Free Web NovelChapter 611: Chapter 365
What does it mean to bring disgrace to one’s scholarly dignity?
What does it mean to ask me to give you a big earful?
Three question marks appeared on Zhang Fusheng’s forehead. He raised his eyebrows and looked directly at the calm and unruffled middle-aged Daoist,
thought for a moment, clasped his hands and spoke:
"Fellow Daoist Primordial, do not make fun of me with such things. With my current modest cultivation, how could I possibly strike a Daluo?"
The expression of the middle-aged Daoist remained constant, calm and serene, without any discernible joy or anger,
giving Zhang Fusheng the impression much like that Celestial Lord of Tao and Virtue who revered effortless naturally.
At this moment, He quietly spoke:
"With just Fellow Daoist Fusheng, naturally, there’s still some way to go, but if you were to borrow the body of this poor Daoist?"
Zhang Fusheng was even more perplexed.
Borrow the body?
He was somewhat bewildered, seeing the middle-aged Daoist slowly speaking:
"Indeed, if ordinary beings borrowed the body of a Supreme Fruit, even without the time to form a thought, they would be obliterated in both form and spirit under the immense pressure of the Supreme Fruit."
"Even another Supreme Fruit would find it challenging to reside within the body of another Supreme Fruit—however."
Pausing,
the Daoist looked at Zhang Fusheng and smiled slightly:
"Fellow Daoist Fusheng, though, is an exception."
Zhang Fusheng’s expression remained unchanged:
"I hope Fellow Daoist Primordial will clear up my confusion."
The middle-aged Daoist spoke softly and slowly:
"Fellow Daoist Fusheng seems to be practicing the Primordial Scripture, but actually, it’s the Fuli Technique; therefore, I shouldn’t really be calling you Fellow Daoist Fusheng, but Fellow Daoist Fuli."
"The Venerate of Fuli is the origin, the first Supreme Fruit, and presently all Supremes, in some sense, derive from Him."
Zhang Fusheng’s thoughts turned over countless times; about this matter, Laojun did mention it to him,
Fuli transformed into the Three Pristine Ones, the Three Pristine Ones then begot the Three Buddhas, finally evolving into today’s dozen or so Supreme Fruit Positions,
it’s just...
He tentatively asked:
"Apart from me, is there no other being in this world cultivating the Fuli Technique?"
"None."
The middle-aged Daoist calmly said:
"Daoist friend, you are the only one, the only version throughout history."
"Though I created the Fuli Technique, even I myself have never practiced it."
Upon these words falling,
the middle-aged Daoist glanced at the gate of the Jade Void Palace, smiled, and said:
"My disciple must be waiting anxiously. Now, Fellow Daoist Yu Huang governs the eons, and even a Daluo finds it difficult to travel freely."
"Therefore, my disciple doesn’t know what will happen in the future—or rather, at this {present node}."
"For Him, this moment is the present.... So, Fellow Daoist Fusheng, please go, go."
The last "go" had barely fallen,
when Zhang Fusheng suddenly felt his body lighten, and his vision blurred,
when clarity returned, he found himself standing upon the resplendent great sun.
Standing atop the great sun, he gazed in wonder at the land below, in the distance, a reversing Xuan Huang ’waterfall’,
below, the wasteland tribes, the Immortal Mountains and spiritual rivers,
there were cyan and purple Immortal Gods soaring, and ancient heroes of the Human Race, golden as dragons, roaming the earth,
turning to the front, he saw five grand silhouettes, all saluting him.
Above the heads of the five, each diffused with an ancestral aura of one color,
exactly cyan, red, yellow, white, and black.
The Five Innate Emperors, Five Great Elders, Progenitors of the Five Energies.
These faces were all very familiar.
The Red, Yellow, White, and Black Emperors need not be mentioned, the Cyan Emperor he had met long ago,
that was at the Eight Sceneries Palace, at the summit of High Heaven, the Cyan Emperor’s silhouette, using a Celestial Position, traversed years to arrive, briefly projected down, saluting him—
at that time, he thought the Cyan Emperor was {Fuxi}, but now it appears, that was not so.
So....
Who am I now?
Zhang Fusheng lowered his gaze, examining his hands, white as jade, without any Dao rhythm rising and falling, nor any profound principles interwoven,
seemingly ordinary—and yet far from ordinary.
The thought had just arisen.
