Simultaneous traversal: All Abyss difficulty.

Chapter 652 White Eyebrows: Laozi is...? Don't hit me! I know I was wrong!

Shushan, a new style of Emei.

Duan Lei led the way, followed by Fang Yu and Chang Kong Wuji, whose faces were cold.

The three of them walked through the newly opened square and the corridors where the fragrance of wood and stone could still be smelled, and entered the rebuilt Emei Hall.

Although the palace is new, its original layout is still faintly visible, but the carved beams and painted rafters reveal a simple and unadorned beauty.

Chang Kong Wuji stood in front of the white-browed jade statue in a corner of the hall, his brows furrowed. He traced the array patterns with his fingertips, shook his head and sighed at Duan Lei and Fang Yu, "The last time I communicated with Master through a secret array was sixteen years ago. Since then, no matter how much I try to activate my magic power to sense him, it has all vanished without a trace."

Upon hearing this, Fang Yu casually took a couple of steps back with his arms crossed, a mocking smile playing on his lips: "Can't get in touch for sixteen years? It's very simple."

He gestured with his chin toward the jade statue, "Just send a message to that thing, saying that Emei is in grave danger, that Fang the Demon has returned to Emei! He'll definitely jump out."

Chang Kong Wuji's eyes twitched as he listened, his handsome face turning pale with anger. He wished he could draw his sword immediately: "You! Stop talking nonsense and insulting Master!" The title of Fang the Demon was the shameful mark left by the collapse of Emei back then, and it was also a deep-seated pain in Chang Kong Wuji's heart.

"Tsk, why are you getting so worked up?" Fang Yu was completely unconcerned about his anger and slowly added, "I have already reached the Ascension Realm." He deliberately slowed his tone and glanced at the somewhat empty but spiritually rich hall. "The mortal realm is nothing but a tiny speck to me. He wants to cause me trouble? Heh, I'm afraid he won't find a way to do so easily."

These words were like a bucket of cold water, making Chang Kong Wuji shudder, and his anger was instantly replaced by shock.

Looking at the still-young face before him, and feeling the vast, unfathomable, terrifying aura emanating from the other person's body, the last vestiges of resentment and doubt in his heart were completely extinguished.

Ascension Realm. What does that mean?
That is the realm where Master Bai Mei has set foot, the pinnacle that cultivators in this mortal world look up to!

Even with a deep-seated hatred, he could only suppress his temper and nod with difficulty in the face of absolute power.

Seeing this, Duan Lei was also greatly shocked and dared not hesitate any longer. He looked at Chang Kong Wuji, who remained silent for a moment before gritting his teeth and stepping forward to join Duan Lei in activating their magic power.

The ancient and complex array was activated, and the runes in the hall lit up one after another, forming an invisible bridge that pointed to the depths of the vast universe.

A divine message containing the "warning" given by Fang Yu silently shot into the vast sea of ​​stars.

Time passed by, and the hall became so quiet that only the faint breathing of the three people and the low hum of the array plate could be heard.

Duan Lei and Chang Kong Wuji were completely focused on maintaining the formation, occasionally glancing nervously at the motionless jade statue.

Fang Yu, however, was bored out of his mind. He pursed his lips and actually bent down in the open space in the center of the hall, doing push-ups as if no one else was around.

The movements are standard and rhythmic, with each push and drop creating a slight vortex.

"One hundred and one hundred and two," Fang Yu muttered to himself, so focused that it seemed as if he were the only person in the hall.

For him, Saitama's seemingly mundane but actually effective training method for tempering the body and will has long been ingrained in his bones and can be implemented anytime, anywhere.

Duan Lei and Chang Kong Wuji exchanged a look of extreme confusion and surprise.

A peerless master at the Ascension Realm doing push-ups in the Emei Hall, symbolizing the pinnacle of the Shu Mountain Immortal Path?!
Such a scene is unprecedented in history.

However, the thought that this person had cultivated a level of skill that was rare in hundreds of years at the age of twenty-something, breaking through to "ascension" and becoming invincible in the world, mixed this confusion with an indescribable sense of awe and admiration—he was indeed an unparalleled genius!

