Chapter 440: The Peerless Immortal

Arrogant.

That was the first thought that flashed through everyone's minds.

The cultivation world has always revered modesty and restraint. Even those universally acknowledged as prodigies typically downplay compliments with a few self-effacing remarks.

Yet this white-robed cultivator who had just returned to the Sect dared to say such things in front of the Three Origins Sect's nine Golden Core elders. This was no longer mere confidence; it was practically a declaration of war against every cultivator present.

However, as they thought it over, that conviction began to waver.

Cultivating three Dao simultaneously had been an achievement no one had reached in a thousand years. If this so-called fourth Dao was genuine, then claiming to be the foremost among Golden Core practitioners did not seem entirely baseless.

Still, could anyone really cultivate four Dao at once?

The Golden Core elders present were veterans who had practiced the Dao for centuries; they understood better than anyone the difficulty of that path.

Ordinary cultivators who cultivate a single Dao often spend a lifetime probing its edges; even a moment's distraction can leave them mastering nothing.

History did record geniuses who cultivated two Dao, but their Dao pairings were often naturally complementary—like Yin and Yang—so dual cultivation was relatively easier.

As for cultivating three Dao like Ancestor Cloud Cliff and attaining Unity with the Dao to ascend, that had long been regarded as the pinnacle of possibility, the kind of feat for which there was no precedent and no successor.

A fourth Dao?

That was completely beyond common sense.

Even Wu Shouzhuo, sitting cross-legged on his cushion, fixed his gaze on Chen Yu the instant he heard the words "fourth Dao," as if he wanted to peer into the truth of Chen Yu's soul.

Silence lingered in the hall for a moment before Feng Qingyun rose to his feet.

He looked toward Chen Yu with calm eyes that nevertheless carried the oppressive feeling of an impending storm.

Chen Yu cupped his hands: "Senior Brother, what is your view?"

Feng Qingyun did not answer directly.

He drew a thread of his primordial spirit from between his brows, released it into the small domain, and in an instant it became a little figure bearing his likeness.

Qingyun said, "I wouldn't call it a full judgment, but after personally witnessing your Primordial Origin Sword Dao and the Primordial Unity True Technique, a question naturally arises: is this so-called fourth Dao genuine or not?"

"Since you proclaimed it publicly, I suppose you wouldn't mind letting me see it firsthand."

Guanshan Dao Master’s voice quietly resonated within Chen Yu's sea of consciousness.

"Ning Jiao Dao-friend, Patriarch Dangjian Feng Qingyun and Sect Master Gu Songyue are the contemporary prodigies of the Southern Wastes. With a century of Golden Core practice they have already reached mid-stage Golden Core, and Feng Qingyun's comprehension of the Primordial Origin Sword Dao is profound. His achievements in swordsmanship are called the twin glories after Ancestor Cloud Cliff."

"Even among mid-stage Golden Core practitioners, few dare to claim a stable victory over him. You must be cautious."

Chen Yu nodded slightly in acknowledgement of Guanshan Dao Master's reminder, then he too drew out a thread of his primordial spirit and placed it into that small world, forming a white-robed Sword Immortal identical to his true self.

He stabilized in the void and returned Feng Qingyun's salute with a cupped-hand bow: "Since Senior Brother wishes to see, I will oblige."

"But, as you said, the minor Dao you practice is rather new and not as complex as he imagines."

Feng Qingyun discerned the hint in Chen Yu's words and smiled calmly: "If I had to worry, would a centenarian like me, ten years in the Dao, go crying over a defeat?"

Chen Yu stood with his hands behind his back, his tone modest yet direct: "If Senior Brother is indeed worried that I am a tianzong-type prodigy who cultivates seven Dao, then losing to such a talent would be a justified defeat for you. It might even become a renowned tale in the future."

Hearing this, Chen Yu couldn't help but feel a measure of respect for this elder he was meeting for the first time.

Those who cultivate the Primordial Origin Sword Dao truly possess a different character from ordinary cultivators.

When sword Dao reaches depth, the worst thing is fickleness and indecision.

Feng Qingyun's achievements today were inseparable from that frankness of heart.

Silently Chen Yu thought to himself: Forgive me, Senior Brother.

In this duel he could not merely avoid defeat—he had to win decisively.

