Grandpa, times have changed.

Upon seeing the newcomer, Su Po's eyes narrowed, while Tian remained calm.

"Greetings, Heavenly Ancestor, Palace Master."

Xu Xing bowed.

"I wouldn't dare," Su Po returned the greeting.

The Sword Ancestor is now an enlightened being.

Those who attain enlightenment...

That was a great being on par with the Fourth Patriarch.

Although He is the current Palace Master of the Myriad Races Academy, He cannot accept even a single bow from an enlightened being.

Not to mention that the Heavenly Ancestor was also there.

"May I ask what brings you here, Sword Ancestor?"

Sword Ancestor has caused quite a stir in the Tai Xuan Realm recently, disturbing the peace of all the major domains, and He has also heard about it.

"Having just entered this realm, I am filled with many questions, so I have come to consult the Heavenly Ancestor and also to take a look at Hong." Xu Xing used the same old excuse.

I see……

Su Po had no doubts, after all, from any perspective, Xu Xing's statement was quite reasonable.

He didn't linger, bowed to the heavens, and then departed.

However, before leaving, he specifically told Xu Xing to visit him when he had time.

Not long after Su Po left.

"Come with me," Tian said calmly.

As he spoke, he walked to the side, and Xu Xing followed him, but was half a step behind.

We haven't gone very far yet.

What do you think of Su Po?

Xu Xing was taken aback by the inexplicable remark and didn't quite understand.

"Palace Master... possesses unparalleled foundation and perfect spiritual power. Among the many enlightened beings in the world, few can rival him."

That's no lie.

As the master of the Myriad Races Academy, Su Po is among the strongest in Dongzhen.

However, he has always lived a secluded life, so he is not as famous as Ji.

"How do you like it?"

Ok? !

What's the problem?
“If you like Him, why not become His Daoist partners?” Heavenly words were startling. “You have been traveling alone for many years, it’s time to have a companion.”

Xu Xing's lips twitched, and thinking of Hong's two Daoist partners, he felt even more speechless.

Is he addicted to pimping?
"You jest. I've only met the Palace Master a few times, so it's really inappropriate for us to become Daoist partners..."

"Feelings can be cultivated." Tian seemed quite enthusiastic about this. "I think Su Po is also very interested in you. How about we try getting to know each other first?"

"We'll see," Xu Xing said with a smile.

"..." Tian was silent for a while, then said, "Alright, you decide for yourself."

And so, Xu Xing and Tian gradually walked away.

Things are different now.

If Xu Xing were still at the Dongzhen Realm, he wouldn't have had any room to refuse.

Let alone refusing, from the moment the heavens spoke, the human race must immediately prepare for the grand ceremony and accomplish what the heavens spoke of with the highest standards.

Even in mortal dynasties, there's a saying: "Thunder and rain are all expressions of the emperor's grace!"

Not to mention the eternally existing, transcendent enlightened beings.

But now...

Xu Xing was also an enlightened being.

Having reached this point, we have gained considerable autonomy in certain matters.

……

……

after a while.

After dealing with Tian, ​​Xu Xing arrived at Hong's residence.

In the grand and luxurious ceremony, Hong sat at the head of the table, with a pot of wine and a wine cup filled with wine on the jade table in front of him.

He wore a long blue robe made of cloud-like mist, his white hair was simply tied up, and he held another wine cup in his hand, looking quite dashing.

However, he was listless and exuded a sense of dejection and lifelessness.

Upon noticing Xu Xing enter, he paused and put down his wine glass.

"coming."

Xu Xing walked straight to the opposite side of the jade table, sat down, picked up the wine cup in front of him, and drank it all in one gulp.

It is sweet and refreshing, with a mild alcoholic flavor.

"I heard that the Heavenly Ancestor intends for you and Su Po to become Daoist partners?" Hong asked sarcastically.

Xu Xing paused and put down his wine glass.

"It's just to give me more ties so they can control and blackmail me."

Hong's heart tightened.

no?!
Are you really that bold?
You just said that?
This is the Heavenly Realm Myriad Races Academy!
"Don't worry, He can't hear you."

He raised his hand, and a crimson glint of light danced between his fingers.

The space where the two of them were located seemed to be cut off by the sharp edge in his hand, making it independent of the entire Tai Xuan.

All words and thoughts will leave no trace in the Tai Xuan Realm.

“Doing this…” Hong frowned, “Won’t He become suspicious?”

"Perhaps, but it doesn't matter." Xu Xing said calmly, "You won't remember anything I said today."

"Will this work?"

"it works."

Xu Xing lightly tapped the jade table with his fingertips.

Even if He minds, He has to put up with it!

He had just chatted with Tian for a while and had roughly figured out Tian's bottom line.

