Chapter 476: The Treatment of First Place: A Modernized Divine Dao System

As the saying goes, a single dazed dream, and the great myriad comes into being.

The power of the True Immortal was boundlessly creative, and Honored Hong's divine ability "World Derivation" was incomparably profound — by interfering with minute possibilities, it gave rise to new temporal branches.

Yet at the moment of creation, consideration was also given to the sentient beings of the main timeline, so this temporal branch was not truly real, but rather existed by relying on the power of the Grand Mystery Immortal Net.

At this moment, as the very last contestant departed, the Immortal Net's power ceased to maintain it, and the foundation of its existence collapsed along with it.

The second temporal branch naturally returned to its original state...

Perhaps many years later, the Mysterious Manifestation Realm would obtain a great fortune and leap up to become a Dao-Combining Greater Realm.

When that time came, it would have the ability to use this as a foundation and open yet another possibility, and in the end it might even transform into a multi-type Greater Realm.

Of course.

The current Mysterious Manifestation Realm was only at the Return-to-Void level, and had been harvested by the Mysterious Manifestation Heavenly Track for many years — incomparably weak.

So even though it knew that more possibilities would benefit the world as a whole, it was powerless to act, completely unable to stop the dissipation of the second temporal branch.

If even the World Will was in such a state, then what of the living beings within it, whose level had been downgraded several times?

Apart from a few Return-to-Voids who discovered the truth that they themselves were illusory, the hundreds of millions of "living beings" within all dispersed in utter ignorance and obliviousness, returning to silence in nothingness...

Boom rumble rumble!

Boundless, profound nothingness spread before him. The second temporal branch's Xuan Xing was reduced to only an extremely faint shadow, a blurry, indistinct outline.

He stared blankly at the nothingness before him, where no concept existed, with no ripple whatsoever in his eyes.

But that was because the collapse of the temporal branch had already completely stripped him of his intelligence.

In the end, even that extremely faint shadow completely dispersed, vanishing along with the world.

At this moment, if a Dao-Combining level cultivator great power were to gaze with eyes from a vantage higher than the Mysterious Manifestation Realm, they would discover a strange "Long River" that flowed eternally forward, giving rise to all manner of scenes of the world.

On its side extended a branch, which was visibly withering away at a speed discernible to the naked eye, dispersing into emptiness.

Emm...

Actually, it wasn't necessarily a "river" either.

A thousand people, a thousand faces — even Dao-Combining level cultivator great powers, because of the differences in the Dao they cultivated, or rather their "cognition," would see all manner of different things before their eyes.

The River of Time was merely the most common "definition."

Within the Sword Sect's inner gate, at the venue.

In the three divisions, all the eliminated contestants rose from their seats, their expressions solemn as they looked toward the projection screen that had previously been displaying the Golden Core division grand competition scenes.

The scenes had already vanished, leaving only several resplendent golden great characters —

【Golden Core Realm Champion — Liu Ming (Supreme Mystery Dao Sect)】

The Dao's rhythm flowed across it, so that at a single glance one felt the sound of Dao thundering in one's ears, and before one's eyes appeared the image of a youth in a gray Dao robe, with a purple vertical mark between his brows.

Dang~!

Dang~!

Dang~!

Nine consecutive strokes of a heavy, ancient, plain bell-tone came drifting in, parting the sky-full of clouds and mist, transforming into true dragons with golden scales dazzling as the sun, their red whiskers like fire.

There were also seven-colored Divine Phoenixes, trailing seven-colored tail flames, their plumes like gilt, spiraling and dancing, rolling red rainbows, scattering ten thousand streaks of rosy light.

A Qilin of pure snow-white raised its head to the sky and neighed, its hooves treading upon clouds and mist.

A fierce tiger with twin wings on its back came striding through the heavens, full of majestic might.

In the end, all these auspicious beasts roared in unison, spewing from their mouths rolling golden clouds and mist, which transformed into a heaven-reaching ladder extending downward.

At the far end of that heaven-reaching ladder, Liu Ming, clad in a gray Dao robe with a purple vertical mark between his brows, slowly appeared.

In an instant, dragons and phoenixes alike went forth to meet him, circling at his sides, transforming into the shapes of sun and moon to flank and guard his person.

The forms of the remaining auspicious beasts took their places at the two ends of the cloud-mist heavenly ladder, all bowing their heads as if in worship.

Liu Ming: "......"

He was just a "steady-style" cultivator — wasn't this a bit too flashy...

Looking down at the venue below, feeling the gazes of all those eliminated contestants cast toward him in unison, Liu Ming was somewhat speechless.

But Sheng Wu, already in the audience seats, gave him a thumbs-up, and seemed to even say "Awesome"...

emm...

Forget it!

To hell with being steady!

Liu Ming steadied his spirit, and from atop that cloud-mist heavenly ladder, walked down step by slow step.

Above the audience seats, auspicious clouds fell like rain, stars descended upon the ten directions.

