Chapter 510
Far Away in the Demon Palace of Mount Sumeru
The golden figure formed from the primordial will did not immediately respond after hearing Rahu's request to "help the Demon Realm ascend to a large world".
A deep glimmer seemed to flow across its blurred face, as if assessing the weight and significance of the request.
The entire primordial world held its breath, awaiting the decision of the origin.
After a brief silence, that gentle, peaceful, and grand voice rang out again, carrying an undeniable certainty:
"good."
"Once you pass on this 'Way of the World' to the primordial world, benefiting all living beings, the primordial origin will naturally fulfill its promise and help the Demon Realm complete its great feat of ascension."
As soon as the words fell, the golden figure made no move. A point of pure, golden light, containing endless vitality and the wonder of creation, floated out from its fingertip, instantly traversing the void and entering the space between Rahu's eyebrows!
As the golden light merged in, a complex and mysterious golden mark, seemingly woven from the trajectories of countless worlds' birth and death, slowly emerged between Rahu's brows, radiating a gentle and sacred light.
This mark is like a certificate, a testament to a covenant made with the primordial origin.
After doing all this, the golden primordial will incarnation slowly dissipated, transforming back into countless golden specks of light, merging back into the mountains, rivers, lakes, seas, and all living things of the primordial world, as if it had never existed.
As the primordial origin disappeared, the Heavenly Dao's binding force that had been placed on Hongjun and around Zixiao Palace also quietly receded.
High above, the enormous Eye of Heaven flickered violently a few times, its cold pupils casting a deep, complex gaze upon Luo Hou.
There was anger at not succeeding, fear of interfering with the origin of the primordial world, helplessness against the oath of the Great Dao, and even more so, a deep examination and concern about the "Way of the World" and Rahu himself.
In the end, it made no further sound, coldly and slowly closing its doors and disappearing into the void, as if it had never appeared.
Inside the Purple Cloud Palace, the restraints on Hongjun's body were completely lifted. He slowly sat up straight, and the expressions of shock, anger, astonishment, and resentment on his face had disappeared, replaced by a calm and indifferent demeanor.
But the aura emanating from him was even more subdued and profound than before, like a bottomless, icy pool.
He didn't look at Rahu outside the palace again, nor did he make any comments about what had just happened. He just sat silently on the cloud bed, as if digesting the series of earth-shattering changes.
However, at this very moment, in the Demon Palace of Mount Sumeru, a golden mark suddenly appeared on the forehead of Di Jun without warning. It was far more dazzling and complex than the mark on Rahu's forehead, and it seemed to contain the primordial power of the creation of the world!
The mark flashed by and quickly disappeared, but the aura it emitted the moment it appeared, which was highly compatible with the primordial origin and could even be said to have originated from the same source, caused Rahu Demon Shadow, who had been paying attention to the situation in the Demon Palace, to have an almost imperceptible smile on his lips.
The true creators of this "Way of the World" ultimately received the most direct recognition and the highest-level "reward" certificate from the primordial origin.
In the void, Rahu withdrew his thoughts and did not linger any longer.
He surveyed the vast and untamed world, his gaze sweeping over the countless expectant, curious, and astonished faces. His voice rose in a resounding boom, and he began his sermon:
"There are countless paths, all leading to the other shore. What I am about to speak of is the 'Way of the World'!"
"This path requires no external seeking, no borrowing of spiritual treasures, and no reliance on the Heavenly Way; it only requires cultivating oneself!"
"Using your primordial spirit as a guide and your physical body as a foundation, comprehend the laws of heaven and earth, condense the essence of the universe, and absorb boundless energy to create a unique inner world within your own dantian, sea of consciousness, or acupoints throughout your body!"
Rahu's voice, like the divine pronouncements of the Great Dao, clearly penetrated every corner of the primordial world and into the consciousness of every sentient being who was willing to listen.
"At the beginning of the world, it was called 'creation'! We need to comprehend the wonders of the laws of space, gather the seeds of the world, water them with our minds and nourish them with energy, and lay the foundation for the world!"
"The growth of the world requires 'integration'! Comprehend all the laws, the five elements ...
"The world feeds back to you! The stronger the world, the greater the feedback power, which can nourish your primordial spirit, temper your physical body, and condense the supreme power of the world!"
Once your inner world has grown to the level of a Lesser Thousand World, a Middle Thousand World, or even a Greater Thousand World, your cultivation will naturally progress to the Primordial Chaos Realm! And even higher!
"The foundation of this path lies in one's own understanding of the laws, and in the accumulation and control of energy and matter! There is no need to worry about the backlash from the Three Corpses, nor to be bound by the Heavenly Dao! Your world is yours to command! Your path is yours to control!"
As Rahu began to elaborate on the cultivation principles and key points of the "Way of the World," unprecedented phenomena erupted once again in the primordial void!
No longer were the auspicious clouds of heavenly merit, nor the purple aura, but endless runes of laws naturally emerged from the void, intertwining into vast oceans of laws!
