Chapter 1434: Intending to Cut Without Leaving Any Traces Behind
Su Ming held Xu Hui, who had fallen unconscious due to being drunk. He stared at her rosy cheeks, and noticed that her originally sweet breath was now laced with alcohol. While lying in Su Ming's bosom, she let out faint whistles made by a sleeping person.
Those sounds caused the ripples of memories to stir in Su Ming's heart. After standing quietly on the mountain for some time, he sighed softly. He then turned around and while holding Xu Hui charged into the south.
The five white dogs immediately followed after him. They turned into five white rays of light that charged behind him. One of them, White Five, had a human head between its teeth.
The journey of seven days to Cloud Sieve Sect was calculated based on Xu Hui's speed, but Su Ming could reach that place in an instant.
Cloud Sieve Sect was not one of the seven sects, but one of the smaller sects under the seven. There were quite a number of small sects in Ancient Zang, but most of them were not famous, such as Cloud Sieve Sect. The presence of a Dao Paragon guarding it had only made it slightly reputable in the area.
In just the time takes for two incense sticks to burn, Su Ming saw Cloud Sieve Sect in the distance. It was built on a mountain, and it looked quite extraordinary. There were green pines surrounding the sect, and a flight of stone stairs going down the mountain. Clouds and fog filled the area, and a huge hall could be vaguely seen at the summit. At the bottom, right before the mountain, there was a huge stone erected with two words carved on it: Cloud Sieve!
It was Cloud Sieve Sect.
Su Ming turned his gaze away and lowered his head to cast a glance at Xu Hui in his arms. When he lifted his head, his gaze was aloof and callous. He bore no grudges against the sect himself… but if he ignored it, Xu Hui would certainly be chased down because of the deaths of the young man and the hundreds of cultivators.
And it was impossible for Su Ming to take Xu Hui away. She was not the person in his memories, and it was impossible for him to form any sort of connection with her. If he did, it would only entangle him even more with the world and push him into losing himself one day.
Before, he had thought it was not difficult to keep his mind clear. He could do it as long as he kept true to himself… but when he saw Xu Hui, he realized that it was not as easy as he thought.
He should have found the people who had the exact same face and voice to the people in his memories to be incredibly familiar to him… but right then, when he looked at them, he found the barrier of unfamiliarity separating them.
However, the people in his memories had died, but he could see them right before his eyes. It forced him to continuously tell himself that all he saw was fake, even if it felt so real that it was scary.
And that was just with Xu Hui. If he ran into Fang Cang Lan, Yu Xuan, his eldest senior brother, second senior brother, Hu Zi, and the others… Su Ming did not know whether he could bear to cut off all his ties with them.
That was why when he faced Lan Lan of Seven Moons Sect, Su Ming chose to keep as far away from her as possible. She bore the slightest hint of resemblance to Fang Cang Lan… and he did not know whether he could still keep true to his heart if he got closer to her.
Would he… become a pitiful man who would be unwilling to believe that everything was fake even though he knew that it was fake and would rather believe that everything around him was real?
Su Ming knew himself well, and it was precisely because of it that he did everything he could to avoid the people he knew. He understood all too well… that he was this sort of person!
He sighed softly. When an aloof glare appeared in his eyes, he decided Cloud Sieve Sect's fate. It… could not continue to exist. Only when it lost the ability to pursue Xu Hui could Su Ming leave her alone and cut off his ties with her.
But he also knew that when he destroyed the sect… he would have already formed a connection with Xu Hui.
The best possible thing for him to do was to let go of Xu Hui and turn a blind eye towards her survival, as if she was just a gust of fleeting wind… but he could not do so.
In silence, Su Ming brought his right hand up and pointed at Cloud Sieve Sect.
A fierce light lit up in the eyes of the five white dogs behind him. They turned into five long arcs that charged towards Cloud Sieve Sect.
"Only kill those who are above Avacaniya Realm and the successor disciples of this sect."
By the time Su Ming finished speaking, the five white dogs had already rushed into Cloud Sieve Sect. After a moment, booming sounds surged into the sky. Enraged roars as well as cries of surprise shot up, and a slaughter began in Cloud Sieve Sect.
All cultivators above Avacaniya Realm, the sect master, the successor disciples, and all of sect elders dyed the sky red with their blood on that night.
When about an hour had passed and all five white dogs flew back, dozens of people—Cloud Sieve Sect's sect master, sect elders, and successor disciples—were killed.
For a sect which numbered to nearly ten thousand people, the deaths of dozens of people should amount to nothing, but when those people formed the small circle that was the peak of the sect, it meant that sect… would fall to ruin straight away.
Su Ming lowered his head and cast a glance at Xu Hui again. When he took a step forward, he reached a mountain in the distance and put Xu Hui down. He stared at her quietly for a long while, then lifted his right hand and swung his arm. Glittering light landed on Xu Hui's body, and he left.
When Su Ming left, Xu Hui's eyelashes fluttered. She slowly opened her eyes, and confusion appeared on her face, but she soon remembered what had happened and immediately got up to look around her, but besides the darkness of the night, she found nothing.
She could vaguely remember drinking with someone. That person had later asked her where Cloud Sieve Sect was located, and then… she fainted. But once she woke up, she found that no matter how hard she tried to remember, she could not recall the face of the person who drank with her.
Xu Hui scowled, then shook her head hard and turned into a long arc that left into the distance.
Su Ming went away, leaving the southwestern region far behind him. He charged forth and did not stop all along the way, as if he wanted to leave Xu Hui far behind him as well as the place where he met her, which had formed a connection with him that he could not sever.
He discovered that the more he became immersed in the world, the more he felt that he could not keep his mind clear, but he still tried his best to keep true to his heart. When morning arrived, he saw Seven Moons Sect in the distance.
"I've… returned…" Su Ming said softly.
With one step, he vanished. When he reappeared, he was standing in the air above Seven Moons Sect. The moment he showed up there, all the Runes were activated. Countless figures instantly appeared, and waves of divine senses locked down on him.
Seven Moons Sect was clearly in a state of extreme caution. Once the divine senses swept past Su Ming, they did not lower their guard in the slightest. Even more waves of murderous intent showed up, but the next moment, a long string of laughter echoed in the air, and Gu Tai took huge strides forward to charge towards Su Ming from the seventh layer of Sky Beyond the Sky.
"How was it?!" he immediately asked.
There were around ten long arcs charging behind him. Xu Zhong Fan and Dao Han were among them. When Xu Zhong Fan saw Su Ming, he immediately smiled. He looked distinctly older, and there were more wrinkles on his forehead, as if he had been constantly frowning over the last couple years. Once he saw Su Ming, the wrinkles on his forehead evened out.
Only Dao Han's pupils shrank at the instant he saw Su Ming. His main focus was on the five white dogs beside him. Once he scrutinized them, a hint of surprise appeared in his eyes. When he turned his gaze back to Su Ming, he had a vague feeling that the third prince before him had become vastly different after they hadn't seen him for two hundred something years.
This was not a feeling brought forth by his cultivation base, but his instincts. they told him that if he attacked, he might not be able to overpower the third prince.
He was not the only one who felt this way though. At that moment, the other great sect elders beside Gu Tai all had that feeling when they looked at Su Ming.
"I've taken all of them." Su Ming nodded at Gu Tai.
"Alright, you came back at the right time. I was worried that you would miss the fight over the Phala of Dao Verification. Right now, there are a few more decades before it starts. Since you reaped some good rewards this time, you must slaughter your way to fame in the fight over the Phala of Dao Verification!
"In that battle, the very first competition of the successors will be launched between Seven Moons Sect, One Dao Sect, and Asura Clan. We will fight before the Phala, and you will fight in it. We will be fighting for the path of Dao Verification, and you will be fighting against the other prodigies of the other sects for the Phala of Dao Verification!
"In the past, the respective camps from the seven sects and twelve clans would dye the sky and earth with fresh blood when they fought, for only then did the path of Dao Verification opens. But right now… Seven Moons Sect has formed an alliance with two sects and three clans. The battle this time will certainly be much greater and more vicious than in the past!"
When Gu Tai spoke, he stared at Su Ming with bright, burning eyes. He too had clearly noticed the difference in Su Ming, but he could see much more than the others. The five white dogs around him were secondary, what Gu Tai cared about was Su Ming's right hand!
The red thread tied to his wrist filled Gu Tai with apprehension, and the Brand of the crescent moon that occasionally showed up on his palm caused his eyes to shrink. Hidden within them was a hint of shock.
"This Brand is…" Gu Tai sucked in a sharp breath, and a smile lit up at the corners of his lips. A strong wave of excitement appeared on his face. He had managed to recognize where that Brand came from!
Su Ming nodded and wrapped his fist in his palm towards Gu Tai and the others. After he cast a glance at Xu Zhong Fan, he took a step forward and stepped into the sixth layer of Sky Beyond the Sky.
"If that's the case, I will need to enter isolated training to nourish my Enchanted Treasures. Senior Gu Tai, Teacher Xu, please wake me up on the day of Dao Verification."
When Su Ming said those words, Xu Zhong Fan immediately looked excited. It was the first time that Su Ming had addressed him as teacher. While he might not have addressed him as Master but as Teacher Xu, it was already enough for Xu Zhong Fan.
Gu Tai watched Su Ming leave into the distance, and his smile grew wider. There was great confidence on his face. He believed that even though Su Ming appeared to only be in Dao Spirit Realm at that moment, his combat abilities would surely be able to threaten even Dao Paragons!
