The Peak of Immortals and Gods, the Dao of Self Alone

Fists and spears clashed.

The figure that retreated was not the one below.

The golden halberd trembled incessantly, and the illusory images of the stars reflected on its blade dimmed somewhat.

The imposing deity wielding the long halberd swayed, and several golden cracks appeared in his palm. The disdain in his eyes faded slightly, replaced by a more scrutinizing gaze.

"He does possess some brute strength; no wonder he dared to trespass on the Heavenly Court ruins and utter such arrogant words."

As the words were spoken, the long spear fell once more, carrying the power to tear apart the heavens!

Instead of retreating, Lu Daolin advanced, and behind him, a vast, miniature world appeared and disappeared, from which a figure slowly walked out.

The figure resembled him, yet was over ten thousand feet tall, and his body emanated the purest and most profound True Intention of Martial Dao.

He was like a god of Martial Dao.

He threw a punch, and Wan Dharma Aspect threw a punch at the same time. This punch was no longer the heavy weight of martial arts that could subdue the world, but a pure, sharp edge that opened up a path forward!

Even with its unparalleled sharpness, the fists did not yield an inch, and even advanced a step forward!

"This person has actually reached the peak of the Immortals and Gods, and is only half a step away from the Primordial Unity!"

Huntian's voice was solemn, emanating from the Primordial Spirit Heaven and Earth.

"The External Scenery borrows the power of heaven and earth for its own use. When one reaches the level of Immortals and Gods, one can 'establish one's own domain,' transforming the Inner View world to reflect the external world, which is to say, reversing the laws of heaven and earth within the Dharma Domain."

"This person has already reached the pinnacle of Immortals and Gods, his body and mind forming a complete world of their own, and every move he makes exudes the power of an entire realm."

"Look at the point of their collision; it's not a simple clash of strength, but rather the mutual crushing and dissolution of two Inner Scenery Heaven and Earth."

At this point, Huntian looked at the divine figure with some doubt:

"This fiend's Dao Manifestation is similar to that of Great Emperor Gouchen, but to say that he is Gouchen would be to greatly underestimate him. I originally thought he was one of the Four Emperors besides Haotian, but now it seems... could this person be one of the war gods under Gouchen?"

"Or Gouchen severed himself from?"

Yu Tunzhou, his eyes fixed intently on the distant battlefield.

Under Lu Daolin's fist, the long halberd in the hands of that divine being shattered inch by inch!

Surprisingly, Lu Daolin gained the upper hand!

Yu Tunzhou was shocked. This was the first time he had witnessed Lu Daolin, who was known as the Martial Ancestor, go all out!

The next moment, a cold snort shook the heavens and earth, and the majestic deity finally unleashed its full power.

The golden halberd in his hand shattered, so he simply discarded it. The halberd broke into countless golden rays that crashed into the distant starry sky, while he reached out and grabbed a galaxy in the distance. With a sudden shake, he instantly refined it into a long spear.

He raised his spear and charged, and beneath its tip, a vast, solemn world filled with the Blood Qi descended. Within it stood an endless array of golden-armored celestial soldiers, their battle banners blotting out the sun, their spears and halberds standing like a forest, and the air was thick with the blood and desolation of an ancient battlefield.

"Heavenly Bureau Armament Realm! This is the Heavenly Court's military formation!"

Within his Primordial Spirit Heaven and Earth, Huntian gasped, seemingly recalling some unpleasant memories.

"This fiend is indeed Gouchen Divine Pantheon. Even if he isn't Gouchen himself, he's definitely one of Gouchen's right-hand men!"

"When the Heavenly Court pacified the world and annihilated all disloyal subjects, its greatest reliance was this Heavenly Court army and its million heavenly soldiers and generals!"

Yu Tunzhou looked solemnly at the towering figure.

Will Lu Daolin unscathed from the Heavenly Court's army?

At that moment, the illusory figures of the army formation all moved simultaneously.

Thousands of spears were raised simultaneously and slammed down towards the Lu Daolin!

The entire world of war and conflict slowly subsided at that moment.

