Chapter 2112: Virtual Domain

The Heaven-Trapping Golden Lock, trapping heaven and earth! Qin Sang was also caught within it.

He couldn't help but recall the formidable expert from the Outsider race he had encountered when he saved Silu back then. That person, an expert at the late stage of the Second Realm of Emptiness, was only a step away from the Saint Realm, or the Integration Stage. Even with his true body far away, he could project his will across vast distances using a certain method, bringing the might of heaven and earth to bear down on Qin Sang. This vividly demonstrated the immense gap between Void Refinement cultivators.

Qin Sang distinctly remembered feeling as if heaven and earth were pressing down on him. Only by deploying both his Dharma Body and Dharma Idol, and fully unleashing the Sun Wheel Seal, was he able to break through the pressure and escape danger. Now, Qin Sang experienced that very sensation again, even more vividly and chillingly than before.

The golden lock hung high, casting its golden light everywhere. Wherever the golden light reached, it seemed to transform into the domain of the golden lock. The elemental energy of heaven and earth was also confined. When Qin Sang attempted to control the surrounding elemental energy, he found it several times more difficult than before; even the elemental energy he had already mastered showed signs of being restricted.

In battles between Void Refinement cultivators, to use a simple analogy, it's sometimes like two strongmen playing tug-of-war, with the elemental energy of heaven and earth as the rope in their hands. Now, Qin Sang's opponent was like an impenetrable wall. Not only could he not seize control from them, but their power was actively eroding his ability to command the elemental energy, threatening to trap his true body here!

The white-robed man revealed a sinister smile.

Once cultivators enter the Emptiness Realm, their cultivation advancement primarily manifests as an increased mastery over the power of heaven and earth. Those in the First Realm of Emptiness can mobilize the might of heaven and earth and subsequently control its elemental energy. Legend has it that upon breaking through to the Saint Realm, one can transform into a part of heaven and earth themselves, marking another monumental metamorphosis!

Across the myriad races of the Grand World, regardless of the realm's specific name, there is a universally recognized term for this divine ability: the Dharma Domain. Within a Dharma Domain, 'I' am the master, free to do as I please. Heaven and earth are me, and I am heaven and earth!

The Saint Realm Dharma Domain is infinitely profound; even a powerful grand elder only knows its effects, not its underlying principles. It is said that after reaching the late stage of the Second Realm of Emptiness, some individuals, either through heaven-defying opportunities or exceptional innate talent, can prematurely grasp a sliver of the Dharma Domain's mysteries, which greatly benefits their future breakthroughs. Although what they comprehend is merely superficial, if they can understand the subtlety of its application in combat, it dramatically enhances their strength. However, since it's not a true Dharma Domain, it can only be called a 'Void Domain'. Only top-tier experts are capable of comprehending the Void Domain divine ability.

Before his departure, the Grand Elder had told him, when handing over the Heaven-Trapping Golden Lock, that this artifact could emulate some of the Void Domain's power, making its might self-evident. In his hands, the artifact's power would be significantly diminished compared to when the Grand Elder wielded it personally. However, if he were to face someone like Steward Xia directly, he could still contend with them using this artifact, enough to ensure his escape. Against a mere early-stage Void Refinement demon cultivator, it was more than sufficient!

Watching Qin Sang enveloped by the golden light, unable to move an inch, and seeing the golden sun above his head lose its brilliance and gradually dim, the white-robed man smiled with satisfaction. He casually formed a hand seal and directed it towards the Heaven-Trapping Golden Lock.

Sky and sea merged into one, gleaming with golden light, transforming into a domain of pure gold. Everything within this domain ceased to move. The wind stilled, and ocean waves froze mid-air, neither rising nor falling, their surfaces seemingly coated in a layer of gold leaf. At the edge of this golden domain lay a small island reef, which had fortunately escaped the residual effects of the battle. It, too, had become eerily silent, with no sounds from insects or beasts.

