Chapter 488

Chapter 488: A New Star Rises, An Old Star Falls

Whoosh!

Dao Lord Qingyuan darted swiftly. With a light tap of his toes, he closed the distance instantly. His divine techniques were unadorned; his fingers flew as divine patterns swirled like green serpents, coiling around the green-robed elder.

"Little sister, we know each other too well. Without outside intervention, there’s no way you could kill me," sneered the green-robed elder.

"With Xuan Du Ancient Immortal arriving soon, why not let me devour you? If you become part of me and I part of you, we could dominate as the Great Dao Supreme Lord. Wouldn’t that be perfect?"

Boom!

The green-robed elder surged his power. Sword qi enveloped his body, shattering the divine patterns. He thrust a finger forward, and a dragon-like sword light—imbued with nine layers of Great Dao—sliced toward Dao Lord Qingyuan.

This strike was exquisitely precise, perfectly severing Dao Lord Qingyuan’s escape routes. He had nowhere to retreat.

Clang!

Suddenly, Dao Lord Qingyuan caught the sword light effortlessly between two fingers. He shook his head gently, and his long hair transformed into infinite sword qi, shattering the green-robed elder’s nine-layered Great Dao instantly.

The green-robed elder’s expression shifted violently.

"Elder brother, you hold no secrets from my eyes now," stated Dao Lord Qingyuan lightly.

"Impossible!"

Panic flashed across the green-robed elder’s face.

"The master of Heaven’s Secret Pavilion comprehends past, present, and future. He calculates the fates of all beings. Your death won’t be unjust." Dao Lord Qingyuan unleashed his power, his hair piercing through the green-robed elder’s body.

Thud!

In an instant, the green-robed elder’s primordial spirit bristled like a pincushion.

Dao Lord Qingyuan activated his mystic art. Strands of hair rooted themselves into the primordial spirit, relentlessly devouring its energy. His own primordial spirit swelled and grew stronger.

"Xuan Du Daoist!"

The green-robed elder roared.

Boom!

At that moment, an overwhelming presence entered Dao Lord Qingyuan’s awareness. Xuan Du Ancient Immortal appeared, holding an ancient iron-bound book in one hand and a golden brush in the other.

His brush moved like divine intervention. With sweeping strokes, the character "seal" flew from the book toward the old willow tree, attempting to suppress Dao Lord Qingyuan and rescue the green-robed elder.

"You’re too late," Dao Lord Qingyuan stated impassively. Had Xuan Du Ancient Immortal arrived mere moments earlier, the green-robed elder might not have perished so swiftly.

With a mere thought, he mobilized the power of fifty-six Great Dao Worlds. A mighty force erupted, obliterating Xuan Du Ancient Immortal’s seal instantly.

Crack!

A willow branch lashed out like a whip. Lightning flashed across the void as the Great Dao thundered—a strike like Divine Thunder from the heavens slammed into Xuan Du Ancient Immortal’s body, tearing his flesh apart.

"This woman has seized control," Xuan Du Ancient Immortal realized with dread. The green-robed elder could no longer influence his physical form; his defeat was absolute.

Xuan Du Ancient Immortal shifted his demeanor instantly. He retracted all aura and offered congratulations: "Xuan Du congratulates Daoist friend Qingyuan on achieving your full merit!"

"…"

The green-robed elder trembled, choking back curses.

Xuan Du Ancient Immortal’s speed of betraying his teammates was truly astonishing.

"You flatter me, Daoist friend."

A smile appeared on Dao Lord Qingyuan’s face. As his words faded, the primordial spirit of the green-robed elder was completely drained and entirely vanished into nothingness.

From now on, he was the only Dao Lord Qingyuan.

Boom!

The next second.

Dao Lord Qingyuan’s cultivation surged dramatically. By devouring another primordial spirit, his primordial spirit reached a state of perfection. Coupled with the aeon-old body of the old willow tree, stepping into the Dao Sovereign Realm was as effortless as turning over a palm.

Between heaven and earth, the sound of the Dao echoed faintly.

For a moment, flowers cascaded from the skies, and golden lotuses surged from the earth, while a vast and majestic aura swept through Canglan Divine City, spreading outward in all directions.

Xuan Du Ancient Immortal felt immense envy.

"Is someone achieving the Dao Sovereign rank?"

The heavens manifested their anomaly, startling countless powerful beings.

Inside the Canglan Immortal Domain, Meng Qingluo still lingered, gazing towards the direction of Canglan Divine City with an astonished expression. "It’s that ancient tree in Canglan City!"

"This tree possesses two great primordial spirits, and to become a Dao Sovereign, one must sacrifice one."

Meng Qingluo saw it clearly, her expression growing slightly grave. "It appears the current Canglan Divine Tree is now the sole one."

"Yet, after contending for so long without success, it managed to cultivate to the Dao Sovereign realm precisely after Heaven’s Secret Pavilion emerged. That must be strange."

Boom!

The aura of Canglan Divine Tree grew increasingly terrifying. The essence of Life Dao enveloped the Heavens, as the tree’s form stretched higher. Willow branches danced like orderly divine chains, shimmering with immortal light and radiance in countless glimmers.

The sound of the Dao chanted through the world, akin to an ancient god whispering in the ear.

