Dao Master Lin rose and walked outside, saying with a smile, "With the onset of this tribulation fortune, we may very well have to rely on him. We must accord him some face."
Dao Master Luo nodded. Remaining seated within his carriage, he drove out of the hall to welcome Dao Master Tongtian.
Murderous aura surged forward, ripping open the sky above Qionghua Island. Dao Master Tongtian walked in expressionlessly and said, "Have you two Dao brothers sensed the impending arrival of the tribulation fortune?"
Dao Master Lin and Dao Master Luo exchanged glances and chuckled in unison. "We knew it could not be hidden from you. Please, fellow Daoist!"
The three returned to the Hall of Wisdom and Benevolence. Dao Master Hua remained seated where he was, never rising. Dao Master Tongtian did not even bother looking at him, saying, "The surge of this tribulation fortune has bolstered my dao strength, giving me the distinct sense that a slaughter tribulation is imminent. Hence, I have come specifically to consult you on how we should handle it."
Dao Master Lin said with a smile, "We were just discussing that very matter and agreed that, following past precedent, we should select one universe from among the great myriad realms to bear the tribulation fortune, letting that universe undergo the tribulation in our stead."
Dao Master Luo added, "Dao Master Hua also suggested selecting someone clever and perceptive to cultivate and master tribulation fortune. That way, we will not be caught off guard when the next one arrives. What are your thoughts on this, Fellow Daoist Tongtian?"
Dao Master Tongtian said, "I dare not speak of profound insights. As a junior who was fortunate enough to reach the Dao Master realm, I naturally take my cues from the two of you."
He mentioned only two of them, pointedly leaving out Dao Master Hua.
Dao Master Hua snorted, the axe at his side twitching restlessly.
Dao Master Tongtian ignored him completely, continuing, "Of the Nine Innate Grand Daos, the first is Chaos, the second is Primordial Origin, the third is Wuji, the fourth is Taiyi, the fifth is Samsara, the sixth is Karma, the seventh is Tribulation Fortune, the eighth is Slaughter, and the ninth is Nirvana. Tribulation fortune stems from karma. Heaven gives birth to myriad things to nurture man, yet man offers not a single thing in return to Heaven. Every thread of karma born since the opening of the Chaos must eventually be repaid! All things will be destroyed—including man, including the Great Daos of heaven and earth—and all will return to Chaos, ceasing to exist."
His chilling murderous intent made everyone in the hall intensely uncomfortable. He went on: "Yet formidable cultivators of great achievement alone possess the power to escape this tribulation. Thus, a slaughter tribulation arises to eliminate these great cultivators. I oversee the Dao of Slaughter, so I am extraordinarily sensitive to the arrival of tribulation fortune and the flourishing of slaughter. Back then, the reason I broke through to the Dao Master realm so swiftly was precisely because I sensed the tribulation fortune approaching the other shore."
Seeing him dredge up the past, Dao Master Lin knew he still bore a grudge against Dao Master Hua for ambushing him during his breakthrough. Lin quickly intervened: "Fellow Daoist, Dao Master Hua stopped you from attaining the Dao back then solely because of the tribulation fortune. There was truly no malice intended."
Dao Master Tongtian's expression turned cold.
Dao Master Lin said with a smile, "Back then, you were assailing the Dao Master realm and were on the verge of success. Had we not intervened, the tribulation fortune over the other shore would only have grown heavier, and the slaughter even more severe. Therefore, Dao Master Hua had no choice but to swallow his pride, bear the infamy, and halt your ascension."
Dao Master Luo chimed in, "Preventing you from attaining the Dao back then was an act of sheer necessity. Otherwise, who knows how many on the other shore would have perished. As you yourself said, repaying karma demands slaughter. And that slaughter is often aimed directly at us Dao Masters, forcing us to repay the karma owed to heaven and earth."
Dao Master Lin added, "Therefore, to rid ourselves of the tribulation fortune, we must transfer the karma and make another universe repay it in our stead. That is the first point. The second point is that there cannot be any new Dao Masters."
At these words, Dao Master Hua's expression softened slightly. He sighed. "I did not only ambush you. I also attacked and struck down other cultivators who were charging toward the Dao Master realm. Even the people of the other shore curse me as a tyrant, completely blind to my painstaking intentions."
