Chapter 349
by fanqienovelChapter 349: Transcendence through Merit
"How did it end up like this?"
A faint sigh echoed within the Nuwa Temple, ethereal and lingering, long after it seemed to end.
"Mother Goddess?"
The expressions of the Human Ancestor and the Mad Daoist shifted, varied, as their eyes turned towards the Xuantian Merit Dao Embryo.
"Nuwa?"
The gazes of Lin Qianmo, Xuanxin, Qi Yuanchu, Formless Demon Lord, and others likewise converged upon the Xuantian Merit Dao Embryo, their faces filled with disbelief.
Li Ruoyu’s pupils abruptly contracted. "She descended to the mortal realm?"
He was asking Lin Qianmo.
Regarding information on the Hongmeng Dao Realm, no one knew more than Lin Qianmo.
"Impossible."
Lin Qianmo gently shook her head and said, "The Hongmeng Dao Realm, governed by its own Dao of heaven, maintains order. Descending comes at an immense cost."
A trace of dejection flashed in her eyes. The price she herself had paid was devastating injury, cycling through reincarnation for countless lifetimes in this very universe. Only in this lifetime, with the right karmic conditions present, did she receive the chance to return to the Hongmeng Dao Realm.
Therefore, it was impossible for Nuwa to risk annihilation by descending.
Hearing Lin Qianmo’s affirmation, Li Ruoyu relaxed. He fixed his eyes on the Xuantian Merit Dao Embryo and coldly stated, "Since you have manifested, I, the Emperor, will demand the method of transcendence from you directly."
BOOM!
Li Ruoyu’s imperial might erupted. His physical form seemed as vast and potent as the universe itself, his overwhelming vital aura shaking the heavens. He charged towards the Xuantian Merit Dao Embryo, mobilizing his Heavenly Emperor’s World-Suppressing Fist, audaciously intending to strike at Nuwa herself.
In Li Ruoyu’s eyes, since this wasn’t her true form descending, how could a mere wisp of will hope to suppress him?
He had never known defeat in this universe.
"The Heavenly Emperor is mad!" Formless Demon Lord was shocked in his heart. Nuwa was the foundational Ancestress, ranked alongside Pangu God, who cleaved heaven from earth, as one of the two primordial Progenitors. She was the Mother of all living things. Striking at her was tantamount to betraying one’s ancestors and destroying tradition.
The Human Ancestor lowered his eyelids, silent.
"Old Fool, look what a fine disciple you’ve taught," the Mad Daoist remarked sarcastically.
Ting!
The Xuantian Merit Dao Embryo slowly rose. It seemed to transform into a deity, birthing its own consciousness in that instant. Facing the Heavenly Emperor’s assault, the Dao Embryo simply flicked a finger.
A streak of flowing light burst forth from the void, mottled and wondrous, seeming to contain all realms within it. Like glazed divine light, it cascaded down, enveloping the Heavenly Emperor.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
The power of the Heavenly Emperor’s World-Suppressing Fist detonated. Terrifying power shook the Nuwa Temple. Ripples spread across the glazed divine light, showing signs it might shatter.
The Mad Daoist’s eyes turned sharp. This was power belonging to a transcendent. Earlier, he himself had foundered against the Nuwa temple’s defense. Yet the Heavenly Emperor possessed the strength to contend?
"Just how far has his cultivation reached?" The Mad Daoist frowned deeply.
"Truly worthy of the Heavenly Emperor."
Xuanxin was filled with admiration. Such strength would be considered the peak in any universe beneath the Hongmeng Dao Realm.
Buzz!
The glazed radiance shone brilliantly; each world scene condensed into a talisman; three thousand talismans evolved into existence, resembling a scroll of sutra that tightly wrapped the Heavenly Emperor.
The unceasing sound of the Dao resounded through Nuwa Temple; Li Ruoyu’s head felt as if it would split open and was excruciatingly painful.
For a moment, Li Ruoyu could not break free.
"Is it that simple to suppress the Heavenly Emperor?" Qi Yuanchu exclaimed in shock.
What he had seen and heard today truly surpassed all comprehension.
"It cannot be suppressed."
Lin Qianmo said: "A wisp of will can only mobilize limited power; if she had not lodged her will in the Xuantian Merit Dao Embryo, she might not even exist here."
"At most, a quarter of an hour."
"In your first half of life, you pioneered a peaceful golden age for all beings across myriad realms, separating immortals from mortals; these are great merits," the Xuantian Merit Dao Embryo spoke.
"However, you were too utilitarian and what you did was still insufficient."
"Everything you did was for transcendence."
"But you failed to realize that the more one seeks transcendence through merit, the harder it is to transcend."
Nuwa’s voice reached Li Ruoyu’s ears.
"In the unseen realm, there is fate."
The Mad Daoist pondered thoughtfully.
"The more one seeks transcendence, the harder it is to transcend? What does this mean?" The Mad Daoist questioned in bewilderment, for a lifetime of cultivation is meant to transcend everything and attain eternal freedom.
