Chapter 575: A Single Thought, Absolute Kill

Tianji Scholar Zhong Lin was also at West Heaven Expanse. He suspected that Black Pot was the ascended Gold Immortal. These past few days, he had been mingling within the Fire Battalion disguised as a heavenly soldier, monitoring Black Pot's movements. However, Black Pot's behavior had been consistently like that of a normal immortal, and he could not discern any flaw.

Black Pot's daily routine mirrored that of a normal immortal. He went to West Heaven Expanse to cultivate, just like a normal immortal. He drilled in formations with the other heavenly soldiers, and jointly interpreted the Primordial Chaos Dao Scripture, all of which was perfectly normal. His progress with the Primordial Chaos Sword Scripture was rapid, and his cultivation of the Primordial Chaos Dao Scripture was also quite swift.

Moreover, Black Pot had a kind face and a benevolent heart, always willing to help others, and he got along well with the other heavenly soldiers. Zhong Lin even began to doubt whether his guess was wrong.

He noticed that Black Pot's cultivation was incredibly profound, far surpassing the other ascended immortals. Yet, Black Pot's cultivation level was still far from Gold Immortal, barely approaching True Immortal.

"Perhaps my line of inquiry is flawed. Brother Black is not that Gold Immortal. Could that Gold Immortal be Chen Shi, who ascended alongside Brother Black? He disguised himself as an Ascension Realm cultivator, attempting to deceive heaven and cross the sea, hiding his true identity from prying eyes."

Just as this thought crossed his mind, it happened to coincide with Chen Shi achieving Dao Unification at West Heaven Expanse, surging to the peak of the Celestial Immortal Realm. The Celestial Machinery Scholar, Zhong Lin, felt an immensely powerful aura rushing toward him, and his expression changed instantly.

The vast majority of heavenly soldiers were only at the early stage of the Celestial Immortal Realm. Even after ten years and leaving the Celestial Court, most would still be at the early Celestial Immortal Realm. No one could cultivate to the peak of the Celestial Immortal Realm in such a short time!

Among the heavenly soldiers, those who served as Instructors or Regional Commanders were often True Immortals. But even they needed continuous diligent cultivation, grinding away for thousands upon thousands of years, to reach that step.

Chen Shi's Dao Unification at West Heaven Expanse, which abruptly pushed his cultivation to the peak of the Celestial Immortal Realm, truly startled Tianji Scholar Zhong Lin.

"This person is indeed somewhat peculiar, but not that peculiar. He accumulated too much power during the Ascension Realm, resulting in incredibly profound cultivation. As long as he achieved Dao Unification, he would directly reach the peak of the Celestial Immortal Realm. But he should not be that Gold Immortal."

Zhong Lin dismissed his suspicion of Chen Shi, thinking to himself, "The immortals who ascended this time are indeed a hidden dragon and crouching tiger, with many experts among them. Brother Black and Chen Shi are both masters. However, no matter how good Chen Shi's plan is, in the Celestial Court, no one is allowed to achieve Dao Unification."

The Celestial Court was a place shrouded by the Celestial Way's magic treasure. To achieve Dao Unification there was equivalent to unifying with the Celestial Way's magic treasure itself. How could the Celestial Court possibly permit this?

Even if the Celestial Court permitted it, the Celestial Way's magic treasure would not.

The Celestial Way is impermanent. It does not exist for the sake of Yao, nor does it perish for the sake of Jie.

Therefore, the Celestial Court was absolutely not a place for Dao Unification.

Since the establishment of the Hao Tian Celestial Court and the forging of the Celestial Way's magic treasure, no one had been able to achieve Dao Unification within the Celestial Court.

It was not a matter of prohibition, but of impossibility.

"This Chen Shi suppressed his own strength and used words to manipulate Regional Commander Yin Fenglou, attempting to seize power. He is not a good person either. However, his wishful thinking has failed. He did not anticipate that Dao Unification is impossible within the Celestial Court," Zhong Lin thought.

