The Dao erges from the true and returns to the true, the Law arises from the void and converges in the gate of wonders.
Spirit wanders here to glimpse the spirit's intent, thus to attain leisure and be known as an Immortal.
Heaven has its ten suns and twelve moons; Earth has its mountains and marshes depicting various gods.
Carrying mountains and leaping seas are not worth discussing, creating and transforming Yin and Yang shake Heaven and Earth.
— "Song of the True Immortals from the Human Domain · Anonymous"
...
「True Immortal Realm.」
Wu Wang's Primordial Spirit road the Star Sea projected by the Immortal Platform. He felt the flickering of stars, contemplated the future prospects of the Star Dao, and integrated his own Great Dao with that of the Star God, filling in its inadequacies.
The True Immortal Realm was right before his eyes, yet suddenly he was not in a hurry to push open that door.
He was contemplating and also thinking.
What is the Dao?
What is the Spirit?
And what is God?
The Tao Te Ching's supplent to the Great Wilderness's cultivation system seed to offer enlightennt, but Wu Wang was currently unable to grasp it.
So he retreated to the current level of the Dao Realm, pondering so interesting issues.
After all, the breakthrough no longer faced any resistance; it was an opportune ti to explore the principles of cultivation in such a mysterious state.
Wu Wang had read in a book that there were more than ten explanations of what the True Immortal Realm was, but the most reliable explanation was this—
[Emperor Fu Xi, on a whim, casually nad it; it holds no deep aning].
Is it really so?
Wu Wang quietly pondered, yet couldn't help devoting a bit of his spiritual mind to observe his surroundings.
There was no helping it; the matter of selecting maidens ultimately diverted so of his attention.
Once Lin Suqing received Wu Wang's formal permission, she beca busy.
Every day she had to review a large number of portraits and frequently gathered with Elder Miao to discuss. Sotis, mild disputes even arose.
Lin Suqing, who seldom ventured out, even went to Floating Jade City and stayed for more than a dozen days.
The Sect Master selecting maidens was not a major event; it wasn't as if he were taking a wife. However, the Annihilation Sect was now fully mobilized. From the Elders down to disciples who had joined only a few years ago, everyone was bustling between the Sect and Floating Jade City.
Wu Wang's Immortal Consciousness occasionally heard that the Annihilation Sect's hundreds of magic treasure shops had recently been doing roaring business, earning a fortune in Spirit Stones.
These were indeed unexpected joys.
The Annihilation Sect's magic treasure shops now used most of their profits to support the operations of the Refining Master Alliance, with a small portion of profits returned to the Annihilation Sect itself.
The increasingly grand tomb of the late Sect Master was a testant to how the Annihilation Sect's cultivation standards had soared by more than three or four grades.
In less than a month and a half, the selection of maidens was more than halfway complete.
Per Wu Wang's instructions, Lin Suqing allowed over a hundred ordinary yet breathtakingly beautiful young won to enter the 'third trial'. She also ford an evaluation committee with Grand Elder, Elder Miao, and Elder Mao at its core.
The committee could offer suggestions, but the final decision still rested in Lin Suqing's hands.
What made Lin Suqing sowhat uneasy was that these three maiden positions... were essentially already decided.
There was no competition throughout the selection; it was completely prearranged.
Lin Suqing really had no choice.
She had initially only approved three positions. One was naturally for the fox lady from Qingqiu Country, who had already been staying; it wouldn't do to get her hopes up for nothing.
Of the remaining two spots, one had already been promised to the Northern Wilderness.
Xing Tian's envoy had spent a long ti speaking about 'the great importance of the Northern Wilderness girls,' forcibly claiming one spot. Furthermore, the person sent by Xing Tian even produced a strand of hair from the Clan Leader of the Bear Hug Tribe.
The implication was clear: this was the wish of the Bear Hug Tribe's Clan Leader.
How could Lin Suqing, with her limited courage, dare to defy him?
Fortunately, Lin Suqing was not intimidated by that strand of hair and specifically instructed Xing Tian that the maiden sent must not possess any notable identity.
Actually, Lin Suqing was worrying unnecessarily. The Big Wave Tribe themselves would never let soone as precious as Big Wave Gwoda co to Wu Wang's side as a maiden; they had their pride too.
