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Above the Spirit Void Immortal Realm, the Dao Ancestor, having lost all thoughts of his future, instantly withdrew all his Golden Immortal-level avatars, returning everything to one, and then stepped towards the outer realm. He still had a chance.

"I beg your help, fellow Daoist!" Su Yuchen said with a smile.

The next second, outside the Lingkong Immortal Realm, three Su Yuchens appeared simultaneously, displaying the great divine power of "One Qi Transforms into Three Pure Ones" personally passed down by the Dao Ancestor.

"Please help me, fellow Taoist!"

The three Su Yuchens bowed in greeting at the same time, and boundless Yin-Yang and Five Elements Immortal Light erupted. The four of them joined forces, and a phantom Supreme Eight Trigrams Furnace appeared from nothing, taking the entire Lingkong Immortal Realm into the furnace.

"Dangdang!"

As the Eight Trigrams Furnace was completed and divine light flowed, the Dao Ancestor's thoughts of self and other were no longer as composed as before. Unfortunately, the entire Lingkong Immortal Realm had already been locked by Su Yuchen in the river of time and space, and the opponent had nowhere to escape or avoid.

"Please help me, fellow Taoist!"

Outside the Eight Trigrams Furnace, four Su Yuchens simultaneously wielded their swords, using the same move, "Severing Cause and Effect," to cut off the joys and sorrows of the mortal world, sever all troubles, and sever the Dao Ancestor's other self-thoughts from the original ties of this world.

As the longsword swung down, the Dao Ancestor's thoughts of his past in this world, having nowhere to escape, transformed into dazzling pearls that landed on the sword tip and rolled into the Eight Trigrams Furnace.

As the divine light reversed, yin and yang went in opposite directions, and the five elements became chaotic, everything in the Eight Trigrams Furnace returned to the beginning of chaos. The causal entanglement between this thought and the Dao Ancestor was severed by Su Yuchen.

Before the past collapsed, Su Yuchen went against the current in the present, cleaving through the past with sword lights, returning to the beginning of the Dao Ancestor's creation of this world, and sat in that original position.

"boom!"

As Su Yuchen took his seat, the concept of Dao Ancestor and other self no longer existed in this world. Only Su Yuchen existed, and all the future was no longer hindered. All the tributaries merged, and a magnificent trend was formed in an instant.

At this moment, the Dao Ancestor's other self thought was powerless to fight back. Su Yuchen stretched out his finger and pinched it. In the Eight Trigrams Furnace, the Spirit Void Immortal Realm and the Dao Ancestor's other self thought merged and turned into a bright pearl, which landed on his fingertip.

"In the end, it was created by the Dao Ancestor with a single thought. It was born with the essence of a Great Luo. Even if a Great Luo takes a hit, he will be seriously injured if he doesn't die."

"However, now that I have refined this pearl, whether I use it or not, I already owe the Dao Ancestor a debt of karma, and I'm afraid I'll only be able to repay it after I become a Supreme Being!"

"Forget it! Why think so much?"

Su Yuchen picked up the pearl with his right hand and grasped the bronze mirror with his left, looking back into the past through the river of time.

At this moment, the mutated Shushan world and the Fengyun world are like a dazzling sun, bright and eye-catching, solidifying Su Yuchen's past and present, while the more distant past, the Tang Dynasty world, is clearly visible.

Outside the boundary, two enormous figures, like a curtain covering the sky, covered the world beyond.

This time, Su Yuchen no longer avoided it.

As two pairs of eyes turned toward him, one filled with scrutiny and the other with lust, Su Yuchen remained unmoved, picked up the pearl, and smashed it down hard.

As Mingzhu made her move, towering waves surged in the main channel of the River of Time and Space, and countless gazes rose from the space-time continuum to look at Mingzhu.

Under the horrified gazes of countless eyes, the pearl did not stop for a moment, instantly piercing through the two competing phantoms and obliterating the remaining past of the two Great Luo Immortals.

The instant the two Great Luo phantoms vanished, a figure broke through the world barrier and soared out.

"It's Yang Zhiruo!" Su Yuchen glanced at her, flicked his finger, and her ascension target changed again, entering the Shu Mountain World.

