171: Carp in the river, fairy scene

The moment Qin Jin appeared in the Sacrificial Spirit Hall, his movements abruptly paused.

Within his perception, an extremely abundant spiritual energy permeated all around him; with every breath, it seemed as if spiritual energy was being inhaled and exhaled. This spiritual energy was refined and gentle. If one were to remain in this environment for a long time, they would surely develop a robust physique, prolong their life, and become immune to all illnesses.

"What happened?!"

With a ripple of emotion in his heart, Qin Jin's gaze swept around. Inside the Sacrificial Spirit Hall, clouds and mist drifted above, like a celestial realm. The air was slightly humid, and due to the extreme density of spiritual energy, flashes of brilliant light occasionally flickered in mid-air—these were manifestations of the spiritual energy.

Within the Sacrificial Spirit Hall, many items that the Sacrificial Fire Tribe usually offered were placed.

Since Qin Jin no longer needed to exchange them for other resources, they had been accumulating. Now, a glance revealed that the crystal cores and beast bones all had faint glows circulating above them, making them appear even more extraordinary.

And at the center of the hall, the "throne" where Qin Jin usually sat for long periods truly looked like a throne now. It was originally constructed from stacked giant logs, and the Sacrificial Fire Tribe members had put effort into decorating it when building it. But now, looking at it, the throne stood in the very center, exuding a truly majestic aura, and peculiar patterns had formed on its wooden body.

Qin Jin paced within the Sacrificial Spirit Hall.

His expression was solemn, with a hint of complexity.

This feeling, this experience, was no less than returning home after a trip to find one's old, dilapidated house transformed into a grand villa.

He walked to one side, to the exposed wood, from which a refreshing woody fragrance emanated, invigorating his mind when inhaled. It brought a sense of clarity to his spirit.

It seemed.

The entire Sacrificial Spirit Hall had undergone a transformation.

With various conjectures arising in his mind, Qin Jin activated his Divine Intent, which left his body and, in an instant, passed through the hall's dome. Everything outside was reflected in his vision.

Divine light descended from the sky, but it had already disconnected from the Heavenly Vault, enveloping the area around the Sacrificial Spirit Hall. Outside the divine light, Qin Jin clearly saw many Sacrificial Fire Tribe members gathered there, attempting various methods.

It seemed they wanted to establish contact with him, the Lord Sacrificial Spirit.

"Divine light descends from the sky."

"Is this caused by the Mountain and River Divine Cauldron?"

Qin Jin had personally gone to observe the sky, and in an instant, he realized: "Senior Ji Lianxing once mentioned that her imperial brother, the Immortal Dynasty Emperor, most likely had some arrangements. Could this be part of those arrangements?"

His Divine Intent felt comfortable within this area as well.

It seemed that the area covered by the divine light had truly transformed into a spiritual land, a blessed land, no longer ordinary.

Thoughts flashed through his mind.

Divine Intent returned to his body.

As spiritual energy surged within the Spirit Ruins, interacting with the external spiritual energy, his cultivation speed dramatically increased.

"Now, this place can be considered an excellent location for cultivating the Heavenly Azure Method."

Thoughts raced through his mind. Qin Jin's thoughts stirred slightly, and after a flash of light beside him, the azure lightning dark halberd appeared.

He teleported into the cockpit, establishing a mental link, and the azure lightning dark halberd suddenly lit up all over.

The massive machine stepped out, walking from the hall's entrance.

The moment it stepped out, under Qin Jin's control, the power of vows restriction that constantly enveloped the hall was temporarily lifted, no longer obscuring it.

Near the hall, many tribe members were already gathered, pooling their efforts and exploring ways to contact the Lord Sacrificial Spirit. At this moment, the obscuring power of vows was lifted, and this descending divine light did not obscure the internal view, being transparent.

Qin Jin clearly saw some tribe members with excited expressions, opening their mouths to speak.

He could only see their actions, not hear their words.

"The sounds from inside and outside are also isolated."

Outside, Xia Yanh Tiger and others, who were at the forefront, looked over upon hearing the shouts. Upon seeing the azure lightning dark halberd, they visibly breathed a sigh of relief.

Under the gaze of numerous tribe members.

Qin Jin's steps were steady as he walked to the side of the divine light.

