven and Turning Back the Sun!

"Boom!"

Almost at the same time, three streaks of light ignited in a higher dimension high above the firmament. They then crashed into the mortal world, illuminating the Eight Trigrams Furnace and the Eight Treasure Table.

The True Persons had made their move!