"If he can enter Dao Spirit Realm, he will be… the strongest among all under Great Dao Paragons! This day is far from us. When the path of Dao Verification is opened and he enters it, with his tactics, intelligence, and combat prowess, there is a high chance that he will obtain the Phala of Dao Verification. Once he has it and eats it, he will become a Dao Paragon!" Gu Tai said softly with hope shining in his eyes.
"Besides, he has that Brand, and it has been formed by what could be called one of the most terrifying divine abilities in all of Ancient Zang…"
Chapter 1435: The Legend of the Emperor of Ancient Zang
The Phala of Dao Verification came from the Tree of Dao Verification. That tree was not in Ancient Zang, but in a shattered dimension. Legends had it that the Dao Verification Art did not belong to Ancient Zang in the distant past.
However, the Emperor of Ancient Zang had used his power of Boundless Dao Realm to tear apart space and step into the world that practically all the cultivators in Ancient Zang found incredibly mysterious even up to this date. In fact, there were quite a lot of people who still did not know that it even existed.
That world proclaimed itself to be the beginning of the universe and was the homeland of the Tree of Dao Verification. It was a huge tree that reached the heavens and provided nourishment to all the lives in that world, giving rise to countless powerful warriors!
There were nine continents in that world, and on each continent was a butterfly. They were the spirits of the continents and existences that were the same state of being as the Tree of Dao Verification. They served as the pillars of support allowing the lives on the continents to multiply.
The Emperor of Ancient Zang's entry had immediately caught the attention of the beings in that world. A huge war broke out, and the Emperor of Ancient Zang fought against the strongest of that world—a powerful warrior named Gou Hong. They had engaged in an astonishing battle of Arts.
The details of the battle were recorded in ancient scrolls that no one could read except for the members of the royal family, and even then, those of the royal family harboring secrets and who were not emperors could not read them. They only knew that the Emperor of Ancient Zang returned with grave injuries while dragging with him the Tree of Dao Verification. He left the tree in the tunnel connecting Ancient Zang and that world, which then became a shattered dimension.
After that, the Phala of Dao Verification from the tree became a supreme treasure that all the cultivators of Ancient Zang sought for at least once in their lives!
As for the Emperor of Ancient Zang, once he returned to the royal capital, he chose to enter isolated training… After several tens of thousands of years, the princes of that time incidentally discovered that cracks had appeared on the Emperor of Ancient Zang's life plate, and in their shock, they immediately gathered the entire royal family together to activate the chamber where the Emperor of Ancient Zang isolated himself… only to discover that the Emperor of Ancient Zang had disappeared from his tightly sealed isolation grounds.
That was a legend recorded on a jade slip, and Su Ming held it in his hand.
He sat at the sixth layer of Sky Beyond the Sky and stared at the jade slip that recorded the origin of the Tree of Dao Verification. It was an item Gu Tai had delivered to him. Su Ming's expression was calm as he held the jade slip, but a huge storm raged in his heart due to the words on it.
His breathing became slightly faster while he held the jade slip and sat in the sixth layer. Gradually, he became unable to keep his gaze calm, so he chose to close his eyes.
But even though he could close his eyes, he could not quell the storm in his heart. It had turned into a loud sound that continuously roared in his mind.
'That world has nine continents, and there are nine butterflies who serve as the spirits of those continents… If these nine butterflies are Harmonious Morus Alba…' Su Ming opened his eyes swiftly.
'Then that explains Harmonious Morus Alba's origin. When an accident happened to that world or it crumbled, the nine spirits fled. They flew through the endless Vast Expanse in search for a place suitable enough to serve as their home… In the end, one of the Harmonious Morus Alba became tired, and when it rested in the Vast Expanse, a world was born in its wings.' Su Ming's eyes shone with a contemplative light.
'Emperor of Ancient Zang… Is there a possibility that Xuan Zang is in truth not the third prince… but the Emperor of Ancient Zang?' Su Ming's eyes shrank swiftly.
'The Emperor of Ancient Zan fought against Gou Hong, the strongest of that world. The emperor might have won, destroyed that world, and killed Gou Hong, but he also paid the price of being so gravely injured that he almost died!
'Once he returned to the Ancient Zang of that time, he wanted to recover from his injuries, but in the end, he could not do so, and so his life plate shattered… but he was not willing to die just like that, which was why he cast some unknown divine ability before sitting down on the Feng Shui compass with the nine Reversed Spirit Pearls in his hand and went to absorb Harmonious Morus Alba in the Vast Expanse. He searched for the Reversed Spirits… because he's aiming to resurrect himself!'
When Su Ming thought of that, his eyes shone brilliantly. A huge storm raged in his heart. He had realized that if his guess was real, then in truth…
He might seem to be Possessing Xuan Zang at that moment, but in truth, he was on the verge of losing, because he was not fighting against Xuan Zang, but the third prince. In fact, he did not even know his real identity, so how could he even dream of the day when he would successfully Possess him?
This discovery immediately caused cold sweat to break out on Su Ming's forehead. His grip around the jade slip tightened, and he gradually narrowed his eyes.
In silence, he chose to bury the matter deep in his heart so that it would become one of his many assumptions. Then, he put away the jade slip and slowly closed his eyes.
There was no need for Su Ming to rush it. He knew that he could not make a mistake in this step. If he did… he would no longer be himself. He was attempting the most difficult Possession in his life, and he could not afford to make any mistakes.
He had to think about each of his decisions and resolutions carefully before he could take a step forward… because he could no longer turn back from this path.
If he succeeded, he knew he would become Xuan Zang. When he opened his eyes, he would see the Vast Expanse and the hope to resurrect all the people in his memories.
If he failed… Su Ming knew that he would no longer be himself.. Instead… Xuan Zang would be the one who would open his eyes.
Time trickled by, and decades passed while Su Ming meditated in the sixth layer of Seven Moons Sect's Sky Beyond the Sky. As time flowed into the distance like a stream of water, the day when the Tree of Dao Verification would bear fruit drew closer.
On the autumn of one year, Su Ming opened his eyes in the sixth layer of Sky Beyond the Sky and watched the rain fall from the sky, bringing a cooling breeze with it. He watched the rain pour on the ground, and in his third eye, the fourth overlapping shadow of his Dao Spirit was no longer completely blurry. Instead, its outline could be seen. If no external force arrived to help with its manifestation, then while it would take time, Su Ming could still use his own power to completely form his fourth Dao Spirit.
When the autumn rain poured on the world outside, bell tolls echoed from the distance in Seven Moons Sect. There was an ancient tone to that sound, and it stirred up ripples in the sky and earth, making the autumn rain tremble. All the cultivators in Seven Moons Sect lifted their heads.
Nearly six-tenths of Seven Moons Sect's elite cultivators—numbering to more than two hundred thousand—turned into countless long arcs that rose into the sky of Seven Moons Sect.
Gu Tai, Xu Zhong Fan, Dao Han… all thirteen great sect elders took action. Most of the sect elders also followed them. With the two hundred thousand cultivators, they rose into the sky while it was the season of autumn rain in the world.
At the same time, a dark cloud appeared under their feet. It was huge and covered the ground as well as Seven Moons Sect, which meant that all of the two hundred thousand cultivators could sit on it.
Lightning flashed in the cloud, which had a powerful and mighty pressure. The item, which seemed like a dark cloud, was in truth an extremely powerful Enchanted Treasure of Seven Moons Sect. Besides the power it had, it could also move through the heavens and earth. It could bring the cultivators of Seven Moons Sect to the battle of Dao Verification!
"Su Ming!" Gu Tai's ancient voice echoed in the sixth layer of Sky Beyond the Sky, and Su Ming slowly stood up.
"It is time. We… will accompany you to the battle of Dao Verification!" At the instant Gu Tai's voice rang out, the two hundred thousand something cultivators all voiced their obedience!
They spoke in unison, and when their voices rang out, they were like the roars of the world that shook the skies. The next moment, a Feng Shui compass appeared under Su Ming's feet, and he turned into a long arc that charged into the sky. The five white dogs followed after him. All of them instantly broke out of the sixth layer of Sky Beyond the Sky to appear in front of the dark cloud. With a single step, they stepped on it.
The moment Su Ming arrived, the dark cloud let out a loud rumble and instantly rushed forward, leaving behind an afterimage of its figure in the sky above Seven Moons Sect. By then, its true form had already left far into the distant sky.
The afterimage only disappeared after a long while, and during that time, countless rays of light from Runes appeared inside and outside Seven Moons Sect. All of them had been activated at that moment. When the Runes were put to use, Seven Moons Sect hid itself from the land. If anyone looked over, they would only see mountains…
The dark cloud charged forth in the sky, and it was so quick that it instantly covered an incredible distance. The two hundred thousand cultivators sitting on the dark cloud were all silent, but the murderous intent in their eyes grew stronger with each passing moment.
They knew that they were going to the battle of Dao Verification among the seven sects and twelve clans that happened once in a blue moon. However, right then… due to the competition between the successors, the level of devastation and the subsequent tragedy they would have to suffer would be much greater than in the past.
But… if they won and were not killed, then once they emerged as the victors of the competition between the successors, all those who participated in the battle would have a kismet bestowed upon them, and their levels of cultivation would increase by leaps and bounds!
That kismet would be the kismet of the competition between successors, the kismet of Ancient Zang!