Dao Master Luo said to Dao Master Tongtian, "Every time tribulation fortune approaches, Dao Brother Hua must be the villain. He bears the infamy for the sake of the myriad living beings on the other shore. We owe him a great debt."
Dao Master Hua let out a bleak, dispirited sigh.
Dao Master Tongtian said, "So that is how it is. In that case, how many tribulations has the other shore weathered?"
The three Dao Masters exchanged glances. Dao Master Lin coughed lightly and said, "Only three. Each time, we needed to transfer the tribulation fortune to another universe, and we also needed to sacrifice several fellow Daoists. The ones who carry the greatest karma are us Dao Masters. Thus, if we wish to preserve ourselves, we must also sacrifice a few Dao Masters."
Dao Master Hua said coldly, "In the past, there were only three of us Dao Masters. Now, there is one more."
Dao Master Luo offered a benevolent smile. "Although we have one more in Fellow Daoist Tongtian this time, we are of one mind and bound together. We will not mistreat you. For this sacrifice, we have already prepared the offerings."
Dao Master Tongtian asked in surprise, "Where did the offerings come from? Dao Master-level offerings are exceedingly rare."
The three Dao Masters exchanged glances once more, smiles gracing their faces. Even Dao Master Hua, who was always cold and aloof, now wore a smile as gentle as a spring breeze.
"Back then, there were far more Dao Masters on the other shore than just the three of us,"
Dao Master Hua chuckled and said, "Long ago, after pacifying Tianjing, we purged them. But how could Grand Dao Masters perish so easily?"
Dao Master Luo patted the armrest of his carriage and laughed. "Now that the tribulation fortune is upon us, they are stirring restlessly once more. Aren't they simply delivering themselves right to our door?"
Dao Master Tongtian came to an understanding and offered a rare smile of his own. "So that is how it is. The actions of you three Dao brothers are truly admirable."
Dao Master Lin said, "Just moments ago, we were discussing whether to groom someone capable of mastering tribulation fortune during this onset. Others have cultivated tribulation fortune in the past, but what was passed down from Tianjing was a Great Dao for manipulating heavenly tribulations—more accurately called tribulation numbers. If someone can truly master tribulation fortune, it will bring immense benefits to us all."
Dao Master Tongtian inquired, "Do you have candidates in mind?"
Dao Master Hua replied, "I have already selected several candidates of superior aptitude and comprehension who can master tribulation fortune."
Dao Master Tongtian said, "I want one spot."
Dao Master Hua's face darkened slightly, displeasure rising within him. Dao Master Lin chuckled. "Since that is the case, I would also like a spot. What about you, Fellow Daoist Luo?"
Dao Master Hua had no choice but to nod in assent.
And so, the four Dao Masters concluded their conference, waiting only for the tribulation fortune to mount in intensity, and for those Dao Masters who refused to stay dead to show themselves of their own accord.
***
The Great Dao of Taiyi was, after all, one of the Nine Innate Grand Daos. Though it ranked behind Wuji, Jiuzeng was a genuine Dao Lord. Not only did his cultivation far surpass True King Guangzheng's, but his dao methods were also vastly superior.
In merely five or six exchanges, True King Guangzheng could no longer hold out. His techniques fell into disarray. In haste, a blast of Wuji true qi surged from the crown of his head, transforming into the Grand Daos of the Five Tais. Each manifested as an avatar of True King Guangzheng, possessing formidable strength and cultivation only a shade below his own.
These Five Tai dao bodies were exceedingly powerful, each an existence at the True King level. Yet the moment they appeared, Jiuzeng seized the Taiji True King and ripped him down the middle, tearing him in two!
The Taiji True King let out a miserable shriek and dissolved into yin and yang qi.
The Taishi True King possessed form but lacked substance. Yet after trading a palm strike with Jiuzeng, he suddenly took on both form and substance, regressing from the Dao of Taishi to the Dao of Taisu.
Before he could recover from his terror, Jiuzeng struck both him and the Taisu True King with a palm strike each, forcing them from the Great Dao of Taisu down to the Great Dao of Taiji. Jiuzeng then tore them apart alive, reducing them to yin and yang qi.
