Records of Hongyuan's Inverted Verification of the Great Dao

Xu Ying's current cultivation technique was no longer suited to the name Martial Ultimate Dao Verification. His technique had long surpassed the concept of martial arts, reaching the realm where the acquired governs the innate. Without him even realizing it, whenever he circulated his cultivation technique, it was as if an immense Hongyuan were concealed within his body, erupting in tandem with his every movement. More crucially, although he had yet to attain the Dao and become a Dao Master, the unconstructed state of his Acquired Dao granted him certain attributes of a Dao Master! The words "Martial Ultimate Dao Verification" were entirely incapable of capturing such a technique. Seeing that he had pricked Xu Ying where it hurt, Zhuo Daochun felt immensely gratified. Smiling, he said, "If it is inconvenient for Dao Ancestor Xu to say, then there is no need to speak of it. Farewell." Xu Ying stammered, "F-farewell..." His voice lacked its usual vigor. Zhuo Daochun waved and drifted away, thinking to himself, *His previous technique was called Martial Ultimate Dao Verification, and he probably didn't come up with that name himself either. Now that I've asked him what his technique is called, he's bound to rack his brains over it. He won't have a moment of peace on his journey. In this way, I've bested him!* Swelling with self-satisfaction, any lingering dejection from being terrified by Xu Ying's technique vanished into thin air. Xu Ying activated the spacetime samsara and walked toward the other shore, muttering inwardly, *Since the name Martial Ultimate Dao Verification is no longer fitting, I'll change it to... Innate Tenfold Hongyuan Technique? I'm currently cultivating the Nine Innate Daos plus the Martial Dao, and I cultivate Hongyuan on top of that, so how about calling it Martial... no, that won't work. Besides, I've now cultivated an additional Innate Great Dao, so would I have to call it the Elevenfold Hongyuan Technique?* Across the starry cosmos, the halo of samsara drifted past, accompanied from time to time by an agonized cry: "How about calling it Martial Dao Innate Technique? "No, no good. People would think I'm some brutish musclehead who only knows martial arts. "I know! Let's call it Hongyuan Dao Verification. "That doesn't sound very distinctive. Zhangsun Shenghai's technique would be better suited to being called Hongyuan Dao Verification... "Tenfold Great Dao Scripture? Martial Dao Innate Ultimate Grand Canon? Great Martial Ultimate Dao Verification Scripture? Inverted Innate Inner Verification Scripture? "Argh... I can't think of anything!" Xu Ying returned to She'an Palace in Daoji Heaven. Grand Dao Lord Taiyi had already returned to the palace. Seeing Xu Ying's furrowed brow, Taiyi asked him the reason, and Xu Ying poured out his troubles. Grand Dao Lord Taiyi remarked, "What is so difficult about that? Regardless of how many Daos you cultivate, the path you walk is one of using the acquired to invert and master the innate. The Martial Dao is merely another name for the acquired. Why not simply call it *Records of Hongyuan's Inverted Verification of the Great Dao*?" Xu Ying hesitated. "That's quite a mouthful. Could it be shorter?" Taiyi replied, "Then keep calling it Martial Ultimate Dao Verification." After a moment's hesitation, Xu Ying said, "I'll follow Master's suggestion. Let's call it Hongyuan's Inverted Verification. "Master, have you escorted Dao Master Hua back to Qionghua Island? Are his injuries severe?" Taiyi answered, "I'm afraid his wounds will be difficult to heal in the short term. The Tianjing Dao Venerable was our teacher; we all attended his lectures and sermons back in the day. He understands Dao Master Hua's cultivated Daos intimately, and when he struck, he targeted Hua's weaknesses. However, if Dao Master Hua manages to recover this time, his Dao attainment is bound to take another step forward." Once a cultivator reached the Dao Master realm, strength was no longer measured by mere cultivation base, but by Dao attainment. The higher one's Dao attainment, the greater one's power. Xu Ying said, "Master went to rescue Dao Master Hua, but instead of being grateful, he will hold a grudge against you. Could Master take this opportunity to