One person: Lu Jin, do I look like your master?

Wang Xuan's tone was calm, yet it carried an unwavering resolve.

Seeing that Wang Xuan was determined to leave, Gao Lian knew he couldn't persuade him to stay, so he didn't insist. He simply thanked him again and said that the Northeast Region would do its best to help Wang Xuan if he needed anything in the future.

Wang Xuan nodded, said nothing more, turned and walked down the mountain path with unhurried steps, his figure gradually disappearing into the afterglow of the setting sun.

Soon, it was completely isolated from Black Wind Ridge, which had just undergone a bloody purge, and from the conflicts between the various forces behind it.

Zhang Chulan looked in the direction where Wang Xuan disappeared, then at the company employees who were busy wrapping up, and at the prisoner Aoyama Yohei being put into a car in the distance, and was filled with emotion.

This trip to Northeast China allowed me to witness the legendary demon sword, participate in the battle to annihilate the enemy, and once again witness the mysterious senior Wang Xuan's ability to manipulate events at will.

"Let's go, Bao'er, we should go back and report to Fourth Brother."

Zhang Chulan tugged at Feng Baobao, who was still curiously examining a ninja shuriken, and followed Gao Lian's convoy, leaving the gradually quieting mountain forest.

Black Wind Ridge has returned to its usual tranquility. Only the freshly turned soil and the faint smell of blood in the air silently tell the story of the brief but brutal hunt that just took place.

A hidden danger that has lasted for decades has finally come to a temporary end.

Chapter 112 Hedao

After a long and winding journey, and after the bloody battles fought by the remnants of the Bihe Mountain gang, Wang Xuan once again embarked on his journey home, returning to the quiet old house on the edge of the northeastern mountains that held the memories of his childhood and adolescence.

This time, my state of mind was different from before. Having personally crushed those enemies who had been hiding for many years, it seemed as if I had also cleansed some long-standing pent-up feelings in my heart.

Although that cold hostility towards the Japanese pirates had long been ingrained in his heart and would not change because of it, taking concrete action ultimately brought a sense of relief and clarity of mind.

Breathing in the crisp, familiar air of his hometown, he felt as if the energy within him had become more vibrant and harmonious.

He completely shut himself out of the outside world's disturbances and schemes, and once again sank into a state of ultimate tranquility.

Every day, apart from the necessary breathing exercises, he spends most of his time alone deep into the rolling mountains behind the house, seeking a quiet place, either sitting cross-legged under an ancient pine tree or standing quietly by a stream.

No longer deliberately activating the Reverse Life Triple Technique, nor studying the changes of the Wind After Qimen, but instead devoting all his energy to understanding the surrounding nature.

He tried to forget his own existence and see himself as part of the mountain, the water, the trees, and the breeze.

My breathing gradually synchronized with the rhythm of the mountain wind, and my heartbeat seemed to echo the faint and ancient pulse deep within the earth.

He suppressed all outward aura and mental fluctuations, becoming like a true stubborn rock or withered tree, minimizing his own presence.

Day after day, month after month.

Gradually, strange phenomena began to appear.

At first, some timid tits hopped and pecked around him, but when they saw that he did not react, they tentatively landed on the branches near him.

Later, they even dared to land directly on his shoulders and knees, treating him as part of the rocks, chirping and preening their feathers, completely unaware that they were resting on a "person".

Later on, even some clever squirrels and rabbits would pass by him nonchalantly.

Wang Xuan's presence seemed to truly blend into the natural landscape of the mountains and forests.

His breath became barely perceptible, and his heartbeat slowed to almost a standstill, were it not for his still warm body temperature and the vast Qi flowing slowly within him.

He was almost indistinguishable from an ancient monk who had passed away peacefully. This was an extremely mysterious state, not a concealment, but an "assimilation." His own frequency of existence had become infinitely close to the natural rhythm of this world.

I don't know how much time has passed; perhaps it was a moment, or perhaps it was eternity.

On this day, as dawn broke and the thin mist lingered in the forest, everything was shrouded in a hazy, vibrant atmosphere.

Wang Xuan, who had been sitting still like a statue, suddenly experienced a subtle change in his aura.

At first, it was just a wisp of extremely pure, jade-white innate true qi, like a newly sprouted bud, quietly emerging from the Baihui acupoint on the top of his head, swaying gently.

Immediately afterwards, a second wisp, a third wisp... more and more white true qi emanated from the pores and acupoints all over his body!

These vital energies are no longer as concentrated and domineering as before; instead, they have become light and agile, as if they have gained their own life.

