Chapter 770: Seeking Dao

Li Pin was slightly stunned as he listened to Supreme Dao Origin's words.

The essence of change is fortune, and the essence of fortune is to allow change to be in order...

Although Supreme Dao Origin described the cultivation of the Astral God path using fortune as the entry point, not everyone was interested in or capable of understanding the concept of fortune. Thus, his description of fortune was brief, more like an attempt to attract and entice those with true insight.

Most of the time, he still focused on explaining the ascension and transformation within the Astral God path.

These contents would not affect others' comprehension and understanding, even without considering the fortune aspect.

He explained each step in an exceptionally clear and simple manner, especially regarding the progression from Starshine to Solar Flare, and from Solar Flare to Cosmic Radiance.

Perhaps to other Tyrants or even Cosmic Radiances, much of the content was already familiar, but to Li Pin, this thorough explanation was extremely important.

Through his lecture, the outline of cultivating the Astral God path unfolded clearly before Li Pin, allowing him to intuitively grasp the inheritance, ascension, and evolution within it.

This played an incomparably crucial role in deepening his understanding of the Astral God system.

***

"The essence of cultivators becoming Astral Gods has always been to attain immortality. Everything else serves this goal of immortality. Even enhancing energy and increasing power levels are for the goal of better resisting crises in the Astral World. Even condensing a True Spirit serves the same purpose.

"If the Astral World had neither the randomly drifting Astral World Fragments nor the omnipresent Eternal Oblivion Force, then after cultivators ascended to Astral Godhood, they would simply lie flat and idle away their days. They would enjoy their immortality without striving diligently to ascend to Tyrant, Sacred Monarch, or even Heavenly Emperor."

As Li Pin listened to Supreme Dao Origin's narration, his thoughts churned.

No!

In reality, even now, in continents where the threats of Astral World Fragments and other natural disasters had disappeared, there were no shortages of Astral Gods who did not cultivate or strive to improve.

It was no wonder that even the Supremes had to devise calamities like the Three Calamities and Nine Tribulations to reduce the number of immortal Astral Gods.

"Speaking of which, if one truly wished to establish a healthy operating mechanism within the Astral World, the Eternal Oblivion Forces, Astral World Fragments, and even the Three Calamities and Nine Tribulations might still be insufficient, or perhaps too forceful...

"Because of the Eternal Oblivion Force, Astral Gods are so frightened that they dare not cultivate easily, nor seek advancement. Even if they did advance, the process would be akin to walking on thin ice. The best method..."

Li Pin's mind went down this train of thought. The best method would be to let those unmotivated immortals disappear naturally.

Perhaps... we can set the Astral World into motion, using a kind of rotational centrifugal force to create a driving factor for the Astral Gods. Those who do not work hard to cultivate and improve themselves would be flung away from the main forces and mainstream by the Astral World's centrifugal force...

Upon thinking of this, he quickly restrained his thoughts.

Matters involving the entire Astral World were still too early for him to consider.

The power of fortune was omnipresent, enveloping the entire universe. All along, be it the Supremes, Highlords, or even those of Transcendence, everyone had been searching for a higher realm. Yet what that higher realm was, no one knew. Perhaps, upon reaching that step, cultivators would become so powerful that they would resemble a true universe of their own.

Supreme Dao Origin's voice echoed, occasionally carrying his own thoughts and views.

"No! It is not merely resembling, but he himself would be a universe, a universe with a diameter of tens of billions or even hundreds of billions of light-years.

"At that time, the power of a Supreme would no longer be constrained by the Astral World. Instead, when they wished to descend upon the Astral World, what they would truly have to consider was whether the Astral World could even contain their power..."

This might have been a problem for the Supremes to consider, but the mere thought that a cultivator's power could surpass the entire Astral World was truly intoxicating.

"Some Supremes and Highlords set their goals on the Transcendent path, attempting dual cultivation. However, much data indicated that during the ancient Astral World era, those of Transcendence had indeed attempted to cultivate Supreme and Highlord paths simultaneously.

"Perhaps the higher road for Supreme, Highlord, and Transcendents was a fusion of the three realms. Yet in my view, cosmic evolution is our true path forward. Although many Supremes have failed, it is because they lacked a crucial core, a core capable of supporting their universe's independent existence. According to my understanding, that core is fortune..."

Supreme Dao Origin continued, sowing more and more of his understanding. "Or perhaps... the power of reincarnation lacks a controllable variable—fortune. Without it, the universe struggles to operate, or even if it does, it isn't self-sustainable.

"Only by supplementing the universe with the powers of fortune and reincarnation can it be considered truly alive, evolving from a dead object into a living being, a form of life greater than Supreme, greater than Highlord, greater than Transcendence."

These words caused the gathered Cosmos Radiances, Tyrants, and even the Sacred Monarchs to exchange glances.

As for the Starshines and Solar Flares, they attempted to comprehend, but their levels were clearly far from what Supreme Dao Origin was describing.

Li Pin was the only one whose thoughts were moving wildly.

He was astonished to find that Supreme Dao Origin's ideas aligned perfectly with his own speculations.

Dao begets One, One begets Two, Two begets Three....

What evolved from the existence and void was the universe, time-space, and reincarnation.

Li Pin looked at Supreme Dao Origin only to discover that as this Supreme briefly explained this theory, he also lightly swept his gaze across the gathered crowd.

Supreme Dao Origin was spreading the seeds of his philosophy, imparting a completely different path, hoping that someone could comprehend it and walk the same road as he did.

This was a Dao seeker!

