Chapter 31: Kunpeng Six Transformations (Part 1)
THUMP, THUMP, THUMP... Li Qiye used the Kunpeng Six Transformations to strike the gate of his Life Palace again and again. He had lost count of the tens of thousands of times he had struck it, but the Life Palace still showed no reaction. Its gate remained shut.
For many cultivators, this was not an optimistic situation. To strike for so long without opening the Life Palace's gate meant one's aptitude was simply too poor.
However, Li Qiye possessed an unshakable heart. Even if it took a million strikes, he would persist. He would continue striking until the gate of his Life Palace finally opened.
THUUUMP— Finally, after Li Qiye had been striking for five days and five nights, a soft, reverberating sound echoed. It was followed by the sound of a gate creaking open, "CREAAK, CREAAK, CREAAK." At last, through his persistence, he had forced open the gate to his Life Palace.
Once the gate to his Life Palace opened, a wisp of life force drifted out. However, Li Qiye possessed only a Mortal Life, so his Power of Life was limited. If this had been a genius, their life force would have been vast and torrential.
At that moment, the True Technique of the Kunpeng Six Transformations surged into his Life Palace like a tide, and Li Qiye's Intention followed, pouring in like a flood.
The Life Palace was incomparably vast, one could even call it boundless and infinite. The expansive Life Palace was a hazy expanse. At its center, the True Technique of the Kunpeng Six Transformations circulated around a cluster of brilliant light. The True Technique's runes swirled ceaselessly around this light, as if trying to awaken it.
This cluster of brilliant light was what everyone called the Life Soul. Some called it the three hun and six po, but even more people called it the True Destiny! This was the foundation that determined a person's fate for their entire life.
Regardless of the being, only through cultivation could one awaken their own True Destiny, their own three hun and six po. Only after awakening one's True Destiny and one's three hun and six po could they possess Divine Techniques. And only after the True Destiny was awakened could one command the Power of Life, connect with all things in heaven and earth, and vanquish their foes to defy the heavens!
The Kunpeng Six Transformations was a Life Technique. It had to awaken the True Destiny and use it as a foundation to cultivate Li Qiye's own Dao Practice! Thus, the Mysterious Runes of the Kunpeng Six Transformations endlessly swirled around his True Destiny. These constantly flowing Mysterious Runes would sometimes transform into a Celestial Roc flying alongside it, then into a Giant Kūn leaping and turning. At other times, they would take the form of a Kunpeng—neither fish nor roc—and merge into the True Destiny. As the Kunpeng formed from the Mysterious Runes ceaselessly merged into and leaped out of the True Destiny, Li Qiye's True Destiny, like a deep abyss, began to fluctuate with brilliant light!
This process was called "Awakening," the second stage of the Kou Palace realm. Only when the True Destiny was awakened could one speak of true cultivation.
For a genius, especially one with an Imperial Decree or Holy Destiny, awakening their True Destiny was an extremely easy matter. They might even accomplish it in half a day.
Li Qiye, however, only had a Mortal Life. He naturally couldn't compare to geniuses with a Holy Destiny or an Imperial Decree. But Li Qiye wasn't worried in the slightest. He cultivated with a calm and ordinary mindset, letting the Kunpeng Six Transformations flow endlessly and unceasingly. To him, as long as the Kunpeng Six Transformations continued to circulate, his True Destiny would inevitably awaken one day.
Within the Life Palace, it was boundless and incomparably vast. The entire palace was a hazy expanse, impossible to see through. In truth, the sheer scale of a Life Palace far exceeded human imagination.
Right now, Li Qiye's Life Palace was a hazy expanse. Even after his True Destiny awakened, he still wouldn't be able to see through the entire palace. Although he couldn't perceive it all for the time being, Li Qiye could still faintly sense other presences within it.
Within the Life Palace, in the impossibly distant east, he could vaguely sense an enormous spring. However, the spring was currently dry, with no water flowing from it.
The Spring of Life, one of the legendary Four Symbols of the Destiny Palace. Many legends surrounded the Spring of Life. Some Elder Sages believed that the Spring of Life was the very source of the Power of Life.
Within the Life Palace, in the impossibly distant west, Li Qiye could vaguely sense a gigantic furnace. However, this immense furnace was cold and without warmth.
The Life Furnace! In the Ten Thousand Realms, a saying was passed down: "The Great Dao is like a furnace, capable of refining all things!" For ages, countless people believed that the furnace mentioned in this saying referred to the Life Furnace.
Many believed that the Fire of Life burned by the Life Furnace originated from the True Destiny, from the soul, and was also known as the Soul Fire.
Within the Life Palace, in the distant south, a colossal tree reached for the heavens. This giant tree stood tall within his Life Palace, but at this moment, it showed no fluctuation of the Power of Life, as if it were a dead tree!
The Tree of Life had always been an incomparably mysterious existence within the Life Palace. Legend had it that the Tree of Life could connect to the heavens and earth and seize Creation itself.
Within the Life Palace, in the distant north, a massive pillar stood between heaven and earth. Countless unfathomably profound runes were inscribed upon it. It seemed to have stood there since time immemorial.
The Pillar of Life. Legend claimed it was the root of life itself. Without the Pillar of Life, nothing would exist!
