Longevity, starting from being a chicken raising servant Chapter 2419: 208: Spreading the Dao (Part 3)
Previously on Longevity, starting from being a chicken raising servant...
“Thunderfire?” The cultivator felt a slight jolt of surprise, his eyes widening a bit: “I haven’t shown any Dao Law yet—how did you spot that I’m skilled in the Fire Method?”
Wang Ba offered a knowing smile, staying silent. Given his advanced realm, it would be odd indeed if he failed to pierce the veil of a simple Nascent Soul cultivator’s secrets.
Xuan Yuanzi’s gaze sparkled with excitement, and he urged right away:
“Quick, express your thanks to True Man Taiyi for his insightful advice!”
Even though resentment lingered in the cultivator’s heart, he bowed respectfully to Wang Ba before departing swiftly, his brows knitted in thought, clearly intent on testing the truth of Wang Ba’s observation.
This exchange sparked curiosity among the remaining cultivators.
Regardless of the accuracy of the man’s words, they carried a ring of truth that felt more grounded and achievable than Master Xuan’s abstract notions, lacking that veil of otherworldly mystery.
Right then, a Unification cultivator stepped forward, unable to hold back:
“So, what’s the way to grasp these rules?”
Wang Ba cast a brief look at him, then shook his head gently:
“You’re not ready to comprehend them.”
“Why not?”
The Unification cultivator recoiled in shock, his tone laced with a touch of frustration as he pressed.
“You’re a step ahead of the last fellow, but not by much. Your path is clear to you, yet your grasp lacks depth. Your Primordial Spirit appears frail, and your Dao Domain feels scattered and rough. To touch the rules, you must first strengthen those two foundations.”
Wang Ba scanned him once more and pointed it out offhandedly.
A flicker of change crossed the cultivator’s face as he absorbed the words, his expression turning grave.
He might not grasp how the stranger saw through him so easily, but the critique echoed his own hidden flaws, prompting a shift to deeper respect. With a polite bow to Wang Ba, he exchanged a few words with Xuan Yuanzi and departed without delay.
Witnessing Wang Ba offer direction to two in a row, the gathered cultivators hung on every detail, shedding their earlier doubts. The sharper minds among them pondered his advice to the pair, weighing it against their own paths, and sparks of insight ignited.
Wang Ba sensed the growing reverence in the eyes around him, and a thought stirred within.
His ties to the Quiet Cave flowed through Xuan Yuanzi alone; by sharing guidance with these folks now, he might forge stronger bonds with the Quiet Cave itself.
As this idea took hold, clarity dawned on him. He turned toward Xuan Yuanzi, catching the man’s gaze filled with subtle thanks. A mental message passed between them:
“Your efforts mean much—Wang Ba offers his thanks.”
A faint smile crossed Xuan Yuanzi’s lips at the transmission, and he kept his response brief.
This favor aimed to settle the debt from Wang Ba’s aid in his escape long ago, while also serving the Quiet Cave’s future.
After all, no Crossing Tribulation powerhouse had emerged in this domain, suggesting the Master of Quiet Cave’s labors over time hadn’t borne fruit. His moves here repaid that grace, aligning perfectly with his claim of motives both personal and for the greater good.
Wang Ba dove in then, offering sincere pointers to each one in turn.
With his lofty cultivation and vast knowledge, he ranked among the elite just shy of Mahayana across the Realm Sea.
Furthermore, his mastery of Dao Law likely outshone anyone else in the entire Realm Sea.
While others might shine in a single field, his expertise spanned nearly everything, so no matter the Dharma these cultivators pursued, he guided them with ease.
Through his careful instruction, profound realizations washed over the group, unraveling knots that had long puzzled them.
The crowd included sharp talents alongside the slower ones, and to build goodwill, Wang Ba delivered precise counsel:
“You cling too fiercely to ‘self,’ trapped by the echoes of your former life. It clouds your view of the here and now. Let me seal away those memories, so you can start fresh and seize the real essence of self.”
This Nascent Soul cultivator had lingered at the edge of forming Dao Secret for almost a thousand years, with his lifespan nearing its close and reincarnation looming.
Wang Ba’s suggestion drew vigorous nods from the Nascent Soul cultivator, who felt its truth deeply.
