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Chapter 608 Half-Step to Godhood
Chapter 608 Half-Step to Godhood
He was a middle-aged cultivator dressed in a dark black Taoist robe.
He has a refined appearance, a calm demeanor, and a tall and upright figure, exuding an air of nobility.
Even though there were many powerful figures near the Void Extreme Stele, and their auras were obscure, most of them were at the Nascent Soul True Venerable level, Chen Beiwu's gaze still instinctively focused on the black-robed cultivator.
The reason is simple: the purple aura surging around the black-robed cultivator was vast and boundless, like a dragon coiled in the sky, containing a trace of indescribable spirituality.
With the help of the Nine Breaths Breathing Divine Power, Chen Beiwu could sense that the Heavenly Fortune Purple Dragon, though seemingly with its eyes slightly closed, neither sinking nor floating, neither shaking nor moving, was actually watching him with every surge of purple energy.
It is no exaggeration to say that compared to the fortune of this black-robed cultivator, even the Void Venerable who came from the Jade Palace Grotto-heaven paled in comparison.
This person's luck is indeed formidable, but it's still inferior to that of the two protectors, Qinghe and Yuyue. How could it have triggered a warning from the Purple Gold Canopy level?
Chen Beiwu's pupils contracted slightly, and his vigilance increased significantly.
The Purple Gold Canopy doesn't issue warnings without reason; the other party is definitely not someone to be contacted casually, or someone who harbors malicious intent and is a Nascent Soul True Venerable.
Seeing the fleeting surprise in Chen Beiwu's eyes, Xuanwei Zhenzun was not surprised and a faint smile appeared on his face.
Although he concealed his aura and did not exude the slightest pressure of a Nascent Soul cultivator, any cultivator with a discerning eye could still see his extraordinary nature.
Chen Beiwu was, after all, a peerless genius ranked tenth in the Jade Purity Golden Book sequence. Even though his cultivation was only at the Nascent Soul True Monarch level, he could understand the dimensional difference between the Nascent Soul True Monarch and the Divine Transformation True Venerable simply by looking into each other's eyes.
"What, Brother Xuanwei, you can't even recognize the geniuses of your sect?" Lin Yunlan teased.
Whether in the Five Great Grotto Heavens or the Thirteen Immortal Sects, any Nascent Soul True Venerable who aspires to Refine the Void can sense that competition is everywhere.
As far as she knew, although Xuanwei Zhenzun was a peak Nascent Soul cultivator, he ranked third in the Jade Purity Golden Book sequence and was expected to take over the position of sect leader from Zixiao Zhenzun in the future. He was undoubtedly a potential competitor to Chen Beiwu, who ranked tenth in the Golden Book sequence.
Of course, Lin Yunlan also knew that Chen Beiwu's cultivation level was only at the Nascent Soul True Monarch level, and he could not pose a threat to Xuanwei True Venerable at all.
However, the True Venerable of Transformation has a long lifespan, valuing both the present and planning for the future.
Chen Beiwu has risen to prominence in just over a hundred years. Given time, he may very well become Xuanwei Zhenzun's biggest rival and suffer suppression from the latter.
"Fellow Daoist Dongxu, please don't joke. True Martial Lord is the pillar of our sect. How could I not recognize him?"
Xuanwei Zhenzun smiled calmly, knowing that Lin Yunlan was deliberately stirring up trouble.
But as I said before, he never fights a battle he's not confident of winning.
You should know that he usually cast divinations to uncover the secrets of heaven, and even when he deduced the true essence of a Nascent Soul cultivator, he could still figure out some details. However, he encountered some obstacles with Chen Beiwu.
As for such a person with immense fortune, difficult to predict, and destined for limitless success, the True Venerable Xuanwei has always advocated rational competition and valued harmony above all else.
"Greetings, True Venerable Xuanwei."
Chen Beiwu bowed slightly, maintaining his respect for Yuqing Huashen.
"No need for formalities."
Xuanwei Zhenzun chuckled and took the initiative to remind him, "The Void Extreme Stele carries the Great Dao of Void, which is not in harmony with the Primordial Great Dao. When you comprehend it, you need to pay attention to the time and not get too engrossed, lest you be harmed by the Dao of Void."
Chen Beiwu's heart stirred.
It is so dangerous to comprehend the Ruins Stele in the Heavenly Ruins, and one can even be injured by the Daoist charm of the Ruins Stele?
