In Sansheng's eyes, those two traces—one of Wufa, one of Jing—represented absolute theorems and laws.
These were also the paths of those two powerhouses beyond Yang Five.
With a contemplative look in his eyes, he continued to delve deeper into their paths.
As for the other Yang Five powerhouses, their gazes were focused, seemingly immersed in comprehension.
They, too, were attempting to understand and fathom the paths within those traces.
Just then, a dazzling, multicolored radiance fell upon Sansheng.
This light was utterly ordinary, not even as intense as a Flash technique cast by a Foundation Establishment cultivator.
Yet all the remaining Yang Five powerhouses present turned to look at Sansheng at that moment, delight and envy showing in their eyes.
"What is this?"
"The traces are stirring!"
"Could it be that Sansheng has gained enlightenment?"
"As expected, he is the most likely among us to step beyond Yang Five."
These ancient Yang Five monsters, who had lived for untold eons, were still thrilled in their hearts.
At this time, a mechanical voice resonated from within that light.
"My name is Wufa. Are you willing to walk my path?"
The voice was mechanical, seemingly extending an invitation to Sansheng.
Hearing this, the surrounding Yang Five experts all revealed excited expressions.
Beyond Yang Five lay an unfathomable mystery, but certain rumors had circulated.
To step into the Yang Six realm, one had to either forge one's own path, or... walk the path of another Yang Six powerhouse.
Walking the same path carried no distinction of superior or inferior.
This Yang Six powerhouse named Wufa was inviting Sansheng, which meant a willingness to share his path.
Which of these ancient Yang Five monsters would not envy him, would not be thrilled?
If Sansheng agreed, he could step into Yang Six in an instant.
Yet something that caught everyone off guard occurred.
"Wufa, conservation—your path is not my Dao."
Sansheng refused.
He had already seen Wufa's path clearly.
This path might be suited for Blue Star.
Wait, what was Blue Star?
Regardless, the path of Wufa emphasized severing heaven and earth, leaving the mortal world completely devoid of the extraordinary.
In other words, without extraordinary factors, all beings in the world would be ordinary mortals.
Without the existence of the extraordinary, it also meant that Dao techniques of immense destructive power would cease to exist.
True spirits could never truly be erased, nor could matter be completely annihilated.
Therefore... conservation?
Such a path was not what Sansheng sought.
If everyone in the world were ordinary mortals, then even if Returning to Nothingness could not affect oneself, such a path would still be as useless as a chicken rib—bland and worthless.
Sansheng's refusal shocked every Yang Five expert present.
After all, he had actually rejected a path to Yang Six.
Some ancient Yang Five monsters wished they could beat their chests and stomp their feet, agreeing on Sansheng's behalf.
Regrettably, they did not qualify, and could only lament for Sansheng.
Others rejoiced secretly in their hearts: now that Sansheng had missed this path, would he ever have another chance to step beyond Yang Five?
Just then, suddenly, several more beams of light fell upon Sansheng.
Profound, unfathomable voices like immortal music rang out.
None of these Yang Five experts could hear them clearly.
Yet they understood that these other Yang Six powerhouses were also inviting Sansheng to share their paths.
"To think..."
"Can the disparity in talent between living beings truly be this vast?"
"Which one will he choose?"
Among those who could come to Mount Origin, which of them was not a true prodigy? No, prodigy could hardly describe them—they were peerless powerhouses.
Yet before Sansheng, they seemed utterly dull-witted.
Most watched Sansheng, fixed on his choice.
After all, at this moment, the traces were fluctuating, making it temporarily impossible to comprehend them.
"None of your paths suit me," Sansheng refused again, without the slightest hesitation.
As these words were spoken, the faces of all present shifted slightly.
"How many did he reject?"
"Don't tell me he rejected all of them?"
Though there were only a few beams of light, they could not count how many there were.
Judging by the situation, however, every entity that extended an invitation had been turned down by Sansheng.
The remaining ancient Yang Five monsters felt conflicted and bitter.
What they scrambled for, Sansheng treated like dirt.
They sighed in wonder.
For Sansheng to reject so many paths, he clearly possessed immense pride and ambition.
They, too, possessed ambition.
Yet had it been them, they definitely would not have refused the invitations.
No matter what, stepping into Yang Six came first.
