Chapter 2041: 受祖

"That voice..." The Five Domains were truly all too familiar with that voice.

More than half a year ago, the Preaching Mirror in Feng Family City had broadcast that voice across the entire Five Domains, and its deeds were still being sung about.

Since the God-Sealing Ancestor-Proclaiming War began, the owner of that voice had indeed made an appearance, but it was merely a warm-up. After circling around Sword Ancestor for a moment, he retreated.

As the saying goes, "The deeper the love, the greater the hate." The reason so many people were now denouncing the coward was fundamentally due to witnessing too many failures of newly promoted Ancestor Gods under the relentless suppression of the Ancient Ancestors, along with their various spectacular deaths. Despair! Helplessness! They were completely overwhelmed! There was nowhere to turn for help, no path to salvation. Even the expected return of Bazun'an to provide aid from the time realm was not happening, adding insult to injury and making the situation feel irreversible. Yet, at this moment of absolute despair, that voice emerged—finally willing to show itself!

"Master Shou?" "It must be Master Shou, right? No one would impersonate Master Shou, would they?" "Even You, Mei, Xiao, and Wen Gou failed. Now, whoever tries to impersonate him will die. If it were Master Ba, he wouldn't even need to pretend, would he?" On the Apricot Domain screens of the various Five Domains' families, comments scrolled rapidly, almost filling the entire display.

Eventually, the comments converged into a layered chorus of "Welcome, Master Shou," until someone in the interstice raised a thought: "He said 'This Ancestor.' Didn't you notice?" "Master Shou has been absent. Did he go to become an Ancestor God? But why wasn't there a Great Tribulation?" "Ancestor God..."

An Ancestor God was originally an existence high above the clouds, not to be directly gazed upon. Yet now, when "Master Shou" was inexplicably linked to "Ancestor God," combining into the title "Ancestor Shou," the cultivators of the Five Domains' first reaction wasn't excitement, but a hint of dread. After all, the legend of Master Shou was one of invincibility, but as for "Ancestor Shou"...

Everyone had seen how many Ancestors had fallen on the continent in recent days.

"Where is he? Where is Ancestor Shou?" "Find him quickly! I want to see him in person!" The screens of the various Preaching Masters wildly swept, exhausting every effort to search from the Eastern Domain to the Central Domain, yet for a long while, no one could locate Ancestor Shou. This was truly driving people mad with anxiety.

As one of the first Preaching Masters to rise, Hong Niang naturally possessed an incredibly keen intuition for battlefield dynamics. After finding no results at any of the key locations, she decisively cut to a small window showing Demon Ancestor Shengxin, zooming in on his recently formed head. Then, following his gaze, which held three parts surprise, three parts suspicion, and four parts apprehension, she pushed the main screen forward. The landscape rapidly blurred, and soon, a majestic, spiritually vibrant mountain appeared on the screen.

"This is..." "Heting Mountain?" The Three Mountains of the Central Domain were Gui Zhe, Siling, and Heting Mountain. Among the Thousand Waters of the Five Domains, Mizao Spring was the most famous, as the renowned wine Drunken Immortal Brew, made from its waters, was considered a divine delicacy. Though, it must be said, Mizao Spring had long since dried up.

Hong Niang's narration was rapid as she advanced the screen and explained: "But it's more than just that!" "Heting Mountain was once the old site of Fenqin, and Fenqin's Head Seat was Wu Xiu, the former second-in-command of Saint Slave. And Master Shou is Saint Slave Wu Xiu's only direct disciple!" "He, is he here?"

Heting Mountain had long been desolate from the wars of earlier years, but fortunately, its dragon veins seemed not to have been completely depleted. Within just a few decades, nourished by abundant spiritual energy, the mountain had become verdant and lush. Compared to the devastation in other parts of the Central Domain caused by the Ancestor Gods' chaotic battles, this place now resembled a paradise on earth, having been surprisingly untouched. Clouds and mist swirled, like ethereal wisps of immortal energy.

Faintly, a hint of crimson glow could be seen peeking from behind the clouds, accompanied by the cries of cranes and roars of beasts from the forest, giving a sense of peace. "Just like my darling Shou, he gives me such a sense of security!"

