Chapter 1349: Lifelong Pursuit of the Dao

Under Old Demon Ye's watchful eye, Bai honestly activated the final restriction on the Reception Platform, then stepped back, clearing the way for him.

Old Demon Ye withdrew his gaze and took a step forward.

With everyone watching, Old Demon Ye ascended step by step towards the formation diagram at the center of the storm.

Amidst the storm, Old Demon Ye walked leisurely, his Yin-Yang Halberd flying around him, deflecting the tempest as he ascended step by step to the top of the formation diagram.

This process seemed effortless, but it was incredibly perilous.

Spatial turbulence had already reached this area.

The storm's power grew increasingly terrifying, tearing everything apart into a scene of chaos, its might beyond imagination.

The formation diagram hung high, directly facing the Reception Platform.

Dazzling green light intensified, and its outline became clearer.

Old Demon Ye stepped onto it steadily and looked down at the formation diagram beneath his feet.

The formation diagram was the same size as the top of the Reception Platform.

At this point, its form was no longer a mere diagram but a square green platform.

The green platform was covered in tadpole-like runes, each incredibly profound. Just one glance brought a dizzying sensation, causing Old Demon Ye to quickly avert his gaze.

Standing here, the storm's power became even more intense.

Old Demon Ye had to activate his Yin-Yang Halberd for protection at this moment to stand firm on the green platform.

The moment he stepped onto the green platform, Old Demon Ye felt a faint sensation. This sensation came from beyond the void, from a distant, unknown place – the destination the Reception Platform was taking them to.

Ascension?

Or teleportation?

Old Demon Ye didn't know.

He was wary of Jade Bone, and Jade Bone was also wary of him betraying it. They had sworn an oath that only after successfully leaving this realm would Jade Bone reveal everything to him.

Therefore, Old Demon Ye didn't know much.

But one thing he knew for certain was that no matter what lay on the other side, or what dangers awaited, he had to leave.

He had traversed every corner of the Beichen Realm.

He had even ventured beyond the Beichen Realm, journeying through the Three Northern Sea Realms and challenging their masters.

In the end, he discovered it was merely a larger cage.

The Three Realms were similarly surrounded by boundless storms. No matter which direction one attempted to leave from, the result was either death by exhaustion or being forced ignominiously back.

It was said that within the storms of the Three Northern Sea Realms, there existed a path that might lead to other domains.

But like the God Transformation stage, it existed only in legends, its truth unknown.

No matter how extraordinary one's talent or peerless one's cultivation, they remained prisoners within the cage.

Old Demon Ye was unwilling to be trapped here for life. Breaking through to the late Nascent Soul stage didn't bring him much joy, as he knew his chances of reaching God Transformation were slim.

He refused to be a mayfly.

He wanted to seize every opportunity to witness and experience the wider world, no matter if the destination beyond the Reception Platform was a dragon's pool and tiger's den; he would have no regrets!

Ye sought the Dao.

He sought the Dao his entire life.

Ever forward.

No regrets even in death!

Thinking of this, Old Demon Ye glanced down at Bai, his eyes flickering.

It was impossible to extract information from Jade Bone. He would rather venture alone into the unknown, facing danger head-on, than rescue Jade Bone or negotiate with it.

Bai, on the other hand, seemed to have a deep connection with Qin Sang and Qing Jun, possessed a mysterious background, and understood the Reception Platform intimately. It seemed he knew quite a lot, making cooperation a possibility.

The green platform stood high in the sky.

Old Demon Ye's gaze swept around, noting that under the continuous influence of the Inner Hall's anomaly, the Outer Hall also began to shake violently, collapsing in sections.

The Soul Infant Grand Formation was used to unseal the Reception Platform, and the surrounding ghostly mist, no longer affected by the evil formation, gradually thinned.

Through the ghostly mist, Old Demon Ye vaguely saw the anomaly within the Ziwei Palace's Inner Hall.

