The phrase "sacrificing oneself to the Dao" was not something Fang Shu had learned from any Daoist scripture or cultivation manual. It was merely a notion he had happened across while leafing through miscellaneous books in his spare time.
It referred to an immortal, left with no other recourse, turning all his cultivation, his life, and even his soul into fuel to batter open the barrier before him.
Such an act was unlike an ordinary cultivation breakthrough. Failure inevitably meant the utter destruction of the soul. Moreover, the chance of success was vanishingly small.
When Fang Shu had first encountered this notion, he had thought little of it, dismissing it as wild speculation by the book's author.
After all, if someone sacrificed himself to the so-called "Immortal Dao" at any cost, then even if he succeeded, who knew what sort of thing would actually attain the Dao?
Such a reckless act lacked tranquility and ran quite contrary to the principles of immortal studies.
Countless thoughts raced through Fang Shu's mind. He hastily gathered his attention again, thinking, Let me watch a little longer. What is happening today might not be the sacrifice described in that book.
Yet in the next instant—
Deer Cart and the other members of the Three Capitals atop the earthen mound looked up at the fading white light, and their expressions changed at once.
The members of the Three Capitals and the elders of all Five Sects hurriedly dropped out of the air onto the mound. Then they prostrated themselves, knocking their heads against the ground and calling out:
"Your unfilial juniors respectfully bid farewell to the master of Withered Bone Abbey!"
Amid their repeated cries, the disciples and Earth Immortals of Withered Bone Abbey paled, momentarily at a loss.
As confusion swept over the mound,