HomePull StringsChapter 708: Scattering Ashes is a Rather Ceremonious Affair

Chapter 708: Scattering Ashes is a Rather Ceremonious Affair

A layer of blood-red mist shrouded the sky.

In the small area of the Ten Ultimates Formation’s ruins, the ground had melted into a bronze mirror, the Heavenly Dao’s power that protected the earth temporarily withdrawn.

The Bodhi Tree was left with only a bare trunk, and the Seven Treasures Wonderful Tree based upon it was directly destroyed, leaving only remnant spiritual power.

On the trunk, the God-Slaying Spear’s shaft was somewhat bent, its tip piercing through a piece of decayed flesh. Sanskrit’s corpse was quite horrifying at this moment, causing revulsion at first glance.

A revulsion that came from the very core of living beings.

Li Changshou frowned as he stepped forward, the flames on his forehead receding, his legs suddenly giving way as he collapsed to the ground.

Zhao Gongming, who had been standing at the treetop, quickly jumped down and ran a few steps toward Li Changshou, only to stagger and fall weakly as well.

Then the two looked at each other, one sitting and one prone, and burst into uproarious laughter.

What an exhilarating laugh!

What a heroic laugh!

It seemed only this laughter echoed throughout Heaven and Earth.

Most of the Enlightenment Teaching’s side looked ashen, after all, their opponent…

Had slain a Sacred One.

On the Severing Sect’s side, many female immortals had tears in their eyes, while some male immortals brandished their fists wildly, each filled with boundless heroic spirit, yet not knowing how to disperse it!

High in the sky, Lord Primordial’s body trembled violently with Dao rhythms, but his eyes seemed to have lost focus as he stared at the withered tree on the ground.

But at this moment, the bewilderment on his face was even heavier, and he showed no expression of grief.

He was just bewildered that a Sacred One could die…

The ancient myth of the Six Sacred Ones’ immortality and indestructibility was, from today, a thing of the past.

The foundational cornerstone of Heavenly Dao’s Six Sacred Ones had been officially replaced by Heavenly Dao’s Heavenly Court!

They were nothing more than ‘powerful beings’ with stronger magical power, having lost that most mysterious, lofty veil.

A flash of light appeared in the sky, and Primordial Heavenly Honored One appeared above the Enlightenment Teaching immortals, his expression normal as he gazed at Sanskrit’s corpse.

Ancestor Master of Enlightenment appeared above the Severing Sect immortals, unable to hold back his head-thrown-back laughter as he put away the Azure Bamboo Sword and the Four Demon-Slaying Swords, his form swaying in the air.

Sacred One Taiqing frowned at Third Junior Brother, and Ancestor Master of Enlightenment’s laughter came to an abrupt halt. He immediately stood straight, lowered his head to make a Daoist salute to Sacred One Taiqing, and said:

“Great Senior Brother.”

Sacred One Taiqing slowly nodded and said softly: “Mind yourself.”

“Ah, alright,” Ancestor Master of Enlightenment agreed with a smile, then wore the Azure Bamboo Sword at his waist and folded his arms as he looked at Sanskrit’s corpse.

The Twenty-Four All Heavens had now transformed into twenty-four stellar shadows, waiting for Zhao Gongming to send them to the Heavenly Court.

Li Changshou and Zhao Gongming laughed for a while before the Bodhi Tree’s remains. Li Changshou recovered first, raising his hand to pop in two Nine Transformations Golden Pills, then pulled Zhao Gongming to his feet.

Li Changshou looked up at Lord Primordial in the sky and asked: “Big brother, got any strength left?”

“Yes!”

Zhao Gongming’s spirit surged as he gritted his teeth while looking at Lord Primordial. “Let’s get him!”

“About that,” Li Changshou transmitted, “the little God-Slaying Spear is half-destroyed, and even if I burn my Primordial Spirit, I’d still fall short of balancing with him, we probably…

Can’t break through his defense.”

Zhao Gongming instantly dropped his fierce expression and stared at Lord Primordial with hatred, transmitting: “Then what do we do? You just said confidently that you’d kill two Sacred Ones.”

“Well, it could be interpreted as the Western Teaching’s Second Sacred One.”

Li Changshou transmitted softly: “No rush, let’s frighten him first. Sanskrit’s death shouldn’t be wasted—we should maximize the intimidation effect.”

As he spoke, Li Changshou flicked a green light from his sleeve, which transformed into a large green-furred dog.

Truth Listener.

