Upon the River of Spiritual Light, the fleet carrying the Immortal Emperor and his retinue was still on its return voyage. The ships were no longer so far from the Earth Immortal Realm; in just a few days, they would arrive at its ferry.
At that moment, the crowd looked up to see an emerald-green light appear beyond the heavens, hurtling downward like a comet.
"What is that?"
Each pushed their vision to its limits, gazing intently until they could finally discern the emerald-green light clearly.
It was an irregular emerald-green boulder upon which sat a palace of blue-green tiles. Several figures stood before the palace halls.
At the Heavenly Sea Ferry, Daoist Yuji suddenly felt a stir of premonition. He turned toward the River of Spiritual Light and beheld a surge of churning darkness rolling toward the ferry.
"Zangification contamination! Chanchan, come to my side quickly!"
He shouted. Hearing his call, Zhu Chanchan hurried over. Daoist Yuji shook his frame, and dark light poured forth from within him as well, polluting the surroundings.
Zhu Chanchan looked on in astonishment. Just as she was about to ask, Daoist Yuji made a shushing gesture, and she promptly held her tongue.
The churning darkness on the River of Spiritual Light appeared to move slowly, but was deceptively swift. Before long, it reached the Heavenly Sea Ferry. Then the darkness shrank rapidly, and a tall figure stepped out from within.
Lu Yiren glanced at Daoist Yuji and Zhu Chanchan shrouded in darkness. Nodding slightly, he chuckled. "Fellow Daoist Yuji, you have forged a fine treasure."
The tongue he spoke was not the language of the Immortal Dao, but the Dao language of the other shore.
The most peculiar thing about this Dao language was that it transmitted the essence of the Dao directly to the listener, allowing the meaning to be understood with absolute clarity. It was the very language Lu Yiren had used when preaching aboard the World-Crossing Golden Ship.
And it was the same language spoken by the Zangified Dragon Court.
Daoist Yuji took a sharp breath, realizing Lu Yiren had seen through him—he had not truly undergone Zangification, but merely simulated it with a treasure. Ceasing his pretense, he reeled in the darkness and said, "Are you that Dao brother who dwells in the dark? While in the Mortal Realm, I detected traces of you many times, yet I could never catch up to you."
Lu Yiren smiled faintly. Suddenly struck by a premonition, he raised his head to look up.
Seeing him gaze upward, Daoist Yuji looked up as well. Only after a moment did he catch sight of that emerald-green light, though he had no inkling of what it was.
He had relied solely on treasures to raise his combat strength to a level comparable to the Six Venerables and Twelve Wondrous, but his actual cultivation was merely at the Grand Luo Golden Immortal realm. Thus, he could only see the emerald-green light without discerning the rock itself.
A smile surfaced on Lu Yiren's face. He murmured, "This is total Zangification. Only through complete Zangification can one survive in this world! The Zangified Dragon Court will force these stubborn old relics of the Earth Immortal Realm to make the right choice!"
Daoist Yuji withdrew his gaze, but Lu Yiren was already nowhere to be seen.
"Master, who was that big fellow just now?" Zhu Chanchan asked.
Daoist Yuji took a deep breath and said gravely, "An overwhelmingly powerful being, unfathomably deep—a monster born of the Mortal Realm. He should never have stepped beyond it. His emergence into this world can only bring disaster!"
In the Heavenly Dao Ancestral Court, Xu Ying watched the Emerald Rock being pushed down from the Heavenly Immortal Realm, his expression solemn.
There were only two ways to cross the gelatinous zone: one was ascension glow, and the other was an Emerald Rock.
What the Ancestral God was mending was the loophole of the ascension glow.
The ascension glow could carry ascendees through the gelatinous zone into the Heavenly Immortal Realm; conversely, if the ascension glow doubled back, it could carry people from the Heavenly Immortal Realm down into the Earth Immortal Realm.
However, if those on the other side deployed an Emerald Rock to punch through the gelatinous zone, the Earth Immortal Realm would be helpless to stop them.
The onlookers could not help but frown.
The Ancestral God inquired, "This Emerald Rock is the one that crashed into the Heavenly Immortal Realm in ancient days. None know what is carved upon it. The Zangified Dragon Court intends to use it to smash through the gelatinous zone and connect the three realms. Is there any way to stop it?"
