In the Northern Sea, ink-black waves surged, their roar shaking the heavens.
The annihilating power of Guixu still raged and churned here, yet beneath that destruction, a different kind of vitality lay hidden.
He Mu arrived upon the Golden Light Avenue, his supreme divine might rolling forth in vast waves. The Four Symbols and Four Spirits circled him, as though the Heavenly Emperor were touring his realm and the myriad Daos had come to welcome him and bow in submission.
Around him, boundless immortal light illuminated all ten directions. Its power seemed capable of opening up great worlds and resetting space and time, lending He Mu an even greater majesty.
Beneath that boundless immortal light, the entire Northern Sea immediately fell still.
The raging sea became calm in an instant, and the thunderstorm brewing above the Northern Sea ceased at once. Even the power of Guixu spilling from the sea eye was scattered by the might of the Heavenly Venerable's Dao.
The moment after He Mu descended, as though sensing his arrival, an immortal bridge formed from five-colored immortal light extended from the North Sea Eye to welcome him.
Divine radiance blazed upon the five-colored immortal bridge, auspicious colors without end. Its Dao resonance shone openly, and an immortal aura suffused it-a truly stirring sight.
At this, He Mu merely laughed heartily and stepped onto it.
As He Mu stood upon the immortal bridge, the five-colored immortal light began to circulate, bearing him within it.
The next moment, space and time shifted, and He Mu appeared inside the North Sea Immortal Grotto.
Within the grotto, only a massive source stone stood facing He Mu, radiating inexhaustible vitality and a Dao resonance of longevity. The figure of an aged man could be seen hidden inside.
Standing opposite He Mu was none other than Longevity Heavenly Venerable, who had sealed himself within immortal source.
A wisp of pure qi swept past, and in the next moment, a Dao body manifested.
This Dao body was quite elegant. He wore the Glazed Changsheng Crown upon his head, the Purple-Sashed Eight Trigrams Immortal Robe upon his body, and the Six Harmonies Flowing Cloud Boots upon his feet-a picture of an immortal sage, a Daoist transcending the mortal world.
This was precisely Longevity Heavenly Venerable's incarnation.
Longevity Heavenly Venerable's incarnation offered a Daoist salute, his long, snow-white eyebrows bobbing with the motion. He spoke first, smiling warmly.
"Greetings, Fellow Daoist Wuliang Dao. You certainly displayed tremendous might three thousand years ago! Yet seeing you today, I feel your bearing surpasses even those days. What a great fortune it is to meet you today! May I ask what brings you here?"
He Mu likewise first offered Longevity Heavenly Venerable a bow. After hearing him out, he replied with a smile.
"Your bearing has likewise lost none of its former splendor, Fellow Daoist Changsheng. From what I can see, your Changsheng Great Dao has likely advanced again."
"However, I came today because I wished to discuss the Dao with you, Changsheng."
Hearing this, Longevity Heavenly Venerable naturally felt rather puzzled.
Since parting at the Lingbao Ruins all those years ago, he and He Mu had scarcely crossed paths. Now He Mu had suddenly come to discuss the Dao with him. It was impossible not to harbor suspicions.
As a Forbidden Zone Supreme, Longevity Heavenly Venerable kept feeling that He Mu must have another purpose.
Moreover, He Mu's words and actions when he quelled the unrest in the Flying Immortal Forbidden Zone remained vivid in Longevity Heavenly Venerable's mind.
He would certainly not assume that he and the Immeasurable Heaven Venerable before him were birds of a feather.
Sure enough, immediately afterward, Longevity Heavenly Venerable heard He Mu speak again.
"Actually, there is another matter I wished to discuss with you. In the past, we sought the ruins of Heavenly Venerable Lingbao together, but sinister interference prevented us from completing our endeavor. I have also come today hoping to learn more clues about the Lingbao Ruins. I hope you will not begrudge me your guidance."
Hearing this, Longevity Heavenly Venerable thought, Just as I expected. Then he smiled and said to He Mu.
"Since you wish to seek the Lingbao Ruins, this old man should naturally help you fulfill your wish. How about this: we can discuss the Dao first and speak of Lingbao afterward. What do you think, Fellow Daoist Wuliang Dao?"
In truth, Longevity Heavenly Venerable had already lost all interest in the Heavenly Venerable Lingbao's legacy.
In his view, although Heavenly Venerable Lingbao's attainments had penetrated the mysteries of creation, what he had left behind was mostly trouble. Leaving it to later generations had merely been his way of hoping his successors could resolve it.
Indeed, given the dangers of the Lingbao Legacy, a single careless move could drag even a former Heavenly Venerable like him into the pit. There was no need whatsoever to take such risks.
He Mu's interest in the Lingbao Ruins was probably also driven by his desire to eradicate that strand of black qi from the past once and for all.
Unfortunately, the black qi was He Mu's great enemy, but it had nothing to do with him, Longevity Heavenly Venerable. Of course, there was also no reason to offend the Current Heavenly Venerable at the height of his power over clues to the Lingbao Ruins that were of little use to him.
In fact, after witnessing the black qi and the severed arm of the Immortal Corpse, Longevity Heavenly Venerable was clearly more interested in the Underworld Netherworld Venerable Dao.
In his view, he might have a chance of finding a path to longevity suited to himself there.
Of course, as an old fox who had lived for hundreds of thousands of years, Longevity Heavenly Venerable could not fully trust He Mu. He intended to discuss the Dao with him first, during which he would be able to discern He Mu's various attitudes.
Then, Longevity Heavenly Venerable could use those observations as the basis for deciding how to handle He Mu's request.
After all, even if He Mu was a Heavenly Venerable who had lived into a second lifetime, Longevity Heavenly Venerable believed himself no weaker. Nor had He Mu's performance in quelling the two earlier disturbances made him any more wary.
In his view, since the decision lay in his own hands, there was no need to hurry. He merely had to watch how matters unfolded.
He Mu did not know that Longevity Heavenly Venerable's thoughts had taken so many twists and turns at that moment.
Even if he had known, however, he would not have taken it to heart. After all, He Mu was in no hurry over this matter either.
Thus, He Mu showed no other reaction and simply smiled at Longevity Heavenly Venerable.
"Of course. As you are the host here, please speak afterward. I shall begin by expounding upon my Wuliang Great Dao."
He Mu then sat cross-legged. A lotus dais appeared beneath him, lifting him to the same height as Longevity Heavenly Venerable.
The next moment, He Mu began to speak. The heavenly sounds of the Great Dao rang out without cease. At once, lotuses bloomed in the void within the grotto, golden springs welled from the ground, auspicious colors shone in profusion, and myriad wondrous phenomena appeared.
As the sounds of the Dao resounded, He Mu and Longevity Heavenly Venerable became wholly immersed in their discussion.
Within the immortal grotto in the North Sea Eye, all fell quiet.
Today's first update.
I only just realized that quite a few comments seem to have been swallowed directly by the site, so you probably can't see them on your end. Still, I've seen everyone's suggestions in the backend, and I'll be taking some of them on board.
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Before you continue