BOOK 2: CHAPTER 418: EPOCH PAST, CAUSE OF THE GREAT CHAOS

Vol 2 Chapter 418: Epoch Past, Cause of the Great Chaos

Within the Jiushan Realm, the Heavenly Emperor body listened to the murmurs flowing from the Three Enclosures and Four Symbols:

“The Heavenly River upheaval? What upheaval? Wasn’t the Heavenly River Sect destroyed by the Nine Nether Demon Ancestor?”

“What does this have to do with the Four Sects?”

“Yeah, the Heavenly River Sect seemed fine before.”

Their confusion was completely understandable.

The betrayal of the Tianhe Venerable was known only to a select few—an arcane taboo.

In the eyes of many, the Nine Nether Demon Ancestor was the true enemy of the Heavenly River Sect.

Unaware of these hidden matters, they watched the live broadcast, naturally baffled.

On screen, the Nine Nether Demon Ancestor began to speak.

Whether he intended to reveal the full truth or simply provide the Four Sects’ True Immortals with some talking points, he started recounting past events.

“In the previous epoch, the immortal sects waned while the Demon Ancestor ruled the world. Although the Four Sects were strong, the demon disciples dominated the Xuanwei mainstream. Before the Dao Fruit stage entered Xuanwei, the Demon Sect was the overlord of Xuanwei.”

“Though the Demon Ancestor could not directly challenge the Four Sects, the Four Sects’ disciples traveling within Xuanwei had to avoid the Demon Sect’s sharp edge.”

Old Monk Zhizhong and others did not refute this.

Clearly, it was true.

From Zheng Fa’s understanding of history, the Demon Ancestor had indeed once destroyed the world—

That is, the Xuanwei human race of the previous epoch were descendants of the Demon Ancestor.

When the Four Sects’ Dao Fruit cultivators were restricted from entering Xuanwei, the might of the Demon Sect was beyond imagination.

“Xuanwei’s resources were limited. Many non-direct disciples of the Demon Sect were unqualified to cultivate. The major demon clans paid them no heed, leaving them to fend for themselves.”

“These people held a lowly status in the Demon Sect, were subjected to oppression, and unable to cultivate, surviving only in the mundane world. Naturally, they could not escape the Demon Sect’s rule.”

“They intermarried among themselves over time, their bloodlines mixing. They were looked down upon by the major Demon Sect clans.”

Zheng Fa estimated that, calculated over a hundred thousand years, the number of these mixed-blood Demon Sect disciples must have been immense.

“With impure bloodlines, they could not practice the Demonic Method. The Four Sects seized the opportunity to teach them the orthodox teachings, and their sects began to revive.” R̃ἈƝȪᛒÊŞ

“But at the start, none of the major sects were rivals to the Demon Sect.”

“At that time, the Demon Sect was known as the Thirteen Immortal Dynasties. Beneath the dynasties were the sects.”

As the Nine Nether Demon Ancestor narrated, Zheng Fa truly understood what Xuanwei had been like in the previous epoch.

The demon clans ruled through immortal dynasties, while the Four Sects had retreated.

Though the major sects inherited traditions, their teachings were incomplete and could not possibly match the dynasties’ accumulation over an epoch. They had to rely on them.

Compared to the current Xuanwei, the situation back then was likely even more suffocating.

The Demon Sect inevitably headed toward elitism.

The lower strata were exploited by the Four Sects—or perhaps this was an inevitable development.

When there are no “outsiders,” “insiders” become the “outsiders.”

If nothing unexpected happened, in the end, it would have been a confrontation between the immortal sects represented by the Four Sects and the various immortal dynasties.

But something unexpected occurred.

“At that time, the Heavenly River Sect was just a small sect,” the Nine Nether Demon Ancestor continued, “Yet the Heavenly River himself was extraordinarily talented and brilliant, already famed as invincible in the Golden Core stage.”

“After achieving Nascent Soul, he rampaged through Xuanwei.”

The Nine Nether Demon Ancestor was not a talkative person;

he only briefly mentioned the Tianhe Venerable.

But Zheng Fa could imagine the shockwaves the Heavenly River Venerable caused at the time.

Obviously, the Heavenly River Venerable’s starting point was far more difficult than his own.

