Daode Tianzun's Red Dust Immortal Path

Daode Tianzun was still alive. The moment he appeared, he killed a Perfected Sacred Spirit.

If another Dark Supreme had killed it, no one would have been so shocked.

But Daode Tianzun had not severed his own cultivation, yet he was still alive. They found it unbelievable.

At first, they had thought Daode Tianzun was dead.

Some had even assumed he had severed his cultivation and become a Dark Supreme.

None of them had imagined that Daode Tianzun had found his own Longevity Method and survived.

Netherworld Emperor Duan De was startled awake as well.

"How interesting. I never thought Daode Tianzun had tried to walk the path I walked."

"Daode Tianzun once awakened spiritually as a corpse and attained Enlightenment as Supreme."

Li Ming was startled too. The original story had stated plainly that Netherworld Emperor Duan De was the first to achieve Corpse Spirit Awakening and attain Enlightenment as Supreme again.

The Corpse Emperor was the second.

But what had he just heard?

Daode Tianzun had achieved Corpse Spirit Awakening and attained Enlightenment as Supreme again even earlier than Tribulation Heavenly Venerable.

The news was truly incredible.

Across countless ages, how could someone whose corpse had awakened spiritually and attained Enlightenment as Supreme again be ordinary?

The difficulty was no less than living out a new lifetime through one's own power.

Above Daode Tianzun's head, the Black-Yellow Pagoda rose and fell. It was indeed his Extreme Dao Weapon.

The weapon's appearance told everyone plainly that he truly was the Daode Tianzun of old.

Daode Tianzun was one of the Nine Heavenly Venerables, and his strength was immense.

Legend said his aptitude for cultivation had not been particularly impressive, and he had attained Enlightenment as Supreme quite late. Yet his strength was inexplicably formidable.

Moreover, he had taught the Dao Scripture to many people without asking for anything in return.

Even now, the Dao Scripture remained the best foundational text for the Human Race.

The Dao Scripture: Wheel Sea Chapter, in particular, had been studied by many Heavenly Venerables and Supremes.

Everyone believed the profound truths of the Dao within it had given them insight.

Even after attaining Enlightenment as Supreme, they could still sense its mysteries.

The surviving disciples of the Dao Gate were beside themselves with excitement when they saw their Founder alive again.

"Greetings, Founder!"

"May our Founder live without end!"

Daode Tianzun looked at them and nodded, saying nothing more.

His gaze turned into the distance, toward the place where Sacred Spirits were born.

In a flash, he arrived at that divine mountain.

He made it his Dao Arena, a Forbidden Zone belonging to him alone.

"To think Daode Tianzun was still alive."

"His strength is staggering!"

"Daode isn't so bad. At least he hasn't come looking for trouble with us Dark Supremes!"

"That's right. He's mild-tempered and never offends people without cause—except Sacred Spirits!"

"He has a blood feud with them. The Sacred Spirits he suppressed still can't rest in peace."

"I get the feeling he's studying the secrets of Sacred Spirits!"

"Looks like he's already seen through their mysteries."

"Could he be planning to become a Sacred Spirit himself?"

"Is that even possible?"

The Dark Supremes' hearts churned like storm-tossed seas. They had plenty of theories, but found them hard to believe.

Many Dark Supremes even wanted to follow Daode Tianzun's example and try transforming into Sacred Spirits.

But virtually no one had succeeded in transforming into a Sacred Spirit.

At least, they had never seen anyone do it.

Still, a legend had long circulated through the universe: transforming into a Sacred Spirit could mend the cracks in one's Immortal Platform and make one a flawless enlightened cultivator again.

Many Dark Supremes were tempted.

They believed the Sacred Spirit Conversion Method ought to be a Longevity Method too, but no one knew how to make it succeed.

If the transformation truly succeeded, and they timed it well, they could wield astonishing power when the Road to Immortality opened.

Others throughout history had explored this path, but all had failed.

Everyone knew Daode Tianzun might attempt to become a Sacred Spirit, but none believed he could succeed.

The experts of the Sacred Spirit Lineage all looked grief-stricken, as though mourning their own parents.

They wanted to join forces against Daode Tianzun, but none had the nerve.

Daode Tianzun seemed to have a special way of dealing with Sacred Spirits. Every time, he killed them in an instant.

