Mount Yu Huang stood majestic and towering, its scenery beautiful and solemn, with lotus flowers blooming throughout the four seasons.
It was high noon when Kurtodo, inverting the Heaven-Sundering Axe in his grip, ascended step by step, seeking the remnants of the Celestial Court. Su Daji, dressed in flowing white gauze, floated like a fairy, yet passersby seemed oblivious, as if they couldn’t even see them.
“Great Khan, the Time Blade belongs to the Other Shore and possesses its own spirit. It’s futile for you to seek it,” Su Daji said with sparkling eyes and an enchanting smile.
She was quite curious why Kurtodo had chosen to come to Mount Yu Huang. Although the site did contain remnants of the Celestial Court, the Time Blade was a supreme divine weapon of the other shore. If it were destined to be his, it should have already granted him benefits long ago. It was impossible for it to wait until now. After all, the “Demon Sage” bore the inheritance of the Celestial Emperor, yet he only received a ten-year boon in one night at Mount Yu Huang, allowing him to ascend to the rank of Celestial Immortal, without ever obtaining the Time Blade.
Kurtodo, with a mighty frame and steady steps, did not turn back as he murmured, “The Heaven-Sundering Axe was born in the Ninth Heaven and has countless connections with the Celestial Court. This Great Khan isn’t here to seek the Time Blade or the ‘Celestial Emperor Jade Records.’ I’m here to explore opportunities related to the Heaven-Sundering Axe. Perhaps within the ruins of the Celestial Court, there’s something that can further awaken it, or clues as to why it flew away from the Ninth Heaven unnoticed. Only by understanding these things can I better control it, enhance myself, confront the hidden chess game of the heavens and earth, and face the final calamity directly.”
Su Daji gazed at him, her tone tinged with surprise and amusement, “Since our failure at the Pure Yang Mausoleum, I’ve felt as if you’ve become a different person—not so resentful about your destroyed body, nor so fixated on attacking the righteous path. Your vision seems to have expanded greatly.”
Kurtodo gave a self-mocking smile, “The insults from Su Meng made me feel humiliated, and that hatred remains, but they also awakened me. Narrow-mindedness is no good. When a great calamity approaches, one must embrace the whole picture and seize every chance to strengthen oneself. When I once again rule the world, I must properly ‘thank’ him.”
He then changed the subject, “Let’s hurry and act before our movements are discovered and bring trouble upon us.”
Midway up the mountain, floating clouds had already gathered, making the place seem like a fairyland. As Su Daji was about to speak, she suddenly saw a crimson sun rising slowly from the sea of clouds, dyeing the heavens and earth red, both magnificent and spectacular.
What a beautiful sunrise, what a glorious morning light… Su Daji had just thought this when she suddenly sensed something was wrong—it was clearly already noon!
The mountain peaks vanished, transforming into a vast and desolate land, ancient and barren, devoid of any sign of life, as if it were even before the primordial chaos. Kurtodo’s heart chilled as he realized they had fallen into an ambush, and he immediately raised the Heaven-Sundering Axe.
At that moment, a voice suddenly came from behind them:
“Daoist friend, please stay!”
Startled, they turned to see a somersault cloud flying toward them through the crimson glow. Standing atop the cloud was a man in a green robe, his face handsome with slightly graying temples, smiling as he held a five-colored immortal sword that shimmered brightly. He recited loudly:
“Turning away from the Buddha’s heart, filled with wrath,
“The Blade Beyond Time (Time Blade) attains the singular truth.”
The immortal sword vibrated, releasing a hazy, wavering sword beam like rippling waves!
Su Meng?
“Yuanhuang” Su Meng?
How could he have set an ambush for them at Mount Yu Huang?
Kurtodo was filled with shock. He had chosen to come to Mount Yu Huang secretly, without anyone else knowing. Even Su Daji had only realized their destination after arriving nearby, and she had expressed doubts. Moreover, he had used the Heaven-Sundering Axe to obscure the causal threads, making the chaotic fate threads even more obscure. Even legendary experts might not be able to divine his location. How had Su Meng managed to set up this ambush in advance?
Could he constantly spy on him, immediately setting up ambushes whenever he and the Hegemon were apart?
As these thoughts raced through his mind, Kurtodo had already swung the Heaven-Sundering Axe. The axe handle blocked the sword beam while the axe head transformed into a chaotic void, cleaving upward and tearing through the fabric of space, attempting to break through the boundary between the two realms.
At the same time, Su Daji spat out a fragrant banner that enveloped both her and Kurtodo tightly.
Meanwhile, another man in a green robe appeared mysteriously above them, cold and silent, his entire focus resting on the sword in his hand. Su Wuming, existing beyond this world yet omnipresent, unleashed his sword light, and from all directions, the void itself seemed to transform into swords!
A divine sword from beyond, with the Supreme already forgetting all emotions!
Emerging from the left was the white-haired Master Da Lu, his gaze pure, filled with unique devotion to the person in his heart and the sword in his hand. His sword swung forth, splitting into countless threads, mastering the subtlest details, layer upon layer, affecting the very essence of all things.
One who is utterly devoted to emotion is utterly devoted to the sword, living for one person in this lifetime and beyond!
On the right sat the imperial figure, surrounded by mountains and rivers, with sun, moon, and stars arrayed around him. His pale-gold sword radiated a mighty human Dao aura, drawing upon boundless energy as the Human Emperor Sword awakened to the level of a Celestial Immortal.
Singing wildly as if crying out to the ninth heaven, for the imperial throne and for you!
The four sword beams converged and struck simultaneously, swiftly expanding and overlapping, instantly manifesting crimson, azure, white, and black radiance—crisscrossing and dominating, countless and indescribable, brimming with lethal intent.
The Four Swords united—The Sword Array of Slaying Immortals!
