novelraw Chapter 1151: Look Up
Chapter 1151: Look Up
Crouching Dragon Estate.
Time continued to pass—over half an hour had gone by since the precursor to the spiritual energy eruption. Yet, the 71st generation Heavenly Heart, holding the second Earth Spirit Sword, still hadn’t moved.
He stood there like an eternal statue.
The Divine Land Mountains and Rivers Map, conjured by Lai Caisheng’s magic, showed the twelve ancestral veins arriving from all directions. Now, they lay dormant beneath Mount Tai.
These veins had traveled from all over Divine Land—north, south, east—covering vast distances in an instant. But now, even though they were gathered beneath Mount Tai, they showed no signs of erupting.
“What’s going on… Why are the ancestral veins lying dormant? They should’ve erupted by now!”
Du Lin was the first to lose his patience. He frowned deeply, pacing back and forth with anxiety written all over his face.
“Could something have gone wrong?”
Mo Mo had been sharpening his blade this whole time, always ready to take a swing at the master-disciple duo of Heavenly Heart. Having experienced fifteen years of reincarnation cycles, he knew very well: when it’s time to act without reason, then don’t bother reasoning at all.
“If the True Dragon can’t suppress it in this amount of time, then they don’t deserve to be called the True Dragon of Divine Land,” Lai Caisheng slowly opened his eyes. “There are two or three of the strongest powers in Divine Land currently clashing deep beneath Mount Tai. My divine sense can’t break through… but judging from this situation, it shouldn’t take much longer.”“Really?” Mo Mo lowered his head and let out a cold laugh. “Representative Lai, don’t tell me you’re just guessing.”
“Oh? What makes you think that?”
“You’re not confident. You’re gambling that the failsafe you left atop Mount Tai will be enough to handle the True Dragon… It’s just a gamble.”
“Mo Mo, the idea that the True Dragon is invincible—no one finds that concept unfamiliar.” Lai Caisheng said calmly, “Let me ask you, when the True Dragon acts, how long does it take to resolve a situation? This spiritual energy eruption involves a wide area. I assume the True Dragon wouldn’t hold back—they’d go all in. Yet, some time has passed, and it still isn’t resolved. What does that tell you?”
Mo Mo smiled faintly at Lai Caisheng, then suddenly turned grim. A flash of violet lightning ran down his black wooden sword, and with a flick, it shot toward Lai Caisheng.
However, as the 72nd generation of Plain-Clothed Dao, Lai Caisheng was perhaps the most powerful magic user in Divine Land. The wooden sword, infused with the supreme ightning technique of Dragon-Tiger Dao, couldn't even get within a foot of him.
“Mo Mo, you should understand by now—you can’t harm me.”
“Never planned to.” Mo Mo shrugged—and in an instant, his figure vanished.
The next moment, he reappeared behind the 71st Heavenly Heart. His fingers formed a sword sign and tapped directly on the back of the man’s neck.
“Control by proximity...” Du Lin shuddered, and the massive demon Jade Qilin roared, revealing its true form once again.
Nearby, beneath the crystal tree, Miss Gong silently began channeling her internal energy.
Unexpectedly, Lai Caisheng raised a hand to stop them. “Mr. Mo Mo just wants some insurance. There’s no malice… Stand down.”
The Jade Qilin’s huge eyes glared at Mo Mo for a long while before slowly retreating and reverting to human form.
“You’re very generous, Representative Lai.” Mo Mo’s fingers pressed against a critical pressure point behind the 71st Heavenly Heart’s neck. With a slight surge of energy, he could end his life at any moment. The Heavenly Heart’s fate now rested entirely in his hands.
Mo Mo said casually, “Dragon-Tiger Mountain has some fortune-telling methods, but I’ve always found those too troublesome to learn. I can’t out-calculate you. But fools have their own methods. I’m a fool, so I rely on a fool’s way.”
“Mr. Mo Mo, you’re no fool. You’re actually the clearest-sighted person I’ve ever met.” Lai Caisheng smiled slightly, then gave a gentle push.
The wooden sword that had been suspended in front of him was pushed to Mo Mo’s side, landing at an angle in the ground.
Then Lai Caisheng said, “I’ll leave them to you.”
Them?
Mo Mo was caught off guard. Just then, the sound of beast cries echoed from above—ghostfire lit up the sky.
Several carriages pulled by yin oxen appeared… Riding in them were Xiao Shengmo, Firecloud Evil God, and Mr. Blind (Qingxiaozi)—all familiar faces to Mo Mo.
