On the Path to the Great Dao

Wen Daoist, Shen Daoist, and Lu Immortal had by now arrived outside the Imperial City. The three had come from Despair Slope, and their original plan was to first go to the underworld to look for Feng Ruotong. After joining Feng Ruotong and the other Celestial Way Immortals, their group would number eight immortals, and with that many they would be unstoppable in their mission to punish Chen Shi and the Empress of Earth.

But just after they left Despair Slope, they received word from the Heaven's Listeners that Feng Ruotong and the others had appeared near Qianyang Mountain.

They hurried to Qianyang Mountain, and when they arrived, Feng Ruotong had already gone to the Xinxiang Imperial City, so they pressed on to the outskirts of the Imperial City.

However, the Heaven's Listeners’ reach could not penetrate the Imperial City, and the three had no idea what had happened after Feng Ruotong entered the city.

Wen Daoist looked up and saw the phantom silhouettes of foreign deities towering above, majestic and imposing, jointly protecting the Imperial City. He could not help but praise, “Perilous, truly perilous. Ferocious gods, terrifying and savage—Brother Feng has great skill and daring to enter such a place! If it were me, without the Yin Yang Qi Bottle, I would never rashly go in.”

The other two glanced at the deities and each voiced astonishment.

Shen Liujun said, “Look at this giả-god’s Mountains and Rivers Map. It really has stolen the heavenly dao and refined it for his own use—exquisitely crafted! And that fake king’s imperial jade seal, it’s formidable, almost on par with a celestial artifact!”

Lu Dingbo laughed, “But that’s all it has. Back when the True King brought the Mountains and Rivers Map into Despair Slope and spoke insolently to the Celestial Venerable, wasn’t he struck down with a single palm? What use is this map really?”

Wen Daoist said solemnly, “Do not underestimate the fake king. The fake king’s skeletal body was the first to cross the heavenly tribulation, and after his tribulation he did not corrupt. Of course, we must not overestimate him. In the True King’s era, there were several who crossed tribulation without corrupting, but upon reaching Ascension they still went awry.”

His eyes flickered as he smiled, “Could Brother Feng have heard that the fake king and the false gods are wreaking havoc and came to slay them? If that is the case, it would save us a lot of trouble. I admire Brother Feng’s ability.”

Shen Liujun folded his hands on his back and said leisurely, “Brother Feng went in first, with Kou Xianren close behind. Everyone says Kou Xianren’s cultivation is supreme, but Brother Feng’s depth is unfathomable. His cultivation may well rival that of the Empress of Earth.”

Wen Daoist warned, “Do not take them lightly. We have the Yin Yang Qi Bottle with us. First we will reason with the false gods and the fake king; if they will not listen, then we will destroy them.”

Shen and Lu nodded in unison, answering, “Destroy them!”

Lu Dingbo said, “Those people went in to inform them, why haven’t they come out… here they come!”

Beyond the Imperial City gate, a young eunuch came running, out of breath. “Three Immortal Elders, Feng Immortal requests that you enter! Please follow me.”

The three exchanged a look, then strode forward to follow the young eunuch. Lu Dingbo asked, “Jun Benliang, why did you feel humiliated and get castrated to become a eunuch?”

The young eunuch was Xiao Chengzi, who answered, “My father did it. After the recent cataclysm, people could not survive. My father had me castrated and sent me to Eunuch Feng to become a eunuch. Later we heard the Western Capital was destroyed, so becoming a eunuch was pointless. My father said it was in vain and asked Eunuch Feng if I could be taken back, but Feng said no. Then the True King arrived and gave me a post, a monthly stipend to support my family. Are you three Celestial Way Immortals from Despair Slope?”

Lu Dingbo nodded, “Yes. Although your True King gave you a post, your job may not last. Soon your True King will go to his end.”

Xiao Chengzi asked in confusion, “Why?”

Lu Dingbo sneered, “Because your True King resurrected a false god of China and disturbed the people and ruined the realm. Despair Slope will defend the True God’s orthodoxy and must slay him!”

Xiao Chengzi grew more puzzled. “But during the cataclysm those Chinese deities sheltered us, brought light and warmth, chased away ghosts and demons, and saved countless people. Where was Despair Slope then? Why didn’t Despair Slope shelter us? And now that things are peaceful you come out to say those deities are false and must be killed—where were you before?”

Lu Dingbo puffed his beard and glared, momentarily at a loss for words.

Shen Liujun said, “Despair Slope protects the True God’s orthodoxy. The True God’s incense offerings must never be seized by false gods. These Chinese false gods spread light and warmth to let you plant crops; it’s a little favor to buy people’s hearts, but in truth they undermine the True God’s orthodoxy and corrupt the entire world. Their crimes are enormous!”

