Chapter 1078: Unbroken Past

The woman curled up on the ground was She Ji. It was thanks to her tenacious consciousness and strong attachment to true feelings that Ji Yuan could easily reshape her primordial spirit, which had been almost incinerated by the karmic flames. However, this also meant that the suffering she endured from the karmic flames far exceeded the ordinary.

Karmic flames do not instantly reduce a person to ash; karmic obstructions bring long-term consequences and prolonged suffering. Yet, it was clear the woman before them preferred to endure this pain rather than leave. This was her own choice.

And behind this pain also lay something beautiful.

Ji Yuan understood this almost the instant he touched the karmic flames. Even after all he had been through, he was still glad to witness such genuine, pure beauty, which brought a smile to his face, though he had been in a somewhat low mood.

A piece of clothing drifted over from Hu Yun, covering She Ji's body, and Sun Yiqiu rushed over, agitated.

"Ruoruo! Are you alright?"

Sun Yiqiu rushed to She Ji's side, wanting to touch her but hesitating. He instinctively looked at Ji Yuan beside them; it was clear to him that this person's background was extraordinary.

"She's alright."

Ji Yuan said this, and Sun Yiqiu immediately breathed a sigh of relief. He bent down and gently shook She Ji.

"Ruoruo!"

To everyone's surprise, She Ji regained consciousness within moments. Opening her eyes, she saw Sun Yiqiu by her side and Hu Yun not far away. Although the pain she had just endured was worse than the fires of purgatory, the scene before her felt like another lifetime. Yet, that feeling remained incredibly strong.

"Yiqiu..."

Ji Yuan extended his palm, and a slowly rotating mini golden disc appeared in its center. Faint, thin lines flew from She Ji and Sun Yiqiu, all merging into the disc.

Although it seemed Ji Yuan hadn't helped Hu Yun directly, Hu Yun's condition had improved significantly. He now looked over curiously, seeing the golden disc in Ji Yuan's hand covered in runes, with a sun-like radiance flowing at its center.

From the golden disc, two streams of energy, one black and one white, flew out, transforming into Lu Shan-jun and the Old Dragon beside Ji Yuan. Both of them scanned the people around before their gazes settled on the golden disc.

The Old Dragon sighed with emotion from the side.

"I never imagined this object was the root cause of the Celestial Mechanism Pavilion's downfall," the Old Dragon remarked. "Back then, they used the Wheel of Heavenly Secrets as a foundation, attempting to reverse the flow of vitality after Master Ji's karmic fortune was depleted, in order to revive him. However, this endeavor was too defiant of heaven's will, and its development was beyond human control. It shattered during the heavenly tribulation before it could be fully completed. It was truly a matter of timing and fate!"

"To believe in fate in the first half of life, and defy it in the latter half," Ji Yuan said. "The Celestial Mechanism Pavilion truly didn't need to go to such lengths for me."

Ji Yuan was actually a content and happy person. He believed he had lived freely and unrestrainedly; although he also wished to see more of the world's beauty, he wouldn't have felt any hysterical regret if his life had ended back then.

The Celestial Mechanism Pavilion might not have fully forged the treasure back then, but it was hard to say whether Ji Yuan's continued existence was unrelated to it.

At this moment, Ji Yuan gently waved his other hand towards the disc, and its rotation speed instantly quickened significantly.

A clear cry...

A crisp cry emanated from the golden disc. This sound seemed to possess a penetrating power; even the celestial beings far away in the Heavenly Realm could hear it, and it intensely stimulated Mi Huang, who was currently engaged in battle.

The peerless fierce ape had already suppressed Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva and the Old Beggar, its ferocious aura surging. Upon hearing the cry, its mind flashed like lightning, and its Dharma eye swept towards the dim area on the side of the netherworld.

Among the few people by the River Styx, Mi Huang's gaze first landed on Ji Yuan, then on the mini golden disc in his hand. Mi Huang paused, slightly stunned...

The respectfully bowing Netherworld Emperor, the sternly standing God Lu Wu, a casually standing Dragon Lord, the critically wounded Fox Immortal, and the unbelievably reappeared She Ji and Sun Yiqiu—their attention was not on the golden disc, but on the person holding it!

