Chapter 524: Fill the Dao

Zuiyue Pavilion.

Though called a "pavilion," it is in fact a palace of jade.

It sits beside a crescent-shaped lake, where illusory moons rise above the water, wreathed in immortal qi.

Within the palace, carved beams and painted rafters adorn the halls; the immortal garden is filled with rare flowers and exotic fruits, while immortal cranes and white apes play freely.

Roar! Roar!

Dragon roars echoed from the sky—several Grand Ascension-stage jiaolong nearing true dragon status.

They rode clouds and summoned rain, then plunged into the pond, transforming into black and red carp…

"Truly an immortal scene."

Fang Xing descended slowly on a beam of immortal light, landing within the palace, unable to help but sigh.

Immortals who reach the Void Refinement stage theoretically no longer suffer from lifespan depletion; after becoming true immortals, they are free from heavenly tribulations, living eternally in bliss—some lost in mountains and rivers, others cultivating deep friendships…

Even though he joined the Dao Court Army, there was little to do—just occasional guard duty and patrols.

He still had ample time to cultivate and make a few close friends.

He was a True Immortal, his cultivation depth considerable even among immortals, assigned as squad leader of a small unit with over a dozen Grand Ascension cultivators under him.

"Bi Xia Immortal" and "Luo Yun True Immortal" were both squad leaders like him, colleagues, and over the past few years, they had grown close.

This "Zuiyue Pavilion" was Bi Xia Immortal's private palace.

Bi Xia Immortal was a native immortal of the Immortal Realm, backed by a powerful family with considerable wealth.

Luo Yun True Immortal, like Fang Xing, was a transcendent from the mortal realm, famed far and wide for his winemaking skills.

He entered a jade pavilion and found two immortals brewing wine.

One wore a green robe, her features gentle and serene—it was Bi Xia Immortal.

The other had the face of a child and white hair, with two long white eyebrows hanging down, exuding an aura of pure immortality—it was Luo Yun True Immortal.

"Such a fragrant immortal wine…"

Fang Xing stepped into the pavilion and smiled.

"Haha, my 'San Yuan Brew' is made from three fine wines as the base, refined with Three Pure Fires, then buried for three years before completion… Before drinking, it's warmed with 'Ten-Thousand-Year Ice Water'—the flavor improves dramatically…"

Luo Yun True Immortal said: "We're enjoying ourselves on Bi Xia Immortal's precious grounds—we can't forget Fang Dao You 's spirit dishes…"

"Naturally."

Fang Xing smiled and produced several small dishes for the wine.

They looked like dried fish, and indeed were similar—but refined through his alchemical techniques.

Though Fang Xing had cultivated to immortality by consuming pills and harnessing the power of the Wan Hua Cauldron, he had still elevated his alchemy skills.

Now in the Immortal Realm, his alchemy was merely above average among True Immortals, but perfect for preparing spirit dishes.

'About me becoming an immortal chef after transcending?'

Fang Xing sipped the San Yuan wine and mentally grumbled: 'No… this is just cultivating my spirit…'

Bi Xia Immortal drank a cup of immortal wine, her cheeks flushed red: "I heard from a sister today that a Water Immortal and a Fire Immortal clashed in the 'Thousand Dragon Mountains,' destroying a dragon enclosure and causing several true dragons to escape… We may soon have no peace—we'll have to hunt them down."

A Water Immortal cultivates the Water Principle; a Fire Immortal cultivates the Fire Principle.

Most cultivators in their early stages specialize in the Five Elements, so their understood principles lean toward the Five Elements—many become Wood Immortals, Earth Immortals, Metal Immortals, and so on.

Others, like Fang Xing, are called "War Immortals."

"Sigh… True dragons are formidable. We'll rely on you, Fang Dao You, when the time comes…"

Luo Yun True Immortal tasted the dried fish, closing his eyes in delight.

"Don't tease me, friends—I've only just transcended. I still need your help."

Fang Xing waved his hands.

"By the way… Fang Dao You, you only claimed your True Immortal armor—haven't you gone to the Transmission Hall to exchange for a technique yet?"

Bi Xia Immortal smiled: "It seems you already possess a True Immortal-level technique from your mortal realm—no need to convert it, saving you great effort…"

Fang Xing, upon joining the Dao Court Army, received a series of benefits.

A dwelling was merely the most basic.

In addition, he received a standard armor—"True Immortal Armor"—and a sword of immortal rank.

By regulation, newly transcended cultivators like him were granted one chance to choose a technique from the Transmission Hall.

Supposedly, such a technique could carry one all the way to Dao Lord status!

But Fang Xing had already obtained "The Space-Time Lotus," so he had no need to go.

At this moment, his spirit sank into his dantian, where he saw a silver-gold lotus seed, its roots barely extending, its stem still short—clearly far from maturity…

"I did gain a True Immortal technique by chance in the mortal realm—this exchange opportunity is redundant… or perhaps I should choose a powerful immortal art instead?"

Fang Xing said this deliberately.

Bi Xia Immortal and Luo Yun True Immortal exchanged glances; Bi Xia Immortal spoke first: "My family has a young relative who wishes to enter the Transmission Hall to choose a technique… If Dao You would yield this opportunity, we will compensate you with immortal jade."

