Chapter 304: The Supreme Path of the World Honored One

Chapter 304: The Supreme Path of the World Honored One

Sensing the familiar aura, Helra merely observed with a cold gaze.

As one of the Four Demons, she was more familiar with the "Heavenly Will" of this Great Universe than the True Saints of the Three Thousand Yanvuti.

There were only two things that truly concerned her at the moment, and the Great Universe's Heavenly Will, which was still awakening, was not one of them. Even if it turned its "gaze" towards them, it would only be a fleeting glance, and when it fully awakened, it would only require a little caution.

The first thing that truly caught her attention was that Ji Jingqiu had somehow made contact with the will of the Great Universe at this moment.

When a cultivator in the Great Universe breaks through the Tianren realm, they often do so with the support of a planet's will, receiving an intangible gift in return.

Take the Mu family, for example, where generations of ancestral masters and Tianren have worked tirelessly, along with the efforts of Mu Shitian, to cultivate the Mu family's ancestral planet to the point where it can support the creation of a new realm.

When a cultivator breaks through the Tianren realm on the Mu family's ancestral planet, they can gain the planet's recognition and receive a much greater gift compared to other planets.

In the Great Universe, planets are the embodiment of "Earth" and the dwelling place of "Virtue".

The "Sky", on the other hand, represents the Dharma Realm and the abode of the Dao.

The interaction between Heaven and Earth, and the touching of Virtue and the Dao, forms the complete will of the Great Universe.

Each planet's will can be considered a part of the Great Universe's will, but the Great Universe's will is not merely the sum of all individual planet's wills.

The latter is even more vast, profound, boundless, and lofty...

And also more "heartless".

This time, when the rules of the Great Universe were in turmoil and accepting cultivators from various realms, the Great Universe did not give much leeway to the native civilizations.

Ji Jingqiu attracting the attention of the Great Universe's will at this moment meant that he had gained its notice.

In the future, when he breaks through the Tianren realm, there is a chance that he will receive a gift from the Great Universe's will, forging an unparalleled Tianren foundation.

The second thing that Helra was concerned about, and the one that she was most worried about at the moment, was what Ji Jingqiu had said earlier.

After the Great Universe's will briefly paused and left, Helra immediately asked, "What did you mean by what you said earlier? What did you see that even attracted the attention of the Great Universe's Heavenly Will?"

The Dao Fruit was the embodiment of a supreme cultivator's path, representing a path that could lead to transcendence and the attainment of eternal immortality.

On such a path, both time and fate were inevitably involved.

During Ji Jingqiu's attempt to seize the Dao Fruit, he might have witnessed a portion of the River of Time.

This was what Helra was truly concerned about.

Ji Jingqiu gradually emerged from the uncontrollable emotions, regaining his clarity, and realized that his physical body was undergoing another purification in the Sea of Suffering.

He initially wanted to sever the connection, but soon discovered that his body's treasures were being activated by the tempering of the Sea of Suffering.

Countless orifices on his body, like stars, lit up one after another, and tiny talismans, as bright as miniature suns, rapidly condensed under the washing of the Sea of Suffering.

Ji Jingqiu felt a connection with his body and couldn't afford to talk much with Helra. His spirit entered his physical body, and he chanted the six-character mantra of the Supreme Path, which was not only a mental technique but also a body-forging technique at this moment.

Amidst the grand heavenly sound, it seemed to explain the mysteries of the beginning of all things and the opening of the universe. The manifestation in the heavenly sound was not the Buddha but his own image, with only himself in his heart.

He used the six-character mantra to subdue his physical body, and his body resonated, tempering his body's orifices with the help of the Sea of Suffering.

As he recited each syllable, his various orifices resonated and opened one after another.

All the orifices on his body opened, emitting a faint glow, like countless stars in the sky, and with each opening, a talisman appeared.

Finally, as the water of the Sea of Suffering approached saturation and retreated on its own, nine hundred and ninety-nine talismans appeared on Ji Jingqiu's body.

The first level of 'Hangwu Ji' required the condensation of three thousand talismans, which consumed a lot of resources. However, with just one tempering in the Sea of Suffering, he had condensed one-third of the talismans.

Ji Jingqiu felt his body's orifices interconnected, and his already robust and vigorous physical body seemed to have reached a new level.