The battle briefly ceased. As the fierce ape's assault slowed, Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva and the Old Beggar also noticed the changes by the River Styx.

In the Heavenly Realm, due to the pause in battle, several celestial beings also realized something. The Heaven-Gazing Mirror, which usually sensed qi, had its range of illumination shifted by the celestial beings' spellcasting, moving to the previously overlooked banks of the River Styx.

Among the celestial beings, some were puzzled, some frowned, but some already had their mouths slightly agape, even standing up involuntarily in astonishment.

Many there knew of Ji Yuan, but very few had actually seen him. However, given the scene, some were beginning to guess in that direction, though no one dared to voice it.

In the human realm, as seen through the Heaven-Gazing Mirror, Mi Huang roared out, filled with intense disbelief and exhilaration.

"You are Ji Yuan?"

Mi Huang's demon body trembled slightly with excitement, a wild expression on his face. If he could battle Ji Yuan and defeat him, then seize the treasure to transcend his own limits, what a magnificent realm that would be!

Boom—

A powerful demonic aura surged skyward. The mere eruption of this aura was like a shockwave, pushing the stunned Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva and the Old Beggar back. But Mi Huang did not immediately launch a stronger assault on them; instead, he turned towards Ji Yuan.

Ji Yuan raised his head, his pale eyes slightly open. All phenomena, under his gaze, were like a clear ancient well: a faint light reflected the sun and moon, tranquility suppressed all turmoil. This gaze seemed to be on Mi Huang, yet at the same time, it seemed not.

But with just this eye contact, what Mi Huang saw was no longer Ji Yuan. The Dao hidden beneath the calm was a vastness that shook ancient and modern times—a glimpse of the immensity of heaven and earth, making one feel like a mere grain of sand in the ocean!

Mi Huang violently shook his head as all the legends of Ji Yuan surfaced in his mind. What were once casual jests after a drink now seemed like genuine jokes. Nothing had ever given him this feeling; let alone measuring strength for victory or defeat, even to clearly perceive Ji Yuan felt like it would require all his might.

"Master Ji, your great name has been known for over a thousand years, yet I have never seen you," Mi Huang declared. "I thought there would be no more chance, but unexpectedly, today my wish is granted. If it is you, I presume you will not be as fragile as these mediocre immortals and mundane Buddhas. To battle you and win—that would be an ancient and profound satisfaction! Hahahahaha..."

As Mi Huang spoke, streams of light flew from his mouth, and brilliant radiance appeared on his demon body. A golden armored battle robe shimmered brightly, and a long weapon with double blades at both ends gleamed with cold light.

That peerless demon, with monstrous ferocity, now shone with incredibly pure and extraordinary radiance. Then, all the radiance converged, and Mi Huang stood suspended in the air, an aura of looking down on the world spontaneously arising. His pair of glazed Dharma eyes stared directly at Ji Yuan, as if everything else around them no longer existed in his sight.

This scene made the Old Beggar so angry his nose almost twisted, and even Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva recited Buddhist incantations repeatedly. They clearly understood what this meant.

This was the first time Mi Huang had used his weapon and treasured armor. Almost none of his so-called brothers and friends from the demon and heavenly realms had ever seen him use them. He only exerted his full power when facing Ji Yuan; everyone else was deemed unworthy!

Ji Yuan retracted his left palm, clutching the golden disc in his hand, then placed it behind his back. He took a step, treading on clear winds as he ascended into the sky. Meanwhile, Mi Huang, facing a formidable adversary and usually launching aggressive attacks, was now extremely nervous, not daring to rush into an assault.

Lu Shan-jun also followed two steps behind Ji Yuan, ascending into the air.

Hu Yun felt some concern. Master Ji had only just returned, and it had been mentioned that he was not the Ji Yuan of yesteryear; it would be better to let Lu Shan-jun act.

"Shan-jun, this demon, he..."

"Tsk..."

Lu Shan-jun scoffed. He understood Hu Yun's concern, but he trusted his master more. Then he turned to Hu Yun, a hint of approval on his face.

"You did well this time," Lu Shan-jun said. "In Master's words, you have achieved the Dao."

Mi Huang faced him as a formidable enemy. He had already calculated millions of possibilities in his mind, but none of them predicted how Ji Yuan would act...

