Chapter 688 - 7: Interlinked? The Bloody Battle Begins

Chapter 688: Chapter 7: Interlinked? The Bloody Battle Begins

"So... who is Qing Xuan?"

A brilliant radiance burst forth from Taiyi—the unmistakable Innate Root Sun Sign. A smile played on his lips as he sighed softly.

"Qing Xuan... this is beyond my control..."

After a pause, Taiyi leisurely performed a salute.

"Greetings, Master. I must ask Master... to clear my confusion."

Lu Xuan stared at Taiyi, his eyes burning like fire. He had already integrated part of the Goddess’s True Form of Transcendence, and his eyes had undergone a profound transformation.

As he gazed into him now, he could just barely perceive the profound mysteries within Taiyi’s body, seeing several points of intensely dazzling light that made his eyes ache.

After a long, silent moment, Lu Xuan spoke calmly.

"When did I find you out? ...Just a short while ago. When I mentioned the strange vision in Qing Xuan’s eyes, your mind wavered violently. I noticed."

He paused, his gaze fixed on Taiyi, and continued.

"As for who Qing Xuan is and where... What, you who sees all and controls all, you who followed me as Xiaohuo’Er for countless years, you don’t even know this?"

The Goddess listened quietly to the side, silent and unmoving. Confusion filled her eyes as she sized up the suddenly arrived Taiyi.

As for Taiyi, he simply lowered his eyelids in disappointment.

"After so many years apart, we’ve finally been reunited, Master. And you... you don’t dare trust me anymore?"

He sighed softly and said slowly,

"Master, please, think about it. Think of all the little things over so many years. From the very beginning until now, although I spoke of devouring you, everything I did..."

As he spoke, Taiyi sat down cross-legged, his head slightly lowered in apparent dejection.

"From Chu Tai to the Donghuang Bell fragment that let you dream of Ancient Times, then helping you cause both Houtu and Amitabha to fall, even giving you the Donghuang Bell itself, and the body of Shakyamuni, the position of Spirit Mountain Buddha..."

Lu Xuan stared at Taiyi, his heart stirring.

’He’s right. When I think about it carefully, from the Spring and Autumn Period until today—forty-eight thousand years—Grandpa Chu, Lu Ya, Taiyi...’

’They all seemed to stand against me, but I was the one who benefited every single time.’

’And I’ve reached the Daluo realm twice. The first time was thanks to the body of Shakyamuni, and the second was also thanks to Taiyi’s gift...’

Taiyi was still sighing.

"Teacher, I have followed you for many years. As Lady said, during that great conflict of Years, I glimpsed a corner of the fated future. In that future..."

He seemed to choke up, his gaze distant.

"In that future, I saw Profound Clarity, Profound Yellow, Nine Nether, and Hongjun. I saw Shakyamuni and Purple Cloud. I saw all these bodies become one. You reached the absolute pinnacle, and then you died. Truly died. All your great power scattered... This disciple did not want that to happen, which is why I made all these plans..."

Lu Xuan was silent. He opened his mouth as if to say something, but in the end, all that came out was a sigh.

"Xiaohuo’Er..."

He began softly.

"You should know that in the Taishang Lineage, we face our tribulations ourselves. How could we let a disciple block a calamity for us? That you’ve come this far... as your master, I am very pleased."

As he spoke, Lu Xuan couldn’t help but lower his eyelids. He had been staring directly at Taiyi for too long, peering into him for too long, and the seven clusters of unknown light were starting to hurt his eyes.

Tears now streamed from Taiyi’s eyes.

"Teacher, if not for you, I would have died long ago—devoured and assimilated..."

He paused, took a deep breath, and wiped away his tears.

"Teacher, please let me act on my own this once. In the future, if you achieve Transcendence, it might not be impossible for you to bring me back... But please, tell me, who exactly is Qing Xuan? And where is he?"

Lu Xuan retracted the wisps of Transcendence Origin from his eyes, making himself unable to see the seven blazing clusters of light within Taiyi. Only then did he look toward him.

He stared at Taiyi for a long time, looking at this middle-aged man who had so often clamored about devouring him, looking at the tear stains on his face and his reddened eyes...

Lu Xuan let out a soft sigh. He didn’t answer directly, but instead stared blankly, murmuring nostalgically.