The last spot, Lin Suqing truly wished to reserve for their enthusiastic peers from the Human Domain.
Yet...
Apart from the Benevolent Emperor Pavilion, the other seven pavilions of the Human Domain had all sent people to recomnd seven excellent candidates.
Each of these young ladies was carefully selected by the official powers of the Human Domain, possessing impeccable backgrounds and upright characters; so even hailed from renowned noble families.
The waters here ran deep, and Lin Suqing felt she was sowhat losing her grip.
If it weren't for Elder Miao continuously offering advice by her side, she would have been at her wits' end long ago.
It wasn't only His Majesty Shennong's ministers who were making covert overtures; people were also constantly approaching her to lobby...
"Miss Suqing, don't be so rigid about the numbers. What's the harm in having a few extra?"
"Miss Suqing, don't be too inflexible about age. If her overall lifespan exceeds ten thousand years, then being over a thousand years old still makes her a lovely young maiden, right? If that doesn't work, just change the calculation—eighteen years plus one hundred and twenty thousand months, how's that?"
"Miss Suqing, don't be so strict about the distinction between n and won..."
Lin Suqing almost lost her composure and cursed them out.
Incidentally, the male cultivator who uttered that last half-sentence was beaten and chased out by the Annihilation Sect with sticks.
Wu Wang was oblivious to these events in Floating Jade City.
His current state only allowed him to vaguely sense the situation within the Annihilation Sect, and even that was very blurry.
His breakthrough was imminent, and he gradually found himself unable to afford any distractions.
So more ti passed—Wu Wang couldn't be sure exactly how long. His spiritual mind was imrsed in the Great Dao, which was on the verge of transformation, contemplating the word 'True'.
The title designated by the esteed Emperor Fuxi must have so profound aning.
Wu Wang rembered clearly viewing the stone slates left by Emperor Fuxi. He had co across a few fragnted pieces, their contents sowhat complex and chaotic.
One fragnt contained Fuxi questioning the Great Dao, asking why living beings could not achieve eternal life.
Another piece seed to mark where Emperor Fuxi had given up exploring this direction, leaving behind a few words of helplessness.
The gist of those words was that living beings are born between Heaven and Earth but are not accompanied by the Great Dao at birth. They are bound by the superficial order of Heaven and Earth, an order woven by the interconnected Great Daos.
Innate Gods are entrusted to the Innate Dao; these Great Daos transcend the superficial order, and thus, Innate Gods are not affected by it.
How could living beings beco unaffected by this superficial order and possess the sa qualification for longevity as Innate Gods?
The simplest thod was to beco an Innate God.
However, Fuxi had attempted this thod for a long ti without success, seemingly encountering nurous difficulties.
Becoming an Innate God.
The Primordial Spirit in the God's Mansion on the Immortal Platform murmured these words, and the Dao rhythm around Wu Wang began to fluctuate significantly.
At this mont, Ling Xiaolan, who was sitting cross-legged before Wu Wang, opened her eyes.
Her hands ford rapid seals, and streams of Immortal Light blood from around her, completely enveloping Wu Wang.
The joint cultivation thod now proceeded with her taking the lead. Wu Wang not only wouldn't be distracted during his breakthrough but could also receive Ling Xiaolan's assistance.
Wu Wang's Primordial Spirit continued to murmur:
My wish to supplant the Star God is, in essence, an attempt to beco an Innate God.
But this is a path that even Emperor Suiren failed to traverse in his ti. Can I truly succeed? Emperor Suiren had completely seized the Dao of Fire, yet he himself still perished in the end.
Was Emperor Fu Xi, in his deduction of the Eight Trigrams, also searching for the answer to this question?
What if this line of thinking is wrong? Innate Gods are born between Heaven and Earth, born as Gods—hence their na. They are equivalent to the creations of Heaven and Earth.
My path is not to imitate others, nor is it to mimic the forr emperors.
Perhaps I should first consider what in this world is truly eternal, and then try to find the answer based on that.
Eternal things...
Heaven and Earth, the Great Dao, the Stars?
No, eternity should be a relative concept, not an absolute one. Heaven and Earth probably also have an end, just as a star has a lifespan. It's unlikely that Heaven and Earth could exist forever, even if that tiscale is exceedingly vast.
