Chapter 1623: Mountain and Sea Unforgiving Immortal

Upon hearing that the deceased Dharma Preacher Feng had created many more 'toys' like herself, Kong You's face contorted into an expression of profound complexity.

And this was just Dharma Preacher Feng. What about the other Dharma Preachers within the Myriad Immortals Alliance?

In this Xuanhuang Realm, how many lives were doomed to be playthings, never escaping that fate?

"Perhaps it's for the best that they were destroyed anyway," Bai Shouyue suddenly remarked, a hint of something unreadable in her tone.

Enveloped by the power of the Primordial Dao, Dharma Preacher Feng died without a sound. The blood splattered across the floor had already cooled, and neither the other Dharma Preachers nor the Dharma Preacher Heavenly Venerates had any inkling of what had transpired.

However, the moment Bai Shouyue retracted her Primordial power, the Myriad Immortals Alliance headquarters was plunged into immense turmoil.

"It's time to leave," Bai Shouyue murmured, glancing at the Boundless Wall.

A green light enveloped the trio, and just as they had arrived, they vanished without a trace.

No need to recount the various events that unfolded within the Myriad Immortals Alliance.

Having settled Kong You in a safe place, Bai Shouyue resumed her search for trial opponents, though a lingering melancholy had settled upon her since their parting.

The Boundless Wall, sensing her mood, questioned, "Didn't you already eliminate Dharma Preacher Feng, the one orchestrating everything? Why are you still so dispirited?"

"Furthermore, I must admit, I never anticipated you'd champion that young female cultivator."

"In the cultivation world, the strong prey on the weak; there's little to discuss about that. Even I have taken many lives. But..." Bai Shouyue's brows knitted together.

"An instantaneous death is one thing; this kind of tormenting manipulation is an entirely different matter."

"For some reason, after witnessing Kong You's ordeal, an inexplicable fury ignited within me. It felt as if..." Bai Shouyue carefully replayed the emotions she had felt at that moment.

Though her inner turmoil had long since settled, that sudden, unprovoked surge of emotion had been overwhelmingly powerful, leaving Bai Shouyue still feeling as though she were immersed in it.

Just as she seemed poised to grasp a crucial insight, the Boundless Wall suddenly cried out, shattering her train of thought.

"No good, someone's pursuing us!"

Before the words even fully left its 'mouth,' a figure materialized.

It was a refined-looking young man, with a lingering hint of softness on his face. He fixed his gaze on Bai Shouyue and the Boundless Wall, his expression calm but subtly laced with killing intent.

The instant Bai Shouyue saw him, she was reminded of her nephew. The Boundless Wall, meanwhile, seemed to recall encountering another esteemed pillar of the former Grand Primordium Palace.

Paradoxically, their inner guard dissolved completely.

But swiftly, the subtle currents of the Primordial Dao began to stir, neutralizing the strange power that had enveloped them.

"Hiss, we were nearly tricked by him. This peculiar characteristic..." The Boundless Wall shielded Bai Shouyue, pulling them away from the suddenly appearing young man while meticulously scrutinizing him.

It vaguely recalled encountering a similar power within a certain immortal artifact in the Immortal Realm. Yet, from its lofty position in the Grand Primordium Palace, it had witnessed countless immortal beings and artifacts. This particular artifact wasn't exceptionally notable, so it struggled to recall it quickly.

"Eating too much certainly spoils the mind!"

Compared to the Boundless Wall's frantic mental scramble, Bai Shouyue remained considerably calmer.

The jade pillar reappeared in her hand, pointing forward. "Are you here to avenge Dharma Preacher Feng?"

"I was, but I'm not anymore." The young man's reply caught Bai Shouyue by surprise.

He offered a small smile and cupped his hands in greeting. "Given the cultivation of you two seniors, you certainly wouldn't have acted without provocation. Feng must have done something truly deserving of death, which is why he perished. He got what he deserved, so why should I seek revenge for him?"