The golden light curtain descending from above was quite dazzling.

With a slight stir in his heart, the light of the power of vows shone around the azure lightning dark halberd.

Qin Jin had previously used the sacrificial ceremony to forge a golden body for the azure lightning dark halberd, and its affinity for the power of vows was continuously increasing.

With the power of vows covering the machine body, Qin Jin raised his arm and extended it.

His arm passed through the curtain without any obstruction, truly leaving the Sacrificial Spirit Hall.

"This divine light did not block the power of vows."

The tribe members outside saw the extended arm, and excited cheers erupted.

The azure lightning dark halberd retracted its arm.

With mental control, the power of vows receded, replaced by the pure spiritual energy surging from within the Spirit Ruins.

Spiritual energy flowed through the mecha's rune circuits, light flickering, and once again passed through the divine light.

"The power of vows, as well as the spiritual energy cultivated from the Heavenly Azure Method within the Spirit Ruins, can all pass through this light curtain."

"It seems this is indeed the work of the Mountain and River Divine Cauldron in the Heavenly Vault."

"Only it has a connection with both of these powers."

The azure lightning dark halberd's body emerged from the divine light.

Intertwined cheers and calls sounded simultaneously.

"Lord Sacrificial Spirit!"

After seeing the azure lightning dark halberd through the light curtain, the tribe members had already gathered, and now they all came forward to greet him.

Qin Jin, situated in the cockpit, swept his gaze around, and his voice echoed.

"What happened while I was in seclusion?"

Upon hearing the question, Xia Yanh Tiger, taking the lead without hesitation, spoke with a serious expression: "Lord Sacrificial Spirit, just a while ago, black clouds covered the Heavenly Vault, and then…"

He earnestly recounted everything he knew, detailing all the information compiled by the various tribe members, and finally added: "Lord Sacrificial Spirit, a while ago, I sent Ding Yang out to investigate the situation of other tribes for comparison."

"Now that you have emerged from your predicament, should I call Ding Yang back?"

"No need."

Inside the cockpit, Qin Jin's eyes flickered, and a calm voice sounded.

"Let Ding Yang confirm the situation of the Sacrificial Spirits in other tribes, to see if it's the same as mine."

"I understand."

Xia Yanh Tiger seemed to comprehend, nodding solemnly.

The azure lightning dark halberd raised its head, looking towards the Heavenly Vault.

"It's not just my dwelling that has changed."

"It seems this is indeed the arrangement left within the Mountain and River Divine Cauldron."

"So… why did it activate now?"

"The Sacrificial Spirit Hall truly seems to have become a 'Divine Immortal Abode.' What changes will occur in other places where divine light descends?"

After a moment of contemplation.

Qin Jin's thoughts stirred, and his voice resonated in Xia Yanh Tiger's mind.

"Other matters are temporarily suspended."

"Dispatch teams to search for areas within our tribe's control that have undergone unusual changes."

"If you encounter other tribes, and if they cause trouble because of this, do not hold back; act with thunderous force directly."

A few brief words.

Xia Yanh Tiger understood and, without the slightest hesitation, issued the command.

The current Si Huo Tribe had numerous elite young adults.

Martial arts laid the foundation, medicinal baths solidified the roots, and those who performed exceptionally could cultivate the Heavenly Azure Method!

They had already tempered their physiques and spirits through martial arts, meeting the requirements for foundation building, and the demands for the Dao Foundation firewood were not as high. After Qin Jin imparted the Heavenly Azure Method, many among the first batch had truly forged their Dao Foundation and embarked on this path.

Under Xia Yanh Tiger's arrangements, teams were formed, carrying communicators, and left the tribe, heading in different directions.

The surrounding areas had long been thoroughly explored by the Si Huo Tribe, but now, changes might have occurred again.

Seeing everything in orderly fashion, Qin Jin in the cockpit nodded slightly.

The continuous growth and development of the Si Huo Tribe, being able to have its own system, was a good thing.

With a change of thought.

Qin Jin piloted the azure lightning dark halberd, striding towards the tribe's exit.

"Lord Sacrificial Spirit."

Behind him, Qi Chuan's voice sounded.

"Where are you going?"

"I'm going to see what exactly is contained within this place of anomaly."

Leaving a sentence behind.

