The White Emperor’s vertical blue pupils scrutinized Xu Qi An for a long while before slowly shaking his head.

“The Dao Venerate perished long ago. Even if he were alive, you couldn’t possibly be him.”

As expected, only topics concerning the Dao Venerate could make this descendant of gods and demons take notice and effectively buy time… Xu Qi An showed no embarrassment at being exposed and smiled, “You’re too confident, White Emperor!

“The schemes of a Super-rank expert are beyond your imagination. The corresponding game was set in motion when I drove you all from the Nine Provinces Continent back then.”

The White Emperor fell silent for a moment before sighing, “You even know about that. If I weren’t certain you weren’t Him, I might have been deceived.”

Suddenly, from the rolling ink-black clouds, a bowl-thick lightning bolt struck down, zigzagging toward Luo Yu Heng.

The Golden Core Tribulation had begun.

A brilliant golden pill shot up from above Luo Yu Heng’s head, its radiant light illuminating in all directions. This immortal golden core actively met the lightning tribulation, enduring its tempering and baptism.

In the western sky, rays of Buddhist light appeared as the Karura Tree Bodhisattva’s figure materialized in the void. He gazed toward the White Emperor from afar and said, “Strike now, don’t let him stall for time.”

Lightning flickered between the White Emperor’s horns.

Xu Qi An called out loudly, “I know far more than you imagine. I know the Super-rank experts plot for the Gatekeeper, and you also covet the Gatekeeper. But you don’t know how far the Dao Venerate progressed.”

The speed at which lightning gathered between the White Emperor’s horns slowed.

He knew Xu Qi An was buying time, creating an opportunity for Luo Yu Heng to pass through the Golden Core Tribulation.

The Dao School’s Heavenly Tribulation was divided into two stages: the Golden Core Tribulation and the Four Symbols Tribulation.

The two stages weren’t continuous. After passing the Golden Core Tribulation, there would be a brief consolidation period for the tribulation transcender to stabilize their “Indestructible Body.”

However, information about the Dao Venerate was truly tempting to the White Emperor. There were many mysteries he had yet to unravel.

Thinking it wouldn’t delay things too long, he might as well listen. If this youngster spoke even one falsehood, he would strike immediately… With these thoughts, he further slowed the condensation of the lightning ball.

He knew many ancient secrets and could easily distinguish whether Xu Qi An was fabricating or truly knew some secrets about the Dao Venerate.

Xu Qi An asked in an examining tone, “Have you heard of the Incense Fire Divine Path?”

“I know a little. It was a cultivation system that appeared after the Age of Gods and Demons ended. However, when the Incense Fire Divine Path was just beginning to sprout, the descendants of gods and demons were already driven from the Nine Provinces by the Dao Venerate.”

Xu Qi An continued, “The Incense Fire Divine Path is a method of cultivation—refining the essence of mountains and rivers into divine seals, then establishing divine temples to concentrate the fortune of incense smoke. This way, cultivators who wielded the corresponding divine seals could achieve ‘invincibility’ within their territory.

“How about it, sounds familiar?”

The White Emperor’s blue eyes lit up as he blurted out, “The术士 (Shu Shi) system!”

He suddenly recalled his conversation with Saren Agu that day, when that Great Witch Doctor had expressed deep confusion and puzzlement about his disciple creating the Shu Shi system.

The truth was now clear!

The Shu Shi system was related to the ancient Incense Fire Divine Path. The First Director had received the inheritance of the Incense Fire Divine Path and used it as a foundation to create the Shu Shi system.

Understanding flashed in the White Emperor’s eyes as he solved one puzzle. He became more proactive and asked, “But what does this have to do with the Dao Venerate?”

As he spoke, another lightning bolt struck down, fiercely hitting the golden core.

The Golden Core Tribulation had eighty-one bolts in total—every bolt delayed was a gain… Xu Qi An’s smile widened as he answered the White Emperor’s question:

“What if I told you the Dao Venerate destroyed the Incense Fire Divine Path?

“What if I told you the Dao Venerate gathered all the divine seals and used himself as material to forge a treasure called the ‘Earth Book’?”

The White Emperor showed shock, his pupils fixed as he remained speechless for a while, digesting the information Xu Qi An had provided.

