On the way back to the Dao Sect, all they saw along the road was that the other shore had grown far more desolate, no longer as thriving as before.
In the past, one could often see members of the other shore's Sacred Clan traveling far and wide in search of learning, journeying to various Dao landscapes to delve into their mysteries.
One could also see martial, fierce Sacred Clan members warring against one another, taking the scalps of the vanquished. Yet now, such spectacles had become rare, replaced by a quiet bleakness.
Returning to the Taiyi Dao Sect, they found that the sect had only just unsealed She'an Palace. Disciples were walking out of the palace, and upon seeing the five of them, they were all struck with terror, thinking they had seen ghosts.
Xu Ying asked what had happened. Pale with fright at the sight of him, the disciple said, "To escape the calamitous destiny, our Taiyi Dao Sect went into seclusion and sealed its gates for twenty-eight years! Master gave the order forbidding anyone to venture outside, commanding all to remain in the Dao Sect to sit out the calamity.
"We only unsealed the gates and ended our seclusion today! Now that five Senior Brothers have returned from the outside, could it be you are all dead and your wronged ghosts have come back? Senior Brothers, please don't harm me!"
Seeing the disciple's insolent words, Daoist Wukong stepped forward and gave him a thrashing.
The disciple exclaimed joyfully, "Senior Brother's yang qi is overwhelming—it seems you aren't ghosts after all!"
Daoist Wukong shooed him away.
They entered She'an Palace. Before long, Dao Lord Jiu Zeng hurried over. Catching sight of the five of them, he cried out in shock, "They really are alive!"
Daoist Wukong figured he couldn't beat him in a fight, so he didn't step forward.
Xu Ying asked, "Senior Brother Jiu Zeng, why did the Dao Sect seal its gates for twenty-eight years?"
Dao Lord Jiu Zeng said in surprise, "You don't know?"
Xu Ying shook his head.
Dao Lord Jiu Zeng said, "Teacher Taiyi deduced that a calamitous destiny would descend upon the other shore. Thus, he had us summon back all disciples who were outside, seal She'an Palace, and strictly forbid anyone from stepping foot outside to avoid tainting ourselves with the calamitous destiny. During the twenty-eight years we were in seclusion, the world fell into utter chaos. More than two hundred Immortals died one after another, and the casualties among others were beyond count."
Xu Ying was taken aback. More than two hundred Immortals dead?
Dao Lord Jiu Zeng whispered, "Word has it that the three Grand Masters wanted to choose scapegoats to avert their calamitous destinies. Thus, most of the two hundred-plus Immortals who died were used as sacrifices to revive Dao Master-level beings."
Hearing this, Xu Ying's heart stirred. Reviving a Dao Master-level being required roughly forty to fifty Immortals. Sacrificing more than two hundred Immortals could revive four or five Dao Masters.
It seemed that aside from Ji Cang, another three or four Dao Masters had been revived.
Jiu Zeng continued, "Reviving those Dao Masters required careful planning and baiting hooks to lure Immortals into the trap. Once the Immortals were drawn in, experts of the seventh and eighth Dao Realms were naturally pulled along with them. That is why the casualties were countless. Adding up all the various Immortals who died over these years, the tally has already reached three to four hundred. It's only because the other shore has such deep foundations and vast resources that everything hasn't collapsed."
Even before this calamitous destiny, the Immortals who had died or been wounded on Xu Ying's account numbered well over a hundred. Factoring in those who died during this calamity, the total indeed came to three or four hundred. On top of that, the power vacuums left by the deaths of these Immortals led newcomers to vie fiercely for power and profit, resulting in blood-drenched, chaotic slaughters.
Xu Ying and his companions had traveled far to the Zhao Realm and hadn't realized that a catastrophe had unfolded on the other shore, but for the denizens of the other shore, this was an all-out cataclysm!
"Many disciples from the various palaces of Daoji Heaven suffered casualties in this catastrophe," Dao Lord Jiu Zeng said. "Only our Taiyi Dao Sect managed to escape it thanks to going into seclusion early. We originally believed that the only losses our Taiyi Dao Sect suffered were the five of you. Never did we imagine you would actually return alive. What a pity... What an anomaly! A true anomaly!"
"Will the other shore decline because of this?" the Holy Venerable inquired with ill intent.
Dao Lord Jiu Zeng replied in astonishment, "Why would the other shore decline?"
The Holy Venerable said, "So many experts of the other shore have died—three to four hundred Immortals! Why wouldn't it decline?"
