Although Xu Ying knew this was the optimal moment to eliminate Grand Dao Lord Taiyi, he could only look on and sigh.
His cultivation and strength were simply not enough to kill Taiyi right now, even if the man was grievously wounded and a shadow of his former self.
Furthermore, for the time being, he still needed the prestige of being Grand Dao Lord Taiyi's disciple to travel and study in the other shore, so that he could transmit its true supreme arts back to the Three Realms.
Sooner or later, the other shore would find the Three Realms, making a war between the two universes inevitable. Delivering the consummate techniques of the other shore to the Three Realms to be evolved and refined was an indispensable necessity.
Living as a rebel would never grant him access to such high-level arts; only as Grand Dao Lord Taiyi's disciple did he have any hope of obtaining them.
*If Wuchen were to suddenly leap out and give Grand Dao Lord Taiyi another hammer strike, that would bash him to death once and for all.*
Xu Ying surveyed their surroundings, but unfortunately found no trace of Dao Lord Wuchen.
This Dao Lord Wuchen was indeed utterly loyal to Taiyi.
Grand Dao Lord Taiyi's scheme to heavily wound the three Grand Dao Lords of Life and Death, Yin-Yang, and Gods and Demons, monopolizing the art of the Lord of Great Dao, quickly spread like wildfire across the other shore, causing an immense sensation.
The four Grand Dao Lords of the other shore stood high above all, second in status only to the peerlessly sublime Lords of Great Dao.
Everyone had assumed the four Grand Dao Lords possessed comparable cultivation and strength, never imagining that Taiyi would take the lead so decisively and manage to injure the other three!
After that display, Taiyi and Xu Ying encountered no obstacles along the way, returning safely and peacefully to the other shore.
At that moment, around a hundred experts of the other shore were walking toward them. The black-robed man at their head rushed forward the moment he saw Grand Dao Lord Taiyi, bowing respectfully. "Your disciple, Jiu Zeng, is late to welcome Master! I beg Master for forgiveness!"
"Jiu Zeng?"
Hearing the name, Xu Ying sized up the black-robed man. The man wore a miserable expression, his brow knit so deeply into the shape of a grass radical that he looked laden with bitter hatred and deep grievances. Xu Ying thought to himself, *So he is Taiyi's disciple, Dao Lord Jiu Zeng.*
Grand Dao Lord Taiyi nodded slightly and said to Dao Lord Jiu Zeng, "This is your youngest junior brother, Xu Ying of the Three Realms."
Dao Lord Jiu Zeng looked at Xu Ying with a gloomy face and said, "Junior Brother Xu looks somewhat familiar."
Xu Ying asked, "Was Senior Brother Jiu Zeng present during the harvest of the Heavenly Immortal Realm? The one flying across the sky killing people with a sword was me."
Dao Lord Jiu Zeng came to a sudden realization. "No wonder you looked so familiar. It turns out that was you, Junior Brother. You slew my primordial spirit avatar."
Xu Ying chuckled. "No friendship without a fight! Senior Brother, from now on we are fellows of the same sect. I hope Senior Brother will look out for me."
Dao Lord Jiu Zeng's face remained sour and dejected, making it impossible to tell whether he agreed with those words.
The crowd escorted Grand Dao Lord Taiyi onward toward Daoji Heaven. Ahead, many more Immortals arrived to receive him. Two Immortal True Kings hurried forward to pay their respects. "Your disciples Yuquan and Zongyi are late to provide protection! We beg Master for forgiveness!"
Grand Dao Lord Taiyi said, "I did not notify you, and the enemies were not particularly formidable anyway. What crime is there to forgive? Rise. This is your youngest junior brother, Xu Ying."
True King Yuquan and True King Zongyi rose and looked at Xu Ying.
True King Zongyi said in surprise, "Junior Brother Xu's face looks rather familiar, doesn't it?"
Xu Ying summoned the Zhuxian broken sword and smiled. "Does Senior Brother Zongyi recognize this object?"
Both shocked and furious, Zongyi barked, "You're the sword-wielding bandit from the Heavenly Immortal Realm! I've finally found you!"