All seven sects and twelve clans in Ancient Zang conducted similar acts as Seven Moons Sect. As the light from their Enchanted Treasures shone, the cultivators from each sect and clan… charged towards the royal capital at the center of Ancient Zang from all directions in the country!
The shattered dimension with the Tree of Dao Verification was divided into three layers. Only when one stepped into the third layer would they be able to enter the dimension where the Tree of Dao Verification was located. The first to enter would gain the upper hand over others.
The first and the second layer were where the seven sects and twelve clans waged the battle of Dao Verification for the right to enter the third layer!
A devastating slaughter would happen each time the battle of Dao Verification was held because everyone was aiming for the larger Phala. The smaller Phala was only of secondary importance to them.
The larger Phala was a Reversed Spirit Pearl, a treasure that could protect a sect or clan. It was a legendary item, and legends had it… that its greatest use was to allow a person to gain enlightenment to break through the limits of Great Dao Paragon and become a ninth level Dao God!
And the more Reversed Spirit Cores a person had, the more chances they would get to gain that enlightenment. This was something the emperor in the royal capital had acknowledged and announced to the world. The item did indeed have that effect, but it would vary depending on the person and the number of pearls they had.
Chapter 1436: World of Dao Verification Opens
The Tree of Dao Verification had borne fruit seven times, and seven Reversed Spirit Pearls had appeared. They were all fought over by the seven sects and twelve clans, and the last battle over the seventh Phala of Dao Verification had resulted in the victory of Seven Moons Sect!
It had been a long time since Seven Moons Sect obtained the Phala that some details had been forgotten, but when they thought back on it, they still remembered how treacherous the event had been.
Dao Han stood on the dark cloud calmly and stared at the distant sky. A nostalgic look was on his face. It was the second time he participated in the battle of Dao Verification, but this time, he would no longer be the person who would step into the third layer of the shattered dimension. Instead, he would be someone who would assist in the first and second layers.
He still remembered the first time he had joined the battle of Dao Verification. At that time, he had just joined Seven Moons Sect, but due to his amazing potential, he had been given the important task of becoming the person Seven Moons Sect would send into the third layer while the others would assist him.
During that battle, he killed many people, which earned him a reputation. He slaughtered until blood flowed in rivers, and he had also been heavily wounded. Most of his sect members beside him had died, but in the end, perhaps due to luck, he had managed to obtain the big Phala.
He helped Seven Moons Sect gain glory it had never had before. Full of excitement, Gu Tai had protected him while he staggered back from the third layer while pursued by many people. The sky was dyed red with blood on his way back, and it followed him right back to Seven Moons Sect.
From that moment onwards, he was taken in as Gu Tai's disciple and became the youngest great sect master of Seven Moons Sect while Reversed Spirit Pearl was treated as a legacy treasure. Only the great sect elders who led the sect during each generation could obtain it.
A long time had passed since then. When he became the greatmaster, he often looked at the Reversed Spirit Pearl and remember the faces of his companions before they had died.
Right then, he was going to join the battle of Dao Verification once more, but he was no longer the main part of the battle. The main focus had shifted to Su Ming. Dao Han lifted his head and looked at him.
'When he returns in success, I wonder if he will feel the same sort of sentiment as I do.'
Dao Han closed his eyes. In his mind, the third layer of the Tree of Dao Verification appeared. When he stepped in all those years ago, he was careful and at full guard all along the way. It was a dimension filled with battles to the death. It was… a game of survival.
'Fortunately, due to the cracks in the dimension, the third layer is incredibly unstable, which is why only those who are weaker than Dao Paragons can enter. Once someone becomes a Dao Paragon, it's impossible for them to step inside. They will be rejected.'
Dao Han opened his eyes, and his expression became calm again. He no longer thought about his past that made him sigh.
Xu Zhong Fan was also staring at Su Ming. He hesitated for a moment before taking a few steps forward and sitting down cross-legged beside Su Ming.
Xu Zhong Fan was silent for a moment before he said softly, "Be careful along the way…"
Su Ming opened his eyes, snapping out of meditation. He looked at Xu Zhong Fan. This person had become his Master on his own, without asking for Su Ming's permission. Right then, when he observed the man, Su Ming could tell that his concern to him was sincere. Even though Xu Zhong Fan cared for his own level of cultivation and kismet, his concern was something Su Ming would remember.
"There is no need for you to be the first to enter the third dimension. It will only turn you into a target for everyone. Even if you don't obtain the Phala, it's fine."
When Xu Zhong Fan looked at Su Ming, there was worry on his face. He mulled over it for a moment before he brought out a medicinal core and placed it in Su Ming's hand.
"This is… a Thanatosis Core! Once you take it, your body and soul will be destroyed in an hour. If you run into any life and death situations, you can swallow the core, then flee after faking death," Xu Zhong Fan said softly. Once he finished speaking, he cast Su Ming a deep glance, then turned around and walked to the back.
Su Ming stared at the medicinal core in his hand, then turned his head back to look at Xu Zhong Fan before he quietly put away the medicinal core.
Soon, another two hours passed. While sitting on the cloud, Su Ming could already see the central region of Ancient Zang on the ground in the distance. There was an incredibly large city there which remained enormous even when seen from the sky!
It was Ancient Zang's capital and also the place where Su Ming would return to two thousand something years later. He still remembered the Master of his who looked exactly the same as Tian Xie Zi. He once told Su Ming that when he went to the city gate, he would wait there to help solve his final question.
As they drew closer to Ancient Zang's capital, Su Ming saw that quite a number of cultivators from other sects and clans had already reached the sky above the city. Su Ming did not know any of them, but based on their formations, he could tell that five sects and clans had already arrived.
They rode on different Enchanted Treasures. One of them was a huge dragon with nine heads, another a huge gourd, while some cultivators sat on screens of light.
Seven Moons Sect was the sixth sect to arrive.
No one said anything. The cultivators from the other sects and clans sat meditating on their respective Enchanted Treasures with closed eyes to rest their minds.
When another two hours passed, booming sounds echoed in the air. More sects and clans had arrived. Su Ming saw One Dao Sect and Immortal Qing Han of Asura Clan.
He also saw… the eldest prince surrounded by a group of cultivators in One Dao Sect! He was the much younger Extermination, but from a certain way, he was a man bearing some resemblance to Lei Chen. At that moment, he was staring at Su Ming coldly.
At the instant the two's gazes met, their eyes sparkled with killing intent, and they were as sharp as sword glares.
When the two of them moved their gazes away to look at Asura Clan, they saw a figure surrounded by fog. It belonged to the second prince, and Su Ming saw him for the first time. At the instant he looked over, he found no signs of familiarity.
Su Ming closed his eyes and no longer paid any attention to him. When dusk arrived, all seven sects and twelve clans were in the sky above Ancient Zang's capital. There were millions of cultivators, and they formed a great mighty pressure and enveloped the world.
When all the sects and clans arrived, they slowly formed unions by slowly gathering together around Seven Moons Sect, One Dao Sect, and Asura Clan as the foundation.
"In a moment, the first layer will be activated. When you step into the shattered dimension, don't bother about those so-called unions. They are somewhat tolerable on normal days, but during the battle of Dao Verification, we won't be able to stop accidents from happening.
"That is why once we step into the first shattered dimension, no matter where you are and whether there are people of the same sect around you, just remember that if you have the chance to place your Brand on the altars, immediately do so. If you don't, then with the fastest speed possible, head to the gathering spot marked on your jade slips!" Gu Tai's voice echoed in the hearts of the two hundred thousand cultivators on the cloud.
"In every single battle of Dao Verification, we need to clear the layers one by one. There are one hundred thousand altars in the first layer, and whichever sect or clan becomes the first to have fifty thousand Brands on the altar will get to immediately step into the second layer. If no sect or clan gets to leave their Brands on fifty thousand altars, then seventy-two hours later, the sect or clan with the most Brands will be the first to enter the second layer. The rest is done in the same manner, the sects or clans with less than ten thousand Brands will have no right to enter the second layer!
"I have already made an agreement with the other sects and clans who are in the union with us. They will assist Seven Moons Sect with all their strength to ensure that we will be among one of those who will enter the second layer! But do not entirely believe in this promise. We will have to rely on our own strength.
"Su Ming… do the same thing. Head to the gathering spot as fast as possible." When Gu Tai's voice echoed in his mind, a weaker murmur suddenly reached Su Ming's ear.
"If you can head there, then go there, but if you can't, find a place to hide. Great Dao Paragons can go to the first layer, so it's very dangerous… As for the second layer, while Great Dao Paragons cannot enter, Dao Paragons will still pose a threat to you.
"It'll be better for you in the third layer… but since this is a competition between the successors, it's not easy to predict things. My real agreement with the other sects who have formed a union with us is not what I told the others… but to use their full strength to suppress all the interferences in the dimensions around you, allowing you… to bring those five white dogs of yours smoothly into the third layer!
"We are somewhat confident in this, but if we can do this, One Dao Sect and Asura Clan can do it as well, so you will have to venture with extra caution into the third layer," Gu Ta said to Su Ming. When he heard it, his expression stayed calm, and he nodded.
At that moment, an orange-red pillar of light suddenly rushed out from the capital city of Ancient Zang. It was thousands of feet tall, and it shot straight up from the circle formed by the seven sects and twelve clans to disappear into the empty space in the sky.
