Xu Ying raised a hand as if to grasp the particles of light, but the specks of spiritual brilliance slid past his fingertips, melting away like snow before vanishing entirely.
The Grand Dao Master of the other shore was simply too powerful.
Even though Grand Dao Master Xuanhuang had rallied all the resentment and grievances of the Tianjing people, he was still no match.
Killing a Grand Dao Master—even one newly awakened and far from his peak—was an utterly impossible task in the eyes of Immortals and those of the Supreme realm.
To Immortals and those of the Supreme realm, a Grand Dao Master was an unbeatable existence, unfathomable and incomprehensible.
Yet for one Grand Dao Master to slay another was by no means impossible.
The Grand Dao Master of the other shore had come using the four Grand Dao Lords—Taiyi, Yin-Yang, Gods and Demons, and Life and Death—as bait to lure out Grand Dao Master Xuanhuang and strike him down, eliminating future perils once and for all.
In the future, even if Tianjing's Great Daos rose in tide and the Tianjing people returned to their homeland, without a Grand Dao Master presiding over them, they would pose no threat to him. By then, Tianjing would merely be another land ruled by the other shore.
Suddenly, powerful auras drew near. Great Dao Lord Xuhuang's heart stirred, and he said, "It is Dao Lords Wuchen, Hongxi, Qingzai, and Panyan searching for our whereabouts. Since my injuries are not yet healed, it is best to avoid them."
He led Xu Ying and the others in a hasty departure, avoiding Dao Lord Wuchen and the rest, and returned deep into Tianjing. Many places here saw the revival of Heaven and Earth's Great Daos, but there were also numerous dark, eerie, and unpredictable zones known as the Land of Dao Execution. Because the resentment here was so heavy, even the Dao Lords of the other shore were unwilling to venture in.
The experts from the Three Realms took refuge here, using the perilous nature of the Land of Dao Execution to evade pursuit from the other shore.
They entered an ancient immortal palace. Great Dao Lord Xuhuang set everyone down, but silence hung over the palace.
For a time, it was hard for them to accept that the peerlessly powerful Grand Dao Master Xuanhuang had still died just like that.
Xu Ying stayed there for over a month, expounding what he had seen and heard of the Xuanhuang Dao Realm Scripture to Xuhuang, the Ancestor of Earth Immortals, and the others.
He could only give a broad overview; this cultivation method was unfathomably profound—the secret law Grand Dao Master Xuanhuang had comprehended to refine myriad Daos into oneself, form a Grand Dao world, and become a Lord of the Great Dao. It was simply impossible to comprehend thoroughly in a short time.
However, Zhuo Daochun, Wei Yi, Nangong Hao, and Shi Yuting each also had a copy of the Xuanhuang Dao Realm Scripture, which they could study at any time.
After explaining the general outline of this method, Xu Ying gave an overview of the Hundong Indestructible Scripture by Dao Zongyuan, the Grand Dao Master of the Yuan Realm.
With this technique, he also only gave an overview rather than an exhaustive exposition. It was far too complex, involving the Yuan Realm's cultivation system, Dao architecture, and Dao language system, making it difficult to cover fully in a short span.
He merely imparted the concepts of the scripture to everyone. At the stage of the Immortal realm, sometimes the concepts behind a method were more enticing and provided greater inspiration than the method itself.
"Xu Ying, your journey this time will be fraught with peril. Are you still bent on returning to the other shore?" Dao Ancestor Yuxu asked with concern. "If you go back, Grand Dao Lord Taiyi will surely force you to hand over the Xuanhuang Dao Realm Scripture, and the other three Grand Dao Lords will do the same. I fear you will scarcely be able to protect yourself. Stay here, and we can support one another."
Xu Ying shook his head with a smile. "Didn't we already agree on this? You stay in Tianjing, and I head to the other shore. By hedging our bets on both sides, one side is bound to win."
Seeing this, Dao Ancestor Yuxu pressed the matter no further.
Zhuo Daochun said, "I will see Junior Brother Xu off. Since he is going to pledge allegiance to Grand Dao Lord Taiyi, I have a few things to apprise him of."
