Chapter 377: Sage Clash, Azure Green Returns

Chapter 377: Sage Clash, Azure Green Returns

Since Ji Jingqiu opened the Cause and Effect Great Dao, he has been researching the various wondrous applications of the Cause and Effect path.

The Cause and Effect Great Dao excels in its mysterious and indescribable nature, with unfathomable power.

For example, if someone were to use divination techniques or methods to probe his whereabouts, they would only see a "chaos."

Even if a Heavenly Venerable were to sense the River of Fate to track him, he could sense it and choose not to be seen.

In terms of subtlety, Cause and Effect is closely linked to Fate, surpassing all other paths.

However, in direct offensive capabilities, it falls short of other Great Dao. He has yet to find a killing technique rooted in the Cause and Effect Great Dao.

But today's event nearly upended his understanding of the Cause and Effect path.

This could be seen as a joint effort between him and Kuhe.

Not only did they directly manipulate the destinies of two Celestial Kings, leading them to "misfortune", but they also created a chain reaction, ultimately causing a long-standing dike to collapse due to an ant's nest.

These two might die without knowing why, leaving them with unfulfilled regrets.

"Most of our fellow disciples are indeed on missions. Besides searching for rare items, they need to explore certain dangerous areas, but Master pities me."

Kuhe was also somewhat shaken.

This scene was too bizarre. A Celestial King died mysteriously in battle, not because the enemy was too strong, but because of a problem within himself.

Such a death would rank among the most frustrating in all the realms.

He whispered, "Master sent me out to seek opportunities and accumulate Daoic merit. Fellow Daoist, I feel this place is a bit 'unclean.' The Dao Source is precious, but life is more precious."

Ji Jingqiu couldn't help but glance at him.

Given his destiny, his Master sending him out was likely for the benefit of his fellow disciples and the sect's grand plan.

Additionally, if he could irritate others, it would be an added bonus.

"Fellow Daoist, let's leave. I feel this place is dangerous and might be one of those 'dangerous areas.'"

Upon witnessing the second Celestial King of the Immortal Mountain's mind warp, causing the Misty Sea to manifest, Kuhe gasped and quickly advised.

Just as Kuhe was about to drag Ji Jingqiu away, he noticed that Ji Jingqiu was looking at his head with a strange expression.

He sensed something and looked up.

Above the Dharma Realm, streams of liquid resembling mist flowed down, landing on his head.

Kuhe's pupils dilated, and he exclaimed, "Dao Source?!"

...

In a vast starry sky.

A majestic divine mountain, indescribably vast, stood tall, seemingly at the center of this universe.

On the mountain, a divine palace complex stood.

Within one of the palaces, countless bronze bells rang, alarming all sides.

However, the number of martial practitioners who emerged was few, and almost all were at the Heavenly Person level, looking at each other in confusion at the source of the sound.

"Did something go wrong with the elders who went to the Grand Cosmos to suppress the Azure Green lineage?"

"It's not really an accident. This is war, and deaths are common. The elders have already left survival measures in the sect."

"That's true. It's hard to kill a Celestial King unless a Heavenly Venerable who has seen through their own Heavenly Destiny intervenes. The elders would find it hard to die!"

As they discussed, two figures appeared, blurry and indistinct, towering to the heavens. Despite being mere projections, they cast a heavy presence over the Heavenly Persons.

"Greetings, Ancestors."

The Heavenly Persons hurriedly bowed to their sect's Heavenly Venerable ancestors.

The two Heavenly Venerables' gazes swept over, and their expressions turned grim.

In two palaces, two candles flickered and gradually went out, defying all survival measures.

They acted decisively but were too late, only managing to save part of the two fallen Celestial Kings' true spirits.

"What a vicious move, cutting off their fate completely?" one of the elders said coldly.

The other, a middle-aged Heavenly Venerable, sneered, "With incomplete true spirits, their reincarnation will also be incomplete. Such a ruthless move can only be from a Heavenly Venerable. Did they encounter trouble in Daluotian?"

