"What realm was the first-life Xu Ying in when he defeated you? At the very least, an Immortal Monarch! Yet I defeated you while only in the Jade Pool Realm! Even if you took away the nine supreme treasures, I would still surpass my former self!"
Xu Ying could not suppress the rage flaring up inside him.
His first incarnation had certainly been powerful, but his cultivation realm had also been high. By the time he took the seat among the Three Perfected of the Dou Department, he had already become an Immortal Monarch.
Yet in this lifetime, he was merely in the Jade Pool Realm. Did defeating Ling Wuxin not prove that he surpassed his first life?
Between an Immortal Monarch and the Jade Pool lay the Divine Bridge, the Third Heavenly Pass, Ascension, Human Immortal, Earth Immortal, Heavenly Immortal, and Immortal King realms. Even if Xu Ying stripped away the nine treasures, nothing could bridge the sheer chasm of those cultivation tiers.
Where he truly surpassed his first life was in his Dao attainment and his profound comprehension of the cave-heavens—his Dao techniques had already outstripped his past self. Yet Ling Wuxin still had the gall to claim he was inferior!
*In this life, even if I count those seven years of implanted memories, I'm only thirty-two years old!*
Xu Ying flicked his sleeve. These people were taking the achievements of his first life—accumulated over several centuries of cultivation—and comparing them against his twenty-odd years in this life, only to claim he fell short. It was excessively harsh, if not absurd.
After merely two decades of cultivation, no matter how fast his progress was, how could he match a first life that had cultivated for centuries?
However, he quickly cooled down.
Ling Wuxin obviously did not care how many years the current Xu Ying had cultivated or what his realm was. He was merely doing everything he could to strike at Xu Ying's Dao heart, probing for a vulnerability.
If there was no flaw, he would create one.
Right now, Ling Wuxin still stood before the rift in the Immortal Realm, looking down imperiously over the Netherworld, searching for an opening. If Xu Ying lost his composure, it would be all too easy for Ling Wuxin to seize the opportunity and turn defeat into victory.
Ling Wuxin's Primordial Spirit remained detached from his physical vessel, glaring down at Xu Ying like a hunting falcon or a ravenous wolf.
Though he appeared defeated and had fled back to the Immortal Realm, the one who had wounded him was not Xu Ying, but his own overpowering Primordial Spirit.
His Primordial Spirit was simply too formidable, placing immense strain on his physical body until the flesh could no longer endure it. This was a shared flaw in the Primordial Monarch's lineage. The Primordial Monarch's own Primordial Spirit was also tremendously powerful—so much so that her physical body could not sustain it, forcing her to lodge it within her bodhimanda.
What Xu Ying had just done was merely exert additional pressure upon Ling Wuxin, pushing his body past the breaking point.
Ling Wuxin had not truly been defeated.
His retreat was solely to seek a better opportunity.
Xu Ying raised his head, locking eyes with Ling Wuxin. All around him, weapons clashed in fierce battle.
Immortal Monarch Liang Yue and Immortal Monarch Yin Yu attacked the Northern Emperor from left and right. Immortal Monarch Wang Ruo'an clashed with Great Emperor Dongyue, Zhang Shanzong was locked in combat against Cangwu, and the Twenty-Eight Mansions Immortal Kings had encircled the Samsara Female Emperor, though they had yet to make a move.
Back then, Liang Yue and Yin Yu had joined forces with Sword Monarch Jinhe to slay the Northern Emperor. Naturally, the Northern Emperor refused to let slip this opportunity for vengeance. However, having recently revived, He had not yet had the chance to gather the incense faith from the myriad worlds, leaving His divine power far beneath its former glory. Under the joint offensive of the two Immortal Monarchs, He was in precarious straits!
Suddenly, Prefect Shengqi of the Taisha Shizong Heavenly Palace charged in at the head of a host of deities. The other heavenly palaces—such as Wucheng, Zuiqi, and Qifei—rushed to His aid in quick succession. The five Great Prefects joined forces to stand alongside the Northern Emperor against the two Immortal Monarchs.
