Chapter 2079 : Pick Up the Sutra

Yet, Ye Yinghui arrived with sword in hand, a trace of cold determination in his expression as he declared, “The curse that befell us in times past—I have come today to personally reclaim what is owed.”

"It's you..."

A flicker of astonishment crossed the Azure Pole Saint Emperor's face. He never could have imagined that the insignificant ancient immortal from back then had now cultivated to such an unfathomable realm.

He channeled all his power into controlling the innate divine artifact, the Cyan Extremity Ancient Banner, to defend against the assault. Yet, he discovered that Ye Yinghui’s killing intent was so piercing it seemed to seep through the very fabric of the primordial treasure, sending a chill creeping down his spine.

He wanted to turn back and seek assistance, only to find that the 3 Demon Emperors had already been intercepted by Emperor Jiang, Sword Sovereign Xuan, and the Eternal Sovereign—beaten so thoroughly they could barely mount a defense.

"This is impossible."

The Azure Pole Sovereign’s heart sank. He immediately tried to retreat and flee, but it was already too late.

Yet Ye Yinghui had forced him into a position with no retreat, while high above in the heavens, Magnus the Virtuous Lord displayed a cultivation base rivaling that of a Demi-Sage.

He unleashed his overwhelming power and summoned an innate supreme treasure, the Demon-Subduing Furnace (Magic Treasure), instantly sealing it within.

The remaining 3 Demon Emperors and Heavenly Derivation Great Emperor witnessed this scene and immediately unleashed their ultimate life-saving trump cards in utter terror. At the cost of sustaining severe injuries, they fled into the endless void.

"What a pity we let them get away."

Watching the 4 escape, Sword Sovereign Xuan spoke with a tone of regret.

At the same time, Chen Xiannian retrieved the 8 Trigrams Formation Flags and approached with a light chuckle. "Great Emperors possess remarkable survival capabilities—even Quasi-Sages would struggle to subdue them permanently."

"We possess no innate supreme treasures of the spatial attribute, nor do we have many methods to seal them away. Being able to detain even 1 person would already count as remarkably fortunate."

Magnus the Virtuous Lord (Person Name) smiled faintly, stowing away the Demon-Subduing Crucible (Magic Treasure) in his hand. His gaze then fell upon Chen Xiannian as he spoke, "Qingji (Person Name) is your father's ultimate Dao rival. You must deliver this message to him."

"Have him come at once, so we may put an end to this karmic entanglement."

Chen Xiannian gave a nod and promptly relayed the message. With exceptional courtesy, he added, "My gratitude, Elder. Once this matter concludes, my father will likely come to pay his respects."

Virtuous Lord Magnus (Person Name) said nothing more upon seeing this.

He went straight into the Ancestral Vein of Myriad Stars and remarked with a hint of satisfaction, "If we use this Ancestral Vein of Myriad Stars to set up a formation, it can be transformed into the Confucian Dao Constellation Grand Formation."

At that time, the cultivation environment for Confucian Dao in this realm would become exceptionally favorable, sufficient to establish it as the second greatest sacred land of Confucian Dao after the Primordial Domain of Vast Integrity.

Yan Xuanqi also smiled, his tone brimming with excitement. “Junior Brother, you cultivate both the Daoist and Confucian paths, harmonizing the strengths of both traditions. Perhaps this opportunity may allow you to advance even further and directly step into the Quasi-Sage Realm.”

Magnus the Virtuous Lord (Person Name) shook his head without further comment, then turned his gaze to the group and inquired, "Since you also intend to assault the ancestral vein, would you require our assistance?"

Lord Jiang pondered briefly before speaking, "Not for now. First, reset the formation arrays. We shall go acquire another Chaos Ancestral Vein."

The others present also had no objections.

Soon, the group departed from the Ancestral Land of Myriad Stars 1 after another, arriving at the Taiyin Imperial Star.

As 1 of the 9 Primordial Emperor Stars, the Lunar Emperor Star possessed an exceedingly noble rank, and had been occupied by direct descendants of the Primordial Heavenly Emperor.

Within the Star of Supreme Yin, there stood 4 supreme experts—each and every 1 of them a peerless Great Emperor.

These 4 Great Emperors all hailed from the Primordial Chaos Domain, disciples under 2 Chaos Ancestral Gods.

