Chapter 1853: Prayer

Xu Xiaoshou had seen the Jiong-faced Heavenly Mechanism Puppet design before.

It was when he was at the end of the God’s Relics, chasing after Cuiyin.

He used his Illusion Sword Technique and his calculated deception to force Cuiyin to use the Heaven-Stealing, Earth-Changing technique, and ultimately exchanged an underwear for the Original True Stele: Long!

The underwear was from Dao Qiongcang.

On it was the Jiong-faced Heavenly Mechanism Puppet design.

And the design now illuminated by the Intent Dao Disk on the chest of the Demon Ancestor’s stone carving, it couldn’t be said to be unrelated; in fact, it was identical!

“So, Dao Qiongcang has been here?”

“But at this time, Dao Qiongcang hasn’t even been born yet. How could he have been here, and even surpassed the Cold Palace Saint Emperor, leaving behind a ‘was here’ mark?”

This was a thousand years ago!

Or was it that Dao Qiongcang also traversed the river of time and journeyed to this place?

“That’s not right either…”

Xu Xiaoshou’s mind reeled, feeling that all his previous understanding of Dao Qiongcang had to be overturned and rebuilt.

But before he had enough time to think and untangle the threads of all these matters, a teasing voice called from behind him:

“Youngster…”

Xu Xiaoshou whirled around.

He didn't see the Demon Ancestor on the Demon Ancestor’s stone carving.

As he turned, he saw, floating in the air of the stone hall, a cluster of seven-colored auspicious clouds. A high holy altar was built upon the clouds, and upon the altar stood a tall, burly figure.

He wore a purple-feathered cloud crown, was clad in crimson-scaled golden armor, and had radiating, colorful, glowing wings unfurled behind him. He held a scepter, imposing and awe-inspiring in all directions. His transcendent sanctity was indescribable, and his power to swallow mountains and rivers was too immense to be directly observed.

The Saint Ancestor!

Xu Xiaoshou instantly recognized who this was.

Compared to the amorphous, even unidentifiable, ambiguous image of the Saint Ancestor he had seen in the God’s Relics, which was transformed from Dao Qiongcang.

This one now was too definite!

He was so precise that one could recognize his identity at a glance, and his aura and presence were so oppressive that one couldn’t breathe, making one want to submit wholeheartedly.

Xu Xiaoshou did not lower his head.

But with a flicker of his eyes, he saw the image of the Saint Ancestor in the air of the stone hall change.

The seven-colored auspicious clouds turned into black clouds.

The holy altar transformed into a skull altar.

His purple crown and golden armor became a demonic helmet and demonic armor.

Even the radiant wings behind him were dyed black, and the scepter, representing divinity, disappeared, replaced by the Demonic God’s Spear he had seen once before.

The Demon Ancestor!

The true forms of gods and demons were something Xu Xiaoshou only had a rough concept of before.

Now he finally saw the true forms of gods and demons, and it was an incredibly fitting, combined true form of god and demon.

“Youngster…”

The Demon Ancestor merely whispered, not yet employing any power.

Xu Xiaoshou felt demonic sounds piercing his ears, and all sorts of evil thoughts, worries, and madness surged within him.

Even his comprehension of the super-Dao-化 (transformation) Intent Dao Disk was racing down a wrong path, seemingly about to completely shatter his reason.

“Calm your mind.”

Ba Zun’an’s voice appeared.

Xu Xiaoshou’s rapidly beating heart steadied, and he took a deep breath to calm down, with his Body, Spirit, and Intent Dao Disks all manifesting to stabilize his state.

It was just the intent of the Demon Ancestor.

His reverence was merely born from his own overly absolute imagination.

If the Demon Ancestor were at his peak, if he could destroy him with a glance, there would be no need for these empty tricks. The moment he saw the Ancestor, he would already be dead.

But no matter what, there was still another chance—the Demon Ancestor would at most launch a sneak attack, bringing out his Berserk Golden Body, and after that, there would be no more opportunities.

So what was there to fear?

Having confidence meant being audacious, and besides, Ba Zun’an had promised to cover his back.

