pertwk Chapter 629 Asking the Dao Realm
Chapter 629 Asking the Dao Realm
Wen Zhong took a deep breath and stepped into the door that was gleaming with a mysterious light.
In an instant, he felt the world spinning and his feet loosening, as if he were in the heavens and had fallen to earth.
The next moment, the scene froze, and he found himself standing in a familiar street.
It is Chaoge.
The shops on both sides of the street were bustling with activity, and the shouts of vendors rose and fell. There were stalls selling cloth, cosmetics, and even ivory and jade carvings, all neatly arranged.
The people were all smiles, carrying loads on their shoulders and in their hands, bustling about, creating a scene of great prosperity.
Wen Zhong paused slightly, a look of doubt flashing in his eyes: "This is... Chaoge City?"
He was fully aware that he had entered the illusion of the trial, yet everything before him was so real, even the scent of perfume in the air was exactly the same.
He quickly channeled his magical power and focused his divine sense, attempting to tear apart the illusion. However, no matter how much the energy surged, the field remained unmoved, as if the entire world were as solid as a rock.
"Hmm? Something's not right?!"
Wen Zhong frowned slightly, appearing calm on the surface, but inwardly he was extremely vigilant.
He simply withdrew his magical power, stopped acting rashly, and decided to let nature take its course and observe the changes.
A few days later, Wen Zhong gradually integrated into the daily life of "Chaoge".
He realized that he was a young military general who was highly valued.
As time went by, he participated in many important court affairs and witnessed the rise and fall of the Shang Dynasty.
He began to assist the king, fight on the battlefield, quell rebellions on the frontier, and was invincible.
Every time they returned victorious from battle, music and dance filled the air, and the people lined the streets to cheer; the glory seemed so real it was impossible to erase.
And he was also appointed Grand Tutor by the king!
However, this tranquility did not last long.
One morning at court, King Zhou, with a wicked smile, praised his newly acquired concubine—a woman with radiant eyes and a bewitching aura between her brows.
Wen Zhong stood at the lower end, his face calm, but his fists were slightly clenched.
He could sense that the once prosperous Shang Dynasty was sliding step by step into the abyss because of King Zhou's absurdity.
The following years were even more turbulent.
King Zhou was a foolish and tyrannical ruler who indulged in extravagance and pleasure, built the Deer Terrace, and plundered the people.
The people were filled with grief and resentment, and Wen Zhong tossed and turned every night, his heart aching.
Wen Zhong, however, had no choice but to personally lead his troops to various places to suppress rebellious demons!
During the years that Wen Zhong fought in the south and north, the Shang Dynasty was in turmoil, and King Zhou's debauchery cast a dark cloud over the court.
However, he has always been a pillar of strength, pacifying everything with his iron-fisted decisiveness, whether it was the clash of swords on the battlefield or frequent internal strife.
People used to point and whisper about him in the marketplace, but now, whenever "Grand Tutor Wen" is mentioned, they can't help but give him a thumbs up and call him a "pillar of the nation".
However, the inner struggle and sense of powerlessness grew day by day.
He knew that none of this would have happened if King Zhou had not been so incompetent.
And he, too, became a sharp blade in the hands of that tyrannical emperor.
He was completely unaware that this path of justice had already strayed from its original course.
He recalled the scene of another victorious expedition, where people lined the road to welcome him and flowers covered the official road.
But at that moment, he felt an indescribable sense of guilt.
That day, as he rode into the city, he saw a ragged old woman kneeling by the roadside, clutching his boots and crying out, "Grand Tutor, you are the pillar of the dynasty, may I ask His Majesty why you have forced our family to be destroyed?"
Her tears pierced his heart, which had long been numb from the wind and snow, like sharp blades, but he looked down at the old woman and could not utter a single word.
Inside the imperial court, the voice of the enchanting concubine Daji was as alluring as poison.
After a dance, she flicked her slender finger and directly pointed at a court official for "disrespectful eyes."
King Zhou immediately ordered the man to be dragged away and executed by dismemberment, and screams erupted throughout the court hall.
Wen Zhong frowned deeply, as if a heavy stone was pressing on his chest, but he could only clasp his hands, close his eyes, and remain silent.
His gaze swept over the officials who were talking nonchalantly, and he felt a sense of desolation, like that of a lone wolf in distress.
Finally, one day the nightmare came true, and a formidable enemy loomed at the border.
With the rise of Xiqi, the disciples of the Chan Sect descended like divine soldiers, suppressing all the cultivators and experts.
Wen Zhong led an army of 100,000 to confront the Xiqi army at Muye.
In the end, he lost!
The army of Xiqi captured Chaoge, and the Shang Dynasty collapsed.
Witnessing the once glorious dynasty turn to ashes, Wen Zhong felt as if his heart was being torn apart, and a sense of desolation welled up in his heart.
He was almost unable to extricate himself from the pain of national subjugation.
Just then, a voice suddenly rang in his ears: "Everything is an illusion, do not be obsessed."
Wen Zhong suddenly awoke with a start, the scene before him shattered instantly, and he was back in the "questioning".
