Chapter 243: The Second Heavenly Dao

Within the Great Collapse Domain, in the Region of Myriad Mountains.

Lu Yan turned into a streak of rainbow light, flying across the boundless range of mountains toward the direction of the Myriad Immortals Alliance.

Even now, his mind still lingered on the transaction he made with the Great Collapse Heavenly Dao two days prior.

Back then, Lu Yan had only used the Human Emperor Banner forged with the help of the Apocalypse Heavenly Dao to boost his persuasion, hoping to squeeze a little more benefit out of the Great Collapse Heavenly Dao.

But to his surprise, upon seeing the Human Emperor Banner, the Great Collapse Heavenly Dao seemed to make a decisive choice and directly tossed out something Lu Yan hadn’t even imagined—

The Right to Forge a Divine Court!

The concept of a Divine Court existed across many versions. The powerful would use a pantheon of deities and the power of incense and faith to establish a Divine Court that could shake the heavens.

The weak, on the other hand, would gather a few minor gods, claim a region, and arrogantly call themselves Lords of a Divine Court, though in truth, they weren’t worthy of the name.

Aside from these two, there was a third kind of Divine Court.

One that fed on the authority of Heaven and Earth, co-governing the universe alongside the native Heavenly Dao. The gods of the court would cultivate virtue and compete for authority, using all realms as a chessboard and all living beings as their pawns.

The so-called Heavenly Court, Heaven, or Pantheon, spoken of in legends across many versions, all belonged to this third category.

Due to their immense size, such Divine Courts caused disturbances across countless versions. Although the trait of “this world’s only one” prevented their influence from spreading to all worlds, their names still echoed through eternity.

Such a Divine Court… could be called a Second Heavenly Dao!

The Divine Court promised by the Great Collapse Heavenly Dao could only be this third kind—nothing else.

Countless throughout the versions had tried to establish a Second Heavenly Dao, including even some of “this world’s only ones.” Yet very few ever succeeded.

The greatest challenge in establishing a Second Heavenly Dao lay in requiring the native Heavenly Dao to share its divine authority, placing the Divine Court and the Heavenly Dao on equal footing.

That was not something mere power could achieve. The legends say the Lord of the Heavenly Court had to endure 1,750 tribulations just to overturn the cosmic order and gain the recognition of the Heavenly Dao, sharing rule over Heaven and Earth.

Without such capabilities, even a sky-piercing cultivation would be futile.

In the Great Collapse Version, the suppression from countless other versions caused this realm to go tens of thousands of years without birthing a native Heavenly Dao. So when the Great Collapse Heavenly Dao was finally born, it was born with a will completely different from the others.

And Lu Yan—he was the only one in tens of thousands of years to break the cycle. He was the sole opportunity for the Great Collapse Heavenly Dao to complete its version.

Thus, he could make this trade with the Great Collapse Heavenly Dao, and only then could the Heavenly Dao offer something like the right to forge a Divine Court.

Of course, Lu Yan also understood that while the Great Collapse Heavenly Dao’s gesture seemed generous, it was not without ulterior motives.

Lu Yan was not a “this world’s only one.” He would not remain in the Great Collapse Version forever.

Even if the Heavenly Dao shared its authority, Lu Yan would not always hold it. Most of the time, the realm would still operate under the control of the Great Collapse Heavenly Dao.

Compared to what he would gain, the authority of the Great Collapse Domain’s Heavenly Dao was not particularly valuable to him.

But to establish a supreme Divine Court that could make its name across countless versions—that was a heaven-shaking opportunity. Naturally, Lu Yan agreed without hesitation.

The deal was made, but destroying version fragments was not something that could be accomplished overnight.

Lu Yan had been able to crush the Mech City only because his divine abilities perfectly countered their constructs. Had there been two true Nascent Soul cultivators guarding it, it wouldn’t have gone so easily.

So, after the deal was struck, Lu Yan initially intended to target smaller version forces—use the momentum of the Underworld and the trait of the Unchanging One to bulldoze through them, then destroy their version fragments using Annihilation Rules.

However, the Great Collapse Heavenly Dao saw through his careful scheming and threw down a much bigger bait.

“The more powerful the version fragment you destroy, the greater the projections during the forging of the Divine Court. The more heavenly authority you’ll receive in return.

