Chapter 478: Cultivating the Celestial Dao

Chapter 478: Cultivating the Celestial Dao

The Primordial Eight Phases Chart!

Countless ages ago, numerous top-tier Heaven and Man Masters gathered at Kunlun for a grand debate, sharing their insights and experiences. The culmination of their collective wisdom was the creation of this chart, encompassing the essence of the Dao and the vastness of the world.

Since the birth of this chart, the world of martial cultivation has had a complete understanding of the Heaven and Earth Dao.

As the Primordial Chart, it is the crystallization of the ancient Heaven and Man Masters' lifelong dedication, imprinted with their exploration and comprehension of the world. It embodies their collective wisdom, a masterpiece of a bygone martial era, encapsulating the essence of the world within a single chart.

Even though Chen Mu's cultivation realm has reached an unparalleled level, and his soul core has cultivated an unextinguishable divine light, when he carefully comprehends the Primordial Chart, he still feels the grandeur and majesty of the ancient masters.

At this moment,

As he gazes upon the floating Primordial Chart, he feels as if he has arrived at the summit of a majestic peak, towering into the heavens. Before him, numerous figures stand tall.

Some figures laugh heartily, some roar in defiance, and others shout in frustration, questioning the heavens for placing them in this era, leaving them stranded midway on their path, unable to continue their journey.

Each figure possesses a unique will and understanding.

All these wills and insights converge together.

Perhaps none of these figures, in terms of soul core cultivation, can compare to Chen Mu's current level, and their physical prowess is far inferior. Yet, their celestial insights are genuine, collectively explored by the ancient Heaven and Man Masters as they sought to understand the future of martial cultivation. They are the combined comprehension of all, gathered within this chart.

In a trance, a figure appears, standing tall beneath the vast sky, his towering form merging with the boundless heavens. His ethereal voice seems to echo from beyond, carrying an immeasurable aura of authority.

"Qian is Heaven, clear and above, grand Qian Yuan, the origin of all creation!"

Buzz!

Another figure emerges, standing upon the earth, seemingly minuscule against the vast land, yet their shadow appears to encompass the entire landscape. Their voice resonates deeply and robustly.

"Kun is Earth, turbid and below, ultimate Kun Yuan, the source of all life."

Swish!

Yet another figure materializes, accompanied by rolling thunder and heavenly sounds.

Then, the fourth and fifth figures appear...

Chen Mu observes the heavens, witnessing the emergence of these figures, each representing a unique understanding of the Primordial Eight Phases.

The Primordial Chart contains not only the insights of Heaven and Earth but also the collective will of the ancient Heaven and Man Masters. Chen Mu's gaze seems to transcend tens of thousands of years, revealing figures long erased by the passage of time.

Their figures have faded into obscurity,

But the path they left behind for future martial cultivators remains clear and visible.

These paths, guided by the Primordial Chart, will forever be passed down, traversed by generations of cultivators. Even if one day the chart is completely destroyed by history, their martial legacy will never fade.

One day,

Two days,

Three days...

Chen Mu immerses himself in the comprehension of the Primordial Chart.

Alongside him, Qin Mengjun and Yin Heng, the three Supreme Elders of the Seven Mysteries Sect, stand in deep contemplation beside the Heaven Earth Dragon Pillar, gazing at the grand demon hide scroll and the Primordial Eight Phases it portrays.

Each of the three elders validates their cultivation path through the profound mysteries revealed in the chart.

However, there is a difference.

While Chen Mu contemplates the chart, his system interface displays a steady increase in his martial cultivation, a gradual and stable accumulation.

Ordinary people, even during seclusion for cultivation, would require food and drink, but within the forbidden ground, Chen Mu, Qin Mengjun, and Yin Heng have all reached the Blood Exchange Realm, freeing them from the constraints of ordinary sustenance.

Time passes quietly.

Since Chen Mu pacified the Central Region, there have been no wars, and all regions are thriving, including Cold North, which remains peaceful. The Seven Mysteries Sect, in particular, enjoys a serene and harmonious atmosphere.

Although the Seven Mysteries Sect is still a remote sect in Jade State, Cold North, even the Northern Defense Governorate yields to the Seven Mysteries Sect. As long as Chen Mu is present, the Seven Mysteries Sect stands as a unique power in the world, surpassing even the Great Xuan Court.

Due to this peaceful atmosphere, the forbidden ground of the Seven Mysteries Sect remains undisturbed, with nothing disrupting Chen Mu and the others.

The three elders stand like statues, immersed in their comprehension of the Primordial Chart, as time quietly passes by—a month, two months, three months... almost in the blink of an eye, over a year has gone by.

With the passing of more than a year, nine-tenths of the world under the Great Xuan Court remains peaceful, with no major events occurring. However, as time continues to move forward, the border between Capital Region and Upperyong Road, to the south, gradually becomes lively.

