Upon returning to the other shore, Dao Master Ji Cang's eyes glinted, and he muttered under his breath, "That scoundrel Dao Master Hua released me solely to make me their scapegoat. He deliberately let me take the four innate banners, yet I turned around and gave all four to Xu Ying and his companions. Now that I am back on the other shore, none of them will be able to pinpoint my whereabouts."
Drifting away like a wisp of smoke, he murmured leisurely, "Hua Shengsheng, Lin Chuanting, Luo Shizong—if you lot want my life, you're still a bit green!"
Slipping deep into the other shore and masking his tracks, he thought, 'This time, it's far from decided who is plotting against whom. Who's to say I won't join hands with other Dao Masters to wipe you three out?'
Meanwhile, Dao Master Hua followed his senses in pursuit of Dao Master Xiang Kun. Xiang Kun had originally been suppressed by him within the Dayin Palace; years ago, Dao Master Hua had schemed to bring him back to life.
Upon departing, Xiang Kun had made off with the innate numinous treasure used to suppress him, the Tianyin Palace, and had vanished without a trace.
To Dao Master Hua, however, Xiang Kun's every move remained under his watchful eye.
His journey this time was precisely to track down the Tianyin Palace. He had refined that palace for countless years; concealing his own spiritual brand within it had been child's play.
Dao Master Hua furrowed his brow slightly as he surveyed the Lancang Woodlands. While others knew nothing of the Canglan Restricted Zone, he knew it intimately. He had carved this restricted zone out himself in ancient times, slaying Dao Master Duya here and suppressing the corpse in this very ground.
'Why would Xiang Kun come here?'
Filled with suspicion, he stepped into the woods.
Hidden within the forest was an innate numinous treasure he had left behind to ward off intruders, meaning his own passage was naturally unimpeded.
Suddenly, the sound of Dao Master Duya's voice echoed through the air. Though dead, this Dao Master's spirit refused to perish. He burst into a sputtering laugh. "Ah, of course! You didn't come looking for me—you came for Xiang Kun! Hahahaha! You wonder how I know? Xiang Kun told me himself!"
He sneered mockingly, "Xiang Kun even said that old ghost Hua deliberately let him take the innate numinous treasure Tianyin Palace just to bluff him and lock onto his position. But how could he possibly be that stupid?"
The corner of Dao Master Hua's eye twitched.
Dao Master Duya lay within a stone coffin in the woods. Black water welled continuously from the coffin, pooling into a dark tarn that radiated a bone-chilling frost.
A leisurely voice drifted from within the stone coffin. "So he ran straight over here and sank the Tianyin Palace into my black water pool. He was dying to see what an ugly scowl you'd have on your face, old ghost Hua, but he knew you'd sniff him out if he lingered nearby. So he dumped it with me instead, letting me enjoy that foul look on your face in his stead!"
Dao Master Hua's expression turned grim as he walked slowly out from the woods and came to the edge of the dark pool.
The sound of rhythmic banging against the coffin walls resounded from within. Dao Master Duya's corpse was laughing so hard he could hardly contain himself, pounding the coffin repeatedly. "Sure enough, what a rotten scowl!"
Dao Master Hua snorted in fury and reached out. The black water churned, and a moment later, the Tianyin Palace slowly surfaced.
"The face got even uglier!" the corpse of Dao Master Duya chortled.
Dao Master Hua's cheeks twitched violently, his dignity stretched to the breaking point. Grabbing the Tianyin Palace, he turned and strode away while Dao Master Duya's unrestrained mockery echoed behind him.
"I cannot destroy his corpse and sever his Dao yet, for I must keep this bastard as preparation for future calamitous destiny!" Dao Master Hua ground his teeth.
He scoured heaven and earth, searching everywhere for traces left behind by Dao Master Xiang Kun while sensing for Xiang Kun's Great Dao. For beings of the Dao Master realm, mobilizing their own Dao would be glaringly obvious!
