Chapter 200

Chapter 200: The Dao Without Emotion, Yet With Emotion

"The Great Dao is fundamentally emotionless, yet humans are burdened with emotion."

The human ancestor shook his head and sighed softly, seemingly touched as he said, "The matter of love is a hardship countless individuals find insurmountable."

"In my view, Nangong Zhandao likely wouldn’t change his allegiance," Ye Xu said with a smile. His understanding of Nangong Zhandao was, he believed, far deeper than the human ancestor’s.

Nangong Zhandao appeared cold and unfeeling, yet he cherished feelings in his heart. If not for the Xuan Du Forgetting Emotions Heaven Book, he would never have walked a path of forgetting love and emotion.

Today, perhaps, presented a turning point.

Nangong Zhandao closed his eyes in contemplation. His brows furrowed intermittently, then relaxed. His expression shifted constantly, his thoughts chaotic and disordered, countless ideas locked in battle within his mind.

Inner demons had arisen.

If unresolved, Nangong Zhandao’s cultivation would inevitably suffer.

"Senior should still be alive in this world, correct?" Ye Xu looked at the human ancestor and asked once more.

He felt no taboos and harboured few reservations.

The Duobao Daoist had once stated that the human ancestor had stepped through the door of the Three Yuan Proof. For such an individual, coexisting with heaven and earth, possessing vast divine abilities, being truly extinguished was almost impossible.

Ye Xu believed the human ancestor was still alive.

The human ancestor’s expression was kind as he said, "This old man’s life or death means nothing more to the universe than the slightest bubble, vanishing without significance."

He seemed to have seen through the universe’s true essence; his tone was as serene as the depths of an Ancient Well.

"Young Daoist friend, on your journey here, you must have witnessed the Sea of the Universe."

Ye Xu nodded.

The extraordinary scene of the Sea of the Universe still shocked him profoundly.

"A single bubble represents one universe. Do you suppose the universe we inhabit is also like the bubbles within that Sea – countless in number, with universes ceaselessly birthing and dying every moment?"

The human ancestor’s gaze held the vastness of existence as he voiced his conjecture.

Ye Xu’s heart shook violently.

Of course, he knew that beyond this single universe existed at least one more.

But, judging from the human ancestor’s words, his reasoning pointed to a far greater reality.

Ye Xu pondered this, then said, "Within the realms of cultivation, there exists a state called ‘Forging the Path to the Dao.’ After Attaining the Dao, the inner world gives birth to the essence of order. Continuing cultivation beyond that point eventually forms a complete small world."

"It resembles the dawn of the creation of the heavens, when those fallen Innate Divine Beings themselves transformed into worlds upon their death."

"As Senior suggests, those other universes might indeed have evolved in such a fashion."

"Hahaha…"

A look of appreciation crossed the human ancestor’s face. "Sound reasoning."

"The common people know only the vastness of the universe. Where would they comprehend that the universe we inhabit most likely amounts to nothing more than a minuscule corner?"

"Alas, for this lifetime at least, this old man is destined to never walk beyond it."

"Since the creation of heaven and earth, not a single soul has managed to step outside and observe firsthand."

A sharp glint entered Ye Xu’s eyes. The "walk beyond" mentioned by the human ancestor likely referred to the transcendence following the Three Yuan Proof – transcending the very heavens, the earth, and the universe itself, finally achieving the state of true freedom.

Senior.

At that moment, Nangong Zhandao awoke. His gaze was as pure as water, untainted by dust, and he no longer carried that cold, detached demeanor. Instead, he was gentle as jade, like a modest gentleman who had comprehended the Great Dao of heaven and earth, and had returned to simplicity.

"It seems you have achieved enlightenment," the human ancestor said with a complex look in his eyes. "In my life, I have only had the idea to take on a disciple twice, but fate has been unkind, and both times ended in failure."

"The times were truly bad."

The human ancestor smiled bitterly without end.

"If you do not mind my incompetence, honored senior, I am willing to bow to you as my teacher and follow your teachings," Nangong Zhandao said with a smile.

In a single morning of enlightenment, Nangong Zhandao had already condensed a Dao seed and stepped into the Quasi-Emperor level.

It should be noted that he had entered the Seven-Treasure Mystic Forest just over half a month earlier. At that time, Nangong Zhandao was merely at the Saint King level, but now he was already a Quasi-Emperor.

One step further would be attaining the Dao and becoming an emperor.

That day was probably not far off.

"So be it," the human ancestor said with a smile and a resigned expression. "From this day forward, you may also call me your teacher."

"Cough, cough…"

Ye Xu spoke up. "Honored senior, if you are seeking someone to inherit your Dao lineage, I might be able to suggest a method."

The human ancestor glanced past Ye Xu and shook his head. "Little Daoist friend, the Creation Heart Sutra you cultivate could rank among the top ten of all methods, past and present."

