Chapter 1739 8 years have passed
Zhang Xuan held his hands loosely, as if embracing a river.
Guided by his Daoist aura, the Xuanming True Water suddenly expanded, transforming into a boundless, dark body of water that completely enveloped the side branches of the water.
The illusory branches of water are frantically absorbing the water essence contained in this body of water.
Unlike the other side branches, the solidification process of the water side branches is particularly dynamic and varied.
Sometimes it solidifies like black ice, radiating a chilling aura that freezes everything.
Sometimes it surges like a long river, displaying a vast and boundless momentum.
At times, it is as still as a deep pool, revealing a profound depth that encompasses all things.
At times, it rises like clouds and mist, revealing its all-pervasive nature.
Finally, a water branch, deep blue and almost black in color, successfully solidified!
The interaction between the water element and other elements such as wood, fire, and thunder makes his supernatural abilities more varied and unpredictable.
The side branches of the water are solidified, and the tree of the Great Way has a more rounded and flowing rhythm, endlessly regenerating.
Only one last, withered side branch remains, still appearing illusory.
However, refining and annihilating the source essence is also the most dangerous step, which tests one's Dao heart and opportunities the most.
Zhang Xuan restored himself to his peak condition.
He first drew upon the profound meaning of "withering" in the withered branches, allowing his mind to enter a strange state of decay in all things.
Then, one can contemplate the scene at the end of time through the side branches of time.
Then, he solemnly broke the seal on the void crystal.
That mass of annihilated essence silently emerged.
It has no light, no temperature, and no definite form; it simply exists there, causing the surrounding laws of the Dao to slowly dissolve.
Zhang Xuan did not attempt to refine it.
He simply used the trace of Daoist aura from the dragon coffin to slowly immerse his mind in the desolate field.
In that moment of immersion, Zhang Xuan felt time, space, and self-awareness...
Everything is being stripped away rapidly.
He saw the mountains and rivers of his inner world weathering and drying up.
He heard the Daoist aura of other branches on his own Great Dao Tree gradually fading.
He felt his own consciousness flicker like a candle in the wind, its light uncertain...
That is absolute nothingness, a complete loss of the meaning of existence.
Great horror!
Utter despair!
However, just as his consciousness was about to completely sink into this abyss of nothingness, the will that had endured countless hardships suddenly shone brightly deep within Zhang Xuandao's heart!
"Nirvana...is the end, and also the beginning."
"Only through nothingness can something exist. Only through death can life be highlighted."
"Nirvana is not the end of all things, but the opportunity for destruction and rebirth, an indispensable part of the cycle of my Great Dao!"
Enlightenment is like lightning piercing through eternal darkness!
The mass of annihilation essence began to slowly rotate and shrink, eventually transforming into a point of annihilation so pure as to be almost imperfect, which then drifted towards the illusory annihilation branch.
The dormant side branches, for the first time, have a clear form.
It became extremely thin, almost transparent, yet truly connected to the Tree of the Great Way.
The instant the origin of annihilation merges into its end—
The entire tree on the main road trembled violently!
An indescribable sense of perfect harmony emanated from the tree.
All thirteen lateral branches have now solidified!
The weight of earth, the sharpness of metal, the vicissitudes of water, the intent of the sword, the nothingness of annihilation...
The five newly formed side branches, together with the previous eight side branches and two main trunks, perfectly constitute an incomparably profound Dao system!
After Zhang Xuan's cultivation broke through the ultimate barrier of the Great Ascension Peak in a natural way, it did not stop, but continued to climb towards a higher realm in the dark.
Ultimately, although he did not break through to the True Immortal realm, the depth of his accumulation, the stability of his Dao foundation, and the strength of his combat power had reached a level that would make ordinary early-stage True Immortals tremble with fear!
He slowly opened his eyes.
Deep within the pupil of his left eye, it seemed as if a golden crow was patrolling the sky, flames were raging, and thunder was churning...
Deep within the pupil of the right eye, a true demon seems to lurk, all trees seem to sprout new life, and true gold seems to be immortal…
Ultimately, all the splendor and magnificence vanished into a deep, boundless void of desolation deep within the pupils of the eyes.
The Taoist aura of Huangji Palace rises and falls like the tides, eventually returning to tranquility.
Zhang Xuan slowly opened his eyes. His left eye reflected the bustling world of birth and death, while his right eye reflected the emptiness of the final void.
The perfection of the thirteen side branches brings not only an improvement in realm, but also a near-fundamental control and insight into the laws of heaven and earth.
While Zhang Xuan was in seclusion refining the Dao Source Treasure, the appearance of the Nine Divine Realms was completely renewed in just a few decades.
Benefiting from the large amount of high-level resources and the inspiration of advanced skills from the loot.
The level of arts and crafts in the Nine Realms has advanced by leaps and bounds, with the average grade of elixirs, talismans, and magical treasures rising to a whole new level.
In terms of high-end combat power, the Immortal Gourd Realm possesses Zhang Xuan, a realm lord with unfathomable foundations, eight True Immortal puppets that have been repaired and strengthened, the Abyss Returning to Ruins Palace with unlimited potential, and the Sky-Patrolling Void Divine Ship currently under construction.
The cultivation of True Immortal You Wuyai became even more stable and profound in the later stages.
The Celestial Ancestor's mastery of tribulation power was unparalleled.
The old fox has been in seclusion and hasn't come out yet, but everyone is looking forward to the earth-shattering event that will happen when he emerges.
More importantly, by digesting and absorbing the cultivation resources, techniques, and intelligence of the two immortal realms, the nine divine domains not only further enhanced their strength, but also completely broke free from the cognitive limitations of their original closed-off natives. Their understanding of the structure of the myriad realms, the cultivation at the True Immortal level, and potential threats reached a completely new level.
Stars shift and constellations change; time flies.
Eight hundred years have passed since that great victory in annihilating the vanguard of the Abyss of the Primordial Demons.
Zhang Xuan stood atop the Immortal Gourd Divine Ship, gazing at the endless sea of stars.
Behind them lay the ever-changing and vibrant Immortal Gourd Realm.
Before him lay the myriad realms of the nine divine domains.
For high-level cultivators who often seclude themselves for hundreds of years, eight hundred years may not seem like a long time, but it is enough for a world that has received tremendous resources to undergo a complete transformation.
The Immortal Gourd Realm is just like that.
Deep within the Imperial Palace, Zhang Xuan had already digested the lessons learned from that great battle and its aftermath to a relatively perfect state.
At this moment, his aura was completely concealed, and he sat upright on the cloud bed, just like an ordinary person.
Only those eyes, which occasionally flashed with the meaning of chaos, birth, death, and the end of the universe when they opened and closed, revealed the terrifying power of the Great Dao contained within him.
Thirteen side branches were fully formed and solidified, while two main trunks stood side by side to support them. His Great Dao Tree resonated and circulated deeply with the origin of the Immortal Gourd Realm.
His cultivation level has steadily reached an unprecedented extreme at the Mahayana stage.
The vastness of his magical power, the perfection of his Dao principles, and the refinement of his divine soul have long surpassed the realm of ordinary Mahayana peaks.
He didn't need to cultivate deliberately; with every breath, he was in sync with the Immortal Gourd Realm and resonated with the stars in the heavens, naturally inhaling and exhaling immeasurable Dao fortune.
For the past eight hundred years, he has focused more on further integrating the thirteen side branches of Daoist rhyme, and on more deeply exploring the mysteries pointed to by the dragon coffin and the compass of the Immortal Path.
However, the gains were limited.
