Chapter 1245: Why Don't You Bow to Me?

The Ancestral Dao was here!

Everyone turned their gaze toward the distant void, yet they saw nothing.

Even the Boundless Master could not perceive anything.

The Boundless Master turned to look at the Great Daoist Brush Master.

The Great Daoist Brush Master asked, "Can’t see it?"

The Boundless Master nodded.

The Great Daoist Brush Master calmly replied, "You’re too weak."

The Boundless Master was speechless.

The Great Daoist Brush Master looked toward the deep void, a trace of solemnity in his eyes.

The Ancestral Dao!

The ultimate, unfathomable, incomprehensible, immeasurable existence that governs all space-time, all existence, all Dao laws, all dimensions, all causality, all rules, all destinies, and all worlds...

The source of all Daos! The origin of everything!

Because of this, apart from Cizhen and the Great Daoist Brush Master, no one else could perceive it. It was indescribable, unobservable, beyond the comprehension of mortals.

As the Ancestral Dao appeared in this realm, the Nine Continent Master bowed slightly and respectfully stepped aside, his gaze full of reverence.

Once, he had thought of himself as a rebel against the Dao until a harsh defeat taught him how ignorant he truly was.

He was like a nouveau riche. Upon amassing sudden wealth, he believed he was almighty—only to discover his insignificance by getting exposed to a higher realm and worlds they had never encountered before.

Often, everyone was a frog at the bottom of their own well; the only difference was the size of the well's opening.

Cizhen gazed calmly at the deep void. She was not surprised. Long ago, she had already sensed the existence of the Ancestral Dao and knew that this day would eventually come. After all, she was defying the Dao.

The Dao meant laws, restrictions, and rules.

To walk the path of no boundaries was to defy the Dao.

Within the deep void stood a faint, blurry figure.

Except for Clan Leader Jing and Fan Zhaodi, only Cizhen and the Great Daoist Brush Master could see the hazy shadow.

The Ancestral Dao had revealed itself!

At this moment, a voice slowly emerged from the void. "True God, you have reached such a realm. You must understand the natural order of the Dao and the cycles of Heaven. Why do you knowingly err and defy the Dao?"

Cizhen smiled. "One universe tribulation rises, and billions of living beings perish, this is the Dao?"

"The universe has finite resources. When living beings plunder without restraint, tribulation arises. This tribulation stems from the actions of living beings. The destruction of these beings now is the natural cycle of the Dao, karma, and retribution. No one else can be blamed."

The Boundless Master remarked, "Ancestral Dao, you speak of the cycles of heaven and karma. But have you considered how many innocent lives are involved? What about the children who haven’t even cultivated yet? What sin have they committed?"

The Ancestral Dao glanced at the Boundless Master, and then it shifted its gaze to the Great Daoist Brush Master.

The Ancestral Dao said, "Great Daoist Brush Master, you understand this matter well. Why don’t you explain it to your friend?"

The Great Daoist Brush Master chuckled. "I’ll let you explain it yourself."

The Ancestral Dao said, "Very well. Every universe undergoes cycles of reincarnation. When a person cultivates to a certain level and their lifespan is exhausted, they are reincarnated and will cultivate again. This cycle repeats endlessly. In truth, within a universe, apart from a select few exceptions, the current beings are still the same individuals who have perished."

Everyone froze in disbelief.

The Boundless Master was stunned as well. He turned to the Great Daoist Brush Master, who nodded slightly and added, "To put it simply, don’t consider yourself innocent. You're atoning for the sins that you've accumulated during your past lives."

The Boundless Master immediately protested, "What nonsense!"

The Great Daoist Brush Master calmly replied, "It’s the truth. If you want to talk about innocence, then Ye Guan is the most innocent. He has no past lives, no accumulated sins. He's truly innocent."

He glanced at Ye Guan below.

The Boundless Master asked solemnly, "Isn’t there a way to resolve this?"

The Great Daoist Brush Master said, "If Ye Guan establishes order and enforces restrictions on the universe’s powerhouses, that can be a solution."

The Boundless Master immediately said, "Then let’s try!"

"You really think it's that simple?" The Great Daoist Brush Master rolled his eyes.

The Boundless Master asked, "What’s your stance on this?"

The Great Daoist Brush Master shook his head. "I have no stance."

The Boundless Master looked puzzled.

The Great Daoist Brush Master said, "The universe tribulation appears, and all beings perish. Sins from past lives are repaid in this one. Anyone will think it’s ridiculous; after all, past lives are past lives. Why should this life pay the price when it hasn’t enjoyed the rewards of the past?"

"But..." the Great Daoist Brush Master shook his head slightly. "From the perspective of the universe, the tribulation resets the universe, which is necessary. If the universe isn’t reset and beings are allowed to plunder unchecked, the universe will eventually collapse and be destroyed."

Right or wrong?

A complex expression flashed in the Boundless Master’s eyes. This was no longer a question of right or wrong; it was a question of perspective. No one was truly wrong. In such cases, the answer came down to whose fists were stronger.

The Boundless Master gazed at the deep void. He couldn’t see the Ancestral Dao, nor could he sense its presence. But he knew its power was unimaginably terrifying.

The Great Daoist Brush Master glanced at the Ancestral Dao in the void but said nothing.

Below, Ye Guan also looked at the deep void. He couldn’t sense the Ancestral Dao’s presence but he could hear its voice.

An unknown supreme entity!

Ye Guan took a deep breath and opened his palm, revealing a little pagoda in his hand. He gazed at it and softly said,

"Master Pagoda, this battle...I may not survive it. You..."

Little Pagoda growled,

"Stop the nonsense! I’ve followed your family for three generations. I didn’t abandon your grandfather, I didn’t abandon your father, and I won’t abandon you. Got it?"

Ye Guan burst into laughter, and then he put the pagoda away. He looked up at the deep void, and his eyes reflected no fear.

The Ancestral Dao looked at Cizhen. "True God, to reach this realm of cultivation is no easy feat. Are you certain you want to continue on the path of a Dao Defier?"

Cizhen smiled. "You have your stance, and I have mine. Let’s settle this with our fists."

She knew that there was nothing left to discuss.

The Ancestral Dao nodded slightly, and then it pointed not at Cizhen but...

Boom!

A terrifying aura erupted from the Evil Dao’s body, and the blood-red Evil Spirit Flower at her brow solidified.

Her cultivation from countless lifetimes had finally merged with her!

The moment her cultivation merged, a fearsome tribulation began to condense behind her.

The Universe Tribulation was here!

Divine Attendant Pei and the others trembled uncontrollably, overwhelmed by the terrifying pressure.

Even though they had witnessed tribulations from Tier Eight Universe Civilizations, none of them could compare to the sight before them.

Moreover, this tribulation had been growing stronger for many years.

The Evil Dao slowly opened her eyes, blood-red lightning surging within them. She looked at Cizhen and smiled. "True God, I must thank you. Without your constant suppression, I couldn't have reached this level of power."

The Evil Dao was right. Under normal circumstances, her current strength would have been unattainable. However, Cizhen had been suppressing her, allowing her to grow stronger every day. Now that her cultivation from countless lifetimes had merged with her, her strength had multiplied exponentially.

Cizhen glanced at the Evil Dao and smiled faintly. "If you’re so thankful, why don’t you bow to me?"

Everyone was dumbfounded.

The Evil Dao’s smile grew twisted, but she quickly regained composure and smirked. Turning to Ye Guan, she sneered and said, "True God, you seem fond of this pitiful man. Fine. Today, I’ll skin him alive right in front of you. I really can’t wait to see your reaction."

With that, she raised her right hand and clawed toward Ye Guan.