Yuan’s Ascension

This also explained why qi refiners must comprehend a Dao to transcend their Tribulation and ascend to Archimmortality. Without thoroughly comprehending a Dao, one's Yuan Soul couldn't approach the Dao essence.

For body refiners, while they didn't need to imprint their Yuan Soul on the Dao essence, the manifestation of their internal shambhala still required Dao comprehension.

This was the fundamental reason why it was difficult for Astral Lords and Astral Monarchs to break through.

Once a Yuan Soul imprint was fully integrated into a certain Dao essence, one gained longevity equal to heaven and earth. But once completely enveloped within the Dao essence, one’s Yuan Soul imprint would find it near impossible to break free. The influence of Dao Assimilation would be tens of thousands of times stronger than before.

"The essences of the fifteen Greater Laws are the most fundamental and powerful Dao essences in our cosmic universe," Eldritch Sovereign Kua Chi said calmly. "However, some Daos exist beyond heaven and earth."

"Beyond heaven and earth?" Wu Yuan's eyes widened.

At the same time, he caught a phrase—cosmic universe.

This cosmic universe? Could there be other cosmic universes?

"The so-called Greater Laws, Intermediate Laws, and Lesser Laws all emerged after the cosmic universe's creation, evolving alongside the natural order of all things, with spacetime as the foundation," Eldritch Sovereign Kua Chi explained slowly.

"The various Dao essences collectively form the complete heaven and earth’s essence."

Wu Yuan couldn't help but recall the visions he had seen when receiving Immortal Sovereign Bei You's inheritance – the creation of heaven and earth, the birth of spacetime. Then, the emergence of various powers of heaven and earth’s essence... It seemed to echo what Master Kua Chi was saying now.

"Uniting one’s soul with the Dao allows one to live as long as heaven and earth, but even this vast heaven and earth will eventually reach its end," Eldritch Sovereign Kua Chi said calmly. "Once heaven and earth are destroyed, what becomes of the countless so-called immortals since heaven and earth's creation?"

Wu Yuan was stunned. He had never considered such things.

The destruction of heaven and earth? Beyond the macrocosm lay the vast river of space and time, with numerous other macrocosms.

This question seemed too distant for him. After all, Wu Yuan was just a small fry at the Amethyst Cradle/Shambhala phase.

"Indeed, these questions are too far removed from your current situation," Eldritch Sovereign Kua Chi couldn't help but smile, shaking his head slightly. "But even the essence of Greater Laws cannot persist after the destruction of heaven and earth.

Some Daos existed before the cosmic universe's creation; after our cosmic universe's extinction, they will likely continue to exist.

These Daos can be called the Immutable Daos. They have transcended the concepts of space and time," Eldritch Sovereign Kua Chi's eyes held a hint of longing.

Wu Yuan listened, trembling.

Transcending the concepts of time and space?

"These Immutable Daos share a common name— Great Daos!" Eldritch Sovereign Kua Chi said. "They are also known as the Essence Great Daos."

"Essence Great Daos? Immutable Daos? Great Daos?" Wu Yuan was astonished.

In an instant, Wu Yuan recalled something he had seen in the Dao Temple—an option to comprehend an Essence Great Dao once! It cost one hundred points for a single comprehension simulation.

At the time, Wu Yuan didn't fully understand the significance of the Essence Great Dao. Today, he finally understood. It turned out to be a Dao that transcended the essence of the cosmic universe, surpassing the concepts of time and space. Truly, heaven and earth might perish, but the Dao remained eternal!

"You're not wrong. Where there is Dao, there are beings who comprehend it. The Thunder Beast Diagrams you observed likely reveal Dao patterns of an Essence Great Dao," Eldritch Sovereign Kua Chi said solemnly.

Wu Yuan listened with bated breath.

These Thunder Beast Diagrams contained such profound mysteries?

"However, comprehending the Essence Great Dao is considered a divergent path for countless immortal cultivators," Eldritch Sovereign Kua Chi said softly.

"A divergent path?" Wu Yuan was taken aback.

How could such a powerful cultivation path be considered divergent?

Eldritch Sovereign Kua Chi explained, "Take the Greater Laws, for instance. Though profound, their Dao essences at least exist, offering the possibility of sensing it.

Their existence allows countless immortal cultivators to perceive and comprehend them," Eldritch Sovereign Kua Chi looked at Wu Yuan.

Wu Yuan nodded slightly.

Indeed! The existence of Dao essence was like a beacon of light in the vast darkness for countless immortal cultivators, pointing the way forward.

"But the Essence Great Daos are different. The Great Daos are supreme, transcending heaven and earth, surpassing space and time. They are not merely profound, but traceless," Eldritch Sovereign Kua Chi shook his head slightly. "You simply cannot sense the existence of the Essence Great Daos.

Comprehension? Without any essence to comprehend, you can only explore a Great Dao on your own.

Even if you step onto the path of a Great Dao, you can neither verify it nor receive feedback, and there's no guidance whatsoever," Eldritch Sovereign Kua Chi sighed softly.

Wu Yuan was stunned.

He vaguely understood. For instance, when comprehending the Law of Celestial Body, he naturally sensed the Dao essence upon reaching the True Intent stage, receiving guidance in his comprehension, and making the process more efficient. The same applied to comprehending the Law of Space.

But the Great Daos? They were traceless.

"On top of that, because the Great Daos transcend heaven and earth, the further you progress along this path, the more heaven and earth will push back against you," Eldritch Sovereign Kua Chi said, shaking his head slightly. "The effects of Dao Assimilation will also intensify.

If you comprehend the Law of Life or the Law of Space, perhaps you'd have a glimmer of hope of fully comprehending it within a million years," Eldritch Sovereign Kua Chi said. "But if you comprehend a Great Dao?"

