Chapter 5661: Limit Of The Dao

“So this is the source of the grand dao.” This primal power affected South Emperor profoundly while doing nothing for Li Qiye.

South Emperor felt like he was ascending and becoming immortal while bathed in its presence.

“Only one step away from the ancestral level.” South Emperor thought that he could see the gate to the higher realm, able to reach it in just a few seconds.

“This step can take a lifetime, especially under the unique shackles of Trinity Epoch.” Li Qiye commented.

“Buzz.” South Emperor suddenly felt his harmonization being suppressed by a certain something, preventing him from ascending.

“This?” He touched the gate but within his fate palaces and grand dao were heavy chains dragging them down.

“Why is it there?” His expression soured since he never had this problem before.

While harmonizing and on the verge of breaking through, he saw an invisible suppression within his dao foundation.

“One more time!” He roared and summoned all twelve fate palaces. They opened and released the endless power of the Heaven’s Wills. His supreme grand dao activated as well, harmonizing with the primal power found on the runes.

He could sense how majestic he was right now, brimming with both life force and dao power. This was akin to a desert gaining an abundant water source.

“Right now!” Everything gathered together - his anima appeared to fuse with his true fate.

The transcending feeling of ascension overwhelmed him for a moment before he heard a metallic clunk. The heavy chains still dragged his true fate down, not allowing it to fuse with anima.

It was as if he soared into the air to become immortal yet was dragged back down to the mortal world. He simply didn’t understand the restraints within his cultivation.

“What are these shackles...?” His expression soured.

“The limit of the grand dao, and one that is created after the fact.” Li Qiye smiled.

“Why does it exist?” He took a deep breath and asked.

He was aware of the dao limit - the potential end for cultivators. However, not even apex cultivators could reach this point.

It required breaking through their supreme dao’s end point first - something easier said than done. It was akin to standing at the pinnacle, capable of grasping the stars by just raising one’s hand.

Nonetheless, a gap existed and required the cultivator to leap using all of their strength. Only when one could escape this boundary would they be able to start testing the limit of the dao.

This has been the historical blockade for old emperors to the new conquerors. None had been able to do so, leaving no reference points for imitation.

Of course, breaking through meant reaching the next realm - Ancestral.

The problem for him was that this was created after the fact, not something innate to the natural order of cultivation. Who did this? And why?

“If you can create an epoch, you can also create a dao limit.” Li Qiye said: “The shackles are yours to control.” Li Qiye said.

“I see...” South Emperor understood right away.

“Even in the absence of these deliberate shackles, future generations will still have a tough time to break through. The inherent limits are just as hard to overcome.” Li Qiye smiled.

“Could you elaborate?” He asked.

“It requires all the right circumstances since the pond is small while there are too many fish. The young ones will have to snatch food.” Li Qiye said.

“That’s why one had to contend with the heaven first.” He took a deep breath.

“Yes, inherit the Heaven’s Wills and their power to become formidable and competitive.” Li Qiye agreed: “But where did these wills come from? Why are there so few of them?”

“Hmm...” He took his time thinking before answering: “The power of the high heaven?”

The wills seemed to be made from unique laws, changing from one generation to another. The nine worlds only had a single one while the thirteen continents had more.

“The wills come from the selves and the epoch.” Li Qiye said: “Even if a creator wants to control the epoch, they still won’t be able to do so in its entirety. The epoch belongs to all living beings and it shall be shared.”

“I see, so despite the shackles, the power still overflows to everyone else. Thus, as long as the wills are formed, cultivators will inherit them.” He said.

“That’s the gist of it.” Li Qiye smiled.

“As for the current epoch, aren’t you in control, Sacred Teacher?” He stared at Li Qiye.

“The birth of an epoch means the destruction of another. Everything returns to how it was at the start, preparing for a new formation and production. The past epoch becomes ashes and returns to the primordial chaos; its essences are shaped anew.” Li Qiye elaborated.

“I believe you have mentioned that the nine worlds and thirteen continents' epochs are not truly destroyed.” He said.

“Yes, still around.” Li Qiye nodded.

“Then how is there a new epoch?” He became curious.

“The reset of an epoch and its power are only a small part of the primordial.” Li Qiye smiled.

“The primordial?” He was surprised to hear this answer.

“Do you think the power of an epoch encompasses everything? No, the egg-like primordial countless epochs ago contained all the power.” Li Qiye said.

“And what happened afterward?” He asked.

“There will always be some omissions, forces that have yet to appear in an epoch.” Li Qiye said: “For example, the high heaven, and the pseudo-immortals. And in each epoch, some get to keep remnant powers.”

“Sacred Teacher, you must be referring to the hidden existences, like those from the burial grounds and forbidden zones.” He understood.