Xu Ying's qi and blood surged. Restraining all his martial arts maneuvers, the rapidly spinning martial cave abyss behind him gradually slowed, and the turbulent martial true qi steadily settled.
The youth looked down at his hands and murmured under his breath, "It worked... I succeeded... Hahahaha!"
His laughter grew, his voice ringing louder and louder. "My Dao is finally complete! I have finally walked this path to the end!"
He channeled the martial cave abyss. Innate true qi surged forth like a rainbow, pouring into the realms that had been harvested from him and beginning to reshape them anew!
His heart burned with passion, searing his chest with warmth.
The entire purpose of his martial cultivation had been so that one day he might forge a martial cave abyss, reclaim the realms that had been harvested away, and surpass his former self!
Now, by channeling the martial cave abyss and head-on withstanding Yaoluo Supreme's forty-nine Great Luo Subduing Heaven Swords, he had finally proven the extraordinary nature of this path!
At last, he could boldly recreate his severed realms without the slightest reservation!
This time, with the martial cave abyss as the foundation, the recreated realms were far more perfect than before!
As his innate true qi poured through, a second hidden scene gradually took shape, followed by a third, a fourth, a fifth...
Each hidden scene contained extraordinary Dao manifestations—mountains, rivers, pastoral lands, astral reaches, and myriad phenomena—vast beyond measure.
'Right now is the moment I reshape my foundation in the Great Dao. The Li framework is far superior to rune structures and Dao patterns based on Dao manifestations. Should I convert all my Dao manifestations into the Li framework?'
The thought suddenly surfaced in Xu Ying's mind. The Li framework had already proven its superiority—three Emerald Rocks alone had destroyed the Dragon Court era at its absolute zenith.
The cultivation methods upon the Emerald Rocks had also enabled Emperor Haotian to summon the Taiyi cave abyss and supplant the Demon Court era. And the Dao weeping brought about by the Li framework had led directly to the ruin of the ancient eras.
If he converted his Great Dao framework into the Li framework while reshaping his Dao foundation, both his cultivation and his strength would far surpass what they were before!
In his second battle with Immortal Emperor Supreme, he would be completely confident in slaying him, even if the Immortal Emperor unleashed the Big Dragon primordial spirit, even if he deployed the Holy Venerable's Daming Palace!
He needed only to undergo total Zangification to wield such immense power!
Yet perhaps because he had been harvested twice before, Xu Ying harbored a lingering distrust toward Zangification and the Li framework.
Formidable as the Li framework was, and profound as the Emerald Rock Great Dao might be, the three Emerald Rocks ultimately hailed from the other shore—a place whose intentions, good or evil, remained unknown.
Who could guarantee that these three Emerald Rocks did not harbor hidden vulnerabilities unknown to anyone?
What if these three Emerald Rocks were also meant for harvesting chives?
He could not help recalling his encounter with the Buddhas of the Great Thunderclap Temple. He thought to himself, 'Judging by what happened to the Buddha Ancestor and the others, they don't seem like chives; they seem like hooked fish.'
Zangification through the Li framework was immensely tempting. Merely by cultivating it, one could attain terrifying might. With his aptitude and comprehension, if he thoroughly grasped the Great Dao recorded on the Emerald Rock and deciphered the cultivation methods carved upon it, he could sweep away all obstacles before him!
Yet Xu Ying set the temptation aside.
'Why was the mortal Heavenly Dao able to revive amidst the dark Heavenly Dao?'
He pondered this once more, thinking in silence, 'It surely isn't as simple as mortal hearts and minds alone. The native Great Dao of this world's heaven and earth must possess unique virtues of its own. By seeking its source, one can surpass the Li framework, surpass Zangification!'
He knew this better than anyone, for he had undergone heavenly tribulations countless times in the Mortal Realm, witnessing with his own eyes the resurgence of the native Heavenly Dao driving back the dark Heavenly Dao spawned by the Emerald Rock!
