Chapter 845: Destined in Fate? The Root of Nirvana

Yu Lingdi arrived with a swagger and left in defiance.

He left Hua Ying behind, who had transformed into a trial official, wearing an expression that seemed to say, "Praise me quickly!"

Xu Xiaoshou had safely overcome this difficult situation, but he still felt a sense of lingering fear.

Fortunately, he had maintained his identity as a Half-Saint's disciple, making Yu Lingdi somewhat wary, and he also possessed the "Weaving Technique"...

Otherwise, he truly didn't know how he would have bluffed his way through this hurdle.

"Thank you, Saint Palace Emissary."

Xu Xiaoshou formally saluted his junior grand-niece, while simultaneously transmitting a message: "Someone is watching."

Hua Ying, who had originally been quite excited to see her grand-uncle and had a lot she wanted to say, visibly reined in her joyful expression upon receiving the message.

"It's a small matter. You can take the things we discussed earlier to heart. The gates of the Saint Palace are always open for you," she said, waving her hand dismissively.

Xu Xiaoshou was surprised that this young girl actually had some sense.

He was truly afraid that Hua Ying might inadvertently say something to expose them, causing the trial officials to restart the whole process.

Fortunately, while Hua Ying possessed brute strength and wasn't particularly clever, she could distinguish right from wrong, even concerning the trivial positions of a Saint Slave or the Holy Divine Palace.

"I'll follow you; I can protect you in this area," Hua Ying said, her eyes filled with hope.

Xu Xiaoshou was startled by her words, and the admiration that had just risen in his heart instantly vanished.

Getting so close to him, did Hua Ying want to die?

Faced with Grand-Uncle Xu's surprised and questioning expression, Hua Ying quickly explained, "Don't be afraid. A Saint Palace Emissary holds an extraordinary status, and I formally obtained my identity as a trial official directly from Sword Immortal Rao. It's not fake. Protecting you and traveling together for a bit is a small matter, it's nothing."

Xu Xiaoshou frowned.

He couldn't get too close to Hua Ying; otherwise, if his identity were exposed later, even the Ash Flame line of the Saint Palace might struggle greatly to protect Hua Ying.

"Thank you for the Emissary's kindness, but a trial official has their own duties. If you truly protect me all the way, there would indeed be suspicion of cheating."

"Furthermore, in the vast Yunlun Mountain Range, as long as I don't encounter something like what just happened, I believe no one can harm me."

Xu Xiaoshou clearly refused.

Hua Ying still wanted to say something, but she saw her grand-uncle subtly shake his head.

The young girl could only pout, then indignantly turned and left, muttering, "You don't appreciate good intentions!"

Xu Xiaoshou gave a bitter smile.

If no one were watching in the Cloud Realm, everything would be fine, and he could have brought Hua Ying along to roam freely.

But even Liu Changqing's subtle Heavenly Secret Technique could be detected by high-ranking Red Cloaks, so he truly didn't dare to act recklessly now.

"Young Master Xu."

Behind him, Liu Changqing and Xin Gugu approached.

Both of them refrained from discussing the recent incident too much, knowing that excessive talk leads to mistakes.

Even though Liu Changqing was inwardly curious about how Young Master Xu also knew the Heavenly Secret Technique, and seemingly at no low level of mastery, he kept his thoughts to himself for now, not asking, and simply walked over holding his trial jade pendant.

"Young Master Xu, after this delay, the Fire Elemental Origin Stone has already begun moving rapidly. Evidently, a powerful individual has arrived and acquired this treasure." Liu Changqing steered the conversation back on track.

Xu Xiaoshou pulled out his trial map to check, and it was indeed true.

"Annoying!" he snorted.

"It truly is annoying. He bothered us for no reason—what a waste of time!" Xin Gugu chimed in, feeling the need to vent his frustration about Yu Lingdi.

"Cursed, Passive Point, +1."

Xu Xiaoshou looked at the message that suddenly appeared in the information bar and thought, *Yu Lingdi truly hasn't left yet.* But since he clearly hadn't revealed any flaws, he simply pretended not to see the message.

Turning to face Liu Changqing and the other, Xu Xiaoshou said, "Regarding the Heavenly Secret Technique, continue to keep silent. Such abilities are explicitly forbidden by the clan from being displayed externally, only to be used in special circumstances to resolve particular predicaments. After this, do not discuss what happened earlier either."