And killing them was not the end of it. He refined them into divine liquid and generously gave it to peerless prodigies.

No fewer than ten Perfected Sacred Spirits had now died at his hands.

Li Ming and Netherworld Venerable both arrived at Daode Tianzun's dwelling: the mysterious black mountain where Sacred Spirits were born.

What surprised Li Ming was that he had not found another trace of Boundless Heavenly Venerable since they parted.

Where had he hidden himself, and what was he studying?

Even the enormous commotion caused by Netherworld Emperor Duan De's attainment of Enlightenment as Supreme had failed to draw Boundless Heavenly Venerable out.

Daode Tianzun's reappearance had not drawn him out either.

When Li Ming and Netherworld Emperor Duan De arrived, they found the place wreathed in purple haze. Countless strands of Primordial Chaos Purple Qi flowed with the aura of the Dao.

"Tribulation Heavenly Venerable!"

"Demon Venerable!"

"It has been too long!"

Daode Tianzun recognized Li Ming and Duan De at a glance and courteously invited them onto the mountain.

"Fellow Daoist Daode Tianzun," Li Ming greeted him politely.

"What brings you two here?"

"To discuss the mysteries of the Dao, of course!"

At their level of cultivation, they had no need for hollow pleasantries.

The three sat facing one another and discussed how to walk the Red Dust Immortal Path.

Judging by accounts from Ye Fan's era, Netherworld Emperor Duan De and Daode Tianzun had both walked the Corpse Spiritual Awakening Path.

Unfortunately, Daode Tianzun had failed in the end, while Netherworld Emperor Duan De had succeeded.

After Daode Tianzun's corpse awakened spiritually, half his body entered the Immortal Domain. That could be called the end of him; by the Sacred Ruins Era, there was no trace of him left.

Netherworld Emperor Duan De, meanwhile, remained one of the principal figures.

But in this era, Tribulation Heavenly Venerable was unquestionably walking the Red Dust Immortal Path as well.

They could be called fellow travelers on that path.

"Truthfully, I didn't want to draw so much attention. But those Perfected Sacred Spirits went too far, and I had no choice but to act," Daode Tianzun said with a smile.

He was an exceedingly discreet man, indifferent to fame and gain.

He had never intended to reveal himself.

He had not expected to lose his patience in the end and kill those Perfected Sacred Spirits.

He had not seen Li Ming or Tribulation Heavenly Venerable in many years. Meeting them in this era was a strange twist of fate.

After exchanging greetings, they began discussing the mysteries of the Dao.

Daode Tianzun had completely refined the place where Sacred Spirits were born. Primordial Chaos Purple Qi suffused every corner, filling it with vitality.

Grand Dao Heavenly Sounds roared through the strange domain formed by their discussion.

Their cultivation was profoundly advanced, and each followed a distinctive Dao. Anyone who reached the level of a Heavenly Venerable stood among the very best.

The three discussed the path to longevity, the Road to Immortality, and the Red Dust Immortal Path, testing their insights against one another's.

They might have considered their discussion unremarkable, but word of it would surely have left the Dark Supremes gaping in astonishment.

These were people who firmly believed Mortal-World Ascension was possible in this world.

Although no one had yet achieved Red Dust Immortal Ascension in this world, their discussion had already reached remarkable depths.

They even discussed all manner of legendary forbidden subjects.

Netherworld Emperor Duan De shared some incomplete Chaotic Ancient Method and Ancient Immortal Method teachings with the other two.

"Daode Tianzun, you don't look well."

"You carry the air of a man at the end of his days. You've clearly entered your true twilight years."

Li Ming regarded Daode Tianzun and spoke seriously.

"But I can sense a strange change taking place in your body. It almost feels as though you're turning to stone. Are you trying to become a stone person—a Sacred Spirit?"

Before coming here, Li Ming had not dared to be certain. Now that he was so close to Daode Tianzun, he could clearly sense the subtle changes in his aura.

Something about it felt wrong.

At first, he had wondered whether Daode Tianzun intended to bury himself in a coffin again and wait for Corpse Spirit Awakening, just as he had in the original story.

Instead, their last discussion of the Dao had inspired Daode Tianzun so deeply that he had forged a path of his own.

Daode Tianzun nodded at his words.

He and Netherworld Emperor Duan De had both followed the Nine-Lifetime Reincarnation Path through Corpse Spirit Awakening.