"What an amazing illusion!" Wen Zhong wiped the cold sweat from his forehead, still feeling lingering fear.
He looked at Chu Yang beside him, his eyes filled with admiration: "Uncle-Master, this illusion is so real, I almost fell into it."
Chu Yang smiled: "This is the essence of 'Seeking the Way,' allowing one to experience the myriad aspects of life and comprehend the true meaning of the Great Dao within an illusion. However,..."
He changed his tone, looking at Wen Zhong with a half-smile: "Nephew, you almost went into qi deviation just now. It seems your temperament still needs some tempering."
Wen Zhong blushed and scratched his head awkwardly.
Indeed, when he saw the Shang Dynasty destroyed, the intense resentment and regret he felt almost drove him to commit suicide and follow the Shang Dynasty to its doom!
Just then, a commotion suddenly broke out in the training ground.
Then another second-generation disciple stumbled out, his face pale, his eyes unfocused, muttering repeatedly, "I am the number one in the primordial world... I am the number one in the primordial world..."
Seeing this, Duobao frowned: "What's going on?"
Chu Yang stepped forward, grabbed the disciple, and probed his consciousness with his divine sense. After a moment, his expression changed slightly, and he said in a deep voice, "He is obsessed with the power in the illusion, his mind has been lost, and he has already gone into qi deviation!"
Everyone was shocked, not expecting the training ground to be so dangerous.
Chu Yang flicked his finger, and a soft white light enveloped the disciple, slowly pulling him out of the Dao Inquiry Realm.
The disciple kept his eyes closed, but continued to mutter incantations, appearing as if he were insane.
Chu Yang frowned slightly, his fingertips flashing with golden light as he touched the center of Chu Yang's forehead.
A surge of pure immortal energy flowed in, nourishing the damaged divine soul.
It was also thanks to the fact that this disciple's cultivation level was relatively low, only at the Xuanxian realm, otherwise even Chu Yang would have had a hard time helping him.
After a while, the disciple's trembling body gradually calmed down, and his delirium gradually disappeared.
Seeing that Chu Yang had effortlessly pulled the disciple back from danger, everyone felt even greater awe.
Daoist Duobao stroked his beard and laughed, "Junior Brother Xiaolei's Daoist skills are indeed profound!"
A day later, the disciple slowly woke up, his eyes clear, and there was no longer any trace of madness.
He got up and stretched, feeling his body brimming with immortal energy, more than twice as strong as before! Overjoyed, he examined his cultivation level in disbelief and was astonished to find that he had leaped from the mid-stage of the Profound Immortal realm to the peak of the late-stage Profound Immortal realm, only one step away from becoming a Taiyi Profound Immortal!
In the illusion of the Dao Realm, he turned misfortune into blessing. Although he experienced danger, he was spared hundreds of years of cultivation!
This disciple is named Deng hope. His true form is a black bear spirit. He transformed into human form after hearing the Tongtian Sage preach. He is considered one of the outer disciples. Disciples with similar experiences make up almost half of the disciples of the Jie Sect!
He was rough and unruly, and he didn't like to cultivate. He preferred to spar with his fellow disciples. Because of his thick skin, he was often beaten up, but he also often beat up other fellow disciples.
Now that his cultivation level has skyrocketed, he is extremely proud and can't wait to show it off to someone.
"Hahaha! I'm now a late-stage Xuanxian! Who dares to challenge me, fearless enough to die?"
After returning to the square, Deng hope started shouting at the top of his lungs in the square outside Biyou Palace, attracting many disciples to watch.
"Deng hope, what's wrong with you? I beat you to a pulp just two days ago, and you dare to yell here today?" A burly disciple stepped forward, curling his lip in disdain.
Deng hope chuckled, patted his chest, and said smugly, "Times have changed! I recently went to the Dao Seeking Realm and had a great opportunity, my cultivation has advanced by leaps and bounds! If you dare to fight me again, I'll slap you to death!"
"The Realm of Seeking the Dao?" The crowd looked at each other, all with puzzled expressions.
Deng hope then realized that no one knew about the Dao Realm, so he embellished his story and recounted his experiences there. Of course, he deliberately omitted the embarrassing incident of almost going into a demonic state in the illusion, only saying that he had comprehended the Great Dao and his cultivation had skyrocketed.
Upon hearing that the Dao Realm possessed such miraculous effects, everyone became envious and began inquiring about its whereabouts.
Deng hope feigned mystery, saying only that this was a secret realm newly created by his senior brother Chu Yang, and ordinary disciples were not allowed to enter.
On the other side, the other disciples also emerged from the Dao Seeking Realm in varying degrees of disarray.
They successively experienced the 'Trial Tower' and the 'Illusory Mind Realm' in the Dao Realm. Although their cultivation level did not improve, their understanding of their own Dao techniques and themselves reached a new level.
I believe that with more diligent training, his level and strength will definitely reach a new level.
