Chapter 5, The Conspiracy of the Ancient Divine Soul

Each elder offered a piece of advice, which deeply moved Qin Xiaotian. He turned to Chiming and said, "Master, why don't you encourage your disciple with a few words as well?" Teasing his master was also one of his pleasures

Li Qiang said, "Fortunately, we did not let Xiao Tian hastily leave Tianyan, it was truly terrifying, this ancient divine spirit is indeed cunning"

Qin Xiaotian vaguely sensed something, but for a moment, he could not figure it out. Chiming, on the other hand, reacted and suddenly realized, saying: "Master, haha, could it be that you have been deceived?"

As the virtual crystal-like chain gradually approached Qin Xiaotian's body, on the verge of invasion, Qin Xiaotian shouted loudly: "Disconnect!"

Chi Ming impatiently said: "Why think so much? Everyone should consider this; we will soon reach the core nebula. What should we do?"

Meanwhile, everyone also realized this, and the Azure Emperor nodded, saying: "Indeed, anyone who takes over the Heavenly Evolution can only be a puppet of the Heavenly Evolution and cannot truly control it. Even if one cultivates to the level of a minor deity, they still dare not destroy the Heavenly Evolution. To break free from the Heavenly Evolution, one must relinquish control, and the ancient divine soul... just happens to take this opportunity to revive, however..." To break free from the Heavenly Evolution, one must relinquish control, and the ancient divine soul... just happens to take this opportunity to revive, however...

At the moment the Azure Emperor descended, his divine consciousness swept across the entire planet. He discovered that there were no living beings on this planet; it was a typical barren star. He said, "If we follow the initial idea of merely escaping the evolution of heaven, then the void would be the best choice. Now, to collect the evolution of heaven, it is necessary to arrange a formation so that everyone can save some effort."

This is a small asteroid, with a surface composed of rock. Due to the absence of air, the rocky surface is covered with craters of various sizes, giving it a desolate and cold appearance

Li Qiang suddenly revealed himself, waving his hand to envelop Qin Xiaotian, and in the blink of an eye, they vanished without a trace. Tian Gu immediately took action, with countless petals swirling in the air. The Qing Emperor and Bo Ju Shang Ren did not show themselves at all; after they made their move, they exited Tian Yan.

The Green Emperor said, "Let me handle it."

The ancient deity could only let out a roar, without any counterattack or struggle

The Green Emperor felt a slight stir in his heart and said, "However, that ancient divine soul must not have anticipated that we would gather together at the same time. I had already given up on the Heavenly Evolution..." His thoughts suddenly grew somber: "Hmph! To think that I was set up, compelled to initiate the Heavenly Evolution, and... forget it, I won't say more.

Qin Xiaotian felt a chilling sensation in his heart; this ancient divine soul was truly formidable

When it is time to cut off, do so decisively without hesitation; otherwise, it will be difficult to extricate oneself

As Qin Xiaotian emerged from the celestial performance, he collapsed onto the Qingmu platform, gasping for breath while struggling to retract the one hundred and eight crystal addiction chains. Disconnecting the crystal addiction chains not only inflicted severe damage on the ancient divine soul but also dealt a significant blow to himself.

That faint white light vanished instantly into the interstellar space. Li Qiang said, "Perhaps it was a passing powerful being"

The Qing Emperor and Master Boju effortlessly cleaved through the Crystal Addiction Chain. Before Qin Xiaotian could react, he heard a loud shout: "Go!"

Li Qiang smiled and said, "The evolution has been half wasted; those special functions must have disappeared, right? What a pity, what a pity"

Li Qiang nodded and said, "Alright, let everyone know when it's ready." He turned to the Qing Emperor and said, "Master, I will go check the surroundings; you all stay here to protect Xiao Tian."

Tian Gu smiled and said, "I am quite looking forward to it, but unfortunately, at the central hub of the Illusory Star Divine Array, we did not understand... I never expected that there would be such a place within the divine array. Perhaps here, we can uncover the true secrets of the divine array."

Qin Xiaotian replied: "I have lost a portion of my cultivation, but it is still manageable; I can cultivate it back. However, I can no longer draw power from the Heavenly Evolution."

After Qin Xiaotian sat down, he began to extract substances and powers from the realm of Evolution on a large scale. At his current level, even with desperate efforts, he could not obtain much substance. It is important to note that Evolution is a realm composed of many planets, and the ability to project certain planets from the river of time is quite extraordinary. Qin Xiaotian had to give up in order to survive, but before giving up, he was determined to gain some benefits.

