Chapter 2021 : The Path of Self-Realization

Chapter 2022: Illuminating the Heart to See My Path (5,000 words) For those who aspired to achieve sainthood through physical cultivation, this treasure could boost their chances of breaking through to the Emperor Realm by 10 percent.

However, the Great Wilderness Sacred Tree bears fruit with great difficulty. In its entire lifetime, it only produces Great Wilderness Sacred Fruits 3 times, totaling a mere 20-7 pieces. Moreover, each maturation requires 10 1000 kalpas of time.

Hence, every Great Wilderness Sacred Fruit consumed was 1 less in existence, making it an exceedingly rare treasure even within the Primordial Chaos.

In truth, the number of spirit fruits that a spiritual root of the Primordial Chaos Treasure grade or higher can bear in its lifetime is strictly limited.

Because each miraculous treasure fruit it bore was far too heaven-defying, their formation consumed the very essence of the Great Dao itself.

Moreover, those who consume such spiritual fruits are almost invariably individuals who are exceedingly difficult to perish and return to their origin. Should these spiritual fruits continue to proliferate indefinitely, the Great Dao to which they belong would inevitably be depleted in due time.

"With this Great Wilderness Sacred Fruit, the cultivation speed of my physical body should increase significantly."

Eldrin murmured inwardly, then plucked all 9 Great Barren Sacred Fruits. Yet he did not consume them immediately.

As his current cultivation level was insufficient, consuming the Great Wilderness Sacred Fruit would result in tremendous waste. Moreover, the Great Wilderness Sacred Fruit could only be ingested 3 times every 1 100 kalpas.

Eldrin's divine consciousness permeated every corner of existence, not to pry into mortal affairs, but to quietly contemplate the churning tides of mortal dust.

A sapling may grow into a towering ancient tree, yet cannot escape the blade of time—though it may etch the marks of passing years upon its bark.

"So this is the true Path of Mortal Souls."

Some transformed into the sun and moon, the stars shining high above, gazing down upon the vicissitudes of the ever-changing seas and mulberry fields.

A mere child, from innocence to old age, is but a fleeting moment, gone in the blink of an eye.

Ah Man led the group in moving all his belongings into the Great Wilderness Sanctum. From that day forth, Eldrin (Person Name) began his cultivation within the Great Wilderness Sanctum.

Of the 3 souls and 7 spirits in a human, the Heavenly Soul is pure and lofty, yet devoid of emotion and desire, while the Earthly Soul is profound and vast, yet teeming with distracting thoughts.

A single blade of grass cannot escape the cycle of sprouting, growth, and decay, yet from its withering, it may scatter seeds of new life.

Throughout this process, Eldrin could clearly sense the gradual transformation of heaven and earth.

Thus it repeated, cycling without cease.

Since he had become the Lord of the Great Barren Ancient Realm, it would be utterly unbecoming to return and dwell at the realm’s fringes.

Though seas turn to fields and all things change, though chaos exhausts itself and all existence fades to illusion, my heart shall remain unaltered.

A wisp of divine sense lingered here, faintly stirring as if touched by a fleeting awareness.

Some transformed into mountain stones, enduring wind and sun, quietly contemplating the shifting constellations.

In its moment of decline, its seeds scattered, and the following year, a field of grass sprouted from the very same soil.

He had also witnessed the birth of a child, who walked carefree upon the grass, his smile brimming with innocence.

Some transformed into soaring birds, their wings carrying them across the vast expanse of heaven and earth as they beheld the magnificent splendor of mountains and rivers.

These divine thoughts divided into thousands, some transforming into ephemeral mayflies, born at dawn and perishing by dusk, forever ignorant of the distinction between day and night.

These divine thoughts clung to myriad entities—to ordinary mountain stones, to every blade of grass and tree, to newborn infants, to the aged remnants of the Great Wasteland's inhabitants.

He had also witnessed the growth of a tree—a sapling stubbornly extending its roots from a cliffside, thriving vigorously toward the sunlight.