No wonder the Immortal Alliance's higher-ups set such a high bar, allowing only Nascent Soul True Venerables to enter, with only a very few True Monarch prodigies as exceptions.
"Brother Xuanwei, you are overthinking it," Lin Yunlan said gently. "Young friend Chen has unparalleled talent and is naturally in harmony with the Great Dao of the Void. How could he be harmed by the Daoist principles of the Void?"
Upon hearing this, some Nascent Soul True Venerables who were meditating near the Void Extreme Stele opened their eyes and focused their gaze on Chen Beiwu.
"Oh, could it be that the Northern Martial Void Extreme Stele has extremely high affinity?" True Venerable Xuanwei became interested.
To receive such praise from the Venerable Dongxu, Chen Beiwu's Xuji Stele's quality must be higher than 6.5 points?
"Brother Xuanwei is skilled in divination and deduction. Can you calculate it?" Lin Yunlan asked.
"A great calamity is approaching, and the secrets of heaven are obscure. I haven't used divination techniques for many years, so Fellow Daoist Dongxu, please stop keeping me in suspense," Xuanwei Zhenzun said with a shake of his head.
"Young Friend Chen's Void Stele has a compatibility score of 7.5, which is enough to make him a celestial seed for all ages in terms of aptitude on the Void Path."
As soon as Lin Yunlan finished speaking, the two white-bearded cultivators in front of the Void Extreme Stele, whose auras were as deep and unfathomable, trembled slightly. Their auras became disordered and agitated, but they quickly returned to normal and let out a barely perceptible groan.
Seeing this, Lin Yunlan's lips curled up slightly.
Chen Beiwu surprised her greatly, and she was struck by the diversity of the world.
How could she not share this complex and indescribable feeling with him, so that he too could experience the crushing power of a junior's talent?
"Cough cough."
At the same time, a Nascent Soul cultivator coughed twice, stopped studying the Ruins Stele, locked his divine sense on Lin Yunlan, and reminded her, "The place for enlightenment should be kept quiet. Fellow Daoist Dongxu, could you please remain silent and communicate with your divine sense?"
Noticing the slightly unfriendly gazes of the five Nascent Soul True Venerables, Lin Yunlan smiled gently and said nothing more.
"A compatibility score of 7.5?"
Xuanwei Zhenzun's eyes narrowed, and his fear of Chen Beiwu grew stronger.
Even though his cultivation had reached the Nascent Soul stage and he had a contract with a Creation Beast, his affinity with the Void Extreme Stele was only 6.0 points, a huge gap compared to Chen Beiwu.
Feeling the subtle sense of being watched all around him, Chen Beiwu sighed inwardly.
He didn't want to be high-profile, as that would easily attract Xiu's attention and resentment.
However, there was no way around it. The Heavenly Ruins Stone test was a public test, and even if the Void Venerable didn't mention it, it would quickly spread to the ears of the various grotto heavens and immortal sects as time went on.
"God is the dwelling place of the Way; where God is, the Way is; where God returns, the Way returns."
The True Venerable Xuanwei advised, "When a True Venerable of the Nascent Soul stage comprehends the Ruins Stele, he must use his spirit to comprehend the Dao, and let the Dao return to his spirit, in order to understand the true meaning and Dao charm carried within the Ruins Stele, and thus integrate the Dao charm into the depths of his primordial spirit, making it his own enlightenment."
"Your nascent soul has not yet become a primordial spirit, and its strength is insufficient to perfectly bear the true meaning and Daoist essence within the Ruins Stele. It is best to comprehend it using the method of fellowship, allowing the fellowship beast to help share the burden of the true meaning and Daoist essence, so as to prevent damage to your nascent soul."
Compatibility is not everything. True Venerable Xuanwei wants to see whether Chen Beiwu is truly an eternal immortal seed on the Great Dao of Void.
"To avoid any accidents, it would be best if Young Friend Chen meditated for one day and then rested for one day," Lin Yunlan added.
Chen Beiwu understood and activated his escape light to land in front of the Void Extreme Stele, where he found a suitable futon to sit down.
"Buzz!"
As the restriction was activated, a barely perceptible defensive barrier quietly appeared, then slowly disappeared.
Noticing that some gazes had left, Chen Beiwu visualized the Great Profound Guardian One, activated the "Book of Creation of the Void Hidden Heavenly Extreme Void Proof," and together with Zhiling, sent their divine senses out of their bodies to try to touch the true meaning on the Void Extreme Stele.
Breathe!
Two breaths!
Three breaths!