…
The carriages circled above the crystal tree grove before landing swiftly.
Xiao Shengmo waved his robe, retracting the ox-drawn carriage. Mr. Blind and Firecloud Evil God stood on either side of him.
Firecloud Evil God’s stomach was no longer bleeding—he’d likely received some basic treatment en route. However, his face was pale as paper, clearly hanging on by willpower. Despite being a strong figure among the humans of Divine Land, he was clearly at his limit.
Whether it was Xiao Shengmo, Mr. Blind, or Firecloud Evil God, all three were shocked by what they saw—Mo Mo standing there with the 71st Heavenly Heart under his control.
They weren’t just shocked that Mo Mo appeared here, but that he’d managed to pull this off.
“You’re the junior from Dragon-Tiger Mountain?” Firecloud Evil God asked, eyes still filled with disbelief.
During the chaotic battle atop Mount Tai, the mastermind Heavenly Heart had never shown up. If not for Xiao Shengmo bringing Firecloud Evil God and Mr. Blind here from Fengdu City, no one would’ve guessed the true mastermind had this trump card hidden away.
But how did this junior from Dragon-Tiger Mountain discover it?
“This senior, forgive the rush. I didn’t have time to greet you properly,” Mo Mo said quickly. “Please, allow me to speak. I hope the three of you will remain calm—at least until I take action, I ask you not to be rash.”
Firecloud Evil God frowned. City Lord Xiao’s eyes darted between the people present, his eerie face giving away none of his thoughts.
Mr. Blind suddenly stepped forward—he had met Lai Caisheng before, and the 71st generation Heavenly Heart had been his senior brother decades ago, someone he knew very well.
They were both successors of the Plain-Clothed Dao.
“You… you’re planning to open another rift?” Mr. Blind frowned.
Lai Caisheng nodded and unexpectedly offered a respectful bow. “Caisheng greets Martial Uncle.”
“You… what are you two trying to do?” Mr. Blind took another step forward.
Lai Caisheng replied calmly, “The Seven Star Spirit-Summoning Formation was originally your creation, Martial Uncle. My master and I merely built upon it… why not try divining the purpose for yourself?”
Mr. Blind didn’t hesitate. His fingers moved rapidly through calculation gestures, and after a while, his expression shifted. “Another rift… to reduce the force of the spiritual energy storm? This is the former battlefield of the Dragon Fiend, the place where its Evil Dragon body fell… the dragon spine of Mount Tai’s ley lines… I see now—it all makes sense!! I should have realized this long ago!”
“Blind, what are you saying?” Firecloud Evil God asked grimly.
Mr. Blind turned resolutely, his face dark but calm, and raised a hand to stop the others. He took a deep breath. “Old Fool, City Lord Xiao… what this young man said just now is right. We mustn’t move forward from here.”
“Dammit!! At a time like this, you, old Blind, are telling me you want to defect?!” Firecloud Evil God’s eyes flared wide. He raised a hand—though weakened, he still radiated a terrifying aura that once crushed both Daoist and Demon realms of Divine Land.
“Please, trust me,” Mr. Blind sighed. “No more people should die… what they’re doing is meant to reduce the destructive power of the spiritual energy eruption.”
“What did you say?!” Firecloud Evil God froze. His terrifying aura suddenly collapsed.
“I don’t have time to explain the details.” Mr. Blind took another breath. “If we fight, I can’t win against you… but I ask you to wait. Please believe me.”
They locked eyes—an intense standoff.
“Blind… don’t give me a reason to draw the Tiger Soul Blade on you,” Firecloud Evil God muttered, slowly lowering his hand.
“City Lord Xiao?” Mr. Blind turned to Xiao Shengmo.
Xiao Shengmo said indifferently, “Qingxiaozi, my only task was to bring you here… whatever the Plain-Clothed Dao intends to do has nothing to do with me.”
It didn’t matter to Xiao Shengmo whether Daoists or Demons died, whether spiritual energy erupted or not. He had already died once.
The spiritual energy eruption couldn’t reach Fengdu City, and if Divine Land's population of ghosts suddenly surged to overflowing, Xiao Shengmo might even welcome the headache. Because then, whether it’s the True Dragon or anyone else, they’d be forced to deal with the flood of souls—that’s what he wanted to see.
In short, the Ghost Clan might be the only side able to stay out of this mess.
Having said that, Xiao Shengmo sat cross-legged to the side, completely ignoring the rest.
Mr. Blind nodded and offered a distant bow to him.