"Elder Brother, after you die this time, can I become the Northern Emperor?" asked Prefect Zonglu of the Gansi Lianwanlü Heavenly Palace.
The Northern Emperor snorted coldly.
The other prefects flew into a rage, barking furiously as they struck toward Immortal Monarch Yin Yu: "Eldest Brother isn't dead yet! How dare you speak such treasonous nonsense?" "Eldest Brother, grant me permission to execute this villain first! Once you die, I'll take over as Northern Emperor, deal?" "You insolent bastard, I'm the second eldest! It would never be your turn!"
"Immortal Monarchs Liang Yue and Yin Yu," Xu Ying called out suddenly, "I am Xu Ying. I believe we've met before."
Immortal Monarch Yin Yu summoned a divine bridge to block the descending Mount Fengdu. The five Great Prefects each mobilized their celestial authorities, bearing down upon the divine bridge and launching a simultaneous assault!
Yin Yu activated his bodhimanda, and a Dao tree rose steadily behind him. Immortal radiance showered down, fending off tens of thousands of divine treasures at once.
Even with the five heavenly palaces of Fengdu uniting forces, they could not harm a hair on his head. They could only apply a modest amount of pressure, preventing him from coordinating with Liang Yue to besiege the Northern Emperor.
Still possessing plenty of leeway, Immortal Monarch Yin Yu chuckled. "Celestial Venerable Xu has a fine memory. Back then, when my brother and I received word that old Beiyin was about to revive, our Primordial Spirits descended, only to be held back by Celestial Venerable Xu."
He was referring to Xu Ying's revival of the Northern Emperor.
Back when Xu Ying traveled to Mount Fengdu in the Nether Sea to resurrect Great Emperor Beiyin, the emperor had instructed him to hold an oil lamp, telling him to shine it into the sky if any anomaly appeared.
When the Northern Emperor revived, a divine bridge indeed pressed down upon Mount Fengdu, and a ghost-masked figure stepped across the bridge, heading toward the mountain.
Back then, several terrifying, mighty silhouettes also loomed beyond the skies. Xu Ying shone the clear oil lamp, immobilizing the masked figure—which was none other than Immortal Monarch Yin Yu's Primordial Spirit.
At the time, the true bodies of Yin Yu and Liang Yue were located in other worlds. Sensing the Northern Emperor's revival, their true forms could not arrive in time, leaving them no choice but to project their Primordial Spirits. The Northern Emperor's clear oil lamp was precisely an artifact crafted to target Primordial Spirits, capable of pinning their spirits in place the moment they invaded Mount Fengdu.
However, Xu Ying's cultivation had been too feeble back then; the lamp could only freeze one Primordial Spirit at a time, nearly allowing the two Immortal Monarchs' spirits to fully descend. Fortunately, because Liang Yue had recently been demoted, he had no heart to fight the Northern Emperor to the bitter end. Seeing that the Northern Emperor's revival was a foregone conclusion, he had retreated alongside Yin Yu.
Xu Ying smiled. "Back then, Immortal Monarch Liang Yue uttered a single remark, and both of you withdrew. For that, I remain truly grateful."
Immortal Monarch Liang Yue's long beard billowed as he swung a Green Dragon Crescent Blade, already carving his way into the Northern Emperor's bodhimanda. The Northern Emperor had raised the clear oil lamp to immobilize his Primordial Spirit, yet the Immortal Monarch charged forward with ruthless momentum, pressing his attack.
Xu Ying said, "Back then, Immortal Monarch Liang Yue said: 'Like Beiyin, we've all been cast down to the lower realms, treated no better than convicts. Why risk our necks?' That made a deep impression on me, and I still hold gratitude in my heart. Not long ago, when I met Sword Monarch Jinhe, he even mentioned the two of you."
