Chapter 1241: Saint Emperor Crosses Calamity

Although the pond appeared unremarkable, instinct told Stone Tablet that it held a secret.

Stone Tablet slowly approached the pond. The clear water reflected the scholar's appearance, making him pause slightly. He then shook his head, instantly changing his form.

"I'm rather curious about your original form," said Li Ping, the Faceless Saint Emperor, from behind him.

"Haha, I can barely remember myself," Stone Tablet chuckled self-deprecatingly.

He then carefully observed the pond. The water was shallow, revealing everything at a glance.

"Hmm?"

After observing for a long time without finding the pond's mystery, Stone Tablet began to doubt his initial judgment. He turned to look at Li Ping.

Instead of explaining, Li Ping suddenly asked, with a hint of meaning, "Before the great calamity of the Xuanhuang Realm, many immortal treasures existed. Now, over ten thousand years later, these treasures have long vanished without a trace. The existence of immortal artifacts has become a legend, rarely even mentioned in casual conversation among cultivators."

"Does my fellow Daoist know the whereabouts of these immortal treasures?"

Stone Tablet's expression remained unchanged: "Immortal artifacts? I've never cared about them..."

Mid-sentence, he seemed to realize something and abruptly looked back at the fishing pond. After a moment of thought, his appearance changed once more. The old fisherman, wearing a straw cape and carrying a fish basket, instantly appeared before Li Ping.

A green light flashed in his hand, and Stone Tablet, in the form of the old fisherman, cast his fishing rod. The next moment, his body suddenly froze. Without reeling in, Stone Tablet remained perfectly still, as if frozen in ice.

After a long while, he took a step back, breaking free from the illusion before him.

"What was that?" Stone Tablet stared directly at Li Ping.

"What was what?" the Saint Emperor asked knowingly.

"The fishing pond? The starry sky?" Stone Tablet pressed further.

Li Ping shook his head slightly. "That was bait."

"Bait?" Stone Tablet was inexplicably stunned.

"The one who fishes is also fished," Li Ping said with a cold tone. "Even if my fellow Daoist sees all the treasures of the starry sky and remains unmoved, what if it involves your path to liberation? Can you still remain so calm?" Li Ping's voice was profound.

Stone Tablet had lived in the Xuanhuang Realm for too long and witnessed too many events. Therefore, after hearing Li Ping's words and pondering for a moment, he quickly understood his meaning.

"The Immortal Path is broken. The Outer Star Sea of Xuanhuang should have long been a ruin. Unless..." A realization flashed in Stone Tablet's eyes.

"What, do you also want to go out and see?" Li Ping asked.

Stone Tablet denied: "Matters in this world are largely similar. Even another world, what difference would it make? I just want to unburden myself of this heavy stone and have a good sleep."

His topic returned to the fishing pond: "I'm not sure when this thing arrived in the Xuanhuang Realm. But it's certainly after the great calamity."

"More precisely, it was after the reappearance of the Transmission of Dharma and the establishment of the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance."

The Saint Emperor explained further: "That is to say, this fishing pond was likely implanted into the Xuanhuang Realm along with fragments from other cultivation realms."

"That seems probable... However, immortal artifacts transcend our understanding. We can't be certain," Stone Tablet said, leaving room for doubt.

"The path to liberation you mentioned, are you suggesting I take this bait?" Stone Tablet looked at the Saint Emperor with a strange expression.

Li Ping frankly replied, "Precisely. Don't you find it extremely painful, fellow Daoist? You are integrated with the Stone Tablet of Creation. Throughout this world, I believe only an immortal artifact, one that transcends the power limits of the cultivation realm, can separate you from the Stone Tablet."

"As for what happens after you are reeled in by the power behind the fishing pond, that is something I cannot guarantee."

Stone Tablet wanted to say, 'We have no grievances, why would you harm me?' But the words stopped on his tongue. It was clear that the Faceless Venerable had no ill intent. Otherwise, he wouldn't have revealed his entire plan. On the contrary, Stone Tablet found the person before him to be quite candid. Moreover, a certain familiar aura emanating from the other person's body inexplicably made him feel at ease.

"I'm simply too tired of living and want to shed this burden. It's not that I want to die," Stone Tablet politely declined the Saint Emperor's offer.

"If my fellow Daoist is merely troubled by the incessant flow of information from the Stone Tablet of Creation, then the matter is easily resolved," Li Ping said, finally revealing his true intention.

"Oh?" There was clear skepticism in Stone Tablet's eyes.

"Does my fellow Daoist recognize this item?" Li Ping extended his hand, and a brilliant blue crystal floated gently in his palm.

"A Dao Transformation Stone, I am familiar with it. Are you trying to..." Stone Tablet shook his head.

