Chapter 719 - 31: This Humble Daoist, Lu Xuan, The Fall of Fu Xi, When I Become the Daoist Ancestor

"Fellow Daoist Qing Xuan, you're fading away?"

Fu Xi spoke with surprise, but then a smile touched his lips.

"This is for the best. Taiyi, now it is time for you and I to continue our debate..."

Before he could finish, the tenth great wound fully manifested on Qing Xuan. His life force was spent, his lamp oil dry. He had nowhere left to run.

And yet, he was laughing.

"Qing Xuan..."

"This humble Daoist is not Qing Xuan."

Taiyi and Fu Xi both glanced over, expressions of astonishment on their faces. They stared at the nearly transparent Qing Xuan Daoist, who was on the verge of being completely devoured by the Great Era.

Fu Xi narrowed his eyes slightly and asked coolly,

"Oh? There's another secret? If you are not Qing Xuan, then who are you?"

The Daoist's illusory form opened his empty eye sockets. The Innate Root Sun and the Innate Root Taiyin both shone with brilliance. He murmured absently,

"Who am I..."

"I am... Lu Xuan."

Lu... Lu Xuan?

The smile vanished from Taiyi's face. Fu Xi's expression changed drastically, but he quickly regained his composure.

He looked down, as if in sudden realization, yet also with a hint of pity.

"Lu Xuan..."

"Never mind. Regardless of who you are, you are at a dead end. How many breaths do you have left?"

After so many years, the Daoist had reclaimed his name. He closed his eyes slightly, feeling the irresistible assimilation of the Great Era, and fell silent for a long time.

After a moment, Lu Xuan raised his head, let out a long breath, and said wearily,

"Fu Xi, you should be asking, if I am not Qing Xuan, then who is?"

Fu Xi frowned, sensing something was wrong. He asked tentatively,

"Then, who is Qing Xuan?"

The Daoist smiled.

"Have you forgotten?"

"Why... it's you, of course."

Fu Xi froze on the spot.

But Lu Xuan, dragging his illusory body, rose to his feet. He spread his arms in an embracing gesture, and a scroll painting materialized in his grasp.

Within the scroll was a scene of him performing Creation on a Blood and Tears Clay Figure. But halfway through, a strange schism appeared, and the one creating the figure changed from him to Fu Xi...

No, it wasn't just that. Along with him, an imperceptible wisp of a Fundamental Seal had also transformed into Fu Xi.

The Fundamental Seal of [Qing Xuan].

Lu Xuan opened his eyes, his expression calm. He gazed out at the Great Era, which was about to reach its end, and spoke with the weight of ages in his voice,

"Oh, Fu Xi, Fu Xi..."

"How could you forget? You were never the only one who could use [Body Transformation]..."

He smiled as he cast [Body Transformation] in reverse, targeting Fu Xi.

However, this wasn't to replace Fu Xi. It was to activate the wisp of the [Qing Xuan Seal] buried within Fu Xi's body and make Fu Xi become *him*.

To be precise, it was to make Fu Xi become [Qing Xuan].

Fu Xi's expression changed. A chill ran down his spine, and a sense of immense terror welled up in his heart. His breathing involuntarily quickened, and he suddenly felt like he was suffocating.

'I'm going to die, I'm going to die, I'm going to die!'

He was becoming... Qing Xuan.

He had obtained Qing Xuan's identity.

The ten great wounds appeared on his body. That sense of immense terror grew even heavier. He saw the Great Era turn its gaze upon him. He saw himself... being unstoppably, irresistibly, and irreversibly assimilated by the Great Era! ℯ

"No, no, no, no!!"

Fu Xi began to turn illusory, bit by bit. He let out a resonant cry, a sound of panic. His defenses completely shattered as he shrieked in terror,

"This is impossible! Impossible!!"

Fu Xi tried to protect himself, but failed. He was only a [Near Transcender], not yet a true Transcender. And without achieving Transcendence, he was still contained within the Era.

He couldn't stop it. He couldn't even pause it.

Taiyi and Lu Xuan watched quietly as Fu Xi faded, bit by bit, disappearing from existence...

Fu Xi let out a sorrowful cry, his Dao heart shattering in that instant.

"I have toiled alone for countless years, deceiving heaven and earth! My lineage comes from Wa Huang, the most revered of ancient times! I schemed for countless years, planned for countless years! I devoured the Demon Ancestor, consumed the Goddess..."

Tears welled in the corners of his eyes.

"All for naught..."

"To fall at the final hurdle..."

Suddenly, Fu Xi regained his composure. He looked up at the sky, a little lost in thought.

