The Primordial Source of the Three Realms

From within the Former Court ruins, voice after voice called out: "Xu Ying!" "Dao Ancestor of the Three Realms!" "We will meet again soon!" ... Xu Ying turned a deaf ear to them. Surging waves of the Chaos Sea were already rolling toward them. Having resolved his own opponent, Emperor Mingdao took one look at the approaching Chaos Sea and, without hesitation, rushed toward Princess Mingman and the others, sweeping them along as he bolted forward! Yuan Weiyang, however, was evenly matched with the other scout from the other shore. The two remained locked in a fierce, unresolved battle. Seeing this, Xu Ying dashed over at once, crossing paths with the oncoming Emperor Mingdao. The Chaos Sea churned and swelled with immense fury, truly annihilating everything in its path. The closer one drew to it, the more one's Great Dao was suppressed, leaving less and less cultivation power at one's disposal. Inside Xu Ying's body, five great cave abysses—Taiyi, Wuji, Samsara, Hongmeng, and Hunyuan—shut down one after another. Only his Martial Dao and Chaos cave abysses continued to function. The Chaos Cave Abyss was something he had comprehended from an art from the other shore that he had learned from Mingman. It was one of the few cave abysses that could not be assimilated by the Taiyi Cave Abyss. Originally, Xu Ying had not delved deeply into this path, but in the vicinity of the Chaos Sea, the extraordinary nature of the Chaos Cave Abyss became readily apparent. Taking a stride forward, Xu Ying arrived beside Yuan Weiyang and the scout. Ahead of them, the Chaos Sea was already roaring toward them, threatening to crush everything! Seeing this, the scout dared not risk his life against Yuan Weiyang any longer. He immediately summoned the emerald tiered ship and landed upon its deck. The moment he boarded, Xu Ying landed beside him, holding Yuan Weiyang by the hand. *Boom!* The Chaos Sea bore down on them. Yet as it drew near the emerald rock, it parted on its own accord, gliding past the sides of the hull without touching the emerald tiered ship in the slightest. Even without direct contact, the power of the Chaos Sea exerted immense force against the emerald rock, propelling the vessel forward at an even greater speed! The three aboard were flung into the air by the tremendous momentum, on the verge of tumbling into the Chaos Sea. Xu Ying channeled the power of the Primordial Source within him and thrust a hand forward, catching the edge of the emerald tiered ship while reaching back with his other hand to grasp Yuan Weiyang's! The scout attempted to grab Yuan Weiyang's foot, but she kicked her shoe off. The scout plummeted straight into the Chaos Sea, letting out a wretched shriek before vanishing without a trace. The emerald tiered ship dragged Xu Ying and Yuan Weiyang along as it hurtled forward. Emperor Mingdao, leading Mingman and the dragon cultivators, finally broke out of the ruins. Behind them came a cataclysmic roar as the turbulent Chaos Sea crushed forward! Turning back, the crowd paled. The roaring Chaos Sea blotted out the sky and obscured everything from sight. Under such crushing might, even an expert like Emperor Mingdao would likely perish! Strangely enough, however, the moment the Chaos Sea submerged the ruins of the Former Court era, it came to an abrupt halt, refusing to advance a single step further. Even so, when the Chaos Sea resubmerged the ruins this time, its shoreline stood far closer than before, reaching the vicinity of the Grand Dao Lord's skeleton and almost entirely swallowing the Former Court ruins. The chaotic, Dao-less state exerted a suppressing influence over them, causing the cave abysses behind them to close one by one, completely immobilized. They felt as though they had been reduced to mortal commoners, unable to muster even a shred of magic power. Yet among them were those who cultivated a Chaos cave abyss, who could still mobilize their magic power. "The Primordial Source! It's the Primordial Source!" Princess Mingman suddenly understood, crying out in both surprise and delight, "I know now! Chaos cannot invade the Primordial Source! The Three Realms exist within an enormous Primordial Source! That's why Chaos cannot invade the Three Realms!" Emperor Mingdao and the others knew nothing of the inscriptions on Daoist Tongtian's stone steles, nor did they understand what the Primordial Source was. "Wait, where is my master?" Princess Mingman finally realized Xu Ying was missing and said anxiously, "Father, Master and Mistress are still in the Chaos Sea! You have vast divine abilities—go in and save them!" Emperor Mingdao shook his head. Formidable though his abilities were, he possessed no means of contending with the Chaos Sea. Within that sea lay the unimaginably dense void of chaos, which assimilated all things, even the Great Dao. Upon touching it, even an expert of the Immortal realm like him would suffer the dissolution of his Dao body and cease to exist. Emperor Mingdao sighed softly. "Your master and mistress... I fear they..." *Crash!