When the spiritual qi in the heavens subsided and a powerful pressure swept across the peak, everyone in Xuandong Mountain knew that Huang Tian had successfully broken through. Envy and exhilaration shone upon every face.
"Just as Master predicted, Junior Brother Huang has broken through a step ahead of me," Xiao Chong remarked wistfully outside Tianyu Peak.
Eldest Senior Brother Chen Guangsu said with a smile, "You aren't far behind, are you? Seeing your aura fluctuating like that, it's a clear sign of an imminent breakthrough."
Xiao Chong gave a hearty laugh. "Senior Brother has sharp eyes. I reached perfection in the Yang Spirit realm twenty years ago, and only in recent months did I finally sense that bottleneck. Now all that remains is to compose my mind and enter seclusion to push for the breakthrough!"
"Good! Wonderful! If you succeed, our Xuandong Mountain will possess four Great Ascension cultivators, and our standing will rise to new heights," Chen Guangsu said, clapping his hands and laughing.
"Standing and renown are beside the point. As long as all of you make progress in your cultivation, I will have no regrets in my heart," a clear, gentle voice suddenly drifted over.
"Greetings, Master!" Chen Guangsu and Xiao Chong said hastily.
A pure breeze swept past, and the gaunt-faced Master Yuyang materialized before the two. Stroking his beard, he said, "Xiao Chong, do you have enough pills for your breakthrough? If not, go draw some from the sect treasury."
Xiao Chong replied at once, "I have enough. Five years ago, you bestowed upon me two Calming Mind and Nourishing Spirit Pills, which are perfectly suited for breaking through the barrier."
"As long as you have enough, that is well." Master Yuyang nodded. "Devote yourself to your cultivation. Do not dwell on bringing glory and renown to Xuandong Mountain; such things are meaningless. All fame is merely external. A cultivator should not be gladdened by material gain, nor saddened by personal loss."
Chen Guangsu and Xiao Chong answered solemnly, "We understand, Master!"
*Whoosh!*
From the grand hall of Tianyu Peak, a figure shot into the sky like a streak of flowing light. It was none other than Huang Tian, having just completed his breakthrough. Wearing a faint smile, he bowed in greeting to his master and senior brothers. "Master, Eldest Senior Brother, Second Senior Brother."
Chen Guangsu and Xiao Chong returned the courtesy, while Master Yuyang stroked his beard in satisfaction. "Your spirit is whole, your qi abundant, and your dharmic power consolidated. Excellent! Once you reach perfection in the Great Ascension realm, you may begin trying to sense the Dao rhymes and condense your Dao Seed."
Huang Tian nodded.
"By the way, once you achieve Great Ascension perfection, you might consider joining a major faction."
Master Yuyang added, "Though you are my disciples, I place no restriction on you joining other great factions. After all, my cultivation is limited; I can no longer offer you much guidance, nor can I provide many precious cultivation resources.
"Therefore, if you wish to attain True Immortal, there is little help I can give. But if you can join a major faction like the Heavenly Court or the Daoist sects, your hopes of breaking through will undoubtedly be greater.
"In my early years, when I stepped into Great Ascension, someone invited me to join the Nanzhan Daoist Sect. But back then, I was arrogant, believing I could attain True Immortal on my own without leaning on others, nor was I willing to be bound by their rules. So, I turned it down.
"Later, I failed the immortal tribulation and became a loose immortal. When I wanted to enter the Daoist sect again, it had become far harder—not that gaining entry was impossible, but rather that the favorable treatment was gone.
"Moreover, I worried others would mock me, saying I only turned to the Daoist sect when driven into a corner. Thus, I abandoned the thought of rejoining them, languishing in despondence for many years. Later on, after pulling myself together and passing several loose immortal tribulations, I grew far calmer and came to understand my own heart. Only then did I establish Xuandong Mountain to become an unorthodox sect founder.
"You need not be as stubborn as I was back then. You can certainly consider joining a major faction to pave the path toward attaining immortality."
Huang Tian pondered for a moment before replying, "For now, this disciple has no plans to join other factions."
Joining a major faction certainly offered many benefits, including opportunities to obtain cultivation methods, divine abilities, spirit pills, and dharma treasures.
However, there was no hurry.
