Chapter 463

Chapter 463: Chains of the Heavenly Dao

But in the end, Ji Yang had little confidence in his ability to escape.

Then, a spark lit up in Ji Yang’s eyes as he thought of another method.

That was to elevate his realm and break through to Unity with the Dao at this moment.

With his Talent Jealousy, this time, the power of the Calamity Clouds would surely be extraordinary. He didn’t believe that it couldn’t break the opponent’s Spatial Power.

However, this plan carried considerable risk. Even if he could successfully escape, he might not withstand the Calamity Clouds of Unity with the Dao.

After all, the last Calamity Clouds had posed significant challenges, and currently, he had not gathered enough strength.

For a moment, Ji Yang found himself hesitating.

At this time, the elder across from him smiled and said,

“Is there anything else?”

This seemingly plain question ignited a flicker of anger within Ji Yang.

How dare he underestimate me? Today, I will show this old man what I can do.

In the next instant, Ji Yang began to frantically operate the Techniques he had mastered, as the spiritual energy gathered around him, his own momentum began to rise infinitely.

“I advise you not to do this.”

At this moment, the elder’s smile faded, and he spoke slowly.

But upon hearing this, Ji Yang smiled in response.

The elder’s warning indicated that he was afraid, which meant the Calamity Clouds could truly help Ji Yang escape his current predicament.

As Ji Yang prepared to seize the moment and break through his existing realm, the elder gently shook his head and said,

“I can save you the first time, but I cannot save you a second time.”

Ji Yang was taken aback by this. His original plan to take the risk and cross the tribulation began to fade at that moment.

Once the surrounding spiritual energy dissipated and his momentum returned to normal, Ji Yang slightly cupped his hands and said,

“May I ask your esteemed surname, senior?”

“Qian.”

“Oh, so it is Senior Qian. I apologize for any offense just now; I hope you can forgive me.”

Ji Yang said with a broad smile.

“Not going to fight anymore?”

“Ha ha, senior, you’re joking. With your strength, how could I possibly be your opponent?”

Ji Yang spoke with utmost respect.

If it had been before, he truly had seen the elder as an opportunity for himself.

But during the subsequent battle, Ji Yang felt the gap between them. If it were merely an essence, there was no way he could possess such strength.

The Space essence surely had capacities beyond just defense; yet, the elder had not attacked him at all.

Most importantly, Ji Yang realized midway that this elder differed from the Essence of Fear he had encountered before. The elder’s eyes sparkled with vitality, clearly not the rigid essence that obeyed rules blindly.

Moreover, with what the elder had said right before Ji Yang was about to cross the tribulation, he felt even more certain that this elder was no ordinary person.

Although he maintained a respectful demeanor, Ji Yang’s heart remained slightly cautious.

“With your Talent Jealousy, you’ve been fortunate to reach your current realm.”

The elder’s words stirred a ripple in Ji Yang’s heart.

He had concealed his identity, yet the elder had directly revealed his talent. Before Ji Yang could voice his questions, the elder continued,

“Talent Jealousy is both a blessing and a curse. In ancient times, such qualifications could lead to the understanding of the heavens, allowing for rapid advancement to the True Immortal Realm. However, today, the heavenly path is incomplete, and you will be restricted by it. With every step forward, you will attract the attention of the heavens and bring about calamity.”

“This is not solely aimed at you; it’s just that your qualifications are exceptional, making it easier for the heavens to focus on you. Other cultivators usually face heavenly crises only at higher realms.”

The elder spoke to himself, but Ji Yang felt deeply shaken by these words.

Although he had previously researched information about Talent Jealousy, he only knew that it often faced calamities without understanding the fundamental reasons behind it.

Now, hearing the elder’s explanation, he learned that it was due to the incompleteness of the heavenly path.

Ji Yang fell into contemplation and then asked,

“So up until now, no one has been able to ascend to the True Immortal Realm. Is this also because the heavenly path is incomplete?”

The elder stroked his beard and replied,

“The way of heaven is to diminish the surplus and supplement the insufficient.”

“Cultivating may seem like going against the heavens, but in reality, the way of heaven treats all equally and does not make exceptions for anyone. When the path is complete, one can ascend to the True Immortal Realm and transcend the world. But with the current incomplete heavenly path and lost principles, when cultivators seek the Dao, it only makes the already incomplete path more irreparable.”

“Today’s heavenly path diminishes the insufficient while favoring the surplus.”

Upon hearing this, Ji Yang appeared deep in thought. The elder had explained it clearly. The inability of cultivators to achieve the True Immortal Realm was because of this reason; in order to attain the True Immortal, one must have their own path complete.

However, with the heavenly path broken and the principles missing, a cultivator’s path could not be fulfilled. Coupled with the obstacles posed by heavenly forces, no one could attain the True Immortal Dao.

“Is there a solution?” Ji Yang asked again.

“There is! To achieve the True Immortal Realm, one must supplement the heavenly path!”

Ji Yang was taken aback by this. He immediately spoke,

“But the heavenly path is incomplete, how can a cultivator attain the True Immortal Dao? If one cannot achieve the True Immortal Realm, how can they supplement the heavenly path? Isn’t this a deadlock?”

