Su Mu returned to his quiet, secluded cave with practiced ease. He sat cross-legged on his cushion, closed his eyes, and took a deep breath before settling himself and preparing to begin a new round of cultivation.
This time, Su Mu decided to delve deeply into the power of the Laws. This was crucial to his future path of cultivation.
Originally, Su Mu had intended to focus on the Law of Strength. After all, strength had always been what he pursued and excelled at.
However, after giving it careful thought, he felt that focusing on just one Law seemed too limiting.
There were countless Laws in the world, each containing endless mysteries and power. Perhaps another Law might prove unexpectedly useful at some crucial moment.
So Su Mu resolved not only to study the Law of Strength in depth, but also to explore the other Laws.
With that thought, Su Mu slowly opened his eyes and waved his right hand. A Chaos Bead radiating a mysterious light appeared before him out of thin air.
This Chaos Bead had come from the incredible system. As the saying went, "If it came from the system, it had to be a fine product!"
The bead required no refining. The moment it had appeared in the system's space, it had already been fully refined.
For that reason, Su Mu had complete control over the Chaos Bead and could use its power however he pleased.
However, even though the Chaos Bead had been refined, the many secrets and treasures hidden within still awaited Su Mu's exploration and discovery.
Su Mu's figure flickered, instantly turning into a streak of light as he entered the Chaos Bead.
The instant he entered, a dense aura of Hundun washed over him.
This was less a simple space than a self-contained little world.
As far as the eye could see, everything was shrouded in gray, as if a thick fog veiled the entire world and obscured its true appearance.
When Su Mu's feet settled firmly on the ground, he was astonished to find that a striking hint of green had appeared in the gray world.
"Th-this... what is this?" Su Mu's eyes widened as he stared at the patch of green in disbelief. He couldn't help murmuring, "Could this be the aura of the legendary Law of Creation? How had I never noticed it before?"
He furrowed his brow and fell into thought. "Could it be that the world inside the Chaos Bead takes shape according to the Laws I comprehend?
"After all, the Human Sect was founded by my master, so most of its disciples devote themselves to cultivating the wondrous power of creation!"
At the thought, Su Mu's face lit up with delight, as if he'd glimpsed a bright path leading to great power.
"Haha, fortune is on my side! They say the Chaos Bead contains a full three thousand different Laws. As long as I keep cultivating them diligently, this world within the Chaos Bead will surely grow and flourish, becoming ever richer and more magnificent!"
The more Su Mu thought about it, the more excited he became, and the more his fighting spirit blazed.
Without a moment's hesitation, Su Mu sat cross-legged where he was, steadied his breathing, and entered a state of deep, tranquil cultivation.
To help this world brim with life and vitality as soon as possible, he first focused on comprehending the Law of Wood.
He closed his eyes and concentrated on sensing the faint but real wood-element Spiritual Energy in the surrounding air, trying to grasp its patterns and mysteries.
As time passed, Su Mu's mind grew calmer, and his understanding of the Law of Wood deepened.
As Su Mu devoted himself completely to cultivating the Law of Wood, something unexpected happened: this once barren, lifeless world began to sprout tender green plants!
At first, only scattered flecks of green dotted the land. But as time went on, more and more greenery spread across it, like a vibrant painting slowly coming to life.
At the same time, a young sapling quietly broke through the earth amid the greenery.
It looked so fragile and small that a passing breeze seemed capable of knocking it over.
But as Su Mu's understanding of the Law of Wood deepened, another miracle occurred.
The plants, once so insignificant, began growing at a visible pace. They spread their leaves and greedily drank in the Spiritual Energy of Heaven and Earth;
The little sapling, too, refused to be outdone. It drove its roots deep into the soil to draw nourishment, growing stronger by the day.
At last, Su Mu completed his final breakthrough in the Law of Wood and reached the Great Accomplishment stage.
The moment he opened his eyes, he found himself facing a new world, brimming with boundless life and vitality!
Lush vegetation covered every inch of the land, and flowers competed in beauty, filling the air with waves of enchanting fragrance.
And the once unremarkable sapling had grown into a towering tree that reached the clouds!
Its thick trunk would have taken several people holding hands to encircle, while its dense canopy spread like an enormous green umbrella, sheltering the creatures below from the sun.
Su Mu gazed at the scene before him and smiled with satisfaction. He gave a slight nod, his heart full of accomplishment.
Then he slowly rose to his feet, stretched his stiff body, gently twisted his waist, and loosened his muscles and bones.
After such a long period of cultivation, his body felt like a machine that had sat idle for ages. Now it had roared back to life with tremendous energy.
After a short rest, Su Mu didn't slack off for a moment. He immediately devoted himself to a new round of cultivation—this time, the Law of Metal.
As his understanding of the Law of Metal grew, another wondrous change unfolded in this world.
