A person in the heavens, starting with a Chaos Emperor Dao Fruit

Page 167

However, even heaven and earth have a lifespan, perhaps billions or even trillions of years before they end. The so-called other shore is where one's lifespan surpasses that of heaven and earth, truly transcending them when they come to an end.

In the original novel's ending, Hong Yi's realm can only be described as infinitely close to the other shore, a state that can be described in one phrase—living as long as heaven and earth. However, this state is not the other shore, because it fails to transcend heaven and earth; when the lifespan of heaven and earth ends, death still occurs.

This transcendent quality is also found in a similar realm within the game "Covering the Sky"—the Mortal Immortal. In "Covering the Sky," the lowest realm that truly allows one to transcend heaven and earth and exist independently is the Mortal Immortal.

As for Hong Yi's final realm, compared to the realm of the Heaven-Covering Technique, it's roughly equivalent to an ordinary True Immortal.

However, it is still amazing that Hong Yi in the original novel was able to cultivate from a mortal to that level in six years.

You should know that for a cultivator practicing the Heaven-Covering Technique to reach the level of an ordinary True Immortal, it would take at least three or four lifetimes. Let alone six years, it might not even take 160,000 years to cultivate to this level.

Finally shaking his head, Yunhua left the secluded valley, hunted a strange beast, and after eating and drinking his fill, he began to comprehend the cultivation system of this world again, opening up the acupoints in his body.

As he cultivated, the 1,296 acupoints in his body began to glow, and suddenly, it seemed that there were endless stars in the void that were connected to these acupoints.

In the darkness, endless power poured into his acupoints, combining with his invincible fist intent, gradually opening up the hundred smaller acupoints within a large acupoint and nurturing divine spirits.

Although it is daytime, there are still stars in the sky. At this moment, the starlight is like water, and countless rays of light penetrate into Yunhua's opened acupoints. With Yunhua's breathing, all the light is slowly circulating.

A day passed in the blink of an eye, and night fell once more.

Yunhua also returned to the secluded valley from outside, where a campfire had already been lit.

At that moment, Consort Yuan arrived at the campfire with a young boy, surrounded by a group of fox cubs.

Yunhua could sense the long dragon of fortune above Hong Yi's head. Although this was only the fortune of the thousands of potential successors, it was still extraordinary, because Yunhua knew that this was the true dragon, the future successor.

Just as Yunhua approached, Consort Yuan suddenly asked, "What is the biggest thing in the world?"

"So that's exactly what happened!" Yunhua was taken aback, but didn't rush out.

This was clearly a question that Consort Yuan had pondered for a long time, and when she raised it, there was still a hint of confusion on her face.

"What is the greatest thing in the world?" Hong Yi was also pondering this question.

But then he casually remarked, "Of course, reason is the greatest thing in the world."

"The greatest truth?"

Yuanfei's face showed a hint of joy, and she said, "Good, good point. Fortunately, I stopped by Qiuyue Temple today. I knew that you were no ordinary person when I heard you composing poetry."

"Sir, your words have truly resolved a great doubt that I have pondered for a long time!!"

Consort Yuan's voice carried a hint of excitement.

"The greatest reason? Then whose reason is the greatest?" But before Consort Yuan could finish her excitement, Yun Hua's voice came from not far away.

"Whose reason is the greatest?!" Yunhua's question immediately stunned both Yuanfei and Hongyi.

This was a question neither of them had considered.

Consort Yuan was alright; she had just agreed with Hong Yi's statement that "the truth is the greatest" and hadn't thought about it further. But Hong Yi was different; he froze on the spot, speechless for a long time.

"Whose reason is the greatest?" Hong Yi wondered, feeling somewhat lost.

Yes, he had been studying the classics since childhood and had heard of the teachings of all the philosophers and sages. But even among all the philosophers and sages, their teachings were not entirely the same.

For example, among the philosophers of the 20th century, some believed that "human nature is inherently evil," while others believed that "human nature is inherently good."

This is inherently a contradictory principle, but in the writings of the pre-Qin philosophers, whether it is "human nature is inherently evil" or "human nature is inherently good," they can all explain it in a logical and clear manner, making their reasoning convincing.

But as a scholar, especially one who has spoken of the "greatest truth," I should at least agree with one of them!

“This problem, this problem…” Hong Yi felt more and more that he had fallen into a mental trap.

