At the gap into the Heavenly Immortal Realm.
Elder Long Dai said, "Elder Chao, Young Master Qixuan of the other shore has died in our Heavenly Immortal Realm. What should we do?"
Elder Chao was none other than the mighty dragon who had returned from the other shore long ago at the helm of the World-Crossing Golden Ship. His name was Chao Yuandao. Back in the era of the Dragon Court, he had been honored as one of the Nine Dukes, an existence even more ancient than Heavenly Prime Minister Bi Yanhai.
His gaze remained fixed upon the emerald rock tiered ship. That emerald rock tiered ship could navigate freely through the gelatinous zone. It was not fast, yet the chunk of emerald rock from the Heavenly Immortal Realm could never catch up to it.
The dragon experts of the Heavenly Immortal Realm had been stalled for a long time, unable to make any progress.
That emerald rock tiered ship seemed to lead them by the nose, refusing to give them the chance to catch up and engage in a decisive battle.
"Young Master Qixuan was the disciple of Yin Yuanzi, a titan of the other shore," Chao Yuandao said after a moment of quiet contemplation. "We do not know how many immortal mountains we would have to pay to appease Yin Yuanzi. If he learns of this, he will likely fly into a rage and come demanding an explanation.
"Right now, the most important thing is to first force a path through to the Earth Immortal Realm and communicate with its rulers, demanding they hand over the culprit."
Elder Long Dai said, "They have already sent this emerald rock tiered ship to intercept us, making it plain that they refuse to communicate. What can we do?"
Chao Yuandao smiled faintly. "The Earth Immortal Realm is vast. There will always be someone willing to talk."
With a gentle wave of his hand, a ray of ascension glow that had been frozen in space-time flew over. Imprisoned within the glow was an ascender from the Earth Immortal Realm.
This ascender possessed delicate, handsome features, but for some reason, his head had been broken open. The inside of his skull was completely empty—he had grown no brain at all, giving him an air of utter foolishness.
Elder Long Dai gave a start. "One can ascend even without a brain?"
Back before the Ancestral God sealed the Earth Immortal Realm, quite a few ascenders had seized the opportunity to ascend to the Heavenly Immortal Realm, only to be captured. Seeing that this man possessed no brain, Chao Yuandao had left him out of the group dispatched to escort the emerald rock. He hadn't expected this omission to leave him a useful card to play.
"What is your name?" Chao Yuandao asked, speaking the dragon Dao language of the primordial era.
He was one of the few who could still speak the dragon Dao language.
The brainless ascender looked completely blank.
Chao Yuandao frowned slightly and switched to the language of the Earth Immortal Realm. Having not spoken it for tens of millions of years, his words were somewhat clumsy. The language of the Earth Immortal Realm actually originated from the Mortal Realm, dating back to when demons and humans lived together and shared their own tongue.
The ascender understood his words and said, "My name is Foolish Ah Fu."
Chao Yuandao examined Foolish Ah Fu closely and said to Elder Long Dai, "There is still a trace of a brain inside his skull, just not much. That makes him easy to control. I must trouble you, Elder Long Dai, to descend to the lower realm with him, locate the rulers of the Earth Immortal Realm, and communicate with them. I will teach you some of their tongue, and you can learn more from Ah Fu along the way. When you meet their ruler, you must make him understand that our Heavenly Immortal Realm does not seek to annex and enslave them, but to bring them the advanced civilization of the other shore."
Elder Long Dai asked in bewilderment, "We aren't going to enslave them?"
Chao Yuandao glanced at him, displeased. "Our dragon clan was originally the master of this realm. When we return to the Earth Immortal Realm and reunite the three realms, we will naturally be the masters once more. Wherever there are masters, there must be slaves."
Understanding his meaning, Elder Long Dai smiled. "And what if they are unwilling?"
Chao Yuandao offered a faint smile. "Then you shall destroy their Earth Immortal Realm seal and allow ascenders from their realm to ascend to the Heavenly Immortal Realm. We can then descend along those rays of glow and tear open a passage."
