Chapter 1418: One Yuan Merging Dao

At the ruins of Tongtian Peak, a chain of interconnected events caused the Disk of Life and Death, serving as the anchor point for the Three Realms’ convergence, to fully revive its spiritual essence. Amidst intense vibrations, it broke free from the restraints of the Underworld Dragons’ claws, transforming into a black and white pillar of light that soared skyward.

At the same time, beyond the Nine Heavens, deep within the Sea of Stars, a towering tree appeared. Rooted in the void, it rippled out profound whirlpools, breaking through the Spirit Void Immortal Realm and descending upon the firmament of the Heavenly River Realm.

The Disk of Life and Death shot straight up, like a long river piercing through chaos during the creation of heaven and earth, heading directly towards the whirlpool.

“The Grand Dao of Life and Death is not for you to meddle with!”

At this moment, a furious roar emanated from the Gate of the Underworld. The vast and endless Yellow Springs surged forth from the depths of the Underworld. After passing through the gate, it transformed into hideous heads of Underworld Dragons. Their mouths opened, and transparent chains surged forth like startling thunder and swift lightning, arriving swiftly from behind to firmly lock the Disk of Life and Death before it could enter the whirlpool.

Amidst creaking sounds, the spectral thunder chains tightened. However, with the combined effort of these Underworld Dragons, who were primordial deities, they prevented the Heavenly Venerate from absorbing the Disk of Life and Death.

The dragon heads continuously retracted back into the Gate of the Underworld. Along with this action, the Disk of Life and Death, which was almost drawn into the whirlpool, also began to be pulled out inch by inch.

“Alas, the Heavenly Venerate has not yet merged with the Dao after all…”

This sentence suddenly echoed in Chen Mobai’s ear. He turned his head to look, only to see Grandmaster Nine Heavens Demon Exterminator sitting cross-legged on the ruins of the Sky-Penetrating Dao-Refining Pagoda. Immortal light of Yin and Yang flowed around his entire body, and on his Daoist robe over his chest, it condensed into a Tai Chi diagram resembling a whirlpool.

The frequency of this swirling vortex was almost identical to that of the Heavenly Venerate drawing in the Disk of Life and Death.

“Senior, what exactly is going on?”

Chen Mobai was still somewhat confused about the current situation. He had originally thought it was merely the eruption of karma accumulated by the Nine Heavens Demon Exterminator Sect over tens of thousands of years, which had triggered this sect-annihilating calamity.

Now it seemed, this sect-annihilating calamity was merely a prelude instead.

“Because the Ghost Mother showed great disrespect to Master back then, the Grand Dao of Primordial Life and Death was shattered. Although Master later repaired it with the power of creation, it remained incomplete. Although the Spirit Void Immortal Realm was the last to be created, because the Grand Daos of the Underworld and Heavenly River Realms, which served as the foundation of the immortal realm, were flawed, it was also incomplete. The path of cultivation could only progress as far as the Pure Yang stage at most, and one could not transcend to achieve creation like Master.”

“Master created the Three Realms one by one. She pitied the beings in the Heavenly River and Underworld Realms, so she actually left the Three Thousand Grand Daos for these two realms. However, with the Primordial Life and Death shattered, the Grand Daos of these two realms were also incomplete due to a chain reaction. Void Refinement was still possible, but if they tried to merge with the Dao, they could never advance further in this lifetime. The Grand Void True King and the Heavenly Emperor, to prevent later generations in the Heavenly River Realm from losing their path forward, changed the rules of the Grand Dao, allowing the Heavenly River Realm to accommodate only up to the Void Refinement stage. Anyone wishing to merge with the Dao had to ascend. Later, due to the Supreme True Demon, the limit was changed to the peak of the Spirit Transformation stage.”

“After the Heavenly Venerate takes this step of merging with the Dao, whether successful or not, the Grand Dao of Primordial Life and Death will be fully restored. Moreover, this newly formed Grand Dao of Primordial Life and Death will permeate the Three Realms, serving as the terrestrial axis for the convergence of the Three Realms, guiding the previously separated Three Thousand Grand Daos of the Three Realms to completely merge. From now on, the Three Realms will be one realm, and the complete Three Thousand Grand Daos will permeate every part of the Three Realms. Afterwards, even the Underworld and Heavenly River Realms can comprehend the complete Grand Dao, and cultivation for future generations will become much easier.”

