Chapter 146 - Reopen the Heavenly Path

“Those two are incredibly strong. That four-armed otherworlder even managed to dodge my new exorcism technique.”

Xu Ying was astonished and said to Yuanqi, “But he didn’t dodge it completely. That woman is also formidable. I used the ‘Yin’ Dao sound to attack her Golden Core yet couldn’t destroy it. These two are truly amazing. Master Qi, we mustn’t underestimate the people of the world.”

Yuanqi hesitated momentarily, tempted to remind him that the two otherworlders were probably in the Second Gate-Knocking Stage, a full realm above him.

However, he worried Xu Ying might become complacent, so he hid the truth. It’s rare for Ah Ying to show humility. I’d better let him keep it up.

Yue Hongzhu’s injuries were severe. Xu Ying had destroyed her Dao avatar and nearly shattered her Golden Core. Such injuries were life-threatening. A Dao avatar could be reformed, but a shattered Golden Core could lead to a shattered soul.

A Qi Cultivator at her realm would have already begun fusing the Golden Core and the soul in preparation for the next cultivation realm, which would require her to refine the Primordial Spirit in the Twelve-Story Pagoda.

Hence, the Golden Core should never get damaged.

The sibling disciples supported each other as they struggled to climb up the mountain, not daring to delay at all.

Finally, the two reached the summit, exhausted and panting heavily. They saw another group of four-armed people ascending the jade mountain from the opposite side.

The group was astonished to see the two in such terrible shapes

Among them, a middle-aged man hurried forward. Seeing him, Yue Hongzhu and Xiao Zheng felt relieved and went limp on the ground.

“Who hurt you?”

That middle-aged man was their uncle-master Yun Fan. When the Dragon Abyss heavenly god found the Taiyi Little Profound Heaven, Yun Fan was the strongest person he could send here. Anyone stronger would exceed the limits of the heavenly god’s power and destabilize the path of ascension.

Yun Fan examined their injuries and couldn’t help but frown. “I’ve never seen a divine ability like the one that wounded you. It’s extremely intricate, and the power it contains rivals that of creation techniques!”

Yue Hongzhu and Xiao Zheng coughed continuously, despair rising inside them.

Unless they broke Xu Ying’s divine ability, it would remain in their wounds and keep worsening their injuries. Sooner or later, it would claim their lives!

Divine light rippled behind Yun Fan. His four-armed Primordial Spirit manifested behind him, and he said in a deep voice, “But you don’t have to worry. While I don’t know how to unravel the divine ability, we’ve harvested a good amount of Origin Dao Essence. We can use it to sustain your vitality, then use my Primordial Spirit to break it forcibly!”

He immediately put his words into action. He retrieved a mass of watery light and enveloped Xiao Zheng’s heart. Next, he took out another mass of watery light and enveloped Yue Hongzhu’s Golden Core.

Then, his Primordial Spirit reached out and held Xiao Zheng’s heart, channeled mystical power, and forcibly wiped away Xu Ying’s Reversal Longevity Technique!

Another hand extended a finger and pressed it against Yue Hongzhu’s Golden Core. Wherever its mystical power passed, the “Yin” Dao sound Xu Ying had left behind was also erased.

The maneuver impacted their heart and Golden Core. Fortunately, the Origin Dao essences protected them, though their injuries remained severe for now.

Yun Fan assigned people to look after the two and led the others to where the Heavenly Dao Divine Artifact was gathering the immortal roots. “The Heavenly Dao Divine Artifact gathering the immortal roots is no trivial matter. This must be the upheaval the Dragon Abyss heavenly god had mentioned! Let’s hurry there!”

Yue Hongzhu felt a chill in her heart. Back in the Yuanding Realm, her sect’s seniors had repeatedly mentioned this upheaval. They always spoke of it in mysterious terms but never went into detail.

When she asked about it, they only said that the heavenly god had ordered it. An upheaval would take place in the lower realm, and it concerned whether they could ascend!

However, no one knew exactly what kind of upheaval it was.