The elder calculated and frowned, "That's not right. Kunsha and Shouzhong went to the Grand Cosmos to deal with the Azure Green lineage's subordinate forces. The only noteworthy one was a woman who entered the lineage's direct line, not even a Celestial King."

"Don't let me find out who did this", the middle-aged Heavenly Venerable said coldly, clenching the true spirits in his hand.

"Could it be that Daluotian's blockade has been broken, and the Azure Green lineage's reinforcements have arrived?" the elder's expression grew serious. "Quickly inform the other Celestial Kings. You and I will go check on the battle situation with the Ancestors."

With that, his projection dissipated, relaying the message back to his main body.

...

Amid the turmoil in the Grand Cosmos, the deaths of the two Celestial Kings triggered a Great Dao tide in the Dharma Realm, causing a rare Dao Source to flow down and land on Kuhe's head.

Kuhe wiped his head, stunned for several seconds, seemingly not expecting such a stroke of luck.

When he came to his senses, he exclaimed joyfully, "Fellow Daoist Wanfa, a heavenly blessing! I'll record this and show it to the other disciples!"

He eagerly searched his Inner World for an unknown device, recording the scene and even grinned, making a gesture, feeling like a changed man.

When he returned, no one would dare call him Kuhe, the harbinger of misfortune!

Ji Jingqiu thought, this must be the result of accumulated misfortune being suddenly unleashed, turning bitter to sweet, and fortune turning for the better.

After the misfortune that led to the deaths of the two Celestial Kings was exhausted, the opposite force, a Dao Source, fell from the heavens?

Ji Jingqiu intercepted part of the flowing Dao Source. This substance was peculiar, existing between the tangible and intangible.

The Dao Rhythm was so dense that just by refining a portion in his Inner World, he felt a vast Dao Rhythm permeate the heavens.

The True Spirit Pool, now the center of this world, responded immediately, absorbing the Dao Rhythm like a whale drinking a river.

Indeed, the Dao Source was powerful. Even a single thread made his Inner World feel as if it were merging with the Dharma Realm.

Using the Dao Source to break through, he could bypass some of the Great Dao's obstacles in the universe.

Ji Jingqiu marveled internally.

Two Celestial Kings, one at the third tribulation and the other at the fourth, if they truly clashed, he couldn't be sure of victory alone.

At this realm, unless he could overwhelm them with overwhelming Daoic power, the outcome was uncertain.

Yet, these two died without knowing why.

Fellow Daoist Kuhe's destiny was truly fascinating.

"The Path Opening must be accelerated."

Ji Jingqiu thought to himself.

With Celestial Kings from all realms converging on the Grand Cosmos, he needed to enhance himself quickly.

"At least I need to coordinate with one of the Five Pillars..."

Ji Jingqiu recalled the message from the Zhenzhen Ancestor and frowned. His options were limited, and currently, it seemed only the Holy King was available.

At that moment.

A long rift tore through the sky above the World Tree in the Star Forest, spanning tens of thousands of miles, like a Dao Trace in the universe.

"A Heavenly Path?!"

Ji Jingqiu and Kuhe looked up.

"That's not right... It's the aura of Daluotian!"

Kuhe corrected, busy collecting the Dao Source with a special container while staying alert.

"Fellow Daoist Wanfa, we should leave! This is a grudge between the Immortal Mountain and the Azure Green lineage, and we have no reason to risk our lives!"

Kuhe whispered, "To be honest, several True Saint Daochang have already formed an alliance to preemptively strike against the Five Pillars, like blocking the return of the others."

"Why just two? Aren't there three more who haven't returned?" Ji Jingqiu asked.

"Taoyu Divine Lord has already been blocked, and this incident has given the big players an idea—returning Divine Lords can be interrupted!" Kuhe transmitted telepathically.

Ji Jingqiu was speechless, not knowing what to say.

Ji Shuai's move against Taoyu must involve some deeper strategy.

He locked onto Mu Rouzhi with his mind and asked her about the current situation of the Azure Green lineage telepathically.

The tree crown shook violently, and the Star Forest, just out of one danger, faced another. The conflict in Daluotian had reached them.

