The Mother Insect stood on Xu Ying's shoulder in bewilderment, completely unaware that this had been the prime opportunity to finish Xu Ying and the others off, squandering the chance for nothing.
Its intelligence had only just awakened, and it was not yet adept at seizing opportunities.
Four days later, Xu Ying finally drifted awake under the care of the Seven Immortals of Penglai.
Even after waking, he remained emaciated and haggard, devoid of color in his face. Only after a long while did he recover slightly, yet his head still felt as if someone were hacking into it with an axe, blow after blow.
The big bell was still unconscious, twitching in its slumber and shivering with faint, ringing clangs. It resembled someone burning with a high fever, shivering from the cold.
Fairy Gushe and Yuan Tiangang were still fast asleep with no sign of waking.
Fortunately, Xu Ying had acted swiftly and shielded them in front; otherwise, the mere impact of that single gaze would have been enough to claim their lives!
The Divine Mother arrived leading a group of immortal herbs shaped like burly, muscular figures, with Grave Grass among them. She had the herbs with mind-calming properties treat them. After another two days, Fairy Gushe, Yuan Tiangang, and the big bell finally woke one by one. During those two days, Xu Ying's headache had also eased somewhat, though he remained rather weak.
Fairy Gushe and Yuan Tiangang were still dazed and distracted, answering questions nonsensically, while the big bell frequently spaced out or spouted gibberish.
Seeing this, Yuan Qi could not help feeling terrified and gripped by dread.
By the time they recovered a bit more, ten days had already passed. Xu Ying asked Fairy Gushe what she had seen that day. Fairy Gushe shook her head and said, "My gaze had only just grazed the karmic thread, and as I was about to look upward, I was detected. The karma tied to the Diamond Snare is simply too terrifying, far beyond anything I can comprehend."
Yuan Qi turned ashen.
Xu Ying consoled him, "Don't worry, Lord Seven. You won't live to see that terrifying being come to kill you."
Yuan Qi's eyes lit up. "That terrifying being disdains to kill me?"
Xu Ying shook his head. "Before that happens, you'll already be long dead. After all, you still carry tens of thousands of karmic threads from ancient beings of the Immortal Realm. The odds of them killing you before that terrifying being does are definitely much higher!"
Yuan Qi groaned, his voice trembling, "Can this Diamond Snare be returned to Daoist Taiqing?"
Xu Ying shook his head. "Daoist Taiqing offered it to me several times, and I turned it down every time. It took so much effort to finally pass it to you, Lord Seven; how could he let you return it so easily?"
"Fairy Gushe, if we return the treasures Lord Seven scavenged from the Immortal Dao anomalous zones in the Ancestral Court, could that resolve the karma with those ancient beings of the Immortal Realm?" Xu Ying asked.
Fairy Gushe hesitated for a moment, then said, "It is worth a try. It ought to sever the karma."
Xu Ying breathed a sigh of relief, looked at Yuan Qi, and said, "Bring out those treasures first. We'll resolve this karma with the Immortal Realm before thinking of another way."
Yuan Qi confessed honestly, "Those treasures were taken by Dog... Little Celestial Venerable."
Xu Ying was stunned. "The things you risked your life to snatch, you just gave them away to Little Celestial Venerable like that?"
Yuan Qi said aggrievedly, "He's your disciple, and he called me martial uncle, then called me Lord Seven, calling me a senior and asking for a greeting gift or whatever. He's so good at flattering! I got so light-headed from his flattery that in the heat of the moment I gave him all those treasures. He even said he would find someone to reforge these immortal artifacts and brand them with the Heavenly Dao of the Ancestral Court to restore heaven and earth. When that happened, I would be a merit saint of the Ancestral Court, and so forth..."
