Discussing Dao and Profoundness

For Grand Luo Golden Immortals like them, Ginseng Fruit was merely a delicacy to satisfy their appetites. At their level of cultivation, it was difficult for any spiritual fruit to have a significant effect.

After partaking in the Ginseng Fruit, the group continued their discussion on Daoist principles.

Each individual gathered their focus, revealing the Three Flowers atop their heads, preparing to manifest the Dao they cultivated within their Three Flower Sacred Clouds.

Instantly, various Daoist energies permeated the air, intertwining with the auras of the Three Pure Ones and others.

The first to transform was Yuanshi's Sacred Cloud. The mass of Chaos energy churned violently, morphing into the nascent form of a universe before the separation of heaven and earth. Jiang Yun, observing from the side, held his breath. He witnessed countless stars being born and extinguished within the cloud, saw the interplay of earth, water, fire, and wind evolving in the void. Yuanshi's voice boomed like a great bell throughout the main hall:

"The nameless is the beginning of heaven and earth; the named is the mother of all things. My Dao is called 'Beginning.' Holding Taiji, it gives birth to the Two Forms. Following the Way of Heaven, it acts according to Heaven's will..."

Following closely, Tongtian's Sacred Cloud suddenly erupted in radiance. That golden flower unfurled with a roar, transforming into eighty-four thousand brilliant pillars of light. Within each pillar, an illusory formation manifested—the Three Talents, Two Forms, Four Symbols, Immortal Slaying... Jiang Yun felt sword Qi crisscrossing everywhere; a mere glance caused his eyes to sting and tears to stream down his face. Even more astonishing was how these illusory formations continuously shifted, sometimes dispersing, sometimes converging, as if lacking a fixed arrangement yet encompassing all possibilities.

"All things bear yin and embrace yang, and the blended qi creates harmony," Tongtian said with a serene expression. "My Dao is called 'Change.' When things reach their extreme, they change; change leads to flow. Heaven's proliferation is four nines, with one escaping—this is Severing Heaven's Line..."

Laozi's Sacred Cloud rose last. Unlike the majestic presence of the other two, it was merely a faint wisp of white mist. Yet, upon closer inspection, countless tiny characters flowed within the white mist, representing the true words of virtue from his heart. These characters occasionally transformed into a farming peasant, then into playful children, ultimately coalescing into a winding river flowing forward.

"The highest goodness is like water; water benefits all things without contention," Laozi's voice flowed like a clear spring into their hearts. "My Dao is called 'Virtue.' To act without acting, to teach without speaking. The greatest sound is unheard; the greatest image is formless..."

The three Sacred Clouds began to merge. Yuanshi's Chaos energy formed the foundation, the myriad transformations of Spiritual Treasures provided the structure, and the pure words of virtue became the rhythm. As the three-colored clouds spun, they evolved into sun, moon, and stars, mountains and rivers, flying birds and beasts... finally culminating in a miniature Primordial Desolation universe.

Witnessing this spectacle, a sentence naturally arose in Jiang Yun's mind: "Red flowers, white roots, green lotus leaves; the Three Pure Ones were originally one family."

If not for the scene before him, he could never have imagined that Yuanshi's and Tongtian's opposing Daos could merge.

"Fellow Daoists of the Three Pure Ones possess great methods."

Jieyin nodded in acknowledgment. A Twelve-Petaled Golden Lotus rose from above Jieyin's head, supporting three sarira on its platform. The radiating halo revealed the illusory image of the Western Pure Land. Countless figures chanted scriptures within the light, their Buddhist chants solidifying into tangible golden runes that merged into the Sacred Cloud.

"I invite all fellow Daoists to offer their guidance," Jieyin's voice echoed with the resonance of Nirvana. The Sacred Cloud suddenly collapsed into a single point, then erupted with immeasurable light, illuminating the hall and its surroundings with clarity.

Jiang Yun observed, feeling a lightness in his soul, an urge to break free from his body and fly into that light.

Zhunti laughed heartily, "Senior Brother's Nirvana profound method makes my own methods seem inferior." With that, the Sacred Cloud above his head transformed dramatically. The illusory image of the Seven Treasures Wonderful Tree surged tens of thousands of feet. The tree canopy pierced through the thirty-three layers of heaven, and on each Bodhi leaf rested a world. Even more wondrous were the countless blood-red threads entwined at the roots of the tree—they were the personification of sentient beings' karma!

