Chapter 1648: The Clash of Chess Players
*Thud!*
Lady Nguyên Mẫu and Lăng Thiên Tôn fell one after another onto a lotus leaf at the bottom of the great abyss. Lady Nguyên Mẫu still hadn't managed to kill her, and she couldn't help but feel anxious.
The two women stood—one at the left end of the lotus leaf, the other at the right end.
Lăng Thiên Tôn's expression remained calm and indifferent. Any attack from Lady Nguyên Mẫu seemed to have no effect on her whatsoever. Indeed, killing her was extremely difficult. Once, the Fourth Young Master of the Mê La Palace had possessed such an opportunity, but Khai Hoàng Tần Nghiệp had taken that calamity upon himself in her stead.
To kill her, one would need an existence at the level of the Young Masters of the Mê La Palace—otherwise, it was simply impossible.
Lady Nguyên Mẫu watched her warily, while Lăng Thiên Tôn looked around, her gaze falling upon clusters of twin lotus flowers. She said in surprise: "Is this the Quy Khư? Hidden within are so many profound mysteries!"
She carefully examined the twin lotus flowers. Above this chaotic sea, there were actually seventeen great abysses of Quy Khư, corresponding to seventeen universes.
These seventeen universes had appeared in sequential order, yet within the Quy Khư, it seemed there was no such causal sequence.
For ordinary people, this was difficult to comprehend, but for Lăng Thiên Tôn, it was very simple.
To her, the essence of the universe was mass and energy. The seventeen universes were merely seventeen states of mass and energy.
And the great abyss of Quy Khư was an unchanging point, capable of observing all seventeen states simultaneously. This bore similarities to her Bất Dị thần thông, only far more profound.
"This is another unchanging point in the universe, besides Đại Hắc Sơn."
Lăng Thiên Tôn muttered to herself, speaking softly: "The World Tree of Đại Hắc Sơn became the model for the Đạo Trees of all cultivators precisely because of its unchanging nature. The Great Dao of cultivators, imprinted in the ultimate void in the form of the World Tree, holds hope of surviving the great calamity of universal destruction. And Quy Khư is another unchanging point. Logically, it too should harbor a path to enlightenment..."
Lady Nguyên Mẫu felt her hair stand on end.
When she had encountered the Second Young Master of the Mê La Palace here, he had told her that another path to enlightenment existed—one that was the unique characteristic of the Quy Khư goddess, achievable only by ancient gods born within the Quy Khư.
She never expected that Lăng Thiên Tôn, having just arrived, would immediately perceive the existence of another path to enlightenment and even discern the principles behind both the World Tree and the Quy Khư paths!
Such talent and comprehension were truly heaven-defying!
"This path to enlightenment requires cultivating the Quy Khư Dao, planting lotuses in chaos. It sounds simple, but in reality, it's somewhat troublesome."
Lăng Thiên Tôn tilted her head in thought: "Though it doesn't seem particularly troublesome either..."
Lady Nguyên Mẫu wore a smile on her face, speaking softly: "Sister Lăng, since you say it's not troublesome, then how does one achieve enlightenment through Quy Khư? Look at me—have I already achieved enlightenment through Quy Khư?"
Lăng Thiên Tôn glanced at her and shook her head: "You haven't succeeded. The path you've taken is merely the traditional method of enlightenment through the Đạo Tree. However, your Quy Khư Dao conflicts with the ultimate void, making it impossible to cultivate a Đạo Tree. Your path has gone astray."
Lady Nguyên Mẫu's aura faltered. She was one of the most powerful existences in the world today, and no one had ever dared to tell her that her path had gone astray!
However, ever since Hạo Thiên Đế rescued his mother and freed her from Tần Mục's Hồng Thằng Kết Khấu seal, she had indeed attempted to imprint her Dao onto the ultimate void, but every attempt had ended in failure.
The cold, still wind of the ultimate void would cancel out completely when it encountered the hot, still wind of her Quy Khư Dao!
Forget the Đạo Tree—even entering the ultimate void made her feel the danger of death!
"There is one person in this world who has achieved enlightenment through Quy Khư."