All sorts of metal ores gradually emerged from the ground: glittering gold, radiant silver, as well as copper, iron, and other precious mineral resources.
Under the sunlight, they shimmered with dazzling brilliance, as if showing off the boundless power contained in the Law of Metal.
In the days that followed, Su Mu devoted himself wholeheartedly to cultivating various Laws.
Next, he chose to cultivate the Law of Water. As he immersed himself in its mysteries, his surroundings began to change in wondrous ways.
Ripples spread across the lake's once-still surface, and the flowing waves seemed to brim with endless life and vitality.
As his understanding of the Law of Water deepened, a light rain began to fall from the sky, nourishing all things on the land.
Next, Su Mu turned his attention to the Law of Earth. As he focused on cultivating it, the ground beneath his feet began to tremble slightly. Hills rose from the earth, while lush green grass spread across the vast plains, filling the landscape with life.
The power of the Law of Earth made the land firmer and more fertile, providing a solid foundation for life.
When Su Mu finally began cultivating the Law of Fire, the entire world was instantly engulfed in roaring flames.
He summoned the True Sun Fire. Flames shot into the sky, like fiery dragons twisting and flying through the air.
The searing heat seemed to set even the air alight, and a magnificent sea of crimson stretched before him.
Yet Su Mu wasn't intimidated by the terrifying scene. Instead, with steadfast resolve and exceptional insight, he steadily delved into the essence of the Law of Fire.
After a long and arduous effort, Su Mu finally comprehended all Five Elements Laws.
In that moment, he felt an incomparably powerful force surge through him, elevating his strength to a level he had never reached before. This qualitative leap thrilled him and filled him with confidence and anticipation.
Amid the boundless Hundun, Purple Cloud Palace slowly appeared. Within the palace, the atmosphere was so heavy and oppressive that it was hard to breathe.
Dao Ancestor Hongjun sat on his cloud bed, his usually deep and mysterious eyes now dark as still water.
The aura around him was in complete disarray. He had clearly suffered a major setback. This being, who had once stood at the pinnacle of the Dao Integration Realm, had now fallen from it, and his condition continued to worsen.
What troubled him even more was that as the Human Dao gradually awoke from its slumber, the Earth Dao had also begun to recover and grow stronger.
The change was still slight for now, but even the smallest shift could raise alarm when it came to the balance among Heaven, Earth, and Human.
After all, any strengthening of the Earth Dao would affect the supreme Heavenly Dao, slowly allowing the Earth Dao to surpass it.
"This is absolutely no good sign!" Dao Ancestor Hongjun thought, his brows drawn tight.
He knew that if he didn't act in time to curb the Earth Dao's growth and return to the Dao Integration Realm, the consequences would be unthinkable.
After careful consideration, he decided to cultivate another Saint to restore the Dao Integration.
"Haotian, come to Purple Cloud Palace at once!" Dao Ancestor Hongjun's mighty voice rang out. It transformed into layers of Dao Sound, pierced through the void of Hundun, and sped straight toward Lingxiao Palace in the Heavenly Court atop the Thirty-three Heavens.
Haotian was busy handling various affairs in Lingxiao Palace when he heard the familiar summons, heavy with authority. His heart jolted.
He didn't dare delay for a moment and replied respectfully, "Yes, Great Master! I'll come at once." With that, Haotian set aside his work, flashed into a streak of light, and flew toward Purple Cloud Palace at top speed.
As he traveled, his heart grew heavier and heavier. Ever since he had become the Heavenly Emperor, Dao Ancestor Hongjun had hardly summoned him at all. Being called in such haste surely meant something extremely serious had happened...
When he arrived at Purple Cloud Palace, Haotian immediately knelt and said, "Greetings, Great Master."
"Haotian, the Earth Dao shows signs of revival, and the Heavenly Dao has been damaged. We must find someone to achieve sainthood and complete the Heavenly Dao," Dao Ancestor Hongjun said, looking at Haotian.
Haotian was startled. He understood that this was a tremendous responsibility, but also a rare opportunity.
"Thank you, Great Master! I won't let you down!" Haotian bowed in gratitude.
Dao Ancestor Hongjun gave a slight nod, then waved his hand. A wisp of Purple Qi flew from his palm and entered Haotian's body.
The moment the Primordial Violet Qi entered him, Haotian felt that comprehending the Dao had suddenly become much easier.
"From now on, you must comprehend the Primordial Violet Qi as quickly as possible and strive to become a Saint soon," Dao Ancestor Hongjun said.
Feeling the immense power of the Primordial Violet Qi within him, Haotian's eyes flashed with determination.
He knew full well the weight of his responsibilities as a Heavenly Dao Saint. The road ahead might be full of challenges, but he was ready to fight to safeguard the Heavenly Dao.
Before you continue