Man in the heavens, wins by lying down to prove the truth

Chapter 370 The Deceptive Nature Between Illusion and Reality

Watching the old blue-scaled dragon ride the water and disappear into the distance, Zhou Cheng formed hand seals and chanted incantations.

"The highest good is like water, which benefits all things without striving... It is precisely because it does not strive that it is without fault..."

Every word uttered stirred the profound spiritual energy of the Dao, flowing with the true words.

The invisible essence of water in the world gathered from all directions, from mountains and rivers, from vegetation and clouds, and flowed into the body of the old blue-scaled dragon.

"Roar~" Ao Cang let out a low groan, glanced gratefully at Zhou Cheng, and then rode the endless clouds and waters eastward.

Boom!

The surging waves carried the old dragon a thousand miles a day, traversing thousands of mountains and rivers. Wherever it passed, the spiritual energy of heaven and earth boiled, and the natural Dao rhythm within the entire territory of the Dayan Dynasty was stirred up, spreading in all directions.

One day, two days, three days... nine days!
For nine whole days, the old azure-scaled dragon rode the ever-growing currents of the water, traversing states and prefectures, heading east into the sea.

The increasingly pure dragon's might gradually emerged, spreading into the world and creating increasingly magnificent phenomena and fluctuations, centered on the Dayan Dynasty and spreading throughout the entire land of China.

This earth-shattering scene had already alarmed the sacred cultivation ground of this world—Nandao Mountain!

Deep within the celestial palaces and temples suspended above the sea of ​​clouds, an aura that had been dormant for countless years was suddenly awakened. Powerful divine senses cautiously probed towards the center where spiritual energy was gathering.

"Hiss... This is a master drawing upon the spiritual energy of the entire land to help the dragon transform into a dragon; it's simply... a heaven-defying feat!"

"Have any of you seen that man in the green robe? His profound and all-encompassing Daoist aura... suggests that he has likely progressed far beyond the True Realm."

"If you have never seen it, do not approach it, and do not disturb it. Observe the situation quietly."

Deep in the Southern Mountain, several ancient immortals, whose auras were so ancient that their Daoist charm almost merged with the void, watched Zhou Cheng, who was moving with the water, across the endless void. They all restrained their disciples from moving around at will, so as not to cause any unnecessary misunderstandings.

The ninth day, at noon.

On the shores of the East China Sea, the vast expanse of water and sky blend seamlessly.

Ao Cang rode the waves that had accumulated over nine days and plunged into the sea.

"boom--!!!"

In an instant, the tidal surge crashed into the vast East China Sea, like a mountain collapsing and plunging into the ocean. Immediately following was an incredibly violent roar.

In just a few dozen seconds, the mighty river water poured into the sea, instantly stirring up endless waves.

Nine thousand miles of water dragons surge and the vast ocean rises and falls.

Layer upon layer of huge waves surged toward the distant ocean, forming a deafening tsunami.

Just as its dragon body completely submerged into the sea, a sound as if an invisible shackle was breaking resounded throughout the world!

"Hoar--!!!"

A dragon's roar, louder than ever before, pierced through the depths of the East Sea.

The massive, dark blue dragon's body peeled away inch by inch the moment it entered the sea, and countless new dragon scales with a purple-gold luster grew rapidly.

The dragon's horns became even more rugged, branching out like an ancient tree, entwined with wisps of auspicious clouds and lucky energy.

Its claws opened and closed, its five toes clearly defined; the aura emanating from its body shed its last traces of eeriness and impurity, and sublimated into true dragon might.

However, to complete this final transformation, it still needs to undergo a baptism of heaven and earth.

"Rumble..."

High above, the winds and clouds shifted once more, and a muffled roar echoed.

The thick, lead-gray clouds of calamity had accumulated to their peak during the nine-day journey through the water, as heavy as lead, making the entire East China Sea seem to sink by a third.

"Boom! Crack—!"

Without any warning, a beam of tribulation light, hundreds of feet thick and deep purple in color, suddenly burst forth, instantly enveloping the transforming dragon.

Within that calamity light, the purple-gold dragon, which had already begun to take on the form of a true dragon, let out an indomitable roar, and then stirred up endless waves, forming a huge water tornado that spread upwards toward the heavens.

"boom--!!!"

The lightning exploded, and the blinding light instantly illuminated the dark East China Sea as if it were daytime.