Qin Sang, at the very center of the golden domain, profoundly experienced the formidable power of the Heaven-Trapping Golden Lock. The surrounding elemental energy of heaven and earth was receding from him. If this continued, he might ultimately be able to rely only on himself. But how could one person contend with heaven and earth? Any struggle would be futile, and the outcome seemed already sealed.

For anyone else, the wisest course of action would have been to break free from the Heaven-Trapping Golden Lock at all costs before considering anything else. In such a critical moment, however, Qin Sang seemed somewhat absent-minded, his attention focused on the Heaven's Eye Butterfly.

The reason Qin Sang found the Heaven-Trapping Golden Lock familiar was that, after breaking through to the Void Refinement stage, he had the good fortune to encounter a true Dharma Domain through the *Purple Star Sword Sutra* and Celestial Master Tianyue. The Dharma Domain was extremely profound, and Qin Sang found it incredibly difficult to comprehend, with minimal results. However, it greatly expanded his horizons. Therefore, when the white-robed man unleashed the Heaven-Trapping Golden Lock, Qin Sang immediately discerned the artifact's true power.

Had both his Dharma Idol and Dharma Body been present, combined with the Five Elements Crown, he would not have feared this artifact. Unfortunately, only his Dharma Idol was here. Nevertheless, Qin Sang remained completely calm. Connecting his mind with the Heaven's Eye Butterfly, he commanded it to activate a new divine ability: the Profound Void Divine Light.

A faint glow appeared on his body, his figure flickering between illusory and real. With a slight movement, he became like a fish, swimming through the golden domain. In a flash, he appeared at its very edge. So this was the true miraculous use of the Profound Void Divine Light!

Qin Sang was overjoyed. Just then, he had a flash of inspiration and daringly experimented, easily escaping the golden domain. This meant that with the Heaven's Eye Butterfly's assistance, late-stage Void Refinement cultivators would no longer be able to suppress him with their realm advantage. Of course, the Heaven's Eye Butterfly's cultivation was still too low; facing a true Dharma Domain, it would likely be ineffective. However, it was conceivable that as their cultivation continued to improve, one day, even against Integration Stage experts, they might not be utterly powerless!

While the Profound Void Divine Light brought Qin Sang a pleasant surprise, it filled the white-robed man with shock and horror. He didn't understand how Qin Sang had done it. Logically, unless Qin Sang had already broken through to the late Void Refinement stage, he shouldn't have been able to contend with the Heaven-Trapping Golden Lock. To move with such ease, coming and going freely, only an expert who had comprehended a Void Domain divine ability could achieve it. For an early-stage Void Refinement cultivator to comprehend a Void Domain divine ability was utterly shocking and unbelievable!

The white-robed man preferred to believe that Qin Sang had been forced to use a unique, unreplicable life-saving trump card. However, he wouldn't gamble his life by continuing to probe. The longer this dragged on, the more disadvantageous the situation would become for him. The failure of the Heaven-Trapping Golden Lock meant the white-robed man had lost his last chance; it was now impossible for him to kill Qin Sang and calmly retreat as he had intended. Given the circumstances, there was no benefit in staying longer.

The white-robed man was decisive. Seeing Qin Sang 'swim' out of the golden domain, he didn't delve into how Qin Sang accomplished it. His hand seals immediately changed, and both his figure and the Heaven-Trapping Golden Lock simultaneously turned illusory.

Qin Sang's eyes flickered, and a five-colored glow appeared around him. His true body had always carried the Five Elements Crown, which was why he dared to pursue so recklessly. The Five Elements Crown manifested, and a Reverse Five Elements Divine Light shot forth, striking the white-robed man squarely in the chest. The Reverse Five Elements Divine Light was designed for killing. The white-robed man was instantly annihilated, leaving no trace of flesh or blood.

