Chapter 112: The World's Foremost Primordial Spirit

The sea split and inverted, casting the world into darkness.

Amidst the constant, thunderous explosions, Yuan Ju gazed into the extreme distance. At the very edge of the horizon, a towering, awe-inspiring Dharma manifestation was creating a terrifying commotion, as if intent on obliterating everything in its path, surging forward like fire falling from the heavens.

Suppressing the tremor in his heart, he activated his mystical vision. The manifestation appeared as a rolling, radiant mass of chaotic lightning, connecting the pure yang above to the turbid yin below, born between existence and non-existence, seizing the command of primordial unity. In an instant, the light of the manifestation engulfed everything within a hundred miles, and its deafening roar occupied the senses of every living creature. The sheer scale was a spectacle Yuan Ju had never seen or heard of in his entire life.

"Dharma power carving through the void, brilliance permeating all directions, the void moving of its own accord, the gods in repose... Could this be a supreme-grade Primordial Spirit Dharma manifestation?!"

In the blink of an eye, the raging lightning manifestation was less than eighty miles away. Checking the impulse to turn and flee, Yuan Ju knew that in the face of such a figure, if he were to foolishly attempt to resist, he would certainly not survive. Even if he fled, it would only be to prolong his miserable existence for a few more breaths.

"How could I, on Linjiao Island, have ever provoked such a person?! This must be entanglement in the grievances of Yue You! I only wanted to curry favor with that True Lord Yushu of the Innate Demon Sect—I haven't even tasted the lamb, yet I've been splattered with filth!"

While Yuan Ju was filled with annoyance and frustration, Yue You, who had been flying at high speed, suddenly halted. He dissipated his demonic aura, his expression shifting uncertainly as he stood in the clouds, brow furrowed.

"The Emperor emerges from the Zhen trigram... This is the Yuchen Sect's 'Social Prosperity Thunder' manifestation, ranked as supreme! Yuan Ju, didn't you want to curry favor with me? Don't you of Linjiao Island want to return to the South Sea Ape Tribe? Very well! I, on behalf of Yushu, promise you!"

Yue You pointed a finger at the towering manifestation and said coldly, "Hold him off! Activate the island’s defensive prohibition and hold this short-lived ghost for half a cup of tea’s time! If I survive this day, never mind returning to the South Sea—I can even persuade Yushu to help you usurp the position of Yuan Gongche and make your lineage the rulers of the South Sea Ape Tribe!"

Supreme-grade Primordial Spirit manifestation... Social Prosperity Thunder?!

Amidst his panic, Yuan Ju was even more shocked. A name surfaced in his mind, one he dared not even contemplate.

"The Yuchen Sect, and he has mastered the 'Social Prosperity Thunder'... Who exactly is this man, and what kind of grievance does he have with the master? Could you tell me a little?" he asked, his voice trembling.

Yue You remained cold and silent.

"Could it be—"

"It is Jun Yao! Father! It is True Person Jun Yao of the Yuchen Sect, who won the championship at the previous Danyuan Assembly!" Before Yuan Ju could finish, the young boy whom Yue You had injured on Linjiao Island could no longer hold back, screaming at the top of his lungs, "In the Yuchen Sect, he is the only one who has achieved the first grade of elixir and mastered the 'Social Prosperity Thunder' manifestation! Father, this True Person’s hatred for Yue You and the others is as deep as the sea; we must not get involved!"

A fierce light erupted in Yue You's eyes. He glared at Linjiao Island beneath the clouds, regretting that he had held back his strength earlier and not smashed the boy to pieces.

"Father! Do not believe Yue You’s words. The nature of a snake is sinister and treacherous, the least trustworthy of all! Have you forgotten? We were once deceived by the Python Tribe! That is why we drifted from the South Sea to the East Sea, reduced to this state!"

Seeing that the "Social Prosperity Thunder" was drawing ever closer to their dao site, the momentum of the supreme manifestation was as overwhelming as if the sun had descended upon the earth. It churned the hundred-mile sea domain, turning it into a boiling cauldron ready to burst, threatening to silence all existence at any moment. The many demon apes on Linjiao Island, despite their usual unruly temperaments, were thrown into chaos by the terrifying sound, screeching and clawing at their ears in a frantic, deafening uproar.

