Chapter 1417: Three Realms Returning to the Origin

In the Ziwei Palace of the Spirit Void Immortal Realm, the Heavenly Emperor was discussing matters with the Grand Imperial Heavenly King when he suddenly let out a surprised exclamation. It happened at the very moment the Innate Grand Dao of Life and Death, from both the Heavenly River Realm and the Netherworld Realm, began to merge and converge, anchored by the Disk of Life and Death hovering above the ruins of Tongtian Peak.

"What has caused Your Majesty such astonishment?" The Grand Imperial Heavenly King asked, rarely seeing the Heavenly Emperor, who commanded the Grand Dao of Destiny, display such an expression.

"Life and death have begun to cycle; the Grand Daos of the Three Realms are returning to their origin!" The Heavenly Emperor stated after a moment of contemplation, describing the vision he had perceived.

"But isn't it too soon? We haven't reached the appointed time, have we?" The Grand Imperial Heavenly King was equally astonished to hear this.

"While destiny is an innate Grand Dao, it occasionally encounters variables that transcend its influence when entangled with other Grand Daos of comparable power. Evidently, the Innate Grand Dao of Life and Death is fraught with such variables." The Heavenly Emperor made no attempt to conceal the limitations of his Grand Dao of Destiny from the Grand Imperial Heavenly King. This was why, even as the supreme ruler of the Three Realms, he could not fully control all destinies.

"Then, will the unfolding destiny proceed according to our predetermined path?" the Grand Imperial Heavenly King inquired.

"The main thread of destiny will not change, for it was established by us, the masters of the Grand Daos. However, once the main thread is complete and the Three Thousand Grand Daos merge, new destinies will need to re-evolve. What will transpire during that period, even I cannot say. We shall proceed one step at a time." The Heavenly Emperor shook his head, yet the Grand Imperial Heavenly King noticed a faint smile playing on his lips. This made the Grand Imperial Heavenly King realize that the Heavenly Emperor would certainly not miss this opportunity for the Three Realms to return to their origin, aiming for his own transcendence.

The Grand Imperial Heavenly King asked, "Should Tai Xu Heaven be informed of this development?"

The Heavenly Emperor nodded. "Then I shall trouble you, Royal Brother, to make the journey. You can also convey the findings of your investigation at the same time."

The Grand Imperial Heavenly King nodded, accepting the command.

***

**Heavenly River Realm.**

As Chen Mobai beheaded Su Wen, he flicked a finger, and the Red Lotus of Bliss, now devoid of its master, immediately flew towards him. Under the influence of the Cantong Qi, this magic artifact—renowned for its eerie wickedness even among demonic cultivators—obediently settled into his palm, as if personally refined by Chen Mobai himself.

As the Red Lotus bloomed, two rays of light emerged, manifesting as Yuan Qingque's primordial spirit and the unconscious, slumbering Yuan Zhen. However, both were clearly unwell. Yuan Qingque's primordial spirit was burning with faint wisps of karmic fire from the mortal realm, causing her form to flicker erratically. Her mind seemed trapped in an illusion of samsara, unable to break free, showing signs of qi deviation.

Yuan Zhen, with her lower cultivation, was not only unconscious but her true qi had inexplicably mutated, now repelling the Nine Heavens Dao Fruit she had refined. It appeared that, under the inducement of an inner demon, she believed she had transcended the limitations of the Dao Fruit and forged a path unique to herself. Had Chen Mobai been even slightly delayed, Yuan Zhen likely would have suffered a primordial spirit self-detonation, turning to dust.

Chen Mobai immediately acted, placing two rays of sacred clear light upon the foreheads of Yuan Qingque and Yuan Zhen. Soon, the karmic fire from the mortal realm that enveloped their primordial spirits extinguished, dissolving into wisps of smoke.

"Brother Chen." At that moment, Ye Qing, fully recovered from his injuries after consuming the Three Lights Divine Water, flew over. Chen Mobai immediately entrusted Yuan Qingque and Yuan Zhen to him. "I've dispelled the demonic energy, but they must break free from the current inner demon illusion on their own. They merely need to see through this one."

