The past had already been decided and could not be changed. The future was ever-changing and held infinite possibilities. Since heaven had sent him to the Primordial Wilderness, there was no need for him to feel guilty.
Xuan Qing consoled himself.
At this moment, he was immensely glad that he had joined the Jie Sect lineage.
Seize a sliver of vitality, seize a sliver of opportunity, seize a sliver of Merit—what was there that could not be seized?
"What is going on?"
Suddenly, he examined himself inwardly and discovered that the strand of Innate Ancestral Qi he had condensed when breaking through to the Grand Unity Golden Immortal realm seemed to have undergone some kind of change!
As though he had sensed Xuan Qing's confusion, Sect Master Tongtian slowly spoke from atop the cloud couch. "Do not worry. This is a good thing! Taiyi evolves Innate Ancestral Qi, while Daluo evolves Innate Undying Spiritual Light. Although you have not yet attained Daluo, you have already acquired some of Daluo's traits in advance!"
Innate Undying Spiritual Light!
Xuan Qing suddenly understood. The strand of Innate Ancestral Qi he had refined had, under the influence of the Innate Way of Change, transformed early into Innate Undying Spiritual Light.
From this point onward, there would be no more barriers before Daluo. Condensing his Grand Unity Dao Fruit would merely be a matter of course.
Upon hearing this, Daoist Duobao revealed a shocked expression. He immediately bowed to Sect Master Tongtian and asked, "May I ask, Master, what exactly did Junior Brother Xuan Qing do? He actually caused the Heavenly Dao to bestow Merit and even condensed Innate Undying Spiritual Light ahead of time?"
"Please enlighten us, Master!"
The other disciples also bowed in succession, hoping that the Sage could resolve their doubts.
If Xuan Qing's path could be imitated even a little, perhaps they too could cause the Heavenly Dao to bestow Merit.
After all, Nuwa had gained Merit by creating humans, Old Ancestor Minghe had also gained Merit by creating the Asura, the Three Pure Ones had gained Merit by establishing their sects, and Old Ancestor Minghe had likewise caused the Heavenly Dao to bestow Merit by founding the Asura Religion.
Understand Old Ancestor Minghe, become Old Ancestor Minghe, surpass Old Ancestor Minghe!
That was what everyone was thinking at this moment!
Creating humans and establishing a sect were beyond their abilities, but Xuan Qing was at roughly the same realm as them. There was no reason he could do something they could not!
That was what Guangchengzi thought.
As a Chan Sect disciple, he naturally felt somewhat unwilling as he watched Xuan Qing steal all the limelight.
Yet faced with that vast amount of Heavenly Merit, all he could do was envy him.
Sect Master Tongtian took in everyone's expressions, then smiled. "I am afraid you cannot learn this! Merit requires the recognition of the Heavenly Dao!"
"Pangu gave birth to Taiji, and the Two Principles and Four Images followed!"
"This has been the foundation of heaven and earth's operation since the Primordial Wilderness was opened. Yet Xuan Qing, based on the Four Images, evolved the Innate Eight Trigrams and the Later Heaven Eight Trigrams. This greatly benefited the completion of the laws of the Heavenly Dao!"
"That is why the Heavenly Dao bestowed Merit!"
"Perfecting the laws of the Heavenly Dao is no easy matter. Even a Sage needs an opportunity to accomplish the feat Xuan Qing just achieved!"
Ever since Hongjun merged with the Dao, whenever a new Great Dao was born between heaven and earth, the Heavenly Dao would bestow Merit. When he had elevated the Sword Dao into an Innate Great Dao, the Heavenly Dao had also bestowed considerable Merit.
Furthermore, when Taiqing established the Pill Dao and Primordial established the Artifact Dao, the Heavenly Dao had likewise bestowed Merit.
Although this Merit of expounding the Dao was inferior to the Merit gained from establishing a sect, it was still enough to create a Great Golden Immortal.
Because Daluo required one to forge one's own Dao!
Seeing everyone fall silent, Sect Master Tongtian continued, "However difficult this may be, it is not impossible. You are all disciples of Sages and study the Sages' Great Dao day and night. If you gain some insight and innovate from it, evolving several branches from the Sages' Great Dao, then it may still be possible!"
"Do not belittle yourselves!"
Seeing this, Primordial Lord of Heaven also spoke. "Return and cultivate diligently! You are all elites of the Mystical School, and in the future, you should each walk your own Great Dao!"
Taiqing Laozi gave Xuan Qing an approving glance and said, "You are quite good! From this day forward, our Mystical School has gained another thunder art!"
"You flatter me, First Martial Uncle!"
