Chapter 686 - 6: The Truth about Taiyi? A Great Upheaval

Chapter 686: Chapter 6: The Truth about Taiyi? A Great Upheaval

Celestial Realm, Celestial Palace.

"I... I still can’t bring myself to do it."

Haotian gently shook his head.

"Xiaoxuan views me as an elder, and I have long seen him as a nephew. Fellow Daoist, though I don’t know how you managed to hide from the Goddess’s eyes, I still can’t bring myself to betray Xiaoxuan."

After a pause, he admitted frankly,

"Although I greatly desire the technique for Damageless Integration that you possess, Fellow Daoist—to integrate with the Cyan Celestial Realm just as you did with the Nine Nether—I... I can do without it."

The ’Houtu’ sitting across from Haotian fell silent for a moment before letting out a soft sigh.

"Fellow Daoist Haotian, you are a man of true character. Your stance makes me seem rather petty in comparison."

Haotian said softly,

"Fellow Daoist Houtu, I know you are still furious about how Xiaoxuan caused your fall. But it was a blessing in disguise, freeing you from the suffering of bearing the burden of Reincarnation and even allowing you to develop the technique for Damageless Integration, merging with the Nine Nether..."

After a pause, he tried to reason with her.

"The past is long gone. What’s the point of dwelling on it?"

’Houtu’ fell silent again, seemingly in thought, seemingly hesitant. Finally, as if having made a decision, she smiled.

"Yes... the past should be left in the past. It was a blessing in disguise, and I should indeed be grateful to Lu Xuan... So be it."

She seemed to have found peace with it and slowly rose to her feet.

"Compared to your virtue, Fellow Daoist, I am ashamed of my own pettiness. I am far from your equal. I will gift you this technique for Damageless Integration after all."

Haotian was stunned.

"You..."

’Houtu’ gave a charming smile and said nonchalantly,

"The knot in my heart has suddenly unraveled. I’ve let it all go and now wish to truly retire from the world. You can watch over the ebb and flow of this great age, Fellow Daoist. I’ve grown weary of it... so weary..."

She left a mote of light behind and turned to depart.

After ’Houtu’ departed, Haotian raised the speck of light. As his consciousness delved into it, realization dawned on him.

’So this is the technique for Damageless Integration? It truly is indescribably profound. To blend forty thousand daos, extract a single true fruit, and use a method of deceiving the Dao to integrate with the Dao... Marvelous, simply marvelous.’

He marveled, muttering to himself,

’This Fellow Daoist Houtu is truly powerful. Not only can she hide from the Goddess’s eyes, but she also developed such a supreme technique... ’

As he spoke, Haotian carefully studied this wondrous technique. Once he had fully grasped its principles, he began to practice it, attempting to activate it.

’If I integrate with the heavens, I might finally have the power to repay Xiaoxuan for the gift of the Dao Fruit. The Dao Dynasty is magnificent, and he is its Daoist Lord. I will... I will guard this Celestial Vault for him!’

Haotian began to glow, merging with the Cyan Celestial Realm little by little.

"I have... Integrated."

His voice stopped abruptly. Just like the Buddha Mother before him, his head drooped, leaving behind nothing but an empty husk and a Dao Fruit.

Within the Celestial Vault of the Great Heaven and Earth, there was a new Dao, a new Harmonizer. And at the same time, the world lost Haotian.

’Houtu’ appeared from nowhere, her face wreathed in a smile.

"Such compassion, such compassion."

The being that was once Haotian raised its head, pressed its palms together in a small bow, and replied with a matching smile,

"Such compassion, such compassion!"

...

"I’ve thought it over and over. Lately, there are more and more things I cannot see through. It’s as if there’s a problem with my eyes, and yet..."

The Goddess began to speak softly.

"...And yet, it also seems there are more and more people like you, capable of hiding from my sight."

Lu Xuan’s brow furrowed. ’I can evade the Lady’s perception because my Transcendent Dao Body is currently evolving into a True Form of Transcendence,’ he thought. ’The Lady’s failure to perceive Fu Xi tricking someone into Integration with a Dao Fruit indirectly proved that Fu Xi also had the means to hide from her.’

’So, what was Fu Xi relying on?’

The Goddess, in the form of a young woman in green robes, continued,

"I’ve been thinking this over, and I couldn’t shake a deep sense of unease. I only just now figured it out. If there really is something wrong with Taiyi, then telling you everything is a good thing. But if there isn’t..."

The Goddess lowered her gaze.

"If there isn’t a problem, then even though your destiny to dominate all might be disrupted, you... you might at least have a clear conscience. I know your character; what you seek above all is a clear conscience."

Lu Xuan felt something was off. ’What does the truth about Taiyi have to do with my conscience?’ he wondered.

He asked in a solemn voice,

"Lady, I must ask you... to resolve my confusion!"

The Goddess was silent for a long while before letting out a long sigh. She cautioned him,

"I will tell you, but let me be clear first. You can already deceive my eyes, and Fu Xi seems to have this ability as well. I cannot guarantee that what I saw regarding Taiyi was the absolute truth."

"I understand, Lady."

Lu Xuan’s expression was grave. He wasn’t in a rush for the answer. He commanded the True Phoenix pulling his Emperor Chariot to descend upon Mount Taishan.

He and the young woman in green walked toward a thatched hut on the mountain. The hut had been abandoned for a long time, but a trace of Supreme Dao Rhyme lingered, preventing it from collapsing with the passage of Time.

Entering the hut, the two sat facing each other. Lu Xuan poured a cup of hot tea for the Goddess and respectfully offered it to her.

The Goddess took a sip of tea before finally beginning to speak.

"From what I saw, Taiyi is not Taiyi. He is..."

Her gaze was crystal clear.

"He is your young attendant, your disciple... Xiaohuo’Er."

Lu Xuan froze, stammering in disbelief,

"Xiao... Xiaohuo’Er? Emperor Jun?!"

"To be precise, it is Emperor Jun and Xi He. Taiyi is Emperor Jun, and the Buddha is Xi He."

The Goddess explained softly,

"In the beginning, it seems there was some unknown Transcendent Trait. Under its interference, the Dao Fruit Cultivators unknowingly fell back under the influence of Time, causing a great conflict between the past and the future."

"It was because of this great conflict in Time that the event of you taking Emperor Jun as a disciple spanned across all of history, projecting itself into the true past and altering the history of the Dao Fruit Cultivators themselves!"

After a pause, the Goddess continued,

"After this change, the event of Taiyi devouring Emperor Jun and consuming Xi He resulted in his own death. The reason was that Emperor Jun had become your disciple, and Xi He your disciple’s wife."