Chapter 493: The First Immortal of the New Method
Shao Niangniang crossing the heavenly tribulation had long since alarmed Huangpo Village.
Now, Huangpo Village was packed with experts. Aside from Long You the Freeholder, Mu Daozi, and Pei the Freeholder, there were also Scholar Zhu, Jue Yangzi, Chen Yindu, Du Yiran, and others. Everyone was stirred and had come to watch Shao Niangniang cross the tribulation.
— Of course, Chen Tang also counted as an expert.
"Everyone's cultivation is about the same, so why is Shao Niangniang crossing the tribulation?" Long You the Freeholder muttered.
Mu Daozi and Pei the Freeholder were equally bewildered.
They were all the strongest among the freeholders, with comparable innate talent and their own strengths. The gift that the Empress of Earth had given each of them was to solve their specific cultivation problems, without favoritism.
Yet in the blink of an eye, Shao Niangniang was crossing the tribulation, leaving them behind. It was a bit hard for them to accept.
Chen Yindu carefully observed Shao Niangniang's tribulation crossing. His heart stirred, and he said, "I understand. Shao Niangniang severed her own Divine Embryo and brought herself back under the jurisdiction of the Celestial Way, so she could cross the tribulation. A great idea. Truly a great idea."
These past few days, he had been refining the wisp of samsara qi that the Empress of Earth had bestowed upon him. Not only had he refined away his corpse qi, but his cultivation had also greatly advanced.
"Severing the Divine Embryo allows one to cross the tribulation?"
Du Yiran's eyes lit up at this. He immediately thrust his spear and killed his own Divine Embryo.
Everyone stared at him in unison. Chen Yindu asked with concern, "Yiran, do you sense the tribulation coming?"
Du Yiran frowned slightly and shook his head. "No. Yindu, can I refine this Divine Embryo back?"
"No." Chen Yindu shook his head.
Du Yiran grunted softly and thought to himself, "At least Her Ladyship gave me a wisp of primordial qi to make up for the shortcomings in my Dao conduct. Even if I've cut away my Divine Embryo, my cultivation and strength are not the least bit weaker than before."
"Your cultivation probably hasn't reached Shao Niangniang's level,"
Chen Yindu guessed. "If you were at her level, cutting off the Divine Embryo would allow you to sense the tribulation."
He looked at Long You the Freeholder and the others.
Mu Daozi and Pei the Freeholder both hesitated.
They had a half-teacher relationship with Chen Yindu, but they also knew he had many clever ideas and often came up with unreliable thoughts.
Long You the Freeholder laughed. "I'll give it a try!"
He raised his miniature shrine, activated his Divine Embryo, and sliced it apart with his sword.
Zhong Wuwang did not turn back to watch Shao Niangniang's tribulation crossing. He drove his carriage straight toward Despair Slope.
His mind was in turmoil: "If I don't sever the Divine Embryo, how can I become an immortal? Is becoming an immortal really only possible through the three paths Chen Shi mentioned? No, no, there's a fourth path."
"The fourth path is to return to Despair Slope and achieve Dao Unification and immortality within the True God Dao Field. If I do that, how would I be any different from the other Celestial Way Immortals? How would I be any different from my junior brothers and sisters at Despair Slope?"
"Are these really the only four paths?"
...
He pondered bitterly, but even after returning to Despair Slope, he still hadn't found a solution.
Inside Despair Slope, several Celestial Way Immortals had already sensed the abnormality in the Celestial Way. They stood on the altar, examining the bronze mirrors to search for whoever was crossing the tribulation.
Fairy Maiden Qiuniu saw Zhong Wuwang and exclaimed in surprise, "Wuwang, you're back? I thought you were the one crossing the tribulation!"
"I found it!"
Kou Xianren's voice came. "The one crossing the tribulation is a woman!"
Fairy Maiden Qiuniu didn't have time to question Zhong Wuwang. She hurried over and asked, "Do you know her origins? Do the Heaven's Listeners have any records about her?"
"We need to check the Academy of Inquiry! Wait, someone else is crossing the tribulation!" Kou Xianren exclaimed in shock.
