Chapter 625: Rootless

Chen Shi entered the Dao Comprehension Temple, and was immediately greeted by a tall Daoist walking toward him, accompanied by several officials from China.

"His Majesty the True King held up the collapsing edifice, sweeping away sixteen thousand years of foul corruption from Western Ox New Continent. Truly admirable. Meeting you today, I find you are but a youth."

The Daoist looked Chen Shi up and down and praised, "Even in the Divine Continent, such outstanding individuals are rare."

"Fellow Daoist flatters me."

Chen Shi humbly deflected, then sized up the Daoist.

True Man Zhang appeared to be over fifty, with a towering build, thick black hair tied in a topknot, and wearing a patched, tattered monk's robe mended in many places. He was unkempt, with a messy beard and a few unruly strands of hair at his temples, and his voice was loud and powerful.

He was clearly standing right there, yet his aura seemed ethereal and elusive.

Chen Shi bowed in gratitude. "I encountered danger earlier. Thank you, Fellow Daoist, for lending a hand. Otherwise, I surely could not have escaped."

True Man Zhang laughed. "It was a trifling effort. I observed that the True King also cultivates the Dao of Yin and Yang. It happens that this Daoist is well-versed in that path as well, which is why I was able to assist."

Chen Shi was both surprised and delighted upon hearing this, feeling as though he had found a kindred spirit. "You also cultivate the Dao of Yin and Yang, True Man? When I practice, people often say that cultivating immortality means cultivating to the realm of pure yang, with a pure yang Primordial Spirit and pure yang flesh and blood, only then can one become an immortal. I took a different approach, believing that since heaven and earth contain both yin and yang, pure yang may not be the true path of cultivation. That is why I painstakingly devoted myself to the Dao of Yin and Yang. I always thought I was the only one cultivating this path, never expecting to meet you, True Man."

True Man Zhang smiled. "Cultivators pursue the pure yang Dao because pure yang is easy to achieve. One can advance with courage and vigor, attaining the Dao sooner. But it is not necessarily the only true answer. It is just a pity that those who cultivate our lineage's method are exceedingly few across the Three Realms."

Chen Shi sought his guidance. "I have made no progress on the Dao of Yin and Yang for a long time. Please, True Man, enlighten me."

True Man Zhang said gladly, "This Daoist also has questions to ask."

The two sat down in the Dao Comprehension Temple. Chen Shi spread out his Yin-Yang Dao Field, revealing one by one the yin-yang Dao patterns he had comprehended. He had only just begun to delve into Dao patterns; currently, when cultivating, he still transformed his various insights into the Dao techniques into Great Dao patterns to strengthen and reinforce his Dao Field.

Chen Shi said, "I comprehended the Great Dao of Yin and Yang, grasping yin-yang harmony, yin-yang transformation, yin-yang mutual reinforcement, and yin-yang fusion."

He reached out and picked up a strand of yin-yang Dao pattern, then flicked it with his finger. The Dao pattern fell into the Dao Field, immediately displaying the wonders of yin-yang harmony. Yin and yang harmonized with each other, flowed into each other, mutually transformed, in harmonious unity.

He picked up another strand of Dao pattern, activating the transformation Dao technique contained within. In the Dao Field, the mystery of yin-yang transformation immediately appeared. Soon, heaven and earth were generated within the Dao Field, with heaven as yang and earth as yin. Mountains and rivers formed, with mountains as yang and rivers as yin. Life formed, with male as yang and female as yin.

Green mountains and clear waters, all things evolving.

Chen Shi then displayed the Dao pattern of yin-yang mutual reinforcement, saying, "This is my third level of comprehension: yin-yang mutual reinforcement, blending like water and milk, each becoming the other."

What he displayed was fire within water, yin within yang, the union of water and fire, the mutual reinforcement of dragon and tiger.

Suddenly, the yin-yang Dao patterns fused into one, indistinguishable from each other.

Chen Shi said, "This is the fourth level I comprehended from the Primordial Chaos Dao Scripture: yin-yang fusion. But having cultivated to this step, I can no longer make any further progress."

True Man Zhang observed carefully and praised, "The four levels of the Great Dao of Yin and Yang have all been comprehended by the True King. I too have been greatly inspired. Regarding the realm of the Great Dao of Yin and Yang, I cannot guide the True King either. But there is one point: I believe the Dao of Yin and Yang should seek rootlessness."

