HomePull StringsChapter 731: The Elder Lord Points a Finger, The Dao Ancestor Entrusts...

Chapter 731: The Elder Lord Points a Finger, The Dao Ancestor Entrusts a Stone Embryo

“Master, Great Ancestral Master has come to help us!”

“What are you shouting about?

The Elder Lord is the Elder Lord, Senior Uncle is the Senior Uncle. Though the Elder Lord is Senior Uncle’s avatar, they are different—your Great Ancestral Master specially announced this long ago.

You should also call him Elder Lord.”

In the earth tunnel, now approaching Virtual Puti’s location, the master and disciple pair stopped once again.

They exchanged glances, and uncertainty flashed in Duobao’s eyes as he gestured for the Fire Spirit Holy Mother to retreat with him.

However, after Duobao and Fire Spirit had only retreated several dozen zhang, the green ox, seemingly moving slowly, suddenly arrived at the forest and walked straight toward their location.

The elderly Dao on the ox’s back slowly opened his eyes. Without a trace of emotion and without even glancing at Virtual Puti, he lightly pointed his finger forward.

“Show yourselves.”

Space-time rippled faintly, like a thin sheet of paper burning away, revealing two figures within.

Duobao: …

Well, that was sudden.

Li Changshou now understood what was about to happen. He stood up from his meditation posture, frowning as he watched the situation, adopting a guarded stance but not speaking first.

“El-Elder Lord,” Duobao forced an ugly smile, “What brings you here?”

The Elder Lord said: “Come back with me. I have an important task to entrust to you.”

Duobao’s Dao body trembled involuntarily. He immediately straightened his back and chuckled at the Elder Lord: “Thank you for your trust, Elder Lord. May I ask what important task?”

Fire Spirit Holy Mother asked from the side: “Elder Lord, are you going to help us avenge our Severing Sect?”

Boom!

A muffled thunder crashed, and Heaven’s Dao’s pressure pervaded the forest.

The Elder Lord frowned at the Fire Spirit Holy Mother and said slowly: “Speak no more. Simply come with me.”

“Elder Lord,” Duobao’s sleeves billowed, directly dispersing the layer of gray clouds gathering in the sky, “This disciple means no disrespect, but you know the current state of the Severing Sect.

In this world, there is no longer any force that can oppose heaven.

This disciple wants to know which side you stand on, and why—why was Senior Uncle sealed by Heaven’s Dao while the Elder Lord remains unscathed.”

The nearby ‘Virtual Puti’ retreated slightly, assuming a stance ready to flee at any moment.

Li Changshou sighed inwardly.

Senior Brother Duobao had ultimately lost his composure, actually forcing the Elder Lord to take a stance here.

How could the Elder Lord freely take a stance?

The Dao Ancestor didn’t dare move against the Elder Lord because he feared Master Taiqing, worried that the master might have some contingency plan.

And the Elder Lord’s purpose in coming here—the Dao Ancestor certainly understood—was to capture Duobao for the subsequent scheme of transforming the barbarian into Buddha.

For the Dao Ancestor, who led the Buddhist sect wasn’t important; what mattered was Buddhist doctrine.

Transforming the barbarian into Buddha would, to some extent, reduce resistance to Buddhist doctrine spreading through the Three Realms and strengthen Buddhist power, so the Dao Ancestor would secretly facilitate this.

However…

Li Changshou could determine that the Dao Ancestor would certainly constrain Senior Brother Duobao, making him a Heaven’s Dao tool person unable to make his own decisions, treated the same as His Majesty the Jade Emperor.

What could he do now?

Nothing could be done—just bear witness.

Sure enough, the Elder Lord explained:

“The struggles of heaven and earth’s beings are not this poor Dao’s concern, and the paths chosen by various Dao friends ultimately have their calculations.

This poor Dao protects Dao teachings’ development, and now there is a matter concerning Dao’s fate that requires borrowing your service.”

Duobao frowned deeply: “May I ask the Elder Lord, what matter?”

The Elder Lord said: “Give you the destiny of sect leader, to establish a new teaching.”

“This?”

Duobao smiled bitterly: “If the Elder Lord wishes to establish a new teaching, a single proclamation would suffice. Why must this disciple go?”

