The three Dao Masters—Hua, Lin, and Luo—stared grimly at Xu Ying, their sleeves fluttering in the wind.
The passage through which they transferred their calamitous destiny had now been ferreted out by Xu Ying.
Although the other shore ruled the myriad universes and possessed supreme might, if word of this ever leaked out, it would inevitably provoke severe backlash across the myriad universes!
The resulting troubles would surely be beyond counting!
"What is Taiyi thinking?" Dao Master Lin fumed. "Every single time, the rebel springs from his Taiyi Dao Sect! Once might be an accident, but every single time it's him!"
He had no fear of Xu Ying overhearing his words. After all, Xu Ying was in the Zhao Realm Universe, while they were in the other shore universe; the sound could not possibly reach his ears.
Dao Master Hua said, "Taiyi's stance is indeed suspicious! Xu Ying is of his lineage. That Tianjing traitor Zhuo Daochun last time also came from under him, did he not? And Hao Yi was personally groomed by him as well. Could it be Taiyi hopes to plot against us, eliminate us, and ascend to the Dao Master throne himself?"
Dao Master Luo shook his head. "I know Taiyi's temperament. He has nothing to do with this and wouldn't go so far as to scheme against us. This is most likely a coincidence."
Be that as it may, none of their expressions were pleasant.
Xu Ying had not expected that when he raised his banner and tore through the void before him, a pagoda would actually appear within the rift.
He had tracked the aura of slaughter all the way here, thinking it must have arisen naturally from heaven and earth in accordance with cause and effect. He had never imagined the aura had a deliberate origin, which was why the thought of investigating it had crossed his mind.
The pagoda's emergence startled him as well. Without a second thought, he wrapped the banner around himself for protection and shot away with a howl, vanishing without a trace in the blink of an eye!
Seeing him flee into the distance, Dao Masters Hua, Lin, and Luo, along with Dao Master Tongtian, finally breathed a sigh of relief.
Dao Master Lin said, "The boy flees fast. Fellow Daoist Luo, conceal the Heaven and Earth Elegance Pagoda, and let us continue."
Dao Master Luo was just about to hide the Heaven and Earth Elegance Pagoda when Xu Ying's figure reappeared in their line of sight.
All four Dao Masters froze in slight disbelief.
Xu Ying looked furtive and immensely cautious, as if treading through a vast swamp full of bogs, carefully testing each footing before taking a step.
He unleashed various divine powers, even going so far as to reverse time to probe his surroundings.
From time to time, his face loomed colossally large, obstructing the four Dao Masters' vision; at other times, he turned his back to them, muttering under his breath, though what he was saying was anyone's guess.
After a moment, they realized what Xu Ying was doing.
"He is checking whether there's danger nearby!"
"Wait! Now he is measuring the coordinates of the passage!"
The next instant, Xu Ying flicked his fingers. Globules of chaotic qi flew out, hanging against the celestial canopy. Then, passing through the transformations of the Five Tais, the chaotic qi shifted into the two qis of Yin and Yang, forming rings of blazing suns.
As light poured from these numerous suns, rays from various angles underwent layers of refraction, instantly laying bare the distorted fabric of spacetime.
The passage connecting the other shore and the Zhao Realm appeared right before him!
Xu Ying leaned in close. His face grew larger and larger, his eyes widening, as though the Dao Masters were hiding inside a cavern and he were peering inward through a tiny crevice.
The Dao Masters' faces darkened even further.
A murderous glint flashed in Dao Master Hua's eyes. "Fellow Daoist Luo, do you have a way to blast him to death? We had better eliminate him now before more complications arise."
Dao Master Luo's eye twitched, his right hand gripping the carriage armrest tightly.
Inside the Heaven and Earth Elegance Pagoda lay the corpses of the two Dao Masters of the Zhao Realm from back then!
Fearing these two Dao Masters might resurrect, he had suppressed their corpses within the Elegance Pagoda, using the treasure's power to suppress the trend of the Zhao Realm's Grand Dao of Heaven and Earth reviving!