As the illusory image of the Great Luo that occupied the Tang Dynasty world dissipated, Su Yuchen's past rose from a tributary of the river of time and space and merged with his present self.

The authority of the 'Supreme Myriad Manifestations Primordial Martial Great Dao Lord' spontaneously responded, permeating all the past and future branches of this world, occupying the world's beginning and present.

One after another, illusory sounds echoed across the river of time and space. Su Yuchen's Daoist Dharma Image grew ever larger and boundless. At this moment, Su Yuchen surpassed countless people on the Great Luo Path and headed towards the most ancient and original state.

As Su Yuchen picked up the pearl, all eyes automatically shifted, and all the Great Luo Dao Lords saw the mystery of that pearl.

"It was the Dao Ancestor's choice!"

At this moment, all the past events were forgotten, and all the Great Luo Dao Lords chose to retreat; no one dared to test the Dao Ancestor's thoughts.

After all the Great Luo's gazes had left, Su Yuchen picked up the pearl and gently tossed it into the river of time and space.

“I am who I am, not the Dao Ancestor. Karma is hard to repay. Whoever obtains this pearl and achieves the Great Luo realm will have to repay the karma for me.”

As he watched the pearl being submerged by the river of time and falling into one of the worlds, Su Yuchen continued to trace back to the past.

………………

In the world of Tianlong, Su Yuchen opened his eyes and merged with himself in the river of time. The world was forcibly upgraded at the moment he awoke.

Above the nameless Taoist temple, purple energy surged, and phantom images of dragons and phoenixes appeared. With a single thought, Su Yuchen caused the primordial energy of this world to boil. On the nameless desolate mountain, the formation spontaneously completed itself, forming its own world!

This world is beginning to transform into a realm of immortals and warriors.

………………

A world of golden silkworm rain.

The past Su Yuchen had just broken through the void when he saw that gaze looking down from the river of time and space, and then revealed a satisfied smile;

From Su Yuchen's body, countless figures emerged, each occupying more of the past, returning to the beginning of this world, and becoming the first ray of light that created this world;

Sensing an even more ancient aura within himself, Su Yuchen turned and strode away.

………………

The world of young Zhang Sanfeng.

Yi Jifeng watched as his elder brother, who had just disappeared, reappeared in front of him.

"Brother, you..."

Facing Yi Jifeng's surprised and delighted gaze, Su Yuchen's eyes pierced through time, looking towards the past of this world: "All cause and effect are within me. With a single thought, cause and effect will change."

As soon as he finished speaking, the black and white yin and yang divine light flowed, freezing all the past time and space of this world; the divine light reversed, returning to the moment when Su Yuchen met Yue Fei.

This time, as Da Luo made his decision, Yue Fei saw an identical figure emerge from his body and leave with the eunuch who delivered the imperial decree.

As time and space shifted, one Yue Fei died in Fengbo Pavilion, while the other returned to Mingjian Manor with Su Yuchen.

Having done all this, the Yin-Yang Taiji Diagram released its power to suppress the world. Su Yuchen altered the past of this world, returned to the beginning, and occupied the original ancient world. Then, he left under Yi Jifeng's gaze.

In the Lin'an Imperial Palace, Zhao Gou was suddenly filled with many thoughts, as if he had forgotten some parts of the past.

"I see!"

"Your Majesty?" A figure flashed, and a eunuch dressed in a silver-gray robe with dragon patterns appeared silently beside the throne.

"I remember that the Name Sword Manor saved Minister Yue. Draft an edict for me, summoning Minister Yue back to court."

"The Northern Expedition must begin!"

The silver-gray figure bowed deeply: "This servant obeys the decree. Congratulations, Your Majesty!"

Mingjian Manor.

Inside the gatehouse, a tall, upright figure sat upright like a spear. He inexplicably opened his eyes, countless forgotten memories flashing through them: "Learning from Li Jing!"

In the backyard of Mingjian Manor, after seeing his elder brother ascend to immortality, Yi Jifeng turned and left a moment later, where he encountered Yue Fei, who was acting as the gatekeeper.

