Chapter 1696: The Primordial Seal is Unsealed, Sacred Mountain Shatters; An Arrow of Black Iron Suppresses the Undying

“Ai Cangsen’s past experiences and romantic history...”“Ai Cangsen’s character analysis and bottom line...”“Comprehensive summary of Ai Cangsen’s associated forces...”

Xu Xiaoshou clutched a large amount of intelligence, all of which Li Fugui had urgently sent over after previous requests. However, this seemed to be a challenge for Li Fugui. At the level of the Three Emperors, especially concerning the secrets of the Ten Venerates, even though Li Fugui was one of the former Eighteen Flower and Grass Commanders, what he could gather quickly was not very useful.

Ordinarily, Xu Xiaoshou would have been happy to relax and slowly read these as little stories. But time did not permit it now.

He decisively discarded Li Fugui’s information and instead pulled out the newly arrived “Ai Cangsen Briefing” from Dao Qiongcang. The “Briefing” contained extensive content, truly belying its “brief” title, and Xu Xiaoshou no longer had time to consider if it held any traps.

Assuming Dao Qiongcang wouldn’t turn hostile at this moment, Xu Xiaoshou rapidly scanned the document while also sending his consciousness into the Divine Relic, confirming each point with Elder Sang as a safeguard.

After a while, he pinpointed the keyword in the “Briefing”:“Combat Power Analysis.”This must be it.

Without hesitation, he opened the combat power analysis section, and the first thing that caught his eye was a concise statement:“Ai Cangsen is skilled in archery, wields the Evil Sin Bow, is attuned to the Eye of the Grand Dao, and cultivates the Way of Primordial Origin.”

Primordial Origin...Xu Xiaoshou understood the preceding terms. However, upon careful recollection, he realized this “Way of Primordial Origin” was entirely new to him.

It seemed Dao Qiongcang knew exactly what he wanted to see. From the Divine Relic, Elder Sang's answer was almost identical:“Primordial Origin is the one.”“The one transforms and resolves, branching into infinity. This process is called technique.”“The Way of Primordial Origin is what later generations broadly refer to as the Grand Dao of Techniques, and its master is known as the Ancestor of Techniques.”

So, the Ancestor of Techniques cultivated the Way of Primordial Origin? Primordial Origin diversified into myriad forms, including but not limited to metal, wood, water, fire, earth, light, darkness, wind, thunder, and ice. Is that why techniques manifest with multiple attributes? If so, Ai Cangsen isn't just a descendant of the Cursed Yin; he could be considered a true inheritor of the Ancestor of Techniques? The Eye of the Grand Dao can perceive the infinite Grand Daos of the world, but not everyone can comprehend them all. Ai Cangsen's perfect attunement means he can? Xu Xiaoshou felt a slight jolt of alertness, reminding himself to remember this as he continued reading.

Dao Qiongcang explained Ai Cangsen's every detail with remarkable clarity, profoundly illustrating that the one who knows an enemy best is truly their friend!

“Primordial Origin is the one.”“The one transforms and resolves, diversifying to the extreme of nine, cycling through these transformations, reaching the ultimate corruption (Cursed Yin).”“The Way of Cursed Yin is a variant of the Grand Dao of Techniques, endlessly evolving within a single technique to derive extreme solutions, evolving into forbidden techniques.”

One who could take such an extreme path was naturally an incarnation of the later Ancestor of Techniques, who became Cursed Yin by obsessively pursuing a single point. But was this path wrong?

From his current perspective, Xu Xiaoshou saw more: The path of Cursed Yin didn't seem to be inherently wrong either? If normal techniques, based on the Way of Primordial Origin, spread out like a fan to achieve their respective “moderate” solutions, then Cursed Yin evil arts would be akin to grinding one of those fan ribs to its longest possible point, achieving an “extreme” transformation. This was certainly another path!

If this method were fundamentally incorrect, the Ancestor of Techniques would surely not have conceived the idea of researching extreme transformations. One could only say that the original intention might have been good, but the process went awry, leading to the birth of the “Cursed Yin Evil God”...

Xu Xiaoshou shook his head, quickly pulling himself back to reality. He didn't have time for such philosophical tangents. His immediate priority was to understand Ai Cangsen's combat style, so he continued reading.

The combat power analysis section of the “Briefing” first concisely summarized the meaning of the “Way of Primordial Origin,” then shifted to focus specifically on Ai Cangsen:“Primordial Origin is one, expanding outward into infinity, and transforming inward to zero as a Dao – meaning the Dao gives birth to Primordial Origin, Primordial Origin gives birth to infinity, and infinity transforms into Cursed Yin!”

