Along the way, dozens of auras had locked onto him. Though those people were extremely discreet, Ye Jing's Divine Soul had grown immensely powerful after he became a Great Grandmaster; not a single stir of wind or grass could escape its perception.
All along the way, those auras remained firmly fixed on Ye Jing. Only after he entered the Hanlin Academy did he feel them withdraw.
Seated at the desk by the window, Ye Jing's eyes were full of concern. Things had taken an unexpected turn.
He had assumed the Li Clan Ancient Clan would eventually come after him. But he was only at the Qi Refining Fifth Layer; there was no way he could have been the mastermind. Even if the Li Clan Ancient Clan had their suspicions, they would never suspect him.
Of course, given how close he and Qiuyue were, he couldn't rule out the Li Clan Ancient Clan's people cornering a desperate dog and threatening Qiuyue with his life to force her to submit.
If that really happened, Ye Jing wouldn't just surrender. With his strength now, escaping would be easy.
But he truly couldn't understand the reason behind what had happened today.
Had they failed to clean up every trace back then, leaving the Li Clan Ancient Clan's people a clue to follow? A flicker of doubt crossed Ye Jing's eyes.
But that didn't make sense either! If they truly suspected him of being the mastermind, they would have sent people to seize him and torture him for answers long ago. Why go to such lengths to keep him under surveillance?
Ye Jing racked his brains without finding an answer. But there was one thing he could be certain of: events were slipping further and further out of his control.
Unable to figure it out, Ye Jing stopped trying. There were many people watching him, including Great Grandmasters and even stronger experts, but with his strength, he could easily escape their surveillance.
For now, all he could do was take things one step at a time. His most urgent task was to improve his strength. Only the stronger he became, the more confidence he would have in facing whatever unknown dangers lay ahead.
Picking up the book beside the desk, Ye Jing began to read.
It recorded how Chen Changsheng had attained the Dao in a dream.
Chen Changsheng had been born in the Yan Kingdom seven thousand years ago. At five, he couldn't speak; at seven, he still couldn't read. His mind was far behind that of children his age, and the elders of his clan had worried themselves sick over him.
But when he was seven, a Lotus Immortal appeared in his dream and enlightened him. From then on, Chen Changsheng's mind opened.
He could compose eloquent verse on the spot, and his comprehension was astonishing. He learned any poem or classic with ease and could recite it backward without a stumble.
From that point on, Chen Changsheng's name resounded far and wide. He became a celebrated child prodigy in the Yan Kingdom, and while still young, he passed all three imperial examinations, taking the top spot in the whole realm.
But when Chen Changsheng became the Yan Kingdom's top scholar, he refused the Yan Emperor's appointment in the Golden Throne Hall. Instead, he abandoned officialdom and went to Mount Hua to cultivate the Dao.
Chen Changsheng was exceptionally gifted. Once he understood one Dao technique, he could master them all. Though he had begun cultivating late, in just ten years his cultivation had already reached unfathomable heights.
One day, Chen Changsheng suddenly sensed that the road ahead on the Great Dao had ended, and that his Dao Path had grown arduous. Gloom settled over him, so he went to Lotus Peak to observe the stars and contemplate the natural world.
As he gazed at the lotus pond, a Twelve-Petal Golden Lotus suddenly bloomed. Chen Changsheng was reminded of the strange dream he'd had as a child, and fell into a state of enlightenment.
When he awoke, Chen Changsheng abandoned the Dao he had cultivated and took to lying in seclusion on Lotus Peak.
Spring gave way to autumn, and cold and heat came and went. Three hundred years passed in a flash. Throughout those three centuries, Chen Changsheng lay in seclusion on Lotus Peak, yet his aura grew ever more wondrous and profound.
It was as if he had merged with heaven and earth, his body transformed into the world itself. The heights he had reached were beyond the comprehension of ordinary people.
During those three hundred years, Chen Changsheng awoke several times. Each time, he lectured on the Dao atop Lotus Peak.
