Chapter 883
Returning to the Void Divine Thoughts, a 3-Year Wait
Lu Qing followed the old Azure Dragon through the many palaces of the Immortal Palace, going deeper and deeper inside.
The palace was much larger than he had imagined.
When he first came to the Guixu Secret Realm, although he had entered the Immortal Palace, his cultivation was still shallow and his range of activities was limited, so he did not go deep into it.
Most of the time, he simply secluded himself in the second-floor space to cultivate.
As he followed the old dragon forward, he realized that the space inside the celestial palace was much larger than it appeared from the outside.
A series of corridors, palaces, and layers of restrictions.
Each door you pass through leads to a new space.
Some spaces are incredibly spacious, with towering domes, as if they could contain a small world.
Other spaces are exquisite and compact, elegantly decorated, and exude a warm atmosphere.
The old dragon moved through it with ease, clearly very familiar with the place.
Lu Qing noticed that this time, the old Azure Dragon did not teleport directly as before, but chose to walk.
Although the old dragon walked quickly, he would subconsciously glance at the palaces every time he passed by, his eyes revealing a deep sense of nostalgia.
Black Bull and Mingfeng followed behind, also in silence, their eyes filled with reminiscence.
Clearly, these palaces and furnishings carry too many memories for them.
Those long years spent with Guixu Daoren.
After walking for an unknown amount of time, the old dragon finally stopped in front of a grand hall.
This grand hall is located at the deepest part of the celestial palace, surrounded by layers of restrictions.
Those restrictions were incredibly sophisticated, with each one interconnected, forming an extremely tight protective system.
Ordinary cultivators at the Dao Integration Realm would be instantly killed if they even approached the restriction, let alone entered the main hall.
But for the old Azure Dragon, these restrictions were all too familiar.
It cast a spell, and the restrictions parted like ripples on water, revealing a passage.
"Ah Qing, come with me," the old dragon said, taking the lead into the passage.
Lu Qing followed.
Passing through the barriers, we entered the main hall.
The main hall was very spacious and not furnished with many items.
The surrounding walls were engraved with countless ancient runes, emitting a faint glow.
Nine fist-sized pearls are embedded in the dome, each emitting a soft light that illuminates the entire hall as if it were daytime.
In the very center of the main hall stands a statue.
The statue was only as tall as a person, much smaller than the statue Lu Qing had seen in another dimension when he became a disciple.
But the carving is extremely fine, and every detail is lifelike.
He was a middle-aged scholar with a thin face, clear features, three long wisps of beard under his chin, wearing a Taoist robe, and standing with his hands behind his back.
His gaze was deep and far-reaching, as if he were looking out into the endless distance, or looking down upon all living beings.
His demeanor and bearing made it clear at a glance that he was no ordinary person.
It was none other than the Taoist Guixu.
Lu Qing gazed quietly at the statue, a sense of emotion welling up within him.
He had seen the statue of Guixu Daoren when he performed the apprenticeship ceremony.
The statue was hundreds of feet tall, majestic and solemn, with a magnificent presence that inspired a sense of awe and reverence.
The one before us, though much smaller, felt more real and more approachable, as if the Daoist Guixu were standing right in front of us, ready to speak at any moment.
More importantly, when he became an apprentice, he couldn't even make out the face of the other statue.
Now that I have achieved the Dao, I can finally see the face of this master I have never met before.
Old Azure Dragon, Black Bull, and Phoenix stood before the statue, looking up at the familiar face, their eyes filled with nostalgia.
The old dragon's eyes shone with a crystalline light; those eyes, which had witnessed countless years of vicissitudes, were now filled with tenderness.
It opened its mouth as if it wanted to say something, but couldn't say anything.
Mingfeng's feathers trembled slightly, and the excitement in her phoenix eyes was hard to hide.
It stared intently at that face, as if trying to etch that image into its heart forever.
It hadn't seen its owner for over 300,000 years. During those long years, it had dreamed of this scene countless times and fantasized about seeing its owner again.
The black bull was even more direct, tears streaming down its face.
It didn't care about its image or anything, it just stood there, letting the tears flow.
It has a rough and unrefined nature and never hides its emotions; at this moment, its sadness and longing are all written on its face.
They haven't seen their owner for over 300,000 years.
More than 300,000 years.
