“Boom!” She gathered all of her willpower for an eruption.

“Rumble!” Alas, she found it to be an ant trying to push up a great boulder.

This was a futile task but Li Qiye was kind enough to gradually pull his power back, letting her have a taste of using the dao heart.

Eventually, she was able to use her dao heart to stand up.

“Bam!” However, he added more willpower and forced her to the ground again.

She utilized everything she could in combination with the dao heart but it amounted to nothing.

“Do you see the strength of your dao heart now?” He finally stopped the test and recalled his willpower. His dao heart had reached a state of simplicity, making him look like a mortal yet always fearless and composed.

She became paralyzed and didn’t have the strength to get up. She felt all of her willpower being crushed by him. Her physical strength was still there so it was a mental problem.

It took a while before her dispersed will came together once more, allowing her to stand up. She took a look internally and found her cultivational foundations the same as before. Alas, she could no longer feel her dao heart.

“Why?” She became startled, feeling that she was one step from a metamorphosis.

𝗳𝚛𝚎𝚎𝘄𝕖𝕓𝕟𝕠𝚟𝚎𝕝.𝗰𝕠𝐦

She was a cicada with its shell cracked. Alas, she couldn’t break out and finish the process.

“Cultivation makes many things possible but its powers made you forget about the dao heart.” Li Qiye smiled.

“What should I do then?” After experiencing the beauty of using the dao heart, other dao powers became less important to her.

“First, watch this punch. Get ready.” Li Qiye made a fist like a mortal would.

“Very well.” She focused up and relied on dao power alone.

“Boom!” Numerous grand dao appeared as she formed a mudra: “Absolute Destruction!”

As she channeled her merit laws, the eighty-one words of Desolate Scripture attached to her body and became one. Her technique duplicated the extinguishment process, creating a void domain.

This was a type of defensive technique, extinguishing all attacks.

“My punch can obliterate immortals.” Li Qiye said casually and activated his supreme will.

“Boom!” He aimed for her chest, breaking her extinguishing domain. The endless void couldn’t slow him down.

“I’m dead!” She already saw a vision of her being reduced to a bloody mist.

“Bam!” She fell to the ground but only a wave of pain came instead of death.

She opened her eyes again and saw the blue sky and Founder Tablet. Li Qiye became one again, no longer separating his dao power.

“I’m still alive?” She murmured.

“Could have died a million times if you wanted to.” Li Qiye answered with a smile.

After a moment to regain her wits, she got up and asked Li Qiye: “Just who are you?”

“Just a passerby.” Li Qiye said.

“A passerby?” She repeated in confusion but this answer made sense. He didn’t seem to belong to her world.

“C-can I cultivate that dao heart?” She eventually asked.

“Everyone is already doing it after starting cultivation.” Li Qiye said without looking at her, walking toward Desolate Hall instead.

This palace gave the impression of being a single block. Its gate has not been opened since Desolate Ancestor’s departure.

An immortal artifact and a special source were rumored to be inside. Bathing in this special source could change someone’s constitution, allowing them to become up to a supreme overlord.

Of course, these were mere speculations since none had entered. It wasn’t that future descendants didn’t want to. Primal ancestors have tried before to no avail. Everlasting Jiang and Xianting didn’t know how to do it either. Thus, everyone believed it would only open with her return.

“Creak.” However, Li Qiye talked up the ten steps and pushed the gate, opening it effortlessly.

“Impossible!” The woman became slack-jawed.

Everlasting Jiang had tried before to no avail despite being only one step away from becoming a supreme overlord.

How did this passerby open it? Furthermore, it looked like he was opening the door to his own home, not Desolate Hall.