Could it be that his path to becoming a True Immortal was so easily cut off?

Ji Yang furrowed his brow, unable to find a clear direction, muttering,

“Is there really no one who can achieve the True Immortal Dao?”

But at this moment, the elder smiled and said,

“Yes, you can!”

Ji Yang was astonished and then pointed to himself, bewildered,

“Me?”

Could this person see through even his own system? Ji Yang felt uneasy.

But then the elder said,

“The path is fifty, the heavens forty-nine, and one escapes.”

“Talent Jealousy was also a great fortune in ancient times. Although it is now targeted by the heavenly path, there is still a glimmer of hope in despair. Only cultivators like you, with such exceptional qualifications, have a chance to reach the True Immortal Realm.”

“Moreover, you still have a strand of time essence, don’t you?”

Upon hearing this, Ji Yang felt relieved; it wasn’t related to his system but rather an issue of qualifications.

However, Ji Yang couldn’t feel happy at the moment.

He had no intention of supplementing the heavenly path. Who knew what dangers lay within? His goal was to attain the True Immortal status purely for himself.

Ji Yang continued,

“So, is it because I possess Talent Jealousy that you saved me during my tribulation?”

The elder merely smiled, but the implication was clear.

Ji Yang sighed inwardly. He knew that all intangible gifts had already been marked with a price in the shadows.

Looking back, the Soul Fixing Mirror he obtained didn’t seem like a chance encounter after all.

Thinking of it this way, it felt more reliable to tend to the land, where one reaps what one sows, without worrying about being schemed against. Ji Yang found himself somewhat nostalgic for his days on Jingtan Peak.

This secret realm was truly not a place he should have come to.

But now that things had come to this, Ji Yang could only brace himself and ask,

“I wonder what you need me to do?”

Seemingly sensing Ji Yang’s thoughts, the elder spoke,

“Don’t think too much. With your qualifications, as long as the heavenly path exists, you will never advance to Unity with the Dao in the outside world. However, this place is different. This secret realm was formed by a Heavenly Communication Artifact. Although it cannot detach from the heavenly path, it can exist independently outside of it.”

“As long as you cultivate here, there may still be a chance to reach the True Immortal Realm.”

“You don’t want to live your entire life unable to break through to Unity with the Dao, do you?”

The elder looked at Ji Yang with a smile, seemingly unconcerned about Ji Yang’s refusal.

“How long do I need to cultivate here?” Ji Yang asked.

“With Talent Jealousy, it won’t take long. A few hundred years will suffice.”

Ji Yang took a deep breath. Staying in this uninhabited secret realm for a few hundred years would drive him crazy. Although this realm appeared vast and filled with many spiritual plants, he could easily pull them out and replant them, gaining a wealth of cultivation points.

However, he didn’t trust the elder.

Not even if the elder claimed he could help him ascend to True Immortal status.

After some contemplation, Ji Yang calmed himself and stated with determination,

“A few hundred years is too long; I only seize the day!”

The elder merely smiled lightly,

“Indeed, you have great courage, but perhaps you are not yet aware of your current situation. Let me show you.”

Before Ji Yang could refuse, in the blink of an eye, the space around him changed.

When Ji Yang looked again, he no longer found himself in the previous room, but in another strange place.

The spiritual energy around him had diminished significantly, contrasting sharply with his previous feelings in the secret realm, making it hard for Ji Yang to adjust.

Clearly, they were no longer in the secret realm.

The elder stood by, quietly overlooking the scene before him.

As Ji Yang felt puzzled and was about to ask the elder his intentions, his expression suddenly changed.

He saw an invisible black chain tightly wrapped around his body, and the critical part was that he did not feel much.

Instinctively, Ji Yang felt defensive against the sudden appearance of the chain; it didn’t seem like a good thing at all.

In the next moment, Ji Yang gathered the power within his body, attempting to break the chain.

However, after trying, he found that the chain was completely unharmed.

This made Ji Yang’s expression turn grim. Despite his late Void Refinement stage level, he was unable to break free.

Not believing this, Ji Yang unleashed the Essence of War, aiming to shatter the chain with the power of his essence.

But the sight that followed made Ji Yang’s expression even grimmer.

The Essence of War merely caused the chain to shake but did not damage it in the slightest.

Ji Yang then tried using the power of lightning calamity, but when it surged into the chain, it was instantly absorbed.

Moreover, after absorbing the power of lightning calamity, the chain’s color deepened even further.

The sight before him darkened Ji Yang’s face. Although he was unsure of what this black chain was, he sensed the unease it brought.

After Ji Yang’s personal tests, the elder finally spoke,

“You needn’t waste your efforts. This chain is formed by the rules of the heavenly path. It was specifically prepared by the heavenly path for those with your qualifications. While in the secret realm, it could offer protection, but once you leave, it will reveal itself.”

“Furthermore, as your realm rises, more and tighter heavenly chains will appear, and no one can break free. In the end, you will die beneath this heavenly chain, your own path returning to the heavenly path, unless you can break through to the True Immortal Realm before these chains tighten, giving you a glimmer of hope.”

“So, do you wish to listen to the old man’s advice and stay in this secret realm to cultivate?”