The golden light receded like a tide, and the Heaven-Trapping Golden Lock's whereabouts became unknown. Qin Sang stared at the spot where the white-robed man had vanished, knowing that he had still managed to escape. The white-robed man had only revealed three companion beasts during this battle. His last companion beast must have been lurking far away, allowing him to swap places with his true body and escape at any moment.

Among all the tribes of the Outsider race, the Siyou Clan was considered one of the hardest to kill. Back then, when Steward Xia and Silu were both severely injured, the Quanfeng Clan rallied several experts to pursue them. They successfully escaped several encirclements, and it was only after Elder Quan was summoned that they were finally cornered; even then, Qin Sang managed to exploit an opening.

Despite the enemy's escape, Qin Sang felt no anger and did not pursue. He slowly closed his eyes, reviewing the scene that had just unfolded.

A moment later, the sea surface rippled, and a strong wind swept in. A shadow appeared in mid-air, coalescing into a human form—Qin Sang's Dharma Body. As Qin Sang's true body detected the anomaly, his Dharma Body at Qingyang Temple also mobilized. Dharma Bodies could use teleportation arrays, making their speed not much slower than the true body's. However, Qin Sang did not choose to have his Dharma Body and true body team up to besiege the white-robed man.

Siyou Clan experts were simply too difficult to kill. While Qin Sang possessed the Sword of Mind Sea technique, which could locate the true body and kill from a distance by following any lead once an opponent was locked, this technique was primarily for killing. Given how alert the white-robed man was, if he sensed danger and didn't entangle with Qin Sang, immediately swapping with a companion beast, the Sword of Mind Sea would only wound him, not kill him. Therefore, after arriving, the Dharma Body did not join the battle but instead searched the vicinity for the white-robed man's fourth companion beast, though unfortunately, it found nothing.

The Dharma Body returned unsuccessful and, along with the true body, headed back to the Western Lands. Afterward, the Dharma Body returned alone to Qingyang Temple to guard the main altar, while Qin Sang's true body set off for Canglang Sea to meet Silu. To prevent it from being a diversionary tactic by the enemy, Qin Sang had just sent a message to Silu, instructing him to be on guard, rather than asking him to come as reinforcement.

Canglang Sea.

Silu, guarding the core altar, sensed Qin Sang's arrival and opened the restrictions. Qin Sang entered the spiritual island and recounted the recent events to Silu. After listening, Silu said with a heavy expression, "This person should be Lu Qian, King Lu's foremost general. He possesses profound cultivation and extraordinary courage, serving as King Lu's right-hand man and earning the appreciation of the Lu family's Grand Elder."

Silu's mood at this moment was extremely complex. Lu Qian acting as a scout personally indicated that the Lu family was fully confident and determined. Silu could finally be bound together with Qin Sang. However, the enemy had arrived too quickly, and the situation had abruptly become incredibly urgent. Silu wondered how confident Qin Sang was.

Qin Sang calmly said, "This person is indeed very bold. After his identity was exposed, instead of immediately fleeing, he actually thought of counter-attacking me."

"Brother Qin, are you injured?" Silu asked with concern. He knew that Qin Sang's strength was no less than Lu Qian's, but only his true body and Dharma Idol were stationed in the Western Lands.

"I wasn't injured, but I couldn't keep him here either. He only managed to gather some information about the branch altars before I uncovered him; I don't know how much else he might have spied on. However, the Lu family likely won't allow us to smoothly construct the altar, so they should soon launch an attack." Qin Sang's tone was grave as he mentally calculated the time, pondering if there were any other delaying strategies.

"If the Lu family attacks, we must discuss it with the Zhuyan Clan. Otherwise, if the Zhuyan Clan perceives it as an offense, it won't be something minor benefits can resolve. The Lu family certainly wouldn't dare provoke the Zhuyan Clan. When we visited Fellow Daoist Yuanmiao earlier, there was no hint of this, which means they might have only just begun their contact. We still have time," Silu said, though his expression grew increasingly solemn.

