Chapter 1614: 804: Knowing the Origin of the Line_4

Chapter 1614: Chapter 804: Knowing the Origin of the Line_4

“He’s still only at the Nascent Soul Realm, not even within sight of Divinity Transformation—why is he suddenly talking about realms beyond Divinity Transformation?”

“Bai Guang is attempting to sever worldly ties, and I too have distanced myself from all the power struggles of the Immortal Gate. It’s all to disentangle myself from the threads of mortal attachments. Among this generation’s Nascent Soul Cultivators from the Immortal Gate, you and Qi Yuheng are the ones most likely to ascend to Divinity Transformation. So I’m letting you know early: the fewer threads on your body, the better.”

Chen Mobai still didn’t quite understand, but if they were discussing threads…

Could it be those entwined by the Crown of Heaven and Earth?

“Dare I ask, Ancestor, what do you mean by threads?”

Chen Mobai was always direct when he didn’t understand, and he could sense that the Leading Star Ancestor bore him no ill will.

“Beyond Divinity Transformation lies the ineffable Cultivating Void Realm. This realm is nearly impossible to describe, but if one had to use a single term, it would be ‘Grand Void Nothingness.’ For a person to reach such a realm, they must aim to become utterly undefiled—severing all cause-and-effect and cutting off all worldly attachments.”

Though the Leading Star Ancestor’s words were difficult to grasp, Chen Mobai understood one thing clearly.

The fewer threads he had, the better.

Ancestor Baiguang had been in seclusion for so many years, ignoring worldly affairs. Could it be that he was purifying his body and mind, removing attachments in hopes of someday breaking through that barrier?

“Dare I ask, Ancestor, how can one become utterly undefiled?”

The Leading Star Ancestor rose to his feet and pointed down the mountain.

“Amidst the mortal world, every person who has a relationship with you forges a thread that ties you to them. If the relationship is superficial, severing contact will naturally dissolve the thread.”

“But the threads tied to your parents and kin cannot be so easily cut. Some great figures from the antiquity Daoist systems committed acts like killing their parents or exterminating their relatives to pursue the Dao. However, that is the Demon Path.”

“The Immortal Gate’s method is to enter Divinity Transformation and then leave the Three Great Halls—perhaps even altogether sever ties with the mortal world. For if you hold a post within the Immortal Gate, every person connected to your position forms a thread. Take, for instance, the head of the Military Department; they are tied by millions of threads.”

“The lifespan of those in the Divinity Transformation Realm is lengthy enough to wait for their relatives to pass naturally, though this can sometimes lead to feelings of guilt…”

At this, the Leading Star Ancestor glanced at Wangxian Peak nearby. Sensing the anticipation in Chen Mobai’s eyes, he continued.

“One type of thread, however, does not disappear even in death: promises. Only by fulfilling a promise can one sever that thread.”

“And a promise’s other form is the Daoist Heart Oath. If you and someone else swear such an oath, and circumstances cause it to remain unfulfilled—especially if the other person dies before it is completed—this thread becomes a deadlock.”

“Thus, the higher one’s cultivation, the fewer Daoist Heart Oaths one should swear. Particularly oaths that entangle oneself directly. The most binding of these are usually those swearing eternal loyalty, for poorly chosen words in such an oath may bind two individuals together across lifetimes.”

“Within the Immortal Gate system, many places require this kind of Daoist Heart Oath. But these oaths are sworn to the Immortal Gate as a whole, meaning that the Three Hall Masters, as its representatives, bear innumerable threads upon themselves—numbering in the billions.”

“Fortunately, our predecessors devised a solution. These threads are tethered to the Immortal Gate as an entity. By stepping down from their positions after entering the Divinity Transformation Realm, the Three Hall Masters can avoid being burdened by billions of worldly threads, preserving their hope of reaching the higher Cultivating Void Realm.”

Hearing this, Chen Mobai was struck dumb where he stood.

The Immortal Gate had a method to shed its chrysalis and ascend. What about the Tianhe Realm?

As the Sect Leader of the Five Elements Sect, was he also burdened with countless threads?

Who exactly were the disciples swearing their oaths to when they pledged to the sect?

Chen Mobai wracked his brain until he recalled—it was to the cultivators themselves. If the oath was violated, their souls would be obliterated.

At this, Chen Mobai let out a sigh of relief.

