Chapter 315: First Entry into the Immortal Palace, Illusions Arise Naturally

The gate of the Chaos Immortal Palace closed silently behind Wang Ping.

Before him was not the expected hall and pavilion, but an endless expanse of Chaos Void.

The grayish mist swirled slowly, with no up/down/left/right distinction, no sense of time or space, only the most primal "existence" itself.

Wang Ping stood in the void; his five senses became blurred at this moment. He could not feel his body, yet he clearly perceived his own "existence".

This contradictory feeling instantly put him on alert—this was not ordinary space, but the entrance to some higher-level realm.

"Junior."

That ancient voice sounded again, this time not distant but as if whispering right beside his ear. The voice held endless vicissitudes; each syllable seemed to come from the source of the river of time.

"You have passed the Five Elements Heavenly Ladder, proving you are worthy to receive my inheritance."

"Yet in the transmission of the Great Dao, the Dao heart comes first."

"If one's mind is not steadfast, even with heaven-reaching cultivation, it will end up as moon in water, flower in mirror—mere disaster."

As the words fell, seven points of light suddenly blazed in the Chaos Void.

Red, orange, yellow, green, cyan, blue, purple.

The seven-colored light points hovered in the void, like seven stars, slowly revolving along some mysterious trajectory.

Each point of light emitted a distinctly different aura—some scorching like fire, some icy like frost, some alluring like honey, some terrifying like an abyss.

"This is the 'Seven Emotions Refining Heart Array,' based on ancient immortal realm scenes, evolving into seven layers of illusion for greed, anger, ignorance, love, evil, desire, and fear."

"Each layer of illusion directly points to the original heart, testing the Dao foundation."

"If you can break through all seven emotions and your Dao heart becomes perfectly round, only then can you obtain my true transmission."

"If you sink into it…… your soul will be eternally trapped, your body will die and your Dao will vanish."

The voice faded, and the seven-colored light points simultaneously burst forth with brilliance!

Wang Ping only felt his vision blur; the surrounding Chaos Void began to twist and transform. When he came to, he found himself in a completely unfamiliar world.

This is an Immortal Palace treasure vault floating above the Nine Heavens.

The dome rose a hundred zhang high, inlaid with myriad stellar gemstones, each radiating pure stellar power. The four walls displayed countless jade stands, laden with a dazzling array of immortal artifacts and treasures.

On the left stand hovered a longsword whose body was entirely wrapped in violet lightning, its blade faintly echoing with a dragon's roar—this is the "Violet Lightning Dragon Pattern Sword," the sidearm of an ancient thunder-division immortal general; wielding it grants command over the Nine Heavens' divine thunder.

On the right stand, an ancient bronze mirror surface shone with golden runes, reflecting the myriad phenomena of the heavens within—this is the "Heavenly Treasure Mirror," capable of observing past and future, exposing falsehood.

Before the jade platform, a nine-story small tower slowly rotated, each layer suppressing a kind of heaven-earth origin—this is the "Nine Source Suppress World Tower," said to be able to seal off an entire world.

Behind the pool, a twelve-petal golden lotus bloomed; at its heart lay a seed exuding chaos aura—this is the "Chaos Golden Lotus," consuming it can instantly achieve a Chaos Immortal Body.

Moreover, there were countless immortal pills, secret manuals, and materials that Wang Ping could not name—each, if placed in the Spirit Realm, would stir up a bloody storm, driving countless cultivators mad.

In the center of the treasury stood a white-haired immortal elder, smiling: "Young friend, this is the Immortal King's treasury. By the Immortal King's decree, anyone who has passed the Five Elements Heavenly Ladder may freely choose three treasures here, with no time limit—take your time selecting."

The voice was warm, full of temptation.

Wang Ping's gaze swept over those immortal artifacts, and his heart indeed stirred.

The Violet Lightning Dragon Pattern Sword could double the power of his thunder techniques; the Heavenly Treasure Mirror could aid him in probing heavenly secrets; if the Nine Source Suppress World Tower were refined, he would be nearly invincible within the Transformation Spirit stage; the Chaos Golden Lotus directly pointed to his fundamental Great Dao……

As long as he reached out, these supreme immortal treasures would all be his.

His breathing grew slightly rapid.

But the next moment, Wang Ping closed his eyes.

"I once saw life-and-death illusion on the eleventh level of the Heaven-Reaching Tower."

"When I condensed my Nascent Infant, I once endured three Chaos Heavenly Tribulations."

"In the Azure Void Heaven Domain, I once drank the Immortal Spring and climbed the Heavenly Ladder."

"My Dao lies in personal cultivation, in taking each step firmly."

"External things, though good, are merely aids. If one loses one's original heart due to greed, that is truly abandoning the root for the branch."

Wang Ping slowly opened his eyes, his gaze clear as before.

He bowed to the white-haired immortal elder: "Thank you for your kindness, Senior. But I believe the path of cultivation lies in oneself; external things should not be relied upon. These three treasures, I dare not take."

As his words fell, the entire treasury began to collapse.

Immortal artifacts turned into flowing light and dissipated; the jade stands shattered into powder; the white-haired immortal elder's silhouette gradually faded.

Only a long sigh remained: "Non-greedy, non-attached, one can withstand the workings of creation……"

The red light point extinguished.

The scene shifted.

This time, Wang Ping found himself standing on a lofty Immortal Palace plaza. Immortal clouds swirled around, immortal cranes danced—it was indeed the grand spectacle of the ancient immortal realm.

But his heart sank.

Because on the plaza he saw familiar faces—fellow disciples of the Ninth Dao Institute, his master Jiang Mingyuan, friends Luo Qingyang and Qin Xue…… everyone stood opposite him, but their eyes were cold, full of hostility.

"Wang Ping, you harbor the Chaos Inheritance yet conceal it without report—what is your intention?" a Dao Institute elder shouted sternly.

