Xu Ying stared blankly at the big black dog, his mind a chaotic mess. He finally understood why, back when he had walked out of True Lord Erlang's immortal tomb, he had never breathed a single word about what had transpired within.
Could he really have emerged and told Little Celestial Venerable that he had become sworn brothers with a dog inside the immortal tomb—and had even honored this big black dog as his elder brother?
How would Little Celestial Venerable view his wise, divine, and mighty master then?
Little Celestial Venerable's eyes were filled with confusion. Looking at Xu Ying, he murmured, "Master... Eldest Uncle?"
He felt somewhat disoriented. This was hardly the first time.
Little Celestial Venerable still remembered Xu Ying making him address Qi and the big bell as uncles; now an eldest uncle had been added to the pile.
Xu Ying cast him a glance that urged him to stay calm. Little Celestial Venerable gave a muffled grunt. He wanted very much to say he had long grown accustomed to this, yet it remained rather hard to swallow.
The big black dog said, "Since you've found me, let's lay all our cards on the table."
He turned around, his expression solemn. "Back then, you promised that once you got out, you would return often to see me. And what happened? Almost fifty thousand years have gone by, and only now do you make a single trip back! Today, I sever all ties with you—we are brothers no longer!"
Little Celestial Venerable looked toward Xu Ying, an expectant gleam in his eye. "Master, why don't you just agree to it?"
Xu Ying remained silent for a moment before saying, "These past forty-eight thousand years have not gone well for me. I was dismembered, my realms refined into treasures, leaving behind only an Undying True Spirit unable to remember the past. Over these years, I have reincarnated nearly ten thousand times, and only in the last two years did I break free from having my destiny controlled by others."
The big black dog fell silent. After a moment, he said, "I had no idea you had it so rough."
He quickly perked up again and said, "Let's speak no more of sad things from the past. Worthy Brother, you don't remember me, but my name is Xiaotian. Ergou, you can call me Uncle Xiaotian. You two arrived at just the right time—this confounded Imperial Monarch harbors ill intentions and came to make trouble in the True Lord's bodhimanda. We can't let him run wild!"
The big black dog suddenly reared up on his two hind legs like a human and broke into a stealthy trot toward the Imperial Monarch beneath the golden banners, saying, "Stay here. I'll go provoke him first!"
He lunged forward and gave a sudden shake of his frame. His head swelled immensely, and opening his maw wide, he snapped toward the Imperial Monarch of the golden banners.
That gaping mouth seemed capable of swallowing the heavens, devouring more than half of the Immortal Kings and immortals under the monarch's command in a single gulp; only the Immortal Lords managed to escape.
The Imperial Monarch's two golden banners and two palm fans were also swallowed down in that single bite.
With a grim countenance, the Imperial Monarch soared into the air and struck the black dog's forehead with a palm, sending the dog tumbling head over heels and crashing outward.
The Imperial Monarch pursued him, but the big black dog was nowhere to be seen.
"True Lord Erlang's Xiaotian Dog?"
With an ashen face, the Imperial Monarch halted his steps.
He was Imperial Monarch Zhongyi of the Immortal Realm, overseer of the Immortal Realm's ceremonial bells and court music. He had originally thought this excursion to the immortal tomb would be an easy merit to claim, never expecting that True Lord Erlang was not the only one buried within—the Seven Brothers of Plum Mountain were all buried here as well.
The immortal tomb was composed of seven bodhimandas. During this time, they had been going in circles within the bodhimandas, unable to find the tomb's core center at all.
What he had anticipated even less was that there was an incomparably vicious big black dog roaming within the tomb, ambushing them at every turn!
"The Xiaotian Dog took a strike from me; he is dead without doubt!" Imperial Monarch Zhongyi declared.
Beside the Imperial Monarch was a young man who surprisingly walked alongside him beneath the golden banners, clearly possessing extraordinary status. He said, "Imperial Monarch Zhongyi, when even True Lord Erlang died, how could the Xiaotian Dog have survived until now? I have heard that when the Dao weeping erupted back then, those who cultivated cave abysses were almost always unable to escape calamity. Only those entities who had attained the Great Luo Golden Immortal realm were able to preserve themselves amid the Dao weeping. This Xiaotian Dog is clearly no Great Luo Golden Immortal."
