There are no ancestors at all; I made them all up.

Chapter 228 Starlight Disperses, Remains Appear

Chen Qing slowly withdrew his hand, and the starlight from the sky disappeared into his sleeve.

After a complex battle, victory is often achieved with just a simple move.

As the starlight faded, the area shrouded by the Lesser Heavenly Star Constellation Restriction was a scene of utter devastation, with cracks crisscrossing the scorched earth and fragments of broken magical artifacts scattered about.

The original formidable enemies have all been defeated and their story has come to an end.

"It's all over, it ...!"

The group of young cultivators, who were being protected by Elder Qu Lezhi of Liyang Palace, were now pale as death, and some of them were even trembling slightly!

After all, they had witnessed firsthand the execution of the great figures of the Righteous Law Sect, the defeat and death of the Taiyi True Man, the escape of the Heavenly Mystery Alliance envoy, and the unknown fate of the Huanglong Sect's grandmaster!

These important figures, whom we used to look up to, were like clay chickens and earthen dogs in front of this monk in blue robes, utterly vulnerable!
Who wouldn’t be confused after seeing this?
In their fear, their gazes involuntarily fell upon Qu Lezhi, hoping that this elder of Liyang Palace could protect their lives. However, judging from the situation just now, it was unlikely that he could accomplish anything.

Qu Lezhi's expression was extremely solemn!
Just then, Chen Qing turned his gaze.

When they were looked at by him, everyone felt their bodies grow heavy, as if his gaze was heavier than a mountain!
Qu Lezhi's white hair trembled slightly, a resolute look flashed in his eyes, then he took a deep breath, suddenly raised his hand, his fingers like knives, and blazing fire burst from his fingertips before slashing down without hesitation!

"laugh--"

A flash of blood appeared as his left arm was severed at the shoulder and fell to the ground, instantly turning to ashes by the remaining star power.

Instantly, the old man's face turned deathly pale, and he was drenched in cold sweat, but he clenched his teeth and did not utter a sound.

Immediately afterwards, he shakily took out an object from his bosom, which was an ancient and mottled bronze array plate. The Nine Palaces Fire Diagram was engraved on it, and the phantom of the Vermilion Bird could be seen flowing between the flickering flames, exuding a warm and spiritual charm.

This change left the group of young cultivators completely dumbfounded!

"I, Qu Lezhi, was blind and foolish, willingly serving the Heavenly Mystery Alliance by interfering with Your Excellency... This is a grave offense, and I dare not refute it." Qu Lezhi's voice was hoarse, yet every word was clear. As he spoke, he held the array plate above his head. "This old arm is my way of atoning for my mistake and deserves the punishment. As for this 'Vermilion Bird Array Plate,' it is a profound artifact that I have nurtured for five hundred years. It can control the Southern Bright Fire, set up the Nine Palaces Burning Heaven Array, and can also serve as an array treasure, carrying the mysteries of array formations. Even this Zhou Tian Star Dipper Restriction can carry one or two tenths of its rhythm. I offer it to Your Excellency as an apology!"

Seeing the old man's decisiveness, Chen Qing couldn't help but show a look of surprise.

As he spoke, he paused to catch his breath, enduring the excruciating pain. His gaze swept over the trembling young cultivators behind him, and his tone shifted: "I beg Your Excellency to spare the lives of these youngsters, considering their difficult cultivation and their youthful ignorance. They have no connection whatsoever to today's events; they only appeared here by chance. If this apology still does not appease Your Excellency, then take my life without complaint!"

Having said that, he changed the subject, his voice tinged with emotion, and looked directly at Chen Qing: "To be honest, I have been cultivating the Dao of Arrays for a thousand years and consider myself quite familiar with the Jade Capital Arrays. But only today, having witnessed it with my own eyes, have I truly understood what the 'Starry Sky Forbidden Array, which is governed by a single thought' means! If I had known earlier that you could comprehend and master this Zhou Tian Starry Sky Forbidden Array, the foundation of the Jade Capital, I would never have dared to oppose you, let alone the Heavenly Mystery Alliance's schemes, or even if the Immortal Emperor himself had summoned me! This time... it is because I was like a frog in a well, and this calamity was my just deserts!"

Chen Qing looked at the radiant Vermilion Bird Array Plate, then at the charred wound on the old man's severed arm, and finally at the young faces behind him, filled with fear yet also grief and indignation at their teacher's actions. He sighed.

"You're so straightforward, but it makes me look like the villain."

He raised his hand and grabbed at the air, and the Vermilion Bird Array Plate flew into his hand. It shimmered with light and was accompanied by the faint chirping of birds. Then, with a casual flick of his sleeve, starlight rushed towards the crowd like the wind!

"Go then."

"Oh no! He's attacked us!"

As the wind of starlight swept by, before the exclamations of the group of musicians had even subsided, they were swept away by the wind, and the scenery before their eyes spun around. When they looked again, they found themselves outside the Forest of Steles, far away from that starlight prison filled with lurking danger.