"This wolf-hearted ambition has long secretly allied with the Evil Nether Clan!" another elder pointed at Wang Ping, holding a forged "evidence."

Jiang Mingyuan gazed at Wang Ping with a complex expression: "Ping'er, if you still acknowledge me as your master, hand over the Chaos Inheritance, abolish your cultivation, and I can spare your life."

Luo Qingyang and Qin Xue wanted to speak but held back, ultimately turning their heads away.

Further away, the strong ones of the Five Elements Clan, Demon Clan, and Evil Nether Clan glared tigerishly, killing intent rising.

"Traitor!"

"Spy!"

"Kill him, seize the inheritance!"

Accusations rang out like knives piercing the heart.

Wang Ping felt a surge of anger rise from his depths, rushing to the crown of his head. It was the fury of being misunderstood, betrayed, and isolated. He had clearly brought glory to the Dao Institute and prestige to the human race, yet ended up like this!

Within him, Chaos Spiritual Power began to run wild, five-colored radiance flickering indistinctly within his body.

He wanted to roar, to argue, to question!

But just as his anger was about to explode, Wang Ping suddenly laughed.

He laughed, feeling relieved; he laughed, feeling clear.

"An illusion is ultimately just an illusion."

"My master treats me like his son, teaching the Dao, granting treasures to protect the Way—how could he drive me to ruin myself over a mere inheritance?"

"Luo Senior Brother, Qin Senior Sister have shared life-and-death bonds with me, storming the Heaven-Reaching Tower together—how could they abandon me over rumors?"

"As for outsiders..." Wang Ping's gaze swept over those "enemies", his eyes full of pity: "Why do I need outsiders' recognition for my Dao-heart? Why should I fear others' slander?"

His anger receded like a tide.

Chaotic spiritual power returned to calm, the five-colored light flowed round and smooth.

Wang Ping bowed deeply before Jiang Mingyuan's illusion: "My master's kindness, I will never forget as a disciple. But such a scheme to sow discord is truly clumsy."

He then looked toward the illusions of Luo Qingyang and Qin Xue: "Senior brothers and sisters, when I return to the Spiritual Realm, let us reunite over drinks."

Finally, he looked at those "enemies", word by word: "My Dao resides in my heart. No matter your myriad schemes or countless slanders, I shall remain unmoving."

The plaza collapsed, and the silhouettes vanished.

Orange points of light blinked out.

The third illusion was Black Stone City.

It was not the present Black Stone City, but the night from fifteen years ago deep in Wang Ping's memory.

Blazing flames engulfed the courtyard; his parents' cries came from the sea of fire. The young Wang Ping was tightly held by the old servant, struggling to rush into the flames.

"Father! Mother!"

A heart-rending cry.

This scene is Wang Ping's eternal pain in his heart, the original impetus for his cultivation, and also his deepest obsession.

In the illusion, time flowed backward.

The fire went out, the courtyard returned to its original state. Father Wang Zhan stepped out from inside, Mother Lin Wan smiled and beckoned. They looked so real, so vivid.

"Ping'er, come back." Father's voice was gentle.

"Mother made your favorite osmanthus cake." Mother's eyes were full of love.

Wang Ping stood rooted, trembling all over.

He knew it was an illusion, knew his parents were long gone. Yet that longing, that urge to throw himself into their embrace, almost broke the dam of his reason.

He could stay here.

To stay in this illusion where his parents were alive and the family was blissful—no cultivation, no slaughter, no bearing those heavy responsibilities and expectations.

All he needed to do… was walk over.

"Ping'er, what are you hesitating over?" Father frowned.

"Come, let Mother see if you've grown thin." Mother beckoned.

Wang Ping closed his eyes; tears slid from the corners.

But when he opened his eyes again, only clarity remained.

"Father, Mother..."

"My child is unfilial, cannot always be by my parents' knees."

"But my parents' grudge, I have avenged; my parents' expectations, I keep in mind."

"I will press on, climbing higher, going farther. May the name of the Wang clan resound throughout the heavens."

"This is the path I ought to walk; this is the Ping'er you hope to see."

He knelt before his parents' illusion and kowtowed three times.

Then he rose, turning away without looking back.

Behind him came his parents' calls, but he no longer turned back.

Black Stone City dissolved into green smoke and vanished.

Yellow points of light blinked out.

The fourth illusion left Wang Ping stunned.

It was a valley of blooming peach blossoms, petals falling in profusion, the stream murmuring. Beneath a peach tree, a white-clad woman was playing the zither.

The woman's features were absolutely beautiful, her bearing transcendent; her brows bore a hint of Qin Xue, yet she was more mature, more perfect. The zither's melody floated, seeming to cleanse the soul.

Seeing Wang Ping, the woman stopped playing, gave a bewitching smile: "You've come."

Wang Ping frowned: "Who are you?"

"I am what you think of in your heart, what you love in your heart." The woman rose, walking over gracefully: "You may call me… Ling'er."

She stepped before Wang Ping, reaching to touch his face: "Stay here. We can be together morning and night, our zithers in harmony. Unconcerned with worldly affairs, untouched by strife—only you and I, with these peach blossoms and flowing water, to share eternity."

Her voice was gentle, her eyes deep with feeling.

Wang Ping's heartstrings were stirred.

Until now, his cultivation has been constant fighting, constant rushing, constant breakthrough. Though it seemed brilliant, he was actually walking alone. In the stillness of night, he too had longed for someone to understand, to accompany him.

The woman before him perfectly matched all his imaginings of a dao companion.

More importantly, the illusion gave him a choice—to stay and possess this perfection; to leave and continue facing endless peril and loneliness.

"Stay…" the woman whispered, "Love me, and be loved by me. Isn't this exactly what your heart desires?"

Wang Ping remained silent for a long time.

Finally, he gently pushed her hand away.

"You're right, I do indeed crave these."

"But precisely because of that, I cannot stay."