Each of the orifices was like a small world in the making, giving birth to heaven and earth...

No wonder it was a Supreme Law!

He slowly opened his eyes, and his gaze was clear and profound, penetrating layer upon layer of void, gazing upon the vast and boundless starry sky spanning millions of years.

"Physical Body Saint..."

Ji Jingqiu whispered, for this was the true essence of this Supreme Law.

According to the previous cultivator's deduction, by opening three thousand orifices, absorbing three thousand talismans, and evolving three thousand miniature worlds into one; with the protection of the primordial chaos energy from the beginning of creation, all laws would yield; and ultimately, the true spirit would transcend the River of Time and Fate, residing in the Primordial Realm.

At this point, one's body would likely become an infinite realm.

This seemed to have already surpassed the True Saint level.

It was unknown how far that Supreme Saint had progressed and whether he had pushed this law to its limits.

At this moment, Helra was still urging Ji Jingqiu.

In her opinion, this Supreme Law was already within their grasp, and even the Dao Fruit had been plucked by the Bodhi Tree. How could he possibly escape?

After a long while, Ji Jingqiu finally spoke of the scene he had witnessed earlier and the insights he gained from the Bodhi tree.

It was only at this moment that he began to understand some things.

Some matters, in fact, had their answers planted long ago, like how the Bodhi tree needed to take root in the Sea of Suffering to progress further.

Similarly, for the Supreme Law, where was the Dao Fruit of the Fire Prison Buddhist Hell Visualization Diagram?

Ji Jingqiu stood in the inner realm, reaching out to gently touch the small Bodhi tree.

The tree's divine strangeness stemmed from it being a part of the Dao Fruit.

"The World-Honored One's lineage, the end of the world as the highest," Ji Jingqiu suddenly spoke in a low voice, "The Wood Master... was originally on the verge of success."

Helra's eyes were deep and mysterious, and some of her suspicions were confirmed.

She feigned a cold laugh and said, "Do you believe everything he says?"

Ji Jingqiu murmured, "The Wood Master only needs to sit back and watch the Sea of Suffering riot, wait for this world to welcome the great calamity, and then seize the opportunity to make a grand vow. Then, at the end of the world, he can unite with the Dao, achieve a perfect reward body, and enter the realm of transcendence in one fell swoop."

Helra fell silent.

She had personally experienced the so-called end of the world and knew what it implied—

The Great Dao fades, and the immortals and Buddhas struggle to survive. All things return to chaos, and even their incomplete transcendence couldn't escape reckoning. In the end, they were just lucky to lead the people of their divine country away from their homeland, losing the reliance on the Dao Fruit, and becoming the people without a homeland.

She didn't ask the reason because it was indeed something that Wood Shitian, the guy who tried to shoulder the burden of the Sea of Suffering, would do.

It was nothing more than God's love for the world, or perhaps...

"My Buddha is merciful."

Ji Jingqiu whispered, and the Wood Master's reward body was still there, probably suppressing the Eye of the Sea of Suffering. This was also one of the reasons why his Fire Prison Buddhist Hell Visualization Diagram Dao Fruit was incomplete.

"Did he pave a new path for you, or are you planning to continue on his old path?" Helra suddenly asked.

In her opinion, the end of the world in this era was destined to arrive; it was just a matter of time.

Ji Jingqiu only needed to follow the steps, and before the end of the world arrived, he could reach the eighth realm and have a chance to ascend to heaven in one step!

Ji Jingqiu remained silent.

To reach the end of this path meant that the world would face the end of the world, and the Wood Master had chosen to stop because he realized this and couldn't bear to see the world suffer. In the end, the Great Dao turned against him, and he perished, his Dao extinguished.

"I'm different from the Wood Master," Ji Jingqiu said, "Under the guidance of Master He, I've already embarked on a brand new path."

"Besides..."

"The Wood Master didn't leave me an old path!"

Perhaps this was the reason why neither Master He nor the Wood Master had left him a complete fundamental law.

The path of the predecessors had already reached its end.

Just like the Dao Fruit of Hangwu Ji, which needed a new bestowal and completion not long ago.

Thinking of this, Ji Jingqiu looked up at the Bodhi tree, where the illusory Dao Fruit hung near the tree's crown.

