Chapter 967

Traveling through the spatial crevices is more dangerous than imagined. Without the guidance of the Law-Breaking Eye, Yan Buji is like a tiny boat drifting in the violent spatial turbulence. Worse still, the Cold Heaven Venerable's mark is indeed like a bone-deep ulcer, constantly releasing cold qi that erodes the meridians.

"I must...... escape......"

In his hazy consciousness, Yan Buji instinctively circulated the Extreme Desire Path. This time, he transformed all his desires into the purest "will to survive". Supported by this force, he finally spotted a spatial weak point before exhaustion.

With his last strength he tore open the rift, and blazing sunlight surged forth. Yan Buji fell from midair and crashed heavily onto a soft beach. The salty, humid sea breeze, warm sunlight, and the distant sound of waves made it clear he had left the Beichuan Ice Region behind and was now near the Frigid Winter Ocean of the Dongxing Sea Region.

"I survived......"

He struggled to turn over, gazing at the azure sky. His left eye was temporarily blind, his inner spiritual power exhausted, yet a smile curled at the corner of his mouth. Though this battle was perilous, the gain was equally great: not only did he break through the Unity Dao stage, he also verified the power of the Law-Breaking Eye and the potential of the Essential Law.

More importantly, after the Cold Heaven Venerable and the Corpse-Binder both suffered mutual losses, the Northern River forces will inevitably be reshuffled.

But no matter what, Yan Buji has already obtained what he wanted....

On the distant horizon, a fishing boat slowly approached.

Yan Buji concealed his aura, disguising himself as a shipwrecked traveler. Before recovering his strength, he needed a period of quiet to digest the gains from this life-and-death trial.

After all, the path of cultivation is still long. Unity Dao is merely a new beginning; Great Vehicle, Tribulation Crossing, and even the legendary Sacred Realm await ahead.

And the true power of the Extreme Desire Path has only just begun to manifest....

Soon after.

Yan Buji came again to the Boundless Sea Trench.

"Welcome, Initial King."

The Dragon People's high priest, old to the point of decrepitude, trembled like a candle in the wind; each step was extraordinarily difficult. His once tall and mighty body had been eroded by time into fragility like rotting wood. Yet despite his dire condition, he endured the pain, stepping slowly toward Yan Buji.

When the high priest finally reached Yan Buji, he exerted all his strength, slowly bending his waist to perform a standard yet respectful salute. Yan Buji frowned slightly, keenly sensing that the high priest had clearly reached the point of exhausted oil and waning lamp.

"High Priest, long time no see." Yan Buji's voice was calm and indifferent, as if the high priest before him were not the person he knew.

The high priest lifted his head, locking eyes with Yan Buji; his eyes revealed deep guilt and helplessness. Although he had broken through the late Nascent Soul stage, his strength having increased, he still felt that the gap between himself and Yan Buji remained.

"It's fine." The high priest's voice was hoarse and low, as if each word required great effort, "Initial King... I am sorry to you."

Yan Buji narrowed his eyes, staring at the high priest, feeling the unease and anxiety in his heart.

"What happened?" His tone remained cold.

"The Dragon People, millions of their people, all perished!"

Huh?!

Yan Buji's pupils contracted; he suddenly thought of something: "Is it the Blood Dao Person?"

"Not bad." The high priest sighed: "The Heavenly Demon King and the Blood Dao Person seem to have reached an agreement, handing over the millions of Dragon People to become blood food."

Ruthless enough.

Back when Yan Buji learned of the relationship between the Heavenly Longevity Dao Person and the Blood Dao Person, he had a premonition that this day would come.

What kind of good person could the Blood Dao Person be?

He is none other than the founder of the Blood Dao, the Blood Dao Patriarch; moreover, he is likely secretly preparing to become a saint, certainly needing a vast amount of blood food.