Fairy Maiden Qiuniu was startled and rushed to his side. "Who is it this time? Where are they crossing the tribulation?"
"Still checking!"
Cold sweat beaded on Kou Xianren's forehead. "Back in the True King's Era, although there were cultivators crossing the tribulation, there weren't many crossing at the same time... Damn it, another person is crossing the tribulation! No, it's not one person, it's two! Fellow Daoist Gong, Master Xi, come help!"
Other Celestial Way Immortals rushed over and hastily activated their bronze mirrors to search for the whereabouts of the three tribulation-crossing individuals.
During the True King's Era, Despair Slope had handled many tribulation-crossing incidents. A cultivator crossing the tribulation often ended with their demonic transformation into a Cataclysm. The Cataclysm would cover a thousand miles of land, causing countless civilian casualties. If the mortal world couldn't handle it, Despair Slope would mobilize the power of the True God to blast the Cataclysm to death.
But in the True King's Era, there had never been a phenomenon of four people crossing the tribulation at the same time!
The Celestial Way Immortals were all busy, ignoring Zhong Wuwang. He walked alone through the immortal realm of Despair Slope and, without realizing it, arrived at the True God Dao Field. The True God Dao Field was where the Celestial Way Immortals achieved Dao Unification, and also where the Celestial Venerable went into seclusion. Without a special reason, entry was strictly forbidden.
However, Zhong Wuwang's status was special. The immortal guarding the Dao Field did not stop him and allowed him to enter.
Zhong Wuwang walked through the Dao Field, staring blankly at the surrounding immortal realm, lost in thought.
There was no demonic energy here. The righteous energy of heaven and earth was extremely pure, so there was no need to worry about demonic transformation when achieving Dao Unification here.
Despair Slope had a total of eighteen Celestial Way Immortals. Their Realms of Emptiness were merged with the True God Dao Field, like eighteen different worlds.
The places where the eighteen immortals had achieved Dao Unification happened to fill the entire True God Dao Field.
If no Celestial Way Immortal died, even if he wanted to achieve Dao Unification, there would be nowhere to do so.
Zhong Wuwang wandered aimlessly for a long time, observing for a long time, racking his brains but still failing to come up with a fifth path. His heart ached with pain: "Am I just a mediocre person? Did I only become the senior disciple of Despair Slope because of my Innate Dao Embryo? If I lose the Innate Dao Embryo, am I nothing?"
He laughed heartily, falling into a state of madness. He laughed for a long time, then suddenly fell to the ground and wept bitterly.
For the first time, he realized his own mediocrity.
"Senior disciple? What bullshit senior disciple? I'm just the son of a country gambler!"
"My father was a degenerate gambler who sold me! Actually, I never passed my master's examination. He bought me, and then the Child Prodigy incident happened. He didn't have time to examine me and had to take me to Xinxiang! If I had been examined alongside thousands of other children, I might not have passed!"
"My master cut out the Child Prodigy's Innate Dao Embryo. He had no choice but to transplant it into me! I only became a disciple of Despair Slope because my master cheated!"
"My name isn't Zhong Wuwang. My name is Zhong Er Niu, the son of a despised gambler, Zhong Er Niu! My father lost for his entire life. He was dogshit! I'll be just like my father, losing for my entire life, amounting to dogshit!"
...
He cried for a long time before he stopped. His heart was filled with despair. He slowly stood up.
"I'm no match for Chen Shi, and I'm not as good as Yang Bi. I'm not even fit to hold their shoes. I'm just trash."
Tears still hung on his face. He chuckled bitterly. "I have to admit, I'm not a genius. I'm just a mediocre person, even worse than a mediocre person! I'll go see Chen Shi now and cut out the Innate Dao Embryo to return to him..."
He stumbled out of the True God Dao Field, looking back with reluctance, his heart heavy with sorrow.
Just as he turned his head, a sudden flash of inspiration struck his mind.
Zhong Wuwang froze on the spot, murmuring, "The True God Dao Field, achieving Dao Unification and becoming an immortal... Why is there no demonic energy in the True God Dao Field? Why can one achieve Dao Unification and become an immortal in the True God Dao Field?"