A Qi Cultivator from the Yuanding Realm asked, “Uncle-Master Yun Fan, what should we do about the person who hurt Junior Sister Yue and Junior Brother Xiao?”

Yun Fan raised an eyebrow and said calmly, “No one can resist the temptation of so many immortal roots. That person would surely follow them, and we’d naturally encounter him.”

The Yuanding Realm Qi Cultivators were eager to fight. They were born warriors who prided themselves on combat. They loved cutting off their opponents’ heads and impaling them on wooden stakes as sacrifices to the Dragon Abyss heavenly god.

Xu Ying defeating two young experts from their realm hadn’t frightened them. If anything, it had made them even more eager to fight.

In the mountain forest, Xu Ying leaped into the air with Yuanqi, used the Cloud-Ladder Heavenly Bound, and grabbed toward an immortal root in the air!

That immortal root was a ju-tree[1] covered in mulberry leaves, with silkworms on them. They were actually the fruits of the ju-tree, and looked exactly like plump, white silkworms.

Just as Xu Ying was about to seize its Origin Dao Essence, the silkworm-fruits on the tree spat out silk in unison, filling the sky, wrapping Xu Ying and Yuanqi tightly into a white silk cocoon.

The ju-tree swam smugly through the air, dragging the cocoon toward the Heavenly Dao Divine Artifact’s gathering place so it could flaunt its victory to the other immortal roots.

The immortal roots had originally been one and had a unique means of communication. The other roots instantly learned that the great evil had been captured.

An arrow-tree immortal root flew in from afar, its branches swaying like powerful bows. Sharp thorns covered the tree, nocking themselves onto the branches and shooting forth, turning the cocoon into a hedgehog in the blink of an eye.

After it finished shooting, the arrow-tree also called for its friends smugly.

Another immortal herb flew in, its form resembling a cuckoo. The flowers blooming from its branches were actually flames—not ordinary flames, but Celestial Fire.

The cuckoo immortal root summoned its sparks and ignited the cocoon, refining Xu Ying within the cocoon with Celestial Fire.

Then a spear-thorn immortal root flew over and fired long spears. They pierced the burning cocoon, sending fiery light shining through it.

The immortal roots were overjoyed, feeling like they had avenged a blood feud. More immortal roots surged over, eager to take their revenge before answering the summons.

These immortal roots had been hiding within the jade mountain, harvesting the spiritual qi of the Immortal Realm as they evaded Qi Cultivators' searches to preserve their lives. Whenever they saw Xu Ying, they naturally fled as far and as deep as they could.

Now that Xu Ying had been captured, their chance had finally come. How could they let it slip away?

Just then, the silkworm cocoon burning with Celestial Fire exploded. Xu Ying was covered in sharp thorn-arrows, pierced with spear-thorns, and engulfed in Celestial Fire, yet he was still alive!

The immortal roots burst into an uproar and scattered in all directions!

Xu Ying didn’t even bother pulling out the thorns or extinguishing the Celestial Fire. The smell of roasting meat wafted from him as he lunged after the fleeing immortal roots.

He reached out again and again, seizing their Origin Dao Essences. In an instant, the immortal roots’ auras waned. Their branches and leaves withered as if battered by a harsh winter.

After Xu Ying seized the Origin Dao Essences of more than a dozen immortal roots in succession, Yuanqi, who was hiding within his ethereal void, cried out in panic, “Ah Ying, you’re about to be burned right through! The Celestial Fire has reached your ethereal void!”

Within the ethereal void, thick arrows and spears pierced through the Five Sacred Immortal Mountains, with several arrows lodged in Xu Ying’s kidney immortal mountain.

Celestial Fire raged outside, threatening to engulf the ethereal void.

Although Xu Ying was keeping himself alive by relying on his Mud-Pill Secret Trove’s longevity immortal herb, if his ethereal void were burned, even his mystical powers would be burned away, and his cultivation would be reduced to nothing!

