“Ding! Host’s Senior Disciple Ji Fuyao is comprehending the Grand Dao Scripture! Synchronization commencing!
“Ding! Host’s Senior Disciple Ji Fuyao’s cultivation is increasing! Synchronization commencing!”
The moment the notifications dropped, an incomparably pure surge of spiritual energy flooded Lu Xuan’s body, crashing through his internal world like a great river.
For some time, Ji Fuyao had been in seclusion, focusing on comprehending the Grand Dao Scripture, which meant less frequent cultivation feedback. Now, as a massive reserve of cultivation foundation poured into his Dantian, the sensation was like a long-awaited, blissful rain, making Lu Xuan feel utterly comfortable and spiritually refreshed.
His cultivation foundation was skyrocketing!
Simultaneously, a flood of enlightenment regarding the Grand Dao Scripture rushed into Lu Xuan’s mind. He often casually told Ji Fuyao that the “Dao follows nature,” but now, he was genuinely experiencing the profound essence of that concept. The Dao of Nature was omnipresent, woven into the gentle breeze, the murmuring stream, every blade of grass, and the shifting clouds.
However, Lu Xuan noticed a peculiar detail. All the cultivation and enlightenment he was receiving came solely from Ji Fuyao’s feedback; not a single thread was derived from the Great Emperor Dao pattern baptism itself.
It looks like the System is dead set on making me lie flat! he mused internally. It’s completely blocked off my path to active cultivation! This feeling of getting something for nothing is simply... too good! Why would I ever complain?
Lu Xuan turned to look at Ji Fuyao. Endless spiritual energy was pouring into her body, stirring up a storm around her as her cultivation soared.
One-star Profound Saint Mid-stage!
One-star Profound Saint Late-stage!
...
Two-star Profound Saint!
Three-star Profound Saint!
And it wasn't over yet!
At the same time, Lu Xuan’s own realm broke through to Nine-star Profound Saint Late-stage. He estimated he would soon step into the Saint King realm.
Saint King, Half-Emperor, Quasi-Emperor, Great Emperor! Each major stage has nine stars, and each star is divided into initial, middle, and late stages! It seems I still have a long way to go! he thought.
If only my third disciple were a Quasi-Emperor or a Great Emperor. That would let me skip a few decades of detours.
With that thought, Lu Xuan asked, “When will I take on my third disciple?”
The System replied, “It should be soon.”
Lu Xuan smiled faintly, a small sense of anticipation bubbling up inside him.
Outside the waterfall, Tianxing Old Ancestor commented flatly, “This Great Emperor Dao pattern baptism seems utterly useless on Lu Xuan!”
The Sect Master asked, “Old Ancestor, is Lu Xuan truly the Ten Absolute Waste Body?”
Tianxing Old Ancestor nodded. “Most likely.”
Cangxuan Old Ancestor pondered for a moment. “However, Fuyao has gained immense benefits this time, so it can be considered a complete success.”
Tianxing Old Ancestor agreed. “Indeed.”
They turned their gaze back to Ji Fuyao. She had entered an incredibly profound state. The mysteries of the Grand Dao constantly agitated her Dao foundation, inscribing faint imprints upon it. Her foundation radiated a brilliant divine splendor, evolving toward perfection.
Ji Fuyao’s hand seals shifted as she circulated the Grand Dao Scripture. Under the baptism of the Great Emperor Dao patterns, the barrier between her physical body and the world seemed to vanish, leaving only the profound mysteries of the Dao to refine her blood, bones, and soul, cleansing her entire being.
Several days later, Ji Fuyao’s cultivation reached Five-star Profound Saint Late-stage.
Lu Xuan, meanwhile, effortlessly stepped into the Two-star Saint King initial stage.
He felt that with every movement, he could unleash terrifying power. He could shatter a mountain range with a single punch, annihilate a long river with a palm, and sink a thousand miles of earth with one step. Yet, his internal world remained dim, like a dead star—desolate and decaying, yet also as mysterious and unfathomable as an abyss.
To reach the Saint King realm meant one had walked a significant distance down their own 'Dao.' For Lu Xuan, his 'Dao' was a chaotic mix of the Path of Spirit Fire, the Dao of Alchemy, the Martial Dao, and the mysteries of the Grand Dao itself.
Lu Xuan had no intention of sorting it out.
Let it be messy, he thought. I’ll just let Fuyao and Ye Chen continue to gain enlightenment!
Looking at Ji Fuyao’s graceful silhouette, a slight ripple of emotion stirred in his heart. In just a few months, he had reached the Saint King realm!
The future is looking bright!
