Sage Monarch

In the Myriad Worlds Monarch Chart, the immortal-slaying clone had a grave expression on his face as he controlled the god formation. The formation was already filled with a blackish violet power so explosive that it seemed like it might destroy the formation at any moment.

"Engine of the One God, come to me. I need the imperial-heaven pre-beginning systems!"

The Engine of the One God flew into the clone's heart, then he drew on the godhood stars, causing boundless godhood power to flow into the engine. Then, the imperial-heaven pre-beginning systems began processing the power, sending out a sealing mark to deal with the blackish violet power.

The immortal-slaying clone was the only one who could possibly use the power of the godhood stars to fuel the Engine of the One God. Even if someone else had acquired the Engine of the One God, they would never have been able to find a reserve of such power to fuel it.

By now, Yang Qi had given up on using the Engine of the One God. He wanted his cultivation to be his own, which was why he had used his enlightenment of the engine to create his own.

Back when he had taken the Engine of the One God, he had always intended to give it to his immortal-slaying clone eventually. The stronger the clone was, the better able he would be to control the Myriad Worlds Monarch Chart.

Actually, the Engine of the One God would be much more formidable in the hands of the clone, considering that he had the godhood stars to draw on.

He waved his hand out, and an image of the imperial-heaven pre-beginning appeared. The imperial-heaven referred to the highest and foremost among all the myriad heavens, and the pre-beginning referred to the mother-like state of primordial nothing that had existed before all things came into existence.

"Imperial-heaven pre-beginning" referred to the mother of the foremost of all heavens, and was an expression of ultimate power. As soon as that power was released, the blackish violet light was grabbed and sucked into the sheepskin scroll.

Of course, the sheepskin scroll was also a very powerful object, and as soon as that influx of power entered it, it began shining with a brilliant light that went on to fill Yang Qi.

With the Engine of the One God in his control, the immortal-slaying clone had a much more precise level of control over the Myriad Worlds Monarch Chart, and at the same time, was perfectly linked with Yang Qi's true self. On the outside, everyone present watched as Ghost Ace sent power streaming into Yang Qi. At first, it seemed like Yang Qi was going to explode as a result, but after a bit of time passed, Ghost Ace's power was obviously being negated.

POP!

Everyone heard the sound coming from inside Yang Qi. Then a shock wave of energy rolled out; Yang Qi had obviously succeeded in cultivating another 'character' of tribulation.

With every tribulation that he cultivated, his fleshly body and true energy became stronger. Plus, Yang Qi had the true energy of three major techniques within him. So when his overall true energy increased, it spun like a top, causing those three techniques to become more fully merged.

Yet again, he had reached a higher level of power.

[Beep-beep-beep.]

Back in the Myriad Worlds Monarch Chart, the Engine of the One God's power assessment systems activated and began to report on Yang Qi's power index.

[Power index breaking past five thousand. Genes transforming....]

Yang Qi's previous power index had reached a limit when he broke through to the Destabilizing level. With a level of five thousand, his cultivation base was essentially already as strong as the Terrifying level.

Now, reaching the Terrifying level was the only way to actually improve his cultivation base. Ordinary people who, by means of some incredible good fortune were able to increase their power index to an amazing height before reaching the Terrifying level would still not be able to go past three or four thousand. Pushing beyond such limits could be deadly.

People beyond the level of four thousand were those like the junior superintendent.

However, when it came to people pushing past five thousand, there was only one who had ever done it: Yang Qi.

RIP!

An expression of will rumbled out of Yang Qi, and he said, "Junior Superintendent, I really have to thank you. You helped me cultivate another tribulation. My cultivation base is rising again."

"Not bad at all, boy," Ghost Ace said, pulling his hand back, having sensed what just happened inside Yang Qi. "Junior Superintendent," he continued, "this kid's body is extremely mysterious. However, the fact that he used my Preheaven Ghost Palm to experience tribulations means that he'll only die sooner. Every character from the Unspoiled Body brings a tribulation that has to be resolved with the Three Lives Stone. Right now, the fact that he's absorbing all these tribulations is just hastening his own death. Years ago, there was a genius of the Devilfolk from the Hell of Sages and Mahātmās, someone named Mahātmā Compassioncraft. He only managed to cultivate thirty-six of the tribulations before he experienced cultivation deviation!"

Turning his attention back to Yang Qi, he said, "Boy, you have a good cultivation base. Why not join me and the junior superintendent here? Work for us to dominate all creation? It would be a lot better than being part of the Will Manifestation Heaven Sect, don't you think? In fact, you could basically take over as the sectlord there."

