Chapter 467: I Am Your Personal Chief Disciple!

Although compared to the Return-to-Void cultivators of the Grand Xuan Realm, every Return-to-Void cultivator of the entire Xuan Phase Realm could be counted as "watered-down goods."

But Return-to-Void was Return-to-Void, and moreover, Xuan Xing was the strongest among the many watered-down Return-to-Void cultivators of the Xuan Phase Realm...

The gap between Qi Refining and Return-to-Void was incalculable.

So with just one glance, Xuan Xing saw that the cultivation method Mu Yong now practiced was extraordinary.

After a little investigation, he directly read from his memories the basic information of the "Mu Ling Yang Wu Hua Cang True Scripture" and the "Hao Ran Yan Yao Yang Wu Xuan Gong."

Besides that, there were some even more interesting matters.

"Mu Yong? Or rather..." Xuan Xing looked at him with great interest, "Yan Yao Immortal Sovereign?"

Originally he had only noticed that the contingency he left on the storage ring had been triggered, so he came to take a look.

He hadn't expected there would be an unexpected surprise...

"..."

Mu Yong's mind went blank; he tried several times to open his mouth and say something, but couldn't utter a single word.

Xuan Xing, the second-generation patriarch of Tian Ling Sect, and moreover Xuan Qi's personal chief disciple!

Worshipped by ten thousand spirits, he had long since reached Return-to-Void Perfection, worthy of being called the foremost person of the Xuan Phase Realm!

After a good long while.

He finally recovered from his shock.

Damn it!

He shouldn't have been greedy and overreached, using the spiritual items from that storage ring!

Where in the world would there be a free lunch.

His expression flickered between light and dark; after a good while

"Huu~"

He let out a long breath.

Fortunately, having the experience of living a second life, the surging emotions in his heart quickly calmed down.

After all, it was already too late to regret now.

Immediately, Mu Yong rose from the bed and bowed to Xuan Xing.

"If Patriarch wishes to know anything, then look for yourself. I only hope you'll give this disciple a clean end afterward."

The matter was settled; facing a figure like Xuan Xing, who could be considered at the very top even among Return-to-Void cultivators, he didn't have even a sliver of room to resist.

Since that was so, he might as well be direct, and spare himself all manner of torment.

"You are quite sensible."

Xuan Xing nodded slightly, then without ceremony, directly split off a wisp of divine soul power and probed into his sea of consciousness, beginning a soul search!

Because he still thought there might be some use in keeping him, Xuan Xing wasn't too rough during the soul search; even Mu Yong himself didn't notice a thing.

In an instant, everything in Mu Yong's memories was captured by him.

That also included all the experiences of Mu Yong's "previous life."

Counting from now, within the next seven hundred years, this Mu Yong, because he still retained some kindness in himself, performed in an utterly ordinary manner, like the cattle and horses of the world, like hundreds of millions of consumables.

Until seven hundred years later, when the many Return-to-Void immortals led by himself wished to join forces to break through the Heavenly Orbit, to seize the myriad beings' cultivation within and advance further, only to be refined by the Heavenly Orbit instead...

The Return-to-Void Immortal Sovereigns of the world perished utterly; the remaining cultivation practitioners rose to power taking advantage of the situation, and this Mu Yong was one of them.

After attaining the Return-to-V Void position, he created the "Hao Ran Yan Yao Yang Wu Xuan Gong," and was honored by the world as "Yan Yao Immortal Sovereign."

Then, after painstakingly studying the ritual-track runes above the Xuan Phase Heavenly Orbit for three hundred years, he finally comprehended the "Mu Ling Yang Wu Hua Cang True Scripture," and moreover discovered the truth of the Xuan Phase Heavenly Orbit...

The memory came to an abrupt halt here, then jumped very suddenly to after his "rebirth."

He entered Tian Ling Sect and became a Sprout-level disciple, cultivating step by step.

But a sudden upheaval shattered everything—a Soul Transformation being from beyond the heavens descended.

They, these Sprout-level disciples who had no control over their own fate, were treated as cannon fodder and sent out to carry out missions.

Just on the way back from the previous mission, he quite coincidentally picked up by the roadside the storage ring he had given to that Soul Transformation being from beyond the heavens.

"..."

Such a large batch of spiritual items, and that Soul Transformation being from beyond the heavens didn't care in the slightest, just tossed it away...

He continued to look further.

This time, the memory went all the way to the day of the "Heaven-Born Omen"; Mu Yong, unlike ordinary people, actually saw two other "possibilities"!

Hmm?!

Xuan Xing's heart gave a jolt!

Immediately, not daring to miss a single detail, he watched even more carefully.

He saw that in one of those possibilities, those Soul Transformation beings from beyond the heavens actually annihilated the Blood Vajra Temple, and even attacked Tian Ling Sect!

The "Mu Yong" in that possibility died precisely in that great battle.

He was also stimulated by this, which was why he began using the spiritual items in the storage ring to strengthen his own power.

At this point, all of Mu Yong's memories except those regarding the "truth of the Heavenly Orbit" had been read by Xuan Xing.

