Chapter 368 - 260: Raising the Dao Foundation, Spreading It Throughout the World

In the Nanzhan Continent, the Ancestral Sects’ handling of Dao Materials and True Inheritances is methodical and meticulous.

’If there’s an ’upper,’ there must be a ’lower.’ Once the Dao Foundation is formed, one’s Magical Power becomes pure, but it isn’t necessarily stable.

After all, the Foundation Establishment Realm is not some truly wondrous state. Tribulations and calamities are common.’

Jiang Yi’s eyes lifted slightly. To eliminate tribulations and avoid calamities, Foundation Establishment Cultivators of the Demon Dao often create Qi Cultivation methods based on their own Dao Foundations for Lower Cultivators to practice.

Qi Cultivation Lower Cultivators use these methods to condense True Qi and achieve Gang Sha Unity, thereby steadily propping up the Dao Foundation.

’No wonder. Standing in the Foundation Establishment Realm and looking down, I see the vast mortal world filled with raw materials, like a foundation... Foundation Establishment, Foundation Establishment. Using others as stepping stones to build one’s own great Dao. It’s just as you’d expect from the Demon Dao.’

Jiang Yi chuckled. After the Innate Sect’s "tutelage," he had gradually grown accustomed to the Demon Dao’s style of viewing all things as materials to be used to their fullest potential.

Besides, it’s not like the Immortal Dao, Buddhist Dao, or Demon Dao were much better.

He had heard the Cat Master mention that for the Immortal Dao, Foundation Establishment cultivation involved obtaining a "named registry."

Without one, a cultivator couldn’t be promoted to the corresponding official bureaus and offices to hold a position.

Even a Foundation Establishment True Master had to scheme for a higher rank, accumulate external merits, and strive for promotion.

And the primary criterion for this "promotion" was the "Virtue" accumulated in the lands under their governance.

’According to the Cat Master, the immortal officials of the Dongsheng Continent often rack their brains to increase their ’Virtue,’ stopping at nothing. They’re even willing to collude with the Demon Dao and Buddhist Dao.’

Upon hearing this, Jiang Yi had grown curious and asked True Master Xuanmiao what specific methods they used.

The Cat Master had replied that it mostly involved things like inflating the market price of blessed lands, encouraging cultivators to become Dao partners, and having them bear children.

Only when the cultivator population flourished and the Spiritual Aura was dense could they maintain the grand arrays and broaden their Dharma Lineages. This, in turn, provided an endless stream of Lower Cultivators to serve as the foundational material, supporting the immortal official’s Dao Foundation and making it unassailable.

’In short, the more Lower Cultivators there are supporting the Dao Foundation, the higher it can be raised, increasing the chances of a successful breakthrough.’

Jiang Yi grew thoughtful. ’The so-called four great Martial Dao sacred sites in the mortal world are likely just "practice grounds" for the True Inheritance of the Sect.’

Now that he had passed down the word "Dao," the world’s Spirit Refining Grandmasters, who treated it like a priceless treasure, would all become the human resources supporting his "Myriad Chariots Imperial Law Dao Foundation."

’Once my Dao Foundation is further consolidated, my body and spirit unite, and I ascend to the Spirit World... I wonder which of the True Inheritances from the Eight Sects will become my enemy?’

Jiang Yi brushed aside his stray thoughts and returned his focus to Sijian Can, who was shattering the void.

The Red Sun Great Dharma Master of Great Snow Mountain had reached the final step.

The void fractured and astral winds surged, powerful enough to shred the formidable physique of a Spirit Refining Grandmaster to pieces.

Even the Red Sun Great Dharma Master, the greatest of his generation, could not hold out for long.

In the short time it takes for half an incense stick to burn, his naked body became a tattered mess, like a windswept sack full of holes.

"The High God bestowed this method and showed me the way. If I still cannot succeed, then it is I, Sijian Can, who is incompetent."

After ten days of being nurtured by Spiritual Energy, the Red Sun Great Dharma Master’s Heart Spirit was like a fully formed infant, about to break out of its shell.

BOOM! With a determined gaze and no hesitation, Sijian Can decisively shattered his own physical body!

Flesh and blood exploded outward inch by inch. Sinews, bones, skin, membranes, dantian, qi channels... everything was obliterated into dust!

"How decisive!"

On the peak of Great Snow Mountain, Xuzhu of Vulture Palace placed his palms together, marveling at the Red Sun Great Dharma Master’s ferocity.

Even for a Spirit Refining Grandmaster, whose life force was strong enough to regenerate severed limbs, the destruction of one’s physical body meant instant death.

There was absolutely no turning back!

’The ascension method is a spirit-nurturing method,’ Yao Yun thought. ’Through a resonance between heaven and man, one shatters the void, draws in Spiritual Qi, and nourishes the ’Primordial Spirit’ within.’

The billowing Spiritual Qi descending from the vast void was not unfamiliar to her.

She had experienced it decades ago in that "Immortal Mansion," during her first audience with the High God.

’Sijian Can’s ’Primordial Spirit’ has been nourished for ten days; he should be able to succeed. Besides, his determination is a rare thing in this world—to seek life through death, utterly committed to the Dao.’

