CHAPTER 68: CHAPTER 67 WE REALLY DIDN’T EXPECT TO BREAK THROUGH SO MUCH [6000 WORDS FOR VOTES!]

The Benevolent Emperor Pavilion’s banquet was in a month, and each sect was entitled to two spots. Naturally, the Annihilation Sect had to send Wu Wang and the Grand Elder.

Wu Wang was the Sect Master, and the Grand Elder was currently the cultivator with the highest cultivation within the sect, having also gained a modest reputation in the Human Domain over nearly a thousand years.

He was not going there to show off, nor did he intend to force the old senior to marry off his daughter immediately.

Wu Wang was keenly aware that his relationship with Jingwei was akin to a first high school love from his previous life; it had progressed quite rapidly, leaving behind only fond memories, but it still required a longer period of adjustment.

Only by seeing Jingwei safe and sound with my own eyes can I truly rest easy.

Otherwise, he felt that Senior Shen Nong might be deceiving him to placate him and that his trip to Yu Yuan might have actually failed...

PHHT!

It succeeded, definitely succeeded. If it hadn’t, then he would have a huge grudge against the Heavenly Emperor and his consort!

What was most important for this trip to the Benevolent Emperor Pavilion?

Wu Wang knew the answer clearly—his cultivation.

He had to make His Majesty the Human Emperor feel that he had not been slacking or lazy during this time, that he had indeed been working hard for the rise of the Human race in the Great Wilderness!

Therefore, before setting out for the Main Hall of the Benevolent Emperor Pavilion, the primary task was to form the Golden Core and become a true Golden Core Daoist in the Human Domain!

However, there was one issue he had to confront, one that had been troubling Wu Wang.

Which cultivation path should he take?

Foundation Establishment was for forming the Golden Core, and the Golden Core nurtured one’s own Great Dao. Yet his own Great Dao was not only the Dao of Fire but also the Star Dao, which he had deliberately concealed.

When congealing the Golden Core, which Great Dao should he solidify as the foundation for ascending to immortality in the future?

While multiple Great Daos could be cultivated simultaneously, the primary Great Dao pursued would greatly influence one’s future.

To exclusively pursue the Dao of Fire was undoubtedly the safest route at present. The Cultivation Technique carried by the Yan Emperor’s Order had been perfected by two generations of Human Emperors, and the Dao of Fire’s destructive power rivaled any top-tier Dao rules.

But the downside was that he currently had no idea how many people possessed the Yan Emperor’s Order.

Considering Senior Shen Nong’s previous urgency about his lifespan limit and the vast number of Yan Emperor’s Orders he had seen—enough to nearly drown him—there were bound to be many competitors on this Great Dao.

He had no early advantage, and his upper limit was only the eighth stage.

Following the Star Dao was inherently fraught with too many variables, akin to challenging the Star God, and he might even be annihilated by a mere thought from the Star God.

But the latter was not a dead end. With his mother’s assistance, he was not entirely without a chance to reach the pinnacle of this Great Dao.

Wu Wang pondered for a moment, wondering if he was thinking too far ahead.

Whether he could become an Immortal was still uncertain!

From another angle, how much of an improvement would condensing the Golden Core with the Dao of Fire bring?

In his current strongest state, he could draw the power of the stars into his body and don the Golden Scale Armor, capable of fighting head-on with fierce beasts that had lived for thousands of years.

The Dao of Fire didn’t significantly amplify this state.

Wu Wang thought carefully, simplifying the problem into a choice: did he want to drift along, or strive for a higher position?

For this reason, he hesitated for several days, still unable to make up his mind.

He didn’t know what was wrong with him; it was likely related to his past experiences, making it difficult to rekindle that passionate, self-sacrificing spirit...

"Regardless, seclusion is still necessary."

Whether his attempt to break through to the Golden Core Realm was successful or not, he needed to set aside some time. If the attempt failed, he would need to recuperate; if he successfully formed a Golden Core, he would need to assimilate his comprehensions.

