In the Heavenly Court, as the profound, mysterious aura swept out and diffused across the realm, the Sovereign Emperor and the Eastern Polar Emperor were seated opposite each other, conversing.
"Alas, it has been far, far too long since I stepped into the Golden Immortal realm—at least a million years without making an inch of progress. Perhaps in another few millennia, I will head into Chaos to seek fortune."
The Eastern Polar Emperor sighed wistfully. "Chaos is vast and boundless. There must be an opportunity to attain Daluo within it. If I continue to languish in the Earth Immortal Realm, I fear that even after tens of millions of years, I still will not improve."
Hearing this, the Sovereign Emperor fell silent.
For Golden Immortal mighty figures like them, blessed with endless lifespans, their greatest obsession and yearning was to take that one step further!
To attain the legendary Daluo!
An eternal existence! Undying and imperishable! Supreme and peerless!
Unfortunately, after groping in the dark for countless yuanhui, they had not even touched the fringes of Daluo, nor had they ever laid eyes on a single Daluo powerhouse.
They had virtually no clue how to advance and break through. Their only plausible conjecture was that if one could merge with the Heavenly Dao of the Earth Immortal Realm and accomplish Dao integration, one might touch upon the faintest edge of Daluo.
Yet it was exceedingly difficult!
Across countless yuanhui, not a single Golden Immortal had succeeded in doing so. Even the Dao Ancestor, the very first to attain the Golden Immortal realm, had found no way to begin. Aside from according with the broad trends of the Heavenly Dao, he could do nothing else. That was precisely why he had simply departed far into Chaos, unwilling to linger in the Earth Immortal Realm waiting for a tenuous chance at Dao integration.
"Dao integration! Daluo! Difficult, difficult, so very difficult!" The Sovereign Emperor shook his head. "If you wish to go, then go. In any case, with me remaining alone in the Earth Immortal Realm, I can still barely uphold the prestige and might of the Heavenly Court."
The Eastern Polar Emperor nodded. Just as he was about to speak, he froze, turning to look into the far distance toward an immortal residence brimming with purple mist. He cried out in shock, "Someone has attained the Golden Immortal realm?!"
The Sovereign Emperor abruptly rose to his feet, his gaze piercing through layer upon layer of clouds and mist. "That is... the Great Heavenly Venerable's immortal residence! He—he broke through again?!"
"Six years! From newly entering the Heavenly Immortal realm to advancing to a Golden Immortal—this is simply too unbelievable!" the Eastern Polar Emperor murmured. "Could he be a child of the Heavenly Dao? Even if he were, this should still be impossible! Even with the Heavenly Dao's favor, a Golden Immortal must undergo layers upon layers of tempering and trials to be attained. He merely consumed pills, and then more pills—he barely underwent any tempering at all. How could he still break through?"
This made no metaphysical sense at all!
While the two emperors were bewildered, over at Mount Ling, Lotus Tranquility Void-Calming Buddha was discussing the new tribulation bearer with World-Illuminating Ever-Abiding Buddha.
"Over these past few years, I searched across the four great continents and finally settled on a new candidate. His name is the Six-Eared Great Sage. Although born late and currently only at the Great Ascension realm, he is adept at hearing sounds, discerning principles, knowing the past and future, and comprehending all things. His cultivation advances by leaps and bounds, and there is great hope he will attain the True Immortal realm. Once he attains immortality, he will be qualified to serve as the new tribulation bearer."
The Lord Buddha calculated with his fingers for a moment. "His natural aptitude and comprehension are indeed not poor. However, this monkey is outwardly deferential yet inwardly haughty, emotionally aloof despite his respectful demeanor. If slightly crossed, resentment festers in his heart, and he readily turns to violence and slaughter."
Lotus Tranquility Void-Calming Buddha said calmly, "No matter. Once he enters our gates, he will not be able to stir up any major waves. No matter how ferocious and ruthless his temperament, it can be tempered into gentleness."
The Lord Buddha said no more on the matter. "Very well."
"In that case, I shall begin making arrangements—hm?!"
Lotus Tranquility Void-Calming Buddha's expression changed abruptly. He gazed into the distant sky. "This familiar aura... the Great Heavenly Venerable has become a Golden Immortal?!"