In real-world time, only an instant had passed.

Why was he unable to glimpse even a fraction of the truth of the Xuan Phase Heavenly Orbit, nor the specific contents of the "Mu Ling Yang Wu Hua Cang True Scripture"?

Xuan Xing deliberated briefly, then began reading that section of memory again.

But no matter how he looked, he only felt a hazy blur in his perception, unable to glimpse even a hint.

He, a dignified Return-to-Void Perfection cultivator, actually couldn't soul-search the memories of a mere Qi Refining cultivator?!

At a thought, vast divine soul power surged forth wildly, preparing to forcefully break through that layer of fog!

Yet at the very instant the thought arose.

Ding~!

A vast, majestic sound echoed in his ears, and before his eyes appeared nine six-tiered bronze Hun Tian Yi instruments.

As the ritual devices rotated, rolling purple qi surged, and upon them stood a figure of incomparable profundity, like the origin of the Dao itself, arms folded behind his back, gazing calmly at him.

'Master…?'

In the instant of sudden realization, Xu Xing's expression twisted into utter terror.

His cultivation was draining away!

He could feel his vast, star-sea-like magic power flowing relentlessly out of his body, and within moments, it was already trending below the peak of Return Void.

Bad!

At that moment, Xu Xing abandoned all else, frantically retracting his spiritual soul power—just barely halting the wild loss of his cultivation.

He then swiftly pulled out several luminous, shimmering 'Superior Xiang Phase Characters' and absorbed them.

Only after fully restoring the lost cultivation did he finally exhale, though a lingering fear still clung to his heart.

'So close… just a little closer…'

If he had waited two or three more instants, his cultivation would have dropped below Return Void peak!

Once he fell to Return Void late stage…

Those old devils would never let this opportunity slip away.

Compared to Xu Xing, who had endured a dramatic rise and fall, Mu Yong was utterly baffled.

He had watched Xu Xing shift from calm composure to sudden panic, then pull out and absorb 'Superior Xiang Phase Characters'.

He himself was merely a Qi Condensation cultivator—why should a Return Void soul-searching a Qi Condensation be so difficult?

Was it really necessary to go so far…?

Of course, he said nothing; seeing Xu Xing regain his composure, he calmly spoke: 'Please, Ancestor, grant your disciple a swift death.'

There was no point in pretending bravado now—it would only bring him more suffering with no benefit.

Hearing this, Xu Xing snapped back to himself and turned toward Mu Yong, a flicker of killing intent flashing through his mind.

Though he still wondered about the truth of the Xiang Phase Celestial Track, compared to this trivial curiosity, such an unpredictable variable could not be allowed to…

Yet the moment the thought arose, his cultivation immediately began draining again.

Huh?!!?

'I won't kill him!' He instantly suppressed the killing intent, adding silently to himself.

The signs of cultivation loss vanished.

Xu Xing: '…'

What the hell?!

I'm your direct disciple, the eldest!

Though his mind was utterly speechless, faced with the terrifying threat of cultivation loss, he had no choice but to abandon the idea of eliminating Mu Yong as an unpredictable element.

His thoughts whirled rapidly, and soon he had a plan:

'Would you like to become my disciple?'

Huh?!

Mu Yong snapped his head up, eyes filled with shock.

But as soon as he realized, he knelt down instantly, banging his head three times hard on the ground.

'Disciple bows before Master!'

He had thought he was surely doomed—but now, a reversal?

He didn't know what Xu Xing was up to, but if he could live, who cared?

As long as he lived, there would always be hope to break the deadlock!

'Good.' Xu Xing gave a slight nod.

He could not act directly—even if he used another's hand, it might still affect him.

A great transformation loomed; he could not afford any risk.

Therefore, he must first take him in—there would surely be a way to eventually…

As he thought this, he again felt the signs of cultivation loss—his thoughts instantly halted!

Damn that old devil Qi Kai—haven't seen him in years, and he still pulls this trick!

Thus, master and disciple each harbored hidden motives, yet on the surface…

Well, even on the surface, it wasn't exactly harmonious.

…………

The highest point of the world.

At the location of the Xiang Phase Celestial Track, beside the nine six-tiered bronze Hun Tian Yi instruments.

'Pity… in the end, we still failed to draw Him here…'

There, Hong Zun held in his hand a sphere, neither real nor unreal, its interior displaying scenes identical to the Xiang Phase Realm, with a streak of purple flame drifting within.

It was a false timeline, created by the Method of World Genesis, mirroring the main timeline of the Xiang Phase Realm.

After all, this realm was deeply influenced by Him—perhaps it could lure even a fraction of His divine attention.

If successful, he could trace back to the source and strike Him a devastating blow.

But clearly, Xuan had not fallen for it.

'A world used merely as an anchor point still lacks sufficient weight.'

With a flick of his hand, the non-real, non-unreal sphere dissolved into nothingness.

Dan Zu, seeing this, flicked a thread of firelight from his fingertip, refining the emerging purple flame into oblivion.