The girl's eyes darkened: "Why?"

"Because true love is not possession, but fulfillment." Wang Ping said slowly, "I have my Dao, my path. If I halt for personal sentiment, I would not only disappoint those who expect me, but also betray the 'love' you speak of."

He gazed into the distance, his sight piercing the illusion: "Moreover, a true dao companion should be a fellow cultivator, able to walk side by side, not a gentle trap that makes me linger."

The girl's figure gradually turned translucent.

"You will regret this..."

"No, I won't." Wang Ping smiled, "If we are truly fated, we will naturally meet on the path."

Peach Blossom Valley dissipated.

The green light points faded out.

The fifth illusion was a bloody battlefield.

Mountains of corpses, seas of blood, severed limbs scattered everywhere. In the sky, countless cultivators fought, spell light intertwining with blood into a hellish panorama.

Wang Ping stood at the battlefield's center, gripping a longsword dripping with blood.

Beneath his feet lay countless "enemies"—heavenly prodigies of the Five Elements Clan, royalty of the Monster Clan, powerful ones of the Evil Darkness Clan, and even... fellow disciples of the Ninth Dao Institute.

"Kill! Kill them all!"

A voice echoed in Wang Ping's mind, full of temptation.

"These people are your obstacles! They envy your talent, covet your inheritance, and want to exterminate you!"

"Only slaughter can deter the petty! Only blood can pave the throne!"

"Release the evil in your heart! Let all heavens and myriad worlds crawl beneath your feet!"

As the voice's temptation grew, Wang Ping felt a violent aura rise from his heart—it was the desire for destruction, the ambition for domination, the pleasure of trampling everything underfoot.

He saw a vision of his future—stepping upon the heavens, holding life and death in his hand, those who follow him prosper, those who oppose him perish. Everyone feared him, revered him, none dared to be his enemy.

Power, absolute power, brings absolute authority.

How... tempting.

Wang Ping raised the sword in his hand, its blade reflecting his scarlet eyes.

But the next moment, he released his grip.

The longsword fell, plunging into the bloody soil.

"This is not me."

Wang Ping's voice was calm and resolute.

"I cultivate to protect, to transcend, to explore the truth of the great Dao."

"Not for slaughter, not for rule, not to trample all beings underfoot."

He surveyed the surrounding sea of corpses and blood, his eyes filled with sorrow: "If we fight evil with evil, violence with violence, what difference is there between me and those enemies? If the dao heart is corrupted by wicked thoughts, no matter how high one's cultivation, they are merely a demon."

The tempting voice in his mind turned sharp: "Hypocrisy! Falsehood! The law of the jungle is the heavenly way!"

"No." Wang Ping shook his head, "The Dao is ruthless, but humans have feelings. Cultivation is not about discarding humanity, but transcending bestiality. I can slay foes, I can contend, but that should be a means, not an end."

He sat cross-legged, closed his eyes, and focused.

"I certainly have wicked thoughts in my heart, but I know they are heart-devils, delusions."

"I will neither deny it nor let it control me."

"I acknowledge the existence of evil, but I choose... not to commit evil."

As his words fell, the battlefield scene receded like a tide.

The green light points faded out.

The sixth illusion was the utmost luxury and pleasure.

Nine-layered palaces, carved beams and painted pillars. Immortal maidens danced, peerless in beauty. Jade nectar, inexhaustible. Rare treasures piled like mountains.

Wang Ping wore the Nine-Dragon Imperial Robe, seated upon the golden throne. Below, myriad immortals and gods bowed, calling him "Your Majesty."

To the left, a peerless immortal consort stood, her gaze flowing, full of affection.

To the right, strategist advisors offered counsel, pointing out the land, wielding their influence.

"Your Majesty, you have now unified the heavens; all worlds come to court. You should enjoy boundless blessings and receive eternal honor." An old minister said respectfully.

"Your Majesty, this is the newly promoted Nine Heavens Mysterious Maiden, here to serve." A eunuch led a nation‑toppling beauty of an immortal forward.

Power, beauty, wealth, status... all desires imaginable to mortals can be satisfied here.

Moreover, all this seems "reasonable"—Wang Ping is already the supreme of the heavens; enjoying these is surely natural and proper?

Wang Ping leaned on the throne, his fingers lightly tapping the armrest.

He did not immediately dispel the illusion, but rather observed it with interest.

"Interesting." He suddenly laughed, "This layer of illusion is more subtle than the others. It does not force or threaten; it merely places the most tempting things before you, letting you 'voluntarily' sink in."

"Because often, what causes people to fall is not swords, but sugarcoating."

Below, the immortals and gods continued to sing praises, while the immortal maidens' dances grew ever more enchanting.

Wang Ping slowly rose.

The Nine-Dragon Imperial Robe slipped off on its own, revealing his original green robe.

"What a pity, these are not what I want."

He descended from the throne, passed through the kneeling crowd, ignored the immortal maidens' alluring glances, and walked straight toward the palace gate.

"Your Majesty! Where are you going?" the old minister exclaimed in alarm.

"Going to find my own path." Wang Ping did not turn back, "The throne may be high, but it confines freedom. Glory may be good, but it obscures the original heart. These... leave them for those who need them."

The palace gates opened; outside lay an abyss of vast emptiness.

Wang Ping stepped forward.

The palace collapsed, the immortals and gods dissipated.

Blue light points, extinguished.

The final layer of illusion was absolute darkness and silence.

No light, no sound, no temperature, no sense of existence.

Wang Ping floated in the void, his five senses deprived, even thought becoming difficult. This was a "Void" more terrifying than death, the complete negation of existence.

Just as Wang Ping was about to lose himself, a faint light suddenly appeared before him.

The light rapidly expanded, evolving into a soul‑shaking vision——

It was the scene of the myriad heavens and worlds collapsing.

