Chapter 1649: A Thousand Years Pass By
Chapter 1649: A Thousand Years Pass By
"Shou Qiu Gong..."
Bai Shuyue gazed at the silent, ethereal figure standing before Cheng Dao.
Perhaps because the gap in their power was simply too vast, Bai Shuyue couldn't perceive anything particularly miraculous about the projection of Shou Qiu.
But since Cheng Dao treated it with such reverence, she knew it must possess an extraordinary effect.
Cheng Dao began to share his experience from the moment of his ascension. "The sea is profound, the mountains boundless. But both the Mountain and the Sea are sacrosanct and cannot be viewed up close. Those who enter them are inevitably submerged, losing their minds, their souls, their very selves. However, under a master's protection, one can glimpse their secrets. The Mountain and Sea Great Dao, which others must spend eons pondering and comprehending, will be laid bare before you at the very moment of your ascension."
"From that point on, your path to the Transcendent realm will be entirely unobstructed!"
As Cheng Dao spoke, a magnificent vision seemed to materialize before Bai Shuyue's eyes—of mountains and seas stretching into infinity, encompassing every principle in the world.
"You have already accumulated a profound foundation by using the Dao Net to slay immortals and prove your Dao. If, during your ascension, you can fully grasp the transformations of the Mountain and Sea, then the moment you become an immortal might very well be the moment you transcend!"
If she refused, she doubted she would be able to walk out of the Dao Net's core.
But her very purpose in venturing beyond the high wall was to find a suitable method of cultivation. She could sense that cultivating within Shuo Xinghai, aided by the Dao Net, could bring her immense benefits.
So, she complied. "I am willing to accept this senior's legacy and preside over the Dao Net."
Cheng Dao's mood brightened considerably at her swift agreement.
"However, your current body is still too frail. It requires some... modifications."
"Come out," Cheng Dao said nonchalantly, his gaze sweeping over the Understanding Dao Infinite Wall hidden on Bai Shuyue's person.
The usually bombastic wall was remarkably well-behaved now. It didn't pretend not to hear, popping out immediately.
"You and I are of the same kind, in a way. Our meeting today is a matter of fate. My master once enlightened me with his touch, and I..."
"Today, I shall grant you a great fortune!"
As he said this, Cheng Dao inexplicably vanished from before them.
Like a gentle breeze rippling across a pond, the crisscrossing strands of the Dao Net instantly undulated.
The Dao strings twisted and bent, forming a gaping void that directly exposed the deepest part of its core.
Bai Shuyue and the Understanding Dao Infinite Wall fell straight into the newly formed circle.
Darkness enveloped them, and nothing was visible. Even the faint blue glow of the Dao strings now seemed to hang high in a distant sky, as if they were incredibly far away.
But as the "wind" grew stronger, points of light began to illuminate the darkness.
Bai Shuyue looked at the flickering images appearing around her and was stunned to realize they were visions of the Mountain and Sea!
And they were more than mere illusions; she could genuinely comprehend the various principles of the Mountain and Sea from them!
"Uncarved jade cannot become a treasure."
"Though you once served at the Sage Lord's gate, you were ultimately just an 'object.' If you wish to walk further in this Mountain and Sea, you must transform from object to person!" Cheng Dao's voice echoed, filled with emotion.
At the same time, the vast shadows of mountains pressed down on the Understanding Dao Infinite Wall.
"Senior, spare—"
"Silence! If you cannot endure this small hardship, how can you ever truly transform?" Before the wall could even finish its cry of agony, Cheng Dao cut it off with a cold, harsh snort.
"Mountain, come!"
With a low shout from Cheng Dao, the endless mountain shadows, like dark clouds, rapidly converged and compressed, finally forming a solid-looking black peak that brutally suppressed the wall.
The Understanding Dao Infinite Wall could no longer even let out a whimper.
"Water, come!"
At Cheng Dao's guidance, the boundless sea above also began to gather, transforming into a torrent of white silk that crashed down from the peak of the black mountain. The mountain and water swelled, yet surprisingly, there was no deafening roar.
Instead, there was only the gentle, clear sound of a mountain spring, a tinkling melody that soothed the soul.
The mountain and water formed a self-contained, self-circulating system.
The stream rushed to the base of the mountain and vanished in a flash, only to reappear hundreds of feet up the peak the next moment, continuing its descent.
The water flowed over the mountain in a ceaseless, unending cycle.
"One day, when the water runs dry and the mountain crumbles, that will be the day you transform from an object into a person!"
As he spoke these words, Cheng Dao's figure slowly reappeared.
Creating this masterpiece of mountain and water seemed to have been a considerable drain on him.
He had reverted to his elderly appearance.
He pointed to the black mountain and white water before them and said to Bai Shuyue, "You need only sit cross-legged within this landscape. You can borrow its power to withstand the pressure of the Dao Net's core."
