Chapter 1356: Chronicle of the Qiong Hua Realm

The lingering echo of the Qiong Hua Realm Master faded, and the summit of the solitary peak returned to void silence, with only the cool moonlight and distant mountain spirit mist flowing soundlessly. Yan Buji sat cross‑legged at the center of the ancient guiding platform, holding the slightly cool jade tablet, his expression solemn.

Three years of time is but a flick of the finger to a cultivator, yet for him, with grievous wounds still unhealed, his Dao path at a turning point, and bearing immense pressure to flee, every moment is exceedingly precious.

He did not begin healing immediately, but sank his spirit consciousness into the jade tablet. Within the tablet, the information was divided into two parts.

The first is the "Chronicle of the Qiong Hua Realm – Brief Edition", which records an overview of this realm: the Qiong Hua Realm is one of the thirty‑six thousand middle worlds under the Supreme Pure Great Luo Heaven, vast in extent, home to hundreds of millions of beings, dominated by humans and a minority of nature‑affine spirit races. The Dao tradition within the realm flourishes, especially the "Path of Pure Cultivation" and the "Natural Method", which align with the clear spirit of heaven and earth; the division of cultivation realms resembles the Five Domains and Nine Heavens, but the Dao resonance is purer and loftier. The realm's laws are stringent, strictly forbidding unwarranted killing and excessive destruction of heaven‑earth's spiritual mechanisms; violators suffer heavenly retribution and punishment from the Realm Master's office. Additionally, it briefly mentions several renowned celestial grottoes and some prohibited zones that require caution.

The second is the "Celestial Dome Secret Realm Illustrated Record – Basic Volume". Its description of the secret realm is vague, merely stating that it is a fragmented "Celestial Land beyond the Heavens" from antiquity that fell into the Qiong Hua Realm, forming an isolated space that manifests once every three hundred years and opens for only three months. Inside, space is chaotic and the laws are peculiar, scattered with ancient relic arrays, perilous deadlands, and also rare heavenly materials and remnants of ancient inheritances. Regarding the "Ancient Void Array", the record contains only a highly blurred directional sketch and a few words: "Remnants of the ancient array, seemingly linking multiple realms; however, the formation has collapsed, energy runs rampant, space is extremely unstable, touching it is a nine‑in‑one‑hundred‑death chance." No information is given on how to activate it or where the passage leads.

The information is limited, yet sufficient for Yan Buji to recognize the difficulty ahead. The secret realm itself is already a dragon‑pit tiger‑den, and the Ancient Void Array is an even more extreme peril.

"No other choice." He folded the jade tablet, his gaze falling on the two locations the Qiong Hua Realm Master had mentioned atop the peak—on one cliff side a spring no larger than a yard in radius, its water crystal clear to the bottom and emitting a faint luminous glow, the "Heart‑cleansing Spring"; on the opposite mountain wall a half‑veiled cave shrouded in misty spirit energy, presumably the "Spirit‑infused Cave".

He first approached the Heart‑cleansing Spring. The water seemed ordinary, but when his spirit consciousness brushed it, he sensed a cool, pure, soul‑piercing "Purifying Thought" force that could wash away distracting thoughts, soothe inner demons, and was remarkably effective for stabilizing the Dao Heart and repairing hidden injuries of the spirit. Yet for Yan Buji, this spring's power still carries the Qiong Hua Realm's distinctive "Purification" Dao resonance; he must carefully regulate his intake to avoid triggering a risk of his Dao Foundation being "purified" again.

The Spirit‑infused Cave held a different realm altogether. The cave was shallow, yet all four walls were composed of warm, supple spirit jade, and the floor bore a natural spirit‑gathering array that concentrated the pure spirit energy of the entire solitary peak and its surrounding thousand‑mile radius into this spot, its density so high it nearly turned into spirit liquid. Training here yielded double the result with half the effort.

Yan Buji did not rush for quick results. He first sat cross‑legged by the Heart‑cleansing Spring for three days, absorbing a trace of the spring's Purifying Thought power at an imperceptibly slow rate, using it solely to mend his spirit's fatigue and hidden injuries, never touching the foundation of his Dao. Simultaneously, he continuously circulated his newly transformed Chaos Core, consolidating the even finer "Chaos Star Swirl" and "Law Nexus" that had formed under the pressure of the Qiong Hua Realm's pure resonance, rendering them completely stable.

When his spirit settled slightly, he entered the Spirit‑infused Cave. Though the cave's spirit energy was dense and pure, it also bore the Qiong Hua Dao resonance. He no longer resisted; instead, he deliberately guided this spirit energy into his body, not by directly transmuting it into Chaos power, but by using his Chaos Core as a furnace, treating the "pure and orderly" spirit energy as a special "fuel" and "reference material" to further temper and evolve his own Chaos force.

The process was exceedingly slow and painful. Two fundamentally different Dao resonances clashed and melded within him, like water against fire. Yet, relying on his newly born, more inclusive Chaos essence and the Mirror Heart's precise control over subtle energy fluctuations, he forcibly found a delicate equilibrium in this conflict, gradually refining the Qiong Hua spirit energy, imprinting his own Chaos seal upon it, turning it into new nourishment for the growing "embryo" of the Chaos universe.

