A Hairless Lip Means Reckless Wit

"What if I choose life? What if I choose death?" The garrison commander composed himself and asked in a raspy voice. Xu Ying replied flatly, "If you choose life, you answer whatever I ask. From now on, you will follow me, and in the future, I will take you back to the other shore. If you choose death, I will immediately activate Daoist Tongtian's sword formation to grind your physical body to dust and strangle your primordial spirit, scattering your soul to the winds. Even your Undying True Spirit will be sliced to pieces—not a shred of it spared." The garrison commander's expression fluctuated. After a moment, Xu Ying raised his brows and pointed a finger toward the Zhuxian broken sword, preparing to activate the sword formation. The commander hurriedly cried out, "Wait! I choose life!" Xu Ying broke into a smile. "The open-minded are heroes of their time; you truly are a man of wisdom from the other shore. What is your name?" The garrison commander answered cautiously, "Shi Tianyang." Xu Ying asked in surprise, "How did you come by such a name?" The commander replied, "I was originally an orphan of the other shore. Because someone found me beside a rock, blessed with tough teeth, surviving by gnawing on stones, they called me Shi Tianyang, saying I was nurtured by stone and raised by the heavens." Xu Ying nodded slightly. "Did you and Yinyuanzi arrive together from the other shore? How did you cross over?" Shi Tianyang hesitated for a second before telling the truth: "The Three Realms and the other shore have drawn very close within the Chaos Sea. Our other shore sent out vast numbers of scouts in search of the Three Realms' whereabouts. After two scouts discovered the Three Realms, they planted an other shore shala tree. This tree can draw nourishment from the Chaos Sea and grow on its own. Because it possesses the traits of absorbing the Chaos Sea, one need only leave an imprint upon it to travel back and forth by following that resonance." Xu Ying's heart stirred. "Take me there." Shi Tianyang steered the vessel, taking him out into the Chaos Sea. Before long, they arrived beside the other shore shala tree. This miraculous tree had grown even larger, standing nearly ten thousand feet high. Its trunk rose arrow-straight, covered in dragon-scale bark. Its crown was sparse, branches spaced neatly in perfect order, and its leaves were fluffy plumes resembling feathers borne by the wind. Xu Ying examined it closely, marveling under his breath. The other shore shala tree was actually still growing, drawing nutrients from the Chaos Sea and steadily rising taller and wider. "Has the location of the Three Realms been exposed?" Xu Ying inquired. Shi Tianyang shook his head in haste. "It has not. Originally, only those two scouts knew of the Three Realms. I was escorting them back with the intention of seeking out Grand Dao Lord Taiyi to report the coordinates of the Three Realms. But who could have foreseen that Yinyuanzi would intercept us? He coerced us into leading him to the Three Realms. Consequently, we never had the chance to report the location." Xu Ying nodded heavily. While continuing to inspect the other shore shala tree, he stole a sidelong glance at Shi Tianyang, calculating whether he ought to finish him off. Shi Tianyang seemed to sense the impending crisis, his heart fluttering with anxiety. After a brief pause, Xu Ying said, "You have been very cooperative. I won't kill you. While in the Three Realms, you will stay by my side and refrain from wandering about as you please. Rest assured, I am renowned throughout the Three Realms as a man of great honor and faith; I never break my word." Shi Tianyang bowed and gave his assent. Xu Ying mobilized his magic power, driving the emerald rock vessel back toward the Mortal Realm. Outside the ruins, the Holy Venerable, the Ancestral God, and the others kept watch, lingering without daring to set foot inside. Throughout these days, the masters of the ruins had not made any reckless moves either. However, that Abyss Sea had gradually descended, merging seamlessly with ruin after ruin. An earth-shattering transformation was underway within the ruins. Yuan Weiyang's perception was the sharpest, and she remarked, "The Abyss Sea is restoring their alien Daos." Hearing this, everyone felt a chill in their hearts. Having survived the Tribulation, the masters of these ruins had suffered grave damage to their Daos and cultivation, and their strength had dropped precipitously. That was why the defenders of the Three Realms could still barely contend with them. If the opposing side recovered its strength, any hope of an even match would vanish completely! The Ancestral God did his best to suppress his injuries and said, "The Tribulation will not simply dissipate. As long as it persists, they can forget about stepping out of those ruins." He had sustained the heaviest wounds among them, but fortunately, the core of the Primordial Origin had merged into the Three Realms. His cultivation and strength had skyrocketed as a result, granting him sufficient power to refine and heal these Dao wounds. The Far Ancestor said, "They may be unable to leave their ruins, but they can expand them. If we sit by and do nothing, the entire Mortal Realm will likely be engulfed by the ruins of the Former Court! It might even swallow the Three Realms entirely! Once that happens, the Three Realms itself will become their ruins—and what need would they have to leave?" Every heart grew heavy. The Far Ancestor's deduction was almost certainly the exact ambition of these Former Court ruin masters: to seize the Three Realms, refashion its heavenly