He wants to agree with someone's reasoning, but this inevitably leads to the rejection of another's reasoning. If we were to truly answer this question, many of the philosophers and sages of the Hundred Schools of Thought would have to be rejected by him.

Seeing that Hong Yi was deep in thought, Consort Yuan, without giving it much thought, asked directly, "Then whose reasoning do you think is the most valid?"

Chapter 375 I'm the Greatest

Upon hearing Yuanfei's words, Hong Yi immediately turned to look at Yunhua, wanting to see the answer from the person who had asked the question.

"Whose reason is the greatest? Naturally, mine is the greatest!" Yunhua said with a light laugh.

"Your reasoning is the greatest? Do you compare yourself to all the sages of the past, and think yourself greater than them?" Hong Yi asked instinctively, which was typical of a scholar.

He had studied the theories of the ancient philosophers and sages since childhood, and he wholeheartedly agreed with their principles. Naturally, he would not agree with Yunhua's statement that "my principles are the greatest."

“Indeed, the sages of the past were also human beings. Although their doctrines were logically consistent, there were also conflicts among the sages. Their doctrines do not apply to everyone. None of the sages of the past have doctrines that are entirely applicable to me. Why should I respect their doctrines?”

Yunhua answered naturally, without the slightest hint of reluctance. Hong Yi was instantly shaken. He felt a terrifying aura of arrogance and dominance, and his expression changed slightly as cold sweat broke out on his forehead.

Not only Hong Yi, but Yuan Fei also felt a tightness in her chest. This confidence and aura were simply too terrifying. In that instant, when she looked at Yun Hua, it was as if she were seeing a great sun, high in the vast ocean, supreme and unrivaled.

"Actually, I don't need to answer that question. Regarding your previous question, 'What is the greatest thing in the world?' I have a different answer," Yunhua said leisurely. "In the world, reason isn't necessarily the greatest. As long as you have enough strength, what does it matter if right and wrong are reversed?"

"What is the greatest thing in the world? My answer is 'I'. My heart is infinitely vast, capable of swallowing the heavens and the earth, with the universe contained within my heart. My strength is infinitely great, capable of destroying the Dao and annihilating reason. Are you satisfied with this answer?" Yunhua smiled as she looked at Yuanfei.

"Reason is the greatest, I am the greatest, and heaven and earth reside in my heart!" Consort Yuan originally thought that this doubt had been resolved, but at this moment, countless doubts arose in her heart.

Both Hong Yi's "reason is the greatest" and Yun Hua's "I am the greatest" make sense.

Consort Yuan glanced at Yunhua and thought to herself, "Heaven and earth are all in my heart. This belief encompasses heaven and earth... Perhaps this thought, this will, is the reason why he was able to easily merge my 'Ice Soul Cold Light Technique' with the 'Amitabha Sutra'!"

Although she had guessed the reason and cause of Yunhua's strength, Yuanfei was speechless. Such a bold and domineering idea was not something she could simulate.

Afterwards, Consort Yuan looked at Hong Yi again and thought to herself, "Hong Yi is still too young and idealistic... Unless he can rival the sages of the past and create his own unique principles, he will never be able to win against Yun Hua based on reason."

Having thought about this issue carefully, Consort Yuan immediately realized that Hong Yi was still far from being as good as Yun Hua.

However, after his initial panic, Hong Yi calmed himself down and kept thinking of ways to refute Yun Hua's words. But where could Hong Yi find a reason sufficient to refute Yun Hua's words?

Although Hong Yi was well-versed in the classics of the Hundred Schools of Thought from a young age, Hong Xuanji always kept a strict eye on him, even requiring him to borrow or copy books from others. How many books has he read so far? It would be a miracle if he could even finish reading all the classics.

Moreover, Hong Yi is neither a martial artist nor a Taoist, and he lacks both confidence and courage. How could he possibly come up with a reason to refute Yun Hua?

Yunhua glanced at Hongyi, and suddenly understood.

Although Hong Yi seemed somewhat confused, he was actually constantly trying to find ways to refute himself.

"No wonder he is the only darling of this era. He has cultivated to the point of being infinitely close to the other shore in six years... He has been a person who only follows his own principles since birth!" Yun Hua had come to understand Hong Yi's domineering nature.

Such a person is unlikely to be defeated, because he only follows his own thoughts and doesn't listen to what others say.

“My confidence and domineering nature are accumulated through repeated victories and advancements, while Hong Yi’s confidence and domineering nature are innate…” Yun Hua thought to himself, while analyzing Hong Yi’s personality traits.

