Chapter 310

Chapter 310: Boundless Joy

"Him?"

After reviewing the information from tens of thousands of jade slips, Qi Yuanchu looked shocked and bewildered.

Over tens of millions of years, the identity of the Witch Ancestor had constantly transformed, yet one name could rival its fame.

Mad Daoist!

The destruction of the Unsurpassed Sacred Ground occurred precisely because Emperor Venerable Buzhou obtained a human-skin manuscript detailing the cultivation technique of the "Ten Thousand Ways Enlightenment Scriptures," a method inherited from Mad Daoist himself.

This man possessed shocking talent and pursued the Dao single-mindedly, appearing and vanishing like a phantom.

Qi Yuanchu and Xin Hongxiu never could have imagined that Mad Daoist was actually a reincarnation of the Witch Ancestor.

"Younger generation admires Senior’s methods immensely," Qi Yuanchu said, filled with profound reverence. The information on the Witch Ancestor that Ye Xu had compiled felt like it came from someone who had witnessed it firsthand.

For a moment, Qi Yuanchu even felt slightly dazed, wondering if Ye Xu himself might be the reincarnation of the Witch Ancestor.

"You two Daoist friends, Mad Daoist is no easy character," Ye Xu said with a calm smile. "Finding him truly might bring uncertain blessings or calamities."

Mad Daoist was utterly, completely mad for the Dao.

Otherwise, he wouldn’t be called the Mad Daoist.

He mastered ten thousand techniques, wielded methods bizarre beyond measure, and was a peak powerhouse who had attained the Three Yuan Proof.

Moreover, from the Era of Primordial Beings to the present, Mad Daoist had reincarnated countless times, repeatedly attaining the Three Yuan Proof in his relentless quest to transcendence.

The "Universal Salvation" technique cultivated by Shen Yueyi (Yue Lingxi) was also pioneered by him.

In his life, he disregarded distinctions of righteousness or wickedness, cared nothing for right or wrong, and sought solely the Dao.

To call him a fool for the Dao would not be an exaggeration.

"Now amidst the world’s great turmoil, with heroes rising everywhere, it is the perfect opportunity for the Witch Path to ascend," Qi Yuanchu declared, eyes shining with resolve. "With the Witch Ancestor’s help, we could undoubtedly stand as a dominant force and pass on the Witch Path for ten thousand generations. From the day I first stepped upon the Witch Path, I swore to bring it to greatness. How could I let such a heaven-sent chance slip away?"

"That reasoning holds true," Ye Xu nodded in agreement. He fervently wished for the Witch Path and the Immortal Path to clash. The conflict between the two great orthodoxies, alongside countless ambitious warlords rising, was precisely how the Heaven’s Secret Pavilion would fill its coffers to the brim.

"Master, we shall take our leave now," Qi Yuanchu said, taking Xin Hongxiu’s hand. They bowed and departed.

Lian Jiuyou’s expression remained deeply troubled.

The Witch Path’s reappearance implicated struggles over orthodoxy; the world’s peace could not last.

"Let them fight," Ye Xu stated coolly. "Stay quietly in Heaven’s Secret Pavilion. No one will be able to harm you here."

For now, Heaven’s Secret Pavilion held a stance of neutrality.

…

"Husband, the master of Heaven’s Secret Pavilion is truly terrifying," Xin Hongxiu breathed, lightly touching her chest. Merely being inside Heaven’s Secret Pavilion felt oppressive. Witnessing Ye Xu’s abilities made her want to leave not a moment longer.

"He could so effortlessly deduce all information about the Witch Ancestor. How strong is he? Could he… could he be one of those supremely powerful beings rumored to exist beyond the transcendent realm?"

"Impossible," Qi Yuanchu shook his head firmly. "No one has ever seen a transcendent realm being. It remains merely conjecture."

"Moreover," he continued, "were the master of Heaven’s Secret Pavilion truly a transcendent realm supreme expert, why would he waste time lingering in this mortal world?"

"So where are we going now?" Xin Hongxiu asked.

"The Witch Ancestor is at Return to the Ruins."

Qi Yuanchu’s gaze turned serious. The Return to the Ruins continent was a kaleidoscopic realm that had existed since the Era of Primordial Beings, profoundly eerie.

The two flew into the Sea of All Realms, heading toward Return to the Ruins.

Not long after, they descended upon the Return to the Ruins continent. Countless ancient ferocious beasts swam just beyond a barrier shield surrounding the landmass.

After a while, Qi Yuanchu and Xin Hongxiu reached the Deep Abyss of the Return to the Ruins. Darkness still reigned within the Deep Abyss. Grotesque creatures clung to the abyssal walls, emanating strange sounds.

The pair descended deeper and deeper.

A colossal whirlpool gradually came into view.

This was the source point of the Return to the Ruins tidal surge.

The information Ye Xu had given them indicated the Witch Ancestor was beyond the vortex.

"Legend says the realm connected to Return to the Ruins might very well be Burial Soil. If true, that is an extremely perilous place," Xin Hongxiu frowned.

"It matters not."

Qi Yuanchu smiled. "Even Burial Soil would find it difficult to trap and destroy us."

Whoosh!

Qi Yuanchu lightly parted the void with his hands, effortlessly cleaving the vortex asunder. The two streaked into the maelstrom as a streak of light.

"This…"

Beyond the vortex floated densely packed corpses of ancient ferocious beasts within a gravity-less world. Each beast had been hollowed out and dissected into countless fragments – a truly gruesome sight.