Chen Mobai's words brought a sigh of relief to Ye Qing. Having endured so long within the Red Lotus of Bliss previously, it was unlikely that Yuan Qingque and Yuan Zhen would now be unable to escape this final inner demon illusion.

Just then, two terrifying, world-shaking Grand Dao powers began a direct confrontation nearby. Chen Mobai looked up at the sky, observing the endless Yellow Springs water pouring from the initial Netherworld Gate. Like the sharp claws of a Nether Dragon, it slammed against the Tongtian Dao Refining Pagoda, tearing through layer after layer of its Two-Sided Immortal Light. However, the Nine Heavens Demon-Slaying Ancestor unleashed power no less than the Nether Dragon's. Regardless of how many layers of Two-Sided Immortal Light were torn, they instantly re-condensed into equally powerful layers, like an endless, surging river. This ceaseless flow resisted the Nether Dragon's claws, formed from the Yellow Springs Dead River, preventing them from advancing an inch.

"Truly worthy of the Water Mother's disciple!" The Nether Dragon's voice, like rumbling thunder, echoed across the sky. It realized that no matter how much power it exerted, the Nine Heavens Demon-Slaying Ancestor could always counter with a Grand Dao force of equal measure. The Nether Dragon even felt that should it unleash its full seventh-tier Grand Dao true power, its opponent would be able to match it. Is this the Two-Sided Grand Dao?

Considering this, the Nether Dragon ceased its attempts to suppress the Nine Heavens Demon-Slaying Ancestor and instead transmitted a message to its siblings. Amidst the gurgling of flowing water, the Yellow Springs Dead Rivers emerging from the other five Netherworld Gates, like five additional sharp claws, coalesced under the Nether Dragon's control into a colossal dragon claw. It then firmly seized the Disk of Life and Death hovering in mid-air. Amidst the chaos of wind, rain, thunder, and lightning, the Disk of Life and Death was seized and drawn towards the Netherworld Gate of the Nether Dragon.

Witnessing this, the Nine Heavens Demon-Slaying Ancestor immediately unleashed even more powerful Two-Sided Immortal Light. He pushed away the Nether Dragon's claws that were pressing against the Tongtian Dao Refining Pagoda, then condensed a transparent longsword, clear as water, and swung it through the air, aiming to intercept the Disk of Life and Death.

"Can't sit still, can you? I was waiting for you to make your move!" The Nether Dragon snorted coldly. It abruptly released the Disk of Life and Death it had grasped, then raised its claws to seize and shatter the transparent longsword. Immediately after, five forces comparable to the Nether Dragon's own erupted from the five Netherworld Gates, transforming into the five great Ghost Mother avatars, which crashed into the Tongtian Dao Refining Pagoda in an instant.

Faced with this onslaught, the Nine Heavens Demon-Slaying Ancestor demonstrated his formidable power. Layers of Two-Sided Immortal Light condensed and sublimated, and with his might alone, he held back the five great Ghost Mother avatars in mid-air.

Fortunately for Chen Mobai, all combatants were seventh-tier existences. Even though they could only exert peak sixth-tier power, their control was exquisitely precise, with no spillage or loss of control. Thus, there was no need to worry about collateral damage. Although Chen Mobai now possessed peak sixth-tier strength after refining the Turtle Treasure, this represented his absolute upper limit. The Nine Sons of the Ghost Mother and the Water Mother Tai Xu True King were powerful beings of creation, locked in a mortal feud involving the Grand Dao. If they were to recognize the origin of the Turtle Treasure, they might become enraged and immediately turn their attacks upon him. Therefore, after killing Su Wen and rescuing Yuan Qingque and Yuan Zhen, Chen Mobai began to consider a retreat. While the Disk of Life and Death was certainly valuable, too many powerful factions were vying for it, making it clear that he could not stake a claim. As for its connection to a Heavenly Venerate's unification with the Grand Dao, he could only wish them good fortune.