“It’s just that the Heavenly Venerate probably felt their success rate for merging with the Dao was not high, so after knowing the truth, they delayed taking that step, fearing they would become a sacrifice for the Three Realms’ convergence.”

“My Grand Dao of Yin and Yang is both Primordial Life and Death and a lesser Grand Dao of Primordial Tai Chi. When Master accepted me as a disciple back then, it was also with the intention that if the Heavenly Venerate did not succeed, I would be the one to guide this scene.”

After listening to Grandmaster Nine Heavens Demon Exterminator’s words, Chen Mobai suddenly realized, finally straightening out the tangled threads of this matter.

However, Senior Sister Tianhai had already achieved creation and had a casual attitude towards the Three Realms she created, viewing them as dispensable. Therefore, after arranging for the Heavenly Venerate to repair the Grand Dao of Primordial Life and Death, she did not force the latter to carry it out.

Yet, she still arranged for Grandmaster Nine Heavens Demon Exterminator, this disciple, as a backup plan.

“Senior, what will you do next?”

After Chen Mobai understood, he continued to ask. After all, the Heavenly Venerate had already taken the step of merging with the Dao.

“I had originally intended to elevate my Grand Dao of Yin and Yang into the Grand Dao of Primordial Tai Chi. Now is the perfect time, and it also leaves me with no worries about the future.”

Grandmaster Nine Heavens Demon Exterminator smiled slightly. The Tai Chi diagram on his chest, which had the same frequency as the whirlpool condensed by the Heavenly Venerate above the firmament, suddenly stopped. Then, Yin and Yang gave birth to the Four Phenomena, the Four Phenomena gave birth to the Eight Trigrams, and the Eight Trigrams evolved into all manifestations. After evolving all manifestations, it then began to reverse its process, returning to the primordial state, reversing creation and returning to unity.

That initial unity was the moment the world was born, when Yin and Yang had not yet separated.

It was also the final step of the Primordial Five Phases: Tai Chi!

“Young friend, if I fail, I hope you will take good care of my lineage in the future.”

Grandmaster Nine Heavens Demon Exterminator’s Dao body, during the process of elevating into the Grand Dao of Primordial Tai Chi, began to become transparent, transforming into the purest light of the Grand Dao.

Merging with the Dao and elevating a primordial Grand Dao are steps of life or death.

Although Grandmaster Nine Heavens Demon Exterminator here was merely a Dao avatar, after taking this step, his true body in the Spirit Void Immortal Realm, and all avatars containing his consciousness, would all transform into Dao at the same time.

Only if he completely succeeds in his elevation and gains control of the Grand Dao of Primordial Tai Chi can he be reborn and return within the Grand Dao.

“Senior, you’re too kind. This is my duty. By the way, is there anything I can do to help you?”

Chen Mobai said respectfully to Grandmaster Nine Heavens Demon Exterminator. Although it was their first meeting, when Chen Mobai had just ascended, Grandmaster Nine Heavens Demon Exterminator and Immortal Lord Wuwei had directly stepped forward to support him. Chen Mobai remembered this favor.

Furthermore, according to the seniority on Mother Water’s side, this person before him was his martial nephew.

Therefore, Chen Mobai wholeheartedly hoped that Grandmaster Nine Heavens Demon Exterminator would successfully return from the Grand Dao of Primordial Tai Chi to become another Primordial Dao Lord of the Spirit Void Immortal Realm.

“My Grand Dao is fine; there’s not much competition. If young friend has the ability, you can help the Heavenly Venerate. Although he delayed taking this step of merging with the Dao until now, it is, after all, a great meritorious deed for the Three Realms. And he is also my Senior Brother…”

Grandmaster Nine Heavens Demon Exterminator shook his head and pointed to the firmament above, at the Disk of Life and Death being dragged back by chains.

“Me?”