The screen quickly moved towards the mountaintop. Someone with sharp eyes spotted a riverbed below on the way, clearly having regenerated a spiritual spring. Everything seemed full of life. Not long after, as the Five Domains' perspectives collectively focused on the peak of Heting, everyone saw a figure, brandishing a sword with dignified bearing, standing tall and straight on a bluestone. "Master Shou!"

Instantly, cheers erupted from every family. Yet, he was vastly different from the "Ancestor God" they had imagined. On the screen, Master Shou... or rather, Ancestor Shou, who had even referred to himself as "This Ancestor," he... he actually appeared somewhat disheveled?

His black robes were tattered, with only a few strips of cloth hanging from his upper body. His exposed skin had lost its luster and was coated in dust, giving him a travel-worn appearance. Furthermore, Ancestor Shou was clearly covered in wounds; at a glance, there wasn't a single patch of unblemished skin on his body.

His left arm hung limply, muscles atrophied, and his right chest was shriveled, appearing completely aged. His abdomen, back, and other areas were covered in sores, bearing traces of lightning strikes, remnants of wind erosion, burns, frostbite, and lacerations—a gruesome sight. Except for his face! That was the best-preserved part of Ancestor Shou's entire body.

It remained handsome, and his skin still retained some luster, but his eyes were dull and lifeless, clearly indicating his vitality had been completely drained. "This is Ancestor Shou?" "This doesn't even look like Master Shou!"

"Waaah, who's playing tricks here? Give me back my darling Shou! My darling Shou can't be so heavily wounded..." Yet, though the figure's black robes were tattered, the black sword in his hand was utterly undamaged.

Even if its spirituality was slightly diminished, there were no nicks, dull edges, or other damages, as if the sword were more important than the person, more important than his face, and had been protected better. And this sword hummed and vibrated; though held diagonally by his side, its blade couldn't help but twist alluringly, emitting a soft, lingering hum.

"Hidden Suffering!" Hong Niang exclaimed in shock, her voice trembling: "Such... vitality, it must be Hidden Suffering!" "Hidden Suffering is here, so Master Shou is here too. He can only truly be Master Shou! But why these injuries?" "Could it be that he... he failed his tribulation, couldn't become an Ancestor, and is now just... faking it?"

Upon hearing this, everyone's heart sank. It was well-known that Master Shou's cunning techniques were unparalleled, his clone techniques second to none, and any other powerful abilities ranked lower. But transcending all these was Master Shou's survival capability. Since the advent of the Preaching Mirror, few in the Five Domains could injure Master Shou, and previously, none of the Ancestors had ever directly attacked him. So who could have injured him? It could only be the Great Tribulation of Ancestor God Annihilation!

"So, Master Shou's return now isn't as a savior." "He can't even compare to a single hair of Bazun'an; he's just a weakling who couldn't even pass the Great Tribulation?" This felt like the final blow to their mental defenses. After waiting and waiting, expecting Master Shou to put on a grand show, they never imagined he'd drop such a huge disappointment. In such a state, how could he possibly contend with Shengxin? Let alone the fact that he had previously been a "king of trash talk," directly challenging four Ancestors of the Demonic Medicine Sui Dao?

The path to sealing gods and proclaiming ancestors was known to be difficult, but not *this* difficult. Even Master Shou had been driven mad by it?!

"Strange!" "Too strange!" By the side of the Time Realm passage, Shengxin, seasoned and steady, had not yet lifted his Heaven-and-Earth Sealing Array, remaining cautious against deception.

And as he gazed from afar at Xu Xiaoshou standing atop Heting Mountain, how could the strangeness in his heart be described by just one word? Xu Xiaoshou looked utterly weak! His condition was abysmal; at best, he had barely survived the Great Tribulation of Ancestor God Annihilation, having narrowly escaped with his life.

Most likely, he hadn't even passed the lightning tribulation. Had he used the planar separation between the Time Realm and the Holy God Continent, along with his own Heaven-and-Earth Sealing Array, to dump the Great Tribulation into the Time Realm and then escaped himself?

But... If that interpretation were true, Xu Xiaoshou certainly hadn't become an Ancestor God. Yet, Shengxin could clearly sense an ultimate transformation in the boy's body, spirit, and consciousness. It wasn't related to his current state, but originated from his very essence.

