Shrouding the Heavens: The Ultimate Daoist Venerable

Chapter 228 The Blade of Time, The Fall of Xiaoyao

The Celestial Venerable of Freedom originally possessed a divine power called the Light of Time, which he created based on his understanding of the laws of time. In later generations, when Ye Fan's Sacred Body reached its peak and he fought against the Celestial Venerable of Freedom, this move pierced through Ye Fan's Myriad Things Mother Qi Cauldron, demonstrating astonishing power.

The reason this supernatural power takes this form is likely inspired by the metaphor of "time flies like an arrow." After all, under the power of time, even the most unbreakable and indestructible things will decay. Therefore, this move is manifested as a piercing light that penetrates everything, and the power of time will emanate from the point of attack, accelerating its aging and decay.

The final divine power unleashed by the Carefree Celestial Venerable is actually derived from the Light of Time. It was created by the Carefree Celestial Venerable after his great advancement in the Law of Time, and was only truly completed during his transformation. This divine power is called the Blade of Time. This strike does not sever your body or primordial spirit, but directly severs your lifespan. Or rather, it severs the years you will experience in the future, leading directly to death.

Time, like a knife, cuts down the proud and arrogant; on the path to immortality, one sighs at the alluring beauty; the opening chapter is of blood and bone, a tragic scroll of a lifetime.

In the impermanent environment of the human universe, no one can escape the erosion of time, and therefore no one can avoid this slash. This slash turns beautiful women white-haired, heroes grow old, and proud individuals filled with resentment. It renders nothing eternal in the world, and reduces everything to nothingness.

In the eyes of the carefree Celestial Venerable, who is proficient in the laws of time, the years are like a knife, always hanging over his head. You can sense its existence, but you can only watch it fall towards you little by little and be powerless to stop it.

Perhaps it was because he could sense the terrifying power of time more than ordinary people that he was once overwhelmed by this fear and chose to sever himself, doing something against his own will. Even after he regained his Dao heart, he was still under the constant pressure of that impending blade strike.

Now, the carefree Celestial Venerable, who has been racing against time his entire life to avoid being struck by this blade, must, at the very end of his life, transform his understanding of this sharp blade that has been hanging over his head at all times into a new blade, to bring his life to a close.

The blade flashed, seemingly without trajectory, without process, and unstoppable. The instant Liang Yu unleashed his chaotic energy to break through the double seal of space and time, the blade struck his head. However, a layer of finely woven chaotic laws and chaotic energy formed an indestructible barrier around Liang Yu, capable of dissolving and absorbing everything; therefore, the blade did not touch his body.

However, although the blade was blocked by the chaotic energy, and countless chaotic laws frantically dissolved and absorbed the time law within the Blade of Time, the blade light still stubbornly broke through these layers of chaotic energy.

Even at its last gasp, it still struck Liang Yu's cheek, and a drop of bright red blood flowed from the wound, from which one could vaguely see the intertwined Yin-Yang Tai Chi diagram and wisps of chaotic energy.

This strike was silent and unavoidable, like a predetermined path to death. After all, unless one becomes an immortal, no matter how powerful Liang Yu's abilities, he will face his inevitable demise. Therefore, even though his chaotic laws could absorb and dissolve everything, they still couldn't completely block this blade of time.

This was Liang Yu's first injury since the start of the war. Although it was because he suppressed his power and ultimately only shed a drop of blood, it undeniably proved that the Great Celestial Venerable Xiaoyao, who had accumulated power over time, truly deserved the title of one of the Nine Celestial Venerables. It was foreseeable that if he had survived, he would have had a considerable chance of advancing further and reaching an even higher level. But now, he no longer had that opportunity.

The current Celestial Venerable of Freedom is beginning to decline after reaching the peak of his power. The irreversible process of death following the burning of his life essence is about to engulf him. Under this trend, his body begins to disintegrate and dissolve, slowly turning into specks of light.

However, upon seeing that his strike had actually caused Liang Yu to bleed a single drop, the Carefree Celestial Venerable couldn't help but laugh loudly, "Wuji, so you can bleed too?"

At this moment, the Carefree Celestial Venerable truly felt a sense of fulfillment; he could die without regret. This drop of blood proved that even the Limitless Celestial Venerable was still human, not a supreme deity, for gods do not shed blood.

This single drop of blood shattered the invincible golden body of the Supreme Heavenly Venerable in his heart, a body he himself had broken. At this moment, the Supreme Heavenly Venerable in his heart had shed his divinity, once again becoming the latecomer who had preceded him. This meant that the Carefree Heavenly Venerable had successfully overcome his inner demons.

