Xu Ying watched the approaching Demon Ancestor and smiled. "Does the Demon Ancestor intend to stop me as well?"
The Demon Ancestor shook his head. "Xu Ying, you are the prodigy of the human race. Your death would be a blessing for my demon race, removing another stumbling block from our path to resurgence. Why would I stop you from courting death? Unfortunately, His Majesty has asked me to hold you back."
His expression straightened, turning earnest. "Xu Ying, you have a glorious future ahead of you. You must not fight a duel against Mingzun over a momentary burst of impulse. Have you ever considered why Mingzun chose to challenge you right now? Is it truly for this so-called inheritance of the New Dao? Why didn't he choose to challenge you decades or centuries later? The window of time in which he can defeat you is rapidly closing. You need only endure, holding out for a mere ten or twenty years, and you will surpass him."
Xu Ying shook his head. "I understand your good intentions, Demon Ancestor, but if Mingzun wishes to force my hand, doing so is trivially simple. With a single decree, the Immortal Court could march into the Ancestral Court—slaughter Taiqing, wipe out Yuqing, trample Yuxu flat, sweep clean the Yin Court, slay that bandit leader Little Celestial Venerable, uproot the Fusang Tree, decapitate the corpse of Ziwei, and level the lands of the Ancestral Court. When that happens, will I have the choice not to act?"
The Demon Ancestor's expression shifted slightly.
The Immortal Emperor indeed possessed countless ways to force Xu Ying's hand. Beyond Xu Ying's parents, he could flatten the Ancestral Court and slaughter everyone connected to him.
All of those methods were simple and entirely feasible for him.
Since that was the case, why wait until his friends and loved ones suffered grievous casualties before striking?
The Demon Ancestor sighed. That was precisely why he had rushed here to bolster Xu Ying's side. Xu Ying was a benefactor to the Ancestral Court, not someone who brought calamity upon it. The demon race had once received his grace; if they did not step forward now to lend him their support, they would become the laughingstock of the world, left without an ounce of face to attempt their resurgence.
The Demon Ancestor said gravely, "Since that is so, I shall not dissuade Dao Ancestor Xu any further. However, I too must exchange ten moves with you."
Xu Ying bowed deeply. "Thank you."
The Demon Ancestor smiled. "Please!"
Xu Ying mobilized the full power of his Dao Scene realm. His Taiyi bodhimanda unfurled, thirteen Dao scenes manifesting as he took the initiative to strike first and suppress the Demon Ancestor!
The thirteen Dao scenes within his bodhimanda instantly made the Demon Ancestor feel as though he had stepped into the realm of the great void. Massive streams of Xuan and Huang Qi surged as if heaven and earth were first dividing; a chaotic sea blotted out the sky and sun; the Glazed Pure Void stretched immaculate and clear; the boundless Undetermined Great River ran endlessly; and an Emerald Rock radiated Dao weeping, fundamentally disrupting the laws of heaven and earth!
These thirteen Dao scenes and their myriad phenomena were all transformed from the Great Dao!
Even an existence of the Demon Ancestor's caliber found his aura slightly suppressed. He could not help but praise, "Dao Ancestor Xu is extraordinary!"
Executing One Qi Transforms into Three Purities, Xu Ying split into four identical figures, all surging forward toward the Demon Ancestor at once. Earlier, when sparring with the Last Lord of Ziwei, the Last Lord had seized the upper hand from the very first moment, suppressing Xu Ying's vitality to the point where he could neither see nor hear, entirely losing the initiative.
Over the Last Lord's ten moves, Xu Ying had lost the first nine, only managing to barely force a draw on the tenth by utilizing his zangification methods to drive the Emerald Rock's divine abilities.
Yet had it been a true battle of life and death, Xu Ying would have perished on the very first strike.
Having absorbed that lesson, he actively took the initiative now, unleashing One Qi Transforms into Three Purities alongside the Emerald Rock's divine abilities from the start, meeting the Demon Ancestor with his most powerful techniques!
He wanted to prove against the Demon Ancestor whether his strategy was effective and whether he could hold his own against an existence like the Immortal Emperor!
Suddenly, countless branches fluttered and roots danced behind the Demon Ancestor as the Fusang Ancient Tree rustled, taking root directly within his bodhimanda. Its root tips linked into his Great Dao.
The Dao weeping immediately lost the power to affect the Demon Ancestor's true body. The four Xu Yings charged forward with the Emerald Rock divine ability, Emerald Rocks floating behind each of them. One was the primary body, while the other three were manifested from Taiyi Qi, each possessing roughly seventy percent of Xu Ying's true strength!