Xu Ying could not help shaking his head, thinking to himself, *Little Celestial Venerable has learned bad habits too. It takes three years to learn good ways, but only three days to pick up bad ones. He used to be so well-behaved; who could he have learned this from recently?*
Yuan Qi said, "I told him I knew of a Heavenly Craftsman who was exceptionally skilled at artifact forging, so I recommended Patriarch Chanchan to him. He then ran off to the myriad worlds in the heavens to search for Patriarch Chanchan."
Xu Ying frowned deeply, but soon his brow smoothed, and he chuckled. "Don't worry, Lord Seven. When the cart reaches the mountain, a way will appear; when the boat reaches the bridge, it will naturally steer straight. There will surely be a way. If there's anything you want to eat or do recently, go right ahead and eat or play to your heart's content. Your time is limited, so why not seize the moment to enjoy yourself?"
With a long face, Yuan Qi looked at the big bell.
The big bell consoled him, "What's the big deal? When a head is chopped off, it leaves a scar no bigger than a mountain. Eighteen years later, you'll be a fine snake demon again. Oh, right, Lord Seven, filial piety comes first among all virtues. You don't have any offspring yet, do you? Hurry up and find a female yuan snake, get the deed done, and leave behind an heir—lest you depart too hastily."
Knowing they were full of mischief, Yuan Qi paid them no more mind.
Master Fire Dragon and Han Zekang had also arrived at Penglai, their hearts overflowing with excitement. This place was practically a minor Immortal Realm, where immortal qi and immortal light could be guided down at every turn.
The master and disciple quickly mingled with the Seven Immortals of Penglai, drawing looks of contempt from the other immortals. Seeing the pair settled in Penglai, Xu Ying also felt relieved. He harbored some guilt toward Master Fire Dragon and Han Zekang; after all, they had been dragged into his mess, making it impossible for them to survive in the Taishi Great World and leaving them unable to return home.
Yet for Master Fire Dragon and his disciple, Penglai was even better. Since the Divine Condor Palace only had the two of them left anyway, what difference did it make where they went?
"Immortal Master Xu, did you discover anything at the Jade Void Palace in the Kunlun Realm?" The Divine Mother sought out Xu Ying and asked with a beaming smile.
Xu Ying was surprised. "What discovery?"
"Such as a certain Daoist, for instance," the Divine Mother said with a smile.
Xu Ying's heart stirred. "A Daoist?"
When he departed after integrating the Heavenly Dao of the Kunlun Realm, he really had seemed to catch sight of a Daoist!
The Divine Mother showed a look of anticipation and chuckled. "Did that Daoist not bestow some benefit upon you?"
Xu Ying shook his head and said, "I merely caught a faint glimpse of a Daoist in a daze, but whether such a person truly existed, I cannot say."
The Divine Mother was puzzled. "There ought to have been such a person. How strange—why didn't he give you a bit of benefit?"
Xu Ying paid it no mind and laughed. "I already obtained plenty of benefits in the Jade Void Palace of the Kunlun Realm, having comprehended the Heavenly Dao there and deduced the Immortal Realm cave-heaven of the Jade Pool secret depository. Why should I ask for more? Just like Daoist Taiqing wanting to thrust the Diamond Snare onto me—that kind of 'benefit' is something I wouldn't dare accept."
The Divine Mother laughed. "True enough. Pity that big snake; right now, he's probably frightened nearly to death. What do you plan to do, Immortal Master?"
Xu Ying said, "I have resolved to head to the Underworld to seek out Great Emperor Beiyin and inquire about the whereabouts of the Twelve-Storyed Mansions of the Nether Sea Realm. That Twelve-Storyed Mansions is most likely the place where I comprehend the Twelve-Storyed Mansions of the Yongquan other shore!"
The Divine Mother chuckled. "The Four Titans of the Underworld have yet to recover from their heavy injuries. Even if you go looking for the Northern Emperor, you might not find him. However, I know a place that might have a Huangting Mansion, and you could find it very easily."
Xu Ying asked, "And what place is that?"
"The Ghost Ruins."
