Ch. 41Slaying the Three Corpses Is Fine, but Who Said There Was Only One Path?
Chapter Summary
Key Plot Points and Events
- During Hongjun’s lecture on the Three-Corpse Slaying method, Luxuan repeatedly frowns, attracting the attention of the three thousand Violet Cloud Palace guests.
- Hongjun pauses the lecture and asks Luxuan to explain his concerns.
- Luxuan clarifies that there is nothing wrong with Three-Corpse Slaying, but argues that it is only one possible route beyond Great Luo—not the sole path.
- He reveals that he advanced without severing corpses. Instead, he followed a method he calls Primordial Unity, or “returning to one.”
- Luxuan explains that this path reunites the self, laws, and the good, evil, and self corpses into a unified Dao fruit rather than separating them.
- To demonstrate, he releases a strand of Primordial Unity mana containing multiple apparently conflicting laws—space, formations, water and cloud, slaughter, and the World Great Dao—merged harmoniously.
- He acknowledges that this method is extremely dangerous. Conflicting laws may clash and shatter the Dao fruit, but he argues that difficulty does not make the path invalid.
- Luxuan describes Three-Corpse Slaying as a structured, teachable method using Innate Spirit Treasures, while Primordial Unity has no fixed sequence. Every comprehended law must ultimately return to the cultivator and form part of a complete, self-sustaining whole.
- He compares the Dao fruit to a complete world: formations form its bones, space its boundaries, the five elements its foundation, yin and yang its circulation, and Slaughter its defense.
- Hongjun accepts Luxuan’s explanation, declaring that the three thousand Great Daos may reach the same destination and that Corpse-Slaying is not the only method.
- Hongjun then asks Luxuan how one should advance beyond the Primordial Unity Realm—a question Luxuan himself cannot yet fully answer.
Character Developments
- Luxuan demonstrates confidence, originality, and deep understanding of cultivation principles. He is not merely criticizing Hongjun’s method; he has independently created and successfully followed an alternative path.
- He also shows intellectual honesty by admitting that Primordial Unity has no guaranteed method of success and that he does not yet know the complete path beyond its current realm.
- Hongjun displays openness and fairness. Rather than suppressing a challenge to his teaching, he seriously examines Luxuan’s theory and publicly acknowledges its legitimacy.
- Zhao Gongming remains confident in his master, recognizing that Luxuan only speaks when he has identified a genuine issue.
- Bixiao feels secretly delighted and proud, viewing Luxuan’s alternative path as proof that her master has surpassed the expectations of everyone else.
- Laozi, Tongtian, and Yuanshi are visibly intrigued and begin seriously contemplating Luxuan’s theory.
- Di Jun, Kunpeng, and other powerful cultivators shift from suspicion to astonishment as they realize Luxuan truly advanced through a method different from Corpse-Slaying.
Significant Themes
- There is no single correct path to enlightenment. The chapter challenges the assumption that Hongjun’s Three-Corpse Slaying method is the only route beyond Great Luo.
- Unity versus division: Three-Corpse Slaying separates and purifies aspects of the self, while Primordial Unity integrates all laws and aspects into one complete Dao fruit.
- Innovation in cultivation: Luxuan represents independent thought and the willingness to seek a new path rather than simply follow an established authority.
- Risk and difficulty: A path does not become invalid merely because it is dangerous or difficult. Primordial Unity requires exceptional control and carries the risk of Dao-fruit destruction.
- The Dao as a complete system: Different laws that appear contradictory can coexist if arranged within a larger, unified structure.
- Humility and uncertainty: Despite presenting a groundbreaking theory, Luxuan admits the limits of his knowledge, especially regarding what lies beyond the Primordial Unity Realm.
Character Interactions
- Hongjun and Luxuan: Their exchange forms the heart of the chapter. Hongjun challenges Luxuan to explain his doubts, then listens seriously and ultimately validates the existence of his alternative path.
- Luxuan and Kunpeng: Kunpeng questions how Luxuan can prevent conflicting laws from causing backlash. Luxuan’s blunt admission that he cannot guarantee success surprises Kunpeng and highlights the dangers of the method.
- Luxuan and Laozi: Laozi quickly grasps the meaning of “Primordial Unity,” recognizing its connection to undivided primordial qi and chaos.
- Luxuan and Zhao Gongming: Zhao Gongming realizes that Luxuan’s theory resembles his own Twenty-Four Heavens and World Great Dao concepts, suggesting a shared intellectual foundation between master and disciple.
- Bixiao and Luxuan: Although she does not fully understand the technical theory, Bixiao feels immense pride when Hongjun confirms that her master has opened a valid new path.
- Hongjun and the assembled cultivators: Hongjun’s acknowledgment forces the entire audience to reconsider their assumptions about cultivation beyond Great Luo.