“Primordial Zero, also known as ‘Primordial Circle,’ ‘Way of Primordial Origin,’ or ‘Technique Seed.’ Technique Seeds have nine transformations, divided into lower three, middle three, and upper three. Ai Cangsen extracts their essence, cultivating one transformation from each set.”

“The first of the lower three transformations is ‘Technique Seed: Shot Transformation.’ It is primarily an offensive technique, using the Way of Primordial Origin to fracture myriad Daos, and combined with the Eye of the Grand Dao, nothing is unbreakable. This is Ai Cangsen's habitually used transformation.”

“This transformation has dual uses, by both the Ancestor of Techniques and Cursed Yin, and can evolve into ‘Technique: Technique Seed: Shot Transformation’ or ‘Forbidden: Technique Seed: Shot Transformation’ depending on the situation. Ordinarily, the ‘Technique’ form is mainly used; when used in the state where his black cloth is removed, it becomes ‘Forbidden’.”

This explanation brought Xu Xiaoshou sudden clarity. Under normal circumstances, Ai Cangsen's regular attacks could break myriad spells. Even named regular attacks, such as “Arrow of Broken Wings,” used the Way of Primordial Origin to fracture the Extreme Giant's “extremified” state. All of these were “Technique: Technique Seed: Shot Transformation.”

However, after he was enraged by the Five Decays of Heaven and Man, the “Evil God Arrow” he used after lifting a corner of his black cloth indeed became eerily powerful and more potent. Because the Way of Cursed Yin demands the extreme, the “Evil God Arrow” effect manifested with greater destructive power than normal attacks. And this was only one of the lower three transformations... Xu Xiaoshou suddenly felt the situation had become incredibly difficult. He had thought the Ten Venerates would be troublesome, but he hadn't expected them to be *this* troublesome.

He continued reading, and soon, he found what he was looking for:“The first of the middle three transformations is named ‘Technique Seed: Imprisonment Limit.’ It is primarily internal, serving as Ai Cangsen's main cultivation method.”

“‘Technique Seed: Imprisonment Limit’ involves, during daily enlightenment, converting primordial insights into power, using the physical body as a prison to bind it within all limbs and bones.”“Upon encountering a breakthrough, the imprisonment seal is reinforced.”“Upon encountering another breakthrough, the imprisonment seal is reinforced again.”“This cycle repeats. For those cultivating Technique Seed: Imprisonment Limit outwardly, their cultivation realm shows no increase for years.”“However, internally, the body's ‘prison’ becomes increasingly burdened until, at its limit, the power has nowhere left to be confined and must externalize. Thus, one can only choose to sink it into the limbs, sacrificing parts of the body. Ai Cangsen chose his ‘legs’.”

Reading this, Xu Xiaoshou's scalp began to tingle. So, it wasn't some old leg ailment, nor was he actually disabled... It was simply that the power contained within him was so excessive and explosive that it had to be sunk into his legs, forcing him to use a wheelchair for daily mobility. This was how the Great Emperor Ai Cangsen had projected the image of a disabled person for nearly three decades?

“‘Technique: Technique Seed: Imprisonment Limit’ means power is contained internally, leading to bodily transformation.”

“‘Forbidden: Technique Seed: Imprisonment Limit: Unseal’ means power is released externally, causing the bodily transformation state to disappear – it can be unsealed in multiple stages.”“In the early period of the Ten Venerates, Ai Cangsen's Technique Seed: Imprisonment Limit was still bodily manifested, allowing him to walk normally. At that time, he could unseal up to ‘Stage Three Unsealing’.”“Unsealing refers to unleashing the power accumulated daily by Technique Seed: Imprisonment Limit, capable of erupting immeasurable power in a short time.”

Immeasurable...And this was Dao Qiongcang's own wording!Xu Xiaoshou's heart grew heavy as he continued reading.

At the end of the “Technique Seed: Imprisonment Limit” description, he saw Dao Qiongcang had thoughtfully provided an assessment:“‘Forbidden: Technique Seed: Imprisonment Limit: Multi-stage Unsealing’. I speculate that he can now unseal at least six stages, which is precisely why Shen Yi is only willing to fight him within the Divine Relic.”“Because on the Holy Divine Continent, limited by rules, Shen Yi cannot round up, three-realm, or even open orifices and pierce acupuncture points to gain higher amplification.”“But with ‘Stage Three Unsealing’ power, ‘Six Paths’ alone cannot win, so Shen Yi can only limit himself to the rules of the City of Dead Buddhas and Crossroads, binding himself within them.”

