Chapter 1823: Answer

"Beyond the Dao, one can see the Ancestor!"

The first time Xu Xiaoshou heard this phrase was in Hua Weiyang's Flower World.

He had successively pushed his Sword Dao Disc and Art Dao Disc to 90.

He had also met Hua Weiyang, the current supreme master of the Sword Dao after Jianzu's passing, who had transformed into a Dao Guardian, as well as Chongyin.

After two verifications, "Beyond the Dao, one can see the Ancestor" proved to be correct.

Therefore, when he later pushed his Life, Space, and Fire Dao Discs to 89, he chose to "stop at the appropriate moment."

He reserved the opportunities to meet Yaozu, Shizu, and Shengzu, firmly holding the initiative in his own hands.

This happened half a year ago.

Half a year later, without his Life Dao Disc having gone "Beyond the Dao," he, as an Incarnation, met Guizu in the Cycle of Life and Death.

"The time has come."

The Incarnation's fear was real.

Because an Incarnation is also a person, and also fears death.

Xu Xiaoshou's surging madness was even more real.

When, in the gray world, he saw Guizu pull out the Scythe of the God of Death from the Incarnation's perspective, he understood:

To fight, or not to fight.

But at this moment, it was the best time for his Life Dao Disc to go "Beyond the Dao"—the Ancestor had been seen, could the Dao not be surpassed?

"Then let's do it!"

In the Ghost-Buddha Realm, Xu Xiaoshou, without hesitation, exchanged for the Dao Seeds and planted them in the Dao Cultivation Field.

He fed the ripe fruits harvested from the field to his Life Dao Disc. In an instant, Daoist rhymes surged around him, and endless insights came flooding in.

"Life Dao Disc (90)."

While digesting the insights, he could clearly feel his spirit touching a dark, gloomy space.

That unknown place was incredibly cold, filled with a sense of decay.

Yet, amidst the aura of death, decay, and nirvana, there was a tiny spark of life, a glimmer of hope after the extreme of misfortune.

Life was tenuous.

Reincarnation connects life, linking birth and death end to end, forming a ring of destiny.

"Guizu!"

Xu Xiaoshou suddenly opened his eyes, feeling as if his spirit was being pulled into that chilling space.

He showed no fear, having already prepared for a fierce battle, his heart roaring madly:

"Then I'll give you this chance, look directly at me, little ghost!"

"Interesting."

In the hazy world, the black-robed figure holding the Scythe of the God of Death suddenly let out a low chuckle.

He also sensed that while Xu Xiaoshou, before him, was afraid, Xu Xiaoshou in another world was audaciously provoking Him.

He had touched the "connection"; He could "lead" at any time.

He listened to the mad roar, as if by His ear, and the utterly disrespectful phrase, "Look directly at me, little ghost."

Yet, He merely flipped the black, long-handled, long-bladed scythe in His hand, His ghostly flames flickering, and looked at the person before Him:

"You seem to have misunderstood something? This Ancestor has no ill intentions."

The Incarnation was stunned, his fear greatly diminished, almost letting out a quack.

Xu Xiaoshou in the Ghost-Buddha Realm was also stunned. He had prepared for a decisive battle, for slaying gods and ancestors.

He truly couldn't...

He would also face Guizu simultaneously with the Incarnation.

At the critical moment, he only needed to abandon the Incarnation, whether by self-detonation or other means.

As long as the Incarnation delayed Guizu for a moment, he would sever the "lingering connection" and retreat, moving away from Guizu.

The risk of this "Beyond the Dao, one can see the Ancestor" situation should then be averted.

But the current turn of events was too unexpected; it seemed to be heading in a good... er, rather, a "not bad" direction?

Inside the gray space, the Incarnation hesitated before speaking: "Guixiong, this is..."

"Xu Xiaoshou, you should still call this Ancestor Guizu."

Guizu couldn't accept such an overly familiar nickname. He also had no intention of pulling Xu Xiaoshou's true body into this space.

Even after the "connection" of "Beyond the Dao, one can see the Ancestor" faded, He still did not act.

At this point, the Dao was surpassed, and the Ancestor didn't need to be seen—it truly was a perfect development!

Guizu deliberately waited.

He waited until the Xu Xiaoshou before Him knew his true body was unharmed and had completely relaxed.

Then, He slowly inverted the Scythe of the God of Death, slowly paced, and spoke as He walked:

"You have many questions."

How could he not? The Incarnation's mind was now flooded with questions, almost gushing out like a torrent, but he merely listened quietly.

Then he heard Him say: "This Ancestor has no ill intentions, this is the premise."

He emphasized this sentence again before continuing: "You have any questions, just ask."

The Incarnation shook his head.

He had questions, but he wouldn't ask them.

Since Guizu had no ill intentions and came to see him, then He had something to say to him, or even...

He needed something from me?

At this moment, all the questions he could ask would be narrow.

Only by letting Him speak first was it possible to reveal things that even he didn't know.

On this point, whether it was Xu Xiaoshou or the Incarnation, their strategic thinking was always on point—he was very confident.