He recounted all manner of wondrous, fantastical events, drawing countless Dao disciples to come listen.
Though Chen Changsheng's mastery of the Dao had reached the heavens, he could not ultimately overcome the passage of time. In the end, he passed away on Lotus Peak.
Though Chen Changsheng had passed away, his body remained uncorrupted for hundreds of years, lifelike as if he were still alive. There were even rumors that laughter could be heard coming from his body at midnight.
[You witnessed Chen Changsheng's life. You were very attentive and have activated Heaven-Defying Comprehension.]
[Your comprehension defies heaven. You have comprehended the Great Dream Three Thousand Dao Scripture.]
Great Dream Three Thousand! This was an unparalleled cultivation art of the Divine Soul. It was said that beyond the Profound Yellow Great World lay three thousand great worlds.
The civilizations in these worlds were all different, and their splendor was in no way inferior to that of the Xuanhuang World.
According to legend, if one cultivated Chen Changsheng's Great Dream Three Thousand Dao Scripture to its utmost limits, one could travel through the Three Thousand Dao Realms with one's Divine Soul and comprehend their myriad mysteries.
Cultivation arts for the Divine Soul were already extremely rare. An unparalleled Divine Soul art like the Great Dream Three Thousand Dao Scripture was even more precious, its value beyond measure.
The Divine Soul was born in the Sea of Consciousness, the most mysterious hidden treasury within the human body. The stronger the Sea of Consciousness, the stronger the Divine Soul.
A powerful Divine Soul not only aided cultivation but was also a formidable means of combat. Its many mysteries could not be explained in a few words.
Though the Great Dream Three Thousand Dao Scripture was an unparalleled cultivation art for the Divine Soul, Ye Jing resisted the temptation and did not choose to cultivate it right away.
This was a sensitive time, and his every word and action might be monitored. The Hanlin Academy was not a safe place.
After finishing the day's work, Ye Jing organized the Ancient Texts he had compiled and handed them to his superior for review, then headed home.
Once home, Ye Jing went about his usual routine: he cooked, heated water, bathed, then went to bed. He didn't dare show the slightest sign that anything was amiss.
Late that night, Ye Jing opened his eyes and sensed the auras around Ye Manor. A few powerful auras remained, but there were far fewer than during the day.
Taking advantage of the watchers' momentary lapse, Ye Jing laid a formation around the carved wooden bed to make sure none of his aura could leak out. Only then did he begin cultivating.
Within Ye Jing's Sea of Consciousness, a great sun suddenly rose over the darkness, as deep as the Nine Hells.
The sun blazed with scorching heat, roasting the Sea of Consciousness like a raging fire. The Sea of Consciousness, calm as a mirror, was steaming in an instant, vapor drifting like clouds toward the great sun.
The vast Sea of Consciousness shrank at a visible pace.
The larger the Sea of Consciousness, the stronger the Divine Soul. Now Ye Jing's Sea of Consciousness was shrinking, yet his Divine Soul had not weakened in the slightest. Instead, it had grown stronger.
The Great Dream Three Thousand Dao Scripture was an unparalleled cultivation art for the Divine Soul. It was said that when cultivated to its utmost limits, it could open the gates to the Three Thousand Dao Realms, allowing the Divine Soul to roam freely through them.
Such an art naturally demanded an exceptionally powerful Divine Soul. Ye Jing's Divine Soul had been strong before, but it still fell far short of the requirements for cultivating the Great Dream Three Thousand Dao Scripture.
Fortunately, the Foundation Establishment Chapter of the Great Dream Three Thousand Dao Scripture could temper the Divine Soul, making the Sea of Consciousness purer and thereby strengthening the Divine Soul.
The great sun dried up the Sea of Consciousness within the body, leaving its impurities behind. Then True Sun Fire burned them away, making the Sea of Consciousness purer.
After a long while, Ye Jing finally awoke from his cultivation. He sensed the changes in his body, and a hint of delight appeared in his eyes.
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