The Lord Buddha's hand trembled slightly. He did not speak, though his breath inevitably grew deep and heavy.
"Six years! I have only just found a new tribulation bearer, and he has broken through again!" Lotus Tranquility Void-Calming Buddha tried his best to steady his mind, but could not help blurting out, "Why?!"
Why was he able to cultivate so quickly?
It was as if he had no bottlenecks whatsoever!
Once his dharmic power was full, the realm broke through on its own!
How could the Lord Buddha possibly know why? He merely felt an even deeper reverence for Huang Tian. Regardless of the underlying cause, after advancing to a Golden Immortal, Huang Tian's strength had taken yet another leap. Now, even if all the Golden Immortals in the Earth Immortal Realm joined forces, they likely would not be able to defeat him.
Lotus Tranquility Void-Calming Buddha realized this as well, and worry suddenly welled up within him. *If he abruptly makes a move against our Western faction, we wouldn't even have the chance to flee into Chaos... No, a figure like him will certainly honor his word and will not strike at us without cause. But even so, his every action will affect the grand trends of the Heavenly Dao. Alas, what a predicament!*
The stronger Huang Tian grew, the greater the ripple effect caused by this anomaly. In the end, there was no telling how the overarching trends would shift...
"This Great Heavenly Venerable is truly extraordinary. I have roamed Chaos and visited several great worlds, yet I have never seen or heard of anyone who could match his speed of progression," the Zhuanghua Superior Sage exclaimed in wonder in Dong Shengshenzhou.
The Dao Ancestor's avatar pondered for a moment. "Across the boundless heavens and myriad cosmos, the fortune of creation is limitless. Miracles will always happen."
The Zhuanghua Superior Sage nodded slowly, countless thoughts racing through his mind.
"I have finally attained the Golden Immortal realm. It was truly not easy," Huang Tian exhaled a breath of pure qi within an immortal residence in the Heavenly Court, sighing with emotion.
Six years in the Earth Immortal Realm amounted to ninety years in the late Han world. This was the first time he had devoted himself to quiet cultivation for such a long duration.
*Having attained the Golden Immortal realm, my Dao fruit is consummate. I have finally reached the pinnacle of this realm.*
Just as he thought this, his brows suddenly rose, for he sensed a hazy consciousness sending him an "invitation."
*Is this... the Heavenly Dao?*
He focused his mind and sensed it carefully, his expression turning curious. *The Heavenly Dao of the Earth Immortal Realm clearly possesses no defined consciousness, yet it actively invites me to integrate with the Dao? Why is this? Besides, didn't everyone say that Dao integration is exceedingly difficult, and that none of the Golden Immortal mighty figures could find a way? Why is it that I can do it immediately after breaking through?*
After pondering for a long time without finding an answer, he ceased dwelling on it.
*Whatever the reason, I can set it aside for now. What matters most is: do I want to integrate with the Dao?*
He reflected, *By merging with the Dao, perhaps I can glimpse a few profound mysteries of Daluo. Why shouldn't I? Furthermore, I am merely a body of spiritual intent, not my true form. Even if something goes awry, it will not matter.*
Having made his decision, he did not rush into further seclusion for Dao integration. Instead, he stepped out of the hall and met the Sovereign Emperor and the Eastern Polar Emperor, who were waiting outside.
"Congratulations to the Great Heavenly Venerable on attaining the Golden Immortal realm!" The two greeted him with bright smiles.
Huang Tian politely returned the courtesy.
The Sovereign Emperor said, "A breakthrough is a joyous occasion that calls for celebration. Why not hold a grand immortal banquet, inviting the immortals and sages from all directions to the heavens to share in the joy?"
"There is no hurry for a celebration. I must enter seclusion again shortly. Coming out this time was merely to take a look at Chaos," Huang Tian replied, shaking his head.
"Going to Chaos?" The two glanced at each other, not particularly surprised. They both knew Huang Tian had cultivated for only a brief period and had never left the Earth Immortal Realm, so he would naturally be curious about what lay beyond.
"The two of us are willing to accompany you."
"Very well."