Earlier when he discovered Golden Spirit had entered the catastrophe and rushed to come, he was blocked by several gray-robed old Daoists, delaying his journey, so he had kept Truth Listener in his sleeve and brought him here.

This was perfect—he could also give Truth Listener an emotionally stirring lecture about keeping quiet when he shouldn’t speak.

Truth Listener, feeling the dispersing Sacred One Dao rhythms around him, was truly dazed for a moment.

He hadn’t felt anything in Li Changshou’s sleeve earlier, just some bumping around, but how did he get thrown out to find himself under the gaze of many eyes?

The tree beside him… the Innate Spirit Root Bodhi Tree!

The person on the tree.

Truth Listener’s legs went weak, and he collapsed directly to the ground, his expression incredibly rich.

Although the Sixth Sacred One had always been criticized as the weakest Sacred One and had previously been beaten twice by Sacred One Taiqing, how could he just be directly killed like this?

What had happened to Heaven and Earth?

By the looks of it, it was ‘Submit or Lie Down’ Zhao Gongming and Star-Lord working together to kill him.

What was this about?

Star-Lord failed to fish out Maitreya, so he turned around and slaughtered Maitreya’s master to vent his dissatisfaction at Maitreya not showing up.

Master above, who could handle this?

Then Truth Listener saw Li Changshou and Zhao Gongming, two blood-covered figures, changing clothes while walking to the Sacred One’s corpse, these two Sacred One slayers still muttering…

Zhao Gongming asked: “This Sacred One’s corpse, can we refine anything good from it?”

“It’s about the same as a Quasi-Sacred One’s corpse,” Li Changshou said, “His Dao has returned to the sea of Dao principles, his Dao rhythms are gone, and his Primordial Spirit was dried up by the power of the Twenty-Four All Heavens.

Sacred One blood is a good thing, but he feels too mottled, probably not very useful for pill refining.”

Then, both men looked up at Lord Primordial in tacit agreement.

High in the sky, Lord Primordial was restrained by Sacred One Taiqing’s One Qi Transforms Three Pure One’s incarnations, and at this moment he didn’t struggle, but rather closed his eyes.

He seemed quite confident and wasn’t panicking.

At most, he just trembled a few times.

Zhao Gongming pondered: “Sacred Ones… don’t have storage treasures?”

Truth Listener almost went crazy.

Wasn’t this focus a bit off?

“They probably do,” Li Changshou raised his hand and shot out two immortal force streams, instantly splitting the Sacred One’s corpse in half, and several ruined treasures slid out, all things that could no longer be used.

Li Changshou’s face showed regret, but Zhao Gongming’s eyes lit up as he wrapped these treasures in immortal force, turned around and called out:

“Sacred One treasure fragments, Sanskrit Sacred One commemorative edition! Any fellow disciples want to collect them?”

The Severing Sect immortals responded with a roar, and if they weren’t blocked outside, they would have probably rushed up to fight over them.

Zhao Gongming smiled calmly: “Highest bidder takes all!”

The Severing Sect immortals became even more excited.

Li Changshou: …

Perhaps, this was why he was the Wealth God, the Wealth God.

The two squatted beside the corpse and rummaged around for a while, quickly finding there wasn’t anything particularly valuable, at most just some materials for refining instruments.

“How should we dispose of the corpse?”

“Burn it, of course. What, you want to keep it to study how Sacred Ones undergo corpse transformation?”

Li Changshou smiled, then began a rather… ‘traditional’ operation.

Only to see paper figures fly out from his sleeve, these paper figures tumbling as they fell to the ground, quickly transforming into old Daoists and old women.

Six old Daoists sat cross-legged beside the Sacred One’s corpse, beginning to chant scriptures—the Daoist ‘Scripture of Salvation,’ the Daoist ‘Soul-Sending Scripture,’ the Western Teaching’s ‘Rebirth Mantra,’ and so on.

The scene suddenly became lively.

Another four paper figures with middle-aged faces stood at the four cardinal positions around the Sacred One’s corpse, synchronously raising four suonas of different tones, their cheeks puffing out as they played a cheerful and high-spirited tune.

More paper figures transformed into several old women and young women, crying and wailing nearby, burning paper money in fire basins.

Li Changshou summoned a flame in his palm.

This fire was completely ash-gray, and as soon as it appeared, it burned the space-time slightly distorted, a feeling of ice-cold spreading in the hearts of all beings present.

Li Changshou raised his hand and gently pushed, the flames attaching to the already ruined corpse, which quickly shriveled, but something inside seemed to be supporting it, and after burning for a while, it still couldn’t be completely burned clean.

