Chapter 183

Chapter 183: Chaos Divine Vine

“Infinite worlds, infinite possibilities…”

Duobao Daoist murmured. He had roughly discerned the origins of the creator of the Seven-Treasure Mystic Forest.

His Dao heart wavered, and his aura involuntarily leaked out.

Clang! In an instant, a cyan sword light cleaved the void, severing bubble worlds one after another. The sword intent solidified the chaos, locked onto Duobao Daoist’s trail, and sliced towards him.

“Duobao Daoist!” Ye Xu frowned. He had sensed Duobao Daoist’s aura—it seemed this fellow had been eavesdropping from the shadows all along.

“It’s you!” Dao King’s gaze turned icy. He would never forget Duobao Daoist’s aura.

“A mere junior, who readily draws a sword against a superior? Do you truly think I have no temper?” Duobao Daoist said grimly. He channeled his magic power, gripped the Human Emperor’s brush, and sketched a stroke in the air.

Boom! The Seven-Treasure Mystic Forest seemed to tremble as strands of seven-colored divine light descended from the sky and merged into the Human Emperor’s brush.

That single stroke severed Su Miao Zhen’s sword qi. Beneath the brush, it manifested a soaring dragon, condensed from the seven-colored divine light, and painted a landscape of grand mountains and rivers. It resembled a binding fairy rope that ensnared Su Miao Zhen. For a moment, Su Miao Zhen struggled to break free.

“Is that… the lost Human Emperor’s brush from ancient times?” Dao King’s pupils contracted as he recognized the artifact in Duobao Daoist’s hand. But he quickly realized it was a replica. The true Human Emperor’s brush gathered the destiny of humans in the lower realm and was indescribably wondrous—it could never possess such feeble power.

“He can manipulate the power of the Seven-Treasure Mystic Forest?” Emperor Venerable Mi Luo and Emperor Venerable Yama were stunned by Duobao Daoist’s feat. The rules of the Seven-Treasure Mystic Forest, which suppressed even those of Burial Soil, were immensely formidable—how could this man before them harness such colossal might?

Su Miao Zhen’s beautiful eyes chilled. At her thought, flying swords rang out consecutively, emerging by the thousands, nearly beyond count. “Primordial Sword Array, All Swords Return to Origin!” Su Miao Zhen cried sharply. Millions of flying swords converged into one, transforming into a shaft of sword light that pierced through Duobao Daoist’s divine ability and slashed towards him.

Swish! This sword strike was profoundly profound—its sword qi encompassed all existence, evolving endlessly, yet fused into unity, embodying the fundamental mysteries of the Dao. The Primordial Dao!

“Amitabha Buddha, never expected you, little girl, to have grasped the Primordial Dao. Excellent, excellent.” Duobao Daoist remarked with detached calm. “Very well, today I shall spare your life.” Duobao Daoist stowed the Human Emperor’s brush and vanished instantly.

The Primordial Sword Dao struck down. The void shattered and dissolved into primordial chaos, merging into the Chaotic Sea as one.

Sss!

Many Emperor Venerables and Great Emperors gasped in shock. The might of Su Miao Zhen’s sword strike was truly terrifying, its sharpness utterly unstoppable.

"This person is no ordinary mortal," Su Miao Zhen murmured, her emerald brows lightly furrowed. Countless beings under heaven could evade her Primordial Sword Dao with such ease.

Dao King felt no surprise. This was his martial grandfather, after all—certainly no common man.

"A pity he escaped. That individual remains a calamity that must be swiftly eradicated," thought Dao King.

"That fellow’s strength isn’t remarkable, but his escape skills are first-rate," mused Ye Xu internally.

Duobao Daoist had merely cultivated to the peak of the great emperor realm. Yet wielding the imitation Human Emperor’s brush and drawing power from the Seven-Treasure Mystic Forest, he had forced Su Miao Zhen to reveal her true abilities—proof of his capability.

That he ultimately retreated unscathed was even more unexpected.

The incident with Duobao Daoist was merely an interlude; the observers’ focus remained fixed on Ye Xu.

