Chapter 268 - 157: The Second Origin Great Dao, The Beginning of Invincibility

Although this Yuelu Mountain before him had not yet birthed its own Spirituality, it had already taken the most crucial step.

The rest would simply be a matter of time and accumulation.

’As expected of a Holy Land. The entirety of Yuelu Mountain could probably be used as a Weapon now, one that could rival any Divine Weapon.’ Wang Xiao thought to himself.

As he was lost in thought,

WHOOSH—

A ray of light, riding on a gentle breeze, appeared not far from him.

The light receded, revealing an old gentleman in a blue Confucian robe. His features were proper and well-defined, and his hair was bound by a tall crown.

This old master exuded an ineffable scholarly elegance, like a scholar-official from ancient times, yet also like an earnest student dedicated to his studies.

Upon seeing him, one word would involuntarily surface in one’s mind: Rules!

This old master before him radiated an aura of rules from head to toe.

His Confucian robe was not too long and not too short, his tall crown sat perfectly centered, and his long beard was trimmed to the perfect length...

Everything about him exuded a solemn dignity, never overstepping the bounds of propriety by even the slightest fraction.

Compared to Mu Tiange’s free-spirited and heroic nature, this man emanated an aura of immutability.

The two of them were like polar opposites.

"Your Majesty, I have been waiting for quite some time." The old master cupped his hands in a formal salute from a distance, every movement precise and deliberate.

Wang Xiao couldn’t help but ask,

"Dean Kong, did you know I would come?"

Kong Xuansheng replied,

"Your Majesty’s Law and my own Law complement each other. If Your Majesty wishes to advance further, it was only a matter of time before you came to the Confucian Academy."

Wang Xiao nodded slightly and got straight to the point,

"I have indeed come to the Confucian Academy on this trip to discuss the Dao with you, Dean Kong."

Kong Xuansheng nodded.

"Please."

With a flicker of his form, Wang Xiao followed Kong Xuansheng and disappeared into Yuelu Mountain.

In an instant, the light and shadows shifted, revealing a massive academy within.

Amidst green mountains and jade waters, students were holding books and reading.

The clear, resonant sound of their reading aloud, like a cool breeze under a bright moon, echoed through every corner of the academy.

If not for the profound spiritual mysteries hidden within the sound of their reading, Wang Xiao would have truly mistaken this for an ordinary academy.

Kong Xuansheng’s voice drifted over,

"Your Majesty, do you know why our Confucian Academy does not teach cultivation, but only teaches reading?"

Wang Xiao’s eyes flickered.

"I would be grateful for your instruction, Dean Kong."

Kong Xuansheng said,

"The path of a gentleman is to cultivate his character through tranquility and nurture his virtue through austerity. All the myriad principles of this world are contained within books. For us Cultivators, cultivation *is* the cultivation of the mind. Read ten thousand volumes, and a divinity will awaken in your heart. The day you grasp all principles, you will suddenly realize how vast Heaven and Earth truly are."

"Of all the methods of cultivation, what could be faster than nurturing the spirit through reading?"

"However, the mind is like a clear mirror, yet not everyone can reflect all things without being swayed by them."

"I have cultivated my mind for many years, yet I can only say I have seen but a single corner of Heaven and Earth."

Wang Xiao was moved.

"The affairs of the world are like an ever-new game of chess. Only with a steadfast mind will the Dao form on its own. I have learned a valuable lesson."

Kong Xuansheng smiled faintly.

"Your Majesty’s comprehension is indeed a rare sight in this world. The myriad forms of Cause and Effect shift as time passes and situations change. Only by remaining unchanged yourself can you hope to grasp the principles within."

Before long, the two arrived beside a simple cottage.

Kong Xuansheng waved his hand, and two cups of tea and a chessboard appeared on the stone table.

"All that I have comprehended is within this game of chess. Please."

In the time that followed, Wang Xiao took up residence in the cottage. While playing chess with Kong Xuansheng, he also worked to comprehend the dean’s principles, cross-referencing and verifying them against his own Destiny Great Dao.

Cause and Effect was not something that could be explained in a sentence or two.

It exists within every small detail of daily life.

One had to experience it carefully and maintain a state of mind where one remained unchanged even as all things changed. Only then could one discover its profound mysteries.

Just like that, Wang Xiao stayed there for more than two years.

「Early one morning.」

Wang Xiao rose early as usual. Following a certain set of rules, he got out of bed and washed up, his every movement precise and deliberate.

His behavior seemed to be growing closer to that of Kong Xuansheng.

However, at that very moment,

RUMBLE—

the firmament began to tremble violently.

The Celestial Gate, which had hung high in the sky for forty years, suddenly erupted with a brilliant divine radiance.

As endless waves of light flowed, the Celestial Gate gradually solidified!

Bursts of Celestial Sound spread throughout the four realms and ten thousand directions, reaching every corner of the world!

Every Cultivator looked up at the solidifying Celestial Gate, their eyes filled with excitement.

After more than forty years,

the Celestial Gate had finally opened!