Yet no matter how he searched, he found no sign of Dao Master Xiang Kun.
'Could Xiang Kun have fled to another universe, just like Ji Cang?'
Feeling the weight of his own looming calamitous destiny, Dao Master Hua grew increasingly restless. He resorted to divine divination to calculate Xiang Kun's whereabouts, yet still yielded nothing.
He even linked his personal Dao with the heavenly and earthly Great Dao of the other shore to inspect every single individual, but Xiang Kun remained nowhere to be found.
Just then, Dao Master Lin arrived and asked, "Brother Hua, have you found Xiang Kun's whereabouts?"
Dao Master Hua shook his head. "Has Brother Lin found Dao Master Sang Qing?"
"No," Dao Master Lin replied. "I went searching for him, only to find he had tossed the innate numinous treasure I gifted him over to Chi Li. When Chi Li saw me coming, he mocked me from inside his coffin as well."
Dao Master Hua's brows knitted tighter. Their experiences were practically identical.
"Right now, calamitous destiny hangs over our heads. If we don't transfer it away, I'm afraid both of us will be doomed. The innate numinous treasures we've gathered likely won't be enough to withstand it!"
Dao Master Lin's eyes flickered. "As things stand, there is only one way."
Dao Master Hua knew what he was about to suggest, and his brow furrowed even deeper.
Dao Master Lin said, "Karma, calamitous destiny, and slaughter—these three supreme Great Daos stem from the same lineage. Tongtian commands slaughter; he sees with absolute clarity whether someone bears calamitous destiny and whether that destiny is ripe to erupt. If he searches for Xiang Kun and Sang Qing, success is guaranteed!"
Dao Master Hua said nothing, his brows locked in a frown.
Dao Master Lin urged, "I know you bear a grudge against Tongtian, but when our very lives are on the line, what does a little swallow of pride matter?"
Dao Master Hua could only nod reluctantly. "Since that is the case, I will make the trip with you."
Dao Master Lin was overjoyed, and the two immediately set out for Biyou Palace.
Just as they departed, Dao Master Luo approached them, fuming, "Brothers, Tongtian has pushed me too far!" He recounted how Dao Master Tongtian had slain Dao Master Duanmu and seized his fortune, adding bitterly, "Tongtian also took my innate numinous treasure, the Hongmeng Dao Tree! What petty, vindictive villainy!"
Dao Master Lin said, "Right now, we've lost our two sacrificial offerings, Xiang Kun and Sang Qing, and we have no choice but to beg for his help—otherwise, we will never find them. Brother Luo, your grievance is hardly an insurmountable matter. At most, you need only revive another Dao Master and transfer your calamitous destiny to them."
Dao Master Hua added, "I, too, harbor deep hatred toward Tongtian, yet even I must bury the hatchet with him now, must I not? If Xiang Kun and Sang Qing escape and roam free, they will inevitably attempt to rescue the other Dao Masters and take our lives! You must see what takes priority, Brother Luo—keep a clear head!"
Dao Master Luo had no choice but to concede. "Very well. I shall go with you to see him and resolve our differences."
The three Dao Masters traveled together to Biyou Palace. Dao Master Tongtian received them, asking, "What brings you three esteemed Dao brothers to this desolate and frigid domain of mine?"
Dao Master Lin explained the circumstances, concluding, "It is embarrassing to admit, but the two of us could not locate Xiang Kun and Sang Qing. We had no choice but to come beseeching your aid, Brother Tongtian."
Dao Master Luo also spoke up: "The escape of the two Dao Master corpses from the Heaven and Earth Elegance Pagoda was indeed due to my lax oversight. I offer my apologies to Brother Tongtian and ask for your understanding."
Dao Master Tongtian assumed a solemn demeanor and rose swiftly to his feet. "Brothers, you speak too severely. I am not an overbearing man. Since the three of you have asked, how could I refuse to help?"