With all four acting in unison, their might surged exponentially!
Standing beneath the tree, the Demon Ancestor chuckled. "Dao Ancestor Xu, allow me to introduce the past emperors of my demon race! The first: Demon Emperor Jun!"
No sooner had the words left his mouth than countless branches within the Fusang Tree intertwined and whipped about, woven from the Great Dao itself to form a towering three-legged golden crow. With the head of a bird, the body of a man, three legs, and golden wings, it landed on the ground and met one of the Xu Yings head-on!
This Demon Emperor had been the first demon sovereign to rule the world following the fall of the Dragon Court and the shattering of the Earth Immortal Realm. He had founded the primitive Demon Immortal Court and established the system of the Daluo Golden Immortal, which endured to this day.
Even in the era of the New Dao, many still cultivated the Daluo Golden Immortal path.
His achievements were equal to those of Xu Ying today; he was the Dao Ancestor of the demon race!
"The second: Emperor Donghuang!"
Upon the Fusang Tree, branches swayed and wove together into the silhouette of another demon sovereign. With a heavy thud, it struck the ground, charging toward the second Xu Ying.
This sovereign was the second Demon Emperor, likewise belonging to the lineage of the Golden Crow. His bearing was majestic, domineering beyond measure. During the reign of the first Demon Emperor, demons, gods, and humans stood in three-way contention, a state of utter turmoil. Yet Emperor Donghuang's combat prowess vastly outstripped the rest; relying purely on martial might, he had vanquished every race, unified the Earth Immortal Realm, and allowed the demon race to stand truly supreme in the world!
"The third: Emperor Siyou!"
"The fourth: Emperor Hong!"
"The fifth: Emperor Chiyin!"
"The sixth: Emperor Yanlong!"
"The seventh: Emperor Jun!"
"The eighth: Emperor Yu!"
"The ninth: Emperor Zhong!"
"The tenth: Emperor Bo!"
By the time four Demon Emperors had manifested, they had already engaged all four Xu Yings, rendering his One Qi Transforms into Three Purities useless.
Once all ten Demon Emperors took form, Xu Ying was thrown into a completely defensive position. Each clone formed from his Qi faced the onslaught of two Demon Emperors, while his true body was besieged by four, forced into relentless retreat!
Each Demon Emperor the Demon Ancestor manifested counted as a single strike; ten Demon Emperors made ten strikes.
The Demon Ancestor's voice drifted through the air, leisurely and measured. "The ten emperors of my demon race achieved great merits and possessed fierce, unyielding spirits, yet their natures were inherently tyrannical. The six million eight hundred thousand years of demon rule were also six million eight hundred thousand years of rebellion from every other race. The Demon Emperors of past eras either perished beneath the combined sieges of the other races or fell to the internal squabbling of demon behemoths. For that reason, beginning with Demon Emperor Jun, every subsequent Demon Emperor was required to imprint his Great Dao upon the Fusang Tree."
*Thwack!*
Xu Ying's first Sanqing clone was shattered, collapsing into a strand of white Qi that sought to retreat into his body, only to be seized in a pincer movement by Emperor Bo and Emperor Zhong.
The white Qi thrashed erratically, yet could not slip from the two emperors' grasp. Immediately afterward, the green-robed Xu Ying was also beaten back to his original form, condensing into a cluster of green Qi that was captured by Emperor Chiyin and Emperor Yanlong.
Xu Ying and his final clone struggled to fend off attacks coming from every direction, their situation turning precarious!
"The Great Dao of the ten demon emperors transformed into branches upon my tree, safeguarding the security of the Demon Court—until Emperor Haotian, a heaven-defying powerhouse of the human race, unlocked the enlightenment of Taiyi, summoned the Taiyi Cave Abyss from beyond our domain, and achieved the Wondrous Realm."
The yellow-robed Xu Ying was struck down by Emperor Yu and Emperor Jun, dissolving into a cluster of yellow Qi that the two emperors promptly secured.
The remaining four emperors pressed their assault on Xu Ying. Seasoned and ruthless in battle, they relentlessly battered him, repeatedly checking his momentum despite his perfected Leakless Golden Body.
"Emperor Haotian possessed an imposing, peerless presence. Having bested Emperor Bo, he marched beneath the Fusang Tree to challenge me. I brought forth the ten emperors to contend with him, battling for ten days and ten nights before Emperor Haotian emerged victorious, crushing the imprints of the ten emperors beneath the might of the Taiyi Cave Abyss. From that day forth, I knew the great tide had turned against the demon race. I had no choice but to bow in submission, withdrawing to our own modest corner as a feudatory vassal."