Among them were 2 Chosen Ones of Destiny: Emperor Wuhuan and Emperor Huangxu.

Both were Invincible Emperors—the former had cultivated 6 True Spiritual Roots as his foundation, while the latter pursued the path of physical sanctification, having mastered 6 Divine Forms of True Spirits.

The 2 guardians were also Invincible Emperors, though they were the kind forged through forced growth—their bloodline potential had been utterly exhausted, leaving almost no possibility for further advancement.

These 4 invincible Great Emperors possessed strength that could truly be described as transcendent. Even when facing a Demi-Saint, their combined power should have been enough to put up a decent fight.

Alas, such meager strength was still far from enough to impress the crowd.

As Chen Xiannian suppressed the formation, Ye Yinghui, Sword Xuan Great Emperor, Immortal Great Emperor, Jiang Huang, and Chen Xianzhu took action. With overwhelming power, the 5 of them crushed the 4 Great Emperors.

In this battle, the 4 invincible emperors of the Chaos Primordial Domain were all beaten to the brink of death, grievously wounded, and ultimately forced to abandon the Lunar Imperial Star.

"Only 2 remain."

After subduing the Great Yin Imperial Star, Chen Xianzhu slowly exhaled and spoke, "When shall we strike the remaining 2?"

"Go give it a try first."

Lord Jiang spoke, then turned to Ye Yinghui, the Eternal Emperor, and the Sword Profound Emperor, saying, "Stay here and set up the formation. We will go ahead to see if we can secure the remaining 2 earth veins."

"Very well."

Ye Yinghui nodded, then spoke: "While Solar Imperial Son and the others have yet to emerge from seclusion, you must end this battle swiftly."

At this point, her voice paused ever so slightly before she continued, "If it proves truly impossible, do not push yourselves too hard. It would be no delay for us to assist you after we've established the grand formation."

"Hmm."

Chen Xianzhu chuckled, hefting his Immortal Iron Staff as he charged straight into the heart of the Eastern Wastelands.

They arrived before the Kunxuan Ancestral Vein, only to unexpectedly discover numerous figures already standing there.

"Emperor Wuhuan, Emperor Huangxu, Saint Emperor Tianyan..."

Gazing at the crowd, Chen Xianzhu remarked with considerable surprise, "I never expected all of you to have gathered here."

"Surprised?"

"Heaven's Evolution Holy Emperor spoke with chilling indifference, his gaze radiating killing intent. 'Your strength is extraordinary—you are indeed worthy of claiming 1 or 2 earth veins.'"

"Unfortunately, you've come too late. The ley lines here have already been claimed by our demonic path allies, and now with our assistance, what could you possibly use to seize this territory?"

As these words were spoken, several figures emerged from the depths of the Kunwu Dojo.

Chen Xiannian looked up, a faint crease involuntarily forming between his brows.

Within the dojo stood 4 towering figures. At their forefront was the Ancient Thunder Dragon Emperor of the Demon Clan's Celestial Court, accompanied by the Ancient Snow Phoenix Empress of the Phoenix Clan.

As 1 of the 3 Heavenly Emperor bloodlines among the demon races of the 3 Polar Primal Domain, the True Dragon Clan and the Immortal Phoenix Clan possessed profoundly deep foundations.

This Primordial Thunder Dragon was 1 of the 9 Primordial Dragons, who once served as the divine beasts pulling the chariot of the Primordial God Emperor. Their bloodline and innate aptitude were exceedingly noble.

In the final years of the Primordial Era, the Primordial Divine Emperor was ensnared in a conspiracy and fell into an eternal slumber. From that moment, the demonic tribes embarked on their path to ascendancy, while the Primordial Thunder Dragons vanished completely from the world.

To think that on this very day, I would once again lay eyes upon this Primordial Thunder Dragon, whose cultivation had actually stepped into the realm of the Invincible Great Emperor.

The Primordial Snow Phoenix was no exception. Having vanished during the Primordial Era, it was widely believed to have perished in the cataclysm that marked the era's end. Yet now, it had returned with neither fanfare nor warning.

"2 invincible Great Emperors, along with 2 Guardians whose bloodlines have been completely exhausted. Who knows how many more hidden assets the demon race still conceals?"

Chen Xiannian murmured inwardly, his gaze instinctively meeting Chen Xianzhu's.