Yet soon, he relaxed his right hand and chuckled. "I almost forgot: he is still merely in the eighth realm of the Dao Realm—neither an Immortal nor a Dao Master. Should he enter my pagoda, though I cannot mobilize its full power, utilizing the layers of seals within to eliminate him will still be child's play."
Right at that moment, Xu Ying backed out of the pagoda once again.
Dao Master Luo laughed out of sheer vexation. "Is this brat part rabbit? Popping in and out—are you coming or going?"
Dao Master Luo shook his head. "My pagoda must currently sustain the passage. If I divert its power, the passage will become unstable."
Everyone frowned.
Lords of Great Dao could command all Daos under heaven. Even an existence like Grand Dao Lord Taiyi, let alone Xu Ying, should not be able to act so casually, yet at this moment, they were utterly helpless against him!
Xu Ying moved his eyes away from the passage and walked up to the Heaven and Earth Elegance Pagoda. Dao Master Hua glanced repeatedly at Dao Master Luo, who shook his head. "The Elegance Pagoda was formed from a chaos spiritual root I obtained, an innate spiritual treasure. Its power is barely enough to maintain the passage between the two universes. Diverting even a shred of its strength could cause the passage to collapse."
Just then, looking solemn, Xu Ying took out an incense stick as thick as an arm, lit it, slipped into the Heaven and Earth Elegance Pagoda to bow respectfully, and then planted it before the pagoda.
Having paid his respects to the Elegance Pagoda and uttered a stream of polite words, he sat down before the pagoda, musing to himself: "Seventh Master said one doesn't slap a smiling face. Now that I have apologized and said pleasant things, the senior who arranged this place won't hold my offense against me. So, if I cultivate the Dao of Slaughter here, this senior probably won't chase me away either, right?"
Dao Master Luo was astonished. Turning to Dao Masters Lin, Hua, and Tongtian, he smiled and said, "Who would have thought this boy understands decorum so well? He isn't entirely without merit."
Dao Master Lin sneered, "He only saw how formidable the restrictions in your pagoda are and figured an important figure he can't afford to offend must be behind it, so he apologized. Fellow Daoist Luo, don't fall for the brat's flattery!"
Dao Master Luo replied, "Flattery it may be, but it shows he is a youth who knows when to advance and when to yield."
Dao Masters Lin and Hua both frowned.
Xu Ying maintained a solemn expression and spoke a few more words toward the Elegance Pagoda. Although they could not hear what he was saying, it was clearly polite praise.
Dao Master Luo felt thoroughly pleased, as if bathed in a spring breeze. He said to the other three Dao Masters, "To my eyes, this lad isn't so distasteful. Taiyi does have good judgment after all, taking in such a fine disciple."
Dao Master Hua sneered, "More likely a rebel to the bone."
The four Dao Masters observed Xu Ying's every move as if standing right beside him, gaining a fresh impression of him.
Even Dao Master Hua, upon seeing Xu Ying's mastery of slaughter, could not help but nod. "The boy is remarkable; he will certainly achieve great things this time! Though Taiyi is suspected of harboring rebellious intentions, his eye for talent is undeniably sharp!"
Dao Master Luo chuckled. "If he cultivates slaughter, he will not perceive calamitous destiny. The one who will master calamitous destiny will still be my disciple."
Just at that moment, Xu Ying suddenly awoke from meditation with an expression of surprise. With a stir of his thoughts, a radiant golden halo materialized behind his head—it was none other than the Karma Golden Wheel!
"Attaining the Dao through karma!"
All four Dao Masters were startled inwardly. Dao Master Luo nearly jumped to his feet, his gaze locked firmly onto Xu Ying.
He was truly drawing upon the stray aura of slaughter drifting between heaven and earth right here, cultivating the Dao of Slaughter.
With the calamitous destiny erupting in the Zhao Realm and plunging it into a slaughter tribulation, his Dao of Slaughter was bound to advance by leaps and bounds—reaching Immortality would be well within his grasp!
