"Qingxuan of the Shangqing Dao Sect?" Xu Ying's head buzzed. Qingxuan was supposed to be dead!
His ten great Dao scenes were still drifting within the Realm of the Great Void to this day. There was no way he could still be alive; his enemies would never have permitted him to live.
Yet who on earth was this Qingxuan of the Shangqing Dao Sect standing before him? Why had he appeared inside the Taiyi Cave Abyss? If he truly was that Qingxuan, how had he survived?
Xu Ying had seen Qingxuan before. In the memories of Little Martial Uncle Yunhai of the Shangqing Dao Sect, Daoist Qingxuan was five or six years more weathered than this young man—ruthless, vicious, and merciless enough to slaughter his fellow sect members just to seize the Shangqing Cave Abyss.
Yet that middle-aged Qingxuan and this young Qingxuan were unmistakably the same person.
After a moment, Xu Ying finally steadied his composure, returned the young man's bow, and said, "Xu Ying of Jade Void Palace greets you, Dao Brother."
Qingxuan smiled and said, "Fellow Daoist Xu, you must still be a disciple of the Shangqing Dao Sect, right? I can sense the aura of the Shangqing Dao Sect on you."
Xu Ying replied, "I studied the Shangqing Great Cavern True Scripture and the Yellow Court Scripture under Daoist Yuqing for a few months."
"I see!" Qingxuan said with delight. "In that case, aren't we fellow disciples?"
Thinking of his relationship with Qingxuan threw Xu Ying's mind into utter chaos; he had no idea how to even describe it. His ancestor had been a successor of Jade Void Palace who had followed Qingxuan back in the day as a subordinate tasked with guarding Kunlun. From that angle, Xu Ying's generational standing was exceptionally low. Yet Xu Ying's mother, Lan Suying, was the adoptive daughter of Mingzun, making Xu Ying Mingzun's imperial grandson, while Mingzun was Qingxuan's disciple. That also placed his standing very low.
Xu Ying's ten Luotian scenes were nearly identical to Qingxuan's ten Great Void scenes. Although Xu Ying had comprehended them on his own without direct ties to Qingxuan, Mingzun's guidance had been indispensable in the process. In truth, Mingzun had simply arranged for Xu Ying to retrace the steps of Qingxuan's cultivation and comprehension of the ten Great Void scenes, sending Xu Ying to comprehend the worldly Great Daos of each Ancestral Court so that he could master the ten scenes.
In a sense, Qingxuan held the standing of a master to Xu Ying. Yet if calculated strictly through the Shangqing Dao Sect, Xu Ying and Qingxuan were of the same generation. *Generational standing is an outdated thing anyway—let it be,* Xu Ying thought to himself.
He studied Qingxuan closely and noticed a telltale clue: the Qingxuan before him was likely not Qingxuan's true body. There was a demonic nature about him; though well concealed, the traits of a heavenly fiend were still present.
"Are you a demonic thought severed by Qingxuan?" Xu Ying inquired.
The youthful Qingxuan laughed. "Not a demonic thought, just a stray thought."
Xu Ying was puzzled.
The young Qingxuan explained, "I am an errant thought Qingxuan severed when he attained the Dao, not his true body. Back then, Qingxuan explored the New Dao and discovered the realm of attaining the Supreme Dao. To attain the Dao, one's Dao heart had to be kept pure; any impure thought had to be excised. He felt I was ill-intentioned, too sinister and ruthless, too sentimental and fussy, too petty and narrow-minded, and possessed too big a temper for my meager ability. Oh, and he also thought I lacked the wisdom to be a leader, so he severed me out. Attaining the Supreme Dao requires a Dao heart that is pure and transparent. Without severing me, he could never have become a Supreme."
"I am Useless Qingxuan," he added with a hearty laugh.
Understanding dawned on Xu Ying, though a trace of disappointment lingered in his heart.
When he first saw Useless Qingxuan, he had thought Emperor Qingxuan had survived after all. He had never expected that what survived was merely Emperor Qingxuan's stray thought. He had harbored an extravagant hope: if Qingxuan had truly lived, perhaps he would have the power to turn around the mess the Immortal Realm had become. But now, that hope had come to nothing.
