After I Died My Dao Companion Drowns in Endless Regret Chapter 116

A loud crash, like the collapse of a mountain, enveloped the entire mountain gate of the Tian Nu Pavilion. The cultivators remaining in the pavilion were all startled and flew out. Although they didn’t know who was stirring up trouble in the shadows, they all channeled their spiritual energy and collided with the dense swarm of flying shuttles. However, these shuttles were truly bizarre. When they encountered the qi waves, not only did they not weaken, but they grew even more formidable. After a few more explosions, the entire Tian Nu Pavilion began to shake, and its spiritual energy instantly became chaotic.
Su Qing had been on her way to the great prison, but when she suddenly saw the spiritual light on the mountaintop swaying, she immediately turned and rushed towards the direction of Daoist Gou Chen. A crimson flame shone down, parting a path of brilliant light through the dense barrier formed by the flying shuttles. Su Qing looked up and saw the yellow-robed Daoist’s appearance clearly. Her eyes turned cold. “Your Excellency is seeking your own death.”
Daoist Gou Chen laughed loudly. “Who lives and who dies is not yet decided!” Right now, the Daoist art of slaying demons and non-selves had not yet spread. There was no way Su Qing would let the cultivators of the Gan Yuan lineage face them. Their Xuan Tian Ji still had the advantage. Although this trip would likely cost them many fellow Daoists, with Yun Huai and the Gan Yuan lineage freed, they would be too busy fighting to pay any attention to Xuan Tian Ji. Watching the approaching Su Qing, Daoist Gou Chen released an artifact from his sleeve, and instantly, a clear, translucent pearl floated behind him. The aura of this pearl was constantly rising, clearly gathering power. Once it fell, its might would be unknown. Su Qing immediately made a judgment, sneered coldly, and with a shake of her body, transformed into a monstrous flame, rolling forward with the force of moving mountains and seas.
Daoist Gou Chen pointed a finger, and the pearl flew forward. A sharp, whistling sound erupted upon collision. The void collapsed, and the residual force first swept out in all directions, but after a few breaths, it suddenly caved inward, as if falling into a bottomless abyss. While the two of them fought here, the others were not idle. The Created Beings with Intelligence who had been attacking the great prison turned and rushed towards the Tian Nu Pavilion. With their strength, it was impossible to overwhelm the Tian Nu Pavilion cultivators, otherwise they would have rescued their comrades from the great prison long ago. They all carried a Xuanji Needle. Upon reaching the territory of the Tian Nu Pavilion, they all summoned these flying needles at once. The needles intertwined, their tails trailing a dazzling white light, weaving into sharp, sturdy nets in a sharp hum, pressing down on the Tian Nu Pavilion. These flying needles moved through the gaps in the spiritual energy, quickly traversing the void and pulling a hidden forbidden hall out from the shadows of the Tian Nu Pavilion.
The Created Beings with Intelligence themselves had escaped from various heavenly domains. They were “non-selves,” but they also knew some things about their original bodies. For example, at this moment, the Created Beings knew the “Gate of the Profound,” where Yun Huai was imprisoned, like the back of their hands, and tried every means to destroy it.
As the spiritual energy surged in the Tian Nu Pavilion, Su Qing finally guessed Daoist Gou Chen’s purpose. In the past, Xuan Tian Ji’s attitude toward the Gan Yuan lineage was very cold. At critical moments, they would push them out to take the blame. Now that the Gan Yuan lineage had a way to slay all demons, they posed a huge threat to Xuan Tian Ji. She had never thought that the Created Beings would have the idea of rescuing the Gan Yuan lineage. But on second thought, Su Qing also understood. Xuan Tian Ji had probably heard about the changes in the Wu Xiang Heaven Domain and had become vigilant. They wanted to use the Gan Yuan lineage to stir up trouble again, so that they, Xuan Tian Ji, could once again hide in the background. Su Qing laughed coldly. “Your Excellency has always hidden in places where no one can find you. Now that you have exposed yourself, it will be difficult to escape again.”
A brilliant light shone in Daoist Gou Chen’s eyes, and the aura behind him rose wave after wave. Countless bolts of lightning exploded out of thin air, flashing with great bursts of light. “Our cultivation is similar. I indeed cannot do anything to you. But if you want to take me down, that is also impossible.”
Su Qing said coldly, “It’s not just the Tian Nu Domain that wants to suppress you.”
