Start from a baby to become a Taoist

Chapter 425 Unknown Territory!

Feel the weight and support of the earth beneath your feet.

Feel the rustling sound of the breeze blowing through the leaves.

Feel the warmth of the sunshine.

Feel the omnipresent spirit in the air that nourishes all things.

Gradually, his heart seemed to synchronize with the breath of the forest.

He "saw" a seed fall into the soil, and under the nourishment of rain and dew, it broke through the soil, sprouted tender shoots, and faced the sunlight.

He "saw" a sapling swaying in the wind and rain, striving to absorb nutrients from the earth, growing upwards, becoming thick and lush.

He "saw" a flower blooming in the morning, attracting bees and butterflies to dance around it, and then at dusk, as its vitality faded, it quietly withered, its petals falling into the soil, turning into nutrients to nourish new life.

He "saw" a towering ancient tree, reaching the end of its life, crashing down, its trunk becoming a breeding ground for countless microorganisms and fungi, eventually decaying and returning to the earth to nourish the forest.

Life and death

Withering and Flourishing

This is a cycle!
A never-ending cycle!

Life is not eternal, but the will to live can continue endlessly through this cycle, until eternity!

This is the true meaning of "birth and propagation"!

It is not simply growth, but a cycle that includes withering and new life!

It is a great principle of heaven and earth that transforms death into life and creates endless life!
boom!
It was as if a thunderclap exploded in Xu Ran's mind!

He suddenly opened his eyes, a flash of realization crossing his gaze!
He got it!

This "Life and Derivation" sword intent seems to be the complete opposite of the "Extinction" sword intent, but in reality, they have a profound connection!
Death is not the opposite of life, but a part of life!

It is an indispensable link in the great cycle of "life"!
Without the end of annihilation, how can there be the budding of new life?
Without withering and decay, how can there be flourishing bloom?
The ancient warriors fought to protect what was perhaps the very life that needed to thrive!

Old Zhang's demise is the end of all things, but after the end, perhaps a new beginning will be born!

The resilience of ordinary people lies in their efforts to survive and shine their own light amidst the cycle of life and death!
Four swords!
Four kinds of meaning!
At this moment, it was as if we were connected by an invisible thread!
They are no longer isolated wills, but constitute a more complete and grander outline of the "Tao"!

Xu Ran's mind was clearer than ever before!

Within his spiritual sea, the emerald green "Life-Generating" sword phantom suddenly erupted with an extremely dazzling light! A rich life force spread out like a tide!
The three sword shadows that were originally suspended above the golden ocean seemed to have also been infected by this life force.

The wooden sword, representing the resilience of mortals, trembled slightly, as if infused with new vitality, becoming even more solid.

The rusty iron sword, representing the stillness of death, showed signs of transformation under the onslaught of this boundless vitality.

The deathly aura did not disappear; instead, it became more restrained and profound, as if it were nurturing some kind of power born from the end!
The blood-red, ferocious sword, with its violent killing aura, seemed to have its ferocity somewhat calmed and become more composed under the surrounding life force.

The killing intent remained, but it was no longer pure destruction; it seemed to have gained a layer of meaning: "Why fight?"

The green radiance, like an adhesive, subtly blended these three seemingly conflicting wills together!
They remain independent, yet a subtle balance and resonance exists between them!
Xu Ran could feel that his spiritual sea was undergoing earth-shattering changes under the combined effect of these four sword intents!
That golden ocean became even more vast and profound!

The unknown area, which was sealed away layer by layer and located at the deepest part of the Sea of ​​Spirit, was now experiencing even more intense tremors!
It was as if something was about to break free from its seal!

"Hmm," Xu Ran groaned, feeling a tremor from the depths of his soul.

The feeling was like a giant who had been asleep for countless years was slowly awakening and about to open his eyes!

"You have grasped the cycle of reincarnation and understood life and death; not bad." Yu Kong's voice carried a hint of appreciation. "The way of life lies in the endless cycle of birth and death. You have been able to see through appearances and touch the source; your comprehension is quite good."

Xu Ran slowly stood up and bowed deeply to this boundless green sea of ​​life.

Whether this scene was an illusion or a manifestation of true will, the great path of life contained within it benefited him immensely.