The Immortal Realm, the once boundlessly glorious Upper Realm, began to crumble from its edges. The Chaos Immortal Palace collapsed, countless immortals fell from the sky and turned to dust. Stars winked out one by one, the Milky Way severed, the fabric of the universe unraveling.

The scene shifted to the Spirit Realm.

The Ninth Dao Academy turned to ruins amid the heavenly demonic flames. Jiang Mingyuan fought blood‑soaked, finally pierced through the chest by a black shadow. Luo Qingyang, Qin Xue and their friends fell one after another, dying with eyes unclosed. The human realm was consumed by war, corpses littered the wilderness.

The scene shifted again to countless worlds familiar or unfamiliar to Wang Ping.

The demon holy land was bathed in blood, the human imperial city reduced to scorched earth, and the myriad heavens and worlds fell into darkness one after another. All beings wailed, the world wept, but the march of destruction could not be stopped.

In the end, everything returned to the Void.

No light, no matter, no time, no space.

Absolute 'Nothingness'.

A grand and cold voice echoed in the void:

"This is the future."

"The Immortal Realm will ultimately collapse completely, and the myriad heavens and worlds will ultimately fall into oblivion."

"All cultivation, all struggle, all loves and hatreds, before the ultimate Void, are meaningless."

"Your so‑called Dao, your so‑called perseverance, your so‑called protection—are merely self‑deception of ants."

"If destruction is inevitable, why persist in suffering? If there is no meaning, why bear burdens and move forward?"

"Give up… return to the Void, return to eternal dead silence…"

"This is the ultimate truth."

Fear.

An unprecedented fear clenched Wang Ping's heart.

It was not fear of death, but fear of 'existence being meaningless'. If everything will ultimately be destroyed, what value does his lifelong struggle, perseverance, and protection have?

His Dao‑heart wavered.

Having cultivated to this point, he had always believed he walked a meaningful path. But now the illusion laid the cruelest 'truth' before him—on the scale of cosmic annihilation, everything individual is as insignificant as dust.

Give up……

Why suffer……

Return to the Void……

The voice kept reverberating.

Wang Ping's consciousness began to blur, his body gradually turning translucent, as if he were truly about to merge into this Void.

But at the very moment he was about to dissipate, a point of light ignited deep in his Sea of Consciousness.

That was the Will Star.

It was the Dao‑heart Origin he had condensed on the eleventh layer of the Heaven‑Reaching Tower in a life‑and‑death desperate situation.

The star's light, though faint, existed firmly.

Next, the Chaos Five Elements Nascent Soul in his dantian opened its eyes. At the Nascent Soul's chest, the Chaos Mystic Star began to rotate, inhaling and exhaling nonexistent Chaos Qi.

"Yes…… it will ultimately be destroyed……"

Wang Ping suddenly spoke, his voice exceptionally clear in the Void.

"But what of it?"

He lifted his head, light rekindling in his eyes.

"Flowers will wither, but their beauty when in bloom is real."

"People will die, but every moment of living is real."

"The world will perish, but the civilizations that have existed, the glories that have been created, the Daos that have been passed down—all are real."

His voice grew ever firmer: "Meaning is not bestowed from outside, but created by oneself. Precisely because all will be destroyed, each present moment becomes all the more precious; precisely because the road ahead is hard, perseverance becomes all the more admirable."

Wang Ping's body re‑solidified, light bursting forth from within and without.

"My Dao is not the pursuit of eternity—for I know there is no eternity."

"My Dao is to live out infinite possibilities within finite existence; to blaze the most brilliant radiance before the destined destruction; to write my own meaning against the backdrop of the Void."

He faced that vision of the Void, word by word:

"If the Immortal Realm collapses, then we will rebuild it."

"If the myriad heavens fall into oblivion, then we will open new myriad heavens."

"If the end of the Dao truly is the Void……"

"then I will use these two hands to create existence within the Void."

As his words fell, the entire illusion began to collapse!

Those destructive images shattered like glass, revealing the pure Chaos Void beyond.

Purple light points flickered intensely, then…… completely extinguished.

The Seven Emotions were all broken, the Dao‑heart attained perfect unity.

Within the Chaos Immortal Palace, Wang Ping slowly opened his eyes.

He still stood in his original spot, as if he had never moved. But at the center of his brow, a Chaos Mark gradually surfaced—proof of having passed through the Seven Emotions Heart‑Refining Array.

The seven-colored light points had all extinguished, but in the void, more light points appeared—those were countless Great Dao runes, the legacy true intent left by the Chaos Immortal King.

"Good."

The ancient voice sounded again; this time, it carried a hint of relief.

"The seven emotions refine the heart, the Dao heart is unperturbed. Your Dao foundation can already bear my true transmission."

In the void, countless Great Dao runes began to gather, forming a stream of Chaos Qi that slowly drifted toward Wang Ping.

"This is a fragment of my insight, named 'Chaos Evolves Myriad Things'."

"Since you have already understood the five elements returning to Chaos, you may now glimpse the beginning of this Dao."

The Chaos Qi stream entered Wang Ping's glabella.

In an instant, Wang Ping's consciousness was pulled into a higher dimension.

He "saw"—

Chaos initially opened, Yin and Yang separated.

Yin and Yang harmonized, evolving the five elements.

The five elements cycled, giving rise to myriad things.

Mountains and rivers, flora and fauna, sun moon stars, myriad heavens and worlds… everything, everything, originated from Chaos's evolution.

But this is not all.

Wang Ping saw something deeper—Chaos is not a one-time "explosion," but an ongoing process. All things are born and perish, the world reincarnates, yet Chaos always exists, being the source of evolution and also its return.

He saw the Chaos contained within a speck of dust.

He saw a world evolving within a drop of water.

He saw that each cell within his own body was undergoing microscopic Chaos evolution.

"Ah..." Wang Ping felt enlightenment arise in his heart: "Chaos Evolves Myriad Things is not a one-way creation but a two-way cycle. All things are born from Chaos and ultimately return to Chaos. In this process, Chaos itself also grows and perfects."

