His Dao Heart had fallen into chaos.

When he saw Chen Xi fight and defeat numerous peak Divine Children by himself at the 1st battlefront, the Slaughter Highlands, Shi Chuge knew that his Dao Heart had encountered a problem.

For the first time in his entire life, he’d experienced how it felt to feel a sense of defeat and frustration. Because he was very clearly aware that he was absolutely unable to face those peak Divine Children by himself.

Waking up from an inherent understanding was sometimes the most painful thing in life.

When Shi Chuge clearly recognized the gap between himself and Chen Xi, he’d fallen silent, and he was frustrated and dazed for a very long time. It was like he’d lost his motivation to continue on his path towards the Dao.

While practically all the experts of the Divine Dao Protector Clans had withdrawn from the battlefield, Shi Chuge had acted unusually and followed in Chen Xi’s footsteps towards the Sacred Ocean of Blood.

He wasn’t able to say why he did this. It was like he wanted to find something that he’d lost, and he could only find it from Chen Xi.

Unfortunately, there was no sign of Chen Xi anymore when he arrived.

At that moment, he was completely frustrated and lost.

He felt like the heavens didn’t tolerate his existence anymore and the world was ridiculing him, so he fought the world.

Everything had abandoned him, yet he just wouldn’t agree to it, and he used everything he possessed to fight and to kill without realizing exactly why he was doing all of that.

After he exhausted the last drop of energy within his entire body and fell down like a log into the Sacred Ocean of Blood, a strand of exhaustion had suddenly arisen in Shi Chuge’s heart.

He detested such a feeling, and he didn’t want to continue like that.

So, he stretched out his right hand from the ocean as if he wanted to grab something, and then a river of Destiny appeared within his field of vision.

He broke through and advanced.

Everything occurred smoothly like it was meant to happen.

When Shi Chuge stood up from within the ocean, the frustration, sense of defeat, and all the other negative emotions in his heart had been swept away.

He’d become a Daolord who’d laid eyes on the energy of Destiny, and he’d found his lost Dao Heart!

He became steady, calm, composed, handsome, and imposing as before, but the aura of Destiny he possessed told him that there was still a chain wrapped around his heart.

So, Shi Chuge decided to deal with that chain, and then he found Chen Xi.

...

“Fortunately, I reclaimed my Dao Heart.” Shi Chuge gazed calmly at Chen Xi and said, “So, the reason I’ve come to look for you is very simple. I only seek a battle.”

Chen Xi didn’t know what Shi Chuge had experienced, but Shi Chuge’s calm, firm, and persistent gaze allowed Chen Xi to instantly understand that this fellow would definitely pester him incessantly if he didn’t agree.

Chen Xi couldn’t help but frown because of this. He pondered for a short while before he said, “Every person has his own path towards the Dao, and it isn’t necessary to determine a victor between two people. The opponent that’s most difficult to subdue in this world is usually one’s own self.”

Shi Chuge nodded. “I understand.”

Chen Xi stared at Shi Chuge for a long time before he said, “You don’t.”

Shi Chuge frowned.

Chen Xi turned around and left.

He left in such a natural manner that was without a trace of hesitance. It was like he’d said what he should, and he’d dealt with what he needed to deal with as well. So, only leaving was left to be done.

Otherwise, what would he stay here for?

It was too meaningless to him.

Shi Chuge’s brows knit together tightly. He gazed at Chen Xi’s figure that was moving away and wasn’t able to restrain himself in the end.

Clang!

Bloodsky that was fastened sideways on his back had left its holder, and its scarlet red tip stabbed through space in an extremely simple manner.

It was simple, clean, and pressed forward without any hesitation!

This wasn’t the strength of his Highgod Domain, but Shi Chuge’s strongest ability had been converged onto this attack.

The space here was calm, and the world seemed to remain the same. It was like nothing had changed at all. Only that blood red spear swiftly appeared behind Chen Xi and pierced through him.

This attack was so shocking that it was sufficient to reign supreme over the ages!

However, Shi Chuge was actually stunned on the spot when he witnessed this scene, and there was a bitter expression on the corners of his mouth. “So, he has already attained a height that I can’t even lay eyes upon....”

Swish!

Meanwhile, Chen Xi’s figure which had been stabbed by the spear seemed to ripple before it suddenly vanished. Only the blood red tip of a spear was stabbed in space, and it seemed like it had been forgotten.

Obviously, it was only an afterimage Chen Xi left behind.

It was exactly this scene which allowed Shi Chuge to finally realize that he’d been utterly defeated since the moment he attacked.

His strongest attack had merely pierced an afterimage.

Was it a problem with his consciousness and its ability to lock onto his target?

No, it was because he hadn’t noticed that Chen Xi had left a long time ago!

He hadn’t even been able to discern when Chen Xi had left, and this did indeed prove that Shi Chuge had been defeated from the moment he attacked.

That was the gap between them.

At this moment, Shi Chuge finally noticed that gap, but he was unable to determine exactly how wide that gap was....

He stood on the side of the ocean for a very long time before he left out a long sigh, and then he didn’t even retrieve Bloodsky as he just walked off aimlessly.

His bleak figure seemed extremely lonely in the boundless world.

...

Slaughter Highlands.

At the campsite of the Dao Protectors.

Tang Xiao’xiao, Xia Ruoyuan, and Jin Yunsheng were seated casually before the campsite in silence.

They were waiting.

Since the moment they’d decided to help Chen Xi, they knew that they would be taken to be traitors by the Divine Dao Protector Clans.

Did they regret it?

They’d asked themselves that very question, and the answer they received was very simple. They didn’t!

