I Can Fix My Talent in Hundred Lives

Chapter 540 - 446: The Heart Sutra of the Other Shore

Chongli Heaven, in the heartland of Zhongzhou.

The Hall of Life-Annihilating stood towering, outside the hall the Cloud Sea churned, the fierce wind howled, yet it could not penetrate the circulating Dao Rhyme of termination between the hall walls.

Inside the hall, it was silent, the ground reflecting the star patterns on the dome.

A figure in a Profound Robe sat upright on the lotus platform at the center of the hall, it was the invincible Daoist Life-Annihilating Chen Sheng, who reigned supreme over this world and subdued Shi Fang.

He slowly opened his eyes, wherein black and white energies intertwined and vanished in an instant, murmuring calmly, his voice steady and unwavering:

"Huangquan, the Demon Cultivators are indeed flexible and somewhat sensible."

He couldn’t help but recall an old acquaintance—Seven Kills Demon Monarch, though eons had passed, the other had failed to achieve Void Refining and had long since passed away.

Chen Sheng shook his head slightly, his fingertips moved subtly.

A trace of a reserved handprint from Ming Qian quietly dissipated—the scene in the primordial Grotto Heaven had fully arrived at his perception.

These years, in pursuit of the termination of Dao, he traversed all around, in Chongli Heaven he slew the giant chiefs of Twelve Tribulations, engaged across realms with great saints, earning illustrious fame, yet also attracting numerous enemies.

Ming Qian was the last entrusted by senior brother Taiyuan on his deathbed, concerning Taiyuan’s unfulfilled Integration great wish, he naturally took extra care.

Not just a reserved protection mark was left on him, but a strand of identical Dao Power as well, to perceive safety at any time.

As his thoughts flowed, the figures of several disciples emerged in Chen Sheng’s mind.

Through the flow of years, among his nameless disciples, except for the eldest disciple Qi Yuan and the second disciple Gu Ye who fell early at the primordial place of Chongli Heaven, only three remained by his side now.

Zhang Hongdao turned to cultivate the Heart Dao, deeply grasped the essence of the Nine Volumes of Illusory Heart, and made remarkable achievements, already cultivating to the Eleven Tribulations of Longevity with a stable Dao Heart, hopeful for the Twelve Tribulations.

Chen Qingyun specializes in Sword Dao, yet remains trapped in the Ninth Tribulation, the path ahead is bleak.

Instead, it is Ming Qian, with the highest talent and comprehension, now at the lowest realm, merely staying at the Eighth Tribulation.

Chen Sheng shook his head lightly, but a hint of approval flashed in his eyes:

"This child is indeed very decisive."

Ming Qian was born from Taiyuan’s Dao fetus, Essence Blood, aided by the Divine Water of Creation for enlightenment.

Innately harboring traces of termination of Dao, cultivating in an orderly manner, achieving top-tier Void Refining is not difficult.

Yet as one prospers with this, they must perish with it.

As Ming Qian’s cultivation deepened, after achieving Primordial Spirit, he keenly realized that the Dao fetus’s benefit was also its downfall.

Father’s lingering Dao traces, though assisting him in rapid progress, were also an invisible shackle that tightly bound his limit.

If he continued down this path, even the threshold of Integration Realm would remain forever untouchable, let alone inheriting his father’s Integration great wish.

Thus, after consulting Chen Sheng, combining the advice of Dharma Master Hong Jue, Ming Qian made an astonishing decision—self-severance.

With enormous perseverance and determination, he cut out Taiyuan’s remaining traces of termination of Dao from within his origins, a process as agonizing as a thousand cuts, with the slightest error leading to the collapse of his foundation and annihilation of his Divine Soul.

Over these years, he severed himself over and over, forcefully eliminating the Dao traces from within his origins, clean and unrestrained, no longer bound by predecessors.

This process consumed a lot of time, thus consequently his realm was delayed, neither fast nor slow, catching up with each time of the Longevity Dao Tribulation.

...

Soft footsteps came from outside the hall, breaking the silence within the hall.