Through the trials of time, the child slowly grew from tender youth, his features gradually weathering with age, until looking back, he found himself surrounded by children and grandchildren....

Amidst the molten rock, through the howling storms, within the flowing waters.

Eldrin murmured softly, gaining a profound understanding of the power of the human soul.

He entrusted the trivial matters of the Great Wilderness Ancient Realm to the 9 high priests and appointed A'Man to oversee the Great Wilderness Divine Palace.

He saw a grass seed sprout, carrying a faint yet tenacious vitality, taking root upon this desolate earth, growing, and then withering away.

A blade of grass, a tree, a young child—had he never set foot upon the path of immortality in this life, would he, too, have been the same?

Gathering his focus, he immersed himself in the myriad sufferings of the mortal realm. When he looked back, his divine consciousness—once cast across the vast heavens—transformed into a shower of starlight cascading toward him.

The lava receded, the cataclysm gradually subsided, and life began its resurgence.

As the essence of heaven and earth grew abundant, the hideous cracks upon the world's membrane began to mend, and the baleful energies between the firmaments gradually dissipated.

After all, a mere 1,000 drops of Chaos Divine Liquid would at most allow Eldrin to cultivate up to the seventh level of the Primordial Chaos Emperor.

At present, he possessed the Chaos Divine Liquid and lacked no cultivation resources. It would be better to wait until his physical body cultivation reached either the mid-stage or late-stage of the Primordial Chaos Emperor realm before consuming it, thereby maximizing its effects.

The suffering of all beings, the joys of the mortal realm, the shifting of heaven and earth—every facet of this vast landscape emerged in Eldrin’s mind as his boundless divine sense returned.

Eldrin (Person Name) witnessed with his own eyes the birth of life, the evolution of species, and the explosive proliferation of all living things.

When the wildlands withered to dust, ancient trees crumbled to decay, and innocent children grew old with time—that faint divine consciousness finally returned to Eldrin (Person Name).

To return to our story, after obtaining the Great Barren Sacred Fruit, Eldrin did not leave the Great Barren Sacred Hall.

In a daze, several decades passed, and the once-scorched wasteland had transformed into a vast, sprawling grassland.

He then began to comprehend the method of primordial spirit. This time, Eldrin's divine consciousness split into countless strands, scattering across the vast expanse of the Great Desolate Ancient Realm.

"Comprehend all living beings, and awaken to your true self."

In a daze, Eldrin felt as if he had undergone hundreds of millions of reincarnations, experiencing countless cycles of mortal transmigration.

The sapling had transformed into a towering tree, its trunk carved with countless rings of time.

He slowly opened his eyes, and between the flicker of his gaze, countless memories of mortal affairs surfaced like fading dreams, only to dissolve into nothingness in the blink of an eye.

In the sacred hall, Eldrin seemed to gain a sudden insight.

The 7 Souls: Joy, Anger, Sorrow, Fear, Love, Aversion, and Desire—each soul possesses the power to influence the human heart. These are the 7 calamities of mortal nature. Should 1 fail to master the power of the 7 souls, they would inevitably lose themselves.

Only the human soul is the true self that belongs to a cultivator.

The human soul is the true self!

As long as the true self remains unchanged, 1 can maintain clarity of mind at all times. Then the 7 emotions and 6 desires are but illusions, and all distracting thoughts find it hard to shake my heart. Even the power of desolation cannot corrode my consciousness.

"The mortal soul, born of the mundane world, must first illuminate its heart and perceive its true self before transcending the earthly realm."

Eldrin (Person Name) gathered his heart and mind into singularity, converging all divine thoughts and stray distractions until they coalesced into an eternal, indestructible True Self.

Boom—

In an instant, Eldrin’s primordial spirit power surged violently, completely transcending the myriad forms of the mortal world, undergoing an ultimate metamorphosis.

Right after, the firmament tore asunder with a deafening roar, and an Eternal True Spirit emerged from the rift, hanging in the boundless expanse like an everlasting sun.