Even so, Firecloud Evil God remained irritable. He shouted toward Mo Mo, “Kid from Dragon-Tiger Mountain! You better keep your grip firm! Don’t shake! If anything happens, stab that guy immediately! I’ll take responsibility for whatever comes next!”
“You’re really…” Mo Mo gave a bitter smile.
If this had been him yesterday, he probably would have been trembling.
Suddenly, a fierce wind rolled down from the sky, violently stripping away most of the crystal trees.
“71st generation Heavenly Heart, come meet your end!!!”
With a roar, a massive Azure Dragon body spiraled above Crouching Dragon Estate. Within the fierce windstorm, blazing flames roared as well!
And within the flames—was a curvy figure.
“Cang Jinshui… Qu Xinghe? Why are these two troublemakers here now…” Firecloud Evil God frowned deeply.
Seeing the flaming tornado charging toward them, Du Lin launched himself straight into it, scattering the firestorm. The massive Azure Dragon shrank down, landing—revealed to be Cang Jinshui of the Azure Dragon Clan.
Qu Xinghe landed beside him.
And they weren’t alone. Ming Tushan, the acting commander of the White Tiger Clan in place of the missing Huang Baifu, also arrived.
More than ten figures appeared overhead—some riding clouds, others flying on swords.
“Baijie, Daoist Master Huanyang… Araki? Why are all these guys showing up now?” Firecloud Evil God’s brows hadn’t relaxed at all.
“Evil God, we saw City Lord Xiao’s carriage flash past,” said Daoist Baijie, the first to speak. “Now that the True Dragon is acting on Mount Tai, the problem should be resolved. We came to assist! Looks like we arrived just in time.”
“Bullshit, perfect timing!! You’re just here to make things messier—wasn’t chaotic enough already?!” Firecloud Evil God roared toward the sky. “Everyone shut up! Nobody moves unless I say so!!”
Baijie was momentarily stunned, frowning.
But Daoist Master Huanyang spoke coldly, “Evil God, the one responsible for this catastrophe is here. Why shouldn’t we act? Please explain!”
Explain?
I’d love to explain!! Firecloud Evil God was seething and just about to respond when Mr. Blind stepped in front of him.
“Everyone,” Mr. Blind said solemnly, turning to face the Daoists and Demons, “this concerns the safety of tens of millions of citizens in Divine Land and the stability of the nation. Please—do not act recklessly. I will give you all a proper explanation.”
Silence fell over the area.
Mr. Blind opened his mouth again—but at that moment, a talisman light shot toward him from a sharp, devious angle—a sneak attack. Luckily, he had just activated a secret technique to boost his body’s strength and barely dodged it.
Still, his arm was slashed open, and blood gushed out.
“Qingxiaozi! You dare show your face in Divine Land again?! Decades ago, you brought the Dragon Fiend disaster upon us, leading to the deaths of 37 members of my sect! My junior brothers, my master—all slaughtered by the Dragon Fiend… And you dare return!!”
Beside Daoist Master Huanyang, an elderly Daoist erupted in fury, his power surging as he charged!
“No wonder I found the man working with the Evil God so familiar—so it was you… Qingxiaozi! You deserve death!!” another furious voice shouted.
“Everyone, Qingxiaozi indeed should not have set foot in Divine Land again.” Mr. Blind said solemnly. “But right now, the safety of Divine Land and tens of millions of lives is at stake… I beg you all to hold back your hands!”
As he spoke, Mr. Blind lifted his robes and knelt before everyone.
Looking up into the seething eyes of those who wanted to tear him apart, he spoke in a sorrowful voice, “I, Qingxiaozi, know I am guilty. I’ve survived these past decades in shame… I know nothing I say now will matter. I only ask for a little time. Once it’s over, I will not resist, and I’ll accept whatever punishment you see fit. Please—for the people of Divine Land—give me just a moment longer!”
…
“President, this…” Daoist Master Huanyang glanced hesitantly at Daoist Baijie. He knew full well that decades ago, Baijie’s beloved disciple—Kunlun’s most talented pupil—died in the Dragon Fiend disaster. Baijie had poured his life’s teachings into her.
Daoist Baijie let out a long sigh. “All these years… why can’t we let go? The dead are already gone.”
“President, what do you mean by that?”
“Let him speak,” Baijie said with a shake of the head. “Qingxiaozi isn’t evil by nature. He merely took one wrong step… but that step led to his doom.”
Daoist Master Huanyang clenched his jaw and said coldly, “President, out of respect for you, I… I will wait. But afterward, I cannot forgive him. You know my Dao-companion also perished in the Dragon Calamity.”
