Chapter 577: The Heaven of Utmost Self and Utmost Holiness

"The 'Heaven-Building Barrier' method is hard to complete; continuing to try will only needlessly cost the lives of our Cang clan's sons!"

Every Cave-Truth of the Cang clan lost is one fewer remaining.

Yet the momentum of the Human Race has been steadily growing, with the number of Dao-Combining level existences continuously increasing.

As one side wanes and the other waxes, if this attrition continues, even though the Cang clan is 'Hun Tian Yi's chosen,' they will ultimately be completely suppressed by the Human Race!

Once the balance between the two races is broken, those Human Race Immortals will undoubtedly wage war without hesitation!

The reason for the current stalemate is nothing more than their wariness of Xuan.

"You need not concern yourself with this matter; I have my own measure."

Facing Gu's inquiry, Xuan responded calmly.

A perfectly standard hexagonal crystal hovered quietly in his palm, the shimmering purple light flowing within it brightening the surroundings considerably.

Closing his palm to store the Dao Weapon, He rose from the Dao Platform.

"If those who attained the Dao could be achieved so easily, then after all these years there wouldn't be only us and that Human Race Immortal."

Xuan looked toward the starry frontline battlefield, yet could not see any further.

The combined power of the Immortals permeated every inch of the void, forming the world's most stringent defense, completely blocking His surveillance.

If He forced His way through, He would inevitably alert the Human Race True Immortals.

Just as He had completely refined the other shore of the starry sky to prevent Human Race True Immortals from breaking in.

The Human Race True Immortals' side had also forged the Four Star Domains airtight, specifically to target Him.

Whichever side it was, personally breaking in would inevitably be detected.

Sending some cultivators below the Dao-Attainment level over was already the limit!

"Actually, there is one point you said correctly—at this stage, we truly have no more choices."

Hearing this, Gu paused.

Does this mean Xuan has agreed to use a portion of Hun Tian Yi to attempt to awaken 'Heaven' from Its slumber?

"If you were to personally wield it, perhaps it wouldn't take long before we could……"

Before he finished speaking, he was interrupted by Xuan.

"But it is absolutely not the choice you mentioned!"

Hmm?

Just as Gu was still in a daze, Xuan suddenly turned to look at Him.

"If 'Heaven' truly awakens from Its slumber, do you know what will happen?"

His voice was as calm as ever, yet it caused the entire Dao Field to tremble ceaselessly, and the originally gently flowing purple qi became turbulent.

"'Heaven' is the Ancestor descended and transformed from Hun Tian Yi, desiring to seize the essence of those who attained the Dao and break free from the Xuan Realm's bonds."

"Even though the current situation is already critical to this extent, Its goal will not change in the slightest."

"Once It returns, the 'Heaven-Building Barrier' will no longer be possible to complete, and our Cang clan's sons will completely lose the chance to prove the Dao and achieve the Innate Ancestral God."

He is not the Master Jianzu, not a Heavenly Tribulation summoned by the Xuan Realm to deal with 'Heaven.'

The 'Seed Anchor' method of Heaven is extremely mysterious; even though He has already surpassed His original level by far, He may not be able to completely purge the anchors 'Heaven' has planted.

Both He and Gu are Innate Dao-Attainers, unaffected.

But the many sons of the Cang clan are not.

Once 'Heaven' truly returns from Its slumber, all remaining Cave-Truth of the Cang clan will become 'Heaven's' targets.

A bottom line?

For 'Heaven,' this is a concept that simply does not exist.

Even if He had just been rescued a second ago, the next second if He found that doing so was beneficial to achieving His goal, He would still choose to backstab without hesitation!

Most selfish yet most holy, treating all things as straw dogs—this is 'Heaven'!

"To trade the future of all the Cang clan's sons for the return of 'Heaven'—is this truly the outcome you desire?"

His voice rolled out, spreading across the entire other shore of the starry sky.

Gaze after gaze gathered, belonging to Cave-Truth of the Cang clan who were diligently cultivating, attempting the 'Heaven-Building Barrier' method.

