Xu Ying thought of even more. When the other shore had harvested the Heavenly Immortal Realm, the Far Ancestor Big Dragon had summoned the Abyss Sea, drawing the pursuit of numerous ancient god Primordial Spirits. That had not seemed like an intent to harvest the Far Ancestor at all.
Rather, it seemed that this cave abyss had caught the attention of the Immortals backing those ancient god Primordial Spirits!
Furthermore, in the underworld of the Heavenly Immortal Realm, when the Big Dragon summoned the Abyss Sea, Yinyuanzi had also been exceedingly terrified—so shaken that he lost his composure.
“The Far Ancestor is still in the Heavenly Immortal Realm. Once I thoroughly comprehend this Hunyuan Cave Abyss Calamity Dispelling Scripture, I will seek him out to ask for the whole story.”
Xu Ying cared deeply about this Calamity Dispelling Scripture. After all, though he was the Dao Ancestor of the New Dao and had extrapolated the New Dao up to the Supreme Realm, whether the realm above the Supreme Realm—the Immortal Realm—could be opened remained unknown.
Even though the other shore's cultivation system and the dragon race's Dao Realm system had already proven that an Immortal Realm existed, Xu Ying still had no certainty whether the New Dao could attain it.
As this Dao Ancestor, he had to absorb every drop of nourishment possible to pioneer the next realm of the New Dao!
Otherwise, if the Holy Venerable or someone else opened it first, his status as Dao Ancestor would be compromised, and even if he achieved the Immortal Realm in the future, he would have to bow his head and address the other as Senior Martial Brother.
There was simply too much to explore within the Hunyuan Cave Abyss Calamity Dispelling Scripture. It was practically a colossal treasure trove. No wonder Xu Jing, Little Heavenly Venerable, and the others had managed to attain the Supreme Realm after listening to the lectures.
Having sat through the lecture himself, Xu Ying had also profited immensely. In his heart, he vaguely formed an idea for the Eighth Method of the Eight Methods of Immortality, and a model for the divine ability began taking shape in his mind.
After the sermon concluded, Yuan Weiyang stepped forward, took him by the hand, and pulled him outside, complaining in a low whisper, “Now that you're back, why didn't you come see me?”
Xu Ying replied, “I went to see the Last Lord of Ziwei. I heard he was somewhat despondent.”
“Being able to decipher the Calamity Dispelling Scripture was largely thanks to good-for-nothing Qingxuan.”
Yuan Weiyang stole a glance toward the good-for-nothing Qingxuan and whispered, “I suspect that when Emperor Qingxuan severed his stray thoughts, he severed a portion of his brain along with them. That man is exceptionally brilliant—no less capable than us, perhaps even a cut above. Whenever I recorded the difficulties encountered during decipherment, he took one look and resolved them in barely a dozen days.”
Xu Ying glanced back at the good-for-nothing Qingxuan.
This man was lazy to an art form. At this moment, hemmed in by a crowd asking a barrage of questions all at once, he simply climbed onto the emerald rock, lay down with his legs crossed, and answered them sluggishly one by one.
“Emperor Qingxuan most likely severed a chunk of his brain,” Xu Ying agreed with a nod.
He studied Yuan Weiyang. She had contributed the most and immersed herself the longest in deciphering the Hunyuan Cave Abyss Calamity Dispelling Scripture. Even Xu Jing and Little Heavenly Venerable had attained the Supreme Realm under her guidance, so her own capabilities were surely even greater.
“Weiyang, what stage has your cultivation reached now?” Xu Ying inquired.
“I only just attained the Supreme Realm,” Yuan Weiyang answered.
Xu Ying paused in astonishment and let out a sigh. One of his primary goals in journeying to the Heavenly Immortal Realm had been to attain the Supreme Realm. He had endured untold hardships and studied countless Dao methods of the other shore for it. Only when he attempted to comprehend the sole texture capable of explaining the Great Dao had he drawn analogies and broken through to become a Supreme.
