Chen Changsheng quickly recalled that once they left the Bronze Ancient Palace, everyone's memories would be wiped clean. The Old Ancestors, including Cangxuan, would forget everything that transpired here. He had, perhaps, revealed a little too much of his true strength this time.
It took a long moment for Cangxuan Old Ancestor and the others to fully process and accept this new reality. The Old Ancestors turned their gazes to Lu Xuan. “Lu Xuan,” one began, “your state of mind is truly rare and commendable. To remain unmoved by external joys or sorrows, impervious to praise or slander—it's as if you were born to cultivate the Grand Dao Scripture.”
Lu Xuan extended his right hand, and a gentle current of Grand Dao Scripture power flowed forth. Its Dao Rhyme, like a spring breeze, softly caressed the faces of the Old Ancestors.
Cangxuan Old Ancestor's eyes lit up with delight. “Excellent, excellent, excellent!”
Meanwhile, high above in the void, Chen Changsheng had already sealed away the numerous Demon Race Great Emperors. They unleashed torrents of surging demonic power, battering against the formation. Overwhelming force erupted, and even with their Ultimate Emperor Weapons, they found themselves unable to break free. Furthermore, Chen Changsheng had subtly introduced several types of poisonous mist into the array, steadily weakening the Demon Race's power. They knew it was only a matter of time before the formation's power annihilated them.
The Demon Race cultivators gnashed their teeth. “Who exactly are you?!”
“Chen Changsheng.”
A Nine-star Great Emperor from the Demon Court sneered, “Throughout the long river of Southern Wilds history, there has never been a powerhouse named Chen Changsheng! Could you be from one of the other Four Domains?”
A flicker of distant memory crossed Chen Changsheng's eyes. “I am a native of the Southern Wilds.” His past was like wind, long since buried in the annals of the Southern Wilds. It was only natural that the world had forgotten his name.
Half a day later, the formation completed its work, annihilating the Demon Race Great Emperors. Chen Changsheng then collected their physical bodies.
He descended from the sky, landing beside Lu Xuan. Inside the stone hall, Cangxuan Old Ancestor looked at Chen Changsheng's retreating back, asking with genuine curiosity, “Daoist Friend Chen Changsheng, what is your true origin? How can you be so incredibly powerful?”
Chen Changsheng gave his usual honest smile. “Esteemed Old Ancestors, please just call me Changsheng. I am no powerhouse, merely a humble disciple of Azure Mystery Peak.”
The Old Ancestors were left speechless.
Lu Xuan chuckled. “My third disciple's identity involves some deep secrets of the Southern Wilds.”
Cangxuan Old Ancestor and the others sighed, choosing not to press further. Chen Changsheng had now formally joined the Grand Dao Sect and sworn a Heavenly Dao Oath never to betray it. Regardless of his true identity, the Grand Dao Sect would accept him as one of their own.
Not long after, Lu Xuan activated his Insight Eye, surveying the surrounding area. He quickly located the treasury of an ancient power. Lu Xuan and Chen Changsheng took none of the opportunities here, leaving them all for Cangxuan Old Ancestor and the others. The Old Ancestors felt a touch of embarrassment. This was a treasury from an ancient sect of the Outer World; if they fully refined all the opportunities within, their cultivation realms could advance by one, or even two, stars!
Several days later, Lu Xuan and Chen Changsheng parted ways with Cangxuan Old Ancestor and the others. They would remain here to cultivate and refine these opportunities. By the time the Bronze Ancient Palace fully opened, their cultivation would have surged immensely! Before leaving, Chen Changsheng laid down a heaven-reaching defensive formation. Not a single trace of the Old Ancestors' aura would leak out, allowing them to cultivate in peace for the next half-year.
Cangxuan Old Ancestor cast one last look at Lu Xuan. “Lu Xuan, after we leave the Bronze Ancient Palace, our memories of this place will be erased. You must remember to remind us then, and tell us your true identity.”
Lu Xuan nodded. “Alright.”
In the days that followed, Lu Xuan and Chen Changsheng continued their journey. Soon, their names became widely known throughout the Emperor Realm region! Many powerful factions had been searching for the White Robe Great Emperor for ages, yet found no trace! Now, the Grand Dao Sect had suddenly produced two powerhouses: Lu Xuan and Chen Changsheng? Whispers and debates erupted everywhere. “That Lu Xuan fellow, he's truly been 'lying flat' all this time? Deceiving us for so many years?” “But who is this Chen Changsheng? He seems to have appeared out of nowhere in the Southern Wilds!”
***
Far away, in another part of the Emperor Realm region, Xuanji Holy Lord, Baili, was traversing the void. Her peerless figure continuously darted through the ruins of various Outer World powers. For her, even Emperor Realm treasures or Ultimate Emperor Weapons held no allure. What she desperately needed now was Ancient Great Medicine to suppress the Eerie Power and Ominous Power within her body!
Before long, Xuanji Holy Lord's jade-like feet gracefully landed at the site of an ancient sect, her body shimmering with Dao Rhyme. She searched its treasury, but found nothing. Aside from some Emperor Weapons and cultivation techniques, there was no Ancient Great Medicine. Disappointment clouded Xuanji Holy Lord's beautiful face. Her Three Thousand Zang of White Hair billowed around her perfect, proud figure as she stood tall. Within her inner world, the Eerie Power and Ominous Power had grown even more potent.
