Upon hearing Wang Xiu's words, the expressions of both Wu Lingshu and her companion changed. But they quickly expressed disbelief, "Impossible."
The Painting Immortal was a supre Quasi-Emperor of the current age!
Throughout the entire Yaoguang Heavenly Realm, there were very few who could be his equal.
Who could possibly injure him? Let alone bring any sort of calamity upon him.
Wang Xiu said calmly, "Nothing is impossible. The Demon Race has already made its move... I fear your grandfather only sent you away with such a pretext because he sensed imminent danger. He wanted you to go as far away as possible!"
Wu Lingshu's eyes flickered as she pondered for a mont, but she still shook her head. "If that's the case, why would my grandfather hold a birthday celebration and attract so many people to Cold Mountain City? Wouldn't that be incredibly dangerous?"
Wang Xiu was silent for a mont before speaking. "Is it possible that he wants to use the combined power of all the top Painting Dao Cultivators in the world to break through to a higher realm..."
The old man standing behind Wu Lingshu frowned. "Are you suggesting the Painting Immortal plans to sacrifice everyone to step into the Great Emperor Realm?"
As soon as he finished speaking, Wu Lingshu hurriedly shook her head.
She was the person in this world who understood her grandfather best. He was not that kind of person.
The aged Sword Cultivator also added, "To my knowledge, although the Painting Immortal has reached the Quasi-Emperor Realm, he is still many Heavenly Tribulations away from the peak. That explanation doesn't make sense!"
Wang Xiu sighed. "The purpose of cultivation is to attain the Dao and beco an immortal! However, accumulating a high Cultivation Level isn't the only thod to attain the Dao!"
"In ancient tis, there were sages who, from the day they were born, never touched a single cultivation thod! Yet, they were capable of achieving sudden enlightennt and becoming immortals overnight, ascending amidst rosy clouds! Where did their cultivation accumulation co from?"
His questions left the two of them speechless.
After fumbling for words for a mont, the worry in Wu Lingshu's eyes deepened. "Those are just legends. They're far too mysterious to be believed!"
Wang Xiu looked at her. "The so-called True aning of the Dao of Painting is also mysterious, with a thousand different answers for a thousand different people. Why, then, do you pursue it so relentlessly?"
Wu Lingshu was once again at a loss for words.
Wang Xiu turned, clasping his hands behind his back as he gazed at the sky, his eyes profound. "In this world, besides the conventional path of Tribulation Transcendence, there are two other thods of Becoming Immortal!
"One is called nding the Heaven, and the other is Uniting with the Dao!"
Upon hearing this, the two exchanged a glance, confusion apparent in their eyes. They had never heard of such theories.
"What is nding the Heaven? Does the sky have a tear in it?"
Wang Xiu slowly shook his head. "nding the Heaven refers to completing the Heavenly Dao! Throughout history, there have been countless Daos: the Sword Dao, the Blade Dao, the Thunder Path, the Dao of the Five Elents, the Dao of Daoist Magic... These Daos were not naturally ford; they were pioneered by later generations of living beings! They are known as Acquired Daos.
"Although these Daos do not point directly to the origin of the Great Dao like the innate ones, they are still recognized by the Heavenly Dao. Once one of these Daos is pioneered and brought to completion, it is considered a completion of the Heavenly Dao itself. A trendous amount of rit will descend, guiding the Cultivator into the ranks of the immortals!"
Pausing for a mont, Wang Xiu added, "In this era, the Heavenly Dao is still young, and many Acquired Daos have yet to be perfected! The Dao of Painting is one of them... If the Painting Immortal can harness the power of all the Painting Dao Cultivators from the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths to complete this Dao, the rit he would gain, even if it's not enough to let him step into the Great Emperor Realm, would undoubtedly cause his realm to soar. He would monopolize the Fortune of the Dao of Painting!
"As long as the Dao of Painting is not extinguished, the Painting Immortal will never die!"
The two of them were dumbfounded by what they heard.
Such a path actually existed in the world?
"Then what about the thod of Uniting with the Dao?"
"The thod of Uniting with the Dao involves abandoning one's human consciousness to rge with one of the Three Thousand Innate Daos. From that point on, one is free of all desire. You beco the Dao, ascending directly to the Immortal Path! Those who ascend using this thod have a chance to rge with a Dao's origin in the Immortal Realm, becoming the master of that Dao!" Wang Xiu explained slowly.
The aged Sword Cultivator listened with rapt attention and asked, "Of these three thods, which is the strongest?"
Just as Wang Xiu was about to speak again, he suddenly rembered sothing and couldn't help but roll his eyes. "Aren't we getting a little off-topic?"