Bai Shouyue gave a soft snort, her expression easing somewhat.

"However, I manage all affairs of the Myriad Immortals Alliance under the Heavenly Venerate's command. Feng, being one of the Dharma Preachers, died so inexplicably. While his death has no substantial impact on the alliance's stability, if the Heavenly Venerate inquires, I am obligated to provide an explanation..." The young man bowed deeply to Bai Shouyue and the Boundless Wall.

"I humbly request that you two seniors inform me of the preceding events and their consequences."

Bai Shouyue hesitated briefly, finding some merit in his words. She then recounted the incident and pressed him, "Is this truly how you manage the Myriad Immortals Alliance's affairs? Speaking of which, with your position, are you..."

"Dharma Preacher Jiang?"

Bai Shouyue's eyes narrowed slightly as she recalled the Dharma Preacher whose name she'd heard but whose face she'd never seen.

"Oh, I remember now, it's him!"

"No wonder, even with the protection of the Primordial Dao, we were still affected by him in some way," the Boundless Wall exclaimed once more.

Hearing this, Bai Shouyue was startled awake.

In the presence of this stranger, she had been far too amenable.

Just moments ago, they had been adversaries, yet a mere few words from him had dispelled her inner guard. And she had agreed to his request with almost no deliberation...

The Boundless Wall quickly began to explain the origin of Dharma Preacher Jiang's 'All Things Are Me' characteristic.

"A long time ago, there lived a Hundred Sages Immortal in the Immortal Realm who claimed to know every secret, past and present, even those of Immortal Emperors and Saint Lords. Initially, the immortals dismissed his claims as exaggerated. However, after the Hundred Sages Immortal grandly penned an 'Immortal Emperor Secret Record,' not a single soul in the entire Immortal Realm remained unconvinced!"

"Immortal Emperor Secret Record? What is that!"

"If I knew, I probably wouldn't be able to lie so peacefully on the roof of the Grand Primordium Palace! It was most likely forbidden content concerning the privacy of past Immortal Emperors. The moment it was revealed, it provoked the Immortal Emperors into a furious rage, prompting them to order the immediate capture of the Hundred Sages Immortal."

"The Hundred Sages Immortal's actions even incensed a Hidden Emperor who had been in seclusion for many years. This Hidden Emperor personally intervened, forcibly erasing the already disseminated 'Immortal Emperor Secret Record' from the memories of all immortals..."

"What happened then?" Bai Shouyue asked.

"What else could happen? His incredibly arrogant actions even infuriated the Saint Lord. Naturally, he was later apprehended and suppressed. It was only after this that people finally understood the true reason behind the Hundred Sages Immortal's comprehensive knowledge."

"It wasn't due to the Great Dao he cultivated, but rather because he had forged an immortal artifact named 'As-You-Wish.'"

"Living beings inherently maintain a wary guard against others. Yet, towards themselves, they possess no such defenses. It was by exploiting this principle that the Hundred Sages Immortal spent half his life's energy, meticulously gathering countless treasures, to finally forge a heaven-defying immortal artifact like 'As-You-Wish.'"

"We living beings, as we traverse the Great Dao, are all like shadows of the Dao. And 'As-You-Wish' possesses the ability to mimic shadows, transforming into a shadow of a Dao shadow! Upon encountering it, one would instinctively feel a sense of profound kinship, even mistaking it for oneself... It was extraordinarily deceptive, so much so that even Immortal Emperors were not immune. The 'shadow' of 'As-You-Wish' virtually blanketed the entire Immortal Realm, scrutinizing the innermost thoughts of nearly everyone. Such abominable conduct truly warranted universal condemnation. Consequently, after he was suppressed, not a single soul was willing to speak on his behalf. Within a few short years, his deeds had almost entirely faded from people's memories."

"Had I not been so extensively traveled and knowledgeable, I would have almost forgotten this particular piece of history."

