Chapter 39

Tai Cang let out a long breath and thought to himself, So that means we each got what we needed.

But what role had Eldest Senior Uncle played in this matter? A new question surfaced in his mind. Queen Mother of the West had mentioned that this matter was related to Laozi. Could it have been deliberately arranged by Laozi?

Was it to help him improve his cultivation?

Or did he intend to use him to win over Queen Mother of the West?

Or was there some other agreement between them?

"Fellow Daoist Tai Cang!" Xiao Xi's urging interrupted his thoughts. "When do we begin? You aren't going to go back on your word, are you?"

Tai Cang came back to his senses and smiled. "Of course not. I, Tai Cang, always keep my word."

He temporarily set those thoughts aside. The most important thing now was to complete the task of defeating Xiao Xi and obtain the One-Click Max Level Privilege.

"Miss Xiao Xi, you are familiar with this place. Is there anywhere suitable for a spar?"

"Of course!" Xiao Xi broke into a smile. "My master has a small world specially meant for sparring. Fellow Daoist, follow me."

With that, she rose on a cloud and flew in a certain direction.

A small world specially meant for sparring? Tai Cang was secretly astonished. In the Primordial World, not many cultivators possessed small worlds. Queen Mother of the West had even opened one specifically as a sparring ground, which showed just how deep her foundations were.

Before long, the two arrived at a valley.

"We're here!" Xiao Xi stopped.

Xiao Xi drifted down to the ground and formed a hand seal. A spatial vortex suddenly appeared ahead of them, and a vast, untamed landscape could vaguely be seen within.

The moment he stepped inside, Tai Cang immediately sensed a special aura permeating this world. The entire place was boundlessly vast, and its mountains and rocks were exceptionally hard. Any random piece taken outside would be a superb material for refining artifacts. What concerned him even more was that some presence seemed to be secretly watching from the shadows.

"Fellow Daoist Tai Cang, let us begin!"

Xiao Xi's voice pulled Tai Cang back to his senses. She held a pair of mother-and-child swords, her usual delicate demeanor completely gone as she stood with heroic bearing. The mana of a late stage Grand Unity Golden Immortal surged forth, making heaven and earth tremble faintly.

What powerful momentum!

Feeling the crushing pressure rushing toward him, Tai Cang's pupils contracted slightly. He hastily summoned the Innate Yin Yang Sword and said in a deep voice as sword intent flowed around him, "Please!"

"Take this!"

Xiao Xi did not hesitate. As her twin swords danced, the galaxy seemed to hang upside down. Two brilliant sword qi tore through the sky, starlight glittering like a cascading Milky Way, beautiful yet concealing deadly intent.

Tai Cang's expression turned solemn as he swung his sword to meet the attack. His fierce sword qi collided with the starlight in a thunderous crash, and the entire world shook. Within a few breaths, his sword qi had completely scattered. Though the starlight sword qi had dimmed somewhat, it still came at him with unstoppable force.

As expected, she was troublesome.

Tai Cang furrowed his brows and slashed out several more waves of sword qi in succession. Explosions rang without end, dust and smoke filled the battlefield, and this exchange alone had already put him at a disadvantage.

"You truly possess Grand Unity combat strength, Fellow Daoist." Xiao Xi's lips curved upward. "Then I'll have to get serious!"

Before her words had faded, the mother-and-child swords danced again. In an instant, heaven and earth seemed to collapse as countless stellar sword qi rained down like meteors, sealing off every path of retreat.

At this moment, the might of Grand Unity was revealed without reservation.

With every gesture, heaven and earth changed color. At a single thought, sun and moon lost their light. Facing this vast offensive, Tai Cang felt as though he were confronting the power of heaven and earth itself.

No wonder cultivators were said to be divided into three ranks...

He sighed inwardly, the gravity in his eyes deepening. He had once believed that abundant mana could contend with Grand Unity, but only now did he understand that the gap in realms was like an insurmountable chasm. The reason Grand Unity Golden Immortals were extraordinary was that they grasped the ultimate principles of heaven and earth and wielded the profundities of laws.

This was the true realm of Grand Unity!

And this was only an ordinary Grand Unity Golden Immortal. If one cultivated to the great completion of Grand Unity Golden Immortal and mastered the Grand Unity Dao Fruit, one could touch the River of Destiny and glimpse the past, present, and future.

Looking across the Primordial World, those peak great divine ability users had all pushed the Grand Unity Golden Immortal Dao Fruit to its limits. Unfortunately, they lacked the fortune of the Six Saints and had no chance of obtaining Primordial Violet Qi.

