Chapter 389: Dao Ancestor

Lingbao Tianzun happily put away the Executioner Immortal Sword Formation and returned to his original position.

Throughout the process, he wore a smile, quite pleased.

It seemed as if he saw a future scene where his rank among his brothers at home rose.

By comparison, the faces of Daode Tianzun and Yuanshi Tianzun were not looking so good.

The air pressure around them was low, as if brewing a great storm that could erupt at any moment, letting the "good younger brother" know why the flowers are so red—offend them, and there will be no place for your Lingbao in the family!

However.

Considering the public setting, there are too many heartless Luo Divine Saints in the the Zixiao Palace who enjoy fanning the flames and watching the spectacle; if a full-blown martial arts show were hastily staged, most would clap and cheer, while few would actually step in to mediate— airing this family disgrace would lose face big time.

The two Heavenly Venerables forcibly suppressed their inner anger, merely putting on dark faces, warning outsiders not to disturb.

Even after Lingbao Tianzun sat back in his original position right beside them, the two Heavenly Venerables remained silent.

Their patience is strong.

This caused many deities who love watching the fun to feel regretful, unable to cheer, which is indeed a great pity.

"The camp of the three united saints has split apart like this... truly unexpected."

Fuxi the Great Sage sighed lightly, as for those behind him.

"Yes..." said the Yao Marshal Báizé, putting down his pen that recorded orthodox history on one side and compiled wild history on the other, clicking his tongue in wonder, "This development really surprises me."

"However, the Three Pure Ones splitting up—for their future, who knows if it's not a blessing?"

"Look at Hongjun—right now he's smiling, looking somewhat pleased."

Upon these words, the Dao Ancestor Hongjun on the Dao Terrace turned his expressionless gaze over, but his line of sight was blocked by Xihuang.

Báizé remained oblivious, still commenting with an air of nonchalance, waving his hand boldly, "If they reunite again, they'll surely end up being suppressed."

"Just like before, why couldn't Lingbao Tianzun obtain the Chaos Bell? Is it purely because it's in Taiyi's hands?"

"Not at all!"

"If the Dao Ancestor really wanted to, he could step forward and make an exchange, trading the Executioner Immortal Sword Formation for the Chaos Bell—would that be difficult?"

"Not difficult?" Nüwa leaned over.

"Not difficult!" Báizé spoke confidently, "The Executioner Immortal Sword Formation, a top-tier destructive spiritual treasure born purely for slaughter, grows stronger with the intensity of the Great Calamity, making it perfectly suited for the demon race currently undergoing the Great Calamity."

"The demon race lacks no infrastructure for generating qi fortune, and can even directly collect a head tax, so they don't lack that Chaos Bell; rather, it's rare to have a war‑sustaining Executioner Immortal Sword Formation."

"Lingbao Tianzun, on the other hand, is the reverse."

"This is a win‑win trade."

"What a pity."

The Yao Marshal Báizé gave a faint smile, "In the end, Lingbao Tianzun is destined not to obtain the Chaos Bell."

"Perhaps they could break free from the Heavenly Dao and act alone, truly becoming a chess player in one leap."

"The Dao Ancestor is now playing a balancing tactic, letting rebels and traitors wear each other out; after hard‑won progress, adding an uncertain factor would hardly be lifting a stone only to drop it on one's own foot."

"Not only does the Dao Ancestor not want to see that, but other chess players also don't want to see it."

"Three chess players are enough."

Báizé let out a long sigh, his feelings endless.

"Even, if Daode could have the Taiji Diagram and Yuanshi the Pangu Banner, would the Dao Ancestor really be willing to give them up?"

"In fact, it's just that he can't!"

"The first legitimate heir of Pangu—the Wu Clan—are rebels, cannot aid the enemy; the second legitimate heir—the Heavenly Court—would have been suitable, but they harbor many ulterior motives, making them traitors, so they cannot be strengthened further."

Pangu's first legitimate heir — the Wu Clan, that's rebels, cannot aid the enemy; second legitimate heir — the Heavenly Court, originally quite suitable, but unfortunately there are many petty thoughts, considered an insider traitor, cannot be strengthened further.

"Only the Three Pure Ones, bearing Pangu's banner, could grant him an excuse to bestow these two innate supreme treasures, while ensuring the Heaven‑opening Axe could not be reassembled in this era, lacking this righteous justification."

"So, even from the beginning, the trend of dividing the treasures was already set."

"As for the most important Lingbao supreme treasures, who gets which, who must not touch them—the Dao Ancestor knows it all, and has arranged it clearly……"

"Then comes the internal conflict among the Three Pure Ones... they have already obtained two innate supreme treasures, lacking only the final piece to complete the Heavenly God Axe."

"Although hope is slim, we can't say it's absolutely impossible, can we?"

"At this moment, if internal conflict arises among them, it actually fulfills the Dao Ancestor's intention……"

"Imperial Heart Technique—over these years the Dao Ancestor has made great progress!"

Báizé pointed at the rivers and mountains.

He knows too much.