The azure lightning dark halberd accelerated, quickly disappearing from sight.

Qi Chuan watched the figure disappear into the distance.

Beside him.

Xia Yanh Tiger's voice sounded.

"Old Qi, everything in the tribe is temporarily entrusted to you."

Qi Chuan turned his head, frowning: "You are…"

"Whatever is contained within this anomalous place, it is certainly not simple."

Xia Yanh Tiger's eyes were serious, with a sharp intent: "Perhaps, it will lead to conflicts with other tribes."

"I also need to rush to the front. If our tribe members truly get into a conflict with another tribe in a certain place, it will be good to provide support immediately."

Upon hearing his words.

Qi Chuan hesitated for a moment, but ultimately did not refute, only nodding solemnly.

...

Leaving the tribe.

Inside the cockpit, the map of the surrounding area was displayed on the light screen.

Qin Jin's gaze was clear, heading directly for the nearest water source of the Si Huo Tribe.

From Xia Yanh Tiger's mouth, he already knew about the anomalous locations reported by the tribe members.

He could basically confirm that this anomaly in the Great Wilderness was largely related to the Mountain and River Divine Cauldron, but only by personally exploring and observing it could he know more details and obtain more information.

The azure lightning dark halberd glowed all over, moving swiftly.

Thoughts rapidly spun in Qin Jin's mind.

"The Mountain and River Divine Cauldron was already continuously depleting over the years."

"Now, it's making such a move. Could it be that the restrictions above are going to be lifted?"

"Or is this just a small part of the arrangement, activated in advance?"

The Si Huo Tribe's nearest water source was a winding river, and tribe members were usually stationed there specifically.

After all, a water source is extremely important for a tribe.

After the anomaly occurred, under Xia Yanh Tiger's arrangement, the number of tribe members stationed there increased. Upon seeing the azure lightning dark halberd rushing towards them, they showed reverence and shock, and shouts erupted.

"It's the Lord Sacrificial Spirit."

"Greetings, Lord Sacrificial Spirit."

Calls rose from all directions.

Qin Jin slowed his steps, responding with a calm voice. The tribe members crowded behind him as Qin Jin stepped forward to the area covered by divine light.

Looking out, the area covered by this divine light was far greater than the Sacrificial Spirit Hall. The river was cut off in the center, with only its head and tail, and other tributaries remaining. The widest area was covered within the divine light. Looking through the golden light curtain, the river surface inside shimmered beautifully.

The power of vows was activated within the mecha. Qin Jin paused slightly as he touched the light curtain.

This area covered by divine light clearly consumed more power of vows than the Sacrificial Spirit Hall!

To be precise…

It was like a constant standard; to enter here, one's stored power of vows had to exceed a certain level.

With a change of thought, Qin Jin transformed into Tian Cang spiritual energy again.

This time…

The sense of obstruction suddenly decreased, until it completely disappeared.

Qin Jin's thoughts became clear in an instant.

"In the Great Wilderness, the power of vows is a power that only a Sacrificial Spirit can control."

"The more power of vows a Sacrificial Spirit possesses, the more human tribes he protects, and the more he is respected and recognized by the tribe members he protects."

"Perhaps…"

"The changes in the Sacrificial Spirit Hall are a reward?"

"Once Ding Yang brings back news, it can be confirmed."

"Will some Sacrificial Spirits be unable to enter this divine light area at all?"

"Is this similar to the ancient covenant mentioned by Sacrificial Spirit Tuyang, where one can gain more by passing a trial?"

"Those who cultivate the Heavenly Azure Method and enter the Spirit Ruins can also enter the divine light area, and without restrictions."

As Qin Jin thought of this, a different idea suddenly arose in his mind.

"Within the Great Wilderness, it is highly probable that other inheritances related to the Heavenly Azure Method still exist!"

Inside the cockpit, Qin Jin's eyes shone brightly.

His Heavenly Azure Method came from the Immortal Dynasty Princess, who was undoubtedly a top figure of that era, and he thus obtained the top-tier true scripture from the Immortal Dynasty.

However, the Immortal Dynasty was vast. In a world-destroying catastrophe like the Heavenly Rift, how could only one person leave behind an inheritance?

Qin Jin's thoughts became increasingly clear.

