Chapter 1975: The Four Realms of the Divine Dao

Su Yi was stunned.

The woman standing before him was ethereal and pure, with the air of one who’d risen out of the dust of mundanity. She was so beautiful as to make one’s heart shake, majestic, and proud.

Her plain hemp clothing was in no way enough to disguise her delicate charm. Anyone who saw her would be unwittingly stunned, and none would dare harbor any untoward thoughts about her; it would be like blasphemy.

Yet now, she spoke with rare solemnity, revealing the long-concealed voice of her heart. The sound sent ripples through Su Yi’s heart in turn.

After a moment’s silence, Su Yi smiled. “I feel the same.”

It was true. Of all people in both this life and his past lives, Xi Ning gave him the most unique feeling, and they understood each other even without words. It was like they could see into each other’s hearts.

Xi Ning’s eyes flashed with colorful light. This wasn’t bashful shyness, but rather, heartfelt delight.

“Hmph!” Divine Venerate Xi Yue suddenly snorted coldly, her gaze decidedly unfriendly. She sensed that there was a “problem” between Su Yi and Xi Ning, so she immediately pulled Su Yi aside for a private chat.

“A’Ning told me a bit about how you got acquainted, and I can tell she has feelings for you. To tell the truth, if you were anyone else, even a trivial figure of little significance, it’d be fine. If she liked you, I wouldn’t hold her back. But you’re different.” Divine Venerate Xi Yue’s gaze was suddenly complicated. “The top experts of the God Domain will not tolerate your existence. If you and A’Ning are together…”

“I understand what you’re trying to say,” said Su Yi. “You’re worried that I’ll implicate her, and by extension, the entire Xi Family. You’d hate to see that happen, and of course, the Xi Family doesn’t want that, either. Am I right?”

Divine Venerate Xi Yue nodded. “If you really care about A’Ning’s wellbeing, you’d best draw a line between yourself and her.

“I know you control the power of reincarnation and that you have heaven-defying foundations. You slew a Lesser God in the Great Unity Stage. That’s an unparalleled accomplishment even in the God Domain.

“But so what? Any of the Master Gods could kill you with ease! And as I’m sure you know, many of them see you as a thorn in their sides.”

Here, Divine Venerate Xi Yue sighed, a hint of sympathy in her gaze. “Forgive me if my words are grating to the ears, but in light of the facts, both I and the clan behind me can only choose to make A’Ning draw a line between herself and you.”

Su Yi suddenly laughed. “Are you done talking?”

Divine Venerate Xi Yue frowned. “It seems you haven’t taken my words to heart.”

Su Yi put his hands behind his back and said calmly, “Miss Xi Ning and I are dear friends in our pursuit of the Grand Dao. I respect your choice, and the Xi Family’s choice, but I don’t need others’ input in my affairs.”

Divine Venerate Xi Yue’s expression darkened. In the end, she just sighed. “When I proved my Dao and became a goddess, I foolishly believed I could do whatever I liked going forward.

“But reality is the cruelest of all. Even deities must follow the rules and weigh the pros and cons of every action. Even we must lower our heads at times and compromise when we need to compromise!” said Divine Venerate Xi Yue with waning enthusiasm. “Were you anyone else, I couldn’t be bothered to say all that. I just hope you can take my words to heart.”

She turned and was just about to leave when Su Yi said suddenly, “I disdain to prove my abilities to anyone, but since you said all that, I don’t mind telling you that the Master Gods you see as ‘unbeatable’ are just trivial stepping stones in my pursuit of the Grand Dao.”

Divine Venerate Xi Yue was stunned. It seemed utterly absurd.

The Master Gods are… stepping stones? How could this kid be so frenzied and ignorant?

For a moment, she regretted saying all that to him.

There’s obviously no reasoning with him. He’s unworthy of my advice, and he doesn’t deserve my sympathy!

She couldn’t be bothered to argue any further. She just said flippantly, “Never mind the rest. First, you need to figure out how you’re going to survive the Epoch Battlefield!”

Before her voice had even finished echoing through the air, she appeared beside Xi Ning. “We’re leaving.”

Then, she led Xi Ning away, giving her no chance to argue.

“My great aunt doesn’t believe you, but I do,” said Xi Ning. She didn’t struggle. She just turned to look at Su Yi and silently transmitted a message, a smile on her face.

Su Yi smiled back and waved. “Take care.”

After Xi Ning and Divine Venerate Xi Yue faded from view, Su Yi called Luo Tiandu over. “How about we find a place to have a chat?”

Luo Tiandu was briefly stunned, but then, he nodded. “Sure.”

……

Kccch!

Purple flames rose over the Divine Replenishment Furnace. It was grilling meat.

The furnace had already grown accustomed to the necessary heat control, and the roasting meat was soon crispy. Its dripping juices crackled at the bottom of the furnace, and an enticing fragrance wafted into the air.

This was, of course, the meat of a natural variant beast, and its marbled flesh was full of abundant Grand Dao source power. Only the divine flames of a treasure like the Divine Replenishment Furnace could cook it.

Su Yi sat to the side, sprawled out in his wicker chair with a jug of wine as he conversed with Luo Tiandu.