The figure of the purple-gold dragon plummeted from mid-air and plunged into the depths of the sea. Countless newly grown dragon scales burst open instantly, and the dragon's blood, almost like that of a real dragon, stained a large area of ​​the sea red. The painful dragon roar pierced through the sea surface.

And this is just the beginning.

One after another, even more terrifying beams of light erupted, as if the wrath of the heavens, bombarding down relentlessly, as dense and impenetrable as mercury spilling onto the ground, completely enveloping the entire sea area.

Under the bombardment of beams of tribulation light, the purple-gold dragon is undergoing its final transformation. Its physical body, soul, and even its Dao fruit are shedding impurities and reverting to their origin.

From afar, one could vaguely see the enormous dragon shadow struggling and tumbling within the blazing purple sea of ​​lightning.

Within the seemingly destructive lightning and calamity, a glimmer of life was being nurtured, nourishing the dragon's body as it transformed into a true dragon.

Above the nine heavens, at the top of the clouds.

Zhou Cheng, dressed in a blue robe, lowered his eyes, seemingly watching this scene silently.

In fact, Zhou Cheng's attention was already immersed in his inner vision.

The two fragments of the Heavenly Dao resonated, transforming into countless complex and incomprehensible networks of light, intertwining and converging, evolving something.

As Zhou Cheng gazed at the evolving fragments of the Heavenly Dao, his dreamlike memories gradually became clearer.

A faint, pure and vibrant life force emerged from Zhou Cheng's body, and his green robe came to life, with leaves and tender branches vaguely spreading out from it.

Not only that, the originally ordinary blue robe suddenly became a true treasure garment.

A complex and mysterious symbol lit up on the precious garment, faintly forming the outline of an ancient, weathered tree.

In the blink of an eye, the time it takes to drink a cup of tea has passed.

The thick, dark clouds in the sky gradually contracted, eventually transforming into a jet-black bolt of lightning that shot down like a spear, aiming to pierce the purple-scaled dragon.

"hold head high--!!!"

The purple-scaled dragon let out a final roar, and all its energy, magic power, and dragon essence rapidly converged, its dragon horns shining brightly for a moment.

The next moment, the purple-scaled dragon soared into the sky once again, and the entire East Sea roared. Then it clashed head-on with the black tribulation light.

“BOOM Boom Boom Boom!!!”

The blinding purplish-black light of calamity devoured everything.

After an unknown amount of time, the thick, pitch-black tribulation clouds completely dissipated.

As dawn broke, the morning sun peeked over the eastern horizon, its faint light spreading across the sea ravaged by thunder.

"boom!"

At that moment, the once calm East China Sea suddenly exploded.

A five-clawed dragon, over a thousand feet long and shimmering with purple light, burst forth from the sky and soared through the air.

A majestic and righteous dragon's might emanated from the five-clawed dragon at its core, spreading in all directions and sweeping across the entire East China Sea.

"Crash-!"

The entire East China Sea was in an uproar, with waves surging and turbulent for thousands of miles.

Countless fish, shrimp, crabs, shellfish, giant whales, sea monsters, and even ancient beings hidden deep in the sea emerged from beneath the surface and from the abyss, densely covering the sea surface as far as the eye could see, all paying homage to the true dragon.

"Shh!"

The next instant, a dreamlike purple glow spread out, the thousand-foot-long dragon body disappeared, and a majestic middle-aged man dressed in purple and gold robes appeared.

With a single step, his figure instantly traversed thousands of miles of sea, appearing in the clouds above the East China Sea coast. At this moment, Zhou Cheng looked at the newly transformed dragon with a smile.

"Ao Cang, I kowtow to thank the True Man for his grace of rebirth and enlightenment. I will never forget it. Please do whatever you need!"

Zhou Cheng accepted the bow with a smile. After the man finished bowing, Zhou Cheng gently helped him up with a gesture of respect: "Dragon Lord, please rise. Now that you have become a true dragon, you should know that all things in heaven and earth are but dreams and illusions. We are all real, so we can treat each other as equals."

Upon hearing this, Ao Cang shook his head firmly: "Sir, you are mistaken. In your presence, Ao Cang will always be the dragon who has received your guidance."

"Sir, please do not mention the Dragon Lord again. Just call me Ao Cang."

