Netherworld.

A pale azure light sea, mirror-like, quietly spans the Netherworld, reflecting colorful lights.

It is omnipresent like time and fate, seemingly merging into the very foundation of this realm. As long as you are in the Netherworld, no matter where you are, you can see that pale azure light sea, reflecting into your heart, revealing your True Self.

"The Holy Land of the Nether Sea from those years..."

Luo Xuan whispered, his expression somewhat dazed.

He hadn't seen such a scene for many years. Memories surged, and he couldn't help but recall the days when he followed his elder brother in cultivation.

Back then, the Netherworld Lord established the Mind Dao, and the Nether Sea was once praised as the Pure Land of all worlds, a Holy Land of the Sea of Realms, with no threshold, embracing all beings, only depending on fate and talent.

At that time, he even entered the Nether Sea during its Holy Land period before his elder brother and wandered with the beings of the heavens, being smug in front of his brother for a long time...

"Ha, the past is like a fleeting cloud."

Luo Xuan gathered his thoughts and glanced at those remnants of the Nether Mansion.

As expected, some among them had already prostrated themselves with pious expressions.

Yet, the leading few, although their gazes were fervent, showed no excessive actions, their intentions unknown.

"World Venerable..."

In Luo Xuan's heart, it was as if a fire was burning.

Although his elder brother had never met this person, based on the descriptions of the other Saints, he had made an evaluation of him, and a very high one at that, believing that during his peak, his "position" might have been a notch higher than their four!

If he were at his peak, Luo Xuan would naturally avoid him, not even daring to appear before him.

But now, since this reincarnated individual is now only a Heavenly Venerable and dares to show himself actively...

"Originally hindered by the Red Lotus, I wasn't planning to act against this one. Didn't expect him to come to me proactively." Luo Xuan muttered, "As my elder brother said back in the day, what Heaven gives, if not taken, will become a source of trouble."

Swallowing the World Venerable, he would most likely no longer have to wait for the promotion of Taiyi, as he could directly Step into Heaven, completing everything!

By then, he would be the newly risen Great Dao Ancestor in the Sea of Realms, and the only one at that!

Thereafter, Heaven and Earth Unification, surpassing Transcendence, would only be a thought away!

...

Zhang Tiancheng gazed at the light sea, lost in thought for a long time.

When he first bowed under Master You, the Nether Sea hadn't yet been sullied by all beings. At that time, many within the Nether Mansion were already against the Netherworld Lord keeping the Nether Sea open to all beings.

They believed beings who only knew how to take, without gratitude, would only push the Nether Sea to another extreme, until it faced Ten Thousand Tribulations without recovery!

The Netherworld Lord raised his hand, summoning him, a newcomer to the sect, before him, in front of many disciples, asking his opinion on this matter.

Should the Nether Sea be sealed, or shared with the world?

But at that time, he didn't understand the dangers within, and coming from a humble background, his ability to join the Nether Mansion relied entirely on the existence of the Nether Sea.

If the Nether Sea hadn't been open to all worlds, Zhang Tiancheng would have remained nothing more than a cowherd for his entire life, with no possibility of entering the Nether Mansion!

If this passage were to be closed, wouldn't it cut off the path for the people of the world?!

Thus, the Zhang Tiancheng of that day, without hesitation, opposed the suggestion to close the Nether Sea, even speaking earnestly in the great hall, fully expressing his innermost thoughts, ultimately winning the favor of the Netherworld Lord, who took him as a disciple, naming him a direct successor!

It was the most glorious moment of his life.

But later...

Zhang Tiancheng finally understood that he was wrong!

After witnessing the Nether Sea transform from pure and sacred to foul and corrupted land, after seeing one disciple after another perish within it in attempts to "clear" the Nether Sea...

Zhang Tiancheng finally understood whence came the look of disappointment and even anger from those many disciples on that day!

He could clearly remember that day.

The Nether Sea was completely polluted, dark clouds churning, fire waves surging, the heart's anomalies of all beings materialized into perilous places, turning the former Pure Land of all worlds into Forbidden Lands of all realms!

Countless Nether Mansion disciples attempted to "extinguish the fire," but it was all in vain.

That day, Master You stood alone in the Void, overlooking the Nether Sea, which had become a burden rather than a blessing, destroyed by beings, and summoned him individually, posing a single question:

"Tiancheng, do you think we were wrong?"

He had never witnessed such a tragic scene, as if trapped in a nightmare, dazed for a long time, muddleheaded.

In his dreams, he seemed to see the hem of Master You's white robe soaking in the turbulent waves, countless Nether Mansion disciples perishing and the Dao Extinguishing...

Eventually, he knelt before Master You, weeping bitterly, filled with regret saying:

"Master You... It was my fault... It was my fault!"

It was his fault!

He shouldn't have obstructed many disciples' proposals that day!

The facts proved that the Nether Sea couldn't satisfy the ambition and greed of the world!

Allowing the world to act recklessly would only drag the Nether Mansion down from prosperity to decline!

In that moment, Zhang Tiancheng almost stumbled and fell to the ground, as countless dark clouds and flames seemed to rush toward him, the scorching heat burning his hair, setting him ablaze.

Suddenly, a hand pulled him up.

It was the Heart Venerable.

"The past cannot be pursued." The Heart Venerable evidently guessed what he was thinking, and spoke very calmly, "But the present and future can be grasped. Redeem your past choices."

Zhang Tiancheng gradually calmed down, his gaze growing deeper.

"I've always been curious." The Heart Venerable suddenly asked, "After you admitted you were wrong that year, what did the Ancestor Master say to you?"

In a daze, Zhang Tiancheng seemed to return to that day—

Master You personally pulled him up from his knees, his voice resonating calmly, yet like an explosion in silent void, causing waves under a peaceful lake:

"Tiancheng, I called you here to tell you, you were not wrong, nor was I. The ones who were never wrong were those ignorant and naive beings who simply wanted a better life instinctively."