The path Dao Master Tongtian walked was to deduce the Nine Daos in reverse, starting from Slaughter. Even after deriving Calamitous Destiny and Nirvanic Extinction, he would not stop. From Calamitous Destiny he would deduce Karma; from Karma, Samsara; and from Samsara, Taiyi. Likewise, from Nirvanic Extinction he would derive Chaos; from Chaos, Primordial Origin; and from Primordial Origin, Wuji.
Xu Ying gazed at Gong Jiexuan, Taiyi, and the others, who were drilling rigorously. His thoughts drifted like wandering catkins, restless and leaving no trace. *The Nine Innate Daos he deduces will certainly be far more profound than mine, for he derived them step by step. My Nine Innate Daos were learned from various cultivation arts; though I have my own insights, I relied on the frameworks of others.*
Xu Ying was lost in thought. Of his Nine Innate Daos, his highest attainments lay in Primordial Origin and Chaos. His Dao of Primordial Origin had reached the great perfection of the Indestructible realm, making it his highest realm. His Dao of Chaos, through comprehending the chaotic folds on the surface of the big bell, had progressed by leaps and bounds in just a few short years, now having attained the peak of the Indestructible realm. It was precisely his meteoric rise in Chaos back then that had drawn the gaze of Chaos beings.
*Yet the Nine Innate Daos are not the entirety of what I hold. I also have the Void Dao, which I have yet to cultivate to the Indestructible realm.*
Xu Ying pondered for a moment. The Void Dao was by no means inferior to the Nine Innate Daos, and perhaps even surpassed them. However, it had never been incorporated into his Martial Dao, making it difficult to sustain the transition from acquired to innate. Furthermore, cultivating the Void Dao to its pinnacle in the Chaos Sea was arduous. If he could integrate it into his Martial Dao and achieve the self-sufficiency of nature, the Void Dao would naturally rise as well, elevating him to the level of a Grand Dao Lord.
The self-sufficiency of nature could be combined with Zhangsun Shenghai's Hongyuan Heaven-Opening to achieve self-sufficiency of nature within his own acquired Hongyuan.
Xu Ying's eyes gradually brightened. He murmured to himself, "My attainments in Primordial Origin and Chaos are the highest, followed by the other Daos, while my Martial Dao is the lowest. But if I use martial arts to open the heavens and evolve my own Hongyuan, keeping that Hongyuan amidst the transformations of Chaos, Primordial Origin, Wuji, Taiyi, Samsara, Karma, Calamitous Destiny, Slaughter, and Nirvanic Extinction, then my attainment in every Dao will rise along with it!"
The more he thought about it, the more excited he grew. This method was superior to either the self-sufficiency of nature or Hongyuan Heaven-Opening alone. It used an acquired Dao to evolve the innate Daos! Previously, using the structureless Martial Dao, he could achieve cyclical alternation among the Nine Innate Daos, but that was not truly evolving the innate from the acquired. Now, taking the self-sufficiency of nature as unity and Hongyuan Heaven-Opening as the inception, he had finally opened a path toward internally proving the Dao heart, just as Dao Master Tongtian had spoken of.
Cen Xi, Yuxi, Gong Jiexuan, and the others were still practicing their coordination. Each raised an innate numinous treasure, striving to bring the combined might of their strikes to the absolute limit. Channeling innate numinous treasures exacted a tremendous toll, and everyone was growing fatigued. Dao Master Yuxi glanced at Xu Ying and frowned. "Xu Ying is being far too presumptuous. Even we Dao Masters are here drilling joint combat methods, yet an Immortal like him just sits there spacing out."
Cen Xi was also rather displeased. It would have been one thing if Xu Ying simply did not practice, but he sat there like a supervising commissioner overseeing their drills.
Dao Master Taiyi spoke up: "You cannot blame Sect Master Xu. Sect Master Xu is responsible for the Dao of Nirvanic Extinction. If he joined our formation, not only would we fail to combine our strikes, but we would also be consumed by his Nirvanic Extinction Dao."
"That makes sense." Everyone nodded in agreement, thinking, *Dongxuan's disciple has keen insight; his reputation is well deserved.*
"Still, why hasn't he refined those two innate numinous treasures?" Cen Xi asked, perplexed.