At this moment, the Inner Hall could be called a celestial palace, completely separated from the Outer Hall, soaring hundreds of feet higher than it, and continuously ascending.

The celestial palace, originally hidden deep within the cloud sea of the Ancient Immortal Battlefield, had appeared prematurely several times recently, signaling its departure from this realm. Today, it finally broke free from the cloud sea completely.

Beyond the void, something seemed to be calling to the Ziwei Celestial Palace.

Initially slow, its speed rapidly increased.

With every zhang the celestial palace rose, the Outer Hall's tremors intensified proportionally.

The demonic cave had completely vanished.

The mountains and secret realms collapsed one after another, also heading towards destruction as the Ziwei Palace departed.

As the celestial palace gradually ascended, the hole in the sky grew larger and larger, causing spatial collapse. The storms outside the Beichen Realm were utterly insignificant compared to this spatial tempest.

Simultaneously, Old Demon Ye felt an increasingly fierce impact, forcing him to fully activate his Yin-Yang Halberd for protection.

Within the Inner Hall, the newly revived immortal realm had again become a chaotic mess.

The mountain peaks that housed the Sword Path Hall and the ancient teleportation array began to fracture successively from their periphery, ground into stone powder by the spatial turbulence, with less than one in ten remaining.

The ancient restrictions of the Ancient Medicine Garden formed a coherent expanse, like a single precious jade, but faint cracks were visible.

Atop Mount Tian, the celestial palace appeared and disappeared, at times diffuse, at times solid, with the light of immortal restrictions flickering everywhere, and ancient halls on the mountain collapsing in ruins.

Various secret realms and ancient restrictions vied for survival, seemingly struggling to cross over, barely maintaining themselves under the onslaught of spatial turbulence.

During this process, the celestial palace sustained severe damage. One landmass after another cracked apart, spun, and was swept into the spatial storm, then vanished completely.

The secret realms and ancient treasures within naturally also turned to dust.

Only the most mysterious core forbidden areas of the celestial palace remained.

The Ancient Medicine Garden could not escape unscathed.

The ancient restrictions could not protect the living beings inside. The luminous glow of the spirit herbs extinguished one by one, crushed by the invading storm. Occasionally, a few streaks of escaping light could still be seen.

Some individuals, too greedy, had not yet left the celestial palace.

*Whoosh! Whoosh!*

They were fleeing in panic, filled with regret.

Among them, two streaks of light were particularly noticeable.

One was Lu Boyuan, who had just exited the Ancient Medicine Garden with a Frost Lizard perched on his shoulder. Upon seeing the outside scene, the joy on their faces vanished. They gasped, dared not hesitate, and fled together towards the outside of the Inner Hall.

The other was Feather Demon King.

He was even slower than Lu Boyuan, still struggling to move within the Ancient Medicine Garden, forced to reveal his true form.

Given Feather Demon King's status, it was impossible for him not to understand the principle of choice and sacrifice, yet he had seemingly been drawn in by some immortal herb. Now, even regret was too late.

Its head occasionally lifted, gazing at the sky with anxious eyes.

A large hole had torn open in the sky.

Spatial storms, like dark clouds, hung in the air, raging in all directions.

The Ziwei Palace was hurtling towards it with an irresistible force!

The spatial storm was secondary; once it collided with the immortal restrictions within the Inner Hall, it was unimaginable what kind of terrifying scene would ensue. Those trapped in the Inner Hall would have no chance of surviving the aftermath of the collision.

Outer Hall.

Blood-colored altar.

Under Qing Jun's activation, the Heart Demon Puppet Seal spread across Jade Bone's entire body.

But it didn't last long.

Jade Bone completely abandoned its skin and meridians, retreating into its bones.

Other people's magic treasures and Daoist techniques successively bombarded Jade Bone.

But at most, they could only damage its skin, unable even to leave a mark on its bones. Even the secret treasure launched by Daoist Zhenyi wasn't much more effective.