Hearing the familiar yet unfamiliar voice in her mind, the girl was stunned, as if in a dream, and finally exclaimed in surprise, "Jingqiu?! Was it you who helped us just now?!"

"It was the result of a joint effort with a friend."

Ji Jingqiu replied simply and continued, "Why aren't you with Qin Qingjue and the others in Daluotian? Did the Azure Green lineage have any preparations?"

"I... I..." The girl stuttered, hesitating before saying, "I don't know. Master only told us to focus on cultivation, and other matters were not our concern."

Ji Jingqiu: "...That's good. It's been over twenty years, and old friends remain the same."

Hearing "old friends remain the same", Mu Rouzhi blushed, annoyed with herself for suddenly losing her composure, despite being able to handle the Star Forest's affairs efficiently.

From the rift above the World Tree, a divine light split the sky, encompassing the entire tree, including Ji Jingqiu and Kuhe, who were some distance away!

The divine light, affecting the passage of time, caused everything to wither and die.

Even with the Great Universe Rules suppressing it, the light still retained a power that far exceeded the peak of a Celestial King!

Kuhe's hair stood on end, shouting, "Fellow Daoist, we're caught in the crossfire. We can't escape, use your full strength!"

Ji Jingqiu's pupils dilated, sensing a Cause and Effect thread wrapped around him.

This Cause and Effect thread was thick, at least at the True Emperor level!

This isn't just collateral damage; they're here for us!

...

Daluotian

The lofty position of Daluotian, jointly created by the Five Pillars, is due to its foundation being laid deep within the Dharma Realm's Dao Sea.

This is a near-Dao land crafted later, where even a Celestial King can greatly benefit from cultivation, ignoring the calamities that come with their rank, without needing the power of a world to nurture and protect themselves.

Thus, once Daluotian opened, Celestial Kings from various realms began vying for the slots distributed by the Five Great Divine Systems.

Currently, Daluotian is filled with strong figures from various factions and the "natives" of the Five Pillars' divine system.

The core divine kingdom of the Five Pillars is the foundation of Daluotian.

At this moment,

An endless sea of clouds surges, and a tear appears in the sky, from which chaotic energy billows out.

Boom!

A vast storm erupts in the heavens, spreading out and triggering a cosmic tide that shakes the world.

Many powerful beings raise their heads to gaze upon the blinding light erupting from the depths of the Dharma Realm, illuminating it brightly and revealing the true forms of various Dao.

Some frown deeply, others show shock and anger, as if they can't believe what they're seeing, while a few remain unperturbed, as if they had expected this.

"Do you intend to start a war at this moment?"

A grand, majestic, and deep voice resounds through the void, reprimanding those ahead.

In the sky, a divine head fills the void, its eyes opening and closing, generating thunder, and glaring angrily at the front.

Some Celestial Kings who were contemplating the mysteries of the Great Dao in Daluotian follow the divine head's gaze and finally see a figure standing atop the Great Dao!

Behind this figure, a divine court evolves, with countless rule patterns imprinted upon it, representing the supreme truths of the Great Dao. It spans the Dao Sea, stirring up waves and emitting a brilliant glow, like a divine sun rising from the sea, sacred and awe-inspiring.

"The Dao is eternal, humans rise and fall. Time is as ruthless as a celestial blade; your era has ended."

The being speaks coldly and forcefully, radiating a heavy pressure that subdues all realms.

Some powerful figures recognize this being and whisper among themselves:

"The Nine Mountains True Emperor from the Immortal Mountain? Has he finally returned from his tribulations?"

"No wonder, he was cast into the cycle of rebirth by the Azure Green Lord. Now he's taking advantage of the Azure Green Lord's absence to settle scores..."

"Who would have thought that the first to ignite the conflict would be the Azure Green lineage? I thought it would be that Holy King."

The majestic voice from earlier resounds again:

"Nine Mountains! If we could suppress you back then, we can do it again today!"

"You talk too much. Let's settle this with our hands. Who is stronger will be determined in battle."