“There’s fate in all things. It cannot be forced. Do as you will,” Baijie sighed again, slowly sitting down beneath a tree, closing his eyes.
Mr. Blind quietly exhaled in relief. Daoist Baijie’s words had bought him time.
But then—shhhk! A sharp blade pierced Mr. Blind’s back!
A twisted face appeared behind him—ghastly and terrifying. “This disaster was caused by your Plain-Clothed Dao! Just like the one decades ago! You’re nothing but a plague!! I’ll never trust you!! Qingxiaozi, give me back my son’s life!!”
It was Daoist Araki!
That was the signal.
In an instant, chaos exploded as wild emotions surged through both the Daoist and Demon factions—Araki’s attack shattered the temporary calm!
The second to act was Azure Dragon Cang Jinshui. He transformed once more into his dragon form and roared, “71st generation Heavenly Heart! Lai Caisheng! It’s all your fault! You seduced my father into this path… If not for you, he wouldn’t have died!! I, Cang Jinshui, will not rest until this blood debt is paid!!”
“Cang Jinshui, enough!!” roared Du Lin, charging headlong into the Azure Dragon.
“You, from the Jade Qilin Clan, dare to aid the Plain-Clothed Dao in their chaos?! You disgrace your status as a sacred beast! Die!!”
The Azure Dragon and the Qilin clashed violently.
Firecloud Evil God struck down Daoist Araki with a single palm and rushed to steady Mr. Blind, sealing his pressure points to stop the bleeding.
But two more Daoists, eyes bloodshot, attacked again.
“Kill him!! Wipe out the Plain-Clothed Dao!!”
“President said wait a moment! Don’t act rashly!!”
“You may be able to bear it, Baijie! You, Daoist Master Huanyang, can endure! I can't!! A blood debt must be repaid! Stand in my way and you die!!”
“Die!!”
Someone’s furious roar triggered an explosion of chaotic energy. At once, Croaching Dragon Estate was engulfed in a storm of wild spiritual and demonic power.
Mo Mo, still holding the 71st generation Heavenly Heart hostage, didn’t make a move—but he was growing more anxious.
The Daoist and Demon alliance had overwhelming numbers… the 71st generation Heavenly Heart needed to focus on opening the rift, so he couldn’t fight. Lai Caisheng also hadn’t lifted a finger. With only Du Lin and Miss Gong holding the line, how could they stop a siege from the entire assembly?
And Qingxiaozi had just been seriously injured by a sneak attack.
“…Enough. Caisheng, lend me a hand,” the 71st generation Heavenly Heart finally opened his eyes—stone-like no more, a faint vitality returning.
But Lai Caisheng shook his head. “Let me do it instead.”
“No! You absolutely mustn’t intervene! You must not get entangled in this karma!” the 71st generation Heavenly Heart growled, raising the Earth Spirit Sword in his hands.
At that moment, the entire Croaching Dragon Estate began to quake violently.
“What are you trying to do?! Don’t move!” Mo Mo snapped, condensing his magic into a sharp spike that pierced half an inch into the 71st generation Heavenly Heart’s neck.
“Mo Mo!!” the 71st generation Heavenly Heart roared.
“I said—don’t move!!” Mo Mo, now truly furious, bellowed in rage.
But their shouts were drowned out by the chaos—until…
A soft sigh echoed, reaching everyone’s ears.
It came from Lai Caisheng.
In that instant, a terrifying aura erupted from his body—so powerful it crushed the air itself.
It forced Daoist Baijie to the ground.
It suppressed the raging Cang Jinshui.
Even the mighty Firecloud Evil God was forced to one knee.
It subdued everyone.
“How… how could a power like this still exist in the world?!”
Countless horrified eyes locked on Lai Caisheng—all but the 71st generation Heavenly Heart, who was thunderstruck.
“I told you! You mustn’t get involved in this karma!!”
“If we succeed,” Lai Caisheng said calmly, “then this karma won’t be a sin. And if we fail… what karma or merit would matter anyway?”
Everyone turned to him.
He looked at Qingxiaozi.
“Martial Uncle… let me borrow your Heavenly Eye.”
As he spoke, Lai Caisheng waved his hand and forcefully pulled Mr. Blind in front of him. The overwhelming force of his spiritual power alone pressed down so hard that no one could lift their heads—their bodies even began to sink into the earth.
At that moment, Lai Caisheng lightly tapped Mr. Blind’s eyes with his finger. A scream of unbearable agony followed—not just the pain of losing his eyes, but the Heavenly Eye was soul-bound to him!
