Chapter 470 - 416: Daluo Daoist Sound (2)

The jumbled thoughts were no longer mere prayers for peace and bountiful harvests. They gradually began to carry a unified sense of recognition, gratitude, and allegiance toward the source of the Daluo Daoist Sound.

The Wish Power grew purer, and its convergence speed quickened noticeably. It also formed an increasingly tight and direct connection with Qi Yun’s own Divine Position and Divine Body.

Seated in his Divine Palace, Qi Yun could clearly feel strands of Incense and Wish Power, more condensed and docile than ever before, gathering from all corners of the mountain range. They merged into his Divine Body, nourishing his Golden Body and solidifying his Divine Position.

Several months later, this quantitative change triggered a qualitative one.

On this day, as Qi Yun was in his Divine Palace comprehending the marvels of the flowing Incense and Wish Power, he suddenly felt something and looked up at the sky.

Above the Thousand Peaks Divine Palace, in the once clear Celestial Vault, countless golden auspicious clouds suddenly materialized and gathered. Within them, the faint, illusory figures of dragons and phoenixes cried out, their calls mingling with lingering celestial music.

A pure, majestic pillar of golden light, imbued with the approval of Heaven and Earth, ignored the Divine Palace’s Restrictions and descended directly, enveloping Qi Yun’s Divine Body!

Within the pillar of light, countless intricate runes representing higher divine authority and the recognition of Heaven and Earth surged forth, merging into the "Thousand Peaks Mountain Venerable" Divine Position Talisman.

In an instant, Qi Yun felt his connection to the land beneath his feet extend and expand wildly!

The range his Divine Thought could perceive and his Divine Power could command was no longer limited to the Thousand Peaks Mountain Range!

It expanded rapidly in all directions, encompassing the vast plains beyond the mountains, winding rivers, dozens of lakes of varying sizes, and... on those plains, three large mortal cities with populations exceeding a million, as well as the territories of more than ten Cultivation Families and small Sects!

This even vaster territory was known in the administrative and Divine Dao divisions of [Spirit Yong] as—Shuiqiong Prefecture.

And under the blessing of the golden pillar of light and the law-runes, Qi Yun’s Divine Position...

Began to ascend!

...was promoted from the mid-tier Divine Position of "Thousand Peaks Mountain Venerable," which governed the mountains, to the high-tier Divine Position that ruled an entire prefecture, with its mountains, rivers, and cities all under its jurisdiction—the Water Pearl Prefecture Lord!

The moment his Divine Position was promoted, a vast and majestic torrent of the Power of Heaven and Earth and the Incense and Wish Power from within his jurisdiction poured into him!

Qi Yun’s Divine Body erupted with brilliant golden light, and his aura climbed wildly at a visible rate, becoming more than a hundred times stronger than before!

His Divine Palace trembled and expanded, becoming even more imposing and magnificent. Bas-reliefs depicting the mountains and geography of Shuiqiong Prefecture naturally appeared on its walls, linking their fates.

More importantly, the addition of three massive mortal cities and numerous cultivation forces within his territory meant that the quantity and quality of his sources of Incense and Wish Power would see explosive growth!

Almost as soon as his Divine Position stabilized, Qi Yun sensed that the system of Subordinate Deities from the original Thousand Peaks Mountain Range was rapidly expanding and diversifying. A vast number of new, weak Divine Dao consciousnesses from the mountains, rivers, cities, and even industries throughout his territory were either naturally birthed by or drawn to the rules of Heaven and Earth, all pledging their fealty.

The number of named Subordinate Deities under his command, each with their own duties, instantly swelled to over three thousand!

The Divine Dao’s Dharma Net became more intricate, and the foundation of his rule grew ever more solid.

Feeling the vast Divine Power rushing through him like great rivers—a power comparable to that of a Profound Yellow Great Master—and the ever-gathering, ever-growing Incense and Wish Power, Qi Yun slowly nodded, a divine light shining in his eyes.

’The more abundant the incense, the higher the Divine Position, and the stronger the Power of Heaven and Earth in this realm that I can wield...’

’With this, using incense as fuel and my Divine Position as a cover for the plan of Deceiving the Heavens and Sacrificially Refining the Gods Sealing List, my chances of success have increased significantly.’

His mental calculations grew clearer. In his eyes, the Divine Dao System of [Spirit Yong] had become a perfect, tailor-made Training Ground and Resource Library.

