Chapter 816: Chapter 521: Sudden Dao Nightmare, Tao Qian Acts as Matchmaker
"Do you know, even beings like Li Wanshou and Liu Pei cannot hide their true nature of good and evil before me."
"How then can you, a beast hiding in human skin, manage it?"
"True Master you..."
Tao Qian had barely uttered two sentences when Fu Yupu still struggled to argue, but was immediately silenced by Tao Qian, sealing his body and soul.
He could only kneel there, writhing like a maggot, unable to struggle or defend himself, his eyes wide with resentment, listening to the extremely cruel judgment pronounced above him.
"The Ancestor God Forbidden Technique may fail against you, but I will not."
"This realm is the No Food Ghost Country, inside lies the Secret Realm: Eighteen Layers of Hell, where ordinary evil ghosts and spirits can eliminate their debts by experiencing one or two layers, giving them a chance at reincarnation."
"But for a beast like you, you must experience all layers of Hell, and even then, you will have no chance of reincarnation. I want your soul shattered, never to be reborn."
As Tao Qian spoke.
With a casual gesture, the Ghost Gate of the No Food Country opened right there in the temple.
As his words fell, a squad of ghost generals emerged from the misty ghost fog, first saluting Tao Qian, then capturing the speechless and regretful Fu Yupu, taking him back to the Ghost Country.
In truth, Fu Yupu’s cultivation and power did not qualify him to experience all eighteen layers of hell.
But since Tao Master had spoken, the backdoor naturally opened as well.
Before he was taken away, Tao Qian straightforwardly cast a spell to extract his memories.
After reviewing them, Tao Qian’s expression immediately changed.
His mind connected with the Ancestor Spirit, using his own immense fortune, along with the power of the Mountain and River Map and some of the Ancestor God Forbidden Technique’s might to sense the Seventy-two provinces. Feeling this was insufficient, he called Yunrong to borrow the power of the Haotian Divine Mirror, and even included the Outer Domain and the Outer Realm Abyss in his surveillance.
After several breaths, Tao Qian seemed to understand everything, the confusion in his eyes vanished.
His expression, however, turned infinitely complex.
The first thought that stirred in his mind was the first iron law he received upon entering the Cultivation World: every act of cultivation must incur a price.
"Originally, I thought, this time I forcibly quelling the great human disaster, with my special soul, coupled with the unopposable prayers of the people, should incur no price."
"Yet, unexpectedly, there still is one."
"The original version of the Ancestor God Forbidden Technique, which lasted over two thousand years, despite being used by alchemist emperors to drain blood, actually has no master, it operates autonomously, and since the Ancestor Dragon once signed contracts with almost all major sects in the Cultivation World back then, the forbidden technique, while constraining demons, also binds the Human Clan, preventing the widespread dissemination of various cultivation methods, naturally leaving other races and spiritual beings with paths to survival."
"Mutual non-interference, peace retained."
"Yet now, the Ancestor God Forbidden Technique, not only lacks the support of contracts from the major sects, but is split into several pieces, controlled by different individuals."
"Si Xixin, Zhang Jinluan, Yu Yanshi, Yin Yuehua... In order to enhance their own power, they chose to push the complete integration of the Cultivation World and the Mortal World without an agreement, with major sects fully entering society to assist."
"That Xixin Academy is actually established by Si Xixin, recruiting students from across the Seventy-two provinces, as long as their talent and aptitude pass, they can enter the academy to study, not only are Great Lifebooks scriptures provided by major sects available, but elders and True Masters from these sects are brought in as teachers... truly a cultivation school!"
"But cultivation, as well as the rise of the Human Clan, all require spiritual materials and resources."
"Since the Human Clan cannot be used for fuel, it naturally falls upon other races, other spiritual beings, and those humans outside of the Longevity Heavenly Dynasty, not protected by forbidden techniques."
At this point in thought, countless cruel scenes once again surfaced in Tao Qian’s mind.
