Chapter 1956: Thinking of the Ancestor

Spring arrived, and everything came back to life.

The snow in Fushang City melted, and tender sprouts emerged from cracks in the walls and tiles, subsequently blossoming into vibrant flowers.

In just a flash, this city, which bordered the battlefield and had been half-shattered by the aftershocks, suddenly transformed into a city of flowers!

Flowers bloomed across the land and houses, spreading outwards like waves until they covered the area outside the city, their fragrance incredibly rich.

This sight was not only magnificent but also unsettling, sending shivers down one's spine.

"Who is that?!"

Someone whispered, their gaze fixed on the center of this burgeoning life.

Li You looked, Lu Shiyu looked, and the ancient sword cultivators and spirit masters inside and outside the city looked.

Whether they were Taixu or Half-Saints, everyone felt a chill in their hearts, perceiving what they saw as a humanoid monster.

Outwardly, he appeared to be just an old man in a faded undershirt, holding a black sickle, with an ordinary aura, like any common person.

But after just one glance, he felt as if he was far above Hua Zu, even more aligned with the return to simplicity after Ba Zun'an's "Zeroing."

"Ancestor… Ancestor God?"

Who else could evoke such a shocking sensation besides an Ancestor God?

But this unassuming old man, which Ancestor God could he be?

"Flowers…"

The entire city of Fushang was covered in flowers, but that was merely the most superficial outward appearance.

Under the post-war ruins, swarms of black ants, snakes, and rats soon crawled out.

The rich floral scent also attracted small bees and butterflies from unknown places.

The city of flowers evolved into a city of life.

And all these bizarre changes were due to the appearance of this old man, if nothing unexpected happened…

"Yao Zu!"

With a rumble, the last bolt of thunder tribulation struck down.

Kui Leihan dared not be distracted; it was already the final step. He did not want to restart the Ancestor God's Tribulation of Annihilation.

This kind of thing is rarely seen by ordinary people in a lifetime, but he had experienced it several times.

After enduring the final tribulation with full concentration, his body began to sublimate and transform.

The feeling of becoming an immortal and ascending appeared, but there was no path upwards. No wonder Ba Zun'an wanted to reshape the timeline. If he stayed like this for too long, would he become one with the Great Dao?

His old body also began to shed like a snake's skin. Was this "Divine Sloughing"?

"Interesting."

Becoming an Ancestor was complete, but it brought no joy, only immense pressure, as the situation had already changed.

A multitude of questions that had exploded with the old man's appearance still lingered in his mind, and they did not disappear with the thunder tribulation:

"Slapping me, what does he want?"

"Knowing that 'Zeroing' is impossible, at most he has a two-in-one combat power, and the Way of Life lies in unpredictability, never the courage of Shen Yi. How dare he attack me?"

"With wolves in front and tigers behind, surrounded by demons, he still dares to show his face?"

"Is he truly as reckless as Shen Yi, or does he genuinely have nothing to fear?"

"If it's the latter, what is his reliance?"

Buzz…

Heaven-spanning Dao韵, along with the questions in his heart, erupted and scattered across the Five Domains, as if proclaiming something.

In Fushang City, Yue Gongnu also looked astonished, unable to believe that Yao Zu dared to show his face so soon after Ba Zun'an had left.

And while everyone's attention was on the Weeping Emperor Realm and the Grand Era Huai, he ran barefoot from the Floral Hometown in the Northern Domain, in the guise of an old man.

Who could have predicted this?

"No need to be afraid."

Yao Zu gripped the Scythe of Death, a slight smile on his lips, looking at the three women before him without any intention of attacking.

His expression seemed to say, "We are actually good friends."

Just as Yue Gongnu was about to speak, she saw the old man before her lift his chin slightly, turn around, and raise both hands high:

"Now, let us welcome the rebirth of an Ancestor God."

A terrifying Ancestor God's pressure descended in response, as if everything was within Yao Zu's calculations.

Flashes of lightning streaked across the sky, and thunder roared. Many cultivators in the Five Domains instantly prostrated themselves. The three women of Fushang City—Yue, Yu, and Liu—were no exception.

The entire world seemed to shrink.

Li You, Lu Shiyu, and other Half-Saints were even unable to move, pressed down.

Only that old man did not need to bow his head. He bore the pressure of the newly ascended Ancestor God with ease, as if it were a gentle breeze.

He smiled, gazing into the distance.

Kui Leihan also looked over with a stern eye.

One tall, one short; one burly, one thin. Their gazes met, sparking purple lightning in the void. A new Ancestor and an old God, standing equally!

"Here it comes…"

In the Qian Shi Emperor Realm, Dao Peipei's expression turned incredibly serious.

