Chapter 378

Chapter 378: Calamity Arises (Part 1)

Boom!

The Jianmu divine tree burst forth from the earth, swaying its branches. Majestic, pure light rippled out, transforming it into a towering tree that reached the heavens and propped up the earth in moments.

Its colossal canopy stretched out, propping up two-thirds of the Immortal Realm.

The human ancestor wielded the Great Dao of space. Standing alone like a vast, boundless universe, the Jianmu divine tree unleashed the Great Dao of space’s power to its utmost limit.

In a flash, the Immortal Realm’s descent came to a halt.

"The Jianmu divine tree!"

Countless living beings gazed upwards, a glimmer of hope arising in their hearts.

Legend spoke of the Jianmu divine tree, a direct path to the Immortal Realm. Born during the era of the creation of the heavens, it possessed the power to stabilize the skies and the earth. With its appearance, no fall could easily overcome the Immortal Realm.

"Truly worthy of being one of the nine great Spirit Roots!" Daoist Qing Xuan’s eyes burned with fervor. In just a short while, the Origin Dao Seed and the Jianmu divine tree, two supreme Spirit Roots, had emerged consecutively, fueling his deep covetousness.

"Once the human ancestor dies, the Jianmu divine tree becomes ownerless," the Venerable chuckled.

Daoist Qing Xuan grinned widely.

Seizing the Jianmu divine tree would be a trivial task for the combined power of their group.

Everlasting City of Desolation.

Lin Qianmo and Xuanxin watched the human ancestor from afar, their expressions grim.

"To sacrifice oneself for the salvation of all — the human ancestor lives up to his name," Xuanxin sighed. Were it him, he doubted he could muster the same courage.

Lin Qianmo shook her head gently; it was ultimately futile.

"Daoist friend Yi, Fate has decreed it," Yuanzu declared from his lofty perch, staring down at the human ancestor. "To defy Heaven will surely bring your doom."

"Daoist brother Yuanzu, you, like the Mother Goddess, are an Innate Divine Being from primordial times," the human ancestor replied calmly. "It was the Mother Goddess who restored the Heavenly Dao. I know well what I do."

"You all chase selfish desires, disregarding countless lives — this is the true defiance of Heaven. If sacrificing my decaying corpse can avert a cataclysmic calamity, then I’ve honored the Mother Goddess’s teachings and final will."

"Daoist brother Yuanzu, spare him no further words," the Ancient God of Origin coldly interjected. "The human ancestor is old and deluded, utterly obstinate!"

"To descend to the mortal realm, he must first be eradicated."

Boom!

The Ancient God of Origin unleashed the Origin Dao Seed. The Primordial World descended like a collapsing sky, tearing the Immortal Realm apart. The branches of the Jianmu divine tree groaned under the strain, overwhelmed.

The boundless power of the Spirit Root surged forth.

Terrifying shockwaves shattered the Immortal Realm’s barriers. As the Origin Dao Seed plummeted into the endless void, it immediately took root and sprouted. World after world materialized, filling every void.

Swish!

Simultaneously, a jade-white hand pierced through the Immortal Realm, its fingertips twined with the Path of Death. Every Jianmu leaf touched by it withered instantly.

Si Ming thrust her palm towards the human ancestor, her Great Dao piercing backward through time, dragging him into a vortex of the past.

An icy gleam in his eyes, Yuanzu also sent a devastating palm strike hurtling towards the human ancestor.

The divine power of Primordial Qi erupted, turning all laws in the world into the Primordial state. He suddenly appeared behind the human ancestor, launching a surprise attack.

One existed in the present, another in the past.

Thus, the human ancestor found himself attacked from both front and back.

Clang!

Just then, a resonant bell toll echoed through the void. From emptiness appeared a young monk, holding aloft a Wheel of Reincarnation Dao Bell. With a gentle shake, the power of the Reincarnation Dao erupted, instantly dragging Yuanzu into an infinite cycle of rebirth.

"Who are you?"

The abrupt turn of events startled Yuanzu.

He felt himself sinking into a vortex, falling endlessly.

"He emerges at last."

Lin Qianmo’s face lit with a smile.

The Reincarnation Ancient God hailed from the Hongmeng Dao Realm. Formed over millions of years, upon his emergence he possessed the combat strength of a peak-level Immortal Emperor, rivaling even the human ancestor and the Heavenly Emperor.

Once the Reincarnation Ancient God intervened, the pressure eased significantly for the human ancestor.

"Who is that monk?"

Heavenly officers within the Purple Star Heavenly Court exchanged puzzled looks.

None had heard of this Reincarnation Ancient God.

The Heavenly Emperor’s eyes flickered thoughtfully.

He knew fragments of the Reincarnation Ancient God’s origins but couldn’t ascertain entirely. Yet he was certain—this entity’s power was formidable.

"With this mysterious ally helping the human ancestor intercept Yuanzu," mused the scholarly gentleman, "and the human ancestor now facing only Si Ming and the Ancient God of Origin, even if he can’t win outright, he won’t fall."

He gambled on the human ancestor’s survival.

"Who is this?"

Seeing the Reincarnation Ancient God act, both the Ancient God of Origin and Si Ming looked stunned. They had no knowledge of the Reincarnation Ancient God.

"I will hold this one back. The other two are yours," declared the Reincarnation Ancient God.

"Thank you, Daoist friend."

