Chapter 1285: Teaching the Dao at Fifty
Chapter 1285: Teaching the Dao at Fifty
The vortex in the firmament was on the verge of closing. The Saint Emperor reached out, grasping the final beam of starlight that shot forth from its center.
The starlight swirled like a nebula, gleaming brilliantly in his palm. After a moment of refinement, it flowed like a gentle stream, pooling beneath him.
It coalesced into a throne of starlight.
The Saint Emperor seated himself, his voice booming like thunder as he slowly began to speak: "From the vast, primordial chaos, the infinite was born. Yin and Yang were sundered, the five elements set in motion. All things that exist were created from the Great Oneness..."
Every word, every phrase, was exceptionally profound, abstruse and difficult to comprehend.
Yet, as the Saint Emperor recited these words, every living being in this world fortunate enough to hear them felt a nascent sense of profound understanding stir within.
The fleeting moment of enlightenment they had experienced under the starlight, which had vanished as quickly as it came, began to grow clear once more, carried on the resonant sound of the Saint Emperor’s great Dao.
"The Dao follows the way of Heaven and Earth; to grasp it is to become Immortal. To roam the azure firmament, to command creation itself. To be indestructible through a myriad of tribulations, one's very breath nurturing the world..."
Spiritual energy from their surroundings spontaneously poured into their bodies, creating the magnificent sight of countless beings achieving enlightenment on the spot.
As for those with extraordinary talent, like Sun Erlang and Ou Shangtian, their eyes shone with brilliant light, and streams of purple qi were even drawn to swirl around them.
Master Yin scratched his scalp, feeling as if the very foundation of his Dao was eagerly trying to burst forth from within him.
"Is this what they mean by 'one person attains the Dao, and even their chickens and dogs ascend to the heavens'? No, this is different. He's selflessly imparting his own enlightenment to everyone, regardless of who they are..."
The Saint Emperor's discourse on the Dao continued for three full days and three nights.
Those who listened were utterly entranced, lost in the profundity of his words.
Even after the Saint Emperor's image faded away, they remained immersed in their meditative states, completely unaware.
For the vast majority of them, it would take the rest of their lives to fully digest the Saint Emperor's teachings.
Meanwhile, the Saint Emperor himself had already returned to his throne.
His six disciples were arrayed before him.
"Congratulations on your enlightenment, Master!" Sun Erlang declared, bowing deeply.
The other disciples bowed in unison, echoing his words.
"This is a great fortune for me, and it is a great fortune for you as well."
"Three years."
"I will give you three years to comprehend what you have learned. Three years from this very day..."
The Saint Emperor's gaze swept over his six disciples. "Our Great Qi Sacred Dynasty will march against the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance and reclaim the Xuanhuang Realm!"
Hearing this, all six disciples trembled.
They had long known this battle was inevitable, but none had anticipated it would come so soon.
At this critical juncture, however, none of them dared to question the great Saint Emperor's decision.
They all bowed their heads in assent.
"During these three years of preparation, some measures can be set in motion ahead of time."
The Saint Emperor's voice echoed in their minds.
...
Xuanhuang Realm, Tianquan Province.
Sun Luyuan was holding forth at a gathering, speaking with great eloquence, when he suddenly sensed something. He quickly brought his long-winded speech to an abrupt end.
Taking advantage of a moment when no one was paying attention, he hastily departed from the grotto-mansion.
"So, the 'Hidden Needle Plan' is finally being put into motion? I've waited far too long for this day." A sharp glint flashed in Sun Luyuan's eyes. He suppressed the thrill and the faint dread he felt for the future, concealed his aura, and hurried toward the rendezvous point.
The Hidden Needle Plan, as it was called, was a sabotage operation targeting the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance's Heavenly Profound Mirror and its network of teleportation arrays.
The Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance was able to command the vast territories under its control with such efficiency, as if they were extensions of its own body, precisely because of the Heavenly Profound Mirrors and teleportation arrays established in every province.
No matter which province faced a crisis, reinforcements from other regions, or even from the Alliance headquarters itself, could arrive in short order.
Therefore, any plan to move against the Alliance had to prioritize disabling or, at the very least, disrupting this network.
