Chapter 571

Chapter 571: Ascending to Heaven in One Step

"Junior Sister, your question has gone beyond the scope, and it requires additional payment."

Ye Li said with a half-smile.

"…"

Ying Ziyu felt dissatisfaction in her heart and said, "Senior Brother Ye, with five trillion divine stones, can I only buy two pieces of information?"

"Otherwise?"

Ye Li said, "Do you all know how many divine stones the Dao Clan paid for the news of their ancestral land?"

"Out of consideration for old friends, I have given you a discounted price, so dear friends should be content."

"Hmph!"

Someone unknown snorted coldly, "The rumors are not false; Heaven’s Secret Pavilion indeed devours people without spitting bones, and everyone from there is a cunning merchant."

"You, Junior Brother, I accuse you of slander!"

Boom!

Before Ye Li finished speaking, his divine power had already erupted.

With a pull and contraction, he drew one Dao Sovereign into the void of his palm, making heaven and earth feel like cages as overlapping voids concealed the powers of the Great Dao of space and the Reincarnation Dao.

Li Ruoyu showed a look of surprise.

Ye Li’s mastery of divine power had become increasingly exquisite.

"A member of the Yuling Sect?" Ye Li’s expression turned cold and fierce as he looked at Ying Ziyu and said, "Junior Sister Ying, this person is under your jurisdiction; now that he has slandered Heaven’s Secret Pavilion, you owe me an explanation."

"Ye Li, do you truly consider yourself invincible under heaven?"

A Dao Sovereign in Blue Robe from Fangcun Mountain said angrily.

Earlier, at Dao Yuan Palace, Heaven’s Secret Pavilion had shamed the Celestial Lord Xinyuan from Fangcun Mountain, and he had harbored resentment ever since.

However, with the disparity in strength too great, he wanted revenge but had the will without the means.

Nevertheless.

At that moment, Ye Li had provoked everyone’s anger; if he could incite a group attack, he was certain they could subdue Ye Li and clear the hatred in his heart.

"Dear friends, this person breaks his word; why don’t we all strike together and reclaim the treasures he extorted?" the Dao Sovereign in Blue Robe said indignantly.

Battle Dao Sovereign, Ying Ziyu, and Bi’an all stared at him as if looking at an idiot, remaining completely unmoved.

Ying Ziyu silently mourned for him.

When Ye Li subdued Shen You and repelled Shen Le, the Dao Sovereign in Blue Robe had not been present; otherwise, he would never have dared to rebel.

"Hehe…" Ye Li mocked him and said, "You are from Fangcun Mountain?"

"The Celestial Lord from Fangcun Mountain challenged our Dao Ancestor at Dao Yuan Palace, and he was spared only because we were on Dao Clan territory and gave them face."

"Since you are in such a hurry to be reincarnated, I will send you on your way."

Ye Li clenched his large hand, and the Dao Sovereign trapped in his palm exploded with a boom, his flesh and primordial spirit vanishing instantly, leaving only his magical tools for Ye Li to claim.

"Great Destructive Sword Energy!"

He bent his finger and flicked, a strand of sword light traversing through space and time to strike down the Dao Sovereign in Blue Robe.

"Afraid of you?"

The Dao Sovereign in Blue Robe gritted his teeth, unleashing treasures one after another—bells chiming, tripods resonating, swords and blades emerging together, all being Five Tribulations Dao Sovereign treasures. He fully activated his one hundred and eight Great Dao Worlds, unleashing his complete strength.

Boom!

Overwhelming divine abilities surged toward the sword energy.

Clang!

A soft ring echoed as the Obliteration Sword Energy shattered the one hundred and eight Great Dao Worlds like rotten wood, vanishing without a trace.

A crack split open between the eyebrows of the Dao Sovereign in Blue Robe.

A faint glimmer seeped through.

Crack, crack, crack!

The next second, his body fragmented into pieces, his Great Dao World collapsing violently. An intense aura of death radiated from him—he could not be deader.

Ye Li collected the treasures one by one into his possession, sweeping his gaze over the crowd as he spoke, "Does anyone object?"

Their heads shook like rattle-drums.

Ye Li felt thoroughly satisfied.

He walked toward the Era Heavenly Stele, his body expanding as both arms fiercely embraced the stone tablet.

"???"

Confusion filled every face.

"Could he be trying to take away the Dao Clan’s stone tablet?" Battle Dao Sovereign’s face twitched. At this moment, he finally understood: everyone from the Heaven’s Secret Pavilion were those who would pluck feathers from a passing goose.

Li Ruoyu couldn’t bear to watch either.

This was too ruthless.

"Hah!"

