Chapter 373: The Path to Transcendence and the Future Dao Ancestor

Chapter 373: The Path to Transcendence and the Future Dao Ancestor

Twenty years of cultivation, which Ji Jingqiu had initially thought would be unbearably long, seemed to pass in the blink of an eye. When he looked back, it felt as if he had just taken a nap.

Truly, in the path of cultivation, there are no years to count, no seasons to mark the passage of time.

During these twenty years, Ji Jingqiu used three different methods to achieve the state of Seated Oblivion.

The first method involved harnessing the supreme true Buddha's influence in the continent of Yanfu, gathering faith and belief through the bodhi tree to refine his Divinity. This ultimately nourished his internal Five Viscera Palaces, the path initially guided by Hela.

The second method came from Wu Zhou's suggestion, delving deep into the Misty Sea to confront myriad heart demons and hone his mind. When this proved insufficient, he even attempted to merge with a part of the Misty Sea's world, under Wu Zhou's guidance, to sustain his state of Seated Oblivion.

The third method was his own path, fifteen years of arduous cultivation. He refined himself with the Death Demon sword intent, the succubus dream realm, and the heart demons of myriad worlds, ultimately achieving a state of clarity and emptiness, where his mind was as vast and unobstructed as the void.

From that point on, even if the Death Demon sword intent pointed directly at his brow, he remained steadfast, seeing through the profound nature of enlightenment.

At this stage, he no longer needed any external aids; he naturally entered the true realm of Seated Oblivion.

Even if he chose to self-sacrifice, he could still step into the realm of Seated Oblivion at any time.

However, this still did not satisfy him, nor did it earn the approval of this world.

None of these three methods could serve as the foundation for Path Opening, completing the Celestial King rank.

In the end, Ji Jingqiu delved into ancient texts from various schools, finding a new path between Fetal Breath and Seated Oblivion, naming it "Guard Void and Stillness."

This realm was sufficient to fill the gap in the Celestial King's mental cultivation.

After achieving the state of Guard Void and Stillness, a Celestial King master no longer needed to Unify with a World, using the world's power to nourish and replenish themselves while avoiding the Great Dao's enmity.

Whether it was the creation of an Illusory Great Dao, the sustained state of a Dharma Realm, or the subsequent transformation of the Inner World into a nascent inner universe, all could benefit from this state.

At this moment.

Ji Jingqiu reeled in his fishing rod, and a woman with closed eyes was hanging on the fishing line. Her exposed hair and eyelashes were golden, a sign of immortality, and her body, despite radiating a decaying aura, could not hide the intense Divinity within.

The woman clung tightly to the fishing line. Upon being pulled out of the Sea of Burial, her aura awakened, surging and lofty. Her golden eyes opened, and though she looked up at Ji Jingqiu, there was a sense of superiority in her gaze.

"Human, I am the supreme being of the Tianxing Realm..."

Ji Jingqiu shook the ancient deity off the fishing line, grabbed her by the nape of her neck, and tossed her into the "fishing basket" beside him.

Looking down at the Sea of Burial, he sighed, "Elder, do you think the strong beings outside view the life forms of this realm the same way I just did?"

The ancient deity he had fished up was likely a remnant deity from a decaying world in Sanqian Yafuti. Judging by the intensity of her Divinity, she might have been an Intermediate God, or a Celestial King, in her prime.

However, after so many years in the Sea of Burial, she had fallen to the level of a Heavenly Person.

"Are you referring to those transcenders?" the old patriarch of the Holy Temple sneered, "Which kind of transcenders? Those who confine themselves to a single realm, like the Four Fiends?"

"Do you know why the Four Fiends are so terrifying? It's because they fell from the transcendent rank and merged with a part of the Misty Sea, allowing them to wreak havoc across the Boundless Sea."

"As long as they don't 'deliver themselves to the net,' even those transcenders who are confined to a single realm can't do anything to them."

