Under One Person: The Seeker of the Dao in the Lü Family

Chapter 387 First step to Human Immortal, Second step to Earth Immortal, Third step... Ascension

At the gate of Wudang Mountain, Lü Qian, carrying his sword, strode forward, one step landing at the end of the mountain steps in front of the gate, the other stepping into the void.

"despair!"

A figure in a green robe stood facing the sky, a gentle breeze blowing around him. The scattered mist solidified and settled at the Taoist's feet. The clouds and white cranes on the path to heaven all bowed and danced before the Taoist in the green robe, playing even more mysterious celestial music.

Lu Qian looked up, his lofty and compassionate gaze shifting away from all living beings, becoming devoid of joy or anger. Following the guidance of the flock of cranes, he looked towards the vast and distant sky.

In the eyes of ordinary people, there is no scenery in the vast blue sky. Apart from the unchanging clouds and sky for hundreds and thousands of years, there are no magnificent and moving landscapes or magnificent and immortal palaces.

The Taoist in the green robe moved naturally and smoothly, like a gentle breeze and white clouds drifting across the sky, vast yet serene.

"despair!"

With another step, the Taoist in green robes lifted the half-step that had landed on the stone steps and stepped completely into the sky, onto the heavenly avenue paved with colorful clouds and flocks of white cranes.

This time, and the third time he had passed the starting point of the path of seeking the Dao, Lü Qian did not dream of re-cultivating his mind and nature, nor did he call upon the Three Calamities to temper his body and soul. He naturally walked into the clouds.

They embarked on a path of ascension to heaven under the watchful eyes of all and witnessed by the world.

This path differs from the non-action (wuwei) in Taoist scriptures, from the tranquility (qingjing) of religious sects, and from the constraints imposed by the world on so-called extraordinary individuals...

But he fits Lü Qian's character, and embodies the Dao-seeking heart of someone nicknamed "True Martial Demon Lord".

"Having attained the Taiyi Golden Core realm, I will soar freely across the world."

Lu Qian ascended with his hands behind his back. Behind him was the ever-receding human world, beneath his feet was his path of seeking the Dao, and before him was the boundless, desolate blue sky.

A gentle breeze, mingling with the glow of dawn and the mist, carried the Taoist's confident and spirited song far and wide, leaving behind only a corner of his green robe fluttering in the wind for all living beings.

"Tap tap tap..."

His steps seemed to tread on thin air, as if he were stepping on stone steps. The sound of Lü Qian's footsteps became clearer and more ethereal as his figure rose higher and higher, while the colorful clouds in the sky became more and more dazzling as the Taoist priest approached.

At noon, when the sky above Wudang should have been clear and cloudless, the clouds gathered from all directions, and the rosy glow resembled flames, burning the entire sky.

The azure sky was completely dyed a fiery color.

"What is Wudang trying to do?"

"What else can we do? It's just that a path has been opened to those who have attained enlightenment."

"A road that had been silent for hundreds of years has once again seen someone reach a legendary realm..."

The discussions from thousands of miles away did not disturb the magnificent scenery on Wudang Mountain. Flaming clouds surged, and feather-like patterns fell from the clouds, drifting in the void.

Those illusory yet real feather patterns surrounded the Taoist who was constantly rising in the void, as if draping him in a feather robe.

"The five elements coalesce and burn within the abdomen, thus cultivating an indestructible and immaculate body."

Lu Qian's figure had already risen to the middle of the Path to Heaven. The five-colored rays of light, azure, red, white, black, and yellow, appeared first on Lu Qian's abdomen as the five-colored clouds called out, and then emanated from all parts of his body, coating the feather patterns around him with an immortal radiance.

"The Three Treasures gather and disperse, refining the formless, thus attaining the true nature of emptiness and spirit."

The Taoist's song had faded into the distance, and the creatures in the mountains could hardly hear it anymore. But the colors of the fiery clouds in the sky suddenly changed, and the colorful scene was suppressed in an instant. Only the image of a lotus flower blooming was reflected in the sky and earth.

The lotus flowers were colorless, seemingly one, three, or even countless, suddenly bursting open in the air, filling the world with an inexplicable atmosphere.

Neither increasing nor decreasing, neither defiled nor pure... Is it chaos? Yet it doesn't seem like it...

