Taiyi Dao Fruit-Chapter 1249 - 33: The Strongest Dao Fruit, the Strongest Shackles (Part 2)

It should be understood that the Dao Fruit is the manifestation of Cause and Effect. Shen Gongbao bears the cause and effect of the near-destruction of the Shangqing Daoist inheritance, so one can only imagine how plagued his Dao Fruit would be.

Some beings, the threat they pose while alive may be lesser than the Dao Fruit they condense after death.

Perhaps when Shen Gongbao was alive, his name as the Plague God was somewhat unearned, but after his death, as the catalyst for the destruction of the Shangqing Daoist inheritance, his cause and effect condensing into a Dao Fruit might truly solidify his name as the Plague God.

The Great Venerable, as a master of Yi Dao, even before the resurrection of the old fellows, was the first in Yi Dao, so he naturally understands the essence of Dao Fruit profoundly. Almost immediately after learning about Shen Gongbao's past, he determined that Shen Hou's Dao Fruit had issues, significant enough to affect himself.

So the question is, does the Queen Mother of the West know the mystery within this? Does she know that Shen Gongbao's Dao Fruit is even more plagued than his person?

If she claims ignorance, would the Great Venerable believe it?

Anyway, after knowing the inside story, the Great Venerable was almost so angered that he nearly lost his composure and cursed.

Even when he previously thwarted the Great Heavenly Venerate, he wasn't as emotionally stirred.

The old predecessors before the End of Dharma truly opened the eyes of the new Sixth Brother today.

Yet Shen Hou cannot be directly killed.

In contemporary times, perhaps only Shen Hou can meld with the God-beating Whip. The Great Venerable still needs the God-beating Whip to deal with the Investiture of the Gods of the Great Heavenly Venerate, so Shen Hou really cannot be killed.

'The only strategy now is to use Shen Hou cautiously.'

After much thought, the Great Venerable found only this way to handle the situation.

Or perhaps, to find someone opposing the Great Heavenly Venerate, and send Shen Hou over?

But now, the only sworn enemy of the Great Heavenly Venerate is Jiang Li, and at this moment, Emperor Jiang possesses exceptionally aesthetic values, not needing Shen Hou's God-beating Whip. Shen Hou is more likely to be killed if sent over.

Moreover...

'I suspect he also knows Shen Hou's flaws.'

Reflecting on it now, Shen Hou, this traitor, living on seems quite abnormal.

Everyone knows that Emperor Jiang is small-minded, and unless someone is incredibly powerful, those who offend him don't live long. Even with bosses taking the fall one by one, Shen Hou has seemingly lived a bit too long.

The Great Venerable is more willing to believe that Jiang Li intentionally lets this traitor roam, causing trouble for his enemies all over.

Thus, while the old predecessors before the End of Dharma were formidable, there are real masters among the new Sixth Brother generation as well. Compared to these old predecessors like the Queen Mother of the West, Jiang Li employed Shen Hou much earlier.

"Inhuman."

In the end, after uttering these three words, the Great Venerable made the decision to "use with caution."

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In the Divine Capital, within the Imperial City.

The dazzling sunlight gradually receded, revealing the desolate Imperial City.

"Restore as before."

Jiang Li's divine thought swept over the Imperial City, and with a gentle glance, the damaged palaces, pavilions, flowers, and trees all reverted as if time had flowed backward, and in an instant, the traces of the grand battle vanished.

As for the palace maids, eunuchs, and guards, although there were casualties, overall, it wasn't too severe.

The area where the ginseng fruit tree was located was always forbidden to unrelated persons.

"Congratulations, Fellow Daoist, on your promotion to the Second Grade."

The Daoist Lord, holding a horsetail whisk, moved over with a light immortal glow, congratulating Jiang Li. This old daoist appeared untouched by dust, seemingly not having expended much heart power to suppress the aftermath earlier.

"A narrow victory, that's all."

Unlike earlier in the void where he laughed villainously, Jiang Li replied with considerable modesty, simultaneously and imperceptibly putting away the Green Duckweed Sword and Pangu Banner.

But the Daoist Lord seemed unconvinced.

"Fellow Daoist, your calculations are divine and clever, it doesn't seem like a narrow victory." The Daoist Lord said with a smile.

From an after-the-fact perspective, it was indeed perilous, had Jiang Li not advanced at the last moment, the Great Heavenly Venerate might have succeeded.

Not to mention anything else, just that Celestial Map surprised everyone.

Even the Daoist Lord hadn't anticipated that the Great Zhou's Grand Ancestor was the reincarnation of the Jade Emperor Great Heavenly Venerate back then.

