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Chapter 199 The Second Barrier

"Fuck!"

When the thunderbolt struck him, Su Daoshan nearly went crazy. The hairs on his body stood on end, and his mind went completely blank.

He never dreamed that the first test of this quest would be his Dao heart. He also never imagined that the punishment would be so terrible.

Almost the instant the heavenly lightning appeared, a divine revelation made Su Daoshan understand what he was facing.

That was not merely a bolt of lightning carrying boundless power; it was a devastating pressure, a wrath of the heavens, a merciless destruction and annihilation of heresy.

No room for compromise!

Once struck by this heavenly lightning, not only will one's avatar in the spiritual realm turn to ashes, but one's soul in reality will also suffer severe damage.

It might even cause their soul to be completely destroyed!

"Boom!" The speed of lightning was incredibly fast. Almost at the same moment Su Daoshan thought of it, the electric python as thick as a water vat had already struck the top of his head.

At that moment, the enormous sound and light rendered Su Daoshan's senses completely ineffective. Everything before him was white, and his mind was a complete blank.

But at that very moment, for some reason, the image of a young man in a blue robe suddenly appeared in Su Daoshan's mind.

That's yourself.

Then, as if his soul had left his body, Su Daoshan's gaze detached from his body and drifted upwards.

He looked down and saw his avatar in the spiritual realm overlap with the figure of the young man in green, both of them disappearing in the bright lightning.

This scene seemed like a dream.

He recalled the day he first came into this world, the day he made his vow to uphold the Dao.

"To establish a heart for heaven and earth, to establish a destiny for the people, to continue the lost learning of the past sages, and to usher in an era of peace for all generations!" In his ignorant, fearless, and self-satisfied state, he wrote down this famous line from his past life in the world manifested in his sea of ​​consciousness.

But then a voice rang in my ears—it was a young boy roaring as he faced the oncoming mad puppet.

The roar was both childish, unwilling, and stubborn. It lacked any intimidating power and sounded more like the mournful cry of a small animal.

But this very voice, like a stabilizing force, calmed my mind.

It also subdued the light, fluttering piece of paper covered with large characters in the sea of ​​consciousness.

Then, Su Daoshan saw a beam of light spread out from his body, forming a ball of light around him.

The surface of the ball of light was as smooth as a mirror. Inside, clouds and mist swirled, displaying a vibrant array of colors. One after another, ancient and melodious bells rang out. Amidst the bell tolls, there were also fishermen's songs, street vendors' cries, and the sound of students reading aloud.

The lightning struck, piercing straight into the ball of light.

Then... the lightning disappeared.

The deafening roar and the blinding flash vanished in an instant, as if they had never existed.

"Are you alright?" Su Daoshan touched his body in surprise and found that he was completely unharmed.

He looked up to the sky.

The sky grew even darker, and the clouds pressed even lower. The rolling thunder and the menacing flashes of lightning within the dark clouds all demonstrated the ever-growing fury of the heavens.

However, the world of light surrounding him was filled with clouds and the melodious sound of bells.

This gave Su Daoshan a strange feeling. It was as if this world had been split into two opposing sides. One side was rejecting him, while the other was protecting him!
Su Daoshan didn't know what was going on. But since he couldn't figure it out, he didn't bother to think about it anymore. Before the lightning struck, he took off running up the steps.

"Boom, boom, boom..."

Perhaps angered by Su Daoshan, the sky had now completely darkened. The leaden clouds and the darkness blended seamlessly together, with only streaks of lightning visible.

Streaks of lightning, like raging silver serpents, plummeted from the heavens, resembling a shimmering forest in the darkness.

******
In the spiritual realm, all was silent. Everyone stared blankly up at the Gate of Heaven, feeling a chill run down their spines as they gazed at the terrifying scene within the illusion.

All around was pitch black. As everyone gazed at the Gate of Heaven and their divine senses entered this world, they were accompanied by the impenetrable darkness and the constantly flashing lightning. Those streaks of light seemed almost within reach.

The divine punishment of the Dao is now beyond doubt.

Everyone in the Illusionary Sky can feel the wrath of the Heavenly Will.

But this terrifying divine punishment far exceeded everyone's imagination. After the first lightning bolt, the sky seemed to go berserk, with countless bolts of lightning tearing through the void one after another and piercing the ground.

For a moment, a swarm of snakes danced wildly.

Because the illusion of the Gate of Heaven only shows climbers at the second level, people cannot see those at the first level. Therefore, they naturally don't know who is being struck by lightning.

But what shocked everyone was that the opponent actually withstood such a terrifying divine punishment.

Those who have witnessed the Heavenly Punishment of the Dao Heart know that usually, a single bolt of lightning will reduce someone who has reached the second level of cultivation to ashes. As for someone who has reached the first level, even if you can't see them, you can hear the sound of their Dao Heart shattering.

The sound was peculiar; it appeared directly in the depths of everyone's soul, like the shattering of a crystal-clear glass, crisp yet sending chills down one's spine.

That was Heaven's punishment for those whose hearts were not at peace, and a warning to everyone.

