CHAPTER 66: HEAVENLY LIGHTNING IS JUST A LAPDOG

A sword forged from qi!

Qi Yuan had long since cultivated his metal element to perfection. Inexhaustible Metal Essence Qi surged within him, seamlessly interchangeable with his mana.

With a single thrust of his fingers, a metallic radiance blazed forth. A gleaming sword materialized, condensed entirely from Metal Essence. Its edge radiated a peerless sharpness.

At the side, Dong Xian froze, wide-eyed. What in the world...?! Senior Brother Qi Yuan actually conjured a sword from pure qi? How did he do that?!

Even Artifact Master slumbering in Dong Xian’s soul stirred, murmuring thoughtfully, “That resembles a martial divine technique.”

Holding his sword qi, Qi Yuan said slowly and with gravity, “Watch closely. With a single stroke, I shall cut down a bird in flight.”

Then, he raised the sword toward the heavens.

Boom!

A lightning bolt split the sky, lashing straight toward him from a cloudless blue sky.

Qi Yuan nearly jumped out of his skin. “Crap! I lifted it too high, it became a lightning rod!”

Panicking, he hurled the sword away. The lightning instantly crashed down onto the weapon. With a deafening crack, the sword shattered into Metal Essence’s threads, scattering like dust in the wind. The lightning vanished along with it.

Dong Xian stood dumbstruck. What just happened?!

The Artifact Master said warily, “This boy must’ve dabbled in some forbidden spells! Conjuring a sword from qi alone would incur heaven’s wrath, indeed! That lightning was divine retribution! Never, never try to imitate him!“

Dong Xian paled. He recalled ancient records in the royal archives. Divine lightning appeared in the mortal realm only when heaven-defying forbidden spells were invoked.

He blurted anxiously, “Senior Brother Qi Yuan! You mustn’t perform this again! It’s taboo, not tolerated by the heavens!”

Truthfully, his heart was still racing, terrified Qi Yuan would be struck dead before his eyes. If that happened, would the Seven-Colored Peak Master even spare him?

The Artifact Master was troubled. Something’s off. If heaven were truly punishing him, the bolt would’ve struck Qi Yuan, not the sword. Why did the lightning spare him?

Meanwhile, Qi Yuan scratched his head with an odd look. “Really? I figured it was because I raised it too high. Swords conduct electricity, so of course lightning would hit it. Could it really be a forbidden spell?“

Dong Xian only understood the second half of his sentence. “Senior Brother, it is best to avoid this technique altogether!”

He secretly felt fortunate he hadn’t begged Qi Yuan to teach him. Had he trained recklessly, he wouldn’t have formed even a single sword before being fried to a crisp by lightning.

As for that strange warning about turning qi into a horse, perhaps Senior Brother Qi Yuan meant that if youwere struck while riding, you’d have no chance to escape?

Dong Xian bowed hastily. “Senior Brother, I’ll take my leave now.”

He bolted right away, putting as much distance between himself and this dangerous lunatic as possible. Lunatics weren’t just troublesome, they were downright deadly to stand beside.

***

On Seven-Colored Peak...

Qi Yuan sat cross-legged, still pondering. A sword made from qi...

He suddenly leapt to his feet, conjuring another.

Crack!

Without warning, lightning struck again. He flung the sword aside, watching it explode under divine lightning.

Qi Yuan’s eyes lit up. “So it really is a forbidden art!”

However, instead of despair, his face brimmed with excitement.

“I really am a genius, I've just created a brand-new divine spell!” He clapped his hands in delight. “This power shall be called... I Am Lightning's Father, Wherever I Point, It Strikes!”

Another sword coalesced in his grip. Predictably, divine lightning rumbled overhead.

“Strike there!” he shouted, tossing the sword. Lightning pounced instantly, obliterating it in midair. Qi Yuan frowned. “No, no... that name’s wrong. The lightning acts more like a dog, chasing after bones. Calling myself its father isn’t right.”

Qi Yuan proceeded to test it out again. Indeed, each time he tossed out a “bone” of Metal Essence, the lightning lunged after it like a hound.

He laughed out loud, thrilled. “I knew it! Another secret technique, born from my brilliance!”

What was more, the divine lightning likely surpassed any of his sword qi. Unfortunately, this was useless in-game. Otherwise, the alien demons would’ve had a nasty shock waiting for them.

***

At Yinyang Forbidden Zone...

Pupil appeared and said solemnly, “The Yinyang Boundary Stone is in your possession. With it and the comprehension of life and death, you’ll be able to clearly see the terror that lies between them. Only then would you be able to truly master the Yinyang Forbidden Zone.”

Qi Yuan looked down at the stone in his hand. It was a plain, ordinary-looking rock.

[A peculiar stone within the Yinyang Forbidden Zone.]

He frowned. “Comprehend life and death? See the terror between them? How am I supposed to do that?”

“I do not know,” Pupil admitted, shaking his head. “It depends on your own insight.”

With that, he returned to his coffin and vanished.

Qi Yuan stared at the stone, then at his sword. “Don’t tell me, this means I have to die?”

Sighing, he promptly stabbed himself in the side. Blood gushed forth. Little Bride shook with alarm and immediately fused with him. Red armor enveloped his body, sealing his wounds instantly.

Qi Yuan’s heart gave a painful twist. “Little Bride... I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have hurt myself.”

As though hearing his words, Little Bride separated herself from him, silently clinging against him like a worried wife.

