Chapter 1750: Wuwei Informs Wuwei Dao, Gods and Demons Compatible with Gods and Demons' Pupils

Everything blurred before his eyes.

With no warning whatsoever, Xu Xiaoshou was ejected from the Flower World, as if his connection had been abruptly severed.

Hua Lai's meaningful expression had not yet faded, and his last words lingered, prompting deep thought.

Back in the Dead Sea, Xu Xiaoshou remained silent for a long time, still pondering Hua Weiyang's advice.

"Could it really be called 'advice'?" He had almost completely forgotten the process of his battle with Hua Weiyang in the Flower World, but occasionally, a few fragments would flash back in his mind, preventing him from losing that memory entirely. Perhaps this was the Over-Dao Divination of the Intent Dao Disk resisting the will of the entire world. "Hiss, the entire world... Why would I think Hua Weiyang could represent the entire world?"

Xu Xiaoshou frowned repeatedly. He was certain he had fought Hua Weiyang once, defying all odds. As for the outcome, it seemed he hadn't won. At most, it was a draw. If that were the case, Hua Weiyang would have had other ways to defeat him, yet he didn't. Instead, he had the Sword Immortal Hua Lai leave a few words. "Should I trust it?" If this had happened before entering the Flower World, Xu Xiaoshou would have believed it. Now, he found it difficult to understand and even harder to trust.

He didn't hesitate for long. While in the Dead Sea, Xu Xiaoshou chose to use the Intent Dao Disk to send a message. He sent Hua Lai's last, enigmatic words to two people: Ba Zun'an and Dao Qiongcang. Ba was a trusted confidant, his words trustworthy, but he might not know enough. Dao wasn't entirely trustworthy, but given his background in a Holy Emperor family, he might possess more comprehensive and objective information.

While waiting for a reply, Xu Xiaoshou recalled Hua Lai's initial three phrases: "Over-Dao Divination is easy, discerning me is difficult..." "Now, compared to the sequence at the Dyeing Tea Ruins—'Discern me, Over-Dao Divination, ascend three realms, see the true name'—Hua Weiyang's seems more accurate?" "But Hua Weiyang isn't an Ancestral God; he's just... Hiss! That's it... he's just Grand Dao Divination, he's merely 'equal in standing to an Ancestral God, but not an Ancestral God'..."

Xu Xiaoshou pondered for a long time. During this time, he also recalled some of his exchanges with Hua Weiyang. He realized that Hua Weiyang's "Grand Dao Divination" differed from his previous understanding of it. From the Grand Dao Disk's perspective, Grand Dao Divination was merely 80%, leading to mental delusion and loss of self if not controlled. Over-Dao Divination was above Grand Dao Divination, reaching 90%. But Hua Weiyang's Grand Dao Divination likely meant he had lost his physical body, yet his consciousness remained unlost. He had become the "Dao" of the Holy Divine Continent, a "Guardian of the Dao"—abandoning his self to become the "Guardian God" of the Holy Divine Continent?

"His state is Grand Dao Divination, and his strength definitely surpasses Over-Dao Divination. If 100% equated to a perfect Ancestral God, then his strength was likely infinitely close to 100%." By then, Xu Xiaoshou could roughly understand what "equal in standing to an Ancestral God, but not an Ancestral God" meant: a warning! Until you can defeat me, you will never be able to defeat a fully-powered Cui Yin, a fully-powered Holy Ancestor... or any of the Ten Ancestors at their full power!

"Guardian of the Dao..." Xu Xiaoshou now somewhat understood Hua Weiyang's role. Unlike Ai Cangsen, who self-proclaimed himself a guardian, both served as "obstructions," but Hua Weiyang was more laissez-faire. His approach aligned more with the "Dao" and with "non-action." Non-action wasn't inactivity, but rather reduced intervention.

Just as Xu Xiaoshou had never had the chance to ask the various questions he wanted to. But by the end of the Flower World experience, he summarized. He found that even with his past memories blurred, Hua Weiyang had given him all the answers in a "go with the flow" manner.