"Father! Father! The Yuchen Sect is in the East Domain, but it borders the East Sea! Do not listen to Yue You’s ghostly words and drag the whole family to their doom!" The boy’s voice now carried a terrified sob. "I still want to return to the South Sea in my lifetime and become the young master of the Ape Tribe! Our lineage on Linjiao Island cannot perish here!"

Yuan Ju’s expression was complex. After a moment of silence, he took one last look at the towering manifestation, then back at Yue You, and sighed, "Master, consider the Void-Escaping Shuttle as my apology. Forgive me—I am responsible for the lives of many, and I am truly powerless, nor do I dare to meddle in this matter..."

"Very well. I have noted this. Do not regret it on Linjiao Island in the future!" Yue You sneered, knowing there was no hope of winning them over, and wasted no more breath.

As Yuan Ju drove his clouds down into the island and activated the prohibitions, sealing the island off from the world and making his stance of neutrality clear, the "Social Prosperity Thunder" manifestation finally bore down. It occupied the entire sky above Linjiao Island. Instantly, lightning flashed and thunder roared, as if dragging the entire vast sea territory into a world of cataclysmic thunderbolts.

"Jun Yao!" Yue You’s face turned ghastly.

"Yue You, why stop running? Is it that you cannot break the barrier I have placed upon this heaven and earth?"

With a voice of absolute indifference, the thunder and mist parted. A young Daoist with a magnificent appearance, refined and god-like, revealed himself. His expression was cold, his brows carrying the frigid, isolated frost of a lonely peak. He wore azure robes, a jade seal at his waist, and in the depths of his eyes lay an undisguised, surging malevolence. Standing in the void, the spiritual energy of the four directions bowed to him like a tame hound, waiting for his command to manifest mysterious changes.

Supreme-grade manifestation! Social Prosperity Thunder! The former champion of the Danyuan Assembly! And now, the number one Primordial Spirit in the world!

Under the crushing pressure of Jun Yao’s presence, even with Yue You’s lawless temperament, he could not help but feel a sense of despair. He found himself unable to even muster the will to strike, his eyes turning dull and gray.

After he struggled to suppress this eerie sensation...

***

High in the sky, Jun Yao, standing with his hands behind his back, said, "Eleven years ago, after you narrowly escaped from the Tunxiang Mansion, I visited Senior Brother Wei of the Jiuzhen Sect. With his introduction, I finally mastered this 'Nine Layers Within Reach.' Observing the results today, it has not failed my years of painstaking effort."

Yue You’s complexion was wretched. Ever since he sensed the "Social Prosperity Thunder," he had exerted his utmost strength to flee. Yet, the further he traveled, the more the space ahead seemed infinite—each inch stretched to hundreds of miles, a destination never to be reached. This was why he had shamefully halted, hoping to persuade Yuan Ju to join forces. But the monkey had lost the courage he once possessed in the South Sea, and now only cowered in neutrality.

"It seems there is no avoiding this..." Yue You sighed inwardly. "Jun Yao, you are truly obsessed. Why have you not let go yet?" He raised his head and sneered.

"Let go?" Jun Yao remained expressionless.

"A proper successor of the Yuchen Sect, reaching the first grade of elixir, suppressing countless geniuses of the Eight Sects and Six Schools, winning the championship, and mastering the 'Social Prosperity Thunder' that no one in the Yuchen Sect has achieved in ten thousand years! Jun Yao, you should have had an immeasurable future!" Yue You shook his head. "Why act like a mad dog now, desperately opposing Yushu? Even if you save five or ten of Yushu's descendants, how long can you delay it? It is all in vain."

"Yushu becoming a Dao Monarch is inevitable; even the Eight Sects cannot easily interfere. How can a mere Primordial Spirit like you hinder it?" A hint of mockery appeared in his eyes. "How many more years can you live? Is it really worth doing this for a woman? How pitiful! It is no wonder that the masters of the Yuchen Sect are so disappointed in you. With such a state of mind, how can you attain the Dao? Honestly, stop this useless effort. Go back to your mountain gate and recuperate for a few years! In these final moments, wouldn't it be better to leave behind an heir for your family?"

