Chapter 1926: Claim Ancestor

"Hua Changdeng still hasn't appeared?"

It felt as if he had intentionally sent the Underworld generals to their deaths. And then there was that refined Reaper power...

Look at Ba Zunpu again. Could it be that he truly intends to shatter the Divine Court Underworld? But can the Divine Court truly be shattered...

In the distant Exile Zone, discussions erupted, and confusion deepened.

Ba Zunpu paused briefly to rest, then wasted no more time. With a grip of his right hand, he drew another sword from his body. Both the Mad Carving and Clear Wind swords had already been used for their 'Heavenly Release' technique. Among the Nine Swords of the Sword Wheel, even the Bewitching Enchantress, ranked second on the Famous Swords List, had been wielded. Yet, even the strongest attempts had only slightly shaken the Underworld, creating a few large fissures in the Divine Court, but failing to break through.

Everyone assumed that if he were to draw another sword against the Divine Court, only Yue Lian, ranked first on the Famous Swords List, might offer some hope, but...

It wasn't Yue Lian! That sword was... was...

The sword Ba Zunpu slowly drew had a slender blade, over three feet long. Its six-layered guard featured an inlaid circular disc displaying a Bagua (Eight Trigrams) pattern formed by intertwining black and white yin-yang fish. This was clearly not Yue Lian, but rather the Dao Sword, the Grand Primeval Water Sword!

The Dao Sword? Xiao Kongxun was slightly taken aback. He was familiar with this sword; he had seized it from Yao Ye of the Yao family in the Eastern Heavenly King City, and it was ranked sixteenth. While it's not explicitly stated that a higher rank among the 'Twenty-One Famous Swords' always means a stronger sword, the higher-ranked ones were generally more renowned, better suited to Ba Zunpu's power, and held greater promise for cleaving the Divine Court. The sixteenth position wasn't even considered upper-middle; it was among the lower-ranked swords.

Using the Dao Sword against the Divine Court Underworld? Could its effect be much better than the Mad Carving Sword's?

However, some observed something insightful: compared to the Mad Carving, Clear Wind, and Bewitching Enchantress swords shown before, the Grand Primeval Water Sword, the Dao Sword, appeared without a ripple, not as agitated as those other impetuous famous swords. It was as if its use was simply fitting and proper. If overlooked, it didn't contend; it always remained calm and unfazed.

Ba Zunpu held the Dao Sword diagonally, then swept his palm across it, slowly drawing it out. After his sword-eye observed and touched the blade inch by inch, the Dao Sword subtly rippled, showing a faint disturbance. He took another step forward, moving from the center of the Ten Cities to the northernmost part of the Underworld, in front of the E'du Gate. From the southernmost point of the Underworld, to the middle, and now to the E'du Gate—a total of three steps, shattering twenty Saint Emperors.

As the white-clad figure stood still before the ancient, black-mist-shrouded gate, everyone who looked felt their vision blur, their minds completely captivated. Within the light, what they saw...

Some saw an ethereal mountain shrouded in mist, with a lone seeker on its slopes, his path resembling scattered snowflakes. Struggling to climb, rarely achieving transcendence. Others saw a small boat drifting on a pure cloud lake, seemingly at peace with itself, yet also chasing direction, ultimately still settling.

For Spirit Refiners of the Five Domains, their lifelong pursuit ultimately led back to the single character, 'Dao.' At this moment, immersing themselves in this imagery, everyone felt confused. Where is the Dao? At the peak of the immortal mountain, beyond the sea of clouds? But the path to Dao, as seen now, was unending; even after millennia in this imagery, the mountain climber was still climbing, the boatman still boating. Obsessed with what they sought, they were also trapped by it!

After an unknown duration, the immortal mountain and cloud sea trembled, and the scene transformed. Their persistent pursuit fruitless, they awoke as if from a grand dream. All they saw was a rising sun, slowly ascending from the horizon where the vast ocean met the boundless sky. At that moment, everyone felt they had gained something, yet also nothing at all. The sun rose in the east, and yin and yang rotated as usual. Life is like a thread-like ant; how can it contend with the vastness of nature? Perhaps letting go is taking up. Perhaps seeing is gaining?

"'Attaining the Dao'..." Xiao Kongxun muttered to himself, his lifelong pursuit merely to catch up to his teacher's pace. He didn't seek to surpass him or to ascend, yet this too was a form of seeking. Upon seeing the imagery of the sunrise over the sea, Dao rhythm surged around him. He felt just a step away from a breakthrough in the 'Dao comprehension' stage. What was it? What is the Dao? But there was no longer an immortal to stroke his head and guide him from one to zero in the ancient sword dao, as in his childhood. Now, having reached this point, seeing the sea sun only made him feel lost.

