Dao Lord: Starting from a Top-grade Golden Core

The Profound Yellow Realm, Shenxiao Peak.

As the seat of the Yuxiao Sect—one of the three major sects and six major schools of the Divine Continent—it was a proper Immortal Mansion and the world’s most ideal place to cultivate lightning techniques.

However, the peak itself was perpetually shrouded in leaden clouds and rumbling with thunder, hardly a pleasant sight.

Fortunately, once one descended from the summit, the scenery became much more normal. Eight hundred and ten li away, following the undulating mountain terrain, the landscape was already one of beautiful green mountains.

Outside the sect gate, Fang Shize stopped and clasped his hands. "Brother Xu, I am eternally grateful that you took the time from your busy schedule to attend my wedding with Ling’Er. Alas, the journey to Yunmeng Marsh is long and arduous. Forgive me for not escorting you further."

Xuzhuang smiled and returned the gesture. "Brother Fang, you jest. You and Junior Sister Lin are newlyweds, still in the honeymoon phase. How could I be so shameless as to ask you to see me off so far?"

Fang Shize laughed heartily at his words.

Both men had straightforward personalities, so after a few more pleasantries, they dispensed with the formalities. After seeing Xuzhuang off, Fang Shize formed a hand seal for a spell and transformed into a streak of lightning, vanishing in an instant.

Xuzhuang, for his part, activated his own Escape Technique and set off toward Yunmeng Marsh.

Fang Shize was right. The journey to Yunmeng Marsh was tens of thousands of li long, but the path cut through the magnificent landscapes of the Eastern Divine Continent, so it was by no means a boring trip.

Usually, when he traveled, he flew high above the layers of clouds. But today, with rare leisure time and a bit of interest, he chose not to ascend to the heavens. Instead, he rode the wind at a lower altitude, taking in the scenery.

𝕗𝚛𝚎𝚎𝐰𝗲𝗯𝗻𝚘𝚟𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝕞

However, Xuzhuang’s good mood did not last long. After flying for only a few thousand li, his Spiritual Sense suddenly blared a warning. He felt a sense of threat, as if someone had locked onto his aura.

Xuzhuang narrowed his eyes slightly. Following the feeling from his Spiritual Sense, he looked over and saw a figure standing against the wind atop a green peak. It was a sharp-featured Daoist who appeared to be in his forties, with sideburns as neat as if cut by a knife. His bright red Daoist Robe billowed endlessly, and his eyes glinted like a drawn blade, his killing intent completely unconcealed as it bore down on Xuzhuang’s mind.

’Nascent Soul Third Layer, a Celestial Fire Daoist Robe.’

Xuzhuang’s heart skipped a beat. In almost an instant, a name leaped to his mind: ’Yang Huai Venerable!’

"Xuzhuang," Yang Huai Venerable said flatly. "You’ve kept me waiting for quite some time."

Xuzhuang halted his flight and replied just as coolly, "Oh? You were waiting for me here, Venerable. Could it be that you’re seeking revenge?"

"Revenge?" Now that he had locked onto Xuzhuang’s aura, Yang Huai Venerable was in no hurry to act. He replied eerily, "For accomplished cultivators like us, what grudge could truly be worth life and death?"

"You are a Tai Su True Inheritance, a famous Daozi. In the future, you may very well reach the Primordial Spirit realm. It would be most unwise to make an enemy of you over mere external matters."

Xuzhuang hadn’t expected Yang Huai Venerable to say such a thing. He raised an eyebrow, but the Venerable had already continued, "Xuzhuang! If you had killed my beloved Lian’Er, I could have demanded some compensation. If you had killed my spoiled Hua’Er, I could have simply had another child later. Even if you slaughtered my entire Yang Family! At worst, I would have just fought a battle with you."

Yang Huai Venerable sighed deeply. "But you should not, you absolutely should not, have killed my Lian’Er—the one I painstakingly raised, pouring my heart and soul into nurturing an heir who had formed a Top-grade Golden Core."

"If I fail to break through to the Primordial Spirit realm, my only hope is to use a Supreme Secret Technique to seize his good fortune! Only then could I hope to bypass the confusion of rebirth and start over from scratch—"

"The man is gone. My condolences, Venerable," Xuzhuang interrupted Yang Huai Venerable, a faint, mocking smile on his face. "Burning your bridges could be seen as a way of strengthening your resolve, no?"

"You’re not wrong," Yang Huai Venerable agreed. "But because of this, my heart is filled with frustration that I cannot resolve. This has already become a hindrance to my breakthrough to the Primordial Spirit realm."