After hearing this, Chen Mobai muttered to himself, thinking Grandmaster Nine Heavens Demon Exterminator truly thought highly of him. Although the Underworld Dragons were Dao Lords of the incomplete Grand Dao of the Underworld Realm, they were at least Seventh-rank existences.

The further one advanced in cultivation, the greater the difference between each stage.

Facing Seventh-rank beings, no matter how confident Chen Mobai was, he dared not act.

Even if he had refined the Turtle Treasure and possessed the power of the Grand Void Measuring Heaven Ruler and the Purple Heavens Palace in his hands.

“By the way, Senior, I have the Six Paths Sub-Disks in my possession. If I return these to the Disk of Life and Death, will it help the Heavenly Venerate?” Chen Mobai felt that given Grandmaster Nine Heavens Demon Exterminator’s status, he wasn’t someone who would joke around, so he quickly thought of this and couldn’t help but ask.

“Young friend, actually, the reason the Disk of Life and Death was shattered back then was because it was the Ghost Mother’s true form. After Master acted and killed this Lord of the Underworld, she extracted all of her fragmented consciousness from the other Grand Daos in the Underworld Realm. Those are the Six Paths Sub-Disks.”

“This current Disk of Life and Death was mended by Master with the power of creation. Previously, it was nurtured within the essence of the Underworld Realm and renamed the Samsara Disk. It was later found by the Underworld Dragons and sent to the Heavenly River Realm. They wished to combine it with the other Six Paths Sub-Disks to allow the Ghost Mother’s will to re-enter and take control when the Grand Dao of Primordial Life and Death was complete, or even go further, to become the Lord of Samsara for the Three Realms.”

“However, this was also part of Master’s plan. If the Heavenly Venerate succeeded in merging with the Dao, the Ghost Mother would no longer have any chance of revival. And if the Six Paths Sub-Disks combined with the Disk of Life and Death, it would instead become a supreme treasure of merit for the Heavenly Venerate to reshape samsara, transcending its previous Seventh-rank and becoming the first Eighth-rank Dao-achieving treasure in the Three Realms. This was also Master’s compensation to the Heavenly Venerate for being willing to mend the Grand Dao of Primordial Life and Death with their own body.”

Grandmaster Nine Heavens Demon Exterminator then spoke of something else Chen Mobai did not know.

As expected of Senior Sister Tianhai!

After hearing it, Chen Mobai was full of admiration.

If he were in the Heavenly Venerate’s position, facing such conditions, he would certainly not refuse.

After all, if successful, he would ascend to heaven in one step, directly becoming the Lord of Samsara for the Three Realms.

With an Eighth-rank supreme treasure in hand, that would place him second only to the Heavenly Emperor and the Grand Void True King.

No wonder Grandmaster Nine Heavens Demon Exterminator had been tinkering with the Disk of Life and Death for so long. Neither the Purple Cloud Celestial Palace nor the Thousand Autumns Brushwood Forest had sent over the Heavenly Dao Disk and Human Dao Disk they held. It turned out they were waiting for a result.

If the Heavenly Venerate succeeded in merging with the Dao, these two major forces would certainly, at the first opportunity, release their seals on the Six Paths Sub-Disks and present them to the Heavenly Venerate.

But if the Heavenly Venerate failed, then it would be the opposite: they would double the seals, absolutely not allowing the Ghost Mother to return.

Of course, Grandmaster Nine Heavens Demon Exterminator must also have been strategizing with other forces in this matter. After all, if the Heavenly Venerate still shrank back and didn't take this step of merging with the Dao now, then he would have to use his Grand Dao of Yin and Yang to elevate the Grand Dao of Primordial Life and Death.

Chen Mobai inwardly wished for the Heavenly Venerate to successfully merge with the Dao, wishing him good luck.

After all, if he were to help the Heavenly Venerate, he would be facing more than just one Seventh-rank being.

And just at this moment, from the whirlpool descending from the Heavenly Venerate, an earth-shattering roar erupted. Subsequently, an unexpected Grand Dao began to materialize around Tongtian Peak. One could see that the Five Elements spiritual energy, previously controlled by the Primordial Chaos Bell, suddenly lost control under this Grand Dao, transforming into a vast torrent that surged skyward and directly submerged into the Heavenly Venerate’s whirlpool.

