Duel of the Grand Dao Lords

That tall figure stood motionless in the darkness, yet the pressure bearing down upon the Grand Dao Lord of Life and Death grew ever heavier. The Grand Dao Lord of Life and Death snorted, abandoned Xu Ying, and walked toward the towering figure, saying indifferently, "Xuhuang, you call yourself a Grand Dao Lord, yet you are nothing more than a barbarian who snuck over from the Three Realms. I have seen far too many barbarians like you." He strode forward; the tall figure still stood in place. Yet no matter how far he walked, he remained neither near nor far from the tall figure, seemingly unable to close any distance at all. "You are no different from the stowaways of other universes. You vile wretches sneaked into the other shore by contemptible means, living like rats in the foul gutters, scavenging for the scraps and cold leftovers we left behind." The Grand Dao Lord of Life and Death paid it no mind, continuing forward as he assailed Great Dao Lord Xuhuang's Dao heart. "Back in your homeland, you were lofty and supreme, men above men, hailed as Dao Ancestors and founding patriarchs. Yet once here on the other shore, you are not even equal to a dog of ours. You live in constant dread, hiding east and scurrying west, devoid of dignity, devoid of glory, devoid even of the right to be called men. "Xuhuang, you have been on the other shore for ten thousand years. The people of your homeland thought you would surely be basking in boundless glory, never imagining that you actually lived like ants for ten thousand years." The Grand Dao Lord of Life and Death chuckled. "How does he look upon you? How does he look upon figures like you, whom they revere as Dao Ancestors and founding masters?" His words seemed to take effect. Up ahead, Great Dao Lord Xuhuang's figure suddenly swayed, and the distance between them abruptly closed considerably. Joy surged in the Grand Dao Lord of Life and Death's heart. Looking again, Xuhuang's figure indeed came clearly into view. "Brother Life and Death, at this moment, you are very pleased," Great Dao Lord Xuhuang said leisurely. Opposite him, Great Dao Lord Xuhuang appeared as a man between middle age and old age, his aura lofty and far-reaching. "You believe your words shook my Dao heart, causing a flaw to appear in my Dao methods and divine powers. "Yet that very instant of your delight was precisely when your own flaw appeared. Had you struck then, you would have met certain defeat. That you held back shows you truly have some skill." The Grand Dao Lord of Life and Death finally saw Xuhuang's countenance clearly. This Grand Dao Lord had attained verification of both body and Dao; behind his head hung two halos, one large and one small, containing immeasurable space within. One was a Great Luo Heaven, and the other was a cave abyss, both limpid and radiant. Within the Great Luo Heaven, the Dao tree grew luxuriantly, bearing all manner of Dao fruits; within the cave abyss, magnificent Dao scenery mirrored myriad waters and thousands of mountains. The Grand Dao Lord of Life and Death looked around and saw that this place was far removed from where the Great Daos were awakening. Relieved somewhat, he said, "Xuhuang, how abundant the talent of the Three Realms is. First there was Daoist Tongtian, then Haoyi, and now here you are. Alas, you will never have the chance to grow to Tongtian and Haoyi's level." His vast and profound magic power instantly froze space-time. With a tap of his finger, he enveloped all of Xuhuang's movements across the past and future, leaving him nowhere to dodge! *Hiss!* When the finger struck Xuhuang, Xuhuang's own Great Dao began to decay and wither; the Dao tree shriveled, and the Dao fruits shrank! The Grand Dao Lord of Life and Death truly lived up to his standing as a being who commanded the dual Daos of Life and Death across the boundless universes. With this single finger, employing a Grand Dao divine power, no Supreme could possibly withstand it and would suffer instant dissolution of the Dao and death of the body! Even an Indestructible of the same realm facing his divine power of life and death would meet only bitter ruin! "Even within the Indestructible Realm, the gulf is something a barbarian like you likely cannot fathom." Withdrawing his finger, the Grand Dao Lord of Life and Death said indifferently, "An ant is an ant; it can never step onto the grand stage. The moment one is discovered is usually the moment it is crushed underfoot." Just as he was about to leave, figures flickered once more in the darkness. Another Xuhuang walked forth, smiling. "Fellow Daoist, the Grand Dao Lord of Life and Death exploits the myriad universes. How immense is his magic power, how sublime is his Dao attainment! How could you be a match for him? You have suffered for it now, haven't you?" The Grand Dao Lord of Life and Death froze slightly. Looking at this Xuhuang, he saw purple robes and dense purple mist behind his head, forming a cave abyss and a Great Luo Heaven, each complementing the other! This Xuhuang looked identical to the previous one, between middle age and old age, and was likewise an existence of the Indestructible Realm, differing only in attire and Great Dao. With the appearance of this purple-robed Xuhuang, Hongmeng purple qi suppressed the aging and decay of the grey-robed Xuhuang's Dao. He was actually an Indestructible who cultivated the Great Dao of Hongmeng! Suddenly, yet another Xuhuang stepped out from the darkness and chuckled. "Life