"That brat Ou Shangtian claimed he could disrupt, or even destroy, the Heavenly Profound sub-mirrors in each province. I have no idea how he plans to do it, but my death-sworn agents across the provinces are ready," Sun Luyuan mused as he raced onward.
He knew there was no turning back; once he acted, his status as a traitor to the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance would be sealed. If he were discovered, escape would be impossible.
But Sun Luyuan's resolve was firm.
Beyond the reasons that had initially driven him to treason, the recent death of Sun Luchang had solidified his determination.
When Sun Luchang had been chosen for the expedition beyond the Xuanhuang Realm, Sun Luyuan had clung to a sliver of hope for his survival.
But when the ball of vital blood left behind in the underground pool suddenly withered, his hope turned to ash.
In the days that followed, he had watched the Alliance continue to release its rainbow-light communiqués from the expedition, some of which even featured images of the already-fallen Sun Luchang.
The rage in his heart had festered and grown.
Sun Luyuan had been waiting for the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance to give him an explanation.
Even a casual, perfunctory word of comfort would have sufficed.
But it was clear he had been expecting too much. The Dao Integration guardians of the provinces, the so-called pillars of the Alliance, were nothing more than expendable assets, to be discarded without a second thought.
"Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance..." By now, Sun Luyuan had completely severed any lingering hope he held for the organization.
He threw his lot in completely with the Great Qi Sacred Dynasty.
"Besides," he thought, "the benefits I've received from the Sacred Dynasty in recent years far outweigh anything the Alliance ever gave me for a lifetime of loyal service."
With these thoughts, Sun Luyuan arrived at the rendezvous point.
It was located beside the great white mist barrier of Tianquan Province, a wall that seemed to connect heaven and earth.
Years ago, during the great turmoil of the Xuanhuang Realm, a section of the barrier here had shattered and collapsed. The unrestrained, essence-devouring white mist had billowed outward, mercilessly consuming every living thing in its path.
Although the turmoil eventually subsided and the barrier repaired itself, this stretch of land remained a barren wasteland, devoid of life.
It was a stark testament to the terrifying power of the essence-devouring mist.
"Who would have thought the Sacred Dynasty possessed a method to almost completely negate the effects of the mist? A meeting here couldn't be safer!"
Sun Luyuan scanned his surroundings. Once certain he hadn't been followed, he cautiously brought out a Samantabhadra True Boat.
He leaped inside and steered the vessel directly into the wall of white mist.
Maintaining a constant speed while executing a complex series of directional changes, he traveled for some time before spotting another Samantabhadra True Boat, waiting silently in the mist.
A ray of black light shot out from the other vessel, slicing through the mist to stop before Sun Luyuan.
Sun Luyuan accepted it, finding it to be a storage ring carved from black jade. When he looked up again, the other boat had vanished without a trace.
"So cautious they won't even show their face," he muttered.
Inside the black jade ring lay nearly a thousand square jade artifacts, neatly arranged and inscribed with arcane characters.
Sun Luyuan took one out to examine it, simultaneously reviewing the instructions for their use that had been transmitted along with the ring.
"All I have to do is bring one near a Heavenly Profound sub-mirror or a teleportation array and cast a spell to detonate it?" he read.
"It's that simple?" Sun Luyuan was taken aback.
The impulse to test one immediately rose within him. However, after a closer inspection, he could only shake his head in resignation.
"The activation time is preset. They can only be detonated three years from now. Until then, the core formations within remain dormant, rendering them no different from ordinary jade artifacts..."
"No wonder I couldn't sense the slightest fluctuation of spiritual energy."
Sun Luyuan returned the jade artifact to the ring, his expression grim. "Then let the cultivators the Alliance treats like ants be the ones to sound its death knell."
While the various factions of the Sacred Dynasty began to set their plans in motion for the campaign three years hence.
Li Fan had already used the Spirit Void Grand Array to annihilate four small worlds.
He had gathered a sufficient amount of the substance he called the Universal Essence.
It was a pure aggregate of energy, radiating a viscous, dreamlike, five-colored luster. To Li Fan, it felt quite similar to the golden Source Power essence.
"Have you learned the formation?" Li Fan asked the Immeasurable Mirror, his gaze fixed on the distant horizon.