This resembled Burial Soil not at all, but rather a world purely of monstrous beasts.

At that moment, as if sensing their arrival…

An ephemeral gleam flashed. A youth, saturated with the stench of blood, his white robe saturated crimson, abruptly appeared before Qi Yuanchu and Xin Hongxiu.

"Living beings…"

His gaze was glacial, his face expressionless. He attacked without a moment’s hesitation.

Boom!

His magic power erupted, concentrating its force within a one-zhang radius. Instantly enveloping them, he dragged the pair into a separate Time and Space before they could even react. Time flowed ceaselessly here.

"Time magic?" Xin Hongxiu gasped in alarm.

"It’s the power of the Three Yuan Proof!"

Qi Yuanchu corrected her harshly.

"Witch Ancestor!"

Qi Yuanchu bellowed. "I am the seventy-second generation inheritor of the Heavenly Witch lineage!"

He drew forth a command token. The divine bone-jade was as flawless as fine jade, crystal clear, radiating the aura of an Innate Divine Being. Upon its obverse was branded the character "巫" (Wu – Witch), while its reverse was engraved with an intricate totem.

This token had been passed down through the Heavenly Witch lineage since antiquity, personally forged by the Witch Ancestor from the divine bone of an Innate Divine Being.

Swish!

Upon seeing the jade bone command token, a faint ripple finally appeared in the youth’s eyes. He restrained his magic power, and the void around the two immediately returned to normal.

"I, your disciple, greet the Witch Ancestor."

Qi Yuanchu was delighted in his heart and immediately knelt down to pay respects together with Xin Hongxiu.

"How did you know I was here?" The youth stared at Qi Yuanchu and asked.

His whereabouts were unpredictable, and almost no one knew them.

But Qi Yuanchu had searched all the way, completely certain of his location.

"We just came out of the Heaven’s Secret Pavilion, and the information about the Witch Ancestor was exactly what the master of Heaven’s Secret Pavilion told us," Xin Hongxiu said with a laugh, "Indeed, the master of Heaven’s Secret Pavilion did not miscalculate."

"The master of Heaven’s Secret Pavilion?"

The Mad Daoist frowned, "I never thought there was anyone in the world who could calculate my movements."

"This person’s mind must be truly remarkable."

He licked his lips, his smile eerie.

Qi Yuanchu and Xin Hongxiu felt a chill down their spines. Qi Yuanchu gathered his courage and spoke, "Witch Ancestor, now that the Immortal Realm is about to collapse and the world is in chaos, the Witch Path is due for its rise."

"Please return, Witch Ancestor, and lead us to restore the glory of the Witch Path."

"Hmph…"

The Mad Daoist sneered, "The Witch Path… is nothing but an outdated cultivation method. It cannot reach the end, and it cannot achieve transcendence."

"I have already abandoned the Witch Path, yet you still cling to it?"

Since the Primordial Era, he had reincarnated countless times, tried endless cultivation methods, and created countless techniques, long since discarding the Witch Path lineage.

Therefore, the Mad Daoist had not a shred of desire to revive the Witch Path.

He was a seeker of the Dao, a fool for the Dao, living only for the Dao.

Bang!

These words were like thunder and lightning, striking Qi Yuanchu’s Dao heart.

The Witch Ancestor, whom he revered the most, the founder of the Witch Path lineage, was now discarding the Witch Path like worthless trash?

Suddenly, Qi Yuanchu’s faith collapsed, and he spat out a mouthful of blood.

"How could this be?"

Qi Yuanchu’s face was like golden paper, and his vital energy suffered great damage.

"Husband!" Xin Hongxiu looked terribly anxious and hurriedly supported Qi Yuanchu.

The Mad Daoist looked at him coldly and said, "Out of consideration for your sincerity, I will tell you one last thing: the Witch Path has too many flaws, too many limitations, and it is impossible to transcend."

"This time, I will not kill you."

"If you disturb my cultivation again, I will dissect you inch by inch for research."

"Get lost."

The Mad Daoist waved his sleeve, and Qi Yuanchu and Xin Hongxiu involuntarily flew out of the vortex, returning to the Deep Abyss of the Return to the Ruins.

"Pfft!"

Qi Yuanchu spat out another mouthful of blood.

His face was pale, and he laughed bitterly.

He had never expected that he, after all his toil to find the Witch Ancestor, would receive such an answer that made his Dao heart collapse and nearly plunged him into despair.

The Witch Ancestor, whom he revered as a deity, had single-handedly abandoned the Witch Path he himself founded.

"Husband, the Witch Ancestor is the master of the Witch Path, so his words may have some point," Xin Hongxiu consoled him.

"Since I have chosen the Witch Path, I will not change."

Qi Yuanchu’s eyes shone brightly with renewed vigor, and he said firmly, "Since the Witch Ancestor does not wish to revive the Witch Path, I will shoulder the banner of its revival."

"I do not believe that the Witch Path lineage has no way out."

"Even if there is no path, I will spend my whole life forging one myself."

Having cultivated to the level of Witch Venerable, Qi Yuanchu’s Dao heart was already firm as rock. Even though the Witch Ancestor’s words affected him deeply, they were not enough to shatter it.

From the moment he embarked on the cultivation path, Qi Yuanchu understood that cultivation itself was about fighting against heaven, fighting against earth, fighting against people.

This process was endlessly enjoyable!