The grey-robed immortal stepped out of the ruined temple, let out a breath of relief, and muttered under his breath, "Shouldn't Xu Ying have died long ago? How could he have survived until now? Just how did the Imperial Monarch handle things..."
Right at that moment, a voice chuckled, "Back then, the Imperial Monarch wished to execute Xu Ying. Unfortunately, his methods fell short; no matter what he did, he could not refine Xu Ying to death, so he had no choice but to suppress him."
The grey-robed immortal followed the sound and saw a white-haired old immortal floating cheerfully in midair.
From a distance, the white-haired elder smiled. "Perfected Qianhuan, long time no see. I never imagined I would run into you in the lower realm."
The grey-robed immortal was originally surnamed Yang and named Qianhuan, known as Immortal Qianhuan after his ascension to the Immortal Realm. Seeing the white-haired elder, he was quite surprised and said, "Perfected Jade Pot, you are in the lower realm as well?"
He flew up to the elder and bowed in greeting. Yet he remained exceedingly vigilant, ready to flee at any moment even as he performed the courtesies.
The white-haired elder was indeed Perfected Jade Pot. Nursing injuries, he hurriedly returned the bow and said, "I descended under orders from the Primordial Monarch. Just as I arrived in Yuanshou, I fell into an ambush. And the one who ambushed me was none other than Xu Ying. Someone in the Immortal Realm must have tipped him off, allowing him to lie in wait for me so early. After narrowly escaping with my life, I ran into the Imperial Monarch's descendant, who was instructed by the Imperial Monarch to kill me. I had no other choice; once I shook off Young Master Yuchuan, I went into hiding to nurse my wounds."
Even upon hearing this, Perfected Qianhuan dared not relax in the slightest. He smiled and said, "Could it be that Perfected Jade Pot is hiding right here to heal?"
Perfected Jade Pot shook his head. "Not in this realm. When Xu Ying was hunting you down, passing through one heavenly realm after another, the commotion was so massive that it woke me from secluded cultivation. I traced your path all the way here and saw him trying repeatedly to trick you into coming out. I could not help breaking into a cold sweat on your behalf. Fortunately, you did not fall for his tricks."
Perfected Qianhuan resonated with his words and remarked, "I too was likely ambushed and plotted against by that Xu Ying. When I went to Yuanshou's Sun Pass on business, he was hiding in the void, attempting to catch me off guard! Once I saw through him, he even bit his tongue to fake coughing up blood just to lure me into a trap."
The two instantly found common ground. Chipping in back and forth, they thoroughly disparaged Xu Ying, repeatedly exclaiming, "What a shameless display! Truly shameless!"
Perfected Jade Pot smiled and asked, "Perfected Qianhuan, as Chief Prohibition Officer of the Immortal Court's East Gate, you are responsible for the East Gate's security. How do you find the leisure to descend to the lower realm?"
Perfected Qianhuan replied, "I too am here on official orders. Perfected Jade Pot, what brought you down?"
Perfected Jade Pot chuckled. "I was ordered by the Primordial Monarch to search for the person who opened an Immortal Realm cave-heaven. I simply had not expected that person to be Xu Ying."
Turning the conversation around, he continued, "Since it is inconvenient for you to disclose your official errand down here, I will not press. But that jade platter in your hand—surely you can tell me what it is?"
Perfected Qianhuan smiled. "This jade platter is merely an ordinary magic treasure that I use for traveling. There is nothing special about it."
Perfected Jade Pot laughed heartily. "Brother, has the affection between us faded? We've shared drinks together before!"
Murderous intent surged in his heart, and just as he was about to unleash a lethal strike, Perfected Qianhuan vanished with a swoosh!
Both shocked and infuriated that his fatal move struck empty air, Perfected Jade Pot immediately circulated the Gourd Heaven Dao Verification Scripture to tear through space-time and gave chase with a roar. His voice carried from afar as he shouted, "Daoist Qianhuan, what is the meaning of this? Why leave without a single word? Allow your elder brother to see you off!"
Driving the Returning Dao Jade Platter, Perfected Qianhuan traversed one world after another and laughed, "Daoist Jade Pot, others might not know you, but do you think I don't? The moment you claim affection has faded, you are about to murder someone! After all our years of friendship, you harbor murderous intent against me—how could I not run?"
