Emperor Wu Shihuang's handwriting, do not go out of the Milky Way border

"If you lose it, take it back; if that doesn't work, find another way. Millions of years have passed; do you intend to continue being so despondent?" Ying Zheng pressed on.

Upon hearing this, Ying Zheng shook his head helplessly and said, "Over the years, I have tried, but I truly lack the talent for cultivating other great paths. And now that the Imperial Path has been taken away, I sense that it is about to dissipate. How can I possibly take it back?"

Ying Zheng was also shaken by this, but when he thought about the connection between the imperial way and the human way, he realized that the imperial way was originally the great way that appeared because of the experiment of the Dao Ancestor Hongjun.

The return to humanity is both unexpected and reasonable.

At this moment, Ying Zheng did not know how to persuade him, so he turned and left helplessly.

Ying Zheng, however, continued to drink and sing, drinking alone under the moon, continuing his practice of drowning his sorrows in alcohol for countless years.

At this moment, Ying Zheng's gaze was fixed on a certain world of endless sands.

This world has only existed for a few hundred million years, and is as insignificant as dust in the vast universe.

Yet there are extremely majestic beings in this world who cultivate and comprehend the Dao.

Ying Zheng gazed at the enlightened figure, a look of satisfaction on his face: "Fortunately, I still have my second disciple, Jiang Tian, ​​otherwise I wouldn't know where to put my old face. The disciples I've taught are all more and more dejected than the last, it's not a very honorable thing to say."

At this moment, Ying Zheng carefully comprehended Jiang Tian's current state. His understanding of the Great Dao was basically complete, and he was only one step away from sublimation.

This step is an insurmountable barrier, having blocked countless Primordial Dao Masters.

If the opportunity arises, this step can be taken at any time.

However, achieving this goal is as difficult as ascending to heaven. Otherwise, how could only a few dozen Dao Masters emerge from the thousands of Primordial Dao Lords in the endless chaotic sea of ​​the myriad realms?

Jiang Tian, ​​sitting at his stall, only realized Ying Zheng's arrival the moment his gaze fell upon him.

Jiang Tian immediately stood up, bowed respectfully, and said, "Master, what brings you here?"

Ying Zheng replied irritably, "Why have I come? It's not to see you unfilial disciples!"

Seeing Ying Zheng's annoyed appearance, Jiang Tian knew that he had been holding a grudge against his senior and junior brothers.

Leaving aside the eldest brother, just considering the third brother's attitude, if it were him, he would have had a hard time escaping that shadow and confusion even in a short span of billions of years.

He was destined to attain enlightenment and become the greatest being in the world, but unexpectedly, he failed at the last minute, and the foundation of his great path was stripped away by someone.

If it weren't for Master's protection, I might have been in mortal danger, so my current dejection is understandable.

Jiang Tian had tried to persuade Ying Zheng in Xianyang over the years, but all his efforts had failed to change Ying Zheng's mind.

At this moment, Ying Zheng sipped the tea brewed by his disciple, his expression thoughtful, and said, "Your Great Dao is only one step away from sublimation, but judging from your appearance, you seem to be suppressing it yourself. Why... do you not wish to attain the Dao?"

Upon hearing this, Jiang Tian paused slightly while pouring tea, but quickly resumed his normal actions: "As expected, I still couldn't hide it from Master's discerning eyes."

Ying Zheng was also greatly surprised by the result of this test.

Jiang Tian did indeed conceal his true intentions very well, but Ying Zheng sensed something amiss and thus probed him, only to be right.

"Candied hawthorn berries, fragrant and sweet candied hawthorn berries..."

"Popular hot soup dumplings, come and have a taste!"

"........."

Ying Zheng strolled through this ancient city, which had only existed for a thousand years. Although passersby could not see him, they subconsciously avoided his path. This world, as vast as the sands of time, contained no extraordinary elements; the power of the Heavenly Dao invisibly suppressed the flow of spiritual energy.

At this moment, Ying Zheng stood before a fortune-telling stall. What puzzled him was: having already touched that boundary, why not pursue a higher level of spiritual attainment? What was this person afraid of?
"Now that everything is ready, why not take action? You should know that every step you take to advance tonight will bring more danger—what are you afraid of?" Ying Zheng put down his teacup and asked solemnly.

Upon hearing this, Jiang Tian looked up and met Ying Zheng's gaze, then solemnly replied, "I fear that the tragedy that befell my third junior brother will be repeated upon me."