Useless Qingxuan said, "After severing me, he thought I was utterly worthless. Still, even trash has its uses, so he left me here."
Xu Ying asked in confusion, "What did he leave you here to do? And was the Taiyi Cave Abyss summoned by Qingxuan? Could he summon Taiyi as well?"
"He summoned it on the eve of attaining the Dao."
Useless Qingxuan gestured with his chin toward the interior and said, "He left me here to watch over the things inside so they wouldn't escape and cause chaos. I've stayed here on guard ever since, and I haven't stepped outside once in all these years."
Xu Ying looked into the depths of this other-shore continent. Skeletons of ancient gods were scattered in an orderly fashion alongside ancient, magnificent palace halls.
Those skeletons and palaces astonished Xu Ying.
It had been half a year since he crossed the Heavenly Tribulation of the Four Realms. Because he had reunited with his mother, Lan Suying, he had spent those days immersed in the joy of family reunion and had never had the chance to explore the depths of the Taiyi Cave Abyss. He had never imagined that deep within the Taiyi Cave Abyss lay such an other shore!
The branching, knotted patterns etched into those structures and skeletons were precisely the pattern structures used to record the Great Dao of the Emerald Rock! The pattern structure was a more mature and advanced framework for the Great Dao than runic structures or Dao pattern structures. The breakdown of the Great Dao using pattern structures was known as Dao Patterns.
The branching patterns on the architecture and bones of this other shore before him were precisely Dao Patterns!
"These skeletons come from the same world as the Emerald Rock," he murmured. "What kind of things would crawl out from in there?"
Unable to resist, he stepped forward along the ancient path. Daoist Yuxu quickly warned, "Careful! The Great Dao of Heaven and Earth here is abnormal!"
No sooner had he spoken than branching patterns suddenly sprouted around Xu Ying, coalescing into a dark halo that leisurely rose and hovered behind his head, resonating in harmony with the branching patterns on the skeletons and buildings.
Daoist Yuxu immediately felt the crushing pressure brought by those skeletons and palaces vanish, replaced by ease, which filled his heart with wonder.
Useless Qingxuan also marveled, chuckling, "Junior Brother Xu, you're far more useful than I am." The two followed Xu Ying deeper into the other shore.
Xu Ying halted before the towering skeleton of an ancient god. This ancient deity was no creature of the Earth Immortal Realm or the mortal realm; its physique was colossal, radiating a menacing savagery.
Even though it had been dead for who knew how long, the skeleton still emitted a heart-stopping palpitation!
When Daoist Yuxu had walked here earlier, the oppressive force from the skeleton had felt unbearable. Strange to say, now sheltered by Xu Ying's dark halo, he felt no pressure at all.
Not only did he feel no pressure, but he could even appreciate the skeleton's aesthetic beauty. Looking at the branching patterns across its surface, he could perceive the elegance of an exotic, profound Great Dao.
"That's one of the things I beat to death," Useless Qingxuan said, studying the ancient god's skeleton. "Every once in a while, something crawls out of the Taiyi Cave Abyss. Beating these things to death took quite an effort. Not only am I useless, but I'm also a glutton, so I gnawed them down until only bones were left..."
Xu Ying was stunned, stammering, "You beat it to death?"
Useless Qingxuan nodded. "Their bones are too tough to chew. If I could chew them, you probably wouldn't even see the bones."
Xu Ying and Daoist Yuxu exchanged a glance, murmuring inwardly, *Is Useless Qingxuan really useless? Why do I feel like he's even more terrifying than a Daluo Golden Immortal?*
They walked further, and more remains of ancient gods came into view—all killed and subsequently eaten by Useless Qingxuan.
Xu Ying even spotted several massive cauldrons, evidently used for stewing the meat. When they walked over, there were still bones inside.
Xu Ying glanced at Useless Qingxuan. The refined-looking young man looked somewhat embarrassed and said, "Bone broth doesn't taste half bad."
Under Xu Ying's protection, they arrived before an ancient hall. Light radiated from within, feeling as deep as an ocean. Several powerful figures were faintly visible inside, hazy and indistinct.