Xu Ying nodded.
The two walked outside.
Zhuo Daochun said, "Under Taiyi's lineage, several senior brothers have already attained immortality. The strongest among them is Dao Lord Jiuzeng, who is the eldest senior brother. Next are True King Yuquan and True King Zongyi. Those who have attained the Dao often maintain their own ancestral manors and have founded their own sects in Daoji Heaven. The other disciples who have not yet attained immortality attend upon the Grand Dao Lord in daily life."
He spoke steadily, giving a broad sketch of the situation under Grand Dao Lord Taiyi. "Among the disciples in daily attendance, I cannot claim the top spot. I normally keep a low profile, ranking only among the top ten disciples."
Xu Ying's heart stirred. "Where would Senior Brother Zhuo's true strength rank?"
Zhuo Daochun hesitated a moment, then replied, "First, or perhaps second. Eldest Senior Brother Zhangsun Shenghai might possess strength above mine. However, I have never sparred with him, so who is superior remains unknown."
Xu Ying was thoroughly astonished and pressed, "Do you mean the you in Emperor Haotian's Dao comprehension ground, or the you right now?"
The Zhuo Daochun in Emperor Haotian's Dao comprehension ground had been brilliantly talented and immensely strong, but compared to the current Zhuo Daochun, he still paled considerably.
Having absorbed numerous Dao qis, comprehended various Great Daos, and acquired the Xuanhuang Dao Realm Scripture, the current Zhuo Daochun was easily more than twice as strong as before.
Zhuo Daochun replied, "The me of today. Junior Brother Xu, do not underestimate the Holy Clan of the other shore. Without formidable methods and heritages, how could they possibly rule the boundless universes?"
Xu Ying nodded gently.
Walking side by side, they gradually arrived at the site where the two Grand Dao Masters had clashed—a battlefield as smooth as a mirror.
Zhuo Daochun said, "Though one may escort a friend ten thousand li, parting is inevitable. I shall see you off up to here. Until we meet again."
Xu Ying smiled. "Please stay your steps, Senior Brother Zhuo. After today's parting, I will be a disciple of Grand Dao Lord Taiyi, while you will be a rebel. When we meet in the future, we might well be enemies."
Zhuo Daochun said nothing, watching as he turned to leave.
Their reflections upon the mirror-like surface grew farther and farther apart.
Suddenly, Zhuo Daochun called out, "Don't you want to know the depths of Zhangsun Shenghai's strength?"
Xu Ying paused and smiled. "Just because I want to know Zhangsun Shenghai's strength means I can?"
"Naturally you can," Zhuo Daochun said with absolute seriousness. "My strength is roughly on par with Zhangsun Shenghai's. If you spar with me, you will know where his cultivation and strength stand."
Xu Ying turned around, his face beaming with a smile. "If Zhangsun Shenghai's strength is roughly equal to yours, does that mean if I can defeat you, Senior Brother Zhuo, I can defeat Zhangsun Shenghai?"
Zhuo Daochun smiled. "However, Zhangsun Shenghai is definitely not someone you can catch up to through a brief burst of effort. I am only concerned that Junior Brother Xu's strength may fall short."
Xu Ying laughed heartily. "I only wish to get a feel for it against you, Senior Brother Zhuo, not truly fight him. As for victory or defeat, I have never taken such things to heart."
Zhuo Daochun chuckled. "I, too, never care about winning or losing."
The two hypocritically extolled their own magnanimity, each putting on a show of mutual appreciation between kindred spirits.
Ever since Xu Ying had witnessed Zhuo Daochun's prowess in Emperor Haotian's Dao comprehension ground, he had recognized his own shortcomings and taken Zhuo Daochun as his benchmark. Having gained extraordinary improvements in cultivation and strength over this period, he naturally wanted to test the fruits of his practice.
As for Zhuo Daochun, ever since he was defeated in the Tianjing Ruins by the joint efforts of Xu Ying, the big bell, and the Zhuxian broken sword, he had held a grudge and noted Xu Ying's rapid progress. Furthermore, when they joined forces in the chaotic space to face Dao Lord Hong, Zhuo Daochun was startled to discover that Xu Ying's improvement during this time had grown even more astonishing, showing every sign of overtaking him. Thus, he also wanted to see just how much of a gap remained between Xu Ying and his current self.