Imperial Monarch Zhongyi treated him with considerable respect and surmised, "The Xiaotian Dog is likely an expert of the Demon Race who did not cultivate a cave abyss, which allowed him to avoid the Dao weeping."
Cave abysses originated with Emperor Haotian. Emperor Haotian had comprehended the techniques upon the Emerald Rock and achieved great success, summoning the Taiyi Cave Abyss and seizing the realm of the Demon Race.
Only from then on did cave abyss cultivation become the mainstream path.
Prior to that, however, the Demon Race held orthodox dominion over the world, and their source of spiritual energy during cultivation was the immortal spiritual qi produced by the sacred grounds and immortal mountains across the Earth Immortal Realm.
After the Demon Race declined, their heritage remained substantial, yet was gradually seized by the human race. When the Immortal Realm was to be established after the Dao weeping, the sacred grounds and immortal mountains of the Earth Immortal Realm were carved up and incorporated into the Immortal Realm.
Imperial Monarch Zhongyi said, "Fellow Daoist Chaosheng, those who refined the sacred grounds and immortal mountains of the Earth Immortal Realm into cave abysses back then and cultivated that path were not struck by the Dao weeping. This group survived, and though their strength waned, they remain formidable forces."
The young man's name was Chen Chaosheng; having been born when the previous tide arrived, he was named Chaosheng. He chuckled and said, "My master has never told me of these matters."
Imperial Monarch Zhongyi's face grew solemn as he said, "Your master's Dao marvels are lofty and profound, far beyond what the likes of us could fathom. In all likelihood, the venerable elder simply regarded these as trivial matters."
Chen Chaosheng agreed, adding, "Yet this time, Master showed great concern for the entity suppressed beneath True Lord Erlang's tomb and dispatched us here. Does Imperial Monarch Zhongyi know what sacred entity is suppressed beneath this immortal tomb?"
Imperial Monarch Zhongyi shook his head. "I know not either. However, your master is an existence perched high above the Nine Heavens; sending us to rescue this person must have his reasons."
Xu Ying and Little Celestial Venerable had been startled when they saw the big black dog take a palm strike from Imperial Monarch Zhongyi. Just as they prepared to mount a rescue, they saw the black dog dash toward them, barking, "Guard me while I circulate my mysterious art! Then I'll go provoke them again!"
"He's fine after that?" Xu Ying was taken aback.
While Imperial Monarch Zhongyi's strength could not compare to existences like the Imperial Monarch or the Heavenly Venerables, he was still no small matter. Had that blow landed on Xu Ying, it likely would have blown his physical body to pieces!
Yet this big black dog had only suffered minor injuries—his physical body was truly terrifyingly robust!
Assuming a comically dignified posture, the big black dog sat cross-legged and immediately channeled his mysterious art. His physical body expanded and shrank in turns, achieving nine physical revolutions in an instant, leaving Xu Ying and Little Celestial Venerable staring wide-eyed!
The Nine Revolutions Mysterious Art that they had searched for in vain for so long had actually been mastered by this big black dog!
In the next moment, their eyes nearly popped out of their sockets. Around the big black dog, a bodhimanda surged forth, entwined with Dao chains that took root into the earth. Behind him sprouted a lush, verdant Dao tree!
On this Dao tree, there even hung a flower bud!
"A Black Dog Heavenly Monarch?" Little Celestial Venerable felt lightheaded. Who could have imagined that this big black dog was actually a Heavenly Monarch!
After circulating his technique for several cycles, the big black dog was completely cured of his injuries. Leaping up, his eyes gleamed as he shouted, "Let's find another opening and bury these thieves right here!"
Xu Ying caught up to him and asked, "The incomplete Nine Revolutions Mysterious Art manual I took from the immortal tomb last time—could Brother Xiaotian be the one who gave it to me?"
Trotting lightly on his paws, the big black dog replied, "Of course I gave it to you. Back then your cultivation was still low, only capable of reaching the fourth revolution, so I only gave you the method for four revolutions. Once you cultivated to the fourth revolution, you were supposed to return and see me, and I'd teach you the subsequent parts."
Little Celestial Venerable looked pitifully at Xu Ying. All these years of painstakingly repairing and supplementing the manual—what on earth had that been for?
Xu Ying consoled him before turning back: "Didn't I ascend to the Immortal Realm back then? I forgot about it. Brother Tian, now that Ergou and I have returned, can you pass the Nine Revolutions Mysterious Art to us?"