Zheng Fa always believed his greatest strength was self-awareness—

He knew his own wisdom was limited, so he liked to borrow others’ intellect.

He knew his own strength was insufficient, so he did not reject cooperation.

Compared to the Heavenly River Venerable, he knew one more thing: his current achievements, though earned through effort, ultimately all came from the Yin-Yang Fish Amulet.

This kind of luck was more important than any effort, wisdom, or strategy.

His only pride was having seized that luck and used it to the fullest.

But the Heavenly River Venerable probably did not have that luck.

Thus, his achievements were even more precious.

The Nine Nether Demon Ancestor continued, “At first, Heavenly River was arrogant and clashed often with the Four Sects, but the Four Sects were helpless against him.”

At that moment, Lady Nishang of Yaochi finally spoke:

“Isn’t that because you, Nine Nether, protected him? Don’t mention the Four Sects—back then you blocked countless Demon Sect reprisals against him.”

The Nine Nether Demon Ancestor was silent for a moment before replying, “My Dharmakaya path had reached its limit at that time. Heavenly River... gave me another hope.”

These words made Zheng Fa unconsciously recall the Nine Nether Demon Ancestor’s uniqueness.

Other Golden Immortals could not enter Xuanwei, but he could.

The Nine Nether Demon Sect did not even seem like a familial structure.

It didn’t seem like a Dharmakaya method at all.

He even had some guesses in his heart.

The Nine Nether Demon Ancestor briefly mentioned himself again and said, “Heavenly River’s rise was too rapid. The Four Sects couldn’t suppress him, so they changed their attitude, cooperating with him to resist the Demon Sect together.”

Hearing this, Zheng Fa suddenly understood.

He had never figured out why the Four Sects were allies of the Heavenly River Venerable.

He had overlooked the Demon Sect.

With a common enemy, cooperation naturally became possible.

In Zheng Fa’s view, the Four Sects were very flexible. Their attitude toward him was ambiguous as well.

“With Heavenly River’s talent, my protection, and the Four Sects’ foundation, Heavenly River progressed extremely fast,” the Nine Nether Demon Ancestor said softly. “In less than ten thousand years, he swept through the eight Immortal Dynasties and even attained the Dao Fruit, becoming truly invincible.”

“From the moment he attained the Dao, did you begin to harbor ill intent?”

The Nine Nether Demon Ancestor suddenly asked.

...

On screen, Immortal Xuanding surprisingly spoke first.

“When the Heavenly River Venerable attained the Dao, the Dao Venerable appeared. Only then did we realize he had not cultivated the Yang Spirit Method.”

So that was why Xuanding could say so many words at once.

“The Heavenly River Venerable never practiced the Yang Spirit Method from the start,” the Nine Nether Demon Ancestor said. “He had just been hiding it all those years.”

Xuanding shook his head and added, “Whether or not you, Demon Ancestor, believe it, initially, Taishang Dao did not mind the Heavenly River Venerable’s new method.”

The Nine Nether Demon Ancestor’s voice grew cold: “But that was the beginning of everything.”

Xuanding fell silent again, as if the speaker a moment ago was not himself.

The Nine Nether Demon Ancestor didn’t care and continued, “Back then, only four Immortal Dynasties remained. They were the strongest and toughest Demon Sect forces.”

“But Heavenly River and I were confident of eventual victory, even nearly achieving it.”

“Then, Heavenly River suddenly perished. You immediately betrayed the Heavenly River Sect.”

“Why?”

Old Monk Zhizhong suddenly spoke: “It was Taishang Dao.”

Zheng Fa looked toward the old monk.

“Taishang Dao sent word to the Four Sects, saying the Heavenly River Venerable colluded with the Demon Sect.”

The Nine Nether Venerable laughed bitterly:

“Colluding with the Demon Sect? Under Heavenly River’s Qingping Sword lie three Demon Ancestor souls!”

“Taishang Dao says he colluded with the Demon Sect?”

“So you believed it?”

Old Monk Zhizhong asked, “Didn’t he actually collude with you?”

The Nine Nether Demon Ancestor didn’t answer, seemingly stunned.

“At that time, although Heavenly River shattered the four Immortal Dynasties, he also razed mountains and temples, going against the natural order,” Old Monk Zhizhong continued. “Shouldn’t the Four Sects have doubts about his actions?”