Dao Lord Jiu Zeng chuckled. "I see. I misunderstood your point, Junior Brother Yuanhuang. Most of the Immortals who died were from underground, a small fraction were from the surface of the other shore, and only a tiny minority hailed from Daoji Heaven. Daoji Heaven suffered no damage, and its strength remains intact. Where would any decline come from?"
The Holy Venerable frowned slightly.
Dao Lord Jiu Zeng continued, "Besides, this isn't slicing away flesh, nor is it scraping bone to treat poison—it is a blood transfusion! The underground Immortals covet the positions and authority of Daoji Heaven's Immortals, often rebelling in secret and plotting treason. Losing so many of them this time is actually a good thing. And since many surface Immortals died as well, we can simply recruit a batch of individuals with extraordinary natural talent and comprehension from other universes, bringing them into the other shore to become part of the Sacred Clan. Once they arrive here and rise to prominence, won't they be overflowing with gratitude and devotion toward the other shore?"
As soon as these words were uttered, not only was the Holy Venerable stunned, but Qingxuan, Wukong, and the others also wore dazed expressions.
Only Shi Tianyang took it as completely natural. Seeing their reactions, he mused internally, 'Country bumpkins from the Three Realms.'
Xu Ying chuckled and said, "If they don't die, the people below have no opportunity to climb up. Now that they're dead and all those vacant spots have opened up, won't those who climb up to fill them be eternally grateful and utterly loyal to the other shore? Isn't that how the logic goes?"
Jiu Zeng nodded and smiled. "Junior Brother Xu truly grasps the essence."
Xu Ying laughed heartily. "This scene feels rather familiar."
Just then, True King Zongyi rushed over and said to Xu Ying, "Junior Brother Xu, Master has ended his seclusion and wants you to go see him."
Xu Ying agreed and followed him to Yaoguang Hall.
Grand Dao Lord Taiyi sat cross-legged upon a prayer mat. An ethereal, lofty aura permeated around him, as though the Great Dao were fused within, deep and profound like the universe's Hongyuan. He was an Old Sacred Clan member of the other shore, possessing a mighty physical body, yet he lacked the overbearing aggression typical of other Old Sacred Clan members; instead, he appeared quite gentle, exuding the dignified bearing of an elder.
Xu Ying stepped forward, bowed, and asked, "Has Master verified the Dao Master realm upon ending this seclusion?"
Grand Dao Lord Taiyi shook his head. "I am still a fraction short. Verifying the Dao Master realm is not so simple. Though the Scripture of Xuanhuang Dao Realm is exquisite, it is ill-suited to my Taiyi Great Dao; I can only draw upon its profundity to advance my cultivation. To attain full verification, the heat is still lacking a bit."
His gaze fell upon Xu Ying, and astonishment inevitably flickered across his face. After studying Xu Ying several times, he asked, "Xu Ying, are you about to verify the Dao of Immortality?"
Xu Ying shook his head. "Your disciple is still lacking some heat as well."
Grand Dao Lord Taiyi looked at him with gentle eyes and said, "You must verify Immortality as soon as possible. During my previous seclusion, I sensed that the other shore's calamitous destiny loomed vast and dark, and a great catastrophe was bound to occur. That was why I sealed She'an Palace and ordered all of you not to venture outside. Yet throughout this recent seclusion, that instinctive premonition never faded. The calamitous destiny of the other shore remains; it has merely been postponed. In the near future, it will surely return."
He slowly rose to his feet and said in a resonant voice, "When it makes its comeback in the future, I fear it will be exceedingly difficult to survive. When that time comes, it may well be that our Taiyi Dao Sect will also have to plunge into the killing calamity to seek survival. If you have verified Immortality, your chances of surviving will be substantially greater."
He also harbored another purpose: once Xu Ying verified Immortality and faced him in their master-disciple duel, he wished to seize that opportunity to verify the Dao Master realm in one stroke.
Xu Ying's heart stirred, and he couldn't help admiring Grand Dao Lord Taiyi's profound cultivation and astonishing mastery of Dao methods. Even a Dao Master like Ji Cang had been unable to sense the calamitous destiny through his own Dao attainment, yet Taiyi could perceive it and take preemptive action. In terms of Dao cultivation, he was no longer inferior to a Dao Master.
Xu Ying said, "The other shore's next calamitous destiny will arrive in three thousand years."
Taiyi froze slightly, his expression questioning.
