Discussing the Dao While Alive, Ruling the Tomb After Death

What lay before them was utterly astonishing—the inscription on the tombstone had become reality: "Discuss the Dao while alive, contend for supremacy under heaven; discuss the corpse after death, reign supreme in the tomb."

Whether it was the Stone Man King puppet, the five great Stone Man Kings of the Chaotic Land, or the Otherworld Ancestors, all had fallen countless ages ago. Yet now, of their own accord, they stepped forward and walked, just like the figure in the dragon robe and imperial crown, and sat cross-legged on the green stones behind the seven great tombs.

"Ya ya... are they alive?" Keke tilted her head and asked Xiao Chen.

Xiao Chen could hardly explain it either. The scene here was too eerie; he could not tell what state these kingly imprints were in.

The old Taoist also seemed strange now—silent and still, standing before the seven great tombs, staring at the seven cross-legged figures.

"Ya ya..." Keke wanted to approach.

But Xiao Chen stopped her. "Don't get too close. These people—or rather, these corpses—are all too dangerous."

"Yes, don't get close. We'll just watch from afar. This is already a rare fortune," the old Taoist said calmly.

But the kingly imprints did not move at all, like fossils that had endured for eternity, without any particular action or communication.

"But why don't they move or say anything? How can they discuss the Dao and talk about corpses?" Keke was like a curious child; of course the little one knew these kingly imprints were extraordinary, and she wanted to hear them expound on the supreme Dao and the mysteries of life and death.

"They have already begun to discuss the Dao. You must listen with your heart," the old Taoist said, his eyes blazing.

Xiao Chen's heart stirred. He cast aside stray thoughts and probed with the origin of his divine consciousness. In an instant, he seemed to enter the primordial age before chaos, arriving at the starting point of the Dao.

Endless void, vast and boundless, with the origin of the Dao laid out before his eyes. Boundless truths, transformed into golden symbols, burst into his vision. A grand scripture of the Dao filled heaven and earth. Infinite mysteries, endless origins, twisted together into a vast firmament and earth.

He felt as if he stood beneath the eternal sky, his feet on the thick earth, his head under the deep starry heavens, touching the imprint of the Dao with his body, his heart, and his spirit.

This was a state of clarity, an experience of enlightenment, a total sublimation of body and spirit. Perhaps his combat power had not increased markedly, but his path forward became clearer; he gradually understood the unchangeable direction of progress.

Speech was law, action was rule. Xiao Chen moved with his heart, his heart moved with the Dao imprint, forming hand seals from his heart's intent, condensing his Dao shape from seals, sinking into a very wondrous state.

"Ya ya..." Little beast Keke's big eyes flew wide open. The little one was quite clever—she naturally knew what was happening. She too opened her heart, revealed her origin, and listened to the heavenly sounds of the Dao.

And the old Taoist had long since fallen into a state of emptiness, immersed in ineffable mysteries of the great Dao.

"Boom!"

At the distant horizon, the black Styx shattered into a pitch-black light curtain. With a long roar, the Lishi Beast tore through the curse wall and strode into this realm.

He stared at the stone tablet for a long time, then let out a cold snort that shook the plain ahead, like an ancient ferocious beast baring its deadly claws.

In that moment, blood mist surrounded the Lishi Beast, shrouding the sky and earth. He had slaughtered countless beings, his brutal aura stemming from the primordial age, formed from the power of a thousand massacres condensed into one body, creating such terrifying baleful energy.

He advanced at extreme speed and soon appeared before the seven great tombs. Just then, one of the tombs suddenly split open, and a crescent-shaped demon blade flew out, spinning toward him.

It was none other than the stone weapon once used by Xiao Shihuang in life—the Moon Shadow Demon Blade. Who would have thought that the tomb contained these stone weapons!

"Roar..." The Lishi Beast was fierce and savage in appearance, with Ancestral Dragon horns, a crocodile tail, and stone scales covering his body. Brutal and狂暴, he thrust out a sharp claw like a demon's, tearing the sky apart in one go as he grasped for the demon blade.

A figure like this was practically a world-tyrant demon; nothing could stand against him!

"Xiao Shihuang, you are already dead, yet you still put on airs. Burying stone weapons here is perfect. Today, this Moon Shadow Demon Blade will belong to me!"

The Lishi Beast was wild and unruly, his demonic flame surging to the heavens. After shattering the sky with one claw, he snatched the Moon Shadow Demon Blade that had spun down from beyond the heavens.

"Clang!"

The claw and demon blade clashed like metal striking stone, deafening.

"Everything in these tombs will change hands!" The Lishi Beast's killing intent flared, rolling blood mist shaking heaven and earth, flooding this region.

"Roar..." But at that moment, he let out a furious howl. The Moon Shadow Demon Blade was not as simple as imagined. It vibrated violently; the stone scales on the Lishi Beast's claw shattered considerably, and golden blood flowed down.