Because ancient martial arts had too broad a scope, did it instead limit Shen Yi's combat power? Since Technique Seed: Imprisonment Limit could be unsealed in small, multiple stages, in a sense, as long as the battlefield was on the Holy Divine Continent, Ai Cangsen was slightly stronger than Shen Yi, unless Shen Yi found a special “battlefield”? And yet, even these two were still considered slightly inferior in combat by the world compared to Kui Leihan and Ba Zun'an? For a moment, Xu Xiaoshou didn't know how to assess these combat-oriented Ten Venerates. Indeed, looking at it this way, Dao Qiongcang was truly not skilled in combat...

And this was only one of the middle three transformations!With a tumultuous heart, Xu Xiaoshou scrolled down to the combat analysis, where the remaining content became very brief:“The upper three transformations are for a different price; you'll have to negotiate face-to-face.”“My Xu, don't forget you just dealt me a heavy blow, and I'm still doing this for you. Isn't that being benevolent and righteous enough?”

Xu Xiaoshou gritted his teeth in irritation, wishing he could once again possess that flamboyant old Daoist. This guy truly loved to string people along!

Yet, even with only this much information...Xu Xiaoshou realized that, at his current level, he might indeed be reaching the standard of the Ten Venerates in some aspects. If he could seize the initiative, he might even threaten the lives of a few of them. But to say he could fully catch up? That seemed debatable. For combat-oriented Ten Venerates, if any of them could recover from a surprise attack and survive, they would surely launch a deadly counterattack, wouldn't they?

Revisiting Ai Cangsen from this perspective, Xu Xiaoshou was startled to realize that Cursed Yin must have noticed Ai Cangsen's existence back in the Divine Relic. But perhaps, unless absolutely necessary, the newly revived Cursed Yin simply didn't dare to use Ai Cangsen as a base to descend upon the Holy Divine Continent? In short, Cursed Yin itself was rather hesitant to use Ai Cangsen?

So...Xu Xiaoshou exited the “Briefing” and turned his gaze back to the main battlefield, his expression grave.

Under the barrage of arrows, even if the Five Decays of Heaven and Man was immortal, it had been suppressed to the point where it couldn't even cast a single spell. If Ai Cangsen made another move, could the Five Decays of Heaven and Man truly resist?

Just as this thought flashed through his mind, he saw the Great Emperor Ai Cangsen in his wheelchair, setting down the Evil Sin Bow and slowly beginning to form hand seals. Xu Xiaoshou felt the situation was about to become extreme. The existence of the Blood World Pearl seemed to truly affect too many people, making them all less rational?

Sure enough, Ai Cangsen soon uttered some chilling words:“Forbidden: Technique Seed: Imprisonment Limit...”

Before Xu Xiaoshou could react, Zhong Yuanzi, who was even more concerned about the Blood World Pearl's presence, immediately shouted upon seeing the dire situation:“Are you insane? It's just one Five Decays of Heaven and Man! What are you doing? Are you trying to destroy the entire Osmanthus Holy Mountain?”

The confident Half-Saints in the square felt like they were seeing Zhong Yuanzi for the first time. Just moments ago, this fellow had been cowering behind Fang Wenxin, but now he suddenly leaped out, positioning himself between Ai Cangsen and the Five Decays of Heaven and Man. He spread his arms wide, his face filled with rage, as if he were an external member of the King of Hell's faction, now determined to defect and protect the Five Decays of Heaven and Man.

“What's going on? An internal conflict?”“Or is this... Master Shou manipulating things in the dark?”Feng Zhongzui was also stunned, his commentary voice dropping to a whisper. He didn't recognize “Technique Seed: Imprisonment Limit.” In his view, and indeed in the view of the Five Domains, even if the Great Emperor Ai Cangsen was forming seals, it was nothing more than an attempt to use a technique specifically against the immortal body. Perhaps suppression, perhaps sealing... In any case, the “Forbidden Arrow Rain” had suppressed the immortal body's recovery and completely pinned down the spirit and will of the Five Decays of Heaven and Man. If they didn't press the advantage now, the great opportunity they had just created might slip away.

Not many could understand Zhong Yuanzi's actions. But it must be said, Zhong Yuanzi's move successfully paused Ai Cangsen for half a breath.

“Stand down.”Ai Cangsen's expression was icy. His movements paused slightly, but the lingering aura of his hand seals did not dissipate. He still gazed into the Western Regions, observing the final wave of arrow rain suppressing the Five Decays of Heaven and Man over the vast desert, completely disregarding the Elemental God Envoy's actions.

