In an instant, across the vast Pre-Ancient Divine Land, the Dao Lords from the Sea of Light and the Dao Ancestors of the Divine Land scattered across the land lifted their heads in unison, gazing from afar toward the direction of the battlefield.
This was the first time.
It was the first collision between a Dao Lord of the Light Sea and a Dao Ancestor of the Divine Land. Visible ripples, centered on the battlefield, swept through the nine heavens and ten earths, agitating the past and the future.
[Education] Dao Ancestor Dan Qingjian and Sisui!
The former, as a veteran among the Dao Ancestors, possessed strength beyond doubt. He was but a single step away from the third qualitative metamorphosis of his essence, making him a leader among Dao Ancestors.
Sisui need not even be mentioned. Having attained False Transcendence from the fifth layer of the [Paramita] in this lifetime, he was more than twice as strong as in his previous life. Although he had only undergone one qualitative change, he was in no way inferior to Dan Qingjian. At this moment, fueled by full effort, he unleashed a single punch that plunged the vast Divine Land into darkness.
"RUMBLE."
Across the boundless Divine Land, the sun and moon lost their light. Only a single fist stood across the heavenly secrets, pressing all things under its weight as if nothing in the world could compare to it!
However, just then.
The scroll opened, and infinite historical scenes emerged, disrupting space-time, freezing in place beneath that fist, and colliding with it.
For every scene the fist annihilated, a new one was derived in its place.
The collision of the two was not just located in the present, but also in the past, in the future, and in every corner of the Divine Land, as both sides were truly incensed.
In an instant, the entire Divine Land was stirred!
Whether it was Sisui or the [Education] Dao Ancestor Dan Qingjian, they both had their own Dao enemies, and at this moment, they all saw an opportunity.
An opportunity to kick them while they were down!
In the next instant, three light shadows emerged abruptly beside Sisui. The three shared the same aura, the same name, and even their appearances were identical.
Primordial Saint! The Ancestors of the Name and Form schools!
The three joined forces, thunderous sounds erupting from their lips, shouting in unison:
[Sisui!]
Once the name was uttered, a certain indescribable majesty fell upon Sisui, attempting to deny his foundation of existence by seizing his name and countenance.
After all, if a person lacks a name and a face, no one recognizes them, and no one knows them. To everyone else in this world, they simply do not exist. This profound technique was based precisely on such concept and had once truly sealed a Dao Ancestor for ten thousand years!
However, just then.
Concentric circles emerged, stacked, and circled in the light, transforming into an endless [Infinite Ring] that blocked the path before Sisui.
On the other side, Shan Qiu and Zhu Liuxian also struck one after another.
Similarly, the three joined forces, forcibly blocking the joint strike of the Primordial Saint and his companions. The two sides fell into a stalemate, but they had also reached a certain limit.
They were missing only one external force.
However, at this moment, the other Dao Lords could only observe. In this billionth of a second, only the closest Dao Ancestors had room to interfere.
And now, everyone had struck.
Only one person was an exception.
Below the battlefield, the World Honored One pressed his palms together, his gaze burning, infinite thoughts appearing in his mind, as if some kind of emotion was about to break out of its shell.
'Reincarnated body...'
The World Honored One lowered his eyelids. All beings in the Light Sea have past and present lives, and he was naturally no exception; he had even specifically traced the karma of his past lives.
Yet, he had gained nothing at the time.
Only now, as if piercing through some cognitive barrier, he felt as if he saw an infant with a completely different appearance from his own, smiling:
"Excellent, excellent!"
These four simple words allowed the World Honored One to suddenly see through his past, infinite realizations arising in his heart.
The planning of Guiming flowed entirely into his sea of consciousness.
There was no consciousness.
Under the Final Tribulation of the Divine Land, even the Primordial Spirit of a Dao Ancestor could not survive; therefore, Guiming's consciousness had not remained—only the purest knowledge and information.
The World Honored One browsed through it in an instant, then parted his lips.
"...So that's how it is."
Alass! To think that I actually... Ahem, that's wrong. But regardless, I never expected that I was truly a good friend to the lower cultivators; even I am surprised by this.
'The great merit of saving the world.'
'One Mind, the Netherworld—it's too perfect, it's a match made in heaven! Convert the myriad beings into "me," and use the Netherworld to reincarnate into the Light Sea together!'
