506: The Taoist Chengzu

At midnight, the Tan Family's ancestral land was silent.

Outside the "Profound Nether Palace" where the Sixth Old Ancestor was in secluded cultivation, the Disciple on duty suddenly noticed the warning bell hanging from the eaves automatically ringing without wind.

"Ding—"

Before the crisp sound of the bell could travel far, the entire palace suddenly trembled violently.

The Disciple on duty watched in horror as a strange golden light seeped out from the cracks in the doors and windows of the quiet room where the Sixth Old Ancestor was Cultivating.

Inside the quiet room, the Tan Family's Sixth Old Ancestor sat cross-legged on a futon, his face contorted.

A golden flame had, at some unknown point, invaded his Sea of Consciousness, transforming into thousands of fiery serpents gnawing at his Dao Soul.

Golden flames seeped from all seven orifices of this Half-Ancestor peak expert, and his natal Dao Artifact, the "Profound Nether Seal," spun wildly above his head, yet it was utterly unable to dispel this strange flame.

"Who... who exactly is it...?"

His Dao Soul surged left and right within his Sea of Consciousness, but it could not escape the encirclement of the golden fire net.

Just as his Dao Soul was about to be completely devoured, a vast and irresistible Dao thought suddenly intruded.

"Boom!"

That Dao thought transformed into a cyan cage, forcibly extracting the golden flame from his Sea of Consciousness.

In the last moment before losing consciousness, the Sixth Old Ancestor vaguely saw a blurry sun-wheel mark emerge within the flames... The Tan Family Old Ancestor, alerted by the commotion, arrived with eight Half-Ancestors and gathered by his bed.

The Sixth Old Ancestor opened his eyes blankly, completely unaware of the anomaly during the night, only thinking that he had suffered Qi Deviation during Cultivation.

Xu Qing stood with his hands behind his back in the clouds, gazing at the struggling golden fire seed imprisoned in his palm.

Deep within the flame, a unique Dao pattern faintly appeared.

This kind of fire seed was very peculiar; even a Dao Ancestor's Dao thought would find it difficult to detect, unless a special medicinal liquid, refined from the essence blood of the Scarlet Bright Spirit Turtle that lives in the Xu River, combined with other auxiliary materials, was applied to the eyes to perceive this golden fire seed.

However, the Scarlet Bright Spirit Turtle becomes a Dao Ancestor upon reaching adulthood and usually lives in the depths of the Xu River, making it very difficult to find.

"Has the Eclipse Sun Plan already infiltrated the Eighty-First Fortress City?"

Xu Qing had already known about the Eclipse Sun Plan when he returned, having spent family points to inquire about it.

He also knew that the source of the Eclipse Sun Plan was Fallen Star Ancient City.

"Fallen Star Ancient City..."

He suddenly recalled the anomaly he had detected over a hundred years ago; perhaps the Eclipse Sun Plan had already begun at that time.

A sword Dao power appeared on his fingertip, completely sealing the fire seed, and then, along with the method of discovering it, he transmitted it to Xu Song using the eternal clan token.

Xu Song immediately sent a message back. Upon receiving Xu Qing's order, he dared not delay and promptly handed the item to Zhan Tian Dao Ancestor, who then presented it to Earth Sovereign.

Soon, Xu Qing received a reply from Earth Sovereign.

"Understood!"

Although it was just three simple words, Xu Qing already understood that Earth Sovereign was preparing to concoct a plan targeting the Eclipse Sun.

Otherwise, Earth Sovereign would not have this attitude, but would instead send powerful experts to Fallen Star Ancient City to eliminate future troubles.

Xu Qing looked at the golden fire seeds appearing in the city through his eyes and chose to close them.

Since Earth Sovereign already had an idea, he would not stir up trouble again.

As for the beings in the city, since there were no Xu Family members, he would not feel distressed.

The weak have never had a choice in their fate; they are born as pawns for the strong!

Including him, Xu Qing!

At least for now... The entire fortress city was still asleep; no one knew that on this night, the first tendril of a conspiracy capable of engulfing the Eternal Immortal Domain had just been severed.

Fallen Star Ancient City, on the Star-Gazing Platform.

The golden sun-wheel mark on Starfall Ancestor's brow flickered, and he suddenly opened his eyes, a hint of surprise appearing on his aged face.

"Hmm?"

Old Ancestor Yue Shi, who was deducing a star map, noticed the anomaly and looked up.

He saw a wisp of golden flame, on the verge of extinguishing, coalescing on Starfall Ancestor's fingertip, flickering in the night wind.

"What is it?" Old Ancestor Yue Shi spoke hoarsely, his face under the black robe indistinct.

Starfall Ancestor stared at the residual flame in his palm, his golden pupils slightly contracting: "That Half-Ancestor level fire seed sent to the Eighty-First Fortress City... it extinguished."

