Becoming a god starts from planting a Bodhi tree.

Chapter 459 Like a mayfly seeing the blue sky

In the Boundary Sea, some people travel together, which is also a kind of competition for the Great Dao.

"This is one of the ancestral lands of the Great Dao in the Boundary Sea, also known as the [Tai Xu Realm] or the [Original Self Realm]. The most fundamental 'Original Self Dao' is inscribed here."

"It is no exaggeration to say that 70 to 80 percent of the extraordinary systems in the Boundary Sea have more or less touched on the 'original self' path, and the Yanhuang Federation is no exception."

Taiyi said leisurely.

Ji Tianxing praised, "Fellow Daoist's omniscience is extremely close to the ultimate realm of transcendence, isn't it?"

“Some of the most crucial things are still missing.” Taiyi sighed. “To advance to transcendence on this path, one must first thoroughly understand the entirety of the realm of transcendence. Only by being omniscient can one achieve complete mastery.”

"How can one truly know everything without actually reaching this level? Having stopped here, I truly regret embarking on this path in the past."

Ji Tianxing said matter-of-factly, "Fellow Daoist Taiyi's Dao is so heaven-defying, it's normal that it's difficult. Otherwise, if you knew everything, wouldn't you be omnipotent? That's not appropriate."

Taiyi smiled and suddenly said, "Some people say that sleeping is the closest thing to death. Dreamless sleep is a minor death, while death itself is a great sleep. What do you think, Fellow Daoist Ji?"

Ji Tianxing walked slowly forward, muttering to himself, "Of all things created by Heaven, humans are the most intelligent. But it is not humans who are intelligent; it is the heart that is intelligent. The heart is the master, the ruler of the body, and the patron saint of incense offerings. Only when the heart dies is there true death."

Taiyi asked, "Heaven and earth give birth to and nurture all things, how can all things repay heaven and earth?"

"Born of heaven and earth, and ultimately returning to heaven and earth, life and death are but a cycle of reincarnation, so what is there to repay?"

“If a cultivator seeks immortality and dies within this realm, that’s one thing. But what if they go beyond this realm and die? Wouldn’t their fortune and the Great Dao be scattered beyond this realm and lost forever?” Taiyi continued to press.

Ji Tianxing suddenly laughed and said, "Fellow Daoist, discussing this topic is truly quite amusing?"

The four demons first destroyed their own realms, so how can they repay them, and where can they go to repay them?

Taiyi ignored Ji Tianxing's sarcasm and continued speaking to himself:
"Humans have three souls and seven spirits. The three souls are Tai Guang, Shuang Ling, and You Jing, and the seven spirits are Shi Gou, Fu Shi, Que Yin, Tun Zei, Fei Du, Chu Hui, and Chou Fei."

“Back then, someone lit ten ‘Heavenly Heart Lamps,’ each using the ashes from the destruction of a realm as lamp oil. As for the wicks? They were naturally the three souls and seven spirits of that person. And any one of them, once lit, would be enough to instantly kill any True Saint in the world, including you and me.”

"Ten heart lamps were placed under a realm, burning that person's three souls and seven spirits day and night, trying to put that person into 'eternal silence' in this way, which is no different from death. As long as the ancestors are still here, that person cannot overturn the heavens."

"But no one expected that he would still manage to escape."

"In the end, the soul returns to the heavens, and the physical body returns to the earth."

Taiyi looked on with emotion as he spoke, seemingly finding it hard to imagine that person's extraordinary abilities.

Ji Tianxing walked forward slowly and said calmly:
"The three souls correspond to Heaven, Earth, and Man respectively. Heaven and Earth give birth to all things. How can we repay Heaven and Earth? We repay them with the Heavenly Soul and Earthly Soul. In the end, only the Human Soul and the Seven Spirits remain. If we can be reincarnated, we can enter the cycle of reincarnation again. But what if we cannot be reincarnated?"

“From now on, I am no longer ‘I’.”