Earth, fire, water, wind; time, space, light, and shadow; life, death, and reincarnation...
Various manifestations of laws surrounded Rahu's demonic shadow, as if he were the source of all laws!
Countless phantoms of worlds being born and dying, stars revolving, and all things growing and flourishing floated and ebbed behind him, demonstrating the supreme mystery of the way of the world!
"So that's how it is! Use yourself as the universe, and create an inner world!"
"Wonderful! No need to rely on external things!"
"The laws! The key is to comprehend the laws!"
"Rong Shi... so this is how the laws can be applied!"
"The world feeds back at me... It's a perfect cycle!"
All living beings in the primordial world, whether they were ignorant little demons or powerful beings who had been stuck at a bottleneck for many years, instantly entered a state of enlightenment after hearing this unheard-of cultivation concept!
One after another, auras began to break through, and beams of spiritual light shot into the sky!
The entire primordial world seemed to be engulfed in a collective celebration of enlightenment!
In the Demon Realm, because they were listening to Rahu's true form preaching, the demonic voice resonated with the origin of the Demon Realm. In addition, the demons were more inclined to explore their own power, so their understanding of this "Way of the World" was more profound and direct!
Enlightenment and breakthroughs occurred frequently, with the vast demonic energy intertwining with the nascent power of the world, giving the entire demon realm an unprecedented vitality! The gains far surpassed those of all living beings in the primordial world!
Inside the Purple Cloud Palace, although the three thousand Purple Cloud Guests were blocked by the palace walls, their divine senses could still vaguely perceive the magnificent and extremely powerful sermon phenomena and law fluctuations outside, and they could also feel the fervent atmosphere of the collective enlightenment of all living beings in the primordial world!
Many people's minds were instantly distracted, and they subconsciously wanted to comprehend the "Way of the World" that sounded more mysterious and free. Their aura fluctuated, and they even showed signs of being about to have an epiphany!
On the high platform, Hongjun's Dao Ancestor's face instantly darkened!
"Calm down!"
A cold shout, imbued with the might of a sage, swept over the hearts of all the Purple Cloud Guests, forcibly suppressing their restless thoughts!
Immediately afterwards, Hongjun waved his sleeve, and a vast holy power instantly enveloped the entire Zixiao Palace, not only completely isolating the inside from the outside, completely blocking out Luo Hou's grand and clear sermon, but also isolating the astonishing fluctuations of the outside world!
The Daoist atmosphere within the palace instantly returned to its core, centered on the profound principles of the Xuanmen (Mysterious School) regarding the "Severing of the Three Corpses." Hongjun's gaze swept over the Zixiao guests below, whose faces still bore regret and resentment. His voice regained its usual indifference and majesty as he continued, resuming his lecture on the essentials of the "Method of Attaining Dao by Severing the Three Corpses":
"The Three Corpses represent the attachment to good and evil. The key to severing the Corpses lies in understanding one's true nature and entrusting one's spiritual treasure to them... The unification of the Three Corpses requires the power of a common origin and the perfect harmony of the Dao heart... Entrusting the primordial spirit to the Heavenly Dao is the supreme glory and the foundation of immortality..."
The Great Dao's imperial decree resounded once more throughout Zixiao Palace, and the palace once again witnessed the extraordinary phenomena of golden lotuses emerging from the ground and heavenly flowers falling in profusion. Guided by the sage's voice, the guests of Zixiao Palace gradually immersed themselves in the experience, gaining insights and experiencing an improvement in their aura.
However, if someone could observe both the inside and outside of Zixiao Palace simultaneously, they would discover an extremely strange and starkly contrasting situation—
Inside the Zixiao Palace, Hongjun preached the Dao. Although the strange phenomena were sacred and peaceful, their scale and momentum were far from comparable to the vast spectacle of all laws boiling and the world's birth and death caused by Rahu's preaching outside the palace.
Although the Zixiao guests in the palace were experiencing enlightenment, the aura of their enlightenment was far less spectacular and awe-inspiring than the scene of countless beings in the primordial world collectively breaking through and their spiritual light soaring into the sky.
For the next three thousand years, the primordial world was plunged into an unprecedented and peculiar situation:
The gates of Zixiao Palace were tightly closed. Inside the palace, Dao Ancestor Hongjun was teaching three thousand Zixiao guests about the "Path of Severing the Three Corpses," a path that had already been exposed as having drawbacks, requiring reliance on spiritual treasures, and ultimately needing to be entrusted with the Heavenly Dao.
Meanwhile, in the endless chaotic void outside Zixiao Palace and between the primordial world, the grand Daoist voice of the Demon Ancestor Rahu spread without hindrance to all the primordial beings who were willing to listen.
It teaches the "Way of the World," which aims to explore oneself, open up one's inner world, directly point to the primordial chaos, and is not bound by the Way of Heaven.