Chen Shi was slightly taken aback. "Yin-yang rootlessness? How should that be understood?"

True Man Zhang's mind stirred slightly, and his Dao Field spread out, also forming a Taiji diagram composed of yin and yang energies.

"True King, harmony, transformation, mutual reinforcement, fusion, all are methods with roots. Your comprehension of the Great Dao of Yin and Yang all comes from your observation of yin-yang phenomena in heaven, earth, and nature. In observing, you formed your own viewpoints. Having your own viewpoints means having judgments of right and wrong, which means having roots, and thus you cannot attain the true Dao."

True Man Zhang said, "Yin-yang rootlessness means forgetting your own judgments of right and wrong, forgetting your own attachments. Only by achieving rootlessness can you attain the Dao. True King, empty your spirit, and I will guide you to seek the rootless method."

He closed his eyes and guided Chen Shi's thoughts. Chen Shi suddenly felt his spirit empty out, all thoughts ceasing to arise, utterly void and still.

His Dao Field, his Dao techniques, seemed to be entirely forgotten.

His insights into the Great Dao of Yin and Yang also suddenly seemed forgotten, becoming a complete blank.

His mind was without thoughts, without judgments of right and wrong, without attachments. The yin and yang energies in his Dao Field also fell silent. The yin and yang energies, no longer controlled by Chen Shi, harmonized with each other, transformed, mutually reinforced, and fused.

Chen Shi clearly added not a single thought upon them, yet the yin and yang energies evolved on their own, and the evolution differed from what had occurred when he previously imposed his will upon them.

Not a single thought arose in his mind. He let yin and yang evolve on their own, while he simply watched.

The yin and yang energies automatically revealed their various wonders, even manifesting the transformations of the mysterious yellow energies, allowing him to comprehend even more principles from the mysterious yellow Dao patterns transmitted by Houtu Huangdiqi.

After an unknown amount of time, Chen Shi slowly roused, and the various changes in his Yin-Yang Dao Field came to an abrupt halt.

Only at this point did he truly comprehend the principle of yin-yang rootlessness that True Man Zhang had spoken of.

"The wonders of Dao techniques are truly endless."

He sighed inwardly, then asked True Man Zhang, "Your cultivation is unfathomably profound, and your Dao attainments are beyond my reach. Why have you not ascended to the Earth Immortal Realm?"

True Man Zhang was brewing tea, and upon hearing this, laughed. "Ascend? Why ascend?"

Chen Shi was slightly taken aback, not understanding his meaning.

"When the Three Purities founded the immortal path, did the Three Purities ascend? When the immortals who crushed the tyranny of Great Shang, did they ascend? Since they had no need to ascend, why should I ascend?"

True Man Zhang lifted the teapot and poured him a cup of tea, saying, "Moreover, ascending now would at best mean going to the Celestial Court to serve as a heavenly soldier or heavenly general, manipulated by others, with no control over one's own fate. At worst, one would attach oneself to the powerful bullies among immortals, living under another's roof, dependent on their whims, equally without control over one's own fate.

"So what benefit is there in ascending? If ascending merely means becoming a scattered immortal, then what harm is there in being a scattered immortal in the mortal realm?"

Chen Shi lifted his teacup and smiled. "Your state of mind, True Man, is unburdened by anything. It is beyond my reach."

True Man Zhang smiled. "Ascension was merely something created by the Celestial Way's magic treasures. In the past, there was no ascension. I have grown accustomed to a leisurely life and do not wish to suffer in the Earth Immortal Realm. Besides, can one not cultivate in the Divine Continent?"

Chen Shi took a sip of tea and actually entertained the thought of becoming a scattered immortal in the mortal realm alongside him, saying, "What you say is true, True Man Zhang. Since ascending to the immortal realm brings no ease, why ascend at all?"

The moment this thought arose, he felt immensely relaxed.

"On this trip back to the Earth Immortal Realm, once I find Grandpa and the others, I will return with them to Western Ox New Continent and no longer concern myself with matters of the Earth Immortal Realm. Let the struggle between immortals and gods proceed as it will."