Xu Ying said, "Your disciple has cultivated the Great Dao of Calamitous Destiny and attained some achievement, enough to perceive that the other shore's next calamitous destiny lies three thousand years away."
Grand Dao Lord Taiyi's heart leaped. He hurriedly inquired about the details, so Xu Ying recounted how he had journeyed to the Zhao Realm, where calamitous destiny erupted and triggered a killing calamity.
Grand Dao Lord Taiyi immediately understood. "So the four Dao Masters shifted the other shore's calamitous destiny onto the Zhao Realm, and they dispatched their respective disciples so that they could grasp the calamitous destiny. Little did they expect it would be obtained by you."
Xu Ying had already guessed this when he encountered Zhangsun Shenghai and the others in the Zhao Realm, so he wasn't surprised in the slightest.
Grand Dao Lord Taiyi paced back and forth, frowning. "The four Dao Masters wish to master calamitous destiny. If they learn that you have obtained the Great Dao of Calamitous Destiny, they certainly will not tolerate you."
Xu Ying smiled. "Master need not worry. After returning to the Chaos Sea, I exchanged insights with them, and their attainments in calamitous destiny have advanced tremendously as well. Once they return, the four Dao Masters will find that the Dao of Calamitous Destiny obtained by their disciples is just sufficient for their needs."
Grand Dao Lord Taiyi halted in his tracks, stared at him, and remained silent for a long while.
Xu Ying ventured tentatively, "Master?"
"I am pondering whether I should kill you," Grand Dao Lord Taiyi stated with utmost candor. "Your words just now made my heart leap in fright. I can't shake the feeling that keeping you alive is a disaster waiting to happen for the other shore, and you will surely bring immense ruin in the future."
Xu Ying gave it some thought and said, "Master's purpose in keeping me is because my wit and ingenuity can enlighten Master, aiding you to break through and become the Dao Master of the Taiyi Great Dao. Is it more worthwhile to nurture a Taiyi Dao Master, or to eliminate me?" Lowering his head, he chuckled. "Could it be that the Taiyi Dao Master believes his future self won't be a match for my future self?"
Grand Dao Lord Taiyi gave a cold huff and flicked his sleeves. "I'll grant that you have a point. As for the matter of the other shore's calamitous destiny returning in three thousand years, do not breathe a word of it to anyone. Understood?"
Xu Ying nodded gently.
Grand Dao Lord Taiyi's eyes glinted. "If word of this leaks out, it will surely shake the hearts of everyone on the other shore. Numerous Immortals will fear for their lives, and I worry the great chiliocosms below will also become disloyal. That would be bad on all counts..." He waved his hand, dismissing Xu Ying.
After Xu Ying left, Jiu Zeng entered the hall. Grand Dao Lord Taiyi said, "I hear Dao Master Hua went to Tianjing years ago and has yet to return. I shall travel to Mount Jiuqiu to seek an audience with Dao Master Luo and inquire about this. Guard the Dao Sect well, and do not let Xu Ying run off again."
Jiu Zeng voiced his compliance.
Grand Dao Lord Taiyi departed in haste and soon arrived at Mount Jiuqiu to request an audience with Dao Master Luo. Dao Master Luo instructed his attendants to invite him into Ziguang Cave to meet. When Grand Dao Lord Taiyi entered Ziguang Cave and bowed in salutation, Dao Master Luo hurried to say, "Fellow Daoist, please dispense with the formalities. You and I belong to the same era—how could you perform such a grand courtesy?"
Grand Dao Lord Taiyi replied, "He who attains mastery is the teacher. Brother Dao is a Dao Master; showing you reverence is showing reverence to the Dao. I cannot fail to show respect."
Dao Master Luo smiled and asked, "What brings Fellow Daoist here?"
Taiyi said solemnly, "I heard that Dao Master Hua traveled to Tianjing and has been gone for years. Worried for his safety, I came to inquire."
Dao Master Luo took on a serious countenance and said, "Brother Dao Hua's cultivation and strength are such that if he claims to be second under heaven, no one dares claim to be first. Nothing grave could happen to him in Tianjing. If he wanders abroad for a few years, who would dare question him?"
Taiyi hesitated a moment, then said, "With the heavenly and earthly Great Dao of Tianjing reviving, I constantly worry that formidable entities might be lurking there."
Dao Master Luo chuckled. "Xuanhuang already perished at Dao Master Hua's hands. Even if other Dao Masters remain in Tianjing, they wouldn't necessarily be a match for him."
