"It is done!"
The mysterious cultivator put away the [Dao Register], a satisfied smile on his face. He then bowed to Lu Yang once more: "Humble cultivator Luxian greets the Xuande Dao Ancestor."
Lu Yang nodded slightly.
Compared to the Dao Lords on the [Paramita] who had only ascended through stature, Lu Yang—having experienced a qualitative metamorphosis of his essence—actually resembled a Pre-Ancient cultivator far more closely.
The title of Dao Ancestor was well-deserved.
Of course, this did not mean that essence cultivation was inherently superior to stature cultivation; it was simply a difference in focus. Essence cultivation was merely more orthodox in the Pre-Ancient Era.
'Ten thousand methods take different paths, but all Great Daos return to the same source.'
'At the level of a Dao Lord, even if the inheritances differ, they eventually walk similar paths. Sisui is the most typical example.'
One must remember that Sisui had not obtained any crucial Pre-Ancient inheritance, yet he managed to forge a path of "False Transcendence" upon the foundation of the Golden Core Perfection, completing the metamorphosis of essence through self-attainment. Had it not been for Sisui's meticulous guidance, Lu Yang would not have been able to break through so quickly in this lifetime.
The Primordial Saint was the exact opposite.
As the inheritor of the Name and Form schools, he had gained almost the entire essence of Pre-Ancient cultivation, yet he abandoned the path of essence cultivation entirely.
Instead, he focused on the [Paramita].
Strictly speaking, this also counted as forging his own path. After all, under the conventional stature system of the Sea of Light, the Golden Core Perfection was the limit of cultivation.
Pulling back his thoughts, Lu Yang asked warmly:
"May I ask, Fellow Daoist, where is this place? And what time is it now?"
Upon hearing this, Luxian hurriedly shook his head and said cautiously: "I do not deserve the title of 'Fellow Daoist.' The Dao Ancestor should know that this place is the Heaven Beyond Heaven."
Heaven Beyond Heaven?
Lu Yang thought for a moment and felt the name was perfectly apt. After all, the [Real] essence of the eighth secret realm made him completely independent of the Dark Void.
Past, present, future—it was everywhere.
Was that not a heaven beyond heaven?
Luxian continued to explain: "As for the time, it should be the year 129,600 of the Junping Calendar. The Dao Venerable is about to reach the Great Perfection of Merit."
"Dao Venerable?"
Lu Yang's gaze shifted. From his previous experiences, this Dao Venerable was very likely the Deity Transformation immortal of the Sea of Light, the one named [Jun].
However, Lu Yang felt a hint of doubt. This Heaven Beyond Heaven should be a manifestation of the Dao Venerable's memories, yet Luxian appeared impossibly real. Combined with that [Real] characteristic, exactly what time period was he in? Was it the Ancient Era or the Pre-Ancient Era?
And then there was that book.
The [Heavenly Destiny Divine Record]. In the scenes he saw earlier, among the final conclusions of the seventeen Daoists' argument, a few words remained unforgettable:
[Without the reinforcement of the Dao Venerable's majesty, we would find it difficult to completely exterminate that False Immortal.]
[There is no need to pay it much heed; just leave one or two methods to restrict it. Merge the "Dao Register" into the book... Fellow Daoist, your attainment of the Dao lies in the future; please handle this matter with care.]
I should handle it? The False Immortal in the book? The Dao Venerable's enemy? Is there a problem with the [Heavenly Destiny Divine Record]?
Many doubts intertwined in Lu Yang's heart, finally crystallizing into a simple thought. Lu Yang recovered his composure, looked at Luxian, and spoke in a low voice:
"This poor Daoist wishes to pay respects to the Dao Venerable. I wonder if it is possible?"
It would be better to ask the person himself.
He just didn't know if his guess was correct—whether the Dao Venerable was truly the transcended one, [Jun], and whether he would be able to see his true face.
On the other side, Luxian appeared quite straightforward:
"Naturally, it is possible."
"Since the Dao Venerable attained the upper realm, he has resided in cultivation for 129,600 years. He has always taught without discrimination; even lower cultivators like us have the chance to pay our respects."
"How much more so for a Dao Ancestor?"
Having said that, he stepped aside and gestured with his hand. Lu Yang felt a surge of excitement and immediately followed, walking toward the depths of the divine mountain.
During this process, the scenery of the divine mountain shifted continuously. It felt as if they were not walking through space, but pacing through time. With every step forward, the originally dilapidated mountain gained a bit more magnificent prosperity. By the time they reached the end, all signs of ruin had vanished.
In their place stood a magnificent palace hall.
Outside the hall were flying eaves and black canopies; inside were golden statues of immortal countenances. There were eighteen in total, like eighteen pillars reaching to the heavens, propping the entire palace deep into the clouds.
And at the highest point of the hall.
Vast and profound wonders intertwined like heavy clouds and mist—dense, brilliant, and as majestic as the heavens. A single glance was enough to birth an inexplicable awe in one's heart.
The plaque above the hall bore two characters:
[Seeking Truth]
The two characters were written with sweeping strokes. At first glance, they seemed ordinary, but the moment one looked away and tried to recall them, they could only remember a vision filled with heavenly light.
By now, there were few profound wonders that could make Lu Yang feel this way. Even with the Primordial Saint, it was only a matter of the Saint having a larger volume of power; Lu Yang could understand his wonders even if he couldn't defeat them. Yet with this grand hall, never mind the profound wonders—he couldn't even understand those two characters on the plaque.
He clearly recognized each individual character.
But when placed together, they revealed a completely different atmosphere. Infinite brilliance seemed to be ascending, threatening to vanish into the infinite heights at any moment.
A second later, he followed Luxian into the palace hall.
It was a long corridor. On either side stood nine golden statues of immortal countenances, corresponding to each other—eighteen in total. Lu Yang once again could not help but stop.
"Eighteen..."
He saw his own silhouette and aura among them!
Just moments ago, there were seventeen. But as Luxian added his name to the [Dao Register], one had appeared out of thin air!
Altering causes to change effects?
No, while it was similar in form, it wasn't something of that level. It was something more advanced, a profound wonder different in essence.
Otherwise, it would have been impossible to deceive his eyes.
Subsequently, Luxian led him to the deepest part of the hall. There, he saw a vacant prayer mat; not a single soul was in sight.
However, Luxian acted as if he saw someone, bowing solemnly:
"Luxian pays respects to the Dao Venerable!"
A clear breeze swept over the prayer mat.
Lu Yang knit his brows and said bluntly: "Please forgive me, Fellow Daoist, but I do not see anyone. The prayer mat is void; where is the Dao Venerable?"
"Is something wrong?"
Luxian nodded, his tone natural: "The Dao Venerable's cultivation has reached the peak of creation; he has long since left the mortal world. How could commoners like us glimpse his true form or silhouette?"
"It is only right that it is void."
At this point, Luxian spoke with a hint of nostalgia: "Of course, it has only been like this for the last few thousand years. The Dao Venerable did not seem to be like this before."
"It is said that at the beginning of the Junping Calendar, during the first ten thousand years, everyone could see the Dao Venerable's true face. However, as time passed and the Dao Venerable's merit drew closer to perfection, his form became increasingly illusory, and fewer people could see him. Now, only a wisp of clear breeze remains."
"If one day..."
"A silhouette appears upon this prayer mat again, it would mean the Dao Venerable has returned, or perhaps one of the eighteen Dao Ancestors has finally broken through the shackles."
"It is a pity..."
At this point, Luxian suddenly let out a long, hollow sigh:
"I likely will not live to see it."
(End of Chapter)