The fabricated personality of Sun Luyao, which had been reforged several times, remained silent for a moment before finally replying, "I have more or less mastered it, Senior."
Li Fan nodded, satisfied. With a light tap of his finger, a beam of light shot into Sun Luyao's illusory form. "In that case, go to these locations and continue laying the arrays."
"Just lay the arrays discreetly. There is no need to activate them," he instructed. As he spoke, he flicked all the Source Power essence he had recently plundered from the Sun family over to the Immeasurable Mirror.
Sun Luyao hastily collected the golden light, thanking Li Fan with apparent excitement.
Then, transforming into a streak of light, he sped off toward the target small worlds.
Had it been the real Sun Luyao, he might have feigned compliance while secretly acting otherwise. But this was merely a fabricated personality.
Even the joy he displayed upon receiving the Source Power essence was an illusion. Naturally, he would not defy Li Fan's orders.
"The array-laying capabilities of the Immeasurable Mirror's spirit are even worse than my own," Li Fan thought. "But it's more than sufficient to destroy a world, especially since I've chosen weak, mortal realms with no cultivators."
"While I don't intend to reveal myself in this lifetime, it's always prudent to have a few tricks up my sleeve."
His connection to the Saint Emperor had been completely severed, yet Li Fan could still faintly sense a tremendous change occurring within him.
"Another enlightenment in the Star Sea?"
"The clone's innate talent was merely average, yet with so many opportunities and blessings bestowed upon him, he's actually starting to resemble a true Son of Destiny..." A flicker of sarcasm crossed Li Fan's face.
"A pity it's all destined to be for naught!"
A sliver of Li Fan's divine sense detached itself, transforming into a fine thread that shot toward the territory of Guangyang Province.
He had to deliver the Universal Essence he had gathered for protection to his true self.
In less than half a day, he had found his target.
It was Daoist Qianxun, who had hidden his identity to cultivate amidst the mortal world.
The sliver of divine sense silently slipped into the body of a nearby Golden Core cultivator. The man paused for a fraction of a second before returning to normal.
He turned on his heel and walked over to Daoist Qianxun.
"Old friend, how about a game of chess?"
The disheveled Daoist, who had been picking at his feet with a complete lack of decorum, instantly looked up.
...
After successfully obtaining the Audience Jade Token from Daoist Qianxun, Li Fan made his way to the Discussion Tower in Guangyang Province, where he spent all his worldly possessions to rent a small courtyard.
He then used the "Dao Pill" method to completely take possession of the cultivator's body.
Li Fan held up a hand, examining his new body with a slight frown.
"Compared to the environment on the Mysterious Immortal Boat, exposed to the Star Sea, this possession method doesn't seem quite as flawless here in the Xuanhuang Realm."
He moved his limbs, sensing a subtle lack of coordination.
"When I possessed Zhao Xian, I was able to fool the Broken Immortal Tower."
"But possessing this one..."
"Fu Yuansheng... I'm not certain I can pass the Alliance's inspections. I'll need to refine this body further."
Controlling Fu Yuansheng's body, Li Fan laid out a ring of arrays around the courtyard.
Then, he strode into the center of the formation.
"Using the body as a vessel, refining it with the array..."
Li Fan chanted softly, drawing upon the power of the arrays to slowly smooth away the discordant aspects of his new vessel, erasing any trace of disharmony.
During this process, a flood of insights washed over him: the Saint Emperor's cultivation experiences from this life, the Holy Embryo's observations aboard the Mysterious Immortal Boat, and the enlightenment his true self had gained in seclusion.
Li Fan integrated it all, achieving a new level of mastery.
His fingers danced, making constant modifications to the arrays, perfecting them on the fly.
In the process, the last vestiges of incongruity between his soul and the body were slowly, completely erased.
"From this day on, I am Fu Yuansheng!" the sliver of Li Fan's divine sense declared with a faint smile.
To test his work, Li Fan first entered the Heavenly Profound sub-mirror of Guangyang Province.
As expected, he passed the mirror's inspection, successfully entering Fu Yuansheng's personal space within the Heavenly Profound Mirror.
"A mere two thousand contribution points..."
"How pathetic."
Li Fan shook his head with a light sigh but made no changes.
