Jiang Xingque raised her eyes to look at Lin Xun and asked, “Junior Brother, do you know why your Senior Brother Xuan Kong was called absolutely invincible in the Saint Stage?”

Trembling inwardly, Lin Xun said aloud, “Please tell me.”

“Because he sought an unprecedented path, thus the power he wielded had never existed before.”

When Jiang Xingque said that, a feeling arose in Lin Xun’s heart.

I am not alone.

“It turns out that I’m not the first...” Lin Xun murmured.

Jiang Xingque looked blank for a moment, but soon understanding dawned on her and she nodded with a smile. “It seems like our Junior Brother realized this a long time ago.”

After a pause, she continued, “Your Senior Brother Xuan Kong once said that there are countless people in the world who want to seek an unprecedented path like him, but only a handful succeed in the end.

“This is not because it is difficult, but because we cultivators face many interferences from different powers.

“For example, throughout your cultivation path, you must have comprehended many scriptures and secret arts and also received guidance from many different masters, am I right?”

Lin Xun nodded.

The inheritances he had grasped included the Great Treasury Silent Scripture, Grand Dao Yellow Court Classic, World-Guarding Nine Cauldrons Scripture and the Great Endless Devour Scripture...

Others included the Sacred Combat Art, Taixuan Sword Scripture, Tribulation Dragon Nine Transformations, Nine Heavenshaking Destructions Art, Great Diffusion Void Breaker Finger and Heavenly Yuan Slash…

All of them were inherited from other people.

Over the years, Lin Xun had also received guidance on his cultivation from many masters including the golden cicada youth, Xi, and Blade Emperor Qingyang.

Even the Extreme Absolute technique was inherited from his Senior Brother Xuan Kong!

Jiang Xingque said softly, “These inheritances, techniques and powers are of great benefit to our cultivation, but at the same time, they inadvertently interfere with our pursuit of the great dao.

“Those experiences, insights, inheritances, techniques and arts…are all imbued with other people’s wisdom and their understanding of the great dao. When we take them in and refine them, they seemingly become our own, but ultimately, they are still someone else’s inheritance, and we are just inheriting them.

“Many cultivators in this world fail to realize this and truly believe that the path they seek is unlike anyone else’s. But in truth, they have long been inadvertently influenced by others, and when they seek to obtain the ‘unprecedented’ power, it always ends up in failure.”

“That is indeed the case,” exclaimed Lin Xun.

Jiang Xingque smiled slightly. “This is what your Senior Brother Xuan Kong said back then, so I am just relaying it to you.”

Lin Xun also expressed his own insights, “All rivers run into the sea. This to pass on the one-of-a-kind knowledge of Saints, draw inferences and to blaze a new trail. This is to seek a dao for oneself that is unlike any other in the world. This is to follow the past and herald the future.”

After a pause, he continued, “The importance of inheritances is to learn from them rather than to make them your own. Only in this way can one find the opportunity to achieve the ‘unprecedented.’”

Jiang Xingque nodded approvingly. “Junior Brother, it seems that you no longer need others to guide you on your path. Can you tell me about the path you are seeking?”

Lin Xun pondered for a moment before he answered, “It integrates all daos and derives all laws. There is no daos that it can’t integrate between heaven and earth and there are no laws it can’t derive in the universe. All streams converge at one point and my path is the one.”

An inexplicable feeling of astonishment surged up within Jiang Xingque.

This path...is too taboo!

It should be noted that the millions of daos in the world were all vast and incredible. Only when one obtained the power of ancestor at the Emperor Stage could one achieve the status of ‘one path to Ancestor.’[1]

But now, what Lin Xun said was to integrate all daos in all heavens!

In that case, when he ascended the dao and became Emperor, wouldn’t he be seeking to be the Ancestor of All Paths?

The more Jiang Xingque thought about it, the stronger her heart quivered. As far as she knew, there had been amazing and extraordinary figures in ancient times who had met their ends because of the taboo aspirations they pursued.

“Junior Brother, have you ever had any taboo experiences during your cultivation so far?” She couldn’t help asking.

“Yes.”

Lin Xun did not hide anything from her and told her about the bizarre tribulations when he became a Supreme Saint as well as when he created his own dharma art.

“You overcame them all?” asked Jiang Xingque.

Lin Xun nodded.

What Jiang Xingque felt at this moment was beyond what could be described as ‘shocked.’ She stared at Lin Xun like she was looking at a monster.

After a good while, she couldn’t help laughing out loud, “Your Senior Brother Xuan Kong was already remarkable and defied the heavens back then, but I never imagined that you would be more amazing than him."

After a pause, she brought out a golden beast bone slip and handed it to Lin Xun. “But it’s because of this that I am reassured to give you this.”

“What is it?” Lin Xun was taken aback.

“It contains all your Senior Brother Xuan Kong’s insights and experience at the Saint Stage. He left me with this item to help me with my cultivation back then. Please accept it.”

Jiang Xingque’s expression was gentle.

Lin Xun instantly knew what tremendous value the item had!

Back then, his Senior Brother Xuan Kong was hailed as invincible between heaven and earth in the Saint Stage. How would an item that recorded his insights and experiences be ordinary?

“Although the paths you and your senior brother pursued are different, they both have never existed in history. You are the most suitable owner for the slip.”

Jiang Xingque looked especially kind and gentle, as if she was talking to her beloved junior.

In fact, based on seniority, she, who made a name for herself in the ancient era, was more than qualified to be an elder to Lin Xun.