"You are very smart."

Guizu smiled and praised him, seeing that he still remained silent, He took the initiative to speak:

"You should be able to see that this Ancestor's current state is not perfect."

"Compared to Jianzu, Longzu, Zhanzu, and Tianzu, who have perished without reincarnation, this Ancestor is half a step ahead."

"However, compared to Chongyin, this Ancestor's current state is far from comparable to His. He is perfect reincarnation, perfect rebirth. This Ancestor is merely lingering on."

After a few sentences, the Incarnation was dazed and dizzy, his confidence in the strategic game completely shattered.

The information was too vast!

For a moment, he didn't know if Guizu was bluffing him or giving him false information, but he couldn't help but ask:

"Are Jian, Long, Zhan, and Tianzu truly all dead?"

"Fallen." Guizu nodded, using precise terminology.

"How did they fall?"

"The Dao Seizure War."

"Who seized their Dao?"

"Cannot be spoken."

"Then what do you mean by 'without reincarnation'?"

"Literal meaning, not within this Ancestor's control of the Dao of Reincarnation. There might be a possibility of recovery, but they are no longer as they were, they do not possess the Ancestral God's destiny, everything starts anew. Life is like this, and Dao is also re-cultivated. Most likely, they will fade among the masses. This is 'fallen'."

The Incarnation asked quickly, and Guizu surprisingly answered without any ambiguity.

What could not be said, He glossed over. What could be said, He gave in such detail.

The Incarnation was horrified.

Is this an Ancestral God?

Besides things that might alarm beings of the same level, He knew far more than Baxun'an, Hua Weiyang, and others.

"Cannot be spoken..."

Things that Guizu didn't even want to mention could only be Ancestral Gods, and still alive, able to hear what He was saying.

Shengzu? Mozu? Yaozu? Chongyin?

Only these four remained.

Are there more?

Probably not, right?

"Fade among the masses..."

In other words, even if there was a chance to start over.

The four Ancestors, Jian, Long, Zhan, and Tian, are no longer their original wills, equivalent to ordinary newborns, and cannot cultivate to Ancestral Godhood again?

Therefore, Tianzu left his legacy, and the Spirit of the Post-Void Island was born on the Void Island, eventually choosing him?

Longzu, Zhanzu, unknown.

But Jianzu's legacy was probably also left behind, right within the Sword Tower mentioned by Liu Fuyu?

The Sword Tower seemed to be suppressing something...

"What is the Sword Tower suppressing?"

The Incarnation asked spontaneously.

This was the benefit of facing death fearlessly.

Regardless of whether Guizu would lie, he was eager to hear a "definite" answer.

Guizu: "The Spirit of an Ancestral God."

He actually answered!

The Incarnation's scalp tingled, and goosebumps rose all over his body, and the true body Xu Xiaoshou in the Ghost-Buddha Realm felt the same.

A mere four words, yet no one had ever dared to give such a definitive answer.

Even Baxun'an couldn't give such an answer, could he?

But...

"The Spirit of an Ancestral God?"

The Incarnation immediately grasped the implied meaning, "If you divide it this way, are there also the Body of an Ancestral God and the Will of an Ancestral God?"

He actually had another question he didn't ask: Which Ancestral God?

Guizu's face remained unseen. The ghostly flames beneath his black hood fluttered twice, again giving off a "smiling" sensation.

He shook his head: "Cannot be spoken."

Alright then!

If you don't say it, this junior will definitely not ask!

The key is not to pester, okay?

The Incarnation was too afraid of death.

The main point was that the true body was going crazy, constantly throwing out questions, wanting him to pick the important ones.

If he were to die from asking something he shouldn't, it would be best to "gain" as much as possible before dying.

He made a killing!

He truly made a killing!

He thought causing trouble for the Five Great Saint Emperor Families on the Heavenly Ladder was already profitable enough. He never expected Guizu's appearance to yield far beyond imagination!

The Incarnation followed the order of questions listed by the true body and continued to ask: "What is suppressed under the Inverted Buddha Pagoda?"

Guizu: "The Body of an Ancestral God."

The Book of Answers!

You shouldn't be called the God of Death anymore, you should be called the God of Answers!

The Incarnation was excited. He wisely didn't ask which Ancestral God, as they must still be alive, and continued to ask:

"What do you think of Hua Chang... erm, that Saint Emperor Yunshan?"

Guizu: "He has mastered both the Sword and Ghost Daos, and possesses My Divine Court, the demeanor of an Ancestral God."

What?

This evaluation was too unexpected.

Neither the Incarnation nor the true body expected Saint Emperor Yunshan, Hua Changdeng, at most to reach the level of a Pseudo-Ancestor like Ai Cangsen.

And whether he could even reach that height would depend on whether he could open the Mysterious Gate, and if so, whether he could draw his sword.

Now...

"Divine Court?"

Cold sweat beaded on the Incarnation's forehead.

The true body had experienced one of Chongyin's techniques in the Divine Remains, called "Divine Concealment and Return to Emptiness."