Two pale golden eyeballs dropped into Lai Caisheng’s palm… then slowly transformed into a rhombus-shaped crystal.
Mr. Blind collapsed weakly to the ground.
The crystal lay in Lai Caisheng’s left hand… while his right pressed against his chest.
A golden glow radiated from his chest, gradually being extracted from his body. His face twisted in pain.
“It’s the Heavenly Heart... Heavenly Heart! Heavenly Heart!” Mr. Blind, now blind and bleeding, could no longer see—only listen and sense… but he felt the emergence of the Heavenly Heart!
In that instant, the radiance of the Heavenly Heart and Heavenly Eye shone together—where the light touched, time seemed to freeze entirely.
Everything—everyone—appeared trapped in a suspended moment.
Even the wind stopped. Silence reigned.
“What’s going on…?” Mr. Blind turned his head, trying to listen, but no sound came at all.
“You foolish child… You’ve still taken on this karma.” The 71st generation Heavenly Heart sighed, suddenly seeming much older. “By acting now, you’ve entangled yourself in karma… Even if your contribution is great after the spiritual energy erupts, do you really think you can deceive the heavens?”
“Master, it’s almost time,” Lai Caisheng said calmly. “Thanks to Martial Uncle’s Heavenly Eye, I’ve glimpsed what lies beneath Mount Tai… The first ancestral vein dragon is about to rise.”
The 71st generation Heavenly Heart shut his eyes, pained… and let out a desolate sigh.
“Senior Brother… Senior Brother?!” Mr. Blind struggled to climb up from the ground. “Senior Brother… is this why you called me back? Just for my Heavenly Eye? You sent people to hunt me down… all for the Heavenly Eye, didn’t you?! You talk about deceiving the heavens—what does that mean?! You sacrificed millions—millions!—and you dare call it ‘merit’? How dare you! Are you trying to destroy the legacy of the Plain-Clothed Dao?! Answer me! Answer me!! Wasn’t the mistake I made over 40 years ago already enough?! Have you all forgotten the purpose of our Dao?! Have you forgotten Master’s teachings?!”
“I haven’t forgotten… I’ve never forgotten Master’s teachings,” the 71st generation Heavenly Heart suddenly opened his eyes wide, fury flaring. Holding the Earth Spirit Sword, his hair stood on end, his voice thundered: “We studied the art of geomancy. We studied the laws of yin and yang. We sought to avoid misfortune, to alter fate, to defy the heavens—for the sake of the people!”
“Then why are you reviving the spiritual energy and killing millions of innocents?!” Mr. Blind cried, blood streaming from his hollow eyes. “Tell me, is that for the people?”
“The revival of spiritual energy is a movement of the Heavenly Dao—it cannot be changed. Don’t tell me you, with your Heavenly Eye, haven’t seen it.” The 71st generation Heavenly Heart said in a deep voice. “You’ve seen rivers of blood. You’ve seen the war of Daoists and Demons. You’ve seen the mountains crumble, kingdoms fall, the people suffer, and even the collapse of the world. Your Heavenly Eye has seen all this—do you think my Heavenly Heart, passed to me by our dying master, cannot sense it too?! Qingxiaozi, I saw it before you did. I saw it even earlier! The moment I inherited the Heavenly Heart, I saw the collapse of the Heavenly Dao. I saw the Daoists and Demons destroyed. I saw annihilation coming. I saw it… first!”
He pointed to the Earth Spirit Sword, his aura suddenly surging wildly. His face began to age rapidly—in the blink of an eye, his hair turned snow white.
“This world’s end is irreversible! If not by me, then by someone else! The spiritual energy will revive no matter what! Since the Heavenly Dao has chosen this path—then I will be the one to carry the calamity! I will defy yin and yang! I will fight for one last hope!”
“The Plain-Clothed Dao trained to reverse yin and yang—wasn’t it meant to go against the heavens?! If the heavens want to destroy the Daoists, the Demons, and all life—then I will make life thrive!”
“I will bring glory back to the Daoist world of Divine Land!”
“If millions must die in the eruption of spiritual energy—then I will save as many as I can!”
From deep within Mount Tai, a thunderous dragon’s roar echoed through the heavens.
A golden and silver dragon silhouette burst from the earth.
The 71st generation Heavenly Heart raised his head and roared.
“I accept this calamity! Even if I bear the greatest of sins—I will save the people!”
He raised his spiritual sword high—and struck down!
The earth split open. The dragon revealed itself. The silver dragon raised its head. Divine light illuminated the world.
(End of Chapter)