Ye Li let out a roar, summoning every ounce of his strength, but the stone tablet remained unmoved.

"So heavy?"

Ye Li’s eyes flickered as mana erupted, the Easy Dao transforming as he committed his full power.

Rumble—

The heavens and earth abruptly quaked.

The entire world seemed to tremble under Ye Li’s might. From the depths of the thick mist came the panicked roars of Primordial beasts.

"So fearsome?!"

The crowd stared wide-eyed, hearts filled with shock.

"It’s not him."

Huang Yinyue’s expression shifted slightly as she raised her head toward the sky.

Above the firmament, the mist parted, revealing a scene of swirling chaos. Chaotic energy surged powerfully as a colossal altar materialized above the ancestral land, blocking out both sky and sun.

Eight Young Masters…

Ying Ziyu saw eight figures.

They were the Eight Young Masters.

They stood upon the sacrificial altar, as if seeing Luo Qianchen off.

"Little Nine," the Fourth Young Master’s voice was gentle, his expression complex, filled with blessings and envy, yet tinged with a hint of jealousy. "Once you depart this time, the next time we meet, the gap between us will be vast as heaven and earth. The Eldest Brother has already taken that step; now it’s your turn."

The Third Young Master laughed, saying, "Go and take that step. Only by taking it will you discover the outcome."

"It’s them," Li Ruoyu thought, brows slightly knit as he carefully examined the altar.

The altar was immense, seemingly composed of massive gears turning within the chaos, emitting rough, clanking sounds. Boundless heavenly spiritual Qi surged wildly towards it as the altar spun.

At its center was a single beam of light.

Colorless, formless, it shifted continuously.

"It’s about to begin," Ye Li thought inwardly.

The Dao Clan had opened their Ancestral Land solely to pave the way for Luo Qianchen. No matter what external events played out within the Ancestral Land during it, Luo Qianchen’s interests remained inviolable.

That beam of light was the foundation of Luo Qianchen’s Dao Path.

Primordial Qi!

Taking this step, merging with the Primordial Qi, Luo Qianchen’s power would undergo an earth-shattering transformation. It wouldn’t even be impossible for her to ascend directly to the rank of Heavenly Venerate.

"Brothers, Sister, you should go first," Luo Qianchen said.

"Take care." The seven Young Masters clasped their hands in farewell and flew towards the entrance of the Ancestral Land.

Boom! Crash!

In an instant…

The world’s spiritual Qi rolled frantically as the altar devoured it. The altar’s rotational speed increased relentlessly.

"Get out quickly!" Ye Li reacted instantly.

The altar consuming the Ancestral Land’s spiritual Qi was bound to affect them. Every entity in the universe, save some bizarre beings, was composed of Jing (essence), Qi (energy), and Shen (spirit). Without all three, existence ended. Should their Yuan Qi be devoured by the altar, even if they didn’t die outright, their Dao path would be irrevocably destroyed.

Not just Ye Li.

Ying Ziyu, Huang Yinyue, Bi’an, and the others immediately grasped the peril. Like refugees fleeing catastrophe, they abandoned all caution and hurtled towards the Ancestral Land’s exit.

Boom! Crash!

Lightning cleaved the firmament; Divine Thunder shook the heavens from within the chaos. Monumental forces poured into the Primordial Qi.

Luo Qianchen walked step by slow step towards the altar’s center.

Her expression, too, held complex emotions.

Once she stepped within, once she merged with the Primordial Qi and achieved the Heavenly Veneration, she would be able to sense the Reincarnation Heavenly Book.

When that happened, Feng Suiyuan would assuredly make his move. Chasing the Dao all his life, he wouldn’t let go even when facing certain death.

"Master," Luo Qianchen closed her eyes. "Whether you saw me as a pawn or not… from this moment forth, I am bound to shoulder the future of the Dao Clan." She murmured, "Please forgive this unfaithful disciple."

Whoosh!

Luo Qianchen took that final step.

Her form vanished, consumed by the colorless, shapeless light.

Boom! Crash!

The Ancestral Land shook violently. Mountain peaks disintegrated. Primordial beasts stampeding across the plains instantly dissolved into streams of pure spiritual energy, helplessly drawn towards the altar.

This was a feast, prepared since eight epochs ago, laid solely for Luo Qianchen.

She was the future of the Dao Clan.

At the same moment.

Above the chaos…

An invisible hand seemed to part the chaotic curtain-like space. A single, grotesque eye extended downwards. Heavenly divine patterns flowed across its surface, emanating an overwhelming Heavenly Awe.

"Ai…"

A deep, mournful sigh drifted down from above.

"After all this time… the day has arrived…"