The big black dog said, "You completed the True Lord's trial back then, so of course it can be passed to you. As for whether you pass it to Ergou, that's your business and has nothing to do with me. But first, let's kill these thieves today!"
He suddenly stood upright on his two hind legs and dashed forward like a streak of smoke, shouting, "Follow me! We'll cut them off up ahead!"
Xu Ying and Little Celestial Venerable hurried after him. Little Celestial Venerable asked, "Master, didn't you come here to rob the tomb last time? How did you end up passing True Lord Erlang's trial?"
Xu Ying was baffled. "I have no idea."
The big black dog charged out, striking ruthlessly at Imperial Monarch Zhongyi.
However, the immortals around Imperial Monarch Zhongyi had already been mostly eaten by him, and those remaining were all experts who were well on guard.
With a wave of Imperial Monarch Zhongyi's palm, over a dozen golden bells manifested in midair, chiming and vibrating as flying sand and rolling stones burst forth to blot out heaven and earth. Each grain of sand and stone was like a planet, instantaneously manifesting a boundless spacetime spanning the four directions, trapping the big black dog with no way of escape.
Several Immortal Lords under Imperial Monarch Zhongyi immediately advanced to besiege the big black dog. The black dog stood upright, circulating his mysterious art and sacrificing his Dao tree. The treasures and divine powers of the Immortal Lords landed upon his body, unable to harm him in the least—they could not even shear off a single strand of dog hair!
Seeing this, Imperial Monarch Zhongyi summoned rows of bells of all sizes. Some were pitch-tuned chime bells, some were bronze great bells, and there were sovereign bells and chun bells, each serving different functions.
As Imperial Monarch Zhongyi, he oversaw all manner of bell instruments. Whenever the Supremes or Great Luo Golden Immortals of the Immortal Realm went on procession, he had to clear the path for them, raising the sovereign bells to ring out alarms and sound warnings across the four quarters.
Now, as Imperial Monarch Zhongyi raised these magic treasures, the display was truly dazzling to the utmost.
Trapping the big black dog with the array of bell vessels, he commanded, "Refine him to death!"
The Immortal Lords under his command each raised a sovereign bell and struck it. Cascades of sound waves surged outward, assaulting the big black dog.
Other bell vessels flew to and fro, immortal bells repeatedly slamming into his body and knocking him stumbling, some even smashing directly against his skull with bursts of scattering sparks.
Although the big black dog was a great demon of the Heavenly Monarch realm, he still struggled to withstand immortal artifacts designed to clear the path for Supremes and Great Luo Golden Immortals. These immortal artifacts possessed immense power; even with his Nine Revolutions Mysterious Art, his physical form was shaken limp, and his Primordial Spirit began to separate from his body.
Behind him, a colossal Primordial Spirit as massive as a star flickered into view from time to time—the very omen that these bells were breaking his Nine Revolutions Mysterious Art, repeatedly jolting his Primordial Spirit out of his flesh!
Once his Primordial Spirit fully separated from his physical body, his Nine Revolutions Mysterious Art would be broken.
Just as his mysterious art was on the verge of collapsing, another chime of a bell suddenly rang out. Hearing this toll, Imperial Monarch Zhongyi paused, startled. "This chime is different from any of the bell tolls in my collection..."
A strange feeling welled in his heart. Looking in the direction of the sound, he saw an immortal bell smash aside a sovereign bell and charge inside, hovering protectively above the black dog's head.
*Clang!*
The immortal bell shook with a toll, and myriad Dao wonders surged forward, sending that entire array of bell instruments swaying and tottering.
Along with the sonic impact of the chime, a tier of bodhimanda rippled directly out from beneath the rim of the immortal bell, while a teal Dao fruit hung suspended below it, glittering radiantly and dazzling the eyes!
"A bell that has cultivated its own Dao fruit—this is the first time I've ever seen such a thing!"
Imperial Monarch Zhongyi's eyes shone with avarice. Suddenly, the hundreds of bell instruments in his collection seemed utterly dull and lusterless, pale before this single immortal bell!
The immortal bell rescued the big black dog and broke out of the encirclement. Imperial Monarch Zhongyi, Chen Chaosheng, and the others charged forward, shouting, "Do not let them escape!"
Imperial Monarch Zhongyi unfurled his bodhimanda. Bell vessel after bell vessel flew from within it, closely pursuing Lord Bell, the endless pealing of bells bombarding Lord Bell.
