Chapter 455

Chapter 455: Mystery of Dao, Descent of the Ancient Realm

Those who follow me will prosper; those who oppose me will perish.

As Ninth Young Master spoke these words, everyone felt both bewildered and expectant.

Even an idiot could see that Ninth Young Master had an extraordinary background; she was a major figure of Hongmeng Dao Realm. Since she promised to help everyone achieve transcendence, it was undoubtedly true.

"Esteemed senior, please forgive this old man’s impertinence. How can we achieve transcendence?" Yi Daoist inquired.

"The Taihuang Ancient Realm will soon open. This is a great opportunity that occurs only once in a Yuanhui. Any cultivator whose cultivation reaches the end of the Great Dao can enter the Taihuang Ancient Realm."

"This realm nurtures nine hundred and ninety-nine types of Origin Dao. Once they are refined, one can be promoted to a Sovereign of the World."

Ninth Young Master smiled while plucking a flower.

"Taihuang Ancient Realm?" Yi Daoist’s expression flashed with shock. "Isn’t this the Secret Realm listed first on Heaven’s Secret Pavilion’s Secret Realm Ranking?"

"So, the master of Heaven’s Secret Pavilion has also calculated this."

Everyone looked utterly shocked.

They were all aware of the rankings listed by Heaven’s Secret Pavilion. Whenever the Secret Realm Ranking was updated, real-time data was naturally transmitted to them.

Thus, all the Immortal Emperors were familiar with the Taihuang Ancient Realm.

"Who is the master of Heaven’s Secret Pavilion?"

Ninth Young Master frowned slightly. Someone who knew about the existence of Taihuang Ancient Realm could not be an ordinary person.

Perhaps he was also from the upper realm.

"Esteemed senior, the master of Heaven’s Secret Pavilion is reputed to have impeccable calculations and omniscience," Xuanxin said, bowing. "He has already assisted two Immortal Emperors in successfully achieving transcendence and ascension to Hongmeng Dao Realm."

"However, the master of Heaven’s Secret Pavilion only conducts business and ignores the affairs of the Mortal World."

"Quite interesting."

Ninth Young Master’s eyes sparkled like water, with a smile lingering in her brows and eyes.

"It seems that after I consolidate completely, I’ll have to go meet this person."

In a universe she had created, the appearance of such a figure naturally made her wary.

"From today onward, all of you are my people."

Ninth Young Master said lightly, "Once the netherworld is fully built, all of you will serve in the netherworld."

"We respectfully obey your command."

The crowd was both shocked and overjoyed.

Their shock stemmed from the realization that Ninth Young Master actually intended to build a complete netherworld.

Their joy came from the fact that Ninth Young Master had not demanded they pledge submission as vassals.

Ninth Young Master’s expression was calm.

As a dignified Dao Lord, it would be too pathetic for her to use brute force to coerce a group of Immortal Emperors who had not yet transcended into obedience.

Swish!

Just at that moment, a white-robed figure dashed into the Earth Mother temple.

It was the white-robed Immortal Emperor.

"Daoist friend Luo, how have you returned?" Yan Immortal Emperor asked in astonishment.

Luo Immortal Emperor smiled bitterly, "I wanted to leave the Place of Origin, but the Gate of Ghosts had closed; I could not go out."

The expressions of the crowd turned peculiar.

"Daoist friend, what are you all doing?" Luo Immortal Emperor stared at the crowd bowing to Ninth Young Master, his face showing astonishment.

"This humble servant is Luo Suifeng, paying respects to Esteemed Senior."

His mind raced extraordinarily fast; instantly, he saw through the hidden secrets, and following their example, he bowed to Ninth Young Master.

"This guy’s fortune is indeed good," Martial Emperor Lingxiao sighed.

Luo Suifeng had originally planned to leave the Place of Origin, but the Gate of Ghosts was shut, forcing him to turn back; he did not experience their thrilling ordeal, yet he gained a chance to transcend, his fortune running deep.

"Swish!"

Ninth Young Master’s sleeves fluttered gently; eighteen golden streams of light flew towards the eighteen Immortal Emperors, with none for Lin Qianmo.

The crowd reached out and caught the golden glow: it was a command token made of gold, one side bearing a majestic and eerie Underworld, the front etched with a "nine" character.

"When the Taihuang Ancient Realm opens, I will summon all of you through the command token," Ninth Young Master stated.

Ninth Young Master added, "Of course, if after transcending, anyone does not wish to serve me, they may disregard it."

The hearts of the crowd began to pound nervously.

They dared not place faith in Ninth Young Master’s words.

Yi Daoist rubbed the gold token, his gaze steady; this token likely served to monitor them, and if they defied, it might bring fatal danger.

"Cannot risk it," Yi Daoist thought to himself.

"Moreover, this person’s origins are immense; since she promised us transcendence, she would not go back on her word. While my strength in the lower plane universe sits at the peak, entering the Hongmeng Dao Realm is only a fresh start—this person will be my new backer."

