After guarding the gates for a hundred years, I drove the Heavenly Saint to madness.

Chapter 232 The Heavenly Emperor Retreats, Taiqing's Reincarnation and Entering the Dao Without Memories

In the eastern part of the wilderness, nestled among mountains, lies a remote and simple village.

Here, smoke curls from chimneys, far removed from the sword fights of the cultivation world, like a paradise on earth.

At the tranquil entrance of the village, there is a weathered blue stone, and a human child of about six or seven years old is sitting on it listlessly, fiddling with a withered twig in his hand.

The child was born with rosy lips and white teeth, a face as fair as jade, and eyes so clear they seemed to reflect the stars.

But upon closer observation, one will find that although he is young, his expression reveals a calmness and precocious wisdom that is inconsistent with his age, as if everything in the world seems mundane and unremarkable in his eyes.

Clang!

A sudden, clear sword cry pierced through layers of space, sweeping across the village in an instant.

The child's fingers, which were fiddling with the dry twigs, paused slightly, and his small body trembled uncontrollably.

He slowly raised his head, his clear gaze breaking through the fog, and subconsciously looked towards the distant west, towards the direction of Jiepai Pass.

His brows furrowed slightly, and a deep sense of confusion flashed in his eyes.

He was unaware that it was a sword intent that reached the heavens, but a trace of spirituality hidden deep within his true spirit throbbed violently at this moment because of that familiar aura.

It was an extremely complex emotion, a mixture of an instinctive attraction and a hint of cold hostility.

They seem like enemies, yet are strangely familiar.

"What is that?" he murmured softly, his childish voice revealing a calmness that transcended the mundane.

In the void a hundred feet behind the child, a spatial ripple gently rippled.

The Grand Master Xuandu concealed himself, staring intently at the child's back.

As the only direct disciple of the People's Teachings, he is now walking on thin ice.

The reincarnation of the Sage of Taiqing lost the blessing of his sagehood, and the fortune of the Human Sect was already in a state of decline in the present prehistoric world. In order to avoid being targeted by those self-proclaimed saints with ulterior motives, he could only protect the Dao in this most primitive way.

Seeing the child's strange expression, Xuan Du's brows furrowed into a tight knot.

"Master's true spirit has not yet awakened. If his origin is disturbed by that sword intent at this time, it will be easy to invite trouble."

Xuandu sighed deeply, secretly clenching the Taoist talisman in his sleeve.

He dared not get too close, fearing it would cause the child to reject him, and could only pray silently that this fateful entanglement would not come too soon.

The Thirty-Third Heaven, the Lingxiao Palace.

Although this place is high above, it is not entirely peaceful.

The Jade Emperor, dressed in a bright yellow imperial robe, stood at the edge of the Jade Pool.

Instead of handling Heavenly Court affairs as usual, he stood with his hands behind his back, quietly gazing in the direction of the Eastern Boundary Gate.

The towering, illusory figure that soared into the sky was still clearly visible even outside the Thirty-Three Heavens.

He gazed at the illusory figure that seemed to look down upon the heavens, and after a long while, he let out only a desolate sigh.

"A time of many troubles—how many troubles there are!"

Ever since the day that Dao Ancestor Hongjun intervened in the Netherworld and forcefully stopped the fighting with a seemingly ordinary yet undeniable method, Haotian has completely seen the truth behind this battle between heaven and earth.

While Daozu appears to be perfectly impartial, he actually showed special favor to his eldest disciple, Yuanshi Tianzun, during Taiqing's ordeal. His bias towards Yuanshi Tianzun is evident throughout the text.

He had indeed considered using Xiao Wuji's power to break the balance, and even thought about secretly providing Jiepai Pass with some support in order to seek true autonomy for the Heavenly Court.

But now, he has completely given up that idea.

"The sage views all living beings as ants, and me as a plaything —"

Haotian closed his eyes, his fists clenched tightly in his sleeves, then relaxed slumped down.

