Chapter 17

However, the chieftain resolved to personally capture Tai Ming, even if it meant losing face within the clan.

He decided to send word to the clan, willing to endure humiliation to seize Tai Ming.

Then, these Xuanwu began their transmission.

Tai Ming suddenly received an alert from the Heart of the Earthly Path: "Kid, things are bad. Those fellows are thoroughly enraged. A Grand Unity Venerable God is about to descend."

In the next instant, a terrifying force erupted, wrapping around Tai Ming and tearing through spacetime, vanishing in a flash.

Then, a divine light pierced heaven and earth, coalescing into an immense Xuanwu God and Devil dharma image, its vast silhouette looming over all directions.

Gazing at the traces fading in the ripples of spacetime, the Xuanwu God snorted coldly: "Hmph! Running quite fast!"

Afterward, he recognized the familiar fluctuations of magical power as belonging to the Earthly Dao Lineage of old, realizing that the incident in the Northern Region might be their retaliation against the Black Tortoise Divine Race.

But he firmly believed that once the clan's grand plan was complete, everything would resolve itself.

Meanwhile, in another unknown place, a faint demonic aura permeated the void.

A rift in spacetime suddenly tore open, and a disheveled figure tumbled out—Tai Ming.

He questioned the Heart of the Earthly Path's prediction: "Senior, didn't you say the Xuanwu Clan's Grand Unity wouldn't personally act against me?"

At this moment, Tai Ming's heart still raced with lingering fear. Recalling the terrifying power he'd sensed before escaping, he knew his cultivation level stood no chance against a Grand Unity.

Yet the Heart of the Earthly Path replied lightly: "Times have changed. Even those old Xuanwu simpletons have learned to be clever."

Despite the setback, the Earthly Path considered it a beneficial trial: "Just treat it as experiencing Grand Unity power up close. Set a small goal."

Though its earlier assurance had been proven wrong, both were optimistic by nature and quickly brushed the topic aside.

The first priority now was to figure out where they were.

Sensing the faint demonic aura in the air, they already had a preliminary guess.

Soon, the Heart of the Earthly Path's words brought sudden insight to Tai Ming.

"So this is the legacy of the Rahu Demonic Path from ages past. It has grown to such a state now—truly astonishing!"

It was certain that such demonic path power in the Primordial World could only be wielded by Demon Ancestor Rahu.

Thus, their location was undoubtedly the territory of the Rahu Demonic Path lineage.

This demonic domain stretched across the vast expanse of the Western Land.

Tai Ming realized they had crossed from the Primordial Northern Region to the Western Land. Though prepared, he was still amazed by the Grand Unity's might.

A Grand Unity knows all, can do all.

Especially a Grand Unity of the Primordial World, standing at the pinnacle of infinite dimensions, capable of deriving their own Timeline with a single thought.

Thus, the Xuanwu Clan Grand Unity's spacetime leap was merely basic operation.

For a Grand Unity Venerable God of the Primordial World, distance no longer existed.

"Thanks to the aid of Daoist Tai Ming, I, Gluttonous Demon Lord, have taken a further step."

Today, the Gluttonous Demon Lord was the first to expound his path of gluttony, guiding the way for all.

As his words fell, the void echoed with the demonic sound of the Great Dao, entrancing the assembled divinities. They manifested their own Great Dao Spiritual Mechanisms, drawing nourishment amid the collision of Daos.

Time flowed on. Wonderful Desire Demon Lord, Wrathful Demon Lord, Fearful Demon Lord, and others each shared their own paths.

At last, it was the turn of the seemingly indifferent yet unfathomable former Tai Ming.

What principle would he expound? Where would he lead the gathering?

My path remains the unremarkable Great Freedom True Demon Dao.

What is called Great Freedom transcends life and death, without thought or worry, without desire or craving, without order or restraint—thus fearless, unimpeded, following one's heart, returning to the true self.

The Dao Sound rippled, and black Dao lotuses bloomed endlessly in the void.

Where the sound waves reached, countless living beings across billions of realms were immersed in it.

At that moment, a strange sight appeared: all beings forgot every desire and worry, their faces breaking into smiles from the depths of their hearts.

It seemed as tranquil as a pure land, yet it sent chills down the spine.

This was the Great Freedom True Demon Ghost Dao that Tai Ming walked, delving deep into the realm of demons.

