Was Daode Still Alive?

Golden light surged for tens of thousands of miles, stretching ever deeper into the universe.

The Four Symbols manifested the four spirits that had opened heaven, clearing the way ahead. Their divine might was as forbidding as a prison, displaying supreme majesty that filled all who beheld them with awe.

This was a Heaven Venerable on an imperial tour!

Ever since the black aura had stirred last time, He Mu had felt a persistent sense of urgency that left him uneasy. Thus, after his second discourse on the Great Dao at Wuliang Dao, he set out in person to tour the universe's myriad domains, hoping to find the source of that urgency.

Moreover, He Mu intended to use this tour of the heavens to manifest a Heaven Venerable's divine might throughout the world.

Ever since the Heaven Venerable's grand ceremony, when He Mu had first preached the Dao and the myriad races had bowed in worship, gathering their faith around him, he had taken a keen interest in the power of faith.

Later, however, seclusion and preaching had occupied him. Though the sect's efforts to spread his name had allowed him to accumulate a considerable amount of the power of faith, he had never been able to study this power in depth.

During this tour of the heavens, He Mu could continue gathering red dust faith for his subsequent study of this strange, unfathomable power.

Thus, even if this journey through the heavens failed to uncover the source of his heart's unease, a deeper understanding of the power of faith would still be an outcome worth anticipating.

As He Mu passed through one star domain after another, the myriad races bowed in worship and chanted the Heaven Venerable's name. Feeling the surging torrents of red dust thought power, he found a wondrous sensation rising within him.

It was as though he had formed some strange connection with the countless living beings. After accepting their red dust thought power, scene after scene seemed to unfold before his eyes: smiles, tears, indignation, serenity. The myriad sights of the mortal world and the countless facets of life flashed through He Mu's mind.

Through this connection, He Mu's senses expanded without limit. He could already perceive what living beings thought and felt, and he heard each of their prayers-

"Heaven Venerable, bless us! May the winds and rains come at the right times this year, so we can have a good harvest!"

"Oh, Heaven Venerable! Please let our family welcome a big, healthy baby boy soon!"

"Immeasurable Heaven Venerable above! Bless me with a great fortune, and let wealth pour in this year!"

"May the Immeasurable Heaven Venerable bless us..."

Cultivators generally placed their trust in themselves, so prayers like these came almost entirely from mortals. Yet these most ordinary people of this great age were the most essential pillars of the rolling mortal world.

Now, through the thought power of their faith, they could even connect themselves to a Heaven Venerable high above the nine heavens, allowing their faith to blossom with an undying radiance!

To He Mu's perception, this experience was far clearer than it had been during his first discourse on the Dao.

It was a strange power, minute yet vast, lofty yet unassuming, all-encompassing yet primal and simple. Though deeply immersed in the mortal world, it seemed to transcend it from above-a sensation that seemed capable of truly allowing someone to remain imperishable through countless tribulations amid the red dust, enduring throughout eternity.

At last, He Mu understood Amitabha Great Emperor's thinking. No wonder Amitabha Buddha had sought to ascend with his entire faith. This power truly could give someone the illusion of transcending mortality and becoming an immortal. Ancient Emperors and Great Emperors already stood at the pinnacle of the mortal world; only a power that offered a glimpse of the chance to become an immortal could stir a true Great Emperor so deeply.

This sensation likewise captured He Mu's full attention. Seeing that his tour of the heavens had yielded no results, he decided to set aside his heart's unease for now and devote himself instead to studying red dust faith.

He had a faint premonition that, if he could achieve something on the path of faith, he might live a second lifetime without relying on the Immortal Medicine. It might even greatly benefit his efforts to begin that elusive third lifetime.

To study faith in depth, He Mu formally entered the mortal world after his tour of the heavens, experiencing the myriad thoughts of the red dust.

Dense red dust thought power wreathed the temples built throughout the great ancient star domains. After He Mu manifested in the mortal world, it began transforming into the power of faith, flowing toward him of its own accord along unseen threads of karma.

From then on, He Mu appeared in the various Life Source Lands-putting the earth's veins in order, regulating the vital energy of heaven and earth, opening worlds within chaos, and spurring the revival of the myriad Daos.

During this time, a Great Perfection Saint Spirit emerged to wreak havoc, only for He Mu to kill it with a single palm strike, dissolving its body into the Dao to enrich the vital energy of heaven and earth. His deed sent an uproar through all living beings. Praise for the Immeasurable Heaven Venerable rang ceaselessly throughout the world, becoming faith that blanketed heaven and earth and surged straight toward He Mu.

Over the long years, He Mu manifested throughout the universe from time to time, using a Heaven Venerable's mighty power to benefit all living beings and make the great age ever more prosperous.

As he traveled through the mortal world, He Mu also felt how difficult it was for living beings to pursue the Dao. Dao teachings were absent, and countless outstanding talents were buried in obscurity as a result. Thus, he created many Dao scriptures and profound cultivation arts, scattering them throughout the universe to give living beings opportunities to seek the Dao.

He often preached the Dao and expounded its teachings in different places, guiding and nurturing outstanding talents in the hope of adding a few more dazzling stars to this radiant age. Wuliang Dao closely followed the Heaven Venerable's decree as well, continually appearing throughout the sea of stars to benefit all living beings and passing down the Dao Canon He Mu had created, earning praise throughout the world.

In truth, ever since the turmoil of the Three Venerables, Heaven Venerables had continued to arise, but the world's living beings had suffered many calamities, and numerous civilizations had sustained devastating losses. He Mu's actions had inadvertently spurred the revival of this great age. It was easy to imagine that such achievements would be passed down to later generations, their good name enduring through the ages.

The years slipped away, and time flowed on.

In the blink of an eye, six thousand years had passed. He Mu was now seven thousand years old in this lifetime.

As He Mu's study of faith grew ever more profound over the years, his Dao attainment rose like a boat lifted by the tide. He now stood at the highest peak of this life, but in another three to five hundred years at most, he would enter the twilight of his first lifetime and begin his decline.

Through his travels over the years, He Mu had uncovered many little-known histories, including secrets of Heaven Venerables and strange tales from the Chaotic Ancient Era.

Quite a few of them greatly interested He Mu, making him want to investigate.

Now, one such matter weighed heavily on his mind, and he intended to leave the mundane mortal world for a time to get to the bottom of it-

Daode might not be dead?!

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