Refining the Dao into Godhood: A Tale of the Jie Sect
Chapter 296 - 270 [Cutting the Path to Self-Awareness, Soul Returning] (Request for Subscription)

Chapter 296: Chapter 270 [Cutting the Path to Self-Awareness, Soul Returning] (Request for Subscription)

However, witnessing the tactics displayed by Hong Jun at this moment, Xuanqing couldn’t feel happy at all. Currently, it was only Hong Jun’s Three Corpses Incarnations that made a move; his true body had yet to leave the Purple Cloud Palace.

It’s certain that Hong Jun has grasped the "Realm of Dao Equating Heaven", there is no doubt about that; it’s just unknown how far he has gone on this path.

Having merged with the Heavenly Dao for endless ages, even if he cannot fully control the Heavenly Dao, Xuanqing speculated that, at minimum, he could mobilize half, or even more, of the authority of the Heavenly Dao, almost tantamount to being the Heavenly Dao itself!

After achieving the status of Primordial Daluo Golden Immortal, Xuanqing revered only his own path, the Primordial unified as one, neither increasing nor decreasing. The Dao Fruit of the Refining Dao could not possibly be stolen by Hong Jun.

But things related to the Immortal Dao are causally linked with Hong Jun, and thus, could become resources for him, which is what Xuanqing did not wish to see.

Especially since he was considering integrating the Path of Divine Immortals with the Heavenly Dao, the Dao Fruit of Ghost Immortals with the Earth Dao, and the Dao Fruit of Tribulation Immortals with the Human Dao, thus perfecting his envisioned Mythical Celestial Immortal, Mythical Earth Immortal, and Mythical Human Immortal. If the causal link between Hong Jun and the Immortal Dao is not resolved...

He becomes stronger by one part.

Hong Jun would also become stronger by one part.

Involuntarily, Xuanqing frowned slightly: "Must I step out of the framework of the Immortal Dao, and then perhaps follow the Demon Path or the Innate Divine Dao system?"

"But the Demon Path, that guy Luo Hou, may not necessarily be any better than Hong Jun. Cultivating the Demon Path system is essentially making a wedding dress for Demon Ancestor Luo Hou!"

"As for the Divine Dao..."

The Divine Dao seems to be declining, particularly the Innate Divine Dao which only made a fleeting appearance after the creation of the world, but in reality, it holds the deepest foundation.

Many of the current Great Divine Powers and Daluo Golden Immortals, most are Innate Sacred, further wielding various authorities bestowed by heaven and earth.

Take The Queen Mother of the West, for example, she governs dire heavenly duties and the five debilitations. While seemingly the foremost among female immortals with an aura of immortality, in reality, she is a deity of calamity and disaster.

Moreover, Nuwa and Houtu, superficially as Heavenly Dao Saint and Earth Dao Saint respectively, are in fact the Creation Demon God and Reincarnation Demon God.

Chaos Demon Gods are also gods!

Born with control over the Chaos Origin, a Great Dao imbued by the will of the Great Dao. If one were to name the progenitor of the Divine Dao, it would undoubtedly be the Chaos Demon Gods.

Among numerous Chaos Demon Gods, Pangu is the strongest, having opened the heavens and attained Dao, and slaying three thousand Chaos Demon Gods. He is veritably the king of Chaos Demon Gods.

To this day, in the Primordial World, be it mortals, cultivators, or saints, all must acclaim him as the Pangu God!

Primordial World is transformed by Pangu; various authorities seem to be bestowed by heaven and earth but in reality are evolutions by Pangu. Cultivating the Divine Dao might very well be contributing to Pangu’s completion.

The reason is nothing else!

Within the Divine Dao, there is a calamity called the ’Calamity of Dao Transformation.’ If one cannot traverse it, all of oneself will become part of Primordial Heaven and Earth.

In his previous life, Xuanqing was the Ancient Dragon God Lei Ze, eventually transforming into the "Innate Thunder Pool."

