“Lu Xuan, Fuyao, this is the one I spoke of—the Tianxing Old Ancestor, from the ‘Heaven’ lineage!”
Hearing the introduction, Lu Xuan and Ji Fuyao immediately looked toward the black-robed man lounging on the recliner.
The Old Ancestor had a square face framed by a full, rough beard. His expression was rugged, his eyebrows thick, and his deep-set eyes wide and profound. His black robe was worn casually, revealing a generous amount of thick, dark hair on his calves.
Ji Fuyao paused, her delicate lips parting slightly in surprise. This was the Tianxing Old Ancestor? He seemed... rather unrefined. She glanced at Lu Xuan, who offered a subtle smile. He also thought the Old Ancestor looked a bit haphazard.
The Sect Master cleared his throat, a nervous habit. “Ahem... Lu Xuan, Fuyao, quickly pay your respects to the Tianxing Old Ancestor.”
Lu Xuan and Ji Fuyao immediately bowed respectfully. “Greetings, Tianxing Old Ancestor.”
The Tianxing Old Ancestor slowly rose from his recliner, smiling as he swept his gaze over Lu Xuan, then immediately fixed his attention on Ji Fuyao.
A wisp of his divine sense extended, casually sweeping over Ji Fuyao. He then grinned broadly, letting out a booming laugh. “Fuyao. Excellent! Truly excellent! Quite remarkable!”
“Thank you, Old Ancestor,” Ji Fuyao replied immediately.
Tianxing Old Ancestor extended his right hand and pointed a finger at Ji Fuyao. The aura of the Grand Dao Scripture on her coalesced into a single thread of light, flying toward him. Instantly, a profound, mystical energy surged across Azure Mystery Peak, clearing the minds of all present and filling them with immense comfort.
Tianxing Old Ancestor carefully sensed the Dao essence, nodding slightly. “Fuyao, how long have you been cultivating the Grand Dao Scripture?”
“Three or four months,” Ji Fuyao said. “This is the first volume, which my Master exchanged for me.” She cast a sparkling glance toward Lu Xuan.
Tianxing Old Ancestor looked at the Cangxuan Old Ancestor and chuckled. “Cangxuan, to grasp such profound mysteries in three or four months... she has already surpassed both you and me when we were her age!”
The Cangxuan Old Ancestor sighed with genuine admiration. “Indeed! Fuyao once resonated with the Grand Dao Bell. Her talent is truly once in a millennium!”
The Sect Master quickly interjected, eager to emphasize her diligence. “Old Ancestor, for the past three or four months, Fuyao has been outside the Grand Dao Sect handling matters for the Fuyao Dynasty. She likely hasn't had much time to cultivate the Grand Dao Scripture, especially since she’s also cultivating the Path of Spirit Fire. To comprehend this much Dao essence in such a short period is truly astonishing.”
Everyone present nodded in agreement. It seemed they had all underestimated Ji Fuyao’s innate talent.
The Cangxuan Old Ancestor smiled at the Tianxing Old Ancestor. “Senior Brother Tianxing, Fuyao fell into enlightenment just by observing your strike. She has already achieved Minor Accomplishment in the first volume of the Grand Dao Scripture.”
Tianxing Old Ancestor nodded, looking at Ji Fuyao. “Fuyao, did you gain any insight from my strike just now?”
Ji Fuyao shook her head. Moments ago, the Tianxing Old Ancestor had first manifested a Heaven-Reaching palm to annihilate the Heavenly Net Temple Master's decree, followed by three devastating Dao-slaying shouts. The offensive power was too profound; she had only managed to glimpse the surface layer of its mystery.
Tianxing Old Ancestor smiled faintly. “It is normal not to understand. Even the Sect Master and the others couldn't necessarily capture the full mystery of my actions. That killing power, while derived from the second volume of the Grand Dao Scripture, transcends the comprehension of the Cangxuan Old Ancestor. Once you cultivate the second volume, you will gain much insight by reflecting on my strike.”