Daoist Gou Chen narrowed his eyes, unconcerned. “By the time they get here, I will have already accomplished what I set out to do.” In the past, their dealings with the major heavenly domains were just minor skirmishes, but this time, in order to stir the muddy waters, Xuan Tian Ji had brought out a lot of real skills. Their predecessor was the Heavenly Mystery Institute, and they themselves were Created Beings with Intelligence. They would only go further and further down this path. After a few rounds of fighting, Su Qing looked at the artifacts that flew out from time to time and felt it was a thorny issue. Daoist Gou Chen had no intention of fighting her fair and square.
“Is that so?” Su Qing said with a straight face. Right now, Daoist Gou Chen would not let her teleport back to the Tian Nu Pavilion to guard the Gate of the Profound. Under the destruction of the Created Beings, it was very likely that her Senior Sister would escape. But after her Senior Sister escaped, would everything really go as Daoist Gou Chen thought?
In the Gate of the Profound.
Yun Huai, who was sitting in the vortex of spiritual energy, suddenly opened her eyes. The spiritual energy was in chaos, and one after another, needle-thin spiritual qi pierced through the array formation here, causing it to no longer operate smoothly. Yun Huai didn’t know what was happening outside, but she immediately realized this was a good opportunity. She took a deep breath, and the spiritual power around her body suddenly surged, washing over the shackles on her body. The floating clouds flowed, instantly transforming into vortexes. The spiritual energy on Yun Huai’s body rose and fell, like the ebb and flow of the tide. But hidden within it was a change, a waxing and waning in opposition to the array formation. A few breaths later, a crisp sound was heard, and the restriction covering her body suddenly shattered. Countless flowing clouds in the Gate of the Profound swirled around Yun Huai, gradually transforming into flowing cloud patterns that adorned the hem of her robes.
After breaking free, Yun Huai stepped out of the Gate of the Profound without hesitation.
In the halls of the Tian Nu Pavilion, the spirit-discerning instruments flashed, telling people the identity of the enemy. Yun Huai’s gaze did not fall on the female cultivators of the Tian Nu Pavilion who were looking at her warily, but instead fell coldly on the Created Beings with Intelligence. The spiritual energy on her body surged, transforming into a giant hand that slapped down on those rampant creations. Her realm was far higher than the creations’. When this strike fell, no one could be spared. After doing this, Yun Huai ignored the Tian Nu Pavilion cultivators who were throwing their artifacts at her. Instead, she used her fingers to divine the whereabouts of the remaining disciples of the Gan Yuan lineage, and with a move of her body, she rescued them from their predicament. But even after doing all this, she still did not leave.
“Supreme Immortal?” The haggard disciple of the Gan Yuan lineage was filled with sorrow.
Yun Huai stared in the direction where the spiritual energy was surging most violently and said calmly, “Ordinary creations cannot destroy the Tian Nu Pavilion’s array formation. It is highly likely that a higher up cultivator from Xuan Tian Ji has appeared.” She reached out a finger and placed several dharma talismans on the disciples, then said, “You all go to the Wu Xiang Heaven Domain first!” As for herself, she took a step forward, the floating clouds behind her rolling, ethereal and transcendent.
When Yun Huai appeared, Daoist Gou Chen was just summoning a great seal. The surface of the seal was dark, and layers of malevolent qi rolled over it. The artifact refining in the Heavenly Mystery Institute of Xuan Qing Mountain still had rules, but when the Created Beings with Intelligence occupied the entire manor, there were not so many scruples. To them, as long as it could be refined into an artifact, they didn’t care if it was a demon bone or a human bone; it could all be used. When this great seal fell, a torrent of black water descended from the sky and struck the flames that covered half the sky. Su Qing frowned. Realizing that the black water falling from the great seal was polluting her spiritual power, she immediately withdrew some of it and became carefully guarded. Daoist Gou Chen took this opportunity to catch his breath. He saw the figure standing silently not far away and knew that he had succeeded this time. A smile touched his lips, and he feigned a Daoist salute, saying, “This humble Daoist has succeeded and will take his leave now.” What was left was for Su Qing and Yun Huai to fight, preferably to the death!
Su Qing also noticed Yun Huai’s presence. She glanced at her coolly and then looked away, staring at Daoist Gou Chen. She said, “Your Excellency comes and goes as you please. What do you take my Tian Nu Domain for?” With a thought, a bronze furnace suddenly appeared in the blazing heavenly fire. The smoke from the furnace merged with the fire, and its aura instantly soared, becoming more and more fierce, as if without end.