attain the Dao Master realm in one stroke? That way, you wouldn't need to fear him launching an ambush while you verify your Dao." Grand Dao Lord Taiyi shook his head. "Attaining the Dao is easier said than done. What I need is not Dao Master Hua's Falling Petals Divine Axe, but for you to attain the Dao first and achieve immortality. The Falling Petals Divine Axe won't bring me much gain, but your Hongyuan's Inverted Verification will offer me tremendous enlightenment." He sighed and continued, "In the coming calamitous destiny, if I fail to verify the Dao Master realm, and if the Taiyi Dao Sect cannot secure a place within it, we could be erased as sacrificial offerings at any moment." Xu Ying said resolutely, "Rest assured, Master. I will certainly attain immortality within three thousand years. By hook or by crook, I will help you become Dao Master Taiyi!" Not long after, Grand Dao Lord Taiyi issued an order commanding all disciples of the Taiyi Dao Sect to descend the mountain, depart from She'an Palace in Daoji Heaven, and spread across the lower realms to establish sects, branch out, and seek their own chances for breakthrough. Dao Lord Jiuseng was also ordered by Taiyi to leave the mountain. He came to find Xu Ying and asked, "Master has even driven me out. Could some monumental event be approaching?" Xu Ying answered, "Master is preparing for the calamitous destiny three thousand years from now. By sending you all out at this moment, he wants you to become accustomed to brutal competition, search for opportunities, and make further breakthroughs. If you can spread your teachings across the other shore, then after the great catastrophe has passed, perhaps a few inheritors of the Grand Dao of Taiyi will survive." Hearing this, Jiuseng remarked, "Master lacks the confidence to survive the tribulation." Xu Ying nodded gently. "Beneath the Dao Masters, all are ants." He gazed out at Daoji Heaven. Daoji Heaven was strictly hierarchical: Immortals, True Kings, Dao Lords, and Grand Dao Lords each resided in different tiers, while the dwellings of the Dao Masters were beyond the sight of the mortal eye. These Immortals, True Kings, Dao Lords, and Grand Dao Lords possessed countless disciples and followers. Yet when the future calamitous destiny arrived, they would likely become nothing more than wandering ghosts of the catastrophe! Even Grand Dao Lords would find it hard enough to preserve themselves. Jiuseng asked, "Junior Brother Xu, what about you? Will you remain here?" Xu Ying shook his head. "I must travel abroad. Before this calamitous destiny descends, I must attain immortality." If he did not achieve immortality, he would be unable to raise his strength to the level of a Grand Dao Lord, and thus unable to aid Grand Dao Lord Taiyi in making a breakthrough. For Taiyi to break through and become a Dao Master was unimaginably difficult, but Xu Ying's own journey to achieve immortality was just as arduous. He had yet to verify Wuji and Calamitous Destiny, and he lacked even the slightest clue regarding the Great Dao of Nirvana. Within these three thousand years, he had to cultivate all three—Wuji, Calamitous Destiny, and Nirvana—to the Immortal realm! Grand Dao Lord Taiyi's disbanding of his Dao sect caused quite a stir in Daoji Heaven. Everyone buzzed with discussion, guessing at the reasons behind his actions. Meanwhile, in Biyou Palace, Dao Master Tongtian said in surprise, "Taiyi is remarkably clever. It seems Fellow Daoist Xu informed him of the calamitous destiny three thousand years from now, prompting him to make early preparations. Shenghai, leave Biyou Palace and go temper yourself. Do not return until you reach the Immortal realm." Zhangsun Shenghai bowed. "How should this disciple establish himself during this journey?" "Establish yourself as a disciple of Biyou Palace. With the calamitous destiny faintly surfacing, slaughter and warfare will soon arise. You are my disciple; I grant you permission to establish yourself through slaughter." Receiving his orders, Zhangsun Shenghai departed for Hushan Pavilion. In Ganquan Palace, Dao Master Lin, Lin Chuanting, was also greatly surprised upon hearing of Taiyi disbanding his sect. "Taiyi is no ordinary figure. I underestimated him before. To think he realized how ferocious the coming