It was precisely the situation of other races, spiritual beings, and humans in other nations that began to suffer.
"So, the current situation, the human clan in the Seventy-two provinces is peaceful and joyful, even residents of the Demon City are ascending to another level... and the cost of achieving all this is outward expansion and slaughter."
"These seem all too glorious, let another suffer so I remain untouched."
"But it won’t be long before it all backfires!"
"Does the Human Clan have ancestors, divine spirits, while other races do not? War is a chain reaction, once ignited, it will engulf everything in an instant."
"The most crucial aspect is, once cultivation methods become widespread, and the number of cultivators surges, it wouldn’t matter if other races and Outer Domain citizens altogether served as fuel, it simply wouldn’t suffice."
"Let alone the iron law of ’cultivation price’ always being effective, people like Fu Yupu, even if they reach the Transcend Mortality Realm, won’t take long before they completely fall into demonhood, unable to curb their inner demon thoughts, turning against the Human Clan."
"One such individual can be eradicated by the Ancestor God Forbidden Technique."
"A thousand can still be destroyed by the Forbidden Technique."
"Ten thousand, the Forbidden Technique might still withstand."
"What about a hundred thousand?"
"What of millions?"
Thinking to this point, even a person as experienced as Tao Qian, was startled in his heart.
In a blur, he felt as if he had opened Pandora’s box, potentially leading the Human Clan to its own destruction.
And all this stemmed from his forceful dispelling of the human disaster.
Is this the price?
Though Tao Qian instantly calmed down again, pondering the intricacies, secretly questioning what right he had to possess the power to obliterate the Human Clan.
Yet at this moment, a sense of foreboding still emerged in his heart.
In his mind, a crimson record leaked out: [Heart Soul disturbance, about to encounter the first Dao Nightmare... unavoidable!]
"Dao Nightmare!"
"It’s coming already?"
This unforeseen development forced Tao Qian to be tense.
He was now at the Perfect Realm of Ultimate Happiness, having forcefully crossed even the most fearsome hurdle of "Absorb Lifespan", moreover, being a Three Meridians cultivator, his power was extraordinarily dominant, with nearly no opponents threatening his life within this realm.
Though not much, there still is some.
Dao Nightmare!
This object is precisely one of them.
Cultivators in the Perfect Realm of Ultimate Happiness aiming to tread the path of Daoist Transformation, apart from breaking through the Daoist Transformation Tribulation, must also face this significant peril.
This is, after all, related to the Great Dao, and no matter how talented a strong person is, once trapped within, they might perish and vanish along with the Dao. Tao Qian is no exception.
...
Originally, he wanted to stay a few more hours, then seek out the Ancestor Spirit for a thorough discussion to see if there might be a remedy.
But now it’s not possible. He not only can’t stay in the Mortal World, but even at Penglai Sea or Ascending Immortal Island, he can’t remain.
The Dao Nightmare is an insoluble mystical phenomenon. Not only does it plunge the Ultimate Happiness Realm cultivator into a nightmare, but it also causes the surrounding area to be completely polluted and mutated, a misstep could lead to unimaginable disasters.
His only place now: within his own Ascending Immortal Island Star Aperture.
Without any delay, Tao Qian first spoke to the four students from Xixin Academy:
"Since we are able to meet, and since your dispositions are all commendable, you are thus destined to receive this blessing."
"I hope the four of you never forget your original intentions and do not fall into demonhood."
Having said that, Tao Qian summoned the Three-legged Golden Toad, which spat out Money Primordial Pearls that could enhance fortune and Taoist power to the four, and then waved them off, sending the excited four out of Heavenly Mother Mountain.
Then he looked at all the spirits of Heavenly Mother Mountain, including Mountain Ghost. Some were excited, while others were apprehensive, for many mountain spirits and devils had cursed Tao Qian in the past.
With time pressed, Tao Qian paid no heed but acted by following the spiritual resonance he sensed in his heart.