A figure in a green robe stepped in slowly, around him the Dao Rhyme obscure, faintly emitting a hint of decay, precisely Chen Qingyun.

He walked to the center of the hall, respectfully bowing deeply to Chen Sheng, his movements steady yet betraying fatigue: "Greetings, Master!"

Chen Sheng’s gaze swept over him, understanding immediately.

Chen Qingyun’s talent is limited, despite diligent and hard work, he always struggles to keep pace with other senior and junior brothers.

These years, Chen Sheng frequently guided him, also using the treasure land Chongli Heaven, found many primordial rare treasures to bestow, assisting him to merely cross the Eighth Tribulation, smoothly endure the Longevity Dao Tribulation, extending life by nine thousand years.

Now nine thousand years will soon end, Chen Qingyun trapped at the Ninth Tribulation, with a decaying Dao Heart, is already nearing the end of his life span.

The next Dao Tribulation is not the external thunderous fire disaster.

But an internal tribulation originating from his own Dao Foundation, a backlash of Dao Principles along the cultivation path, others despite vast Divine Techniques, cannot ward off disasters for him.

On this matter, Chen Sheng was also helpless:

"Rise."

Chen Sheng’s voice remained calm, without a trace of joy or anger: "Are you planning to go to the Taiyi Realm?"

Chen Qingyun slowly stood up, a trace of resolve flickered in his eyes, nodding heavily:

"Master understands me, this disciple’s aptitude is dull, difficult to make further progress on the Dao path."

"Rather than waiting for death here in the Hall of Life-Annihilating, better to follow the example of several senior uncles, traveling the Grand Thousand world, witnessing a myriad of phenomena, even if I die seeking Dao, I shall have no regrets."

Chen Sheng slightly nodded, his tone concise: "Go."

A trace of reluctance surged instantly in Chen Qingyun’s eyes, he looked at Chen Sheng’s upright figure, bowing deeply:

"Master, take care! Please forgive the unfilial disciple, as I can no longer serve by your side in the future."

Chen Sheng heard this, silently closed his eyes, and said no more words.

Seeing this, Chen Qingyun no longer hesitated, suddenly turned around, transformed into a green light, broke through the palace, and disappeared into the sky.

The palace fell silent once more. After a long time, Chen Sheng slowly opened his eyes, a trace of distant and ancient melancholy flashing in his eyes.

Through these years, he had seen off too many old friends, witnessed too many separations of life and death.

The first to leave was his eldest senior brother Taiyuan, who followed the path of opposition, using decay and annihilation as his foundation, attempting one final leap, vainly trying to break through the shackles of the Integration Realm.

In the end, it ended bleakly; after his Dao perished, only Ming Qian’s lineage remained.

Next was his third senior brother, Cold Monarch, who did not die of old age but was ambushed by an ancient fierce creature during his travels in the Taiyi Realm, falling on his path of Dao.

Although he was a prodigy with the hope of Integrating, his life ultimately stopped at the completion of the Fourth Volume and the Eleventh Tribulation of Void Refining.

After that came his longest-living son, Chen Xihua.

This genius from the Lower Realm, through his own efforts and Chen Sheng’s care, had step by step reached the Fifth Tribulation of Void Refining, but ultimately could not overcome the barrier of talent, his longevity ran out, and he passed away peacefully.

Next came his second senior brother, Fallen Star, who, after the eldest senior brother, cultivated the Twelve Tribulations of Longevity again, but also stopped at this point.

In pursuit of a breakthrough, he forcibly condensed the Dharma Seed, ultimately leading to the withering of his Dharma Body, his domain collapsed, and he died sitting in his own dojo.

Afterwards came his eldest disciple Qi Yuan and second disciple Gu Ye.

Both had first-rate talent and understanding, but unfortunately, their luck was poor. Just as they completed the Ninth Tribulation, they were ambushed in the source land of Chongli Heaven and both fell.

And now, it was Chen Qingyun...

