"If that's the case, then I'm the source of these pseudo-immortals."
Xu Ying blinked. The immortals in the Penglai Immortal Realm achieved immortality under the Heavenly Dao he had established—the immortality they attained was his, Xu Ying's!
The Ninth Immortal King had once mocked Penglai, claiming they were merely pseudo-immortals who consumed immortal grass, established a false Heavenly Dao, and acted against the heavens. Recalling those words now, Xu Ying realized he hadn't been wrong at all.
*Regardless of his stance, the Ninth Immortal King's vision and insight are truly extraordinary,* he secretly praised.
Suddenly, another thought crossed Xu Ying's mind: *No wonder the Immortal Master of Penglai wanted me to repair the Heavenly Dao of the Penglai Immortal Realm! The Heavenly Dao here was established by me, so naturally, I should be the one to mend it. Anyone else, even with Heavenly Dao attainments equal to mine, probably wouldn't know where to begin!*
He considered further: *Once I mend the Heavenly Dao, the Immortal Master of Penglai will likely face a dilemma: how will he deal with me?*
If Xu Ying repaired Penglai's Heavenly Dao, his control over the Penglai Immortal Realm would only grow deeper and deeper.
The Immortal Master was clearly not someone willing to share power. What fate would await Xu Ying then was easy to imagine.
*If the immortals of Penglai proved their Dao and attained the immortality of me, Xu Ying, does that mean I can harvest them like chives?*
Xu Ying suddenly thought, *They became immortals under the rules of the Heavenly Dao I established. In theory, I ought to be able to harvest them.*
He raised his brows and glanced at the Immortal Master of Penglai ahead, musing, *Even though the Heavenly Dao upon the huabiao pillars was set by me, would the Immortal Master of Penglai truly have left my pillars here without refining them? If he refined these pillars, then could he be the one harvesting the immortals of Penglai?*
The title "Immortal Master" carried much food for thought.
Yuan Tiangang had said that Immortal Master meant the master of the Penglai Immortal Mountain, but in Xu Ying's eyes, a deeper layer of meaning was likely the master of Penglai's immortals!
*The Immortal Master is taking me to meet the Divine Mother. Could she really possess the ability to restore my memories and help me recall more Heavenly Dao runes?*
Xu Ying eyed the huabiao pillars along the way, his gaze flickering. Could the Divine Mother, renowned for her divine foresight, succeed where Fairy Gushe had failed?
"The Penglai Immortal Mountain forms a world of its own, possessing its own unique Heavenly Dao. The heavenly tribulations here are all dictated by the Penglai Immortal Realm's Heavenly Dao. When the Heavenly Dao is incomplete, the strength of the immortals cannot advance. The more complete the Heavenly Dao becomes, the stronger the immortals of Penglai will be. Such is the way of Heaven."
As the Immortal Master of Penglai walked, he spoke with emotion. "The demonic realm's invasion of the myriad worlds of the heavens shows signs of escalating. Sooner or later, it will become a catastrophe. Weixu has joined hands with the demonic realm, and with the Netherworld's invasion on top of that, the myriad worlds of the heavens hang by a thread. Yet mortal men still engage in internal strife, utterly oblivious to the impending peril."
He shook his head and sighed. "We of Penglai have exerted every effort to stem the demonic realm's invasion, suffering heavy casualties over the years. Penglai cannot fight indefinitely. We must venture into the myriad worlds of the heavens to recruit more Ascension-stage Qi Refiners, making them immortals of Penglai to combat the demonic realm!"
Hearing this, Xu Ying felt a stir in his heart and couldn't help thinking of the Cangwu Abyss.
The Abyss Watcher had held a divine whip, lashing the corpse of Great Emperor Cangwu to drive him into launching the Netherworld invasion.
Behind the Abyss Watcher was none other than Perfected Yuhu of the Immortal Realm, the patriarch of Fairy Qingbi!
Perfected Yuhu was an immortal of the Immortal Realm. Why would he instigate a Netherworld invasion?
Hearing the Immortal Master of Penglai bring up the demonic realm's invasion and the Netherworld's invasion, Xu Ying was reminded of this and felt it was rather bizarre.
Although Perfected Yuhu was exceedingly powerful, his standing in the Immortal Realm shouldn't be very high. Would such an immortal dare commit an act like orchestrating a Netherworld invasion?
*There must be a far more powerful existence behind Perfected Yuhu, and the Netherworld invasion is merely the surface. Whoever is behind him has other motives.*
Thinking of this, Xu Ying blinked. If Perfected Yuhu was behind the Netherworld invasion, then what lay behind the demonic realm's invasion?
The Immortal Master of Penglai lamented, "We immortals of Penglai may not be valued by the Immortal Realm, and they even view us as rebels, but who could ever know how much we have sacrificed for the peace of the myriad worlds? If not for Penglai standing against the demonic realm's invasion, who knows how many would have perished. Fellow Daoist Xu, the Heavenly Dao of the Penglai Immortal Realm rests upon your shoulders!"
