Chapter 92.1 Execute the Heaven and Punish the Dao
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The tiny flower bud gradually opened, revealing its delicate petals.
Each petal shimmered with silver light, casting a starry radiance along the graceful curve of the lotus. It turned the dark depths of the lake into a magical scene from another world.
Pei Jing felt the Cloud Slayer Sword trembling, triggering a sense of familiarity as if it had awakened. A chubby green worm settled on Pei Jing’s hand, its two small transparent antennae swaying, anticipating a particular moment.
At last, the lotus flower fully bloomed, displaying its magnificent beauty.
A mysterious force attracted the bell from Pei Jing’s hand, pulling it towards the drifting lotus. Eventually, it came to a rest in the tranquil lake waters, where shimmering silver light formed a pair of hands. The hands were smooth and delicate, resembling ivory, gently grasping the bell.
Subtle rays of light outlined her ebony hair, eyebrows, and attire, descending from top to bottom.
In the profound silence of the lake’s depths, the ancient Goddess of Yingzhuo opened her eyes.
Her eyes were different colors, one blue and one green. She wore a flowing gown as white as moonlight, her ebony hair wafting in the air. Her gaze held a touch of sigh and compassion as it focused on the bell, slowly clasping it within her palm.
Pei Jing’s face became serious as he respectfully spoke, “Senior.”
She appeared to be the most powerful person he had ever encountered. While other ancient beings like the Yunxiao Sword Sovereign existed as mere traces of divine awareness, and the Queen Mother of the West had long gone through multiple reincarnations, this woman, emerging from the profound depths of Zhuihun Palace’s lake, retained the appearance of an ancient deity from countless years ago. Silver lotus patterns adorned the corners of her eyes, adding a hint of aloofness to her overall demeanor.
Holding onto the bell, her gaze landed on his hand, and her eyes took on a deep, distant gaze as she murmured, “The Execution Sword is actually in your hands.”
Her voice carried a haunting clarity and coldness.
Pei Jing was at a loss for words.
The Goddess of Yingzhuo inquired, “Are you a descendant of Yunxiao?”
Pei Jing replied, “Yes, Senior.” The worm on the back of his hand had remained still since the Goddess awakened.
Upon receiving her answer, the Goddess of Yingzhuo glanced around with her mismatched eyes.
Like an awakening from a long, forgotten dream, thousands of years had passed. Her eyes dimmed briefly before she turned and continued forward, her dress swaying gently with each step, as if giving birth to blooming lotus flowers.
Pei Jing didn’t understand her intentions, but he watched as she approached and lightly touched the small worm resting on the back of his hand with her fingertip.
The obedient green wor. extended its coiled antennae, displaying a sense of intimacy.
It rubbed against her fingertip.
The Goddess of Yingzhuo lowered her head and softly spoke, “Back then, I transformed into my true form, the Transient Jade Lotus, and dispersed my true essence to seal the Demon Realm. Never did I expect that one day, I would awaken.” She played with the worm as she said, “Your lineage and I have been intertwined for thousands of years. I never imagined that, in the end, it would be you who came to find me.”
The green worm twitched its antennae.
The Goddess of Yingzhuo asked, “Did it bring you here?”
Pei Jing felt awkward admitting he had threatened it, so he coughed and said, “Um, yes. I came to Zhuihun Palace at the request of a friend, in search of the Transient Jade Lotus. When I saw this pool of lotus flowers, I found it strange. And it seems this worm has a unique connection to this lake. I released it into the depths, and it brought me here.”
Upon hearing this, the Goddess of Yingzhuo smiled tenderly and said, “My true form, the Jade Lotus, was born within the fertile soil, and the Green Worm Clan has long resided in that soil. It recognizes my aura, although after so much time, it should have lost most of its memories. Perhaps it was influenced by the presence of the Execution Sword on you, leading it to find me.”
Pei Jing raised an eyebrow and asked, “The fertile soil insect?”
The Goddess of Yingzhuo paused for a moment, then remembered and said, “Yes. Finding fertile soil is difficult now, and its survival is challenging. Where did you find it?”
Pei Jing sensed something was amiss and said, “Senior, the place where you currently sleep has become a demonic palace. As soon as I entered the palace, someone took out this worm and claimed that eating it was necessary to gain entry.”
