The Firmament of Divine Powers was both an aggregate of tens of thousands of divine powers and could also be considered a great divine power in its own right. This sudden eruption of Dao power essentially recreated the dazzling spectacle from the ancient past when Emperor Haotian fought his decisive duel against Grand Dao Lord Taiyi.
Alas, that man was long gone.
Dao Lord Hunyuan and Yu Xuantong supported one another, staggering out from within the Firmament of Divine Powers. Both were riddled with Dao wounds deep enough to expose bone, their Primordial Spirits were tattered, and their cave abysses were torn with gaping holes.
Their cave abysses were connected to countless cultivators across the boundless universes. At this critical juncture, they had no choice but to harvest those cultivators ahead of time, reaping their Primordial Spirits to bolster their own.
One cultivated the Chaos Dao while the other cultivated the Supreme Dao—both exceptionally exalted Great Daos. Only for this reason were they able to preserve their lives beneath Emperor Haotian's Firmament of Divine Powers.
True King Jiuquan was not so fortunate. Although the Nine Springs Dao was composed of nine extraordinary Great Daos, it remained vastly inferior to premier Daos such as the Chaos Dao and the Supreme Dao.
Though the three had joined forces, True King Jiuquan alone perished beneath the Firmament of Divine Powers.
"Cough, cough, cough!"
Yu Xuantong sank to his knees, coughing violently as the Dao wounds across his body worsened. His original injury had been inflicted long ago by Emperor Haotian, leaving an incurable fracture upon him.
Now, with injury piled atop injury, recovery was all the more elusive.
Dao Lord Hunyuan was somewhat luckier. When Emperor Haotian had defeated him in the past, he had not dealt a lethal blow, merely exercising restraint by severing the cave abyss passage linking him to the Three Realms.
Even so, the wounds Hunyuan sustained this time were exceptionally grievous, impossible to mend in the short term.
Behind them, the various divine power imprints in Hao Yi's enlightenment ground still flickered across the sky. The divine powers were born of natural Dao rhythm, gradually drawing together the stray Dao power drifting through heaven and earth.
For now, the forbidden zone was relatively safe. But as those imprints gathered more Dao power, the area would inevitably turn once again into a lethal restricted zone where no one dared tread.
"That Three Realms barbarian!" Yu Xuantong gritted his teeth. Stumbling forward, he suddenly leaped into the air and fled into the void.
Dao Lord Hunyuan's form sank as well, dissolving into a wisp of Chaos qi before darting away.
"Three Realms rogue! Just wait until I heal my injuries, and I will tear that treasure from your hands!"
Far in the distance, Xu Ying, Daoist Wukong, and Shi Tianyang gazed toward Hao Yi's enlightenment ground. The place was no longer fit for hiding; the lingering might of those divine power imprints had ebbed too low to keep out beings of the Immortal realm.
"We shouldn't linger here!" Xu Ying said. "With such a massive disturbance in Hao Yi's enlightenment ground, Immortals will certainly come to investigate. Let us leave at once."
The three departed in haste.
Sure enough, not long after, several Immortal True Kings descended from Daoji Heaven to inspect the anomalous disturbance, each warping space-time in search of its origin.
However, they could only see Shi Tianyang and Daoist Wukong; when their gaze turned toward Xu Ying, they saw nothing more than a swirl of Chaos qi.
"This person's mastery of the Chaos Dao has reached the point of shrouding karmic cause and effect and confounding space-time!" the Immortal True Kings marveled in admiration. "To produce such an extraordinary being is truly a blessing for our other shore. And yet, this youngster is brazen beyond measure to stir up such enormous turmoil alongside a monkey and a Saint!"
They had not caught sight of Dao Lord Hunyuan or Yu Xuantong, nor did they realize Xu Ying hailed from the Three Realms. Consequently, they did not dwell on the matter, turning their eager gazes instead toward the divine power imprints within the enlightenment ground.
This cataclysmic eruption of the Firmament of Divine Powers had inadvertently granted them a rare chance to enter the grounds and study Hao Yi's divine power imprints.