Straining to catch up, Perfected Jade Pot sneered, "Qianhuan, in cultivation and strength, you are far inferior to me. Where can you possibly flee? The magic treasure in your hands is the Returning Dao Jade Platter, is it not? How could a supreme sacred treasure like that remain in your hands? Better leave it to this foolish elder brother to safeguard for you!"
Perfected Qianhuan sneered back. "Knowing it is a supreme sacred treasure, you still dare fight for it? Perfected Jade Pot, have you lost your mind? Even if you kill me and seize the Returning Dao Jade Platter, the Supreme behind me will never spare you!"
Perfected Jade Pot guffawed. "You descended under orders and used a supreme sacred treasure to wreak havoc in the lower realm for no other reason than to stir up chaos. Only then can your master seize victory out of turmoil, drag down the Supreme above, and climb to greater heights! If your master were already a Supreme, why would he need to do any of this?"
Perfected Qianhuan felt a chill run through him. *This fellow is too clever.*
One pursuing and one fleeing, they tore through world after world.
***
Xu Ying felt a pang of regret and thought to himself, *If I had obtained that strange jade platter, could I have restored the heaven-and-earth Great Dao of the Ancestral Court? Then the Little Celestial Venerable wouldn't have to labor so hard.*
That grey-robed immortal had been far too cautious, seeing through the fact that there were places his Third Heavenly Pass could not reach. Continuing the chase would not necessarily have allowed him to catch up.
*There is indeed a force covertly driving the revival of the Ancestral Court's Great Dao—or perhaps it should be called a demonic realm invasion!*
Xu Ying summoned the Third Heavenly Pass. As its gate swung open, the Ancestral Court lay beyond. Through days of exploration, he had gradually grown familiar with the usage of the Third Heavenly Pass, allowing him to lock onto a previously visited world with precise accuracy.
*If the demon race suppressed in the sun breaks through the seal and descends upon the Yuanshou world, it will inevitably become an immense slaughter. Countless people will perish, and Qi Refiner sects beyond count will be destroyed. This is a demonic realm invasion!*
Heading toward Penglai, Xu Ying thought in silence, *Someone is generating momentum—using this demonic realm invasion to create momentum. They are either shaping a hero who saves the realm, or manufacturing an atrocity that plunges the common people into misery and ruin. A hero ascends, using these sins as justification to crusade against the heavens.*
He composed himself.
In this vast conspiracy, the most pitiable were the living beings across the myriad heavens and worlds, who had no choice whatsoever. Everyone would be reduced to pawns—pawns that could lose their lives at any moment!
*None of this concerns me. My primary objective is to enter Weixu and locate the Yellow Court Manor within the Xuanhuang Realm! Without strength, let alone saving others, it is hard enough to save myself!*
To enter Weixu, he could perform the Yuan Dao Heavens Induction to sense its position and forcibly manifest it.
He had sensed Weixu in the past. Back when Yuan Weiyang was still Yuan Weiyang, he and the young lady had nearly caused a catastrophic disaster because of it, summoning Weixu into being.
With Xu Ying's current cultivation, summoning Weixu was not difficult. However, doing so would expose his whereabouts and alert the Ninth Immortal King and the Five Extremes Immortal King.
Therefore, Xu Ying planned to use a second method: having Hua Cuoying lead him into Weixu. Born of Weixu, Hua Cuoying certainly possessed deep knowledge of it; with her guiding the way, nothing would go awry.
During the previous battle in the Ancestral Court, Hua Cuoying had been captured and submitted a pledge of allegiance, becoming a member of the Penglai Immortal Mountain.
On his way to Penglai, Xu Ying looked around. The Immortal Dao anomalous zones in the Ancestral Court had been purged by Ruan Qi and the Little Celestial Venerable. Heaven-and-earth origin qi was gradually reviving, and spiritual peaks rose everywhere, leaving behind none of the former desolation.
The lives of the Ancestral Court's commoners had also improved dramatically. Previously, the Immortal Dao anomalous zones would erupt from time to time, monsters surging forth like a tide to ravage nearby villages, or bizarre anomalies would invade, often infecting villagers with Immortal Dao phenomena and turning them into abnormal creatures.
