“It’s all yours,” Lu Xuan declared, and with a whoosh, he effortlessly pulled Ye Chen far from the fray. In the blink of an eye, he was already lounging in his favorite recliner, completely unbothered.
Lu Xuan had already shattered the seals binding Dao Yi’s corpse. In a flash, the ancient body transformed into a streak of light, soaring towards Liu Ruyan, who lay battered in the abyss. With surprising tenderness, it gently lifted her. “Ruyan,” the corpse rasped, its voice filled with desperate concern, “are you alright…?”
Liu Ruyan coughed, her delicate form trembling uncontrollably. She was severely wounded; this avatar could not be destroyed, or her true self would suffer a devastating backlash! She quickly swallowed a Healing Pill, her eyes fixed on Dao Yi’s corpse. “Who is this White Robe Supreme?” she demanded, a hint of terror in her voice.
Dao Yi’s corpse slowly shook its head. “I… I don’t know,” it whispered, its voice devoid of its former power. “I only know he is Ye Chen’s master, and also Wuwu’s and Chen Changsheng’s master.”
Liu Ruyan gritted her teeth, a venomous sneer twisting her lips. “Worthless!” Dao Yi’s corpse, ever subservient, merely lowered its head in shame.
High above, Chen Changsheng and Wuwu stood poised, each in their own direction, gazing down at Liu Ruyan. Chen Changsheng remained an enigma, his aura as still and timeless as an ancient pond, revealing nothing of his true cultivation. Wuwu, however, blazed with golden light, profound Buddhist mysteries swirling around him like radiant ripples. He was a golden sun, slowly rising, casting its divine glow upon the earth. The overwhelming aura of a Five-star Supreme pulsed from him!
Both Chen Changsheng and Wuwu bowed deeply towards Lu Xuan and Ye Chen. “Master,” they intoned, “Second Senior Brother.”
Lu Xuan offered a faint, amused smile. Ye Chen, too, nodded, a flicker of surprise in his eyes. He hadn’t expected the Buddhist cultivator to be his Fifth Junior Brother, Wuwu! An uncanny aura flowed from Wuwu, identical to Chen Changsheng’s, and strikingly similar to Dao Yi’s corpse.
A collective gasp swept through the onlookers. Everyone was utterly stunned. Chen Changsheng and Wuwu, both formidable figures, were merely disciples of this White Robe Supreme!
The crowd quickly noticed a profound anomaly. As Dao Yi’s corpse, Chen Changsheng, and Wuwu stood together in the void, a powerful resonance erupted between them. The Grand Dao Scripture automatically activated, its ancient verses echoing through the heavens! A shared “Dao and Rhyme,” stemming from the same origin, swirled around all three figures, intertwining like invisible threads. Everyone’s scalp tingled with dread and confusion. What was the relationship between these three?
BOOM! The Grand Dao Bell, which had been dormant, suddenly erupted with heaven-reaching divine splendor, rising directly from the heart of the Grand Dao Sect! Every single one of its intricate Dao patterns blazed to life, radiating with blinding complexity. The ethereal mountains and rivers etched upon its surface shimmered with dazzling brilliance. Only then did the stunned onlookers realize: these very mountains and rivers were the Grand Dao Sect’s territory itself! Then, a powerful silhouette appeared on the bell’s surface, a figure of immense authority. There was no doubt—it was Dao Yi! For the Grand Dao Bell was Dao Yi’s personal, peerless treasure, forged by his own hands!
Dong dong dong dong dong… The Grand Dao Bell chimed on its own, its ancient peals resonating through the heavens. The very fabric of reality pulsed with “Dao and Rhyme,” a profound energy that vibrated in perfect sync with Dao Yi’s corpse, Chen Changsheng, and Wuwu. Then, the majestic Grand Dao Bell soared directly above the three figures, circling them with an ethereal grace!
The crowd was utterly dumbfounded. “Could it be,” someone stammered, “that all three of them are the Grand Dao Sect’s founder?” Another immediately countered, “But why would there be three founders?”
The Grand Dao Sect’s Old Ancestors, the Sect Master, and the various Peak Masters stared at Chen Changsheng in stunned silence. Long-buried memories surged forth, assaulting their minds! They recalled the strange phenomena that had accompanied Chen Changsheng’s arrival in the sect. Now, a chilling realization dawned: Chen Changsheng was undeniably linked to their founder! Only the true founder could exert such absolute control over the Grand Dao Bell!
The Sect Master suddenly furrowed his brow. “Wait,” he muttered, “that’s not right. The White Robe Supreme also demonstrated complete control over the Grand Dao Bell. Could he be a founder as well?” Dao Feng Old Ancestor and the others turned their gazes towards Lu Xuan. It was immediately obvious: he was not a founder! His aura was utterly distinct from Dao Yi’s, a stark contrast.
Just then, Chen Changsheng and Wuwu spoke in unison, their voices ringing out as they addressed Dao Yi’s corpse directly: “Dao Yi.”
