Above the Great Dao

Chen Shi met his gaze without speaking.

Xia Tianjie seemed unable to suppress the anger in his heart as he exclaimed, "The ancestors of our Xia Family realized that from that moment, we could only remain subservient! We could only passively accept the True God's Divine Punishment, could only let the Heaven Listeners of Despair Slope monitor our every move! We could only secretly gather strength, devour the Underworld step by step, and gradually forge the Upper Realm! From that moment on, everyone was a pawn, including the ancestors of our Thirteen Families!"

The Little Dun Fairy stood silently not far from them, gazing at the West Bull New Continent under the moonlight, lost in thought as if touched by his words.

"Our Thirteen Families have spent over six thousand years, innumerable generations of Sect Masters, and countless experts of the clan to create the Upper Realm and rule the underworld, leading to our current situation."

Xia Tianjie exhaled a murky breath and said, "In the underworld, we have strongholds like Fengyang Manor scattered everywhere, forming a massive network of underworld dominance. The living, are under the rule of the Thirteen Families, and the dead, are also under the rule of the Thirteen Families. But we do it not for our selfish desires, but to break this heaven and unveil the true Heavenly Dome!"

Chen Shi was slightly moved, thinking of the terrifying celestial scenes he had witnessed, and shook his head, "Perhaps when you see the true Heavenly Dome, you'll find yourself more desperate. Beyond the heavens, the pollution is worse, and the True God uses his own yin and yang energy, transforming into the sun and moon, to protect the West Bull New Continent."

Xia Tianjie looked up at the sky and sneered, "Chen Shi, you aren't from a Family, you don't understand the pride that comes from inheriting an ideology passed down for six thousand years, through countless generations to me. You don't have this pride."

He would not believe Chen Shi's words.

An enemy's claim is nothing compared to the teachings of ancestors and the legacy of his forebears. It cannot change his beliefs.

Chen Shi was silent for a moment, then said, "But the Thirteen Families could have saved more people, rather than letting the ghost monsters you raise prey on them."

Xia Tianjie laughed, "Chen Shi, haven't you realized yet? In fact, our Thirteen Families and you ordinary people are no longer the same kind of people. Compared to you, we should be called the Thirteen Divine Race."

Chen Shi was slightly stunned, "May I ask how so?"

Xia Tianjie laughed, "Since ancient times, we have held endless wealth, immeasurable knowledge, controlled the mines, fertile lands, rivers, canal transport, land transport, and all kinds of treasures. The delicacies we eat are different from the chaff and vegetables you eat. The knowledge we learn is different from what you learn. We have dragon steeds and treasure chariots to come and go, using talismans to clear dust as we walk. We do not intermarry with you but only marry among the Thirteen Families.

"Among you, the top geniuses can only be our servants, doing clerical work under us. The most beautiful women among you can only be our concubines or mistresses, and their sons are only fit to be our servants.

"For six thousand years, it has been like this, even your grandfather Chen Yindou and your father Chen Tang were the same. We are born supreme, in splendor and wealth, with the best resources, learning the superior Cultivation Techniques, rising effortlessly, ruling the world."

He looked at Chen Shi and laughed, "Aren't we then, the Divine Race? Even if we don't say it, aren't people still ants? Aren't they just worthless lives? We don't say it just so that the cattle and horses don't feel too bad, but the fact remains a fact! Some cattle and horses dying, for a better tomorrow, is worth it!"

Chen Shi humbly asked, "If one day in the future, you overthrow the Despair Slope, you kill the True God, and everything becomes beautiful, but there are no mortals left, what will you rule?"

"Wouldn't that be better?"

Xia Tianjie laughed, "The West Bull New Continent is the true Divine Realm."

Chen Shi exhaled, "People like you ruling the world terrifies me. But you say you are the factual Divine Race, so why hasn't an Innate Dao Embryo been born in over six thousand years? Why did the Innate Dao Embryo fall into the hands of someone like me, a country bumpkin?"

Xia Tianjie looked at him, his smile unwavering, "Can you protect it?"

Chen Shi raised an eyebrow.

In the small temple behind him, Scholar Zhu laughed heartily, "Do you see, Little Ten? This is the world today! This is why I hanged myself on Yellow Earth Slope! This world is rotten! It needs inside refining of the Analects, outside refining of Mencius, and let Laozi smash it to pieces!"

