Chapter 905: Reaching Agreement

Jing Xizhen spoke slowly: "Whether my Dao is true or false no longer matters; what matters is that my Dao is powerless at the true center of the universe."

"You know the true center of the universe?" Ding Huan's voice carried a hint of excitement.

When he cultivated his Dao to perfect his own cosmic world, he sensed that the vast universe had a center.

That center was a chaos, so his own world began from chaos.

It was only after comprehending this that he forged the Chaos Law Sea, and merged the Great Dao World with his own cosmic world into one.

If Jing Xizhen truly found the center of the universe and there still existed starlands there, wouldn't that mean his guesses were all correct?

But is that center truly chaos? Is the entire universe artificially controlled? Do the higher-tier starlands orbit around chaos?

Jing Xizhen paused, then understood Ding Huan's meaning; he shook his head: "I don't know. The cosmic rules of that realm are utterly beyond my perception."

In that place, the only sensation is that no matter how many levels you advance, there is still no limit—unlike the great universe, where cultivation to the seventh or eighth step of the Great Dao is already the ultimate limit."

I have always regarded that starland as the center of the universe, the place where the highest cosmic rules can be proven."

Moreover, there are no cosmic calamities there—I have never heard anyone say that cosmic calamities appear in that starland."

Ding Huan's heart stirred: no cosmic calamities?

Since he began cultivating the Dao, he had never heard of any cosmic realm without cosmic calamities.

"If that's the case, why did you come back? Why not just prove the ninth step of the Great Dao there?" Ling Zhuzhen found it hard to believe.

He had experienced cosmic calamities and knew the Dao proven in the great universe was not the supreme Dao.

But it wasn't as exaggerated as Jing Xizhen claimed—no limit no matter how many levels you advance.

The ultimate limit of Eternal Dao is the ninth step of the Great Dao.

Because of the limitations of the great universe's rules, the ninth step of the Great Dao cannot be proven within it.

Moreover, all other Dao principles proven here are incomplete.

Not to mention us few Dao Ancestors—even those two heavenly prodigies of the great universe back then, the ones who cultivated their own Dao, never reached the ninth step either.

Jing Xizhen sighed: "Because I must sever my Dao and prove it anew."

Sever the Dao and prove it anew?

Ding Huan said nothing; Jia Baihe had done exactly that.

When one's own Dao has flaws—or its ceiling is too low—it is possible to sever the Dao and prove it anew.

Ling Zhuzhen frowned: "Severing the Dao is dangerous, but why must you return to the great universe? Wouldn't it be easier to sever your Dao in a place with higher cosmic rules?"

Jing Xizhen shook his head: "At our level, to sever the Dao without damaging the Dao foundation, only merit can protect it."

With my strength, acquiring merit in that starland to shield my Dao foundation is nearly impossible."

If I can return to the great universe, become a Dao Ancestor or the master of the Dao Court, and accomplish something for the human race of the great universe, acquiring merit for severing the Dao should be feasible."

Hearing this, whether Ding Huan or the others, all finally understood.

No wonder Jing Xizhen, a Dao Eighth Step, suddenly became so reasonable.

It was all for Dao merit.

If he had ruthlessly killed Ding Huan, the Dao Court Master, not only would he gain no merit—the great universe's cosmic rules would abandon him as a favor.

Ling Zhuzhen sneered: "Now the master of the great universe's Dao Court is Ding Huan. If you want to become Dao Court Master to gain merit, won't you have to attack Ding Daozhu first?"

Jing Xizhen shook his head: "No, I don't need the position of Dao Court Master. As long as I become a Guardian Elder of the Dao Court of the great universe, I can serve the human race of the great universe and acquire cosmic merit."

No one spoke further; all eyes turned to Ding Huan.

Ding Huan remained silent.

He had heard of merit, karma, calamity, fortune, and other Dao concepts.

But he had never actually encountered any of them.

Even when he encountered them, it was through the means of divine arts.

Because he cultivates the Great Universe Art, he comprehends the laws of heaven and earth and all things—only the laws of all things can affect him.

Therefore, there is no such thing as merit or karma.

When Yi Qi once thought Ding Huan abolished the position of Dao Ancestor and established the Dao Court, and hurriedly exterminated the Tianmeng clan, he feared heavenly karma backlash.

In truth, Ding Huan felt absolutely nothing.

Even if he hadn't exterminated the Tianmeng clan, the great universe's karma backlash could never touch him.

Because his Dao has little to do with the cosmic rules of the great universe.

Now, while cultivating in the great universe, he does not follow its cosmic rules—he borrows these cosmic laws to perfect his own Law River.

For example, when Ding Huan comprehends a certain cosmic law of the great universe, he does not use that law to advance; instead, he derives his own version of that cosmic law from his own Dao.

As he enters the Sage of Utterance, the laws he derives become more complete and higher in tier.

Just as Jing Xizhen just mentioned—merit.

If another person established the Dao Court in the great universe, exterminated the Tianmeng clan, and strengthened the human cultivators, they would certainly gain recognition from the great universe's heavenly Dao.

Then countless merit forces would descend.

But when Ding Huan does these things, he will gain not a single bit of merit.

Because his Dao is destined to reject the heavenly Dao's merit of the great universe.

Just as when he proved the fourth step of the Great Dao, he did so by comprehending his own Dao principles and perfecting his own cosmic world's laws to reach the Sage of Utterance.

The heavenly Dao cannot even perceive his Dao—how could it bestow merit upon him?

Or even if the heavenly Dao did bestow merit upon him, he could not absorb it.

Others might not fully understand.

If Feng Gu, the elder of the Tianmeng clan, were here, he would understand perfectly.

You, Ding Huan, can set up heavenly Dao laws to crush our Tianmeng clan's Dao and slaughter our Tianmeng cultivators.