A red gleam flashed in Wang Ba’s eyes as he wiped clean the man’s recollections of his prior existence.
The cultivator’s stare turned vacant, his mind adrift, yet unburdened by old weights and past forgotten, he settled into meditation with a fresh spark of vigor.
Wang Ba, observing this, swiftly erected an Array and pressed on with aiding the rest.
From his elevated state, directing these souls felt like watching from on high; each phrase he uttered struck true.
The benefits flowed richly to the cultivators, and even Xuan Yuanzi, stalled in his own progress for now, absorbed it all like one spellbound.
Not even Ji Hu, the serpentine-headed figure with a human form, could resist the pull of Wang Ba’s words, lurking unseen amid the Domain’s mists.
As his discourse peaked, Wang Ba simply dropped to the ground, fully immersed.
He ranged from Qi Cultivation basics through forming Dao Secret, up to the trials of Crossing Tribulation.
Drawing on his rich history of sermons, this session doubled as a deep reflection on his own path. Though his delivery lacked flashy rhetoric, the cultivators leaned in raptly, eager not to lose a single syllable.
Even after he wrapped up, the group lingered in reflection, lost in the afterglow…
Just then, the Nascent Soul cultivator whose past had been veiled, now deep in seated cultivation, released a distinct aura.
“Dao Secret!”
“He’s formed his Dao Secret in such record time!”
The stir pulled the others from their trance, drawing eyes to him. As understanding dawned, one voice rose in awe.
Right on the heels of that formation, thunder-laced clouds gathered overhead.
“Immortal Ascension Thunder Tribulation!”
Thunder tribulations were no strangers to these cultivators, and this one for ascension held little terror.
The real shock lay in how the man, mired for nearly a millennium at that bottleneck, shattered through so smoothly thanks to Wang Ba’s help.
As a result, their looks toward Wang Ba burned with even greater zeal.
Xuan Yuanzi brimmed with respect, facing Wang Ba with genuine warmth:
“I once questioned your feats in the Cloud Sky Realm clash; clearly, your reputation is earned.”
Wang Ba dismissed it with a light wave and a grin.
Regaining his poise, he added:
“A bulk of the hurdles these cultivators hit come from their old life’s memories weighing them down. I suggest founding a Sect—Quiet Cave or whatever name fits—where only those hitting a key threshold get their Innate Wisdom unlocked. That’ll shield them from past-life overloads.”
“Plus, lacking a Realm Spirit in this Great Realm poses a real snag. Cultivation goes beyond shut-eye meditation or Qi gathering—real worldly trials reveal your true nature and drive growth. Think of Little Cang World: big sects dominated, yet small ones sprouted freely for just that cause.”
“A Realm Spirit would spawn more life forms to support practice… keep in mind, ‘a hundred flowers blooming heralds the spring.’”
“Quiet Cave might nurture minor sects inside or trade with outside Domains—sealing off leads nowhere for birthing true Great Cultivators. Caged souls can’t scale the Dao’s heights.”
Xuan Yuanzi took it in and replied with gravity:
“Rest assured, I’ll pass your words straight to the Master of Quiet Cave.”
Wang Ba gave a nod, then swept his eyes over the scene:
“One more thing: spirit plants and materials abound here. If they’re scarce, fine, but hoarding such gems without using them is pure squander.”
Xuan Yuanzi absorbed that too, committing it to memory with a nod:
“This too, I’ll bring to the Master of Quiet Cave’s attention.”
Wang Ba let out a chuckle, holding back further words. After a quick mental tally, he realized over a year had slipped by in this Domain, and something felt off:
“Didn’t the Master of Quiet Cave plan for my exit in just days? Why hasn’t anyone nudged me along?”
Xuan Yuanzi hesitated, then broke into laughter:
“Isn’t that a stroke of luck?”
Wang Ba joined in the hearty laugh, letting it drop, and kept sharing wisdom with the Innate Demon Reincarnation bodies of the Domain.
Time flowed on unnoticed.
In a flash, years drifted past.
One fine day, a sudden impulse hit Wang Ba, and he drew a communication Dao Treasure from his sleeve.
His eyes fixed on the item, and a subtle shift marked his features:
“The Supreme True Buddha has come?”