He is a genuine wielder of Great Divine Power, be it serendipity or Heart Soul sensing, both are outcomes of karma, and with just a thought, he knows the reasons for coming and going. Hence, it’s best to go with the flow.
He addressed the pure and sacred, primitive and simple Mountain Ghost directly:
"You are a daughter of Heavenly Mother Mountain, you should know this mountain inherently has a chance to become a Cave Heaven Blessed Land."
"Meeting me back then was fate, and almost suffering harm now is tribulation. Since it is complete, in another hundred years, Heavenly Mother Mountain should become a Spiritual Mountain Blessed Land."
"But now it’s too conspicuous here, there will inevitably be disasters, you must move to Penglai Sea."
"Furthermore, you, seem to have a bit of karma with my sect’s senior disciple... Is Heavenly Mother Mountain willing to go? Are you all willing to go?"
As soon as Tao Qian finished speaking, including Mountain Ghost, all nodded joyously.
She couldn’t understand what karma was, she merely sensed that her mother really wanted to go to Penglai Sea, and the mountain spirits desired it even more.
Having received confirmation, Tao Qian immediately took action.
After entering the Perfect Realm of Ultimate Happiness, besides cultivating the Three Meridians, he was also bestowed a technique by the Heavenly Venerate, acquiring a Great Divine Power called "Moving Mountains."
It’s most suitable to use now.
That night, around Heavenly Mother Mountain, whether it be the people of Demon City or the living beings in other territories, they all witnessed a sight that they would never forget in their lifetimes:
"Rise!"
One only heard the voice of Dao, and immediately saw a myriad of rays of sunlight shooting out.
Thunder rumbled, the earth dragon flipped, the sky trembled.
That massive Heavenly Mother Mountain was shockingly lifted up by a figure.
The towering giant mountain, in an instant, became like a small stone toy in the hand of the figure, pinched and leapt into a leaf of a wooden boat, then saw the Heavenly Gate wide open, Milky Way descended swiftly, encasing that Immortal Boat, disappearing into the end of the world.
...
The Miraculous Tree Treasure Boat, being a Divine Treasure of Spirit Treasure God, naturally its speed is far beyond the likes of Star Zha Demon.
In an instant, Tao Qian shouldered Heavenly Mother Mountain and returned to Penglai Sea from Demon City.
Just as he broke through the Nine Refinements Ghostly Wind and entered the Ten Thousand Immortals Islands, following the spiritual resonance sensing, he passed by the Immortal Island where his senior brother Yang Jie was located.
With no time for formalities, he loudly called:
"Senior Brother Yang Jie!"
"This mountain must be entrusted to you, there is a Female Charm in the mountain, who has some karma with you, do not fail her."
As his words fell, he had already thrown down Heavenly Mother Mountain.
Senior Brother Yang Jie’s Dao power had not yet reached the level where he could catch this mountain, but fortunately, that island actually belonged to Yang Jie’s master [Xuan Yuan True Monarch].
This True Monarch’s power is second only to Duobao Daoist.
As soon as Tao Qian spoke, Xuan Yuan True Monarch also immediately sensed it, revealed himself, cast a spell to catch the mountain, and laughed out loudly:
"Thank you, nephew, for matchmaking for Jie Er!"
"But didn’t expect that nephew, this bridegroom could go for an outing and..."
Halfway through his sentence, Xuan Yuan True Monarch also saw the appearance of Tao Qian.
His expression instantly changed dramatically, quickly catching Heavenly Mother Mountain while also immediately shouting:
"Nephew, do not delay!"
"Quickly go to your Ascending Immortal Island Star Aperture to avoid disaster, Dao Nightmare is not to be trifled with, delay a bit longer and it will turn into a great calamity."
ps: Three Chapters finished, the next arc is the Outer Domain, I’ve grown weary of these contents, just writing a bit of prelude to smoothly enter a new story, everyone can rest assured.