and death return together; the Great Dao is vast and boundless. All life in the world undergoes birth, aging, sickness, and death; all Daos in the world have a beginning and an end. Even the vast earth upon which we dwell—will it not have a day of withered ruin? The marvel of the Great Dao of Life and Death lies precisely in returning together." The Grand Dao Lord of Life and Death looked over. This Xuhuang was clad in half-black, half-white robes, and behind him were a cave abyss and a Great Luo Heaven as well; within them, the Dao fruits, immortal mountains, and innate qi belonged to the dual Daos of Life and Death. As this black-and-white Xuhuang arrived, the grey-robed Xuhuang's Dao tree immediately radiated vigorous life force once more, his Dao fruits recovered, and his cave abyss regained its brilliance! Three Xuhuangs... could they be Dao bodies? Xuhuang was formidable indeed, managing to cultivate three Great Daos to the Indestructible Realm in a mere sixty thousand years! The Grand Dao Lord of Life and Death marveled inward, though this meager attainment was still far from enough to rival a Grand Dao Lord like him. No sooner had the thought crossed his mind than shadows milled in the darkness. One Xuhuang after another stepped forth, each possessing cultivation of the Indestructible Realm, each having cultivated a Great Luo Heaven and cave abyss! His heart pounded wildly. "The Great Dao of Karma! The Great Dao of Space! The Great Dao of Time! The Great Dao of Life! The Great Dao of Yin-Yang! The Great Dao of Taiji! The Great Dao of Taishang!" The Grand Dao Lord of Life and Death steadied his mind. These Xuhuangs cultivated different Great Daos, yet each had advanced to the Indestructible Realm! "Five Spirits Seven Brightnesses Void Sovereign greets the Grand Dao Lord of Life and Death!" "Eastern Brightness Void Sovereign greets the Grand Dao Lord of Life and Death!" "Western Splendor Void Sovereign greets the Grand Dao Lord of Life and Death!" "Northern Dark Void Sovereign! Southern Vermilion Void Sovereign! Taishang Void Sovereign! Yellow Radiance Void Sovereign! Upper Primordial Void Sovereign! Dark Elder Void Sovereign! We greet the Grand Dao Lord of Life and Death!" The corner of the Grand Dao Lord of Life and Death's eyes twitched erratically. Suddenly, he burst into hearty, booming laughter and projected loudly, "Xuhuang truly possesses ability, to have verified immortality across all these Great Daos! Since your Dao bodies are so formidable, does your true body not dare show himself?" Before his words had faded, the space before him shook violently. Great Dao Lord Xuhuang slowly rose seated from the darkness, and the various Void Sovereigns took their places behind his head, honoring a single master! This Xuhuang was his true body! A profound, nameless shock gripped the Grand Dao Lord of Life and Death. Great Dao Lord Xuhuang cultivated diverse Great Daos, attaining immortality in each one. Such talent and genius were rare under heaven! The Grand Dao Lord of Life and Death could not help but praise, "You come from a barbaric place like the Three Realms, where the Daos are incomplete and the methods backward, and which was even wiped out once by my other shore. Yet you have reached this stage, practically reaching the pinnacle of the Indestructible Realm. It is truly awe-inspiring." Changing his tone, he added indifferently, "However, in the end, you are still not a Grand Dao Lord, and far from my match." Great Dao Lord Xuhuang smiled faintly. "I know. That is why I borrowed a bit of power." The Grand Dao Lord of Life and Death was taken aback. "Borrowed a bit of power?" Great Dao Lord Xuhuang chuckled. "Indeed. I borrowed a bit of the power of the awakening Great Daos of heaven and earth in the Tianjing Ruins." No sooner had his voice fallen than across hundreds of millions of li of the Tianjing Ruins, Dao domains awakened one by one like sparks of fire! That was Great Dao Lord Xuhuang using his own Dao power to stir the Dao power of heaven and earth, then drawing upon that heaven-and-earth Dao power to augment his own! "Your Excellency has harvested the boundless universes. Over hundreds of millions of years, countless talents have cultivated the Dao methods and cave abysses of Life and Death passed down by you. With only ten thousand years of cultivation, I naturally cannot compare to you." Xuhuang's own aura grew steadily more formidable, connecting with the Dao domains across hundreds of millions of li. Empowered by the Dao domains, his cultivation and Dao attainment were boundlessly powerful! "Brother Life and Death, you pointed at me just now. Now, allow me to exchange pointers with you." He thrust a finger forward. The motion was slow, the fingertip's power deeply condensed, but along with this finger's advance, the Great Daos across hundreds of millions of li of Dao domains boiled over! Thousands upon myriads of Dao rays merged into his fingertip! The Grand Dao Lord of Life and Death looked grave. Within the Cave Abyss of Life and Death behind him, he was connected to countless cultivators practicing the Great Dao of Life and Death across the myriad universes! In this moment, to meet Xuhuang's finger, he had no choice but to harvest a portion of those cultivators' cultivation. At that exact instant, across the myriad worlds under the jurisdiction of the other shore, every cultivator practicing the dual Daos of Life and Death felt their cultivation abruptly plunge for no apparent reason! The Grand