Shrouding the Heavens: Starting by joining the Holy Land of Yao Guang

Chapter 365 Clash of the Great Dao
It's important to understand that Gai Jiuyou's life force isn't slowed down by not using his full strength; rather, the moment he takes action, the life force is accelerated.

Compared to those unrelated people, Xia Jiuyou clearly cared more about her master.

It's just a pity that Old Gai is a man of great principles; if he really needs to take action, he will never stand idly by.

The fact that Yao Guang was looking for him meant that Li Yao was looking for him, and it was obvious that it must be something important.

Otherwise, given Li Yao's strength, he would need help to solve any problems he might be facing.

……

Yaoguang Holy Land boasts beautiful peaks and pleasant scenery, backed by a million mountains and facing an endless plain.

At the horizon, two figures slowly approached. The combination was strange: a sickly old man and a woman whose stunning beauty was still evident even though she was dressed in men's clothing.

They made no attempt to conceal themselves, and were immediately spotted by the patrolling Yao Guang disciples the moment they appeared.

If it were an ordinary person, swaggering so close to Yao Guang would surely have been suppressed by the patrolling disciples.

However, during this period, all the disciples on patrol had already seen Gai Jiuyou's portrait in advance.

Therefore, the moment the old man appeared, he was recognized by the disciples of Yaoguang and respectfully welcomed him into the sacred land.

At the same time, the Crimson Thunder God, who was deep within the Pure Land of Yao Guang, changed his expression. Li Yao's divine sense instantly entered and his figure disappeared from the hall.

The Pure Land of Yaoguang is vast, but for Li Yao, it is reached in an instant with a thought.

"Greetings, Senior Gai." Li Yao personally came out to greet him, showing that he attached great importance to him.

Gai Jiuyou was slightly taken aback, a hint of shock showing in his aged eyes. "Fellow Daoist Li is too polite."

Although he was in poor condition, his foundation was still there, and it was clear that the person in front of him was no longer the same as before.

But isn't it too fast?
Looking back, it took him more than 150 years to break through from the Great Saint Realm to the Quasi-Emperor Realm!
Looking at Li Yao, it took him at most a dozen years to go from becoming a Great Sage to breaking through to Quasi-Emperor.

At least a tenfold difference!

Even though Gai Jiuyou had long since become indifferent to these things, such a direct comparison still stirred up his Dao heart.

But it only lasted for a moment, and quickly subsided.

No matter how extraordinary Li Yao's abilities are, it has nothing to do with this old man who is about to fall into obscurity. It's just a pity that this generation of young people will face the same situation he did back then.

"Fellow Daoist Xia, is there something you need?" After the three of them sat down in the Holy Temple, Li Yao suddenly looked at Xia Jiuyou and asked.

From the moment they first met, he noticed that the girl's gaze was very unfriendly, but upon reflection, he realized that there seemed to be no conflict between them.

“Fellow Daoist, please forgive me. My disciple is only worried about my health,” Gai Jiuyou said.

Li Yaoming realized that the two had misunderstood, so he explained, "I am not here to ask for help, but to discuss something else important."

Gai Jiuyou nodded, not at all surprised, "I knew it when I saw you, fellow Daoist."

In today's universe, quasi-emperors are absolutely invincible, with virtually no rivals.

Moreover, if even the vigorous and powerful Emperor Li Zhun couldn't handle it, he, a half-crippled man, would be in serious trouble, unless he could achieve the ultimate sublimation.

But he would only give his life to the Dark Lord; before that, he would not risk losing more for a small gain.

Xia Jiuyou, who was standing next to her, only realized something was wrong at this moment.

Master calls Li Yao "fellow Daoist," could it be that he has broken through to Quasi-Emperor?
When the thought came to her, she instinctively felt it was impossible, but when she thought of the other person's extraordinary talent, she felt it was probably true.

Xia Jiuyou quickly accepted this fact; after a hundred years, she had long since come to terms with reality.

This era is terrifying, with countless extraordinary talents. She cannot dominate this era like her master.

As for the youthful ambition and the desire to compete with Li Yao, those thoughts vanished.

"I might have a way to alleviate your Dao injury, senior." Just then, Li Yao spoke up, getting straight to the point.

"Really!" Xia Jiuyou exclaimed excitedly, her voice clear and full of anticipation.

In contrast, Gai Jiuyou, the person in question, only showed a slight change in expression upon hearing this, without losing his composure.

"During this journey into space, by sheer chance, we discovered a divine artifact..."

Li Yao recounted everything in detail, and by the end, Xia Jiuyou was almost moved to tears of joy.

She looked at Gai Jiuyou excitedly and said, "That's great, Master, your injuries can be healed."

"I can't say it will cure him completely, but it will definitely suppress the damage and reduce the harm to his body caused by the Dao injury," Li Yao said objectively.

Gai Jiuyou breathed a long sigh of relief and solemnly said to Li Yao, "Thank you for your help."