Close on its heels, endless streams of True Spirit imprints cascaded downward, descending upon the mortal realm like an inverted celestial river.

Eldrin bathed within the Celestial Spirit River, his primordial soul hungrily absorbing the overwhelming Celestial Spirit Seals. He felt as though his entire primordial soul was on the verge of ascension.

After a long while, everything gradually settled. As the True Spirit Mark slowly faded, the light in Eldrin's eyes finally dimmed.

"My soul cultivation has once again broken through its limits."

Eldrin slowly opened his eyes, sensing the transformed power of his primordial spirit. At last, a faint smile flickered within his gaze.

This breakthrough once again pushed his primordial spirit beyond its limits, achieving a remarkable enhancement in both condensation and combat prowess—to the extent that it nearly rivaled the cultivation level of his physical body.

Such formidable soul force greatly enhanced Eldrin's control over his own being, bringing no small boost to his combat prowess.

At this thought, Eldrin sorted through his gains once more and compiled a volume of cultivation scripture.

Eldrin gazed at the ancient tome he had completed and smiled once more, murmuring to himself, "This time, by harnessing power through the Soul Scripture of Humanity and glimpsing the path to 1's true self, I've finally deciphered this volume of primordial spirit scripture."

"In that case, this volume of soul cultivation technique shall be named 'Clarity of Heart Reveals My Path'."

With this thought in mind, Eldrin inscribed the name for this volume of soul cultivation technique.

After completing all this, a faint smile once again surfaced on Eldrin's face. This scroll, 'Understanding the Heart to See My Dao,' was profoundly abstruse—at the very least, an ancient scripture of the Demi-Saint level, and it might very well have even brushed against the realm of the Heavenly Emperor.

From this day forth, Eldrin's method of cultivating his primordial spirit would rank among the foremost sequences across the 7 Domains of the Southern Abyss.

Putting away the Heart Reflection and My Path, Eldrin (Person Name) once again sensed the True Spirit Mark within his body.

This time, as he broke through to the Nascent Soul realm, another True Spirit Mark manifested within his body.

"Which foundation should this true spirit imprint be bestowed upon?"

At this thought, Eldrin contemplated his own primordial spirit and physical body, falling into a moment of pensive silence.

After a moment of contemplation, Eldrin ultimately merged this True Spirit Divine Pattern entirely into his physical body.

In truth, among his current foundational strengths, only the Primordial Spirit's True Spirit and the Physical Body's Divine Spirit Patterns required the imprint of the True Spirit.

And now, Eldrin possessed 5 True Spirit Acupoints and 6 True Spirit Runes.

Logically speaking, to maintain the equilibrium of his foundation, infusing it into the True Spirit Acupoint would have been the optimal choice. Yet, after a moment of contemplation, Eldrin ultimately abandoned the idea of integrating it into the True Spirit Acupoint.

There were 2 reasons for this course of action. First, his current True Spirit Primordial Soul could only open, at most, 6 True Spirit Acupoints.

Once the seventh True Spirit Aperture was opened, attracting that existence from the second realm of chaos, Eldrin (Person Name) would likely be completely suppressed by it.

However, the power of True Spirit Acupoints and True Spirit Runes grows exponentially with each breakthrough. A soul with merely 6 True Spirit Acupoints alone could hardly bring about a qualitative transformation in Eldrin's strength.

Conversely, once Eldrin (Person Name) successfully cultivated the 7 True Spirit Divine Patterns, his physical combat prowess would be greatly enhanced.

Most crucially, if he were to cultivate 8 True Spirit Runes, or even 9 True Spirit Runes on this foundation, Eldrin's combat prowess would undergo an ultimate metamorphosis.

At that time, if Eldrin (Person Name) could physically step into the late stage of the Primordial Chaos Emperor, he might just gain the qualifications to contend with a Demi-Saint.