Helra remained silent for a long time, and even after witnessing the "truth" that Ji Jingqiu had glimpsed today, she felt a sense of awe.

"What are you planning to do next?"

Ji Jingqiu calmly replied, "It's nothing more than continuing my cultivation."

"It's time to break through to the Tianren realm."

...

...

In the Eastern Star of the Flaming Federation, the Four Divine Lords Temple.

"Hello, here's my ID."

Zhang Qingyang passed the temple entrance's inspection and entered the temple with interest, walking up the stone steps.

There were many Federation believers worshipping the local deity.

As Zhang Qingyang walked deeper into the temple, feeling the chaotic incense and faith that filled the air, he squinted and looked up.

Four divine statues stood tall above, each with distinct appearances and auras.

The one on the far left looked relatively young, with sword-like eyebrows and starry eyes, exuding a free and unconstrained air, full of heroic spirit.

However, the one next to him was calm and dignified, as if he had been in a high position for a long time, and his deep gaze seemed to contain all things. Just the aura emanating from the statue made Zhang Qingyang feel restrained, as if he were facing his own Dao Lord.

The one next to him had slightly white hair and a relaxed aura, but if one observed him with their spiritual perception, they would find him elusive and indescribable, like a vast void.

The statue on the far right had a serene expression, like a drawn sword, sharp and piercing. Zhang Qingyang couldn't even make out his features before he had to avert his gaze.

He sighed inwardly, feeling that the stronger they were, the harder it was to look at them directly.

According to the information they had gathered in the Federation, these statues were originally "formless," but recently, they had undergone "some" changes.

Moreover, the Federation's Four Divine Lords Temple had only established a main temple in the Four Shrine Star, and it wasn't open to the general public. However, they had now built branch temples in various places, collecting faith and power.

Based on the Federation's current progress, these actions weren't temporary but had been planned in advance.

All these actions implied that the Flaming Federation wasn't planning to sit idly by during the imminent invasion of the Four Demons.

But would it be of any use?

Zhang Qingyang shook his head slightly.

These four were indeed special, and during their heyday, they were among the top powerhouses in the Three Thousand Yanvuti. However, they were far from enough to face the Four Demons.

The current Federation was merely "waiting to die."

Despite this, Zhang Qingyang didn't leave after a brief glance but stood in a corner, observing the crowds coming and going and the statues on the platform.

In the end, his gaze lingered the longest on the first deity statue.

There was a reason for this; according to the clan records, ten thousand years ago, a man wearing a bamboo hat and wielding a sword had saved half of the Zhang clan and protected their ancestral land.

This man, who didn't even leave his name, was later investigated by the Ancestral Masters and found to be named Yang Qingshan. He had died in his hometown.

At some point, a middle-aged man approached Zhang Qingyang.

It was Zhuang Butong.

To this day, Zhuang Butong continued to walk the path of martial arts, albeit at a slower and steadier pace. He had just perfected his superior body and entered the realm of divine wandering.

As the main officiant of this shrine, Zhuang Butong had absolute control over the surrounding area and had noticed Zhang Qingyang earlier.

Zhang Qingyang didn't even glance at this "shrine officiant." He simply looked up at the four deity statues with a hint of sadness.

Then, he asked Zhuang Butong a question:

"How many of your Yan Huang descendants know about the past of these four deities? Are they truly free, doing as they please, unconstrained, and following the great path alone?"

Without waiting for Zhuang Butong's response, Zhang Qingyang continued, "In my hometown, strong individuals like them would not die so easily. Even if they did die, their spirits would be enshrined in the Ancestral Hall at the highest point of the sect. Their legendary deeds would be memorized by every disciple who joined the sect, inspiring future generations."

Zhang Qingyang paused, then said sincerely, "I've been standing here for an afternoon, and I feel like these four were born here, which is a pity."

He didn't mean anything else; he just felt it was a waste.

After standing here for half a day, observing the past worshippers, the chaotic incense smoke, and not finding a single "sincere" one, Zhuang Butong didn't rush to answer. He just glanced at Yang Shuai's statue and asked, "Not even one stick of incense?"

Zhang Qingyang remained silent.

After offering three sticks of incense, he turned to Zhuang Butong and said, "The Zhang clan of Qingyun Realm is willing to accept the homeland of our benefactor. If you decide, find me on the Eastern Third Huang Star."