If not for transcendence, why would one cultivate at all?
"Mother Goddess, what does this statement mean?" Xuanxin looked at Lin Qianmo, also showing a questioning expression.
Lin Qianmo smiled faintly: "Nuwa’s path was transcendence through merit."
"She had a great vow; when she endured all hardships and completed it at that moment, gathering the world’s merits, she transcended and ascended successfully."
"The Heavenly Emperor wanted to follow this path, but he deviated."
Nuwa repaired the heavens, conforming to heaven’s will.
The Heavenly Emperor unified myriad realms, but he had been scheming towards apocalypse; at critical moments, he would stand out to avert disaster and re-unify the world.
People act; heaven watches.
All calamities were created by the Heavenly Emperor himself; how could he achieve the Way through merits?
"Every transcendent is under the watch of the Dao of heaven; for one wishing to achieve the Way through merits, the Heavenly Emperor could never do it in this lifetime," Lin Qianmo solemnly stated.
"He must rely on himself."
"If not for transcendence, why does one enter this sea of bitterness?" Li Ruoyu roared.
In his early life, carrying the luck of the Yuan Realm and relying solely on his own strength, he forged the supreme Heavenly Court; he had attempted to transcend through the power of luck.
However, reality disappointed him.
For this reason, he strayed onto a wicked path, attempting to destroy the world and then save it to accumulate the world’s merits, to seek transcendence.
Perhaps back then, when suppressing the Innate Divine Being, he still had ideals and ambitions.
But from the moment Li Ruoyu ascended the Heavenly Emperor’s throne and stood unmatched across all realms, the remainder of his life was devoted entirely to achieving Transcendence.
"Have I not done enough?" Li Ruoyu snarled. "I unified all realms, forged the Immortal Realm, suppressed the Innate Divine Beings, and established peace for countless generations!"
"Not enough,"
Nuwa shook her head.
"The quota for transcendents within a single universe is limited."
"All the accumulated Virtue and Fortune from your actions is insufficient to elevate you as the second transcendent."
"Hahahaha!"
Li Ruoyu erupted into maniacal laughter.
"If the path of Virtue leads nowhere, then I shall attain Transcendence through sheer force alone!"
Boom!
Li Ruoyu activated the Heavenly Emperor Scripture. This divine Technique, born from his collection and mastery of all the world’s supreme arts, embodied his ideals and his life’s cultivation.
"I am the Heavenly Emperor! How can a mere remnant of will hope to suppress me?"
"Six Paths Reincarnation Fist!"
He formed a fist seal and struck towards the three thousand Talismans.
In an instant, a colossal Six Paths Heavenly Wheel manifested behind Li Ruoyu. The Reincarnation Dao churned, drawing all things into the wheel, subjecting them to endless cycles of rebirth.
Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!
The next moment, crystalline light, sharp as sword beams, erupted from the Six Paths Heavenly Wheel, obliterating Li Ruoyu’s divine power.
Pfft!
Sword light pierced through Li Ruoyu’s physical body, grievously wounding him.
Mad Daoist’s gaze sharpened.
The Heavenly Emperor’s physical body was the number one fierce weapon in the world, capable of repelling all laws. Yet, even so, the power of a transcendent could still wound the Emperor.
"In this world, perhaps only the strength of a transcendent can harm him," Mad Daoist murmured to himself.
Whoosh!
Without hesitation for prolonged combat, Li Ruoyu unleashed a wave of magic power, scooped up Chaotic Immortal King, and fled Nuwa temple.
To fight on would exact a devastating price, even in victory.
"Alas," Xuanxin sighed softly.
With the Heavenly Emperor repelled, the Xuantian Merit Dao Embryo slowly floated forward. The three thousand rays of crystalline light retracted into the embryo. After the struggle with the Emperor, its aura was palpably dimmer than before.
Pfft!
Once beyond the Haotian Realm, Li Ruoyu coughed up a mouthful of blood.
"My Lord!"
Chaotic Immortal King cried out in alarm, shocked at the severity of the Emperor’s injuries despite being aware of them.
This was the Invincible Heavenly Emperor, sovereign for millions of years!
"I am unharmed."
Li Ruoyu wiped the blood from his lip, a smile forming.
"Though wounded, this journey was well worth it."
"Turns out, Transcendence through Merit carries such significant restrictions. Had Nuwa not appeared, I might have remained ignorant for who knows how much longer?"
He had been utterly unaware that his every action had been under the watchful eye of the Dao of heaven. To pursue Transcendence through Merit meant confronting it first. Naturally, his deeds would never pass its scrutiny.
Knowing this truth dissolved his fixation on obtaining the Xuantian Merit Dao Embryo. That path was closed, after all.
"To achieve Transcendence now, only two avenues remain,"
Li Ruoyu thought inwardly.
"One is Heaven’s Secret Pavilion."
"The other, the creation of the Tianyuan."
"I will transcend."