Over-Dao Divination allowing one to see ancestors was true. However, when the Sword Dao Disk performed Over-Dao Divination, it couldn't see the Sword Ancestor, only summoning Hua Weiyang. This proved that the Sword Ancestor had likely met with an accident. If even the Sword Ancestor could meet with an accident, were the other Ancestors among the Ten Ancestors all perfectly intact? "No!" From Hua Lai's final warning, Xu Xiaoshou roughly understood that perhaps all Ten Ancestors had met with accidents!

So, apart from the Sword Dao Disk, could he recklessly use the Life Dao Disk next? "If the Life Dao Disk performs Over-Dao Divination and can see an ancestor, it's highly likely to be the living Medicine Ancestor that Sunflower mentioned. This time, it's not the Ancient Sword Dao. Even if Hua Weiyang is a guardian and wants to intercept me, the Medicine Ancestor might not allow it. Perhaps the Medicine Ancestor would forcibly intervene, preventing Hua Weiyang's interference, and then complete a 'date' with me?" "Should I schedule this meeting?"

If the Medicine Ancestor Shennong Baicao was an Ancestral God in excellent mental health, Xu Xiaoshou would want to meet. But judging by Sunflower's various fearful reactions, Xu Xiaoshou would believe it if told she had been corrupted. As for the question, "Should I schedule this meeting?", Xu Xiaoshou had intended to ask Hua Weiyang, but still hadn't had the chance. Yet Hua Weiyang had also given him the answer! Or rather, after meeting Hua Weiyang, Xu Xiaoshou had his own answer!

"Whether I schedule it or not isn't important; after all, it will happen sooner or later. My Grand Dao Disk cannot remain stuck at 80% out of fear; what's the difference between that and merely existing? But the timing of the meeting is crucial..." Hua Weiyang hadn't indicated the best timing either, but Xu Xiaoshou already knew he had caught up to the first echelon. The small group of people riding the crest of the wave wouldn't know what the best timing was. If there truly was one, retreating would be the best timing! But no one would retreat.

"The Medicine Ancestor is like this, and the Time Ancestor is the same..." The hesitation about whether the Life Dao Disk should go to 90% also applied to the Space Dao Disk, and the latter seemed even more unknown and terrifying. Because of Kong Yuhen's existence, it sent shivers down his spine. Xu Xiaoshou temporarily suppressed these thoughts. He needed to wait for Ba Dao's response to make a better judgment. By then, among the first three pieces of advice, the first and last phrases were understood, leaving only the middle one... "All ages are illusions, can two worlds meet?" Xu Xiaoshou was baffled. He hadn't experienced myriad ages, but he had experienced two lifetimes. What did "meet" mean then?

The Dead Sea suppressed spiritual power, and the Golden Edict suppressed magic. Xu Xiaoshou waited for a while without success, then realized that his Intent Dao Disk and Weaving Art were special exceptions. Furthermore, Jin Ren had already committed suicide at Saint Mountain, losing a transit station outside. If Ba Zun'an and Dao Qiongcang wanted to reply, their thoughts might not be able to get in, so he would have to go out and meet them. He then split a wisp of his consciousness, holding both the Intent Dao Disk and sword intent, and with a single glance, manifested a sword intent clone. Before anyone around could react, this invisible sword intent clone rushed out of the Dead Sea and outlined a Psychic Art Heavenly Secret Array on the Holy Divine Continent.

"Perhaps you've heard that there are only eight Ancestors among the Ten Ancestors?" Dao Qiongcang's Psychic Art message had indeed returned early. He was the type to reply instantly, clearly valuing Xu Xiaoshou, a friend he had "paid for" to befriend. But the content of this reply completely bewildered Xu Xiaoshou.

"Only eight Ancestors among the Ten Ancestors?" "That's as absurd as the Nine Seats of the Holy Slaves having eleven members, or the Seven Sword Immortals never being able to gather all seven!" He replied with an interrogative particle, and Dao Qiongcang excitedly sent another message: "Do you think, under normal circumstances, Holy Ancestor Power and Demonic Ancestor Power can be compatible?"