"To be frank, fellow Daoist, to alleviate my suffering, I have tried various methods. I even attempted the Dao Transformation Divine Secret Art of the Taiyan Sect. However, the Stone Tablet of Creation is the embodiment of the Xuanhuang Heavenly Dao's authority. The Heavenly Dao stands supreme, looking down upon all things. After merging with it, there's no room for anything else..."

"That was before. Times have changed," Li Ping interrupted Stone Tablet directly.

Stone Tablet was slightly taken aback.

"Furthermore, I can also help you."

As these words were spoken, the aura around the Faceless Saint Emperor changed. Above the Daoist temple, winds and clouds gathered. A peculiar rhythm emerged from thin air, resonating with the Saint Emperor. The familiar and intimate feeling in Stone Tablet's heart became even more pronounced.

"You are...?!"

Even though he had lived for tens of thousands of years, he couldn't help but exclaim aloud at this moment.

"The Grand Heavenly Venerable of Xuanhuang?!"

But he quickly dismissed the idea: "No, that's impossible. And besides..."

Stone Tablet looked up, gazing at the sky. His expression shifted from shock to solemnity. The authority wielded by the Grand Heavenly Venerable of Xuanhuang was independent of the Stone Tablet of Creation, yet also superior to it. Although Stone Tablet still recorded his deeds, they were only a few vague strokes, just the barest outlines. But the aura Stone Tablet sensed from the Faceless Saint Emperor now was clearly different from the recorded Grand Heavenly Venerable of Xuanhuang.

"The Grand Heavenly Venerable of Xuanhuang presides over the Juntian Dao. Although intricately linked to the Heavenly Dao, he is more like a separate entity. With a certain enhancement, he can manipulate the laws of the Heavenly Dao as if by an extension of himself. But this one before me..." A thought inexplicably arose in Stone Tablet's mind.

"An incarnation of the Heavenly Dao?"

Although somewhat incredible, it was the most logical explanation.

Li Ping seemed to sense Stone Tablet's thoughts and no longer displayed his connection to the Heavenly Dao. Nor did he offer a direct explanation. Instead, he returned to the previous topic: "With a Dao Transformation Stone to help you bear and sort through the events occurring in the Xuanhuang Realm, you should find some relief."

"But a Dao Transformation Stone alone isn't enough."

Stone Tablet's gaze sharpened slightly, awaiting the other's next words.

"The Du'e Sect, my fellow Daoist should be familiar with it, right?" Li Ping asked.

Hearing these three words, Stone Tablet's expression turned slightly displeased.

"The Du'e Sect's All-Seeing Divine Eye has a similar wondrous effect to the Stone Tablet of Creation. Coupled with the endless paper figures, the Book of Du'e can also record everything it monitors."

"The Book of Du'e, combined with a Dao Transformation Stone, should barely be enough to counteract the side effects of the Stone Tablet of Creation. As for the rest, with your resilient will cultivated over tens of thousands of years, I imagine you will have no trouble coping," the Faceless Saint Emperor said slowly.

Stone Tablet fell silent, pondering the feasibility of the other's suggestion.

"Firstly, the Dao Transformation Stone in your hand is not of sufficient quality..." After a moment, Stone Tablet spoke.

"No problem, I can find a better one," the Saint Emperor stated directly.

Stone Tablet paused, then continued: "Secondly, the Du'e Sect angered the Transmission of Dharma back then, and their entire sect was sealed and vanished into seclusion. Because of their cultivation technique, the 'Eternal Tribulation of the World,' they can even interfere with the senses of heaven and earth. And since it was the Transmission of Dharma who acted, therefore..."

"I know where they are hiding," the Saint Emperor said calmly.

Stone Tablet was astonished. 'It seems this one is stronger than I imagined.'

Since the other party had made such a clear statement, Stone Tablet naturally would no longer hesitate.

"Please lend me a hand, fellow Daoist," he said sincerely.

Li Ping was waiting for these very words.

"Follow me."

His figure flickered, instantly appearing on the horizon. Stone Tablet followed immediately, leaving behind only Ouyang Tian, who looked utterly bewildered.

Ouyang Tian had not heard the conversation between the Saint Emperor and Stone Tablet. Ever since Li Ping pointed towards the fishing pond, Ouyang Tian had lost his perception of these two powerful individuals. Not until this moment, when they left one after another.

"Wasn't Master going to deal with that Stone Tablet? Why did they stop fighting?"

"Could it be that, like the ancient Earth Vein Tree, it's also joining our Sacred Dynasty?"

A bad premonition immediately arose in Ouyang Tian's heart.

Meanwhile, Li Ping and Stone Tablet had already arrived outside the Du'e Sect, at the location of the Transmission of Dharma's seal.

