Gu Bunian, the Dao Lord of Luofu, had never expected an attack to come from behind. Taken completely off guard and struck by the blow, countless possibilities flashed through his mind at once. He soared outward in flight, thinking, *A double-cross! Mingzun plans to monopolize Daming Palace for himself!*
Having only recently broken free of the Heavenly Abyss, he did not know that Xu Ying was the Immortal Emperor Supreme's personal crop. His actions had touched the emperor's reverse scales, leading him to mistake the strike for the Immortal Emperor turning on him.
On the other side, the Creation Supreme felt a chill in his heart. Whirling around, he said in a low, heavy voice, "Mingzun, we are allies. Do not overstep."
Hearing this as he fled, the Dao Lord of Luofu stumbled in midair, his heart boiling with shock and rage. *So the two of them were in league all along! All my blood and sweat was merely paving the way for them! Neither of them ever meant to give me a share—they wanted my life!*
The Immortal Emperor Supreme made no move against the Creation Supreme. The Creation Supreme's strength was considerably greater than his own, and now that he was on guard, the Immortal Emperor could do nothing to him.
Lou Mingyu seized the opportunity, whisking Xu Ying away and escaping Daming Palace.
The Creation Supreme raised an eyebrow, glancing at the Immortal Emperor Supreme. He knew the emperor's goal for this venture was Xu Ying, yet he had stayed his hand—a truly bizarre choice.
"Martial Uncle, we have already obtained Daming Palace; that is enough," the Immortal Emperor said. "Right now, securing Daming Palace is what matters. Once we have brought it under control, we must still go and ambush the Holy Venerable."
A slight tremor ran through the Creation Supreme's heart. "Since the Holy Venerable dared challenge the Ancestral God, he almost certainly has means to preserve himself. He won't simply die by the Ancestral God's hand, and he will undoubtedly escape. Now that you have witnessed the power of Daming Palace, you should understand how terrifyingly powerful the Holy Venerable truly is. Even if both he and the Ancestral God end up gravely wounded, neither of us would be a match for him."
He cast a sideways glance at the Immortal Emperor Supreme. "Truth be told, your mastery is still lacking. Against the Holy Venerable, I might barely manage to escape with my life, but you wouldn't even have the chance to flee. You would meet certain death!"
The Immortal Emperor Supreme fixed his gaze on Xu Ying's retreating figure. "Do not worry, Martial Uncle. I will attain that level of mastery very soon. When that time comes, I will not be the slightest bit inferior to you!"
The Creation Supreme followed his gaze and saw that he was staring directly at Xu Ying. Clearly, the source of the emperor's supreme confidence lay in Xu Ying!
*Can harvesting the chives of Xu Ying truly allow him to grow to a point where he can rival me?* The Creation Supreme found it somewhat difficult to believe.
The Immortal Emperor suddenly recalled another matter. Wei Xu and Zulong Zhao Zheng had journeyed to explore the Heavenly Abyss and had yet to return. After those two entered the Heavenly Abyss, the Dao Lord of Luofu, who had been imprisoned there to plug the sea eye, had slipped out.
*Could it be that the two of them released the Dao Lord of Luofu? Why haven't they shown themselves yet? Are they still in the Heavenly Abyss?* he wondered inwardly.
Lou Mingyu carried Xu Ying as he burst out of the Holy Venerable's Great Luo Heaven and crossed through the other Luo Heavens. He fled in panic, but in his mind, he had already formed a guess as to why the Immortal Emperor had suddenly turned against his ally, gravely wounded the Dao Lord of Luofu, and let the two of them go.
*Mingzun's goal is to harvest Junior Brother Xu. When Junior Brother Xu abolished his own cultivation, he lost his ten Dao sceneries as well. But Mingzun discovered that Junior Brother Xu has now mastered eleven Great Daos—no, twelve!*
Only then did Lou Mingyu notice that Xu Ying had already mastered a twelfth Great Dao. He murmured under his breath, "Once Junior Brother Xu cultivates the Six Paths realm, he will be in the Ascension stage! So Mingzun's goal is to reap a richer harvest—to reap twelve Dao sceneries! Junior Brother Xu is rebuilding his cultivation this time, so his pace is astonishingly fast. It won't take long for him to return to his former realm. Mingzun can afford to wait!"
