Chapter 1327: Reshaping the Heavenly Dao

Chapter 1327: Reforging the Heavenly Dao

The once pitch-black Spirit Abyss now shimmered with golden radiance, transforming the place into a world of pure gold.

Within that golden brilliance surged the divine authority emanating from the Godsovereign’s Eye sealed inside the lantern—its power crashing like tidal waves through the ocean of existence itself.

Wherever it passed, all things dissolved within the golden light—not through disassembly or dismantling as Xu Qing’s laws might enact, but through an inexorable, cascading diminishment.

This process, unless countered by equivalent divine authority, could not be reversed.

Everything was altered: every entity in the void—life and breath, illusion and reality, time and space—all were destined to vanish beneath this relentless reduction.

Naturally, this included the golden lizard.

Though it bore the rank of a Godsovereign, it was not its true body—only a sliver of divine will, inherently limited. Thus, despite its exalted status, it could not endure long under the equal yet opposing divine authority of the Godsovereign’s Eye—especially one further empowered by Elder Bai.

Hence, this lantern had become Xu Qing’s sharpest weapon.

Wherever its light swept, only nothingness remained—except for the golden lizard, which still clung stubbornly to existence within that void.

Yet even it grew increasingly indistinct as its divine will was steadily eroded layer by layer. In its final moment before dissolving entirely, it turned its head and fixed its gaze upon Xu Qing.

From the emptiness echoed its cold, indifferent voice:

“You will eventually step beyond these borders.”

With those words rippling outward, the golden lizard closed its eyes—and melted away into the golden light, vanishing completely.

Erased.

Banished utterly.

Only the lingering resonance of its final utterance remained, echoing long after it had faded.

Xu Qing’s eyes were icy as he listened to that reverberating echo spreading through the void. He understood precisely what those words implied.

Indeed, even wielding this lantern forged from the Godsovereign’s Eye, he knew the gulf between himself and a true Godsovereign remained as vast as heaven and earth.

There was no possibility of combat between them.

The reason the four Godsovereigns of the Ninth Star Ring had chosen compromise—allowing him to draw his line across Wanggu—was solely due to Shang Huang.

They feared Shang Huang too deeply to manifest their true forms; they dared not even send avatars, resorting instead to dispatching subordinates or projecting mere fragments of divine will.

But Xu Qing now possessed the means to erase even those projections.

That was why they chose to stand aside.

Yet, as the golden lizard had said—if Xu Qing ever stepped beyond the bounds of Wanggu, losing the protective shadow of Shang Huang’s dread, they would have countless ways to bring about his death.

Even though Xu Qing carried traces of Shang Huang’s karmic imprint—and had previously summoned Shang Huang to the Fourth Star Ring—the Godsovereigns need not act personally. A coalition of several Sovereign Lords would suffice to secure his demise.

“Step beyond…”

Xu Qing narrowed his eyes, then slowly lowered the raised lantern.

As the divine aura within it gradually subsided, his body swayed slightly, his face paling.

Wielding an artifact of such magnitude strained even his current fused Immortal-God state; each use exacted a heavy toll.

This time, having activated the full divine authority of the Godsovereign sealed within the lantern, the cost had been especially severe.

Thus, the instant the golden lizard vanished, Xu Qing withdrew his own will. The Godsovereign’s Eye within the lantern closed once more.

The golden radiance flooding the Spirit Abyss extinguished entirely in that moment.

Void returned to absolute darkness—but unlike before, this darkness now felt hollow.

Utterly empty.

In a sense, the entire Spirit Abyss no longer existed.

Only the rotting giant serpent remained, trembling uncontrollably.

Earlier, under Xu Qing’s control, the golden light had deliberately spared the area behind him—thus sparing both the serpent and the Spirit Sovereign’s Eye from assimilation.

As for Zhou Zhengli and the others, they had already emerged one by one from the world borne upon the serpent’s back, now standing beside Xu Qing.

Having sensed everything from within that world, their gazes toward Xu Qing now held deeper reverence.

Even Xinghuanzi bowed his head silently.

If even they were so awed, it went without saying how utterly shaken Ancient Spirit Sovereign was—he had watched helplessly as the Spirit Abyss turned to void, and even that terrifying presence from his memories had been erased. All his eyes brimmed with shock and horror.

Noticing the serpent’s trembling and Ancient Spirit Sovereign’s stunned expression, Xu Qing shook his head.

“The Ancient Spirit Sovereign who once unified Wanggu must have possessed immense resolve—and indeed, he did.”

“But clearly, after failing his ascension, he truly perished. And you… are merely a manifestation of his lingering obsession, granted life by a Godsovereign’s grace.”

“You are no longer the Ancient Spirit Sovereign you once were.”

Xu Qing spoke calmly.

Ancient Spirit Sovereign remained silent. Bitterness filled every one of his eyes before he finally closed them all.

He knew he could neither struggle nor resist—and Xu Qing’s words had laid bare a truth he had refused to acknowledge:

He truly was no longer the Ancient Spirit Sovereign of old.

Only a remnant revived by external power, clinging desperately to survival, hiding within the Spirit Abyss.

“But you still carry the primordial rank of Wanggu’s ancient era—through your original identity, your bond with Wanggu, and the cultivation you once achieved…”

Xu Qing looked at Ancient Spirit Sovereign, his eyes deepening with intent.

“Since you were born from the Ancient Spirit Sovereign’s obsession to usurp the Heavenly Dao…”

“Then today, you shall become the Heavenly Dao itself.”

As he spoke, Xu Qing raised his right hand and seized both the Spirit Sovereign’s Eye and the giant serpent in one motion. With a single step, he crossed the void and teleported away.