"This all feels so surreal. Before I knew it, you’ve already reached this stage. I still remember..."

A look of reminiscence appeared on his face.

"I still remember the first time I walked into The Beginning of Ancient Times, I saved you from a vicious Barbaric Creature. Back then, you took me as your master, and I accepted you as my disciple. Who would have thought it would lead to this day?"

Taiyi froze for a moment, then nodded gently and whispered.

"It’s been too long. I haven’t looked back in many years. All I remember in my heart is the debt I owe Master for saving my life!"

The Goddess froze, a look of shock on her face.

After a pause, Taiyi asked again.

"That said, Teacher, who... who exactly is Qing Xuan?"

Lu Xuan lowered his gaze.

"I don’t know, and you shouldn’t ask again... By the way, Xiaohuo’Er, what about the Innate Uncertain Number inside you? Why has it scattered? I can’t see its root."

Taiyi shook his head, his face troubled.

"I don’t know either... Teacher, the priority right now is to investigate that Qing Xuan. Why were Xi He and I in his eyes?"

As he spoke, the radiance of the Innate Root Sun on his body grew even more intense, as if to prove his point.

At the side, the Goddess let the confusion in her eyes fade. She looked at Taiyi and chuckled.

"You don’t need to ask about Qing Xuan anymore. He is absolutely fine, you can rest assured."

Taiyi seemed a little agitated and waved his hands repeatedly.

"Lady, that’s not it at all. I suspect the corner of that terrifying future I glimpsed might be related to this so-called Qing Xuan Daoist. In the current era, there are too many mysteries. The Primordial Ancestor wants to become the Daoist Ancestor, Qing Xuan’s origins are unknown, Fu Xi is lurking in the shadows..."

The smile vanished from the Goddess’s face.

Taiyi frowned, his words coming to an abrupt halt. Sensing something was wrong, he glanced to the side and saw Lu Xuan still sitting there quietly, staring at him.

Tears of blood suddenly streamed from Lu Xuan’s eyes, as if they had been pierced. He remarked softly,

"I see it now..."

He let the blood flow from his eyes and asked calmly,

"I saw seven clusters of light on you and identified what they are. Three Transcendent Traits: Occupying the Future, Celestial Intent Dao Rhyme, and Body Transformation.

A sliver of Fu Xi’s Infinite True Spirit, a trace of the Demon Ancestor’s Infinite Magical Power, half of a True Form of Transcendence, and, identical to my own and most certainly not your original one, half of an Innate Uncertain Number."

As he spoke, the Goddess grew more bewildered, while Taiyi’s expression became colder.

Lu Xuan wiped the bloody tears from the corners of his eyes and said with regret,

"Unfortunately, I have yet to obtain the Lady’s complete True Form of Transcendence, so this is all my eyes can see. Everything I have... you seem to have as well."

Taiyi chuckled.

"Master, I am a product of the great conflict of Years. It’s only natural that I have everything you have."

"Then why is it that every time my True Form of Transcendence becomes more complete, yours does as well?"

Lu Xuan stood up and said, enunciating each word,

"You’re not Taiyi. And I’m afraid you’re not Xiaohuo’Er, either, are you?"

Taiyi’s smile faded.

"If you know, why ask?"

As the words fell, he opened his mouth and inhaled, swallowing the Daoist Buddha who was meditating on Spirit Mountain an infinite distance away. In a single step, he entered the realm of Enlightenment.

In the next instant, Taiyi attacked without hesitation.

"Lu Xuan..."

"My child."

His great fist struck like thunder. The Supreme Skill, Shangqing Skill, and Yuqing Skill all erupted at once. Even the Heaven-Opening Transformation, the Cause of All Fruits, and the Source of All Things—gifts from the Blind Daoist to Lu Xuan—materialized around him!

Everything Lu Xuan could do, everything he knew, understood, and possessed—this being seemed to have it all, too.

The entire thatched hut was obliterated into dust. The whole of Taishan collapsed with a deafening ROAR.

"Who is Qing Xuan?"

Taiyi was utterly ruthless, striking Lu Xuan with one fist and the Goddess with the other.

...

「Above the Great River of Years.」

"Mercy, mercy!"