The situation was new; this time, Ba Zun'an and Kong Yuhen were out of the game, and Nian Zu and Yao Zu had powerfully entered the board.

"One is newly ascended, his combat power is still unknown."

"But Yao Zu dares to show his face directly, proving he has significant confidence, at least seventy percent. Who will win or lose?"

Across from Dao Peipei, Xu Xiaoshou's eyes also held an unusual glint.

He had just come from the Floral Hometown and had just processed the information of Ba Zun'an's departure when Yao Zu, with lightning speed, slapped Kui Leihan, who was on the eve of becoming an Ancestor.

Friends who often experience the Ancestor God's Tribulation of Annihilation know that before becoming an Ancestor, a cultivator is strong, and no one dares to provoke them.

After becoming an Ancestor, a cultivator is also strong, as they possess Ancestor God combat power. And for a newly ascended Ancestor God, the difference in combat power from a "two-in-one" or "one-zeroed" is not much.

Ba Zun'an was an exception.

Only during the tribulation period is the tribulation-taker weak and most vulnerable.

At that time, when Hua Changdeng became an Ancestor and reached "two-in-one," he went all out, raising his vigilance to the maximum and even using the Forgetful River to block the interference of other Ancestors from outside the realm with the Saint God Continent.

Even so, he was successfully ambushed by the villainous Ba Zun'an, his "two-in-one" state was broken, and he ended up in a cycle of undead reincarnation, fighting with his back against the wall.

Kui Leihan did not block the outside world during his tribulation.

Because during the preceding period, Ba Zun'an was still present, suppressing all the Ancestors and preventing them from acting.

But it was precisely during the final tribulation that, with Ba's departure and Yao's return, Shennong Shi also wanted to be that villain, rushing forward and delivering a slap.

Interfering with the tribulation-taker without being affected by the Ancestor God's Tribulation of Annihilation proved his strength was far above that of the Dao Tribulation, able to evade its locking.

With such strength, he clearly had the potential to shatter the Dao Tribulation with one blow, yet he didn't. He merely delivered a slap. Why?

"Divine Sloughing!"

Xu Xiaoshou's mind whirred, and he quickly found the answer.

Divine Sloughing, beneath an Ancestor God, is an extraordinary substance.

The Moon Fox's Six-Marrow Corpse King, the Void Giant, and the Evil God of Malevolence had already confirmed this—just a tiny bit of Divine Sloughing allowed for prolonged maneuvering within the nascent Saint Vine God Court.

Indeed, Hua Changdeng's Divine Sloughing could not withstand Ba Zun'an's world-shattering Sword Bone, being forcefully shattered.

And Ba Zun'an's Divine Sloughing also vanished under Hua Changdeng's Sword Pillar and the onslaught of the Myriad-Foot Ghost Hunt.

Before this, in terms of Ancestor God combat power, Divine Sloughing seemed unremarkable, as if it were a mere mortal object, useless in the grand scheme.

But who was Yao Zu?

He was the progenitor of the Way of Life, most skilled at imbuing living beings with intelligence. The Northern Huai, under his guidance, even played around with strange things like ghost-beast possession.

If Yao Zu obtained Kui Leihan's Divine Sloughing, revived it with new spirits, and then merged it with his own life force to form a Dao, could he obtain a puppet whose intelligence might not match an Ancestor God's but whose combat power approached a "two-in-one" state?

One Yao Zu was already difficult enough.

Adding a Nian Zu puppet, that would be truly something else.

Furthermore, what if Yao Zu could, through this, also meddle with the Way of Nian, thereby affecting Kui Leihan's state, or even seizing his Dao? How would that be resolved?

"And!"

Xu Xiaoshou reacted swiftly. Under Dao Qiongcang's various trials, his raw brain's computing power was already comparable to that of a Heavenly Secret brain.

He instantly thought that Shennong Bai Cao's appetite was immense and his ambition was grand, probably not limited to these superficial conclusions he had drawn.

Kui Leihan had, for a fleeting moment, displayed a powerful hammer blow that, without explanation, shattered the "False Face" of the Saint Emperor Bei Huai in the Taixu Realm. Perhaps that was Shennong Shi's true intention!

Thinking of this, Xu Xiaoshou's mind stirred. He dared not delay and was about to contact Kui Leihan.

Cao Yihan was not like Ba Zun'an, who hadn't dealt with the likes of Saint Slaves or Fen Qin. For thirty years, he had been confined to a small town. His strategy might be decent, but against the profoundly wise Yao Zu, he would definitely be played around.

No fear!

Master Cao, I'm here to help you!

*Slap!* Just as he was about to act, Dao Peipei across from him stood up and grabbed Xu Xiaoshou's wrist, making him freeze.