How terrifying is the weight of a single realm?

Along the way, vast stretches of Void vanished!

Lu Daolin, however, withdrew his fist and stood still. The vast Martial Intention around him did not rise any further; instead, it gradually receded inward, being absorbed into his limbs and bones.

A wide robe hung down, and bare feet trod on the void.

He stood there quietly, like a mountain that has stood Mortal Realm thousands of years, unmoved by wind and rain.

Only when the spear was pointed directly at his brow, and the weight of the entire world pressed down on him, did he clench his fist again.

In an instant.

Centered on the spot where he stood, countless cracks spread in all directions, revealing the pitch-black void behind him.

"My body is heaven and earth, my will is the principle of heaven."

Lu Daolin's voice seemed to drift from a great distance, yet also seemed to be right next to his ear.

"This punch is titled [The Sinking of the Mortal World]."

The punch was thrown silently.

However, the majestic deity facing this punch showed a solemn expression in his eyes for the first time.

The Heavenly Bureau Armament Realm manifested beneath the spearhead crumbled inch by inch before the fist's edge, as if an entire realm had fallen.

One punch can overturn the Mortal Realm and sink the earth.

Yu Tunzhou, watching from afar, felt his breath catch in his throat.

This was no longer an ordinary battle of magic, but a life-or-death struggle between two realms and two great paths.

Centered on the point of impact, the Void within an unknown radius was flattened.

He had no doubt that if he were in that situation, he wouldn't even be able to hold on for a single breath before being crushed into dust.

"Even a mere Human Immortal, though capable of destroying an entire realm, cannot escape the 'limits of human power.'"

The majestic deity roared and forcefully dragged in a... star!

Rumble--

The star orbits deep within the ruins shook violently, and dozens of stars were forcibly dragged from their respective orbits. Among them was a star with a fiery tail that stretched for an unknown distance, hurtling towards Lu Daolin with world-destroying power!

He actually dragged an entire galaxy down and hurled it at Lu Daolin below!

This is no longer a battle of magic Divine Ability, but the most direct violence at this level, a life-or-death struggle at the level of Daoist power!

And below, Lu Daolin—

He simply extended one hand.

His plain robes billowed wildly in the raging wind, his five slender fingers spread wide, palm facing the devastating star cluster—

A gentle squeeze.

Heaven and earth fell silent.

Witnessing this scene, Yu Tunzhou was visibly shaken.

Upon reaching the External Scenery Fifth Layer, the Spirit Aspect and the Inner Heaven and Earth are completely integrated, and with a mere gesture, all life within a radius of two to three hundred miles can be extinguished.

If one advances to the Dharma Aspect, the power can increase several times over, reaching the level of a thousand miles in terms of destructive force alone.

But this battle...

This was the first time he had witnessed a battle at the Peak Dharma Aspect Realm, and the destructive power displayed in this battle far exceeded his understanding of Immortals and Gods!

The previous battles were a contest of the differences between the two sides in various dimensions such as the Great Dao and Divine Ability. Due to the difference in realm and the lack of reference points, Yu Tunzhou could not clearly see the true strength of the two sides.

But in the scene before them, those dozens of stars that could have been moved with a mere gesture were ultimately crushed by a single palm strike...

This expressiveness far surpassed his understanding of Immortals and Gods!

He suppressed the shock in his heart and asked Huntian, "Just what level of destructive power do Immortals and Gods?"

"It depends on which path you belong to," Hun Heavenly Dao explained. "Different path systems have their own advantages and disadvantages, and tendencies. For example, the Divine Dao, when there is enough incense offering, surpasses other paths in all aspects, but the price is that it is the least free and has the most restrictions."

"The newly established Martial Dao of the Human Race, in my opinion, has the biggest problems of being short-lived and having high barriers to entry, compared to other systems. But judging from the current battle, Martial Dao, in terms of killing power, has combined the advantages of various paths and is able to fight the divine Divine Dao head-on without being at a disadvantage."

Yu Tunzhou asked again, "Could the destructive power of a peak-level Immortals and Gods easily destroy a star?"