With this thought in mind, Eldrin acted decisively, fully integrating this trace of true spirit imprint into his physical body, coalescing it into a blank true spirit divine pattern.

Regarding this True Spirit Divine Rune, Eldrin still had no intention of hastily cultivating it.

He intended to spend the coming period carefully contemplating the Great Dao of Primordial Chaos, using it as a foundation to cultivate a single Primordial Chaos Divine Rune.

The Chaos Rune, 1 of the 4 ultimate divine runes, stood as 1 of the most attainable supreme runes Eldrin was confident in mastering.

Getting back to the story, even though it was merely the Blank True Spirit Divine Pattern, after Eldrin successfully cultivated it, he could still feel a tremendous transformation in his own strength.

His physical strength had increased by approximately 70 percent from its original state, amplified nearly ninefold by the 7 divine spirit tattoos of the True Spirits.

Such a staggering increase granted Eldrin a tremendous boost in his physical combat prowess.

If it could be said that Eldrin, relying solely on his physical body, had previously only possessed the combat prowess of an ordinary sixfold Chaos Emperor.

Thus, the current Eldrin, relying solely on his physical body, should already rival a top-tier Chaos Emperor of the sixth level.

Of course, there remained a vast chasm compared to the Chaos Emperor's seventh layer.

After all, those at the seventh level of the Primordial Emperor realm generally possessed True Spiritual Roots (Spiritual Root) foundations and had cultivated 9 Great Dao Divine Chains. Whether in terms of mana quality or sheer profundity, they started at several times that of sixth-level Primordial Emperors.

Eldrin's physical strength had increased considerably, yet there remained a vast chasm in both quality and mana.

Yet even so, this breakthrough had significantly enhanced Eldrin's overall combat prowess once more.

A True Spirit Divine Soul roughly equivalent to the fifth level of the Primordial Chaos Emperor, paired with a True Spirit Physical Body at the peak sixth level of the Primordial Chaos Emperor, along with a True Spirit Dao at the fourth level of the Primordial Chaos Emperor.

With just these 3 foundational strengths combined, Eldrin could sweep through 90 percent of Sixth-Level Chaos Origin Monarchs.

If he were to further employ the Dao of Self-Sacrifice, the Indestructible Battle Attire, and other such methods, Eldrin (Person Name) would be able to face a Seventh-Level Chaos Origin Emperor squarely and, at the very least, remain undefeated.

With this thought, Eldrin (Person Name) emerged from his secluded cultivation chamber with profound satisfaction.

After emerging from seclusion, he lifted his head to gaze upon the vast expanse of the Great Desolate Ancient Realm. The world's primordial membrane had completely restored itself, and the cultivation environment between heaven and earth had improved significantly.

Eldrin once again extended his divine sense into the Great Desolate Ancient Realm, discovering that the world's origin energy had already recovered by nearly half.

At this rate, the primordial essence of the Great Barren Ancient Realm would be fully replenished in roughly 10 kalpas' time.

At that time, the world rank of the Great Wilderness Ancient Realm would gradually begin to restore, continuing until it reached the maximum conversion limit of the Great Wilderness Ancient Tree.

By that time, the Great Barren Ancient Realm's rank would likely stabilize at the Quasi-Primordial Domain level.

Brother Nian.

Just as Eldrin’s thoughts wavered, an exclamation of delight sounded from nearby.

Eldrin turned his head to find Aman approaching with an elated expression, her face glowing as she exclaimed, "You’ve finally concluded your secluded cultivation!"

"How long was my seclusion this time?"

Eldrin's eyes flickered slightly as he asked casually,

A’man calculated briefly on his fingers before replying, “About 1 kalpa.”

"Has it truly been 6 kalpas since I arrived in this realm?"

Eldrin sighed softly, a quiet murmur echoing in his heart....

Coupled with the time he had drifted through the Chaotic Barren Sea, nearly 10 kalpas had unknowingly passed since he left the 7 Domains of the Southern Abyss.