Only by obliterating every doubt with undeniable strength could his subsequent plans proceed smoothly.

Inside the tiny domain, the two faced each other across several hundred zhang.

Every cultivator's divine sense in the hall fixed upon that space; every detail was magnified until it felt as if they were on the scene.

Feng Qingyun struck first.

He raised his right hand and drew forth a bolt of thunder from the void.

The thunder condensed in his palm without dispersing; arcs of electricity coiled and formed into a pure blade of lightning.

He grasped that blade and swung it forward.

A silver-white arc of lightning tore the air with a piercing scream, crossing hundreds of zhang in an instant and slamming straight toward Chen Yu's face.

Chen Yu did not dodge. He lifted his right hand and used his finger as a sword, slicing forward.

Invisible sword intent extended from his fingertip, resonating with the tiny domain's spiritual energy and forming a transparent greatsword phantasm that met the lightning head-on.

The moment the two sword intents collided, every sound was swallowed by the magical force erupting at the impact point.

A ring of visible transparent ripples spread outward from the collision, sweeping over clouds and ground and leaving sword gouges several zhang deep everywhere.

The observing elders collectively held their breath, their divine senses locked tightly on every shift in the miniature realm.

Chen Yu's figure retreated several zhang in midair before stabilizing.

He glanced down at the finger he had condensed with his primordial spirit; a faint crack at the fingertip was slowly repairing itself.

The disparity in their Primordial Origin Sword Dao cultivation had been exposed in that strike.

Feng Qingyun's Primordial Origin Sword Dao had reached at least Lv.3, while Chen Yu was only close to Lv.2. In a pure sword Dao duel, he could not match him head-on.

Moreover, if contesting sheer depth of Dao accomplishment, a Golden Core early stage cultivator like him could hardly withstand a mid-stage Golden Core's full-force strike—unless he unleashed three Dao simultaneously, he would get little advantage.

Even if three Dao were used, it might only secure a stable victory, not a crushing one.

That kind of narrow win was not what he wanted.

He wanted a victory that smashed everything to pieces, a suppression so complete that everyone present would be left speechless.

Opposite him, Feng Qingyun withdrew his strike as well.

He did not press the advantage. Instead he stood still, closed his eyes to feel the lingering Dao resonance, then opened them and a fervent joy shone from the light in his gaze.

"This truly is the Primordial Origin Sword Dao."

"And the comprehension is not poor. Although his realm does not yet match mine, the refinement of his sword intent is far beyond that of a newcomer to this Dao."

He exhaled slowly. "If Ancestor Cloud Cliff were not in the past, with your aptitude, Junior Brother, the one who would ascend in the future might well be you."

When the surrounding elders heard Feng Qingyun confirm it, the heavy stone that had hung over their hearts finally dropped.

Some whispered, some stroked their beards in approval.

"If that fourth Dao turns out to be real... then our Three Origins Sect may produce another figure like Ancestor Cloud Cliff," an elderly white-haired elder murmured wistfully.

"Ancestor Cloud Cliff alone elevated the Three Origins Sect to the top sect of the Southern Wastes. Now with another Ning Jiao ancestor arriving, how could the Three Origins Sect not flourish?"

Wu Shouzhuo had been watching the duel in silence from his cushion. A look of contentment shone in his eyes.

With this disciple alongside Gu Songyue and Feng Qingyun, the Three Origins Sect could remain prosperous for at least another five centuries.

Even if he were to close his eyes and descend to the Yellow Springs Road today, he could report to the sect founders with no regrets.

Inside the tiny domain, Feng Qingyun solemnly cupped his hands to Chen Yu: "It appears that what you said was not empty. If three Dao are used together, I fear I shall face defeat."

"But I still want to see that legendary fourth Dao. I want to know, what is the true source of your confidence?"

Chen Yu slowly drew out the long sword at his waist.

He simply held the sword horizontally before him, looking at Feng Qingyun intently, and spoke: "Swords and blades show no mercy. Once my Dao releases its momentum, it cannot be restrained. I hope Senior Brother is mentally prepared."

Hearing this, Feng Qingyun did not shrink back; instead the light in his eyes brightened.

He inhaled deeply, and the radiance of his Golden Core flared strongly. The most refined sword intent he had cultivated rose from his body.

At the same time, he activated his Lifebound Treasure.