Such methods clearly place you on equal footing with the heavenly Dao—why would you need heavenly merit?

Perhaps because Ding Huan was right in the thick of it, his understanding was not especially thorough.

One thing he did know: he truly could not obtain the Grand Universe's merit, nor could he bear its fortune and all its karmic ties.

This position of Dao Court Lord held, for him, not much meaning.

This time even Ling Zhuzhen said nothing more.

After all, Jing Xizhen's request was not excessive.

Jing Xizhen was, after all, a powerhouse at the Eighth Step of the Great Dao, fully qualified to serve as a Guardian Elder of the Dao Court.

Ding Huan's original idea was to yield this position of Dao Court Lord.

Soon he thought: he himself had no need for the Dao Court Lord's blessing, but perhaps the people around him did?

He could let Jing Xizhen share in the Grand Universe's Heavenly Dao merit, but he could not give the merit to Jing Xizhen alone.

Thinking of this, Ding Huan nodded in agreement: "Fine, Jing Xizhen and Ling Zhuzhen were both originally Dao Ancestors of the Grand Universe.

I will, in the name of the Grand Universe Dao Court Lord, appoint Jing Xizhen as the Dao

Court's Left Guardian Elder, and Ling Zhuzhen as the Dao Court's Right Guardian Elder.

All those holding positions in my Dao Court, so long as they contribute to the Grand Universe's human race and to the Grand Universe itself, may obtain Heavenly Dao merit."

Ding Huan raised his hand and refined two Guardian Elder identity tokens, giving them to Jing Xizhen and Ling Zhuzhen.

Ding Huan did not strip Ling Zhuzhen of his position as Court Pillar.

After all, Ling Zhuzhen's relationship with him was still somewhat closer.

If Ling Zhuzhen could also obtain some merit while holding the Court Pillar position, it would be of greater benefit to him.

Jing Xizhen clutched the jade token Ding Huan had given him, overjoyed at heart.

So long as he gained the recognition of the Grand Universe Dao Court Lord, he had plenty of ways to obtain Heavenly Dao merit.

"Everyone, there is one more thing I wish to tell you all here today. That is, the Fourth Step of the Great Dao requires establishing a doctrine; any sage who has not established a doctrine is false.

When we proved our Dao, we did not establish a doctrine, so we can only count as the Fourth Step of the Great Dao within this one universe.

Once we leave this one universe, our Fourth Step of the Great Dao will have many shortcomings, and may even be negligible."

After obtaining the position of Left Guardian Elder, second only to the Dao Lord, Jing Xizhen had already made his plans for accumulating merit.

These words could be considered his free gift.

Feng Pu and the others were numb.

At first Ling Zhuzhen had said their Dao was too empty, too shallow.

Now that Jing Xizhen had come, even Ling Zhuzhen's Dao was called false and weak by him.

What establishing-doctrine sage?

Did they still have a chance to prove themselves as establishing-doctrine sages?

"Everyone, the Great Dao has no high or low; it is only the place of proving the Dao that has high or low. The Dao you have proven is not a false Great Dao, so you need not belittle yourselves.

Take Guardian Jing — if he had proven a false Dao, he would not even have had the chance to sever the Dao.

Therefore, if in the future you leave the Grand Universe, you still have a chance to re-prove the Great Dao. So long as you strive here, you can accumulate enough merit power to prepare for severing the Dao in the future."

Ding Huan saw that Feng Pu and the others looked somewhat dejected, and immediately spoke up to comfort them.

Hou Yucheng watched and nodded to himself.

This breadth of vision was truly different.

After hearing Jing Xizhen's words, many would inevitably lose confidence in their own Great Dao.

For any cultivator, once they lose confidence in their own Great Dao, that is a very dreadful thing.

Ding Huan's single sentence made everyone rebuild their confidence in the Great Dao.

The Dao they had proven was not the supreme Dao, and had nothing to do with them personally — it was because of the rules of the heaven and earth where they were.

Therefore their Dao was not a false Dao.

If one day they could leave the Grand Universe and go to the place Jing Xizhen mentioned, they too could prove a higher-level Great Dao.

"Many thanks, Dao Lord." Feng Pu and the others naturally understood Ding Huan's good intentions, and hurried forward to express their gratitude.

"Guardian Jing, may I ask whether the place you mentioned requires

crossing the Cosmic Wall?"

Hearing Ding Huan's question, everyone pricked up their ears.

This was the most important thing.

Jing Xizhen understood clearly: this was the first condition for Ding Huan's support of him mixing in merit here.

So without the slightest hesitation he produced a direction orb and handed it to Ding Huan: "Indeed one must cross the Cosmic Wall; this direction orb holds the bearings after crossing the Cosmic Wall."

Ding Huan put away the direction orb and declared in a clear voice: "Although the Grand Universe has not yet reached the height we desire, it is growing every moment.

As Dao Court Lord, I have also drawn up some plans for the Grand Universe's development. So long as everyone works together, I believe that one day, we will be able to prove the establishing-doctrine sage right here in the Grand Universe."

……

After the Dao Court assembly ended, Ling Zhuzhen took the initiative to invite Ding Huan to sit and talk.

Ding Huan knew what Ling Zhuzhen wanted to ask him, so he simply invited Hou Yucheng along as well.

He did not plan to head immediately to the place Jing Xizhen had mentioned; he planned to go back and bring Seeing Qu Yi and the others.

Before that, he needed to tell Hou Yucheng and Ling Zhuzhen the true method for proving the Fourth Step establishing-doctrine sage.

Ding Huan was certain that even among establishing-doctrine sages, the Great Dao had its high and low.

He had established his doctrine upon his own Great Dao; perhaps he did not stand at the very peak, but his potential was absolutely the greatest.