For mortals, this is countless cycles of reincarnation; for cultivators, it is an endless period of time.
In this mysterious realm of Guixu, day after day, year after year, they guard the secret realm left behind by their master, waiting for the day their master returns.
But the master never returned.
They don't know where their owner has gone, whether he is alive or dead, or whether they will ever see him again in their lifetime.
They could only wait, only hope, only recall the days they spent with their master in this empty celestial palace.
Now, standing before this statue, looking at that familiar face, memories flood back like a tide, overwhelming me with emotion.
Old Azure Dragon took a deep breath, suppressing his excitement, and said to Lu Qing.
“Aqing, this statue was left behind by the owner himself.”
Before he left, he instructed us that if any outstanding juniors could pass his test, become his disciples, and cultivate to the Dao Integration Realm, then...
If you are interested in where he went, bring him here.
It paused, looked at Lu Qing, and its eyes held a hint of apology.
“Ah Qing, although you are exceptionally talented, you had not yet achieved Dao Integration when you left, so I did not bring you here. I hope you don’t mind.”
Lu Qing shook his head: "Senior, you flatter me. Since Senior Guixu Daoist made such an arrangement, he must have his reasons. I was indeed not qualified at that time."
The old dragon nodded and said nothing more.
It turned around to face the statue and slowly raised one of its front paws.
A spell flew out from its claw, transforming into a stream of light that disappeared into the statue.
In an instant, the statue began to glow.
The light was initially faint, but then grew brighter and brighter, eventually illuminating the entire hall in the blink of an eye.
Countless runes emerged from the surface of the statue, slowly rotating around it to form a mysterious pattern.
The old Azure Dragon, the black bull, and the Crying Phoenix all stared intently at the statue, their eyes filled with anticipation.
They also don't know what their owner left in the statue.
For over 300,000 years, they have never activated the statue because there has never been a suitable person to do so.
Now that this day has finally come, they want to know more than anyone else what their owner left behind.
The light grew brighter and brighter.
Then, a semi-illusory figure slowly emerged from the statue.
The figure was exactly the same as the statue, the same middle-aged scholar, the same lean face, and the same deep gaze.
At this moment, however, he was not a physical object, but a phantom shadow, hovering in front of the statue.
It was none other than the Taoist Guixu.
To be precise, it was a wisp of divine thought left behind by the Daoist Guixu. When the old Azure Dragon saw that figure, he was immediately shaken, and tears welled up in his eyes.
"Owner!"
Black Bull and Mingfeng shouted excitedly at the same time.
Mingfeng was so excited that her aura was exposed, and layers of frost condensed around her.
Guixu Daoist opened his eyes with his divine sense, his gaze slowly sweeping across the main hall.
When he saw the old Azure Dragon and the others, a gentle smile appeared on his face.
That smile was exactly the same as it was back then.
"Old Azure Dragon, Black Ox, Little Phoenix," he called softly, his voice ethereal and distant, as if from another time and space. "Long time no see."
The old dragon said with tears in its eyes, "Master, you...you have finally appeared. You have been gone for more than 300,000 years. We...we have missed you so much."
Guixu Daoist was slightly taken aback.
"Has more than 300,000 years already passed...?"
He looked down at his hands, then at the surrounding hall, a hint of bewilderment flashing in his eyes.
After a moment, he sighed.
"More than 300,000 years... I didn't realize it had been that long."
He looked at the old Azure Dragon and the others, his eyes filled with deep regret.
"Over the years, you must have suffered a lot of injustices in this secret realm."
Upon hearing this, the old dragons' eyes immediately reddened.
The old dragon, fighting back tears, shook his head: "Master, you flatter us. It is our duty to guard the secret realm and your legacy."
But... but we've always been worried about our master, wondering where he is now, and if he's alright..."
Guixu Daoist was silent for a moment, then slowly spoke.
“Old Azure Dragon, I know you have many questions.”
However, this wisp of my divine thought is merely a thought sealed within the statue, and it is unresponsive to any external disturbances.
I don't even know what the original body has gone through over the years, nor do I know where it is now.
He paused, then continued, "Moreover, this wisp of my divine sense has no power; it is merely a remnant of my will. I cannot contact my true self, nor can I know his current condition."
Upon hearing this, the old dragon's eyes dimmed slightly.