The trio was overjoyed.
***
Tianyong City, in the mortal realm of the other shore.
Ever since disposing of the Tianyin Palace, Dao Master Xiang Kun had concealed his traces and hidden away in Tianyong City. Built upon the earth, this city was vast beyond measure, composed of three thousand immortal mountains large and small.
Endowed with great patience and restraint, Xiang Kun knew that showing his face would inevitably lead to being hunted down and slaughtered by Old Hua and the others.
He had thoroughly altered his appearance, temperament, and Dao techniques. Even if he brushed past Dao Master Hua on the street, Hua would never recognize him.
Yet as he raised his head, he saw Dao Master Hua striding toward him, his gaze locked firmly upon him. Xiang Kun's heart seized. Knowing his identity was exposed, he took flight without a word!
Dao Master Hua closed the distance in a flash. While still aloft, the Falling Petals Divine Axe cleaved through the air!
Unflinching in the face of mortal peril, Dao Master Xiang Kun immediately channeled his Dao methods, linking himself to the Great Dao of Heaven and Earth of the other shore to meet the Falling Petals Divine Axe head-on!
Two mighty Dao Masters clashed, and within mere moments, victory and death were decided.
Xiang Kun was struck down by Dao Master Hua's axe, perishing on the spot!
Dao Master Ji Cang had originally intended to track down Xiang Kun and join forces with him against Hua, Lin, and Luo. He never imagined that the moment he arrived, he would witness Xiang Kun being hacked to death. His heart skipped a beat.
Hua Shengsheng's strength was even greater than before. Without even deploying his innate numinous treasure, he had pulverized Xiang Kun; had he used it, Xiang Kun likely would have fallen in a single exchange!
Abandoning all thought of finding another Dao Master to form an alliance, Ji Cang turned and fled straight toward Tianjing.
'Staying on the other shore means certain death. Going to Tianjing might still offer a sliver of hope.'
Elsewhere, guided by Dao Master Tongtian, Dao Master Lin located another Dao Master, Sang Qing. Sang Qing attempted to flee, but Dao Master Lin pursued him with spear in hand. After fewer than several exchanges, Dao Master Sang Qing fell dead beneath Lin's spear.
With Hua and Lin having resolved their respective calamitous destinies, only Dao Master Luo's remained. The three arranged for another deceased Dao Master to be revived, sacrificing several dozen Immortals in the process.
It took over a year of scheming to lure those Immortals in and blood-sacrifice them to the revived Dao Master.
Only when Dao Master Luo's calamitous destiny finally subsided were all three satisfied.
Dao Master Tongtian remarked, "There is still one more person who bears the calamitous destiny of the other shore, yet has not met his tribulation."
All three were startled and asked, "Who might that be?"
Dao Master Tongtian replied, "It should be Ji Cang. He has already fled to Tianjing."
The three exchanged glances, and Dao Master Lin chuckled. "Ji Cang is entangled in calamitous destiny. Even if he flees to Tianjing—or plunges into the Chaos Sea and reaches universes beyond our shores—he can never escape it. When the calamitous destiny erupts, he will be reduced to Dao ash and annihilated!"
Dao Master Tongtian cautioned, "He is a Dao Master, after all; the calamitous destiny wrapped around him is immense. If he does not die, I fear the next wave of calamitous destiny on the other shore will return before long."
Dao Master Hua said, "If that is so, I shall venture into Tianjing myself and ensure he is slain!"
Time flowed on, and five or six years passed in the blink of an eye. Dao Master Hua's expedition to Tianjing yielded no return; his life or death remained unknown.
On this day, an emerald rock multi-decked vessel emerged from the Chaos Sea, drawing close to the ferry.
Aboard the ship were Xu Ying, Zhangsun Shenghai, Li Xiao, and the others.
The group had drifted across the Chaos Sea for six or seven years. Along the way, they had consulted one another on the Great Dao of Calamitous Destiny, laying out all they had comprehended and exchanging insights.
