Chapter 1434: Saint of Virtue, Blessed by Heaven

Upon returning to Mituotian, Kongming immediately went to the Eastern Yellow Villa to inform Chen Mobai about the events that had transpired in the Forbidden Land.

"Wanling has been captured? Excellent! As expected of the Battle Department, number one in combat. Their actions are swift." Chen Mobai wasn't particularly concerned about the Celestial Venerable's assimilation with the Dao, as he already knew the outcome. However, Wanling's capture brought a slight smile to his lips, and he couldn't help but praise Celestial Monarch Beixuan.

"There's something else. On the way back, I encountered someone observing through the stars. It was likely those senior disciples from the Star God Temple. Wanling is one of their people. If convicted this time, it will certainly implicate the Star God Temple. It just depends on whether the Celestial Emperor intends to settle past accounts." Celestial Monarch Kongming spoke of the incident he encountered upon his return. As a Celestial Monarch of the Void Department, he possessed nearly all intelligence on major factions since the opening of the Spirit Void Immortal Realm. Regarding the fall of the Eastern Earth Imperial Court in the Heavenly River Realm, the truth had actually been surmised at the time, lacking only concrete evidence and a few key details. Now, if Wanling is willing to speak and testify against the Empress's lineage, the Celestial Emperor can proceed according to the rules.

"Will Wanling be willing?" Chen Mobai asked. Kongming, however, shook his head, believing it to be almost impossible. Since the Empress chose Wanling as the executor, she clearly considered the possibility of exposure, and Wanling must be a tough nut to crack. Moreover, a True Immortal Dao Lord is immortal and indestructible; there is nothing left to fear.

"I, however, believe Wanling will be willing," Chen Mobai stated, holding a different view.

"Oh, I'd like to hear more," Celestial Monarch Kongming replied, his face filled with curiosity.

"Although I haven't been in the Spirit Void Immortal Realm for long, I know the Celestial Emperor is extraordinary. Since he has made his move, he won't make a fuss over nothing. Moreover, times have changed. The Empress's lineage has lost power. As long as the Celestial Emperor is willing to offer Wanling some promises, Wanling will likely adapt to the situation for freedom and a future." While True Immortals are one with the Dao, immortal and indestructible, that only applies when facing peers. The Pure Yang methods are unfathomable. As an incarnation of the Ancestral Dragon Dao, the Celestial Emperor might possess means to utterly annihilate a True Immortal. Even if he cannot kill them, sealing them for a lifetime is akin to death. Seals set by the Celestial Emperor at the Pure Yang realm can only be broken by the Grand Void True King in the entire Spirit Void Immortal Realm. However, Wanling certainly wouldn't have such influence.

"That's true, but is the Celestial Emperor truly willing to completely eradicate the Empress's faction before his abdication? Furthermore, the Star God Temple, as the lineage of the Seven Creation Sages, has unfathomable foundations and might possess means to contend with Pure Yang." In response to Kongming's doubts, Chen Mobai reiterated what he had said before: "The struggle for the Crown Prince has always been like this. The Celestial Emperor has probably chosen his successor and is paving the way for him." After analyzing the Celestial Emperor's somewhat aggressive recent actions, Chen Mobai drew a conclusion.

"Who is it? Yuwen Ji?" Celestial Monarch Kongming agreed with Chen Mobai's perspective and began to guess who the Celestial Emperor had chosen as his successor.

"Whoever it is, they are certainly a descendant of the Celestial Emperor, and not from the Empress's lineage. The Ziyun Palace lineage is indeed the most likely candidate." Chen Mobai was not very familiar with the Spirit Void Immortal Realm, and among the famous Celestial Emperor descendants, he had only encountered Yuwen Ji. And that encounter had ended in enmity. If it truly were Yuwen Ji, then in the future, he would have to spend less time at the Eastern Yellow Villa and more time in the Heavenly River Realm with Qing Nü. Or perhaps, find a way to stop it? Or even, offer Yuwen Ji an opportunity to reconcile with him?

As Chen Mobai pondered how to interact with Yuwen Ji if he became the second Celestial Emperor, a silver talisman flew from the sky and was solemnly received by Kongming. This was the highest-grade communication talisman from the Void Department. No matter where it was activated in the Spirit Void Immortal Realm, it would instantly traverse the void and reach Celestial Monarch Kongming. Throughout the long history of the Void Department, this level of communication talisman had been used fewer than ten times. Each instance marked a major event that reshaped the landscape of the Spirit Void Immortal Realm.

Upon receiving it, Kongming immediately chanted the incantation to decipher the talisman. After reading its contents, he was utterly astonished. "Yuwen Ji has died in battle." Hearing Kongming's words, Chen Mobai's face also showed great shock. "How could that be? Weren't those two seventh-tier Kangjin Dragons with him? With them present, who could kill Yuwen Ji?"