With that, Zhang Qingyang strode out of the shrine, ready to find a place for a drink.

As he walked, he inadvertently wandered into an old street filled with a heavy atmosphere of food and drink, which piqued his curiosity.

The Eastern Third Huang Star had been renovated more than once, so how could there still be such an old street? Were they stubborn holdouts?

Tsk, no wonder it's a federal political system.

Looking around, he saw various snacks, and every shop had a sign hanging at the entrance, advertising "The First Martial Arts Genius of the Federation."

Zhang Qingyang was puzzled by this. Who was this person, and why was he given such a grand title?

He entered the shop, ordered a bowl of sour and spicy noodles, a specialty of the house, and casually asked the shopkeeper, "Who is this?"

The shopkeeper gave him a look as if to say, "Are you kidding me?" and pointed to a photo on the wall.

Zhang Qingyang looked at the photo of a young boy, unsure of his age, and hesitated for a long time before daring to recognize him.

When the sour and spicy noodles were served, the crystal-clear noodles soaked in the spicy and fragrant broth, he peered through the rising steam and carefully asked the shopkeeper, "Is this person named Ji?"

The shopkeeper rolled her eyes.

There was no need for an answer; it was obvious.

Recently, there had been an increasing number of "fools" on the Eastern Third Huang Star.

Zhang Qingyang sighed, thinking that this was also a possibility.

He picked up his chopsticks and rubbed them together. Just as he was about to eat, he suddenly widened his eyes and looked up at the shop's entrance.

A vast aura descended from the heavens, like an invisible wind sweeping across the planet's surface.

Along with it came a will that was omnipresent, immense, and indescribable.

Immense, vast, boundless, and icy, it seemed to have been born since the beginning of the universe.

In Zhang Qingyang's perception, this will was powerful enough to crush any concept they had known, even the Heavenly Kings and Heavenly Sovereigns of their sect. Could this be...

The will of the Grand Universe?

Was this possible?

As they sensed the aura emanating from the depths of the celestial temple above, including Zhang Qingyang and the various warriors from different realms who were temporarily "monitoring" the Eastern Third Huang Star, their hearts trembled.

This guy... Has he become stronger again?

It hadn't been long since he had raised his Dao Foundation and achieved a significant breakthrough. How could he have improved again?

This guy doesn't play by the rules!

For a moment, everyone felt a sense of discord.

They silently prayed for him to quickly break through to the Tianren realm and stop "stirring up trouble" in the Heart-Mind realm. His Dao Foundation was already deep enough; adding more would be like building a terrifying reputation that could shock others to death.

But on second thought, once he breaks through to the Tianren realm, wouldn't he dominate the Grand Universe?

This force, destined to fall, had unexpectedly produced such an anomaly in the end.

...

Eastern Third Huang Star.

As the former residence of Ji Jingqiu, it had long been "sealed off," prohibiting tourists from sightseeing...

At this moment,

Several figures quietly infiltrated the not-too-big, not-too-small residence.

"There's no trace of him here," one of them shook his head. "Let's leave quickly. It's not a place to linger. We don't want to attract his attention."

"It's a pity. The federal authorities have cleaned up too thoroughly. If we could find something important, we might be able to offer it as a sacrifice to the Divine Lord."

"Someone whispered.

"Let's depart, it's time for us to return as well. The main priests from various places have already arrived, and we from the Four Shen Temples cannot be absent."

At that moment, everyone felt the aura descending from above, thinking that they had been discovered. Their faces changed abruptly, and they immediately crossed into the void, leaving the place!

...

After everything was ready, Ji Jingqiu's original body continued his cultivation, using divine medicine as a medium to completely integrate the Zhenling Pool with the inner heavens.

His mind spanned across all realms, and he once again entered his clone.

"Congratulations to Wutian Shishu for comprehending the Great Dao. The future looks promising."

Not far away, the Tianzun who was guarding the library sensed Ji Jingqiu's awakening and nodded.

Ji Jingqiu stood up and cupped his hands, "Thank you, Shixiong, for protecting the Dao."

"You're too kind." Hansheng Tianzun smiled faintly, "Shidi has just comprehended the Supreme Law, and he still needs time to consolidate it. I won't disturb you any further."

After expressing his gratitude, Ji Jingqiu left and returned to his Daochang.