"This creation of mountain and water contains many of my insights from over the years. Not only will it enlighten this object, but it will also be of great benefit to you. As you preside over the Dao Net, you might as well comprehend it."
"The stronger you become, the less pressure the Dao Net will exert on you, and the more of its power you will be able to command."
"Presiding over the Dao Net will bring you nothing but benefits. If it weren't for your extraordinary aptitude, I would not have entrusted such a heavy burden to you."
"However, until you prove your Dao and achieve transcendence, able to manifest a Shadow of Cheng Dao to take your place, you will not be able to take a single step out of this place."
Bai Shuyue watched as the thousands of twisted Dao strings above her head slowly returned to normal. The circular opening gradually vanished. In the endless darkness, only the black mountain and white water remained, standing eternal.
"Next, I will impart to you the [Shadow Projection for Dao Bearing] technique."
Cheng Dao's projection also disappeared, leaving only his voice echoing through the space.
Bai Shuyue focused, listening intently.
This Shadow Projection technique was truly extraordinary.
It was as if Bai Shuyue could see Shou Qiu Gong himself, his back to all living beings, sitting upon a mountain and gazing out at the sea, single-handedly holding up a collapsing heaven. It was a breathtaking scene.
By the time she awoke from her comprehension of this profound divine art, Cheng Dao had vanished completely.
He was no longer in the depths of the Dao Net's core, nor within the Dao Net itself.
His whereabouts were unknown.
He departed with such speed and finality, like a caged bird finally set free.
Fortunately, he had left several messages. "There are still many remnants of star seas in the lower realm, but they are isolated by the Dao Annihilation, like scattered islands in a vast ocean. The only one you need to be wary of is the one closest to Shuo Xinghai, the Guangwu Xinghai."
"Within Shuo Xinghai, although there are still opposing True Immortals, they are few and far between, nothing to fear..."
Bai Shuyue carefully read through Cheng Dao's instructions, then fell into a long silence.
She tested her surroundings. The dense darkness felt like a cage. Being in the core of the Dao Net was like bearing the weight of the entire network upon her. If she weren't currently seated on the white water and black mountain, she would have been crushed to dust instantly.
"Besides the restraints of the Dao Net itself, there are also some seals Cheng Dao left behind... It seems I won't be able to leave this place until I reach a certain realm," Bai Shuyue mused with a slight shake of her head, though she wasn't particularly concerned.
This place might be no different from a prison, but for her, she could leave at any time simply by ending her own life and starting the next one.
"And it truly is an excellent place for comprehending the Dao and cultivating."
There were no rigid rules or restrictions. With a single thought, she could observe all the Dao principles collected within the Dao Net.
She could even chat occasionally with the other sealed Nameless Immortals, like Fu Gui and Rock Solid, and learn of the ancient secrets of the Immortal World.
Furthermore, she had the insights of the Mountain and Sea left by Cheng Dao to study.
Compared to the Xuanhuang Realm, this place was truly a rare, pure land for cultivation.
Bai Shuyue immersed herself in it, cultivating diligently.
In truth, the Dao Net had its own operational system. Even without her intervention, it could expand and develop on its own.
The organizations known as the Shuo Xinghai Administrative Council and the Immortal Hunt continued their work, hunting down the remaining True Immortals in the star sea to strengthen themselves.
Only when they encountered a Nameless True Immortal they absolutely could not defeat would they trigger a large-scale mobilization of the Dao Net's power.
That was when Bai Shuyue needed to act.
Fortunately, such occasions were rare, and for Bai Shuyue, it was not a difficult task.
Although the Immortal Hunt was composed mostly of mortals, they cultivated special techniques, and their research and use of the Dao Net had reached a level of near-perfection.
As the coordinator, Bai Shuyue would engrave the Dao Net's power into their bodies.
Anywhere the Dao Net covered, their might was virtually indistinguishable from that of a Nameless True Immortal.
In the three hundred years Bai Shuyue presided over the Dao Net's core, she only had to deal with Nameless True Immortals three times.
Without exception, every confrontation ended in victory for the Dao Net.
Bai Shuyue finally understood why Cheng Dao had said the True Immortals were nothing to fear.
The path to immortality in the world was already severed. The number of surviving True Immortals was limited, and with each one captured by Shuo Xinghai, their forces diminished.
The Dao Net, on the other hand, could convert every captured True Immortal into a source of power to augment itself. As for the losses incurred in battle...
Mortals were endlessly born, and the Shuo Xinghai Administrative Council had a perfect system for selecting talent.
As one side waned and the other waxed, the defeat of the True Immortals was already a foregone conclusion.
As for the Guangwu Xinghai beyond Shuo Xinghai...
She took Cheng Dao's warning very seriously. Although they had attempted to establish communication several times, Bai Shuyue ultimately decided to ignore them.
Controlling the core power of the Dao Net, she faced little opposition, even if some factions in Shuo Xinghai held different opinions.
Another seven hundred years passed. Shuo Xinghai had no more immortals to hunt.
