Never Kept His Word

"Xuankong dug up a living ancient Buddha back then?" Xu Ying was stunned. "Do you mean to say that Xuankong unearthed a Buddha at the Great Thunderclap Temple, which triggered a cataclysmic shift in the world's Heavenly Dao and corrupted the entire Taishi Great World?" Just how terrifyingly powerful was this Buddha? Zi Xi abruptly formed a hand seal and shouted, "Hum!" Xu Ying's mind was actually shaken by the shout. The moment Xu Ying's aura wavered, Zi Xi's momentum erupted from the ground, soaring to a horrific height in an instant. His primordial qi, divine consciousness, physical body, Primordial Spirit, yin and yang, and heart power all reached heights beyond what ordinary mortals could imagine! Six halos materialized behind him, matching Xu Ying toe to toe. Zi Xi smiled and said, "My master tried to refine that ancient Buddha, which led to the demonic realm's invasion over forty thousand years ago. But it also forged my master's unparalleled renown." "Om!" His hand seals shifted again into another mudra. Accompanied by a resonant Sanskrit chant, his momentum surged once more, turning around to suppress Xu Ying's aura! What he employed was orthodox Nuo method, passed down by the Undying People of Kunlun—pure, upright, and without a single flaw or loophole. Not only that, Buddhist radiance blazed within his six cave-heavens. Inside each cave-heaven, the vague phantom of a towering Buddha emerged to preside over the realm, actually tearing through Xu Ying's aura suppression! Xu Ying watched the scene in surprise and praised, "Zi Xi, you actually merged the Dao methods of the ancient Buddhas with contemporary Dao methods? You truly are a genius!" Zi Xi laughed heartily. "Xu Ying, you thought you could suppress me? How about now?" The Buddha phantoms within his cave-heavens even exuded the aura of the Great Dao from that ancient era! Xu Ying commended, "The ancient Buddha Dao methods indeed possess unique brilliance. Merging the techniques of two eras is truly extraordinary." Zi Xi smiled. "Though that ancient Buddha brought about a catastrophic disaster that nearly caused the entire Taishi Great World to fall, it also allowed my master to witness the sheer might of the Buddhist Dharma. Xu Ying, hand over the cultivation method for your Immortal Realm cave-heaven, and I will spare your life." Xu Ying shook his head. "Even if I taught you, you would not be able to learn it." Zi Xi smiled. "Then I shall simply take it myself!" His figure moved abruptly, unleashing divine arts. In terms of cultivation—whether in divine consciousness, primordial qi, physical body, Primordial Spirit, or yin and yang—he was entirely capable of standing shoulder to shoulder with Xu Ying, perhaps even surpassing him! He had come here to harvest Chu Tiandu and seize the ancestral method of the six secrets! Since Chu Tiandu was merely Xu Ying in disguise, he could simply harvest Xu Ying instead and claim Xu Ying's Immortal Realm cave-heaven! His divine arts were remarkably intricate, carrying the arts of the ancient Buddhas alongside contemporary divine arts. Blending both systems into a single crucible, his hand seals brimmed with profound Dao methods. It was truly a fresh, unprecedented display that commanded genuine admiration! Xu Ying remained planted where he stood, unmoving. Suddenly, he flicked his fingers repeatedly. *Clang! Clang! Clang!* Three deafening booms rang out in rapid succession, like snapping zither strings. Behind Zi Xi, three cave-heavens—Mud Pill, Jade Pool, and Yellow Court—were abruptly severed at their roots, tumbling loosely in all directions! Zi Xi felt his cultivation and magic power plummet drastically. In the next instant, he was pinned down by Xu Ying's towering, sky-like aura, and his hand seals and divine arts could no longer be thrust forward. He struggled desperately, but without three of his cave-heavens, no matter how hard he fought, he could not resist Xu Ying's majestic, crushing weight. "A few years ago, I left the Yuanshou world," Xu Ying said casually, curling a finger without any rush before lightly flicking it. "Before leaving Yuanshou, I resolved to sweep away every single fisherman. By then, I had already obtained four Nuo ancestor cave-heavens and comprehended an ancestral method." Zi Xi's face flushed crimson as he tried to charge in front of Xu Ying. But as Xu Ying flicked that finger, the Crimson Palace cave-heaven behind Zi Xi shuddered violently and was torn from his body! Instantly, Zi Xi felt his divine strength drain away at a terrifying pace, his power dwindling. "From then on, no Nuo method in the world held any