At this thought, Eldrin let out a soft sigh before speaking, "Summon the 9 high priests. I have matters to arrange."

In the Great Wilderness Sanctuary, Eldrin (Person Name) sat calmly upon the main throne, while 9 high priests stood facing each other below.

After the span of a kalpa, the 9 high priests had regained much of their rosy complexion, their auras and primordial spirits gradually recovering. It was evident that the divine elixirs bestowed by Eldrin had played no small part in this restoration.

At this moment, the 9 high priests gazed at Eldrin, each wearing expressions of bewilderment.

The High Priest cupped his hands toward Eldrin (Person Name) and inquired of you, "For what matter has the Realm Lord summoned us here today?"

Without hesitation, Eldrin (Person Name) spoke directly: "The reason I've summoned you all today is to spread the path of Sacrificial Devotion."

"Offer myself to the Dao?"

Upon hearing this, the 9 high priests all revealed a trace of astonishment.

Eldrin nodded and handed over the prepared scrolls of the Celestial Tomes of Enlightenment to the group. "This Path of Self-Sacrifice," he began, "is the cultivation journey I have forged."

This path of cultivation does not judge 1's innate talent, lineage, or potential—it values only perseverance and unwavering resolve, making it exceptionally suited for the descendants of the Great Wasteland to practice.

"Moreover, I have already integrated the Great Wilderness Body Refining Art into it, making it exceptionally suitable for your cultivation."

The 9 high priests immediately took the Book of Heavenly Enlightenment to examine it. Yet after merely a brief perusal, their expressions transformed into ones of utter astonishment.

It turned out that over the years, Eldrin had flawlessly integrated the unique characteristics of the Great Barrens Body Refining Art into his cultivation of the Path of Self Sacrifice.

The current cultivation method of the Sacrificial Path not only encompasses the complete training process of the Path itself, but has also developed its own distinct characteristics.

The current Sacrificial Dao Path now utilized the inner cosmos within his body as the primary formation eye, with the 10 great immortal repositories serving as secondary formation eyes, forging a peerless grand array.

Moreover, this formation uses my own body as a human-shaped magical treasure while channeling the formation's power back into myself, greatly amplifying my combat prowess.

Moreover, this Sacrificial Grand Array could be adjusted to some extent based on the cultivator's preferences and potential.

For instance, those skilled in defense could cultivate a True Spirit Immortal Vault with defensive inclinations and refine 1 of the 10 Great Immortal Vault Treasures, granting their physical form peerless defensive capabilities within the same cultivation realm.

If 1 excels in the path of slaughter, they may cultivate the Slaughter Immortal Vault, the Apex Strength Immortal Vault, or the 9 Heavens Thunder Tribulation Immortal Vault—all lethal Immortal Vaults. Using these as the formation’s core will unleash ultimate offensive power.

It could be said that the current Sacrificial Dao Path had fully assimilated the strengths of Body Sanctification, Nascent Soul Ascension, Immortal Domain cultivation, and even the Great Wilderness Body Tempering Art—yet it had surpassed them all, like indigo blue drawn from the bluer hue.

All of this was attributed to the plasticity of the Sacrificial Body—a form of near-perfect adaptability capable of integrating almost every merit from all schools of techniques.

In theory, if 1 could cultivate all 10 Great True Spirit Immortal Treasures, they would amplify physical combat prowess just like True Spirit Divine Patterns.

At this moment, Eldrin no longer harbored any doubt—that 1 day, the Path of Self Sacrifice he had forged would reign supreme over all doctrines, ascending as the paramount Primordial Dao.

At this moment, everyone gazed at Eldrin's Scripture of Dao Transmission, their faces revealing expressions of utter disbelief.

They exchanged bewildered glances, ultimately forcing wry smiles as they remarked, "Such a method defies the natural order. The cultivation path of our Primordial Barren Realm pales into insignificance when measured against it."

"The talent and aptitude of the Realm Lord are likely even more astonishing than those of the former Quasi-Sage from our Primordial Barren Domain."

