Becoming a god starts from planting a Bodhi tree.

Chapter 528 True Nature, the Return of the Ancestors
Roger stayed close to the tour guide group, not daring to leave without permission.

In recent years, the Yanhuang Federation has been strictly enforcing regulations. All foreign tourists and pilgrims must follow designated groups and are not allowed to leave the group without permission or disrupt the local residents' lives.

Those who dared to act were immediately suppressed by the saints of the Yanhuang Federation.

"...You will have one hour of free time. Please remember not to leave this area."

The tour guide's voice was like heavenly music. Roger breathed a sigh of relief, immediately broke away from the group, and hurried towards the coordinates he had already familiarized himself with.

Extraordinary beings are forbidden here, otherwise Roger, with his newly attained Celestial level, could have arrived in an instant, but at this moment he can only obediently walk.

Besides the pilgrimage, Roger's main purpose on this trip was to clarify the nature of "Spiritual Reflection," and...

Why is it that in his civilization, only a very small percentage of people can awaken the talent of "True Spirit Reflection" on the day they come of age?

Among them was his cousin, whose martial arts talent was clearly superior to his, who also had not awakened his innate talent.

As he continued along the way, the scenery revealed a blend of antiquity and prosperity. Roger turned into a narrow, deep alley, where a half-open iron gate stood with its paint peeling off. On the crookedly hanging sign above the gate, four large characters stood out conspicuously:
Xinghuo Internet Cafe

The Yanhuang Federation network is not open to the public!
Any outsider who wants to enter the Federation to search for information must obtain a green pass or go through certain illegal internet cafes in the country!

With the legendary True Spirit Heavenly Rank descending into the world, the True Spirit Immortal Dao gradually merged into the foundation of all Daos.

This initially caused a tremor in the Great Dao, and the higher the realm of a being, the greater the impact, regardless of their path.

All civilizations and powers have devoted themselves to the research of the True Spirit Heavenly Rank.

For those at the very top of their civilization, who were still only at the level of Heavenly Kings, the research on the True Spirit Heavenly Rank had yielded very little result.

If they want to learn more about the secrets of the True Spirits, the Federation is their only channel. Compared to those major powers, at least the Federation "has a way to go".

Roger, his eyes resolute, strode into the internet cafe.

The store was dimly lit, with the only light source being the dense array of computer screens, their pale blue glow illuminating focused yet blurry faces.

These "customers" came in all shapes and sizes, and most of them were clearly different from the native creatures of the Federation. They all seemed to be like him.

Seeing this, Roger breathed a sigh of relief; it seemed he hadn't come to the wrong place.

He walked a few steps to the bar, where a lazy man sat behind him, saying languidly:
"Do you know the rules?"

Roger remained silent, simply handing over an envelope, still feeling a pang of regret.

The man behind the bar, who appeared to be the owner, squeezed the thickness of the envelope, nodded in satisfaction, tossed him an old-fashioned ID card, and shrugged:
"Don't complain about how old this place is. Only these old relics can allow outsiders like you to access the federal intranet."

Roger didn't have time to argue with him. He took his ID card and quickly went to an empty computer terminal.

The machine was old, but Roger was prepared.

The light from the screen illuminated the burning passion deep within his eyes.

When the computer is turned on, the first thing you see is a collection of documents called "True Spirit".

Roger was stunned for a moment, then subconsciously opened it. Inside were all sorts of information about the True Spirit, so detailed it was outrageous.

Roger was filled with mixed feelings. He wondered if this was the work of some "predecessor," as the information he had gone to great lengths to obtain was readily available here.

Suppressing his turbulent emotions, Roger quickly browsed the document, which was hundreds of thousands of words long, and finished reading it in a minute.

If the machine weren't so old that it couldn't achieve perfect harmony between mind and machine, Roger could have understood everything with a single glance!
Roger closed his eyes, and hundreds of thousands of words of information swirled and were refined in his mind, quickly summarizing the useful information.

Previously, Roger understood that "spiritual projection" is the manifestation of a person's most fundamental true spirit projected onto the present world.

That's true, but not entirely true.

To be precise, "spiritual projection" is a manifestation of a person's true nature.