Xu Ying's heart skipped a beat. With his current strength, venturing into the Ghost Ruins would likely be a death sentence. Yet the Divine Mother was right: Great Emperor Beiyin, Dongyue, and Cangwu were hiding from the pursuit of the Immortal Realm, making them exceedingly difficult to locate. Rather than wasting time searching for the Northern Emperor, going to the Ghost Ruins might be better.
Still, he wanted to visit the Underworld even more.
Because he had learned from Fang Songhuai of the Thunder Ministry that back then, the Thunder Ministry had pursued his father deep into the Wangxiang Platform, where they lost all trace of him.
He wanted to go to the Underworld and take a look there.
If he couldn't find his father or the Northern Emperor, only then would he take a gamble on the Ghost Ruins!
After weighing it over and over, Xu Ying decided to take Yuan Qi and the big bell along. As for Grave Grass, it would remain on Penglai Immortal Mountain to cultivate.
He summoned the Third Heavenly Pass, repeatedly opening and closing its gates. Each time the gate opened, a different world appeared behind it.
This time, what he sought was the Yuanshou world.
After a long while, when the gate opened once more, what appeared beyond it was a familiar vista: Mount Jiuyi and the parasol tree.
Having been away for over seven years, Xu Ying finally returned to his homeland. Unable to suppress the surge of emotion within, he stepped through the gateway.
***
The Four Desolations world.
God King Xuankong arrived. Due to his defeat at Mount Sumeru, he had no choice but to distance himself from the Taishi Great World to avoid being besieged and purged by the various immortal sects. Young Master Yuchuan hadn't died either, and wiping Xuankong out wouldn't be too difficult.
God King Xuankong's form merged with the sky, drifting like floating clouds as he searched the surroundings. Suddenly, he noticed five immortal mountains floating above a vast plain below, arranged like the Five Sacred Mountains.
Beneath the immortal mountains lay an earthly divine kingdom, where all the citizens worshipped the deities residing on the Five Sacred Immortal Mountains. Every morning, they without fail tended to the gods, paid reverence, and offered incense.
Before going to sleep at night, they also faithfully offered incense and revered the gods.
Particularly during major festivals, it became a grand spectacle—incense smoke rose like pillars, pouring toward the Five Sacred Immortal Mountains!
Enshrouded in incense smoke, the five immortal mountains surged with abundant divine power like an ocean. Atop each immortal mountain sat a divine figure of monstrous magical power and startling combat prowess, capable of influencing the weather and celestial phenomena!
Seeing this scene, God King Xuankong flew straight over. His divine consciousness rippled, transforming into a booming voice: "God King Xuantian, do you still remember an old friend?"
The five divine figures stood up one after another, looking toward the sky in surprise. At that moment, from a divine temple atop the Xinyue Immortal Mountain, a figure walked out and chuckled, "So it is God King Xuankong. It has been tens of thousands of years since we last met. What brings you to my domain?"
Xuankong materialized from the sky, his form gradually shrinking to that of an ordinary man. Arriving inside the divine temple to meet God King Xuantian, he said, "I am ashamed. Does the God King still remember Xu Ying from back then? A few days ago, Xu Ying staged a comeback, came to my Mount Sumeru, and stole my Water-Fire Huntian Cauldron. I remembered that what you received back then was his Five Sacred Immortal Mountains. He will most likely seek you out to reclaim them, so I came to give you word."
God King Xuantian was moved. "That Xu Ying has actually staged a comeback?"
Xuankong said, "Is it not so? Although that Xu Ying's strength isn't what it once was, he is extraordinarily clever. Yet strangely enough, the higher-ups pay him no heed, letting him grow like wild grass. It is utterly bizarre."
God King Xuantian promptly expressed his thanks, saying, "Truth be told, although my stewardship of the Four Desolations world over these years cannot compare to your Taishi Great World, I have managed it well. I refined the incense offered by all living beings into five elemental incarnations. The five immortal mountains have also been refined so they can expand or shrink at my will, controlled by a single thought. It will not be easy for Xu Ying to take them away."