After a brief exchange, Chen Xianzhu set down his Immortal Iron Rod and calmly stated, "Primordial Thunder Dragon, is it true that you once pulled the chariot for the Primordial Divine Emperor?"

"You're courting death!"

The Primeval Thunder Dragon's face darkened, instantly revealing a trace of killing intent.

Yet Chen Xianzhu simply smiled and continued, "Today, this humble monk wishes to establish the Mahayana Buddhist faith, founding a supreme orthodoxy for our sect. To that end, I seek to rectify the selection of some guardian holy beasts."

"I see you possess remarkable aptitude. Why not take refuge in the Buddha and become the Sacred Beast under my throne?"

"Insolence!"

Throughout the ages, the Primordial Thunder Dragon had regarded the events of antiquity as its greatest humiliation, despising nothing more than others mentioning how it once served as a beast of burden pulling chariots.

For all these years he had lived under an assumed name, at least 30 percent of the reason was precisely this.

He devoted himself entirely to secluded cultivation with the sole purpose of reaching the realm of a Demi-Saint, or even the Celestial Emperor, so that he could exact vengeance upon the Ancient God Emperor and wash away the humiliations suffered in the primordial era.

Now that he heard Chen Xianzhu mention it repeatedly, even declaring his intention to take him as a mount, he could no longer restrain himself.

He rose into the air with unparalleled fury, poised to ride the Primordial Thunder Spear into battle.

"Impossible."

Seeing the Primordial Thunder Dragon about to charge out, the Heavenly Derivation Saint Emperor immediately stopped him and said, "This is a provocation tactic. You must not fall for it."

"Get lost."

The Primeval Thunder Dragon, with a temper more explosive than the heavens, shoved Celestial Divination Sage Emperor aside and charged out of the grand formation, radiating boundless fury.

After breaking out of the grand formation, he stared coldly at Chen Xianzhu and declared, "I shall strip every sinew from your bones and scatter your ashes to the winds."

"Hah—"

Chen Xianzhu smiled faintly. With a sweep of his sleeve, he warded off the Primordial Thunder Dragon, then produced a scripture scroll and declared, "The Buddha embodies compassion, and Heaven favors the preservation of life."

"This Venerable 1 has no wish to harm you. You would do well to follow me and listen to the Buddhist teachings."

As the words fell, Chen Xianzhu began chanting the scriptures. 1 golden Sanskrit character after another soared into the sky, transforming into countless 6-syllable mantras that enveloped the heavens and earth, completely shrouding the Primordial Thunder Dragon.

At that moment, Chen Xianzhu channeled the power of the Buddhist Sutra of World Salvation, seeking to purify the Primordial Thunder Dragon with the might of the 6-Syllable Mantra.

The overwhelming 6-Syllable Mantra, brimming with indescribable supreme power, actually plunged the Primordial Thunder Dragon into a state of bewildered confusion.

His expression grew dazed, his entire aura seeming to turn serene, yet at times it would shift into 1 of extreme ferocity.

"Lay down your blade, and attain Buddhahood in this very moment!"

Seizing the opportunity, Chen Xianzhu urged with utmost sincerity, channeling the full power of the Scripture of Buddha’s Salvation, nearly succeeding in completely converting the Primordial Thunder Dragon.

But at this critical moment, the Primordial Thunder Dragon suddenly regained consciousness. With unparalleled ferocity, it overturned the scripture and charged toward Chen Xianzhu with a roar, engulfed in overwhelming killing intent.

Chen Xianzhu remained unmoved. With a mere lift of his palm, he unleashed a suppressing force that sent the Primordial Thunder Dragon crashing to the ground.

Chen Xianzhu’s brow furrowed slightly, a trace of coldness flashing in his eyes as he said.

"Pick up the scripture."

"Die—"

The Primordial Thunder Dragon roared and soared into the skies once more, carrying overwhelming killing intent as it charged upward, intent on tearing Chen Xianzhu in half.

Chen Xianzhu’s gaze grew even colder. With another palm strike, he suppressed the Primordial Thunder Dragon, sending it hurtling through the air. His voice cut through the chaos like frost-laden steel: "Pick up the scripture!"

"You wish to enlighten this venerable 1?"

"I would rather die than yield."

