This is so dishonest!

Chapter 387 Hongjun Awakens, the Primordial Dao, the Gods Slay Corpses!
On the high platform, after the gods had "optimized and upgraded" the Heavenly Dao Hongjun, the countless "plug-in" lights around him gradually faded away and merged into his "Heavenly Dao Body", making his aura even more profound and unfathomable.

His unchanging eyes slowly opened, still indifferent, yet seemingly possessing a more indescribable "liveliness" than during his last sermon.

Xuanqing immediately sensed something was wrong.

He gave Tiandao Hongjun a meaningful look, but made no other move.

Taishang and Yuchen also glanced at the high platform with some suspicion.

However, seeing that Xuan Qing did not move, they also remained silent.

Hongjun spoke, “Fellow Daoists, now that we have gathered again at Zixiao Palace, I will continue what I left unsaid last time and explain to you the many true principles of the Hunyuan Dao.”

The voice of Hongjun Daoist rang out, still calm and even, yet it seemed to contain the profound sounds of the Great Dao, instantly attracting the attention of all the gods.

"We thank the Dao Ancestor!"

The gods sat down to listen to the lecture quite naturally.

Hongjun said, "Today, I will explain to you in detail the many methods of immortal cultivation, so that you may learn from them."

Upon hearing this, all the gods in the hall perked up and stared intently at the high platform.

They had all dabbled in the methods of immortality to varying degrees, and many deities were even the founders or masters of a particular method.

However, when a being like Dao Ancestor Hongjun, who is on the verge of attaining the Dao, systematically expounds on the Dao from the perspective of the Heavenly Dao, the significance and effect are naturally incomparable.

Perhaps, one can glimpse the profound mysteries on one's own path that one has never noticed, or gain inspiration for drawing inferences from similar cases.

"There are countless paths to immortality and countless methods, but their essence lies in seeking truth, seeking the Dao, and seeking transcendence."

Hongjun Daoist began his narration in a calm and unhurried voice.

"The first is the way of the immortals."

"This method emphasizes worldly experience, understanding the myriad aspects of human nature in the endless world, and wandering the world in all its realms."

"The immortals use all living beings as a furnace and worldly affairs as firewood to refine a delicate Dao heart, see through illusions amidst laughter and anger, and understand their true selves amidst joy and sorrow."

"At its peak, one's thoughts are clear and unfettered, free and at ease. The mortal world is the place of enlightenment, and play is the practice. A single thought can blossom into a flower, and a single thought can create myriad worlds. This is the wonder of attaining enlightenment in the mortal world."

Many rogue deities who were born into mortal realms and later attained enlightenment through trials and tribulations deeply resonated with these words and nodded slightly.

"Furthermore, immortals possess great abilities in reality, in the river of time and space, and even before the beginning of time!"

Afterwards, Hongjun recounted Nuwa's description of the characteristics of human immortals, which amazed most of the gods.

The fact that the myriad realms were considered the mortal world didn't elicit much of a reaction from the crowd, since the gods present had already done the same thing.

Considering the long river of time as the mortal world, the Great Luo Supremes said that this was nothing.

But for a human immortal to be able to take chaos as the mortal world and demons as all living beings before the innate realm—that's playing too fancy a game!
We've never seen this method before; we need to learn it properly!

【Wait a minute, if we cultivate the methods of becoming a human immortal, go to the primordial chaos, and take demons and gods as our beings, doesn't that mean we can freely transform into any demon or god?】

Most of the gods present had never been to the creation era or had never experienced transforming themselves into chaotic demons.

However, upon hearing about the Great Art of Immortals, everyone almost simultaneously thought of this situation.

No wonder there are countless Chaos Gods; it turns out they can be like this.

Regardless of what everyone was thinking, Hongjun continued, "Secondly, the Way of the Earth Immortals."

"Earth Immortals rely on blessed lands and grottoes to generate boundless universes and circulate throughout the heavens and earth."

"Starting from a small blessed land of a few dozen feet, step by step, steadily moving forward, transforming one's own blessed land into a small world, a large world, and eventually into a vast universe and a multiverse!"

"The Dao Fruit of the Earthly Immortal takes the immeasurable heavens as its foundation, is a Dao Fruit that allows one to be equal to the world, and is a Dao Fruit that transcends the world!"

"This method focuses on creation and evolution, emulating the great god Pangu's creation of the world. In the chaos or the void, based on one's own Great Dao, one can evolve a universe."