Qu Lezhi staggered a step, the pain from his severed arm piercing him, but he endured the pain and looked back. His heart calmed down a little, and then he sensed a terrifying figure struggling and surging deep in the starry clouds!
"This is..." Qu Lezhi then focused his mind and transmitted his thoughts, his voice piercing through the array barrier and reaching Chen Qing's ears: "Fellow Daoist Li! Although the two Great True Immortals of Taiyi Dao Palace have perished at your hands, the being they summoned is extraordinary! It is the remains of the Dharma Aspect! Although its body is not as wondrous as the Dharma Aspect True Monarch's supernatural powers, it is still a fragment of the laws of heaven and earth, impervious to all laws, and it also contains the fighting instincts of the Dharma Aspect True Monarch! Although it has no intelligence, its power is already beyond the reach of a Nascent Soul! You must be extremely cautious!"

Inside the formation, Chen Qing's eyes flickered, his mind racing: "This Taiyi Dao Palace's most treasured Dharma form remnant has actually been attracted. However, I'm not entirely without a way to deal with it. Putting aside the fact that the Taiyuan Emperor's aura hasn't been activated yet, the black cat's method of control, though incomplete and requiring the sect leader's token or core inheritance to command, does have a way to interfere, though it requires risking getting close. Moreover, if I can delay it properly, perhaps I can find a solution outside the dream..."

As he was thinking, he suddenly sensed something and his body moved like lightning, suddenly retreating several feet. His gaze turned and shot towards the spot where Shen Nanting had died.

"jingle!"

A small, bright yellow bell that had fallen into the dust suddenly flew into the air, jingled, and then a rich, almost tangible, bright yellow aura surged out!

The yellow energy swirled, condensed, and took shape, transforming into a figure—it was none other than the projection of the will that had been trapped in the maze!
At this moment, however, this projection is manifested by the remnants of the bell and the energy of merit, making it several times more solid than before, with its pressure contained within.

"Your spiritual senses are sharp; you are indeed a figure capable of stirring up trouble in the North. However, Yujing is not the North after all. If you continue like this, you will attract a truly terrifying being, and then things will become uncontrollable." The projection then solidified and said calmly, "You may call me Venerable Huangyun."

The projection of Venerable Huangyun was blurry, but it exuded a peaceful aura. After condensing, it did not make a move, but instead spoke calmly: "Today's events were caused by Shen Nanting acting on his own initiative and being self-righteous. He came to make things difficult for you without informing us. He has brought this situation upon himself and has already paid the price. Your anger should subside."

"Acting on his own initiative?" Chen Qing shook his head with a smile upon hearing this. "That's truly novel. He can mobilize a great deal of power and even grasp the key information about the formation related to the Zhou Tian Star Battle Restriction just by acting on his own initiative? There's no need to say anything more about these pointless words."

The Venerable Huangyun remained unperturbed, instead changing the subject: "Do you know that I have always advocated accepting you? My previous actions were merely to protect you, to prevent you from developing unnecessary ambitions because your path has been too smooth?" "So, if my path is smooth, I must be suppressed? Must be disciplined? What, can I always have a smooth path?" Chen Qing shook his head, taking a step forward, starlight gathering around him. "If you manifested here only to say these irrelevant things, then you should leave!" As he spoke, starlight, like swords, whistled down!

"Buzz!"

But the next moment, a bright yellow cloud spread out like ripples!
Suddenly, all those starlight points were frozen in mid-air, unable to advance an inch!

"It's no use. This projection of mine is built on the foundation of merit for saving the world and is protected by the fortune of the Immortal Dynasty. It originates from the starlight of the Immortal Dynasty's grand formation and cannot harm me in the slightest. It's only because Shen Nanting underestimated me and did not use this treasure from the beginning that I would not have ended up in this situation."

Venerable Huang Yun's tone remained calm throughout. At this point, he no longer concealed his intentions and stated directly: "You have also heard the rumors spread by Qu Lezhi. What he said is true. There is a Dharma Formation remnant lurking outside, and with the Starry Sky Restriction power you have borrowed, you may be able to trap it for a while, but you will hardly be able to damage it in the slightest. If you hold on for too long, you will surely lose it. Moreover, the true mastermind of the Jade Capital Grand Formation may not be happy to see you control this power for a long time. Only my merit energy can protect you for a short while and help you get out of this predicament!"

"So this merit of saving the world can be used in this way!" Sensing the pure and vast merit energy, Chen Qing was not annoyed at all. Instead, his brows relaxed, and he asked, "You must be a member of the Heavenly Secrets Alliance. I've heard that the people of the Heavenly Secrets Alliance are the most skilled at scheming and are very knowledgeable. From what you're saying, the Dharma body remains of the Taiyi Dao Palace are also related to the Immortal Dynasty and are restrained by the merit of saving the world?"

"Of course. Without the blessing of the Celestial Dynasty, even the remains of a sect's seniors contain a Dharma Aspect Will that no one else can subdue! What level is a Dharma Aspect True Monarch? Even if their soul and spirit are destroyed, their remains are almost a small world with a lofty status. How can others easily humiliate or control them?"