He simply rested as usual for a while before exiting the Heavenly Profound Mirror.
He walked to the most bustling district of Guangyang Sky City and activated the Audience Jade Token.
The sudden burst of light instantly drew the attention of everyone nearby.
"What's that?"
"That jade token... Hiss, it couldn't be, could it?!"
It wasn't long before someone recognized the object in Li Fan's hand, and gasps of shock and disbelief rippled through the crowd.
Onlookers swarmed around Li Fan, who put on a display of being pale and struggling to stand.
The chaos only subsided with the arrival of an escorting cultivator.
"Silence!" The power radiating from the escorting cultivator clearly marked him as a Soul Transformation expert.
The crowd instantly fell silent as a tomb. The escorting cultivator weighed the jade token in his hand but did not immediately transport Li Fan to the Alliance headquarters.
Instead, he sent a telepathic message: "This Audience Jade Token is of a high grade. It can be used to have the Deduction Jade derive a Dao Integration technique... You are only at the Golden Core stage. It's a waste."
"Are you interested in transferring this token to me? Of course, I won't treat you unfairly. I'll still gift you a Dao Integration technique, and I will even provide all the resources you need to advance from Nascent Soul to Soul Transformation."
"Thank you for your generosity, Senior..." Li Fan cupped his hands. "But I have no interest in transferring the token."
The escorting cultivator, who had expected Li Fan to agree, saw his expression darken. "Boy, you'd better think this through! Just having a Dao Integration technique doesn't mean you can cultivate to that stage. I've already looked into your background. Without the support of a family, I doubt you'll even reach the Nascent Soul stage on your own!"
"I'm doing this for your own good!" the escorting cultivator snarled, staring daggers at Li Fan.
Li Fan feigned surprise. "Perhaps Senior didn't hear me clearly? Then I shall say it again."
"This junior has no interest in transferring the Audience Jade Token," he announced, not through telepathy, but in a clear voice for all to hear.
The eyes of every spectator immediately shifted to the escorting cultivator.
Though no one dared to speak, their gazes said everything.
The escorting cultivator was a man of deep cunning and his expression didn't change in the slightest. "If that's your decision, so be it. I was merely offering a kind reminder. A Golden Core cultivator in possession of a Dao Integration technique... who knows how many ill-intentioned individuals that might attract."
"Isn't that right, Fu Yuansheng!" he shouted, his voice deliberately amplified to boom throughout Guangyang Sky City.
The city erupted in an uproar.
In an instant, every eye in the city was fixed on Li Fan.
Their expressions varied, but without exception, they all concealed a glint of greed.
Li Fan's face turned completely ashen. A flicker of resentment and fear flashed in his eyes as he bowed his head. "Thank you for your concern, Senior."
The escorting cultivator snorted coldly before finally opening the passage to the Alliance headquarters.
After the two had departed, the suppressed excitement in Guangyang Sky City exploded into a frenzy.
A Golden Core cultivator. A Dao Integration technique.
The combination of the two was simply too explosive, and it instantly became the topic on everyone's lips.
Information about Fu Yuansheng's background was quickly unearthed.
The quick-witted had already sent people to put pressure on the Fu family.
Without power or backing and with such a low cultivation, how could he possibly hold on to such a treasure?
In the Discussion Tower of Guangyang Sky City.
A white-robed cultivator watched the scene unfold and couldn't help but sigh. "That escorting cultivator is truly pushing that man to his doom!"
Across from him, a handsome youth nodded in agreement. "Unless that Fu Yuansheng hides in the Heavenly Profound Mirror forever and abandons his friends and family, I don't see how he can possibly keep that Dao Integration technique."
The youth paused, his tone shifting. "And all this life-and-death struggle over a single technique. Happening right out in the open... We just came out for a cup of tea and witnessed this. Imagine how many similar incidents happen behind the scenes."
"The corruption of the Alliance is plain to see!"
The white-robed cultivator fell silent, shaking his head with a helpless sigh after a long moment.
"That's why I say joining our Sacred Dynasty and overthrowing the Alliance's corrupt rule is the wisest course of action. Tianming, you've been to our Sacred Dynasty. Such coercion and abuse of power would never happen there!" the youth declared via telepathy.
