Chapter 388 388: The Will of the World

"Truly unexpected... to think a cultivation method that creates such a miracle of nature could be born in this world. My disciple, Qingyi, who are you exactly? To think that even though we three brothers enjoy the heritage of Pangu, we did not possess this kind of innate, birth-right knowledge when we first transformed."

"Qingyi, do you realize that this heaven-defying cultivation method is, even for us Saints, an achievement that seizes the very essence of nature's wonders?"

As he spoke these words, a complex expression flickered across Tongtian Jiaozu's face.

His master's words left Qingyi slightly stunned.

Taking a soft breath, Qingyi decided he was done with hiding. It simply wasn't in his character to stay shrouded in secrecy.

Just as he was about to come clean about his true identity to Tongtian Jiaozu, the space around them began to ripple and swirl like flowing water.

In the blink of an eye, Qingyi and Tongtian Jiaozu were transported from the inner chambers of Biyou Palace on Penglai Island to the presence of an old man with hair and a beard as white as snow, situated far beyond the Thirty-Three Heavens.

"Master!" Upon seeing the old man, Tongtian Jiaozu immediately bowed in deep respect.

Qingyi reacted instantly, dropping to his knees. "Disciple of Jiejiao, Taoist Qingyi, pays his respects to Dao Ancestor Hongjun."

Holding a horsetail whisk—a Fuchen—and sitting cross-legged on a meditation mat, Dao Ancestor Hongjun gave the whisk a light flick. Two mats materialized beneath them.

"Sit, both of you. Tongtian... the origins of this disciple of yours are quite convoluted. I can only tell you that he has returned from beyond the domains."

Qingyi remained silent and nodded, thinking to himself: As expected, my presence couldn't be hidden from Dao Ancestor Hongjun after all...

But since he already knows I'm an outsider from another domain, yet didn't stop me back then, does that mean he bears no ill will? Or does he want to extract information about other domains from me?

At the same time, Tongtian Jiaozu asked with a look of confusion:

"Master, you say Qingyi returned from beyond the domains? Isn't the space beyond our Great Desolation that boundless Primordial Chaos? Does Qingyi hail from the Chaos?"

Dao Ancestor Hongjun shook his head, then fixed his gaze on Qingyi and spoke:

"Young friend Qingyi? Are you wondering in your heart why, since I knew you were an outsider, I did not bar your entry into our Great Desolation?"

"These matters are a long story... what I am about to tell you both concerns the true secret behind the origins of the Great Thousand World."

"Tongtian, our Great Desolation is vast, but it eventually has an edge. Beyond the Great Desolation, beyond that Primordial Chaos, lies the infinite domains of the Great Thousand World."

"The Great Thousand World, the infinite domains, can be broadly divided into three tiers: Upper, Middle, and Lower. In the Lower Tier domains, the inhabitants are mere mortals, or perhaps beings with extraordinary powers, yet they struggle to gain immortality and cannot escape the cycle of life and death."

"The second are the Middle Tier domains. Beings there have already transcended the mundane. Those who reach the summit may achieve the fruit of a Hunyuan Daluo Golden Immortal—attaining the status of a Saint, with a lifespan equal to the heavens and the earth."

"And third are the Upper Tier domains. As for what kind of existences dwell in the Upper Tier, even I do not fully understand..."

Right then, Tongtian Jiaozu, unable to contain his growing doubt, asked:

"Master, if we follow your explanation, does that mean our Great Desolation—which possesses six Saints simultaneously and even yourself as the Saint of the Heavenly Dao—can only be considered a Middle Tier domain within this Great Thousand World?"

"And where did all this information come from? Master, why have we never heard a word of this before?"

Dao Ancestor Hongjun shook his head and replied softly:

"Literally speaking, our Great Desolation is currently balanced between a Middle Tier and an Upper Tier domain. This information was revealed to me by the Heavenly Dao of the Great Desolation after I merged with it. Previously, besides the Great God Pangu, I was likely the only one who knew."

...

Qingyi, listening to Hongjun's explanation, was equally bewildered.

Upper, Middle, and Lower domains? What in the world was this?

Why did it feel like Dao Ancestor Hongjun knew more about the Great Thousand World than he did, despite being an actual traveler of those worlds?

"Grandmaster Dao Ancestor, if I may ask, have you ever traveled to another domain?" Qingyi asked curiously.

Dao Ancestor Hongjun flicked his Fuchen and whispered, "I have not... all I know of the Great Thousand World was told to me by the Heavenly Dao of the Great Desolation."

"As for why I haven't gone to investigate other domains, it is because of the restrictions of our world's Heavenly Dao. Even the Primordial Chaos outside the Great Desolation was left there by the Heavenly Dao of the Great Desolation for the purpose of preventing the beings within from leaving for other domains."

Seeing the skeptical looks on the faces of Qingyi and Tongtian Jiaozu, Dao Ancestor Hongjun waved his hand and continued:

"Within the Great Thousand World, these three tiers are never fixed. Under the influence of the Great Thousand World's primal will, Lower Tier domains slowly evolve toward Middle Tier."

"And Middle Tier domains slowly evolve toward the Upper Tier. The Heavenly Dao of the Great Desolation is the manifestation of the primal will of our Great Desolation."

"However, how easy is domain evolution? When a world's evolution reaches a critical point, but internal resources are insufficient to enter the next stage, what must be done?"

Without waiting for an answer, Hongjun went on: "Then one must look outward! Through a Domain Fusion War!"

"One could say our Great Desolation has been quite lucky. From its birth, it was already a Middle Tier domain. Without ever experiencing a single domain war, it has arrived at the critical point of evolving into an Upper Tier domain."

The moment Dao Ancestor Hongjun said this, Tongtian Jiaozu suddenly stood up and asked:

"Meaning, our Great Desolation has almost reached its peak. After exhausting its remaining resources, if the Great Desolation still cannot enter the Upper Tier, it will face this so-called Domain Fusion War?"

"Is that how it is? Master Hongjun!"

The Dao Ancestor nodded slowly.

"Then is it possible to simply not promote? To avoid this so-called domain war?" Qingyi turned to the Dao Ancestor, looking puzzled.

The Dao Ancestor sighed and explained:

"It is not possible. This is guided by the primal will of the Great Thousand World. The primal will of the Great Desolation cannot refuse, and it will not refuse. And we, as the living beings dwelling within the world, cannot refuse either."

"Why so? Evolution is the instinct of any living being with consciousness. The will of the Great Desolation is no different, and neither are we."

"After a victory in a domain war, the Great Desolation will become stronger, and so will we living beings within it. Even I, who have reached the peak of the Great Desolation, will be able to take a step further. This is the will of the entire world; no one can stop it, and no one will."

Qingyi frowned, then asked again:

"Then what if we fail? If we cannot win the domain war in the future, what happens to the Great Desolation?"

Dao Ancestor Hongjun shook his head and looked out beyond the Thirty-Three Heavens, his gaze piercing through the Primordial Chaos directly into the infinite domains.

After a few moments, the Dao Ancestor turned back to Qingyi and said:

"Then the path of cultivation will be severed. The Gods and Immortals will become mere myths and legends in the world of mortals."

Upon hearing this, Qingyi's eyes widened in shock!

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