"In addition, Ao Cang will soon host a Dragon Transformation Banquet at the Great River Dragon Palace, and sincerely invites all dragons from the four seas to celebrate together. I sincerely hope that you will grace us with your presence."

Zhou Cheng shook his head, about to reply, when suddenly he sensed something and looked up at the southwest horizon.

Three streaks of clear light pierced the sky and arrived in an instant.

As the light faded, three elderly men with ethereal and otherworldly bearing were revealed.

The leader was a man with white hair and a youthful face, holding a whisk and wearing a purple robe with a Bagua symbol.

To his left stood a man with a lean face, carrying an ancient longsword on his back. To his right stood a slightly plump figure with a friendly smile, a vermilion gourd hanging from his waist.

The three possessed profound auras, their bodies radiating Daoist charm, subtly transcending the natural world, and were also highly accomplished Daoists who had touched upon the realm of 'truth'.

When the three men saw Zhou Cheng and Ao Cang looking over, they dared not be negligent in the slightest and bowed.

"Nan Daoshan Xuanzhenzi (Yuyangzi, Danchenzi) greets the True Man and the Great River Dragon Lord. Congratulations to the Dragon Lord on achieving true enlightenment!"

The three old immortals spoke, their voices like the clinking of gold and jade, clear and melodious, containing a profound Daoist charm.

Upon seeing this, Zhou Cheng returned the greeting and said, "Zhou Cheng greets the three fellow Daoists."

Ao Cang smiled and cupped his hands in greeting: "So you are the Three Immortals of Nandao Mountain. Greetings."

Clearly, Ao Cang, who was previously the Great River Dragon God, was a being close to the True Realm level and knew the Three Immortals of Nandao Mountain.

The fact that the three immortals of Nandao Mountain could identify Ao Cang as the Great River Dragon God suggests that they must have known about Ao Cang.

Xuanzhenzi then took out a jade box shimmering with rosy light from his sleeve, looked at Ao Cang and smiled, "This is a small gift, a local custom from my Southern Mountain, to congratulate Fellow Daoist Ao on obtaining the true fruit."

Although the jade box was not opened, it was filled with all sorts of spiritual energy, and was extremely mysterious, clearly indicating that it was no ordinary item.

Ao Cang was somewhat surprised, not expecting that the three immortals of Nandao Mountain would prepare a congratulatory gift for his attainment of enlightenment.

"Thank you for your congratulations, fellow Daoists. I am truly honored. It is by fate that you three have come from afar. I sincerely invite you three immortals to join me at the Dragon Palace of the Great River for the Dragon Transformation Feast. Would you be so kind as to grace me with your presence?"

Xuanzhenzi, Yuyangzi, and Danchenzi exchanged glances and nodded in unison.

In the Shenzhou territory where his own Nandao Mountain was located, Zhou Cheng, a highly accomplished and mysterious Taoist master, suddenly appeared.

Such a great opportunity to make friends and explore should not be missed.
"It's my wish, but I don't dare to ask for my ear!"

Xuanzhenzi, who was in the lead, spoke up and bowed, saying, "It would be my greatest pleasure to meet with the Dragon Lord and True Man Zhou."

……

Seven days later.

Deep within the Dragon Palace of the Great River, crystal pillars stand, jade carpets the ground, and pearls adorn the ceiling, with a soft halo flowing through them.

Inside the Dragon Palace, a banquet was laid out.

Aquatic creatures and dragons from all directions gathered here, all to pay homage to the true dragon.

In the main seat, Ao Cang wore a purple-gold dragon robe, his once prominent features now concealed, replaced by a crystal-clear dragon-patterned jade crown that bound his hair. His demeanor was dignified yet reserved, though he occasionally glanced at the honored guest at the head of the table.

At the head of the table, Zhou Cheng was still wearing that seemingly ordinary blue robe. However, upon closer inspection, one could vaguely see ancient and vigorous tree patterns flowing on the robe, exuding an indescribable vitality and Daoist charm.

Opposite Zhou Cheng, the three immortals of Nandao Mountain—Xuanzhenzi, Yuyangzi, and Danchenzi—sat in the lower seats, their auras profound and subtle, subtly resonating with the Daoist essence of this Water Palace.

Besides the five beings who had reached the realm of 'True', there were also rows of white jade square tables on both sides of the palace, where dragons and other dragons from all directions were seated.

"Sir, fellow Daoists. To my shame, Ao Cang was fortunate enough to survive the Heavenly Tribulation and attain the position of True Dragon, and should therefore have a clear mind. However..."