Xuankong shook his head. "Xu Ying is even craftier than in his first lifetime. You must never take him lightly."
He recounted how Xu Ying had seized the Water-Fire Huntian Cauldron. God King Xuantian stared wide-eyed. After a moment, he said, "To be frank, although new gods usurped my power, I still have someone backing me in the Immortal Realm. That exalted being instructed me to manage this realm and plot a resurgence."
Xuankong's heart stirred, and he said, "I have someone in the Immortal Realm as well. Why don't you and I each write down that being's name and see whether it is the same person?"
Xuantian agreed.
Each wrote in his palm with incense qi, then opened their hands together.
When they clearly saw the words in each other's palms, both burst into hearty laughter. In Xuankong's palm were written the two characters "Primordial Monarch," while in Xuantian's palm were the four characters "Primordial Monarch Lingsu."
Primordial Monarch and Primordial Monarch Lingsu were one and the same!
Only now did they realize that both served under the very same person.
Letting down his guard, Xuantian had the five elemental incarnations atop the surrounding Five Sacred Immortal Mountains seat themselves, quietly dispelling the Five Elements Tribulation Array. He smiled and said, "Since we both serve under Primordial Monarch, I will speak plainly. To tell the truth, Primordial Monarch contacts me through Perfected Jade Pot. Perfected Jade Pot has already descended to the mortal realm, and I received a transmission from him. He said he would first visit the Yuanshou world to attend to a small matter."
Seeing that Xuantian had dropped his guard, Xuankong also dispersed his hidden lethal moves and said with emotion, "I also use Perfected Jade Pot as the intermediary to contact Primordial Monarch! This Perfected Jade Pot is the key to our resurgence, critical to whether we can return to the Immortal Realm. Now that he has descended to the mortal realm, if we wait for him to come find us, wouldn't that be a slight? We ought to prepare lavish gifts and go find him ourselves!"
Xuantian had an epiphany and clapped in praise. "Daoist Brother truly knows how to conduct affairs! I will prepare at once, put together lavish gifts, and head to Yuanshou to welcome Perfected Jade Pot!"
The two God Kings made their preparations immediately and set out that very day for the Yuanshou world.
They had once been God Kings of the Heavenly Dao world and knew secret routes to travel between different worlds, yet even for beings of their caliber, the journey would take a few days.
Meanwhile, travelling along the severed Heavenly Road at lightning speed, Perfected Jade Pot finally arrived at the spiritual root of the First Pass. Following this twin-vine spiritual root, he passed through the space-time vortex and arrived in the Yuanshou world.
In the Yunmeng Great Marsh, an aged Golden Crow perched upon the Fusang tree raised its head to see a beam of light plunging from the sky into the marsh.
"Looks like someone fell down."
Jin Buyi was puzzled, but retracted its gaze and continued enjoying the sacrifices of the people. Having cultivated in the sun for several years, it had returned to the Yunmeng Marsh to see if its Shang subjects were doing well, never expecting to witness someone descending into the mortal realm.
Yet it was not in the least bit curious, musing, *I've cultivated the Great Sun True Scripture well over these years. My spirits have gradually revived, and my cultivation has made substantial progress. Still, where did Ah Ying run off to?*
After a moment, it spread its wings and took flight toward Jiuyi, thinking, *I might as well go ask Little Fengxian there first; maybe she knows where Ah Ying went.*
Oh right, there was also that brainless fool over there...
On Mount Jiuyi, the fool A'fu was lying on an overgrown grave beneath the parasol tree, leisurely crossing his legs and bouncing one foot.
Right then, he scrambled up in astonishment and looked up at the sky. A majestic Heavenly Pass materialized, its gate swinging open, and Xu Ying walked out from the Heavenly Pass accompanied by Yuan Qi and the big bell.
The Heavenly Pass closed with a resounding boom and was stowed into his Realm of Xiyi.
"A'fu, I'm back," Xu Ying said to him with a smile.
Chapter 399