To think Yuan Weiyang and the others could attain the Supreme Realm relying on a single cultivation technique.
His curiosity regarding the origins of the Hunyuan Cave Abyss Calamity Dispelling Scripture grew all the keener.
“Weiyang, I'd like to experience your Calamity Dispelling Scripture,” Xu Ying said with a smile.
Because she had been preaching the Dao, Yuan Weiyang had remained in the Ancestral Court and never traveled to the gelatinous zone, leaving her unaware of her true combat strength. Hearing this, she said delighted, “All right! But what I cultivate isn't the Calamity Dispelling Scripture either—it's still the Dao Extreme Heart Scripture!”
In her early years, she had traveled dressed as a man. She had always been frank and carried a masculine gallantry; without another word, she activated the Dao Extreme Heart Scripture.
Yet the Dao Extreme Heart Scripture of today was vastly different from the one Xu Ying had seen before. The original scripture cultivated by Yuan Weiyang had been co-founded with Xu Ying, incorporating contributions from the Ancestral God and the Holy Venerable—a technique blending six Great Daos.
When activated, it used to manifest six great cave abysses: Taiyi, Taiji, Wuji, and the rest, lacking only the martial dao cave abyss compared to Xu Ying's Martial Extreme Dao Attainment.
Now, however, activating the Dao Extreme Heart Scripture left behind only a single colossal cave abyss. Within it, all was boundless and formless, devoid of shape or image. The immortal spiritual qi within was extraordinarily exalted, known as Initial Qi.
Initial Qi was precisely one of the three Qis recorded in that sentence of the Taiyi True Heritage Xu Ying had obtained from Imperial Son Mingxi!
Initial Qi, Origin Qi, and Profound Qi!
In his idle moments over these past days, Xu Ying had pondered these three Qis. He had only refined Origin Qi, while Initial Qi and Profound Qi had remained entirely elusive.
To think that after searching for so long, he would see Initial Qi manifest in Yuan Weiyang!
Yuan Weiyang unleashed her divine ability, taking the initiative to attack him. As her movement technique shifted, that Initial Qi underwent thousands of transformations. Diverse Great Daos rotated incessantly, and the Dao phenomena produced by her divine abilities shifted unpredictably in kind—vermilion haze, clouds, vast seas, sun, moon, stars, and tempests transformed in an instant, giving Xu Ying a sense that it was impossible to defend against.
Xu Ying circulated his Martial Extreme Dao Attainment. Paying no heed to whatever divine ability lay before him, he simply blasted out a punch. His martial spirit surged like a vast river of righteous energy, punching straight through the shifting layers of unpredictable divine abilities!
As their powers collided, Yuan Weiyang immediately felt overwhelmed and floated backward.
Xu Ying followed like a shadow. Still employing the simplest martial divine abilities, he struck with countless moves in a flash, as if countless Xu Yings had abruptly manifested from different spacetimes to assault Yuan Weiyang!
The onlookers consulting the good-for-nothing Qingxuan were startled by their battle and turned to look. Princess Mingman was filled with uncertainty and asked the big bell, “Uncle Bell, who is that woman? How can she contend with my master?”
“That is the mistress whose status you wanted to challenge,” the big bell said.
Princess Mingman turned pale and gasped, “How could anyone beat that?”
The big bell gloated, “Yuan Weiyang is one of the few who can keep pace with Ah Ying. You arrived late, so you can only be the secondary wife.”
Princess Mingman blinked and smiled. “Right now Master is beating Mistress. Clearly, he thinks better of me and might even elevate me to primary wife!”
The big bell had no idea what bizarre notions filled her head. It nudged the Zhuxian broken sword quietly, signaling for it to hurry up and act.
The Zhuxian broken sword swayed from side to side and transmitted its voice: “Without anyone wielding me, I cannot cut through the emerald rock.”