He reappeared high above the skies of Wanggu Continent—and his words caused Ancient Spirit Sovereign, who had just closed his eyes, to snap them all open in disbelief, staring at Xu Qing.

Xu Qing lifted his gaze toward the heavens.

“In Wanggu, cultivators’ paths end upon reaching the Soul-Nourishing stage. Aside from rare inheritances, none can ascend to Sovereignty—because long ago, when Shang Huang arrived, it devoured numerous Heavenly Daos, leaving the path of Wanggu’s cultivators incomplete.”

As he spoke, a sharp glint flared in Xu Qing’s eyes.

“Heavenly Dao!”

The moment those two words left his lips—surpassing even the Heavenly Dao itself, surpassing celestial utterances—they detonated across all of Wanggu.

Amid thunderous roars, strange figures instantly manifested in the sky above Xu Qing—some human, some alien.

They were the remnants of the Heavenly Dao that had lingered from the ancient epoch of Wanggu.

Yet most had fallen into decay, their auras chaotic and mixed, their visages blurred and indistinct.

"Today, I invest the Ancient Spirit Sovereign; one eye for one Dao, ninety-nine eyes shall form the ninety-nine Heavenly Dao of Wanggu!"

Xu Qing’s voice carried the profound authority of divine investiture, and the moment it rang out, the destiny of Wanggu surged, transforming into boundless auspicious light that rose from all directions.

Those remnant Heavenly Dao bowed their heads one after another, stepping back to yield their celestial status.

Then, Xu Qing’s gaze fell upon the Ancient Spirit Sovereign.

Every single eye of the Ancient Spirit Sovereign gleamed with intense emotion at this moment.

"My deepest thanks, Sovereign of Wanggu!"

With those words, it abruptly dissolved, returning to the giant serpent nearby and merging into its flesh, until the serpent shuddered and ninety-nine wounds tore open across its body.

Within each wound, an eye grew.

And all of them opened simultaneously.

A roar burst from the serpent’s maw as it soared into the sky, departing.

One eye, one Dao; gathering together, they formed the ninety-nine Heavenly Dao to claim dominion over Wanggu.

The entirety of Wanggu trembled.

In the unseen depths, the myriad races felt it, and certain cultivators stranded at the late stage of God-Nurturing felt a sudden surge of profound enlightenment in their hearts, followed by wild excitement.

For that enlightenment was the guidance toward the path of a Sovereign!

All of this originated from the Ancient Spirit Sovereign, from his newly granted status, and from his cultivation!

This was using the primordial past to reconnect the severed path of Sovereignty for the present era!

"The Heavenly Dao must not be incomplete; thus, it requires the number of one hundred."

Watching the Ancient Spirit Sovereign take his place, Xu Qing spoke softly, and then shifted his gaze... beyond the borders of Fenghai County.

There, upon the earth outside Fenghai County, sat a giant infant visible even to mortals, looking toward Xu Qing with an innocent, foolish smile.

Yet across its body, numerous rotting wounds were visible.

Those were the taints left behind from its prior pollution by the Ancient Immortal.

Gazing at the giant infant, Xu Qing’s expression softened.

"Let the remnant Dao return to their proper place!"

The voice rose with his thought, echoing through the firmament, and in an instant, those remnant Dao that had yielded their status to the Ancient Spirit Sovereign transformed into streaks of light, rushing straight toward the giant infant.

In a flash, they vanished into the infant’s body one by one.

As they did, the infant’s aura grew increasingly profound, and the wounds upon its flesh healed at a rapid pace.

Until finally, the giant infant glowed with a magnificent array of colors and at last began to grow, transforming before Xu Qing’s eyes into a young boy of six or seven years.

His face was as round and bright as a silver plate, his skin fairer than snow and gleaming with a moist luster, resembling mutton-fat jade filled with a pure, delicate innocence.

His eyes, in particular, were like pools of lacquer, deep yet exceedingly clear, like a spring of fresh water or brilliant stars fallen into their depths; with every glance, they shone with radiant light, brimming with a child's pure and harmless nature.

Altogether, he looked like a tender blossom newly opening on a spring branch, bringing joy to anyone who cast a glance upon him.

It was as if he were the very embodiment of auspiciousness.

Standing up now, he turned toward Xu Qing and bowed, raising his small hands.

"Greetings, Big Father."

A smile appeared on Xu Qing’s face, and he spoke softly.

"You were originally formless, born into this world by a stroke of destiny, destined to be the Heavenly Dao and to enjoy the status of the ancient Dao.

Today, I invest you as the First Heavenly Dao of Wanggu!

To command the ninety-nine Dao of the Ancient Spirit!

In the future... you shall protect Wanggu!"

Xu Qing’s voice bore the majesty of cosmic law and the blessing of destiny, rippling through Wanggu and thundering in the hearts of the myriad races, sealing the investiture of the Heavenly Dao.

Consequently, the rosy dawn-light deepened, and heaven and earth joined in auspicious celebration.

Amidst this sky full of radiant light, the child looked at Xu Qing and, with an expression of absolute seriousness, nodded heavily.

"I will listen to Big Father’s words, and from now on, I will definitely protect Wanggu."

"While I am here, Wanggu shall remain."

"Even if I am no longer here, I will give my all to ensure Wanggu remains forever."

Xu Qing nodded in approval.

The child took a deep breath and turned to look into the far distance in another direction; there, he sensed his Second Father, and so he bowed toward that horizon.

Then, his body ascended into the sky, and amidst thousands of shimmering ribbons of auspicious color, under the bowed heads of the ninety-nine Dao of the Ancient Spirit, he stepped into the status of the First Heavenly Dao of Wanggu!

The moment he assumed control, the rules of Wanggu suddenly surged with profound waves.