As he bowed, the primeval forest before him began to recede like the tide, the light and shadow shifted, and he returned to the familiar, empty, and desolate third level of the giant tower.

Above their heads, the ring formed by the twelve iron swords continued to rotate slowly.

The emerald green iron sword, representing "birth and propagation," gradually lost its luster and returned to its ancient appearance.

In Xu Ran's spiritual sea, the emerald green sword shadow stood alongside the wooden sword, the rusty iron sword, and the blood-red murderous sword, radiating a gentle yet powerful life radiance. It complemented the other three swords, forming a strange harmony.

The rudiments of the four fundamental wills had already taken root in his heart.

Xu Ran could clearly feel that his understanding of "Tao" was no longer vague and unclear, but rather a more systematic and profound cognition, though still rudimentary!

His state of mind was greatly elevated through these successive insights, becoming more composed and resilient.

"The four swords have passed, and your soul's capacity to bear weight seems to have increased considerably." Yu Kong's voice rang out again, carrying a hint of inquiry. "It seems that what is sealed deep within your sea of ​​consciousness is extraordinary, capable of resonating with the integration of these primordial wills and nourishing your soul."

Xu Ran's heart stirred.

Yu Kong figured it out as expected!

However, he didn't say much. He didn't want to, and couldn't, mention the secrets deep within his consciousness to anyone.

"Senior, is the fifth sword next?" Xu Ran composed himself and turned his gaze back to the rotating sword ring, his eyes filled with anticipation and a hint of solemnity.

Having experienced the baptism of four completely different wills, he understood that the trial of this nine-story tower was by no means easy.

Each sword represents an ultimate Dao origin, and the process of comprehending it is both an opportunity and a test.

If one's will is not firm and one's comprehension is insufficient, one may easily get lost in the overwhelming impact of those wills. At best, one's soul will be damaged; at worst, one's Dao heart will collapse, and one will never recover!
“Hmm.” Yu Kong responded, “The first four swords, the resilience of mortals, the annihilation of death, the slaughter of war, and the evolution of life, can be said to constitute the foundation of a world, or a complete cycle of life. The next sword will be more abstract and touch the core of the origin.”

"are you ready?"

Xu Ran took a deep breath, his eyes becoming sharp as an eagle's!
"Disciple, you are ready!"

No matter what challenges lie ahead, he will not back down!
His path lies within these nine swords! His future lies atop this nine-story tower!

hum!
The sword ring's rotation accelerates!
This time, without any warning, the fifth iron sword suddenly lit up!
It's different from the previous four swords!

This sword has no color!

Or rather, it has all colors!

The moment it lit up, the entire space seemed to be filled with an indescribable "transformation"!

Sometimes it's a fiery red!

Sometimes it's a deep, icy blue!

Sometimes it's a thick, earthy yellow! Sometimes it's a sharp, metallic white!

Sometimes it's a lively, bluish-green breeze!

Sometimes it's a raging, thunderous purple!

Sometimes it is a light that devours everything!

Sometimes it is all-encompassing darkness!

Countless attributes and laws flowed rapidly across this sword like a revolving lantern, constantly changing, yet strangely maintaining a balance amidst the chaos!
This sword evokes only one feeling—

change!

Endless changes!
"The fifth sword, 'Myriad Manifestations'!" Yu Kong's voice also carried an unprecedented solemnity.

"This sword does not belong to any individual; it represents the myriad laws that constitute this universe! It is the 'Dao' itself, the principle by which heaven and earth operate and rules evolve!"

"The Five Elements, wind and thunder, light and darkness, space and time—all the tangible and intangible rules are contained within it!"

"To comprehend this sword, you need a heart full of tolerance and the wisdom to see its origin."

"This hurdle is difficult! Difficult! Difficult!"

The three consecutive "difficult" words are enough to show that the difficulty of comprehending this fifth sword is far greater than that of the previous four swords!
Xu Ran's heart jumped into his throat!
Myriad laws?

The rules of heaven and earth?

What is the "Tao" itself?

How can one comprehend this?
The laws are legendary powers that only cultivators who have reached a certain extremely high level can initially come into contact with and control!

And this "All Things" sword actually contains countless laws?!