Just one step away, Wu Wang still felt lost, facing two paths ahead, like two milky ways in the starry sky.

The Magic Treasure shop in Floating Jade City had stabilized, and the general store next door was also thriving. Leaving several True Immortal Realm Elders to watch over the place in rotation would suffice.

Wu Wang had to return to his Demonic Sect’s mountain gate for seclusion. The debut celebration of the ’Song and Dance Troupe,’ scheduled for half a month later, would have to be missed.

Before leaving, he summoned the five female disciples of the Black Desire Door. Looking at these disciples, who were on average several hundred years older than him, he offered them a few words of encouragement.

The women felt quite regretful, murmuring softly, "Sect Master, are you really not going to watch our debut?"

"I’ve suddenly had an insight and need to rush back to the mountain gate for seclusion. I also need to prepare for the trip to the Benevolent Emperor Pavilion, so I really can’t watch."

Wu Wang said with a smile,

"I have seen all of your efforts, and you have made ample preparation during this period. The premiere will surely succeed.

"However, remember not to think about how to attract their attention, don’t use your charm skills directly on people, and don’t entertain any complicated thoughts. The Sect won’t ask you to do anything against your conscience.

"If you encounter troublemakers, don’t be afraid. Don’t think about enduring grievances for the Sect’s sake; I, your Sect Master, am not afraid of escalating any matter.

"This is also a path of cultivation. I hope you will follow your hearts and never forget your original intentions.

"The Sect thanks you for your contributions!"

The five female disciples bowed in unison, their eyes full of determination.

This speech from the Sect Master was quite proper.

After giving a few instructions to the Grand Elder, Wu Wang left Guantao Tower, picked up Lin Suqing in the city, and quietly returned to the Annihilation Sect’s mountain gate, accompanied by four True Immortal guards.

Wu Wang seemed rather preoccupied on the journey.

Lin Suqing, still immersed in the sorrow of ’her sect being gone,’ saw the Young Master’s demeanor. After a while, she made an effort to adjust her mood and began to ponder how to cheer him up.

There’s no need to mention repaying his kindness anymore; it’s already impossible to fully repay. I can only shamelessly stick by the Young Master’s side and offer some guidance on cultivation matters for him, who is in the late-stage Condensation Establishment Realm...

I didn’t expect that after so many years, the Young Master still hasn’t formed his Golden Core.

Lin Suqing felt a slight sense of relief.

She had thought that upon arriving at the Human Domain, the Young Master would surge to the heavens: Golden Core in three months, Nascent Soul in five, Immortal Realm in two years, and Great Perfection Heavenly Immortal in ten!

To her surprise, the Young Master’s cultivation progress was unexpectedly normal.

He’s not that different from an ordinary genius.

What’s troubling the Young Master?

Lin Suqing watched Wu Wang standing at the stern of the flying wooden vessel with his arms crossed, a myriad of thoughts surfacing in her mind.

「Half a day later.」

Wherever the Young Master went, why was he always so... so... indulgent?

In the Annihilation Sect’s territory, within that Rift Valley, Lin Suqing looked at the magnificent waterside pavilion before her, feeling the misty Spiritual Energy gathered by the surrounding Spirit Gathering Arrays. For a moment, she didn’t know how to evaluate it.

There were indeed far too many auras of powerful experts within this Demonic Sect.

Wait, the Young Master hasn’t even formed a Golden Core. How did he become the Sect Master of this Demonic Sect?

Lin Suqing tilted her head, a reasonable conjecture forming—could the senior who took the Young Master from the West Sea and gave her that Treasure Elixir be the old Sect Master of this Demonic Sect?

The old Sect Master’s lifespan was nearing its end. Admiring the Young Master’s talent, potential, and considerable wealth, he chose to make him the Sect Master?

That had to be the only explanation.

