Devour

Chapter 471 The Lineage of the End Times

His guess was correct.

At this moment, deep within the third floor of Yunmeng Tower, two sages sat facing each other at a rosewood table, sipping tea with their eyes lowered. With their profound cultivation and keen divine sense alone, they had already seen through the entire scene, and their thoughts flowed freely between them.

Leng Yi's eyes seemed to shimmer with nebula as he stroked his long beard and spoke in a distant voice: "Originally, I had high hopes for the Reincarnation Emperor's Son, but who knew that he hadn't fully mastered his skills in the Nine Heavens Abyss, and the Nine Heavens Profound Fire fell into Cai Youling's hands. Judging from this boy's rapid progress, he must have refined the source of the divine fire, which allowed the Emperor Flame Heart Sutra to break through and sublimate, drawing upon the primordial energy of heaven and earth to carry out punishment on behalf of heaven."

Across the table sat a man in black armor, with a cold and aloof demeanor, as immovable as a mountain, his eyes slightly closed. He was none other than the Supreme Holy Master of the Feitian Sect.

Upon hearing this, Bo Xuan suddenly opened his eyes, his gaze seemingly reflecting the illusion of a hidden world and the cycle of day and night. He calmly said, "Ji Dong comes from the Jiuli tribe, where a high saint is hidden. Cai Youling belongs to the Di Yan tribe, and there are also legends of a saint living in seclusion, but he has not appeared in the world for many years."

He turned to Leng Yi, his voice low and deep: "There has been no news for so long, I'm afraid someone has exhausted their lifespan and depleted their essence, and perished. If the Di Yan Clan truly has a saint in existence, how could they sit idly by and watch their important minister Wen Ji die in the Ninefold Abyss, without even doing anything about it?"

Leng Yi lightly lifted the purple clay teapot and poured a cup of Plum Blossom Spring Tea.

As the tea is poured into the cup, wisps of steam rise, and a few tea leaves float in the tea soup, resembling plum blossoms in spring, their fragrance spreading gently.

Leng Yi said gently, "Senior Bo, please consider this: the Di Yan Clan, as an imperial dynasty, has a foundation that goes far beyond just Wu Qiubai and Wen Ji on the surface. Moreover, the Duke of Zhenguo died a violent death in the secret realm, yet the Cai family's court remained completely undisturbed."

He paused briefly, then said, "In my opinion, the Cai family either has other support, or the sage is nearing the end of his life and is living in seclusion. He will not easily reveal himself unless it is a matter of life and death."

Bo Xuan gently stroked the rim of the purple clay teacup with his fingertips and pondered, "Has the Cold Saint Lord made up his mind and chosen his side? He even passed on the Cloud Pushing Hand to the Reincarnation Emperor's son. It seems that the Ghost Valley Sect has placed a heavy bet on this support."

Leng Yi shook his head and said, "Passing on knowledge and teaching skills is a common practice, and it doesn't amount to much support. Forgive my bluntness, but Ji Dong has come all the way from the Five Continents. His goal is similar to Senior Bo's, but our paths are different."

Bo Xuan said slowly, "I have traveled through the myriad realms for many years, visiting various races, but I have yet to collect the complete Daoist scriptures of the Heavenly Demon and Earthly Demon lineages."

He then changed the subject: "As for Ji Dong, he has already obtained five secret manuals, including the Innate Skill and the Ultimate Sword Scripture. If he were to obtain the Li family's Heavenly Pool Divine Skill, his 'Primordial Daoist Lineage' would advance even further."

At this point, the illusion in Bo Xuan's eyes suddenly darkened, its depths seemingly swallowing the room into night. He said in a deep voice, "When the great work is completed, perhaps we can glimpse the true meaning hidden behind the ancient and even primitive legends! The secrets of heaven have already shown signs of chaos; defying heaven will surely bring backlash!"

Leng Yi, holding his teacup, said calmly, "Isn't Senior Bo almost defying the heavens? Whether he gathers the Heavenly Demon or Earthly Demon lineages, he can recreate the Demon Clan's world-destroying feat, which may cause a backlash from heaven and earth."

He took a sip of tea and continued, "Cultivation emphasizes moderation and balance. Some techniques are naturally suited to the pure and tranquil mind of Guigu disciples. To achieve the ultimate level, one must rely on opportunity and good fortune; it cannot be forced."

Bo Xuan's eyes gleamed, as if a bright candle had been lit in the room, dispelling the darkness.

"Lord Leng is a man of profound learning, having dabbled in both the Primordial and True Dragon lineages, and also glimpsed the path of the Nine Netherworld lineage. It is a pity that the ancient traditions of the Underworld have long been neglected."

His gaze was deep and profound as he slowly said, "Once I thoroughly master a complete lineage, I can surpass all the saints and create an unparalleled demonic scripture. At that time, even the entire Devouring Immortal Universe's power may not be beyond my control!"

Leng Yi shook his head and said, "The ancient Daoist traditions each contain the ultimate principles of the universe. Senior Bo's intention to unify them is admirable. However, we are dull-witted and can only grasp the superficial aspects, which is already a great blessing."

He put down his teacup and sighed softly, "Moreover, in this degenerate age, the essence of the primordial spirit is becoming increasingly scarce, making it even more difficult to surpass the saints!"

Leng Yi's divine sense spread out like a tide, and the scene of Tinghetai Square was all in his mind. He suddenly said, "The White Emperor once suppressed Yong Yao and neutralized Cai Youling's killing move. It seems that his Taotie phenomenon was just beginning to take shape. I can't remember how many reincarnations ago, but the Taotie body also roamed the Star Sea of ​​the Cloud Realm."