"Xiao Shihuang, you are indeed impressive. Even after death, you leave such a mark. This is a battle between you and me across time..."

"Ting!"

With a crisp sound, the Moon Shadow Demon Blade severed a section of his black fingernail, stained with drops of golden Stone Man King blood, then shot into the sky and plunged into the split-open tomb, vanishing without a trace.

Xiao Chen, Keke, and the old Taoist were all jolted out of their empty state by the savage Lishi Beast. They instantly understood what had happened.

The Lishi Beast's towering stone body was shrouded in monstrous ferocity as he strode closer step by step, a cruel smile on his scale-covered face.

"Today, I will first collect your imprint, then take the treasures of these seven great tombs!"

"Can you really collect me?" At that moment, from behind the seven great tombs, the man in the dragon robe and imperial crown, seated cross-legged on the green stone, spoke with an exceptionally authoritative voice that shook even the soul.

"Quite the grand display. Xiao Shihuang, you truly live up to your name. Are you speaking with me across the ages?" The Lishi Beast halted his advance, his demonic face filled with cruel indifference.

He let out a roar, and instantly the mountains and rivers lost their color, the wind and clouds churned. Except for the seven great tombs, the surrounding sky shattered into chaos. The Lishi Beast extended his sharp claw, reaching for Xiao Shihuang seated cross-legged on the green stone.

A cold snort carrying supreme pressure shook the soul. Xiao Shihuang suddenly swung his wide sleeve; his dragon robe flipped as if overturning the heavens, pressing the Lishi Beast beneath it.

"Stomp, stomp, stomp..." The Lishi Beast staggered back seven great paces. Xiao Shihuang sat cross-legged on the green stone, unmoving as a mountain.

"Excellent, excellent, excellent!" The Lishi Beast said three 'excellents' in a row. "I regret not being born in the primordial age to truly fight you. A battle across time like this leaves me disappointed!"

"Hehehe..." Just then, eerie laughter rang out, cold and piercing, making one feel as if falling into an ice cellar. Before the seven great tombs, a withered figure appeared soundlessly, like a vengeful ghost—it was the skin-and-bones Stone Corpse.

"The primordial age was a brilliant era of stars. Even you, Lishi Beast, if you had returned to that age, would have only fallen and could not have been a match for Xiao Shihuang."

The Stone Corpse was an antique among antiques, having existed long enough to endure the primordial cataclysm, qualified to speak of the past.

"Wuwu..." At that moment, a sharp sword cry rang through heaven and earth. A golden stone sword cleaved straight down, slashing at the majestic man in the dragon robe seated cross-legged on the green stone.

Xiao Shihuang flicked a finger, sending the golden holy sword flying. The imperial aura surged and billowed forth, instantly pressing down on the souls of everyone present, with a spirit that could swallow mountains and rivers!

The Suspended Void Ancestor held his holy sword and flew backward. After landing, he said solemnly, "Xiao Shihuang, your fame echoes through the ages, your might shakes the world—truly formidable!" That had been a duel across the ages, and it made his heart tremble.

"Hehehe..." The Stone Corpse let out a cold laugh. "Too bad he is long dead. What use are mere imprints? Can they stop us? First take the treasures in the tombs, then seize your imprint!" With that, he charged toward one of the tombs.

"Rumble"

One of the great tombs split open on its own, and a stone sword fit for an emperor flew out. It was unadorned yet profound, cleaving down with simple directness, its momentum as heavy as ten million great mountains falling at once.

"Bang"

It collided with the Stone Corpse in simple and direct fashion. The Stone Corpse's body shook violently; a terrible sword scar appeared on his palm, with gushing golden blood.

"Excellent, excellent, excellent. In the primordial age, I hid from you. A billion years later, your sword across time still wounds me..." The Stone Corpse's face twisted in fury.

In a flash, the stone sword flew back into the tomb, and the crack closed with a rumble.

By now, everyone understood that each of the seven great tombs held a powerful stone weapon. Some of these weapons were personally refined by Xiao Shihuang as his weapons in life; others were his spoils of war. Not one was ordinary—even a Stone Man King would be utterly tempted.

"No matter how formidable you were in the past, what of it? Even if your true self descended before several Stone Man Kings, you would only end in regret!"

The Stone Corpse called upon the Lishi Beast and the Suspended Void Ancestor, planning to dismantle the seven great tombs and jointly refine Xiao Shihuang's spiritual imprint.

"Rumble rumble rumble"

The seven great tombs split open simultaneously. Seven black great stars rose into the sky, filling everyone with endless dread—these were the seven demon stars born with Xiao Shihuang's left palm!

"Excellent, excellent, excellent... This is the very core that moves me most. I will pluck them!" The Lishi Beast's ferocity surged to the heavens.

"Oh? Can you really pluck them?" From Xiao Shihuang's imperial crown, a smooth and polished mirror flew out, crystal clear, shining brilliantly.

The seven demon stars instantly flew over, circling the ancient mirror, all hovering above Xiao Shihuang's head.

