The night was as dark as ink that could never be diluted. The Wang family residence was unusually quiet, as if everyone had fallen into a deep sleep. The night watchmen stood silent, moving as lightly as cats. This was the rule of aristocratic families, which was normal under ordinary circumstances. Yet on a night like this, the silence carried a sense of oppression, like the calm before a violent storm.
Mu Qi tightened his right hand around the hilt of his sword, slowly rising to his feet. Calculating the timing, he pushed open the door and stepped out of the Tianji Pavilion. The scent of lotus had long vanished. For a servant girl like her, who lacked significant strength, the only choice was to flee far away. She could only pray devotedly for the success of her master’s plans, for if the family fell, there would be no survivors.
With a single step forward, pines and cypresses shrank behind him, and the forbidden arts could not stop him. Mu Qi directly crossed over the forest and appeared at the entrance of the ancestral hall of the Wang clan.
The hall’s gates were tightly shut, dark and solemn, exuding a heavy sense of oppression. The two black-armored guards who should have been stationed there had vanished. In their place sat Wang Huai’en of the Hidden Lineage, his black beard swaying, hidden beneath the ancestral hall’s forbidden arts. Before him lay a heavy iron-black coffin, its surface covered in chaotic, wild cursive patterns, exuding an aura of utmost malevolence.
Creak! Creak!
A grating, teeth-chilling sound came from within the coffin, as if something were clawing at the lid. Mu Qi’s heart skipped a beat. He fixed his gaze on Wang Huai’en.
“A ‘Heavenly Dao Monster’?”
Had the Hidden Lineage somehow stolen the remains of a Dao body that had cultivated the “Mathematical Classic” and then perished in meditation? Had the corpse transformed into a Heavenly Dao Monster upon its deathly scream?
They were willing to go to any lengths to stop him, even if it meant crippling the Wang family. After all, crippling was still better than total annihilation.
Did all members of the Jiangdong Wang clan carry a hidden madness in their blood?
Mu Qi took a step forward, his sleeve flaring. He was about to change the heavens and earth, unleashing a storm to draw Wang Huai’en in and prevent him from opening the coffin. In normal circumstances, since the Wang family was unafraid of being crippled, he would have been eager to test this so-called Heavenly Dao Monster. As long as he didn’t face the “head” of the Wang clan’s founding ancestor—a being at least of legendary rank—he would fear nothing. If it were a Dao body of equal or lower rank, with the “Yuanshi Golden Scripture,” the “Bajiu Xuangong,” extensive combat experience, deep mastery of techniques, and various unique traits, who would he fear?
In a sense, he himself was one of the greatest “monsters” at the Earth Immortal level!
Even if he encountered a Heavenly Dao Monster formed from a Heavenly Immortal-level Dao body, he was fully confident he could escape. Could it be stronger than the Overlord?
Yet at this moment, bearing the entrusted mission of the Wang family’s eldest son, if he were forced to flee or became entangled for too long, the consequences would be dire. I did not kill Bo Ren, but Bo Ren died because of me.
As his sleeve rose, Wang Huai’en merely smiled faintly, his eyes filled with a calm acceptance of death, without a trace of fear.
Bang! The lid of the black iron coffin was flung off. It seemed he had calculated the timing precisely, fully prepared. At that very moment, the sealing forbidden arts suppressing the monster abruptly vanished.
“Heavenly Dao!” A scream rang out, filled with terror and grotesqueness. A chaotic, malevolent aura surged forth, as if shaking distant stars, causing them to flicker visibly.
At the same time, Mu Qi’s “Sleeve of the Ten Thousand Realms” encountered an inexplicable resistance. It seemed the “Heavenly Dao Monster” within the coffin was neither real nor illusory, thus escaping the grasp of the Qiankun!
This was one of the rare failures since Mu Qi had mastered this great technique. As long as the opponent was not two major realms above him, even a being as mighty as the Overlord would be drawn into his sleeve, differing only in how long they could resist. Yet now, the “Heavenly Dao Monster,” seemingly only at the Earth Immortal level, resisted the “Sleeve of the Ten Thousand Realms” from drawing in Wang Huai’en.