As the World Honored One realized this, his aura gradually began to change. Although his True Spirit was different, his Primordial Spirit was different, and even his Dao had changed, it still caused all the Dao Ancestors to turn their heads abruptly, their gazes landing squarely on him, capturing the faint aura that should have dissipated.
"Guiming!..."
"He actually succeeded... Is it because of this point in time? Past and future intertwined, he has returned as a cultivator from the future?"
"What a [Fate] practitioner!"
Amidst the sounds of astonishment, the World Honored One took a step forward, his gaze bright, looking toward the battlefield, and soon locked onto the position of the [Education] Dao Ancestor Dan Qingjian.
Almost simultaneously, Dan Qingjian's expression shifted.
"Guiming... my path does not conflict with yours, you..."
"The patron has mistaken me for someone else."
His current self was Shi Tianyi, Perfected Lord Brilliant Light Joyous World, Di Muni—anything but some Pre-Ancient Dao Ancestor. The so-called Dao Ancestor Guiming was already a thing of the past.
Moreover... the identity of Guiming could not bring him any benefits, and he didn't do things without benefits!
Compared to that, the identity of the World Honored One could at least attract many reliable allies.
"Amitabha!"
The World Honored One smiled slightly, and his silhouette vanished, replaced by a great Buddha with a glazed golden body, who stepped heavily into the very center of the battlefield.
This was the final straw that broke the camel's back.
"RUMBLE!"
In an instant, the battlefield shattered, infinite colored light burst, and a sound of scrolls being torn could faintly be heard. Then, a streak of brilliance fled rapidly.
Dan Qingjian had run away.
Seeing this, the Primordial Saint and the Ancestors of the Name and Form schools did not hesitate; they turned around, erased all traces of their auras, and vanished from the spot.
Soon after, the various gazes were withdrawn.
The true great war had not yet arrived; what had just occurred was merely probing. Especially for the hidden Dao Ancestors and Dao Lords, being able to see each other's attitudes was already a massive gain.
Meanwhile.
After repelling Dan Qingjian, Sisui slowly descended. Seeing the figures of Lu Yang and the World Honored One, a friendly smile immediately appeared on his face.
Although in this lifetime, he was not familiar with Lu Yang.
But previously in the False History, [Sky-Shrouding] had spoken many good words for Lu Yang, and he knew Lu Yang had been continuously opposing the Primordial Saint, so his initial favorability was very high.
On the other side, Zhu Liuxian and Shan Qiu watched Sisui with burning gazes, examining him with a hint of awe. Finally, Shan Qiu could not help but speak: "This... Fellow Daoist, how did you do it? This essence is 30% similar to the Dao Venerable; how did you cultivate it?"
"You wish to know, Fellow Daoist?"
Seeing this, Sisui smiled slightly, showing not the slightest vigilance he should have had toward Pre-Ancient Dao Ancestors; instead, he nodded gladly: "I will teach you; it is quite simple..."
Immediately following was a session of Dao-preaching.
Sisui spoke very seriously, and Shan Qiu and Zhu Liuxian listened very seriously. Only Lu Yang and the World Honored One did not blink, completely failing to listen.
The reason was simple.
"What? What? What is all this?"
—They didn't understand a word.
Looking at the two Dao Ancestors with blank expressions, Lu Yang secretly laughed: Sisui's Dao was completely tailored for himself; only he could walk it.
Even taking a step back, even if one wanted to learn, one had to have sufficient "wisdom light."
Pre-Ancient Dao Ancestors—where would they get "wisdom light"?
Forget it!
Surveying the past and present, I fear only Dao Tianqi could slightly understand and attempt to walk Sisui's path of [False Transcendence]; everyone else was more than a step behind.
"Senior Sisui."
Lu Yang took the initiative to step forward, first performing a salute to Sisui, before saying solemnly: "May I ask, why did you get into a fight with that Dao Ancestor earlier?"
This was the question on everyone's mind.
After all, the path of the [Education] Dao Ancestor Dan Qingjian was to observe and record; he did not compete for the Seed of the Great Dao, so no Dao Ancestor would specifically make things difficult for him.
Sisui was not the type to be combative or bloodthirsty, either.
Since that was the case, why did they fight?
(End of Chapter)