Chapter 1327: Reconstructing the Heavenly Daos

The previously pitch-black Spirit Abyss was now full of golden light. It was a world of gold.

Within that golden glow, the might of godly authority radiated from the God Paragon’s eye in the lamp. It surged like mighty waves atop a mighty sea.

Wherever it passed, all things disappeared within the golden color. They weren’t destroyed. Nor were they dismantled in the way that Xu Qing’s canon and statute would do. They were reduced over and over again in a gradual process. It was a process that could not be reversed without godly authority. All things transformed. Every life form, all auras, whether they were illusory or corporeal, and regardless of where they existed in space or time. Everything was reduced, and was thus foreordained to disappear.

Naturally speaking, that included the golden beast. Īt was a God Paragon, but was not present in īts true form. Īt was only a manifestation of divine will, and was thus very limited. Despite possessing God Paragon personhood, hē was up against the personhood of another God Paragon, and therefore, was unable to hold out for long.

After all, the eye of the God Paragon didn’t just have its own power. It had been blessed and bolstered by Grandmaster Bai. Because of that, this lamp was the most dangerous tool at Xu Qing’s disposal.

As the light spread, the golden beast was soon the only thing remaining in the area. However, īts divine will manifestation was slowly but surely fading away. Finally, īt turned and looked at Xu Qing.

“You,” he said coldly, “will eventually have to leave this place.”

Then the golden beast’s eyes closed, and īt disappeared within the golden light. Īt had been erased.

Thus, the beast was driven away. The only thing that remained was the echo of hīs voice, which was already fading away.

Xu Qing’s gaze was cold. He knew what was implied by the beast’s words. Even with the lamp made from the eye of a God Paragon, he was as far removed from the God Paragon’s true form as the land was from the sky. It wasn’t even worth mentioning trying to fight such a being.

The only reason the four God Paragons of the Ninth Star Ring had agreed to a compromise, and were allowing Xu Qing to do what he wished with Revered Ancient, was Eminent Desolation. Thēy feared Eminent Desolation, and didn’t dare to show up in thēir true forms. They would only send in clones, arrange for subordinates, and use divine will to manipulate things.

Thankfully, Xu Qing’s battle prowess was sufficient to allow him to wipe out the divine will that thēy had sent. That was why thēy had chosen to just wait and see how things would play out.

But as the golden beast had said, eventually Xu Qing would have to go out into the open. If he ever left the vicinity of Revered Ancient, then he wouldn’t have the threat of Eminent Desolation to keep him safe. And then the God Paragons would have many ways to see him dead.

While it was true that Xu Qing had the karma of Eminent Desolation on him, and had even provoked Eminent Desolation into action in the Fourth Star Ring, the God Paragons didn’t need to personally take action against him. They could easily send hosts of God Lords to fight on their behalf.

“Will I go out...?”

Xu Qing’s eyes narrowed as he put the lamp away. When the godly might of the lamp vanished, he shivered, and his face seemed to go slightly pale. Even being in a state of fusion between immortal and god, using that treasure was difficult. Every time he did... it was extremely draining. And this time, he had used a lot of the godly authority of the God Paragon.

As soon as the golden beast was gone, he retracted his will and tightly sealed the God Paragon lamp.

Not a bit of golden light remained in the Spirit Abyss. Everything was dark again. However, this time, that darkness was complete. Things had played out in a very neat and tidy manner. As of now, nothing existed in the Spirit Abyss, other than the trembling, decomposing snake.

Xu Qing had controlled the golden light so that the eyes of Emperor Ancient Spirit were unaffected.

Zhou Zhengli and the others flew out from the world atop the snake. They had been able to sense everything that was happening, and it left them in even greater awe of Xu Qing. Even Sir Star Ring quietly bowed his head.

If that was true of them, there was little need to mention Emperor Ancient Spirit. He saw that the Spirit Abyss was empty, and the terrifying entity he had dealt with in the past was gone. The astonishment and fear in his eyes was evident.

When Xu Qing saw the huge snake trembling, and looked at the fear in Emperor Ancient Spirit’s eyes, he shook his head. “It must have taken a lot of courage for Emperor Ancient Spirit to conquer Revered Ancient all those years ago. But in the end, he failed and perished. As for you... you’re just a manifestation of his obsession, which ended up being used by a God Paragon. That’s how you stayed alive. Unfortunately, you are not the Emperor Ancient Spirit of the past.”

Emperor Ancient Spirit said nothing, but his eyes were full of bitterness. Eventually, he closed those eyes. He knew that he couldn’t fight back. And he had to admit that what Xu Qing said was true. He really was not the Emperor Ancient Spirit of the past. He had been woken up by an external force, and had been struggling on death’s door the entire time he lurked in the Spirit Abyss.