Just as Zhao Gongming was about to speak about borrowing his master’s Four Demon-Slaying Swords, Li Changshou’s right hand gently flicked, his fingertips blooming with five different true flames that fell onto the remains.

After a moment, the Sacred One’s corpse became a layer of scorched black on the ground, along with two bowl-sized golden spheres.

Li Changshou hummed softly, called over the bent little God-Slaying Spear, and directly smashed down on the spheres. These burn-resistant spheres didn’t take much effort to be smashed and pulverized into powder.

Finally, when the Sacred One’s corpse was reduced to a pile of black and gray mixed dust, Li Changshou brought out several dozen Soul-Capturing Zhenzhus, waved them around nearby, and only then completed the final step.

Raising his hand, his sleeve generated a gentle breeze, and the ashes rose with the wind, slowly dispersing under the bare Bodhi Tree.

Ah, how satisfying.

Li Changshou closed his eyes, feeling the sublimation that his entire being experienced at this moment.

He had waited for this ash-scattering for far too long.

The Primordial World desperately needed this Sacred One’s ashes to fill some of the living beings’ hatred!

By the way, the Great Catastrophe’s power had decreased by a quarter.

If they could kill three Sacred Ones, they wouldn’t even need the Canonization Catastrophe—the power of living beings would steadily drop below the ‘freezing point.’

Unfortunately, they couldn’t kill more, and there were none left to kill.

The Heavenly Court and Heavenly Dao had gained the Twenty-Four All Heavens’ reinforcement, and later when the Nine Heavens were merged into Thirty-Three Heavens, it could offset part of the Great Catastrophe’s power.

Thus, the Enlightenment and Severing Teachings no longer needed one side to be destroyed—destroying half would be about enough to fill the Great Catastrophe.

Where had Sanskrit’s Primordial Purple Qi gone?

Li Changshou hadn’t deliberately searched for it, having carefully observed during the moment when the Twenty-Four All Heavens struck Sanskrit dead.

That Primordial Purple Qi had already been melted into a Sacred One’s Dao fruit by great merit, and for Sacred Ones like Sanskrit who relied heavily on merit to achieve sanctity, the Primordial Purple Qi was already completely inseparable, evaporating and perishing along with Sanskrit.

“Truth Listener,” Li Changshou said, “help sense if there are any living being fluctuations in this Bodhi Tree.”

Truth Listener hurriedly nodded, then immediately shook his head, not daring to speak, only dazedly following Star Lord’s orders passively, the entire beast completely bewildered.

Li Changshou said gently:

“Go back and tell your master that it’s not that I don’t respect him, but I killed his grand-uncle because his grand-uncle went too far.

We of the Human Teaching practice tranquil non-action, and if we weren’t pushed to our limits, we wouldn’t like to engage in magical combat. As a civil official of the Heavenly Court, I don’t enjoy fighting and killing.

I hope your master and I can still drink tea together and discuss the Dao, remaining close friends.”

Truth Listener almost cried hearing this.

You’ve directly killed a Western Teaching Sacred One, so stop messing with his master’s relationship with the Western Teaching!

Following this, Li Changshou threw balls of true fire at the Bodhi Tree’s remains, then summoned a cloud and took Zhao Gongming up into the sky.

Lord Primordial’s face was ashen as he opened his eyes, his gaze incredibly complex as he stared at Li Changshou.

Beside him, Ancestor Master of Enlightenment suddenly spoke, this Sacred One lord’s voice ringing out:

“Sanskrit lost virtue, harmed living beings, and has now been executed, killed by my Great Senior Brother’s disciple Chang’an and my disciple Gongming. Friend Primordial, is there any discontent in your heart?”

Lord Primordial looked at Ancestor Master of Enlightenment, gave a bitter laugh, and sighed:

“The Primordial World now has infinite years, but we end up spinning cocoons to bind ourselves.

My junior brother was slain by those beneath Sacred status, his methods inferior and his Dao insufficient for sanctity—there is nothing to be said.”

Ancestor Master of Enlightenment said: “If so, why not make a promise before us three brothers never to seek revenge for this matter?”

Lord Primordial was silent, then said:

“If this poor Daoist seeks revenge for today’s matter, may the Three Pure Ones friends destroy me.”

Sacred One Taiqing looked at Li Changshou and said slowly: “Kill…”

Li Changshou’s heart tightened, not expecting his teacher’s killing intent to be even stronger than his own.

Although killing Lord Primordial now would make the Heavenly Dao the biggest winner and seriously affect the trajectory of his subsequent grand plans, as a disciple he couldn’t disobey his teacher’s command.

