“Crack!” Pu He Divine Emperor’s pseudo-saint domain shattered completely, a violent surge of divine essence swept over, binding him within this terrifying killing momentum.
Pu He Divine Emperor frantically burned his essence blood. If he hadn’t started this, he’d never have provoked someone like Lan Xiaobu. But now, his only option was to preserve his life.
The Feather Sound Kill was unleashed by Lan Xiaobu, so he could naturally sense the subtle shifts within it. Pu He Divine Emperor somehow broke free from the core of the killing momentum domain, desperately trying to evade.
Splatter! Blood sprayed as Pu He avoided a fatal blow, yet Lan Xiaobu’s punch still blasted a gaping hole through his waist.
This was the result of his desperate struggle, otherwise, that punch would’ve turned half his body into bloody pulp.
Even so, the desolate charm of the Dao carried by Lan Xiaobu’s punch filled him with a bleak despair. In that moment, everything seemed gray, his Great Dao devoid of any future. Pu He Divine Emperor frantically circulated his cultivation technique, forcing his will to hold firm. He knew that if this charm of the Dao tainted him, he’d be utterly finished.
“Not bad, huh? That punch didn’t kill you. No wonder you dare call yourself a Divine Emperor, you’ve got some skill. Come on, take another punch. I promise, if you can survive one more, I’ll let you go,” Lan Xiaobu said with a hint of approval.
He was certain Pu He was far stronger than Pu Heng. Both pseudo-saints, yet the gap in power was vast. If Pu Heng had faced that attack, he’d never have dodged it. Though Pu He didn’t fully escape either, he at least clung to life.
“Fellow Daoist, hold on! I can’t take another punch. You should know I’m one of the Twelve Divine Emperors, a scattered saint who once held a fruit position. After the cosmic calamity of annihilation, the universe is frantically repairing itself. In this era, once it fully recovers, there’ll be another contest for fruit positions. I, Pu He, am willing to swear on my Great Dao to serve you for life…” Pu He Divine Emperor spat out his words in a rush, then swallowed a Dao fruit to heal.
Lan Xiaobu was stunned. He hadn’t expected a Divine Emperor to beg for survival with a Dao oath. Truly, in the face of life and death, fear gripped everyone the same, saint or mortal.
But did he need a pseudo-saint like this to assist him?
Pu He Divine Emperor had barely stabilized his injuries. Softening his tone, he said, “Fellow Daoist, my strength may mean nothing to you, but I’m still a Divine Emperor. Once I prove my Dao to the First Turn, I’ll outclass most peers. After the calamity, cosmic rules are repairing rapidly, even planes are merging. High-level planes and lower domains are fusing into a new cosmic plane. In the future, countless powerhouses will vie for dominance here. You’re strong, no doubt, but wouldn’t more allies be better? Plus, as an ancient being, I can clarify many things for you.”
Lan Xiaobu found no fault in that logic. One good man needs three helpers, and Pu He might actually prove useful. With that thought, he said flatly, “I’m Lan Xiaobu. Speak your piece.”
He’d see if this Pu He Divine Emperor would try anything funny.
Hearing Lan Xiaobu’s words, Pu He’s eyes lit up with excitement. He declared loudly, “I, Gai Xiangwan, once Pu He Divine Emperor of the Twelve, swear here on my Great Dao. From this day forth, I, Gai Xiangwan, align my will with Lan Xiaobu’s, never to betray. Should I break this oath, may my Dao shatter, with no chance of reincarnation.”
With that, Pu He unfurled his Great Dao’s traces.
Lan Xiaobu tossed out a seal, imprinting it onto Pu He’s Dao traces. From now on, he could end Pu He with a thought.
Yet from Pu He’s words, Lan Xiaobu could tell the oath was genuine. He sighed inwardly. If it were him, he’d choose reincarnation over such an oath. He couldn’t fathom what these ancient Divine Emperors were thinking. Regardless, he could now return to the Eternal Life Realm.
As Lan Xiaobu’s seal landed, Pu He’s Dao traces vanished into the void. Pu Heng Divine Emperor exhaled in relief, now tinged with anticipation.
Lan Xiaobu didn’t know, but as an ancient Divine Emperor, Pu He understood better than anyone.
Though his will was now tied to Lan Xiaobu’s, even subject to death by a single thought, he also knew that behind risk lay opportunity.
If Lan Xiaobu’s cultivation stagnated here, Pu He’s path would end too. But if Lan Xiaobu one day reached the Ninth-Turn Saint realm, Pu He would gain a share of that Dao fortune, his strength soaring. And if Lan Xiaobu ever surpassed the Ninth Turn, stepping into true eternal life, Pu He would rise with him.