"Oh?" Yang Qi said. "The thing is, I'm not interested in being the sectlord there. But there is something I'm interested in."

"What is it?" the junior superintendent said gravely. "Tell us! All you have to do is hand over the sheepskin scroll and work for me, and I'll let you continue cultivating whatever techniques you want. Furthermore, I'll even let you take that Three Lives Stone from my family's storehouse. With that stone, you won't have to worry about cultivation deviation. What do you say?"

The 'character' tribulations that came with the Unspoiled Body would give rise to a type of tribulation energy that would eventually drive the cultivator into cultivation deviation. And the end result of that would be a grisly detonation of whoever suffered from the affliction. However, as it turned out, tribulation energy was perfect for cultivating the Strength of the Hell-Crushing Godmammoth.

It was something Yang Qi had only recently come to realize. The True-Devil Unspoiled-by-Myriad-Kalpas-and-Tribulations Body and the Strength of the Hell-Crushing Godmammoth were diametrically opposed. Therefore, the seemingly deadly byproduct of tribulation energy could actually be very beneficial to the Strength of the Hell-Crushing Godmammoth. Not even the originators of the technique, the countless sages and mahātmās, could ever have anticipated this result.

After all, how could they have guessed that, one day, someone would cultivate those two specific techniques at the same time?

Even without the Three Lives Stone, he could still continue on this path of cultivation without any danger of cultivation deviation. Of course, if he did have the stone, it would be even easier to work with the tribulation energy, and who knew what enlightenment would come with it, or what other things he might unlock.

For now, his plan was to play some games with this junior superintendent.

"I want you to kill someone for me," Yang Qi said. "Bring me their head. If you do, I'll hand over the sheepskin scroll and start working for you."

"Who?" the junior superintendent growled.

"A magister from the future world," Yang Qi said. "Proud Heaven, who happens to have a God Legion Seal. Kill him and get me the God Legion Seal, and then I'll give you the sheepskin scroll."

"What?" the junior superintendent said, his eyes flashing with rage. "Are you suicidal or something? Proud Heaven dominated the Ancient Road to the Gods years ago, and not even the royals of my people could do anything about him. It's been countless years since then, so his cultivation base is no doubt even more profound. If we, the Executors of the Ancient Road, were able to kill him, he would already be dead."

"Oh, I see. You're actually scared of Proud Heaven!" Yang Qi laughed loudly.

"Scared?" the junior superintendent said. "Oh, I'm going to kill him eventually. But for you to make this demand now just shows that you overestimate yourself. Besides, if I could kill Proud Heaven and take his God Legion Seal, what would I need that sheepskin scroll for? Are you trying to play games or something?"

"Since you can't do what I want, there's no point in talking. Go ahead and do whatever you want to me. Kill me. Torture me. Whatever." With that, Yang Qi closed his eyes and settled down in place.

"This brat is really obstinate, isn't he?" Enraged, the junior superintendent began stomping on Yang Qi over and over again. However, it didn't seem to have any effect at all.

"Bring the acid!"

Before long, they had a huge vat full of bright-green acid, bubbling and popping. As a test, the junior superintendent threw a god item into it, and... hissssss!

The god item dissolved, leaving nothing behind but a wisp of smoke.

"Throw him in!"

Ghost Ace and the other executors complied, tossing Yang Qi into the acid. Instantly, smoke began to rise up, and Yang Qi's skin wrinkled up.

"This God-Melting Acid comes from the god world! If you keep defying me like this, you're going to end up dead!" the junior superintendent said.

However, after a moment passed, Yang Qi's skin returned to normal, and he even began to suck the acid into him.

"Damn you!" the junior superintendent shouted. "Bring fire!"

They threw Yang Qi into a pill furnace and heated it up as high as it would go, to the point where not even the corpse of a god would have been able to last. However, a day later, Yang Qi appeared, completely unharmed, and even smiling. "Many thanks to you, Junior Superintendent. You helped me yet again."

Over the course of the following months, the junior superintendent tried everything he could think of. Sabers, swords, lightning, medicinal items, poisons, toxins....

The executors' poisons could kill gods, but they didn't seem to have any effect on Yang Qi. In fact, throughout those months, he reached the point of twenty tribulation characters.

Ghost Ace and the other executors clicked their tongues in amazement at how strong Yang Qi was, and how much he could endure.

Little did they know that he was simply using the Myriad Worlds Monarch Chart to take away most of the force being used against him. Without that trick, he would have already been dead.