Chapter 1609 — A Different Path to Attaining the Dao

"Attaining the Dao doesn't require a dao tree, dao flowers, or dao fruit?

" Shen Mu and the Empress sisters were each taken aback. In their long-held understanding, the most conspicuous mark of one who had attained the Dao was this: that the great dao should transform within the ultimate void into a dao tree, bloom into dao flowers, and bear dao fruit. Yet the woman beneath the sea said that the path of dao tree, dao flowers, and dao fruit was still very primitive — which did not accord with what they knew.

As far as Shen Mu knew, even the master of Miluo Palace had cultivated a dao tree and dao fruit, and upon his dao tree hung sixteen dao fruits!

Other Dao-attainers of Jade Capital City likewise mostly possessed dao trees and dao fruit, and so did the Fourth Young Master of Miluo Palace. Could there truly be a path in this world that required no dao tree and no dao fruit?

The woman beneath the sea said, "Attaining the Dao is not limited to the single path of transforming the great dao into a dao tree.

As for attaining the Dao by becoming a dao tree — that is, in truth, nothing more than a clever shortcut.

" Shen Mu asked humbly, "Second Sister, why do you say so? I look at our master, the master of Miluo Palace — he too has a dao tree.

Why then do you call it a shortcut? " "The dao tree is the World Tree.

This world already has a World Tree. When you attain the Dao, you shape your own dao in the likeness of the World Tree — is that not borrowing the power of the World Tree?

" The woman sneered, "You spend a lifetime cultivating, attaining the Dao, and in the end you imitate the World Tree, hoping thereby to make your own dao evergreen and undying like the World Tree. If that is not borrowing power, what is? And what is more laughable — imitation is imitation!

" She mocked, "The World Tree can pass through the great kalpa of the universe's birth and destruction, but the World Tree you imitate cannot pass through the kalpa of birth and destruction — is that not laughable? " Her words were full of sense, and Shen Mu could not help nodding again and again as he listened.

The Empress and Lady Yuanmu knew little of the great kalpa of the universe's destruction and felt little at her words, but Shen Mu knew that countless Dao-attainers in Jade Capital City, under the shelter of that divine city, sought to live on into the next universe.

And beneath the roots of the World Tree, innumerable prehistoric powerhouses sought to stow away into the next universe. Most of these people cultivated the path of dao tree, dao flowers, and dao fruit. "Mediocrity is mediocrity!

" The woman mocked, "Even our master, the first to cultivate a dao tree and dao fruit, could not escape falling onto the path of mediocrity.

To cultivate a dao tree is to make it impossible to pass through the kalpa of birth and destruction.

So they can only rely on stowing away.

Only in a second life, having cultivated a second dao fruit, do they have a chance to survive the kalpa of birth and destruction. But to enter the next universe, they still can only rely on stowing away! Even our master, an existence who has cultivated sixteen dao fruits — what of it? " She sneered, "If he wants to come over, must he not still rely on stowing away? This is the sorrow of the dao tree system! " Shen Mu thought for a moment, then suddenly said, "Just now, Second Sister kept speaking of the kalpa of birth and destruction, not the kalpa of destruction.

Why is that?

" The woman's gaze fell upon his face, and she said in admiration, "Seventh is clever after all — no wonder you have been able to stir up trouble for so long. That is right: it is the kalpa of birth and destruction, not the kalpa of destruction.

The universe is born once and destroyed once. Destruction is a kalpa; birth is also a kalpa. When the universe is destroyed, annihilating all life, all stars, all space — that is the great destruction. When the universe is born, heaven opens and earth is split apart, destroying all that came before, all that is rotten, and bringing forth being from chaos — that is the kalpa of birth.

So I call it the great kalpa of birth and destruction. Those who attain the Dao may perhaps endure the great kalpa of destruction, but they cannot necessarily endure the kalpa of birth. After those Dao-attainers obtained Jade Capital City, they still had to lay schemes, waiting until mass-energy exchange could bring enough energy and matter from the future universe before they could enter the future universe — precisely because their dao, their physical bodies and primordial spirits, might pass through the great kalpa of destruction, but could not pass through the kalpa of birth.

That is why they resort to petty scheming and expend great effort on their plots. " The woman said leisurely, "This is the flaw of borrowing the World Tree's power — a primitive method of attaining the Dao. " Shen Mu's eyes flickered, and just as he was about to ask, Lady Yuanmu beat him to it: "Then Senior must have mastered the true method of attaining the Dao, correct? No wonder Senior was suppressed here by the master of Miluo Palace — it must be that so-called master of Miluo Palace was jealous of your worth, and so suppressed you! " "Silence!

" The woman was furious, and said sternly, "To speak ill of my master — even if you are of my Guixu lineage, I will show you no mercy!

" Lady Yuanmu shuddered and did not dare flatter so recklessly again. The woman said coldly, "You do not understand the master of Miluo Palace at all, do not understand my master. The breadth of his heart is beyond your reckoning. He need only stand there to make all people submit and revere him.

Though I bear him some resentment, though I was suppressed by him, there is not a trace of hatred for him in my heart.

" Lady Yuanmu stuck out her tongue and did not dare speak. Shen Mu, however, was lost in wistful longing, and murmured, "If I could but see him once, this life would be worth living.

.

. " "Everyone thinks so. " The woman said, "Though I believe his path is mistaken, that cannot stop my reverence for him. " The Empress said, "Then, Senior, what is this path of attaining the Dao without a dao tree that you have comprehended?

" The woman smiled, "After you cut the red cord and free me, I will naturally teach you.

My path of attaining the Dao is different from those mediocrities.

My path fears neither the kalpa of birth and destruction and can calmly pass through the evolution of universe after universe.

So long as you help me escape my bonds, I will not only help you merge — I will also teach you my path of attaining the Dao.

" The Empress pondered, and Lady Yuanmu also hesitated.

This Second Young Master of Miluo Palace was by no means a kind soul. A moment ago, in luring them to climb the twin lotus and cut the red cord, she had harbored the intent of letting the master of Miluo Palace's seal refine them to death. Only after Shen Mu revealed his identity as the Seventh Young Master of Miluo Palace did she divulge so much seemingly useful information. But this information was of no great help to Shen Mu, or to the Empress and Yuanmu. Clearly, she still harbored the intent of getting something for nothing.

Shen Mu said gravely, "Second Sister, then my twin lotus.

. .

" The woman said, "Giving you the twin lotus is impossible, but I can give you a lotus leaf.

The lotus leaves in this Chaos Sea can also pass through the kalpa of birth and destruction, enduring sixteen kalpas without being destroyed.

Obtain a lotus leaf, and it will be enough to keep you alive and kicking into the next universe after your universe is destroyed!

" Shen Mu's heart pounded, and looking at the lotus leaf beneath his feet, he suddenly said, "Second Sister, this lotus leaf is fine, but after all it is not a lotus flower.