As he thought this, all evil thoughts vanished. After stabilizing his Intent Dao, Xu Xiaoshou was not easily controlled anyway, and could now treat the Demon Ancestor like a big watermelon.

“So now, among the living Ancestral Gods, only the Medicine Ancestor hasn’t been seen yet, which is quite exciting…”

While daydreaming, he looked at the Demon Ancestor.

In an instant, the Demon Ancestor’s image changed again, becoming half Saint Ancestor, half Demon Ancestor, extremely bizarre.

In a trance, Xu Xiaoshou felt that he looked somewhat feminine, and a bit like Lei Shuangxing. When two faint lights, one black and one white, lit up between his eyes, he suddenly snapped awake.

Divine-Demonic Eyes?

Weren’t those his junior sister’s eyes?

Ba Zun’an’s mental voice came through: “Demonic nature runs rampant and is also good at guiding people’s hearts towards the most extreme thoughts. Just remember, ‘all seen are illusions, guard your true heart’.”

Xu Xiaoshou’s raised heart finally settled. He saw that the Demon Ancestor had no Divine-Demonic Eyes at all; everything was just his own hallucination.

But at this moment, the Demon Ancestor’s teasing voice came again, surprisingly in response to Ba Zun’an’s reminder:

“If there is any concern, there is a possibility.”

“Not everything in the world develops in the worst direction, but there is always such a possibility. So why say ‘all seen are illusions’?”

He could actually hear the conversation between himself and Ba Zun’an!

This Demon Ancestor form, illuminated by the Intent Dao Disk, was essentially the Demon Ancestor’s intent. As soon as his thoughts boiled, he could decipher what he was thinking and worrying about?

First Beihai, now the Demon Ancestor, Xu Xiaoshou once again felt a sense of being completely exposed. Fortunately, he already had experience.

This time, no matter what, he absolutely could not let his mind boil over and give the Demon Ancestor an opportunity.

The Demon Ancestor smiled, looking at the youngster: “The true forms of gods and demons, what you think. Since that is so, why not think again, why do Divine-Demonic Eyes not appear on others, or transfer to others, but instead appear on Lei Shuangxing and transfer to your junior sister?”

Big watermelon, big watermelon, big watermelon…

Xu Xiaoshou almost fell into his trap again, resolved not to be led by him, and retorted: “Did you eat the Saint Ancestor?”

“The Dao Fo Pagoda, suppressing my body. There was a resentment of unparalleled talent, but alas, a short lifespan. To this Ancestor, it was merely a moment’s rest. When I woke up, I already had a new physical body to use.” The Demon Ancestor recounted, “Your junior sister, she entered the Crossroads, didn’t she?”

Big watermelon, big watermelon, big watermelon…

Xu Xiaoshou let it go in one ear and out the other, not answering him, and continued his own question, with a hint of admiration on his face: “Amazing, old demon, you’ve completed the path of unity. You can now stand shoulder to shoulder with Cuiyin, right?”

“The Sword Ancestor was placed into reincarnation, and the Ancient Sword Tower remains unrevealed. Yet, Ba Zun’an dream-travelled to other realms, and Liu Fuyu carried out her mission to find you. If the Twelve Swords of the Sword Tower couldn’t lock my spirit, why would external forces intervene to seek stability?” The Demon Ancestor tilted his head and chuckled softly, “Xu Xiaoshou, you are a clever person, you know what this Ancestor is talking about.”

Big watermelon, big watermelon, big watermelon… There’s no way to just be a big watermelon!

The Demon Ancestor, in just a few words, revealed so much information on his own.

Xu Xiaoshou tried to suppress his wildly diverging thoughts, but he couldn’t quite hold them back.

The Demon Ancestor’s body and spirit were in the Dao Fo Pagoda and the Sword Tower respectively. This matched his previous deductions, proving the credibility of his words.

He couldn’t help but start thinking.

Did the Demon Ancestor’s departure, possessing Elder Sang, also stem from knowing that his time was limited and wanting external help?

He had also thought before that, when all was said and done, he should go to the Sword Tower with Liu Fuyu to investigate the Sword Ancestor’s reincarnation.