Thinking about it will lead to mistakes, and contemplating it will lead to errors.

Before the people could react to this series of strange phenomena, the figure in the green robe on the road to heaven had already become almost invisible.

The Taoist's back seemed to be shrouded in clouds, or perhaps about to dissipate into the world.

In mid-air, Lü Qian had arrived at the end of the path paved by the cranes. The white crane that he had enlightened long ago was waiting for his arrival here.

"唳——"

The cranes cried out, their clear calls carrying concern and congratulations. In the cranes' human-like eyes, the figure of Lü Qian, now scattered, was reflected.

At this moment, Lü Qian no longer had a physical form. The immortal light refined from the five elements and the energy of emptiness intertwined and mingled with each other, causing Lü Qian's body to continuously collapse in the process.

The collapse and destruction contained neither the decay of death nor the vibrant vitality, but rather wisps of gentle breeze and bright light, which were constantly being forged in the desolate high sky, with an inexplicable aura constantly dissipating.

This is the innate vital energy, and also the realm of the Golden Elixir.

"despair!"

With one step, the clear breeze and bright light melted away, and "Lu Qian" completely collapsed and disappeared, leaving no trace of the green-robed Taoist in the world.

At the same moment, in the boundless and vast inner void, in the so-called Great Luo Heaven, immeasurable energy surged in out of thin air, and the innate energy was like a cascading waterfall, washing over the void space.

"boom!"

The surging waters shook the Great Luo Heaven, a realm hidden deep within another dimension, where all beings possess profound spiritual awareness. Numerous stars twinkled in the void, echoing each other as if welcoming the arrival of new faces.

"cut!"

"despair!"

As if taking another step, the surging and boundless energy instantly stabilized its scattered flow, and the innate energy gradually became harmonious, transforming into the form of "Lü Qian".

"Now that the Earth Immortal Dao Fruit has been achieved, the [Cave Heaven Daoist Temple] can be opened, but..."

Lu Qian's figure materialized, and he sat cross-legged in the void, gazing at the twinkling stars in all directions. Among those glittering morning stars, there seemed to be human figures, and there seemed to be a landscape of mountains and rivers.

A single morning star represents the attainment of a Daoist immortal.

At this moment, Lü Qian can also transform into a star in the inner landscape, using his own energy to integrate the fragments related to [Lü Qian] in the inner landscape, and to refine and consolidate the [memories] of him of all living beings in this divine perception void, thus cultivating his own Dao field.

But he didn't do that.

"This place is not my place, this body is not my body."

Lu Qian raised his hand and the wooden sword on his back fell into his palm. He then swung the sword down at the perfectly harmonious and naturally formed figure.

"My path does not lie in this."

"despair!"

The sound of footsteps seemed to ring out again, and the sword light flashed across the void, its cold gleam illuminating the inner world. The figure that gathered the thoughts of all living beings shattered with a crash, and boundless Dao fire was generated out of thin air.

The flickering flames ignited from the thoughts of all living beings, scorching Lü Qian's scattered figure.

The [thoughts] that were originally meant for Lü Qian to cultivate his Dao Fruit have now transformed into swords, water, and fire that are slashing at Lü Qian himself, further forging his "longevity" Dao Fruit, which is already as enduring as heaven and earth and coexisting with all living beings.

"Great courage, three steps to enlightenment."

"One step to become a Human Immortal, ascending to the Great Luo Heaven; one step to become an Earth Immortal, but abandoning the Daoist temple and forsaking the Dao fruit; three steps to become a Celestial Immortal, tempered by a thousand kalpas..."

"A single thought can create a world, a single thought can define an era. By forging our true self through the thoughts of all beings, we need not fear the calamity of losing our way..."

"Wait, he's about to succeed, transcending the cycle of rebirth in a single thought..."

The inner world is a place that transcends time and space. The Thousand Calamity Fire rises, and then Lü Qian's figure disappears from the spot. In the darkness, a grand will appears, and the stars that were just shining burst forth with even more dazzling light.

"when--"

"when--"

"when--"

On Wudang Mountain, as the figure of the Taoist priest disappeared into the clouds and vanished into the azure sky, the bells, drums, and chimes of the various temples and monasteries on the mountain resounded, weaving together a hymn of natural rhythm.

"Honoring Emperor Xuanyang, True Lord Chiyi!"