"Brother Chen, this battle is beyond our involvement. Perhaps we should depart first." It was Ye Qing, surprisingly, who spoke first at this moment. Ye Qing was self-aware. While he possessed the courage to draw his sword against Su Wen and the Demon Venerate, even a hundred of him combined would be no match for seventh-tier existences like the Nine Sons of the Ghost Mother. Furthermore, Yuan Zhen and Yuan Qingque were not yet entirely out of danger. He absolutely could not allow Chen Mobai to fall into peril as well.

"Leave quickly!" At that moment, the Nine Heavens Demon-Slaying Ancestor's telepathic message resonated in their ears once more. He likely felt their presence required him to divide his attention to protect them, thus hindering his full power.

"Senior, take care!" Chen Mobai nodded, preparing to activate the Grand Dao of Void to depart with Ye Qing and the others.

Suddenly, the Disk of Life and Death in mid-air blazed with black and white spiritual light. All surrounding Grand Dao powers were instantly suppressed by life and death, with even the void being no exception. Chen Mobai staggered, feeling as though he had collided with an invisible wall and been repelled. His expression shifted slightly. He activated the Taiyi Five Smoke Net, and once it enveloped Ye Qing and the others, he propelled the artifact to its maximum escape velocity, retreating towards the Eastern Wilderness.

Meanwhile, the Tongtian Dao Refining Pagoda, which the Nine Heavens Demon-Slaying Ancestor was relying on while fighting six opponents, suddenly trembled violently. It also began to emit black and white life-and-death spiritual light, strongly resonating with the Disk of Life and Death.

"Do you truly believe that because the Two-Sided Grand Dao is subordinate to Innate Life and Death, you can refine and comprehend it, thereby gaining insight into all related matters?" The Nether Dragon's stern voice rang out. Its claws, which had been pressing against the Two-Sided Immortal Light, lifted and merged with the claws emerging from the other five Netherworld Gates. They coalesced into an even larger, ominous yellow ghost claw that seemed to engulf the heavens and earth, slamming down once more onto the Tongtian Dao Refining Pagoda.

*Boom!* Amidst the thunderous impact, the Two-Sided Immortal Light layers shattered, and with a cracking sound, fissures began to appear all over the pagoda's structure. Through the fissures, black and white life-and-death spiritual light emanated.

The Disk of Life and Death, previously unmoving as a mountain, suddenly began to spin, causing the Grand Dao of Life and Death's power within the Tongtian Dao Refining Pagoda to fluctuate violently. Assailed by the internal shock of the Grand Dao of Life and Death and the external bombardment from the Nine Sons of the Ghost Mother, the Tongtian Dao Refining Pagoda finally succumbed. With a thunderous crash, it disintegrated.

A phantom image of a Daoist, clad in a black robe with disheveled hair, stepped forth from the pagoda's summit. The Tai Chi symbol on his robe's chest swirled like a vortex, its frequency perfectly synchronized with the Disk of Life and Death. The ominous yellow ghost claw, previously slamming down, abruptly froze beneath the Tai Chi symbol. It was then pulled into the vortex, disintegrating inch by inch, dissolving into the purest Grand Dao true force which then ascended and merged with the Disk of Life and Death.

"That junior is attempting to forcibly elevate the Grand Dao!" The Nether Dragon couldn't help but curse upon witnessing this. Unable to unleash its full seventh-tier Grand Dao power, even the supreme ruler of the Netherworld found himself powerless in this situation. However, this move was a gamble with nine chances of death out of ten. The Nether Dragon considered the struggle a victory, having forced the Nine Heavens Demon-Slaying Ancestor onto a suicidal path.

Subsequently, the Nether Dragon changed direction, reforming its claws to seize the Disk of Life and Death and drag it into the Netherworld. To its surprise, however, with the power it could currently exert, it was unable to move the Disk of Life and Death. Upon careful perception, the Nether Dragon understood why. The Yellow Springs water coalesced into its eyes, which gazed toward a forbidden land deep within the boundless stellar rivers, high above the Nine Heavens. There, an entity with even greater mastery over the Innate Grand Dao of Life and Death was remotely pulling and summoning the Disk of Life and Death.

"Heavenly Venerate!"