“So that means that no matter how high a god’s cultivation base is, any avatar of will they send into the Epoch Battlefield will be at the Lesser God level?” asked Su Yi.

“That’s right. The gods’ power is subject to the restriction of the Laws and the natural order. Any attempt they make to send an avatar of will into the Immortal Realm will meet with an inevitable backlash from its Laws,” said Luo Tiandu. His gaze was complicated. “My great uncle’s true body was a true Fortune Realm Greater God. He’s a top-notch figure amongst the gods, even in the God Domain. However, his avatar of will still couldn’t avoid the suppression of the Immortal Realm’s Laws, so he could only display power comparable to a Lesser God.”

Su Yi nodded.

The Divine Dao was divided into four realms: Creation, Limit, Fortune, and Undying!

The first three realms corresponded to Lesser, Mid-Rank, and Greater Gods. Experts of the Undying Realm were known as Master Gods!

Luo Tiandu’s great uncle, Divine Venerate Luo Heng, was a Fortune Realm Greater God.

“What about Divine Venerate Xi Yue? How strong is her true body?”

“About the same. She’s a Greater Goddess, but when she became a god, she condensed a first-level Epoch Law, so she has the potential to break into the Undying Realm and become a Master Goddess.”

“So that’s it,” sighed Su Yi. “Both your great uncle and Xi Yue’s true body are top experts of the Divine Dao. Extraordinary!”

The Four Realms of the Divine Dao.

The Master Gods of the Undying Realm were the strongest hegemons of the God Domain!

Xie Yue and Luo Heng’s true bodies were Greater Gods, experts just beneath that level. Their status in the God Domain was far beyond that of ordinary deities!

Luo Tiandu griped inwardly,

Earlier, you didn’t take my great uncle the least bit seriously! How is it that you’re only just now realizing how incredible he is?

He thought for a moment, then issued a well-intentioned warning. “Fellow Daoist Su, you destroyed my great uncle’s avatar of will, but must not let it go to your head. An avatar of will is, ultimately, just condensed divine power. Destroying it had no effect on my great uncle.

“And if not for the restriction of the Laws, his avatar of will could have displayed strength close to that of his true body!

Su Yi picked up a fully cooked skewer of meat and handed it to Luo Tiandu. He then took another skewer for himself and said between bites of food, “The gods do not tolerate me, and I do not tolerate them in turn. Sure, they might be lofty and superior now, but even if I can’t reach them now, I’ll be sure to crush them beneath my feet sooner or later.”

“....” Luo Tiandu didn’t know what to say. He took a big bite of meat, and his cheeks bulged. Finally, he sighed, “When I was young, I fantasized about one day standing above the gods, but as I gained experience, I realized just how terrifying the lofty and superior gods really are.

“I felt like an ordinary mortal gazing into the stars, able to see them but never to reach them!” Here, he paused, then said, “But I’m actually rather eager for the day that you can achieve what I once dreamed of!”

Su Yi smiled. “Everything’s possible with enough effort. Maintain your Dao Heart and strive assiduously, and there’s nothing you cannot achieve.”

Luo Tiandu hesitated, but in the end, he couldn’t hold back. “The gods’ avatars of will have already descended into the Epoch Battlefield. This is an almost insurmountable trial for you. Aren’t you…. Aren’t you at all worried?”

Before Su Yi could respond, Luo Tiandu continued, “Admittedly, the gods can at most display strength comparable to a Creation Realm Lesser God, but they’ve mastered all manner of unbelievable divine abilities and forbidden arts. A true Lesser God would be nothing compared to them!”

“If they make up their mind to kill you, the consequences….”

Here, he trailed off. He’d already made himself perfectly clear.

Su Yi took a sip of wine and said casually, “Do you think I’d be able to fight them if I stepped into the Great Profound Stage?”

An explosion went off in Luo Tiandu’s head as he realized the source of Su Yi’s confidence.

Su Yi could slay gods even in the Great Unity Stage. He’d even defeated Luo Heng’s avatar of will! Who knew how much stronger he’d become once he stepped into the Great Profound Stage?

A moment later, something occurred to him, and his expression shifted. “Brother Su, there’s something I’m afraid you don’t know yet. The gods have long since set their sights on you, and every time you break through, it inevitably draws their attention. This is why all the divine children know your cultivation level.

“But this time is different. My great uncle said that if you tried to prove your Dao and enter the Great Profound Stage, they’d deal you the most lethal of blows! He said that even if they failed to kill you, they’d stop you from entering the Great Profound Stage!”

Su Yi’s eyebrows rose. This news startled him.

They’re planning something like that?

It seems that the gods Li Fuyou chased off during my last tribulation have no intention of simply letting up. They’ve decided to strike to kill during my Great Profound Tribulation!

The most troublesome part is that I cannot use Li Fuyou’s Dao Imprint in the Epoch Battlefield. I can only rely on myself when I break into the Great Profound Stage!

Given the circumstances, if the gods go all out, heedless of the consequences, it really will be troublesome, and the consequences will be difficult to predict!

A moment later, Su Yi said with heartfelt emotion, “It seems the so-called gods have thoroughly prepared to destroy me this time. Am I supposed to be happy or angry?”