The origins of the Heavenly Abyss were lost to deep antiquity, impossible to trace. This chasm resembled a wound upon the Earth Immortal Realm, where the waters of the Heavenly River poured into the Heavenly Sea, and the waters of the Heavenly Sea plunged into the Heavenly Abyss.
It was unimaginably immense. Standing at one edge of the Heavenly Abyss and gazing ahead, one saw only vast, boundless haze, with no opposite shore in sight.
Flying over the Heavenly Abyss and peering down, one saw only dim, gloomy obscurity, plummeting into parts unknown.
Rumor had it that the Heavenly Abyss was a place of Dao burial, interring the Great Dao of heaven and earth. Others claimed that the deepest reaches of the Heavenly Abyss were Guixu, and when the universe reached its end, it would be swallowed up by Guixu.
Once Guixu swallowed the universe's final ray of light, it would transform into the place of origin, opening heaven and earth in a new universe.
Yet another legend held that the Heavenly Abyss was a wound in the universe—that this universe was itself an enormous cave abyss, and because this wound existed, its heavenly and earthly Great Dao had been left incomplete.
From antiquity, the Heavenly Abyss had been revered as a sacred ground. Yet throughout the six hundred thousand years since the founding of the new Immortal Court, traces of the abyss had rarely appeared, as if intentionally concealed by someone. Only some forty thousand years ago had Xu Ying—then still the Heavenly Venerable of the Dou Department—happened upon it during his travels.
There, Xu Ying had comprehended the divine power of the Dao Burial Abyss, astounding the court and the realm.
However, after that, the Dao Burial Heavenly Abyss had vanished once more.
Only when the Earth Immortal Realm merged together did the Heavenly Abyss reveal itself again. It was then that people learned Gu Bunian, Dao Lord of Luofu among the Six Supremes and Twelve Wondrous, had been suppressed there to plug the sea eye.
Dao Lord Luofu had employed some unknown method to escape, which led to the surprise assault on the Sacred Venerable's Daming Palace.
Scattered immortals and gods sat amid the swirling mist near the Heavenly Abyss, contemplating this vast chasm to grasp the Dao realm of the devouring of all Daos.
Yet this Heavenly Abyss was perilous in the extreme. At the slightest carelessness, one would be sucked in and perish without a burial ground, so even immortals and gods had to tread with utmost caution.
Although the Heavenly Abyss possessed the most magnificent Dao phenomena of the era, the main reason it remained rather quiet was that deciphering its mysteries was simply too difficult. More often than not, even immortals and gods could not grasp the principle of the resting place of all Daos within it, let alone glean any exquisite divine powers.
On this day, however, the Heavenly Abyss suddenly grew lively. Swarms of strangely dressed immortals and gods rushed in from all quarters—some were Heavenly Venerables, Imperial Monarchs, and Primordial Monarchs of the Immortal Court; others were renowned figures of the Immortal Realm; and still others were powerhouses from the Ancestral Court.
Those already meditating on the abyss were bewildered. How had so many people suddenly converged on this godforsaken place where even birds didn't shit?
Seeing several newcomers flying close to the abyss, an immortal cultivating nearby quickly raised a hand and called out, "Hey, don't get too close to the Heavenly Abyss! You'll be sucked in—"
Before his words faded, those few vanished without a trace, sucked clean into the Heavenly Abyss.
The immortal helplessly withdrew his hand.
"Vile villain!" Several immortals charged up furiously, barking, "Did you push our senior brothers into the Heavenly Abyss? You dare cross us, the Nine Sages of Xiangshan? Damn you, today you pay in blood!"
Seeing them, the immortal hurriedly said, "Don't get too close to the abyss... Never mind, pretend I said nothing."
The remaining immortals among the Nine Sages of Xiangshan, having drawn too close, followed in the footsteps of their fellows. Dragged into the chasm by the Heavenly Abyss's suction, it was a long time before their agonizing screams finally echoed back up.
On this day, the Nine Sages of Xiangshan were entirely wiped out.
Even so, the newcomers learned how treacherous the Heavenly Abyss was and dared not venture too close.
Just then, a voice boomed loudly, "The Heavenly Abyss is a natural cage! In this world today, there are three great prisons. The first is the Immortal Court's Five Hells Heavenly Prison, where the most heinous scoundrels are locked up—villains who cannot even be executed on the Immortal Slaying Stage, and thus must be detained in the Five Hells."
