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

Chapter 231 Emperor’s arrival
"what?"

The Taoist priest, who had always been calm and collected, finally showed a hint of surprise. His gaze fell on Chen Qing, as if he could penetrate his skin and look directly into the illusory image of the "heart sword" that was slowly dissipating deep within his soul.

"How could you sever your own evil thoughts and cut off the power of my words? And you even regard the operating principles of my 'Universe in My Sleeve' as external resources, intending to convert them? However, what kind of technique is this? I have never seen it before! It is so exquisite that it could not have been created on the spot. It should have evolved over a long period of time. But if that's the case, it shouldn't remain unknown..."

The interest in the Taoist's gentle eyes intensified considerably.

"Your comprehension is excellent, but your foundation is shallow. This sword strike that cuts through evil can only do so temporarily, but it cannot sever the shackles of this world! Fortunately, I acted early. If I hadn't met you today and allowed you to grow, who knows how much chaos would have arisen in the future! Stop!"

As soon as the Taoist finished speaking, the Qiankun Sleeve Roll, which had hesitated for a moment, closed inward and swallowed Chen Qing's dust-like figure, pulling him into the world within the sleeve.

Then, the Taoist put his hands behind his back, and the void in front of him naturally rippled, forming a rippled portal three zhang away. He took a step forward, his posture calm and composed.

However, before this step could be taken, a sudden change occurred!

In the next instant, Chen Qing staggered out of the ripple gate three zhang away. Although his face was as pale as paper and his breathing was disordered, his eyes were frighteningly bright.

Xuanmen (Taoist sect) guidance!

In that instant when the universe within his sleeve was about to close but was about to close, and a sliver of space was cleaved open by Zhan Nie's sword, he regarded that sliver as a "door" and forcibly moved out!

"Hmm?" The Taoist was genuinely moved for the first time, a glint of light flashing in his eyes. He then clapped his hands and chuckled, "Wonderful! You actually managed to find a way out of my confinement within my sleeve, breaking free from your predicament! Your comprehension of this Dao is almost instinctive, far surpassing the realm of ordinary supernatural powers. It's truly an anomaly that the Hidden Star Sect has produced someone like you. If you can grow stronger, you might even be able to share in the source of heaven and earth! If I didn't have some questions for you, I would have killed you today!"

Before the praise had even faded, he had already raised his hand and pointed at Chen Qing from afar.

This gesture was light and casual, lacking the earth-shattering power of a hidden universe.

But as soon as the finger fell, Chen Qing felt a bone-chilling "wind" blow over him!
In an instant, he felt as if his soul and consciousness were about to be blown away, his memories became blurred, and even his concept of "I" began to waver. The spiritual light flowing around him, the Daoist charm of the Golden Core, and even the colors were all blown away by this strange "wind" and tended to peel away!

Like paint being washed away with water, revealing the pale underpainting.

"You have every reason to be proud that I would use this technique."

"I intended to lure a swarm of sharks, but instead I caught a Kunpeng! The success or failure of this plan hinges on this one move! However, even if this 'Li Qing' body perishes here today, it would be worth it to have been able to directly confront a current Immortal Emperor and witness his abilities!"

Chen Qing bit his tongue, regaining some clarity. Just now, he had forcibly activated the Xuanmen Guidance to escape from that supernatural power, almost draining his divine sense. If it weren't for the Xuanmen's growth, he would have been completely exhausted. But facing this life-or-death situation, he crushed all his distracting thoughts, and all his divine soul power and Dao foundation essence burned and converged into one point at this moment!
"Destiny connects with the unseen realm; the Great Origin summons you!"

"Boom boom boom!!!"

"Crack!"

Immediately afterwards, a soft cracking sound came from the very center of the stele forest, from the simple and unadorned Taiyuan Xuan Stele!
The Taoist paused almost imperceptibly, then suddenly turned his head, his gaze falling on the crack spreading across the surface of the Xuan Stele!

Within the cracks, a vast imperial aura seemed to be slowly awakening!
The Taoist's gentle eyes suddenly narrowed.

"Master's Daoist aura?!"

His surprise was quickly suppressed, as if nothing could shake his resolve: "You can actually activate the residual energy left by your master in the Xuan Stele? No! This energy is deeply hidden, involving the key to the True One Dao Integration Realm. Anyone who acts rashly will suffer a backlash, their soul and spirit destroyed! How can you withstand it?"

Chen Qing had no mind to talk to him anymore. His hand seals changed rapidly, and his aura surged, resonating and coexisting with the surging imperial aura!
"boom!"

A power far greater and more powerful than when it was activated in the North suddenly awakened, accompanied by a blurry figure as it awoke and was poured into Chen Qing's body!