The Primordial Thunderdrake was utterly enraged. Surging into the heavens with overwhelming hatred, it manifested its true primordial form and engaged Chen Xianzhu in a battle to the death.

Chen Xianzhu’s gaze finally sharpened to its coldest extreme. In an instant, he soared into the air, his crimson kasaka unfurling like a celestial curtain that blotted out the vast heavens and earth.

He manifested the true form of the Great Power Heavenly Dragon, with divine dragon semblances spiraling and dancing around his body, unleashing the supreme divine power capable of annihilating all realms.

"Pfft—"

Then he unleashed his full power, striking the Primordial Thunder Dragon with a single palm that sent it hurtling through the air, bleeding profusely. Its dragon bones and dragon blood shattered into countless fragments.

After that single move, Chen Xianzhu, now enraged, struck: "Wretched dragon, pick up the scripture! Pick up the scripture..."

"I told you to pick up the scripture!"

"Pfft—"

Yet after just a few exchanges, the Primordial Thunder Dragon’s limbs and bones were utterly shattered—even its indestructible spine, brimming with Primordial Divine Thunder, was forcibly smashed to fragments.

The Primeval Thunder Dragon let out a violent, agonized roar, its aura erupting with overwhelming ferocity as it prepared to fight with its life on the line.

Yet as countless golden Sanskrit characters surged forth, they gradually eroded into the soul of the Primordial Thunder Dragon, quietly dissolving the battle fervor in his heart.

In a daze, he reflected on a lifetime steeped in bloodshed, and a wave of remorse suddenly surged within his heart.

"Lay down your blade, and attain Buddhahood in this very moment."

"If I let go of my attachments, could it help me break free from the nightmares that have haunted me all these years?"

The Primordial Thunder Dragon murmured softly, momentarily lost in a profound epiphany.

As the foremost prodigy of the dragon clan, his innate talent surpassed even that of the Vermilion Bird Demi-Saint. By all rights, he should have ascended to the Demi-Saint realm long ago.

Yet the nightmares of many years and that indelible obsession made it impossible for him to step into the Quasi-Sage Realm.

He yearned to break through to the Quasi-Sage Realm, and even ascend to the Celestial Emperor Realm, to wash away the shame of once being reduced to a mount. Yet this very obsession hindered his progress, leaving him unable to advance an inch.

"Let go of your attachments, cultivate with single-minded focus, and you shall naturally attain the realm of a Quasi-Sage."

Chen Xianzhu spoke slowly, his expression serene as he said, "Let go of your attachments, pick up the sutras, and follow me in cultivating the Mahayana Dharma."

The Primordial Thunder Dragon seemed to gain sudden enlightenment, reaching out to pick up the scripture.

At that very moment, the Heaven’s Evolution Sacred Emperor and the others turned pale. Without hesitation, he declared, “Ao Xing, unworthy of being called a peerless genius of his generation—how could you lend your ear to the words of others?”

The Heavenly Derivation Sacred Emperor spoke while attempting to emerge and offer assistance.

Alas, it was utterly futile. Chen Xiannian summoned the 8 Trigrams Formation Flags, firmly barricading the path ahead.

The Primordial Thunder Dragon glanced back at the Heavenly Derivation Sacred Emperor and the others, then turned its gaze to Chen Xianzhu before him, falling into an impossible dilemma.

Chen Xianzhu, however, smiled faintly and spoke with serene composure, "The Buddha's compassion is boundless. You are fated with Mahayana Buddhism and destined to become our faith's Dharmapala True Dragon."

"Of course, should you refuse to relinquish your attachments, this humble monk shall intervene to sever them for you."

As he spoke, Chen Xianzhu gripped the Immortal Iron Staff. Upon it, the 6 sacred syllables converged, transforming into a ring of golden radiance—the light of merit.

Chen Xianzhu sighed inwardly. The Obsidian Thunder Dragon’s obsession ran far too deep. If it could not be guided to enlightenment through Buddhist teachings, then the only recourse was to deliver it into the next life with those same sacred principles.

The Primordial Thunder Dragon was momentarily bewildered, finding it difficult to make a choice. In the end, it could only follow its innate instincts and chose to follow Chen Xianzhu.

He picked up the scripture, allowing countless golden Sanskrit characters to merge into his body. With a trace of reverence coloring his expression, he chanted devoutly, "Amitābha. The Buddha is merciful."