Daos, and turn it into another Former Court! "Everyone, staying here serves no purpose. Make haste with your cultivation," the Ancestral God urged. "I shall remain in the Mortal Realm to watch over these ruins. If there is any movement, I will notify you immediately." The crowd nodded silently and departed one after another. Not long after they left, Xu Ying steered the emerald rock vessel into the area. The Ancestral God hurried down from the sky, transforming into a young man as he landed on the deck. He glanced curiously at Shi Tianyang. "Dao Ancestor Xu, who is this?" "Shi Tianyang, an outlander from the other shore and the garrison commander of the Chaos Sea ferry," Xu Ying introduced offhandedly before asking, "Where are the Holy Venerable and Weiyang?" The Ancestral God recounted what they had discussed. "For now, time is on our side. The Three Realms is expanding, natural treasures are beyond count, and the New Dao is flourishing. This is the optimal time to nurture newcomers and produce more powerhouses for our realm. Rather than lingering here, they can do more good by training experts for the Three Realms." Xu Ying nodded slightly. "That is indeed the safest approach. But before that, there is one more thing we must do." The Ancestral God looked puzzled. Xu Ying suddenly called out in a clear, carrying voice, "Xu Ying, envoy of the Three Realms, and Shi Tianyang, envoy of the other shore, have come to pay our respects to the Dao friends of the Former Court era! We ask that you grant us passage!" The Ancestral God jumped in fright and whispered, "This skeleton-man is an envoy from the other shore?" Xu Ying shook his head subtly. The Ancestral God fumed, "Deceiving the Former Court's powerhouses—are you courting death?! If they see through it, they'll skin you alive! No, no, it's far too dangerous for the two of you to go alone. I'll accompany you! Wait, that won't do either—my wounds haven't healed yet... Wait for me, don't rush in! I'll fetch the Holy Venerable! That lad's cultivation and strength are no longer beneath mine!" Xu Ying chuckled. "The Mortal Realm is hardly a dragon's den or tiger's lair. Why get so frantic and disturb the Holy Venerable? Rest easy, Ancestral God. I come in the name of peace for the Three Realms, not to fight to the death." The Ancestral God sputtered in anger, "You come for peace, but they certainly don't! You don't want to fight to the death, but they'll beat you to death on the spot!" Even as they spoke, a gateway materialized within the ruins ahead. Behind it stood a tall, burly figure who cupped his hands in greeting. "That Daoist Xu and Daoist Shi come to visit brings luster to our humble abode. Please, enter." The Ancestral God tried to say more, but Xu Ying was already leading Shi Tianyang toward the gateway. With no other choice, the Ancestral God hovered in midair, nervously observing every tremor within the ruins. He wielded the Heavenly Dao of the Three Realms; everything occurring across the realms was vividly present in his mind without need of direct sight. But the ruins were different: the rules of the Heavenly Dao here had already been altered, and whatever transpired within fell entirely beyond his domain. To know what was happening inside, he had to watch with his own eyes. Following behind Xu Ying, Shi Tianyang felt a knot of dread in his stomach. He sent a voice transmission: "Dao Ancestor Xu, I'm no envoy of the other shore. I'm just a ferry guard..." "I know," Xu Ying replied through transmission with unhurried calm. "But they don't. You need remember only one thing: you represent Grand Dao Lord Taiyi of the other shore!" Shi Tianyang remained anxious. "I've only laid eyes on the Grand Dao Lord once or twice. A mighty being like him would never deign to speak to a nobody like me. Even among the Immortal True Kings, few ever catch his eye." Xu Ying smiled. "Pay no mind to that. If anyone questions you, I'll answer for both of us. You just keep a deadpan face—no speaking, no smiling." Shi Tianyang relaxed slightly. "As if they all owe me money?" Xu Ying chuckled. "Exactly. As if every last one of them owes you money!" Shi Tianyang thought to himself, *Well, that makes things much simpler. I'll just follow behind, keep my mouth shut, mind my own business, and glare fiercely at whoever talks to me. Still, when you think about it, I surrendered to Dao Ancestor Xu to save my life, but this doesn't seem very reliable. Why does it feel like siding with him is getting me killed even faster?* The two stepped through the gateway into the ruins. Under the influence of the Abyss Sea, all the disparate relics of the Former Court era had linked into a continuous whole, seamless and indistinguishable. The Heavenly Daos here differed vastly from those of the Three Realms. The underlying structures of their Daos were fundamentally divergent; even an identical Heavenly Dao gave off the impression of an alien law, to the point where they could interfere with and erode one another. By now, these ruins were vastly different from before. No longer dilapidated, pavilions and terraces rose from the ground, accompanied by magnificent, splendid immortal palaces. Many ruins that had once seemed desolate and perilous were now alive with birdsong, fragrant blossoms, and lush green lawns, with celestial fruits hanging heavy from branches, filling the air with intoxicating scents. Several ruin masters had already begun to mend their damaged Daos, a sight that gave Xu Ying pause. The burly ruin master swept his gaze over Xu Ying and Shi Tianyang, then let out a snort, speaking in the Dao Language: "Did the Three Realms and the other shore send merely two