novelraw Chapter 542 - 448: Unity with the Dao
Chapter 542 - 448: Unity with the Dao
The world evolves with a regular sequence. It takes hundreds of thousands of years for an ordinary Small Thousand World to develop an atmosphere, and even longer for a Medium Thousand World, often measured in millions of years.
Yet, the Illusion Heart World is an anomaly—its creator established iron rules deep within the origin, making the cycle of eras and the re-evolution of the world far exceed the norm.
Within mere tens of thousands of years, the originally annihilated chaos condensed into nine heavens and ten earths, with countless lower realms scattered like stars.
Spiritual Qi rises, vegetation sprouts, and the first batch of innate spirits are born, quietly ushering in a new era.
On the Eastern Extreme Cangwu Mountain, the ancestral pulse of the Illusion Heart World, the mountain peak is perpetually shrouded in mist, with mysterious Qi like a waterfall, nurturing the innate-born spiritual elegance.
Within the cave dwelling atop the mountain, a figure slowly opens their eyes, with purple lightning swirling in their pupils, surrounded by purple mist that transforms into thousands of auspicious patterns, encircling them endlessly.
This person is the Purple Firmament Daoist, formed from the first strand of purple Qi during the Illusion Heart World’s inception, and naturally mastering the wonders of innate purple Qi, becoming one of the first awakened innate Great Divine Power Users in this realm.
Having meditated in the cave dwelling for over ten thousand years, he slowly finishes his cultivation, forming a seal with his fingers, and a wisp of purple Qi moves with it, eventually condensing into an illusory world in front of him—vivid mountains, rivers, vegetation, the sun, moon, and stars.
This is the testament of the Heart’s Illusion Heaven already established, with his Primordial Spirit refined under purple Qi, reaching the indestructible realm.
Standing tall, Purple Firmament Daoist’s voice echoes like a bell, causing the cloud sea outside the cave to roll:
"Finally opened the Heart’s Illusion, proven the pure yang Primordial Spirit! The next step is to evolve the Heart’s Illusion to perfection, break free from worldly shackles, and seek the ultimate path of transcendence!"
No sooner had the thought arisen, a sudden change occurs!
Above the nine heavens, a universe-shaking roar resounds, not of thunder, but the tremor of the Dao Principle.
Instantly, heavenly flowers fall in chaos, millions of seven-colored celestial lotuses are born from the void, gently descending, as golden lotuses surge forth from the depths of the Yellow Springs.
Purple Qi sweeps across billions of miles, mysterious light covers the nine heavens and ten earths.
A vast pressure surpassing all creation descends, as if the entire world submits to this power in reverence.
At this moment, a voice rings out, indistinguishable in gender or age, yet like the bell of the Great Dao, echoing through every inch of the void, entering the ears of every living being:
"I, the one who severs heaven, today become a Saint, a thousand years hence, preaching at Jade Mirror Palace at the extreme of the nine heavens. All those with fate can come attend."
As the voice falls, phenomena swiftly dissipate, and the world returns to tranquility, yet the vast aftermath lingers in the hearts of all beings, lingering without dispersing.
Frozen in place, Purple Firmament Daoist’s eyes are filled with shock:
"Become a Saint? What kind of realm is this? With the world just newly opened, how can there be such Great Power?"
Sure of his innate birth and mastery of purple Qi, he believed himself top-notch in this realm.
Yet before that voice, he couldn’t muster even a shred of resistance, as if the other could annihilate his Divine Soul with a mere thought.
On the shores of the East Sea, the great sage Canglan, with turtle body and human face, breaks through and stares at the sky, muttering in awe.
On the summit of the Southern Mountain, the grass-and-wood invigorating Qingti Fairy stands cloud-bound, her jade countenance pales as she feels the coercion from the origin.
At the extreme of West Hill, the Supreme Emperor Gouchen rises from the Enlightenment Stone, trembling slightly the innate Spiritual Treasure "Gouchen Banner", as if fearing that supreme power...
One after another, innate saints break through, their gazes converging on the extreme of the nine heavens, where the Jade Mirror Palace stands.
Among them, like Purple Firmament Daoist opening the Heart’s Illusion, is already a top-tier existence of the first sequence, while many have just cultivated their Primordial Spirit, still understanding the basic impressions of Dao Principle.
Some possess extraordinary roots, hoping to dominate tribes and compete for the world as heaven first opens.
At this moment, feeling their Heart Spirit fail, their previous grand ambitions appear tiny and ludicrous before such a figure.
...
At this moment, in the depths of the Illusion Heart World’s origin, within the heart realm formed from fragmented Dao seeds, Chen Sheng stands quietly.