After activating the Void Seal and the “False Nine Nether Cartography,” which separated the two realms, Meng Qi unhesitatingly chose the Sword Array of Slaying Immortals, giving Kurtodo no hope whatsoever!
All four combatants were no less than Celestial Immortals in strength, even more powerful than during their time at the Golden Turtle Island. Even though the Xian Sword and the Lu Sword still had flaws, and the Sword Array’s power was only slightly enhanced, even a slight improvement was still an improvement. Previously, it had been capable of slaying two Celestial Immortals, and now, with Kurtodo merely an Earth Immortal and Su Daji not even among the top-tier Celestial Immortals, even with their treasures and the Heaven-Sundering Axe, survival would likely be impossible!
Meng Qi remembered the compassion of the Moonlight Bodhisattva, but in battle, how could one afford hesitation?
Therefore, his plan was that if Kurtodo and Su Daji could survive the first strike of the Sword Array of Slaying Immortals without being completely annihilated, he would subdue and imprison them, sending them to the Eastern Lapis Lazuli World. If they couldn’t withstand the attack, there was nothing he could do.
The sword beams entangled, rapidly manifesting chaos, continuously absorbing energy and matter as they spread. It seemed as if the chaos would never end until the very edge of the universe. Even the chaotic void that Kurtodo had unleashed was swallowed into this greater chaos.
The scene before them was so familiar. Kurtodo felt as if he had returned to the future, back to the grand spectacle of the sword array during the time of Chong He’s self-destruction. Back then, he had been grievously wounded and later lost his physical body, leading to a cascade of defeats. This time, the sword array was even more formidable, and he feared it would directly lead to his demise.
Within the sword beams, Kurtodo and Su Daji struggled desperately to resist, their emotions surging:
I’ve just emerged from the shadows, rediscovering my former boldness. How can I die here?
I still need to ascend to Celestial Immortality, prove my legend, and crush Su Meng in my palm. How can I perish here?
His divine consciousness transformed into a tangible force, pouring into the Heaven-Sundering Axe as he roared, “Brother Axe, assist me!”
The Sword Array of Slaying Immortals began to contract, the killing intent bearing down upon them. Yet, the Heaven-Sundering Axe showed no reaction at all—no reaction whatsoever!
Kurtodo froze in shock as chaos surged before him, and the sword beams struck his body.
How could this happen?
Could it be that my attempt to uncover the truth behind the Heaven-Sundering Axe’s flight from the Ninth Heaven had violated some taboo? Had I touched upon a forbidden secret?
Had it truly abandoned me, its master?
Was I even truly its master?
If I had known this would happen, I might as well have remained in ignorance!
The Sword Array of Slaying Immortals struck, and in an instant, Kurtodo was reduced to dust, vanishing into oblivion, leaving behind only lingering resentment and confusion. At that moment, the Heaven-Sundering Axe trembled, its nine Daoist inscriptions glowing simultaneously. It sliced through the chaos and vanished from the world, escaping before Meng Qi and the others could contain it.
The Heaven-Sundering Axe leapt from the river of time, flying into true chaos, when suddenly a hand, white as jade, appeared from nowhere and gripped its handle.
At once, it calmed down.
…
With the Heaven-Sundering Axe breaking through the array and providing an escape opportunity, Su Daji barely managed to withstand the strike. Her banner was riddled with wounds, and she herself swayed precariously, revealing her true form as a nine-tailed white fox.
“Namo Bhaisajya-guru-vaidurya-prabha-raja Tathagata,” the voice of the Moonlight Bodhisattva sounded, drawing Su Daji into the Eastern Lapis Lazuli Pure Land.
Meng Qi stood silently for a moment before sighing deeply, “When a great calamity approaches, it is like rowing upstream—those who do not advance will inevitably fall back. Kurtodo was once so mighty, yet today he perished quietly, without any resistance.”
Therefore, the most important thing is to enhance oneself!
…
On the Dragon Platform.
After completing all matters, the Pure Yang Inheritance entered the mausoleum once more. Meng Qi and the other Law Bodies arrived here, using the Moonlight Bodhisattva to relay messages, waiting only for Yun He.
The next day, Yun He returned with a glowing face, clearly having gained much. Meng Qi gave him a half-smiling, half-serious look and led him into the formation, making him feel a bit uneasy.
“Master Su, old Daoist merely excavated some unimportant mausoleums, nothing related to major historical events, so I didn’t cause much convergence of fate,” Yun He said with a sheepish smile. “How about I share some treasures with you?”
Meng Qi snorted, “No need, Master Yun. We all benefited, so no treasure is necessary.”
“What benefit?” Yun He asked curiously.
Meng Qi smiled, “Someone found their past life and left an imprint.”
“Finding one’s past life and leaving an imprint…” Yun He was stunned for a moment before nearly wanting to beat his chest in regret.
How could he have been so shortsighted, gaining small benefits while missing out on something far greater!
Meng Qi summoned the azure-blue Buddhist prayer beads, revealing a Lapis Lazuli Buddha statue. The formation radiated a hazy glow, enveloping everything.
He bowed to the image of the Medicine Master Buddha and transmitted his consciousness, “Lord Luya asked me to deliver a message: the highest level of the Ninth Heaven.”
The azure-blue Buddhist light brightened, and the Buddha’s illusion gently nodded, indicating understanding. Then, Meng Qi felt space and time tear open, chaotic currents surging forth, and in his heart, he thought of the Hegemon.
At present, he was indeed far inferior to the Hegemon, but after ascending to Celestial Immortality, would he have the chance to defeat him one-on-one?
Unfortunately, that opportunity would likely never come.
The chaotic currents surged, and Meng Qi fell into dizziness. Thus, his journey to the ancient era came to an end.
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