Huntian replied matter-of-factly, "Of course. A peak Immortals and Gods could easily annihilate an entire realm with a mere flick of their wrist. Fellow Daoist, you must have spent too long in the Central Plains Mortal Realm mortal realm, where the suppression of laws and principles is unparalleled among all realms, after all, it is the ' Mortal Realm.' But this place is the Heavenly Court, the origin of the Great Dao. Not only is its power not suppressed, but it will also be amplified by the Great Dao."

"Certainly."

"Their battle was no longer a war between Immortals and Gods Realm Primordial Unity."

"One side was just half a step away, while the other side fell from the Primordial Unity."

Yu Tunzhou nodded slowly, his gaze never leaving the battlefield above.

The Heavenly Court deity used a spear formed from the Milky Way in his hand as a guide, continuously summoning nearby "Tianhe," seemingly intending to "drown" Lu Daolin within them.

Lu Daolin's response was also quite martial, direct and brutal, retaliating with his fist.

Even the aftershocks of their exchange were enough to make Yu Tunzhou feel a deadly threat.

As he stared intently, an old man was observing him with great interest.

"So you're Yu Tunzhou?"

Yu Tunzhou then noticed that there were other people present.

The battle between Lu Daolin and that ancient god of the Heavenly Court captivated almost all of his attention.

He looked up at the sound, his gaze sharpened, and he instantly recognized the seemingly ordinary old man.

"Old Prince Ji?"

This is none other than Ji Tianfang, the number one on Heaven Ranking, [the One-Nation Individual].

The old man stood with his hands behind his back, looking the young man up and down, and sighed, "You really are a young man, full of courage, daring to wander anywhere. Were you the one in that beam of immortal light earlier? And were you the one who attracted this ancient god?"

Yu Tunzhou did not deny it. He looked at Lu Daolin and tentatively asked, "The Old Wang and the Martial Ancestor joined forces? Didn't you two even have a fight?"

"I would like to," Ji Tianfang shook his head, "But unfortunately, after I sacrificed my Human Dao Fortune to prepare for a fair fight with this person, he became disgusted with me, believing that I had crippled myself, and thus postponed the fight for several years."

Human Dao Fortune...

Yu Tunzhou's mind raced, and he exclaimed in surprise, "The Old Wang has abandoned the Human Dao Fortune of the Great Yan?!"

Rumor has it that the reason this person is able to rank first on the Heaven Ranking without any controversy, and that even if the other nine people on the Heaven Ranking were to attack together, they would still be no match for him, is all due to the Human Dao Fortune.

But he never expected that this person would actually give up the Human Dao Fortune!

"If you want to go further, you naturally have to make choices," Ji Tianfang said with a faint smile.

Yu Tunzhou probed again, "Having abandoned the Human Dao Fortune, how many punches from the Martial Ancestor can you withstand now?"

How many punches?

Ji Tianfang smirked, "You little brat, you're underestimating me."

Yu Tunzhou comforted him, "That guy has lived so many more years, there's no shame in losing."

Ji Tianfang glanced sideways. He had often heard news about this kid from Feng Xu and thought he was quite to his liking, but now it seemed...

He didn't offer much explanation.

After actually meeting Lu Daolin, Ji Tianfang knew very well just how high a position Lu Daolin held.

Even if he remained confident he could drag Lu Daolin into a life-or-death struggle, the final outcome wouldn't be very favorable, roughly... 80/20?

If we can't even say it's a 50/50 split, let alone 60/40 or 70/30, then what's the point of even talking about it?

Ji Tianfang suddenly spoke up, "Yu Tunzhou, do you think the Mortal Realm needs an existence at the level of Dharma Aspect?"

Yu Tunzhou was taken aback, then said, "Of course we need it. The overseas remnants have long coveted it, and powerful beings from beyond the heavens are eyeing it covetously. If Dharma Aspect strong opponent, how can the Human Race stand in the world?"

"What if Dharma Aspect overseas, and it's difficult for beings from beyond the heavens to invade?" Ji Tianfang countered.