Just as Duan Lei and his companion were still pondering this bizarre training method, their minds were wavering.
The space inside the hall suddenly froze!

An overwhelming and unstoppable pressure descended, instantly causing Duan Lei and Chang Kong Wuji's legs to buckle and they almost lost their footing!

Above the jade statue, brilliant light flashed and condensed intensely, eventually transforming into the phantom of an old man with white hair and beard and a dignified face—none other than the master of Emei, the White-Browed Immortal!

"Who dares to defy my Emei sect?"

Bai Mei's angry voice, like a resounding bell, echoed throughout the hall.

His sharp gaze swept across the area below, then froze as if struck by an anvil!

The pent-up anger instantly transformed into a boundless killing intent, aimed directly at the figure still doing push-ups with a thud:

"Fang Yu?! You wretched creature! It really was you!!"

He never expected that his mortal enemy, who had destroyed the mountain and the temple, would actually appear openly in the main hall of his newly built mountain gate!

New and old grudges erupted like a volcano. Although the figure of the white-browed man was an illusion, the power he exuded made the entire rebuilt hall tremble and groan!
Fang Yu stood up calmly, dusted off his hands, and looked at the white-browed phantom that appeared on the jade statue. Instead of being afraid, he showed an extremely bright and even excited smile, revealing two rows of white teeth.

"Hey! Old White Eyebrows!" Fang Yu's eyes lit up, his fighting spirit soared instantly, and a surging power originating from the essence of life surged and boiled within his body!
The fourth-order gene lock! This ultimate key, capable of seeing through everything and controlling every detail, was ruthlessly unlocked by him. "I couldn't beat you back then, but times have changed! Perfect, let's settle both old and new scores together!" He slightly bent over, gathering his strength, and was about to pounce on that phantom!

Just as this earth-shattering conflict was about to erupt.
“Buzz, rumble—!!!”

The entire Emei Hall, no, the entire Shushan Mountain, suddenly erupted with an unprecedented, incomprehensible, violent tremor that seemed to originate from the very foundation of the world!

This tremor had nothing to do with spiritual energy fluctuations; it carried an ancient and boundless quality that transcended the rules of this world!
In an instant, all the light was swallowed and compressed by an inexplicable force!

A figure, more solid, more profound and grand, seemingly containing the truth of the universe's birth and death, appeared without warning in the void of the main hall! With white hair and a youthful face, holding a whisk, his body was surrounded by transcendent purple energy!
The phantom of Laozi has appeared!
His calm yet all-seeing gaze did not immediately fall on Fang Yu after manifesting. Instead, it swept over the swaying hall amidst the violent tremors, as if he were savoring the subtle details of the world's rules and structure.

When that gaze finally landed on the white-browed phantom on the jade statue, in an instant, an infinite awe and supreme pressure from the deepest part of the soul, towards the source of the Great Dao, flooded the white-browed figure's mind like a surging sea of ​​stars!

That was the absolute terror that mortal cultivators felt when facing the true form of the "Dao"!
Laozi's expression remained calm, devoid of any worldly concern. He simply raised his hand casually and tossed the seemingly ordinary, unadorned Vajra Bracelet in his hand.

The movements were extremely casual, as if they were merely shooing away an uncooperative flying insect.

however!
"Om-!"

The Vajra Bracelet transformed into an indescribable light of "reason," lacking the power to destroy the world, yet possessing the strength to "pierce" space and disintegrate all existence, pointing directly at the white-browed phantom!
"Is my life over?!" White-browed man was terrified, his soul trembling with fear!

The carved image magnified infinitely in his eyes, as if it contained the crushing power of the entire universe's rules!
He instinctively wanted to abandon this divine thought avatar and escape, but was shocked to find that the space had been completely anchored and locked!

At the critical moment, he mustered all his strength and focused all his thoughts on the jade statue, and the phantom was suddenly sent flying backward several steps!

With a loud "crack!", the jade statue base supporting the phantom instantly became covered with cracks!