If you can completely destroy the version forces corresponding to the Nine Heavens, you may forge the Divine Court’s foundation using the power of the Great Collapse Version.”

This condition made Lu Yan abandon his original plans entirely.

The promise from the Great Collapse Heavenly Dao would allow the Divine Court to rise to the top in one fell swoop. Lu Yan could not afford to let that slip by.

However, challenging the Nine Heavens, including the Myriad Immortals Alliance, and destroying their version fragments—this was impossible with Lu Yan’s current cultivation.

Still, the fact that he dared agree to the deal meant Lu Yan already had some vague ideas, though it remained to be seen if they were feasible.

Time in the Great Collapse Version was limited to less than five months. Lu Yan had to race against time.

After sealing the deal with the Great Collapse Heavenly Dao, Lu Yan immediately set out toward the Myriad Immortals Alliance.

He had to gather their resources and boost his strength as much as possible in this short time to stand a chance of fulfilling the agreement.

After flying past several more peaks, Lu Yan’s view suddenly changed.

At the edge of the mountain range, atop the barren ridges, a vast domain unfurled like a celestial curtain.

With a single glance, Lu Yan recognized this domain as a cave-heaven world, a version fragment of the Immortal Cultivation Version.

In the skies, seventeen immortal islands floated above the clouds, each radiating divine light and spiritual essence.

They were not static. Instead, they moved along a mysterious orbit, like stars revolving through a cosmic array, forming an enormous and profound formation.

Invisible runes of the array merged with the principles of Heaven and Earth within the cave-heaven. Any slight disturbance would be met with a world-crushing suppression.

Below the seventeen islands, countless cultivators weaved between spiritual mountains.

Among the peaks, numerous spirit veins surged like awakening dragons, spewing torrents of energy into the sky, forming waterfalls of spiritual qi.

Some cultivators walked on air, clouds and mist swirling at their feet as they captured the scattered essence. Some flew on swords, slashing through illusions with lightning-fast swordlight. Others sat cross-legged atop peaks, spiritual energy coiling around them, causing the heavens to resonate.

Lu Yan noticed something—all these cultivators were Foundation Establishment or higher.

There were tens of thousands of Foundation Establishment cultivators alone. Even in an Immortal Cultivation Version, such a number was astonishing.

Yet here in the Great Collapse Version, this cave-heaven world could still house so many cultivators—evidence of the immense scale of the Myriad Immortals Alliance.

Before Lu Yan could even approach, five Foundation Establishment cultivators riding flying swords broke off from the domain and flew toward him.

Each wore different colored sect uniforms, clearly from various sects. Their expressions showed obvious displeasure.

Clearly, Lu Yan’s arrival had interrupted their participation in the rare Spiritual Resonance Gathering, and they were not happy.

The leader, a white-robed sword cultivator, initially scowled, but upon seeing Lu Yan’s extraordinary bearing, he suppressed his anger and asked solemnly:

“You seem unfamiliar, fellow Daoist. Spiritual Resonance Gatherings in cave-heavens are rare, and the number of participants is limited. All sects and factions must pass verification. Please show your identity token.”

“I don’t have one.”

The moment Lu Yan said that, the white-robed sword cultivator froze. A yellow-robed cultivator behind him turned grim and barked out:

“No identity token? Then you’re a spy!”

After a pause, he cupped his hands to the white-robed cultivator and said:

“Senior Brother Wu, this man doesn’t understand the rules and trespassed into our cave-heaven. He must be interrogated in the Spirit Prison!”

At that, the other three cultivators chimed in.

“No cultivator of the Myriad Immortals Alliance would be without an identity token!”

“It’s not just any time—he appeared during the Spiritual Resonance Gathering. Something’s fishy!”

“Catching a spy at such a time would earn great merit.”

Wu, the white-robed sword cultivator, hesitated. True, Lu Yan’s lack of a token was suspicious, but he also understood the others were just upset at being interrupted and wanted to use this to vent their frustration.

Lu Yan only had Foundation Establishment cultivation and no token, meaning he wasn’t from one of the Ten Immortal Clans or the Seven Demon Sects. By the rules, locking him up wouldn’t be wrong.

But for some reason, facing Lu Yan, Wu felt an inexplicable unease, and so held off making a decision.

His hesitation annoyed the yellow-robed cultivator.

Just then, one of the seventeen floating islands began to descend, casting divine light and forming a golden bridge.

