Chapter 1984: Dao Order

Cui Yin has actually blocked Dao Qiongcang's path to Ancestry?Is it like the Ghost Ancestor obstructing Hua Changdeng's Path of Souls, or the Saint Ancestor blocking Kui Leihan's Path of Spirit Refinement?

So, what exactly is the path Dao Qiongcang intends to take?

Xu Xiaoshou remained still, but his mind couldn't help but become active. By now, he already knew that the path to apotheosis and becoming an Ancestor could generally be divided into two types. One was like Ba Zun'an: with no one above him, he ascended relying solely on sheer power and determination. The second was "usurping a path."

However, the latter was exceedingly difficult. Hua Changdeng attempted to usurp a path, and Hua Changdeng died. Bei Huai also sought to usurp a path, but he exhausted his abilities at the Crossroads. Yue Gongli was forced to achieve apotheosis and become an Ancestor by usurping a path, thereby becoming nourishment for Cui Yin. Kui Leihan was no exception. Even though he became the Thought Ancestor, a blade named the Demon Ancestor still hung over him, ready to strike at any moment.

The path of path usurpation was as hard as ascending to the heavens. The Demon, Medicine, and Cui Ancestors guarded the pass at the end of the grand path; almost no one could transcend them.

Given Dao Qiongcang's past and present actions, the likelihood of him simply achieving apotheosis and becoming an Ancestor, or even reaching 'Zero,' solely through the Path of Memory was too low. If that were truly the case, Cui Yin wouldn't be able to block his path regardless, as there was no one above the Path of Memory.

Was having no one above truly a good thing? Not at all! This only benefited Ba Zun'an. The reality was that not everyone was Ba Zun'an, nor did everyone possess his kind of talent. Even if Ba Zun'an managed to reach 'Zero' despite the Three Ancestors' attention, he essentially took a shortcut, adapting ancient martial arts concepts and ancient sword techniques for his own use, while also incorporating some ideas from the Path of Thought, blending them into one.

If Dao Qiongcang were to simply become an Ancestor through the Path of Memory, it was highly probable that his situation after ascension would mirror the Thought Ancestor's current predicament. He would possess unmatched potential but struggle to convert it into combat power in the short term. Moreover, the Path of Memory was even more ethereal than the Path of Thought, and should be weaker in terms of direct combat strength.

Under these circumstances, after hearing Dao Qiongcang's recent words, Xu Xiaoshou was almost certain that this person did not intend to take the first path, but rather the second.

"Path usurpation..."

But a question arose: Whose path would he usurp? How exactly did Cui Yin interfere with him, "about to" make him suffer, to the extent that Dao Qiongcang's first choice was no longer to circumvent but to act directly?

Considering the big picture, the paths that Dao Qiongcang would value and that were available for usurpation were actually few: only those of the Demon, Medicine, and Cui Ancestors. First, he could rule out usurping Cui Yin's path. Because Dao Qiongcang's implication was that Cui Yin's path, which originally had no connection to his, suddenly entered his radar due to Cui Yin's erratic actions. This was a variable. A variable implied that, according to Dao Qiongcang's original plan, he wouldn't usurp Cui Yin's path or the Path of Arts; or rather, it was secondary, not the main focus.

Next, the Demon Ancestor's path could also be ruled out. Still looking at the past, present, and future, Dao Qiongcang had inherent involvement with the paths of the Saint Ancestor and Demon Ancestor; after all, he became a Half-Saint using a Half-Saint's divine status... Wait, did he truly become a Half-Saint using a Half-Saint's divine status? Xu Xiaoshou suddenly became alert, realizing he needed to put a question mark on that matter.

Furthermore, from all of Dao Qiongcang's arrangements, and what he had previously said—that if Xu Xiaoshou cooperated with him, he could resolve most troubles, leaving only the Demon Ancestor for Xu Xiaoshou to deal with. This meant that the Demon Ancestor was not within his anticipated scope of handling; this potentially most troublesome issue might not yet have a perfectly secure solution for him.

Conversely, who then was the one he intended to target, whose path he wanted to usurp, now that they were within the old man's scheme and had a proper way of dealing with them?

"The Medicine Ancestor!""Dao Qiongcang wants to usurp the Medicine Ancestor's path?"

Through the process of elimination, only this option remained. No matter how unrelated it seemed to Dao Qiongcang's own path, the Medicine Ancestor appeared to be his only viable choice.

With this inference, looking back at Dao Qiongcang's life: was his entire life truly unrelated to the Path of Life and the Path of Reincarnation? At the very least, his research into Heavenly Secret Puppets had already involved the authority to create something from nothing, to imbue inanimate objects with sentience. However, Dao Qiongcang was clever; he quickly discovered that this path was unfeasible and "gave up."