"What are you spacing out for?" Wu Wang said with a smile, "Go to the second floor and pick a room. You’ll be cultivating here for a long time."

"Okay!" Lin Suqing nodded lightly and skipped gracefully to the staircase.

Wu Wang looked at Yang Wudi and the others accompanying him and said with a smile,

"I’m going to enter closed-door cultivation next. You all should go back to your own training.

"Oh, and remember to inform the Elders not to disturb me in the coming days."

Yang Wudi, Zhang Moshan, and the other two guards immediately showed understanding smiles, saluted Wu Wang in unison, and quickly turned to leave.

How could they not understand?

Before leaving, Yang Wudi thoughtfully instructed Zhang Moshan and the other two that when they reported to the Elders, they should remember to add: "Do not probe this place with Immortal Consciousness at will, and don’t be alarmed by any sounds you might hear. The Sect Master cultivates the Dao of Fire; his Yang energy is strong."

The four guards nodded in unison, ’understanding’ written all over their faces.

Behind them, layers of Immortal Light illuminated the area around the pavilion. The power from the earth’s ley lines deep below was drawn out, activating the great Spirit Stone Formation within.

Yang Wudi raised his hand and patted his head, laughing HEH HEH a few times; the four guards exchanged glances and couldn’t stop laughing.

Inside the pavilion.

Wu Wang sat cross-legged in the center, Crystal Balls slowly emerging from his sleeve, yet his eyes still held a contemplative look.

Whether it was the Dao of Fire or the Star Dao, a choice had to be made.

He wasn’t one to dither. If there had been only one choice, he would have already begun his breakthrough. But with these two Great Daos laid out before him, each representing a different direction for his future, he had to be cautious.

"Young Master?" a gentle call came from the side. Wu Wang turned to see Lin Suqing with her hands behind her back, skipping down.

She had changed into a looser outfit, just as she had in the Northern Wilderness. Her unadorned face, free of makeup, only highlighted her gentle charm.

"Oh? About to attempt your Golden Core breakthrough?" A hint of pride in her eyes, she asked, "Young Master, would you like this Golden Core Daoist to impart some experience to you?"

Wu Wang nodded earnestly. "Can a Golden Core accommodate two Great Daos?"

"Two Great Daos?" Lin Suqing paused for a moment, muttering, "The Great Dao of the Golden Core is the initial condensation of one’s essence, qi, and spirit with the Dao. If there are two Great Daos, how should it proceed?"

Wu Wang asked further, "Then how does a cultivator of the Yin and Yang Path condense their Golden Core? Yin and Yang should be balanced, with neither dominant. Such a Golden Core shouldn’t follow only one Great Dao but should have both the Yin and Yang Paths, right?"

"This..."

"If two Great Daos can find a point of balance, could one cultivate two Great Daos simultaneously?"

"Hmm..."

"Suqing, do you think a cultivator’s Dao is completely identical to the Dao rules of the world, or are there differences?"

THUD!

Lin Suqing silently knelt, placed her hands before her lower abdomen, and bowed deeply. "I was wrong, Young Master! Please stop theorizing!"

Wu Wang’s lips twitched slightly. Problem solved.

Lin Suqing grew more indignant the more she thought about it, whispering, "With all your cultivation theories, I haven’t exactly seen you soar into the heavens."

"Heh, my verbal skills have improved, haven’t they?" Wu Wang spread his hands and slowly lay back.

With a flick of her hand, Lin Suqing summoned a nearby cushion, which landed precisely behind Wu Wang. Her movements were already quite adept.

Wu Wang smiled, "Is your master feeling better?"

She answered, "Much better. Having survived a great catastrophe, she now views worldly matters with detachment. My master instructed me to repay the Young Master well, so I could only come to serve."

"No need for repayment," Wu Wang propped his head on his arm while gazing at the ceiling. "Staying by my side and doing some work is good too. I just happen to need a trustworthy person to talk to. Remember, the matter of the Moon Ritual must not be mentioned to anyone else."

