Chapter 264: Mental Cultivation, Forgetfulness, and the Other Shore

Chapter 264: Mental Cultivation, Forgetfulness, and the Other Shore

Liu Shu returned to the inner regions of her family.

Upon seeing the return of the Ancestor, the younger generations of the Liu Clan hurriedly greeted her, and upon noticing that the Ancestor's complexion was rosy and without any injuries, and even her clothes were barely disheveled, they all breathed a sigh of relief.

For a noble family, any warrior below the rank of a Celestial Being could die, but the Celestial Being must not fall.

This was the backbone that supported the family.

"Did the Ancestor win this battle?" someone suddenly asked, their eyes shining with anticipation.

Liu Shu glanced at this young man and sighed softly, "I don't know whether to say that you have too much confidence in me or scold you for your lack of insight."

The warrior who had spoken earlier sheepishly lowered his head and retreated.

Liu Shu shook her head and said, "I didn't fight him. Even Xiao Tianhe and the others lost, so how could I possibly be his match?"

"It was the two from the Ten Thousand Warriors Association who accompanied me. They fought him and ended up fleeing in a panic, losing face."

A member of the Liu Clan spoke in a low voice, "Doesn't Ji Jingqiu care about the reputation of the Ten Thousand Warriors Association?"

The Ten Thousand Warriors Association was one of the top powers within the Federation, especially with the absence of a Grandmaster. Their number of Celestial Beings was among the highest, and they had two warriors ranked within the top twenty on the Celestial Being Ranking.

With the departure of the third-tier warriors, the top twenty on the Celestial Being Ranking were virtually the pinnacle of the Federation's current military might.

"What if Ji Jingqiu doesn't care about the Ten Thousand Warriors Association? What can they do?" Liu Shu chuckled, "If the Ten Thousand Warriors Association really had the guts to confront Ji Jingqiu, they wouldn't have sent those two."

The intentions of the Ten Thousand Warriors Association were clear to the western tribes.

But if they succeeded, it would be fine, and the western tribes would be grateful. However, they didn't want to end up making a fool of themselves.

Liu Shu wasn't sure if the Ten Thousand Warriors Association was overconfident or had other plans.

Regardless, the current Ten Thousand Warriors Association couldn't afford to lose face. They were hesitant and even tried to take advantage midway, using righteousness as a threat, only to end up fleeing halfway.

Liu Shu shook her head, "We've temporarily put the cooperation with the Ten Thousand Warriors Association on hold. They're either purely foolish and unaware, or they have bigger plans. Our Liu Clan will no longer be involved."

A clan member asked in a low voice, "Ancestor, are we really going to proceed with the 'division' as previously agreed with the Federation?"

Liu Shu glanced at him and said calmly, "What's wrong? Do you have an issue with me? Do you want Ji Jingqiu to find an excuse to visit again?"

Upon hearing this, the clan members immediately knelt down and explained in a panic.

Liu Shu sighed, "Alright, get up. I'm not in a good mood, but I hope you understand the situation clearly."

"Ji Jingqiu's talent and literary talent are no less than that of the Seven Marshals. His background and identity are impeccable, and he has no weaknesses. Why do you insist on provoking him at the peak of his fame?"

The warriors quickly agreed.

Following the agreement with the Federation, the entire Liu Clan began to cut off their resources, and those who had connections with the Federation had to go and serve their sentences.

For the Liu Clan, which had dominated for countless years, the fall was immeasurable. Over a hundred clan members were imprisoned, some of whom would be sentenced to death.

Someone approached Liu Shu, hoping that the Ancestor could help smooth things over with the officials.

As Liu Shu looked at the extensive list of clan members and thought about the list of charges sent by the officials, she suddenly lost interest.

She even understood Ji Jingqiu's actions to some extent.

Just as the Liu Clan was in despair, a piece of news suddenly spread, causing everyone to shudder.

Rumors claimed that someone had seen Ji Jingqiu in the west! That guy hadn't left yet!

...

The news of Ji Jingqiu's invitation to the Hundred Tribes to gather at East 3 Huang Star, combined with the news of the western region's stability, created a frenzy, with the entire martial arts community of the Federation buzzing with the name Ji Jingqiu.

