From a martial arts disciple to a god through countless trials and tribulations

Chapter 368 Tao Hongchen (Part 1)
Darkness surged like a tide, engulfing heaven and earth.

Chen Xuan walked alone, his feet sinking into endless black earth, each step feeling like sinking into an abyss. The sky was starless and moonless, only thick ink churning, like a giant maw ready to swallow him whole at any moment.

The surrounding area was vast and desolate, filled with a sense of despair.

“A true dead end is one where there is nothing left in the road ahead,” Chen Xuan thought to himself. The surroundings were so quiet that he could only hear his own heartbeat—heavy and slow, like a dying bell about to go out.

Occasionally, whispers would emerge from the void on either side, like the mockery of ancient beings who have perished, or the ridicule of primordial gods, lingering in the ears and refusing to be dispelled.

Chen Xuan looked back, but it was pitch black behind him. The footprints he had left behind had long since disappeared, as if no one had ever walked there.

Only the faint glow of [Shangyang] and [Zhulong] shone dimly, hovering quietly on either side of the spot, seemingly waiting for his return.

Those are Shangyang Road and Zhulong Road. The former has theoretically unlimited growth opportunities and belongs to the glory of humanity, while the latter has long stood at the highest point of the ancient methods of mountains and seas.

Not to mention these two, even the True Martial Path and Xingtian Path that appeared before, any one of them has an irresistible allure that the world cannot resist. Even the most outstanding geniuses will stop and take a step, and the brilliant path will be right under their feet.

"There are three thousand great paths in the world, each with its own unique wonders. Ancient sages emerged one after another, exploring all the different paths to their limits, shining as brightly as the stars in the sky, leaving behind a wealth of valuable experience and wisdom for future generations."

Chen Xuan looked back and muttered to himself, "They were very strong and tall, but they died too."

Some may not have perished, but have vanished into the annals of time, never to be seen again.

Chen Xuan reached out, his fingers coiled by darkness, tightening around his skin like a venomous snake. With each breath, a chill seeped into his lungs, freezing his blood. There was no light, no sound, only eternal solitude accompanying him.

After a while.

Chen Xuan turned his body completely around, looked back at the road he had come from, remained silent for a while, and then said, "Old Zhai Road, you've been following me all the way, don't hide anymore."

On the way here, darkness swallowed everything, but a crimson light shone forth.

Xinzhai (心斋)

This is a path that is no less important than any other lineage. The first generation of Xinzhai was a figure who stood alongside Daozun and Baidi. Although he did not succeed in reaching the highest point, no one can deny its past brilliance.

Undoubtedly, Chen Xuan did not disappoint Xinzhai, having already unlocked the fourth level of power during the cauldron stage.

Theoretically speaking, that is a power that should only be encountered during a spiritual journey.

"The fragments of Guyao and Qingqiu have also appeared." Chen Xuan saw that two bright pages of paper appeared between Shangyang Road and Zhulong Road, and on them, the outline of an open ancient book was drawn, emitting a decaying black light.

A crimson glow enveloped the outline that resembled the "Classic of Mountains and Seas".

"From this perspective, the origin of Xinzhai is inextricably linked to the Classic of Mountains and Seas." Chen Xuan gazed at them. The Gu Yao fragments believed that the ancient Xinzhai had shattered the Classic of Mountains and Seas, and therefore, it needed to bear the karmic burden of reopening the Classic of Mountains and Seas.

But in fact, Chen Xuan believed that his awakening in this world was also related to the Classic of Mountains and Seas.

At this moment, Xinzhai Road was waiting on the road he had come from, giving him a wonderful feeling of having seen all the brilliant paths, and then suddenly looking back, finding that path right there in the dim light.

"Old Zhai, you don't fight or grab, but you're very good at understanding people's hearts," Chen Xuanli said, standing there with his hand on his chin.

Choose Xinzhai, ascend to Shenguyao, and a bright and promising future lies ahead.

At this moment, the three paths of Zhulong, Xinzhai, and Shangyang are lined up from left to right, quietly awaiting Chen Xuan's selection. This scene is extremely awe-inspiring.

If outsiders knew about this place, they would probably be envious to the point of madness. Every road here is a unique and extremely advanced path in its field, making it something to be salivated over.

They didn't urge or call out; they simply remained quietly in place, awaiting Chen Xuan's final decision.

"You are all wonderful, I want them all, but ultimately, none of you are what I want most."

