Chapter 414

Chapter 414: Heavenly Formation

After a stick of incense, various supreme treasures emerged within Heaven’s Secret Pavilion, dazzling and eye-catching.

"Master, please take inventory," requested Li Ruoyu.

His gaze swept over the multitude of precious items, an inevitable greed rising in his heart. "For my transcendence, I only need nine trillion Star Yuan. If I seized everything here, I could obtain the method of transcendence from the master of Heaven’s Secret Pavilion."

Once this thought surfaced, it became difficult to suppress.

Immortal Emperor Mu seemed to discern Li Ruoyu’s inner turmoil and spoke lightly, "Daoist friend Li, tread carefully."

Li Ruoyu chuckled and forcefully extinguished that treacherous notion.

He would transcend, but never would he submit to Heaven’s Secret Pavilion’s control.

He would rely on his own strength, transcend the Pangu universe, and ascend to the Hongmeng Dao Realm—Li Ruoyu possessed that very conviction.

"Daoist friend, you’re drooling," Daoist Qing Xuan remarked, casting a sidelong glance at the Mad Daoist, his tone icy.

"That’s tears," the Mad Daoist retorted unabashedly, utterly unmoved by his companion’s sharpness. "My dear friends here truly enjoy immense wealth, making even me supremely envious."

"Master, how about we strike a deal?"

Suddenly, a voice resounded within Ye Xu’s mind.

Ye Xu turned his gaze upon him.

"Let’s join forces and slaughter them all, then split the spoils—twenty for you, eighty for me," the Mad Daoist proposed.

Admittedly, Ye Xu felt a flicker of temptation.

The ten Immortal Emperors had already produced sixteen trillion Star Yuan; with ample preparation, they certainly had more treasures on their persons.

Slaughtering a group of Immortal Emperors would effortlessly net him over twenty trillion Star Yuan.

Breaking through the Three Yuan Proof required two trillion eight hundred billion Star Yuan; transcendence itself likely hovered around twenty trillion.

Ye Xu’s eyes flickered, bright then dark. If he truly took action, the Mad Daoist’s treasures too would fall squarely into his hands.

That old fox had pillaged the Qing Xuan plane for days—his very being was packed with treasure.

"Indeed, treasures stir the deepest desires," Ye Xu silently sighed inwardly, banishing the thought. Heaven’s Secret Pavilion was the place for business; he styled himself a shrewd dealer, not a bandit.

"Daoist friend, if I truly wished to strike, why would I partner with you?" Ye Xu’s voice thundered directly within the Mad Daoist’s consciousness. "This way, I wouldn’t have to share the spoils."

"…"

A tremor of fear passed through the Mad Daoist’s heart. Ye Xu’s heart proved darker even than his own.

"System, convert."

With a mere thought from Ye Xu, the stacks of innate supreme treasures, the clusters of immortal herbs, and countless treasures vanished without a trace.

The hearts of the assembled bled silently.

[Congratulations, Host! Acquired 16.5 trillion Heavenly Secrets points.]

[Begin inquiry—how to destroy the Great Dao?]

"Begin."

[Congratulations, Master. You have successfully spent twelve hundred trillion Star Yuan to purchase one complete diagram of the heavenly formation and one set of refining materials.]

In the next instant, a stream of information flooded into Ye Xu’s mind. Simultaneously, formation flags descended into his Purple Palace—forty-nine flags in total, corresponding to the forty-nine supreme treasures of the Great Dao.

Whoosh!

Ye Xu channeled his mana, and the forty-nine formation flags floated in the void.

"Master, what is this?" Dragon Emperor of Lei Ze inquired with confusion.

Immortal Emperor Mu’s beautiful eyes narrowed sharply. "Is this the legendary heavenly formation?"

Ye Xu shot her a surprised glance. Immortal Emperor Mu truly lived up to her reputation as the Qing Xuan plane’s premier divination master. Recognizing the heavenly formation was no ordinary feat.

"This is indeed the heavenly formation," Ye Xu replied with a smile. "To destroy the Great Dao, it must be completely refined. These forty-nine formation flags can counter its forty-nine supreme treasures and will be sufficient to aid you in destroying the Great Dao."

Upon hearing this, the Immortal Emperors’ breathing became rapid, and the gazes they cast upon Ye Xu were filled with profound awe and reverence.

Su Mu frowned tightly.

"If the Great Dao is genuinely destroyed, wouldn’t the prophecy the Heavenly Child received be false?" Su Mu pondered, bewildered. "The Master, though cunning in business, is always fair and honest."

"Therefore, this heavenly formation is real and powerful enough to destroy the Great Dao."

"Then the variable lies with the human ancestor?"

Su Mu understood that no matter how much turmoil erupted, turning the world upside down across all realms, Ye Xu wouldn’t interfere in worldly affairs.

Thus, the only one capable of saving the Great Dao and rescuing the common people would be the human ancestor, the number one on the Golden List of the Unparalleled Rankings.

"Master, how many times can this heavenly formation be used?" Li Ruoyu asked.

"Once."

Ye Xu raised a single finger.

A flicker of regret passed deep within the eyes of the Immortal Emperors.

If it could be used repeatedly, the heavenly formation would undoubtedly be one of the most powerful formations in the lower realms.

Ye Xu was rendered speechless.

So this bunch of fellows actually wanted to take the heavenly formation for free.

"Our success in destroying the Great Dao this time owes entirely to your assistance, Master… Ha ha ha…" Yuanzu boomed with laughter.

Daoist Qing Xuan, Immortal Emperor Xuanji, and the others also beamed with satisfaction.

"Daoist friends, this heavenly formation will indeed destroy the Great Dao," Ye Xu stated calmly. "However, I cannot guarantee your ultimate success."

"Hmm?"

