Chapter 181: The Stone City Beneath the Divine Capital

Divine Capital Luoyang, one of the oldest cities in the Nine Provinces, many ancestral gods have left traces here.

But what no one knows is that beneath Divine Capital Luoyang lies a mysterious underground world.

"I never expected that beneath the Divine Capital there would be constructed such a grand underground palace!"

Standing before a massive stone gate, sensing the heavy aura contained within the underground palace, Xiao Chen couldn't help but reveal a hint of surprise in his eyes.

"Indeed."

Fengyun Wuji beside him nodded, glanced around, and said, "If I'm not mistaken, this underground palace is inscribed with a powerful formation; even if an ancestral god–level being acted, it could not completely destroy this underground palace."

As he spoke, he flicked his finger, a clear clang of sword sound rang out, a sword light emitting strong aura appeared, directly striking the wall of the underground palace.

The next moment, a hazy light emerged, and that sword light capable of easily cleaving the sun, moon, and stars was directly absorbed by the light, dissipating into nothingness, producing no effect on the outside world.

"This"

Seeing this, Xiao Chen couldn't help but express amazement.

Hum

Just as the two were speaking, a buzzing sound arose, and Feng Yi withdrew his palm from the massive stone gate before him.

"All right!"

The moment his words fell, the stone gate slowly opened, a vicissitudinous, distant aura emerged from beyond the gate, making everyone feel as if they had opened a gate of spacetime and seen a spacetime passage.

"This is."

Fengyun Wuji's eyes flickered slightly, and he said in a low voice, "Traces of past ages."

"Indeed, these are traces of the past."

Feng Yi pointed to the passage behind the stone gate, a faint smile appearing on his face, and said, "The place where Keke's ancestor undergoes transformation is very special; that place does not belong to the present era, but is a time rift world existing in the past, opened up by great divine powers."

Having said that, Feng Yi stepped into the passage behind the stone gate and continued, "Once he truly succeeds in his transformation and takes the final step, he can, by relying on the supreme power of that moment when he achieves the Stone Person King, penetrate past and future, truly stepping into the present era; this is Keke's ancestor's path of transformation—transforming in the past, succeeding in the present."

The moment his words fell, everyone followed Feng Yi through the passage behind the stone gate, only feeling a mysterious aura circulating beside them.

The next moment, everyone before them felt a blur, discovering they had actually arrived in a brand-new world.

The heavens and earth were vast, boundless primeval forests covered the land and mountains ahead, waves of roars sounded, and huge beasts unlike those of the current era revealed their silhouettes.

At this moment, everyone felt as if they had traversed time and space, arriving in the primordial savage era.

Moreover, the world of this era perfectly merged with the real world, connected through some special means, giving everyone the sensation of having just walked step by step back into the past.

"All right, let's go!"

At the moment everyone was lost in thought, Feng Yi spoke: "Go see Keke's ancestor, and check what condition the stone person about to take the final step is in."

As he spoke, Feng Yi took the lead heading forward, and the others, seeing this, hurried to follow.

As they walked, the world behind them vanished, turning into an expanse of grayish Chaos void.

Along the way, everyone saw all kinds of strange creatures, ancient beings from several civilizations prior, such as the barbaric beasts of the Dragon Clan era and the heavenly apes of the Heavenly Human era, etc.

However, sensing the terrifying aura emanating from Feng Yi, these creatures dared not approach them, allowing them to easily reach the end of this special world existing in past ages.

That was a giant valley, its area comparable to a continent, surrounded by towering mountain ranges like clouds.

And at the valley's farthest end, an extremely magnificent and vast ancient city stood there, as if suppressing the whole world.

The ancient city was towering yet weathered, overall brown like an endless ancient mountain range, bringing an indescribable shock.

"This is."

Xiao Chen looked ahead with surprise at the vast ancient city, and subconsciously in his mind appeared the dead city he had seen on Dragon Island.

The two were very similar, but the ancient city before them was more towering and imposing than the dead city on Dragon Island, with a greater momentum.

More importantly, a faint fragrance drifted from within the ancient city, vines twining around the city walls, and white flowers blooming.

The ancient city on Dragon Island was completely withered, a dead city devoid of any vitality.

Yet the ancient city before them bore signs of life being born, and within it lurked a vigorous life force to the extreme, continually nurturing.

"Even the dead city has grown a flower of life."

Fengyun Wuji's voice sounded, his eyes also showing a hint of surprise.

The dead city is not dead; life has begun to be born, indicating that the entire ancient city has been completely revived, and its inhabitants are about to take that most crucial step.

Once they successfully transform and emerge from the ancient city, this world will gain another true sovereign.

However, although the ancient city before them emanates a powerful aura, Fengyun Wuji clearly feels that it is far inferior to the ancient city that Fuxi, the Chief Deity, transformed from the entire universe.

One could even say they are not on the same level at all.

"It seems that such an ancient city before us is the proper path of the Stone Person King, while the path Fuxi, the Chief Deity, took—transforming realms into a city—is a special road!"

This thought arose in his mind, and Fengyun Wuji felt ever more awe at the might of Fuxi, the Chief Deity.

"Ee-ee ya-ya"

The small beast Keke on Feng Yi's shoulder emitted a confused murmuring sound, its big eyes full of bewilderment.