When Emperor Haotian defeated Grand Dao Lord Taiyi in the past, his enlightenment ground had drawn the greedy eyes of many Immortals. Yet the place had been far too perilous, and entering it would offend Grand Dao Lord Taiyi—after all, Taiyi had suffered defeat precisely at the hands of the Firmament of Divine Powers.
For that reason, despite the forbidden zone lying right before them, none had dared approach.
Now, however, the eruption had not been caused by them. Even if Grand Dao Lord Taiyi learned of it, no blame would fall on their heads.
Seizing this golden opportunity, the Immortals set about comprehending the divine power imprints, reaping bountiful insights and finding themselves utterly awed by Hao Yi's boundless talent.
As time passed, however, the power within the divine power imprints steadily mounted. True King Fengtian chuckled and said, "If each of us suppresses a region to keep the divine powers from fully awakening, couldn't we remain here longer?"
"A splendid idea."
The Immortals each mobilized their Primordial Spirits, locking down a sector while continuing to study the divine power imprints. After an indeterminate stretch of time, a resounding voice suddenly echoed through heaven and earth:
"Grand Dao Lord Taiyi has arrived!"
Startled, the Immortals rose in haste, daring not linger. They rushed out of the forbidden zone and took up positions in the void, bowing respectfully in attendance.
A moment later, the void trembled. An ethereal phantom of Grand Dao Lord Taiyi materialized, seated within another layer of space-time. His form was colossal, enveloped in radiant divine light that obscured his features.
"Have you determined what disturbed Daoji Heaven?" the Grand Dao Lord inquired.
True King Fengtian bowed deeply and replied, "We have. A few juniors entered this place and tossed in several divine powers at random, triggering an uproar in the forbidden ground."
The divine light around Grand Dao Lord Taiyi stirred faintly as he said, "Those juniors were not throwing them at random. Triggering one or two divine power imprints might be chance, but setting off every imprint requires an intimate understanding of the divine powers here. What are their origins?"
True King Fengtian said, "One is a golden-furred monkey. I heard recently that people under Yu Xuantong were hunting it, claiming it climbed up from another universe through the Taishang Cave Abyss. Another is of the Stone race. As for the third, he appears to be a cultivator of the Chaos Dao."
Knowing little about Xu Ying and his companions, the information they could provide was sparse.
Grand Dao Lord Taiyi nodded gently. "I must trouble you all to continue the search. Once you capture them, bring them to me."
The Immortals voiced their assent and took their leave.
The void sealed shut, and Grand Dao Lord Taiyi's figure gradually faded from view.
Shi Tianyang guided Xu Ying and Daoist Wukong into an underground city beneath the other shore to lie low. The city was called Qiongdu, a habitat for the lower strata of the other shore. It was a chaotic melting pot teeming with races from countless universes.
On the other shore, true members of the Saint race were few. Seventy to eighty percent of the outlanders came from other universes, often maintaining constant Zangification to make themselves resemble the Saint race.
In Qiongdu, however, there was no need for constant Zangification, and everyone openly displayed their true forms.
Xu Ying and Daoist Wukong followed Shi Tianyang along the streets of this subterranean city. Bizarre beings bustled past on all sides: fish-headed humanoids, creatures with eyes like tentacles atop their heads, races resembling walking trees, beings consisting only of a massive head, and naturally born spirit entities devoid of physical bodies.
The underground was foul and filthy, and its inhabitants possessed ferocious tempers. Killings erupted over the slightest provocation, with magical treasures whistling through the air to sever scalps.
The underground races treated this as everyday amusement, and brawls were a constant fixture.
Shi Tianyang owned an old house here, so they took up temporary residence in Qiongdu. Xu Ying also needed time to grasp the Dao power within his Chaos Cave Abyss.
Unable to sit still, Daoist Wukong heard the fighting outside and grew restless. "Mingwan, let's go have some fun out there!"
Having grown up here, Shi Tianyang knew Qiongdu like the back of his hand, and his hands were itching as well. "All right! Let's go!"
The two strode out in high spirits.
Xu Ying called after them, "You two, don't go stirring up trouble."
Daoist Wukong and Shi Tianyang exchanged a glance, feeling that this fellow possessed zero self-awareness.
