For several days, scenes of gruesome carnage unfolded continuously across the Great Marsh of Cloud Dream. (Read full novels at .1κ.(1⑥κ.Literature Net)
Riding the Sky-Yuan Wyvern, Ji Changkong witnessed the depths of human malice. He felt that the experiences of these past few days were ten times more complex and terrifying than anything he had encountered in his previous dozen years, truly realizing the extent of madness some people would descend to for a specific goal.
For instance, a pair of Heaven-Masters, facing a formidable enemy, would not hesitate to shove the other forward as a human shield, absorbing the fatal blow just to save their own lives.
Another example: among fellow disciples of a sect, all aiming for the Nanyi treasures on a Raging Flame Beast, one smilingly administered poison while the other, during seemingly convivial conversation, suddenly struck the other down with a blade.
Immediately afterward, the first realized the wine he had drunk was lethally poisoned, the toxin seizing his heart, leading to the tragic deaths of both.
…
Even as he reached the foot of Azure Rock Mountain, on the verge of exiting the Great Marsh of Cloud Dream, this bloody feast had not concluded. In places unseen by Ji Changkong, countless corpses of powerful Heaven-Masters lay buried; countless fraternal bonds had shattered, and innumerable factions had crumbled into dust.
Ji Changkong, astride the Sky-Yuan Wyvern, never greedily sought the Nanyi treasures from the Raging Flame Beasts. Instead, he remained an outsider, observing the omnipresent bloody struggle with cold detachment.
In the span of just a few days, Ji Changkong seemed to mature overnight, completely shedding his former naivety.
He became considerably more composed, his heart hardened. He no longer offered indiscriminate help to others, nor was he fooled by the benevolent facades some people presented. He learned to observe details with his eyes and to feel the entire disorder of this world with his heart…
It was also during these days, despite abstaining from any cultivation, that Ji Changkong suddenly grasped another profound state described in the Taixu Secret Record—the Realm of Self-Existence (You Wo Zhi Jing).
Unlike the emptiness of the Realm of No-Self (Wu Wo Zhi Jing), in the Realm of Self-Existence, Ji Changkong’s mind was clear and tranquil, calm as still water. He could view everything around him as if he were an outsider, unperturbed by any sudden change, his heart-lake remaining utterly undisturbed.
He suddenly realized that, vast as heaven and earth are, and diverse as the myriad living things in the world may be, humanity remains the sovereign ruler of this realm, the most crucial and indispensable component of existence.
He himself was a witness, coolly observing the myriad changes in the world. Whether acknowledged or not, as long as he existed in this world, he was inherently involved, a part of everything.
The world, with him in it, truly became vibrant.
The world, with him in it, truly came into being.
The Realm of Self-Existence, the Realm of Self-Existence—I am now part of all things; I am a component of it. I should fully immerse myself in experiencing everything the world has to offer…
Suddenly, Ji Changkong miraculously entered the Realm of Self-Existence. All things in his sight seemed to burst into vibrant color. The great trees, the lakes, the stagnant swamps, even the blades of grass appeared imbued with life. He seemed to hear wondrous sounds… and comprehend the true essence of the manifold evolution of the multicolored miasma in the Great Marsh of Cloud Dream.
Within a certain radius around him, all the exotic beasts and Heaven-Masters instantly imprinted themselves onto Ji Changkong’s mind. At that moment, a miraculous grand net seemed to form within his consciousness.
Starting from him as the center, countless fine threads, invisible to the naked eye and imperceptible to the soul, drifted outward. These threads spread in all directions, connecting into points of light, with each point seemingly corresponding to a single life…
His mind shuddered with a resonant boom.
The next instant, Ji Changkong clearly perceived the surrounding primal energy fluctuations. His bright eyes lit up, and he looked toward two Heaven-Masters locked in combat in the distance. He could miraculously sense the flow trajectory of the primal energy within their bodies. Based on these trajectories, he could roughly deduce which part of their bodies the opponent would use to unleash their power.