“You have high cultivation.”

The Elder Lord said slowly: “Currently, sages do not appear in heaven and earth. One needs cultivation like yours to preside over a major teaching.”

Cultivation…

Duobao was visibly stunned. He truly hadn’t considered this advantage of his, then smiled bitterly again.

In this world, the powerful had died or fled. He, with merely the background of a treasure-seeking rat, had finally qualified to become a major teaching leader.

But…

“Elder Lord, this disciple ultimately wishes to remain a Severing Sect immortal,” Duobao sighed slowly and made a Dao salute to the Elder Lord. “Please forgive this disciple, but I must disobey the Elder Lord’s command.”

Fire Spirit Holy Mother beside him also made a Dao salute, saying softly: “Elder Lord, many Severing Sect fellow disciples are watching over Master. Please show mercy and spare Master this once.”

The Elder Lord sat silently on the ox’s back for a while, then turned to look toward Li Changshou—that is, ‘Virtual Puti’s’ location.

Li Changshou gave a dry laugh and said: “Greetings, Elder Lord. This poor Dao merely passed by here by chance and will take leave now.”

The Elder Lord nodded slowly without speaking.

Li Changshou’s form transformed into a wisp of green smoke, just about to leave when Duobao raised a palm, pressing down on Li Changshou from afar.

Thunder rumbled continuously as that wisp of green smoke was suppressed by the Great Dao, transforming back into ‘Virtual Puti’s’ form, somewhat falling pathetically in the forest and retreating several steps.

‘Virtual Puti’ stared at Duobao and said coldly: “What is Dao Friend’s meaning?”

“Nothing else, just don’t like the look of you,” Duobao’s sleeve flickered with treasure light. “Dao Friend leaving just like this seems too easy.”

“Oh?” ‘Virtual Puti’ said calmly, “Perhaps you want this poor Dao to beg for mercy, say some words of submission, or leave behind some treasures, as if robbed by bandits on the road?”

“Indeed worthy of having debated with Junior Brother Changgeng,” Duobao smiled. “Truly formidable.

Dao Friend, the Western Teaching, and our Severing Sect have deep grievances. Your master’s betrayal harmed our Severing Sect; today we shall certainly find some reckoning on you!”

“Hmph!”

‘Virtual Puti’ coldly snorted, though inwardly he smiled slightly.

A blood light surged around him as if a blood lotus bloomed beneath his feet.

Duobao shouted lowly, streams of light flew from his sleeve, instantly sealing all directions around ‘Virtual Puti’s’ body, immediately suppressing him.

But ‘Virtual Puti’s’ form strangely flickered, from substantial to virtual, rippling like water, and was instantly riddled with holes by the treasures striking from all directions.

“Hahaha!”

‘Virtual Puti’s’ laughter echoed throughout the forest. “Advance congratulations to Dao Friend Duobao on becoming that great teaching leader. This poor Dao will certainly come present a congratulatory gift another day!”

His true form had already fled to parts unknown.

This was Virtual Puti’s original escape technique, which he had demonstrated many times before Li Changshou in the past, and had ultimately used to escape directly.

Now having possessed Virtual Puti, Li Changshou naturally comprehended this escape technique immediately, and even improved it slightly, allowing escape without damaging one’s vital energy.

However…

The Elder Lord raised his hand and pointed a finger in the direction ‘Virtual Puti’ had fled. Li Changshou’s form had just appeared ten thousand li away when his eyelids began twitching uncontrollably, and a large hole burst open in his chest, blood spraying everywhere.

He gave a muffled groan and hurriedly fled this great world.

This is disastrous!

Everyone comes to look, the Elder Lord is hitting people!

Could this be considered an unwarranted disaster? Being taught a lesson by both Senior Brother Duobao and the Elder Lord.

Never mind, this indirectly proved he hadn’t been exposed, and this injury could be considered a ‘heaven-sent’ self-inflicted wound, raising his trustworthiness in the Dao Ancestor’s eyes by several levels.

Just like Maitreya back then.

Why had Maitreya gained the Dao Ancestor’s recognition at that time? And been arranged various tasks?