The big bell could only wait patiently, thinking, *Why haven't Seventh Master and Lord Jin arrived? If they were here, it would truly be lively.*
Yuan Weiyang did not panic in the face of danger. With a sharp cry, her hands swept outward in a grand circle. The surrounding spacetime shuddered and collapsed, compacting into a single sphere in an instant.
The countless phantoms of Xu Ying within that spacetime were instantly crushed into oblivion, their martial spirit eradicated!
Yuan Weiyang struck with a palm. Behind her, black and yellow qi surged, turning into a roaring flood that surged forth. A rushing river of time galloped and howled, washing toward Xu Ying!
“Weiyang, a Supreme can leap out of time. This divine ability of yours cannot harm me.”
Xu Ying stood in midair with a faint smile. The river of time rushed forward, yet surged past beneath his feet. Suddenly, one Yuan Weiyang after another charged out from the river, their long sleeves fluttering like flying immortals as they attacked Xu Ying!
Xu Ying had not anticipated this move. He hastily fought back with all his might, yet could not fend off so many Yuan Weiyangs and was knocked deep into time.
Yuan Weiyang's true body flicked her sleeves, and the river of time danced along with her movement, about to coalesce into a time seal. Right at that moment, Xu Ying shattered time, and a massive hand flew out from the fractured river, colliding with her fluttering sleeves.
Unable to withstand the force, the Hunyuan cave abyss behind Yuan Weiyang was suppressed to a standstill. With a gasp of surprise, she flew backward.
Xu Ying soared out from the river of time, graceful as a startled swan, and caught her around the waist.
Yuan Weiyang hurriedly struggled free from his embrace, whispering, “People are watching everywhere!”
Xu Ying laughed heartily and held onto her soft hand lingeringly. Yuan Weiyang pulled her hand back, but only withdrew halfway; Xu Ying still lightly pinched her fingertips.
Yuan Weiyang stopped pulling, and together they drifted diagonally down against the wind, landing beside the emerald rock.
Princess Mingman rushed forward and bowed. “Disciple Mingman greets Mistress!”
Yuan Weiyang maintained her composure and smiled. “You are the disciple Ah Ying took in? You belong to the dragon race? Raise your head.”
Princess Mingman lifted her head to look up. When she clearly saw Yuan Weiyang's face, she thought, *Though Mistress is pretty, I am an exotic beauty and can even turn into a dragon girl. Master will definitely like me more. My father said men always dote more on the younger ones.*
Emperor Mingdao had over three thousand children and countless concubines in his imperial harem. Accustomed to such surroundings, Princess Mingman saw nothing wrong with her line of thought.
Yuan Weiyang smiled. “You look quite clever. Rise.”
Princess Mingman quickly stood up and took a place beside Xu Ying. After a moment's thought, she circled over to Yuan Weiyang's side.
Yuan Weiyang was rather fond of her and whispered, “Mistress has a large ship. Focus on your cultivation first, and another day I will take you aboard to view the sights of the Earth Immortal Realm.”
Princess Mingman readily agreed.
Xu Ying surged with divine consciousness, transmitting his voice across the Earth Immortal Realm: “I am Dao Ancestor Xu Ying. I shall preach the Dharma at the Heavenly Dao Ancestral Court. Let those with affinity come swiftly.”
After a few days, experts began arriving one after another upon hearing the news. Nan Ziyan had been invited early on and was the first to arrive. Yuan Qi and Jin Buyi also arrived shortly after. Evil Golden Immortal Xiao Lanshan had unexpectedly arrived early as well, much to Xu Ying's surprise.
With the death of Immortal Emperor Meng Shanming, the Immortal Court had remained masterless, the imperial throne left vacant. The Nine Emperors of the Nine Heavens had successively switched to cultivating the New Immortal Dao, and now they too arrived upon hearing the call.
Among the crowd were many old acquaintances, making the Heavenly Dao Ancestral Court exceptionally bustling.
“Seventh Master, Seventh Master! I took on an apprentice!”