Bai Mei's thought barely managed to dodge the terrifying power before it arrived, avoiding being completely annihilated. However, it was still shaken by the aftershocks of the pure "Dao Wei," causing its aura to weaken and its mind to teeter on the brink of collapse!
After making this move that was almost "frightening," Laozi didn't even glance at the nearly collapsing white eyebrows again.

His figure slowly turned towards Fang Yu, who was filled with fighting spirit.

That distant and serene gaze fell upon Fang Yu, and Lao Jun's lips seemed to twitch upwards with an almost imperceptible curve.

His ethereal voice pierced through the still-unsettled ripples of energy, echoing clearly and singularly in the depths of Fang Yu's consciousness for the first time:

"Kid, this world is quite interesting."

Laozi's figure began to fade as he spoke, like ink painting merging into the void.

"Keep it up. Let me see more."

Before the words were finished, the majestic phantom, along with the seemingly insignificant yet supremely powerful Vajra Bracelet, vanished without a trace, as if it had never existed.

The terrifying pressure within the main hall receded like a tide, leaving only the glaring cracks on the jade statue's base, the tremors that left the hall in disarray, and the still-breathing gasps of the three people.

Fang Yu remained in a stiff, ready-to-go posture, the excited expression on his face saying "I'm going to beat up Bai Mei" still lingering, when Lao Jun's last inexplicable yet information-packed words abruptly shut him up.

He stood there, stunned, a million mythical beasts racing through his mind: "Go for it? See more? Am I supposed to be the tour guide here?"

Just as Fang Yu was internally ranting, the white-browed phantom on the jade statue, which had almost been shattered and whose light had dimmed considerably, finally managed to steady himself. He no longer cared about his demeanor and pressed one hand to his illusory chest, breathing heavily. His expression was a mixture of the fear of surviving a disaster and an indescribable awe and bewilderment.

He stared intently at Fang Yu, his gaze seemingly trying to see through his face, his voice trembling with an intense thirst for knowledge and incredulous horror, as he asked the question that would overturn his understanding of millennia: "Fang Yu! Just now... just now that immortal, that old deity... who exactly was he?!"

Fang Yu was also taken aback by Bai Mei's unprecedented loss of composure. He quickly regained his senses, took a deep breath, and, word by word, gave the answer that was enough to shatter all the records in the Shu Mountain Daoist tradition:

"Taishang Laojun."

Four words, like four thunderclaps that split the heavens and the earth!

Boom——! ! !
Bai Mei's illusory figure suddenly shook violently, like a candle flickering in the wind!
His pupils dilated to their limit instantly, his mouth opened slightly, and his expression froze completely!

Shock, bewilderment, immense awe, and the dizziness of a collapsing understanding overwhelmed the last vestiges of composure of this leader of the Taoist sect. His shocked expression suggested he had heard a truth even more unbelievable than the collapse of Mount Shu.

He stood frozen in place, his lips moving but no sound coming out.

stunned!

It was unclear how much time had passed before Bai Mei finally managed to regain a sliver of his senses from the overwhelming shock.

Seeing Bai Mei's expression, Fang Yu knew that a fight was not going to happen today, and sighed helplessly, "I won't take advantage of your situation. I didn't come here to intimidate you. I just want to ask for your help and borrow a sword for your female disciple Li Yingqi."

Bai Mei looked at Fang Yu with an incredibly complex expression, a mixture of awe, fear, bewilderment, and disbelief, which ultimately culminated in a bitter sigh.

He paused, his voice hoarse yet filled with an almost pleading tone, "Fang Yu, I can find you a weapon! But!" His voice suddenly rose, revealing a desperate determination, "You must tell me! Where did that powerful being come from?! And where is he going?!"

This question was clearly beyond the comprehension limits of Bai Mei, the leader of the "Emei Small World". He had looked up to the "Ascension to the Immortal Realm" and the "Upper Heavenly Court" his whole life, but in front of that illusory figure just now, he was as insignificant as a speck of dust!

Laozi's very existence is a complete negation and subversion of the "world" he perceives.