Chen Xuan smiled and waved at them. He turned around again, his expression unchanged, but the look in his eyes became incredibly firm.

He took one step forward.

The entire dark land trembled violently.

In the vast emptiness, there were sighs, regrets, lamentations, anger, resentment, and fear—a tangled mess. But the myriad chaotic and indescribable sounds gradually faded away.

All sounds are silent.

The brilliance of Zhulong, Xinzhai, and Shangyang faded silently and disappeared into the darkness, as if they had never existed.

Chen Xuan did not choose any of the old paths taken by the ancients.

He simply walked forward, into the deeper darkness.

No turning back.

……

In the endless void, a mechanical voice, as if flying out from the river of time, traversing the nine heavens and ten earths, echoed in the celestial realm: "Excellent, then... let's fight—"

Darkness and decay began to spread, and a cold yet gentle voice slowly rose into the air.

……

Inside the main hall of Qingnang Mountain.

"A choice is just a choice."

Old Zhang, like a candle flickering in the wind, sat cross-legged in a wicker chair, seemingly playing a game of chess with the void in front of him. He slowly spoke: "Senior, every choice brings gains and losses, but once a choice is made, there is no turning back, no matter how drastic the changes become."

Ahead, a faint sigh came from afar.

“Zhang Daoyin, I have given you many chances to live, but this time, your obsessions have gotten the better of you, and you want too much.”

"I owe you a debt of gratitude for the matter of the Immortal Body Path of the Battle Department. I would die without regret. However, I have also given you enough face over the years..." Old Zhang replied softly.

"Ha, you people are too talented, so you always have to have wild ideas."

The air paused for a moment, then the speaker continued without any change in emotion: "However, a new generation cannot replace the old, and the Immortal Palace will never fall. You should have understood the reason for this a thousand years ago."

Old Zhang's expression remained unchanged as he simply replied, "Senior, once someone makes a choice, others will immediately follow. Once she decides to step down, everyone will be swept along and there will be no turning back halfway."

"The day of death is approaching for everyone." The air sighed, "I, the Emperor, regret this."

"Senior, we've completely reached an agreement—"

The tide rises and falls.

An unknown torrent of destiny has risen and has quietly engulfed the entire land of the Five Directions.

……

In the quiet room of the tea house.

Chen Xuan suddenly woke up. He remained silent in the darkness, the runes on the four walls shimmering faintly. After a moment of silence, he pushed open the door and went out.

Night had fallen, deep and dark as ink.

He looked up and saw the bright moon in the sky. However, tonight was darker than usual, as if the sky had been covered with a layer of black ink, making it impossible to see one's hand in front of one's face.

Chen Xuan looked at it for a long time and did not feel lonely. Instead, he felt a sense of tenderness.

He sat on the threshold, silently adjusting his stagnant breathing, and looked towards the distant corridor.

In the pavilion, Hua Liuli and Yan Yushu were enjoying tea while gazing at the moon, clearly keeping an eye on his progress in determining the route.

A moment later, Hua Liuli came over and asked, "You don't seem to be in a good mood. Choosing a path must have been very difficult, right? It's okay, there's plenty of time. You can take your time to choose."

She told Chen Xuan that choosing a path doesn't necessarily require an immediate decision. For example, Nan Mian broke through the limits of the cauldron many years ago, but ultimately waited until he received the Pure Yang legacy at the Mountain and Sea Banquet before ascending to godhood.

"I've already made my choice," Chen Xuan replied softly.

"Ah!" Hua Liuli's pupils contracted, her eyes darting around. After a long while, she said, "Next, you will use Guyao Mountain as your ascension ground. You should be able to ascend to godhood soon, right?"

If a cultivator wants to escape the mortal world, there are only three things to do: condense the spirit and body, seek out the divine land, and practice the Divine Travel Scripture.

She knew that Chen Xuan didn't lack these things, and similarly, he didn't lack safe time now.

Chen Xuan did not reply, but simply smiled and said, "I need to cultivate the Divine Travel Scripture and begin my ascension to godhood."

"The subsequent Divine Journey Immortal Scripture fused from the Shangyang Method? You were in seclusion for a while, you must have studied it quite deeply, right?" Hua Liuli asked, suspecting that Chen Xuan had decided on the Shangyang Path. She knew that Chen Xuan had mastered many True Scriptures at the Tao Hongchen level. The Shangyang Method had successfully fused the [Mortal World] scriptures together, completing the most difficult first step. The subsequent [Tao Hongchen] scriptures were not so difficult.