"Uncle Yue, Yinping has already raised an army in Lüliang Mountain, and the Northern Expedition is about to begin. We can now go to Lin'an to see His Majesty."

Chapter 682 Meeting Zhenwu, the Change at Mount Hua

The world of Heaven Sword and Dragon Saber.

Su Yuchen returned just as he was taking A Niu to Wudang Mountain for a martial arts competition. At that moment, the two were traveling along the mountain path.

Su Yuchen gazed into the distance, looking towards the summit of Wudang Mountain. As he smiled, the world seemed to pause. Su Yuchen's figure vanished like a bubble, reappearing at Zhenwu Cliff.

"So it is the Northern Polar Mysterious Spirit, the True Martial Demon-Subduing Heavenly Venerable. Fellow Daoist, you hold a position in the North Pole, yet you do not receive blessings in the Heavenly Court. May I ask what brings you here?" Su Yuchen looked at the completely different Zhang Sanfeng before him and couldn't help but sigh inwardly.

Zhang Sanfeng bowed respectfully and said:

"This humble Taoist greets the Daoist Master."

"I originally intended to go to the next world to meet the Dao Lord, but alas, my cultivation is shallow, and I am afraid I may not be able to catch the Dao Lord's eye; I can only make a special trip to visit the Dao Ancestor and ask Him to arrange for me to meet the Dao Lord."

Su Yuchen didn't care about what he said. He had a karmic connection with the Dao Ancestor, but that didn't mean he could use the Dao Ancestor to suppress him.

Zhang Sanfeng cupped his hands and said:

"Dao Lord is about to attain the Great Luo Dao Fruit, transcending time and space. This humble Daoist offers his congratulations in advance."

"I have been seeking the Great Luo Dao for many years, but have yet to achieve anything, which is truly shameful. I have come here because the Dao Ancestor said that I will have a connection with the Dao Lord in the future."

"When the Dao Ancestor preached in the Outer Heaven, he said that he wanted to open up a world among all the heavens and myriad realms, and wanted all the Great Luo Dao Lords to descend and manifest their own paths. I, the humble Daoist, shamelessly wish to occupy the position of Demon-Slaying Heavenly Venerable in that world. As for the subsequent evolution of the world, I ask you, fellow Daoist, to show mercy."

With a thought, Su Yuchen realized where that world was. At the same time, he understood that with the power of the Dao Ancestor, he probably wouldn't care about these things. And that world was where he would repay his karma.

"Journey to the West, Laozi?" Su Yuchen thought to himself.

Having arrived here, what the Northern Mystic Spirit seeks is probably the bestowal of merits from Heaven and Earth upon him. But can he really expect to attain the Great Luo Dao Fruit with such meager merits?

Su Yuchen shook his head and asked, "I can agree to your request, but I don't know how you will repay the karmic debt?"

Zhang Sanfeng said, “That realm has a unique evolution, and the Great Luo Dao manifests, which is conducive to enlightenment. If Daoist Lord has any juniors who need guidance, I can arrange a position for them by my side. What do you think, Daoist Lord?”

“Okay!” Su Yuchen nodded in agreement.

Zhang Sanfeng bowed and said, "Since that's the case, then I wish you success in achieving the Great Luo Dao. All that has passed in this world, I will bestow upon you."

As he spoke, the Arctic Mystic Spirit departed, leaving Zhang Sanfeng with a thoughtful expression.

Amidst the other's bewildered gaze, Su Yuchen pushed Zhang Sanfeng, shattering the space behind him. With Su Yuchen's push, Zhang Sanfeng fell towards a world where there were Qi cultivators who could probe the will of heaven, crude martial artists, Gu gods, Daoist masters, and Buddhas.

"I wonder if you can break free from Zhenwu's grasp and become your true self. I'll wait and see."

After doing all this, Su Yuchen's figure vanished, and the world seemed to have changed, yet it also seemed unchanged.

………………

Above the river of time and space, Su Yuchen's aura became even more ancient and stable, and he was only one step away from becoming a naturally born Grand Luo Dao Lord.

The next moment, he stopped lingering and turned to go against the flow of time.

