Chapter 16

The result was unexpected—those two divine beings were defeated without any resistance.

Tai Ming felt somewhat bored; in his memories of the Primordial World, this level of strength did not seem to match what he had anticipated.

Calming his mind, Tai Ming handed the two divine beings over to the Heart of the Earthly Path within his body.

He turned his gaze to Daoist You Quan. "This fellow Daoist You Quan, once of the Earthly Path lineage under the Earthly Sovereign, how have you fallen to such a state today?"

Daoist You Quan snapped back to reality and helplessly explained the current situation of the Primordial World to Tai Ming.

Then, with a shift of thought, he invited Tai Ming into the nearby Hun Ming Mountain Range to discuss the details.

At this moment, Tai Ming and You Quan appeared at the place where the Innate Undying Spiritual Light had emerged.

This was precisely Daoist You Quan's Dao field.

A banner drifted over from afar—it was the You Quan Banner, a lower-grade Innate Spiritual Treasure that Daoist You Quan had previously refined, and it fell into You Quan's hands without resistance.

Afterward, they entered a Dao hall.

Daoist You Quan entertained Tai Ming with the finest Houtian Spirit Fruits, then began to recount the bleak state of the Earthly Path lineage in the Primordial World.

As time passed, Tai Ming listened quietly to Daoist You Quan's tale, his gaze clear and unruffled.

But the slight movement of his eyes revealed the turmoil within.

He finally learned from You Quan the current state of the major powers, with the Earthly Path lineage's situation being particularly dire.

Ever since Yue Jianshi established the Dao and the divine race entered a new era, the Earthly Path lineage had arisen in response.

But during the era of Jiu Tou Shi's rise, all factions chose to lie low, and the Earthly Path lineage was especially restrained.

After the era of the Three Sovereigns passed, the Earthly Path lineage had long lost its former glory.

Even so, it remained one of the top powers of the Primordial World.

However, later on, the entire lineage of the Ancient Three Sovereigns underwent new changes.

Now, the lineage of Jiu Tou Shi had risen to become the most top-tier force among the five directions.

White Emperor Rahu had established the Demonic Dao on his own, ceaselessly clashing with the Nameless Ascetic Monk among the Five Old Lords, while also locked in a stalemate with the White Tiger Clan.

As for Green Emperor Yang Mei, he had chosen to vanish in seclusion, leaving no trace of his whereabouts.

Now, only some ancient innate divine beings of the Divine Court still upheld the glory of Jiu Tou Shi.

And the current state of the Earthly Path lineage was even more worrying.

Having just reappeared in the world, three of the most top-tier innate divine beings among the Five Old Lords—Dao Lord Hongjun, Yin Yang Old Ancestor, and Qian Kun Daoist—had already lent it their support.

Moreover, the Heavenly Dao Lineage had unexpectedly manifested three top-tier innate divine beings—Qing Tian, Cang Tian, and Huang Tian, the Three Heavens Supreme—and had drawn forth the Realm of the Nine Heavens, opened long ago by Cang Li Shi, causing the Heavenly Dao Lineage to rise instantly and become the undisputed foremost power in the Primordial World.

Yet, compared to the splendor of the Heavenly Dao Lineage, the Earthly Path Lineage's plight was even more difficult.

Among the Five Old Lords, the Yellow Old Lord and the Yellow Emperor Shi Qilin of the Five Directions Divine Emperors had ** the Earthly Path Lineage, with Shi Qilin even absorbing most of the Earthly Path divine beings into the Qilin Divine Race, leaving only the Yellow Old Lord to hold on alone.

But because he had to guard Buzhou Mountain, the Earthly Path Lineage had almost lost the support of top-tier innate divine beings externally, while other forces constantly applied pressure, making life in the Primordial World extremely hard for the Earthly Path Lineage. Newborn Earthly Path divine beings like You Quan had no decent inheritance to speak of.

Hearing this, Tai Ming was deeply moved. "The lineage of the Three Sovereigns has fallen to such a state."

He knew well that restoring the Earthly Path Lineage to glory would be a long and arduous task.

The Heart of the Earthly Path, attached to Tai Ming's body, had gleaned this information from the Divine Souls of Daoist Zi Xu and Molten Mountain Daoist, and felt deeply embarrassed.

It had assumed that, as the Dao lineage of Yue Jianshi, the Earthly Path Lineage's situation wouldn't be too bad, but reality had exceeded its expectations.

