Discussing the Dao

Di Kun felt wave after wave of powerful auras tightly winding around him. Like heavy curtains layered one upon another, they wrapped him securely, seemingly trying to squeeze him out of this place.

He knew perfectly well that they acted this way simply because with one more person present, the opportunities available to everyone else would be correspondingly reduced. Before the Great Dao, all things in the world competed fiercely, each hoping to stand out in this contest and gain greater benefits.

If there were one fewer competitor like him, the opportunities the others could obtain would undoubtedly increase, and their future paths of cultivation would become smoother as well.

Di Kun's steps appeared exceptionally relaxed, as though the pressure around him did not exist at all. Every step he took was steady and resolute as he gradually approached the central position.

Unlike the others, Di Kun did not choose to confront them head-on with the Dao he excelled in. Instead, he displayed a unique strategy—silent guidance, redirection, and even assimilation.

His movements seemed slow, but they actually contained endless wisdom and skill. He deftly used his surroundings and his opponents' power, guiding them in the direction he desired. At the same time, he was adept at diverting their attention, causing them to lose control of the situation without realizing it.

Even more astonishingly, Di Kun could assimilate his opponents' power. In a subtle manner, he incorporated their strength into his own system and made it a part of himself. In doing so, he not only enhanced his own power but also weakened his opponents' combat strength.

After all, what Di Kun excelled in was the Great Dao of Earth. The earth itself contained endless mysteries and power. It not only embraced and nurtured all things, but could also transform into all things. Therefore, Di Kun's choice to absorb the Dao of others in this way was also a strategy of following nature and riding the momentum.

One had to know that the Great Dao had countless paths, and every one of them possessed its own unique charm and value. However, a person's thoughts and energy were limited, making it difficult to master so many paths in a short time. Without sufficient opportunity and talent, controlling that many Great Daos was almost impossible.

Thus, most people chose one primary Great Dao as their core, then slowly integrated other laws into it, ultimately comprehending a unique path of Dao that belonged to themselves. Only when one truly mastered that path could one be called "the master of a Dao."

Based on Di Kun's understanding and observations over the years, this method of taking one Great Dao as the foundation and gradually merging other laws into it had basically become the mainstream of the Primordial Land. After all, this was still the era when the first living beings had emerged. All kinds of inheritances and knowledge were relatively scarce, while the laws between Heaven and Earth remained chaotic and disordered.

Moreover, the earth-shaking battle between Pangu and the three thousand Chaos Gods and Demons during World Creation had greatly impacted and damaged the laws between Heaven and Earth, making them even more disorderly and chaotic. In such an environment, directly comprehending and mastering numerous Great Daos was undoubtedly an extremely difficult task.

Although one could sense the laws they represented within the laws of Heaven and Earth, such insight was far from as clear and distinct as it would be in later ages. Instead, these laws intertwined and entwined with one another, forming an exceedingly complex relationship, as though you contained me and I contained you.

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In this era, aside from the first batch of Innate Gods and Demons that had been naturally born, whose origins contained a law that allowed them to perceive the laws between Heaven and Earth more clearly, the situation was entirely different for the relatively weaker Innate Spirits.

The origins of these Innate Spirits were not as powerful as those of Innate Gods and Demons. They lacked a clear law to guide them in understanding and comprehending the laws between Heaven and Earth. This meant they had to rely on their own effort and comprehension to explore and grasp these complex laws.

Yet this was undoubtedly an immensely arduous task for them. Faced with such a tangled web of laws, it was difficult for them to find even an entry point, much less gain a deep understanding of its mysteries. It was like searching for a needle in a vast ocean; the difficulty was obvious.