Zhang Yunlu looked up at all of this, her eyes reflecting those myriad strange phenomena, and could not help but feel a touch of longing in her heart.

This was the glorious moment of the Xian Sect Grand Competition's first place...

In the future, would there come a day when she could stand in that position?

Speaking of which, her senior sister, who so loved showing off before others, must have been very happy at this moment in the previous edition.

Thinking of this, she could not help but glance at Chi Jiuyu beside her.

However, what she saw made her startle.

Chi Jiuyu showed no sign of nostalgia, nor disdain — instead she tightly clenched both fists, staring fixedly at Liu Ming descending from the cloud ladder, her whole body trembling.

Hm?

After a moment's hesitation, Zhang Yunlu called out tentatively:

"Senior sister?"

Chi Jiuyu did not respond, but began muttering to herself.

"Last time there weren't these, last time there clearly weren't these, why weren't there these last time!"

Isn't it just about picking up a trophy and going home after getting first prize?!

Why does he get so many special effects!

This is unfair!

Zhang Yunlu: "..."

Well, now she finally understood what was going on.

Chi Jiuyu looked at Liu Ming, basking in glory, then recalled her own painfully meager victory as first in the Golden Core division last year.

Suddenly, her whole life felt darker.

"It's definitely that old bastard, the Sect Master—"

"Little Xiao Shu Zu!"

Zhou Kongming, noticing the danger, quickly interrupted.

If she said that out loud, their Master would be laughed at by the other Sect Masters!

Chi Jiuyu froze, then realized her words were inappropriate.

Still, she muttered silently in her heart.

The Sect Master is jealous of talent and resents the capable; his disciple must be in cahoots with him, a pair of scoundrels—

But Zhou Kongming added: "Little Xiao Shu Zu, you've forgotten—it was you who said last year's Grand Competition was too meager, so this segment was added."

After last year's Grand Competition, the first-place winner in the Golden Core division personally posted a complaint on the Spirit Net, causing quite a stir.

Mostly because no one had ever paid attention to this before.

But many had noticed how plain the final stage of the Xian Sect Grand Competition seemed.

So for this year's Xian Sect Grand Competition, after deliberating, the several Sect Masters decided to make the champion's coronation scene more grand.

After all, such an occasion is rare—making it more magnificent isn't unreasonable…

After hearing Zhou Kongming's words, Chi Jiuyu finally remembered.

It did… seem like there was such a thing.

So this was actually her fault?

She fell silent.

Until Liu Ming had fully descended and all the supernatural phenomena vanished, and the many eliminated contestants had resettled, not a single word was spoken.

She merely took out her phone and stared at her avatar in the Grand Competition announcement, at the golden wings symbolizing "Exceptional One."

The more she looked, the more plain it seemed.

"Senior sister, you… are you alright?"

"I'm fine," she replied airily.

But inside, she was deeply frustrated.

If only she hadn't entered the Soul Transformation division!

…………

In the Xuanxiang Realm.

Main timeline.

Near the main sect of Tianling Sect, beside a spiritual field used for cultivating spiritual herbs, the guarding disciples had long since fled.

Chang Xiao stood in midair, his sleeves billowing from the high-altitude winds, gazing down helplessly at Lin Changsheng, who shielded the "injured" Sheng Qingqing behind him, sword in hand.

Lin Changsheng held his sword and looked at Chang Xiao seriously: "Old Chang, you've gone too far. Why involve the innocent in our dispute?"

Chang Xiao: "(_；)…"

He tried several times to say something, but couldn't bring himself to speak…

For a moment, he didn't know what to say.

After a long pause, he finally organized his words:

"Cough, cough, Old Lin, don't you think this is just too coincidental?"

As a true "cautious stream" cultivator, he saw at a glance that she wasn't human!

Cough, cough!

She was definitely no good.

To improve his own "cautiousness," Chang Xiao had once studied at the Hehuan Sect, brushing up on this knowledge, and had heard similar cases from senior instructors.

These days, the seduction industry is extremely competitive.

Beyond pure eroticism, most must master a special skill.

Such anti-fraud training is a major segment of the seduction industry—rumor has it there are even fully virtual Illusory Realms online, simulating the entire fraud process…

Back to the point, back to the point!

Old Lin spends his days hunched over his sword, practicing endlessly—he's naturally naive in these matters.

According to that senior instructor, cultivators like him—deeply absorbed in cultivation, highly gifted, but with little worldly experience—are the easiest targets for deception.

"This is fate!" Lin Changsheng said gravely.

At least so far, Qingqing has never asked anything of him; instead, she's helped him many times.

To suspect or doubt others without cause is not his way of dealing with the world!

Fate your mother's braided dumplings!

Chang Xiao was utterly speechless.

At the same time, he secretly made up his mind: once the Grand Competition was over, he would definitely introduce that lecturer senior from the Hehuan Sect to him!

My friend may be a fool, but he doesn't deserve this...

