The Commonest of Common Men. Take Him Down!

Cold, indifferent gazes, tinged with the depravity of desire, fell heavily into Cangling City through the cracks, truly anchoring themselves on the Eastern Wilderness.

This aura surpassed that of ordinary Immortals and Gods, sweeping across the heavens and earth like a tidal wave!

Deep within the East Sea Dragon Palace.

Ao Ming, the Dragon King of the East Sea, who was dozing with his eyes closed, suddenly opened them, his vertical pupils shrinking to the size of pinpoints.

A deadly sense of oppression came from the west, sweeping across the vast sea like a tide. Wherever it passed, all aquatic creatures hibernated on the muddy bottom, even their breaths becoming extremely faint and shallow.

As the lord of the East Sea, he sensed it most clearly and deeply, and every inch of his scales trembled slightly.

Ao Ming took a deep breath, suppressing the chilling tremor rising from the depths of his Primordial Spirit, his voice low yet clear:

"Pass down the order: all ancient books, Spirit Vein, and treasure troves of the Dragon Palace must be organized immediately, and preparations must be made at any time... for relocation!"

Beside him, an old dragon with Qinglin, its face pale, said, "Your Majesty, what about Floating Hill Mountain...?"

"Let's see if they can hold out," Ao Ming interrupted, emphasizing each word. "If even Floating Hill Mountain can't hold out... then we'll abandon the Dragon Palace and retreat immediately!"

"This damn place, let whoever wants to come here come!"

Eastern Wilderness, Tianlu Mountain.

The Dharma Master Jiese sat upright in front of a Immortals and Gods Portal, his palms clasped together, his entire being immersed in layers of golden light like lotus petals, his aura calm and serene.

He was traveling with his Uncle-Master Liaochen, but on the way he encountered Young Hero Lin. After hearing that he was also there to help Yu Tunzhou, Young Hero Lin taught him a Method Formula and told him about the situation in the Eastern Wilderness, instructing him to go to the fourth portal.

At this moment.

Jiese opened his eyes and vaguely sensed an irrational restlessness within the laws of heaven and earth, yet he could not discern its source.

But he soon noticed something was wrong; the portal in front of him was starting to move again!

Fortunately, he had recently used the Immortals and Gods aura emanating from this place to cultivate the One Qi Breaks Ten Thousand Methods.

Even if there is a riot at the gates at this moment, it is still within his control.

A vague unease crept into his heart; he guessed that the crisis in the Eastern Wilderness had probably reached its final moment...

He lowered his eyes and clasped his hands together, as if protecting a lamp in the wind and snow.

"Amitabha."

The lingering, foul air behind the door gradually subsided with this low chant.

Another gateway.

Lin Yueheng. A layer of azure flames surrounded the sword, and his Sword Qi was condensed and contained, like a fine sword net, firmly enveloping the struggling Void portal.

He closed his eyes, listening to the laws of heaven and earth with his sword heart.

There seems to be something terrifying in the distance...

It has arrived.

That direction leads to Cangling City.

He withdrew his sword stance, focused his mind and poured azure flames into the crack, suppressing the restless energy once again.

I wish Brother Yu both the best!

On the Eastern Wilderness border, before a gateway buried deep underground.

Huang Tian stood with his hands behind his back, and within a zhang radius around him floated intense golden flames, peeling away and suppressing the turbid Immortals and Gods energy surging at the edge of the rift.

He suddenly looked up and frowned.

Before my eyes could see it, feelings of gratitude arose first.

A chilling aura swept through the area, as if something in the distance was slowly casting its gaze in this direction, causing the suppressed aura of the Fallen Immortals deep within the rift to surge once more.

Huang Tian snorted coldly, his body remaining still, as an even denser golden aura surged forth, suppressing the restlessness in the cracks like a furnace.

"A child driven by worldly desires? Hah, he actually managed to cling to life until this very end."

The voice of the Golden Crow Divine Intent will echoed in my mind once more.

"Boy, if you don't find another way, the gap between you and that Yu Tunzhou will only widen. I'll show you a path. Do you see the gate before you? With your Golden Crow Divine Fire, you can try to refine it, as long as you're willing..."

These words, which he would have ignored in the past, now caused Huang Tian to fall silent for the first time because of the gap between himself and Yu Tunzhou.

On the mountain path, the Daoist priest Shouguan led Zhang Buyu at full speed toward the mountain gate.