Mei Yiren had once sought the Dao. After reaching the Half-Saint stage, he too had lost himself. That night on Qingyuan Mountain, seeing Cao Erzhu's innocent heart, he regained some confidence. Now, looking at that 'sea sun,' his eyes cleared considerably. He had experienced and seen more than Xiao Kongxun. When he saw the sea sun, he also saw a white-clad figure within it that few others could perceive. Mei Yiren closed his eyes and stopped observing. That was his Dao, not his own. Having seen the sea sun, he had already gained. To look further might influence him too much, planting a divine idol in his mind and extinguishing any hope of surpassing it in this life.

Within the sea sun, the figure was tiny. Few in the Five Domains could see it, only Mei Yiren, He Wuyue, and some older, more experienced Spirit Refiner Half-Saints. Outside the spacetime rift, the Three Ancestors cast their gazes, seeing the whole picture: both the yin and yang sides of the sea sun. "Indeed, he has comprehended the 'two becoming one' state..." In the phantom of the planted camphor tree beneath the pagoda, the Demonic Ancestor's voice conveyed a slight hint of satisfaction. What he saw was not just the imagery within the Underworld, but also the similar visions of the immortal mountain, cloud lake, and sea sun rising on Spirit Elm Mountain.

Finally, Ba Zunpu stood within the sea sun, transforming into two aspects: yin and yang. Within the Divine Court Underworld, he manifested as a white-clad figure with a white sword. And with the power of the Five Domains gathered, on Spirit Elm Mountain, he manifested as a youthful, spirited figure in black clothes with a black sword. One was his present self, one his past self. One Yang, one Yin. This was the Two Poles.

"He once climbed the immortal path seeking clarity, and floated a light boat to dispel a troubled heart. In a grand dream of inaction, he saw the sea sun, then knew the Dao resided where water met sky." A profound voice resonated throughout the Five Domains.

Before the E'du Gate, Ba Zunpu stepped forward. The Dao Sword in his hand seemed to melt into space, turning into ripples, vanishing into nothingness.

"Grand Primeval Water - Heavenly Release!"

With a decisive shout, inside and outside the Underworld, at the horizon where water met sky, the sea sun burst forth, transforming into endless sword light. The sword light, a dazzling white, illuminated the entire Divine Court Underworld, forcefully shattering the E'du Gate. Yet, it didn't disappear behind the gate. Instead, it continued to advance, tearing through Dao principles, ripping open the Divine Court's seals, and carving out a massive opening, connecting to Spirit Elm Mountain outside, where the Divine Court had first descended. The sword light also manifested as pure black, sweeping away the snow and wind on Spirit Elm Mountain. It too broke through space and Dao methods, moving from outside to inside, merging and colliding with the white sword light from within the Divine Court Underworld.

The sword waves pushed out in the Underworld, and from Spirit Elm Mountain, they pushed towards the Five Domains. The hidden ancient war platform of the Ghost Buddha Realm immediately manifested its four pillars, and the Dao chains and willow locks that had formed also began to snap and shatter with a clanging sound, showing signs of collapse. The black and white sword light merged across realms, flowing as one, converging to form a massive Bagua yin-yang fish pattern, lodged between the Divine Court Underworld and the Saint God Continent. This Bagua sword diagram, like a millstone, was heavy and rough, its power neutralized. As the yin-yang fish within it wriggled, it suddenly twisted, and the black and white rotated. The Underworld immediately trembled again. This time, the power of the Bagua sword diagram, lodged between the Divine Court and the Saint God Continent, completely ground through the willow locks, splitting open a massive chasm in the Underworld.

Light poured in. The E'du Gate exploded, revealing the scene within. Everyone looked on in shock, seeing the vast waters of the Forgotten River pouring down from mid-air, with white bones floating and tormented spirits wailing. And within E'du, at the peak of the Forgotten River, a vast, illusory bust hung in the sky, clad in a black robe, its eyes gleaming with spectral fire, its entire being enveloped in pure Reaper power.

That illusory, massive face suddenly moved, and its spiritual eyes revealed satisfaction and recognition...

"Hua Changdeng!"