Yu Tunzhou squinted and said, "I never place my hopes on what others 'don't' have."

Ji Tianfang laughed heartily, "Well said!"

He then asked, "You've met Little Su, haven't you?"

Little Su?

Yu Tunzhou suddenly realized something, and the corner of his mouth twitched.

Is this "Little Su" someone referring to the Old Gang Leader Su?

His last encounter with Old Gang Leader Su was in the south.

It was then that he learned that this seemingly carefree, wandering-the-world Old Gang Leader Su, was secretly controlling Dharma Aspect under heaven to prevent certain beings from causing trouble.

Reaching the level of Dharma Aspect corresponds to the High Antiquity Immortals and Gods; even a casual movement could be a devastating disaster for the Mortal Realm.

Ji Tianfang sighed, "That little guy may seem carefree, wandering around aimlessly, but in reality, the burden on his shoulders is no lighter than that of us old folks."

Yu Tunzhou: "..."

Is it a little guy?

That's very interesting.

I wonder if, in the eyes of the Martial Ancestor, this person is also a little fellow...

Ji Tianfang looked at Yu Tunzhou again and smiled, "Yu Tunzhou, the future of the Mortal Realm is in the hands of you young people."

"As for us old fogies, if we want to go further, we can only step into a higher battlefield."

Yu Tunzhou was startled.

"You mean... you're abandoning the Great Yan?" Yu Tunzhou asked in surprise.

The one before him is the very source of the Great Yan's existence to this day!

Yu Tunzhou had previously speculated that the "collapse of the Great Yan in the third year of Tianshun" mentioned by Master Lu was very likely to have started with some accident that happened to the Old Wang.

Later, after learning that the Martial Ancestor had challenged the world with his fist techniques, he became even more certain that this was how the story would unfold.

But right now...

Ji Tianfang laughed and said, "I lured Lu Daolin away, preventing him from harming the royal family. Doesn't that count as protecting the royal family?"

Yu Tunzhou was speechless. Did the Martial Ancestor have a grudge against the Great Yan Imperial Family?

"I suppose this is an understanding we reached," Ji Tianfang said with a faint smile, gazing into the distance. "He believes that although I inherited the Human Dao Fortune and extended the life of the Great Yan by several hundred years, I have also hindered the development of Martial Dao. Martial Dao should flourish in times of chaos."

Yu Tunzhou looked serious.

Is this the real "cause of death" of the Great Yan?

It was merely a tacit understanding between the two.

With the fall of the Great Yan, powerful Aristocratic Clan and sects across the land will inevitably rise up, and the Central Plains will truly enter a chaotic era of vying for supremacy!

Yu Tunzhou never expected that these two people, the most powerful Martial Dao of their time, would intentionally plunge the Central Plains into chaos.

Chaotic times may be conducive to the flourishing of Martial Dao, but how many people will be caught up in them and unable to live in peace?

Ji Tianfang seemed to see through his thoughts and said calmly, "This is the torrent of the times. When the torrent sweeps down, no one can remain unscathed. Fighting for survival now still offers a glimmer of hope, which is better than the future we see."

Yu Tunzhou asked in a deep voice, "What kind of future did you and the Martial Ancestor envision?"

"The return of the Immortals and Gods is a foregone conclusion." Ji Tianfang did not hide anything. "The Central Plains Mortal Realm have been completely turned into a pasture for the Immortals and Gods, with no hope left but deathly silence."

"Even you can't stop all of this?"

"Us?" Ji Tianfang sneered. "How many Dharma Aspect in the world do you think have powerful backers? Even if all Dharma Aspect joined forces, it would still be far from enough. Faced with this great calamity, the only chance for Human Race is for Primordial Unity Dao Lord to emerge."

Yu Tunzhou a deep breath. "How many years left?"

"No one can say for sure," Ji Tianfang shook his head. "It might be five years, it might be ten, it might be twenty. There are many influencing factors. Neither he nor I are confident that we can break through to the Primordial Unity within twenty years, so we must 'let go' and take the risk."

Yu Tunzhou fell silent, realizing the deadlock this man faced, which explained why he made such a choice.