A Great Ascension cultivation base was still relatively low. Joining now would subject him to too many constraints, leaving him at the beck and call of others, and in the short term, he was unlikely to receive guidance on condensing a Dao Seed—and by 'short term,' he meant several decades or even a century.
Several decades or a century might be negligible to an ordinary Great Ascension cultivator, but to Huang Tian, it was an exceedingly long time.
Counting from the day his supernatural ability awakened, he had traversed the late Han world, the Five Directions Realm, the Nightmare World, and the Earth Immortal Realm. The first three worlds combined had taken a few years, which translated to a mere nine months in Blue Star time.
Meanwhile, the time ratio between Blue Star and the Earth Immortal Realm was one to two. He had cultivated in the Earth Immortal Realm for less than a year so far. Even counting it as a full year, only six months had passed on Blue Star.
In total, that was merely one year and three months.
Weighing one year and three months against decades or centuries, Huang Tian naturally felt no rush to join a major faction.
If he were truly to join one, he would only consider it after becoming a True Immortal. Once an immortal, one's status changed completely. In any faction, a True Immortal held significant weight and autonomy, far superior to a Great Ascension cultivator.
More importantly, if he could attain immortality with a Great Dao Seed and combine it with great divine abilities, he would be invincible among True Immortals. Even a Heavenly Immortal might not surpass him. In an instant, he would become part of the tiny stratum of the world's highest combat power. How could that not be vastly more liberating than joining as a Great Ascension cultivator to be driven around like a servant while constantly guarding against others' schemes?
Master Yuyang fell silent upon hearing this. He had guessed something of Huang Tian's thoughts; they were virtually identical to his own in his youth. The only difference was that he had lacked Huang Tian's extraordinary talent and comprehension, which was why he had ultimately failed to attain immortality.
He said slowly, "Since your mind is set, I will not urge you further. After all, even without relying on any faction, your chances of attaining True Immortal are very high. If you join other factions after becoming a True Immortal, things will undoubtedly be far more comfortable."
At this point, he habitually asked, "Do you still have enough pills on hand?"
"Enough to support my cultivation to Great Ascension perfection," Huang Tian answered.
"That is good, that is good."
"Master, this disciple will return to cultivating."
"Go on, then."
Huang Tian bowed to the three of them, then flew back to Tianyu Peak to resume his secluded cultivation.
Xiao Chong sighed with emotion. "Junior Brother is so gifted, yet he works so hard. He truly leaves one far behind in the dust."
"As long as Huang Tian chooses a suitable and not overly difficult Dao Seed, becoming a True Immortal is virtually guaranteed. You need not compare yourselves to him; it will only dampen your confidence." Master Yuyang turned to Chen Guangsu. "In fact, Guangsu, you could also consider joining a faction. There is no need to stay in Xuandong Mountain keeping an old codger like me company."
Chen Guangsu smiled and said, "I choose not to join other factions simply because I dislike being restricted. Staying in the mountain, I am the eldest senior brother, free and unfettered."
Master Yuyang let out a soft sigh.
How could he not understand Chen Guangsu's true thoughts? His eldest disciple simply felt that once he left, none of the remaining disciples would be able to shoulder the pillar of Xuandong Mountain, and he was reluctant to part with his master and martial siblings. That was why he chose to stay.
"I only lament that I failed to attain True Immortal. Otherwise, I could have pointed the way for all of you."
Chen Guangsu shook his head. "Had you attained immortality back then, you probably wouldn't have founded Xuandong Mountain, let alone taken disciples like us. Everything is governed by karma and affinity; destiny is impossible to reckon."
Master Yuyang was left speechless. Indeed, had he succeeded in attaining immortality, he would have either joined a major faction to pursue the Heavenly Immortal realm or roamed the four seas in carefree leisure. With an immortal's boundless lifespan, he could have lived however he pleased. Why would he have thought to establish a sect and invite trouble upon himself?
Even if he had decided to found one, it would have been thousands or tens of thousands of years later, meaning he never would have taken Chen Guangsu and the others as disciples.
"Besides, you need not worry too much about my condensing a Dao Seed. Perhaps one day, Junior Brother Huang will suddenly attain the Dao and become an immortal. When that time comes, I can surely receive some guidance from him," Chen Guangsu remarked, looking toward the grand hall on Tianyu Peak with deep emotion.