Although he didn't know if the divine liquid could really heal Dao injuries, he was very grateful for Li Yao's generosity.

That was divine liquid transformed from the Celestial Venerable's Immortal Platform; its preciousness was unimaginable, and it contained an immeasurable amount of fortune.

To be honest, Gai Jiuyou felt unworthy of the honor, but if his injuries healed even slightly, he would be able to do more during the future turmoil in the darkness.

If it weren't for this, he would never have accepted such a great benefit from someone else for no reason.

"Please wait a moment, senior. I have some things to take care of. I'll set off when I get back."

Gai Jiuyou nodded, "Fellow Daoist, please feel free to do as you please."

……

In the solemn hall, the Dragon Girl sat cross-legged on a futon, her body draped in a purple robe that seemed to be woven from stardust and sparkle. Her skin was as translucent as mutton fat jade and divine iron, and her long purple hair was loose, cascading down to her pert buttocks.

She sat cross-legged, yet her curvaceous figure remained perfectly still. Her exquisitely beautiful face showed little unease, but rather a resolute expression.

For the sake of the True Dragon Immortal Scripture, what is there to lose in this life! She thought to herself.

With a creak, the palace door opened, and a figure walked in from outside.

"It's you?" the Dragon Girl exclaimed. "When did you get back?"

Although I had mentally prepared myself, I still couldn't help but feel flustered when I actually saw Li Yao.

“This matter has wronged the princess, but please rest assured, everything is over and you may leave Yaoguang now,” Li Yao said.

Before leaving Beidou, he needed to take care of this matter.

Wanlongchao had helped Yaoguang before, so they couldn't keep the princess of that clan detained indefinitely.

"I won't leave!" the Dragon Girl blurted out instinctively, her pretty face flushing red.

Upon hearing this, Li Yao slightly raised his eyes.

What does it mean to not leave? Does it mean to stay in the Holy Land of Yao Guang and become his Daoist partner?

Having already spoken, the Dragon Girl didn't delay. After a moment of contemplation, she firmly said, "I will become your Daoist partner, and in doing so, I will settle all my grudges with Dongfang Taiyi."

Li Yao remained silent, believing the Dragon Girl's words were false, but that didn't matter. Since she was willing to be his Daoist partner, he couldn't refuse. No forcing, no taking the initiative, no refusing!
This is his principle; now that others are forcing him, he's choosing not to refuse.

In that instant, it seemed as if everything had changed.

Li Yao's gaze fell on the Dragon Girl. Previously, the two had no connection, and although the Dragon Girl was stunning, he remained indifferent.

But now, everything seems different. The person is still the same, but she seems to be even more beautiful than before. Her beauty, which was already stunning, is now even more breathtaking.

"Cough cough..." The dragon girl coughed softly, feeling a little uncomfortable.

Li Yao's gaze held a dangerous glint, as if he wanted to skin her alive and devour her whole.

This gaze displeased the powerful dragon girl, but the person before her was even more powerful, and she had no way to resist.

Fortunately, the dangerous gaze disappeared after only a moment, and a look of "disappointment" appeared on Li Yao's face.

This puzzled the Dragon Girl greatly, but little did she know that Li Yao was filled with regret at that moment.

If he had known he would gain something from this trip, he would have returned in his true form.

The current Crimson God's Thunder Body can only be viewed but not moved, which is frustrating.

As for taking action, that's impossible. Although the avatar is the same as the original body, it cannot overstep its bounds. Li Yao must handle this personally.

……

“If your matter is not resolved, you can deal with it slowly. There’s no need to rush our departure,” Gai Jiuyou said, looking at Li Yao, whose expression was unusual.

Although he didn't know what had happened, after emerging from the depths of the Pure Land, Li Yao felt a sense of wanting to kill the traitors but being powerless to reverse the situation.

“I have taken care of my business. Let’s set off now.” Li Yao forced a smile.

"If that's the case, then so be it." Gai Jiuyou didn't say anything more.

"boom!"

The void was torn apart, and the three stepped into it, beginning their journey through the inner void.

The crimson divine lightning was incredibly fierce and unrestrained, rampaging and crashing through whatever lay ahead—void storms, collapses, distortions, chaos, and so on—without taking any detours.

Not long after, the void of the underground world was torn apart, and the three of them emerged from it.

"Celestial Venerable Platform!" Xia Jiuyou exclaimed in shock as soon as he appeared in the underground world.

There stands a high platform, its dazzling celestial light eternal and radiant, imbued with the divine might of a celestial being.

On the high platform, Li Yao opened his eyes, and the Crimson Thunder God transformed into a stream of light and flew into his body.

"This is the divine liquid produced by the Celestial Venerable's Immortal Platform. It contains the complete order of the Great Dao. It is truly astonishing." The master and disciple also arrived at the high platform and immediately noticed the divine liquid flowing in the pool.