As time passed, Chen Beiwu's spiritual platform became clear and bright, and he felt as if he were in the vast void, even becoming a part of the Void Extreme Stele.
Just then, the void solidified, the world changed, and a colossal beast based on Zhiling's divine soul quietly appeared.
Its eyes are closed, and it has nine tails. The tips of its tails disappear into the depths of the void. It has no physical form, nor is it an illusion. It seems to exist in the void, or perhaps in another world, existing eternally.
"Eek!"
Zhiling's eyes narrowed as she recognized the giant beast as the Primordial Dao Beast [Void Heavenly Fox], which carried the Great Dao of the Void and exuded a profound and infinitely mysterious Daoist charm.
However, due to her low level of cultivation, Zhiling was unable to comprehend anything. She only felt that her bloodline was gradually becoming restless under the stimulation of the Daoist rhyme in the void, and it was becoming somewhat difficult to control.
Chen Beiwu's reaction was completely different from Zhiling's. The moment he glimpsed the true appearance of the Void Heavenly Fox, he entered a state of enlightenment. His dantian suddenly changed and began to circulate the "Void Hidden Heavenly Extreme Void Proof Creation Heavenly Book" in an inexplicable trajectory.
The next instant, the Void Fox opened its eyes, and its nine tails moved in unison, touching Chen Beiwu's forehead from a distance, emitting rays of light.
Is this the legendary Void Dao Treasury?
Xuanwei Zhenzun, who was closely watching Chen Beiwu, raised an eyebrow, unable to hide his surprise.
What is the Void Dao Treasury?
The Void Stele was created before Tianyuan Star, carrying the origin of the Great Dao of the Void, and is the source of all laws of the Immortal Alliance.
Those who are naturally close to the Dao and in harmony with the Void Stele can activate the origin of the Great Dao of the Void Stele, giving birth to a unique Void Immortal Method, also known as the Void Dao Treasury.
This was not the first time that Xuanwei Zhenzun had entered Tianxu. When he first entered the Nascent Soul stage, he had entered Tianxu to comprehend the Dao for a hundred years, but he had never seen the Void Extreme Stele radiate light, produce strange phenomena, or form a series of Void Dao Treasures.
"Brother Xuanwei, with Chen Beiwu's comprehension, do you think he can study the Void Dao Treasury and create a Void Immortal Technique for the Immortal Alliance?" Lin Yunlan's expression turned serious.
Of the supreme immortal techniques passed down through the Five Great Grotto-Heavens and the Thirteen Immortal Sects, one-third were comprehended by the Immortal Alliance's cultivation giants while observing the Heavenly Book Ruins Stele in the Heavenly Ruins. It wouldn't be surprising if Chen Beiwu were added to the list.
After all, Chen Beiwu had a precedent. When he was building his foundation, he created an unprecedented method for forming the embryonic core using the Jade Purity Technique, which even alarmed the Jade Purity Sect Leader.
"Impossible. Even if Chen Beiwu's talent is unparalleled and he can be called an immortal seed of eternity, he cannot create a divine transformation immortal technique at the True Monarch realm without having reached the Nascent Soul stage." True Venerable Xuanwei shook his head.
In his view, Chen Beiwu's realm was too low. Even if he could read the Void Dao Treasury nurtured by the Void Extreme Stele, he would find it difficult to fully absorb and comprehend it. At most, he could only broaden his horizons to some extent.
On the other hand, much like what Xuanwei Zhenzun had guessed, Chen Beiwu, although he triggered the Void Dao Treasury phenomenon, felt as if he had entered a treasure mountain but returned empty-handed.
The reason is simple: these Void Dao Treasures may not be of a higher grade than the Void Hidden Heavenly Book, one of the thirty-six Hunyuan Immortal Techniques of the Jade Purity Immortal Sect, but in terms of their profound mystery and obscurity, they are definitely superior.
Even though Chen Beiwu had mastered the basics of cultivating the Void Heavenly Book, he still couldn't fully comprehend the various Void Daoist scriptures that appeared in his mind.
"Eek!"
At the critical moment, Zhiling had a sudden thought: she wanted to activate the Great Freedom Void Domain and extract the Void Dao Treasury that had emerged from Chen Bei's Martial Spirit Platform—
A brand is carried by one's own bloodline.
Don't force yourself.
Chen Beiwu used his divine sense to dissuade Zhiling.
The Great Dao Origin carried by the Void Extreme Stele is terrifying; how could Zhiling, a late-stage Nascent Soul demon king, forcibly refine it?