"Interesting—the involvement of the Tai Xuan Immortal Net has made the situation of that Xuan Xiang Destiny Child somewhat delicate," said Ba Zun, gazing toward the Tian Ling Sect.

Originally, Xuan's influence ran deep.

Even if Xing found something amiss, he would not suspect—much less approach Mu Yong at this very moment.

Just as Mu Yong abandoned the Mu Ling Yang Wu Hua Cang Zhen Jing and instead adopted his own created Yang Wu Xuan Gong.

"The Immortal Net is not yet fully activated; the problem is minor," said Xu Xing.

All cultivators in the Xuan Xiang Realm today are influenced by the Mu Ling tradition, exploiting all living things and harvesting heaven and earth.

To save itself, the world elected Mu Yong—a reborn soul.

But this step was also within Xuan's calculations.

For Xuan, the world's greatest purpose is to plant anchors; second is to experiment with the "Human Becomes Cang" ritual—the Xuan Xiang Heavenly Track.

The being chosen by the world to save itself is unquestionably the most suitable candidate.

Thus, Mu Yong himself is both the Xuan Xiang Realm's Destiny Child and Xuan's chosen ritual subject.

"The Mu Ling nurture all beings, yet are themselves bound by them," said Xiang Yuanjun, cutting to the core.

Today's cultivators in the Xuan Xiang Realm—especially those who have reached Return Void—are almost all not self-cultivated to their realms.

Their very realms are built upon the Mu Ling tradition.

That is to say, realms attained through the Xuan Xiang Heavenly Track are perpetually constrained by the Mu Ling tradition—the nine six-layer bronze Hun Tian Yi.

Only the Destiny Child, Mu Yong, has truly received the legacy.

The Mu Ling Yang Wu Hua Cang Zhen Jing was, in fact, refined by Xuan from one of the Cang Clan's ancestral teachings, the Mu Ling Yang Wu Jing.

To some extent, every Dao-initiated being in the Xuan Xiang Realm is a spirit pre-nurtured by Xuan for Mu Yong.

When Xuan Xiang cultivators face him, lower realms are fine—but the higher their realm, the more "empty" they feel before him.

Once he reaches Foundation Establishment, he can communicate to some degree with the Xuan Xiang Heavenly Track and draw upon the accumulated spiritual essence of all beings.

And his foundation will be utterly solid.

The Cang Clan's orthodox methods cannot be compared to the cultivation techniques of today's Xuan Xiang cultivators.

At the Jin Dan stage, he can even use the Heavenly Track's power to cleanse his bones and alter his bloodline, transforming into a state similar to Xiao Fan of Xuan Jian City.

Thereafter, he can leverage his bloodline to gain further Cang Clan legacies.

Later, at the Nascent Soul and Soul Transformation stages, he can use the Xuan Xiang Heavenly Track to preliminarily command the Mu Ling tradition, thereby weakening any cultivator within the Xuan Xiang Realm.

The degree of this weakening far exceeds the exaggeration of the contestants' current Time Scale system.

At Return Void, he can even harvest the spiritual essence of all beings.

Ultimately, through the Xuan Xiang Heavenly Track, he can activate the ritual to achieve ultimate transformation—truly transforming from body to heart, even down to the level of true spirit, into a Cang.

Born into this cruel, man-eating world, he would naturally have little aversion to "eating others."

During this process, there is an extremely faint chance he may touch the threshold of Union with Dao.

At that time, the Heavenly Track unifies into a Dao Marker, and through this marker, Xuan can draw him into the Tai Xuan Realm.

Even if the final transformation fails, it does not matter.

If the world still endures, it will simply elect another Destiny Child—again.

"Trapped in the net without knowing it, devouring each other—alas~" said Qi Zun with a light sigh.

He then turned his gaze aside, only to find no one had noticed what he said.

Qi Zun: "…"

That's too much!

You're being way too deliberate!

Ba Zun now also withdrew his gaze from the Tian Ling Sect direction and glanced outward.

His eyes pierced through the world itself, landing directly on several Return Void juniors in the audience seats of the arena.

"If these juniors were to resolve it, how many do you think would be needed?"

"To merely deal with the Return Void, one person suffices; but to resolve the world's own problem, even more would be useless," said Hong Zun coolly, then added, "A meaningless question."

Ba Zun raised an eyebrow.

Are you stirring up trouble?!

…

…

The contestants on the three timelines know nothing of what is happening in the Xuan Xiang Realm.

Aside from the initial rapid elimination phase, most contestants, having calmed down, once again went into hiding.

Even the Shang Dao Sect's survival-focused cultivators, who originally only wanted to survive until the end, were forced to grumble while setting traps.

This damn competition is targeting them at every turn!

Of course, if there was anyone in the most awkward position now, it was Lin Changsheng, currently ranked first with eight points.

Gazing at the clear, radiant figure across from him, meeting the fierce, blazing combat intent in her beautiful eyes.

Lin Changsheng had already cursed Chang Xiao from head to toe in his mind.

Fuck!

He actually lured this extreme radical over! (End of Chapter)