Exactly as the World Honored One reached his decision.
In the history of five thousand years ago, Perfected Lord Brilliant World Joyous Light, who was about to attain the Dao of Karma and subsequently trace back to the past, abruptly halted his upward climb.
Almost simultaneously, the Primordial Saint lowered his gaze.
This scene did not exceed his expectations. After all, the [Heavenly Destiny Divine Record] had already recorded the [Previous Life]; he knew very well what the World Honored One was capable of.
However, this time was different.
'According to the records in the book, the reason Myriad Treasure abandoned [Karma] in the [Previous Life] was because the [Paramita] was on the verge of collapse.'
'But this time, the [Paramita] is intact. If he abandons Karma, he could indeed allow the False History to return, but he would also lose his greatest reliance. Without [Karma], what would he use to switch his attainment to the Netherworld? Therefore, he cannot repeat his old trick; there is only one thing he can do now...'
As the Primordial Saint expected.
Within the False History, Perfected Lord Brilliant World Joyous Light did not abandon his attainment of the Dao. He still attained [Karma] and still traced back through time, heading toward the source of history.
Thus.
In the True History, within the karmic scene of 129,600 years ago, the World Honored One's past self—the Myriad Treasure Peak Master—felt a resonance and opened his eyes.
The Body of Three Lives.
It was the Myriad Treasure Peak Master who accepted the karmic attainment of Perfected Lord Brilliant World Joyous Light. Thus, 129,600 years ago, he broke through with peerless momentum, attaining the status of Dao Lord and participating in the Dao Lord War, which ultimately led to Sisui's death and the destruction of the Dharma Body Dao.
"Past causes, today's results."
The Myriad Treasure Peak Master let out a sigh. At this moment, he should have joined the Great War of Dao Lords, but instead, he decisively chose to turn and walk away.
History was then changed.
"Myriad Treasure!!!"
The Sword Lord's enraged voice accompanied a sword chime. The River of Destiny surged and roared, yet it could no longer block the unsustainable seal of the False History.
CRACK! CRACK! CRACK!
The sound of shattering glass rang out from the depths of the False History. Subsequently, the body of the Sword Lord, who had been standing steadily on the fifth layer, shook violently, and the light surrounding her abruptly dimmed.
The next second—she fell!
The [Heavenly Dao] collapsed. Without its reinforcement, the Sword Lord naturally could not maintain her stature on the fifth layer; she could only fall back to the fourth layer of the [Paramita] with hatred in her heart.
On the other side, the World Honored One, originally on the first layer of the [Paramita], also let out a long sigh. He then paced forward slowly, calmly walking down from the [Paramita].
The World Honored One's choice this time differed from the last life. In the last life, he didn't even want [Karma], but in this life, he chose to retain [Karma] while abandoning the opportunity to surround Sisui and ascend the [Paramita]. As the Primordial Saint predicted, he still needed [Karma] to switch his attainment to the Netherworld.
However, the Primordial Saint would not give him the chance.
Retaining [Karma] is fine; because you retained it, it only has meaning if I kill you!
"RUMBLE!"
Almost at the exact moment the World Honored One left the [Paramita], a pale hand reached out from the depths of the void, enveloping the World Honored One's silhouette within its palm.
At this moment, the Primordial Saint lowered his gaze, and the World Honored One looked up.
The former master and disciple faced each other. One was cold and indifferent, the other compassionate and kind. All past memories were torn asunder, leaving only irreconcilable enmity!
The Primordial Saint slowly closed his palm.
The World Honored One, having fallen from the [Paramita], was merely at the Golden Core Perfection. He couldn't withstand even a fraction of the majesty within that palm; his death was a certainty!
You think that because Sisui will return to the Paramita and become a threat to me once the False History returns, I will let you go to stop him first?
You want to use a time lag, utilizing Sisui to restrain me while you seize the chance to attain the Netherworld?
You are wrong!
From the beginning, you were my primary target for this trip. Sisui is indeed a strong foe, and his escape is troublesome, but stopping him brings me no benefit.
I'll take this opportunity to break the [Heavenly Dao], saving me from the Sword Lord continuing to threaten me from the fifth layer. And if I kill you, allowing [Time] to integrate [Karma] and using [Inevitable Fate] to govern [Variable], I will surely recover to the sixth layer, or even return to the seventh! This is the true way to pull the rug out from under you!
Of course, if you had abandoned [Karma], I would have lost.
But I already determined...
You would not abandon [Karma], because you still have a heart that seeks the Dao. And as long as your heart is set on the Great Dao, you cannot untie this death-trap!
No one can save you!
Absolute killing intent surfaced in the Primordial Saint's eyes. "A heart that seeks the Dao"—he had trapped many with these words; the higher a cultivator's realm, the less they could resist them.
Even he was the same.
The pale, slender hand gradually closed into a fist, as if grasping the entire Sea of Light in his palm, collapsing the boundless boundary space into a single point.
But at that very instant.
"CLANG—!"
The Sword Lord struck.
Because of the World Honored One, the False History had returned and the [Heavenly Dao] had collapsed. The Sword Lord, having fallen back to the fourth layer, should have felt a boundless hatred for the World Honored One.
Yet this time, she drew her sword without hesitation. The River of Destiny rolled forward, seeking to break open the Primordial Saint's great hand to rescue the World Honored One!
'Myriad Treasure... he cannot die.'
Within the brilliant sword-light, her cold, beautiful eyes remained calm despite her hatred: 'The Primordial Saint is adding fuel to the fire. He doesn't stop Sisui right now but goes to kill Myriad Treasure instead.'
'He must have a scheme!'
She had already fallen from the fifth layer. Since that was the case, the worst-case scenario was to ensure the Primordial Saint remained on the fifth layer; she could not allow him any recovery.
Therefore, whatever the Primordial Saint wanted to do, she would stop!
The Primordial Saint wanted to kill Myriad Treasure; she would save him!
As for her previous words to the World Honored One, they were merely verbal threats. As a Dao Lord, the only thing that could truly make her act was pure interest.
The River of Destiny leaped, and several future images manifested, all showing the World Honored One escaping. She intended to guide him out from under the massive hand.
Almost simultaneously, the three Dao Lords—Cang Hao, Myriad Laws, and Du Xuan—seemed to act as if they shared a mind, blocking the Primordial Saint's great hand from three other directions!
"RUMBLE!"
Four Dao Lords blocked four fingers, preventing the Primordial Saint's hand from fully closing, leaving him only able to point a single finger toward the World Honored One.
But before that finger could land.
Dao Tianqi's silhouette appeared abruptly. The Great Dao ring rotated, and whistling death-qi surged against the current, stubbornly blocking him in front of the World Honored One!
The Primordial Saint's expression was calm; his other hand was about to strike out.
But before that, a chime of the Dao rang out from the source of the False History. Immediately after, the Primordial Saint's second hand was forcibly intercepted!
"..."
After a brief silence, the Primordial Saint looked back. Deep within the False History that was currently merging with the present world, behind layers of Karma, he saw a towering figure.
Sisui!
This was the disadvantage of having zero reputation while being the strongest—everyone was stopping him—not wanting to see him accomplish anything.
"A pity, but it is not enough."
The Primordial Saint lowered his eyelids, his sleeves fluttering. Beneath his sleeve, the [Heavenly Destiny Divine Record] flipped open rapidly, and threads of profound wonder quickly spread outward.
(End of Chapter)