He desperately needed an explanation, even just a few words from Fang Yu, to stabilize his crumbling worldview.

After hearing this, Fang Yu rolled his eyes dramatically, looking as if he had heard the biggest joke in the world.

"How the hell am I supposed to know what Laozi is up to?!" He cursed without hesitation, scratching the back of his head with extreme impatience. "One thought of his might be analyzing the fundamental rules of your world, and the next second, he might be running off to some obscure corner to watch ants move, or telling some mortal kid not to play on his phone in the bathroom. Do you think you can guess what he's thinking? Can't you just put your tiny, narrow-minded perspective aside?" Fang Yu put his hands on his hips, looking down at the white-browed phantom on the jade statue with a "you're such a frog in a well" look.

"Let me put it this way!" He held up a finger, pointing at Bai Mei, "You! The place you're in now, your proud Emei, and that so-called 'Upper Realm Immortal Realm' that you're so attached to, in my eyes—and especially in Laozi's eyes—is nothing more than a tiny, tiny corner of the Three Thousand Great Worlds!"

He raised a second finger and pointed to the ceiling, which, though empty, seemed to point to a supreme being in the darkness.

"As for Laozi?!" Fang Yu scoffed, his tone blunt and vulgar, which was incredibly grating to Bai Mei's ears yet impossible to refute. "Him? He's a top-tier figure in all thirty thousand worlds! The aftershocks of his sneeze could shake up the eighteen heavens in that upper realm you mentioned! You want to smell his farts?! Tsk! Don't dream about it. Without my connection, you wouldn't even be able to smell a speck of dirt on the hoof of his mount, the Green Ox!"

Fang Yu clapped his hands, brushing away the dust from his earlier excitement, and said in a concluding tone, "Do you understand, old man? To him, you're just... a clueless little kid who's just learned to walk in some mortal village at the foot of Mount Emei! Ascension? So what if you ascend to the 'Immortal Realm'? At best, you'll be a sweeping Taoist boy or a gatekeeper! Want to talk directly to Laozi? You'll need to cultivate for another three or five thousand lifetimes. Without my introduction... Hmph, don't even think about it in your next life!" Fang Yu deliberately emphasized the word "introduce," stressing his crucial role.

This is no longer a metaphor; it is a ruthless tearing apart of all the glory and understanding that Bai Mei relied on for his existence, devaluing his world to nothing.

The phantom of the white eyebrows rippled violently and silently.

Every word Fang Yu uttered was like a cold chisel, hammering into his already cracked Dao heart!
The ultimate goal he pursued throughout his life—ascension—was casually described by Fang Yu as "a lowly soldier in the immortal realm." What a terrifying truth! What a devastating blow!

He seemed to have been drained of all his strength to maintain this manifestation of divine thought.

The jade statue's luster dimmed to its lowest point, the cracks on the base spread faster, and even the illusory figure became blurred, as if it might be extinguished at any moment.

After a long silence, so long that the air in the hall seemed to freeze, Bai Mei finally let out a very soft, very long sigh, as if he had exhausted all his strength.

That sigh was filled with helplessness, resignation, and a deep, unprecedented sense of humility.

"Alas," the light and shadow on the jade statue flickered, and the white-browed man's voice was weak, almost pleading, "So be it. You're right, absolutely right. This old man was just a frog in a well, overestimating his abilities."

He looked at Fang Yu with a complicated expression, but his sharpness and arrogance had vanished, leaving only compromise.

"I do possess a sword," the white-browed man said wearily. "This sword was forged from Nine Heavens Mystic Iron, having absorbed the essence of the sun and moon; it possesses considerable spirituality, but..."

He paused for a moment, his tone tinged with uncertainty and helplessness, "There's no guarantee that it will approve of Li Yingqi."

Upon hearing the words "with a sword," Fang Yu's eyes lit up instantly. His previous impatience vanished, and a roguish, confident smile returned to his face, as if his earlier remarks that had overturned Bai Mei's understanding were just casual conversation.