"The Dao Ancestor is deliberately taking sides. If I remain obstinate and forcibly intervene, I fear that the Heavenly Court will not only fail to prosper but may also face collapse."

In this primordial world where everyone is an ant before a sage, he, a Heavenly Emperor, had no bargaining power in the face of Hongjun's will.

"Pass down the order." Haotian opened his eyes, his gaze regaining its imperial majesty, but now tinged with an icy coldness and resolute determination. "Seal off the Lingxiao Palace. All departments of the Heavenly Court shall, from this day forward, go into seclusion and defend themselves. No matter what happens in the East, even if the Sages wage war that turns the world upside down, the Heavenly Court shall not send a single soldier to intervene."

He severed all ties with cause and effect, choosing neutrality and retreat. This was the only way he could secure survival for the Heavenly Court in this impending great calamity for the saints.

Jiepai Pass, the main hall of the General's Mansion.

The lingering aftershocks of that powerful sword intent lingered in the air, nourishing the surrounding vegetation like a gentle rain.

-

The towering phantom in mid-air, accompanied by a final long howl, slowly dissipated, transforming into specks of blue firefly light that merged into the heavens and earth.

The child, who had been suspended in mid-air, lost its support and drifted down.

As soon as his feet touched the ground, his coarse linen clothes began to faintly glow with a bluish light.

His originally weak mortal meridians seemed to have been forcibly reshaped by a great supernatural power, becoming not only as tough as metal, but also with wisps of innate sword energy constantly flowing within them.

This is no longer a mortal body; it has clearly been forged into an unparalleled sword bone!

"Master!"

"Master has returned!"

Upon seeing this, Daoist Duobao and the core members of the Jie Sect could no longer care about their saintly dignity and rushed forward to surround the child with great enthusiasm.

Their eyes gleamed with hope, yearning to hear that familiar rebuke or admonition in the next second.

However, the child slowly opened his eyes.

Those eyes were still clear and innocent, still revealing the unique innocence of a child.

He looked at the group of cultivators of various forms around him, his eyes devoid of any understanding, only showing the instinctive bewilderment one feels when facing strangers.

"What are you doing?"

The childish voice rang out in the lobby, sounding completely out of place.

The ecstasy on everyone's faces instantly froze, turning into deep astonishment, confusion, and even despair.

Xiao Wuji stood beside the main seat. He stepped forward and gently touched the child's forehead.

After a moment, he reluctantly withdrew his hand and let out a long sigh.

"There's no need to try anymore." Xiao Wuji shook his head and looked at everyone.

"Master's saintly origin is too vast. Although this mortal body has been reshaped by sword intent and transformed, it is still fragile in essence and cannot bear the saintly wisdom that has been cultivated for hundreds of millions of years."

"He—has not awakened."

A deathly silence spread through the lobby.

The Holy Mother of the Golden Spirit covered her mouth, tears streaming down her face.

The master they waited so long for, and after going through countless hardships to find him, turned out to be just a child who remembered nothing.

After a long while, Daoist Duobao took a deep look at the child who still looked bewildered, and suddenly smiled.

The smile no longer held the previous anxiety, but instead showed a sense of relief.

"That's enough." Daoist Duobao turned around and waved his hand gently to the crowd.

"It's already a great stroke of luck that the sword bones could be reshaped in such a short time. Since it's all fate, we shouldn't force it."

"Master is still young, his mind is like a blank sheet of paper. This is like a withered tree coming back to life in spring, everything is due to fate."

The Taoist priest's gaze softened as he looked at the bewildered child.

"The great path may lead to the same destination, and perhaps this is the opportunity for Master to seek true transcendence."

Upon hearing this, the disappointment in everyone's eyes gradually faded, replaced by unwavering conviction.

"Eldest brother is right," said the Holy Mother of Wudang, wiping away her tears.

"Since Heaven won't let us take shortcuts, then we'll accompany our Master and walk this long road of seeking once more."