The big bell called out to Yuan Qi, flying over in excitement. “I'll have him pay his respects to you!”
Yuan Qi had transformed into a plump, fair-skinned youth, bringing along his whole family. Behind him followed several little vipers, poking their heads out one by one to curiously inspect the big bell.
The Zhuxian Sword flew over and was about to bow in respect at the sight, but the big bell hastily stopped it. With a loud clang, the bell was once again sheared in two by invisible sword qi.
“No need to bow to this one.”
Enduring the pain, the big bell struggled to piece itself back together and said, “Seventh Master, why aren't you coming over to greet Master Sword and kowtow to him?”
Yuan Qi's broad-mindedness far exceeded the big bell's, and since marrying Ling Siyi, he had grown even more open-hearted. Leading his entire family forward, he kowtowed and asked for greeting gifts. The Zhuxian Sword was utterly penniless and had nothing of the sort to offer, so it could only imprint a strand of sword qi onto each of his five little vipers for self-defense.
Yuan Qi brazenly stepped forward himself. Left with no choice, the Zhuxian Sword imprinted a strand of sword qi onto him as well.
Having returned empty-handed, the big bell had no choice but to ask Xu Ying for emerald rock to temper treasures. Xu Ying activated the Zhuxian Sword, helped it slice off a small corner, and chopped it finely, giving half to Yuan Qi and the other half to the big bell.
Yuan Qi and the big bell were overjoyed and went off to find Zhu Chanchan. Suddenly pausing, Yuan Qi pulled the Zhuxian Sword along and said, “Master Sword, hold the line for us! Make sure Ancestor Chanchan uses all the emerald rock on us!”
The Zhuxian Sword was bewildered. It was understandable for the big bell to say such a thing, but this snake was not a magic treasure—how could he also use emerald rock to temper himself?
Experts of the Earth Immortal Realm continued to pour in steadily, so the sermon could not begin right away. Xu Ying took the opportunity to exchange insights on Dao methods with Yuan Weiyang, the good-for-nothing Qingxuan, and others, finally witnessing Qingxuan's astonishing talent firsthand.
The mysteries of the Taiyi True Heritage that had taken Xu Ying months to comprehend were unraveled by Qingxuan in mere days.
*Qingxuan was practically spoon-fed by the Ancestral God while growing up. Such brilliance cannot be envied.*
After a moment's contemplation, Xu Ying said solemnly, “My journey to the Heavenly Immortal Realm gave me some insights. Although the Heavenly Immortal Realm inherited the Dao methods of the other shore and degenerated into someone else's livestock farm, one point warrants praise: even the most remote immortal city has an academy. Descendants of the dragon race, even from destitute families, can enter academies to study.”
He glanced around and continued, “The Earth Immortal Realm is still governed by sects and clans. Once an immortal achieves success in their studies, they found a sect and treat it as their personal faction. In the mortal realm, prominent aristocratic families dominate local regions and monopolize knowledge. If this persists, the Earth Immortal Realm will not be able to shoulder the weight of the Heavenly Immortal Realm, and the dragon race's return to ruling the Three Realms will be only a matter of time. If we wish to change this, we must establish academies far and wide.”
Everyone nodded in agreement.
If the Earth Immortal Realm maintained its old pattern of governance by sects and aristocratic clans, it was inevitable that the dragon race would stage a comeback and become the masters of the Three Realms once more. The rolling tide of history could not be stopped.
“The Earth Immortal Realm is currently without a master. I originally thought an Immortal Emperor was unnecessary to coordinate its operation, but establishing academies far and wide requires an Immortal Emperor to oversee and implement the initiative. Promoting academies to replace powerful clans will inevitably face immense resistance from factions across all realms,” Xu Ying said. “Therefore, the Earth Immortal Realm needs to enthrone another Immortal Emperor. What do you all think?”
All eyes fell upon the Holy Venerable and the good-for-nothing Qingxuan. The good-for-nothing Qingxuan said lazily, “If I wanted to be Immortal Emperor, I wouldn't have been severed six hundred thousand years ago. The Holy Venerable is zealous for power; let him do it.”
