Chapter 15: 【The Vessel Where Dao and Principles Interweave】

"Although the energy, realms, and identities differ, the living beings of both worlds pursue the same essential goal: longevity and becoming an immortal."

"This is not the path of a Red Dust Immortal, but the true immortal method of the Chaotic Ancient Era. By borrowing the power of the heaven, earth, and universe to make oneself immortal and undying, this is also the most common and normal method of becoming an immortal. In the long river of eternal time, the Red Dust Immortal path—which transcends the universe and relies on one's own immortality—is the true heresy."

"One can ascend to the Immortal Domain at the Second Immortal Realm, and a Sage can be undying through ten thousand tribulations. This is not a method that relies on oneself, but a method to achieve longevity by relying on the Immortal Domain."

"The Eight Extraordinary Techniques, along with the ascension and secrets of longevity behind them, may be related to merging with the Dao of heaven and earth. The Twenty-Four Solar Terms Heaven-Reaching Valley is itself a Qi formation."

"All are for the sake of longevity; there are always paths in the world that intersect. It is not a matter of which is superior or inferior, but rather that they occasionally meet."

Lin Xian was lost in thought. Although he was currently only in the Wheel and Sea Secret Realm, he stood on high ground, aware of many secrets. By absorbing the essence of both worlds, he had gained his own insights into becoming an immortal.

To verify his conjecture, he closed his eyes again and focused on practicing the Tianxuan Scripture.

Although the Tianxuan Scripture was an ordinary Wheel and Sea scripture, the minimum standard for creating a method in the Shrouding Heavens universe was that of a Sage.

A single drop of blood from an ancient Sage could collapse mountains and rivers, a single strand of hair could slay a Great Power, and with a wave of their hand, they could open up a small world—they were beings akin to gods.

Scriptures created by Sages might be considered crude and unworthy of mention in the eyes of Great Emperors and True Immortals, but for ordinary cultivators, they were supreme true scriptures.

"Silent and still, reaching the origin. Void and towering, at the edge of the kalpa. Vast and open, the profound text of the cave. Who can measure this secluded distance..."

Lin Xian chanted the scripture, using the Origin of Qi and Body to practice the Sage's Great Method, sensing the profound mysteries within.

Within the Wheel and Sea, the emerald-green light wheel radiated the aura of life, forming a polar contrast with the dark, silent Bitter Sea. A Life Spring ran through it, blooming with platinum divine light—the source of magic power—which at times transformed into thousands of divine swords, and at others evolved into a brilliant great star.

The great star reflected the Qi infant, guiding the ascension, residing within, and transforming into a Primordial Spirit. Immortal Qi swirled, and faintly, one could see a divine figure sitting cross-legged, titled Tianxuan, wearing a Seven-Star Crown, stepping in vermilion shoes, and dressed in purple mist robes—supreme and noble, suppressing the Wheel and Sea.

Surrounding the Tianxuan Star Lord, countless divine lights flickered within the dark Bitter Sea, as if carrying the starry sky on his back while dwelling in the nether capital below.

Streaks of divine light shot into the sky, evolving into countless divine chains and shackles, clanging and ringing, suppressing the mind and spirit, creating a vision—the Chart of the Celestial Stars.

The Origin of Qi and Body can transform all kinds of Qi, and innate special abilities can resolve them, so... what about star power?!

In an instant, Lin Xian opened his eyes, his star-like pupils brilliant, gazing at the sky, looking at the most dazzling, glorious, and bright star in the deep universe.

The Great Sun, the sun, the star!

Perhaps, this world has never lacked energy, only the means to utilize it.

The common people bow their heads to find their path, fighting and snatching their whole lives, but has anyone ever looked up at the starry sky, yearning for that silent and deep universe?

He, too, was a fool; the Great Dao has never been under one's feet—the Great Dao is in the sky!

Only today did he know the vastness of the universe and the infinity of time and space. What is the Old Heavenly Master? What is Zhang Huaiyi? What is Wu Gensheng? They are nothing but ants and dust.

Lin Xian was enlightened. He had no more worries, no more doubts, and said softly: "The Great Dao is in the sky, shining like the morning star."

At this moment, he held the universe in his heart.

Staring at the great sun for a long time until his pupils were bloodshot, Lin Xian slowly withdrew his gaze and sat cross-legged on the ground again. Xia He, innate special abilities—all were cast to the back of his mind.