The two fell silent, finally snapping back to reality.
"So, you're saying my grandfather intends to use the nding the Heaven thod to try and ascend to immortality and defeat the Demon Race?" Wu Lingshu asked.
Wang Xiu nodded. "That's most likely the case!"
The thod of Tribulation Transcendence was the mainstream path in this era. As for the other two thods, Wang Xiu had never heard anyone else ntion them. He had only found this information within the many inheritances he had obtained. Very few people in this era were likely aware of them.
However, he couldn't exclude the possibility that the Painting Immortal had stumbled upon fragnts of knowledge left over from a previous era. Or perhaps, since the Painting Immortal already stood at the pinnacle of the current Dao of Painting, the Heavenly Dao was subtly inspiring him, guiding his actions. Such things had happened before.
"The Demon Race hasn't invaded the Nine Heavens for many years. For them to appear so brazenly this ti, sneaking into the heartland of the Human Race, is definitely not a coincidence! The Painting Immortal wishes to use this thod to resist the Demon Race. Even if it ans sacrificing billions of lives, success would allow him to stop the impending great calamity and save countless more. So this isn't a matter of right or wrong, only success or failure!"
Wang Xiu looked at Wu Lingshu and spoke slowly. "Therefore, you don't need to feel burdened by this!"
After a pause, Wang Xiu sighed. "Actually, I also hope the Painting Immortal doesn't use this thod!"
Wu Lingshu looked at him, puzzled. "Why?"
Wang Xiu didn't explain. Instead, he said, "I've said what I needed to say. Whether you believe it or not is up to you!"
As his words fell, he turned and went into the house.
"Miss, don't you have a way to contact Little Cold Mountain? Why not just ask them and find out?" the aged Sword Cultivator reminded her.
Wu Lingshu's expression was troubled. "I... I haven't been able to contact them for three years! I always thought Grandfather was ignoring because he was disappointed in my lack of progress!"
Hearing this, the aged Sword Cultivator's expression changed dramatically. "So, what Young Master Wang said could very well be true?"
Wu Lingshu hesitated no longer. She ran quickly into the house. "Young Master..."
Before she could finish, she stopped in her tracks with a baffled expression.
Wang Xiu was just walking out, followed by two Attending Maids. The house was already tidied up, looking as if they were preparing for a long journey.
"Young Master, where are you going?"
"Where else? Cold Mountain City..." As he spoke, Nie Linglan had already brought over a carriage drawn by a Spirit Beast. Wang Xiu boarded it, and a lazy voice drifted out from within. "I don't have many hobbies. I just like watching a good show!"
Wu Lingshu was slightly taken aback, then she quickly asked, "I was wondering... could I travel with you?"
A teasing look appeared on Wang Xiu's face. "So, you believe now?"
Wu Lingshu's face flushed slightly. "This matter is too important. I have to go back and see for myself. The worst that can happen... is that I get a scolding from Grandfather!"
A slight smile touched Wang Xiu's lips. "Co on up."
The aged Sword Cultivator suddenly glanced at the two n still contemplating the painting scroll inside the house. "What about them?" he asked.
Wang Xiu's voice ca from inside the carriage. "They'll probably need another ten days to half a month to comprehend it. There's no rush!"
And just like that, the group set off, much to everyone's surprise.
No one knew why the prominent Young Master Wang had departed so suddenly. Didn't he want to attend the grand feast at Little Cold Mountain?
...
A streak of light shot across the sky.
Sitting inside the carriage, Wang Xiu watched the clouds recede beyond the barrier and sighed internally.
He truly didn't want the Painting Immortal to walk the path of nding the Heaven. According to the logic of that thod, the person currently closest to the true Dao of Painting wasn't the Painting Immortal... it was him!
Once the Painting Immortal triggered a resonance with the Heavenly Dao and activated its consciousness, the Heavenly Dao's will would descend. It would likely pour all the Fortune of the Dao of Painting onto him, not the Painting Immortal!
This was beyond his control. If it happened, there would be no way for him to explain it!
Earlier, when the aged Sword Cultivator had asked which of the three ascension thods was the strongest, Wang Xiu hadn't answered. He couldn't answer. Because what happens in the Immortal Realm is unknown to those outside it.
But the one thing Wang Xiu was certain of was that both the nding the Heaven thod and the Uniting with the Dao thod would ultimately result in the Cultivator no longer being themself.
That was absolutely not a path he was willing to take.
If it really cos to that, I'll have to split off an incarnation to bear it all... As for , the Flawless Immortal Path... that is the choice I must stick to!
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