He sped downward from the Luo Heavens, carrying Xu Ying toward the Nine Heavens. *The situation is dire. Mingzun may spare Junior Brother Xu, but the other two might not. It is better to hide in the Nine Heavens for now. The Yanglong Emperor, Jiuyou Emperor, and the others have often invited me to visit. I might as well take this chance to hide in the Nine Heavens and evade their search.*
He entered Yangtian. The Yanglong Emperor's celestial palace had already been repaired, but the moment the emperor saw Lou Mingyu, his complexion drained of color. He hastily sealed his palace, hiding inside and refusing to come out.
*That old fox! He must have guessed that the Holy Venerable is locked in combat with the Ancestral God and cannot protect Junior Brother Xu. Afraid of offending Mingzun, he shuts his doors to guests!*
Lou Mingyu snorted coldly and pressed on toward Zhutian. When the Taixiao Emperor saw him arrive in Zhutian, his expression changed drastically as well, and he hurriedly shut the Zhutian Celestial Palace, refusing to see any visitors.
Lou Mingyu pushed forward with Xu Ying, but whether it was the Jiuyou Emperor, the Luhe Emperor, the Quelin Emperor, or Emperor Fuyue, the moment they caught sight of him, they slammed their palace gates shut, keeping them at arm's length.
Clearly, all the emperors understood the stakes and refused to be dragged down with them.
Even Xu Ying's old flames from his first life, the female emperors Caiwei and Fuyue, withdrew and avoided showing themselves.
With no alternatives left, Lou Mingyu was just about to head to the Changsheng Emperor's palace for refuge when a chill struck his heart. He immediately pivoted, whisking Xu Ying far away.
He had barely departed when the Dao Lord of Luofu arrived right behind him, exclaiming in surprise, "The Holy Venerable's disciple is indeed extraordinary, actually managing to detect me."
Having been heavily wounded by the Immortal Emperor and deeply resentful at having gained nothing from the expedition, the Dao Lord of Luofu took notice when he saw Lou Mingyu scurrying around with Xu Ying, and the thought struck him to capture the pair.
*The Holy Venerable's disciple must carry countless treasures. Even if he doesn't, the teachings the Holy Venerable passed down to him are the greatest treasure of all! What's more, that brat beside him is an even greater fortune!*
The Dao Lord of Luofu pursued relentlessly, thinking, *The halo behind his head is undoubtedly a Supreme cave abyss! My only disadvantage this time was lacking a Supreme cave abyss of my own. If I possessed one, how could I have ended up in such a wretched state?*
Knowing he was being pursued, Lou Mingyu dared not linger, flying without pause toward the borders of the Immortal Realm.
The Dao Lord of Luofu followed closely behind, yet he suddenly lost the trail. Lou Mingyu and Xu Ying seemed to have vanished into thin air.
His divine consciousness was vast and swept through the Immortal Realm, but he could find no trace of them. Suddenly, an idea crossed his mind: *Could they have gone to the Underworld?*
In the next instant, the Dao Lord of Luofu's boundless divine consciousness flooded the entirety of the Underworld. Innumerable ghosts and deities trembled under its immense weight.
Lou Mingyu was currently navigating through the Underworld with Xu Ying, diving into the ancient Nether Sea, but it did not take long before the Dao Lord of Luofu's divine consciousness locked onto them.
*So fast!*
Shocked, Lou Mingyu took flight immediately. He saw the Dao Lord's divine consciousness condense into a colossal hand, reaching down toward the spot where they had stood an instant before.
With a sharp swoosh, Lou Mingyu cleaved open the barrier between yin and yang, leaping out of the Underworld.
He had just returned to the mortal world and had not even had time to discern where they were when the Dao Lord of Luofu came riding the wind, looking ethereal and utterly carefree.
—Of course, on the center of the Dao Lord's back sat a massive crimson palm print that had shredded his robes and shattered his spine and ribs. Viewed from behind, he looked considerably less carefree and ethereal.
Lou Mingyu's heart sank. With a sweep of his sleeve, he cast Xu Ying far into the distance, turning to confront the Dao Lord of Luofu. "Martial Uncle Gu, you are a senior of great stature! Must you resort to such venomous cruelty against a junior?"
Gu Bunian, the Dao Lord of Luofu, laughed aloud, his tone chillingly grim. "If you had been suppressed in the Heavenly Abyss's sea eye, you would become ruthless too! Your master, the Holy Venerable, tortured me for all these years. Slaying a few of his disciples to collect a little interest is already sheer mercy on my part!"