’Boom!!!’
Zhang Fusheng felt, through the function of this body, his will raised, raised, raised!
Higher and higher than when seated on the Eight Sceneries Meditation Mat or the Jade Void Meditation Mat!
He was surveying all mountains at a glance—above and below heaven, all like lines in his palm, needing no effort, comprehending everything naturally!
The origin, progress, and future of all things, causes and effects, fate and celestial secrets, all of these were entirely clear in his heart!
This was far more detailed than when observing that small world or Divine Realm.
So... is this what it means to be Supreme?
Zhang Fusheng stood lost on the great sun, perceiving this unique perspective belonging to the Supreme,
though this perspective was limited, seeing only the moment, not the entire river of time,
yet in this instant, he understood countless Dharma Marvels, countless Divine Techniques, countless truths!
At this moment, looking once more at the ancient land.
Marks.
Marks left by one strong being after another, traversing past and present,
perhaps the Dao marks of the Immortal Slaying Sword Formation controlled by the Heaven-Reaching Sect Leader of the Divine Enthronement era,
that history should lie in the distant future from now,
yet that Dao mark already existed, enduring endless years, slicing through nearby space-time, causes, and logics!
Or perhaps the Dao marks left when Confucius attained the Dao and taught, also should happen countless years later,
but the Dao marks penetrating all time and space, remain in the present, still educating a group of beings.
The Dao marks of the Celestial Lord of Tao and Virtue, Wa’s mark of creating humans and mending the heavens, even the marks from when Primordial, Spiritual Treasure, Taiyi, Di Jun, and others once opened the heavens.
Zhang Fusheng, using the perspective of the Supreme Fruit, gazed affectionately at all these marks.
Passing people leave marks, passing geese leave calls, what the Supreme Fruit leaves, however, are {Dao marks} transcending time, years, and cause and effect.
"Sigh..."
Zhang Fusheng lightly sighed.
"Celestial Venerate."
A heavy, bitter voice arose at this moment.
He looked, it was the Crimson Emperor Monarch.
The other was paying respects, looking somber, speaking softly:
"We, being conferred by the Celestial Venerate as the Five Elders of Primordial, are naturally delighted, but...."
The words were not yet finished.
The Crimson Emperor Monarch suddenly felt his Spiritual Sense frantically warning, hairs standing on end and scalp tingling, even the {red fire} symbolizing him was retracting!
He was shocked, instinctively raising his head, only to see the Primordial Celestial Venerable extending a palm, gently brushing over.
In the bewildered and shocked gaze of the other four Emperors.
’Slap!’
The Primordial Celestial Venerable just so lightly and moderately slapped the Crimson Emperor Monarch, right across the face.
"Noisy."
The Celestial Venerate said thus.
The Crimson Emperor Monarch’s face visibly swelled, leaving a bright red handprint,
on the handprint, the supreme subtlety of the Dao of Cause and Effect was interwoven.
At this moment imprinted, thus, past, present, future.
The mark of the palm arises on the Crimson Emperor Monarch’s face at every moment and time, indelible, unerasable, like the mark of sin branded on criminals by feudal dynasties.
"It ends here."
The Primordial Celestial Venerable spoke lightly, lowering his gaze again, lovingly observing the infinite Dao marks on the ground and sky, sighing once more.
He turned and left.
.........
[Present Node].
In the Jade Void Palace.
"Ah, the past..."
The six Daluo consciousnesses heard only the Daoist sitting in the chief seat sigh gently.
The cold smile remained on the Crimson Emperor Monarch’s face, resembling the posture of an ancient official pressing forward into the court, step by step, step by step!
As he walked forward, approaching the Daoist, he questioned mockingly:
"Come, Celestial Venerate, tell me, on that day upon the great sun, what exactly did I say!"
"Can you... even say it?"
The booming voice echoed throughout the Jade Void Palace, Guang Chengzi’s expression gradually turning unpleasant,
although Teacher was always serene and gentle, should he be offended, a thunderous method would surely descend!
But now...
So, is Teacher not Teacher?
He scrutinized the Daoist enveloped by the Primordial Cloud, coldness flashing in his eyes.
Just then, the coldness emerged.
In the Cloud.
The seventy-two hues of light behind the Daoist slowly gathered, the Three Treasures Jade Ruyi embraced by his hands no longer reflecting dazzling light,
he became plain and unremarkable, resembling a mortal.
