# Chapter 4175: Anger
"Boom!"
"Boom, rumble!"
The star sea tides surged continuously toward the Colorless Realm. These tides were formed by the convergence of the heaven and earth rules of the seventy-two Supreme Sacred Paths, manifesting the supreme divine abilities of the seventy-two Supreme Sacred Paths. They descended upon the dragon skeleton beneath the seventy-two-layer tower, either transforming into peerless demon blades that slashed, condensing into dragon-tiger fist energies, turning into heaven-reaching palm seals, or becoming sword light that split the void.
Every divine ability strike possessed boundless power.
And they were unending.
It was not a single person executing them, but the Immortal of the God Realm using their will to control the heaven and earth rules of the seventy-two Supreme Sacred Paths, breaking the Dao of the Primordial Chaos Black Dragon and grinding away its eternal divine soul.
"First, they mobilized the heaven and earth rules of the nine Eternal Paths to bind its body, then gathered the heaven and earth rules of the seventy-two Supreme Sacred Paths to manifest divine abilities and attack continuously. This Space-Time Human Ancestor must have already mastered all methods, becoming one with heaven, able to mobilize all power in the universe with just a spiritual thought."
Lian Xi sighed with emotion.
The fundamental reason she could conclude that the Immortal of the God Realm was the Space-Time Human Ancestor lay in history: the Second Confucian Ancestor's ability to prove the Ancestor Path was inextricably linked to the Space-Time Human Ancestor. At the same time, the dismemberment of the Dark Lord back then was carried out by the Second Confucian Ancestor and the Space-Time Human Ancestor.
Zhang Ruochen said, "This is what Yan Renhuan once called 'stealing heaven and stealing Dao, coercing heaven and earth to command life.' It seems his analysis back then was correct!"
Lian Xi said, "Can the Space-Time Human Ancestor completely obliterate the Primordial Chaos Black Dragon?"
Zhang Ruochen said, "If the Primordial Chaos Black Dragon were so easy to kill completely, it would have died long ago in the Ancient Era. But breaking its consciousness and eternal divine soul into pieces across heaven and earth, causing it to revert to a corpse and sink into endless eons of slumber—that should not be difficult."
Lian Xi asked, "How long can the Primordial Chaos Black Dragon hold out?"
"How long it can hold out does not depend on it."
Zhang Ruochen smiled faintly. "It depends on what purpose the Immortal of the God Realm wants to achieve with it."
"If it were merely to eliminate an Ancestor-level opponent, the Primordial Chaos Black Dragon could at most hold out for a few years before reverting to a cold corpse."
"If it were to intimidate the cultivators of the world, to kill the chicken to scare the monkeys, then the Primordial Chaos Black Dragon would likely be locked beneath the seventy-two-layer tower, continuously attacked by divine abilities manifested from the heaven and earth rules of the seventy-two Supreme Sacred Paths—like death by a thousand cuts, slice by slice. This would continue until the cultivators of this era exhaust all resources and dedicate all their efforts to build the one hundred twenty-nine thousand six hundred heaven and earth altars."
"If the Immortal of the God Realm intends to strip the Primordial Chaos Black Dragon of its power, treating it as an Ancestor-level great medicine to nurture potential cultivators of the God Realm, then the Primordial Chaos Black Dragon could live a little longer."
Although Zhang Ruochen wore a smile, the worry in his eyes could not be dispelled.
Lian Xi said, "In the Ancestor War twelve eons ago, the Space-Time Human Ancestor must have suffered extremely severe injuries. Why wouldn't He consume such an Ancestor-level great medicine Himself?"
Zhang Ruochen's expression turned extremely grave. "If He began devouring the Primordial Chaos Black Dragon's power to nourish Himself, He would expose His cannibalistic nature. Which cultivator in the world would still help Him build the heaven and earth altars? Who would still cling to wishful thinking (jiaoxing xinli)? If He did that, He would truly have nothing left to fear (guji), and could directly initiate a Minor Calamity, launching an apocalyptic blood sacrifice against all living beings in the universe."
Lian Xi said, "Does the Imperial Dust think that if He did so, what would be His chances of success?"
"That is not a question you should be considering!"
Zhang Ruochen had clearly lost interest in continuing this discussion.
Lian Xi caught up and asked again, "Why doesn't He do it? Could it be that He only cultivates spiritual power and doesn't need the Primordial Chaos Black Dragon as an Ancestor-level great medicine? Is building the heaven and earth altars meant to collect the spiritual power of all living beings? Is that what He needs? Why aren't you speaking? You already have a guess in your heart—why are you avoiding it?"