Wasn’t it because he had been made an opponent by this anti-heaven vanguard?

Today, he had indeed ‘gained much.’

“Cough, cough cough!”

Li Changshou lowered his head and coughed up blood, his face was dark as he swiftly fled to a great world he had already picked out, concealing himself completely along the way, not daring to reveal even a trace of his aura.

Heaven’s Dao watched this and even provided some benefits while he recovered.

— Several post-celestial spirit herb roots sprouted at his recovery site, and passing spirit beasts and immortal birds crashed dead at his cave dwelling’s entrance, their mouths still holding spirit fruits tens of thousands of years old.

Following heaven’s way brought good fortune.

Li Changshou later learned that Master Duobao had indeed been taken away by the Elder Lord that day.

The Elder Lord must have suppressed Duobao. With the Green Ox’s Golden Vajra Bracelet, Master Duobao could only demonstrate his Dao realm cultivation before the Elder Lord.

But the Elder Lord was, after all, an avatar created by the Taiqing Sage. Though he had severed connections with his original body at this time, his strength remained formidable.

In short, that great world suffered no damage, and Master Duobao was captured by the Elder Lord.

The Elder Lord didn’t make things difficult for the Fire Spirit Holy Mother, allowing her to escape.

Otherwise, such news couldn’t have spread, let alone throughout the Three Realms in such a short time.

Many cultivators didn’t understand why the Elder Lord targeted Duobao, but most took it as the Dao sect abandoning the Severing Sect and fully supporting the Heavenly Court.

And the Elder Lord’s combat prowess received its first direct confirmation.

The true number one expert below the Sage level.

As for which sect was the greatest in heaven and earth, that went without saying.

Why did the Elder Lord capture Duobao?

There were many theories about this. The Severing Sect’s remaining immortals spread the word that it was to have Duobao establish a new Dao sect, increasing the Dao sect’s fortune, which seemed plausible.

Only the Dao Ancestor and Li Changshou knew that the struggle between great sects hadn’t ended, and the world’s structure would soon face turmoil again.

Li Changshou spent over two hundred years recovering.

For over a hundred years, Li Changshou stayed in one great world, outwardly comprehending the Empty Void Dao while recovering, but studying the Three Thousand Great Daos of heaven and earth.

He wasn’t trying to understand and master each one individually—he didn’t have that much time to waste.

Li Changshou only sought to feel them broadly, to better embed himself within these Daos.

For the latter hundred years, he continued wandering and observing the Three Thousand Worlds. Though he only traversed a small area of space, he secretly planted over a thousand Phantom Spirit Nails.

Heaven’s Dao’s surveillance of him had grown quite weak, and his movements showed no clear purpose. Occasionally he would sink into the Empty Void Dao, almost to the point of merging with it.

Li Changshou understood the Dao Ancestor and had experience working for Heaven’s Dao, so he was now quite skilled at this.

During these two hundred-plus years, several major events occurred in the Three Realms.

The biggest among them was certainly four of the Enlightenment Sect’s Twelve Golden Immortals defecting to join the West.

The word “defection” was called out by cultivators watching the drama unfold.

In the Western Teaching’s words, these were disciples they had lent to the Enlightenment Sect, now returning to the Western Teaching.

In the Enlightenment Sect’s words, it was just some disciples who had succeeded in their Dao studies going to manage the Western Teaching—the Enlightenment Sect was like a school for advanced studies, the Western Teaching like a workplace after graduation.

In any case, the previous alliance between the two sects had substantially broken down, though they both maintained appearances on the surface.

The disciples of both sects competed in various ways behind the scenes, though no conflicts had erupted.

After Ju Liusun, Manjusri, Samantabhadra, and Cihang returned to Western Teaching, they were immediately given important responsibilities and enjoyed great prestige.

Li Changshou as Virtual Puti wandered outside and didn’t return to the Western Teaching because of this, displaying an attitude of being intoxicated with the Dao and not coveting sectarian power.

He had no interest in competing for this.

As someone who was going to reorganize the primordial world’s Dao system, he needn’t care about his position within Western Teaching.

But after Manjusri and the others returned to the Western Teaching, they quickly formed a new faction, uniting disciples throughout the Western Teaching around them.