The three of them circulated their escape arts and divine abilities together, swiftly streaking toward the infinitely high reaches beyond heaven.
"Are they heading beyond heaven?" The Lord Buddha observed in ten directions, noticing the trio's movements.
"Not surprising. Back when I stepped into the Heavenly Immortal realm, I also flew into Chaos alone to see what lay beyond the Earth Immortal Realm," Lotus Tranquility Void-Calming Buddha said.
Of course, despite saying so, he still channeled his Heavenly Eye divine ability, sitting upright on Mount Ling to watch the three from afar and see what they intended to do.
The Zhuanghua Superior Sage did the same, quietly watching from afar.
*Buzz—*
In a flash, the three escaped to the edge of the sky. Standing there, one could see the Earth Immortal Realm wrapped in a thin membrane. Stepping forward, one entered Chaos. Huang Tian cast his gaze outward; as far as his eyes could see, there were only turbid currents churning like mist and sea.
These turbid currents possessed an extremely powerful corrosive effect on physical bodies and souls; living beings below the True Immortal realm could not possibly survive here.
"Chaos is like an ocean of mist, while the worlds that nurture myriad beings are like islands within the sea," the Sovereign Emperor said with feeling. "In the boundless Chaos, islands are exceedingly numerous, yet also exceedingly scarce. Because Chaos is simply too vast, even for Golden Immortals like us, finding a new world takes a very long time."
The Eastern Polar Emperor chimed in, "If the Great Heavenly Venerable wishes to journey far into Chaos in search of fortunes, I have a Realm-Anchoring Chart here that I can gift you. It records the positions of several great worlds in the vicinity of our Earth Immortal Realm.
"However, I cannot guarantee its accuracy, as worlds drift slowly. Over millions or tens of millions of years, their positions have more or less shifted."
"Thank you, Emperor, but I have no plans to leave the Earth Immortal Realm for now," Huang Tian replied.
The Eastern Polar Emperor was not surprised by this. Those who ventured far into Chaos did so because they had grown weary of the Earth Immortal Realm and could make no further progress in their cultivation, forcing them to leave.
As for Huang Tian, how long had he been cultivating? He had not even enjoyed himself properly yet, nor had his cultivation ground to a halt like theirs. How could he possibly leave the Earth Immortal Realm right away?
Taking a step forward, Huang Tian established his footing in the void. He released his divine sense, sweeping toward the void in all directions, above, and below across endless, fathomless reaches.
After a long time, he found no other worlds, only "seeing" a few wondrous objects drifting in the void. Lacking interest in such curiosities, he withdrew his divine sense. He then looked ahead, and behind his head, the Great Five Elements Yin-Yang Divine Light abruptly flared!
Azure! Scarlet! Yellow! White! Black!
Furthermore, there were two currents of yin and yang circulating, merging with the five colors into a Seven-Colored Divine Light! The divine light soared for hundreds of millions of li, like an infinitely surging river of light with no boundaries, illuminating Chaos until it was dazzling and pure white!
Under the scouring wash of the divine light, all the turbid currents scattered like smoke. The long river stretched boundlessly vast, the seven colors rising like soaring dragons!
*Hiss—*
Both the two emperors beside Huang Tian and the two Western Buddhas and two Daoist sages watching in secret drew in soft breaths of air. His divine ability had become even more powerful!
They reckoned that if they were to face this divine light directly, he would not even need to sweep it three times like he did when dealing with Formless Pure Stream Buddha back then. A single surge would suffice to suppress and capture them!
Huang Tian paid little mind to their astonishment. His purpose in coming to Chaos was to test the changes in his strength after advancing to the Golden Immortal realm. In the Earth Immortal Realm, no one could spar with him, and there was no room to unleash his power; only beyond heaven could he act freely.
With a shift of his thought, the rolling seven-colored river of light swept back and gathered behind his head. The area once covered by the river of light was left in empty, desolate gloom, with turbid currents from all around slowly drifting in to refill it.
*Not bad,* he thought, secretly pleased. *Having tested the Great Five Elements Yin-Yang Divine Light, next is Good Fortune from the Great Void.*
Since comprehending this divine ability, he had barely used it, let alone unleashed its full power. This was an excellent opportunity.