Looking back a Hundred Thousand Yuan Hui ago, when Tai Ming first arrived in the Western Land and sensed that faint demonic aura, he had inexplicably fallen into a state of enlightenment.

Exploring the mysteries of the demonic path and the ghostly path, Tai Ming discovered a hidden connection between them.

The deeper he delved into the demonic path's secrets, the more his ghostly path grew.

When Tai Ming awoke from his enlightenment, a dense demonic Dao aura clung to him.

Before him, unbeknownst, stood a terrifying black-clad divinity, instilling in him a fear born of Life Instinct.

Stranger still, aside from sensing this mysterious existence, everything else felt like empty void.

The Heart of the Earthly Path deep in his mind had vanished, refusing to appear no matter how he called.

Tai Ming's heart filled with dread, knowing he had encountered an unimaginable being.

He decided to tread carefully and seek guidance from the senior.

He was certain he had never seen this mysterious black-clad divine being before.

For some reason, this terrifying existence had set its sights on a weakling like him.

In response to Tai Ming's inquiry, the black-clad divine gave him a few strange looks, then averted his gaze and fell silent.

Tai Ming had been caught in an abrupt conversation, the other's tone forceful, leaving him no room to refuse.

"How intriguing. You've actually comprehended a new Dao similar to the Demon Dao."

The other said this.

"Since you've chosen to study my Demon Dao, then become one of its followers.

I hope you won't disappoint me."

Before Tai Ming could react, the other vanished.

Later, reflecting on it, he felt he had encountered a transcendent being—a powerhouse of the current Primordial Era, Demon Dao Ancestor Rahu.

At that moment, Tai Ming noticed the Destiny of the Demon Dao appearing on him.

He finally understood why Demon Ancestor Rahu had taken notice of him—because his Ghost Dao had spawned a Branch Vein of the Demon Dao, what he called the Great Freedom True Demon Ghost Dao.

This discovery both shocked and terrified him, as he realized he had been stealing the Destiny of the Demon Dao under Rahu's watch.

He counted himself lucky that Rahu hadn't punished him on the spot.

Yet Rahu had branded the Great Freedom True Demon Ghost Dao with the Brand of the Demon Dao.

Unless Tai Ming broke away from the Demon Dao to stand on his own, that portion of the Demon Dao's destiny on him would remain tightly bound to it.

Did Tai Ming dare to sever the Great Freedom True Demon Ghost Dao from the Demon Dao? He didn't dare take the risk.

Thus, for the next Hundred Thousand Yuan Hui, he could only obediently blend into the ranks of the Demon Dao.

Though this behavior brought him an extra identity, it also came with many unexpected benefits.

His friends in the Demon Dao, such as the Gluttonous, Wondrous Desire, Wrathful, and Fearful Demon Lords, forged deep friendships with him.

Over these years, through exchanges and discussions, his cultivation had risen from Late Immortal Venerable God to the Great Perfection Realm.

All of this was because he had poured immense effort into the Great Freedom True Demon Ghost Dao.

At first, he only wanted to coast along in the Demon Dao's ranks to improve his cultivation.

But Rahu seemed to keep a close eye on him, sending bursts of oppressive pressure every so often that made him tremble with fear.

Later, through conversations with other Innate Divine Beings of the Demon Dao, he learned this was Rahu's reprimand for his slow progress.

In the end, he had to devote himself fully to cultivating the Great Freedom True Demon Ghost Dao to shake off this oppressive pressure.

Currently, Tai Ming's comprehension of the Great Freedom True Demon Ghost Dao had reached its peak, on par with his own Ghost Dao cultivation, approaching the level of Immortal Venerable God Great Perfection.

Time flew, and ten thousand years had passed.

Now, the discussion Tai Ming and the others were participating in was nearing its end.

Gluttonous Demon Lord, as the host of this gathering, suddenly spoke gravely: "Everyone, have you also received word that the Demon Ancestor will join forces with the Monks of Mount Sumeru to oppose the White Tiger Clan?"

Everyone nodded, and Wrathful Demon Lord was especially agitated, almost itching for action.

"Yes, the Five Directions Divine Race wields immense power, and their actions in the Primordial Era have grown increasingly reckless in recent years.

