The Great Dao of Life and Death

"Whoever is attacking has truly terrifying divine abilities. Without showing the slightest sign, they've already killed so many of our senior brothers and sisters!" Dragging the Hongyuan that Xu Ying had transformed into, Li Xiao charged into the sea of stars within the Lingxing Gate. In an undertone, she muttered, "Someone capable of such a feat will certainly pull up the weeds by their roots and leave no one alive! But then again, you did treat me well back then..." She had originally been ruthless, going so far as to murder her fellow disciples simply to hoard the secrets of the Dao of Calamitous Destiny for herself. Yet in the Zhao Realm, she had crossed paths with Lu Yiren, Zhangsun Shenghai, and the others, preventing her from achieving much in that dao. Fortunately, Xu Ying had invited her to share his boat across the sea. Along the way, Xu Ying and his companions had conversed freely, exchanging insights on the Dao of Calamitous Destiny, and Li Xiao had benefited immensely from it. When she returned to Qionghua Island, not only had she been spared punishment by Dao Master Hua, but she had even received commendation. For that reason, she felt deeply grateful to Xu Ying. The Hongyuan Xu Ying had transformed into was exceedingly heavy, and within the gate, the sea of stars was swept by fierce winds and churning waves. Every crashing swell was strong enough to grievously injure her. Just as Li Xiao was agonizing over how to cross the sea, a big bell suddenly flew out from the Hongyuan. Speaking in a human voice, it said, "Young lady, let me help you across!" Both surprised and overjoyed, Li Xiao fixed her eyes upon the big bell and was about to speak when the bell added, "Don't look at me, girl, or you'll go blind." The moment the words left its mouth, roiling plumes of chaotic qi surged from Li Xiao's eyes. Li Xiao froze, numbly saying, "I'm blind." Helpless, the big bell could only say, "Channel your magic power to activate me, and I shall guide your way." Woman and bell joined forces at once, hauling the Hongyuan that Xu Ying had become as they headed toward the island in the center of the sea of stars. The big bell's voice drifted into the distance. "Don't worry, I won't let you stay blind. I am thoroughly versed in the Great Dao of Taiyi. I guarantee I can make eyes grow right back on you—as many as you'd like." All around the bell, eyes sprouted one after another from its metallic surface, fluttering up into the air. "See? I didn't lie to you... Ah, right, you can't see." Meanwhile, outside the Lingxing Gate, more than half of the Qionghua Island experts had perished in the span of just a few breaths, leaving only a scant few survivors such as Li Xue, Li Jie, and Li Song. Li Xue, Li Jie, and Li Song were Dao Lords of formidable cultivation, but the others from Qionghua Island were merely Immortals and True Kings. Without explanation or warning, they met unnatural deaths. These people dropped dead in an instant without displaying any mark of injury from divine abilities. Those with deeper cultivation often saw their Great Dao abruptly collapse into Dao ash, dying on the spot! The power of their unseen assassin was utterly unfathomable! Li Xue drove the Lingxing Gate, causing the innate numinous treasure's might to skyrocket to a level where even a Grand Dao Lord would hesitate to contend with it! Yet she could not locate an opponent. Possessing an innate numinous treasure, she had nowhere to unleash its power. Suddenly, a True King of Qionghua Island let out a scream, vaulted into the sky, and fled in panic. Driven mad by the terror of this inexplicable death, his Dao heart had shattered, leaving him with only the thought of escape. Yet no sooner had he taken flight than his Great Dao abruptly collapsed. His primordial spirit instantly dissolved into Dao ash, gushing in thick billows from his eyes, ears, nose, and mouth. Thump! His corpse plummeted to the ground not far away, landing without a further twitch. Confronted by such supernatural means, even Li Xue and her companions, seasoned as they were, felt their scalps prickle with dread, terror coiling around their hearts. If they could discern the enemy's divine abilities, see their appearance, or pinpoint where the strikes originated, they would not be so terrified even if the opponent's cultivation far surpassed their own. Yet they knew nothing of who the attacker was, what divine art was being