It seemed he would have to reveal one or two of his final dozen trump cards!

“…or not?”

Li Changshou, who was about to step forward, quickly halted, smoothly made a Daoist salute, and said in a clear voice:

“Teacher, Second Uncle Master, Third Uncle Master, and Senior Primordial.

Today your disciple killed Sacred One Sanskrit because Sanskrit indiscriminately killed living beings, showing no regard for the Heavenly Court, no regard for the Heavenly Dao, no regard for the Dao School!

Sanskrit’s loss of virtue is known throughout the Three Realms. Relying on his powerful magical force, he went back on his word countless times, trampled the Sacred Ones’ prestige countless times, and now has made the title of Sacred One a laughingstock before living beings—truly an unforgivable crime!

Although Senior Primordial was often indulgent toward Sacred One Sanskrit, they were both of Sacred One status, and it wasn’t appropriate to interfere with each other—this point your disciple can understand.

As for whether Senior Primordial will seek revenge against your disciple and Brother Gongming for his junior brother’s death…”

Li Changshou paused, looked up at Lord Primordial, and smiled:

“From today, Brother Gongming will complement the Heavenly Court as a high official and won’t participate in the Canonization Catastrophe.

As for myself, I fear nothing.”

“Good.”

Sacred One Taiqing showed a slight smile, his three incarnations casually moving to make Lord Primordial face his withered countenance.

Just one look and Lord Primordial understood Taiqing’s message.

A pure threat.

Lord Primordial closed his eyes without speaking. Sacred One Taiqing withdrew his One Qi Transforms Three Pure One’s divine ability, casually pointed at Li Changshou, and a jade talisman condensed in Li Changshou’s palm while an insight surged in his spiritual platform.

[Divine Ability: One Qi Transforms Three Pure Ones.]

The installation-free version!

Such overt transmission of methods was also intimidation toward Lord Primordial, maximizing the effect of Li Changshou and Zhao Gongming’s joint Sacred One slaying.

After Sacred One Taiqing withdrew his methods, Lord Primordial gave a low sigh, and his form dispersed into clouds.

On the Enlightenment Teaching’s side, Primordial Heavenly Honored One said to Sacred One Taiqing: “Senior Brother, I’m returning as well.”

Sacred One Taiqing nodded in acknowledgment, and Primordial Heavenly Honored One swept his sleeve, taking all the Enlightenment Teaching disciples except Yang Jian away, his form instantly vanishing without trace.

Streams of light swooped up, rushing toward the Severing Sect’s side.

Li Changshou slightly frowned and exchanged glances with Zhao Gongming, who immediately understood something.

Dong~~

The Chaos Bell flew to Zhao Gongming’s side, and Golden Spirit Sacred Mother’s form flew out from within.

The bell rang again, and a gray ripple slowly spread out, blocking the Severing Sect immortals a hundred zhang away.

Zhao Gongming pulled the still pale-faced Golden Spirit Sacred Mother, passing over streams of spiritual power to her. The husband and wife exchanged glances, then knelt before the Ancestor Master of Enlightenment behind the Severing Sect immortals.

Ancestor of Enlightenment stood with his hands behind his back, looking up at the sky.

Zhao Gongming and Golden Spirit Sacred Mother simultaneously kowtowed three times. Golden Spirit lowered her head silently, her face full of guilt, but Zhao Gongming gave a hearty laugh and said in a clear voice:

“Master! Your disciples and Golden Spirit have passed through the catastrophe!

The child in Golden Spirit’s womb is fine—you’ll be able to hold a grandchild in a few years! We’re going to the Investiture Platform to properly nurture ourselves!”

As he spoke, Zhao Gongming’s eyes reddened, and he knelt again.

“Disciple Zhao Gongming thanks Master for his grace!

Master took disciple in since ancient times, transmitted the Dao and methods, bestowed supreme spirit treasures upon disciple, yet disciple ultimately cannot perform filial duties at your knee, cannot serve at your side hereafter.

You always said you don’t show age, and told us not to keep calling you Master, such domineering words, but today disciple wishes to call out once as Father Master.

Father Master, disciple Zhao Gongming pays respects.

Disciple will go to the Investiture Platform henceforth, unable to look after junior fellow disciples, unable to share Master’s worries.

Disciple…”

Ancestor Master of Enlightenment gave a light laugh and said calmly: “Alright, go on then. Look at Golden Spirit—she’s not as wishy-washy as you, shows some manly qualities.”