"Divine Transformation..." Though his physical body was damaged, it possessed the essence of an Ancestor God, surpassing even a divine transformation. Though his soul was fragmented, it possessed a strength no less than Ancestor Hua's. Though his consciousness was fractured and appeared shattered, Shengxin knew Xu Xiaoshou had access to the Sea of Intent Dao, so he certainly wouldn't be as crazed and bewildered as Sui Yin.

He clearly possessed the reality of an Ancestor God, even faintly exuding the overwhelming "Zeroing Ancestor God" aura reminiscent of Bazun'an. Yet, his various wounds had stubbornly failed to heal, as if they were irreversible injuries that had worn his condition down to its lowest point. Even so!

Beneath that frail exterior, Shengxin still perceived the extreme explosive power of an ancient sword cultivator. He determined that while Xu Xiaoshou was undoubtedly not far from collapsing, he should at least be able to unleash an attack as powerful as the Yizi Taize Sword. This strike should not be borne by him.

Ideally, this strike should land on Number Zero, severely injuring him, or failing that, it could even be left for Shennong's Hundred Herbs' true self. "Xu Xiaoshou?"

Shengxin was the first to speak. But the only reply was a distant, silent stillness. The tattered black-clad youth stood at the peak of Heting Mountain, feet on the bluestone, Hidden Suffering sword pointing diagonally. He faced the howling wind, gazing into the distance, perhaps regulating his breath, or perhaps lost in thought.

Ignored... Shengxin's eyelids lowered, but he wasn't angry. He chuckled softly, "Should I call you Xu Xiaoshou, or Dao Ancestor, or Name Ancestor?"

At his words, the Five Domains erupted in commotion. What did that have to do with Dao Ancestor or Name Ancestor? Above the Sea of Memory, Number Zero's eyes flickered. He didn't know why Shengxin had mentioned him, but an inexplicable tremor went through his heart, a feeling of being manipulated. No... It should just be a casual remark; it's not a big deal...

It was already a direct, face-to-face conversation. After Shengxin's remark, everyone in the Five Domains eagerly awaited how Master Shou—who might or might not be an Ancestor God—would respond. But he still chose to ignore him!

"Divine Willow." Xu Xiaoshou slightly flexed his fingers.

With a booming explosion, the sky shattered with countless cracks, from which thousands of dark green willow branches extended, descending towards various parts of the Five Domains' Dead Sea. "Divine Willow, I obey!!!"

The shout was so loud it almost cracked, and anyone with discerning ears could tell it was an act of loyalty, leaving everyone in the Five Domains dumbfounded. Divine Willow, what are you doing? You are the head of the Nine Great Ancestor Trees, a symbol of authority! Have you forgotten your aloof demeanor on Gui Zhe Sacred Mountain? Have you forgotten the legend of "Willow hangs for eternity, Dao guides three thousand" attributed to you in the *Ancestor Tree Compendium*?

"This bootlicking willow..." Someone swallowed, finding it increasingly absurd. Many in the former Holy Temple had seen Divine Willow and knew it was an existence that even Hua Changdeng and Dao Qiongcang would respectfully consult and cautiously answer. How could its current devout posture not provoke laughter?

Shengxin couldn't laugh. The Nine Great Ancestor Trees shared a common trait: they were closer to the Dao of Heaven and Earth than cultivators. Therefore, they could better perceive the power of an individual's existence, and the current display seemed to indicate something significant. "Xu Xiaoshou must have successfully become an Ancestor God!"

"Yet he sustained such injuries—could it be that he truly passed the No-Self Tribulation, and even forced his way through the Three Tribulation Array Group before Gou Wuyue opened the Time Realm passage?" "Is that why, when the passage opened, no excess tribulation aura spilled out? Indeed, this would also explain why even I didn't see when he emerged..." Shengxin's heart trembled as he watched the Divine Willow's branches descend across the Five Domains, instantly transporting all uncultivated mortals from the Holy God Continent.

Logically, he should have stopped it. But Xu Xiaoshou was peculiar; perhaps he was bluffing and pretending to be a master, or perhaps he truly had something up his sleeve, though not much—in any case, he was strange! Shengxin chose to bide his time, not bothering with Xu Xiaoshou's two acts of disregard. Treating him as a Name Ancestor, he smiled:

"If you keep this up, Shennong's Hundred Herbs will come out to fight you to the death." But Xu Xiaoshou was utterly reckless! With the Divine Willow's cooperation, using spatial and intent-based markers, he directly evacuated all the native inhabitants of the Holy God Continent.