The concept of true longevity should be the ability to maintain the independence and continuity of one's consciousness indefinitely, without external interference.
Gradually, Wu Wang once again sank into deep contemplation.
Ling Xiaolan was sowhat taken aback to find that the man sitting before her now showed no signs of an impending breakthrough.
Is he encountering a bottleneck, or is his current level of enlightennt insufficient to break through the barrier?
If he truly failed his first attempt, subsequent attempts to break through would naturally be far more difficult.
At this thought, Ling Xiaolan's usually calm heart began to feel a sense of urgency. The joint cultivation formation they had ford even showed signs of dissipating, but she forcefully cald herself, returning to a state of tranquility.
She carefully sensed the changes in the Dao rhythm around Wu Wang, her expression gradually becoming puzzled...
What is he doing?
Instead of focusing on his breakthrough, why has he started to delve so deeply into his own Great Dao?
It was as if she could 'see' a brilliant starry sky within Wu Wang's Dao rhythm, and two intersecting rivers of stars.
Wu Wang's Dao rhythm began to grow increasingly obscure and incomprehensible.
Ling Xiaolan's slightly curved eyelashes slowly fluttered open a fraction. She gazed at Wu Wang for a few monts, then allowed herself to sink back into her own cultivation state.
Several days passed like this.
Suddenly, a surge of immortal power emanated from Wu Wang, gently pushing Ling Xiaolan away from him.
Ling Xiaolan watched Wu Wang intently.
This inner cave was rather spacious, decorated as Wu Wang's bedchamber. When they cultivated, they placed two ditation cushions in the center.
At this mont, Wu Wang sat quietly on his cushion, his hands in a ditative gesture of 'embracing the one'. Dots of starlight began to appear on his body, converging between his hands.
The starlight coalesced into a Star Sea, which then transford into nurous spinning discs. These discs then converged once more.
Ling Xiaolan had never witnessed such a spectacular sight. As she stared and sensed, her Dao heart spontaneously generated wave after wave of insights, and her own Great Dao seed to tremble incessantly.
Half a day later, the starlight began to extinguish, star by star.
This 'extinguishing' continued for another half-day, until nothing remained between Wu Wang's palms but an expression of void and deathly stillness, a complete and utter darkness.
Suddenly,
CLAP!
Wu Wang clapped his palms together. He let out a light chuckle, his eyes still closed, and slowly said,
"Fairy Immortal, do you think the stars can think?"
Ling Xiaolan pondered carefully but couldn't find an answer.
Wu Wang had already begun to answer his own question.
"Stars probably do think, but their way of thinking differs from ours. Heaven and Earth might also possess so kind of will, but this will doesn't necessarily exist for the sake of living beings; it might simply exist, just as it is. Where is the Great Dao that gives birth to Innate Gods? Why would the Innate Gods have the form of an Innate Dao Body, and why do the Hundred Races of the Great Wilderness all possess the form of an Innate Dao Body as well? What defines these things?"
Ling Xiaolan was speechless.
Wasn't he supposed to be breaking through to the True Immortal realm? Why does it seem like he's trying to achieve Transcendence? And why are his questions so incredibly difficult to answer?
Wu Wang slowly opened his eyes, his smile growing warr.
He said, "I've realized so interesting things and want to share them with you."
Before his words had even faded, immortal light erupted from around Wu Wang. His long hair billowed, each strand standing on end from the sheer force of immortal power surging from within him. Countless stars swiftly materialized around him, guarding and revolving about him in a continuous, spinning dance.
CRACK!
He pushed open a taphorical door and stepped into an entirely new realm.
His own essence, qi, and spirit began to rapidly expand, and his lifespan ascended to a brand new level.
He achieved the True Immortal realm amidst plainness. The breakthrough was so casual and effortless, it seed to require no effort at all.
Wu Wang raised his hand and pointed a finger at Ling Xiaolan. A wisp of Immortal Light flew towards her chest.
She instinctively felt a slight resistance but quickly suppressed this urge, allowing the Immortal Light to rge into her chest. Instantly, her Dao heart was flooded with profound insights.
