"Rumble!"
Above the sea of light, [Paramita], which was once like a divine dragon whose head could be seen but not its tail, now revealed its outline. Yet this wasn't done intentionally by the mighty power of the Dao Lords.
It was because it was falling.
At first, it was just an outline, but as time passed, this outline began to gradually enlarge. Consequently, the sea of light emitted a resonating sound of being overwhelmed.
Within the sea of light, whether it was the Immortal Nexus, the Celestial Court, the Star Palace, the Mysterious Wall, or the various large and small world realms, all presented a terrifying apocalyptic scene at this moment. Mountains collapsed and tsunamis roared, spiritual qi went extinct, the sun and moon plummeted, and visible ripples spread outwards across the sea of light from the center of [Paramita]'s descent.
"What happened?"
In the various realms of the sea of light, cultivators completely ignorant of the truth raised their heads to the sky in panic. And the higher their cultivation, the more terrifying and despairing the scene they saw.
"The extinction of the sea of light."
"Why is this happening?"
The unluckiest were those world realms situated right within the area of [Paramita]'s descent. They were about to meet their demise before they even knew what happened.
However, right at this moment, a light appeared.
It wasn't majestic, nor was it bright. Instead, it was eerie and chilling, dim and profound. Yet in an instant, it solidified heaven and earth, propping up the collapsing world.
Dao Tianqi made his move.
The Netherworld opened wide, and the young boy with a frail back walked out. His not-so-broad shoulders took on everything at this moment, stopping the fall of [Paramita].
"Primordial Saint!!!"
The young boy's voice no longer held its past respect. He was not even willing to call out "Master" to maintain that layer of relationship anymore. Only towering fury and disappointment remained.
Immediately following that, endless death qi poured out in full force from the Netherworld, transforming into pillars propping up the heavens. Replacing the [Five Elements], they supported the underside of [Paramita], stopping its fall and also preventing the world realms and billions of living beings below from being smashed to pieces by its descent.
"Hehe..."
Facing the reprimand of his former disciple, the diminutive figure at the pinnacle wasn't shaken in the slightest. Instead, he chuckled lightly, carrying a composure of having everything under control.
On the other side, the World Honored One also understood.
'I see.'
He gritted his teeth, his Buddha face displaying a Vajra's angry glare: "This is accurately calculating that Beast Taming couldn't possibly sit by and watch, using the Netherworld to fill the vacancy left by the [Five Elements]!"
[Paramita] falls, the sea of light is destroyed.
If Dao Tianqi hadn't awakened, or had just awakened and lacked the power to cope, that would be one thing. But since he had the ability, it was impossible for him to sit by and do nothing.
It was another open scheme.
Accurately grasping Dao Tianqi's personality, just like how he manipulated Sisui back then, using his hands to suppress the Ancestral Dragon and forge [Paramita]. It was completely unpreventable!
He clearly knew what the Primordial Saint was doing—yet he was powerless to stop it, forced to watch it unfold before his eyes. And the one being schemed against was none other than Beast Taming. These surging thoughts caused a faint crimson glint to slowly emerge in the depths of the World Honored One's eyes…
At that very instant, the Primordial Saint seemed to sense something. He lowered his head and looked toward him.
And in that moment, the World Honored One clearly saw it—the slight curl at the corner of the Primordial Saint's lips.
What can you do?
Dao Tianqi was stabilizing the collapse of [Paramita]. This benefited all the other Dao Lords—they had no reason to obstruct it, and would instead lend their full support.
So what if you are unwilling in your heart?
The Primordial Saint glanced at the World Honored One, then nonchalantly withdrew his gaze, seemingly not placing him in his eyes. The World Honored One himself also clearly understood the reason behind this.
'Even if I risked my Dao Lord position, as long as I dissuaded Beast Taming or planned to drive him away, I would immediately become the target of all the other Dao Lords. The Primordial Saint wouldn't even need to lift a finger; the other Dao Lords would naturally get rid of me for him. That's why he doesn't even deign to look at me a second time...'