With Sansheng's rejection, the traces atop Mount Origin once again fell silent.
Seeing this, these powerhouses could not help but feel pity for Sansheng, while also nursing a glimmer of secret delight.
Now that those Yang Six powerhouses had been rejected by Sansheng, would they choose them instead?
Regrettably, those Yang Six powerhouses were neither players casting wide nets nor in the habit of keeping backup admirers; they lapsed into total silence.
Seeing this, the others held their own thoughts and once more immersed themselves in comprehension.
Sansheng did the same.
Yet at this moment, a peculiar transformation was occurring across his body.
His consciousness paused at this exact instant.
"Is that you... Jing?"
Sansheng spoke, curiosity in his eyes.
Before him, there seemed to be a circle in infinite cycle.
This circle resembled a point, a sphere, and a shape of even higher dimensions.
When seeing the traces of Wufa and the other Yang Six existences, he had felt no curiosity, yet regarding Jing alone, he was intrigued.
"So-called Jing—Stillness—is the cessation of all things, or perhaps time stop," Sansheng murmured.
Stopping time once was as simple as could be.
A single Yang Five powerhouse was sufficient to halt the flow of time across an entire universe.
Yet the time stop pursued by Jing encompassed all things, all living beings, Mount Origin, Yang Six, and even Returning to Nothingness.
When all known, unknown, unknowable, and non-knowable regions, or utter nothingness itself, were frozen in time, that was Stillness.
"Your path is Stillness; therefore, you no longer exist," Sansheng said.
Before stilling others, one must still oneself.
Thus, this state of Stillness was rather peculiar.
"You speak truly. The Dao of Jing... is the true Great Dao. When all things are stilled, all beings survive."
The Dao of Stillness was also a Dao of time.
However, it stood a tier above the Dao of time.
"Even I, lost between motion and stillness, between the present, past, and future, cannot truly comprehend the Dao of Stillness.
"Therefore... I called you here."
That motionless, peculiar form spoke.
"Called me here?" Confusion showed in Sansheng's eyes.
This "calling" surely did not refer to the present.
"I observed the origin and observed the future, existing in the past, present, and future. At the final instant of 'Stillness,' I pulled a sliver of hope into this realm," Jing spoke.
The Dao of "Stillness" was far too difficult, and Jing possessed a grand vow: for all things to be stilled, which naturally included stilling other powerhouses of the same rank.
Hence, his path was strewn with thorns, forever just a step away from success.
In that very last instant, using all his Dao arts, divine abilities, and accumulated foundations across boundless worlds, he pulled over a hope.
That hope was Sansheng.
One could say that Sansheng's very birth was the result of being pulled over by "Jing."
"Your talent is formidable. You qualify to become the true 'Stillness,'" It spoke.
Stillness was eternity.
Stillness was everlasting.
Stillness was sufficient to withstand Returning to Nothingness.
Stillness reigned supreme.
Stillness was omniscience and omnipotence.
It seemed to see Sansheng inheriting Its mantle, attaining Stillness.
All things would be stilled while he remained unstilled.
Stillness and non-stillness would hinge entirely upon a single thought.
Truly, all living beings and all things across the realms would be in his grasp.
"I am sorry, but my path is not Stillness," Sansheng shook his head.
"Jing" showed no surprise. "I believe that after walking through endless eons of time, you will ultimately choose 'Stillness.'"
As the voice faded, the so-called "Jing" vanished, and a jade slip appeared in Sansheng's hand.
"Such potent power of time, and... Stillness," Sansheng murmured.
"This somewhat resembles a game jade slip. Does 'Jing' hope that through this object, I will truly comprehend time, comprehend the so-called motion and stillness?"
Sansheng spoke to himself.
In this game jade slip, time was in chaotic frenzy.
Through the game jade slip, he could traverse realms and disrupt time.
Past, present, and future were all thrown into disorder.
"Alas, this is not my path.
"My path... is Samsara!"
Sansheng said.
This game jade slip could be considered a supreme treasure, one that would tempt even Yang Six powerhouses.
Yet Sansheng paid it no mind.
His talent, his wisdom, his brilliant mind—those were the true supreme treasures.
"It seems I must devise a plan to walk the path of Samsara,"
Sansheng said softly.
