Chapter 1661: The Wondrous Method at the End of Time
"To perceive the Great Dao of Mountain and Sea through Empty Thought."
Xing Fu was profoundly shaken by the vision the Nameless True Immortal had described.
But his awe quickly soured into dejection. "I can't even reach the Transcendent Realm, let alone glimpse this Great Dao of Mountain and Sea. Perhaps you venerable seniors can, but I..."
Just then, the last of the Five Fellow Calamity Venerables cut him off with a sharp reprimand. "When Shou Qiu Gong attained the Great Dao of Longevity, he was not even as powerful as you are now! How can you be so certain it's impossible?"
"Whether one can obtain the Great Dao of Mountain and Sea depends entirely on personal fate and fortune; it has very little to do with individual strength. For all we know, a mere mortal could master it! So why can't we?"
As the voice spoke, Xing Fu felt his surroundings dim and grow obscure.
It was as if he had plunged back into the Dao Annihilation, severed from the light and life of the Mountain and Sea.
From this, Xing Fu knew the Venerable's title: Light Death.
Not daring to retort, he could only force a smile and say, "Your lesson is well-received, senior."
They understood, however, as this concept completely contradicted the fundamental cultivation system of the Mountain and Sea.
The Nameless True Immortal spoke again. "This isn't a matter of blind optimism on our part. First, as Light Death said, there is a precedent in the Mountain and Sea. And second..."
"Within our own possibility, there were indeed signs of another, unknown Mountain and Sea Great Dao appearing. We simply failed to capture it. It vanished in a flash, leaving no trace."
"And the place where that Great Dao appeared was not in the Immortal Realm, but in the Star Sea of the lower realm."
This was the first time Xing Fu had ever heard such a secret, and he was both astonished and bewildered.
"Before the realm of Saints, we are all but ants before the Mountain and Sea, utterly insignificant. What difference is there between a Transcendent and a mortal? It all comes down to personal fate and fortune," the Nameless True Immortal said with a faint smile.
After this explanation, Xing Fu was finally able to reluctantly accept the idea.
But a new question arose in his mind. "Shou Qiu Gong came from our homeland, but besides him, there was news of another Longevity Dao? Could it be that the Great Daos of Mountain and Sea are not so rare? Otherwise, why would they both appear in the same possibility?"
"Perhaps it was a simple coincidence. Or perhaps..." The Nameless True Immortal exchanged a glance with the other Venerables of the Life and Death Realm and said slowly, "it was precisely because Shou Qiu Gong obtained the Great Dao of Longevity that it attracted the other Mountain and Sea Great Dao to manifest."
"Hmm?" This was a thought that had never crossed Xing Fu's mind, and he was momentarily stunned.
"Like attracts like?"
"That's one way to understand it. In truth, the remaining Great Daos of Mountain and Sea are few and far between. Moreover, if a Great Dao becomes part of you, concealing yourself becomes exceedingly easy. It's almost impossible for others to detect you, unless you choose to reveal it, as Shou Qiu Gong did. Otherwise, not even a Saint could track you down."
"So, for two Great Daos of Mountain and Sea to have appeared in our homeland back then was truly a stroke of supreme fortune," the Nameless True Immortal mused with a slight sigh.
"A pity it was of no use. The Immortal Realm was ultimately destroyed," Xing Fu sighed in return.
"Destroyed... not necessarily," the Nameless True Immortal said, his tone shifting abruptly.
Xing Fu froze, about to press for more, but the Nameless True Immortal had already moved past the topic.
"Compared to the Other Shore and the Sacred Dynasty, the Life and Death Realm is indeed weaker. However, unlike their philosophy of being 'unrelated to the final outcome,' we still hold affection for our former home."
"The method of Empty Thought can save our ruined homeland. At the same time, it allows us to seek traces of the Mountain and Sea Great Dao—a single effort with multiple rewards. Therefore, compared to the other powers in the Mountain and Sea, we have our own unique advantage."
"But the Dao of Mountain and Sea is a matter of great importance. Only an awakened one like you is qualified to know of it. As for the others, whether they live peacefully or assist in the Empty Thought Construction, it is their own choice. We will not force them," Light Death explained eloquently.
Xing Fu bowed his head. "The Venerables are most merciful!"
"May I ask the venerable seniors, how many 'awakened ones' like myself are there in the Life and Death Realm?"
"Not too many, but not too few either. Including you, and not counting us, there are twenty-three. You will meet them later," Light Death replied.
Hearing this, Xing Fu was secretly astounded.
Based on what the Venerables had said earlier, it seemed the previous awakened ones were all in the Transcendent Realm.
Including the Venerables themselves, the power of the Life and Death Realm was truly not to be underestimated.
"Do you have any other questions? You may ask them all now. After this, we will not always have the time to meet with you."
Xing Fu pondered for a moment before shaking his head.