His physical body was instantly strengthened, and even cracks appeared on his flesh, emitting golden rays that exploded and radiated in all directions!
His divine sense surged at an unprecedented speed, as if breaking free from the shackles of his physical body and leaping to an incredible dimension. Looking up, he saw an endless expanse of starlight!
"Boom!"

The entire celestial constellation of the Jade Capital was drawn to him, and the vast starlight intertwined above his head to form a blurry yet magnificent "sky dome"!
Within that sky, there lies the concept of "Heavenly Circle," which encompasses all things and operates in an orderly manner. The sun, moon, and stars intersect and overlap, evolving into terrifying implications such as attraction, sinking, and returning to nothingness!
"The meaning of the roundness of heaven? We can't let him truly comprehend it!"

The Taoist's gaze sharpened, and without further hesitation, he raised his hand and pointed again.

"All things are scrolls, thoughts are paintings."

With a single finger, the world changed color!
The scene around Chen Qing distorted once again, as if the entire world, along with the flowing spiritual energy, scattered thoughts, and even his own rising fighting spirit and thought process, were forcibly unfolded into an invisible scroll!
The Taoist priest was none other than the painter holding the brush. With a flick of his fingertips, he arbitrarily smeared, modified, and even attempted to "erase" or "distort" Chen Qing's thoughts and emotions, making it difficult for him to "comprehend" anything!
Unfortunately, Chen Qing did not truly comprehend the Daoist legacy on the Xuan Stele; he merely summoned the historical echoes of the Taiyuan Immortal Emperor from it!

"break!"

Feeling the surging imperial aura within him, Chen Qing made a stroke towards the invisible scroll!
This stroke did not break the scroll with its sharpness, but rather burst forth with a kind of "anchoring" force, as if an unchanging star had fallen from the sky, forcibly fixing the ever-changing "canvas" so that it could no longer be arbitrarily altered.

At the same time, the sky above rotated slightly, absorbing and deflecting all the distorted thoughts and lines of law that were eroding it, and even trying to incorporate them into its own stellar orbit!

The Taoist priest remained indifferent and pointed with his finger!
"Hey!"

A tearing sound echoed in the void, and the invisible scroll was forcibly stabilized. The Taoist's rule erosion was temporarily resisted, but the sky was also reflected in the scroll, thus preventing it from continuing to devour and absorb the invisible scroll!
have equal shares!

"This power is too mysterious and difficult to use! Moreover, I am ultimately relying on borrowed power, and if I use it too often, I will definitely reveal a flaw! I must find another way!"

Taking advantage of this brief moment, Chen Qing's mind raced. With the aid of the Emperor's aura, his eyes blazed with divine light, piercing through illusions and shooting directly at the Daoist's true form, attempting to find his weakness and origins. But what he saw there sent a jolt of shock through him!

The seemingly solid body of that Taoist priest, from Emperor Yun's perspective, revealed a kind of "disharmony," as if it were not a complete body of flesh and soul, but rather a projection of another self that carried power and will!
The projection was just too realistic, almost indistinguishable from the real thing!
"Could this not be Tai Jing's true form descending?" Chen Qing suddenly realized, but then his vigilance intensified.

If a projection has such power, how terrifying must its real body be?
But before he could think further, the surrounding scenery changed again. He didn't know when he had fallen into a painting. He was surrounded by a bustling city and many figures. False memories began to grow in his mind. Chen Qing suddenly felt as if he had lived here for a long time and was a part of this place. As for Chen Qing, Li Qing, Chen Xu, and so on, it was all just a dream. When he woke up, he would still be...

"wrong!"

The imperial aura surged, and he suddenly awoke, realizing that he had almost fallen into a trap again. He then turned his hand seals, and the celestial spheres in the sky converged, drawing in a domain power that suppressed extraordinary supernatural abilities, allowing Chen Qing to escape from the painting!
Chen Qing felt utterly exhausted, his heart sinking!

Although the imperial aura is powerful, it consumes a great deal of energy, especially when resisting this mysterious and profound erosion, which is far more strenuous than engaging in a direct confrontation with divine powers.

In contrast, the Taoist priest, though initially surprised, quickly adapted.

"So that's how it is! You didn't comprehend the true essence of the Mysterious Stele, but rather borrowed the old friendship between True Monarch Hidden Star and Master, forcibly using a secret technique to borrow their power! No wonder... no wonder Father once said that True Monarch Hidden Star and Master had a very close relationship, even such a secret could be used by you! You still dare to say that you are not his reincarnation?!"

Chen Qing knew he couldn't delay any longer. Facing the Taijing Immortal Emperor, even just a projection of him would be too taxing!

"The best course of action now is to take advantage of the still-powerful imperial aura and make our escape!"