"I cultivate Chaos not to become Chaos, but to become a 'channel of Chaos'—letting Chaos evolve through me and return through me."

This enlightenment caused Wang Ping's understanding of the Dao of Chaos to undergo a qualitative leap.

If before he merely learned to use Chaos's power, now he begins to touch Chaos's "essence."

Consciousness returned.

Wang Ping discovered he was still standing in the Chaos Immortal Palace, but everything was different.

He could see the flowing Chaos Dao patterns in the void, sense the evolutionary history contained in each piece of Chaos Immortal Jade within the palace, and even faintly perceive… deep within the palace, the even more core legacy.

"The seven emotions refining the heart is passed; you may enter the inner palace and obtain my core legacy."

The ancient voice gave direction.

The Chaos Qi flow in the void split open a passage; at its end stood a more ancient and mysterious palace gate.

Wang Ping took a deep breath, suppressed the excitement in his heart, and stepped toward the inner palace.

He knew the true legacy of the Chaos Immortal King lay beyond the gate.

The gate of the inner palace of the Chaos Immortal Palace was utterly different from the outside world.

It was not a physical gate but a light curtain woven from countless Chaos runes. The curtain slowly rotated; as the runes flowed, they evolved myriad phenomena—sometimes stars were born and died, sometimes myriad things flourished or withered, sometimes Yin and Yang alternated, sometimes the five elements cycled.

Each rune contained profound Great Dao truths; Wang Ping merely stood before the gate gazing for a moment, and felt his soul tremble, as if countless profound insights surged into his sea of consciousness, yet remained elusive.

"Beyond the gate lies my core legacy."

The ancient voice sounded for the last time, its tone carrying a certain solemnity:

"Yet the Dao cannot be lightly transmitted."

"The final trial: battle a law-formed phantom of my same realm."

"Victory grants you my true transmission; defeat dooms your soul to eternal entrapment here."

Before the words faded, the Chaos runes on the light curtain suddenly accelerated their flow!

Countless runes detached, gathered and reassembled in the void, gradually condensing into a humanoid phantom.

That phantom was initially blurry, its face indiscernible, only a rough outline discernible—clad in ancient robes, long hair flowing, hands clasped behind its back. Though merely a phantom, it exuded a supreme majesty that could suppress the heavens and push through ages.

When the phantom fully solidified, Wang Ping's pupils contracted sharply.

For he clearly sensed that the phantom's aura strength was actually mid Nascent Soul—exactly the same as his own!

But unlike his own, the phantom's surrounding Chaos Dao patterns were refined to an unimaginable degree. It was a Chaos that had returned to simplicity, appearing plain yet containing infinite potential to evolve myriad things.

"A battle of the same realm..." Wang Ping drew a deep breath, his eyes turning grave.

This was by no means an ordinary trial. Even if the Chaos Immortal King suppressed himself to mid Nascent Soul, his understanding of the Dao and his use of power were far beyond what an ordinary Nascent Soul cultivator could match. Moreover, this is merely a phantom condensed from law, not his true self; it likely possesses not even one-ten-thousandth of the Immortal King's strength.

Yet even so, it was more than enough to be terrifying.

The phantom slowly raised its head.

It was a face whose features were indiscernible, as if veiled in a mist of Chaos. Yet Wang Ping could feel a gaze falling upon him.

That gaze was calm, devoid of joy or sorrow, yet it made Wang Ping's hairs stand on end, as if stared down by a primordial beast.

No words, no warning.

The phantom moved.

He merely raised his right hand and pointed his index finger into the air.

This point seemed casual.

But at the instant the phantom's fingertip pointed out, the entire inner palace space suddenly solidified!

Time halted, space froze, all Chaos currents stilled. Only that fingertip's gleam, moving at a speed transcending time and space, shot toward Wang Ping's glabella.

The gleam was Chaos-gray, inconspicuous, and even lacked a strong spiritual power fluctuation.

But Wang Ping's intuition screamed a warning—this finger must not be taken head-on!

"Five Elements Cycle, Divine Light Protects the Body!"

Wang Ping instantly drove the Five Elements Divine Light to its utmost, five-colored light surged skyward, intertwining before him into a three-zhang thick five-colored light shield. On the shield the five elements turned, mutually generating and overcoming, with chaos aura flowing through, its defensive strength increased manifold.

However—

Pfft.

The Chaos Finger Gleam pierced the five-colored light shield, emitting a soft sound.

Like a hot knife cutting butter.

The five-colored light shield couldn't even block for a breath, easily pierced by the finger gleam! The shield shattered, dissolving into countless five-colored light motes.

The finger gleam's speed undiminished, it shot straight for Wang Ping's brow.

"What?!" Wang Ping's heart filled with shock.

This finger's power far exceeded his expectation. Though the Chaos Finger Gleam seemed plain, it actually contained a certain "law-breaking" true meaning, able to easily dismantle any divine ability defense.

At the critical moment, Wang Ping's mind sparked with inspiration, he advanced instead of retreating.

He formed seals with both hands; his inner Chaos Nascent Soul suddenly opened its eyes, and the Chaos Star Xuan in his chest spun wildly.

"Yin-Yang Annihilation!"

Yin and Yang qi rose from his palms, intertwining and spinning, forming a rapidly spinning black-and-white vortex before him. This was the embryonic divine ability he had comprehended in his battle with Ao Qing and Feng Ni; now, with mid-Nascent Soul cultivation and the boost of Chaos Dao Rhythm, it had reached perfection.

The Yin-Yang vortex collided with the Chaos Finger Gleam!

This time, no sound was made.

The two forces mutually eroded and annihilated, forming a microscopic black hole in the void that swallowed all surrounding light. The black hole existed only a brief instant before vanishing, and the Chaos Finger Gleam was finally blocked.