His warning was but a single phrase. Ai Cangsen's disposition needed no further intel from Li Fugui; by now, everyone in the Five Domains understood: The arrow was on the string, and it *would* be fired!

“Ai Cangsen!”Zhong Yuanzi roared, his outstretched hands and fingers beginning to tremble slightly. “Listen to my advice, there's absolutely no need for this! You're being influenced by the Blood World Pearl!”

But the person in the wheelchair remained unmoved. After finally completing his hand seals, he softly murmured:“Technique: Technique Seed: Imprisonment Limit: Stage One Unsealing.”

“Get down!”Like a defender, Zhong Yuanzi, who had been standing with arms wide, remotely protecting the Five Decays of Heaven and Man just moments before, as Ai Cangsen's words settled, he directly stomped out a Grand Dao Spatial Diagram, transferring all living beings on and around Osmanthus Holy Mountain to high altitude, ten thousand li away.

“Huh?”Feng Zhongzui was also teleported away, finding himself inexplicably prostrated in mid-air. In any case, it was always right for a small fry to follow a big shot's instructions. But after prostrating himself, and seeing all the Half-Saints do the same, even the usually dignified and elegant Nine Sacrifices God Envoy, he was about to laugh, wanting to interpret the battlefield, wanting to jokingly remark to everyone, “It seems a bit over the top”...

Rumble!The area of Osmanthus Holy Mountain, locked by the Transmission Mirror, suddenly saw a hundred-li spherical black hole erupt centered on Ai Cangsen's wheelchair. The Holy Mountain had already been shattered by a small half due to the “Arrow of Broken Wings” destroying the Extreme Giant earlier, but that was just the peripheral area, negligible. Now, including the entire Saintly Azure Hall, the Screen Candle Earth, and even the central plaza at the peak of the Holy Mountain and its famous surrounding areas... All were swallowed by the black hole! Osmanthus Holy Mountain directly lost most of its landmarks.

This was only the direct hundred-li radius. When that terrifying aura surged forth, space thousands and tens of thousands of li away...Boom, boom, boom!Completely collapsed.The Daos touched by the aftershocks of that power instantly materialized, then rapidly disintegrated, as if the Holy Divine Continent simply couldn't withstand such force.

“What *is* that?!”The Transmission Mirror distorted again. Feng Zhongzui desperately pressed his head down, feeling the corners of his eyes tearing and bleeding. He struggled to hold up the mirror, his skin cracking from the force waves, but he held on stubbornly. This was the only way he could glimpse the scene at the center of the black hole!

“The Great Emperor Ai Cangsen has changed...”Along with a lost murmur, Ai Cangsen's silhouette became faintly visible across the Five Domains. Seated far within the black hole, Ai Cangsen's face was cold and impassive, yet black-red sealing patterns surged around his body. These patterns coiled and writhed like snakes, three layers inside, three layers outside, interlacing. Though not large in scope, only a few zhang in diameter, they clearly severed Ai Cangsen's connection with the continent.

Rip...As soon as the sealing patterns appeared, they rapidly melted away like ice and snow. When the inner and outer three layers of Technique Seed: Imprisonment Limit restrictions were unsealed, Ai Cangsen could no longer maintain his normal appearance. His hair bun disintegrated, black hair wildly flying, appearing like a mad demon.

In the lawless black hole zone, ripples astonishingly formed out of thin air, disturbing the millennia-unchanging black cloth, causing layers of ripples to surge through it. And with each corner of the black cloth that lifted, the power around Ai Cangsen surged exponentially. In just the blink of an eye, though he still sat distantly in the void, his figure faint... His aura had surpassed the heavens, capable of obscuring the sun and moon!

“This...”Feng Zhongzui's mouth opened instinctively after his jaw dropped. Before he could utter a word, his lips were torn by the fierce winds, and blood burst from all seven orifices. The images transmitted by the Five Domains' Transmission Mirrors were wildly distorting, and spectators felt their hands and feet turn cold, repeatedly recoiling. Even from an entire domain away, they felt that under the gaze of the Great Emperor Ai Cangsen, he could cleave gods and Buddhas with a single look, let alone those who dared to disrespectfully observe him!

“What happened?”“What did the Great Emperor Ai Cangsen do?”“He just formed a few seals, right? What technique could cause such power?”“Is he trying to shatter all Five Domains with his arrows... Elder Zhong, I understand your meaning now! Go stop him!”