A loud bang echoed through Ancient Zang's sky. The orange-red pillar of light seemed to have dyed the sky with its color, causing the end of the sky where the pillar of light touched to form a huge orange-red vortex. It rotated with a bang and covered the entire stretch of sky visible to the naked eye.
The huge vortex rotated swiftly. When the time it takes for about half an incense to burn passed, the orange-red pillar of light disappeared, and a huge black hole appeared in the vortex in the sky.
"The Tree of Dao Verification has appeared, and its fruit has bloomed. All sects and clans, please take care of yourselves…"
A faint voice with a mighty pressure came from the royal capital of Ancient Zang. It echoed in the world, and when all the cultivators heard it, respect appeared on mosts of their faces, because they knew that the person who spoke was the Emperor of Ancient Zang, one of the three ninth level Dao Gods!
Su Ming lowered his head to look, since he had a feeling of being watched. It felt like someone in the city below had lifted his head to stare at him.
At the instant the Emperor of Ancient Zang finished speaking, a suction force that could not be described with words enveloped the area and the millions of cultivators from the seven sects and twelve clans. Long arcs immediately flew out towards the black hole at the center of the vortex.
The moment the cultivators of Seven Moons Sect were sucked into the black hole, Gu Tai lifted his hands and pushed down at the dark cloud. It crumbled with a bang and turned into two hundred thousand jade slips that went into the hands of all those from Seven Moons Sect, including Su Ming. He too had a jade slip appear in his palm.
"Use these jade slips to touch the altars!" When Gu Tai's voice rang out in their ears, they were swept into the black hole in the vortex.
Millions of figures charged forward, which created an astonishing sight. Su Ming moved, and the Feng Shui compass beneath him disappeared. With the five white dogs in tow, he went with the countless figures beside him into the black hole in the vortex.
Chapter 1437: Snatch the Altars
At the instant Su Ming stepped into the black hole while being swept up by the suction force from the vortex, his vision blurred, but it swiftly passed away. When his eyes became clear, he saw a desolate wasteland.
Countless shattered stones floated in midair, and there were countless cracks on the ground. Some parts of the ground had already crumbled, and the sky was no longer blue, but gray. When Su Ming looked around, he saw no plants in the area, only a thick wave of aura of death. It was continuously spreading over the ground.
The five white dogs beside Su Ming had gone missing, but he still had a connection with them in his heart. They could also sense Su Ming and were swiftly heading towards him.
Right before Su Ming was a floating rock that was about ten thousand feet big. There was a simple altar on it which had nine layers but looked very broken. Atop it was a tree that seemed to have been petrified. If anyone took a closer look, they would see that it had nine branches, and at the end of each branch was a butterfly!
When Su Ming at the altar, his eyes shone, and he instantly charged forward. When he closed in, he landed on the altar and stared at the petrified tree with burning eyes. Most of his attention was on the nine butterflies.
The butterflies were practically the same as the Harmonious Morus Albas Su Ming had seen.
It caused his heart to tremble. Suddenly, he turned his head to the right, for he caught sight of a figure appear out of nowhere there. It belonged to a middle-aged man dressed in a long blue robe. He looked wary, and moments later, his gaze fell on Su Ming and the altar beneath his feet.
When the middle-aged man swept his gaze past Su Ming, he had managed to tell his level of cultivation, which was betrayed by a smile that immediately appeared on his face. He walked to Su Ming while spreading out his cultivation base out of his body. It told Su Ming that the person was a powerful warrior in the fourth level of Dao Spirit Realm.
Su Ming cast a look at the altar. There were about one hundred thousand of them in the first layer. Without saying a word, he turned around, intending to leave. He wanted to observe the strange world a little more, and there was no need for him to stop for a long time for one altar anyway.
When he saw that Su Ming was about to leave, the middle-aged man smiled faintly, but right when he was about to step onto the altar, he narrowed his eyes and took another look at Su Ming, who was leaving the place.
"Your face… You… You are Seven Moons Sect's third prince!"
The middle-aged man jolted, and crazed delight appeared in his eyes. He no longer paid any attention to the altar, but instead, turned into a long arc that charged towards Su Ming.
"Haha! Today my luck is great! Not only did I find an altar, I also the third prince with a bounty on his head set by One Dao Sect and Asura Clan!
"You are merely in the third level of Dao Spirit Realm. Today, I am destined to receive my serendipity!"
When the middle-aged man's laughter echoed in the air, his body turned into a long arc that charged towards Su Ming. A light crease appeared on Su Ming's brow, and his lips curled up in a cold sneer.
He had intended to leave, but since the middle-aged man did not want him to leave… but wished to die instead, if Su Ming did not grant his wish, he would definitely not leave the man satisfied.
"I can try out the Space Whip."
When Su Ming lifted his right hand, the red thread on his wrist disappeared. The sky immediately roared, and a huge shadow of a whip that seemed to have been formed by stars descended on the ground. When it surrounded Su Ming, the middle-aged man's expression changed. He came to a swift halt before he began moving backwards. A hint of shock appeared on his face, which had become solemn. He formed a seal with his hands, and an armor appeared on his body. He also called upon ten layers of light screens formed by Runes.
But even so, the instant Su Ming swung his whip, booming sounds rang out in the air. The ten layers of Runes instantly fell apart, and the armor crumbled as well.
The middle-aged man coughed up blood when the whip touched his body. His mind was swiftly thrown into chaos, as if the whip had not just struck his body, but had also entered his mind and throw his thoughts into disarray.
After he coughed up blood, a shrill scream of pain came out of his mouth.
With a single move, Su Ming closed in on the man. When he lifted his right hand, the mark of the crescent moon on his palm shone, and he pushed it at the center of the man's brow.
At the instant Su Ming's right hand came into contact with the man's forehead, a huge suction force erupted from the palm. The middle-aged man's pained scream immediately reached an incredibly shrill degree, and his body withered in a moment. A large amount of life force and cultivation base surged into the mark on Su Ming's palm in just the span of a few breaths, and as the shrill screams grew weaker until they disappeared, the middle-aged man was reduced to only an emaciated and withered corpse before Su Ming!
His soul and everything about him had left his body.
Su Ming's expression was calm. He had the old man's divine ability, the mark, the Space Whip, the wills of the four Great True Worlds, and even his level of cultivation was just slightly weaker than that of the middle-aged man. If he could only win after fighting against him for a while, he would not be Su Ming.
He pulled his right hand back, and when the red thread appeared on his wrist, he took a step and returned to the altar he just left. When he stood on it, he lifted his left hand, and a jade slip appeared in his hand, which he pushed against the trunk of the petrified tree. The jade slip immediately shone, and the petrified tree on the altar looked life force had returned to its body; it started to gradually resurrect.
When it returned to life, a mild fragrance spread out. Su Ming took a sniff of it, and his eyes immediately shone. He noticed that once he took a whiff of that fragrance, his level of cultivation had increased a little bit.
With that fragrance around, his Dao Spirit in his third eye felt very comfortable. His fourth overlapping Dao Spirit had manifested a little more as well.
Gu Tai had never talked about this before, but based on logic, it was impossible for him not to mention that the altars could increase their levels of cultivation. After all, even if he did not say it, Su Ming would notice it.
Because of that, there could only be one explanation for the unexpected situation.
A brilliant sparkle immediately appeared in Su Ming's eyes.
'Could it be that this fragrance doesn't help other people's level of cultivation?'
Su Ming's eyes shone. When about twenty breaths passed, the petrified tree on the altar returned returned to its best state. A pillar of light then shot into the sky.
It could be seen even from the distance… since the moment it appeared, Su Ming saw quite a few others charge into the sky.
Those pillars of light meant that there were quite a few altars that had been activated at that moment!
The pillars of light would exist eternally. However, they could be replaced by other sects and clans at any time, so once they appeared, they were like beacons of light to people from the other sects and clans.
Su Ming sank into a brief period of pensive silence, thinking about the fragrance appeared when the altar was activated. He then charged into the distance, checking the jade slip along the way to head to the gathering spot for the cultivators of Seven Moons Sect based on the guide, and on the way, he searched for altars.
After the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, an altar that had been activated showed up ahead of Su Ming. There was a young man who had a jade slip pressed against a petrified tree, which was already partially resurrected. There were four other cultivators beside him—dressed in the same manner as him—who were fighting to the death against four others, preventing them from interfering with the young man's actions.
Once Su Ming saw this, his eyes sparkled, and he turned into a long arc that charged to the ground. He traveled so fast that in just the span of a few breaths, he arrived among the eight people fighting against each other.
His level of cultivation surpassed theirs by a lot, and the moment he closed in, their expressions changed. It was especially so for the young man who was activating the altar, for even his pupils shrank in fear.
Booming sounds echoed in the air. Su Ming's arrival had stirred up a huge gust of wind that blew away all eight of the dueling cultivators. His body seemed to have turned into an afterimage when he appeared on the altar. He lifted his right hand, swung it, and immediately, the young man, who was already halfway into activating the altar, coughed up blood. He moved back swiftly without hesitation, and when he glared at Su Ming with a hateful gaze, he saw Su Ming standing on the altar with a jade slip on his left hand. He pushed it against the tree.
The eight people who were blown off turned their heads around and left in silence, not bothering to stay back. Even the young man with the hateful look did not say anything, choosing to leave immediately.
When the twenty breaths were over, a pillar of light appeared on the altar where Su Ming was. It shot into the sky, and when the sweet-smelling fragrance spread out, Su Ming sensed his cultivation base change again. A fierce glare appeared in his eyes, and when the fragrance disappeared, he turned into a long arc that charged into the distance.