"The Earth Immortal is one whose body is integrated with the world and whose Dao is merged with the realm. He is the master of the world he created and enjoys the fortune of the realm. He is the one who is the ruler of the world."

"When the world is perfected and the Great Dao is accomplished, we can transcend the world together. This is the grand ambition of the world's ascension."

Upon hearing this, Zhen Yuanzi stroked his long beard.

This is his research result, and hearing it from the mouth of the Taoist patriarch adds a unique flavor to it.

All the gods are trying to understand.

Although the methods of the Earth Immortals are not as elaborate as those of the Human Immortals, they are steady and reliable, benefiting all living beings, and everyone is very interested in them.

However, isn't it a bit odd to describe the great god Pangu as an earth immortal?

Hongjun continued, "Thirdly, it is the way of the celestial immortals."

"The value of this method lies in comprehending the laws and reaching the heavens, understanding the mysteries of the three thousand great paths, comprehending the laws governing the universe, and using supreme wisdom to govern all laws."

"Celestial Immortals are those who pluck stars from the sky and wield the law of heaven. A single word can govern all laws, and a single thought can determine the fate of the world. At their peak, they can even take their own Great Dao as the core and 'create' a Heavenly Dao on their own behalf, thus acting as Heaven's representative to punish. This is what makes them Celestial Immortals."

This is something most people are familiar with.

Isn't this exactly what their Heavenly Dao Academy does?

"Fourthly, the way of the true immortal."

"This method is quite mysterious. It is a conceptual path to enlightenment. It uses supreme mental power to reverse reality and cultivates the illusory concept to a state of being real and not illusory."

"True immortals can make their words come true and their thoughts come true. All their thoughts and ideas can be transformed into real existence, and they can even define laws and modify reality."

"The saying 'When falsehood is taken for truth, even truth becomes falsehood; when nothingness is taken for existence, even existence becomes nothingness' perfectly describes this path. Its practice is difficult, yet its power is boundless."

Some deities who specialized in illusion magic, dream manipulation, or mental cultivation techniques, upon hearing this, had a glint in their eyes, as if they had gained some insight.

Those powerful beings skilled in refining the false into the true were also listening attentively, comparing their own methods with those of true immortals.

"Fifthly, the Way of the Mysterious Immortals."

"This method seeks the word 'mystery,' the mystery beyond mystery, the gateway to all wonders. Its way is indescribable and ineffable, often pointing directly to some 'unknowable' thing above the origin of the Great Dao."

"The Xuanxian is the Lord of All Laws, who exhausts all kinds of supernatural powers and transformations, and uses absolute great power to connect the beginning and end of the long river of time and space."

"It has a beginning and an end, yet it has no beginning and no end. In the space between wondrous existence and wondrous non-existence, the profound Dao of the Immortals exists!"

"This method can also be called proving the Way through force."

Upon hearing this, the three thousand guests of Zixiao were all stunned for a moment.

Good heavens, the Xuanxian method is to prove the Dao through force?

"The Progenitor of the Mysterious Immortals (Fellow Daoist Kunpeng) is truly a genius!"

The gods had no choice but to submit.

This kind of method of enlightenment is something that ordinary deities cannot create.

Hongjun continued to expound on the Great Dao: "The sixth is the Dao of the Golden Immortal."

"This method focuses on cultivating the 'golden nature.' The so-called golden nature does not refer to the metal element of the Five Elements, but rather to the eternal true nature that is indestructible and imperishable."

"The Golden Immortal uses his body as a furnace and countless eons as fire to refine and polish himself, removing the dross and retaining the essence, cultivating a point of undimmed spiritual light and perfect, clear and bright golden nature."

"The spirit remains undestroyed through countless eons, and the physical body endures through countless kalpas; this is the true essence of immortality."

Many veteran Grandmasters have come through countless tribulations and have a deep understanding of this.

Many of the deities who had interacted with Sumeru Academy also turned their attention to Jieyin and Zhunti.

"Seventh, the way of immortals."

"This method is the ultimate way to prove one's Dao through the laws. It involves specializing in one or several laws, comprehending them to their very origin, and then reversing the acquired to trace back to the innate."

"Immortals are those who take the laws as their bodies and the Great Dao as their names. They transform into innate divine rulers who govern those laws, exist in harmony with the Dao, and their words become laws and their actions become rules."

"In the primordial world, many innate gods were born to practice this path. They only need to continuously improve themselves, and they will achieve success naturally."

Upon hearing this, the innate deities present all showed expressions of understanding, for this was the path they were most familiar with.