'anchor'!
As long as the 'anchor' exists, there is still hope for His plan, and He cannot possibly tear off the mask at all costs!

"As for you, if you continue to stay in the Heavenly Domain, things may not be as easy as they used to be."

"So I plan to find an opportunity to take you back to the Eastern Wilderness."

What do you think?

Should we return to the Eastern Wilderness?
Hong was somewhat dazed.

Many years...

He hadn't left the Heavenly Domain for many years, let alone returned to the Eastern Wilderness.

"Forget it." Hong shook his head and smiled bitterly.

perhaps……

Perhaps Brother Dao really does have the ability to take him away from the Myriad Races Academy.

But this must have crossed the line; he had poured too much of his heart and soul into him.

When the Daoist brother attained enlightenment, he clearly did not achieve his expected goal.

The situation is already very tense...

It's not worth adding fuel to the already tense situation for his sake.

"What, are you reluctant to part with it?" Xu Xing suddenly laughed.

"..."

Hong paused for a moment, then smiled.

"Yes, staying in this Myriad Races Academy, I can squander all the resources I need, and I'll be accompanied by beautiful women and fine wine. Why would I want to go back and suffer?"

Honestly, Heaven might be plotting something in the dark.

But he was never mistreated.

"Tell me, what has He been doing in secret?"

The reason why you came to see me this time must be because you discovered some clues after you attained enlightenment.

Otherwise, they would never have come.

after all……

They had already made the agreement before they went into seclusion.

……

……

Not long after, Xu Xing left.

Hong was left alone, sitting behind the jade table, drinking his wine by himself.

Soon, a worried Shu Qing entered the hall carrying a jade box the size of a palm.

Inside the box was a pill surrounded by swirling clouds and shimmering with five colors.

It was Su Xiang Dan, which was made by Shu Qing after collecting the essence of morning glow, cold dew, morning breeze, sunshine and starlight over the past month.

Without saying a word, he walked over to Hong, sat down, and handed him the jade box.

"Thank you..." Hong said softly.

"There's no need for these words between us," Shu Qing said softly. "Your injuries are quite severe, so you should drink less."

"Okay, whatever you say."

A complex emotion flickered in Hong's eyes. After taking the pills that Shu Qing had brought, he gently embraced her.

Shu Qing didn't reject him, and gently leaned against Hong's chest. However, there seemed to be an invisible barrier between them.

The actions, though seemingly intimate, appeared strangely distant.

"What did you and the Sword Ancestor talk about?"

"What did we talk about..." A hint of confusion flashed in Hong's eyes, "I don't remember."

Shu Qing pursed her lips and didn't ask any more questions.

High up.

The true essence lies in the unseen realms.

His indifferent, seven-colored eyes stared straight at Hong, as if trying to completely dissect and see through him.

Body, magic power, soul, memories...

In the perception of those seven-colored eyes, all of Hong's secrets were exposed and easily seen through.

no……

The time spent meeting with the Sword Ancestor seemed to have been erased from the sky, and even He could not see the slightest trace of it.

It was as if Hong and the Sword Ancestor had never met today.

"Severing all karmic appearances, one is unaffected by any dharma..."

This is the way of the Sword Ancestor.

Could he also erase the 'anchor' he planted?

Sensing the anchor deeply planted in the soul, the seven-colored, glass-like eyes disappeared.

……

……

the other side.

Xu Xing did not leave the Myriad Races Academy, but instead went to the Palace Master's Hall.

That is, the dwelling place of the Pure Soul.

It wasn't that he was truly moved and wanted to become a Daoist couple with Su Po.

The main reason was that I had just been planning to leave when I received Su Po's invitation via a jade talisman.

Palace Master Hall.

"I wonder what business the Palace Master has with me?"

Xu Xing sat casually in a chair, with Su Po's freshly brewed tea beside him.

The aroma of tea is fragrant and refreshing.

The head of the Myriad Races Academy personally brewed the tea.

In the entire Tai Xuan Realm, those who receive this kind of treatment can be counted on one hand.

"I would like to ask you, Sword Ancestor, about matters concerning the attainment of the Dao," Su Po said bluntly.

Among the countless practitioners in the world, who wouldn't want to become an eternal, transcendent enlightened being?

He was no exception.

He studied the Dao Ji method when it first appeared.

I also tried to enter that state called 'Tao Ji'.

But it failed.

Whenever He showed signs of attaining enlightenment, His body, magical power, and soul would begin to collapse.

He could even sense that once he comprehended the 'ultimate Tao,' he would inevitably head towards destruction.

At first, He thought that the problem lay in the very method of the 'Tao Ji'.

But later, Hong, You, several True Immortals of the human race, including the current Sword Ancestor, all comprehended the Dao.

