The Eastern Emperor of all Heavens did not wish to become a Buddha.

Chapter 98 The Lost Self, the True Self, and the Way Self

Countless words shimmering with golden light flowed through the vast ocean of Zhong Xu's mind, constantly changing and recombining to form a book filled with the brilliance of humanity—a unique and unparalleled legacy belonging solely to humanity.

'The Golden Book of the Human Emperor!'

Feeling the true meaning of the kingly way contained in the many words on the book, the name of this inheritance emerged in Zhong Xu's mind.

This inheritance is an unparalleled divine skill created by the ancient Human Emperor, who was on the other side, after refining his own Great Dao. It is the culmination of all the human cultivation methods in this world.

Zhong Xu immersed himself in the book of human Dao, trying to comprehend the secrets of the "Golden Book of the Human Emperor," a peerless divine skill representing the inheritance of human Dao.

Although with his current level of understanding, he could only see the first few pages of the book and comprehend the superficial aspects of this humanistic cultivation method, he still had a sense of seeing the Great Dao and gained a unique understanding and comprehension of the power of humanity.

As he comprehended the true meaning of the book, the aura within his body began to change, and countless rays of humanistic light shone around him, vaguely resembling the scene of all living beings and the lights of countless homes.

His temperament also changed accordingly, carrying a touch of humanistic weight and majesty, and the power of all living beings surrounding him became increasingly pure.

At the same time, as Zhong Xu comprehended the "Golden Book of the Human Emperor," his cultivation system of the Heaven-Covering Technique also changed. He began to continuously absorb the humanistic meaning contained within it, making adjustments and transformations.

One after another, illusory chants rang out, like the sounds of the Dao from the past and the future, echoing within Zhong Xu's Dao Palace Secret Realm.

His body became layered and complex, as if opening new portals containing worlds as small as dust.

Dust is endless, and so is the world.

Within the Dao Palace Secret Realm, the five elements, like dragons, coiled and danced, encircling the five magnificent and enormous Dao Palaces.

Each Dao Palace is presided over by an Emperor. The five Emperors have different temperaments, but they all carry a certain Daoist charm of mutual generation and restraint, forming a perfect cycle of the Five Elements that gives rise to all things.

Above the five Dao Palaces stood a majestic figure holding an ancient bronze bell, surrounded by an illusory river, exuding a sense of vicissitude and antiquity, as if he were the center of everything.

The illusory river flows on, and in the past, there has always been a hazy figure, holding an ancient and mysterious mirror, surrounded by countless universes, pervading the entire world.

One after another, scriptures resounded from His mouth, transcending the distance of time and space, breaking through the limitations of time and space, drifting in from the heavens, to recite scriptures for this life.

This is another mystery contained in the Dao Palace Secret Realm besides the Five Great Divine Treasures: the Forgotten Self, the True Self, and the Dao Self.

Many sages believed that although one is born in this world, there is a "self" living in the past. It is the "deceased self" reciting scriptures for this life, stirring heaven and earth, nourishing the life master, and making the true self of this life immortal.

Now, Zhong Xu's Dao Palace Secret Realm has undergone a transformation, triggering the greatest mystery of this human body secret realm, with the past 'deceased self' reciting scriptures for the present 'true self'.

Buzz

Just then, as he comprehended the humanistic principles contained within the "Golden Book of the Human Emperor," Zhong Xu's Dao Palace Secret Realm underwent another change.

A phantom river flows on, and in the endless, distant future, a phantom figure appears.

He was surrounded by countless rays of human radiance, making it impossible to see his true appearance. All that could be seen was a pale gold longsword in his hand, exuding an air of pride and confidence that could cut through anything.

bang
With the appearance of this figure, Zhong Xu's Dao Palace Secret Realm seemed to have surpassed its current limit, expanding dramatically. His human body secret realm underwent a completely new evolution and transformation.

Five magnificent Dao palaces stand between heaven and earth, transforming into five divine courts, each with an emperor, collectively evolving the pattern of the five emperors of the five directions, turning the Dao palace secret realm into a vast heavenly court.

Above the Five Emperors, three majestic figures stand above all else. One resides in the unchanging past, holding an ancient mirror, sacred and noble, like a Heavenly Emperor who suppresses all. Another stands in the uncertain future, holding a long sword, majestic and solemn, like a Human Emperor who sweeps away all. And in the present, representing immortality, a majestic figure holding an ancient bell stands, carrying the meaning of uniqueness, the root of everything, the One, and the Dao.

bang
As the Dao Palace Secret Realm was reenacted, five divine lights shot out from the top of Zhong Xu's head, transforming into five energies that soared straight into the heavens.

If he weren't currently inside the Emperor's sword-forging platform, the five divine lights shooting straight into the sky would probably be visible for thousands of miles around.

But this is not over yet.

The moment the five divine lights shot up, three Dao flowers bloomed, like flowers of the Great Dao, dazzling to the extreme.

A grand and ethereal sound of the Great Dao resounded beside Zhong Xu, as if a Dao domain had directly emerged from his small space.