secrets from me. I knew right then that I was different from all other Nuo masters. I had already become an ancestor. A Nuo ancestor." Xu Ying curled his index finger again and gave another gentle flick, remarking leisurely, "To this day, I have surpassed the self from when I became a Nuo ancestor countless times over. To the point where a great powerhouse like you is nothing more than muck before my eyes." Zi Xi's body trembled violently, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth. Behind him, the Bubbling Spring cave-heaven drifted away, spinning like a detached lotus. His Primordial Spirit cultivation plummeted sharply. Now, he was left with only the Jade Capital cave-heaven. The pressure Xu Ying exerted upon him grew heavier and heavier, making it increasingly impossible to withstand. Xu Ying curled yet another finger and murmured faintly, "Displaying Nuo arts in front of me is far too presumptuous." *Clang!* He lightly flicked his finger, and the Jade Capital cave-heaven behind Zi Xi was severed from his body as well, flying away. Xu Ying curled another finger, his voice placid. "Once I flick this finger, a finger-sized hole will pierce through your forehead, while a fist-sized hole will blast out from the back of your head." Zi Xi's voice turned hoarse. "Wait! I know where my master suppressed that ancient Buddha! It's suppressed right at the old site of the Great Thunderclap Temple!" Xu Ying uncurled his finger and pressed, "Where is the old site of the Great Thunderclap Temple?" Zi Xi replied, "Right where the thunder resounds!" "Where the thunder resounds?" Xu Ying was taken aback. Zi Xi said, "Yes! Thunder resounds there, but there is no lightning. As long as you walk past that place, a clap of thunder will ring by your ear. You cannot possibly miss it!" Xu Ying curled his finger again. Horrified, Zi Xi shrieked, "What are you doing? Xu Ying, you don't keep your word! I'll fight you to the death!" Xu Ying flicked his finger. In a panic, Zi Xi hurled out an object to intercept Xu Ying's strike. A Buddhist chant rang in Xu Ying's ears, and illusions surged before his eyes as if he had plunged into a sea of fire. Before him, an enraged Buddha standing upon a blazing golden lotus slowly rose from the flames! "Benefactor, boundless is the sea of suffering." Coiled in chains, that Buddha looked down, his Sanskrit chant deafening. "Turn back, and you will find the shore!" Xu Ying anchored himself in the Grand Unity and roared, "What manner of treasure dare disturb my divine consciousness? Break!" With a furious shout, he unleashed a surge of divine consciousness crashing forward. The Buddha, the sea of flames, and the golden lotus shrank rapidly, reducing to a palm-sized iron-core Buddha that clattered to the floor! Taking advantage of the distraction, Zi Xi and the six severed cave-heavens had vanished without a trace! On the wall across from where Zi Xi had stood, a splatter of blood remained, along with a scrap of scalp clinging to hair—undoubtedly from the back of his head. It seemed Xu Ying's finger strike had indeed punched a finger-sized hole through his forehead, blasting out a fist-sized chunk of skull from behind! Nearby, Master Fire Dragon and Han Zekang stared at Xu Ying in sheer terror. Master Fire Dragon whispered, "Disciple, take note: Old Demon Xu never keeps his word." Han Zekang hurried to note it down. "Zi Xi didn't die even from that! The immortal medicine accumulated inside that brat must be terrifyingly vast!" With a somber expression, Xu Ying picked up the iron-core Buddha from the floor. It bore some resemblance to the wrathful Buddha he had just seen in the vision. Zi Xi had used this very object to affect his divine consciousness and drag him into that illusion of Buddhist wrath! The iron-core Buddha appeared entirely ordinary, not resembling a treasure at all—just a lump of common scrap iron. Yet inside, an extraordinary power was circulating. Unable to discern anything more peculiar about it, Xu Ying stowed the iron-core Buddha away, musing silently, *Zi Xi is proficient in ancient Buddhist methods, so what about God King Xuankong? Zi Xi's skills were taught by Xuankong.* His expression turned grim. *We need to leave! We must leave as soon as possible!* Pacing back and forth, he thought to himself, *Zi Xi's harvesting of other experts on Mount Sumeru must have been hidden from Xuankong. Seeing the power of the six secrets from Chu Tiandu gave him the idea to harvest others. His real goal was to harvest me, so he won't tell Xuankong that I am Xu Ying! I still have time to... refine the Water-Fire Huntian Cauldron!