That's right, Hong Yi's personality is domineering, a domineering attitude of self-importance.

According to his grand ambition that everyone should be like a dragon, is Meng Shenji a dragon? Is Anhuang Daoren a dragon? Is Yang Pan a dragon? Is the Shang Emperor a dragon? Is the Yin Emperor a dragon?

If they don't count as dragons, then Hong Yi's group of subordinates are even less likely to be dragons.

But what was the result? They were all killed by him.

Hong Yi's grand ambition of making everyone a dragon was clearly to kill all the dragons he couldn't control, leaving only those he could.

"In fact, in the original novel, Hong Yi never suffered a loss during his rise to power. Moreover, he had a strong sense of purpose in his words and actions. Any seemingly disadvantageous thing had its underlying interests and goals. He applied whatever principle was applicable to the current situation."

"So he could eat people while simultaneously cursing Hong Xuanji and his group for using other people's corpses to forge weapons. He ate people himself because it brought him benefits, and he cursed Hong Xuanji and his group to strike at their opponents and make them lose their sense of righteousness. Thinking about it this way, Hong Yi's principle becomes very clear—pragmatism."

"He may have lofty and noble ideals, but his methods are truly pragmatic. He wants the reputation of a gentleman; he wants the reputation of a sage. He persuades his enemies if he can persuade them, and kills those who cannot be persuaded by reason."

“His words and actions are entirely in line with the principles of military strategy, and he has a deep understanding of the true meaning of ‘the art of war is deception’.”

"If this is the way of the gentleman that he approves of, and if everyone is like him, then his grand ambition, the so-called 'everyone is like a dragon,' should be close to the world that Yangzi envisioned: 'If I lose a hair to benefit the world, I will not give it; if the whole world is offered to me, I will not take it; if everyone does not lose a hair and everyone does not benefit the world, then the world will be at peace.'"

"However, if everyone does not harm the slightest thing and everyone does not benefit the world, then how can everyone cross the sea of ​​suffering and reach the other shore? There is only one answer: to take from heaven and earth!"

But can heaven and earth truly support so many people to reach the other shore? Can heaven and earth truly bear a world where everyone is like a dragon?

Yunhua didn't quite agree with Hongyi's Path to the Other Shore, because the possibility of success with this path was almost nonexistent. Even Hongyi himself had practically devoured all the world's treasures, and even obtained the power of the Creation Daoist and the Longevity Emperor, before he reached the realm of "living as long as heaven and earth."

"What makes others think they can rise to power?" Yun Hua looked at Hong Yi, a hint of curiosity in her eyes. "However, I want to see what you'll use to rise to power without the Amitabha Sutra!"

If Hong Yi hadn't had the Amitabha Sutra as his source of inspiration, what would he have become?

Will it die within a few days?

Yunhua still remembered that among this group of foxes was a pagoda visualization technique, which Hong Yi could use to cultivate; but given Hong Yi's reckless nature, he might just achieve some success in his cultivation and then try to spy on Hong Xuanji, only to be killed.

In the original story, Hong Yi did exactly that, except that he had the Amitabha Sutra at that time, which allowed him to easily reassemble his scattered soul; but what if he no longer had the Amitabha Sutra?

If he relies solely on the "Pagoda Visualization Method" here and tries to spy on Hong Xuanji, will he be beaten to death?

"However, I've also seen Hong Yi. Although he has a fierce heart, he's just an innocent young scholar right now. What he does next is none of my business..." With this thought, Yun Hua felt somewhat disheartened and considered leaving.

Over the past few months, he has read through all the foxes' collection of books, and there's nothing left for him to care about among these foxes.

Chapter 376 Departure and the Intent of the Fist

Having no desire to linger any longer, he immediately said, "It's getting late, and I'd like to wander around a bit more, so I won't stay any longer. Farewell!"

Without waiting for the foxes to react, he turned and left, disappearing from everyone's sight in a single leap.

“Yunhua and Hongyi…the two of them seem to be…” Yuanfei looked at Yunhua’s departing figure and sighed in her heart. Even she could see that the two of them were not on good terms at all.

"However, it is unexpected that the Great Zen Temple has such a successor." Consort Yuan also felt a little emotional.

The idea that "heaven and earth are all in my heart" already has some of the spirit of the Buddha's "above and below heaven, I alone am supreme".