Elder Long Dai complied. After spending several days learning the language of the Earth Immortal Realm from Chao Yuandao, he flew into that ray of glow.
Chao Yuandao channeled his cultivation and pushed out a light palm. The ascension glow instantly reversed direction, flying out through the gap in the Heavenly Immortal Realm and speeding toward the Earth Immortal Realm!
Carrying another person through the gelatinous zone slowed the ascension glow considerably. Seeing that Foolish Ah Fu seemed honest and naive, Elder Long Dai did not bully him. Speaking haltingly in his still unpracticed human tongue, he said, "My name is Long Dai. If you cooperate well, not only will I spare your life, but I can also teach you how to undergo Zangification without dying and impart the Dao methods and divine arts of the other shore to you. Over the next few days, teach me your language. Do you understand?"
Foolish Ah Fu nodded repeatedly, though worry quietly gnawed at his heart.
He had only just ascended and was still weak in cultivation; he had no idea how he might kill this mighty dragon expert.
He weighed countless schemes, but while they might suffice against a Heavenly Monarch, they fell far short against an existence of the Supreme realm.
Within a few days, Elder Long Dai had mastered the language of the Earth Immortal Realm and could converse fluently with Foolish Ah Fu.
Foolish Ah Fu asked haltingly, "Elder, could you teach me the Dao methods and divine arts of the other shore?"
"I gave you my word, so naturally I won't go back on it."
Thinking nothing of it, Elder Long Dai taught him the intricate workings of the Li framework, explaining the meaning behind each structure in detail. He was a great expert of the eighth realm of the Dao Realm, with strength far surpassing ordinary Supreme-level figures. His profound insights left Foolish Ah Fu staring with wide eyes, utterly bewildered as though lost in the clouds.
Elder Long Dai taught for two days, but lacking a proper brain, Foolish Ah Fu simply couldn't comprehend his explanations.
Elder Long Dai didn't mind and kept droning on. When Foolish Ah Fu grumbled that he couldn't understand, Long Dai laughed and said, "I promised to impart the Dao methods and divine arts of the other shore to you, and I haven't broken that promise. As for whether you can understand them, that is none of my concern."
Foolish Ah Fu choked with exasperation.
Watching him squirm in helpless frustration, Elder Long Dai roared with laughter, thoroughly amused.
Foolish Ah Fu flushed red. After thinking for a long time, he said, "Keep explaining! Whether I understand is my own business!"
Seeing his stubbornness, Elder Long Dai's temper flared as well. "A cultivator of a lower race like you—if you begged me, I might have the patience to teach you some simpler concepts. But you insist on being stubborn! Fine, let's see how much you can grasp!"
Bent on ensuring the fool learned nothing, he brought out the most esoteric principles within the Li framework and went through them bit by bit.
As Elder Long Dai got carried away, he even activated his emerald rock Zangification technique right before Foolish Ah Fu. Countless branch-like appendages sprouted from his body, assembling into the physique of an ancient god as his voice boomed like thunder: "My art is an ultimate technique of the other shore, the True Explanation of the Heavenly Treasure Dao Wheel! I shall impart it to you as well—let us see how much you can comprehend!"
He danced within the glow, demonstrating the True Explanation of the Heavenly Treasure Dao Wheel from beginning to end while chanting the mantras of the technique.
Yet he kept his wits about him: he did not chant the incantations in the tongue of the Earth Immortal Realm, but in the Dao language of the other shore. Even if Foolish Ah Fu were only playing dumb, he would never be able to steal the secret technique.
Foolish Ah Fu stared blankly at the demonstration, his heart seized by profound shock. Though this was a technique from the other shore, it shared several uncanny similarities with the New Dao taught by Xu Ying!
*The difference between the arts of the other shore and the New Dao is that one summons cave abysses, while the other creates them independently.*
Not only had Foolish Ah Fu grasped the principles Elder Long Dai had taught earlier, but he had even learned the Dao language of the other shore, committing every single word of the True Explanation of the Heavenly Treasure Dao Wheel to memory!