There was no path ahead. Thus, he sought the Dao, questioned the Dao, visited the Dao, all in hopes of eventually forging the Dao.

He had founded the Dragon Origin Dojo, repeatedly disseminating the Dragon Origin Dojo's Command Tokens, all in hopes that those of great fate would one day follow the path he explored. Until one day, step by step, they would become his companions on this path, traveling alongside him and discussing the Dao.

It was just like how Li Pin had pioneered the Martial God Path on Gaia back then and spread it through the King of the Century Competition.

Even if no one understood him, knew him, or could catch up to him... he still imparted it generously and without hesitation, a path he had created with all his heart and soul.

***

As Li Pin was sizing up Supreme Dao Origin, this calm and composed Supreme Dao Origin seemed to have also noticed Li Pin.

The gazes of the Supreme and Cosmic Radiance silently intertwined.

The moment their gazes collided, Supreme Dao Origin seemed to have seen something, and a faint ripple appeared in his previously indifferent eyes.

However, just like how the Black Abyss Highlord back then had recognized Li Pin's uniqueness and acknowledged his path but still turned to continue on his own road, Supreme Dao Origin, at most, could only gain a trace of comfort from the look of comprehension in his eyes.

After nodding slightly, he continued to expound on the mysteries of Starshine, Solar Flare, True Spirits, the universe, space, and time.

He wanted to sow seeds, hoping they would take root and sprout, but before that, he still needed to use the Astral God system as bait to attract one great bearer of fortune after another to come and listen.

Even if he wished to impart the Dao, he could only do so intertwined with the Astral God system.

It was just like the Martial God Path that Li Pin had spread. At the beginning, aside from a few individuals, most warriors embarked on the Martial God path in the hopes of leveraging their Lifeform Force Fields to complete their transition into Astral Cultivators.

In other words, if the Martial God Path had not hitched a ride on the Astral Cultivators' system, it would never have spread so rapidly.

Li Pin sighed inwardly.

Supreme, Highlord, and Transcendence... Does the path end here?

Although he was currently just a Cosmic Radiance, Cosmic Radiances, Tyrants, Sacred Monarchs, and Heavenly Emperors all essentially belonged to the category of ultimate lifeforms.

They merely represented the lower and upper limits of ultimate lifeforms.

***

Supreme Dao Origin's lecture continued until the eighth stellar year before it ended.

According to long-standing tradition, during the final two stellar years, each holder of a Dragon Origin Dojo's Command Token was allowed to ask a question.

This questioning session was, in a way, equivalent to one-on-one guidance from a Supreme, and this was the greatest value of the Dragon Origin Dojo's Command Token.

As each token holder asked the question they most desired an answer to, Supreme Dao Origin calmly answered them one by one.

For him, as a Supreme, there were almost no secrets for the many cultivation paths beneath Supreme. At least, this was true for Sacred Monarch and Tyrant levels and below.

Each of his answers left the questioners visibly delighted. Some even hurried straight into cultivation.

Li Pin even witnessed a Solar Radiance cultivator exclaim, "I have understood! I have understood!"

That person had immediately left the Dragon Origin Dojo.

It was unknown whether he could use this sudden comprehension to condense his True Spirit in one go and break through to the Cosmic Radiance Realm.

As Supreme Dao Origin answered everyone's questions, Li Pin listened patiently.

Each of Supreme Dao Origin's replies also deepened Li Pin's understanding of Starshine, Solar Flare, and the Cosmic Radiance Realms.

It was no exaggeration to say that through these ten years of lectures, Supreme Dao Origin had helped him thoroughly sort through the entire Astral God system.

***

Supreme Dao Origin called out names one after another, answering their questions. But when it was nearly Li Pin's turn according to the order, he deliberately skipped him and turned to another person.

This caught everyone present by surprise. Qing Gang and Zi Shuang couldn't help but glance at Li Pin.

Each holder of a Dragon Origin Dojo's Command Token was allowed to ask a question to Supreme Dao Origin. The fact that he had skipped Li Pin clearly was not due to prejudice.

Then there was only one explanation for this—this Supreme regarded Li Pin with special favor.

"What's going on!? Could Supreme Dao Origin be acquainted with the Black Abyss Highlord? Did the Highlord send word asking him to look after the Light of Origin?" Zi Shuang couldn't resist sending a voice transmission to ask.

"I don't know." Qing Gang looked at the equally calm Li Pin and said, "But it seems that... the Light of Origin has once again caught Supreme Dao Origin's eye in some way."

As he spoke, he took a slight breath. "If it's due to the Black Abyss Highlord's connection, that's understandable. But if it's not..."

After hearing that, Zi Shuang couldn't help but glance at Li Pin as well. It was as if she wanted to see clearly what kind of magic Li Pin possessed that had made both the Black Abyss Highlord and Supreme Dao Origin look at him with newfound admiration.

***

Time flowed on. Soon, Supreme Dao Origin had answered the questions of everyone present except Li Pin.

Finally, he cast his gaze upon Li Pin.

"Light of Origin, your question," said Supreme Dao Origin calmly.

The many Cosmic Radiance Realm cultivators, having formed their True Spirits and being extremely perceptive, were astonished to hear a trace of expectation in his tone.

It seemed that Supreme Dao Origin was in anticipation of what kind of question Li Pin would ask.

Li Pin had already finished deliberating while Supreme Dao Origin answered the others' questions. He had already obtained the answer regarding whether fortune, reincarnation, and evolving universes were connected.

So...

Li Pin rose to his feet and solemnly asked, "Supreme Dao Origin, I would like to know, what is destiny?"