Above the Great Dao

"My father was beaten by his father, and my grandfather was beaten by his grandfather."

Yan Shaomian suddenly felt her Dao Heart expand greatly, and she laughed heartily, "Then, if I get beaten by him, it's no big deal either."

Her father was Yan Hanqing, who had gone to the capital with Chen Tang back in the day to participate in the Imperial Examination, where Chen Tang forcibly ended in a draw with him, making him hold a grudge all his life.

Her grandfather, named Yan Chenfu, was the previous Family Head, who had now retired. The enmity with Chen Yindou was said to have begun when Chen Yindou abducted Yan Chenfu's sister, causing him to rage and chase Chen Yindou, only to be severely injured. Fortunately, the sister was afraid he might be killed, so she returned with him and did not become Chen Shi's grandmother.

The crowd had all heard more or less about the stories of two generations of the Yan Family being "humiliated" by Chen Yindou and Chen Tang, and they were somewhat relieved by these words.

If only oneself got beaten, it would be a great humiliation, but since both the parental and grandparental generations were beaten, it was no big deal.

Moreover, among their peers, she was not the only one who got beaten.

"Chen, the top scorer, was very formidable, but is Li Tianqing really that formidable?"

Cui Xingcai said, "I don't believe it. After I recover, I must go to the Lower Realm to meet him."

Xu She nodded lightly, "I also want to meet this Li Tianqing to see if he is really as formidable as the rumors say!"

Ma Zhe said, "Count me in!"

"And me!"

"And me!"

...

They were all very excited. Li Qianyun hesitated for a moment and said, "I also want to see him again."

The crowd shared a common enemy, and far away in the Little Heavenly Realms, where he was teaching the Talisman Masters, Li Tianqing suddenly had a premonition, feeling that he was entangled in many karmic ties.

He was still unaware that he had already become famous in the Upper Realm, and that the future Sect Masters of the Thirteen Families all regarded him as a lifelong enemy.

"Why do I suddenly feel a sense of impending disaster?" he thought to himself.

It was just a trivial matter, so he didn't pay it much mind.

Upper Realm, Jade Sky Heaven.

This place was more advanced than elsewhere in the Upper Realm, with mountains made of beautiful jade, and skies as clear as jade, filled with Lingzhi and Immortal Herbs everywhere, resembling the Immortal Realm, with Immortal Energy drifting, occasionally falling from the sky into the valleys.

The thirteen ancestors of the Thirteen Families each sat in the void, retracting their gazes; no contest between Chen Shi and the descendants of the Great Families could escape their sight.

Their auras were ethereal, unlike mortal beings, but rather Immortals who had ascended. However, behind them were large blood-flesh appendages rooted in the void, presenting a bizarre harmony of Evil Qi and Immortal Energy on their bodies.

"The child who once had the Innate Dao Embryo, whether or not he has it anymore, is not to be underestimated."

"Using the methods of others and doing even better than them, truly remarkable. If I were the True God, I would bless him with the Innate Dao Embryo. Even after it was taken from him, I would bless him with it a second time!"

"He indeed inspires admiration for talent. He defeated twelve people, employing twelve different Magic Skills, always striking at each one's weakness. If he trains in this area, he might become even stronger. He is indeed a formidable rival for Yang Bi."

"Indeed. It even provokes a desire to kill him, given that the West King Jade Seal and the True King's Tomb have both ended up in his hands..."

The thirteen ancestors fell silent.

None of them wished for there to be another True King.

Suddenly, one ancestor said, "A tree that stands out in the forest is sure to be toppled. The key is, who will topple him? The Upper Realm, or Despair Slope? Or perhaps some other power?"

At this moment, Yang Bi knelt on the ground, and said solemnly, "I humbly request the ancestral elders not to take action against Chen Shi."

The thirteen ancestors each looked surprised, their gazes falling on him.

"You have the backing of the Upper Realm, guidance from us, instruction in all sorts of Immortal Laws, plus your exceptional talent. You alone can stand against him."

An ancestor said, "He has none of that, like a wild beast that has trained itself to be exceptionally strong. If he had access to your resources..."

Yang Bi said, "I humbly request the ancestral elders to refrain from acting against him until Despair Slope is destroyed."

The thirteen ancestors understood his meaning, and one of them waved his hand, saying, "Yang Shaohu, you may be someone we esteem, but this matter is not for you to decide. Go and cultivate well; we will make our decision."

Yang Bi rose and retreated.

The other twelve ancestors frowned slightly.

"Yang Shaohu lacks confidence in us, fearing defeat before even considering victory. He intends to preserve Chen Shi as a seed; should we face defeat in the future, Chen Shi might be the hope for the West Bull New Continent... Oh no, my Evil Qi is backfiring, I'm losing control!"

The ancestor who spoke trembled violently, as the great blood-flesh behind him tightened suddenly, pulling his body toward the void!

The other twelve ancestors each invoked their Immortal Techniques, Immortal Light bursting forth, illuminating the void, suppressing his Evil Transformation.

In the void, countless masses of flesh rolled and writhed, gradually forming the likeness of that ancestor, but much more vicious, glaring menacingly at them, attempting to pull that ancestor into the void, while emerging from the void itself!

Everyone's Immortal Techniques erupted, shattering the Evil-transformed flesh, continuously refining it with Immortal Light, finally suppressing this wave of Evil Transformation.

That ancestor was the ancestor of the Gao Family, named Gao Xuan, with a youthful appearance, now pale-faced, breathing heavily, his voice hoarse as he said, "The Old Method, it doesn't work, it really doesn't work!"

He sounded like a wounded, dying wolf, his voice filled with despair.