*So Dao Ancestor Xu's New Dao was actually built upon assimilating the techniques of the other shore, breaking through to cultivate Dao sceneries and form cave abysses on his own. The only shortcoming is that runes and Dao patterns are not quite as solid and grounded as the Li framework.*
Comparing the two Dao methods, he thought silently, *Cultivating the arts of the other shore truly leads to higher achievements!*
At that thought, a sudden doubt struck him.
*Dao Ancestor Xu is himself a master of the Li framework, so why hasn't he spread it? Given his status as a Dao Ancestor, transforming the foundation of the New Dao from runes and Dao patterns into principles shouldn't be difficult. He is hardly a petty person.*
With that realization, he abandoned his original intention to cultivate the True Explanation of the Heavenly Treasure Dao Wheel directly.
*The Li framework is overbearing and excels at altering other foundational frameworks, supplanting them from within. In that case, can I reverse the process? Could I use runic frameworks to replace the Li framework and develop a True Explanation of the Heavenly Treasure Dao Wheel that belongs to the Earth Immortal Realm?*
His eyes lit up. He felt as though he had discovered a path distinct from all others.
When the ascension glow finally flew clear of the gelatinous zone, Elder Long Dai said, "Ah Fu, I have taught you the Dao methods. We are even." With a flick of his sleeve, he shattered the ray of ascension glow to pieces.
Seeing Foolish Ah Fu tossed away, Elder Long Dai laughed heartily and tore through the void.
"First, I shall seek out the ruler of the Earth Immortal Realm. If he refuses to submit, I'll simply slaughter him and replace him with someone obedient!"
Foolish Ah Fu steadied himself and watched the elder vanish into the distance. Only once the dragon was entirely gone did he fly toward the Earth Immortal Realm.
*With a bit of refinement, the True Explanation of the Heavenly Treasure Dao Wheel will become a top-tier technique within the New Dao, leading straight to the Supreme realm. This may well be the greatest harvest of my journey.*
Arriving in the Earth Immortal Realm, he thought, *However, Elder Long Dai's arrival must be reported to the experts here as soon as possible. Otherwise, it will spell disaster.*
Foolish Ah Fu hesitated. Among the mighty figures he knew, Xu Ying possessed the highest cultivation and strength, followed by Lou Mingyu, who was spreading the Dao on Xu Ying's behalf.
*Knowing him, Dao Ancestor Xu would never succumb to despair. Where could he be? Still, even in his prime, Dao Ancestor Xu would be no match for Elder Long Dai.*
After a moment's contemplation, Foolish Ah Fu headed toward the Heavenly Dao Ancestral Court, murmuring, "In that case, only the Ancestral God remains."
He did not know the Ancestral God personally, but fortunately, he knew where the Heavenly Dao Ancestral Court lay. When he arrived, he found that someone had blasted right through the court from front to back, obliterating its gates.
Lurid colors left behind by immortal contamination lingered across the grounds.
Foolish Ah Fu was startled. He entered the Heavenly Dao Ancestral Court to seek an audience with the Ancestral God.
There, he encountered Yuan Weiyang and gasped in shock, "Isn't she dead?"
Yuan Weiyang was standing before an enormous chunk of emerald rock, studying and comprehending its mysteries. Recognizing an old acquaintance, she said, "The Ancestral God is out in the gelatinous zone beyond the Heavenly Immortal Realm, delaying their assault."
Learning that the Ancestral God was absent, Foolish Ah Fu felt a chill run through him. He said urgently, "What about the Holy Venerable? His strength is formidable enough to confront Long Dai!"
Just then, his gaze was drawn to the massive chunk of emerald rock, and he froze.
Two forms of script were inscribed upon the rock: one was the writing of the other shore, and the other consisted of Dao patterns.
*What is carved on the emerald rock seems to be a cultivation technique,* he thought.
Yuan Weiyang shook her head. "The Holy Venerable crippled his own cultivation to start anew. Right now, his strength might not even match ours."