An hour later, Su Ming had passed multiple altars in the first layer. He tried to leave Seven Moons Sect's Brand on the altars which had been activated with his jade slip, but while he had managed to change the pillar of light's color, no fragrance spread out, and it made Su Ming understand that the altars would only release it during the initial activation.
It seemed like a wave of spiritual aura had accumulated over a long period of time in the altar and was released once it was activated. That spiritual aura was useless to others, but to Su Ming, it was an incredibly valuable supplement!
He made some detailed calculations in his head. If he could activate all one hundred thousand altars, then the aura he could absorb would be enough for his cultivation to increase by a level!
But that was quite impossible. However… they were still in the first layer. There was also the second and third layers…
A brilliant sparkle shone in Su Ming's eye, and his heart had already become invigorated.
Chapter 1438: Cut the Dao Paragon (1)
Su Ming did not give up on the matter of meeting at the rendezvous spot with Seven Moons Sect so that he could increase his level of cultivation and his Dao Spirit's aura by being the first to activate the altars. After all, Great Dao Paragons from the seven sects and twelve clans could enter the first layer. If he made a spectacle of himself, it would be difficult for him to not draw attention to himself.
And with Su Ming's identity, if he attracted too much attention in the first layer, he would run into dangers threatening his life. If he met a Great Dao Paragon, the dangers they posed would be especially great to Su Ming.
Which was why while the route Su Ming took seemed to be ever changing, he was still rushing to the gathering spot of Seven Moons Sect based on the guidelines provided in the jade slip. However, he would paid attention to his surroundings on the way to keep a lookout for altars that had yet to be activated.
When twelve hours were gone, it was one-sixth of the seventy-two hours provided to them in the first layer. As Su Ming charged forward, including the initial two he activated, he had already performed the initial activation for seven altars.
This number was already very high for a cultivator, but Su Ming seldom fought against others. He only did it to get the altars, and his eyes would shine with a cold glare at that time.
As he charged forward, he would occasionally check his jade slip. The spot where he was located was no longer far away from the rendezvous spot of Seven Moons Sect. He could reach it in about four hours.
Moments later, however, Su Ming suddenly came to a swift halt. His gaze fell on a sunken landmark. It was an altar which had yet to be activated, but when Su Ming saw it, he narrowed his eyes slightly.
About twelve hours had passed, and while there were still altars which had yet to be activated in the first layer of the shattered dimension, there weren't many of them, and most of those were in rather obscure places. The altar before Su Ming, however, was in a very obvious place, and it was impossible for no one to have found it till then.
Su Ming swept his gaze past the area, but he only stopped for a moment before he turned his head around Instead, he charged forward, intending to leave. That place was clearly a trap.
At the instant Su Ming was about to leave, a cold chuckle came from the altar. A figure dressed in a Daoist robe appeared from behind it. The man's gaze was like lightning, and when looked coldly at Su Ming, he took a step forward and closed in on him in an instant.
"Since you saw my altar, it won't be so easy for you leave."
A dark and cold voice echoed in the air, and a presence belonging to Dao Paragons was instantly released by the figure in the Daoist robe. The weather changed, the ground trembled, and that powerful presence instantly covered a circular area of ten thousand lis. The expression of the cultivators in the area changed the moment they noticed it, and they quickly fled.
Su Ming frowned. The presence belonging to Dao Paragons made him scowl, and he wanted to swiftly leave the area with the Feng Shui compass, but a thought appeared in his head at that moment, and he gave up on the idea. Instead, he turned around and cast a cold glare at the approaching figure.
It was an old man with an aquiline nose. The Daoist robe he wore was in black and white, the colors of the Yin Yang sign. It did not belong to One Dao Sect or Asura Clan… but Dualism Sect!
"I wonder, what business do you have with me, senior?" Su Ming asked flatly, and the incoming old man laughed coldly.
Just as he was about to speak, he swept his gaze past Su Ming's body and was suddenly stunned. Su Ming chose that moment to bring his right hand up, and the Space Whip immediately replaced the sky, turning it dark. At the same time, the shadow of the whip closed in on the old man before descending on him.
A loud bang shot up into the air. When Su Ming cracked the whip, he did not move back, but instead charged forward. Another loud bang followed after, causing the ground to tremble. Su Ming fell back, and blood trickled down the corners of his mouth. Once he landed on the ground, he lifted his head and clenched his right fist to throw a punch at the billowing dust before him.
Su Ming's will and his power in Dao Spirit Realm were gathered in that punch. The moment he threw it forward, the old man in the Daoist robe roared in anger from the dust fog. He instantly moved away.
He looked rather dishevelled, since his robes had already been torn to reveal a red whip mark. His eyes were red, and there was a faint hint of absent-mindedness in them. At that moment, he seemed to have forcefully suppressed that absent-minded state. A large amount of white fog surrounded him before it turned into a huge centipede in the air. That centipede was entirely white, and with a ferocious look, it charged towards Su Ming, crashing straight into his punch.
Booming sounds surged into the sky, and Su Ming coughed up blood. He moved back, and the white centipede shuddered. It became slightly duller, but it still charged towards Su Ming with killing intent. That was the power of a Dao Paragon. It was still something that Su Ming could not hope to win against, but if a Dao Paragon wanted to kill him, it would not be easy for them to do so.
The moment the centipede closed in on him, a fierce glare appeared in Su Ming's eyes, and he said flatly, "White Five."
The instant he said that name, a white figure appeared in front of him at an indescribable speed and crashed straight into the incoming centipede of fog.
Booming sounds shook the sky and earth, and the centipede of fog instantly crumbled to pieces. The old man's expression changed, and a grave look appeared in his eyes. He stared straight at the huge white dog which had appeared in front of Su Ming.
The white dog was also glaring at the old man with a fierce look. He knew this person, and they were even briefly acquainted to him in the past, but right then, White Five just felt livid. After all, if Su Ming died, the five of them would all die with him. There was no way for them to run away from it.
Right then, forget that White Five had been acquainted with the old man before, even if they were from the same sect, White Five would still attack him without hesitation. It opened its mouth wide and let out a howl before it charged forth, straight at the old man.
"What is this Spirit Beast?!"
The old man's pupils shrank, and his heart trembled. He could tell that the white dog had the power of a Dao Paragon, and it left him in a state of disbelief. Such Spirit Beasts were incredibly rare in Ancient Zang, but in the blink of an eye, he found an answer to his own question. With Seven Moons Sect's power, it was not impossible for them to obtain such a Spirit Beast for the third prince.
"No matter what, an animal is just an animal!"
The old man laughed coldly. When he lifted his right hand, a layer of frost appeared under his feet. It soon cracked, as if numerous centipedes had appeared under his feet.
White Five barked then, and a huge bronze cauldron appeared around him. It had numerous pictures of various fierce creatures. The next moment, the pictures on the cauldron came to life. They filled the sky and charged at the old man, whose pupils had shrank even more and who was slightly shocked.
At that moment, Su Ming spoke faintly.
"White One."
When he said that name, a ray of white light came charging in from behind the old man. At the moment he noticed it, the old man was stunned to his feet.
'He-he has one more?! And it's also a Dao Paragon?!'
The old man's heart let out a thump, and he immediately wanted to retreat. The desire to escape had arisen in him right then.
When White One and White Five charged at him, Su Ming's gaze was full of powerful killing intent. He could already sense that White Three (the second one) and White Four were not far from him. They would close in on them around ten breaths later. Only White Three (the first one) was slightly further away.
Chapter 1439: Cut the Dao Paragon (2)
Boom!
When a loud bang resounded in the air, it stirred up the world and caused the air to distort. When countless ripples spread out, the old man coughed up blood, and fell backwards. After him, two white figures charged forth.
Naturally, they were White One and White Five. These two white dogs were Dao Paragons, and when they charged, their divine abilities filled the air. The old man suddenly felt like he was not facing two Spirit Beasts, but two Dao Paragons who were at the same level of cultivation as him, just with bizarre forms!
'Damn it, where did Seven Moons Sect get these two incredibly valuable Spirit Beasts?! Damn it!'
The old man's face was incredibly dark, but he did not have time to even wipe off the blood at the corners of his mouth. At that moment, he could only think about fleeing instead of how to kill Su Ming. The only thought in his mind was to leave as quickly as possible.
He could engage in a fight with a single white dog, but when two of them appeared, the old man knew that it was completely impossible for him to kill Su Ming… unless the two white dogs did not possess high intelligence. Only then would he stand a chance, but when they exchanged blows, the old man immediately felt his heart tremble, because he had the feeling that the two Spirit Beasts were just like cultivators.
When he retreated, a cold sneer appeared at the corners of Su Ming's lips. Killing intent shone in his eyes, and when he took a step forward, he charged towards the old man.
The old man stared at Su Ming, and his speed of withdrawal grew even faster.
"Today, I will let you leave, now get out of my sight!"
The old man might have been shocked and felt apprehensive at the two dogs' level of cultivation, but he still had an arrogant look on his face. When he spoke, his air of self-assumed superiority was still present.
He was certain that the third prince's level of cultivation was not high enough. Even with the two white dogs, the third prince would not dare to pursue him too tightly, and he would definitely not want to stall for time either. After all, he had a unique status. If he stayed in one place for too long, he would attract other people's attention. This was something the third prince would not want to face.