* The Chaos Sea suddenly tore open. An emerald tiered ship cleaved through the surface and burst forth from the waters. Emperor Mingdao looked up, his gaze blank. The emerald tiered ship flew directly over their heads, carrying Xu Ying and Yuan Weiyang aboard. However, upon bursting forth, the vessel was also subjected to the suppression of the Former Court Grand Dao Lord's skeleton, slowly gliding down to the ground. Emperor Mingdao and the others hurried to greet them. Xu Ying and Yuan Weiyang stepped off the ship, the latter still visibly shaken. After exchanging brief pleasantries, several dragon cultivators manifested their true forms and dragged the emerald tiered ship back along their original path. Arriving beside the World-Crossing Golden Ship, Emperor Mingdao also revealed his true form, transforming into a colossal dragon to haul the golden ship outward. Under the suppression of the Former Court Grand Dao Lord's skeleton, they had all lost their magic power and could only press forward relying on pure physical strength. At last, they walked beyond the reach of the Grand Dao Lord's skeleton, and their cultivations were restored. Yuan Weiyang summoned the golden key to drive the golden ship, while Xu Ying lifted the emerald tiered ship and set it onto the deck. The golden ship rose slowly and began its journey home. "Ah Ying, where did Daoist Tongtian come from to reach this place?" the big bell suddenly asked. Xu Ying froze slightly, looking into the distance. The Chaos Sea stretched on without end, boundless and unfathomable; who knew how many secrets lay buried beneath its depths? "Judging by the layout of the Former Court ruins, when Daoist Tongtian arrived here, the Chaos Sea had not yet encroached this far. Back then, the ruins were exposed, spanning an even greater area." Puzzled, the big bell asked, "But they were so powerful—how could they have died?" "Their tribulation-fortune must have caught up with them." Xu Ying recalled the final chapter of the Hunyuan Cave Abyss Tribulation-Averting Scripture. The entire purpose of that cultivation art was to evade tribulation-fortune. That fortune must have been horrifying beyond measure, reducing even immortal beings to nothingness. He looked toward the skeleton of the Former Court Grand Dao Lord and thought silently, *Perhaps not even a Grand Dao Lord can resist tribulation-fortune. Otherwise, why would this Grand Dao Lord have died?* The Chaos Sea had drawn much closer, suppressing the cultivation realms of everyone aboard the ship. Yuan Weiyang carefully steered the golden vessel, keeping its speed as slow and steady as possible. Xu Ying retrieved the Primordial Source core from his Martial Dao Cave Abyss. Although he had absorbed a massive amount of energy from it, it showed no sign of shrinking, as though the power he had mobilized during battle was not even a single hair from nine oxen to it. The others gathered around to observe the Primordial Source core, unable to hold back their marvel. This colossal entity resembled a sphere, harboring the profound mysteries of the Three Realms' Great Dao. Yet it was far more exquisite, more consummate, and far more abundant than the Great Dao of the Three Realms they currently knew! "Dao Ancestor Xu, what do you plan to do with this item?" Emperor Mingdao suddenly asked. Xu Ying replied, "Bring it back into the Three Realms and merge it with them." Emperor Mingdao fell silent for a moment before bowing solemnly. "Dao Ancestor Xu's magnanimity commands my deepest respect." The Primordial Source core was the very Dao core of the Three Realms. To control this treasure was to hold mastery over the Three Realms' Great Dao. Faced with such overwhelming temptation, anyone would be hard-pressed not to claim it for themselves. Returning above the skull of the Former Court Grand Dao Lord, they arrived at the entrance to the Abyss Sea. The Chaos Sea lay very close to the Abyss Sea, forcing the World-Crossing Golden Ship to turn on its side to squeeze through. Not long after they entered the Abyss Sea, ripples disturbed the Chaos Sea once more. Another emerald tiered ship sailed out from the depths—a