Although Chen Mobai had easily melted the Underworld Dragons and the other nine sons of the Ghost Mother in the Underworld using the power of the Purple Cloud Palace, those were all incomplete seventh-tier beings. Kangjin and Kangyu, these two Kangjin Dragons, were different; they were integrated with the complete Grand Dao of the Spirit Void Immortal Realm. Furthermore, as former Celestial Monarchs and Immortal Monarchs of the Dragon Department, their strength was top-tier even among seventh-tier beings. In the Eight Western Heavens, unless the Primeval Dao Lord Qianqiu Saint personally intervened, absolutely no being could kill Yuwen Ji under the protection of these two seventh-tier Kangjin Dragons.

Kongming stated gravely, "Within the Burning Heaven, a demonic expert who has assimilated with a Primeval Grand Dao has appeared." "The Heavenly Court army had no intelligence on this. Yuwen Ji, being overly eager for glory and always leading the charge, not only recovered the Eight Western Heavens that were occupied by the rebel army but even invaded the Land of Exile, intending to clear out Burning Heaven. He unexpectedly lost his life there." "Kangjin and Kangyu, even united, were suppressed and imprisoned by that mysterious demonic expert, and the Sin Immortal Army they led was completely annihilated." This was the entire content of the highest-grade communication talisman sent by the Void Department personnel accompanying the army to suppress the rebellion in the Eight Western Heavens.

After listening, Chen Mobai's eyes were filled with shock. "A Primeval Grand Dao? How could there be no sign at all?" It was known that when Celestial Venerable assimilated with the Primeval Grand Dao of Life and Death, the void vibrated, and the Grand Dao shone brightly, with all True Immortal Dao Lords in the Spirit Void Immortal Realm sensing the related phenomenon. Even demonic experts, who usually preferred to conceal themselves and break through in secret, would surely cause Dao vibrations that couldn't be hidden.

"They likely broke through in the Chaos, or perhaps, they are a Primeval Dao Lord from outside the Spirit Void Immortal Realm." Celestial Monarch Kongming could only think of these two answers, and Chen Mobai's heart was greatly shaken. Outside the Spirit Void Immortal Realm? Could it be... from the Purple Cloud Universe!

"Do you know what Primeval Grand Dao it is?" Chen Mobai immediately asked. Kongming shook his head, indicating that the talisman contained no such information.

"Junior Uncle, this matter is crucial. I must go to the Purple Imperial Palace to report to the Celestial Emperor." After speaking, Kongming transformed into a silver streak of light and vanished from the spot.

After coming back to his senses, Chen Mobai's expression became peculiar. Because for him, this was a good thing. After all, both Yuwen Ji and the two seventh-tier Kangjin Dragons had formed enmities with him. Although the Celestial Emperor had already issued punishment, the connection was not severed. In the future, whether Chen Mobai assimilated with the Dao or Yuwen Ji ascended to the Celestial Emperor's throne, this old score would certainly be brought up again. But now, Yuwen Ji was dead, and Kangjin and Kangyu were suppressed by the mysterious demonic expert. There was also Yuwen Yin, who had been conscripted into the Sin Immortal Army. Being merely at the Void Refinement stage, he was likely dead beyond doubt. They were all gone. Just like Wanling being captured by the Celestial Emperor's envoy, he no longer had to worry about these karmic ties in the future.

Chen Mobai could only think of one explanation for the good fortune of his biggest enemies in the Spirit Void Immortal Realm being unexpectedly resolved by others while he did nothing: "Those with great virtue are blessed by heaven." Anyone who opposed him would court their own demise.

Thinking of this, Chen Mobai looked up at the sky again. Above Mituotian lay the Three Saint Realms. Among them, the Merfolk clan in Xuanyuan Heaven also had a connection with him. Given the fate of Yuwen Ji and the others, had the Celestial Venerable already fallen out with the Merfolk Ancestor?

As Chen Mobai thought this, high above in the boundless sky, within the chaos, an immense, boundless pool erupted with an unprecedented violent tremor! "How dare you act before my master's divine statue! Today, I must use the Heavenly River Dao Fruit to discipline you, this unfilial disciple, on behalf of my master!" A merfolk with a handsome face but incredibly ancient eyes flew out of the Chaos Pool, reaching out to the sky and grasping. A vast Dao Fruit, without light or color but seemingly encompassing the Thirty-Three Heavens and even the entire Three Realms, flew out of the chaotic void and merged into the merfolk's glabella, transforming into a coiling, snake-like Dao seal.

"When the tiger is away, the monkey becomes king. Back in the Water Mother Palace, you were just a tea-serving boy for Master, yet you dare to claim supremacy and act as an ancestor here in Xuanyuan Heaven, showing me such disrespect!" Amidst the shifting black and white, the proud figure of Samsara also flew out of the Chaos Pool, looking disdainfully at the merfolk above.