Zhang Ruochen stopped in his tracks, his expression more terrifying than ever before. His eyes released an invisible force that sent Lian Xi staggering back several steps.
He said, "I don't know what you're guessing! But I can tell you clearly: if the Immortal of the God Realm is the Space-Time Human Ancestor you speak of, then He absolutely cannot be someone who only cultivates spiritual power. Because He possesses the Space-Time Divine Martial Mark—in fact, the Divine Martial Mark might even be His creation."
Lian Xi's face turned pale, clearly injured not lightly. She dared not speak further.
Because the person she had mentioned held an unparalleled position in Zhang Ruochen's heart—the most worthy of respect, the most worthy of trust. He would not allow her to criticize even a single word.
Even questioning was not permitted.
But Lian Xi understood Zhang Ruochen too well.
He was angry. He was emotional. He had struck out at her!
The more this was the case, the more it proved she was right. It wasn't that he hadn't thought the same—it was that he couldn't accept it, wouldn't accept it, didn't want to accept it. He was racking his brain for various reasons to deny what was in his own heart.
The two points he had raised earlier were not meant for Lian Xi's ears—they were meant for his own.
He was trying to convince himself.
Zhang Ruochen's emotions gradually calmed. Gently, he said, "Are you alright?"
"This little injury means nothing to me. But the look in your eyes just now—it was too frightening!" Lian Xi said softly.
Zhang Ruochen said, "I apologize to you! Actually, there is another possibility."
"After the Ancestor War twelve eons ago, the Nether Ancestor suffered several more heavy blows, so His injuries never healed. But the Immortal of the God Realm had been recuperating all along, and every winter solstice, He enjoyed the sacrificial offerings from all living beings in the universe. It's very likely His injuries have already fully healed. He doesn't urgently need the Primordial Chaos Black Dragon as an Ancestor-level great medicine, and He doesn't want to ruin His greater plan over this matter."
Lian Xi saw Zhang Ruochen staring at her, his emotions stable, so she tried to speak in as playful a tone as possible, smiling. "If His injuries have already healed, then He has even fewer concerns, doesn't He?"
Zhang Ruochen seemed not to hear the rebuttal in Lian Xi's words. "That depends on how the Nether Ancestor faction performs next! The Immortal of the God Realm is waiting, and I am waiting too."
Lian Xi heard clearly—Zhang Ruochen had said "Nether Ancestor faction," not "Shi Yan faction."
There were many material planes in the universe, some of which were far vaster than ordinary great worlds and main stars, reaching a scale that cultivators below the God Realm could never traverse in a lifetime.
The Santu River region was one of them.
In terms of territorial vastness alone, the Santu River region far surpassed the Heavenly Court. It was the most core territory of the Lower Three Clans.
Here, there were countless ghost domains, boundless seas of bone, endless corpse territories, layers of yin (yin) clouds, and abyss upon abyss. Even beings at the God King and God Venerable level could not traverse every place or explain every realm.
In the southwestern part of the Santu River region, there was a corpse river tributary of the Santu River, called the "Yin-Yang Path."
The Yin-Yang Path was the only extremely dangerous route into the Jade Emperor Realm during non-opening periods.
Not far from the entrance to the Yin-Yang Path, in the sea of bone, stood a white bone divine temple shaped like a coffin.
This was an important stronghold established by Shi Yan, equipped with Ancestor-level means to conceal heavenly secrets.
Inside the white bone divine temple, there was another world. The majestic Nether City was situated within.
The Time Cauldron, "Universe Cauldron," floated above the city, very much like a time spring, continuously spewing liquid time imprint light points and time rules.
The Nether City was like an underwater city, with a brilliant sea of light.
Yan Wushen had inverted the Truth Cauldron, "Hong Cauldron," on the ground, while he himself sat cross-legged on one of the Hong Cauldron's legs, breathing and meditating as if in deep meditation (chan ding).
Around him, ten thousand avatars (fenshen) appeared.
Some were ninety-nine-zhang golden-body Buddhas, continuously unleashing fierce and powerful fist techniques; some were peerless sword gods, practicing sword control; some were world-covering demon emperors, holding sun and moon in their hands.
Ten thousand avatars (fenshen) simultaneously cultivated ten thousand methods.
Although the Hong Cauldron was inverted in a corner of the Nether City, beneath its mouth lay an endless star sea, manifesting a nascent universe.
The Swastika Azure Dragon coiled around the Hong Cauldron, every dragon scale flowing with half-ancestor rules and order, synchronized with Yan Wushen's breathing, their auras superimposed (diejia).