After seeing his Senior Brother Jin one last time, Zhang Buyu remained calm and composed, showing no trace of the sorrow of facing death.

A mountain breeze brushed against his temples, and he suddenly recalled his encounter with Brother Yu in Luofu Grotto-Heaven several years ago.

Their first meeting was over a fight for a giant Dragon Fish in the river. When he saw that things were not going well, he abandoned Chang Jian and his partner, who had formed a temporary alliance. In the end, he was still tricked and only got a bunch of ordinary Dragon Fish that did not have any water transport.

When he returned, he was severely reprimanded by his martial uncle, and it was during that time that he began to understand that the Great Dao should not be so narrow.

Thinking of this, Zhang Buyu's lips curled into a faint smile.

It has only been a few years, but it feels like a lifetime has passed. Perhaps it is because that guy has moved too fast. He went from a mountain boy who could hardly find a cultivation method to a big figure who could stir up the situation in the Eastern Wilderness, which made this period of time seem exceptionally long.

He recalled the days he spent in the mountains with his master before he was eight years old, with the morning bell and evening drum, and the Daoist scriptures as his companions.

The happiest and most peaceful time of his life, from the time he could remember, was spent amidst the clouds and pine shadows of Floating Hill Mountain.

Now that the sect is in trouble, only he can bring a glimmer of hope to the sect. The price he pays is nothing more than sleeping for thirty years.

"Buyu, it's not a good thing."

The Shouguan's voice interrupted his thoughts. As they approached the mountain gate, she slowed her pace and whispered instructions.

"You must not accept the promise of the Ancestral Artifact without consulting your master. Yu Tunzhou and An Ruyu both came with ulterior motives. They may have a way to persuade the Immortal Cauldron, and they may not necessarily require your sacrifice. Everything should be decided after we meet with our senior brother and grandmaster."

As soon as he finished speaking, Shouguan's expression changed drastically, and he turned around sharply to look in the direction of Cangling.

In that instant, a cold gaze from a thousand miles away swept over her inch by inch!

That gaze carried a sinister, decadent quality that made it difficult for her to calm her State of Mind she had cultivated for many years.

This is... the Devil Lord?

Those lunatics from the Nan Household have already released the Devil Lord?!

Zhang Buyu noticed the change in his senior's expression and vaguely realized something. His originally firm expression did not waver in the slightest, but became even more somber.

He knew better than anyone that the chances of Brother Yu and An Ruyu persuading Ancestral Artifact were extremely slim.

Because the purpose of the Ancestral Artifact has changed; it is no longer to find a suitable "master of the weapon".

In the words of the Ancestral Artifact, the mountain lord's choice in the past has made it no longer expect outsiders.

Therefore, the departure of the Ancestral Artifact was a foregone conclusion.

At this moment, upon realizing that the Devil Lord had descended, Shouguan dared not delay. He increased his speed by three points, and with Zhang Buyu, he transformed into a streak of light and rushed straight towards the main mountain, where he saw his senior brother and grandmaster in the distance.

Surprisingly, my senior brother actually emerged from his ivory tower after many years!

Moreover, my senior brother even had the leisure to play chess with An Ruyu at the stone table outside the door!

The black and white chess pieces landed on the chessboard with a crisp sound.

Shouguan was stunned and was about to speak when Zhang Buyu stepped forward, bowed, and spoke in a calm yet firm voice:

"Greetings, Mountain Lord; greetings, Ancestor. This disciple has made up my mind: if the Devil Lord truly descends, this disciple is willing to offer my body to the Ancestral Artifact."

Shouzheng placed a white piece, looked up and smiled, "Junior Nephew Zhang, this matter is not urgent. Why don't you go to the Daoist temple and see Young Hero Yu?"

Zhang Buyu was taken aback.

Brother Yu, have you not given up yet? Are you still trying?

The old Zhenyan priest standing to the side said in a deep voice, "I will go with you."

Unexpectedly, the Daoist Shouzheng suddenly spoke up, allowing only Zhang Buyu to go, leaving the Daoist Zhenyan behind.

After Zhang Buyu's figure disappeared at the end of the mountain path, Shouguan couldn't help but step forward. "Senior brother, what exactly happened at the mountain gate while I was away?"

The old Zhenyan priest Zhenyan also didn't understand why Shouzheng wouldn't let him go with him.

Shouzheng didn't answer directly. Instead, he looked at An Ruyu across the chessboard and asked with great interest:

Do you really think Yu Tunzhou can persuade the Immortal Cauldron to intervene?