Master Yuyang started, then realized there was some truth to that. If Huang Tian became an immortal, even if he joined another faction in the future, the bond between master and disciple, and between martial brothers, would still endure. Asking him for guidance would hardly be difficult.
Master Yuyang's spirits lifted at once. "Indeed! Indeed!"
Looking toward the mist-shrouded Tianyu Peak, his mood brightened considerably. He felt that taking in a disciple like Huang Tian was truly a stroke of immense fortune.
*If I had succeeded in attaining immortality, Huang Tian never could have become my disciple. Is this what is meant by 'misfortune is what fortune leans upon, and fortune is where misfortune hides'?*
***
Accumulating dharmic power was always a time-consuming process. Even with Huang Tian utilizing multiple secret techniques and a vast quantity of spirit pills, reaching perfection in the Great Ascension realm took a full year!
Without the aid of spirit pills, relying solely on absorbing the spiritual qi of heaven and earth would have multiplied that duration several times over. It was no wonder that no one was willing to be a rogue cultivator or join an unorthodox sect.
Xuandong Mountain counted as first-rate among unorthodox sects; otherwise, an ordinary sect would long since have been unable to sustain Huang Tian's cultivation.
*My dharmic power is polished to perfection. It is about time to attempt condensing a Dao Seed!*
At this thought, he recalled the warning of his master, Master Yuyang, who had told him that Yin-Yang and the Five Elements were simply too difficult, and that he should not try to attain them by force.
*Let me at least give it a try first.*
He stepped out of the warm pavilion and the grand hall into the open air. It was late at night. The crescent moon hung high like a hook, and the wilderness was tranquil, broken only by the rustling chirps of insects.
No, there was also the breathing of the white deer. Beneath the great tree before the hall, the white deer lay curled on the grass in slumber, its breath steady and calm. Faint moonlight cascaded over its body, complementing its snow-white coat.
Huang Tian chuckled softly. Gazing up at the bright moon, he pondered for a moment, then sat down cross-legged on the ground. Fully releasing his divine sense and consciousness, he began sensing the profound, elusive Dao rhymes between heaven and earth.
This sitting lasted the entire night.
*Yoo-yoo~*
Early in the morning, dawn light washed across the world. The white deer woke from its sleep. The moment it opened its eyes, it saw its master sitting cross-legged on the grass, seemingly lost in an ethereal state of meditation.
It let out a soft call, not daring to draw close for fear of disturbing its master's cultivation, nor did it wander away, worried that mountain birds or beast spirits might cause a distraction.
Time slipped by quietly. The dawn gave way to the high sun, its brilliant rays drenching the earth, yet Huang Tian still showed no sign of waking.
The sun rose and the moon fell; the moon rose and the sun fell.
Nine days and nights passed in this manner. When another ray of sunlight fell upon his body, he finally woke from his trance.
*Yoo-yoo~*
Seeing him awake, the white deer's dark, glistening eyes lit up with delight. It trotted close and gently nuzzled its head against his arm.
Huang Tian smiled and stroked its soft head. Then, taking a fragrant pill from his qiankun bag, he flicked his finger, sending it straight into the deer's mouth. "Go down the mountain and play with your companions."
As the pill settled in its belly, the gentle medicinal potency invigorated the white deer. Its eyes brightened instantly. Letting out a couple of chirps, it scampered joyfully down the mountain to find its beast spirit playmates.
Once it was gone, Huang Tian furrowed his brow slightly, musing inward: *Yin-Yang truly isn't easy to attain...*
Over the past nine days, he had first tried using the bright moon as a stepping stone to attain 'Yin,' and then the great sun as a stepping stone to attain 'Yang.' Yet the results could only be described as barely passable. The moon and sun were merely springboards, not the complete essence of Yin and Yang.
Yin alone comprised five attributes: Supreme Yin, Lesser Yin, Pure Yin, Purple Yin, and Absolute Yin. If divided further, even more variations could be derived.
Yang likewise encompassed Supreme Yang, True Yang, Lesser Yang, Bright Yang, and more.
The reason he considered it barely passable—meaning just acceptable—was because...
*Five years! If I were to cultivate only Yin or Yang, I could condense a Dao Seed in five years!*
Although Yin alone had five attributes, Huang Tian felt confident that attaining it would not be difficult, and the same held true for Yang.
In other words, if he pursued a single path, he could master it in five years.
