My Dao Is Accomplished

*Splash—* Spray burst into the air as colossal white billows churned across the long river of time. It seemed endless, stretching boundlessly toward a destination lost beyond sight. With every step of the green ox's hoof, a stretch of the river fell behind. Foam kicked up from the water, casting reflections of fleeting silhouettes within the shimmering light. A closer look into those shifting gleams revealed sweeping armies on campaign, sages discoursing on the Dao, radiant beauties wielding swords like rainbows, and countless mortals looking up to heaven and earth—surviving, multiplying, bustling with toil, sorrow, and joy in this vast world, only to perish silently in the end, merging into the earth, extinguished without leaving the slightest trace. Time truly possessed inexhaustible majesty. To anyone who had not attained longevity, whether a ruling emperor of an era, a great sage of consummate power, or a magnate of limitless wealth, their end remained identical to that of the common millions once their allotted lifespan was spent. Dust returned to dust, and earth returned to earth. Sitting atop the ox's back, Huang Tian looked down upon the myriad living beings trapped in worldly forms across the endless river, his heart growing clearer and more pristine with every passing moment. "Moo—" The green ox lowed and accelerated its strides, wading upstream amid the surging roar of waters. It felt as though an eternity had passed, yet it also seemed like merely a fleeting breath. Man and beast arrived at a narrow stretch of current; the further forward they pressed, the tighter the river became. "At last, we have arrived—" With Huang Tian's soft, reflective sigh, the green ox bore him to the uppermost reaches of the river of time. Then, it took one more step forward. *Whoosh—* The scene before his eyes abruptly shifted. The river was gone, replaced entirely by darkness—a deep, pitch-black void of absolute intensity. There was neither heaven nor earth, neither light nor shadow. The cardinal directions and the realms above and below were all swallowed in total emptiness. Standing in such a place would stir an uncontrollable sense of desolate loneliness in anyone, yet Huang Tian's expression remained serene. His Dao heart was crystal clear, untainted by a speck of dust. The green ox likewise rested in tranquil stillness, waiting quietly. At a certain moment, a solitary spark of light burst forth in the boundless darkness. That light was neither white nor gold; it possessed none of the standard hues, yet it united the colors of all worldly phenomena. Like a celestial eye, like a divine blade, it cleaved the infinite darkness apart. Wherever the radiant edge passed, above and below emerged, heaven and earth divided, and the pure separated from the turbid. The light and pure elements, illuminated by the radiance, curled gently upward. The heavy and turbid elements, swept by the beam, condensed heavily downward. From that moment on, yin and yang qi began their eternal circulation. Yang qi soared while yin qi coiled. Though gradually separating, they remained linked head to tail like a colossal pair of yin-yang fish. Amid their mutual interplay, the order of the four seasons quietly took root. At this very juncture, the qi of the Five Elements came into being in response to the light and the harmony of yin and yang. Metal represented firmness, convergence, and transformation. Wood represented expansion, suppleness, and growth. Water represented accommodation, downward moistening, and circulation. Fire represented conversion, destruction, and rebirth. Earth represented nurture, heaviness, and balance. The heavens grew ever higher, and the earth spread ever wider. With the emergence of the Five Elements' qi, vitality slowly blossomed across the realm. Huang Tian's eyes were calm, his gaze seeming to pierce time itself to behold the unfolding evolution of heaven and earth to come: The ground stretched and expanded, swelling into mountain ranges and dipping into plains. The sound of water surged as rivers, lakes, oceans, and hundreds of millions of aquatic veins gushed forth. Green sprouts pushed through mountains and plains, flowers and grasses bloomed, and towering forests reached for the sky. Everywhere the eye could see lay a crystalline, lush green. A great sun hung high in the heavens, showering boundless light and warmth to provide the conditions for all living spirits to be born and flourish. Indeed, light served as the brush and qi as the ink; yin and yang set the rhythm, while the Five