"Young Master Xu, think carefully. The demons and malevolent beings haven't surfaced yet. Is it worth entering the fray and exposing yourself at this time?"

Xu Xiaoshou was startled, his incredulous gaze shifting from Dao Peipei's hand to his seemingly very serious face, which appeared to be genuinely worried about him.

All his previous thoughts had not caused Xu Xiaoshou any alarm, but Dao Peipei's sudden stop made him ponder deeply and with dread.

Was it truly goodwill?

If the person opposite him were normal, Xu Xiaoshou would gladly treat him with an ordinary mindset. The key was that Dao Peipei was not; he too was a 'dirty' person.

Then…

This stopping was too worthy of deep thought.

A thought that had never been extinguished before, that Dao Peipei was Dao Qiongcang, directly surfaced in his mind.

Before the alliance with Dao Qiongcang, that seemingly jesting remark, "I bet on Shennong Shi," also echoed in his ears again.

The Dao Clan definitely had ties with Shennong Shi…

The Dao Clan might also be aiming for the Transcendent Nian…

Xu Xiaoshou's face showed no abnormality. He merely frowned slightly in response and retorted:

"Observe the game, but do not speak. I am an outsider."

"I know when to make my move in the game I'm playing."

"Rather, Brother Peipei, it seems you never intended to enter the game from the beginning. Are you just sitting on the sidelines, waiting for the fishing rod to reel in?"

Dao Peipei immediately released Xu Xiaoshou's tightly clasped hand, as if he hadn't understood the implication, and sat back down with a sigh and a wave of his hand:

"As you wish. Just don't blame me for not warning you if something happens."

His relaxed detachment and indifference made it seem as if all of Xu Xiaoshou's earlier ill conjectures were merely the suspicions of a small-minded person.

No time!

Xu Xiaoshou was not held back, nor did he want to argue with Dao Peipei. He could not stop his pace.

Extreme Realm's Way of Intent, piercing through the starry sky, transmitted a thought to Kui Leihan via Jian Ji, quietly:

"Master Cao, don't use 'False Face'!"

"Retreat! Back!"

At the old site of Gui Zhe, Kui Leihan let out a roar.

Newly sealed as an Ancestor God, he hadn't even had a moment to savor the worship of the numerous cultivators in the Five Domains before he evidently entered a combat stance.

False Face…

Kui Leihan couldn't immediately grasp the meaning of Xu Xiaoshou's words, but it didn't prevent him from noting it and acting on it.

No sooner had his voice faded than everyone saw the newly sealed Nian Zu. A purple lightning flash in his eyes, and the Transcendent Nian transformed into myriad threads, piercing through the void.

Inside and outside Fushang City, including cultivators like Yue, Yu, and Liu, all felt a numbing sensation, as if struck by electricity.

The next moment, when they reacted, they were already like puppets on strings, lifted and flung by the manipulated Transcendent Nian, flung out of Fushang City, flung out of the Zhongyuan Realm.

Yes, in Kui Leihan's eyes, a mere Fushang City was simply not big enough for a battlefield; one might say even the Ghost Buddha Realm was too small!

"Zzzt—"

Purple lightning illuminated the long sky.

Unlike Hua and Ba, who tended to be somewhat stationary in their output, Kui Leihan's combat style resembled ancient martial arts, mostly close-quarters combat.

His speed was so immense that the various Dao Masters across the Five Domains, even with their Palm Mirror working at maximum capacity, couldn't capture him.

One moment, he was still at the old Gui Zhe site.

In a blink of an eye, the flower sea of Fushang City was scorched black.

Yao Zu lifted his eyes, and as purple light reflected in them, the burly figure in a large cloak slammed a palm directly at his face.

"Is this Nian Zu's Transcendent Nian?"

The old man's smile was playful, as if watching a child wield a great spear. The faded undershirt ruffled in waves from the strong wind.

Indeed, the Way of Transcendent Nian was unparalleled throughout history, and at its peak, even Ba Zun'an had to temporarily avoid its sharp edge.

However, in the era dominated by life, the first person to propose "understanding the Dao by tasting a hundred herbs" also drew countless gazes, didn't he?

Genius? As if everyone wasn't!

And my Way of Life has accumulated over billions of years.

Your Way of Transcendent Nian is newly established; there's a long way to go.

Unable to achieve "Zeroing" like Ba Zun'an, or perhaps too timid to achieve it in one go… So what if he's Nian Zu?

"Since I have made my move, what do I care if you are a dragon or a tiger?"

"If you are a dragon, you must coil; if you are a tiger, you must lie down for me!"

Yao Zu defiantly raised his palm, and life force surged wildly.

Centered on his palm, the void around Fushang City suddenly cracked with Dao laws.