Without another word, he charged forward. Lou Mingyu instantly unleashed his bodhimanda. The Flat Peach Dao tree manifested, its branches laden with blooming Dao flowers. In an instant, peach petals whirled through the air, surging toward the Dao Lord of Luofu.
Lou Mingyu had crossed swords with Xu Ying more than a dozen times; his cultivation was renowned for its profound depth and adaptable techniques. The Dao Lord of Luofu, on the other hand, was renowned for his minor divine powers. As he plunged into Lou Mingyu's bodhimanda, not a single petal could touch him despite the flurry of ten thousand blossoms; every attack was repelled by his myriad nimble arts.
Had the Dao Lord of Luofu not desired to glimpse the Holy Venerable's abilities through Lou Mingyu, he would have slain him long ago.
—Without attaining the Supreme realm, one simply could not contend against an entity of the Wondrous Realm of Great Luo.
Lou Mingyu was well aware that the Dao Lord wanted to observe his techniques, and that this curiosity was his only chance of survival. He struck with even greater ferocity. Yet despite his prolonged assault, the Dao Lord remained untouched by even a single blossom, and not one of Lou Mingyu's divine powers could land on him.
Suddenly, Lou Mingyu shifted his technique. The Dao patterns contorted into jointed, branch-like motifs, and he struck out with a palm accompanied by a heart-rending chorus of Dao weeping!
Caught unprepared, the Dao Lord of Luofu saw layers of his minor divine powers shattered as the blow landed squarely upon him, throwing his aura into disarray.
Lou Mingyu instantly sprang into the air, tearing through the void as sheer jubilation surged through him. *The Emerald Rock Dao I learned from Junior Brother Xu truly works!*
His natural talent had always been peerless. Having sparred with Xu Ying for so long and emerging mutual casualties every time, he had gradually puzzled out its principles. Furthermore, whenever he consulted Xu Ying, Xu Ying withheld nothing, allowing him to grasp a single move of the Emerald Rock divine powers.
However, he only knew this one strike. Having expended it, he had nothing left to follow it up with and could only flee.
The Dao Lord of Luofu was consumed by incandescent fury. It was one thing to be injured by the Immortal Emperor, but to be wounded by a mere disciple of the Holy Venerable—if his old colleagues ever learned of this, where would he put his face?
If he did not silence him, he would become the laughingstock of the world!
As Lou Mingyu fled at breakneck speed, the sky suddenly turned purple. He looked up, his heart seizing with terror. Endless purple qi stretched across hundreds of millions of li—the portent cast by the activation of the Wondrous Realm treasure, the Ziwei Demon-Subduing Cauldron!
The Ziwei Demon-Subduing Cauldron had been forged by the Dao Lord of Luofu by extracting the cultivation and Dao of the Last Lord of Ziwei. When unleashed, its power rivaled any Supreme-grade treasure, possessing such overwhelming might that it directly pinned heaven and earth in place, subduing every Great Dao and halting their operation!
Lou Mingyu found himself frozen midair, utterly unable to move, despair welling up inside him!
Just then, he saw another streak of purple qi spanning heaven and earth ahead of him, cascading down from the firmament like a magnificent purple waterfall.
Within that purple qi, two celestial characters in bird-and-worm seal script shone clearly: *Ziwei*.
*This place is... the Ziwei Ancestral Court!*
Lou Mingyu was startled. *I've run straight into the Ziwei Ancestral Court!*
No sooner had the thought crossed his mind than a small boat drifted out from that purple qi. The boat was built to hold only two people, and two people were aboard.
Punting the boat was a handsome young man with a tall, straight posture.
Seated upon the vessel was a handsome, middle-aged man of distinguished bearing. Clad in purple robes and enshrouded in purple qi, he cradled a strangely shaped lamp in his hands. Suddenly, he raised the lamp high, casting it into the heavens!
The Immortal Emperor of Ziwei, Emperor Haocang, had unleashed his Wondrous Realm treasure that had suppressed the world throughout the ages, an artifact none dared disturb: the Taicang Void True Glass Lamp!
*Screeech!*
A beam of lamplight shot forth, cleaving through the vast purple qi to collide violently with the Ziwei Demon-Subduing Cauldron!
Emperor Haocang's supreme treasure pitted against Emperor Haocang's own refined cultivation—the clash truly shook heaven and earth!
Lou Mingyu felt the bindings on him shatter, his freedom restored. Heaving a sigh of relief, he immediately broke into a sprint outward.