With just a look, everyone recognized him. This was the Lord of E'du, Hua Changdeng, who had remained hidden, sending his generals out to their deaths. His state was extremely unstable. Not merely powerful, but chaotic and terrifyingly strong! The black sea of mist that had fallen from the Ten Cities of the Underworld was now transforming into pure energy, being absorbed by the spectral fire. The Divine Court Underworld, split open by the Dao Sword's Heavenly Release, also began to shatter, turning into black streams of light that poured into his body.

Light and shadow surged. Within E'du, the scenery of the eighteen layers of hell was clearly visible, its power immensely grand and overwhelmingly oppressive. There were the Tongue-Pulling Hell, Iron Tree Hell, Copper Pillar Hell, Oil Pot Hell... Some of the tormented ghosts within were not even weaker than the Ten Hall Masters before the Underworld's amplification. Even the Kunpeng's shadow-bone in the Oil Pot Hell exuded an even greater aura. If unleashed, a fierce battle would be inevitable. But, they all shattered! At the moment the Divine Court Underworld was split open, the eighteen layers of hell all began to crumble as if the world itself was collapsing. Innumerable fragments and energy blasted forth, all pouring into Hua Changdeng, the black-robed bust of the Reaper suspended in the sky, into the phantom. Meanwhile, Saint Emperor-level ghosts that couldn't be instantly annihilated, such as the Kunpeng bone, were directly swallowed.

Above Spirit Elm Mountain, storm clouds gathered. This scene was no longer something disciples saw through projected teachings; everyone in the Five Domains could witness it by simply looking up. Those tribulation clouds and lightning, their level and altitude, were clearly not beneath Ba Zunpu's previous third thunder tribulation, meaning... an Ancestral God Tribulation?!

"Cackle!" Uji, perched on Yu Zhiwen's shoulder, looked up and around.

As the Divine Court Underworld split, everyone from the Ghost Buddha Realm was ejected, returning to the vicinity of Fusang City. Yu Zhiwen listened intently. She hadn't yet recovered from the fleeting sight of the scattered Kunpeng bones. Though she didn't fully understand, she knew to simply follow Xu Xiaoshou's words. Without overthinking, she immediately grabbed Liu Fuyu and Yue Gongnu and began fleeing the Ghost Buddha Realm.

"Hua Changdeng used Ba Zunpu's actions to clear the Ghost Ancestor's brand from the Reaper power accumulated for millions of years within the Divine Court Underworld. Then, leveraging the Dao Sword's Heavenly Release, he deliberately shattered the Divine Court Underworld to collect all its energy and integrate it into himself. This power is more than enough to become a sealed god and an Ancestor!"

Yue Gongnu listened to Yu Zhiwen's 'chicken-like' interpretation beside her, but her attention inevitably returned to Little Eight: "What about him, then?"

"Ba Zunpu, in his pursuit of ultimate perfection, also held the intention of using 'the stones of other mountains to polish one's own jade.' He was attempting to use Hua Changdeng's Ancestral God realm to hone his own sword dao, pushing it further."

"They're all madmen!" After interpreting Xu Xiaoshou's cryptic words, Yu Zhiwen finally understood a series of conjectures she had been hesitant to confirm while inside the Divine Court. Indeed, for ancient sword cultivators, in the end, it was a competition of who was crazier. Although, in the face of such a grand trend, if you don't go mad, you won't survive.

Yu Zhiwen was calmer than Yue Gongnu and thought of the key point earlier: "What about the Ancestral God fate? Hua Changdeng doesn't have an Ancestral God fate, and he doesn't want to bind one, does he? The path he wants to take is..."

"Cackle!"

"The old path?"

"Cackle!"

"First, he'll seal himself as an Ancestral God, not seeking an Ancestral God fate. However, this will inevitably draw the covetous gaze of the Three Ancestors from beyond the realm. If he fails to destroy Ba Zunpu, can't swallow the Medicine and Ghost Ancestors, and can't seize their Ancestral God fates and Dao, then he will surely perish. If everything succeeds, the most basic outcome is that Hua Changdeng will reach the realm of the current Demonic Ancestor, which is the 'two becoming one' state. As for whether he can 'return to zero,' it depends on whether Ba Zunpu can withstand the honing after Hua Changdeng successfully becomes a sealed god and Ancestor, then break through himself, apply reverse pressure to Hua, and finally merge swords to return to zero. Emerging from the Way of the Sword, becoming a sealed god and Ancestor through the Way of Life and Death of the Medicine and Ghost Ancestors, and then merging Hua Changdeng's and Ba Zunpu's sword daos to return to zero."