Upon returning to his Daochang, he sensed Han Haidaoren waiting outside the door and invited him into the Daochang.

"Congratulations to Wutian Shishu for your sudden enlightenment and understanding of the Great Dao!"

As soon as he entered the Daochang, Han Hai hurriedly offered his congratulations and temporarily selected a rare treasure from his collection to present to Ji Jingqiu.

Ji Jingqiu waved his hand casually, indicating that the packed items should be placed aside.

"Have they decided when we will set off?" he asked.

Mentioning the expedition to the Grand Universe, Han Hai immediately became spirited and said, "I've been paying attention. The personnel selection is still ongoing, and it may take some time."

"Selection?"

Han Hai spoke in a low voice, "This quota seems to be for selecting mental warriors, but in reality, it involves the positions of various lineages in the Grand Universe's branch teachings. So, it's not as simple as it appears on the surface."

Ji Jingqiu shook his head.

The grandeur of the Tiansheng Lake was not only reflected in its vast resources but also in this power struggle.

"Who is in charge of this matter? Also, help me prepare some cultivation resources. Don't worry about the quota, I need them for my cultivation of the Supreme Law."

Ji Jingqiu obtained the information from Han Hai and personally sent a message, which, aside from the formalities, was only to urge them. His words implied that he had comprehended the Supreme Law and was only a step away from the Tianren Realm.

It didn't take long for the news to spread.

His old acquaintance from Tiansheng Lake, Tian Qingzi, rushed over, obviously having received orders from above.

"Wutian Shishu."

This title made Ji Jingqiu's expression peculiar.

What's going on? Did he hear it wrong?

It seemed like someone just called him 'old master.'

Is this what they meant by "a layer of sad barrier has formed between us?" Tian Qingzi explained with a bitter smile, "You are now a second-generation disciple. Even my master would have to address you as Shishu, and only a small number of Tianwangs would have the qualification to call you Shidi."

"I was just informed that I should introduce to you the Third Ascension Platform we are heading to and the enemies and opponents we will face in the future."

Ji Jingqiu nodded, "Go ahead. Also, Tian Qing Shixiong, you will accompany me to the Grand Universe and serve as my assistant."

Hearing Ji Jingqiu's address, Tian Qingzi was delighted. This person still valued their friendship! Strictly speaking, there wasn't much of a friendship between them, but he knew about Ji Shishu's identity, and after rounding up, he was practically one of their own.

Moreover, with Ji Shishu's words, their lineage could compete for another spot! This spot was not easy to obtain.

If it weren't for Ji Jingqiu's recent urging and the news of his comprehension of the Supreme Law, which led to the full cooperation of the upper echelons, this selection process could have lasted for a month or two.

"The Third Ascension Platform we are heading to is located in the former territory of the Holy King's divine lineage and is currently in the Holy King Star Ring."

"There are four surrounding regions that require special attention."

"The first is called the Chaotic Abyss Sea. This place requires extra vigilance as it is an ancient battlefield ruin. The most powerful force within is the Four Shen Temple, which is the congregation of the Four Demons' believers!"

"Four Shen Temple?" Ji Jingqiu suddenly became suspicious.

Tian Qingzi's expression turned solemn, "We have investigated, and this Four Shen Temple is very strong with a deep foundation. It is one of the Four Demons' important strongholds in the Grand Universe, standing tall to this day. Despite being besieged by multiple top civilizations, it remains unshaken. Additionally, the Four Demons' divine abilities are unpredictable, so it's not an exaggeration to be extra cautious and not make them enemies too early."

Powerful and deeply rooted? Ji Jingqiu pondered. If he remembered correctly, according to the meaning of Laozu of the Bitter Boat, there are currently many believers of the Four Demons surrounding the Federation.

Furthermore, according to the Federation's official investigation, some external powerful beings have already infiltrated the Federation but dare not act recklessly due to the existence of the Federation's divine system. Currently, the Federation has established a specialized organization to conduct in-depth investigations.

According to this information...

Ji Jingqiu's eyes suddenly lit up, and his gaze shone brightly.

Doesn't this mean that the Four Shen Temple is currently at its weakest, with most of its powerful members away, leaving its defenses at their lowest?

He immediately understood.

Why do you like to loiter outside others' doors?

Then don't blame me for directly targeting your home.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end