That time, Chongyin merely summoned the Divine Court of the Art Ancestor, showing a tiny bit of its power, and absorbed all "external Daos," even swallowing the Suijun Shield.

If not for the Six Dao Firmament being called out at the end, descending from the thirty-third heaven to strike Chongyin, had he truly faced it alone, and after losing the absolute defense of the shield treasure, the true body wouldn't have known how to fight.

"Hua..."

The Incarnation realized that Hua Changdeng's real name couldn't be easily invoked. Even saying his surname made his limbs feel cold, and he couldn't help but ask:

"The Divine Court should be a very important thing, and your Divine Court, you just gave it to him?"

Guizu shook his head.

The Incarnation mused: "He took it by force, and you couldn't stop him?"

"Indeed."

"Why couldn't you stop him? Your current state may not be optimal, but to deal with a mere Saint Emperor..."

"The Cycle of Life and Death."

Still the concise four words, but they immediately stemmed the Incarnation's flood of questions.

He suddenly realized that what restrained Guizu from "not giving the Divine Court" might not be Hua Changdeng himself, but the existence of Yaozu?

"Yao..."

Just as a single word left his mouth, a bony finger rose from under Guizu's black sleeve, resting against His unseen face beneath the large black hood:

"Hush."

That sound sent a chill down the Incarnation's spine.

Yaozu!

It really was Yaozu!

"You two..."

"Your relationship is not good."

"How not good?"

The Incarnation panicked, it seemed all his previous speculations were wrong.

Because if Guizu harbored goodwill towards him, then in the "Cycle of Life and Death," he shouldn't be considered a bad person or a bad ancestor by using evil-sounding titles like "Guizu" or "God of Death."

Nor should "Yaozu" be considered a good person or a good ancestor just because it sounds full of vitality.

Guizu did not answer, still using the same phrase:

"Cannot be spoken."

The Incarnation's main focus now was to heed advice and not ask too much. He immediately changed the subject: "I obtained a Shennong Medicine Garden on Void Island. Will this lead to bad consequences?"

"Yes."

You...

Such a straightforward answer made the Incarnation get a headache for the first time. He quickly asked again: "How so?"

Guizu: "This is His subsequent move."

The "He" here was clearly Yaozu.

Because it was unlikely for the Shennong Medicine Garden to harbor the wills of Sheng, Mo, Tian, Chong, etc.?

"Will I die?" He asked more directly.

This question seemed a bit laughable. Realizing this, the Incarnation quickly rephrased:

"Will I be targeted, possessed, or noticed because of this?"

Guizu: "It's just a subsequent move, insignificant."

Oh, so it means it's just a casual move by Yaozu?

Looking at it this way, after obtaining the Shennong Medicine Garden, he merely entered Yaozu's line of sight, but he was still just an ant?

Great!

I like being an ant!

It's best if none of you can see me!

The true body then listed a whole string of questions again. Truly a troublemaker. The Incarnation continued to ask:

"Bei..."

"Hush."

Hiss, can't even mention that? That name isn't that big, is it... The Incarnation was startled again and quickly changed his words:

"Saint Emperor Beiming, what do you think of this person?"

Guizu: "I am currently constrained by him."

At that instant, the Incarnation and Xu Xiaoshou both smoked, with big question marks appearing above their heads.

What does that mean...

Literal meaning?

Before he could ask, Guizu spoke proactively: "This meeting was long premeditated by this Ancestor. However, at the beginning of our meeting, he also sensed something. Perhaps he does not yet know what we are discussing, but he should be able to guess one or two."

"I won't be able to see you later?" The Incarnation grew anxious, understanding the implied meaning.

Guizu did not answer, merely saying: "Any other questions?"

This means he won't be seen again, so he should ask whatever he wants, and quickly!

The Incarnation persisted: "I am very strong! If I want to see you again in the future, what method can I use? I will surely deceive heaven and cross the sea!"

Guizu chuckled, answering helplessly: "Perhaps there was still one good opportunity..."

Xu Xiaoshou, far away in the Saint God Continent, in the Ghost-Buddha Realm, was stunned upon hearing this.

He instinctively looked at his Life Dao Disc, which had gone "Beyond the Dao" at 90, and thought, "No way, was this supposed to be the second chance?"

"I was impulsive..."

The Incarnation sighed deeply, wishing he could slap his blundering true body to death with a shield. He was truly good for nothing.

What were you afraid of?

I was the one seeing Guizu, and I was the one asking questions.

You weren't even here, yet you rushed to push your Dao Disc. Couldn't you have waited a few more breaths, waited for Guizu's goodwill to be expressed, before deciding whether to push?

"Misfortune and fortune are intertwined, no need to regret."

Guizu sounded truly kind, even seemingly making excuses for the true body: "It was just 'perhaps.' If your Life Dao had gone 'Beyond the Dao' a little later, you might not have seen this Ancestor."

But Yaozu?

The Incarnation opened his mouth, thinking to himself, "The true body is really strong; he truly has foresight and always makes the wisest choices."