Cultivating the Dao

"Not bad. You've just reached the Cave Heaven Realm, and already you've successfully opened five Grotto-Heavens."

"But in the Primordial Era, great fiends like the Vermilion Bird and Yinglong believed that nine Grotto-Heavens made one a Venerable, while only ten could make one truly invincible. So, you..."

Willow Deity said slowly.

Shi Hao picked up where she left off. "So my goal is ten Grotto-Heavens."

"Good!"

Willow Deity was a woman of few words. A Tender Green Willow Branch descended, and, like an Order Divine Chain, lightly touched Shi Hao's palm. A sparkling, translucent Heavenly Bone appeared out of thin air.

The snow-white, crystalline Heavenly Bone was covered in densely packed, mysterious runes. Just one casual glance made his mind swim.

"I've finally waited for this day!"

Shi Hao held the crystalline Heavenly Bone, a heartfelt smile on his face. He looked up at Willow Deity. "Is this the cultivation art you mentioned?"

"Yes. This art is called the Original True Interpretation. I obtained it from an Immortal in the Upper Realm..."

Willow Deity spoke vaguely, then continued, "The Original True Interpretation was not created by me. Its origins are unknowable. It was nurtured by heaven and earth when the universe first began."

"What you hold is only the portion on the origins of runes and the War God Records. There is also the Myriad Spirit Chart. Together, these form the first volume of the Original True Interpretation—the Divine Guidance Chapter."

"But the Divine Guidance Chapter is more than enough to serve as the foundation of your Dao. Remember, never let this art spread beyond you, lest it bring great calamity."

In truth, the Original True Interpretation had three volumes: upper, middle, and lower.

The upper volume, the Divine Guidance Chapter, began with the origins of circulating qi and blood and pointed straight to the rank of Heavenly Deity.

The middle volume, the Transcendence Chapter, taught all living beings how to contend with the surging mortal world and cross beyond it, attaining the Immortal Dao's great undertaking of surviving countless tribulations. It pointed straight to the rank of True Immortal.

The lower volume was unknowable and indescribable. Even the Heavenly Emperor could not obtain it.

It expounded upon the origins of the Great Dao. A single gesture embodied an Immortal Dao aspiration, pointing straight to the rank of Quasi-Immortal Emperor.

Because the upper volume had appeared earlier, many of the Upper Realm's giants already knew of it. They had cultivated and studied it, drawing comparisons and taking inspiration from some of its arts to perfect their own paths.

But the upper volume could only lead one to the rank of Heavenly Deity, while the sect masters and giants of the Upper Realm were at least terrifying Void Dao Realm experts. Thus, they could only study and draw inspiration from the Divine Guidance Chapter; it could not help them advance further.

The middle volume, the Transcendence Chapter, was different. It pointed straight to the rank of True Immortal.

For those sect masters and giants of the Upper Realm, who were so crazed with longing for immortality that they could hardly think of anything else, the Transcendence Chapter could help them attain the Dao. They would do anything to obtain it.

The so-called "Eight Regions' great calamity, where the divine and holy were treated like weeds" was, in truth, caused by the world barrier periodically thinning and giants from the Upper Realm descending.

And the so-called harvesting of great medicines from the mortal world was merely incidental.

After all, the Eight Regions' strongest fighters were only Venerables; Divine Fire Realm experts were already at the pinnacle.

Think about it. Which of those Upper Realm giants in the Void Dao Realm, Self-Severing Realm, or even Escape One Realm did not have an Immortal Orthodoxy behind them?

Within an Immortal Orthodoxy, a false god who had lit a divine flame was, at most, a doorkeeper.

Did those Upper Realm giants really go to all the trouble of descending just to capture a few nobodies? If they truly wanted Divine Fire Realm experts, weren't there even more of them in the Upper Realm?

No, they had heard that the middle volume of the Original True Interpretation—the Transcendence Chapter—might be hidden in the lower realm's Eight Regions. So those Upper Realm magnates who yearned to break through descended again and again in groups, like village women heading to market, searching with unfailing punctuality.

Of course, every time they returned empty-handed, just as expected.

The lower volume, the Indescribable Chapter, was even more incredible.

Even for an unparalleled Immortal King like Willow Deity, it was a supreme Dao treasure. It could show her a path to the Emperor Realm—a treasure that would drive countless Immortal Kings mad.

Ahem, that was a digression.

