Qingxuan Daoist's expression was astonished as he said, "I never imagined that a few ants from my clan could attract the attention of a supreme being, who would personally guard them."
The old man was surrounded by a faint, nine-colored mystic light. He smiled kindly and said, "Does Daoist Qingxuan wish to bully the young and old?"
Qingxuan Daoist couldn't help but laugh. "Senior, you jest. Not to mention myself, even if the true self and I joined forces, we would still be no match for you."
The old man's smile remained gentle as he said, "Then I can only ask Daoist to leave."
Qingxuan Daoist glanced at the swarm of snakes, then turned and said with a smile, "Since Senior is seeing me out, I shall naturally leave."
However, at this moment, the ten thousand snakes on Chongwang Mountain all prostrated themselves on the ground, their faces contorted, letting out miserable cries. Blood essence boiled within them, as if their bodies were about to burst.
"How dare you!" the old man roared. With one hand, he reached towards the sky, and myriad colorful lights shot forth, interwoven with nine colors, forming a celestial canopy that covered Qingxuan Daoist.
Simultaneously, he tossed his left hand, and a colorful pearl descended, emitting mystic light to pacify the snake people.
Qingxuan Daoist chuckled. The Derivative Pagoda appeared in his hand, its four chains evolving into various laws. Beneath this colorful celestial canopy, he constructed another small sky.
The magnificent colorful light impacted the white celestial canopy. The difference between a heavenly mighty being and a supreme being was not a small one.
However, at this moment, the earth suddenly cracked open, and a rolling long river flowed out. The Yellow Springs emerged from the ground,冥气 (ming qi - underworld energy) ascended to the sky, and darkness covered the colors. Though it was only for an instant, it was enough for Qingxuan Daoist to escape into the earth.
The old man shook his head. "Since you have made your move, why are you in such a hurry to leave?"
A colossal, colorful palm plunged into the earth, shaking mountains for billions of miles. The surroundings trembled. The five fingers clenched, holding within the palm a world spanning thousands of miles, imprisoning Qingxuan Daoist.
But the Yellow Springs river water boiled once more, coiling around the giant palm like a colossal yellow python, constricting and corroding its arm.
At the same time, a strand of green silk pierced through, a thread spanning the heavens. The green silk tore through the crystal wall of the giant palm, and Qingxuan Daoist escaped once more.
The old man let out a cold snort, flipped his hand, and slammed down a palm. The giant palm descended, transforming into a colorful mountain, like a celestial mountain carrying auspicious clouds, crashing down.
Qingxuan Daoist raised the Derivative Pagoda with one hand and channeled the wood path with the other, transforming it into a tall pagoda that stood firm, attempting to support the colorful mountain.
At this moment, a green rainbow appeared. Within the rainbow, a green umbrella opened, and thousands of green lotuses spun, supporting the colossal colorful mountain. Simultaneously, the earth closed, transforming mountains into rivers and plains stretching for billions of miles. The power of the Western Desolation was completely mobilized here.
"Boom~"
The colorful mountain range crashed onto the earth, causing the entire Western Desolation to tremble. Countless mountains shifted, and rivers and lakes churned with immense waves.
Yet, the colorful mountain range ultimately did not break through the earth. Qingxuan Daoist took this opportunity to return to the Underworld.
From half of the Primordial World away, Qingling transmitted, "Ancestor Jiuxuan, you are a supreme being after all. Why stoop to the level of someone like me?"
The old man's expression flickered slightly. He sighed, "If you had not made a move before me, how could I have acted? Let this matter rest."
Silence returned to the world.
The old man left Chongwang Mountain with a single step, not even glancing at the snakes lying on the ground.
In the center of the Underworld, Qingxuan Daoist stood beside Qingling, smiling, "I have caused you trouble."
"It is nothing. Although this Ancestor Jiuxuan is a supreme being of the twenty-fifth heaven, affiliated with the Qilin tribe, he has always been cunning and never willing to easily offend great tribes or powerful beings.