He lives up to people's evaluations of him—knowing astronomy and geography above, and even the minutiae of chicken feathers and garlic peel below.

He lives up to people's evaluation of him; he knows astronomy and geography above, and knows trivial matters like chicken feathers and garlic skin below.

Knowing too much, yet his strength cannot reign supreme over heaven and earth… that often carries risk.

Knowing too much, yet his strength cannot be supreme under heaven... That often involves risk.

A bout of coughing sounded, though not very loud, yet it contained an overwhelming power; if it were the thunder of heaven‑splitting earth shaking the ears of all gods, only those few supreme beings could remain unfazed, while the rest would have their primordial spirits dazed, losing their momentary hearing.

That certain blunt‑speaking great ability, his whole body stiffened as if struck by lightning.

That certain expert who speaks blunt truths, his whole spirit was as if struck by lightning, his entire body stiffened.

Báizé let it go.

"Why cough so loudly?"

"If you're sick, go get treatment……"

Báizé muttered, continuing his work honestly, no longer engaging in lofty talk.

Báizé muttered, continuing his work honestly, no longer engaging in lofty talk.

The Dao Ancestor was satisfied.

The Dao Ancestor was satisfied.

Go ahead and speak the blunt truth!

You shouldn't just spout off if you don't know what the supreme leader is thinking, should you?

Regardless of right or wrong, how dare you question it?

You dare to say that.

I dare to censor you.

But under oppression, there's always resistance.

Nüwa clenched her fists, her face flushed with righteous anger, "What a dirty trick!"

I'm still wondering.

I was the first to attain sagehood; in merit, fame, and status, I am unequaled among the sages.

But in the end, I have neither the Taiji diagram nor the Pangu banner... There must be some dark scheme behind this!

Heaven is unjust!

Heaven is unjust!

Heaven is unjust!

Nüwa cried "Heaven is unjust!" three times, her voice as loud as the Dao Ancestor's cough.

What do you think would be fair for you to get? Hongjun said with a hollow smile, "Come on, tell me."

Of course it's the Jade Disc of Creation. Nüwa hasn't given up, still hoping to win one or two.

Too bad.

Everything else is negotiable.

But this priceless treasure is something the Dao Ancestor could never part with.

You might as well forget about it. Hongjun said bluntly.

Then the Shock Department should get to work... I guarantee you'll be in the headlines for ten million years; I bought it just for you. Nüwa glared, showing she's not lacking funds.

I'm not afraid. The Dao Ancestor flicked his whisk, utterly calm, "I can set up keyword filters and launch a net-clearing dimensional strike... Believe me, I can do it."

Hongjun stayed calm.

Nüwa was at a loss for words.

Fuxi muttered on the side, half-audible, "You could use homophones, punctuation, hints, abbreviations... Just be all mysterious and it's done; why all the fuss?"

As long as you dare to let your thoughts run wild, there are always more solutions than problems.

After her elder brother's hint, Nüwa's eyes lit up, "Exactly!"

This time, Hongjun was left speechless.

Worse than the bottom line.

He lost.

Forget about the Jade Disc of Creation... I will never give it up. Hongjun said firmly, then added, "However..."

I can't give you the property deed.

I'll give you the land map, though it's barely sufficient.

With the land map in hand, imagine the Jade Disc of Creation just a step away—drooling, hopeful, dreaming of holding it and frying it up...

I can still meet a request like that.

Hongjun swept his sleeve and produced a scroll of mountains and rivers, saying, "If needed, it can also serve as a real-time military map... This is the limit of my opening offer!"

Take it or leave it!

If you don't agree, go ahead and attack me.

At worst, after merging with the Heavenly Dao, I'll just block those junk notifications myself.

As long as I don't know.

Then it never happened.

Like that... Nüwa's eyes rolled, looking at Hongjun with the expression of a dead pig unafraid of boiling water, she reluctantly nodded and accepted the deal.

Under everyone's watchful eyes.

The two supreme beings made this deal, complete with headline threats and shamelessness, leaving the gods in awe.

Is that all? Nüwa took the mountains and rivers map, then stared at him, "Anything extra?"

Take it, take it, and don't bother me again.

Hongjun flicked his wrist, and the embroidered ball hanging in midair shot straight at him, with the force to shatter the ages.

You love gossip, chatting with a bunch of goddesses about trivial matters... Not becoming a matchmaker is a waste of your talent.

Hongjun sneered.

Nüwa didn't care either; she casually grabbed it, and the embroidered ball obediently landed in her hand.

Hey!

She looked at Xihe and Changxi, the two lunar goddesses, "On your wedding day, you now have the ceremonial items."

Thank you, Sister Nüwa. The two goddesses replied with smiling eyes.

……

Phew.

Watching Nüwa step back, Hongjun let out a long sigh of relief.

I've had it rough.

The Dao Ancestor sighed.

In this world, who can know the hardships of the Heavenly Dao's old man?

It seems he lies high in the Ninth Heaven, all the gods pay homage… but there are too many harboring ill intentions, always wanting to let his Dao ancestor sit back and do nothing, while they pose as loyal and virtuous ministers governing Honghuang; Majesty, do not meddle.