After a long time, the White Emperor seemed to mutter to himself, yet also as if inquiring, “The Incense Fire Divine Path was related to the Gatekeeper. The Dao Venerate saw through this secret, so he destroyed the Incense Fire Divine Path and claimed the divine seals for himself.

“The Dao Venerate wasn’t wrong—he was right. Because countless years later, in the present, the Rank One of the Shu Shi system, the current Director, is indeed the Gatekeeper.

“But why did the Dao Venerate fail?”

If the Dao Venerate had succeeded back then, none of these later events would have occurred, and the Shu Shi system would never have appeared.

Additionally, the White Emperor solved another puzzle from Xu Qi An’s words: why the current Director was the Gatekeeper.

The Shu Shi system hadn’t appeared without reason, and the current Director became the Gatekeeper—all of these could be traced to their source.

“I can tell you the reason, but what will you exchange for it?” Xu Qi An smiled.

“My listening to you is the greatest reward you could receive,” the White Emperor said coolly.

These words sounded arrogant and overbearing, like a strong one pitying the weak, dispensing time as charity.

Xu Qi An immediately moved past this topic and again asked in an examining tone, “We’ve finished discussing the Earth Sect avatar, now let’s talk about the Heaven Sect. Do you know why the Heaven Sect avatar mysteriously disappeared?”

In speaking these things with the White Emperor, besides buying time for Luo Yu Heng to pass the tribulation, Xu Qi An also wanted to extract some information from the White Emperor.

This descendant of gods and demons, who had lived from ancient times until now, surely knew many secrets. He wouldn’t tell others freely, especially enemies, but what if this enemy also knew many ancient secrets, with a “knowledge” reserve at the same level?

Then the White Emperor would discuss secrets in the manner of an exchange.

Xu Qi An had openly spoken of the relationship between the Incense Fire Divine Path and the Shu Shi system, and the Dao Venerate’s avatar forging the Earth Book, precisely to create such an image for himself.

The White Emperor’s gaze was cold, his tone emotionless as he said, “No need for you to say more. I’ve long known of this matter. That Heaven Sect avatar has already merged with the Heavenly Dao.

“The Heaven Sect’s successive Dao Leaders would mysteriously disappear because they cultivated ‘Unity of Heaven and Man.’ As the name suggests, when cultivation reaches the peak realm, the boundary between person and heaven becomes infinitely blurred—the person is heaven, and heaven is the person.

“Yet a person is forever a person, impossible to become heaven, so the only outcome is to merge into the Heavenly Dao, becoming part of its rules.”

Damn, so that’s how it was… This hidden truth hit Xu Qi An with extreme impact, solving a long-standing confusion.

So the Heaven Sect’s “Unity of Heaven and Man” wasn’t just talk—it was literal unity with Heaven. This was the truth behind the mysterious disappearance of successive Heaven Venerates.

Then the Dao Venerate’s Heaven Sect avatar had already become part of the rules, equivalent to having “perished.”

I seem to understand why the Heaven and Human Sects had a “Heaven-Human Dispute.” If the Heaven Venerate didn’t debate the Dao with the Human Sect leader, they would mysteriously disappear. From this, we can deduce that debating would prevent disappearance.

The core was to leave an obsession in the Heaven Venerate’s heart—an obsession with winning and losing, to resist being assimilated by the rules.

Because “Heaven” has no emotions, having a competitive spirit and obsession means having emotions.

How tragic, pursuing unity with heaven while having to lean toward “human,” or else be assimilated by the Heavenly Dao. The Three Sects of the Dao School were indeed a trap… Xu Qi An silently lamented.

Moreover, if it was just about competitive spirit, it didn’t necessarily have to be the Human Sect leader. The competitive spirit might be just one aspect; another might be that the “Heaven, Earth, and Human” Three Sects were originally one, sharing a mysterious connection, so only the Human Sect leader could help the Heaven Venerate stabilize their mindset.

“Boom!”

The world turned white as another arm-thick lightning pillar descended, striking the golden core above Luo Yu Heng’s head.

The lightning tribulation was intensifying.

This was the fourth lightning bolt, and Luo Yu Heng had passed through without danger—four bolts gained for free.

Meanwhile, the Karura Tree Bodhisattva gave Xu Qi An no more chance to stall for time, manifesting the “Immovable Wisdom King Dharma Image” and “Vajra Dharma Image” above his head.

