Chapter 679 - 81: If I Were to Become the Dao Fruit (Part 2)

Chapter 679: Chapter 81: If I Were to Become the Dao Fruit (Part 2)

The Ancient Bodhi Buddha was aghast, his expression sinking to an unfathomable low.

"First, the Primordial One left, and now another Lu Xuan has appeared... Fellow Daoist Lu, your current power is likely no less than that of the Primordial One in his decline, is it?"

As he spoke, he shook the Bodhi Miaoshu, his thunderous voice booming as he glanced aside.

"Demon Ancestor! Fu Xi! Take my place! Though my Dao is superior to Lu Xuan’s, I am still suppressed by thirty percent! He wields the Heaven-Opening Banner, holds the Four Immortal Slaying Swords, and has the Heaven and Earth Exquisite Profound Yellow Pagoda hanging above him. It will be impossible to determine a victor in a short time!"

As his words fell, the Ancient Bodhi Buddha decisively withdrew. He turned his Miaoshu and struck toward the weakened Supreme and the feeble Lame Daoist, with the Buddha Mother assisting from the side!

The Demon Ancestor and Fu Xi also snapped back to their senses at that moment. Without hesitation, they attacked in unison, their Infinite Magical Power and Infinite Spiritual Light intertwining as they lashed out at Lu Xuan!

Lu Xuan’s expression hardened. He had relied on his [Transformation Dao] to slightly suppress the Ancient Bodhi Buddha, weakening him by fifty percent, which allowed him to fight to a standstill using his three Supreme Treasures.

But the Demon Ancestor and Fu Xi were different. Those two did not cultivate the Dao, seek the Dao, or inquire about the Dao. They relied entirely on their Transcendent Traits!

"I will help you!"

The battle-scarred Goddess stepped forward to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with Lu Xuan, fighting against Fu Xi and the Demon Ancestor. Eight Supreme Beings were now contending within the Hongmeng!

"The Realm of Transformation..."

The Demon Ancestor raised her head, brandishing the Heaven-Reaching Long Spear with a captivating smile.

"Fellow Daoist Lu, you are truly a peerless talent, forging your own path that surpasses even the Dao Fruit. But... does this path have a future?"

"Why don’t you guess?"

Lu Xuan’s expression was cold. He suppressed the urge to use his Transcendent Physique as his thoughts turned, communicating with the Creation Jade Scroll and secretly activating the [Path of Great Balance].

He attempted to once again balance the Transcendent Traits within the Demon Ancestor and Fu Xi, but to his surprise, he still failed.

Wa Huang’s [Essence, Qi, and Spirit] far surpassed the other Transcendent Traits. Lu Xuan even felt that...

’...the Lady’s body, the Demon Ancestor’s Magical Power, and Fu Xi’s True Spirit aren’t as simple as mere Transcendent Traits. They’re more like Transcendence Origins. If these three were to combine...’

’...they might truly be able to form a Transcendent Being!’

However, Lu Xuan narrowed his eyes, a realization dawning on him. The reason he couldn’t simultaneously balance Wa Huang’s Essence, Qi, and Spirit wasn’t because his realm was insufficient or the Path of Great Balance was too weak.

It was because he himself was, relatively speaking, too fragile to contain all three [Transcendent Traits] at once...

’No, to be precise, the Lady, the Demon Ancestor, and Fu Xi are each more like a [Transcendence Origin].’

’I can’t contain three Transcendence Origins, and two is also too many. But one... might be possible?’

As a thousand thoughts raced through his mind, Lu Xuan focused on trying to [balance] and draw in Fu Xi’s Infinite True Spirit. And... it was actually possible!

The only problem was that the process was extremely slow; it couldn’t be accomplished in a short amount of time.

Seeing this, Lu Xuan decisively gave up. He couldn’t be sure he’d be able to face the Demon Ancestor and Fu Xi for that long. If he got stuck halfway through the balancing process, there would be no one to complain to!