Two more days passed. Ji Fuyao slowly rose from the water like a lotus emerging from the pond, her figure exquisite, radiating a faint, brilliant divine splendor. The Great Emperor Dao pattern baptism had intensified the sacred aura around her, making her seem like an untainted celestial maiden descending to the mortal world.
Ji Fuyao quickly flew up to Lu Xuan, smiling brightly, her eyes filled with pleasant surprise. “Master, I’ve broken through.”
Lu Xuan smiled back. “Well done.”
At this, the three Old Ancestors looked extremely satisfied. Tianxing Old Ancestor instructed her, “Fuyao, return to Azure Mystery Peak and consolidate your foundation. You still have a lot of Dao pattern power to absorb and convert, which will allow your cultivation to rise even further!”
Ji Fuyao bowed respectfully to the three Old Ancestors. “Thank you, Old Ancestors!”
Tianxing Old Ancestor hummed in acknowledgment, then patted Lu Xuan’s shoulder and sighed dramatically. “Little Xuanzi! I had the heart to help you, but fate is beyond my control!”
Lu Xuan smiled casually. “Thank you, Old Ancestor. Please don’t waste the effort in the future.”
Tianxing Old Ancestor’s gaze was profound as he slowly uttered two words: “Indeed.”
Lu Xuan: “…”
Ji Fuyao let out a soft giggle. The Tianxing Old Ancestor’s Great Emperor Dao pattern baptism is truly useless on Master! After all, Master’s cultivation is far superior to his! That makes perfect sense, of course.
Before long, the Sect Master escorted Lu Xuan and Ji Fuyao back to Azure Mystery Peak.
Taking a deep breath of the familiar air, Ji Fuyao smiled radiantly. “Master, I’ll go make dinner.”
Lu Xuan settled onto his recliner in front of the thatched cottage. “Sounds good.”
***
Ancient Inheritance Secret Realm.
Supreme-grade Spirit Crystal Mine!
Ye Chen cautiously stepped forward. Yao Yan continuously extended his divine sense to scout the depths of the crystal mine for him.
“No anomalies! Keep moving forward!” Yao Yan instructed.
Ye Chen soon arrived at the deepest part of the mine. Spirit Crystals were densely packed here, layered upon layer. The floor and the ceiling above him were covered in glittering, supreme-grade Spirit Crystals. The incredibly rich spiritual energy made Ye Chen feel refreshed and comfortable.
Bang!
A palm-sized Spirit Crystal suddenly fell from the ceiling and hit Ye Chen on the head. An ancient aura permeated the air, and numerous granular crystal fragments flaked off, scattering everywhere.
Ye Chen rubbed his head. Ouch, that hurt.
Yao Yan chuckled. “It seems that after endless years, this supreme-grade Spirit Crystal Mine is also decaying!”
Ye Chen felt a wave of emotion. Time changes everything. Even Martial Dao Great Emperors vanish into the river of time. Perhaps only a magnate as powerful as Master can resist the erosion of the years! Having witnessed many desolate scenes in this secret realm, Ye Chen’s reverence for Lu Xuan deepened further.
Yao Yan, too, felt an increased sense of awe for Lu Xuan.
After a moment, Ye Chen began to mine. He was getting excited!
So many Supreme-grade Spirit Crystals! I can share half with Senior Sister when I get back!
Yao Yan reminded him with a smile, “Chen’er, watch your head.”
Ye Chen nodded, suppressing his excitement. He had been too focused just now and had been hit by a few falling crystals.
The next moment, Ye Chen took a step.
Crack!
The crystal ground beneath his feet suddenly gave way, splitting open a fissure. Ye Chen plunged several yards into the deep pit. Countless supreme-grade Spirit Crystals slid down, burying him completely.
Yao Yan fell silent. It seems this ancient supreme-grade Spirit Crystal Mine is so old that the tunnels are unstable. He must be more careful.
Over the next few days, Ye Chen mined relentlessly, finally collecting all the supreme-grade Spirit Crystals into his storage ring. The sheer quantity was enormous, piled up into more than a dozen small mountains—too many to count! This was truly a massive haul.
Ye Chen glanced back at the empty mine. “Time to leave. I wonder how Senior Sister Liu Xuan and Senior Brother Luo Lingkong are doing?”
Ye Chen quickly left the crystal mine. He tried to activate his communication jade slip to contact Liu Xuan, Luo Lingkong, and the others, but the slip remained unresponsive.
Ye Chen frowned slightly, put away the jade slip, and soared into the sky. A divine rainbow appeared beneath his feet, carrying him swiftly into the distance.
***
Ancient Qin Family.
