Chapter 689: The Dao
"There’s no need for any of that," Elysia said with a gentle shake of her head, her long blackish red hair swaying softly in the conceptual breeze of the forming realm.
Her voice was calm and measured, carrying the quiet confidence of someone who already held the answer.
While the other members of the Pantheon might be lazy at times and reluctant to put in the effort to retrieve knowledge of the power system, Elysia was different.
She was one of the few who couldn’t help but have knowledge constantly drifting through her mind, whether she was actively seeking it or not.
The moment any topic crossed her thoughts, much like Ash, the information would rise to the forefront.
And in this case, it was no different — she had a clear and vivid understanding of how the Taboo Realm should function and what the Dao ought to be.
"Big sister... what do you mean?" Unara asked as she tilted her head cutely, her voice soft and curious.
Elysia simply pointed out into the far distance, her reddish eyes calm and focused.
"Place a temple covered in the Language of Gods there," she said softly.
She stopped for a moment, letting the silence linger, before speaking again with calm conviction.
"The scripts should simply be filled with the words... ’The Dao and Freedom’."
Unara didn’t bother to ask anything further; she just blinked slowly; her gaze fixed on the far-off place.
HUMMM!!!!
In that instant, a massive temple materialized as if someone had simply unveiled it from the fabric of the void.
It was enormous — its structure spanning light years in scale, a towering edifice of ancient white and gold stone that seemed to blend seamlessly with the newly formed land.
Intricate runes of the Language of Gods covered every surface, glowing faintly with divine light.
The temple had only one grand entrance, a colossal archway that seemed to pull the eye toward it, inviting yet imposing, as if it alone held the secrets of the realm.
Unara looked at Elysia curiously, her head still slightly tilted.
"Now... please explain," she said softly.
Elysia shook her head with a small, gentle smile.
"The Dao is simply the way forward," she explained, her voice calm and eloquent.
"And the way forward will be different for each and every person. Take Layla as an example — if we were not at the pinnacle of power and she created a Dao; it would most likely become the Dao of Verity."
She continued her explanation despite Unara’s exceptional laziness, her reddish eyes glowed warmly with understanding.
Essentially, the Dao would hold the same meaning as it did in all the other fantasy novels Ash was familiar with.
However, at this stage of power, it would be much simpler yet far more potent.
Once a person stepped onto the Dao Road and advanced through its realms, they would gradually become the path itself rather than merely walking upon it.
For example, if Layla formed the Dao of Verity, the stronger it grew, the more her passive nature would naturally reveal all truths in her presence.
This was true for all beings, each uniquely shaped by the path they had devoted their lives to.
The ultimate goal, after all, was to achieve complete freedom from reliance on the Gods and Constellations power system, or Pantheos altogether.
Unara nodded her head cutely, her expression bright with understanding as she looked at Elysia.
"It does seem pretty unique and interesting," she said softly, her voice carrying a gentle, thoughtful tone.
"A realm where the Dao itself leads to the path of true freedom... I like it."
She paused for a moment, then tilted her head curiously.
"So... what’s next?" she asked. "Are we only leaving one Temple here?"
Elysia let out a soft, melodic chuckle, her reddish eyes sparkling with amusement as she looked at her younger sister.
"There needs to be many more," she replied, her voice warm and confident.
"With other such things hidden in caves, deep within the oceans, and scattered across the land. Each one offering a different path, a different way forward."
With those words, the two women shared a knowing glance.
Without another word, they disappeared together, their forms fading gracefully into the vast, still-forming expanse of the Taboo Realm as they moved to finish shaping it.
----
"Are you two finally satisfied?"
Ash spoke as he floated cross-legged just above the ground beneath the mountain his eyes warm with amusement as he looked at Aurora and Isis, both still with flushed faces.
While the spirits had taken care of all the important tasks, the three of them had indulged in pure taboo, adding a touch of symbolism to the realm.
Aurora nudged Isis playfully, her laughter ringing out like she had just received the greatest gift of her life.
Her white and blue hair flowed gently in the breeze as she smiled warmly at Ash.
"I truly enjoyed myself," she said, her voice brimming with joy and contentment. "And I’m more than satisfied."
She turned to Isis with a teasing smile.
"Right?"
Isis’s blush deepened, but this time she didn’t hide behind her usual tsundere attitude. She nodded bashfully, her voice soft and sincere as she looked at Ash.
"This... should’ve happened much sooner," she admitted, her cheeks still pink but her eyes meeting his with quiet honesty.
Ash laughed warmly, the sound rich and affectionate as he reached out and gently pulled both of them closer.
"Come along," he said, his voice soft and inviting. "It’s finally time to leave."
----
Two more years had slipped by since the spirits had taken it upon themselves to finish the Taboo Realm.
Now, the land was alive and brimming with energy — ancient dragons, their bodies formed from pure Dao essence, glided effortlessly through the skies, their roars echoing with the weight of primordial truths.
Majestic phoenixes, their feathers shimmering with pure Dao, made their nests high in the mountains, their very presence exuding rebirth and renewal.
All across the forests and plains, other divine beasts roamed freely, each shaped from the purest Dao and embodying unique aspects of the random and singular paths that Creara had chosen for them.
Not only that, with Unara and Elysia’s help, the land was dotted with countless ruins and temples, each offering subtle clues and challenges to guide those searching for the path ahead.
As they got ready to leave, the spirits appeared around Ash in their tiny forms—Elysia resting gracefully on his left shoulder, Creara on his right, and Unara perched lightly atop his head, while Minx floated nearby with a slight pout.
"Hmph! I don’t think it’s not fair I have to share a place," she complained, though her tone was more playful than serious.
Unara laughed softly, patting the top of Ash’s head.
"Just come atop his head with me," she said warmly.
Minx’s pout turned into a small smile as she shrank further and joined Unara, the two mini spirits now comfortably perched together.
Aurora, floating nearby with Isis, looked at Ash with bright eyes.
"Where are we headed to next?" she asked.
Ash smiled, his eyes calm and filled with quiet purpose.
At first, he intended to tackle only the next layer of Pantheos before moving on with the rest of his plans.
But now, the idea of waiting seemed pointless.
"Though I planned to complete only stages six and seven after this," he said, "we might as well spend a few eras finishing all of Pantheos."
With that, the group vanished from the Taboo Realm, leaving the newly completed Realm behind as they moved forward to continue shaping their home.