calamitous destiny will be and has already made thorough preparations!" He summoned his disciples. Though few in number—barely more than a dozen—all were supreme experts among experts. Lu Yiren served as his attendant boy, while the others were all Dao Lords. Dao Master Lin instructed, "The calamitous destiny is stirring, and slaughter is about to erupt. You may depart Daoji Heaven and descend to the lower realms to meet the tribulation." Lu Yiren and the others bowed to receive the order. Dao Lord Puzhan asked, "Venerable Sire, how should we meet the tribulation?" "Halt calamity through slaughter. This is the way to meet the tribulation. Go." The disciples thereupon descended to the lower realms. On Mount Jiuqiu, Dao Master Luo also summoned all his disciples and gave them similar instructions, saying, "In facing this tribulation, everyone across the other shore—from Grand Dao Lords down to common mortals—is swept up in the calamitous destiny. The scale of this catastrophe is so vast that even the four of us Dao Masters cannot easily withstand it. You are all trapped within this killing tribulation; you must each fight for your own chance of survival." The assembly bowed to receive the order and departed. On Qionghua Island, Dao Master Hua likewise commanded his disciples to prepare themselves and descend to meet the tribulation. He said, "Waiting three thousand years before initiating the killing tribulation will likely be too late. Unleashing it now still leaves a chance of survival. Once you descend, fight across the waters for your own survival. If your lives are in peril, burn incense and call upon me, and I shall come to your aid." Li Xiao and the others voiced their agreement and departed for the lower realms. Taiyi's actions had not caused much alarm, but the four Dao Masters scattering their disciples sent chills down the spines of the Immortals in Daoji Heaven, who scrambled to inquire into the reasons. Before long, news of the calamitous destiny spread, and from that moment on, everyone in Daoji Heaven knew that those beneath the Dao Masters would have to face a killing tribulation. Panic seized everyone's hearts, and many immediately descended to the lower realms to meet the slaughter. Xu Ying arrived at the ferry of the Chaos Sea and addressed the commanding officer stationed there: "I have been ordered by Dao Master Hua to venture out to sea and proceed to the Jade Realm." With that, he produced a sheet of white paper. The officer inspected the paper and remarked, "It is indeed Dao Master Hua's handwritten decree. Please wait a moment, Venerable One." He immediately checked the coordinates of the Jade Realm within the Chaos Sea and retrieved the records concerning it. "Venerable One, the Jade Realm is an abandoned land and has long been strictly forbidden to enter. Why do you wish to go there?" Xu Ying's expression darkened. "Prying into Dao Master Hua's affairs is not your place." The officer took fright and hurriedly agreed, swiftly fetching an emerald rock multi-decked vessel and setting its heading for the Jade Realm. Refusing any scouts, Xu Ying boarded the vessel, activated his Eye of Karma, and erased the karma connecting him to the officer. The officer's vision blurred, and he forgot everything that had just transpired. The emerald rock multi-decked vessel set sail into the Chaos Sea. Sitting on deck, Xu Ying released the big bell and let Grandpa Bell steer the ship. Meanwhile, he summoned the Chaos Lotus and Hongyuan, focusing his mind on comprehending Hongyuan and investigating the Great Dao of Wuji. Having received guidance from the Tianjing Dao Venerable, he had gained fresh insights into the Great Dao of Wuji; comparing them against the Chaos Lotus and Hongyuan, he was no longer very far from the Immortal realm. The distance to the Jade Realm was vast, and the vessel drifted through the Chaos Sea for over a decade before finally arriving. The big bell piloted the ship out of the Chaos Sea, docking beneath a bell-gong tree, and said, "Ah Ying, we have reached the Jade Realm." Xu Ying did not respond. Looking closer, the big bell saw that Xu Ying had entered an epiphany of Wuji at some unknown point, so it refrained from waking him. Another half year passed before Xu Ying finally awoke from his state of comprehension. The