However—

Upon closer examination, Jiang Li's responses seemed too flawless.

His plan was to seize the initiative, but this plan was eavesdropped on from the start by the Great Heavenly Venerate, in theory, the initiative should also have been with him.

Yet in reality, the initiative remained in Jiang Li's hands all along.

By transitioning from the Yin World, he forced the Great Heavenly Venerate to reveal himself. With the Great Venerable's intervention, he reversed time at a critical moment, restoring the transformation of pure and impure, allowing Jiang Li's Dao Fruit to reach perfection.

Then, when the Jade Emperor Dao Fruit mutated and the Great Heavenly Venerate launched a sneak attack, revealing one hidden trump card after another, Jiang Li, at a critical moment, counterattacked after advancing.

The only uncontrollable factor was the Great Venerable reversing time, catching the Great Heavenly Venerate off-guard, indirectly aiding Jiang Li.

But considering that afterward, Jiang Li advanced the Qingzhuo transformation from the Three Pure Ones, fulfilling a five-thousand-year achievement, it is known that even if the Great Venerable hadn't muddied the waters, Jiang Li would have still been able to advance, breaking the Great Venerable's constriction.

In other words, Jiang Li likely knew from the beginning that there was an issue with the Jade Emperor Dao Fruit.

He blatantly conspired in front of the Jade Emperor Dao Fruit, simply to deceive it.

Emperor Jiang likely suspected the Jade Emperor Dao Fruit much earlier; though he might not have known that the true spirit of the Jade Emperor escaped eight hundred years ago, he certainly had immense wariness towards the Jade Emperor.

The Daoist Lord has always had immense trust in Emperor Jiang's cunning and mind.

As for what the truth really is?

Jiang Li gave the Daoist Lord a slight smile, neither confirming nor denying.

What the truth really is, perhaps only the heavens know.

Maybe Emperor Jiang was indeed suspicious; even if there was nothing abnormal with the Jade Emperor Dao Fruit, he would enact a scheme. Or maybe, Emperor Jiang was naturally pure-hearted, divinely assisted, thus rightly breaking the schemes of the Great Heavenly Venerate.

A nice guy's luck won't be too bad, right?

Everything is understood without being said.

The Daoist Lord ultimately decided to stop pressing for answers, or maybe he already affirmed Jiang Li's temperance, as the topic ended there.

"Fellow Daoist Jiang, what are your plans next?" The Daoist Lord asked.

Jiang Li's smile remained, imbued with the compassion of the sun, "The transformation of pure and impure is a great merit, benefiting the rise of the Nine Provinces. Yet, overseas lands still suffer the scourge of the Five Vile Qi, how can I bear to see this? Moreover, my Dao Fruit also needs to benefit the Human Race and all beings more extensively."

"Publicly and privately, it is necessary to revive the spiritual mechanism overseas."

Simply put, East Sea, I want it.

Upon hearing this deeply emotional speech, the Daoist Lord couldn't help but be moved, saying, "Fellow Daoist, there's no outsider here."

Could it be that Emperor Jiang wants to use these words to move the poor Daoist who knows him so well?

Or has he deceived himself with his lies?

"Alas, I feel the Daoist Lord misunderstands me somewhat."

Seeing that the Daoist Lord doesn't understand his noble aspirations, Emperor Jiang shook his head helplessly, "If nothing unexpected occurs, we and the Great Venerable will certainly have a battle. Yet, my enemies will certainly not sit by idly. Next, I request the Daoist Lord lend a hand to assist me."

The Daoist Lord nodded, solemnly saying, "This I shall not refuse."

After speaking, he paused, "Fellow Daoist, the Qingzhuo transformation has now reached a point where it can be relatively stabilized. But this act merely addresses the symptoms, not the root cause. To cure it fundamentally, we must address the root."

Where is the root?

In The Three Pure Ones.

If the source of Essence Qi isn't reversed, even if worldwide purity and impurity are clarified, there's still a possibility of an outbreak.

It may not even require the demise of a key figure like Jiang Li; it would only take someone to once again disturb the balance of purity and impurity within the Three Pure Ones.

To solve it, new Three Pure Ones need to emerge, or reviving the Three Pure Ones is necessary.

"I understand."

Jiang Li nodded, indicating he understood, but didn't give a definitive answer.

[The Dao Fruit of the Three Pure Ones can be said to be the strongest Dao Fruit, because the Three Pure Ones are one. As long as Jiang Li takes in any of them, he can gradually incorporate the other two through the ability to consolidate cause and effect. However, the strongest Dao Fruit also means the strongest shackle.]

Before Jiang Li's eyes, a few lines of words quietly appeared.