He slowly raised his right hand and tapped his index finger against the void.
Light!
A gleam of light carrying an indescribable Dao rhyme suddenly blossomed from his fingertip, detonating with a roar!
In an instant, within the void, lights of supreme yang and supreme yin chased one another, head to tail like two fish swirling in a circle.
Amidst this chase, a Taiji diagram encompassing all things emerged, unfurling in myriad folds to cover an unfathomable distance!
The Taiji diagram rotated slowly, and the turbid currents of Chaos were swiftly transformed. The clear, embodying the nature of yang vigor, rose to become a vast firmament; the turbid, embodying the substance of yin gentleness, sank to become an endless earth.
Heaven and earth were newly divided, the fundamental structure newly established. Next was fixing the foundation with the Five Elements!
From within the Taiji diagram, five specks of light abruptly shot forth—precisely Li Fire, Kan Water, Wu Earth, Geng Metal, and Yi Wood.
Li Fire ascended into the high sky, turning into a great sun that showered warmth and radiance.
Kan Water became rain, pouring down abundantly, turning into clouds and mist, sweet dew, and coalescing into rivers, lakes, and seas to nourish this newborn realm.
Wu Earth settled downward; countless mountains reared up, and plains stretched wide.
Geng Metal not only formed various mineral ores, but also infused the world with an air of crisp, chilling severity.
Yi Wood burrowed deep into the earth; boundless vegetation sprouted, silently draping the world in green.
A brand-new world was born.
The Golden Immortals watched in silence, filled with immense astonishment. Although they could also create ordinary worlds, doing so was a time-consuming endeavor requiring millions of years; how could they accomplish it with such effortless ease as Huang Tian?
And precisely because it required too much time, none of them had ever considered world creation. After all, countless worlds drifted within Chaos, and millions of years were more than enough time to discover many of them.
Looking upon the newborn world, Huang Tian pondered briefly and circulated his divine ability once more. In an instant, the flow of time accelerated. In the blink of an eye, a thousand years passed, then ten thousand, and then even longer. Life began to emerge, and myriad beings multiplied and thrived...
However, after only a brief moment, he halted this act of forced nurturing, as using the Good Fortune from the Great Void divine ability in such a manner placed a significant toll on his spirit as well.
Hands clasped behind his back, he looked down at the burgeoning, ignorant life within the world, a smile appearing on his face.
*For now, although I cannot open a great realm like the Earth Immortal Realm, relying on Good Fortune from the Great Void to create an ordinary world is not difficult.*
The Sovereign Emperor praised, "The Great Heavenly Venerable's divine abilities are boundless; in an instant, a world takes shape. Why not grant this realm a name to complete the karmic affinity?"
Huang Tian chuckled softly. "It is merely a minor world; whether it has a name or not matters little. If one day I can establish and create a great chiliocosm, I shall name it then."
The Sovereign Emperor said no more, thinking to himself: *Establish and create a great chiliocosm? Could a Golden Immortal achieve that? Definitely not! Unless... one attains Daluo!*
He glanced at Huang Tian. Seeing his calm, leisurely demeanor, and remembering his astonishingly brief cultivation journey, a complex swirl of emotions arose in his heart. *Perhaps... he can?*
Looking at the new world slowly revolving around the Earth Immortal Realm like a satellite, Huang Tian smiled and said, "The divine abilities have been tested. It is time to return."
The two emperors nodded. The trio then returned to the Earth Immortal Realm and headed back to the Heavenly Court.
Declining the Sovereign Emperor's repeated plea to host an immortal banquet, Huang Tian went straight back to his immortal residence to resume his seclusion.
He had a premonition that this Dao integration would not take very long. After all, wasn't this Heavenly Dao being a bit too eager?
As soon as he had returned to the Earth Immortal Realm, he felt an ardent anticipation from the Heavenly Dao, as if it could hardly wait for him to integrate with it immediately.
*Whoosh—*
Sitting cross-legged on a prayer mat, he completely opened his mind and spirit, merging into heaven and earth, sensing the omnipresent aura and Dao rhyme.
He wondered what kind of spectacle awaited him after integrating with the Dao...
Chapter 205