Chapter 877 - 607: The Fall of Zhao Yu

The Mother River traverses chaos, vast and majestic, without beginning or end.

Billions of world origins, like fragmented diamond star sand, rise and fall in the river waters.

At times, they coalesce, creating flourishing realms, at times they dissolve, returning to the embrace of the Mother River.

Cycles of life and death, ceaselessly continuing!

Beyond the world, seven ancient shadows loom, towering and magnificent, forcefully cutting the turbulent Mother River into seven river domains.

Between the river domains, Dao Rhymes clash, undercurrents surge.

...

To the end of void!

Chen Sheng’s eyes slowly opened and closed, piercing through endless time and space, taking in everything on the banks of the Mother River.

He saw cultivator after cultivator achieving the Ascension Realm, shrouded in glorious rays, like moths to a flame, casting themselves into those seven shadows, becoming a thread of Spiritual Rhyme to nourish the ancient gods.

He saw world after perfect world being slowly swallowed by shadows.

The thunderous sound of world collapse echoes across billions of epochs, transforming into a barely audible murmur as ancient gods awaken.

Time passes, tides fluctuate billions of times.

Those ancient gods, who initially acted only on instinct, chaotic and unordered, gradually clear in mind, and their presence grows more profound and mighty, with pressure intensifying day by day.

"Initially, the seven ancient gods were evenly matched."

Chen Sheng’s gaze slowly swept over the seven river domains below.

The size of the river domain directly reflects the strength of the ancient gods.

Some domains are shrinking, narrow as thin lines, with the gods’ aura wilting.

Others expand, wide as Purgatory, Dao Rhyme surging, overwhelming might, faintly poised to crush the other six domains.

"The seven ancient gods are transformations of Innate Dharma Seed, born from the source of the Mother River, holding laws, with extraordinary positions comparable to a Dharma Master."

"Yet they are also Innate Dao Transformation, living only by instinct at first..."

"Silkworm Master holds dominion over flesh evolution, grasps the reins of fate weaving, even by instinct alone, can take the lead step by step, steadily suppressing the other six."

"Yet the other six are not dead objects."

"The contention over the source of the Mother River, the struggle over Dao path, is far from finished, there remains much to fight for."

Chen Sheng’s lips slightly arched, a deep and unfathomable smile flashed across his eyes.

This is what he desires, only through fierce struggle can he truly complete the Profound Yin Sequence.

...

Chaos knows no years, time flows.

This day.

Inside Eight Treasures Palace, Dao Rhyme flows, Golden Lotus spreads over the ground, auspicious aura everywhere, every inch of space is filled with rich Innate Dao Qi.

Chen Sheng sat on the lotus platform, a hint of anticipation in his eyes.

Qin Zhao Yu was his earliest disciple, accompanying him the longest, he has high hopes for her in this attempt to breakthrough to Daoist Monarch Realm.

Beside him, Lei Lin Mason stood by, even more expectant, he waits for the sound of Dao to echo through Jiuxiao, waits for senior sister to prove Dao Monarch!

Yet ultimately what came was——

Scree!

A sharp wail suddenly burst from the depths of Eight Treasures Palace, piercing through Jiuxiao, shaking golden lotuses in the hall to fall, auspicious aura instantly collapsing.

Crack!

A crisp and harsh shattering sound followed the wail, resounding through the entire palace.

Dharma Seed shattered!

The dream-like, illusionary Dharma Seed crumbled violently!

Billions of Dao Patterns, like a starry river, suddenly extinguished, scattering instantly, turning into fine dust, evaporating upon touch in the hall.

Between heaven and earth, a layer of calamity aura, both vanishing and illusionary, like smoke and mist, spread suddenly.

Within that aura, remnants of Illusion Destruction Law mixed, mingled with the weak aura of life about to extinguish, permeating every corner of Eight Treasures Palace.

Five million years of hard cultivation, shattered in a single moment!

Chen Sheng slowly opened his eyes, the light in them dimmed slightly, his heart heaving a long sigh:

"The path of Dao is arduously difficult!"

"Even with external aid, breaking through to Daoist Monarch remains..."

"Alas!"

Beside him, Lei Lin Mason trembled all over, face extremely sorrowful.

He had deep affection with Qin Zhao Yu!

