432: Chapter 432 Weighing the Pros and Cons, Bai Gengzi Presents the Talisman with Both Hands

"Beyond the heavens."

"Gone beyond the heavens!"

Bai Gengzi repeated these two words again, his voice echoing between the stone pillars of the great hall, sounding somewhat hollow.

Gu Changsheng sat on the main seat, his fingers tapping rhythmically on the armrest.

"Continue."

Bai Gengzi took a deep breath, calming the somewhat chaotic Geng Metal True Qi within his body, and spoke slowly:

"Ten thousand years ago, the rules of this world suddenly changed; spiritual energy began to wane, and the Laws became blurred. The First Ancestor had cultivated to the Golden Core Stage Perfection, sat in meditation for three hundred years, yet was unable to sense any higher Realm."

"He was unwilling to accept this, so he gathered all the Metal Virtue Qi under heaven, forcibly broke through to the Dao Embryo Realm, tore open a corner of the firmament, and departed across the boundaries."

Gu Changsheng stopped his tapping and looked at Bai Gengzi below.

"Tore open the firmament?"

"Yes."

Bai Gengzi nodded, his gaze falling upon the empty Void Realm.

"According to the records in the notes left by the First Ancestor, this world is wrapped in an invisible boundary wall. That boundary wall is exceptionally sturdy and cannot be shaken by anything less than the power of the Dao Embryo Realm."

A glimmer of thought flashed in Gu Changsheng's eyes.

This vaguely matched the records he had seen in the "Ancient Records".

The gap ten thousand years ago was indeed caused by someone tampering with the rules of the world, preventing the Golden Core from ascending to the Dao Embryo.

And the First Ancestor of the Solemn Gold Palace had taken an extreme path, forcibly breaking through the boundary to leave.

"Since he has left, did he leave anything for you?"

Gu Changsheng's tone was calm, but the meaning behind his words was clear.

Bai Gengzi was a smart man and naturally understood.

He looked at the youth in green robes sitting above and sighed silently in his heart.

He had already learned of the fate of the Qingsong Daoist Academy.

The old ghost of Qingsong thought his schemes were unparalleled, but in the end, he could not even see through the other party's Clone, resulting in his Dao dissipating, his death, and the destruction of his Sect.

The True Monarch Yanqing before him had now stepped into that legendary Realm.

The Dao Embryo.

In this era where the Golden Core is the Peak, a living powerhouse of the Dao Embryo Realm represents absolute destructive power.

The heritage of the Solemn Gold Palace was indeed profound, and its Sect-protecting formation was extremely strong, but in front of a Dao Embryo who could command the Laws, these things appeared somewhat pale.

"When the First Ancestor left, he did indeed leave behind a trump card."

Bai Gengzi did not hide it; he knew very well that in the face of absolute power, lies had no meaning.

"It is a Talisman, named 'Immortal Slayer'."

Gu Changsheng raised his eyebrows.

"Immortal Slayer Talisman?"

"Yes."

Bai Gengzi answered directly.

"Before his departure, the First Ancestor extracted thirty percent of his own Origin, combined it with a wisp of Dao Embryo power, and spent a hundred years refining this killing Talisman."

"Once this Talisman is activated, it can unleash a Geng Metal Sword Qi equivalent to a strike from a Cultivator in the Dao Embryo Realm Early Stage. Even an existence of the same rank, if caught off guard, would be severely injured."

The great hall fell into silence for a moment.

The several Purple Mansion Elders waiting outside the hall skipped a beat when they heard this.

That was the Sect-protecting treasure that the Solemn Gold Palace had passed down for ten thousand years, and it was their greatest source of confidence in standing at the Peak of the Eastern Wasteland.

Now, the Sect Leader had actually revealed it so easily.

Gu Changsheng looked at Bai Gengzi and said indifferently: "Since you have said it, you should understand my purpose. Do you think I would allow such an item that could threaten me to remain in the Solemn Gold Palace?"

Bai Gengzi gave a bitter smile.

"This Junior naturally understands."

He raised his head, looked directly at Gu Changsheng, and spoke earnestly: "The path of the Sword Cultivator emphasizes being unyielding. But as the Sect Leader of the Solemn Gold Palace, what I carry on my shoulders is the Sect's Legacy and the lives of thirty thousand Disciples."

"Although the Immortal Slayer Talisman is strong, it can only be used once. If I were to insist on activating this Talisman, perhaps I could inflict some minor injuries on you, Senior, but what about afterwards?"

"Once the Talisman is spent, my Solemn Gold Palace cannot withstand your anger, Senior. By then, the Dao lineage would be severed, the Sect destroyed, and I would be the eternal sinner of the Solemn Gold Palace."

"Using a Talisman that cannot be reused to exchange for the continuation of the Sect's ten-thousand-year Legacy—this account, I can calculate clearly."

Bai Gengzi said this reasonably and logically, without any flattery, nor appearing overly weak.

