Chapter 334: Realm God
Li Qiye took a deep breath. He clearly understood that this was not what this heaven and earth was initially. This should have been a vibrant place filled with life. There was no doubt that this world of death was caused by the Realm God.
Burning the sky and boiling the ocean was not a difficult matter once one reached the Realm God’s level. If it truly went mad, then it would absolutely destroy the entire academy.
Treading on this barren land, it became hotter and hotter as the earth became even more damaged. Once Li Qiye reached a certain place, the entire surroundings were fragmented as if a powerful force was tearing the earth apart.
Li Qiye saw the Realm God, one of the two gods of the Mortal Emperor World and something comparable to the Calamity God. Both of them were more than powerful enough to be venerated by future generations.
However, if you thought that the Realm God was an invincible expert that looked down on this world and reigned over the six dao, then you were completely wrong!
The Realm God was a pine tree, not a human. It was an extremely old and sacred pine tree. Legends say that this tree grew up in the Void Gate, and an ancestor of the academy later took it to the outside world.
No outsiders knew whether this was the truth or not because the world also thought that the Void Gate did not exist and that it was only a baseless assertion.
This was not Li Qiye’s first time meeting with the Realm God. As the Dark Crow traveling everywhere, he had met the Realm God several times. One could say that at that moment, the Realm God’s aura was peerless. Even when it maintained a regular pine tree form, everyone would know that it was a pine tree enlightened in the dao.
However, its appearance had changed from before by this meeting between the two. As a pine tree growing on this scorched earth, it was withered and was without any leaves on its broken and cracked branches.
Li Qiye carefully looked at the Realm God and became startled the moment he saw its wound. The withering body was not important, the key was that there was half a branch that was burnt as if it was struck by lightning! This was a calamity brought down by the heavens.
Li Qiye could tell — with a single glance — whether or not it was damage caused by a tribulation. He meticulously looked at the location of the scorched wound on the pine tree; the area of this wound seemed to have lost all of its vitality as if it was cut off by the lightning strike. This was a fatal injury! Even an existence like the Realm God would have a difficult time healing such a wound.
After looking at the wound over and over again, he finally pulled out a black needle from the wound. There was a scintillating blackness as if it was devouring time, instilling fear straight into the hearts of others. It was more accurate to call it a black shimmer rather than a black needle.
“Time-space Chaos Glint!” Seeing this black shimmer in his hand, Li Qiye murmured in surprise.
Little Autumn had once brought this black shimmer back so Li Qiye had seen it before and understood its significance!
“Is the World Tree really about to appear?” Li Qiye uttered while looking at this black light in his hand.
This blackness was involved in things unknown to man, but Li Qiye knew that it had something to do with the Realm God’s origin.
After a while, he put away the black light and quietly called out to the pine tree: “Realm God, Realm God, can you feel it? Can you feel yourself being devoured?”
However, despite his calls, the Realm God did not respond as if it had lost its vitality. It was like an ancient pine tree that was struck by a heavenly tribulation, awaiting death.
“Realm God! Realm God!” Li Qiye called out once again, but he was met with no response.
However, Li Qiye did not give up and continued to gently call out to the Realm God. He knew that the Realm God purposely suppressed itself into a deep slumber.
Meanwhile, during Li Qiye’s trip to the depths of the academy, brilliant immortal lights suddenly covered the sky right outside of the five great halls. The encompassing radiance gave the academy the appearance of a land of immortals.
The light floated around for a while before it eventually fell down and turned into an extremely ancient portal in the five great halls’ territory. The immortal lights then continuously created many great, shifting visuals.
One could see a plethora of sceneries right through the portal, including majestic mountains towering to the sky along with deep valleys and run-down ancient temples...
“The timeless portal is opening!” This astonishing piece of news spread throughout the academy and all of the Eastern Hundred Cities in just a single day.
An uproar from the excited multitude of cultivators emanated after the news propagated. People quickly rushed towards the academy since this was the reason why they traveled here from all four directions!
“Clank, clank, clank!” Right when everyone was rushing towards the academy, the academy closed its door to block everyone off.
Before, nearly everyone escaped from the academy while only the students remained, especially those from the Grand Era and Idle Era Halls.
The great powers withdrawing from the academy was understandable. The academy set up a trap and captured the alliance so many great powers felt a chill in their hearts. The academy’s method was too vicious, so those who were part of the scheme became even more frightened and quickly left the academy. They stood right outside just in case the academy became angry and decided to kill everyone. If it actually came down to that, then who would they cry to for help?
“What is the Heavenly Dao Academy trying to do!?” Many cultivators were discontent after the academy closed its doors to everyone.
“The timeless portal has opened.” An academy elder with a bright appearance announced to everyone in a deep tone: “Outside of a few great powers that are on a ban list, others can enter the portal to find their own fortune. As long as one’s age is below three hundred years, all are eligible to enter without any distinction regarding one’s origin nor sect.”
“Why are only less than three hundred year old cultivators allowed!?” Many older cultivators were immediately dissatisfied after hearing this announcement!
The academy elder explained: “To leave the opportunities to the youth. If predecessors also went in, then how could the younger generation, especially those who are vagrant cultivators, compete against them?”
“I agree! If the experts of the previous generation also go in, then we won’t even have soup to eat!” Many cultivators of the younger generation supported the academy’s decision.
Needless to say, older cultivators were more powerful and had more resources; the younger generation was at a complete disadvantage.
“Your academy is going back on your words!” A dissatisfied cultivator spoke up: “Before, your academy announced that everyone could enter the portal, but now you went back on your promise!”
“The older generation can send their disciples in.” The academy elder calmly dealt with the unhappy older crowd: “Fairness is intrinsic to our academy’s actions.”
“I feel that the academy’s choice is correct. Old people like us running rampant inside is no different from bullying the young.” Many older cultivators from the small sects agreed.
The academy’s decision was very beneficial to the smaller sects and vagabonds. The older cultivators from the great powers were too powerful. At that time, not mentioning Heavenly Kings, but even some old undying’s might come out. How could the weaker sects then compete for fortune against these great powers?
The younger generation was different since their cultivation gap was not as great. Geniuses were indeed amazing, but they were only the minority. This decision from the academy was great for those of the younger generation with ordinary talents.
Since they had direct gains from this, the group of minor sects and vagrant cultivators agreed with the academy’s decision.
“Disciples from this list of great powers are not allowed to enter.” The academy elder read a long list before he eventually redeclared this rule.
The list was very long and included great powers and Immortal Emperor lineages. Even the Brilliance and Azure Mysterious Ancient Kingdoms were no exceptions.
“Why are we not allowed to enter!?” Experts that were listed strongly protested by loudly clamoring: “We can accept not allowing older cultivators so that there will be opportunities for the younger generation, but now, even our younger generation cannot enter? If your academy goes back on your words, just what do you think will happen to your reputation?”
“The reputation and honor of our academy is only for our friends, allies, and even neutral powers; it’s definitely not for our enemies. We’re already being extremely merciful since our academy didn’t use our victorious momentum to kill to the last man, yet you still want to enter our portal? In your dreams!” The academy elder firmly spoke.
“Don’t accuse us of such things!” An expert from a great power loudly protested.
Against such a retort, the academy elder calmly replied: “Since you have such confidence in your sect and can boldly pat your chest to say that it didn’t attack the academy, then you can come inside the academy and identify the bodies to see if they belong to your sect or not!”
The elder’s words greatly shocked the screaming experts from the great powers!