"World Venerable Taoist Friend still has this ability to make a Returning to Truth willingly become his Dao foundation?" Miao Fa muttered, suddenly asking again, "Qianqiu, if you were to fight him, who would have a better chance of winning?"

Qian Wanqiu shook his head: "I haven’t even met him, how can I make a conclusion? But I do look forward to discussing the Dao with him."

Qian Wanqiu formed a Dharma Seal with both hands in the Void and delivered it to Kong Ming, asking him to meet the returning disciples.

Miao Fa playfully said, "Are these disciples unlucky or lucky? Originally, if you had taken action, they would have returned at their peak, at most losing some of their Daoist career, which they could replenish over time. But now, having entered reincarnation, all their Daoist career has to start anew."

Qian Wanqiu said lightly: "Precisely, walking the path again might even push them two steps further than in the previous life. The reincarnation system he created, where the Three Souls and Seven Spirits do not disperse, completely scatters past Dao Fruit Karma, providing a brand-new path for some High Position who took the wrong road early on."

"Oh?" Miao Fa asked in surprise, "After reincarnation, is there really no link left with the Fruit Position of the previous life?"

Qian Wanqiu nodded.

Upon reaching the Seventh and Eighth Realms, Positions have been established, and the greatest fear is taking the wrong path. Even sacrificing everything and reincarnating to cultivate anew may not remedy it all.

Yet, the reincarnation he crafted allows everything to start anew, akin to a fresh chance.

After the disciples dispersed, Kong Ming found a private place to meet his own master, Miao Fa Sword Immortal, and quietly asked:

"Master, has that one already passed the great trial of all the ancestors?"

"Great trial?" The female Sword Immortal slightly tilted her head, looking at the disciple who had, unbeknownst to her, become quite old, reminiscing about the past.

Thus she lightly tapped her finger on Kong Ming’s brow, forcibly restoring his appearance and form to his youthful days, only then did she nod in satisfaction.

The young Kong Ming froze, smiled bitterly, and said helplessly: "Master, as I am now acting as the temporary leader of the Dao Lineage, how can I command respect with such an appearance?"

"Little Kong Ming has grown up." Miao Fa ruffled the young one’s hair, sighing, "Already taking on the role of a Dao Lineage leader, more accomplished than your master."

Kong Ming’s face turned red, unable to speak for a while. Knowing his master well, this was just the beginning. If he dared to respond, more teasing remarks would follow.

Seeing the disciple not responding, Miao Fa sighed, he was no longer adorable.

"Great trial? What great trial?"

Miao Fa turned around, looked at the "Heaven Rank" that could be seen at a glance from anywhere in the Sea of Realms, and squinted:

"Even if it really is a great trial, it’s merely a few testing that World Venerable. Even if he passes, it only proves he has their initial approval, and then what?"

Kong Ming muttered: "Then Heaven and Earth Unification..."

Miao Fa said speechlessly: "You really dare to think, that just because he pacified the Heavenly Court, all of us who have kept each other in check for dozens of epochs will simply hand over the Heaven and Earth Unification?"

"Isn’t this what you left in the scriptures..." Kong Ming muttered softly.

Miao Fa Sword Immortal gave him a sideways glance.

The familiar side-eye made Kong Ming instinctively shut up, yet warmly nostalgic.

"What did I say?" Miao Fa Sword Immortal questioned back.

"Master didn’t say anything, it was the disciple who saw it wrong."

Miao Fa Sword Immortal snorted coldly but showed a smile:

"For such matters, naturally, we must clash and then speak!"

Kong Ming’s pupils shrank, his breathing inevitably hurried: "Have the ancestors already decided to determine ’superiority’ in this life?" 𝙛𝒓𝓮𝙚𝔀𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝒐𝒎

"It’s not our decision." Miao Fa shook his head, "But time waits for no one. This Sea of Realms is about to face a great calamity, we must determine a victor, otherwise, we’ll all just wait to die together."

Kong Ming’s expression changed greatly: "Master, what does this mean? What did you see on your journey to the Returning to Truth Land?"

At this moment.

A "rumbling sound" from the deep Dao of the Sea of Realms reached Kong Ming’s ears.

Amidst the confusion, that legendary Mother River of Time and Destiny covering the universe began to surge!

Miao Fa looked on with interest and said meaningfully: "You see, even if Ji Taoist Friend passes your so-called great trial, there are still those who defy him, and in the end, a confrontation must happen."

Kong Ming whispered: "Master, is someone touching the timeline from a hundred years ago?"

Miao Fa nodded, saying lightly: "Some people couldn’t resist preparing to act as soon as they returned; it seems they’re preparing to force this one out into the open."

Kong Ming tentatively asked: "Master, which Ancestor Master is taking action?"

Miao Fa smiled playfully: "It’s those Supreme Gods, they seem to be eyeing the powers of the Heavenly Court and the Investiture of the Gods. If they obtain the Investiture of the Gods, they might step into the realm of the Great Dao Ancestor in one fell swoop, even peering into higher domains. Given this, it’s understandable why they couldn’t resist."

Higher domains... Kong Ming took a deep breath and probed: "Master, aren’t you intervening to stop them?"

"Me?" Miao Fa shook her head, "Xu hasn’t taken action, and the Sword Master hasn’t moved. It definitely isn’t my turn."

Kong Ming asked no more, standing with his master, looking on together.

In the Sea of Realms, those few transcendent Divine Lords who attained the Dao as Divine entities, actually teamed up at this moment, jointly shaking the Mother River of the Sea of Realms, attempting to interfere with a battle from a hundred years ago, to force Ji Jingqiu into the world!

Unexpectedly, that World Venerable never appeared, and crucially, neither the River of Destiny nor the River of Time could trace his whereabouts!

Some indescribable force was disrupting the few transcendent Divine Lords’ exploration of the Mother River of the Sea of Realms!

...

...

The illusory River of Time and River of Destiny emerged in the Void, quietly flowing, pointing towards the endless Sea of Void in the Outer Realm.

Two figures, following a weak line of Karma, walked side by side, traversing space-time barriers like crystal walls, eventually stepping into an unknown place.