From the 'Heart Image Battles Heaven Person' to the 'Rumored Wood Marshal's Successor', and then to 'One Man Sweeps the Western Regions'...

The Federation official in charge of maintaining the martial arts community looked at the platform and had only one thought—it was time for a vacation.

With such a situation, what was there to maintain? Any random news would be drowned out instantly.

Meanwhile, the Dragon-Tiger Battlefield sent out invitations to various martial arts clans.

This time, it wasn't Ji Jingqiu seeking guidance, but an invitation for the Hundred Tribes to gather at East 3 Huang Star.

The various martial arts clans who received the invitations had mixed feelings.

"They say that the tides of fortune turn, but this is too fast, right? Ji Jingqiu hasn't even visited us, and now it's our turn to visit him?"

"Where did the Dragon-Tiger Battlefield find such incredible luck to produce such a peerless genius..."

"Hahaha, let's go, follow me to East 3 Huang Star to witness the birth of the unparalleled warrior from our Hundred Tribes!"

"Ancestor, there are still two months left..."

"East 3 Huang Star? Perfect, this time I'll see if I can cooperate with Junior Ji and send my disciples from Qingyuan to the Nine Provinces for training."

Among them were warriors who had competed with Ji Jingqiu in the same era, and they would accompany their clan leaders and ancestors on the journey.

When the elders asked about Ji Jingqiu's performance at the Four Guardians Star in the past, they couldn't help but feel a sense of loss.

Vaguely remembering that night at the Four Guardians Star, someone had said in front of their peers, whether out of humility or arrogance, that they only needed to lower their eyebrows by four degrees when they saw him in the future.

But now, it wasn't just their peers...

...

...

After bidding farewell to the Celestial Beings in the west, Ji Jingqiu didn't rush to leave. Instead, he continued his journey through the western lands of the Federation.

He wanted to confirm something.

After completing his journey through the west, the vibrant vitality he had felt before descended from the void, pushing him to transform his innate Dao body and further enhance his physique.

He wasn't sure what this power was, but Hela said it was similar to the sentiments of all beings, like incense worship belief, yet distinct.

This power was incredibly pure, as clear as the sky, far surpassing the complex beliefs of the masses.

Moreover, if it were truly the beliefs of the masses, Ji Jingqiu would have been half-crippled by now. As a martial artist, being influenced by such beliefs would mean he had strayed from the right path, and his future in the martial arts would be bleak.

However, under the influence of this power, not only did he leap over the seventh shackle and illuminate the Mind Moon between his eyebrows, but he also completed the final step of his innate Dao body's transformation.

Unfortunately, after traveling for a month, he tried to communicate through the Mind Moon between his eyebrows but couldn't even capture a trace of this power in the unseen.

Besides capturing traces of this power, he also wanted to see if any of the old families would break their promises.

This situation wasn't impossible, and if it happened, he would show these remnants of the old era in the West what it meant to have the speed of light in the new era.

And with that, he set off on a month-long journey.

Along the way, he passed through mountains and rivers, gazed upon the stars above, and every sight he encountered in the heavens and earth brought him new insights.

His journey from the later stages of the shackles to the Heart Image, and even the sudden elevation of his unity with the Celestial Being to a perfect state, was too rapid, causing him to unknowingly miss out on certain insights.

Now, he was like a sponge, quickly absorbing the things he had previously 'skipped over.'

During his journey, he also met old friends like Yin Wushuang, who were traveling, and they made plans to reunite in three months' time on East 3 Huang Star.

Additionally, he finally found the long-sought-after Knife Brother and Eight Brother in the West.

Eight Brother, whom he hadn't seen in a long time, kept calling him 'little brother' with exceptional warmth, and he dragged him into a roadside restaurant.

It's worth mentioning that Eight Brother had quite a discerning taste, and the food at this fly-infested roadside restaurant was surprisingly delicious.

Even after achieving unity with the Celestial Being, Ji Jingqiu still savored the satisfaction that delicious food brought him.