In a certain place, there stands a mountain range renowned far and wide, its name echoing through the lands—Kunlun!

Within this vast range, a towering peak rises, piercing the heavens, known as the first peak of the Nine States. It is the Great Xuan, the highest mountain in the world since ancient times, proudly bearing the name Kunlun!

Due to its sheer steepness and height, the Kunlun Mountains are not suitable for ordinary commoners to inhabit. Thus, there are hardly any settlements within the range. However, on the outskirts of the mountains, in every direction, lie bustling county and prefecture towns.

These settlements, both large and small, surround the Kunlun Mountains at their center.

Recently, the county and prefecture towns near the Kunlun Mountains have become lively, attracting the presence of powerful martial artists from the Five Viscera and Six Viscera Realms. Even those elusive Grandmaster-level figures, who are rarely seen, occasionally grace the skies, harnessing the power of heaven and earth, striding through the air, leaving a trail of fire and clouds in their wake.

In a remote town, a young child, around seven or eight years old, drops the small pebble in his hand, his eyes wide with wonder as he points to the sky, exclaiming, "Grandpa, look! There's a celestial being up there!"

In the courtyard, an elderly man, leaning on a cane, appears to be in his fifties or sixties. He slowly steps out, his cloudy and dry eyes gazing up at the sky. Though not overly surprised, he murmurs with a hint of awe, "That's not a celestial being, but a martial artist, a very powerful one."

"A martial artist?" The child, somewhat skeptical, asks, "Can martial arts be trained to such a high level?"

He knows of skilled martial artists in town who can hunt alone in the mountains and return with prey as large as several oxen. But no matter how powerful they are, they can't possibly match the figure in the sky, leaving a trail of fire and clouds as they traverse the heavens.

"Yes, they can," the old man affirms with a smile. "There are eight realms in martial arts. Your great-uncle has only reached the fourth realm, Bone Forging Realm. The one who just passed by in the sky is at least at the seventh realm, a Grandmaster-level figure."

As he speaks, the old man's gaze turns nostalgic, looking towards the north. From here, one can vaguely see a continuous mountain range in the distance, with the tallest peak piercing the clouds, its summit shrouded in the depths of the sky.

"After thirty years, it begins again," the old man mutters to himself.

The child, who had been staring at the sky in a daze, hears the old man's whisper and turns to ask, "Thirty years? Grandpa, what do you mean by thirty years? What's beginning?"

"Yes, my child," the old man says, gently patting the child's head. "Kunlun is the highest peak in the world, and every thirty years, the most exceptional martial artists gather at the summit of Kunlun Mountain to discuss martial arts and exchange insights. This grand event is known as the Kunlun Debate."

A hint of longing flashes in the old man's eyes as he reflects on the passage of time.

Similar scenes unfold in other towns and settlements surrounding the Kunlun Mountains, as well as in the county and prefecture towns. From above, one can witness countless martial artists converging from all directions towards the Kunlun Mountains, drawn by the allure of the Kunlun Debate.

Among them are renowned figures from the Five Viscera and Six Viscera Realms, legendary Grandmasters, and even Blood Replacement Realm experts. The cream of the martial world slowly gathers at Kunlun, all with a singular purpose.

"The Kunlun Debate!" Countless martial artists look up towards the Kunlun Mountains, their hearts filled with anticipation.

Although only Heaven Person Masters truly have the qualifications to ascend the Kunlun summit and participate in the debate, those Blood Replacement Realm experts who lack this privilege are still eager to witness this once-in-thirty-years spectacle. They yearn to experience the realm of the Heaven Person Masters, to understand the heights they have reached.

Even without the ability to join the debate on the summit, these martial artists find great benefit in observing from the nearby peaks, witnessing the exchanges between the Heaven Person Masters.

For Blood Marrow Washing Realm Grandmasters, even if they lack the qualifications to ascend the peak, the opportunity to observe from a distance and sense the profound discussions between Heaven Person Masters can be a significant encounter. It may even lead them to comprehend the mysteries of life and death, potentially enabling them to break through to the Blood Replacement Realm.

The Kunlun Debate, which may have started as a casual exchange between the world's top martial artists, has, over countless years, evolved into a grand martial arts event. Grandmasters from various sects strive to attend, making their way to Kunlun.

(Chapter End)

In the states and counties neighboring the Kunlun Mountain Range, even some Five Viscera and Six Viscera Realm cultivators would actively gather here. Although they were not qualified to witness the Kunlun Peak, just being able to catch a glimpse from afar and feel the unfathomable might of the Heaven Person was an eye-opening experience, a rare opportunity.

There was still about a month until the Kunlun Debate, but the entire world was already in a state of flux and transformation!

Especially in the vicinity of the Kunlun Mountain Range.