Immediately, Lu Xuan shook the Heaven-Opening Banner, attacking with all his might. He even fully activated the Creation Jade Scroll, which was already comparable to an Enlightenment Supreme Treasure!

The Creation Jade Scroll began to glow, its light complementing the brilliant radiance of the Heaven-Opening Banner. The two [Enlightenment Supreme Treasures] erupted with celestial might.

The Four Immortal Slaying Swords and the Profound Yellow Pagoda, two [Enlightenment Great Artifacts], also surged with tremendous power!

He gathered all his power into a single strike and collided with the Demon Ancestor. The Demon Ancestor retreated nine steps, while Lu Xuan coughed up blood, his body cracking like porcelain.

"Heh..."

The Demon Ancestor gave another captivating smile.

"If you were to take one more step and form a complete Dao Fruit, then wielding these four Supreme Treasures, I would have to fear you. But..."

She thrust her Heaven-Reaching Long Spear down without mercy.

"But in the end, you have only managed to form half a Dao Fruit!"

"Is that so?"

Lu Xuan’s expression remained unchanged, his gaze profound.

"Half a Dao Fruit, the Realm of Transformation... actually, that’s enough!"

As his words fell, he made no move to dodge or evade, allowing the long spear to pierce through him. Coughing up a great mouthful of blood, he released the Heaven-Opening Banner and the Four Immortal Slaying Swords, and lifted the Creation Jade Scroll in his hands!

At that moment, the Creation Jade Scroll erupted with splendor. The mists of the Three Thousand Great Dao billowed out, illuminating the entire Hongmeng!

"What artifact is that?"

The Ancient Bodhi Buddha, who was locked in a deadly battle with the Supreme and Spirit Treasure, narrowed his eyes and glanced over.

Lu Xuan, however, grinned.

"The Creation Jade Scroll."

As he spoke, he took a deep breath. His form suddenly swelled, his physique shifting back and forth between a physical body and half a Dao Fruit. Under the radiance of the Creation Jade Scroll, his light shone through all of time!

In that instant, from The Beginning of Ancient Times to the River of Time, and then to the Current World at the river’s end,

countless living beings saw the Daoist holding the Jade Scroll.

In The Beginning of Ancient Times, a young Xiaoyan living peacefully in a mountain forest looked up and murmured,

"Xiaolu..."

Not far away, on Jade Capital Mountain, a youth who was teaching Xiaohuo, the Candle Dragon, and other Barbaric Creatures stood up. Before Zhenyuan Zi’s horrified gaze, he let out a slow breath.

"If, in a future year, I become the Dao Fruit..."

During a certain era in the Spring and Autumn Years, Zhang Ling, inside the Guardian Storage Room, rubbed his nose, stunned and bewildered.

"Xiaoxuan?"

Gazing at the familiar figure, he then turned to look at Little Lu Xuan, who was busy starting a fire to cook. He saw Little Lu Xuan glance over and smile.

"If, in a future year, I become the Dao Fruit..."

During a certain era in the Qin Dynasty, Ying Zheng was inspecting the construction of the Great Wall when he, too, saw that familiar figure. He was deeply moved.

"Godfather Ancestor??"

He subconsciously glanced aside at the ’Supreme Profound Clarity’ standing next to him, then back at the Daoist holding the Jade Scroll who filled the entire Celestial Vault. He was confused and full of doubt.

The Supreme Profound Clarity of this era simply lowered his gaze.

"If, in a future year, I become the Dao Fruit..."

The same scene was playing out in the Han Dynasty and the Dao Dynasty.

During a certain era of the Han Dynasty, Lu Xuan, his four bodies merged into one, stopped his battle with the historical brand of Amitabha Buddha and spoke calmly,

"If, in a future year, I become the Dao Fruit."

The brand of Amitabha Buddha sighed softly and pressed his palms together.

"Congratulations, Fellow Daoist."

"The joy is mutual."

During a certain era of the Dao Dynasty, the brand of Lu Xuan stretched, took a sip of hot tea, and smiled at Haotian, who was seated across from him.