Elements painted the colors. From nothingness emerged all things, every phenomenon fell into order, and the cosmic cycle ran unceasingly— "Yin and yang... the Five Elements..." Huang Tian murmured softly. Enveloped by the boundless innate yin and yang qi and the qi of the Five Elements permeating this newborn world, he drifted into deep, enduring contemplation. At the primordial genesis of heaven and earth, time was not recorded. However, with his true body on Blue Star and his spiritual intent anchored in the Earth Immortal Realm, he could reckon the passage of time. After approximately one year flew by in this realm, his expression shifted, and delight surfaced on his face. At the same time. Within the warm pavilion of Tianyu Peak at Xuandong Mountain in the Earth Immortal Realm. Dharmic power surged within Huang Tian's body. An enigmatic Dao rhythm coursed across him, enveloping his form in five-colored brilliance. Within his Huangting, a "seed" radiating five-colored splendor slowly coalesced into form. *The Five Elements Dao Seed is accomplished!* One year in the late Han world was less than a single month in the Earth Immortal Realm! In such a brief span, he had successfully condensed the Five Elements Dao Seed! According to his original estimates, doing so would have required at least a century. The gulf between the two paths was staggering. Naturally, this owed partly to the differing flow of time between the two worlds, and partly to how ideal the environment for comprehending the Dao was during the dawn of creation. *Though the Dao Seed has condensed successfully, there is no need to rush into the immortal tribulation. Blessed with such favorable conditions, how could I settle for just a Five Elements Dao Seed?* Comprehension! The environment for enlightenment! The discrepancy in the flow of time! Possessing immense advantages in all three, he could not possibly be satisfied with stopping here. He would continue, striving to comprehend Yin and Yang! Settling his mind, he sent his spirit deep into the profound mysteries. Another year slipped away in the late Han world. *Just as I expected, comprehending Yin and Yang is roughly equal in difficulty to the Five Elements. In the span of a single year, I have successfully condensed it as well. Moreover, with the attainment of the Yin-Yang Dao Seed, the grand divine ability I envisioned has finally taken preliminary shape!* Back in the Earth Immortal Realm, feeling the Yin-Yang Dao Seed resonating within his Huangting alongside the Five Elements Dao Seed, a smile touched Huang Tian's lips. He raised his right hand, and a speck of spiritual light blossomed at his fingertips. The glow trembled faintly before transforming into an orchid exuding a delicate fragrance. This flower was no illusion crafted from dharmic power, but a living, genuine blossom! *The operation of yin and yang qi can generate all matter, conjuring existence from nothingness, reversing life and death, and creating life itself. This divine ability is Good Fortune from the Great Void!* Delight filled Huang Tian's heart. *A pity that this divine ability is only newly deduced and remains far from true perfection. Compounded by the limits of my cultivation, I am still far from achieving the feats of myth and legend—such as Pangu fashioning myriad spirits upon opening the heavens, or Nuwa shaping clay to forge an entirely new race. Still, the foundation is laid. Sooner or later, I will bring it to complete perfection!* With a light flick of his sleeve, the orchid floated gently out toward the grasses beyond the pavilion, swaying in the gentle breeze alongside the other blossoms. Withdrawing his gaze from the flower, his expression turned solemn. *Both the Yin-Yang and Five Elements Dao Seeds are fully condensed. The next step is to fuse them together!* This step was undoubtedly vastly more difficult than the preceding ones. Yet should the fusion succeed, his potential would soar to an unparalleled plane! Furthermore, if he attained True Immortality using this entirely new Dao Seed, his prowess would be sufficient to contend directly against Heavenly Immortals. When that day came, very few figures in the Earth Immortal Realm would ever compel him to yield— "Phew—" Exhaling softly, he closed his eyes and sank back into profound stillness. In the late Han world, the unfolding of heaven and earth proceeded at an excruciatingly slow pace. Yin and yang qi intertwined, merged, and separated alongside the qi of the Five Elements. Astride the green ox amid the swirling innate qi, Huang Tian wore a placid