Xiao Chengzi grew even more bewildered. “Then why didn’t Despair Slope awaken the True God during the disaster?”

Shen Liujun was dumbfounded.

Xiao Chengzi said, “Despair Slope eradicated the Upper Realm, killed so many heavenly gods, and offered their sun and moon in sacrifice—you could have awakened the True God and saved countless people. Why watch them die in misery? If you cared, why did you need the Chinese deities at all?”

Wen Daoist said, “That was the Celestial Venerable’s decree—he must have had deep reasons…”

“You didn’t save people, and you won’t let others save them either, yet you call them monstrous.”

Xiao Chengzi blinked. “I’m starting to feel like Despair Slope is the real great evil here.”

Lu Dingbo roared, “Little eunuch, you have been polluted by demonic energy! Brother Wen, quickly convene the Yin Yang Qi Bottle and purify him!”

Xiao Chengzi hurriedly said, “I’m only a small eunuch, I didn’t read much, I speak rashly—please forgive me, three Immortal Elders.”

Wen Daoist had no intention of using the Yin Yang Qi Bottle—no need for that just to deal with a small eunuch.

“But the little eunuch’s words do have some warped logic.”

They entered the Imperial City’s inner area, where many disciples of the Lu Ban Sect were busy building official residences.

Xiao Chengzi led them to a mansion and invited the three into the courtyard.

Wen Daoist cradled the Yin Yang Qi Bottle and walked in unafraid, smiling, “Even if the fake king has set an ambush inside, what does Despair Slope fear?”

Shen and Lu followed closely, staying cautiously alert.

After all, this was the Imperial City, the True King Chen Shi’s court. Although the fake king had sent many experts out to attack the Thirteen Great Clans, he might still have powerful retainers around.

Just as the three entered, they saw Feng Ruotong, Ping Jiangsheng, Xi Zizai, and two other immortals standing there, faces full of expectation as they watched.

And the fake king Chen Shi stood beside them, smiling as he looked at them.

The three could not help but be taken aback by the scene.

“Three junior brothers have arrived.”

Feng Ruotong’s expression was kindly as he said amicably, “Wen junior brother even brought the Yin Yang Qi Bottle—that's excellent. With this treasure I can finally rest easy. Brother, let us toy with this treasure for a while.”

Wen Daoist stepped forward and handed over the Yin Yang Qi Bottle.

Xi Immortal said, “Brother Shen, did you bring the Golden Crow Sword? May I borrow a look?”

Shen Liujun removed the Golden Crow Sword and handed it to Xi Immortal.

Xi Immortal drew the sword and praised, “Truly a fine sword!”

Elsewhere, Ping Immortal asked Lu Dingbo to lend his sword. Lu was a bit surprised and confused, but since they were all of the same sect he produced the Black Tortoise Sword.

Ping Immortal received the sword, inspected it, and praised, “A fine blade!”

Wen Daoist felt an ominous premonition and said, “Brother Feng, this bottle was lent to me from Eternal Immortal Pavilion for refining demons. I need it back after you deal with the false god Empress of Earth—please return it…”

Before he finished, Feng Ruotong had already activated the Yin Yang Qi Bottle.

Wen Daoist’s face changed instantly and he transformed into a beam of light to escape, but his vision blurred. Ahead, torrents of water and fire swelled up, overwhelming the sky.

Wen Daoist tried to veer away, but everywhere in front, behind, left and right, the water and fire closed in. Water mingled with fire, fire contained water—strangely blended.

The Yin Yang Qi Bottle was a supreme immortal treasure that combined water and fire inside, inverted and suspended, enclosing the three immortals within its water-fire field.

Chen Shi’s heart stirred when he saw the bottle. “It appears to balance water and fire, truly a union of yin and yang—superior even to my Yin Yang Dao Field!”

His mastery of yin-yang was exceptional; he was the foremost in the Western Ox New Continent. Even Creation Little Five lagged a good distance behind him. The yin-yang embedded within the Blood-Transforming Divine Blade had not surpassed him either.

Watching the Yin Yang Qi Bottle display its power, Chen Shi suddenly gleaned numerous insights and unwittingly fell into ecstatic comprehension of the yin-yang.

Lu Dingbo plunged into the flames. Once inside, an immortal’s flesh instantly softened and his primordial spirit felt like it would melt away.

Alarmed, he retreated and looked down to find his legs reduced to a soft, formless mess—the feet lost all distinction between toes and soles, flattened like a pancake on the ground.

Moreover, his legs were continuing to melt!

His primordial spirit’s sensory orifices had melted and fused together, leaving only two eyes on his forehead.