Did he truly give up? In reality, no. He hadn't even completely abandoned A-Jie; he simply crippled it and threw it onto Void Island, yet he still guided Elder Sang to retrieve it, bring it back to Tiansang Spiritual Palace, and thus facilitate Elder Qiao's research into the Path of Spirit Arrays...

Wait!

At this thought, Xu Xiaoshou subconsciously wanted to gloss over it, but after a sudden jolt of awareness, his heart chilled, and a creeping sensation of horror spread through him.

"A-Jie...""Elder Qiao...""The Path of Spirit Arrays, or perhaps, array diagrams..."

Speaking of which, A-Jie hadn't been seen for a long time. After being sent back to the Spiritual Palace for repairs, Ye Xiaotian never brought it back. True, A-Jie was almost useless after Void Island. But from another perspective, after he grew stronger, he never again encountered Dao Qiongcang's earliest Heavenly Secret Puppet. Why was that?

Incidentally, according to Ye Xiaotian, Qiao Qianzhi, the foremost of the Saint Palace's Four Prodigies, originally possessed unparalleled talent in the Path of Spirit Refinement in his generation, almost comparable to Ba Zun'an of the Ancient Sword Path. Yet, after breaking through to the Sovereign realm, he made a crazy decision: he wanted to become a pure Spirit Array Master, becoming obsessed with "arrays," "diagrams," and "patterns." His ultimate philosophy could be simply summarized in one sentence: "Transforming fantasy into reality!" Why was that?

Furthermore, Elder Qiao had been attempting to become a Saint for nearly a year without using a Half-Saint's divine status, and thus had not yet succeeded. His research into the Path of Spirit Arrays had consequently been difficult, with no clear timeline for his Saint Ascension... When would that be? And was Elder Qiao truly aiming for Saint Ascension?

As his thoughts reached this point, Xu Xiaoshou was struck with horror, realizing what he had overlooked all along. Blind spot! He himself had come from Tiansang Spiritual Palace. After subconsciously leaving, he had explored all the famous cities and important locations in the Five Regions, but he had rarely, if ever, taken a proper, thorough look at Tiansang Spiritual Palace from top to bottom, inside and out.

Was Tiansang Spiritual Palace still the same Tiansang Spiritual Palace? On the surface, it should be, after all, Dao Qiongcang had already made his move! But in reality, Dao Qiongcang's A-Jie, Elder Qiao who researched A-Jie, and the fundamental concept behind Dao Qiongcang's path usurpation seemed to have been brewing in Tiansang Spiritual Palace all along?

The Path of Memory, and the Paths of Life and Reincarnation, indeed appeared to be entirely unrelated at first glance. But what about the "array diagrams" presented by Heavenly Secret Arrays and Spirit Arrays, the "Dao patterns" produced by the Path of Heavenly Secrets and the Path of Spirit Arrays—how did Elder Qiao's philosophy compare to the "life patterns" fundamental to creating the Path of Life?

A bolt from the blue! It was only when Dao Qiongcang intentionally revealed a hint, relying on the powerful intuition of the Intent Dao's extreme realm, and a self-resisting brainstorm, that Xu Xiaoshou finally seemed to see through the hidden card behind the name "Dao Qiongcang." And even though all of this was still at the stage of theoretical conjecture, stepping back and looking at the bigger picture, which of the high-ranking individuals would have noticed these details? Would the Demon Ancestor, Medicine Ancestor, or Cui Yin have perceived what Dao Qiongcang was doing, what he intended to do, and had this plan been brewing long ago?

Judging by their behavior, their vigilance against Dao Qiongcang was virtually zero! Even the Medicine Ancestor, before reaching 'Zero' and falling into slumber, likely hadn't considered Dao Qiongcang a significant figure, and had peacefully fallen asleep!

"Elder Qiao..."

Xu Xiaoshou's mind involuntarily recalled that unsettling, almost demonic laughter, that disrespectful old man who always dozed off at the first management window in the Spiritual Affairs Pavilion. What was terrifying was not just Dao Qiongcang's possible scheme, but also the people Xu Xiaoshou had interacted with in the past. If Dao Qiongcang had merely influenced Elder Qiao through A-Jie, then no matter how unrealistic it seemed, with Dao Qiongcang's name at the forefront, it might still be acceptable. But what if "Elder Qiao" as a person, as an existence, drastically changed after breaking through to the Sovereign realm, not due to personal interest, but external factors?

If this line of thought was truly so extreme, aligning with his suspicions, then just as Dao Peipei had said, Elder Sang was guided to Void Island, retrieved A-Jie, and upon returning to the Spiritual Palace, it perfectly suited Elder Qiao's research. During this process, the subtle logical loopholes that had always been inexplicable in the past, and which he could only dismiss as "coincidences," suddenly became incredibly coherent!