People turned to look. The speaker was none other than the Five Hells Imperial Monarch.
The Five Hells Imperial Monarch governed the Immortal Court's Five Hells Heavenly Prison and knew prisons inside and out; when he spoke of the three great cages, it was like counting family heirlooms.
Those talking with him were several other Imperial Monarchs of the Immortal Court, all Immortal Court masters under Imperial Monarch Xu Ying.
The Five Hells Imperial Monarch said, "The second is the Cosmic Cesspool. The Five Hells hold those convicted of formal crimes, but when dealing with figures who cannot be executed openly and must be disposed of quietly to preserve one's reputation, that requires the Cosmic Cesspool. Bind them tightly, toss them into the cesspool, and let it erode their cultivation and undermine their Great Dao. Nothing is more ruthless! And the third cage is this Heavenly Abyss."
Wenchang Imperial Monarch asked, "What is the story behind the Heavenly Abyss?"
The Five Hells Imperial Monarch chuckled. "The Heavenly Abyss is meant for heinous fiends whom one hates to the very marrow, yet does not wish to kill outright, choosing instead to torment them to vent rage. So they are thrown into the abyss, stuffed into the sea eye at its bottom. The waters of the Heavenly Sea wash over them, tearing away their skin sheet by sheet, stripping their flesh, scouring their primordial spirits until riddled with holes, subjecting them to perpetual agony of body and soul. If they died, that would be the end of it; but the sea eye happens to be a place brimming with vitality, so they cannot die, forced to endure endless torment."
At this moment, Imperial Monarch Xiao of Beiluoshimen walked over and said, "Have you heard the reason behind the dispute between our Imperial Monarch and the Immortal Emperor?"
The several Imperial Monarchs tensed, exchanging glances, none daring to take up the topic.
Imperial Monarch Xiao continued, "I personally made a trip to the Ancestral Court and Yuanshou, and from some old acquaintances, I obtained the new Immortal Dao taught by our Imperial Monarch. Once this new Immortal Dao emerged, it laid the foundation for him as the Dao Ancestor of the new path. Everything we previously learned will be upended; we might even need to start over from scratch."
Wuqu Imperial Monarch could not help saying, "I took the chance to examine the Imperial Monarch's new Immortal Dao as well. It doesn't just upend our learning—it will upend our entire Immortal Court! That new Immortal Dao is remarkably complete and vastly more powerful, pointing straight to the Supreme realm without a single extraneous element. Things like the Dao seed, Dao tree, Dao flower, and Dao fruit—unrelated to the new path—have all been severed away! Cultivating this way is faster, and one's strength is even greater! If this new path spreads, our Immortal Court will be the first to be overturned; even the Immortal Emperor's throne will be toppled..."
"Mind your words, mind your words," Wenchang Imperial Monarch hastily warned.
Imperial Monarch Xiao said, "Yet it is a good thing."
"It is a good thing," the other Imperial Monarchs chorused, "but for us officials of the Immortal Court, it may not be good at all. If this new path spreads, our standing and status won't be safe!"
The newly appointed Zhongyi Imperial Monarch remarked, "Indeed. If the new Immortal Dao spreads, the cave abysses we control will no longer be resources far out of reach for ordinary folk. Without monopolizing resources, who will acknowledge you as an immortal official? Who will acknowledge the Immortal Emperor?"
Once he said this, silence fell over them all.
The reason the Immortal Court could still rule over the realm was that resources were limited. There were only so many cave abysses, and all were held by the Immortal Court.
No matter how brilliant a newly ascended immortal's talent and perception were, without resources they remained a mere Human Immortal, easily snuffed out at a whim.
So long as they held the cave abysses, those abysses could be passed down to sons, then to grandsons, through generations without end, with no fear that common mud-legged folk could ever rebel successfully.
But the new Immortal Dao changed everything. It required practitioners to refine internal cave abysses within their own bodies starting back in their Qi Refiner days. In one stroke, the cave abysses controlled by the Immortal Court ceased to be so rare, making it possible for anyone and everyone to stage a rebellion!
Siyi Imperial Monarch said, "What's more, if others cultivate the new path and you don't follow suit, their cultivation and strength will quickly outstrip yours! How could you remain an Imperial Monarch? When you don't even have the strength to hit someone, who will defer to you?"