This path was what Xu Xiaoshou had discerned. It was not only Hua Changdeng's sole path to survival and enlightenment, but also the path the Three Ancestors from beyond the realm sought to validate their Grand Dao, akin to 'fencing off land to raise pigs.' Xu Xiaoshou still held back some information. If Hua Changdeng succeeds, the next step would be confronting the Demonic Ancestor and Piaoyin. Similarly, their side would effectively lose Ba Zunpu. This wouldn't just be losing an arm, but almost half their body shattered, leaving only himself, unable to stand alone. Yue Gongnu was right beside him. He naturally couldn't say these things, nor did he want to, fearing it would demoralize them.

"Old Eight, Old Eight, at this crucial moment, you absolutely must not mess up."

Rumble!

Outside the spacetime rift, the Great Tribulation of Ancestral God Severing the Dao began to gather. It was much faster than imagined. The first thunderbolt immediately tore through the barriers, breaking the seals. Under the gaze of everyone in the Five Domains, it struck Hua Changdeng, who was disintegrating within the collapsing Divine Court Underworld, directly hitting his true body and spirit. Heart-pounding fear. The great escape began simultaneously!

The Ghost Buddha Realm crowd scattered like birds and beasts. Everyone could see that Hua Changdeng was about to seal himself as an Ancestral God. And for this Ancestral God tribulation, he didn't choose to hide or suppress it like Ba Zunpu, but chose to face it directly. The cultivators of the Five Domains had waited so long to witness an Ancestral God tribulation, and they were naturally thrilled beyond measure, fleeing for their lives while also intently observing. Aside from the Ancestral Gods of ancient times, the highest power level people on the Saint God Continent had witnessed was "Pseudo-Ancestor Transformation" displayed by Ai Cangsheng within Xu Ye's illusory sword technique. That was a transcendent power, just half a step away from an Ancestral God. But half a step was still a distance. So, strictly speaking, Hua Changdeng was the first person to become a sealed god and Ancestor since the beginning of the Spirit Refining Era. For this alone, regardless of success or failure, he was worthy of being recorded in history.

However, a figure capable of being recorded in history clearly had ambitions beyond merely stopping at "becoming a sealed god and Ancestor." Achieving Ancestral God status, seizing the Dao of the Ancestors, and establishing his foothold—this was Hua Changdeng's true aim, and also the sole desire of all 'birds in cages' of the various Daos.

Rumble!

Another thunderbolt struck, its power permeating through Nine Snow. The sky, Dao principles, space... Under such terrifying power, all began to exude a withered, decaying scent. This was a natural disaster. It looked as if the Saint God Continent itself was about to be shattered. Yet Hua Changdeng appeared from within the collapsing Divine Court, his clothes steeped in Reaper power, standing still and unmoving in his black robes. Having completely absorbed the Divine Court's power—with the Ghost Ancestor's brand erased—he was too strong. Even the thunderbolts couldn't shake him in the slightest.

"It's over, it's over!" At the fragmented spacetime where the Ghost Buddha resided, the Three Ancestors of the White Vein and Demonic Emperor Black Dragon watched with faces full of despair. After just three thunderbolts, as the aftermath surged, even their group of Saint Emperors was struggling to resist. When the thunderbolts passed through, one had to avoid their direct impact. Not avoiding them would lead to being considered an interferer. Ordinary Saint Emperors, even the White Vein Three Ancestors and Demonic Emperor Black Dragon with their extraordinary cultivation, dared not recklessly confront these Ancestral God tribulations. They all knew their limits, understanding that they hadn't reached that level yet, and facing it meant certain death.

But if they avoided it... A passage immediately opened on the Ghost Buddha's side. The Three Ancestors from beyond the realm, desiring to act, could already, if they wished, use the tribulation lightning as cover to send a thought projection and successfully infiltrate the Saint God Continent.

"We can't suppress it anymore, Master Shou!" Demonic Emperor Black Dragon wailed. From childhood to growing into a Saint Emperor, it had only felt such death intent under Ba Zunpu's sword. Now, with fear returning, it had no choice but to seek help from its former good comrade, Master Shou. It no longer knew what to do. The balance was gone, and the situation began to collapse further. Mere Saint Emperors, under the grand scheme of an Ancestral God, were as insignificant as ants. This was evident from how Ba Zunpu's sword had shattered twenty Saint Emperors. Not only Demonic Emperor Black Dragon, but also the White Vein Three Ancestors, and even Divine Prison Green Stone, their consciousnesses were in turmoil.

"What do we do, Master Shou? At the Ghost Buddha's location, what should be done next? They're coming in."