Xu Ying straightened up and recalled the big bell.
Killing Taihua had not been difficult for him.
Daoist Taihua was merely an ordinary Immortal, and the Taihua Dao he cultivated was not a superior Dao. Furthermore, his Dao had not spread very widely across the Great Thousand Universes.
His foundation in the Great Thousand Universes could not compare to schools such as Time, Space, Life, Life and Death, or Yin and Yang. In both cultivation and Dao attainment, he lagged far behind.
Xu Ying's attainment in the four Great Daos of Taiyi, Chaos, Hongmeng, and Karma had already reached the Immortal realm, and Taiyi alone encompassed more than two hundred lesser Daos.
Coupled with his Martial Dao and Killing Dao reaching the Supreme realm, even if Daoist Taihua had harvested the Great Thousand Universes, he would still be somewhat inferior to Xu Ying in cultivation.
More critically, in terms of Dao architecture, Xu Ying had already surpassed the principle scripts of the other shore. Taihua's defeat and demise could hardly be considered unjust.
Xu Ying walked over to the Emerald Rock and examined the principle scripts carved upon it.
These were scripts meant for extinction, unlike the other two Emerald Rocks. Of those, one bore principle scripts outlining the Heavenly Dao to alter the architecture of heaven and earth's Great Daos, while the other held methods for summoning cave abysses.
All affairs, objects, and people were caught within a vast web, forming node upon node.
Some nodes remained fixed in place while others moved ceaselessly. At the same time, shifting causal relations caused the karma threads to constantly leap, break, reconnect, sprout, and wither.
In the eyes of others, the Jing Realm was a vast, deep, yet somewhat dark starry sky. But within his perception of karma, countless karma threads bustled in dizzying complexity, encompassing the entire Jing Realm universe.
This miraculous sensation was impossible to describe unless witnessed with one's own eyes.
*First, it is best not to drag the people of the Jing Realm into this. I must sever the karma between these two Immortals and the people here.*
Xu Ying channeled the Golden Wheel Karma Tribulation-Crossing Scripture. A flying sword surged from the Eye of Karma, cleaving and severing the karma threads connecting the Immortal of the Saint Sect of Conquest to the people of the Jing Realm.
That Immortal, after all, possessed a Dao equal to his body. Sensing immediately that someone was tampering with his karma, he gave a cold sneer and swiftly flew in Xu Ying's direction, following the resonance.
Xu Ying swung his sword once more, severing the karma of the Divine Dao Sect's Immortal.
This person's cultivation was even higher, and the innate Dao of the Divine Dao was far more potent than the Dao of War and Battle.
Following the resonance, the man projected his divine consciousness ahead to pinpoint Xu Ying's location.
"Xu Ying, I come on the orders of Grand Dao Lord Shenmo to bring you to justice!"
That divine consciousness was extraordinarily immense. In front of Xu Ying, it swept up the surrounding space, gathering mountain stones and Dao ash to form the rugged face of an ancient god. Its voice boomed, "Even if you hide not just in the Great Thousand Universes but in other universes within the Chaos Sea, I will still find you!"
Unfazed, Xu Ying asked, "You belong to Grand Dao Lord Shenmo's lineage? How should I address you?"
The face of divine consciousness smiled. "True King Yushao."
"And the Immortal of the Battle Dao ahead of you—which fellow Daoist is he?" Xu Ying inquired.
"True Sovereign Chongdou. But Chongdou is merely an ordinary Immortal. His cultivation and strength fall short, and his speed is far beneath mine," True King Yushao smiled. "The only one who can capture you this time is me!"
Xu Ying nodded gently and waved his sleeve. The divine consciousness shattered with a boom, wiped out of existence by his strike.
Furious, True King Yushao rushed toward him in the flesh at top speed.
Xu Ying rotated his Karma Golden Wheel, plucking the threads of cause and effect.
True King Yushao soon caught up to True Sovereign Chongdou, seeing him searching for Xu Ying, and called out, "Fellow Daoist Chongdou, my master Grand Dao Lord Shenmo has commanded that we must capture Xu Ying. If you would withdraw from this contest, I would be immensely grateful."
True Sovereign Chongdou chuckled. "Brother Daoist, why use Grand Dao Lord Shenmo to pressure me? The Grand Dao Lord is an Immortal, just as I am. If he needs a Dao Lord-level cultivation method, then so do I."
"You speak the truth, Fellow Daoist," True King Yushao replied with a smile.
Accelerating, he left True Sovereign Chongdou far behind.