This is simply unbelievable!
Before Xu Ran could think further, the "Myriad Phenomena" sword, which flowed with countless lights and was unpredictable, had already transformed into a streak of light that was difficult to track, and shot towards his brow!

That speed was faster than any of the previous sword strikes!

That aura was far more vast and complex than any of the previous sword strikes!

Xu Ran even had a disorientation, as if what was shot at him was not a sword, but an entire universe that was constantly evolving and constantly being created and destroyed!

boom!
He was given no time to react!
The stream of light, containing countless laws and changes, directly entered Xu Ran's brow!
In an instant, Xu Ran felt as if his head was about to explode!

Countless pieces of information, countless images, and countless completely different fluctuations of laws surged into his spiritual sea like a flood bursting its banks!

The fire is burning!
The ice is freezing!
The earth is pulsating!
The metal clanged and clashed!
The wind is howling!
The thunder is roaring!
Light is shining everywhere!
Darkness is engulfing!
Time is distorted!
Space is folding!
These laws, which were originally independent and even conflicting, collided in his sea of ​​consciousness in an extremely violent and chaotic manner! Explosion!

Xu Ran's golden sea of ​​spirit instantly surged into a monstrous wave!

The four sword shadows that had just condensed—the resilience of mortals, the annihilation of death, the slaughter of war, and the evolution of life—began to tremble violently under the impact of this chaotic torrent of laws, their light flickering as if they were about to collapse at any moment!
"what!"

Xu Ran couldn't help but let out a painful roar!

His soul seemed to have been thrown into a millstone that was constantly crushing, tearing, and reshaping!

Unprecedented pain swept over every inch of his consciousness!
This kind of pain far exceeds the torment of the physical body; it is a tearing that directly affects the original soul!

"Guard your mind!" Yu Kong's anxious voice boomed in Xu Ran's ears. "The Sword of Myriad Phenomena tests not your understanding of a particular law, but whether you can find the eternal 'One' amidst countless changes!"

"All things return to one! This is the true essence of 'all phenomena'!"

"If you can't find that 'one,' you will be completely assimilated by these endless changes of laws, and your soul and body will be destroyed!"

The eternal and unchanging "one"?
All things return to one?

Despite the excruciating pain, Xu Ran forced himself to maintain a sliver of clarity.

His mind was racing, enduring the excruciating pain, frantically trying to process Yu Kong's words.

Myriad laws, constantly changing

What remains unchanged?
Flames will die out, ice will melt, the earth will crack, and metal will decay.

The wind will cease, the thunder will dissipate, light will be swallowed by darkness, and darkness will be dispelled by light.
Time is passing, space is changing.

Everything seems to be changing!
Where is there anything that is eternal and unchanging?
Xu Ran's soul swayed in the torrent of laws, like a small boat on a raging sea, which could capsize at any moment.

His consciousness began to blur.

Is there really no "one"?
Is change itself eternal?

Do not!
wrong!

If change is eternal, then how can "all things" be condensed into a single sword?

There must be something that transcends all these myriad changes!
It is the core that governs all these changes!

What would it be?
Xu Ran's thoughts flashed by like lightning.

The "tenacity" of the Mortal Sword, the "silence" of the Annihilation Sword, the "battle" of the Slaughtering Sword, and the "life" of the Life-Generating Sword.

These wills all seem to be related to some kind of "existence".

The existence of mortals requires resilience.

The existence of death is annihilation.

War exists for the purpose of killing or protecting.

The existence of life lies in reproduction.

So, what is the purpose of the existence of these myriad laws?
Why do they function? Why do they evolve?
Is it for the purpose of building this world?
Is it to maintain order in this universe?

order!

Correct!
It's all about order!

No matter how the laws change, how the five elements interact and restrain each other, how wind and thunder rage, or how light and darkness alternate.

Their very existence constitutes a grand order!

Like a sophisticated machine, countless gears (laws) are turning, seemingly chaotic, but ultimately working together to maintain the operation of the machine (universe)!
And what drives all of this and maintains this order?
Is it the "Tao"?
Is it the unspeakable yet omnipresent will of heaven and earth?
still is
Xu Ran's gaze, subconsciously, pierced through the chaotic torrent of laws, looking towards the deepest part of his own spiritual sea.
That unknown region, sealed away layer by layer!

(End of this chapter)