expression, emptying his mind completely to absorb the consummate spiritual essence and Dao rhythms. In the snap of a finger, fifteen years slipped past. Heaven and earth remained that same primordial expanse. A mere fifteen years had wrought virtually no discernible change upon it. Yet the aura of Dao rhythm enveloping Huang Tian grew increasingly profound. Finally, at a certain instant, an incomparably wondrous spiritual resonance swept outward with him at its center. The green ox whimpered in awe, and waves rippled through the primordial chaos. He opened his eyes, divine light sweeping across the cosmos as he laughed heartily. "To perceive the Five Elements without clinging to them, to wield Yin and Yang while transcending them, stripping metal, wood, water, fire, and earth of their names, dissolving the boundaries between light and dark, bright and obscure—until at last, even the notion of loss itself is relinquished. This is what it means to perceive Yuanji!" The so-called Yuanji originated from the Five Elements yet surpassed them; it arose from Yin and Yang yet extinguished them, ultimately reaching a state of absolute freedom poised between existence and nonexistence, beyond the bounds of all laws. All things returned to the Three; the Three returned to the Two; the Two returned to the One; and the One returned to Yuanji! "Fifteen years of contemplation, and the Dao Seed is at last accomplished!" He let out a soft exclamation. This was the first time he had cultivated for such a prolonged span. Yet though it had consumed considerable time, the harvest was magnificent! He smiled faintly. "It is time to condense the Yuanji Dao Seed and face the immortal tribulation!" In the Earth Immortal Realm, Huang Tian directed his inner vision toward his Huangting, slowly guiding the Five Elements Dao Seed and the Yin-Yang Dao Seed toward each other. The two Dao Seeds blended into one another as their various currents intertwined. The Dao rhythms embedded within them—birth and destruction, movement and stillness, firmness and softness, manifestation and concealment—all merged seamlessly into unity. After a long time, both the Yin-Yang and Five Elements Dao Seeds vanished from the Huangting. Floating in their place was an entirely new Dao Seed. Perfectly spherical, it radiated two primal hues and cast forth five vibrant colors. As it turned, the myriad phenomena of the cosmos manifested within, resembling a newborn universe! *With the Yuanji Dao Seed attained, my divine abilities have transformed once more. The Five-Colored Divine Light has evolved into the Great Yin-Yang Five Elements Divine Light—or rather, the Seven-Colored Divine Light!* His former Five-Colored Divine Light could sweep away anything composed of the Five Elements, but now it was no longer bound by those constraints. Wherever this radiance fell, it could truly sweep away and shatter all things! *Three grand divine abilities—more than enough for me to traverse the Earth Immortal Realm with complete confidence!* The Seven-Colored Divine Light! The Calamity-Evading Immortal Robe! Good Fortune from the Great Void! Every single one was a supreme grand divine ability! A smile crossed his face as he rose, exited the hall, and soared beyond Tianyu Peak. Raising his hand, he dispatched a talisman message toward Haoyang Peak. Within mere breaths, Master Yuyang caught the talisman message, soared into the sky, and landed before him. Shock and disbelief colored the master's face. "If this master recalls correctly, it has only been a little over two years since you broke through to the Great Ascension realm. In such a short time, not only have you tempered your dharmic power to perfection, but you have also already condensed a Dao Seed and intend to face the immortal tribulation?!" Huang Tian nodded. Advancing from early Great Ascension to Great Ascension perfection had taken him one year. Comprehending his Dao Seed had taken seventeen years in the late Han world, which translated to just over a year in the Earth Immortal Realm. Combining the two, it totaled slightly over two years. Seeing him nod, Master Yuyang was deeply shaken, yet upon reflection, it made sense. Huang Tian's natural comprehension was the most astounding of any cultivator he had ever encountered; he could master a minor divine ability to perfection in mere moments. For such an extraordinary immortal talent to condense a Dao Seed in just over two years was not entirely beyond reason. *Still, it appears Huang Tian followed my advice and did not force an attempt at the Five Elements or Yin-Yang Dao Seeds. Otherwise, even someone of his caliber could never have condensed one so swiftly.