Chapter 49

For a moment, they were all somewhat puzzled.

Just then, Lei Jun spoke, asking, "Do you all believe there exists in this world something so fortunate that one need not exert any effort, nor comprehend any Dao, but merely make a single choice to obtain a stroke of fate?"

At these words, the cultivators grew even more perplexed and began to murmur among themselves.

"Celestial Venerable... you jest, surely? What we call fate is but the cycle of Karma. If such good fortune truly existed, one would surely pay the price for it in time!" Zulong stated with certainty.

"Daoist Zulong speaks truly! I too believe this. All things in the world follow the cycle of Karma. What appears to demand no conditions must simply be waiting for its moment to manifest!" Yuan Feng, another of the Three Clans Ancestors, chimed in at the opportune moment.

After the Spiritual Light had entered the Academy, the Three Clans Ancestors, though still competitive, no longer fought to the death, focusing instead on the level of cultivation.

In fact, they could even exchange insights with one another.

Soon, aside from Zulong and Yuan Feng, the other cultivators also voiced their opinions one after another.

Their views were largely the same—they believed such a thing did not exist, without exception.

The improvement of cultivation was not merely a change in power, but more so a matter of perception.

The lower one's level, the more one would fantasize about good fortune befalling them.

Conversely, the higher one's level, the more cautiously one would treat every opportunity.

At this moment, the cultivators within the Academy were all around the Golden Immortal of the Origin realm.

Even the weakest among them was approaching the peak of the Golden Immortal of the Origin!

With such strength, they truly could not believe that such good fortune existed in the world—gaining many opportunities without having to give anything in return.

Take the current opportunities of these cultivators, for example. They too had paid a price.

First, they had become completely bound to the Academy, inseparable from it.

Second, they still had to complete the tasks Lei Jun assigned them.

For instance, Nüwa always remembered that she had to find another version of herself...

The other cultivators were much the same.

Of course, for these cultivators, this binding was not a constraint at all, but rather a great boon.

In fact, they wished it could be bound even deeper.

But regardless, they did not believe in such "pies falling from the sky."

At that moment.

Lei Jun spoke again.

He smiled.

"I don't believe it either!"

"But..."

"The Primordial Wilderness now has it!"

Having said this.

Lei Jun shifted the topic, saying.

"The Great Era is about to begin. This sermon ends here."

"Lastly..."

"I will leave you with one more passage."

Before Lei Jun's words faded, the cultivators quickly composed their Heart Spirits, afraid of missing any crucial detail.

It could only be said.

Lei Jun's sermon had an excellent effect.

The improvement for the cultivators.

Was extremely evident.

And regardless of their cultivation level, they all gained much.

What he would say last.

Was certainly quite critical.

A stroke of fortune.

Lei Jun pondered for a moment.

Before he even spoke, boundless Strange Phenomena appeared.

The Great Sun, the Bright Moon, the Green Lotus...

Countless forms.

Among them, the most eye-catching was undoubtedly the purple qi spreading all around!

Hongmeng Purple Qi!

Not a single wisp, but countless wisps!

Staggering to behold.

Under these circumstances.

The Dao Sound rang out.

"The Dao that can be spoken is not the eternal Dao!"

"The Dao can be spoken and expressed, but the Dao is not constant and unchanging, so no matter how it is described, it is incomplete, unclear, and imprecise!"

"But there is no need to be disheartened, lost, or regretful, because all that we comprehend will become part of the Dao!"

"From this perspective, whether the Dao itself is fully expounded is not important. What matters is..."

"The Dao can be written by us!"

As these words were spoken.

Instantly.

Everyone's hearts shook violently.

Because this statement was truly too shocking.

For a moment.

The cultivators' eyes were filled with shock, and their gazes toward Lei Jun held an indescribable astonishment.

Written by us?

It was fortunate.

These words came from Lei Jun.

If any other cultivator had said them, they would only sneer.

But since it was Lei Jun.

They would ponder deeply.

And think seriously.

Yet the meaning within these words was clearly not something that could be understood in a short time.

It required constant contemplation.

While the cultivators were pondering this, Lei Jun rose from the high platform and spoke.