minor figures of the eighth Dao realm as envoys?" Xu Ying burst into laughter. "The Three Realms is blessed with outstanding spirits; those superior to me are naturally beyond count. The other shore is likewise packed with masters. The only reason we two were sent as envoys is simply that your Former Court is too weak. You are hardly worth the dispatch of Indestructibles from either realm." The ruin master flew into a fury, his voice turning grim and frigid. "The Three Realms colludes with the other shore—truly making a mockery of the Grand Dao Master's painstaking efforts! The Grand Dao Master opened the Primordial Origin, from which the Three Realms was born, yet who could have guessed it would merely breed a pack of lackeys for the other shore!" Xu Ying caught the deeper meaning hidden in his words and felt a sudden shock: *The stele of the Tongtian Sword Master bore the inscription: 'The Tribulation struck and the Former Court fell; the Primordial Origin opened and the Three Realms arose.' Could the Three Realms truly have been opened by the Grand Dao Master of the Former Court?* He truly knew very little about the era of the Former Court. The ruin master gestured politely, though malice lingered beneath the surface. "Nevertheless, since you are envoys, I shall not bar your way. Please!" Xu Ying followed him forward, noticing that the ruin master's aura was growing steadily stronger. Although the Abyss Sea had linked the ruins together, vast discrepancies remained between them; they were far from forming a truly unified realm. The fact that this ruin master was growing more powerful indicated he was stepping into his own personal ruin, where his Dao methods were peaking toward their absolute limit! In the Indestructible realm, body and Dao were one, achieving a Dao equal to the body. Even though his ruin had yet to fully recover, he was far stronger than he had been moments ago! "The Three Realms sent you—then let me first see if you possess the mettle to serve as an envoy!" In an instant, the ruin master drove his Dao methods to their apex. Turning on his heel, he whipped a leg across. Dao resonance roared thunderously, and the space beside Xu Ying erupted in dense, crackling explosions. His methods were simply too overbearing, his Dao violently forcing its way into those pockets of space, spawning myriad divine powers evolved from Dao laws that violently burst the spatial fabric open! Though it appeared to be nothing more than a sweeping kick, devoid of obvious magic, countless divine powers surged forward like dense droplets within an ocean wave. Xu Ying remained planted where he stood, unmoving. Suddenly, the Zhuxian Sword soared into the air, leading three thousand immortal swords as the Zhuxian Sword Formation erupted. A savage, murderous aura inundated the wild, stuffing the vast expanse of the ruins to bursting! *Boom!* The fabric around the ruin master's leg exploded, flesh and blood flying outward. The flesh of his entire leg was peeled away in an instant, exposing ghastly white bone beneath! Muffling a groan, the ruin master flew forward and slammed heavily into a mountain within his own ruin. That peak had been forged from his own Dao and was exceptionally solid. Yet the dazzling radiance of the Zhuxian Sword Formation surged across like a colossal sword pillar! Driven back by the sheer force of the sword formation, the ruin master shattered the mountain to rubble. A sword light spanning thousands of miles swept across the surface of the ruin with a deafening howl. Serene waters, lovely mountains, birdsong, and blossoming flowers—all were leveled to bare earth beneath the swirling sword qi! The ruin master tumbled and rolled across the ground, drenched in blood, with not a single patch of intact flesh remaining. Xu Ying raised his hand, and the sword formation rose into the air. Thick, towering pillars of sword qi encircled the ruin master, plunging down one after another. *Rumble!* Where the sword qi struck, the earth sank violently. The entire ruin, spanning ten thousand miles, plunged downward alongside its master, thoroughly sealed away by Xu Ying! Watching this from far outside the ruins, the Ancestral God felt his heart leap into his throat. *That wretched boy Xu Ying! Flaunting your might is one thing, but you went and suppressed him! If those lawless fiends tear off all pretense, they'll leave you without even a grave to rest in! I won't be able to save you!* Pacing anxiously back and forth, he fretted, *A hairless lip means reckless wit! I should have stepped forward myself. But then, I can't even beat Xu Ying right now. Besides, they all say I'm strong on the outside but hollow within...* Xu Ying recalled his swords. The three thousand flying swords whistled back and vanished into nothingness the moment they reached his side. From the distance, pairs of vicious eyes turned toward him, their gazes crackling like bolts of lightning. Undaunted, Xu Ying walked forward to meet their glares, declaring loudly, "I come by the decree of the Tongtian Sword Master. Am I qualified to serve as this envoy?" Walking behind him, Shi Tianyang felt he ought to play his part as well. He widened his eyes, glared fiercely, and stared right back into the gazes of the ruin masters. "Hmph!" he grunted heavily. "Back then, the Tongtian Sword Master suppressed and sealed one hundred and three of us by his own strength alone. When he sends an envoy, we naturally must offer a proper reception without the slightest slight!" From the depths of those interconnected ruins came a deep, resonant voice whose aura far surpassed those of the other ruin masters. "Daoist Xu, Daoist Shi, please enter!"