Because of that, the old man was certain that the third prince would give up on making things hard for him.
"But I don't want to let you leave," Su Ming said in a flat voice while rushing forward with killing intent shining in his eyes.
The old man snorted coldly, but right when he did so, he sensed two more Dao Paragons' presences charging over from different directions.
"There are already other Dao Paragons coming to this place. Since you don't know what's good for you, you might as well never leave this place again."
The old man chuckled coldly, but he did not stop and continued retreating. He wanted to wait until the two other cultivators with the presences of Dao Paragons arrived. As long as they were not from Seven Moons Sect, the third prince would surely face a disaster.
A glint shone in Su Ming's eyes, and his lips curled up into a faint smile. When the old man saw his expression, his eyes immediately shrank. An ominous feeling rose in his heart when he saw two rays of white light charge towards them .
Within those two rays of white light were two large white dogs!
At the moment he saw them clearly, the old man's expression changed drastically. His heart trembled in a manner of a monstrous storm. He felt that his eyes were playing tricks on him. When he looked forward swiftly, he found that the two white dogs which were previously beside Su Ming were still around.
'F-four?! That's impossible! How could it be possible for anyone to find four Spirit Beasts who look exactly the same in all of Ancient Zang, and they're all Dao Paragons to boot?!'
The old man's heart was filled with shock at that moment. Without any hesitation, he bit the tip of his tongue, coughed up a mouthful of blood, and used all his cultivation base to flee swiftly.
He could no longer fight. No matter how conceited he was, he did not have the courage to fight against four white dogs who shared the same level of cultivation as him. In fact, a powerful sense that he was about to die had already risen from the depths of his heart. It was not Su Ming's disaster, but his!
At the instant he moved in a flash and was about to leave into the distance, Su Ming lifted his right hand, and the Space Whip immediately replaced the sky. It charged towards the old man, and with a loud bang, it struck him. With the hit stalling him, the four white lights immediately rushed up at him.
They were so fast that the old man simply did not have time to flee. With bloodshot eyes, he growled, and loud booming sounds shook the sky and earth, stirring up dust fog that swept outwards in every direction. The old man coughed up blood, and his right arm shattered. He let out a shrill cry, and nine jade slips that had appeared in front of him at some unknown point in time crumbled to dust. With the power brought forth by the jade slips when they broke, his body was sent flying backwards.
The four white dogs charged forth again and were about to close in on the old man, and despair showed up in his eyes.
At that moment, the Feng Shui compass suddenly manifested under Su Ming's feet and rushed forward. The Feng Shui compass charged forth at a speed that made even Su Ming's heart tremble. It was so fast that Su Ming instantly surpassed the four white dogs.
In fact, before the old man could even notice him, Su Ming had already appeared in front of him. At that moment, it was as if Su Ming had forced his way and occupied the old man's eyes. His reflection had completely overtaken the old man's pupils.
The old man was stunned. The next moment, Su Ming lifted his right hand and pushed his palm at the spot between the old man's eyebrows. At the same time, the four white dogs arrived simultaneously. Booming sounds shot into the air, and the old man's limbs were all clamped down tightly between the four white dogs' jaws.
Their teeth sank deep into the old man's flesh, and immediately, the old man's cultivation base was sealed, causing him to be unable to move even the slightest bit. He widened his eyes, which went red from terror. The old man let out a shrill scream of pain which spread through a circular area of ten thousand lis. The hearts of the cultivators who had left trembled, and they quickly went even farther away.
As the screams of pain continued, the old man's body rapidly withered away. His life force, cultivation base, and even his soul all charged into Su Ming's body through the Brand on his right palm.
Su Ming's injuries quickly recovered. In the blink of an eye, he was completely healed. When he let go of the old man, the old man's shrill screams had already disappeared, and he had turned into a mummy.
The Brand of the crescent moon on Su Ming's palm was shining with a dark light at that moment. While Su Ming could absorb the old man's cultivation base, he could not use it to increase his own. He could only use it to heal his injuries. However… he could gather the old man's cultivation base on the Brand, accumulating it to deliver a strike that would be equivalent to one that could be used by the old man was at the peak of his form.
Su Ming cast the mummy a cold glance, then looked away and took a step forward towards the altar that had yet to be activated. Twenty breaths later, when a pillar of light shot into the sky from the altar, a bright light shone in Su Ming's eyes. He turned around and brought the four white dogs with him to turn into long arcs that charged into the distance.
The return of the four white dogs allowed Su Ming to relax. As long as he did not run into any Great Dao Paragons, there would be no cultivators who could stop him.
'Just endure a little more. Once we get to the second layer, no Great Dao Paragon will be able to step into that place, and at that time, I will be able to fight for the altars!'
Su Ming's eyes sparkled. Even though some people would definitely use other methods to enter the second and third layers in the battle of Dao Verification and would be able to equip themselves with combat prowess that far surpassed their levels of cultivation, just like Su Ming did with his five white dogs, Su Ming was still rather confident that he could have the world at the palm of his hand when he was in the second and third layers.
In truth, that was indeed the case. For Seven Moons Sect, the hardest was the first layer, because all the Great Dao Paragons from each sect would appear in this layer, and it was impossible for Seven Moons Sect to obtain any sort of advantage.
However, it was different in the second layer. If no accidents occurred in the second layer, then with Gu Tai's level of cultivation, he could stand superior to all others.
'I still need to be careful in the first layer.'
As Su Ming thought that, he brought the four white dogs into the distance. When two more hours passed. Su Ming looked at the jade slip before him. Based on the markers on the slip, he would need about two more hours before he could get to Seven Moons Sect's rendezvous point.
Right then, there were all sorts of fights in the first layer. Pillars of light appeared in the world, and from the distance, Su Ming found that there were one hundred thousand of them. Clearly, all of them had been activated, and right then, all the sects and clans were fighting for them.
Su Ming shifted his gaze away and charged forward, but right then, his heart suddenly trembled. He had a feeling that someone had set their sights on him. When their gaze landed on him, Su Ming felt his heart tremble in fear.
"Hmm?"
A faint voice traveled out of empty air, and right after, a figure walked out. It was a teenager who appeared to be about thirteen or fourteen years old. He was dressed in a long white robe, and when he walked out of the air, he looked at Su Ming with a grin.
"I am One Dao Sect's Lin Dong Dong. Greetings, third prince."
The teenager might have seemed young, but there was an ancient tone to his voice. When he spoke, the world around Su Ming showed signs of freezing, as if it had been sealed.
Great Dao Paragon! Only Great Dao Paragons would possess this sort of power.
This was not the first time Su Ming had met a Great Dao Paragon. Sen Mu was not the first Great Dao Paragon he met when that person came to Seven Moons Sect either. In truth, the first Great Dao Paragon Su Ming met was Immortal Qing Han, but since the old man had been around, Immortal Qing Han had been reduced to an incredibly pathetic state. Still, Su Ming had never underestimated the Great Dao Paragons of Ancient Zang—who numbered to less than thirty—because of it.
It could be said that each Great Dao Paragon was a powerful warrior who stood at the peak of Ancient Zang. Without the ninth level Dao Gods, the Great Dao Paragons… were at the peak of the level of cultivation.
"Third prince, why are you in such a hurry? Since we met, we must be bound by destiny. Why don't you come with me?"
When the teenager spoke with a smile, he walked to Su Ming in the sky. With each step he took, the world would tremble. In fact, if he wanted to, it seemed as if with just one thought, he could flip the world over its head.
Su Ming was silent. The pupils of the four white dogs beside him had already shrunk. The world around him had been sealed, which seemed to say that his fate of encountering a life-threatening disaster was already set in stone.
When the teenager began to walk over, Su Ming lifted his head. He brought his right hand up and pushed down at the area before his feet. With it, the most powerful strike from the old man which Su Ming had bound into the Brand on his right palm immediately erupted with a bang.
At the same time, the four white dogs howled. They brought forth their strongest power and delivered their most powerful strike at the frozen world.
Chapter 1440: The Second Layer
When Su Ming attacked and the four white dogs delivered their strongest hit, the world around Su Ming looked like it was about to crumble. A large amount of contortions appeared, and Su Ming rushed forth. At that moment, the feeling that the area had been sealed became much weaker, but right when he was about to escape—
The teenager smiled with his expression as calm as ever. He took a step forward, and immediately, the world instantly froze again. The effect quickly enveloped a circular area of nearly one million lis.
"The world in one million lis has been frozen. How… will you escape?"
When the teenager said those words with a smile, there was a hint of derision in his eyes.
"Perhaps you can try to escape, if you like a game of chase, that is." As the teenager spoke, he did not immediately approach Su Ming. Instead, he took a few steps to the side, opening the path ahead for Su Ming.
"Hey, I'll give you ten breaths. Ten breaths later, I'll first kill the white dogs beside you. With each ten breaths, I will kill one of them, and forty breaths later, I will capture you."
There was still a smile on the teenager's face, but his aloof tone caused a murderous glare to shine in Su Ming's eyes.
"One…" The teenager shook his head. At the moment he spoke, the Feng Shui compass appeared under Su Ming's feet. It grew larger at a very rapid pace, and in the blink of an eye, it grew to be one hundred feet big. The runic symbols on it protruded on the surface and began shining. With one thought from Su Ming, the Feng Shui compass immediately buzzed and shot forward.