"Words cannot save your life." Jun Yao did not say more. He unfurled the thunder behind him, unleashing an aura of world-ending destruction, and struck directly at Yue You!

"Damn it!" Yue You’s expression changed wildly. He let out a sharp cry and manifested his true form—a ten-thousand-foot-long Ba Serpent—churning up layers of demonic energy, and, having no other choice, fiercely met the attack!

Boom!

The moment they collided, a sound like the sky splitting echoed out, and flesh and blood rained down. In the clouds, the Ba Serpent let out a sorrowful cry, its bones shattered and tendons snapped, as it plummeted toward the sea, creating massive waves that rippled outward.

"One move? Defeated in one move?" On Linjiao Island, Yuan Ju watched, dumbfounded, unable to maintain his composure.

Before he could recover, two rotations of five-colored divine light leaped from Jun Yao’s back, illuminating the void. They forcefully pushed aside the churning seawater and pressed down on the head and tail of the Ba Serpent, as if intending to tear him apart like a piece of soft sinew!

"Jun Yao?!" Yue You was terrified. He desperately shook his demonic aura to cleanse himself, barely managing to shatter the two rotations of five-colored light. Yet, before he could escape far, an invisible bead of energy descended, erasing half of his serpent tail. This was only because he had reacted quickly, using his divine powers to block it; otherwise, it would not have just been his tail, but half his entire body.

The thunder roared incessantly. By now, less than half a cup of tea had passed. Yue You had already retracted his ten-thousand-foot Ba Serpent form in a panic and hidden inside a twelve-story ivory tower, not daring to show his face. He controlled hundreds of six-tusked white elephant spirits—each possessing the power to shake mountains—and threw them out, hoping to flee.

But every time they dashed out, they were struck by a Southern Red Qi Fire-Thunder, burning them into charcoal and wasting a spirit. The twelve-story tower was ground down layer by layer in these fire-thunder strikes; in an instant, only six levels remained, tottering on the brink of collapse.

"Damn it! Damn it!" Yue You was terrified. This ivory tower was a secret treasure specially gifted to him by Chen Yushu. Hiding within it not only protected him, but every elephant spirit could house his divine intent, granting him the ability to shift through the void. As long as one elephant escaped, he could use a secret technique to swap places with it and escape this disaster.

But he had not expected Jun Yao’s Dharma power to be seemingly inexhaustible. The Southern Red Qi Fire-Thunders were like a dense, inescapable web! No matter how the hundreds of white elephants shifted through the void, they could not escape a hundred yards before being struck down! In the blink of an eye, all the spirits were reduced to ash...

With another roar, Yue You’s heart trembled. Another layer of the tower was ground away, leaving only five, its radiance significantly dimmed.

"I must... use the 'Dou Lu' to gamble for my life!" He sighed inwardly, sitting down within the tower and ignoring the artifact that was shaking violently under the thunderous bombardment. He focused on cultivating his essence, striving to reach his peak state before the tower was completely destroyed by Jun Yao’s thunder magic!

Only then—could he unleash the earth-shattering strike contained within the Dou Lu!

The Dou Lu he possessed was different from those held by Chen Yushu's descendants; they were two entirely different things. The Dou Lu in the hands of the blood descendants mostly contained a single "Dou Gang Falling Qi" technique, which would only trigger automatically in life-and-death moments to save their lives. They could not personally tap into the various functions of the divine powers sealed within.

But the Dou Lu in Yue You’s hands could be used at his will, without restraint, and manipulated as he pleased!

Since leaving the Nanchan Prefecture, he had only brought five.

The first was used to conceal his movements and celestial destiny, intended to cut off Jun Yao’s divination. Over these years, this man had been ruining Chen Yushu’s plans, preventing him from bringing the blood descendants back to Nanchan, acting like a mad dog! Although it had blocked him for a few days, Jun Yao had still come today; clearly, that Dou Lu had not fulfilled Yue You’s expectations...

The second was used on Wanjiu Island, where he broke the island’s prohibitions and beheaded Lord Jiu Qu on the spot! The boy’s thoughts had been correct—Wanjiu Island and Linjiao Island had fought for years, neither able to take the other. With such tight defenses, how could a mere spiritual body of Yue You have dealt with it? After several failed attempts, he had lost his temper and used a Dou Lu, which completely shattered the island’s array and secured the head of Lord Jiu Qu.

