Chapter 655: Boundless Heavens

As White-Haired Immortal Ancestor's voice fell, he did not give the listeners too much time to think. He quickly allowed the person sitting in the front row to ask their question.

The first listener’s question stemmed from their confusion during the lecture. The Great Dao of Strength was vast and immeasurable, and with White-Haired Immortal Ancestor’s profound cultivation, even someone as accomplished as Gu An found himself benefiting greatly from listening.

In response to the listener’s inquiry, White-Haired Immortal Ancestor swiftly provided an explanation. His answer carried deep meaning, causing many among the audience to fall into contemplation.

He continued selecting individuals, allowing each to ask their questions in turn.

Gu An initially wanted to gather some intelligence, but after seeing that most of the previous inquiries were about cultivation, he decided he shouldn’t stand out too much.

However…

After dozens of questions related to cultivation, someone finally brought up a different topic.

"Immortal Ancestor, as the Heavenly Dao Sovereign of the Heavenly Court, how do you perceive the relationship between Chaos and the Heavenly Court? Does the Heavenly Court leave room for Chaos?"

The voice belonged to a woman—sharp, aggressive, as if she were pressing for an answer.

Gu An sensed that her cultivation was merely at the Heaven-Opening Grand Luo Immortal Realm, yet she dared to speak to White-Haired Immortal Ancestor in such a manner. She must have a formidable background to rely on.

"Chaos is the birthplace of the Great Dao, and it cannot be eradicated. The Heavenly Court can only set boundaries; there is no question of leaving room for it."

White-Haired Immortal Ancestor answered coldly. His tone remained the same as before, as if completely unaffected by the woman's provocation.

That female listener was shrouded in the aura of rules, making it unclear whether she was satisfied with the answer or not.

The questions continued. Now that someone had set the precedent, the subsequent inquiries all revolved around the Heavenly Court.

"Aside from the Heavenly Dao Immortal Examination and the Heavenly Army Selection, is there a third path to attain immortal status within the Heavenly Court?"

"If one contributes great merit to the living beings of a world, the Heavenly Court will reward them by bestowing immortal status—this is also part of the Heavenly Dao's decree."

"The God of Destruction annihilated the Lingjiang Great World without any decree from the Heavenly Court. Was there some hidden agenda behind this?"

"I do not govern the Heavenly Gods and cannot answer your question. Nor will I investigate this matter for you. If you are dissatisfied, you may report it to the Boundless Heavens."

With each inquiry, White-Haired Immortal Ancestor responded swiftly.

She did not assume an aloof divine demeanor, nor did she shy away from difficult questions—she responded with strength.

Through the questions raised by the listeners, Gu An also gained insight into the Boundless Heavens.

The Boundless Heavens was an embodiment of will, created by the Heavenly Court using the Heavenly Dao. It was omnipresent, and if the mortal realm suffered great calamities, people could submit their grievances to the Boundless Heavens, which would then pass them on to the Heavenly Court.

White-Haired Immortal Ancestor used the Boundless Heavens to deflect many of the complaints directed at the Heavenly Court.

To Gu An, the concept of the Boundless Heavens seemed rather absurd. However, since it was tied to the Heavenly Court’s fate, even a Dao Extreme Grand Luo Immortal would not be able to unravel its mysteries.

Listening to the various grievances, he was left with only one impression—

The people have suffered under the Heavenly Court for far too long.

It was clear that the Heavenly Court’s negligence and unchecked actions were not isolated cases.

Yet, despite the numerous complaints, White-Haired Immortal Ancestor remained indifferent. She made no promises, nor did she express anger at the listeners' criticisms.

She was exactly like the immortals and gods that Gu An had imagined.

Unmoved by the joy or suffering of mortals.

She did not seem to care about the suffering of the people. She was not giving this lecture for the sake of the Heavenly Court—she was simply preaching the Dao, without expecting anything in return.

Gu An had to admit, this was the most formidable mindset—unaffected by any external factors.

However, given his position, he could never side with the Heavenly Court, for their negligence also posed a threat to him.

Time passed quickly.

Unnoticed, it was finally Gu An's turn to speak.