If not for the remaining prestige of the Sage Masters, they might have directly marginalized the Sage sect leader.

The reputation Virtual Puti had just built at Spirit Mountain was quickly swept away.

Li Changshou went with the flow, deliberately revealing his whereabouts as he continued walking the Three Thousand Worlds and comprehending the Dao, showing complete disregard for Western Teaching authority.

Manjusri seized the opportunity to build up Virtual Puti’s reputation, praising his profound Dao realm and noble character, directly elevating Virtual Puti to the level of a primordial world’s high-character great expert.

The technique was quite good.

Li Changshou just smiled at this and continued walking the Three Thousand Worlds, secretly heading to East Victory Divine Continent before the deadline set by the Dao Ancestor.

During these two hundred-plus years, Li Changshou certainly hadn’t devoted himself entirely to the ‘anti-heaven enterprise.’

Life in the Kun Peng Secret Realm had stabilized. Those who couldn’t cultivate wouldn’t lack entertainment, with dozens or hundreds of games from Small Jade Peak to pass the time.

Moreover, experts could spend several years or decades in a daze, and if they occasionally found fragments of Dao principles related to their personal Dao in the Chaos Sea, careful comprehension would bring different understandings.

Though breakthroughs were rare now.

This was the source of the Dao Ancestor’s current composure.

Driving Li Changshou out of the primordial world not only removed its variables as Heaven’s Dao became complete and the Dao merged with Heaven and Earth, but it also cut off Li Changshou’s opportunities to further advance his Dao realm.

The Chaos Sea’s Dao was disordered. Even if one could solve the problem of converting chaos energy to spirit energy, one couldn’t piece together complete Daos for cultivators to practice.

Let alone perfect Daos.

In the Dao Ancestor’s eyes, Li Changshou and the remaining Severing Sect immortals were still an anti-heaven force that couldn’t be underestimated.

But that was all.

However, what the Dao Ancestor hadn’t anticipated, what the Sages hadn’t imagined, what even the Elder Lord hadn’t recognized when he saw it… was that Li Changshou had already returned to the primordial world and secretly buried many dark thunder mines.

To be fair, this move of advancing by retreating, exploiting Heaven’s Dao’s loopholes, and creating backdoors in Heaven’s Dao, was truly the height of ‘craftiness.’

Without a dark enough Dao heart, one couldn’t even conceive of this level.

During these two hundred years, Li Changshou’s feelings for his E and Yun had also deepened, and their behavior was now quite intimate.

Ahem, now the appointed time with the Dao Ancestor had arrived. Li Changshou, riding his ‘collector’s edition second spirit—Virtual Puti,’ appeared on Mount Huaguo by the East Sea.

Worth mentioning is that after the Investiture of the Gods tribulation, demon race forces showed signs of rising again.

The demon race was just like this—gathering myriad spirits with deep foundations. Even now there remained a group of ancient demons who hadn’t died out, no wonder the Dao Ancestor wanted to suppress them early.

Mount Huaguo wasn’t just a single peak but referred to a range of connected mountains.

This was still a gathering place for the demon race, and the most famous demon race gathering place in East Victory Divine Continent, known as one of the Three Realms’ Seven Great Demon Race Holy Lands.

And one unremarkable cliff on Mount Huaguo was perpetually shrouded in mist, with natural formations, where thunder could often be heard howling.

‘Virtual Puti’ quietly appeared here, looked into the mist a few times, and frowned as he walked through the formations.

“You’ve come.”

A voice suddenly came from behind, only a few chis away; Li Changshou’s whole body tensed, almost attacking directly.

“This poor Dao… This disciple dares not defy Heaven’s Dao’s command.”

“Mm, very good,” a grey-robed elderly Dao walked out from behind Li Changshou, nodded to him, and said: “Follow this poor Dao.”

“Yes.”

Li Changshou responded and followed behind this elderly Dao, walking to the deepest part of the mist.

Here, that familiar stone was shining with seven-colored divine light, emanating strands of spiritual Dao rhythm, as if a spirit was quietly gestating within as if a fetal spirit had wandered into the spirit stone.

The Heaven-Mending Spirit Stone.

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here

Latest Chapters