It was an ancient sword of verdant hue.

The instant the sword left its scabbard, the air inside the tiny realm seemed to sharpen.

"With pleasure, then. Junior Brother, please."

Chen Yu made no further holdbacks. He closed his eyes, then opened them again.

[Gel Projection]

[Embryonic Yuan Slime Dao]

A domain unfolded, heaven and earth assimilated!

Golden radiance around him exploded outward, spreading from his body like a living thing to every direction.

A mighty golden light rose where heaven and earth met, like an inverted ocean, swallowing everything with irresistible force.

Clouds, mountains, and rivers all turned into a glittering expanse in an instant.

It seemed as if that world had become one with Chen Yu.

He was the world, and the world was him.

Feng Qingyun's heart convulsed.

He too felt Chen Yu's transformation, as if in that moment Chen Yu had become the world itself.

Drifting golden light, roiling clouds, undulating mountains—all had become extensions of his body.

Such suffocating sensation of the whole world opposing one made him feel like he was going against the natural order.

What could a Golden Core cultivator do against the world itself?

Chen Yu floated in midair, his long sword raised high.

His voice rang like the decree of heaven and earth, carrying an awe-inspiring command: "Golden Light Dao Soldiers, heed my order!"

"Yes!"

His body shattered into thirty-one streams of golden light.

Those thirty-one lights shot outward in all directions, merging into the surrounding assimilated heaven and earth. Mountains and clouds surged violently at the same time.

The golden light rapidly coalesced in the world, forming thirty-one golden divine soldiers each towering a hundred zhang tall.

They held various weapons—some enormous swords, some halberds, some longbows—and encircled Feng Qingyun from all sides.

Though they seemed like independent entities, their auras were linked to Chen Yu's, forming a single unified whole.

He had turned the entire realm into a prison, completely entrapping Feng Qingyun.

The onrush of Dao energy overwhelmed every elder and disciple present, shaking them deep in their souls.

That feeling of insignificance and helplessness before celestial might caused some of the younger disciples to instinctively hold their breath, as if they too had become an insignificant ant within that golden world.

The Golden Core elders immediately recognized the novelty of the manner. One of them blurted out, "This is... a new Dao?!"

This was not any known Dao!

It was a Dao domain no predecessor had trod!

"So it truly is the fourth Dao..."

Bathing in the golden light, Chen Yu rose slowly and looked down at Feng Qingyun, trapped within the prison of world-assimilation.

He made no elaborate movement; he simply brought his sword down.

"Slash."

[Primordial Origin Sword Dao]

He used the Primordial Origin Sword Dao as the blade and the world-assimilation of the Embryonic Yuan Slime Dao as the foundation to command the thirty-one golden divine soldiers.

They all swung their weapons at the same moment; every strike converged into a vast golden beam stretching across heaven and earth—like the very first light that split the world—slashing toward Feng Qingyun.

Feng Qingyun looked up at that light which seemed capable of cleaving the world apart.

He poured his lifetime of cultivation into placing his lifebound ancient sword before him, trying to withstand the blow with pure sword Dao.

But when his decades of sword intent met that golden light, his sword Dao was forcibly severed by the beam.

Immediately after, his whole body was swallowed by the immense golden light.

On his cushion, Feng Qingyun's true body trembled violently, his complexion draining a few shades paler.

He opened his eyes; the calm composure that usually dwelled there was now replaced with astonishment.

He fell silent for a long while, as if digesting the sensation of that instant, then slowly exhaled and cupped his hands to Chen Yu.

"Junior Brother's Dao surpasses the world. I, Feng Qingyun, am sincerely convinced."

The hall fell into dead silence.

The vast golden beam that had spanned heaven and earth like a sword left a deep imprint in every observer's mind. The shock of confronting celestial might left them unable to speak for a long time.

The Patriarch Dangjian was defeated by a single sword?

A Golden Core who had only just returned to the Sect had felled a famed Golden Core swordmaster with a wave of his hand.

If such news spread, no one would believe it.

Several elders turned together toward Wu Shouzhuo, seeking the Supreme Elder's appraisal.

Wu Shouzhuo sighed softly.

"I feel shameful in comparison. Five centuries of Dao practice cannot match a tianzong talent."

At once the hall erupted in stunned murmurs.