second vessel from the other shore. Aboard were two scouts, a man and a woman, gazing toward the Three Realms from afar. The female scout produced a seed and lightly tossed it out. Tumbling through the air, the seed came to a sudden halt, slowly sprouting roots and shoots. Its roots plunged straight into the Chaos Sea, drawing power from the chaos to fuel its growth. Soon, the seed grew into a sapling, growing thicker and taller until it became a towering tree. The two scouts stepped forward, left their imprints upon the tree, and then reboarded the emerald tiered ship. Turning back into the Chaos Sea, they vanished from sight. ... The Abyss Sea was vast and boundless. The World-Crossing Golden Ship sailed quietly across its waters while everyone seized the opportunity to study and comprehend the Great Dao within the Primordial Source core. Everyone's Dao attainment advanced at an astonishing pace! After sailing across the sea for several months, the golden ship finally reached the opposite shore of the Abyss Sea. Xu Ying immediately contacted the Far Ancestor through the spiritual light corridor in his sea of consciousness. "Lord Dragon, make a trip to the Earth Immortal Realm. Gather the Holy Venerable, Useless Qingxuan, and the others, and invite them to the Abyss Sea. The more people, the better!" The Far Ancestor set off at once, traveling along the Heavenly-Earth Passage to the Earth Immortal Realm to notify the Holy Venerable and Useless Qingxuan. Before long, the Far Ancestor summoned the Abyss Sea, causing it to churn violently as it descended upon the Earth Immortal Realm. Yuan Weiyang maneuvered the golden ship to avoid the turbulent waves, while Xu Ying and Emperor Mingdao both stepped forward to protect everyone aboard. Two days later, the Holy Venerable and Useless Qingxuan led many experts from the Earth Immortal Realm into the Abyss Sea. Seeing the Primordial Source core, everyone was astonished. Xu Ying gave them a general account of its origin, and Emperor Jing blurted out, "Such a treasure should return to the Three Realms to benefit all living beings!" Witnessing this, Emperor Mingdao realized where Xu Ying's grand spirit came from. *Truly worthy of being Dao Ancestor Xu's father—his breadth of mind is extraordinary!* he mused inwardly. Xu Ying smiled and said, "Before benefiting all living beings, fellow Daoists, please study the Primordial Source core thoroughly. Comprehend the Heavenly-Earth Great Dao within it and compile your insights. Once the core merges into the Three Realms, such an opportunity will never come again." This was an unprecedented opportunity. Comprehending the Primordial Source core would naturally enhance their own Dao attainment and cultivation; moreover, if they recorded and disseminated these insights, the Dao methods of the Three Realms' Qi Refiners and Immortals would surely leap to an entirely new height! Surrounding the Primordial Source, everyone studied it meticulously, recording and compiling their findings. Emperor Mingdao dispatched a dragon cultivator out of the Abyss Sea to invite more dragon experts from the Heavenly Immortal Realm to join in the comprehension. The Far Ancestor, burning with impatience, suddenly realized, *The Abyss Sea was summoned to the Earth Immortal Realm by me! If I enter the Abyss Sea now, I won't have to worry about getting stranded outside the Three Realms and being unable to return!* At this thought, he flew into the Abyss Sea and boarded the golden ship to study as well. Two to three years passed like this. The scriptures and records they compiled had piled as high as mountains, largely recording the Great Dao of the Primordial Source core. Everyone's cultivation and Dao attainment had seen startling improvements. The Holy Venerable in particular had reached the Great Circle of the Supreme realm, showing signs of breaking through to attain the Immortal realm! However, Xu Ying had only deduced the New Dao up to the Supreme realm back then, having yet to deduce the subsequent Immortal realm. Having reached this stage, the Holy Venerable already sensed that another realm lay ahead, but knew not how to cultivate it. The progress of the others was equally remarkable. Newer Supremes such as Wei Xu, Jijue, and Daoist Xiaotian saw their cultivations and Dao attainments multiply several times over! The Holy Venerable was exceedingly close to the Immortal realm. With guidance from Xu Ying, he would likely charge into it in no time. Xu Ying was not entirely devoid of personal considerations; he had intended to withhold the knowledge from the Holy Venerable for the time being, waiting