The main branch of the Ancient Qin Family was situated deep within a vast mountain range. The Qin Family had built several massive cities there, protected by the surrounding mountains and rivers. The natural lay of the land drew in the power of Heaven and Earth, causing dense spiritual energy to permeate the cities. Ethereal mist flowed over the peaks, making the Qin Family’s cities look incredibly grand, majestic, and high above the world.
Within the cities, magnificent towers and pavilions stood in abundance. Countless cultivators moved in and out, creating a scene of immense prosperity.
Boom!
The void tore open! Space twisted!
Not far from the mountain range, two men slowly walked out of a spatial rift. They were inseparable, like shadows—the Thirteenth and Fourteenth Elders of the Tianluo Hall’s main branch.
They exchanged glances, their reflections visible in each other’s eyes, and smiled faintly.
The Thirteenth Elder gently touched the Fourteenth Elder’s hand. “Let’s go see the Ancient Qin Family’s attitude.”
The Fourteenth Elder murmured, “Our Tianluo Hall has a poor reputation in the Southern Wilds. When we speak with the Ancient Qin Family later, we must appeal to their reason and emotion, persuading them to cooperate with us.”
The Thirteenth Elder replied, “I know.”
Soon, the two entered the Ancient Qin Family’s city and found the Qin Family Patriarch for a secret meeting.
As soon as the Thirteenth Elder explained their purpose, the Qin Family Old Ancestor, Qin Wuyang, suddenly descended, a sharp glint in his eyes. Excellent! Excellent!
The Qin Family had been struggling to find a way to secretly eliminate Ye Chen, and the arrival of the Tianluo Hall was like a pillow delivered right when he was falling asleep. In the Southern Wilds, there was an unwritten rule among the dominant powers: no bullying the weak or using overwhelming force against the younger generation. But the Tianluo Hall, having risen over the past few millennia through endless slaughter, was notorious and didn't care about its image like the Ancient Qin Family did.
With this in mind, Qin Wuyang stated, “I agree.”
The Fourteenth Elder was slightly stunned. He had expected a long, difficult negotiation, but it had gone so smoothly!
He quickly understood. The Ancient Qin Family was constrained by its reputation and couldn't openly move against the Fuyao Dynasty, as the Grand Dao Sect would surely intervene, and the Qin Family was no match for them. Thus, the Tianluo Hall had become the Ancient Qin Family’s 'knife.' This knife could be used to directly strike the Fuyao Dynasty, Ji Fuyao, and Ye Chen!
The two Elders then relayed the Hall Master’s decree, and an alliance was quickly formed with the Ancient Qin Family. The Qin Family paid a hefty price, including Emperor Weapons, high-grade spirit herbs, and talismans. Their only demand was the annihilation of the Ye Family and Ye Chen.
The Thirteenth and Fourteenth Elders smiled faintly. “It shall be done!”
***
Several days later, the Thirteenth and Fourteenth Elders arrived at the Supreme Profound Sect. They secretly sought out Sect Master Wei Qianhan, proposing an alliance, but he immediately refused.
Sect Master Wei Qianhan said coldly, “My Supreme Profound Sect disdains such underhanded, harmful deeds. Please leave.”
The two Elders left awkwardly.
However, half a day later, Pill Saint Yunyang secretly found them. He was willing to pay a price of numerous high-grade medicinal pills to hire the Tianluo Hall to eliminate Ye Chen. Ye Chen had killed more than a dozen talented alchemists from the Supreme Profound Sect back at the Grand Dao Sect, and that vendetta remained unsettled!
The Thirteenth Elder narrowed his eyes slightly. “Pill Saint Yunyang, are you representing the Supreme Profound Sect?”
Pill Saint Yunyang replied coolly, “I represent Cloud Yang Peak.”
The Fourteenth Elder looked at Pill Saint Yunyang with interest, letting out a sinister chuckle. “How fascinating. I won’t dwell on the deeper meaning here... Heh heh heh.”
***
Meanwhile, in the Ancient Inheritance Secret Realm, at a dilapidated cave dwelling.
This was the cave dwelling of a Quasi-Emperor expert. The seals and restrictions outside were broken and faded. The spiritual wood in front of the dwelling had long turned to rotten wood, crumbling to dust at a touch. Everything was in ruins.
Liu Xuan, clad in a long dress, stepped on dazzling flower petals. Her graceful figure moved cautiously toward the dwelling, her beautiful eyes constantly scanning the surroundings. Beside her were several other top true disciples.
After entering the secret realm, the spatial turbulence had separated the Grand Dao Sect disciples. However, they had been using communication methods to slowly regroup.
Liu Xuan had recently contacted Fang Yan and Luo Lingkong, and they, too, had gathered a few Grand Dao Sect disciples. The others remained unaccounted for. Ye Chen had also sent no news.