With his profound cultivation, True King Yushao soon reached Xu Ying's location. Continents floated in the sky alongside thick piles of Dao ash that resembled black mountain ranges. Xu Ying still sat in midair, the Karma Golden Wheel behind his head glowing like a brilliant halo.
Seeing this, True King Yushao sat cross-legged in the air as well. Wearing a cold smile, he said, "Xu Ying, you just destroyed my divine consciousness, and now I stand before you. What more do you have to say?"
He possessed a solemn, dignified presence, radiating the awe-inspiring authority of ancient gods from across the Great Thousand Universes. In the darkness behind him, cave abysses spun, each exuding a distinct aura of the Divine Dao—the unique divine aura belonging to a different universe.
Xu Ying could not help but be moved. To cultivate the Divine Dao to such an extent was truly rare!
Xu Ying brought out the stone slab inscribed with the Xuanhuang Dao Realm Scripture and said, "The Xuanhuang Dao Realm Scripture is right here. Grand Dao Lord Shenmo sent you here for nothing more than this scripture. Take it."
True King Yushao's anger evaporated. Laughing heartily, he took the stone slab and said, "Fellow Daoist Xu, farewell."
Xu Ying probed, "You will not take my life?"
True King Yushao shook his head. "I have no desire for your life. You are a disciple of Grand Dao Lord Taiyi. I will not offend Grand Dao Lord Taiyi by killing you, for that would be courting my own doom. Once I return to the other shore, I will hand the method directly to my master. As for the contents, I won't cast a single glance upon them."
He turned to leave, but just then, a bell rang out behind him.
True King Yushao paused and looked back, only to see Xu Ying take out a radiant, glittering bell.
True King Yushao narrowed his eyes to inspect it. Peculiar folds covered the surface of the bell, forming a strange texture that drew his attention.
Yet the moment he laid eyes upon it, the Divine Dao within him surged out of control, and divine light transmuted into streams of chaos qi that leaked from his eyes!
True King Yushao immediately shut his eyes, turned his head, and praised, "A truly fine treasure. Farewell."
Xu Ying was stunned. He looked at the big bell, then at True King Yushao. "True King, does this bell not tempt you at all?"
True King Yushao shook his head. "Not at all. I cultivate the Divine Dao, not the Chaos Dao. Had I cultivated the Chaos Dao, I might have been tempted. But I cannot even comprehend it, so why covet another's treasure?"
Xu Ying pondered for a moment, then summoned the Chaos Pond and raised the Chaos Lotus, revealing the Hongyuan within. He thought to himself, *If this doesn't stir your greed and murderous intent, I'll take your surname!*
True King Yushao looked at the Chaos Pond. Innate spiritual light filled the pool with blinding brilliance, and a Chaos Lotus grew within, nurturing ten thousand Daos and pouring into the Hongyuan!
Within that Hongyuan, a newborn universe and three thousand Great Daos were currently taking shape, harboring immense might!
True King Yushao's expression changed drastically. Bringing out the stone slab carved with the Xuanhuang Dao Realm Scripture, he respectfully presented it before Xu Ying.
Xu Ying stood dumbfounded.
True King Yushao bowed and said, "Brother Xu, forgive my earlier presumption. Farewell!"
"Wait!"
Xu Ying raised his hand to halt him, his face darkened with displeasure. "Fellow Daoist Yu, what is the meaning of this? Master Bell bears the mysterious imprints of the Chaos Sea's chime. The lotus and the Hongyuan within the Chaos Pond are peerless treasures! Add to that the stone slab inscribed with the Xuanhuang Dao Realm Scripture—if you simply strike and kill me, all three treasures will be yours!"
True King Yushao turned pale.
Only after a long pause did True King Yushao speak. "If I explain it clearly, may I leave?"
Xu Ying gave a reluctant nod.
True King Yushao said cautiously, "When you handed over the stone slab, I did not yet realize you intended to kill me. When you revealed Master Bell, I sensed something was amiss. But when you exposed the Chaos Lotus and the Hongyuan, I knew beyond doubt that you had resolved to kill me. How could I dare act rashly? Naturally, I must return the stone slab."
Xu Ying argued, "I am clearly only in the eighth realm of the Dao, while you are in the ninth realm. Clearly, I cannot beat you."
"Not necessarily," True King Yushao replied. "Earlier, you displayed the divine ability to sever karma, slicing through even my karma threads. That proves your attainment in Karma has reached the Immortal realm at the very least. If you were to manifest a Dao body, it would likely be an Immortal-realm Karma True King."