The Feng Shui compass' speed was supposed to be extremely fast, but when the world around it had been frozen, it felt as if countless threads had surrounded it, preventing it from traveling too quickly. Su Ming could still hear the teenager's voice echo in his ears.
"Two…"
"Three…"
"Four…"
As the Feng Shui compass charged forward, the feeling of being toyed around caused Su Ming's expression to turn dark. The killing intent in his heart had already become incredibly strong, but the disparity in their strength gave him no way to vent his killing intent, even though it had already become so strong that it was boiling in him.
"Ten!" the voice said.
When Su Ming turned his head around, he saw the teenager appear right behind himself, and his right hand was already around White One's neck. He shot a smile at Su Ming and squeezed the dog, but right then, madness appeared in White One's eyes, and it instantly chose to self-destruct.
Booming sounds reverberated through the air and turned into a powerful wave of impact that swept up Su Ming and his Feng Shui compass, immediately pushing them into the distance. It also put the teenager in direct line of fire. His robes fluttered rapidly, but he still remained standing at the spot where the impact was the strongest. A hint of astonishment appeared in his eyes.
"It… can self-destruct? This isn't a Spirit Beast. This is… a cultivator?"
When the teenager mumbled those words under his breath, his eyes shone swiftly. Clearly, even someone like him had not expected that the white dogs beside Su Ming would be cultivators!
Red appeared in Su Ming's eyes. He did not say a single word, but his heart was already overflowing with killing intent. White One might have been his enemy in the past, but ever since the old man turned him into a white dog, it has been very respectful to Su Ming. Yet right before Su Ming's eyes, it was forced to self-destruct.
This scene… would not have affected Su Ming's heart before, but the feeling of helplessness in the face of the powerful caused him to remember Harmonious Morus Alba, where all the people he cared about had died under Xuan Zang's single hit.
At that time, he had also been powerless!
Once that feeling rose in him, it caused Su Ming to throw his head back and let out a shrill cry as his Feng Shui compass charged forward.
"One Dao Sect! ONE DAO SECT!"
White One's self-destruction created a wave of impact that was beyond the teenager's expectations. While it could not affect him, it pushed Su Ming and the Feng Shui compass out of the sealed world. His speed increased exponentially, and in the blink of an eye, he was already one hundred thousand lis away.
"You sure run fast, but… Hmm?"
The teenager lifted his head and looked at the spot where Su Ming had fled to with a cold glare. His lips curled up into a chilling smile. With one step, he moved, intending to give chase, but suddenly, he came to a stop. Around him, or more accurately speaking in an area of one million lis around him, snowflakes had started floating down.
Once they appeared, a chilling presence immediately filled the entire area. Su Ming had been one hundred thousand lis away as the Feng Shui compass continued charging forward by then, but he too saw the snowflakes drifting down.
"Today, I will repay my debt to you for not going through the door on that day. From now on, we owe each other nothing."
A woman's voice rang out in the world, and Su Ming recognized it. It belonged to Immortal Qing Han.
When her voice echoed in the air, the snowflakes in the area of one million lis instantly swept past Su Ming to form a huge wall of ice and snow behind him. At the same time, the seal in the world of one million lis crumbled, allowing the speed of Su Ming's Feng Shui compass to instantly recover.
"I see, so it's Immortal Qing Han. It's been a long while… But you actually stopped me? Could it be that you are somewhat interested in them?"
When the teenager's voice traveled languidly, Su Ming had fled into the distance on his Feng Shui compass. By his ears, he heard Immortal Qing Han's faint and aloof voice.
"I owe this person a debt of kindness. Fellow Daoist Lin, I hope you do not mind to please step down."
Su Ming could not hear the subsequent conversation. The Feng Shui compass charged through the world and left into the distance. While sitting on it, Su Ming remained silent, but the madness and killing intent had become so strong that it filled his entire body. His murderous aura reached a monstrous degree.
'I will definitely obtain the Phala, and once I eat it, I will obtain the power of a Dao Paragon… and will never have to feel this powerless again!
'One Dao Sect… One Dao Sect! Until the day I will destroy you, I will not rest even if I die. I cannot hope to stand against Great Dao Paragons, but when I'm in the second and third layers, I will definitely make One Dao Sect pay!
'Once I become a Dao Paragon, I will go and find Lin Dong Dong, and I will… make him suffer the consequences!'
The killing intent in Su Ming's was astonishing. When he thought about those things in his heart, he saw the gathering spot for Seven Moons Sect in the distance.
There were only eighty thousand out of the two hundred thousand cultivators from Seven Moons Sect at that spot. Gu Tai was also there. When everyone saw the Feng Shui compass with Su Ming, their gazes immediately gathered on it. Immediately after, Gu Tai sensed the incredible killing intent surging around Su Ming.
He did not ask Su Ming about it. All sorts of things happened in the chaotic first layer. It was not a bad matter either, since only when it happened could a person's bloodlust be triggered.
When Su Ming approached Seven Moons Sect's gathering spot, the Feng Shui compass under his body vanished, and he charged to the people of Seven Moons Sect. Once he drew close to them, he did not speak, but instead chose to sit down on the ground with his eyes closed to suppress the murderous intent that was on the verge of explosion in his heart.
As time trickled by, Gu Tai and all the great sect elders of Seven Moons Sect would occasionally lead some people to venture outwards. Gu Tai's jade slip flashed nonstop, sending his messages to the sects and clans which had formed a union with Seven Moons Sect.
With the strength of the union gathered together, Seven Moons Sect was guaranteed to smoothly enter the second layer. In the blink of an eye, twenty something hours passed. The limit of seventy-two hours was fast approaching. Gu Tai's expression became more solemn, and the Seven Moons Sect disciples in the area continued coming in and leaving without stop. Sometimes, there would be about one hundred thousand something people in the gathering spot, and at other times, there would only be thousands of them.
When the final two hours arrived, the number of disciples in Seven Moons Sect had already dwindled to less than one hundred thousand. More than half of them had died. Even though their bodies could not be seen, but based on the other people's expressions, it was easy to tell that the battles had been incredibly devastating.
It could be said that the one hundred thousand pillars of light in the world were changing ownership every half an hour, yet no sect or clan managed to have fifty thousand altars in their possession. Once the final, most critical two hours passed, the one hundred thousand pillars of light in the first layer swayed. Moments later, a huge vortex formed in the sky.
When it rotated with loud bangs, a huge black hole appeared within it. Right after, nearly thirty thousand of the one hundred thousand pillars of light instantly extinguished. At the same time, a powerful suction force came out from the black hole. It did not descend onto the ground, but only to the region where One Dao Sect was, bringing all the cultivators from One Dao Sect into the black hole in the vortex.
Then, another thirty thousand pillars of light extinguished. Asura Clan became the second clan who had the right to step into the second layer. Once the cultivators from Asura Clan flew into the black hole, the third sect who had the right to enter was revealed. It was… Seven Moons Sect!
More than ten thousand pillars of light lost their light, and Seven Moons Sect, including Su Ming, immediately sensed the suction force from the vortex in the sky. Their bodies instantly flew up and headed to the black hole.
There were only thirty thousand something pillars of light left after Seven Moons Sect was gone, and there was no longer any sect or clan who had more than ten thousand pillars of light in their possession. This was not because their sects or clans did not have enough power, but because this time, due to the existence of the three camps in the battle of Dao Verification and the competition between successors, which led to the exchange of mutual benefits, those sects and clans had given up on the chance to participate in the battle.
Or else, with how much One Dao Sect and Asura Clan were trying to stop Seven Moons Sect, it would have been very difficult for Seven Moons Sect to earn the right to enter the second layer.
At that moment, only One Dao Sect, Asura Clan, and Seven Moons Sect were in the second layer. They would launch a crazed battle there, and from then on… the disciples of the sect or clan who won the battle would become the first to enter the third layer!
After all, the disciples who became the first to enter the third layer would have a much greater chance to obtain the Phala. It would mean that they had gained the initiative. If they could turn that initiative into an advantage step by step, then they would naturally be successful in seizing the Phala!
'One Dao Sect!'
Once nearly four hundred thousand cultivators from the sects and clan stepped into the second layer, they were split up like in the first layer.
Killing intent flashed in Su Ming's eyes. When he looked around himself, he saw that the second layer was no longer a vast empty wasteland like the first layer. Instead, there were countless rocks floating in the sky.
Those floating stones seemed to be connected to the sky, and there was no end to them. Clearly, everyone had to step on the stones to charge to the sky.
Chapter 1441: Only Kill One Dao Sect!
Su Ming stood up in the second layer. Over here, even if the Great Dao Paragons descended by some unknown method, it would still be absolutely impossible for them to act as outrageously as they did in the first layer. They would definitely suffer some form of interference.
And it was the place where Su Ming would begin his slaughter!
When killing intent filled his eyes, he spread out his divine sense to check the regions where the four white dogs were. In just the time it takes for half an incense stick to burn, a ray of white light charged over and appeared besides Su Ming. It was the three-legged White Three.
The other three white dogs were rushing to Su Ming from farther locations.
Su Ming moved and brought White Three to charge towards the stone above him. About an hour later, killing intent shone in his eyes. Before him, he saw three disciples from Seven Moons Sect fighting against two people from One Dao Sect for an altar.
There were ten thousand altars in the second layer, and the rules were the same as in the first layer. Within seventy-two hours, the sect or clan with the most altars occupied would have the right to enter the third layer first.
