Hengsheng stared at the Divine Tree, his curiosity deepening with every mont. This tree was undoubtedly more precious than any ordinary divine-grade treasure. Even every branch and leaf of the tree glowed faintly, radiating an aura that rivaled or surpassed treasures of the divine grade. He didn’t know what grade could exceed "divine," but the aura this tree exuded was unmistakably imbued with Dao rhythm more than normal divine should be able to.
“It has to be the Dao rhythm in its aura that hurts that monster,” Hengsheng muttered, his eyes narrowing as he analyzed the situation. The tree’s aura wasn’t sothing an ordinary divine-grade treasure could produce.
From what he understood, the release of such an aura suggested that the tree was undergoing a Dao Blessing. This rare phenonon occurs when a tree reaches an incredibly old age—likely over a thousand years—and is nurtured in a high-density Qi environnt. Once the process is complete, the tree awakens consciousness and transforms into a Spirit Tree capable of embarking on the path of cultivation.
Hengsheng’s gaze softened as he examined the massive tree. The higher the tree’s grade before its transformation, the greater its innate talent would be as a Spirit Tree. Judging by the purity and strength of its aura, this tree was destined to beco a heavenly-defying talent cultivator once it awakened.
“Just imagine,” he murmured to himself, “a tree like this as a cultivator… it's absurd.”
Yet, despite his fascination with the Divine Tree, his thoughts soon returned to the monstrosity lurking outside the tree’s protective aura. The creature was unlike anything he had ever encountered in this world. Hengsheng frowned as unease crept into his mind.
“Why didn’t the First Elder warn about sothing like this?” he muttered under his breath. If it had been another mber of the Lan Clan instead of him—soone less experienced, soone who hadn’t faced death countless tis through the Simulator—they would’ve been dood the mont they encountered that thing.
At least now he understood that the monster was weak against Dao. But that knowledge offered little comfort. Hengsheng had no way of utilizing Dao himself. Dao power was exclusive to cultivators in the Dao Threshold Realm, far beyond his current level. A low-rank cultivator like him lacked the soul strength necessary to comprehend, much less wield, Dao power.
He grimaced at the thought. “Maybe a divine-ranked offensive treasure could kill it,” he reasoned aloud, “since those contain traces of Dao power.” But, of course, he didn’t have one of those either.
Ti dragged on as Hengsheng wracked his brain for a solution, but nothing seed feasible. Every option to deal with the monster felt utterly out of reach. If there truly was no way to defeat it, then fleeing might be his only choice. Fortunately, escape was a realistic option for him. Hengsheng was confident he was faster than the creature, and he had plenty of thods at his disposal—especially if he crafted a system specifically for the task.
Yet, the thought of fleeing left a bitter taste in his mouth. The mory of the monster eating his foot gnawed at his pride. His anger burned hotter. He couldn’t let that insult go unanswered.
Hengsheng’s eyes shifted back to the Divine Tree. A bold idea took root in his mind. Perhaps he could use this opportunity to try to comprehend the Dao. Since his soul is not from this world maybe it can give him an advantage in the Dao comprehension area who knows?
With a resolute nod, he picked up Yunsu, who purred softly in his arms. As he walked through the group of demon beasts lounging around the tree, a few growled at him, as if he had disturbed their peace. Yet none of them dared to act, as they all seed preoccupied with their own fear of the monster. They, like Hengsheng, were seeking refuge under the Divine Tree’s protective aura.
Eventually, Hengsheng reached the base of the tree trunk. It was so massive that even a hundred n working together could hardly encircle it with their arms. He placed his hand on the bark, its surface humming faintly with an ancient and vibrant aura.
Leaning against the trunk, Hengsheng sat cross-legged and closed his eyes. He focused all his senses on the aura emanating from the tree, hoping to glean so insight. The warmth of the air brushed against his skin, calming his mind. His ears caught the faint symphony of nature—the rustling of leaves, the hum of insects on the ground. Strangely, he even slled sunlight, which was odd considering there was no actual sun here, only the golden pillar radiating light above.
An hour passed, yet nothing resembling "enlightennt" ca to him. His body and mind felt nurtured by the tree’s aura, leaving him in an almost euphoric state of relaxation. However, as far as comprehending the Dao was concerned, he had achieved nothing.