Zhenyuanzi applauded, exclaiming, "A fine 'Bodhi is not a tree, the bright mirror is not a stand'!" The Earth Scroll flew from his sleeve, unfolding to reveal a sky full of Sacred Clouds. Within the clouds, Longevity Mountain and Wuzhuang Temple stood majestically. The roots of the Ginseng Fruit Tree penetrated the Nine Netherworlds, while its canopy reached the chaotic starry sky. Most miraculously, countless earth gods and mountain spirits knelt beneath the tree, their incense offerings solidifying into green streamers that cascaded down.

Hongyun suddenly patted the gourd at his waist, "Since you all are so serious, I cannot be lazy either."

A streak of crimson cloud energy surged from the crown of his head, transforming in the air into the first rosy cloud of the Primordial Desolation's beginning. Purple qi swirled within the cloud, with faint Congenital Dao patterns flowing, yet it remained elusive and ever-changing. Jiang Yun focused his gaze, startled to realize that the trajectory of the cloud energy secretly mirrored the Circulating Stars, and every wisp that dispersed perfectly aligned with the ultimate principles of the Heavenly Dao.

As everyone's Sacred Clouds flowed, various spiritual insights arose in their minds through this pure collision of Daoist principles. This was precisely what was meant by "a stone from another mountain can polish the jade of this one."

The Mysterious Turtle lacked a Nascent Soul, and its soul and body were separated. It was not well-versed in the current prevailing Nascent Soul cultivation methods of immortal Dao. Instead, it elaborated on the body cultivation methods favored in previous eras, which emphasized the unity of spirit and flesh, concentrating all power within the physical body.

This path of cultivation, unlike the Nascent Soul method of communicating with heaven and earth to control and manipulate laws, focused on the integration of spirit and flesh. When cultivated to profound depths, it could achieve Blood Rebirth, inscribing law imprints within the bloodline, and ultimately nurturing laws with the bloodline, reaching a state of "My Body is the Dao," requiring no external seeking.

Upon hearing Xuan Gui's explanation of body cultivation, everyone looked forward to the grand vision it depicted. This anticipation led to the Three Pure Ones, Zhunti, and Jieyin, after witnessing the formidable combat power of the Witch Clan's physical bodies, to research body cultivation techniques suitable for simultaneous cultivation of Nascent Soul and body. Ultimately, the Three Pure Ones collaborated to derive the Nine Revolutions Mysterious Technique, while Zhunti and Jieyin worked together to develop the Eight-Nine Arcane Technique.

These two techniques each had their merits, and their power was self-evident. One only needed to observe the later performances of the Xuanmen Guardian Yang Jian and the Meishan Arm-Through Ape Yuan Hong to understand their efficacy.

This discussion on Dao lasted for thousands of years, and everyone who participated benefited immensely. The Ginseng Fruit Tasting Grand Meeting was a resounding success. The attendees wore expressions of joy and spontaneously arranged the time for the next Fruit Tasting Dao Discussion.

After the discussion concluded, they engaged in casual conversation about various interesting events in the Primordial Desolation. Zhunti and Jieyin also spoke of their reconstruction project in the West, which astonished the others, who marveled at their great resolve and perseverance.

As Jiang Yun had told them, undertaking great endeavors required gathering more strength and uniting everyone possible through shared interests. Zhunti and Jieyin did not hesitate to invite the Three Pure Ones, Zhenyuanzi, and Hongyun to join their grand undertaking.

However, the Three Pure Ones, being the orthodoxy of Pangu and possessing the merit of the Great Dao of Heaven Opening, had little interest in such a thankless task. The merit gained from merely repairing the damage caused by the creation of heaven and earth was insignificant. Of course, they did not outright refuse, merely stating they would assist if they had the time.

Zhenyuanzi and Hongyun, on the other hand, had some thoughts on the matter. Zhenyuanzi followed the Way of the Great Earth and possessed the Earth Scroll; he was destined to be known as the Ancestor of Earth Immortals, responsible for enfeoffing the spirits of mountains and lands across the world. The reconstruction of the Western world would greatly benefit him and align with his Dao.

Hongyun was simply warm-hearted and enjoyed helping others. He cultivated the Way of Auspiciousness, forging good karma with living beings, protecting them, and dispelling calamities. Faced with such an endeavor, he was willing to contribute.

Receiving their affirmative responses, Jieyin and Zhunti were overjoyed.