Dao Masters Hua, Lin, Luo, Tongtian, and the others leapt forth from the Chaos Ring one after another, streaking off in pursuit of the direction in which Luo Taizong had fled!
Having joined forces to heavily wound Luo Taizong in three strikes, they could not possibly let this prime opportunity slip away.
What was more, Luo Taizong was a Heaven and Earth Primordial Spirit who bore the other shore's greatest karmic burden. Slaying him and repaying heaven and earth's karma would drastically reduce the other shore's calamitous destiny!
"Still, how does one destroy a cosmic primordial spirit?" Xu Ying gazed into the distance and murmured to himself.
Dao Master Hua and the others whistled off into the distance, leaving only the Chaos Ring spinning frantically in place.
Everything nearby that could be devoured by it had already been swallowed clean. A massive chunk of the other shore's continent was gone, and the surrounding starry sky had plunged into utter darkness. Only the tails of several galaxies remained in the void, their stars torn asunder and scattered like broken pearl necklaces.
Such was the catastrophic destruction wrought by experts of the Dao Master realm!
Countless lives had perished in this battle, far exceeding the casualties of the previous killing tribulations on the other shore.
Xu Ying looked out and saw drifting karma forming threads, then streams, and then rivers—the karma of all the living beings who had died at the hands of the other shore's Dao Masters.
These strands of karma sought to link themselves to the Dao Masters, yet could find no purchase upon them. Thus, they drifted aimlessly through the void, gradually converging.
Hundreds of millions of karmic threads gathered and rivers poured together, forming a vast sea of karma in the void.
Such a magnificent sight sent a chill down Xu Ying's spine.
"Sooner or later, this sea of karma will erupt and drag the other shore into an even greater calamitous destiny!" he realized.
Zhangsun Shenghai also noticed the sea of karma and was visibly moved. It gave him an ominous foreboding.
Both withdrew their gazes and turned toward the Chaos Ring.
"Chaos qi in a growing universe should normally dissolve quickly, turning into heavenly and earthly Great Daos to nurture all things. Yet this Chaos Ring shows no sign of dispersing. It has already taken solid form," Xu Ying remarked. "If the other shore is destroyed in the future, it will surely begin here."
Zhangsun Shenghai nodded gently. "The Nine Innate Daos cycle endlessly. When the Chaos qi of the other shore no longer disperses, it signifies that the Nine Innate Daos—beginning with Chaos—have ground to a halt and ceased evolving. This is the herald of decline after reaching an absolute peak."
Xu Ying's eyes flickered. "Only, there is no telling how quickly that decline will unfold."
Presently, the other shore was still mighty beyond measure, governing vast chiliocosms. Every day, thousands and tens of thousands of people from other universes still arrived at the other shore, dreaming of attaining the status of the sacred race and achieving supreme glory.
Yet whether they could survive after arriving remained completely unknown.
"Dao Masters are truly formidable, and Dao Masters wielding innate numinous treasures even more so! Still, Luo Taizong is a cosmic primordial spirit after all. Eliminating him will be no simple feat."
Xu Ying pondered for a moment and said, "I think Luo Taizong could be slain by altering the Great Daos of heaven and earth. Since he is a Heaven and Earth Primordial Spirit, we could weaken heaven and earth's Great Daos to weaken him. If we take it a step further and directly change the Great Daos of the other shore, we could put him to death!"
Zhangsun Shenghai reflected and said, "We could also shatter the other shore and divide it to undermine his strength. However, I believe the best method is still to use the Reincarnation Great Dao to wash away his entire cultivation, forcing him to reincarnate so he is no longer a cosmic primordial spirit. That would make killing him far easier."
Xu Ying's eyes lit up, and he said eagerly, "I thought of another idea! Drag him into the Chaos Sea and sever his connection to the other shore. That way, we can finish him off!"
Zhangsun Shenghai's thoughts expanded, and he laughed. "Taiyi can kill him! The Taiyi Great Dao is the state where all heaven and earth's Daos are unified into Hunyuan, with no distinct Great Dao of heaven and earth in the true sense. Strike him with the Taiyi Great Dao and batter him back into Hunyuan, and he'll be dead!"
Xu Ying said excitedly, "By that logic, Wuji, Grand Primordium, Chaos, Nirvanic Extinction, and Slaughter can all kill him!"
The two cheerfully discussed various methods for dealing with Luo Taizong.
They were rare geniuses of their era. Though Luo Taizong possessed unfathomable cultivation and transcendent Dao arts, in their eyes, there were still thousands of ways to scheme against him.
