The versatile application of the first layer meant that even the Arhat Huiji found himself unable to resist raising his alms bowl and collecting quite a few small Wind Spirits.

Once the three separated, they indeed managed to secure the majority of the Wind Spirits; those remaining, although they coalesced back into a mass, were significantly diminished in power compared to before.

With their assistance, Arhat Huiji was able to firmly suppress the eruption of the Nine Nether Yin Wind, gradually turning the tide.

The true might of the Wind Calming Pearl also began to manifest.

The calamity of the Nine Nether Yin Wind was slowly receding.

Feng Zikang continued to unleash his sword strikes, slicing and absorbing the Wind Spirits.

Before long, Feng Zikang finally collected the last vestiges of the Wind Spirits. The situation reversed: where the Nine Nether Yin Wind had once choked Huiji’s Buddha-light, now the Buddha-light was suppressing the Yin Wind, gradually forcing the currents back into the collapsing vortex of the wind eye.

“Om mani padme hum! Seal!”

Arhat Huiji intoned the Six-Syllable True Mantra, sealing every breach in the wind eye. This great explosion of the Nine Nether Yin Wind was finally quelled!

“Hoo!”

Arhat Huiji retracted his Arhat Golden Body manifestation and plummeted from the sky, collapsing in a heap, utterly spent. He gasped for breath in ragged, wheezing pulls.

“You wicked boy, taking my Wind Calming Pearl and causing me such misery,”

He grumbled under his breath, still pointing an accusing finger at Feng Zikang.

The Wind Calming Pearl floated and bobbed in the air, purging the last remnants of the Yin Wind's evil aura.

Feng Zikang rushed forward, offering a small, apologetic smile. “Master Huiji, ignorance is no sin. Your junior truly had no idea that your guardianship of the Wind Calming Pearl was for this reason. I was compelled to borrow it for the sake of the Great Tribulation facing Heaven and Earth. I only intended to return it stealthily after use, never dreaming it would trigger such a catastrophe. It is truly my fault!”

Following this disaster of the Nine Nether Yin Wind, the entire Cihua Temple lay in ruins, a sight of utter desolation.

Fortunately, they had been quick enough to evacuate everyone down the mountain; the lack of casualties was a small blessing amidst the disaster.

“Hmph!”

Arhat Huiji grunted, then sighed, “Perhaps this was also Heaven’s will. Otherwise, with my deep connection to the Wind Calming Pearl, how could I have been kept ignorant for so long? Boy, I never imagined you were the destined one for this Great Tribulation, capable of obscuring the mechanisms of Heaven. I didn't even perceive it when I first met you!”

Although Arhat Huiji was a reincarnation of an Arhat, in this lifetime, he was merely a cultivator and lacked the Celestial Eye ability. When Feng Zikang and True Man Nu first arrived, due to the veil over the Heavenly Secrets, he failed to recognize that this young man was the very person governing the current Great Tribulation.

It was only today, with the great eruption of the Nine Nether Yin Wind and Feng Zikang’s return with the Wind Calming Pearl, that he pieced everything together through subsequent deductions.

The boy needed the Wind Calming Pearl precisely because of the Great Tribulation. Therefore, even with Huiji’s cultivation level, his divine sense was obscured, and he was tricked. The fact that the Nine Nether Yin Wind erupted precisely when Feng Zikang was returning the pearl was due to the inevitable flow of karma, and he couldn't entirely blame the youth.

It was fortunate that Huiji was there to suppress the event, and the Wind Calming Pearl was returned, preventing a greater catastrophe.

“A secular temple, if it’s destroyed, it’s just a temple, it means nothing.”

Arhat Huiji then turned to the Turtle Child, smiling, “This young supplicant possesses sharp eyes. Destroying the Buddha statue revealed his true nature. He walks a path that is somewhat…”

He had long sensed the extraordinary nature of the Turtle Child; the boy was peculiar, and Huiji could not discern his origins.

Feng Zikang knew the monk was powerful. At this moment, he did not want the Turtle Child’s identity exposed.

He had a faint feeling that the Turtle Child was one who had survived the previous Calamity, someone of utmost importance. So, he let out a chuckle, “Master, this is my junior disciple. He is young and naive, often rash in his actions. Since matters here are settled, and the Wind Calming Pearl has been returned to its rightful owner, we shall take our leave.”

Arhat Huiji was currently in a weakened state, unlikely to notice any subtle clues.

Though he found it somewhat inexplicable that he had suffered a small loss at the hands of this younger disciple during their recent struggle, his mind was foggy now, and he didn't dwell on it.

Feng Zikang tugged the Turtle Child, who was sharp enough to understand immediately. He nodded an apology, showing utmost respect, and then fled with Feng Zikang in a flash.

Arhat Huiji sat for a while before sensing that something was amiss. He shook his head with a wry smile. He, the great guardian of the Four Symbols, being bested by a mere third-generation disciple of the Military School—what did that make him? Moreover, that child was a spirit creature, practicing something clearly not Military Dao arts, yet not standard demonic magic either, leaving him uncertain.

However, his duty to guard the Wind Calming Pearl was paramount, requiring his constant presence. He decided not to concern himself with these trivial worldly matters, merely shaking his head in self-mockery.

“That rascal! He fooled me again!”

※

Feng Zikang and the Turtle Child departed from Cihua Temple on Luyun Mountain. Though this trip had been fraught with peril, they had managed to acquire a substantial amount of Wind Spirits, which would be useful for forging magical artifacts in the future.

“I have an elder sister who forged a Wind Pouch using these Wind Spirits; it’s incredibly potent,”

The Turtle Child gazed at the Wind Spirits in his hand with excitement. “It’s a shame we don’t have enough now. Otherwise, we could ask her to forge one for us to play with.”