"Very well. Next, we shall bestow upon you the true divine ability of Empty Thought Construction. This is the key to touching and depicting the Great Dao of Mountain and Sea. You must comprehend it with care!" the Nameless True Immortal declared in a solemn voice.
As he spoke, the figures of the eight Venerables of the Life and Death Realm vanished from Xing Fu's sight.
In their place hung a single, dazzling yellow crystal.
It was remarkably similar to the one Xing Fu had seen in the primordial immortal realm of Empty Thought.
But this one was infinitely more complex.
Each of its facets seemed to shimmer with endless lights and shadows.
Upon closer inspection, each facet appeared to be further divisible, endlessly and without limit.
Xing Fu's mind was captivated, and the voices of the Venerables echoed in his ears.
"The method of Empty Thought reconstruction originates from that Mountain and Sea Walker."
"He himself was not the creator of this divine ability. Its true origin lies with the last genius among us cultivators, in the final moments of the Mountain and Sea."
"At that time, only a single possibility in the Mountain and Sea was left, struggling to survive. It was the last hope for all surviving beings."
"All the Saints had perished in the long war against the Dao Annihilation."
"Even in such a desperate situation, we cultivators did not give up. A great number of astonishingly brilliant figures still emerged. It was the final elegy of our kind."
"And the one who created the method of Empty Thought Construction was the most radiant star among them. His talent was so immense that it even surpassed that of the Mountain and Sea Walker. It was only with his help that the Mountain and Sea Walker could journey from the end of the Mountain and Sea to its beginning, safely crossing the Eternal Silent Void Realm."
As they introduced the origin of the method, Xing Fu felt as if he could see the flickering phantoms of the Mountain and Sea's final days upon the infinite-faceted yellow crystal.
Each facet reflected a trace left behind by a possibility that had once existed in the Mountain and Sea.
Countless possibilities converged at the end of time.
At the moment of the Mountain and Sea's final silence, they transformed into a single, brilliant yellow gem.
Observe its traces, recall one's own memories.
The scene stirs the emotions, the two are compared.
Recreated from nothingness, reconstructed from Empty Thought.
"Wondrous beyond words!"
Xing Fu gestured wildly with excitement, unable to stop himself from crying out in praise.
The yellow crystal suddenly erupted with countless beams of light, overwhelming his vision and senses before vanishing into his sea of consciousness.
When Xing Fu could see again, the Venerables of the Life and Death Realm were gone.
Below him, over a thousand phantom rivers flowed side by side, roaring and churning.
More than a dozen figures hovered above them, observing something, their forms occasionally flickering with the aura of Empty Thought Construction.
As for the Venerables...
They did not seem to be in this space.
Although Xing Fu had become an awakened one, the Calamity of Life and Death imposed no mandatory tasks.
Everything was left to his own will.
Of course, if he made a contribution in the search for the Mountain and Sea Great Dao, the Venerables would not be stingy with their rewards.
Whether it was discussing cultivation with the Venerables themselves or having them help stabilize his Empty Thought homeland, as long as the request was not too outrageous, the Venerables would grant it.
Xing Fu had once wondered, if they truly managed to depict the form of the Mountain and Sea Great Dao, who would ultimately claim that path to the heavens?
Would the members of the Calamity of Life and Death turn on each other, fighting and killing for it?
But without needing an explanation from the Venerables, Xing Fu soon understood on his own.
The Great Dao of Mountain and Sea could not be stolen or seized.
Everything depended on one's own fate and fortune.
It wasn't crucial who in the Life and Death Realm ultimately wielded that Great Dao. What was crucial was that *a cultivator from the Life and Death Realm* controlled it.
"In other words, everyone has a chance to ascend to the heavens in a single step, just like Shou Qiu Gong." As this thought arose, Xing Fu was filled with a soaring fighting spirit.
He didn't rest, immediately activating the method of Empty Thought and beginning the process of depiction and comparison.
Empty Thought Construction, repeated comparison, all to grope for the Mountain and Sea Great Dao.
The process was much like painting picture after picture.
At first, it might feel novel.
But slowly, it would begin to feel tedious.
Because you would discover that as you gradually approached the truth, no matter how many more pictures you copied, they would all be identical.
Without any difference.
How could that which was erased by the Dao Annihilation be so easily perceived and reproduced?
One could only rely on a chance flash of inspiration amidst countless attempts.
"No wonder there are twenty-three awakened ones, but only sixteen are here." Xing Fu vaguely understood.
The others had lost hope and chosen to give up.
But the choices of others would not affect Xing Fu.
He repeated the Empty Thought Construction tirelessly, relying on his keen intuition and memories of the past, comparing them with all his heart.
Though each repetition yielded no results and was mind-numbingly dull, he reveled in it.
Immersed in the process, he was oblivious to the passage of time.
New awakened ones arrived, and some, in despair, gave up.
Xing Fu remained, standing steadfast above the flowing river phantoms, creating one painting after another.
