Xu Ying readied the emerald rock tower ship and bade farewell to everyone once more.
The Holy Venerable remarked impassively, "Dao Ancestor Xu, once I have made progress in cultivating the new Dao patterns, I shall head to the other shore. I hope by then you will have achieved immortality."
Qingxuan the Good-for-Nothing said, "I too wish to make a pilgrimage to the other shore, to see what that place our past sages yearned for truly looks like."
"Count me in as well!" Far Ancestor chimed in eagerly.
The Ancestral God hesitated before saying, "I will not be going. It would serve no purpose for me to go."
His voice grew fainter and fainter.
With the creation of the new Dao patterns, everyone's cultivation and strength were bound to improve by leaps and bounds. But he alone was a god born of heaven and nurtured by earth, unable to cultivate the Great Dao and elevate himself the way the others did.
Back when Xu Ying retrieved the Primordial Source core and mended the heavens of the Three Realms, the universe of the Three Realms steadily expanded and its Great Dao grew complete, causing the Ancestral God's cultivation to climb higher and his strength to grow ever greater.
Yet the expansion of the Three Realms was not something accomplished overnight. Though his strength steadily increased, gradually the Holy Venerable, Emperor Mingdao, Qingxuan the Good-for-Nothing, and the others caught up with him and surpassed him.
Moreover, the gap was widening by the day.
Xu Ying's heart stirred, and he said, "The Ancestral God can actually go to the other shore. As for the Holy Venerable, Far Ancestor, and the rest of you... your strength is still somewhat lacking. You can barely match an ordinary immortal of the other shore at best, and there is still quite a gap between you and a True King."
Everyone was taken aback. The Holy Venerable asked in puzzlement, "Are you saying the Ancestral God can survive on the other shore, while we cannot?"
Xu Ying replied apologetically, "Once the Ancestral God arrives on the other shore, his fortunes will soar and his strength will far surpass what it is now. As for the rest of you, going there will only lead to your deaths."
Without explaining further to the crowd, he smiled and said, "Ancestral God, accompany me to the other shore this time. As for the Heavenly Dao Ancestral Court, leave it to Senior Brother Tian to oversee."
The Ancestral God was utterly astonished as well, but hearing this, he was overjoyed and chuckled, "I shall go to the other shore to take a look and scout out the path for everyone first."
None of them were convinced in the slightest.
The Ancestral God's present strength was already quite inferior to theirs. Now that the new Dao patterns had been collated, along with the many cultivation methods from the other shore brought by Xu Ying, their cultivation and strength were bound to advance by leaps and bounds, far outstripping the past.
The gap between the Ancestral God and them would only grow wider.
Yet Xu Ying would rather take the Ancestral God along than bring them.
The Ancestral God returned to the Heavenly Dao Ancestral Court ahead of him to entrust Senior Brother Tian with all matters.
Xu Ying also took his leave of Dao Zongyuan. Seeing him off, Dao Zongyuan asked, "Did Dao Ancestor Xu encounter the Dao Lords of the other shore during your time there?"
"I saw their divine abilities, but never the persons themselves."
Xu Ying recounted how the Dao Lord of the other shore had slain Dao Lord Xuanhuang, adding, "The cultivation of that Dao Lord of the other shore is terrifyingly astonishing. His Dao methods and divine abilities far exceed anything I can fathom."
Dao Zongyuan pondered briefly and said, "The Dao Lord who struck then was not the one from the other shore who fought me in those years. The Dao Lord who fought me back then went by the Daoist title Chuanting."
"Dao Lord Chuanting?"
Xu Ying committed the name to memory and asked, "How many Dao Lords does the other shore have?"
Dao Zongyuan replied, "That I do not know. Back when the other shore invaded the Yuan Realm, I fought Dao Lord Chuanting. I narrowly lost by a single move, knowing full well I was inferior to him. But seeing that I had the Yuan Realm backing me, with endless power at my disposal, Dao Lord Chuanting knew that taking me down would likely cost him dearly, so he withdrew. After he left, I severed all ties between the other shore and the Yuan Realm, cutting off cause and effect so they could no longer find the Yuan Realm.