This Jade Bone was formed through the body-refining efforts of an ancient cultivator over countless years; its hardness was simply not something Nascent Soul cultivators could easily destroy.

Qin Sang's Nine Nether Demonic Flame might have some effect.

But he dared not let the demonic flame get close to Jade Bone, fearing it might be seized, which would effectively aid the enemy.

It was a pity that the Sun Divine Tree was still unstable; otherwise, if he could summon the Southern Bright Lihuo, Jade Bone wouldn't be so arrogant.

Jade Bone did not surrender, still fighting Qing Jun for control. Moreover, during its clash with the Heart Demon Puppet Seal, it discerned some of the seal's mysteries.

With Jade Bone's knowledge, it naturally wouldn't be without countermeasures.

It immediately changed its strategy: the purple light contracted, becoming dim and obscure, transforming into tortoise-shell-shaped purple crystals that covered its entire skeletal body.

Lightning released by the Demon Binding Rope struck the purple crystals, crackling and shattering them.

The purple light flowed continuously, with new crystals quickly replenishing.

During this process, the purple light diminished, but it was likely Jade Bone would break free before the light was exhausted!

The purple crystals clung tightly to the bones.

An inexplicable fluctuation emanated, permeating every crevice and infiltrating the Heart Demon Puppet Seal.

With only its skeletal frame remaining, Jade Bone's entire body seemed to spasm, making creaking sounds.

Not long after, one of the puppet seals was almost pierced by the purple light, showing signs of impending collapse. Fortunately, Qing Jun reacted quickly, immediately restoring the seal, preventing Jade Bone from breaking through.

Jade Bone let out a burst of wild laughter. Once it saw through them, mere puppet seals and demon-binding ropes couldn't possibly trap it; otherwise, it would have lived in vain until the present age!

A bunch of ants, daring to dream of harming its life!

Seeing this, Qing Jun dared not be distracted and fully activated the puppet seals.

Qin Sang was not only controlling the Demon Binding Rope but also instructing the Heavenly Eye Butterfly to observe Jade Bone for weaknesses and relay its findings to Qing Jun.

The effect was evident: Qing Jun saw through Jade Bone's scheme and reacted in time, temporarily stabilizing the situation.

At this moment, Qing Jun's voice sounded in Qin Sang's ear, "Go up!"

Qin Sang was startled but understood her intention. With a thought, he urged the Demon Binding Rope and flew towards the storm.

After entering the storm, Bai took over the Demon Binding Rope, wielding it with greater power than Qin Sang. He joined forces with Qing Jun, carrying Jade Bone directly towards the green platform.

Qin Sang finally withdrew.

He couldn't help but let out a long sigh of relief.

The struggle with Jade Bone, though described as complex, had actually transpired in an instant.

Qin Sang checked himself. After two consecutive major battles, more than half of his true essence was depleted. In a little while, he might have been drained dry by the Demon Binding Rope.

Jade Bone's power left a deep impression on him.

Even with all his magic treasures deployed and a Nascent Soul Talisman Puppet by his side, he could only endure attacks and flee. If not for the Demon Binding Rope and the Heart Demon Puppet Seal, no one could have restrained Jade Bone!

*Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh...*

Figures appeared around Qin Sang, all looking up at the green platform.

The green platform seemed to possess some magical allure, drawing everyone's gaze.

The green platform represented the unknown.

It represented the possibility of the Grand Dao!

For cultivators, what could be more important than a broader path to the Dao?

Even a sliver of possibility was enough to drive one to madness.

At this moment, their grievances with Old Demon Ye seemed insignificant. In fact, empathizing with him, they could understand why Old Demon Ye would stop at nothing to scheme against all living beings.

Opportunity knocked, and they no longer hesitated, bravely rushing into the storm.

Of course, some hesitated.

Some had too many worldly attachments: lovers, or their sects.

They couldn't let go.