The Last Lord of Ziwei and the others furrowed their brows.
Xu Ying hesitated, then said, "I have an Emerald Rock tiered ship here that can traverse the gelatinous zone. If an expert could sail it there, they might be able to seize the Emerald Rock from across the barrier and disrupt the breached region, allowing the gelatinous substance to refill the tunnel. But..."
He looked up toward the firmament. Standing upon the Emerald Rock descending into the gelatinous zone were several mighty figures.
Beyond that, several faint streams of ascension glow flickered—the light carrying ascendees from the Earth Immortal Realm toward the Heavenly Immortal Realm. The Earth Immortal Realm was simply too vast, and the Ancestral God had not yet fully patched every rift, leaving a few places where one could still ascend.
The experts of the Zangified Dragon Court had clearly come prepared!
Even if someone could pilot the Emerald Rock tiered ship to intercept them, it would undoubtedly culminate in an exceedingly bloody clash!
"I shall go,"
the Last Lord of Ziwei said with a chuckle. "Ziyan has been rescued, and now that the New Dao flourishes, there is precious little left that I can teach him. While I still have some use, I shall go stop that Emerald Rock."
Xu Ying hesitated. If the Last Lord of Ziwei went, his body and spirit would surely be destroyed; Xu Ying did not wish to see this old friend vanish from existence forever.
Just then, an aged voice rang out in hearty laughter. "How could we let a zombie like Your Majesty hog all the glory in a grand display like this? In intercepting this threat, this old Daoist bears an inescapable duty!"
Xu Ying looked toward the sound and saw Daoist Taiqing walking over with the Eight Trigrams Alchemy Furnace resting on one palm, his wide robes and flowing sleeves radiating an otherworldly grace.
"Taiqing and Shangqing are of one family."
Daoist Yuqing also stepped into the Heavenly Dao domain. Looking up to study the emerald-green light in the sky, he said with a laugh, "If Taiqing marches to war, Shangqing naturally cannot lag behind. I shall join the battle alongside my junior brother to face the Heavenly Immortal Realm's Zangification."
"And Kunlun cannot be left out of this!"
Daoist Yuxu also arrived at the Heavenly Dao domain, a whisk draped over the crook of his elbow, smiling. "While in the Kunlun Realm, this Daoist saw the Emerald Rock falling—how could I not take the field? Where is the Grand Dao Lord? Where is he?"
Great Dao Lord Xuhuang approached and said in a grave voice, "My friends, even with all of us and our Wondrous Realm treasures, it is still far from enough."
Daoist Yuxu replied, "We also have the Demon Ancestor. Having returned from the dead, he is a hundred times stronger than us."
Daoist Taiqing sneered. "As if you don't know his temperament! Whenever there's glory to be had, he's always there, but when lives are on the line, he slips away faster than anyone!"
Great Dao Lord Xuhuang said, "Though the Demon Ancestor likes taking petty advantages, he has never faltered when greater righteousness is at stake."
At that moment, the Demon Ancestor's hearty laugh echoed. "In the end, it's still the Grand Dao Lord who knows me best! Taiqing, whenever there is glory to be shared, I am guaranteed to show up! How could I possibly miss such a grand stage?"
The others looked over to see the Demon Ancestor striding toward them, hale and hearty.
Xu Ying could not help but frown deeply. These old bones of the Ancestral Court might possess great reputations, but aside from the Demon Ancestor, none of them were formidable fighters!
*The Demon Ancestor is equivalent to one Supreme-tier figure, and the rest combined are roughly equal to another. Two Supremes going to intercept them cannot possibly hold the line!*
Just as Xu Ying was about to speak, the Ancestral God chuckled and said, "Since every fellow Daoist is going, I shall go as well. With only your strength, suppressing the experts atop that Emerald Rock would be difficult, but with me, we will have a chance of victory. Holy Venerable, those going to intercept the Zangified Dragon Court this time are only us old bones whom you once overthrew; none of your rebel army are among us."
His words were dripping with sarcasm.
The Ancestral God truly bore grudges. The Six Venerables and Twelve Wondrous had gravely wounded Him back then, and whenever an opportunity arose, He would mock the Holy Venerable.
