Chapter 295: He Will Definitely Fail!

Wang Ping kept his head bowed low.

Deep within his sea of consciousness, all his talismans activated almost on their own, guarding his mind as if facing a formidable enemy while silently sensing that magnificent power from a higher dimension.

A third True Person!

'True Person Hanguang Danyang, the Mysterious Wood Qi Daoist Master, and now this Daoist Master Xuanxiao Yingyuan before me... He must be the one who helped me travel to the Brahma Nation?'

Wang Ping pondered.

Beyond that, one thing still deeply concerned him: the inexplicable haze in his memories had not lifted upon seeing this man.

'It isn't him.'

Though he could not remember the specifics, Wang Ping knew he had erased this memory himself. He would only be able to recall it upon meeting a certain person.

'It most likely involves a True Person as well... And since the memory has not resurfaced now, it means it has nothing to do with Daoist Master Xuanxiao Yingyuan, who stands behind Xianfu. If that is the case, the Immortal Gate True Persons participating in this Immortal-Brahma Sword Battle are likely not just three, but a full four!'

Thinking of this, Wang Ping became even more respectful.

A second later, a voice rang out in the hall. Surprisingly, no mystical visions accompanied it; it sounded as ordinary as a Mortal speaking:

"Rise. There is no need for such formalities."

"It is already excellent that you, little friend, are willing to submit to Xianfu and serve as a minister. I will naturally watch over Danyang for you; he has just been played for a fool."

His laughter was bright and clear; he seemed to be in a very good mood.

Wang Ping, however, did not dare relax in the slightest. He kept his head lowered and said in a deep voice, "May I ask, Senior, where might you have need of this disciple?"

Nothing in this world came for free.

Since Daoist Master Xuanxiao Yingyuan had come out to see him, it could not possibly be just to offer a few words of praise. So, Wang Ping simply spoke directly:

"If you have an order, I will not refuse even if it means ten thousand deaths."

"I only hope that Senior will show compassion to a lowly cultivator and point this disciple toward a clear path, sparing me the suffering of having my Dao severed and being locked down by Divine Powers. This disciple would be eternally grateful."

With that, a heavy thud echoed.

He knelt and kowtowed.

The entire motion was smooth and unbroken. Wang Ping felt no hesitation in his heart. They said a man's knees were made of gold, and right now was the time to cash it in!

For a moment, the hall fell dead silent.

After a long while, the Daoist Master's voice drifted down once more. "You certainly trust me. You must have already guessed that I have a use for you."

"But your guess is absolutely correct."

Daoist Master Xuanxiao Yingyuan chuckled lightly, then suddenly shifted the topic. "Why do you think Xianfu helped you blanket the entire Great Shun with the Ten Thousand Gods Terrestrial Chart?"

"Because of my identity in the Great Rebellion!"

Wang Ping kept his head down and answered with certainty.

"The Ten Thousand Gods Terrestrial Chart is inherently tied to the Great Rebellion. By having it cover the Eight Trigrams Furnace—the old lands of the Great Rebellion—it forces my connection to this identity to grow even tighter."

At these words, even the Daoist Master in the seat of honor was somewhat surprised. He paused for a moment before sighing in admiration.

"Truly an exceptional talent."

"You are smart. Truly smart. Realizing this saves me quite a bit of breath... Yes, everything revolves around your Great Rebellion identity."

"Danyang wants it, and so do we."

"That was why Mingyou had you find a way to cover Great Shun with the Ten Thousand Gods Terrestrial Chart, and why Xianfu actively cooperated with you... But moving forward, our paths diverge."

Hearing this, Wang Ping finally spoke up in a low voice.

"May I ask, Senior, what does Danyang... what does that True Person want?"

"What does he want?"

Daoist Master Xuanxiao Yingyuan laughed. "At his level, what else could he possibly want? Naturally, he dreams of taking one step further and cultivating to the True Monarch Pinnacle Station."

"As for the details, those are not for you to know."

"Because you are too weak."

The Daoist Master's voice was utterly calm. "Even if I were willing to tell you, your body would explode and you would die halfway through hearing it. Knowing matters of such high cultivation is not necessarily a good thing."