"I think the Karma Great Dao could work too. Link his karma to a universe on the brink of extinction; when that universe erupts with a Nirvanic Extinction Tribulation, calamitous destiny will erupt inside him at the same time!"
"Why not just transfer calamitous destiny onto him?"
...
After discussing for a long while, the two arrived at the most reliable path to eliminate Luo Taizong: first, weaken the other shore's Great Daos of heaven and earth and shatter the other shore, which would drastically reduce Luo Taizong's strength.
Then, alter a portion of the other shore's Daos to add to his woes, and finally gather Dao Masters who cultivated Chaos, Grand Primordium, Wuji, Taiyi, and Nirvanic Extinction to gang up on him and grind away his cultivation.
"Once he's dead, immediately drag his corpse into the Chaos Sea and destroy every trace of it. That will prevent him from resurrecting through the other shore's Great Daos of heaven and earth," Xu Ying said with a grin.
Just then, Luo Taizong's voice drifted from behind them: "Well said! Splendidly said! If you two managed to persuade the other Dao Masters to use this method against me, I might truly have fallen into your hands."
The smiles on Xu Ying and Zhangsun Shenghai's faces froze, and their bodies stiffened.
Xu Ying quietly shoved a Dao Alliance Token to Zhangsun Shenghai, turned around with a beaming smile, and looked toward Luo Taizong. "Ah, Brother Luo! Truly, where in life does one not cross paths again? When did Dao Master Luo arrive?"
Luo Taizong's complexion looked rather sickly, clearly from heavy injuries. He let out a cold harrumph. "I arrived right when you were discussing how to kill me."
Zhangsun Shenghai's expression changed abruptly, his heart pounding in suspense. *Damn it.*
In their carried-away excitement, they had brainstormed every conceivable way to kill Luo Taizong—and evidently every word had fallen on his ears.
*How could Dao Master Hua and the others botch things so badly? They actually let him slip away!* Xu Ying kept his broad smile while secretly grinding his teeth.
Luo Taizong sneered. "If my unfilial son and those juniors Hua Shengsheng and Lin Chuanting used your method, they might indeed manage to kill me. But they would also have to pay a grievous price—unless more than half of them died, they could dream on about sending me on my way! As for the two of you, don't even think about it!"
As he spoke, he suddenly coughed up a mouthful of blood.
It was no mortal blood, but Dao blood.
For an Immortal, the Dao is embodied; for a Dao Master, existence is unified as one with Hunyuan. Their physical bodies and primordial spirits are the Dao itself. When grievously wounded, the Dao fractures, and their blood is filled with shattered remnants of the Great Dao.
Evidently, on his flight, he must have been caught by Hua, Lin, Luo, Tongtian, and the others, compounding his injuries further.
Xu Ying, clutching a Dao Alliance Token in his hand as well, said with concern, "Brother Luo, are your injuries severe? I'll activate my Dao Alliance Token right away and summon our fellow members to your aid."
"No need!"
Luo Taizong raised a hand and sneered. "If I wanted to kill you, displaying your Dao Alliance Tokens wouldn't save you. However, my injuries are indeed severe, and I need the two of you to help me evade pursuit."
With a sudden flash, he threw himself into Zhangsun Shenghai's Hongyuan Grand Cavity.
Zhangsun Shenghai's Hongyuan Grand Cavity was boundless, containing worldly Great Daos and evolving the cosmic majesty. Even Luo Taizong clicked his tongue in wonder upon seeing it, praising, "So you are Zhangsun Shenghai? No wonder Xu Ying sang your praises to the skies, saying you comprehended the Nine Innate Daos."
Zhangsun Shenghai was both startled and flattered. He glanced at Xu Ying and thought, *So I held such high esteem in his heart!*
Luo Taizong entered Qiyan Suspended Ridge and said, "I will heal my injuries here. You two take me away immediately. And don't try to be clever. Wounded though I am, killing you would still be as easy as turning over my palm!"
Zhangsun Shenghai hurriedly asked, "Where to?"
"Anywhere! So long as you avoid those Dao Masters! Once I fully recover, slaughtering them will be like butchering dogs! They're here!"
Hearing this, Xu Ying and Zhangsun Shenghai took off at once.
No sooner had they stepped away than a flash of light appeared. Dao Master Hua descended, bearing over a hundred innate numinous treasures, landing behind them with a tremendous rumble.
Xu Ying and Zhangsun Shenghai's hearts leapt into their throats, and they quickly halted.