In a daze, Ying Zheng seemed to see the scene of his enlightenment. The figure of Dao Ancestor Hongjun had become a shadow of inner demons in his heart. If Jiang Tian's Dao heart were not so steadfast, he would probably already be plagued by inner demons. After all, those who have attained the Dao fear nothing more than having their foundation of the Great Dao taken away, so it is normal for Jiang Tian to have such worries. If it were not for the special circumstances, the man-made disasters faced by those who have attained the Dao would probably be even more devastating.

Jiang Tian now only needs to worry about whether Dao Ancestor Hongjun and others will make a move, without having to deal with the schemes of other Dao-achievers. Moreover, as far as he knows, Ancestor Yangmei, Dao Ancestor Hongjun, and Demon Ancestor Luo Hou are all at crucial junctures in their plans and will not act rashly. Furthermore, the Great Dao that Jiang Tian comprehends has nothing to do with them, so why would they act rashly for a mere Great Dao?
"You are overthinking it. Those few are now all in hiding. Your path to enlightenment is none of their concern. Why would they risk such a great danger to plunder your foundation? So just focus on achieving your goal." Ying Zheng said with a hint of helplessness.

Upon hearing this, Jiang Tian suddenly understood: "So that's how it is... No wonder I haven't heard of any battles among those who have attained the Dao recently. In that case, I no longer need to hide!"

Having said that, Jiang Tian let out a long sigh of relief, the gloom in his heart vanished, and he shouted with high spirits, "Today, I shall attain enlightenment!"

The vast Daoist chant echoed throughout the myriad realms, reaching the boundless chaotic sea, where all those who had awakened their spiritual intelligence heard this murmur. Though the common beings did not understand its meaning, those Great Luo Heavenly Venerables and Primordial Dao Lords who heard it were filled with envy.

"Another great being is about to attain enlightenment; I wonder who this holy being is?"

"I only hope that the old story of the Northern Underworld Lord will not repeat itself, otherwise everyone will live in fear..."

"........."

As the immortals and gods discussed this, many who had attained enlightenment also awoke from their slumber. They wished to observe who had achieved enlightenment and also intended to win over this newly ascended fellow Daoist—he needed to accumulate enough power to contend with Dao Ancestor Hongjun and others, so they would not only not hinder the Primordial Dao Master's ascension, but would actually lend him a hand. They sensed this unfamiliar Great Dao, its power transcending heaven and earth, mountains and rivers, and the world, named "Jiangtian Great Dao," bestowed upon it by Jiangtian himself. Having discerned the foundation of this Dao, the minds of the enlightened beings converged to observe this scene, and their words of congratulations reached Ying Zheng's ears:

"Congratulations, Fellow Daoist Ying Zheng, on teaching such a disciple! First there was Ying Zheng, then Jiang Tian. Your ability to train your disciple is truly enviable!"

"Indeed, Jiang Tian's success this time will surely come naturally..."

"........."

In response to everyone's congratulations, Ying Zheng said humbly, "My unworthy disciple is dull and slow-witted, I have made you all laugh."

Upon hearing this, the demon master Kunpeng fawned and echoed, "If young friend Jiang Tian is considered a bad disciple, then aren't my disciples all wicked creatures?"

Ying Zheng's smile widened further—the sorcerer's flattery truly pleased him.

At this moment, the Supreme Pure Lingbao Heavenly Venerable also laughed heartily: "My proudest achievement is taking you as my disciple. Now even my grand-disciple has become an enlightened being. My lineage has achieved enlightenment for three generations, which can be described as extremely glorious! This is enough to prove that my master and I have excellent judgment."

These words caused the Jade Pure Primordial Heavenly Venerable to secretly roll his eyes, but since it was an auspicious day, he could not refute them.

Subsequently, all the Daoists sensed that the Great Dao of Jiangtian was beginning to sublimate, and they all silently watched this place, protecting Jiangtian at the same time, not wanting the old story of Ying Zheng and the Lord of Beiming to repeat itself.

Amitabha Buddha, however, gazed at Ying Zheng with a heavy heart, his already sorrowful face now showing even more hesitation, as if he had not yet made up his mind. He lowered his eyes to the dreamlike golden lotus blooming in his hand—under his painstaking cultivation, this lotus had become a Chaos Treasure, reaching the peak of the twenty-fourth grade. However, breaking through the Great Dao barrier to become a Chaos Supreme Treasure was by no means an easy task.