"If they were still at the transcendent rank, no matter how powerful they were or how mysterious the Great Dao, they would only be able to show off within their own world, unable to intimidate other realms."

The old man glanced at Ji Jingqiu's fishing line, which he had just cast again, and said, "Most of the transcenders you will hear about, both now and in the future, are in this situation. Rather than calling them transcenders, they are more like 'larger True Emperors,' leaders chosen from among the many True Emperors in a realm."

"As long as you don't venture into the Boundless Sea or actively enter those realms, they can't do anything to you."

Ji Jingqiu thought for a moment and said, "They can do as they please within their realm, but leaving it would cause them to fall in rank?"

The old man, known as Bi Hai and boasting a chest as vast and deep as the sea, nodded.

"Leaving their unified realm and entering the Boundless Sea causes them to fall half a rank."

"Entering other realms causes them to fall another half rank, making them only slightly stronger than ordinary True Emperors."

"Don't be deceived by their titles of transcenders. True transcenders should be above all, not confined to a single realm with only partial freedom."

Over the years, Ji Jingqiu had also gleaned some information from Hela and Wu Zhou in the Inner World.

For example, why they had fallen in rank.

The Four Fiends' fall was mainly due to the collapse of their respective realms or the incompleteness of their paths.

For instance, when Death Demon's realm experienced a convergence of heaven and earth's calamity, He seized the opportunity to lead the great calamity and break through to the transcendent rank.

However, after slaughtering most of the life forms in His realm, the calamity subsided, and the world returned to chaos, causing His path to plummet.

Hela's situation was similar to Death Demon's.

In comparison, Wu Zhou and Taiyi are rather unique.

Wu Zhou once incorporated all living beings within his realm into his divine kingdom, making them part of himself. He truly fattened himself at the expense of the realm, and his Dao cultivation soared rapidly. Even among those who had transcended, he was no weakling.

However, after he had assimilated all of the realm, he found himself no longer free, trapped within the boundaries of the realm.

Or rather...

He had replaced all the living beings and become a part of the realm itself.

Though he could do as he pleased within the realm, he could not cross the line and leave it.

Fortunately, the Misty Sea invaded, and Wu Zhou, without hesitation, threw himself into the conflict, suppressing the resistance of heaven and earth, allowing the Misty Sea to erode the realm.

In the end, the realm was destroyed, and he fell from his transcendent state, losing the majority of his Dao cultivation. Only then did he regain his freedom.

According to Wu Zhou, Taiyi is similar to him, yet even more... free.

He voluntarily descended from his transcendent throne, seeking a truly free and transcendent state.

By merging with a realm, one becomes bound to that realm.

Wu Zhou explained that the more one extracts from a realm, the deeper the connection becomes, and the realm becomes less willing to "let go."

In their eyes, the value of He Shi's path of power lies in its purity.

"Does true transcendence exist in the Realm Sea?" Ji Jingqiu asked.

"Of course it does", Daoist Bi Hai nodded. "Many realms bear the traces of their footsteps and the legacies of the Great Dao they left behind. The so-called Realm Sea Covenant was established by them."

"Where are they?" Ji Jingqiu inquired. "Can we find their abodes?"

"True transcendence cannot be sought", Daoist Bi Hai shook his head. "At this stage, only they can reveal themselves to the world; the world cannot seek them out."

"Perhaps at some point, in some place, a passerby you encounter might be their manifestation or avatar of the Great Dao."

"As for their abodes..."

Daoist Bi Hai thought for a moment and said:

"Back when the Five Pillars ruled this realm, someone claiming to be a disciple of the transcendent came to visit, but what they discussed is known only to them."

"【Fuyou Palace】?" Ji Jingqiu asked, having received a message from Ji Anquan.

Daoist Bi Hai shook his head:

"The 【Fuyou Palace】 you mentioned, I am aware of it. Though it is a transcendent Daoist temple, it is still the path of a realm's ruler and cannot be considered a true transcendent."

