The Prodigies War
Chapter 2334 Venerable Dao Lord

Chapter 2334 Venerable Dao Lord

The man named Daoyuan in front of her bore some resemblance to the person in her memory in terms of his bearing, but when one made a meticulous comparison, the differences between them were obvious.

The person back then was domineering, overbearing even. Although young, he was like a sun shining alone with heaven-defying power, capable of pushing back an entire army!

Even when under the siege of a group of Saints, he had shown sheer courage and utter disregard for the opponents. His entirety was like a divine blade that could cleave the sky apart and illuminate the nine heavens.

In Deva Secret Domain, he had been unrivaled, dominating everyone until all that was left in them was fear!

Meanwhile, this man called Daoyuan did not exude that kind of dashing elegance. He was too bland, like the kind of cloud that one could always find in the sky. There was no edge nor any sharpness to him.

Meng Lianqing couldn’t tell why she felt so lost right now. The tangle of emotions in her heart was indescribable.

Normally, she should loath and spurn that young man, but so many years had passed and time had brought many changes. Now that she looked back as a quasi-Emperor, she suddenly found that the competition of that year was nothing but fleeting smoke of the past.

It was only her heart...that still held regret and unwillingness.

“Sorry for bothering you.” Steadying her mind, Meng Lianqing withdrew her gaze, turned, and resumed on the road. Her clothes fluttered as she did, charming and elegantly.

The men around hurriedly chased after her. If it wasn’t for Meng Lianqing, they wouldn't have bothered to spare a glance for a stranger like Lin Xun.

In response to this, Lin Xun was unperturbed.

He had struck fear into Great Emperors of the nebula, having killed many of them over these years. He had razed to the ground ancient dao lineages that had once stood at the top of the world. His might had long since overwhelmed the stars, scaring people witless with just his name.

Now, when facing cultivators at the Quasi-Emperor Stage, he viewed them from above whether in his mindset or cognition.

Shaking his head, Lin Xun was about to continue toward the Return Dominion when suddenly, a figure swept in from the distance and greeted him with a sociable smile.

“Brother Daoyuan, are you also heading to the Return Dominion for the Venerable Dao Lord’s teachings?” Saying this, the person introduced himself, “I am Yan Juan from Leaf Spirit Clan.”

The Leaf Spirit Clan, among the thousands of primeval migrant forces, could only be considered second-rate. Yan Juan was the elected Saint from the younger generation of this clan, but his cultivation was only at the Big Saint Stage.

“Not bad.” Lin Xun assessed Yan Juan for a moment before withdrawing his gaze.

“Brother Daoyuan, are you actually acquainted with Fairy Meng Lianqing?” There was envy and even excitement in Yan Juan's eyes. “She’s the most dazzling beauty of Spirit Burial Sea. It's difficult for even the leader of an average clan to see her.”

“She mistook me for another person.” Lin Xun shook his head with a smile. He finally understood that Meng Lianqing was the reason why this fellow had taken the initiative to start a conversation with him.

“She got the wrong person? Then why didn’t that happen to me?” Yan Juan revealed a look of disbelief. “What's more, Fairy Meng is a quasi-Emperor. If her insightful eyes had actually mistaken someone’s identity, then there must be a good reason for it. My brother, I think you might be in luck!”

“I’m in luck?” Lin Xun was dumbfounded.

“Brother, are you acting or are you really that dense? It’s Fairy Meng we’re talking about here. If she takes a liking to you, then a few casual pointers from her can turn your life around! You will be a lucky carp who leaps through the dragon gate!” exclaimed Yan Juan, his expression and tone full of envy.

Lin Xun was quite entertained. Obviously, this guy looked up at Meng Lianqing with nothing but admiration and respect like she was a lofty goddess.

Lin Xun said nothing more and flew off.

“Brother, wait.” Yan Juan rushed after him like they had been friends forever. “We're both going to the Return Dominion anyway, so let’s travel together and have each other’s back.”

Lin Xun didn’t reject this idea since he happened to have a lot of questions that needed answers to.

He asked, “Can you tell me about...the Venerable Dao Lord?”

Although Yan Juan was a bit puzzled, he spilled everything he knew.

Over a month ago, the entrance to the Return Dominion suddenly emerged above the blue sea. This had caused quite a stir, and many cultivators had entered it without encountering any dangers. On the contrary, they had even been graced with the dao teachings of a mysterious expert before the Fangchun Ruins in Deva Secret Domain.

That mysterious expert called himself ‘Dao Lord,’ claiming to have fathomed the principles of all daos under heavens. He said he was doing this with the intention to look for a successor because soon, he would go far away to certify his dao, and he couldn’t bear to let his cultivation heritage fade into oblivion afterward.

Anyone who went to listen to his teachings would have a chance to be accepted as his heir and receive his full legacy.

Originally, people had been skeptical, but as they listened to this Dao Lord’s explanation on the enigmas of the almighty dao, everyone had benefited to some extent regardless of who they were!

A few had even directly broken through to the next level during their session!

Word of this had then spread quickly as a result. In less than a month’s time, all the races inhabiting Spirit Burial Sea learned about this matter, leading to a big sensation.

For some time now, the number of cultivators flocking to the Fangchun Ruins had been uncountable. The Return Dominion had been quite crowded and lively.

As time went on, more and more hearsay about the Venerable Dao Lord was produced.

One rumor was that he was a Great Emperor from the ancient times, who possessed world-class power and profound cultivation capable of shaking the ages.

