Everyone knew that the Classic of the Way and its Virtue had been written by Laozi.
It was divided into two parts, with eighty-one chapters in all.
But what they did not know was this:
The true, complete version of the Classic of the Way and its Virtue contained one hundred and eight chapters.
The true essence of the scripture lay in the remaining twenty-seven chapters. They contained the Great Dao of the universe and formed the greatest visualization method under heaven!
A visualization method was something one practiced after thoroughly studying the meaning of a text: one let its words stir something within, visualized the things of heaven and earth, and came to understand various principles.
On that foundation, one could find the path to a Life Leap.
If—
An ordinary visualization method was like holding a lantern in one's hand. It could light a small stretch of the road ahead, and by walking carefully, one could avoid going astray while evolving.
The complete Classic of the Way and its Virtue, however, was like raising a blazing sun directly over that path of evolution.
At the same time, it opened a broad, magnificent road, leaving one's destination clear.
No matter how one walked, one would never go wrong.
This—
Was the power of the greatest visualization method under heaven, unmatched by any other.
"The last great expert to possess the complete Classic of the Way and its Virtue relied on it to become invincible in the world and travel beyond the realms. But according to the rumors, even after years of comprehending it, that great expert had only just begun to grasp its ways and never fully understood it. I wonder how long it'll take me, with my talent multiplied by a hundred million."
Looking at the ancient book in his hands, Lu Yuan fell into thought.
In his memory—
That great expert was renowned for peerless talent, a prodigy of his generation.
If Lu Yuan had not successfully fused with the Bodhi Ancient Tree and received a hundred-million-fold boost to his talent, he would never have chosen to bring it out.
It was simply too difficult. It required extraordinary comprehension; otherwise, forcing oneself to study it could backfire.
Now, Lu Yuan held the complete Classic of the Way and its Virtue in both hands.
He opened it.
One character after another appeared before his eyes.
But the text was written in Oracle Bone Script, and he could barely recognize any of it.
Still, since it was a visualization method, he only needed to visualize its meaning. He did not have to read every character.
Besides, Lu Yuan had received a hundred-million-fold boost to his talent. Whether or not he recognized the characters would make no difference.
He began with the first chapter, reading with great care. He missed not a single character, studying each one closely, his mind tranquil.
Before he knew it, his thoughts had completely settled. He forgot the passage of time.
Only after he had turned to the last page did he come back to himself a little.
But at that moment—
A strange look crossed Lu Yuan's eyes.
It was not that he had failed to understand. On the contrary, he had understood everything, thoroughly studied the entire text, and engraved it into his mind.
He checked the time. Only three days had passed.
Three days.
He had accomplished in that time what the great expert had needed years to achieve.
"Could it be fake? No, it should be genuine. Comprehension is what matters most in a visualization method. Maybe that's where the difficulty lies." Lu Yuan found it all too easy, almost unbelievable. He suspected that simply memorizing the text might not be much of a challenge.
He immediately put the ancient book away and closed his eyes.
The Classic of the Way and its Virtue expounded the Great Dao of heaven and earth, the fundamental principles of the universe.
So all he had to do was pair the text with his imagination, envision a universe in his mind, and observe its patterns.
The instant he calmed his mind, everything around him changed once again.
Lu Yuan saw himself sitting amid a river of stars. Before him stretched one brilliant galaxy after another. Within those boundless galaxies, enormous stars revolved through the universe, appearing and vanishing.
In the distance, a supernova exploded and formed a Black Hole, swallowing everything. Elsewhere, a small planet blazed with terrifying heat, as if being born anew.
The scene was dazzling beyond words, as though he were witnessing the birth and death of stars and the workings of the universe.
Everything was crystal clear, happening right before his eyes.
Stars of every color radiated brilliant light, bringing life and vitality to the desolate universe and containing boundless truths.
It was a vast scroll depicting the ultimate secrets of all creation!
And Lu Yuan was traveling through it.
Like a witness, watching everything begin and end.
Rumble!
The stars shattered with a thunderous roar.
At that moment, streams of starlight surged into his body.
Lu Yuan could clearly feel that the longer he visualized, the stronger he became.
It was as though a universe were contained within him.
Thump!
The next moment—
Lu Yuan opened his eyes and gasped for breath. Beads of cold sweat had formed on his forehead.
But when he sensed the state of his body, he could not help but feel shocked.
That brief experience—
Had taken him straight from the Eighth-Order Initial Realm to the Ninth Order. The power within him was stirring restlessly. In his veins, his blood surged with astonishing force, his qi and blood churning as if a true dragon were about to burst from his body.
His physique had reached a new level.
And in his mind, the Innate Spirit that represented his soul shone with an even more dazzling golden light.
Its form had grown considerably larger, too.
His physique and soul—
Had both undergone a transformation!
"The Classic of the Way and its Virtue is the foremost visualization method for elevating the soul and tempering the body. So... have I truly comprehended it?"
Lu Yuan was stunned. It had barely taken any time at all. Even great experts struggled to comprehend this supreme method.
Yet he had almost mastered it in an instant.
Was it a fluke?
No!
With his talent boosted a hundred million times over, his aptitude had reached a terrifying level.
At that moment, Lu Yuan was astonished not only by his own talent, but also by the power of the complete Classic of the Way and its Virtue. A single visualization had raised both his physical strength and his cultivation. He had never heard of such a rate of progress in his previous life.
It was simply unbelievable, like something out of a myth.
If he kept visualizing for years—
He would possess the strength to shake stars and a soul that could commune with the divine. That supreme bearing, roaming the starfields, was within reach.
Before—
He had still been worried.
Would the divine treasures he had gathered truly be as powerful as the legends claimed?
Not only were they, they surpassed the legends outright.
The Supreme Path—
Was absolutely more than just a goal. It was something he could truly achieve!
"If I can bring out the true potential of every divine treasure, how strong will I be when I leave seclusion?"
Without thinking, Lu Yuan turned his gaze to the nine divine treasures that remained. Admittedly, not every item could strengthen him, help him evolve, or unlock his body's potential, but there were more than enough.
That visualization of the universe had indeed brought him immense benefits.
But it had also placed tremendous strain on his soul. He could tell that using this visualization method consumed soul power.
He could endure it, but there was no need to rush. He had plenty of time in the future; there was no need to do everything at once.
What mattered was becoming stronger in the short term.
One had to know—
Lu Yuan was now only one step away from the Second Awakening Realm!
After a moment's thought, he fixed his gaze on another divine treasure.
The Eleven-story Blood Futu.
Once fused into his body, it could make his internal organs as indestructible as divine metal!
Lu Yuan's body was already powerful enough to withstand bullets, even small bombs. But his internal organs were comparatively fragile. If someone had a special way to attack them directly, it would be nearly impossible to guard against.
But if he fused with it, he could attain the legendary state of unity between the inner and outer body.
There was one more thing.
The Eleven-story Blood Futu contained a special power.
He could use it to reach the Awakening Realm outright.
Once he had decided, he acted.
Lu Yuan took a deep breath, set it down in front of him, and got started at once!
Before you continue