Chapter 337: Not Within the Heavenly Dao

"You're truly powerful—you actually managed to tear open the Heavenly Dao Sacrifice to kill me."

Amidst the thick, oceanic aura of malevolent energy, Chu Xian emerged from the deep crater, his eyes heavy, blood slowly dripping from between his fingers.

He had used the Heavenly Dao Sacrifice to pierce the Heavenly Dao, simulating this scenario countless times.

In one scenario, Chen Luo entered the altar and was banished by the Heavenly Dao; in another, the Hall Master of the Heavenly Book Academy stepped inside and died instantly without taking a single step.

In a hundred simulations, no one had ever forcibly torn open the Heavenly Dao Sacrifice, seized a soul from the Heavenly Dao, and come to kill him.

What does this mean?

It means even the Heavenly Dao considers this impossible!

Yet here and now, someone has forcibly killed his way to his doorstep.

Chu Xian stared, eyes locked, at Ji You's surging aura: "I've heard of you—the massacre of Immortal Villages, the shutdown of spirit stones. I've always wondered why you'd serve the Immortal Sects."

Ji You gazed at him with icy clarity: "Since I entered the Heavenly Book Academy, people have always told me I shouldn't walk alone. When this catastrophe comes, I must choose a side—should I rely on you, who slaughter all living beings?"

"Slaughter all living beings?"

"The countless Immortal Villages of Fengzhou, the twisted abominations created by your experiments, and the infants you've used as vessels."

Chu Xian's eyes narrowed: "Even the infants? You know about that?"

Ji You gripped his sword hilt tighter: "Didn't you ever hear the saying—if you don't want others to know, don't do it in the first place."

"So you've come for revenge on their behalf? What if I told you we, too, seek revenge—what would you think then?"

"?"

"Rumors say you visited my Chu City and investigated for a long time. You probably know my Chu family has been enemies with Xuan Yuan for generations. The Qingyun version says my ancestor was posthumously disemboweled—but in truth, he was carved alive. And every generation since has suffered the same."

"The Seven Orifices Brilliant Body is naturally close to the Dao, yet lacks the Sacred Artifact—that is our primordial sin. The Seven Immortal Sects all want to know what secret lies within our bodies. That's why countless of my kin still float in jars."

"By my generation, they changed their minds. Since research failed, they decided to breed."

My aunt, my sister—they were taken by the Xuan Yuan Immortal Mansion to be breeding machines, birthing countless illegitimate offspring in an attempt to steal our Chu bloodline. Funny thing is, they never succeeded.

"And it's not just my Chu family—Li family, Zhuang family—all were slaughtered for various reasons. So we, too, seek revenge…"

Before he finished speaking, Chu Xian's pupils shrank sharply, then both hands blazed crimson.

A grand sword aura slashed toward him—Ji You seized his momentary distraction and brought down Xiao Zhong Shan with brutal force.

"Don't joke about family. If I didn't know you feed on your own kin to cultivate, I might even pity you."

"It was out of necessity…"

With a clang, the Dao Sword was slammed back—Chu Xian's body erupted with black-red energy, wreathed in wind, fire, and thunder.

In his hand appeared an iron blade wreathed in You blue flame; its aura surged, sharpening instantly.

"Long ago, we barely gained Immortal Fortune, thinking we'd finally found revenge—only to learn those who ate the fruit turned to black ash upon leaving. We realized Immortal Fortune isn't so easily claimed."

"We lay dormant for years, analyzed endlessly, and finally discovered pure infants could absorb the Immortal Fortune and carry it out. That new power—even the Heavenly Dao struggles to touch."

"So we refined it into Infant Elixirs, had chosen ones ingest them—but once the user ascended a realm, the Annihilation Tribulation still appeared."

"After much thought, we reduced the dosage, splitting one Infant Elixir into countless fragments, giving them to selected individuals—keeping the dose below the threshold of ascension. We called them Seeds, using their spiritual energy to purify the Immortal Fortune."

"The separated Immortal Fortune contained another substance—capable of mutating humans into monsters. We called them Absorbers."

"After the Seeds purified the spiritual energy, we sent the Absorbers to consume the transformed Immortal Fortune, cultivating chaotic flesh. We are the Harvesters—we absorb their blood qi to reap the final fruit."

"But if non-direct relatives absorb it, they develop blood decay—their bodies rot and die. So feeding on kin? It was unavoidable."

"And their sacrifice? It's for the glory of our family…"

In an instant, a blinding black light erupted from his hand, a crushing killing intent slashing down and shattering the sword aura.

Chu Xian swung his blade violently—another beam of black light slashed down.

The sharp aura clashed violently with Ji You's sword energy; the explosion triggered storms of wind and swirling clouds.

The former Xuan Yuan Holy Son had shed his earlier desperate defense. With his aura exploding, his formidable combat strength finally emerged.

Seeing this, Zuo Qiu Yang and others atop the wall grew grim.

Chu Xian was never weak—his talent was universally acknowledged as immense. Of course, Ji You was a once-in-a-millennium oddity, no less powerful, even stronger.

But the problem was the malevolent energy.

Chu Xian suffered little suppression within it, but Ji You, deep inside, was crushed under it, constantly drained with no replenishment.

Meaning—even if he forcibly seized the soul and entered, his chances were vanishingly slim.

As expected, as the black light surged down, Ji You's sword aura began weakening—faster than anticipated.

In mere moments of exchange, Chu Xian slammed down a massive black-light-formed seal technique.

Ji You's Dao Sword exploded violently under the impact—before he could breathe, the previously motionless azure iron blade slashed down.