"The eighth is the way of ghosts and immortals."

"This method is most unique, as it is to live through death, to seek the Way in stillness, and to see the truth within the end."

“Ghost immortals may experience the cycle of life and death, or rule the underworld, or carry out the calamities of the Dharma-ending Age. They constantly ‘reduced and sought emptiness,’ discarding all redundancy and directly reaching the origin of ‘emptiness.’”

"At its extreme, it can be the final result of all ages, representing the destiny of all things to eventually return to nothingness, and attaining great eternity in the midst of annihilation."

Hongjun Daoren explained the eight major methods of immortality one by one. His words were plain, yet contained profound truths, as if he were clearly presenting the paths to heaven to the gods.

Although the gods were already familiar with these methods, and some were even among the best, listening to the Dao Ancestor analyze and dissect them from the perspective of the Heavenly Dao gave them a different kind of feeling.

Many previously unclear obstacles have suddenly become clear;
Some long-standing spiritual problems have also found new solutions.

Everyone was immersed in the experience, as if drinking fine wine, comparing their own learning with their own findings, and felt that the gate to the Great Way had opened even wider to them.

After explaining the eight major immortal cultivation methods, Hongjun Daoren continued to elaborate on the cultivation process of the eight methods from low to high.

After that, he began by explaining how a Great Luo Golden Immortal can further consolidate their Dao Fruit and comprehend the origin of their own Great Dao, drawing on a wide range of sources and explaining in a simple and easy-to-understand way.

Three thousand travelers in the mortal world calm their minds, constantly listening, constantly perceiving, and constantly verifying.

Most of them listened with great interest, their eyes occasionally flashing with profound light, their understanding of the Dao becoming increasingly profound, and their path to the Great Dao becoming wider and wider, leading them further and further away.

After explaining the eight methods of attaining enlightenment, Hongjun changed the subject, his voice becoming even more profound and resonant. "Besides the above eight methods, my immortal path also has a ninth method—the Primordial Chaos Method."

"Today, I will explain the core of this to you all in detail—severing the three corpses to prove the Dao!"

Upon hearing this, the Zixiao Palace fell into complete silence. All the gods held their breath, and their gazes turned to Hongjun.

The Primordial Chaos Technique! This is the core content they are most looking forward to on this trip!

Although Emperor Xuanqing once mentioned that Hongyun's Primordial Purple Qi might be the foundation for proving the Dao of Hunyuan, no one knows exactly how to achieve it.

The method of severing the three corpses to attain enlightenment is the supreme method passed down by the Dao Ancestor Hongjun, and it is also the path that he himself once tried.

Now that he has personally elaborated on it in detail, its value is self-evident.

Before long, the Great Daoist chants resounded in the Purple Cloud Palace.

"True constancy responds to things, true constancy attains its nature; constant response and constant stillness lead to constant purity and stillness. With such purity and stillness, one gradually enters the true path; having entered the true path, one is said to have attained the Way, though in reality nothing is attained; for the sake of transforming all sentient beings, this is called attaining the Way; those who can comprehend this can transmit the sacred Way..."

The Holy Path?

The gods looked thoughtfully at the Three Pure Ones, Nuwa, Jieyin, and Zhunti in the first row.

The six permanent directors of the Heavenly Way Committee are now known as saints.

Meanwhile, the demon kings of the demonic path were somewhat indignant.

"That despicable Hongjun! He actually plagiarized the achievements of our demonic path! His holy virtue shines brightly, his holy path is glorious! These words clearly describe our demonic sect!"

Hongjun didn't care whether everyone could understand or not, and went on for three hundred years in one go.

These past three hundred years have been a difficult time for everyone.

After Hongjun finished his sermon, Taishang asked, "May I ask the Ancestor, where is the essence of the Three Corpses method?"

Hongjun said calmly, "The so-called Three Corpses, one of which is the Good Corpse, represents the attachment to positive emotions such as good thoughts, compassion, and pity. Excessive goodness leads to pedantry and loss of decisiveness."

"The second is the evil corpse, which represents the attachment to negative emotions such as evil thoughts, greed, and anger. Excessive evil leads to violence and makes one prone to demonic paths."

"The third is the self-corpse, also known as the self-attachment corpse, which represents the cognition of 'self,' the stubborn adherence to one's own existence, past experiences, and future expectations. This corpse is the most difficult to sever and is also the most crucial."

“These three corpses are like three great mountains, pressing down on the hearts of those seeking the Dao, making it difficult for them to understand their true nature and to unite with the Dao.”