After his journey through the Northern River Ice Region, Yan Buji had confirmed that to break through the Sacred Sage Realm, aside from condensing his own Dao seed in fulfillment of the Great Dao, without any external aid it is forever impossible to break through.

The Dao seed is merely proof that a Great Vehicle cultivator has comprehended mastery of the Great Dao; but to break through the Sacred Sage Realm, a comprehensive elevation is required.

Besides the heavenly tribulation raising the limit to meet the breakthrough standard, the assistance of Mutant Force, Mutant Dao Mark, and a third party is needed to break through the Sacred Sage Realm!

Although most of this is Yan Buji's speculation, seeing the Cold Heaven Venerable prove the Dao by severing the three corpses made him understand.

The good corpse has a limit, the evil corpse has mutation, the bound corpse possesses the core Dao seed.

The three as one; as long as the divided Great Dao power is recombined and the three corpses are gathered, one can prove the Dao!

This is what he saw through the Law-Breaking Eye, and also the result of deducing clues gathered over a long time in the Northern River Ice Region.

Even if some steps here might not be exactly as he imagined, it should be roughly correct.

Although Yan Buji, whose strength is only at the Unity Dao stage, saying this is a bit premature, ultimately having figured out how to become a saint means he won't need to overthink the future.

Therefore, upon hearing that the Heavenly Demon King sent the painstakingly cultivated Dragon People to the Blood Dao Person as his blood food, Yan Buji suspected that the Blood Dao Person had already anticipated this day when, years ago, he aided the Heavenly Longevity Dao Person—namely, the host of the Dragon People's Heavenly Demon King.

Yan Buji looked at the sorrowful high priest and said nothing more.

He could not possibly risk his life over this trifle against the Heavenly Demon King and the Blood Dao Person; moreover, the Heavenly Longevity Dao Person might not be dead, and perhaps he would intervene.

At present, the Heavenly Longevity Dao Person seems to have mastered some demonic power in the Heaven-Burying Abyss, the Dragon People's Heavenly Demon King has stolen twelve Human Emperor corpses, and together with the Blood Dao Person's plot to prove the Dao and become a saint....

However you look at it, the Dragon People constitute a tremendous vortex; once drawn in, you cannot expect to escape easily.

This is merely the ancient great beings I have come into contact with; those I haven't, I fear....

Yan Buji turned and left, entering the Boundless Sea Trench.

Inside the Myriad Dragon Palace.

Yan Buji gazed at the empty Myriad Dragon Palace and soon spotted a familiar face.

Wang Man!

No, that strong demonic aura makes it obvious who it is without thinking.

"Lord Heavenly Demon King." Yan Buji bowed with clasped hands.

"Not bad, not bad. The Southern Court, Central Heaven, and Northern River have all fallen into chaos; it was not wasted that I placed such a heavy bet on you." The Heavenly Demon King laughed as he approached, suddenly narrowing his eyes to scrutinize closely.

"Your strength..... and your eyes, what's going on? Have you refined the Mutant Dao Mark?!" The Heavenly Demon King looked at Yan Buji with a hint of alarm.

Yan Buji raised his eyebrows, saying: "I too, because of this, wish to ask for your advice."

"Just call me Gu Na Xie; you are now qualified to sit at the table."

Gu Na Xie?

"Isn't Gu Na Xie another name for the Heavenly Demon clan?" Yan Buji wondered.

Previously he had heard that the demons of Chaos Heaven seemed to all come from the Gu Na Xie tribe; he originally thought it was an alias, but seeing the Heavenly Demon King's appearance, it seems not.

"We are one person, or rather one entity, merely with many thoughts scattered abroad. The true entity lies beyond the heavens, waiting for us to return the power we have gained to the main body." Gu Na Xie suddenly said.

Yan Buji's pupils contracted.

Heaven Demon Clan.... is just a thought of the main body?

Gu Na Xie smiled faintly: 'This is simple—an avatar, a second primordial spirit—isn't that easy to understand?'

Just how strong is your true form from beyond the heavens?