Yet even so, as long as the disciples of the Five Elements Sect lived, uncountable threads would still be tied to him as the Sect Leader.

No wonder, during Yuan Zhen’s mediation between him and Bing Yun Hermit, both were made to swear oaths to each other while she remained uninvolved. Even during the crackdown on demonic cultivators, the suspects were made to swear oaths to prove their innocence.

These heirs of the Holy Land clearly understood these principles.

Thus, they would only rely on Daoist Heart Oaths as a last resort.

Chen Mobai thought back and felt reassured that there were no oaths directly tying him to anyone within the Five Elements Sect. The disciples’ oaths were primarily between themselves and the sect as a whole.

He guessed that this framework must have been common knowledge long ago.

It had been passed down across various sects, especially the Five Elements Sect, which traced its legacy to the True Lord Yuan. As an Ascended Monk, if the Ancestor Hunyuan obtained True Lord Yuan’s lineage, he must have been aware of these intricacies. Thus, these were likely built into the sect’s design during its founding.

Reflecting further, Chen Mobai realized there were select Daoist Heart Oaths that personally bound him.

He would need to find ways to deal with them ahead of time.

This reminded him of the Crown of Heaven and Earth.

With its aid, he could observe his threads directly.

Could the Divinity Transformation cultivators of the Immortal Gate manage something similar?

“Dare I ask, Ancestor, if some threads have been forgotten, is there a Secret Technique to rediscover them?”

The Leading Star Ancestor shook his head.

“At least within the Immortal Gate, no such Secret Technique exists. If you’ve forgotten the cause or promise behind a thread, that thread will remain entangled with you for life. For cultivators, the goal is to maintain as much clarity as possible, reducing the burden during Cultivating Void.”

“The Immortal Gate has yet to produce a successful Cultivating Void practitioner, but there is extensive experience. Having a few threads is normal—cultivators can carry these threads into the Cultivating Void process.”

“However, the number of threads must not be excessive. Too many threads mean dragging along the corresponding unresolved causes during Cultivating Void. If the number is reasonable, deep cultivation can enable one to force their way through. But with thousands—or even millions or billions—one might find themselves unable to take a single step, as though countless hands are pulling them downward, dragging them into the abyss.”

Hearing this, Chen Mobai felt a chill run through him.

Thankfully, he had always been cautious, refraining from unnecessary conflicts, and his Daoist Heart Oaths were almost all short-term, severing as soon as they were fulfilled.

If he had been reckless and oblivious, his path to Cultivating Void might have been completely obstructed by now.

“Thank you for your guidance, Ancestor. Should this disciple succeed one day in Cultivating Void, it will be due to the insights of this day.”

Chen Mobai rose sincerely and expressed his heartfelt gratitude to the Leading Star Ancestor.

In this moment, his opinion of the Heaven-Repairing Lineage shifted slightly.

The problem lay with those below; the figure at the top still had integrity.

“No need for such formalities. Ancestor Baiguang is in seclusion, so explaining these matters falls to me. For every Nascent Soul cultivator who visits the Five Peaks Immortal Mountains with the potential for Divinity Transformation, I give the same advice.”

Chen Mobai bowed once more in thanks.

“Earlier, Ying Guanghua sought me out regarding a matter. I instructed him to refine a furnace of Golden Elixir Spiritual Medicine, including the Golden Liquid Jade Pill.”

Feeling slightly less burdened, he understood the deeper implication in the Leading Star Ancestor’s words: the ultimate path of cultivation depends on one’s own comprehension and effort.

The Leading Star Ancestor regarded Chen Mobai and seemed to see through him, smiling faintly. “Your cultivation is impressive. To achieve this at the age of Nascent Soul Formation—your future is long ahead of you. Do not be hasty. Remember, cultivation is like rowing upstream: if you do not advance, you will retreat.”

Chen Mobai felt as though a heavy strike had landed in his heart. The Leading Star Ancestor’s words were like a sudden enlightenment. He bowed deeply, saying, “Many thanks for your guidance, Ancestor. This junior will engrave your words in his heart.”

The Leading Star Ancestor nodded, then disappeared in a flicker, returning to his gaming machine to continue his journey in the digital realm. Chen Mobai, with a heart full of gratitude, rose from the stone bench and left quietly, already pondering how to progress further on his path of cultivation.