Chapter 902

Jing Xizhen's tone turned cold: "Ling Zhu, don't worry about Zhiyan for now. If you're interested in my matter, I can tell you slowly later."

"Right now, I must uphold justice for my disciple Qingsha—does having greater cultivation mean you can do as you please?"

"Jing Brother, your disciple? If I'm not mistaken, you left the Great Universe long ago. Yet Qingsha came to the Great Universe afterward." Ling Zhuzhen's tone also carried irritation.

You, Jing Xizhen, are a Dao Ancestor—so am I, Ling Zhuzhen.

And when the Tianmeng Clan attacked the human race, I, Ling Zhuzhen, at least lent my strength—what about you, Jing Xizhen?

My contributions to the Great Universe are no less than yours—only greater.

You're strutting about now only because my cultivation hasn't recovered, while yours remains unharmed.

Jing Xizhen glanced at Ling Zhuzhen: "When I left the Great Universe, I left behind my legacy. Qingsha has affinity with me and received my legacy—does that make her my disciple or not?"

Ling Zhuzhen fell silent—this indeed qualified as Jing Xizhen's disciple.

No wonder this woman ascended to the Seventh Step of the Dao so quickly.

Never mind whether her Seventh Step is real or not—ascending to it here means her Dao legacy is extraordinary.

Receiving Jing Xizhen's legacy isn't surprising then.

"Qingsha, speak." Jing Xizhen looked toward Qingsha.

Qingsha's eyes reddened, her voice tinged with sorrow: "I, Zi He, Feng Yu, and other Dao Ancestors established the Ten Thousand Dao City to resist the Tianmeng Clan's invasion of our human race."

When Tianmeng Clan elites invaded the Ten Thousand Dao Mountains, human cultivators suffered heavy casualties; we several Dao Ancestors, filled with grief and rage, entered the Ten Thousand Dao Mountains to resist the Tianmeng Clan."

Here, Qingsha's tone sank: "During the battle against the Tianmeng Clan elites, Dao Ancestor Feng Pu and Dao Ancestor Yi Qi were severely injured; I and Zi He and others could only protect them as we retreated to the Ten Thousand Dao City."

At this point, Qingsha's tone fell: "When we were fighting against the powerful cultivators of the Tianmeng Clan, Dao Ancestor Fengpu and Dao Ancestor Yiqi were severely injured. Dao Ancestor Zihe, Dao Ancestor Jie, and I could only protect them as we retreated to Wando City."

Their injuries were indeed true—but the second half, that Qingsha and Zi He protected them? Ha ha ha.

Those two wished the Tianmeng Clan would kill them as soon as possible—how could they have protected them? To say such a thing was shameless.

"Fortunately, the Tianmeng Clan didn't immediately attack the Ten Thousand Dao City; we recuperated within it. I feared the Tianmeng Clan elites might infiltrate the city through the Ten Thousand Dao Mountains."

"So I entered the Ten Thousand Dao Mountains alone again. I was lucky—I discovered a supreme Dao vein…"

At the mention of a supreme Dao vein, even Ling Zhuzhen's eyes lit up.

Feng Pu and others were stunned, staring at Qingsha.

This didn't make sense.

When Ding Huan killed Qingsha the Dao Ancestor, Ding Huan tore open her world right before everyone's eyes—they found no supreme Dao vein inside her world.

Qingsha sighed: "I didn't expect someone to witness me extracting the Dao vein. He hadn't yet succeeded in his advancement, so he held back and didn't move."

"Was the one who saw you extract the supreme Dao vein Ding Huan, the Dao Lord of the Great Universe Dao Court?" Jing Xizhen asked.

Qingsha nodded: "It was him. But his concealment technique was extremely strong—I sensed nothing at all."

I didn't leave the Ten Thousand Dao Mountains immediately—I continued searching for hidden Tianmeng Clan cultivators."

"I never expected to meet Ding Huan again—he was then stripping the Dao root of a woman named Yan Jiuyue, Yan Zhuo's adopted daughter."

Yan Zhuo's eyes widened—he had no idea Ding Huan had stripped his daughter Yan Jiuyue's Dao root.

"Explain clearly," Jing Xizhen said, his tone flat.

Frankly, he didn't care what Ding Huan had done.

Ding Huan was the Dao Lord of the Great Universe Dao Court; to kill him, Jing Xizhen needed a convincing reason.

Otherwise, how could he seize control of the Great Universe and become the new Dao Lord to carry out his next plan?

"Yan Jiuyue has a mutated pure water Dao root—perfect for cultivating water-based divine arts. I suspect Ding Huan wanted to cultivate water-based divine arts, hence needing her Dao root."

"I immediately stopped him. Such a scoundrel deserved death. But his escape technique was strong—I couldn't intercept him—he got away."

"Is Yan Jiuyue present?" Jing Xizhen asked immediately to confirm the matter.

Yan Zhuo quickly sent a message; soon, Yan Jiuyue appeared in the grand hall.

Yan Jiuyue saw Qingsha reappear—and seated beside the Dao Lord's seat.

Yet the Dao Lord's seat was not occupied by Ding Huan—she turned pale with fear.

What had she missed in all this?

She looked up at Dao Ancestor Qingsha.

Qingsha smiled faintly at her.

But that faint aura of death seeped into the deepest recesses of her soul like a parasitic worm.

She saw again the terrifying scene of Qingsha's soul-searching upon her.

Yan Jiuyue shuddered involuntarily—then heard Qingsha's soft voice say:

"Jiuyue, don't worry. My master is a power of the Eighth Step of the Dao. Even if Ding Huan is stronger, as long as my master is here, he won't dare touch you."