Looks like I can only go all out.

As the starlight sword qi filling the sky swept toward him, Tai Cang took a deep breath, formed a hand seal, and roared, "Heaven and Earth Manifestation!"

Roar—

In an instant, Tai Cang's body rapidly expanded, transforming into a giant tens of thousands of feet tall. Then he threw a punch, shattering the endless stellar sword qi at once. Relying on the formidable strength of the Grand Clarity Bright Jade Body, Heaven and Earth Manifestation was enough to withstand this wave of attacks for the moment.

But this was not a long-term solution.

Heaven and Earth Manifestation was ultimately inferior to the Great Witch true body of the Witch Clan and could not be maintained for long. He had to end this quickly.

His thoughts raced, and a cold gleam flashed through Tai Cang's eyes. He immediately drove his Heaven and Earth Manifestation body toward Xiao Xi. His fist wind roared like thunder, carrying strength comparable to a Great Witch as it instantly tore through the stars filling the sky and bore straight down on Xiao Xi.

"A Great Witch true body?"

"No, this is Heaven and Earth Manifestation!"

The sight made Xiao Xi cry out, her eyes filled with shock and disbelief.

She knew of Heaven and Earth Manifestation. As Queen Mother of the West's disciple, she even knew its cultivation method and had attempted to cultivate it herself. However, the Heaven and Earth Manifestation displayed by ordinary cultivators only had the appearance, with limited power. It could not compare to the true bodies of the Witch Clan's Great Witches.

Yet Tai Cang's Heaven and Earth Manifestation was so terrifying. Not only was its strength comparable to a Great Witch true body, but its defense was also impregnable. Even her sword qi could not shake it in the slightest.

Xiao Xi's expression changed drastically. Without time to think further, she hurriedly retreated, trying to avoid its edge.

"Trying to run?"

"Stay right there!"

Seeing Xiao Xi retreat, Tai Cang's gaze sharpened. Amid his roar, his enormous fists struck out one after another.

Rumble—

The thunderous blasts shook heaven and earth. Tai Cang controlled his Heaven and Earth Manifestation as he rampaged across the battlefield, shattering everything in his path. Yet he soon discovered that Heaven and Earth Manifestation was too cumbersome to pursue Xiao Xi precisely.

Watching her continuously evade with movement techniques while the might of Heaven and Earth Manifestation gradually weakened over time, Tai Cang grew increasingly anxious.

No!

I have to find a way to hold her in place!

An idea suddenly flashed through Tai Cang's mind.

Hold her in place!

The law of space!

At that thought, his lips lifted slightly. He immediately gave the system an order. "System, raise the law of space to max level."

Ding! One max-level privilege consumed. The law of space has reached One-Click Max Level!

In an instant, Tai Cang felt his mind become incomparably clear. Countless applications and methods of control concerning the law of space flooded into his thoughts.

Space Teleportation!

Space Imprisonment!

Space Banishment!

Space Shattering!

Space Storm!

The max-level law of space gave him masterful control over spatial power. However, most of those divine abilities were too powerful and required vast amounts of mana. At his current realm, he still could not use them.

Yet Tai Cang had no time to worry about that. After receiving the information on the law of space, his gaze immediately locked onto Xiao Xi in the distance. He raised a hand and shouted softly, "Space Imprisonment!"

Sizzle—

In an instant, the law of space swept across heaven and earth. Under Tai Cang's control, invisible ripples enveloped the area where Xiao Xi stood, completely fixing her in place.

"What is happening?"

Xiao Xi, still shocked by Tai Cang's unique Heaven and Earth Manifestation, suddenly discovered that she could not move at all. She struggled with all her strength, only to find that even by mobilizing all the power of a late stage Grand Unity Golden Immortal, she could not break free from the spatial restraints.

"Wait!"

"This is... spatial power!"

Xiao Xi suddenly understood. She stared at Tai Cang in disbelief, her voice trembling. "You actually mastered the law of space?"

"Impossible!"

"How could someone who has not reached Grand Unity Golden Immortal comprehend a law? And one as profound and unfathomable as the law of space!"

Her worldview collapsed completely at that moment. A Heaven and Earth Manifestation capable of resisting a Great Witch with the physical body, mastery of a supreme law before becoming Grand Unity—everything had overturned her understanding.

"Everything in this world is possible."