They still had plenty to discuss.

But from this point on, their paths would diverge.

Daode Tianzun, in particular, had chosen a path Li Ming had never imagined.

Li Ming knew that transforming into a Sacred Spirit could allow someone to live out a new lifetime, but he had never expected Daode Tianzun to attempt it.

He had thought Daode Tianzun would keep attempting Corpse Spirit Awakening.

Daode Tianzun smiled and nodded. "Demon Venerable, your eyes truly are sharp. I can't hide it from you."

Netherworld Emperor Duan De said, "Fellow Daoist, your brilliance is astonishing. I thought you would follow the Corpse Spiritual Awakening Path as I have, reincarnating through nine lifetimes. Instead, you've blazed a new trail. I admire you."

Daode Tianzun had not yet fully become a Sacred Spirit, but he had clearly begun walking the path of Sacred Spirit Conversion.

He meant to wear the skin of a Sacred Spirit and fool Heaven into believing he was one born and nurtured by nature.

He also meant to change from a human into a Sacred Spirit born and nurtured by nature, and live out a new lifetime.

"I did study the Saint Spirit Method before, but I could never find a way forward."

"It wasn't until my last discussion with Demon Venerable that I found inspiration and a direction to pursue."

"Killing several more Perfected Sacred Spirits this time has deepened my understanding of the Sacred Spirit Lineage."

"I've resolved to attempt the Saint Spirit Transformation Method. If I fail, I die!"

Daode Tianzun was remarkably generous. He shared his insights into the Sacred Spirit Conversion Method without holding anything back.

Perhaps he also hoped Demon Venerable and Netherworld Venerable could help him refine it.

After all, there were precious few people with whom he could discuss the Red Dust Immortal Path.

Fewer still were those with whom he could speak from the heart.

In his eyes, at least, Demon Venerable and Netherworld Venerable were worth discussing the Dao with.

Daode Tianzun had the distinct feeling that Demon Venerable knew something in particular.

So he explained his understanding of the Sacred Spirit Conversion Method in as much detail as he could, sharing his insights into this Longevity Method.

"My unusual Longevity Method does not truly turn me into a Sacred Spirit. Instead, it uses a special means to deceive Heaven's perception."

"The difficulty lies in making Heaven believe I am a Sacred Spirit born and nurtured by nature."

"Then I can wash the aura of death from my body, nurture life anew, become a Saint Spirit Immortal Embryo, and live out another lifetime."

"I cultivate the Natural Dao. My aura has always been in harmony with heaven and earth."

"In that respect, I have an advantage in studying the Saint Spirit Method."

"Since my last discussion with Fellow Daoist Demon Venerable, I've been trying to combine the Natural Dao with the Saint Spirit Method. At last, I've gained some insight."

Li Ming nodded after hearing him out.

Just as he had imagined, Daode Tianzun had indeed drawn inspiration from him to comprehend a Longevity Method of his own.

When Daode Tianzun finished, he silently watched Demon Venerable and Netherworld Venerable, hoping they could spot anything he had overlooked.

In truth, the best way to transform into a Sacred Spirit would be to wait for Emperor Zun to appear, then seek his guidance.

According to legend, Emperor Zun had discarded every Dao and technique he possessed and become an infant born and nurtured by nature. From the moment he emerged, he stood at the pinnacle, peerless and unimaginably powerful.

It seemed likely, then, that Emperor Zun's method of transforming into a new lifetime had been the Saint Spirit Transformation Method.

If Daode Tianzun could survive until Emperor Zun's era, he would surely gain something from it.

His chances of success would be higher.

But by Li Ming's current reckoning, Daode Tianzun would not last until Emperor Zun truly appeared.

The original story had not said whether Emperor Zun and Daode Tianzun had ever crossed paths.

Only after Li Ming asked Daode Tianzun did he get a clear answer.

They had never met directly, but there had been an indirect connection.

Emperor Zun had, at least, obtained the Dao Scripture and Nine Secrets: Shu, one of the Nine Secret Techniques created by Daode Tianzun.

Li Ming thought it over. If the Eternal Emperor of later ages could successfully transform into a Sacred Spirit, then Daode Tianzun ought to have an even better chance.