Ancient Bodhi Buddha placed his palms together and said softly,

"Fellow Daoist Purple Cloud has already established a new Spirit Mountain, so the fortunes of our Buddhist Sect have stabilized. However, I believe we cannot delay any longer. The Supreme is about to fall, and once he does, conflict will surely erupt."

The Demon Ancestor opened her eyes, and Fu Xi glanced over. Both nodded in agreement.

The former tucked a lock of hair behind her ear, revealing a long, snow-white neck, and spoke with a cool tone.

"In this great era, the mysteries run deep. We don’t know where the Daoist Buddha came from, nor the foundation of Lu Xuan’s Realm of Transformation. The Supreme also seems to have a backup plan; his true body is inside the Eight Trigrams Furnace..."

After a pause, the Demon Ancestor continued,

"Fortunately, however, the Primordial has been suppressed, and the seat of the Yuqing has fallen into the hands of Fellow Daoist Purple Cloud. The advantage is still ours."

Beside them, Fu Xi nodded but then added a reminder.

"We still need to be careful of Taiyi. There is something very wrong with him. I find him more and more difficult to read..."

After a moment of contemplation, he went on.

"Especially recently. I used to be able to glimpse a part of Taiyi’s foundation, but just a short while ago, not long before the restart of the Journey to the West, I completely lost the ability to see through him!"

Ancient Bodhi Buddha advised gently,

"No matter how big a problem Taiyi is, we must deal with him after defeating the Supreme, Lingbao, and Lu Xuan. For now, we must not have internal strife..."

Fu Xi frowned and fell silent for a long time before finally nodding.

After thinking for a moment, he suddenly said,

"Speaking of which, I just remembered something. Not long ago, I met with Fellow Daoist Houtu for a talk. During my visit, I learned of an incredible Dharma from her."

"Oh?" Ancient Bodhi Buddha asked curiously. "What Dharma?"

Fu Xi mulled it over for a second, then explained.

"I’m not entirely clear on the specifics myself. It seems to be something Houtu figured out on her own, a method called Damageless Integration."

"Damageless Integration?" Bodhi was suddenly stunned. "You mean literally?"

"That’s right." Fu Xi nodded slowly.

"That’s impossible."

Ancient Bodhi Buddha stated flatly.

"Damageless Integration? It’s too absurd. Every Harmonizer loses their spirit, their senses, and their desires. Although they achieve immortality and ascend in a single step, in a meaningful sense, how are they any different from the dead?"

Fu Xi quickly waved his hand.

"I originally thought so too, but looking at Fellow Daoist Houtu, does she look like she has undergone Supreme Forgetting Emotions in any way?"

"Hm?"

Bodhi’s expression changed slightly.

"Are you saying Houtu has already achieved Integration Dao?"

"Correct, she has integrated with the Nine Nether..." Fu Xi frowned. "And the most crucial part is, it’s not just Houtu. It seems the Buddha Mother has also achieved Integration Dao, integrating with Time!"

Bodhi and the Demon Ancestor both widened their eyes in disbelief, while Fu Xi paced back and forth.

"That Fellow Daoist Houtu gifted the method of Damageless Integration to me. I’m considering whether I should try practicing it... Little sister, Bodhi, would you two like to examine it with me?"

"Don’t!"

Bodhi immediately cut him off.

"There must be a catch. When has anything good in this world ever come for free? Everything has a price. Houtu... there’s definitely something wrong with her!"

The Demon Ancestor also nodded, looking concerned.

"Yes, elder brother, you mustn’t practice that so-called Damageless Integration method. This is all too sudden, too strange..."

Fu Xi’s eye twitched, but he quickly returned to normal and nodded repeatedly.

"Of course, I know. Why don’t we go visit Fellow Daoist Houtu and the Buddha Mother together first..."

Before he could finish, the Great Chaos trembled violently.

"Hm?"

The three Supreme Beings turned their heads simultaneously toward the source of the tremor, all of them utterly dumbfounded.

"Is that... Taiyi?"

Staring at the figure single-handedly locked in a bloody battle against the Goddess and Lu Xuan, Ancient Bodhi Buddha’s face was filled with confusion, while Fu Xi’s expression suddenly became incredibly grim.