Refining the Mountains and Rivers

Standing in the rotunda, Senior Lin watched as the boat floated away. A dignified expression slowly crossed his face. Although his master had always acted carefully and with great prudence, the plans he crafted this time were far too great in scale. No one could guarantee that he would succeed.

But he would do his best to support and protect his master. Even if he had to pay with his life he wouldn't hesitate.

Turning around, Senior Lin walked towards a wall of the rotunda. He continued without stopping and when his body touched the wall, he fused into it like a shadow.

The wooden boat finally landed, saving the mentally anguished Yun Die and Feng Qing. As they crossed the void, Dorelis and Liu Yun had quietly praised each other and the ride, causing everyone to have a headache.

"Everyone, we've arrived." Liu Yun was the first to step onto the edge of the palace, his expression earnest.

Once Qin Yu and the others disembarked, he flicked his sleeves and put the wooden boat away. With a gesture of his hand, he turned and led the way.

When they were in the rotunda, they were able to see how incomparably grand and magnificent this palace was far from away. But it was only when they arrived that they understood how wonderful it was.

Just by standing inside, they instinctively felt as if they were as small as a grain of sand, one caught within a vast and endless mountain range.

They were extremely tiny!

This palace was similar to the rotunda; it was unbelievably clean. Every corner was free of dust.

The ground was formed from some kind of jade and appeared to have been hewn out of one whole; there were no signs of cutting.

The bright and shiny surface clearly reflected the images of the group of six. When one looked at their feet, it made one feel weird and perturbed, because at this moment it seemed as if they had a clone that was walking along in a perfectly synchronized world.

Passing through vast hall after vast hall, when Liu Yun finally came to a stop at the end of an inconceivably long passage, they were standing in front of a titanic stone door.

"Everyone, we have arrived. The master is waiting behind this stone door." Liu Yun faintly smiled and continued to say, "Although my master is willing to greet everyone, the purpose of this trip mainly lies on Mister Ning Qin. So, I invite Mister Ning Qin to head in first. Once all proper business has been completed, I will ask everyone to join together."

Feng Qing's heart tightened and she secretly clenched her teeth. "Wait." She pointed to herself and furrowed her eyebrows. "I can't go in either?"

Liu Yun's smile didn't change. "Miss Feng Qing, the master's orders were to have you wait out here."

He nodded and no longer spoke, instead calmly looking at Qin Yu.

Qin Yu paused for a moment before he said, "If so, I will go in first. The rest of you can wait out here."

Liu Yun nodded. "I thank mister for being so understanding. Then, allow me to open the door for you."

He took a step forward and placed a palm on the stone door. Without any eruption of strength, the stone door quietly opened up.

There was nothing behind it but a pitch black darkness.

As if attempting to dispel everyone's worries, Liu Yun turned and explained, "You have already passed through a passage coming here where the situation is similar to this stone door."

The darkness they saw was only aimed at the outside.

Qin Yu nodded. He took several steps forward.

"Teacher, be careful!" Yun Die couldn't help but shout out loud.

Qin Yu didn't turn his head. He waved his hand and submerged himself into the darkness. It was then that he knew Liu Yun had really been lying!

It looked dark from the outside, but inside was even darker!

This darkness wasn't as simple as a lack of light. Rather, it seemed to be condensed, a darkness so thick and pure that the bright sunny skies wouldn't be able to dispel it.

But fortunately this darkness couldn't block Qin Yu's eyes. After a moment, the world behind the stone door slowly appeared.

A large dragon was entrenched within a desolate world. Its body was immense beyond imagination. It was over a million feet tall and its black scales seemed to merge together with this world.

The ground he saw and the emptiness in the distance were all intertwined with giant cracks that could never be healed. It was clear that these were torn open by dragon claws.

As Qin Yu saw the giant dragon, its pupils flashed open. There was a sea of blood within them, filled with cruel destruction.

The giant dragon locked its eyes onto Qin Yu. But, it didn't seem to be looking at him. Rather, the dragon's eyes gazed through his body, landing somewhere in the distance.

Shualala -

The great dragon's body rose. Its scales clashed together, emitting loud grating sounds that thundered into the soul.

"I welcome your arrival, master."

It lowered its high head, the rolling sounds reverberating in the air.

Qin Yu's complexion changed. His eyes widened to reveal anger and disbelief. "You…how did you…know…?"

The giant dragon coldly looked at him. It was like a bird looking down at an ant, without any emotion at all.

Hum -

Space trembled and a figure appeared. It seemed to be surrounded by an invisible strength and its face was blurred.

"You already knew I would come?"

The great dragon said, "Yes, master. I have always been waiting for you to arrive. I respectfully request that you disappear forever."

The Ancient's voice was faint, "Depending on just you?"

The great dragon looked up, "Of course not!"