They intertwine, swirl, and change in the air, sometimes like flowing clouds, sometimes like babbling brooks, and sometimes transforming into the phantoms of growing grass and trees, or the shapes of running birds and beasts...

They seem to be simulating and demonstrating the operating laws of all natural creation in this world!

The true qi grew more and more abundant, gradually enveloping Wang Xuan's body.

It forms a huge, ever-flowing, and ever-changing white cocoon of light, emitting a soft yet vast fluctuation.

At that very moment, Wang Xuan slowly opened his eyes, which had been closed for who knows how long.

What a pair of eyes those are!

Gone was the usual indifference, and there were no more emotional fluctuations; only an extreme clarity and profundity remained.

It seems to reflect the birth and death of the universe and stars, containing infinite wisdom and tranquility.

The next moment, his seated body, without any support, naturally and lightly floated up, three feet off the ground, standing in mid-air.

Her clothes fluttered without wind, and her white hair cascaded down like a waterfall.

As he floated, the vast white true qi that enveloped him did not burst outwards. Instead, it began to collapse and dissipate inwards at an astonishing speed!

It did not dissipate into the world, but rather seemed to return to its origin, merging into a grander, more fundamental "existence".

The true qi dissipated extremely quickly; within a few breaths, the enormous cocoon of light had vanished without a trace. Wang Xuan's figure also slowly floated down, his feet firmly planted on solid ground once more.

There was no trace of his Qi emanating from his body anymore; he looked just like an ordinary mortal.

But if someone were here, they would feel a sense of awe, as if what was standing there was not a person, but the mountains, the sky, and the earth itself!

Wang Xuan softly recited two lines of verse, his voice peaceful, yet seemingly carrying an echoing resonance of heaven and earth:

"Once you realize the truth and see your true self, why should you fear the old shackles?"

The so-called "reverse" in the Triple Rebirth is not the goal, but a means, a way to see the "true self" more clearly and touch the "Great Way" through extreme introspection and sublimation.

The so-called "ascension to immortality" and "transformation of the physical body into Qi" may just be an external manifestation of "attaining the Dao," rather than the Dao itself.

True "enlightenment" lies in understanding one's own mind and nature, and in aligning oneself with the fundamental "Tao" of the universe.

His actions just now were not a breakthrough in a certain technique's bottleneck, but rather his own understanding of the "Dao" that resonated with and... subjugated the surrounding world!

The moment Wang Xuanming attained enlightenment, the entire forest where he had been meditating for many years seemed to be infused with an invisible yet supreme "will" centered on him!

The flow of primordial energy in the air underwent subtle changes, affecting the growth tendency of plants, the activity patterns of insects and animals, and even the angle at which light fell.

The path the wind swept along... everything seemed to be incorporated into a vast and intricate scheme!

If a highly skilled expert in Qimen Dunjia formations or with extremely keen senses were here, they would surely be astonished to discover this vast forest.

In that very instant, it has transformed into a vast Qi formation, naturally formed yet controlled by human will! The rules of heaven and earth here have changed!

Wang Xuan's comprehension results were astonishing.

He did not become an immortal, but on the path to "attaining the Tao," he took a crucial step, going further and getting closer to the essence than countless predecessors.

In a way, he became a part of this nature, even... the master of this nature.

Now, with the slightest thought, he can mobilize all the power of heaven and earth within a ten-mile radius for his own use! Wind, clouds, thunder, lightning, grass, trees, mountains, and rivers can all lend him their assistance!

Furthermore, he can even command and fine-tune the inherent laws of this world within a certain range!

Within a radius of ten miles, his words became law, and his will was the will of Heaven!

The cycle of the four seasons can be accelerated or delayed, earth, fire, water, and wind can be created out of thin air, and spatial orientation can be changed at will!

This is how he merged with the Dao, and then... reached a state close to the Dao!

Wang Xuan stood quietly in place, feeling the seamless and inseparable connection between himself and this world, his face showing neither joy nor sorrow.

The road ahead is still long, but at this moment, he has seen the direction clearly and broken free from the shackles of old ideas. As for whether this counts as ascending to immortality, it is no longer important.

He is the Dao, and the Dao is him. In this small space, he is almost... a god.

Chapter 113 Enlightenment

An indescribable sense of mystery, like the melting snow of early spring, silently permeated Wang Xuan's entire being. The world around him had never been so clear, yet so... docile, in his perception.

"This feeling is wonderful."

He was silent.

"The effect is somewhat similar to that of Feng Hou Qi Men."