The Yin Yang Qi Bottle’s potency was truly unfathomable!

Outside, the water and fire surged closer. The three immortals deployed techniques to escape, but they could not safely traverse the conflagration.

Whatever immortal body or dao-body they possessed, the water-fire made it all pliant and melting.

Shen Liujun was burned worse; both his legs had liquefied into a pool of blood and flesh up to his waist.

Wen Daoist rushed to rescue them, his fingers melting and turning into two stumps.

They dared not move further, staring as the Yin Yang Qi Bottle’s flames came before them, each inwardly chanting their final prayers.

Suddenly, the water and fire halted.

Feng Ruotong’s voice rang out, “Three junior brothers, I have an important matter to tell you, but fearing you might act rashly and leak the news, I adopted this measure to first confine you.”

Wen Daoist looked up. “Brother Feng, we are fellow disciples—speak plainly. Why toy with us?”

Feng Ruotong said gravely, “The Celestial Venerable is the mastermind behind the heavenly cataclysm.”

Wen, Lu, and Shen were shaken to their cores and said in unison, “I do not believe it!”

Feng Ruotong did not expect one sentence to instantly convince them. He presented various pieces of evidence, explaining Kou Xianren’s death at the Celestial Venerable’s hand and how Zhong Wuwang had been gravely wounded by the Celestial Venerable and lost his memory, finally revealing Chen Shi’s Yin Yang Dao Field.

In a short moment the three went through anger, denial, doubt, and then belief.

Wen Daoist said, “Brother Feng, it is not that we do not trust you, but this is a grave matter. Your claims are from your faction and are not conclusive evidence.”

Feng Ruotong replied, “Conclusive evidence lies back at Despair Slope, where Qingyuan Daoist buried the corpses in those days. Return to Despair Slope and you can test the truth.”

Wen Daoist said, “No need to rush back. I also want to witness the True King Chen’s Yin Yang Dao Field.”

Feng Ruotong activated the Yin Yang Qi Bottle, restoring the three immortals’ malformed bodies, but he did not put the treasure away; it still hovered in the air. “Three junior brothers, see the True King’s Yin Yang Dao Field and then decide how to act.”

They checked their hands and feet, saw they were fine, and each breathed a sigh of relief.

The Yin Yang Qi Bottle could assimilate and melt all things. This treasure came from the Divine Continent, fell into Despair Slope when the True King died, and was indeed fearsome.

Wen Daoist said, “Then let True King Chen display his Yin Yang Dao Field. Chen True King?”

Feng Ruotong looked at Chen Shi and saw him smiling and standing motionless, as if his spirit wandered beyond the world.

“Chen True King?”

Feng Ruotong frowned slightly and was about to rouse Chen Shi when Chen Shi stretched lazily and smiled, “Yin and yang cut dawn and dusk, long night pierces the primordial muddle.”

A Primordial Spirit behind him also stretched; as it arched and extended, its body grew larger.

That Primordial Spirit rose hundreds of zhang in height, then leapt like a spirit ape into the void.

It raised both hands as if supporting the heavens and crouched like a great pillar standing on the ground, laughing out loud, “Water and fire mutually complete, thus Taiji effortlessly arises!”

Where it stood, earth, water, wind, and fire roared. With a cracking sound the void split!

The scene resembled an exalted god-man opening its eyes. The void cracked and stretched outward, extending further and further. As Chen Shi’s Primordial Spirit arched, the void trembled and elements wildly surged, filling every corner of the void.

Suddenly the void separated into water and fire; the earth convulsed, mountains surged up, rivers formed from rain, rivers gathered into lakes and seas.

In the sky, the Yin Yang Qi formed sun and moon, rising and setting in the east, while countless stars emerged from the void.

That starfield was not the Divine Continent’s sky, but the hidden starry heavens of the Western Ox New Continent!

Each star corresponded to constellations concealed in the dark firmament, even summoning starlight from beyond the heavens to converge here!

The sun and moon moved in the sky, reflected by the starfield, creating a Taiji pattern.

Boom!

Beyond the heavens flesh surged, as if unable to suppress the sun, moon, and stars.

“All phenomena return to the Void Valley, day and night darkened and then restored to light.”

Chen Shi stretched his form and gave a thoroughly satisfying yawn, smiling, “I go beyond heaven and earth, not bound by the five elements!”

His vast Realm of Emptiness shone in the sky, dispelling all corrupting energies within a thousand li.

Wen Daoist, Lu Dingbo, Shen Liujun, and the others felt their minds quake and all bowed.

“Dao Brother!”

Feng Ruotong, Ping Immortal, Xi Immortal, and the others, equally shaken beyond measure, bowed in unison, “Dao Brother!”

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