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Chapter 345: Myriad Frosty Heavens—Contend for Freedom!
Chapter 345: Myriad Frosty Heavens—Contend for Freedom!
Above the undulating Cloud Sea of the No Heaven Realm, Chongguang stood amidst the mist, his expression tinged with surprise. This time, he hadn’t assumed the Primordial True Man’s identity but appeared in his original form.
“Greetings, fellow cultivator.”
At the sound of the voice, swirling clouds parted to reveal an elderly man with snow-white hair and a weathered face, smiling warmly. “You’re the first to reach this point.”
Chongguang remained silent, his gaze sweeping the surroundings. “I assumed the final calamity would mirror your past trials for Golden Enlightenment. Was I mistaken, or do you, like before, wish to converse before I begin?”
“A bit of both.”
The Primordial True Man smiled, flicking his sleeve. The clouds coalesced into a tea pavilion. He seated himself, and Chongguang followed, sitting across from him.
“You’ve endured four calamities. How does it feel?”
The Primordial True Man’s tone was calm, almost conversational. “In your eyes, what has my life’s journey been like?”
Chongguang’s brow furrowed briefly before he relaxed. “You’ve faced extraordinary hardships.”
“The Multifloral Marrow was your first trial during Qi Refinement. Youth clouded your judgment then; your desires overwhelmed you, leaving you vulnerable to schemes.”
“The Sea of Sorrowful Affliction marked your Foundation Building phase—a time of despair when the Dao seemed lost. Surviving that and rekindling your resolve was no small feat.”
“The Lost Ford Passage came when you sought ‘Void Enlightenment.’ As a free cultivator without orthodox teachings, you wandered without guidance. That struggle stemmed from fate’s inequity, not your failings.”
“And the Song of Endless Sorrow… that was the fury of revelation.” Chongguang paused, then summarized:
“Your entire life has been under the True Monarchs’ dominion. From Qi Refinement onward, every step was a battlefield of schemes, leaving no room for survival. To have reached this day is nothing short of miraculous.”
The Primordial True Man erupted into laughter. “Miraculous? Miraculous!”
“You’re spot on!” He leaned forward, his voice rising. “Without such fortune, could I have perfected Foundation Building? Could I have discovered the Jie Tian seed to create the No Heaven Realm?”
“Indeed—miraculous.” His laughter abruptly ceased. “Yet even with such blessings, I remain a True Monarch. Does that not strike you as… unjust?”
Chongguang’s eyes narrowed, recalling their earlier words. A spark of realization flickered in his gaze. “Because you lack a soul?”
The Primordial True Man nodded, his smile widening. “Precisely.”
He was but a consciousness within the No Heaven Realm; his true soul, Mu Changsheng’s, had already reincarnated—a fact he’d declared to all who entered this realm. None had noticed.
“The Golden Nature required for True Monarchhood is refined from the soul itself. Without one, how could I seek enlightenment? How ascend?” He had laid the truth bare, yet none had grasped it.
Or perhaps, they simply refused to believe. After all, why else create such a grand scheme?
Chongguang’s expression darkened. “So… what do you truly seek?”
“A second chance.”
The Primordial True Man’s voice steadied. “Not for myself, but for the reincarnated me. For the one who’s already begun anew.”
Chongguang raised a brow. “Your soul has already reincarnated. Isn’t that a second chance?”
The other shook his head. “Above, the Celestial Lords and True Monarchs watch. All is illusion. What new beginning exists? Only to repeat the cycle.”
“You understand this well.” A bitter smirk played on his lips. “With your talent, your resolve, the True Monarch seat should have been yours.”
“But what happened?”
“You struggled endlessly for enlightenment. Yet even you were fortunate—meeting the madwoman Xue Feihong granted you a sliver of hope.”
Memories stirred. He recalled the day True Monarch Qingcheng Feixue abandoned him, favoring the prodigy Fortune instead.
“You are of no further use. Leave.” Her voice had been cold, detached. “Your fate now rests in your own hands. Surely you understand.”
“Should you die, it proves your incompetence.”
“Should you succeed, perhaps one day I’ll call you cultivator.”
Chongguang chuckled, shaking his head. “Indeed, to earn a True Monarch’s favor was my fortune.”
The Primordial True Man’s gaze sharpened. “Yet even so, you failed to attain fruition. A single soul cannot alter destiny. This world is a stagnant pool.”
“Then what is your aim?”
The Primordial True Man straightened, his voice resolute. “To overturn this order. To shatter the heavens that loom over every True Monarch!”
“Impossible,” Chongguang scoffed.
“For eternity, yes. But for a time…” The Primordial True Man’s eyes gleamed. “The No Heaven Realm can already do that.”
“What do you mean?”
“The No Heaven Realm possesses a unique trait—unnoticed, or ignored.” He leaned closer. “It has no inherent Dao Foundation or cultivation methods. Its foundation is built entirely upon others’.”
“In other words, this realm does not cultivate its own True Monarchs. It steals them—plundering those who’ve mastered other Dao Fruits to prop itself up. As the No Heaven Realm ascends, the other Dao Fruits inevitably fall.”
Chongguang froze.
He understood now: the No Heaven Realm would siphon the very foundation of all True Monarchs, causing their Dao Fruits to collapse. Success would leave the True Monarchs’ power hollowed.
Dao Fruits require True Monarchs’ support to remain manifest. Fewer True Monarchs mean hidden Dao Fruits—hidden realms where enlightenment becomes near impossible.
Should a True Monarch reside in a hidden Dao Fruit, their influence on the modern world would wane. Even their divine caves couldn’t restore the Dao Fruit’s visibility overnight.
And during that window?
A chance for the world’s cultivators to rise freely.
Yet the architect of this upheaval would inevitably be hunted by the True Monarchs.
“This is your fifth calamity,” the Primordial True Man intoned.
“It is called: Contend for Freedom.”
He extended his hand, a radiant orb forming in his palm. “Seize it, and the trial begins. Or turn back now, if fear grips you.”
Chongguang stood silent for a rare moment. Then, a grin spread across his face, fierce and bright.
“Hah! Mu Changsheng—Mu Changsheng!”
The laughter faded as he seized the orb, his expression resolute. “Myriad frosty heavens—Contend for Freedom? What calamity? This is my path to enlightenment!”
With a thunderous roar, the heavens trembled.
(End of Chapter)
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