Though the Earthly Path Lineage had been sidelined, the Heart of the Earthly Path believed that as long as the Netherworld and the Heart of the Earthly Path existed, the lineage would always have the foundation to rise again.

Not to mention the Guardian of the Dao from the Old Era, the Yellow Old Lord, and the emergence of innate divine beings like Tai Ming and Jiang Chen in the new era, along with Ming He and Huang Quan, two innate divine beings still gestating in the Netherworld.

The Heart of the Earthly Path firmly believed that as long as these forces grew strong, restoring the Earthly Path Lineage's glory would not be difficult.

Thinking this way, it felt much better.

Then, the Heart of the Earthly Path instructed Tai Ming...

In the Hun Ming Mountain Range of the northern Primordial World, after deep deliberation, the Heart of the Earthly Path and Tai Ming decided to temporarily conceal their identities as innate divine beings of the Earthly Path Lineage.

They turned their attention to the most pressing issue at hand.

Faced with Daoist You Quan before him, even though he was a Grand Unity Venerable God of the Earthly Path Lineage, Tai Ming still felt troubled.

Although You Quan seemed relatively competent in some respects, his strength struck Tai Ming as far too weak, nearly a burden.

Reminded by the Heart of the Earthly Path, Tai Ming realized that such a situation was actually quite common in the Primordial World.

Most innate divine beings without a good inheritance faced similar difficulties to You Quan.

However, when comparing them to others he had seen, like Zi Xu and Molten Mountain Daoist, he suddenly re-evaluated himself and gained a slight boost in self-worth.

His identity as the Dao Opener of the Ghost Dao Lineage was not insignificant in the Primordial World; on the contrary, it was highly esteemed.

Though he had established the two great Daos of Ghost and Corpse in quick succession, seeming simple on the surface, the effort and uniqueness behind them were unknown to anyone.

As a Transcender, his starting point was low, but his experiences before Transcending had given him a unique foundation.

This foundation, like the corpse-refining art in a One Man World, was ordinary there, but in the Primordial World, it could elevate into a racial Dao, revealing its extraordinary nature.

In contrast, the native innate divine beings of the Primordial World were limited by their environment and inheritance.

Against this backdrop, the Heart of the Earthly Path and Tai Ming decided to shift their focus to the broader situation, realizing that they must next undertake a major endeavor to change the Earthly Dao Lineage's circumstances in the Primordial World.

Creating an entirely new path, one brimming with infinite potential, was an immensely arduous task.

It transcended the realm of experiential wisdom, touching more on differences in worldview.

Tai Ming, who had comprehended innate Great Dao laws such as Yin-Yang, life and death, and reincarnation, had already surpassed most Primordial Beings in establishing the Ghost Dao that aligned with reality.

With the blessing of the Hun Dong Will, which had been purified by Pangu's Will, his cultivation deepened even further.

Those Innate Divine Beings who could stand firm in the Primordial World through trials and establish new paths all possessed extraordinary qualities beyond the ordinary.

In the common understanding of the Primordial World, a path-establishing being's strength far exceeded that of an ordinary Innate Divine Being of the same level.

Previously, due to the Heart of the Earthly Path's high standards, Tai Ming had not yet realized his own advantages, but after being contrasted with figures like Daoist You Quan, he came to recognize his own extraordinariness.

At this, the Heart of the Earthly Path smugly mocked Tai Ming for his limited vision.

After the mockery, the Heart of the Earthly Path warned Tai Ming to stay vigilant against potential threats around him and act decisively.

At Daoist You Quan's dojo, the outcome of the exchange between the Heart of the Earthly Path and Daoist You Quan remained unknown.

But upon learning that Tai Ming had a Mighty Being guarding his path, Daoist You Quan treated him with even greater respect.

He promised to follow Tai Ming's instructions, heading to the Netherworld Blood Sea to handle related matters and draw away the Xuanwu Clan's pursuers for Tai Ming.

"I hope, fellow Daoist, that you can display the majesty of the Earthly Path. I take my leave here."

With those words, Daoist You Quan departed confidently, bringing along Zi Xu and Molten Mountain Daoist, whose wills had been eroded.

This action left Tai Ming somewhat stunned.

He curiously asked the Heart of the Earthly Path: "Senior, how did you communicate with him? It sounds like I'm about to be involved in some major affair?"

The Heart of the Earthly Path replied: "That waste was much easier to fool than you. Can't compare to a cautious brat like you.

But you're not wrong—we are about to do something 'big.'"