Just as this thought crossed his mind, he saw strands of radiant light ripple across West Heaven Expanse. That was the light emitted by the Great Dao of Heaven and Earth, and it was actually beginning to unify with Chen Shi!

Zhong Lin jumped up, staring at this scene in horror.

Although West Heaven Expanse was on the periphery of the Celestial Court, achieving Dao Unification there was equivalent to achieving it within the Celestial Court itself!

Achieving Dao Unification in the Celestial Court was equivalent to unifying with the Celestial Way's magic treasure!

This was something completely impossible!

Yet it was happening right before his eyes!

Why was someone achieving Dao Unification in a place where it should be impossible?

"This is the Celestial Court, where can one possibly unify with the Dao?"

He was both shocked and terrified. As a Tianji Scholar, one who interprets the Celestial Way, he knew full well how absurd Dao Unification within the Celestial Court was. Yet Chen Shi was right in the middle of it, and it was going smoothly.

"It is the Celestial Way's magic treasure that is allowing him to unify!"

Zhong Lin suddenly realized, thinking, "It is only because the Celestial Way's magic treasure permits him to unify that he can do so! But why would the treasure permit it?"

A flash of inspiration crossed his mind. He swiftly produced a Mirror of Clarity, slightly larger than a Compass. Reflected within the mirror was a bamboo slip, upon which was written a line of peculiar characters, their structure extremely complex.

These characters were composed of Dao patterns, elucidating the profound mysteries of the Celestial Way.

What Zhong Lin was examining in the mirror was precisely the record on the Celestial Strategy concerning the Gold Immortal who had ascended this time. He carefully studied this record, thinking to himself, "When I first interpreted these Dao patterns, there were two possible interpretations. One was that this person is a Gold Immortal concealing his cultivation, attempting to evade the probing of the Celestial Strategy. The second was that this person is a part of the Celestial Way itself."

But the second interpretation was too absurd. Not to mention that other Tianji Scholars would be unwilling to believe it, even Zhong Lin himself, who had made this interpretation, could not believe it. Therefore, the interpretation he reported was the first one.

"But now it seems that this Chen Shi is indeed a part of the Celestial Way!"

Zhong Lin's gaze flickered. He hesitated for a moment but did not stop Chen Shi's Dao Unification, thinking, "If he unifies with the Dao, he is returning to the Celestial Way. As a Tianji Scholar, I should only observe this with delight, not interfere."

A look of pleasure appeared on his face.

Beside him, Black Pot looked at him with a puzzled expression.

Tianji Scholar Zhong Lin had been following and observing Black Pot these past few days, and Black Pot had long since noticed this. He had tried to influence Zhong Lin but was horrified to discover that he could not change any of Zhong Lin's thoughts or ideas!

Zhong Lin was a Tianji Scholar, one who interpreted the Celestial Way. Black Pot's abilities were techniques of the demonic path, which were suppressed by the Celestial Way. As a result, Black Pot had been forced to disguise himself as a normal dog immortal these past few days.

Black Pot was also quietly observing Zhong Lin. In Black Pot's eyes, Zhong Lin was an unfathomably profound master, and he worried that Zhong Lin might do harm to Chen Shi. That was why he had led him to West Heaven Expanse.

Unexpectedly, Chen Shi had also followed him here, and for some reason had gotten into a conflict with Regional Commander Yin Fenglou of the Fire Battalion.

Black Pot was worried that Zhong Lin would see Chen Shi's special qualities, but now it seemed that Zhong Lin had figured something out.

"How did he figure it out?" Black Pot wondered.

In a short span of time, Chen Shi had already unified with the Dao over a thousand miles, his Dao Realm enveloping a corner of West Heaven Expanse.

He had unified with the Dao before, using the Celestial True God as his Divine Embryo to unify with Western Ox New Continent. With that experience, this Dao Unification was proceeding exceptionally smoothly.

"My Godmother's plans never fail. She knew that Yin Fenglou was at the Celestial Court in the Earth Immortal Realm, so she listed this task last, hoping to use my hand to eliminate him."