Liang Yu wiped his face, and the injury was completely healed. The Blade of Time by the Carefree Celestial Venerable was truly astonishing; it was the kind of supreme divine power that Liang Yu himself would want to study and learn. The last divine power that had interested him so much was the Heaven-Slaying Sword Technique of the Spiritual Treasure Celestial Venerable. Moreover, after studying and researching the Heaven-Slaying Sword Technique, Liang Yu even derived his own divine power from it—the Dao Understanding.

Although he was close to achieving mastery over all methods, he couldn't guarantee that he would reach the pinnacle in every field or surpass everyone else in every area. Therefore, even Liang Yu would still learn from and draw inspiration from exceptionally talented individuals.

Upon hearing what the Celestial Venerable Xiaoyao said, Liang Yu couldn't help but say, "I am just a cultivator on the path to immortality. How could I not bleed? Even true immortals bleed, let alone mortals." The Celestial Venerable Xiaoyao said, "But in my eyes before, you seemed to be omnipotent. What I could think of, what I couldn't think of, what I could do, and what I couldn't do, none of them stumped you."

“I’ve always known rationally that even you, Wuji, are just an extremely powerful cultivator, but it’s only now that I’ve truly realized that. As the saying goes, breaking through the mind’s barriers is difficult, and perhaps that’s what it’s like for me.”

Liang Yu said, "Congratulations to Fellow Daoist Xiaoyao for overcoming your inner demons and achieving a more perfect state of mind."

The carefree Celestial Venerable shook his head and said, "Fellow Daoist Wuji, I should be thanking you. You have once again enlightened me."

Liang Yu said, "This time, it was Fellow Daoist Xiaoyao who did it. I did nothing."

The carefree Celestial Venerable sighed, "No, if you hadn't shown mercy and restrained your power, I wouldn't have been able to hurt you at all."

After this battle, the Carefree Celestial Venerable naturally knew that Liang Yu had not used his full strength. If the other party had disregarded his feelings and directly suppressed him forcefully, he would have had no power to fight back.

Looking at the carefree Celestial Venerable walking towards death before him, Liang Yu couldn't help but feel a pang of regret. After all, the Carefree Celestial Venerable, whose Daoist techniques and mental state had now reached an even higher level than when he had just undergone his transformation, might have had the potential to become his true Daoist friend. But having reached this state, he was already on the verge of death. Moreover, having been tainted by dark power, even if the Carefree Celestial Venerable didn't self-destruct, Liang Yu would definitely kill him.

Liang Yu sighed softly, "Fellow Daoist Xiaoyao, do you have any last words?"

Without hesitation, the carefree Celestial Venerable replied, "It's gone, it's already gone."

But then, he waved his hand again, releasing a divine thought, and said, "I am gone, but after thinking about it, I still want to leave something for future generations. This is a newly written scripture, which contains my understanding of the laws of time, various supernatural powers, and an advanced version of the Word of Travel Secret."

"In addition, I also made a copy of the spatial laws contained in the Immortal Treasure Bottle. If Fellow Daoist Wuji thinks these things still have some value, then pass them on to the right person."

"Finally, I have some insights into this dark power, as well as the sacrificial rituals that may be related to it. I'm passing these on to you, Fellow Daoist Wuji. I hope you'll be careful. Although my understanding is limited, I can already sense the terrifying power it possesses."

Seeing that Liang Yu had accepted the information, the Carefree Celestial said, "In the very end, I hope you can go all out to send me on my way. Before I die, I hope to see your true strength."

Liang Yu nodded and said, "Alright, then I'll see Fellow Daoist Xiaoyao off on his way."

As he spoke, he no longer concealed his power, forming the Chaos Seal with his hands, fully displaying the Dao Fruit of the Unity of All Laws, and striking at the Carefree Celestial Venerable. Chaotic energy permeated the air, and a terrifying power that almost shattered the universe and recreated the world fell, causing the Carefree Celestial Venerable, who was already doomed, to completely vanish into nothingness.

But in his final moments, the eyes of the Carefree Celestial Venerable held no fear, only anticipation. After all, Liang Yu's Dao attainment was an achievement he could only look up to. The saying "If I hear the Dao in the morning, I can die content in the evening" perfectly encapsulates the state of mind of the Carefree Celestial Venerable, now at the pinnacle of enlightenment.

Therefore, he can face death with equanimity.

(End of this chapter)