Given Lan Xiaobu’s ability to crush him as a Quasi-Saint, reaching eternal life wasn’t impossible. So this wasn’t necessarily a loss for Pu He. The catch, of course, was that he couldn’t betray Lan Xiaobu.
For Pu He, everything was for the Dao, he had no reason to turn on Lan Xiaobu.
“Let’s go. We’ll swing by Nirvana Divine City, then find a way to the Eternal Life Realm,” Lan Xiaobu said. He’d come to the Rootless Divine Realm for the Divine Essence Pill Sea to boost his strength, and with that goal met, there was no need to linger.
“All follows the master’s will,” Pu He Divine Emperor replied promptly.
Lan Xiaobu waved a hand. “I’m a Realm Lord. You can just call me Dao Lord from now on.”
“Yes, Dao Lord,” Pu He agreed without hesitation, though inwardly he scoffed. A Realm Lord? Even with your talent, you’re not there yet. But with this potential, you might indeed become one someday.
“Fellow Daoist Suting, I’m heading back to the Eternal Life Realm. What’s your plan?” Lan Xiaobu turned to Bei Suting.
Bei Suting hesitated before saying, “I’m planning to seclude myself a bit longer, see if I can break into the Quasi-Saint realm.”
For Bei Suting, her resources were plentiful. Beyond that, her trials had been ample. Before meeting Lan Xiaobu, she’d spent her days fleeing and fighting. Seclusion now was her best option.
Lan Xiaobu knew she’d choose that. He cautioned, “You know where our Divine Essence Pills came from. I reckon that guy can’t reach the Rootless Divine Realm anytime soon, but over time, it’s hard to say. If you ever run out of options, head to the Eternal Life Realm. I hear there’s a void passage between here and there, just a bit risky.”
No matter how strong the one who set up the Divine Essence Pill Sea was, Lan Xiaobu didn’t think they could overwhelm the Eternal Life Realm. It teemed with powerhouses, saints aplenty, who could crush it?
“Yes, thank you for the reminder, Big Brother Lan,” Bei Suting said, genuinely grateful. In her life, Lan Xiaobu was the one she owed the most.
…
After parting with Bei Suting, Lan Xiaobu summoned the Reincarnation Pot. He called Pu He aboard, then sped out of the Bu Zhi Domain.
This was the Reincarnation Pot? Pu He Divine Emperor stared at it under his feet, astonishment rippling through him. He’d long heard of its fame.
Though he’d earned a fruit position among the Twelve Divine Emperors, before them were saintly Daoists who shunned such titles, viewing them as shackles to the Dao.
The Reincarnation Pot belonged to one such figure. If he recalled correctly, it was the Reincarnation Saint.
“You probably know this pot’s origins, right?” Lan Xiaobu glanced at Pu He, his tone casual.
Pu He quickly replied, “Yes, it’s the Reincarnation Saint’s. He didn’t lack a fruit position, he disdained it. His Dao transcended a single universe, surpassing fruit positions.”
Lan Xiaobu chuckled. “Fruit positions and all that, only folks like you care. I couldn’t care less. You’ve heard of the Eight Saints, Three Scattered Saints, Four Dao Lords, Twelve Divine Emperors, all that jazz. Honestly, it’s just lording over your own little patch of sky. Put simply, it’s just planting your Dao’s FLAG in this one cosmic plane.
You should know, in the vast cosmos, there are countless planes equal to or greater than yours, right? Forget the rest, even among the planes I know, plenty of saints match or exceed your Eight Saints. Look, after the annihilation calamity, with planes shattering and fusing again, saints are popping up everywhere. How many are weaker than your so-called Eight Saints? As for those stronger than your Twelve Divine Emperors, they’re as common as dirt.”
Lan Xiaobu wasn’t trying to knock Pu He down, he was stating facts.
He didn’t know who this plane’s Eight Saints were, but he knew a few Divine Emperors. Take the Great Desolation Universe, for instance, which saint from there would be weaker than the ones here? Forget Hongjun Ancestor, even Zhusun at his peak could wipe out these so-called Eight Saints. Or beyond the Great Desolation, Kunwei Saint from the Taihan Universe could squash Pu He with ease.
Pu He opened his mouth but found no rebuttal. Lan Xiaobu spoke the truth.
Maybe he hadn’t fully grasped it before, but post-calamity, with cosmic rules refining, he could glean much through the Heavenly Dao. Without that refinement, how would he know of Ninth-Turn Saints or the Eternal Life Saints beyond them?