"The little dragon is willing to let go of the attachments in its heart and follow the Buddha to comprehend the Mahayana teachings."

"A promising pupil."

Chen Xianzhu gave a nod, his face suffused with a compassion that embraced all living beings, then turned his gaze toward the Kunxuan Ancestral Vein and declared, "Follow me into battle here, and completely relinquish the attachments in your heart."

"When this matter is concluded, your path to becoming a Demi-Saint shall be within reach."

Ao Xing gave a nod and immediately soared into the sky astride the Primordial Thunder Spear, charging first into the vast wilderness of the Primal Domain.

Ao Xing's sudden betrayal caught Celestial Derivation Emperor and the others completely off guard.

Because Ao Xing had mastered partial control over the grand formation, Chen Xiannian effortlessly dismantled the array here.

Without the aid of the grand formation, the few Great Emperors were hardly worth worrying about.

The great battle did not last long. The Celestial Derivation Sacred Emperor and the others all fled for their lives, vanishing into the endless void.

"What a pity, we failed to detain these few."

Watching the figures of those several individuals recede into the distance, Chen Xiannian let out a soft sigh, a faint trace of regret flickering across his expression.

Emperor Jiang's expression remained unaltered. He pondered for a moment before speaking with a trace of concern in his voice.

"These individuals possess considerable strength. If they were to join forces in defending the Western Region's Spirit Mountain, I fear we would have no certainty of capturing it."

Chen Xianzhu also nodded, a trace of solemnity rising within him.

Because they had captured 3 Chaos Ancestral Veins, they would inevitably need to disperse some of their forces to garrison them.

Even with the power of the earth veins and a formation at the quasi-sage level, it would still require the presence of at least 1 top-tier Great Emperor to maintain it.

In other words, they must leave at least 3 individuals to guard the 3 Primordial Chaos Ancestral Veins, while the remaining members can proceed to assault the final required Ancestral Vein.

At this thought, Emperor Jiang declared, "Once the grand formation is complete, the Ancestral Vein of Myriad Stars shall be entrusted to that Yan Xuanqi, while the Lunar Earth Vein can be assigned to Yinghui for guardianship."

"As for this place, having either Sword Sovereign Xuanyuan or the Eternal Immortal Emperor stationed here would suffice."

Chen Xianzhu pondered briefly before speaking, "So it seems, aside from the 3 of us, only Senior Haoran and 1 Invincible Great Emperor (Cultivation Realm) will be aiding us?"

Upon hearing this, everyone fell into deep contemplation.

Although the Invincible Great Emperor was said to be capable of fighting 5 adversaries single-handedly, virtually all contenders vying for the Chaos Ancestral Vein were at minimum peak Great Emperor-level existences.

Yet even the Invincible Great Emperor found it difficult to achieve true invincibility against these individuals.

Even for those whose power rivaled that of quasi-saints, their combat prowess was merely equivalent to that of a dozen or so Great Emperors joining forces.

Although such strength could be considered formidable, when facing these top-tier Great Emperors and invincible Great Emperors, it would at most suffice to contend against 3 or 4 of them.

Not to mention, Chen Xiannian—the wielder of the 8 innate supreme treasures and the most formidable in combat—had to devote most of his energy to suppressing the formation, leaving him little capacity to offer them substantial assistance.

At this thought, Chen Xianzhu spoke, "If they band together to guard the Western Region's Spirit Mountain, I'm afraid it will be difficult for us to capture it."

"It seems we must still contact the Young Scale Emperor and the Carefree Great Emperor, and request their assistance in lending a hand."

Emperor Jiang also nodded, then spoke, "Before we act, let us first send word to the other factions who control Primordial Chaos Ancestral Veins."

"You must make it clear to them that we will not lay a finger on the other Primordial Chaos Ancestral Veins."

Hearing this, everyone couldn't help but nod in agreement.

Although the news had already spread, as long as they refrained from attacking other Primordial Chaos Ancestral Veins, the pressure they would face would likely diminish significantly.

After all, combined with the Haoran Primordial Realm, they possessed a total of 4 combat powers rivaling that of a Quasi-Sage. By both reason and convention, they deserved to claim 4 Chaos Ancestral Veins.