The Stone Corpse, Lishi Beast, and Suspended Void Ancestor immediately changed color. They could face Xiao Shihuang's power across the ages, but when facing this ancient mirror, they were not so composed—it was as if they were confronting Xiao Shihuang's true body.

"Discuss the Dao while alive, talk of corpses after death. If you can convince me, then all the supreme treasures in the tombs are yours for the taking, including the Three Sovereign Mirror." Xiao Shihuang sat as steady as a rock, unmoving.

"Are you man or ghost?" The Stone Corpse, ever suspicious, showed a grave expression.

"Discuss the Dao while alive, contend for supremacy under heaven; discuss the corpse after death, reign supreme in the tomb. Man or ghost, you shall judge."

"Good. I regret not being born in the primordial age. Today, I will fulfill a long-cherished wish." The Lishi Beast strode forward and sat cross-legged on the green stone.

Only then did he notice the seven corpse figures beside him.

The Stone Corpse and the Suspended Void Ancestor frowned. In the end, they too stepped forward. When they saw the seven corpse figures, they were startled. "The Five Peerless Kings of the Chaotic Land?!"

Not far away, Xiao Chen was also surprised. The Lishi Beast, Suspended Void Ancestor, and Stone Corpse had seemed completely unaware of the seven corpse shadows until now—which showed just how strange these seven great tombs were.

Moreover, those three kings did not seem to notice Xiao Chen and the others either, ignoring them entirely.

"Since you have come, all of you step forth. Our discussion of corpses and the Dao will be of great benefit to you." Xiao Shihuang suddenly spoke like this.

Not far away, a Stone Man King emerged and sat cross-legged on the ground.

Then, the Defying War Warrior Shan Jun and a three-eyed Stone Man King arrived together.

Soon, the Otherworld Ancestor Lu Zhan also manifested, walking forward step by step. His appearance startled the others; they were wary of this living fossil.

No one tried to forcibly seize the Three Sovereign Mirror. Everyone knew how terrifying the third stone weapon under heaven was, with the seven demon stars driving the ancient mirror's power—no weaker than Xiao Shihuang revived.

"Parted since the primordial age, an epoch fleeting in an instant." Lu Zhan gazed at Xiao Shihuang. "Today, I come not for battle. I hope you will not break your word..."

"A promise is a promise." Xiao Shihuang uttered only these four words, his presence overwhelming. Even facing seven kings and seven corpses, he remained composed and at ease, his might dominating the world.

Xiao Chen's heart was profoundly shaken. Xiao Shihuang was too domineering.

Before him, he had summoned seven kings to discuss the Dao and seven corpse shadows to talk of corpses—such a scene was utterly stunning.

This was a dialogue across the ages. If such a figure were still alive, it was hard to imagine how powerful he would be.

Then Xiao Chen's heart chilled. What was Xiao Shihuang's true purpose? Was it really just "discuss the Dao while alive, contend for supremacy under heaven; discuss the corpse after death, reign supreme in the tomb"? That seemed unlikely.

"What is the Dao?" Xiao Shihuang spoke first.

"The Dao is law; the Dao is principle. It has form to follow, traces to grasp. Master the laws and principles, and the Dao is manifest..." someone said.

But another held a completely different view: "The Dao is formless, ungraspable, elusive. The farther it goes, the more distant it becomes. Distance gives rise to reversal; reversal returns to unity. Unity becomes formless and escapes. So the cycle repeats—this is the Dao."

"The Dao is the origin, evolving into all things in heaven and earth. At the end of the origin, it may become a grain of sand, a blade of grass, a flower petal. All things are the Dao; you and I are the Dao."

"The Dao has no form, no root, no foundation. Without source, root, or foundation, the Dao's rhythm is natural. Why lament the Dao? Why discuss the Dao? You, I, and others are not the Dao—but rather the Dao..."

Xiao Chen was at a crossroads. He had yet to fully decide whether to walk the Stone Man path or the path of the Supreme Ancestral God. Hearing this exposition of the Dao, his heart stirred.

Then the others began to elaborate, and he immediately listened with his whole heart.

All manner of profound sounds, like heavenly music, echoed under the sky. Various wondrous principles poured into his mind like enlightenment, intoxicating him, then gradually entrancing him.

This was an unimaginable opportunity. In that moment, both Xiao Chen and the old Taoist fell into a state of emptiness, immersed in ineffable mysteries of the great Dao.

Even little Keke's once-clear and innocent eyes grew deep. The little one was enraptured, her body occasionally emitting magical light, and she even used her body to clarify her heart, forming various sacred hand seals.

Only by releasing the mind and opening the origin of divine consciousness could one hear these celestial truths. Above the seven great tombs, a thousand auspicious rays cascaded down; holy divine light illuminated all directions.

Clusters of auspicious lotuses bloomed in the sky; bubbling springs of the Dao surged up from the earth. Fallen petals and endless rainbows filled the air—a scene of peace and serenity.