Li Mu stood quietly beneath the Starry Sky, his Chaos Dao Body already retracted, but the Chaos Power within him surged like an unceasing tide.
The Origin Dao rhymes of the thirteen nine-rank divine objects circulated endlessly within the Chaotic Boundary Sealing Formation, intermingling, colliding, and evolving, like a microcosm of the myriad Dao contending when heaven and earth first opened.
Witnessing this scene, Li Mu couldn't help but immerse his mind in it, his Chaos True Essence circulating accordingly, each cycle reshaping his Dao Foundation, making the Hun Dun True Essence within him even more profound and unfathomable.
At this moment, Li Mu's mind was immersed in an unprecedented state of clarity.
In the past, although he had comprehended the Mahayana Realm of Chaos by cultivating the Chaos Dao Scripture, he had always failed to glimpse the Profound Truth of the Chaos Extreme Realm; now, in the process of orchestrating the formation that commanded thirteen ultimate Dao powers, Li Mu personally experienced and witnessed the clash of Yin and Yang, the rotation of the Five Elements, the intertwining of space and time, the entanglement of Karma, the flowing of Years... all kinds of Law of the Great Dao, converging, conflicting, fusing, and evolving, ultimately all returning to the flow of Chaos.
It was as if he were in the primordial Grandmist before heaven and earth opened, surrounded by surging, endless chaotic clouds, where clear Qi had not yet risen, turbid Qi had not yet settled, Yin and Yang were undivided, and all phenomena had not yet manifested.
Yet, within this Void Realm, lay all possibilities—the seeds of stars, mountains and rivers, life, Law, and even time and destiny.
Li Mu's mind was drawn by this mysterious power, and scenes appeared deep within his Sea of Consciousness:
He saw the Yin and Yang Qi separating in the Chaos, transforming into a blazing sun and a cold moon;
The Five Elements power condensed from the Chaos, with the five colors of metal, wood, water, fire, and earth flowing, constructing the earth and mountains;
The Four Symbols constellations manifested from the Chaos, with the Azure Dragon soaring into the sky, the White Tiger treading the wind, the Vermilion Bird bathing in fire, and the Black Tortoise lurking in the abyss, each holding heavenly destiny and guarding the Law of the four directions;
The Law of Space and Time peeled away from the Chaos, a silver-white river of time surging and roaring, a deep blue spatial Rift boundless, intertwining with each other, constructing the warp and weft of the Universe;
Karma Dao patterns appeared in the Void Realm, crisscrossing like a spider web, each thread connected to a trajectory of destiny;
The power of Years surged like a tide, the three Realms of past, present, and future rotated before his eyes, and Li Mu saw 'himself' walking through countless spaces and times, sometimes as a Mortal, sometimes as an Immortal Lord, sometimes falling into the Demonic Path, or becoming a Saint Body...
All of this originated from Chaos, and will ultimately return to Chaos.
Li Mu opened his eyes, gazing at the chaotic vortex emerging in his palm, the spectacle of the Universe's creation and destruction reflected in his pupils.
His gaze was no longer merely that of a human Cultivator, but carried a transcendent insight, as if he could see through the essence of all things, reaching directly to the core of the Great Dao.
"Is this the true meaning of Chaos?" Li Mu murmured softly, his voice creating strange ripples in the Void Realm.
At this moment, he seemed to stand on the bank of the long river of time, needing only one more step to enter a new Realm.
When Li Mu fully released his Divine Sense and immersed himself in the comprehension of the Great Dao, the external space and time suddenly became viscous, and his consciousness seemed to be pulled by some invisible force, slowly sinking into the depths of his Sea of Consciousness, embarking on a journey of Epiphany.
The Chaotic Dao Domain unfolded around Li Mu, and the extreme Five Elements power transformed into five giant Dragons, each ten thousand zhang long, engaging in fierce combat within the Chaotic Dao Domain.
The Extreme Wood Dao Law attacked first, countless verdant vines instantly covering the entire Sea of Consciousness, their branches and leaves spreading, full of vitality, as if to transform the entire chaotic land into a verdant immortal land.
The Extreme Metal Dao Law unleashed ten-thousand-zhang golden rays, splitting the sky-filling vines in two, extremely sharp, sweeping across the Void Realm with an intent of destruction.
Every Sword Qi seemed capable of cleaving the Foundation of heaven and earth, even Chaos was torn open with golden cracks.
Flames soared into the sky, and the Extreme Fire Dao Essence erupted with a roar, a crimson sea of fire sweeping in all directions, incinerating the remaining vines into ashes, and melting the golden rays into liquid metal, transforming into rolling lava flowing across the earth.