The Daluo Daoist Sound continued to spread subtly and imperceptibly outward, with Shuiqiong Prefecture as its new center.

Qi Yun sat steadily in the Mansion Lord Divine Palace, digesting his explosive increase in power, organizing his three thousand Subordinate Deities, and building a more efficient system for incense collection and feedback. At the same time, he frantically continued to collect the True Names of the various gods!

Time flew. Incense flowed like mercury across the ground, seeping in silently.

Thanks to the Daluo Daoist Sound’s unparalleled reach and its terrifying efficiency at consolidating faith, the state of incense worship in Qi Yun’s Shuiqiong Prefecture surpassed all surrounding regions.

The Wish Power of faith came not only from mortals; more and more Low Tier Cultivators, and even some small and medium-sized cultivation forces, began to silently recite the Daoist Sound, developing a sense of recognition and reliance on the "Water Pearl Prefecture Lord."

The pure, vast streams of incense gathered day and night, causing Qi Yun’s Divine Power and his control over Shuiqiong Prefecture to increase with each passing day.

Finally, upon reaching a certain mysterious tipping point, Heaven and Earth responded once again!

The phenomenon this time far surpassed the last. Auspicious rosy light and mists lingered over the entirety of Shuiqiong Prefecture for three days without dissipating. Spiritual Qi surged like a tide across a thousand li, and all beasts bowed in worship.

An even thicker, almost tangible, pillar of purple-gold, heaven-bestowed divine light, carrying with it vast runes of law and decree that represented the authority of an entire state, descended upon the Divine Palace with a BOOM, completely submerging Qi Yun.

Amidst this baptism of divine light, Qi Yun’s Divine Position Talisman once again underwent an earth-shattering transformation, its form becoming more complex and ancient, its aura more majestic and profound.

His domain, building upon the foundation of Shuiqiong Prefecture, once again expanded wildly, encompassing the fertile lands of two neighboring prefectures, along with vast swathes of mountains, rivers, lakes, and countless cities and living beings!

The Great Realm of [Spirit Yong] is divided into the Nine Provinces.

And now, Qi Yun’s Divine Position had been promoted in one fell swoop from "Water Pearl Prefecture Lord" to the pinnacle Divine Position that ruled over an entire state—

The Lord of Yongzhou!

Of the Nine Provinces under heaven, he now occupied one!

The moment his Divine Position was achieved, an indescribably vast and majestic power suffused his being!

Standing within the newly expanded "Yongzhou Divine Court," which resembled a Celestial Palace, Qi Yun felt that with a single thought, he could command thirty percent of the Power of Heaven and Earth within Yongzhou. The mountains and rivers would obey his command; wind, rain, thunder, and lightning would manifest at his whim. The fates of all the gods and countless living beings under him rested in the palm of his hand.

The profound vastness of his Divine Power and the tyrannical, unfathomable might he wielded were in no way inferior to those Great Masters of the Profound Yellow Origin Realm with their profound Daoist attainment and Mighty Divine Power!

In fact, backed by the incense of an entire state and the authority of Heaven and Earth, he even surpassed them in some respects!

However, at that very moment—

BOOM!!!

An undisguised, utterly domineering, and terrifying Divine Dao pressure—like a blood-red signal beacon rising from millions of miles away, or a ferocious beast that had slumbered for eons suddenly awakening—tore through the void at an unbelievable speed, crossing an endless distance to come crashing down brazenly upon the Yongzhou Divine Court!

This pressure was also at the "State Monarch" level. In fact, due to the brutal, slaughterous aura of a Blood Sea within its attribute, it felt even more aggressive and oppressive!

Wherever it passed, celestial phenomena shifted, blood-red clouds flickered into view, and all living things fell silent, as if a god of war and destruction was personally leading a campaign!

The pressure closed in rapidly, firmly locking onto the Yongzhou Divine Court—and onto Qi Yun at its center!

Sensing this terrifying aura, which was in no way inferior to his own and clearly belonged to an enemy, Qi Yun’s expression showed not the slightest bit of panic.

He slowly rose from his divine throne and brushed off the Purple Gold Dragon-Embroidered Divine Robe that symbolized his authority over Yongzhou. He looked toward the horizon where the pressure was coming from, and the corners of his mouth curled into a calm, composed, and knowing smile.

"So... you couldn’t hold back any longer?"

’Fine by me. I’ll see for myself just what a ’State Monarch’ of [Spirit Yong] is capable of.’

...