Immortal Refiner

As the last vestiges of starlight lingered, True Monarch Tianbao activated the Starlight Mending Heaven Formation to repair the remaining void rifts.

During this process, he revealed to Li Qing the origins and history of the Ten Thousand Treasures Merchant Guild. This secret was typically reserved for those who had reached the divine transformation stage, unless they were members of the guild.

Li Qing, empowered by the starlight, had slain a fifth-tier demonic insect from the demon realm!

Although the insect’s power might have been somewhat diminished after its dimensional descent, it was still a genuine fifth-tier demonic insect. This feat undoubtedly earned True Monarch Tianbao’s respect, leading him to regard Li Qing as an equal to a divine transformation stage cultivator. Thus, sharing this secret was no longer a concern.

”Fellow Daoist Limitless,” True Monarch Tianbao asked with a gentle smile, ”do you know how long the Ten Thousand Treasures Merchant Guild has been established in the lower realm?”

Li Qing paused, realizing he had no idea how ancient this colossal organization truly was.

”Over twenty thousand years!” True Monarch Tianbao exclaimed with a sigh.

A history spanning over twenty thousand years was truly astonishing. Considering the Ten Thousand Treasures Merchant Guild’s vast reach across numerous great domains of the Human Realm, maintaining such a scale of operations for such an extended period was nothing short of extraordinary.

”Truly remarkable!” Li Qing exclaimed in awe.

”But this is nothing,” True Monarch Tianbao replied with a smile. ”Compared to the Ten Thousand Treasures Merchant Guild in the upper realm, this is merely a drop in the ocean.”

The upper realm has a Ten Thousand Treasures Merchant Guild too?!

Li Qing’s heart trembled at this revelation, his mind surging with shockwaves. Despite his wildest speculations, he had underestimated the guild’s true origins.

He had imagined the Ten Thousand Treasures Merchant Guild might have connections to certain powers in the spirit realm, but he never dared to imagine it was merely a tiny branch of a far greater entity.

Seeing Li Qing’s stunned expression, True Monarch Tianbao’s smile deepened.

”Ha ha ha! However, due to the recent demon realm invasion, our connection with the upper realm has become increasingly tenuous. We often go decades, even centuries, without receiving any response.”

”It’s been three hundred years since we last received news from the spirit realm. I hadn’t even achieved nascent soul formation back then.”

”Based on this, we believe the Human Realm may be drifting further from the spirit realm. Ascension will become increasingly difficult in the future.”

Li Qing’s pupils constricted sharply at this revelation, realizing there was a hidden truth he had never suspected.

After a moment of contemplation, he asked, ”Why is this secret only revealed to those who reach the Divine Transformation stage?”

True Monarch Tianbao smiled. ”That’s because the Ten Thousand Treasures Merchant Guild controls the Void Beacon of the spirit realm. Anyone who breaks through to the divine transformation stage can obtain this beacon free of charge.”

”This isn’t merely an act of generosity. Our guild hopes that if anyone ascends to the spirit realm, they will carry news of our Minor World’s gradual decline.”

So that’s why!

Li Qing felt a sudden clarity. No wonder this secret was only revealed upon reaching the divine transformation stage.

”Heh, Fellow Daoist Limitless, if you ever break through to the divine transformation stage, you too can obtain the spirit realm beacon from our guild.”

”Then, when you shatter the void one day, you can use it to navigate the chaotic currents and ascend to the spirit realm!”

Li Qing didn’t feign modesty this time. He was already at the late-stage nascent soul realm. Who would believe he lacked ambition to reach the divine transformation stage?

”Then I’ll take Fellow Daoist Tianbao’s auspicious words,” Li Qing said, clasping his hands in a graceful bow.

Just then, as the final glimmer of starlight filled the void rift, the spatial tear in the sky finally mended completely, leaving no trace of its former existence!

Watching this, both Li Qing and True Monarch Tianbao breathed a collective sigh of relief. Their mission had been a resounding success.

True Monarch Tianbao exhaled deeply. ”It’s finally over. Without the void rifts, the ancient demons trapped in the Human Realm are now like fish in a barrel—no longer a threat.”

”Let’s hope the other void rifts are sealed just as smoothly!”

Li Qing nodded in agreement. With the void rifts gone, they no longer needed to fear the ancient demons’ dimensional descent.

The situation in other great domains remained unknown, but at least the demonic cataclysm in the Azure Ridge Domain had been brought under preliminary control.

The remaining demonized cultivators—those grotesque, half-human, half-demon creatures—posed no real threat.

With the matter resolved, Li Qing saw no reason to linger. With a wave of his hand, he stored the massive corpses of the ancient demons that had descended into the storage bag.

True Monarch Tianbao found nothing strange in this. After all, these demonic corpses contained concentrated primordial demonic qi. If left unattended, they would contaminate the land with demonic qi for centuries to come.

The Azure Ridge Domain was Lingyun Sect’s territory, and Li Qing would never allow it to be corrupted by demonic qi.

True Monarch Tianbao deactivated the formation art and carried away the unconscious True Monarch Guangzhu.

”Fellow Daoist Limitless, I must return to report. Farewell!”

Li Qing clasped his hands in a fist and palm salute. ”Safe travels! This Li won’t see you off any further!”

In the demon realm, the void rifts that had opened across the land slowly closed, leaving only two or three remaining. It was only a matter of time before these too would seal completely.

In an unknowable realm, the pitch-black sky was covered with countless illusory faces.

Amid this eerie landscape, a figure clad in ancient armor slowly flew forward.

The moment this armored figure appeared, every illusory face in the sky simultaneously opened its eyes, their gazes fixed upon the uninvited guest.

”Wuxiang, you should withdraw. Your unfounded suspicions have caused significant losses to many clans,” the armored figure declared, addressing the Formless Saint Ancestor by name.

From the sky, one of the illusory faces spoke. ”Merely the loss of a few ants.”

”But opening so many void rifts and destroying so many demon subduing platforms has already affected the Two Realms Battlefield.”

”Enough. Nightmare is growing impatient. The spirit realm’s counterattack is fierce this time; we must concentrate our forces to respond.”

After a long silence, the Formless Saint Ancestor finally spoke. ”Very well. Perhaps I have been too cautious.”

Upon hearing these words, the figure clad in ancient armor finally spoke with satisfaction: ”This should have been done long ago. Without the guidance of the five elements spirit pearls, that Minor World is drifting further away from the spirit realm. Even if someone with extraordinary Fate were to emerge, their ascension to the spirit realm would be virtually impossible.”

”Trapped in the lower realm for life, what threat could they possibly pose?”

”I have said all I need to say. Act as you see fit.”

With these words, the armored figure vanished abruptly, as if it had never been there at all.

”Even so, I can’t help but be curious.”

”A Fate and heaven’s will shrouded in utter chaos—this is a rare sight indeed.”

A phantom face in the sky began to flicker slowly, gradually solidifying into a tangible form.

Before long, a faceless demon materialized on the desolate, empty great earth.

This faceless demon was weak, barely at the early Nascent Soul Realm.

The unremarkable demon with its ordinary aura began to walk across the demon realm’s great earth, heading toward the few remaining void rifts.

Along its path, no creature in the demon realm seemed to notice the faceless demon. It passed through the land unchallenged, eliciting no reaction whatsoever.

Finally, the faceless demon arrived at an unclosed void rift and lowered its head to observe it closely.

(End of the Chapter)

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