"No problem, no problem!" Fang Yu patted his chest, his tone as casual as if he were buying a cabbage at the market. "As long as you can get the sword, it doesn't matter if it recognizes it or not! I have plenty of ways to get Yingqi to use it! I guarantee it!"

His eyes darted around, revealing a sly glint: "Don't worry, Old White Eyebrow, I won't take your benefits for nothing! Your Emei Sect is pretty short-handed right now, isn't it? You can't amount to anything! That's easy! You're lucky to have met me, Director Fang—no, me, Mr. Fang!"

He coughed, puffed out his chest, and looked like he could leave it to me without any problem. "I only need to put on one show in this world! A super show that will shake the universe and startle the heavens! I guarantee your new Emei will become an instant sensation! At that time, the talented young people who want to become your disciples will flock to your sect, fighting tooth and nail to get in! I guarantee that your sect will be bustling with activity, full of talent, and your incense will be burning brightly, far surpassing your former glory!"

"Acting. Shaking the world and startling the heavens," Bai Mei murmured repeatedly, his mind no longer capable of independent thought after seeing Laozi.

He looked intently at Fang Yu, his eyes no longer showing any fighting or resistance, but only a kind of humble, resigned compromise.

"That's enough. That's enough. Giving you the sword is just to make a good connection and do someone a favor."

He paused, his voice heavy with unprecedented seriousness amidst his exhaustion, almost pleading, "I only hope that, for the sake of this one sword strike, you won't completely destroy the foundation of my Emei sect. My meager resources cannot withstand such a great storm."

The once-powerful leader of the Taoist sects now appeared as humble as an ordinary mortal facing the mighty heavens, devoid of any semblance of the dignity befitting a sect leader.

Because he realized one thing with absolute clarity.

Under the gaze of that Supreme Taoist Ancestor, he, along with the entire Emei Sect, might not even be considered a hair in Fang Yu's eyes.

This former leader of the Shu Mountain sect felt only indescribable shock and resignation at this moment.

He let out a long sigh, as if he had aged a thousand years in an instant.

The dim light within the jade statue suddenly solidified, and a beam of extremely pure, bright blue light, seemingly containing the light of the stars in the heavens, shot out!

The light was not dazzling, but it carried an ancient and vast aura, instantly severing the remaining oppressive atmosphere and somber mood in the hall.

A long sword hovered in front of Fang Yu.

Its entire body is a deep, dark blue color, and the blade is smooth and long, as if it were carved from starlight and ice. Inside, there are faint white, strange flame runes that slowly flow and leap. Each leap exudes a contradictory aura of heat and cold, as well as a sense of purity that seems to be able to burn away all filth.

The sword guard has an ancient and simple design, resembling a vermilion bird spreading its wings. The entire sword exudes a sacred, majestic, and ancient power—it is Bai Mei's most treasured possession, the Nanming Li Huo Sword!
Fang Yu looked at the divine sword floating in front of him, a glint of light flashing in his eyes, and the corners of his mouth habitually curled into that signature roguish smile and satisfaction.

Without any further pleasantries or checks, he reached out and grabbed the longsword, which was pulsating with true flames, firmly into his palm.

"Received!" Fang Yu weighed it in his hand, grinned, and the flowing fire on the sword reflected on his face, exuding an indescribable arrogance. "Old White Eyebrow, just wait and see the show! I'll make sure your Emei sect breaks down the threshold!"

The next morning.

A bustling, ordinary city is just awakening. Vendors on both sides of the street set up steaming breakfast stalls, and the shouts, bargaining, and children chasing and playing blend into a lively morning symphony.

People are busy with their own lives, striving to make a living each day.

suddenly!

The entire sky darkened without warning! It wasn't the clouds that obscured it, but rather some enormous, incomparable shadow that enveloped the world!

"Why is it dark?!"

"Look at the sky! What's that?!"

"Oh my God!"

Terrified screams rose and fell.

Everyone stopped what they were doing and looked up at the sky in utter horror.

Amidst the stunned gazes of everyone, a colossal wooden Buddha, whose size defies description, appeared, towering into the sky!
The giant Buddha soars into the clouds, as if even the stars have become its embellishment.