Xu Ying didn’t delay any longer and hurriedly plunged downward.

An immortal root in the air transformed into a beam of spiritual light and swept down at him, like a divine dragon swinging its tail. Using the Cloud-Ladder Heavenly Bound, Xu Ying dodged the attack and hid within the mountain forest.

Unable to locate Xu Ying and having to answer the Heavenly Dao Divine Artifact’s summons, the immortal roots could only eat their loss and make their way there reluctantly.

Xu Ying activated his Golden Core to suppress the Celestial Fire already burning through his bones, only to discover that he couldn’t suppress it. Panic seized him.

“Master Qi, Master Zhong, come out and save me!”

Yuanqi flew out from his ethereal void, opened his mouth wide, and summoned various treasures from inside him to try and extinguish the flames. However, the Celestial Fire raged fiercely, and Yuanqi couldn’t extinguish it.

Xu Ying also activated his treasures, yet he still could not suppress the Celestial Fire. Seeing as his physical body was about to be burnt, he couldn’t help but despair.

I never imagined that I would actually die at the hands of a bunch of weed...

Just then, a large bell flew out from Xu Ying’s Gushing-Spring Secret Trove, swaying unsteadily as if drunk.

Yuanqi was still trying to extinguish the fire when he saw the large bell. He hesitated for a moment, then probed, “Master Zhong?”

The bell was covered inside and out with green rust, looking filthy. It resembled a middle-aged man who had spent two years wandering among beggars without shaving, with strange hair growing all over him.

Although Dazhong’s original appearance was tinged with green rust, most of him was still bronze-yellow, looking ancient and simple, yet solemn.

But in the short time since they had last seen each other, he had aged to this extent. Yuanqi could hardly recognize him.

Dazhong tolled once and extinguished the Celestial Fire. Then, he flew back into Xu Ying’s ethereal void and extinguished the fire within.

Only then did Yuanqi let out a sigh of relief. He looked at Xu Ying and saw that the youth was already charred black. He dropped down into a sitting position under the tree, emitting smoke.

Ah Ying was burned to death?

Grief welled up inside Yuanqi. He said to Dazhong, “Ah Ying was burned to death. Now the treasures he entrusted to me are ownerless. Let’s inherit his treasures and carry on his legacy, and split up his properties. You can go back to the Little Rocky Mountain, and I’ll return to Mount Wu Wang. Let’s go our separate ways!”

As soon as he finished speaking, he saw the “corpse” twitch slightly. The charred exterior began to crumble away.

Tears welling in his eyes, Yuanqi was about to begin splitting the treasures when he saw this and quickly stopped.

Flesh and blood grew rapidly on Xu Ying’s “burnt corpse” to replace the charred parts. Before long, he had completely returned to his original appearance.

Xu Ying said, “Master Qi, bring me a set of clothes!”

Yuanqi spat out a set of clothes. Xu Ying pulled the thorn-arrows and spear-thorns from his body and put on the fresh clothes. “Master Qi, what did you just say? What about splitting properties?”

Yuanqi hurriedly denied it. “I never said that. You must have heard it wrong. Ask Master Zhong if you don’t believe me!”

Dazhong said in a dull tone, “Master Qi said you’re dead and was talking about splitting your properties.”

Yuanqi flew into a rage. “Damned bell, don’t slander a good snake for no reason! Ah Ying, that thing’s green. The color’s not even right; can you really trust him? Which of us have you known longer, me or the damned bell?”

A moment later, the giant snake’s face was bruised, and one of his venomous fangs was broken. He coiled indignantly around Xu Ying’s shoulder. The mane on the back of his head fluttered. Master Zhong clearly wanted to split his properties too. Why was I the only one who got beaten?

He activated his Mud-Pill Secret Trove, and his broken fang quickly regrew.

Earlier, Xu Ying had risked his life and charged into the midst of so many immortal Dao spiritual roots. He managed to seize the Origin Dao Essences of thirteen immortal roots. Of the six immortal herbs corresponding to the six secrets, five had already been activated and were undergoing continuous refinement.

