Refining the Mountains and Rivers

Mi Ganyuan lifted a hand and bolts of thunder crashed down. Every strike had the strength to shatter mountains and seas. Across from him, Emperor Zhou had a calm expression. He casually walked about as if he were leisurely strolling through a garden, melting away all the destructive strength that rumbled down at him.

Two great emperors fighting caused mountains and rivers to break and light to disappear from the world. But for them, this was only a warm-up and their fight had yet to reach a heated stage. Both sides seemed to have come to an unspoken agreement to limit their strength to a certain degree.

The avatars of two supreme beings perishing filled the hearts of the great emperors with dread. After that, as if by prior agreement, they changed their minds and decided to wait and see.

But as they just clashed, they stopped. They looked up into the distant skies. Space was destroyed from the inside and many figures flew out.

In the next moment, Mi Ganyuan and Emperor Zhou's pupils shrank. They intentionally fought here to weaken the spatial barriers of the world in this area. Once spatial strength rushed out it would erupt from here, so it was expected for Qin Yu and the others to emerge here.

The key point lay in the aura that spread out from the shattered space. It was incredibly broad and vast. Even with their strength they still felt like tiny grains of sand. It was an unimaginably terrifying thought.

Just what had happened in the Immortal Sect world? Who was controlling this strength?

But before the two of them could think anymore, another figure emerged from the shattered space. The Buddhist Nation Sovereign's expression was cruel and his aura surged out from him like a raging sea. He lifted a hand and the phantom of a net appeared behind him. The heavens and earth shook, making everyone feel an unexpected sense of awe and fear.

Even the world felt dread!

With trembling hearts, everyone's eyes focused on the Buddhist Nation Sovereign. There were suddenly loud peals of thunder in the skies as black clouds gushed out from nothingness, weaving together into a dark net that covered the heavens. Then this black screen suddenly broke apart to reveal a narrow line. Soon after that, the line opened to reveal a strange eye.

Its inside was strange and had no pupil. A bit of fog surged within and slowly swept around. At this time, the Buddhist Nation Sovereign who wanted to kill, the Chu Emperor and Emperor Zhou who decided to observe, and Solitary Westgate, Qin Yu, Shen Yuanyin, the Dark Night Supreme Seat, Yama, and the others who had just stepped back into the Land of Divinity and Demons, all stiffened.

Then, as if having thought of something, the Buddhist Nation Sovereign's eyes widened. His raised hand froze in place and his brutal aura vanished like a falling tide. He didn't dare to make a single movement, as if he were afraid that this eye in the sky would lock onto him.

Time slowly passed moment by moment. The strange eye seemed to be closely looking for something. Without any reason, Qin Yu's instincts told him that this was the consequence the little blue lamp said he would have to face for utilizing its strength. He forcefully restrained his aura as much as he could. In the world of his mind, the God Imprisoning Altar darkened as the god's aura was completely isolated inside. Even so, the restlessness in his heart grew increasingly thick, as if he would be seen through at any moment!

"Ahh!"

Not too far away, a Calamity Immortal that Solitary Westgate invited suddenly cried out loud and fled. He clearly used his life-maintaining methods as his speed increased and he shot out like a bolt of lightning. But even if he were true lightning he wouldn't be able to avoid the strength of the heavens and earth.

A great hand appeared out of thin air and grabbed hold of this person. He pitifully screamed out loud. Then he, the eye in the sky, and the black clouds all disappeared.

Everyone let out a long breath as if a mountain had been taken off of their chests. They felt as if they had all taken a trip to death's door and survived a disaster. It had to be known that the group gathered here could be called the most formidable people in the world. But for them to feel this, it could be imagined what pressure they faced.

In the pitch black spatial crack, the Buddhist Nation Sovereign was too preoccupied to think about killing Qin Yu. He turned and walked away, vanishing from sight. Emperor Zhou and the Chu Emperor glanced over Qin Yu and the others. Without saying a single word, they both left, their hearts shaking the entire time.

"We're also leaving!"

Solitary Westgate said. Qin Yu glanced at him and nodded.

The woman in the black fog and the man hugging a jar both bowed, "Everyone, this matter with the Immortal Sect has come to an end for the time being. We will bid our farewells here first."

In this current situation, leaving as a group was far too dangerous. It was much safer to head out alone.

The Dark Night Supreme Seat coldly said, "I will be taking my leave."

Shua -

His figure vanished from sight.

Yama nodded at Qin Yu. "The Holy Monarch has helped my Blue Skies Yellow Springs recapture our treasure. I am deeply grateful for this assistance. I will be sure to repay this debt in the future."

She turned around and brought her subordinate Calamity Immortals away.

In the blink of an eye, the only ones left from the temporary patchwork team were Solitary Westgate, Qin Yu, and their subordinate cultivators. They clearly had something to say to each other.

After moving some distance away, Solitary Westgate lifted his hand, "Wait for me somewhere." His four subordinate Calamity Immortals bowed and left.

Qin Yu grabbed Shen Yuanyin's hand. With a wave of his hand, he gestured for the Demonic Path Calamity Immortals to fly away.

Solitary Westgate glanced at Shen Yuanyin. "Qin Yu, congratulations!"

Qin Yu earnestly said, "Fellow daoist Westgate, she now has no connection with the Immortal Sect. I hope you understand this."

Solitary Westgate nodded, "Don't worry. I know that what happened in the past has nothing to do with Shen Yuanyin. I understand."

Qin Yu cupped his hands together to express his thanks. He pledged, "The reason I succeeded today was all thanks to fellow daoist Westgate's help. I promise you that I will try my best in the future to revive your wife and child."