The Demon Ancestor was like a parasite in his stomach, precisely locating his fears and worries, every word piercing, every needle drawing blood, and yet, everything he said was well-reasoned and well-founded.

Such a troublesome opponent, the last one Xu Xiaoshou knew of, was himself in the eyes of his enemies!

“Purple grape, purple grape, purple grape…”

The attention shifting method was very effective. The only way to stop himself from overthinking was to be “baffling.”

If the big watermelon couldn’t hold up, then let the purple grape take over.

If neither could hold up, of course, there was still the most baffling trump card: the red apple.

Clearly, it hadn’t come to that yet…

Xu Xiaoshou had originally intended to provoke the Demon Ancestor, to stir up trouble between him and Cuiyin, but he didn’t expect the other party to fall for it at all.

Well, he was an old demon, how could he be easily tricked?

It took him a while to recall what his previous question-in-response was. Just as he was about to speak again, to question the Demon Ancestor.

The Demon Ancestor’s gaze shifted, looking to the side.

“Someone else?”

Xu Xiaoshou’s heart tightened, and he turned his head to the side, only to see Ba Zun’an standing beside him at some point.

This brought a slight sense of security.

But the Demon Ancestor’s attacks were indiscriminate; his mouth was like it was poisoned, spewing words effortlessly:

“Born from humble beginnings, from a barren family, blessed with talent, living up to that talent—a child of destiny in this world, you, Ba Zun’an, are truly worthy.”

“But ‘blessed with talent,’ what is ‘heaven’?”

The Demon Ancestor’s lips curved into a smile, his eyes mocking. He praised first, then criticized, with cold sarcasm:

“Youngster taking his own life, jumping off a cliff.”

“Youthful ambition, a body with missing limbs.”

“Old age in decline, wife and children separated.”

“The destiny heaven gave you, heaven can take back. The so-called ‘heaven one chi above’ is nothing but a fool’s dream. And this so-called ‘heaven’…”

The Demon Ancestor paused, stretched out a hand, and pointed to the seven-colored auspicious clouds beneath his feet, “Heaven is indeed low. The back that should be bent, it’s best kept bent.”

As soon as the words fell, the stone hall was no more.

The Demon Ancestor was no longer standing on clouds, but on the firmament.

Beneath that vast firmament, living beings were like straw dogs, and smoke clouds like fleeting light. After ages passed, everything vanished into nothingness.

Only the Ancestral Gods were the ultimate, sole existences towering above the firmament!

“This guy…”

Xu Xiaoshou watched, slightly stunned, and listened, slightly stunned.

He understood; the Demon Ancestor had described Ba Zun’an’s life.

Although some stories, like “jumping off a cliff to commit suicide,” he had never even heard of.

The Demon Ancestor was too arrogant!

Xu Xiaoshou hadn’t personally witnessed how arrogant Ba Zun’an was in his youth, only seen the portrayal by the big-mouthed comedian.

But he had truly experienced the arrogance of the demonic nature; it didn’t regard anyone with respect.

Xu Xiaoshou looked back at Ba Zun’an.

Ba Zun’an stood with his arms crossed, silent.

He still stood there quietly, possessing excellent self-cultivation, unaffected by joy or sorrow.

The Demon Ancestor’s tone suddenly shifted, becoming quite subtle:

“The ultimate path of the Great Dao is nothing but becoming a god and an ancestor. Becoming a god and an ancestor is nothing but the fate’s doing.”

“Destiny and fortune can both be altered, it’s up to human effort, but it also depends on who is doing it.”

“The Medicine Ghost’s disagreement and Cuiyin’s difficulty in advancing are not long-term options. Since there are prodigies in this world who can defy destiny, let’s see what the new generation can do.”

“And as the saying goes, a good bird chooses its tree to perch. The new generation also needs to choose the right tree. Coincidentally, this Ancestor wishes to be that梧桐木 (Wutong wood), assisting in the phoenix’s rebirth.”

He looked at Ba Zun’an, hinting at showing his true hand, “Ba Zun’an, cooperate with this Ancestor.”