big bell asked, "Has your Great Dao of Wuji attained the Immortal realm?" Xu Ying shook his head. "The Great Dao of Wuji is exceedingly difficult to refine. Achieving immortality will still take some time. Have we arrived at the Jade Realm?" He came to the prow, standing beneath the tree, and looked out over the Jade Realm. He saw that the starry cosmos of the Jade Realm lay in ruin and decay, riddled with countless holes. Those breaches connected directly to the Chaos Sea, through which torrents of chaotic qi cascaded downward like massive waterfalls, their roar earthshaking. Xu Ying steered the vessel deeper into this devastated universe. In this universe, he could not detect the slightest breath of the Daos of Heaven and Earth, as though the Daos had already gone extinct. The only Daos he could sense were Calamitous Destiny and Slaughter. These two Daos remained exceptionally powerful, showing no signs of decline as they ran rampant across this dilapidated universe. The vessel sailed past massive, dead planets. Waterfalls of chaotic qi plunged into one of the worlds, punching straight through it, causing the celestial body's matter to continuously collapse and fall into chaos. Such terrifying scenes could be seen everywhere! It was as if this universe's Hongyuan had been punctured by the Chaos Sea, peppered with holes like a hornet's nest, pouring out chaotic qi. "Ah Ying, I think we'd better leave this place as soon as possible!" The big bell was terrified. "The space in this universe is extremely unstable, and the Dao of Space has probably been reduced to nothing! If Hongyuan fails to hold up and collapses, the Chaos Sea will immediately flood and swallow this entire place, reducing everything to chaos! When that happens, it will be too late to escape!" Xu Ying hesitated. From the void came bursts of creaking and groaning—oppressive, harsh, and grating—as if it could no longer bear the immense weight of the Chaos Sea. This universe was indeed struggling to hold together. Calamitous Destiny and Slaughter lingered here, both aimed directly at the Jade Realm universe itself. An epiphany suddenly dawned upon him. Li Xiao had been grateful for his pointers regarding the Dao of Calamitous Destiny, and she had told him that it would be best for him to visit the Jade Realm and the Emperor Realm. That was the reason for his current journey. The scene before him was precisely the state of the Jade Realm on the eve of nirvanic extinction. *Li Xiao must have known that the other shore's previous two calamitous destinies were shifted onto the Jade Realm and the Emperor Realm, which is why she suggested I come to these two worlds,* Xu Ying thought. "Ah Ying, we can't go any deeper!" The big bell looked around, trembling violently, yet desperately suppressing its shakes for fear of shattering the starry sky. The firmament here was as fragile as paper; the mere passage of their vessel threatened to crush the cosmos, filling it with dread. Xu Ying hesitated briefly, halted the vessel, and sat down at the prow, quietly comprehending the Great Dao of Calamitous Destiny. "Xu Ying, have you lost your mind?" the big bell whispered frantically. "We'd better leave right now!" A sudden roar echoed in the distance as another stretch of spacetime was crushed by the chaos, causing chaotic qi to pour down like a reversed celestial river. "It's far too dangerous here!" Just as the big bell prepared to persuade the Chaos Lotus to join forces with it and suppress Xu Ying, it saw the Chaos Lotus suddenly begin absorbing the surrounding chaotic qi, clearly intent on siphoning the Jade Realm's chaotic qi to nurture itself and sustain Hongyuan. "Another reckless fool who values power over life!" the big bell fumed. Xu Ying and the Chaos Lotus each pursued their own gains, while the big bell remained terrified, constantly fearing that the Jade Realm might collapse at any second. Yet over a decade passed, and their surrounding Jade Realm remained intact. When Xu Ying finally awoke and circulated Calamitous Destiny, he found he was still slightly short of the Immortal realm. Shaking his head, he said, "The Jade Realm still isn't enough. It remains too far from nirvanic extinction, making it difficult to attain immortality in the short term. Let's go to the Emperor Realm!"