The aura spread. Wang Huai’en’s eyes abruptly lost all vitality, replaced by a chaotic, hollow expression. His flesh quivered, his hair rising strand by strand. With a bang, his eyeballs popped out, transforming into two hands. His black beard and hair turned into countless tentacles, each with its own will. Arms sprouted one after another across his body, densely packed, sending chills down the spine.
This mere aura was enough to kill a Celestial Immortal-level Dao body instantly, turning it into a monster!
Wang Huai’en had never intended to leave alive!
A single hand rested on the edge of the black iron coffin, resembling aged jade weathered by time, its veins clearly visible, writhing as if sentient.
With a thunderous roar, a towering figure sat up. Its entire body was smooth and jade-like, yet marred by corrosion. Its Dao-cultivation robes, formed from Dao power, transformed into black scales tightly adhering to its body, radiating an eerie glow. Its face was blurred, its eyes, nose, and mouth constantly shifting places, while its hair was entirely emerald green.
The moment Mu Qi laid eyes on this “Heavenly Dao Monster,” his vision blurred, and countless bizarre thoughts surged forth, drowning out rationality. Every orifice, every muscle, every organ seemed to receive heavenly blessings, engaging in dialogue and competition with one another.
In this moment of crisis, Mu Qi grasped a sliver of clarity, activating the Yuanxin Seal, opening the Niwan Palace, and summoning the Tai Shang Wu Ji Yuanshi Qingyun. Threads of chaotic, shadowy light descended, separating him from the Heavenly Dao Monster.
Before all things, chaos devoured all, including madness and disorder!
The chaos receded, the madness subsiding. Mu Qi finally regained his clear thoughts.
Though he had never experienced such madness before, Mu Qi felt this was the most vivid sensation he had ever known. The monster before him seemed to embody madness itself. Even a mere glance or exposure to its aura had nearly overwhelmed him.
“Heavenly Dao!”
The monster raised its head and roared, fists clenched and extended.
Silently, dark clouds gathered above the ancestral hall, silver lightning dancing. A faint, shadowy bolt descended, empowering both the Heavenly Dao Monster and the transformed Wang Huai’en.
Boom!
The thunderclap shook the pine and cypress forest within the forbidden barrier, snapping trees and igniting flames. The Heavenly Dao Monster and Wang Huai’en, without techniques or subtlety, charged straight at Mu Qi, wreathed in dark lightning.
Seeing the Heavenly Dao Monster unleashed, Mu Qi pushed aside distractions and faced it cautiously. The Absolute Blade slashed forth like autumn winds sweeping fallen leaves, subtly shifting, a single strike forming an array encompassing both simplicity and complexity.
Purple lightning flashed, piercing the chaotic lightning. Both the Heavenly Dao Monster and Wang Huai’en were struck.
“Heavenly Dao!” Amid the screams, both were cleaved in half at the waist.
Was it really this simple? Could one easily defeat a Heavenly Dao Monster as long as they could withstand its chaos and madness? As this thought arose in Mu Qi’s mind, he suddenly saw the two halves of the monster stretch and grow, each sprouting a top and bottom half, becoming whole again. The only difference was that what had once been one Heavenly Dao Monster was now two, each as strong as before, with no sign of weakening. The same was true for Wang Huai’en. In other words, Mu Qi’s enemies had quadrupled, their power doubling instantly.
Bang!
The Heavenly Dao Monster opened its mouth, firing dark lightning like arrows. Wang Huai’en’s tentacles surged forward, taking advantage of Mu Qi’s momentary hesitation to strike directly at the Tai Shang Wu Ji Yuanshi Qingyun.
The chaotic, curtain-like light before the eaves rippled slightly. Mu Qi’s mind shifted, and the Absolute Blade slashed again. Purple lightning blazed, illuminating the area. The blade light split and refined, delving into the very foundation of matter.