He knew the two guardians beside him would not speak carelessly.

However, this extra remark was clearly for the invisible fourth person present to hear.

"Understood!"

"Understood!"

Liu Changqing and Xin Gugu both nodded in affirmation, not uttering a single extra word of nonsense.

Xu Xiaoshou then turned his gaze back to the direction of the Fire Elemental Origin Stone on the map.

"Let's go."

"Continue heading there. The Fire Elemental Origin Stone is the top priority!"

The three pushed off, as if nothing had just happened, and continued swiftly towards the location of the Origin Stone.

At the original spot.

It was not until more than ten breaths had passed that a faint, indistinct figure slowly emerged from the void's principles.

Yu Lingdi's brows were tightly furrowed, and he looked sideways, lost in thought.

But as he watched the three depart, the tension in his brows slowly relaxed, and his form gradually dissolved, turning into water elements and disappearing.

At the same time.

At the peak of the Yunlun Mountain Range, above the Cloud Realm.

Water elements gathered, and Yu Lingdi's form simultaneously appeared thousands of miles away.

"Sword Immortal Rao..."

"I saw everything."

Yu Lingdi had just begun to speak when Rao Yaoyao interrupted him.

She looked at one of the spirit mirrors in front of her, which clearly displayed the scene of Young Master Xu and the two others rapidly advancing.

Clearly, Rao Yaoyao had seen the entire scene from beginning to end.

"What do you think?" Yu Lingdi asked.

"And when you confronted him face-to-face, how did you feel?" Rao Yaoyao did not answer, but instead countered with a smile.

Yu Lingdi pondered for a moment, setting aside his previous displeasure, and only admiration remained as he spoke, "I must admit, he is truly outstanding! Whether it's his integrity, combat prowess, ability to handle affairs, or adaptability, Young Master Xu is undoubtedly the best among the younger generation I have ever seen."

"It's rare for you to give such a high appraisal," Rao Yaoyao smiled, then asked, "How does he compare to the Saint Slave, Xu Xiaoshou?"

Yu Lingdi paused, then after a brief thought, quickly said:

"If we compare him to the Xu Xiaoshou I encountered last time, the two are truly incomparable!"

"Whether in terms of swordsmanship, combat prowess, or the integrity, methods, and mindset befitting a Half-Saint's disciple, Young Master Xu completely overwhelms the Saint Slave, Xu Xiaoshou."

"Xu Xiaoshou is certainly not bad..."

Yu Lingdi's eyes shifted as he spoke, and he chuckled, "But in front of me, he was utterly defenseless."

"Young Master Xu is different. The confidence he displayed when facing my oppressive aura faintly gave me a sense of threat, making me imagine that he possesses trump cards capable of harming me."

"And last time..."

Yu Lingdi recalled the scene of him completely dominating the Saint Slave Xu Xiaoshou in the Eight Palaces: "Facing me, a King, Xu Xiaoshou could do nothing but await death or rescue; he couldn't even put up a sliver of resistance."

Rao Yaoyao nodded slightly.

Even the Head of the Spirit Division spoke such words.

One could believe that these were, without a doubt, two completely different individuals.

Perhaps there were similarities between the two in some aspects, but the differences were truly immense.

Worlds apart!

The difference between clouds and mud!

It couldn't be that in just over a month, the Saint Slave Xu Xiaoshou could completely change his personality and achieve such a leap in combat power, could it?

Most crucially, the confidence and aura emanating from Young Master Xu, characteristic of a Half-Saint's disciple, could be clearly detected by Rao Yaoyao, even from afar through the spirit mirror, during their recent confrontation.

If they were truly the same person...

There's absolutely no other possibility apart from possession!

After all, what Young Master Xu displayed—not just swordsmanship, but also abilities in various other aspects—far surpassed the Saint Slave Xu Xiaoshou, by more than just a little!

Rao Yaoyao looked at Yu Lingdi and said, "The Saint Slave Xu Xiaoshou, after all, is under Ba Zun'an's guidance, and his growth potential is also terrifying."

"His master even sacrificed his future to kill you, imprisoned beneath the Saint Mountain."