An Ruyu said meaningfully, "In the future I have seen, there is no trace of Zhang Buyu; the Devil Lord's descent is a foregone conclusion."

Shouzheng pondered for a moment and said, "So, in the original 'process,' Junior Nephew Zhang either died a violent death along the way, or... he was targeted by those beings long ago?"

These words were puzzling, Shouguan frowned as he watched his senior brother speaking in riddles. Only the old Daoist priest beside him trembled, his expression changing drastically, as he understood the hidden meaning behind these words.

If Zhang Buyu is also an unchangeable "process," then given that the Immortal Cauldron had already made its promise, the fact that it ultimately failed to stop the Devil Lord suggests only two possibilities.

First, Zhang Buyu died suddenly and unexpectedly in his original destiny, causing the ancestral spirit's reincarnation plan to be aborted.

Secondly, the plan proceeded smoothly, but at the most critical moment, it was obstructed by a higher-level force, just like when Shouzheng tried to eliminate the Nan Household not long ago, but was intercepted by a hidden entity in the Heavenly Court.

"I understand now. No wonder the Ancestral Artifact insisted on leaving. It most likely sensed that someone behind the scenes was already watching it. Its choice to leave was to avoid bringing annihilation upon Floating Hill Mountain."

The Daoist Shouzheng slowly narrowed his eyes, a dangerous glint appearing within them, and his aura subtly solidified.

"Perhaps even the Ancestral Artifact never anticipated that Zhang, the junior disciple who had grown up right under its nose, had long since become a trap set by others. Only when it willingly entered Zhang's body would it truly be walking into the snare."

"Or perhaps... Junior Nephew Zhang's birth was a trap from the very beginning?"

The Daoist Shouzheng, turned his gaze back to the chessboard before him and sighed sincerely:

"What a brilliant but futile move against my Floating Hill Mountain, leaving not even the slightest chance of survival."

The Zhenyan priest staggered back half a step, his face extremely pale and his voice hoarse:

"Shouzheng... could it be that you're... overthinking it?"

"I hope so." Shouzheng smiled and turned to look at An Ruyu. "Girl, now that you've achieved your goal, why aren't you leaving? Are you prepared to die with me at Floating Hill Mountain, or are you absolutely certain that Yu Tunzhou can defy fate?"

An Ruyu smiled and said, "It involves Immortals and Gods. Even if I possess the Luo River Diagram, it will be difficult to reverse certain inevitable fates. Therefore, I am also looking forward to Young Hero Yu becoming the first variable in this Final Tribulation."

"The first variable?" Shouzheng was slightly lost in thought, recalling someone who had visited him in the Eastern Wilderness decades ago.

In fact, that person Yu Tunzhou had a very close relationship.

He too wanted to become a variable in the great calamity of the future, and was willing to risk his life for it, but unfortunately, it seems he still failed in the end?

"Senior brother! Grandmaster uncle! What kind of riddle are you playing?" Shouguan finally couldn't hold back any longer, his face full of anxiety.

Shouzheng raised his hand to interrupt her and slowly stood up.

The mountain wind whipped up his Daoist robe, making it flutter loudly.

He looked towards the direction of Cangling, and in his eyes, the Nine Netherworlds Demonic Qi in that direction had already solidified into a tangible form.

"Before Young Hero Yu breaks through this impasse," his voice was calm yet carried immense weight, "I, on behalf of the Martial Dao of this world, will come and experience the might of the Primordial Devil Lord."

Zhang Buyu arrived at the Daoist temple immediately. While still outside the gate, he felt a blur before his eyes, as if a sun and moon had leaped out of the hall, their clear light and blazing light reflecting off each other, dazzling his mind and causing him to lose his composure.

Inside the Daoist temple.

Yu Tunzhou was at the critical juncture of his breakthrough, trembled slightly.

The barrier of the Middle Divine Ability Stage realm had already shattered under the infusion of fortune. Without pausing, he seized the opportunity to activate the Dao Sprout Immortal Embryo, beginning to create the fourth wondrous scene within his Inner Heaven and Earth—

[Radiance of Moon and Sun].

At this moment, within the Inner Heaven and Earth, mountains rise thousands of feet high, the sea surges with the tide, and mist and haze swirl and flow. The three wondrous scenes stand alone, yet they resonate with each other through the Limitless Gang Qi.

Above the sky, a bright, clear Mingyue and a blazing sunrise gradually emerged, hanging together, each occupying half of the sky.