But...
Heaven's Dao does not necessarily reward diligence, and effort does not always yield results.
Despite Xing Fu's tireless attempts, he made not a single shred of progress.
The Great Dao of Mountain and Sea was like an invisible specter.
No matter what method you used, you could not seem to capture it.
Even with Xing Fu's resolute spirit, he couldn't help but feel a pang of frustration.
In a daze, his thoughts drifted back to the time when two Great Daos of Mountain and Sea had appeared simultaneously in the primordial immortal realm.
"Like attracts like..."
"This aimless process of Empty Thought is far too inefficient. Even if I continue until the end of the Mountain and Sea, I probably won't even catch a glimpse of its shadow."
"If only I could wield the Great Dao of Longevity like Shou Qiu Gong. Using it as a lure, perhaps I could fish out this hidden specter."
At this thought, Xing Fu's eyes suddenly narrowed.
It was as if he had touched upon something crucial, and his gaze shifted several times in an instant.
For a split second, he seemed to become a different person, but then it felt like a mere illusion.
The moment of enlightenment passed as if it had never happened.
Xing Fu continued his repetitive labor.
Until one day, the tranquility of the Life and Death Realm was shattered.
An unknown amount of time had passed since Xing Fu's arrival in the Life and Death Realm.
When a rift was suddenly torn open above the phantom rivers, revealing the scene of the Mountain and Sea outside, Xing Fu was startled into awareness.
The Mountain and Sea seemed to have undergone a cataclysmic change during that time.
Having copied the painting of possibilities countless times, Xing Fu's perception of the Mountain and Sea and the Dao Annihilation had, without him realizing, become a thousand times sharper than before.
At this moment, he could clearly feel the seething of the Dao Annihilation outside.
Just like when he had sensed the true meaning of the Solitary Sail's transcendence in the Guangwu Xinghai, the Dao Annihilation had become incredibly active, its aggression dozens of times greater than normal.
And this hostility from the Dao Annihilation was not confined to a single area.
Instead, it seemed to be...
Everywhere! Across all mountains and seas!
"What on earth happened?"
A question surfaced in Xing Fu's mind.
Before he could investigate, all the Venerables of the Life and Death Realm, including the Nameless True Immortal, had appeared, blocking the torn rift.
Only then did the oppressive feeling from the Mountain and Sea's Dao Annihilation weaken slightly.
And only then were the many flowing streams of Empty Thought able to maintain their existence.
"I didn't expect to find an extra prize."
A cold voice descended from above.
A figure in rustling purple robes, a red mole on their brow like a third eye, swept a cold gaze over the crowd below.
Behind the purple-robed figure stood three other silhouettes.
The aura emanating from each was no weaker than that of the Venerables of the Life and Death Realm.
"We have no quarrel with you. Why do you press us today?" asked Light Death, one of the Five Fellow Calamity Venerables, suppressing his anger.
The purple-robed figure replied coldly, "By the Saint's command, we search the mountains and inspect the seas! Do not court your own doom!"
"A Saint... such arrogance. Why don't you go search the Tai Wei Sacred Dynasty?" a white-haired youth retorted sarcastically.
"Do you think the Sacred Dynasty isn't being searched?" the purple-robed figure sneered.
At these words, the expressions of everyone in the Life and Death Realm changed in unison.
For both the Saints of the Other Shore and the Tai Wei Saint Emperor to attach such importance to it...
The Mountain and Sea Great Dao?
Countless thoughts flashed through the minds of the Venerables, but the purple-robed figure had already grown impatient. "I'll say it one last time, do not court your own doom!"
A bolt of violet lightning suddenly flashed.
A deafening roar thundered, nearly shattering the Life and Death Realm itself.
"What you are looking for is not here," the Nameless True Immortal said.
The purple-robed figure narrowed their eyes and smiled. "Just because you say it isn't, means it isn't?"
"What a joke!"
The purple figure's form swelled by billions of times in an instant.
It grew even larger than all the flowing phantom rivers below combined, intent on seeing through all the secrets of this realm.
This act enraged the people of the Life and Death Realm.
The Nameless True Immortal threw out a long, blank scroll. Though it was empty, it seemed to be filled with tens of thousands of dense, intricate characters.
One of those characters seemed to correspond directly to the Dao of the purple-robed figure.
On the blank scroll, that character shifted from illusory to real.
And the purple-robed figure's expanding form seemed to be pulled by some force, gradually shrinking back to its original size.
"In that case... don't blame me for being discourteous."
"Once I turn this place upside down, I'll naturally find out what you're hiding."
Rumbling thunder echoed from beyond the Life and Death Realm.
Although the purple-robed figure's cosmic manifestation had been shattered, from outside the rift, an even more massive pair of hands reached in.
"We can't hide it any longer. Let's move."
Seeing this, the Nameless True Immortal sighed.
Comments