Chen Shi brewed tea and chatted leisurely with True Man Zhang, and only then did he learn that this old immortal had truly attained the Dao during the Great Yuan Dynasty, lived through the long Ming Dynasty, and was now fifty thousand years old.

"Which Ming Emperor reigns now?" Chen Shi asked.

"The Ming Dynasty's fate is spent. It has already fallen."

True Man Zhang said, "It is now the Great Shun Dynasty."

Chen Shi was overcome with a sense of loss upon hearing this. He asked, "How did it fall?"

True Man Zhang said, "The Dark Invasion. In the late Ming, the Celestial Way began to change. The dark encroachment grew ever more severe. Emperor Chongzhen was poor at judging character, and when the darkness reached the capital, he lost his empire. Ashamed to face his ancestors, he hanged himself on a crooked-necked tree on Coal Hill. Thus the Ming Dynasty fell."

Chen Shi sighed in sorrow for a long time.

He had thought that one day, when he returned to that Ancestral Land, he would meet the legendary Emperor Jiajing. He never expected such drastic changes in the Ancestral Land.

"Is the Ancestral Land also in the Dark Sea?" Chen Shi asked.

True Man Zhang said, "I hear that the Divine Continent was once a great continent in the Earth Immortal Realm, but later, because Opening the Calamity kept occurring, it returned to the Dark Sea. In the Dark Sea, there is no Opening the Calamity."

Before long, Chen Shi took his leave.

In the following days, he remained in Western Ox New Continent, not departing.

On this return, he had seen Chen Tang, Wu Qingyu, and other family members. Naturally, there was much to say. On one hand, he needed to be close to his parents. On the other, he needed to share marital bliss with Little Duan Immortal, making love passionately.

His lengthy discussion with True Man Zhang had yielded much. He felt that the Celestial Court and the Earth Immortal Realm were not necessarily suited to him, so he was in no hurry to return. Moreover, being affectionate with Little Duan in Western Ox New Continent was far happier than in the Celestial Court.

Huo Dog came seeking him. Chen Shi quickly summoned Black Pot from his Dao Realm so the mother and son could reunite.

Amid his marital bliss, Chen Shi also sought out Li Tianqing and Yang Bi, teaching them the Primordial Chaos Dao Scripture and the Primordial Chaos Sword Scripture. Both were naturally clever with exceptional comprehension, yet even they found this set of methods quite taxing.

Chen Shi took out the Fulong Village medicinal pills and gifted them. After the two consumed the pills, their comprehension of the Primordial Chaos Dao Scripture and Sword Scripture became extremely rapid.

Chen Tang, Wu Qingyu, and the others also each received a medicinal pill and cultivated their own comprehensions.

Having handled all these matters, Chen Shi continued his marital bliss with Little Duan Immortal, making love passionately. In his leisure time, he would visit True Man Zhang to discuss Dao techniques and divine abilities.

In the Earth Immortal Realm, by the third day, Xi Muran frowned slightly. Over these three days, the maidservants had basically performed and danced through their entire repertoire of songs and dances, yet Chen Shi still had not emerged from his Dao Realm.

The maidservants rushed to choreograph new songs and dances.

By the tenth day, Chen Shi still had not come out. The maidservants had already choreographed over a dozen new song and dance performances but could find no new tricks.

By the fifteenth day, Xi Muran grew somewhat anxious. A maidservant said, "Young Master, could this person be in seclusion within his Dao Realm?"

Xi Muran's expression shifted unpredictably.

It was common for immortals to return to their Dao Realm for seclusion.

Every immortal's Dao Realm was extremely private. The location of one's Dao Realm was rarely disclosed to outsiders, even to the closest of friends, for fear that enemies might seek them out while in seclusion.

Moreover, the duration of an immortal's seclusion varied greatly. Sometimes one would emerge after just a few days. Other times, one might remain in seclusion for thousands or even tens of thousands of years, only forced out when Opening the Calamity erupted.

If Chen Shi was in seclusion within his Dao Realm, it was indeed possible that one seclusion could last years or even decades.

"Let us wait a while longer."

Xi Muran said woodenly, "He possesses the Great Wilderness Ming Dao Collection. This matter is of grave importance and cannot be overlooked."

In Western Ox New Continent, Chen Shi and Little Duan Immortal continued their marital bliss, making love passionately, losing track of time.

