Stop it, Taoist, Your Fight almost Ruins the DAO!

"You... well, Yi Chengzi, let me tell you about the strength of my two old friends."

"The True Blood Sect Master is a master of the Dao Fruit Fourth Layer Realm, and as for the Ghost Worship Sect Master, he is also of the same level. However, I sense that this person is hiding his true strength. Now, above the Eight Immortals of the Ghost Worship Sect and the Eight Immortals of the True Blood Sect, those two must have laid down some measures."

"Even if you, Fellow Taoist, manage to creep near them unnoticed, the moment you act, they will be upon you instantly. Can you withstand the full-fledged attack of two top-tier masters?"

"Moreover, it's almost impossible for all sixteen Immortal Platforms of the Western Lands Barbarian Continent to coincidentally converge in one location. Fellow Taoist, you might not be able to kill them all in one strike."

Zhan Xingzi frowned, immediately recounting the ancient mysteries of the Ancient Star Realm, the Heavenly Ghost Dao Fruit, the Blood Demon Dao Fruit, and the divine skills possessed by the Ghost Worship Sect Master Shi Kedun and the True Blood Sect Master Blood Dragon Son. He seemed to be using this knowledge to persuade Yi Chen to acknowledge the complexities involved and retreat from his ambitious plans.

After hearing these secrets, Yi Chen's expression first froze, but a cold smile quickly spread across his face:

"Sect Leader, if that's the case, then we have all the more reason to act!"

"As for evading the combined strike of the Ghost Worship Sect Master and the True Blood Sect Master, Sect Leader, you need not worry, I have my own ways."

"The All Stars Dao Fruit remains obscure and dormant, its power steadily fading. If we don't act while its residual power can still suppress and restrain the Heavenly Ghost Dao Fruit and the Blood Demon Dao Fruit,

once the measures laid down by the Ancestor Master are exhausted, then we will truly meet our end."

"Since that is the case, later is no better than sooner, and tomorrow is no better than today!"

"Sect Leader, destiny and change are never simply waited for; they are achieved through action. As you've mentioned, the power of the stars is gradually diminishing."

Yi Chen's words left Zhan Xingzi in silence for a time. In truth, he had pondered this idea before, but it was suppressed owing to the East Continent's insufficient strength. Now, under Yi Chen's urging, this buried notion reignited within him.

To act or not to act—that was the question.

As if making up his mind, thinking of his dwindling lifespan, Zhan Xingzi suddenly stood and said:

"Fellow Taoist's words are reasonable, but this matter requires careful deliberation."

"Please wait a moment. Allow me to invite Huan Gu to join us in this discussion."

"Now, Huan Gu and I are intertwined with the Dao Fruit auras of the Ghost Worship Sect Master and the Blood Dragon Son. If we take any action, they will certainly notice, and vice versa. However, Huan Gu and I do have some minor techniques that may assist you, giving you more assurance in your attempt to deceive the heavens and bypass them."

"Since Fellow Taoist is willing to risk himself for the East Continent, we shall wager everything alongside him."

...

...

An hour later, the Great Hall fell silent once more.

Huan Gu Zi looked at the indifferent Taoist and couldn't help but inquire:

"Zhan Xingzi, do you truly trust this person so much, to break our centuries-old tacit agreement and gamble on such a grand scheme?"

"After all, his origins are unclear; whether he's really the reincarnation of the Ancestor Master is still uncertain."

"Such radical action is unlike your usual style, Zhan Xingzi."

Zhan Xingzi turned sideways, looking at the white-haired but youthful-faced nun before him. A complex emotion flashed in his eyes, but ultimately he sighed with a bitter smile:

"Huan Gu, do you think we still have any choice?"

"My lifespan... is running out. The Dao Fruit Fifth Layer Realm—truthfully, I achieved it by using a secret technique that severely depletes lifespan. Even so, we are merely holding on."

"I must admit, Blood Dragon Son is an extraordinary genius, and the Ghost Worship Sect Master Shi Kedun surpasses him by a margin. Time is not on our side."

"Yi Chengzi once said something I believe is very accurate: destiny is not merely waited for; it's fought for. In my lifetime of researching divination, I initially thought my calculations were flawless, that the heavens were within my palm. After achieving the Dao Fruit, I realized the vastness of the cosmos and the profound wonders of creation."

"Since the future cannot be foreseen, then we shall fight—fight to create a clear sky, fight to uncover the truth beneath the waters!"

"If Yi Chengzi truly is the reincarnation of the Ancestor Master, then he cannot fall so easily. Even if he isn't, with this commitment of loyalty, I would feel assured entrusting the banner of resisting the Western Lands to him after my passing."

