Cultivating with Top Enlightenment

Chapter 843: Chapter 356: Playing Both Sides, the Ultimate Opportunist (Part 2)

As the opponent passed by him, Ning Qi immediately cast the Five Elements Prison technique to envelop this person.

The person had no time to react and was successfully ambushed by Ning Qi.

Ning Qi grabbed him and swiftly fled.

He didn’t immediately kill the opponent, as these Unity Realm cultivators surely knew a lot about the Vast Realm, and Ning Qi was curious about the situation within it.

Meanwhile, Ning Qi observed the energy of the Vast Realm that was scattering throughout this domain.

Clearly, the Vast Realm Will hadn’t noticed his existence; indeed, the withered leaf Exotic Treasure could conceal the traces of Ning Qi’s actions.

However, the Mountain and Sea Realm Will had warned that the withered leaf could only cover a range of three yards centered around him.

If the commotion caused by Ning Qi’s actions exceeded that range, the Vast Realm Will would surely detect it.

Ten yards were sufficient for him for the moment, but Ning Qi was curious if the Mountain and Sea Realm Will had stronger leaves available.

If there were, he would go to great lengths to obtain them.

These leaves were extremely useful, fully creating conditions that prevented either realm from detecting him and granting him complete mobility.

Ning Qi carried the Unity Realm cultivator to a secluded corner.

The Five Elements Prison technique contained an honest-looking male cultivator.

He was like a trapped prey, exerting all his powers in vain against the pillars that flashed with Five Elements Divine Light, unable to shake them in the slightest.

Seeing Ning Qi stop, he glared at Ning Qi and said, ”Who are you from the Mountain and Sea Realm?”

Ning Qi’s expression darkened, his eyes also fixed on this person.

In his eyes, countless colors blossomed, appearing to be the world’s most beautiful spiritual windows, offering endless enchanting visions.

As soon as the person met his gaze, he immediately seemed intoxicated, as if completely opening his mind.

Ning Qi suddenly shouted coldly, ”Prisoner, report your name and background!”

”My name is Hao Dongyang, Elder of the Tiandu Immortal Sect in the Ten Thousand Mountain Spirit Domain.”

Ning Qi asked again, ”Have you ever seen the Saint Ancestor?”

Hao Dongyang replied, ”The Saint Ancestor’s powers are extraordinary; not every Unity Realm cultivator can meet him, but luckily I am one of them.”

Ning Qi’s eyes instantly lit up.

”Then how is the relationship between the Saint Ancestor and the Vast Realm Will?”

”The Vast Realm Will is the disciple of the Saint Ancestor, who named him Zhili, hoping he’d adhere to propriety and allow all beings in the Vast Realm to live orderly lives.”

Upon hearing this, Ning Qi was taken aback.

He hadn’t expected such a relationship between the Saint Ancestor and the Vast Realm Will. No wonder when he previously interacted with the Vast Realm Will, it imparted a sense of righteousness—clearly influenced by its mentor.

Ning Qi chuckled.

The relationship between each realm’s Will and its strongest cultivator turned out to be quite intriguing.

The Saint Ancestor educated the Vast Realm Will as a mentor-disciple relationship, while the Mountain Ancestor and Sea Ancestor had a more contentious relationship with the Mountain and Sea Realm Will.

In terms of relationship dynamics, the Saint Ancestor and Vast Realm Will’s bond appears more harmonious.

Strength-wise, it’s challenging to determine which is more formidable.

Ning Qi continued to ask numerous questions, and eventually, he annihilated Hao Dongyang’s physical body.

Leaving only the Primordial Spirit and performed a soul-searching technique, dispatching it into the Storage Space.

Since the opponent might have a Soul Lamp or similar, as long as the Primordial Spirit wasn’t destroyed, it wouldn’t draw the Vast Realm’s attention.

Ning Qi chose to perform a soul-search to verify the accuracy of Hao Dongyang’s statements.

After everything settled, Ning Qi smiled at the corners of his mouth, suddenly having a new idea.

Suddenly, Ning Qi transformed into Hao Dongyang’s appearance.

Having completely gained all information about Hao Dongyang and extracted a segment of his life imprint, Ning Qi now effectively became the new Hao Dongyang.

Disguised as Hao Dongyang, Ning Qi patrolled the Northeast Realm before heading back to the central region.

”Dongyang, anything unusual?”

A cultivator, designated to take over his patrol, sat cross-legged on the ground and asked upon seeing him return.

Imitating Hao Dongyang’s voice, Ning Qi replied, ”Wu Shu, nothing unusual so far, but make sure you stay vigilant.”

Wu Shu laughed heartily.

”Dongyang, you’re too honest. The Realm Venerable already stated that the nearby Three Domains haven’t yet been captured, so there shouldn’t be any problems.”