The Holy Venerable's eyelid twitched, and he flicked his sleeve. “Am I any worse than you? I held power for over five hundred thousand years. If I wanted to be Immortal Emperor, I would have done so long ago. Did I ever sit on the throne for a single day? Back then, if you hadn't attempted to curtail the vassal lords, would I have rebelled against you?”
Seeing that neither of them had any intention of becoming Immortal Emperor, everyone turned their gazes to Xu Ying.
Xu Ying chuckled. “I am the Dao Ancestor. An Immortal Emperor's status isn't even as high as mine. Why would I degrade myself?”
For a time, some were eager to try, some grew wary, some schemed in secret, and others quietly made deals with one another. The throne of the Immortal Emperor seemed poised to brew a murderous calamity of open and covert strife.
Presently, with the New Dao promoted and the emerald rock Dao methods deciphered, attaining the Supreme Realm was no longer so difficult, and nearly twenty individuals had achieved it.
Older figures such as Evil Buddha Jie Puti and Heavenly Monarch Pingnan had already attained the Dao.
Survivors among the Five Venerables and Twelve Wondrous, such as Jun Wudao and Ku Yang, as well as Emperors Yanglong and Taixiao of the Nine Heavens Nine Emperors, had also attained the Supreme Realm.
Added to the new generation—Sword Monarch Jinhe, Jin Buyi, Ning Zhong, Little Heavenly Venerable, Xu Jing, and others—their numbers had already surpassed those of the era of the Five Venerables and Twelve Wondrous.
If a dispute over the throne of the Immortal Emperor disrupted the momentum of this prairie fire sweeping the Earth Immortal Realm, the loss would far outweigh the gain.
Suddenly, the Holy Venerable spoke up: “Back when Meng Shanming was trapped in the Mortal Realm, Xu Jing was once chosen as the acting Immortal Emperor, wasn't he?”
The moment he said this, Xu Ying understood why Emperor Qingxuan had never been able to defeat the Holy Venerable.
Emperor Yanglong hastily said, “Back then, Fellow Daoist Xu Jing accomplished numerous great feats and was also Mingzun's son-in-law, so we considered supporting him as acting Immortal Emperor. It was only because Dao Ancestor Xu hesitated that it didn't come to pass.”
The Holy Venerable smiled. “Then let us revisit old matters. Fellow Daoist Xu Jing should serve as this Immortal Emperor. Does anyone object?”
Xu Jing cried out in disbelief, “Me? I'm just a schoolteacher. How could I presume?”
Yet no one raised an objection to the Holy Venerable's proposal.
Xu Jing was Dao Ancestor Xu's father. As long as Dao Ancestor Xu remained alive, his imperial throne would be rock-solid.
The Holy Venerable laughed. “Promoting academies is precisely why we need a schoolteacher like you. Today is the grand preaching assembly of the Heavenly Dao Ancestral Court; at this very assembly, the Ancestral God, Fellow Daoist Qingxuan, and I will jointly announce this matter. Consider it settled.”
Xu Jing mumbled, “But our whole family are rebels...”
Even so, not a single person spoke up in opposition.
The grand preaching assembly finally opened in earnest. On that day, with the Ancestral God deferring to him, Dao Ancestor Xu Ying was the first to mount the altar and preach, conveying the wonders of the new Dao patterns and new talismans to all present.
Before mounting the altar, the Ancestral God, together with the Holy Venerable and Qingxuan, proclaimed that Heavenly Venerable Xu Jing's virtue embraced all living beings, that he should serve as lord of heaven and earth, ascending the imperial throne to oversee the Ginseng Fruit Tree under the honorific title of Emperor Jing.
*Suying, did you foresee this? You've become the Empress,* Xu Jing murmured to himself in his heart after ascending the throne, still somewhat dazed.
Chapter 709