Huoyun Cave Discusses the Dao

"Invincibility is so, so lonely."

Invincibility is so, so weathered.

Alone at the summit,

The cold wind kept blowing..."

In the quiet grand hall stood an enormous cauldron that looked incredibly familiar. Beneath it, a flame danced and leaped spiritedly, bringing a wonderfully comfortable warmth.

Beside the cauldron sat plates of translucent, glossy red slices of meat. Billowing essence radiated from them, only to be blocked by a light barrier shaped like a "tortoiseshell." It flowed over the meat like streams, making one's mouth water.

Hot pot!

In this era, it was called ding cuisine, a method of eating reserved for nobles and high-ranking lords. "A true man should feast from five cauldrons in life and be boiled in five cauldrons in death"—that was what it referred to.

As for Di Xin's pot, although it was only a clear broth, in terms of extravagance, one could only say it was unprecedented. As for anyone who might surpass it later, they would probably be Di Xin himself.

The cauldron bore the imprint of the Shen Nong Cauldron, the fire was the Fire of Humanity, the tortoiseshell bore the imprints of the River Diagram and Luo Script, the meat was leftover phoenix meat from some time ago, and even the sword used to slice it bore the imprint of the Xuanyuan Sword.

And the mastermind behind everything, Human King Di Xin, suddenly stopped his chilling singing.

Within Huoyun Cave,

Yellow Emperor Xuanyuan watched the Human King descendant who had appeared before him with a ferocious grin. He hefted the Great Treasure Sword and charged.

"You little brat, you've gotten addicted to slicing meat, have you? Come and see for yourself whether my treasured sword is still sharp!"

"Holy crap! Senior Xuanyuan!"

As the world spun, Di Xin had only just recovered his senses when Xuanyuan kicked him flying.

"Heh heh heh! Boy, I'm not the only one here to give you trouble today. You've angered the masses!"

Yellow Emperor Xuanyuan swung his sword in midair. Visible ripples spread through space, and in the next instant, Di Xin was split in two at the waist. The surrounding Human Race Destiny frantically filled the gap, repairing his body in the blink of an eye.

"No, no way."

He touched his perfectly intact waist. Feeling the waves of intense pain surging through him like a tide, a terrifying guess suddenly arose in his mind: He had been eating hot pot and singing when bandits suddenly robbed him...

The next moment, Sui Ren Shi appeared from the south. A cluster of flames in his hand brought Di Xin the warmth of a mother's womb. The flickering fire surged toward him, swirling around his body and protecting the wisp of his soul within the flesh condensed from the Human Race Destiny.

"Heh heh heh, young man, don't be afraid. This old man's fire won't harm humans. It can even heal injuries."

To Di Xin's east, an ancient, unadorned cauldron appeared from the void. Various herbs emerged one after another from its body, and behind it appeared a heavy figure.

Shen Nong wore a benevolent expression. The essence of the myriad herbs gushed from the cauldron, drowning Di Xin like an ocean.

"This cauldron makes delicious soup. Add more."

Afterward, a golden light enveloped the ocean of herbal essence together with Di Xin, transforming into a tortoiseshell-shaped space. It was none other than the supreme Innate Spiritual Treasures: the River Diagram and Luo Script.

"My treasure is perfect for this too."

Fu Xi appeared in the west. A long qin rested on a jade table before him. As he plucked its strings, profound and ethereal sounds echoed throughout the entire space, drawing upon the power of the River Diagram and Luo Script as though concealing endless mysteries.

Di Xin sat cross-legged in the void, greedily devouring the herbal essence around him. Through the Kongtong Seal, he continuously sent it back to his true body in Qingxian Hall.

"Heartbreak Grass. Eating it causes the intestines to rot and the whole body to convulse in agony..."

"Piercing-Heart Flower. Eating it feels like ten thousand arrows piercing the heart, causing pain throughout every bone, and is extremely poisonous..."

