Chapter 548 - 13: The Human Emperor’s Bequest, God Lu Xuan

Ancient Times, the Era of the Three Emperors.

Lu Xuan strode deep into the Nine Nether and gazed silently. A peerlessly beautiful woman was curled up, sobbing, her eyes red and swollen.

A profound light flickered in his eyes as he perceived all that had happened before and after. He understood what the Lady had just experienced, and a complex mix of emotions welled up in his heart, causing a faint ache.

Taiyi appeared beside Lu Xuan at some unknown point and said faintly:

"I told you there was nothing worth seeing. Do you still wish to change something? It’s unnecessary. It’s meaningless. You could even say..."

He spoke with deep meaning:

"If not for the Goddess’s experience, your birth would never have come to pass..."

Lu Xuan’s brow furrowed. He shot Taiyi an indifferent glance and suddenly asked:

"Taiyi, what is it you truly want?"

"What I want?"

The indistinct figure of Taiyi chuckled and began to speak slowly and deliberately:

"It’s simple. I want to help you achieve the Fake Dao Fruit, and even the Dao Fruit itself. Then, I will use you to complete myself... I will eventually return to the state of Only I Am Venerable."

"Use me to complete you?"

Lu Xuan said calmly:

"You and I are not one. How can there be any talk of completion?"

"Indeed, you and I are not one, but..." Taiyi lowered his gaze and said slowly, "we are both an Innate Uncertain Number. Your master should have told you this."

Lu Xuan remained noncommittal. The Heaven-Opening Banner in his hand suddenly shook, and the Four Immortal Slaying Swords hummed in unison.

Caught completely off guard, and with the concept of time being faint deep within the Nine Nether, Taiyi had no time to react before he was hammered out of the void and fell into the physical world.

As fate would have it, he appeared right in front of the peerlessly beautiful woman who was sobbing quietly.

"Taiyi!!"

She moved to strike, her fists raised hysterically, but then she froze.

"You..."

The peerlessly beautiful woman stared at Taiyi, whose expression was utterly foul. Her eyes saw through everything, encompassed everything, and perceived everything.

Her eyelids twitched, and she sighed softly.

"So that’s how it is."

Huh??

From within the void, three question marks appeared above Lu Xuan’s head.

The next moment, he saw the Lady raise her fists and hammer Taiyi into the depths, one punch after another. Taiyi roared in anger as the blood of an Ancient One splattered everywhere!

’That’s more like it...’

Satisfied, Lu Xuan smiled faintly. He left his footprint and imprint in this era, then his figure plunged back into the River of Time, continuing further into the past.

He appeared under a Bodhi Tree where Shakyamuni was sitting, gazing at Celestial Emperor Fu Xi in the far distance.

Lu Xuan bowed respectfully to Shakyamuni and strode forward, intending to meet Celestial Emperor Fu Xi, but the latter merely gave him a slight nod before his figure dissipated.

’Fu Xi... is avoiding me?’

After a moment of contemplation, Lu Xuan traveled to the end of the Era of the Three Emperors to find the other two Human Emperors. He found them on an island in the East Sea.

"Lu Xuan, a junior of the Human Race from the Supreme Lineage of Profound Clarity, pays his respects to the two Sage Forebears."

He bowed formally. An old man tilling a field and an old gentleman fishing both glanced over, warm smiles appearing on their faces.

The old man tilling the field nodded slightly.

"Fellow Daoist Profound Clarity, what brings you here?"

Lu Xuan maintained his formal bow.

"I’ve come to ask you two seniors to come out of seclusion."

"Come out of seclusion..."

Shennong, shouldering his hoe, thought for a moment. He nodded, then shook his head and said with a smile:

"The time is not yet right. I am currently undergoing a tribulation in the era of the Late Han Dynasty, so there is not much I can do to help you. However..."

His tone shifted.

"Fellow Daoist Profound Clarity, your attempt to attain Daluo is all but guaranteed to succeed. But attaining Daluo is only the first step. You still have the steps of becoming an Artifact Holder and reaching the Supreme to walk..."

Xuanyuan, who had just caught a Demon Saint Level fish, also glanced over with a smile.

"During the Spring and Autumn Years, Fellow Daoist Profound Clarity brought enlightenment, punished the Celestial Court, and set the Human Race on the right path. You have performed great deeds for our race. It is only right that we two old fellows give you a gift."

As he spoke, Xuanyuan raised a hand and sent a longsword floating over.

On one side of the blade were engravings of the sun, moon, and stars; on the other, mountains, rivers, and plants.

On one side of the hilt were inscribed the arts of agriculture and animal husbandry; on the other, the strategy for unifying the Four Seas!