Until Ji Yuan reached the same height as Mi Huang, Mi Huang's tension had peaked. Veins bulged on his demon arm gripping the divine weapon. Just as he was about to exert his full strength and make the first move, Ji Yuan's steps surprisingly did not halt.

At a distance of about a hundred zhang, Ji Yuan turned his side to Mi Huang and continued to step upward, completely ignoring him.

Everyone was dumbfounded, including Mi Huang Great Sage himself, who had been tense for a while. He stared blankly at Ji Yuan's retreating back, then suddenly realized something and sharply turned sideways, discovering God Lu Wu was not far away.

Lu Shan-jun looked at Mi Huang with disdain and spoke softly.

"You're not worthy!"

After saying this, Lu Shan-jun turned to look at his master, while secretly preparing himself. Meanwhile, a rage that could affect reality ignited in Mi Huang's heart.

However, all this was quickly drowned out by Ji Yuan's next words. Ji Yuan looked up at the sky and extended his right hand.

"Sword, come."

This calm voice, soft as a whisper, seemed to surpass thunder, as if piercing through space and time.

In the distant Mount Wuliang, a streak of dark light finally traversed thousands of mountains and rivers to arrive. A majestic peak in the distance was its destination. On the upper cliff face of that peak were carved four large characters imbued with supreme sword intent: "Wuliang Sword Tomb."

At the summit of this peak, a white-robed woman, with a sword laid across her lap, sat in meditation. She saw the dark light in the distance, but before she could speak, she suddenly sensed something, transforming into a streak of sword light and leaving the Sword Tomb peak.

The next instant, the entire Mount Wuliang began to shake, stirring endless waves in the ocean and swaying the boundless firmament of the sky.

Crack, boom—

The Wuliang Sword Tomb shattered. A blue-white light, taller than any mountain, connected heaven and earth. In an instant, the sea roared for thousands of feet, and heaven and earth trembled like objects in a contained jar.

Even in mortal cities across the world, people felt a drunken swaying sensation. And in the Heavenly Realm's Dharma assembly, there was an overturning tremor, with tables and chairs toppling, and everyone unstable.

At this moment, all beings in the Heavenly Realm who had reached a certain cultivation level felt a stir in their hearts: the Wuliang Sword Tomb had broken open.

"He is Master Ji!"

It was at this moment that someone finally called out that name.

Some immediately left the Dharma assembly and rapidly flew towards the Heavenly Gate. Others returned to their positions, collaborating to cast spells and amplify the Heaven-Gazing Mirror's scope of detection. Meanwhile, the golden-armored divine generals guarding the various Heavenly Gates had already departed earlier.

That streak of sword light stood between heaven and earth. It twisted high in the firmament, transforming into a radiance brighter than a galaxy. Like that single call, it pierced through the barriers of space and time. The moment its sword intent traversed the sky, the sword light had already reached the ends of the earth.

The immortal sword, its edge hidden for a millennium, emerged from the river-like sword light and slowly descended into Ji Yuan's hand. The moment Ji Yuan grasped its hilt, he drew the sword.

This was perhaps a sword Ji Yuan had never wielded even when he surpassed the Heavenly Dao in the past. The sword qi sealed within the Azure Vine Sword also surpassed worldly comprehension, and at this moment, Ji Yuan's sword intent surpassed its very sharpness.

There was no dazzling brilliance, nor any world-shaking commotion. It was merely like wind stirring waves on a calm lake. The sword intent flowed upwards, and all the myriad fortunes between heaven and earth retreated before it. Wherever the sword's edge passed, all magnificent lights vanished into nothingness. The sword light pierced through the Heavenly Realm, pierced through the firmament, continuously extending and moving forward...

Piercing through heaven and earth, traversing the Three Realms, transcending the Five Elements, dividing Yin and Yang, cleaving chaos—the power of this single sword stroke did not attack anyone, yet it forcibly carved out a realm beyond the heavens.

However, no one apart from Ji Yuan himself realized this. They merely stared blankly at this sword stroke, which surpassed anything their own Dao could contain or comprehend. The daze in their hearts was like their Dao hearts trembling. "This... is Master Ji?"