On the other side of the Nether City, beneath A Fuya's feet were the stars and rivers manifested by the "Undying Incantation."
She walked barefoot on the river channel meridians (mailuo) with some mysterious and exquisite footwork.
One step, one world.
After years of comprehension (canwu), she had traversed all the river channel meridians (mailuo) of the "Undying Incantation," gaining much. Returning to the center of the "Undying Incantation," a mocking smile appeared at the corner of her mouth. She murmured to herself, "Indeed, it is a fragmented (canque) Dao method. This should only be a corner of the Nether Ancestor's Undying Immortal Method. How can this corner help me return to the Ancestor Realm?"
"First Queen's talent is unparalleled, and her comprehension is transcendent (chaofan). To be able to thoroughly comprehend (wutou) the 'Undying Incantation' so quickly and see through its essence—this old man is truly ashamed of his inferiority."
Shi Yan's aged voice came.
A Fuya raised her head, gazing upward.
An old, broken wooden boat had somehow floated above the Nether City.
"In the chaotic ancient times, the Great Demon God relied on the 'Undying Incantation' to cultivate for eight lifetimes, accumulating the achievements of eight lifetimes before proving the Ancestor Path. First Queen's talent far surpasses the Great Demon God's, and your starting point is higher. Perhaps with one more lifetime of accumulation, you could prove the Ancestor Path."
Shi Yan said.
A Fuya was elegant and noble. "Demon Ancestor is joking, isn't he? The Great Calamity is imminent—where is the time for me to cultivate another lifetime?"
Shi Yan said, "If there is no time to cultivate another lifetime, then seize another's lifetime. First Queen can merge (ronghe) an Ancestor corpse, and then use the corpse-transformation forbidden art to merge (ronghe) one person. This will surely give you hope of returning to the Ancestor Realm. As for the best candidate, it should be Feng Caiyi, with Ci Hang Venerable as the second choice."
"After Ci Hang Venerable returned from the Gray Sea, she had already merged (ronghe) the ten thousand lifetimes of merit of Jia Ye Buddha. Whoever seizes it would be seizing the Ancestor Dao Fruit."
Yan Wushen and the Swastika Azure Dragon had long stopped cultivating.
He strode over. "Among the female cultivators of the world, the closest to the Ancestor Realm are Heavenly Mother and Lady Shiji. Actually, I think Lady Shiji is more suitable for First Queen."
"The greatest obstacle to First Queen's return to the Ancestor Realm is the death qi of the Ancestor corpse, which opposes her own Dao method. Lady Shiji was able to survive to this era through the Dark Cauldron, cultivate a new flesh-and-blood body, and separate (boli) herself from the Dark Cauldron, breaking free from the cauldron's shackles (shufu). This is the breakthrough First Queen most needs."
A Fuya said, "The reason Yan Ancestor thinks Feng Caiyi is the best candidate should be because Feng Caiyi is originally of the Corpse Clan, yet she underwent nirvana rebirth (niepan chongsheng), walking from the path of the dead to the path of the living. If she were merged (ronghe), it would save the step of self-nirvana (niepan)."
Shi Yan nodded. "Actually, the most important thing is that Feng Caiyi obtained the Life Ancestor's lifetime of cultivation and the Demon Ancestor's inheritance. And even more importantly, the Light Cauldron and the Victory Crown are in her hands. First Queen, your strongest cultivated Dao should be the Light Dao, right?"
The Primordial Old Clan Emperor, the Primordial Chaos Old Clan Emperor, and the Heavenly Mechanism Old Clan Emperor successively arrived from various parts of the Nether City, all bowing to Shi Yan.
Shi Yan led the group of strong ones out of the Nether City and then out of the white bone divine temple.
He pointed his finger and drew a line, opening a crack in the Ancestor order that shrouded the temple. Immediately—
"Boom!"
Terrifying fluctuations of heaven and earth rules came from outside the crack.
Everyone present had supreme cultivation and immediately detected the terrible calamity (kepa biangu) in the universe, feeling the changes in heavenly mechanisms rushing toward them.
None failed to change expression.
Yan Wushen said, "Master, we must save the Primordial Chaos Black Dragon, or we will be next."
Another lie from Shi Yan was that the Great Demon God had proven the Ancestor Path by cultivating the "Undying Incantation." But A Fuya had heard from Zhang Ruochen that the Great Demon God's ability to live eight lifetimes and prove the Ancestor Path seemed to have some connection with the unrefined Six Paths Reincarnation Mirror.
It could be said that every lie from Shi Yan was half-true and half-false, with only himself knowing the calculations behind them.