* With that thought in mind, Master Yuyang said with concern, "Do you truly intend to summon the heavenly tribulation today? Would you not prefer to temper your dharmic power further and bring your Dao Seed to greater maturity? You are still young, with boundless lifespan ahead of you. You can easily accumulate a deeper foundation." Huang Tian replied with a gentle smile, "This disciple has acted upon a sudden premonition. My mind and body are in peak condition, and the crossing of this tribulation should follow as a matter of course." Seeing his resolve, Master Yuyang refrained from further persuasion. For a cultivator, a flawless moment of breakthrough meant more than anything else. Since Huang Tian felt an instinctive premonition, the right moment had arrived! "In that case, go forth and validate your Dao. Remember only this: if you cannot endure the heavenly tribulation, do not force yourself to the bitter end. Preserving your life is paramount; only while you live do you possess everything," Master Yuyang instructed. "Even if you must settle for becoming a loose immortal, there will still be opportunities to achieve True Immortality later on." "This disciple understands." Huang Tian nodded in acknowledgment. Then, beneath Master Yuyang's expectant yet anxious gaze, he flew beyond Xuandong Mountain toward a patch of desolate wilderness outside. Tilting his head back toward the vast sky, he stirred the power of his Dao Seed, drawing upon his celestial qi. *Rumble!* A brief moment later, a muffled roll of thunder suddenly detonated across the heavens. Following the thunder, the sky darkened rapidly, as though drenched in a layer of black ink. Ominous storm clouds piled high like mountains pressing downward, suffocating the atmosphere. Hundreds and thousands of lightning bolts flashed between the clouds. And this was merely the prelude; within several breaths, the sky for ten thousand li around turned completely black, while a thousand li directly above Huang Tian transformed into a raging ocean of thunder and lightning. Countless lightning dragons and electric serpents intertwined and coiled, twisting frantically in hues of blinding white, violet, and crimson. *Rumble, crash—!!* The sea of lightning boiled, unleashing a deafening roar that seemed capable of crushing all existence. It was the simultaneous detonation of billions of thunderbolts, their heaven-shaking resonance sending countless living creatures shivering in terror. "What is happening?!" Over at Xuandong Mountain, numerous disciples bolted into the sky, gazing toward the distant sea of thunder in sheer horror. "A lightning tribulation!" Eldest Senior Brother Chen Guangsu stood high in the air, his gaze hardening as he spotted Huang Tian directly beneath the sea of thunder. "Junior Brother Huang is crossing his immortal tribulation!" At these words, everyone present was shaken to their core. "How can it be so soon?!" "I heard that anyone facing the immortal tribulation must first condense a Dao Seed. Could Senior Brother Huang have already accomplished that?" "This is far too hasty! Senior Brother Huang possesses such a long lifespan; he could easily wait a few thousand years before attempting the tribulation. By then, his dharmic power and divine abilities would be thoroughly honed to perfection, granting a far greater chance of success." While the disciples of Xuandong Mountain were buzzing in shock, various factions throughout Southern Jambudvipa noticed the upheaval and turned their gazes toward the region. "After so many years, someone in our great continent of Southern Jambudvipa is finally attempting the tribulation again!" "The tribulation site lies near Xuandong Mountain. Could it be one of Master Yuyang's disciples?" Standing beneath the sea of lightning, Huang Tian recalled what he knew of the immortal ascension tribulation. The lightning tribulation of this realm was not divided into tiers—there were no four-nine, seven-nine, or nine-nine distinctions. Regardless of what kind of Dao Seed one had condensed, every cultivator had to endure eighty-one heavenly thunderbolts. The first eighty lightning bolts served to temper and refine the physical vessel. Once a cultivator endured them, their mortal frame would transform into an undefiled immortal physique. The final bolt was known as the Dao-Interrogating Lightning. This lightning could not be parried, blocked, or intercepted in any way. It fell directly onto the cultivator's Dao Seed, ruthlessly probing whether their comprehension of their Dao was lucid and true. If any defect was found, the condensed Dao Seed would instantly crack, and the resulting backlash would rot the immortal physique alongside it. In bygone days, Master Yuyang had failed at this very juncture, his efforts collapsing at the final threshold—a regret he carried to this day. *Boom!!