During this period, the Buddhist community scrimped and saved to support the twenty-four-petaled Dream Lotus, even halving their salaries. The entire Buddhist lineage was filled with lamentation, but they were not without their own gains in cultivating this precious treasure of the Dream Path. Only when one's superior is powerful enough can subordinates receive more benefits and protection.

Ying Zheng noticed the change in Amitabha's expression but did not pay it any mind. If Amitabha had already made a decision, he would come to discuss it in detail; since he was still hesitant, Ying Zheng did not press him further.

Ying Zheng sensed that the sublimation of the Great Dao of Jiang Tian was nearing its end, yet he had not seen the figures of Demon Ancestor Luo Hou or the others appear, nor had he employed any schemes to restrain them. This was illogical—those beings would stop at nothing to collect the authority of the Great Dao. Ying Zheng and the others had not yet recovered the lost authority of the Great Dao; could it be that they had already gathered all the necessary Great Daos? But how could that be? The more Great Daos needed to nurture a Dao Fruit, the better; each additional type brought greater hope.

Despite lingering doubts, with the complete sublimation of Jiang Tian's Great Dao, placing him alongside the Great Daos of other enlightened beings as a supreme figure, all the heavens and myriad realms chanted Jiang Tian's Dao title, praising his achievements and great power. Sensing the worship of all living beings, Jiang Tian's lips curled into a radiant smile. His long-cherished wish had been fulfilled, and the smile on his face remained undiminished.

Inside Xianyang City, Ying Zheng put down his wine cup and congratulated his senior brother, saying, "Your fortune surpasses mine, and I, Ying Zheng, congratulate you on your attainment of enlightenment!"

Inside the Hongmeng Dao Palace, Li Yiheng was also delighted for Jiang Tian: "Congratulations, Second Junior Brother, on achieving your wish... But where is my path?"

.........

At this moment, Jiang Tian, ​​full of vigor, stood before Ying Zheng and said, "Thank you for protecting me, Master! My attainment of enlightenment today is entirely due to your guidance and teachings."

Ying Zheng patted Jiang Tian's shoulder with satisfaction: "Alright, this is not the place for conversation. Today is a joyous occasion, so all of you fellow Daoists, please follow me back to the Dao Palace. We shall not leave until we are thoroughly drunk!"

Afterwards, all those who had attained the Dao gathered at the Dao Palace, where fine wines, elixirs, and various innate spiritual fruits were laid out on the tables. With so many like-minded people gathered, a discussion of the Dao was naturally inevitable. The profound and subtle sounds of the Great Dao echoed throughout the primordial world, stretching endlessly, inspiring countless beings to embark on the path of cultivation.

The banquet lasted for 30,000 years before it ended, and this celebration was also a gathering for discussing the Dao. Through the summaries and conclusions drawn by the enlightened beings, everyone gained something. Among them, the one who benefited the most was Jiang Tian, ​​who had just become an enlightened being—as soon as the banquet ended, he immediately went into seclusion to stabilize his realm and digest the insights gained from the discussion.

At this moment, Amitabha Buddha had made up his mind and walked up to Ying Zheng: "Fellow Daoist Ying Zheng, there is an important matter that I humbly request your assistance."

The moment Ying Zheng saw Amitabha Buddha, their figures abruptly shifted, pulled into a dream by the power of the Dream Path. Ying Zheng offered no resistance, allowing it to proceed. Observing this world: golden Buddhist light permeated and stabilized this illusory dream realm, a dream world that housed the dreams of all living beings. Once all living beings awaken, the dream realm would crumble. However, Amitabha Buddha now used his Buddhist light to stabilize this dream realm, ensuring it would not break even when separated from living beings. As dreams accumulate, it will eventually transform into a dream realm; as dreams increase, the power of the dream realm will continue to grow, and it is not impossible that it will one day become a real world.

Ying Zheng gazed intently at the pillar of the Dream Realm—the Twenty-Four-Petaled Golden Lotus of Dream Dao. Its lotus platform radiated dazzling Buddhist light, and a benevolent and serene banner of guidance appeared; these two were the core pillars of the Dream Realm, guiding all beings through their dreams. At the same time, Ying Zheng could see countless beings undergoing trials through the power of dreams. This Dream Realm was like another primordial illusion, yet both possessed their own profound mysteries.