"Well..." Even Dao Master Taiyi had no answer. Far from refining the treasures, Xu Ying had not even taken them out.
Gong Jiexuan's eyes flickered, and she stepped toward Xu Ying. As she glided forward with lotus steps, her lotus dress parted just enough to reveal two or three inches of the tips of her feet. She was truly graceful and alluring, swaying like a blossom in the wind.
Arriving before Xu Ying, lovely and enchanting, she parted her sandalwood lips and said, "Young Master Xu..."
Before the words had completely left her lips, Xu Ying's face turned ashen. In the blink of an eye, boundless Nirvanic tribulation fire erupted from within his body, burning his physical form clean inside and out in an instant—a sudden, violent death!
Gong Jiexuan was frightened out of her wits, her face draining of color. She hurriedly turned to the others and cried, "It wasn't me! You all saw it! I didn't do anything, and he just died like that!"
Dao Master Taiyi rushed over, only to find that Xu Ying had already been consumed entirely by the Nirvanic Heavenly Fire. The roaring flames coalesced into a collapsing, imploding Hongyuan. Even as a Dao Master, he was intimidated by the terrifying might of the Nirvanic Heavenly Fire and dared not approach.
Cen Xi, Yuxi, Jiang Ning, and the others cried out in shock from afar: "Xu Ying cultivated the Dao of Nirvanic Extinction and burned himself to death!"
Gong Jiexuan was pale as well. She murmured, "No wonder Father said that among the Nine Innate Daos, Nirvanic Extinction is the most perilous. When cultivated to profound realms, one often plunges into extinction and dies."
"Wait." Dao Master Taiyi studied the Nirvanic Hongyuan carefully and breathed a sigh of relief. "Sect Master Xu isn't truly dead."
Yuxi walked over, looking at the Nirvanic Hongyuan that was continuously devouring space-time and evolving. His heart thumped with unease. "Not dead like this? Taiyi, what proof do you have?"
Dao Master Taiyi said, "My disciple carries several remarkable treasures: a great banner that is one of the four innate banners, a lamp called Nirvanic Azure Emptiness, and a lotus pond containing a chaos lotus and a Hongyuan. If he had died, the Nirvanic Heavenly Fire could never have incinerated those treasures, nor could the Nirvanic Hongyuan have obliterated them. Did any of you see those treasures burst out?"
Everyone looked over and saw that no treasures had indeed burst from the Nirvanic Hongyuan.
Dao Master Taiyi continued, "He is an Immortal who is the bodily equal of the Great Dao. Right now, his Dao of Nirvanic Extinction is in full surge; he has likely transformed entirely into the Dao of Nirvanic Extinction. He isn't truly dead..."
Suddenly, the Nirvanic Hongyuan collapsed at rapid speed, as Xu Ying had evidently been incinerated to the very end. When the Hongyuan contracted to its absolute limit, billowing Chaos Qi surged forth. Within that cloud of Chaos, chaotic giant dragons seemed to crisscross and weave, rising and plunging, while the chaos bell tolled resoundingly.
Dao Master Yuxi cultivated the Dao of Chaos. Having attained the Dao through Chaos, his cultivation was incomparably profound and unfathomable. Yet even with his attainments, witnessing the Dao of Chaos evolving within that cloud of Chaos left him visibly moved. *His overall cultivation in the Dao of Chaos is inferior to mine, but certain insights he holds are actually above mine,* he thought.
Before long, that mass of Chaos shifted from the chaotic state into Primordial Origin, the Chaos Qi transforming into purple Primordial Origin Qi.
Gong Jiexuan was already a Grand Dao Lord of Primordial Origin and not far from attaining the Dao in it. With a single glance, she could tell Xu Ying's attainments in Primordial Origin were not far from her own. *Though his cultivation in Primordial Origin is high, he hasn't grasped the transformations of Primordial Origin. He probably hasn't put bitter effort into it.*
Just as the thought crossed her mind, a Ginseng Fruit Tree sprouted from the evolution of Chaos and Primordial Origin. A tender shoot grew into a sapling, the sapling into a small tree, flourishing vigorously. The purple Primordial Origin Qi formed a Hongyuan, and the instant it took shape, Xu Ying shifted from Primordial Origin into Wuji—a boundless, formless, colorless, and signless expanse of primordial haze. In just a brief moment, it evolved into Taiyi, Taichu, Taishi, Taisu, and Taiji. This was a process of Dao devolution, with Wuji being the highest form.