What?

Xu Xiaoshou’s pupils constricted.

After all that circling, you want to dig up my trump card?

The Demon Ancestor offered a substantial inducement: “This Ancestor can sell Cuiyin to you at any time, and the Medicine Ghost as well. The path from two to zero does not exist; proceeding step by step is the right way. This Ancestor is your best choice.”

Xu Xiaoshou simultaneously stared at Ba Zun’an.

But Ba Zun’an remained unmoved, shaking his head: “No cooperation.”

The Demon Ancestor smiled, calm and collected.

In a trance, Xu Xiaoshou seemed to see a future scene.

Ba Zun’an opened the profound gate with his sword, but what emerged from behind the gate was not the opportunity to become a god and an ancestor, but the Demon Ancestor in his true form, Cuiyin who embodied both magic and evil, and the Medicine Ancestor who had completed the cycle of life and death.

The three ancestors stood side by side, and behind them was the Ancient and Modern Forget-Worry Tower.

Kong Yuhan sat within the tower, on a tea table, smiling as he clinked a cup, shattering the temporal scene, and Ba Zun’an died with regret.

With a sudden jolt, he returned to his senses.

Xu Xiaoshou found that at some point, the Demon Ancestor had subtly glanced at him, sighing leisurely:

“A good bird chooses its tree to perch…”

This guy!

Those words just now!

They weren’t spoken to Ba Zun’an at all, but were directed at me. He actually wanted to cooperate with me?

Ba Zun’an simply wasn’t on the same level.

The Ten Thrones were legends to the Five Regions, but a joke to the Ancestral Gods.

To put it plainly, it was merely a servant selection competition for the Five Great Saint Emperor families, but even the Cold Palace Saint Emperor was manipulated by the Demon Ancestor, serving as his holy slave!

Cuiyin could not be trusted, and the Medicine Ghost could turn at any moment.

The Demon Ancestor had already reached the pinnacle of the current era, only seeking a "one-to-zero" outcome. As long as this idea was satisfied, or even if he were used as a guinea pig to experiment... if he couldn't do it, then he himself could, couldn't he?

“Who is more powerful than Cuiyin?”

“Who is more profound in Dao cultivation than the Medicine Ghost?”

“Who is more impressive than the Ten Thrones… the Ten Thrones can’t even be mentioned in the same breath as the true forms of gods and demons!”

What City North Demon Lord? At this moment, the Demon Ancestor sent a glance, and thoughts surged in Xu Xiaoshou’s mind. He instantly knew who could be called the most beautiful in this world.

The Demon Ancestor, most beautiful!

He was the perfect partner, without a doubt!

“Calm your mind.” Ba Zun’an’s voice came.

“A Great Dao beyond transformations, still needs an outsider to remind you to calm your mind? Your mind moves with your thoughts, but if your mind stops, your intent will not be at peace.” This was not a demonic sound from the Demon Ancestor, but a direct address to his true heart.

Xu Xiaoshou stood in place, lowering his gaze as if in deep thought.

Ba Zun’an keenly sensed that Xu Xiaoshou’s state was off, and let out a low cry: “Xu Xiaoshou!”

But he seemed to be in deep contemplation.

Clearly, he was being affected by the demonic sounds, tempted by the Demon Ancestor, and struggling to guard his true heart.

“Xu Xiaoshou!”

Ba Zun’an shouted again in a deep voice.

He could fight the Demon Ancestor and protect Xu Xiaoshou if the Demon Ancestor attacked.

But if trouble arose from within, if Xu Xiaoshou’s true heart was breached and he was led astray by the Demon Ancestor, that was something even a combat-type Ten Thrones could not remedy.

“Xu! Xiao! Shou!”

“Wake… up…”

Ba Zun’an’s voice faded away.

Xu Xiaoshou sat on the futon, raised his gaze, opened his eyes, and saw the Saint Ancestor’s stone statue shining brilliantly in the holy temple, incredibly sacred.

“Saint Ancestor above, bless my Xingjie to prosper eternally.”