Within several breaths, Yi Daoist weighed the advantages and disadvantages.

"Plus, since she seeks to subdue us, it means the Hongmeng Dao Realm isn’t filled with transcendents; our status clearly won’t be too low."

Ninth Young Master ordered, "Retreat."

"Your subordinates take their leave."

The eighteen Immortal Emperors flew out of the Earth Mother Temple in succession.

For a moment, only Lin Qianmo, Xuanxin, Ninth Young Master, Qi Qingsi, and others remained in the hall.

"Why was I chosen?"

Lin Qianmo inquired.

She still felt a touch of guilt.

If not for her, Reincarnation Ancient God would not have perished here.

"When we first met, I deduced that you would face a tribulation," Ninth Young Master regarded Lin Qianmo and remarked with a smile, "You possess exceptional talent, self-created the Red Dust Tribulation Sutra, but your birth is too humble—those mediocrities of the Red Dust Immortal Clan could never let a lowly person surpass them."

Lin Qianmo lowered her head slightly.

"Would you march before me?" Ninth Young Master said, "One day, I shall help you return to the Red Dust Immortal Clan, wash away past grievances, and reclaim what’s rightfully yours."

"I have no choice."

Lin Qianmo gave a bitter smile.

She wished to avoid the conflict among the young masters, but refusing Ninth Young Master’s demand meant certain peril.

Her entanglement with the Red Dust Immortal Clan mattered little compared to the grudges among the nine masters.

A satisfied expression crossed Ninth Young Master’s face.

Lin Qianmo’s talent far surpassed that of Yi Daoist and others—she was one worth nurturing above all.

"My lord, what truly happened to the Heavenly Dao of the Pangu universe?" Lin Qianmo voiced her doubt. "Its selfish desire was sealed within her by the human ancestor."

She pointed at Qi Qingsi. "If so, why does it submit to your commands?"

Ninth Young Master chuckled lightly.

"The Pangu universe was forged by me. From the beginning, the Heavenly Dao existed solely to safeguard the Place of Origin."

"Yet during the sky-shattering calamity, Nuwa’s act of repairing the heavens caused a sliver of selfish desire to emerge within the Heavenly Dao."

Hearing this, Lin Qianmo was astonished.

That selfish desire of the Heavenly Dao… originated from Nuwa’s mending of the heavens?

"Later, that sliver fused with a mortal, escaping my control," Ninth Young Master admitted helplessly.

Her weakened state prevented her from intervening in Pangu universe’s affairs, allowing the Son of Heaven to establish the Purple Star Heavenly Court and dominate the mortal realm.

But to Ninth Young Master, this disturbance was insignificant.

After all, her paramount objective was completing the Great Dao World, with the Reincarnation Ancient God as the crucial piece.

"It wasn’t until the outbreak of the battle against the Heavens," Ninth Young Master remarked calmly, "that the human ancestor restored order, returning the Heavenly Dao to its proper path."

"This subordinate understands," Lin Qianmo murmured with sudden clarity.

From the very start, the Heavenly Dao had been Ninth Young Master’s guardian.

The Son of Heaven, who embodied the Heavenly Dao’s will, represented a corrupted will—an offshoot corrupted by selfish desire, attempting to sever its ties to Ninth Young Master.

By sealing this corrupted will, the human ancestor had, unknowingly, aided Ninth Young Master’s cause.

"In that case, the transcendence of both Nuwa and the human ancestor… they were always within your plans, weren’t they?" Lin Qianmo’s gaze fixed on Ninth Young Master. "And behind it all, surely there was Third Young Master’s involvement as well."

Her reasoning stemmed from knowing Third Young Master ruled the Hongmeng Dao Realm—a master of the Virtue and Fortune Path.

"Sharp as ever." Ninth Young Master smiled, pleased rather than angered at having her designs seen through.

"Those two likely serve under Third Young Master now."

A chill ran down Lin Qianmo’s spine.

With two young masters collaborating, their ambitions must be terrifyingly vast.

Seeming to sense her apprehension, Ninth Young Master’s voice turned icy. "As an intelligent individual, you should dedicate that intellect to cultivation. Attain the Sovereign of the World realm swiftly."

"Do not let your cleverness become your downfall."

"Yes."

Lin Qianmo hastily reined in her thoughts.

Boom!

Suddenly.

A deafening explosion echoed above the Place of Origin. An immense, crushing force bore down from above, compressing the Place of Origin into rapid contraction, bordering on shattering.

Wind and thunder raged, chaos gripped primordial forces, and celestial fire roared.

All was chaos.

"The Taihuang Ancient Realm has arrived."

Ninth Young Master gracefully waved her sleeve. The Place of Origin shrank continuously before vanishing into her Purple Palace, reverting to pure form within her Great Dao World.

All departed the ultimate void.

Outside, they witnessed a vast, primordial world slowly tearing through the barriers of every universe, descending upon the entire lower plane universe.

Veiled in mist, only its faintest outlines were visible.

At that very moment.

Across countless universes, innumerable cultivators trembled in their souls.