Stone Rock Lady ignored him, thinking to herself, "This is a madman."

Xia Tianjie, smiling, said, "Chen Shi, do you know why I am speaking so much to you?"

Chen Shi ventured, "A dying man's words are kind?"

Xia Tianjie shook his head, smiling, "You are too confident, confident to the point of lawlessness. Although I am not your match, but thanks to cultivating in the Upper Realm and your teachings, I have patched the flaws in my Cultivation Technique. Your battle with Yang Bi has given me insight into deeper things. Isn't there a yin energy flaw in my Eight Mighty Dragon Summoning Technique? Now I don't have it, and I am even stronger. In this Cultivation Technique, I have surpassed my ancestors!"

Chen Shi uttered a soft hmm.

Xia Tianjie laughed, "But I still realize that even having surpassed my ancestors in this Cultivation Technique, I am still not your opponent. You and Yang Bi were too dazzling; I can't compare. However, against you, I also have my strategy to win. Aren't you skilled in the Ten Thousand Miles Flying Sword Technique? As it happens, I also know this Spell. Just now you summoned two Magical Treasures to chase and kill my Xia Family's ghosts and gods, using your mind on three things. When talking to me, you were somewhat distracted."

Chen Shi's gaze flickered, "You've been observing me?"

Xia Tianjie laughed, "This is what I learned from you and Yang Bi. You can discover other's flaws in their Cultivation Techniques in a short time, and he observes people well, summarizing and deducing, finding opportunities to triumph from subtle clues. I am not as good as him, nor as good as you. However, I know that when using the Ten Thousand Miles Flying Sword Technique on multiple tasks, the greater the distance, the greater the depletion of the Heart Spirit."

He slowly activated the Eight Mighty Dragon Summoning Technique, his aura steadily increasing, his clothes billowing without wind, "You are chasing my Xia Family ghosts with two Magical Treasures, which are already more than a thousand miles from here. Controlling them simultaneously and contending with the Xia Family ghosts is extremely taxing. This is my chance to win."

Roars of dragons came from within him, as an Azure Dragon crawled out from his back, gradually reaching his arm.

The Azure Dragon raised its head, staring at Chen Shi.

Xia Tianjie's originally golden Heavenly Dragon was now an Azure Dragon, the Eastern Heavenly Azure Dragon, representing the first thunder of spring, utmost yang and firmness!

Chen Shi looked at the Azure Dragon and said, "It seems you indeed have realized much, replenishing your Primordial Yang Qi. Did you find the Evil Spirit that seized your Primordial Yang?"

Xia Tianjie smiled, "I found her. I killed her and reclaimed my Primordial Yang."

He let out a long howl, moved the spear tip, and Dragon Qi danced as he attacked Chen Shi.

He was very close to Chen Shi, a distance that allowed him to unleash the full power of the Eight Mighty Dragon Summoning Technique!

He executed the "Unrivaled Mighty Dragon" move, the technique was launched perfectly, without flaw!

Full of confidence, Xia Tianjie's spirit, Primordial Spirit Arena, Physical Body Divine Embryo were tightly integrated, his technique fluid and lively, the Dragon Spear trembling, more and more Dragon Qi dancing!

Right then, he noticed the distance between him and Chen Shi was increasing.

Xia Tianjie was astonished, he was originally standing beside Chen Shi, but now he was ten miles away!

He tried to rush forward, spear shaking and continuously stabbing, but not only did he grow further from Chen Shi, but the Dragon Spear Qi he shot also became scattered, some to the east, some to the west, sparsely distributed. Previously flawless, his technique was now full of flaws.

Xia Tianjie saw himself distancing from Chen Shi, his Dragon Spear Qi passing by Chen Shi, and felt despair in his heart.

"Qiankun Transformation?"

He had just thought of this when a silver dragon flew over, turned into a sword light, and with a swoosh, pierced his back and emerged from his chest, then made a U-turn and sliced through his throat, entering his left temple and exiting through his right temple.

The Netherworld Dragon Sword threaded through him like a needle, making sizzling sounds.

Xia Tianjie's body was riddled with holes, blood spouting everywhere, his knees buckled, and he collapsed to the ground, coughing blood, "Is the gap still this wide? So this is the Child Scholar..."

He exhaled his last breath and fell dead.