Young Noble Be Monster Slaying
Chapter 975: The Wrath of Evil Ksitigarbha (I)

Chapter 975: The Wrath of Evil Ksitigarbha (I)
The Southern Regions.

At the new base of the Penglai Supreme Sect, Yang Yuhu looked out at the brand-new pavilions covering the mountaintop and smiled with satisfaction. "It’s all thanks to Chu Liang’s generosity. Just look at all these Feng-grade buildings. Imagine how many spirit stones that must’ve cost. With this, no one will ever be able to breach our Penglai Supreme Sect again."

Xi Miaoxian’s eyes sparkled as she added with a grin, "He’s not the type to do something like this out of kindness alone. The Azure Dragon was so exhausted after helping him that he went straight into closed-door cultivation and still hasn’t recovered. The Azure Dragon is an existence at the pinnacle of the eighth realm, yet even he ended up in that state."

"I heard Chu Liang used the East Sea Chrono Wheel to speed up time like crazy just to cultivate faster," Yang Yuhu remarked with a shake of his head. "I mean, he’s already so strong. What’s he rushing for?"

"Maybe his goals are different from ours," Xi Miaoxian replied, turning to glance in the direction of Mount Shu.

Up in the distance, a massive black-and-white Taiji[1] diagram floated high in the sky, dividing the sky into separate layers.

"Don’t get me started," Yang Yuhu muttered. "We’ve still got work to do today."

He paused, then sighed to himself. "Back when I first met Chu Liang, I really thought he was wasting his time at the Mount Shu Sect. That place was dead last among the Divine Nine. I even told him he should join the Penglai Supreme Sect, where his talent wouldn’t go to waste."

Who would have thought that Chu Liang would become a disciple of the top righteous immortal sect by relying on his own strength? He just took a different path to get there.

As morning light filled the sky, large groups of Penglai Supreme Sect disciples flew toward Mount Shu. The sect had chosen a nearby location for one simple reason… It made it convenient for them to get to work.

Above Mount Shu, the sky was split into two distinct colors.

At this very moment, Baize had also begun realizing her grand aspiration.

Every being on the brink of ascension had to fulfill a grand aspiration to prove their understanding of the Dao. Each one faced a different challenge, but they all had one thing in common—their paths were all extremely difficult.

Cases like the Divine Phoenix King, where the Inferno Flame lit up the world, were seen as relatively simple. This was because the Great Dao of Heavenly Radiance was direct in nature, and the combat strength it granted during the eighth and ninth realms was considered to be on the weaker side.

The Heavenly Star Grand Ancestor had to transform the Morning Star into a celestial body on par with the sun and moon, which, by comparison, was not particularly difficult either.

Grand Ancestor Wuchao, however, was the master of the Great Dao of Chaotic Mass, and the grand aspiration for this Great Dao was far more difficult to fulfill. He needed to engulf the mortal realm with darkness. Even if the other cultivators on the brink of ascension didn't exist, the rest of the world would still rise to stop him.

However, once Baize began working toward her grand aspiration for the Great Dao of Yin and Yang, it made the other aspirations seem far easier by comparison. She would have to completely separate yin and yang within the mortal world, so that yin returned to yin and yang to yang. In other words, ghosts could no longer exist in the world.

For a being to prove their understanding of the Dao, it was, at its core, all about gaining recognition from the very Dao they had used to attain Heavenly Origin. To do that, they had to fulfill the conditions set by that very Dao.

As Chu Liang had put it, for a being to prove their understanding of their Dao, they basically had to bribe it, offer something in return for its cooperation.

According to Lin Bei, it was about winning the Dao over by meeting its demands, so that it would willingly join you.

In essence, it was a process of exchanging effort for union.

The higher the grade of the Dao, the harder the demands it would impose. Lower-grade Daos, by comparison, placed fewer requirements.

Of course, even the simplest grand aspiration was far from easy. The likelihood of failure was much greater than the chance of success.

That was one of the reasons Venerable Wen Yuan had refused the Imperial Supervisory Commissioner’s proposal earlier.

The act of proving one's understanding of the Dao was not just about competing with other cultivators on the brink of ascension. More importantly, it required completing the grand aspiration and fulfilling the Dao’s demands. Even without any rivals, that alone was already an immensely difficult feat.

The competition between these cultivators could be seen as a form of selection, one that chose the most qualified to face the ultimate test.

Baize might be willing to step aside, but would the Dao be just as willing?

From a higher perspective, such as that of the Divine Ruins Monastery, Venerable Wen Yuan was undoubtedly right. If someone were to reach the ninth realm only because others yielded, the result would be meaningless. That person would never be able to carry the weight of raising an entire world.

