Chapter 726: Wu De Kongjian Chongdong

The content and items of the Stone Platform Gathering's trial were only revealed publicly at the moment of its final opening.

"We can go there a month early!"

Nan Qiqi said: "For now, He Dao You can cultivate in my Imperial Palace; of course, if you prefer, you may return to your Solitary Pine Mountain!"

"When the time comes, I'll notify you with a Heartbond Talisman!"

He Pingsheng asked: "This… where exactly will the Stone Platform Gathering be held? Also in the Nirvana Imperial Domain?"

On the Continent of Heavenly Fire, there are more than ninety Imperial Domains.

The largest is held by the Phoenix Clan of the Four Divine Clans, named the 【Nirvana Imperial Domain】.

As far as He Pingsheng knew, the 【Heavenly King Mountain Ascension Platform】—the realm where one ascends after reaching Mahayana Emperor Realm's peak—lay within this Nirvana Imperial Domain.

Moreover, it was said that during rankings of Mahayana Emperor Realm combat strength, the Phoenix Clan's Demon Emperor consistently held the top position.

Thus, the Nirvana Imperial Domain was immensely powerful, like the capital of a nation.

The first place He Pingsheng thought of for hosting the Stone Platform Gathering was naturally the Nirvana Imperial Domain, home of the Phoenix Clan.

Yet Nan Qiqi gently shook her head and said: "No… the Stone Platform Gathering is held in the Tian Gang Imperial Domain!"

He Pingsheng frowned: "Tian Gang Imperial Domain? I heard its Demon Emperor is a monkey?"

"Correct!" Nan Qiqi said: "Precisely, it's a Yuan Clan member—specifically, the Golden Ape Clan of the Nine Celestial Clans!"

"He calls himself the Golden Ape Demon Emperor, and his combat strength is formidable, ranking second on the entire Mahayana Emperor Realm leaderboard."

Nan Qiqi continued: "The third-ranked combatant is a Yu Clan golden crow; the fourth you're more familiar with—the Great Lun Peacock Clan!"

"Actually, the Great Lun Mingwang's true combat strength may not even place her fourth—she's simply the most beautiful woman in the Spiritual Realm, her fame immense. Many male cultivators, out of admiration, elevated her to fourth place. The Buddha Emperor of the Buddhist Sect might not lose to her, and even the Kongkong Demon Emperor could potentially surpass her!"

He Pingsheng wasn't particularly interested in these details; he changed the subject: "Who are the opponents I'll face in this Stone Platform Gathering?"

"There are many!" Nan Qiqi said: "The Phoenix Clan has at least four participants—I'm saying at least!"

"All four of them are far stronger than I am!"

"Also, the Kongkong Prince of the Kongkong Beast Clan!"

"The Mingyue Buddha Sovereign of the Buddhist Sect!"

"The Tianjiao Zhu Xuanlun of the Golden Crow Clan!"

"The Golden Ape Prince of the Tian Gang Imperial Domain!"

"The Peacock Sacred Maiden of the Great Lun Peacock Clan cannot be underestimated either!"

"And among the Nine Celestial Clans: the Kunpeng Clan, the Celestial Fox Clan, the Xuanwu Clan, the White Tiger Clan, and more…"

"Whether there are other powerful hermits like you—no one knows."

He Pingsheng nodded.

What Nan Qiqi had said covered nearly all the information He Pingsheng needed.

Anything else Nan Qiqi didn't know couldn't be helped.

"Thank you!" He Pingsheng stood up, his gaze drifting again toward Qiao Hui Zhu's meditation spot: "I've troubled you."

Nan Qiqi shook her head: "It's nothing."

He Pingsheng said: "Then I'll return to Solitary Pine Mountain and await your notice."

Next, He Pingsheng took Zhou Qingmei and Zi Qing Immortal back to Solitary Pine Mountain.

As soon as they returned, Xiao Feng Ting Tong rushed over, breathless, and blurted: "He Pingsheng… what's your meaning?"

"You went out without me, didn't you?"

He Pingsheng smiled wryly: "This isn't some outing—it's the Stone Platform Gathering!"

"I'm coming!" Ting Tong said: "I've heard—it only opens once every five thousand years. Each Imperial Domain can send ten participants. You'll see the most Dingjian talents across the entire Continent of Heavenly Fire—I absolutely must go!"

"I even wanted to ask you to take me along as a contestant!"

He Pingsheng glanced at Xiao Feng—her fortune was good, a level-eight or -nine fortune.

But her cultivation base was low—only Void Refinement Stage Five.

Lower than He Pingsheng's.

Though her talent was exceptional.

Still, there were plenty of level-eight or -nine fortune cultivators across the Continent of Heavenly Fire.

At least eighty, if not a hundred.

Even that Tian Yu Prince he met in the Divine Crane Clan had a level-eight or -nine fortune!

"Fine!" He Pingsheng chuckled: "I'll take you when we leave."

He had considered it before, but decided against it—he feared conflict with the Phoenix Clan upon entering the Nirvana Imperial Domain.

But now, no need.

Because he'd assumed the Stone Platform Gathering was held in the Nirvana Imperial Domain; now that it wasn't, there was no issue.

Taking Ting Tong along was acceptable.

"Wonderful!" Ting Tong, five feet tall, leapt up in delight.

He Pingsheng affectionately ruffled her hair several times, then handed her some pills: "Cultivate hard!"

"By the way, I'm going to close myself off for a while too!"

With five years left before the Stone Platform Gathering opened, he might as well use this time to contemplate a divine technique.

He Pingsheng entered the meditation hall and began his seclusion.

Simultaneously, he took out the Golden Bone.

Within this Golden Bone was recorded the divine technique: 【Void Wormhole】.

It was rather useless.

Useful for Body Integration cultivators, but useless after reaching Mahayana Emperor Realm!

Not that it didn't exist—everyone in Mahayana Emperor Realm could already do it, so the technique became redundant.

Whether he could even comprehend it, He Pingsheng himself didn't know.

After all, he hadn't yet reached Body Integration.

Try it anyway!

Boom…

He Pingsheng's spiritual sense extended outward, touched the golden bone, and was instantly pulled into a hollow, black void.

Within this space, one could cultivate the technique.

Time meant nothing—he simply cultivated endlessly!

One day, two days, three days!

Before he knew it, four years had passed.

He Pingsheng's spiritual sense withdrew from the void; he rose, inhaling deeply.

He casually pointed at the empty air before him.

Boom…

A space wormhole opened.

"Did I succeed?" He Pingsheng burst into joy.

Wonderful.

He hadn't expected to master it at Void Refinement.

But like Zhou Qingmei, after using this technique to open a void passage, he lacked the power to open another.

He had to wait several days to recover some spiritual sense and spatial energy before using it again.

Still, this was fine.

In the future, when traveling with Zhou Qingmei:

One opens the void to leave, the other opens it to return.

A perfect loop.

Perfect.

He Pingsheng did not emerge from seclusion; he continued to rest and recover, then began refining more pills.

Finally, he took out the Dao Refining Heavenly Stele and honed his Dao methods.

He hadn't used the Dao Refining Heavenly Stele in a long time.

Since his travels hadn't granted enough insight to further his Dao comprehension, he might as well hone his Dao methods.