Longevity, starting from being a chicken raising servant Chapter 2408 - 205: Preparations (2)
Previously on Longevity, starting from being a chicken raising servant...
While deep in thought, it abruptly detected a hazy notion gradually infiltrating the 'ocean' that was its dwelling.
It felt like it noticed something.
Suddenly, this ocean erupted into a fierce, soundless turmoil!
"Hmm?"
The awareness showed a bit of astonishment, and its attention shifted to that green-robed figure.
Spotting the 'horn' gripped in his hand, its eyes bulged in disbelief:
"How on earth did this item end up with him?!"
A jolt hit its core, prompting an immediate shift, and the surging ocean abruptly stilled, as though time itself had paused.
That invading notion got pushed back out right then.
'It' didn't dare stick around, worried about being spotted, fleeing like a scared rat, it quietly dove into the turbulent 'waves', vanishing completely...
Meanwhile.
Inside the Yin Family's immortal cave in Baiqu.
Wang Ba knitted his brows lightly, staring at the time-worn ancient horn held in his grasp.
In his hand, the subtle golden immortal power slowly dissipated.
"Immortal power fails too?"
"Yet earlier, when I poured it in, there was definitely a unique sensation..."
Thinking back, the instant he channeled immortal power into it, his mind felt pulled straight into an immense, limitless ocean, where a single idea seemed enough to command the whole expanse...
But that sensation acted like a fleeting dream, vanishing just as fast as it arrived.
"I can't ignore my gut feeling."
Wang Ba mused with focused eyes, trying to channel immortal power again, but this round, nothing happened at all.
"Odd..."
"Looks like the moment isn't right yet."
He creased his forehead, mulling it over for a bit, then stowed the horn away.
Opposite him, worry flickered in his eyes.
A form in gold and red robes sat in lotus position with shut eyes; picking up on his shift, it gradually lifted its lids.
Those golden double pupils lent an air of enigma to its striking yet icy features.
This was Wang Ba's True Martial Incarnation, Chong Hua.
Linked in mind, sensing Wang Ba's musings, Chong Hua scowled and shook his head:
"No breakthroughs here... yeah, the Dao of True Martial might just be a blind alley. Against all the doctrines you've run into lately, they feel pretty shallow. To push on, I need to chase the path of rules."
Even without words from Chong Hua, Wang Ba could sense his insights and views, but upon hearing this, he reflected briefly and instinctively recapped:
"Through the years, every doctrine I've come across, no matter the style, all boil down to grasping the rules, commanding the rules, wielding the rules, and in the end, merging with the rules. That's 'harmonizing with the Dao', starting with 'harmonizing with the Dao', moving to 'forgetting the Dao', until you turn into a Dao yourself, rejected by the Realm Sea, thus reaching cultivation ascension... still, the Dao of True Martial skips much outward effort from the beginning, drawing out the max from within, echoing the notion of 'self-reliance, no outward chase'."
He carried endless legacies, topping the charts in cultivation base and wisdom across the Realm Sea; so when he talked, it rang with real weight.
Sharing their pasts and lore let Chong Hua grasp Wang Ba's angle, but he wore a confused look:
"If it's all self-reliant, why bother looking outside at all?"
The Dao of True Martial doesn't fully reject outside aids; actually, extra resources would boost cultivation speed a lot. But against regular cultivators, the resource use is barely noticeable. Even short on supplies, it wouldn't slow much, giving a sky-high baseline, though lifespan falls way short of peers at the same level, earning it the label 'short-lived'.
Wang Ba shook his head and replied:
"It's because you and I aim too ambitiously."
"See the human body as the Cycle of Heaven, its complexity rivals the Great Dao; if stuck at mortal levels, no spiritual energy's required, full self-sufficiency works, but our goal is surpassing the Realm Sea, worlds beyond mortals? We have to pull in outside powers, letting them flood the body, sparking shifts in blood and essence, unlike us who, no matter our practice, always reach outward in the end..."
Chong Hua gained a flash of insight, like a deep truth breaking through, everything clicking into place:
"Exactly!"
"You pursue harmonizing with the Dao, forgetting the Dao, surpassing the Dao."
"I skip cultivating the Dao, since I'm the 'Dao' by nature; right now, I'm just manifesting my inner truth, explaining the quick strides..."
"Brilliant!"
Wang Ba smacked his palms together in praise, feeling pleased yet a tad sorrowful:
"Your road, fellow Daoist, is truly rugged and full of perils. Lacking Immortal Blood's nurture and rare gifts, you might not have hit this stage now, and forging ahead grows ever tougher. I can't lend more help; it all hinges on your skill to push through."
Chong Hua, refreshed like dross cleansed away, his gaze gleaming gold, smiled back:
"Don't fault me for not merging with you; the best I can offer is aiding your Mahayana breakthrough down the line."
"My journey... I have to tread it alone in the end."
Wang Ba chuckled despite himself, nodding:
"Fair point; I planned to merge with you for that Mahayana leap, but now it's clear that won't happen, though weighing pros and cons, it's not solely about the immediate."
Forming the True Martial Incarnation was truly aimed at the coming Great Realm advance.
Yet now, both recognized it plainly, detecting the core split in their cultivation routes.
The Dharma Lineage boasts countless ways, but at heart, it's still a cultivator's trail, essentially a quest of shedding to gain.