She sat cross-legged, her hands forming intricate spiritual seals, beginning to suppress these two forbidden powers. A flicker of worry appeared in her beautiful eyes. Ominous Power, born from the erosion of the Power of Time, could only be resolved by two means: Life Force or Ancient Great Medicine. Eerie Power, originating from the Outer World, similarly required Life Force and Ancient Great Medicine to suppress! Ultimately, both demanded an endless, surging torrent of vitality to reverse the very laws of heaven and earth. To follow was death; to defy was life! A sufficiently vast life force could even overturn the ultimate limit of life and death.
Xuanji Holy Lord's white hair floated around her, and the twilight formed by the evolving Heaven and Earth Rules in the void above cast a tragic glow upon her exquisitely beautiful face. Her vermillion lips parted slightly as she murmured, “The Great Dao has fifty paths, but one is hidden. Within that hidden 'one' lies a profound opportunity.”
She had sat in silent meditation within the Ancient Desolate Forbidden Zone for countless eons. Though her cultivation had fallen, in the depths of her being, she had inadvertently comprehended a power that seemed to transcend the Southern Wilds Heavenly Dao. That was the power of the 'Anomalous'! The Anomalous Dao, a path beyond the ordinary! It was not a power of this world. But the Anomalous Dao contained unspeakable mysteries, perhaps even the hidden 'one' itself. Alas, this comprehension was vague, profoundly enigmatic, and impossible to articulate. Moreover, with the Southern Wilds Heavenly Dao towering above all living beings, any 'Dao' or 'truth' comprehended by mortals could not possibly transcend the Supreme Realm.
For endless years, she only activated Xuanji's Art when suppressing the Eerie Power and Ominous Power. The rest of the time, she secretly observed the Eerie Power itself. She had even discovered that Eerie Power could actually resist Ominous Power! It was crucial to understand that these were two entirely distinct forbidden powers. Many powerhouses mistakenly conflated them, but Eerie Power originated from the Outer World, an 'Anomalous Dao,' while Ominous Power was intrinsically linked to the Power of Time. Xuanji Holy Lord knew that she had inadvertently stepped onto the Anomalous Dao. This was a 'Dao' that did not exist in this realm! For throughout the long history of the Southern Wilds, and indeed the Five Domains, no one had ever achieved Supreme status through the 'Anomalous.'
With these thoughts, Xuanji Holy Lord continuously circulated Xuanji's Art, striving to suppress both forbidden powers. Her goal was not to fall into the Anomalous Dao, but to transcend it entirely. Just then, a humanoid creature covered in Red Hair secretly approached Xuanji Holy Lord, Baili. But Baili merely glanced back, and the humanoid creature was so terrified it retreated frantically! Though this humanoid creature was already tainted by Eerie Power and Ominous Power, having long lost its reason and consciousness, it still felt fear at the terrifying forbidden power emanating from Xuanji Holy Lord—a power countless times more potent than its own!
“Screech!” The humanoid creature, terrified, fled headlong into the surrounding Heaven and Earth momentum.
Baili made no move to pursue the creature. Half a day later, she slowly rose and continued traversing the void, still searching for Ancient Great Medicine. Once she obtained the Ancient Great Medicine, she could use its surging vitality to suppress the two forbidden powers and ascend to the area above the Emperor Realm. That was where the true grand opportunities lay!
“Boom!” Xuanji Holy Lord's figure, proud and peerless, transformed into a long rainbow. Her Three Thousand Zang of White Hair streamed behind her. Wherever she passed, humans, foreign races, and even the Demon Race all retreated three steps in awe! Numerous powerhouses cried out in alarm. “That's Xuanji Holy Lord, Baili! After endless eons, she's actually become like that?” “She truly lives up to her reputation as one of the magnates who founded the Ancient Desolate Forbidden Zone! Even with her cultivation fallen, she never resorted to devouring Life Force! For that alone, she commands respect!” “Alas, all triumphs and failures turn to dust. Will the waves of time wash away even a magnate? If Xuanji Holy Lord fails to secure a grand opportunity this time, even her peerless beauty will perish from this world?”
***
In the area below the Emperor Realm, Ji Fuyao led Fang Yan, Luo Lingkong, and others to find Sword Peak Peak Master and his group. Not long after they departed, at the location of the Ancient Canyon, “Boom!” “Crack!” The void tore open, and space twisted! Numerous Demon Race Quasi-Emperors and Half-Emperors emerged from the distorted space. Their faces darkened considerably as they gazed at the empty canyon.
A grey-robed Demon Race Quasi-Emperor grumbled, “Weren't those Grand Dao Sect wastes supposed to be here? How dare they make us descend to an empty spot!” As he spoke, spiritual seals shifted in his hand, and brilliant spiritual patterns surged forth. He had detected the aura of the Grand Dao Sect disciples. The grey-robed Demon Race Quasi-Emperor snorted coldly. “Flee? You have nowhere to run, nowhere to hide!” With that declaration, the grey-robed Demon Race Quasi-Emperor led his group in direct pursuit.