Furthermore, within the Primordial World, the origins of the Divine Dao are too abrupt, nowhere as clear as the Immortal Dao opened by Hong Jun or the Demon Path opened by Luo Hou.

When heaven and earth first opened, cloaked in chaos, neither cause nor destiny was apparent. Xuanqing didn’t even know, who originally proposed the concept of the Divine Dao?

Xuanqing also once attempted to peer into the time after the opening of the heavens and before the calamity of fierce beasts but was ultimately met with "Ax’s Correction" by Pangu!

It’s also fortunate that the Heavenly Dao suppressed the river of time, preventing his true self from going there, only able to use a strand of consciousness, borrowing the power of the Fate Dao to explore that segment of space-time... Otherwise, it would be his physical body and Primordial Spirit subjected to Pangu’s "Ax’s Correction," not just his consciousness!

Nonetheless, this also indirectly confirmed his speculation: the Divine Dao of Primordial World is related to Pangu, who is perfecting the Dao Fruit through cultivators of the Divine Dao.

Moreover, Hong Jun mentioned Divine Enthronement twice, insisting on using "Investiture of the Gods" which is largely due to concerns of ultimately observing planetary formations making a wedding dress for Pangu!

"’Investiture of the Gods’ is transformed from the heavenly leaf of the Chaos Green Lotus, possessing the marvelous function of ennobling various deities, being endorsed by it equates to forming a direct causal connection with the Heavenly Dao!"

"The reason why Hong Jun insists on using the ’Investiture of the Gods,’ could it be because it prevents the fruits of the Divine Dao from ultimately transforming into resources for Pangu?"

Long ago, Xuanqing was very curious why the Divine Enthronement had to use "Investiture of the Gods". Was directly conferring corresponding deific positions not sufficient?

If it were the old timeline, it was understandable that there were no suitable candidates in Heavenly Court and disciples from the three teachings were needed to fill the positions. But now, with abundant talents in the Heavenly Court, even though many have fallen, the structure of the Heavenly Court can still be maintained. Using the "Investiture of the Gods" for ennoblement seems superfluous!

As Xuanqing’s power grew stronger and he understood more, he suddenly had a new speculation about the significance of the existence of "Investiture of the Gods".

That is to harness the completion of Pangu’s Dao Fruit!

Take the Great Dao of Thunder, for instance; previously, the strongest thunder was the "Devastating Divine Thunder". However, as Xuanqing continuously perfected the Thunder Great Dao, his current Thunder Skill has progressed even further!

Putting aside its might temporarily, indisputably, he has surpassed Pangu in versatility, managing to explore innovative dimensions of the Thunder Great Dao.

Is this the merit of Xuanqing alone?

No!

This represents the collective wisdom of countless beings, the comprehension and realization of the Thunder Great Dao by generations of cultivators over millions of years since the opening of the Primordial World.

Xuanqing, although uniquely remarkable in the Thunder Skill, was actually just a culmination of collective wisdom from numerous cultivators. His initial cultivation journey with the "Upper Pure Divine Thunder" originated from the Tongtian Sect Master, reflecting the latter’s comprehension of the Thunder Great Dao.

"Immortal Dao, Demon Path, Divine Dao, I seek my own way!"

Xuanqing laughed heartily, followed by a moment of sudden enlightenment. Since all three paths had their pitfalls, he decided to merge them into one.

Every existence under heaven can be refined. If Hong Jun could steal his achievements in Immortal Dao, Luo Hou could enhance the Demon Path through his understanding, and Pangu could utilize his perception of Divine Dao to perfect his Power Dao Fruit, then why couldn’t he, in turn, refine and assimilate their Great Daos?

Boom!

Around Xuanqing, Chaos Qi surged, and the Refining Dao True Intent appeared, first from non-existence to existence, then from existence to non-existence, swiftly solidifying into a Heavenly Blade.

However, this Heavenly Blade was not wielded against others but against himself.

"Sever the Dao to understand my true self!"