"The current situation is already like oil boiling atop fire; adding fuel to this fire changes little. Only in complete chaos can the Ancestor Master's reincarnation emerge triumphant."

"It's a pity, though, that Situ Zhaixing, whom we placed high hopes on, turned out not to be. After that great battle, his Tao Heart shattered; Li Yan said the boy has now become an ordinary person."

"He no longer has that ability to gain tremendous insights and rapidly advance his cultivation simply by bathing in starlight."

"So, regardless of who Yi Chengzi is, if he truly dares to sever ties with the forces of the Western Lands Barbarian Continent, then I dare to entrust him with everything in the East Continent!" Zhan Xingzi declared resolutely!

Under the rays of daylight, the perceptive Huan Gu Zi still noticed a faint trace of exhaustion on his face.

There is no such thing as a perfect solution in this world. Often, people's seemingly absurd decisions are merely the best compromises derived from the interplay of conditions at the time.

Looking at the weary Taoist before her, and recalling Zhan Xingzi's spirited and ambitious figure from her memories, Huan Gu Zi let out a gentle sigh. In the end, she said nothing, simply extending her jade-white hand to silently grasp Zhan Xingzi's firm hand.

"You old scoundrel, is there any way to restore some of the lifespan you sacrificed?"

The Great Hall was suddenly filled with a slightly amorous atmosphere.

Huan Gu Zi's white hair gradually turned black, her hairpin slipping down as her jet-black tresses cascaded. Her skin grew increasingly smooth and flawless, resembling that of a newborn baby. A bright crescent moon imprint appeared between her brows, and a stunningly beautiful female Taoist manifested in the hall.

"If you have no better solution, I, Huan Gu Zi, though my cultivation has not made significant progress over the years, happened to, a thousand years ago, stumble upon and comprehend a secret technique."

"This technique allows you and me to share lifespan; it should grant you, this old scoundrel, a little more time to cling to life," Huan Gu Zi said, her expression tinged with embarrassment.

"Huan Gu... you..."

"Shut up!"

...

...

Yi Chengzi, Yi Chengzi, Shocking Pure Yang Yi Chengzi, the pitiable State Preceptor of Great Qin Yi Chengzi never expected that while he was on his way to confront the Western Lands Barbarian Continent cultivators, someone was stirring up chaos behind him.

Truly, the front is under attack, while the rear indulges in excess... Yi Chengzi felt thoroughly wronged.

At the Star Moon Battlefield, a towering figure wrapped in two rings of sun, moon, and stars surged forward with urgency, heading straight for the core of the Western Lands Barbarian Continent—Myriad Immortals Island.

According to intelligence from the Heavenly Star Sect, three days later would be the birthdays of the Ghost Worship Sect's two Ming Ghosts. On that day, high-ranking members of the Ghost Worship Sect and several cultivators from the True Blood Sect would attend.

Since the Ming Ghosts were notoriously extravagant, fond of lively occasions, and fixated on appearances, your presence may not please them, but your absence would certainly earn their resentment.

After all, with the numerous forces of the Western Lands gathered together now, using excuses like long journeys or other reasons to decline seems weak.

Three days later.

On a floating giant island above the Red Sea, cultivators from the Western Lands gathered, sages arrived in droves, teeming vitality filled the air— it was a flourishing, competitive scene basking in daylight.

Thanks to the grand birthday celebration, the Ming Ghosts couldn't contain their delight. Not only had the number and diversity of attending cultivators far exceeded their expectations, but the gifts they received were also countless, bringing even greater smiles to their faces.

In the main hall at the heart of the floating giant island, thirty-six seats were arranged below the central positions. Attendees included heads of the Western Lands Barbarian Continent's various forces.

Among the True Blood Sect's Eight Immortals, five were present, clearly giving the Ming Ghosts considerable respect.

"Ladies and gentlemen, today is truly a gathering of sages. Your presence honors us, the Ming Ghost brothers. Everyone must drink to their hearts' content."

"Not only is there spiritual food, but the fine wine prepared today is a rare brew acquired with great effort by this old man. I urge you all to try it."

The Ming Ghosts sat high in their seats, making a simple gesture, and the cultivators below expressed their thanks before picking up their chopsticks to taste the spiritual food or raising their cups to savor the spiritual wine before them.

Very soon, every cultivator present displayed a drastic change in expression.

"What's the matter?"

The Ming Ghosts, seeing the puzzled expressions of the attendees, showed a hint of confusion themselves.

Ming Ghost tasted a serving of the spiritual food, while Hell Ghost took a sip of the milk-white wine. Instantly, their expressions shifted dramatically!~