Ji Tianfang looked the Yu Tunzhou up and down again, then nodded approvingly, "With a few more years of honing your skills on the world's whetstone, you should be able to enter the inner sanctum and guard a region."

"Grow up quickly."

"You don't need to respond to the 'summons' from the Divine Capital Court in the Heavenly Court. Two months later, the Heavenly Court Fragment will sense it automatically. Remember to enter; it's a gift we're giving to you, the younger generation, before we leave."

"At that time, the Heavenly Court will truly 'unfold' to the world."

Yu Tunzhou whispered, "Are you planning to take away all the Dharma Aspect of the World?"

Ji Tianfang shook his head and said, "We can't take them away, nor can we take them with us. The Central Plains still needs Dharma Aspect to oversee things. However, we will take some individuals with us. In addition, we will not refuse any like-minded individuals."

"Could you also bring along... someone from the Blood River Dao?" Yu Tunzhou inquired.

Ji Tianfang smiled and said, "Yu Tunzhou, do you think it's a good thing or a bad thing for Yan Huifeng and the others that we forcibly took away all the Dharma Aspect of the Six Paths of Evil and Demons?"

"... Do you think those people are also whetstones for Sword Lord Yan?" Yu Tunzhou immediately understood the subtext.

"Below us, the most promising candidates to break through to the Primordial Unity are Yan Huifeng and Kou Ziling," Ji Tianfang said slowly. "They have their own paths, and we will not interfere. The more paths they forge, the more hope the Central Plains Human Race will have."

Yu Tunzhou finally understood what this person was thinking.

In his view, the Central Plains Human Race was almost certainly doomed.

Since that's the case, why not enter the chaotic world sooner? Perhaps some "hope" can be born from it. Although Kou Ziling and Yan Huifeng are divided into righteous and demonic factions, they are both from the Central Plains Human Race.

He hadn't expected that these two would join forces to explore the Heavenly Court with such a plan...

What kind of hopeless future did they foresee? And where did they see it?

Yu Tunzhou suddenly felt a strong sense of urgency.

Even these two, who have already reached the Peak Dharma Aspect Realm, are so eager, which means that the time left for him is definitely running out.

The Divine Capital.

Mountains and Rivers Tower, top floor.

This is the highest point in the Divine Capital besides the imperial palace, and it can even overlook part of the outer city area of the imperial palace. The fact that Mountains and Rivers Tower is able to achieve this means that the owner behind the scenes is naturally not simple, but he has never been exposed, which has led to constant rumors.

Feng Xu had been in charge of the Gold-Wielding Guard for many years, and it was by chance that he found some clues.

The mastermind behind Mountains and Rivers Tower is Ji Yaoyang, the Dharma Aspect of the royal family, who is Heaven Ranking.

Standing on the rooftop, overlooking the Divine Capital it stands today, Feng Xu calmly asked, "What brings Your Highness here today?"

Standing beside him was a handsome man wearing a snow-white fox fur coat, with a red sun mark between his eyebrows.

"Can't I come looking for you, Feng Xu, if there's nothing wrong?" the man said with a smile. He followed Feng Xu's gaze and chuckled, "Well, Feng Xu, climbing the Mountains and Rivers Tower in the dead of night to spy on the palace, do you really have rebellious intentions?"

"Your Highness is too kind."

Feng Xu held the second royal Dharma Aspect beside him in awe, and kept his distance from him.

For hundreds of years, the royal family has been trying to create a powerful Dharma Aspect expert of their own to replace the Old Wang in guarding the Central Plains and protecting the royal family.

And the final result was the person beside him.

It can indeed be considered a success.

However, it was a success achieved by draining the pond to catch all the fish.

And this person's personality... even the royal family finds it somewhat unbearable.

Feng Xu suddenly asked, "In Your Highness's eyes, how many families in the Divine Capital causing trouble tonight?"

"Oh?" Ji Yaoyang asked with interest, "Commander Feng came tonight to oversee the Divine Capital?"