With this thought in mind, he suddenly activated the remaining imperial aura, and the sky above expanded with a roar, and the gravitational field of the stars crashed down, forcibly distorting the space around him that had been solidified by the "scroll", creating a momentary gap!
Immediately, Chen Qing transformed into a streak of light and vanished in an instant!

"Do you think you can get out of Yujing?" the Taoist said indifferently, flicking his sleeve.

"Om-"

The entire Zhou Tian Xing Dou barrier in Yu Jing shook violently. The star power borrowed by Chen Qing became sluggish and chaotic, as if an invisible hand had forcibly taken over control, forming numerous obstacles that resonated with the entire Yu Jing, turning into a huge shield that blocked the way!

Chen Qing pointed his finger, and amidst the booming sound, the great formation remained completely still!
He vaguely sensed a force that restrained the imperial aura!
"Although I can manipulate the Zhou Tian Xing Dou Jie formation, this formation is of ancient origin and contains many secrets that I have never explored. While I can use it freely within the city, I am unable to break through the barriers!"

At the same time, Chen Qing felt the imperial aura attached to him was rapidly dissipating, several times faster than last time!
"The consumption is too fast! If we can't leave Yujing, then we can only replenish the Imperial Essence. Besides this Xuan Stele, there are two other ruins in the city! But the Holy Yuan Ancestral Temple is located in the core of the Immortal Dynasty. Going there would be tantamount to walking into a trap..."

His mind raced, and he instantly rejected the second option, his gaze fixed on a certain spot in the city—

That was the third site Yu Yin mentioned, the bottom of Nili!
Besides the Taiyuan Ruins, there are also strange objects sealed within, which are said to be extremely dangerous!

But at this point, there's no time to worry about anything else!
"Using the projection of himself to temporarily contain the power of the Imperial Aura, he can protect himself within it, and then draw out an echo, allowing the Imperial Aura to continue its power!"

Chen Qing made a decisive move, no longer trying to escape. Instead, he turned around and rushed towards the bottom of the hell instead of heading outwards!

The Taoist's projection raised an eyebrow slightly, looking in the direction where Chen Qing disappeared, and immediately understood!
"If this person can truly draw upon the power of our master, sending him to the depths of hell would be far too dangerous! It might even jeopardize the very foundation of our Great Dao! We absolutely cannot allow it!"

The Taoist priest flipped his whisk, which resembled a writing brush. With a whirl in mid-air, the spiritual energy condensed into a tangible substance, transforming into an invisible prison that enveloped Chen Qing.

But then the gravitational pull of the stars in the sky suddenly erupted, and with a "whoosh," the binding force shattered completely!
The Taoist priest remained unmoved, and swung his whisk three times in quick succession. Each strike carried the power to imprison the void and strip away the five elements, but Chen Qing's figure moved like a swimming fish, always managing to distort his position at the last second by using the gravitational pull of the stars to narrowly avoid the attack.

"We can stop him from leaving Yujing, but we can't effectively control him within the city. Since that's the case..."

A fragmented talisman between the Taoist's brows suddenly lit up, and a majestic and noble phantom descended from the void, merging into his body. Then, his whisk, as if dipped in thick ink, slowly drew a profound arc in the void—

"The myriad phenomena of time."

"Buzz!"

The scenery in Chen Qing's eyes suddenly blurred!

He had clearly rushed to the entrance of the "bottom of the mud plow" and spotted a strange, dry well!
But in the next instant, the surrounding scenery changed, and there were stone tablets all around, and they were back in the forest of tablets!

"Space-time teleportation?" Chen Qing was shocked, but he did not panic. With the blessing of the Emperor's aura, his mind was clear. He immediately drew upon the power of the stars in the sky to outline a dazzling portal in front of him and stepped into it!
"The Xuanmen (Taoist sect) guides us!"

When his figure reappeared, he had returned to the strange well mouth. At the same time, he formed a hand seal and summoned a void talisman, which combined with the gravitational pull of the stars to suppress this space!
However, before they could even get their footing, the familiar sense of spacetime distortion struck again!
In a flash, he was forcibly dragged back to the Stele Forest once again!
"Something's not right!" After being moved back to the starting point twice without warning, Chen Qing finally realized something was wrong. Just then, white mist surged before his eyes, and a strong sense of detachment came from the depths of his soul!
"Is this the end of the dream? But the time hasn't come yet, why am I waking up early?"

Upon realizing this, he was suddenly jolted awake.

"The Great Divine Power of Time?"

Ahead, the Taoist priest was walking slowly towards them.

"Time and space are like a scroll, stars shift and constellations turn, all can be captured in the painting. No matter what your methods are, you will eventually be unable to escape the scroll's closing."

(End of this chapter)