The misty expanse of water and sky blended into one color.
Jiangnan, Gantang Channel. Along with a will descending out of thin air, a Grotto-Heaven fragment located at the bottom of the lake immediately began to collapse, ultimately transforming into a figure.
It was exactly [Sky-shrouding].
He had to admit, it was impossible for his main body to walk out of [The Mortal World]. The Bodhisattva Coiled Dragon Shadow and the World-Retribution Incarnation were being watched by the World Honored One and the nameless Dao Lord, respectively.
However, he had too many hidden trump cards.
After all, having stayed in the Netherworld for so many years, he had rich experience in serving prison time. He was proficient in how to use incarnations to contact the outside world while imprisoned.
Although this Grotto-Heaven fragment was originally left here by him to fish for fortuitous encounters, at this point, fortuitous encounters were no longer important to him. Therefore, he wasn't stingy either. He directly refined it into an incarnation, and then rose on a beam of light, speeding all the way toward Jiangbei, in the direction of the Heaven-Connecting Cloud Sea.
Soon, he saw his destination.
The towering sea of clouds stood in great numbers like a go board. Within it were suspended mountain peaks, densely dotted like go pieces, constructing a vast, awe-inspiring grand array.
Lingxiao didn't pause, driving straight in.
Boom!
The incarnation's cultivation base was merely at Foundation Establishment. Forcefully barging into the mountain gate at this moment immediately drew a riot inside and outside the Saint Sect. Divine senses one after another swept toward him.
Until Lingxiao chuckled lightly: "Ancestor, this lowly one has an important matter to report."
Instantly, all sounds faded into silence.
The divine senses of all the Saint Sect's Perfected Ones were frozen in an instant. The surging ocean finally manifested an endless brilliance of formations at this moment.
Following that, a towering palace hall was seen floating up into the air. It was precisely the [Heaven-Reaching Hall]. This palace hall resonated with the Saint Sect's [Thirty-Three Heaven and Earth Intersecting Go Grand Formation], ultimately fusing into one, transforming into a hazy light and color. It landed before Lingxiao's eyes, transforming into a boy who paced out.
"Lin Xiao, you still dare to come see the Master."
After countless years, being called by his original name instead of his Dao title for the first time, Lingxiao raised his eyebrows slightly and looked at the boy reflected within the light and color.
The person had red lips and white teeth, and a tender appearance, yet his expression was solemn. His Daoist robes moved without wind, and the Light of Wisdom flowing in the depths of his eyes was like a storm.
"...So it is the Venerable One."
Seeing this, Lingxiao unhesitatingly cupped his hands and said with a humble face: "This subordinate came this time to see the Ancestor. I trouble the Venerable One to introduce me."
"You want to see the Master?"
The boy sneered: ""Very well—have your true body come forth, and the Master may grant you an audience. For a mere Foundation Establishment incarnation to stand before me is already more than you deserve."
Heaven-Reaching Boy...
Lingxiao's expression remained unchanged, pondering the boy before him in his heart. This was the artifact spirit of the [Heaven-Reaching Hall], a Supreme Treasure personally refined by the Primordial Saint back then.
His status was equal to the [Dao-Conquering Tianhun Diagram].
And as an artifact spirit, Heaven-Reaching Boy's relationship with the Primordial Saint was also extremely close, almost no different from an incarnation. It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say he could reach the heaven treading at any time.
Thinking of this, Lingxiao simply smiled: "Since that's the case, I will speak straightforwardly."
"I want to report."
As his words fell, Lingxiao condensed his divine sense within his sleeve, transforming it into a jade slip. Recorded within it was the mission the nameless Dao Lord had previously entrusted to him.
The unorthodox path of [Yin and Yang], the Heavenly Scripture, the false history, the nameless Dao Lord... In an instant, Heaven-Reaching Boy clarified the contents of the jade slip. His already deep eyes became increasingly gloomy, and the light of wonders grew increasingly berserk.
"...Interesting."
After a long silence, Heaven-Reaching Boy finally looked at Lingxiao and said faintly: "What do you want?"
"The death of a Dao Lord!"
Lingxiao said unhesitatingly: "This Dao Lord is scheming for the false history, I'm afraid he want to release Sisui. He absolutely can't be allowed to remain. I only beg the Ancestorr to suppress and kill him."
"I am willing to be an inside contact for the Ancestor."
"I only beg the Ancestor to kill this Dao Lord and help me ascend the [Paramita]. As long as I can attain the Dao, from then on I am willing to guard the false history forever and watch over Sisui for the Ancestor."
A reasonable and logical appeal.
However, Heaven-Reaching Boy's expression became playful: "The [Paramita] can only have six Dao Lords. You know some things you shouldn't know."
"This was also told to me by that nameless Dao Lord."