"Yet you, thanks to the last gift left by your father, the 'Sacred Revival Blood,' were able to be reborn physically; and a Half-Saint intervened, summoning the seven souls to preserve your spirit."

"Finally, with the help of the supremely domineering Ash Flame White Incineration, you severed your perfect King-level Dao foundation. Through the extreme of fire, and a turning point from adversity to prosperity, you integrated that faint sliver of life from the Dao-severing process, allowing your Water Origin to achieve perfect nirvana, realizing the union of spirit and body, and ascending to rebirth."

"Tsk, tsk..."

Rao Yaoyao's tone was full of wonder, as if even she found such an outcome incredible.

She sighed with emotion, then finally said, "The Saint Slave Xu Xiaoshou probably hates you to death. I have a premonition that if he manages to grow powerful in the future, you two might have a battle."

Yu Lingdi recalled the process of his revival, also feeling a chill of lingering fear.

The only drop of "Sacred Revival Blood" left by his father, a Half-Saint's intervention, using the complete opposite of extreme water—extreme fire—to assist him in severing his Dao...

It could be said that if any single step in this process had gone wrong,

he, Yu Lingdi, would have truly died.

But fate is truly wondrous.

The one who acted against him, a King-level expert in Water Dao Realm, happened to be Sang Qiye, who possessed the supremely domineering Ash Flame White Incineration and was also in the Grand Void Realm, with explosive combat power.

If it had been anyone else, or an ordinary fire-element user...

Let alone severing his Dao foundation.

It would have been difficult even to slay him!

In his more than twenty years of life, the only thing that had transcended Yu Lingdi's control was that day after the battle in the Eight Palaces, when he broke through to Dao Severance and revived through Sang Qiye's hand.

He had always disbelieved that such coincidences existed in this world.

After all, Yu Lingdi had heard rumors of the hand that manipulated the fate of mortals beyond this world.

But now, he truly did somewhat believe in coincidences.

He had originally thought he would be stuck at the perfect King-level Dao Realm for his entire life, unable to sever his Dao.

During a routine mission, he went to the Eight Palaces.

A coincidental encounter on a mountain path led to him hitting Sang Qiye's disciple, bringing about misfortune.

An accidental life-and-death battle resulted in him being literally severed by the Ash Flame White Incineration!

Sang Qiye, who severed him...

The "Sacred Revival Blood" his father refused to use even unto death, wishing only to pass it to his son...

The Dao Master's assistance...

It seemed as if, in the ethereal realm, he, Yu Lingdi, was meant to suffer this tribulation and then be reborn from the ashes.

Yu Lingdi also considered whether this might be a grand scheme by the Supreme Saint Emperor.

His Dao Severance might be useful for the future continental situation, and thus it was arranged.

But then he reconsidered.

Void Island, being hostile to the Sacred Land's secret realms, would absolutely not allow those supreme beings to succeed in their schemes, let alone assist him in perfectly severing his Dao through the hand of a Saint Slave from a hostile force.

Yu Lingdi thus felt relieved.

"It must be fate's opportunity then..." he said with emotion, "Had it not been for this experience, I truly cannot imagine any other opportunity to successfully sever my Dao."

Rao Yaoyao smiled, "You are currently the foremost genius of the Five Domains. Even without this profound experience, in due time, you would still be able to successfully sever your Dao on your own."

Yu Lingdi remained silent.

He knew that without a great fortuitous encounter, this "due time" for a perfect King-level Dao Realm practitioner could be measured in hundreds or thousands of years.

"Ba Zun'an killed my birth father. I used that opportunity to sever his important arm, the Saint Slave's second-in-command, which evens things out somewhat."

"As for Xu Xiaoshou..."

As Yu Lingdi spoke, he thought of Sword Immortal Rao's earlier remark about the two of them possibly having a battle in the future, and he said with a wry smile, "To be honest, I don't look forward to fighting him."

Rao Yaoyao neither confirmed nor denied.

Yu Lingdi's talent, even if placed in the previous era of rampant geniuses, would likely still rank among the top ten Thrones.

The Saint Slave Xu Xiaoshou's growth potential is strong.

But compared to him...

From both being of similar age, to one being a struggling Master and the other having perfectly severed his Dao, it truly is a case of a minor sorcerer meeting a great one.