"The other shore likely has other Dao Lords, but as to how many and how strong they are, that is beyond my knowledge. That battle between the Yuan Realm and the other shore was, to the other shore, merely chancing upon a universe, after which Dao Lord Chuanting came over with some immortals to play around. But for the Yuan Realm, it was a cataclysm of annihilation. The casualties in the Yuan Realm were catastrophic, which was what ultimately forced the other shore to withdraw."
Dao Zongyuan saw him out to the edge of the Yuan Realm ruins and asked, "Dao Ancestor Xu is still at the culmination of the Supreme realm. Why have you delayed breaking through to achieve the Immortal realm?"
Xu Ying said, "Although my Supreme realm is at its culmination, my Great Daos have yet to reach completion."
Dao Zongyuan grew interested and said, "Dao Ancestor Xu might as well elaborate. Perhaps I can shed some light and guide you through the maze."
Xu Ying displayed the various Great Daos he cultivated: Taiyi, Chaos, Hongmeng, Samsara, Wuji, Karma, and the Martial Dao. He said, "Four of my Great Daos—Taiyi, Chaos, Hongmeng, and Karma—have already been cultivated to a degree near immortality. But Samsara and Wuji have yet to break through."
Dao Zongyuan frowned slightly. Although the Yuan Realm was an exceptionally mature universe, its worldly Great Daos did not include the Samsara Great Dao. As for the Wuji Great Dao, though it existed, it was exceedingly difficult to cultivate. Even as a Lord of Great Dao, he had areas in the Wuji Great Dao where his reach fell short.
Had he been proficient in the Wuji Great Dao, he would not have been defeated in the battle against Dao Lord Chuanting of the other shore back then.
To achieve Wuji, one had to cultivate the Great Daos of the Five Tais first.
These Five Tais were the Taiyi, Taichu, Taishi, Taisu, and Taiji Great Daos.
When the Five Tais were cultivated to the peak realm, one could merge all five into one to achieve the Wuji Great Dao.
However, this was virtually impossible.
Xu Ying continued, "Beyond these, there are also the Nirvana Great Dao, the Kalpic Fortune Great Dao, and the Slaughter Great Dao, which I have yet to dabble in."
Dao Zongyuan fell silent for a moment, then said, "The realm of Dao Lord is not the end of the Great Dao. Above the Dao Lord, there must surely be higher realms."
Xu Ying asked in surprise, "Why does Dao Brother say so?"
"Because of the Great Daos you just mentioned, I don't understand them either."
Dao Zongyuan sighed and saw him off, "Dao Ancestor Xu, have a smooth journey."
"No need to see me further!"
Xu Ying bowed slightly and departed by ship.
When he returned to the Heavenly Dao Ancestral Court, the Ancestral God had already packed up, carrying a small bundle on his back. He had transformed into a young man with a slicked-back hairstyle, glossy and shiny, ready to accompany him.
Yet Xu Ying left the emerald rock tower ship behind and went off fooling around with Yuan Weiyang somewhere unknown.
"Most likely making a baby," Senior Brother Tian remarked.
The Ancestral God chuckled, "Dao Ancestor Xu is not a man who indulges in female charms."
Six months later, Xu Ying returned and said to the Ancestral God, "We can set out now."
The Ancestral God sized Xu Ying up from head to toe and said, "The Dao Ancestor seems quite haggard."
Xu Ying replied, "...a treasure, so one had to be prudent. Hence I've grown a bit haggard."
The Ancestral God kindly reminded him, "Dao Ancestor Xu needn't explain yourself to an old relic like me."
The two boarded the emerald rock tower ship. With a gentle tremble, the vessel set sail.
At that moment, a brilliant radiance lit up the starry sky as blazing divine light illuminated half the cosmos, blocking the tower ship's necessary path.
Xu Ying steered the ship closer and saw that the source of the divine light was the Holy Venerable, Yuan Yu.
"Dao Ancestor Xu is embarking on a long voyage; I came specially to see you off," the Holy Venerable said with a smile.
Xu Ying slowed the ship and glided over beside him, finding the Holy Venerable seated in the starry void before a table laden with fine wine and delicacies.