Lingxiao said in a deep voice: "However, I cannot trust the other party. The other party claims to be Du Xuan, yet hides his aura and shows no Spiritual Power Dao. He definitely has other designs on me."
As his words fell, Heaven-Reaching Boy frowned. The nameless Dao Lord had indeed concealed himself deeply—his aura completely hidden, making it nearly impossible to discern his identity.
But one thing was certain.
Du Xuan? Impossible!
Heaven-Reaching Boy pondered inwardly. Did he not know exactly what sort of person the Spiritual Power Dao Lord was? His greatest skill in this life was clinging to the powerful.
Yet the nameless Dao Lord in Lingxiao's memory was entirely different.
His bearing was dignified and composed.
At first glance, he even thought it was his own Master. Such a calm and collected bearing was not something the Spiritual Power Dao Lord, who even had hidden dangers in his foundation, could possess.
This was the benefit of a higher-realm cultivator's perspective. The conclusion Lu Yang and Lingxiao had pondered over and guessed for a long time was given a negative evaluation by Heaven-Reaching Boy with a single glance. However, despite this, he also couldn't figure out the nameless Dao Lord's true identity. Therefore, after pondering for a long time, he could only proactively change the topic and say:
"It's useless. Your idea is merely fighting a war on paper."
"I understand the reasoning."
"You understand?" Heaven-Reaching Boy's expression grew increasingly surprised.
Lingxiao said in a low voice, "I have some understanding of this matter as well. A Dao Lord cannot be killed… but that is not absolute."
"Even if that nameless Dao Lord cannot be slain, the World Honored One can, can he not? Once the false history returns, he will fall from the seat of a Dao Lord. At that point, killing him will no longer be difficult."
"…Oh?"
Hearing this, Heaven-Reaching Boy arched a brow, a faint, ambiguous smile playing on his lips. "As expected of the Saint Sect's most outstanding disciple in tens of thousands of years. The World Honored One is your benefactor, after all."
Lingxiao immediately replied with solemn resolve, "You are my benefactor."
"Hahaha!"
As his words fell, Heaven-Reaching Boy finally looked up to the sky and laughed loudly. Only after a long time passed did the laughter gradually cease, and his melodious voice slowly echoed in all directions:
"Not long ago, the Master detected someone making a move against Feixue."
"The method was very hidden, and very brilliant. It should also be a Dao Lord... His target is to use Feixue to target the Ancestral Dragon's seal of the [Five Elements]."
"And now you appear as well.
"Speaking of a nameless Dao Lord posing as Du Xuan, plotting over the false history and that volume of [Heavenly Scripture] the Master obtained back then—while incidentally seeking to release Sisui.
"…How interesting."
Lingxiao remained silent and did not speak.
However, Heaven-Reaching Boy's tone did not stop, but became increasingly certain. A certain tangible "weight" appeared in his voice.
"Are the two Dao Lords different people?"
"Or the same one?"
"Du Xuan... He indeed has the motive to scheme for the [Heavenly Scripture]. That nameless Dao Lord exposing his identity might have precisely anticipated that you would come and speak clearly with me."
"He wants to misdirect me, making me focus my gaze on the false history, when the true target is actually still Feixue, the Ancestral Dragon, and the sealed [Five Elements]."
"So the false history side is merely a feint; the [Five Elements] is the main target..."
—Exactly.
This was the "raising one's hand" plan that Lingxiao and Lu Yang had figured out. In short, it was diverting the disaster, drawing the Primordial Saint's disaster toward the nameless Dao Lord!
The placement of a chess piece against Feixue was done by Lu Yang, but the method was too brilliant, enough to make the Primordial Saint view him as a Dao Lord, yet unable to find out which Dao Lord it was. And right now, Lingxiao brought another "nameless Dao Lord". With such a coincidence, viewing them as the same person was simply perfectly normal.
This way, the scapegoat was thrown out.
Under the meticulous weaving of Lu Yang and Lingxiao, a coherent and convincing conspiracy took shape, all pointing to a nameless Dao Lord lurking behind the scenes.
Better still, such a Dao Lord truly existed. Since he existed, traces of him would inevitably remain. Once the Primordial Saint began to investigate and uncovered those clues, he would only grow more convinced that this entire chain of schemes was tied to that figure.
Thus, these lower-realm cultivators could be extricated.
Sacrifice the lesser to preserve the greater.
In the next instant, Lingxiao saw Heaven-Reaching Boy slowly lower his eyelids. The youthful face no longer held any trace of contemplation or doubt; all emotions had faded away.
Only certainty and cold indifference remained.
"…A nameless Dao Lord plotting for the [Five Elements], yet using you as bait—deliberately misleading me and diverting my attention toward the [False History]."
"Is that what you intend for me to believe?"
"…Impressive."
(End of chapter)