Chapter 433

Chapter 433: Giving It Face

Pangu universe, Heaven’s Secret Pavilion.

"Master," Daoist Qing Xuan cautiously began, "it’s been half a month, and Mad Daoist still hasn’t returned. Could he be… dead?"

Ye Xu asked, "Are you wishing for his death?"

"Of course…" Dragon Emperor of Lei Ze let out a hearty laugh before abruptly sensing the awkward atmosphere. He promptly offered an embarrassed smile, "No. Just no."

"The human ancestor has ascended," Li Ruoyu suddenly stated.

Ye Xu’s expression remained serene.

Yi Tianxing could linger in the Pangu universe for seven days after his transcendence. Over half a month prior, when Yi Tianxing faced the heavenly punishment, he had secretly sent word of his imminent ascension.

"I recall Nuwa once said the number of transcendents permitted in a universe is limited," Li Ruoyu remarked, his gaze profound. "Master, what is your view on this matter?"

"Heh…" Ye Xu chuckled, "The number of transcendents in one universe might indeed be finite."

"But…"

He deliberately paused, teasing their curiosity.

As expected, all in the imperial capital stared at him intently.

"In my Heaven’s Secret Pavilion, as long as you can bring forth sufficient resources, I can aid your transcendence," Ye Xu declared, his eyes glinting as if surveying a grove of money trees. "Dear friends, would you like to consider the offer?"

"Better… better to wait a bit longer," Daoist Qing Xuan stammered awkwardly.

Yi Tianxing’s ascension didn’t necessarily prove Heaven’s Secret Pavilion played any significant role.

After all, Yi Tianxing had endured the Great Calamity in the Immortal Realm and the battle against the Heavens. Only then did he accumulate both the merit from all beings and the merit of the Dao. Following Nuwa’s path of Transcendence through Merit, the Pavilion’s contribution was negligible.

Only Mad Daoist’s successful transcendence could truly demonstrate the Pavilion’s capability.

Ye Xu gave a slight, dismissive twist of his lips.

"Xixi, let’s play a game of chess."

He could no longer be bothered with the others.

Boom!

A thunderous roar suddenly crashed across the heavens, its sound reverberating through ten thousand realms.

"Is someone else facing a tribulation?"

Li Ruoyu was the first to step out of Heaven’s Secret Pavilion, his eyes immediately locking onto a solitary figure.

"No, not the Pangu universe’s Dao of heaven. This presence… it feels far more terrifying than that." A chill ran through Li Ruoyu’s spirit.

Qi Qingsi materialized in the sky. Her gaze fixed on the descending heavenly punishment, a profound sense of awe arose within her, compelling an almost instinctive urge to prostrate herself.

This was no mere cosmic trial.

This was the supreme authority of the primordial Dao of heaven.

To the celestial systems of the lower dimensions, its power was absolute, unquestioned. Complete dominion.

"That person… is that madman!"

Dragon Emperor of Lei Ze and Daoist Qing Xuan narrowed their pupils, and the person struck by lightning was the Mad Daoist.

Strangely, that Dao of heaven’s divine punishment seemed to lock onto one person without harming any other living beings, as dark clouds above continuously unleashed bolts of lightning, driving the Mad Daoist to flee in panic.

"Dao of heaven’s divine punishment?"

The arrival of the Dao of heaven’s divine punishment caused Xuan Du Ancient Immortal and Lin Qianmo, who were pursuing the ultimate void, to undergo a great change in their expressions.

"How could the Pangu universe provoke the Dao of heaven’s divine punishment?"

Lin Qianmo exclaimed in shock.

Xuan Du Ancient Immortal’s eyes glowed divine light, piercing through layers of time and space, and he saw the Mad Daoist.

"Another one has succeeded in transcending…"

Xuan Du Ancient Immortal said in astonishment.

Even he found it unbelievable.

In such a short time, just one month, two transcendents had appeared in a single universe.

"Mad Daoist…"

Lin Qianmo also saw the Mad Daoist and sensed his aura.

"This guy has long had an agreement with the master of Heaven’s Secret Pavilion," Lin Qianmo said softly. "When the Qing Xuan plane first opened, he was plundering the Qing Xuan plane; during the battle against the Heavens, he absorbed many treasures from the Purple Star Heavenly Court, most likely gathering all the things the master of Heaven’s Secret Pavilion wanted."

"You mean his transcendence is due to the master of Heaven’s Secret Pavilion’s help?"

Xuan Du Ancient Immortal’s expression became extremely grave.

Lin Qianmo nodded lightly.

"Before, there was the human ancestor; now, there’s the Mad Daoist—this master of Heaven’s Secret Pavilion is truly formidable," said Xuan Du Ancient Immortal, face expressionless, with unclear thoughts behind it.

"Daoist brother."

Reincarnation Ancient God hesitated for a moment and spoke. "We’ve searched for many days but haven’t found the ultimate void, which suggests your methods have been exposed."