At this moment, the clear moonlight and the blazing light alternately shone down, making the Mountain Peaks Surpassing Kunlun appear even more vigorous, Vast Sea and Azure Deep even more boundless, even the misty Water Mist and Rosy Clouds that permeated the area were tinged with a faint glow.

Mountains, sea, mist and haze, sun and moon.

Each of the four wonders occupies a unique location, with mountains as its bones, the sea as its blood, mist and clouds as its breath, and the sun and moon as its spirit, all connected by an invisible yet clear energy flow.

The weighty, solid mass of the Mountain Peaks Surpassing Kunlun sinks downwards;

The vastness of the Vast Sea and Azure Deep extends outwards;

Water Mist and Rosy Clouds connect the two;

The sun and moon hang above, like a dome, enveloping the mountains, sea, and mist below.

As the four wondrous scenes settled, an unprecedented sense of harmony swept through the Yu Tunzhou, as if this Inner Heaven and Earth had finally transformed from a "pieced-together" entity into a "self-contained whole."

The four elements complement and reinforce each other, forming a simple yet complete cycle of heaven and earth.

Although it is far from complete, it already has the beginnings of an independent world in its wake!

At the very moment this cycle was first formed, Yu Tunzhou's Primordial Spirit seemed to be suddenly pulled up by an invisible force!

He felt as if he were standing on the summit of a rapidly growing mountain, his vision expanding ever further with each breath, eventually reaching an infinite height, where he perceived the existence of a mysterious and sublime realm.

A grand and ancient palace, imbued with boundless Immortal Qi of Dao and Virtue, clearly appeared in his mind.

The palace hangs in the celestial realm, surrounded by eight wondrous sights, imbued with the ancient charm of Daoism, pure and inactive.

Xuandu Heaven, Eight Sceneries Palace!

Just as Huntian had predicted, once he had opened up more than half of the eight wonders, he was able to sense the existence of Xuandu Heaven!

Yu Tunzhou felt that the road ahead had suddenly become clear, which proved that his choice was correct. The Dao and Virtue teacher left the body of "Grand Dharma Master Xuandu" in the Eight Trigrams Furnace so that he could use it as proof and ultimately use the Eight Sceneries as a guide to Nether Passage Xuandu!

Without the slightest hesitation, Yu Tunzhou made a decisive move, gathering all his Primordial Spirit power and transforming it into an incomparably refined stream of light, crashing headlong into the faintly emerging Immortal Heaven gate!

The seemingly thick barrier between heaven and earth silently parted to both sides the moment his Primordial Spirit touched it, as if it were a path reserved for him.

Finally, the door was left ajar, and wisps of Qi of Dao and Virtue emanated from behind it.

Zhang Buyu cautiously entered the Daoist temple, only to find Brother Yu sitting cross-legged in the center.

His eyes remained closed, and his breathing was so steady it was almost inaudible.

But Zhang Buyu could vaguely sense that the energy within Brother Yu's body was like a great river flowing beneath the ice; the surface showed no ripples, but underneath it had already become a raging torrent.

Suddenly, Zhang Buyu noticed that the Ancestral Artifact had already awakened.

Is he waiting for himself, or...?

Just then...

Yu Tunzhou opened his eyes, and his aura instantly concealed itself, becoming invisible to Zhang Buyu.

"Brother Zhang, you're back?"

Yu Tunzhou turned around, and before Zhang Buyu could speak, he said directly,

Please wait here for me a moment.

He turned back to the Immortal Cauldron, circulating the Eight-Nine Mysterious Art within his body to its limit. Indestructible Golden Light emanated from beneath his skin, weaving a faint golden halo around his body.

His figure was sometimes as upright as a towering mountain, and sometimes as ethereal as gathering and dispersing mist. His skin surface was covered with the shadows of mountains, rivers, sun, and moon. Every inch of his skin contained immense power, yet it also exuded a unique ethereal and otherworldly quality, completely unlike the fierce and heavy nature of ordinary Cultivation Method.

"Ha, a mere scoundrel among scoundrels!"

Before Immortal Cauldron Yu Tunzhou through his thoughts and sneered.

"You certainly know how to picky. Not satisfied with Martial Dao, you've also sought out a cultivation method for physical training in the Immortal Dao. Do you think you're not 'hard' enough, or not crude enough?"

"Just because you've cultivated a physical training method, you think you've embarked on the righteous path of Immortal Dao and gained the approval of the true self?"