The Boundless Wall slowly recounted a past event.

Bai Shouyue, however, frowned deeply as she listened.

"Are you sure you haven't misremembered?"

"Misremembered? How is that possible? Don't question this venerable one's memory!" The Boundless Wall finally reverted to calling itself 'this venerable one,' incensed by Bai Shouyue's doubt.

"Yet, I can't shake the feeling that there are numerous inconsistencies in the story you're recounting. Some parts even contradict themselves..." Bai Shouyue murmured.

"An illusion, it's absolutely your illusion!" The Boundless Wall asserted with conviction.

Bai Shouyue, however, stood firm in her judgment. "A shadow of a Dao shadow, all things are me. This ability is indeed unfathomable, but what does it have to do with the name 'As-You-Wish'? You claim it angered the Saint Lord; while I've never seen the Saint Lord's true form, I know he possesses supreme divine abilities. Even the destruction of multiple possibilities might not warrant his notice. How then could a mere disclosure of privacy provoke the Saint Lord's wrath? And furthermore..."

"Watch your words, watch your words." Prompted by Bai Shouyue's observations, the Boundless Wall slowly began to detect the inaccuracies in its own memory. But it quickly grasped something, shuddered, and hastily cut off Bai Shouyue's impending remarks.

"I see. This Hundred Sages Immortal is the Unpardonable One of Mountains and Seas!"

"The Unpardonable One of Mountains and Seas?"

"He is a heinous criminal who, even if the Dao Annihilation crisis concludes and the mountains and seas are rebuilt, would still find it impossible to gain pardon! It's said he will be eternally suppressed in the depths of the Other Shore, never to know freedom throughout countless lifetimes..." the Boundless Wall whispered.

"Goodness me, how did fragments of an immortal artifact created by such a villain end up in the Xuanhuang Realm? This bodes ill. Let me think, why did I escape to the Xuanhuang Realm back then? Was it truly just a coincidence?" The Boundless Wall's expression grew somewhat panicked as it fell into a monologue.

Bai Shouyue, however, remained lost in thought, utterly unable to connect 'As-You-Wish' with the grave offenses of the Unpardonable One of Mountains and Seas.

Meanwhile, Dharma Preacher Jiang, who had observed their constantly shifting expressions and felt their gazes repeatedly sweeping over him, inexplicably felt a faint chill of apprehension in his heart.

He spoke gravely, "Rest assured, seniors, I am now fully aware of the circumstances. Feng truly deserved his death; he even brought shame upon the name of a Dharma Preacher. The Myriad Immortals Alliance will absolutely not pursue this matter further. In fact, we should express our gratitude for your help in eradicating such a blight from the alliance!"

"Seniors, your previous lesson was indeed correct; I have been far too lenient with the other Dharma Preachers. Perhaps a thorough rectification is truly in order..."

Having said this, Dharma Preacher Jiang made to quickly take his leave.

"Wait!" The Boundless Wall, however, called out to him.

"Let me take a good look first!"

Dharma Preacher Jiang did not know what exactly the Boundless Wall wanted to see.

He suspected, however, that it was likely related to his innate special ability.

Although he instinctively wanted to refuse, a green light had already enveloped him.

Alarmed, he attempted to cast a spell in resistance.

But like one trapped in quicksand, he found himself unable to exert even a fraction of his strength.

He could only allow the other party to scrutinize him thoroughly.

Dharma Preacher Jiang inwardly groaned in despair, yet he was helpless.

His only recourse was to exert his 'All Things Are Me' characteristic to its absolute limit, hoping to protect himself.

"What are you looking for?" Bai Shouyue couldn't help but ask, watching the Boundless Wall's enigmatic movements.

"I'm trying to see if I can find his memories of arriving in the Xuanhuang Realm from this young man." On the Boundless Wall, green light pulsed continuously.

Its tone also became unprecedentedly serious.