In the southern mountains, it was already winter, with heavy snow falling and the world desolate. Yunhua moved forward, quietly observing the entire landscape.

Yunhua did not rush to his destination, but walked step by step on the earth, just like when he traveled from Tianzhu Mountain to Daqian. He was measuring the land of this world with his own footsteps.

This relates to the realm of shattering the vacuum.

Because the cultivators of this world have ninety-nine acupoints that are not inside their own bodies, but on this land, corresponding to the ninety-nine continents of this world.

The native inhabitants of this world are one thing, but the ninety-nine continents have long been deeply ingrained in their hearts. Moreover, those who have cultivated to such a level have all undergone decades of arduous training and study. Their understanding of this world far surpasses that of Yunhua, and most importantly, their sense of belonging to it far exceeds that of Yunhua.

Therefore, Yunhua needs to devote himself to learning and understanding in order to narrow the gap with the natives of this world.

read more, walk more.

This is a process that combines knowledge and practice.

“Spring, summer, autumn, winter… every place in this world contains its own unique principles,” Yunhua thought to herself.

Although the world was desolate, he could feel a tremendous vitality hidden beneath his feet. Winter is a time of dormancy, and all this vitality was hidden away, waiting to burst forth next spring.

As the snow fell heavily and all things withered, a sense of coldness and desolation pervaded the world, which coincidentally resonated with the "Ice Soul Cold Light Technique" that Yunhua had previously comprehended.

The world was vast and white, with snow covering everything, stretching all the way to the horizon.

"The Ice Soul Cold Light Technique does suit this scenery." Yunhua walked through the snow-covered mountains and forests. The snow fell heavier and heavier, and in an instant, the world was a vast expanse of white.

Looking at the snow, at the earth covered by snowflakes, Yunhua couldn't help but feel a sense of realization.

Since arriving in this world, he has spent most of his time personally experiencing the universe and studying various books, Taoist methods, and principles of this world. In addition, the 108 acupoints he has opened have made his connection with this world even closer.

The accumulation of this period of time, coupled with the current scene where heaven and earth blend into one, gave Yunhua a strange feeling, as if the snowflakes and the cold wind had a peculiar charm...

Gradually, he stopped and began to move. Standing in the wind and snow, he exerted his strength, mobilizing all his muscles and bones, coordinating with his deep breathing, and unleashing fierce and powerful moves. Fists, palms, legs, fingers, knives, guns, swords, halberds, and all sorts of moves were unleashed from his hands.

During this period, he gradually integrated the essence of martial arts into a unified whole.

At the same time, Yunhua fell into a strange state. His soul flew out of his body, bathed in the swirling snow. Every thought seemed to merge with the snow and the world around him.

He felt his mind was filled with a blur of snowflakes, one by one, piece by piece...

After his soul left his body, his physical body did not stop, but continued to practice martial arts, entering a state of no thought and no desire.

Time passes day by day.

In the blink of an eye, three days had passed, and Yunhua had completely mastered his martial arts experience. He had fused the many divine skills he had learned with the various martial arts techniques wielded by Yuanfei into a single system, creating something uniquely his own.

This is an incredibly terrifying martial intent.

The cycle of heaven and earth, the withering of all things, contains an aura of reincarnation, despair, and annihilation.

"The cycle of heaven and earth, the withering of all things, is this the fist intent I have comprehended? The fist intent of reincarnation and annihilation?" Yunhua's soul returned to his body, he stopped moving, and a trace of icy coldness flashed in his eyes.

As night falls, a gentle sea breeze blows, the sound of the tide is heard, and a bright moon shines on the beach, turning the entire sandy area into a silvery white.

"Finally, we've arrived at the beach!" Yunhua stepped onto the sand, his gaze fixed on the deep sea.

Having traveled from Yujing to the seaside, Yunhua's eyes had become much deeper. Along the way, he had also gained insights, and all the natural landscapes of the world, such as mountains, rivers, lakes, snow, and wind, had become resources for his martial arts.

This is a truly explosive period.

It was an explosion that occurred when Yunhua truly integrated into the cultivation system of this world; all the insights that the original body had accumulated in the world of Shrouding the Heavens were gradually verified by heaven and earth during this period, and transformed into the martial arts and Taoist techniques of this world.

"With my current level of cultivation, I should have no problem passing the nine-fold tribulation; however, I will definitely be weak for a period of time after the tribulation." Yunhua also had some understanding of his current state.