"Sooner or later there will be a day……"

"I will come for a great reckoning."

"The universe turns, Heaven slays the Human Dao, the world falls into the Dharma-ending age, and all the gods retreat!"

Hongjun slowly closed his eyes, weakly waved his hand, indicating the gods could scramble off to Fenbao Cliff to find a spiritual treasure that suited him.

What can be done?

At this juncture, another deity gave him trouble.

"Cough cough!"

Jieyin gave a dry cough twice.

Instantly, his junior Zhunti, upon hearing the string music, understood the refined intent and immediately rose.

Dirty work, the elder brother can't always do it himself.

The junior's usefulness is now shown.

"Dao Ancestor!"

Zhunti cried out, his voice sorrowful and indignant, startling many deities so that goosebumps rose on their skin.

Even Hongjun couldn't remain calm, and looked down toward the platform below.

"Dao Ancestor, you cannot be so biased!"

Zhunti wiped his eyes; when he lowered his hand, tears already glistened at the corners, his grief extreme.

"Our Buddhist Sect is also a tradition that teaches the Human Dao; how could it lack funding support?"

"The Heavenly Dao…… must be just!"

He followed suit, imitating Nüwa's actions.

However, compared to Nüwa's overbearing manner, he still fell short.

It's mainly a matter of fists.

Not hard enough.

Hongjun glanced at him askance, utterly speechless.

"Funding?"

The Dao Ancestor sighed, "Do you think this is handed out randomly?"

"I, the Heavenly Dao, represent the universal will of the Human Dao of Honghuang, governing heaven and earth; everything has a cause."

"Your Buddhist Sect's great vow borrows countless merit…… such an extravagant loan, with such a long repayment period."

"You play with Human Dao consciousness; I have nothing to say—after all, all your procedures are legal, that's your skill."

"But—!"

"Now you come again to ask for funding?"

"That's excessive!"

"If you really want me to allocate funds? Fine."

"You first repay in advance the loans for the last ten Great Calamities."

"If you do that, I will give the funding."

Hongjun smirked.

"Furthermore."

"Your Buddhist Sect's current businesses—do you think I don't know about them?"

"You don't want too much profit, with fortunes rolling in; how can you embarrassedly ask me for money?"

"Vast fertile fields belong to the Buddhist Temple; countless Buddhist statues are of golden bodies; collecting interest and lending, rolling over profits, with a single cry of donor, the Dao rises and falls."

The Dao Ancestor said weightily, "If you keep doing this, beware that one day an extremely angered Human Dao Holy Emperor will come knocking."

"The Buddhist Sect speaks of karmic retribution; it should be taken slowly…… who is whose retribution, before the coffin is closed, it's truly uncertain."

Zhunti listened, chanting a Buddhist invocation, shrank his head, and also found it hard to use the Dao Tradition as a reason to ask for funding.

Of course, this doesn't mean he's convinced; he just finds some things hard to say.

—Although the Buddhist Sect has many flaws, it still depends on who you compare it with!

Compared to the Demon Race, its hierarchy is a thoroughly fixed system; strength and status are basically set at birth, leaving the weak with no hope of seeing dawn.

Those who believe in the Buddhist Sect have their after‑life insurance in place, so they can later go to the Ultimate Bliss Pure Land to enjoy blessings.

Why can the Buddhist Sect now grow great and its fortunes flourish?

In the end, it answers a great trend from the unseen, a straw for the weak and powerless.

It is just like reincarnation.

This life already has no hope; living so bitterly, you won't even let me dream of the next life?

That's too much!

However, Zhunti dare not say these words.

If he said them, as soon as he left the Purple Azure Palace's gate, he might face the Zhou Tian Star Dipper Grand Formation, with boundless starlight raining down to blast him to bits—no need to wait for the Human Dao Holy Emperor's reckoning.

He could only sigh and retreat, looking toward Jieyin with a pleading gaze.

Jieyin fell silent for a moment, then stood up and dispatched the all‑purpose helper.

"Please grant audience, Dao Ancestor."

Jieyin pressed his palms together, solemn and dignified: "Our Buddhist Sect is not unreasonable…… in managing the Dao Tradition, we are confident of self‑sufficiency, needing no worry from the Heavenly Dao."

"However…"

"Once there was a great demon who wrought havoc on our Western Pure Land."

"What's more, he took a great killing weapon from Mount Sumeru, thus severely damaging our foundational spiritual veins."

Not copper, not iron, nor steel — once hidden beneath Mount Sumeru — the Slay-Immortal Sword Formation!

"All four directions of heaven and earth are being ravaged, my Buddhist pure land is even more a heavily afflicted area…… Please, Dao Ancestor, have mercy and grant one or two treasures to suppress fortune and nurture the spiritual treasure."

Jieyin Ancient Buddha and Hongjun Dao Ancestor gazed at each other, each eyes flashing with divine light; it seemed that besides the formal exchange on the surface, there was also a private transaction.

(End of chapter)