Though he seemed to suppress me with a single move, he did not exert his full strength. This shows he does not wish to create enmity with me," Qingling said with a smile. "This is also his plan for the Nine-Colored Deer tribe."
Qingxuan Daoist nodded, puzzled. "Just now, on Chongwang Mountain, since you displayed the Primordial Ancestor's Mark, why didn't you directly annihilate that nest of traitorous primordial spirits?"
Qingling shook his head and sighed. "The Primordial Ancestor's Mark is for protecting the authority of the snake tribe, not a weapon for taking lives. Moreover, leaving them has its uses. In any case, after suffering my Primordial Ancestor's power, they have no possibility of reaching the Great Luo Dao. So, let them remain."
Qingxuan Daoist agreed and then took out the Ten Absolute Heavenly Lanterns. "Then, what about these traitors?"
Qingling Daoist sneered. "Since they were born as snakes and have enjoyed the fortune of my snake tribe, yet dare to slaughter their own kind, feed on their own kind, and are consumed by greed and bloodlust, they deserve retribution.
Go and banish them into the River of Forgetfulness."
Qingxuan Daoist hesitated. "This, the River of Forgetfulness is so fierce, I fear they..."
Qingling, however, laughed. "If they die, they die. Even in death, I will ensure they cannot escape and will suffer eternal torment."
Qingxuan Daoist felt a chill in his heart. His hand trembled, and the Ten Absolute Heavenly Lanterns slipped. Nearly a hundred million snakes enclosed within plummeted into the River of Forgetfulness.
For a time, only earth-shattering screams could be heard. Countless mournful cries and tragic wails echoed through the Underworld, creating a scene that truly resembled the future underworld and its eighteen layers of hell.
However, some snakes withstood the agonizing pain of the River of Forgetfulness water dissolving their bones and burning their souls. They quickly burrowed into the riverbed, seeking an opportunity to escape.
Qingling smiled, his smile cold and indifferent amidst the endless despair and suffering, beautiful and terrifying.
He pointed from afar, the will of the earth path descending upon him. The waters of the River of Forgetfulness connected with the thousands of surviving snakes, eternally imprisoning their souls, eternally binding their bodies, and eternally sinking them into the River of Forgetfulness.
From then on, the River of Forgetfulness flowed with blood-yellow water, and the snakes were everywhere. A腥风 (xing feng - fishy wind) permeated the air. If any living being fell in, the snakes surviving within would vent their endless resentment upon them, piercing their hearts and devouring their souls.
Qingling turned and said, "Go and bring the artifact spirit to see the Stone of Three Lives."
Gu</span> Qingxuan nodded, took out the Derivative Pagoda, and tossed it afar. It flew to the side of the Stone of Three Lives.
The artifact spirit, an old man, appeared, his expression filled with excitement and overwhelming joy. "Good, good, good! It truly is the Stone of Three Lives!"
As his voice fell, he merged back into the ancient pagoda. The pagoda suddenly vibrated, emitting tens of thousands of white mystic chains that touched the Stone of Three Lives.
Mysterious light swirled on the Stone of Three Lives, and the divine light of reincarnation erupted. Ten thousand mystic chains extended into the Stone of Three Lives. Unsurpassed profundities within the Derivative Pagoda created and fashioned life. Innate Dao prohibitions emerged in layers, and innate Great Daos appeared one by one.
Even Qingling looked at the ancient pagoda in astonishment, watching as the over twenty layers of innate Dao prohibitions on the pagoda gave rise to new innate Dao prohibitions.
Twenty-seven layers, twenty-eight layers, twenty-nine layers... thirty-five layers, thirty-six layers!
A top-grade innate spiritual treasure with thirty-six layers! The divine light of a top-grade spiritual treasure illuminated heaven and earth, alarming powerful beings from all directions.
But it was at this moment that a vortex of reincarnation light suddenly appeared on the Stone of Three Lives, swallowing this top-grade spiritual treasure!
The powerful beings from all sides were stunned, their emotions a mix of feelings, unsure of what to say.
Qingling was also expressionless, feeling both helpless and amused, as well as regretful.
