Longevity, starting from being a chicken raising servant Chapter 2305: 169: Celebration (Correction—This Chapter is Supplementary)

Cloud Sky Arena.

Qianguang Cave.

Standing at the cave's threshold, Wang Ba listened as the purple-robed youth spoke with a heavy sigh of nostalgia:

“This sacred ground is where the various Patriarchs of our Sect sequestered themselves to break through their bottlenecks. It serves as a nexus for the spirit and fortune of this entire Domain, preserving the manifold insights and Dao Intention left behind by those who succeeded before. Only those within the Sect possessing a genuine hope of attaining the Mahayana realm are permitted to enter this retreat…”

Moved by these words, Wang Ba’s expression shifted, and he replied hastily:

“This place is far too precious; I wouldn't dare to intrude upon such a sanctuary.”

The young man in purple robes offered a thin smile, fixing his gaze on Wang Ba as he spoke:

“Fellow Taoist is being too modest. If a cultivator with a foundation as solid as yours lacks the hope of reaching Mahayana, then who else would be worthy of this place?”

“Nonetheless, because Fellow Taoist does not belong to our Sect, I can only stretch the rules so far. We shall limit your stay to three days. Once three days have passed, I shall return in person to receive you and celebrate your magnificent progress!”

“Three days…”

Wang Ba contemplated the offer for a brief moment before nodding his head.

“Since that is the case, I shall accept this kindness with thick skin.”

The purple-robed youth smiled slightly and gestured: “After you.”

Without further stalling, Wang Ba stepped into the depths of the cave.

As the entrance sealed shut behind him, he traversed several dozen paces before emerging into a vast internal space that seemed to contain its own miniature world.

Bathed in a pillar of celestial light, a single stone futon sat positioned at the center.

Approaching the seat and glancing upward, Wang Ba felt as though he were at the base of a deep well, staring up at an open sky. Beyond the 'well's mouth,' the shimmering lights of various Domains flickered like distant stars, perhaps offering glimpses of profound truths.

Scanning the surroundings, he saw the four walls etched with countless divine patterns. They appeared to be the work of many different hands—some were mere minimalist strokes, others were rugged and unpolished, while some displayed a fluid, untethered elegance.

“After a millennium of seclusion, I have finally ascended to Mahayana! Today, a wondrous technique was realized, swift as a falling star…”

“Existing outside of time, gained by natural grace. Who can truly comprehend the cycle of creation and ruin in this universe…”

“The void of voids, the nothingness of nothingness; only when emptiness can go no further is the ultimate reached…”

Some insights were captured in prose, while others relied on a conceptual meaning that transcended the written word.

Indeed, the enigmatic Dao is difficult to transcribe. As the proverb suggests, words are finite while meaning is boundless; to speak of it is an error, and to even conceptualize it is a mistake.

The only way forward was to unify mind and spirit, as if leaping across tens of thousands of years… drifting through the vast river of wisdom and the accumulated collisions of Dao sparked by the countless predecessors who had meditated here. He traveled among them, sharing in their triumphs, their laments, and their enlightenment.

He envisioned translucent figures overlapping upon the futon.

Some were lost in deep contemplation, some roared with laughter, some paced the floor in agitation, and others looked toward the heavens with pride.

In that instant, Wang Ba was submerged in the ocean of realizations left by the former cultivators of the Cloud Sky Sect—flashes of inspiration that were the result of centuries of dedication.

His own knowledge, his Cultivation, and the observations he had gathered on his journey began to clash and merge with these ancient insights. His mind became a furnace, and as everything was cast inside, the flames of enlightenment roared!

“The Dao of Cultivation encompasses every phenomenon in existence.”

“The celestial cycles of sun and moon, the bite of frost and snow, the Five Elements and the balance of Yin and Yang, the roar of thunder and rain—all these are the Dao.”

“The spectrum of human emotion, the fundamental elements of earth, fire, water, and wind, whether they be serene or chaotic—these too are the Dao.”

“The wilting of flora, the flight of beasts, all things within the heavens and the realms beyond—this remains the Dao.”

“Using all things as a reflection while I remain the source; in the blink of an eye, all is born and all perishes with me.”

“No, that is merely the common Dao of cultivation, not my own path…”

Wang Ba shook his head sharply, severing that line of thought. As wisdom surged in his mind like a gushing spring, a spiritual light erupted:

“I am not myself, but a void; all things flow through me and eventually return to that emptiness. By not choosing a singular self, one can achieve true greatness…”

As this thought took hold, a profound joy welled up within him.

The various techniques he had mastered—Beast Control, sword arts, spirit food preparation, Yin and Yang, the Five Elements, the powers of Wind, Thunder, Ice, and Stars, and the Divine Pattern Rites—all finally found their proper place.

At that moment, Wang Ba’s Primordial Spirit began to turn ethereal.

It shed its youthful appearance, gradually transforming into a void that was neither black nor white. Various Dao Treasures drifted into this Primordial Spirit void, adorning it like scattered starlight.

It no longer suffered under the weight of the Dao Treasures; instead, it functioned like a celestial vortex, hungrily drawing in the subtle spirit essence and Dao Intention from the surrounding air to nourish itself.

Because all is void, it is limitless; because it is limitless, all things can be utilized.

Sensing the evolution of his Primordial Spirit, a surge of satisfaction filled Wang Ba’s heart.

“All phenomena are like rivers, and all rivers return to the Sect.”

“I shall name this Primordial Spirit technique ‘All Flows Return to the Sect’.”

In the very next heartbeat, a voice from the outside world echoed in the chamber:

“Fellow Taoist Taiyi, the celebratory banquet is prepared. Please conclude your seclusion.”

Startled, Wang Ba was pulled from that transcendent state.

Looking down, he saw the futon was just a simple futon, resting silently under the celestial light. The walls of the sky well were rugged and bare; the divine patterns were nowhere to be seen.

It felt like a fading dream, yet every detail remained etched vividly in his mind.

Wang Ba stepped back and gave a respectful bow toward the futon. He then turned and walked toward the exit, shouting back:

“Brother Bai, I am coming.”

“Fellow Taoist Taiyi, we have spent these last three days organizing this celebration. Since we never gave you a proper welcome before, we shall settle everything today.”

The purple-robed youth walked alongside Wang Ba with a grin. He wasn't the only one present; they were accompanied by three late-stage Crossing Tribulation cultivators. One belonged to the Cloud Sky Sect, while the other two were allies from different Domains.

They chatted warmly with Wang Ba, clearly treating him as a peer of equal status.

Even though a significant gap in realm and raw power still existed between them, it was only a matter of time before Wang Ba bridged that distance. It was far wiser to offer friendship now than to wait until he had reached the peak of his power; while Wang Ba wasn't in need of a rescue, building a connection before his cultivation reached Dacheng was the superior move.