He touched his chest and forehead a few times with his fingertips, then pressed his palms together, returning to his Saint, and devoutly said:

“I have a wish.”

White light shone from the Saint Ancestor’s statue’s forehead, and an ethereal voice echoed from all directions of the holy temple, ceaselessly:

“Speak.”

Xu Xiaoshou said respectfully: “My wish is to surpass Ba Zun’an, to become a god and an ancestor earlier than this damned Eighth Sword Immortal.”

“Good.”

And after "good"?

Xu Xiaoshou waited for a while, but there was no follow-up. He continued: “I want to walk the path of becoming a god and an ancestor, step by step from two to one, trampling those who claim to be geniuses and want to directly reach zero, one by one, including Ba Zun’an, Cao Yihan, Dao Qiongcang…”

The Saint Ancestor’s statue was just slow to respond, not without a follow-up.

Halfway through Xu Xiaoshou’s words, the faint light on the statue’s forehead flickered again, and two light clusters floated out.

He caught them, took a look, and his pupils dilated in shock.

“Ancestral God’s Fate?”

These were actually the fates of two great Ancestral Gods!

You say from two to one, and you really give them so generously?

“These are the Ancestral God’s Fates of the War Ancestor and the Dragon Ancestor. If they align with your Great Dao, then on an auspicious day, you may become a god and an ancestor.”

Gulp…

Xu Xiaoshou swallowed his saliva, looking left and right to see if these Ancestral God’s Fates were real.

He had Ancestral God’s Fates!

Compared to the three, they were all real!

The Demon Ancestor was so generous, if he asked, he would really give?

“Amitabha… oh, Saint Ancestor above!”

Xu Xiaoshou, with his hands pressed together, quickly separated them. He couldn’t find a better gesture for a moment, so he bowed in an ancient sword ritual, with cupped hands, and said again:

“Saint Ancestor above, bless my Xingjie to prosper eternally. I have another wish.”

The Saint Ancestor was merciful and did not despise the greedy. After a short wait, the surging echo came again from the holy temple:

“Speak.”

“I don’t know what my wish is, but I feel that two Ancestral God positions are not enough. I wonder if the Saint Ancestor can bestow me more treasures for self-defense?” Xu Xiaoshou said, raising his eyes slyly to peek at the statue.

“Good.”

The Saint Ancestor was too merciful!

The Saint Ancestor was truly benevolent!

As long as he had a wish, he would fulfill all of them!

After waiting for a while, another ball of light floated out from the statue. Xu Xiaoshou caught it and saw that it was also a good thing.

Original True Stele: Tian!

The Heavenly Ancestor’s Original True Stele, in the Saint Ancestor’s hands?

All seen are illusions? Xu Xiaoshou pinched his thigh; it hurt. He then glanced at the information bar; there was no guidance.

Ba Zun’an could only say “I’ll cover your back,” and couldn’t provide anything else.

So what if the Saint Ancestor was transformed by the Demon Ancestor? He gave Ancestral God Fates and Original True Steles, truly fulfilling wishes.

If he was a demon, who was a saint?

“Saint Ancestor above, I have a third wish…”

The holy temple shook, turning into a stone hall.

The holy statue changed, becoming a demonic statue.

The Demon Ancestor sat high in the air, looking at him with a half-smile:

“Xu Xiaoshou, do not be insatiably greedy.”

“This Ancestor knows you are not controlled by guidance and want more. What I have given you is already the most. Any more wishes will be difficult to fulfill.”

Xu Xiaoshou stood up from the futon.

Of course, he wasn’t controlled, but he also didn’t give back the Ancestral God’s Fate and Original True Stele just like that.

He had voluntarily come to meet the Demon Ancestor, but that didn’t mean he had betrayed Ba Zun’an… ugh, that’s not what he meant either. Anyway, that’s what he meant.

“This is the last wish, Demon Ancestor, I promise!”

The Demon Ancestor narrowed his eyes, looking beyond the river of time, at Ba Zun’an who had calmed down after his urgency.

He smiled.

He generously spread his hands.

From his eyes, that light, which Xu Xiaoshou perceived as “abundance,” emanated again:

“Speak.”

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