Chapter 403: Attaining the Dao, Upholding the Dao, Source of the Dao

Master Mei Zu will definitely cause trouble; Xu Xing knew this before he even came.

After all, she had always loved stoking flames in the group, but this time…

Well then, so she wasn't just saying that to me—she was saying the same thing in the group too.

"Brother Dao, are you checking the group?" Master Mei Zu handed him a pair of chopsticks. "Don't worry, it's all just jokes—they all know it too."

Xu Xing took the chopsticks, glanced at Hong Zun still stoking flames in the group, and said nothing.

This friend Hong Zun really…

Never mind.

He directly sent to the group the images of Hong Zun watching the many goddesses and heavenly consorts dance at the Heavenly Palace Dharma Assembly in that previous Tongxuan-level world.

Xiang Jianzong: "I think this must be why Hong Zun didn't reply."

Without caring about the group's ensuing reactions, Xu Xing immediately put away his phone.

If you're unkind, don't blame me for being unrighteous!

He glanced at the table.

"Winemaking, cooking… why suddenly learn these?"

In the past, Master Mei Zu was practically incapable of even basic labor, let alone winemaking.

She was a true immortal, so abstaining from food and drink made no difference to her.

Back then, her favorite thing was running all over the world—sometimes she couldn't even be found by Ji Yin Xue, her only disciple.

"Since I can't go out anyway, might as well do something to pass the time."

For a true immortal, if they resolve to learn something, they can almost always learn it.

Over these years, she hadn't even left her ancestral cave-dimension much, and the Hehuan Sect was left entirely "wild-reared."

"Wasn't traveling everywhere your favorite thing before?" Xu Xing leaned back. "Now that you can move freely bearing Hun Tian Yi, where are you planning to travel next?"

Master Mei Zu merely shook her head slightly: "I've wandered for so many years—it's time to stop and rest."

After so many years cooped up, she'd grown used to it, and had no desire to go out.

Saying this, she rose and poured Xu Xing a cup of wine.

"Besides, now we have Lingwang—it's quite amusing to tease Xiang Jianzong every day."

"…."

Is it really fine for you to say that about my senior sister right in front of me?

"I think we're still very well-matched—if I'd known this earlier, I'd have talked with her more back then."

Where did you get the idea that you two are well-matched?

"My senior sister probably doesn't think so."

"Xiang Jianzong often says one thing but means another."

Though she seems irritable, she's actually quite reasonable—if you know how to handle her, Xiang Jianzong only gets angry for a little while.

"By the way, I heard on Lingwang that Xiang Jianzong, Taishang Dao Sect, and Long Xiang Qing Tian Sect once attacked Hehuan Sect?"

"Did they?" Master Mei Zu furrowed her brow slightly, then remembered. "You mean the one where the returned void cultivator killed three million people?"

"Did that really happen?"

"It did, but some details differ."

The versions circulating on Lingwang now contain plenty of artistic embellishment.

Worse still, that version was actually spread by some Hehuan Sect disciples to gain attention and popularity.

That returned void cultivator had been in seclusion when Ji Yin Xue cleansed the Hehuan Sect, and after emerging, he indeed killed many people—some from Xiang Jianzong, Taishang Dao Sect, and Long Xiang Qing Tian Sect came to harass Hehuan Sect because of it.

But since Hehuan Sect had just successfully purified itself, and Master Mei Zu was busy suppressing Hun Tian Yi, she hadn't paid much attention to the outside world, so she was somewhat bewildered when the three sects showed up.

And since Ji Yin Xue wasn't at Hehuan Sect, she had to appear in person.

After learning the full story, she summoned a manifestation of Xiang Jianzong to serve as a witness.

Now it's been twisted into a story where the three sects' ancestors threatened her, forcing her to compromise unwillingly.

But from that point on, she gradually grew closer to Xiang Jianzong—in a way, it was a blessing in disguise.

As for how Lingwang or the world judges it, she doesn't care.

If she truly cared about public opinion, she never would have taken over Hehuan Sect in the first place.

"But during that Alliance of Righteous Sects incident, I did truly go all out."

After all, we weren't in the wrong, and they even shouted slogans like 'Expel Hehuan Laozu, Eradicate Hehuan Sect'—if I hadn't struck back hard, would they have thought I had no temper?

"But I was still measured—I didn't touch a single cultivator at the Dao Union level or above."

In the end, it was all for the greater good.

Dao Union cultivators are rare; as long as they haven't committed excessive evil, even if they refuse to join the Starry Battlefield, no one usually bothers them.

…

…

More than half an hour later, after putting away the bowls and chopsticks and cleaning the table.