"Some of these inheritances may have disappeared with the passage of time, but some should have truly been passed down and obtained by later generations."

"Like the power of vows, this might also be a form of evaluation."

"After all, being able to obtain the inheritance and cultivate the Heavenly Azure Method itself represents having gone through a trial."

The azure lightning dark halberd stepped into the divine light area.

The sound of waves entered his ears.

The divine light also covered the shore. The place Qin Jin entered was the high ground on both sides of this river. He stepped to the edge; the cliff was only a few meters high, and below was the rushing river, whose bottom could not be seen at a glance.

He raised his palm, and spiritual energy surged, forming a ball, which directly fell towards the river surface.

In Qin Jin's perception, the spiritual energy ball fell, reaching a depth of over a hundred meters before finally hitting the riverbed.

"The original water source was not nearly this deep."

Since that distant journey, Qin Jin had mostly remained in the tribe. Besides cultivating, he would often observe the situation of the Si Huo Tribe, and he had a good understanding of the place.

"Is this considered moving mountains and seas, changing the terrain?"

"No, it's even more terrifying than that. After all, besides this area, there was no impact on the outside world. All the residual changes were confined within the scope, not affecting the outside."

Although it was stagnant water that had been cut off, the river surface was far from calm, with surging waves and churning water.

Just as Qin Jin was observing,

Suddenly,

a golden light flashed across a corner of the river surface.

It was only for an instant before it fell back into the river, but Qin Jin's five senses were incredibly sharp now. He had already captured its form, and even used the azure lightning dark halberd to photograph its appearance.

It was a...

carp about the length of an arm.

Within this water collection area, some fish originally resided, and the tribesmen of the Si Huo Tribe would occasionally come to fish.

However, this carp, which was originally an earthy green color, now had golden scales growing on certain parts of its body, shimmering under the light, which was the source of that golden glow.

"The environmental changes have already affected the ordinary native creatures.

"This is another place with extremely abundant spiritual energy."

He was no longer a cultivation novice who knew nothing; his understanding of the Heavenly Azure Method was constantly deepening: "If it can grow and survive smoothly in this river for a long time, it might have the potential to transform into a flood dragon or a true dragon."

The golden carp leaped out, then re-entered the river, disappearing without a trace.

The waves grew even more turbulent.

Just in the next instant!

In front of Qin Jin, on the river surface close to the cliff, a wave suddenly surged up. A gigantic, entirely dark-bodied catfish, long and wide, with two long whiskers dancing in the wind, subtly tinged with golden light, leaped out of the river.

Its huge mouth opened, looking like an abyss. It leaped up, already exceeding the height of the bank, with a clear target, seemingly wanting to swallow the azure lightning dark halberd.

Qin Jin, the observer on the bank, became its food in its eyes.

The huge mouth lunged forward.

Qin Jin's mind was calm, without any fluctuations.

He raised his fist and struck forward.

The azure lightning dark halberd moved with him.

Strength followed the body's movement!

The huge mouth came from above. The azure lightning dark halberd punched out, and in the next instant, the mech's body glowed even more brilliantly. Its primordial power, like a heavy cannon, surged out and blasted into the upper palate of the giant catfish. Upon contact, the primordial power instantly annihilated everything. Its head was blasted with a huge hole in an instant, falling weakly towards the river surface.

Since Qin Jin had already made his move, how could he let his prey escape?

After punching out, the azure lightning dark halberd reached out, directly grasping the catfish's open lower lip. As the mech's body turned, the enormous catfish was flung backward, crashing onto the ground, its body twitching.

It was already dead.

However, due to its body's natural reactions, it was still moving.

"This water collection area is extremely close to the tribe, and the river water is no longer ordinary. If the tribesmen can regularly drink from it, their physiques can be subtly improved."

"I can let Bai Su try."

Qin Jin's eyes flickered: "Although Bai Su is no longer a Sacrificial Spirit, her antlers still have golden patterns. The influence of the power of vows is still on her."

"If she were in this place, under the environmental influence, it would be of great help to her as well."

"Wait."

"If I use the power of vows to surround ordinary tribesmen, can I also let them enter here?"

He acted on the thought.

The tribesmen outside were startled by the giant catfish flung out from within the light barrier, instinctively retreating. Then... they saw their Lord Sacrificial Spirit, dragging the giant catfish, walk out from it.