Chen Shi's gaze flickered, landing on Yin Fenglou.

Yin Fenglou's face was filled with shock. Clearly, Chen Shi unifying with the Dao in the Celestial Court was something he had never anticipated.

"If I eliminate Yin Fenglou, my Godmother will know that I have arrived at the Celestial Court. Everything is part of my Godmother's arrangement!"

Chen Shi's eyes flashed with a murderous intent. Just as he was about to strike down Yin Fenglou with the speed of a thunderbolt, his vision suddenly blurred. His consciousness was forcibly relocated from West Heaven Expanse to another place by an immense force!

Startled, the moment his consciousness was moved away, he immediately left behind a single thought to guard his physical body.

Before him, boundless Dao patterns surged within a dazzling light, interweaving into different textures. The myriad worlds, sun, moon, stars, and rivers, the teeming masses of living beings, causality like chains, reincarnation like a circular disk, mountains and rivers as embellishments, oceans and seas as carving knives, wind and clouds as frost, thunder and fire as plowing. Life and death, yin and yang, all within the Celestial Way!

Countless magnificent scenes merged and blended. The joys and sorrows of partings and reunions, the changing of worldly affairs, the vicissitudes of heaven and earth, the alternating brightness and darkness of the sun and moon, the passage of years in the starry sky, all formed the textures of the Celestial Way.

Ultimately, these textures interwove to form lines of vertical characters, flowing before Chen Shi's eyes, shifting and changing unpredictably.

The Celestial Way's magic treasure, the Celestial Strategy.

Chen Shi's eyes widened as he stood before this inconceivable treasure.

Life, before the Celestial Way, appeared utterly insignificant, nothing more than a drop in the vast ocean.

A profound sense of awe welled up within him.

The Empress of Earth had once told him that when he ascended to the Earth Immortal Realm, he would be able to feel the power of the Celestial Way's magic treasure. Now, he finally understood just how powerful that treasure was!

The Dao patterns of the Celestial Strategy flowed at lightning speed, different patterns branding themselves into his pupils.

However, what was summoned here was his consciousness. Although the Dao patterns of the Celestial Strategy appeared to be branded onto his pupils, they were actually being branded deep within his consciousness.

Within Chen Shi's mind, a torrent of chaotic and miscellaneous information came flooding in, quickly exceeding the limits of his thinking. His head spun, and his consciousness nearly collapsed.

But the Dao patterns of the Celestial Strategy continued to pour Celestial Way Dao patterns into the depths of his consciousness without cease.

Chen Shi was unable to move, helplessly allowing the Celestial Strategy to brand these patterns into him, thinking, "What is the Celestial Strategy trying to do?"

At the same moment, back at West Heaven Expanse, Yin Fenglou saw that Chen Shi had not yet fully completed his Dao Unification and immediately made the first move. He called out in a long voice, "Chen Shi, if you can defeat me, then the position of Fire Battalion Regional Commander will be yours!"

His voice was meant to seize the initiative, rolling like thunder and crashing into Chen Shi's mind. Had his cultivation been slightly weaker, the thunderous roar would have shattered his Primordial Spirit and turned his brains to mush.

From his sword box, a sword aura flew out, executing the Primordial Chaos Sword Scripture.

The Primordial Chaos Sword Scripture was an immortal technique. Although many immortals could execute it, few had immersed themselves in this swordsmanship for a long time and achieved any real accomplishment.

Yin Fenglou had cultivated the Primordial Chaos Sword Scripture for several thousand years and had thoroughly mastered this art.

The sword box that paired with the Primordial Chaos Sword Scripture contained a total of one hundred and eight sword auras. The higher one's swordsmanship cultivation, the more sword auras one could mobilize.

When mobilizing a single sword aura, the power of the Primordial Chaos Sword Scripture was merely on par with an ordinary immortal technique. The moves were exquisite, but it was hard to distinguish any superiority over other sword-type immortal techniques.

But when mobilizing two sword auras, the level of exquisiteness was already incomparable.