* Xu Ying composed himself. Zi Xi would never let slip such a rare opportunity to harvest others—especially after being suppressed by Xu Ying just now, which would only make him all the more desperate to devour others to surpass Xu Ying. Chaos on Mount Sumeru was an absolute certainty. This window of time would be Xu Ying's chance to refine the Water-Fire Huntian Cauldron. However, refining the Huntian Cauldron was far more difficult than he had anticipated. When he refined the Third Heavenly Pass, the Immortal Dao Jade Pool, and the Twelve-Storyed Mansions, everything had gone smoothly, falling into place like water flowing into a channel. But the Water-Fire Huntian Cauldron was tainted with far too much incense smoke qi. Incense smoke qi was the most impure of energies, harboring the collective thoughts of myriad living beings. Those thoughts took the form of prayers, pleas, and all sorts of desires, where good and evil, right and wrong were impossible to untangle, making refinement exceedingly arduous. Moreover, there was another bizarre imprint within the cauldron—immensely powerful and strange, likely Xuankong's Buddhist Dharma imprint—which proved exceedingly difficult to refine. Still, the Huntian Cauldron had ultimately been forged through Xu Ying's first lifetime of cultivation. Thoroughly refining it was only a matter of time. *** Wiping the blood from the corner of his mouth, Zi Xi thought to himself, *Xu Ying truly is formidable. He was able to stand right before my master, split into three, lure the tiger away from the mountain, trick my master and the others, and seize the Water-Fire Huntian Cauldron. Truly worthy of a seasoned old demon! Master said he possesses the six secrets as well, and they are ancestral methods. I must harvest him!* "Zi Xi!" Zi Xi's heart tightened, and he hastily bowed. "Master." God King Xuankong strode over. From a distance, he held out an open palm, wearing a gentle expression. "Were you contending with Chu Tiandu just now?" Zi Xi stepped onto his palm at once and bowed. "Master's divine sight misses nothing. This disciple indeed had bad blood with Chu Tiandu. When I descended the mountain into the demonic realm back then, I fought against him and lost." God King Xuankong's form was colossal. Looking down at Zi Xi as though examining an insect in his palm, he asked, "Was this Chu Tiandu any different from the Chu Tiandu you met before?" Zi Xi recalled for a moment and shook his head. "Master, he wore a mask, so this disciple could not see any difference. However, his six secret depositories have changed—they turned into Immortal Realm cave-heavens, which was quite strange." "Is that so?" God King Xuankong mused. "I am well-versed in the Heavenly Dao, possessing the Heavenly Eye, Heavenly Ear, and Heavenly Mind. I can observe every move made anywhere on Mount Sumeru, hear the voice of anyone, and with a glance, even discern the thoughts of a person's heart. Yet just now, I could neither hear your conversation nor see what transpired within the Brahma Pavilion. "When I looked into his heart, I could not read his thoughts either. Anyone capable of this either possesses an extraordinary treasure protecting them, or is proficient in the Heavenly Dao just like me." Zi Xi felt a chill, but followed his lead and replied, "Chu Tiandu belongs to the demonic path; it is impossible for him to be proficient in the Heavenly Dao." God King Xuankong nodded slowly, his gaze still resting on Zi Xi as though trying to see through his thoughts. Zi Xi emptied his mind, focusing entirely on revering his master and respecting the Dao. Ever since entering God King Xuankong's tutelage, he had long honed such a skill. Where others learned to say one thing and mean another, he had learned to think one thing and mean another, concealing his true thoughts deep within. Sensing nothing amiss, God King Xuankong asked, "In this challenge of yours, did you lose again?" Zi Xi looked downcast. "Yes. This disciple is foolish." God King Xuankong said, "The fault is not yours. The Dao methods and divine arts of the ancient era are indeed sublime and immensely powerful. The demon race of the demonic realm is the remnant of that ancient era, and the Little Celestial Venerable's supreme might comes from inheriting ancient transmissions. Losing to his disciple is no shame." Zi Xi bowed. "Master, this disciple heard that a fisherman is roaming Mount Sumeru, devouring people everywhere and throwing everyone into a panic. May I ask if Master knows who is behind this?" God King Xuankong fell silent. Zi Xi's heart clenched; cold sweat drenched his forehead, and he dared not move. After a