There was another rumor that he was the master of Fangchun Ruins, and that before the dawn of time, he had already been a supreme being who could freely roam universes.

......

After recounting all the various information and rumors, Yan Juan's expression was filled with fervent admiration. “I don’t seek something so far-fetched as to become the Venerable Dao Lord's official disciple. It’s enough as long as I can listen to his teachings.”

He was completely oblivious to the icy look flashing across Lin Xun's face as he said that.

Venerable Dao Lord? Lin Xun had a strong premonition that it was merely his fourth senior brother, Ling Xuanzi!

Selecting a successor? It was complete nonsense. After all, Ling Xuanzi was still imprisoned under the Fangchun Ruins. How could he possibly be in the mood to find a disciple?

Making such a grand stage and luring over countless beings to hear his teachings... If this so-called Venerable Dao Lord is really Fourth Senior Brother, then what is he trying to achieve?

Lin Xun mused with strong ripples in his eyes. No matter what, I must eradicate this scourge of a traitor!

Traveling as they talked, the two heard thunderous echoes of water currents coming from a far distance. They looked over and saw a gaping abyss in the turquoise sea!

It was a maelstrom!

The seawater in ten directions surged into it like thousands of streams returning to the source, generating terrifying rumbles.

The sight was exceptionally majestic and soul-shaking. A massive abyss in the middle of the ocean was engulfing water from all around. It was unfathomably deep, like an entrance to a mysterious world.

Compared to this abyss, even the sun and the moon appeared small. Every treasure ship in its vicinity resembled an inconspicuous grain of sand.

This was the Return Dominion!

Legend had it that every river in existence, including even the waters in the deepest part of the nebula, would converge in this arcane and primordial Return Dominion.

Rumors claimed that, in the beginning of time, the Return Dominion was surrounded by five sacred mountains which were Yingzhou, Penglai, Fanghu, Daiyu, and Yuanqiao.

Each of these mountains was seventy thousand feet apart from the ones next to it, and towered thirty thousand miles, connecting the nine underworlds to the sea of stars above!

“Here we are,” said Yan Juan excitedly.

Lin Xun's eyes also carried a hint of emotion. He was only a teenager the first time he had come to the Return Dominion, but now, coming back here again, everything was completely different.

Flowers might look as the same as the time went by, but people were not of same with each passing year

The sea area around the Return Dominion had welcomed many figures. There were thousands of them, with visible anticipation and eagerness, leaping into the entrance one after another like splendid rainbows.

Lin Xun spotted members of the Dragon Whale, Mysterious Ao, Cloud Hou, Dark Wood, Blood Lion, and other clans he knew.

However, almost all of them were unfamiliar faces.

There was no delay as Lin Xun also jumped in, followed closely by Yan Juan. After chatting their whole way here, the latter reckoned that Daoyuan was a nice person, as warm and gentle as a spring breeze, and would make a great friend...

He just had no idea how flabbergasted the experts on the Ancient Nebula Road would be if they knew about his evaluation. Emperor Daoyuan, whose hands were stained with the blood of many Great Emperors, was warm and gentle?

What a joke!

......

Like the Kunlun Dominion, no one so far knew exactly how big the Return Dominion really was. As one of the four great dao dominions, it was rumored to contain many secret realms and taboo zones.

Deva Secret Domain was merely one of them.

Of course, Deva Secret Domain was only the name the outside world placed on it. Lin Xun had now known that it was actually called ‘Fangchun Secret Realm.’

For a long time ago, it had been the established base of Fangchun Mountain Lineage.

Buzz!

After entering the Return Dominion and going through a spacetime shift, Lin Xun stepped into Deva Secret Domain for the second time.

The great dao law power restraining his cultivation also disappeared, returning him to the fourth realm Supreme Emperor Stage in an instant!

However, so as not to alert others and invite unnecessary trouble, Lin Xun still kept his aura below the Emperor Stage.

Yan Juan, who had been by his side the whole time, was completely oblivious to this.

“This is Deva Secret Domain?” Yan Juan let out a gasp of astonishment as he saw the undulating hills, the boundless sky and earth, and the primitive aura in the atmosphere.

The air was permeated with thick and vast chaos qi. The vegetation was beautifully crystalline to the smallest blade of grass, flowing with precious sheens. This world was simply an otherworldly habitat of the divine.

Obviously, it was Yan Juan's first time here.

Lin Xun took a brief look, and all the experiences of the past came to his mind. After discerning the direction, he rushed straight ahead.

“Brother, where are you going?” Yan Juan hurriedly chased after him.

“To that Venerable Dao Lord to listen to his teachings, of course,” Lin Xun pulled a convenient excuse. Seeing Yan Juan trying to catch up, he thought about it and eventually slowed down.

It had been quite a long time since he had last been here, so there was no need to be in a hurry. He might as well have a nice, slow walk along the way.

“You know the road?” Yan Juan was surprised.

“Mhm.” Lin Xun made no elaboration.

Right at this moment, he seemed to notice something and gazed into the distance.

Yan Juan couldn't help but follow his gaze and saw a delicate figure. It was none other than Meng Lianqing and her group.

Yan Juan immediately looked like something had dawned on him. “That's right, it cannot go wrong, following Fairy Meng's steps. She once entered the Return Dominion many years ago, and was said to have obtained a lot of fortunes...”

Lin Xun found the guy’s thought process quite funny. He actually thought that he wanted to follow Meng Lianqing...