Not far away, a look of great interest appeared on Taiyi's face. He yawned.

"Interesting, interesting. This is getting more and more interesting..."

After a pause, he said with a beaming smile,

"Fu Xi, you may rest in peace. After our long struggle, I will avenge you... Everything is still within my control."

An ecstatic expression appeared on Taiyi's face. He seemed overjoyed as he gazed at Lu Xuan, whose great wounds were gradually fading, as if looking at a beloved treasure.

Fu Xi calmly glanced over and said softly,

"Taiyi, do you really think you've won? Heh..."

Like a tragic hero at his end, he sat down on the ruins of a great world and sighed softly.

The moment he became [Qing Xuan], he understood all the causes and effects. He saw the nine Cycles, saw all the contingency plans of the nine generations of Qing Xuan...

Fu Xi gave Lu Xuan a deep look.

"I was no match for your schemes. I concede defeat."

With that said, Fu Xi sat cross-legged on the ruins of the great world, slowly lowered his head, and dissipated bit by bit, until he vanished completely.

All that remained was a deep sigh.

Taiyi narrowed his eyes, staring at this scene.

After a long while, he slowly turned his head to look at Lu Xuan, a brilliant smile spreading across his face.

"My child, why not return to me?"

Lu Xuan glanced over. Freed from the shackles of the great wounds, he felt light and relaxed. He too was smiling.

"Lu Xuan..."

"Lu Xuan is already dead. You chose this, Taiyi."

Lu Xuan died when he was torn apart by the three-way struggle over the [Era Essence].

After a pause, the Daoist continued, "Now, I am Lu Xuan, and only Lu Xuan."

"I am myself. I was never you..."

The two [Near Transcenders] stood facing each other. The Great Era's progression had reached its end and could shatter at any moment.

Taiyi tilted his head and pondered for a moment. His fingers traced wisps of Chaos mist as he looked on with pity.

"You still want to struggle? Against Fu Xi, the outcome would have been uncertain. But against you... Although you've severed your connection to me, you ultimately came from me. You are my shadow. How can a shadow defeat its source?"

As he spoke, he strode forward with immense confidence, looking down on Lu Xuan. Each step spanned a vast Sea of Chaos. Fu Xi was dead, but Taiyi was not afraid. Devouring the Lu Xuan before him would also complete him, would also allow him to...

Transcend.

"Come, my child..."

The two Near Transcenders began their battle. Just as Taiyi had said, Lu Xuan was at a disadvantage from the very start, completely suppressed.

Taiyi, having merged with the Era Remnants, should have already transcended. Although he had been prevented from reaching Perfection and couldn't truly transcend, he was infinitely close to that step.

Lu Xuan was no match for him.

And now that Fu Xi was gone, he could no longer use [Jun] to borrow [Wa Huang's Qi]. There was no more room for him to improve. Defeat was only a matter of time...

He seemed to have reached a dead end, with no way to escape. He was battered and bruised. Under the wash of the vast Chaos waves, numerous magnificent scenes appeared, all from the previous Era, all remnants of great phenomena.

In the last Beginning Era, Taiyi had struck down all the Dao Fruits and walked to the Door of Transcendence, but unfortunately, he had pushed open the wrong door.

Then, in this Era, he plotted endlessly, striking down Wa Huang the instant before she could achieve Transcendence...

In terms of scheming, Taiyi, whose plots spanned two Eras, was truly number one.

"Why struggle? Why resist? If you and I merge, we are destined to transcend together. What's so bad about that?"

Amidst his light-hearted words, Taiyi's fist struck like lightning. It was simple, without any terrifying phenomena, like the punch of a mortal, yet it pierced straight through Lu Xuan.

Lu Xuan managed a difficult laugh, coughing up mouthfuls of blood. He tried to sublimate his being to its utmost limit, fighting for his life against Taiyi and managing to batter him.

The Sanqing Temple, the Gray Stone, the Heaven and Earth Chessboard, and more all struck down heavily. He unleashed the full might of his End-Tribulation Body, raising the Qing Ping Sword high...

Lu Xuan cleaved Taiyi's Era Remnants in two.

But that was all.

"I told you, it's useless."

Taiyi still had Lu Xuan completely suppressed. He even snapped the Qing Ping Sword, then grabbed Lu Xuan and pulled him into an embrace!

"Come, my child, my child..."

Lu Xuan began to be devoured, bit by bit, merging into Taiyi's body...

The process was slow, but it proceeded inexorably. The outcome seemed set in stone.

But Lu Xuan was still smiling.

"Taiyi, let's make a bet. Let's see if you can devour me faster, or if I am faster..."