*All the trouble the two of us could ever stir up combined doesn't equal a single incident he causes.*
Xu Ying settled into meditation, carefully sensing the changes within his Chaos Cave Abyss. After devouring more than half of the Chaos Dao scenery, the Chaos Lotus seemed to recognize that formidable experts walked this realm; it had quieted down obediently without causing further disruptions.
Xu Ying sent his divine consciousness into the Chaos Cave Abyss. The vast expanse of the Chaos Dao scenery spanned tens of millions of li, swirling around the center of the cave abyss like a tempestuous Chaos Sea.
The lotus pond rested in the heart of this Dao scenery, cradling both the lotus flower and the Hongyuan within.
*I wonder if the Chaos Dao scenery plundered this time will be enough for the Hongyuan to mature?*
Withdrawing his divine consciousness, Xu Ying devoted himself entirely to comprehending the Chaos Dao, utilizing frameworks of Dao patterns, runes, dragon patterns, and principle scripts to construct his own Chaos Dao.
After an unknown period, having run through his comprehension of the Chaos Dao, Xu Ying thought, *I wonder if I can now decipher the patterns on Master Bell's surface?*
He summoned the big bell and focused his gaze upon it. Within moments, the Chaos Dao he had painstakingly cultivated began to crumble and collapse.
Xu Ying hastily shut his eyes, respectfully escorting Master Bell back into his cave abyss. *Using Dao patterns, dragon patterns, runes, or even principle scripts to deduce the Chaos Dao does not yield its true interpretation! Without the true interpretation, one cannot read the patterns on Master Bell's surface!*
Just then, a wave of clamor rose from outside, bustling with excited voices.
His curiosity piqued, Xu Ying stepped out.
Qiongdu had a wild, unruly populace and an abundance of underground experts. Underground wagering and death matches were exceptionally popular.
When Xu Ying drew near, he found Daoist Wukong inside a pocket realm of the All Heavens, locked in combat with a powerhouse of the eighth Dao Realm. The surrounding spectators stood packed shoulder to shoulder, their faces flushed with wild frenzy as their cheers and roars shook the heavens.
Shi Tianyang had assumed his thousand-armed form, his hands holding not magical treasures, but stacks of the other shore's currency—evidently wagers placed against others.
Looking closer, Xu Ying saw that Daoist Wukong was far smaller and leaner than his towering, burly opponent. Dodging and weaving beneath the brute's onslaught, the monkey appeared quite disheveled, his Dao arts seemingly inferior to his rival's.
Observing this, Xu Ying smiled faintly. *Daoist Wukong has picked up bad habits from Shi Tianyang, playing weak to draw in higher bets. Over the past few years, he has studied Emperor Haotian's Dao arts and divine powers, using other Daos to supplement the Supreme Dao and applying the Taiyi True Interpretation to it with modest success. This opponent is no match for him at all.*
Reflecting further, the Taiyi True Interpretation had been created by Grand Dao Lord Taiyi. By mastering it, one could cultivate the Three Qis of Beginning, Mystery, and Origin to form the Nine Mysteries; by merging the Nine Mysteries into one, one could unlock the profound secret of integrating all other Daos into Taiyi.
*If the Supreme Dao can achieve this as well, then all other Great Daos can be incorporated into the Supreme Dao. By extension, the Hongmeng Dao, the Chaos Dao, and the Samsara Dao must follow the same principle!*
At this realization, Xu Ying froze, knitting his brows in deep thought.
If the Taiyi Dao could assimilate other Daos, and other Daos could assimilate the Taiyi Dao, then what was the ultimate essence of the Dao?
Was a higher Dao simply closer to that essence, or were all these Daos merely earthly reflections of that singular essence?
Whether Taiyi, Hongmeng, Supreme Dao, Chaos Dao, or Samsara Dao, perhaps they were all just fragments of that fundamental nature.
Then what, truly, was the essence of the Great Dao?
Just as the thought crossed his mind, the uproar around him cut off abruptly, plunging the arena into pin-drop silence.
Inside the pocket realm, Daoist Wukong, who had been on the back foot only moments before, smashed his opponent's head to pieces with a single punch.