Wang Xuan clearly realized this.

"This effect is incomparable to Feng Hou Qi Men."

Wang Xuan's state at this moment is completely different.

He is not "leveraging" or "stipulating" the rules; he himself is part of the rules, or rather, the rules of this world are an extension of his will.

He did not stand outside of heaven and earth to control them, but rather merged into heaven and earth, becoming their "heart".

Feng Hou Qi Men is about making the world obey "my" commands, while Wang Xuan is about making "my" will become the world's own desire.

"In the end, Feng Hou Qi Men is controlled by the user, but Wang Xuan truly controls this world."

This kind of control is flawless and leaves no trace.

He doesn't need to form hand seals, set up formations, or even deliberately mobilize the Qi within his body.

Wherever the mind goes, the laws apply. His consciousness is the highest authority in this realm.

Although the area is still very small, only ten miles around him. This ten-mile radius seems to be the realm of his divine will, the place where his "Dao" first manifested.

Beyond the boundary lies the vast world that follows its inherent laws; within the boundary lies creation itself.

Wang Xuan knew that all of this was just the beginning, the first veil that the supreme Dao was unveiling to him.

As his understanding of the Dao deepens and his comprehension of "my heart is the heart of Heaven" becomes more thorough, this divine kingdom will inevitably expand, even to infinity.

He stood quietly in place, his gaze serene, piercing through the sparse forest mist, landing on a withered tree not far away, its branches gnarled and lifeless.

That tree, having endured countless storms and snows, had its flame of life extinguished long ago, leaving only a black skeleton pointing to the sky, telling the story of the vicissitudes of time.

A simple thought, like a drop of water falling into a calm lake, ripples spread outwards.

The next moment, a miracle happened.

The bare, seemingly fragile branches swelled with plump buds at a speed visible to the naked eye.

The buds burst open rapidly, sprouting tender, vibrant green leaves. This process is not slow growth, but rather the precise guidance and acceleration of the flow of time.

In the blink of an eye, the withered tree came back to life, and decay was transformed into something magical. A lush and verdant tree replaced the previous lifelessness, and a vibrant sense of life rushed towards us.

This was neither an illusion nor a forced injection of life. Rather, it was Wang Xuan who, with a thought, directly rewrote the tree's rules of "time" and "life," allowing it to return to the most splendid moment of its life.

Wang Xuan's gaze did not linger; he slightly raised his head and looked up at the azure sky.

A bird is spreading its wings, circling in the sky with the help of the air currents, tracing a free trajectory.

Time seemed to stand still in this airspace.

The bird, still flapping its wings, remained eerily suspended in mid-air, like a specimen embedded in a blue canvas.

Not only birds, but also nimble squirrels playing and chasing each other at the edge of the forest, their leaps frozen into sculptures.

A leaf, about to fall, hovered in the air, its graceful dance unfurled by a gentle breeze; even the dust motes floating in the air and the water droplets splashing from the distant stream...

Everything came to an abrupt halt. The sound vanished, the wind stilled, and the entire world within a ten-mile radius transformed into an absolutely still, exquisitely detailed three-dimensional painting.

He felt the absolute silence, experiencing the immense power that controlled time and space. But this power did not make him feel inflated; instead, it made him even more enlightened.

"space……"

He was thinking along the same lines.

The next moment, the surrounding scenery rippled and blurred like water, then became clear again.

He was no longer in the same spot, but standing at the boundary of the territory ten miles away.

There was no sound of air being torn apart, no energy fluctuations; it was as if he had simply "appeared" here naturally, as naturally as the sun rising in the east and setting in the west. Spatial distance lost its meaning in the face of his will.

Time, space, and even all the subtle rules of this world—the strength of gravity, the brightness of light, the birth and death of elements… all the threads of law gently coiled around his fingertips, waiting for him to manipulate them.

Wang Xuan knew that this power, which was enough to drive people crazy and terrify ghosts and gods, was merely a byproduct of the "Dao," an ability that one naturally gained after understanding one's own mind and nature and thoroughly comprehending the connection between oneself and the origin of the universe.

Just as a mirror, once the dust is wiped away, can naturally reflect all things; just as a stream, once it returns to the sea, naturally possesses the vastness of the sea.

"To be fixated on power itself is to fall into a lower realm and put on new shackles."

He reminded himself that he should not become obsessed with this supernatural power to manipulate time and space and create all things.

They are no different from ordinary people who are obsessed with sharp swords and riches, except that they have changed their pursuit from worldly things to the higher power of "force".