"Yes, Young Master, rest assured," Lin Suqing sighed. "I was too flustered before and caused the Young Master a lot of trouble."

"It wasn’t troublesome." Wu Wang spoke leisurely, "Suqing, tell me, for my future cultivation path, should I choose one with high risks and high rewards, or a safer one?"

Lin Suqing blinked. "Of course, the safer one. Is there even a need to compare?"

Wu Wang chuckled. "Ultimately, there’s still some fighting spirit in my heart, a reluctance to be outdone."

Lin Suqing said, "Then choose the path with the higher ceiling."

"But then I feel somewhat weary," Wu Wang closed his eyes. "In the Great Wilderness, with so many humans, and in the Human Domain with so many experts and talents, it’s not essential for me to stand out and be a hero.

"Honestly, being a hero is exhausting. You carry too much, and every step is difficult. Sometimes, you even yearn for your moment of destiny to arrive quickly—to reach that moment, offer your life, and feel a sense of liberation.

"Then there is a deep void, a void like a whirlpool that devours you..."

Wu Wang paused, then smiled. "Why am I telling you all this? Just consider it me complaining."

"Is it the pressure from the clan that’s too great for you, Young Master?"

Lin Suqing, gathering her skirt, sat at a corner of the cushion, about a foot away from the Young Master. Looking at Wu Wang’s face, now devoid of childishness, her mood inexplicably improved.

She supported her chin and softly said,

"I don’t understand these matters, but the Young Master’s thoughts are surely far deeper than mine. When you stood up without hesitation to protect your clan during the Star God’s blessing, your silhouette then... was so heroic."

Wu Wang seemed rather embarrassed and said in a low voice, "It was merely my duty."

"Young Master, before I came, my master told me many things."

Lin Suqing’s face turned a little somber as she whispered, "Master told me not to feel guilty about my earlier soft-heartedness. She also said that from now on, I should live for myself and be free of attachments. Actually... actually..."

Her voice trembled slightly.

Wu Wang opened his eyes just in time to see her turn her head and wipe away a tear.

Lin Suqing hurriedly said, "I’m fine! My Dao heart is very stable! A heart of iron and stone—that’s probably me."

"Just cry if you want to," Wu Wang said with a smile. "I won’t laugh at you."

"How can I, a dignified Golden Core Realm Cultivator, weep and wail!"

Lin Suqing lifted her small face. The light from the surrounding formation walls and Crystal Balls illuminated it brightly.

"From now on, I will walk my own path, follow my own Dao, pursue my own path to immortality, serve a certain heartless Young Master, and be filial to my own master."

Wu Wang: ...

He felt Lin Suqing was deliberately using her imposing manner to take a jab at him, but faced with such a determined declaration, he couldn’t retort.

"It’s good to have your own aspirations."

Wu Wang looked at the pavilion’s ceiling, as if he could see the river of stars through the wooden planks.

Stars. Flames. Walk my own Dao... my own Dao...

"My Dao originates from me, not from the Dao rules."

Wu Wang murmured to himself, slowly closing his eyes. The thoughts that had surged within him when he consumed the Spirit Fruit from Jingwei now flowed like a gentle stream, nourishing his heart.

What is the Dao? All laws share one origin, stemming from the true self. The supreme Dao rules are spread beneath one’s feet.

When Emperor Suiren defeated the Ancient Fire God, what Dao did he rely on?

Were the Innate Gods born from the Dao rules? Or did they create the Dao rules? Or did they co-evolve with them?

In a drowsy stupor, Wu Wang seemed to fall into a dream, or perhaps he saw a brilliant starry sky. He unconsciously sank into it, roaming freely, searching for the secrets of the cosmos.

Simultaneously, points of starlight scattered throughout the pavilion lit up, connecting and coalescing into screens of light.

Lin Suqing immediately rose and silently floated to a distance, afraid of disturbing Wu Wang. However, she was blocked by these light screens, her Spiritual Sense and vision completely obstructed.