"Of the remaining three, unfortunately, only two contain true killing powers—the 'Ice Soul True Light.' The last one, 'Seated Vision of the Eight Extremes,' cannot kill Jun Yao."

Yue You looked up silently. By now, the twelve-story ivory tower he inhabited had only one level left, desperately hanging on.

Dozens of breaths later, a cracking sound echoed across dozens of miles as the ivory tower was completely destroyed. Before the dense barrage of Southern Red Qi Fire-Thunders could descend, Yue You suddenly roared and pointed his finger. A stream of eerie white light shot straight into the sky, swift and unstoppable. It collided with the incoming fire-thunders and, with irresistible force, froze Jun Yao, who had been unable to dodge in time!

Like the lunar yin falling to earth, half the sky turned into a dark, eerie white, the cold chilling to the bone! The sea tide beneath Yue You’s feet turned into thick ice; a single gust of yin wind was enough to freeze even low-level cultivators to death in mid-air.

"Father..." In the distance, even with the protection of Linjiao Island’s prohibitions, the boy’s face was pale, his teeth chattering. He trembled as he approached Yuan Ju and said bitterly, "True Person Jun Yao is dead, then we—"

He did not dare finish the sentence. Yuan Ju’s face was as heavy as water, and he did not respond.

"Not right..."

Yue You laughed twice, just about to crush the frozen Jun Yao with a palm strike, when his expression suddenly flickered, and he hesitated.

"Chen Yushu is not here. You thought you could deal with me with just one Dou Lu? Yue You, you are truly foolish to a frightening degree."

At this moment, Jun Yao’s voice seemed to sound from all directions—above, below, and everywhere in between. After a brief moment of panic, Yue You activated his profound arts, silently determined a direction, summoned his hand, and unleashed another stream of eerie white light!

After dozens of breaths of silence, following a flash of lightning, Jun Yao appeared, his hand pressing against the jade seal at his waist, his expression indifferent.

"Could it be you have mastered that movement technique?" Yue You’s heart was in chaos. After a moment of distraction, he sneered, disdain appearing on his face. "Come! Kill me! It is just a spiritual body anyway, death is death! Chen Yushu never allowed me to travel with my true body, presumably for this reason!"

He clapped and laughed, "Even if you save Chen Heng today, what of it? Can you save all of Yushu’s descendants? For now, I will let you, a short-lived ghost, act arrogant. When Yushu becomes a Dao Monarch—"

"No." Yue You suddenly laughed at himself. "With your lifespan, I fear you will not last until Yushu merges with the Dao. Pitiful! Pitiful!"

"So, this one is called Chen Heng?" Jun Yao’s expression was calm. "But you said earlier that if a spiritual body dies, it dies—that is not necessarily true. Watch."

He slightly curled his finger, twisting a pill that possessed seven apertures and was spewing turbid light, revealing a cold sneer.

The moment Yue You saw this pill, he did not speak, only turned and fled for his life. But he did not even make it half a mile before a surge of overwhelming Dharma power swept across the horizon. He coughed up blood and fell from the clouds, tumbling a dozen times, his bones shattered.

"The debt from the past, I return to you."

The pill shot from Jun Yao’s fingertip like a meteor of fire. Just as it was about to pierce Yue You’s skull, a voice sounded, as if right beside everyone’s ears.

"Son-in-law, your skills are truly improving. It has been years—how have you been?"

The voice sighed gently, then added, "I heard that because of your persistence in practicing that art, your lifespan is running thin. What a pity, what a pity... Son-in-law, you have truly wasted your natural talent. Seeing this, your old father-in-law cannot help but feel a pang of heartache."

As these words fell, everyone was shocked. Jun Yao looked coldly ahead, his killing intent surging to the heavens, his five fingers gripping the jade seal at his waist tightly.

"Yushu? Is it you? Have you lost your mind?!" Yue You, after a moment of daze, exclaimed in fury, "How dare you project your divine intent outside the Grotto-Heaven again? Are you not afraid of death?!"