unleashed, or where the culprit stood! "Eldest Senior Sister, if we hide inside the Lingxing Gate, there might still be a glimmer of hope..." Li Jie stammered, her teeth chattering. Li Xue did not answer. Fleeing into the Lingxing Gate was tantamount to surrendering the innate numinous treasure to someone else. This was a treasure Dao Master Hua had entrusted to them; if another claimed it, Dao Master Hua would execute her for the failure! "Burn incense! Report to Grand Master!" Li Xue gritted her teeth. The three Dao Lords immediately produced incense sticks and ignited them. But the rising incense smoke qi instantly crumbled into ash, devoid of the slightest shred of incense Dao power. Li Xue's complexion changed drastically. In the next breath, she noticed her physical body turning clumsy and stiff, and signs of decay began to appear across her Great Dao as well. "Into the gate!" Li Xue rasped in a hoarse voice. The three Dao Lords immediately retreated into the Lingxing Gate. In that brief moment, the hair of all three female Dao Lords had frosted over with gray, and their supple skin had grown slack and loose. They resembled three elderly crone-like figures, coughing and wheezing with every step, hacking up endless sputters of Dao ash. They entered the sea of stars. In the past, traversing it would have posed little challenge given their cultivation, but now, each step felt as though they were crushed under immense pressure that their flesh and primordial spirits could scarcely endure! Joining their strength, the three pushed forward toward the celestial island amidst the sea of stars. That island served as the Lingxing Gate's central nexus; by securing it, they could wield the spiritual radiance within the gate to confront the intruder! No matter how horrifying the mysterious assailant's Dao methods were, unless he entered the Lingxing Gate and reached the celestial island, he could not wrest control of this innate numinous treasure! "The reason this person is slaughtering us is to seize the Lingxing Gate. He doesn't want anyone to discover that this innate numinous treasure has fallen into his hands!" Li Xue gritted her teeth. "He will definitely enter the gate. As long as he steps inside, his identity will be exposed, and his mystery will be gone! When that time comes, we can mobilize the power of the Lingxing Gate to execute him and avenge our junior brothers and sisters!" Hearing this, a glimmer of hope ignited within Li Jie and Li Song. Right then, the aging of their bodies and primordial spirits abruptly accelerated, and the collapse of their own Great Dao sped up along with it. A jolt went through the three Dao Lords' hearts. 'That person has already entered the Lingxing Gate!' All around them, the stars within the sea began to dim, as though their fire had burned down to the embers, sliding toward death. Broad swathes of darkness expanded outward in all directions, as if contaminating the waters, and soon the sea of stars ahead was swallowed by the dark. Despair gripped Li Xue's heart. Looking back, she saw beneath the Lingxing Gate a tall, gaunt figure wearing a high crown, striding toward them. Behind him loomed a colossal cave abyss, where streams of dark and azure qi intertwined and spun like an aberrant Taiji Diagram. "The Grand Dao Lord of Life and Death!" As Li Xue's primordial spirit began to disintegrate, despair washed over her. 'How could his Dao attainment have reached such heights?' The Great Dao of Life and Death stood on par with Daos such as Creation, Yin-Yang, and Shenmo, ranking among the higher arts, yet it had never achieved great fame. Among the Four Grand Dao Lords, the Grand Dao Lord of Life and Death had been unable to match Taiyi and had suffered repeated defeats at his hands. Li Xue and the other Immortals of Qionghua Island were prized pupils personally instructed by Dao Master Hua. They held themselves in high esteem, confident in their pedigree. Though they did not bear the title of Grand Dao Lord, they had assumed themselves to be in no way inferior to the four. Yet this time, without the Grand Dao Lord of Life and Death even showing his face, their entire lineage had nearly been wiped out. Only now did Li Xue understand just how vast the chasm between them and the Four Grand Dao Lords truly was! Bang! Bang! Unable to bear the strain, the primordial spirits of Li Jie and Li Song exploded within their bodies one after the other, ending their