Wu Wang seemed asleep. The purple crescent mark on his forehead slowly emerged, and the arm he had been resting his head on fell to his side.

A faint smile touched his lips. His internal aura began to revolve like an astrolabe, and motes of light appeared around him. Golden scales materialized on his legs, rapidly spreading over his entire body—limbs, neck, and cheeks.

The Dao is me. All laws return to one; no self, no Wu Wang. My spirit is the spirit of heaven and earth; my Dao is the rules of heaven and earth; my body is the body of heaven and earth. The cosmos resides within me, and my body holds boundless treasures. Why be constrained by any Dao? Why choose any particular Dao rule?

Gradually, the scales all over Wu Wang transformed into golden light and dissipated. His clothes silently turned to ash, and his figure slowly levitated.

Lin Suqing could only see Wu Wang, arms outstretched, suspended within the starry screen. An indescribable pressure emanated from him, steadily intensifying.

An hour later, the pressure subsided, and Spiritual Energy from heaven and earth surged towards him. The surrounding great Formation and the Crystal Balls supporting the starry screen allowed the Spiritual Energy to pass through unimpeded, yet they blocked all attempts at detection from the outside.

Gradually, a vortex appeared in this corner of the Annihilation Sect, alarming many figures who stood on rooftops or floated in mid-air, gazing towards the Sect Master’s pavilion.

"Has the Sect Master made a breakthrough?"

"It seems so... but does breaking through to the Golden Core Realm require this much Spiritual Energy?"

"Perhaps the Sect Master’s Golden Core is especially large?"

The Demon Path Cultivators muttered amongst themselves. Sensing this phenomenon, they could already tell that their young Sect Master would successfully break through.

However, as time passed, the expressions of the Demon Path Cultivators gradually grew uneasy.

The Spiritual Energy continued to converge, the vortex near the Sect Master’s pavilion grew larger, and the Annihilation Sect Formation itself began to tremble faintly.

In the sky, the stars shone several times brighter than usual, and a full moon, as large as a wagon wheel, cast down its cool, flowing light.

Below the earth, amidst the miasma, tendrils of fire energy emerged, startling many Demon Path Cultivators from their closed-door cultivation, disturbed by the scorching heat and oppressive feeling.

A graceful figure in a black dress appeared atop the Sect Master’s pavilion, her elegance captivating.

It was, of course, Elder Miao.

She said, "Return to your cultivation. What’s all the fuss about? It’s just the Sect Master making a bit more commotion during his breakthrough. Elders, please show yourselves and reinforce the Formation here. The Sect Master must have had an epiphany; he might even transcend the Golden Core Realm directly."

Several figures flew out from the palaces on the mountain cliffs, hovering around the exterior of the pavilion. Peering inward, they could only see the figure enveloped in Spiritual Energy.

They dared not be careless and immediately deployed several layers of Barriers.

A few more True Immortal Realm Elders arrived, setting up several Spirit Arrays nearby. They brought out boxes of Spirit Stones, rapidly releasing Spiritual Energy through the Spirit Arrays to feed the devouring vortex.

Elder Miao murmured, "If this continues for four hours, he might leap directly past the Spiritual Silence Realm."

Golden Core, Spiritual Silence, Nascent Soul, Divine Transformation, and Immortal Ascension. These five great realms after Foundation Establishment each presented a difficult hurdle.

While cultivators often experienced insights that allowed them to advance several minor stages at once, these ’stages’ referred to the early, middle, and late phases within a realm. Those who could cross an entire major realm were exceedingly rare.

Could this fellow really leap an entire realm at once?

「Six hours later.」

Elder Miao’s forehead was etched with dark lines as she gazed at the Spiritual Energy vortex, which had finally stopped expanding. She breathed a slight sigh of relief.

Does the Sect Master possess such formidable aptitude? Or did he suddenly receive enlightenment from some ancient senior?