"Therefore, in the Sea of ​​Boundaries, few are attached to reincarnation, because after being truly reincarnated, one is no longer the complete person from the past."

Taiyi's face lit up with joy: "Brother Ji, you finally understand who your true enemy is?"

Ji Tianxing did not speak again, but walked slowly forward, resisting the outward-spreading, vast torrent of Daoist energy, heading towards the source of the Great Dao.

In the past, Mu Shitian and He Donghuang both comprehended the mysteries of the other shore, enabling them to enter the realm of true sainthood in just a few hundred years of cultivation, and even glimpse the scenery of higher realms.

But apart from those seven people, no one knew that it was Ji Tianxing himself who first proposed the concept of the Other Shore, and even went so far as to set a trap to put He Donghuang in a desperate situation in order to verify this realm.

But in the end, he fell far behind.

The reason for this can be said to be that he lacked He Donghuang's "great heart and sincerity" and Mu Shitian's "no attachment to self and no small self," and thus could not break through the illusion of the cycle of birth and death.

He Donghuang simply did not believe in the so-called past events.

Mu Shitian, however, didn't care at all, thinking it was just a dream within a dream.

But he can't.

Perhaps the more intelligent one is, the more one tends to overthink; the so-called "exquisite mind" becomes a burden at this moment.

He couldn't help but wonder, who am I? Am I just a pawn in someone else's reincarnation scheme? If I take this step, will I be fulfilling their final plan and be unable to turn things around?
The most crucial question is: Who am I, and who is "me"?

Finally, Ji Tianxing spent ten thousand years choosing the most foolish way to finally take this step. He also naturally ascended to the heavens with the help of the Heavenly Demon's throne, not only reaching the realm of True Saints but also standing at the pinnacle of True Sainthood.

Along the way, Ji Tianxing and Taiyi tested each other, and finally, as the journey drew to a close, they had figured out each other's true nature.

He originally thought that Taiyi would be the last human soul.

Unfortunately, I was wrong.

Now that the seven spirits can all be traced, where is the human soul?
In the end, will I still be at odds with myself?
Ji Tianxing felt unusually tired.

The grand plan, spanning millennia, is now more than halfway complete.

Those four guys have completely moved on from this matter, undergoing a complete spiritual transformation and reincarnation, and have truly found liberation.

The one surnamed Mu died ten thousand years ago, and now all that remains is a mindless monkey. Only he and Ahe are still adrift in this sea of ​​suffering, able to see the end, but not knowing if they can reach it.

To be honest…

He had always found Mu Laodeng's empty and unrealistic tone quite annoying.

He had always disliked He Donghuang's casual and undisciplined attitude, and even...

disgust.

This aversion is like... aversion to another version of yourself that is doing very well.

Damn it, why is it that while I'm worrying and anxious to the point of scratching my head, you son of a bitch are so carefree and don't even care about your past or your roots, only caring about climbing to the heavens?!
The other four weren't much better off either.

Ji Tianxing couldn't help but sigh, "Fellow Daoist Taiyi, after all these years, you're still the one who understands me best."

Taiyi, unusually, didn't really want to respond to that.

Because Ji Tianxing called him the one who understood him best, he had already been placed on Ji Tianxing's list of life and death, and his death was imminent.

So Taiyi just chuckled.

……

……

Boundary Sea, Nameless Boundary.

"Junior Brother Mu."

Mu Jiuzhou strode into the ancient temple.

Deep within the mountain gate, Mu Chantian sits cross-legged in the hall, often accompanied by a green lamp and a wooden fish, studying Buddhist teachings.

Breaking through to the Heavenly Venerable realm did not shorten the distance between him and his ancestor; on the contrary, he felt that his ancestor was beyond compare.

"Senior Brother Mu," Mu Chantian opened his eyes, "was the trip successful?"

Mu Jiuzhou grinned and laughed, "Smooth sailing, damn smooth sailing! I caught a True Saint old beast from the Heavenly Prison Palace. The Heavenly Prison Palace just ended its period of seclusion, and I killed a True Saint. This time I've lost face big time. Now I'm searching the entire World Sea for the murderer."