The white-robed cultivator, named Tianming, had to nod in agreement. "You're right, Tianci. In that Fishing Pool, countless treasures are caught, and they all belong to the citizens of the Great Qi. No one has to fear being robbed... In this aspect alone, the Sacred Dynasty has already far surpassed the Alliance!"
Shang Tianci smiled. "I see you've made up your mind, Brother Tianming."
The white-robed cultivator returned the smile.
"Another one successfully persuaded. This is truly a gift from the heavens," Shang Tianci thought to himself, his mind already moving on to the next name on his list.
"I wonder how the others are progressing."
Unbeknownst to the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance, such shifts in allegiance were occurring in countless places.
Once the people's hearts were lost, it was only a matter of time before they were swayed.
Alliance Headquarters.
When he once again arrived at the Alliance headquarters, this time in Fu Yuansheng's body.
As expected, just like the previous times, Li Fan was once again pulled into an illusion.
The master of the illusion was still the Dharma Spreader Heavenly Venerate.
Only this time, the scene he witnessed was entirely different from before.
At the foot of a continuous range of celestial mountains shrouded in clouds and mist, a man in his fifties was being ruthlessly barred from entry.
"This is a sacred land of immortals! How dare a common mortal like you trespass?"
"Strange, isn't there an illusion array set up on the periphery? How did this mortal wander in?"
A cultivator in blue Daoist robes muttered to himself before kicking the middle-aged man aside.
The middle-aged man tumbled clumsily on the ground a few times, then surprisingly got up as if nothing had happened, a smile on his face. "Esteemed Immortal Master, could you give me a chance? I feel... I feel like I should be able to cultivate."
The cultivator scoffed at his words. "You've already got one foot in the grave and you're still thinking about cultivating? Cultivation requires aptitude and resources. Someone like you..."
The cultivator's face was filled with disdain. "Even if you could barely manage to cultivate, our Heavenly Origin Sect wouldn't accept you!"
The middle-aged man didn't give up. He even extended his arm. "Immortal Master, if you don't believe me, just take a look. My aptitude..."
A flash of killing intent appeared in the cultivator's eyes. Spiritual energy surged within him as he prepared to blast this impertinent fool to bits.
Suddenly, a friendly voice came from above. "What is your name?"
"Xuanyuan Goudan... No, Xuanyuan Tuo. My name is Xuanyuan Tuo," the middle-aged man said with some restraint.
"Martial Uncle Xu!" The cultivator's expression changed instantly. He immediately suppressed his killing intent and hurriedly bowed to the newcomer.
This man also appeared middle-aged, but Martial Uncle Xu looked far more spirited than Xuanyuan Tuo.
He approached Xuanyuan Tuo and studied him carefully.
He even reached out a hand, sending a stream of spiritual energy to probe Xuanyuan Tuo's body.
A moment later, Martial Uncle Xu shook his head slightly, a hint of regret in his voice. "Although you do indeed have the aptitude for cultivation, your age is simply too great. It would be difficult for you to achieve anything."
"I fear even reaching Foundation Establishment would be a monumental struggle..."
Xuanyuan Tuo hurriedly said, "Immortal Master, my demands are not high. As long as I can cultivate, that is enough. I've tilled the fields for half my life, but my heart has always been restless. I feel that my life should not be spent in the dirt."
Martial Uncle Xu was somewhat surprised that this old farmer could speak such words.
Just as he was hesitating, the crisp sound of a bell echoed from the distant mountain peak.
The blue-robed cultivator behind him offered a reminder. "Martial Uncle, the Sect Master is calling a meeting."
Martial Uncle Xu glanced back at the peak and swallowed the words he was about to say.
He took out a book and handed it to Xuanyuan Tuo.
"Go back for now and read this scripture. If you can cultivate a trace of spiritual energy within a year, you may come and find me again." With that, Martial Uncle Xu soared into the air and flew away.
Xuanyuan Tuo's eyes nearly popped out of his head.
"Little Qin, do not make things difficult for him," Martial Uncle Xu added as a final instruction before he left.
The blue-robed cultivator nodded in acknowledgment. He looked at Xuanyuan Tuo and snorted coldly. "A fool's luck."
"Now, get going! Come back when you've actually cultivated some spiritual energy!"