One day, Chen Shi suddenly remembered that Chen Yindu and the others were still in the Earth Immortal Realm. He grew alarmed. "These past days I have been controlled by the Lower Corpses God, muddled and benighted. I must guard against Little Duan, or I will delay important matters."

Seeing that he was about to leave, Little Duan Immortal was somewhat reluctant to part. She said, "Your Majesty is going to the Earth Immortal Realm? You and I, husband and wife, have been separated for years, and you wish to leave the moment we reunite?"

Chen Shi put on his clothes. "I have important matters."

Little Duan Immortal's eyes were silky and seductive. She nestled in his arms and said with a giggle, "Just now you accompanied our sister. Now I am the little sister..."

Chen Shi, stirred by her teasing, felt as though the Lower Corpses God Peng Qiao was again beating gongs and drums in the Primordial Palace, blowing trumpets and suona with abandon. He immediately removed the clothes he had just put on and laughed. "My grandpa has likely only just received the news. Waiting two more days before going to the Earth Immortal Realm will not be too late."

Xi Muran waited another dozen or so days, and Chen Shi still had not returned.

Even with his excellent composure, his expression was somewhat grim by now. He ordered, "Prepare the carriage. We are leaving."

The gathered maidservants were relieved upon hearing this, each beaming with joy as they packed their belongings and summoned the qing qilin.

Just as they were about to leave, the void trembled, and a youth stepped across the void from another world, appearing before them.

"Finally, I have waited for you!"

Xi Muran was delighted. He laughed loudly and said, "Chen Shi, I have waited for you so bitterly!"

Chen Shi, having finally extricated himself from the tender embrace, felt a chill in his heart upon hearing this. He looked at Xi Muran and said, "Fellow Daoist, forgive my poor eyesight. I do not recall anyone like you in my sect."

Xi Muran rose to his full height and stepped out of the qilin carriage. He circulated the Great Wilderness Ming Dao Collection and performed a move before him, Ten Suns Assailing the Dipper.

It was also Ten Suns Assailing the Dipper, but when Chen Shi performed it, purple qi came from the east, his fists transformed into great suns, wild and domineering. That was how he had killed the Gold Immortal Wu Banshan with this divine ability.

As for Xi Muran's Ten Suns Assailing the Dipper, his body resembled the Purple Micro Emperor, possessing the peerless bearing of an emperor.

In terms of momentum, Chen Shi was wild, more like a beast refusing to be tamed, while Xi Muran seemed to have personally beheld the Purple Micro Emperor, observing His momentum and bearing, which was how he evolved this move so perfectly!

Chen Shi felt a chill in his heart. "His Great Wilderness Ming Dao Collection is more authentic than mine. What cultivation realm is he at?"

He knew well the Celestial Venerable's power and terror. Even at the same realm, he might not be able to defeat the Celestial Venerable.

If this Xi Muran was the Celestial Venerable's fellow disciple, his cultivation and strength must be extraordinarily frightening!

Xi Muran smiled. "Junior Brother Chen, what you cultivate is also the Great Wilderness Ming Dao Collection, from the same lineage as mine. But I am somewhat puzzled. When did my master take you as a junior disciple? Chen Shi, could you enlighten me?"

His gaze was warm, completely lacking any aggressive edge, yet hidden barbs laced his words.

Chen Shi said, "This technique is called the Great Wilderness Ming Dao Collection? When I was cultivating in the mortal realm, I encountered an immortal. That immortal transmitted this technique to me. I do not know that immortal's origins."

Xi Muran smiled slightly. "Our lineage's techniques cannot be transmitted outside. And if they were transmitted, it would be impossible to practice them in a manner that is only superficially similar. You have not obtained the essence of Ten Suns Assailing the Dipper, nor have you comprehended the momentum of the stellar deities through the Distribution of the Celestial Fields. Your Great Wilderness Ming Dao Collection is highly suspect."

His gaze gradually sharpened as he smiled. "Chen Shi, you must dispel my doubts."

Chen Shi met his gaze and smiled. "Senior Brother Xi, are you certain that what you received is the true transmission of the Great Wilderness Ming Dao Collection? Is it possible that my Great Wilderness Ming Dao Collection is the authentic one, and it is you who did not receive the true transmission?"