He faintly sensed that he had seized the crucial key to achieving something even greater than the Dao Ancestor. As long as he delved deeper along this path, he would inevitably surpass the Li framework!
On the other side, Yaoluo Supreme's heart sank as he realized his Great Luo Subduing Heaven Swords had failed to take effect.
"If we were in our prime, these Zang and those two Eighth Dao Realm experts would be nothing to worry about! We could even halt this ship!"
Yaoluo Supreme and his companions felt intensely aggrieved. The Zang were not overwhelmingly powerful, nor were Jingming and Ming Wangsun invincible, yet most of the Supremes and Wondrous experts were wounded and unable to exert their full strength.
Yaoluo Supreme was uninjured, but a single tree could not support a forest; he could not overcome the enemy through his might alone.
They had been picked off one by one by Xu Ying, which was how they had fallen into such a dire state.
After all, to them, the prestige of slaying the Holy Venerable and the Ancestral God was simply too grand, and the benefits were enticing enough—especially killing the Holy Venerable, which would let them harvest his three Supreme cave abysses!
Three Supreme cave abysses—that temptation alone was worth the risk.
Just as the World-Crossing Golden Ship seemed about to crush them, its speed slowed further and further until it finally came to a halt. Yaoluo Supreme, Creation Supreme, and the others breathed a sigh of relief. The power of this World-Crossing Golden Ship had its limits; it was not invincible.
After all, the World-Crossing Golden Ship was not a treasure forged for battle, but a vessel built to ferry the Dragon Clan toward survival. In terms of sheer destructive power, it did not far surpass a Supreme treasure.
It was only because Creation Supreme and the others had already been injured that they had been suppressed so miserably.
The moment the World-Crossing Golden Ship was brought to a halt by Yaoluo Supreme and the others, brilliant snow-white light suddenly erupted in the darkness. Myriad Dao landscapes floated in midair as Immortal Emperor Supreme raised countless Dao trees and Dao fruits, three great cave abysses—Haocang, Taiyi, and Taiyi—floating behind him as he stepped forward with steady grace.
Zang figures howled and charged forward against the Dao trees and Dao fruits of the Daming Palace, but in the next instant, the myriad Dao trees shone with radiant brilliance, and the Dao fruits unleashed waves of Dao might, holding back the thousands of Zang who rivaled Daluo Golden Immortals!
"My Daming Palace!"
The Holy Venerable gave a cold snort, his gaze turning baleful. "Shanming, you brazen brat!"
Immortal Emperor Supreme met his gaze and gave a slight bow, before looking past the Holy Venerable to meet Xu Ying's eyes.
Surprise flickered across his face, and he raised his hand to calculate, only to pause.
Xu Ying gently raised his hand. Jingming and Ming Wangsun immediately swooped down, crashing against the formation of Dao trees, Dao fruits, and Dao landscapes from the Daming Palace, head-on clashing with the myriad Dao trees and Dao fruits as they led the thousands of Zang back.
They leaped into the air one after another, landing upon the golden ship.
The golden key slowly rose, and the World-Crossing Golden Ship ascended with it.
Looking down from above, Xu Ying gazed at Immortal Emperor Supreme without a word. Parts of his body that had been harvested still bore unhealed Dao injuries, which suddenly began to throb with faint pain.
Seeing Immortal Emperor Supreme arrive, Yaoluo Supreme and the others sighed in relief. Dan Xuanzi, Mister Dongshi, Fairy Huoling, and the rest coughed blood repeatedly, their auras waning, barely keeping to their feet.
The Immortal Emperor's timing was impeccable—arriving just as their strength was about to give out, providing timely assistance in their hour of direst need.
This was an old habit among the Six Supremes and Twelve Wondrous figures, and the Immortal Emperor played it brilliantly, with even more seasoned finesse than they had.
"Shanming has arrived late to the rescue," Immortal Emperor Supreme said with a contrite expression, bowing in greeting to Creation, Yaoluo, and the others. "Had I arrived a step earlier, martial uncles would not have suffered such injuries."