Chen Sheng did not feel much lamentation in his heart. Having experienced the destruction of eras and being accustomed to the end of all things, his state of mind had long become more rounded and transparent. Life and death separations, to him, were merely the cycle of the Great Dao.

Moreover, these friends of this life had already bloomed for too long.

Compared with those previous lifetimes where friends faded within decades or at best several hundred years, the fact they could walk so far on the path of cultivation was already a blessing.

Instead of useless lamentations, Chen Sheng focused more on his own path of Dao.

Over the years, he had comprehended the destruction, rebirth, and rotation of the middle-thousand worlds, witnessing the rise and fall of countless paths, deepening his understanding of the Dao of Endings.

He smoothly achieved the completion of the Fifth Volume of Endings, synthesizing this life’s numerous cultivation insights, and created the "Heart Sutra of the Other Shore!"

The core of this sutra is: "Creation, existence, decay, nullity, all are illusions; all conditioned phenomena, like dreams, illusions, bubbles, shadows. With the heart as the vessel and endings as the oar, neither on this shore nor the other, not clinging to appearances, not bound by annihilation—this leads to freedom, directly reaching the other shore."

The Daoist Master of the Heart Aspect "Life" can condense the Divine Soul, constructing illusion into reality; the Daoist Master of Endings "Annihilation" can cut through shackles, return to the source of origin.

Though seemingly opposing, they actually complement each other—with the Heart Aspect Dao constructing the Dao Foundation, sustaining all things, with the Endings Dao cutting through illusions to witness the origin.

Between life and death lies the opportunity for transcendence, which is the core theory of the "Heart Sutra of the Other Shore."

Relying on this self-created technique, his strength has gradually surpassed ordinary cultivators of the Twelve Tribulations, even able to contend directly with a Great Saint for several rounds.

After annihilation, reborn with the talent of [Yin Yang Divine Soul].

Thus, Chen Sheng’s cultivation and combat prowess have completely caught up with the Celestial Abyss Dharma Master of the past; in terms of preserving life, he even surpasses.

Of course, this attempt also made Chen Sheng see the limit of [Yin Yang Divine Soul]—in the Void Refining Realm, this talent is enough to ensure his survival, even if one soul dies, it can regenerate through the Yin Yang Divine Soul.

But once in the Integration Domain, his ability to preserve his life would be greatly weakened.

Integration Cultivators, upon cultivating the Dharma Seed, as their cultivation deepens, can use the Dharma to command the Dao, touching the domain of will.

The Dharma is an extension of one’s will; as long as the will is connected, it can cross the boundaries of the Divine Soul, erasing it entirely.

That he managed to survive last time was entirely because his opponent was unaware of his life-preserving methods, catching him by surprise.

That exchange, though appearing calm, was full of danger; ultimately, he actively entered annihilation to escape.

Now, the news is out, all Integration Cultivators know he has this "strange method of transformation," so naturally, they won’t give him any more chances.

Therefore, even though rumors outside say he possesses life-preserving abilities in the face of Integration Cultivators, he is well-aware and never plans to try a second time.

To exaggerate a bit, beneath Integration, all are ants.

...

"The difference of a single line, is like heaven and earth apart!"

The last step, also the most crucial step—sublimating the Dao Domain, condensing the Dharma Seed.

This step Chen Sheng is delayed in taking, he knows well that if he forces it, his end will not be any better than that of his senior brothers.

He once asked his master, Dharma Master Hong Jue, and the master only told him eight words: "The law has no fixed form, only realized by understanding."

Even if practicing the same cultivation technique, the Dharma Seed condensed by each person still would have slight differences.

The final step can only rely on one’s own understanding, unrelated to combat strength.

If one understands, it is a single step to the sky, achieving Integration, if not, no matter how high the Divine Techniques or Secret Techniques, ultimately one would become just a handful of dust, dissipating between heaven and earth.

Chen Sheng slowly closed his eyes, the Dao Rhyme flowed within the hall, and silence fell once more.

His path of Dao remains long, and that ultimate chance for Integration is still shrouded in mist, waiting for him to explore.