Xu Ying turned around and smiled. "Disciple Xu Ying greets Dao Master Hua."
Zhangsun Shenghai also hastily turned and said, "Disciple Zhangsun Shenghai greets Dao Master Hua."
Dao Master Hua was towering and imposing. His gaze, like interwoven lightning, swept across countless starry skies and layers of the void in an instant, searching for Luo Taizong's whereabouts, yet found nothing.
His gaze swept over the two. Xu Ying and Zhangsun Shenghai felt as though struck by lightning, probed inside and out by that piercing gaze!
Both thought to themselves that things looked dire. Dao Master Hua was the most ruthless and violent of the three great Dao Masters. If he discovered that Luo Taizong was hiding inside Zhangsun Shenghai's Hongyuan Grand Cavity, he would likely hack them both to death with an axe without asking questions!
"Don't worry," Luo Taizong's voice came. "Hua Shengsheng's cultivation isn't weak, but his Dao of Strength is merely crude and brutish. He cannot see through the profound subtleties of my arcane art."
Just as he said, Dao Master Hua failed to discover that Luo Taizong was currently concealed within Zhangsun Shenghai's Hongyuan.
"Why are you here?" Dao Master Hua asked darkly, speaking neither fast nor slow. "Why did you run upon seeing me? Could you have a guilty conscience?"
Xu Ying shook his head. "Disciple would not dare."
Dao Master Hua fixed an unblinking gaze onto his face. "Xu Ying, my disciple Li Xiao stole my Lingxing Gate. Were you the mastermind?"
Xu Ying asked in astonishment, "Dao Master, why would you say such a thing?"
A murderous glint flashed in Dao Master Hua's eyes, and he prepared to strike and kill. But suddenly, he felt a sharp, piercing killing intent manifest behind his back—should he make a single move, a sharp blade would run him through!
Dao Master Tongtian walked over at an unhurried pace and stopped behind Dao Master Hua, saying coolly, "Did Dao Master Hua come here to pursue Luo Taizong, or to kill my disciple and friend?"
Dao Master Hua gave a cold snort and did not dare turn around.
Now that calamitous destiny ran thick, Dao Master Tongtian's cultivation and power were growing ever stronger. With Tongtian holding the upper hand at this moment, Hua dared not act rashly.
Just then, Dao Master Luo drove his chariot over and chuckled. "Why must you two threaten a river of blood the moment you meet? Slaying my rebellious father is the pressing matter at hand!"
Dao Master Tongtian reined in his killing intent. "Do not let there be a next time."
Dao Master Hua turned around and said coldly, "Tongtian, do not think you can do as you please just because slaughter is at its peak on the other shore. Point a sword at me again, and I will show you no mercy!"
At this point, Dao Master Lin arrived, his back bristling with banners, holding up an array of numinous treasures including bells, cauldrons, pagodas, and pavilions. He laughed and said, "If Luo Taizong is not eradicated, all of us may end up as food on his plate. If he succeeds in restoring his rule, the other shore is finished! Gentlemen, both of you yield a step."
Dao Master Hua said with a cold smile, "Very well, I shall grant Fellow Daoist Lin face. We have searched this entire area and still haven't found Luo Taizong. There is only one place left where he could be hiding."
At these words, everyone's eyes fell unanimously onto the colossal Chaos Ring.
The three Dao Masters Hua, Lin, and Luo rose into the air and lunged toward the Chaos Ring.
The Chaos Ring was filled with Chaos qi, and their vision could not penetrate it; thus, they had to venture inside to search.
Xu Ying and Zhangsun Shenghai breathed a sigh of relief and prepared to leave, but Dao Master Tongtian said, "In the coming days, the other shore will become extremely perilous. Do not wander about as you please; stay by my side."
Left with no choice, Xu Ying and Zhangsun Shenghai had to stay beside him.
A moment later, Dao Master Luo, Dao Master Lin, and Dao Master Hua flew out from the Chaos Ring, having evidently failed to find Luo Taizong.
Taiyi and his companions arrived in search of them, sighting the three great Dao Masters Hua, Lin, and Luo from afar without drawing close.
Seeing this, Xu Ying smiled. "My disloyal, unrighteous master is here. Dao Master Tongtian, I shall take my leave."
He was just about to leave when Luo Taizong's voice rang clearly in his ears: "If you dare leave, I will crush Zhangsun Shenghai's skull right now!"