Qin Jin carried out the attempt as he had envisioned.

The result of the attempt was that it was feasible.

However, compared to entering himself, it consumed a considerable amount of the power of vows. It seemed that the 'ticket' provided to the tribesmen was not cheap.

After instructing the tribesmen stationed there to contact the tribe and have the giant catfish brought back for processing, Qin Jin left the water collection area.

He continued forward.

Upon arriving at an uninhabited wilderness, and confirming that there was no one else around, Qin Jin retracted his mech, and he himself appeared in the Great Wilderness.

His body surged, and he ascended into the sky, rapidly soaring upwards.

With the enhancement of the Grotto-Heaven, he could already fly. Having achieved extreme control and ascended to the Grandmaster realm, both the consumption of flying and the specific speed had greatly improved.

The azure lightning dark halberd's flight module had already been unlocked after he met the requirements, but since he was traveling alone, Qin Jin chose not to pilot the mech for flight.

After a simple exploration of the water collection area, Qin Jin's goal was clear: he planned to go and see the source of everything again, to see if there had been any changes in the sky.

His figure ascended, breaking through the membrane of the sky, and re-entering the Divine Cauldron Forbidden Zone.

The moment he entered this place, Qin Jin's gaze was fixed firmly on the sky above, unable to move away.

The previous times he came, the Divine Cauldron fragments were located in the sky, but they were like treasures covered in dust, showing no power. In fact, because some fragments had already fallen, they even appeared desolate.

It was as if the Immortal Dynasty, which once dominated the world, had collapsed and ceased to exist. This unparalleled immortal treasure shattered into fragments, and under the erosion of time, it became what it was now. Some fallen fragments were completely lost, giving a sense of desolation.

But now...

Across the entire sky, the bronze chains connecting the fragments glowed with divine light, extraordinarily dazzling. On the large and small Divine Cauldron fragments, brilliant light bloomed, and different magnificent scenes appeared above!

Above some fragments, scenes of farming were engraved, and related images flashed across their surfaces. Qin Jin's gaze swept over them, and he had a premonition that if he obtained this fragment and used it during cultivation, it would definitely lead to a great harvest.

On other fragments, there were scenes of construction, with human craftsmen working together to build grand structures.

Scenes of trade, scenes of imparting knowledge, scenes of war, the myriad aspects of human life, birth, old age, sickness, and death, prosperous eras... and so on!

Bargaining sounds, battle cries, and discussions about the Dao echoed in Qin Jin's ears as he observed, transforming into wondrous sounds, as if he were truly there.

One Cauldron in the sky.

Recreating the prosperous Immortal Dynasty!

In ancient times, when the Immortal Dynasty collectively forged this Divine Cauldron, perhaps countless scenes within the Immortal Dynasty were engraved and contained within the Cauldron's body.

Infinitely magnificent, infinitely grand.

That was an incomparably grand Epic.

That former scene of desolation should have merely been the numerous fragments of the Mountain and River Divine Cauldron still in a dormant state. Now... the Divine Intent of the Divine Cauldron was revealed for the first time, reappearing in the world, truly demonstrating its extraordinariness!

After observing carefully for a while, Qin Jin tentatively approached the fragments.

This time...

He encountered an obstruction; he could only observe the scene but could not get close.

Qin Jin was not disappointed by this, as these Divine Cauldron fragments clearly seemed extraordinary now.

"Catching up with the academy's mission period is also a good thing."

"During this period, I will have ample time."

"Such a huge change has occurred in the Great Wilderness; I can thoroughly explore it and confirm the specific situation."

Thoughts flashed through his mind.

After confirming that he could not approach the fragments and could only watch the sacred evolution above, Qin Jin did not choose to leave immediately.

He walked through the air beneath the fragments, aimlessly, for a period of time.

This was a waiting game.

After the thought arose in his mind that there might be other Heavenly Azure Method inheritors in the Great Wilderness, then... with such an anomaly occurring in the Great Wilderness, would these inheritors have the ability, and would they also have the same idea as him to come here to investigate?

After some searching,

he did not see anyone.

The Divine Cauldron fragments enveloped the entire Great Wilderness, vast and wide. With Qin Jin's current ability, he could not complete the search of the entire large area. After waiting for a period of time without success, Qin Jin chose to turn back.