No matter how deeply hidden the opponent concealed their intent, with just one glance, Ji Changkong seemed to understand the true nature of their killing move and when they were merely feigning or about to strike with full force.
This feeling was utterly wondrous, utterly uncanny!
His mastery over the ** of primal energy had reached an inconceivable level. As long as he maintained a heart as still as water, holding fast to the Realm of Self-Existence, he seemed capable of keenly detecting every fluctuation of primal energy around him.
Although he could not alter those primal energy changes, he knew precisely in what manner those forces would be released, and once unleashed, how great their power would be.
He knew it all with perfect clarity!
What did this imply?
It meant that in any future confrontation, no one would be able to conceal their strength before him!
It meant that once engaged, he could clearly discern which strike was a feint and which was the killing blow, and precisely how much power the opponent had invested in a single attack!
Heavens!
Ji Changkong’s spirit jolted. He could barely imagine that while still in the Three Realms Heaven realm, simply by being situated in the Realm of Self-Existence, he could reach such a profound level of comprehension!
The shock caused a ripple in his state of mind, and he suddenly withdrew from that wondrous state.
The moment he stepped out of the Realm of Self-Existence, that marvelous sensation vanished instantly, as if everything he had just felt had been an illusion.
But Ji Changkong knew, absolutely knew, that everything he had just experienced was definitely not an illusion!!
Taixu Secret Record, the Taixu Secret Record—what kind of Heaven-Master manual was this? Why was it so miraculous?
Ji Changkong felt a degree of confusion, also wondering why the Taixu Secret Record was hidden so deeply within his mind, as if it had existed there since birth.
Hoo-hoo!
The Sky-Yuan Wyvern let out a low whimper, stopping at the edge of the Great Marsh of Cloud Dream. Its body swayed gently, seeming to urge Ji Changkong to dismount.
Ahead lay Azure Rock Mountain. Yu Ziling, along with Zhongli Jingyi, Zhongli Hui, and others, were already starting up the mountain. At this moment, Heaven-Masters with cold expressions were gradually emerging from the Great Marsh.
On Azure Rock Mountain, it seemed that unfamiliar faces had appeared at some unknown time.
These people either stood openly on the mountain, or concealed themselves among the jutting rock formations, or perched at the entrances of various sheer cliffs, all watching with cold eyes the Nanyi envoys and the Heaven-Masters emerging from the Great Marsh.
Another wave of bloody slaughter seemed to be brewing…
“Dafeng, do you really not wish to leave the Cloud Dream?” Hearing the low whimper from the Sky-Yuan Wyvern beneath him, Ji Changkong slid down from its back and asked softly.
The Sky-Yuan Wyvern responded with a few more soft puffs. Ji Changkong nodded, forcing a wry smile. “If that’s the case, then you should return to Poison Dragon Pool on your own. I need to hurry back to the Ji family. That Old Mother Wushan—I wonder if she’s settled scores with my family yet, not to mention Zhao Meilan and Jia Rongfeng! Failing to force their compliance in the Great Marsh must have brought immense trouble to the Ji family.”
Having realized the wickedness of human nature over these past days and consequently growing, Ji Changkong was becoming increasingly mature and steady.
Several days prior, he had understood that his reckless actions in the Great Marsh would certainly make things difficult for the Ji family. He had originally planned to bring the Sky-Yuan Wyvern back to the Ji family, hoping that the Wyvern's power would deter Old Mother Wushan, Zhao Meilan, and others from making rash moves.
However, the Sky-Yuan Wyvern was unwilling to leave the Great Marsh, instantly shattering his carefully laid plan.
No matter what you do, you must consider the consequences beforehand, and never pin all your hopes on others!
Ji Changkong drew two important conclusions from his own experience, then, with a look of bitterness, walked resolutely out of the Great Marsh of Cloud Dream toward Azure Rock Mountain.
His heart still as water, in that instant, Ji Changkong once again entered the Realm of Self-Existence.
On Azure Rock Mountain, every hidden Heaven-Master was instantly exposed to his sight.
As long as a being possessed life and primal energy fluctuation within a certain range, none could escape Ji Changkong’s perception!
…