Seeing this, True King Guangzheng was horrified and roared, "Jiuzeng! You're using the exact same method your junior brother Haoyi used against me back then! Have you no shame?!"
"As long as it works on you, it's good enough!"
Jiuzeng charged forward, beating the Taichu True King down to a Taiji True King in just a few moves before tearing him in two. The Taiyi True King attempted to flee, but Jiuzeng battered him with a flurry of punches and kicks, pummeling him into a Taiji True King as well and tearing him in half.
True King Guangzheng hurriedly cried out, "Stop!"
"I'll lend it! I'll lend it!"
True King Guangzheng pleaded for mercy. Back when Haoyi challenged the Indestructibles of the world, he had used this very approach against him. But Haoyi had been refined and gentle, defeating him with restraint and stopping where appropriate.
Dao Lord Jiuzeng, however, was no Haoyi. This brute was notorious for earning the wrath of gods and men alike, universally despised and exasperating. If Guangzheng refused to lend it, Jiuzeng might truly rip him apart.
A moment later, True King Guangzheng brought out the Emerald Rock stele he had obtained from Tianjing, upon which was inscribed the *Precious Canon of Wuji Dao Validation*.
Guangzheng hastily pleaded, "You only said you wanted the *Precious Canon of Wuji Dao Validation*! You never mentioned the other canons!"
Jiuzeng set him down. "Then why haven't you brought them over yet?"
Brimming with grievance, True King Guangzheng retrieved five more Emerald Rock steles. Xu Ying stepped forward to study them and discovered that they were inscribed with the cultivation methods for the five Great Daos: Taiji, Taisu, Taishi, Taichu, and Taiyi.
Only by mastering these five cultivation methods to an exceptionally high realm could one cultivate the *Precious Canon of Wuji Dao Validation*.
The reason it was called a "precious canon" was precisely that these five steles served as the foundational references one had to consult.
Xu Ying felt boundless gratitude toward Dao Lord Jiuzeng, thinking to himself, *Having this senior brother around isn't bad after all.*
Xu Ying took up temporary residence in Wuji Palace, meticulously pondering the mysteries of the Five Tais. Whenever he encountered something he did not understand, he questioned True King Guangzheng.
Frightened out of his wits by Jiuzeng's beating, True King Guangzheng complied with every request, explaining everything to Xu Ying with utmost diligence.
After a few months, Xu Ying had studied all the techniques of the Five Tais and began reading and deciphering the *Precious Canon of Wuji Dao Validation*. Progress came as naturally as water flowing into a channel. Even True King Guangzheng was astounded by his speed.
Even with Xu Ying's prior foundation in the *Yellow Court Scripture* and the *Shangqing Great Cavern True Scripture*, along with the dao sceneries of the Five Tais present here, it should have been impossible for him to comprehend the wondrous transformations of the Five Tais so quickly.
"Little brother, if you wish to master the Great Dao of Wuji, hard labor alone will never suffice,"
True King Guangzheng mocked when he came to inspect his progress. "Your only option is to travel to an unopened Hongyuan and observe the five states of its evolution from Taiyi to Taiji. But where could you possibly find such a Hongyuan? Give up. Back then, not even Haoyi could cultivate the Five Tais and Wuji to the Indestructible realm."
Xu Ying's heart stirred. Speaking of a Hongyuan, as luck would have it, he happened to have one right with him.
He studied the Five Tai evolution within his Hongyuan, and before he knew it, another two months passed. Xu Ying had actually developed the Five Tais to substantial scale, smoothly mastering the Great Dao of Wuji and opening a genuine Wuji cave abyss!
Several more months went by, and Xu Ying's attainments in the Great Dao of Wuji grew increasingly profound, bringing it to the stage of First Dao Validation.
True King Guangzheng stood dumbfounded, unable to fathom how he had achieved this.
However, because Xu Ying's Hongyuan was still growing and had not yet completed its evolution, once he reached the First Dao Validation stage, it became difficult to make further progress relying solely on it.
Had it been a mature Hongyuan, cultivating the Great Dao of Wuji directly into the Indestructible realm would have been effortless.
