Spreading the Dao in Wuyi

Outside the palace, across the broad cloud-terrace plaza, the surrounding cliffs, and atop the ancient trees, hundreds of thousands of Mount Wuyi's living beings who had already awakened their Spiritual Intelligence gathered in dense masses.

Birds folded their wings, beasts bowed their heads, and grasses and trees stood still, all stretching their necks in eager anticipation.

Martial Spirit, standing to one side, had transformed into a guileless-looking Daoist boy clad in an ochre robe.

Seeing that the hour had arrived, he stepped forward, gathered his breath in his dantian, and called out in a voice like spring water striking stone, clear and ringing as it spread afar: "The auspicious hour has arrived!"

"All living beings, be silent. Focus your hearts, cleanse your thoughts, and respectfully listen to the profound sound of the Great Dao!"

As soon as these words fell, the hundreds of thousands of living beings both inside and outside the palace, regardless of their cultivation, held their breaths and concentrated. All stray thoughts vanished as they devoted their entire minds to the Purple Figure upon the High Platform.

Haotian slowly opened his eyes. His gaze was gentle and profound, as though it could contain the entirety of Mount Wuyi.

When he spoke, his voice was not loud, yet it rang clearly within the depths of every living being's heart and mind, carrying a rhythm that resonated with Heaven and Earth.

"My name is Haotian."

"In years past, guided by Heaven and Earth, I gained supreme fortune within Wuyi Immortal Mountain. I cannot help but repay it."

"Thus, today I have established this lectern to guide you upon the path beyond, repaying the grace of this land and Heaven that nurtured me."

Having said this, Haotian did not elaborate further and directly began expounding the true words of the Great Dao.

"The Mysterious Ancestor of Heaven and Earth, the root of ten thousand qi."

"Cultivated through myriad kalpas, proving my Supernatural Power."

"Within and beyond the Three Realms, only the Dao is supreme."

As Haotian expounded upon the profound essence of the Great Dao, the Dao Seed of the Imperial Great Dao within his Primordial Spirit naturally revealed its might.

An invisible Dao rhythm that ruled over all laws and harmonized yin and yang spread forth, faintly merging with the Spiritual Aura of Mount Wuyi's Earth Veins.

For a time, Auspicious Clouds gathered above the palace, thousands of streams of Auspicious Qi filled the air, phantom spiritual springs surged from the earth, and sweet rain and Dao flowers descended from the heavens. All manner of profound phenomena appeared in abundance.

"Encompassing Heaven and Earth, nurturing all living beings."

"Myriad gods pay homage, commanding thunder and lightning."

"Ghosts and demons lose their courage, spirits lose their form."

Haotian's true words of the Great Dao flowed like spring water, every word a pearl, every sentence containing principle.

The listeners within the palace, whether in human form or beastly bodies, gradually immersed themselves in the profound Dao rhythm.

Those who had already undergone Form Transformation found their auras becoming more rounded and stable, their control over their own magical power advancing by another measure.

Those who had yet to undergo Form Transformation bathed beneath the Dao Sound and the radiance of the wondrous phenomena. The spirituality within their bodies surged violently, the shackles of their Dao bodies loosened, and amid flashes of spiritual light, they began shedding their original forms one after another, transforming into human shapes possessing Innate Dao Bodies!

The sight outside the palace was even more magnificent.

Grass, trees, bamboo, stones, and rocks that had yet to give birth to Spiritual Intelligence were nourished by this rhythm of the Great Dao and Spiritual Aura, and hazy spirituality quietly began to sprout within them.

As for the spirits of mountain rocks, Ancient Trees, and streams that had long awakened Spiritual Intelligence but could not move due to the limitations of their True Forms, the radiance of their spirituality visibly grew and solidified, while their efficiency in sensing and absorbing Spiritual Qi multiplied.

Ten unhurried days passed in an instant amid enlightenment upon the Dao...

"Penetrating insight intertwines throughout, the five qi surge and billow."

As the lingering echoes of the final Dao Sound slowly dissipated among the mountains, Haotian ceased his sermon.

Inside and outside the palace, most living beings still remained immersed in the lingering resonance of that profound Dao realm. Some closed their eyes in reflection, some wore expressions of sudden realization, while others had fluctuating auras as they stood at the threshold of breakthrough.

Seeing this, Haotian intended to rise quietly without disturbing the living beings' enlightenment, then leave directly to prepare for his journey to East Kunlun.