"If that’s the case, we might as well go to Heaven’s Secret Pavilion."

"I was thinking the same thing."

Lin Qianmo agreed.

Xuan Du Ancient Immortal’s expression darkened slightly.

Along the way, the Nine Treasure Lotus Lamp failed to detect its wick, clearly indicating a problem.

Otherwise,

it wouldn’t have taken him a month without locating the ultimate void.

"Haha…"

Suddenly, a smile appeared on Xuan Du Ancient Immortal’s deeply wrinkled face.

"Since both Daoist friends insist, I naturally have no objections."

"Good."

Several people did not know.

A gaze remained fixed on them.

Qi Qingsi’s expression was cold.

In her hand was a wick.

However, under the heavy pressure of threads of heavenly divine patterns, this wick was completely isolated.

…

Above Linglong City.

Mad Daoist screamed incessantly.

Even with his strength, he could not escape the Dao of heaven’s divine punishment, suffering greatly.

"What did Uncle Master do to invoke the divine punishment again?" Li Ruoyu thought to himself.

Although Mad Daoist had faced divine punishment before, it wasn’t the first time.

But this time, it was clearly more severe.

That was the divine punishment cast by the Dao of heaven.

This divine punishment lasted half a day; the lightning like whips lashed Mad Daoist all over, covered in wounds that bled with primordial force, unable to heal for a long time.

"Sss…" Mad Daoist hissed painfully.

"I only broke through the spatial barriers of a few universes, and it chased me all the way to strike me!" Mad Daoist felt helpless. He had just become a transcendent, without the time to reveal his divine power before others, and was chased by the Dao of heaven’s divine punishment.

It could be said he lost all face.

"You mad…"

Dragon Emperor of Lei Ze was about to gloat.

Suddenly, Mad Daoist’s gaze fell on him, and Dragon Emperor of Lei Ze suddenly felt an incredibly terrifying pressure, as if he had fallen into an abyss, unable even to breathe.

"He… he really succeeded…"

At that moment, no matter how foolish, Dragon Emperor of Lei Ze understood that he and Mad Daoist were no longer on the same level.

This bastard had transcended!

"Mad Daoist brother, congratulations." Dragon Emperor of Lei Ze forcibly swallowed his words, cupping his hands in congratulations.

"Congratulations, Uncle Master."

Li Ruoyu congratulated.

"Congratulations, Daoist brother."

Daoist Qing Xuan, Amitabha Emperor, and others cupped their hands to offer congratulations.

Now that Mad Daoist had transcended, the past enmities vanished like smoke and clouds.

How dare they dwell on them further?

"Heh heh, I was able to transcend, and you all partly deserve credit." Mad Daoist chuckled coldly. "Seeing this favor, I won’t hold much against you."

"Thank you, Daoist brother…"

"Daoist brother, with such a broad mind, you truly deserve to be called the elite who can become transcendents."

The crowd felt bitter at heart, yet they continuously flattered and thanked Mad Daoist.

Mad Daoist sneered, gazing at Li Ruoyu, and said, "Nephew, what are your thoughts?"

Li Ruoyu’s expression showed some complexity.

"With your strength, gathering One hundred trillion Star Yuan isn’t difficult," Mad Daoist whispered in his ear while glancing at Daoist Qing Xuan and the other Immortal Emperors. "Better learn from me and just rob them all clean."

"If this spreads in the days to come, the tale of our uncle and nephew duo at this point will be quite a legendary story."

The five top Immortal Emperors of the Qing Xuan plane felt their scalps tingling.

A feeling of being targeted began to sprout in their hearts.

"……"

Li Ruoyu’s face twitched.

Seeing Mad Daoist succeed in transcending, it wasn’t true to say he wasn’t tempted.

Li Ruoyu hesitated.

"If you can’t let go of face, there are still other universes," Mad Daoist chuckled strangely. "On this return trip, I broke the cosmic barriers of several universes, each with a history longer than the Pangu universe."

"So that’s why Uncle Master got struck by lightning?"

At those words, Li Ruoyu suddenly realized.

Mad Daoist forgot the pain once the wound healed.

"If I didn’t want that force to strike me, how could it have hit me?"

"I was just giving it some face."

Boom!

A loud clap of thunder exploded.

Mad Daoist shuddered all over.

"Uncle Master, with this breakthrough, you’ve caused such chaos again," Li Ruoyu said with a half-smile, as the pathways to so many universes being connected would surely lead to renewed upheaval.

"As uncle and nephew sharing a bond, let it end here."

Mad Daoist patted Li Ruoyu’s shoulder and said, "In the future, if we meet again in the Hongmeng Dao Realm, you and I will still have chances to cooperate."

After leaving those words, Mad Daoist walked into Heaven’s Secret Pavilion.

"Master, I’ve come to fulfill my promise."

The voice arrived first, then the man.

Mad Daoist, dressed in a white robe, seemed youthful and triumphant with a beaming face.