Eldritch Sovereign Kua Chi didn't finish his sentence, but Wu Yuan could understand – there wasn't a shred of hope.

"Of course, comprehending the Great Dao isn't that easy either,” Eldritch Sovereign Kua Chi suddenly smiled. "The Dao patterns constituting the Thunder Beast Diagrams you observed are probably just the most superficial Domain stage patterns of a Great Dao."

"If they contained the True Intent of a Great Dao, these Great Dao patterns simply wouldn’t persist under the suppression of heaven and earth and would dissipate."

"Even the Essence Great Dao relics in the eldritch world only contain just the most superficial Great Dao patterns. Even so, left there for countless ages, few can even cross the threshold of comprehension," Eldritch Sovereign Kua Chi smiled. "To be able to gain even a bit of insight would make one a monstrous prodigy."

Wu Yuan nodded in agreement.

Indeed! From what he had observed, the Dao patterns revealed in the Thunder Beast Diagram involved five Greater Laws: Thunder, Fire, Wood, Earth, and Space. Perhaps there were also other hidden Dao profundities that he hadn't noticed.

Combining parts or even all of the profundities of numerous Greater Laws into one? Just thinking about it made Wu Yuan's heart tremble. Possessing an aptitude for two Daos was already almost inconceivable.

"Of course, one may face many difficulties attempting to comprehend the Great Dao, but the Great Dao is supreme, and countless legends have persisted through endless ages. Over the long years, there have still been a few peerless geniuses who refused to believe it impossible, or by some stroke of fate, stepped onto this path. Unfortunately, they all perished in the end," Eldritch Sovereign Kua Chi said slowly.

"Of course, cultivating the Great Dao isn't all disadvantages; there are two major benefits.

First is power! Just mastering a fraction of a Great Dao's profundities is enough to rival someone who has fully comprehended a Lesser Law," Eldritch Sovereign Kua Chi said.

Wu Yuan listened in awe. How domineering!

By mastering just a fraction of its profundities, one could rival an Archimmortal?

"With a bit more comprehension, one would possess power rivaling an Astral Monarch," Eldritch Sovereign Kua Chi said. "After all, this is a Great Dao."

Wu Yuan listened attentively.

It appeared Astral Monarch Wan Lei might not comprehended a Great Dao to a profound level.

"Secondly, a Great Dao transcends the cosmic universe, thus suppressing many of the workings of heaven and earth, resulting in various marvels," Eldritch Sovereign Kua Chi said, shaking his head slightly. "However, for different orders of life, the effects produced are also different.

Many secrets remain obscure, even to me," he admitted.

"In essence, even after ten or a hundred cycles of birth and destruction, a realm like our Greenridge Macrocosm would likely never produce a supreme being capable of fully mastering a Great Dao," Eldritch Sovereign Kua Chi mused softly.

Wu Yuan listened with bated breath.

The Great Dao was indeed an inconceivable path. Success would be miraculous, but the difficulty was equally extreme.

"Do you wish to attempt to comprehend a fraction of this Thunder Beast Diagram's profundities?" Eldritch Sovereign Kua Chi gazed at his disciple.

"Yes," Wu Yuan nodded.

"Then give it a try," Eldritch Sovereign Kua Chi smiled. "In fact, we Sovereigns speculate that the Immutable Land was created by some supreme being, hence its name."

Wu Yuan nodded gently.

Immutable Dao? Immutable Land! So this was the origin of its name.

"It is no coincidence that you have received this opportunity. Even I cannot predict its deeper implications," Eldritch Sovereign Kua Chi said thoughtfully.

"There is likely a special reason behind the placement of the Immutable Land’s entrance in the Thunder Marsh World.

Regardless of other factors, if you can comprehend even a sliver of a Great Dao's profundities, it will be enough to occupy you for eons to come. Perhaps it will be the key to you fully comprehending a Greater Law in the future," Eldritch Sovereign Kua Chi explained. "However, I cannot guide you in comprehending it.

Just one piece of advice: don't immerse yourself too deeply into it. The Great Dao is unfathomable. If you lose yourself completely in it, unable to extricate yourself, even I won't be able to help you," Eldritch Sovereign Kua Chi cautioned.

"Understood," Wu Yuan nodded solemnly.

"Go on, then."

…

In the Thunder Marsh World, at the stone wall diagrams in Area 1.

So this is the true origin of how the Immutable Land got its name? Dao patterns of a Great Dao? Wu Yuan gazed at the distant Thunder Beast Diagram, awestruck.

These patterns are a hundred, no, a thousand times more profound than Celestial Body True Intent or Longevity True Intent individually. Yet they contain merely the most superficial profundities of a Great Dao? Wu Yuan found it inconceivable.

Slightly more profound Dao patterns of a Great Dao would be dispersed by the invisible pressure of heaven and earth?

Master's advice is correct. This Great Dao is incredibly difficult to comprehend, with no guidance or reference. Wu Yuan shook his head slightly. Moreover, Thunder and Fire are not my strong suits.

The best choice is the one that suits one best.

Nevertheless, I'll give it my all. If I can grasp even a fraction of this Great Dao's artistic conception, it could greatly benefit me. Wu Yuan concentrated on contemplating it.

This artistic conception! Profound, serene, endless... life. Wu Yuan gradually immersed himself, attempting to understand.

Ten days passed in the blink of an eye.

The thirty-sixth Thunder Beast Diagram resonates with me the most. Wu Yuan confirmed his direction after contemplating all seventy-three diagrams.

This particular diagram brought the most joy to his spirit. The Dao patterns within were unfathomably profound. Yet on the surface, this thunder beast was simply lounging lazily on the ground, taking a nap.