Through Knife Brother, Ji Jingqiu contacted the Heavenly Artisan Workshop, and he would bring the Azure Sovereign to visit and ask for their help in refining.

"Hey, it's a good thing you contacted them through Knife Brother. If you had directly messaged the Heavenly Artisan Workshop, they might have thought you were coming to challenge them," Zhang Zhongba chuckled, raising his cup in a toast.

The teasing in his words even made Leng Dao smile.

A person's reputation precedes them, and now, wherever Ji Jingqiu went, the other party would have to carefully consider if any of their disciples had offended him, causing him to come 'asking for guidance.'

Asking for guidance was just a euphemism for challenging them.

That night, the three of them sat in the roadside restaurant and chatted until dawn.

As Leng Dao suddenly asked about his choice for this trip to the West, Ji Jingqiu thought for a moment and smiled, "If I don't want to bow my head, then others will have to bow to me."

If he couldn't bear the hardship, then others would have to.

Leng Dao stared at the night sky, his gaze slightly lost, looking at the face that had grown a little since they first met, and slowly a smile appeared.

Unbeknownst to them, the boy who had struggled between life and death in the past now stood in a position that countless others had to look up to.

He had the ability and the willingness to help those who were struggling between life and death.

Leng Dao remembered telling Ji Jingqiu that the Federation was too vast, and for one person to make their voice heard, they had to unite a portion of the people and expand their influence...

Today, Ji Jingqiu had used a different method to make his voice heard.

As they clinked their cups together, Zhang Zhongba curiously asked why Ji Jingqiu wanted to gather the Hundred Lineages on East 3 Huang Star.

Ji Jingqiu paused with his cup in hand and said, "There are some things I still need time to verify, and I can't be sure yet, but the result will only be between bad and worse. So, gathering the Hundred Lineages is necessary, and I need their power."

Using the power of the Hundred Lineages? Leng Dao and Zhang Zhongba's expressions turned solemn.

With Ji Jingqiu's current strength, if he still needed the power of the Hundred Lineages, who was he planning to fight?

...

The next day, after bidding farewell to Knife Brother and Eight Brother, Ji Jingqiu finally embarked on his return journey.

By now, he no longer needed a spaceship or Sui Shi's protection; he could travel through the Heart Ocean on his own.

On his way back, besides visiting the Heavenly Artisan Workshop and the Four Guardians Star, he also made a detour to Pingchuan Star.

Pingchuan Star.

As Ji Jingqiu emerged from the Heart Ocean and stepped onto the peak of the snowy mountain, the void in front of him suddenly shattered, and a slender snake tail lashed out at him!

It was as fast as a bolt of lightning, and the force was so intense it was terrifying, causing an explosive sound in the void! Ji Jingqiu's pupils constricted; this single tail, in terms of power, surpassed all the Celestial Beings he had encountered so far!

He was about to dodge, but this tail bloomed like a flower, containing countless transformations, and its speed was astonishing.

Ji Jingqiu had no time to think; he struck out with a palm, his palm containing the Many Worlds, accommodating all things, and directly faced this tail.

For a moment, the heavens and earth seemed to freeze.

As the gust of wind exploded, sweeping through the four directions like a storm, Ji Jingqiu retreated several steps, dissipating the force under his feet, and with each step, the snow-covered mountain shook.

He stood firm, looked up, and in the void, a black-and-white striped snake, as thin as a finger, was coiled.

Please... collect... 6... 9... books...!

It was the Void Beast, the Universe Devouring Snake, the partner of the Grandmaster Meng Pingchuan from years ago.

He looked at his palm, where a deep red mark was imprinted, and he felt as if even his bones had cracked.

Indeed, it was a Void Beast! Ji Jingqiu marveled in his heart.

Witnessing this scene, Meng Qianyun's pupils constricted.

The Snow Ancestor, currently in its youth, had a rank equivalent to the Celestial Being, but its strength surpassed that of many Celestial Beings in the Federation. However, it was still not enough to rival a Grandmaster, placing it between the Celestial Being and Grandmaster levels.

This was a pure-blooded Void Beast, known for its invincibility within its realm.