After passing through the membrane of the sky, he was in the high sky, treading on the firmament, with clear skies for thousands of miles around.

The divine light was brilliant. Looking down from the sky, it was clear that there were quite a few anomalous areas that met the eye.

If one area was like this, then what about the entire Great Wilderness?

"The Great Wilderness is about to become chaotic."

Qin Jin's eyes deepened slightly: "It's still fine now, but once the various tribes deepen their exploration of these anomalous areas, they will become places of contention for countless tribes."

Thoughts flickered in his eyes.

"I also need to make some preparations..."

He swept through the high sky, not rushing back to the Si Huo Tribe, but instead heading to the nearest anomalous area.

This anomalous area was a magnificent tall mountain, shrouded in divine light, standing on the ground. From a distance, its shape was quite peculiar.

Two pillar-like peaks stood on either side, and at an extremely high point, steep cliffs and rugged rocks extended, connecting the two peaks at their highest central point. It looked like a giant arch bridge, appearing to be the work of nature and gods. From a distance, the entire twin peaks resembled a massive gateway standing between heaven and earth.

As he flew,

Qin Jin quickly approached, arriving before the divine light.

When piloting the azure lightning dark halberd, he still needed to activate his spiritual power, but entering in person, he didn't even need such an action, easily entering.

The moment he entered,

a vast spiritual energy rose around him. He felt as if he had entered some sacred cultivation ground. His own Spirit Ruins trembled slightly because of it, and his spiritual power was exceptionally active.

"These anomalous areas also seem to have different levels of quality; they are not all equal."

Qin Jin landed on the 'arch bridge' connecting the two peaks.

The cliffs were steep, and looking down, it was probably thousands of feet high. Only in extraordinary places like the Great Wilderness could one witness such a scene, such magnificent mountain and river.

Qin Jin walked along this naturally formed peculiar arch bridge towards one of the peaks.

On the peak, trees grew profusely, and vegetation was dense. On the steep cliffs, pine trees also grew, tenacious and unyielding. They all seemed to be extraordinary, full of spiritual energy.

He walked forward, observing along the way, examining this area.

"In the future, when cultivating in the Great Wilderness, I can also look for a more extraordinary anomalous area, which can make my cultivation progress faster."

Various thoughts flashed through his mind.

Qin Jin ascended to the summit of one side.

The two peaks on either side had peculiar shapes, appearing like heaven-supporting pillars, unlike ordinary ones.

Upon reaching the summit, Qin Jin's gaze swept around.

When he looked at one particular spot, his vision stopped, suddenly focusing!

Lush vegetation grew on the summit, reaching an extreme height.

At this moment, Qin Jin pointed his fingers like a sword, and spiritual power, like a blade, flew out, simultaneously cutting down the lush grass in front of him, revealing the scene behind.

The object that caught his attention revealed its true appearance.

It was a stele.

On this peak, which, despite its peculiar shape, possessed a natural beauty, this stone stele seemed out of place because it was extremely flat, with very obvious traces of being artificially polished and manufactured.

Moreover...

On this stele, characters were carved.

Qin Jin was already familiar with these characters; they were precisely the Heavenly Vault characters!

On the body of the stele, three characters were carved vertically, looking like a boundary marker.

"Dragon Gate Peak"

At that instant, Qin Jin was first momentarily bewildered, then his heart trembled incessantly, and his own power showed obvious fluctuations. Immediately after... there was a sense of enlightenment, a sudden realization in his heart, and a look of understanding on his face.

His state of mind inevitably fluctuated because this scene far exceeded his expectations.

Qin Jin looked at the stone stele, then at the mountain peak beneath his feet, and through the divine light, he looked at the other areas shrouded in divine light.

"This is not an anomaly at all!"

"If it were just the current environmental changes in the Great Wilderness becoming extraordinary, that would be one thing, but how could boundary markers appear? How could mountain peaks have names?"

"This is..."

Qin Jin felt a tingling sensation on his scalp, and he clenched his fists slightly. He already had a deduction in his heart, thinking of the only possibility.

"This is, countless years ago, in the true ancient times, the miraculous and extraordinary places where the Immortal Dynasty was located."

"In the present day,"

"reappearing in the Great Wilderness!"