The two returned to the warm pavilion they had been in earlier.

Master Mei Zu leaned back on the soft couch and spoke of the "Dao Wang" she had observed.

"About 'Dao Wang,' though I haven't yet thought of a solution, I've come to understand its origin."

Because this was serious business, she changed her self-reference.

As a true immortal who wields the Dao of 'True Self,' under Brother Dao's complete release of restrictions, observing 'Dao Wang' wasn't like seeing through fire, but she could discern its origins clearly enough.

Xu Xing sat on the redwood chair, his expression solemn.

Master Mei Zu continued: "Above the true immortal realm, as one advances further, one grows increasingly distant from the mortal world, yet refuses to fully sever ties with worldly matters—past karmic traces manifest, giving rise to this tribulation."

True Immortals, as beings who govern the Dao, are a realm attained only when a cultivator refines a certain quality to its ultimate extreme.

Thus it is said: only when the Dao is perfected can one prove oneself a True Immortal.

Long life, eternal vision, free from illness and calamity.

In a certain sense, True Immortals are beings far above all worldly things, defying reason itself.

According to ordinary logic, such beings ought to be absolutely objective, entirely devoid of any notion of "self."

Yet the True Immortal itself defies reason and transcends the mundane, and thus possesses a self.

To take one more step beyond this is already the limit.

If one rises further, one becomes ever more detached from the mortal world, and the balance between "self" and "Dao" will be shattered.

Like the Cang Clan's current "Dao Guang" method, lost amid the boundless Dao.

Those who govern the Dao shall ultimately become the Dao.

Hearing this, Xu Xing frowned: "So this 'Dao Wang' arises precisely to help me preserve my self?"

"Not necessarily," Master Mei Zu said seriously. "I previously had an insight; though still inferior to Brother Dao, I have at least stepped beyond my former framework."

"If this were all, governing the Dao of 'self' should have allowed you to surpass Brother Dao outright, right?"

Yet the reality is not so.

Compared to Xuan who came to the Central Continent before, and to Brother Dao now, she is still far behind.

"If my guess is correct, the true cause of all this is Brother Dao's fall beyond the Xuan Realm, severing his past."

Severing his past…

Xu Xing lowered his gaze in thought, and after a long while slowly raised his head.

"Well, Brother Dao, have you thought of a reason?" Master Mei Zu asked.

That was all she could perceive.

After a long pause, Xu Xing spoke softly: "Where the calamity arises is when the Dao Source first sprouts."

What is the Dao Source?

Transcending without leaving the mortal world.

And this 'Dao Wang' is precisely the moment this step begins!

"Dao Source… so above the True Immortal, Brother Dao intends to name it thus?"

"Mm."

Nothing could be more fitting. Thus, the Three Dao Paths of the True Immortal—

Attaining the Dao, Governing the Dao, Dao Source.

Are now settled.

"Then what is the method to break through 'Dao Wang'?"

"I have indeed thought of one method, but its risks are great—for now, I set it aside," Xu Xing smiled lightly. "To gain this much upon arrival is already enough; there's no rush now."

"The player is confused; the spectator sees clearly"—this saying is truly accurate.

To have a general direction right upon arrival is already quite good.

"Thank you for this."

"Brother Dao is too courteous," Master Mei Zu smiled gently. "Then for now, Brother Dao may stay. I shall continue my contemplation—perhaps I may yet gain more."

emm…

"Very well, then I shall trouble you," Xu Xing did not refuse.

No error in a single word, a single line, a single meaning!

I'll return before the Xian Sect's Grand Trial, but I must first notify my senior sister.

"Mm-hmm, I'll inform the Sword Sovereign right away, so she doesn't wait anxiously," Master Mei Zu immediately said.

Her expression carried no small measure of eagerness.

Xu Xing: "..."

As Master Mei Zu sent messages in the Boss Group, she couldn't help recalling the sword that had crossed realms in the Beast God Realm, echoing through countless worlds.

Ancestor of all sword arts across the myriad worlds…

On the day Brother Dao breaks through 'Dao Wang,' the entire Chaos Sea may undergo unpredictable changes.

…………

Xiang Jianzong, Silutang, Task Handover Station.

Chi Jiuyu sat on the waiting bench, legs crossed, playing on her phone.

At her waist hung a token engraved with the character "Ancestor," causing nearby Xiang Jianzong disciples waiting for task handovers to cast frequent glances.

Ancestor Token!

As the saying goes, even if you haven't eaten pork, you've seen pigs run—most Xiang Jianzong disciples may never have seen it, but they certainly recognized it.