"If you wish to join the 【Fuyou Palace】, you might as well stay in this realm, fully absorb the legacies of your two masters, and forge your own path. This will give you a better chance of achieving transcendence than joining their ranks."

Ji Jingqiu nodded: "Does the senior know the Five Pillars' attitude toward these extrarealm forces?"

Daoist Bi Hai chuckled: "Earlier, I mentioned that a true transcendent abode once visited the Five Pillars. What they discussed is known only to them, but I heard some rumors back then, such as... one of them wanting to take the Five Pillars as disciples!"

Ji Jingqiu was taken aback.

"The Five Pillars must not have agreed, right?" Ji Jingqiu surmised.

"At that time, the Five Pillars believed they all had the potential to transcend. How could they possibly become disciples of someone else? Naturally, they refused."

"But what about now?"

Daoist Bi Hai suddenly grew serious,

"Who knows if someone might lower their head to gain a possible path to transcendence."

Ji Jingqiu understood his meaning.

It seems the internal conflicts within the Five Pillars are not small.

The current landscape within their realm is divided into different factions.

At the core is the 【Daluotian】 led by the Five Pillars.

Below that are the alliances led by the Yanhuang Federation and others.

One faction is led by Tian Sheng Lake, Yin-Yang Dao Palace, and several ancient Daoist temples.

Another faction is led by Wude Palace, Phoenix Blood Palace, and Qingtian Temple.

The Yanhuang Federation-led alliance, though the broadest in terms of coverage, has the fewest True Emperors.

Most True Saint Daoist temples are now just "shells."

The temple where the old man is located belongs to the fourth faction.

If extrarealm transcendent forces get involved, the situation will become even more complex.

But based on Senior Daoist Bi Hai's attitude, their reputation is more for show and they are not powerful enough to influence or interfere with the internal dynamics.

The key still lies with the Five Pillars' stance.

Ji Jingqiu pondered.

According to True Emperor Xuanyi, a Divine Lord from the Holy King lineage wants to meet with him.

It's unclear if this is related to Master Mu or the internal situation.

Daoist Bi Hai suddenly asked, "Have Mù Shìtiān and He Donghuang mentioned to you that there might be something wrong with our realm?"

Ji Jingqiu frowned and nodded, "Master Mu has mentioned it to me."

Daoist Bi Hai said calmly, "Twenty years ago, Xi Yingzhen and I besieged Taiyi's spirit body, and Taiyi lured us into the River of Time."

Ji Jingqiu's gaze grew serious. The Xi Yingzhen he mentioned is the True Emperor of the City of Order, who also took action during the Yanhuang Catastrophe twenty years ago.

He was originally part of the same group as Dao Yi and others, but ultimately chose to take on Taiyi's attack, joining Daoist Bi Hai in the pursuit of Taiyi.

However, later, Taiyi appeared in Sìshǒu Xīng, and the two of them disappeared without a trace.

"There, we saw some... terrible things."

At this point, he clearly paused, as if searching for the right words, his expression filled with a noticeable shadow.

Finally, the elder sighed lightly, seemingly not wanting to add pressure to the young man. His words were calm but carried a warning:

"Kid, hurry up and complete your Path Opening. I will lend you a hand on that day."

"This realm will surely descend into chaos. The alliances being formed are a sign of the impending disaster. Even True Emperors are at risk of falling in this great calamity."

"Your Flameglory Federation may seem to be flourishing now, but it is surrounded by enemies and fraught with danger. Being too ostentatious may not be a good thing."

Ji Jingqiu understood this very well, and it was something Ji Anquan had been worrying about all along.

"What are you fishing for, Senior?" Ji Jingqiu glanced at the still rod of Daoist Green Sea.

Given this elder's profound cultivation, it was impossible for him to have no results. This only indicated that his desires were grand.

"A dear old friend", Daoist Green Sea sighed. "I hope to pull him out before the calamity arrives, so we can have a better chance of victory."

Ji Jingqiu's heart stirred. Could this old friend be the third Path Opener?