Taishang Immortal Emperor’s expression turned icy. "What do you mean by that, Master?"

"You asked me only for the method to destroy the Great Dao, and I have provided it," Ye Xu explained, smiling faintly. "But you never asked me about the outcome. If you wish for certainty, I could predict the future for you as well…"

"…"

The faces of the Immortal Emperors twitched.

He wanted to charge them twice!

Mad Daoist’s eyes burned with envy. "Who knew fortune-telling could be so lucrative… If only I’d studied it earlier! Just a single divination nets you a hundred trillion Star Yuan like it’s nothing…"

A woman fears marrying the wrong man, a man fears choosing the wrong profession.

The Mad Daoist deeply regretted his past.

"Master," Yuanzu solemnly said, "do you mean even after mastering the heavenly formation, we still cannot destroy the Great Dao?" If that were true, wouldn’t they be left mortally wounded?

"I never said that," Ye Xu chuckled. "Gentlemen, if you pay a little more, I could deduce the outcome for you."

"How many Star Yuan do you require?" the Ancient God of Origin inquired.

"Not much," Ye Xu replied, smiling. "Considering you’ve just completed a transaction with me, let’s say… One hundred trillion Star Yuan."

Pfft!

The Dragon Emperor of Lei Ze flushed crimson. Not much? One hundred trillion Star Yuan?!

"Master," he stammered, "your heart is too dark… no, too kind! Divining the future is the most difficult feat within the Dao of Heavenly Secrets, and you only ask for One hundred trillion Star Yuan? Truly, the conscience of the industry!"

The other Immortal Emperors stared at the Dragon Emperor of Lei Ze with peculiar expressions, thinking:

Lies with open eyes.

How could Heaven’s Secret Pavilion ever be considered the conscience of the industry?

"Will you consider it?" Ye Xu prompted with a smile.

"No, no…"

The Immortal Emperors waved their hands in unison. The sixteen trillion Star Yuan had already grievously depleted them; they could not afford another hundred trillion.

"Master," Li Ruoyu spoke coldly, his tone devoid of interest, "there is one more matter you have not revealed."

After all, even knowing the outcome might be impossible to change.

Why waste money?

"Speak," Ye Xu said.

"The whereabouts of the human ancestor," Li Ruoyu stated directly, looking at Ye Xu.

"We nearly forgot!" Yuanzu quickly bowed towards Ye Xu. "The agreed sixteen trillion Star Yuan included not only the heavenly formation but also the location of the human ancestor. Please enlighten us."

At this moment, the human ancestor stood as the undisputed supreme power—number one on the Golden List of the Unparalleled Rankings, a half-step beyond transcendence.

His stance in the battle against the Heavens could sway any faction.

They had to meet the human ancestor.

"The human ancestor," Ye Xu revealed, smiling, "is right within Heaven’s Secret Pavilion."

Shua!

All eyes instantly focused on Ye Xu.

"Why would the human ancestor be at Heaven’s Secret Pavilion?" Li Ruoyu couldn’t fathom it, asking, "Master, the pavilion has rules against intervening in mortal affairs. Why did you save the human ancestor?"

The Immortal Emperors nodded in agreement.

To everyone present, it was indisputable that Ye Xu must have rescued the human ancestor.

Under the entire realm, only Ye Xu could accomplish such a feat.

"Do you truly believe I saved the human ancestor?" Ye Xu asked with a faint, cryptic smile. "In ancient times, when the catastrophe of the collapsing sky endangered all living beings, and the Pangu universe teetered on the brink, Nuwa mended the heavens, achieving Transcendence through Merit.

"Today, why can’t the human ancestor turn the tide and achieve Transcendence through Merit?"

Boom!

His words struck their minds like a resounding bell.

Li Ruoyu froze dumbfounded.

Could Ye Xu be implying that the human ancestor was about to attain Transcendence through Merit and undergo Ascension to Hongmeng Dao Realm?

"The one who saved him was neither me, nor Nuwa—it was himself," Ye Xu stated lightly. "As for those who enabled his triumph, it was himself and the multitudes of immortals and mortals alike.

"Of course, you all share a part of the credit as well."

"…"

The moment these words fell, an icy dread crept into their hearts.

Once the human ancestor transcended, would he settle old scores with them later?

Emotions surged violently within Li Ruoyu, his mind unable to calm for a long while.

He had orchestrated the Great Calamity in the Immortal Realm himself. Yet far from gaining even a shred of benefit, he had instead aided the human ancestor in breaking only to rise stronger, granting him this very hope for Transcendence through Merit.

What irony indeed.

Li Ruoyu clenched his fists until his knuckles turned white.

He had been sewing a bridal gown for his enemy.

Ye Xu’s cold gaze swept over Li Ruoyu, then drifted across the gather of Immortal Emperors. "The Dao that can be spoken is not the eternal Dao.

"The allure of the future lies precisely in its boundless variables.

"Even I can only perceive a static future. The moment change intervenes, divergent outcomes emerge."

"Where is he now?"

Having regained composure, Li Ruoyu turned his gaze to Ye Xu. "Can the Pavilion Master invite him out? We wish to discuss matters of the battle against the Heavens and obtain his definitive assurance."

Ye Xu’s lips curved into a slight smile.

"He has returned."

Outside Heaven’s Secret Pavilion stood a four or five-year-old child. His tiny hands were clasped behind his back, his stance oddly dignified. His eyes held a profound, chaotic depth, betraying the mind of an aged sage trapped within a toddler’s innocence.

The moment Yi Tianxing saw the assembly of Immortal Emperors, his steps faltered almost imperceptibly. Yet his countenance remained utterly tranquil, devoid of even a flicker of surprise.

He had foreseen this very day long ago.

In an instant, every eye was drawn to this young boy.

"Is this the human ancestor?"