Chapter 540: Ancestor of Tainted River (1)

= Tainted Cosmic Planet =

At bottom of Tainted River, the Blood River on the Primordial Cosmic Origin Planet, countless grain-sized orbs contained a pocket dimension inside - Each contained the seed and the origin of a soul.

Mortals, immortals, and deities who had yet to ascend and become a completed entity were tied to this Tainted River. Their origin seeds were stored here, but their consciousness was somewhere else.

Invisible strings of entity karma linked the seeds with their consciousness. As long as these strings were well maintained and connected, the seeds could summon their souls to the River of Reincarnation when these non-entities died.

Rarely, the seeds of souls withered and became food for the Tainted River, and the blood would create a new soul to replace them. Moreover, the blood essence of the dead souls would be collected here as the payment for the soul creation.

Everything was tranquil. The Blood River and karma strings remained still as if the time had stopped.

Suddenly, several karma strings were cut at once, and many soul seeds died. In addition, the river couldn't collect the blood essence of the dead souls to recreate a replacement.

The balance of the souls was shifted, and the slight disturbance of this river sent a warning to the protector of this planet, who was sitting on a rowboat.

A black-cloaked boatman with no face rowed his ancient wooden boat and extended his hand. He picked up a dead soul seed with a severed karma string from the river and passed it to a passenger.

The passenger was a red-skinned man with two short horns on his head. Yet, his Providence of Life and Death made his aura calm and charming. He didn't look like a sinister being at all.

The passenger took the seed and looked at it.

The boatman was interested, "What do you think, Great Ancestor?"

The mysterious red man, aka Great Ancestor, kept staring at the soul seed. His eyes narrowed as if he was in deep thought.

After pondering and deducting for a minute, the Ancestor tossed the seed to the river.

"Whatever can go wrong, will go wrong. Irregularities and variables make every non-entity different."

"Should I deal with that criminal for you? I doubt the Karma Tribulation is enough to punish them."

The Ancestor pinched his fingers and deducted the identities of the culprits. Ten seconds later, he found the sources of the trouble.

"After several million years, these karma cultivators are at it again. The previous Samsara God was too weak! We should pick a new Samsara God out of the strongest and righteous non-entity instead of randomly picking a karma cultivator. Oh, add the following names to the Sage Ascension Ban List; Lilith, Lilim, Kishin Douji, Meng Xin, Brocell, Devil... and Devil's 13th soul fragment."

The boatman looked up to his master in bemusement, "Devil's soul fragment? Shouldn't it be only Devil? Why his soul fragment, too?"

"I don't know how, but that soul fragment carries greater fate and luck than its master. It might even cut ties with Devil and become independent in the future."

"I see. This takes me back. Isn't this nostalgic, Great Ancestor?"

"Indeed. It reminds me of that time when I distanced myself from the Heavenly Dao..."

The red man gazed to the sky as he reminisced the past while he continued to deduct the future. He silently meditated for seven days.

The Ancestor slowly opened his eyes, but he frowned.

"I change my mind. Do not add the soul fragment's name to the list. Instead, add a new name to the calamity watching list."

"The calamity watching list? Isn't that the same tier as the perished Great Sages?"

"That soul fragment is walking the path of a Chrono Dao. If he manages to survive a million years, he will surpass all non-entities and reaches our level."

"So, there's a possibility that he can die."

"Yes. Let the nature take its course."

"What about the withered soul seeds, Great Ancestor?"

The Ancestor sighed. He took out a crimson token and communicated with someone.

The front token had written words, [Ancestor Hongjun Clone Serial Number 1057]. As for the back, it was written with the nickname [Tilted Hongjun].

"HJ1057, are you there? Are you done playing in the Low Heaven Realm?"

The token didn't react to the Ancestor's call. But a day later, it responded, "Ancestor Minghe? What can I do for you? Does my master ask you to deliver another order?"

"No, but I have a favor to ask you."

"Yes, Ancestor. What can I do for you?"

"Collect all information regarding the Devil's 13th clone."

"... This is the first time that I heard about his clones. So, is it a sinner?"