...
The period of comprehension atop Mount Origin soon came to an end.
Many powerhouses departed disheartened, while some gained insights, seemingly attaining a deeper understanding of the Yang Five Dao.
"How did Sansheng fare? Did he step beyond Yang Five?" At this moment, an elder spoke, his face filled with anxiety.
The young man looked displeased. "Sansheng hasn't even come out yet. What's the rush? Even if Sansheng gained insights, stepping into Yang Six is not something that happens overnight."
The other ancient Yang Five monsters said nothing more.
They were all of Sansheng's lineage, so naturally they hoped Sansheng could step into Yang Six.
Then their lineage could truly... remain eternal and unchanging.
"What? Sansheng rejected a path to Yang Six?"
"And not just one!"
"He rejected every single one of them!"
Hearing this, the experts of this lineage were appalled.
Even the young man was somewhat astonished.
Yet a look of awe appeared on his face. "As expected of Big Brother Sansheng, walking his own Dao to enter Yang Six."
Awe appeared on the faces of the others as well.
After all, had it been them, they likely would have chosen the paths of those Yang Six powerhouses.
Naturally, some stomped their feet and beat their chests in deep regret.
After all, Sansheng had been so close to becoming a Yang Six entity.
And their entire lineage would have soared to the heavens on his coattails.
When Sansheng returned, these experts said little; toward Sansheng, they mostly offered encouragement or reverence.
Though they still bore wounds sustained while escorting Sansheng to Mount Origin,
none complained.
Only...
as untold years went by, whispers of idle gossip finally began to circulate.
"Returning to Nothingness has begun again. Even though we tried our utmost to stop it, yet another universe has sunk into oblivion!"
"Even the constructed Great Wall of the Dharma Immortal Throne cannot block Returning to Nothingness."
"Short of Yang Six, who can withstand Returning to Nothingness?"
"Alas, had Sansheng stepped into Yang Six, how could our lineage be so utterly helpless in the face of Returning to Nothingness?"
"We can only wait for Sansheng... to step into Yang Six."
"Yet who knows how long that will take?"
"Could it be... that he won't be able to enter it?"
"Cease such talk!"
Elsewhere, inside a cave abode.
Sansheng opened his eyes, his gaze profound.
"The plan is finally formulated.
"So-called Samsara must take the Yin Realm, the Rebirth Realm, and the Yang Realm as its nodes.
The first step of the plan: I shall enter the Rebirth Realm and forge Samsara.
Birth in Yin and death in Yang, birth in Yang and death in Yin—all shall enter Samsara."
His idea was simple:
forge the Rebirth Realm into Samsara.
Of course, this was exceedingly difficult.
After all, he was a creature of the Yang Realm; stepping into the Rebirth Realm, he would face suppression.
"The second step of the plan: understand all living beings across the Yin Realm, Yang Realm, and Rebirth Realm."
The essence of Returning to Nothingness was identical to strong beings hunting the weak and stripping them of their right to survive.
All manner of Dao arts that obliterated true spirits and thoroughly destroyed matter were things he needed to understand and master; only then could he truly reincarnate those whose true spirits had been extinguished into Samsara.
Therefore, he needed to establish orthodoxies and understand all living beings.
"The third step of the plan: Samsara is accomplished,"
Sansheng murmured.
Just then, a voice rang out from the game jade slip:
"The Samsara you pursue is quite interesting, not inferior to 'Stillness.' However, can you truly succeed?
Walking the Dao of 'Stillness,' backed by the foundation accumulated by 'Stillness,' you would have a ninety-percent certainty of success."
Sansheng furrowed his brow.
"You lack sentience, yet you act like a system.
"Being able to talk... isn't that a bit toxic?"
With a wave of his sleeve, the game jade slip was silenced completely.
Sansheng's eyes turned deep and distant.
"Can I truly... be known by the world as Samsara?"
He felt immense pressure.
He also saw the elders of his lineage filled with expectations for him; he saw countless living beings perish within Returning to Nothingness.
What he sought also required understanding the essence of all Yang Six entities.
That meant making enemies of them.
"A backup plan: if Samsara cannot be achieved, then... Cycle."
If Samsara failed, he would achieve the Dao through Cycle to resist Returning to Nothingness.
Chapter 620