At this thought, Chen Xiannian also spoke up: "Fortunately, Father has an impeccable reputation. The Ant Emperor's lineage holds no grudge against him, so it's unlikely they would take action."

"As for Ní Cāngtiān (Person Name), he has maintained frequent contact with my father over the years, and their private friendship runs deep. The likelihood of him taking action is also quite minimal."

"In that case, our primary focus should be on guarding against the Sun Celestial Emperor's lineage."

Chapter 1 The biting mountain wind whipped across the cliffside, carrying with it the scent of pine and damp earth. Lin Chen gritted his teeth, his knuckles white as he gripped the rough stone ledge. Below him, a sea of clouds churned, obscuring the treacherous depths of the ravine. He had been climbing for what felt like an eternity, his body pushed to its absolute limit. His mind drifted back to the events of 3 days prior—the humiliating defeat at the hands of his arrogant cousin in the clan's annual sparring tournament, the mocking laughter of the onlookers, the cold disappointment in his father's eyes. That single, crushing loss had cost his family a significant portion of their already dwindling resources: 5,000 spirit stones and a precious mid-grade Qi Gathering Pill. The shame burned within him, a cold fire that refused to be extinguished. "It has to be here," he muttered to himself, his voice barely a whisper against the howling wind. "The legacy the old beggar spoke of..." He recalled the wizened, disheveled man he had met in the ramshackle tavern at the foot of the mountain. The man's eyes had held an unnerving depth, a spark of something otherworldly. In exchange for a simple meal, the beggar had whispered tales of a long-lost cave, a secret grotto hidden on this very cliff face, left behind by a powerful cultivator who had transcended the mortal realm millennia ago. The beggar had called it the "Grotto of the Ethereal Dawn." With a final, desperate surge of strength, Lin Chen hauled himself over a final outcropping. There, almost completely obscured by thick, ancient vines, was a narrow fissure in the cliff wall. His heart hammered against his ribs. This was it. He pushed through the curtain of vegetation and stepped into the darkness. The air inside was cool and still, heavy with the weight of countless years. As his eyes adjusted, he saw that the fissure opened into a small, naturally formed cavern. In the center of the cavern, seated in the lotus position upon a smooth, flat stone, was a skeleton. Its bones gleamed with a faint, pearlescent sheen, untouched by dust or decay. It was clad in the tattered remnants of robes that might once have been magnificent. Before the skeleton, resting on a simple stone pedestal, were 3 items: a small, unadorned jade slip, a simple-looking ring made of a dull, grey metal, and a single, weathered scroll. Lin Chen approached with reverence, his earlier exhaustion forgotten. He reached out a trembling hand and picked up the jade slip. The moment his fingers made contact, a flood of information surged directly into his mind—a complete cultivation manual of a profound and unknown grade. Its name echoed in his consciousness: The Celestial Sundered Soul Art. He then picked up the ring. It was cool to the touch and surprisingly heavy. As he slipped it onto his finger, he instinctively channeled a wisp of his meager spiritual energy into it. His awareness suddenly expanded into a small, empty space about 10 cubic meters in size. A storage ring! And within that space, he could sense 2 things: a small pile of 32,000 spirit stones, gleaming with internal light, and a single, exquisitely crafted porcelain vial. He carefully willed the vial into his hand. Pulling the stopper, a rich, medicinal aroma immediately filled the cavern, causing the very spiritual energy in the air to vibrate. Inside was a single pill, golden in color and marked with 3 mysterious, swirling cloud patterns. He didn't know its name, but he could feel the immense, condensed power contained within it. This was no ordinary Qi Gathering Pill; its value was likely incalculable. Finally, he unrolled the scroll. It was a map, drawn on a material that felt like leather but was impossibly durable. It depicted a vast, unfamiliar mountain range, with a single location marked by a radiant, crimson sigil. Beside the sigil were a few elegantly penned characters: "Vermilion Bird Sanctuary." A slow smile spread across Lin Chen's face, erasing the lingering shadows of defeat and shame. The path ahead was still long and fraught with peril, filled with countless trials and powerful foes. But he now held a chance, a sliver of hope that had been denied to him before. He bowed deeply to the seated skeleton. "Senior," he whispered, his voice firm with newfound resolve. "Your legacy will not be wasted." Clutching the scroll tightly, he looked back towards the cavern entrance, towards the world that had scorned him. His journey was just beginning.