The Sea of ​​Wheels also changed accordingly. A Yin-Yang Tai Chi diagram appeared, and the intertwined Yin and Yang fish transformed into a long golden bridge composed of countless Dao patterns, as if it could transcend the sea of ​​suffering and reach the other shore.

Zhong Xu stood on the golden bridge, with three Dao flowers blooming above his head and five divine energies soaring into the sky, like a god or Buddha walking in the mortal world.

An indescribable sense of fulfillment welled up in Zhong Xu's mind. He felt as if his hands and feet were connected to the entire world, and he could explore the four corners of the earth and enter a new realm at any time.

'Four poles'.

With this thought in mind, Zhong Xu realized that he had evolved the Dao Palace Secret Realm to its limit and achieved true perfection. With just one thought, he could step into the Four Extremes Realm.

However, he did not choose to break through directly.

Zhong Xu had a premonition that, given his accumulated experience, if he chose to break through in the Shrouding the Heavens universe, he would likely trigger a tribulation of lightning at the Four Extremes stage.

As the saying goes, the tribulation of lightning is both a calamity and a blessing; it is both destruction and creation.

In the world of Shrouding the Heavens, any cultivator who hasn't been struck by lightning a few times wouldn't dare call themselves a prodigy.

Zhong Xu naturally hopes that every step he takes will be relatively perfect. Only by laying the most solid foundation in the early stages can he avoid being hindered by his original shortcomings when he enters a higher field.

Moreover, upon reaching the Four Extremes Realm, one merges with the four extremes of heaven and earth, requiring one to comprehend the nature of heaven and earth, imprint the great Dao of heaven and earth on one's own limbs, and evolve the great Dao of heaven and earth. One focuses more on enlightenment and no longer blindly pursues resources.

Of course, if one has top-tier enlightenment resources like the Enlightenment Tea Tree, one can simply use those resources to boost it.

With Zhong Xu's spiritual realm and understanding of the Great Dao far surpassing his own cultivation level, coupled with his profound accumulation, once he enters the Four Extremes Secret Realm, he will progress faster than everyone else in the field.

Various insights kept emerging in his mind. After a while, Zhong Xu slowly withdrew his aura. The five divine energies dissipated, the three Dao flowers merged, and the golden bridge once again transformed into the Yin-Yang Taiji diagram, merging into the Sea of ​​Wheels Secret Realm. The strange phenomena on his body also disappeared completely.

Buzz

He slowly opened his eyes, exuding an aura of perfect perfection, like the natural order of the universe, without revealing a trace of his own aura.

"call!"

Exhaling a breath of stale air, Zhong Xu focused his mind into his own Sea of ​​Wheels secret realm, where he saw the thin, strip-shaped object occupying the center of his Sea of ​​Wheels, or rather, the Human Emperor Sword.

However, looking at this iron rod that resembles scrap metal, if Zhong Xu hadn't mentioned it, probably no one would have thought it was the legendary Human Emperor's Sword, a supreme treasure of humanity.

"Divine things conceal themselves!"

Zhong Xu understood that the Emperor's Sword had not yet truly recognized him.

However, he didn't care. He was already incredibly lucky to have obtained this peerless treasure from the other side of the world. What more could he ask for?

As long as this treasure is with him, there will always be a day when he can truly use it in the future, so Zhong Xu is not in a hurry.

With this in mind, Zhong Xu withdrew his attention from the Sea of ​​Wheels Secret Realm, glanced at the empty platform and the sea of ​​fire around him, and without lingering any longer, he held the True Emperor Seal in his hand, turned around and left.

Having obtained the Emperor's Sword, there was little reason to linger here.

With the True Imperial Seal in hand, and having obtained the genuine human cultivation technique, the "Human Emperor's Golden Book," their journey out was equally smooth.

Zhong Xu quickly passed through the Ancient Path of the Human Emperor and the front hall, leaving this secret realm.

On the shore of the great lake, Zhong Xu glanced at the clear water but didn't linger. He activated the "Void Scripture," merging directly into the void and disappearing. The lake returned to tranquility. After an unknown amount of time, ripples spread like water, and a figure emerged from the void, appearing on the lakeshore.

He was wearing a 'Heavenly Emperor' mask; he was none other than Han Guang, the leader of the Mythical Organization, known as the 'Heavenly Emperor'.

Looking at the vast, misty lake, Han Guang's eyes revealed a hint of doubt. He couldn't help but make a hand seal, trying to deduce the secrets of heaven.

But no matter how he tried to connect with the laws of heaven and earth, he could no longer deduce the information he needed.

"strangeness."

Before he could finish speaking, Han Guang's heart stirred, and he looked towards the void not far away.

The next moment, the void shattered, and a majestic and tall figure stepped out from it.

He was an exceptionally handsome man, appearing to be in his thirties. He had striking features, with sharp eyebrows, bright eyes, a high nose, and thin lips that hinted at a coldness. Coupled with his emotionless eyes, he gave off a very ruthless feeling.

"Gao Lan!"

Upon seeing this figure, Han Guang uttered a whisper, a look of surprise appearing in his eyes.