Its material is neither gold nor jade, but is made of ancient, gnarled sacred wood, with every inch of its texture flowing with a powerful vitality and a vast Buddhist nature.

But what is most terrifying is what lies behind the giant Buddha! There are thousands, even tens of thousands of equally enormous wooden arms of various shapes! Some are clasped together in front of their chests, some are outstretched in all directions, and some are forming solemn mudras. They are layered upon layered, endless, covering the entire sky, as if the legendary thousands of arms have descended to earth!
A sacred, profound, and seemingly overwhelming Buddhist power descended upon the heavens and the earth!
This pressure is not oppression, but rather carries supreme compassion and guidance.

Then, an even more thrilling scene unfolded!

From the center of the enormous lotus pedestal of that majestic wooden Buddha, dazzling golden light burst forth!

The golden light quickly condensed and rose, forming a slightly smaller but even more dazzling pure gold Buddha within the embrace of the wooden Buddha!

The golden Buddha is solemn and majestic, cast entirely in gold, radiating boundless light, and is sacred beyond compare. It seems to be the embodiment of all that is true, good, and beautiful in the world, and is a thousand times more brilliant than the rising sun!
The wooden, thousands-armed Buddha statue serves as the support, with a golden Buddha seated cross-legged in its embrace, radiating boundless light!
This sacred, grand, and unimaginable scene instantly shattered the minds of all the witnesses.

"God or Buddha has manifested!!"

"Bodhisattva! Guanyin Bodhisattva!"

"Kneel down! Kneel and worship the true God!"

Without any guidance whatsoever, the entire downtown area instantly descended into frenzied chaos!

Everyone, whether they were peddlers or wealthy merchants, whether they were white-haired old men or young children, were all like wheat flattened by a storm, prostrating themselves on the ground.

The forehead slammed heavily against the cold stone slab or soil, making a dull thud.

Exclamations turned into murmured prayers, and fear transformed into devout devotion.

Tens of thousands of people knelt and prostrated themselves at the same time, a scene so spectacular it was breathtaking. Some trembled, some were in tears, and some were so excited they were incoherent, but without exception, their hearts were filled with supreme awe for the "true God".

At this moment when the people knelt in submission and their hearts were most stirred—

A grand, solemn, and crystal-clear chant, seemingly descending from the heavens or resounding directly into the depths of everyone's soul, reverberated like a great bell in the ears of every kneeling person, and was imprinted even more clearly into the depths of their minds:
"The gates of Mount Shu and Mount Emei are wide open!"

The chanting of Buddhist scriptures rolled like thunder, carrying an undeniable majesty.

"We welcome talented individuals from all over the world!"

The signal of hope ignited countless hearts yearning for power!
"Those who have the opportunity may enter my gate—"

The most crucial and core promise resounded throughout the heavens!
"I can obtain the immortal sword! I can obtain immortality!!"

The last two words, "Obtain the sword! Obtain eternal life!", were like sparks thrown into boiling oil, instantly igniting everything!
Om-!
After a brief silence, the kneeling crowd erupted in chaos!

The people forgot their fear and their humility; their eyes were filled only with an intensely fanatical light!
"The Legend of Sword and Fairy! Immortality! It's about cultivating immortality! It's real!"

"Mount Emei! I heard it! It's Mount Emei!"

"I want to go! I must become a disciple of Emei!"

"Mother! Your child is going to seek immortality and enlightenment! To Mount Shu!"

"Quickly, find out! Where is Mount Emei?! Where is this sacred mountain?!"

"Obtain the sword! Obtain eternal life!" These six words seem to possess a magical power, igniting the ultimate desire for transcendence and immortality hidden deep within the blood of mortals.

No one questioned the authenticity of the voice, because the two enormous wooden Buddha statues above were the most undeniable miracle!
At this moment, the road to Mount Emei in Shushan became, in the hearts of countless mortals, a celestial path leading to heaven!
A grand era of fantasy martial arts, ignited by Fang Yu himself, has begun!

(End of this chapter)