Fang Xing was slightly startled—this was an even rarer substance than Source Fluid, a single piece equivalent to a True Immortal's century of diligent cultivation.

Fang Xing was slightly startled—this was rarer than "source fluid"; one piece equaled a century of cultivation for a True Immortal.

It could also rapidly restore spiritual energy during battle.

"Are the techniques in the Transmission Hall really that good?"

Bi Xia Immortal came from an immortal clan; while they couldn't claim to have every Dao Lord technique, they surely had reserves.

"The Transmission Hall of the Free and Easy Immortal Domain contains techniques of all kinds—naturally superior to my family's teachings…"

Bi Xia Immortal shook her head: "But that's not the point. Choosing a technique from the Transmission Hall theoretically makes one a registered disciple of the Free and Easy Dao Lord… My family wants that registered disciple status."

Fang Xing understood.

Registered disciple of a Dao Lord!

That status was indeed valuable—only pure-blooded transcendent cultivators with exceptional talent were granted one chance to enter the Transmission Hall.

>

Of course, if a transcendent refused or sold the opportunity, it meant no fate.

For cultivators, fate and opportunity mattered more than anything.

"I was somewhat interested in the Transmission Hall, but since Bi Xia Dao You has asked… I'm not opposed—though I won't take immortal jade. I need these materials instead."

Fang Xing smiled and handed her a jade slip: "If you have even one of these, we can trade."

Bi Xia Immortal took it, glanced briefly, and her expression relaxed: "The 'Fengmo Vulture Feather'—my family's elder ancestor once slew one; we still have some feathers in storage. One feather won't be a problem."

"Then it's settled."

Fang Xing smiled, raised his cup, and all three toasted: "To victory! To victory!"

After completing the trade, the three had nothing else to do—just drank, ate, and occasionally exchanged cultivation insights, enjoying themselves thoroughly.

Before they knew it, days passed.

During this time, Luo Yun True Immortal was forced to pull out several more jars of fine wine from his storage pouch, while Fang Xing prepared several more dishes.

"By the way—why is your family so obsessed with a registered disciple status?"

Luo Yun True Immortal, tipsy, could no longer suppress his curiosity.

"There are many Dao Lords in the Immortal Realm, but the Free and Easy Dao Lord is different—he is the direct disciple of the Dao Sovereign… and even…"

Bi Xia Immortal hesitated, then whispered with her spirit: "Our family heard rumors—the Dao Sovereign has already condensed 'Hong Meng Purple Qi,' preparing to break through to a higher realm. Before doing so, he intends to pass the Dao Sovereign position to the Free and Easy Dao Lord…"

"Hss…"

Luo Yun True Immortal and Fang Xing both drew in a sharp breath.

Of course, their shock came from elsewhere.

'Hong Meng Purple Qi?'

Fang Xing's mind stirred: 'Could this also be a transcendence trait? Is the Dao Sovereign, a Level 15 Eternal, preparing for his ultimate leap? No wonder he's abdicating!'

In his understanding, transcendence required reducing resistance and increasing pull.

For the Dao Sovereign, his first resistance was the "Immortal Dao," his second the "Dao Court's karmic ties," and only third came other enemies.

The pull, of course, was transcendence traits.

The more and stronger the transcendence traits, the greater the pull—even enough to forcibly transcend despite resistance.

If one's karmic ties were fully erased, reaching the extreme of "reducing to emptiness," perhaps no transcendence traits were needed—or only a whisper of pull, enough for a light leap to succeed.

'The Dao Sovereign's abdication means transferring his two greatest karmic ties to the Free and Easy Dao Lord—he's making the Free and Easy Dao Lord "fill the Dao."… Would the Free and Easy Dao Lord even agree?'

A thought surfaced unexpectedly in Fang Xing's mind.

For an Eternal to transcend, their own opened Dao is the greatest resistance!

Thus, they must find someone to take control of it—this is "filling the Dao," a form of "reducing to emptiness."

But the successor does not "open" the Dao; even if they master the Immortal Dao, they merely "fill" it—and cannot ascend to Eternity through it.

"Does the Free and Easy Dao Lord cultivate the 'Immortal Dao'?"

Fang Xing whispered the question.

"No…" Bi Xia Immortal replied: "But all of us who cultivate the Dao Sovereign's methods—from Qi Condensation to Foundation Establishment to Immortality—begin receiving nourishment from the Immortal Dao from the Void Refinement stage onward. No matter what principles or Daos a True Immortal or Dao Lord masters, they will ultimately transform into the 'Immortal Dao'!"

"I see," Fang Xing realized, then felt a chill.

'This Bi Xia Immortal knows so many secrets—even if they're open secrets among the upper echelons, her family clearly wields immense power…'

As he fell silent, he thought of his original body and the "Pan Wu Da Dian," and suddenly everything made sense.

'A Level 15 Eternal is already immortal and unyielding—why leave behind a legacy?'

'All actions have purpose!'

'It's clearly to cultivate a true heir—to "fill the Dao." The Pan Wu Dao is too powerful; without a disciple to fill it, even condensing more transcendence traits may not guarantee success…'

(End of chapter)