"Oh?" Old Ancestor Yue Shi chuckled softly, his withered fingers continuing to draw on the star map, "A mere Half-Ancestor level flame, if it's extinguished, then it's extinguished."

Starfall Ancestor frowned deeply: "But that Tan Family Sixth Old Ancestor is just an ordinary Half-Ancestor. Logically speaking..."

"Though the fire seed is strong, it's not invincible." Old Ancestor Yue Shi interrupted carelessly, "If it encountered a supreme treasure specifically countering Dao Souls, or if that old fellow had some life-saving methods hidden, failure is not surprising."

As he spoke, he lightly tapped a spot on the star map, and the golden starlight immediately vanished without a trace: "Anyway, once a fire seed fails in Possession, it self-destructs and dissipates, leaving no traces. You're overthinking it."

Starfall Ancestor stood with his hands behind his back at the edge of the Star-Gazing Platform, his dark golden Dao robe fluttering in the night wind.

His profound gaze remained fixed on the direction of the Eighty-First Fortress City, and the sun-wheel mark on his brow occasionally glowed faintly.

The star river in that direction was calm, and the Luck was normal, with no anomalies.

"Perhaps..."

He finally withdrew his gaze, and the golden sun-wheel mark once again disappeared into the depths of his wrinkles.

However, he was still cautious!

For three consecutive nights, he secretly sensed the fire seeds scattered throughout the fortress city.

The Tan Family mansion, the various merchant caravan outposts, and even the side hall of the City Lord's Mansion... The dozens of other fire seeds were all safe and sound, still slowly eroding the hosts' Dao Souls according to the predetermined plan.

"It seems I was indeed overthinking it."

At dawn on the fourth day, Starfall Ancestor finally withdrew his gaze, his tense face relaxing slightly.

As he turned, he saw several star-patterned swallows building nests under the eaves in the morning light, a scene of peace and harmony.

Old Ancestor Yue Shi was standing by a corridor pillar at some unknown time, his withered fingers teasing a star-patterned swallow: "How is it?"

Starfall Ancestor shook his head and gave a self-deprecating smile: "Indeed, as you said, it was just an accident."

With a flick of his sleeve, the warning Formation on the Star-Gazing Platform quietly disappeared, "It seems I made a mountain out of a molehill."

"It's always good to be cautious." Old Ancestor Yue Shi chuckled sinisterly.

The morning breeze swept across the Star-Gazing Platform, leaving only the flowing star map, and no one mentioned the extinguished flame again.

In the blink of an eye, two hundred years passed.

In the Qiankun Great World, within the River of Time spanning 2.4 million years, Xu Qing's main body had always sat cross-legged atop the Qiankun Ancestral Vein, his body entwined with billions of Qi and blood chains.

On this day, the entire Great World suddenly trembled.

"Rumble—"

Countless star systems simultaneously lit up with dazzling light, and all living beings looked up at the sky in terror.

They saw that at the core of the world, that majestic figure suddenly opened his eyes, and scenes of creation seemed to flow within them.

"Crack!"

The first crack appeared on Xu Qing's body, followed by the second, the third... In an instant, his Dao Body, which had been refined for over two million years, was covered in cracks like porcelain.

But strangely, not a single drop of blood flowed out—what spewed from every crack was Chaos Qi, solidified like substance!

"No destruction, no creation..."

Xu Qing's voice echoed in the Void Realm, and his cracked body suddenly exploded.

Countless stars dimmed simultaneously, as if the light of the entire world had been swallowed by some existence.

The next moment, dazzling golden light burst forth from the shattered flesh and blood.

A new, jade-like Dao Body reassembled in the Chaos, every inch of skin imprinted with Innate Dao patterns, every drop of blood containing the mighty power of creation.

When the last wisp of Chaos Qi was absorbed into his body—

"Thump!"

A heart-thumping sound that shook the ages resounded throughout the Great World.

Xu Qing's completely new Dao Body took shape. With every gesture, the surrounding Void Realm automatically evolved into earth, water, fire, and wind.

This was a true Undying Dao Body; even if it were shattered into dust, it could instantly reassemble!

"It's still not enough..."

Xu Qing suddenly clenched his fist and struck his own chest.

This punch contained his lifelong Body Refining insights, actually shattering his newly formed Dao Body once again.

But this time, the shattered flesh and blood did not dissipate, but transformed into billions of stars suspended in the Void Realm, each star depicting a different Body Refining Dao.

"Condense!"

As the Dao sound fell, all the stars suddenly collapsed. When the light dissipated, Xu Qing's figure reappeared.

At this moment, his aura had completely transformed; the pores all over his body were exhaling and inhaling Chaos, and each breath and exhalation caused the myriad heavens to resonate.

"This is... Body Dao becoming an Ancestor!"

He gently clenched his fist, and pure waves of power spread out, instantly extinguishing the three closest stars.

Without the need for any Dao techniques or Divine Ability, the power of his Physical Body alone was enough to suppress an ordinary Dao Ancestor!