Others, after enduring countless hardships, had finally formed their Nascent Souls, with much time awaiting them to enjoy. They didn't want to risk their lives now for such a slim possibility.

The Reception Platform was here; there would be future opportunities.

They chose to give up, standing quietly beneath the blood-colored altar, observing. These pioneers would effectively pave the way for them.

The Nascent Soul cultivators who rushed into the storm felt its power firsthand, their expressions changing.

They had seen Old Demon Ye ascend easily, assuming the storm's power was manageable.

It turned out that not everyone could ascend the green platform.

Those at the early Nascent Soul stage were the first to encounter a bottleneck, unable to continue after reaching only halfway.

Unwilling to give up, they unleashed their trump cards, forcing themselves a few more steps before sighing and shaking their heads, abandoning their efforts, and retreating reluctantly.

Very few remained.

Bai and Qing Jun were at the forefront.

They advanced, carrying Jade Bone.

Qing Jun faced the greatest difficulty, needing to simultaneously activate the puppet seals to contend with the demon in Jade Bone while also resisting the storm.

Bai merely needed to maintain the Demon Binding Rope.

Qing Jun's delicate body trembled slightly, yet her steps were incredibly firm.

Bai glanced at her and nodded subtly. Corpse qi emanated from him, mixed with the light of bone curses, greatly enhancing his aura. In the ghostly mist, he was even more at ease, surprisingly having enough strength to help Qing Jun share the burden.

Old Demon Ye withdrew his gaze and gave them a faint look.

Bound by an oath, he couldn't help them against Jade Bone, but he could assist them in ascending the green platform.

As for the others, most had old grievances with Old Demon Ye, and he wasn't so kind-hearted. Moreover, as the storm intensified, Old Demon Ye dared not be overconfident.

*Bang! Bang!*

Qing Jun and Bai successfully ascended the green platform.

Following closely behind were Daoist Zhenyi, True Immortal Cang Hong, and Demon Lord Tongyou.

As for the others, they gradually gave up.

After taking a spirit pill and recovering some true essence, Qin Sang also made several attempts. He used his demonic flame to forcefully charge through the storm, going further than cultivators of the same stage. However, even if he could reach the green platform, he wouldn't be able to stand firm on it.

Of course, he wished to leave the storm zone, to explore a more vibrant world, and pursue a higher level of the Grand Dao.

But the timing was wrong; his cultivation was too weak.

This opportunity was clearly not meant for him!

He gave up, landing on the ground and watching Bai and Qing Jun on the green platform from a distance, a hint of worry flashing in his eyes.

Bai's origins were mysterious, and it was impossible for him to always accompany Qin Sang, who had long prepared for their eventual separation. However, he hadn't expected to bid farewell to his senior sister so soon.

What dangers lay beyond the Reception Platform?

Could they safely traverse the spatial turbulence?

Would he have a chance to go there in the future?

Everything was an unknown.

Both of his close friends would soon depart, leaving only the ignorant Nascent Soul Talisman Puppet beside him.

This parting was very likely a permanent farewell!

Qing Jun's strength was top-tier in the cultivation world; once her Heart Demon Puppet Seal was unleashed, no one dared to underestimate her.

Moreover, she was still young, free from the pressure of heavenly tribulations, with boundless prospects.

But after learning about the Reception Platform's purpose from Bai, she didn't hesitate at all, deciding to join forces with Bai and journey to a wider world.

Although she wasn't as ruthless as Old Demon Ye, her devotion to the Dao was no less.

Unburdened by worldly karma and solitary, she had no attachments to give up or hold onto.

Jing Yu attempted to charge a few times before giving up, landing beside Qin Sang. Noticing Qin Sang's expression, he knew what he was worried about and silently shook his head, unsure how to comfort him.

Everyone knew well.

Too many variables existed in the cultivation world. Especially for Qing Jun and others, their moth-to-flame-like actions, driven by their unwavering pursuit of the Grand Dao, had a very low chance of success. (To be continued)