Zhangsun Shenghai felt profoundly aggrieved. *He's the one leaving, why would you crush my head?!*
Xu Ying halted his steps once more and chuckled. "I suddenly remembered that my rebellious master is revolting. If I rush over there, people might misunderstand."
Dao Master Tongtian glanced at him without a word.
Luo Taizong breathed a sigh of relief, yet secretly worried: *Tongtian is keeping these two brats by his side at all times, giving me no chance to escape. But if I eliminate Tongtian, it might just work.*
His cultivation and strength were, after all, far superior to Dao Master Tongtian's. Even though he was heavily injured, he felt confident he could slay Tongtian.
*I only need to recover a bit more strength, and I can take Tongtian unawares and cut him down!*
He hastened to treat his Dao injuries.
Dao Master Tongtian took Xu Ying and Zhangsun Shenghai along to continue scouring for Luo Taizong. Xu Ying and Zhangsun Shenghai were also worried that if Luo Taizong suddenly struck, Tongtian's life might be in jeopardy.
Fortunately, Dao Masters Hua, Lin, and Luo were also afraid of encountering Luo Taizong alone, so the four Dao Masters kept relatively close to one another to facilitate mutual reinforcement.
Luo Taizong knew that a sneak attack at this moment would yield him no advantage, so he bided his time.
The other Dao Masters also scoured the heavens and the earth for traces of Luo Taizong, but came up empty-handed.
On this day, as the four Dao Masters traveled together, a woman approached them and said, "I am Gong Jiexuan. Greetings, fellow Daoists."
"A person of Tianjing?" A murderous glint flared in Dao Master Hua's eyes, and he moved to kill.
Dao Master Luo raised a hand and said with a smile, "Brother Hua, calm yourself. Let us first ask why she has come. Young lady, your surname is Gong—might I ask what relation you bear to the Dao Venerable?"
Gong Jiexuan smiled faintly. "He is my father."
Dao Masters Hua, Lin, and Luo felt a chill in their hearts. Even Luo Taizong inside Zhangsun Shenghai's Suspended Ridge felt his heart tighten.
Dao Venerable!
The mere mention of these two words was enough to put them on high alert!
Dao Master Lin cleared his throat and asked, "Lady Gong, for what purpose have you come?"
Gong Jiexuan smiled. "I heard that you fellow Daoists are searching for Luo Taizong's whereabouts, so I came specifically to offer a strategy. I have a plan that can slay Luo Taizong."
Dao Master Luo's expression shifted slightly. "We are all ears."
Gong Jiexuan said solemnly, "First, shave down the other shore's Great Daos of heaven and earth to diminish his strength. Then, unite Dao Masters who cultivate Chaos, Grand Primordium, Wuji, Taiyi, and Nirvanic Extinction to grind away his cultivation completely. Only then can he be slain."
Luo Taizong's heart gave a jolt.
Dao Master Hua's voice came: "Luo Taizong has gone into hiding. How are we to find him? Moreover, where are we to find Dao Masters who cultivate Chaos, Grand Primordium, Wuji, and Nirvanic Extinction?"
Gong Jiexuan's voice replied, "My Tianjing happens to have several. Furthermore, they have already arrived."
Before her words had even finished echoing, Cen Xi, Jing Ning, Dong Xuan, and others walked over. Remarkably, they too had broken through and attained the realm of Dao Master.
"Including Dao Master Taiyi, we are still missing a fellow Daoist who cultivates Nirvanic Extinction," Dao Master Luo said with a frown.
Dao Master Tongtian said, "I do know of a fellow Daoist who cultivates Nirvanic Extinction and has achieved remarkable attainments, though unfortunately he has yet to attain the realm of Dao Master."
Everyone was greatly surprised. Dao Master Lin asked, "May I ask who this fellow Daoist is?"
Dao Master Tongtian's gaze fell upon Xu Ying.
Everyone's eyes swiveled in unison toward Xu Ying.
Luo Taizong sent a secret voice transmission: "Fellow Daoist Xu, don't you try anything rash, or I will kill Zhangsun Shenghai!"
Wearing an apologetic expression, Xu Ying said, "Fellow brothers, your humble brother has indeed cultivated the Dao of Nirvanic Extinction. However, I am still far from the Dao Master realm. I would need a powerful magic treasure bearing Nirvanic Heavenly Fire before I could barely manage to fight alongside you and wipe out Luo Taizong together. Alas, such a treasure..."
Dao Master Lin declared emphatically, "I have one!"
With that, he brought out the Nirvanic Fire-Tipped Spear.
Chapter 849