Shennong also raised his palm, and a great cauldron flew over. The cauldron nurtured the life force of all things, glowing a vibrant green and accompanied by the profound principles of heaven and earth.

The moment it appeared, the fragrance of ten thousand herbs flooded the air and rushed into Lu Xuan’s nostrils.

This pure herbal fragrance was exceptionally unique. It began to refine his Physique bit by bit, actually improving his body, which was already at the Daluo Level!

"This..." He was astonished and was just about to ask a question,

when he saw Shennong say with a smile:

"These are the Shennong Cauldron and the Xuanyuan Sword. Both are the Dao Artifacts wielded by us two old fellows. We are now just one step away from the Supreme level,

so these Dao Artifacts are no longer useful to us. It is better to gift them to you, Fellow Daoist."

Xuanyuan also smiled, baited his hook again, and cast his line.

"Fellow Daoist, you can use these Dao Artifacts to suppress your enemies, or you can use them to study and forge your own magnificent Dao Artifact. Either is fine."

Lu Xuan held the Shennong Cauldron in one hand and the Xuanyuan Sword in the other. Feeling the terrifying power within each, his expression became solemn.

"Thank you, two seniors, for your gifts!"

"Why be so formal?" Shennong glanced over. "In later ages, the Human Race has fallen into decline. Perhaps you, Fellow Daoist, can shoulder the great burden. After the Three Emperors, our Human Race may finally have another Daluo."

Lu Xuan’s expression was grave. He first acknowledged this, then asked:

"Seniors, may I ask why Celestial Emperor Fu Xi... avoids me?"

"He is not avoiding you."

Xuanyuan answered casually.

"He told the two of us that now is not the time to meet you. The time is not right... He asked us to tell you that when you Cast your Dao Artifact, he will also have a great gift for you."

Lu Xuan frowned. He felt that Celestial Emperor Fu Xi was acting very strangely. He sensed something was wrong but couldn’t put his finger on it...

After some thought, he landed on the island and asked the two seniors for guidance on many aspects of the Dao and its principles. He particularly inquired about the Dharma and strategies for governing and strengthening the Human Race before finally taking his leave.

"If a time of crisis comes, you may return, and the two of us will intervene."

The two ancient Human Emperors said as they saw him off with a nod.

Lu Xuan said nothing, merely performing a deep, solemn bow before departing. He continued to trace back through time, leaving the mark of "Lu Xuan" upon Ancient History.

After meeting the two Emperors, he traveled to the day the heavens collapsed and the earth sundered, watching the historical imprint of Wa Huang mending the sky.

Lu Xuan thought for a moment, then took action to protect many of the Human Race. He even invoked the Celestial and Earthly Laws, transforming into an Infinite Giant to hold up a piece of the collapsing firmament and block a vast flood.

Countless ancient humans prostrated themselves in worship. An old man walked forward, trembling, and knelt to ask:

"May I be so bold as to ask your name?"

The Infinite Giant holding up the mighty Celestial Vault and blocking the vast flood glanced over and nodded slightly.

"Lu Xuan."

His historical imprint and footprints in this period of the Years suddenly deepened.

He then went to the time of Nuwa creating humanity, a broad smile on his face as he watched the first clay figure, named Xuandu, being molded.

Further back he went, to the most ancient of ages, now just a hair’s breadth from The Beginning of Ancient Times. In the Celestial Vault, one Great Sun after another was being extinguished.

He could see Taiyi catching the suns and swallowing them whole. Finally, he grabbed a grief-stricken Xiaohuo’Er and, bite by bite, tore him apart, chewed, and swallowed!

In the middle of swallowing, Taiyi seemed to sense something. He glanced at Sakyamuni Buddha and asked with a smile:

"Fellow Daoist, is there something I can help you with?"

Shakyamuni shook his head and turned to leave.

Taiyi then glanced at Lu Xuan and let out a satisfied belch.

"Profound Clarity, I helped you achieve Daluo, yet you schemed against me. You are not good, not good at all!"

Lu Xuan glanced at the Candle Dragon prostrated at Taiyi’s feet, then said indifferently:

"Devouring your brother, consuming your nephew... Heh."

Lu Xuan ignored Taiyi and turned to leave, but Taiyi called out to him.

"The deeper the footprints and imprints you leave in Ancient History, the stronger you will be after attaining Daluo. And that is not the way to leave footprints and imprints..."

He paused, then said with a grin:

"Meeting the Three Emperors was a decent move, and your actions during the mending of the sky were acceptable. But you merely watched as Wa Huang created humanity. If you also just stand by and watch here in this most ancient place, your path to Daluo will be fraught with hardship..."