The Way of Heaven has no black and white, no good and evil, no right and wrong.

This means that when you pursue the Way of Heaven, your heart can be righteous or evil. You can kill without hesitation, be ruthless and merciless, or be heartless and ingratitude. The Way of Heaven will not interfere. Because this is your true nature, this is your Way.

But once your Dao heart wavers and you lose your own Dao, then you have no reason to exist in this world!
Therefore, whenever people see someone suffering divine punishment for wavering in their faith, they feel both pity and contempt.

Let alone in the mysterious realm of this extraordinary world, even in the real world, without a steadfast heart, one is destined to achieve nothing.

Truly successful people are those who, even if they take the wrong path, will forge ahead without hesitation until they find a way out.

What others see as a foolish choice, if persisted with, might lead to a different path. And the losses, deceptions, and setbacks suffered in the name of passion are merely scars on the bodies of successful people.

In a way, it's another kind of medal.

But the important thing is that you stick to your principles. Without a bit of persistence, or even a bit of stubbornness, you'll either not be a failure, or you'll just be another ordinary person.

If this is the case for ordinary people, it's truly baffling that some extraordinary martial artists still have unstable Dao hearts.

However, this time, everyone was stunned.

I've seen those with unstable Dao hearts, but I've never seen someone with such an unstable Dao heart so powerful. The first bolt of heavenly lightning had no effect. The second, the third bolt of heavenly lightning—no effect either. Then, almost within seconds, countless bolts of heavenly lightning struck down.

The wrath of Heaven made even bystanders tremble.

But there was still no response.

That guy treated the lightning like it was candy. But it was lightning, after all; it contained not only the power of lightning from the real world, but also the power of the rules of this world.

If this world is a painting, then this power is the paintbrush, a power capable of obliterating all existence.

At this moment, a voice from the crowd asked with some difficulty, "Judging from the direction of the heavenly lightning... it should be the first level of the Heavenly Dao?"

This reminder made the crowd even more agitated.

Those silvery lightning bolts didn't strike the sixth level, nor the fifth level; instead, they all disappeared into the first level of Heavenly Dao Mountain. So, after all that lightning, they were actually striking a newcomer?
"A newcomer?" Ji Fanqu asked in surprise.

“I think there might be a mistake. This isn’t a divine punishment for the Dao Heart… otherwise it wouldn’t make sense!” Zheng Fugui frowned.

The heavenly lightning continued to strike down relentlessly. The bolts of lightning forked in the void, resembling gleaming harpoons. The light, which had previously flickered, was now a dense, unbroken mass. But at a certain moment, Wei Qikong's eyes narrowed: "Look!"

The thunder stopped.

The dark clouds in the sky, carrying a clear sense of anger and resentment, began to dissipate.

In an instant, the sky cleared up completely, becoming a pristine blue. It was as if the apocalyptic scene from before had been nothing more than an illusion.

Just as everyone was looking at each other in bewilderment, a burst of music and ritual instruments rang out. In the sky, it seemed as if celestial horses were galloping down from the colorful clouds, pulling a chariot. Children sang and danced, deer cried and birds sang, and two rows of scholars in blue robes slowly emerged from the void.

After this series of dreamlike scenes dissipated, several figures could be vaguely seen deep within the clouds.

Their faces were hidden in the colorful clouds and rosy light, appearing ethereal and illusory from afar, like a mirage. Yet, their tangible Daoist aura compelled people to bow down in worship.

"He is a sage!"

The crowd suddenly erupted in uproar.

Previously, the sky had suddenly darkened, black clouds had loomed over the city, and thunder had struck overhead. But in the blink of an eye, there was holy light and music, and the sage himself had arrived.

You should know that when people climb mountains to seek enlightenment, they are usually greeted by instructors when they successfully reach the second level. Only after entering the Tower of Inquiry can they meet the Master.

When did even sages appear to watch the mountain climb?
******
Su Daoshan stood on the first level of Tiandao Mountain, turning around to gaze at the steps below.

The Heavenly Ladder has one hundred steps per level. Those who climb quickly, such as the top-ranked "Red Mane Lion" on the list of those who compete for the title, can complete one level after another in just over three quarters of an hour.

Those who climb slowly, like Ao Jiu, took Su Daoshan a full ten hours, according to him. Each step felt like carrying a mountain on his back.

So when Su Daoshan looked back down at that moment, he could hardly believe that he had made it up.

Aside from being a little annoyed by being struck by lightning, he ran and jumped his way up, as light as a swallow, without encountering the slightest obstacle. As for the time it took, it didn't even take a minute.

But the apocalyptic message that appeared in his mind told him unequivocally that this was not an illusion. He had truly ascended to the first level of the Heavenly Dao Mountain.

The thunder has stopped.

Su Daoshan turned around, and the magnificent gate of the Dao Asking Tower was right in front of him.

He knew that once he stepped through that dimly lit, seemingly illusory gate, he would advance to the middle stage of the Human Realm. At that time, his Dao Seed, Extraordinary Techniques, and Professional Characteristics would all enter a new phase.