Just then, hiding behind Lin Changsheng, one hand pressed against her shoulder, her face deathly pale, radiating from the inside out an "I-pity-her" air of frail gentleness, Sheng Qingqing tentatively spoke up:

"How about you two fight first, and let me go?"

You see, Qingqing has always only wanted to protect herself in this cruel world!

Lin Changsheng grew even more convinced in his heart.

What Chang Xiao thought, however, was the exact opposite.

Recalling in his mind all that the Hehuan Sect lecturer senior had said, he understood it at once.

This was the advanced version of what that senior had called "retreating to advance, playing hard to get."

A very plain and unadorned move, but unusually effective!

"Fine, go ahead." Chang Xiao watched the feebly-acting Sheng Qingqing with cold eyes.

In a situation like this, one had to turn her "retreating to advance" into a real "retreat."

If she still wanted something from Old Lin, she would absolutely rack her brain for excuses to stay, and then naturally there'd be a flaw exposed!

Damn it!

If it weren't that Old Lin himself was a decent sort, always charging to the front when things came up, he wouldn't bother caring about all this!

But, the moment he finished saying that, he saw Sheng Qingqing swiftly stand up, and say sincerely to Lin Changsheng:

"He's letting me off, you take care of yourself. If you survive, remember to pay me back the twenty-four first-grade Spirit Opportunities—consider it payment for taking that hit for you."

After leaving those words, she turned into a streak of escape-light without the slightest hesitation and vanished into the distance.

Chang Xiao: "..."

Crap!

Not your average expert!

The highest point of the Xuan Realm.

Between nine six-tiered bronze armillary spheres.

Black-robed, black-haired, overlooking all manner of affairs within the Realm, the Hegemon nodded in great satisfaction, then smugly glanced at the Pill Ancestor.

"I told you that junior would get stuck in, didn't I? This time the bet is mine."

"A bet is a bet; this time I lose." The Pill Ancestor nodded slightly. "Daoist friend, your experience is rich; I am ashamed to be outdone. Put that one spirit coin on the tab—now you only owe me three thousand two hundred and forty-seven spirit coins."

Hegemon: "..."

Hey, hey, hey!

Don't go making things up!

When was I ever experienced?!

"After all, cultivation has taken up too much time; such a showing is hardly surprising." Seeing Hong Zun said lightly. "The Spirit Transformation Stage emphasizes accumulation—perfect to make up for it during this period. Many years from now, looking back, it will become a fine memory."

"Indeed." Xu Xing suddenly spoke up as well. "Back then, to help you win the favor of Daoist Qian Shuang, the Pill Ancestor and I broke into the city in the dead of night, knocked out the guards and cleared the way for you. Thinking about it now..."

"Ahem!" Seeing Hong Zun's old face reddened; he used a cough to cover his embarrassment. "That is all in the past, no need to bring it up again. Daoist brother should think more about himself."

Facts proved that with embarrassing things, even many years later, one still wanted to dig a hole with one's toes.

As for "a fine memory"...

That was pure nonsense!

"Just as Sword Venerable Daoist friend, to this very day, probably still doesn't know how you came to know Spirit Ancestor Daoist friend..."

Seeing Hong Zun stopped at just the right point and did not continue.

Mainly because back then he had too many embarrassing incidents, and most of them were resolved by dragging Daoist brother along to help him...

He really couldn't afford the damage.

But a "lose-lose" outcome was no good for either side; he trusted Seeing Hong Zun understood that.

Sure enough, Xu Xing said no more.

It was Bie Xuening who turned her gaze to Ning Ruo, a probing look in her eyes.

This one she truly did not know!

Xiang Yuanjun, however, looked toward Seeing Hong Zun.

In the past, whenever she asked him, he would always say, "That's a matter between you two, I shouldn't interfere," or "Why not just go ask him directly?" or "How would I know about his own affairs?"

Always muddying the waters.

As it turned out, her own elder brother had known all along!

"Let's get to business." Seeing Hong Zun's expression turned solemn. "The plan the Sect Masters put forward is indeed worth a try."

"..."

That topic change was far too abrupt.

"Indeed." Xu Xing also chimed in. "This realm has been harvested for too long; even if its origin fully returns, it will still need a good deal of time to recover."

What was being discussed here, naturally, was the arrangement for this realm's interior.

Just now, in response to the situation in the Xuan Realm, the Sect Masters had also discussed and worked out a response plan—

【Modern Spirit Transformation Dao Reform】

Their view was: since the Grand Mystery Realm had gone through an era of great upheaval, its development to this day was already vastly different from traditional immortal cultivation.

Then why couldn't the Spirit Dao do the same?

Through the Immortal Net, the influence of divine rank on cultivation is reduced to a minimum, and then a divine way system is built with moral character, merit, and social contribution as its core.

In this way, one can both cultivate practitioners of qualified moral character and allow the world to recuperate and recover — truly killing two birds with one stone. (End of chapter)