As it spoke, the Heart of the Earthly Path revealed an air of anticipation.

A thunderous roar accompanied flashes of innate dharma power and spiritual energy as an ancient divine mountain was reduced to dust under concentrated attacks.

A figure dodged the assault with astonishing speed—it was Tai Ming, who had just left the Hun Ming Mountain Range.

He spoke through gritted teeth with a kind of "gratitude": "This is what you call a 'big deal'?"

The Heart of the Earthly Path responded: "Kid, what are you thinking? Hurry up and run. If you can't even handle these small fry, how do you expect to achieve the Dao and become an ancestor?"

Its tone was full of schadenfreude, clearly taking revenge on the Xuanwu Clan while "tempering" Tai Ming.

Tai Ming's figure vanished instantly—it had only been an afterimage, while the real him had already fled.

The next second, several divine-light figures whose realms surpassed Tai Ming's appeared at the spot. They were Xuanwu Clan experts, beyond the Grand Unity Venerable God Realm.

This was the second time Xuanwu Clan experts had ambushed Tai Ming.

They said angrily: "He got away again. Keep chasing."

Recalling the humiliation of having three Grand Unity Venerable Gods outwitted earlier, they were determined to capture Tai Ming, or else they would become a laughingstock among the other four clans.

Then, they quickly pursued in the direction Tai Ming had vanished.

Ahead, Tai Ming, while fleeing, deeply felt that the Heart of the Earthly Path was like a giant trap.

During this time, he had been constantly busy dealing with the Xuanwu Clan's attacks.

Following the Heart of the Earthly Path's instructions, he repeatedly sabotaged the Xuanwu Clan's operations in the Northern Domain.

Among those Xuanwu Clan members trying to stop him, there were no lack of Innate Divine Beings, and even several Grand Unity Venerable God realm experts.

Although the Heart of the Earthly Path concealed the Heavenly Secrets for him, allowing him to evade the calculations of Grand Unity Venerable Gods, the Xuanwu Clan still insisted on sending elite forces to capture him.

This was the second wave of elite troops, and their leader was already at the peak of the Grand Unity Venerable God Realm.

Facing such powerful enemies, Tai Ming, despite having gained some insights and growth, still felt overwhelmed.

Though he was in a sorry state when facing enemies, his combat experience had increased, and his use of the Ghost Dao had reached a level of perfection.

His Eight Wonders Technique had successfully transformed into a Great Dao law during this period, becoming a true divine ability.

He knew full well that all of this was the Heart of the Earthly Path's tempering.

Without such training, given the overbearing attitude of the Five Directions Divine Race, a Grand Unity Venerable God would have already intervened in this matter.

In this world, there was no principle of the strong bullying the weak.

The core point was that the Heart of the Earthly Path helped Tai Ming resist the calculations of Grand Unity Venerable Gods and allowed Tai Ming to demonstrate his formidable adaptability.

After undergoing a series of challenges, Tai Ming was about to face the Xuanwu Clan's pursuit.

At the critical moment, the Heart of the Earthly Path's protection blocked the predictive abilities of those Grand Unity Venerable Gods, making them understand that behind Tai Ming existed a real entity.

Thus, Tai Ming clearly recognized his own strength and capabilities.

Hearing this, the Heart of the Earthly Path also put away its detached attitude.

"Your performance has been outstanding. Though you haven't yet reached the peak I envisioned, you have taken a crucial step forward."

Although the Heart of the Earthly Path was extremely satisfied with Tai Ming's results—even when it believed he had reached his limit, he always managed to reveal more surprises—it had refrained from offering him any assistance beyond shielding him from Grand Unity's deductions.

Facing a Xuanwu Clan member at the peak of the Grand Unity Venerable God realm, Tai Ming suffered a setback but managed to escape through his own strength.

Though Tai Ming had yet to step into the Taiyi Realm, his performance against a true genius of the Xuanwu Clan was remarkable.

As Tai Ming and the Heart of the Earthly Path neared the end of this trial, the Xuanwu Clan, having failed to catch up, grew furious.

The leading Xuanwu, a peak Grand Unity Venerable God, felt toyed with by Tai Ming, as if the latter was mocking them with his speed.

Despite Tai Ming being only at the Immortal Venerable God realm, his speed surpassed that of the Xuanwu.

They could neither shake him off nor catch him, and every moment filled them with frustration and rage.

A member of the Xuanwu Clan angrily suggested seeking help from their clan's Grand Unity.