The Extreme Water Dao Essence released the power of the Primordial Heavenly River, surging waves, carrying the momentum of ten thousand bolts of thunder towards the sea of fire, and amidst the mutual assistance of water and fire, a new Dao rhyme emerged, subtly outlining the form of "earth."
The last thick yellow light rose from the depths of Chaos, transforming into a majestic divine mountain, suppressing the chaotic forces in all directions, absorbing all the residual waves of water, fire, metal, and wood, and returning to the central Wuji earth.
The Five Elements appeared in full!
Within the Chaotic Dao Domain, the Five Elements Dragons spiraled and danced, each occupying a side, mutually suppressing, fusing, and transforming, forming a perfect cyclical system.
Wood generates Fire, Fire generates Earth, Earth generates Metal, Metal generates Water, Water generates Wood;
Wood restrains Earth, Earth restrains Water, Water restrains Fire, Fire restrains Metal, Metal restrains Wood.
This was not merely simple generation and restraint, but a dynamic balance, the fundamental Law of all things' operation.
The Five Element Dao was one of the Foundations of the Universe's order.
Li Mu closed his eyes, allowing the Five Elements power to evolve in his Sea of Consciousness, feeling the rhythm, frequency, and aura of the Five Elements, no longer trying to control them, but letting them flow freely and harmonize with each other.
Gradually, the Five Elements power began to merge, no longer five distinct elemental forces of five colors, but gradually fusing into one.
They permeated, circulated, and evolved into each other, finally condensing into a five-colored chaotic light pillar, directly piercing the firmament of the Sea of Consciousness, like the first ray of creation light when the Universe first opened.
Li Mu's mind was immersed in this mysterious transformation, and deep within his Sea of Consciousness, an ancient primordial bell seemed to toll, shaking his Soul and awakening his long-dormant spiritual perception.
"The Five Elements are not five, but truly one body."
At this moment, Li Mu finally understood what the "Chaos Dao Scripture" meant by "Chaos encompasses all Laws"; although the Five Element Dao was the Foundation of the operation of heaven and earth, it was merely one of the branches evolved from the Chaotic Great Dao.
True Chaos was not chaotic and disorderly, but incorporated all rules within it, harmonizing, unifying, and sublimating them.
Li Mu's Chaos True Essence underwent a qualitative change—the Five Elements Impurities originally mixed in the Chaos were completely purified, and the Five Elements power was no longer an external force, but became a part of the Chaos True Essence, intermingling, and the Chaos True Essence consequently underwent a qualitative improvement.
This was the Epiphany of the Extreme Five Elements!
Just as Li Mu completed his thorough comprehension of the Fusion of the Extreme Five Elements into one, a thunderous roar suddenly echoed deep within his Sea of Consciousness.
The Extreme Five Elements power, which had merged into one, did not completely return to Chaos; instead, as it rotated, it gradually separated into two distinct auras—
One was as scorching as a blazing sun burning the sky, the other as cool as a cold moon illuminating the world.
"This is... Yin and Yang Qi."
Li Mu's pupils contracted sharply; he had never imagined that the ultimate evolution of the Five Elements would, in the end, naturally differentiate into Yin and Yang.
The crimson, blood-like Yang flame and the deep, sea-like Yin cold intertwined and spiraled in the Chaos, like two fish with their tails connected.
The chaotic light pillar suddenly split, and two rays of light emerged from it—one black and one white, one Yin and one Yang.
The Yin and Yang Qi separated from the Chaos, like two coiling taiji fish, intertwining, rotating, and intermingling, constructing a complete taiji diagram.
In the primordial beginning, Chaos was undivided, and Yin and Yang were not yet separated.
Clear Qi ascended, transforming into Yang; turbid Qi descended, transforming into Yin.
Yang presides over life, Yin presides over death; Yang presides over movement, Yin presides over stillness; Yang presides over rigidity, Yin presides over softness.
The two were opposite, yet coexisted, mutually fundamental, and mutually transformative.
The power of Yin and Yang continuously evolved in his Sea of Consciousness, sometimes transforming into a high-hanging blazing sun, intensely hot; sometimes transforming into a solitary cold moon, chillingly cold; sometimes Yin and Yang merged, transforming into wind, rain, thunder, and lightning, nurturing all things; sometimes Yin and Yang clashed, triggering tremors in heaven and earth, mountains collapsing and seas roaring.
Li Mu's mind was calm, and he immediately immersed himself in the Epiphany of the Extreme Yin and Extreme Yang Dao, using the power of the Extreme Five Elements to aid in the Epiphany of Yin and Yang.