"In the ancient times, when my mother shaped humans from clay, it was based on the Great Dao of creation."

Upon hearing this, Ye Xu was not surprised.

When cultivated to its peak, the Great Dao of creation could overturn heaven and earth, alter the essence of matter, and create something from nothing.

Ye Xu showed a look of regret.

"Since you have already found your own Dao, from now on, you must firmly guard it and never waver for countless generations," the human ancestor instructed.

"This disciple strictly obeys the teacher’s teachings."

Nangong Zhandao knelt and said.

The recent sudden enlightenment had made Nangong Zhandao understand that the path he had walked before was always toward severing emotions and desires, no different from Qi Qingsi in the past.

At this moment, he comprehended all mysteries, corrected his path, gave his feelings to all things, and detached them from heaven and earth.

The Dao seems emotionless yet is filled with emotion.

In his heart, there was no longer any resistance to love. Nangong Zhandao completely discarded his former self and embraced a brand-new future.

Boom!

The human ancestor reached out a hand, and a rift suddenly tore open in the void of the Origin Palace. Chaotic energy surged, and a divine light pierced through the chaos, falling from a distant time and space into the Origin Palace.

This was a gate.

Its entire body was pale green, engraved with the language of innate gods, and behind the portal was pure darkness, where nothing could be seen.

Yet, at the first glance, one was irresistibly drawn in.

It resembled the source of all things, symbolizing origin.

"This is the Gate of Origin," the human ancestor said solemnly. "It is an innate supreme treasure born from the Path of Origin, and in the past, it belonged to an innate god."

However, in the battle at the end of the Primordial Era, that innate god was killed, the sacred land of the Great Dao was obliterated, leaving only this Gate of Origin.

Good disciple, with the Creation spiritual embryo protecting you, even a true immortal could not harm you.

But future variables were too numerous, and the Immortal Realm teetered on the brink; that Gate of Origin could keep you alive for up to a hundred years.

Take it.

The human ancestor swept his sleeve, and the Gate of Origin continuously shrank before landing in Nangong Zhandao’s Purple Palace; Nangong Zhandao immediately activated his Divine Sense to refine the Gate of Origin.

In the next moment, the Gate of Origin was branded with Nangong Zhandao’s Divine Sense.

Ye Xu’s gaze had a hint of fierceness.

After all, that was an innate treasure of the innate gods, with boundless power.

But Ye Xu was not blinded by greed; he had heard a key piece of information.

The Immortal Realm teetered on the brink!

How was that possible?

As everyone knew, the Immortal Realm was forged by the Heavenly Emperor with the power of all beings, separating immortals and mortals, floating above all realms, forming an independent entity imbued with order.

If order did not collapse, the Immortal Realm could not disintegrate.

Ye Xu looked toward the human ancestor, but the human ancestor plainly had no intention to elaborate and ignored Ye Xu’s eyes brimming with a thirst for knowledge.

Disciple thanks the teacher for bestowing this treasure.

As a quasi-emperor, he commanded the Ziwei Spirit Root, the Creation spiritual embryo, and an innate supreme treasure, each one top-tier equipment, fully cheating the system.

Of course, Ye Xu’s cheat was the biggest, which kept his mindset slightly balanced over that aspect.

Little Daoist friend, I possess one Dao fruit here essential to your cultivation of the Great Dao of creation.

With a thought from the human ancestor, a fruit the size of a fist, condensed from countless Divine Patterns of Creation, floated out.

This fruit was purely forged from the Great Dao of creation, constantly evolving, endlessly profound.

Creation Dao Fruit!

Ye Xu’s eyes went wide.

This Dao fruit was nothing ordinary Great Emperors or Emperor Venerables could attain.

The Divine Patterns of Creation were indestructible and eternal; such a Dao fruit had to belong at least to a true immortal—or possibly an Immortal King—and what immense value was that?

Correct. The human ancestor nodded with a smile.

In a flash of thought, Ye Xu regained his calmness at once. Senior gives this Creation Dao Fruit to me, so there must be conditions, I assume?

Naturally, there were. The human ancestor stated.

Senior, say them then.

Ye Xu’s gaze had grown steady; this one Creation Dao Fruit held great significance for his cultivation, but Ye Xu didn’t desperately need it either—after all, he, a man who possessed the system, knew its sole flaw was that nothing came free.

"Be kind to the Chaos Divine Vine."

The human ancestor spoke with a grave expression. "This Divine Vine will bear one more seed. Please, Daoist friend, ensure you safeguard it well."

"???"

Ye Xu was covered in question marks.

Be kind to the Chaos Divine Vine?

He suddenly couldn’t follow the human ancestor’s train of thought.

"As simple as that?" Ye Xu asked in surprise.