Qi Yuan sighed. “My mistake, I wasn’t thinking. I can’t just do whatever I want anymore... I’m a married man now.”

A laugh escaped his lips despite himself. Little Bride tilted her head, not understanding his amusement, but continued to nestle against him.

Qi Yuan, however, fell into thought. How do I actually master this Yinyang Forbidden Zone? Must I grasp the truth of yin and yang or talk in that weirdly Yinyang manner? But I’m a positive guy, I can’t force myself to speak like that! [1]

Just as he was mulling over it, he noticed something. “Wait a sec... did I just change maps?”

Qi Yuan blinked. Somehow, he was standing inside a teleportation portal. The destination: Heaven's End.

He was baffled. “The Yinyang Forbidden Zone hasn’t even been fully cleared yet, and I’m already being thrown into a new map. Does that mean I’ve technically finished the dungeon? Or does getting hold of the Yinyang Boundary Stone count as clearing it? Then where’s my Heavenly Dao Fragment reward? Stupid game, must’ve bugged out again!”

Convinced it was a glitch, he pondered it over and sent a message to Jin Li.

Qi Yuan: Jin Li, be careful. This game is full of bugs. I didn’t even finish the Yinyang Forbidden Zone, but it still threw me into a new map, Heaven's End.

After sending the message, he pulled Little Bride close. Anyway, there was still some time before the teleportation to Heaven's End finished.

Jin Li’s reply came quickly this time.

Jin Li: Heaven's End? You need to be careful. Should I return the Garment Forbidden Army to Heaven's End to help you?

She used the word return instead of send because the Garment Forbidden Army belonged to Qi Yuan from the beginning.

Qi Yuan: No need, they are too weak.

The strongest among the Garment Forbidden Army were only at the Peak Emperor realm. Having accepted countless Divine Reflections, Qi Yuan had also grown accustomed to the NPCs’ power hierarchy.

On the other side, Jin Li momentarily fell silent after reading his reply.

Jin Li: Heaven's End is extremely dangerous. An Ascension Platform lies in it. Whatever you do, do not step onto it. Apparently, anyone who does will ascend and leave this world. They call it ascension, but no one knows what really happens.

Qi Yuan: Got it. Don’t worry, we haven’t even met in person yet. How could I possibly ascend and leave?

Jin Li’s heart, wearied from endless campaigns, rippled with a sudden warmth. Lifting her gaze, she stared outside the window. There stood the Ancient Qichun Tree, seemingly covering the entire Moonwatch Continent. Countless, star-like points of light studded its branches, scattered like jewels. It looked like a Christmas tree—only colossal, dazzling, and impossibly beautiful.

Jin Li: All right. We shall meet under the Ancient Qichun Tree. The scenery there is the most beautiful in the world.

Qi Yuan: Really? I can’t wait.

Qi Yuan was just as curious. What would the view beneath that ancient tree look like, and what kind of person is Jin Li?

They chatted and time slipped by quickly.

Qi Yuan: I am almost at Heaven's End. I’ll talk to you later.

He closed the chat window, held Little Bride’s hand, and grew alert. The scene shifted and he appeared in a vast, endless desert.

Qi Yuan looked up. “So this is Heaven's End?”

Above the sky loomed not a city, but a massive suspended platform. It was pitch-black—not a natural black, but as if it had been steeped in blood. How much blood would it take to dye such a colossal platform completely red?

Deep in thought, he muttered, “Is that the Ascension Platform?”

At that moment, someone said in a thundering, commanding voice, “Stop where you are!”

Qi Yuan looked over and spotted a tall man in metal armor nearby. Despite missing an arm, the man radiated majesty.

“I am the Divine General of the White Sun Ascension Gate, under the Great Sun!” the man declared, his voice booming.

Qi Yuan watched him warily. The Great Sun? The Celestial God?

The Daydream Art he had learned was also from the Great Sun. However, the man didn’t appear in the memories of Dragon Judge, Flower Burial Fairy, or the other Ten Great Divine Generals of the Celestial God.

In other words, the man wasn’t truly alive. He was more like the Metal Ancestor, just a lingering remnant.

“To step upon the White Sun Ascension Platform, you must endure 129,600 battles. Win all of them, and you may ascend the platform. Do you accept the challenge? Once you start, life and death aren’t yours to choose!”

Qi Yuan had no interest in climbing the Ascension Platform. Jin Li had warned him it could be dangerous.

He asked, “I don’t want to ascend. I want to take control of Heaven's End. How do I do that?”

The Divine General answered mechanically, as if lacking intelligence. “To rule Heaven’s End, you must step upon the White Sun Ascension Platform and defeat me. Only then will you become the master of Heaven's End.”

Qi Yuan narrowed his eyes. “Really?”

It seemed like he’d have to climb after all. Then again, NPCs weren’t supposed to lie, right? The damn game devs wouldn’t screw players over this badly, right?

Thinking back to the game’s graphics and all its cliché plot twists, Qi Yuan couldn’t help but think. The devs only get away with such crappy code because the artwork is so good. The artists must have some kind of “special relationship” with them.

1. The term in 阴阳怪气 (Yinyang Guaiqi) is where 阴阳 → “yin and yang” are opposites that aremixed together. 怪气 → “weird/odd tone or manner”. If someone says something in a twisted, half-sarcastic tone, people might say “他说话阴阳怪气的” → “He talks in a weird, sarcastic way.” It often implies disdain, ridicule, or fake politeness. ☜