Immortal Monarch Liang Yue swung his Green Dragon Crescent Blade downward, azure dragons soaring amidst a silk-like sweep of blade light. Yet right at that moment, his blade abruptly froze.
The Northern Emperor, His Mount Fengdu repelled by Yin Yu, had been steeling Himself for a desperate fight to the death with Liang Yue. Seeing this, He too halted.
Xu Ying continued, "Sword Monarch Jinhe is currently in the Ancestral Court—that is, the Demon Realm—held in high esteem by the Little Celestial Venerable. He spent his life brooding in frustration, never valued by the Immortal Court. Possessing the Dao attainment of a Heavenly Lord yet barred from advancing to that realm—what a tragedy it was. But in the Ancestral Court, a great many smiles have returned to his face."
Immortal Monarch Liang Yue sheathed his blade and stood motionless.
Seeing this, Immortal Monarch Yin Yu also withdrew his divine bridge, frowning slightly.
Jinhe, Yin Yu, and Liang Yue—three great Immortal Monarchs—had once been ordered down to the mortal realm to execute Great Emperor Beiyin. Their cultivation paths were distinct, but their fates were largely the same.
After returning to the Immortal Realm as an Immortal Monarch, Liang Yue received rewards, yet was never granted true importance. Later, by imperial decree, he was sent down to guard the entrance to the Abandoned Lands, where he had remained for over sixty thousand years.
Yin Yu served as a warden in the Primitive World. It was an easy post, but there was nothing there save for a bunch of savages.
For more than sixty thousand years, both Immortal Monarchs had lived lives of bitter frustration.
Yet even more frustrated was Sword Monarch Jinhe. Because he had frightened a ghost during the battle to slay Great Emperor Beiyin, he was banished to Weixu to suppress the Corpse Ghost Immortal Domain, spending every single day tangling with Heavenly Lord Pingnan's corpse.
Seeing this turn of events, Ling Wuxin hurriedly shouted, "Liang Yue! Yin Yu! Do not be swayed by his instigations! You two may not be favored in the Immortal Realm, but the Primordial Monarch's decision to reinstate you this time is your chance to return!"
Yin Yu looked up and chuckled. "Charity from the Primordial Monarch—so we must kowtow in gratitude, otherwise we won't even get a bone meant for dogs, is that it?"
Ling Wuxin sensed that things were going awry and hurriedly smiled. "Brothers, the Tides of the Three Realms are imminent. Once the tides arrive, the Three Realms will unify. If you stand on the wrong side at a time like this, your heads will roll in the future!"
The moment he said this, Immortal Monarch Yin Yu hesitated.
With his hands behind his back, Xu Ying chuckled lazily. "The Primordial Monarch? Just my casual bedmate. What status or position could she possibly promise the two of you? Ling Su may have been titled Primordial Monarch, but she holds no real authority. Aligning with her—wouldn't that invite universal ridicule?"
Ling Wuxin erupted in fury, his glare boring into Xu Ying as he waited for an opportunity to strike. Yet Xu Ying stood there calm and unmoving; though his aura appeared locked by Ling Wuxin, his own aura was simultaneously locking down Ling Wuxin!
If Ling Wuxin struck, the clashing momentum would immediately draw out Xu Ying's counterattack. Who would live or die was entirely uncertain!
Liang Yue sheathed his blade and turned to leave, utter disheartened weariness in his voice. "Brother Jinhe had such immense ability, yet he could only guard corpses in a graveyard. We cultivated diligently, mastering profound techniques, only for one of us to watch savages in the mortal realm while the other watches over the filth cast aside by high-and-mighty figures. Heh, before the Immortal Realm has even granted a reward, here we are, barking our heads off like dogs. Isn't that utterly foolish? It won't be too late to stake our lives once the Immortal Court actually bestows something!"
Yin Yu hesitated for a second, then hurried after him, shouting, "Old Brother, wait for me!"
Ling Wuxin raged, "You two can forget about ever receiving an appointment in the future!"
Great Emperor Beiyin also called out loudly, "I will personally settle our score with the two of you in due time!"