As soon as the words left his mouth, he remembered that this was two thousand years in the future. Even if his sister hadn't perished during the Sealing of the Gods, she would likely be a child in this world now. He couldn't help but slump slightly in melancholy.

Feng Zikang smiled faintly and offered a few words of comfort.

He, too, was quite pleased. After all, Wind Spirits were rare. While they might not be enough to forge a treasure as mighty as the Wind Pouch, they were still incredibly useful, especially when integrated into weapons, as they could enhance the speed of the sword light.

Others would be reluctant to easily refine Wind Spirits into their magical weapons, but Feng Zikang’s Swallowing Heaven Ancient Sword could grow continuously, so he had no reservations. He planned to begin artifact refining as soon as he returned to the Longhu Mountain.

The Turtle Child suddenly recalled something and turned to ask Feng Zikang.

“Brother Feng, that Arhat Huiji was quite rude. Having achieved the Golden Body, why did he speak so disrespectfully, calling me a demon? If it weren't for his dedication to suppressing the catastrophe and saving the masses, I certainly wouldn't have let it slide.”

Feng Zikang smiled wryly and could only explain the current state of the cultivation world.

In the ancient past, humans, demons, and immortals coexisted, and humanity held no particular animosity toward demons. Many demon cultivators participated in their practice; the Turtle Child was one such example.

But things were vastly different now; the paths of humans and demons diverged, leading to deep-seated hatred.

Just like Feng Zikang, who had recently fought a battle against the demons of the Inexhaustible Sea. Now, there was no place for demon cultivators to exist in the Central Plains’ cultivation world, a stark contrast to ancient times.

The Turtle Child was stunned to hear this. “Then, Brother Feng, does that make me a demon?”

He shook his head in distress, clearly unhappy.

Feng Zikang laughed. “This current trend is unavoidable. That’s why I suggested you temporarily reside within my Mystic Realm to continue your cultivation slowly. It won't be too late to emerge when the world’s atmosphere improves. Even if you chose to go to the Demon Cultivator Realms overseas, they are ferocious and tyrannical; I fear you wouldn't adapt well.”

The Turtle Child considered it. This was indeed the best course of action. He already trusted Feng Zikang completely, and hearing that the vast world offered him no place to stand made residing in the Mystic Realm seem like a good alternative.

Feng Zikang smiled faintly and led him back to the Bamboo Grove of the Military School on Longhu Mountain, entering the Mystic Realm.

He had been gone for a long time this time, and he had left everyone else inside the Mystic Realm as well. Seeing him return, everyone was overjoyed. The little fox even nuzzled against him, unwilling to leave for a long time.

The appearance of this Mystic Realm had also changed drastically.

With the concerted efforts of everyone working together, aided by the Celestial Maiden Tianfu, although the place was still desolate, its area had expanded more than threefold. Furthermore, with several Conferred Gods patrolling day and night, signs of vitality were beginning to appear.

The Turtle Child was also astonished.

He hadn't expected Feng Zikang’s Mystic Realm to possess such a profound mechanism. Given Feng Zikang’s current cultivation, merely possessing a small realm the size of a mountain or a cave would already be exceptional.

He never imagined that Feng Zikang’s Mystic Realm, to his perception, was now comparable to the Main Mystic Realm itself. Although the sun, moon, and stars flickered in dimness, and the overall realm seemed withered, the very core of the Mystic Realm was continuously brimming with vitality and still expanding.

Within the Mystic Realm, several Divine Seats were operating, cycling in and out—truly remarkable.

“Brother Feng, you truly keep your depths hidden!”

After Feng Zikang introduced the Turtle Child to everyone, the latter couldn't help but exclaim in front of the group.

“Even a Great Overarching Golden Immortal might not possess a Mystic Realm like this. I don't know what fortune you possess, Brother Feng, to acquire such a realm. I suspect if this Mystic Realm fully develops, it could rival those of the various Sect Masters!”

Feng Zikang’s heart stirred. He knew very little about this Mystic Realm, but judging by the Turtle Child’s commentary, he seemed quite knowledgeable. He immediately began inquiring further.

It turned out that in the ancient times, most Immortals with great divine powers possessed their own Mystic Realms. For instance, the Golden Cloud Cave on Jade Spring Mountain was essentially a branch of a Mystic Realm, existing as a gateway between the Mystic Realm and the mortal world.

The scale of the Mystic Realm was intrinsically linked not only to an Immortal’s divine power and cultivation but also to their overall strength.

The various resources they required simply could not be produced in the small mortal world; they were only found within the Primordial World. All Immortals went to great lengths to find fragments of the Primordial World to forge Mystic Realms. This allowed them ample maneuvering room, whether for refining treasures or nurturing disciples.

Feng Zikang pondered this and realized it was the fundamental truth.

Since the shattering of the Primordial World, much of the rare heavenly and earthly materials became impossible to find. If everyone only fought over resources on the surface of the mortal earth, it would lead to the current situation of the Three Sects and Nine Schools, where no single faction possessed enough resources. The difficulty of achieving immortality was thus a natural consequence.

But if one possessed a Mystic Realm and managed it properly, it would naturally contain all sorts of resources sufficient for one person’s path to immortality, allowing them to calmly ascend to the Immortal ranks.

However, after the separation of Heaven and Earth, Immortals departed the mortal dust, and the people remaining on the ground redeveloped their cultivation methods. They found it increasingly difficult to break through this barrier because obtaining a Mystic Realm became increasingly rare.

For the Three Sects and Nine Schools to establish a great Mystic Realm with the power of a single faction was likely born out of necessity.

The small, personal Mystic Realms, like Yuan Buhuan’s Minor Sumeru Realm, naturally could not serve the function of centralizing resources.

“But, Brother Feng, your Mystic Realm is truly formidable!”