As Venerable Huangyun spoke, he exuded an air of absolute authority, and when he spoke of the power of the Dharma Aspect True Monarch, he radiated an even greater arrogance: "Li Qing, you have proven your worth. Come back to the Heavenly Mystery Alliance with me, and I can settle today's matter once and for all. The Heavenly Mystery Alliance can also mediate the karma on Taiyi's side for you, and can even grant you the position of Elder, grant you access to the secret Daoist scriptures, and help you truly refine the Xuanmen and comprehend the wonders of the Dharma Aspect. This is your best and only choice at present."

“Your words sound familiar. Many people have made similar suggestions on behalf of their own sects,” Chen Qing said with a slight smile. “Unfortunately, I, Li Qing, seek freedom and self-control in my cultivation, not to be subservient to others. The Heavenly Mystery Alliance Temple is too big for a hermit like me to live in.”

Venerable Huangyun shook his head slightly, but showed no anger. He said, "You are young and arrogant, and you don't know the immensity of heaven and earth. Relying on a few fortuitous opportunities, you have temporarily seized the power of the Starry Sky Forbidden Zone. Do you think you can ignore all the heroes in the world? The power of the Dharma Form is far beyond your imagination. However, I cherish talent and will give you a chance to see what it means to be arrogant and ignorant!"

As soon as he finished speaking, he pointed his finger!
"boom!"

The bright yellow aura of merit suddenly surged and rolled out from its projection, turning into streams of light that enveloped Chen Qing. Then, it suddenly gathered together and turned into a cloud of bright yellow mist!
Chen Qing felt a sense of familiarity and comfort, as if he had come home. Then, his vision blurred and the surrounding scenery became distorted. The stele forest and starlight faded away, replaced by a chaotic and ethereal place.

Without any basis in the directions above or below, and with no discernible past or present, only countless subtle streams of light weave and intertwine like silk threads, evolving mysteries and profound truths.

"This is the 'realm of Dao discussion' that I created by combining the energy of merit with the laws of Xuanhuang."

The voice of Venerable Huangyun echoed from the void—

"Here, supernatural powers and magical abilities are irrelevant; only the fundamental principles of the Great Dao matter! If your Dao heart is firm, your path is clear, and you have developed your own system, you can break through to the next realm. Otherwise, you will remain here and reflect on your actions! However, this will protect you for a while, preventing you from perishing at the hands of that Taiyi walking corpse!"

Yellow clouds surged, and once Chen Qing was enveloped by that bright yellow cloud, he was isolated from the outside world, seemingly falling into another realm.

"The sky is dark, its path is lofty and boundless; the earth is yellow, its path is profound and expansive! The Xuanhuang Dao that I pursue is one of the superior Heaven and Earth Dao Fruits. I have almost fully comprehended the Yellow Division within it, which is why I can intervene in worldly affairs! With this arrangement, no matter how high Li Qing's talent is, he will definitely not be able to comprehend it in a short time. Even if he does comprehend it, he will be incorporated into my lineage and become my disciple in the future, working for me..."

Outside, the projection of Venerable Huangyun stood with his hands behind his back, his expression calm, his eyes gleaming with divine light, as if observing the changes in heaven and earth.

"It's about time to wrap this up."

Suddenly, he waved his long sleeves, and the surrounding starlight barrier shook violently, flickering unpredictably!

However, the Lesser Heavenly Star Constellation Restriction, having lost Chen Qing's control, became like a tree without roots or water without a source, unable to maintain its previous perfect and stable state, revealing its flaws, and was broken by him in the blink of an eye!
"Buzz!"

The innate maze formed by the stars and clouds outside the starlight dissipated, revealing a terrifying figure inside!
"Ow—"

It was not humanoid, but a colossal figure with nine heads, one arm, a blue face, and fangs!

Its body was indistinct, covered with a dim divine light, and its surface was densely covered with twisted and incomplete Dao patterns that served its purpose, radiating a chaotic and immense pressure.

Without the star curtain to shield it, its mere existence caused the surrounding space to shatter continuously, and within a radius of a hundred miles, light was distorted and the laws of nature were disordered!

This is one of the foundations of Taiyi Dao Palace: the indestructible body left behind after the fall of Faxiang Zhenjun—

The remains of the Dharma image!

Although this remains have no intelligence, they retain some of the fighting instincts and terrifying power they possessed in life. Furthermore, due to the twist between life and death, they have become even more bizarre and insane!

"Quickly! Set up formation! Seal off this area!"

In the distance, streaks of light rushed towards them, as the Jade Capital Sky Patrol Guards noticed the anomaly and hurriedly teleported to the scene.

From afar, when they saw the terrifying remains, their faces turned pale with shock and anger, and they hurriedly summoned various magical artifacts and talismans.

"Has the Taiyi Dao Palace gone mad! They reported that they had captured an enemy of the sect, but instead they summoned such a ferocious creature in Yujing City!"

(End of this chapter)