Lăng Thiên Tôn continued: "Mục Thiên Tôn used his own body as a universe, evolving the Quy Khư, planting lotuses in the chaos of the Quy Khư, and growing lotus flowers. Therefore, he is the authentic one who achieved enlightenment through Quy Khư. However, his path has also deviated somewhat. He didn't cultivate the lotus-in-chaos through comprehending the Quy Khư Dao, but rather relied on external objects, just like with his World Tree—he relied on the Quy Khư lotus seeds."
Lady Nguyên Mẫu fell into thought. At that moment, a lotus leaf drifted silently from afar. The Second Young Master, suppressed within the chaotic sea, had originally intended to make a move against the two women on the leaf, forcibly capturing them. Upon hearing this, he paused slightly and withheld his attack.
"Your insights are quite extraordinary. For the Seventeenth Era to have produced an existence like you, it truly is a blessed land."
The chaotic sea churned, waves rolling. The Second Young Master's enormous face slowly emerged from the sea, his voice piercing into both their ears: "It seems the Teacher was right. He once lamented that we cultivators are the parasites of the universe. We sneak into the next universe, encroaching upon its spiritual energy and power, causing the original universe to shrink ever smaller and the intelligent beings born within it to grow ever fewer—to the point where an existence capable of resolving the great calamity of destruction could emerge. The Seventeenth Era, never invaded by prehistoric cultivators, has actually given birth to such a brilliant woman as you."
Her face gradually emerged from the chaotic sea, appearing on the water's surface not far away.
Lăng Thiên Tôn looked down and saw that this Second Young Master of the Mê La Palace was stunningly beautiful. Compared to Lady Nguyên Mẫu, there were similarities, but she was even more beautiful.
"You are someone who truly achieved enlightenment through Quy Khư."
Lăng Thiên Tôn asked curiously: "What is your name? Why are you suppressed here?"
"I am the Second Young Master of the Mê La Palace. My name is no longer important. After my cultivation succeeded, I attained enlightenment at the Vô Cực Palace, so the Teacher called me Vô Cực. Back then, because I wanted to destroy the entire universe and eliminate all civilization, I killed many cultivators before the Teacher discovered it... It's you!"
The Second Young Master of the Mê La Palace suddenly noticed Lăng Thiên Tôn's appearance, as if she had seen a ghost, and blurted out: "How is it you?"
Lăng Thiên Tôn asked, puzzled: "It's me. What's wrong?"
Lady Nguyên Mẫu was somewhat confused, looking at Lăng Thiên Tôn, then at the Second Young Master of the Mê La Palace, not knowing what had shocked her so.
Ultimate Void.
Tần Mục and Hạo Thiên Đế's auras had both been elevated to their limits. Hạo Thiên Đế forcibly transformed Thái Tố chi khí into the path of thần thức, and his Nhất Khí Đại La Thiên immediately evolved, transforming into Thái Sơ Đại La Thiên!
Within the Thái Sơ Đại La Thiên, the Thái Sơ Dao was vast and boundless, making his Đại La Thiên resemble the dawn of the universe, with the World Tree standing tall within the boundless Thái Sơ chi khí!
In his hand, another strand of Thái Tố chi khí transformed into the Thái Dị thần phủ, which he gripped like a giant who split heaven and earth!
In the distance, Thái Sơ, who was locked in battle with Vân Thiên Tôn, immediately sensed the nearly perfect Thái Sơ Dao and hastily looked over. He was utterly stricken.
That was the realm he had dreamed of, the realm he could never attain, yet it was now being displayed by his own son!
Although Hạo Thiên Đế was using Thái Tố chi khí to evolve the Thái Sơ Đại La Thiên, making it imperfect, Thái Sơ himself couldn't even achieve that step!
*Boom!*
Vân Thiên Tôn seized the moment of his distraction and thrust his sword into his chest. Thái Sơ hastily collected himself, retreated rapidly, and flicked his fingers repeatedly, sending the imperial sword flying!
"Just as Mục Thiên Tôn said, I have likely lost my edge and drive." He sighed inwardly and devoted himself fully to fighting Vân Thiên Tôn.
Vân Thiên Tôn's progress was astonishingly fast. He had already adapted to Thái Đế's Đạo Tree and Đạo Quả, but because his physical body was too weak, he was constrained in his movements, unable to fully unleash his power.
Thái Sơ had been wounded in his battle with Tần Mục and had also been stripped of the Lăng Tiêu Bảo Điện bestowed by the Third Young Master. However, he still possessed the twenty-four precious palaces obtained from the ancestral court's Ngọc Kinh Thành—these were his trump card.