Ying Zheng pondered whether to absorb the characteristics of the Dream Realm to perfect the Primordial Illusionary Realm, but to accomplish this, he needed the assistance of Amitabha Buddha. At this moment, Ying Zheng gazed at the twenty-four-petaled dreamlike golden lotus, vaguely seeing golden patterns emerging from it, traversing the vast Dream Realm, these golden veins existing wherever the dream reached. Observing these veins, Ying Zheng suddenly sensed that they permeated the entire Dream Realm, transforming into a profound and mysterious array. The power of this array was quite similar to the Abyss Grand Sacrifice performed by the Lord of the Abyss in the past.

Therefore, Ying Zheng looked at Amitabha Buddha with a sudden realization—he also understood why Amitabha Buddha had invited him into the dream realm. Amitabha Buddha did not shy away from Ying Zheng's gaze: "The reason I invited you here is because of what you witnessed: I hope you can help the Dream Golden Lotus break through the Great Dao barrier. In the past, during the Abyss Grand Sacrifice, I only observed and comprehended half of its essence; my subsequent deductions are still inaccurate."

Upon hearing this, Ying Zheng sighed, "Fellow Daoist, being an outsider, it is already remarkable that you have grasped half of the essence of the Abyss Grand Sacrifice. However, your deductions do indeed contain errors, and some parts do need to be changed... But are you truly sure? Are you willing to sacrifice the entire Dream Realm in exchange for the Dream Golden Lotus breaking through the Great Dao barrier?"

Amitabha Buddha gazed upon the Dream Realm with reluctance in his eyes. This boundless Dream Realm, existing between reality and illusion, covered the endless Chaos Sea and countless worlds, its vastness equivalent to dozens of great worlds. One can imagine how much effort Amitabha Buddha had devoted to cultivating this realm. And now, he had to destroy it with his own hands, turning it into firewood to help the Twenty-Four Petal Dream Golden Lotus break through the Great Dao barrier.

Immediately, Amitabha Buddha's expression became resolute: "The Dream Realm can be rebuilt even if it is destroyed, but if the Dream Lotus cannot overcome the Great Dao barrier to become a Chaos Treasure, all my efforts will be in vain for others. It would be better to burn this Dream Realm to ashes!"

Looking at the resolute Amitabha Buddha before him, Ying Zheng truly understood that his heart for seeking the Dao was extremely firm, which was also the reason why his cultivation closely followed others and ranked in the second tier.

Finally, Ying Zheng solemnly said, "Very well, I can grant your request. However, I wish to ask you, fellow Daoist, to add the characteristics of the Dream Realm to the Primordial Illusionary Realm."

Amitabha Buddha hesitated slightly—if the Primordial Illusionary Realm were to acquire the attributes of the Dream Realm, wouldn't it become an alternative Dream Realm? Moreover, the Primordial Illusionary Realm was already at its peak, somewhat squeezing out the space for the Dream Realm to continue, which could be considered a struggle for the Great Dao. However, Amitabha Buddha could not worry about such things now; the Dreamlike Golden Lotus was the most important thing, so he decisively replied, "Alright, I agree."

Ying Zheng smiled and said, "Since you are so straightforward, I will not disappoint you."

Then, Ying Zheng's power began to influence the entire Dream Realm. At the same time, the golden veins derived from the Twenty-Four Petal Dream Lotus suddenly changed, spreading throughout the entire realm. The great array formed by the golden veins now appeared increasingly profound, its aura bearing a striking resemblance to the Abyss Grand Sacrifice of the past. Amitabha Buddha felt increasingly exhilarated, and also sighed that this transaction was not in vain—indeed, only Ying Zheng, who had personally experienced the Abyss Grand Sacrifice, and the Lord of the Abyss could reproduce this technique.

As he was setting up the formation, Ying Zheng also sensed that the power of the golden veins was formed by the fusion of the Dream Dao and the Buddhist Dao. In a trance, the two blended together seamlessly, becoming one.

His achievements can be said to be even greater than those of Donghuang Taiyi.

It should be noted that while he spent far less time integrating the Dream Dao and the Buddhist Dao than Donghuang Taiyi, his mastery of integrating the Great Dao far surpassed that of the other.

It was truly a case of the student surpassing the teacher, but considering Amitabha's enlightenment and perseverance, Ying Zheng wasn't surprised. (End of Chapter)