"And who did I think it was? None other than the sorrowful emperor of the Ziwei Celestial Court!" Behind him, the Dao Lord of Luofu materialized with a laugh. "Instead of enjoying the dances of your concubines inside your tomb, you came here to throw your life away. Quite an elegant mood you're in!"
As the saying went, when bitter enemies meet, their eyes blaze with fury. When the Last Lord of Ziwei died, the Dao Lord of Luofu had refined away his entire cultivation to forge the Demon-Subduing Cauldron. Furthermore, the consorts, concubines, and noble ladies of the Last Lord's inner palace had been slaughtered, violated, or seized as concubines. This irreconcilable blood feud demanded blood for blood, and the Last Lord of Ziwei intended to extract every drop!
Lou Mingyu watched as blinding beams of lamplight, sharp as the keenest swords under heaven, cleaved through the cosmos. Suddenly, the lamp flames burst open, mirroring a sky full of dazzling purple lotuses in an extraordinary display of splendor.
Dodging through the gaps in the clash between the two supreme treasures, Lou Mingyu thought, *A complete Wondrous Realm of Great Luo requires a Great Luo bodhimanda and a Heaven and Earth Primordial Spirit first, followed by a Supreme cave abyss, and finally a Wondrous Realm treasure! The Last Lord of Ziwei is dead; having neither a Great Luo bodhimanda nor a Heaven and Earth Primordial Spirit, he is merely a remnant soul and lingering wisp of will. He is certainly no match for the Dao Lord of Luofu.*
Having broken free of his confinement, the Dao Lord of Luofu had reclaimed his Great Luo bodhimanda and Heaven and Earth Primordial Spirit, restoring his cultivation to its peak. With the Ziwei Demon-Subduing Cauldron in hand, he lacked only a Supreme cave abyss to reach the absolute zenith of his power.
Even having suffered grievous wounds from Daming Palace and the Immortal Emperor, he was still far stronger than the Last Lord of Ziwei.
Lou Mingyu had no desire to watch the battle. Finally tearing himself away from the battlefield of the two supreme treasures, he set out to search for Xu Ying. Just at that moment, an ocean of flames billowed toward him from ahead.
It was Doushuai immortal fire, blazing furiously. Amidst the flames, an Eight Trigrams Alchemy Furnace flew through the sky, brushing right past Lou Mingyu.
Terrified, Lou Mingyu scrambled out of the way, thinking, *Another Wondrous Realm treasure!*
Barely had the thought formed when another rainbow light swept from west to east. Within the rainbow light rested a fly-whisk, its every hair pristine and snow-white. With a gentle flick, brilliant Dao light showered across the sky.
*The supreme treasure of Yuxu Palace in Kunlun!* Lou Mingyu was stunned. That fly-whisk was none other than the Yuxu Fly-Whisk, a treasure forged by the Dao Ancestor of Yuxu Palace, and it too was hurtling straight toward the Ziwei Demon-Subduing Cauldron!
Right then, yet another magic treasure flew out from the Shangqing Dao Sect, transforming into a Taiji Diagram that drifted over to join the siege against the Ziwei Demon-Subduing Cauldron!
Suddenly, the space ahead blazed with ten thousand beams of radiant light and vibrant hues. The Ancestral Court's thousands of Heaven-Mending Divine Artifacts shone in unison, joining the ranks to suppress the Dao Lord of Luofu.
The one controlling those thousands of Heaven-Mending Divine Artifacts was none other than the Ancestral God's eldest disciple, Tian.
This deity was the former Lord of the Heavenly Dao, blessed with boundless, immense divine power. Unleashing the full might of those thousands of Heaven-Mending Divine Artifacts, his display proved no inferior to a Wondrous Realm treasure!
*The Dao Lord of Luofu has truly stirred up a hornet's nest in the Ancestral Court! Then again, Junior Brother Xu's circle of acquaintances is astonishingly broad—he's entangled with every single one of these rebels.*
Both astonished and overjoyed, Lou Mingyu snapped back to reality and hurried off to find Xu Ying.
Amidst the glowing light, a Fusang Tree wrapped in sacred fire appeared across the desolate plain.
Lou Mingyu's heart filled with awe and uncertainty as he slowed his pace. That Fusang Tree was the true body of the Demon Ancestor!
Beneath the Fusang Tree, Xu Ying sat upright. Under the Demon Ancestor's protection, he was charging toward the Ascension realm, crossing the Four Realms Heavenly Tribulation for the second time!
Chapter 611