Within Canglan City, numerous cultivators fell into a profound state of wondrous insight.

When one person attains the Dao, even their pets ascend to heaven with them.

Advancing to Dao Sovereign meant becoming a sovereign of the Great Dao.

Dao Lord Qingyuan was a deity born of the divine tree, rooted in Life Dao, and by entering the Dao Sovereign realm, he had honed Life Dao to its pinnacle.

His Dao had become rule and order.

After an unknown length of time, Canglan Divine Tree ceased its growth. Each branch thickened, hanging down like divine chains from the void, piercing through myriad realms of time and space.

Dao Sovereign Qingyuan slowly opened his eyes.

"Congratulations, Daoist brother, on achieving the status of Dao Sovereign!"

At this very instant.

Lu Xuanyin, the Lu family’s ancestor, arrived first. The Lu Family’s ancestral land lay within Canglan City, and her friendship with Dao Sovereign Qingyuan was profound. She genuinely rejoiced for him.

"Congratulations, venerable ancestor."

The heads of the various great families streamed forth one after another, offering their tributes of praise.

"I was able to break through thanks to the master of Heaven’s Secret Pavilion." Dao Sovereign Qingyuan stood amidst the void, robes billowing softly, appearing as if to ascend to immortality beyond the mundane world.

"Heaven’s Secret Pavilion?"

Lu Xuanyin’s eyes sparkled.

The hearts of the five families’ heads grew restless.

Dao Sovereign Qingyuan had no reason to deceive them.

"It really was him!"

Xuan Du Ancient Immortal gnashed his teeth, his hatred palpable. Seeing the green-robed elder easily slain by Dao Sovereign Qingyuan, he had suspected it was Ye Xu secretly maneuvering behind the scenes.

Dao Sovereign Qingyuan’s words confirmed his suspicion.

"Hateful!"

Xuan Du Ancient Immortal’s face darkened like murky water.

"Xuan Du Daoist," Dao Sovereign Qingyuan said lightly, "seeing that you have returned from your misguided path, I shall spare your life."

Xuan Du Ancient Immortal was, after all, a man of the Second Young Master.

Within the Hongmeng Dao Realm, though the Nine Young Masters were only at the Nine Tribulation Dao Lord realm, behind each stood colossal, towering powers.

Even Dao Sovereign Qingyuan, despite his attainment, harbored deep wariness.

"Daoist brother, your benevolence and righteousness are truly admirable. This old one is deeply grateful," Xuan Du Ancient Immortal chuckled, then added, "The world knows how the Second Young Master thirsts for talent. Why not join my Destiny Palace, Daoist brother?"

"This old one knows the Second Young Master well. He would certainly receive you as an honored guest."

Klang!

Suddenly.

A willow twig flickered through the void, swift as thunder, grazing past Xuan Du Ancient Immortal’s ear.

Xuan Du Ancient Immortal let out a sharp cry.

A bloody ear and a tuft of hair fell to the ground.

"Next time," Dao Sovereign Qingyuan said coldly, "it will be your head."

Xuan Du Ancient Immortal’s eyes turned vicious beyond measure. He scooped up his ear and fled into the distance.

Dao Sovereign Qingyuan turned her gaze towards Heaven’s Secret Pavilion.

She began to walk towards it.

Boom!

At that very moment.

A mournful song suddenly sounded from the heavens above. Blood rained from the sky. Far on the horizon, a star plummeted like a falling ember.

Another phenomenon of Heaven and Earth sharing sorrow.

Dao Sovereign Qingyuan’s eyes narrowed to pinpoints. Yet another Dao Sovereign had fallen!

"What on earth is happening these days?" Lu Xuanyin and the family heads also wore grave expressions.

First, Dao Sovereign Ziyang perished, and now another Dao Sovereign had fallen. For two Dao Sovereigns to die in such a short time was no coincidence.

"That direction… it points to Ziyang Immortal Realm…"

Dao Sovereign Qingyuan’s expression was heavy.

Both fallen Dao Sovereigns shared a connection to Ziyang Immortal Realm.

Ye Xu also witnessed this scene.

Heaven and Earth wept, seemingly grieving the passing of that fallen Dao Sovereign.

"Still Ziyang Immortal Realm…" Ye Xu murmured deeply.

The Taixu Domain lay within Ziyang Immortal Realm.

For this Dao Sovereign to perish there almost certainly implicated the Taixu Domain.

"I’ve only just elevated one new star, and already an old star falls… How intriguing…" Ye Xu slowly narrowed his eyes. This matter carried a deep strangeness.

Yet, he had no leads.

"Once Mad Daoist returns from the Taixu Domain, perhaps we will have an answer," Ye Xu whispered to himself.

There was, of course, a simpler way.

But he couldn’t bear to waste Hongmeng points.

After all, even if the outside world was turning upside down, the flames of war wouldn’t reach him. This matter wasn’t worth draining his precious Hongmeng points.

And elsewhere.

Meng Qingluo stood alone atop a mountain peak, gazing towards where the old star had fallen, her brow deeply furrowed.

"A new star rises, and immediately an old star falls… and both incidents center on Ziyang Immortal Realm. Can this truly be coincidence?"

Her doubts about Heaven’s Secret Pavilion deepened with every passing moment.

After all.

Ye Xu’s involvement seemed a certainty.