Who else could stop him?Ten thousand li away, Zhong Yuanzi's face was filled with bitterness. He had no idea whether Ai Cangsen was rational or irrational at this moment. He could only do his utmost to protect what he was capable of protecting. As for the Five Decays of Heaven and Man... Beyond salvation!

Zhong Yuanzi knew without thinking that the Five Great Absolute Bodies couldn't withstand even Stage One Unsealing of Technique Seed: Imprisonment Limit. The Immortal Body could indeed be immortal. But even an immortal body would shatter, and recovery took time. If the Five Great Absolute Bodies were truly invincible, they would never have been defeated in their nascent stages. Even the Devouring Body, the foremost among the Absolute Bodies...

Zhong Yuanzi fully understood that Ai Cangsen simply wanted the Five Decays of Heaven and Man to *devour*! To outsiders, devouring was invincible. But compared to the power of the Ten Venerates, devouring had a “limit.” Once this limit was exceeded, the Five Decays of Heaven and Man simply couldn't digest it; it would be blown apart from the sheer strain, let alone catching the next arrow.

Zhong Yuanzi simply didn't know where these people got the audacity to openly provoke this seemingly unassuming youngster, Ai Cangsen. He was a member of the Ten-Person Deliberation Council. He knew all too well how terrifying this individual was — the one who, in every meeting, could sit silently beside the Palace Master Dao, yet dared to suppress the Palace Master's continuous flaunting with a mere glance. Forget the Five Decays of Heaven and Man; in Zhong Yuanzi's mind, with Xu Xiaoshou's current demonstrated combat power... Unless he was hiding a lot more, there was simply no chance!

“It's coming!”“Look, the Great Emperor Ai Cangsen is drawing an arrow!”The collective cry of “Great Emperor Ai Cangsen” from the Five Domains was filled with profound reverence.

In the center of the black hole, Ai Cangsen, with his black hair wildly flowing, picked up the Evil Sin Bow this time but did not immediately touch the string. Previously, he would directly draw the bowstring, allowing the Evil Sin Bow to condense an Evil Sin Arrow on its own.

This time, he raised the Evil Sin Bow, aimed it vaguely towards the Western Regions, then swept his right hand backward, brushing it against his right shoulder, near his neck.

Everyone knew that the Great Emperor Ai Cangsen didn't carry any “quiver” or similar item on his back; he didn't even need to bring arrows! But this time! With that sweep, Ai Cangsen slowly drew out an ancient, pure black, unadorned long arrow directly from his right neck, from within his own body.

Boom!For every inch the arrow appeared, the black hole's range expanded by a hundred zhang. Ai Cangsen's motion of drawing the arrow was extremely slow. By the time the long arrow was fully extracted from his body, the center of the Holy Mountain had been largely obliterated by the black hole.

He drew his bow and nocked the arrow. The black arrow was eight feet long, slender and elegant, taller than an average adult male. Its body was ancient and unremarkable, as if forged from ordinary black iron—though, in reality, how could ordinary black iron forge such an arrow? Just a glance, and everyone in the Five Domains felt that this arrow was probably stronger than a hundred, a thousand, or even ten thousand Evil God Arrows compressed together!

The bow formed a full moon.The arrowhead rested against his finger.Ai Cangsen's upper garment burst, a shocking sight to behold. His two arms bulged with muscles, black patterns coiling around them—this wasn't even a Qilin arm; it was as if two Qilin had burrowed into each arm!

“This intensity...”In his vanished state, Xu Xiaoshou, tens of thousands of li away, was drenched in cold sweat. He tried to teleport, jumping from the side to directly in front of where the arrow was aimed. Suddenly, his pores dilated, his heart pounded, as if he had willingly leapt into Death's embrace.“Threat received, Passive Points, 1.”

He quickly jumped away. But as soon as he jumped away, he thought of the Five Decays of Heaven and Man about to “die”! A person's life has many uncertainties and many unspoken moments; one can't always let them just pass by, can they? Perhaps the Five Decays of Heaven and Man simply couldn't express itself! Just for that one “benevolent” feeling, even if it was just a feeling, Xu Xiaoshou felt he couldn't ignore it like this.

Under the Evil Sin Bow's arrow, Xu Xiaoshou chose to hesitate no longer, actively leaping into the battlefield and dispelling his Vanishing Art. A gentleman does not stand under a crumbling wall. Xu Xiaoshou, for once, acted like a scoundrel, putting on a smile and chuckling:“Great Emperor Ai Cangsen, actually, if you could just give me some face...”Twang!!!