However, that was not what he sought.
*I intend to attain both Yin and Yang together, but the difficulty spikes dramatically. I faintly estimate it would take about a century!*
*One path takes five years; both take a century, perhaps even longer.*
*This is true for Yin-Yang, and equally so for the Five Elements. Attaining them would require at least a century or more. No wonder cultivators in the Earth Immortal Realm so rarely attempt to attain such Great Daos. The Great Dao is simply too difficult to tread; condensing a branch of the Great Dao, like Master did, is the sensible path.*
Huang Tian could not help but sigh inwardly. With his level of comprehension, pursuing a Great Dao was still this arduous; for anyone else, it was unthinkable.
Unless one were a genius among geniuses willing to spend thousands or tens of thousands of years grinding away, it was virtually impossible to attain Great Daos like Metal or Wood. Even then, one had to worry about the limits of their lifespan. One misstep, running out of life before grasping the Dao Seed, would be catastrophic.
*I cannot settle for attaining just one path. It must be either the Five Elements, or Yin-Yang, or perhaps... combining them into one!*
*Yet several centuries is simply too long. Is there any way to speed this up?*
He sank into deep thought. After a long while, his eyes suddenly lit up as he recalled Master Yuyang's words: *"It is not that I doubt your comprehension, but rather that there is no need to gamble. After all, this is no longer the dawn of creation, when the primordial qi of the Five Elements and Yin-Yang filled the cosmos, allowing one's insights to advance by leaps and bounds daily."*
Huang Tian's expression grew solemn. *At the dawn of creation, the primordial qi of Yin-Yang and the Five Elements was fully manifested, making it extraordinarily easy to comprehend the Great Dao. If only I could visit a newly opened world... But that's not right either. In a newly opened world, where would there be people? Who would call my name?*
Without someone calling his name, he had no way to descend upon hearing the voice. At least for now, he could not cross boundless chaos and universes through his own power without relying on his supernatural ability.
Pondering endlessly, Huang Tian sank into a dazed, semiconscious state.
One day, two days, three days. At noon on the third day, he snapped awake from his daze, an intuition striking him as four words surged into his mind: *The late Han world!*
His eyes shone with exceptional brilliance. *Since acquiring my supernatural ability, I have traveled through four worlds in total. Among them, only the late Han world was unique. First, back then, I clearly possessed only the strength of the Qi Refinement realm, yet I descended as a Holy Infant accompanied by myriad bolts of thunder.*
*Second, in that world, I could inexplicably view the river of time. Although I only observed eight hundred years of shifting eras, how could a mere Qi Refinement cultivator possibly accomplish such a thing?*
*Yet in the Five Directions Realm and the Nightmare World, even when my strength far exceeded the Qi Refinement realm, I could never do anything similar again. Therefore, the late Han world has something special about it—at least, it is very special to me!*
He stood up and walked back toward the warm pavilion, thinking as he moved. *Perhaps this guess is wrong, but it doesn't matter. I can go verify it. In any case, it won't take much of my time.*
*Besides, after my true body broke through to the Dharma Idol realm, I gained the ability to divide into two strands of spiritual intent. So I don't need to recall this strand in the Earth Immortal Realm; I can still descend into another world!*
Sitting cross-legged on the rush mat, he shifted his mind, sending his primary consciousness back to Blue Star.
***
Blue Star, Yandong Garden.
The moment his spirit returned, Huang Tian did not hesitate in the slightest, sending his second strand of spiritual intent into the late Han world. For any world he had previously descended upon, he no longer required someone to call his name; he could descend directly, as if he had left an exclusive imprint in that world.
This was also why, when he first arrived in the Earth Immortal Realm, he had not been the least bit worried about his spiritual intent being destroyed. If it was slain, he could simply descend again without having to rely on luck and wait for another call.
*Whoosh!*
Boundless void parted like flowing water before him. At a certain instant, his footing steadied, and he found himself standing on a tranquil country lane.
The very moment he appeared, hundreds of millions of strands of purple qi surged across the heavens in a vast, boundless expanse! Like dragons and serpents, like mist and fireflies, it stretched across thirty thousand li!
Just as it was said: When the Sage emerges, purple qi follows, bridging the Silver River and dimming the celestial streams; rosy mist cascades like a waterfall, and sacred virtue shines resplendent!
Chapter 191