"Tell us again how Ding Huan tried to strip your Dao root—don't fear anything."

"Rest assured, I saved you once—I can save you again."

Yan Jiuyue could only speak tremblingly: "Yes, yes—thank you, Dao Ancestor Qingsha, for saving my life. If not for Dao Ancestor Qingsha, my Dao root would have been stripped long ago by Ding Huan."

Yan Zhuo frowned: "Jiuyue, if this happened, why didn't you tell me then?"

"I, I…" Yan Jiuyue couldn't speak.

Yan Zhuo realized—Qingsha's words were lies.

His daughter dared not contradict her.

He sighed, saying nothing more.

After all, even if he pointed it out, it would be meaningless.

From Jing Xizhen's effortless suppression of Ling Zhuzhen, he knew—if the man was displeased, everyone here would die today.

"I thought this matter was over—but after Ding Huan ascended his Dao, he immediately allied with Ling Zhuzhen to ambush me and Zi He…"

I thought this matter had passed, but after Ding Huan advanced to the Grand Dao realm, his first move was to team up with Ling Zhuzhen and ambush me and the Purple River Dao Ancestor...

Bai Bai didn't finish her words—it wasn't needed; everyone already knew.

Jing Xizhen suddenly sensed something and looked up toward the hall's exterior.

"Clap! Clap!"

Following the sound of applause, two young men entered the hall.

When Yan Jiuyue saw Ding Huan enter, her previously restless heart suddenly surged with satisfaction.

You were so powerful, weren't you? Let's see how you fare today.

Although he had never seen Jing Xizhen fight, Jing Xizhen could crush Ling Zhuzhen and sat upon the Dao Lord's seat—his strength was unquestionably top-tier.

When her gaze fell upon Hou Yucheng, she froze.

Immediately, a fire ignited within her: this man is mine—I must have him.

Hou Yucheng was not only as handsome as Ding Huan, but his elegant bearing was utterly beyond Ding Huan's crude nature.

At this moment, Xi Changmei, the man she had once married, had long been cast far beyond the clouds.

She stared at Hou Yucheng, her gaze nearly stretching into threads, as if she wanted to swallow him whole.

Not just Yan Jiuyue—even Bai Bai's eyes brightened; at this moment, she forgot the green-robed man deep within her heart.

Or rather, no one could replace that shadow in her heart better than Hou Yucheng.

"Was it you who killed Bai Bai for your own selfish reasons?" Jing Xizhen's gaze settled on Ding Huan, his powerful domain locking down all vital space around him.

Ding Huan ignored Jing Xizhen and said to Jia Baihe: "Baihe, come to me."

Jia Baihe immediately stood beside Ding Huan.

She had not disputed any of Bai Bai's earlier words—she knew full well they were putting on a show; disputing would be meaningless.

"Ding Daozhu, this man is Jing Xizhen—one of the Ten Great Dao Ancestors of the original universe. His path to Dao is through technological cultivation…"

Ling Zhuzhen immediately informed Ding Huan of Jing Xizhen's background.

Technological cultivation? Ding Huan was deeply astonished—could one truly attain Dao through technology?

He looked at Jing Xizhen but asked Ling Zhuzhen: "Lao Ling, is this guy's cultivation level unchanged?"

Ling Zhuzhen nodded: "It seems so—his current strength is likely the same as when he was a Dao Ancestor of the original universe."

Ding Huan nodded—he was certainly a Fourth Step Sage who had established his own doctrine, yet he was no match for Jing Xizhen.

It wasn't that his Dao was inferior; it was that his realm was far too distant from Jing Xizhen's.

Jing Xizhen's Dao was certainly not among the strongest, and even the Fourth Step had no name—but his realm was supreme.

He was calculating whether he could escape.

Ding Huan frantically carved boundary Dao principles before him; if he could block Jing Xizhen's first strike, he'd have a chance to flee.

"Ding Huan, don't say I'm bullying the weak. A life for a life—you killed my disciple Bai Bai. Today, I'll make you die knowing why."

As Jing Xizhen spoke, his domain layered on several more layers.

To his shock, though his domain sealed the space, it could not seal Ding Huan.

It felt to him as if Ding Huan could tear through his domain at any moment.

"Jing Xizhen, do you always act and speak based on only one side's account? If so, we have nothing more to say."

Ding Huan's tone was icy; he simultaneously sent a mental message to Hou Yucheng, ready to retreat at any moment.

He realized Ling Zhuzhen and Jing Xizhen had old ties—Jing Xizhen likely wouldn't kill Ling Zhuzhen.

"If I acted on only one side's account, I wouldn't have waited for your reply," Jing Xizhen sneered, his inner shock deepening.

He couldn't discern Ding Huan's exact cultivation level—it seemed like Creation Realm.

But how could a Creation Realm cultivator resist the suppression of his domain?

That was impossible.

"Oh, you're so reasonable—then why are you sitting on the Dao Court's Dao Lord seat?"

No matter how high your cultivation, right now the original universe is at war with the Tianmeng tribe—you're merely an ordinary cultivator of the original universe.

How dare you, as an ordinary cultivator, occupy the Dao Lord's seat? Do you think your high cultivation lets you despise everything?

If that's the case, why even ask? Just attack. After all, high cultivation means you can do whatever you want.

As Ding Huan spoke these words, he prepared to activate Heart Escape.

The boundary he had drawn with Void Law runes would certainly hold back Jing Xizhen for several breaths.

If he could hold him off for just a few breaths, he could flee and summon the Cosmic Cauldron.

He could always retreat into Chaos.

He didn't believe Jing Xizhen could enter Chaos to pursue him.