Divine calculation could not deduce a Supreme, nor could it divine one accurately. A Supreme could leap beyond all cause and effect, looking down upon all things from a transcendent vantage point.
"Yet within the Immortal Realm, two Supremes seem to have appeared."
Xu Ying silently reflected, "Just now, that celestial sash and the palm formed from the projection of my Landscape Heaven-Measuring Ruler—both should have been the actions of Supreme-level beings. Only, their atmospheric dispositions were vastly different..."
In that previous moment, the instant the sash intervened, it had generated an intensely potent Immortal Dao contamination. This Immortal Dao contamination was so severe that it had corrupted the entire sky full of landscapes formed by the Landscape Heaven-Measuring Ruler, turning them grotesquely bizarre!
"Yet the person who intervened afterward to rescue Wei Xu caused no Immortal Dao contamination at all."
Xu Ying thought, "The Immortal Dao paths of these two seem completely different."
He was deeply perplexed. Just then, Chen Chaosheng stepped forward and said, "Among those who intervened just now, one should be my master. Fellow Daoist Xu, Master dispatched me to the lower realm this time precisely to rescue Wei Xu. I originally believed he had enjoyed long-standing renown and was bound to be a heroic figure, never imagining he would be so vicious."
He bowed. "Fellow Daoist Xu, please forgive me. I was merely acting under orders and had no intention of opposing you."
Xu Ying replied courteously, "Brother, you are too polite. How should I address you, and who is your master?"
"I am Chen Chaosheng. My master resides high Above the Nine Heavens in the Great Luo Heaven, known to all as Saint Luo,"
Chen Chaosheng said. "Fellow Daoist Xu, if you have time, you must pay a visit to the Great Luo Heaven. Master will surely be delighted to see you."
Xu Ying smiled. "Certainly, certainly. I am quite intrigued by your divine abilities. Would Fellow Daoist Chen be interested in a little spar?"
Chen Chaosheng smiled faintly and replied, "Master instructed me to remain gentle and amicable with others when outside, and not to engage in fights at every turn, lest I make enemies."
"Coward," Xu Ying said.
Veins throbbed on Chen Chaosheng's forehead, a blaze of fury surging within him. He did his best to suppress his temper, forcing a smile. "I will not stoop to arguing with you. Imperial Monarch Zhongyi, let us go!"
Xu Ying said behind him, "Turns out you have no balls."
Chen Chaosheng was so infuriated that black smoke practically billowed from his ancestral grave. Halting in his tracks, he spun around and burst into laughter. "Xu Ying, do not think that just because you traded a couple of blows with Wei Xu, you can look down on the heroes of the world! Not even one-tenth of Wei Xu's cultivation remains! His cultivation is merely close to the Supreme realm, and he hardly knows a few Supreme divine abilities! Meanwhile, my heritage comes from Above the Great Luo Heaven; I have cultivated Great Luo divine abilities since childhood. Subduing you is as easy as lifting a finger!"
"I don't believe you,"
Xu Ying said. "Lord Bell, Little Celestial Venerable, Brother Tian, do not interfere. Chen Chaosheng, I won't bully you. Today I won't use any magic treasures—I'll duel you barehanded."
He put away the Landscape Heaven-Measuring Ruler. The big black dog, Little Celestial Venerable, and the big bell hurriedly stepped back.
Chen Chaosheng took a long, deep breath to quell the fire in his chest and smiled thinly. "Today shall be a fair duel between you and me, without harming harmony."
"I'll stand right here without moving and give you three free moves," Xu Ying said proudly.
Little Celestial Venerable's heart tightened, and he hurriedly said to the bell, "Uncle Bell, why is Teacher being so reckless? Against an expert like this, never mind conceding three moves—even giving up the initiative is courting death!"
Lord Bell said worriedly, "I don't know either. Did the Imperial Monarch place another immortal talisman curse on Ah Ying?"
Yet it was even more bewildered: when it came to seals and curses, Xu Ying was even more versed in them than the Imperial Monarch. Even if the Imperial Monarch had placed a new seal or curse on him, it would hardly baffle him.
So why was Xu Ying doing something so foolish?
Chen Chaosheng clenched his fists and chuckled. "No one has ever dared say they would concede three moves to me..."
Xu Ying said, "I'll give you ten."
Chen Chaosheng's face turned livid, and he sneered, "Then allow me to enlighten you!"
Taking a stride forward, his bodhimanda instantly unfurled, filling the heavens with fluttering snow.
An ordinary person's bodhimanda was formed of Dao chains or Dao rules, while those of higher cultivation possessed Dao trees. But he was different. His bodhimanda held the phenomenon of fluttering snowflakes, drifting now gently, now fiercely, each flake crystal-clear and extraordinarily lifelike.
Yet these snowflakes were composed of Immortal Dao runes, teeming with boundless detail.
His cultivation was not exceptionally high, merely at the Immortal Monarch realm, which was the stage of refining Dao rules into Dao chains. The snowflakes drifting through the air formed Dao chains as different flakes linked together!