But it still clung to a sliver of hope and asked, "Then... does Master know if the original body is still alive?"
Guixu Daoist smiled slightly, a smile that was warm and kind.
"Don't worry, since this wisp of my divine thought is still intact, it means that my main body is at least still alive."
I share the same origin as him; if he were to perish, this wisp of my divine consciousness would also vanish.
My existence proves that he is still alive.
Hearing this, the old dragons finally breathed a sigh of relief, and the weight on their hearts was lifted.
Just live.
As long as you're alive, there's still hope.
After a while, once they had calmed down a bit, Guixu Daoist finally spoke and asked, "Old Azure Dragon, what is the matter that you have awakened me for?"
The old dragon quickly stepped forward and respectfully said, "Master, you left a message before you left back then."
It is said that if in the future there are outstanding juniors who can pass your test, become your disciples, and cultivate to the Dao Integration Realm...
If you are interested in where you are going, bring him here.
Now, this person has finally appeared.
It turned and pointed at Lu Qing.
"It's him, Lu Qing."
Guixu Daoist's gaze then fell on Lu Qing.
In fact, he had seen Lu Qing a long time ago.
From the moment he appeared, he noticed the young man standing behind the old Azure Dragon.
I was just talking to the old Azure Dragon and the others, so I didn't have time to look closely.
At that moment, when his gaze fell on Lu Qing, he was slightly taken aback, and then a strange light flashed in his eyes.
With his eyesight as a Dao Transformation Immortal, even a wisp of divine thought was enough to see through many things.
He could tell at a glance that the young man in front of him was not his true form, but a divine thought clone.
Divine thought clones are not unusual; they can be condensed after reaching the Dao Integration Realm.
To his surprise, Lu Qing's clone was faintly revealing an aura.
That was the aura of the Great Dao.
And there's more than one.
He could sense that this divine thought clone contained the meaning of many great Daos.
Those intertwined meanings create an extremely mysterious aura, making it immediately apparent that it is extraordinary.
The Great Dao of the Five Elements, the Great Dao of the Sword, the Great Dao of Power... and even the Great Dao of Space!
Each meaning is pure and profound.
They intertwine and complement each other, yet there is no conflict whatsoever; instead, they form an indescribable harmony.
Guixu Daoist's eyes widened slightly.
He looked at the old dragon, his voice filled with disbelief.
"Old Azure Dragon, this child... how long has it been since he achieved the Dao Integration stage? How can he possess so much profound Dao essence?"
More importantly, he actually sensed the essence of the Great Dao of Space on Lu Qing!
The old dragon had anticipated its master's question. It took a deep breath, tried to calm itself, and then spoke slowly and deliberately.
“Master, Lu Qing… did not comprehend multiple Great Daos after achieving the Dao Integration Realm. He broke through by simultaneously fusing and entrusting nine Great Daos with his divine sense when he was breaking through to the Dao Integration Realm.”
Upon hearing this, Guixu Daoist could no longer remain calm.
His unreal eyes suddenly widened.
"what?!"
He stared intently at Lu Qing, as if trying to see right through him.
How to simultaneously integrate and embody nine Great Daos with divine thought to break through to the Dao Integration stage?
How can this be?
He had lived for countless years, seen countless brilliant geniuses, and heard countless unbelievable legends.
But he had never seen or heard of anyone being able to do that.
The difficulty in achieving harmony with the Dao lies in merging one's divine thoughts with the Great Dao.
The power of a single Great Dao is enough to put immense pressure on a cultivator's primordial spirit.
When two major paths merge simultaneously, the pressure increases exponentially, becoming almost unbearable for anyone.
Even back then, he couldn't break through by fusing two Great Daos with his divine sense.
As for more than two, that's absolutely impossible.
Any cultivator who dares to attempt to merge more than two Great Daos simultaneously will only suffer the fate of exploding and being annihilated, body and soul.
This is an ironclad rule in the cultivation world, which has never been broken in countless years.
But now, the old dragon tells him that this young man has broken this ironclad rule.
To simultaneously unite the nine Great Paths!
How could Guixu Daoist not be utterly shocked and shaken to his core?
If he hadn't been able to sense the profound aura of various Great Daos emanating from Lu Qing, he would have doubted whether the old Azure Dragon was talking nonsense. (End of Chapter)