His magical power recovered far more slowly than expected, but each strand regained was of far higher quality than before—more condensed, deeper, and perfectly retaining the Chaos's "Inclusiveness" and "Evolution" traits, without being assimilated by the Qiong Hua Dao resonance.

Time slipped quietly away during the solitary cultivation—spring gave way to autumn, the cold and heat alternated.

Besides cultivation, Yan Buji spent each day studying the "Chronicle of the Qiong Hua Realm", trying to glean deeper insight into the realm's laws and social structure for possible excursions (after the secret realm). He also repeatedly pondered the vague secret realm illustrated record, deducing potential terrains and dangers he might encounter.

During this period, the Qiong Hua Realm Master did not appear again. The solitary peak seemed forgotten in a corner of the world, accompanied only by gentle breezes, bright moon, and drifting clouds. Yan Buji delighted in the tranquility, devoting himself wholly.

A year later, his injuries fully healed, his cultivation stabilized at the Great Vehicle pinnacle, and the Chaos Core's "Star Swirl" and "Law Nexus" became clearer, his magical power dense and pure. He began experimenting with combining the newly comprehended Chaos force with his previous divine abilities, devising combat methods better suited to his current state. He discovered that in the Qiong Hua Realm, where the laws are complete and suppress "Chaos", the previously brutal, force‑overwhelming tactics lost much of their efficacy, requiring more "subtle strength" and "adaptability". By employing Chaos Evolution power to mimic the Qiong Hua Dao resonance, he could briefly bewilder the realm's heavenly and earthly laws, reducing their repulsion, and even simulate certain pure‑cultivation spell effects; though weaker than the originals, they possessed a strange and unpredictable quality.

Two years later, his grasp of the Qiong Hua Realm's fundamental laws had deepened considerably, and his control over his own power reached a new height. He began deliberately compressing and refining his magical energy in preparation for a possible heavenly tribulation. Simultaneously, he used several ancient spirit herbs from the peak, combining his recollection of pharmacology with the unique aspects of Chaos power to forge a few peculiarly effective healing, restorative, and concealment pills for future need.

In the third year, he focused mainly on settling his mindset and deducing scenarios. He repeatedly simulated in his mind the various situations he might encounter after entering the secret realm, especially locating and confronting the dangers of the "Ancient Void Array". He realized that the greatest threat might not stem from monsters or traps within the secret realm, but from the "spatial annihilation" and "law turbulence" triggered by the collapse of the ancient array. He must be prepared to hard‑resist with his Chaos domain at any moment and use the Mirror Heart to seek a sliver of hope.

The three‑year term was about to end.

On this day, Yan Buji was meditating by the Heart‑cleansing Spring when he suddenly sensed something and opened his eyes.

He saw the void above the summit rippling with moonlight like water waves, and the Qiong Hua Realm Master's ethereally beautiful figure reappeared. She still wore a moon‑white dress, cool as ever, her gaze falling on Yan Buji, and she gave a slight nod.

"Three years have passed; your Dao Foundation is stable, your cultivation refined, it seems you have not wasted time," her voice remained ethereal. "The Celestial Dome Secret Realm will open seven days from now at the shore of the North Sea of Azure Waves. This is the secret realm's guiding talisman; possessing it allows entry."

A pale‑blue talisman, neither gold nor jade, engraved with cloud patterns and starlight, drifted slowly before Yan Buji.

"Within the secret realm, life and death are self‑borne. The Ancient Void Array lies deep in the secret realm's far‑north 'Shattered Star Wasteland'; this is a more detailed fragmentary map, but only for reference, its omens unpredictable," another, more rustic, edge‑torn bone fragment fell alongside it.

"Furthermore, considering you have kept to yourself for these three years without disturbing this realm, I grant you a 'Calming Pendant', which can help you slightly mask your foreign aura within the secret realm, reducing some unnecessary trouble," finally a warm white jade pendant was presented.

Yan Buji solemnly accepted the three items, bowing: "I, Yan Buji, thank the senior Realm Master for granting this opportunity."

The Qiong Hua Realm Master gently shook her head, her gaze turning toward the northern horizon where faint vast water glimmers and strange energy fluctuations could be sensed.

"Opportunity is also destiny. Whether you can grasp it depends on your own fate. Go, the talisman will point the way."

As her words faded, her figure dissolved once more.

Yan Buji clenched the talisman and bone fragment, hanging the Calming Pendant at his waist. He cast one last glance at the solitary peak that had confined him for three years, his eyes no longer lingering with attachment.

Seven days later, North Sea of Azure Waves, Celestial Dome Secret Realm!

He inspected all the items, adjusting their condition. The Chaos Core turned slowly, its internal Star Swirl and Law Nexus flashing with profound light. The Mirror Heart was clear, reflecting himself and his surroundings.

Three years of hibernation, all for a single strike today! For that faint path to an unknown world, he must breach the nine‑in‑one‑hundred‑death secret realm and find the legendary collapsed Ancient Void Array.