I Cheated While Cultivating

Here, the sky harbored nine suns, the earth was scorched and yellow, mountains and rivers cracked and dry, the vast sky clear and cloudless from every direction, all permeated with a thick, scorching heat, the temperature extraordinarily high.

Clearly, this was not a normal world.

“This is?” Zhou Heng felt a sense of familiarity but was not certain. He asked tentatively, “Cave Sky?”

“Correct,” Yan Shouyi nodded slightly and smiled. “This is the Cave Sky world of a Sect senior who had cultivated the Nine Yang True Immortal Body. After refining his Cave Sky, this aspect of the nine suns continued to persist.”

“Such a Cave Sky is truly marvelous,” Zhou Heng couldn’t help but exclaim in awe.

“Actually, this can hardly be considered a normal Cave Sky,” Yan Shouyi shook his head and sighed, “The nine suns no longer have a master, they just follow the rules hanging in the sky, emitting light. Such high temperatures and heat make it impossible for living beings to survive here.”

“No more masters?” Zhou Heng was startled upon hearing this and immediately furrowed his brows, “Brother, does this mean the Sect senior who created this Cave Sky has already…”

“Passed away six thousand years ago,” Yan Shouyi explained. “Cave Skys are immortal, even when a Celestial Man passes away, his Cave Sky can still be handed down. Later, this Nine Yang Cave Sky became a place to store some special Godly Weapons.”

“The method Brother mentioned just now, is it by using one of the special Godly Weapons stored here?” Zhou Heng asked curiously.

“Correct.” Yan Shouyi nodded and smiled. “In fact, the method is not difficult. As long as you truly have the methods laid by Li You, you can use that Divine Weapon to perform reverse tracing and hence cross-world pursuits.”

“Cross, cross-world pursuit?!” Zhou Heng said in astonishment, “What kind of Divine Weapon can actually cross worlds to pursue, isn’t that a bit, a bit too powerful?”

“Ordinary Godly Weapons certainly can’t, but this one has quite a history and is more than capable of doing so,” Yan Shouyi said as he flew into the sky with Zhou Heng, heading towards one of the suns and laughed. “It is a Taoist Sovereign God Soldier passed down from the Ancient Mythological Era.”

Moments later, the two entered one of the suns.

The process unsettled Zhou Heng somewhat.

It was only when Yan Shouyi brought him close to this sun that Zhou Heng realized that this thing, seemingly, possibly, might… really be a stellar core.

After questioning Yan Shouyi, Zhou Heng got an even more terrifying answer.

These suns were not only stars but also the purified essence of stars at their prime, refined and condensed into stellar cores. Their temperature and mass were far superior to that of ordinary stars.

It is said that the senior, when arranging his own Cave Sky, had specially brought in many stars from the outer universe, as well as other celestial bodies.

Which is to say, with Yan Shouyi’s guidance, Zhou Heng was now inside a star, where the high temperatures had far exceeded the limits of what a normal Martial Artist could endure.

Luckily, with a protective senior like Yan Shouyi, an extremely powerful Celestial Man, at his side, Zhou Heng felt he would have no idea how he died otherwise, oblivious to his own end.

With an excited heart, Zhou Heng followed Yan Shouyi into a palace built within this sun.

Yan Shouyi, familiar with the route, guided Zhou Heng through twists and turns, quickly arriving in a large hall.

The hall was empty except for an enormous ancient mirror placed at its center.

The mirror stood three zhang and six chi tall, made neither of gold nor jade, and seemed remarkably heavy.

The frame bore intricate inscriptions, made up of extremely mysterious, esoteric, and difficult-to-digest characters that appeared naturally formed, neither carved nor painted.

The mirror’s surface glowed with a green light and sprinkled golden halos, unpredictable and profoundly mystical.

With just a glance, Zhou Heng felt inexplicably familiar. He saw strands of bright silver light within the green glow and golden halos on the mirror’s surface.

These strands of light converged in the mirror, seeming to override all Taoist Formulas, evolving endlessly possible worlds, containing the past, present, future, and all of time and space.

At that moment, he suddenly realized why the ancient mirror felt familiar. Clearly, it was the essence of the Time River, which he had encountered while comprehending the “Sword Technique of Conviction.”

Meanwhile, he also received a reward notification.

“Congratulations! By observing the time-space artifact ‘Kunlun Mirror’ [Taoist Second Rank] (Replica), your comprehension of the Way of Time has deepened, and the proficiency of your martial arts ‘Sword Technique of Conviction’ [Absolute Fourth Rank] has increased by +1500.”

Wait a minute!

What is this mirror??

Kunlun Mirror?!

Zhou Heng had yet to recover from the surprise of suddenly gaining a large amount of proficiency when he was shocked by the name of this ancient mirror.