And the field of contenders was not necessarily limited to those already competing. Although they held the advantage for now and had taken the lead, it was still possible for someone else to catch up and surpass them.

Take the Noble Dharma, for instance. He was publicly known to be a cultivator on the brink of ascension, yet he had never revealed what his grand aspiration was. If any new cultivator were to step into that threshold, they too could join the contest.

That was what the Azure Dragon had intended to do.

Since returning from Mount Shu, he had entered closed-door cultivation not only to recover his strength, but also to focus on comprehending the Great Dao through which he had attained the Heavenly Origin.

His lifespan was longer than Baize’s, and he had always carried himself as her senior. But now, she stood on the verge of entering the Profound Realm and could become a newly ascended Hallowed One at any moment, while he was still serving under Chu Liang.

This contrast had stung the Azure Dragon to some extent.

On top of that, the threat Penglai might face if the Heavenly Star Grand Ancestor became a Hallowed One could very well be another force driving him forward.

It was true that starting to comprehend his Dao at this stage was a little late. However, he had already lingered at the peak of the eighth realm for many years. Even the slightest breakthrough could push him into the threshold of ascension.

None of the current contenders had secured an overwhelming lead. As long as he stepped into the field, he still had a chance.

In truth, the struggle for the Dao had always followed this pattern throughout history. It was even possible for this Era of Great Contention to stretch on for several hundred years.

And in the midst of it all, no one spared a thought for the toll it took on ordinary living beings.

Inside a mountain cave dwelling, the Azure Dragon sat in silent meditation. Within his mind, he simulated the Taiyi countless times, trying to grasp a deeper understanding.

Suddenly, his eyes snapped open, golden flames blazing within them. He fixed his gaze in a single direction and shouted, "Who dares sneak around?!"

Even before the words had finished leaving his mouth, a phantom of a cyan dragon claw surged forward and slammed down upon a spot in the void.

A thunderous boom rang out.

From behind the shattered cave wall, Lin Poyun, the leader of the Dark King Sect, revealed himself. He had only meant to approach quietly, but the Azure Dragon had sensed his presence at once.

"You again!" the Azure Dragon growled.

The moment their eyes met, his fury surged. It was a classic case of enemies crossing paths and tempers igniting. Back during the three-pronged assault on the Penglai Supreme Sect, the Dark King Sect had led the charge. At the time, Lin Poyun had wielded the legendary artifact known as the True Form of Ksitigarbha and had beaten the Azure Dragon badly.

Now that Lin Poyun no longer held the True Form of Ksitigarbha, the Azure Dragon had no reason to fear him.

A thunderous roar burst forth as a phantom dragon tail swept through the air in a wide arc, shaking the heavens.

Lin Poyun had never intended to fight head-on. The moment the attack came, he turned and fled.

The Azure Dragon gave chase, but as soon as he stepped outside, he realized that the situation had already taken a turn for the worse.

On the newly built mountain, the Celestial Master of the Celestial Charm Sect stood in the open with a cold and shadowy presence as he kept his hands folded neatly within his sleeves.

Most of the Penglai Supreme Sect disciples were still working at Mount Shu and had not yet returned. However, several had remained behind at the sect, and now, every one of them stood frozen like puppets without souls, unmoving and lifeless.

The Celestial Master had seized their life and fate with the power of the Great Dao of Chaos and Separation.

The Elder of Mount Lu stood across from the Celestial Master, his expression grim as the two faced each other in silence.

The few seventh-realm experts who had remained behind were now being chased down by Ji Lingjue and Huo Tianya. Though the two were outnumbered, they had no trouble holding their own against four or five opponents of the same realm.

Had this been Penglai at its peak, this invading force would have been crushed very easily. However, with Penglai’s strength now reduced to less than a tenth of what it once was, the forces of the Celestial Charm Sect had broken in with alarming ease.

This was the very image of a tiger fallen to flatlands, ridden by dogs.

"What are you trying to do?" the Elder of Mount Lu asked in a low voice. "What’s left in the Penglai Supreme Sect that’s even worth coveting?"

"I only wish to borrow one item," the Celestial Master replied with a faint smile. "Once I’m finished, I’ll return it. I hope the two of you will be willing to cooperate."

"The East Sea Chrono Wheel?" the Azure Dragon asked.

"Precisely," the Celestial Master said with a nod.

Everyone present understood clearly. With Penglai reduced to ruins and stripped of its former glory, there was nothing else worth this kind of effort.

"No problem," the Azure Dragon said.

With a turn of his hand, he summoned a beam of cyan light.

Whoosh!