But Wang Ping was also shaken back three steps, his qi and blood surging.

The shadow seemed somewhat surprised, its motion pausing slightly.

But immediately, he struck again.

This time, it was no longer a simple finger gleam; instead, he formed seals with both hands, gathering chaos aura around his body, condensing behind him a grand vision——

Chaos initially opened, clear and turbid separated.

The heavens rose, the earth sank.

Sun, moon, and stars were born in succession.

"Chaos Opening Heaven Technique……simplified version." The shadow spoke for the first time, its voice indifferent, like the sound of the Great Dao.

Although it was only a simplified version, although only a hint of true intent, the power of this divine ability already made Wang Ping feel the threat of death.

Every scene in that vision contained the supreme power of opening the world; even a mere projection was enough to suppress a Void Refinement cultivator.

"Don't let him complete it!"

Wang Ping instantly made his judgment. His body erupted upward, he took the initiative!

"True Solar Fire, Burning Heaven, Boiling Sea!"

A golden great sun rose above his head, its scorching true fire transformed into nine fire dragons that roared as they surged toward the shadow. This True Solar Fire, tempered by immortal spirit qi and infused with chaos nature, was far stronger than before, even scorching the void into distortion.

The shadow didn't even look, merely waving a hand lightly.

In the vision behind him, the "newborn" sun trembled slightly, showering down a sheet of sunlight.

The golden sunlight collided with the True Solar Fire; Wang Ping's nine fire dragons, as if meeting their nemesis, rapidly melted and annihilated!

"What?" Wang Ping's heart jolted again.

The shadow's vision behind it could actually restrain his divine abilities?!

"Yin Wood Divine Thunder, Life and Death in a Thought!"

Wang Ping changed tactics, his hands loosely clasped, azure-gold lightning gathering in his palms. This Yin Wood Divine Thunder likewise blended with chaos nature; the lightning held the profound mystery of life and death, allowing free conversion between vitality and annihilation upon striking a target.

Boom—

A thick-as-a-water-bucket azure-gold lightning bolt struck toward the shadow.

The shadow remained indifferent; in the vision behind it, the illusory of the World Tree swayed gently.

A leaf drifted down, turning into a green barrier.

The lightning bolt struck the barrier, erupting in blinding light. The barrier violently trembled, cracks spiderwebbing across it, yet it did not break. Moreover, the life-and-death power within the lightning was neutralized by the barrier's "growth" true intent.

"Five Elements Divine Light, Sweeping Away All Things!"

Wang Ping held nothing back; his five-colored divine light turned into five bands, sweeping simultaneously from five directions toward the shadow. This five-colored divine light had now evolved into Chaos Five Elements Divine Light, each band containing an ultimate transformation of the five elements; all five colors together could sweep away all things.

The shadow finally moved.

He stepped forward.

The vision behind him expanded, enveloping the entire inner palace.

Wang Ping felt as if he stood within a world being born—above him the heavens rose, beneath his feet the earth sank, all around stars were born.

Yet his five-colored divine light, brushed upon this "world," was like a mayfly shaking a tree, unable to raise even a ripple.

"Is this……the might of the Chaos Opening Heaven Technique?" Wang Ping's heart welled with helplessness.

Even though it was only a simplified version, even though only a hint of true intent, it was powerful enough to induce despair.

The shadow gave him no chance to catch his breath.

In the vision, the illusory of the Axe of Opening Heaven slowly lifted, aimed at Wang Ping, and gave a light chop.

The axe-shadow fell.

Soundless and silent, yet it carried the supreme power to cleave the world and sever chaos.

Wang Ping felt his very soul about to be split by that axe, his flesh cracking inch by inch under its might.

"I cannot die here!"

The instinct to survive and the unyielding will erupted simultaneously!

Wang Ping merged all his divine abilities, no longer casting them separately, but attempting to fuse them……

"Five Elements' cycles as the foundation, Yin and Yang's Two Forms as assistance, Thunder and Fire's mutual aid as application, Chaos' return to Oneness as the soul!"

He formed a complicated seal with both hands in front of his chest.

In his dantian, the chaotic five-elements Nascent Soul spun wildly, and the chaotic star xuán at his chest inhaled and exhaled vast amounts of spiritual power.

On his body surface, the five-colored divine light no longer scattered, but wove together into a whole, transforming into a chaotic gray protective divine light.

In his left hand was true solar fire, in his right hand Yin Wood Divine Lightning; the two collided and merged before his chest, forming a ball of chaotic thunderfire.

Before him, the yin-yang vortex formed by the annihilation of the Two Forms spun rapidly, becoming the "transformation hub" of all divine abilities.

"Give me…… fuse!"

Wang Ping let out a low roar, pouring all his power into the seal.

Boom—!

An unprecedented prototype of a divine ability was born within the seal.

It was a hazy light seal, only palm-sized, its surface flowing with five-colored radiance, inside a yin-yang fish spun, its edges entwined with thunderfire, and at its core lay a patch of chaos.

The moment the light seal took shape, the inner palace space shuddered violently!

The illusory shadow's axe shadow struck the light seal, erupting in a deafening roar.

The axe shadow shattered, the light seal dimmed by seventy percent, but ultimately…… it held!

"Oh?" the illusory shadow uttered a sound tinged with emotion for the first time.

The phenomenon behind him began to accelerate its evolution, the process of splitting heaven and earth being compressed into just a few breaths.

Wang Ping's pressure doubled.

He knew he must counterattack now, or else once the phenomenon fully evolved, he would surely lose.

"Use attack as defense!"

Wang Ping abandoned defense, pouring all remaining spiritual power into the light seal, and charged toward the illusory shadow.

"Golden Yang Blazing Heaven!"

On the surface of the light seal, golden light blazed forth, forming a small sun.

The "sun" behind the illusory shadow cast sunlight, but this time Wang Ping's light seal was not restrained; instead it devoured and refined that sunlight!