“However,” Xu Qing continued, “you have the same personhood as before. Maybe you are a clone, but you’re connected to Revered Ancient.... You’re the manifestation of an obsession focused on possessing a heavenly dao, right...? Well, today I’m going to make you into a heavenly dao.”

Xu Qing reached out, grabbed Emperor Ancient Spirit’s eyes, as well as the huge snake, and then teleported away. He reappeared in the sky over Revered Ancient. The words he had just spoken had understandably caused all of Emperor Ancient Spirit’s eyes to open wide with shock.

Xu Qing looked up. “For Revered Ancient cultivators, the path beyond Smoldering God has been severed. It is only because of very unique and special legacies that Imperial Sovereigns can appear. It’s because Eminent Desolation devoured so many heavenly daos that the dao of cultivators became incomplete.”

Xu Qing’s eyes suddenly glittered coldly. “Heavenly daos!”

The words he spoke surpassed any heavenly daos or heavenly voices. They filled Revered Ancient. Rumbling sounds echoed out as figures began to materialize in front of him. Some looked human, some were other species. They were the fragmented remains of the heavenly daos of Revered Ancient. Most were in shabby condition, with scattered auras.

“Today, I carry out a righteous bestowal. Going forward, the ninety-nine eyes of Emperor Ancient Spirit are ninety-nine heavenly daos of Revered Ancient!”

Xu Qing’s voice thrummed with the power of righteous bestowal. As soon as it echoed out, the destiny aura of Revered Ancient surged, and auspicious signs proliferated in all directions. The bedraggled heavenly daos bowed their heads, stepped back, and yielded their personhood.

Xu Qing’s gaze fell onto Emperor Ancient Spirit. Emperor Ancient Spirit’s eyes glimmered with excitement.

“Many thanks, Lord Revered!”

The eyes spread out and sped toward the snake. When they merged, the huge snake shivered, and ninety-nine wounds appeared on its surface. Within each wound, an eye developed. The eyes opened. Howling, the snake rose up into the sky. Each eye was a dao, and combined, they formed ninety-nine heavenly daos that became part of Revered Ancient.

Revered Ancient trembled.

Countless species could sense what was happening. And the scattered cultivators stuck in late Smoldering God gained sudden enlightenment that filled them with excitement. They now sensed the tug of the path to Imperial Sovereign! It was all because of Emperor Ancient Spirit’s personhood and cultivation base!

“Unfortunately,” Xu Qing said softly, “the heavenly daos are still incomplete. There should be a full hundred.”

His gaze... left Sea-Sealing County. In the lands beyond was something that mortals would see as a huge infant, grinning as it rushed toward Xu Qing. Unfortunately, it was covered with many gaping wounds. Those were thanks to the contamination brought by the ancient immortal.

Xu Qing’s gaze softened as he looked at the infant. “Let the damaged daos return!”

As his voice spread, the damaged daos that had given up their personhood became streaks of light that shot toward the infant. One by one, they fused with it. The infant’s aura grew stronger and stronger, all while the wounds began to close.

In the end, the infant glowed with many-colored light. And it began to mature. As Xu Qing watched, it turned into a boy of about six or seven years old. He had a fair face and skin as white as snow. Overall, he looked like pure, glistening jade. His eyes were as black as lacquer, and they glittered like deep pools of water, or like dazzling stars, making him seem pure, without a spot of evil within him. Like a spring flower, he was a delight just to look at.

It seemed like he was the embodiment of auspiciousness. Slowly standing up, he clasped his small hands together and bowed.

“Hello, Father.”

Xu Qing smiled. "You were originally formless, descended due to a destined opportunity, born as a heavenly dao, and endowed with the personhood of an ancient dao. Today, I carry out a righteous bestowal. You are now the number one heavenly dao of Revered Ancient! You command the ninety-nine daos of the Ancient Spirit! Going forward... you shall safeguard Revered Ancient!”

Xu Qing's voice carried the might of canon and statute. Bolstered by destiny aura, it caused Revered Ancient to tremble. Countless species could sense the righteous bestowal of the new heavenly dao. Daybreak light spread, bright and auspicious.

Within that light, the child nodded at Xu Qing, looking like the picture of earnestness. “I shall obey you, Father. I will definitely safeguard Revered Ancient. As long as I remain, Revered Ancient will remain. But even if I do not remain, I will still do everything in my power to make sure that Revered Ancient does remain.”

Xu Qing inclined his head.

The child took a deep breath then looked in another direction, toward his second father. He bowed.

Then he floated up into the sky, surrounded by dazzling, auspicious light. As the ninety-nine Ancient Spirit daos bowed their heads, the child stepped into the personhood of the number one heavenly dao of Revered Ancient!

As it happened, the natural laws of Revered Ancient thrummed.