"How many years has it been?"

The brand of Lu Xuan chuckled.

"Ten thousand years in the Spring and Autumn Period, ten thousand years in the Qin, ten thousand years in the Han, and now this..."

"Exactly forty-eight thousand years."

He paused, then drained his cup of tea in one gulp.

"Forty-eight thousand years. I rose from nothing to arrive at this very day..."

"...to finally become the Dao Fruit."

Haotian sighed softly.

"Congratulations, congratulations!"

"The joy is mutual," the brand of Lu Xuan replied.

Finally, there was a moment in the Current World.

CRUNCH!

Lu Xuan, holding a snakeskin-patterned sack, cleanly stomped a soda can flat and tossed it into his sack. An old lady nearby, who hadn’t been fast enough to grab it, stomped her foot in frustration.

"Ma’am, it’s yours."

The youth smiled, handing the sack full of cans to the bewildered woman. He then turned and walked away into the rain, through the mud, and toward the shantytown.

"Uncle Zheng, how’s the pork selling today?"

"Uncle Li, one roasted sweet potato, please!"

"Uncle Wu, where’s Xiaoxu?"

"Li Xiaosang, have you had dinner?"

"Grandpa Wang..."

Calling out greetings one by one, the youth finally returned to his small, dilapidated hut.

The hut was shabby, but very clean.

He sat upright on his bed, stretched, and sat quietly for a while. Then he walked out the door and, under the horrified gazes of the countless shantytown residents, took a single step up to the Celestial Vault.

He looked down upon East Sea City, gazed out toward Langya City, took in the entire Ancestor Star, and stared into the vast Cosmos.

"It has been forty-eight thousand years..."

"It all culminates today. It is all fulfilled today."

The Lu Xuan in the shantytown, the Lu Xuan who was Lord of the Dao Dynasty, the Lu Xuan of the Late Han Dynasty, the Lu Xuan of the Qin Dynasty, the Lu Xuan of the Spring and Autumn Period...

...all spoke in a soft voice.

"If, in a future year..."

"...I become the Dao Fruit."

Across all ages, all of space and time, all living beings saw him and heard his words.

"That is..."

A seeker of the Dao spoke, lost in a daze.

"That is... the Dao."

He bowed reverently, tears streaming down his face.

"That is the Dao I have been seeking!"

"To learn of the Dao in the morning and die in the evening content!"

All living things also came to an understanding at this moment, and they too bowed down.

"That is the Dao, that is the Dao!"

"That is the Dao we cultivate!"

From the beginning of time to its very end,

the Dharma that all beings cultivated was Lu Xuan.

The principles they sought were also Lu Xuan.

The Dao they pursued was still Lu Xuan.

"I am the Dao Fruit."

Within the Hongmeng, Lu Xuan smiled. The Creation Jade Scroll glowed, bearing the cultivation of all living beings since ancient times, bearing the Dao, the Dharma, the principles, and the wonders they had sought and cultivated.

Then, all of this—the Dao, the Dharma, the principles, and the wonders—transformed into Lu Xuan, forging a Golden Body for him.

His Golden Body shone brilliantly. While balancing and absorbing the Lady’s [Transcendent Body], Lu Xuan held the Creation Jade Scroll.

The Supreme walked over and placed a hand on Lu Xuan’s left shoulder. The Lame Daoist also placed a hand on Lu Xuan’s right shoulder. Both of them lent him their power, which merged with his in perfect harmony.

Lu Xuan then raised his eyes and looked at the Demon Ancestor, at Fu Xi, at Bodhi, and at the Buddha Mother...

He spoke gently.

"You have seen the Great Dao. Why do you not bow?"

As his words fell, a brilliant light erupted. The Demon Ancestor coughed up blood, Fu Xi fled, and forty-one branches of the Bodhi Miaoshu snapped, leaving only seven. The Buddha Mother kowtowed and prostrated herself on the ground.

Like a seeker who has finally found the Dao, her reverence was absolute.

"I am willing..."

"...to take refuge."