Seeing this, Xuanyuan Tuo had no choice but to depart reluctantly.
After walking for a while, he seemed to remember something. His face changed drastically, and he tried to turn back, only to find that the vast celestial mountain had vanished without a trace.
Xuanyuan Tuo slapped his thigh in bitter regret. "I can't read!"
...
Boom!
The illusion shattered, and Li Fan returned to reality.
He recalled what he had just seen, his expression strange.
"What did you see?" the escorting cultivator beside him asked.
Li Fan put on a look of utter shock. "I saw the Heavenly Venerate, his dharma form filling heaven and earth, spreading the Dao to the world..."
"Hmph. A trace of the Heavenly Venerate's aura lingers in the Alliance headquarters, so any cultivator who enters for the first time will experience an illusion..." the escorting cultivator snorted, before finally offering an explanation.
He led Li Fan onward, toward the Law Enforcement Hall headquarters.
Along the way, Li Fan secretly pondered.
"I wonder what determines the illusion one sees?"
"The Dharma Spreader certainly has some peculiar tastes, leaving his life story here for all his descendants to see..."
"Heh, to think the mighty Dharma Spreader Heavenly Venerate had such a pathetic past."
Li Fan found it hard to connect the image of the swarthy old farmer with the white-haired, long-bearded old man with a sorrowful face.
"If the Heavenly Origin Sect had accepted the Dharma Spreader back then, perhaps the course of the Xuanhuang Realm's history would have been different?"
"But perhaps not."
"Once the Dharma Spreader awakened, a small sect like that could not have changed his path. Speaking of which, after the Great Calamity began, the Heavenly Origin Sect didn't last long before it collapsed from internal strife."
"That Martial Uncle Xu, however, did look quite similar to Xu Yuanxian, the Chief of the Law Enforcement Hall. He must be one of his ancestors."
In an instant, countless thoughts flashed through his mind.
By the time they reached the long, green-stone path outside the Law Enforcement Hall, Li Fan had composed his thoughts once more.
Following the exact same procedure as when he had used the Audience Jade Token in his past life, he waited in line for several days before finally being allowed into the Deduction Jade's space.
Looking at the "listless" Deduction Jade, Li Fan feigned an expression of great excitement.
"Another one," the Deduction Jade muttered, its annoyance undisguised.
After all, for normal technique deductions, she could use a fabricated personality to do the work.
But for a tailor-made technique derived using an Audience Jade Token, she had to do it herself.
"What are your requirements?" the Deduction Jade asked, tossing a piece of paper toward him.
Just as it was about to reach him, it was intercepted by "Sun Ang," who was standing guard.
"Hold on!"
Sun Ang's action drew the attention of the other two guardians.
"Brother Sun, is something amiss?" Hua Yueye asked, her expression growing solemn.
Sun Ang shook his head. "It's just... I suddenly have a faint, unsettling feeling. It's best we perform another thorough inspection."
Since it was a matter concerning the safety of the Deduction Jade, the other two guardians glanced at each other but did not object.
Fu Yuansheng appeared somewhat nervous at Sun Ang's approach.
"Greetings, Senior..."
Sun Ang ignored him completely, placing his right hand on top of his head.
Fu Yuansheng's body froze on the spot.
A moment later, Sun Ang withdrew his hand.
But his brow remained tightly furrowed.
"You two, please check him as well."
Hua Yueye and Zhang Xu nodded, each stepping forward to conduct a careful inspection.
Naturally, they found nothing.
"Perhaps Brother Sun is worrying too much?" Hua Yueye said.
Sun Ang still seemed uneasy, but since the inspection had revealed nothing, he had no reason to delay the process further.
However, throughout the derivation, he kept his eyes fixed firmly on Fu Yuansheng.
After the technique derivation was complete, Fu Yuansheng, his face ashen, fled the scene as if escaping for his life.
"Could it be because you've been here for too long?" Hua Yueye asked with some concern, now that they were alone.
Sun Ang, who was in fact Li Fan's true self, sensed the Universal Essence that was now safely in his possession.
He made an excuse for himself. "No. My mind is just ill at ease..."
"Perhaps something has happened to my bloodline at home."
(Chapter End)
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