Chapter 517 - 454: Erase!

"[Refinement in progress...]"

Looking at the small line of text slowly appearing on the purple Magic Technique Panel, Qi Yun’s iridescent eyes reflected the fierce battle in the All Marvelous Heaven. Wisps of multicolored light flowed like a Star River in his eyes, suddenly flashing with a look of realization that pierced straight to the essence of the matter.

"So that’s how it is...

"A masterless Dao Fruit generates its own Status, but without a master to command it, plucking it is as easy as turning over one’s hand.

"But a mastered Dao Fruit is bound to a True Monarch’s life and shares their Great Dao. Furthermore, the master’s lifelong Dao comprehension, will, and destiny are deeply branded into it, making it like a living creature with its own self-contained system...

"Naturally... it takes a bit of effort."

As his voice faded, Qi Yun no longer hesitated. He slowly raised his left hand, which had been resting on his knee.

Like the right hand that had previously reached into the All Marvelous Heaven, this left hand was formed from pure Heart and Spirit and Primordial multicolored light. Its fingers were long and slender, and its palm lines resembled Dao diagrams.

He reached it into the void in front of him that reflected the image of the All Marvelous Heaven.

RUMBLE!!!!

The moment Qi Yun’s left hand reached in, the All Marvelous Heaven began to quake once again!

"Another one?!"

The True Monarchs, who had been tensely watching the battle from afar with tightly strung Heart and Spirit, all had a drastic change in expression!

The next moment!

BUZZ!

Beside the colossal hand that was currently deadlocked with the Nine Netherworld Great World—its fingers deeply embedded in the Netherworld soil and Nether River—the void twisted and collapsed once more!

Another colossal hand, equal in size to the first, condensed out of thin air and brazenly manifested!

The moment this newly emerged hand solidified, it didn’t pause in the slightest. With its fingers slightly curled, it grabbed straight toward the azure Nine Netherworld Dao Fruit, which was continuously providing support to the entire world and was closely linked to the Nine Nether True Monarch’s aura!

"What?!"

The Nine Nether Sun-devouring True Monarch was currently pushing the Nine Netherworld Great World to its limits, temporarily fusing his will with his Dao Fruit to incarnate as a "pseudo-heavenly will" to resist the first giant hand. The instant the second hand appeared and went straight for his Dao Fruit, the sense of crisis in his heart—which had already reached its peak—instantly multiplied by an unknown magnitude!

He snapped his head up, looking at the newly appeared hand that exuded an aura originating from the same source as the first but seemed even more "focused." His expression turned incredibly ugly!

One hand was already this hard to deal with! And now... a second one had actually arrived?! How the hell was he supposed to fight this!

For the first time, a freezing sensation called "despair" quietly crept into the heart of this veteran True Monarch, the ruler of the Nine Netherworld who had devoured countless formidable foes!

"Get—lost!" the Nine Nether True Monarch roared furiously. He fiercely commanded the Nine Netherworld Great World beneath his feet, attempting to divert a portion of his power to block the second hand.

The Nether River flowed backward, the giant skeletal god threw a punch, and a lightless veil wriggled forward to cover it...

However...

"Suppress."

An indifferent syllable descended as if from the highest heavens.

The entire Nine Netherworld Great World shuddered violently. The Netherworld soil cracked, and the Nether River was cut off. The oppressive might of that "pseudo-heavenly will" became utterly chaotic, rendering it completely unable to spare any attention for anything else!

"Heh..."

At the Cyan Mountain Daoist Temple, the corners of Qi Yun’s mouth curled up as he let out a soft chuckle.

The next moment, his left and right hands, both reaching into the phantom projection of the All Marvelous Heaven, moved slightly at the same time!

In the All Marvelous Heaven!

BOOM! BOOM!

The two heaven-spanning colossal hands—one deeply embedded in the Nine Netherworld Great World and the other firmly grasping the Nine Netherworld Dao Fruit—exerted force simultaneously. Their auras linked together, their Dao Rhymes resonated, forming a perfect synergy and pincer attack!

The two large hands, one high and one low, one inside and one out, slowly but with overwhelming power, cupped together.

They brought the entirely struggling Nine Netherworld Great World, the Nine Netherworld Dao Fruit, and the true body of the ashen-faced Nine Nether True Monarch at the center of the world completely under the control of a single palm-sized Heaven and Earth!

"It’s about time... to end this."

The multicolored light in Qi Yun’s eyes flared brilliantly. He focused his Heart and Spirit and lightly called out. His voice was not loud, but it echoed throughout that "palm-sized Heaven and Earth" enclosed by his cupped hands:

"Primordial births Ten Thousand Laws; Daluo transforms Heaven and Earth."

As the last word fell!

"Clasp!"

Qi Yun’s left and right hands, reaching into the void, forcefully clapped together with a resolute will that could alter Heaven and Earth and redefine karma!

RUMBLE!!!!!!

At the same time, in the All Marvelous Heaven, those two cupped colossal hands heavily clapped together!

Boundless, incredibly pure, chaotic multicolored divine light explosively erupted from the gaps between the closed hands and from within the entirely "grasped" Nine Netherworld Great World!

It swept outward!

This divine light was like the very first ray of light at the dawn of creation. It instantly swallowed that stretch of void and frantically permeated and expanded in all directions at a terrifying speed, almost sweeping across the entire vast All Marvelous Heaven!