The Holy Venerable raised an eyebrow, took a step forward, and said solemnly, "I shall go as well! If a bunch of decadent relics like you dare sacrifice your lives for righteousness, how could cultivators of my generation lag behind?"
The Ancestral God sneered, "Go your foot! What cultivation do you even have right now? There's no place for you on the Emerald Rock tiered ship this time! Stay behind and cultivate diligently. When your cultivation recovers in the future, you will be our cornerstone!"
The Holy Venerable was stunned. "Ancestral God, you..."
The Ancestral God grunted and said calmly, "Once we depart, we may not return. A backbone must remain behind. After Qingxuan died, your Six Venerables and Twelve Wondrous fell apart like loose sand; only you could barely rally them together. You are that backbone. Cultivate with all your might. We can buy you some time. If we fail, the Emerald Rock tiered ship will return, and whoever boards it next will be you and the people of your Immortal Court!"
The Holy Venerable nodded silently.
Suddenly, a woman's clear laughter rang out. "Who says the Six Venerables and Twelve Wondrous have no one to send?"
Everyone turned to look. A woman in white stepped toward them with valiant elegance, the embroidered ribbon tying her hair fluttering in the breeze—the very peerless beauty Xu Ying had seen across the River of Time.
"If even decadent relics like you can sacrifice yourselves for righteousness, how could the Six Venerables and Twelve Wondrous let you hog all the glory?"
Qiongtai arrived before the group, summoning her Heaven-Measuring Ruler with a smile. "The Holy Venerable need not go, but someone from the Six Venerables and Twelve Wondrous must take the field!"
Upon seeing her, Taiqing, Yuqing, and the others all scoffed coldly, "Demoness!"
Qiongtai's willow brows arched and her apricot eyes widened in fury. She sneered, "Old geezers!"
Daoist Taiqing's hand trembled with rage as he shouted, "You master-betraying, ancestor-destroying demoness!"
Fairy Qiongtai gritted her teeth. "You senile, incompetent geezers!"
Daoist Yuqing summoned the Taiji Diagram and Wuji Diagram, intending to draw the demoness inside and refine her to ash, while Daoist Taiqing raised the Eight Trigrams Alchemy Furnace to smelt her to death.
Fairy Qiongtai's lovely face filled with murderous intent, ready to smash the two old fogies to death.
Just as they were about to clash, the Ancestral God coughed and said, "A great enemy looms before us. Both of you say one less word and take a step back."
Yuqing and Taiqing each sneered and withdrew their treasures, and Fairy Qiongtai recalled her Heaven-Measuring Ruler.
Seeing this, Xu Ying felt suspicious. *There is bad blood between them? Of course—the essence of Qiongtai's Heaven-Measuring Ruler is using the two qi of Xuanhuang to evolve mountains, rivers, lakes, and seas, and these very two qi are the supreme techniques of the Taiqing and Shangqing sects. That means Qiongtai most likely hails from either the Taiqing or Shangqing sect! She and Qingxuan were fellow disciples!*
Xu Ying stepped forward and smiled. "The Emerald Rock tiered ship is carved with the Emerald Rock Grand Dao. You will still need someone to help you activate the ship, so I should accompany you."
The Ancestral God shook His head with a laugh. "Dao Ancestor Xu, though you are the Dao Ancestor of the New Dao, do not be overly haughty. You can indeed pilot the Emerald Rock tiered ship, but you are not the only one who understands the Emerald Rock Grand Dao. This old one also understands a bit of the dark Heavenly Dao, and can manage to steer the Emerald Rock tiered ship at a pinch."
The Last Lord of Ziwei smiled. "Dao Ancestor Xu, until you defeat Mingzun, you do not have the qualifications to board the ship."
Xu Ying's face darkened.
Seeing him taken down a peg, the others looked at each other and burst into laughter.
The Ancestral God chuckled. "Dao Ancestor Xu, if we die and the Holy Venerable also passes away, then it will be your turn. Do not let us down. Fellow Daoists, I still need around ten days to mend the Earth Immortal Realm's Heavenly Dao and restrict ascension. You have ten days to prepare. Ten days from now, right here, we shall take ship to intercept the Zangified Dragon Court!"
