The Way of Grand Unity

When a Saint recounted history, it was itself an exposition of the Great Dao's unfolding threads. Every word held profound meaning.

Hongjun continued, "An immortal is a mortal who transcends the ordinary and cultivates power enough to move mountains."

"The Dao has neither form nor shape. Through 'life,' its wonders become manifest."

"Yet 'life' is not eternal. Only by holding fast to the 'Dao' can one preserve it."

"The Immortal Dao I established has nine realms beyond mortality."

"They are Earth Immortal, Heavenly Immortal, True Immortal, Mysterious Immortal, Golden Immortal, Primordial Unity Golden Immortal, Daluo Golden Immortal, Primordial Origin Golden Immortal, and Primordial Daluo Golden Immortal."

"Among them, a Primordial Origin Golden Immortal may be called a Quasi-Saint, while a Primordial Daluo Golden Immortal is also called a Saint."

"In this lecture, I shall explain to you... the Way of Grand Unity."

At those words, every Great Power in the hall was invigorated. The Three Pure Ones, Di Jun, Eastern Emperor Taiyi, Fuxi, Nuwa, Zhenyuanzi, and the others who had long been trapped at Taiyi Peak felt desire rise in their Dao Hearts like blazing flames.

They had lingered at this realm for countless Yuanhui. Today, they would finally receive a Saint's guidance!

Hongjun perceived their thoughts. Without another word, he began: "Da Luo means transcendence..."

"...to escape the bonds of the River of Time and gather every 'possibility' across all timelines..."

"...to unite the 'selves' of past, future, and present into one, attaining the Dao Fruit of the sole 'True Self.' The true spirit then becomes immortal, imperishable through ten thousand calamities..."

As he expounded the essence of Da Luo, Dao resonance surged once more through the Yan Dao Palace, which had only just settled.

Heavenly Flowers Falling, Golden Lotuses Springing from the Ground, and other wondrous visions manifested naturally alongside the Dao Sound, helping all beings comprehend the obscure and profound Great Dao Principles.

Haotian and Yaochi listened as well, their attention wholly fixed on him.

Yet every word of a Saint's teaching was a pearl, every sentence a revelation of Heavenly Secrets. His realm lay far beyond theirs.

Of every hundred sentences Hongjun spoke, they could barely understand one or two, and even then only in fragments, like viewing flowers through mist.

Even so, seated beside a Saint and enveloped in supreme Dao resonance, they benefited greatly from the pure Dao power and aura of laws carried in his voice alone.

They felt their cultivation watered by sweet rain. Many old obstructions in their practice began to loosen and dissolve, and their understanding of their own paths deepened.

This was especially true of Haotian. The Imperial Great Dao he contemplated was still taking shape, tender and immature.

Now Hongjun's supreme Dao resonance, which embraced all things and governed Qiankun, nourished and indirectly guided it.

The foundation of that Great Dao grew firmer, its framework widened, and its substance grew richer. Like a seedling given primordial dew, it shot upward.

And as the lecture went on, that growth continued, steady and unbroken.

Even Haotian and Yaochi, who could scarcely make sense of what they heard, gained much.

The other Great Powers, whose higher realms let them understand more, gained benefits beyond measure.

Around the foremost Innate Divine Beings at Taiyi Peak, Dao resonance churned most fiercely.

Their auras climbed and transformed at a visible pace, pressing against an unseen bottleneck.

"Hum!"

After an unknown span of time, a faint Dao chime sounded deep within every being's awareness.

Above the Grand Supreme Elder Lord, seated on the first golden lotus, a vast Yin-Yang Taiji Dao Diagram suddenly appeared, shrouding the void.

Within it, black and white fish-eyes revolved without end, revealing the profound principles of being arising with nonbeing and motion existing in harmony with stillness.

An immense aura, complete and without flaw, serene and free yet boundless, soared skyward and stirred the Dao resonance above the Yan Dao Palace.