It was an answer their Dao Heart gave them. Cultivators aimed to cultivate in a way that followed the intentions of the heart. How could they attain the Grand Dao if they went against their hearts?

𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝐰𝚎𝕓𝐧𝚘𝘃𝗲𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝕞

However, they still couldn’t help but sigh when they thought about the possibility of Chen Xi dying during the Battle of Dao Protectors.

Once Chen Xi died, then all their efforts would have been almost meaningless, and it was impossible for one to not feel disappointed when one’s efforts had become meaningless.

“What do you intend to do if Chen Xi doesn’t return?” Xia Ruoyuan spoke abruptly. He had a cold and resolute bearing, but he seemed to be hesitant at this moment.

“I don’t know.” Tang Xiao’xiao held her clear and youthful face up with both hands, and she spoke in a powerless tone.

“What about you?” Xia Ruoyuan glanced at Jin Yunsheng.

“I....” Jin Yunsheng opened his mouth, and then he gritted his teeth and spoke with determination. “I’ll stay behind. Once I advance into the Daolord Realm, I’ll head over and slaughter a good amount of the Dao Defiants to avenge Chen Xi, and then I’ll return to my clan. Let me see if those fellows who think I’m a traitor will dare to shed all pretenses with me and go against me openly!”

Xia Ruoyuan nodded. “That isn’t a bad idea.”

Jin Yunsheng chuckled, and then he couldn’t help but ask. “What about you?”

Xia Ruoyuan didn’t hesitate with his response. “More or less the same as you.”

Tang Xiao’xiao raised her head, and then she glanced at Xia Ruoyuan with quite a bit of disdain and said angrily, “Can you be a little different?”

Xia Ruoyuan was stunned. “Then what do you think I should do?”

Tang Xiaoxiao glared at him and puckered her lips before she said in a seemingly helpless tone. “Don’t ask me. I’m already annoyed enough. I’ve been having a headache since the Battle of Dao Protectors began. If I knew this would have happened, I shouldn’t have gotten myself mixed up in all of this.”

Xia Ruoyuan said, “So you feel regret?”

Tang Xiao’xiao instantly flared up like a cat that had its tail stepped on, and she shouted. “Who’s regretful? Since I, Tang Xiao’xiao, dared to run off to Oracle Mountain by myself all those years ago, I’ve never regretted anything!”

Xia Ruoyuan nodded. “That’s good.”

Tang Xiao’xiao seemed to still be angry, and she spoke furiously. “You actually dared to mock me! Come here! Let’s fight!”

Bang!

As she spoke, a dark blue saber that was even taller than her body appeared out of thin air before it slashed down towards Xia Ruoyuan.

Xia Ruoyuan was shocked by this scene, and he dodged swiftly while he said furiously, “What’re you going?”

Tang Xiao’xiao said lazily, “Fighting and venting!”

Xia Ruoyuan’s eyelids twitched, and then he suddenly grunted coldly while his battle intent surged explosively. He said coldly, “Oh, then I’d like to see how you do it.”

Jin Yunsheng became extremely anxious when he saw this, and he hurriedly said, “Hey! Hey! You can talk it out nicely. Let’s avoid harming the relationship....”

“Shut up!” Tang Xiao’xiao and Xia Ruoyuan berated in unison, and then their gazes collided while their battle intent raged.

Jin Yunsheng immediately shut his mouth as he was deeply afraid of being affected by the battle. He’d moved far away before it could even start.

Rumble!

The battle erupted. Divine radiance surged while the surroundings were thrown into disorder.

Both of them were filled with battle intent and didn’t hold back at all. They simply caused the heavens and the earth to dim down while chaos raged through the surroundings.

Jin Yunsheng sighed in his heart when he witnessed this scene. He was very clearly aware that both Tang Xiao’xiao and Xia Ruoyuan were actually venting the anxiety in their hearts.

Chen Xi still hadn’t returned after so long, and they couldn’t return immediately to the outside world. They were stuck between a rock and a hard place, so how could they not feel a little depressed?

Even Jin Yunsheng sometimes wished for nothing more than to disregard everything and kill his way to the base camp of the Dao Defiants.

10 minutes later.

The battle came to an end.

Tang Xiao’xiao face was covered in dirt and dust, and only her eyes were bright and carried a trace of satisfaction.

Clang!

She tossed her saber to the ground and sighed with satisfaction.

At the other side, Xia Ruoyuan’s hair was disheveled, and his clothes were in rags, He was in a rather embarrassing state, but his expression had become much calmer than before.

“What are all of you doing?” A voice resounded.

“Fighting.”

“Venting.”

Tang Xiao’xiao and Xia Ruoyuan spoke casually, and then their figures stiffened before their gazes shot over towards the same direction in unison. A tall figure was standing there while gazing at them with a bewildered expression.

Chen Xi!

Both of them stood up swiftly while a wisp of happiness appeared on their faces. This fellow actually returned alive!“Fellow Daoist Chen Xi! You’ve finally returned!” Jin Yunsheng cried out loudly from afar, and he seemed like he was on the verge of crying from happiness. This instantly caused Tang Xiao’xiao and Xia Ruoyuan to feel contempt towards him. What an embarrassment.

However, they had to admit that they were very happy and excited as well.... So, they felt that it wasn’t appropriate to laugh at Jin Yunsheng.

“I’m back.” Chen Xi nodded and revealed a slight grin on the corners of his mouth.

This was the first time that a smile had appeared on his face that had been indifferent and emotionless since he started slaughtering his way through the Springs, and it was a clear, warm, and even slightly dazzling smile.

Tang Xiao’xiao, Xia Ruoyuan, and Jin Yunsheng couldn’t help but exchange glances and smile at each other when they saw this.

At the same time, a shocking storm had arisen outside the Springs of Sin....