“It should have been a whole pool, but unfortunately a feathered beast used too much of it. Otherwise, senior’s Dao injury might not have been without hope of recovery.” Li Yao’s face showed heartache.

Every time I think about this, it's a pity.

“Indeed, those wretched, hairy beasts.” Xia Jiuyou echoed in righteous indignation.

Gai Jiuyou chuckled, his mindset remarkably open-minded. "Compared to you all, that Golden Crow is the one who's most heartbroken. All of this divine liquid should have been his."

"How did you know it was the Golden Crow, senior?" Li Yao asked in surprise, as he had not mentioned this when he was talking about the Heavenly Venerable Divine Liquid.

“Here lies the Daoist essence he left behind, as radiant as the sun. Though I am now half-crippled, my cultivation remains,” Gai Jiuyou said with self-deprecation.

He paused, then continued, "Your actions this time were truly audacious. A being who was almost at the level of an Emperor, I do not know his condition at the time, but if he were to fight to the death, I fear you might not have been able to withstand him."

Upon hearing this, Li Yao couldn't help but chuckle. "That old golden crow was too cautious. If he had really gone all out that day, there would have been no need for a fight to the death. But after weighing the pros and cons, he still ran away. Senior, do you know why?"

Upon hearing this, Gai Jiuyou's aged eyes deepened as he gazed towards the Big Dipper. "Could his first injury be related to the Supreme One?"

"Senior, you have truly seen through everything," Li Yao exclaimed.

This is Gai Jiuyou, a person of unparalleled talent. A thousand years after the fall of the Azure Emperor, during the most terrifying era of suppression of the Great Dao, he rose all the way to the threshold of proving the Dao, wanting to break through the Azure Emperor's Great Dao and forcibly overcome the Emperor Tribulation. In the end, he failed but did not die, and has been living on to this day.

Now, just from the actions of Jinwu, we can deduce that he fears the Supreme Being; it's like seeing the whole picture from a single leaf.

If Gai Jiuyou had known when to stop and had given up halfway through his journey, he would have become an unconventional Daoist. Perhaps he would still be at the height of his power now.

Only someone as brilliant as her could see through everything at a glance, unlike Xia Jiuyou, who had no idea what the two were talking about.

It's hard to imagine whether Gai Jiuyou, born thousands of years ago, could have defied the heavens and attained enlightenment while avoiding the period when the Azure Emperor's suppression was at its strongest.

"Master, let's stop talking for now. Try it first and see if the divine liquid can help you." Xia Jiuyou stepped forward to interrupt, as she couldn't keep up with their conversation at all.

“Yes, this is the important matter. Senior, you should give it a try,” Li Yao said.

“Okay.” Gai Jiuyou did not refuse.

He had been searching for a solution to the Great Dao injury within his body for years, trying almost every kind of extraordinary and miraculous treasure, but ultimately all of them failed.

Of course, those rare treasures weren't useless; on the contrary, they were extremely useful. He was able to survive until now thanks to countless rare treasures; otherwise, he would have died long ago.

"boom!"

The Great Dao roared, its sound resounding throughout the underground world, and dazzling divine light surged from the pool.

Gai Jiuyou's aged face showed pain, and his thin body trembled slightly. He seemed to be shattered and then rebuilt.

No, it's not just "seems," it's exactly like that.

As the Great Dao Order within the divine liquid entered his body, terrifying wounds began to appear on his skin. These were all old wounds, covered with the supreme imperial might.

“Those are… the Great Dao of the Azure Emperor!” Li Yao’s pupils contracted, and his heart trembled slightly.

In the past, when Gai Jiuyou tried to break through the Azure Emperor's Great Dao, he naturally suffered a fierce attack from the Great Dao.

In countless collisions, the Azure Emperor's Great Dao entered his body and began to suppress Gai Jiuyou's Dao, until finally it almost completely suppressed him, knocking him down to the dust.

Over nine thousand years, Gai Jiuyou revived his own Dao, but he was unable to expel the Qingdi's Dao. Thus, the two Daos fought each other every moment, using his body as their battlefield.

If it were a strong physique, such as a sacred body, it might be able to withstand the collision of two great Daos. If it were a madman like Ye Fan, he might even use this to temper his physique until he finally transcends it.

However, Gai Jiuyou did not have this advantage. He was not known for his physical strength, and the injuries he sustained while forcing his way through the Emperor Tribulation had not yet healed, so he could only grow weaker day by day.

"Crack!"

Suddenly, a sound like porcelain shattering rang out, yet it also sounded like two heavenly blades clashing together with a deafening roar.

The Azure Emperor's Great Dao and the Nine Netherworld Great Dao materialized, colliding fiercely and tormenting Gai Jiuyou's frail body.

Moreover, the Heavenly Venerable Dao is also joining forces to oppose the Azure Emperor Dao.

But this makes the collision even more spectacular.

(End of this chapter)