Suddenly, Xu Ying let out a booming shout. In an instant, he drove the Martial Ultimate Dao Verification to its limit! The Martial Dao cave abyss within his body turned, and the roots of the Ginseng Fruit Tree linked the other cave abysses, forming an internal Grand Dao Master realm!
His cultivation surged continuously. With his very first strike, he unleashed the eighth method of the Eight Immortality Methods—the Chaotic Huntian Hand!
As his palm struck downward, heaven tilted and earth leaned; myriad Daos ceased to exist, carrying the overwhelming momentum of chaos blending with the Great Daos of heaven and earth!
Zhuo Daochun had also pushed his Taiyi Grand Dao to its peak long ago. His Divine Power Ultimate Realm erupted, and in a flash, various Taiyi divine powers manifested—at a speed considerably faster even than Xu Ying's martial techniques!
His divine powers could now be cast at will, and his intent hovered between existence and non-existence, fleeting through thoughts in the blink of an eye.
Seeing this, Xu Ying instantly knew that his Chaotic Huntian Hand would definitely fail to stop it: "Now that he has unleashed the ultimate intent of divine power, his next move will be Emperor Haotian's Firmament of Divine Powers!"
Zhuo Daochun was a disciple of Grand Dao Lord Taiyi in name, but in truth, he was Emperor Haotian's successor; most of his skills had been learned from Emperor Haotian's Dao comprehension ground.
Ruthlessness surged in Xu Ying's heart as he, too, spurred the ultimate intent of martial dao, thinking, "Since he's playing so dirty, why should I hold back?"
His ultimate intent of martial dao was just like the ultimate intent of divine power: both used the spirit of the ultimate Dao to exhaustively probe all martial techniques or divine powers, seeking their terminal profundities.
When Zhuo Daochun saw him unleash the ultimate intent of martial dao, in an instant it seemed as though countless Xu Yings had appeared, executing different divine powers.
Zhuo Daochun's mind blanked: "He's going to use the Firmament of Divine Powers against me! If I don't use the Firmament of Divine Powers, I won't be able to block it at all—I'll be crippled in a single move!"
Without hesitation, he activated the Firmament of Divine Powers.
Seeing this, Xu Ying sneered inwardly: "I knew he was going to use the Firmament of Divine Powers on me! In that case, let's both go down together!"
He surged his Martial Dao cave abyss, and in an instant, the Martial Dao Firmament of Divine Powers erupted!
On one side was the authentic Firmament of Divine Powers inherited from Emperor Haotian; on the other was the Martial Dao Firmament of Divine Powers. The two clashed like needle against wheattip, and in a flash, cataclysmic shockwaves erupted between them!
Boom!
Blinding Dao light exploded. The powers of myriad Great Daos tangled together, governed by Taiyi. At the moment of impact, the smiles on Xu Ying's and Zhuo Daochun's faces froze. Their expressions warped contortedly; blood began spraying from their nostrils, and even the tiny pores beneath their eyes spurted blood with a hiss.
Both shuddered violently and tumbled backward, their bodies skidding across the mirror-smooth surface into the distance.
After trading this blow, both felt a twinge of quiet regret.
"We are fellow travelers on the Dao after all; we shouldn't have gone for the kill."
After a moment, each steadied himself and leaped to his feet—only for their auras to instantly wilt, vomiting mouthfuls of blood.
Xu Ying forcibly suppressed his injuries and healed himself at full speed, thinking, "I possess the Ginseng Fruit Tree and have cultivated a Dao fruit; my cultivation doesn't fear him in the slightest. Besides, my physical recovery is stronger. If I charge over first and he spits blood in front of me, I win!"
Before his injuries were fully contained, he dashed toward Zhuo Daochun.
In a flash, he crossed ten thousand li, only to run right into Zhuo Daochun sprinting toward him. Seeing each other, both dug in their heels to avoid colliding.
