Chapter 270 - 158: 20 Years: Looking Back on the Mortal World to Attain Enlightenment Anew

A heavy, hoarse voice issued from his lips.

"The Celestial Gate has opened. Once you are inside, pay no mind to anything else. If anyone tries to take your treasures, kill them."

"Especially the people from the Yongchang Kingdom in the Eastern Divine Land. If you see them, leave none alive. Kill every last one of them!"

His voice was raspy, and his words seemed to carry the stench of blood.

Even the Earth Immortals could not help but feel their hearts grow heavy.

This killing intent was a hundred times more potent than that of Ye Bufan, who was slain by the Celestial Destiny Emperor all those years ago!

Naturally, no one dared to say more, and they all responded in the affirmative.

Years ago, the Celestial Destiny Emperor had slain Ye Bufan, the most prized disciple of the Chaotic Star Sect’s Sect Leader, with a single sword strike right before his eyes.

The Sect Leader of the Chaotic Star Sect must have long since hated the Celestial Destiny Emperor to the very bone.

"Go. Return every month to report on the situation beyond the Celestial Gate. If anyone dares to hoard treasures for themselves, do not blame me for being ruthless!"

Xu Mo waved his hand.

None of the Cultivators dared to object. After acknowledging his command, they immediately steered their Dragon Boats and flew toward the Celestial Gate, leading the way.

Xu Mo gazed at the Celestial Gate high in the sky and sneered.

’This is the final opening of the Celestial Gate. Who knows what conspiracies lie hidden within? There’s no rush, no rush at all... I’ll let the cannon fodder scout the way first.’

’Celestial Destiny Emperor, I won’t be foolish enough to confront you head-on. The one with the greater power isn’t always the one who reaches the end of the Invincible Road.’

’I will strike when you least expect it and ensure you don’t even have a place to be buried!’

...

「Antarctic Ice Sheet.」

Within an iceberg that shone like a Star, a chilling fog filled the air.

The fog condensed into clusters and threads, interwoven with Law to form countless intricate patterns.

Countless ice crystals hung solidified in midair, seemingly fixed for eternity.

Here, the very concepts of Time and Space seemed to cease.

It was a hazy, dreamlike vista.

「At a certain moment.」

A soft sigh echoed throughout the iceberg.

"The path is long and fraught with peril. Is the way forward truly inside the Celestial Gate?"

Mu Tiange was dressed in a Daoist Robe. Its wide sleeves fluttered, and one side of its billowing hem vanished into the endless void.

He gazed at the Celestial Gate in the sky above, his eyes seeming to traverse infinite time and space as he tried to pierce through to the scene within.

But alas, it was all a blur of Fog.

Even with his mastery over the two Laws of Time and Space, he still could not see through it!

"Sect Leader, we two shall enter the Celestial Gate on your behalf to scout the Invincible Road. We will then return and report to you."

An Ruosu and Ye Wanzhou stood respectfully behind Mu Tiange.

Mu Tiange shook his head.

"The celestial signs have revealed that this is the final opening of the Celestial Gate. This is no mere coincidence; there is surely a conspiracy afoot."

He paused. He looked up at the heavens, his eyes seeming to swirl with interwoven Laws.

"With your mastery of the Law, neither of you would be able to perceive this conspiracy."

"Let alone find the Invincible Road, which will not appear for another thirty years."

"If you enter the Celestial Gate now, your power will be suppressed. Only when the Invincible Road appears can an Immortal Emperor’s full might be unleashed."

"I suspect the other Immortal Emperors will also wait thirty years before entering the Celestial Gate, so there is no need for you two to rush."

"Wait patiently for thirty years. Then, you will enter the Celestial Gate with me. I will need to borrow your Laws to execute a certain Immortal Technique. When that time comes, we may yet have a chance to see the end of the Invincible Road."

"Perhaps the path forward truly does lie there."

Mu Tiange’s tone was calm, his gaze deep and pensive, but his thoughts were his own.

...

"So, the Celestial Gate has opened."

「Confucian Academy.」

Kong Xuansheng gazed at the vast Celestial Gate suspended in the heavens and sighed with a touch of emotion.

He held a game piece in his hand, from which emanated a wondrously profound aura that seemed to reflect all of existence.

"This is merely a prelude. I imagine none of the Immortal Emperors will be entering the Celestial Gate right away."

Wang Xiao said calmly.

Kong Xuansheng nodded slightly.

"The Invincible Road will not appear for another thirty years. This period is for Cultivators below the rank of Immortal Emperor to compete. Among them, someone may find a great opportunity and attain the Dao of an Immortal Emperor."

He paused, then looked at Wang Xiao and said,

"The affairs of the world are like a game of chess, ever-changing with each new match. Your Majesty and I have played for many years. I wonder, have you found your own path on the board?"

Wang Xiao said faintly,

"The world is full of countless, unpredictable mysteries. Every piece placed opens up ten thousand possible paths. How difficult it is to find one’s own."

For the past several years, although he and Kong Xuansheng had only been playing chess, it was also much more than that.

The board and its pieces were merely tools for the two of them to discuss the Great Dao.

Kong Xuansheng’s Cause and Effect Great Dao was contained within the game itself.

The board is the cause, and each piece placed is the effect. Between Cause and Effect lie infinite variations.

What Wang Xiao was trying to find now were the principles governing these variations.

Unfortunately, although he had comprehended the Destiny Great Dao, which allowed him to better perceive the changes in Cause and Effect, discovering and mastering it still required time and the occasional flash of inspiration.

It was like looking at a piece of fabric; Wang Xiao could see its overall shape, but he needed a much deeper understanding to clearly see the intricate patterns and the direction of its weave.

Kong Xuansheng spoke.

"For Your Majesty to be able to say that proves you are not far from comprehending the Law."

He too had naturally gained much from these past few years of playing chess and discussing the Great Dao with Wang Xiao.

Though their respective Laws were not identical, they were connected by a thousand threads.

Like a skeleton and the flesh upon it.

Wang Xiao’s Law was the skeleton, the overall frame, while his own Law was the flesh that filled it out.

The former needed to work from the macro down to the micro, filling in the flesh, while the latter needed to work from the micro up to the macro, building the framework.

In terms of difficulty, his own task was naturally the greater of the two.