"Exactly!" Five Hells Imperial Monarch said. "Our Imperial Monarch came from rebellion. After he and his father quelled the Heavenly Venerable's rebellion and Emperor Changsheng's rebellion, I thought they would be great loyal ministers of the current court. Who could have guessed he would stage a grand rebellion! His rebellious bone is poking right into the old Immortal Emperor's face! Not only is he rebelling against the Immortal Emperor, he's rebelling against us too, stripping away our livelihoods!"
Imperial Monarch Xiao of Beiluoshimen could not help saying, "Fellow Dao brothers, the spread of the new path is ultimately a good thing."
The other Imperial Monarchs cast cold gazes upon him. Wenchang Imperial Monarch sneered, "Imperial Monarch Xiao, what do you mean by that? Whose side are you on? Don't forget that you are an Imperial Monarch too. Your seat is crooked!"
The others sneered as well. "Sitting crooked without even knowing it! Watch out that you don't twist an ankle when you walk!"
Imperial Monarch Xiao looked back at his own rear and thought, *Is my backside really crooked? Having worn this skin bag for so long, it has become a bit ill-fitting.*
His gaze swept over Five Hells, Wenchang, Zhongyi, Yueli, and the other Imperial Monarchs. He mused, *These stinking skin bags are actually quite good. In this battle between Xu Ying and Mingzun, perhaps I can take the opportunity to harvest a few of them.*
Right then, rosy dawn clouds filled the sky, illuminating the sea in brilliant purples and reds. The lingering sound of the Dao resonated, ethereal and faint, mesmerizing to hear.
Yet as they listened, someone suddenly shrieked as their physical body burst open. From within, reds, greens, patterns, and purples erupted—flesh, blood, and intestines growing wildly like clusters of tentacles, flourishing like a bouquet of blossoms, horribly bewitching.
"It is profound Immortal Dao—everyone, do not listen, do not look!" someone yelled. "If you hear or see it without comprehending its subtleties, you will be polluted!"
At those words, the crowd hastily covered their ears and pulled back their gazes, not daring to look.
Only when the rosy light reached the Heavenly Abyss did it gradually draw in, becoming less overbearing, and the sound of the Dao faded until barely audible.
Looking over, the onlookers saw the Nine Emperors of the Nine Heavens arriving. Each sat cross-legged with solemn dignity, backed by myriad Dao phenomena, their glowing haze burning like shrine flames in infinite mystery.
The Imperial Monarchs, Primordial Monarchs, and Heavenly Venerables of the Immortal Court stepped forward to offer greetings, and other immortal officials followed to pay homage before the Nine Emperors of the Nine Heavens.
Jiuyou Emperor declared, "Xu Ying spreads demonic, heretical ways, styling himself the Dao Ancestor of the new path. He bewitches the masses with deceitful words. Neither legal principle nor heavenly principle can tolerate him, and we, the Nine Emperors of the Nine Heavens, will certainly not tolerate him either."
Hearing this, the crowd felt a chill in their hearts, knowing that the Nine Emperors had cast their final verdict upon Xu Ying.
After all, the threat posed by the new Immortal Dao was too great; it shook the very cornerstone of the Immortal Court's rule. Instead of everyone vying for that handful of cave abysses, cultivation itself now granted practitioners their own cave abysses.
The Immortal Court would cease to be essential. And if the Immortal Court was unimportant, the Nine Emperors of the Nine Heavens naturally were not important either.
Yanglong Emperor said, "Xu Ying is treasonous and heinous. On the surface, he was a servant of immense merit, yet he has staged a grand rebellion! His Majesty the Immortal Emperor turned the tide and saw through the vile dog's treacherous schemes. Today, right here in the Heavenly Abyss, that vile dog shall be buried!"
Quelin Emperor roared with murderous intent, "Use him to plug the sea eye!"
Emperor Qinghua said, "If Mingzun falls short, we Nine Emperors remain! Under no circumstances can we let him succeed!"
Taixiao Emperor leaned slightly toward Yanglong Emperor and said, "This new path has already begun spreading in the Ancestral Court. The danger is immense."
Understanding his meaning, Yanglong Emperor replied, "Once matters here are settled, we shall cleanse the Ancestral Court from top to bottom. Every egg in every bird's nest will have its yolk shaken apart, and every earthworm in the mud will be split lengthwise in two! Not a single one will be spared!"