The elders present understood the weight of his words better than anyone.

Though the Supreme Elder had never sought worldly renown, within the Southern Wastes cultivation world many sects quietly called him 'the Southern Wastes' foremost Golden Core.'

That title had been earned over centuries through hard-won achievements.

For him to say this meant that Ning Jiao Ancestor's Dao... 

All eyes turned to the white-robed figure standing quietly in the hall; reverence deepened in their gazes.

Someone muttered softly, "Our Three Origins Sect truly has produced another genius on par with Ancestor Cloud Cliff."

Under the crowd's scrutiny, Chen Yu bowed to Feng Qingyun in return, his voice calm: "Senior Brother is too modest. I was merely fortunate to succeed."

In truth, he was no miraculous genius.

There was nothing special—only preparation.

Wu Shouzhuo shook his head. "No, Junior Brother, you are being too humble. I dare ask, how old are you this year?"

Chen Yu hesitated modestly; he did not dare to tell the truth.

If he revealed that he had cultivated less than two decades, it would likely send these Golden Core elders into heart demons.

So he considered a reasonable number and said, "I should be... just over one hundred years old."

At once the hall sank back into silence.

The elders exchanged glances, their faces betraying undisguised shock.

A centenarian Golden Core.

While not unheard of in Xu Xuan Heaven, the implications shifted entirely when coupled with cultivation of four Dao.

Wu Shouzhuo was the first to break the silence.

He laughed. The laughter started light but quickly grew louder and more heartfelt.

"Hahaha!"

"Excellent, excellent."

He looked at Chen Yu. "With you here, even if I fall today, I will have no regrets."

He was not merely pleased for the sect's prosperity. He was glad that this disciple could carry forward his grand design for the Xu Xuan Spirit Mountain Array.

His greatest wish in life was to leave behind a spiritual mountain that would bless future generations before he passed.

He had long worried his solitary efforts would be insufficient; even if he managed to build it, with no successor it would eventually be abandoned.

Now he saw someone who could take the torch.

Though he might never witness the day Xu Xuan Heaven formed into a great array in person, he was content.

Chen Yu seized the moment and solemnly cupped his hands: "The great heavenly calamity I spoke of is no lie. I personally investigated it outside the realm using an external incarnation."

"I wish to convene a Dao conference to notify cultivators across the world of the truth about the heavenly calamity. I hope Senior Brother will consent."

Wu Shouzhuo's smile faded and his expression grew serious. "Turbulent times produce true immortals. With you, Junior Brother, there is no longer any doubt about the great heavenly calamity."

"Rest assured, the Sect will immediately announce and convene the Dao meeting. With the Three Origins Sect's thousand-year credibility as guarantee, no cultivator in the world will refuse."

Hearing this, Guanshan Dao Master and Old Whale Man—who had been standing behind Chen Yu—finally breathed a long sigh of relief inwardly.

With the full force of the Southern Wastes' top sect backing them, the calamity's message would at last be able to spread.

Afterward, Wu Shouzhuo used fatigue as a pretext to bring the long Dao debate to an early close.

The elders and disciples rose, performed salutes, and departed the Heavenly Hall in orderly fashion.

When everyone else had left, the hall doors closed gently, shutting the outside clamor away.

Inside remained only the Three Origins Sect's nine Golden Core cultivators and Chen Yu—

or rather, now the Three Origins Sect's ten Golden Core cultivators.

Gu Songyue turned to Chen Yu: "Junior Brother, you seemed to have more to say just now."

Chen Yu did not deny it and nodded frankly: "Earlier, with so many eyes present, certain matters were not convenient to speak plainly."

"I mentioned my fourth Dao is very unusual. If described further, it would resemble a small Celestial Dao in form."

Feng Qingyun nodded; he had felt it most keenly. That sensation of the world seeming to be opposed to him confirmed Chen Yu's statement.

If the world itself aided him, was that not akin to the Great Dao?

Chen Yu looked to Wu Shouzhuo: "If it is a small Celestial Dao, that means it might have the capacity to encompass other Dao."

"Perhaps I can help you, Senior Brother, before your lifespan runs out, to touch the threshold of ascent."

Wu Shouzhuo's eyes flashed with a bright light. In a hoarse voice he said, "Junior Brother, are you referring to...?"