Eldrin (Person Name) smiled faintly and spoke calmly, "I have merely taken a small step forward, building upon the foundations laid by those who came before."

"If not for your Great Wilderness Body Refinement Art and the predecessors from the 7 domains of Southern Abyss, I could never have reached this stage."

"You are too modest, Realm Lord."

The Elder High Priest shook his head, then spoke with reverence, "We offer our deepest gratitude for the Dao Ancestor's impartation of this path. Our lineage shall remain eternally indebted."

Eldrin smiled faintly. The fact that the High Priest addressed him as Dao Ancestor demonstrated genuine recognition of the Sacrificial Dao Path.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter 1 The biting northern wind swept across the mountain peaks, carrying with it the chill of 10 1000 years of frost. Ling Xuan tightened his worn deerskin robe, his gaze fixed upon the distant mountain shrouded in swirling spiritual mist. "After 3 years of bitter cultivation, I've finally reached the third layer of the Basic Qi Refining Technique," he murmured to himself, a faint spiritual glow shimmering around his fingertips. Suddenly, a sharp voice cut through the wind. "Ling Xuan! The sect leader summons you to the Grand Hall immediately!" Turning around, he saw a disciple in blue robes standing proudly atop a massive bluestone, holding a command token. The token bore the inscription "Heavenly Mystery Order(Sect Token)" carved from cold iron. "What is the matter, Senior Brother Qin?" Ling Xuan asked calmly. The blue-robed disciple sneered, "Do you think you, a mere outer sect disciple with mixed spiritual roots, are qualified to ask questions? The sect leader has decreed that all disciples possessing over 5,000 spirit stones must participate in the Secret Realm Expedition!" Ling Xuan's heart tightened. The Secret Realm Expedition occurred only once every 100 years, and the mortality rate exceeded 70 percent. Yet within his storage ring lay precisely 32,000 spirit stones—the entirety of his savings from over a decade of arduous monster hunting and alchemy. "According to sect rules, disciples may pay 20,000 spirit stones to be exempt from such missions," Ling Xuan stated firmly. Qin Yang's eyes narrowed coldly. "The rules have changed. The sect leader has ordered that all disciples at the third layer of Qi Refining or above must participate, without exception." A bitter smile touched Ling Xiao's lips. After a 100 years of diligent cultivation, he had long grown accustomed to such blatant discrimination. His hand unconsciously brushed over the Li Fire Sword of the Returning Abyss(Magic Treasure) at his waist—a legacy left by his master before his passing. "Since that is the case, I shall comply," Ling Xuan replied evenly, his tone betraying no emotion. Qin Yang snorted disdainfully, then mounted his flying sword and soared away. Watching the retreating figure, Ling Xuan's eyes grew profound. He knew this expedition was anything but simple. Rumors had been circulating through the sect for months—the ancient secret realm held traces of a long-lost immortal's legacy. Returning to his humble abode, Ling Xuan took out a jade slip from his bosom. The characters "Profound Sky Art(Cultivation Method)" shimmered with a soft glow upon its surface. This was the true reason he had remained in the Heavenly Mystery Sect for all these years. "Master, you once said this cultivation technique would reveal its secrets when the time is right," he whispered, channeling a stream of spiritual power into the jade slip. Suddenly, the jade slip erupted in radiant light, and countless golden characters swirled in the air before him. The originally incomplete Profound Sky Art now displayed entirely new chapters—"Soul Division Technique" and "Void Concealment Art." Ling Xuan's breath caught. These were legendary divine abilities that even Nascent Soul stage experts would covet! At that moment, 3 powerful spiritual senses swept over the area. Ling Xuan's expression shifted slightly as he swiftly stored the jade slip and assumed a meditative posture. "Disciple Ling Xuan, prepare to set out for the secret realm tomorrow at dawn," an ancient voice echoed directly in his mind, carrying an irresistible authority. Ling Xuan took a deep breath, his eyes gleaming with determination. A storm was coming.