Wen Zhong took a deep breath and exclaimed, "This Dao Seeking Realm is truly a great treasure for our Jie Sect! The Trial Tower can clearly determine the disciples' realms and strengths, and the Illusionary Heart Realm can also test one's character. Uncle Xiao Lei, who created such a formation space, is truly amazing!"
Having personally experienced the two major benefits, Wen Zhong's admiration for this Dao Realm had reached its peak. If Duo Bao hadn't stopped him, he would have wanted to stay inside forever.
However, he also knew the principle of not trying to do too much at once. Now that he had already shown signs of a breakthrough, his top priority was to go back and completely break through his cultivation level before the competition!
The news spread like wildfire, and soon the entire Jie Sect knew of the existence of the Dao Seeking Realm.
Countless disciples were filled with curiosity and longing for this mysterious secret realm, and flocked to Biyou Palace, eager to explore it.
Meanwhile, in the Jade Void Palace of Kunlun Mountain, the Primordial Celestial Venerable calculated with his fingers, and his expression suddenly changed.
"How could the fortune of the Jie Sect suddenly surge? Could it be that Tongtian has obtained some treasure again?" He wondered, but he couldn't figure it out.
The Primordial Celestial Venerable sat upright on his throne, his beard and eyebrows trembling slightly, his face revealing a deep gloom.
He turned over a Three Pure Ones Jade Token in his hand, his gaze deep and his expression complex: "The fortune of the Jie Sect has suddenly surged, already showing signs of overshadowing my Chan Sect. Now it's even stronger! This is no ordinary matter. We are one of the Three Pure Ones, so why should we allow him to rise above my Chan Sect today? Hmph, Tongtian is indeed restless!"
His gaze shifted, and he lightly flicked his sleeve.
Amidst the floating clouds, Taiyi Zhenren and Yuding Zhenren entered in single file, bowing respectfully.
"Reporting to Master, what are your instructions?" Taiyi Zhenren's divine light was restrained; in front of the sage, he showed no arrogance whatsoever.
Master Yu Ding was the same; he was humble, with his hands clasped together, eyes lowered respectfully, waiting for his master's command.
The Primordial Celestial Venerable nodded calmly, his tone revealing a hint of solemnity: "You two go to Golden Turtle Island and investigate what exactly happened to the Intercepting Sect. The Intercepting Sect's fortune has suddenly surged, which must be due to some new trick that Tongtian has come up with. I must find out the reason behind it."
"Disciples obey!" The two dared not delay and immediately rode the clouds to Jin'ao Island.
Above Jin'ao Island, auspicious clouds swirl and purple mist rises from the east, creating a scene of celestial beauty.
As soon as Taiyi Zhenren and Yuding Zhenren approached, they felt a powerful force of fortune rushing towards them, several times stronger than before.
Outside Biyou Palace, a bustling crowd gathered in the square, their expressions excited as they enthusiastically discussed the mysteries of the "Inquiry Realm".
Some people have even begun to vie for the favor of Chu Yang or Daoist Duobao in order to gain an early opportunity to enter the Daoist Realm.
After all, one step ahead is equivalent to being ahead every step of the way. If one breaks through to a higher realm before the official competition, the rewards obtained in the competition will be even better.
Taiyi Zhenren and Yuding Zhenren were both astonished by the magnificent sight from afar.
Although the Jie Sect had many disciples at that time, the Tongtian Sect Leader was always unrestrained and never adhered to the sect's rules, resulting in a mixed bag of disciples and a lack of true cohesion.
However, these disciples of the Jie Sect are acting out of character, all of them looking spirited and full of fighting spirit, clearly catalyzed by some kind of uplifting fortune.
"Something is definitely strange."
Taiyi Zhenren frowned and said in a deep voice.
This wasn't their first time here. Although the Jie Sect and the Chan Sect were at odds, they hadn't truly broken ties. Over tens of thousands of years, disciples from both sects occasionally interacted with each other, and Master Yuding was one of them.
Taiyi and Yuding exchanged a glance, both startled, thinking to themselves, "The Jie Sect's fortune has indeed surged! Something seems amiss!"
The two descended from the clouds and arrived outside Biyou Palace, where they saw countless disciples of the Jie Sect gathered there, all extremely excited, as if they had been injected with chicken blood, and discussing among themselves.
"Have you heard? There's a great opportunity in the Dao Seeking Realm. You can improve your cultivation level just by going in!" A disciple with wings on his back said excitedly.
"Really? If I could go in there, wouldn't I be able to break through to the Taiyi Golden Immortal realm?" Another disciple, exuding demonic energy, asked with longing.
At this moment, a disciple saw Taiyi and Yuding Zhenren.
Jin Guangxian, one of the seven attendants, had sharp eyes and immediately recognized Taiyi Zhenren and Yuding Zhenren.
He parted the crowd and warmly greeted them: "Hey, aren't these two junior brothers from the Chan Sect? What brings you to our Golden Turtle Island?"
Master Taiyi gave a forced smile and cupped his hands in greeting: "Senior Brother Jinguang, how have you been? I've come today to inquire about some matters with you." (End of Chapter)