The few remaining Nameless Immortals had all been captured and suppressed.
Peace and quiet finally settled over Shuo Xinghai.
On this day.
"Damn it. I've been had."
Standing atop the black mountain and white water, Bai Shuyue couldn't help but curse.
Nearly a thousand years had passed, but for her, it felt like the blink of an eye.
The memory of Cheng Dao making his grand promises was still vivid.
But after a millennium of experience, Bai Shuyue finally understood why Cheng Dao had been in such a hurry to leave.
"Shuo Xinghai is an isolated island. All the resources that can be observed and collected are insufficient to produce a single Transcendent being."
This was the conclusion Bai Shuyue had reached after a thousand years of seated meditation.
With the accumulated truth of thirty reincarnations, her innate potential was extraordinary.
Coupled with the uniquely advantageous cultivation conditions in the depths of the Dao Net's core...
It was safe to say that if there was even a one percent chance, she could have painstakingly achieved it.
But in reality...
At a certain point, her cultivation had hit a bottleneck.
If comprehending ten Dao paths yielded a harvest of ten, then comprehending a hundred Dao paths yielded only twenty. No matter how many more she comprehended after that, the limit was thirty.
"This is why the vast majority of True Immortals in the world first prove their Dao as Nameless, then seek transcendence."
"The path of slaying immortals that the wall mentioned is certainly not wrong. But..."
Bai Shuyue shook her head slightly. "It's predicated on there being enough immortals for me to slay."
"If the Immortal World still existed, perhaps it would be easy to accomplish. But now..."
"True Immortals are a little too rare."
Bai Shuyue looked down at the Understanding Dao Infinite Wall suppressed beneath the black mountain.
If Cheng Dao had deceived her in some aspects, he had been unusually good to the wall.
Over the thousand years, the black mountain and white water had benefited her immensely, almost as much as her gains from the Dao Net.
But this paled in comparison to the wall's transformation.
When it was first suppressed, the wall couldn't utter a single word.
But after five hundred years, it could manage a few soft groans.
After a thousand years, it could now utter a complete sentence or two from time to time.
"Don't worry! So what if Shuo Xinghai has no more True Immortals? There are others in other star seas! When I get out of here, I'll take you on a killing spree!"
Over the millennium, Bai Shuyue had heard this promise from the wall no fewer than a hundred times.
She asked wearily, "The last time I asked you when you'd be free, you said 'soon.'"
"But so much time has passed. I don't see any change in you at all."
Her gaze could faintly penetrate the black mountain and white water to see the suppressed wall within.
Compared to a thousand years ago, the change was indeed immense.
The gurgling water acted like a carving knife. Under its ceaseless, day-and-night sculpting, a human-like embryo was gestating within.
But after all these years, it had only formed a rough shape.
Not only were there no facial features, but even the limbs had yet to take form.
Faced with Bai Shuyue's doubt, the wall took a long time before managing to squeeze out another sentence. "It's only been a thousand years! For me to have changed this much is already world-shaking!"
"Do you have any idea how long it took Senior Cheng Dao to transform from a stubborn stone? Tens of thousands of years! Compared to that, I'm a genius among geniuses!"
Ignoring the wall's excuses, Bai Shuyue lightly tapped the black mountain beneath her feet.
The speed of the white water's flow seemed to quicken slightly.
"Ahhh...!"
"I can't take it, I can't take it anymore."
Ignoring the wall's wails, Bai Shuyue continued to accelerate the operation of the black mountain and white water.
After a thousand years of comprehension in this place, even if she hadn't fully grasped the true meaning of the mountain and sea here, she could at least manage this basic level of control.
Only when the wall fell completely silent and obediently endured its transformation again did Bai Shuyue let out a sigh.
After a thousand years of sitting in silence, this was the only way she could find some solace.
To be honest, after being trapped in the Dao Net for a millennium, she was getting restless.
Even the combined time of her previous thirty reincarnations didn't add up to this single session of secluded cultivation.
And in her reincarnations, she could at least witness different sceneries, people, and events.
But within this Dao Net, there was only endless darkness and the seemingly eternal, faint blue Dao strings.
The teeming life in Shuo Xinghai felt completely unrelated to her.
She felt no sense of belonging whatsoever.
Most importantly...
She missed her nephew.
"Fan'er... he's probably long since turned to dust."
Even after a thousand years, Li Fan's face had not blurred in her memory. On the contrary, it grew clearer with time, often appearing before her eyes.
"If I wasn't curious to see what the Understanding Dao Infinite Wall will look like after it transforms into a person, I would have ended this reincarnation long ago."
Bai Shuyue thought with a sense of resignation.
But she had started this, and leaving things half-finished was not her style.
"Besides, I still need to find a way to break through."
"Could it be that I really have to advance on the Guangwu Xinghai?"
"But with the Dao Annihilation in the way, what can I do?"
(End of Chapter)
Comments