Nangong Zhandao was equally bewildered. Though the Chaos Divine Vine was important, it was merely a divine plant, unlikely to wither under normal circumstances. Why would it need deliberate, special care?

"If you agree, I shall hand this Creation Dao Fruit over to you immediately," said the human ancestor.

"I agree."

Without another word, Ye Xu accepted.

Swoosh!

Being a man of decisive action, the human ancestor willed the Creation Dao Fruit toward Ye Xu with a mere thought. Ye Xu promptly received it into his Purple Palace, carefully nurturing it.

This transaction was an incredible bargain.

Even if the human ancestor had demanded the Chaos Divine Vine back, Ye Xu wouldn’t have hesitated. One Chaos Divine Vine couldn’t compare to the Creation Dao Fruit.

"This Dao fruit was left behind after the Creation Daoist perished. It is an Immortal King’s Dao fruit; you must use it cautiously," the human ancestor admonished Ye Xu.

"This junior understands."

"Disciple, do you wish to enter the Immortal Realm?" The human ancestor looked at Nangong Zhandao.

Nangong Zhandao shook his head.

"My strength is insufficient. Entering the Immortal Realm wouldn’t help matters. It is better to stay below and train diligently. Moreover, my beloved remains in this lower realm."

The human ancestor turned his gaze to Ye Xu.

Ye Xu looked hesitant.

His initial thought had been to enter the Immortal Realm to see it for himself.

However, after acquiring the Tai Sui, the Chaos Divine Vine, the Immortal spirit liquid, and especially the Creation Dao Fruit, Ye Xu’s desire had slowly changed.

Possessing the Creation Dao Fruit now, he was desperate to get back to Heaven’s Secret Pavilion immediately.

"Senior," Ye Xu asked with visible confusion, "earlier you mentioned the Immortal Realm ‘teeters on the brink.’ What did you mean by that? Is there… something wrong with the Immortal Realm?"

"The Immortal Realm today… it is best left undiscussed."

The human ancestor solemnly stated, "You both need only know this: do not enter the Immortal Realm for now."

These words struck both Ye Xu and Nangong Zhandao with profound shock.

Across all realms, countless beings cultivated their entire lives solely for the purpose of attaining immortality and entering the Immortal Realm, seeking eternal life.

Yet, the meaning behind the human ancestor’s words suggested something was gravely amiss in that very realm.

This wasn’t impossible.

After all, the Immortal Realm was forged by man, not born from heaven and earth. Any error in the process might harbor terrible hidden dangers.

"Leave now."

The figure of the human ancestor gradually faded. "The ancestral home is about to leave misfortune behind and enter good fortune, approaching a prosperous era… this is the stage of the future…"

The voice lingered, but the human ancestor was already gone.

Ye Xu and Nangong Zhandao exchanged a look, tacitly choosing not to speak.

The two of them pushed open the Origin Palace.

Emperor Venerable Yama, Emperor Venerable Mi Luo, and the leaders of the forces from various realms had already left the Origin Palace, continuing their Immortal path, searching for the place of attaining immortality.

Dao King, Su Miao Zhen, Lin Qianmo, and Great Emperor Ziwei were still waiting outside the Origin Palace.

Upon seeing Ye Xu and Nangong Zhandao emerge, all expressions turned serious.

Lin Qianmo looked at Nangong Zhandao, her beautiful brows lightly furrowed.

She felt Nangong Zhandao seemed like a completely different person from head to toe; his entire aura had undergone a world-shattering change compared to a mere stick of incense ago.

"He has broken through once more," Su Miao Zhen murmured, her lovely eyes fixed intently on him.

Dao King also perceived something amiss.

"The human ancestor chose to keep you two alone. It seems his regard for you is unique," Dao King said, his lips pulling into a thin smile that didn’t reach his eyes. "I wonder if the content of your conversation could be shared with the rest of us?"

"You truly wish to hear it?" Ye Xu asked.

Dao King nodded.

"Then I’ll do you a favor and invite the venerable elder himself back," Ye Xu made a show of taking out a communication jade talisman, seemingly about to contact the human ancestor.

"No need!" Dao King snapped. His smile vanished instantly, his face darkening, his eyes turning utterly sinister.

"Angered and humiliated, thinking about taking action?" Ye Xu mocked. "Before you do, you’d better weigh carefully whether you can withstand more than a few strikes from the Creation spiritual embryo."

"Some things… are better left unknown," Nangong Zhandao spoke evenly.

"Hmph…" Dao King gave a grim, cold laugh. "So, it seems you two are standing on the same side now."

He channeled his magic power, transforming into a stream of light and vanishing into the distance.

"We will meet again in the future."

Dao King’s voice drifted back from afar.

"When that time comes, this sovereign will have a proper meeting with that Creation spiritual embryo!"