However, just as his thoughts stirred, a sudden change erupted!

At the center of Haotian's Primordial Spirit, the Imperial Dao Seed began to throb violently of its own accord!

At the same time, Haotian clearly sensed that his connection to the mountains, rivers, and terrain of Mount Wuyi beneath his feet had suddenly become incomparably close, incomparably intimate!

The Dao Seed of the Imperial Great Dao within his Primordial Spirit began growing rapidly. At the same time, Haotian clearly felt his control over Mount Wuyi's mountains, rivers, and terrain suddenly strengthen.

It was a deeper level of "control," as though they were joined by flesh and blood, sharing every breath.

With a single thought, he could sense the breathing of every inch of land across ten thousand miles of mountains.

With a single movement of thought, he could mobilize the boundless earth qi accumulated by the entire spirit mountain.

The feeling was profoundly mysterious—both strange and familiar.

It was precisely the core essence Haotian had been painstakingly seeking ever since cultivating the Imperial Great Dao, yet had never truly managed to grasp.

"Momentum"!

"Mount Wuyi's 'momentum'..." Haotian's thoughts raced, and in an instant, he understood.

"So that's how it is!"

"The foundation of the Imperial Great Dao I cultivate lies in 'Build Heaven and Earth, Enlighten Myriad Spirits.'"

"Before this, I only thought that I had to expand the Savage Wilderness and sweep away filth in order to gather momentum."

"Yet I never considered spreading the Great Dao within blessed lands and grotto-heavens, enlightening living beings, and setting order aright."

"To make it even more prosperous and harmonious is likewise to practice 'construction' and 'enlightenment.'"

"It can also win the recognition and feedback of this world's Spiritual Aura, gathering its 'momentum'!"

"This sermon at Mount Wuyi happened, unwittingly, to align with this path!"

"I expound the Great Dao to the Living Beings in the mountain, guiding them toward transcendence—this is 'enlightenment.'"

"When Living Beings attain the Dao and in turn nourish the sacred mountain, its fortune flowing on without end—this is 'construction.'"

"Therefore, Mount Wuyi's 'momentum' has taken the initiative to gather around me, to draw close to me!"

Having grasped this point, an indescribable joy surged up within Haotian's heart.

This stirred him far more than a mere increase in magical power or the acquisition of a spiritual treasure, for it pointed directly to the very foundation of his Great Dao!

He had originally believed that, to gather Heaven and Earth Great Momentum, he had to find some barren, desolate land like the Western Continent and undertake a grand enterprise of reshaping heaven and earth, reestablishing order.

Yet here, in such a blessed land where spiritual essence gathered and natural beauty flourished, carrying out enlightenment and setting order in order could likewise draw momentum together. The process was even gentler and smoother, resonating with heaven and earth on a deeper level.

"It seems my previous understanding of 'Heaven and Earth Great Momentum' was somewhat flawed—not sufficiently complete or well-rounded." Haotian silently reflected, his understanding of his own Great Dao deepening by another layer.

Just as he was immersed in this unexpected insight, the Living Beings listening to the Dao in the hall began awakening one after another from their states of realization.

Seeing the opportunity, the Daoist attendant formed by Martial Spirit stepped forward, intending to announce the end of the sermon.

"The sermon has..." Before Martial Spirit could utter the word "ended," Haotian, seated in the place of honor, suddenly raised a hand. His gaze swept over the gathered spirits below as he said slowly, "This first sermon has come to a perfect conclusion."

"Yet the Great Dao is deep and profound; it cannot be exhausted in ten days."

He paused briefly, sensing the Dao Seed within his Primordial Spirit, still growing slowly and becoming ever more tightly bound to Mount Wuyi's momentum. Seeing as well the unfulfilled yearning in the eyes of the Living Beings below, he made a decision.

"Three days from now, in this place, I shall expound once more."

"This time, it will continue for longer, explaining the stages of cultivation, from shallow to deep."

"At this sermon, if any of you still have unresolved doubts, you may step forward and ask. I shall resolve them for you."

The moment these words fell, not only were the Living Beings below overwhelmed with mingled surprise and delight, even Martial Spirit revealed a stunned expression.

He clearly remembered that the Mountain Lord had previously said the sermon would last only ten days, after which he would depart for East Kunlun.

Why had he suddenly changed his mind and decided to continue preaching? And from the sound of it, the next sermon would last quite a long time as well?