It could be said that the Snow Ancestor, in its current state, was one of the foundations of the Federation, especially in the absence of Grandmasters and Grandmasters.

And at this moment, Ji Jingqiu had single-handedly received the Snow Ancestor's tail without shattering it!

This boy's physical body was indeed as rumored, defying the heavens!

The Snow Ancestor extended its tail and scratched its head, surprised that the young man before it could receive its tail so calmly...

Just two years ago, he was still a weakling who could have been blown away by a single breath!

Suddenly, the golden eyes of the Universe Devouring Snake stood upright, and with a stretch, it crossed the void and appeared before Ji Jingqiu, staring at the 'bracelet' on his wrist.

In fact, the reason Ji Jingqiu came to visit was also because of his Universe Devouring Snake.

Since the emergence of the Ancient Road, it's been almost a year, yet the little guy has shown no signs of progress.

Snow Ancestor stared for a while, communicating through her mind, and muttered, "This color, why doesn't it look right?"

Ji Jingqiu: "..."

He felt a bit embarrassed.

Indeed, Snow Ancestor's snake body, with its black and white patterns, subtly resonated with the essence of the Great Dao's aura and foundation.

However, his own snake, against the pitch-black background, resembled a burning charcoal, glowing with a vibrant red and dotted with crimson mist.

And all of this seemed to be related to the Suffering Sea, as if some anomaly had occurred under its unique energy.

Snow Ancestor glanced around and realized that besides the color being off, everything from head to tail seemed wrong!

Oh no, it's been influenced by this kid!

Ji Jingqiu cleared his throat and explained the current state of the little guy, asking if there had been any unexpected occurrences.

Snow Ancestor shook his head, "It's just overeating. It's natural to sleep longer, but it's almost digested. Indeed, following you was the right choice. When I was born, I never had a full meal with Pingchuan!"

Hearing Snow Ancestor's grumbling, Meng Qianyun twitched his lips, pretending not to hear.

"Uncle Meng," Ji Jingqiu said with a smile, his gaze turning towards him.

"Jingqiu," Meng Qianyun, a man of few words, simply nodded, inviting him to sit down.

The three of them entered the wooden house, with Snow Ancestor coiling above Ji Jingqiu's head, commenting on the excellent feng shui of the place.

After seeking guidance from Snow Ancestor regarding the heritage of the Universe Devouring Snake, Ji Jingqiu began discussing his current cultivation realm with Meng Qianyun.

As they chatted, the topic gradually shifted to mental cultivation, and Ji Jingqiu inquired about the Embryonic Breath and the subsequent state of Forgetfulness.

"Forgetfulness..." Meng Qianyun paused for a moment before speaking, "Do you know the difference between the Supreme Grandmaster and the Grandmaster?"

Ji Jingqiu's interest was immediately piqued.

As far as he knew, the Supreme Grandmaster was also part of the Seven Realms, but it surpassed the Grandmaster, which was why it was singled out and listed as a separate realm.

Similarly, after he broke through to the Celestial Being Realm, people would come to understand the true nature of the 'Extreme Realm' within the Celestial Being Realm.

Perhaps, there would be an additional realm solely for him above the three steps of the Celestial Being Realm.

"Isn't it because the Supreme Grandmaster is infinitely close to the Eighth Realm?" Ji Jingqiu asked.

Currently, the Grand Universe's suppression of the Heaven and Earth was extremely strict and heavy, not allowing the existence of life beyond the Seventh Realm.

According to Ji Jingqiu's understanding, this was related to the fall of the Primordial Five Pillars, but the specific reason was still unknown.

The recent departure of the Federation's Grandmasters was connected to the anomalies in the rules of Heaven and Earth, and they were said to have a chance to make further progress.

So, those 'old men' decided to take a risk, believing in themselves rather than the younger generation.

"That's one way to put it, but it's not the root cause," Meng Qianyun said slowly. "The real difference between the Supreme Grandmaster and the Grandmaster lies in the mental realm, which is the gap between Embryonic Breath and Forgetfulness."