Qin Sang mused for a moment, then changed his tone, asking about another matter, "How is the refining of your artifact progressing, fellow daoist?"

The Lu family's army might be the first wave of enemies after the Lightning Altar is completed. Every Siyou Clan expert is skilled in life-saving divine abilities. There would only be one chance to eliminate the Lu family's Grand Elder. Qin Sang didn't want the first activation of the Lightning Altar to be in vain. Ideally, he wanted to seize substantial benefits while deterring lesser opponents. As it stood, the best outcome would be to destroy the Lu family, help Silu return to the Siyou Clan, and reclaim his rightful kingship! Qin Sang only needed to prevent the Lu family's Grand Elder from escaping the moment the Thunder Pact erupted.

No one understood the Siyou Clan's divine abilities better than the Siyou Clan members themselves. Previously, Silu had claimed that King Yan and Steward Xia had left him an artifact capable of countering the mutual transfer technique. Unfortunately, this artifact was extremely difficult to refine. King Yan had spent countless rare treasures on it without completion. Since Silu's foundation stabilized, he had been diligently refining it in secret, but it still required a bit more time.

"It's nearing completion. With the demon soldiers' assistance, the altar construction is on track. I will now devote all my effort to refining this artifact. Once it's finished, I'll send it to Qingyang Temple immediately," Silu said, understanding the artifact's crucial importance to them and not daring to slacken.

Qin Sang nodded. This artifact held another layer of significance for him: he wanted to use it to explore the mysteries of the mutual transfer technique and test whether integrating the Sword of Mind Sea technique into the Lightning Altar could counteract it. If all went smoothly, eliminating the Lu family's experts would become much easier.

After a brief exchange, Qin Sang bid farewell to Silu and returned to the Western Lands.

Deep Sea.

Inside a certain submarine mountain peak, there was a cave, and within the cave, a strange beast lay prone. This beast was entirely white, its body as soft as a cloud, spread flat on the ground, with no discernible facial features. No aura emanated from the beast; only when its body occasionally twitched could one tell it was a living creature. The cave was silent.

In the darkness, the beast suddenly rose from the ground, revealing a large mouth on its belly and several bulging, round eyes. The next moment, the beast's entire body stiffened, gradually transforming into a human silhouette—the white-robed man.

"Cough, cough..."

Violent coughing echoed in the cave. The white-robed man clutched his chest, and the fresh blood he coughed up evaporated into thin air.

"How formidable!" the white-robed man murmured. Just now, he had been entirely focused on escaping and didn't have time to identify the divine ability. Unexpectedly, merely being grazed by that divine light had nearly caused him severe injury. He had been a bit overconfident, underestimating this demon.

The white-robed man secretly lamented, wondering where Silu had found such an assistant; he certainly couldn't be regarded as an ordinary expert. This investigation had ended with a whimper, like a dragon's head with a snake's tail. He had only scouted the Western Lands briefly before being forced to retreat, still unclear about the opponent's intentions here or how many allies they possessed. However, knowing that Silu had such a formidable expert by his side was enough to report back.

Calming his breath, the white-robed man carefully sensed outside the cave, confirmed there was no anomaly, then left the cave and cautiously sped away into the distance. Only after ensuring there were no pursuers did he turn back towards Shengmu Plain.

Changyou Clan's Sacred Lake.

Min Zhuo was not in the Sacred Hall at this time. Instead, he was seated cross-legged on a mountaintop beside the Sacred Lake, seemingly waiting for someone. Suddenly, he sensed something, opened his eyes, and looked north. Immediately, a flash of light appeared, and the white-robed man materialized out of thin air.

Min Zhuo's pupils contracted sharply as he saw the white-robed man. He asked in shock, "Your Excellency is injured?"

"I'm fine!" The white-robed man waved his hand, "The opponent indeed has a powerful expert. Your previous defeat was not unjust. But rest assured, Clan Leader Min, we will keep our promise and help you reclaim your territory and get justice!"