Moreover, no one in the world would be so bold as to forge it.

Little Xiao Shu Zu…

No wonder she's the disciple most favored by the Xiang Jianzong—she's even been granted the Ancestor Token.

Yet when one recalls her usual absurdity, their feelings grow complicated.

It's said Little Xiao Shu Zu has long desired to become the Xiang Jianzong's Sect Leader—could the Ancestor truly intend to install her as successor?

Ancestor, please think thrice!

Meanwhile, Chi Jiuyu, though appearing to play on her phone, was secretly observing the reactions of others.

Clearly, their reactions pleased her immensely!

This token was deliberately displayed by her—to show off!

Cough! Cough!

Wrong, wrong—her real goal is to accumulate prestige, to prepare for the future Xiang Jianzong Lord election.

Although her talent and genius are unparalleled in the world, and she became Soul Transformation at just twenty-two—the youngest in history—and is the direct disciple of the Sword Sovereign…

Ding-dong-dong!

A crisp mechanical voice interrupted her thoughts.

【Number nineteen, please proceed to window three to handle your business!】

It's her turn.

She rose from the bench, put away her phone, then took out this mission report from her storage ring.

After walking forward a short distance, to a spot where most people could see, she removed the Xiang Jianzong Token and placed it beside the mission report.

"…"

Everyone was speechless.

A moment of showing off feels great; constant showing off feels even better!

When she attains the same level of cultivation as her uncle ancestor, she'll make the entire Central Continent…

No!

The entire world…

Still not right!

She must make all realms and countless worlds know the glory of her, Nine Fish Hehuan Laozu!

Dreaming of this bright future, she arrived before window three, looked at the expressionless Silutang disciple, and handed over her mission report.

As for the Xiang Jianzong Token, she'd wait until he asked before giving it.

The Silutang disciple understood what she wanted, but procedures must be followed, so he said flatly:

"Little Uncle Ancestor, the mission report states that the Xiang Jianzong helped the cultivators of the Fourth Planet of Yuyao make up their deficit. Is there any corresponding token as proof?"

"Of course." Chi Jiuyu's expression was equally blank as she handed over the token. "This is the Xiang Jianzong Token, personally given to me by my uncle."

The moment the Xiang Jianzong Token touched his hands, the Silutang disciple's composure cracked—he became cautious in every motion.

"Please wait a moment."

This was the Xiang Jianzong Token!

He'd only ever seen it in sect records; it was said to hold absurdly high authority.

Even if he now held it up and shouted, "By the Xiang Jianzong's decree, my salary today is ten million contribution points," the Ancestral Sword would instantly transfer the points into his identity jade tablet.

Of course, doing that would surely get him pounded into an idiot by the Hall Director.

After nervously verifying it, he carefully returned the Xiang Jianzong Token.

Phew~

He quietly exhaled in relief, then resumed his expressionless face.

"The contribution points will be transferred to your and the mission participants' identity jade tablets within ten minutes. We will also dispatch personnel to investigate and handle the Fourth Planet of Yuyao as soon as possible."

There was nothing left to investigate—the Xiang Jianzong's own token sat right on the table; everyone must act according to the law.

"Thank you."

Chi Jiuyu rehung the Xiang Jianzong Token at her waist, left window three, and walked straight out of the Silutang mission handover area without glancing aside.

…

…

She arrived outside the Silutang mission handover area.

Chi Jiuyu gazed at the star-strewn sky and the several divine aurora lists hanging from the heavens.

Suddenly, she felt lost, unsure where to go.

Sigh~

Is this the emptiness after manifesting one's glory before mortals?

Xiao Yunlu has entered seclusion, saying she plans to break through to late Foundation Establishment before the Xian Sect Grand Competition, so she won't fall too far behind.

Go find Yue Ling…

Never mind.

Whether gaming or fighting, she's no match for her—finding her would be pointless.

Hmm…

I'll just go find my senior sister!

Without delay, a sword light swept around her, and she shot upward like a streak of light, heading straight for Li Ke's residence.

Not long ago, she heard that a Star Domain Warden stationed in the stars, who was also her uncle's disciple, was returning from rotation.

As a future Sect Lord, she decided to investigate this returning Star Domain Warden first.

Maybe they'll be a compatible senior brother or sister?

After all, she had nothing else to do!

As for the "Insight into Manifestation" her master had just taught her…

She'd definitely learn it.

But during this trip to the stars, she kept getting headaches, so she decided to give her brain a break first, lest her extraordinary wisdom suffer.

Besides, she brought some gifts from the Yuling Star Hotel and planned to give them to her senior sister at the right time. (End of Chapter)