Just as he was about to strike a lethal blow, True King Yuquan hastily held him back and said with a smile, "Senior Brother Zongyi, calm yourself. Back then, he belonged to the Three Realms and was not yet our junior brother. As someone from the Three Realms, resisting our harvest was only natural."
Only then did True King Zongyi let the matter drop.
Several other disciples in the Immortality Realm also stepped forward to greet Taiyi. Because they were still in the early stages of the Immortality Realm, they did not yet hold the title of True King.
When Grand Dao Lord Taiyi introduced Xu Ying to them, they were all astonished and thought Xu Ying looked rather familiar as well.
Once Xu Ying brought up the harvest of the Heavenly Immortal Realm, everything dawned on them. Upon inquiring further, Xu Ying discovered that the primordial spirit avatars of all these senior brothers and sisters had perished beneath his blade.
"Junior Brother Xu, why did you specifically target disciples of the Taiyi line?" Dao Lord Jiu Zeng asked displeasedly.
Xu Ying straightened his posture and said solemnly, "Only because I too cultivate the Taiyi Great Dao and felt a kindred bond with all of you, my senior brothers and sisters. Thus, I simply could not resist making such ruthless strikes against you."
The crowd looked at him, half-believing and half-doubting his words.
Daoji Heaven hung lofty above the other shore. It was forged by the Immortals of the other shore gathering all manners of innate qi from across the chiliocosm, housing countless treasures.
Grand Dao Lord Taiyi resided in She'an Palace, a complex of thousands of palaces and halls that resembled a vast city built atop celestial mountains large and small. In the sky hung all kinds of spiritual treasures and cave abysses.
The Taiyi sect had numerous followers. Among them, Grand Dao Lord Taiyi's direct disciples were not particularly abundant—merely several hundred. Far more numerous were the grand-disciples taken in by those disciples.
Senior brothers like Jiu Zeng, Yuquan, and Zongyi, who had cultivated to the Immortality Realm, were already permitted to establish their own sects and manors to recruit disciples broadly, and they did not reside with Taiyi on an everyday basis.
Only those who had not yet reached the Immortality Realm lived in the vicinity of Yaoguang Hall, where Grand Dao Lord Taiyi resided.
Upon arriving at Yaoguang Hall, Grand Dao Lord Taiyi was greeted by many disciples beneath the Immortality Realm who came forward to pay homage and inquire after his health.
Grand Dao Lord Taiyi swept his gaze over the crowd and said, "In the Tianjing Ruins, your master contended with the Dao Master of evil demons, and on the return journey, I was ambushed by Gods and Demons, Yin-Yang, and Life and Death. Your master suffered slight injuries and requires a few days of quiet recuperation. Guard She'an Palace and protect me while I heal."
The disciples assented.
Grand Dao Lord Taiyi turned his gaze toward Xu Ying. "This is your master's newly accepted disciple, Xu Ying."
Everyone turned to look at Xu Ying. With a smile, Xu Ying gave them a polite nod.
Grand Dao Lord Taiyi added, "Xu Ying, you will remain in She'an Palace and must not go outside. Your daily accommodations will be arranged by others."
Xu Ying bowed and assented.
The disciples filed out one after another.
With Dao Lord Jiu Zeng, True King Yuquan, True King Zongyi, and the other Immortals standing guard outside Yaoguang Hall, Grand Dao Lord Taiyi sealed the hall and went into seclusion to nurse his wounds.
Xu Ying followed the disciples who had yet to reach the Immortality Realm as they walked outside. One female disciple said, "Junior Brother Xu, we introductory disciples cannot yet establish our own manors, so we all reside near Yaoguang Hall. The male disciples live in Tianyun Tower, and the female disciples live in Xiuguang Pavilion. Junior Brother Mao, arrange Junior Brother Xu's living quarters and meals."
A yellow-haired man acknowledged the instruction and said to Xu Ying, "Junior Brother Xu, please follow me."
Xu Ying stopped in his tracks, sized up the surrounding disciples, and asked with a grin, "Among our fellow Taiyi disciples, is seniority determined by time of entry, or by cultivation?"
The crowd halted one after another, pairs of eyes turning toward him.
Xu Ying offered a faint smile. "Please don't misunderstand. As a newcomer, I have no grand ambitions; I merely wish to become everyone's Eldest Senior Brother."