The human ancestor clasped his hands respectfully.

Boom!

With a mere thought, the Nuwa temple flew from his Purple Palace. Countless divine patterns surged upward, instantly enveloping Si Ming as a sacred silhouette slowly materialized.

"Nuwa?"

Si Ming’s expression shifted coldly. "Human ancestor, you think a mere Nuwa temple can suppress me?"

Boom!

The human ancestor’s divine power answered instead of words.

Bang!

The phantom figure of Nuwa pressed down with a palm. The mana of Ancient God Si Ming was visibly and incessantly drained away, her aura plummeting dramatically.

"The Human Dao deprives the insufficient to serve those who have plenty."

"The Heavenly Dao deprives those with plenty to supplement the insufficient."

The voice of the Human Ancestor echoed beside Si Ming’s ear.

This Nuwa Temple was imbued with the Power of Repairing the Heavens, capable of suppressing all creatures beneath the Heavenly Dao. Although Ancient God Si Ming was a peak powerhouse who had attained the Three Yuan Proof, without reaching transcendence, she would inevitably be suppressed by the Heavenly Dao.

Though she could not be obliterated, she could certainly be imprisoned.

"Human Ancestor, I never imagined you concealed such depths." The Ancient God of Origin bared a twisted smile. "However, with your strength alone, do you think you can stop us? Halt this inevitable tide?"

"Deluded fantasies!"

The Ancient God of Origin stretched out his whisk. Thousands upon thousands of threads coalesced into a sacred sword. With a single step, he abruptly entered the River of Time, descending into the future.

"We have calculated this day. Your doom is certain."

"Since that is so, I shall tread into the future myself and personally annihilate you!"

The River of Time churned, waves blossoming upon its surface.

He saw several figures.

Those figures were incomparably powerful. They had imprinted their Great Daos upon the River of Time, leaving footprints as they desperately besieged the Human Ancestor.

"Die!"

The Ancient God of Origin struck out with his sword, uniting his being with the blade, transforming into the Path of Origin as it shot straight towards the Human Ancestor.

"Daoist friend Origin, you alone cannot kill this old man."

Suddenly.

The Human Ancestor appeared within the River of Time. Surrounding his body were Divine patterns of merit, shining like a figure of solid gold. He clasped his palms together, catching the Ancient God of Origin’s sword strike.

Boom!

The Human Ancestor retaliated with a forceful palm strike, violently expelling the Ancient God of Origin from the River of Time.

"In such a short time, how has this old man’s power become so formidable?" The Ancient God of Origin grew suspicious.

The Human Ancestor’s cultivation level was originally comparable to his own.

However.

After he entered the Haotian Realm, fused with the Xuantian Merit Dao Embryo, and gained control of the Nuwa Temple, the Human Ancestor’s strength had surpassed the Ancient God of Origin’s, even exceeding that of the Mad Daoist.

His current level of cultivation had caught up to Yuanzu’s, placing him shoulder to shoulder with the Reincarnation Ancient God.

With two such peak powerhouses joining forces, and as long as the Heavenly Emperor refrained from acting and the Son of Heaven merely observed, even if they were defeated, it was impossible for them to perish.

"The variable in the future… resides with them."

The Ancient God of Origin’s perception brushed against the three Immortal Emperors of the Primordial Daoist Sect, and understanding dawned upon him.

The aura of these three was identical to the auras of the three figures he sensed within the River of Time.

Boom!

At that moment, the Nuwa Temple was overturned. Ancient God Si Ming held the Door of Life aloft on her palm. As her Great Dao flowed, the life essence of heaven and earth converged towards her inexhaustibly.

She channeled her mana, and a Dao venue materialized out of thin air.

The Life Dao Venue.

This was the source of power for Innate Divine Beings. By summoning her Dao venue, Ancient God Si Ming was unmistakably committing her full strength to vie with the Human Ancestor.

"Hahaha…"

The Ancient God of Origin laughed loudly. "Since Daoist friend Si Ming has gone all out, I cannot fall behind."

"Come!"

He casually swept his hand, and the Origin Dao venue tore through space, descending like an abyss. It rotated slowly, radiating the aura of being the very origin of the universe.

As though everything stemmed from it.

The Ancient God of Origin summoned the Origin Dao Seed, his aura surging with unparalleled ferocity.

Compared to the Human Ancestor, he held one advantage.

He could wield the Origin Dao Seed to attack the Human Ancestor, while the Human Ancestor needed the Jianmu divine tree to support the Immortal Realm.

"Dark Emperor, White Emperor. It is time for you to act."

The Ancient God of Origin commanded.

"Yes!"

The Dark Emperor, the White Emperor, and the other Innate Divine Beings exchanged glances. They all then activated their Innate Spiritual Treasures and began shattering the Immortal Realm, intensifying the pressure upon the Human Ancestor.

"Human Ancestor, show us whatever other tricks you still possess, if any!"

The Ancient God of Origin snorted coldly.

He knew the Human Ancestor still held hidden cards.

"Enough talk."

Ancient God Si Ming’s expression remained frosty. She transformed into a divine being a million zhang tall, the Door of Life suspended above her head. With one hand forming a seal, she plunged into the River of Time, launching an assault on the Human Ancestor.

The Ancient God of Origin leaped alone, descending into the River of Time.

The battle between the peak powerhouses was just beginning.