Chapter 4177: Ancestor Imprints One After Another
The Devouring Divine Flower had once been a parasitic plant on Emperor Chen, a fact that Lady Shiji had heard of.
This ferocious plant had grown to such a height in a short period of time, refreshing her understanding. But because of this, she could understand how Corpse Nightmare had managed to attain the Ancestor Dao.
Lady Shiji had concerns, deeply wary of the God Realm, and said, "If Zhang Ruochen rescues the Hongmeng Black Dragon, he might provoke the true form of the Immortal from the God Realm. If it is exposed, it will surely backfire."
"I have my own arrangements for this matter."
That white-robed figure continued, "In fact, the greatest threat at present is the Second Confucian Ancestor, who is about to break through to the ninety-sixth level. This is a key factor that will break the balance."
"Can you find him, young lady?" Lady Shiji asked.
The white-robed figure did not answer this question. After a long silence, she said, "If I make a move, it means the final decisive battle, and then the death of the Nether Ancestor will have no meaning. All the losses suffered by the Nether Ancestor faction before this would truly become meaningless losses."
"Forget it, let him break through. In this glorious end times, if there is no ninety-sixth-level Spiritual Power Ancestor, it always feels like something is missing."
"Shiji, your opportunity has arrived!"
Lady Shiji's eyes, already as beautiful as stars, rippled with divine radiance. "Please, young lady, show me a path to the Great Dao! If I advance to Ancestor, I will turn the tide and restore the balance that has been broken."
"Call them all over!" the white-robed figure commanded lightly.
The Green Bamboo Flute Maiden and the Demon Butterfly Princess rose and left.
"Greetings, Your Majesty the Empress."
The Green Deer Divine King, with his deer head, looked at the Demon Butterfly Princess flying in midair and immediately bowed, smiling warmly.
The Demon Butterfly Princess had dazzling flame butterfly wings on her back and a fiery figure. She smiled sweetly, "Calling me Empress makes me sound so old! Senior, you are a peerless Half-Ancestor; you must not bow to a junior like me."
The Green Deer Divine King shook his head repeatedly and said solemnly, "Although the Princess is young, your cultivation realm is already rare in the world, and your status is extremely noble. On the other hand, I am nothing more than a down-and-out person without a home; how dare I be arrogant?"
The Demon Butterfly Princess would not be fooled by this old fellow's flattery into feeling smug. Instead, her evaluation of the Green Deer Divine King rose another notch, and her vigilance increased as well.
Before today, her identity in the universe was not prominent; how could she have caught the eye of a Half-Ancestor?
But the Green Deer Divine King, with just one look, knew her identity and origin. It was clear how well he understood the gods of the universe and the various forces.
No wonder Zhang Ruochen, who was only at the Saint realm back then, had caught his eye and been targeted by him.
What foresight!
"Come, the young lady wants to see you."
The Demon Butterfly Princess flapped her wings and flew ahead to lead the way.
"Young lady?"
The Green Deer Divine King muttered to himself, a flicker of thought passing through his mind. He followed behind, landing on the lotus leaf green island, and walked along the corridor bridge with the Demon Butterfly Princess.
This Demon Butterfly Princess was from the Heavenly Fire Demon Butterfly clan of the Thousand Petal Realm. Among the younger generation of the last two hundred thousand years, she could only be considered moderately famous. In the same generation, not to mention comparing her to Zhang Ruochen, Yan Wushen, and Chi Yao, who shook the universe, she was far inferior even to Luo Sheng Tian, Lan Ying, and Yan Huang Tu.
It was not until Zhang Ruochen activated the Sundial on a large scale that she caught this tailwind. Additionally, being considered a relative of the Hundred Flowers Fairy Ji Fanxin, she received many benefits, allowing her cultivation to improve rapidly.
In the Green Deer Divine King's memory, she was at most at the Great God level.
But was she really just a Great God?
A trace of profound rule order surrounded her, and the Green Deer Divine King could not see through her cultivation realm. However, if she could face a Half-Ancestor without fear, how could her realm be low?