moment, God King Xuankong said, "I do not care in the slightest who the fisherman is. On the contrary, this fisherman's actions play right into my hands." "This disciple is slow-witted," Zi Xi said. God King Xuankong said, "Though Mount Sumeru is the central sacred mountain of the Taishi Great World, my influence has never been able to step beyond it. Aside from Mount Sumeru, everything in the outside world is subject to the Imperial Monarch, part of his domain. The exalted immortal backing me may support me, but to him, I am merely a chess piece. Victory or defeat matters little to him, but to me, it is of utmost importance." His expression darkened. "This time, the Imperial Monarch's descendant, Young Master Yuchuan, actually plotted against me and snatched away my Heavenly Dao supreme treasure. Such a bitter feud was brushed aside by him so casually, as if it were unworthy of mention. But to me, it concerns my very life. "Since that is the case..." God King Xuankong slowly clenched his fist, and Zi Xi scrambled to fly out from his palm. Xuankong said leisurely, "Why shouldn't I push the boat with the current and let that fisherman seize this chance to weaken the Imperial Monarch's forces, devouring the leaders of the righteous sects loyal to him? "Since it benefits me, why shouldn't I turn a blind eye?" His gaze fell upon Zi Xi in midair, and a smile appeared on his face. "My good disciple, this grand ceremony is not yet over. Go on and continue organizing it. Do you understand?" Zi Xi shivered inwardly, bowed, acknowledged the order, and flew away. Yet his heart surged with wild joy: *So Master saw everything all along and tacitly permits me to do this!* Watching him depart, Xuankong suddenly sprang into the air, soaring into the azure vault. His form stretched across the sky like a celestial curtain, blending seamlessly with the heavens. Silently, he fumed, *Back then, I followed orders to lead the gods of the Heavenly Dao in intercepting that arch-villain Xu Ying, risking life and limb to render great service. Yet I received no reward! Instead, I was stripped of my authority as God King and banished to the lower realm to scratch a living from the dirt! Meanwhile, those useless wastes who never achieved an ounce of merit climbed into my position!* *I will take back what belongs to me! My destiny is not a parlor game for you exalted immortals to gamble over!* *I will refine the Sumeru Realm into the Heavenly Dao world, replace it, become the master of the Heavenly Dao world myself, and wield the heavenly tribulations of the myriad realms! I will become the Divine Ancestor, ruling over the fates of all living beings across the myriad realms and gathering an unending stream of incense!* Xuankong merged entirely into the azure sky and murmured, "Indulging Zi Xi will let him help me eradicate the Imperial Monarch's forces. Once he slaughters all the guests, I refuse to believe Xu Ying won't be flushed out!" *** At that moment, Xu Ying stepped out of the Brahma Pavilion and said, "Master Fire Dragon, both of you stay here in the pavilion." Master Fire Dragon hurried to grab his disciple, Han Zekang, and rushed out of the Brahma Pavilion, shouting, "If you leave and Zi Xi returns to eat us, what then?" Xu Ying asked, "Have both of you cultivated the Six Secret Depositories of the Human Body?" Master Fire Dragon and Han Zekang nodded repeatedly. Xu Ying said, "I am going to search for the old site of the Great Thunderclap Temple. Are you coming along as well?" Master Fire Dragon and Han Zekang hesitated. The old site of the Great Thunderclap Temple was bound to be extraordinarily perilous. Even if it were not perilous, it was almost certainly God King Xuankong's treasured secret; going there was virtually a suicide mission! "Sect Master Guxing!" Master Fire Dragon suddenly spotted a familiar face and called out hastily. Sect Master Guxing was a beautiful woman. Hearing his call, she turned her head and offered a faint smile. "Does the Master need something?" Master Fire Dragon had originally intended to travel with her to avoid being ambushed by Zi Xi—not to mention Sect Master Guxing was a renowned beauty, making it a fine opportunity to grow closer. Yet the moment Sect Master Guxing turned around, Master Fire Dragon felt his hair stand on end: at the back of her head, there was a faint, slender glimmer of light! "Nothing, nothing at all!" Master Fire Dragon scurried back to Xu Ying's side and said with utmost gravity, "Even if the old site of the Great Thunderclap Temple is a dragon's pool or a tiger's den, my disciple and I will brave it alongside you, Fellow Daoist!"