When mobilizing three sword auras, the power of the Primordial Chaos Sword Scripture had already surpassed ordinary immortal techniques.

After that, with each additional sword aura, both the power and the exquisiteness of the sword scripture received a startling increase.

Being able to control sixty-four sword auras meant one could be considered a notable swordsmanship master in the Earth Immortal Realm.

If one could simultaneously command all one hundred and eight sword auras, then across the entire Earth Immortal Realm, the number of those who could surpass you in swordsmanship could be counted on one hand.

Such was the power of the Primordial Chaos Sword Scripture!

But the problem was that the Primordial Chaos Sword Scripture was widely circulated. Those who could master eight or nine sword auras were a dime a dozen. However, the higher one went, the harder it became to cultivate. Moreover, one needed to cultivate the Primordial Chaos Dao Scripture simultaneously. The deeper one's cultivation in the Primordial Chaos Dao Scripture, the more sword auras one could command at once.

Therefore, few people achieved any real accomplishment in this swordsmanship. Most people, upon leaving the Celestial Court, would abandon the Primordial Chaos Sword Scripture early on and cultivate other immortal techniques.

Around Chen Shi, the ground of West Heaven Expanse shattered with a crackling sound. Sword auras mixed with the underground Xirang, exploding in the air and flying upward!

This sword move was called Earthly Qi's Cold Greeting.

When earthly qi greets with cold, heaven inverts and brings life and death!

Chen Shi leaped backward, flying away like a swift swallow, covering a thousand miles in an instant. Beneath his feet, countless streams of earthly qi burst forth, wantonly releasing frigid energy. The cold air coalesced into sword light in the sky and shot toward him.

Seeing this scene, Bai Fangfang was deeply moved. "The swordsmanship of the Primordial Chaos Sword Scripture truly far surpasses the mortal world! It is far more profound than any sword technique I learned in the mortal realm!"

Xiao Dulu was extremely nervous. "Brother Chen has only just become a heavenly soldier. He hasn't had time to learn this sword art. I'm afraid he'll be at a disadvantage!"

Just as he finished speaking, Chen Shi suddenly halted. From the sword box on his back, a sword aura flew out, executing the very same move, Earthly Qi's Cold Greeting.

The two sword techniques collided, displaying the fierce and sharp quality of "earthly qi greets with cold, heaven inverts and brings life and death" to its fullest extent.

Within Chen Shi's physical body, only a single thought remained. Facing such an attack, it could only make the best choice instinctively. While one sword aura blocked Yin Fenglou's attack, he was already commanding a second sword aura to strike at Yin Fenglou.

Yin Fenglou's second sword aura also attacked simultaneously. The two were even using the same move, Wind Lord's Irregularity.

The sword auras were like fierce winds, blowing across the wilderness, penetrating every opening.

From the sword box on Chen Shi's back, a third sword aura flew out, swirling around his body, blocking the penetrating sword energy.

Yin Fenglou also activated his third sword aura simultaneously. The two flew while blocking each other's sword techniques.

"To be able to cultivate the Primordial Chaos Sword Scripture to the point of commanding three sword auras in such a short time after ascension is indeed extraordinary. No wonder he is so arrogant, wanting to seize my authority!"

Yin Fenglou's gaze flickered. Behind him, sword auras flew out with a whistling sound, pouring down like quicksilver. In an instant, he mobilized nineteen sword auras. Nineteen sword auras executing the Primordial Chaos Sword Scripture simultaneously was his limit!

In the several thousand years since his ascension, he knew that he had no foundation in the Earth Immortal Realm. Even if he left the Celestial Court, he would have no place to land. So he simply stayed in the Celestial Court, diligently cultivating, and finally achieved some minor success in the Primordial Chaos Dao Scripture, something almost no one else could accomplish. It was only then that he discovered the secret of the Primordial Chaos Dao Scripture and the Sword Scripture. When the Dao Scripture improved, the power of the Sword Scripture doubled as well, allowing him to command even more sword auras!