Xu Ying clamped down on his injuries to keep from spewing another mouthful of blood, then ran his tongue across the surface of his teeth to wipe away any bloodstains before chuckling, "I thought I might have injured you, Senior Brother Zhuo, and couldn't help coming to check. Seeing you safe and sound sets my mind at ease."
Zhuo Daochun laughed. "I was also worried that using four-tenths of my strength just now was a bit excessive, fearing Junior Brother Xu might be hurt. Seeing you still bursting with dragon-horse vigor, I am relieved as well."
Xu Ying's eyes lit up, and he beamed. "Senior Brother Zhuo, there's blood on your teeth! Could it be you were wounded by me? I am truly terrified and contrite!"
He was so thrilled he nearly leaped into the air.
Zhuo Daochun licked at the bloodstain on his teeth and said, "I thought it was blood too, but it turns out to be a bit of chili pepper stuck between my teeth. Pardon the unsightly sight, Junior Brother. But Junior Brother, your hands are trembling a bit. Was taking that move of mine just now a little hard to bear?"
Xu Ying laughed heartily. "I'm in my dotage; it acts up like this from time to time."
The two put on a grand display of mutual admiration between kindred spirits, yet each found the other increasingly an eyesore.
Xu Ying proposed, "Using the Firmament of Divine Powers doesn't showcase our own methods. How about this: let's spar once more without using the Firmament of Divine Powers."
Zhuo Daochun also knew the power of the Firmament of Divine Powers was simply too monstrous; if both used it, neither would come out ahead. Thus, he nodded in agreement.
With a shout, Xu Ying immediately unleashed the divine power recorded in the Hundong Indestructible Scripture: Hongtai Abyss Sea.
This divine power was a peculiar Dao phenomenon of the Yuan Realm universe: a grand terrace overlooking an abyss, beneath which churned the anomaly of the Chaos Sea.
As this divine power was unleashed, Zhuo Daochun felt a chill run through his soul. None of the divine powers he had learned or comprehended in the past could block or unravel it.
Without a second thought, he immediately triggered the ultimate intent of divine power.
Seeing him activate the ultimate intent of divine power, Xu Ying felt a jolt of alarm. Unable to bring the Hongtai Abyss Sea to full fruition, he abruptly switched his move.
"Firmament of Divine Powers!"
"Firmament of Divine Powers!"
Boom!
Dazzling Dao light burst forth, tearing the skies of the Tianjing Ruins and casting brilliant flashes across the vast mist of spacetime.
Coughing up great mouthfuls of blood, Xu Ying flew backward across the mirror-like surface and hurriedly quelled his injuries, thinking, "Two uses of the Firmament of Divine Powers are immensely draining; it should have basically depleted his cultivation. I have mastered Three Qis Traversing the Mysterious and Nine Mysteries Returning to One; what flows from my Taiyi cave abyss is pure, unadulterated primordial qi, making my recovery much faster!"
Suppressing his injuries and rapidly restoring his cultivation, he steadied himself and immediately sprinted toward Zhuo Daochun's position.
Zhuo Daochun was also sprinting over. When they met, both burst into hearty laughter—only to notice, as they laughed, that the other's cultivation was also recovering at high speed, causing their laughter to choke off.
"We were taught by the same master after all. Neither of us can break the other's moves, so let's call it off," Zhuo Daochun said, waving a hand as he turned to leave. "Next time, we'll see who comes out on top!"
Xu Ying laughed heartily and waved as he walked away.
Above the immortal mountain of the Tianjing Ruins floated four immortal palaces, guarded by Dao Lords Wuchen, Hongxi, Qingzai, and Panyan.
Dao Lord Wuchen was resting with closed eyes when his senses suddenly twitched. Opening his tiger-like eyes, he saw Xu Ying walking out of the darkness toward them.
Dao Lord Wuchen's aura erupted, and a massive warhammer flew into his grasp. His voice boomed like rolling thunder: "Xu Ying, your treachery has been exposed! How dare you return?"
Xu Ying replied in astonishment, "I am a disciple of Grand Dao Lord Taiyi. Why wouldn't I dare come? Where is my master?"
Chapter 750