Wu Tao, in this state, was not within this space, yet he could see everything within it.
It was as if he were within this space, but he himself was not present, a peculiar sensation.
However, it was by no means an illusion!
For Wu Tao had never been truly drunk before; he had spoken of future events deliberately to provoke the heavens into descending a lightning tribulation!
All of this was due to the hints from the Source of Time within his body.
Wu Tao sensed that state of being neither within nor without, yet there was a subtle difference…
He couldn't explain it, nor could he express it.
After an unknown duration, which felt like an instant yet also like an eternity, a dizzying sensation finally swept over him. Wu Tao jolted, breaking free from that state.
He opened his eyes, and the familiar surroundings sent a shock through him!
The previous moment, he was enveloped by time; the next, he was directly transported here.
In an instant, he was in a different world.
The power of the Source of Time had sent him to the very end of a certain timeline.
Here lay the conclusion of his own life during a specific period.
…
There were three thousand Great Daos in the world, yet the path to immortality and true enlightenment was singular: the Grand Dao of Deification, the method of attaining enlightenment.
What was the Grand Dao of Deification, the method of attaining enlightenment? Together, they formed the path to becoming an immortal. To cultivate Qi Condensation, Foundation Establishment, Core Formation, Nascent Soul, Violet Palace, and Deification, all six realms must be perfected to achieve the method of eternal life, the gate to all mysteries.
The Grand Dao of Deification transcended all cultivation methods and overshadowed all worldly divine abilities.
Now, the universally acknowledged foremost cultivator in the entire immortal cultivation world was going to expound upon the Grand Dao of Deification. What an extraordinary opportunity this was, a phenomenon not seen in countless millennia!
Even within the vast and boundless continent of the Nine Provinces and the Four Seas, stretching for hundreds of millions of miles, the methods that could directly lead to eternal life were few, let alone the expounder being the foremost person in the world who reached Deification in a mere five hundred years.
The temptation was so immense that even top-tier cultivators in the Nascent Soul and Violet Palace stages could not resist the urge to attend.
"Wu Tao, Dao Lord of Deification, the foremost cultivator in the immortal world, will expound upon the Great Dao, imparting it to those destined. Regardless of origin, race, or foundation, all may attend when the time comes."
Soon, this news spread throughout the world.
When this news first broke, it was like a colossal wave, sweeping across the Nine Provinces and the Four Seas, stirring up colossal waves within the Human, Demon, and Ghost races, almost igniting a hurricane throughout the entire immortal cultivation world.
Intertwined with this earth-shattering news were various ephemeral rumors…
Firstly: In the first year of this era, the thirteenth day of the tenth month of the Qing Ji Ming Xin calendar, atop the vast Heavenly Peak, all races, be they immortal, demonic, or ghostly, could approach to listen and perceive the Great Dao up close…
Secondly, Dao Lord of Deification would select destined individuals from the millions of cultivators gathered and take them as disciples to personally guide them…
Thirdly, during the discourse, Dao Lord of Deification would recount various experiences from his growth…
Fourthly, Dao Lord of Deification would distribute numerous magical treasures to the destined after the discourse…
Upon hearing this news, countless humans, demons, devils, and ghosts rejoiced madly, weeping tears of joy, believing it to be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. They rushed to the foot of the Heavenly Peak, as the Dao Lord of Deification's discourse was imminent, and arriving early would secure a good vantage point…
At the same time, across the Nine Provinces, amidst vast oceans, countless righteous human cultivators, demonic cultivators, numerous demon kings, and a few ghost cultivators muttered to themselves.
Regardless of status or standing, they all performed the same action: facing the Heavenly Peak in the heart of Yong Prefecture, gazing upwards with expressions of excitement and anticipation… A dense mass, darker than storm clouds, comprising individuals from the path of immortal and true cultivation. This was no mere million, but tens of millions.
When did cultivators of immortal and true cultivation become as ubiquitous as wild vegetables, spreading across mountains and plains?
From nascent cultivators in the first or second layer of Qi Condensation to peak existences like Nascent Soul Realists and Violet Palace Ancestors, these top-tier divine ability wielders who could traverse the boundless Nine Provinces and Four Seas; to their left was the immortal path of the Nine Provinces, to their right, the heretical paths of the overseas; in front, immortals teemed, behind, demon kings gathered, with a scattering of devils and ghosts interspersed.
…The saying "no class distinctions" was not spoken idly, nor was the allure of the Grand Dao of Deification an exaggeration. Among these dense masses of immortal and true cultivators, there were humans, demons, devils, and ghosts; the strong and the weak; the righteous and the wicked… A single net cast here would capture all the immortal, demonic, ghostly, and elemental paths in the mortal realm…
…………
The thirteenth day of the tenth month of the following year, Qing Ji Ming Xin.
Upon the ten-thousand-zhang treacherous peak, a simple, ancient purple cushion was laid out at its summit. Beside it stood a bronze incense burner, from which wisps of smoke curled, emitting a fragrance that permeated the soul.
The cushion was currently empty, yet anyone from the Nine Provinces and Four Seas who beheld this grand assembly would have to kowtow nine times, perform the rite of the Great Dao, and show reverence to a master.
Millions of cultivators of immortal and true cultivation from the Nine Provinces and Four Seas waited in silent anticipation for that moment to arrive, awaiting the arrival of the world's foremost Dao Lord.
Time ticked by, and on the Heavenly Peak where the spiritual energy was nearly liquefied, millions of cultivators of immortal and true cultivation, gathered below the peak, looked up with eager expectation!