"If your cultivation is insufficient, then virtue unsuited to position inevitably brings disaster."

"However, I can tell you my own intentions. That is to use Xianfu's hands to return the human-yang wood, the Profound Firmament Governance-Bestowing Talisman-Wielding Qi, back into the world's natural sequence."

"The details are also quite simple. Xianfu has already taken control of Great Shun, and he has acquired the countless deities you enlightened using the Ten Thousand Gods Terrestrial Chart. Once the Immortal-Brahma Sword Battle arrives and enough destiny is secured, Xianfu will hold a grand ascension ceremony. He will ascend with his entire court, transforming this mortal dynasty into a heavenly immortal court."

Rumble!

This time, the voice from the seat of honor was no longer ordinary. Instead, it triggered a resonance with the world's qi. Layer upon layer of mystical visions manifested, illustrating the exact scene he described.

"From then on, forsaking the mortal realm entirely."

"Unlike mortal dynasties, the operation of a heavenly immortal court will no longer have any connection to mortals. What it governs will be the preservation of mountains and rivers, and the movement of the sun, moon, and stars."

"Through this great merit, the imagery of the Profound Firmament Governance-Bestowing Talisman-Wielding Qi will also transform, breaking away from the qi of humanity to return to the natural sequence of heaven and earth."

Hearing this, Wang Ping already had an answer in his heart.

'No wonder. No wonder Xianfu stated earlier that he could support either Mingyou or Tianxing. Indeed, his goal doesn't conflict with either of theirs.'

Tianxing, the Heaven-Stealing Thief, and Kunlun—these three aimed to overthrow Great Shun, return the Mid-Heaven Orthodox Origin Blended Harmony Qi to the human station, and once again eradicate the Heavenly Craft Supreme Yang Nine Smeltings Qi. Mingyou supported the former but opposed the latter... Regardless of which side won, it had nothing to do with the Profound Firmament Governance-Bestowing Talisman-Wielding Qi.

If one had to point out an overlap, it was the destruction of Great Shun.

But for Xianfu, his ultimate goal was to ascend with his entire court and abandon the mortal realm. When that time came, it wouldn't matter whether the mortal Great Shun Dynasty was destroyed or not.

'Huh? Wait...'

Thinking of this, Wang Ping suddenly frowned. 'The original return of the Mid-Heaven Orthodox Origin Blended Harmony Qi to the world's natural sequence seemed to be the result of the Immortal Prescription Courtyard's scheming in the first place.'

'With all these maneuvers, letting the Mid-Heaven Orthodox Origin Blended Harmony Qi return to the human station while the Profound Firmament Governance-Bestowing Talisman-Wielding Qi leaves it... they have not gained anything at all.'

Based on the Immortal Gate's typical style, this was practically a loss!

'The schemes laid out by the Immortal Gate's high-level cultivators against lower-level ones—like Mingyou targeting me previously—have always been about winning on all fronts. How could they possibly allow themselves to suffer a loss?'

Therefore, there was only one answer.

Realizing this, Wang Ping raised his head and said in a low voice, "Tianxing, the Heaven-Stealing Thief, Kunlun... Senior and Senior Brother Xianfu are merely pretending to cooperate with them."

"In truth, Senior will not allow the Nether Earth to reappear in the human station!"

"It is not quite that absolute."

The Daoist Master in the seat of honor chuckled. "It is just preferable not to. But if Gan Wujiu truly has the capability, giving him a human Nether Earth is no big deal."

"However, you..."

At this point, the Daoist Master shifted his tone. "My demand of you is very simple. Serve Xianfu well. Do not be a rebellious minister. When Xianfu ascends with his court in the future, you will naturally have a share of the merit. You can use that to transition into a Corpse Dissolution Immortal of the Profound Firmament Governance-Bestowing Talisman-Wielding Qi, roaming freely through the mortal world forever after."

"A Corpse Dissolution Immortal..." Wang Ping frowned.

"Unlike Corpse Dissolution Immortals of other heavenly and earthly qi, the Profound Firmament Governance-Bestowing Talisman-Wielding Qi—human-yang wood—favors ministers. Taking this path will still leave you with a vast and promising Dao."