Only the Gushing-Spring’s soul immortal herb remained inactive.

Xu Ying dumped the extra Origin Dao Essence to Yuanqi. The latter quickly gathered five types of immortal herbs as well, leaving only his soul immortal herbs yet to be refined.

Then, Xu Ying handed the repeated Origin Dao Essences to Dazhong. Although he had no immortal herbs within him, after the essences cleansed him, his green glow gradually faded, the rust stains vanished, and his power steadily increased.

However, Dazhong still hadn’t recovered from the blow of learning that he was a substitute. He remained dispirited.

Xu Ying pulled the bell back into his ethereal void and said, “Help me watch over my ethereal void, Master Zhong, lest those immortal roots invade again.”

Dazhong didn’t reply, but he still hung in his ethereal void.

Xu Ying placed the Pure Yang Spirit Flame by his side. The spark was pure yang and bright, so it could help lift Dazhong's spirits. He believed that Dazhong would gradually walk out of the darkness and regain his spirit.

He rushed up to the jade mountain’s peak with Yuanqi. Those immortal Dao spiritual roots had already flown to the peak, so he couldn’t use his old trick and had no choice but to follow them.

Looking up, Xu Ying saw those immortal Dao spiritual roots emitting spiritual light as they intertwined to form a sloped path, paving the way into the void.

Seen from afar, the spiritual light contained within these spiritual roots resembled a plant’s roots, stems, and branches, though many areas were incomplete.

Astonished, Xu Ying murmured, “Does the Heavenly Dao Divine Artifact intend to restore Taiyi Little Profound Heaven’s spiritual root by gathering all these immortal Dao spiritual roots? The great evil shattered it into countless immortal herbs and scattered them across various worlds. Could the artifact’s power restore this treasure?”

Yuanqi couldn’t help but remind him, “Ah Ying, you are that great evil. Don’t act like you’re talking about someone else every time you mention the great evil.”

“Master Qi, your fang has regrown?”

“It has.”

“Not yet!”

Yuanqi had two of its fangs knocked out. He continued healing them and said indignantly, “Ah Ying, you can’t escape the fact that you’re the great evil.”

The Taiyi Little Profound Heaven’s shattered spiritual root was massive. Xu Ying watched as the spiritual root slowly pulled an immortal palace from the void's depths.

The immortal palace was shrouded in immortal qi. It exuded an unfathomable aura, as if immortals still resided within it.

Yet the palace was already in ruins. Someone had smashed half of it to pieces, leaving only half its halls and courtyard intact.

Yuanqi thought, Xu Ying, the great evil, likely destroyed the immortal palace, but I won’t say it out loud, or I’ll get beaten.

The phenomenon of a dragon-headed, human-bodied divine being formed by the Heavenly Dao Divine Artifact dragged the Little Profound Heaven’s spiritual root, trying to pull the immortal palace into it.

Simultaneously, waves of the Heavenly Dao might radiated from the divine being, resonating with the myriad realms.

Xu Ying’s heart stirred slightly. The artifact’s Heaven-Man Resonance is very similar to the Heaven-Man Resonance from Emperor Wu’s era! Could the resonance from Emperor Wu’s era be connected to the Heavenly Dao? But something seems off about this...

He had also practiced Heaven-Man Resonance. He immediately unleashed his divine sense and connected with the artifact’s resonance.

Just then, he heard the Heavenly Dao’s voice!

“People of all realms, I am the incarnation of the Heavenly Dao. Return the immortal Dao spiritual roots you have stolen with haste and reopen the Heavenly Path! If not, I shall descend a tribulation to punish you!”

1. Not a real tree. It references the Classic of Mountains and Seas, where a woman knelt before a tree and supported(据, Ju) herself while spitting silk like a silkworm. Likely the mythical Fusang Tree or Leaning Mulberry Tree, a mythological tree of life, alternatively identified as a mulberry or a hibiscus, allegedly growing far to the east of China. ☜