The Cosmic Frontier, a land of chaos, the Undying Mountain.
An immense pillar of light linked heaven and earth, piercing the entire sky and reaching straight into the chaotic void.
Vast, pure spiritual energy surged through the black mountain range, condensing into liquid source essence. Every pool brimmed with tremendous vitality, scattered throughout the Undying Mountain range.
The closer one drew to the center of the Undying Mountain, the denser this vital source energy became. At its very heart stood an ancient tea tree three meters tall, swaying in the wind and exuding an ineffable Dao resonance.
At that moment, the myriad Daos manifested there, and endless laws arrayed themselves in orderly ranks. It was as though an immortal were expounding the Great Dao. The rich Dao resonance refreshed the heart and spirit; even a Quasi-Venerable on the verge of attaining the Dao would likely have achieved instant enlightenment upon arriving, taking that final step to truly attain the Dao and become a Venerable.
As the leaves of the tea tree shone with a lustrous green glow, an even vaster, more astonishing Dao intent radiated outward. It carried Immortal-Shocking fluctuations, as though it would unfold immeasurable tribulations and recreate heaven and earth within chaos.
The moment this Dao emerged, the myriad Daos bowed in submission, as though welcoming their sovereign into the world, all blazing with their most brilliant radiance. Anyone witnessing such a sight, no matter how composed they ordinarily were, would surely have been moved.
Such true intent of the Great Dao naturally came from He Mu, who sat cross-legged beneath the Enlightenment Tree.
He Mu sat beneath the ancient Enlightenment Tea Tree with his eyes closed. Boundless Dao resonance flowed around him, unfolding the birth and extinction of the Great Dao. His terrifying supreme might inspired awe, as though even the legendary True Immortals could amount to no more than this.
Yet somewhat surprisingly, He Mu's hair had already turned gray, a stark contrast to its former black. Though he showed no signs of old age, the aura surrounding him had grown ever more weathered and ancient, as though he had crossed the ages and endured the baptism of truly endless years.
In the mountains, time went unmarked; in cultivating the Dao, years went uncounted.
Apart from his hair, He Mu's face remained youthful, without a single trace left by time. Yet he had indeed spent over a thousand years sitting beneath the Enlightenment Tree on the Undying Mountain.
Suddenly, the myriad Daos of heaven and earth returned to their places, and He Mu withdrew the Wuliang Great Dao. The vast momentum gathered throughout the Undying Mountain dispersed at that moment, and everything returned to tranquility in an instant.
The next moment, He Mu slowly opened his eyes beneath the tree. There was no world-shaking divine light, nor any overwhelming might. He seemed like the most ordinary person amid the boundless mortal world, only more reserved, more natural, and yet somewhat illusory.
However, had anyone been able to look closely into He Mu's eyes at that moment, they would have discovered what seemed to be an entire universe revolving within them. Magnificent visions of worlds being born and destroyed drifted through his gaze, vast and wondrous.
For an instant, it seemed as though the true Great Dao were unfolding within He Mu's pupils, expounding the fundamental truths of the universe. Or rather, at that moment, He Mu was the Dao.
He seemed to have become the center of heaven and earth. The entire Undying Mountain range pulsed with his breathing, and even chaos rose and fell in obedience to his thoughts. The mighty power of a Heavenly Venerable was unmistakably displayed.
He Mu rose and brushed nonexistent dust from his clothes. With that movement, the ethereal, elusive feeling instantly dispersed, and he seemed to have returned to reality once more.
He Mu raised his head. His gaze seemed to pierce layer upon layer of chaotic mist, looking toward the countless worlds within the universe, taking in every facet of life and gazing down upon the mortal world's beguiling beauty.
As though prolonged stillness had stirred a desire to move, He Mu sighed softly.
"Another thousand years have passed. It's time to walk through this boundless mortal world again."
The next moment, He Mu vanished from the Undying Mountain, leaving only the Enlightenment Ancient Tea Tree swaying in the mountain breeze, as though no one had ever been there.
On an unnamed planet, He Mu strolled through a small city paved with blue-gray bricks.
The little city bustled with life, bearing no trace whatsoever of the world-shaking battle a thousand years before. Time, the greatest force in this world, was enough to soothe every wound.
Though small, the city possessed a simple, unpretentious charm, with little bridges over flowing streams, old houses, and ancient corridors. It was a peaceful little place, where the residents lived leisurely, quiet lives that held no small measure of contentment.
He Mu wandered casually down the street, listening to the vendors calling along the roadside.
"Steamed buns! Big steamed buns with thin skins and plenty of filling!"
"Candied hawthorn! Candied hawthorn skewers, three copper coins apiece! If they don't taste good, you don't pay!"
"Roast chicken! Delicious roast chicken at a bargain price! Don't pass us by-come take a look!"
"..."
The lively, authentic atmosphere of the mortal world was like a painting that condensed long ages into a single scene. Rich with the flavor of life, it had been painted with countless drops of sweat and tears-ordinary, simple, and precious.
This little city paved with blue-gray bricks had stood here all along, recording the rise and fall of generation after generation, bearing every family's joy and anger, sorrow and happiness, partings and reunions.
He Mu could no longer remember how long it had been since he had felt this way.
Ever since he had set foot upon the path of the Dao, he had already drifted far from the truest mortal world. Even when he occasionally slipped into it, he could not grasp its reality; he merely saw flowers through the mist.
Amid the lingering atmosphere of mortal life, He Mu seemed to glimpse his previous life. Those memories flashed through his mind like flowing water, yet became eternal, indelible imprints.
As He Mu continued strolling down the street, his aura grew ever more harmonious, as though he had gained some kind of release, leaving him increasingly at ease and clear of mind.
As he walked, a thought surfaced in He Mu's heart, and he decided to put it into action then and there.
A strand of divine sense stirred, and the next moment, it descended from the heavens into the mortal world.
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