The Ancient held his hands behind his back and swept his eyes across his surroundings. "Then let them come out. I have never been afraid of minions and nobodies."

The Myriad Dragon Body's actions were crazy but its expression was respectful. "Master's heroic spirit has remained undiminished since ancient times. This subordinate will of course not disappoint you. Now, are you ready to appear yet?"

The great dragon turned its head with a faint smile.

After a brief silence, another giant dragon appeared in the nothingness within this world. What was astonishing was that its appearance was actually the exact same as the Myriad Dragon Body.

The Ancient furrowed his eyebrows before composing himself. He was as steady as before, like not even the end of the world could shake his mind.

"I greet master." The Dragon Soul respectfully said, its huge dragon head bending low.

"So it really was you." The Ancient lightly said, "I am a bit surprised that you would actually rebel against me."

The Dragon Soul said, "I apologize to master. It was I who failed your expectations. But this world is just far too beautiful and life is so brilliant. I have already developed consciousness and am unwilling to fade away like this. So even though I know it is only a wild dream, I still hope that master will forgive me."

The Ancient looked at it and said, "To struggle for your life, the reasons you gave are plenty enough. I will give you a chance. But if you want to complete this betrayal with just the two of you, then you are reaching far beyond yourself."

His aura suddenly ascended like an awakening great beast, one capable of destroying the world and sweeping everything before it away. "I gave you your life, and I can also take it away!"

The Myriad Dragon Body chuckled. "Then let us see how this ends, whether it is we who are destroyed, or master who will disappear forever!"

It shot into the skies, its body winding into a semicircle. It opened its jaws, pointing at the Ancient.

The Dragon Soul looked up, his expression serene. "Today, I struggle for my life. Although I feel guilty and restless, I do not regret it. Master, if you disappear today then I will hold a memorial for you…on the other hand, if you vanquish us, then I will also feel happy for you."

Hou -

With a resonant dragon's cry, the Dragon Soul shot into the skies, flying together with the Myriad Dragon Body and completing the other side of the semicircle. Looking from afar, it was like two entirely similar giant dragons opening their mouths to swallow the Ancient, like two dragons fighting to win a pearl.

But this wasn't dual dragons seizing the bead, but dual dragons devouring a soul!

Rumble rumble -

There were heaven-shaking rumbles and thunderclaps in this world. A boundless fluctuation of strength erupted and a strange black hole appeared, wrapping around the Ancient.

In the next moment, the terrifying aura that flooded the world and caused everything to quake and crack immediately disappeared.

The power didn't vanish into nothingness. Rather, it was all concentrated within the black hole. The chaotic strength inside was like invisible fangs that tried to pierce into the Ancient and tear him apart!

Within the black hole, the Ancient didn't move. His hands remained calmly held behind his back. His eyes swept out like a lion surveying the field. "Is this it? Perhaps I've been overestimating your strength all this time."

The Myriad Dragon Body viciously roared out. "Does master feel that our strength is too weak? Then, let's take out all the gifts we've prepared!"

Bang -

Space shook and collapsed inwards. A dazzlingly bright light erupted, like a great sun had appeared out of nowhere to illuminate the world.

The darkness transformed into dawn. Even with Qin Yu's potent eyes, he still felt a stinging pain as tears flowed down his cheeks. He quickly closed his eyes, and before he opened them, he could clearly feel terrifying auras appear in this world one after another.

Each one was an absolute powerhouse. In terms of cultivation alone, they could suppress Qin Yu with just a hand!

A dark golden light flashed in the depths of his eyes. The discomfort in his eyes rapidly faded and he opened them. What he saw were several figures flying out from the great sun that had appeared.

Without hesitation, they rushed towards the black hole that enveloped the Ancient. They solemnly stood on the edges, raising their hands and slowly pressing down.

Bang -

Bang -

Their cultivations wildly exploded. There were even some that didn't hesitate to damage their own foundation to release their greatest power. All of it crashed into the black hole.

The Ancient frowned, as if he were beginning to feel a bit of pressure.

The Myriad Dragon Body laughed out loud. "My most respected master, you simply have far, far too many enemies in this world. So many that as long as we send out the news, there are countless people willing to pay any price to utterly destroy you."

The Dragon Soul calmly said, "Master, please rest in peace!"

Bang -

The black holy instantly turned berserk. The darkness became even richer, like an open mouth that was slowly swallowing the Ancient's figure.

From beginning to end, whether it was the Myriad Dragon Body, Dragon Soul, or the other powerhouses that had arrived, not a single one of them looked at Qin Yu.

Perhaps in their eyes, Qin Yu was only a minor detail that could be neglected. As long as they slayed the Ancient's consciousness, everything would be finished.

Thus, with this subconscious belief, Qin Yu fell to the edge of the battlefield and became a bystander.