The Goddess of Yingzhuo sighed and said, “After the battle of the gods that lasted for thousands of years, the fertile soil insects nearly became extinct. What you consumed were their false forms. The false forms are their eggs, which resemble ordinary insects but are lifeless. Only by cultivating within an abundance of spiritual energy and shedding their shells can they truly come alive.”
Pei Jing had a rough idea of what Zhuihun Palace intended to do. They wanted to use the fertile soil insects to nurture the human dantian. Perhaps the so-called technique was only meant to make the cultivators’ dantians better containers. He initially thought that he could keep the chubby green worm alive because he had broken through the Nascent Soul stage. However, upon hearing the words of the Goddess of Yingzhuo, Pei Jing’s gaze fell upon the Cloud Slayer Sword. Perhaps it was the power of the “Execution Sword” at work.
The Goddess of Yingzhuo had just awakened in this underwater realm and was still unaware of what had happened. However, being born as a deity and not having undergone reincarnation, she had a certain perception of the natural world. She calmly said, “If someone wants to cultivate the fertile soil insects, it probably has something to do with my true form.”
Pei Jing asked, “Where is your true form, Senior? I will help you reclaim it.”
The Goddess of Yingzhuo’s expression turned distant as she looked up at the dark river. “The place where I awakened is where the Transient Jade Lotus resides. However, someone separated my divine soul from my true form and placed a curse here. It seals my five senses and divine consciousness, imprisoning me. I can’t leave now, nor do I know where my true form is.”
Pei Jing asked, “Is it the Demon Clan that placed the curse?”
The Goddess of Yingzhuo frowned, her blue and green eyes filled with coldness. “Them? Are they even worthy?”
Pei Jing looked at her silently.
This graceful Goddess, as ethereal as the Transient Jade Lotus, shifted the topic to the Execution Sword and spoke softly, “This sword should have been awakened by the Yunxiao Sword Sovereign. During the past battle between gods and demons, when both sides suffered heavy losses, he alone entered the Netherworld and self-destructed his true essence to kill the Demon Lord, saving the collapsing Heavenly Ladder.”
The Execution Sword was taken from the heart of the Primordial Demon Lord. This sword, which existed since the beginning of chaos, disappeared from the world when the heavens and earth first separated. No one expected that it would resurface in such a bloody scene.
The Goddess of Yingzhuo looked at him with a somewhat perplexed expression and slowly said, “Do you know why it’s named ‘Execution’? Because it existed before the formation of the world, before the establishment of rules. It has the power to eradicate everything in this mortal world. The Demon Lord, in the past, used it to sever the Heavenly Ladder. And now, you can also use it—”
Her misty and bewilderingly beautiful eyes seemed to hold a distant and primordial aura as she spoke. Her voice was icy and filled with solemnity.
“Execute the Heaven and punish the Dao.”
As these words were spoken, the entire water realm seemed to turn cold and lifeless. Execute the Heaven and punish the Dao?! Pei Jing was bewildered. What kind of development was this? Shouldn’t such a matter that seemed to determine the fate of the world be handled by Ji Wuyou instead?
The Goddess of Yingzhuo noticed his shock but gently shook her head, raising another question, “Have you, by any chance, resonated with the Execution Sword yet?”
Pei Jing nodded, realizing a little late, “I can sense some of its emotions.”
However, there had never been a connection of shared consciousness.
Especially after its awakening.
The Goddess of Yingzhuo smiled and said, “That is already enough. The Execution Sword only recognizes one master. It was originally placed within the body of the Demon Lord by the Heavenly Dao for thousands of years, nourished by his essence and blood. This sword should have belonged to the son of the Demon Lord in this lifetime. But it has fallen into your hands, and you can sense its emotions. It indicates that you are the one it recognizes, and there may already be a bond between you.”
Pei Jing had no idea he was so powerful.
Wait, the Execution Sword was supposed to be Ji Wuyou’s sword though?!
The Goddess of Yingzhuo said, “The Execution Sword is extremely selective in choosing its master. Perhaps it is waiting for you to comprehend a certain realm.”
Pei Jing lowered his gaze gently, looking at the Cloud Slayer Sword that had been his companion for hundreds of years. Recalling the words of the Sword Sovereign, he softly replied, “It is waiting for me to comprehend ‘Wuhen’ (free from resentment).”
The Goddess of Yingzhuo looked slightly surprised, her gaze showing a hint of complexity, but she smiled again. “Wuhen, indeed. The Execution Sword is the sword of utmost sincerity in the world. It cannot harbor even a trace of evil thoughts. Do you have any resentment in your heart?”