The Green Deer Divine King's mind was filled with countless thoughts. He mused, "The Sword Realm is full of experts, and Zhang Ruochen's perception is extraordinary. Could it be that he hasn't noticed anything unusual about the Demon Butterfly Princess's cultivation?"
His curiosity was piqued.
He wanted to know who exactly this "young lady" the Demon Butterfly Princess mentioned was.
How could she manipulate the situation right under the noses of Zhang Ruochen and the experts of the Sword Realm?
Just then, the Green Deer Divine King saw Zhang Ruochen standing tall and heroic in the center of the corridor house. His calm mind was momentarily stunned.
What was going on?
A second Zhang Ruochen? Or was he himself Zhang Ruochen?
Hadn't Zhang Ruochen gone to the Heavenly Court?
Hadn't Zhang Ruochen said that Lady Shiji must not know he was still alive?
The Green Deer Divine King could see no flaw, and his mind was in a tangle, unable to sort out the clues.
"Stay calm and adapt to changes!"
The Green Deer Divine King bowed respectfully: "Greetings, Emperor Chen, Empress!"
Lady Shiji, Zhang Ruochen, and the Demon Butterfly Princess all smiled as they looked at him, saying nothing.
Because they, too, did not know why the young lady wanted to see the Green Deer Divine King, or why she wanted him to know the secrets here.
The distant white-robed figure, with hair reaching her waist, spoke in an ethereal, illusory voice: "Shiji, you have been cultivating the Path of the Finite, and you have reached the limit of the Half-Ancestor realm, haven't you?"
Lady Shiji said, "The Finite is a path to Ancestor, but I feel I have truly reached the end and cannot advance further. Perhaps this is the limit of my talent!"
"The Finite lies in absorbing the matter of the universe to nourish oneself. The matter in the universe is endless; how can you lightly say you have reached the end of the path?"
The white-robed figure continued, "At the beginning of heaven and earth's creation, there were only time and space. Then, at a certain moment, darkness and light were born simultaneously."
"Light dispersed, evolving into the stars we can see. Darkness contracted, transforming into the vast land of the Abyss of Darkness."
"The matter of light and the matter of darkness are equal in quantity! If you can refine and absorb the matter in the Abyss of Darkness, why worry about not completing the Path of the Finite?"
Lady Shiji understood what "the opportunity has arrived" meant!
The primordial beings in the Abyss of Darkness, having suffered the trauma of the Ancestor wars and the crushing defeat in the Eternal Heaven battle, and with the Hongmeng Black Dragon chained, were now completely finished, destined to decline and go extinct.
The Abyss of Darkness had entered its weakest period.
All the powerful figures in the universe were drawn to the Hongmeng Black Dragon, and the Second Confucian Ancestor was in seclusion.
It was indeed a perfect opportunity.
The Green Deer Divine King could not help but say, "Is the Abyss of Darkness truly the source of darkness? I understand now. No wonder, at the end of the primordial era, the ancestors of the primordial beings went to the Abyss of Darkness to seek a method of continuation."
Seeing that everyone was silent and did not respond.
The Green Deer Divine King was not embarrassed. He chuckled, "Congratulations, congratulations, Empress! You yourself primarily cultivate the Path of Darkness, which perfectly matches the matter in the Abyss of Darkness. If you can refine it all, it would be equivalent to absorbing half the universe. At that time, how many could rival you?"
Lady Shiji did not show much joy on her face.
Because she knew very well that matter requires a realm to bear.
The enlightenment of the Path of the Finite is the foundation of the Ancestor realm. Without reaching that level of understanding, the matter one can absorb is limited.
The white-robed figure said, "It's not quite half the universe! From the primordial era to the present, too much matter from the Abyss of Darkness has been brought to the upper realms."
"Most gods who cultivate the Path of Darkness go to the Abyss of Darkness to condense their Divine Realm World. Even the vast Santu River basin had its initial matter foundation dug from the Abyss of Darkness."
"The vast starry sky, the bright world, and the ubiquitous darkness are all matter brought out from the Abyss of Darkness by generation after generation of living beings."
"Shiji, you seem to lack confidence?"