Since joining Chen Sheng’s school, with the master in constant retreat, it was this senior sister who personally guided him in cultivation, taught and enlightened, treated him like a younger brother.

Nominally senior sister and junior brother, but in truth, half teacher and half kin.

"Today failed in realm-breaking, Dharma Seed shattered, no hope for return!"

Not long after.

Deep in the rolling calamity aura, a phantom shadow slowly gathered.

Robes fluttering, Dao Rhyme around the body withering away, her presence so weak it felt like being blown away by the wind, it was Qin Zhao Yu.

Even though her form and spirit were about to extinguish, she remained upright, expression calm, only a trace of regret buried in her heart.

It was a seeker of Dao’s regret, not the fearful sobbing of one about to die.

"Only regret not being able to hear the Dao..."

"If I heard the Dao, I could die willingly at dusk!"

She walked, stepping on a red lotus, looked at Chen Sheng above, bowed three times:

"Zhao Yu is unworthy."

"Five million years of cultivation, ultimately unable to break Dao Monarch’s shackles."

"Failed in the attempt, Dharma Seed shattered, disappointing the master’s nurturing."

Chen Sheng waved his sleeve, a gentle breeze rose, supporting her phantom form, he spoke little, only said:

"Go now."

"The Pan Wu lineage, Qin Clan, the master will watch over them, none shall dare to bully, none shall dare to disrupt, you can rest in peace."

Qin Zhao Yu’s eyes moistened slightly, yet no tears fell, kneeling again respectfully before Chen Sheng:

"Thank you, master."

She turned, looked at Mason beside her, gaze gentle, without words, without counsel, only a glance of cherished promise, a sight of hope.

Hope that he completes the road she hasn’t finished.

Mason gazed at her fading shadow, bowed deeply, spoke loudly:

"Junior brother bids farewell to senior sister!"

Qin Zhao Yu’s lips arched slightly, revealing a faint yet pure smile.

She walked towards the void, her figure increasingly phantom-like.

One step, figure fades a bit.

Two steps, phantom intensified.

Three steps, completely extinguished.

Qin Zhao Yu’s form and spirit altogether extinguished, wholly returned to void.

Inside Eight Treasures Palace, golden lotuses ceased to bloom, auspicious aura no longer flowed, the calamity aura gradually scattered.

Only a faint trace of Dao Rhyme subtly lingered within Eight Treasures Palace, narrating her five million years of steadfast practice, and her heart dedicated to Dao.

"Seeking Dao’s illusionary destruction, unachievable!"

"Perish in illusionary destruction, so be it!"

Chen Sheng gazed below, for a long time, he slowly spoke, voice not high, yet each word clear, falling in the hall.

"Mason."

Lei Lin Mason’s body shivered, suppressing all emotions, solemnly responded:

"Disciple is here."

Chen Sheng raised his eyes, gaze far-reaching, seemed to transcend endless time-space.

"Your senior sister... has passed, Pan Wu lineage, Qin Clan, must have someone to care for."

Mason lowered his head, with senior sister gone, he became the eldest brother of Pan Wu lineage, the matters she carried now fall on him.

With the passage of long ages, with Chen Sheng, a Daoist Monarch, guarding, like a Stabilizing Needle, the Antarctic Immortal Mansion’s Pan Wu lineage had become a colossal entity, many Dharma Masters had come under its wing, numerous factions internally divided.

Chen Sheng focused on cultivation usually, the mundane affairs were all managed by Qin Zhao Yu...

He continued:

"Rise and visit Antarctic Immortal Mansion once, to calm people’s hearts on behalf of the master."

Mason nodded: "Yes."

Chen Sheng said again:

"Then return to Qin Clan’s ancestral land, send back your senior sister’s relics, take charge of Mind World on behalf..."

Mason slowly raised his head, despite Qin Clan being grand, there was no second Dharma Master, his visit also stood for support:

"Disciple understands."

"Disciple will take care of Qin Clan."

Chen Sheng nodded slightly, when he spoke again, his aura slightly elevated:

"In the future, you also need to divide a manifestation, long-term station in Pan Wu Hall, to maintain the situation, shielding your senior sister’s legacy."

"Master rest assured, with senior sister gone, what she left undone, disciple will accomplish."

Chen Sheng’s eyes showed slight fluctuations, faintly said:

"If you have this heart, you honor her teachings of old."

"Go now."