After confirming that the imprisonment had taken effect, Tai Cang smiled faintly and withdrew from his Heaven and Earth Manifestation state. This divine ability he had obtained from Duobao had been improved by Sect Master Tongtian, allowing it to perfectly inherit the caster's physical strength, though its consumption was immense. If Duobao had fully mastered it back then, the outcome between the three sects might still have been uncertain.

His figure flashed, and Tai Cang was already holding his sword against Xiao Xi's throat. He said calmly, "Fellow Daoist, I concede the honor."

The chill of the blade jolted Xiao Xi awake. The struggle in her eyes flashed past, eventually turning into dejection. "I lost."

Ding! Task completed. One-Click Max Level Privilege obtained.

Hearing the System Notification, joy flashed through Tai Cang's eyes. Obtaining another max-level privilege meant that he could cultivate the law of time to perfection. Once he possessed both the laws of time and space, he would have the power to fight even a Grand Unity Golden Immortal head-on.

Tai Cang sheathed his sword and stepped back, cupping his hands. "Thank you for your guidance, Fellow Daoist." At the same time, he removed the Space Imprisonment.

"Fellow Daoist..." Having regained her freedom, Xiao Xi seemed to want to say something, but a maid hurried over. "Senior Sister, someone from the Jie Sect has come outside Western Kunlun to see Fellow Daoist Tai Cang."

"The Jie Sect?" Xiao Xi's eyes flickered slightly, and she nodded. "Understood."

Xiao Xi turned to Tai Cang and said softly, "Fellow Daoist, it is time for us to part."

She knew that although Tai Cang belonged to the Cang Sect, he was also part of the Jie Sect. Now that Jie Sect cultivators had come looking for him, it would not be appropriate for her to remain.

"Alright."

Tai Cang nodded, then flew toward the heavens with Xiao Xi, though his brows furrowed slightly.

The sudden arrival of people from the Jie Sect could not mean anything good. He and the Jie Sect had long since become strangers, so their sudden appearance meant they must have some scheme in mind.

Before long, the two reached the outskirts of Western Kunlun. Zhao Gongming and the other Jie Sect cultivators were confronting the immortal maidens under Queen Mother of the West. Though those maidens appeared delicate, they were all Golden Immortals and Grand Unity Golden Immortals. If they truly fought, Zhao Gongming and the others might not gain the upper hand.

"Fellow Daoist, this is as far as I will see you."

Looking at the tense scene ahead, Xiao Xi pondered briefly before saying to Tai Cang, "Before Master entered seclusion, she said that if Fellow Daoist ever needs anything in the future, you may come here for help."

"Queen Mother of the West?"

Was it she who needed me, or I who needed her?

Tai Cang's mouth twitched slightly. Suppressing his thoughts, he cupped his hands and said, "Thank you, Fellow Daoist Xiao Xi. Please convey my thanks to Senior Queen Mother of the West."

With that, he did not delay any longer. His figure flashed, and he appeared before Zhao Gongming and the others.

"Girls, withdraw!"

At Xiao Xi's command, the immortal maidens under Queen Mother of the West immediately withdrew and left.

"Junior Brother Tai Cang!"

Zhao Gongming and the others breathed a sigh of relief and hurried forward to salute him, their expressions anxious. "Please, Junior Brother, lend us your aid!"

"Junior Brother, the rise and fall, even the survival of the Jie Sect, rests on a single thought from you!"

"Junior Brother..."

"Stop!"

Tai Cang interrupted coldly. "Speak plainly if you have something to say. If it is not important, forgive me for not accompanying you."

He had no favorable impression of the Jie Sect. If not for the identity he still retained, he would not even want to see these people again.

"This..."

Zhao Gongming and the others looked embarrassed, but quickly regained their composure. After exchanging glances, Zhao Gongming stepped forward and said, "Junior Brother, something terrible has happened! Senior Brother Duo Bao rashly underwent the Nine Tribulations, implicating Junior Sisters San Xiao as well as Junior Sisters Wudang, Jinling, and Guiling. They are now trapped in the tribulation. If they do not awaken in time, their Dao hearts may collapse and their immortal paths may be severed!"

"Master has stated that only a branch from the Moon Laurel Tree on the Taiyin Star can resolve this calamity. It is one of the ten great innate spiritual roots and is currently controlled by the Demon Race. We hope Junior Brother can help us obtain this treasure and rescue them from their plight."

"Loss of control during the tribulation? A Moon Laurel Tree branch?"

Tai Cang's eyes flashed, and he immediately understood—this was asking him to seek a spiritual root from the Golden Crow Prince.

He sneered inwardly.