Chapter 690: The Unorthodox Chun Yangzi

Sitting on the slope outside the crater, Hu Chang looked at the entrance of the array. "This is the third time no one has come into the array."

The rough-looking man still appeared lively, but a trace of bitter amusement now lingered at a corner of his mouth. Not far from him, Ling Sheng sat in the air with her eyes closed, seemingly sensing something.

Since the entrance of the array was currently sealed, she did not have to stay overly tense. She only had to monitor the surrounding area and watch for anyone approaching. If danger appeared, she would immediately warn her master.

Above the crater, Wang Sheng stood wrapped in flashes of lightning. Flying Haze rested in his hand as he unleashed one sword move after another. He rose and shifted through the air, each strike carrying the presence of the Great Dao.

Hu Chang soon yawned again.

Cultivators who focused on their physiques, even those with high realms, still felt a deep instinctive desire to sleep, especially when boredom crept in. Hence, he stretched out his arms and simply lay down on the black volcanic rock. When he closed his eyes, he started snoring almost immediately.

Ling Sheng tilted her head and glanced at him, her lips curving into a faint smile. She then focused back on floating quietly in the air. Through the seeds she had scattered, she calmly observed every corner of the array.

After a short while, Wang Sheng stopped practicing. He sat cross-legged amid the drifting clouds to deduce and refine the sword technique that he had created.

Silence filled the array. He had no idea what plan the immortals outside were forming, but he had already made every preparation that was in his power.

"

Fei Yu? Fei Yu...

"

Mm? Who's calling me?

Wang Sheng opened his eyes, emerging from his meditative state. The mysterious sensation he had just felt vanished.

He felt as if the Great Dao itself had called out to him.

After a moment of thought, he calmed down and focused. He sank once more into the comprehension of the Dao. Several sword phantasms appeared behind him, and three lotus flowers drifted slowly around him.

"

Fei Yu, can you hear me?

"

Wang Sheng's spirit jolted in surprise. He quickly realized that his forefather was communicating directly with him through their resonance with the Great Dao of Pure Yang. "

I'm here, Forefather!

"

Sounding as if he had just breathed a sigh of relief, Chun Yangzi replied, "

Ah, thank goodness you're alright.

"

Wang Sheng kept his eyes closed, yet before him appeared a vast starry space with celestial bodies flickering in the distance. From the void of space, a figure in white robes walked forward. Not only did he look handsome and graceful, but his entire presence also exuded an effortless elegance.

He had seen Chun Yangzi's youthful appearance before. Though he tried to bow in greeting, he discovered that he could not move. Since this place seemed to exist within his own consciousness, he could only observe and perceive.

"

Forefather, why have you come here?

"

Chun Yangzi laughed loudly. "

Hahaha!

"

His smile had a charming confidence that helped Wang Sheng understand why his forefather had once gathered such a large... harem.

Smiling, Chun Yangzi answered, "

This matter is rather amusing. See, I visited Great Divine Guardian Wang some time ago to investigate something in the place he guards. Many old friends from the Heavenly Court rest there in deep sleep to recover from severe injuries and resist the Five Heavenly Declines. However, he tricked me into taking over his guard duty, allowing him to wander off and capture you.

"

Wang Sheng's mouth twitched slightly.

So you were an accomplice.

"

Cleaning up that old fellow—ahem, dealing with him will take a bit of effort, so I came to see how you are doing for now,

"

Chun Yangzi said with a thoughtful look. He then waved his hand and placed a low table between them, along with two bamboo chairs.

"

Come, sit. There is something I want to discuss with you.

"

"

Forefather,

"

Wang Sheng said quietly,

"

are you... sparring with Divine Guardian Wang right now?

"

"

Mm.

"

Chun Yangzi's smile looked warm and relaxed.

"

Do not worry. Even if I divide my attention five ways, dealing with him is more than manageable.

"

Chun Yangzi raised his hand and pointed toward the side. Looking toward it, Wang Sheng found two faint figures flashing repeatedly across the space.

In that brief glimpse, he saw dozens of light streaks circling one of the figures. He replayed the image slowly in his mind, rendering him momentarily speechless. Each streak was actually an extraordinary-looking treasure.