The Dao chains refined by ordinary Immortal Monarchs were merely one or two, while those of remarkable talent formed six or seven. But the manner in which Chen Chaosheng's Dao chains combined was myriad!
Behind him, the snowflakes coalesced into an icy tree, looming amidst the wind and snow.
Earlier, when the big black dog clashed with him, it had failed to gain the slightest advantage, instead feeling constrained and forced to retreat again and again. One had to know that the big black dog had mastered the Nine Revolutions Mysterious Art, possessed an extraordinarily formidable physical body, was a primordial rare breed at its peak, and its cultivation realm had even reached the Heavenly Monarch realm!
Yet Chen Chaosheng's divine arts and Dao methods were truly peerless in their ingenuity, so much so that even the big black dog could not best him by a fraction.
With that stride, Xu Ying was already enveloped by his bodhimanda. Within this bodhimanda, Chen Chaosheng was the king of immortals, the master of the Great Dao!
Forming a sword finger, Chen Chaosheng jabbed forward. The swirling snow moved in tandem, snowflake after snowflake piercing into Xu Ying as the immense power contained within the Dao chains erupted!
Boom!
The snowflakes detonated.
Each snowflake was a grand Immortal Dao divine ability, and in an instant, thousands of divine abilities blasted into Xu Ying's body.
"Second Brother is finished!"
The big black dog covered its eyes with its ears, not daring to look, yet lifted an ear to peek at Xu Ying.
Having clashed with Chen Chaosheng, it knew full well how formidable and dangerous he was. The cultivation art this man practiced was profoundly marvelous, seemingly pointing directly to the Great Dao, a superior art the likes of which it had never seen before. It even gave the impression of being several shades more exquisite than the Nine Revolutions Mysterious Art.
Chen Chaosheng's realm was clearly much lower than its own, yet he could ward off all its attacks and even counterattack!
The power of his divine abilities was unimaginably vast!
As those countless snowflakes crashed into Xu Ying, only crisp cracking sounds rang out. Xu Ying had genuinely not fought back, letting Chen Chaosheng's divine abilities strike his body.
"Second Brother's ribs—at least five of them are broken!" the big black dog thought to itself.
Xu Ying raised his head, blood oozing from the corner of his mouth, yet a grin hung on his face. "Haven't you eaten? Do you want to go grab a bite first?"
Chen Chaosheng had originally held back a bit of power with this strike. Hearing this, the fury in his heart could no longer be contained. With a furious roar, the Dao tree in the icy world behind him took flight, and a sky full of silver frost swept down toward Xu Ying with a sharp whoosh, submerging him in an instant!
He was truly enraged, his killing intent ignited, his mind occupied solely by the thought of slaughtering this person.
From amidst the swirling silver frost came Xu Ying's piercing, miserable screams. Chen Chaosheng felt an inexplicable surge of excitement: "Will this still not kill you?"
When the silver frost dissipated, a delighted smile hung on Xu Ying's face, though his body twisted and shuddered in agony.
Chen Chaosheng was stunned.
After a moment, Xu Ying's body stopped trembling. He raised his head and sneered with a mocking smirk, "You don't even have the strength to throw a punch. Did you learn your skills from your master's wife?"
"You court death!"
Chen Chaosheng unleashed all his moves, snarling sharply, "Third move! Fourth move! Fifth move! Sixth move..."
He went nearly mad, unleashing the Dao Heaven Nine Techniques passed down by Saint Luo. He even summoned his Dao tree; branches flew and roots coiled as grand divine ability after grand divine ability pounded mercilessly onto Xu Ying!
Xu Ying's wretched screams rang out continuously as though he were on the verge of breathing his last. Pleas for mercy even rang out, begging Chen Chaosheng not to stop.
"Is this all you've got?"
"Hit harder!"
"A woman who just gave birth has more strength than you!"
Furious beyond measure, Chen Chaosheng unleashed the Dao Heaven Nine Techniques in a single breath. Just as he executed the ninth form, Little Celestial Venerable's tense voice called out: "Teacher, that's eleven moves!"
The moment his words landed, radiant golden light suddenly blazed. A golden bridge descended from the heavens, crashing down heavily upon Chen Chaosheng's bodhimanda. Xu Ying's Great Luo bodhimanda unfurled, the Ten Landscapes manifesting and Dao flowers blooming!
Chen Chaosheng felt his bodhimanda's circulation turn sluggish. Startled, his next move stalled before he could strike.
Xu Ying stretched his muscles and bones, feeling his cultivation realm advance considerably once again. Well pleased in his heart, he inquired, "Fellow Daoist Chen, when you entered the Boundless Sea of Fire, did you go on foot, or did you take a boat?"
Chen Chaosheng said, "By boat."
Saying this, his heart skipped a beat, recalling the elderly demon god who had poled the boat across the sea.
Xu Ying's gaze fell upon his face. "Did that demon god ferryman die by your hand or another's?"