Soon, streaks of True Immortal spiritual light lit up and descended upon the Chaos Pool. This was Xuanyuan Heaven, the foremost of the Three Saint Realms, where the Water Mother had comprehended creation and eventually transcended after opening the Spirit Void Immortal Realm. After the Water Mother departed, the boy and girl who ordinarily served her tea concealed this news. It wasn't until other disciples of the Water Mother Palace noticed something amiss and joined forces to come to Xuanyuan Heaven that they discovered the Water Mother had transcended. By then, the Merfolk Ancestor, who had been a tea-serving boy, had already refined the Heavenly River Dao Fruit and taken control of Xuanyuan Heaven, this sacred realm. The Merfolk Ancestor claimed this was left to him by the Water Mother, which the other disciples naturally did not believe. However, facing the Merfolk Ancestor, who could already wield Xuanyuan Heaven, they were helpless even when united. Furthermore, with the Merfolk Ancestor promising access to the Five Primordials Dao Scripture and the opportunity to comprehend the Heavenly River Dao Fruit, the other True Immortals of the Water Mother Palace could only reluctantly accept this reality. This matter had always been a taboo in the Merfolk Ancestor's heart. What he resented most was being called a "monkey in a cap," implying he was a pretender to a noble position.

Originally, when the Celestial Venerable came to Xuanyuan Heaven to acknowledge his ancestry, the Merfolk Ancestor, though disliking him for being a Primeval Dao Lord, intended to grudgingly accept him. There was a rule in the Water Mother Palace: after reaching the seventh tier, one could formally enter Xuanyuan Heaven and study the original Five Primordials Dao Scripture once. For primeval beings like the Celestial Venerable, who had listened to the Water Mother's teachings, the Merfolk Ancestor could even bring out the Heavenly River Dao Fruit for them to comprehend. This was also an agreement reached between the Merfolk Ancestor and the other True Immortal Dao Lords of the Water Mother Palace. However, after hearing this, the Celestial Venerable frowned, stating that he not only wished to see the complete original Five Primordials Dao Scripture but also demanded that the Heavenly River Dao Fruit be his. Upon hearing this, the Merfolk Ancestor was so enraged he laughed, asking, "By what right?" The Celestial Venerable scoffed, bringing out the Disc of Life and Death, declaring it was by virtue of this Primeval Supreme Treasure in his hand, and by being the first Primeval Dao Lord among the Water Mother Palace disciples. At this, the Merfolk Ancestor flew into a rage, and the two sides began to fight fiercely.

Celestial Monarch Xuansu also felt an indescribable sense of unreality about this. Although she had anticipated a conflict between the Celestial Venerable and the Merfolk Ancestor when the Celestial Venerable assimilated with the Primeval Dao of Life and Death and came to Xuanyuan Heaven to worship the Water Mother, she had not expected it to happen so quickly. The negotiations had broken down with just a few words. "Why didn't I notice his proud personality like this when we were attending lectures back then?" she wondered. Besides Xuansu, there were other True Immortal Dao Lords present, some so ancient that they were primeval beings who had listened to the Water Mother's teachings alongside the Celestial Venerable. Seeing the Celestial Venerable now, showing no respect to the Merfolk Ancestor and immediately brandishing his Dao-attainment treasure, ready for a fight, they too felt they had misjudged him in the past.

The Merfolk Ancestor cast a cold glance at Xuansu. In his view, the Celestial Venerable had been brought by Xuansu, and it was clear she wanted to embarrass him; perhaps she had already planned to ally with the Celestial Venerable. "If that's the case, then let me show you the power of the Heavenly River Dao Fruit!" With cruelty in his heart, the Merfolk Ancestor cast aside all restraint, intending to let everyone present witness his formidable strength.

"Vast Heavenly River, Transform into a Serpent of the Turbid World!" With a fierce cry, the boundless chaos above Xuanyuan Heaven suddenly became like a long river, or a colossal chaotic serpent capable of devouring the Thirty-Three Heavens, opening its formidable maw and directly swallowing the Celestial Venerable and Xuansu.

"Merfolk Ancestor, what is the meaning of this?!" Seeing this, Xuansu's brow furrowed in coldness. Primordial Immortal Light flowed around her, and she managed to evade the colossal chaotic serpent before it could swallow her.

"Why pretend? If you don't accept my control of the Heavenly River Dao Fruit, just say so. There's no need to send this hotheaded Celestial Venerable to lead the charge. Or perhaps, you know you're not my match?" The Merfolk Ancestor, believing he had seen through the truth, no longer held back his words towards Xuansu, a junior sister he had disliked for a long time.

"Nonsense. However, there's one thing you said that's right: I indeed don't submit to you." "No, I should say I look down on you." "A beast, no matter how splendidly dressed, remains a beast!" Since the pretense was shattered, Xuansu stopped holding back, unleashing the long-suppressed frustration in her heart.

"Harlot, today I shall suppress you and the Celestial Venerable together, depriving you of freedom for all eternity!" Upon hearing Xuansu's words, the Merfolk Ancestor's handsome face instantly turned crimson. Clearly, Xuansu's words had struck a raw nerve, completely breaking through his defenses.

And just as the Merfolk Ancestor summoned the colossal chaotic serpent to devour Xuansu as well, a black and white light wheel suddenly illuminated from within the serpent's mouth. In an instant, it sliced through the serpent's entire body, splitting it in two. With a buzzing sound, the proud figure of Samsara emerged, holding the Disc of Life and Death.