Within the vision, a phantom River of Time faintly appeared. A figure slowly rose from it, transcending its bounds!

Haotian and Yaochi, who had never wholly sunk into contemplation, along with the few Great Powers who had likewise remained partly alert, sensed it. They looked over and understood at once.

The Grand Supreme Elder Lord had been the first to break through the barrier and attain the Dao Fruit of a Daluo Golden Immortal!

From then on, his past and future were gathered into one. His true spirit hung high, beyond reincarnation. Vast though the Primordial Wilderness was, nowhere lay beyond his reach, and no Karma could easily cling to him!

Seeing this, deep envy entered Yaochi's eyes. She quietly sent a voice transmission to Haotian: "Elder Brother, when will the two of us ever reach such a realm...?"

Haotian's gaze remained firm. He answered without hesitation: "If we devote ourselves to cultivation and never waver from our Dao, one day we siblings will ascend to Da Luo together—and even higher!"

No sooner had he finished speaking than another, utterly different and overpowering aura erupted!

"Screech!"

A Golden Crow's fierce, imperious cry seemed to pierce metal and split stone as it rang through their hearts.

Where Eastern Emperor Taiyi sat, the phantom of a scorching "great sun" rose in dazzling splendor.

Solar True Fire burned through the void, almost tangible.

An imperial aura that brooked no rival and suppressed all things spread unchecked.

It even faintly disturbed the Great Powers contemplating the Dao on neighboring lotus platforms!

Though the lotus platforms and cloud seats seemed close together, each contained space within it. They were separated by at least tens of millions of miles, a distance ordinary auras could scarcely cross.

Eastern Emperor Taiyi had only just attained Da Luo and had yet to fully rein in his aura. That the fierce dominance of his Dao could pierce the intervening space spoke for itself.

On the Dao Platform, Hongjun's brow creased almost imperceptibly.

Then, with a single thought, he quietly adjusted the Great Dao formation encompassing the entire Yan Dao Palace.

In an instant, every lotus platform and cloud seat seemed to be enclosed in a world of its own. The barriers of Dao laws between them strengthened more than ten thousandfold, leaving no trace of aura able to disturb another.

The Great Powers who had looked uncomfortable under Eastern Emperor Taiyi's aura felt the pressure lift and returned to normal.

"Hum!"

"Hum!"

"Hum!"

As though setting off a chain reaction, immense auras rose skyward one after another. They differed in strength and nature, but all heralded transcendence and immortality!

Around the Primordial Lord of Heaven, auspicious clouds stretched ten thousand zhang, and jeweled strands hung with pearls, displaying the Heavenly Dao's order and the majesty of its teachings.

Where Tongtian Sect Master sat, Sword Qi pierced the heavens, its edge unmatched.

Above Fuxi's head, Innate Bagua runes revolved, divining Heavenly Secrets.

Behind Nuwa, the Divine Light of Creation shimmered, brimming with endless life.

Purple Qi Comes from the East heralded the East Prince; Jade Light Shines West attended the Queen Mother of the West.

Beneath Minghe, Blood Waves surged, and the Way of Slaughter radiated a chilling menace.

Above Zhenyuanzi, a phantom Earth Book rose and fell, resonating with the earth.

In the corner, a cold, mysterious radiance also surged around Kunpeng, shrouding the Northern Darkness in a myriad wonders...

One foremost Great Power after another shattered their shackles and stepped through the gates of Da Luo!

Time lost all meaning amid contemplation of the Dao.

After another unknown span, the red glow around Hong Yun turned to auspicious clouds and mists, gentle and mellow.

The Spirit Coffin Lamp above Burning Lamp's head flickered with ghostly light, illuminating the mysteries of life and death.

Around Changxi and Xihe, the two lunar goddesses, moonlight flowed like water, cool and pure... More Great Powers achieved success in succession.

Haotian silently watched one Innate Divine Being after another surge in power, their Dao resonance transforming. Pressure quietly grew in his heart.