From that point on, he devoted even more effort to cultivating the Primordial Chaos Dao Scripture. Cultivating to this day, he could now command nineteen sword auras simultaneously.

These nineteen sword auras executing the sword scripture simultaneously were truly unstoppable and unbreakable!

At that moment, from the sword box on Chen Shi's back, a whistling sound erupted. In an instant, over a dozen sword auras flew out, blocking his nineteen sword auras.

The two raced across West Heaven Expanse, their body techniques like lightning, covering thousands of miles in an instant. In a short time, they had exchanged dozens of offensive and defensive moves, leaving onlookers dazzled and confused.

West Heaven Expanse was a training ground for heavenly soldiers from all units. It wasn't just the Fire Battalion's soldiers, but heavenly soldiers from various other guards, posts, and battalions. Their numbers were immense. The battle between these two quickly swept many heavenly soldiers into the fray.

One heavenly soldier had no time to dodge as he saw the sword aura already before him. He hastily raised his sword to block, but his swordsmanship was too lax, and the colliding sword auras broke through his defense. With a few tearing sounds, he was struck by several swords and nearly killed!

Fortunately, Chen Shi and Yin Fenglou's target was not him. The colliding sword auras moved away, so his life was not in danger.

Another person was swept into the battle and hastily raised a large bell. Immediately, the immortal bell was pierced through, riddled with holes. That person tumbled and rolled, barely escaping the sword auras' ambush.

In just a short moment, dozens of heavenly soldiers nearly lost their lives.

"In this amount of time, he has cultivated the Primordial Chaos Dao Scripture to a level on par with mine?" Yin Fenglou, unable to win after prolonged battle, was both shocked and furious.

"Whoosh!"

Another sword aura flew out from behind Chen Shi. Yin Fenglou's heart skipped a beat. The twentieth sword aura!

Chen Shi had actually mastered the twentieth sword aura, which meant that Chen Shi's attainment in the Primordial Chaos Dao Scripture far surpassed his own!

"Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!"

More and more sword auras flew out from the sword box behind Chen Shi, totaling thirty-six sword auras. Each sword aura executed a move from the Primordial Chaos Sword Scripture, converging into a torrent that collided with Yin Fenglou's nineteen sword auras. With a crackling sound, it broke through all his sword techniques with irresistible force, arriving right before him!

Even the heavenly soldiers from other camps encountered along the way were severely wounded in the blink of an eye, pinned to the ground, unable to move!

The sky-covering sword light engulfed Yin Fenglou, piercing through his body, piercing through his Primordial Spirit, and stabbing into the ground behind him, splashing up countless Xirang.

The Xirang floated in the air, growing and multiplying endlessly, transforming into distant stars.

Chen Shi pressed his sword fingers together and retracted his sword. The grand visions in the sky disappeared, and the thirty-six sword auras returned to his sword box.

He took out his ledger from his chest and crossed out Yin Fenglou's name.

In the Earth Immortal Realm, within the boundless mysterious yellow sea, there was a cluster of Heavenly Palaces. The true body of Houtu Huangdiqi reflected across the Three Realms. Her countless avatars simultaneously resided in different worlds of the Netherworld, presiding over reincarnation, maintaining order in the underworld.

The moment Chen Shi crossed out the name in his ledger, this Ladyship opened her eyes and smiled. "My Qilin son has already arrived at the Earth Immortal Realm."

Chen Shi did not know when his consciousness had returned to his physical body. He had been in a daze the entire time, and only after who knows how long did he finally regain his senses. He found himself bound with shackles and chains, his transformations locked down, imprisoned in a cold, desolate dungeon.

"Where is this place?" he blurted out.

He only remembered leaving a single thought to guard his physical body, and then his consciousness had been swept away by the Celestial Strategy, which had been pouring Celestial Way Dao patterns into him for a long time.

"Keep it down!"

Angry voices came from all around him. "This is the Heavenly Prison! The place where the Celestial Court holds death row prisoners!"

"Little immortal, you're in trouble! Wait for your beheading on the Immortal Execution Platform!"