The devolution from Wuji to Taiji was exceptionally swift. As it descended further past Taiji, the Heavenly Daos formed. At this stage, however, the Heavenly Daos existed in a chaotic, unified state, where all Daos mingled together, poised on the verge of dividing but not yet parted.
Taiyi watched intently, thinking, *Xu Ying has achieved much in the Taiyi Dao, yet he still lacks something...*
Just as the thought arose, the Hongyuan abruptly opened. The Hongyuan expanded outward at breakneck speed, washing over them in an instant and engulfing them all.
The Ginseng Fruit Tree was subsumed into the Hongyuan as well, its countless branches and roots thrashing. Under the influence of this Chaos spirit root, the Heavenly Daos in their Taiyi state gradually fell into orderly alignment. Before their eyes, countless stars rapidly coalesced, rushing toward them and whistling past. Space-time expanded, constellations flickered, and the Heavenly Daos formed, intertwining with the Ginseng Fruit Tree. One by one, Dao flowers blossomed on the tree, eventually bearing fruit.
Before long, the fruit tree rooted itself in a supreme heaven. Hanging from its branches were ginseng Dao fruits bearing Xu Ying's likeness. Marveling as they looked around, they saw that the Hongyuan had assumed the shape of a miniature universe. In the starry sky, a lotus pond emanated innate numinous radiance, cradling a smaller Hongyuan, while a big bell tumbled slowly through the cosmos, drifting lazily past them.
Upon seeing the big bell, Dao Master Taiyi suddenly realized what had happened and shouted, "Everyone, we are inside Sect Master Xu's body!"
Startled, the crowd was about to flee when countless Daos suddenly converged. The entire universe twisted and spun, and countless stars formed a torrent. Space-time, Yin and Yang, gods and demons, life and death, the Five Elements, and all other Heavenly Daos condensed into an incomparably brilliant ring. Taiyi, Gong Jiexuan, and the others drifted in the center of this ring. The power of Samsara surged tempestuously, accompanied by deafening rumbles of the Dao. Everyone was seized with shock and uncertainty.
At that moment, the back of a colossal head rose before them, blocking their view ahead of the Samsara ring.
"Watch out, everyone! Karma follows Samsara!" Gong Jiexuan shouted urgently. "Do not get caught in his karma, or escaping will be nearly impossible!"
Before her voice had faded, Samsara set into motion, and countless karmic threads crisscrossed, coalescing within the Samsara ring to form an Eye of Karma. Just as the karmic threads were about to pierce through them, Dao Master Jiang Ning took action. Strands of karmic threads swept up the crowd, carrying everyone out of the Samsara ring before the Eye of Karma fully formed.
The moment they escaped, the Eye of Karma was complete. It was truly an omniscient eye, reflecting every deed they had ever done and every thread of karma they bore. Only after escaping did the crowd breathe a sigh of relief. Looking up, they saw Xu Ying's physical form expanding until it resembled an awe-inspiring Cosmic Primordial Spirit.
Yet in the next breath, the Eye of Karma formed by countless karmic threads began to crumble. Dao Master Haining's eyes flickered, and he said, "The collapse of karma marks the inception of calamitous destiny."
The collapse of karma triggered the collapse of Samsara. Xu Ying's Cosmic Primordial Spirit was dragged into calamitous destiny as well. Letting out a cry of agony, he was pulled into the cosmic Hongyuan. Within the Hongyuan, slaughter tribulations erupted, and Xu Ying was instantly annihilated, sparking a Nirvanic Extinction Tribulation.
Taiyi, Gong Jiexuan, and the others looked at each other in bewilderment. "Can a mortal truly achieve such a feat?"
Dao Master Yuxi looked utterly lost. He was a Dao Master of Chaos, yet evolving Chaos into Primordial Origin was something he was completely powerless to do; all he could do was return all Daos to Chaos. The others were equally pale. Cen Xi knew his Wuji could only achieve the devolution of the Five Tais; evolving further into Taiyi was beyond him, rendering any subsequent transformations impossible.