One inside, one outside; one old, one new; one relying on external things, one exploring itself.
Two completely different philosophies of enlightenment, and the struggle for the Dao lineage between two supreme beings of the primordial world, began in this strange and direct way, setting the stage for a long and eventful chapter in this ancient world.
The future landscape of the entire primordial world has also been undergoing a profound and unknown shift during these three thousand years of the dual paths coexisting.
In the Purple Cloud Palace, three thousand years of preaching have passed by in a leisurely manner.
As the last Daoist rune from Hongjun Daozu, which expounded the essence of "severing the three corpses," dissipated into the air, the vast holy might that enveloped the palace also slowly receded.
His gaze fell, sweeping over the three thousand Purple Cloud Guests below, who were still immersed in deep enlightenment, their auras subtly resonating with the Heavenly Dao and constantly rising and strengthening. A barely perceptible satisfaction flashed deep in his eyes.
These top-tier beings, nurtured through his three sermons, his complete transmission of the orthodox teachings of the Xuanmeng School, and the guidance of the Primordial Purple Qi, have become his most solid and core capital for planning the prehistoric world and maintaining the order of the Heavenly Dao.
The stronger their power, the deeper their connection with the Heavenly Dao, the more abundant the primordial fortune they can mobilize, and the smoother their integration with the Heavenly Dao will be.
With a slight thought, Hongjun sensed his own state.
His preaching over the past three thousand years has gathered the wishes and fortune of all living beings. In addition, he has continuously analyzed the ultimate truth of the sacred path. His cultivation has naturally broken through to the sixth level of the Heavenly Saint realm, with his divine thoughts reaching the highest level and his great power being boundless.
What delighted him even more was that his integration with the primordial Heavenly Dao had steadily reached the first 10% mark!
This is a qualitative leap, meaning that his control over the primordial authority has reached a new level, enabling him to more clearly sense and even guide the trajectory of the Heavenly Dao to a certain extent.
However, this joy was mixed with an indelible sense of regret and gloom.
If it weren't for Luo Hou's sudden emergence back then, openly exposing the drawbacks of severing the three corpses, spreading that so-called "Way of the World," arousing doubt among the beings of the primordial world, causing the fortune flowing towards him to greatly diminish, and even attracting the intervention of the primordial origin...
His integration with the Heavenly Dao is far more than just this one-tenth!
It may have already approached or even reached 20%!
Rahu... ultimately became the biggest variable and obstacle on his path.
Hongjun slowly closed his eyes, concealing all his emotions beneath his calm and composed face. Only the increasingly profound and ethereal aura emanating from him, seemingly integrated with the entire Zixiao Palace and even the external Heavenly Dao, revealed his unfathomable realm and power at this moment.
He sat quietly, as if transformed into an ancient stone sculpture, silently waiting for the three thousand guests below to awaken, and also waiting for the start of a new round of changes in the primordial world.
At the same time, the grand Daoist voice that had echoed for three thousand years in the chaotic void finally dissipated.
After completing the final section of the "Way of the World," Rahu's towering demonic shadow became slightly illusory.
He glanced one last time at the primordial world, now vibrant with life and radiant with spiritual light thanks to his sermon, a meaningful smile playing on his lips. Then, the demonic shadow vanished completely, its will returning to its original form in the demon realm.
In the Demon Realm, at the heart of this ancient, desolate world teeming with demonic energy, Rahu's true form suddenly opened his eyes.
Those scarlet eyes now burned with an ambition and expectation powerful enough to incinerate everything.
"The time has come!"
His deep voice resounded deep within the core of the Demon Realm.
"The primordial origin, the promise must be fulfilled! All beings of the demon realm, lend me your strength!"
Boom!
The entire demon realm trembled violently!
Beneath the earth, the vast and boundless primordial power of the demon realm, accumulated over countless eons, suddenly awakened like a sleeping ancient beast, unleashing an angry and majestic roar!
Endless black demonic energy surged from the earth, gathering at the top of the demon realm's sky, transforming into thick, mountain-like, ferocious, and violent bolts of black lightning!
These lightning bolts are formed entirely from the purest essence of the demon realm, containing extreme power of destruction and reshaping!
"break!"
With Luo Hou's command, the billions of jet-black lightning bolts roared like demonic dragons that had received a command, and fiercely slammed into the solid world barrier on the outer edge of the demon realm, and into the endless churning chaotic energy outside the barrier!
Sizzle—!
The chaotic energy was forcibly torn apart, evaporated, and assimilated by this violent primordial lightning!
Amidst the deafening roar, the borders of the Demon Realm began to expand outward at a visible speed!
The territory of the Demon Realm is expanding rapidly!
Double! Double! Five times! Ten times!
Within just half a month, the territory of the Demon Realm expanded to a full eighteen times its original size!
The size of a medium-sized world had reached its limit, and its expansion inevitably slowed abruptly until it came to a complete halt. (End of Chapter)