Liu Xuan murmured, “Perhaps Junior Brother Ye Chen is too far away from us.”
A true disciple asked, “Senior Sister Liu Xuan, how are Senior Brother Luo Lingkong and Senior Brother Fang Yan doing?”
Liu Xuan’s beautiful brows furrowed slightly. “They encountered several waves of disciples from the Ancient Qin Family, the Supreme Profound Sect, and the Tianluo Hall, but they managed to escape unharmed. However, word is that Qin Xiao and his people are actively searching for Junior Brother Ye Chen and me.”
Hearing this, several true disciples looked worried.
One disciple gritted his teeth, saying angrily, “That Qin Xiao! Just because you spoke ill of that wretched Nangong Baixue, he’s set his sights on you!”
Another true disciple asked, “Senior Sister Liu Xuan, how does Qin Xiao’s strength compare to yours?”
Liu Xuan’s expression turned serious. Her red lips parted slightly. “Qin Xiao cultivates the Supreme Scripture and is at Profound Venerate Stage Four. His strength cannot be underestimated. However, only a fight will tell who is superior. Let’s explore this Quasi-Emperor dwelling first.”
The disciples replied, “Understood, Senior Sister!”
Over the next three days, Liu Xuan and the others thoroughly searched the Quasi-Emperor dwelling. Everyone reaped a generous harvest.
Liu Xuan smiled charmingly. “The seals and restrictions in this ancient dwelling have almost all failed due to the erosion of time. We’ve stumbled upon a great bargain.”
The disciples bowed to Liu Xuan. “Thank you, Senior Sister.” They knew that by following Liu Xuan, who was the highest-cultivated among them, they had gained many opportunities, as she had taken the lead in scouting and combat.
Liu Xuan then led the true disciples to continue their exploration. At the same time, she contacted Luo Lingkong and Fang Yan, and they agreed to slowly converge.
Several days later, Liu Xuan and her group accidentally discovered an underground palace. The palace was concealed within the natural lay of the land, surrounded by towering, ancient mountains. The boundless mountain range coiled across the earth like a dormant dragon, while the vast ocean waters crashed against the shore, and the murky, yellow river flowed endlessly, creating an overwhelming and majestic scene.
Mountain and water—a crouching dragon and a massive water serpent—were connected end to end, forming a unified whole! Profound mysteries were hidden between the mountain and the water.
Liu Xuan extended her divine sense, continuously probing the periphery of the Emperor Palace. Her beautiful eyes, usually calm, widened in shock. Her delicate, charming face was filled with astonishment. She saw the fragmented Dao patterns of a Martial Dao Great Emperor, and simultaneously, the Ancient Jade Slip given to her by the Cangxuan Old Ancestor began to fluctuate, flashing with brilliant divine splendor.
Light flowed in her eyes as she murmured, “This is the final resting place of the Ancient Martial Dao Great Emperor. And, astonishingly, the trace of Dao Rhyme from the Bronze Ancient Palace has also fallen here.”
Beside her, the true disciples were stunned. “Senior Sister, the Great Emperor’s inheritance and that trace of Dao Rhyme are both here!”
Liu Xuan immediately sent a message to Luo Lingkong, Fang Yan, and Ye Chen. Unfortunately, only Luo Lingkong and Fang Yan responded. “Liu Xuan, stay right where you are! We are coming immediately!”
They quickly soared into the sky, rushing toward the Emperor Palace! This was the ultimate inheritance of the secret realm!
Just then, a dozen miles from the Quasi-Emperor dwelling, Chen Changsheng, concealed, was traversing the void. His divine sense swept the surroundings, immediately spotting Liu Xuan and the others in the mountains.
Chen Changsheng frowned slightly. What are they waiting for? Hmm... there are Martial Dao Great Emperor Dao patterns here. A hidden Emperor Palace! Not only that, but the trace of Dao Rhyme from the Bronze Ancient Palace is here too!
With that thought, Chen Changsheng immediately concealed his figure and flew toward the Emperor Palace.
Suddenly, he sensed dozens of cultivators, riding an Ancient Spirit Boat, streaking toward them from several dozen miles away.
Chen Changsheng let out a soft exclamation. “Oh? Disciples of the Ancient Qin Family and the Supreme Profound Sect!”
Standing on the Ancient Spirit Boat was a man in brocade robes. His face was contorted with murderous intent as he glared at Liu Xuan’s location, his voice venomous and ferocious.
“Liu Xuan! I haven’t found Ye Chen these past few days, but finding you first will do! Since that’s the case, I’ll kill you first!”