The four fierce and overbearing chains appeared out of nowhere, locking firmly onto the white-bearded elder who resembled Old Man Zhou. One end of these chains connected to the void, while the other end split into countless fine threads rooted in the very fabric of the world. Such a ghost-like sealing technique, with its leaking binding and suppressing force, nearly caused the space to come to a complete standstill.
After the chains appeared, four fierce powers surged through them! Like the white-bearded old man, four incredibly domineering figures rapidly coalesced.
One bore mountain-sized spikes on its back, with four hooves like pillars that propped up the heavens. (TN: The Earth Beast.)
One was wreathed in eternal flames, every feather a source of the most terrifying fire in existence. (TN: The Phoenix.)
One resembled a mix of fish and bird, its wings like clouds draped from the sky, its aura mysterious and vast beyond measure. (TN: The Kunpeng.)
One had the head of a dragon and the body of a snake, its scales shimmering with a lethal, icy light. (TN: The Black Tortoise.)
"The four Ancestral Beasts: the Earth Beast, the Phoenix, the Kunpeng, and the Black Tortoise!"
Compared to the illusory phantoms he had seen before, these seemed to be their true forms descending!? Those colossal bodies nearly obscured the entire sky. The aura of beasts from the primordial era instantly completely redefined Qi Ping's understanding of Beast Ancestors!
This level of power was indescribable by any language or text; their existence was nearly above the Great Dao itself. Anyone below the Great Vehicle Stage didn't even have the right to glimpse their full appearance. Even Qi Ping could only see a fraction of their true bodies.
'Is this the world that remains forever hidden if one's realm is insufficient?'
For the first time, Qi Ping truly felt what it meant to be unable to see the beauty of power and the mysteries of the world because of one's low cultivation level.
'No wonder it's said that all below the Great Vehicle Stage are mere ants. This power that truly wields the laws of Heaven and Earth can no longer be described by the term "qualitative change"...'
Mysterious, brilliant, powerful, and mesmerizing—those were Qi Ping's most direct impressions. At this moment, a longing for the Great Vehicle Stage rose in his heart like never before. He had a premonition that this upcoming breakthrough and transformation would far exceed the sum of all his previous breakthroughs, both in scale and magnitude.
'No wonder the Great Vehicle existences in the Star Sea World were completely wiped out. The Great Vehicle Stage... is likely the true foundation of the Immortal Path.'
On the other side, once the Four Ancestral Beasts descended, a powerful thought swept across the world:
"Zhou Tianqi, you have finally appeared!"
The thought was filled with a fury and hatred that had accumulated for untold ages. (TN: Zhou Tianqi literally means "Heavenly Chessboard" or "Universal Chess.")
Yet, in this scene, the most shocking thing was that the Four Ancestral Beasts had waited for untold ages just to surround and seal a seemingly ordinary white-bearded old man. He stood calmly with his hands behind his back above the sea of rotting flesh, allowing the chains of heaven and earth to bind him. His expression and emotions showed not a single ripple. This extreme contrast made the scene even more soul-shaking.
"Only a sliver of obsession remains... you can't even communicate anymore, yet you're still this annoying. Sigh."
Zhou Tianqi sighed softly, his face showing helplessness for the first time. This sight, however, sent a shockwave through Qi Ping's mind.
'What? These Four Ancestral Beasts are just slivers of obsession?'
'But they clearly possess such vigorous life force and peerlessly powerful souls. How could they be just obsessions?'
'Wait...!'
Qi Ping's eyes suddenly widened!
'Their intent... it seems only the sliver fused into the Forest Sea Demon Realm remains!'
Using the sensitivity to worldly power he had gained as an Earth Immortal Druid and the enhanced Ten Thousand Beasts War Intent, he finally discovered the horrifying truth. What kind of situation could force the Four Ancestral Beasts to sacrifice themselves to merge with the world, leaving only a sliver of obsession behind?
Recalling the battle with the vengeful spirits, Qi Ping quickly guessed an answer that he almost couldn't believe: The intents of the Four Ancestral Beasts... had been obliterated!
Just thinking of that answer made Qi Ping feel a chill in his heart! Although demon beasts didn't have an advantage in terms of intent, obliterating their intent would trigger a fierce backlash from their bloodline will—an advantage human cultivators lacked. Specifically, for the Four Ancestral Beasts, their bloodlines were already powerful beyond belief. Whether it was the Kunpeng, Phoenix, Earth Beast, or Black Tortoise, they were all progenitors of their respective bloodlines with countless descendants.
Yet, even such beings had been forced to sacrifice themselves to Heaven and Earth?
Realizing this, Qi Ping looked at the white-bearded old man, Zhou Tianqi, with a gaze that held even more shock and a trace of... dread! This existence, who looked like Old Man Zhou, was terrifying beyond comprehension. It would likely take untold ages just to truly understand such a being, let alone confront or defeat him.
Everything today had impacted Qi Ping's worldview and perspective with unimaginable force.
However, at this point, there was nothing left for Qi Ping to do. A four-colored barrier instantly enveloped him, and his figure began to fade from this space. In his final glimpse, he saw brilliant and incomprehensibly powerful forces blasting toward the white-bearded elder bound by chains. He knew nothing of the battle that followed.
When Qi Ping reappeared, he found himself back above the spiritual pool where the bald Golden Crow was. However, the situation outside was not peaceful. The once vast spiritual pool was now half-depleted. The bald Golden Crow had transformed into a blazing sun, relentlessly scorching the bizarre altar with Solar True Fire. Drops of blood continuously seeped from the altar, transforming into unheard-of bizarre creatures whose evil and intimidating aura seemed intent on mutating everything in the world.
Qi Ping suspected that if the Solar True Fire hadn't blocked this power, the surrounding life in this part of the world would have been completely ruined. Even through the fire, he felt an urge for his body and soul to mutate; it was truly bizarre.
As for the battle inside the altar, Qi Ping had no way of knowing. However, judging by the vibrations and cracks appearing on the altar, the combat within must have reached an unimaginable level.
This continued for about half an hour before the various phenomena gradually ceased. The power of the four chains grew weaker and weaker, and the vast spiritual pool was almost dry. Finally, two of the chains turned to ash and vanished, while the other two maintained a faint Dao rhythm.
Fortunately, during this process, the aura of the bizarre altar also grew weaker until it shattered and completely transformed into a phantom... The moment the altar vanished, the remaining two chains slowly turned into two drops of essence blood that fell before Qi Ping.
One possessed a noble aura, burning with eternal fire. (TN: The Phoenix inheritance.)
The other had a mysterious and vast aura, resembling both fish and bird. (TN: The Kunpeng inheritance.)
"Two Ancestral Beast inheritances. You may choose one!"