The Four Symbols of the Destiny Palace: the Spring of Life, the Life Furnace, the Tree of Life, and the Pillar of Life. These were the most mysterious things in the world, and also the most profound mysteries within the Life Palace. To comprehend the true profound mysteries of the Four Symbols of the Destiny Palace, countless Elder Sages had surged forward, one after another, throughout the ages.
A saying was once passed down through the world: if anyone could master the true mystical meaning of the Four Symbols of the Destiny Palace, they would be able to shoulder the Celestial Mandate, become an Immortal Emperor, and perhaps even attain eternal life!
Li Qiye let the Kunpeng Six Transformations flow unceasingly and had the Moon Vortex Sun Wheel Technique rotate his Life Wheel, bringing his entire state into a condition that was profound beyond measure and wondrous beyond words.
Having only just begun his cultivation, Li Qiye progressed step by step. He was in no rush at all, for he had absolute certainty in himself. He had absolute confidence. His Dao Heart was something that no thing and no one could ever shake!
Finally, Nan Huairun returned ten days later. As soon as he was back, he rushed to Solitary Peak. Seeing Li Qiye, he couldn't help but say apologetically, "Senior Brother, my apologies for making you wait so long. The Sect Leader went into minor seclusion, so I could only wait for him to emerge before making my report."
"It's a small matter," Li Qiye said calmly.
Seeing Li Qiye so calm and composed, Nan Huairun hesitated for a moment before saying, "Senior Brother, from what the Sect Leader said, it seems Second Senior Brother will be rushing back." He then added, "Second Senior Brother is the Sect Leader's disciple."
At the mention of "Second Senior Brother," Nan Huairun gave Li Qiye a strange look, but said nothing more.
"What's wrong with Second Senior Brother?" Li Qiye glanced at Nan Huairun's odd expression, his tone still unconcerned.
Nan Huairun gave a dry laugh and scratched his head. "To be honest, Senior Brother, I can't really explain it. You'll understand once you meet him. Second Senior Brother's situation is... a bit special," he added at the end.
Li Qiye just smiled and didn't press the matter. To him, none of this was important. He didn't care what Second Senior Brother's situation was, nor did he care why he was coming—whether it was to guide his cultivation or to supervise him.
For Li Qiye, his resolve to restore the Xiyan Ancient Sect was as hard as iron; no one could sway him. As soon as the time was right, he would rebuild the Xiyan Ancient Sect. On this path, anyone who blocked his way would be shown no mercy. If a Buddha blocked him, he would slay the Buddha; if a god stood in his way, he would slaughter the god!
In the early years of the era of All Emperors, the Xiyan Ancient Sect was built by his hand and swept through the Nine Realms. In this life, he would rebuild the Xiyan Ancient Sect once more. One day, he would lead it to sweep across the Eight Desolations and trample the Immortal Demon Cave! His determined steps could not be stopped by anyone!
However, Nan Huairun had already grown accustomed to Li Qiye's composure. The man had been this calm even when facing the Sun Demon Emperor's senior brother. Compared to that, Second Senior Brother was nothing worth mentioning.
Nan Huairun couldn't help but take another look at Li Qiye. He was surprised to find that Li Qiye had already begun cultivating. "Senior Brother, you've already opened the gate to your Life Palace!" he said in pleasant surprise. "How long did it take you?"
"Not long. Five days and five nights," Li Qiye said slowly and deliberately.
"Er—" Those words left Nan Huairun speechless for a long time. 'Five days and five nights wasn't long?' In any sect, if a disciple took three days and three nights to open their gate, they would definitely be berated by their elders as an idiot! They'd be deemed untalented! As for five days and five nights... that went without saying. He'd be the idiot of all idiots. If anyone found out Li Qiye took five days and five nights to open his gate, he would absolutely become the biggest laughingstock in the Xiyan Ancient Sect!
Even the worst disciples of the Xiyan Ancient Sect only took about three days and three nights, yet Li Qiye had used five days and five nights!
But from Li Qiye's expression, one could tell that five days and five nights was nothing to him. He spoke of it with an air of calm composure, as if it were a trivial matter.
If any other disciple had taken five days and five nights to open their gate, they would surely feel deeply inferior. But Li Qiye was neither inferior nor proud. To him, it was as natural and unremarkable as eating a meal.
Of course, Nan Huairun would never believe Li Qiye was an idiot. 'Anyone who thinks Li Qiye is an idiot is the real idiot.' Just look at Du Yuanguang, Xu Hui, and Guardian Xu. Didn't all those people who thought themselves smarter than Li Qiye end up dead at his hands? Du Yuanguang and Xu Hui were even dismembered by him!
Thinking of this, Nan Huairun couldn't help but shudder. 'Taking five days and five nights to open his gate, yet still so calm and composed... A person who seems like an idiot, yet looks down upon the Eight Desolations with absolute confidence and an unshakable Dao Heart! A person like that... just thinking about how terrifying he is makes me shudder!'
In the end, Nan Huairun didn't dare say anything more and simply accompanied Li Qiye to choose a Treasure Artifact.
Returning once again to the Triangular Ancient Courtyard, Li Qiye and Nan Huairun used the Hand Order to enter the Armory Pavilion. The moment they stepped inside, they were met with the sight of a gigantic statue standing within!