Emperor Venerable Mi Luo spoke first: "Young Daoist friend, since you understand the Sea of the Universe, surely you know how to cross this expanse safely?"

"Daoist brother, these bubble worlds pose no threat. We need only destroy them and forge straight ahead," laughed Emperor Venerable Zi Zai boldly.

"Brawn without brains," sneered the Palace Master of the Holy Mother Palace.

"Stinking hag! Who are you insulting?" roared Emperor Venerable Zi Zai, his explosive temper instantly ignited.

"Enough!"

Emperor Venerable Yama’s expression turned grave. "Crossing the Sea of the Universe is far from simple."

"It seems some of you retain a shred of wisdom," remarked Ye Xu with a faint smile.

"…"

Sweat beaded on everyone’s foreheads. In Ye Xu’s eyes, were they all fools?

Great Emperor Ziwei stared in pure admiration.

Had he uttered such words, he’d have been instantly reduced to dust.

"Brother Qing Xuan is truly my idol!"

"If you doubt me, touch that bubble," Ye Xu suggested, his gaze settling on an oval-shaped bubble the size of a washbasin.

"What’s different about this one?" grumbled Emperor Venerable Zi Zai.

They studied the bubble closely. Unlike previous ones, its interior world appeared dim, desolate, and deathly silent—akin to the ruinous expanse of Tianxu.

This was a withered realm.

"Go ahead and touch it," urged Ye Xu.

Emperor Venerable Zi Zai’s hair stood on end. He scrambled backward, not daring to approach.

Whoosh!

With a flick of her finger, Su Miao Zhen channeled magic into the bubble. It instantly exploded. The Path of Oblivion surged out with terrifying speed, engulfing everything and annihilating countless other bubbles.

In an instant, the Path of Oblivion enshrouded heaven and earth.

"This…"

The onlookers trembled with shock.

"These dead worlds cannot withstand even the slightest force—they detonate immediately," Ye Xu explained coldly. "To cross the Sea of the Universe, you must evade these bubbles."

Seeing this, Ye Xu finally confirmed his speculations and explained aloud.

"Daoist friend, your vast knowledge truly commands our admiration," the Great Emperors praised him.

"It’s just common sense," Ye Xu said lightly.

"Brother Qing Xuan, it’s only now that I realize you’re more handsome than me," sighed Great Emperor Ziwei. "When shall I become a figure like you?"

"There’s a chance," Ye Xu patted Great Emperor Ziwei’s shoulder.

"Since we have the method to cross the sea, let us depart at once," declared Dao King without hesitation, immediately setting off across the waters.

"Tai Sui, time to go."

Hearing Ye Xu’s call, Tai Sui—who had been delightfully absorbing the power of chaos—emerged reluctantly from the chaotic mists. Ye Xu and Great Emperor Ziwei landed on its head as it journeyed deeper into the Sea of the Universe.

Ye Xu gazed thoughtfully. The Sea of the Universe was merely the first treasure of the Seven-Treasure Mystic Forest, yet it could not be taken away. It was a legacy left by the Master of the Seven-Treasure Mystic Forest for those who followed.

What Ye Xu gained from it far exceeded any tangible treasure. Along the way, he observed every bubble world fully, comprehending nearly the complete path of cosmic evolution—truly a bountiful harvest.

"What was the Master of the Seven-Treasure Mystic Forest thinking, releasing so many bubbles? Utterly tedious," complained Great Emperor Ziwei. "He might as well have left behind more treasures to benefit future generations."

"Brother Yu, explaining anything to your level of wisdom is … difficult," replied Ye Xu speechlessly. That Great Emperor Ziwei could cultivate the Ziwei Rising Dragon Path to the Great Emperor realm was nothing short of a blessing earned over eight lifetimes.

The party proceeded with extreme caution, following behind Tai Sui.

"This bubble seems different from the others," noted Emperor Venerable Mi Luo as he spotted one ahead. It was immensely vast, floating upon the Sea of the Universe like a star, transparent.

This world bore no substantial difference beyond size from the very cosmos they inhabited.

"The aura of the Dao," Su Miao Zhen declared solemnly. "This world has already established comprehensive laws."