The Nine Mountains True Emperor, who initiated the conflict, is very strong and is one of the leaders of this assault.

He presses his hand towards the divine kingdom of the Azure Green lineage. Behind him, the divine court glows, with countless rule patterns shimmering, as if the Dao itself has taken form.

With a boom, the Dao Sea seems to break its banks, and the endless rule patterns surge down like a tidal wave, terrifying in its intensity.

He presses his hand down, the area beneath it enveloped in the terrifying light of the Dao, causing everything within to wither and vanish.

Normally, such a strike would be enough to destroy a world and create a new one.

But Daluotian is sturdy enough to withstand a True Emperor's attack.

The divine head that filled the void is instantly shattered!

This is merely a divine manifestation formed by a few strands of Qi.

"Want a fight? Then you shall have one!"

In the region belonging to the Azure Green lineage, a primordial divine being who has just returned appears, standing in the universe, overlooking the ages.

As soon as they clash, the vast cosmos trembles, and the principles of the Dao itself seem to wail.

Boom!

Another terrifying aura spreads, a divine light tears through the heavens, the gaze of a True Emperor, whose Dao has taken the form of a towering, world-spanning divine manifestation, forcefully stepping into Daluotian.

"If you want a fight, then you shall have one. The Azure Green lineage will not be bullied and will not back down."

In the star domain of the Azure Green lineage, another cold voice echoes, an ancient aura permeating the heavens, causing the stars to tremble.

A five-colored divine light supports the heavens, and someone sighs, "Why must it come to this? The Grand Cosmos has just recovered, and everything is in need of rebuilding. The situation is not yet clear, and you want to start an internal conflict?"

"Old Kong! Don't meddle. Either join the battle or watch from the sidelines like you did twenty years ago!"

The Nine Mountains True Emperor shouts, his hair swirling with chaotic energy, his massive and majestic form raising a hand to illuminate the Dharma Realm.

What shocks everyone is that he has managed to suppress an ancient god of the Azure Green lineage, who is also at the True Emperor level, in a short time.

This combat power makes the onlookers in the void grimace.

He dared to challenge the Five Pillars back then and has been silent for countless years. Now that he has returned, his strength has clearly reached a new level!

"Chaos is coming..." someone murmurs.

In times of chaos, the old order will be overturned, and only the strongest will have a say.

"You've truly become a force to be reckoned with!" the ancient god of the Azure Green lineage roars, "In the past, Azure Green spared you because of your talent, but now it has led to this disastrous outcome!"

"Spare my talent? How laughable", the Nine Mountains True Emperor says with cold eyes, "If not for Azure Green's suppression, I would have already touched the limits of transcendence!"

Without any interference, he breaches the divine kingdom of the other, forcefully subduing this ancient god, nearly killing him.

During this time,

He suddenly senses a change in destiny.

"Someone dared to kill my disciple?"

He turns his head, his gaze tearing through the void, transforming into a divine light that streaks across to suppress the offender.

But at this moment,

The Nine Mountains True Emperor senses something, suddenly turning his head. The divine court behind him bursts into brilliant light, freezing the world, including time itself!

A phantom river appears in the void, cutting off most of the divine gaze.

At the end of the river, a vague figure stands, shrouded in a misty green light.

In the ocean of the Nine Mountains' Dao, this figure is like a reef beneath the waves, standing firm.

It exudes a sense of timeless resilience, as if it alone stands against the tide of time.

He advances instead of retreating, as if walking along the river of time, step by step, his existence evolving from the ethereal to the real.

This scene is incomprehensible and shocks countless powerful figures.

"Azure Green?!"

Is this the return of the Five Pillars?!

What kind of situation did they face back then?!

With a long howl, the Nine Mountains True Emperor strikes again.

At this moment, another powerful figure joins the battle, spitting out a divine light that transforms into a vast star river, forged from a real world, engulfing the vague figure.

Simultaneously, a massive hand emerges from the depths of the stars, its lines resembling rule patterns, covering the sky, and grabbing the figure in the Dao Sea that is evolving from the ethereal to the real.