He then realized that perhaps the problem was not with the 'ultimate Dao' method, but with Himself.

So He found some other alien beings who had attained enlightenment and asked them to try to comprehend the 'ultimate Dao'.

It still failed in the end...

At least He can still 'perceive', and if He disregards His own destruction, He could comprehend the 'ultimate Tao'.

However, those alien beings who had attained the Dao Realm did not even have the qualifications to touch upon the state of 'Dao Ji'.

“Proving the Dao…” Xu Xing paused, then looked at Him, “Palace Master, just ask, I will answer everything I know.”

"I... or rather, the Cang Clan itself, could never possibly reach the state of 'the ultimate Dao,' is that right?"

"Yes."

Xu Xing did not deny it.

At his current level, he can already see the problems that exist within the Cang Clan itself.

"The Cang Clan is born with a perfect Dao foundation, which is the Cang Clan's advantage, but it also limits your possibility of breaking out of the framework."

The only drawback is that it's too perfect.

"Is an advantage... also a constraint?" Su Po suddenly realized.

He had been studying it for a long time, and now, after being enlightened by Xu Xing, he immediately understood the key point.

Those who attain enlightenment are supreme beings who defy conventional wisdom and transform the impossible into the possible.

The Cang Clan, however, were born perfect to the extreme.

Or rather, the Cang Clan is the most perfect being under the Dao.

They are born from this, and therefore exist.

Once this is broken, they cease to exist.

"So, in your opinion, is there any solution to this?"

"Those who attain the Dao innately," Xu Xing said. "If the Cang Clan wants to prove the Dao, the only way is to become an innate Daoist like the Fourth Ancestor?"

"A person who attained enlightenment innately?" Su Po was increasingly puzzled.

"Only those who are born enlightened can be called innate enlightened beings, right?"

Isn't this a paradox?

“That’s right, but those who attain enlightenment are inherently full of contradictions,” Xu Xing continued to explain.

"Logically speaking, enlightened beings should not exist. Therefore, beings below enlightened beings, no matter how you look at it, will only appear weak and impoverished."

How could the shallow understanding of ordinary people possibly comprehend the great existence of an enlightened being?
Similar situations exist between practitioners who have attained the Dao and those who have attained it.

But ultimately, it's not as exaggerated as that of an enlightened being.

Su Po was a little confused.

After a long pause, she nodded gently.

"Thank you."

"You're too kind, Palace Master," Xu Xing said with a smile.

Tian should already know that he cut off Hong's memories.

During this trip to the Heavenly Realm, I have repeatedly crossed His bottom line, and it's time to ease things up a bit.

Otherwise, why would he waste his time talking so much to Su Po?

"The Heavenly Ancestor just asked me..." Su Po seemed somewhat reluctant to speak.

"Ok?"

Xu Xing pretended not to know, but felt increasingly strange.

Could it be that incident?
"Ask me if I would like to become your Daoist partner."

"..."

It really is that thing.

This guy really never learns his lesson!
"My ancestor actually mentioned this to me as well."

"..." Su Po paused, pondering for a long while, "Then what are your thoughts?"

“I’m used to being alone, and I don’t have any plans to find a companion for the time being.” Xu Xing said in a relaxed tone, “Besides, I’ve only met the Palace Master a few times, and we’re not familiar with each other. As for a Daoist partner… I have to find someone who is compatible with me.”

If you're really a scoundrel, you can just play along, use them, and then dump them.

But Xu is not that kind of person.

However, Heaven had anticipated this, otherwise it wouldn't have suddenly brought it up.

"With your current achievements, you could easily find several more," Su Po said calmly, as if stating something perfectly reasonable. "After all, even someone less accomplished than you like Hong has found just as many, hasn't he?"

"..." Xu Xing looked at Him with a strange expression. "Could it be that the Palace Master's words mean...?"

I suspect you're lusting after me.

“Yes, I want to become your Daoist partner,” Su Po said earnestly.

If Xu Xing were still Dongzhen, He would never have had such thoughts.

The Cang people always have a sense of superiority over other ethnic groups.

Even He is not immune to worldly customs.

But those who attain enlightenment are different; they are at the same level as the several ancient ancestors.

A great being that can easily determine the fate of all living beings.

Among the entire Cangzu clan, perhaps only the most fanatical and mindless followers of the Taizu would believe that an enlightened being is not as 'noble' as the Cangzu clan.

"Just because I am the first enlightened being to attain the Dao in a naturally born spiritual body?"

"Yes."

Su Po did not refute.

The first person in history to attain enlightenment through acquired means that becoming his Daoist partner will allow one to better understand him.

How could He possibly be unwilling?

My only wish in this life is to transcend the Great Dao.

For this, I would die a thousand deaths without regret! (End of Chapter)