“It’s the Taiyi Sect!”

“This time’s gathering is being hosted by Taiyi Sect?”

“I heard among the seventeen ruling sects, Taiyi’s true disciples are the strongest. I wonder which one is presiding this time.”

As discussions buzzed, a figure stepped onto the golden bridge and appeared at the top of the island.

Everyone was stunned.

It was a young man in Taiyi Sect’s true disciple robes—only at the early Foundation Establishment stage, with such a weak foundation that he didn’t even compare to most core disciples from major sects.

“What’s going on?”

“A true disciple at early Foundation Establishment?”

“Has Taiyi Sect run out of people?”

“Silence! Taiyi’s true disciples have their reasons. No more noise!”

While the crowd muttered, Lu Yan revealed a surprised expression.

That host of the gathering was none other than He Dongsheng, with whom Lu Yan had quite the connection.

As a Taiyi true disciple under a hundred years old, He Dongsheng had naturally entered the Great Collapse Version through the update, and leveraged his status to become a high-ranking figure within the Myriad Immortals Alliance.

Hovering above, He Dongsheng looked down at the tens of thousands of Foundation Establishment cultivators and felt their hostility. His face turned pale.

Ever since becoming the disciple of Mu Chunqiu, He Dongsheng had enjoyed smooth sailing, even gaining the title of Taiyi true disciple with Lu Yan’s help.

Yet within Taiyi Sect, many believed he relied solely on luck and didn’t deserve his title. If not for the tenth true disciple defending him, he would’ve been stripped of the position long ago.

Now, with his master gone and Lu Yan missing, his flimsy reputation as a Foundation Establishment true disciple was worth even less.

Inside Taiyi, he still had some shelter. But outside, in the broader Myriad Immortals Alliance, many were eager to trample on him to make a name for themselves and gain entry into the ranks of true disciples.

He Dongsheng knew that this gathering was a trap, orchestrated by the Red Lotus Demon Sect to ruin him.

Many within Taiyi disdained him. The sect’s true disciples received more resources than any other, and He Dongsheng’s presence was seen as a stain.

Some within the sect had tacitly allowed this trap to proceed—hoping to use it to push him out.

“To be cornered like this… I might be the only true disciple in such a situation.”

He Dongsheng forced a bitter smile, then braced himself and spoke through a voice array:

“The subterranean spiritual resonance erupts once every three years. I, He Dongsheng, will preside over the allocation for this gathering.”

The words had barely left his mouth when a cultivator rebuked:

“You? Just early Foundation Establishment—what right do you have?”

“Send a real Taiyi true disciple out!”

“Did the great Taiyi Sect really promote some bootlicker to such a high post?”

“Step down! Step down!”

Ordinarily, even if the Foundation Establishment cultivators were upset, they wouldn’t dare defy a Taiyi true disciple.

But whispers sowed doubt like a contagion, and resentment and fury surged like a tide.

The outcry of tens of thousands bred inner demons, causing He Dongsheng to freeze—his preparations crumbling in an instant.

“Red Lotus Demon Sect’s Karma-Entangling Divine Art!”

That forbidden art turned public hatred into karmic entanglement. Even Golden Core cultivators could be thrown off balance by it, and He Dongsheng had no chance of resisting.

As his face turned ghostly white, another figure descended from a different immortal island—a red-robed youth with extraordinary bearing, emanating mid-Golden Core pressure.

Smiling, the red-robed youth said:

“It seems Junior Brother He isn’t suited for such grand events. Why don’t I host the gathering in your stead? What do you say?”

He Dongsheng opened his mouth, but no words came.

Just then, a familiar silhouette appeared before him.

Among tens of thousands, no one saw how Lu Yan had arrived.

Lu Yan glanced over the red-robed youth, then slowly raised his right hand and flicked his finger.

A wisp of Annihilation Rule energy coiled around Lu Yan’s fingertip. In that moment, the red-robed youth seemed to see a thriving realm collapse—life, order, space, and time falling silent in an instant.

His Golden Core treasures, divine arts, and defensive light were all shattered. The youth’s body was hurled into the Red Lotus Demon Sect’s island like a rag doll.

That proud mid-Golden Core cultivator had been swatted away like a mosquito.

Then came a lazy voice that echoed across the world—drowning out the cries of tens of thousands.

“You? What the hell are you supposed to be?”

(End of Chapter)