lives! Possessing the most profound cultivation, Li Xue was already trembling with extreme decrepitude, unable to walk. In a raspy voice, she squeezed out, "Grand Dao Lord of Life and Death, this is rebellion..." "Rebellion? I was forced into it by Dao Master Hua. I had no choice." A cloak of darkness draped from his shoulders, shrouding the Grand Dao Lord of Life and Death's back in shadow. Approaching slowly, he passed beside Li Xue and spoke faintly, "If Dao Master Hua did not ruthlessly execute those of the younger generation who prove their Dao and become Dao Masters, but instead nurtured them, why would I ever turn against him?" Li Xue tried to speak, but the primordial spirit within her abruptly collapsed, and a dense torrent of Dao ash erupted from her eyes, ears, nose, and mouth! Her corpse tumbled into the lusterless sea of stars, dead. Unhurried, the Grand Dao Lord of Life and Death continued toward the celestial island, his eyes dark and remote. "After suffering two defeats at Taiyi's hands, I reflected on my pain and discovered the deficiencies in the Great Dao of Life and Death. By deducing Taiji in reverse from life and death, I finally achieved results. I stood so close to the realm of Dao Master, yet a calamity fell upon me, and Xu Ying forced me to enter it. Heh..." Beneath the high crown, his expression shifted between light and shadow. Entering the calamity meant the possibility of death. To avoid death, he had to make a breakthrough and become a Dao Master. Yet becoming a Dao Master meant withstanding an axe strike from Dao Master Hua. Since that was the case, why not rebel? "If I seize the Lingxing Gate, a glimmer of hope remains. Using the Lingxing Gate to counter the Falling Petals Divine Axe, I can smoothly become a Dao Master and secure my standing in this calamitous destiny and killing tribulation!" he muttered. Suddenly, the stars within the dark-infested sea ahead began to flare to life. The starlight grew brilliant and dazzling, burning like torches to reawaken the dead stars around them. The constellations that had just plunged into death were ignited one after another, and in a blink, the sea of stars was restored to its former glory! The Grand Dao Lord of Life and Death's heart skipped a beat. Raising his voice, he declared, "Xu Ying, is that you? You killed my disciple and flaunted your Dao methods before me. Now, I have arrived!" His purpose on this trip was twofold: first, to seize the Lingxing Gate, and second, to destroy Xu Ying and avenge his disciple, Dao Lord Rongku! Yet though the Grand Dao Lord's voice was loud and clear, no one on the celestial island answered. Abruptly accelerating, the Grand Dao Lord of Life and Death suppressed the sea of stars and shot swiftly toward the island. The instant he moved, violent waves churned across the waters. Countless stars coalesced into a colossal hand, brimming with supreme astral Dao power, and came slamming down toward him! The strike was incomparably ferocious, putting on full display the boundless breadth of stellar Dao power! The myriad worlds of the vast cosmos were established atop individual stars to begin with; stellar Dao power was thus among the most fundamental and potent forces in the universe! Facing this terrifying strike, the Grand Dao Lord of Life and Death showed no fear. He raised a palm to meet it. In that fraction of a moment, space-time froze, followed by an explosion of dreadfully immense power that swept across all quarters! It was as if a catastrophic tempest had ripped through the Lingxing Gate. Countless stars were tossed up from the sea, shattering and detonating in succession! His body swaying slightly, the Grand Dao Lord of Life and Death resumed striding forward. Calmly, he said, "Xu Ying, I saw your Dao methods upon Rongku. You paraded your might before me back then, yet now you rely on the Lingxing Gate to ward me off? You disappoint me." His tone remained tepid. The sea of stars seemed to harbor a Grand Dao Lord who practiced the Great Dao of the Stars, deploying supreme stellar might against him, yet the Grand Dao Lord of Life and Death consistently neutralized it with ease. "Xu Ying, you shouldn't hide on that island. You should step out from it and face me fair and square with your divine abilities!" Though his pace was slowed, the Grand Dao Lord's voice echoed continuously, seeking to disturb Xu Ying's Dao heart. Yet upon the celestial island at the center of the sea, the one