Xuan Qing hurriedly bowed. "This disciple merely happened upon the opportunity!"
"Mm!"
Taiqing Laozi nodded in satisfaction, then said, "All disciples, return and cultivate! As for Xuan Qing, come to the Grand Pure Hall later!"
"Yes!"
Everyone hurriedly took their leave.
Xuan Qing also nodded in acknowledgment.
Soon, the disciples dispersed and returned to their cave abodes to contemplate the Great Dao. Following the Sage's decree, Xuan Qing went with Xuandu to the Grand Pure Hall.
A flash of brilliant light appeared within the hall, and the three Sages—Taiqing Laozi, Primordial Lord of Heaven, and Sect Master Tongtian—arrived together. The Grand Pure Hall was instantly filled with boundless Dao essence.
Clearly, some matters were not suitable for discussion before the disciples of the three sects.
Xuan Qing bowed to each of them in turn. "This disciple greets Master, First Martial Uncle, and Second Martial Uncle!"
"Rise."
Taiqing Laozi smiled. "The reason we summoned you alone this time is still the matter of the Innate Way of Change. It is also related to your future cultivation in the Taiyi Realm!"
The Innate Eight Trigrams had evolved from the Innate Four Images and could be considered a derivative of the Four Images Dao. But the Innate Way of Change was an existence no weaker than the Innate Taiji Great Dao.
Taiyi, the unchanging change. Like the Dao of Taiji, the Innate Way of Change could likewise balance yin and yang and evolve the Four Images. It was one of the Great Daos closest to the origin of heaven and earth.
Taiyi, Taichu, Taishi, Taisu, and Taiji were collectively known as the Five Primes of the Innate. They were the foundation of the cosmos, the root of all things, and the "nothing" from which existence emerged.
If Taiji was "existence," then Taiyi was "nothingness." One stood at the beginning and the other at the end, perfectly explaining the universe's transition from nothing to existence and from existence to nothingness. They also closely matched the Dao origins of the Three Pure Ones.
Primordial Lord of Heaven was "the beginning of all things," representing creation. Sect Master Tongtian was "the end of all things," representing finality. Taiqing Laozi, meanwhile, was "the foundation of existence"!
Though thunder arts were merely a branch of the Three Pure Ones' Great Dao, Xuan Qing's ability to fuse them had allowed them to see a possibility for unifying the Three Pure Ones' Great Dao.
"Come!"
Taiqing Laozi spoke first. "Use the thunder art you have comprehended and attack me with all your strength!"
"Yes!"
Xuan Qing immediately accepted the order. With a thought, lightning flashed across his hand, and a swift bolt of thunder instantly transformed into a thunder dragon that blasted toward Taiqing Laozi.
This thunderbolt was incomparably swift, like an antelope hanging its horns, leaving no trace to follow. It held the calmness of the Grand Pure Divine Thunder, the tyranny of the Jade Pure Divine Thunder, and the vast grandeur of the Supreme Pure Divine Thunder. Ordinary Grand Unity Golden Immortals would find it nearly impossible to withstand.
But it faced a Sage!
With a thought from Taiqing Laozi, space and time seemed to freeze. The once-mighty thunder was bound by the Power of the Heavenly Dao three feet before him.
Primordial Lord of Heaven curiously examined the restrained thunder dragon, then turned to Xuan Qing. "This thunderbolt should possess more transformations than this, should it not?"
"Yes!"
Xuan Qing nodded. With a slight movement of his fingertips, the restrained thunder dragon instantly divided into three, transforming respectively into the Grand Pure Divine Thunder, Jade Pure Divine Thunder, and Supreme Pure Divine Thunder.
What could be united could naturally be divided!
One Qi Manifests as Three Pure Ones, and the Three Pure Ones returned to one Qi. Like the endless cycle of heaven and earth, it carried a trace of creation, granting the "Xuan Qing Divine Thunder" a hint of vitality.
"Not bad!"
Even Primordial Lord of Heaven, who had always been stern, could not help offering a word of praise.
The three of them examined it for a moment, seemingly grasping some crucial point. They exchanged knowing smiles, then directly erased the three thunder dragons from the void.
Immediately afterward, Sect Master Tongtian slowly spoke. "All right, now let us discuss your next stage of cultivation! Cultivation in the Taiyi Realm involves using Ancestral Qi to construct Myriad Phenomena. Yet the strand of Ancestral Qi you condensed has already transformed into Undying Spiritual Light, so naturally you cannot continue step by step as before!"
"Please guide me, Master!"
This concerned his future path of cultivation, so Xuan Qing naturally did not dare show the slightest carelessness.
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