All the cultivators from the Listening to the Dao who came to the Jiuyuan Chaotic Zone were searching for heavenly treasures. Some even found top-tier innate treasures, while others discovered nests of top-grade Dao crystals. Top-grade Dao crystals weren’t exclusive to the chaotic zone’s edge—they existed elsewhere too. But those in the chaotic zone were of higher quality and more sought after.
Only Lan Xiaobu was tirelessly constructing dimensional model structures of the chaotic zone. A year passed, and despite building countless spatial models, he found no trace of a top-grade Dao vein.
Still, the year wasn’t fruitless. He found over a thousand top-grade Dao crystals and some top-tier Dao materials. Qu Peng was considered wealthy, but even his Burial Dao Tomb had only a hundred or so top-grade Dao crystals, all of which he’d used up, leaving none for Lan Xiaobu.
Moreover, Lan Xiaobu gained a clearer understanding of the Dao principles at the chaotic zone’s edge. Over the year, he’d constructed models containing countless complete and incomplete Dao principles. If he were to build a Burial Dao scroll now, it would far surpass the one Qu Peng cultivated.
But Lan Xiaobu had no interest in the Burial Dao. Even in Qu Peng’s position, he wouldn’t pursue it. Cultivating a top-tier Dao like that of the Great Universe, only to chase a lesser one like the Burial Dao, was incomprehensible to him. Perhaps Qu Peng found the Burial Dao’s killing efficiency more direct and thrilling than annihilating an entire universe.
Suddenly, Lan Xiaobu thought: what if he integrated the Burial Dao principles he’d sensed into his own domain?
The more he considered it, the more feasible it seemed. If his domain clashed with another’s, it could directly erode theirs.
While the cosmic model continued building structures for the chaotic zone’s edge, Lan Xiaobu began working on integrating the Burial Dao principles into his Longevity Domain.
Lost in comprehension, time became irrelevant. Over a year passed in a flash. Oppressed by the chaotic zone’s aura and eroded by its Dao principles, Lan Xiaobu instinctively wanted to flee the zone.
He resisted the urge to leave, staying put. Without relying on the cosmic model, he gradually integrated the Burial Dao principles into his Longevity Domain. Extending his domain, he initially wanted to check if the Burial Dao principles were noticeable. Instead, he clearly felt the chaotic zone’s erosive assault on his Dao weaken instantly. Though the chaotic suppression remained, the absence of the mottled Dao principles’ erosion reduced the pressure significantly.
It had this use? Lan Xiaobu strengthened his domain, and the erosive assault weakened further.
Indeed, no Dao principle was useless—only misused.
Overjoyed, Lan Xiaobu retracted his domain. As his Longevity Domain withdrew, the terrifying erosive Dao principles and chaotic suppression swept back. He quickly extended his domain again, simultaneously running his Longevity Dao.
At that moment, he understood why the Listening to the Dao’s crew wasn’t worried he wouldn’t return. They had calculated the stop’s duration precisely. For the first two years after disembarking, the chaotic suppression and erosive Dao principles at the edge were relatively weak. After that, they grew stronger, eventually becoming unlivable.
So, the three-year stay was a trap—staying two years was already impressive. After three years, the chaotic suppression forced cultivators to retreat. If they didn’t, they’d be reduced to bones. Few could withstand the chaotic suppression, let alone the erosive chaos.
Some cultivators might think they could endure a year or two, then leave the chaotic zone after the Listening to the Dao departed. But Lan Xiaobu was certain that wouldn’t work. If the Listening to the Dao allowed mid-journey disembarkation, he’d misjudged it.
Leaving the ship meant being trapped at the chaotic zone’s edge.
Lan Xiaobu exhaled. The predecessor of the Molan Universe, the Hundred Zero Universe, was somewhat like this chaotic zone’s edge. The entire Hundred Zero Star was filled with chaotic dregs, which, over time, condensed into the Heart of Heavenly Poison…
As Lan Xiaobu pondered that this region was once a chaotic zone now turned edge, filled with chaotic dreg Dao principles that might also condense a Heart of Heavenly Poison, he suddenly sensed a familiar Dao principle—the Heart of Heavenly Poison.
An illusion? Had the intense assault of chaotic dreg principles caused him to hallucinate?
Lan Xiaobu ran his Longevity Dao for several cycles and cast a Clear Mind Technique. It wasn’t an illusion. The familiar Heavenly Poison Dao principle was within a dimensional model structure just built by the cosmic model.
He’d really found a Heart of Heavenly Poison? Lan Xiaobu was ecstatic. This treasure was not only immensely useful to Tai Chuan but also a rare item in the Great Universe, fetchable at a high price. He didn’t lack Dao crystals or veins—only top-grade Dao veins—so he’d never sell the Heart.
His divine sense focused on the new model structure, and he stared in disbelief at a Dao principle within—it was unmistakably a top-grade Dao vein. Could it be? After over two years of searching without finding one, he’d now found both a top-grade Dao vein and a Heart of Heavenly Poison?
Lan Xiaobu clenched his fists, calming his excitement. A top-grade Dao vein meant he could reach the fourth step of the Dao in the shortest time. Once there, he’d have the power to protect himself in the Great Universe.
Taking a deep breath, Lan Xiaobu set aside the Heart of Heavenly Poison. His divine sense locked onto the model structure, revealing a clear top-grade Dao vein nearby.
It was surrounded by top-tier hidden void array patterns. Even Mo Wuji, with his deep understanding of void arrays, might not have found it.
But with the model structure, Lan Xiaobu easily tore through the hidden patterns. A black top-grade Dao vein, over ten thousand feet long, stood before him. The Heart of Heavenly Poison was nearby. Clearly, the top-grade Dao vein’s formation had birthed the Heart.
The black vein emitted clear Dao rules and the purest cosmic vitality, making Lan Xiaobu marvel that his two-plus years weren’t wasted. Gaining a top-grade Dao vein and a Heart of Heavenly Poison would be worth tens of thousands of years to other cultivators.
After collecting both, Lan Xiaobu felt the chaotic suppression growing more intense. But now, he was brimming with confidence. With two top-grade Dao veins, if he couldn’t carve out his own Dao in the chaos, he deserved to perish there.
**The Listening to the Dao**
Figures rushed back from the distance. Though the stop was set for three years, few could last that long—most returned within two and a half years. For the Listening to the Dao, the later someone returned, the more likely they wanted to escape the ship. They only came back when they couldn’t endure the conditions.
Nearly three thousand had left, but less than half returned.
“Strange,” a long-haired steward on the deck muttered, staring at the chaotic zone.
He soon turned and rushed to the third deck, where cultivators with high-grade and top-tier rooms resided, along with the ship’s Dao Master.
As he reached the entrance of an isolated room on the third deck, its restrictions opened automatically. Before him was a vast garden with a flowing spiritual spring river at its edge. Divine beasts roamed, making it hard to believe this was still on the ship.
“What’s the matter?” a faint voice came from deep within.
“Reporting to the Dao Master, when we passed through the ruleless ruin space, the cultivator in room 3071 didn’t leave. You instructed me to watch him and bring him here after the chaotic zone. But he hasn’t returned to the Listening to the Dao. Generally, those who don’t return within two and a half years won’t come back,” the long-haired steward said respectfully, bowing.
After a long silence, the voice replied, “In that case, wait until the three years are up. If he doesn’t return, the Listening to the Dao will proceed as scheduled.”
“Yes,” the steward replied, quickly retreating.