"!!!"

All the True Monarchs watching this unparalleled spectacle—whether it was Qingyuan, Hanhai, Wangsheng, Zhuanlun, or even Desolate Halberd and Wu Dao—pushed their attention and perception to an unprecedented extreme the moment the divine light erupted!

They held their breaths, their gazes burning intensely as they frantically sent out their Divine Thoughts, terrified of missing even a single detail!

This was a pinnacle clash that truly touched upon the roots of the "Dao" and the authority of "Status"!

Even the slightest revelation could have an incalculable impact on their future Dao paths!

The divine light came as fast as it left.

A few breaths later, the apocalyptic multicolored divine light gradually withdrew and dissipated. The void of the All Marvelous Heaven became "clear" once more.

Everyone’s eyes immediately shot in unison toward the location where the two large hands and the Nine Netherworld Great World had just been.

...

[Magic Technique auto-update complete.]

[This is a minor version update. The Magic Technique effects are adjusted as follows:]

[Primordial Daluo]

[1. Can forcibly pluck a Dao Fruit.]

[2. Can forcibly erase a mastered Dao Fruit, turning it into a masterless Dao Fruit.]

In the All Marvelous Heaven, the closed colossal hands slowly unfurled, revealing the palm of the right hand.

BUZZ...

A tiny yet solid azure speck of light appeared, then rapidly expanded. It transformed into a fist-sized, profoundly azure orb shaped like a continuously rotating miniature black hole, exuding a pure and vast Nine Nether Devouring Dao Rhyme. It was the Nine Netherworld Dao Fruit!

The Dao Fruit quietly bobbed up and down above Qi Yun’s palm. It shone brightly, its luster flowing, its Dao Rhyme majestic. It looked... as if it hadn’t suffered any damage at all!

It was still just as miraculous, just as powerful!

However...

"!!!"

All the True Monarchs who "saw" this scene through various methods felt their hearts violently sink the instant they sensed the aura of this Nine Netherworld Dao Fruit!

A chill originating from the depths of their Divine Souls instantly coursed through their entire bodies!

A veteran True Monarch with a stabilized Middle Realm Cultivation had just been stripped of his most fundamental Dao Fruit authority under the watchful eyes of everyone, in a manner they couldn’t entirely comprehend!

This was even more terrifying and chilling than simply killing him!

Qi Yun looked down, his gaze falling upon the quietly bobbing Nine Netherworld Dao Fruit in his palm. A hint of fatigue leaked into his eyes.

Forcibly "erasing" a Middle Realm True Monarch’s ownership of his Dao Fruit had indeed taken quite a toll on him.

He exhaled a light breath of Muddy Qi and raised his eyes to glance at the [Primordial] Ancient Seal hanging high in the void of the All Marvelous Heaven before him.

The two massive Ancient Seal characters—which originally shone brilliantly, illuminating the three thousand realms with surging Daoist Intent—had now dimmed considerably.

"Both plucking and erasing a mastered Dao Fruit require the consumption of Primordial Power. With my current level of attainment, plucking just one takes everything I have."

Having understood the limits of this ability, Qi Yun flipped his palm and stowed away the masterless Nine Netherworld Dao Fruit.

Then, he lightly waved his hand at the void before him that was reflecting the All Marvelous Heaven.

WHOOSH.

The phantom image in the void immediately slowly dissipated like smoke, fading into nothingness. All external prying and perception were once again isolated.

After testing a portion of the [Primordial]’s power and learning its limitations, Qi Yun slightly closed his eyes and regulated his breathing for a moment.

"Alright, the first matter is settled," he muttered to himself. He reopened his eyes; the fatigue in them gradually vanished, replaced by a new, deeper sense of exploration.

"Next..." His gaze grew deep and solemn. "...is the second matter."

He slowly opened his mouth.

WHOOSH.

A gentle yet majestic stream of chaotic, multicolored light slowly billowed from his lips.

Within the multicolored light, a speck of golden luminescence grew from small to large, transitioning from illusion to reality, until it finally condensed into a perfectly round, flawless, and lustrous Golden Core.

Gazing at this Primordial Dao Fruit Golden Core floating quietly before him and swirling with endless profundity, Qi Yun’s eyes looked profound.

"The Great Dao is walked alone; carefree as it is, it is also lonely.

"Since ancient times, the path of a True Monarch has always been like this—one person, one Dao Fruit, ruling supreme."

He murmured softly, his voice echoing in the quiet Cyan Mountain Daoist Temple.

His gaze gradually grew sharp and bright, like the morning sun piercing through the fog. "Today, let me see—"

Qi Yun extended his right hand. With his thumb and index finger, he gently pinched the Primordial Dao Fruit Golden Core, which swirled with infinite multicolored profundity, and held it up to his eyes. His gaze pierced through the lustrous surface of the Golden Core, as if he were locking eyes with the [Primordial] contained within.

Enunciating each word, his voice wasn’t loud, but it rang out clearly with a world-forging grandeur and a will of ultimate exploration:

"Whether this path Qi personally forged—

"Must...

"Be walked by me... and me alone!"

As his words fell, his fingers holding the Golden Core slightly loosened.

The mountain breeze blew gently; the dry branches rustled faintly.

The Golden Core hovered in midair, illuminating the path ahead.

...