Gu An had already prepared his question. When White-Haired Immortal Ancestor’s gaze fell upon him, he asked, “I have traveled through many universes and found that the strongest of them are constantly expanding. I want to ask—does the Great Dao truly have no limits? And if so, what is the purpose of cultivators like us within the Dao?”

Many had already asked about the Heavenly Court, and Gu An had no interest in repeating such questions.

The limitlessness of the Dao was something he had pondered for a long time.

If the Great Dao was indeed infinite, then time and space must also be boundless, without a true past or future. Cultivators would merely be fragments within the Dao, never able to surpass it.

If Gu An was also infinite like the Great Dao, then his past should also have no beginning, just as his future had infinite possibilities. But the idea that his existence had no origin was beyond comprehension.

It was the same as the age-old paradox—which came first, the chicken or the egg?

If Gu An was the chicken, then to reach the level of the Great Dao, he would have to create his own egg, leading to an endless cycle of contradiction.

Yet, the Dao of Karma proved that everything must have an origin.

Gu An’s question silenced the entire Dao lecture hall. The whispers and murmurs ceased.

White-Haired Immortal Ancestor finally spoke, “For now, the Great Dao is indeed infinite. Even the Heavenly Court has not reached the source of the Dao. Even the almighty Heavenly Emperor cannot see the end of it. Because of this, we can endlessly seek the Dao, never tiring, never reaching complete fulfillment.”

Gu An wasn’t entirely satisfied with this answer, but at least it confirmed that the Heavenly Court had yet to dominate the Great Dao entirely.

The questioning continued.

By the time everyone had asked their questions, several days had already passed.

Whenever a question involved enlightenment, White-Haired Immortal Ancestor would provide more in-depth explanations.

Once the questioning session ended, White-Haired Immortal Ancestor rose and left. As soon as she departed, the entire Dao lecture hall erupted into lively discussions. Some cultivators left immediately, while others chose to stay and engage in further discussions.

Hong Yazhi remained behind and pulled Gu An into a conversation, which suited Gu An just fine.

While conversing with a Heaven-Opening Grand Luo Immortal from a Grand Thousand World, Gu An deliberately asked, “I heard from a fellow Daoist that a Chaos Wraithfiend has been wreaking havoc in the Grand Thousand Worlds. Will the Heavenly Court intervene in this matter?”

The Grand Luo Immortal scoffed, “The Heavenly Court intervene? Ha! The only way Chaos Demons survive is if Heavenly Court’s powerful figures take a liking to them. The Chaos Wraithfiend’s presence has already spread across dozens of Grand Thousand Worlds, yet there has been no action from the Heavenly Court. It’s clear they are scheming something. The best thing we can do is pretend not to see it.”

Another Grand Luo Immortal added, “That’s right. The Three Thousand Grand Worlds may seem like the domain of the Heavenly Dao, but in reality, they are more like the livestock pens of the Heavenly Court. Nothing that happens within them escapes the Heavenly Court’s eyes. If they are ignoring it, then it means it is their will at play.”

The surrounding cultivators nodded in agreement, their dissatisfaction with the Heavenly Court evident.

Gu An found himself admiring these people—they dared to speak freely. Did they not fear that their words would reach the Heavenly Court’s ears?

After their conversation ended, Hong Yazhi pulled Gu An aside into an isolated area and lowered his voice, “Are you wondering why they dare to speak so openly against the Heavenly Court?”

Gu An nodded.

“Because the Endless Dao Mountain is unaffected by the Heavenly Dao’s fate. You should have sensed it. And those who can come here are cultivators and deities who are not bound by the Heavenly Court’s laws. So, even if their words are overheard, it makes no difference.” Hong Yazhi explained.

Gu An was intrigued and asked, “How does the Ethereal Immortal Court view the Heavenly Court?”

The Ethereal Immortal Court had produced many immortal gods and was officially recognized as a subordinate sect of the Heavenly Court.

Hong Yazhi snorted. “How else would they see it? On the surface, they must show reverence to the Heavenly Court. Within the Heavenly Dao, no single faction dares to defy the Heavenly Court. Every single rebel has been completely erased. No matter how powerful one may be, they will always be crushed under the weight of Heaven’s Might.”