Lady Shiji replied, "To answer the young lady, for me, the word 'confidence' is actually meaningless. I will go all out to strive for the Ancestor realm; this is the desire in my heart. At the same time, I will rationally accept failure and have a clear understanding of myself. I know that this personality runs counter to the Ancestor's transcendent spirit of changing heaven and earth, but this is who I am, and I cannot change it!"
The Demon Butterfly Princess laughed, "Historically, most Ancestors were stubborn, persistent, even paranoid, with extremely firm wills. They would not turn back even when hitting a wall, until their heads were broken and they broke through the wall."
"Those who can attain the Ancestor Dao do not need my help. Those who cannot must have some defect. Since you work for me, how could I not help you? Since I help, I will not waste time. You must have a chance to become an Ancestor."
The distant white-robed figure raised her right arm and traced bright Dao patterns in the void with her fingertip.
The Green Deer Divine King cautiously looked up.
He felt that every Dao pattern in the air contained endless laws of heaven and earth, the most fundamental manifestation of the rules of heaven and earth.
These Dao patterns quickly interwove into a mark.
"I grant you this 'Finite Ancestor Mark.' Take your time to comprehend it! Whether you can attain the Ancestor Dao depends on your fortune."
"Whoosh!"
The white-robed figure waved her arm lightly, and the Ancestor Mark flew out.
With a flash of light, it entered Lady Shiji's body.
Every Ancestor has their own unique Ancestor Mark. Once one cultivates an Ancestor Mark, it means they have crossed the threshold of Ancestor, and only time accumulation separates them from the true Ancestor realm.
This was too shocking!
The Green Deer Divine King gasped. Wasn't every Ancestor Mark unique to the one who attained the Ancestor Dao?
Could this "young lady" also have reached the Ancestor realm by cultivating the Path of the Finite?
The shock in Lady Shiji's heart far surpassed that of the Green Deer Divine King.
Because she discovered that this Finite Ancestor Mark perfectly matched her own Dao, as if tailor-made. This was completely different from when Qishier Pin Lian had obtained the Nine-Headed Stone Man's Nine-Headed Ancestor Mark.
If one compared breaking through from the peak of Half-Ancestor to Ancestor to solving a puzzle.
Then the other party had essentially given her both the derivation process and the answer.
She only needed to thoroughly understand this derivation process and arrive at her own answer, which would be equivalent to solving the puzzle and naturally stepping into the Ancestor realm.
If before this, her probability of attaining the Ancestor Dao was only two or three in ten thousand.
Now, she had at least a thirty percent chance!
Lady Shiji immediately bowed and said, "With the Finite, Ancestor is attainable."
"The Path of the Finite is nothing special; its upper limit is already predetermined. The Path of the Infinite of Empress Houtu is truly profound and mysterious." The white-robed figure could not help but praise.
At this moment.
The Green Bamboo Flute Maiden led Jiusi Yitianhuang and Old Wine Ghost into the corridor house.
Seeing Zhang Ruochen and the Green Deer Divine King standing inside, they naturally stared wide-eyed, their minds becoming a tangled mess.
The Green Deer Divine King could certainly tell that the Green Bamboo Flute Maiden was the artifact spirit of the Heavenly Dao Flute. Connecting this with the Demon Butterfly Princess, he had a rough guess about the identity of that "young lady."
But why were Jiusi Yitianhuang and Jiutian, those two old undying ones, also here?
Was this Zhang Ruochen in front of him really Zhang Ruochen?
The Green Deer Divine King felt as if he had been played by this couple. Should he still be a spy or not?
"Greetings, Nether Ancestor!"
Jiusi Yitianhuang and Jiutian bowed in unison.
Nether Ancestor?
Was the Nether Ancestor dead or not?
The Green Deer Divine King, who had always prided himself on being scheming, encountered too many strange things today. He was shocked again and again, and his mind was now blank.
He felt that he would need a lot of time to sort things out.
On the other side, Old Wine Ghost's eyes were not well-behaved. He kept winking at Zhang Ruochen, as if communicating something through eye contact.
Zhang Ruochen laughed, "Not bad, old fellow! Following the Nether Ancestor, your Spiritual Power has actually broken through to such a height."