* Even as Huang Tian pondered, the churning sea of thunder above finally unleashed its first bolt. A violet streak of lightning leaped forth like a dragon baring its claws, hurtling straight toward him. Facing this strike, he merely waved his hand and released a thunder art. Lightning met lightning, and the two dissipated each other. The second bolt, the third... Forty-nine heavenly thunderbolts fell in succession, yet he neutralized each one with ordinary spellcraft. Only when the fiftieth strike descended—its lightning shifting to radiant gold with a stark surge in power—did he employ minor divine abilities. The Water-Fire Devil-Refining Great Mudra, the Void-Slashing Sword of Splitting Light and Transforming Shadows... He deployed the twelve minor divine abilities Master Yuyang had taught him in smooth rotation. This spectacle stirred the emotions of the onlookers watching from afar. *Hiss... Just how profound is this person's mastery of divine abilities? By my count, he has already displayed over a dozen minor divine abilities!* *Knowing many divine abilities is nothing special. The key is that every single one of them seems to have reached perfection—cast effortlessly, with absolute composure!* *He is truly an immortal talent!* *Boom!* The eightieth heavenly thunderbolt crashed downward, yet Huang Tian dissolved it with an effortless gesture, bearing not the slightest trace of strain. This was only natural. Compared to other Great Ascension cultivators, he was far superior in the density of his dharmic power and his mastery over arts and divine abilities. Even without drawing upon his three supreme divine abilities, standard techniques unleashed through his hands packed power no less formidable than minor divine abilities. If even he could not endure it, no one else would ever hope to cross; they might as well wait for their demise in resignation. *Only the final bolt remains—* Looking at the pure white lightning slowly condensing within the churning sea of thunder, his expression turned grave. To the vast majority of Great Ascension cultivators in the Earth Immortal Realm, the most terrifying element of the immortal ascension tribulation was never the first eighty thunderbolts, but this very Dao-Interrogating Lightning. Beneath its judgment, luck played no part! If one's comprehension of the chosen Dao was lucid and complete, one would pass. If there was any ambiguity, failure was certain! *Swish—* With a faint hiss, the pure white thunderbolt traversed the void. In an instant, it pierced the crown of Huang Tian's head, plunged straight into his Huangting, and struck the Yuanji Dao Seed floating peacefully within! Huang Tian's body stiffened, and his eyes slid shut, making him appear as though he had fallen into a deep slumber. "He must! Huang Tian must succeed in attaining the immortal Dao!" Within Xuandong Mountain, Master Yuyang clenched his fists instinctively, his breath turning heavy. The gathered disciples held their breath in matching tension. "Out of a hundred Great Ascension cultivators, ninety-nine fall before the Dao-Interrogating Lightning. I wonder how this person will fare?" mused an observer in the distance. "Difficult, profoundly difficult! I reached Great Ascension perfection over six thousand years ago, and though I pride myself on having dharmic power and divine abilities far surpassing my peers, I still dare not trigger the immortal tribulation, purely out of dread that I cannot pass the test of the Dao-Interrogating Lightning." "Alas, we share the same plight. I, too, harbor absolute terror toward that strike." Time trickled past. After roughly the burn of an incense stick, a majestic, boundless spiritual light suddenly erupted from Huang Tian's body! At that exact instant, the sea of thunder across the nine heavens dissolved. Celestial blossoms rained down in profusion, golden lotuses surged up from the earth, and an orchid-like fragrance permeated the void. Standing in the open sky with profound Dao rhythms swirling about him, he let out a clear laugh. His voice carried across thousands and tens of thousands of li, ringing distinctly in the ears of hundreds of millions of living beings: "My Dao is accomplished!"