Yu Tunzhou remained expressionless, but inwardly he sneered; this temperament was indeed much as he had predicted.

I just don't know if they're impervious to both soft and hard approaches, or if they only respond to hard approaches and not soft ones.

Within the Primordial Spirit Heaven and Earth, Huntian, as a key representative of the Eight-Nine Mysterious Art of Yu Tunzhou, was enraged and cursed loudly:

"Where did this broken cauldron come from! Spouting such nonsense! The Eight-Nine Mysterious Art, a supreme immortal Immortal Method that directly points to the fundamental Dao, is actually regarded as an ordinary method of physical training?!"

"You've gone blind!"

"Fellow Daoist, there's no need for further words. I will personally suppress the Demon-Summoning Banner!"

"Let's get it!"

"... Young man, you do indeed possess some talent. The [Root of the Great Dao] is a rare find even in High Antiquity times. It's just a pity that you've gone astray, strayed too far, and can't turn back."

Ding Ling's tone was indifferent, yet tinged with a condescending regret.

"Furthermore, while you possess considerable talent, among the young people I've encountered, you are not the most outstanding. Unless you are a peerless genius, one in a million, why would I condescend to serve you..."

Yu Tunzhou, who was about to make a move, froze on the spot.

After a long while, he asked in confusion:

You mean...?

"Am I not one of those unparalleled geniuses, one in a million?"

For some reason, the spirit of the Immortal Cauldron, which had been speaking in a calm and arrogant tone, suddenly fell silent, eerily Earth's Collapse into silence.

If it could materialize, it would probably show a slight change in expression, because it vaguely sensed an ancient, profound, lofty, and elusive aura emanating from this young man.

That familiar yet strange feeling from before grew stronger.

Yu Tunzhou headed towards the Immortal Cauldron.

"Kid, what do you want to do?"

The Immortal Cauldron glowed with a blue light, and it inexplicably felt that the boy in front of it was somewhat strange. For the first time, it asked with a hint of seriousness and vigilance.

"Um?!"

The fragment of the Human Emperor Seal in Yu Tunzhou's Dantian suddenly shone brightly, and the Xuanhuang Qi surged up, instantly attracting the attention of the Immortal Cauldron.

In that split second...

Yu Tunzhou strode across the distance between them in one step and reached out to grab the Immortal Cauldron!

"How dare you, you brat!"

The Immortal Cauldron snapped back to its senses, both shocked and furious. It never expected that this brat would dare to attack it directly!

"Arrogant!"

The cauldron's azure light trembled violently; had it not been for the fact that the other party was a descendant of the Human Emperor, it could have eliminated this child in an instant.

Just as it was about to issue a slight punishment, an ancient, pure, and lofty aura, seemingly not belonging to this Mortal Realm, suddenly filled the entire Daoist temple.

That's the Immortal Qi of Dao and Virtue!

"Buzz--"

Immortal Qi of Dao and Virtue emerged from the portal behind the Yu Tunzhou, pouring into the Vajra Bracelet.

The black and white Daoist aura suddenly spread out, and wherever it reached, the surging blue light around the Immortal Cauldron suddenly stopped. The cauldron's power, which was originally poised to be unleashed, was forcibly frozen in mid-air, and even the mountain and river patterns flowing on the cauldron wall dimmed a bit.

"You--"

The voice of the Immortal Cauldron finally changed completely.

Yu Tunzhou didn't give it a chance to speak again.

He stepped forward, his five fingers coming together to firmly grip one of the tripod legs.

It feels cool and heavy to the touch, its texture far exceeding that of bronze or stone, as if you were holding the roots of an entire mountain.

The next moment, the instant his five fingers came together, the Indestructible Golden Light within his body surged violently, and his bones emitted a continuous, fine crackling sound, like a dragon's roar, with every inch of his muscles bursting forth with an overwhelming and unstoppable power!

Sink your waist, exhale, and let your spine rise segment by segment.

A deafening roar, so deep it sounded like the foundations of a mountain being shaken!

Zhang Buyu stood on the inside of the threshold, as if nailed to the spot, his mind blank.

This Immortal Cauldron, which has been enshrined here since the establishment of the sect at Floating Hill Mountain, was now being lifted up by Yu Tunzhou with one arm in the purest and most unreasonable way!

His green robe fluttered without wind, and Indestructible Golden Light flowed around him, reflecting an almost indifferent calmness in his eyes.

"Just a weapon, and you think you can turn the world upside down?"