After that, he began to move wild beasts, spirit beasts, spiritual herbs, as well as some dragon vein locations and blessed lands. He seemed to treat the Holy God Continent as his private garden. He came to Heting Mountain today to enjoy the scenery and, while he was at it, pick some fruits to take back to the Apricot Realm to eat—but every single one of those "fruits" was a backup plan of Shennong's Hundred Herbs. He wasn't afraid? Then he must have a solid reason not to be!

Shengxin's eyes flickered, waiting for Xu Xiaoshou's response. But all he received was the sound of the wind, the sight of vast white snow, and the tattered black-clad youth on Heting Mountain, who hadn't even glanced at him directly until this moment.

After relocating people, beasts, trees, and land, he once again cast his gaze across the Five Domains, his expression serene. His voice resonated in all directions: "Everyone, this Ancestor was not joking with you." "If my previous words were too profound for you to understand, then let me put it another way..." He paused, then the corners of Xu Xiaoshou's lips slightly curled: "The Holy God Continent is about to explode. Chant my honored name, receive the cycle of reincarnation. Ancestor Shou commands fate, all living beings are equal!"

Only then did everyone awaken as if from a dream. Hadn't these very words been spoken by God-Slaying Official Ran Ming—or rather, by Sui Yin while inhabiting Ran Ming's shell—when the Ran Ming Ruins appeared? Judging by Master Shou's words and actions... from his perspective, the Apricot Realm was the new heavenly realm, and the Holy God Continent was about to become his battlefield with the four Ancestors. Anyone who ran too slowly would die?

"Don't mess around!" someone shivered, cautiously calling out, "Xu Xiaoshou?" No response. "Darling Shou?" No response! "Master Shou?" Still no response!

*Hiss!* This fellow... Now everyone realized that Master Shou was indeed Master Shou, the genuine article. Appearing at the last possible moment, he not only wanted to be a savior but also wished every person in the Five Domains to speak his name, his honored name!

What to do? Indulge him, of course! "Ancestor Shou! Please receive your most devout Apricot Slave into the realm! I can give you everything, including my body... Ah!"

*Whoosh!* The bold words weren't even finished. A golden dragon's phantom flashed, directly sweeping the person into the Apricot Realm passage, where they vanished. "He really went in!"

Upon seeing this, the people of the Five Domains immediately began chanting Ancestor Shou's name without end. Regardless of what antics Xu Xiaoshou was truly up to, tickets to reside in the Apricot Realm had been incredibly expensive before this. They were unobtainable even by selling a kidney, tickets were scarce, and there was a price but no market.

Now there was a free way to enter the Apricot Realm, personally endorsed by Master Shou—wasn't this a godsend? Little did they know... "Once you enter the Apricot Realm, it's like a deep sea; freedom becomes a stranger!"

Inside the Apricot Realm, the earth trembled. Giant cities were uprooted, and overhead, not only was there a sky-obscuring light screen broadcasting the external battlefield, but now there was also a blurry, powerful figure whose voice resonated like the Dao, ethereal and unpredictable: "New cultivators entering the realm, this one greets you on behalf of the Apricot Realm's Heavenly Dao. You may call me... Master Li!"

"By the grace of Ancestor Shou, you have been welcomed into this realm before the war arrived, at a time when you were unknowingly near death. However, while mortals may enter for free, cultivators must pay spirit crystals." "You have already been tagged with the 'Dragon Apricot Reception' label. For specific payment methods and amounts, please queue orderly at the entrances of the major reception cities, and pay after being informed." "Troublemakers will be killed." He paused, and Master Li, amidst countless furious, man-eating gazes, offered a slight smile:

"The Apricot Realm, once again, extends its greetings to you all." "Life is like a play, and the pioneering of the Apricot Realm requires all of you to work together and press forward." "Friendly reminder: When paying, loudly chant 'Ancestor Shou is above!' for a 10% discount."

Bolts of lightning tribulation descended above the major reception cities. In reality, everyone was merely angry and didn't dare cause trouble, understanding this was a life-saving fee. Yet, some were still struck dead. "Why?" "He wasn't resisting!"

Soon, a thought struck them: could this be some Ancestor God's hidden ploy, directly exposing those who held it? Watching the continuous lightning strikes, looking at Master Li's fading face, and then recalling that ridiculous "10% discount"... The entire Apricot Realm, from the inside out, exuded Master Shou's signature roguish cunning.