The Eternal Emperor had been attacked by the Ruthless Empress during his transformation. Even so, after more than seven hundred thousand years, he had succeeded.

If the Ruthless Empress had not attacked him, perhaps the Eternal Emperor could have succeeded in four or five hundred thousand years.

Unfortunately, the Eternal Emperor had a brood of descendants who only made trouble for him. That was hard to help.

Drawing on later accounts of the Eternal Emperor, Li Ming made a few deductions and shared them with Daode Tianzun.

The idea was to truly become a Sacred Spirit and be nurtured anew by heaven and earth.

When his life eventually ended, he might return to his origins and live out yet another lifetime.

In Li Ming's view, a successfully nurtured Sacred Spirit reached the Great Perfection Realm, but had not truly stepped into the Ultimate Dao Realm.

At that point, it could seal itself perfectly and wait for the Road to Immortality to open.

Once the Road to Immortality opened, it could attain Enlightenment as Supreme and live a truly new lifetime.

That seemed like a relatively safe and reliable way to wait for the Road to Immortality.

Of course, it had its weaknesses. If those unscrupulous Dark Supremes, Great Emperors, or Ancient Emperors swallowed them whole before they could attain enlightenment, their lives would have been for nothing.

They might even run into a Dark Supreme like Carefree Heavenly Venerable, who liked to seize bodies. If he took one of theirs, they would be in real trouble.

On the whole, every method of transformation had its merits.

A safer approach might be for everyone to transform successfully and huddle together for warmth.

Li Ming once again heard Daode Tianzun expound on the Natural Dao.

Things like "Man follows Earth, Earth follows Heaven, Heaven follows the Dao, and the Dao follows nature."

Every time they discussed it, they gained fresh insights.

In fact, this was very similar to how Netherworld Venerable had created Source Arts.

Netherworld Venerable had likewise modeled himself on heaven and earth, extracting mysterious Source Art Runes from the sun, moon, mountains, and rivers, then arranging and combining them into the Grand Dao Runes he needed.

The Grand Dao was elusive and intangible. Anyone who could find it on their own was no easy opponent.

Each of them could travel far along the path to longevity.

Daode Tianzun was also deeply shaken by Li Ming's Dao.

Li Ming now possessed a flawless Chaotic Body that harmonized with the Myriad Dao of Heaven and Earth. He could resonate with almost any Dao.

Whether it was Netherworld Venerable's Dao or Daode Tianzun's, he could resonate with it.

"The Chaotic Body is wondrous beyond measure. If one could develop a Chaotic Body, perhaps one could live a new lifetime," Daode Tianzun said.

Li Ming nodded. "You're right. Becoming a true Chaotic Body really can let you live a new lifetime."

"If you can turn into a Chaotic Body, you'll live a new lifetime without a doubt," Li Ming said with certainty.

After some thought, Li Ming removed part of what he had learned about the Chaotic Body and passed the rest on to Daode Tianzun and Netherworld Venerable.

His transformation into an incomplete Chaotic Body and then a Perfect Chaotic Body held too many secrets. Of course he would not speak of them.

He spoke only of the secrets of the Perfect Chaotic Body.

He would not let the two of them examine his body.

As for how much they could comprehend, that was up to fate.

Li Ming was no saint. Fellow Daoists were fellow Daoists, but some things still had to be kept separate.

After another moment's thought, Li Ming also told them about the methods of transformation he had considered.

Of course, he shared only a portion.

The Red Dust Immortal Path was an approach, not a specific technique.

Li Ming hoped they would follow that line of thought to find their own methods of transformation, rather than try to copy Ye Fan's method perfectly.

The greatest reason Ye Fan had transformed into a Red Dust Immortal in so short a time was, naturally, his own insight and ability.

Not everyone had Ye Fan's luck, succeeding at every transformation.

Many more had spent far longer without succeeding.

"The bodies of Immortal Medicines hold the secret to longevity. The Life Essence within them can even let us live a new lifetime with ease."

"And the Nirvana of those Immortal Medicines likewise holds the secret to living a new lifetime."

"If you cannot find a way to live a new lifetime in the future, perhaps you could try studying Immortal Medicines."

"Try killing them and forcing them into Nirvana. That passage from life to death and death back to life might help you grasp a way to live a new lifetime."

After some thought, Li Ming decided to give them both these pointers.

How much they could glean from them depended on their own insight.