Lu Xuan frowned, glanced at Taiyi, and asked coolly:

"What are you planning?"

Taiyi seemed unconcerned and simply let out a loud laugh.

"My Ancient Celestial Court has just been established. Although I walk the path of Only I Am Venerable, I don’t mind sharing a portion of my authority with another who is destined to complete me..."

After a pause, he said with indifference:

"In the future, the stronger you become, the more I will gain after devouring you... Hear my decree."

Taiyi’s voice was like a great bell, resonating throughout the Celestial Realms, all ages, and All Realms. It transformed into the majestic sound of the Great Dao, permeating all of creation.

"I am Donghuang Taiyi! Today, Celestial Emperor Jun has lost the Dao. I have smote him, abolished the first Celestial Court, and established the Ancient Celestial Court!

"Today, the Ancient Celestial Court is established! I am its Celestial Emperor! I hereby confer the title of Celestial Court God upon the Supreme Profound Clarity Daoist Monarch, Lu Xuan Daoist, to stand alongside me!"

As the final word fell, Lu Xuan’s historical imprint in this period of the Years deepened abruptly, making his role irreplaceable!

Celestial Court God!

Supreme! The greatest of all!

Feeling the immense power of heaven and earth converging upon him, feeling the profound and mysterious authority of the Celestial Realm,

Lu Xuan’s brow furrowed deeply...

’What in the world is wrong with this Taiyi?’

’Is he really so certain he can devour me?’

Just as a thousand thoughts raced through Lu Xuan’s mind, he saw the Buddha Mother of this era approach, her expression dark.

"Taiyi, I require an explanation."

Taiyi smiled.

"An explanation? I have said it before: Supreme Profound Clarity is a prize in my pocket, and you are not to interfere. He must achieve Daluo. By obstructing him from attaining the Daluo Fruit Position, you are severing my path forward."

The Buddha Mother gave him a deep look and snorted coldly.

"Taiyi, oh, Taiyi. You are too much of a gambler. If you lose this bet, I’d like to see how you’ll clean up your mess!"

Taiyi replied with a smile:

"You needn’t worry yourself, Buddha Mother. All of this..."

He stretched out his hand and clenched it into a fist.

"Everything is under my control."

The Buddha Mother turned and left.

Lu Xuan gazed at the scene in the sky, at the wildly laughing Donghuang Taiyi, and suddenly understood what his master had once told him.

’Taiyi was the first in all of history to walk the path of Only I Am Venerable. It’s a pity he took one wrong step, otherwise...’

Lu Xuan’s heart trembled slightly. This East Emperor was excessively proud, and just as the Buddha Mother had said, a great gambler, absolutely certain that he could devour him in the future...

’But is he not afraid of breaking his own teeth?’

Lu Xuan stared at Taiyi, recalling the scene of Xiaohuo’Er being chewed and swallowed. He snorted coldly and departed.

Taiyi called out loudly:

"God Lu Xuan, if you do not attain Daluo now, then when?"

Lu Xuan didn’t slow his pace. He walked to the very limit of the Years, knocked gently on its gateway, and called out:

"Second... Martial... Uncle!"

The Blind Daoist, seated at an infinite height, lowered his gaze. With a light point of his finger, The Beginning of Ancient Times opened to Lu Xuan.

This was the first time he had entered this place openly, under his own identity as Lu Xuan.

At that moment, Taiyi’s laughter came from behind him.

"Excellent, excellent! I’d forgotten about your relationship with the Primordial Great Celestial Venerable... To achieve Daluo at The Beginning of Ancient Times, wonderful, just wonderful..."

His laughter grew louder.

"I can foresee it now! Your path forward will be smooth, all the way until you are on the verge of the Dao Fruit. And in the end, you will fall into my belly. You and I will become one, stepping into the realm of Only I Am Venerable together! Wonderful..."

He didn’t get to finish his sentence.

"Noisy."

An Eight Trigrams Furnace fell from the sky. THUD! It smashed a certain newly-enthroned Celestial Emperor into a bloody pulp.

’Scheming in secret is one thing,’ Taishang thought, ’but to shout right in my face that you’re going to devour Xiaoxuan?’

His anger boiled over. He reached out, grabbed the pathetic-looking Taiyi, and dragged him into the Great Chaos, where he began to beat him relentlessly.

The Great Chaos trembled.

Lu Xuan glanced up, let out a slow breath, and walked into The Beginning of Ancient Times.

He had come for two reasons: to find the opportunity to Cast his Artifact, and to take someone away.

To be precise, to take away a spark of fire.