………………

In the world of "The Wandering Swordsman," Su Yuchen awakens just as he finishes learning the entire "Wandering Swordsman" and gathers the three treasures.

On the illusory tributaries of time and space, figures walk from the present into the past, occupy the past, and trace back the world.

As figures returned along the river of time, Su Yuchen's aura became even more ancient, and his connection with cause and effect and existence became even closer.

He reached out and, through the connection in "Ode to Gallantry," grasped the vital energy he needed. It was the very energy of the poet Li Bai, also known as Chang Geng.

And that place is the evolving world of Journey to the West.

"The Dao Ancestor's abilities are beyond my comprehension. Could all of this have been arranged by the Dao Ancestor?" Su Yuchen asked, puzzled.

………………

In the early summer of the sixteenth year of the Zhengde reign, Yue Yuchen, a disciple of Mount Hua, ascended to heaven atop Mount Hua, attracting worldwide attention. From then on, Taoism flourished in the world.

In the winter of the sixteenth year of the Zhengde reign, the Empress had a son, and the Emperor was overjoyed. He summoned the Grand Master Changchun Yandao to the palace to pray for blessings and to inquire about matters concerning immortals and gods.

In the winter of the seventeenth year of the Zhengde reign, the Crown Prince was born. The Emperor was overjoyed, granted a general amnesty, bestowed upon the title of Great Master Changchun Yandao the title of Great True Man of Changchun Protecting Life and Blessing the Nation, and specially conferred a grand title upon Mount Hua.

In the thirty-eighth year of Zhengde's reign, Zhu Houzhao passed away. During his reign, he suppressed land annexation, weakened the civil officials, and elevated the status of military generals, which revitalized the increasingly weakened Ming Dynasty.

He founded the factory newspaper, which made public information known throughout the country, so that civil officials would no longer be punished without being taught, and the landlord class would no longer control the power of public opinion.

During his reign, he promoted water conservancy, encouraged agriculture and commerce, and reclaimed wasteland; he also defended against barbarians in the north and subdued neighboring countries, embodying both external power and internal virtue, thus restoring the great power of the court to the emperor's hands.

In the thirty-eighth year of Zhengde's reign, his eldest son succeeded to the throne. Because of his merits to the country and the benefit to future generations, and his virtue of connecting the past and the future, he was given the temple name Shizu.

Upon ascending the throne, the crown prince vowed to revive the late emperor's ambitions, subdue the barbarians, and bring peace to the realm. He adopted the reign title Yuanqing and is historically known as Emperor Yuanqing.

In the second year of the Yuanqing era, the emperor issued an edict to offer sacrifices to Heaven at Mount Hua. At this time, the world was at peace, but undercurrents were surging. The scholar-officials and landlords, unwilling to accept defeat, decided to take this opportunity to set things right and bring the court and the country back on track.

In August of the second year of the Yuanqing era, the emperor issued an edict that the Grand Secretariat and the Grand Council would jointly oversee the government, and under the protection of newly emerging nobles and military generals, he began touring Mount Hua.

………………

The night before Emperor Yuanwu arrived at Mount Hua, all was quiet. Mount Hua was already asleep, with no one else around except for the occasional night patrolling disciple.

Just after midnight, at the foot of Mount Hua, countless masked men in black, armed with bows, crossbows, and sharp blades, lay in ambush.

As the signal of one long and two short slashes was sent, a figure quickly emerged from the bushes. The newcomer was dressed in the attire of a Huashan disciple, with two small silver swords embroidered on his sleeves, clearly indicating that he was not of ordinary status.

After the two sides made contact, the man quickly took out a bundle from the roadside, and inside were more than ten sets of Huashan disciples' clothing.

Soon, after changing his clothes, he led seventeen or eighteen people toward the mountain gate.

"Stop, who is it?"

As soon as the group arrived at the mountain gate, they saw ten Huashan disciples squeeze out from behind the archway, splitting to the left and right and staring intently at the newcomers.

The leader remained calm and said, "It is I, Senior Brother Liang Qifa."

Upon hearing the reply, disciples quickly came to check, and after verifying their identity tokens and passwords, the disciples guarding the mountain gate relaxed.