"After the lecture ends."

"The Academy will be closed for a time!"

"You should all descend the mountain for now!"

Lei Jun's final words were not directed at Zulong and the others.

But at Nüwa, Fuxi, and the rest.

The cultivators who had climbed up the Stone Steps.

At once.

Nüwa and the others' Eyes widened.

They grew anxious.

Nüwa quickly spoke, her beautiful eyes full of urgency.

"Celestial Venerable, have We done something wrong?"

After she finished.

The others also focused their attention.

Clearly.

They too wanted to know the reason.

At this.

Lei Jun shook his head and said.

"No!

"Rather, I will soon have to take the Academy to a place. This place is unknown and perilous. With your current realms, you cannot remain there for long!"

"Even I cannot say for certain that I will emerge unscathed!"

"When you have all attained Hunyuan."

"The Academy's location will be unknown to you, but you will naturally sense it!"

At this moment.

Among the cultivators, a Young Daoist rose.

It was Tongtian.

He asked in confusion.

"Celestial Venerable, if We remain in the Academy, with its divine wonders, isn't Hunyuan very easy?"

Lei Jun glanced at him and smiled.

"Indeed, it is easy!"

"But..."

"The path of the Academy—the path you wish to certify—is it My path?"

As he spoke.

Lei Jun looked at beings like Zulong.

"They have no choice!"

"As for you all..."

"You might forge a path of your own!"

"I only provide a line of thought. If you completely follow My Dao methods, you will waste your own insight and foundation!"

"Do you understand?"

Tongtian's heart shook.

His expression turned grateful.

He began to grasp what Lei Jun's earlier words had meant.

Walking one's own path.

Was precisely to elucidate "Dao"—and to write it out!

Compared to walking another's path.

The former was undoubtedly more fitting.

None of the cultivators present.

Had low cultivation.

Their insight was also not lacking.

If Tongtian could understand, naturally the others could too.

Before long.

They all came to their senses.

Then they bowed in unison.

And cried out loudly.

"We thank the Celestial Venerable for dispelling our doubts! We shall hold this in our hearts and never forget it!"

"Well said!"

Lei Jun waved a hand, and Nüwa and the others

found themselves outside the Academy.

The entire process

happened so fast that even Nüwa and her companions had no time to react.

In their minds, only a single voice echoed through heaven and earth.

"Go now, all of you."

And then, the Academy they had spent so long comprehending simply vanished!

Along with the Immortal Mountain beneath their feet!

When they came to their senses, they were already standing in the Primordial Wilderness, as if everything that had just happened was nothing but a dream.

But their surging cultivation told them

it was all real.

Before entering the Academy, they were merely at Peak Da Luo.

After leaving, they now possessed the strength of a late-stage Golden Immortal of the Origin, or even a peak-stage Golden Immortal of the Origin!

Some had even touched upon the "Dao"!

Only one step away

from achieving the Primordial Realm!

Outside the Immortal Mountain—

or rather, the mountain that had once made many cultivators almost mistake it for Mount Buzhou—

it was now nowhere to be seen.

Though the ground beneath the cultivators' feet was still a Famous Mountain or Great River, compared to that Immortal Mountain, it was nothing.

They looked again.

The Stone Steps on the Immortal Mountain had also vanished.

At this moment, all the cultivators felt an indescribable emotion.

As if a lifetime had passed.

It took them a long while to gradually come back to their senses.

Of course, the complex feelings in their hearts had not yet faded.

In the end, these cultivators bowed toward the empty void.

This was a bow of apprenticeship!

Although Lei Jun had not accepted them as disciples, to these cultivators, such a profound blessing

was more than enough to regard Lei Jun as their teacher.

Some also sighed in regret.

Tongtian let out a long breath, his tone filled with regret.

"Ah~"

"Our cultivation is still far from enough, after all!"

"If only we could be a bit higher, the Celestial Venerable wouldn't have driven us away!"

As soon as Tongtian finished speaking, a cultivator immediately chimed in.

It was Zhen Yuanzi, who agreed.

"Indeed!"

"If I could, I truly wish to stay in the Academy!"

"The speed of cultivation progress is too fast!"