"This is classified information. Just collect the intel about that non-entity and report back to me. Consider this a Small Heavenly Merit since it relates to the Great Balance of the lower worlds and seeds of non-entities."

"I see. What is its non-entity's name?"

Ancestor Minghe closed his eyes and read the flow of karma. He opened his eyes a minute later, "He is using the Devil's old name. He goes by the name [Mao Miaomiao]."

"... Are you sure it's the right one?"

"I'm sure. Do you know that non-entity?"

"Actually, he's quite famous in the lower worlds. He formed a bond with my incarnate."

"Tell me more."

"Yes, Ancestor. Where should I start..."

...

= Netherworld Realm =

The world with a crimson cloudless sky was a massive independent planet, which was not a part of any star system or Constellation.

The planet was located at the far edge of the universe. If any deity or immortal traveled further from this planet, they would reach the empty void with no star, aka the Outer Universe Sector.

In the lonely palace on a mountain of human skeletons, Devil gazed at Lilith, who was now lying inside a glass coffin on an altar.

She was still alive, but she was hibernating to recover her injuries by converting the negative karma in the Netherworld Realm into Primordial Yin Providence.

Devil clicked his tongue and turned away from Lilith. This pawn had become useless and needed to be discarded soon. In a few days, Meng Po would hear about this, and the Meng Clan would soon take over this place.

There was no need to protect Lilith anymore. Devil decided to discard her and moved on with his plans.

As Devil was about to leave, Lilim returned. However, she looked angry.

The princess stomped her way to the coffin to check on her mother. Then, she turned around and bellowed at Devil, "This is all your fault! Why are you nurturing my mother's enemy?!"

"Who's your mother's enemy?"

"Obviously, Mao Miaomiao! He's the one that injured my mother!"

"Ha! That's impossible. That stupid toy of mine isn't that strong."

"Not that strong? Oh, yeah? Then, look at my face!"

Devil's floating eyes in the gas narrowed, "That's just your usual face."

"Look at the karma string! The KARMA!"

"..."

Devil's yellowish shining eyes turned red as he started reading the flow of karma.

Soon, he discovered thick invisible karma strings that had been coiling around her neck. Devil read its power source and found out that it was the Heavenly Dao Karma.

It was not a normal Heavenly Dao Karma. Devil knew it too well as he hated it with a passion.

It was the Heavenly Dao of Zenith Heaven, aka the Supreme Plot Armor of Xie Tian in his final form! It used to appear along with other protagonists and Xie Tian's relatives in the other timelines as well.

Devil's eyes reverted back to the yellowish light in the dark gas. However, his voice trembled in nervousness.

"Have you provoked Xie Qingtian, Meng Xin, or Brocell recently?"

"NO! I just went out to bring your boy to the Netherworld! When I came back, this stupid karma string instantly ties my neck! It must be your boy's work since he can manipulate karma strings!"

Devil solemnly stared at Lilim for a long time. He decided to reveal a portion of the truth, "The karma string that is currently entangling you is not Mao Miaomiao's karma string. It's the Zenith Heaven Dao's karma."

"What's the fuck is that?"

"Something that's on par with the Heavenly Dao Power of Great Sages. Anyway, are you sure that you only met Mao Miaomiao before this?"

"... I ran into a weird monster, but it doesn't have anything to do with karma. I'm sure it's Mao Maiomiao!"

Once again, Devil took a deep breath. He slightly grumbled and walked away from Lilim.

"Wait! You haven't answered my questions!"

Devil ignored her and disappeared. He traveled back to the Golden Heavenly Goose Planet to check on Miaomiao.

Lilim stomped her feet again. But a few seconds later, she smirked.

"Oh, yeah. I forgot that I have hostages. Hehehehehe!!"

Lilim left the palace and went to the first-floor prison. She had a few ideas on how to get back on Miaomiao.

...

= Heavenly Goose Planet =

Since Miaomiao had no tie with Holy Land Continent, he left the stadium and looked east, planning to fly back to Aves Continent.

As Miaomiao was checking directions, Fang Yanxu flew toward Miaomiao in a panic. He sweated profusely as he spoke, "S-Son-in-law. Do you know where Meirong is? I lost contact with her! My Divine Sense can't locate her either!"