until his own realm caught up before passing down the cultivation method for the Immortal realm. With that in mind, Xu Ying smiled and said, "Well then, today we shall send the Primordial Source core into the Three Realms and allow them to recover!" The crowd stepped back. Zulong smiled and said, "Such a righteous deed should be carried out by Dao Ancestor Xu himself." Xu Ying stood on no ceremony. Striding forward, he mobilized his magic power and slowly lifted the Primordial Source core. Princess Mingman looked at Xu Ying, hesitating. Then she called out loudly, "Master! The Three Realms are themselves a massive Primordial Source! The Chaos Sea cannot invade a Primordial Source—it will be held off by it!" Xu Ying, who was just about to send the core out of the Abyss Sea, froze at her words. Puzzled, he asked, "Chaos cannot invade a Primordial Source? In the Former Court ruins, what held back the Chaos Sea was not those stone steles or the skeleton of the Former Court Grand Dao Lord, but the Three Realms?" Princess Mingman nodded. "It should be so." Xu Ying raised his brows, slowly lowered the Primordial Source, and smiled. "Fellow Daoists, I have comprehended the Immortal realm of the New Dao. Today, in this very place, I shall impart it to you all." Everyone was taken aback. Xu Ying held nothing back, sharing the sudden enlightenment he had attained in the Former Court ruins, including bringing cave abysses into the body and refining the origin soul and physical form internally into a body of the Great Dao. He laid out the Immortal realm in full. The New Dao experts who had cultivated to the Supreme realm lit up with excitement. Previously, they had no idea where their cultivation should go next, but now they finally had a direction! The Holy Venerable in particular trembled with excitement. Xu Ying passing down the New Dao's Immortal realm benefited him above all others! All he needed to do now was refine his flesh and origin soul into a Dao body, and he could prove the Immortal realm! "Holy Venerable, once this Primordial Source core merges into the Three Realms, the universe will expand considerably, but it will also invite a few enemies," Xu Ying said with a smile. "I will have to trouble you for your assistance then." The Holy Venerable bowed. "If Dao Ancestor Xu commands it, how would I dare refuse?" Xu Ying breathed a sigh of relief. Lifting the Primordial Source core, he soared out of the Abyss Sea and appeared in the sky above the Earth Immortal Realm! With both hands, he held the Primordial Source aloft. The Great Dao of the Three Realms within it boiled, bursting forth in radiant streaks of light toward all directions. At once, Dao resonances thundered, echoing through heaven and earth! The Earth Immortal Realm shook with deep rumbles. Spiritual mountains surged up from the earth, spirit springs welled forth, and spiritual rain fell from the heavens. Immortal spiritual qi descended from the void to nourish all living things. Cultivators instantly felt the Heavenly-Earth Great Dao become unimaginably clear, making comprehension effortless! In that moment, their natural aptitudes and perceptions seemed to sharpen tremendously. Techniques they could never master and divine abilities they could never decipher were now grasped at a glance! Across the wilds, the bloodlines of various strange beasts were awakened, and common mortals felt boundless surges of strength welling up within their bodies! As it was in the Earth Immortal Realm, so it was in the Mortal Realm and the Heavenly Immortal Realm! The Three Realms expanded at an astonishing speed, pioneering outward. Beyond immortal spiritual qi, the newly born blessed lands condensed high-grade energies like the Yin-Yang Qi, the Xuanhuang Dual Qi, and the Five Elements Qi, while heavenly materials and earthly treasures formed without pause! In the starry expanse, more star domains came into being, the space widening, growing continuously, boundless and infinite. Many rare domains of the Great Dao formed naturally within the cosmos, creating grand and magnificent celestial Dao sceneries! This was the colossal transformation brought about by the return of the Primordial Source core to the Three Realms. The Abyss Sea was no longer detached from the Three Realms. The Grand Dao Lord's skeleton was incorporated into the universe of the Three Realms, and the ruins of the Former Court era emerged one by one as the Chaos Sea receded. At the same time, even more ruins of the Former Court era entered the universe of the Three Realms alongside the retreat of the Chaos Sea and the expansion of the Three Realms.