Then he spoke.
"That year upon the great sun...."
The Daoist’s indifferent voice rose:
"When did I ever permit you to speak?"
His words fell silent.
At the same moment.
’Boom!!!’
The timeless river of time roared!!
The intense booming exploded beside the Crimson Emperor Monarch’s ear, at the instance of that moment!
Visible palm prints emerged on his face,
and at that time, new memories extended along the timeless river, appearing in his and the three other emperors’ minds!!
Thus.
At this moment.
In shock and fear,
he heard the Daoist above, in a bored tone, speak words identical to those of that past day.
"Noisy."
In an instant.
The marvelous Dao of Cause and Effect within the palm prints burst forth, the Crimson Emperor Monarch’s mind severely shaken, his True Spirit deep within the stars suffered intense backlash, nearly dissipating!
The Primordial Celestial Venerable it was.
Right here is the Primordial Celestial Venerable!!
The Crimson Emperor Monarch was paranoid to the extreme, with no thoughts left in his mind, hearing the Daoist order—"Retract."
He trembled back a step in the dead silence.
"Retract." The Daoist said again.
The Crimson Emperor Monarch retreated again.
"Retract once more."
The Crimson Emperor Monarch retreated once more.
So, after retreating three steps, he reached a lower position.
The Daoist gazed down at him, his expression calm, without anger, yet precisely because of this, it was even more terrifying.
The Crimson Emperor Monarch breathed heavily, his mind foggy and chaotic, then—
He actually trembled and performed a grand ceremony.
"May... Celestial Venerate forgive!"
The other three emperors also awoke from shock, new versions of history arose in their memories—on that blazing day, Primordial descended with a palm!
The three Daluo wills quivered and performed ceremonies,
though Guang Chengzi and the Eastern Prince had not personally experienced the event, upon seeing the four emperors in such a state,
seeing the new palm mark on the Crimson Emperor Monarch’s face, how could they not understand what had occurred??
Thus.
Six Daluo figures bowed together.
Even Guang Chengzi trembled within his heart.
He questioned, even tried to probe, urging Teacher to punish the Crimson Emperor—this was overstepping.
For the Supreme Fruit, to entirely change the past and future, swapping his eldest disciple from the start with someone else wasn’t difficult.
It was even effortless, requiring merely a thought.
The Jade Void had always had twelve immortals, yet the twelve immortals had already changed countless times, even though the previous twelve immortals were all Daluo,
but those Daluo had long been completely obliterated beneath the river of time.
The Jade Void Palace fell into a deathlike silence.
Amidst the silence.
At the chief seat.
The Daoist sighed with boredom, yet another sigh.
He said:
"Sever your Tao Ancestor aura, retreat, retreat."
The four emperors stayed silent, each severing a slash of their essence, leaving behind a distinct Five Elements Ancestor Qi, the Eastern Prince also severed a slice of Wood Qi,
the five Daluo figures quietly withdrew, trembling with fear.
In the vast Taoist Palace, only Guang Chengzi and the seated Daoist remained.
Guang Chengzi felt bitter in his mouth, softly saying:
"Teacher...."
"Retreat."
"Yes, Teacher."
Guang Chengzi performed a salute, quietly withdrawing.
The Jade Void Palace gates closed, the Daoist seated at the top sighed softly.
"Is it a display of power?"
He muttered to himself—the Primordial Celestial Venerable let him briefly experience the perspective of the Supreme Fruit, experiencing the abilities of the Supreme,
seeming like a gift, letting him comprehend many marvelous principles in advance, yet upon reflection, it felt more like a different type of power display.
Many principles and reasonings in his mind faded, no longer in the Supreme Fruit state, naturally he couldn’t contain so many principles and reasonings—
but not completely withdrawn,
just transitioned from complete mastery to the entry level.
But even so, the benefits were still immense!
Among the eighty-four thousand Dao in the world, all were at entry level, yet Zhang Fusheng couldn’t smile at all.
He sighed once, then sighed again.
His thoughts were drawn back to countless years ago, drawn back beside the middle-aged Daoist in the Jade Void Palace.
"Have you returned?"
The Daoist smiled and spoke:
"See him, then."
He exhaled gently, the doors of the Jade Void Palace quietly opened, and in this stretch of time, Guang Chengzi and Immortal Master Erlang strolled in.