Chen Chaosheng said, "He did not die by my hand. But it is related to me. At the time, he carried us across the sea, and we told him to stop at the Immortal Tomb. Sensing that we wanted to enter the Immortal Tomb, he attacked. His strength was formidable, but in the end, he died at the hands of Imperial Monarch Zhongyi. What relation did he have to you?"
Imperial Monarch Zhongyi's face changed slightly, and he kept silent.
"I rode his boat and paid the fare,"
Xu Ying said with a smile. "Since he did not die by your hand, I will not make things difficult for you. You gave me a beating, so I'll give you a beating in return, and our slate will be clean."
His aura shifted abruptly. The Ten Landscapes of Great Luo suppressed Chen Chaosheng's bodhimanda as he charged right in front of Chen Chaosheng!
Chen Chaosheng summoned his Dao tree, countless branches dancing as they swept toward Xu Ying. But in the next instant, myriad branches shattered. Braving Chen Chaosheng's Dao tree and divine abilities, Xu Ying barged right before him!
Although his Dao tree and divine abilities tore Xu Ying's flesh and skin, Xu Ying seemed completely devoid of sensation. Neither dodging nor evading Chen Chaosheng's techniques and divine abilities, he threw a punch straight forward!
Boom!
Xu Ying's fist slammed into his face, driving the back of Chen Chaosheng's head into his Dao tree, which shuddered violently from the impact!
Xu Ying pulled back his fist. Chen Chaosheng collapsed limply to the ground, his mind completely blank: "No matter how exquisitely refined my divine abilities are, what use is it? He doesn't even dodge..."
Xu Ying turned and walked toward Imperial Monarch Zhongyi. "Imperial Monarch, I'll give you ten moves. After ten moves, I take your life."
Imperial Monarch Zhongyi's face was as dark as stagnant water. "Xu Ying, that demon god had nothing to do with you. He is dead and gone, whereas I am still a person of use. I can submit to you, submit to the Ancestral Court. Your Ancestral Court can hardly have many Heavenly Monarchs like me, right?"
Xu Ying shook his head. "You only have ten moves. Either you beat me to death, or I take your life."
Imperial Monarch Zhongyi looked toward Little Celestial Venerable, who hesitated for a moment and said nothing.
Seeing this, a ferocious gleam surfaced in Imperial Monarch Zhongyi's eyes as he abruptly activated all of his bell instruments. "Xu Ying, back then you were Celestial Venerable Xu, but you aren't anymore! Do you really think I can't kill you in ten moves?"
Radiating chilling killing intent, he activated the Myriad Bells Grand Formation, engulfing Xu Ying!
Ten moves passed swiftly. Braving the might of the Myriad Bells Grand Formation, Xu Ying fought his way out of the immortal formation and arrived before Imperial Monarch Zhongyi. The two clashed in close combat, and in a mere three moves, Xu Ying snapped Imperial Monarch Zhongyi's neck, blasted his Primordial Spirit out of his body, and slew him on the spot!
Xu Ying tossed aside Zhongyi's corpse and gathered the nine Immortal King treasures.
These nine treasures were nearing the end of their usefulness to him.
Having endured so many beatings and refined the alien divine abilities and Dao methods that Wei Xu, Chen Chaosheng, and Imperial Monarch Zhongyi had driven into his body, he was on the verge of stepping into the Ascension stage!
Once he reached the Ascension stage, the nine Immortal King treasures would no longer be of much use to him.
Xu Ying walked over to Xiaotian and asked, "Brother Tian, what are your plans for the future?"
The big black dog hesitated, then said, "I will return to the Immortal Tomb and continue guarding Erlang True Monarch's tomb."
Xu Ying smiled. "Brother Tian, you could also relocate the True Monarch's tomb to the Ancestral Court to fulfill his dying wish and guard the Ancestral Court. That way, you could frequently tend the grave and offer incense to the True Monarch as well."
The big black dog hesitated for a moment, then nodded.
Xu Ying said, "Brother Tian, if I call you Doggy, will you get angry?"
The big black dog's expression turned sour. "Of course I'll get angry. I am Xiaotian the Hound, not a dog."
"Doggy."
"Woof, woof!" The big black dog lunged forward, tangling with him in a scuffle.
After a moment, Xu Ying was bruised and battered. He thought to himself, "I can't call Lord Dog 'Doggy' anymore; doing it again will hurt our friendship. Who should I find to give me a beating now... Where did my old man go? He hasn't beaten me in a long time, has he?"
The Immortal Court.
Wei Xu landed, watching the multicolored giant hand dissipate. He looked around in all directions; the palace halls here were profound and somber, with soaring walls and expansive courtyards, beset everywhere with perilous restrictions—clearly not the residence of an ordinary person.
"Wei Xu, it has been a long time since we last met," an aged, weathered voice sounded.
Wei Xu turned around to see a tall, elderly man walking over. It was none other than the sovereign of the present Immortal Court, the Immortal Emperor Supreme.
Wei Xu's expression changed slightly, and he bowed. "Senior Brother."
Chapter 538