Wuwu, however, ignored the corpse and turned his gaze to Liu Ruyan, his voice trembling with raw emotion. “Ruyan,” he cried, “when you ascended, you struck me with a sword, severing me into three obsessions! I don’t blame you for that, but I do blame you for not annihilating them!” As he spoke, he pointed first at Chen Changsheng, then at himself, Wuwu! The revelation struck the crowd like a thunderbolt. Everyone froze, petrified in place. What?! The information contained in Wuwu’s words was staggering! Such an unthinkable event had occurred back then! They had long observed Dao Yi’s profound adoration for Liu Ruyan, yet she had always seemed utterly devoid of affection for him. But to think Liu Ruyan had actually tried to destroy Dao Yi?
A sudden cry of realization pierced the stunned silence. “I know!” someone shrieked. “Liu Ruyan and Nangong Baixue both cultivate the Supreme Profound Sect’s Emotionless Heavenly Art! Liu Ruyan intended to use Dao Yi to ‘sever her emotions’ and break through to the Supreme Realm! And when she did, she planned to kill Dao Yi!”
Everyone’s scalp crawled with a mix of horror and disbelief. Shock! Beyond shock, only utter astonishment remained. Dao Yi had been an absolute titan of his era, a peerless expert! How could such a man debase himself so utterly for a woman? True powerhouses never lacked for female companionship; indeed, women were often seen as hindrances, slowing the draw of a sword! Yet, Dao Yi was nothing short of a pathetic simp! And even now, in his current state, he still seemed utterly infatuated with Liu Ruyan.
The onlookers were utterly flabbergasted. Just moments ago, Dao Yi had been prepared to destroy the Grand Dao Sect for Liu Ruyan – a testament to his absolute, unyielding devotion! Yet, Liu Ruyan remained utterly impassive, not a single flicker of emotion on her face. The irony was suffocating!
The Grand Dao Sect disciples and elders hung their heads, their faces burning with shame. Was this truly the founder, Dao Yi, whom they had revered and called upon for countless ages? In their moment of ultimate crisis, it was the White Robe Supreme who had single-handedly turned the tide!
High above, Chen Changsheng calmly shook his head. “The mountains and rivers may change, but a person’s nature remains,” he mused. “Dao Yi is still Dao Yi, but we are no longer Dao Yi.” He turned to Wuwu. “I’m leaving this to you.” This time, Wuwu would not only confront Liu Ruyan, but also achieve the ultimate ‘sever the self’!
BOOM! Chen Changsheng’s figure blurred, and in an instant, he reappeared beside Lu Xuan.
Liu Ruyan turned to Wuwu, a faint, mocking smile playing on her lips. “You wish to erase Dao Yi’s traces? Utterly impossible.” Her voice dripped with disdain. “Do you even realize that in the First Star Ring, Ancient Ancestor Master Kongwu of Cold Mountain Temple walks the very same path of ‘severing the self’? Yet, even a powerhouse like Master Kongwu has failed to achieve it. You, a mere Five-star Supreme, stand no chance.” Her smile widened, laced with venom. “Furthermore, you are no match for me! You cannot kill me!”
Lu Xuan, with an almost imperceptible flick of his sleeve, sent forth a blinding streak of divine radiance. Whoosh! The light surged into Wuwu’s body, an infusion of raw, borrowed power! Wuwu’s aura exploded, his cultivation rocketing upwards at an astonishing speed! In an instant, he shattered the shackles of Five-star Supreme and burst forth into the terrifying realm of Seven-star Supreme!
Wuwu immediately manifested the Vajra Scepter in his hand, its golden light blazing with profound Dao and Rhyme. He fixed Liu Ruyan with an unwavering gaze. “Liu Ruyan,” he challenged, his voice now imbued with immense power, “what do you say now?”
Liu Ruyan’s expression twisted into one of utter horror and disbelief. Dao Yi’s corpse, ever the devoted shield, immediately positioned itself in front of her. “Go!” it rasped, “I’ll hold him off for you!” Then, it turned to Wuwu, its voice filled with a strange mix of desperation and self-pity. “Release Ruyan! This is a grudge between the three of us! When Ruyan severed us into three, I shouldn’t have fled; I should have dragged both of you to your deaths with me!”
Wuwu’s face remained utterly devoid of emotion. He immediately activated Bodhi Temple’s Supreme Secret Art, a profound power surging within him! At the same moment, Liu Ruyan spat out a venomous “Worthless!” at Dao Yi’s corpse, then soared into the air, launching herself directly at Wuwu. “Charm Dominates the World!” BOOM! An endless, swirling pink aura erupted around her, distorting everything in its vicinity into mesmerizing illusions. This was the Charm Sect’s most potent secret art, using raw allure to weave illusions that directly assailed an enemy’s Dao Foundation and Divine Soul! A formidable ‘Stance’ surged through the void, and two ethereal Illusory Fox Tails manifested behind Liu Ruyan, swaying with seductive grace. Her entire being radiated an intoxicating charm, her eyes shimmering with captivating ripples as she fixed her gaze on Wuwu, her voice a silken whisper designed to steal one’s soul. “Come, let Ruyan pleasure you…”