His spirit lifted, and his mind raced faster and faster: "Back then, when the True King came to Despair Slope, the Celestial Venerable told him that crossing the tribulation and ascending would cause demonic transformation. The True King had great courage; he abolished his own cultivation and created the new method. The True God bestowed the Innate Dao Embryo upon the True King. At that moment, the True King became the True God's contingency, a weapon to deal with the Celestial Venerable! The Innate Dao Embryo was equivalent to a minor True God!"
"This contingency that the True God gave the True King was actually a path to immortality, the fifth path! In other words, the Innate Dao Embryo itself was the fifth path!"
He looked at the vast expanse of the True God Dao Field before him and suddenly realized that the fifth path was a path that could only be cultivated by those who possessed the Innate Dao Embryo!
This path involved using the Innate Dao Embryo to cultivate one's own True God Dao Field!
"This world has been polluted by demonic energy. To achieve Dao Unification with the world would inevitably invite demonic energy intrusion, and demonic transformation would be certain. Chen Shi's yin-yang purgation only treats the symptoms, not the root cause. The true immortal path is to bring all power back to oneself. I will prove my own Dao, and not merge with the external. Just like this True God Dao Field; others can merge with me, but I will not merge with the external."
He observed the True God Dao Field, his eyes gleaming. "I can't help others, so I can only save myself. Does the Celestial Venerable know about this path? He probably does. But he didn't tell me. He asked me to leave Despair Slope and find the answer. He wanted to get rid of me, so I wouldn't see the True God Dao Field and make the connection!"
Earlier, here, he had only observed the small worlds where the Celestial Way Immortals had achieved Dao Unification. But now, he was observing the True God Dao Field as a whole.
This path was different from Chen Shi's path of crossing the tribulation with the old method using his skeletal body, and different from Shao Niangniang's path of crossing the tribulation with the new method. It was a path that bypassed the Tribulation Crossing and Ascension realms, directly achieving Dao Unification!
To achieve Dao Unification with oneself, using the flawlessness of one's own Dao techniques to maintain oneself as a pure land uncontaminated by evil.
Suddenly, he felt a great awakening!
In the past, he had always thought about achieving Dao Unification with the external world. But he had never considered refining his own Realm of Emptiness into a True God Dao Field, achieving Dao Unification with himself, and not seeking anything externally.
Zhong Wuwang walked out of Despair Slope and came to the outside world, to the Red Frost River in Tiandao City.
He stood at the end of the bridge, his hands resting on the railing, looking down at the river below.
He saw wooden boats sailing out from under the bridge arches. Some were carrying goods, others were ferrying passengers.
"Tiandao City. I will attain the Celestial Way here!"
Zhong Wuwang's heart stirred. He activated his Innate Dao Embryo, placing it in the void. Using the Dao Embryo as his Primordial Spirit, he poured all his power into opening up a Realm of Emptiness.
This great realm would be his True God Dao Field!
Once this Dao Field was successfully opened, Zhong Wuwang's physical body, Primordial Spirit, Dao Embryo, and the great realm all merged into one.
He circulated his profound arts, taking the Dao Embryo as his foundation and the physical body, Primordial Spirit, and the Realm of Emptiness as supplements, and immersed himself in cultivation.
Kou Xianren and the other Celestial Way Immortals were busy and frantic, searching for information on Shao Niangniang and Long You the Freeholder.
All four of them were crossing the tribulation in the same place. Before the tribulation, the four had disappeared for a very long time. Logically, their lifespans should have been exhausted long ago, and they should have perished. Unexpectedly, the four of them were almost crossing the tribulation at the same time!
After a long while, they finally found records of Shao Niangniang and Long You the Freeholder. However, the Heaven's Listeners had very few records of these four, only some scattered information.
"If these four suffer demonic transformation, it will definitely attract the Demon Capital, which will recruit them. The Demon Capital has many experts. Besides the Grand Sacrificial Officer, there are also many Calamities, and their strength is formidable!"
Fairy Maiden Qiuniu said, "Fellow Daoist Feng is pursuing the Grand Sacrificial Officer and hasn't returned yet."
"Fellow Daoist Feng alone isn't enough to handle this. Behind the Demon Capital, there's also an inscrutable Demon Emperor, whose strength should not be underestimated."