Throughout the journey, I did not encounter any particularly formidable opponents, yet I witnessed countless groups of divine beasts, most of which were owned by someone. Their strength was not particularly impressive, thus there were no conflicts. Moreover, their speed was incredibly swift, passing by in the blink of an eye, and even the aggressive divine beasts were unable to intervene in time

The silver crystal chain swiftly radiated a golden glow, and a tremendous suction force immediately affected Qin Xiaotian. It was evident that the ancient divine souls were beginning to vie for control over the evolution.

Qin Xiaotian nodded slightly and began to carefully examine this desolate planet. Beneath their feet lay an expanse of rocky terrain, covered with a thin layer of gravel. The ground was uneven and pitted, and not far on the horizon, a massive semicircular shadow of a celestial body emerged, revealing another planet.

Chi Ming's eyes suddenly brightened as he asked, "A secret? What secret?"

The Azure Emperor waved his hand and flicked his sleeve, sending a beam of azure light soaring into the sky. In the blink of an eye, countless azure trees fell, and layers upon layers of azure shadows flickered into view.

Bojushan said: "Eh, who is this? Why do I have a sense of familiarity?"

The Green Emperor said, "What should be done?"

Having detached from the Heavenly Evolution, he has also escaped the Great Divine Catastrophe. Qin Xiaotian's strength has been reduced by at least half. Fortunately, the Crystal Addiction Chain remains, and with this extraordinarily miraculous means, there is a great hope for restoring his strength

Led by the Azure Emperor, the group moved once again towards the core area of the nebula. Gradually, they noticed that the fragments obstructing their journey were becoming fewer, and the Azure Emperor's speed was increasing. However, their flight direction was exactly opposite to that of the Innocent Celestial Being. Merely entering the nebula took nearly ten years; this was still due to the Azure Emperor's profound cultivation. Generally, it would take at least several hundred years for ordinary immortals to cover the same distance. Yet, the Azure Emperor and his companions showed no signs of impatience, as they had long been accustomed to such long-distance translocations. Merely entering the nebula took nearly ten years; this was still due to the Azure Emperor's profound cultivation. Generally, it would take at least several hundred years for ordinary immortals to cover the same distance. Yet, the Azure Emperor and his companions showed no signs of impatience, as they had long been accustomed to such long-distance translocations.

The Green Emperor said, "Do not be away for too long, there should not be any powerful beings in the vicinity."

When it comes to cultivation and divine abilities, Qin Xiaotian is completely incomparable to the Ancient Divine Soul, and his ability to control the Crystal Addiction Chain is also not on the same level. However, Qin Xiaotian possesses one advantage: his successfully condensed body. He has a tangible body and the crystal points within, which puts the Ancient Divine Soul at a disadvantage in this regard, making it impossible to defeat Qin Xiaotian in one fell swoop

Qin Xiaotian couldn't help but marvel in his heart. Whether it was his master, his master's uncle, or the ancestral masters, each one was truly remarkable. At his current level, not to mention setting up such a divine formation, he couldn't even hope to break one. Even divine-level experts needed a wealth of foundation and accumulation, and Qin Xiaotian was still far from that.

This is a well-formed simple Qingmu Divine Array, crafted by the Qing Emperor in the past. It has been nurtured in the Qingmu Forest of the Immortal Realm for thousands of years. There are nine similar Qingmu Divine Arrays, all of which possess immense power. This particular one is considered relatively ordinary. The reason the Qing Emperor chose it is that it can be set up very quickly, making it suitable for the current environment. This is a Divine Array that provides protection both internally and externally.

Little Tian, feel free to speak up about what needs to be done, haha, it seems the ancient gods are indifferent to us

Qin Xiaotian shouted, "I am ready to go!" In a flash of golden light, he had vanished without a trace

At the core of the celestial evolution, there is also a circle of golden light. The endpoints of the one hundred and eight crystalline chains within Qin Xiaotian converge here. The environment here is quite peculiar, with a massive golden halo hovering in the void, surrounded by a grayish haze. Not far from the golden halo is Qin Xiaotian, whose crystalline chains extend from within him like a series of golden links, firmly embedded in the halo. The environment here is quite peculiar, with a massive golden halo hovering in the void, surrounded by a grayish haze. Not far from the golden halo is Qin Xiaotian, whose crystalline chains extend from within him like a series of golden links, firmly embedded in the halo.

Li Qiang smiled and said, "Rest assured, with so many elders present, you will not be able to escape."

Qin Xiaotian said with a bitter smile: "The Great Divine Tribulation is too terrifying! By the way, Master Ancestor, have you all ever experienced the Great Divine Tribulation?"