Because "self-nature" varies from person to person, the innate talents of self-nature are so diverse.

The reason why one's innate talents can only be awakened at the age of sixteen is that a person's true nature is influenced by the worldview they acquire later in life, and it begins to stabilize around the age of sixteen.

The so-called self-nature focuses more on the individual beings, representing the "Buddha-nature" that each individual is born with.

Beyond this meaning, the document also mentions the concept of "suchness," which focuses more on a broader level, representing the "Buddha-nature" of the universe itself.

When the two are used together, "true nature" means that the truth of the universe lies within the mind of all beings, emphasizing that it is both the essence of the universe and the original mind of all beings—that is, the true spirit.

It is a person's most authentic "face", the ultimate essence of their nature, and the essence of their existence.

Once Roger sorted things out, everything became clear, and many of his troubles were easily resolved.

For example, after he broke through to the Celestial Realm, the effectiveness of his innate talents began to diminish...

The document uses a brilliant metaphor to describe the evolution of self-projection into something like a "golden finger"—the individual's self is like a piece of gold, symbolizing all kinds of malleability.

This malleability means that gold can be crafted into various things, such as bracelets and necklaces. In this process of transformation, the essence itself evolves into concrete "dharma".

His "golden finger" is the "Dharma" manifested from his true nature.

The innate talent for self-evolution gradually diminishes upon reaching the Celestial Realm, because beings at this level have already achieved a leap in their life status.

Their innate talents alone are gradually falling behind their progress, and by the time they reach the Heavenly King level, they will have completely lost their effectiveness.

To continue on this path, one must understand and explore "true reality," experience its true nature, and perceive the location of one's own true spirit.

At this point, we begin to come into contact with the origin of all this—the True Spirit Heavenly Rank!
The reason why all living beings have gradually come to perceive the true spirit in the past hundred years is because a hundred years ago, the World Honored One of the Federation opened the way to the world, allowing all living beings in the Boundary Sea to glimpse the true supreme Dao!

For all beings, the true spirit is too far away; self-nature is like a weakening of the true spirit, allowing all beings to enter the gate.

The projection of one's true nature into the world is the initial distortion of the present world by the true spirit.

Once you reach the end of this path and achieve true spiritual unity, you can recreate the world with just your own thoughts!
According to the document, the only World Honored One who could possibly have entered this realm still sits at an infinitely high place, suppressing all spirits on the heavenly staircase.

The document also mentioned many "methods of practice" regarding true nature, but without specific details. Roger spent some time looking them up one by one, memorizing them, and preparing to bring them back to civilization.

In the end, he was left with only one question: why were there only a very small number of people in his civilization who had awakened their true nature?

Does this also depend on luck?

However, when he looked around the Yanhuang Federation, he could hardly find any examples of people who could not awaken their innate talents. On the contrary, all kinds of innate talents emerged one after another, blooming in a hundred different ways.

After reviewing a large amount of information, Roger suddenly came across a paper by "Dr. Chen".

It records a great deal about innate talents and what those who have awakened their talents truly desire, ultimately leading to the conclusion that—

No one will dislike or be dissatisfied with their innate talents, because they represent their most fundamental and essential desires.

Finally, Dr. Chen asked a thought-provoking question:
If a being does not have a very strong desire, or does not possess an independent and complete self, does this mean that it is difficult for it to awaken its innate talents?

Roger began a targeted search for all of this person's papers.

[...The latest survey report, based on investigations of several religious systems, shows that the proportion of fanatical believers—that is, those who dedicate themselves entirely to the deity—who have awakened their innate talents is pitifully small. It seems that this path is contrary to the way of the gods.]

[...Is this innate talent a shortcut bestowed upon humanity by the Buddha?]

[...Some time ago, we conducted another survey, this time focusing on civilization and the social environment. The survey ultimately determined that a civilization that 'suppresses' strong individual desires in many aspects, including living environment and cultural consciousness, will experience a precipitous drop in the probability of its members awakening.]

Upon seeing this, Roger's heart sank, and a chill instantly shot up his spine to the top of his head.

The civilization he lived in was hierarchical and emphasized the supremacy of the collective. From birth, the will and desires of individuals were disciplined and guided in a direction that was "useful" to the collective.