"Eek!"
Zhiling raised her little head, persisting in her thoughts, because she clearly felt the desire coming from the depths of her bloodline.
Chen Beiwu frowned slightly, stopped trying to dissuade her, and told Zhiling to prioritize her own safety and not to force the issue.
Time flies, and a year has passed in no time.
Could this kid possess the Void Dao Body?
"It doesn't look like it. The aura of the Void Dao Body is extremely obvious; I could tell at a glance."
"How strange! He doesn't possess the Void Dao Body. Even if this kid has a high affinity, it's impossible for him to comprehend the Void Extreme Stele for a year without being harmed by its true meaning and Dao essence!"
Who knows? Maybe this kid has really figured something out.
While the True Venerable Ones were exchanging thoughts and discussing among themselves before the monument, Chen Beiwu opened his eyes and slowly exhaled a breath of turbid air.
The Xuji Stele truly deserves its reputation as one of the nine great ruin steles.
In just one year of study, he used the true meaning and Daoist charm in the stele to cultivate the "Book of Creation of Emptiness and Heavenly Extremes" to a minor level and comprehend two profound immortal techniques.
Besides this, what surprised Chen Beiwu even more was that, through observing the Daoist scriptures within the stele, he gained insight into two points:
"The void is the form of the Dao; the primordial beginning is the origin of the Dao."
The essence and function are inseparable, and the void and the origin are of the same source. The Great Dao of Void may not be unable to merge with the Great Dao of Primordial Beginning. The void is born from the Primordial Beginning, and the Primordial Beginning is contained within the void. When the two intersect, the two paths merge, becoming two sides of the same coin, which is the Great Dao of Primordial Void.
Thinking of this, Chen Beiwu's heart stirred.
Once he successfully navigates this path, he will no longer be bound by either the Primordial Dao or the Void Dao. He can create something from nothing, open his own path, transform all things into the Primordial Dao, and then return them to the Void, thus forging another path to heaven.
However, Chen Beiwu was also well aware of the difficulties of embarking on this path.
First: Both the Void Dao and the Primordial Dao are the top Daos of the Immortal Alliance. Even if the most outstanding geniuses of the Immortal Alliance spend their entire lives trying to choose one of them, they will never reach the end. How much more so if they try to master both and open up a new path for themselves.
Second: This is a cultivation path that no cultivator has ever trod. It is merely his conjecture, and there is currently no reference point. Even if the two are combined into one, it may not be possible to complete the path. It may still fall under the Void Dao or the Primordial Dao.
Third: The Void Dao and the Primordial Dao are already under the control of the Refining Void Dao Venerable. If he wants to rewrite the Void Primordial Dao, the difficulty is no less than cultivating the Primordial Dao. Furthermore, it would be even more difficult for him to seize the Dao position from the Refining Void Dao Venerable as a cultivation giant.
The Great Dao of Primordial Void possesses immense potential, but it remains far too ethereal and elusive.
Chen Beiwu sighed inwardly and suppressed his thoughts.
Throughout history, countless geniuses have emerged from the Immortal Alliance, like stars in the sky. It's impossible that he was the only one who thought of the method of fusing the Dao to open a path.
If he becomes too fixated on this and forces himself to do it, he might actually stop at the Nascent Soul stage. It would be better for him to observe the other eight Ruins Stele before making a decision.
So Chen Beiwu visualized the Great Mystery of Oneness, using the Oneness Bell to cleanse his mind of distractions, and then his consciousness probed into the Purple Mansion Sea of Consciousness.
The infant is immature, in an undetermined form; the spirit is complete, having established its nature, which can be called the primordial spirit!
With the fusion of the Void Dao Treasury, the Nascent Soul within Chen Beiwu's Purple Mansion Sea of Consciousness underwent an astonishing transformation. His skin became as smooth as solidified white jade, and his face was no longer childish, but rather possessed a more youthful composure.
This is precisely the process by which a cultivator's nascent soul and yang spirit gradually merge into one, blurring the distinction between inside and outside, stepping halfway into the realm of divine transformation, and approaching the primordial spirit.
According to the definition of cultivators in the Southern Wilderness, Chen Beiwu's Nascent Soul is now gradually transforming, and he can be called a half-step Nascent Soul cultivator, only a step away from becoming a True Nascent Soul Venerable.
However, if classified according to the Immortal Alliance's realm, Chen Beiwu is still a Nascent Soul Perfected True Monarch.
Xiao Liu BC