Xu Ying returned with Jiuzeng to the Taiyi Dao Sect. Jiuzeng said, "You see? When you treat others cordially and exhaust courtesy before resorting to arms, people will naturally be respectful and defer to you. Had you simply attacked from the start, wouldn't that have humiliated our Taiyi Dao Sect?"
"Junior brother has learned much from your guidance," Xu Ying replied with deep admiration.
They returned to She'an Palace. Grand Dao Lord Taiyi remained in secluded cultivation, so Xu Ying focused on his practice for several more months.
At last, he elevated the Great Dao of Wuji to the Supreme realm.
*In the short term, it will be difficult to advance the Great Dao of Wuji further. Why not bring Senior Brother Jiuzeng along to visit Dao Lord Hunyuan and True Monarch Duyu to borrow their techniques?*
With this thought, Xu Ying prepared to find Jiuzeng. Just then, Grand Dao Lord Taiyi awakened and summoned Jiuzeng. With Jiuzeng away, Xu Ying had no choice but to wait.
Right at that moment, Daoist Wukong rushed over in haste, saying, "Dao Ancestor Xu, something terrible has happened! While Qingxuan, the Holy Venerable, Tianyang, and I were searching underground for a foothold, we provoked something we shouldn't have and got trapped in a forbidden zone!"
Xu Ying's expression changed abruptly upon hearing this, and he immediately dismissed the idea of visiting Dao Lord Hunyuan and True Monarch Duyu. "What forbidden zone?"
Daoist Wukong was not present in his true body, but was merely manifested from a single strand of hair. He said, "I don't know. The natives underground say that the forbidden zone is extraordinarily perilous, and no one is permitted to enter. Anyone who sets foot inside turns into withered bones. The Holy Venerable and Qingxuan intended to clear through that forbidden zone and establish it as a stronghold to facilitate travel between the Three Realms and the other shore. Who could have thought trouble would strike?"
He recounted the entire sequence of events. The Holy Venerable and Qingxuan's idea had been to exploit the forbidden zone's properties—which prevented outsiders from probing its interior—so the Three Realms could smuggle people onto the other shore through psionic sacrifices.
With the protection of the forbidden zone, outsiders would find it difficult even to enter, making it an ideal position to defend.
This time, with four great experts—the Holy Venerable, Qingxuan, Daoist Wukong, and Shi Tianyang—they assumed they would sweep aside all obstacles.
Never did they imagine that once they ventured deep into the forbidden zone, they would run into a truly unyielding obstacle.
The profound mysteries of the dao methods within that forbidden zone had already surpassed the knowledge and vision of all four, manifesting as a bizarre state that defied understanding.
Xu Ying was startled by this. A bizarre state that defied understanding?
If ordinary immortals had fallen into the underground forbidden zone, it would be understandable, given their limited sight and experience.
Yet for even the Holy Venerable, Qingxuan, and the others to be incapable of comprehending it was preposterous.
The Holy Venerable, Qingxuan, and Daoist Wukong were all existences of the Indestructible realm, their vision surpassing even ordinary Indestructibles of the other shore!
"Good! I will go with you!"
The two set off, leaving She'an Palace, flying out of Daoji Heaven, and heading straight underground.
Meanwhile, Jiuzeng was startled and asked, "Wasn't the last tribulation fortune the one where Daoist Tongtian was hacked down by Dao Master Hua? Why has another wave arrived so soon?"
Grand Dao Lord Taiyi said, "During Daoist Tongtian's incident, the Jade Realm universe was destroyed, and countless experts of the other shore perished. And before Daoist Tongtian, there was the time with Dao Master Yuliu, which destroyed the Emperor Realm universe and saw just as many experts on the other shore meet their doom. Pass down the order: our Taiyi Dao Sect is entering seclusion, and no disciple is permitted to step outside."
Jiuzeng complied, immediately gathering all disciples of the Taiyi Dao Sect to relay the command: the entire sect would enter secluded cultivation and be forbidden from leaving.
He searched everywhere, but could not find Xu Ying. Only upon asking did he learn that Xu Ying had already departed She'an Palace.
*Junior Brother Xu is rebellious to the bone,* Jiuzeng thought to himself. *I only hope he dies out there and brings no trouble back to our sect.*
Chapter 786