"Oh..."

Miaomiao had a bitter smile on his face. He revealed the truth, "Lilith and her goons took her to the Netherworld Realm."

"WHAT?!"

The KFC elder almost fell to the ground. He trembled in desperation, "What did she do wrong?! Why did Lilith take her to Hell?!"

Miaomiao shook his head, "I'm so sorry. They took all my family members and my friends as hostages. Even I am helpless against them."

"H-How could this be?"

Instead of being angry at Miaomiao for implicating his daughter, Fang Yanxu's face turned pale. He was on the verge of crying, "Son-in-law, c-can you save her? Aren't you popular with the deities? Can you ask the Trumpet Alliance to save my daughter?"

"I'll try. But for now, I need to get out of here before greedy immortals find me."

"O-Oh, right. You have too many good treasures on you. How about this? Can you give me one or two time-and-space murals? I can distract the pursuers."

"..."

Miaomiao wanted to curse his father-in-law out loud that he was too shameless. His daughter had just been recently captured, but he still wanted to steal Miaomiao's spacetime murals.

Since Miaomiao already used the murals, he didn't have it on him. On the other hand, he could copy the detail of the murals into books and give them to Fang Yanxu.

Getting inspired, Miaomiao put the idea to work. He brought out a blank scroll and wrote incomplete detail of the gravity techniques, which Ling Tianlong used.

Miaomiao passed it to Fang Yanxu, "Instead of entrusting you with the real murals, I give you this technique. If you master this, you will be able to use the power of gravity and space!"

"OH!!"

Fang Yanxu quickly opened the scroll and read it.

Upon confirming that the technique was applicable, Fang Yanxu hid it in his spatial ring and laughed, "I knew that you're the best groom for my daughter! Good job! Oh, do you have other techniques?"

"*Ahem* One at a time, father-in-law. One at a time."

Fang Yanxu dryly laughed and bid Miaomiao farewell. He left this planet in a hurry before other immortals discovered his little secret.

After Fang Yanxu had left, a dozen 9th-stage cultivators and three immortals found Miaomiao. They charged toward him and bellowed, "Mao Miaomiao! Hand over the time-and-space murals, or else! We know that your backers have abandoned you. There's no place for you to run or hide!"

Miaomiao rolled his eyes. He wondered if they had an Alzheimer issue since Mu-Nyang had just openly expressed his goodwill and invited Miaomiao to his planet earlier. Yet, these fools already forgot about it.

'More food, Munya!'

'Miaomiao, are they food?'

Meanwhile, Meowmeow and Dian Wei could see everything that Miaomiao could see. These greedy cultivators were like hot pizzas to them.

Miaomiao sighed and gathered his strength, preparing for another round of combat.

But suddenly, multiple gigantic ethereal cleaver blades manifested in the sky. Then, they hacked down at the pursuing cultivators.

Their karma strings of existence were instantly cut!

The pursuing cultivators screamed in horror as their existence vanished from the universe, body and soul.

Miaomiao frowned as he missed the opportunity to gather more negative karma and Soul Qi. He looked down to the stadium to see the thief that stole his prey.

Meng Xin had been crossing his arms, staring at Miaomiao with a grumpy expression.

"Oi, Mao Miaomiao. I don't know how you become a demon, but you should remember that you're my prey! The only one that can kill you is me!"

"..."

Miaomiao's expression distorted. This development was too cringe.

"Don't you hear me? Oh, well. Since you're so weak and stupid, I'll give you a helping hand. Now, scram before this father kills you! I want to fight you when you're at your peak condition, not a sissy weakling as you are now. GET LOST!"

Ding

[The Heavenly Dao of Zenith Heaven has prevented 3rd-rated villains from interfering with your current feud against Lilim.]

"Damn plot armor..."

Miaomiao facepalmed and laughed. He started to love this cliché and trope.

He flew away from the continent, leaving everything behind to Vegeta Meng Xin.

But as Miaomiao was flying over the Blood Sea, the voice of Devil sounded in his head along with a terrifying pressure.

The Devil's killing intent locked onto Miaomiao!

'Brat, did you do something to Lilith and Lilim recently?'