Now, for the first time, the people of the Ancestral Court could sleep peacefully.
Xu Ying felt quite pleased. *I wonder if the Little Celestial Venerable has found Zhu Chanchan? He intends to melt down various immortal artifacts to forge a heaven-mending divine artifact, which requires Zhu Chanchan's assistance.*
He could not help recalling the grey-robed immortal's jade platter, his heart warming with anticipation. *If I could seize it and have Zhu Chanchan forge a few replicas, how wonderful that would be.*
The Penglai Immortal Mountain was no longer at its original location; the Black Tortoise divine turtle was carrying the immense immortal mountain as it roamed through the Ancestral Court, leaving behind massive footprints.
Xu Ying followed the trail of these footprints. Flying along for two days, he suddenly saw a vast waterfall emerge between heaven and earth ahead, like the Heavenly River suspended across the sky, its roar deafening.
The waterfall spanned an unfathomable width, stretching up into the azure heights and plunging down to an unknown depth; Xu Ying could not see its bottom.
Following the divine beast's tracks forward, he noticed that the Black Tortoise divine beast had halted at a projecting cliff ahead, leaving behind numerous footprints.
Xu Ying flew up to the spot and gazed toward the waterfall. Amid the rushing waters, an immortal tomb loomed, half-hidden.
A thought stirred in Xu Ying's mind. *Penglai Immortal Mountain came here likely because of this immortal tomb. What did they come to the edge of the tomb for?*
As he was wondering, a voice called out, "This place is where the Heavenly River once fell. However, with the Great Dao of the Ancestral Court shattered, the Heavenly River dried up long ago. Yet not long ago, a water source returned to this Heavenly River. The river burst forth into a waterfall, and consequently, the immortal tomb within the Heavenly River appeared along with it."
Xu Ying turned toward the voice, his heart stirring as he smiled. "Daoist Yuan."
The newcomer was none other than Daoist Yuan of the Shangqing Ancestral Court, accompanied by a youth. Xu Ying had met them at Mount Sumeru before.
What left the deepest impression on Xu Ying regarding them were two things: first, Daoist Yuan's Shangqing Dao Domain, which was exceptionally formidable—powerful enough even to suppress Zi Xi after the latter had devoured myriad experts!
The second deepest impression was that whenever Daoist Yuan encountered a formidable foe, he would immediately deploy his martial uncle, requesting the Little Martial Uncle to take action.
The youth by his side was Daoist Yuan's Little Martial Uncle.
Daoist Yuan led the youth forward and said, "This immortal tomb holds immense significance. Washed out by the Heavenly River, it is unknown which immortal lies buried within. But for an immortal tomb to appear when the Heavenly River flows, the immortal inside must be extraordinary."
Xu Ying asked, "If the Little Celestial Venerable succeeds in mending the heavens, will the ancient immortals in the tombs be resurrected as a result?"
Daoist Yuan shook his head. "I do not know either."
Xu Ying gazed at the immortal tomb. At times, the tomb radiated ten thousand beams of dazzling light, shooting out rays of auspicious vapor; at times, it fell completely still; at other times, a towering aura surged from the ground, crashing against the Heavenly River and making its waters sway erratically, as though whipped by violent winds.
*This immortal tomb is suppressing something!*
Xu Ying felt both alarmed and suspicious. He asked, "Does Daoist Yuan know what is being suppressed beneath this immortal tomb?"
When he was at True Monarch Erlang's tomb, he had discovered that True Monarch Erlang's immortal tomb was also suppressing something beneath it!
Daoist Yuan sighed with deep emotion. "Back then, the Dao Ancestor and other supreme existences departed this realm and vanished without a trace. Heaven and earth gradually decayed, heretical ways sprang up, and foreign Daos stirred with malice. The immortals and gods left behind had to sacrifice their lives for righteousness to protect the Ancestral Court and the living beings, using their own lives to suppress powerful enemies."
He pulled his gaze back and said, "Fellow Daoist Xu, my Little Martial Uncle and I came here specifically to invite you as a guest to the Shangqing Ancestral Court. Whatever benefits Lihen Heaven can offer you, our Shangqing Realm can match."