Ji Fuyao nodded. “Thank you, Old Ancestor.”
At this point, the Sect Master smiled and said, “Old Ancestor, let Fuyao rest. She gained some enlightenment from the Cangxuan Old Ancestor’s ‘When the time comes, Heaven and Earth work together’ and seems a bit fatigued now.”
Tianxing Old Ancestor and the others nodded. “Fuyao, rest well! Continue to deepen your comprehension. This will greatly enhance your combat power!”
Ji Fuyao inclined her neck slightly and nodded.
Before leaving, the Tianxing Old Ancestor’s figure suddenly blurred, appearing directly in front of Lu Xuan to examine him closely. They were so close that another inch would have resulted in an awkward collision! The Old Ancestor's rough beard was so close it pricked Lu Xuan's face, causing a slight wince. Lu Xuan quickly took a step back.
After a moment, the Tianxing Old Ancestor slowly spoke, his voice carrying an air of profound judgment.
“Lu Xuan, your physical body is weak, no stronger than a mortal’s. You possess barely the strength to truss a chicken...” He shook his head. “Your spiritual soul is erratic and unstable...” He sighed deeply. “Your foundation is extremely poor. Your cultivation efficiency is abysmal—a hundred efforts for a single, meager result...”
A hundred efforts for a single result! The surrounding elders couldn't help but chuckle. Lu Xuan's terrible cultivation talent was common knowledge. Even the Qingxuan Saint had exhausted countless resources trying to help him, all to no avail.
Finally, the Tianxing Old Ancestor shook his head repeatedly, delivering his final, damning verdict: “I have never encountered such a hopelessly poor constitution.”
The crowd was silent. Lu Xuan was speechless.
After a brief moment, Lu Xuan sighed softly. Well, he wasn't wrong. Internally, he confirmed the diagnosis: The original owner's body is indeed a Congenital Cultivation Waste Body.
Tianxing Old Ancestor looked at Lu Xuan with a complicated expression, offering a strange form of comfort. “Just keep going, I suppose. It’s not so bad. And I see you have a good attitude, kid. You’ve been taking it easy all these years, haven’t you?”
Lu Xuan gave a dry cough.
Tianxing Old Ancestor patted Lu Xuan’s shoulder. “Little Xuan, keep up the laid-back life.”
Then, he turned and, with the Cangxuan Old Ancestor and the others, stepped into the air, riding a surging divine rainbow as they departed.
Watching the powerful figures leave, Lu Xuan said flatly, “The drama is over. Let’s eat.”
Ji Fuyao suddenly remembered. She had meant to cook for Lu Xuan, but the Heavenly Net Temple incident had caused a delay. She said apologetically, “Master, I will prepare your meal immediately!”
“No rush, no rush,” Lu Xuan replied.
Grumble.
His stomach loudly disagreed.
Ji Fuyao smiled, covering her mouth, and hurried into the thatched hut. Lu Xuan settled back onto his recliner, gazing at the clouds in the sky. He murmured, “The clouds up there are so white. So white. Incredibly white.”
***
Meanwhile, the news of the Heavenly Net Temple’s destruction had already caused a massive uproar.
Within the Grand Dao Sect, the return of the Cangxuan Old Ancestor and the others ignited a frenzy among the elders and disciples of the various peaks. They had witnessed the battle firsthand! The Cangxuan Old Ancestor was terrifying! And the Tianxing Old Ancestor was even more so! The disciples gasped in shock, realizing they had been completely unaware of their sect's true power for years. The Grand Dao Sect was far stronger than they had ever imagined!
Excitement surged through the disciples. “Cultivate!” “Double our efforts!” A new wave of fervent dedication swept through the Grand Dao Sect, fueled by the realization of their sect's hidden might.