The single action of driving away the [Heavenly Dao], leaving the empty shell of the [Five Elements], and prompting the collapse of [Paramita], he simultaneously solved two crucial problems.
The [Tribulation] responded to the Ancestral Dragon.
The [Netherworld] replaced the [Five Elements].
Killing two birds with one stone.
From beginning to end, the Primordial Saint never even took a single step forward. Yet with effortless ease—lifting what seemed heavy as though it were light, turning his hand as simply as flipping the palm—he steered the entire situation to his advantage.
At this thought, the World Honored One could not help but let out a long breath.
"Hoo..."
As the breath was fully exhaled, the eternally unchanging compassionate smile resurfaced on his face. All emotions in his eyes were slain, leaving only indifference.
In truth, nothing had changed.
Although Dao Tianqi's first scheme caused twists and turns in the process, the result was still as he expected. The Primordial Saint still successfully pushed the plan forward.
'The decisive point is not now.'
The World Honored One's gaze fell upon the still-fluctuating false history, pondering inwardly: 'On the path of deity transformation and ascension, that will be the key to deciding victory or defeat.'
Meanwhile, [Paramita] vibrated.
"Rumble!"
This time there was no Ling Xiao or Miao Le jumping out to compete. The Ancestral Dragon easily became the sole choice for the [Tribulation], and at the same time, also found Perfected Lord Feixue.
According to the plan, as long as he used the concept of [Seizing the Huai River] to seize Perfected Lord Feixue again, he could use the [Nourishing Descent] she attained out of thin air as a buffer to mobilize the [Tribulation] concept as fuel for the deity transformation and ascension. Within the plan, this was the only step he had a one hundred percent chance of success.
And then he was dumbfounded.
Because when the Ancestral Dragon arrived at the Sacred Fire Cliff, what greeting him was an empty shell. Feixue's soul and [Nourishing Descent] had vanished into thin air!
The Ancestral Dragon was flabbergasted.
"Gone... why... ah?"
Almost simultaneously, the Primordial Saint also cast his gaze over, his eyes carrying astonishment. He instantly caught a residual trace of crimson radiance deep within Feixue's glabella.
"What a rat."
The Primordial Saint looked at that streak of crimson light, his eyes seemingly deducing something. Only after a long time did he abruptly raise his head, looking towards the boundless and vast Dark Void.
'...In the Dark Void!'
'Someone silently jumped out of the restrictions of the [Heavenly Dao], built a Dao attainment land within the Dark Void just like me, and waited for the opportunity to take Feixue away?'
How did they do it?
When was it set up?
In a split second, the Primordial Saint had already sorted out his thoughts: 'It was that time overseas. The method is the same as Bu Tianque's. Could it be a method left behind by Myriad Treasure?'
No, it wasn't Myriad Treasure.
Toward this disciple—one who most closely resembled himself—the Primordial Saint was anything but dismissive. On the contrary, he regarded the World Honored One with the utmost vigilance.
Precisely for this reason, he guarded against him at every turn, having all but calculated his methods down to the last detail. Only thus did it appear as though he could dismantle the World Honored One's schemes with effortless ease.
Therefore, after careful deliberation, he was completely certain that the arrangement upon Perfected Lord Feixue had not been laid by Myriad Treasure.
Then the problem arose.
'If not Myriad Treasure, who is it?'
Inconceivable! Could it be that within the sea of light, besides the current six Dao Lords, there was a seventh person? And their existence even deceived his own eyes?
Who exactly was it?
Was it that mysterious consciousness that slipped into the false history right under his nose previously? But he isn't a Primordial Spirit, can a mere lower cultivator reach this level?
Or could it be...
Thinking of this, the Primordial Saint's eyes shone brightly.
"Variable!"
At this thought, he finally made a decision. His figure, originally situated at the pinnacle of [Paramita], drifted downwards, moving from the seventh tier to the sixth tier!