Last time, Daoist Yuxu had only been able to make it this far before he could proceed no further. Following Xu Ying this time, however, he felt not the slightest bit of pressure.
"Is this where they come from?" Xu Ying peered inside and asked. The light was like amber, and those figures were like insects trapped within it. They appeared frozen in time.
Useless Qingxuan replied, "Yes. But did you notice anything else?"
Xu Ying pushed his eyesight to its utmost limit, peering into the gloom. Suddenly, his heart gave a jolt. "There are people in the light—eight people, carrying a coffin!"
Daoist Yuxu stepped forward and looked with all his might. Sure enough, deep within the light, eight towering figures were using thick wooden beams to shoulder a golden coffin roughly thirty feet long and over ten feet wide.
They and that golden coffin were frozen in time as well.
Xu Ying asked in confusion, "Are they coming toward this side, or heading toward that side?"
Useless Qingxuan said, "You've hit on the key question. In fact, long before Qingxuan severed me, he had already discovered these eight people and the golden coffin. At the time, he guessed they were heading toward that side. He suspected the person inside the coffin was Emperor Haotian, believing there had to be more to Emperor Haotian's death back then—perhaps Haotian had faked his death and actually journeyed to the other shore through the Taiyi Cave Abyss. Otherwise, why would the Taiyi Cave Abyss have vanished?"
Xu Ying listened intently and asked, "So, are these eight people and this golden coffin heading there, or coming here?"
Useless Qingxuan chuckled. "Coming here, of course. I've stayed here all these years and discovered that although they are frozen in time, they aren't entirely motionless. Their movement is just extremely slow; it takes them centuries or millennia to take a single step."
Xu Ying could not help but recall how he had rescued Buddhist Child Jijue. Jijue had also been frozen in time, unable to take a single step forward!
Back then, however, the place where Jijue was frozen had been completely dark, with light shining only on Jijue himself. Here, the eight figures and the golden coffin were entirely bathed in light.
"They appear far from the present world, but they are actually very close," Useless Qingxuan smiled and said. "The closer they get to the present world, the faster they move. These eight are somewhat stronger than those beasts, and their speed will only increase. In less than a century, they will step into the present world."
Xu Ying smiled. "With Senior Brother guarding this place, even if they break out, it's no big deal."
Useless Qingxuan burst into laughter. "You're wrong—I'm free! Starting today, I can wash my hands of this boring, miserable chore and run outside to enjoy myself!"
Xu Ying was stunned and hurriedly protested, "You can't leave! If you leave, what happens when more ancient gods come through? And what about those eight pallbearers and that golden coffin when they cross over?"
Useless Qingxuan blinked and asked, "Six hundred thousand years ago, who was the master of the Taiyi Cave Abyss?"
Xu Ying replied honestly, "Qingxuan."
Useless Qingxuan asked, "And now?"
Xu Ying's lips twitched. "Me."
Useless Qingxuan patted his shoulder and said earnestly, "You can sever a Useless Xu Ying and let him guard this place in your stead. As for me, I'm a free man!"
With a cheer, he turned to bolt outside.
Xu Ying hurriedly grabbed his sleeve. "Senior Brother, I can't hold the fort! I really can't! When Qingxuan ordered you to guard this place, he never said when you'd be free! Would you really sit by and watch your junior brother get beaten to death by ancient gods emerging from the cave abyss? Would you just watch these ancient gods run wild and bring disaster upon all living beings?"
Useless Qingxuan laughed. "I am a useless piece severed by Qingxuan. Not only am I useless, I'm lazy. Don't think you can guilt me with sect brotherhood or the greater good of all living beings—I don't buy into that! I'm leaving!"
"Wait a moment!"
Xu Ying quickly called him back, saying, "Junior Brother has a duel scheduled soon, with only five days remaining. Does Senior Brother have anything you can teach me?"
Useless Qingxuan looked him up and down, then shook his head. "At your current realm, you're far more formidable than I was back then. When I was at your stage, I hadn't even cultivated the ten great Dao scenes. I have nothing to teach you. I'm just garbage severed by Qingxuan... teaching you would only harm you..."