Shi Tianyang reaped a fortune, grinning from ear to ear.
Xu Ying was about to walk over when a Daoist approached and smiled warmly at him.
Xu Ying returned the smile, only for the world around him to twist violently. In the blink of an eye, he had been transported out of Qiongdu and into the open world above.
Startled, he instantly mobilized his Martial Extreme Dao Attainment. The primordial qi, Dao qi, and Dao power produced by the five cave abysses of Taiyi, Wuji, Hongmeng, Chaos, and Samsara within his body surged into his Martial Dao Cave Abyss!
His cave abysses did not hover outside his body; when he channeled his arts, they remained internal. This made him appear like a mere mortal on the surface, yet rendered him vastly more powerful and dangerously unpredictable!
Seeing this, the Daoist's expression shifted in surprise. He praised, "No wonder even Grand Dao Lord Taiyi took an interest in you. Even I feel an urge to cherish such rare talent."
Xu Ying offered a courteous greeting. "May I ask how to address you, Dao Brother?"
The Daoist smiled. "My Daoist name is Zhixuzi. I have come to take you as my disciple."
Xu Ying had braced himself for a fierce battle, not expecting Zhixuzi to have come to recruit him. He smiled and said, "I thank you for your kind regard, Dao Brother. But I am merely a seeker of the Dao. In attaining the Dao, priority is not determined by time; since you attained it before me, it is only right that I honor you as an elder Dao brother."
Zhixuzi shook his head. "Though the other shore appears peaceful on the surface, ruthless strife churns beneath. Every Immortal seeks to expand their own faction. You possess the potential to attain the Immortal realm. If you become my disciple and receive my diligent guidance, you will attain the Dao in just a few short years and become my trusted right hand!"
Seeing Xu Ying about to decline, he continued, "Do not be in a rush to refuse. I will shelter you for a hundred years, guaranteeing your peace and safety. For that century, you will be my disciple and I your master. A hundred years later, once you achieve the Immortal realm, we shall be fellow Daoists supporting one another. What say you?"
Xu Ying felt a stir of interest. Zhixuzi's offer was genuinely tempting; if he joined Zhixuzi's sect and secured an acknowledged status, he would no longer have to navigate the other shore in such dire straits.
Seeing his hesitation, Zhixuzi felt reassured and chuckled. "You may come with me first to the Fengxian Temple in Daoji Heaven, where you can mull it over for a while."
Xu Ying said, "I still have two companions. I must inform them..."
Before he could finish, dark clouds rolled across the distant horizon as a thunderstorm gathered. Suddenly, the Dao of Thunder blazed with blinding intensity, condensing into a colossal hand that swept forward across tens of thousands of li with thunderous force!
Zhixuzi sneered, "Coming for me! Stay where you are, and witness whether my methods are worthy of being your master!"
In an instant, he underwent Zangification, transforming into an outlander. An immense, suffocating aura erupted, filling heaven and earth. Boundless cave abysses drifted in the darkness behind him, his dharmic power skyrocketing with every heartbeat!
He was the Dao personified; every breath and motion was law and divine power!
Zhixuzi charged to meet the colossal thunderous hand. The moment they collided, a grand resonance thundered out, and the earth shook violently. Countless boulders and tons of earth rose into the air, melting beneath the clashing lightning to form ten brilliantly blazing halos!
Before those halos, a white-haired Daoist strode forward.
A terrifying might of the Samsara Dao burst forth!
Zhixuzi spat a mouthful of blood and fled without hesitation, shouting back from afar, "Little Daoist friend, let's flee separately! Remember to seek me out at the Fengxian Temple in Daoji Heaven!"
Xu Ying was about to make his escape to avoid the white-haired newcomer, only to discover the Samsara Dao power twisting around him with sublime precision. Countless space-times shifted and warped at his sides, leaving him nowhere to run.
Just as he was about to summon the big bell, the white-haired Daoist bowed with hands clasped and said, "'The dew turns white tonight; the moon shines brightest over home.' Taiyi of the Ancestral Court pays his respects!"
Chapter 734