He holds the heart realm’s gate in his palm, its door radiating profound light, illuminating every corner of this world.
His eyes calm and undisturbed, devoid of any emotional rise, having united with the Dao, he has become an embodiment of the heavenly Tao of this realm.
Dao transforms into selflessness!
Far outside the Illusion Heart World, in the Nine Sun World, Chen Sheng’s two embodiments—the Golden-Winged Roc and Daoist Life-Annihilating, also slowly close their eyes, their aura completely settled.
...
In the blink of a thousand years, Jade Mirror Palace at the extreme of the nine heavens is born out of thin air, neither gold nor stone, nor wood nor earth, but condensed from pure power of origin.
Outside the palace, the cloud sea surges, nine heaven gales are fierce, ordinary cultivators perish upon contact.
Yet today, figures stride upon the clouds, all top-tier innate saints of the Illusion Heart World.
Purple Firmament Daoist is the third to arrive.
He comes riding on purple Qi, arriving at Jade Mirror Palace, and his gaze immediately focuses—within the grand hall are already five futons placed, materials neither jade nor silk, with faint chaotic currents swirling around.
On the first two seats, two are already seated:
One clad in a cyan robe, with an ancient face, surrounded by innate wood Qi, is the Eastern Extreme Cyan Wood Daoist, formed from the innate Spiritual Root "Jianmu" Qi, mastering the vitality of all woods.
The other wears a black robe, with eyes surging with mysterious dark water, is the Northern Dark Mysterious Ancestor, formed from innate Ren Water, ruling over the Four Seas Netherworld.
Both are top-tier Great Divine Techniques users who have opened the Heart’s Illusion. Seeing Purple Firmament Daoist enter, they nod slightly, expressions indifferent.
Purple Firmament Daoist takes the third futon, shortly followed by two more arrivals.
The Western Extreme Gold Daoist, formed from the innate Gold Stone Qi, practices the path of killing, surrounded by Sword Qi soaring to the sky.
The Southern Extreme Fire Virtue True Monarch, condensed from the innate Li Fire, surrounded by Nanming Li Fire, burning the heavens and boiling the sea.
The two, also having opened the Heart’s Illusion, directly headed for the remaining two seats, each taking a seat.
Time flows slowly, more and more innate saints arrive at Jade Mirror Palace, some mastering wind and thunder, some commanding stars, some ruling mountains...
All are beings of extraordinary roots, at least having cultivated Primordial Spirit, to withstand the gales outside the palace and arrive here.
Whether sitting or standing, all hold their breath and focus in silence, daring not make noise, eyes fixated upon the depths of the great hall, awaiting the arrival of the "Saint Severing Heaven."
Finally, the thousand-year period arrives.
Deep within the sacred hall, the void slightly twisted, and a figure slowly materialized.
He was clad in a profound Daoist robe, with chaotic starry patterns embroidered on the sleeves. His face was indistinct, seeming both present and absent, as if merged with the entire hall, even the entire world.
Without the slightest aura outward, he instilled awe in all the divine beings within the hall, making them not dare to lift their heads to look directly at him—none of them noticed when he appeared, as if he had always been there, existing with the Dao.
"The lecture on Tao begins."
The four words fell like a morning bell and evening drum, awakening everyone in the hall.
They hurriedly looked up at the figure, only to suddenly lose themselves—for in their eyes, he was no longer "human," but the "Tao" itself.
There was the haze of the beginning of chaos, the trajectory of star movements, the cycle of birth, old age, sickness, and death, the Laws of withering, flourishing, and annihilation...
All the truths of the world were manifesting on him, entrancing them deeply, their Divine Soul almost submerged in the sea of the Great Dao, unable to extricate themselves.
"The Tao that can be spoken of is not the constant Tao; the name that can be named is not the constant name. The nameless is the beginning of heaven and earth; the named is the mother of all things..."
A bland voice sounded, without the slightest ripple, yet containing infinite mystery.
As the words fell, heavenly flowers once again cascaded, golden lotuses emerged from the earth, profound sounds of the Great Dao lingered, transforming into countless runes that drilled into everyone’s Heart Spirit.
Some achieved enlightenment, joyfully breaking through the mysteries of the heart image, their Primordial Spirit transforming into pure yang.
Some had a flash of understanding, resolving long-unanswered Dao Principle problems with ease, their Cultivation rapidly advancing.
...
No one knew how much time had passed before the lecture abruptly ended.
The figure spoke faintly: "Today ends here. In a thousand years, I shall preach again."
With that, his form vanished abruptly, as if he had never appeared.