He halted his steps, turned around, and said with utmost sincerity, "Only if Penglai grows strong can we stand against the demonic realm's invasion and stand against Weixu!"
Xu Ying seemed inexplicably moved and replied, "With the Immortal Master bearing such a heart to save the world, how could I simply stand by and watch?"
The Immortal Master of Penglai continued toward Mituo Temple, smiling. "It is rare for you to agree with me. By the way, Fellow Daoist Xu, do you recognize this object?"
On an open ground before Mituo Temple stood a towering portal, carved as if from jade. It was permeated with the qi of the Immortal Dao and radiated the sounds of the Immortal Dao!
The portal was half-open and half-shut. At its far end, ten thousand rays of immortal light shone, exuding an extraordinary ripple capable of suppressing all things!
In a daze, it seemed as if a Jade Capital floated amid those myriad beams of immortal light!
The portal severed communication between mortals and the divine; inside and outside the gate lay the divide between immortal and mortal!
The Immortal Master of Penglai smiled. "You must recognize this portal, right?"
With a constant smile on his face, his gaze rested upon Xu Ying's countenance, scrutinizing every minute change in Xu Ying's expression as if seeking to see through his very heart.
This portal was none other than the heavenly pass from Xu Ying's third Pass-Breaching stage, refined into an Immortal Dao magical treasure!
Xu Ying looked up at the heavenly pass, marveling again and again, praising, "Of course I've seen it, and more than once!"
The corner of the Immortal Master's eye twitched slightly, a subtle murderous intent rising within him.
Xu Ying smiled. "I once saw the Immortal Master summon this mighty pass to resist the Ninth Immortal King of Weixu. That was the first time I saw it, and now is the second. No, wait, that's not right!"
Suddenly, he clapped his hands and laughed. "The first time should have been when Yan Bao'er and I came here back then. Am I right, Immortal Master?"
The Immortal Master of Penglai's murderous intent vanished at once, and he burst into hearty laughter. "Fellow Daoist Xu speaks truly. This way, please!"
As the two walked into Mituo Temple, Xu Ying secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
The Immortal Master's strength might be inferior to the Ninth Immortal King's, but he was certainly an entity on that same level. If he boldly struck, while it might be uncertain if he could obliterate Xu Ying completely, destroying Xu Ying's mortal body and ruining his cultivation in this life was well within his power!
*He has tested me multiple times now. That should dispel his suspicions, shouldn't it?* Xu Ying thought to himself.
How could he deal with such a terrifying existence?
He could not help sinking into deep contemplation.
There were also several immortal herbs cultivating within Mituo Temple. Yuan Tiangang sat beside them, cultivating with the five centers facing the heavens.
Though he was now an immortal of the Penglai Immortal Realm, he had only arrived recently and held a low status, studying Dao methods under the Divine Mother.
Yet envied by others, despite his low standing, the Divine Mother enjoyed high status.
Other immortals who had performed countless merits could only occupy half an acre of immortal mountain, while he could cultivate at will on the main peak.
The larger the immortal mountain, the more immortal light and immortal qi draped down from the Immortal Realm, making cultivation naturally faster. The smaller the immortal mountain, the less immortal light and immortal qi it received, naturally slowing the pace of cultivation.
Studying under the Divine Mother, his cultivation was naturally swift.
Yuan Tiangang stood and bowed in greeting. "Immortal Master, Fellow Daoist Xu, my master is already waiting inside."
The Immortal Master of Penglai gave a slight nod and walked into Penghu Hall alongside Xu Ying.
Penghu Hall held a separate world within. Looking upward from within the hall, one saw a space shaped like a calabash gourd—wide at the bottom and narrow at the top—with no ceiling in sight.
A ray of immortal light shone down from beyond the heavens, illuminating a woman. The woman looked ordinary and plain, yet when she moved her feet, the immortal light followed along with her.
"Young Master Xu, I trust you have been well since we last met?" the woman asked with a smile.
Xu Ying smiled. "Could it be that we also met back then?"
That woman was the Divine Mother. She replied, "Naturally. Back then, you two came here and stayed for a time. Immortal Master, I will undo the seal on Young Master Xu's memories. Might I trouble the Immortal Master to step outside?"
The Immortal Master's eyes flickered, and he chuckled. "Divine Mother, you have always possessed divine foresight. You surely understand my intentions."
The Divine Mother nodded gently.
The Immortal Master turned and stepped out of Penghu Hall. The Divine Mother gestured for Xu Ying to take a seat, saying, "Back then, I performed divination for Dongyue and left a letter for the Northern Emperor, ultimately bringing you to Penglai. Your arrival at Penglai this time is completely different from your visit more than ten thousand years ago."
Xu Ying took a seat upon a prayer mat, sitting across from her.