Qin Xiaotian closed his eyes and sat cross-legged in a meditative posture. Time passed slowly, and the Qing Emperor and others stood beside him in silence, each quietly waiting. For powerful beings like them, their patience is beyond the imagination of ordinary people

The Azure Emperor nodded slightly and said, "I have encountered the Great Divine Calamity... uh, no, it seems that the Lesser Divine Calamity is rather excessive. Is it perhaps directed at the divine beasts?" Everyone fell into deep thought.

Li Qiang said, "I will take you to a place, just a short distance ahead in the star system." He threw out a golden lotus platform, enveloping everyone and instantly transporting them away

Qin Xiaotian remained silent, striving to restore the chaotic crystal addiction chain. Fortunately, the crystal points were undamaged, and his vitality was unharmed. Even better, he had seized a fragment of the ancient divine soul, which had invaded his crystal addiction chain. This fragment was left in the crystal addiction chain after being severed by the joint efforts of the Green Emperor and Master Boju. This harvest was indeed significant

Tian Gu pondered for a moment and said, "Xiao Tian, pay attention to balance, find the balance point of time, that is the key for you to break free from the evolution of heaven"

He has always retained a thread of his spirit to monitor the Heavenly Evolution. When Qin Xiaotian underwent the Great Tribulation, he awakened. Upon discovering that Qin Xiaotian was absorbing a large amount of material from the Heavenly Evolution, he immediately stepped forward to block him, as the Heavenly Evolution is his foundation and also the place where he establishes his existence.

Li Qiang added: "I fear that the Great Divine Calamity originates from this. Once Xiao Tian is destroyed by the Great Divine Calamity, he will be able to smoothly take over Tian Yan. This is likely something he has long calculated; with Xiao Tian's level of cultivation, no matter how hard he tries, it is impossible for him to truly control Tian Yan."

Everyone hovered in the void, and Qin Xiaotian said, "Please wait a moment, let me sort out my relationship with Tianyan..." He had no confidence in his heart, unsure whether he would collapse while breaking free from Tianyan, and that was no trivial matter

Although the ancient divine spirit has been in slumber for countless ages, it is not entirely unaware. The ability to cultivate a divine beast of a realm has transcended the concept of mere beasts; it would not be incorrect to refer to it as a divine being.

The Azure Emperor smiled faintly, and a clone quietly appeared, its form swaying as it entered the golden halo. Immediately after, the clones of Tian Gu, Bo Ju Shang Ren, and Li Qiang also entered it. Chi Ming grinned and said, "I will guard Xiao Tian."

Chi Ming laughed and scolded, "Little brat, come back alive." He was not worried at all; throughout this journey, it was evident that both Li Qiang and the Qing Emperor, among others, held his disciple in high regard. This made him feel very proud. He knew that these big shots would never let their disciple suffer losses, so he was, in fact, the least worried person.

The Azure Emperor shook his head, casually putting away the Heavenly Evolution, and said: "After all, it is a realm, so let's keep it for now; perhaps it will be useful in the future"

The one hundred and eight crystal chains within Qin Xiaotian became visible, extending one by one to the luminous sphere. The evolution gradually intensified, and a violent wave rippled outward, which was the divine thought of the ancient god's soul: "Who is it? Who... who? Who!"

Tian Gu couldn't help but laugh, pondering: "So the so-called evolution is actually a trap? No, if it weren't for the extraordinary functions of evolution, we wouldn't have studied it, nor could we have initiated evolution. Hehe, so that's how it is." She also came to understand.

The Azure Emperor reached out to grasp the Celestial Evolution, laughing as he said, "Even if the ancient divine spirit does not perish, it must slumber for hundreds of thousands of years. This time, it has been wounded at its very core; your master's final strike is truly remarkable." The Celestial Evolution suddenly contracted, transforming into a fist-sized orb that fell into the Azure Emperor's hand, resembling a transparent glass ball, within which countless stars shimmered.

Qin Xiaotian has already formulated a plan; he intends to retain all one hundred and eight crystal points within his body along with their corresponding crystal affinity chains. With the support of powerful allies such as the Azure Emperor, this also serves as his foundation for survival and existence

A voice as thin as a thread, upon hearing it, Qin Xiaotian immediately recognized it as the Green Emperor. He transmitted his thoughts: "It is not yet the time, hehe, let me absorb a bit more... Ancestor, wait for my signal, and find a way to sever the crystal addiction chain on my halo. Be sure not to make a mistake; if you sever the opponent's, I will merge into the Heavenly Evolution, and that would be troublesome."