Creation Supreme said warmly, "Think nothing of it. Your Majesty arrived at the perfect moment."
He had previously always addressed the Immortal Emperor as martial nephew, occasionally even calling him directly by name; now he switched to calling him Your Majesty.
He felt deep sentiment inside: 'I have always underestimated Meng Shanming, thinking he was still that worthless little brat under Qingxuan's tutelage. Who would have thought that given the chance, he would soar to such heights.'
Dao Lord Luofu looked at the Dao fruits and Dao trees encircling the Immortal Emperor, his expression complicated. On that day when they forced their way into the Holy Venerable's Daming Palace, in addition to Creation and the Immortal Emperor, he had also been present, and his contribution had been by no means small.
Yet at the crucial moment, the Immortal Emperor had struck him squarely in the back, gravely injuring him so that he received not a single share of the spoils!
Now, seeing the Immortal Emperor mobilize these Dao trees and Dao fruits, one could easily imagine how sour he felt inside.
Back then, after he fled, the ones who divided the Daming Palace were Creation Supreme and the Immortal Emperor. Creation Supreme hauled away the entire Daming Palace and took all the Dao landscapes, claiming the lion's share.
The Immortal Emperor received only the Dao trees, Dao flowers, and Dao fruits, taking the smaller share. Most of the gains had gone to Creation Supreme.
However, Creation Supreme later discovered that in order to activate the Dao landscapes, one had to understand each of the different Great Daos to wield them proficiently. He was adept in the Dao of Creation and had cultivated the Qi of Creation, but thoroughly deciphering the Great Daos cultivated by the Holy Venerable proved an arduous task.
Furthermore, he was already one of the most powerful beings under heaven. The Dao of Creation was one of the strongest Daos in existence, and the Haoying cave abyss was among the world's most formidable cave abysses—why would he need to bother understanding the principles within those Dao landscapes?
The Immortal Emperor, however, was different. After obtaining the Dao trees, Dao flowers, and Dao fruits, he immediately began researching them from the Dao trees upward. The principles embedded in the Dao trees were relatively accessible, and he could use divine divination to deduce the Dao arts they contained.
Once he comprehended the principles of the Dao trees, progressing from simple to profound made understanding the Dao flowers far easier, from which he could then extrapolate to the Dao fruits.
In this way, he could employ the Dao flowers, Dao trees, and Dao fruits alike.
Thus, even though Creation Supreme had obtained the lion's share of the Daming Palace, his practical gains were far less than the Immortal Emperor's.
"Xu Ying, long time no see."
Immortal Emperor Supreme's gaze rested upon Xu Ying, seemingly a little surprised, and he smiled with genuine gratification. "Seeing you alive brings Us great comfort. We deduced your whereabouts more than once, and every divination indicated that you were dead. Seeing you now, We finally understand: the Xu Ying who was once manipulated within the cycle of reincarnation is indeed dead. But the snake catcher survived."
Xu Ying's gaze was dark and quiet. He had always thought that upon seeing the Immortal Emperor again, he would be unable to contain his wrath and would fight him to the death. Yet when the moment actually came, he found himself far, far calmer than he had expected.
Yuan Weiyang came to his side and gently took his hand, easing his mind.
Immortal Emperor Supreme's eyes fell upon Yuan Weiyang, and he smiled. "The Primordial Monarch is likewise. Few under heaven can fool Us, yet you are one of them."
Yuan Weiyang was somewhat puzzled. She had never met the Immortal Emperor before, and could not understand why he seemed so familiar with her.
Immortal Emperor Supreme said languidly, "The word 'love' is the hardest knot to untie. We went to great pains forty-eight thousand years ago to place a reincarnation curse upon the two of you, forcing you through lifetime after lifetime of rebirth until your affections took deep root. Even We ourselves could not unravel such a reincarnation curse imbued with the power of the Samsara Great Dao. Yet you broke it, Primordial Monarch. You fooled Us. Such talent inspires awe."