The Demon Ancestor's voice continued, "Later, when Qingxuan, the Sacred Venerable, and their circle led a force to ambush the Ancestral God, I caught wind of the matter and went to rescue the Ancestral God, only to cross paths with those two Supreme realm masters, Qingxuan and the Sacred Venerable. In my duel against Emperor Haotian, it took ten days and ten nights for me to fall; but against those two Supreme realm experts, only half an hour elapsed between the very first exchange and the moment I was uprooted and slain. Mingzun is Qingxuan's disciple, and his divine abilities stem from Qingxuan—they are all Supreme divine abilities."
*Boom!*
Xu Ying unleashed the Earth Immortal, Human Realm, and Heavenly Immortal seals, striking down three of the four Demon Emperors assailing him. Yet the remaining seven surged forward in unison, thrusting their palms forward together. Xu Ying coughed up blood and was hurled backward, tumbling entirely out of his own bodhimanda.
His bodhimanda was immobilized by the Demon Ancestor, held completely rigid.
The roots of the Demon Ancestor's true Fusang form spread through that bodhimanda, twining tightly around the thirteen Dao scenes and preventing Xu Ying from retrieving his domain.
Then the Demon Ancestor abruptly pulled back his roots, releasing the bodhimanda and drawing the remaining seven Demon Emperors back into branches upon the tree.
Xu Ying's green, yellow, and white strands of Qi were freed as well, converging back into Taiyi Qi as they returned to his body.
"Dao Ancestor Xu, you do not yet possess the prowess that Qingxuan, the Sacred Venerable, or Emperor Haotian wielded in those days. Why not endure just a little longer?" the Demon Ancestor asked as he withdrew his phenomena.
Xu Ying shook his head and offered a faint smile. "When will one ever be truly ready? Rather than being driven to a dead end by Mingzun, I would rather fight him to the death right now!"
The Demon Ancestor stepped aside with a sigh and smiled. "Since your mind is set, I cannot refuse you. I only hope Dao Ancestor Xu can ponder the subtleties of these exchanges and comprehend a divine ability that will carry you to victory."
Xu Ying bowed in gratitude and walked straight past him.
Demon Emperor Jin Buyi came to the Demon Ancestor's side and inquired, "Demon Ancestor, how does it look?"
The Demon Ancestor shook his head. "Not optimistic. Xu Ying's cultivation and strength are roughly what I anticipated, but Mingzun pulled up the seedlings to speed their growth. His advancement was not an ascent up a staircase step by step, but a series of disjointed leaps. There are areas where his cultivation has not caught up—especially in his divine abilities, where Mingzun vastly outclasses him. Right now, unless Qingxuan were to return to life and personally guide him in divine abilities, he has virtually no chance of winning."
Demon Emperor Jin Buyi frowned.
Counting the seven years of false memories, Xu Ying was barely thirty-six years old in this lifetime. Across twenty-one years of cultivation history, even with the foundation of his first life to support him, reaching a level comparable to a Daluo Golden Immortal in a mere twenty-one years was more than enough to take pride in.
However, a large portion of that cultivation and realm had been orchestrated and forcefully pumped into him by the Immortal Emperor to inflate his Dao attainment, leaving his comprehension at every single stage slightly lacking in refinement.
Minor deficits, when accumulated, would inevitably turn into fatal flaws.
Xu Ying arrived beside the Heavenly Abyss and sat down quietly, calmly waiting for the Immortal Emperor's arrival.
***
Above the Heavenly Sea, several formidable figures chased after Useless Qingxuan at breakneck speed, swift as fleeting light. Their heads were shrouded in layered divine radiance, obscuring their features.
Yet after pursuing him for so long, not only had they failed to capture Useless Qingxuan, but they had also lost all trace of him, leaving all three feeling deeply embarrassed.
"He was wounded by Nangong; he can't have fled far! Search the area!"
The three figures flickered and darted off in different directions.
Meanwhile, Useless Qingxuan slipped into the Heavenly Abyss from another angle, traversing the treacherous interior of the chasm as though treading on level ground.
Moments later, he arrived before the Sea Eye deep within the Heavenly Abyss.
The Sea Eye was a pitch-black cavity that pulverized everything. When the waters of the Heavenly Sea plummeted here, the crashing waves dissolved into pure energy, vanishing into the abyss of the Sea Eye.
Even the stars and constellations that fell into the Heavenly Sea were compressed, warped, ignited, and transformed into pure energy to be swallowed by the Sea Eye!