Sure enough, as the thought crossed Yao Yun’s mind, the Red Sun Great Dharma Master’s physical body vanished. All that remained was a single point of brilliant light, wavering precariously like a small boat on a vast ocean.

"Dao! Dao! Dao!"

The Red Sun Great Dharma Master roared three times. His divine will used the astral winds as a voice, the sound waves splitting the sky and traveling a hundred li.

Before the echoes even faded, the "Primordial Spirit" of Sijian Can—the man who had found no rival during his decades of seclusion on Great Snow Mountain—flashed brilliantly. Like lightning or morning dew, it vanished into the void!

"Did he succeed?"

Ascendant Liuyun’s eyes stared blankly, full of doubt.

Between heaven and earth, not a single trace of the Red Sun Great Dharma Master remained. It was as if he had never existed in the mortal world.

The void, which had been like a cracked mirror, slowly mended itself, and the astral winds scattered.

The peak of Great Snow Mountain fell silent. The gathered Spirit Refining Grandmasters were either lost in thought or hesitant and uncertain.

Soon, all eyes turned in unison toward the magnificent temple enshrining the massive character for "Dao."

To these peerless masters of the mortal realm’s Twelve Transformations, things like power, beauty, and wealth were as fleeting as clouds.

They were so easily obtained that they were not worth a second thought.

Only the matter of "ascension" was more important than the heavens, more important even than their own lives!

"Sijian Can shattered the void and Feathered away... This ’Dao’ character, which holds the method for ascension, what are your thoughts, fellow Daoists?"

Ascendant Liuyun asked in a low voice.

’What are our thoughts?’

’With our eyes, obviously!’

’That sanctimonious old fool!’

Yan Fei cursed inwardly before speaking aloud:

"The Empress of the Great Enterprise is right here. It’s hardly our place as itinerant martial artists to be making grand decisions.

Whether it’s Motiya Cliff or Zhixuan Temple, if anyone tries to claim it for themselves, I’m afraid they’ll find a hundred-thousand-strong army at their doorstep in a few days!"

Ascendant Liuyun sneered.

"Sijian Can gave his very life for this ’Dao’ character! Do you really think I care about the legacy of Motiya Cliff?

If I can truly shatter the void, take the next step, live forever, and become an immortal ancestor, I wouldn’t care if you dug my parents out of their graves."

His meaning was clear: the title of the Great Enterprise Empress might frighten most of the heroes in the martial world, but it didn’t scare him.

"Hah."

Hearing this, the corners of Yao Yun’s lips curved up slightly as her bright yellow dragon robe fluttered in the wind.

She had remained within the palace for many years without taking action herself. The masters of the martial world were terrified at the mere mention of Xiao Feibai, yet they showed no fear toward her.

’How amusing,’ she thought.

Xuzhu of Vulture Palace softly chanted a Buddhist phrase, then said with a smile:

"Patron Liuyun, have you perhaps forgotten Xiao Feibai’s *Forgetful Celestial Book*? If the Great Enterprise’s Black-Clad Lord Chancellor decides to hunt someone, they cannot escape, not even across thousands of li."

Ascendant Liuyun glared at him and said irritably,

"You bald donkey, trying to play peacemaker again?"

Xuzhu sighed softly.

"Patron Liuyun, why must you act so aggressively and give in to anger?

Even if we were to exhaust our entire lives, it would be impossible for us to fully comprehend this ’Dao’ character.

In all the world, who can compare to Sijian Can when it comes to comprehension and natural aptitude?

Yet, upon receiving this character, he immediately sent word across the land, inviting all his peers. He did not attempt to comprehend it alone in seclusion.

Do you truly not understand the profound mystery in that, Patron Liuyun?"

Xuzhu’s words left Ascendant Liuyun speechless.

"This character cannot be comprehended by one person alone," Yan Yi added, also trying to persuade him. "Without Her Majesty’s profound discourse, Sijian Can would not have achieved sudden enlightenment and shattered the void."

If Spirit Refining Grandmasters were to fight, it could take days and nights to determine a victor.

Besides, while it might be easy to eliminate Ascendant Liuyun, Motiya Cliff is a Martial Dao sacred site with tens of thousands of Disciples. It would be difficult to eradicate them completely.

And with him taking the lead, there was no guarantee other Spirit Refining Grandmasters wouldn’t get ideas of their own.

"Fine, fine. I only ask to be able to view the ’Dao’ character. For the remaining thirty or forty years of my life, I’ll look at it day and night. I refuse to believe I won’t be able to shatter the void!"

Ascendant Liuyun exhaled a mouthful of Dense Qi, finally accepting the graceful way out he’d been offered.

Yao Yun clasped her hands behind her back, her tone leaving no room for argument.

"This character will be brought back to the capital. We shall construct a Ninth-Layer Magic Altar to enshrine it, then make thousands of stone rubbings for all Our subjects to behold!"

With that said, she turned her gaze back to Ascendant Liuyun, her phoenix-like eyes glinting with authority.

"If you dare to be so presumptuous again, We will annihilate your entire sect!"