He looked around, his gaze sweeping across most of the Divine Capital, and sneered, "In this vast Divine Capital, how many are truly content? And throughout the entire Central Plains, how many aren't stirring with ambition? Commander Feng, leading the Gold-Wielding Guard and overseeing the Central Plains, do you really need to ask me?"

"Or is it that the restlessness Commander Feng spoke of tonight doesn't refer to rebellious or disloyal intentions, but rather—"

He gave a soft "hmm," as if he had noticed something, and his gaze swept across the Divine Capital again, saying with interest, "Tonight, apart from the Anguo Ji Clan, all four major families are rather restless, especially the Tantai Household."

A thought struck Feng Xu: Could that ancient god who appeared in the Heavenly Court be the backer of the Tantai Household?

The Tantai Household is backed by the Gouchen Divine Pantheon, whose origins lie with the Heavenly Court Court's Lord of War, Great Emperor Gouchen.

I wonder which deity from the Gouchen Divine Pantheon will appear tonight...

Suddenly, Ji Yaoyang let out a soft "Eh," his tone clearly showing surprise.

Feng Xu followed his gaze and saw that it was in the direction of the palace. He was startled and glanced at the face of the person next to him. He saw that the latter's brows were slightly furrowed and immediately had a guess in his mind.

"What did Your Highness see?" he asked in a deep voice.

Ji Yaoyang was silent for a moment, then frowned and asked, "When was the last time you saw Ji Jingde?"

Ji Jingde is the real name of the current emperor of the Great Yan.

"... Your Highness, has something gone wrong in the palace?" Feng Xu asked in a deep voice.

Ji Yaoyang did not answer Feng Xu.

He slowly narrowed his eyes, gazing in the direction of the palace.

Heavenly Court.

The entire galaxy that was dragged in seemed to be gripped by an invisible hand.

Even the star at the very center was frozen in the starry sky.

It was instantly annihilated, inch by inch.

It wasn't a collapse, nor an explosion, but rather an erasure from the level of "existence".

The majestic divine figure's pupils suddenly contracted, revealing shock for the first time, as if he had sensed Lu Daolin's profound Dao foundation from this move.

"You--"

No sooner had he finished speaking than Lu Daolin's fist arrived.

Along the way, the illusory images of the Heavenly Bureau Armament Realm were torn apart as if they were made of paper!

One punch.

Just one punch.

The towering divine figure, which had stood for countless eons, began to show a thin crack starting from its chest.

Looking down at the crack in his chest, the fortune teller spoke with anger:

"Mortal, you walk the Dao of Self Alone?!"

"You, a mere mortal, dare to follow in the footsteps of the Haotian!"

"You are isolating yourself from the world!"

Within the Primordial Spirit Heaven and Earth.

Huntian said solemnly, "This person's foundation in the Great Dao... is almost 'I am the only one'! Fellow Daoist, this person is very likely to become your Dao enemy in the future!"

Yu Tunzhou was shaken.

Years ago, when he was in the grotto, the old Daoist priest mentioned it to him.

This person's fundamental principle has always been summarized in sixteen characters:

It is only natural to live for oneself.

If a person doesn't look out for themselves, they'll be punished by heaven and earth.

This was originally a Buddhist saying, intended to teach people to cultivate themselves, establish virtue, and perfect themselves so that they could be accepted by heaven and earth. However, it was gradually distorted and altered in later generations, turning into the meaning of "I am the only one who is supreme".

Even the Buddha's "I am the only one worthy of respect" has been altered.

As for Martial Ancestor Lu Daolin... after betraying the Daoist Daoist School, he once joined the Buddhist School!

Was his "egocentric" philosophy established during this period?

Suddenly.

A bell tolled, coming from the farthest reaches of the earth, piercing through the Void and through time, as if it had sounded from eternity ago, or as if it had come from eternity after.

The moment the bell rang, Yu Tunzhou felt his Primordial Spirit tremble violently, and the Primordial Spirit Heaven and Earth inhabiting Huntian began to shake violently.

"This is..."

For the first time, Huntian's voice was tinged with panic.

"The Eastern Emperor Bell?!"