Mu Chantian was speechless; this Senior Brother Mu's strength was indeed extraordinary.

The later stages of martial arts become increasingly difficult to defeat, as too many factors determine victory or defeat. It is already quite an achievement to be able to determine a winner among those of the same realm.

The same applies to the True Saint realm. Even if one perishes, as long as one is in the realm of enlightenment, at most one will undergo tribulation and have the opportunity to make a comeback in the future.

It is said that the last transcendent being, even if surrounded and killed by those in the same realm, can only be suppressed and not killed, no matter where they are, unless all traces of their existence can be erased.

But this is almost impossible to achieve, at least that's what Mu Jiuzhou said.

After discussing their recent situations, Mu Jiuzhou regained his composure and said:
"I've come to see you, Junior Brother Mu, to inform you that hidden sects are emerging one by one, and the situation in your Netherworld is not good. Several transcendent sects have set their sights on the Netherworld and have formed a preliminary alliance."

"Not long ago, the allied forces led by the Zhenhuan Temple, the Starry Sky Tower, and the Jietian Sect arrived near the Netherworld. If nothing unexpected happens, they may already be attempting an attack."

Mu Chantian's expression suddenly turned serious: "Will this battle involve the Federation?"

Mu Jiuzhou shook his head and said, "Yes, but not so quickly. Destroying a realm is no joke. Even if the three families attack with all their might, they will have to pay a heavy price to completely break through a realm of the level of the Netherworld."

"When expanding territory, brute force is always the worst strategy. Winning hearts and minds and sowing discord is the best strategy. It is not uncommon in history for people to become family while fighting. Expansion is for strengthening oneself, not for eradicating the enemy and paying a heavy price."

Mu Chantian asked, "In your opinion, senior brother, how long will it take for this battle to have a result?"

"The game between the saints is a protracted battle, lasting from a few thousand years to tens or hundreds of thousands of years. No one makes a move easily. Although the Netherworld has no human support, it still has the advantage of timing and location."

Mu Chantian remained silent.

Mu Jiuzhou comforted him, "The situation in the Boundary Sea is currently unpredictable. All the hidden sects are being unsealed, and even the most ancient ancestral lands of the Great Dao are being unsealed. No one can predict the future, so there's no need to be too pessimistic."

"The most ancient ancestral land of the Great Dao?"

"This is the source of the Great Dao in this world, the birthplace of those first Great Dao Ancestors," Mu Jiuzhou explained. "There is a saying in the mortal world that a mother's status depends on her son. In the realm of realms, the beings born within are, in a sense, their children."

"These ancestral lands of the Great Dao have not been opened for a long time. As expected, it should be related to the imminent return of the ancestors."

"The strongest ones are probably locking onto their anchors of survival. These ancestral lands, which bear part of their cultivation, are their most important traces of existence."

Mu Jiuzhou suddenly grunted.
"By the way, one of the ancestral lands is located in the eastern part of the Boundary Sea. The three families, namely the Intercepting Heaven Sect, the Starry Sky Tower, and the Mayfly Palace, are the closest to each other and will likely explore it. There might even be a battle for expansion. At that time, they will be fighting on two fronts, which will reduce the pressure on your Netherworld."

Mu Chantian nodded: "Please convey this message to the Netherworld, Senior Brother Mu."

As a Grandmaster who had served the Federation for thousands of years, Mu Chantian knew very well that the first key to war was the source of information.

"Don't worry, I've already made arrangements," Mu Jiuzhou added. "The Netherworld isn't entirely isolated; the Yin Spirit Realm might come to our aid because of the Nether Sea."

Mu Chantian tentatively asked, "Senior Brother Mu, are you able to spare any manpower?"

Mu Jiuzhou shook his head and said, "Our lineage does not have a specific ancestral home. Our disciples are relatively idle and only gather once every twelve years. In addition, with the emergence of the Heavenly Prison Palace, we also have our own enemies."