Suddenly, without any warning, three bell tolls resounded across the Nine Provinces and the vast Four Seas.
"Dong~~ Dong~~~ Dong~~~~"
The three bells of inquiry shook heaven and earth, affecting humans, demons, devils, and immortals.
All cultivators of immortal and true cultivation, regardless of their cultivation level or origin, experienced a moment of disorientation amidst these echoes that pierced through the realms of humans, demons, immortals, and devils. When they regained clarity, a clear and commanding voice entered their ears.
"I, Wu, have cultivated for several hundred years, from a mere child to achieving Deification. Along the way, I encountered countless serendipitous encounters, until now, with eternal vision and a lifespan of over eight thousand years. Is this not fortunate?!"
"Heaven and earth give birth to all things, and then nurture all beings. They manifest three thousand Great Daos. I, having been favored by destiny and bolstered by life force, have diligently cultivated merit. Thus, in the past five hundred-odd years, I have achieved what Wu has today!"
"The Dao Heart is utmost sincerity, the Heavenly Dao is utmost impartiality. The path of cultivation is arduous; few out of ten thousand can achieve it. Seeking the Great Dao is even more difficult; one immortal out of ten million is rare…"
"To measure the Heavenly Dao with a human heart, to align the human body with the Great Dao, the destinies of all beings converge to empower one person. How can I not repay heaven and earth with all that I have learned?"
"What heaven and earth love are none other than all living beings; what living beings seek is but eternal life…!"
"Today, I, Wu, shall establish this Great Dao Heavenly Palace, expound upon the Grand Dao of Deification, open the gates of eternal life, and ferry all destined individuals."
…Wu Tao's voice seemed to descend from the void, or perhaps echo from the depths of one's soul, profoundly mysterious and incredibly commanding. It immediately plunged the millions of cultivators of immortal and true cultivation into a profound and mystical state.
The path of immortal and true cultivation involves seizing, taking, killing, plundering, and contending… contending for supremacy, seizing destiny, taking spiritual energy, leaving countless corpses behind… only then can one strengthen oneself and, step by step, absorb the nourishment of heaven and earth to reach the end…
However, upon reaching the ultimate depths, it becomes the exact opposite… it is about returning, repaying, giving back, sacrificing oneself… only after giving can one attain the Dao Fruit and achieve Deification…
It is precisely because of this that Wu Tao's discourse is happening now.
The true discourse has not yet begun, yet Wu Tao's pronouncements on the Great Dao have already given enlightenment to many present who were on the verge of breakthrough.
When the masses below the peak awoke, looking upwards, they saw that on the ten-thousand-zhang treacherous peak, a young man, seemingly youthful but with an aura of profound experience etched upon his countenance, was now seated upon the cushion.
"Disciple, greets Teacher!"
"Disciple, greets Teacher!"
"Disciple, greets Teacher!"
Wu Tao, seated high upon the cushion, looked down at the multitude of beings. Millions of them prostrated themselves, performing the respectful rites of discipleship. Their voices shook heaven and earth, as if reflecting the will of heaven and earth itself, causing even the heavens and earth to be moved and their colors to fade at this moment.
The Law cannot be lightly passed on, nor the Dao lightly taught. The Heavenly Dao is impartial. How could there be the principle of only wanting to receive and not to give?
Therefore, this rite of discipleship was performed by the millions with willing hearts, without the slightest trace of humiliation or resentment…
He who transmits the Dao to the world naturally possesses the qualification to receive the respect of all under heaven as a teacher.
The discipleship of tens of millions of cultivators and immortals of all races under heaven, with such a grand spectacle and supreme honor, has likely had no equal since antiquity.
"The Dao lies in the profound, the Law resides in the marvelous. The path to eternal life, the Grand Dao of Deification, is nothing more than the three words: Dao, Law, and Power…"
Wu Tao, seated high upon the cushion, spoke no further superfluous words. Each word was a drop of gold, uttered slowly, as golden lotuses began to manifest around him.
Wu Tao's voice was resonant and gentle, like heavenly music, like immortal melody, surpassing all worldly sounds and rhythms, embodying the profundity of all laws. Even those who did not understand the Great Dao within could, by listening intently, become engrossed and gain sudden enlightenment.
The heavens seemed to be moved by it, the earth trembled, and all laws bowed in submission. Flowers rained down from the sky, golden lotuses sprung from the earth; a sweet dew descended, falling like nectar. Mysterious golden lotuses appeared from nowhere, three thousand rays of purple qi emerged, and the Great Dao manifested… all manner of auspicious signs appeared in succession.
To be born in the same era as Dao Lord of Deification, Wu Tao, is a great sorrow for us millions of cultivators and immortals, but it is also our great fortune!
To witness such an unprecedented and unparalleled figure, step by step, ascend to the peak, dominate an era, and achieve eternal fame, is it not also a form of glory…
We, this generation of millions of cultivators, have spent our lives desperately trying to keep pace with his footsteps, never daring to slacken, yet we fall further behind, until we can no longer catch up. The gap between us and the heavens is something we can only look up to…
Now, Dao Lord Wu Tao imparts the three thousand Great Daos. We weep with joy, for the Great Dao is hard to come by. But for us, his contemporaries, how tragic, how cruel this is. Yet, conversely, how fortunate it is!
The millions of cultivators and true cultivators of all races, looking at Wu Tao seated upon the cushion, could not help but sigh repeatedly in their hearts.
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