Xu Ying politely declined with a smile. "I must make a trip to Weixu to seek the mysteries of the Immortal Dao's other shore. Once I succeed, I will certainly visit the Shangqing Ancestral Court."
Daoist Yuan bowed in sincere gratitude. "Fellow Daoist Xu, please do not forget."
Xu Ying replied solemnly, "I dare not forget."
Daoist Yuan smiled. "My Little Martial Uncle and I will await you at the Taiqing Ancestral Court."
Xu Ying bade them farewell and departed.
Watching him leave into the distance, Daoist Yuan let out a breath and said, "Little Martial Uncle, let us go stay at Tushita Palace for a few days to await his return."
The youth replied, "He might not return alive. Weixu is no forgiving place; it is fraught with mortal peril. You should have kept him here instead of letting him enter Weixu to court death!"
Daoist Yuan hesitated for a moment, then shook his head. "Little Martial Uncle, haven't you noticed that since parting at Mount Sumeru, Fellow Daoist Xu's cultivation and strength have increased drastically? In terms of cultivation and prowess, even I dare not claim certainty of victory over him. His battle power is already close to an Immortal King!"
The youth said, "Even if you went to Weixu, you would be courting death. Furthermore, you are different from Xu Ying: your cultivation was refined step by step on your own, whereas his was not. His cultivation and strength rely primarily on the Immortal Realm cave-heavens and the five great magic treasures. Setting aside the cave-heavens, without the five great magic treasures forming his realms, his cultivation and strength would surely be far inferior to what they are now. Meanwhile, the perils of Weixu exceed all imagination."
He shook his head with an air of mature gravity beyond his years. "I do not hold high hopes for this journey."
***
Following the footprints of the Black Tortoise divine turtle, Xu Ying searched along the way and spotted four immortal tombs of comparable scale, his heart filled with astonishment and doubt.
As the Immortal Dao anomalous zones receded, tombs of ancient immortals surfaced across heaven and earth. These tombs were magnificent in scale, some situated in perilous terrains akin to the Boundless Sea of Fire or the Chaotic Star Sea, presenting a truly spectacular sight.
*According to Daoist Yuan, the ancient immortals used their own lives to suppress their enemies. What does the appearance of these tombs signify? Is it that the legacies of the ancient immortals are about to emerge, or that the enemies they suppressed are about to break the seals?*
Thoughts tumbled through Xu Ying's mind. He noticed that the trajectory of Penglai's movement followed the exact path where these immortal tombs lay. A thought struck him: in his absence, the Divine Mother controlled Penglai. For Penglai to travel along these immortal tombs must have been at her instruction.
*Could the Divine Mother have divined that immortal tombs would emerge in these places, and thus led the immortals of Penglai through them?*
Xu Ying finally caught up to the Penglai Immortal Mountain and stepped directly inside. The immortals of Penglai all wore joyful expressions, with many lecturing on scriptures, meditating on the Dao, and exchanging techniques and divine arts.
"We have obtained the legacies of ancient immortals!" Han Zekang and Master Fire Dragon exclaimed with overwhelming excitement upon meeting Xu Ying.
Xu Ying set his mind at ease and congratulated the master and disciple. He then went to see the Divine Mother and said, "As I traveled along the way, I saw immortal tombs emerging one after another and worried that the enemies suppressed by the ancient immortals were about to break out. To think it was the emergence of the ancient immortals' legacies—it gave me quite a scare."
The Divine Mother smiled. "Young Master Xu, what is the reason behind the emergence of the ancient immortals' legacies?"
Xu Ying froze, then asked tentatively, "What do you mean?"
The Divine Mother sighed and said, "The legacies of the ancient immortals emerge naturally because, even in death, the ancient immortals can no longer hold those enemies down."
Xu Ying looked toward Master Fire Dragon and Han Zekang. The master and disciple were wildly thrilled, addressing each other as fellow Daoists just like martial brothers.
Xu Ying asked in bewilderment, "Do they know that they have already taken up the duty of suppressing those terrifying enemies?"
The Divine Mother replied with a squinting smile, "If they knew, could they still be this happy? Of course they don't know."
Chapter 415