The crowd in the hall awoke as if from a dream, many showing confusion and disappointment—they still had countless questions in their hearts, yet had no opportunity to ask.
Zixiao Daoist slowly opened his eyes, his gaze brilliant as he organized what he had just gained, his Heart Spirit stirred:
"So it is! The path of Tao has stages: True Immortal, Profound Immortal, Heavenly Immortal, Golden Immortal, Taiyi, Daluo... and above Daluo, there is the realm of ’Merging with the Dao and Becoming a Saint,’ existing with heaven and earth, decaying with the Dao!"
He turned to look at the five mats in the hall, and those sitting on them such as Cyan Wood Daoist and Xuanyou Ancestor, thinking to himself:
"The gap between us and the Saints is indeed a chasm of so many realms."
The other four on the mats were also internally shaken, exchanging glances, each seeing acknowledgment and the intention to form bonds in the other’s eyes.
...
A thousand years flew by in an instant, and the second lecture on Tao arrived as scheduled.
The Sage Jie Tian again lectured quietly, speaking neither too much nor too little, yet every word a gem, greatly benefiting the divine beings present.
After the lecture, he left just as quietly, leaving behind cultivators who were filled with a sense of longing.
During this millennium, the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths had experienced great upheaval, those cultivators who made great progress after attending the lecture, emerging from their secluded retreats.
Some led clans, establishing immortal nations, others took over famous mountains to establish sects, and yet others roamed the Four Seas, competing for Celestial Spiritual Treasures...
Suddenly, heroes rose, murder and opportunity coexisted, and the Illusory Heart Realm witnessed unprecedented prosperity.
Relying on the benefits of the two lectures, Zixiao Daoist had become recognized as a top-tier powerhouse in the Illusory Heart Realm.
Finally, the third lecture concluded.
Differing from the two previous occasions, the figure in the hall did not immediately leave but slowly opened his eyes, his gaze sweeping over everyone in the hall, finally settling on the five mats.
His gaze was calm yet carried an undeniable authority, causing instant silence in the hall as all the divine beings held their breath.
"Under my discipleship, there shall be five disciples."
Chen Sheng’s voice slowly resounded, clearly reaching every ear:
"Cyan Wood, Xuanyou, Zixiao, Gengjin, Huode, the five of you have deep fates and great opportunities, great perseverance, and may enter my tutelage as Direct Disciples."
At these words, the hall was in an uproar!
Cyan Wood Daoist and the others sprang up, hastily kneeling and respectfully bowing:
"Disciple greets the Master!"
Though they were already top-tier Great Divine Power Users, they knew the vast gap to the "Saints." To be accepted under a Saint’s tutelage was a celestial opportunity, far more precious than ruling the world or competing in the Nine Heavens.
The other divine beings displayed envy and jealousy, especially those strong in opening heart images, feeling a mix of emotions, self-assured that they were no less worthy yet lacking the Saint’s favor.
One could no longer hold back and, summoning courage, asked, "Dare I ask the Saint, what kind of realm is ’becoming a Saint’?"
Chen Sheng glanced at him lightly, and once his gaze fell, that person instantly felt as if in an ice cave, unable to move, cold sweat trickling down.
Yet Chen Sheng did not rebuke, slowly opening his mouth, his voice carrying the profound mystery of the Great Dao:
"To become a Saint is to merge with the Dao, to be in union with the original Dao of heaven and earth, not confined to the limits of form, but integrated into the body of Dao Principle."
"Undying through myriad calamities, sharing life span with the original source of heaven and earth, possessing boundless power, upon a single thought, creating all methods, the truths of this realm, all determined by me, the weal and woe of all beings, all within my thought."
"Such is called ’Saint’—transcending beyond the Three Realms, not within the Five Elements, the embodiment of the Great Dao, the master of the Power of Origin."
As the words fell, he waved a hand, and five streams of purple aura flew out from his sleeve like living entities, respectively landing in the hands of Cyan Wood Daoist and the others.
That purple aura vast and pure, containing rich chaos-origin power, was exactly the ’Hongmeng Purple Qi,’ the foundation for becoming a Saint.
"This is Hongmeng Purple Qi, the foundation of becoming a Saint. My school shall have five esteemed saint positions."
Cyan Wood Daoist and the others received the Hongmeng Purple Qi, feeling an incomparably pure power surge into their bodies, instantly making their heart image incredibly clear, and their Dao Principle comprehension rapidly advanced.
They kowtowed again: "The disciples will not fail the teacher’s trust!"
Seeing this, the other divine beings in the hall were nearly driven to madness with envy.