His forefather spoke with such confidence while winning a fight using treasured artifacts. He truly was a unique cultivator.

Meanwhile, the ring that he had given Wang Sheng before exuded a strangely impoverished aura.

"

Haaa. Great Divine Guardian Wang is too stubborn and simple-minded. He even asked me to help him decide what to do. Doesn't he know by now that I do not play by the rules?

"

Chun Yangzi chuckled and muttered a few more complaints before slowly taking his seat. Wang Sheng imagined the motion of sitting as well. Sure enough, he now felt himself seated across from his forefather.

"

Fei Yu, you still do not know anything about your previous life, do you?

"

Wang Sheng shook his head. "

I never took it seriously before I became an immortal, and when I ascended, I felt that even if I cared about it, it would not help my cultivation. Hence, I pushed it out of my mind.

"

"

You don't know why Wang Shan treats you with such hostility, then?

"

"

Um, no, I do not...

"

"

There's a saying that traces back to the dawn of time, when Empress Nuwa shaped all living beings. 'Only after the countless Dao paths appeared did resentment arise, for the world would never know peace.'

"

Chun Yangzi then switched to a calm, storytelling tone. "

I have cultivated for many years and heard many strange tales. Long ago, a powerful being from the Primal Era told me a certain legend. Would you like to hear it?

"

Wang Sheng wanted to say, "

Forefather, please focus on the battle, defeat the divine guardian quickly, and rescue me—your disciple—first. You can tell me all the stories you want afterward.

"

Unfortunately, he held no initiative here. The person before him was a great figure several generations above him. He could only listen quietly and without interruption.

"

I will remember your every word, Forefather.

"

Chun Yangzi nodded with a light smile. The gentle warmth in his tone naturally drew Wang Sheng deeper into the conversation.

"

Standing at the very summit of one's Great Dao marks their ascension to the Grand Dao Golden Immortal Realm. After reaching that realm, cultivation no longer focuses only on improving oneself. They must also continue refining and strengthening the Great Dao that they follow.

"

Hence, the true contest between truly powerful beings no longer lies in their immortal power. The real measure of their power is the strength of their Great Dao and supreme treasures.

"

The Three Pure Ones were not among the first to become Grand Dao Golden Immortals after the creation of the Immortal Saint Realm. Still, the Great Dao they grasped surpassed all others. It came to be known as the Limitless Dao, but no one can fully explain what it truly is. From my own understanding, it likely concerns eternity and constant change, acceptance and reversal, cause and effect, and uncertainty.

"

That's why the Three Pure Ones became the masters of the sea of Dao laws. They merged with the Great Dao itself and truly stepped beyond the restraints of the Dao, becoming supreme beings.

"

Wang Sheng felt his Dao Heart tremble slightly. He nodded without realizing it, though he could not clearly say what part of the explanation he had truly understood.

"However, they were not the ones who chose their path of cultivation or the path through which they merged with the Dao."

"

Oh? Forefather, what do you mean by that?

"

"

The Great Dao chose them. It could also be said that when each Great Dao surged out from the Sea of Chaos and formed the Immortal Saint Realm, those three had already been chosen to embody those Dao paths.

" Chun Yangzi laughed quietly.

"

From this perspective, it is fair to say that they are incarnations of the Dao.

"

Wang Sheng slowly nodded and continued listening.

"

However, the Three Pure Ones are not the most powerful among all great powers. Before every Great Dao, there existed an even more primordial principle. Strictly speaking, it is not a Great Dao. It is simply a concept.

"

"

What is it?

"

Chun Yangzi smiled. "

Existence. Cultivators often refer to it as 'One.' All Dao paths, all spirits, and all things that exist today were born under its guidance. Can you understand that?

"

Wang Sheng nodded with a serious expression. "

It stands opposite to nothingness.

"

Chun Yangzi smiled again.

"

Correct.

Empress Nuwa came into being when 'One' merged with a true spirit. That union produced a powerful primordial being.

"

"

She manifested from Chaos itself. Though she initially possessed no strength at all, her very existence broke the Sea of Chaos's rules. Because of her influence, the various Great Dao began to evolve into their earliest forms."