"Great Yin Extinction Cold Tide!"

The light seal turned deep blue, extreme cold aura permeated, freezing the moonlight emitted by the "moon" behind the illusory shadow.

"Gravity Technique!"

The light seal grew heavy, yellow radiance flowed, distorting surrounding gravity, slowing the descent speed of the "earth" behind the illusory shadow.

"White Tiger Slaying Divine Sword Aura!"

A white blade burst from the light seal, slashing toward the "axe of splitting heaven" behind the illusory shadow, leaving a fissure in the axe shadow.

"Summon Thunder Technique!"

Azure-gold lightning surged from the light seal, striking the "World Tree," its leaves scorched black.

The Five Great Dao Techniques merged into a single seal!

But this was still not enough.

Although the illusory shadow's phenomenon was disturbed, it continued to evolve, and as it evolved its might grew ever stronger.

Wang Ping gritted his teeth, continuing to squeeze out his potential.

He recalled his insights from the Seven Emotions Refining Heart Formation, and recalled the truth of "Chaos Gives Birth to All Things."

"Chaos is not an end, but a beginning……"

"Evolving myriad things, we must also…… split chaos!"

A mad idea arose in Wang Ping's heart.

He wanted to reverse this process—not evolving myriad things from chaos, but gathering all things…… back into chaos, then from chaos splitting out his own "heaven"!

At the moment this idea was born, the chaotic five-elements Nascent Soul in his dantian and the phenomenon behind the illusory shadow produced a profound resonance.

The resonance came suddenly and intensely.

Wang Ping felt his chaotic Nascent Soul as if it wanted to break free from his dantian and fly toward the phenomenon behind the illusory shadow. It was not an attraction, but rather…… a call of shared origin.

The illusory shadow also sensed the abnormality, its movement pausing slightly.

In that instant, Wang Ping seized the opportunity.

He gathered all his insights, all divine abilities, and all spiritual power into a single point.

Not an attack, not a defense, but…… creation.

Creating a technique, his own, a divine ability to split chaos.

"Five Elements turning, evolving myriad things."

Wang Ping silently chanted, the five-colored divine light rotating within his body, evolving myriad changes of metal, wood, water, fire, and earth.

"Yin and Yang, Two Forms, establishing the cosmos."

Yin and Yang energies converged at his chest, forming a stable balance point.

"Thunderfire harmonizing, destruction and rebirth."

True solar fire and Yin Wood Divine Lightning fused, erupting with the contradictory power of destruction and rebirth.

"And all this……"

Wang Ping slowly spread his hands, as if pushing open an invisible gate in the void.

"All shall…… return to chaos."

All divine abilities, all spiritual power, all insights, at this moment collapsed into a point of chaos.

That point of chaos is infinitesimal, yet contains terrifying energy.

"Then……"

Wang Ping's eyes burst forth with a light never seen before.

From chaos…… it splits open!

He violently thrusts both hands forward!

That point of chaos bursts open with a boom!

It's not an explosion, but…… it splits open!

Like the Big Bang, the instant chaos splits open, the clear and turbid separate, yin and yang stand apart, the Five Elements are born.

A tiny, unstable world is born in Wang Ping's palm.

This world is only three feet in diameter; inside are vague outlines of heaven and earth, phantom stars, the circulation of yin and yang, and the rotation of the Five Elements.

Although illusory, although only an embryonic form, although it can exist only for a few breaths.

But its essence…… is the same as the phantom's heavenly portent behind it!

"This……" the phantom shows a moved expression for the first time.

The apparition behind him begins to fluctuate unstably, as if encountering a kindred spirit of the same source but different flow.

Wang Ping's tiny world in his palm rapidly expands, colliding, merging, and opposing the phantom's apparition.

The two worlds struggle in the void.

The phantom's world is more complete, more vast, containing the Immortal King's supreme Dao rhyme.

Wang Ping's world is rougher, more unstable, yet it possesses a vitality of "newness" and an infinite "possibility".

And the crucial point is, Wang Ping's world was split open from his own chaos, wholly belonging to himself.

The phantom gazes at Wang Ping's world in his palm, silent for a long time.

Finally, he slowly lowers his hands.

The apparition behind him gradually fades, turning into a chaos current, returning to the void.

"Good."

The phantom speaks, his voice still indifferent, yet with a hint of praise hard to detect.

"You have begun to grasp the true meaning of 'Heaven-opening'."

"This divine ability can be named the 'Chaos Initial Opening Seal'."

As his words fade, the phantom begins to dissipate, turning into countless chaos runes, re-merging into the light curtain.

Wang Ping's tiny world in his palm also collapses, transforming into pure chaos spiritual energy, which nourishes him.

He collapses onto one knee, gasping, his whole body drenched in sweat.

That battle just now, though brief in appearance, was extremely perilous. He almost exhausted all his spiritual power, spiritual sense, and potential, only then comprehending that embryonic divine ability at the critical moment.

But the gain is also enormous.

Not only did he create an embryonic form of his own divine ability, the 'Chaos Initial Opening Seal,' but he also gained a fundamental understanding of chaos-splitting heaven.

"You win."

The ancient voice sounded for the last time:

"One may enter the inner palace and obtain my true transmission."

The light curtain slowly parted, revealing the true sight of the inner palace.

Wang Ping adjusted his breath for a moment, recovered some strength, then slowly rose and stepped into the light curtain.

Beyond the light curtain was not a splendid palace, but a … sea of chaos.

Boundless chaotic currents slowly swirled, forming a huge vortex; at the vortex's center floated three items:

A chaos-colored jade slip.

A small chaos cauldron with three legs and two ears.

A … drop of golden blood.

The jade slip was ancient and unadorned, its surface bearing no characters, yet it exuded a vast Dao resonance.

The small cauldron was palm-sized, entirely chaos-gray, with the cauldron body engraved with a pattern of heaven's opening and earth's separation.