Was such a person truly reliable? He was even confronting Demon Ancestor Shengxin outside. What if he was instantly killed by a single poke, and the entire Apricot Realm was wiped out? "All gone..."

By the Time Realm passage, Shengxin's mind subtly trembled. All his thought-avatars that had entered the Apricot Realm, no matter how well hidden or how weak their power, should have been undetectable. Without a doubt, Xu Xiaoshou had rooted them all out and, using the will of a planar master, struck them dead in the form of lightning tribulations. "Sea of Intent Dao..."

"Yes, it's not surprising he could find me." "And if even I couldn't escape, then Shennong's Hundred Herbs, Ancestor Yi Ji, and others likely couldn't interfere in the Apricot Realm either." Shengxin narrowed his eyes, gazing with a hint of solemnity at the black-clad youth on Heting Mountain.

This was no longer as it once was!

This boy was not to be trifled with! "Xu Xiaoshou, we can talk." Shengxin had no desire to converse with this fellow who had ignored him repeatedly. But then he remembered the possibility that he had passed the Three Tribulation Array Group...

That was the No-Self Tribulation! Even if he had brute-forced his way through, and his comprehension of the Dao hadn't fully 'zeroed out,' his combat power would undoubtedly be at the 'zeroing' level, in no way inferior to Bazun'an. The best option was to let him fight Ancestor Yao and Dao Ancestor, and let those two force Xu Xiaoshou to reveal his true hand. It was better than rushing in impulsively, like against You, Wen, or Gou, which could very well lead to a disastrous defeat.

*Swish, swish, swish!* The branches of the Divine Willow swayed across the Five Domains, as streaks of welcoming light appeared and vanished. Xu Xiaoshou still ignored him.

Shengxin, surprisingly, showed no resentment and continued to wait. This Zeroing Ancestor God, who had easily defeated You and Wen, and driven Gou to qi deviation, forcing him to commit suicide in the Time Realm, now appeared remarkably polite. So much so that the citizens of the Apricot Realm, observing this scene through the Apricot Realm's sky screen, found it incredibly unfamiliar.

"Is he still the Demon Ancestor?" "Has he been possessed by a Saint Ancestor?"

The welcoming lights flickered for over half an hour before nearly ninety-nine percent of the living beings from the Five Domains had been brought into the Apricot Realm. During this time, Shengxin waited and observed. He felt a slight sense of relief, as Xu Xiaoshou's wounds showed not even a hint of improvement. It seemed even after another ten or thirty years, they would be far from fully healed. Given this, how could Ancestor Shou, in such a state, even with 'zeroing' combat power, sustain a prolonged battle, let alone fight four Ancestors at once?

No big problem. The question was whether he would choose to fight or retreat after finishing the relocation.

If he retreated, it would prove he was all bark and no bite, and everything just now was a mere bluff. Shengxin could then press forward and test how much power he truly had left... "Your divine soul is boiling." A faint voice sounded in his ear. Shengxin looked up in shock, horrified to realize he had been momentarily distracted. Xu Xiaoshou had clearly finished the relocation some time ago and had been staring at him for who knew how long!

Intent Dao? Guidance? No, it was just simple distraction... Shengxin let out a self-deprecating laugh, musing that he was becoming overly suspicious. Could it be that Bazun'an and the Yizi Taize Sword had left him so traumatized that he felt a ripple in his heart upon seeing any ancient sword cultivator? This was wrong.

Shengxin looked back at him, suppressing his unease, and calmly asked, "So, Xu Xiaoshou, what is your choice?" "You want to talk?"

"Indeed." "You fear me?"

Shengxin paused, a dangerous glint in his eyes, unsure what card this boy intended to play. Xu Xiaoshou surveyed Shengxin from head to toe, a hint of mockery playing on his lips:

"You are startled by me, you ponder me, you fear me, you avoid me." "You wish to use my hand to deal with Ancestor Yao, Ancestor Sui, and Dao Ancestor, to pit tiger against wolf." At this point, Xu Xiaoshou spread his hands, his shoulders shrugging slightly, a hint of helplessness in his gesture: "But you're not even willing to call me Ancestor Shou... Shengxin, Shengxin, how can we talk like this?"