"

That's the reason Empress Nuwa became known as the creator of heaven and earth. It does have some basis."

Growing more interested in the discussion, Wang Sheng replied, "

I once visited the ancestral land of her race and saw many of their legends.

"

Chun Yangzi nodded in satisfaction.

"

That saves me quite a bit of explanation.

I will speak only of the important parts, then. During the Ancient Era, Empress Nuwa manifested the final time when she repaired heaven. She saved countless living beings and prevented the Immortal Saint Realm from collapsing.

"

At that time, her Great Dao of Creation had already reached its limit. According to certain accounts, she passed it to the human race, causing her to become weaker as humanity grew stronger. The exact truth behind this remains unclear even to me.

"

Still, what I'm certain of is that during the turmoil of the Ancient Era, when the many races fought endlessly, Empress Nuwa could no longer bear to watch. She interfered with the operation of the sea of Dao laws and forced her own will upon the Great Dao. In the end, she suffered backlash from the Dao itself.

"

Why do you think humanity rose among the many races? Why would the Great Dao alone favor its prosperity? The answer is quite simple: Empress Nuwa's intervention behind the scenes brought about its rise.

"

She wanted humanity to end the chaos of endless conflict between the races. That was also why, within the Great Dao itself, she inscribed a rule that called for the creation of the Three Realms and the establishment of order among all living beings.

"

The more she interfered, the stronger the backlash from the Great Dao became. It would not have been surprising if it ultimately killed her.

"

Wang Sheng frowned slightly. "

Forefather, are you saying the structure of the Three Realms was all part of her plan?

"

"

She interfered with the movement of the Great Dao and restrained the sea of Dao laws.

" Chun Yangzi sighed softly.

"

She may well be the most compassionate sage that has ever existed.

"

The influence of the Great Dao shapes both the fate of living beings and the structure of the world. It is enough for you to understand this for now. When you become a Grand Dao Golden Immortal, you will learn of these things yourself. What people call transcendence refers to influencing the sea of Dao laws with one's own Dao and thereby escaping the fate assigned to oneself.

"

Going back to the matter at hand, Empress Nuwa established the foundation of the Three Realms. The executors of that design were the Three Pure Ones, who had already begun merging with the Dao at the time. Since they stood between the Dao and true spirit as sages, a single shift in the Great Dao they guide can transform the entire era. The legend I wish to mention is connected to this.

"

Wang Sheng blinked. Even though he had just been given a long story, it seemed that everything so far had only been the introduction.

Chun Yangzi smiled. "

The legend itself is quite simple. Besides interfering with the sea of Dao laws, Empress Nuwa also created a sacred spirit who was meant to lead humanity, unify the Immortal Saint Realm, divide the world into the Three Realms, and maintain the stability of those realms.

"

Unfortunately, even after the Immortal Saint Realm waited many years, the sacred spirit never appeared. During that same period, the power of the Immortal Emperor rose rapidly.

"

"

Believing the Immortal Emperor to be the sacred spirit mentioned in the legend, many powerful beings of the older generation offered their support. With immense heavenly fate, His Immortal Majesty led his followers in war for several million years. In the end, he unified the Immortal Saint Realm and established the Three Realms with the Heavenly Court."

With clear surprise, Wang Sheng replied,

"Forefather, are you implying that the Immortal Emperor was not the sacred spirit whom Empress Nuwa created?"

"

I never paid much attention to that matter before. Does it truly matter whether he was? He had done it; he accomplished the great feat of establishing the Three Realms. That alone is worthy of eternal praise.

"

In that respect, I greatly admire him. Since he did not have a destined mandate, he seized one for himself. That kind of determination belongs only to a truly formidable person.

"

Wang Sheng felt a similar sense of admiration. "

That has to be what it truly means to be powerful.

"

Chun Yangzi smiled faintly at Wang Sheng as his tone shifted. "

According to Great Divine Guardian Wang, you might actually be that sacred spirit. In your previous life, His Immortal Majesty likely eliminated or sealed you away somewhere."

Wang Sheng's eyes widened.

Eh?

A loud buzz filled his mind as it turned blank. He felt as though he had just heard the most absurd claim imaginable.