Li Qiang smiled, nodded to the crowd, and gradually faded away

Qin Xiaotian said: "Because there is an ancient divine soul in the Heavenly Evolution, with him present... there is no need to break open the Heavenly Evolution; it is sufficient to return the control of the Heavenly Evolution to him. If there is no ancient divine soul, then one can only forcibly detach from the Heavenly Evolution, and I fear I would find it difficult to bear the consequences."

Chi Ming murmured softly, "Just go in, why make it so mysterious..." He stood up, his thoughts fluctuating, "Let's go, let's go, who will lead the way?"

The Azure Emperor once again performed the Great Astral Shift, and the surrounding starlight transformed into beams of white light, rapidly fading away. Perhaps a month passed, perhaps a year, when the starry sky became clear again, this Great Shift was also completed. However, the scene before them left everyone utterly astonished

The Azure Emperor suddenly looked up at the starry sky and saw a faint white light streaking across it. He exclaimed, "How fast!"

The Azure Emperor shook his head and said, "We once experienced a kind of divine tribulation, which is completely different from the great divine tribulation. To this day, I am still unclear... whether that was a true divine tribulation." It was not only him who was puzzled; the Celestial Maiden and the Great Gathering Master, who were present in the Illusory Star Divine Array, also shared the same doubts.

Li Qiang said: "I have searched this star region, and it seems there are no teleportation arrays; we must rely on the Great Shift to enter." The Great Shift in the starry sky is the top-tier spell for interstellar long-distance travel, and only Qin Xiaotian present does not know it; the others are all experts.

This frenzied extraction quickly attracted the attention of the ancient divine spirit within the Heavenly Evolution. A beam of golden light rose, and the Heavenly Evolution gradually revealed itself, completely different from its previous form. At this moment, the Heavenly Evolution formed a circle of golden light, floating in front of Qin Xiaotian, about the size of a basketball, radiating brilliance.

After several confrontations, Qin Xiaotian understood in his heart that he could not defeat his opponent with his own abilities. However, he was not anxious; as long as he could withstand the attacks of the ancient divine soul, victory would surely be his, because he had several god-level experts backing him up.

A golden lotus platform suddenly appeared on the rock, and amidst the flickering golden light, several figures flew out, after which the golden lotus platform vanished without a trace

Qin Xiaotian took a deep breath and exclaimed, "Oh my! This feeling is simply wonderful, so refreshing..." Inhaling the spiritual energy of the green wood was an immensely pleasurable experience. Breathing is a habit formed from a young age; it is a human instinct. Although he had cultivated to the point where he could go for years without breathing, he still greatly enjoyed such an experience.

The actions of everyone were completed in almost a second, as swift as lightning, leaving no opportunity for the ancient divine soul. The crystal obsession chain was severed, signifying a massive explosion. By the time the ancient divine soul reacted, it was already too late, and it could only watch helplessly as the crystal obsession chain detonated

Li Qiang asked, "Xiao Tian, how are you?"

The Green Emperor sneered and said: "Unfortunately, the Ancient Divine Soul did not account for our existence. Ha! We have five god-level experts, plus Xiao Tian, making six. No matter how powerful the Ancient Divine Soul is, it is not our match. Alright, find a suitable location and prepare to take action!"

However, none of the people present anticipated that it was the great teleportation light and shadow of the Innocent Master

Chi Ming was taken aback, rubbed his nose, and with an innocent expression said, "I... I didn't say anything, hehe, hee hee!" He quietly retreated.

The ancient deity sensed the presence of a formidable opponent entering, but did not pay much attention to it. Relying on the advantage of the terrain, he was confident of victory. The Evolution was created by him, and his Crystal Addiction Chain was far superior to Qin Xiaotian's. The only drawback was that he had only recently regained consciousness, and his strength was significantly weaker compared to his peak period. Nevertheless, he remained very confident

Chi Ming chuckled and said, "Hehe, kid, now you understand, right? No matter how skilled the expert is, as long as your ancestors are around, you can act with confidence and boldness, and you are guaranteed not to suffer any losses"

The crystal addiction chain of the ancient divine soul gradually infiltrated Qin Xiaotian's crystal addiction chain through the aperture, which was intentional on Qin Xiaotian's part. It is important to note that the crystal addiction chain of the ancient divine soul is an illusion, as the body of the ancient divine soul has long been destroyed. It relies on the heavenly evolution to materialize the crystal addiction chain, which is fundamentally different from Qin Xiaotian's crystal addiction chain. The former is manifested through powerful divine consciousness and instinct, qualities that Qin Xiaotian lacks the most.