"You knew she was the Nether Ancestor all along?"
Old Wine Ghost was so angry he almost jumped up. Zhang Ruochen said, "Otherwise?"
Old Wine Ghost was about to flare up but felt a terrifying soul pressure bearing down on him. He immediately shrank back, like a frosted eggplant, not daring to show any temper.
"Yi, you are walking the path of the Great Demon God, right? I have deduced the Ancestor Daos of both the Great Demon God and the Nine-Headed Stone Man, and I can draw their Ancestor Marks." The white-robed figure said.
"Thump!"
Jiusi Yitianhuang immediately knelt on one knee and said, "I am willing to serve the Nether Ancestor to the death."
"The distance to the Great Calamity is less than one Eon. The time is too short. With your talent and current cultivation, even if you obtain these two Ancestor Marks and walk their paths, your probability of attaining the Ancestor Dao is only one in a thousand, or one in a hundred." The white-robed figure said.
Jiusi Yitianhuang said, "Even if the hope is only one in ten thousand, Yi will strive for it with all my might. Even if I cannot attain the Ancestor Dao, if my cultivation can greatly improve, I can at least share more of the Nether Ancestor's burdens."
The white-robed figure traced two Ancestor Marks in the void and struck them into Jiusi Yitianhuang's body. "I don't need you to die for me! You have been to the God Realm, so go again and stay there."
Feeling the two Ancestor Marks, as dazzling as divine suns, within him, Jiusi Yitianhuang's emotions surged with excitement. He was about to speak.
The white-robed figure added, "Don't thank me. These two Ancestor Marks can help you comprehend the Dao, but they can also kill you."
Jiusi Yitianhuang felt as if cold water had been poured on him, instantly calming down.
"My secrets must never be leaked. Once he harbors thoughts of betrayal, the two Ancestor Marks will transform into two flames and burn you to ashes." The white-robed figure said calmly.
Jiusi Yitianhuang said, "The Nether Ancestor commands, and Yi naturally goes to the God Realm. I dare not have any thoughts of betrayal."
After Jiusi Yitianhuang left.
"Green Deer, do you know why you can know so many secrets?"
The white-robed figure's voice came.
Finally, it was his turn!
The Green Deer Divine King, numbed by the shocks, bent his waist even lower, his face almost touching the ground. "This old fool is dull-witted. Please instruct me, Nether Ancestor."
"Because only when you know enough will you fear me enough in your heart, and no longer dare to harbor any different thoughts." The white-robed figure said.
Having witnessed her power, how could the Green Deer Divine King dare to have any other ideas?
He felt that even if he had Ancestor-level combat power, it would be far from enough. The mountain before him was too high, high enough to make one despair.
At the same time, he was even more certain of his guess. Throughout history, across the three realms and ten thousand paths, the Divine Illumination Lotus was best at helping cultivators comprehend the Dao. Only the Primordial Divine Illumination Lotus could help Half-Ancestors comprehend the Ancestor Dao.
Although Zhang Ruochen's First-Rank Divine Path could also help cultivators cultivate, how could his current realm compare to the one before him?
The one before him had lived from the Primordial era to the present. Was there any Dao in the universe she did not understand?
She had probably studied the Dao of every Ancestor extremely thoroughly.
The white-robed figure said, "To nurture an Ancestor is as difficult as ascending to heaven. I can only place bets on multiple fronts. If one of you attains the Dao, it will be a great fortune. Unfortunately, those who truly have Ancestor potential and Ancestor spirit, like Heavenly Mother, Fengdu Dadi, Chi Yao, Jiwang, and Xue Jue, have too firm a will and cannot be used by me. I have to settle for the next best."
"Your previous life, Asura, was guided by the Nether Ancestor step by step to the Ancestor realm. I have studied it a little and can barely draw it."
"I don't care how you survived from the Gray Sea, nor do I care if you have ulterior motives. I have only one requirement: break through to Ancestor and serve me."
As soon as the words fell, the Green Deer Divine King knelt on both knees and heavily kowtowed: "I am willing to serve to the death!"