The answer was clearly no. Although he himself possessed multiple Ancestor Powers. But this was because "I have a body full of passive skills," which had ridiculously strengthened his "vessel." Among the normal Spirit Cultivators Xu Xiaoshou had seen, Yue Gongli was the one who could integrate the most Ancestral Powers. He simultaneously possessed Evil God Power, Heavenly Ancestor Power, and Holy Ancestor Power. But these three powers didn't result in a synergy where one plus one plus one was greater than three; instead, they seemed to oppose each other, weakening each other. In short, Yue Gongli needed external objects like the Six Marrow Corpse King to help him wield the three Ancestor Powers, let alone others. And the two great ancestral powers mentioned by Dao Qiongcang, Holy Ancestor and Demonic Ancestor, seemed to be highly antagonistic, like fire and water.

"Hmm?" Xu Xiaoshou replied noncommittally. Dao Qiongcang then sent a third rhetorical question; this time, his question was very interesting: "At what minimum realm do you think a Spirit Cultivator can be compatible with Holy Ancestor Power and Demonic Ancestor Power?"

This seemed like a joke. Xu Xiaoshou thought an exceptionally gifted Semi-Saint might be able to, but normally, even Holy Emperors couldn't. Because high-level Holy Emperors could only cultivate one type of ancestral power without external aid. But Dao Qiongcang didn't stop after just one sentence; after a pause, he added meaningfully: "Or rather, at what minimum realm can a Spirit Cultivator be compatible with Divine Power and Demonic Power?"

This made Xu Xiaoshou's hair stand on end. He had never deeply considered this question. But he knew that "Divine Power" was a common term for Holy Ancestor Power, and "Demonic Power" was equivalent to Demonic Ancestor Power. This easily made one think of a certain junior sister who had been missing for a long time. To be precise, not Mu Zixi, but Lei Xier's... God-Devil Eyes!

"Yes, the God-Devil Eyes." Dao Qiongcang didn't even wait for Xu Xiaoshou's reply. After silently counting three breaths, he sent a laughing message: "I can tell you clearly, my Xu. At the lowest level of acquired spirit refining, or even as mere mortals, there are those who can simultaneously integrate Divine Power and Demonic Power. That person is Lei Shuangxing, who was born with God-Devil Eyes!"

These words were like a great halberd, completely tearing through the thin veil of self-deception in people's minds. What defined a genius? Someone born with Holy Power could already be considered a genius. Among the Semi-Saints of the Five Regions, who wasn't like this? They showed their brilliance in their youth, and their path to sainthood was virtually unimpeded. Those who surpassed geniuses could become one of the Ten Honored Seats! But the special existence of the God-Devil Eyes went beyond that—it was equivalent to a naturally gifted Kuilei Han, skipping the process of meditating and comprehending spiritual thoughts.

Xu Xiaoshou's mind couldn't help but conjure such a scene: While countless geniuses were still fighting tooth and nail in the "Battle of Supremacy" for a mere inner courtyard spot, applauding the emergence of innate elemental power, Lei Shuangxing, with both eyes intact, would step onto the arena, open his eyes, and use an ancestral power that surpassed innate elemental power, Throne Domain, Great Void Power, and Holy Power—a power only comparable to thorough divine sense, only comprehensible by high-level Holy Emperors. "The Lei family, they deserved to be annihilated..." This certainly held no insult towards his own junior sister. It was purely Xu Xiaoshou thinking that other Lei family eyes could be forgiven, but the God-Devil Eyes were truly a bit overpowered. Yet a family possessing such overpowered abilities didn't flourish; instead, they were annihilated? A moment later, he felt relieved. Anything beyond Semi-Saints in the Five Regions involved "guidance" and "forgetting." Perhaps the Lei family's ancestors had once been glorious. But under the suppression of the Five Great Holy Emperor families, it was fine if the God-Devil Eyes, which appeared once every ten thousand years, didn't emerge. Once they did, the Lei family would surely face trouble. This was all too normal. But this wasn't the focus of the current discussion. Xu Xiaoshou was asking about Hua Lai's last words, but Dao Qiongcang had steered the conversation to the Lei family's God-Devil Eyes. Was he getting sidetracked?