Without looking back, Liang Yue waved his hand. "We were acting on orders, but a grudge was indeed forged. If you wish to seek revenge, come find me in the Abandoned Lands. I'll gladly keep you company with my life!"
The two Immortal Monarchs did not linger for a second, departing swiftly.
Xu Ying smiled faintly and turned his gaze toward the Twenty-Eight Mansions Immortal Kings, who had yet to lift a hand. Seeing him look their way, the twenty-eight Immortal Kings averted their eyes, each showing hesitation.
Ling Wuxin burst into laughter and barked, "Old Dog Xu, the Twenty-Eight Mansions Immortal Kings belong to the Four Heavenly Palaces! They are not people you can sway with mere glib words!"
Turning a deaf ear to his taunts, Xu Ying smiled. "Seeing as the twenty-eight brothers have refrained from acting, you must be aware of my modest reputation. Now that Immortal Monarchs Liang Yue and Yin Yu have departed, Great Emperor Beiyin is freed up. If Beiyin and I join hands, coupled with the Samsara Female Emperor, how many of you would survive?"
Among the twenty-eight Immortal Kings, Immortal King Jiaoxiu of Juntian chuckled. "Celestial Venerable Xu, there is no need to frighten us. We have long heard of the fame of the Dou Department's Three Perfected, but we belong to the Four Palaces of the Azure Dragon, White Tiger, Vermilion Bird, and Black Tortoise, entirely separate from your Dou Department. Our Four Palaces fear nothing from your department."
"You are locked down by the Primordial Monarch's Crown Prince; you couldn't move even if you wanted to."
Immortal King Xinxu of Cangtian saw through Xu Ying's bluff and said, "Great Emperor Beiyin doesn't frighten us either. The only one we are truly wary of is the Samsara Female Emperor. During the last siege against the Female Emperor, ten of the Twenty-Eight Mansions Immortal Kings fell and were swallowed into samsara, which is why we still harbor lingering dread."
Immortal King Nüxiu of Xuantian added, "Though the reputation of your Dou Department's Celestial Venerable Xu is formidable, our Four Palaces do not flinch in the slightest. The Samsara Female Emperor may be strong, but that was in the past. She has revived from death, and it remains unknown how much divine power she still possesses."
Xu Ying looked slightly embarrassed, but smiled. "You belong to the Four Palaces. The Four Palaces guard the Immortal Court and hold prestigious standing. Yet here you are, answering the Primordial Monarch's beck and call—where does that leave the palace masters of your Four Palaces?"
The twenty-eight Immortal Kings all frowned.
The twenty-eight mansions were divided under the Four Palaces of the Azure Dragon, White Tiger, Vermilion Bird, and Black Tortoise. These Four Heavenly Palaces guarded the Immortal Court and formed a major faction outside the Six Departments. The palace masters were Imperial Monarchs personally appointed by the Supreme, answering solely to the Supreme of the Immortal Court.
Xu Ying said, "Back then, when you were ordered to slay the Samsara Female Emperor, there was merit to be gained, and compensation even in death. This time, your mission lacks legitimacy. Even if you die in battle, there will be no reward whatsoever. After your deaths, the Azure Dragon Imperial Monarch, Vermilion Bird Imperial Monarch, and the others will only spit on your graves and curse you as ungrateful dogs who betrayed their own house."
Ling Wuxin hurriedly shouted, "Do not listen to his spouted filth! Xu Ying, relying on a glib tongue is not the conduct of a true man!"
Xu Ying looked up and laughed. "Back in the day, I relied on my glib tongue to please your mother, and you admired me to no end. How is it that I'm suddenly not a true man today?"
As they spoke, the twenty-eight Immortal Kings exchanged glances. After a moment of hesitation, they retreated one after another, fading into the void and vanishing.
The Samsara Female Emperor nodded slightly to Xu Ying in thanks.