Taiyi remained uneasy and said, "I will return to arrange sect matters, then make the journey to Tianjing."
Dao Master Luo paid it little mind and had attendants see Grand Dao Lord Taiyi off from Mount Jiuqiu. He laughed softly, saying, "Taiyi's treachery masquerades as supreme loyalty. His entire sect is packed with rebels, yet he pretends to be utterly devoted—even I can hardly spot a flaw."
Taiyi returned to the Dao Sect, only to discover that Xu Ying was nowhere to be found. Not only was Xu Ying gone, but Jiu Zeng and the others had vanished without a trace as well.
He summoned True King Zongyi and questioned him. True King Zongyi said, "Junior Brother Xu wanted to go out to visit Hunyuan Dao Lord to borrow his cultivation method for study. Senior Brother Jiu Zeng stopped him and wouldn't let him leave. Junior Brother Xu then suggested, 'Why doesn't Senior Brother accompany me to borrow it?' So Senior Brother Jiu Zeng accompanied him out the door."
Hearing this, Taiyi laughed out of sheer fury. "Jiu Zeng, are you a dog or what? I told you to watch the house, and look at you—you teamed up with the rebel to burgle it!"
He personally traveled to the grotto-heaven blessed land where Hunyuan Dao Lord resided. Without waiting to be announced, he barged right in. Sure enough, he saw Hunyuan Dao Lord beaten black and blue, while Xu Ying was engrossed in studying Hunyuan Dao Lord's *Chaos Mahayana Dao Verification Method*. As for Jiu Zeng, entirely devoid of any awareness that he had done something wrong, he sat off to the side sipping tea.
Taiyi gave a cough. Only then did Jiu Zeng notice him, quickly getting to his feet and asking, "Master, why have you come?"
Taiyi glared fiercely at him, then hurriedly stepped forward to help Hunyuan Dao Lord up, full of remorse. "Fellow Daoist Hunyuan, my lack of strict discipline has brought trouble upon you! I will certainly discipline these two rebellious disciples severely to soothe your anger! Insolent disciples, why haven't you come over to apologize to Fellow Daoist Hunyuan?!"
Xu Ying and Jiu Zeng stepped forward and offered their apologies to Hunyuan Dao Lord.
Hunyuan Dao Lord sneered, "Taiyi, your two disciples have bullied me too far! You think a mere apology settles it?! As for Jiu Zeng, a million years of his cultivation must be severed, and you must present treasures to show true sincerity!"
Grand Dao Lord Taiyi's expression changed slightly, yet he spoke in an amiable tone: "Fellow Daoist Hunyuan, having them apologize to you was magnanimous, but pushing your advantage and refusing to let it go is your fault. If you wish to harm the disciples of the Taiyi Sect, why don't you and I exchange a few moves?"
Hunyuan Dao Lord's face turned the color of dirt, and he hurriedly stammered, "I wouldn't dare! I wouldn't dare!"
Grand Dao Lord Taiyi called to Xu Ying and Jiu Zeng, barking, "Aren't you going to follow me back?!"
Xu Ying said, "Your disciple has not yet finished learning this Mahayana Dao Verification Method."
Taiyi cast his gaze upon Hunyuan Dao Lord.
Hunyuan Dao Lord forced an obsequious smile and said, "It's no trouble at all for Your Eminence to take this stone stele back to your manor. Once he's finished studying it, simply return it."
"My thanks to Fellow Daoist for being so reasonable and understanding," Taiyi said with a bow.
Hunyuan Dao Lord returned the bow. "Think nothing of it, think nothing of it!"
And so Xu Ying, carrying the stone stele inscribed with the Mahayana Dao Verification Method, followed Taiyi back to She'an Palace.
Grand Dao Lord Taiyi instructed, "Jiu Zeng, you remain behind to watch the Dao Sect. As your master, I will take Xu Ying on a trip to Tianjing. This time, be sure to guard the gateway properly, and stir up no more trouble."
Jiu Zeng assented meekly.
Taiyi departed with Xu Ying.
Jiu Zeng said, "Master instructed us to guard the gateway well and not stir up trouble."
Daoist Wukong remarked, "Our Taiyi Dao Sect is the foremost of all Dao sects under heaven. Didn't Senior Brother Jiu Zeng forge that fearsome reputation with your own fists back in Hao Yi's day?"
Jiu Zeng pondered for a moment, then said, "Very well. I shall take a walk with you."
Chapter 800