"My presence renders all invincible; any struggle, any so-called judgment, is utterly laughable."
Mu Changqing spoke with domineering authority, his gaze sweeping across the ancient epochs, cold and terrifying.
His body resonated with inexplicable sounds, its intricate patterns intertwining and flashing.
Across all realms, the Great Dao harmonized, magnificent and boundless visions erupting in an ineffable display.
A sword meant to obliterate worlds descended, its radiant brilliance illuminating the grand era. Its sword Qi, multiplying into billions, sliced through eternal time, akin to a judgment sword for all realms, compelling all consciousness and beings to submit.
Even the spectral, grey Ancestral Origin, at this moment, seemed to fade, a flicker of apprehension appearing in its semblance of humanity.
As the spectral, grey Ancestral Origin fully descended, Mu Changqing defied destiny. His body's intricate patterns merged with the long sword in his hand, unleashing a world-burying heavenly might as he struck.
Upon impact, the world instantly reverted to its origin. All light vanished, succumbing to a silent, profound darkness.
It was as if the genesis of all things had collapsed, the consciousness of all beings had dissipated, and existence itself had ceased.
Silence descended, engulfing the vast world.
Dao Ancestor and Empress Xuan Yue had already retreated beyond the boundless expanse of space-time, avoiding the collateral impact.
They watched the scene unfold, their mouths agape, finding themselves unable to utter a sound.
Their gazes met, disbelief filling their eyes.
This was the primordial era, the very beginning of creation, the genesis of all things.
Order was in chaos, and laws and rules were nonexistent.
Here, concepts like the Great Dao, time, space, cultivation, karma, destiny, and the Heavenly Dao held no sway. Everything existed in its most fundamental state.
In the next moment, a creative radiance erupted, shattering the brief pause. The true power of the collision was unleashed.
Infinitely boundless light was born into existence, surging through every epoch and every era.
Even eras that had once birthed anomalies, eras erased by the grey Ancestral Origin, were now illuminated by this terrifying collision, pulled from the unknown to be reflected in the present.
Time became disordered, and in a blink, countless ages flowed by.
Or perhaps it was a reversal, a tracing back of all that had passed.
RUMBLE!
The belated sound finally echoed, a purple sword beam piercing the vast sky and cutting through endless realms.
Beings across all worlds simultaneously sensed a wisp of sword Qi streaking across the heavens.
It did not affect the individual spaces or times, yet it left indelible marks upon every era.
Ancient history flipped, revealing new chapters.
All flowed through unknown ages before returning to the present.
The spectral grey Ancestral Origin shattered. All past epochs, those that should not have existed in the present, were now buried and annihilated.
The grey figure watched the present with terror as the spectral Ancestral Origin dissolved into reality. It wanted to speak, but found its body disintegrating.
The entire grey ancient road fractured inch by inch. The sole passage connecting to the grey Ancestral Origin collapsed into the present.
"I… refuse to accept this…!"
As the grey figure faced imminent death, a strange light flickered in its grey eyes, fleeting memories flashing by.
Its residual form dissipated, its consciousness transforming into a wisp of spectral light that drifted towards the grey Ancestral Origin, merging with it.
Thus, the grey figure perished completely.
That entity, the master of the grey ancient road, who had guarded the entrance to the grey Ancestral Origin for countless ages, observing the ebb and flow of anomalies and obliterating those from unknown epochs, had vanished.
The grey ancient road also disappeared. From this moment forth, the passage between the grey Ancestral Origin and the present was severed.
Unless the entity that created the grey ancient road within the grey Ancestral Origin intervened again and reforged it, no being could ever arrive from the present and find the grey Ancestral Origin.
Mu Changqing’s figure slowly reappeared, his aura returning to tranquility.
His gaze lightly swept across the surrounding dark, unknown space. He felt no unease at the disappearance of the grey ancient road.
He had already memorized the grey figure’s aura. With that figure integrated into the grey Ancestral Origin, Mu Changqing could follow that aura to find the entrance.
In the distance, Dao Ancestor and Empress Xuan Yue arrived swiftly, standing behind Mu Changqing.
Their eyes were filled with reverence and admiration.
"Emperor Burial…!"
Dao Ancestor hesitated, wanting to say something but finding no words.
Mu Changqing naturally understood his thoughts. He turned his head to look down at the unknown land and spoke indifferently.
"Rest assured, at this level, even if they are not my match, they cannot kill me. And as long as I can enter the grey Ancestral Origin, I can continue to evolve and grow. What is there to fear?"
After a pause, Mu Changqing continued.
"Moreover, without pressure and the fear of the unknown, how can one achieve invincibility across all realms? As long as the grey Ancestral Origin, the birthplace of all things, exists, unknown anomalies will persist."
"They see me as an anomaly, but am I not also viewing the grey Ancestral Origin as an anomaly? Until the grey Ancestral Origin is destroyed, my heart cannot be at peace!"
For Mu Changqing, only by sweeping away all unknowns and eliminating all hidden hands lurking in the darkness could he truly be at ease.
"How do we find the entrance to the grey Ancestral Origin?"
Empress Xuan Yue showed no intention of backing down. Wherever Mu Changqing went, she would follow without question.
"Don't worry, I have my ways."
As he spoke, Mu Changqing’s eyes opened, and a nearly imperceptible thread emerged from the unknown, connecting to this realm.
"Thread of Karma. In my world, there naturally exists karma that I control."
Mu Changqing stated calmly, slowly raising his right hand and gently tracing this thread of karma that existed beyond reality.
With a slight shift of his will, the space around the three of them flowed, and they vanished from their original location.
When they reappeared, the three found themselves on an ancient island.
It emanated an eerie, brilliant radiance. Within the space, immeasurable light intertwined, reflecting order and rules.
High above, chaotic celestial light pulsed brilliantly, adorning this space.
The entire island was not particularly large. Compared to Mu Changqing’s current level, it could be considered minuscule, merely a universe in size.
The island was entirely grey, with grey mist occasionally seeping from the ground and rising towards the sky.
There were no beings around; it was a desolate and barren land.
As Mu Changqing and the other two arrived on the island, the mist suddenly thickened, becoming so dense that visibility was reduced to nothing.
Within the mist, grotesque beings wielded ancient origin artifacts, attempting to ambush the trio.
Seeing this, Mu Changqing let out a cold snort.
Instantly, a ripple of purple light spread out, repelling all the surrounding grey mist and annihilating the grotesque beings hidden within.
"The entrance to the grey Ancestral Origin… is it not a place for beings like Hong Meng Heavenly Dao to enter?"
Mu Changqing frowned slightly, murmuring in confusion.
His divine sense continuously swept across the entire grey island, sensing hidden profundities within.
After a moment, Mu Changqing opened his eyes again, having found no anomalies.
"How is it?"
Empress Xuan Yue took a step forward, a subtle purple light flashing in her frosty eyes, a peculiar sight.
Mu Changqing heard her and merely shook his head, looking around in perplexity, still unable to find the entrance.
The thread of karma connected to this island; there could be no mistake.
Therefore, this place was the true entrance to the grey Ancestral Origin, not a place where beings like Hong Meng Heavenly Dao, relying on unknown entities, were guided into it.
Just then, Mu Changqing’s body stirred, a stream of light flashed, and Yuan Da Tou appeared beside him, his eyes filled with grey mist, his aura extremely peculiar, appearing both mortal and like an ancestral god.