This top-grade innate spiritual treasure was swallowed into reincarnation by the Stone of Three Lives, perhaps lost in an unknowable place, perhaps reappearing in the countless years to come, or perhaps appearing in the past.
Having received the power of reincarnation, it entered the Dao of Reincarnation.
However, Qingling was not too disheartened, for his future self was forged from the origin of the Derivative Pagoda. Even if it were to undergo reincarnation, the Derivative Pagoda would eventually encounter Qingxuan Daoist.
Moreover, if he had obtained a top-grade innate spiritual treasure with thirty-six layers of Dao prohibitions today, then even the Earth Path might not have been able to protect him.
Unlike the Azure Jade Umbrella, which appeared at Buzhou Divine Mountain and was veiled by its power, the anomalous phenomenon of the Derivative Pagoda's appearance was not concealed.
A top-grade innate spiritual treasure with nearly perfect thirty-six layers of Dao prohibitions, how attractive would that be?
Qingxuan Daoist was stunned for a moment before reacting. "It's gone?"
Qingling couldn't help but laugh. "It's gone, yet it hasn't completely gone." Da Feng Novel Network
Qingxuan Daoist snapped back to reality, his heart moving away from its sense of loss, and returned to normalcy. "I was too fixated."
Qingling smiled. "The desire for spiritual treasures, who doesn't have it? Go and assist Supreme Shi Tian with your strength. I see he is only a step away."
Qingxuan Daoist nodded, shook his sleeve, and the Three Thousand Great Evolution Divine Chains broke through the void and plunged beneath the Underworld, connecting with Supreme Shi Tian's Death Path Treasure Wheel. The Death Path and the Underworld Path were pushed and evolved, and under the balance of derivative laws, they merged as one!
"Buzz~"
The first strand of yin qi was born in heaven and earth, originating from the Underworld, born in a place where neither sun nor moon were visible. It was the yin qi of the Earth Path, or perhaps it could be called ghost qi!
Supreme Shi Tian laughed heartily. The wheel of the Death Path spun faster, and strands of yin qi were born, filling the Underworld.
He roared to the sky. The wheel of the Death Path behind him descended, transforming into an ancient city. Its four sides formed walls, enclosing an area as a city.
The wheel of the Death Path settled in the center of the Underworld, and endless yin qi emanated from within the city, drifting towards the entire Netherworld!
Many souls became stained with yin qi. Like cultivators absorbing spiritual energy, they transformed into power, known as ghost cultivators!
Supreme Shi Tian proclaimed to heaven and earth, "Today, I, Shi Tian, have established a city in the Netherworld, named Fengdu. Today, I open a Dao, named the Ghost Path, ranking among the three thousand Great Daos. All those in the world whose physical bodies have perished but whose primordial spirits remain, regardless of race, regardless of innate or acquired status, regardless of their origins, may enter my Ghost Path, cultivate the Great Dao anew, and embark on the path once more.
Throughout heaven and earth, I, Shi Tian, am the Great Emperor of Fengdu, the Ancestor of the Ghost Path, and the Guardian of the Earth Path."
As this proclamation resounded, the Netherworld emitted endless yin qi, spreading to all parts of heaven and earth. Countless wandering souls rejoiced at entering the Ghost Path, drawing yin qi into their bodies, transforming their souls into ghosts, and cultivating the Great Dao anew.
In the Jade Capital Mountain, Hongjun frowned deeply. The premature emergence of the Earth Path was already troublesome. Now, it had taken another step. The Heavenly Path was powerless to destroy the Earth Path!
From then on, countless ghost cultivators in heaven and earth, when the Taiyin moon emerged, rushed towards the Netherworld and entered Fengdu. A hundred ghosts traveled at night, a thousand ghosts formed hordes, ten thousand ghosts surged, and all beings retreated.
Beneath the Underworld, within the city of Fengdu, Supreme Shi Tian stood atop the city, watching the myriad ghosts return. This place was henceforth his dojo, his territory, his home ground.
Within this city of Fengdu, even the Heavenly Path had to defer to him. From now on, he would no longer fear all the Daos in the world!