Dao Lord of Life and Death channeled his divine power, pressed his index and middle fingers together, and drove the Dao method Life and Death Return Together to clash with Great Dao Lord Xuhuang's finger! Both exerted their full might, marshaling every ounce of power they could muster, and their finger powers collided midair. All around, across hundreds of millions of li of the Tianjing Ruins, the radiance of one Dao domain after another abruptly dimmed, and the glowing Dao rays snapped one after another. Great Dao Lord Xuhuang groaned, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth, and the Seven Luminaries Treasure Crown atop his head exploded, leaving his hair disheveled. Behind him, his several Void Sovereign Dao bodies also grew dispirited, their Great Daos damaged! "As expected of a Grand Dao Lord. I have learned much!" Great Dao Lord Xuhuang immediately flew backward, vanishing into the darkness. The Grand Dao Lord of Life and Death stood where he was, making a motion to pursue, but promptly spat out a mouthful of blood and hurriedly sat cross-legged to nurse his wounds. Xuhuang had borrowed the Dao power of heaven and earth to clash with him in a single strike, leaving him severely wounded as well! *In a mere sixty thousand years, he has grown to this point. The barbarians of the Three Realms cannot be spared!* he thought grimly. Having fled far away, Xuhuang's aura suddenly waned. Hurriedly rallying his spirits, he found Dao Ancestor Yuxu and said, "I traded a head-on blow with the Grand Dao Lord of Life and Death and sustained injuries. I need you, Fellow Daoist, to protect me." Dao Ancestor Yuxu asked, "How is Xu Ying right now?" Xuhuang said, "Another fellow Daoist should be watching over him." Dao Ancestor Yuxu felt slightly relieved. *** "Lord Bell, it's not that I don't want you... No, wait, it's not that I'm sick of you! My heart belongs to you! We're good brothers! It's just a powerful, clumsy brute... "Lord Sword, talk some sense into Lord Bell... I haven't had a change of heart, and I'm definitely not fickle... Lord Sword, don't slander me! The sun and the moon can bear witness to my devotion to you two! I just thought this Taiyi Myriad Daos Cauldron had some unique merits." Xu Ying raised the Taiyi Myriad Daos Cauldron. He felt its power was boundless, myriad Daos coursing within the vessel, its Dao methods truly varied and unpredictable. He could not help feeling delighted. Having obtained the cauldron, he refined it repeatedly, probing the mysteries of the Myriad Daos Cauldron. Once invoked, the Myriad Daos Cauldron could protect the body with myriad Daos, strike down formidable foes, invert itself to manifest a world, and even take enemies inside to refine them! Even more wondrously, the cauldron expounded the intricacies of the Great Dao of Taiyi's operation. Xu Ying had originally built his foundation on cultivating Taiyi; having acquired this treasure, he was like a fish in water, refining and wielding it with total ease. The big bell and the Zhuxian Sword watched on, burning with jealousy. Fortunately, though this little hussy that had delivered herself to their door was mighty in power, she possessed no sentience and could not compare to them. With this treasure in hand, Xu Ying collected all manner of Dao Qi with even greater ease. Before he even arrived at a place, he only had to invoke the Taiyi Myriad Daos Cauldron; the round cauldron would fly into the Dao domain, seize half the Dao, and fly away! With the cauldron's assistance, Xu Ying's efficiency surged. The Dao Qi he harvested grew steadily, gradually surpassing two hundred varieties. Among them were Daos he had never cultivated; lacking corresponding techniques, he could only store them temporarily in his cave abysses. Lacking matching cave abysses, he could not refine these Daos for the time being. "Why do I possess the karmic destiny of the Tianjing Ruins?" Xu Ying invoked the Taiyi Myriad Daos Cauldron to capture a cluster of Tai Su Dao Qi. Suddenly pausing, he thought, *Where on earth did my karmic destiny of the Tianjing Ruins come from? Could this be another baited trap?* The Dao of Tai Su was in no way inferior to the Dao of Taiyi; evidently, the Great Dao of Tai Su was equal to the Great Dao of Taiyi. Having claimed the Tai Su Dao Qi, Xu Ying felt somewhat uneasy. Right then, a voice came from the darkness: "Fellow Daoist Xu, within your cave abyss, there seems to be an old friend of mine. I wonder if you would permit me a look?" Hearing this, Xu Ying froze slightly. Looking in the direction of the voice, he saw an old Daoist with the youthful appearance of a child, sporting three wisps of beard—one on each side of his upper lip and one on his chin. He wore a purple-gold crown and a crane-feather cloak as he walked toward him. Seeing his form, Xu Ying could tell he was no outlander, and asked in confusion, "Daoist, forgive my lack of sight, but may I ask who you are?" He compared the man against the Heaven and Earth Primordial Spirits of the various Dao Ancestors he had encountered, but none resembled the elderly Daoist before him, leaving him puzzled. The elderly Daoist smiled and said, "Wuzhuang Temple in the Earth Immortal Realm is my Daoist temple, and the Ginseng Fruit Tree is the heaven-and-earth spiritual root of my Earth Immortal Realm. I took the Ginseng Fruit Tree as my Dao tree and cultivated my Dao fruit. Because I am the oldest, the fellow Daoists of the Earth Immortal Realm call me the Ancestor of Earth Immortals."