"Is that… a quasi-emperor facing a tribulation?" Suddenly, a Great Emperor’s gaze fixed upon a cultivator within the bubble world. His presence blazed like the sun, impossible to ignore.

He was a quasi-emperor in the process of merging with the Dao to prove his path to becoming a Great Emperor.

Heavenly tribulations descended, layer upon layer.

After an unknown length of time, the quasi-emperor weathered the tribulation and ascended to become a Great Emperor.

"Is this real, or an illusion?" Great Emperor Ziwei watched in astonishment.

"It is absolutely real," stated Ye Xu.

"This world had evolved for who knows how many years to reach its current state. Moreover, it wasn’t certain that, after all this time, no one might have transcended the world."

"Brother, don’t scare me."

Great Emperor Ziwei felt a jolt in his heart.

The others were also startled.

"Bound by rules, how could transcending be so easy?" Su Miao Zhen dismissed Ye Xu’s words with a snort.

"Just a casual remark, no need to take it seriously," Ye Xu said with a calm expression.

"The master of the Seven-Treasure Mystic Forest created so many bubble worlds—I wonder if he ever found the Great Dao he sought from them." Emperor Venerable Mi Luo said with a profound meaning.

"That is not my concern," Emperor Venerable Yama said indifferently. "This Seven-Treasure Mystic Forest leads to the immortal domain of the Immortal Realm. If one enters the Immortal Realm, without rule suppression, attaining immortality would be extremely easy. If you wish to stay here to explore the so-called cosmic mysteries, then I shall leave first."

Emperor Venerable Yama had come solely to enter the Immortal Realm and ascend to immortality.

He and Dao King were completely different: Dao King aimed to rely on his true abilities, while he wanted a shortcut.

"Well said," Emperor Venerable Zi Zai, Emperor Venerable Miao Fa, and others all nodded repeatedly.

The group led the way into the distance first.

"Do not forget, there is still a mysterious person ahead of us," Su Miao Zhen said lightly.

The crowd set off once more.

Ye Xu was silent for a second, gazing at a petite bubble, his urge growing.

Great Emperor Ziwei guessed his thoughts and said, "Brother Ye, if you want to do it, just do it; why hesitate?"

"Hahaha, that makes sense."

Ye Xu stirred his magical power, unleashed the Great Dao of creation, wrapped around this bubble, and sent it into his Purple Palace.

He wanted to take a bubble to carefully sense the evolution of the cosmic world.

After taking the bubble world, the two started moving forward.

Looking into the distance, it was still an endless sea, boundless and without limits. Chaotic energy churned underfoot, with Tai Sui swimming joyfully within it; Ye Xu could feel that simple delight.

By staying with Ye Xu, Tai Sui’s strength improved rapidly.

Primordial beings inherently took the power of chaos as their source of strength; chaos was their origin.

Returning to its maternal body, Tai Sui felt like a fish in water.

Not long after, the wind suddenly rose, clouds surged, fog locked the waters, wave sounds roared turbulently, and a terrifying aura spread ahead.

"It should mean we’ve reached the second treasure land," Ye Xu thought to himself.

After crossing the Sea of the Universe, they would see the second treasure land of the Seven-Treasure Mystic Forest—the territory of the Chaos Divine Vine.

"There’s a vine in front," an Emperor Venerable exclaimed at that moment.

"Strange, how could vines grow in the sea?" someone wondered.

"This is not the sea," an Emperor Venerable corrected aloud. "This is chaos!"

"Huh…" Suddenly, another sound of surprise and doubt arose.

"Gourds hang from the vine."

Walking through the fog, Ye Xu finally saw the Chaos Divine Vine—a plant entirely blue-yellow in color, roots sunk into the chaos, large green leaves floating on it, with an incomparably ancient aura.

Under the vine hung four gourds of different forms: red, blue, black, and purple.

The four gourds bobbed up and down in the chaos, seeming ordinary at first glance.

However, everyone there was a top master from all realms, with vast knowledge and experience—things that could endure the erosion of chaos without decaying couldn’t possibly be common items.