But Golden Spirit raised her head to look at Ancestor Master of Enlightenment. This Severing Sect powerhouse who had single-handedly fought half the Twelve Golden Immortals was now crying tears like pear blossoms, choking:

“Disciple… doesn’t know what… what to say…”

Many Severing Sect immortals laughed and cried.

Cloud Void stepped forward and said softly: “Elder Brother, take care on the road ahead.”

“Mm!” Zhao Gongming nodded vigorously and made a Daoist salute to Cloud Void. “Remember to listen to Chang’an completely, don’t cause trouble for Chang’an.

And you two… eh, where’s Fourth Sister?”

Jade Void wiped her eyes and said softly: “Watching the home.”

“Hey! Hahaha!”

Zhao Gongming laughed a couple of times and said gently, “We’ll gather again after the Great Catastrophe, gather again after the Great Catastrophe. To have three sworn sisters is my Zhao Gongming’s fortune in this life!

Of course, to form a Dao partnership with my wife is my Zhao Gongming’s blessing in this life.”

Golden Spirit gave a light reproach, and the Severing Sect immortals burst into laughter.

Even Sacred One Taiqing, who had vanished at some unknown time, squeezed out a slight smile in the Taiqing Temple.

However, Sacred One Taiqing was ultimately extraordinary—his gaze had already turned to the Mystic Capital beyond the heavens.

The first batch of Taiqing Spirit-Nurturing Pills was ready in the Tusita Palace.

Great things were to be expected.

At the Ten Ultimates Formation ruins, Yang Jian stood beside the immortal maiden’s corpse that had already been sealed into the earth and gave a light sigh.

Seeing large numbers of Severing Sect immortals rushing to this place, Yang Jian lowered his head in a Daoist salute but didn’t do anything more before turning to leave.

Thus, half an hour later.

‘It’s my fault… it’s my fault…’

In a corner at the edge of the Investiture Platform, that short-skirted young woman curled up in the shadows hugging her knees, constantly sobbing.

‘I harmed Senior Sister Golden Spirit, I dragged everyone into the catastrophe.’

‘Why didn’t I just die earlier, why…’

“Golden Light, Junior Sister Golden Light?”

A familiar voice sounded from the side, and the young woman’s body trembled slightly. She raised her head to look at the source of the call, her pupils suddenly contracting.

Senior Brother Gongming, Senior Sister Golden Spirit, all the senior brothers…

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I harmed you all, I should have earlier… I’m sorry…”

But Zhao Gongming burst into laughter: “Hahaha, silly girl!

Come here and pinch your elder brother and your senior sister—your elder brother and senior sister are safe and sound, came here alive!

What were you thinking, trying to kill yourself then? Hasn’t misfortune turned to blessing?”

Qin Wan smiled and said: “Little sister, come quickly, our Senior Brother Gongming and Junior Brother Chang’an together just killed Sacred One Sanskrit!”

The Ten Heavenly Lords spoke up one after another:

“What Sacred One, just Daoist Sanskrit!”

“Then we came out ahead!”

“Right? We can count as indirectly contributing to killing a Sacred One, did a bit of emotional groundwork.”

“Worth it, worth it.”

Golden Spirit Sacred Mother had already stepped forward and helped up Golden Light, whose body had been repaired by the Heavenly Dao, gently embracing her and slowly comforting her.

“Senior Sister is fine, came in physical form, and the child is also unharmed.”

“Senior Sister!”

Golden Light could no longer hold back and burst into tears in her embrace.

Zhao Gongming and Qin Wan exchanged glances, each showing slight smiles. Just as Golden Light had mostly cried herself out and Zhao Gongming was about to suggest finding a place to drink tea and chat, Bai Jian came running hurriedly.

“Lord Gongming! Lord Gongming!”

Zhao Gongming stood with his hands behind his back and said with dissatisfaction: “Marshal Bai Jian, stop randomly calling me Lord!

Although I’m now tenth in the Heavenly Dao Sequence, I don’t have an official title yet, right? If you call me like this, people might think I’m throwing my weight around here, and that would look very bad, right?

Ahem, what is it?”

Bai Jian hurriedly said: “The Jade Emperor and Queen Mother have sent ten tables of immortal feasts and a hundred jars of immortal wine, already delivered to the main hall in front.”

“Let’s go!”

Zhao Gongming waved his hand: “Call over those from the Enlightenment Teaching too! We can’t have the Dao School as one family outside, but up in heaven, we’re all brothers serving in the same court!

Today we don’t leave until we’re drunk!”

Corrupting the Heavenly Court’s atmosphere, starting with the Investiture Platform’s preparatory immortals and gods.

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