Xu Ying blinked and said, "In that case, could Senior Brother help me beat someone up? No need to kill him—just leave him lightly injured."
Useless Qingxuan instantly perked up. "Who? Are they strong? If they're too strong, I'm not fighting. And do they have a lot of brothers? If there are too many, I'm not fighting either!"
Xu Ying smiled. "All on his own, with ability roughly on par with mine. His name is Chen Changsheng, titled Emperor Changsheng, and he resides in Yantian of the Immortal Realm."
Useless Qingxuan said, "Once I beat him up, the Taiyi Cave Abyss will have nothing to do with me. From then on, it's your problem. If something goes wrong, you can't come looking for me."
Xu Ying nodded and smiled. "When the time comes, I'll just sever a Useless Xu Ying to stand guard here."
Useless Qingxuan walked toward the exit, then suddenly remembered something. He turned back with a grin and asked, "When and where is your decisive battle? I love watching a spectacle; I definitely have to go see it."
Xu Ying said solemnly, "Five days from now, at the Heavenly Sea Ferry."
Useless Qingxuan zoomed away with a whoosh, calling back with a laugh, "Don't worry, I'll definitely be there!"
Watching him depart, Xu Ying let out a breath of relief and smiled. "With Senior Brother Qingxuan giving the Imperial Monarch a thrashing, regardless of whether his injuries heal in five days, he won't be able to cultivate during these five days. Meanwhile, I can cultivate to my heart's content. Grandmaster, after Senior Brother Qingxuan beats up the Imperial Monarch, could you give him a beating as well?"
Daoist Yuxu glanced up at him and said, "Why bother dueling him? How about I just beat him to death and be done with it?"
Xu Ying shook his head. "Grandmaster naturally cannot simply beat him to death. Just defeat him and leave him with minor injuries. He will be able to heal. I only want to break his momentum."
Daoist Yuxu snorted noncommittally and walked away.
When Xu Ying stepped out of the Taiyi Cave Abyss, neither Daoist Yuxu nor the Jade Void Horsetail Whisk was anywhere in sight.
"Grandmaster truly has a heart of gold beneath that cold exterior," Xu Ying praised.
He then departed Kunlun Ruins as well, thinking to himself, *The Imperial Monarch took the initiative to ambuscade me in an attempt to duel ahead of time. He was dishonorable first, so he can't blame me for being ruthless. I'll go seek out the Demon Ancestor, Taiqing, the Void Sovereign, and the others right now—one minor injury from each of them! After suffering setback upon setback, when he faces me five days from now, he'll be a broken, desperate underdog! And an army driven by sorrow is bound to lose!*
***
The Immortal Realm, the Heavenly Prison of the Five Hells.
The Imperial Monarch of the Five Hells bowed low, leading Emperor Changsheng all the way down to the deepest floor of the heavenly prison. The seals of various emperors were plastered everywhere, grim and terrifying. Even a Heavenly Monarch like the Imperial Monarch of the Five Hells found his cultivation suppressed by the seals upon arriving here, unable to muster any power!
Yet even so, they still could not suppress the ferocious malice of this place!
Emperor Changsheng waved his hand, dismissing the Imperial Monarch of the Five Hells. "Act as though I was never here."
The Imperial Monarch of the Five Hells hurried away.
Emperor Changsheng stopped before a cell. After a moment of silence, he said, "Brother Yantian, now that Mingzun is trapped in the Black Domain and the Eight Emperors of the Nine Heavens are heavily wounded, I am offering you a chance to regain your freedom."
Suspended inside the cell was a white-haired old man. Massive hooked chains pierced through his limbs, sinking deep into his flesh to hang him in midair. As the iron chains rattled, the white-haired old man lifted his head and sneered, "So it's Xuan Tiandu. Back then, you usurped my imperial throne; our score has yet to be settled!"
Emperor Changsheng said indifferently, "You plotted to murder Mingzun back then and got what you deserved. I merely happened to cultivate into a Daluo Golden Immortal at the right time; I had no intentional design on your position."
The white-haired old man fell silent for a moment, then asked, "What do you want me to do?"
Emperor Changsheng's eyes flickered. "Help me beat someone up."
Chapter 594