It felt an unusually familiar aura within the ancient city before it, and couldn't help but feel somewhat confused.

"Let's go, go see your ancestor."

The moment his words fell, Feng Yi shifted his feet and directly appeared at the center of the ancient city.

There was a bulging earth mound resembling half a skull, surrounded by many ancient vines, filled with a rich life aura.

The massive ancient vines were vigorous like coiling dragons, emitting an aura that captivates the heart and soul, as if guarding the earth mound at the city's center.

However, seemingly sensing the aura of the small beast Keke, the ancient vines trembled slightly and did not attack Feng Yi.

Seeing this, Feng Yi's eyes showed a hint of a smile.

This is also why he brought Keke here.

Keke's ancestor has reached the critical moment of transformation, existing in a special state of neither birth nor death, and will instinctively attack anyone who approaches the ancient city.

Although he fears not an immovable stone person, Feng Yi also does not want to engage in a pointless battle with it, lest it affect its transformation state.

With thoughts turning in his mind, Feng Yi stepped forward, extended his hand, and a divine light containing countless information appeared before him.

Looking at the small earth mound before him, Feng Yi waved his hand, and the divine light directly sank into it.

Boom

In an instant, the entire ancient city rumbled, the small earth mound quickly swelled, and directly grew into a huge stone statue.

The stone statue and the entire ancient city seemed as one, standing tall and imposing, extraordinarily heroic, appearing as if it had flesh and blood, like a vibrant living being.

However, what grew on the statue's head was not hair, but a tangle of ancient vines.

Hum

The next moment, the statue's eyes snapped open, revealing a pair of stone eyes that burst forth with endless divine light.

"Transform the realm into a city."

A resonant, powerful voice rang out from the statue's mouth; looking at the figure in black robes before him, a hint of admiration flashed in its stone eyes as it said: "I never expected that in the Nine Provinces there would appear a fellow Daoist like you, directly transforming a universe into an ancient city to complete your stone-person path—I am inferior!"

"You flatter me!"

A faint smile appeared on Feng Yi's face as he said: "It's merely a fortunate coincidence; compared to you, fellow Daoist, who is about to take the final step to become a true sovereign, I still have a long way to go."

Hearing Feng Yi's words, the statue shook its head and said: "You are too modest, fellow Daoist; although I have progressed further on the stone-person path than you, the road you walk surpasses mine. Once you truly achieve transformation, you will surely become the supreme sovereign, far beyond my comparison—having you in the Nine Provinces is truly a blessing."

Saying this, he seemed to think of something and directly said: "Having gained your insight, I have fully comprehended my own final step; this is my stone-person transformation insight, hoping it may aid your path."

The moment his voice fell, a divine light containing countless pieces of information rose from within the statue and appeared directly before Feng Yi.

Gazing at that divine light, a hint of smile appeared in Feng Yi's eyes as he softly said: "Since you speak thus, I shall respectfully obey rather than merely show respect."

This is also one of the reasons he came here this time.

The Great Dao insight of a stone-person about to take the final step is, for Feng Yi, who likewise walks the stone-person path, a tremendous fortune, allowing him to gain a completely new understanding of his own path.

His thoughts turning, Feng Yi gathered the divine light before him and spoke solemnly: "I came to see you today mainly concerning matters of other worlds."

After a while, a gleam flashed in the statue's eyes as it said: "I see, I understand; fellow Daoist, rest assured."

"Mm."

Feng Yi nodded, then placed the little beast Keke from his shoulder before him, smiling: "By the way, I also brought your descendant for you to meet, so you can see your junior."

"My junior."

A soft voice sounded, the statue's eyes brightened, and an ancient vine flew out, gently bringing the little beast Keke onto its body.

"Ee-ya"

The little beast Keke was not afraid; instead, it felt a sense of closeness, somewhat confused as it said: "Are you really my ancestor?"

"That's right."

The statue's voice softened a touch, carrying a hint of pity as it said: "I am your mysterious ancestor."

Keke's voice was tender, its big eyes filled with a hint of bewilderment as it said: "Ee-ya, why do you look different from me?"

"Ah!"

A sigh sounded, and the statue, feeling somewhat guilty, said: "Our clan was cursed by a powerful enemy; only upon reaching a certain realm can we restore our original appearance."

"Ee-ya"

Upon hearing the statue's words, the little beast Keke confirmed that the other was its mysterious ancestor, and instantly became somewhat excited.

It chattered away in ee-ya sounds about its own affairs—its birth, growth, love of sleep, fondness for spiritual essence—regarding the statue entirely as a relative.

Seeing this, Feng Yi beside them did not disturb the two, but instead directly placed his mind into the stone-person transformation insight granted by the statue.

Hum

In an instant, his mind trembled slightly, his whole body seeming to become an ancient city, undergoing transformation as countless ages flowed by, bit by bit.

Countless insights arose in his heart, giving him a completely new understanding and experience of the normal stone-person path, and deepening his grasp of his own stone-person path.

In the Chaos void.

A rumbling roar sounded, and the boundless Chaos qi ceaselessly surged.

An ancient city resembling a universe continually underwent adjustment and transformation, its aura becoming ever more profound and unfathomable.

(End of chapter)