A warning sign appeared deep in Daoist Gou Chen’s heart, but he unhurriedly summoned a dharma talisman and said with a smile, “This humble Daoist takes his leave.” The talisman wrapped around him, poised to carry him away. However, suddenly, the teleportation light seemed to hit a barrier and fell back down. Daoist Gou Chen looked up, and the cloudy sky was as endless as a vast sea. His expression suddenly changed.
“Where does Your Excellency intend to go?” Yun Huai sighed softly, her gaze falling darkly on Daoist Gou Chen. A Daoist who cultivated the severing of all selves could convert to the heart-cultivating Dao, but a Created Being with Intelligence was a truly irreconcilable enemy. Yun Huai’s boundaries were very clear; she knew what she had to do. Since Daoist Gou Chen had finally shown himself, she should take this opportunity to finish him off completely!
Daoist Gou Chen’s expression changed again and again. He glared at Yun Huai with resentment. “If it weren’t for me, how could you have escaped so easily?”
Yun Huai was noncommittal. She raised a hand toward Daoist Gou Chen and pointed lightly. A white light instantly flashed in the sky. Following that was an explosion like the collapse of heaven and earth. A vast torrent of cloud qi surged like a tide, carrying a fierce force as it swept toward Daoist Gou Chen. And Su Qing also made her move at this time. The two of them attacked Daoist Gou Chen together.
Daoist Gou Chen had considered many possibilities, but he had never thought that these two would join forces. One had to know that the Gan Yuan lineage had been in conflict with the major sects for tens of thousands of years, with countless casualties. Wasn’t that a blood feud that could only end in death? A wave of hatred surged in his heart. Knowing that it was impossible to escape from the space locked by Yun Huai, he let go and fought with all his might. Su Qing had originally been concerned that after Daoist Gou Chen’s death, his gloomy qi would give birth to a demon in the Tian Nu Domain, so she hadn’t struck a fatal blow. Now, seeing Yun Huai appear and knowing that she would certainly not let the “non-self” flow freely, she also channeled her spiritual power, her attacks becoming more and more fierce and unparalleled.
About half an hour later, Daoist Gou Chen’s body exploded under the combined attack of Yun Huai and Su Qing. Countless streams of gloomy qi surged wildly, scattering in all directions. But if Daoist Gou Chen’s true body couldn’t escape the cloudy sky, how could those wisps of gloomy qi? As the cloudy sky Dharma Manifestation contracted, those turbulent streams of gloomy qi were also trapped inside Yun Huai’s body, unable to move. The wind scattered the clouds, and the sky was as clear as if it had been washed. A long wind howled, and Su Qing and Yun Huai stood facing each other from afar.
“Can my Tian Nu Pavilion truly not keep you, Senior Sister?” Su Qing asked.
Yun Huai did not answer. Looking into the distance, she saw streams of teleportation light streaking towards this place, all of them unfamiliar faces. After thousands of years of fighting, few of her old friends remained. Her sleeves fluttered in the wind. She reached out and grasped, and a longsword instantly appeared in her hand. She slashed forward, and clusters of sword light surged ahead.
Su Qing gave Yun Huai a deep look. Back then, they had gone to great lengths to capture the cultivators of the Gan Yuan lineage. They had even lost a few cultivators who had reached the Supreme Immortal realm. She had to admit that after they severed their selves, the remaining “true self” became thinner and thinner. But the heart-cultivating Dao was different. After “all selves return to one,” the spiritual power of a cultivator of the same realm was a bit stronger than those who severed their selves. She waved her hand, stopping the disciples who were rushing forward from behind. She asked, “Is Senior Sister going to start another great turmoil? Because you spread a heretical path, the Shang Qing Divine Realm has suffered countless casualties for thousands of years. Does Senior Sister feel no burden in her heart?”
Yun Huai said calmly, “To hear the Dao is to have no regrets.” She said no more, raised her hand and pushed forward, while she herself used the cover of the cloud qi to fly in another direction. Su Qing watched Yun Huai’s figure completely disappear. After standing silently for a long time, she finally instructed in a cool voice, “Recall all the disciples scattered throughout the various heavenly domains. Those who do not comply will be directly removed from the heavenly domain’s records.”
Such a major event happening in the Tian Nu Domain could not be hidden, and Su Qing had no intention of hiding it. In a short time, this news spread to every corner of the Shang Qing Divine Realm.
In the Wu Shi Sect.
Although Si Jun had suppressed Teng Luo in the Dao Palace, she had never truly shown herself, but acted in secret. She now knew that after the Fu Li Immortal Realm was exposed, in order to seek a path to survival, some of the younger generation had already entered the divine realm. She was not in a hurry to give them anything, but let them continue to act in secret. However, with the changes in the Wu Xiang Heaven Domain, Si Jun began to consider whether she should change her strategy. When the news of Yun Huai’s escape reached her ears, her mind was made up, and she contacted Yun Huai without hesitation.