Facing this mysterious woman capable of peering into the future, he was rather curious: could someone truly see what would happen in the future?
The Divine Mother said, "Although the past you cultivated to the Ascension stage, your cultivation and strength were still far inferior to your first lifetime. The current you, though at a lower realm, possesses no meager strength."
During the Great Shang era, Xu Ying had known nothing of Nuo methods; hence, despite his high cultivation realm, his strength had not been overwhelmingly powerful.
At present, although Xu Ying possessed four Nuo ancestor cave-heavens, his power had not yet reached the heights of the Great Shang era, yet the divine abilities and Dao methods he mastered had already surpassed his self from that time.
What he lacked was sufficient cultivation realm.
His Golden Core had not reached great perfection, and he had yet to form a Primordial Spirit—these were his greatest deficiencies.
Wisps of smoke curled between Xu Ying and the Divine Mother. As Xu Ying looked at the woman across from him, her face grew faint and ethereal, drifting farther and farther away. He faintly saw the Divine Mother open her mouth, but only wisps of vapor billowed forth.
Strange birdsong drifted into his ears, growing louder and louder until it melded into tens of thousands of overlapping voices, booming and vibrating.
Xu Ying's head spun with dizziness. Then, abruptly, all sounds vanished, leaving only a single voice behind.
"Xu Ying, Xu Ying. Remember your surname, do not forget your given name. Wake up, wake up."
"Wake up!"
Xu Ying snapped his eyes open and saw a magnificent, imposing divine city—Chaoge.
Behind the divine city of Chaoge, God Ying's colossal body spanned the entire sky, dangling tentacles one after another.
Within Chaoge, the Primordial Spirits of heavenly gods stood like a forest, their divine power twisting the sky and forming swirling, contorting rosy clouds of the Heavenly Dao overhead!
Xu Ying stared blankly at the scene. Those ancient Primordial Spirits of heavenly gods were formidable and ferocious. Some possessed multiple heads and arms, some wore horrifying visages, some resembled demon gods, while others appeared sacred. Their incense smoke qi drifted everywhere, and their divine power was boundless.
Xu Ying suddenly heard the resounding roar of sacrificial chanting. Turning his head, he beheld the iron cavalry of the Great Zhou.
Behind the Great Zhou's iron cavalry stood yet another legion of heavenly gods.
These heavenly gods possessed less divine power than those of the Great Shang, but they were far greater in number!
This was the Battle of the Investiture of the Gods at the dawn of the Shang and Zhou dynasties!
It was also the succession war between the new gods and old gods of the Heavenly Dao world!
The war had reached a critical juncture, with both sides drawn up in battle arrays at Muye.
Xu Ying adjusted the cap on his head and realized he held a long dagger-axe in his hand.
*Right, I'm not one of those prominent figures. I am just a common foot soldier in the Battle of Muye.*
Surrounding him was an army of millions, countless Qi Refiners, and in the Great Zhou's camp, divine weapons forged by generations of Heavenly Craftsmen were held aloft.
Zhu Chanchan was still a little girl, trailing behind her teacher. Even then, the young maiden was already a grandmaster smith on the verge of ascending to Heavenly Craftsman.
Yet no one noticed that Xu Ying stood right at the front lines of Shang King Zhou's army.
Not far from Xu Ying, a general sighed, "If our Great Shang hadn't endured the Chaos of the Golden Crow, losing so many powerful Qi Refiners, and if so many Qi Refiners hadn't journeyed to the other shore, the Great Zhou would never have dared rebel!"
Suddenly, the battle erupted. Xu Ying tossed and tumbled amid the chaotic fray like a small boat on the verge of capsizing at any moment, yet strangely enough, he never capsized.
After the battle at Muye, Xu Ying stood alone amid tens of thousands of corpses, his gaze somewhat dazed.
"Countless people died. The generals died, King Zhou died, and even the heavenly gods died. Why am I still alive?" he murmured.
In the mist, three figures walked toward him, leading him away from this place to begin a new life.
Suddenly, the three figures dissipated, and a voice called out from beyond the heavens: "Wake up!"
Along with this call, another memory prior to the Battle of Muye abruptly awakened.
"Wake up—"
With yet another call, memories of another lifetime awoke.
Xu Ying's awakening memories gradually reached back to the Great Shang, to that era when the black bird soared across the skies.
Suddenly, there came another call to wake up, and an immensely long stretch of memory opened up like a skylight flung wide, sunlight abruptly flooding into an empty room, filling every corner.
Chaoge City. Xu Ying, a wealthy young master of a merchant family escorting a slave caravan, passed by a prisoner cart. As if guided by the spirits, he parted the disheveled hair of a dirty child, revealing a delicate, pretty face.
The slave girl was named Yan Bao'er, a girl of an alien race from the Yuanfeng world.
"I remember you. It feels like I saw you in a past life," Yan Bao'er said to him.
A memory spanning four thousand six hundred years awakened.
Chapter 323