"Now that I'm back in the Primordial Wilderness, I really feel a bit out of sorts!"

"Hahaha..."

Zhen Yuanzi's friend, Hong Yun, interjected at the right moment.

"Forget staying in the Academy, perhaps..."

"We might have already been taken as disciples by the Celestial Venerable!"

"What a pity!"

As he spoke, Hong Yun seemed to think of something and said with a radiant expression.

"Though the Celestial Venerable hasn't taken us as disciples, we have received His teachings, so we should consider ourselves as coming from the same school!"

"Does anyone object?"

The cultivators all looked at Hong Yun.

No one voiced any opposition.

Seeing this, Hong Yun continued.

"If that's the case, we can certainly address each other as fellow disciples!"

"Terms like 'Daoist friend' are too distant!"

"Moreover, is our current ambition confined to the Primordial Wilderness?"

"No, it is to follow the Celestial Venerable's footsteps and journey to the Myriad Worlds and Heavens!"

"But before we meet the Celestial Venerable's requirements, we can still watch each other's backs!"

At these words, whether it was Nüwa or Tongtian, or anyone else, they all couldn't help but nod, showing their approval.

"Well said!"

"Hong Yun, Dao—"

Tongtian started to speak but suddenly realized a problem.

He asked in confusion.

"Since we're addressing each other as fellow disciples, there should be an order of seniority."

"That is..."

"Who will be the senior brother, and who the junior brother? Or senior sister, junior sister!"

As he spoke, Tongtian's gaze was mostly fixed on Nüwa, as if implying something.

Nüwa smiled faintly, understanding exactly what Tongtian was thinking.

Then, she also spoke.

"How about we use the order in which we reached the Mountain Peak and entered the Academy as the basis?"

This was actually a good method, because it left no room for argument.

In a certain sense, the order of arrival was the order of "entry."

Entry to what?

The Academy's main gate!

What's more.

The Seeking Dao Stone Steps themselves contained trials. Those who could reach the summit first were bound to have exceptional talent, comprehension, and foundation—having passed the tests, they arrived earlier.

Such beings naturally also had the highest cultivation.

Thus.

Arranging the order this way had no flaws at all.

For a moment.

Many cultivators voiced their agreement. Only...

Tongtian's eyes gleamed, carrying a battle intent.

He retorted.

"This method is fine, but it's somewhat one-sided!"

"Because when I arrived here, I didn't find the stone steps to climb."

"If I had found them first, then it should have been I who entered the Academy first!"

"How about..."

"We settle this with a duel, let strength speak!"

A duel?

Let strength speak?

The cultivators exchanged glances, all shaking their heads.

Their expressions as they looked at Tongtian.

Were utterly speechless.

In all these years of cultivation at the Academy, aside from raising their realms, they had also come to know their fellow cultivators well.

Take Tongtian, for example.

He was practically a "Battle Maniac"!

Either comprehending the Dao.

Or dueling.

And not just with their "peers"—he went straight to challenge Hunyuan cultivators!

But though it was called a duel, it could also be described differently.

That was...

"Getting beaten up"!

After all.

Within the Academy, aside from them, the weakest existence still had Hunyuan cultivation.

The realm gap was right there.

No matter how talented Tongtian was, he couldn't turn the tide.

Challenging a different existence to a duel.

Was really just a different way of "getting trashed."

But what left everyone speechless was.

Tongtian actually reveled in it!

It could be said.

Within the Academy, among all cultivators above Hunyuan, except for Lei Jun.

Basically.

He had challenged every single one.

Thus.

Even though they had never crossed hands with Tongtian, the cultivators knew how terrifying his strength was.

They waved their hands repeatedly.

Saying.

"Senior Brother Tongtian!"

"Go challenge some other fellow disciples. I..."

"I am no match for you, Senior Brother!"

"We should, as Senior Sister Nüwa said, decide the titles based on the order of ascending the Stone Steps!"

At this moment.

Even Fuxi, Hong Yun, and other Innate Gods were waving their hands.

There was no choice.

Who could match Tongtian's overwhelming might?

Only Nüwa remained silent.

Because.

She was the first to reach the Mountain Peak!