Mu Chantian understood and asked, "Since this Heavenly Prison Palace is regarded as a major enemy by Senior Brother Mu's sect, it must be one of the truly transcendent sects?"

"That's right." Mu Jiuzhou said in a deep voice, "The founder of the Heavenly Prison Palace, Demon Ancestor Rahu, is one of the Great Dao Ancestors along with several other supreme experts!"

Mu Chantian couldn't help but ask curiously, "Among the Great Dao Ancestors, who exactly are they?"

"As far as I know, there are four."

When Mu Jiuzhou got to this point, he chose to transmit his voice using his primordial spirit.

"The former Lord of the Netherworld, Rahu of the Heavenly Prison Palace, and two other 'wanderers'."

"One is named Wan Qianqiu, whose whereabouts are mysterious, and even those who are transcendents find it difficult to locate him; the other, like the Lord of the Netherworld, only has a Taoist title and no real name, and is revered by all parties as [Tai Xu]."

Mu Chantian remained solemn. The essence of the Boundary Sea was the Great Void Sea, and the fact that this person could be given the title of "Great Void" was enough to show the respect he received from all sides. "Remember, never publicly utter their real names anywhere! It's best not to even call them by their Daoist titles."

"Tai Xu counts too?" Mu Chantian asked in surprise.

"If you think of that person in your heart and chant his name, it may trigger a conflict with his Dao!" Mu Jiuzhou warned. "This person is neither righteous nor evil, and acts only according to his own will. He is one of the most unpredictable transcendent beings."

"The Great Dao Ancestral Land that is about to be unsealed in the eastern part of the Boundary Sea is his birth domain."

"Strictly speaking, these four are the Great Dao Ancestors known to my master. As for whether there are any other more ancient powerhouses, I don't know."

At this point, Mu Jiuzhou seemed to remember something, his expression became somewhat strange, and after hesitating for a moment, he still didn't say it.

In fact, there should be one more—

World Honored One.

But it wasn't the ancestor of Mu Chantian, but rather someone who originated a hundred centuries ago...

Mu Jiuzhou was somewhat lost in thought. He vaguely remembered that when he was a boy, he heard from his master and his fellow disciples about the invincible power represented by this name.

Even in the century that followed, he would often hear the name "World Honored One" repeatedly from his master.

Mu Chantian suddenly said, "Senior Brother Mu, when I was browsing through the ancient books, I found a note left by Senior Wuque that recorded that the 'World Honored One' eventually went to the depths of the other shore, but the note did not record the result."

"The outcome of that battle back then..."

Mu Jiuzhou fell silent.

He didn't know the outcome of the battle; his master had never said.

Even the master himself might not know the final outcome, because the master did not go to the other side to participate in the subsequent battle.

However, Mu Jiuzhou guessed that his master had most likely learned some of the truth through certain channels.

As time went on, the master's obsession with that "World Honored One" deepened, and he frequently traveled abroad to visit other transcendent patriarchs.

Especially after the ancestors reached a consensus and decided to explore the path of returning to the truth together, the master's true body departed, but his obsession was so strong that he still lingered in the world.

Based on this, Mu Jiuzhou boldly speculated that the reason why the ancestors were able to reach a consensus might be related to that World Honored One and that battle.

"No one in this world knows exactly what happened in that battle."

Mu Jiuzhou said slowly,

"Only those who experienced it firsthand know the answer."

……

A panoramic view.

"Disciple Han Wansheng greets the Abbot!"

A handsome young man in white stood outside the small building, full of vigor and spirit.

The small building, no more than three stories high, with green tiles and white walls, and upturned eaves, stands silently amidst the clouds and mist of the mountains, like a freehand painting sketched in light ink.

A wooden plaque hangs in front of the building, bearing the two characters "Three Thousand". The brushstrokes are sharp and powerful, and it is said that the first abbot wrote it after attaining enlightenment. More than ten centuries later, its profound Taoist charm still flows through the building.