Unique ideas are seen as heresy, and excessive desires are criticized as selfishness.

People are taught to be law-abiding and content with their assigned roles and destinies.

The environment they were in had, unknowingly and subtly, killed their nature and extinguished the most primal and vibrant life force that could ignite their true selves and awaken their inner selves.

Roger took a deep breath and continued reading. [But in other words, the innate talents awakened in this environment would be even stronger; perhaps they are the chosen ones of this civilization's collective consciousness… a rebel force? Or perhaps, a spark?]

"Rebels..."

Roger muttered to himself, looking dazed.

Building upon our previous experiments, we conducted another one and confirmed that, due to certain unforeseen circumstances, even those who give up on themselves are unlikely to awaken their innate talents—no one can save those who abandon themselves.

Upon seeing this, Roger's eyes sharpened. His cousin, though not self-destructive, was accustomed to relying on others for everything...

Based on previous investigations, we have come to the conclusion that the True Spirit Path is a path of self-discovery and pursuit. This is likely what the Buddha meant when he said, "I alone am supreme."

Friends, the Three Realms are like a burning house; only you can save yourself!

Finally, I'd like to leave you with four words: "Strive for self-improvement."

As Roger went through each point, he finally figured out the root cause.

It wasn't that the Buddha was "biased," but rather that their civilization made it difficult for them to awaken their innate talents.

He suddenly wasn't sure what kind of sensation this news would cause if it were brought back to civilization...

As for my cousin, it's much simpler. All I need to do is temper his character, but I'll have to use some ruthless methods...

Just as Roger was lost in thought, a group of people suddenly rushed in through the gate. They were fully armed and their auras were not weak. In Roger's perception, the leader was not only a Celestial Being, but a Heavenly King?!
"Sit still, everyone! Show your identification information one by one. This place is sealed off!"

"Sealed off?" Roger was taken aback. He glanced at the screen and thought to himself that at least he had roughly gotten what he wanted.

Roger felt a pang of regret that those who came after him had lost another "holy land" where they could find the truth.

As each guest's identity was checked, when it was Roger's turn, he hesitated for a moment, looked at the female king at the head of the group with a sword at her waist, and asked in a low voice:
"Sir, is the Federation cracking down on outsiders infiltrating the internal network?"

The woman with the sword glanced at him, saw through his true thoughts, and smiled:

"Following the latest instructions from Commander Ji, the Federation will soon join forces with the Heavenly Court to officially promote the spread of the True Spirit Path. From now on, you will no longer need to try every means to enter the Federation and infiltrate the internal network."

Roger paused for a moment, then understood the unspoken message, his expression a mixture of surprise and delight!

The Federation will no longer block news about the True Spirit Path?!
But soon, he realized something even more important—the World Honored One had awakened?!

……

……

Pantheon.

As one of the most transcendent sects of our time, the Pantheon has nearly rivaled the Heavenly Prison Palace in recent years, especially in the absence of its founder.

Chi Xiao stepped into the main hall and bumped into his junior brother, Mie Yu.

"Brother, you're back."

Chi Xiao laughed and said, "Our patriarch is about to return, how could I not return?"

The Pantheon recently received notification that their lineage's ancestor, the Crimson Ancestor, is about to return!
The patriarchs who have been gone for over a decade are about to return to this realm!
Chixiao and Mieyu walked inside side by side.

"Senior brother, has your cultivation improved recently?" Mieyu asked with envy, noticing that Chixiao's aura had changed considerably compared to before.

Chi Xiao smiled and said, "The path of the True Spirit is vast and profound. I have indeed gained a lot, especially from that person who completely opened up the Nether Sea, allowing it to merge into all worlds and become almost omnipresent, responding to the emotional fluctuations of all living beings."

Mi Yu sighed:
"The opening of the Nether Sea allows every living being to reflect its true nature and give birth to its own unique 'talent.' This person's magnanimity is no less than that of the Nether Lord."

"Unfortunately, in that person's view, the eighth realm, no, it should be said that the seventh realm, that is, Heavenly King and above, are no longer considered 'mortal spirits'."

Mieyu smiled, his expression showing no regret, only a teasing tone.