Yun Huai’s original intention was to cross over to the Wu Xiang Heaven Domain, but she wasn’t sure if the Wu Xiang Academy could accommodate her. After all, her cultivation was different from the disciples of the Gan Yuan lineage. When they had severed the Realm of Ruin back then, they had actually offended the Wu Xiang Heaven quite badly. Just as she was hesitating, she suddenly received a message from Si Jun. Yun Huai immediately turned towards the Wu Shi Heaven Domain!
“I thought that after that tribulation, you and I would never see each other again,” Yun Huai sighed with emotion.
Si Jun raised an eyebrow and smiled. “As long as we are not dead, there is still a chance.” After a pause, she added, “This time, we have to thank the creations of Xuan Tian Ji. They tried to steal a chicken but ended up losing the rice.”
“Xuan Tian Ji has no leader. Now is the best time to eradicate them. I just don’t know what the major heavenly domains will choose to do,” Yun Huai said. She certainly wanted to wipe out Xuan Tian Ji, but right now, they were like clay bodhisattvas crossing a river—unable to save themselves. She couldn’t spare too much thought for Xuan Tian Ji. After a moment of thought, she asked, “Is there any news of Daoist Sang? I recently heard about the events in the Wu Xiang Heaven Domain. Their actions are very different from the past. What are they planning?”
“No,” Si Jun shook her head. “I haven’t had any contact with the Wu Xiang Heaven Domain yet. From the information that has been revealed so far, it is extremely beneficial to us.”
Yun Huai sighed. “Back then, Daoist Sang always wanted to get support from the Wu Xiang Heaven Domain, but that one was truly heartless.”
“After all, she is not on the same level as us, and she is also a part of the heavenly order. Once the Shang Qing Divine Realm undergoes a major change, she may also undergo a new change.” Si Jun thought for a moment and then added, “The last sword strike from Daoist Sang landed on that one. No matter how you look at it, it’s impossible for the Wu Xiang Heaven Domain to help us. Unless—”
Yun Huai’s eyes lit up. “You suspect that Daoist Sang is actually still around?”
Si Jun shook her head. “But I still can’t contact her.” She looked at Yun Huai and asked, “What are your plans now?”
“Let’s build up our strength first.” After a pause, Yun Huai gave a bitter laugh. “I was actually thinking, what if we succeed in the Shang Qing Divine Realm? Our realm and level are not as high as those five. With a flip of their hand, can’t they just overturn all our efforts?” Because even with a complete victory, the cultivators who severed their selves couldn’t all disappear in a short time. As long as one existed, it could prove the imperial status of those five lords. In that case, the strength of the five lords would still be higher than theirs. They needed a power of the same level, one that could contend with the five lords. But the problem was that the heavenly order of the divine realm was almost fixed. The six lords were divided into six heavens, and there was no place for anyone else. “How can we open up that path upward?” Yun Huai asked seriously.
Si Jun was speechless. She couldn’t give an answer. In one battle after another, their understanding had also improved time and again. The further they went, the stronger the feeling of despair and helplessness became, but none of this could be said to the disciples. After a long while, she finally said, “If those five lords merge with the Dao, the heart-cultivating Dao will be fundamentally negated, and we will also lose our related memories. But since we can still move forward now, it means this is a path toward the Dao. Since it tends toward the Great Dao, there must be a chance of survival.”
Yun Huai said, “It must be so.” They couldn’t have doubts themselves. Once a single thought of denial arose, their Daoist convictions would develop a crack and then be slowly pried open.
In the Wu Xiang Heaven Domain.
Wei Yunshu also heard the news from the Tian Nu Pavilion. She had once thought of rescuing Yun Huai and Si Jun after she had succeeded, but she hadn’t expected her to escape earlier than she had anticipated. Was this a change in the heavenly numbers? The Great Dao also wanted to produce a change, and not be completely locked down by those five lords. Her mind only lingered on the affairs of the Tian Nu Pavilion for a moment before moving on.
After all the selves returned to one, those memories and the shadows of the past all fell back. Everything that was not recorded in the classics or was ambiguous finally became clear before her eyes, and she also found a path that might lead upward. “Flaw” was the beginning of birth, the essence of all things. It was just that it had been tainted by the mortal world. As the malevolence dissolved, the original spirit also gradually dissipated. Previously, the Emperor had guided her to find her past self in the “flaw,” to awaken the memories of old. Now, she had to continue along that path to let the original “flaw” return. But having walked in the mortal world, she could not and would not be the most original “flaw.” To possess a spiritual nature and yet be able to subdue malevolence with one’s own heart was the path she had to walk.