Kunlun Mirror!

Kunlun Mirror!

Is it the Kunlun Mirror from the legends of Earth?

“Junior brother, are you also versed in the Way of Time?” noticing Zhou Heng’s sudden moment of enlightenment, Yan Shouyi said with a smile, “To think that a mere glance at a divine weapon allowed you to have such an insight, it truly is enviable.”

“It’s just a fortunate coincidence,” Zhou Heng barely suppressed the shock in his heart and asked, “Senior brother, what is the origin of this ancient mirror, and what is its use?”

“It’s called the Kunlun Mirror, its name is somewhat strange. It is said that ‘Kunlun’ is an exceedingly ancient place, the specifics of which are now unknown,” Yan Shouyi patiently explained, “This treasure was gifted by a friend of our Pure Yang ancestor and has been passed down to this day. It has the ability to reflect all the worlds under the heavens, and to a certain extent, can retrospect temporal scenes, its wonderful uses are boundless.”

“Reflecting all the worlds under the heavens, reverting time? How amazing!” Zhou Heng exclaimed in astonishment, “Senior brother, are you planning to use the ability of the Kunlun Mirror to track down Li You’s whereabouts?”

“Correct,” Yan Shouyi nodded lightly and said, “Junior brother, drip a drop of blood into the air.”

“Okay,” Zhou Heng nodded.

Immediately, he flicked his finger, and a drop of blood flew from his fingertip, floating in the air, suspended without falling.

“Swift!” Yan Shouyi formed several Taoist formulas with his fingers and uttered in a deep voice. The Kunlun Mirror suddenly burst out with interwoven golden-green brilliance, shining upon the drop of blood.

The next instant, the blood drop dispersed in the air, revealing a wisp of purple-black aura which was quickly dissipated by the brilliance.

What followed was the drop of blood actually forming a crimson vortex, seeming to connect to some endless distance.

“Found it!”

Yan Shouyi’s eyes lit up, and he laughed out loud, immediately raising his right hand, a brilliant, dazzling golden light appearing in his palm.

…

The Great Pure Realm.

This place was originally a world that advocated secluded cultivation and tranquil qi-refinement in pursuit of the Way of Immortality.

However, after the emergence of a heretical giant known as “Li You” a hundred years ago, the whole world was changed.

Countless people were beguiled by Li You, worshipping him as a god.

Adoring him, venerating him.

The once peaceful and harmonious world was completely shattered by his appearance, with frequent outbreaks of war, incessant conflicts between nations, and unending slaughter among people.

Common folk were left to live in misery.

Countless hermits who once secluded themselves for cultivation emerged to attempt to kill “Li You.” Yet not a single one succeeded; they were either killed on the spot or were beguiled by Li You, becoming his loyal protectors.

The entire QingWei realm had nearly sunk into despair.

Li You, however, was at the height of his power, revered by countless people as the “Supreme Limitless Sovereign of Heavenly Mandate and Compassionate Benevolence, the Great and Righteous Emperor Li You, Holy God.”

QingShui Mountain.

What was once the ancestral ground of the Taoist sect had now been transformed into the headquarters of the Li You Divine Sect, where Li You often preached, claiming to redeem all beings and save the world with his teachings.

Today was yet another day for Li You to impart his teachings.

The square of the QingShui Mountain headquarters was already seated with tens of thousands of people, all of them Li You’s most devout followers.

And beyond the square, amidst the mountains and fields, there were countless tens of thousands more, hoping to bask in the grace of the Li You Holy God and be redeemed.

Such a scene was filled with a feverish atmosphere.

However, among those devout followers who came to listen, there lurked a dozen or so “rebels of olden days,” that is, those who had previously lived in reclusion.

These dozen people, who had come here, were the most powerful of the remaining “rebels of olden days.” They wanted to seize this opportunity for a desperate struggle.

Even if they couldn’t kill Li You, they wanted to pull him down from his divine altar and free the people of the QingWei realm from his deceit.

Yet, over the past years, Li You’s might had been overwhelmingly strong, his power firmly imprinted in everyone’s heart, including those “rebels of olden days.”

Even as they came here with a resolve to die, just the thought of facing that daunting figure who had oppressed the world for a century made them nervous.

“He’s here! The Holy God has arrived!”

“Greetings to the Holy God, greetings to Emperor Li You, Holy God!”

“Your grace is as vast as the sea, with boundless merit!”

“Please lead us towards salvation, Holy God!”

At that moment, exclaims arose from the crowd waiting to hear the teachings, everyone turning their eyes toward the platform at the front of the square; even those outside directed their gazes that way.

One could see a bright, crystal-clear radiance rising from the depths of QingShui Mountain, crossing the void and landing directly on the platform in front of the square.