Watching Li Ping skillfully unravel the Transmission of Dharma's seal, Stone Tablet's doubts grew. 'This is a seal left by the Transmission of Dharma. Even an incarnation of the Heavenly Dao shouldn't be able to break it so easily, right? Or perhaps, after all these years, the Xuanhuang Heavenly Dao has recovered enough to contend with the Transmission of Dharma?'

Li Ping, however, paid no mind to Stone Tablet's thoughts, leading him directly into the Du'e Sect. Up and down mountains, endlessly repeating courtyards... All transformed rapidly before him, until finally, the main hall of the Du'e Sect appeared before the two of them.

"Go on in."

Stone Tablet followed him inside, only then confirming that this was indeed where the Du'e Sect once stood. He could sense that countless paper figures, seemingly half-alive and half-dead, were hidden within this gloomy hall.

"They were one of the Ten Immortal Sects of the Xuanhuang Realm, enjoying the cultivation resources produced by the Xuanhuang Realm. Yet, when calamity struck, they chose to retreat from the world and escape disaster. Truly, just like those so-called All-Seeing Divine Eyes, they are nothing short of parasites of the Xuanhuang Realm," Li Ping said, his words utterly cold and mercilessly critical.

Stone Tablet narrowed his eyes, neither agreeing nor nor disagreeing.

"'Eternal Tribulation of the World' — cultivating by exploiting the world's calamities. This is inherently a technique that harms heaven and earth. If heaven and earth were prosperous and without calamity, these people would likely interfere and create calamities. Such a sect should have been eradicated long ago," Li Ping continued.

As if sensing the Saint Emperor's words, an inexplicable cold wind swept through the gloomy hall.

"They deluded themselves into thinking that by turning into paper figures, they could escape everything..."

A golden chain emerged from within the Saint Emperor. Silently, it shot into the deep darkness of the hall. Like mist being stirred, the darkness within the Du'e Sect's main hall rippled like water. Stone Tablet observed the golden chain, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes.

Then, within Li Ping, a golden vortex-like phantom slowly materialized. Thousands of chains, following the direction of the vortex's rotation, whizzed out. *Thud, thud...* As they flew into the darkness, they constantly made muffled thuds, as if colliding with something.

The Saint Emperor's aura was too overwhelming, forcing even Stone Tablet to take a temporary step back. Stone Tablet couldn't help but be inwardly startled: 'This one's strength is considerably greater than that of an ordinary Longevity Realm cultivator.'

'Moreover... it seems to be more than just the power of the Xuanhuang Heavenly Dao.'

Creaking sounds echoed throughout the hall. As the golden vortex nebula within the Saint Emperor reversed its rotation, the golden chains retracted. Something in the darkness also seemed to be bound by the chains, being forcibly dragged out. If ordinary cultivators were to witness this scene, they would surely feel a chilling horror. However, Stone Tablet felt a rare surge of excitement in his heart.

When a paper figure with a somewhat frightened face emerged from the darkness, Stone Tablet's eyebrows involuntarily raised. 'It's these guys!'

The paper figure clawed and flailed, attempting to struggle. The end of the chain binding it erupted in dazzling light, and the paper figure instantly sagged as if struck by lightning. Fear, accompanied by listlessness—it was truly remarkable that several different expressions could appear on its hollow paper face.

Li Ping reached out and firmly gripped the paper figure in his palm. Around the Saint Emperor, thousands of golden chains continued to swirl, and more and more paper figures were forcibly dragged out from the darkness. The great hall began to shake unsteadily, and even the entire Du'e Mountain seemed precarious.

"Hmph!"

Li Ping stomped his foot, and a golden halo radiated outwards from beneath him. The space that was on the verge of shattering instantly solidified and became still, as if frozen. Li Ping lowered his head, his faceless gaze fixed on the paper figure in his hand. With a slight squeeze, a sudden wail erupted from the paper figure in his grasp.

"Gentler, fellow Daoist, gentler..."

"We have no grievances, why such cruel treatment!" The paper figure stopped feigning death and spoke hurriedly.

"Fellow Daoist? Do you even qualify?!" Li Ping's tone was full of disdain, and he applied a little more pressure with his hand. Simultaneously, the thousands of golden chains around him also emitted brilliant light. Within the hall, the sounds of the paper figures' agony immediately rose and fell.

"Mercy, Venerable One, mercy!" Overwhelmed by the situation, the paper figures finally stopped being stubborn and pleaded for mercy repeatedly.

Li Ping, however, did not stop immediately. The vortex nebula continued to spin, retracting the chains. Only after gathering all the Du'e Sect paper figures into one place did he cease their torment.

"Is this the renowned Du'e Sect of antiquity?" Li Ping looked at the heap of stacked paper figures before him and spoke in a deep voice.

"Not so renowned, not so renowned..."

"It was merely for survival."

Amidst the wailing of the paper figures, one voice was quite distinctive.