Everyone nodded in agreement and went their separate ways.
The Last Lord of Ziwei brought Nan Ziyan back to the Ziwei Ancestral Court. He continued tutoring Nan Ziyan, imparting every nuance of his cultivation methods and divine arts over and over, fearful that Nan Ziyan might fail to master them.
Nan Ziyan studied with utmost dedication. Yet after teaching him, the Last Lord of Ziwei stood in a daze for a long while before suddenly breaking into self-deprecating laughter. "I have taught you everything. You may practice it, or you may not. Now that the New Dao flourishes, my ways are already obsolete. If you can weed out the old and bring forth the new, that would be ideal; if you cannot, simply discard it. There is no pity in doing so."
Overcome with grief, Nan Ziyan choked out through tears, "Disciple will surely inherit Master's mantle."
The Last Lord of Ziwei's face dropped, and he snapped displeasedly, "Blockhead! Did you not understand? I am telling you to cultivate the New Dao and express what I taught you through it, so this old tree of mine may sprout new buds! Furthermore, whether it is the Emerald Rock Grand Dao or the Grand Dao of the other shore, both surpass our arts. Remember to learn them as well. Once you learn them, make them your own. But do not undergo Zangification! Do you understand?"
Nan Ziyan nodded in bewilderment, acknowledging the instruction.
The Last Lord of Ziwei sighed. "These were tasks meant for me to carry out, but since I am already dead, I can only entrust them to you. Entrusting them to you does not put my mind at ease, yet I have matters of far greater importance to attend to..."
Full of conflict, he ultimately patted Nan Ziyan's shoulder and walked toward the mausoleums of Emperor Haohong, Emperor Haoying, Emperor Shaohao, and Emperor Taihao.
He entered the tombs of these four human Immortal Emperors and tapped open each sarcophagus, respectfully inviting forth their corpses. At once, a monstrous corpse aura erupted, and grievances surged straight into the clouds—resentment so intense that even the Ziwei Ancestral Court could not suppress it!
All four of these human Immortal Emperors had died violent deaths, murdered by their successors, harboring immense bitterness.
The Last Lord of Ziwei burned incense in worship, chanting, "Four Dao brothers, do you still harbor unfulfilled wishes that turned into obsessions? If you have unfulfilled desires, please manifest."
Wreaths of incense smoke drifted into the nostrils of the four emperors' corpses. After a moment, Emperor Haohong snapped bolt upright, his neck turning with stiff creaks as he stared at the Last Lord of Ziwei, sneering, "Usurping rebel who slew his sovereign, of course We have unfulfilled wishes!"
Just then, Emperor Haoying sat bolt upright as well, his voice chilling. "A regicide rebel—what face do you have to lecture others?"
Emperor Shaohao sat up in turn, sneering, "You are a rebel too!"
Emperor Taihao had just risen, saying, "Shaohao usurped my throne—"
The other three corpses turned their heads in unison, snapping, "Instigator of it all, how dare you speak?"
Emperor Taihao could only ignore them and turned to the Last Lord of Ziwei: "Emperor Haocang, you awakened us. What orders do you have?"
"I dare not presume,"
the Last Lord of Ziwei said. "The Earth Immortal Realm now stands on the brink of destruction. In this hour of life and death, this junior is about to march to his death. Thus, I awakened you all to invite you to walk beside me. I wonder what you lords think?"
Hearing this, the four emperors exchanged glances.
Emperor Taihao said, "The myriad living beings of the Earth Immortal Realm worshiped me, and I enjoyed hundreds of thousands of years of peace and splendor. In this time of desperate struggle for survival, rather than remaining rotting corpses in a tomb waiting to fester away, why not blaze across the sky like shooting stars for one final brilliance? Fellow rebels, what say you?"
Emperor Shaohao stood up, laughing. "I am a Celestial Emperor. In this hour of survival, how could I linger as decaying bones in a tomb?"
Emperor Haoying said, "Since there is no need for vengeance, what harm is there in being smashed to dust for the sake of all living beings?"
Emperor Haohong rose slowly, brushing past the Last Lord of Ziwei. "If a human Immortal Emperor lacked the resolve to fight unto death, how could we have ever overthrown the demon race and stood atop the heavens?"
Chapter 650