The building was without lights or candles, yet it glowed with its own light. Upon closer inspection, one could see that the source of the light was the floating scripture on the four walls.

"Come in."

A peaceful voice came from inside the building.

Han Wansheng straightened his clothes and solemnly entered the small building. He climbed the steps one by one, and after stepping over thirty-three steps, he finally arrived at the second floor. Below him was the boundless starry sky and the vast void.

On the futon in front, sat an unremarkable figure.

He is none other than Tianzang, the current head of the Daqian Temple.

Not long ago, this avatar personally visited the Netherworld, only to be repelled by the hidden power of the Netherworld, causing a sensation.

Tianzang slowly spoke, "You have advanced to the Heavenly Lord and evolved the Primordial Chaos, so you are qualified to open your own Dao lineage. According to the rules of the temple, you are qualified to be included in the direct lineage of the temple."

Han Wansheng looked solemn. Most of the outside forces only knew that the abbot of their [Daqian Temple] was a transcendent being who had reached the Dao Integration Realm, but they did not know that their founder was a true transcendent immortal!
Now that he has entered the ranks of the top Heavenly Lords, he is truly qualified to become a disciple of the patriarch.

"Have you been studying the treasured manuscripts of the patriarchs in the temple recently? I have summoned you here today to answer your questions and, incidentally, to 'meet' certain beings, so as to avoid any misunderstandings in the future."

Tianzang spoke up.

Han Wansheng's spirits lifted: "Master, where exactly did the Patriarch go? I've heard rumors that all the Patriarchs are on their way back. Are they about to return?!"

“The Patriarch is indeed on his way back,” Tianzang said calmly. “As for where he has gone, it is naturally the place of returning to the true self.”

"The Land of Return to Truth?"

Tianzang stood up: "Come with me."

Seeing the abbot walk towards the third floor, Han Wansheng's heart skipped a beat. He had heard from several of his uncles that the third floor was where the patriarch had once secluded himself!

Tianzang led Han Wansheng to the third floor. With each step he took, he felt lighter. When they were halfway up, he seemed to turn into wisps of smoke, about to dissipate into the void at any moment.

Tianzang promptly reached out and placed his hand on his shoulder, thus stabilizing the wavering state of his Dao.

The third floor has no tables or chairs, and the dome is painted with the stars of the heavens. Upon closer inspection, however, the pattern is not fixed. It is as if the whole world is contained in a small space.

“That is…” Han Wansheng’s gaze fell on the painting at the very front.

"This is a scroll personally drawn by the patriarch in the past. In fact, it contains the charm of Taoism. Rather than a painting, it is more like a picture of time flowing by. Although it cannot be said to have truly captured this period of time, it is very close to it."

Tianzang Dao
"I brought you here to see this picture for two reasons. First, because of the place of returning to the truth you just mentioned. Second, as a core disciple of my Great Thousand Sect, you should have a basic understanding of the ancestors of the Boundary Sea, so that you will not be disrespectful or negligent when you meet the returning ancestors outside the boundary in the future."

Han Wansheng's heart burned with excitement. This was an unparalleled opportunity, a rare chance in this world, to see the true faces of the ancestors!

He stared intently at it.

On the scroll—

It is a vast and boundless battlefield in the void.

A man sat on the ground, covered in blood, with a broken sword across his knee. He was discussing with an old man beside him whether the sword could be repaired. The old man shook his head, and the man glared at him. Helpless, the old man had no choice but to pay out of his own pocket.

Opposite the man with the broken sword sat another figure carrying a sword on his back, looking disdainfully at the man with the broken sword across his knees.

Beside him, a towering figure sat cross-legged on the ground, lost in thought. His divine body was extraordinary, crystal clear, revealing flesh, veins, and bones, and the outline of a universe could be seen in every drop of blood.

On his shoulder stood a petite woman, wearing an ancient fairy crown, holding a short sword, with a graceful and elegant appearance, dressed in flowing robes, smiling happily, and glancing furtively.