Having revived from death, Her strength was far below what it once was. Had a fight truly broken out, the Twenty-Eight Mansions Immortal Kings could have slain Her without suffering heavy casualties.
And had She died this time, whether She could revive again was far from certain.
Xu Ying looked toward Wang Ruo'an, who was currently clashing with Great Emperor Dongyue, and offered a faint smile without saying a word.
As for Zhang Shanzong and Perfected Jade Pot, who were besieging Cangwu, both inwardly cursed.
Liang Yue, Yin Yu, and the twenty-eight mansions had been persuaded to leave by Xu Ying with just a few words, leaving only the two of them and Wang Ruo'an behind. They had thought Xu Ying would continue his diplomatic persuasion, but the bastard suddenly fell silent, refusing to say another word!
*That bastard Xu wants the three of us to die right here!*
Zhang Shanzong and Wang Ruo'an felt their scalps tingle. Seeing the writing on the wall, Perfected Jade Pot immediately took flight and fled, abandoning the two Immortal Monarchs.
Great Emperor Cangwu roared, abandoning Zhang Shanzong to give chase directly after Jade Pot. Zhang Shanzong was the foe who had slain Him in the past—an irreconcilable blood feud, to be sure—yet Great Emperor Cangwu despised Perfected Jade Pot even more.
He had regarded Perfected Jade Pot as a dear friend, only to be betrayed by him. Even after His death, that so-called friend had arranged for Qi Refiners to whip His corpse daily! This enmity ran deeper than any ocean of blood!
However, Cangwu was not skilled in rapid flight. Just as Perfected Jade Pot was about to escape His grasp, a vast river suddenly surged forth, blocking Jade Pot's path.
That river was no ordinary current. The moment it manifested, it interfered with karma; the heavier one's karma, the harder it became to take flight above its waters.
Perfected Jade Pot had pioneered the Gourd Heaven Dao Verification Scripture; his abilities and talent were extraordinary. Having no connections in the imperial court, he could only throw his lot in with the Primordial Monarch. But the Primordial Monarch lacked real power, unable to furnish him with abundant resources.
Had he possessed more resources, he would have long broken through the Immortal King realm to become an Immortal Monarch, or even aimed for an even loftier peak.
Yet his Gourd Heaven Dao Verification Scripture met its natural bane in the waters of this Heavenly River. Jade Pot's movement techniques shifted repeatedly, yet he was still dragged down toward the surface of the river by the Heavenly River's sheer weight.
Great Emperor Cangwu was also suppressed by the river waters, descending toward the surface.
When bitter enemies meet, their eyes blaze with fury. Great Emperor Cangwu charged straight at Perfected Jade Pot, looking utterly ferocious, hell-bent on slaughtering him even at the cost of His own life.
The one who had unleashed the Heavenly River was Chu Xiangxiang. Knowing that her father loathed Perfected Jade Pot above all else, she had waited for the perfect moment to cast out the Heavenly River water from her jade bottle, and it had indeed worked wonders.
Xu Ying remained where he was, looking up at Ling Wuxin with a smile.
Only this time, his Dao heart, previously disturbed by Ling Wuxin, had fully steadied. Ling Wuxin's Dao heart, on the other hand, had fallen into disarray.
What had been an advantageous situation just moments ago had crumbled in an instant under Xu Ying's words. How could his Dao heart not waver?
He could now feel Xu Ying's aura swelling steadily, coiling around him like a raging dragon or a colossal serpent, pinning him in place so firmly that he dared not make a rash move.
*Does he actually dare to charge into the Immortal Realm?*
Cold sweat broke out on Ling Wuxin's forehead as he thought, *Immortals and mortals are worlds apart. He is a mortal, while I am an immortal. As long as I stand in the Immortal Realm, I hold invincible ground!*
Yet at the very instant his concentration wavered, Xu Ying shot into the sky. A beam of rainbow light surged straight toward the Immortal Realm as his booming laughter echoed:
"My good son, today your father will beat you until you cry out for daddy!"
Chapter 490