Though Grand Dao Lord Taiyi's direct disciples were not numerous, they still numbered in the hundreds. Hearing this, every one of them felt a surge of indignation.
Xu Ying looked around and said gently, "Disciples of famous masters tend to be arrogant and conceited. I worry that you might become haughty, overbearing, and blindly self-important simply because you study under Master. That is why, out of necessity, I wish to take the position of Eldest Senior Brother—to help all of you clearly recognize your place."
"Xu Ying!" one male disciple barked. "You go too far!"
Xu Ying acted surprised. "Why say that? I have no interest in any of you; I only wish to meet Eldest Senior Brother Zhangsun Shenghai."
The male disciple charged forward without another word, driving his Taiyi Cave Abyss as his divine power erupted. "Why would Eldest Senior Brother need to step in? I'll teach you your place as a younger brother!"
His divine power unfolded, myriad Dao images coalescing in the air into a lotus throne shimmering with boundless tribulation fire as it surged toward Xu Ying.
Such a divine power had already achieved exquisite mastery!
Yet before the lotus throne of tribulation fire could even reach Xu Ying, it abruptly sputtered out, leaving behind not a shred of might.
The male disciple froze in disbelief. Xu Ying grinned broadly and said, "Since you refuse to tell me which one is Senior Brother Zhangsun Shenghai, I'll just have to strike and flush him out myself! Chaotic Hun-Tian Hand!"
With a thunderous shout, Xu Ying's martial path attainment erupted. He thrust out a single hand, and in the next instant, the sky turned dark as if the Chaos Sea were overturned from above. Beyond the Chaos Sea appeared an enormous hand pressing down against the surface of the waters!
Wherever this Chaotic Hun-Tian Hand reached, all heavens fell void of the Dao, and divine arts ceased to exist. Under that terrifying palm force, the crowd was instantly thrown into disarray, collapsing to the ground one after another without the slightest ability to resist.
They felt every Great Dao they cultivated suddenly fall dormant; they could not even mobilize their divine powers.
However, not everyone was crushed by the Chaotic Hun-Tian Hand. Six or seven figures still stood tall, each raising a hand to face Xu Ying's divine power head-on!
As their magic powers clashed, six of them coughed up blood and sustained injuries, leaving only a single young man still standing there, having made no move to oppose the Chaotic Hun-Tian Hand.
Xu Ying was astonished, quietly praising in his heart, *Grand Dao Lord Taiyi truly recruits disciples of exceptional caliber. Out of several hundred people, six actually managed to withstand a strike of mine!*
Even though the six had joined forces to endure the blow, it was still no small feat. After the journey through the Tianjing Ruins, Xu Ying's cultivation and strength had made tremendous strides, far beyond what he possessed before entering.
For those six to withstand his strike together meant each of them was not much inferior to the Xu Ying of the past. It was no wonder he was privately amazed.
Outside Yaoguang Hall, True King Zongyi's expression shifted slightly. "A fight has broken out."
True King Yuquan kept his gaze steady and replied, "I know. This Xu Ying is a troublemaker. It would be a miracle if a fight didn't break out upon his arrival at She'an Palace."
Seeing Xu Ying's Chaotic Hun-Tian Hand, True King Zongyi could not hide his shock and whispered, "This kid's strength is extraordinary, vastly surpassing what he had during the Heavenly Immortal Realm harvest! His might could probably rival that of an ordinary Immortal."
True King Yuquan looked over, his expression grave. "Today is his very first day in the sect. Master hasn't taught him for a single day, yet he has already cultivated to such an extent. He won't be loyal to our master in the future."
Dao Lord Jiu Zeng said, "What's more, those who emerge from the Three Realms are all rebels! Xu Ying will definitely turn traitor one day."
True King Zongyi asked, "Should we inform Master?"
Dao Lord Jiu Zeng shook his head. "Informing Master won't do any good. Rumor has it that the art of the Lord of Great Dao is on his person. Master needs that technique, so he will certainly indulge him. Fortunately, he's run into Zhangsun Shenghai."
Zongyi, Yuquan, and the others all breathed a sigh of relief and smiled. "Indeed. With Zhangsun Shenghai around, even if Xu Ying were a dragon, he'd have to coil up obediently."