Then slowly, this radiance dissipated, revealing a slender yet emaciated handsome man dressed in a black robe.

His features were exquisitely delicate, his skin unnaturally pale, and his hair cascaded around his shoulders with slightly curled edges at the temples, his aura saintly yet tinged with a strange malevolence.

This appearance was drastically different from the Li You Zhou Heng had seen; it was closer to his true form.

The moment Li You made his appearance, it instantly stirred up even more fervent cheers throughout the assembly.

Some were so overwhelmed with excitement that they fainted on the spot.

Upon seeing Li You reveal himself, the eyes of the old-day rebels reddened with hatred, wishing they could strike at that very moment.

But just then, just as Li You was about to speak.

Boom!

A blood-red vortex suddenly appeared in the sky, accompanied by a deafening roar, and at the same moment, a resplendid, dazzling golden sword light with the aura of utmost firmness and pure Yang descended from the heavens.

With unmatched might and speed, in front of countless tens of thousands of Li You Divine Sect followers, it struck directly at the “Li You” Holy God who was about to preach.

In an instant, the whole place fell deathly still, as if the only thing left between heaven and earth was that golden sword light.

Apart from this, there was nothing else.

All those present, no matter who they were or what their purpose was, watched the terrifying sword light descending from the heavens in a daze, their eyes gradually becoming vacant, filled with shock.

Li You seemed to show no signs of resistance or counterattack.

Did he not want to?

Or… could he not?!

Similar thoughts appeared in the minds of the “former resisters.”

Boom!

The unparalleled power of the sword light continued to unleash, and under the unwavering gaze of the onlookers, it attacked the “Li You Divine Figure” shrouded in sword light.

And this sword’s strength was extremely refined, such that even those sitting not far away in the square were not affected in the slightest.

However, right after many of the believers came to their senses and realized that their “Li You Divine Figure” was struck by this terrifying sword light, they started weeping and rushed towards the sword light.

Trying to save their Divine Figure.

However, by the time these people came to their senses, the attack of the sword light was also coming to an end, and by the time the first person rushed up, the sword light had “coincidentally” dissipated.

The originally mysterious and noble Li You, with a holy demeanor, was once again revealed but was now in a wretched state.

He looked as if he had been struck by lightning and scorched by fire; his hair was completely frazzled, and his clothes were shredded into strips, with wisps of black smoke rising from his body.

Gone was any semblance of a “Divine Figure.”

“Pure Sky True Sun Sword, Pure Sky True Sun Sword! If this Lord had fully recovered, just you wait, just you wait! Pure Yang Palace, you wait for me!!” Li You was furiously angry, but there was nothing he could do at the moment.

He could only make a mental note of it.

…

“I shall wait, so what?” Yan Shouyi chuckled as he retrieved the Divine Sword, then said to Zhou Heng, “Junior Brother, this sword strike is potent enough to cause him significant damage to his vital energy. The problem with your body should be almost resolved.”

“Thank you, Senior Brother,” Zhou Heng bowed with hands clasped in gratitude, and said, “You mean, it’s not completely resolved?”

“Mm, evil spirits are tricky, especially one of Second Rank, extremely tough to deal with,” Yan Shouyi nodded softly and said, “Just now, under the reflection of the Kunlun Mirror, the remnants of Li You’s maneuvers on your body have been identified.

“This seems to be a deeper imprint, involving the profound mysteries of the Dao. If you are killed even once, Li You would be able to follow this imprint to awaken in your body, synonymous with descending into our world.

“Now, this imprint has been extinguished by my use of the Pure Sky True Sun Sword, and Li You’s original body has also suffered significant damage to his vital energy; he won’t bother you again for a while.

“However, even if I have cleaned it thoroughly, there are still likely to be traces of evil spirit contamination within your body and soul, which you need to clear out yourself.

“The process from the Peak of the Seventh Rank to the Secret Sixth Rank is your opportunity. By leveraging the convergence of interior and exterior realms, cleanse your body and soul to become pure, that’s when you’ll be completely cleared.”

“I understand,” Zhou Heng nodded and said with a solemn voice, “The Secret Sixth Rank shouldn’t be too far away now.”

In the end, he hesitated for a moment but decided not to continue asking about the Kunlun Mirror. Showing an extraordinary interest in a Taoist Sovereign God Soldier would easily raise suspicions.

Besides, as long as he kept rising in status within the Pure Yang Palace, he would inevitably get the chance to understand more.

“There’s no need to rush,” Yan Shouyi laughed and said, “Before you set foot on the Secret Sixth Rank, you can’t miss the chance to clash with the top contender on the martial roll.”

“Fang Wen?” Zhou Heng asked curiously, “Is he very special?”