The emperors expressed agreement, praising, "We cannot allow wicked words to plunge the people into chaos."
Hearing this, the assembled immortal officials let out long sighs of relief, bowing in homage and praising, "The Nine Emperors are wise and sagacious."
At that moment, another expanse of rosy light surged from afar, bringing the same sort of pollution. Wherever it passed, it left behind a gaudy, multicolored sky.
The Nine Emperors assumed it was the Heaven and Earth Primordial Spirits—Taiqing, Yuqing, Yuxu, Xuhuang, and the others who stood in opposition to them. But when it drew near, they saw an imperial carriage beneath a grand canopy advancing with great pomp, yet hauling a coffin atop the carriage.
"So it's the zombie of the previous dynasty, the Last Lord of Ziwei! A defeated weakling!" The Nine Emperors sneered. The Last Lord of Ziwei had been defeated in battle, abdicating the imperial throne to Qingxuan, only to be slain later by Dao Lord Luofu and others while living in retirement. Qingxuan had mourned him and buried him with lavish honors.
The Last Lord of Ziwei's carriage drove over the Heavenly Abyss, completely unbothered by the chasm's suction.
Nan Ziyan held a lamp as the Last Lord of Ziwei slowly sat up from the coffin. He glanced at the Nine Emperors of the Nine Heavens, paying them no heed.
Looking down upon the Dao Burial Heavenly Abyss, he felt the Great Dao of heaven and earth come to an abrupt halt here, severed suddenly as if swallowed by the abyss. He could not help praising, "What a truly treacherous place!"
Nan Ziyan said, "Master, this excursion may carry many perils."
The Last Lord of Ziwei laughed. "I am already a dead man, so why fear danger? Dying once more would hardly matter."
Suddenly, his gaze flashed like lightning, sweeping toward the clouds. He sneered, "Bring me the cauldron leg!"
Nan Ziyan hurriedly produced the leg of the Ziwei Demon-Quelling Cauldron. The essence within this Wondrous Realm treasure had already been absorbed by the Last Lord of Ziwei, leaving only a single leg, though its material was still decent.
Staring at that cloud, the Last Lord of Ziwei casually tossed the cauldron leg into the Heavenly Abyss. The cloud shuddered violently, as if infuriated.
Nan Ziyan thought, *Gu Bunian, Dao Lord of Luofu, must be hiding inside that cloud, and Master threw the cauldron leg on purpose to infuriate him. Yet with Master's current strength, he is likely far from a match for him.* Anxious, and fearing that the Last Lord of Ziwei might provoke Dao Lord Luofu further, he quickly asked, "Master, your disciple compiled a copy of Dao Ancestor Xu's new path. Have you looked through it?"
Back when Xu Ying had preached at the Dao Comprehension Platform, Nan Ziyan had been present in the audience and gained deep insights, later compiling a copy for the Last Lord of Ziwei to study.
The Last Lord of Ziwei pulled his gaze back, huffing, "That Xu Ying is nothing but a grave-robbing captain, a tomb burglar! How is he worthy of being called a Dao Ancestor?"
He paused, his anger fading, and admitted, "Yet judging from the new path, he truly is qualified to be called a Dao Ancestor. This new path is extraordinary. Once it spreads, it will inevitably supplant the old path and even topple the Immortal Court's Immortal Dao. Ziyan, I am beyond hope, but having learned my arts and divine powers, you should integrate them with the new path to attain your own enlightenment."
He possessed great foresight, saying, "As of now, aside from Dao Ancestor Xu, the new path remains largely a blank slate. As long as you integrate well, you can carve out your own domain in this field and achieve great things."
Nan Ziyan acknowledged the instruction.
From afar, another surge of rosy light billowed as Xuhuang, Yuxu, Taiqing, and the others arrived escorting Xu Jing and Lan Suying. Each had summoned their Wondrous Realm treasures to prevent sneak attacks, creating a magnificent display of force.
Demons also arrived from afar; the ancient Fusang tree stood tall and erect, tens of thousands of fiery rays swirling around its boughs.
Seeing them, Nan Ziyan finally breathed a sigh of relief, thinking, *Now, Master won't be beaten to death.*
Chapter 618