Wang Ping lowered his eyelids, hiding the gloom in his eyes.

It was true that human-yang wood favored ministers. If he became a Corpse Dissolution Immortal of this qi as a minister, his cultivation could still improve as long as he followed his sovereign lord.

But if that was the case—

'What difference is there from the Brahma Cultivators!'

After all, in both cases, there would always be someone pressing down on his head. He wouldn't have autonomy over his own cultivation and Divine Powers. If he had to choose to be a Corpse Dissolution Immortal of the human-yang wood, he might as well just defect to the Brahma Nation.

At least Great Monk Bukong had offered him the position of an Ascetic Monk!

He had braved the risk to meet a True Person to ask if there was any method other than the Heavenly Yin Metal, but the other party had merely offered him this path. Wang Ping felt deeply disappointed.

Thinking of this, Wang Ping no longer inquired about his path, instead proactively changing the subject. "May I ask, Senior, do you know the True Person who was supporting this lowly cultivator earlier?"

"The Xun Trigram?"

At this, the Daoist Master in the seat of honor suddenly went silent. He seemed to be pondering something, or perhaps enduring something. After a long while, he chuckled lightly and said:

"Of course I do."

"Tianqu. Danyang eventually recognized him as well. A remnant of the Great Rebellion, a qi-ingesting practitioner from those days... To think he secretly cultivated to become a True Person and lived to this day."

"Why? Do you still want to see him?"

The Daoist Master's tone turned somewhat playful. "It doesn't matter. After all, he cultivates the Xun Trigram, so he can be considered part of my Wood Qi Lineage. Strictly speaking, he is not an outsider."

"The Immortal Gate has always been as accommodating as the sea taking in a hundred rivers. The Great Rebellion fell many years ago, and we can let bygones be bygones regarding the past. He should be hiding in his old Cave Abode right now. If you want to see him, it is simple: go to the Heavenly Craft Cave Abode that has already appeared in the world. He should be able to see you from there."

"If he truly wishes to see you, he will naturally reveal himself when the time comes."

"As for whether you want to use his hands to fight Danyang to the death, we don't care either." Clearly, the Daoist Master had already seen right through Wang Ping's thoughts.

Rather than cultivating to become some Corpse Dissolution Immortal, Wang Ping's resolve remained unshakeable: he wanted to reverse the entire situation, break through the lockdown of the Divine Powers, and seek a clear, unhindered Dao.

However—

"Here with me, you will always have a way out."

Saying this, a hint of warning finally slipped into Daoist Master Xuanxiao Yingyuan's voice. "Do not cut off this retreat yourself. You should understand."

"...This disciple understands."

"Step down."

As his voice fell, Wang Ping's figure vanished from the Unified Mind Hall, disappearing completely and leaving only Xianfu standing in the center of the grand hall.

The atmosphere was completely silent for a time.

Only after a long while did Xianfu let out a long sigh. "Daoist Master, I don't think he will believe your words. I can tell his Dao Heart has not wavered."

"Whether he believes it or not matters little."

The Daoist Master in the seat of honor chuckled. "He can go see that Tianqu. He can go see Tianxing, Mingyou, and Gan Wujiu. None of that matters."

"Because he will definitely fail."

"Danyang calculated it perfectly. A Tribulation Transcending Second Layer Cultivation cannot trigger destiny. Without a life tribulation, for a lowly cultivator, this situation is absolute, inescapable death!"

"Once he has met everyone, calculated everything, and uncovered all the truths, he will naturally come to his senses and obediently walk the path of retreat I gave him. His comprehension is quite good, and his shrewdness and scheming are sound. All he lacks is a background. He can still be considered a heaven-chosen genius, and in the future, he will surely be your capable minister."

At this, the Daoist Master finally turned to look.

Xianfu didn't dare to meet his gaze and hurriedly lowered his eyes. In his ears echoed a voice that was grander than thunder, deafening, and heart-palpitating:

"For your sake, we even compromised with Danyang."

"We risked the emergence of another True Monarch just to pave the way for you, Xianfu... You should understand. Now that things have reached this point, we will not accept failure."

"Do not bring ruin upon yourself."