Chen Xuan's Heavenly Mandate Scriptures, such as Yellow Millet, Longevity, Six Desires, and Two Realms, all have subsequent chapters. The first half of the scripture has been perfectly integrated, and the rest can be cultivated step by step.

Although some parts of the true scriptures are missing, they may be slightly modified or have blank spaces left, which are not major problems. Shangyangfa has already considered these issues.

The Heavenly Mandate Immortal Scripture is without worry; it is sufficient to cultivate to the level of an immortal.

The "Classic of Mountains and Seas" is somewhat tricky because many of the original texts are missing. Although it can still be cultivated later, its power will be less than that of the earlier texts.

"The time has come to thoroughly resolve all the issues concerning the true scriptures."

As Chen Xuan spoke, memories of the "Mountain Spirit Technique" surfaced in his mind.

All the paths were tempting him. Even Shangyang, Zhulong, and Xinzai, without bothering to pursue them, couldn't resist coming out when he first entered the Breakthrough state.

The Way is yet to be revealed.

"Some people won't give it to me, but I insist on demanding it."

Chen Xuan thought to himself, "Things that cannot be found always tantalize the heart."

During his year of seclusion, he studied immortal scriptures at the spiritual travel level and dabbled in the "Mountain Spirit Method." While he didn't achieve profound mastery, he was still quite proficient in it.

But in the long darkness.

Chen Xuan did not find the "temptation of the imperial princess".

"Over the past four years, thanks to the Shangyang Dharma, I have comprehended more than twenty different true scriptures and gained a lot. Now, I can pursue something even higher on this path."

Chen Xuan muttered to himself, recalling a flawed and incomplete chapter of the Divine Travel Scripture from the "Mountain Spirit Law" in his mind.

“If the Immortal Shangyang knew that he was using the results of Shangyang’s immortal scriptures to modify the Mountain Ghost Scripture, he probably wouldn’t be angry.”

Chen Xuan rubbed his sore temples and chuckled to himself.

"Xiao Chen, why did you choose this path of worldly corruption?!" Hua Liuli exclaimed in disbelief when she realized that Chen Xuan was about to embark on this path.

The Mountain Spirit Path, while not bad, is only considered to be of medium to high level among all the True Lords in the present world.

Chen Xuan clearly had better options, and quite a few of them.

Most importantly, the Mountain Spirit Road is an incomplete dead-end road.

Everyone knows that the Mountain Spirit Goddess is an immortal deity, but she has reincarnated nine times and has never become an immortal!
Hua Liuli's expression was solemn. Chen Xuan had given up many things and chosen the most difficult path in the mortal world.

On the other side, Yan Yushu clenched her fists, her delicate face contorted in anger, and left.

"His life is ruined, poor Chen Xuan... No wonder I couldn't seduce him!" she muttered to herself.

asshole!

He's a complete bastard, utterly blinded by the beauty of the Mountain Spirit Goddess!

To everyone else, Chen Xuan's final decision was incomprehensible; the effort and reward were disproportionate.

The ancient sages and supreme beings have long since exhausted all paths in the world and ascended to the highest point.

To pave a new path?

Who knows if the ancient sages hadn't tried this so-called "new path"?

Chen Xuan decided to give it a try.

……

Deep in the southern region lies a celestial abode.

Treasures of the land are everywhere, and countless Taoist priests in green robes are busy at work. On the mountain peaks, furnaces are burning, their flames reflecting the red sky.

"Buzz!" A giant four-legged cauldron flew out from the Great Void, carrying a strong smell of blood, and rushed into a large hall, landing in the hands of a Taoist priest in a green robe.

"Master, the Wasted Heart Sect destroyed my golden core! Please avenge me!" A remnant soul appeared, and Zhao Xuanding knelt on the ground, pleading sorrowfully.

A pair of azure-gold eyes shone brightly in the dark hall, as bright as the sun and moon, too dazzling to look directly at.

A moment later, the Pill Cauldron Dao Master finished examining all of Zhao Xuanding's memories.

"The remains of Xinzhai are not enough to revive the true Xinzhai; they are far from sufficient..." After a long while, the Dan Ding Dao Master made this judgment.