Watching his actions, Dao Masters Hua, Lin, and Luo all showed surprise.
Dao Master Luo said, "No wonder Fellow Daoist Tongtian insisted on protecting this person. His attainments in the Dao of Slaughter have actually reached such profound heights. One step further, and he will become a Slaughter Immortal. Faced with such a genius, I too would do everything in my power to protect him."
Dao Master Tongtian shook his head. "I protect him not for such reasons, but simply because he once saved my life. Nothing more."
Dao Master Lin observed Xu Ying's cultivation progress and murmured, "With this transfer of calamitous destiny, the other shore's aura of slaughter shifted along with it. Even Dao Lord Hong, who attained the Dao through karma, might not match his attainments!"
Xu Ying's eyes flickered as he glanced left and right, as though he could genuinely see the four of them far away on the other shore.
After a moment, he withdrew his gaze and began pacing back and forth.
Dao Master Tongtian said, "He is deducing the relationship between the chaotic phenomena of karma and the aura of slaughter."
Dao Master Luo exhaled a breath of turbid air and praised, "Clever!"
Dao Master Lin nodded gently, praising, "Among the innate Daos, calamitous destiny lies between karma and slaughter. To think he could comprehend this layer so quickly. The boy's future is beyond measure!"
Dao Master Hua said flatly, "And yet, the candidate for Master of Calamitous Destiny will be chosen from the disciples of us four Dao Masters. He is not among them."
Dao Master Tongtian asked, "Could we not make an exception?"
"Make an exception? Who will compensate our losses? You, Tongtian?"
Dao Master Tongtian's gaze turned cold. Dao Master Lin hastily intervened, "We are merely speculating that he might grasp the profundities of calamitous destiny, but most likely he won't. After all, everyone knows Taiyi is completely hands-off and has never taught him at all."
Dao Master Luo smiled. "After Taiyi accepted him as a disciple, aside from imparting the Taiyi sect's Xuanhuang Dao Realm Scripture, Taiyi did nothing but enter seclusion after seclusion. When did he ever spend half a day teaching him? What's more, when it comes to a Grand Dao like calamitous destiny, even Taiyi himself doesn't understand it."
After a long while, Xu Ying's eyes lit up, having evidently grasped the relationship connecting karma, calamitous destiny, and slaughter. He immediately sat down, simultaneously channeling the Grand Dao of Karma and the Grand Dao of Slaughter, seeking to capture the calamitous destiny of heaven and earth wedged between karma and slaughter.
Seeing this, the four Dao Masters each felt a touch of pity for his talent.
Dao Master Luo sighed, "Fortunately, Taiyi never taught him."
Dao Master Hua sneered, "We have already decided on our choice." Behind Xu Ying, within that Karma Golden Wheel, immeasurable light converged, turning into an Eye of Karma that rolled around, perched atop the Central Ultimate Heaven of the Zhao Realm, looking across all corners of the Zhao Realm Universe, taking in hundreds of millions of karmic bonds at a glance!
This gaze was no small matter. Xu Ying instantly perceived that the karmic currents of the Zhao Realm had abruptly turned into utter chaos. Karmic relationships between fathers and sons, husbands and wives, enemies, masters and servants, sovereigns and ministers had all become tangled into a chaotic mess!
Tracing along the convoluted threads of karma, he suddenly discovered numerous threads converging toward his location. Turning to look, Xu Ying saw the threads of karma passing through the Elegance Pagoda and vanishing at the other end of the passage.
At this moment, a chill ran through the four Dao Masters, each feeling as though Xu Ying's gaze had fallen directly upon them.
It was a sensation they had never experienced before.
Dao Master Lin nodded and said, "Such a fine piece of unpolished jade, carved into a total mess by Taiyi's craftsmanship."
Dao Master Hua said, "A pity he is a person of the Three Realms.
"People of the Three Realms are rebels by nature. I fear he may not be willing to become a person of the other shore in the future."
At those words, Dao Master Luo and Dao Master Lin both fell silent.
***
Zhao Realm Heavenly Court.