The Holy Venerable extended a hand in invitation. Xu Ying and the Ancestral God disembarked and sat before the table.
The Holy Venerable played the attentive host. When the drinks were in full swing, he lowered his wine cup and smiled, "Dao Ancestor Xu has cultivated on the other shore for over a century. Over these hundred-odd years, your cultivation and strength must surely have advanced by leaps and bounds. I wonder how you compare to back then?"
Xu Ying caught the underlying purpose behind his farewell gathering and smiled, "Though I have made slight progress, it surely pales in comparison to the Holy Venerable."
The Holy Venerable had been fiercely competitive his entire life, and this was precisely the answer he wanted. Hearing it, he burst into hearty laughter. "Dao Ancestor Xu is being modest. Dao Ancestor Xu, if I replace my present abilities with the new Dao patterns, do you think I could rival a True King when I head to the other shore in the future?"
Xu Ying shook his head. "You would likely fall short."
The Holy Venerable laughed, "You haven't fought a True King, so your words don't count. Drink three cups as penalty!"
Xu Ying agreed and downed three cups of wine.
Once both host and guests had enjoyed themselves thoroughly, Xu Ying and the Ancestral God boarded the emerald rock tower ship. The Holy Venerable still saw them off warmly, saying, "Once I have achieved success, I shall go to the other shore to find you."
Hearing this, the Holy Venerable laughed and said, "You've finally lost your patience! That was my intention all along!"
He rose to his full height as myriad Daos danced about him. In an instant, an ocean of different Great Dao powers seemed to form in the starry sky. Countless Dao trees rose from the ground, with Dao fruits hanging high!
Countless Dao sceneries surfaced on a truly magnificent scale!
The Holy Venerable's Great Dao was equal to his body, his body unified with the Dao. The moment he struck, it was a supreme divine ability uniting thousands of Dao methods into one, manifesting as a blow capable of shattering the starry sky.
This strike left even the Ancestral God marveling and dejected, feeling that his era had truly passed.
Yet in the very next instant, all Daos were suddenly extinguished. Before this overwhelmingly powerful divine ability of the Holy Venerable could reach Xu Ying, it abruptly collapsed and dissolved, countless Dao patterns shattering one after another.
The Great Dao ceased to exist; all methods were annihilated!
The Holy Venerable felt the various Great Daos he cultivated fall into utter silence, and all his divine abilities lost their power entirely.
Looking toward Xu Ying, he felt as if Xu Ying aboard the ship were a giant who had cleaved open heaven and earth, standing beneath the boundless, heavy chaos and looking down upon him.
Xu Ying had not even unleashed a move; merely forming a hand seal was enough to suppress every one of his divine abilities!
The Holy Venerable's mind went completely blank, every trace of drunkenness vanishing instantly.
Xu Ying summoned his Martial Dao cave abyss. Inside the cave abyss, a Ginseng Fruit Tree grew ever more robust, its lush, verdant canopy resembling a royal parasol shading thousands of immortal mountains.
Upon this Ginseng Fruit Tree hung more than two hundred Great Dao fruits, each containing a Great Dao cultivated to the peak of the Supreme realm.
Xu Ying said, "Holy Venerable, I met the Ancestor of Earth Immortals on the other shore. He told me that Dao scenery and Dao trees are not inherently in conflict, and that one can certainly cultivate both the new and old Daos. The Dao fruits and Dao trees you cultivate are pseudo Dao fruits and pseudo Dao trees, whereas what I cultivate are true Dao fruits and true Dao trees.
"The Great Daos you practice are merely your simulations, while the Great Daos I practice are genuine Great Daos.
"The gap between you and me is actually growing wider and wider."
Steadying his composure, the Holy Venerable said, "Dao Ancestor Xu is indeed Dao Ancestor Xu. Are you currently capable of matching a True King of the other shore?"
Xu Ying shook his head. "Not as of yet."
The Holy Venerable remained silent for a moment, then turned and left.
The Ancestral God watched him depart into the distance and shook his head. "Dao Ancestor Xu, the blow you dealt him was far too severe."
Xu Ying said, "If I didn't deal him a harsh blow, heading rashly to the other shore would be suicide for him. Only by knowing shame can one find courage. I believe the Holy Venerable will surely emerge from it."