holding the central nexus and mobilizing the sea of stars to attack him was not Xu Ying at all—it was Li Xiao. Having been treated by the big bell, the woman had grown new eyes. She was now doing everything in her power to marshal the stellar Dao power and halt the Grand Dao Lord of Life and Death's approach. Frustrated by the repeated obstacles, the Grand Dao Lord stamped his foot down hard. Instantly, with him at the center, the sea of stars and its astral sands for ten thousand li around turned into part of a Life and Death Taiji Diagram! This scroll of the Life and Death Taiji Diagram slowly revolved around him! Vast as the sea of stars inside the Lingxing Gate was, losing ten thousand li of territory instantly reduced the starlight Li Xiao could draw upon by ten to twenty percent. As his strength rose and hers fell, the balance tilted severely against her. The big bell was frantic with anxiety, buzzing in circles around her, eager to lend a hand yet having no idea how to intervene. The Lingxing Gate's nexus could only accommodate one controller; the bell could not even transfer its magic power to her. Channeling a great divine ability, the Grand Dao Lord of Life and Death unleashed Bound Together in Life and Death, charging directly toward the celestial island. In the next instant, boundless stars formed tier after tier of vertical waves. The great divine ability punched through dozens of surges before finally exhausting its force and collapsing. Li Xiao let out a muffled groan from the shockwave, her aura destabilizing. Seizing the opening, the Grand Dao Lord drove forward, bombarding the celestial island with one technique after another! "Xu Ying, is this all you have?" His mocking voice rang through the unrelenting bombardment. "You've disappointed me so thoroughly. To think you can only wield an innate numinous treasure against me, and even with it, you are no match for me. To think I left my mountain and braved the calamity in person for your sake!" His onslaught fell like a raging storm, throwing Li Xiao into disarray. Blood seeped from the corner of her mouth, revealing her failing strength! "It seems you never received Taiyi's true teachings. Has Taiyi always been wary of you, refusing to impart his supreme arts?" Sensing that 'Xu Ying's' resistance was growing scattered, the Grand Dao Lord knew his psychological assault was working, and he laughed heartily. "Your Taiyi Dao Sect is a den of traitors and mutineers—even master and disciple must guard against each other!" Boom! The Grand Dao Lord blasted forth another divine ability. Li Xiao mobilized the sea of stars to defend, only to be struck so hard she coughed up a mouthful of blood and stumbled backward, her aura thoroughly languid. Now close to the celestial island, the Grand Dao Lord hurled yet another technique. Li Xiao struggled to her feet and lunged toward the island's nexus. Just as her palm was about to touch the pedestal, the Grand Dao Lord's divine ability arrived before her eyes! Despair gripped her heart. The big bell pushed its Dao patterns to the limit, preparing to take the hit head-on. In that moment of life and death, a figure suddenly materialized before her, raising a palm to meet the Grand Dao Lord's attack. Boom! The Grand Dao Lord's divine ability detonated, but the life-and-death Dao power was cleaved cleanly in two by the figure, turning into twin torrents that swept past either side of the celestial island! "Ah Ying!" the big bell cried in surprise and delight. Li Xiao looked up to see a young man. It was indeed Xu Ying. "Grand Dao Lord of Life and Death, you wished to see my divine abilities?" Xu Ying's eyes shone brightly. Circulating the Hongyuan Reverse-Proving Great Dao Records, he let out a clear whistle and thrust both palms forward. Chaotic qi surged forth like crashing billows, and in an instant, a grand lotus blossomed within the Chaos Sea. From where the lotus opened, a Hongyuan rose slowly into being! A mortal threat suddenly loomed over the Grand Dao Lord of Life and Death. Shaken to the core, he frantically mobilized his cave abyss, drumming up all his Dao power to boldly meet the strike! The two divine abilities clashed. Unable to hold his ground, the Grand Dao Lord was sent skimming backward over the surface of the sea of stars! By the time he neutralized the force of Xu Ying's blow, he found his feet on solid ground—the strike had blasted him all the way back beneath the Lingxing Gate!