Grandmasters were no longer considered rare here, and news of Blood Transformation Realm cultivators appearing was constant. There were even rumors that Heaven Person cultivators had already arrived in the Kunlun Mountain Range ahead of time!

As time passed, numerous experts gathered around the Kunlun Mountain Range. Grandmaster duels occurred frequently, and Blood Transformation Realm cultivators occasionally exchanged a few moves.

The Palace Master of the Flying Swallow Palace and the Master of Night Lotus Manor dueled west of the Kunlun Mountain Range, with the Palace Master slightly outmatched. The Supreme Master of Mystic Sound Pavilion and the Supreme Master of God Fist Sect faced off east of the Kunlun Mountain Range, resulting in a tie.

...

Countless messages spread in all directions.

The martial world had never been so lively. Even the previous Kunlun Debates couldn't compare to this occasion. The reason for this was that two years ago, Chen Mu, with his own strength, had suppressed the Great Xuan, placing imperial authority under his feet and leading the world into a new era. Countless martial artists were inspired, even those in the Blood Transformation Realm.

Coincidentally, it was also the time of the Kunlun Debate. Those who were stuck in the Blood Transformation Realm, unsure of their future path, found it difficult to suppress their yearning for martial arts. Even before the Heaven Person Debate began, some minor duels and martial discussions were already taking place.

And all of this...

Chen Mu was unaware of these events at this moment.

He remained standing in the forbidden grounds of the Seven Mysteries Sect, gazing up at the scroll of the Primordial Eight Phases Chart, completely immersed in its study.

Beside him, Qin Mengjun and Yin Heng had stopped their contemplation of the Primordial Chart and were conversing.

"The Kunlun Debate is about to start," Yin Heng said, holding a yellow paper with hastily written intelligence about the recent activities in the Kunlun Mountain Range.

Qin Mengjun looked at the words on the yellow paper, a faint light gleaming in her eyes. "Stillness gives rise to movement, and movement gives rise to stillness. The combination of the two is the ultimate truth. I've been contemplating the Primordial Chart for two years, and I've gained many insights. If I can verify them during the debate, it will undoubtedly be of great benefit."

After all, the Primordial Chart was just a fixed diagram. To thoroughly understand the profound mysteries of the Heaven Person by merely studying this chart was difficult. Just as she had previously guided Meng Dan Yun, the path of cultivation required a combination of movement and stillness.

"Hmm," Yin Heng nodded slightly, then looked towards Chen Mu in the distance, still immersed in his contemplation of the Primordial Chart.

At this moment, Qin Mengjun also wondered about Chen Mu's plans for the upcoming Kunlun Debate.

Compared to her and Yin Heng, Chen Mu was indeed one of the true protagonists of this Kunlun Debate, also known as the Heaven Person Debate. Only Heaven Persons were qualified to ascend the Kunlun Peak and discuss martial arts with other Heaven Persons. If Chen Mu wanted to participate, no one would dare to stop him, and no one would want to. Even the top Heaven Person cultivators of this era yearned to duel with Chen Mu and experience the path he had forged in blood cultivation.

"If he doesn't go, this Kunlun Debate will disappoint many and lose much of its splendor," Yin Heng said slowly.

This Kunlun Debate was expected to be the most magnificent in history, all because of Chen Mu.

The battle in the Central Region's capital wasn't witnessed by all Blood Transformation Realm cultivators, but only by those from the Capital Region's Eight Great States. After the news spread, countless others in the world wished to witness Chen Mu's abilities.

Just the thought of it...

Chen Mu seemed disinterested in participating.

Yin Heng couldn't help but shake his head. He remembered Chen Mu's words: the Kunlun Debate, also known as the Heaven Person Debate, was exclusively for Heaven Persons. If he could become a Heaven Person, he would go; otherwise, he wouldn't.

However, as Chen Mu was immersed in the contemplation of the Insight Realm, the Kunlun Debate was only about a year away. In such a short time, even with his extraordinary comprehension and possession of the Primordial Chart, it was unlikely that he could fully grasp the profound mysteries of the third step of insight, the unity of heaven and man.

Perhaps Chen Mu never intended to go from the start.

This wasn't surprising, given Chen Mu's current identity and status. For him, a single Kunlun Debate was insignificant. Throughout history, only Heaven Persons participated in the Kunlun Debates, and if he were to go, it would be a matter of course.

"Hmm," Qin Mengjun murmured in agreement, standing by his side.

She wanted to ask him more, but Chen Mu was deeply engrossed in his contemplation of the Insight Realm. She didn't wish to disturb his cultivation, and she recalled his earlier words, which seemed to indicate a lack of interest in the debate.

"As Qin Mengjun was about to discuss further plans with Yin Heng, Chen Mu, immersed in his meditation on the Primordial Chart, suddenly displayed a subtle glimmer in the depths of his serene eyes."

