Chapter 419 - 230: Outer Dao Demonstration

Chapter 419: Chapter 230: Outer Dao Demonstration

A Nascent Soul Cultivator enjoys a lifespan of two thousand years.

Two thousand years is enough time for dynasties to rise and fall, for oceans to become mulberry fields, to sit and watch the clouds gather and scatter as the world changes.

Cultivating to such a realm is undeniably a mark of longevity. There are also various methods to extend one’s life. Common methods include the Armor Pill, frequently refined by the Danxia Institute, which can add sixty years. Rarer methods include treasures like the Innate Spirit Fruit Xuzhuang possessed, which could extend a Nascent Soul Cultivator’s lifespan by a full twelve hundred years.

In short, if a Nascent Soul Cultivator had no hope of attaining the Great Dao, they could enjoy all the glory the world has to offer.

Xuzhuang, at least, knew this to be the case for many Nascent Soul Cultivators in the Tai Su Sect who had not formed a Top-grade Golden Core. They might ascend to high positions within their families or the sect, establish their own branch of teaching, or become the masters of a Lower Institute...

But for those who aspired to the Great Dao, two thousand years seemed exceptionally short. Daoyun had meditated in the Beiji Pavilion for eight hundred years without a breakthrough, and his lifespan was likely at its end. No wonder his Dao heart was shaken and his composure shattered.

The twelve generations of True Disciples leading up to Xuzhuang spanned nearly two thousand years. There were likely many senior brothers and sisters who had struggled just as bitterly.

His unexpected encounter with Daoyun left a faint impression on Xuzhuang’s heart. He didn’t travel far before finding a suitable spot. With a burst of Sword Qi, he carved a chamber into an ice wall, laid down a restrictive formation, and began his cultivation.

Years pass uncounted in the mountains. As he was focused on peacefully cultivating the Dao, Xuzhuang paid no mind to the passage of time.

He only knew that one day, he had suddenly reached the Nascent Soul Third Layer. There were no hurdles, no bottlenecks; everything simply fell into place naturally.

In that moment, Xuzhuang vaguely felt a heavenly light pierce through the dim canopy of the Beiji Pavilion, pass through the frozen glacier, and shine directly upon his Celestial Gate. A warmth spread through him, as if he were submerged in a tepid ocean.

Next, an ethereal wind seemed to brush against his face, cleansing his entire body through every pore and aperture. His whole being seemed to be inhaling and exhaling pure energy, and he felt light enough to ascend as an immortal, an unparalleled sense of comfort washing over him.

In this sublime state, Xuzhuang suddenly felt his soul commune with heaven and earth. He began to comprehend the Great Dao, and his cultivation prowess surged wildly as a supreme technique spontaneously arose in his heart—

With this technique, he could continue to grow the foundation of his spirit energy. Upon cultivating it to perfection, his power would increase by hundreds, or even nearly a thousand times, compared to his Nascent Soul stage.

At that point, he would only need to find a Blessed Land favored by creation, merge his spirit energy with the profound mysteries of heaven and earth, and he would achieve the Primordial Spirit!

Just as he was about to lose himself in this state, on the verge of instinctively circulating the technique, Xuzhuang suddenly felt a cooling sensation flow through his heart. A sliver of clarity returned to his entranced mind. The more he thought, the calmer he became; and the calmer he became, the more terrified he grew. He shuddered violently.

’The entanglement of delusion... an Outer Dao Demonstration... So this is how terrifying it is.’

Xuzhuang felt his temples grow damp. For the first time in what felt like an eternity, he had broken out in a cold sweat.

The entanglement of delusion was an unavoidable demonic trial on the path to forging a Primordial Spirit.

Any Nascent Soul Great Successor Cultivator who had reached the Third Layer would be plagued by all sorts of distracting thoughts and delusions, regardless of whether they were actively cultivating. These delusions were specious and varied, appearing both real and false, making them impossible to distinguish. Some arose for a reason, while others appeared from nowhere, completely without a trace.

Even cultivators with profound foundations, like Xuzhuang when he was a Nascent Soul Second Level Cultivator, would occasionally be entangled by delusions during their practice.

Because of this, Xuzhuang had already experienced several moments of self-awakening and introspection. He had believed his own Dao heart was strong enough to shatter any delusion, but he never expected that when one truly came, it would be impossible to guard against. And to make matters worse, the moment he stepped into the Nascent Soul Great Successor realm, he was faced with one of this terrifying magnitude.

Regarding the entanglement of delusion, this unavoidable demonic trial, no Daoist Scripture ever specifies just how horrifying it is. Perhaps that is because if one were mentally prepared, its assault would be even more terrifying.

That was why even a True Disciple from an orthodox sect like Xuzhuang had no idea what form the demonic trial of delusion would take. Only now did he realize he had just encountered one of its most terrifying forms: the Outer Dao Demonstration.

This meant that during their cultivation, a Nascent Soul Great Successor Cultivator with profound attainments could spontaneously comprehend a supreme technique for achieving the Dao. This was, of course, not the orthodox path to the Primordial Spirit; following it would only sever one’s own Primordial Spirit Dao.

But the most terrifying part was that this kind of technique for achieving the Dao could be false... or it could be real!

Take the technique Xuzhuang had just comprehended as an example. If he were to cultivate it, he might suffer a Qi deviation and fall into madness, or he might... become a Side Door True Man!

What’s more, this technique was perfectly suited for Xuzhuang. With his foundation increased by hundreds, or even nearly a thousand times, the gap between him and ordinary cultivators would become immense. If he were to succeed, his achievements would likely far surpass those of other side-door paths; it was even possible that it could truly rival the Primordial Spirit Dao.

With such a method for achieving the Dao laid out before them, their minds already clouded by delusion, how many Nascent Soul Cultivators would instantly step onto the wrong path? And by the time they realized their mistake, would it be too late for regrets?

He took a deep breath, finally understanding why the Beiji Pavilion was the place where the sect’s Nascent Soul Cultivators would enter death-seclusion, burning all their bridges in a final attempt to forge a Primordial Spirit.

It turned out that the Beiji Pavilion had the miraculous effect of suppressing delusions. This was undoubtedly the cultivation ground that every Nascent Soul Great Successor Cultivator in the world dreamed of—more precious than any treasure. It was truly worthy of being established by a True Monarch.

The sudden cooling sensation had been crucial for him to overcome the trial of the Outer Dao Demonstration. Of course, the most critical factor was his unshakably firm Dao heart, which grew more resolute the more he contemplated the situation. Otherwise, he might not have been able to break free.

However, after passing this trial, Xuzhuang found himself momentarily at a loss.

In terms of cultivation, the Nascent Soul Great Successor realm represented a state of completion. Short of forging a Primordial Spirit, there was no further progress to be made.