Not just the Five Elements spiritual energy, under Chen Mobai’s special perception, he sensed all kinds of spiritual energy, ominous energy, demonic energy, and devilish energy across Eastern Continent. As long as they were within the energy range, all submitted to this suddenly emerging Grand Dao, continuously surging towards the firmament here like a tide.

This Grand Dao was extremely familiar to Chen Mobai!

It was the Grand Dao of Primordial Chaos!

At this moment, the Primordial Chaos Bell also began to vibrate intensely, because it sensed the most familiar aura.

At the same time, the vibrations within the Heavenly Venerate’s whirlpool grew closer and closer. A solemn-faced Daoist slowly stepped out. As he breathed in and out, all the spiritual energy Chen Mobai could perceive through his Void Sky Track Vision surged and ebbed with his absorption, transforming into a bell-shaped phantom, breathing in and out the heavens and earth, shrouded in primordial chaos, suspended between the firmament and the sea of stars.

“Yiyuan? Merging with the Dao at this time?”

The moment Grandmaster Nine Heavens Demon Exterminator saw the Daoist emerge from the whirlpool, his expression first showed surprise. Then his eyes widened abruptly as he realized the truth, his face filled with disbelief.

“What!”

After hearing this, Chen Mobai was equally shocked.

Although he had long known that True Monarch Yiyuan had entered the Forbidden Land and would certainly have to merge with the Dao to possibly return alive, he had not expected that he would choose this moment.

Was this a pre-planned strategy, a deliberate choice of timing? Or was it an unavoidable choice given the karmic entanglements of all forces involved?

And the moment True Monarch Yiyuan appeared and took the step of merging with the Dao, throughout the Three Realms, all the powerful cultivators who were observing showed expressions of surprise and doubt.

Clearly, this move exceeded everyone’s imagination.

Was this the Heavenly Venerate’s backup plan?

“I understand now.”

In the Ziwei Palace, the Heavenly Emperor was the first to comprehend. He watched True Monarch Yiyuan’s form gradually transform into Dao, merging into the Grand Dao of Primordial Chaos, and combining it with his own Grand Dao of Destiny, he deduced the truth.

True Monarch Yiyuan, long ago, could have already taken this step of merging with the Dao.

But not until now, and specifically leaving the Spirit Void Immortal Realm to take this step in the Heavenly River Realm, clearly indicated he had been waiting for this moment all along.

Because around Tongtian Peak, with the Disk of Life and Death as an anchor, the Three Realms began to converge, and the Three Thousand Grand Daos were gradually completing, but they were not yet entirely perfect. Thus, True Monarch Yiyuan taking the step of merging with the Dao there had a difficulty equivalent to merging with an incomplete Primordial Grand Dao. The success rate was much higher than in the Spirit Void Immortal Realm, but due to the anchor point, if he succeeded in merging with the Dao, it also left open the possibility of mending the incomplete Grand Dao in the future.

Only at this time, in that place, could this specific juncture be exploited.

“No, it’s more than that!”

But soon, the Heavenly Emperor’s Grand Dao of Destiny deduced an even deeper truth.

Why would True Monarch Yiyuan merge with Primordial Chaos at this juncture? It was to protect the Heavenly Venerate so that he could merge with Primordial Life and Death.

And what kind of relationship would make True Monarch Yiyuan willing to wait so long, or even risk death and the dissipation of his Dao?

In the Three Realms, only oneself would sacrifice everything for oneself.

True Monarch Yiyuan is the Heavenly Venerate!

Or, a part of the Heavenly Venerate.

Moreover, the Grand Daos of Primordial Chaos and Primordial Life and Death, being perfectly complementary, can lead to enlightenment of Pure Yang.

If Yiyuan and the Heavenly Venerate each successfully merge with the Dao, they might instantly achieve a realm no less than that of the Heavenly Emperor.

Furthermore, compared to the Heavenly Emperor’s Grand Daos of Destiny and Merit, Primordial Chaos and Life and Death are perfectly opposing, and after the Grand Daos of the Three Realms are complete, they could attempt to fuse the power of creation.

After deducing this far, the Heavenly Emperor could no longer sit still. He abruptly stood up.