Chen Mu's soul consciousness returned, and a hint of melancholy flashed across his gaze, as if he had just awakened from a long, dream-like trance.

"Heaven and Earth, Universe." Chen Mu whispered softly to himself.

His consciousness calmed, and the ripples of his thoughts gradually subsided without a trace. His eyes regained their tranquility, like a still well, and with a thought, he summoned the System Interface.

【Martial Dao: Heaven and Earth Insight (Second Step)】

【Experience: 100,000 points】

On the System Interface, regarding his insight into the Mental Realm, the accumulated experience points had astonishingly reached a full 100,000 points!

It wasn't that he had exactly 100,000 points, but that upon reaching this threshold, he had hit a limit and could no longer accumulate more.

Chen Mu was well aware that this marked the pinnacle of the Martial Dao and the Mental Realm. Breaking through this final step meant that further cultivation would no longer be part of the Martial Dao but would be the path to Divinity.

As Chen Mu awakened from his meditation, he overheard the conversation between Qin Mengjun and Yin Heng, learning that the Kunlun Debate was approaching. Coincidentally, his meditation had culminated just before the Kunlun Debate, completing the final step of accumulation.

Given this...

Chen Mu slowly tilted his head back, shifting his gaze from the Primordial Chart to the vast, boundless blue sky above, and exhaled a long breath.

"Hmm?"

Both Yin Heng and Qin Mengjun immediately noticed Chen Mu's movement.

A hint of surprise flashed in Yin Heng's eyes as he saw Chen Mu awakening at that very moment. Realizing that Chen Mu might still intend to attend the Kunlun Debate, he spoke to Chen Mu, "The day of the Kunlun Debate is drawing near. Mengjun plans to go, what about you?"

"Since it's so timely, I'll make the trip." Chen Mu replied, gazing up at the sky with a relaxed tone. "But I have some matters to attend to first, so I'll need Master to wait a little while."

"There's still some time, no need to rush." Qin Mengjun responded, not knowing the specifics of Chen Mu's affairs but maintaining a serene expression.

However...

In the next moment, both Qin Mengjun and Yin Heng froze in surprise.

They witnessed Chen Mu standing there, hands behind his back, gazing at the sky. Suddenly, a strand of energy, the energy of the Eight Trigrams of the Universe, emanated from his body and seamlessly merged with the Heaven and Earth without a trace of resistance.

This wasn't a fusion of domains or the manifestation of primal forces, but a harmonious blending as if there were no distinction between Chen Mu and the Heaven and Earth. This strand of energy, flowing from Chen Mu's body, merged perfectly with the environment, as if they were one and the same.

Furthermore, as time passed, the energy emanating from Chen Mu's body continued to spread in all directions. In a short moment, it covered the entire Forbidden Ground Valley and then extended towards the entire Seven Mysteries Sect.

At this moment, both Yin Heng and Qin Mengjun's senses were overwhelmed by the sensation of Chen Mu's figure seemingly growing taller. His physical form hadn't grown an inch, yet he stood there, his stature becoming increasingly majestic, as if he were a towering mountain rising from the earth, connecting heaven and earth, and expanding infinitely until...

"This is..." Yin Heng and Qin Mengjun were stunned, their expressions turning to disbelief.

They watched as Chen Mu's presence continued to grow in their perception, his aura spreading and permeating the Heaven and Earth. From hundreds of zhang to thousands of zhang, and then to two thousand zhang, three thousand zhang, his aura became awe-inspiring and unshakable.

This aura was not unfamiliar to either Yin Heng or Qin Mengjun, even though they had not yet reached this realm themselves. They had witnessed the mysteries of this realm and experienced the power of those at this level.

This was Unity of Heaven and Man!

After comprehending the third step of insight, a Martial Practitioner's will could directly connect with the essence of Heaven and Earth they had comprehended, extending boundlessly to encompass a thousand li of Heaven and Earth—this was the Unity of Heaven and Man!

Despite Yin Heng's two hundred years of life experience, countless sights, and witnessing the rise of countless top experts, he couldn't hide the shock in his eyes at this moment.

Unity of Heaven and Man!

Chen Mu had achieved the Unity of Heaven and Man!

Reaching this step indicated that Chen Mu had ascended to the ranks of Heaven and Man. Both Yin Heng and Qin Mengjun had no doubts about Chen Mu's ability to attain this level, given his natural talent and possession of the Primordial Chart. What was astonishing was that Chen Mu had only been studying the Primordial Chart for a short year!

"Heaven and Man..." Qin Mengjun couldn't help but murmur, as she too had been walking the path of comprehending the Unity of Heaven and Man. All three of them had been studying the Primordial Chart, but Chen Mu had silently taken that final step.

Unity of Heaven and Man, achieved in a single year.

This was her disciple, Chen Mu, a living legend born into this world, the unparalleled Martial Saint of his generation!

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end