CHAPTER 956: CHAPTER 975: SIGHS THROUGH THE AGES, ONLY REGRETS REMAIN

Yet the people of the Heavenly Court looked at Zhen Yuanzi with astonishment, for they were very aware that Nuwa currently bore the Power of Human Dao upon her, which surely made her an alternative form of a Saint. How could Zhen Yuanzi, merely a Quasi-Saint, withstand a strike from Nuwa?

Just now, Donghuang Taiyi had been the example; even though Donghuang Taiyi wielded the Chaos Bell, he was severely wounded with a single strike, yet Zhen Yuanzi remained unscathed.

Strange, incredibly strange!

Unfortunately, before the people of the Heavenly Court could think through the reasons, Nuwa was already striding towards the Nine Heaven Mysterious Maiden, her smile growing more icy.

"Disciple, is Ye Xuan not in the Heavenly Court?" Nuwa spoke softly, acting kindly and amiably, though the hidden fierceness in her eyes was about to burst forth.

"Master, I’ll call you Master once more, there’s still time for you to stop now. If you wait until Ye Xuan returns, I’m afraid you won’t be able to leave at all." The Nine Heaven Mysterious Maiden bit her lips slightly as she spoke.

"I can’t leave?"

Nuwa laughed, her laughter becoming even more radiant, as if she had heard an extremely amusing joke.

"Don’t mention him, mere Ye Xuan. Even if Daode Tianzun were here, he wouldn’t be my match, let alone this despicable, shameless mongrel?" Nuwa criticized sharply.

"Speak, are the Five-Colored Divine Stone and Hongmeng Purple Qi with you?"

Since Ye Xuan wasn’t in the Heavenly Court, Nuwa could only put this matter aside temporarily and began to demand the whereabouts of the Hongmeng Purple Qi and Five-Colored Divine Stone.

"Master, please stop, if you continue, you’ll be beyond redemption." The Nine Heaven Mysterious Maiden whispered bitterly.

"Beyond redemption?"

"You traitorous disciple, today as your master, I shall clear out my sect!"

Nuwa struck her palm towards the Nine Heaven Mysterious Maiden, twisting the very space and seeming as if she would crush the Nine Heaven Mysterious Maiden beneath her palm in the next moment.

Clang!

Like a comet falling to the earth, or the vast sea overturning the heavens, a long figure silently blocked before the Nine Heaven Mysterious Maiden, an alabaster hand clashing against Nuwa.

Boom!

Like the heavens and earth, like the ancient sky, Nuwa was sent flying backwards, her body staggering in the void.

"Ye Xuan!"

The Nine Heaven Mysterious Maiden had closed her eyes in anticipation of death, but upon seeing the one before her, a joyful smile began to appear.

Ye Xuan, clad in black, wore a calm demeanor; he gently patted the Nine Heaven Mysterious Maiden’s shoulder and then looked towards Nuwa.

"Greetings, Heavenly Emperor."

When Ye Xuan returned, the populace of the Heavenly Court paid their respects, and the atmosphere of the Heavenly Court soared, no longer under its previous oppressive weight.

Still, the people of the Heavenly Court found themselves slightly surprised, having not seen Ye Xuan for three hundred years. Today, Ye Xuan gave them a feeling they couldn’t quite describe; even his appearance seemed to have undergone a subtle transformation.

If Ye Xuan once gave off an aura of sharpness, now he resembled a tranquil lake, bringing an impression of gentle rain, imperceptible.

No overwhelming presence, no harsh edge; Ye Xuan seemed to have transformed into an ordinary person, embodying the simplicity of the great Dao.

"Ye Xuan, you truly appeared."

Nuwa approached with the Xuanhuang Sword in hand, her voice harsh and cold, for she awaited Ye Xuan and intended to wipe away her previous disgrace forever, ensuring he never rises again.

"Power of Human Dao?"

Ye Xuan looked at Nuwa calmly and nodded slightly, showing no signs of shock, for he already knew Nuwa had conspired with Luo Hou to seize the Power of Human Dao, yet it appeared she hadn’t given it to Luo Hou, but had retained it for herself.

"Ye Xuan, I have to thank you indeed, for had you not knocked me from the Saint Position, how could I have obtained the Power of Human Dao, or this Chaos Divine Weapon, the Xuanhuang Sword?"

Nuwa walked gracefully, her face a confident smile, strands of the Power of Human Dao soared, stirring the heavens across billions of miles, subtly trembling the Three Realms.

Meanwhile, several Heavenly Dao Saints opened their Dharma Eyes to look at the Heavenly Court, naturally capturing everything in their view.

"What formidable cultivation, her cultivation surpasses mine... is the Power of Human Dao truly this terrifying?" Yuanshi Tianzun uttered in shock.

"Merely a failure, today will be the end for her."

Suddenly, Daode Tianzun, Laozi, gently opened his eyes; his voice was soft yet subtly laced with unnoticeable anger.

"How could this be?"

Hearing Laozi’s words, Yuanshi Tianzun’s expression shifted slightly; he could sense Nuwa’s power, nearly comparable to his senior brother, yet the most astonishing thing for Yuanshi Tianzun was that Nuwa held the Destructive Demon Lotus of the Demon Ancestor and an unknown Chaos Divine Weapon.

"You will soon understand," Laozi sighed thoughtfully.

Elsewhere, the Western Two Saints, seated beneath the Bodhi Tree, also focused on this battle, hoping Nuwa would slay Ye Xuan, thus eliminating a serious threat.

And the Heavenly Sect Master was likewise watching the battle, although he did not join the fray when Ye Xuan’s current cultivation clearly made him not fear Nuwa. Joining forces with Ye Xuan would invite mocking and such action was beneath the Heavenly Sect Master.

Atop Buzhou Mountain, across the heavens above.

Ye Xuan and Nuwa confronted each other in the void; the Power of Human Dao bursting from Nuwa was immensely terrifying, subtly cracking the surrounding heavens in all directions, with spiritual energy within the heavens raging into a spiritual energy storm.

In contrast, Ye Xuan remained as always calm, never revealing any fearsome power, just a feeling of loneliness and solitude circulating around him, his eyes seemingly dazed, as if reminiscing.

For an Immortal, three hundred years are but a moment, yet for Ye Xuan, it was as if twenty thousand years had passed.

Heavenly Dao Fourth Tribulation, life and death tribulation.

Each tribulation is at once perilous, and this one Ye Xuan endured was dangerous, further dampening his spirits, suffused with a sense of faint sadness and regret, seemingly ever present within him.

This Fourth Tribulation is named ’Mirror Heart Clarity’!

What is Mirror Heart Clarity?

Mirror Heart Clarity is a self-examination, an implicit self-denial.

Plainly, during the Heavenly Dao Fourth Tribulation, Ye Xuan must relive the most regrettable and painful events of his life, denying himself until his Saint Heart shatters, leading to death.

Throughout these three hundred years, Ye Xuan faced his tribulations daily, reliving the hardships of his youth, and once more experiencing his life’s greatest regrets and sorrows.

His younger sister, Ye Ling’er, and her family dying before him.

Liu Baiyi forging the Reverse Immortal Array, scattering soul before him.

Guanghan Fairy Chang’e killed by his own hand.

Sun Wukong transforming Heaven and Earth, becoming the Five-Colored Divine Stone for him.

Xue Ji dying for him.

...

Past events revisited him, and as he once more experienced these occurrences, Ye Xuan found himself engulfed in extreme self-denial, leaving a feeling of indelible ancient lament and regret.