Sifting through the echoes of her past, Wei Yunshu was struck by a powerful thought: what if the Emperor had never guided her? She realized that her destiny as the ‘Flaw’ would have remained unchanged. She would still have cultivated her transcendent arts, and she would still have been fated to destroy the ‘Formless.’ But how? Without the imperial seal, forging the sword to sever the Realm of Ruin would have been impossible.
Then, a chilling understanding dawned. There was another way. The ultimate, formless Dao—which was everything and nothing—would never manifest on its own. To destroy it, she wouldn’t have needed to sever the Realm. Instead, her purpose could have been fulfilled through pure destruction. As an unforgivably evil ‘Flaw,’ she could have wiped out all life in the divine realm, shattering the balance of all things. In that single, cataclysmic act, she would have achieved the very meaning of her existence.
Both congenital and postnatal divine spirits were born from the Great Dao, but they were also constantly contending with the Great Dao. After the Great Dao overturned heaven, earth, and all living things, it would give birth to a new heaven and earth. It was neither good nor evil; it would only lean toward the side that was beneficial to itself. One could use the Heavenly Dao, one could hold the Dao, but one could not return to the Great Dao. Those five lords severed their selves and returned to the oneness of the Dao, but what Dao was that? Their “transformation into the Dao” was also a contention with the Heavenly Dao, because the Heavenly Dao wanted variables; it did not want them.
In this process, Wei Yunshu’s understanding of the Dao gradually deepened. She understood her own origin, and also her original destiny. But she had her own self, she also had her own Daoist convictions. The “flaw of the Great Dao” had transformed into a person, so she was not equivalent to the Great Dao. She would use that “flaw mark” to ascend, to exist as herself. When she had found all the remaining “flaw” character imprints, Wei Yunshu’s spiritual power had climbed to a very high level, as if she would teleport away from this world in the next step. But she did not continue to rush forward, but instead gathered all her spiritual energy. Having enough cultivation was not enough. She needed something to push her further up, and that was the “heart-cultivating Dao.” This was the foundation of the “flaw” and the “variables”!
In the unseen, countless divine wills returned to her body. Wei Yunshu flew out from the last place. With a flick of her fingers, she calculated and found that three years had passed quietly. She returned to the Wu Xiang Academy. It was bustling with people, but at a glance, there were few familiar faces. Wei Yunshu went to ask Xie Zhichao and the others and only then learned that starting from the Tian Nu Domain, the major sects of all the heavenly domains had recalled their disciples from the Academy. Those who remained were people who had been persuaded by the heart-cultivating Dao. The Wu Xiang Heaven Domain had also been in a state of order these past few years, having tacitly approved the development of the Gan Yuan lineage. As for the various immortal cities with objections, they had already been wiped out by Dan Mountain.
In just three short years, the changes were much greater than Wei Yunshu had imagined!
She then asked about Yun Huai. Xie Zhichao and Ran Xiuyun both shook their heads and said they hadn’t heard anything or seen her again. However, many disciples of the Gan Yuan lineage had come to the Academy to seek the Dao.
After a conversation, Wei Yunshu had a clear understanding of the changes in the Shang Qing Divine Realm. The major heavenly domains had recalled their disciples, clearly preparing for a battle. As for “Xuan Tian Ji,” although they had disappeared without a trace, as long as the severing of all selves still existed, and the creations still existed, they could not be completely eliminated.
On her way back to the Tianque Blessed Land, Wei Yunshu suddenly saw a familiar figure, and a look of surprise appeared on her face. Wei Yunshu gave a Daoist salute and called out, “Daoist Friend Yue Ying.” Yue Ying was a true disciple of the Tian Nu Pavilion. Why had she also stayed at the Academy? Before, she had been extremely repulsed by the Gan Yuan lineage.
“Daoist Bo.” Yue Ying returned the salute and said with a beaming smile, “You’ve been in seclusion for years. I’ve been so bored.”
Wei Yunshu smiled. “Doesn’t Daoist Friend Yue Ying have friendships with many people?”
Yue Ying blinked and said, “They are them. How can they compare to Daoist Bo?”
Wei Yunshu smiled and feigned curiosity. “I heard that the disciples of all the sects have already returned. Why are you still at the Academy, Daoist friend?”
Yue Ying raised an eyebrow and retorted, “What do you think, Daoist Bo?”