Unless he also had great fortuitous encounters helping him all the way!

"Let's not talk about these things."

Rao Yaoyao sighed, then collected her thoughts and turned her gaze to Yu Lingdi, saying sternly, "Your true opponent from the previous era—there is now new information about him."

Yu Lingdi paused, then his eyes lit up.

"Ba Zun'an?"

"Yes."

Rao Yaoyao nodded: "News has come from Yu Zhiwen's side; they obtained a Heavenly Secret image of Ba Zun'an infiltrating Void Island. Chu Lisheng also came to discuss it with me immediately. Now, I officially give you your orders!"

Yu Lingdi straightened his posture.

Rao Yaoyao looked directly at him, took out a Void Token, and said solemnly, "Yu Lingdi, Head of the Spirit Division, temporarily put aside all matters concerning the Yunlun Mountain Range. Take this token and enter Void Island."

"Remember, Ba Zun'an may have infiltrated the inner island. Your mission is to locate him and the Storyteller, monitor them constantly, but do not act rashly!"

"Just monitoring them?" Yu Lingdi frowned.

"Precisely, just monitoring them. This task can only be accomplished without detection by you, who have perfectly severed your Dao. As for the beings within Void Island's inner island, rest assured, the Dao Master will secretly assist you." Rao Yaoyao said.

"Understood." Yu Lingdi took the Void Token.

Rao Yaoyao repeatedly cautioned:

"No matter what situation you encounter, absolutely, absolutely do not act impulsively or make a move!"

"Remember! Even if Ba Zun'an is now gravely ill, even if he still has residual sword qi from Sword Immortal Hua within him, appearing like a dying man, and even if you have perfectly severed your Dao..."

"But if you are discovered, if you are controlled, even for just an instant!"

"One sword!"

Rao Yaoyao raised a single finger, her beautiful eyes filled with solemnity: "He can condemn you to eternal damnation, never to be reborn!"

Yu Lingdi was shaken to his core by these words.

Even though he had perfectly severed his Dao at this moment.

Even though Ba Zun'an's current state had plummeted to its lowest point in history.

But, was the estimation of the combat power of this so-called Eighth Sword Immortal still so terrifying to the higher-ups?

"Don't worry."

After a moment of contemplation, Yu Lingdi nodded heavily: "I've waited through even longer periods. The revenge for my father's death—one day, I will personally exact it and bring it to an end, but not now."

With that said.

His form dissolved, dissipating into water elements and vanishing.

Rao Yaoyao withdrew her thoughts and focused on the countless spirit mirrors before her.

The spirit mirror showing Young Master Xu was no longer her primary focus.

One could say that, regarding the larger scheme of things, conflicts between such minor figures were insignificant.

Even if Young Master Xu were a ghost beast, and even if he brought two ghost beasts to reside and train in the Yunlun Mountain Range, it would be harmless.

At most, these were three ghost beasts.

The Red Cloaks' continent-wide defenses apprehended far more than this in a single day.

Moreover, Young Master Xu was not one!

Rao Yaoyao felt that being able to spare the time to pay attention and repeatedly confirm Young Master Xu's identity was already giving enough face to this Half-Saint's disciple.

What she had truly been focusing on...

"Whoosh!"

The image shifted, and several spirit mirrors zoomed in.

Among them, a training scene of the Three Swordsmen of the Buried Sword Tomb was clearly visible.

"Your figures were seen in the White Cave, and now your traces are in the Yunlun Mountain Range..."

Rao Yaoyao silently murmured to herself, "Wen Ting, oh Wen Ting, I just can't grasp concrete evidence or leverage against you, but your desire to help your old friend is far too obvious."

She shifted her gaze to other spirit mirrors, and her delicate brows furrowed again.

On them were many individuals whose identities as trespassers she had already confirmed, but whom she found difficult to directly apprehend.

Among them was one such individual, short in stature, with white hair, who paid no attention to points or trial participants, seemingly wandering aimlessly through the Yunlun Mountain Range, carefree and at ease.

"Spatial attribute..."

Rao Yaoyao's eyelids drooped slightly, and her brow was tinged with anxiety: "There aren't many people on this continent who possess spatial attributes. Why have you come?"