As long as their Đại La Thiên merged a bit more, he could directly activate these twenty-four precious palaces and suppress Vân Thiên Tôn!
Once Vân Thiên Tôn was suppressed for even a moment, he could seize the opportunity to devour and refine the other's Đại La Thiên, cultivating his own Thái Sơ Đại La Thiên!
Their battle grew increasingly intense. In this desperate struggle, both were seeking an opportunity to finish off the other in one blow and devour their Đại La Thiên.
At that moment, Hạo Thiên Đế's body moved. He took a single step forward, raised the Thái Dị thần phủ in his hand, and swept it toward Tần Mục!
He had been building up his momentum all along. This strike carried the supreme power of the Thái Sơ Đại La Thiên, combined with his own magical power and his comprehension of the Dao. As the axe passed, the ultimate void split apart with a resounding crack!
This was absolutely the most powerful strike he had ever unleashed in his life—the power of this blow was unmatched!
At the same moment, behind Tần Mục, the World Tree rumbled. Branches flailed, countless roots danced, plunging deep into the ultimate void!
Thick, massive roots spread in all directions, piercing through the ultimate void, absorbing the cold, still wind. The precious tree stood unmoved despite the fierce gale!
Tần Mục's body contained almost no magical power—his primordial energy had all been used to reconstruct his physical form and primordial spirit. But within the World Tree lay the imprint of his Great Dao!
At this moment, as the World Tree took root in the ultimate void, the Dao imprints within the World Tree seemed to be branded into the ultimate void itself!
Rolling waves of Dao power surged forth, flooding in from the World Tree!
Tần Mục let out a long cry, and the power surging from the void filled his body!
At this moment, he seemed to have achieved enlightenment, feeling the ultimate power of the Great Dao surging within him!
The door-plank sword before him flew up, and the Dao poured into it. Using the door plank as a great blade, he did not meet Hạo Thiên Đế's axe strike head-on, but instead slashed toward the Thái Sơ Đạo Tree within Hạo Thiên Đế's Thái Sơ Đại La Thiên!
*Boom!*
Infinite Dao light erupted in the ultimate void, sweeping over both of them, engulfing their figures!
Within the light came a tremendous cracking sound. The Đạo Tree in the Thái Sơ Đại La Thiên swayed, then toppled over, crashing down into the Đại La Thiên. Dao chains collapsed, Dao patterns scattering like dust in all directions.
Behind Tần Mục, the World Tree swayed, then suddenly snapped and fell over.
The Dao light gradually dispersed. Tần Mục and Hạo Thiên Đế's bodies swayed unsteadily, their auras plummeting rapidly.
A smile appeared on Hạo Thiên Đế's face. He said in a low voice: "Mục Thiên Tôn, you can fight me to a mutual destruction, but there's one thing you never considered—behind me stand the Third Young Master and the Fourth Young Master, as well as the entire ancestral court's Ngọc Kinh Thành!"
From between his brows, precious palaces flew out with a whistling sound.
"Now, I only need to deal with you, and all the chaos across the heavens and myriad worlds can be easily quelled!"
Hạo Thiên Đế straightened his back and said in a deep voice: "Dao friends of the thirty-two precious palaces, I entrust this matter to you!"
The thirty-two precious palaces remained completely still.
Hạo Thiên Đế frowned slightly and said in a deep voice: "Thirty-two Dao friends, Mục Thiên Tôn's World Tree has already been felled by me. You may make your move now!"
The thirty-two precious palaces remained utterly silent.
Tần Mục swayed as he turned around, a faint smile playing at his lips: "Hạo Thiên Tôn, within the ancestral court's Ngọc Kinh Thành, there are not only the Third Young Master and the Fourth Young Master, but also the Seventh Young Master. And I am the Seventh Young Master."
Ancestral court, Ngọc Kinh Thành. The great calamity of the Sixteenth Era's destruction.
The Đạo Tree swayed in the wind. The Fourth Young Master of the Mê La Palace played the zither beneath the tree, surrounded by the many palace masters of the Mê La Palace.
On the other side, a World Tree drifted over from the chaos. A figure stood beneath the tree, and a voice carried from afar: "Whoever dares to oppose me, I'll kill them!"
"Old Seventh, you've gone too far." Another voice came, and the Lăng Tiêu Palace emerged.