The White Tiger Clan's suppression of the Demon Dao is particularly blatant.

I've long suggested that the Demon Ancestor should lead us in teaching them a harsh lesson."

Wrathful Demon Lord slammed the table, his emotions running high.

Fearful Demon Lord then cautioned: "Shh~ Don't talk nonsense.

How dare you question the Demon Ancestor's thoughts? Still, Wrathful isn't wrong—it's time to teach those arrogant White Tigers a lesson."

The venue buzzed with discussion, while Tai Ming was lost in a different interpretation of the news.

Rahu's alliance with Mount Sumeru caught him off guard; the Demon Dao and the Buddha Dao were not easy bedfellows.

Perhaps before they could join forces against the White Tigers, internal strife would break out.

Yet, despite this thought, the news of their alliance had already spread, meaning other factors must be at play.

Tai Ming's mind churned with worries, hoping only that this incident wouldn't drag him in.

But as the saying goes, fear what you will, and it will come.

When a deafening roar echoed from the horizon, a towering, mighty figure appeared.

Accompanied by surging demonic energy, it formed an endless Dao Qi Demon Cloud.

Hundreds of millions of terrifying demons stood ready within the cloud, bristling with murderous intent as they marched toward the Western White Tiger Divine Race's territory.

Even more stunning was that around this demon god, a Dragon of Destiny of the Demon Dao coldly surveyed the entire Primordial Era, and the whole Western Land seemed to transform into a demonic realm.

At that moment, the Demon Dragon, like a gaping maw devouring heaven and earth, swept up the destiny of the entire Primordial Era, visibly swelling without cease.

Every living being in the Primordial Era stared in shock toward the West.

"White Emperor Rahu, does he intend to completely assimilate the Western Land with the Demon Dao?"

"Rahu's Demonic Dao has developed to such a degree in utter silence—I fear that aside from the Heavenly Dao Lineage, even the Five Directions Divine Race will struggle to match him."

"But one must still take note: if Rahu wishes to monopolize the Western Land, he will likely need to first overcome the Ascetic Monk on Mount Sumeru and the White Tiger Divine Beast Clan."

The words had barely fallen.

The Western Land underwent another upheaval.

As the Demonic Dao's aura spread unchecked, two Great Dao auras erupted from Mount Sumeru Divine Mountain and the Land of the Far West, neither yielding an inch.

One took form as a supreme Lapis Lazuli Giant Spirit, surrounded by thirty-three profound divine rings of the Great Dao, manifesting concepts of boundless magnitude, great compassion, and great wisdom, woven into an eternal Pure Land where all demons scattered—a stark contrast to Rahu's demonic domain.

The other transformed into a ferocious White Tiger Divine Beast Dharma Image, coiled over the Land of the Far West, inhaling and exhaling the Essence of Metal.

The White Tiger Divine Beast Dharma Image was densely covered with Great Dao Divine Talismans, unfolding a Scene of Primordial Conquest.

This was the authority of the Innate Great Dao held by the White Tiger Divine Beast Clan, containing powers of slaughter, conquest, and combat—bearing striking similarities to the Demonic Dao.

Since the era of the Divine Court, the White Tiger Divine Race Ancestor had contended with Rahu for the position of White Emperor. Now, the emergence of these two Innate Divine Beings marked the only presences in the Western Land capable of rivaling Rahu.

One was the Nameless Ascetic Monk on Mount Sumeru, founder of the Primordial Pure Land Lineage; the other was the White Tiger Divine Venerable, ancestor of the Western White Tiger Divine Race among the Five Directions Divine Race, who had once vied with Rahu for the White Emperor's seat.

With their appearance, the Western Land—once reduced to a demonic domain—now formed a Tripartite Confrontation.

The stalemate that should never have existed was broken—such as the alliance between Rahu and the Ascetic Monk.

This was precisely why Tai Ming was unwilling to intervene yet had no choice but to do so.

Tai Ming's figure quietly appeared within the Nameless Ascetic Monk's camp. The reason traced back to a reckless theft of Demonic Dao fortune he had once attempted.

That experience had led him to derive the Great Freedom True Demon Ghost Dao.

Demon Ancestor Rahu did not immediately destroy him or reclaim the Demonic Dao fortune; instead, he saw the possibilities brought by Tai Ming's alliance with Mount Sumeru.