The altars there were even more simple and primitive. The petrified trees on them were also thicker. If Su Ming was to compare them by their ages, then if the trees in the first layer were ten years old, then the trees here would be one hundred years old.
At the instant Su Ming saw the two cultivators from One Dao Sect, he took a step forward and closed in on one of them. When he walked past that person, he had seized that cultivator's neck. With one squeeze, a loud crack rang out. The cultivator's eyes immediately went wide, and when he breathed his last, all his life force and cultivation base were instantly sucked out through the Brand on Su Ming's right hand.
The other One Dao Sect cultivator by the side had an expression of shock on his face at that moment. He looked as if he was about to move back, but a scream of pain tumbled out of his mouth instead, because White Three had pounced on him and began tearing through his body.
All of that happened so quickly that the three disciples from Seven Moons Sect were stunned and immediately became wary, but once they saw Su Ming's face, they let out a sigh of relief and wrapped their fists in their palms in Su Ming's direction. Then, the three of them turned into long arcs and left the place.
Su Ming looked at the altar and moved towards it. It took him a total of forty breaths to activate it. Right after, a large amount of sweet fragrance filled the air. When Su Ming sucked it in, his eyes shone brilliantly, and he turned around to leave into the distance.
He continued to charge forward. With White Three by his side, even if he ran into Dao Paragons, Su Ming would still have the power to fight back. However, as he continuously rushed to the sky, he did not run into any Dao Paragons on his way, only cultivators with other levels of cultivation. However, as long as he ran into those from One Dao Sect, Su Ming would not hesitate to kill them.
Every single time he attacked, Su Ming would absorb his target's cultivation base and their life force, causing the strongest hit accumulating in the Brand on his right hand to reach great power.
He killed nonstop. Wherever he went, the mummies left behind served as a testimony to his killing intent, but it was still not enough for him. Two hours later, he spread his will outwards with a loud bang in the second layer's sky. When it swept outwards in every direction, a glint shone in his eyes. He turned around and charged north. Over there, two cultivators were fighting against each other over an altar.
Su Ming did not know those two people, but based on their clothes, he could tell that one of them was from Asura Clan, and the other from One Dao Sect. Seeing a Dao Paragon from One Dao Sect was already enough for Su Ming to have killing intent boil in him.
When he rushed over, White Three was beside him. The moment the two Dao Paragons clashed against each other with their divine abilities and were forced back, the Feng Shui compass suddenly appeared under Su Ming's feet. His speed instantly increased exponentially, and he immediately charged to the Dao Paragon from One Dao Sect.
The Dao Paragon of One Dao Sect was a middle-aged man. At that moment, his expression was as dark as thunderclouds when he looked at Su Ming. When he frowned, Su Ming had already closed in on him. White Three was by his side.
Booming sounds instantly reverberated through the air at an astonishing volume, causing the pupils of the Dao Paragon from Asura Clan to shrink. Then, he too chose to attack.
The attacks from White Three and the Dao Paragon from Asura Clan immediately made the expression of the Dao Paragon from One Dao Sect to change drastically. Just as he was about to retreat, Su Ming appeared in front of him with an aloof expression.
Killing intent appeared in the eyes of the Dao Paragon from One Dao Sect. Su Ming's level of cultivation was not worth his attention. He lifted his right hand and went to strike him, but Su Ming brought up his right hand as well.
At the instant he touched the Dao Paragon, Su Ming jolted. He coughed up blood. His right arm's bones fractured, and his flesh felt as if it was about to be torn, but he forcefully suppressed the injuries. The price for it was that his body was instantly injured.
But his expression only grew even more ferocious. Not only did he not avoid the attack, he did not even bother about his injuries. Instead, he had the Brand on his right hand absorb the man's cultivation base and life force.
Immediately, the pupils of the Dao Paragon from One Dao Sect shrank, revealing a hint of shock. At the same time, White Three turned around and fixed its stare on the Dao Paragon from Asura Clan, who had been stunned by what Su Ming had done.
He had personally seen the right hand of the Dao Paragon from One Dao Sect wither. At the same time, Su Ming's injuries recovered. But it lasted for only the span of a few breaths.
The Dao Paragon from One Dao Sect roared and tore off his right arm. He then swiftly retreated with his gaze when he looked at Su Ming filled with fear.
'What is this Art?!' As he retreated, the Dao Paragon from One Dao Sect eyes filled with shock when he looked at Su Ming.
Su Ming's eyes shone when he looked at the Dao Paragon from One Dao Sect coldly. The absorption that lasted only a few breaths just then had been enough for his injuries to recover. Killing intent returned to his eyes, and he charged towards the Dao Paragon from One Dao Sect.
The Dao Paragon's heart trembled and he instinctively moved backwards, but right then, white light suddenly shone from behind him. It was White Four approaching the area. When booming sounds reverberated through the air, the Feng Shui compass under Su Ming's feet appeared, and he immediately arrived next to the Dao Paragon.
He brought his right hand up and pushed down on his shoulder, absorbing him immediately. The Dao Paragon turned around, intending to attack him, but White Four charged forth and engaged in a fight against him. By then, Su Ming had already moved back.
Just like that, as White Four was engaged in a fight against the Dao Paragon from One Dao Sect, Su Ming closed in on him six times. Each time, he would absorb some of his life force and cultivation base. When Su Ming closed in on the Dao Paragon for the seventh time, he did not even care about the Dao Paragon's resistance and simply pushed his right hand at the center of the man's brow. With it, the Dao Paragon shuddered and let out a shrill scream of pain before turning into a mummy.
The Dao Paragon from Asura Clan saw everything from the start to the end. His expression was incredibly sour. There was great wariness in his gaze when he looked at Su Ming.
"I only kill those from One Dao Sect," Su Ming said slowly while casting a glance at the Dao Paragon from Asura Clan. The two white dogs next to him cast the Dao Paragon from Asura Clan a fierce glare.
The Dao Paragon took a few steps backwards. He cast Su Ming a deep glance before turning around and leaving swiftly. He did not even bother about the altar. Clearly, the fight just then—Su Ming's ferociousness and the strangeness of his right hand—had already shocked him.
Su Ming activated the altar and absorbed the aura, then lowered his head and cast a glance at the Brand on his right palm. At that moment, the might of a Dao Paragon's full powered strike was contained in the Brand, and his eyes sparkled. When Su Ming turned around, he brought the two white dogs upwards. Two hours later, another white dog rushed to their side. With the three white dogs, Su Ming instantly left into the distance at his quickest speed.
All along the way, as long as he ran into cultivators from One Dao Sect, no matter what level of cultivation they possessed, Su Ming would immediately kill them, and it was especially so when he ran into another Dao Paragon from One Dao Sect.
When Su Ming attacked, he did not care about his injuries. As long as he had the chance, he would absorb the other's life force, and all his injuries would immediately recover. On the way, not only did he manage to absorb a large number of cultivation bases and life force from the cultivators, a blood-red moon had also appeared behind him!
The blood moon was formed by Seven Moons Sect's Art. When it appeared, it looked like Su Ming was in a sea of blood.
When another two hours passed, Su Ming heard the rumbles of a Rune. Amid the noise, he saw a huge stone of hundreds of thousands of feet big above him. At that moment, there were tens of thousands of cultivators who were fighting atop it!
There were twenty something altars on the huge stone, which was why that place had turned into a small battlefield. With a single glance, Su Ming could tell that Xu Zhong Fan, Dao Han, and the other people from Seven Moons Sect were fighting against one Dao Sect!
Su Ming's appearance and the blood-red moon immediately caused him to become the center of attention. In an instant… quite a number of people recognized him.
Xu Zhong Fan's expression changed. At that moment, a Dao Paragon from One Dao Sect laughed loudly and turned into a long arc that left Xu Zhong Fan's side to charge towards S Ming. At the same time, hundreds of cultivators behind him turned into long arcs that rushed towards Su Ming.
"You had plenty of other paths to take, but you took none of them and insisted on coming here. I'll kill you and perform a great meritorious service. I'll even earn myself a great kismet!"
The Dao Paragon from One Dao Sect was a bald man dressed in a long orange robe. While laughing long and hard, he closed in on Su Ming.
The eyes of the three white dogs beside Su Ming shone with a fierce glare at that moment. When they were about to charge forward, killing intent shone in Su Ming's eyes. At the instant the tens of thousands of people in the area looked over and Xu Zhong Fan rushed over, Su Ming moved forward and appeared right in front of the bald man.
He lifted his right hand, and the instant the light from his Brand appeared on his palm, it turned into a piercing light that shot into the sky. When that light filled the entire area, Su Ming brought his right hand downwards to collide with the bald man in the air.
Su Ming did not continue absorbing anyone's power. He wanted to kill until his reputation dripped with blood. He wanted to kill until he formed an imposing presence, especially in this large-scale batter of tens of thousands of people. He needed to have his reputation rise, which was why… he did not absorb any power, but released it!
Su Ming released the power that he had absorbed from hundreds of people, two of which were even Dao Paragon. In a moment, all of it erupted from his right hand.
Astonishing booms surged up, and they instantly caused the weather to change, the air to distort, and the shattered stones in the area to crumble to pieces before a powerful wave of impact that swept outwards against tens of thousands of people. All of their expressions changed drastically at once.
At the same time, the bald man's expression filled with disbelieving shock. He did not even have time to let out a shrill scream of pain. Right next to Su Ming's right hand, his body distorted and vanished. Even his soul was wiped off immediately!
Instantly killed!