Simultaneously, outside the Grand Dao Sect, the entire Southern Wilds was in an uproar. Intelligence organizations were selling the news at exorbitant prices, making a fortune. The Southern Wilds was shaken! No one had anticipated the Grand Dao Sect could display such overwhelming power when they finally chose to act.
The clash between the old-guard hegemonic power and the newly risen one had yielded a shocking result. When the Heavenly Net Temple Master Duan Hunsheng's decree was effortlessly annihilated, and his projection chose to self-destruct, the disparity in strength became painfully obvious.
However, the threat Duan Hunsheng issued before his self-destruction—that the matter was far from over and the Heavenly Net Temple would retaliate fiercely—was intriguing. Even after such a decisive defeat, the Heavenly Net Temple refused to concede?
At this point, several high-star Great Emperors hinted that while the Heavenly Net Temple was weaker than the Grand Dao Sect, they were far from simple. Why? Because no human faction had ever been able to expand so aggressively, slaughtering countless forces over millennia to become a hegemonic power. Not in the last ten thousand years, anyway. Therefore, the Heavenly Net Temple had powerful backing. The waters of the Southern Wilds were deep, and appearances could be deceiving.
Just as many had underestimated the Grand Dao Sect's sudden display of power. The Grand Dao Sect had merely been too low-profile; they were far from being a spent force!
A Grey-robed Great Emperor remarked, “Looking back through the river of history, the Dao of Heaven in the Southern Wilds truly owes the Grand Dao Sect a Supreme Realm expert! The Cangxuan Old Ancestor's actions clearly signal to the Southern Wilds that the Supreme position this time belongs to the Grand Dao Sect!”
Another Great Emperor scoffed. “Heh! Why should the Grand Dao Sect have its way? When their founder chose to compromise back then, they forfeited their qualification! As the saying goes, ‘Opportunity knocks but once.’ Even if we current hegemonic forces agree to their claim for the opening of the Ultimate Path, will the hidden, ancient factions, or the powers from the Forbidden Zones, agree?”
Everyone sighed. “When the time comes, Heaven and Earth work together, but when fortune departs, even heroes are bound! The Grand Dao Sect was at the peak of its Power of Destiny back then, supported by countless factions, yet they failed to seize the opportunity. Now that the tides have turned, will the Dao of Heaven grant the Grand Dao Sect this chance? I doubt it.”
The narrative recalled the ancient struggle for the Supreme Realm in the Southern Wilds, the ultimate battle for the Grand Dao, which had ultimately narrowed down to two hegemonic powers: the Grand Dao Sect and the Supreme Profound Sect. The Grand Dao Sect had been the stronger of the two. That war had stained the sky with blood, Great Emperors fell like rain, and their subordinate factions slaughtered each other until reason was lost. Massacres of entire sects and clans were common.
Then, the Grand Dao Sect's founder chose to relinquish the Supreme position... Most factions felt a deep sense of pity for the Grand Dao Sect when recalling these events. The rolling river of time washes away all heroes and hegemons! Success and failure turn to dust. If one does not attain the Supreme Realm, one remains an ant!
Now, after several epochs, did anyone appreciate the Grand Dao Sect's sacrifice to preserve the Dao of Heaven in the Southern Wilds? No. Humanity was largely forgetful. On the contrary, many human factions felt the Grand Dao Sect's choice to back down was a colossal mistake! If one became the Supreme, what did the fate of the Southern Wilds matter? Even if the sky collapsed and the earth shattered, it would be irrelevant to them!
Regarding the Ultimate Path this time, not a single hegemonic power chose to retreat. The Ultimate Path had appeared eight times, and each time, someone had seized the Supreme position and stepped into the true Supreme Realm. Nine was the number of extremity! A supreme magnate had divined the secrets of heaven, receiving a hexagram that indicated this manifestation of the Ultimate Path was likely the last one for the Southern Wilds!
In an instant, numerous hegemonic powers issued a unified declaration: “The battle for the Grand Dao is upon us. If we don't fight now, when will we?”