Taiyi faltered for a second, then asked in surprise,

"What do you mean?"

As the words left his mouth, he seemed to sense something. He glanced toward The Beginning of Ancient Times and saw a young girl sitting atop Jade Capital Mountain. Behind her, a giant peach tree had appeared.

That peach tree was preaching the Dao.

It was preaching the [Dao Fruit Dao], laying the foundation for the realm of the [Dao Fruit]. The soundless music of the Great Dao resounded throughout The Beginning of Ancient Times, and Barbaric Creatures surged forth to listen.

Taiyi was stunned. He stared intently, seeing through the past and future. That peach tree was a manifestation of half of Lu Xuan's True Spirit! It had been hidden deep within Yan Jiangxue's mind all this time, and had now revealed itself!

He frowned and was about to strike, to destroy Xiaoyan along with the peach tree formed from the True Spirit. But Lu Xuan, held in his embrace, grinned and used all his strength to hold Taiyi in a fierce embrace of his own!

Taiyi was devouring Lu Xuan, and Lu Xuan let him, but in turn, he held Taiyi back. The final contest came down to speed.

If Taiyi was faster, he would achieve Transcendence.

If Lu Xuan was faster, he would finish passing down the [Dao Fruit Dao], definitively claim the title of [Daoist Ancestor], and completely become the [Daoist Ancestor]!

Taiyi's face twisted with savagery. He too felt the urgency and began to tear ravenously at Lu Xuan, but the peach tree in The Beginning of Ancient Times had already finished preaching half of the Dao Fruit Dao!

"Falling at the final hurdle, falling at the final hurdle..."

Taiyi suddenly burst out laughing.

"Oh, Lu Xuan, Lu Xuan, despite all your schemes, you'll still fall at the final hurdle. A shadow will always be a shadow. Even if it breaks free from its master, how can it ever defeat him?"

He had already devoured most of Lu Xuan. He could now move freely. He turned around, still holding Lu Xuan's tattered body, and began to walk step by step toward The Beginning of Ancient Times!

"Fall at the final hurdle, you say...?"

Lu Xuan lifted his head and smiled.

"Taiyi, do you know the biggest difference between you and me?"

After a pause, he answered his own question.

"It's that I have people by my side, I have people backing me up. You don't... Do you understand the importance of having a good background?"

Taiyi was taken aback and repeated,

"What do you mean?"

"I mean... exactly this."

An ancient voice rang out, coming from below Jade Capital Mountain, from the Eight Sceneries Palace.

The gates of the Eight Sceneries Palace swung open. A residual, illusory figure stood within. It was Supreme—a Supreme with only enough power for a single strike.

Taiyi was overjoyed.

"Supreme... Is that supposed to be useful?"

Lu Xuan raised his head, coughing blood.

"It should be... useful."

The contingency plan chosen by the Prime Qing Xuan of the First Cycle was to store a single, all-out strike from Supreme at his peak.

Lu Xuan had never seen his master at his peak, only the immense power he displayed when on the verge of decline.

That one time, the Supreme True Form, teetering on the edge of decline, struck down Fu Xi, slew the Demon Ancestor, suppressed Taiyi, swept through all directions, and pushed back all enemies...

He chose to trust the decision made by his self from the first Cycle, chose to trust his master.

The illusory remnant of Supreme unleashed its one and only strike. It was unremarkable, nothing out of the ordinary—a light, floating punch that drifted toward Taiyi, simple, plain, and in harmony with Nature.

Taiyi shook his head.

"A useless effort. A useless struggle. Supreme is powerful, like a vast ocean, but..."

"But I am the Cyan Celestial Realm."

As he spoke, Supreme's light punch landed on the mocking face of Taiyi, letting out a crisp sound.

CRACK.

Taiyi was killed.

The Supreme Moral Heavenly Venerate had once refused Transcendence.

When he refused Transcendence, Supreme was not at his peak; he had already begun to decline...

Lu Xuan watched as Taiyi revived in an instant, laughed heartily, and repeated,

"Do you understand the importance of having a good background?"

Taiyi's expression was ugly. He glanced at the remnant of Supreme that had vanished after its single strike, then turned back to pull Lu Xuan into his embrace.

"But... what's the use?"

"How is it useless?" Lu Xuan pointed toward The Beginning of Ancient Times and said softly, "The Dao... has been completely preached."

Taiyi glanced over. As fate would have it, the peach tree formed from Lu Xuan's True Spirit had just spoken its final word, completing its sermon on the Dao Fruit Dao.

Lu Xuan closed his eyes.

"In a future year... when I become the Daoist Ancestor."