Learning from one another's comprehension was one aspect, but each also relied on their own brilliance to deduce and extrapolate the Dao of Calamitous Destiny, pushing their respective arts toward greater heights.
By the sixth year, Xu Ying, Zhangsun Shenghai, and Good-for-Nothing Qingxuan had successively elevated the Great Dao of Calamitous Destiny to the level of Dao verification.
Though it was only their first time verifying the Dao, it was still an extraordinary feat! By the seventh year, Lu Yiren, Taishi, the Holy Venerable, and Li Xiao verified the Dao in succession as well, filling them with boundless joy.
Li Xiao was particularly moved. She had assumed that with her enlightenment interrupted by Zhangsun Shenghai, she would never achieve anything notable; even if she continued cultivating the Dao of Calamitous Destiny, verifying it would have taken tens of thousands of years.
As for attaining the Dao and achieving immortality, that would have required tens of millions of years.
Yet to her utter astonishment, their open exchanges had patched the gaps in her understanding. With so many geniuses gathered aboard a single vessel, the synergy born of their clashing intellects was unimaginable!
She held immense admiration for the breadth of knowledge shown by Xu Ying, Zhangsun Shenghai, and Good-for-Nothing Qingxuan. Listening to their discussions had benefited her immensely, and without realizing it, her impression of them had softened considerably.
Disembarking, they returned the emerald rock vessel to the ferry. Standing by the docks and gazing toward the other shore, each sensed the faint, lingering calamitous destiny hovering over the realm.
Apart from Daoist Wukong and Shi Tianyang, who had not gained comprehension of calamitous destiny, everyone else had attained some success.
With this gaze, the calamitous destiny of the other shore became plainly visible to them.
"This time, Master and the other two Grand Masters merely transferred the other shore's calamitous destiny to the Zhao Realm. It was just a diversion, not an uprooting," Taishi observed after watching for a moment, shaking his head. "Though the calamitous destiny over the other shore has faded considerably, it remains."
Li Xiao peered into the distance and said, "And it is stronger than before, recovering at an even faster rate! Next time, I fear sacrificing a single universe like the Zhao Realm will no longer suffice to stave it off."
The Holy Venerable nodded. "At least three universes must be sacrificed to preserve the other shore."
Good-for-Nothing Qingxuan remarked, "The calamitous destiny of the other shore is indeed intensifying. But that we can detect it now means someone escaped the tribulation and was not claimed by it, causing the embers of calamitous destiny to rekindle." His observation was far more meticulous than Li Xiao's.
Zhangsun Shenghai noted, "The other shore hoped to shift its calamitous destiny elsewhere through transferral, but in truth, it was never truly dispelled. The calamity has always been there, never disappearing, only delayed until the next eruption. Whether the other shore can endure it then is difficult to say." His insight was keener still.
Xu Ying's eyes flickered, and he said, "The next eruption of calamitous destiny will arrive in three thousand years."
A chill settled over everyone, and they turned to look at him.
Back when they were adrift on the Chaos Sea, everyone had realized that the one among them with the deepest comprehension of calamitous destiny was not Zhangsun Shenghai, but Xu Ying!
Xu Ying had grasped the most profound and refined mysteries of the Dao!
And now, by declaring the precise timing of the next eruption, his attainment stood visibly above them all.
Li Xiao turned to leave, chuckling, "Life is short—why fret over the future? Farewell, everyone!"
Having walked some distance away, she suddenly remembered something and sent a divine sense transmission: "Fellow Daoist Xu, you should make a trip to the Yu Realm and the Di Realm. The other shore's first two calamitous destinies were transferred there!"
Xu Ying started slightly, then bowed in thanks.
Li Xiao giggled. "Had you not possessed such grand vision, why would I have told you this? You treated me well, so naturally I will repay the kindness!"
Chapter 799