"Master, please help!" Zhao Xuanding cried out in grief. He was a disciple of the Pill Cauldron Daoist, yet his golden core was shattered by a dejected member of the Green Bag Sect. This behavior was utterly disregard for the Pill Cauldron Daoist Sect.

"Ding'er, your obsession with seeking the True Lord is too strong," the Pill Cauldron Dao Master said, refusing.

“Disciple is right!” Zhao Xuanding said, “That Wasted Heart Sect, along with the two Realm Lords and other chosen ones, killed the young prodigies of the Pill Cauldron Dojo during the Mountain and Sea Banquet. Although disciple wants to become a True Monarch, it is also for revenge!”

The True Lord is high above, with a long lifespan, and does not care about the life and death of those who only live for three or four hundred years in the sect.

But as a disciple of the Daoist alchemy sect, how could he stand idly by? What would his disciples think of him?!

The Pill Cauldron Master remained silent for a moment before his cold voice rang out: "Your golden core is dull and lifeless, and will perish sooner or later. Losing it today may not be a bad thing for the future. Forget about this matter."

Zhao Xuanding looked up abruptly. What kind of talk was this? It was utterly absurd!
His master actually wanted him to swallow this insult. The eternally prosperous Dan Ding Dao Shan, was it afraid of a desolate Qing Nang?

"Recently, many Fire Virtue and Wood Virtue True Lords have fallen, leaving many positions vacant. After you recover from your injuries, you can prepare to become a True Lord," said the Pill Cauldron Dao Master.

Upon hearing this, Zhao Xuanding was shaken. He immediately put aside all his resentment and asked with delight, "Master, are you going to capture the Heavenly Mandate Black and White True Lord? Or are all the True Lords on the Wood Virtue Path going to die?!"

He had some suspicions that the outcome of the Immortal Path of Wood Virtue would soon be revealed, but he did not expect that the Pill Cauldron Dao Master would ask him to prepare for his advancement to True Monarch. This news was a pleasant surprise.

"The Celestial Palace...is unattainable."

The Dan Ding Dao Master glanced at Zhao Xuan Ding with pity in his eyes and said, "More than a year ago, True Lord Ze Long returned from the Immortal Palace and gave up on continuing to devour other dragons. Instead, he went to seek things like the Heart Fasting Elixir and the Heavenly Mandate Elixir... There is only one immortal. If we go up, the ancient immortal of the Immortal Palace will have to come down."

Zhao Xuanding looked bewildered. If there were immortals, they could just be cut down, right?

The Master of the Pill Cauldron shook his head and said, "In the past two years, more than half of the True Monarchs in the world have perished. Most of those who most wanted to become immortals and had the best chance of becoming immortals have already died in battle."

Zhao Xuanding was startled and asked blankly, "Master, do you mean that many of the remaining True Monarchs have given up on becoming immortals?"

His master, once full of ambition, was one of the first True Monarchs in the Southern Region to rebel against the Immortal Palace, but now, it seems that his ambition has cooled.

"It's not that I don't want to, but I have no choice but to accept my fate."

The Pill Cauldron Dao Master said, "Just wait patiently. In a few months, this era will be peaceful, and all those who continue to oppose the Immortal Palace will perish."

Zhao Xuanding felt a chill run through his body.

……

Qingnang Mountain.

Two months have passed in the blink of an eye.

Chen Xuan spent a period of leisurely days, sometimes entering a state of transcendence to explore the world. He also sometimes studied the *Mountain Spirit Method*, from which he obtained the *Divine Travel Chapter*, which was not particularly difficult to learn.

He occasionally encountered some issues that he felt were problematic. After thinking about them, he would make some minor modifications and then continue to move forward... Overall, everything seemed to be going smoothly.

Sometimes, Chen Xuan would hear mournful cries coming from Qingnang Mountain, so he would go up the mountain and see the withered and weak Old Zhang several times. He would frown and say, "How did he get into this state?"

He sent some longevity potion, which should have some effect, but Old Zhang's passing was still irreversible.

On this day, Chen Xuan went up the mountain again to visit Old Zhang, who was becoming increasingly lifeless.

Old Zhang lay on the rattan chair, his eyelids barely open, and weakly asked, "Little Chen, when are you going to leave the mortal world?"

Chen Xuan thought for a moment and replied, "Let's do it today."

"Since you've made up your mind, that's fine. Let's move forward." Old Zhang nodded and said nothing more.

(End of this chapter)