"How is the Ancestor?"
"Yes, yes, any news? Have you found a way out?"
"Look at the Ancestor’s beaming face—he must have discovered a way to leave, right?"
The crowd stared eagerly at Zheng Wu, who had just returned, their faces filled with hope. They couldn’t wait to escape this place.
"Well, uh…"
Seeing their desperate eagerness to leave, Ancestor Zheng Wu awkwardly rubbed his nose and said sheepishly, "Actually, I think… well, staying here isn’t so bad. Look at the beautiful scenery, the birds singing, the fragrant flowers, the picturesque…"
"Maybe we should just… stay?"
"What? Ancestor, you—?"
Hearing his words, the crowd’s expressions instantly darkened.
"How could you think like this, Ancestor?"
"Yes, Ancestor! Didn’t you swear you’d lead us out before?"
Their anger grew, and one of them even forgot propriety, blurting out, "Ancestor, forgive my insolence, but I must ask—did you receive so benefit or promise of gain to suddenly change your mind?"
"Nonsense!"
Zheng Wu exploded in fury.
"Do you think your Ancestor is the kind of man to abandon righteousness for profit?"
"I, Zheng Wu, have lived with honor all my life! Do you think I’d bow for re trifles?"
Righteous indignation filled his voice as he waved his hand, summoning his most treasured artifact.
"Not even the slightest temptation could bend ! Not even a priceless treasure like this could make yield!"
"If you don’t believe , I’ll swear to the heavens!"
He raised the artifact high, ready to take an oath.
"No, Ancestor!"
Seeing this, the crowd imdiately fell to their knees, shafaced.
"Ancestor, we were wrong! We doubted you with petty suspicions!"
"To think you stand so noble and incorruptible! If even such a supre treasure couldn’t sway you, then surely no re benefit could!"
"We’ve disrespected you—please punish us according to sect law!"
They kowtowed in unison, deeply remorseful for their earlier insolence.
"How could I bla you? You acted for the sake of the Three Lives Sect."
Zheng Wu tugged at the corners of his lips, which threatened to rise too high, and clasped his hands behind his back, adopting an air of dignified austerity.
"The reason I don’t want to leave isn’t because I’ve taken up digging pits or hauling manure—it’s because I’m tired of a life of sches and deception."
"Ancestor or not, a Daoist or not—I’m exhausted!"
"My shoulders have borne too much!"
"All I want now is a simple, peaceful life."
He raised his eyes to the sky, blinking hard, and when he lowered them again, they were red-rimd, his face etched with weariness and lancholy.
The sight tugged at their hearts.
"Ancestor, you’ve suffered."
"If you won’t leave, then neither will we. Where you go, we follow."
They spoke as one.
"Ah, you…"
"Why must you…?"
"Fine, then stay with !"
"But I’ve wronged you all!"
"Yet to have such loyal followers—it’s truly my honor!"
Bending down, Zheng Wu helped each of them up.
Not only did the Ancestor refuse to punish them, but he personally lifted them and even called their loyalty his honor—this filled them with boundless fervor.
Their devotion burned even brighter.
"Since that’s settled… let’s dig pits."
Zheng Wu rolled up his sleeves, his lips curling high.
Ah, the art of manipulation…
Days passed in the blink of an eye.
Zheng Wu and his Three Lives Sect disciples toiled diligently.
Then, one day—
As he dug, Zheng Wu suddenly shot into the sky, his aura surging, reeking of filth.
Yet his face was alight with ecstasy.
"This… this is the so-called ‘Path of Excrent’?"
"Hahaha, I’ve attained enlightennt!"
He hadn’t been idle these past few days.
He’d learned that manure haulers were highly valued on Dark Shadow Island.
And for good reason.
Under Lu DaSheng’s leadership, they had forged their own Dao.
Only now did he realize what an imnse opportunity the Skeleton Deity had granted him with that single complint!
The Great Dao numbered three thousand.
So paths were strong, others weak.
The Dao realms were, in essence, about comprehending the Dao. The early stages—the Dao-Touching Realm and the Dao-Unity Realm—were rely foundations.
"Touching the Dao" ant gaining the qualification to perceive the true Dao.
"Uniting with the Dao" ant finding one’s own path and rging with it.
Only after that could one step into the Dao-Unity Realm.
And beyond that lay the true mastery—Proving the Dao!
Zheng Wu had been stuck in the Dao-Unity Realm for years, unable to find his path. Not even the weakest of the three thousand Daos would accept him.
So he’d long abandoned hope of advancing further.
Yet here he was, on Dark Shadow Island for re days, and he’d found his Dao—the Path of Excrent!
A Dao outside the three thousand!
Of course, this wasn’t unheard of.
History’s most monstrous talents had occasionally fused with paths beyond the orthodox three thousand—and without exception, they beca legends.
Because while the standard Daos had well-known counters, these "unorthodox paths" were wildcards in battle.
How could Zheng Wu not be ecstatic?
Not only had he united with a Dao—
But one beyond the three thousand!
User Comments
0 comments from readers