Foolish Ah Fu's heart sank further. "Elder Long Dai is a master of the Great Dao of the other shore who can undergo Zangification at will, and his cultivation is immensely vast. He has already entered the Earth Immortal Realm, seeking its rulers to seize authority over the realm. Beyond that, his other goal is to break the Ancestral God's seal."
Yuan Weiyang's delicate brows furrowed slightly. The Ancestral God's seal was meant to halt ascensions; it was vast enough to envelop the entire Earth Immortal Realm. An expanse of such magnitude could not possibly be impregnable, so it would hardly be surprising if a dragon elder broke through it.
Foolish Ah Fu pressed, "Then what about Xu Ying?"
Yuan Weiyang said, "He and the Immortal Emperor have arranged a second duel, set to take place in the Heavenly Abyss. The date is fast approaching, so he should be making his way there. However, Ah Ying's strength is still quite far from matching that dragon expert's."
Seeing Foolish Ah Fu at his wits' end, Yuan Weiyang smiled and said, "Still, I can recommend someone. Lord Dragon, Master Bell, Xiao Bai, go hunt down that Elder Long Dai!"
No sooner had she spoken than a short, stout dragon strode forward with an imposing yet comical posture—none other than Big Dragon, the Far Ancestor of the dragon clan.
Beside him, the big bell was covered in indestructible spiritual light, which flowed across its bronze flanks, reflecting various Dao methods and divine arts.
Behind them came a young man with a pair of short dragon horns growing from his head.
Big Dragon the Far Ancestor said, "What chore is little Yuan assigning us now?"
Yuan Weiyang explained the matter of Elder Long Dai, concluding, "Elder Long Dai is a dragon after all, so you three are the most suitable for the task."
The young man named Xiao Bai was precisely Heavenly Prime Minister Bi Yanhai of the Dragon Court. With his memories unlocked, he had forged himself a physical body, and his cultivation had been steadily recovering over recent days.
Bi Yanhai said, "Far Ancestor, since Elder Long Dai is a dragon of the Heavenly Immortal Realm, this falls squarely upon our shoulders."
The big dragon snapped, "Those beasts refuse to acknowledge me as their ancestor and instead run off to worship ancient gods of the other shore, discarding all of the dragon clan's heritage! How can they still call themselves dragons? They are nothing but alien creatures from the other shore wearing dragon hides!"
Even so, he set out alongside Bi Yanhai and the big bell to track down Elder Long Dai.
Foolish Ah Fu was about to take his leave when, as if possessed, he stole another glance at the writing and diagrams on the emerald rock. After a moment, he said, "Lady Yuan, are you trying to decipher the technique on the stone? This method seems to belong to the other shore."
Yuan Weiyang asked in surprise, "You recognize it?"
Foolish Ah Fu said, "Elder Long Dai taught me some knowledge."
Yuan Weiyang's eyes brightened, and she smiled. "The technique on this emerald rock is for the Indestructible realm, sent from beyond this domain by Great Dao Lord Xuhuang. It was likely meant for us to spread so that we might gain the strength to fight the powerhouses of the other shore."
Foolish Ah Fu was astonished. *A technique for the Indestructible realm? Doesn't that make it even more formidable than my True Explanation of the Heavenly Treasure Dao Wheel?*
He laid out the True Explanation of the Heavenly Treasure Dao Wheel that he had acquired, explaining it fully to Yuan Weiyang. She pondered for a moment, then said, "Your technique seems somewhat different from the other shore art sent by Great Dao Lord Xuhuang."
Foolish Ah Fu had not delved deeply into the branch-like principles and had not comprehended as much as Yuan Weiyang. Though he could tell the inscriptions were connected to the other shore, he could not decipher the exact contents on the spot.
"Lady Yuan, is something amiss?" he asked.
"The two techniques describe the realms differently."
Yuan Weiyang's brow furrowed slightly as she murmured, "So... which of these techniques is the one with the problem?"
Chapter 662