This was just a qualified Sect Leader making the most rational trade-off when facing an irresistible disaster.

Gu Changsheng looked at him and nodded slightly.

"You are smarter than Qingsong."

"The old ghost of Qingsong was blinded by greed, always thinking of scheming for things that did not belong to him, and in the end, he even dragged his Sect into it."

"Since you have thought it through, hand over the Talisman."

Bai Gengzi closed his eyes and quickly formed seals with his hands in front of his chest.

At his Dantian, a blinding silver-white light began to shine.

Accompanied by this light, an extremely sharp Sword Qi rose within the great hall, and the surrounding air seemed to be cut into countless fragments.

Bai Gengzi let out a muffled groan, and a trace of blood flowed from the corner of his mouth.

This Talisman had been nurtured in his Dantian for over a thousand years and had long since developed a connection with his Origin. Now, forcibly stripping it away caused no small damage to his Golden Core.

A moment later, a palm-sized, silver-white metal Talisman flew out from his mouth and hovered in mid-air.

The surface of the Talisman was covered with dense sword patterns, and every line exuded a heart-stopping killing aura.

Bai Gengzi held the Talisman with both hands and offered it forward.

"Please accept it, Senior."

Gu Changsheng flicked his finger, and a strand of cyan-gold True Qi transformed into a rope, coiling around the silver-white Talisman and bringing it over.

The moment the Talisman was in his hand, an extremely sharp Geng Metal Sword Qi burrowed along his fingertips, attempting to tear his flesh.

Gu Changsheng let out a cold snort, and the primordial wood Law in his palm operated. The cyan-gold light flared, instantly suppressing that sharp Qi.

Sweeping his Divine Sense through the interior of the Talisman, he indeed felt a fluctuation of Laws different from that of the Golden Core Stage.

It was a pure Metal-type Law that existed solely for slaughter.

Putting away the Talisman, Gu Changsheng looked at Bai Gengzi and asked again: "When the First Ancestor left, besides this Talisman, did he leave any instructions?"

Bai Gengzi adjusted the chaotic True Qi in his body and replied in a low voice: "The First Ancestor only left one sentence."

"Beyond the heavens is not a Pure Land; do not force it."

Gu Changsheng recited this sentence in his heart, deep in thought.

Beyond the heavens is not a Pure Land.

Since it is not a Pure Land, why insist on going?

However, these were not things he needed to consider for the time being.

"I understand."

Gu Changsheng stood up, his grey Daoist robe swaying slightly.

He did not look at Bai Gengzi again; his figure on the main seat gradually became transparent and finally disappeared completely.

He did not trigger any spatial fluctuations, nor did he leave behind any aura, as if he had never appeared at all.

Only after Gu Changsheng left did the mountain-like heavy pressure in the great hall completely dissipate.

Bai Gengzi's body swayed, and he nearly fell to the ground.

He used his hand to support himself on the ground, panting heavily, sweat from his forehead dripping onto the white jade bricks.

Although he had acted rationally enough, facing a Dao Embryo Realm powerhouse with unfathomable strength, he had walked on the edge of the gates of hell.

"Sect Leader!"

"Sect Leader, are you alright?"

The several Purple Mansion Elders outside the hall saw this, rushed in, and helped Bai Gengzi up.

Their expressions were equally ugly, and their eyes were filled with lingering fear.

"The Immortal Slayer Talisman... did you really give it to him?"

An older Elder looked at Bai Gengzi, his voice trembling with a hint of unwillingness.

Bai Gengzi pushed away the hands supporting him, stood steady, and shot a cold glance at the Elder.

"If I didn't give it, would you still be able to stand here and question me now?"

The Elder was instantly speechless, lowered his head, and dared not speak again.

Bai Gengzi looked at the empty square outside the hall and the scattered fragments of spiritual swords that littered the ground due to the destruction of the Sect-protecting formation, and sighed deeply.

"Pass down the order."

Bai Gengzi's voice became exceptionally serious.

"Effective immediately, close the mountain gate of the Solemn Gold Palace."

"Activate the 'Heaven-Closing and Earth-Locking Formation', decline all guests, and immediately recall all Disciples training outside."

Upon hearing this, the expressions of the several Elders changed.

"Sect Leader, close the mountain gate? What about the interests in the Eastern Wasteland..."

"If your life is gone, what use is there for interests?"

Bai Gengzi interrupted the Elder, his tone brooking no rebuttal.

"The Qingsong Daoist Academy has been destroyed, and the landscape of the Eastern Wasteland has completely changed. That Immortal Lord Protracting Purity has reached a height we cannot hope to match; if he wants the Eastern Wasteland, no one can stop him."

"What we need to do now is to avoid his sharp edge and preserve the Sect."

"Go and carry it out."

Bai Gengzi waved his sleeve and turned to walk towards the back hall, his back appearing somewhat weary.