The decayed lightning law had fallen, life withered, but now it broke through and re-established itself. The aura of flowers and plants revived, and the scorched flower city once again exhaled fragrance.

He was actually going for a direct palm-to-palm clash!

Yao Zu's gaze was fervent, fully displaying his reckless nature.

Since this was their first confrontation, he naturally wanted to see clearly what the essence of this Transcendent Nian truly cultivated.

Was it a useless wretch or a heaven-blessed talent? One palm would tell!

"Whoosh!"

A strong wind howled.

In Yao Zu's eyes, as Kui Leihan moved his palm, the life patterns representing his entire power instantly pulsed and boiled.

A formless power, lurking outside the life patterns, impossible to perceive yet clearly present, was summoned by him.

It arose from nothingness, a thought that arrived as soon as it was conceived!

Carrying the essence of destruction, law-breaking, and masculinity from the Saint Dao's lightning attribute, it intertwined with qi, intent, and momentum, emerging from namelessness and instantly surging.

It covered Kui Leihan's entire body's life patterns and then, in an instant, flowed and gathered onto his right palm, in an attached form!

"Boom!"

As their palms met, Fushang City exploded with a deafening sound.

The Dao Masters, who had finally located the battlefield from afar, saw their Palm Mirror images suddenly twist.

The Fushang land abruptly shattered, and a giant handprint, a hundred zhang deep, sank behind Yao Zu, with lightning surging and electrical plasma erupting within it.

Kui Leihan's palm strike, its residual force even affected half the city behind him. In just a blink, as the electric light passed, houses, streets, and city walls were utterly pulverized.

Observers in the Five Domains, seeing this scene through the Palm Mirror, instantly erupted. Everyone undoubtedly supported the familiar figure, Kui Leihan.

"Nian Zu!"

"Is this Nian Zu's destructive power? No wonder he had to clear the field beforehand!"

"Old man, who are you looking down on? How dare you face him head-on? This is the chief of the Ten Venerable Seats!"

No…

Upon contact, Yao Zu's pupils trembled, and his knees slightly bent.

This "Divine Punishment Tribulation" was even more overbearing than imagined!

It not only transcended the limitations of the Saint Dao and lightning attributes but was also unparalleled in the Way of Nian, with immense penetrating power.

It didn't inflict the four-layered damage—body, spirit, intent, and self—evenly distributed like Ba Zun'an's attacks. Instead, it focused on the intent and self layers.

Its invasiveness was stronger, even capable of affecting one's mind and thought. Its residual power also impacted the soul and body, causing mental paralysis after being struck.

This wasn't the most crucial point. The main thing was that the Divine Punishment Tribulation itself was imbued with some forms of lightning tribulation power, possessing a natural suppressive force and destructive intent towards the Way of Life, or rather, life itself.

After the Ancestor God's Tribulation of Annihilation, Kui Leihan seemed to have gained something. His attacks carried the aura of the Dao Tribulation, which could suppress not just the Way of Life, but now even Ancestor Gods.

"A new form of power that can counteract the power of the Ancestral Source…"

"And unlike Ran Ming's God-Slaying power, which aims to cut off the body from the Ancestral Source, the Divine Punishment Tribulation focuses more on damaging intent and self, influencing spirit and thought…"

Transcendent Nian had already stood alongside the power of the Ancestral Source.

Could the power of Nian Zu, evolved from Transcendent Nian, even slightly suppress the power of the Ancestral Source?

This implied…

Trouble! He was also a combat-type!

Do all those from the pig farm fight so well?

His undershirt was stained with ash, and the old man was struck by lightning, turning into a charred figure. His bamboo hat had long been shattered, and on his slightly bald head, his curly hair stood on end, as if showing signs of becoming thick again.

Yao Zu's entire body was numb, still convulsing. The bones and flesh of his soft, powerless right arm were internally pulverized, hanging by a layer of charred skin at his waist.

Half of his body was stiff, and so was his face.

After his lips quivered a few times, a trembling voice emerged. It wasn't fear; on the contrary, it was somewhat excited:

"Unexpectedly, Cao Yihan, you are actually very strong?"

*Thud.*

In front of him, Kui Leihan knelt, his eyelids drooping.

The attached Transcendent Nian flowed and converged. He swung a backhand slap, striking the old man's left cheek, who was unable to move.

Fushang City erupted with thunder, and the earth rumbled and quivered.

What the Five Domains' Palm Mirror showed was that the old man's head was directly flung off by the slap. After flying high, it exploded into electrical plasma in the sky.

Kui Leihan lifted Yao Zu's headless corpse like a small chicken, staring at him and articulating each word:

"As expected, you… are… weak!"

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