The true spirit's reflection, which gradually spreads throughout the realms and brings joy to all beings, has no effect on those who have already entered the Heavenly King realm.

Chi Xiao said dismissively, "The ability of True Spirit Reflection gradually weakens when one reaches the Celestial Realm. But once one breaks through to the Celestial Venerable Realm, one can naturally ascend to the True Spirit Heavenly Realm and truly see one's true nature freely, which is ten or a hundred times stronger than True Spirit Reflection. Those with exceptional talent can achieve this even at the Celestial King level. Aren't Kong Xiao and Qi Tian like that?"

"This cannot be generalized. Both of them once followed that Buddha."

Mieyu shook his head, then continued:
"It's extremely difficult to reach this level at the Heavenly King level. However, it seems that if a Heavenly King can achieve this, the probability of breaking through to the eighth level will also increase significantly."

At this point, Mieyu smiled and stroked his beard, saying calmly, "My disciple recently made a preliminary breakthrough into the true nature of reality, and it is hoped that he will complete this step before the Heavenly Venerable."

Chi Xiao was speechless: "Are you showing off your kid to me?"

Mieyu laughed heartily: "I am no match for Senior Brother, but my disciple might have a chance to catch up with Senior Brother in the future."

Suddenly, he asked curiously, "Senior brother, do you think that person is now the Great Dao Ancestor?"

This question has troubled the true saints of all realms for a century, and it is also the question they are most curious about right now.

Chi Xiao pondered for a moment and said, "Even if it wasn't true back then, it should be pretty close to being true by the time this seclusion ends."

Mieyu said in a low voice, "I wonder if the ancestors will clash with that one after they return."

Chi Xiao said solemnly, "The ancestors are not a monolithic group; their wills differ, so it is normal for conflicts to arise."

As the two walked towards the inner hall, they inadvertently caught a glimpse of the hem of a red dress.

Chi Xiao suddenly fell silent, his pupils contracted sharply, and he looked at the main hall in disbelief.

There, a woman in a flowing red dress sat on the throne in the main hall, her fair and beautiful face smiling as she looked at them with great interest.

Pfft!
Chi Xiao knelt down on the spot without hesitation.

"Chi Xiao, a fourth-generation disciple, pays respects to the Ancestral Master!"

Mieyu was stunned for a moment, and then, after a quick reaction, there was another "plop" sound!
"The fourth-generation disciple, Extinguishing Desire, pays respects to the Ancestral Master!"

"stand up."

The female patriarch, Hongyan, smiled as she gracefully rose, her red skirt fluttering in the breeze, creating a striking sound in the hall. Her arched willow-leaf eyebrows exuded both allure and a palpable aura of murderous intent. She asked with a smile.
Where is that World Honored One now?

"Reporting to the Ancestor, that World Honored One has been in seclusion at the very bottom of the True Spirit Heavenly Steps since the battle in the Heavenly Court a hundred years ago!" Chi Xiao replied quickly.

"True Spirit Heavenly Rank..." Hongyan looked into the distance, her gaze slightly surprised, "They really do have some skill..."

"but……"

"What about people?"

……

……

【Boundless Emptiness】

With tears in their eyes, Kong Ming and the others were already weeping with joy. Today, all the lineages of the Void Realm had gathered to welcome their three returning patriarchs!
A towering figure, possessing a divine body that embodies the universe; and a female sword immortal, wielding a short sword, with a graceful and elegant appearance, her clothes flowing like smoke, and a joyful smile.

Ahead of them stood a man wearing an ancient Taoist crown, bathed in a myriad of radiant rays of light.

The Great Ancestor, for countless ages.

"Alright, what are you crying for? How old are you all?" The tall man with a Daoist physique that seemed to contain multiple universes shook his head helplessly.

Just as Kongming was about to speak, he was interrupted by Ancestor Wan Qianqiu raising his hand.

This Great Dao Ancestor, whose face was obscured by chaotic darkness and whose aura encompassed all things and was infinite, stared at the True Spirit Heavenly Staircase that stretched from the heavens to the earth, piercing through the "above" and "below" of the Boundary Sea, and suddenly asked:
"Do you all know when that World Honored One Ji emerged from seclusion?"

(End of this chapter)