If I get the chance, I must seize the lower volume and give it to Willow Deity. She's an unparalleled giant who has come infinitely close to becoming a Quasi-Immortal Emperor, a terrifying existence who fought her way in and out of the Foreign Realm nine times. If she can become a Quasi-Immortal Emperor sooner, my own path will be easier in the future.

With that thought, Shi Hao cupped his hands and bowed. "I will, Willow Deity."

"Good. Don't disappoint me."

Willow Deity gave a gentle wave, and a soft force pushed him away.

By the time Shi Hao realized what had happened, he had appeared in the middle of the village. The Pihous were crouched inside the cauldron, wailing and howling like ghosts. Their cries were a bizarre cacophony.

"Little One, it's hot, hot, hot, hot! I'm burning up! Hurry and pull me out! I don't want a medicinal bath anymore. I want to go back to sleep!"

Dazhuang, who usually prided himself on being a "tough guy," had snot hanging from his nose as he bared his teeth and begged the suddenly appearing Little Shi for help.

"Sure, Brother Dazhuang."

Shi Hao readily agreed. He darted forward and shoved Dazhuang, who had already climbed most of the way out of the Hou-Patterned Cauldron, right back in, then turned and walked away.

He'd done the deed and left without a word, hiding his merit and fame!

"I fucking thank you!!!"

A scream of utter anguish drifted faintly through the air.

From then on, Shi Hao stayed by the crystalline Heavenly Bone day and night, studying the Divine Guidance Chapter of the Original True Interpretation so intently that he forgot to eat and sleep. He sensed the origins of the runes and comprehended the mysteries of heaven and earth.

With a mouthful of the Separated Fire Bull Demon's heart's blood, the old chief, Shi Yunfeng, finally entered the long-dreamed-of Spirit Transformation Realm. The four members of the Azure Heaven Roc Family also reaped a rich harvest.

As for the progress of the other villagers, that could wait. For now, let's turn our attention to the Mountain Treasure.

Two years ago, the Mountain Treasure had caused a tremendous commotion when it first appeared. Now it had appeared again, finally attracting the attention of the many great clans active across this vast territory.

One powerful group after another was making its way over mountains and across ridges toward the depths of the Great Wilderness. There were nomadic tribes riding Mutated Scaled Horses, top experts flying on beast-bone or Ancient Beast Skin treasures, and reclusive clans soaring through the sky on Snow Feathers...

Several days later, twenty or thirty great clans from within tens of thousands of li were racing each other deeper into the Great Wilderness, until a quiet little mountain village appeared before them.

The charred willow tree at the village entrance immediately drew most of the eyes there.

Only one glistening green willow branch swayed in the breeze from its thick trunk, emitting glimmers of light and Divine Radiance as it silently protected the ancient Stone Village.

"After being struck by lightning, this willow Sacrificial Spirit has come back to life. That lone sprouting branch must contain the mysteries of nirvana. It's surely a supreme treasure."

Some keen-eyed old cultivators studied the village entrance, deep in thought.

For the moment, though, no one dared make a move. The various clans instinctively turned their eyes toward the few groups at the front.

The Thunder Clan, the Purple Mountain Clan, Luofu Marsh, the Golden Wolf Tribe, and the Cloud Clan.

Only the strong had a say, and these five were undoubtedly the most powerful factions within tens of thousands of li. If they joined forces, they could completely reshape the balance of power across this land.

"Hehe, our Cloud Clan isn't particularly interested."

A kindly old man in a white robe stood on a Snow Feather. Behind him, two exceptionally pretty little girls stood hand in hand, curiously watching the people outside.

"Hmph, if that's the case, then the willow branch belongs to Luofu Marsh!"

A boisterous laugh came from a huge, winged ferocious flood dragon.

The speaker was a child who looked five or six years old, but his eyes flashed like lightning, and his temperament was as sharp and overbearing as a young Golden Winged Roc.

"How dare you show disrespect to Willow Deity? Slap him!"

As soon as the words fell, the winds and clouds shifted. Countless Bone Texts wove together, and a huge rune-covered hand condensed out of thin air, rumbling down to suppress the arrogant child.

"Which mountain savage are you? I, Jiao Peng..."

The five- or six-year-old child gave a cold snort, runes surging in his palm.

"Smack!"

The next instant, an exceptionally loud slap rang out. Jiao Peng, a disciple of Luofu Marsh, was cleanly smacked from a height of more than ten meters, landing in a miserable heap on the ground.