“Thank you, Sister-in-law.”

Lin Xun took a deep breath and accepted the gift with both hands.

“You must continue to cultivate hard. Your senior brother was invincible at the Saint Stage back then, and you can definitely do the same. I look forward to your performance at the Dao Debate Assembly.”

Jiang Xingque’s eyes sparkled with earnest hope.

Feeling a surge of warmth in his heart, Lin Xun nodded.

After they chatted some more, Jiang Lanshui’s voice suddenly resounded throughout the world of lava——“Xingque, it’s getting late.”

Jiang Xingque frowned, looked at Lin Xun and sent a voice transmission to him, “Junior Brother, please excuse my clansmen. Although they have strong resentment towards Fangchun Mountain, in the Dao War of Emperors in the ancient era, some of the Jiang Clan Emperors also fought alongside Fangchun Mountain.

“Although I am imprisoned here, I know that only by doing this can the clan protect me. Otherwise, the three great courts, Primordial Dao Court, Panwu Dao Court, and Heaven and Earth Dao Court, would never give up.

“I hope that you can understand that the Jiang Clan has their own difficulties.”

Lin Xun nodded seriously. “Don’t worry, Sister-in-law.”

He then bid farewell and left.

Jiang Lanshui had been waiting for a while. He swept a complicated look over Jiang Xingque, who was seeing them off in the distance, and in the end, he just let out a sigh and left the secret realm with Lin Xun.

The sea of fire roared as the little black boat rocked about in the water.

Suddenly, Jiang Xingque was the only one in the world again.

She took off the hairpin from her head and clenched it tight in her hands, tears streaming down her beautiful, fair face.

She sat down and gazed absently in a daze at the green bamboo-leaf-shaped hairpin in her hand.

Brother Xuan Kong, I met your junior brother, and he said you are still alive, but I know that if you were really alive, you would definitely come to see me...

Counting the days, we have been separated for over a hundred thousand years.

[2]

Time flies...but don’t worry, I will go find you very soon.

But before that, I need to avenge you!

Jiang Xingque suddenly inhaled deeply and her eyes that were as clear as spring water became blazing with deep, wild hatred.

Her jet-black hair instantly turned into the shade of frost and snow.

“You…must wait for me…”

She rose to her feet; her hair was as white as snow and her clothes were plain white. She stood atop the small black boat that was floating on the raging sea of fire.

……

In the blessed grounds of Emperor Yan City.

Seeing Lin Xun return behind Jiang Lanshui, Bo Yazi breathed a sigh of relief.

“Thank you, Fellow Daoist.” Bo Yazi cupped one hand in the other.

Jiang Lanshui’s expression turned complicated. “I just hope that people from Fangchun Mountain will not disturb Xingque anymore. Our Jiang Clan can’t stand your pestering.”

Bo Yazi and Lin Xun exchanged glances without saying anything and took their leave.

However, while the two were leaving, Jiang Lanshui suddenly asked aloud, “For many years, I have been thinking about one thing. Given the foundation of your Fangchun Mountain, it can overpower the three great courts, Primordial Dao Court, Panwu Dao Court and Heaven and Earth Dao Court, even if they joined forces. But why was it destroyed?”

Lin Xun halted, eyes narrowing.

“In fact, during the Dao War of Emperors, only six successors of your Fangchun Mountain participated in the war. There was no trace of the others, and many people believed that those successors had already been eradicated.”

After a moment of silence, Jiang Lanshui continued, “But I don’t think so.”

After that, he said nothing else.

“I also don’t think so!” Lin Xun said in his heart.

When he and Bo Yazi left Danxia Sacred Mountain, which was where the Imperial Jiang Clan resided, he had been pondering over one thing.

Back when he was at the foot of God Binding Heavenly Peak in the forbidden area of Fengshan Platform in the Kunlun Dominion, he had a chance to meet his ninth senior brother Ge Yupu.

He had heard Ge Yupu talk about the Dao War of Emperors and he clearly remembered that among the successors of Fangchun Mountain who participated in the war, there were only Ge Yupu and a few other senior brothers.

This itself was very strange.

In the ancient era, Fangchun Mountain had forty-nine disciples, including his Senior Brother Li Xuanwei, Senior Brother Pu Zhen, and Senior Sister Jun Huan...

Which one of them was not exceptionally strong? But they had never participated in the Dao War of Emperors like Brother Ge Yupu did. Why was that?

Moreover, Senior Brother Ge Yupu mentioned that, after the Dao War of Emperors came to an end, he asked his master, the Sect Master of Fangchun Mountain, to arrange for him to stay in God Binding Heavenly Peak in order to suppress Demon-Beast Emperor Dutian and to avenge the senior brothers who lost their lives in the war.

Ignoring everything else, this meant that, at least, after the war ended, his master, the Sect Master of Fangchun Mountain, was still alive!

But, if his master was alive, why had he never appeared before?

Why did he not seek revenge after seeing the lineage of Fangchun Mountain destroyed?

“There must be more to this.”

Lin Xun couldn’t figure out an answer after thinking long and hard.

However, he knew that, although his senior brothers and senior sisters who were scattered throughout the world might be wandering like lost souls…

They must be silently and secretly doing something for Fangchun Mountain!

1. Recall, back in 1744, this was apparently achieved by Demon-Beast Emperor Dutian ☜

2. Not a translating mistake, the author literally said ‘over ten-ten thousand years.’ That time doesn’t fully match up since it sounds like every one hundred thousand years there’s another big upheaval but we’ll just leave it at that. ☜