With this momentum, is he aiming for the Nascent Soul Realm?

The Nascent Soul Realm is a formidable barrier; forming a Nascent Soul is tens, even hundreds, of times harder than congealing a Golden Core. If one advances recklessly, all previous efforts could be wasted...

But under these circumstances, he absolutely must not be disturbed. They could only wait outside; everything depended on his own decisions.

Why is he in such a rush?

Miao Cuijiao, her eyes filled with anxiety, could only send a Jade Talisman message to her father, who was still in Floating Jade City.

An Elder asked in a low voice, "Our Sect Master isn’t going to... perish during cultivation, is he?"

"Nonsense. This is the new Sect Master highly regarded by the old Sect Master. How could he possibly perish?"

"A marvel, truly a marvel! I’ve never seen a Golden Core breakthrough with such grandiosity. The Sect Master is truly astonishing."

"Too much can be as bad as too little," Miao Cuijiao remarked.

She stood in the air with her arms crossed, ready to intervene and rescue him at any moment.

「Half a day later, the vortex remained.」

Outside the Mountain Protection Array, several rivers of Spiritual Energy had even formed, with Spiritual Energy from a thousand-mile radius converging here.

Not only from the air, but Spiritual Energy from the earth’s ley lines also surged forth continuously. The vortex absorbed it all, remaining remarkably stable from beginning to end.

The profound state of natural existence, the wondrous illumination of all things.

"What do we do now?"

"Can the Sect Master’s body withstand so much Spiritual Energy? This... even a True Immortal would be overwhelmed, right?"

"Perhaps the Sect Master is tempering his body..."

"What kind of body tempering uses this much Spiritual Energy? Is a Ten-Thousand-Year Ferocious Beast undergoing advancement? Our Sect Master is human, not a ferocious beast!"

「One day later.」

The Elders’ eyes were numb.

Utterly numb.

They were speechless, merely observing the activity within and sensing Wu Wang’s condition.

They could faintly perceive that the aura of the realm emanating from the figure at the center of the Spiritual Energy vortex seemed to be only at the Nascent Soul Realm.

But this Nascent Soul seemed... a bit... different.

"This situation with the Sect Master, why is it so bizarre?"

"Where has all this Spiritual Energy gone?"

An Elder couldn’t help muttering, "Could it be that the Cultivation Techniques we’ve practiced all this time were fake?"

Miao Cuijiao’s brow furrowed slightly. Several streaks of light flew in from outside the great formation—the Grand Elder had rushed back.

But even after witnessing the scene and inquiring about the preceding events, the Grand Elder couldn’t explain it. He simply told everyone to keep their distance and observe.

「Finally, the anomaly persisted for seventy-two hours.」

The Spiritual Energy vortex slowly shrank, wisps of Spiritual Energy gently drifting into the pavilion.

The original Formation and the Crystal Balls within had long been depleted, their Spiritual Power drained.

Outside the pavilion, figures crowded near and far, neatly assembled, all watching the situation inside, imagining what might happen next.

Not even the old Sect Master’s funeral had drawn such a full assembly!

Only Mao Aowu, who was busy elsewhere, had not yet received the news to rush back. After all, though the Sect Master’s breakthrough was nerve-wracking, it had remained stable.

At this moment, every Elder stared intently at the scene within the pavilion.

None of them dared to disturb him; they only carefully perceived the Dao Rhythms emanating from within. They felt it was incredibly profound and abstruse, and that somewhat unstable Nascent Soul Realm aura was immensely powerful. It was as if the pavilion contained a Spiritual Energy tsunami, ready to engulf the entire Annihilation Sect at any moment.

Then, a voice: "YAWN. Suqing, how long did I sleep? My body feels strange... Wait! Where is the Formation?!"

The Rift Valley of the Annihilation Sect instantly fell so silent one could hear a pin drop. Several old Demon Path cultivators stumbled, clutching their aging backs as they silently sat down.