NOVPUBGan Ning did not realize that he had accidentally discovered a path forward after the Inner Qi Manifestation, alas, due to the limitations of his realm, he missed it. Gan Ning never deeply considered why the Kun Fish could utilize Inner Qi while still being enveloped in Cloud Qi, which for two ostensibly opposing forces, was incredibly inconceivable.
Just imagine if Lyu Bu had seen the illogical manner in which the Kun Fish used these two forms of Qi and then decided to research the conversion between Cloud Qi and Inner Qi. Given his realm, it is very likely that after some time, he might have figured it out.
Imagine if, in the future, Lyu Bu could wield Inner Qi within the Cloud Qi, tsk tsk tsk, probably not many would be enough for him to slay, and similarly, if he could employ Inner Qi in a one-on-one fight, fighting Zhang Fei would probably not be challenge enough for him. Unfortunately, neither Chen Xi nor Gan Ning nor Taishi Ci understood the state of existence of that Kun Fish.
Nanhua Old Immortal floated in the sky, flicked his horsetail whisk, and gazed down at the blue island below, hundreds of meters across, his brows furrowing intensely, unable to comprehend how such a significant problem could arise from an accident.
It could be said that among all the immortal beings of this era, Nanhua had the most formidable, aggressive capabilities, comparable to the military general Lyu Bu among the Feudal Lords, so his goal was the Ascend that all "immortals" vainly dreamt of.
Regrettably, no matter how talented and brilliant Nanhua was, regardless of his efforts, when he discovered thirty-six years ago that his time was limited to six more years, Nanhua Old Immortal still hadn’t found any clue to Ascend. In desperation, he thought of using external objects.
Nanhua set his sights on the Divine Stone, particularly the second one that had not vanished, and then he successfully stole it. Unfortunately, no matter what he tried, there was almost no response from the Divine Stone.
Thirty years ago, out of desperation, Nanhua chose to summon Heavenly Thunder and used it to shatter the Divine Stone in these waters east of Qingzhou. The Life Essence that burst forth in the instant the Divine Stone shattered significantly extended Nanhua’s lifespan. However, the powerful surge also swept across the entire continent, carrying away the fragments of the Divine Stone with it.
This surge swept across the entire continent, making energy more easily absorbed by living beings, and the Divine Stone fragments, carrying with them Life Essence, disappeared. Some were absorbed by people, some by animals, and others fell into deep, untraceable forests, with Life Essence gradually dissipating between heaven and earth.
These living beings, having gained these benefits, were able to achieve Inner Qi Manifestation more easily than others. Even certain animals, without any cultivation methods, managed Innate Qi Manifestation purely by instinct, as Inner Qi itself is energy extracted from food and life.
As for the waters where Nanhua now stood, they were actually where he had used Heavenly Thunder to shatter the Divine Stone that year. Apart from a small portion absorbed by him, the burst of Life Essence from the Divine Stone had also been absorbed by the living beings in these waters, explaining why bizarre creatures often appeared in this region.
Staring at the Kun Fish basking in the sunlight below, Nanhua felt the urge to take a life, but considering the immense size, the thick Cloud Qi, and the coat of Inner Qi enveloping it like a shield, Nanhua decided it was better not to court death. After all, it wasn’t just whether it would be ominous to kill such a creature, but also a question of whether it could be killed at all.
"Alas, I’ve really caused a great disaster this time. After the Divine Stone shattered, I would have never guessed it would have such a colossal effect. Even the ’First Emperor’s death which fragmented the land’ didn’t have such a powerful impact," Nanhua muttered to himself with a wry smile. The shards of the Divine Stone had been found and absorbed by humans, and that was one thing, but the real problem was the numerous animals that had absorbed them as well.
Over the past seven years, super animals had started appearing in various places. Intent on rectifying the chaos he created, Nanhua tirelessly hunted down and slaughtered these super animals. He killed three Flood Dragons, five giant wolves, one Giant Bear, two Sky Flying Tigers, two Giant Apes, and three Pegasuses. Actually, there were four horses, but Red Hare was too fast, and Nanhua failed to kill it.
Unlike humans, wild animals would instinctively swallow Divine Stone Fragments when encountered, driven by nature’s call, whereas most humans would pass by without the same intuition. Eventually, the Life Essence of the Divine Stone Fragment would expend itself and vanish, which in a way, could be seen as a blessing to the area.
In any case, Nanhua killed many, but soon realized that he alone couldn’t finish them all off. Moreover, super wild animals weren’t that terrifying after all. At least, that super horse he chased across half the prairie and couldn’t kill ended up being ridden by someone. He heard that there was a super tiger in Chenliu, but by the time he got there, someone had already cooked it into soup and even offered him some.
From this perspective, Nanhua felt that perhaps he didn’t need to try so hard. As long as he took care of the most troublesome dozen or so, others would naturally be handled by the various Feudal Lords. After all, what were the Government Office and the military there for if not to deal with trouble?
Once he had figured this out, Nanhua spent considerable effort divining the strongest of the super animals. He planned to exterminate the top ten most powerful super animals, and leave the rest to the capable Feudal Lords. By now, many humans had achieved Inner Qi Manifestation, and the East Sea would be his first stop, and the weakest among the ten super animals: the super Kun...
Nanhua gazed at the Kun beneath him, sizing it up, then looked at his own thin arms and legs, and sighed deeply. This was a problem he couldn’t resolve. He estimated that with his current strength, killing the super animal below wouldn’t be easy, and this was the weakest one, with nine stronger beings still out there.
"I might as well return to my hermitage and diligently read the Nanhua Scripture. I can’t intervene in this matter anymore." Nanhua looked up at the sky and sighed, casting a last glance at the Kun before flying back to the mainland. He decided to no longer meddle in the mortal world’s affairs. If he could Ascend, then ascend he would; if not, he would just let nature take its course.
There was no point in staying. Even the weakest of the ten super animals was too much for Nanhua to handle, let alone going back to his mountain retreat to recite the Nanhua Scripture. The calculations he had made before showed that humans still maintained an overwhelming advantage, which meant that the so-called ten super animals were definitely going to be killed, and yet he couldn’t even handle the weakest one. Knowing there were several others on the same level as this Kun, and that he couldn’t kill even one, why stay any longer?
After Nanhua left, the Kun let out a triumphant roar into the sky. Although it lacked the intelligence of humans, the presence of Nanhua flying above made it feel a pressure that kept it immobile on the sea’s surface, like a piece of wood. Now with Nanhua gone, the Great Kun felt a sudden lightness in its body, joyfully leaping from the water before diving into the sea, never wishing to return here again.
Gan Ning and his group, who were just about to board their ship, also saw the immense figure of the Kun. They watched as it dove back into the sea, not surfacing again, unaware that this would be the last time they ever saw this super Kun. (To be continued. If you like this work, welcome to Qidian (qidian.com) to cast your recommendations and monthly tickets. Your support is my greatest motivation. Mobile users, please visit m.qidian.com to read.)