Though They had not heard the preceding conversation, the moment Their gazes met, They understood the current predicament!

Or rather……

They understood the two choices Ancestor Xuan and Ancestor Gu had mentioned.

A sliver of a chance to achieve the Innate Ancestral God.

Or losing this sliver of a chance in exchange for one Dao-Attainer.

The will of the many Cave-Truth of the Cang clan only stagnated for an instant before making the same choice—

"Please, Ancestor Gu, grant us this!"

Their wills converged into one, resolute with no retreat!

At this moment, it had nothing to do with stance, nor with race.

It was simply as cultivators themselves, unwilling to give up the chance to advance further.

"……" Gu was silent for a while, then looked up at Xuan, "I had thought you would have a way."

How could He be willing to gamble the future of the Cang clan's sons?

It was simply that since the Master Jianzu of those years could manage it, the present Xuan should be able to as well.

"I also wish I had a way."

Xuan waved his hand to block the gazes of the many Cang clan Cave-Truths, and once again turned his gaze toward the starry frontline battlefield.

The Human Race Immortals were on strict guard, having long since sealed off every possibility.

Just like that 'Web of Cause-Effect and Calamity' in the Central Continent before.

Over these years, He had actually tried to quietly bring the younger generation of the Cang Clan out of the Xuan Realm, preserving a single spark.

But it failed.

Just as the Four Star Domains had arranged many countermeasures against Him, the edges of the Xuan Realm were also equipped with measures targeting the Cang Clan below those who had attained the Dao.

That was why, during the process of arranging the 'Dao Anchors,' He had tried to convert other races into the Cang Clan, attempting to tear open a gap from the outside…

"When all paths are blocked, one must cast aside fear…" Xuan sighed softly.

Ever since Gu shifted his focus to this side of the starry shore, He had asked Gu quite a bit about the 'Abyss.'

After all, the Master Jianzu had specifically mentioned it.

This phrase was one of them.

"No matter what, it won't be worse than the current situation."

Since that was the case, what was there still to worry about?

Didn't the Human Clan also fight with all they had back then, only to win a single possibility?

"Well said." A sharp glint flashed in Gu's eyes. "Now we fight for a sliver of possibility. If the day truly comes when we're about to be annihilated, summoning 'Heaven' back isn't out of the question."

Doing so would be purely flipping the table.

But the Cang Clan was about to be destroyed anyway, so naturally there was no time to worry about so much.

Then, He transformed into a streak of seven-colored divine radiance and vanished into the past domain.

"Both sides wounded, then…" Xuan stood still for a long time, finally lowering his eyes. "What a pity…"

If He hadn't been beaten into dormancy by those Human Clan immortals, He might truly have had that slim chance of achieving the 'Dao Source' after seizing the essence of one who had attained the Dao.

But now…

Reaching a level like himself and the Master Jianzu would already be considered good.

……

……

Just as the Xuan Realm side used the Dao Soldiers sent ahead to set a trap and deal the Cang Clan a blow.

While the 'Xian Sect Special Recruitment' was being held in full swing on the Central Continent and the starry sky.

Outside the Xuan Realm.

The missions of the many Ascension Envoys were also continuing to advance.

Especially the first batch of Ascension Envoys—nearly ten years had already passed in their mission worlds!

Chen Xuanqing from Ling Yin Fang had cut through the chaos with swift decisiveness, already completing all three missions.

It was just that the evaluations for the latter two missions weren't very high, so she hadn't chosen to settle them yet.

But then again, looking at how she was, she should be about to choose to settle them soon.

After all, the mission evaluations had completely stopped rising.

Next was Master Xiao Yu of the Grand Supreme Dao Sect.

He had killed two Return-to-Void cultivators who had been chosen by the World Will to become World Children.

Relying on thirteen great cauldrons refined from gathering the Qi of Heaven, Earth, and all living beings, he successfully purified the contaminated 'World Will.'

The evil entities of the entire world dispersed, and the bizarre things gradually vanished without a trace.