"How to slay it?" This was the question asked by [Yuanshi Tianzun].

Hongjun replied, "To sever the three corpses, one needs the assistance of innate spiritual treasures to cut these three obsessions out of the primordial spirit and transform them into independent bodies, thereby purifying the original primordial spirit and restoring its innate purity."

“When the virtuous corpse is cut off, one’s heart is set on the world and not bound by goodness, and one’s actions are more in line with the will of Heaven.”

"Once the evil corpse is slain, one will see through all evils without being tainted by them, and will be more decisive in handling affairs."

“By severing the self, one can break free from attachment to self, realize that the true self is not the self, and thus be able to view the universe and the great Dao from a more objective and grander perspective, laying the foundation for merging with the Dao.”

Hongjun Daoist explained in detail the origin, characteristics, and significance of severing the Three Corpses.

He explained it in great detail, from how to sense the three corpses, to how to choose the innate spiritual treasure to entrust to the severed corpses, and then to how to place and cultivate the severed corpses after they are severed. Every step was explained clearly.

“Severing the three corpses is not the goal, but a means,” Hongjun emphasized.

"Once the three corpses emerge, it is as if there are three 'Dao Self' with independent thoughts and the Great Dao. They can comprehend different directions and assist the main body in cultivation."

"More importantly, once all three corpses have been severed and cultivated to a level similar to the original body, one can attempt to merge the three corpses into one."

"The merging of the three corpses is not a simple superposition, but a higher-level harmony and unity of the three extreme obsessions of good and evil self, a dialectic of 'having self' and 'not having self'."

"If one can successfully unite the three corpses into one, one will be able to break through the Primordial Chaos Gate, understand the Primordial Chaos truth of 'I am the Dao, and the Dao is me,' and thus step into the supreme Primordial Chaos Golden Immortal realm!"

Hongjun's voice echoed within the Zixiao Palace, each word seemingly containing boundless Daoist wisdom and profound mystery.

The gods listened with rapt attention, their very souls trembling slightly, as if a door to a completely new world was slowly opening before them.

Among them, some deities had attempted to sever the corpse, but due to improper methods, unsuitable spiritual treasures, or insufficient understanding of the Three Corpses, most only scratched the surface and failed to delve deeper.

Hearing Hongjun's thorough explanation at this moment, I felt enlightened, and many of my previous confusions and doubts vanished.

"So the key to severing the three corpses lies not only in 'severing', but also in 'merging'!" a Grand Luo Supreme muttered to himself, his eyes flashing with brilliance.

"The self of good and evil is not something to be completely rejected, but rather something to be transcended and embraced!" Another deity suddenly realized.

"There are so many intricacies involved in choosing a primordial spiritual treasure! I always thought it was simple!"

The gods were immersed in their understanding of the method of severing the three corpses to attain enlightenment, and a strong atmosphere of seeking the Dao permeated the entire Zixiao Palace.

Seeing this, Hongjun Daoist did not disturb them, but simply waited quietly for them to digest and absorb the information.

After an unknown amount of time, several Grand Luo Supremes, who had accumulated profound knowledge and were well-prepared, had a resolute look in their eyes.

boom!
Suddenly, a wisp of pure energy burst forth from the head of a deity clad in a star-patterned robe, his body radiating starlight. Within this energy, the image of a Taoist priest with a benevolent smile and wielding a star sword slowly materialized.

“Excellent, excellent! I am Xinghe Daoren, and I greet your true form!” the Daoist said, bowing.

This seems to be a signal.

Immediately afterwards, on the other side, a demon god, surrounded by a chilling aura and exuding an unparalleled domineering presence, let out a long roar, and a wisp of black energy shot out from the top of his head.

The black mist churned and transformed into a ferocious-looking demonic figure wielding a demonic blade, exuding murderous intent.

"Hehehe, I am the Heavenly Fiend Demon Lord, in my true form, you have finally released me!" the demonic figure laughed wildly.

"Shut up!" The Dark Demon God's lips twitched. This evil corpse had some personality!

"The embodiment of good intentions, if not now, when?" A clear laugh rang out, and the Red Cloud Taoist was surrounded by a sky full of red clouds.

A pure and innocent thought burst forth from the top of his head, transforming in mid-air into a Taoist priest holding the Nine-Nine Red Cloud Soul-Scattering Gourd, whose face was identical to that of the Red Cloud, yet appeared even more compassionate and kind.

"This humble Taoist, Lord Yunzhong, greets your true form!" The benevolent corpse bowed, his smile gentle.