"Baichuan Seed. Eating it causes all five organs to rot, making one wish for death..."

The essence of herb after herb entered his body. They generated and restrained one another, neutralizing each other's poisons, and finally transformed into medicinal remedies that forged Di Xin's body, immune to all poisons.

Of course, the pain could not be avoided. He experienced every bit of the suffering Earth Emperor Shen Nong had endured while tasting the myriad herbs. The Fire of Humanity wielded by Sui Ren Shi was there to ensure that his wisp of soul would not disperse and cause the inheritance to fail.

"Above the Golden Immortal realm lies Taiyi. Cultivating Taiyi is the pursuit of the Dao."

"What is the Dao? All things are the Dao! What is not the Dao? All things are not the Dao!"

"The Dao is everywhere, and it is also to your left and right. It cannot be seen or heard. Only by comprehending and contemplating it can you see its form and grasp its power."

Fu Xi spoke. The sounds of the Great Dao were hidden within the qin music and entered Di Xin's soul directly, "displaying" the mysteries of the Dao to him.

"Holy crap! I can't understand any of this!"

Di Xin clenched his teeth and forced himself not to cry out in pain. Yet after Fu Xi mixed the Great Dao into the originally light and pleasant qin music, it suddenly became chaotic and grating, causing intense vexation to well up in his heart.

"Stop chanting, stop chanting! I can't understand it! It's really unbearable! Aaaaah!"

The herbal essence surged into his body. Di Xin instantly broke free and rose, punching the golden barrier before him to vent the unease and fury in his heart.

—Bang!

A human body formed a spread-eagle shape.

Although the River Diagram and Luo Script were not specifically defensive treasures, their inherent defense was not something just anyone could break through.

"It failed."

Fu Xi put away the Fu Xi Qin and rose, looking at the self-isolating Di Xin as his brows slowly relaxed.

"Isn't this perfectly normal? He has never come into contact with the Dao before. How could he suddenly comprehend the original Dao, enter the Dao realm, and step into the Taiyi realm?"

Shen Nong also put away the Shen Nong Cauldron. Di Xin's true body was still digesting the herbal essence and refining a body immune to all poisons. Only a wisp of his soul had been drawn here as a medium.

"The demon race uses bloodlines to pass down the Dao, while the witch race's Dao is engraved into them from birth. The Xuanmen, however, simplifies the Great Dao into Supernatural Powers, using them to naturally enter the path of the Dao. But none of these methods suit our Human Race!"

Yellow Emperor Xuanyuan put away the Great Treasure Sword and strode over. A fierce, baleful aura swirled around him, and his large hands slapped heavily onto Di Xin's shoulders.

"I forged you an acquired divine weapon modeled after the Xuanyuan Sword. In the future, stop using the imprint of my Xuanyuan Sword to chop vegetables!"

"Heh heh heh, actually, I only did this to ask the seniors a few questions. I didn't expect this, I really didn't... Since Di Xin is unworthy, I'll accept it shamelessly."

Di Xin grimaced in pain, but he was genuinely suffering and happy at the same time.

"Supernatural Powers, bloodlines, and so on can all pass down the Dao, but all of them require a long time to cultivate and comprehend. As Xuanyuan said, they are unsuitable for our Human Race. This is especially true for kings. If they spend their whole lives seeking the path of the Dao, they will inevitably affect the development of the Human Race, which goes against our original intentions."

Fu Xi nodded. This was precisely what had troubled them all this time.

"Um, seniors, I actually wanted to ask about this too."

Di Xin rubbed his shoulders and gave an ingratiating smile.

"Is Human Race Destiny also a form of the Great Dao? Or, should I say, is it the human way?"

"This..."

Fu Xi's eyes lit up. He carefully considered Di Xin's words. As the saying went, those closest to a lamp remained in darkness. They had thought too much and had happened to overlook this point.

"Human Race Destiny is a form of the Destiny Dao. Naturally, it can be called that."

"Then I think I may have found a method..."