And that drop of golden blood was even more miraculous—it hovered silently, within it seeming to contain a miniature universe evolving, stars born and perished, all things cycling.

"These three items are my true transmission."

The voice came from the depths of the chaos sea:

"Within the jade slip is recorded the complete version of the Chaos Immortal Scripture, which can directly point to the realm of the Immortal King."

"The small cauldron is named the Chaos Crucible; it can refine all things, return to the origin, and can also be used as a personal magic treasure for tempering."

"That drop of blood … is a drop of 'Chaos Source Blood' that I left behind when I opened the heavens; it contains part of my origin, and after refining it can improve one's physique and enhance affinity with chaos."

Wang Ping's breathing became hurried.

These three inheritances, any one of them placed in the outside world would be enough to drive immortals and gods mad.

Especially the complete Chaos Immortal Scripture—he had previously cultivated only a fragment, which already possessed such power; how terrifying must the complete version be?

"Although the transmission is given, the path must be walked by oneself."

The voice gradually faded away:

"I hope you make good use of this inheritance and forge a … path of chaos that belongs to you."

"My mission ends here."

"Until we meet again … there is no set time."

The voice completely dissipated.

The chaos sea began to contract, and the three inheritance items slowly drifted toward Wang Ping.

Wang Ping solemnly reached out and received them.

The jade slip felt warm and moist in his hand; upon probing with his divine sense, he indeed saw the complete text of the Chaos Immortal Scripture, from Qi Refining to Immortal King, each realm explained in detail, along with countless supporting divine abilities and secret arts.

Though small, the Chaos Crucible weighed as much as ten thousand jun; if Wang Ping were not already at mid Nascent Soul, he likely could not lift it. Inside the cauldron lay a self-contained space, as if it could contain heaven and earth.

And that drop of chaos source blood was even more miraculous. Wang Ping merely approached, and the chaos nascent soul within his body transmitted a strong longing, as if this drop of blood was exactly what it needed as a supplement.

"Thank you, Immortal King." Wang Ping bowed deeply toward the Chaos Sea.

This bow was sincere.

Without the inheritance and trials left behind by the Chaos Immortal King, he could not have reached his current state or comprehended his own Dao in such a short time.

After the bow, Wang Ping sat cross-legged and began to regulate his breath to recover.

Before leaving, he first wanted to refine that drop of chaos source blood.

This item is too precious; it must be used immediately to avoid complications.

As for the complete version of the Chaos Immortal Scripture and the Chaos Crucible, they can be slowly contemplated and refined.

Wang Ping placed the chaos source blood in his palm, circulated his technique, and began to refine it.

The blood merged into his palm and flowed along the meridians throughout his body.

In an instant, Wang Ping felt his body… burning.

It was not painful burning, but a transformation akin to shedding the mortal body and being reborn.

Every cell cheered, evolved, and transformed toward a higher form of life.

The blood of the Chaos Immortal King, even if only a drop and despite having endured endless ages, its essence remains loftily beyond imagination.

Wang Ping's flesh had already begun to transform into an immortal spirit's body thanks to the Immortal Spirit Spring; now, under the catalysis of the chaos source blood, the transformation speed increased a hundredfold!

On the skin's surface, the faint golden immortal markings grew clearer, even beginning to spread toward the bones and organs.

In the blood, faint golden light points began to flow, which were the characteristics of the chaos source blood merging.

The bones became crystal clear like jade, with chaos qi circulating inside.

The meridians were widened and reinforced, able to withstand more violent surges of spiritual power.

And the most obvious change was the chaos nascent soul.

Most of the energy from that drop of chaos source blood was absorbed by the nascent soul. The nascent soul grew and solidified at a visible speed; the chaos Xuan star on his chest spun ten times faster, and the dark embryo at the center of the Xuan star became ever more profound.

Wang Ping could feel that his affinity for chaos had risen to an unimaginable degree.

Now his efficiency in absorbing and refining chaos qi is over a hundred times greater than before! When he unleashes chaos-type divine abilities, their power will also increase greatly.

This process lasted a full three days.

Three days later, Wang Ping slowly opened his eyes.

In his pupils, chaos light flowed, as if two miniature chaos universes were arising and passing away.

He stood up and moved his bones a bit.

His bones all over emitted crisp crackles; every inch of flesh contained terrifying power. Now, with just his flesh, he could withstand ordinary attacks from a late-stage nascent soul cultivator.

And his cultivation naturally broke through to the peak of mid-stage nascent soul, only one step away from the late stage.

"It's time to leave." Wang Ping stored the chaos crucible in his dantian to nurture it, and kept the jade slip close to his body.

The Chaos Immortal Palace began to tremble slightly—it was seeing him off.

Wang Ping made a final bow toward the Chaos Sea, then turned and walked back the way he came.

Passing through the inner palace gate, going through the space where the Seven Emotions Refining Heart Formation lay, he once again stepped onto the Five Elements Heavenly Ladder.

As he stepped out of the gate of the Chaos Immortal Palace, the palace behind him gradually sank into the chaos mist and finally vanished.

As if it had never existed.

Only Wang Ping knew that the gains from this journey would change his life.

He gazed into the depths of the Azure Void Heavenly Realm, his eyes resolute.

"The inheritance has been obtained; next…… I must seek a way to leave."

"Transcendent Sir, when will you awaken?"

Wang Ping's figure vanished into the chaos mist.

Not long after he left, the black shadow that had been following him reappeared at the ruins of the immortal palace.

The black shadow gazed in the direction Wang Ping had gone, its eyes flashing with complex emotions.

There was greed, there was apprehension, there was hesitation.

Finally, it let out a low growl, turned, and vanished into the depths of the mist.

The secrets of the Azure Void Heavenly Realm are far more than just a single Chaos Immortal Palace.

And Wang Ping's journey is far from over.