Of course, he couldn't possibly stop here—without even thinking, Su Daoshan took a step forward and entered the light gate leading to the second level.

The next second, his figure appeared in the illusion of the Gate of Heaven.

When Su Daoshan's soul entered the Gate of Heavenly Dao before, he felt as if he were sitting in the stands of a stadium in his previous life, with all twelve levels of the Heavenly Dao Mountain clearly visible.

However, upon entering the second level of the first stage, he found himself in a valley surrounded by green mountains. Looking around, all he could see were layers upon layers of forests and pervasive mist.

They couldn't see any other climbers, nor could they see the spectators in the sky.

but……

Su Daoshan raised his head and looked up at the sky. Although all he could see was a sky full of clouds, for some reason, he could clearly feel several gazes cast from the depths of the clouds.

Su Daoshan stepped onto the first step of the second pass.

Just like at the first level, after stepping onto the steps, Su Daoshan found that the scenery before him had suddenly changed. However, this time he was not in the wilderness, but in a quiet alley.

Deep in the alley, the osmanthus flowers are in full bloom. A light rain is falling. In the courtyard with its blue bricks and black tiles, the clear, melodious voices of children reading aloud are particularly pleasant to hear.

As Su Daoshan walked into the academy deep in the alley, he had a feeling. It was as if he was not walking on a ladder to seek enlightenment, but walking through a long river of history. And in those classrooms, there were not only students reading and teachers teaching, but also clearly thousands of years of civilization being passed down.

"Did you remember?" the man asked.

"Understood!" the students answered in unison.

The teacher and the children saw him. Everyone smiled. Then, this whole scene vanished in a flash of light, returning to the long river of history.

As a result, Su Daoshan felt that his shoulders were a little heavier, as if he had been carrying a load, but the weight did not affect his walking.

As they continued forward, more and more academies emerged.

In a private family school, lanterns and decorations are everywhere, and people are excitedly celebrating something. In a secluded study nestled in the mountains, simply dressed students are diligently studying. In the Imperial Academy in the capital, renowned scholars lecture, and students are completely absorbed. At a festive literary gathering, scholars congregate, each displaying their unique talents and exquisite verses…

Su Daoshan walked past them one by one.

"Did you remember?" someone always asks.

"I've got it," a voice would always answer.

Wherever he went, people saw him, bowed and smiled at him. Some bowed deeply, some stroked their beards and nodded, some smiled and looked at him, and some shouted something.

He couldn't hear clearly, but Su Daoshan could see the inquiry, scrutiny, and... a certain expectation in everyone's eyes. Then, these scenes turned into streams of light and returned to the long river of history, and the weight on his shoulders became even heavier.

Su Daoshan walked on, and the weight on his shoulders grew heavier with each step. At first, it felt like carrying a burden, then it became an immense weight. And later, it became like a mountain.

Whenever Su Daoshan felt he was about to collapse, he would hear a bell ringing from the depths of his soul.

So, the bent back straightened a little. After twelve chimes, the back was completely straight.

Throughout the long river of history accompanied by the sound of bells, Su Daoshan walked for an unknown period of time.

Perhaps it would take millions of years, or perhaps only a few minutes. As the last academy disappeared before his eyes in a stream of light, he realized that he had unknowingly reached the end of the second barrier.

The last step is beneath your feet.

Su Daoshan stopped in his tracks. He could have taken a step right away, but for some reason, he just couldn't bring himself to do it.

In my mind, it was like a movie scene, flashing back to the scenes I had seen as I walked along.

Before him were all eyes fixed on him. And in his ears were the repeated refrains, "Did you remember?"

This powerful voice, a collection of millions of voices, comes from the long river of history, yet it seems to have pierced through the barriers of time and space.

Su Daoshan recalled his past life, his first day of school, when he sat in the bright classroom like a restless little monkey, scratching his ears and cheeks, looking left and right. Everything was new and interesting to him.

Teacher, new classmate, schoolbag, pencil...

The sound of older students reading aloud could be heard from next door. The homeroom teacher on the platform was smiling as she taught the children how to answer roll call.

Then came middle school, university… everything overlapped with scenes from this world. Despite the different clothes, different buildings, and everything else, the images from the two worlds blended seamlessly, becoming indistinguishable.

"Remember?"

Su Daoshan understood. He turned around. Although he was only an avatar of the Spirit Realm at this moment, his whole body hidden in the mist, he still carefully brushed off his clothes, straightened his headdress, and bowed deeply to the ground.

"remember."

Suddenly, Su Daoshan felt as if a silver bottle had shattered, and some kind of restraint on his body seemed to instantly break apart.

As all the images receded like the tide, dissipating into bubbles, my spirit was cleansed and nourished as if by an incomparably clear and sweet spring.

The world before my eyes was becoming clearer and clearer, as if layers of veils had been lifted. My mind was also becoming increasingly clear.

So Su Daoshan turned around and stepped onto the last step of the second pass.

(End of this chapter)