Ao Cang frowned slightly: "From the moment my realm stabilized and my true thoughts began to perceive the origin of heaven and earth, a strange feeling inexplicably arose in my heart."

As he spoke, Ao Cang raised his right hand and slowly opened it. A tiny, almost imperceptible power of the true dragon rippled outwards, causing the surrounding water and spiritual energy to fluctuate accordingly.

"I always feel that the world before me, the mighty river, the vast ocean, and even ourselves are all as if... as if we are separated by a layer of hazy mist."

"It seems real, within reach. Yet it always feels unreal, as if... it's all just an illusion?"

Upon hearing this, Zhou Cheng put down his wine cup, looked at the three immortals of Nandao Mountain opposite him, and did not rush to speak.

Among the three immortals of Nandao Mountain, the leader, Xuanzhenzi, stroked his long beard and sighed, "Fellow Daoist Ao Cang has just ascended to the True Position. His true thoughts are clear and he has already been able to touch the edge of the 'True' Realm. It is only natural that he has this feeling."

Beside him, Yu Yangzi, carrying a celestial sword, interjected, "What you perceive, fellow Daoist, is not an illusion. This world appears stable, but in reality... it is not so."

"Fellow Daoist, now that you are a true dragon, your true thoughts are like a candle, able to illuminate illusions and dust, and perceive that heaven and earth are but bubbles."

"If you, fellow Daoist, spend over a hundred years in deep meditation, your true thoughts will pierce through illusions and you will truly see the unpredictable things that lie behind heaven and earth, lurking in the gap between reality and illusion."

"Strange?" Ao Canglong's eyes widened in surprise, and he immediately became interested.

"Exactly."

The slightly chubby Dan Chenzi put away his smile, his chubby face unusually serious, and he patted the vermilion gourd at his waist.

"That was not an ordinary demon or evil spirit, but a distorted phenomenon produced by the operation of the laws of heaven and earth, or... a projection of some more ancient and indescribable existence."

"Its shape is bizarre and varied, sometimes like an invisible, eerie wind, concealing whispers within."

"It may be like a colossal shadow that covers the sky and looks down on the world, or it may be like a twisted and writhing spot of light that erodes the foundation of reality wherever it passes."

"Once touched, even if we have reached the 'True' realm, if we are tainted by it, at best our Dao heart will be clouded and our cultivation will stagnate. At worst, our spirit will fall and we will become a part of that strange entity, never to be redeemed."

"hiss……"

Ao Cang gasped, feeling a chill even in his true dragon body. He had become a true dragon, thinking he had reached the end of his cultivation path, but he never imagined that beyond the heavens and earth there was such a terrifying unknown.

Zhou Cheng, who had been sitting quietly listening, frowned slightly when he heard words like "strange," "distorted," and "infiltrated."

Almost subconsciously, Zhou Cheng raised his head, his deep eyes faintly shimmering with magical light, transforming into a pair of double pupils that pierced through all illusions.

"Om-!"

The scene before Zhou Cheng's eyes changed instantly.

The Crystal Dragon Palace, the misty spiritual spring, the swaying coral, and even Ao Cang and the Three Immortals sitting opposite... these 'real' scenes did not disappear, but it was as if an invisible, heavy 'filter' had been instantly removed.

The instant the filter faded, countless indescribable, extremely ominous and twisted beings, like billions of venomous insects lurking in the shadows, suddenly filled every corner of his vision.

Above the banquet, outside the crystal dome, the clear water that had been flowing disappeared, replaced by a thick, writhing 'sludge' that emitted a dark, bloody glow.

From the mud, countless tiny faces struggling in pain could be vaguely seen before being swallowed up again.

Looking out through the enormous crystal window of the Dragon Palace, above the vast sky, there was an indescribably huge smiling face. The corners of the face were stretched to an unbelievable arc, laughing silently, as if mocking the human world.

In addition, there were also wisps of eerie wind, resembling will-o'-the-wisps but exuding a chilling cold and insane murmurs, that were silently wandering around.

Countless tiny, vibrant spots of light, like living things, floated like dust within the spiritual essence of the Dragon Palace.

They appear harmless, yet they greedily absorb the energy emitted by living beings, even silently approaching those at the table like invisible parasites.

"This is... the bizarre?"

(End of this chapter)