Wu Wang said gently, "I believe that comprehending the Great Dao is not the only path of cultivation. The Innate Gods are born from the Great Dao and reside within the Great Dao. They co-exist with the Great Dao, but are not truly immortal. Could there be sothing in this world more fundantal, more enduring, more indestructible than the Great Dao? You should give it so thought."
"This..." Ling Xiaolan's eyes were filled with confusion as she stood there, silently pondering.
Wu Wang hadn't told her specifically what he had realized, because everyone's Dao is different; sharing his specific insights might actually be detrintal to Ling Xiaolan. Instead, Wu Wang rely organized the questions that had inspired him, hoping they might enlighten Ling Xiaolan.
In that instant, Wu Wang felt as though he had touched upon the most fundantal essence of Heaven and Earth.
Ling Xiaolan slowly closed her eyes. Her figure levitated into a seated ditative posture, a faint Immortal Light emanating from her as she swiftly entered the Enlightennt Realm.
Wu Wang waited beside her for a while. Once he was certain Ling Xiaolan had deeply imrsed herself in enlightennt, he dared not disturb her further. He set up several additional layers of Barriers around her before quietly slipping out of the inner cave.
His six senses sharpened, the three energies converged within his body, the Immortal Platform was elevated, and the God's Mansion expanded its limits.
His Primordial Spirit was enveloped in a layer of starry immortal raint, and insights about the Star Dao constantly flowed in the depths of his heart.
He seed to have found a path to eternal life; however, to truly achieve it, nurous obstacles still lay ahead.
The road ahead is long and winding; I shall search high and low... search... search...
"Hm?"
Wu Wang paused mid-step, furrowing his brows. He had been unable to spare any attention during his breakthrough, but now, seeing the situation in his cave dwelling, he was montarily stunned.
What in the world is going on?
The Blue Bird was perched on a bookshelf, eyes closed, taking a nap.
Lin Suqing sat upright on a wooden chair, holding a small bamboo stick, which she tapped rhythmically against her palm as she gazed at four figures standing before her.
These four figures...
The Qingqiu fox lady was understandable; Wu Wang had already known Suqing had decided to keep this fox lady.
But how had the little princess from the Feather Country, the one with delicate wings on her back, appeared before him yet again?!
Hadn't she been directly expelled from the Human Domain and sent back to Central Mountain last ti?
What did recruiting maidens have to do with her!?
The third girl, who looked a tiny bit familiar and was currently dressed in a little leather skirt, leather boots, and a small quilted jacket—Wu Wang suspected he might have even t her mother... From her healthy, wheat-colored skin and her waist, which was both slender and well-defined, it was clear this was the young girl from the Northern Wilderness. She looked quite young and gave off an impression of being well-behaved.
Suqing is quite thoughtful.
But this last... entity...
Wu Wang found it difficult to describe this figure.
It appeared human yet not quite, like a spirit erged from water. It had only vague facial features and a feminine silhouette, and was draped in an immortal gown.
What race is this one from? What would her main duties as a maiden even be? No, why is *she* in my lineup of maidens? What strange new quirks has Suqing developed?
"AHEM!"
From a corner, the whistling snake suddenly materialized and coughed lightly. Lin Suqing and the four maidens simultaneously turned their heads towards Wu Wang.
Lin Suqing quickly stood up. The four young ladies, each distinct in appearance and race, expressed their nervousness in their own unique ways.
The Qingqiu fox lady's white tail curled upwards.
The little princess from the Feather Country's wings began to glow faintly.
The girl from her ho in the Northern Wilderness nervously clutched a wooden staff.
The watery being, suspected to be a creature from the Great Wilderness, trembled, shedding droplets of light blue liquid...
Lin Suqing squeezed her eyes shut, glanced to the side, and with all her might, cooed in the most delicate voice she could manage, "Um, Young Master, I have a perfectly reasonable explanation. Would you... like to hear it?"
Wu Wang was speechless.
Explain what? Does he have no dignity left? Even if the Heavenly Emperor himself suddenly appeared, he wouldn't accept such bizarre maidens!
Lin Suqing imdiately pointed to the blob of water and whispered, "Lord Cang Xue sent word for to keep Little Water. I had originally only recruited these three."
"Oh? In that case, it's fine."
Wu Wang sized up this unknown being, his interest suddenly piqued.
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