Hengsheng opened his eyes and shook his head. “This is not the way for ,” he admitted, a wry smile forming on his lips. He wasn’t the type of genius who could suddenly enter an enlightened state just by sitting still and attempting to connect with nature.
Frowning, he muttered, “Let’s get back to the basics.” He tried to recall what he had been taught in his clan. But to his frustration, even his elders never really explained what the Dao truly was. It always seed like an abstract concept, sothing people used to justify their actions or beliefs.
"For ," Hengsheng thought, "the Dao is just the laws or rules of the world. But then… why not just call it 'Law'? Like the Law of Fire or the Law of Water? Wouldn't that make it easier to understand?"
He continued mulling over the idea, dissecting the concept of Dao and its relationship to the laws of the universe. But the more he thought about it, the more questions he had. For example, why was there sothing like the Dao of the Sword? If Dao were just the universal laws, did that an the universe itself wielded a weapon? Does the universe have the Dao of System? na it was unlikely The absurdity of the thought made him pause and shake his head.
From all the fragnts of thought swirling in his mind, Hengsheng managed to grasp one thing; the Dao couldn’t be fully explained through words or texts. This was likely why only cultivators with powerful souls could begin to comprehend its aning. Another realization struck him—Dao was unique to every individual. While it might reflect universal principles, its interpretation was deeply personal.
“So it’s not just about the unchanging laws of the universe,” Hengsheng murmured, his voice soft with revelation. “It’s the Way to align oneself with the universe's laws.”
Hengsheng closed his eyes once more and entered the stage of Enlightennt. If Dao truly was the Way, then all he had to do was follow his beliefs, embrace what he excelled at, and pursue the image of himself that he aspired to be, to the point he was willing to die to do so. With that thought, he entered his mind space again. However, this ti it wasn’t entirely disconnected from the real world—he could still feel its presence faintly. It was the Heavenly Dao, responding to his invitation.
In this mind space, Hengsheng was omnipotent. Here, he could do whatever he wished. And if that principle applied to his mind space, then one day, it could apply to the real world as well. Maybe not today, maybe not in a million years, but it would happen. His resolve solidified as he declared aloud.
"I am Lan Hengsheng, the System Maker. Whether a System Dao exists in this world or not, I do not know—but if it does not, then I shall forge it with my own hands. Step by step, I will refine it, perfect it, and walk this path to its peak.
The road to immortality is long, filled with hardship and unknown trials. I do not claim to be invincible, nor do I seek to challenge the heavens without cause. But if fate stands against , I will not retreat. If obstacles block my path, I will overco them. If the world refuses to acknowledge my Dao, then I will prove its worth through my own strength.
This is my path, my will, my destiny. No matter how far I must go, I will not falter."
As his declaration echoed within his mind space, the presence of the Heavenly Dao responded. Seven-colored clouds swirled into the shape of a massive, all-seeing eye, erging within his mind space. Its overwhelming power was undeniable, but here, Hengsheng was supre. The presence of the Heavenly Dao couldn’t diminish him in any way. The swirling clouds roared, but not in anger at his audacious declaration. Instead, they demanded proof.
Hengsheng understood instantly. With a casual wave of his hand, a blue sphere materialized before him—it was Blue! the System Administrator Core, the heart of his creations. The Heavenly Dao examined it with curiosity, and after a mont of silent observation, it roared once again. This ti, however, it wasn’t a roar of challenge or defiance, but one of approval and blessing.
A radiant seven-colored light descended from the swirling clouds. No, it wasn’t just seven colors—that was rely what human eyes could perceive. In truth, the light contained all spectrums thread that waved into the fabric of reality, interwoven into a vibrant and visible cascade that illuminated his entire mind space. Hengsheng’s mind, omnipotent within this domain, instantly understood the blessing’s nature. It was a sample of the cultivation world’s laws, a reward for showcasing his creation.
As the Heavenly Dao’s presence withdrew to where it ca, Hengsheng waved his hand, gathering the cascading light into a condensed form—a glowing sphere of seven colors. A triumphant smile appeared on his face. With this as a foundation, he could later use it to forge the Dao of Systems.
"The path is clear," Hengsheng murmured, his voice filled with determination.
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