They had immense confidence in Zhangsun Shenghai because this young man was someone Grand Dao Lord Taiyi held in extremely high regard, harboring immense expectations for him!
Xu Ying shifted his gaze onto the young man and said with a smile, "You are Eldest Senior Brother Zhangsun Shenghai?"
The young man was rather tall and slender. Unlike other outlanders, his skin was not rough; though tall, he did not appear burly, and every aspect of his attire was meticulously refined.
Even his fingernails were trimmed with immaculate precision, without the slightest flaw.
His smile was warm and pleasant, and his eyes seemed to conceal a gentle spring, carrying an approachable warmth.
"Indeed, I am Zhangsun Shenghai,"
the young man replied with an amiable smile. "Xu Ying, you carry much of Grand Dao Lord Haoyi's elegance, yet you are even more domineering and reckless than he was. Your strength is exceptionally profound as well. Was that move just now a divine power of your own creation? You have already achieved remarkable attainments in the Dao of Chaos, approaching the Immortality Realm."
He could not help but praise, "You are truly formidable. If you attain the Dao in the future, you will become the Dao Lord of Chaos—even Dao Lord Hunyuan might not compare to you."
Flattered by his praise, Xu Ying felt slightly elated and chuckled. "I originally thought Eldest Senior Brother was just an empty name, but it turns out your discernment is truly peerless. Eldest Senior Brother, my attainments in the Taiyi Great Dao and the Grand Primordium Great Dao are also extremely profound, both having reached the Immortality Realm."
Zhangsun Shenghai grew even more delighted and smiled. "You have cultivated three Great Daos to the Immortality Realm, yet you have held back from attaining the Dao. This shows you possess ambition, Junior Brother. You must have a far greater scheme in mind!"
Xu Ying could not help feeling proud of himself and smiled. "During my cultivation, I also discovered that Samsara and Wuji cannot be absorbed by the Taiyi Great Dao, nor can they be freely transformed by it. Therefore, I also plan to dedicate effort to these two Great Daos to bring them up to the Immortality Realm."
Zhangsun Shenghai revealed a look of admiration. "Wuji is Supreme Nonexistence, from which the Five Primordials are born. Samsara is the Dao of cyclical creation and destruction. Both stand on equal footing with Taiyi, and indeed cannot be integrated into it. However, Junior Brother's experience is still too shallow; you do not yet know that Great Daos such as Karma, Stillness Extinction, Tribulation Fortune, and Slaughter also do not fall within Taiyi's domain."
Xu Ying's heart skipped a beat, and he inquired, "Have you cultivated these Great Daos?"
Zhangsun Shenghai shook his head and laughed. "I belong to the Taiyi sect, so how could I cultivate those Daos? Besides, those Great Daos are exceedingly exalted; even if I wished to learn them, there is nowhere I could study them."
Xu Ying became far more cautious. "Eldest Senior Brother, do you know Zhuo Daochun?"
Zhangsun Shenghai's face grew solemn. "Junior Brother Zhuo's natural talent is extraordinary. He is one of the few brilliant prodigies I have ever encountered."
Xu Ying probed, "Where do you think Junior Brother Zhuo ranks among our Taiyi sect?"
Zhangsun Shenghai replied, "Third."
He sized Xu Ying up and down, then added, "Junior Brother, your strength is greater than his was before he departed for the Tianjing Ruins. Unless he has made tremendous progress, he can only be ranked third."
Xu Ying's expression flickered between light and dark.
Before Yaoguang Hall, several Immortals waited with growing impatience. True King Zongyi craned his neck to look, muttering under his breath, "Why haven't they started fighting yet?"
Suddenly, Xu Ying bowed deeply with clasped hands toward the ground. "Zhangsun Shenghai, with you as Eldest Senior Brother, you have my complete and utter respect!"
At Yaoguang Hall, the Immortals were left dumbfounded.
True King Zongyi muttered, "He yields just like that?"
Xu Ying's eyes darted rapidly as he thought to himself, *I can't beat him—absolutely no chance! This Senior Brother Zhangsun has already begun researching things beyond the Taiyi Great Dao, and his insights run so deep! I definitely can't win!*
Chapter 753