Xu Ying's expression softened slightly. "I'm not quite that formidable."
True King Yushao shook his head. "The Great Dao of Karma is notoriously difficult to cultivate, but its power is terrifying. Under the manipulation of Karma, even other Great Daos can be commandeered. Thus, reaching the Immortal realm in Karma grants strength comparable to a True King."
He paused, then continued, "Yet behind you, there are other cave abysses. If I saw correctly, they belong to Taiyi, Chaos, Hongmeng, and Dao Lord Tongtian's Killing Dao. These are all superior Daos, ranking above the Divine Demon Dao. Cultivated to the Immortal realm, their manifested Dao bodies are all at the level of True Kings."
Xu Ying snorted. "My Killing Dao has not yet reached the Immortal realm."
"Among all Daos, the Killing Dao reigns supreme in offensive power," True King Yushao said. "Even at the eighth realm of the Dao, it is extraordinary. Four True King-level Dao bodies, plus a peculiar and potent Dao power within your own body—that amounts to nearly five True Kings. Facing such an assault, I would have only one outcome: death."
Xu Ying's expression shifted erratically.
Seeing this, True King Yushao knew Xu Ying was still contemplating finishing him off. He hurriedly added, "Brother Daoist, I can obliterate and erase this memory completely. I will never recall what transpired here. Rest assured, I have always been cautious... I will never seek out death by coming after you again."
Xu Ying clenched his fists, locked in internal conflict. The big bell whispered, "Ah Ying, this fellow is even more open-minded than you."
Xu Ying snorted. "Fine. I agree."
Relief washed over True King Yushao. "Then please stow away the three treasures."
Xu Ying put away the stone slab, Master Bell, and Master Lotus.
True King Yushao wrote "Return to the Other Shore" on one hand and "Do Not Look Back" on the other. He then drew a winged golden blade, plunged it into his wrist, turned away, and severed this memory, wiping it clean out of existence. His vision blurred, and his memory snapped back to the moment he had first entered the Jing Realm.
Just as True King Yushao was about to survey his surroundings, sharp pain flared in his wrists. Looking down, he saw the words written on his hands. A chill struck his heart, instantly dispelling any urge to look around, and he sped toward the sala tree at the border of the Jing Realm.
"True King Yushao—" Xu Ying called out from behind him.
True King Yushao's hair stood on end, and he flew even faster.
Xu Ying shouted, "True King Yushao, turn around and look! Have you forgotten Grand Dao Lord Shenmo's instructions?"
True King Yushao shuddered, his speed surging even further. Xu Ying watched him recede into the distance with a grim expression.
Right at that moment, True Sovereign Chongdou charged into the open, attacking True King Yushao without a word. "Yushao, leave the scripture behind!"
Knowing his speed was inferior and that he could never seize the Xuanhuang Dao Realm Scripture before Yushao, he had laid an ambush along the path. The moment he saw True King Yushao rushing toward him, he launched a surprise attack!
True Sovereign Chongdou cultivated the Daos of War, Conquest, and Warfare. Although these were three Great Daos and all had reached the Immortal realm, they still paled considerably compared to the Divine Dao.
True Sovereign Chongdou manifested three heads and six arms: one head represented the War Immortal wielding a war drum, another represented the Conquest Immortal raising a great banner, and the third represented the Warfare Immortal thrusting a long spear.
His ambush succeeded instantly. The spear pierced True King Yushao's chest, the war drum battered Yushao's primordial spirit into instability, and a sweep of the banner shaved away a million years of his cultivation!
Yet in the very next instant, from the darkness behind True King Yushao, ancient gods began stepping forth one after another. There were as many ancient gods as there were universes in the Great Thousand Universes, each bearing a cave abyss behind their head like supreme sovereigns of their respective cosmos!
In a single exchange, True Sovereign Chongdou's spear was shattered, his war drum breached, and his banner torn to pieces. His primordial spirit was severed, and his physical body destroyed!
True King Yushao's body swayed. The myriad ancient god forms dissolved like foam, receding back into the shadows.
From their emergence to their disappearance, not one of those diverse ancient gods had cast a single glance back in Xu Ying's direction.
Xu Ying watched him disappear into the distance. Only after he was gone did Xu Ying murmur slowly, "This man's strength is immense; he has cultivated the Divine Dao to the absolute limit. If we had truly fought, I might not have won... No, I would have won!!"
Chapter 778