Wasn't this mad king, who was once his equal and known as one of the "Twin Stars of the World," suppressed and imprisoned by the Northern Zhou aristocratic families?

When did he attain enlightenment and realize the Dharma body?

Upon hearing Han Guang's words, Gao Lan turned his gaze away from the large lake in front of him and placed his cold, emotionless eyes on him, a hint of coldness in his eyes.

Buzz

The next moment, his aura became dark and deep, filled with a sense of desolation, as if at the beginning of the universe, when heaven and earth had just been created, there were sun, moon and stars, but there was no vitality, and everywhere was deathly silent.

But then, life suddenly arose, wisdom was born, and sparks of light lit up different desolate regions, connecting to form a whole, 'illuminating' the universe, and fighting against the desolation.

boom

As his aura changed, Gao Lan seemed to transform into a human king, wielding the power of heaven and earth, and punishing on behalf of heaven, as he threw a punch at Han Guang.

Clang!
Faced with Gao Lan's attack, Han Guang's eyes changed slightly, but he did not show any fear. A slightly ethereal sound of a blade rang out, and a long blade exuding the aura of time appeared in his hand.

As the longsword slashed down, a slightly weathered blade light appeared between heaven and earth, instantly turning the entire world into black and white. Everything froze, as if it had transformed into a frozen painting.

Buzz

As fists and blades clashed, the surrounding void shattered instantly, laws and principles ceased to exist, and vital energy dissipated.

But the next moment, the two figures separated instantly, and everything around them was smoothed out by the two, without spreading outwards.

Gao Lan looked at Han Guang across from him expressionlessly and said calmly, "Not bad, we can cooperate."

His tone was extremely natural, as if he hadn't been the one who made the first move.

Even with Han Guang's composure, he was somewhat unable to keep up with the changing behavior of the mad king opposite him.

However, upon hearing his words, a hint of curiosity appeared in Han Guang's eyes, and he asked in a leisurely tone, "How do we cooperate?"

A cold smile appeared on Gao Lan's lips: "Of course."

"Human Emperor Sword?"

Han Guang's eyes turned deep. This peerless divine weapon, representing humanity, had actually appeared.

It seems a great calamity is truly imminent!

Thinking of this, the image of the long sword that he had always longed for, which was on par with the Human Emperor Sword, appeared in his mind. He couldn't help but look into the distance, towards the direction of the Xuan Tian Sect.

As evening fell, Xingyun Manor was brightly lit and decorated, with servants bustling about.

One by one, guests arrived at this place. In addition to the top ten young masters on the Human Ranking personally invited by He Jiu, there were also representatives of local aristocratic families and several renowned figures in the martial arts world. They usually had close ties with the East Sea Sword Manor, so they were able to attend the banquet directly, both to observe the ceremony and to witness it.

In addition, two distinguished guests also attended the Xingyun Banquet: the current Crown Prince and the Prince of Jin, who was competing with the Crown Prince.

Meng Qi, currently ranked sixth on the Human Ranking and one of the top masters of the younger generation, naturally came to this place as well.

He sat in the guest section, looking around at the furnishings.

This is a hall converted from a martial arts training hall, with tables and chairs placed around the perimeter, and a large blank space left in the center.

'Could it be that He Jiu intends to challenge the top experts on the Human Ranking here to help him break through to the next level?'

Just as Meng Qi's thoughts were racing, he sensed something and looked to the side.

A slender woman named Wang Siyuan, dressed in a white robe and as beautiful as a woman, slowly approached and sat down beside him.

"Young Master Wang, what's going on?"

Meng Qi was a little puzzled. Why was this charlatan so interested in him?

"Cough cough."

Wang Siyuan coughed a few times, then said with a half-smile, "I don't know either, I just feel I should sit next to you."

"?"

Meng Qi had a question mark on his face. If he couldn't defeat the opponent, he would really want to beat this charlatan.

Just as he was about to speak again, he suddenly sensed that something was wrong with the atmosphere in the hall, and everyone was looking towards the door.

Meng Qi also turned his gaze to the gate and saw a familiar figure.

The monk's robe was as white as snow, and he wore straw sandals. He was surrounded by a faint Buddhist aura, giving people a feeling of purity and innocence.

It was the style of the illustrious monk that he had longed for back when he had not yet left Shaolin.

'Brother Fahai.'

A hint of surprise appeared in Meng Qi's eyes. He had been searching for the other party's whereabouts for the past few days without success, but he never expected to encounter him here.

The newcomer was Zhong Xu. After glancing around, he stepped forward to Meng Qi and said with a smile, "Junior Brother, it's been a long time."

Meng Qi quickly stood up, a smile appearing on his face: "Senior Brother Fahai, it's been a long time."

Just then, Zhong Xu sensed something and looked at the white-clad man next to Meng Qi.

Wang Siyuan glanced at the white-robed monk in front of him, then at Meng Qi, his gaze shifting between the two. As if he had thought of something, a barely concealed burning intensity, even a hint of madness, appeared in his eyes.

(End of this chapter)