Bo Xuan's dark, abyss-like eyes were unreadable as he said calmly, "The Gluttonous Physique certainly has the qualities to 'rule.' Now, with various imperial princes vying for power and the situation still undecided, an anomaly has suddenly appeared."

Perhaps feeling that he had gone off on a tangent, Bo Xuan casually said, "Has the Cold Saint Lord's 'Qiankun Skill' still not found a suitable successor? It's quite a strange thing that even the two Bright Kings, Zhexing and Lengyue, haven't mastered it!"

Leng Yi calmly said, "Manman and Hanmei have received my true teachings in martial arts and techniques, and their aptitude is also excellent. However, they lack comprehension in formations. Moreover, without the blessing of miraculous effects, the Qiankun Technique has no advantage among the various sacred techniques. Since they are unlikely to make progress, it would be better for them to cultivate the higher-level 'Dragon Nourishing Heart Technique'."

Bo Xuan objectively pointed out: "Using the Dragon-Nourishing Heart Technique of the True Dragon Lineage to activate the Cloud-Pushing Hand of the Primordial Lineage is ultimately a stretch."

The two sages sat facing each other in silence, each lost in thought.

On the square, Cai Youling, seeing that his attack had failed, suppressed his anger and sneered, "The two Ming Kings of the Ghost Valley Sect are renowned, but they are nothing more than caged birds who only dare to perch on high pavilions and watch the fire from across the river. They are an insult to the dignity of a prestigious sect!"

"Hmph!" Leng Hanmei's eyebrows furrowed in anger, and she was about to leap down the stairs to fight to the death when Chi Manman stopped her.

"Junior sister, don't fall for his trap."

Chi Manman calmly dissuaded him, then looked at Cai Youling and said with composure, "If Crown Prince Cai really wants to have a friendly exchange, there will be arrangements for tomorrow's Immortal Gathering. You may freely engage in both literary and martial arts competitions. This is a quiet and elegant place in the academy. If you act rashly, you may be ridiculed by scholars all over the world."

Cai Youling felt as if he had hit a soft nail with a hammer, and was speechless. He thought to himself, "Should I stop while I'm ahead, or should I fight her to the death on the spot? In a foreign land, and with the other party protected by a saint, it's really not advisable to be reckless."

Wu Qiubai also reminded him at the right time: "My lord, please be patient, there is plenty of time in the future."

Cai Youling quickly considered several things, took a deep breath to calm her anger, glared fiercely at the figure on the Yunmeng Tower, and turned away with a flick of her sleeve: "Let's go!"

A moment later, Wu Qiubai hurriedly ran towards the Jade Spirit Boat, quickly maneuvered it, and parked it in a different location.

A detailed inspection of the damage revealed, as expected, that the hull plating was cracked and the cabin was in a mess; restoration to its original condition would obviously be time-consuming and laborious.

Cheng Bai took in all the trivial matters on the scene and understood them perfectly: "Emperor Cai suffered a loss that was neither too great nor too small, but he chose to endure it without making a fuss. The way the Ghost Valley Sect acts is intriguing. They seem arrogant and domineering, but in reality, they are calculating every step of the way. Senior Leng must have made a wise choice regarding the various princes' camps, and his actions are naturally full of hidden secrets."

Ningxiang made some adjustments on the bridge for a while, then cautiously said, "I have strengthened the protection of the spirit boat. If there are any more warning signs, we can respond more quickly."

Jinlian patted her chest and said confidently, "Your Majesty, rest assured, with your humble servant protecting you, your safety is assured."

As dusk deepened, lights lit up one after another from the Tinghetai Post Station, Lingzhou, and the various buildings of the academy, like dazzling pearls adorning the gloomy earth.

The twinkling lights shimmered in the deepening night, creating a charming contrast with the scattered light from the newly emerging stars in the sky.

Cheng Bai once again ascended the bridge of the spirit ship, leaned on the railing of the observation deck, and gazed into the distance, his eyes sweeping over the many obstacles and lingering on the strongholds of various forces one by one.

The Feitian Sect pavilion atop the back of the Water-Splitting Golden-Eyed Beast was bathed in a soft, reddish glow, occasionally emitting melodious music mingled with the silvery laughter of young girls.

As Cheng Bai stood gazing into the distance, he suddenly felt a pair of deep, clear eyes looking at him. He was startled: "It's Feng Yong. She discovered me so quickly?"

He hurriedly looked away, not daring to meet its gaze, and instead looked at the Cloud Dream Tower carried on the back of the stone beast carrying the mountain.

The candlelight at Guigu Gate was dim, and the ancient Bagua mirror hanging high outside the gate reflected a cold light. The small wind chimes hanging from the upturned eaves made a soft, plaintive sound in the wind.

The palace of ten thousand beasts, carried on the back of the two-headed snow lion, was as bright as day, and people and rare birds and beasts could be seen moving back and forth among it.

In stark contrast to the others, Cai Jiayu's spirit boat was dimly lit, with only a few emergency lights flickering sporadically, clearly indicating that it was still undergoing emergency repairs.

Cheng Bai carefully observed the distribution of forces among the various factions and noticed that the Water-Splitting Golden-Eyed Beast and the Mountain-Bearing Stone Beast were close together, while the Two-Headed Snow-Ember Lion was adjacent to the Jade Lock Spirit Boat. The relationship between them was quite intriguing.

"This extraordinary gathering of rare treasures and celestial encounters is destined to end badly." Cheng Bai pondered repeatedly. "Two of the invited prodigies have died before the conference even started—this is no coincidence! Countless people are watching from the shadows. I want to see just how unfathomable this pool truly is!"