Jiang Ning was in the same position. His Karma could encompass all Daos, but he could not reverse-engineer Samsara from Karma or evolve Calamitous Destiny. If he attempted to evolve Calamitous Destiny, he would become tainted by the calamity; far from enhancing his cultivation, it would severely damage his foundation, or even kill him outright.
Dao Masters Jing Ning, Haining, and Taiyi faced the same plight. Even though they had become Dao Masters, using their respective Daos as a foundation to evolve the other eight posed insurmountable difficulties. Only Gong Jiexuan showed little surprise at the sight.
After a moment, Dao Master Dongxuan said, "Sect Master Xu seems to have fallen into the cycle of the Nine Daos. Lady Gong, you are well-traveled and knowledgeable; do you know of a remedy?"
Gong Jiexuan shook her head. "I have never witnessed such a situation either... Perhaps only my father has a solution."
Dao Master Dongxuan said, "Then I shall take him to see the Dao Venerable."
Dao Master Taiyi said, "I think we should wait. Sect Master Xu has already achieved the evolution of the Nine Daos. I do not believe he is trapped in their cycle, but rather actively undergoing this evolution to explore the mysteries of the Nine Daos and take another step forward."
Dongxuan swept his gaze over him. "Taiyi, he is my grand-disciple!"
Taiyi retorted, "He is also my disciple, and I understand him better."
Dongxuan gave a cold snort. "He may be your disciple, but have you taught him anything? You haven't taught him half as much as I, his grandmaster, have!"
Taiyi sneered, "I taught him the Taiyi Dao, the self-sufficiency of nature."
Dongxuan scoffed, "Really? How come I don't recall any 'self-sufficiency of nature' in the Taiyi Dao I passed on to you? Where did you pull that from?"
Taiyi's face darkened.
While they spoke, Xu Ying had weathered the Nirvanic Extinction Tribulation and returned to the chaotic state, which then transitioned into Primordial Origin. This time, however, the transformation halted upon reaching the Taiyi state. The Taiyi Qi gathered into a sphere, and from within that mass of Taiyi Qi—where myriad Daos melded in primordial unity—a figure emerged. The moment he stepped out of the Taiyi state, the Taiyi Qi merged entirely into his body, and Xu Ying reappeared before everyone.
Seeing that he was not trapped in the cycle of the Nine Daos, Dongxuan was finally relieved. Xu Ying had his Martial Dao to unite the Nine Innate Daos, so he would not succumb to their endless loop.
Xu Ying frowned, lost in thought. Dongxuan stepped forward and asked, "Sect Master Xu, you seem troubled. Why not share it? Perhaps I can help you find an answer."
Xu Ying said, "Just now, when I opened the heavens of the Hongyuan, I saw that the Daos within my body still numbered only three thousand, with no increase. That is why I am pondering where the problem lies."
Dongxuan considered it and realized he could not answer. He rose and walked away, murmuring to Taiyi as he passed, "Mad disciple, go answer your own student's question."
Dao Master Taiyi did not budge in the slightest. He said flatly, "If my disciple cannot figure it out, naturally I can figure it out even less..."
Gong Jiexuan stepped forward and smiled. "Congratulations, Fellow Daoist Xu, on mastering the evolution of the Nine Daos. I cultivate the Dao of Primordial Origin and use it as my entry point, attempting to deduce Chaos in reverse and progress toward Wuji after attaining the Dao in Primordial Origin. Yet due to my limited cultivation, I have yet to make any progress."
Xu Ying's heart stirred upon hearing this. He asked, "Lady Gong, your evolution of the Nine Daos was learned from your esteemed father. May I ask how far the Dao Venerable has progressed with the Nine Daos?"
"His Dao methods are profound and subtle; he achieved the cyclical evolution long ago," Gong Jiexuan said with a smile.
Xu Ying frowned slightly. "No, that cannot be right. If the Dao Venerable had truly achieved the cyclical evolution of the Nine Daos, he would form his own realm and be a universe unto himself. How could his Hongyuan be affected by the Great Dao tide? Of the Nine Daos, there is certainly one he has not perfected!"
Chapter 851