All things and all methods, in the end, are based on oneself, with oneself as the supreme. The Origin of Qi and Body is just a tree, a branch of the Great Dao; in the final analysis, one must have one's own roots.

At this moment, there was only one thought in his heart: to forge his own vessel, a vessel that could guide the star power of the heavens.

That which is above form is called the Dao; that which is within form is called the vessel.

Use the vessel to carry the Dao!

This is also the unique aspect of the Shrouding Heavens method. Although Wheel and Sea cultivators can refine four vessels, most Great Emperors and Ancient Emperors will refine one vessel as their life-bound object, pursuing the supremacy of one vessel, using one vessel to break ten thousand methods.

An Emperor's vessel is not just a simple weapon; it is the continuation of the Great Emperor's life and the embodiment of their Dao fruit.

Streaks of divine patterns, like divine chains, circled above the dark Bitter Sea, floating and sinking with the Wheel of Life. This was the primitive form condensed from the essence of life.

Lin Xian did not rashly cast the vessel. Cultivators can sacrifice "divine patterns" into various shapes. A simple one, like the fifty-meter broadsword he had wielded earlier, was the simplest and crudest use of divine patterns.

However, casting a vessel requires numerous and complex divine patterns.

Hammering into the deepest part of the Dao can even give birth to Dao and principles; this is the foundation for becoming a Sage weapon or an Emperor weapon.

Therefore, hammering primitive "divine patterns" into a "vessel" is very important for cultivators, and everyone must treat it seriously, because this is the foundation of their future "control of objects."

The form of the divine patterns often determines the final life-bound weapon. If the final divine pattern of a supreme being is sword-shaped, then their Emperor weapon must be a sword, such as the Longevity Sword or the Taihuang Sword.

"What is my weapon, my vessel?"

"Knife, spear, sword, halberd, axe, battle-axe, hook, fork, idle stick, mace, club, whip, rod, hammer, claw, or perhaps things like bells, tripods, towers, and seals?"

"None of them. To carry the Dao with a vessel, it must carry my Great Dao, my soul, and my life. It is almost like reshaping another me."

"And what form am I?"

"The Xuanhuang Tripod that dominates the Emperor's path? The Undying Blade that slaughters with bloodlust? The Wu Shi Bell that is peerless through the ages? The Goddess Furnace that has a harem? No, none of them are right. I am a being that encompasses all things and contains a hundred rivers."

"I am a chart, a universe chart that contains the stars of the heavens and all things in creation."

"Even though I am trapped within a mortal shell, I still consider myself the King of the Infinite Universe!"

With this thought, Lin Xian determined the form of his "vessel." Without using too many divine pattern chains, he first extracted two: one symbolizing the dark Bitter Sea, and one symbolizing the Wheel of Life.

Between the rotation of life and death, Yin and Yang are opened up—this is the profound mystery of the Wheel and Sea Secret Realm. This was a truth that the Tianxuan Sage only understood after becoming a Sage. Unfortunately, his foundation was already set, and it was too late to regret; he could only annotate this point in his own scripture.

He hoped that the Tianxuan descendants who obtained his scripture would not repeat his erroneous path.

"Yin and Yang opened, the path reveals itself!"

Borrowing the power of this opening of life and death, Yin and Yang, a Life Spring gushed out, hanging in the sky like a celestial river. Against the backdrop of the dark Bitter Sea, it looked like a galaxy in the deep, dark universe, with white silver light and golden divine power shining and reflecting each other.

"Stars enter the celestial river, the clear water reveals the Sage."

Lin Xian was full of spirit, giving his all to refine this exquisite painting. Following the sense of separation between life and death, Yin and Yang, he guided a certain profound and mysterious concept of the universe.

Life and death, Yin and Yang, the universe.

The so-called universe is time and space. Not only do life and death generate and restrain each other, but time and space are also mutually dependent and contradictory existences.

The Great Universe of heaven and earth, the small universe of the human body—the existence of the Nether Bitter Sea and the Wheel of Life is another layer of the universe.

However, the concept of universal time and space is too profound; one cannot comprehend it unless one is a Sage.

As a Wheel and Sea cultivator, Lin Xian could not touch it at all. Having a glimmer of insight was already the merit of the Sage's scripture. He could only taste it and stop; the painting he outlined could only be seen as a celestial river galaxy filled with brilliant starlight.

Only by going a step further and examining it carefully would one discover that what wrapped the galaxy was a layer of dark, silent universe. This was not a painting of a celestial river, but a universe chart.

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 16 =====