“Just because of me, you think Heavenly River colluded with the Demon Sect?”

“My Nine Nether Immortal Dynasty had long since fallen apart!”

Zhizhong said:

“Demon Ancestor, your background is extraordinary. None of the Four Sects know your full story.”

“You say the Nine Nether Immortal Dynasty fell, but we only saw that among the thirteen Immortal Dynasties, only your family was not broken by the Heavenly River Venerable.”

“And you even became the second generation Heavenly River Sect Master.”

“Is that not suspicious?”

Inside the Heavenly River Sect’s sect leader hall, the Nine Nether Demon Ancestor stood, expression dazed.

He listened as Immortal Yun continued:

“Even more, the Heavenly River Venerable did not pass the position to his disciples but to you.”

“If it weren’t for you corrupting the Heavenly River Venerable, how could that happen?”

“How could we allow you to usurp the Heavenly River Sect Master’s position?”

The Nine Nether Demon Ancestor fell silent.

He looked at Sect Master Yan and suddenly asked:

“Is it just because Heavenly River passed the position to me?”

Sect Master Yan lowered his head.

Zheng Fa frowned as he listened.

If what Zhizhong and Yun said was true, from their perspective, the Heavenly River Venerable’s late years of destruction and disorder were truly hard to explain and unsettling.

Passing the position to the Nine Nether Demon Ancestor only made the possibility of collusion between the Heavenly River Venerable and the Demon Sect more plausible.

If the Heavenly River Venerable had still been alive and dominated Xuanwei, they naturally would not have objected.

But with the Heavenly River Venerable’s death and the position passing to the Nine Nether Demon Ancestor, they could not sit idly by.

The Nine Nether Demon Ancestor remained silent for a long time.

He hadn’t expected that the truth he had long sought—the cause of the Heavenly River upheaval—might actually be because of himself.

But the problem was, the Heavenly River Venerable never colluded with the Demon Sect.

Who spread that rumor?

Taishang Dao?

The Nine Nether Demon Ancestor asked Immortal Xuanding, “How could your Taishang Dao be so certain that Heavenly River or I had ties to the Demon Sect?”

Xuanding’s expression flickered as he immediately realized someone had told part of the truth.

“Creation Demon said so.”

“Who?”

Xuanding recalled, “When the four Immortal Dynasties fell, Creation Demon was chased by Leiyin Temple and fled to the sea region, pursued by my Taishang Dao’s Dao Fruit.”

“Before his demise, he personally said he obeyed you.”

“Creation Demon obeys you?”

The Nine Nether Demon Ancestor’s voice was thick with disbelief.

Zheng Fa also felt a headache.

Creation Demon didn’t sound like a weak character.

If he spoke casually, that would be one thing, but he said this before dying.

Who wouldn’t have doubts?

“He also said,” Xuanding continued, “that you betrayed the Heavenly River Venerable and that he had already fallen into demonic corruption.”

“Sure enough, not long after, the Heavenly River Venerable suddenly perished.”

Zheng Fa fell into deep thought.

Now he naturally wouldn’t suspect the Nine Nether Demon Ancestor.

But from the perspective of that time, it was different:

The Heavenly River Venerable’s destruction and disorder already terrified the Four Sects.

On the other hand, the Nine Nether Demon Ancestor came from the Demon Sect and was probably untrusted by the Four Sects.

Plus, there was a “witness” like Creation Demon.

To be honest, Zheng Fa thought if he were Taishang Dao, he would also suspect the Heavenly River Venerable and the Nine Nether Demon Ancestor.

This meant Leiyin Temple and Haori Mountain probably received Taishang Dao’s message, causing this misunderstanding.

Zheng Fa frowned.

Creation Demon... Haori Mountain... and... Lu Mo.

If anyone could create such a misunderstanding, it could only be Lu Mo.

But the problem was, Lu Mo might command the Demon Ancestor and Haori Mountain, but to say Taishang Dao had no doubts at all?

That would be too much.

“Creation Demon said he obeys you, and you believed it?”

The Nine Nether Demon Ancestor asked the Four Sects’ Dao Fruit cultivators again.