The Holy Venerable, Useless Qingxuan, Daoist Wukong, and Shi Tianyang waited until nightfall, yet Xu Ying still had not returned.
A chill settled in the hearts of the four.
Shi Tianyang said anxiously, "Will the Zhao Realm Heavenly Emperor come? Could you all have guessed wrong?"
Useless Qingxuan shook his head. "He will definitely come. An innate spiritual treasure is simply too precious; he might never see one in his entire lifetime. With such a treasure, his strength will surge, giving him an extra layer of protection. Even if the other shore holds him accountable in the future, he will have ample ability to protect himself."
The Holy Venerable sighed, "And he is bound to be a formidable Heavenly Emperor."
No sooner had he said this than a faint sigh sounded from outside: "You speak so eloquently, showing remarkable wisdom. But have you never heard that wealth should never be flaunted?"
Surrounding them, billowing chaotic qi surged, completely sealing off spacetime so that escape was no longer possible!
The spacetime they occupied seemed to have been completely displaced from the Zhao Realm Heavenly Court, no longer residing within it.
Useless Qingxuan, the Holy Venerable, and Daoist Wukong each raised a great banner, waiting in solemn formation. Lacking an innate spiritual treasure, Shi Tianyang had no choice but to bring out various magic treasures, glaring fiercely at the entrance.
With a creak, the doors swung open.
Wearing an imperial robe, crowned with an imperial diadem, and bearing an imperial sword at his waist, the Zhao Realm Heavenly Emperor strode in with a smile. "If you possessed the complete innate spiritual treasure, you might still resist me. But alas, your innate spiritual treasure is missing one banner."
His aura erupted—the aura of a Lord of Great Dao, dominating all Daos of heaven and earth!
Before this overwhelming aura, let alone fighting, the four struggled even to preserve their own cultivation!
Shi Tianyang in particular, having not yet attained Immortality, was crushed directly by the Zhao Realm Heavenly Emperor's aura, unable to channel a shred of his cultivation!
Useless Qingxuan, the Holy Venerable, and Daoist Wukong exerted every ounce of their remaining strength to drive the three great banners!
True to their nature as innate spiritual treasures, their erupting might immediately held off the Zhao Realm Heavenly Emperor's oppression, allowing the four's Daos and cultivation to function once more.
The Zhao Realm Heavenly Emperor chuckled, "Truly worthy of treasures forged from a spiritual root born in the Chaos Sea to protect a universe! Alas, in your hands, they are cast before swine!"
"In a universe of this scale, there will inevitably arise a monstrously gifted figure. By relying on the incomplete techniques of the other shore to cultivate to the Immortal realm, he would surely gain access to all sorts of flawed methods, possessing the talent to piece together a supreme mystic art of his own." He spoke as though describing himself, adding, "Such a person is wildly ambitious yet adept at endurance, and will certainly seize every opportunity!"
Without another word, he struck out in person. With a single exchange, he shattered the formation of the three banners raised by the trio into disarray!
Just as the Banner Gate Formation was on the verge of collapsing, a great banner flapped loudly in the wind and descended from the heavens, falling right into the missing position of the formation—landing squarely into Shi Tianyang's hands!
Holding this great banner, Shi Tianyang instantly completed the Four Banners Gate Formation. The terrifying might of the formation erupted, knocking the Zhao Realm Heavenly Emperor off balance and forcing him backward!
The four were both startled and overjoyed. "Dao Ancestor Xu is aiding us from the shadows!"
At that moment, Xu Ying was far away in the Zhao Realm's Central Ultimate Heaven. Sensing the shifting currents of karma, he had noticed the danger facing Qingxuan, the Holy Venerable, and the others, and had pulled out the Chaotic Dao Apricot Yellow Banner and hurled it forward with all his might!
Even as he remained seated before the Elegance Pagoda, comprehending the Daos of calamitous destiny and slaughter, his right hand formed a sword finger, remotely controlling the Apricot Yellow Banner from afar to clash against the Zhao Realm Heavenly Emperor!
Chapter 792