The former clasped hands and lowered his gaze, containing his divine radiance without displaying supernatural phenomena.

The latter was offensive, flaunting twelve pairs of arms, concentrating power to attempt a long-range attack on Luo Yu Heng.

Karura hadn’t rashly entered the tribulation area. Although he was already Rank One and didn’t fear the heavenly tribulation, not fearing didn’t mean he could ignore it.

The heavenly tribulation was like a powerful enemy—there was no need to provoke it.

At this moment, three figures materialized before Karura. The leader was completely black, like a charcoal figure, with a blazing ring of fire burning behind his head.

His height wasn’t shorter than Karura’s, and he similarly had a muscular warrior’s build.

To the left was a Daoist priest with white hair and a ruddy complexion, his sleeves floating, embodying immortal elegance.

To the right was a scholar in Confucian robes, also white-haired, wearing a Confucian cap and holding an ancient carving knife.

The Vajra Dharma Image represented ultimate strength and killing power, being the strongest offensive method in Buddhism after the Mahavairocana Dharma Image.

Usually, even a peak Rank Two Asura would be somewhat suppressed when facing such a terrifying Dharma Image.

Therefore, he had preemptively activated his Asura bloodline. The Asura race was warlike—the stronger the enemy, the higher their fighting spirit, naturally fearless.

A Su Luo reached behind his head with his left hand, grabbing the fire ring in his palm.

His right hand followed, reaching behind to grab the brilliant light wheel.

Thus his left hand blazed with intense flames, while his right hand shone with dazzling light.

He let out a deep growl, suddenly flexing both arms. The flames and brilliant light surged along his arms, converging at his chest.

Using the Asura race’s battle body as a foundation, he bore the power of the Vajra Divine Skill and the Killer Achievement.

This was the strongest power A Su Luo could currently unleash.

Like a lone hero, he met Karura, Buddhism’s strongest warrior.

They collided with a “boom,” four palms pressing against each other, waists bent low as if wrestling.

The released energy turned into a hurricane, sweeping in all directions.

“You don’t know your limits!”

Karura’s expression was serious as he spoke softly.

His arm muscles bulged as he gradually bent A Su Luo’s hands back.

Behind him, the Vajra Dharma Image’s twelve pairs of arms slowly closed in, like the opening fangs of a Venus flytrap, about to devour A Su Luo.

Veins bulged one by one on his temples as A Su Luo heard his finger bones breaking, his peripheral vision catching the Dharma Image’s arms closing in from all sides.

Whether in strength or energy, Karura far surpassed him.

But it didn’t matter—he still had two helpers.

Zhao Shou lightly flicked his Confucian cap and said in a deep voice, “One man guards the pass, ten thousand cannot break through!”

A clear light shot out, merging into A Su Luo’s body.

In an instant, his confidence surged, and his fighting spirit soared. He firmly believed he could fight undefeated, single-handedly holding off the world’s enemies.

This wasn’t an illusion—his energy, stamina, and strength had all received an unbelievable boost.

His bent hands gradually regained the advantage, and the twelve pairs of Dharma Image arms slowly closing around him seemed to jam, struggling to close.

Karura coldly snorted, the fire ring behind his head “booming” as it exploded, shooting up roaring flames.

The Vajra Dharma Image’s momentum surged.

Puff!

A Su Luo’s arms were forcibly torn off.

The twelve pairs of arms suddenly closed in, twelve forces about to crash down on A Su Luo.

Nearby, Golden Lotus Daoist, who had been muttering incantations, opened his eyes. His pupils reflected Karura’s image as seven-colored brilliant light flashed in their depths.

“Boom!”

A water-lightning ball violently crashed into the Vajra Dharma Image, creating large spreads of electric arcs and dispersing golden light.

The Vajra Dharma Image suddenly jerked backward, causing Karura to stumble back uncontrollably.

The water-lightning ball had been released by the White Emperor, but the target was Xu Qi An.

Xu Qi An had dodged sideways, and Karura happened to be behind him, so Karura suffered unwarranted disaster.

This looked like a coincidence.

It was indeed a coincidence, but one that was man-made.

Golden Lotus Daoist had weakened Karura’s fortune, causing him to fall into temporary bad luck.