"The grudge for killing my son, added to the grudge for obstructing my path to the Dao... Tell me, should I kill you or not?"

"Haha!" Xuzhuang threw his head back and laughed loudly. "Has it not occurred to you, Venerable, that you might die needlessly at my hands, and in doing so, sever your own path to the Dao for good?"

—

Fang Shize had just returned to his residence and had not even sat down when a man rushed over with hurried steps, calling out, "Second Master!"

Fang Shize’s expression remained unchanged. "Bo Fu," he asked, "what has happened to make you so flustered?"

Fang Bofu reported with a grave expression, "A disciple from the clan just reported that they spotted traces of Yang Huai Venerable of the Celestial Fire Sect more than three thousand li from the sect."

Yang Huai Venerable had made a name for himself seven or eight hundred years ago during the golden age of the Celestial Fire Sect. Now, he had been at the Nascent Soul Third Layer for who knew how long. In the Profound Yellow Realm, where Primordial Spirit experts rarely showed themselves, he was absolutely a top-tier figure.

Moreover, the Yuxiao Sect and the Celestial Fire Sect were neighbors and had always had friction between them. On top of that, the current situation in the Profound Yellow Realm was quite tense.

He licked his somewhat dry lips. "A figure of his stature suddenly appearing so close to the sect... should we report this to our superiors?"

Fang Shize frowned slightly. As a true disciple, his perspective was ultimately different. He replied in a low voice, "Just send word to the sect about this matter. There’s no need to panic."

Fang Bofu acknowledged and was about to leave when Fang Shize suddenly called him back. A look of alarm and suspicion appeared on Fang Shize’s face. After a moment of deep thought, he suddenly took a silver-white flying shuttle from his sleeve and gave a quick command: "Take this and hurry after Venerable Dao Miao! Inform him about Yang Huai Venerable!"

The grudge between Yang Huai Venerable and the Tai Su Daozi was known to everyone, so who could be unaware?

As Fang Shize’s confidant, Fang Bofu understood the gravity of the situation perfectly. His expression changed instantly upon hearing the order. He took the flying shuttle and, without another word, rushed out the door. Reaching an open space, he didn’t delay for a second, transforming into a rainbow streak of light that shot into the sky.

This flying shuttle was a magic treasure of the Fang Family, left in Fang Shize’s possession for his own protection. Its Flying Escape ability alone was unimaginably fast. Fang Bofu piloted the shuttle at top speed, but even after flying for more than two thousand li, he saw no sign of Xuzhuang, and his heart sank.

But success depended on effort. Fang Bofu didn’t stop, continuing to race forward. However, not even a breath later, the flying shuttle suddenly halted. It wasn’t Fang Bofu’s doing; the shuttle, having its own spiritual nature, had somehow stopped its flight on its own.

Before Fang Bofu could even feel anxious, a heaven-shaking, earth-shattering BOOM erupted ahead!

An incredibly fierce Gang Wind swept over, nearly knocking Fang Bofu from the shuttle. Then, a streak of crimson fire, red as blood, shot into the sky. It was immediately followed by a white rainbow that gave chase from below the clouds. However, the fiery light was moving too fast and vanished in an instant. Unable to catch up, the white rainbow changed direction and headed south.

Fang Bofu couldn’t help but swallow. He descended from the clouds to look and saw that the ground below was a scene of utter devastation. In particular, Lang Mountain had somehow been sheared in half!

’They really did run into each other! What was the outcome of the battle?’ Fang Bofu took a deep breath and was about to activate the shuttle to return and report when a flash of lightning suddenly streaked by. A Daoist in his thirties with long, coiled hair appeared, suspended in the air. Pinned in his hair was an ebony branch that crackled with lightning.

"Junior Martial Uncle Yu!" Fang Bofu exclaimed in surprise, quickly moving forward to pay his respects.

"Bo Fu?" Yu Du’s eyes flashed. "What are you doing here? Do you know who was fighting here?"

Fang Bofu didn’t dare to hide anything and quickly explained the whole story. Yu Du’s brow furrowed, and he muttered to himself, "Was that the Celestial Fire Essence Destruction Escape Technique, or a Primordial Spirit Escape Talisman? To think that the great Yang Huai Venerable was actually defeated by Xuzhuang."

A hint of disbelief flickered in Yu Du’s eyes. Xuzhuang was certainly an unparalleled talent, famous throughout the Divine Continent, but how long had he been cultivating? Just over twenty years ago, when Yu Du had gone to Tai Su as an envoy, Xuzhuang had only just reached the Nascent Soul realm!