Ning Qi sternly replied, ”Better safe than sorry.”

Wu Shu stood up, ”Alright, you go find Elder Li to receive supplies, I’ll handle things here.”

Ning Qi nodded, repurposing the resources casually.

Being crafty certainly has its advantages.

He glanced toward the central region, seeing an elderly man with white hair and beard meditating.

The old man’s body appeared relaxed, but Ning Qi sensed a potent aura emanating from him, contrasting sharply with his exterior demeanor.

Ning Qi walked up before the old man.

”Elder Li.”

Li Tianrong opened his eyes to look at Hao Dongyang.

”Here are your supplies.”

Numerous items flew out from Li Tianrong’s Storage Ring.

Ning Qi extended both hands to receive them.

Upon inspecting, he found a new practitioner robe, Pills, Spirit Stones, and a Top-grade Spiritual Treasure among the distributed supplies.

All were exceedingly practical for battle, the Vast Realm was indeed generous.

”Thank you, Elder Li, Dongyang respectfully takes leave.”

Li Tianrong closed his eyes again, ”Go on.”

As Ning Qi, disguised as Hao Dongyang, mingled among the Unity Realm cultivators, he also saw numerous cultivators below Unity Realm in the domain.

All cultivators were in battle readiness, just like those in the Southwest Realm from the Mountain and Sea Realm, preparing for the upcoming war.

Witnessing the scene, Ning Qi sighed quietly.

Both real cultivators fought for their respective Spirit Realms, yet in the end, who knows how many would perish, while they wouldn’t necessarily benefit from it.

Just like wars in the mortal realm, the ones falling are the sons of peasants while the profits go to those hidden behind the scenes.

Yet, they are without resentment or regrets.

However, entering the battlefield, there isn’t much left to say.

The chessboard has been set, and will the troops besides engaging in brutal battles ever escape the board?

On the battlefield, there’s only life and death!

As Ning Qi moved through the crowd, even when conversing with familiar faces from Hao Dongyang’s memories, no one detected Ning Qi’s anomaly.

After a leisurely stroll, Ning Qi found the experience somewhat uninteresting.

He sat quietly, contemplating his next move.

Although the Mountain and Sea Realm Will assigned him to assassinate the Vast Realm’s Unity Realm, Ning Qi lacked interest.

He indeed possessed assassination capabilities, and the Mountain and Sea Realm Will was prepared to offer him substantial rewards.

Nonetheless, Ning Qi no longer valued those rewards.

He wished for the cross-realm battle to intensify, striving to hasten the involvement of the Unity Realm extremes, or even the Mountain Ancestor, Sea Ancestor, and Saint Ancestor in the broader conflict.

Then Ning Qi would have more opportunities to traverse beyond both realms, definitely assuming the role of the two realms’ hidden players!

”How about I secretly disclose their intel to both sides?”

Considering this, Ning Qi suddenly turned towards the direction of the Vast Realm.

”I wonder if I can blend into the Vast Realm, if I could explore it beforehand, perhaps there would be greater gains.”

However, escaping the war domain to return to the Vast Realm would likely require immense merit.

About half a day later, Ning Qi relieved Wu Shu to resume his patrol.

Both shared the early stages of the Unity Realm cultivation, so such tasks naturally fell to them.

Ning Qi was contemplating whether to leave this domain.

Suddenly, a profound will descended.

”The Realm Venerable!”

A phantom appeared beside Elder Li.

Everyone hurried to salute the phantom, displaying far more reverence than what the Mountain and Sea Realm cultivators showed to their Realm Will!

Ning Qi followed suit, observing what arrangements the Vast Realm Will intended.

He quickly flew back, drawing closer.

The phantom of the Vast Realm Will swept across everyone, speaking softly:

”The Saint Ancestor has decreed, and this Venerable shall assist you in opening the Boundary Wall of the North Spirit Realm. We will first capture the North Spirit Realm.”

Immediately someone questioned.

”Realm Venerable, the North Spirit Realm hasn’t been captured yet. Can we Unity Realm cultivators enter it?”

The Vast Realm Will replied, ”Currently, the Mountain and Sea Realm has captured three domains, my Vast Realm two. The outer five of eight domains are secure enough to stabilize the remaining Spirit Realm spaces.”

”To catch up with the Mountain and Sea Realm, we can’t consider too much at the moment. However, cultivators at the Unity Realm’s mid-period can’t advance, select those at the initial stage.”

Hearing this, Ning Qi was startled.

Just as he considered leaving, the opposite intended for early Unity Realm cultivators to engage in cross-domain battle.

The Vast Realm surely was growing somewhat urgent!

Yet, to him, it wasn’t necessarily a negative development.