The tower ship continued onward. Before long, another expanse of misty rosy clouds blocked their path ahead, amidst which a giant dragon lay sprawled, slumbering soundly.
Xu Ying asked, "How do you intend to avenge your enmity?"
Far Ancestor Big Dragon said, "I shall go with you to the other shore and use the new Dao patterns and spirit runes to destroy the living beings of the other shore, obliterate their immortals, wipe out their worldly Great Daos, and plunge them into Dao ash!"
Xu Ying said, "The new Dao patterns and spirit runes will most likely be unable to do anything against the immortals of the other shore. As for the Dao Lords, dealing with new Dao patterns and spirit runes is even more of a trivial matter. Relying solely on Dao patterns and spirit runes cannot destroy the other shore."
Far Ancestor Big Dragon said, "All I care about is killing to my heart's content!"
Xu Ying shook his head. "Even if you slaughter all the people of the other shore, the immortals and Dao Lords can still select new people from the myriad heavens and myriad realms to enter the other shore. The other shore will not be destroyed because of that. If you want to defeat the other shore, this method will not work."
Far Ancestor rolled his eyes and said, "Then I'll accompany you, and I won't go on a killing spree. How's that?"
Xu Ying smiled and said, "If you can execute a single move before me, I will take you along."
Hearing this, Far Ancestor roared, his draconic bellow reverberating as he extended a dragon claw, unleashing all his Dao power to claw at Xu Ying.
Where this dragon claw covered, boundless space and time were truly held entirely within his grasp, with an overwhelming momentum as if the starry skies of the entire universe of the Three Realms were about to tumble into his palm.
Yet before this claw could even reach the emerald rock tower ship, it suddenly collapsed and caved in, its Dao power falling silent and its might reduced to nothing.
Far Ancestor looked up, suddenly feeling that Xu Ying's figure was incomparably towering, as though directly connected to the Chaos Sea behind him, rendering any of his divine abilities completely useless.
Far Ancestor had cultivated the two Great Daos of time and space, yet he still found it difficult to break through Chaos.
Xu Ying smiled, "You failed to execute a single move. You may step down."
Far Ancestor transformed into an old man with a dragon head and human body, pointing at the Ancestral God on the ship and shouting, "Why can this old bastard of an Ancestral God go, but I can't? I can beat ten Ancestral Gods right now!"
The Ancestral God flew into a rage, stammering, "Old Dragon, I thought we were lifelong friends and comrades through life and death, yet you actually talk about me like this..."
Xu Ying sneered, "Once the Ancestral God reaches the other shore, he will be ten times, a hundred times stronger than you, far more useful than you! Far Ancestor, go back and cultivate properly, and don't get any crooked ideas!"
Far Ancestor departed in a huff.
Behind those clouds were Emperor Mingdao and Emperor Ming. Seeing this scene, they naturally dared even less to make a move against Xu Ying, hurriedly following Far Ancestor and fleeing far away.
Xu Ying shook his head and sneered, "These rascals have barely gained any skill before turning arrogant, completely oblivious to just how formidable the other shore truly is."
He steered the tower ship and sailed toward the Chaos Sea. In his heart, the Ancestral God wondered, "If I go to the other shore, can I really be a hundred or ten times stronger than that old dragon, Far Ancestor?"
Xu Ying continued piloting the ship forward. When they reached the border of the universe, he saw Qingxuan the Good-for-Nothing standing beneath a lieluo tree.
Xu Ying could not help feeling a little annoyed and said, "The Holy Venerable, Far Ancestor, Emperor Mingdao, and Emperor Ming have all returned defeated. Brother Good-for-Nothing, what advice might you have?"
"I once devoured countless members of the other shore's Sacred Clan. At the time, I thought they were ancient gods, but later learned they were people of the other shore," Qingxuan the Good-for-Nothing said.
Xu Ying asked suspiciously, "Are you craving a bite again?"
Qingxuan the Good-for-Nothing shook his head. "What I mean is, I can deal with them, so there's no need to worry about me. I've only ever eaten people of the other shore and have yet to taste any other flavors."
Chapter 765