Although Lord Bell had refined the ginseng Dao fruit and cultivated his own Dao fruit, this was his first time battling so many formidable bell-shaped magic treasures, and he was quickly battered into a daze.
It escorted the big black dog in a flurried retreat while hundreds of immortal bells of every kind howled behind in hot pursuit. Just as this wave of immortal bells swept past, a figure flashed—a tall youth appeared between the immortal bells and Imperial Monarch Zhongyi, smiling faintly.
"Celestial Venerable Xu?"
Imperial Monarch Zhongyi was taken aback. Xu Ying had already seized the chance to attack; shifting his footing, a golden bridge rose from beneath his feet. Imperial Monarch Zhongyi stood on one end of the bridge, and Xu Ying on the other.
"Xu Ying, you are merely the Imperial Monarch's prisoner; why come looking for trouble with me?" Smiling, Imperial Monarch Zhongyi took a sudden stride forward and surged toward Xu Ying on the opposite end of the golden bridge, the branches of the Dao tree behind him dancing and its Dao flower wafting fragrance.
Xu Ying smiled slightly as the Ruyi Great Luo Heaven spread out. Within the Great Luo Ten Sceneries, a Dao flower bloomed in each scene. The two clashed with a thunderous roar; in just two or three exchanges, Imperial Monarch Zhongyi thought *not good* as blood leaked from the corner of his mouth.
The golden bridge invisibly restrained his strength, making him feel as though his entire cultivation was churning erratically, on the verge of being refined at any moment!
"So you are Xu Ying!"
Suddenly, Chen Chaosheng leaped up and landed on the golden bridge. Stamping down with his foot, he suppressed the golden bridge.
Xu Ying was surprised. Disengaging from Imperial Monarch Zhongyi, he asked in wonder, "Successor to a Supreme?"
"A Supreme?" Chen Chaosheng remarked indifferently. "The Immortal Realm has only one Supreme, and I am naturally not the successor to a Supreme. I come from above the Nine Heavens."
Just as Xu Ying was about to raise the supreme treasure, the Landscape Heaven-Measuring Ruler, to bludgeon this young lad from above the Nine Heavens to death, he suddenly saw a familiar silhouette appear behind the two. His complexion changed abruptly; swiftly dispersing the Taiyi Golden Bridge, he flashed away!
Emperor Changsheng strolled over at an unhurried pace, coming straight beside the two. He cast a glance at Imperial Monarch Zhongyi, examined Chen Chaosheng, and asked in puzzlement, "You come from atop the Great Luo Heaven?"
Seeing him, Chen Chaosheng hurriedly bowed. "Martial Uncle!"
Emperor Changsheng said indifferently, "Do you know that you just escaped death?"
Chen Chaosheng was quite unconvinced and argued, "Xu Ying's divine powers may be exquisite, but the heritage of our Above the Nine Heavens is only stronger than his divine powers, never weaker."
Emperor Changsheng sneered. "Xu Ying is ruthless and underhanded. Just now, he intended to sacrifice a supreme treasure to finish you off. Had I not appeared in time, you would already be reduced to flying ashes."
Chen Chaosheng was startled and blurted out, "How could he have a supreme treasure?"
Emperor Changsheng's expression darkened, and he said nothing.
Xu Ying sped away and reunited with the big bell. The hundreds of great bells were still in pursuit of the big bell, clanging incessantly. Little Celestial Venerable stood beneath the big bell, battling those bell instruments alongside the big black dog.
*This Imperial Monarch Zhongyi is extraordinary as well. I wounded him and originally thought he was inferior to me, but he is controlling so many bell instruments simultaneously—clearly his abilities go far beyond that,* Xu Ying praised inwardly.
His bodhimanda soared forth, suppressing the array of bell vessels. Rescuing the one person, one bell, and one dog, he said rapidly, "A nemesis of mine has arrived, and he is a Great Luo Golden Immortal! Move!"
The big black dog was frightened and said, "A Great Luo Golden Immortal is not something I can fend off! Let's go see the True Lord! Once we see the True Lord, I'll pass the Nine Revolutions Mysterious Art to you—this art is the world's number one holy method of body refinement—"
No sooner had his voice fallen than a displeased voice sounded: "Who says True Lord Erlang's Nine Revolutions Mysterious Art is number one beneath the heavens?"
Chapter 531