This hand locks time and fate, blocking all variables, and unifying the infinite future!

In an instant, several True Emperors join forces to intercept the return of the Azure Green Lord!

What shocks the surrounding powerful figures most is that the Void Emperor and the Holy King, who have already returned in the Five Pillars, have not yet joined the battle.

The collision of True Emperors, even the aftereffects, shatter countless stars in the deep universe, and the dazzling light of the Dao extends like lightning into the depths of the cosmos.

Amidst the thundering of the heavens—

A towering World Tree appears behind the figure, so massive that its roots are embedded in the Dharma Realm, and its branches reach into the universe. Each leaf seems to carry a world, supporting a star.

It stabilizes the river of time, blocking the invasion of fate.

At this moment, countless beings in the divine kingdom of the Azure Green lineage kneel, bowing in reverence to the direction of the figure, chanting the name of their lord.

"I am not Taiyin."

"You are not Taiyi."

The calm yet grand voice seems to come from the edge of the world, and also from the past.

The figure crosses the river of time, evolving from the ethereal to the real, unstoppable, reclaiming its former Dao fruit.

No one expected that the Divine Lord of the Azure Green lineage would choose to return on this day!

According to the original plan, he was to be guided back by the Azure Green lineage's strong figures several months later.

"Azure Green!"

The gaze of the Nine Mountains True Emperor pierces through the mist, burning brightly. Even upon seeing the return of the Azure Green Lord, he shows no fear, his battle intent burning even brighter.

"Come and fight!"

This True Emperor, who has just appeared, is exceptionally strong, actively challenging the newly returned Azure Green Divine Lord.

"A battle in the Dao Sea."

The Azure Green Divine Lord responds coldly, though just returned and not at his peak, he is equally strong, fearless, and steps into the starry sky.

The Nine Mountains True Emperor follows, as do the two other True Emperors who had also joined the battle.

Several ancient gods of the Azure Green lineage also want to follow, but they suddenly stop, receiving a message from the Azure Green Lord.

Seeing the Divine Lord depart, even without the World Tree, the ancient gods can't help but show concern.

The Nine Mountains have grown strong, and ordinary True Emperors are no match for him. The Divine Lord has just returned and is not at his peak; this battle is unpredictable.

"The Divine Lord has returned; order the strong figures to quickly reinforce the affiliated civilizations."

An ancient god quickly issues the command.

This time, to welcome the early return of the Divine Lord, the Azure Green lineage's strong figures above the Celestial King level have paid a considerable price, but fortunately, they managed to catch the last moment.

But the war has just begun.

The Azure Green lineage, targeted first, cannot show any weakness; otherwise, more "jackals" will join the battle.

They must be strong enough to counterattack.

One of the ancient gods suddenly notices a small figure in the "lower realm", marked by them long ago.

"It's the boy from the Yanhuang Federation. The Nine Mountains sensed his move and sent a divine gaze to kill across realms. Although the Divine Lord blocked most of it, and the Grand Cosmos suppressed it, the remaining power was still on par with a peak Celestial King, and he managed to withstand it..."

"Bring him to the divine kingdom; the Divine Lord will want to see him."

"There are rumors that this boy has ambitions to open a new path for the world. We don't know if it's true."

"Is he the disciple of Musitian? Then we can bring him into Daluotian to help him break through to Celestial King sooner. There will be a need for him in the future."

Three ancient gods whisper, quickly agreeing. Someone personally reaches out to bring Ji Jingqiu from the lower realm.

Ji Jingqiu, who had just exerted his full strength, barely managed to withstand the residual divine light, coughing up blood and sitting down, glancing sideways at Kuhe, who had acted simultaneously but remained almost unscathed, suspecting he was being "countered"!

"Your skills were truly impressive just now!" Kuhe, amazed by the flashing blade light, is still excited.

Noticing Ji Jingqiu's injuries, he quickly takes out the Dao Rhythm he had just collected and offers it to Ji Jingqiu, saying generously,

"Come, have a few sips to recover your injuries!"

This is a witness to the Dao Source descending upon his head; he must not be harmed!

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end