As the long blade fell, Mu Qi intended to use the Absolute Blade’s electromagnetic force, as he had against the Blood Sea Rakshasi, to destroy the Heavenly Dao Monster and Wang Huai’en from the bottom up.
Purple lightning wove into silk threads, forming a cocoon that abruptly contracted, enveloping both the Heavenly Dao Monster and Wang Huai’en as they struggled.
Crackling sounds filled the air as the monsters screamed again. Two figures dissolved into smoke and vanished, yet the surroundings remained undamaged, showcasing Mu Qi’s mastery at the finest level.
All returned to stillness. The ancestral hall’s gates stood before Mu Qi.
At that moment, the surrounding void rippled, jade-like figures emerging, forming new Heavenly Dao Monsters without relying on any physical substance.
Wang Huai’en’s monstrous form was utterly destroyed, yet the Heavenly Dao Monsters multiplied endlessly, surrounding the ancestral hall so densely that not even a drop of water could pass. Though not quite matching the number of Mu Qi’s blade divisions, there were certainly thousands or even tens of thousands, a sea of emerald and flickering blood-red.
Mu Qi’s scalp prickled as the cries of “Heavenly Dao!” echoed in his ears. Lightning, flames, and chaotic voids surged from every direction, striking at him.
The Qingyun trembled, its shadowy glow wavering. With just one blow, Mu Qi’s absolute defense—the Wuji Seal—was nearly pushed to its limit. The sheer quantity of Heavenly Dao Monsters had triggered a qualitative shift.
What kind of monster was this?
Even if its physical structure was destroyed, it could regenerate?
“Heavenly Dao, Heavenly Dao”—could it be a rule-based monster beyond both reality and illusion? As long as the Heavenly Dao exists and the rules remain, no matter how many times it divides, it will regenerate endlessly?
As these thoughts raced through his mind, Mu Qi decided to test this theory. If it failed, he would have no choice but to rely on the Yuanshi Qingyun and the Bajiu Xuangong to force his way into the ancestral hall.
Against rule-based entities, those below the Legendary level were nearly powerless. But Mu Qi was different. He possessed the traits of the Legendary, the B彼岸 (Bǐ’an) level, and the “Cause of All Fruits.” A single word from him could shape the laws of the world. The Wuji Seal could devour and assimilate rules, the Zhongxian Sword Array could obliterate rules entirely, achieving the most thorough destruction, while the Kaitian Seal could replace old rules with new ones. The only question was whether he had cultivated to that level—normally, at least Legendary-level cultivation was required.
Yet, with his own traits and the “Cause of All Fruits,” perhaps he could give it a try.
Taking a deep breath, Mu Qi’s body suddenly expanded, embodying the “Law of Heaven and Earth.” Then, in his hand appeared a five-colored Li Xian Sword. High above, he braved countless flames, lightning, and chaotic voids, slashing downward at the densely packed Heavenly Dao Monsters.
The sword light divided—red, green, white, black—slowing time and space, transforming matter and energy. It formed a killing array of sword qi, crashing down and engulfing all the Heavenly Dao Monsters.
“Beneath this blade, all things meet their end. Laws dissolve. The void reigns supreme!” At that instant, Mu Qi bellowed, his eyes ablaze like琉璃 (liuli) lanterns, a spectral river churning around him.
Blades of sword energy tore through the void, obliterating the Heavenly Dao Monsters one by one. Not even a scream escaped their lips before they were utterly annihilated by the Zhongxian Sword Array.
As the light faded, a chilling void surrounded the ancestral hall. External energy surged in, rules spreading wildly to fill the emptiness. Yet the Heavenly Dao Monsters did not reappear.
Just as he had suspected. Mu Qi exhaled in relief. With a single slash, he cleaved open the ancestral hall’s gates, preparing to step inside.
At that moment, dark clouds gathered once more in the high heavens. Five-colored immortal lightning descended abruptly, piercing into the ancestral hall as if transcending time and space.
Was the eldest Wang son undergoing the Dao Body cultivation trial? And had he drawn lightning that even a Heaven’s Cave could not shield against? Mu Qi furrowed his brows.
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