"Excellent! Fellow Daoist Hongyun is indeed blessed with great fortune!" Zhen Yuanzi exclaimed, clapping his hands in admiration.

The bloodthirsty aura and boundless killing intent surrounding Styx suddenly subsided, transforming into a pure and fierce will that sought to eradicate all filth and sin in the world.

A malevolent thought, as black as ink yet faintly exuding a sense of purity and holiness, slashed out from the depths of his primordial spirit, transforming into a black-robed Taoist wielding the Yuan Tu and A Bi swords, with a cold gaze and decisive killing intent.

"My name is Killing Daoist. I have seen my true form. From this day forward, you will be in charge of life, and I will be in charge of death!" The evil corpse's voice was icy cold, yet it possessed no malevolent aura.

Styx looked at his monstrous corpse as if it were a fool: "You mean, you want to kill me?"

The Killing Taoist grinned: "What difference is there between us?"

"If you kill me, it's suicide; if I kill you, it's suicide too!"

"Is that so?" Styx drew his sword expressionlessly and stabbed the Killing Taoist to death on the spot.

"Uh~~" [Killing Daoist] glared, then turned into immortal light and disappeared.

"Hmm, my cultivation seems to have increased a bit!" Styx, carrying his bloodstained killing sword, smiled broadly, appearing almost insane.

"Emperor of the Underworld, what are you doing?" The nearby gods had never seen such underworld behavior before and were all startled.

Styx turned his head and looked at them, revealing his cold white teeth, and laughed: "Don't be afraid, we gods of the underworld cultivate the Great Dao of Ghost Immortals."

"As you all just heard from the Dao Ancestor, it's about facing death to live. Do you understand?"

"Yes, yes, yes!!" The gods nodded frantically, fearing that this madman would come up and kill them.

Meng Wuyou was surrounded by endless dreamlike bubbles.

She slashed out a contradictory thought of extreme "emptiness" and "attachment," which transformed into a woman dressed in a seven-colored glass robe, with a cinnabar dot between her brows, possessing an ethereal and otherworldly aura.

"Dreamlike Celestial Maiden, greetings to the Venerable One." The woman bowed gracefully, a hint of cunning in her eyes.

The powerful Gu Daoist, Ancestor Panwang, had thousands of illusory Gu insects floating around him. He unleashed a slash representing "ultimate control" and "endless reproduction," which transformed into a strange Taoist wearing armor with a hundred legs and a hundred eyes, and holding a banner of ten thousand Gu insects.

With a long roar, the Thunder Dragon God was surrounded by thousands of thunderbolts. A malevolent thunderous thought, symbolizing "destruction" and "rebirth," soared into the sky and transformed into the mighty and domineering Thunder Punishment Heavenly Lord, wielding a thunder hammer and electric chisel.

The nine-tailed celestial fox giggled, her nine fluffy tails swaying behind her. She deftly slashed out a thought representing "ultimate allure" and "boundless lust," transforming it into a stunningly beautiful witch with captivating eyes and natural charm, capable of bewitching all beings.

"Lord of Passion, I greet you."

The Vermilion Bird God of the Phoenix Clan was surrounded by the fierce Southern Bright Flame.

A burning obsession symbolizing "burning all things" and "rebirth" transformed into a fiery divine bird, circling around the body.

The White Tiger God was surrounded by an aura of golden spears soaring into the sky.

A fierce obsession representing "supreme slaughter" and "guarding the West" transformed into a gigantic divine tiger with piercing eyes and a white forehead, roaring through the void.

The Azure Dragon God, Yi Wood, is full of vitality. A benevolent and obsessive thought representing "Eastern growth" and "Dragon Clan majesty" transforms into a winding azure dragon that stretches for thousands of miles, bringing clouds and rain.

The image of the Northern True Martial Emperor, Xuanwu, solidified, and a heavy obsession representing "suppressing floods" and "the unity of tortoise and snake" transformed into a giant black tortoise carrying the Luoshu and a spirit snake coiled around it.

The goddess Yinglong was surrounded by misty water vapor, and a benevolent thought representing "bringing rain and controlling clouds" and "the inheritance of the dragon race" transformed into a dignified and beautiful dragon girl holding a dragon pearl.

For a moment, the Purple Cloud Palace was filled with celestial energy and malevolent spirits, yet strangely, a balance was maintained.

The various newly born incarnations of the Three Corpses, each with a different form and aura, all paid homage to the original body, creating a magnificent scene.

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

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(End of this chapter)