What kind of feeling was it to be deeply terrified by such intricate thought?

In the deep pit, Bei Huai's body trembled slightly due to the intervention of Cui Yin's power. Xu Xiaoshou, momentarily lost in thought, also inexplicably felt goosebumps rise all over his body. He turned to look at Dao Qiongcang:

"The Medicine Ancestor?"

These two sudden words, following Dao Qiongcang's "interference" theory, seemed utterly nonsensical. Yet, the "unholy alliance" always shared unspoken understanding and perfectly synchronized. Dao Qiongcang, who had revealed a glimpse of the Path of Memory in the Life Elixir Pool, unexpectedly exposing too much to Xu Xiaoshou, seemed to have grown accustomed to how Xu Xiaoshou could deduce various subsequent developments from his few words.

Dao Qiongcang also turned his head to look, but he merely wore his trademark noncommittal smile, offering no reply. At the Crossroads, there was profound silence. Dao Qiongcang remained silent, but before Xu Xiaoshou's eyes, light and shadow converged, assembling into a series of images:

A boy, barely ten years old, with rosy lips and white teeth, who, in Yue Gongli's eyes, was just like him, fond of playing with Heavenly Secret Golems, witnessed the Medicine Ancestor's terrifying influence on cultivators of the Path of Life during their journey to Bei Huai's trial against Elder Lu. Consequently, his equally brilliant talent in the Path of Life began a rapid decline, and he became tainted by the unorthodox and inferior Path of Heavenly Secrets, thus drawing the attention of the Ancestral Gods. He then grew step by step, gradually distancing himself from Emperor Qianshi, eventually moving far away from the five sacred land secret realms where Ancestral Gods gathered. He descended the Heavenly Ladder to the Central Region, took on a mundane job, and became the Master of the Dao Hall.

In this position, which was somewhat ordinary yet held some power, and certainly not seen as high-ranking by the Ancestral Gods, he seemingly continued his minor "life research" with one foot across the forbidden red line, including the covert replacement of personnel within the Dao Department and among the higher echelons of Sacred Mountain. In reality, he was feigning one thing while doing another: ostensibly provoking the attention of the Demon and Medicine Ancestors without being stopped for being as defiant as Bei Huai, yet secretly advancing, intensely studying the Path of Memory, and making astonishing progress. He even deployed seemingly important yet inconspicuous Dao Qiongcang avatars across the Five Regions, researching minor paths that would certainly not attract the Ancestral Gods' attention due to their scattered and varied nature.

After thirty years of enduring hardships and overtaking others in obscurity, he chose to reveal his trump card today, precisely when the Medicine Ancestor reached 'Zero,' intending to devour him the moment he succeeded.

Dao Qiongcang? Dao the Endurer!

Kui Leihan, with someone above him, still pushed forward aggressively because he had no other option, only a head-on confrontation remained. Dao Qiongcang, with someone above him, decisively abandoned everything, took an enormous detour, and still managed to catch up, touching the hem of the first-tier's robes.

His calculations, when spread out, were too fragmented. Even at its most extreme, his Path of Memory's transcendence would likely not concern the Medicine Ancestor if he were to learn of it. After all, Dao Qiongcang was indeed one of the Ten Sovereigns; his talent was inherently good. Yet, when all his calculations converged, it became profoundly terrifying. Evidently, every single clue and subtle hint had pointed towards the Medicine Ancestor years ago, yet no one had been able to detect it until now.

Xu Xiaoshou suppressed his turbulent thoughts and spoke again, still naming one person:

"Elder Qiao..."

He still couldn't believe it. A mere Elder of the Spiritual Affairs Pavilion, a mere Grandmaster of Spirit Arrays, was he really shouldering the great responsibility of usurping the Medicine Ancestor? This was too absurd! Then, a thought struck him: Wasn't this exactly the effect Dao Qiongcang wanted?

Dao Qiongcang pondered for a moment, as if weighing whether speaking or remaining silent would affect Xu Xiaoshou's final choice, and finally spoke: "It might differ slightly from what you imagine, but it's largely correct. When I met you in Dragon Cave, there were things I wanted to bring up. This is one of them... because for deep cooperation, given your nature, it would be impossible if I wasn't frank. The second is that the extreme realm of the Path of Memory was not cultivated early on, but rather formed after the first person in this era achieved apotheosis and became an Ancestor."

Hua Changdeng?

Xu Xiaoshou detected more clues, but didn't interrupt, waiting for Dao Qiongcang to continue.

"And some of my memories..." Dao Qiongcang paused slightly, speaking vaguely, yet it was likely the most he could say, finally stating firmly: "They don't originate from me."