Ji Jingqiu's eyes narrowed, knowing the loftiness of the Forgetfulness Realm, but he hadn't expected it to be this unique.

Within the Federation's martial arts system, the introduction of the mental realm usually stopped at Embryonic Breath.

Few people elaborated on Forgetfulness because this realm was not widely known.

In the hearts of most martial artists, Embryonic Breath was considered the highest level of mental cultivation, an extremely profound realm where the formation of the Sacred Embryo was just the first step.

And above Embryonic Breath was Forgetfulness—

Ji Jingqiu whispered, "Dismember the body, cast aside intelligence, depart from form and knowledge, and merge with the great oneness. This is called Forgetfulness—"

"Not bad."

Meng Qianyun's eyes also shone with yearning, "Only by forgetting the sensations of the body and discarding secular wisdom can one achieve unity with the Great Dao. In ancient times, this realm was also known as the 'Sage'."

Ji Jingqiu nodded.

This step was somewhat different from what he had read about the Great Dao Sage in his previous life.

The distinction was not in becoming one with the Dao, being its incarnation, without personal desires, and being fair and just. Instead, it was about transcending from understanding the Dao to understanding oneself.

In simpler terms, it was about returning to one's true self.

In fact, almost every calamity of the Celestial Being Realm's Three Calamities carried the risk of losing oneself.

Whether it was the vast divine abilities of unity with Heaven and Heart or the freedom and joy of roaming through various worlds, they all came with the risk of losing one's self, a hurdle that Celestial Being cultivators had to overcome.

At this hurdle, the weight of the cultivator's true self became extremely important.

"Unwarranted..." Ji Jingqiu murmured.

Those who achieve Forgetfulness gain and lose through their thoughts.

What are these thoughts?

They are also delusions.

The realm of Forgetfulness had a similar essence to his Formless Path.

"The Great Dao leads to different paths but converges at the same destination," Ji Jingqiu sighed, then asked, "Uncle Meng, what realm is above Forgetfulness?"

Meng Qianyun shook his head, "Even the Ancestor doesn't know what's above Forgetfulness, but there was a message left behind, saying that only the Seven Marshals had glimpsed beyond Forgetfulness. It is said that Mu Shuai truly crossed that step."

Upon hearing that even the Supreme Grandmaster didn't know what was beyond Forgetfulness, Ji Jingqiu couldn't help but be curious. He sought external help and asked Hela.

"Forgetfulness is the ultimate of the Great Dao on this side. Beyond Forgetfulness lies the Other Shore."

The Other Shore?

Ji Jingqiu spoke to himself.

Embryonic Breath, Forgetfulness, and the Other Shore—were these the final three realms of mental cultivation?

"How can one break through Forgetfulness?" Meng Qianyun shook his head, "Don't think too far ahead. To break through this realm, you must at least reach the Grandmaster level, see the existence of the Dharma Realm, and then open the path. If you can't even see the Great Dao, how can you talk about unity with the Dao?"

Ji Jingqiu's expression changed slightly as he recalled the divine ability he had created, 'Origin of Unity,' which incorporated the mysteries of the Dharma Realm.

However, his current mental cultivation was indeed far from Forgetfulness. Even with Embryonic Breath, he hadn't fully grasped all its mysteries; he had only reached the initial stage.

At this point, Ji Jingqiu and Meng Qianyun began discussing the cultivation of Embryonic Breath.

"Upon reaching the Embryonic Breath Realm, the mind can roam through various dimensional universes, analyzing their mysteries. From the endless worlds, one can draw various energies for their use, and the Sacred Embryo will also be purified. This is the true meaning of the Embryonic Breath Realm, and the gap between realms is vast, depending entirely on one's 'accumulation'."

Meng Qianyun thought for a moment and said,

"You should quickly achieve Mind-Body Integration, which will give you a chance to pry open the doors to various worlds and experience the true profundity of Embryonic Breath."

Mind-Body Integration?

Ji Jingqiu shook his head inwardly.

His current logic was the opposite; he wanted to use the power of various worlds to help him achieve Mind-Body Integration!

The Formless Heavenly Devil Technique... It's indeed something to look forward to.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end