The ancient deity sought to escape, but the petals of the celestial maiden blocked his retreat

Qin Xiaotian was somewhat puzzled and asked, "Master, why not conduct it in the void, but come to the planet instead?"

The Green Emperor's expression turned pale as he said softly, "What did you say?"

The Azure Emperor said, "We have already entered the core nebula, but we are only at the edge." As he spoke, he retracted the Azure Wood Divine Array, and the land once again became desolate

After approximately a few months, Li Qiang returned safely, while Qin Xiaotian remained motionless. Another three months passed before Qin Xiaotian slowly opened his eyes and said: "Master, perhaps there is a way... to help you reclaim the Heavenly Evolution."

This time, it must be Xiaotian who presides, while the five of us will assist. Xiaotian, the core of Tianyan is time; you must carefully consider how to successfully extricate yourself from Tianyan

Li Qiang was also present during that experience. He smiled and said, "I am also beginning to doubt... because over the years, it seems that Master’s cultivation has not improved much."

Li Qiang interjected, "Impressive! This ancient divine soul is truly remarkable! It is astonishing that it could scheme to such an extent! Amazing, simply amazing!"

A green wooden platform rose up, and the Green Emperor stepped onto it, saying, "Everyone, come up!" After speaking, he raised his hand and threw out two celestial artifacts, namely the Heavenly General's Wheel and the Reverse Heaven's Treasure Mirror.

The competition between the crystal chains was extremely fierce, and Qin Xiaotian quickly tasted the bitterness of it. He discovered that the opponent's crystal howl chain was attempting to invade the crystal points within his body, which frightened him so much that he let out a loud shout and exerted all his strength to drive the opponent's crystal chains out of the crystal points

The earth-shattering roar echoed continuously, and the fierce struggle of the crystal-devouring chains was exceptionally perilous. It was more terrifying and dangerous than the battles over magical treasures and celestial artifacts, for the nature of the crystal-devouring chains was one of consumption; it was a matter of either your death or mine, with no room for any respite.

Li Qiang couldn't help but kick him, laughing and scolding, "If you know, then it's no longer a secret, which is why we need to go in and take a look"

Tian Gu and Bo Ju Shang Ren exchanged a glance, both revealing a hint of a smile

Qin Xiaotian quickly realized that his opponent seemed to be indifferent, as if wanting to engage in a war of attrition with him. He also calmed down and faced his opponent in a leisurely manner.

The Azure Emperor exclaimed, "Oh? Hasn't the Heavenly Evolution merged with you? How can I retract it?"

A flickering red light shot up from below, while a blue light struck down from above. The red and blue beams of light crossed each other rapidly like scissors, cutting fiercely into the crystal chain.

Qin Xiaotian spent about ten days finally sorting out the chaotic crystal obsession chain. The soul snatched from the ancient divine spirit is imprisoned within a crystal point, waiting for a future opportunity to be slowly digested, which requires painstaking effort; it cannot be resolved in a short time due to the immense power of such a soul. Although it is merely a fragment of a soul, Qin Xiaotian is currently unable to digest it.

Qin Xiaotian discovered that he could actually hear a sound, as if thunder was passing through. Amidst the rumbling, boundless green wood gradually took shape. In an instant, a massive green wood divine formation was completed, and dense green wood spiritual energy immediately filled the formation.

Qin Xiaotian also smiled and said, "Of course, with you, my esteemed master, around, it is impossible for your disciple to suffer any loss!" He casually flattered, making Chiming beam with joy.

A few individuals gathered together to calculate; once the Azure Emperor and others realized what was happening, the tricks of the ancient divine soul would no longer be concealed from them. The results of the calculations also allowed them to set their minds at ease

The Azure Emperor said lightly: "This is already a relatively ideal outcome; the divine calamity should have been eliminated"

Although the ancient divine soul has awakened, its strength is only a quarter of its peak period, and it lacks a physical body, merely retaining a fragment of the divine soul. If Qin Xiaotian were to perish, it could seize the crystal point within Qin Xiaotian, thereby controlling the one hundred and eight crystal chains, which would provide the fundamental conditions for its reformation; this is the ultimate goal of the ancient divine soul

Only Chiming did not quite understand and asked, "Master, what do you mean?"

A thunderous roar shook Qin Xiaotian, causing him to tremble. Immediately, a phantom gradually materialized, and suddenly, one hundred and eight silver chains extended from the halo, connecting with the phantom. Qin Xiaotian was taken aback; he sensed the formidable power of the entity and was acutely aware that it was the Crystal Addiction Chains of the Ancient Divine Soul

The sound resembles the rain striking the banana leaves