"What exactly does 'God-Devil True Form' mean?" he pressed. Dao Qiongcang could only be explaining "God-Devil True Form," but even after hearing the story, Xu Xiaoshou still couldn't understand.

The flashy old Daoist rarely put away his playful and joking demeanor, speaking not like a charlatan, not showing off, not being vague, but instead with extreme seriousness: "Actually, I can't tell you, because it involves the 'Thirteen Unspeakables,' but since you've asked, it means you've come into contact with something. You don't need to tell me; I probably know who you encountered. As for the phrase you mentioned, it also gave me some affirmative answers... Let me put it this way!" He paused, then spoke slowly and deliberately, word by word: "'Technique-Evil One Body' refers to the Technique Ancestor and Cui Yin, originally a single deity, indistinguishable from each other. 'God-Devil True Form' refers to the Holy Ancestor and the Demonic Ancestor. 'Medicine-Ghost Cycle' refers to the Medicine Ancestor and the Ghost Ancestor. 'Four Ancestors Reincarnation' refers to the Sword, Dragon, War, and Heavenly Ancestors—these four distinct, confirmed, and deceased Ancestors!"

Xu Xiaoshou's pupils suddenly dilated. Even though Dao Qiongcang had only explained the meaning of "one body" in the first phrase "Technique-Evil One Body," and said nothing further. He wasn't stupid. Combining this with the compatibility of the "God-Devil Eyes" power, he felt like he had heard something terrifyingly profound!

"Are you saying that the Holy Ancestor and the Demonic Ancestor are the same person, just like the Technique Ancestor and Cui Yin?" "Yes!" "Then, the Medicine Ancestor and the Ghost Ancestor..." "The same!" "So, the Sword, Dragon, War, and Heavenly Ancestors are deceased, meaning the six mentioned earlier are all alive?"

Xu Xiaoshou was utterly dumbfounded. Dao Qiongcang, however, denied it: "Not entirely. I'm not clear on that myself, but you can recall the 'Thirteen Unspeakables'." Xu Xiaoshou's thoughts almost crashed, and he barely remembered the content of the "Thirteen Unspeakables." Soon, he recalled that there were only three entries concerning Ancestral Gods: the Demonic Ancestor, the Ghost Ancestor, the Medicine Ancestor... These three are alive? Wait! The Ghost Ancestor, the Medicine Ancestor, the same person... So what Sunflower feared were two Ancestors, a single Ancestor with two ancestral identities coexisting in the world? "Confusing! So confusing!" Xu Xiaoshou felt like his brain had been stung by a bee, unable to comprehend what his own understanding meant just now. "So, why can one person cultivate into two Ancestors, and why can they use two Ancestral God Fates?" This was the essence of his confusion. Wasn't this telling him that if he could become an Ancestral God, then Jin Ren could too? No! Jin Ren, you can't! What I, Xu Xiaoshou, say is that you can't, then you can't! Xu Xiaoshou once again felt fear towards his Second True Body awakening skill. He was afraid of backlash, afraid of meeting the same fate as these Ancestral Gods. He started to ponder whether he should give birth to another Jin Ren. What if he abandoned this awakening skill, preventing Jin Ren from ever being born?

"What do you think?" Dao Qiongcang, leisurely, reverted to his charlatan essence after revealing everything. *I don't want what I think; I want what you think!* Xu Xiaoshou wanted to rush over and slap him, but after quickly calming down, he frowned and calculated carefully: Technique, Evil; Holy, Demonic; Medicine, Ghost—that's six already. Sword, Dragon, War, Heavenly—that's four already. Together, that's exactly ten Ancestors. But why did it feel strange?