The dazzling celestial light flashed and vanished into Xuanqing’s brow, where his realms in Immortal Dao, positions in Divine Dao, and marks of Demon Path, at that very moment, all turned into nothingness.

What Three Flowers, what Five Qi, what Dao Fruit, what Primordial Spirit, what Physical Body—all transformed towards Chaos nothingness in that instant.

Subsequently, from Chaos, a strand of Refining Dao True Intent unexpectedly emerged in the void, and using many Great Daos, it reshaped a body for Xuanqing.

It would be better to call it a foundation of existence, carrying his every thought, while his true self completely merged with the Refining Dao.

Now, he is neither celestial, divine, nor demonic, yet seemingly celestial, divine, and demonic, existing in a state where all practices are impermanent, and all laws are not self.

You say he is celestial, and he is celestial; you say he is divine, and he is divine; you say he is demonic, and you can indeed find demonic traits in him.

"But hope to empty all that exists, take care not to solidify what does not!"

As Xuanqing’s Taoist Body was remade, in an instant, reality and illusion interchanged, causes and effects reversed, existence and non-existence transformed, thereby entirely freeing himself from the influence of Immortal Dao.

The same held true for Divine Dao and Demon Path.

Or rather, he redefined himself; he is his own celestial, his own divine, his own demonic, but firstly, he must be himself.

Thus, even if he comprehended Immortal Dao, Divine Dao, Demon Path, Hong Jun, Luo Hou, Pangu—none could benefit from him anymore.

Emperor Hong, currently in combat with the Karma Demon God, furrowed his brows. He represented Hong Jun’s self, and Hong Jun used him as a vessel for Divine Dao Fruit Position, but just then, he lost a causal connection.

"Interesting!"

In front of the Karma Demon God, no cause and effect could hide. At the moment of breaking, he looked towards where Xuanqing was.

"Fate?"

The Karma Demon God’s gaze merely lingered on Xuanqing briefly before immediately using a Chaos Spirit Treasure to suppress Emperor Hong.

That was an intangible and unnamed Chaos Spirit Treasure, but it could transform into any object through the power of cause and effect.

In the hands of the Karma Demon God, it sometimes became a pair of scissors that could cut through anything or a pagoda erupting with the power to suppress all Dharma.

Sometimes, it even split into two; half becoming the "Karma Sword" slashing towards the Yin Yang Daoist and the other half manifesting as the "Karma Spear" aiming to pin Emperor Hong at a specific point in time.

The divine power╝ of cause and effect, much like the powers of the Fate Demon God, could negate others’ methods and make his own unavoidable. Facing his power, one could only confront it directly.

Xuanqing was reluctant to engage with him because there was simply no victory or defeat; his divine power struggled to land on the Karma Demon God, and the Karma Demon God’s powers were forcibly deviated by the Fate Dao.

Their combat seemed like a battle with the air, making it hard to determine a victor until the end of time.

"Souls return!"

Watching the big battle among the three, Xuanqing took a deep breath, and with a slight thought, used the marks left by the three Ancestor Witches on himself, along with the power of fate, to draw their lost True Spirits.

Originally, he intended to be an observer, but seeing Hong Jun taking the fruits of the Immortal Great Dao, he couldn’t help but feel a rebellious urge.

Even without an altar, such methods were extremely easy for him; he had mastery over the Space-Time Great Dao and the Reincarnation Great Dao.

With the addition of the power of fate, finding the timelines related to Qiang Liang, Xiz, and Zhu Rong among the myriad time spaces was not difficult.

At this moment, Heavenly Dao was contending with Earth Dao and the many who established altars in Primordial World, and suddenly supporting Earth Dao was the Karma Demon God.

They simply had no time to deal with him.

Boom!

Space-Time trembled violently, under the pull of the power of fate, three streaks of light broke through numerous restraints, transforming into three drops of Pangu Essence Blood in Xuanqing’s hand.

And within the three drops of Pangu Essence Blood, the True Spirits of the three Ancestor Witches shone brightly.

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