Whenever a star plummeted and blazed within the Sea Eye, it resembled a bright pupil lighting up within a pitch-black iris, breathtakingly beautiful. And because the waters of the Heavenly Sea were annihilated here, consumed by this vast hollow, it was called the Sea Eye.
Earlier, when Yuan Qi had peered down from above the Heavenly Abyss and seen another serpent gazing back, it was because a star was being consumed by the Sea Eye at that very moment, opening the Sea Eye's gaze to reflect Yuan Qi's own image.
Around the Sea Eye stood a ring of ancient stone pillars, perfectly square in cross-section, a thousand yojanas thick and ten thousand yojanas tall. They were driven deep into the churning elements of earth, water, wind, and fire, carved with strange, primordial patterns whose origins were lost to time.
Enormous chains were fastened to these stone pillars, weaving across the perimeter of the Sea Eye into an intricate design.
"Master!"
A trembling voice called out from the depths of the Sea Eye, crying out in shock, "Master, is it truly you, Master? You're still alive... I thought you were dead! *Sob, sob, sob...*"
Useless Qingxuan looked down into the Sea Eye to see an exceptionally burly, muscular man bound by chains, suspended inside the vortex. Stripped of all clothing, his skin was continuously being torn apart, bursting into roaring flames that plunged into the depths of the Sea Eye.
It was Wei Xu.
Useless Qingxuan smiled, hopped onto one of the stone pillars, and crouched down to look at Wei Xu. "Good disciple, I heard you were stuffed into a furnace and refined for hundreds of thousands of years. How did you end up in this state again? Both of my disciples certainly know how to make a name for themselves!"
His flesh continuously torn to shreds and incessantly regenerating, Wei Xu endured the excruciating pain and said, "Master, I was ambushed by Dao Lord Luofu! He imitated your voice, tricking me into believing you were suppressed here. When I stepped forward to check and tried to rescue you, he used a decoy technique to trap me in this place while he made his escape!"
Useless Qingxuan scratched his head with a chuckle. "If your senior brother sliced half his brain off and gave it to you, both of you would be considerably smarter."
He pulled forcefully on the chains, expending immense effort before finally wrenching Wei Xu free.
Wei Xu dropped to his knees in homage, his head striking the ground with several loud thuds as he choked back tears. "Master, I heard you were already dead."
Useless Qingxuan laughed. "I am indeed already dead. This is nothing more than my stray thought. Hurry up and get over here! I'm not good at sentimentality; if you keep crying, I'll kick you right back down!"
Not daring to weep any longer, Wei Xu scrambled up in a hurry. He looked at Qingxuan's face, his tears threatening to spill over once more.
Useless Qingxuan made a gesture as if to kick him. Wei Xu didn't bother dodging; taking the blow, he parted his lips in a broad, silly grin.
Useless Qingxuan said, "Your senior brother is about to do something terrible—he intends to harvest the Dao Ancestor of the New Dao. If his harvest succeeds, he will plunge into eternal damnation. As their master, it isn't fitting for me to intervene directly. Once you get out of here, go find the Dao Ancestor of the New Dao, demonstrate the divine abilities I taught you before him, and save your senior brother's life."
Wei Xu scratched his head. "Master, why don't you pass them to this New Dao Ancestor yourself?"
"Because I don't know them!"
Useless Qingxuan said ruefully, "Qingxuan only attained the Supreme realm after severing me from himself. The divine abilities he comprehended after that point are completely beyond me. Of my two foolish disciples, you have the best aptitude, so you must have learned far more. Only you can go."
Overjoyed, Wei Xu beamed. "I knew I was the smartest!"
"It's aptitude, not intelligence. Aptitude and intelligence are two completely different things," Useless Qingxuan corrected him.
Wei Xu paid the distinction no mind. He opened his massive mouth and bellowed, "Little Martial Nephew, come on out!"
Being a giant, someone actually flew out from his mouth—none other than Zulong Zhao Zheng, carrying a series of extrinsic realms upon his back.
"Address him as Grandmaster," Wei Xu instructed.
Zulong Zhao Zheng bowed in reverence. "Greetings, Grandmaster."
Surprised, Useless Qingxuan looked Zhao Zheng up and down, asking in confusion, "What is his deal?"
Wei Xu explained, "When Dao Lord Luofu ambushed me, it happened so suddenly that I had no choice but to swallow Little Martial Nephew to keep him from dying in the Sea Eye. Master, which one is this New Dao Ancestor?"
Useless Qingxuan replied, "Xu Ying."
A fierce glint flashed in Wei Xu's eyes as he snarled viciously, "I'll beat him to death!"
Chapter 620