He praised them repeatedly, full of admiration. "One was the Xu Ying of forty-eight thousand years ago, the other was Primordial Monarch Zitong—a pair of star-crossed lovers who actually broke the curse of the Samsara Great Dao through self-sacrifice and escaped it together!"
Yuan Weiyang asked in confusion, "Ah Ying, what is he talking about?"
Xu Ying's expression remained placid. "Nothing. Just a dying man's last words."
Immortal Emperor Supreme continued his endless praise. "Back when you ate two bowls of rice at my master Qingxuan's place, I should have realized that you were no longer the real you. How could I have imagined that the you bearing forty-eight thousand years of memories was not the true body, while the you with a mere twenty years of memories was the real one? A fine deception! Truly, a marvelous trick!"
Xu Ying said indifferently, "Mingzun, no need to wag your tongue. Between you and me, there is still a final battle to be fought."
Immortal Emperor Supreme raised his brows. The three cave abysses lined up behind him, radiating pure auras of the Great Dao. He smiled. "Xu Ying, when and where do you wish to fight this decisive battle?"
That pure Great Dao aura emanating from the cave abysses came from none other than the thirteen Dao landscapes he had harvested from Xu Ying!
Not only that, he had also stripped Xu Ying of his various realms, and at this moment, had refined those realms together with his own, causing his cultivation and strength to soar by leaps and bounds!
The Holy Venerable's expression turned grave. 'Are these Xu Ying's realms from when he was in the Dao Ancestor state? The boost Mingzun gained from transplanting a Dao Ancestor's realms is simply immense!'
Though grievously injured, his discernment and vision were extraordinary.
A Dao Ancestor was no small matter. While Xu Ying's cultivation at the time had not yet reached the Supreme realm, his strength had already rivaled that of a Supreme. Harvesting Xu Ying did not merely add the power of another Supreme to the Immortal Emperor; it completely shored up his weaknesses!
The current Immortal Emperor had already surpassed Emperor Qingxuan of the past, as well as Creation Supreme and Yaoluo Supreme in their prime!
'It is still uncertain who is stronger between him and Dao Venerable Lü,' the Holy Venerable thought. 'Dao Venerable Lü hid inside the Wangxiang Terrace and cultivated for six hundred thousand years. His current cultivation and strength are no longer those of the Dao Venerable Lü ranked fourth. If the Six Supremes were ranked anew, Dao Venerable Lü would surpass Creation and stand right behind me!'
Dao Venerable Lü was a peak Supreme who had cultivated for six hundred thousand years; in the Holy Venerable's eyes, that the Immortal Emperor could be placed on par with him was already the highest praise!
'Unfortunately, Mingzun's aptitude and comprehension are still somewhat lacking; he will always struggle to reach the absolute pinnacle,' the Holy Venerable mused.
At that moment, Xu Ying's voice rang out: "One year from now, beside the Heavenly Abyss."
The Ancestral God and the Holy Venerable both felt their hearts leap and turned to look at Xu Ying. One year was far too short—by then, the two of them might not even have healed their injuries!
Immortal Emperor Supreme laughed. "Good! One year from now, I will harvest you once more!"
He slowly withdrew. Dan Xuanzi, Dongshi, Huoling, and the others struggled to keep up with him, retreating together.
Xu Ying stood upon the Emerald Rock, watching them depart until Immortal Emperor Supreme and the others vanished into the darkness.
The Ancestral God frowned slightly and said, "Ah Ying, the one-year agreement you set is far too soon. You should have given him ten years..."
Deeming ten years still unsafe, he corrected himself, "A hundred years! A hundred-year term would be best!"
Xu Ying smiled faintly and replied, "Rest easy, Ancestral God. I am entirely certain that in one year's time, before the eyes of everyone in the Immortal Realm, I will beat him to death with my bare hands!"
Chapter 639