Pei Jing paused for a moment. “I believe I do not.”
The Goddess of Yingzhuo said, “Resentment may be in the form of grievances or regrets. But that is your own cultivation path, and I won’t inquire further. What is your name?”
Pei Jing replied, “I am Pei Yuzhi, a junior disciple.”
The Goddess of Yingzhuo smiled gently. “Yuzhi, after I have spoken so much to you, do you understand my intentions?”
Pei Jing remained silent. He could only recall the words “execute the Heavend and punish the Dao,” but they felt unfamiliar and absurd. The Goddess of Yingzhuo asked again, “Before encountering me, you must have also encountered another Mountain Master.”
She was referring to Peng Mountain.
The Master of Peng Mountain, the Queen Mother of the West.
Pei Jing replied, “Yes, I met her. But she…”
The Goddess of Yingzhuo interjected naturally, “But she has already gone mad, hasn’t she?”
Pei Jing froze for a moment and nodded.
The Goddess of Yingzhuo smiled, and the lotus flower beneath her eyes shimmered, resembling a teardrop from afar.
“She should never have entered the cycle of reincarnation. Once she entered, how could the Heavenly Dao spare her?”
Pei Jing hesitated for a long time before asking, “Senior, when you mention the Heavenly Dao, are you referring to the one I believe in?”
The Goddess of Yingzhuo appeared distant, her expression complex. “Which Heavenly Dao do you believe in?”
“The Heavenly Dao should be the natural laws, the order of the universe. It is omnipresent, existing everywhere.”
The Goddess of Yingzhuo fell into a long silence and murmured softly, “You are right. Perhaps this is no longer the Heavenly Dao. When rules develop emotions, they cease to be rules.”
Pei Jing tightened his grip on the sword, his mind devoid of clear concepts. Until now, he had never encountered the Heavenly Dao. In fact, comprehending the Heavenly Dao was something only achievable in the Nascent Soul stage, or so he believed.
The Goddess of Yingzhuo sighed with a hint of bitterness after a long pause. “It’s truly contradictory. You are the master of the Execution Sword, and I want you to execute the Heavens and punish the Dao. Everyone expects you to execute the Heavens and punish the Dao. I should tell you about the evils committed by the Heavenly Dao, but it would fuel your intense hatred. The Execution Sword insists on your being without resentment.”
Pei Jing was bewildered. The evils committed by the Heavenly Dao… Did death by Heavenly Tribulation count?
She gently lifted her sleeve and stood beside Pei Jing, raising a faint lotus shadow from the unfathomable depths of the lake.
“The true nature of the Heavenly Dao, you will eventually comprehend. I fear that once you know the truth, you may not have the power to kill her.”
The Goddess of Yingzhuo spoke, “During these few days, come to this lake with me at night. I emerged slightly later than the Execution Sword, but we are both primordial entities. Your Yunxiao Swordmanship are destined to be incomplete, and your techniques will become obsolete as well. I have inherited the Primordial Will. Come, and I will teach you the Primordial Swordmanship.”
Primordial Swordmanship. Pei Jing stood amidst the countless lotus shadows. He hesitantly raised his hand, and the faint light gradually seeped into his body. Suddenly, an extremely sharp and powerful force exploded within him, distorting his expression in an instant. He involuntarily curled up in pain within the dark depths of the lake.
The Goddess of Yingzhuo said, “Yuzhi, sense them, and then exterminate them.”
Sensing. Pei Jing felt an excruciating headache. The spiritual power he had accumulated over hundreds of years of cultivation seemed dull and impure in the presence of these lotus flowers. Even his Nascent Soul appeared extremely crude compared to the ancient brilliance emanating from the Transient Jade Lotus. However, how could he sense them? These lotus flowers were mere illusions, remnants from thousands of years ago, no longer existing in this world.
The Goddess of Yingzhuo said, “If the Execution Sword can encounter them, it now depends on whether you can perceive them.”
Pei Jing was overwhelmed by a splitting headache, desperately attempting to extend a thread of divine consciousness outward, but was suffocated by a stifling sensation. His body was accommodating completely different spiritual powers, subverting the past four hundred years of his cultivation. It was like undergoing a new purification and transformation of his marrow and essence.
However, he simply couldn’t endure it.
That night, eventually succumbing to the sympathetic and lamenting gaze of the Goddess of Yingzhuo, Pei Jing fainted.
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