Kou Xianren said, "The Celestial Venerable has returned to Despair Slope these past few days, so there's no one to restrain the Demon Emperor. I'm worried about Fellow Daoist Feng's safety. How about this: we split into two groups. One group will stay behind to guard Despair Slope, and the other will go to Qianyang Mountain to prepare for unforeseen circumstances. If these four suffer demonic transformation, it will also be convenient to deal with."
Everyone exchanged glances and nodded silently.
While they were speaking, Shao Niangniang finished crossing the tribulation. Everyone quickly stared at the bronze mirror, which showed Shao Niangniang's tribulation crossing.
They saw the tribulation clouds disperse. Shao Niangniang had not suffered demonic transformation and was still perfectly fine.
In Shao Niangniang's Realm of Emptiness, a wisp of immortal light appeared. Along with the immortal light, strands of immortal qi also descended.
The Celestial Way Immortals all frowned, not understanding why this was happening.
"Did she suppress the demonic transformation?"
As they were pondering, Long You the Freeholder's tribulation crossing also reached its end.
They waited a moment. When the heavenly tribulation ended, Long You the Freeholder had also not suffered demonic transformation. He too had successfully crossed the tribulation, with immortal light and immortal qi descending.
The Celestial Way Immortals all frowned, but they saw that Mu Daozi and Pei the Freeholder's heavenly tribulations were also about to end. Neither of them had suffered demonic transformation!
Gong Wanqing suddenly said, "The new method that the True King created has succeeded."
All the Celestial Way Immortals present stood there, their expressions dazed, unsure whether to be sad or happy.
The new method could now allow one to become an immortal.
Ten thousand years had passed since the True King created the new method.
Back then, when the True King first came to Despair Slope, he had made a bold declaration, vowing to create a new path that would allow cultivators to become immortals without suffering demonic transformation.
Over these ten thousand years, countless peerless geniuses and heroic figures with soaring ambitions had tried to break through and cultivate to become immortals of the new method. But not a single one had been able to break through the Great Ascension Realm.
Even someone as strong as the True King had not taken this step.
Cultivators in the Great Ascension Realm only had a lifespan of a hundred years. A hundred years was simply not enough time to accumulate profound cultivation. Even if they accumulated enough cultivation, they could not directly step from the Great Ascension Realm into the Celestial Immortal Realm.
Now, finally, someone had taken the first step beyond the Great Ascension Realm.
"The new method has succeeded, so there's no need for despair anymore, right?"
Ping Xianren murmured. "We can also stop being Celestial Way Immortals. We can also cultivate the new method and become true immortals. Right?"
No one answered him.
Their hearts were filled with mixed emotions. Celestial Way Immortals were merely immortals of the True God Dao Field, not true immortals. To become true immortals, they still had to walk the new method.
Now that someone had blazed this trail and verified that the new method was feasible, how could they not be excited?
Just then, they sensed another strange fluctuation, and their expressions shifted.
A fifth person was about to cross the tribulation!
"No, it doesn't seem like a celestial way change caused by crossing the tribulation!"
Kou Xianren had the highest cultivation. His face changed color now. He exclaimed, "This person is about to achieve Dao Unification. He's going to become an immortal!"
They rushed to the altar of the Universal Sacrificial Rite and activated the bronze mirrors one by one, searching for the source of the change in the Celestial Way.
After a moment, the mirror showed the scene at the Red Frost River bridge in Tiandao City.
Zhong Wuwang stood there. There was no discernible difference from usual.
On his body, they could sense no demonic energy, nor any heavenly tribulation. But he was indeed achieving Dao Unification.
Kou Xianren asked in confusion, "How did he do it?"
The other Celestial Way Immortals were also at a loss.
Just then, the Celestial Venerable's voice came from behind them: "The first immortal of the new method has finally appeared. The Innate Dao Embryo is truly remarkable."
Everyone turned to look. The Celestial Venerable was walking toward them. His gaze fell on Zhong Wuwang in the bronze mirror, and he said with a smile, "Good child. Wuwang is truly a good child... He did not disappoint my expectations."