Ji Jingqiu reeled in his fishing rod and shook the fishing basket, looking at the catch and feeling it was enough.

He stood up, ready to leave and focus on his own Path Opening.

Before parting, he suddenly remembered something and asked Daoist Green Sea one last question:

"Senior, there is a covenant in the Realm Sea that Transcenders will not interfere in any realm where another Transcender is being born. What kind of Transcender does this refer to?"

Daoist Green Sea chuckled:

"How can the ruler of a realm interfere with the outside world? Who do you think this rule binds?"

"If you are asking about the latter type of Transcender..."

"In the eyes of those true Transcenders, the rulers of realms and True Emperors are not much different. They are hardly worth their attention, let alone bound by such a covenant."

Ji Jingqiu nodded. So, this realm is giving birth to a true Transcender?

And who is it that has determined this?

Those great beings who have truly transcended the Realm Sea?

Ji Jingqiu got up, cutting off the temporary distractions, and devoted himself to the Path Opening.

At the Heavenly King Realm, the older one is, the stronger one becomes. This has already shown signs.

In these twenty years, everything he studied had only one purpose:

— A cross-realm battle.

It was difficult for him to bridge the vast gap of countless years to catch up with the accumulated Dao power of Celestial Kings who had refined themselves for tens of thousands of years, let alone Heavenly Venerables above Celestial Kings.

To bridge this gap, even at the Celestial King level, he still needed to defeat opponents of higher realms. The only hope was "Great Dao."

According to Ji Jingqiu's plan, once he established "Guard Void and Stillness" as the supreme Dao, the gifts of Great Dao and the blessings of the cosmos would be enough for him to quickly pass through the initial accumulation phase of a Celestial King.

With his accumulation now sufficient and a thorough understanding of the key points of "Guard Void and Stillness", he could finally proceed to the next step, the Path Opening.

The starry sea was brilliant, and the starlight flowed like water.

Standing in the vast universe, he could clearly sense a lively and joyful vitality.

This was the vitality of the universe itself, not only because the great cosmos was awakening, but also because the temporary silence of the Misty Sea had freed all spirits from an invisible mental shackle, granting them freedom.

"Are you almost ready?"

In the Inner World, Hela asked.

Twenty years had passed, and she still dominated the now well-deserved pool of merit.

Not far away, Little Wu Zhou, who had fused with a thread of Wu Zhou's true spirit, sat cross-legged under a bamboo grove, eyes closed in meditation.

"Yes", Ji Jingqiu nodded.

"This path is indeed glorious and radiant. Once you succeed, you will bear the name of Dao Ancestor. All future cultivators who reach this realm will unconsciously contribute to your Great Dao foundation. However, you must also be aware of how difficult this path is."

Hela was well aware of Ji Jingqiu's efforts and aspirations over the past twenty years, but she still gave him a warning.

This was not a minor feat like opening the "Sixth Limit" within the Federation, but a grand act of Unifying with a World, benefiting an entire realm.

Those who would obstruct him would not be just the Great Dao of the cosmos.

"I have little time. If I am to walk this path, I must do it to the utmost."

Ji Jingqiu's gaze was resolute as he walked into the depths of the universe, the star rivers flowing like clouds, enveloping him.

Hela gave one final warning:

"You need to find a good place and seek enough protectors. One Daoist Green Sea is not enough."

"Also, you will need a sharp blade."

...

...

"Path Opening?"

Standing before Qi Tian was a woman in a red dress, her face full of amusement.

"Are you saying that Ji Jingqiu has the potential to open a new Heavenly King's Great Dao, benefiting future generations and integrating this path into the great cosmos?"

The woman in the red dress couldn't help but laugh:

"Qi Tian, I know you might have been shocked, but do you understand what you are saying?"

"If what you say is true, Ji Jingqiu isn't just Path Opening; he is innovating! Once he succeeds, all future cultivators who follow his path to reach the Celestial King realm will call him Dao Ancestor!"

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end