"I always believed that my arrival in the Xuanhuang Realm simultaneously with the young master was merely a coincidence. However, during our time here, searching the Xuanhuang Realm thoroughly with you, I've stumbled upon so many traces of unfathomable powers that once existed..."

"And this is just the tip of the iceberg! It's truly hard to imagine what else this diminutive Xuanhuang Realm might be concealing. That's why I'm afraid; I must reconfirm."

The green light shimmered, and a projection of Dharma Preacher Jiang's entire life began to unfold upon it.

From the thousands of years he governed the Myriad Immortals Alliance, to his time as an ordinary mortal studying under the Dharma Gate, and even further back to his days as a naive child – a vast majority of his past, though not every single detail, was laid bare before Bai Shouyue and the Boundless Wall.

Though Dharma Preacher Jiang was unable to move, his face flushed crimson, overwhelmed by intense shame and indignation.

However, the Boundless Wall, the instigator of this intrusion, had absolutely no interest in these personal details.

The green light continued its illumination, attempting to peer into events from an even more distant past.

This particular inquiry consumed more time than all preceding attempts combined.

What manifested on the Boundless Wall was a prolonged period of darkness.

After an indeterminate duration, the Boundless Wall appeared to have 'thinned' slightly, seemingly from the immense energy expenditure.

Finally, a new scene began to emerge.

The Great Tide of Dao Annihilation, a whale swallowing mountains and seas; the Immortal Realm shattered, immortals perishing like ants.

The terrifying vision seemed to transport the Boundless Wall back to the original descent of the great catastrophe.

The Boundless Wall itself began to tremble uncontrollably, overcome by fear.

As the Immortal Realm shattered, a radiant fragment managed to break free from its confinement, escaping its prison.

Like a meteor, it streaked across the disintegrating Immortal Realm, desperately evading the relentlessly advancing Great Tide of Dao Annihilation.

After continuous traversal, it finally escaped the Immortal Realm and arrived in the Lower Realm Star Sea.

However, as if sensing something or perhaps being drawn by an unseen force...

While flying smoothly in the Lower Realm Star Sea, it suddenly changed direction.

Heading towards the location of Xuanhuang!

During this period, seemingly to evade pursuit, the stream of light itself underwent inexplicable transformations.

Until it completely merged into the small Xuanhuang Realm.

Buzz! With a resonant hum, the green light burst apart.

A microscopic crack appeared on its surface, and the Boundless Wall recoiled from its scrying.

Dharma Preacher Jiang, now free, immediately fled in disarray.

Bai Shouyue was about to give chase but was stopped by the Boundless Wall's panicked voice.

"Forget him, run!"

"Run? Run from what?" Bai Shouyue was slightly taken aback.

"Disaster. My scrying into the past, into the scene of the Immortal Realm's destruction, has triggered a Dao Annihilation resonance! The world-ending tide is upon us!"

As if to confirm the Boundless Wall's frantic pronouncements...

In that instant, the Xuanhuang Realm, the Darkest Star Sea, and indeed the entire Primordial Possibility...

All fell into a brief silence.

Moments later, a colossal roar, akin to a surging tide, faintly resounded from beyond the heavens.

Like encroaching storm clouds, the firmament turned eerily black.

And all living beings felt a sense of impending doom in their hearts.

"This feeling, this feeling..."

"Run!" the Boundless Wall shrieked.

But it was already too late.

For some unknown reason, the Dao Annihilation triggered by the Boundless Wall's intrusion into Dharma Preacher Jiang's past memories was unprecedentedly intense.

Its power even surpassed most of the activations triggered by Li Fan.

So much so that even the phantom left behind by Shouqiu struggled to endure it.

And it came so swiftly.

The high wall shattered; the Primordial collapsed.

Including Bai Shouyue and the Boundless Wall, all beings within the Primordial Possibility were instantly swallowed.

Only Li Fan's figure managed to escape in time.