Solitary Westgate let out a light breath. It was only now that the blood red light in his eyes started to slowly fade away. "I hope you can remember your words. When I need you I will come and find you." After a moment of silence he said, "The Immortal Sect has suffered heavy losses so they will be quiet for a period of time. But, you taking Shen Yuanyin away has created an undying enmity. The Immortal Sect will never give up on this. You have to be prepared."

Qin Yu lightly said, "If they want to take revenge on me then they can try. I invaded the Immortal Sect once and I can do it again…only next time, I won't let things end so easily."

Solitary Westgate's eyes revealed an appreciative look. Men should be like this. They had to have the courage to do what needed to be done and also to accept responsibility for their actions, to have a spine and strength of spirit. "Did you stay here because of that eye just now?"

Even mentioning that eye still filled him with dread.

Qin Yu nodded.

Solitary Westgate took a deep breath. "An endless flow of years has passed. It is impossible to figure out how long this world has existed, but from the earliest recorded point until now, that 'eye' has appeared several times. However, even though I've searched through all the ancient texts and classics of this world, I have not been able to find any concrete records of this matter. It is as if some secret strength has always been quietly erasing all traces of its existence.

"Any information related to it has been passed down through word of mouth. Only an extremely small number of people know about it. And to be more exact, no one knows exactly what it is. But, there is one point everyone is sure of. Every time this eye appears it represents a great catastrophe…one that even those who exist at the peak of this world cannot hope to contend with!"

Qin Yu's heart chilled and he furrowed his eyebrows. He looked at Solitary Westgate, waiting for further explanation.

"The 'eye' that Arena Master Westgate refers to…the Immortal Sect has some records related to it." Shen Yuanyin suddenly said. As she spoke up, the two others glanced at her. She thought for a moment and continued to say, "It seems to represent some horrifying outside strength that captures all peak powerhouses born in this world. The exact reason is unknown."

Solitary Westgate faintly said, "The Immortal Sect is truly well-informed. But, this isn't the complete story. I once obtained an incomplete jade slip long ago, and recorded inside it were many long lost secrets of this world. Part of it was related to this 'eye'."

His complexion revealed a strange look. He took a deep breath and said, "Would you believe me if I said that this entire world we are in is only a medicine garden in the eyes of someone else?"

Qin Yu's eyebrows furrowed tighter. "Medicine garden?"

Solitary Westgate said, "That's right." He began to hum in a soft lilting tone, "Waiting 10,000 years for a tonic, picking it as a gift to my fairy..."

For some reason, after hearing these lyrics Qin Yu felt a cold chill surge from his heart, passing through his spine and spreading across his body, making it feel as if he fell into an icy lake.

Solitary Westgate lifted his hands and gestured at the world. Then, he pointed at himself, Qin Yu, and Shen Yuanyin. "This world is a medicine garden and we are unripe tonics!"

He spoke factually. His words were soaked with a strong sense of blood, making it difficult for one to breathe.

The atmosphere fell deathly silent.

Qin Yu thought back to the guardian of the War Clan's inheritance and about the Great Dao realm eight seal sequencer in the Sealed Stone World. Was he a 'ripe tonic' who had hidden himself away in the Sealed Stone World so that he wouldn't be captured?

But if this were true, what explanation was there for the god held in the God Imprisoning Altar within the world of his mind? If the Great Dao boundary was the standard for having reached maturity, then why would this unknown existence let off a god that was ten times, or even hundreds of times stronger?

Before Qin Yu could ask, Shen Yuanyin mentioned this point. "How would that explain the existence of gods? They are real existences. Not only are their records preserved in the ancient texts but there are many relics of gods from ancient times."

Solitary Westgate said, "When I obtained that jade slip I was also like you two; I couldn't figure it out. But, after I sifted through a massive amount of information, I found that it is extremely likely this 'eye' only appeared to start picking up 'tonics' after the great catastrophe that led to the Twilight of the Gods. Of course, there is no absolute evidence of this. The truth might already be buried in the endless flow of time, or perhaps this riddle can only be explained after leaving this world."

"Medicine garden? Tonic?" Qin Yu let out a long breath, "I've discovered that the higher my cultivation is, the less I understand this world. There are far too many layers of fog that hide so much cruelty."

Solitary Westgate shook his head, "You are still far from that boundary so you have no need to worry about it…or perhaps our assumptions are all wrong." He wryly smiled and it was evident he didn't believe himself, "Alright. Let's part ways here. After experiencing today, the Dao Arena well comprehensively contract and tighten our strength. You should also hasten back and prepare for the Immortal Sect's retaliation."

Qin Yu cupped his hands together, "Then I bid my farewells."

Solitary Westgate turned and walked away. He brought his four subordinate Calamity Immortals to fly away.

Shen Yuanyin took hold of Qin Yu's hand, "Don't worry too much."

Qin Yu welcomed her gaze. He let out a breath and said, "I'm fine! As long as I'm together with you, who cares if this is a medicine garden or if we are tonics? As long as they don't mess with me then that's fine. And if they try, I'll break a hole in the skies and then take a good look at who is stirring up mischief!

"But from today on, you are no longer one of the three heads of the Immortal Sect. Because of the suppression of the Sublime Lost Emotion Code's backlash, your cultivation will also be temporarily sealed. Are you feeling strange or uncomfortable anywhere?"

Shen Yuanyin shook her head, "It's fine as long as I'm with you!"

Qin Yu laughed, "Let's go. We're heading home!"