Tianzang gazed at the painting and slowly spoke:

"The one with the broken sword across his knee, whose Daoist name is Hidden Sword, is the one most revered by your senior brothers and uncles. He once attained enlightenment and transcendence with his 'Peaceful Universe Slaying the Stubborn' technique and had the great achievement of quelling the turmoil in the Boundary Sea. He is revered as the Sword Master of Peace."

"The old man next to him is the founder of Duobao Pavilion, Daoist Duobao. Duobao Pavilion is still the top business family in the northern part of the Boundary Sea, without exception. They only do business and never get involved in any disputes between forces."

"And the man with the sword opposite him was the former ancestor of the Jietian Sect. This sect was once a truly transcendent sect, but unfortunately it did not go into seclusion and suffered several great calamities. Its direct lineage has long been extinct, and now it is a situation where a poisoned magpie has taken over the nest."

"That being with the divine body of 'Heaven and Earth Universe,' and the female sword immortal on his shoulder, are the eldest and second disciples of 'Great Dao Ancestor' Wan Qianqiu. Though called disciples, they are actually close friends who accompanied him before he began his cultivation journey. Wan Qianqiu was not present in this battle, but they are both Great Dao Ancestors—"

As their senior brother's gaze shifted, they saw a figure standing quite a distance ahead, but not at the very front.

The man, wearing a lotus crown and a Taoist robe with wide sleeves, exuded a vast and imposing aura, pure and flawless, like the void itself. At this moment, he stood with his hands tucked into his sleeves, eyes closed in meditation, and no one dared to approach him.

The occasional glances cast by the crowd were filled with solemnity and vigilance, as if this person was not a teammate, but a potential enemy.

"This is the 'Supreme Being of the Void'! One of the earliest Great Dao Ancestors in the Boundary Sea!"

When speaking of this person, Tianzang's tone was low, solemn, and serious.

Han Wansheng's gaze was intense as he lingered on the painting, which depicted no fewer than ten figures, not just the ones his senior brother had introduced.

According to my senior brother, at that time, they were going to cross from this shore to the other shore and go to the place of returning to truth to find out the truth.

The other side can use this place to explore and spy on the foundation of this shore, and they can naturally do the opposite, fight their way out, and take a look first.

That one glance was enough for them to decide whether to gather in their true forms and charge towards the other side together!
His gaze swept over the imposing figures on the scroll, finally settling on the deepest part of the scroll, at the forefront of this battlefield.

He was a man in a golden Taoist robe, standing with his hands on his sword, facing the battlefield, with his back to everyone, at the very front.

His face was like ripples on water, or like a flickering candlelight, blurry and indistinct.

Yet his divine bearing was lofty and awe-inspiring, just like the highest deity in the world at that time, protecting everyone behind him.

"Abbot, who is this?"

Han Wansheng couldn't help but ask.

This person's position was even further forward than that of the legendary [Tai Xu], subtly revealing the bearing of a leader.

You must understand that those who can stand on this painting are at least the founders of their respective schools, supreme figures of transcendent level. Who is qualified to protect them?!
Tianzang also stared at that figure, remaining silent for a long time.

Until this painting, resembling the flow of time, came to an end.

The person standing at the very front seemed to have opened their eyes, ending their nap.

Everyone looked up, their eyes opening and closing, their gazes either burning, expectant, or calm as they looked toward the battlefield at the front.

The world was completely silent; you could hear a pin drop.

Until that person calmly said:
"I will clear the way to the heavens; those who go, follow me."

The words fell.

Suddenly, its sharp edge was revealed between heaven and earth—

The blade's slender line meanders like the outline of the other shore at the end of the sea of ​​suffering, while its light is like a fleeting glimpse of a swan lingering in the mortal world. Now it heads towards the sky, slashing first at the formless, shapeless, and flawless heavens, cutting open a path to heaven amidst endless layers of light and shadow!

When the road ends, one sees nothingness.

Later, Han Wansheng looked up at it, his gaze lingering on it.

Like a mayfly seeing the blue sky.

(End of this chapter)