NOVEL NEXT Chapter 36: Fruit of Tao
"Transcendence," murmured the Nine Heavens Demon-Dispelling Ancestor, who deeply understood Master Zhenyuan's choice in the depths of his heart. If it had been him, he would have made the same decision. The pursuit of the Great Dao was paramount; to be even one step behind was to be behind at every step. No one wished to let such an opportunity slip through their fingers.
After all, although those few mighty beings did not show themselves at present, they were still capable of intervening. As a result, the underlying theme of the Three Realms was still peace. However, when these beings transcended, it would be up to them to vie for the chance of transcendence. By then, the struggle for the Dao would be far more fierce than any earthly conflict.
With this thought in mind, the Nine Heavens Demon-Dispelling Ancestor braced himself, holding his treasured sword and scanning his surroundings vigilantly. This was the moment when Master Zhenyuan was at his most vulnerable, and there could be those with ill intentions attempting to probe the situation.
Perhaps due to Master Zhenyuan's meticulous efforts to keep secrets, no mishap occurred.
Meanwhile, Master Zhenyuan was using this time to swiftly recover his strength. In his body, his previously shattered Tao Foundation began to heal through his efforts, reforming into a more solid and promising Tao Foundation within him.
His wilted aura began to rise steadily, with the Five Qi being ignited in his chest and manifesting outside his body, creating an unending cycle, seeming to form a new balance.
A phantom voice emanated from Master Zhenyuan, and a small world unfurled within his chest, where countless beings evolved, multiplied, and gave birth to civilization.
In just a few breaths, Master Zhenyuan achieved the state of the Five Qi reaching the Primordial, and carved out his own small world.
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Yet for the one who had once been the Ancestor of Earth Immortals, a powerful being who started cultivating in ancient times, the Five Qi reaching the Primordial was just a beginning. His body burst forth with a shocking life force as that life force surged to the crown of his head, forming a flower that gradually lost its blood-red color, giving way to a golden glow.
This was the Flower of Essence among the Three Flowers, representing the vital energy of a person's body.
Next, the Immortal Qi in the acupoints and meridians of his body began to undulate, much like a dragon lifting its head, rushing along the meridians to the crown of his head and bursting forth, forming a white flower above Master Zhenyuan's head. Then the white color slowly faded, and a brilliant golden light emerged.
The Flower of Qi, representing the Immortal Spirit Qi within a person, now appeared at the crown of his head.
But that was not the end. Master Zhenyuan's Primordial Spirit suddenly radiated dazzling light, and after the light subsided, a golden Flower of the Primordial Spirit had bloomed above his head.
Master Zhenyuan effortlessly achieved the Three Flowers Gathering at the Top, but this was not his ultimate pursuit. Now having broken and reformed, he naturally could not be satisfied with merely reaching this stage.
The three golden flowers trembled above his head, and an abstruse aura began to radiate to the center around Master Zhenyuan, gradually influencing Wanshou Mountain and soon spreading throughout the Three Realms.
Every cultivator in the Three Realms could sense this special aura, which seemed to conceal endless truths.
"Someone is about to produce the Fruit of Tao, hence heaven and earth resonate, and blessings rain upon the living," said those with extensive knowledge, unable to contain their joy upon recognizing this phenomenon.
Whenever someone is about to produce the Fruit of Tao and carve their own Great Dao, heaven and earth will respond, expounding their Great Dao to all beings in the Three Realms. At this moment, beings can also learn valuable knowledge, which is what is referred to as blessings raining upon the living.
As the aura spread to every corner of the Three Realms, celestial phenomena began to occur. Auspicious Clouds billowed through the void, and Golden Lotuses bloomed, exuding a fragrant aroma that enthralled anyone who smelled it.
Master Zhenyuan opened his eyes, smiling at this moment, and softly uttered one word, "Dao!"
This one simple word, when heard by the beings of the Three Realms, contained boundless truths, all expounding the Way of Wood and the principle of all things growing.
All cultivators submerged in this wonderful enlightenment, as if a powerful being was explaining his Great Dao right by their ears—a chance encounter indeed.
Lu Yu was also immersed in this experience. He felt many previously perplexing questions clearing up during these teachings, gaining a deeper understanding of the Way of Wood, and a profound insight into how to regulate and control the Wood Qi amongst the Five Qi—an immensely beneficial experience.
In the world of thought, what seemed like a long time had passed, but in reality, it was only a brief moment. What one could gain from this depended on their karma and enlightenment. Some felt they heard much but gained nothing, while others heard just a piece and had an epiphany that greatly advanced their cultivation. The results were unpredictable.
Only one thing was certain: those with higher cultivation attained more, and those whose Dao was more aligned with the phenomenon reaped greater rewards.
However, for those whose realm was similar and whose Dao was alike, this was also a crisis. To produce the Fruit of Tao, one had to walk their own Great Dao. If they learned too much from others, they could easily be influenced, and without careful attention, they could end up treading an old path, with transcendence becoming unattainable.
Therefore, those true powerhouses intending to pursue the Way of Wood had already sealed their senses, fearing the influence of Master Zhenyuan that could conceivably ruin their chances with the Great Dao. This was also a test from heaven and earth, to see if they could recognize their true hearts and resist temptation.
At this moment, atop Master Zhenyuan's head, within the three golden flowers, a phantom fruit appeared out of thin air, giving the impression of the essence of the Way of Wood. Countless truths were hidden within this tiny fruit.
However, though the fruit had appeared, it was very insubstantial, like a bubble that could burst with a single touch.
Master Zhenyuan sighed lightly and said, "In the end, it's still somewhat forced."
"It's already quite remarkable. To be able to produce a phantom Fruit of Tao, you are now on the same starting line as the Three Pure Ones," said the Nine Heavens Demon-Dispelling Ancestor with an envious look.
"There's still a long way to go. Their Fruits of Tao are nearing maturity for them, just waiting for the right moment to fall, to step out of the rivers of time and destiny. My Fruit of Tao still needs careful refinement to mature slowly. This era is hopeless for transcendence."
"This is already the best outcome. I thought at most you'd only reach the Three Flowers Gathering at the Top, but to my surprise, you've gone further, producing a phantom Fruit of Tao and stepping into the top tier in one fell swoop," said the Nine Heavens Demon-Dispelling Ancestor.
The words of the Nine Heavens Demon-Dispelling Ancestor brought an immediate smile to Master Zhenyuan's face. Beaming, he said, "I did not expect that, by shedding the shackles and breaking and reforming, I would actually manage to cross that threshold. I owe you a great debt of gratitude for your protection of the Dao, my friend."
"No need for politeness. Someday on the path of the Dao, I may also seek your help," said the Nine Heavens Demon-Dispelling Ancestor with a smile.