At that instant, many more images exploded in Xu Xiaoshou's mind. There was the '囧' character pattern in the stone hall of the Cold Palace Grotto-Heaven, which the Demon Ancestor hadn't noticed and which couldn't have been etched by someone of Dao Qiongcang's age. There was Dao Peipei's seemingly subtle yet consistently negative reply when Xu Xiaoshou angrily questioned if she was Dao Qiongcang in the Qianshi Emperor Realm. There were Dao Qiongcang's avatars, such as the Northern Region Heavenly Alliance Master, who were undoubtedly controlled by Dao Qiongcang's will, and then there were seemingly independent individuals like Elder Qiao, who didn't appear to be under his control...

Was Dao Peipei Dao Qiongcang? Was Elder Qiao Dao Qiongcang? Was the '囧' character pattern on the Demon Ancestor's statue in the stone hall forcefully imprinted by Dao Qiongcang traveling to the past? Or rather... Like Kong Yuhen, were there many Dao Qiongcangs, each advancing different lines of action towards the same goal? Thus, they evolved into various individuals, leading diverse and splendid lives, with each tributary flowing into the long river of memory, distinct yet mutually influencing, thereby deepening the meaning of one word: "He!"

Xu Xiaoshou had lost count of how many times he had been startled.

At the Crossroads, he projected his "perception" through space, augmented by Intent Dao, deciding to personally verify things at Tiansang Spiritual Palace. Conjecture was virtual, seeing was believing. However, a quick scan of Elder Qiao at Tiansang Spiritual Palace's Tianxuan Gate revealed no trace of Dao Qiongcang's mark on him, which didn't prove anything. But then he encountered an unexpected sight: Dean Ye Xiaotian leading a person with an afro into Tiansang Spiritual Palace.

"Zhong Yuanzi?!"

He felt somewhat numb. Even Zhong Yuanzi appearing in Tiansang Spiritual Palace struck Xu Xiaoshou as perfectly logical, but why? His brain felt like it was wrung dry, but he couldn't stop. In a flash, Xu Xiaoshou thought of the only reason Zhong Yuanzi could be in Tiansang Spiritual Palace:

"The Grand Dao Diagram...""Diagram..."

The essence of "diagrams" connected to the Medicine Ancestor. The Grand Dao Diagram was also used for deducing Spirit Refinement mysteries. Elder Zhong's lessons outside Jade Capital City were still vivid in his mind. This, in turn, connected to the Path of Spirit Refinement and the Demon Ancestor.

For a moment, Xu Xiaoshou didn't know how to speak. He had so many questions, yet it seemed everything already had an answer. He hesitated to speak, simply staring at Dao Qiongcang without a sound.

Dao Qiongcang seemed to know that all this could no longer be concealed. After all, Elder Zhong had appeared in Tiansang Spiritual Palace, which lacked the grand array of the Saint Palace. A single inspired glance from Xu Xiaoshou could reveal many clues. He nodded, confirming: "The Firmament Scroll, the Grand Dao Diagram."

That's right, there was also the Firmament Scroll. Even while cultivating the Path of Memory, this fellow hadn't forgotten to replicate a profound array diagram similar to that of the Path of Spirit Refinement. But it probably wasn't to master the Path of Spirit Refinement or the Saint Path, but rather to deduce the weaknesses of the Saint Ancestor and Demon Ancestor from these fundamental elements?

"Ugh, ugh, ugh!"

In the deep pit, Bei Huai's convulsions became extremely violent. Dao Qiongcang stood at the edge of the pit, seemingly speaking of other things, yet with a single sentence, he once again explained the essence to Xu Xiaoshou: "Ba Zun'an's initial choice was merely the Twin Tears technique. Even though he and I both knew that Twin Tears, while extraordinary, still fell short—until your appearance. Similarly, I initially had no intention of cooperating with you. Therefore, in my plan, the Demon Ancestor was also an opponent I had to divert my strength to confront."

So... Xu Xiaoshou felt a faint realization.

Dao Qiongcang nodded again, then looked up at the void, his eyes filled with melancholy: "Therefore, Ba Zun'an, you, and I, from beginning to end, are all on the same front. Our adversaries are the Demon, Medicine, and Cui Ancestors. How could we possibly ally with them?"

Xu Xiaoshou was stunned, rendered speechless. How could one even evaluate this? It sounded like the flashy old Daoist had once again taken over Dao Nitian, turning proper reasoning into twisted logic, and attempting to mislead people.

"Don't believe it?" Dao Qiongcang's lips curled up. "Then how about this? Do you believe it?"

He pulled out a black token. On its front was the emblem of a naked Saint Slave, with limbs bound by chains, weeping with knees hugged. The back was inscribed with the character "Please."