Zhizhong spoke up again: “Yaochi sent a message, saying the Heavenly River Venerable had fallen into demonic corruption and wanted to use the Slaying Immortal Formation Diagram to eliminate all immortal sects in Xuanwei.”

The Nine Nether Demon Ancestor was silent.

Zheng Fa was speechless as well.

It matched perfectly: the Heavenly River Venerable’s demonic corruption was even confirmed by Yaochi.

This was probably the entire cause of the Heavenly River upheaval.

This great chaos was, frankly, a convergence of causes:

The Four Sects’ dissatisfaction with the Heavenly River Venerable’s destruction and disorder.

Their suspicion of the Nine Nether Demon Ancestor.

Their fear of the Slaying Immortal Formation Diagram.

All combined to cause the Heavenly River bloodbath.

“Yaochi...” the Nine Nether Demon Ancestor suddenly said, “It really was her.”

Who?

Zheng Fa was stunned.

“She said it, so of course you all believed it,” the Nine Nether Demon Ancestor suddenly said, “After all, she... was the Heavenly River Venerable’s Dao partner.”

Lady Nishang also understood and sighed, “Ling Xi and the Heavenly River Venerable were mutually affectionate. We of Yaochi originally wished them well.”

“But one day, she returned to Yaochi and said Heavenly River had fallen into demonic corruption, intending to destroy the Four Sects and unify all immortal sects under his sole supremacy.”

“Demon Ancestor, tell me, should we believe this?”

Hearing this, Zheng Fa roughly pieced together the outline:

Before the Heavenly River Venerable’s death, the Four Sects and he had likely already become estranged due to the Heavenly River Method and the Slaying Immortal Sword Formation.

The Four Sects harbored countless grievances and fears.

Among them were two things that bred suspicion:

One was Creation Demon’s deathbed words.

Of course, the Four Sects did not necessarily trust the Demon Ancestor.

But it was hard not to harbor resentment.

The other was even more damaging to the Four Sects’ trust:

Ling Xi, as the Nine Nether Demon Ancestor said, was the Heavenly River Venerable’s Dao partner and came from Yaochi.

Her words were unquestionably credible.

This suspicion never dissipated. Then the Heavenly River Venerable suddenly died and passed the position to the Nine Nether Demon Ancestor.

The strange death of the Heavenly River Venerable.

Years of accumulated suspicion.

Of course, in Zheng Fa’s view, the main cause was the Four Sects’ fear of the Slaying Immortal Sword Formation.

Even without the other factors, the Four Sects would likely never tolerate the Nine Nether Demon Ancestor controlling the Slaying Immortal Formation Diagram.

Zheng Fa even thought that if the Heavenly River Venerable hadn’t died, this great chaos would still have happened, and possibly more brutally.

Thinking this way, the Heavenly River Venerable’s situation back then was somewhat tragic:

His four great disciples betrayed him—or rather, at least doubted their master.

His Dao partner seemed to doubt him as well.

He was absolutely abandoned by all.

The only person he could trust and entrust was the Nine Nether Demon Ancestor?

Unfortunately, the Nine Nether Demon Ancestor also failed to preserve this legacy.

Old Monk Zhizhong suddenly spoke again:

“Though Taishang Dao and our Leiyin Temple have a long-standing grudge, we all belong to the immortal sects.”

“We naturally trust their information, especially with testimony from Yaochi’s Ling Xi.”

“Back then, Taishang Dao led us, aided by the Four Veins Patriarchs, to attack the Heavenly River Formation, suppress the Four Slaying Immortal Swords, and restore order.”

“Because we feared your divine powers, Demon Ancestor, we also set an ambush, but you still escaped.”

Zheng Fa frowned.

Hearing this, only one thought entered his mind:

All this was too coincidental.

It was as if someone was pushing for the break between the Heavenly River Venerable and the Four Sects.

From the Heavenly River Venerable’s attitude, he seemed to realize something, distrusting the Four Sects and immortal sects, and had no choice but to choose the Nine Nether Demon Ancestor.

From the Four Sects’ perspective, the Heavenly River Venerable distanced himself from them, ultimately choosing the Nine Nether Demon Ancestor.

From Zhizhong and others’ words, the initiators of the Heavenly River upheaval were apparently Taishang Dao and Yaochi.

At that moment, Immortal Xuanding began speaking again: “But we were wrong.”