In the furious blade light, Ji You was blasted away with a thunderous crash, his hardened body smashing through countless floor tiles, carving a deep trench spewing sword energy.

In an instant, the violently trembling, towering black light stabilized…

"BOOM!!!!!!"

A bolt of black lightning slashed down, twisting and wrinkling the void.

Chu Yu shattered Zizai Peak, his fingertip tapping lightly as he surged forward with black light, killing straight toward the Heavenly Book Academy's Dean.

He had felt the Heavenly Dao Sacrifice tremble, moved cautiously, and only now, seeing it steady, exhaled in relief.

Correct. A hundred simulations. Never lost.

Even if a fly used some secret technique to enter, the outcome would never change.

With a puff, the loose-robed Dean swept his sleeve, summoning a flash of heavenly light that crushed the trembling lightning strike, then flew back ten miles without expression.

"Your Academy truly produces extraordinary talents—even the Heavenly Dao Sacrifice can be breached."

The Dean stared at him without expression: "Did your hundred heavenly calculations ever foresee this variable?"

Chu Yu sneered: "A minor interruption. I'd worry more about Spirit Sword Mountain. Do you think a Realm of Boundless Void Master without a Sacred Artifact can hold out as long as you?"

The Heavenly Book Academy Dean's eyes snapped shut—then his right palm shot skyward, slamming down a golden wheel like a blazing sun.

Before battle began, the three Hall Masters and elders sent by the Dean to the Ascension White Jade Platform grew grim, constantly expending spiritual energy to resist the pressure from the two Linxian experts.

They had seen through Zuo Qiu Yang's spiritual sense Ji You seizing the soul from the Heavenly Dao and entering the Sacrifice—shocked beyond measure.

But they knew: with the malevolent energy inside, Ji You had no chance of victory.

And now, the most critical issue was Spirit Sword Mountain.

If one Sacred Artifact were seized, the situation would collapse instantly.

Amidst the dim, thunderous explosions, Spirit Sword Mountain was engulfed in raging war.

Zhuang's Ancestor held an iron mace, slamming it down from high above, his aura like the heavens splitting, crashing toward Xuan Jian Peak.

The cataclysmic energy crushed half the sky—but was held back by two Xuan Jian Peak Elders and Qi Zhengyang.

At the same time, Yan Shuyi stood proudly in the void, behind her rising a moon-like sword aura that slashed down.

A Realm of Boundless Void strike meant nothing to a Linxian expert—but this moon sword aura truly forced Zhuang's Ancestor back a step, despite the six other top-tier experts.

"She's refined her Life Sword Art to this level?"

Amidst the howling mountain winds, Yan Zhong, flanked by two clan elders, hovered high in the sky, eyes flickering with astonishment.

Spirit Sword Mountain's most guarded secret was cultivating the sword through one's life—life and sword bound as one.

This technique had seven stages, unrelated to Dao cultivation realms—purely sword cultivation.

Though seven stages existed, few ever reached the final, Swordless Realm.

Yan Zhong, as Sect Master, though not wielding a Sacred Artifact, had mastered profound arts himself—now at the Fifth Stage: Severing Illusions. He never expected his niece had reached the Sixth Stage.

She had her own Dao to cultivate, constantly harmonizing with spiritual energy—yet still found time to hone her Life Sword.

BOOM!!!

With a thunderous explosion, the three top-tier Elders of Xuan Jian Peak could no longer hold out—they were blasted away by the iron mace.

The Junior Master spat blood, his eyes flashing cold fury, then retreated swiftly.

Yan Zhong snapped back, turning to the two elders behind her: "Yan Shuyi must die today. Come with me—take the Tian Jian Peak disciples and flee!"

Spirit Sword Mountain's Elder narrowed his eyes: "Are we just surrendering the Sacred Artifact?!"

"Our Yan bloodline has been bound to the Sacred Artifact for a thousand years—our blood already carries the link. Otherwise, when the Spirit Mirror lost its master, it wouldn't have chosen anew from our bloodline. As long as the green mountains remain, we can return."

"When did Spirit Sword Mountain ever have enemies storm our gates?"

"Elder!"

The two elders gritted their teeth, turning to follow Yan Zhong—when suddenly, a black mace slammed down.

All three whirled back, unleashing their full aura to block the mace that warped the void.

Just as the black mace nearly crushed them, the rising moon sword aura slashed down—while the two Xuan Jian Peak Elders and Qi Zhengyang pressed down with supreme sword arts.

Yan Zhong's arm shattered—Yan Shuyi turned her icy gaze toward her.

When Zhuang's Ancestor broke through Xuan Jian Peak, Tian Jian Peak didn't move to help—he assumed his niece was already brimming with killing intent.

"Go."

"?"

Yan Shuyi stared toward the swirling black light: "You saw—he won't let you leave. After killing me, he'll exterminate your entire clan to eliminate threats. Take the others, go to the ruins, retrieve the remaining disciples, and flee."

Yan Zhong looked at her: "You truly understand the greater good. We'll avenge you."

"No need. Someone else will avenge me."

"Why not sever your bond with the Sacred Artifact and escape yourself?"

"I don't owe you explanations for my actions."

Yan Shuyi rose abruptly—beneath her feet, a ripple of spiritual light surged, and her form vanished to the valley between the three peaks.

Seeing this, Zhuang's Ancestor swept his hand, crushing five top-tier experts and charging after her.

Yan Zhong narrowed her eyes, watching the pursuing killing intent.

It seemed this niece intended to draw them away alone, giving them time to escape.

Yan Zhong suddenly swung his palm, pulling back the three ancestral elders of his main peak, then surged toward the foot of Heaven Sword Peak.