The Long River of Time.
With a flash of golden light, the Primordial Saint abruptly opened his eyes. He watched as the summoned shadow of the Ancestral Dragon's future self leaped out from the radiance.
"You cheating, shameless scoundrel!"
"No wonder you were so cunning back then. You bastard!"
"You have no immortal virtue!"
The demonic youth erupted in a string of curses, his face twisted with resentment. Even though he was enslaved, the stifled indignation from the depths of his heart could not be suppressed.
The Primordial Saint was not surprised.
After all, anyone who learned the effects of the [Heavenly Destiny Divine Record] and realized he had already used it once would react the same way.
"Where is the book?"
The Primordial Saint's voice was calm. The demonic youth's eyes twitched; while continuing his verbal abuse, he slowly reached into his robes and produced a golden light.
The moment he saw this light, a flash of intense longing appeared in the Primordial Saint's eyes. However, he quickly smoothed over the emotion. This supreme treasure had already suffered catastrophic damage, leaving only a shell; having been used once by him, it was now utterly useless for any major task.
This brought his thoughts back to the [Heavenly Scripture].
The page of the [Heavenly Scripture] in the Ancestral Dragon Manor had once led him to believe he could repair the [Heavenly Destiny Divine Record], which was why he hadn't hesitated to turn against Sisui.
In the end, it was wishful thinking.
While the effects of the [Heavenly Scripture] were excellent—capable of reflecting false changes—it lacked the most crucial function: [Allowing everything to begin anew].
Without that, everything else was an illusion.
Thus, he had settled for the next best thing, using the [Heavenly Scripture] to seal Sisui.
At this thought, the Primordial Saint lowered his eyelids.
For so many years, ever since that one use, he had been searching for a way to repair this supreme treasure, even going as far as to attain the Void Attainment of [Time].
Yet, it was all in vain.
'[Jun]... that high-stage Deity Transformation being. Where did he extract and store the profound essence of this treasure? He couldn't have taken it with him.'
Once, he believed that the high-stage being had relied on the supreme power of this treasure to achieve transcendence, which was why it was nearly scrapped. However, after witnessing Sisui's transcendence, he suddenly realized that true transcendence involves taking nothing with you.
Just like Sisui.
Discarding all external forces, leaving only the transcendent "Self"... Judging by this, if Sisui was like that, the high-stage being must have been the same.
Therefore, logically speaking—
'The power of the [Heavenly Destiny Divine Record] must have been left in the Light Sea. But where exactly? Could it be hidden within other [Heavenly Being's Remnant Consciousness]?'
The Primordial Saint's thoughts whirled. He instinctively thought of Lu Yang and Xiu Zhen—two Dao Lords who had popped up out of nowhere, bypassing his surveillance. Theoretically, either could have obtained that supreme power. However, he quickly discarded the notion.
Because the [Heavenly Scripture] had not reacted.
'The [Heavenly Scripture] is connected to that supreme power. If someone truly wielded it, the [Heavenly Scripture] would definitely react, and I would discover it.'
Since there was no reaction, it meant the supreme power had not yet been unsealed.
It was still in a sealed state.
The Primordial Saint calculated cautiously, pushing all progress in the direction he deemed most logical, until he finally let out a long breath.
In the next second, he dispelled the Ancestral Dragon's future shadow and took the [Heavenly Destiny Divine Record] into his hand.
So far, all his plans had been disrupted. Of his three strategies, only the worst had left him a safety net, ensuring he wouldn't suffer a total defeat.
Yet, it was undeniable that the grand situation was no longer under his control.
Looking back, his utilization of the Light Sea had clearly not reached its peak, and his monitoring was not high enough; two fish had managed to slip through the net.
'If I could start over...'
Right then.
"Hmm?"
Suddenly, the Primordial Saint felt a shift in the [Inevitable Fate]. He raised his head, casting his gaze toward a locked-down realm in the Light Sea.
Three days passed in the blink of an eye.
At the border of the Light Sea and Tianhuang, the vast expanse of light surged as the Sword Lord, Cang Hao, and Myriad Laws arrived as promised. The [Heavenly Dao] hung high, sealing the surrounding universe.
On the other side, Lu Yang and Sisui arrived one after another.
There was one other person in their company. When the Sword Lord's trio saw him, their expressions shifted: "Myriad Treasures... you certainly lead a carefree life."
The newcomer was the World Honored One.
In the eyes of the Sword Lord's group, the World Honored One had picked a perfect time to "jump ship." Not only had he preserved his strength, but he had also gained Sisui's trust.
This "bald donkey" had been just as guilty as the rest of them in harming Sisui back then, yet now he was the only one living comfortably with Sisui as his backer. Meanwhile, the three of them were forced to engage in life-and-death schemes with the Primordial Saint. Truly, they were worlds apart.
What is "choice being more important than effort"?
This was it!
"Amitabha."
The World Honored One naturally saw through their thoughts. He gave a compassionate smile and chanted a Buddhist name: "Fellow Daoists, I hope you have been well since we last met."
"Myriad Treasures... hmph."
Cang Hao spoke first: "A dignified Dao Lord, now reduced to being a dog for a former junior cultivator. Hundreds of thousands of years of bitter cultivation reduced to nothing, and you seem proud of it?"
The World Honored One's expression didn't change.
He was someone who could swallow any insult—a Dao Lord who would kneel to a Foundation Establishment cultivator if needed. Why would he care about a bit of mockery?
"You shouldn't focus your energy on me."
"The one here for the wager is not me."
The World Honored One smiled and shook his head. He took a step back, withdrawing his smile and standing alongside Sisui, leaving Lu Yang at the front.
On the other side, the Sword Lord stopped Cang Hao from saying more. She stepped forward to face Lu Yang and performed an ancient bow.
"I swear upon the [Heavenly Dao]."
The Sword Lord's voice was as cool as ever. "If I win, you must provide a sea of consciousness from trillions of living beings, sufficient for me to return to my position as a Dao Lord."
"If you win, I shall surrender the [Heavenly Dao]."
"The [Heavenly Dao] is here. Where is your stake?"
Lu Yang glanced to the side.
The World Honored One nodded and slowly opened his palm. Within it lay a vast Buddha Kingdom containing countless living beings.
"The stake is here."
"If Fellow Daoist Nian Yao wins, the sea of consciousness you require will be provided by me."
As those words fell, the [Heavenly Dao] at the zenith responded. Lu Yang and the Sword Lord simultaneously felt a subtle, invisible binding force.
This wager was a vow entered into willingly by both sides. With the [Heavenly Dao] nearing completion—lacking only a final "human pillar" to finalize its power—anyone below the rank of Dao Lord who broke the vow would face the backlash of [Fortune], [Destiny], and [Inevitable Fate]. It was a death sentence.
In the next instant, Lu Yang and the Sword Lord took their positions.
With sword in hand, the Sword Lord stared directly at Lu Yang. "You seem certain of victory. Do you believe Cang Hao will definitely kill me?"
Lu Yang shook his head: "Senior must be joking. Why would I place my hopes on an outsider?"
"In the end, one must rely on oneself."
The Sword Lord looked at him, knowing she would get no further answers. She performed another bow: "In that case, excuse my lack of restraint."
Lu Yang tucked his sleeves and gestured:
"Please!"