When Di Kun entered the central position and calmly sat down cross-legged, the several Daoists around him all opened their eyes and stared at him. Di Kun's methods were highly unusual, making it difficult for them to discern where his true strength lay. At that moment, the powerful figure seated at the head spoke. "I am Niluan." Ancestor Nirvana wore a Chaos Daoist robe, his three thousand strands of hair flying in every direction. His face alternated between that of a decrepit old man and an incomparably young man, changing with every moment. Then the Daoist to his left spoke. "I am Five Elements." Ancestor Five Elements wore a five-colored Daoist robe, with the five elements cycling endlessly. The Daoist to Ancestor Nirvana's right also spoke. "I am Qiankun." Then, one after another, those below spoke. "I am Yin Yang." "I am Zaohua." "I am Jiemie." "I am Hongjun." "I am Luohu." As Di Kun listened to their introductions, he swept his gaze over them. Four of them basically appeared middle-aged. Of the remaining two, Jiemie and Hongjun looked elderly, while Luohu instead looked middle-aged. Niluan's appearance constantly changed and never remained fixed. Only Zaohua and Di Kun appeared youthful.

Daoist titles at this time were that simple. One could basically tell what Great Dao they followed simply by hearing their titles. Hongjun and Luohu were exceptions; their titles sounded more like names, just like Zhou Jun's. Such cases were generally rare. After hearing each of their Daoist titles, Di Kun also said, "I am Di Kun," then closed his eyes and said nothing further.

They all remained silent, merely releasing their own laws and Dao charm into the central area, where they intertwined. This was a way for them to gain insight even before Discussing the Dao, for each person walked a different path. The interweaving of their laws could also provoke confrontation, allowing them to identify and make up for their own shortcomings. They might even comprehend something from another's Dao charm, making their own Dao more complete.

During this process, all the Innate Gods and Demons and powerful Innate Beings around them released their Dao charm. They entangled, merged, and even clashed with one another, slowly spreading from the mountaintop across the entirety of Inverted Mountain. The powerful all gained some insight from this, while the weak also found enlightenment, some even catching a glimpse of the beginnings of their own Dao paths and allowing themselves to advance further.

Time slowly passed. No one knew how long had gone by when a bell suddenly rang through the skies above Inverted Mountain. Everyone opened their eyes and ceased cultivating. This was a message from Heaven and Earth, a privilege granted only for the first Discussion of the Dao. The bell signified that the time for Discussing the Dao had arrived.

At that moment, Fellow Daoist Niluan, seated in the foremost position at the center, spoke. "Fellow Daoists, this is the first Discussion of the Dao between Heaven and Earth. Since it is being held at my Dao field, Inverted Mountain, I shall cast the first stone." Niluan's voice spread throughout all of Inverted Mountain. Then Niluan began to speak.

"Chaos is boundless, Heaven and Earth limitless. Above is called Heaven, below is called Earth. Heaven and Earth are inverted, Qiankun undivided. Space is uncertain, time ethereal. Without beginning or end, Heaven and Earth are thrown into disorder..."

Heaven and Earth absorbed the Dao Niluan expounded, while also spreading the Great Dao he spoke throughout the entire world. At this time, the laws of Heaven and Earth were chaotic and the Great Dao incomplete. Heaven and Earth absorbed the Dao of the powerful in order to complete the Great Dao, allowing the laws to become clearer rather than remain chaotic and disordered. If other living beings could comprehend the Great Daos of these powerful figures in the future, they could be considered to have set foot upon a path. Though it was a path walked by predecessors, they could still carve out another branch from it. Should they encounter an opportunity, they might rise above the rest along that path, or even transcend that Great Dao and form another Dao.

At this moment, golden flowers filled the skies above Inverted Mountain. Everyone was utterly absorbed, while the Dao charm of Heaven and Earth permeated the mountain, raising the comprehension of every living being upon Inverted Mountain. Everyone could gain some insight from it. Some weaker beings even seized this opportunity to embark on Fellow Daoist Niluan's Dao path and become his inheritors. By the time this Discussion of the Dao ended, some of these weaker beings would likely become disciples or attendants under Fellow Daoist Niluan.

Time slowly passed. When Niluan stopped, another Daoist immediately began to speak. "The five elements generate one another, creating all living beings. The five elements restrain one another, remaking Qiankun..."