Last time, during his secluded Epiphany, Li Mu had always failed to fully comprehend Yin and Yang through it, but now there was a new change.
Li Mu did not rush to control Yin and Yang, nor did he forcibly fuse them; instead, he chose to observe, perceive, and understand.
The Yin and Yang Qi evolved in his Sea of Consciousness, the taiji diagram slowly rotated, the black and white fish with their tails connected, intermingling and yet opposing each other.
Li Mu calmed his mind and allowed this power to flow naturally, no longer forcibly interfering.
Li Mu sat cross-legged in the center of the Chaotic Dao Domain, his Divine Sense sinking into the endless taiji vortex, as if he were in the initial moments of creation, personally witnessing the process of Yin and Yang separating from Chaos and then returning to Chaos.
Time, at this moment, seemed to lose its meaning.
Deep within the Sea of Consciousness, the power of Yin and Yang continuously evolved, sometimes the blazing sun hung high, scorching hot; sometimes the cold moon shone alone, chilling to the bone; sometimes wind and rain lashed, thunder roared; sometimes mountains collapsed and the earth split, all things perishing.
Li Mu quietly observed all of this, and gradually a realization dawned in his heart: "Within Yin there is Yang, and within Yang there is Yin; Yin and Yang are mutually rooted, and life and death share the same Origin."
Li Mu finally had an Epiphany: Yin and Yang are not absolutely opposing existences, but fundamental Laws that mutually nurture and transform each other, just as day and night alternate, and the four seasons cycle, life and death are not endpoints and starting points, but part of an unending cycle.
Li Mu closed his eyes, allowing the Extreme Yang Qi to surge into his left half, scorching hot like fire, as if to incinerate his flesh and blood into ashes; the Extreme Yin Qi flowed into his right half, bone-chillingly cold, as if falling into the Nine Nether Yellow Springs.
Yin and Yang did not repel each other; instead, they converged and fused within his body, forming a completely new state of balance.
The Extreme Yang Qi circulated in his Meridians, actually giving rise to a trace of vibrant, clear spiritual Qi; although the Extreme Yin Qi was as cold as frost, it subtly emanated a steady, profound Xuan Huang power.
The two intertwined, like spring thunder breaking ice, and winter snow melting into earth, displaying life's most primal form.
"So that's how it is..."
"The so-called Yin and Yang are neither dead nor alive, neither moving nor still, but a bridge between creation and destruction, the source from which all Laws evolve."
Li Mu's Chaos True Essence underwent another qualitative change; the Impurities originally mixed in the Chaos were completely purified, and Extreme Yin and Extreme Yang merged with each other, fusing with the power of the Extreme Five Elements, completely becoming a part of the Chaos True Essence.
As the power of Yin and Yang completely fused, the Chaotic Dao Domain within Li Mu's body vibrated violently, as if sensing a higher-level call.
In an instant, a silver-white river appeared deep within his Sea of Consciousness—that was the projection of the long river of time, surging and roaring, carrying countless past fragments and future illusions, flashing before his eyes.
Li Mu saw scenes of his youth cultivating in the Qingxuan Sect; he saw his figure fighting bloody battles in Secret Realm; he saw his ecstasy when he broke through the Extreme Realm; he even saw his future self—sometimes standing above the Starry Sky, commanding all laws; and scenes of him fighting against strange arts.
Every frame was incredibly real, yet fleeting, as if it were just a drop of water in the long river of time, disappearing in an instant.
"Is this... the power of Time?"
Li Mu's heart trembled; this comprehension of the Extreme Five Elements and the Yin and Yang Great Dao could actually touch the essence of Time.
At this moment, a distant bell chimed deep within his Sea of Consciousness, vibrating deep within his Soul.
The long river of time suddenly accelerated, surging forward, carrying away all his thoughts and memories, leaving only a vast emptiness.
Li Mu felt a momentary daze in his consciousness, as if he had experienced thousands of Years of time passing, yet also as if it were just an instant of Epiphany.
When he came to his senses, he didn't know how much time had passed in the outside world.
—
Li Mu opened his eyes, the star vortex still swirling within them, but with an unprecedented depth and tranquility.
Li Mu perceived that the Chaos True Essence within him was no longer as it was before—the Five Elements had returned to one, Yin and Yang had merged into one, and the Chaos True Essence had undergone a qualitative leap, the Chaos Dao patterns within his body tended towards completion, his Chaos Dao Body became even more perfect, and there were even faint signs of breaking through to the Extreme Realm of the Chaotic Great Dao.
Li Mu slowly rose, and as he raised his hand, ripples spread across the Void Realm, a chaotic silk thread extended from his fingertip, and with a gentle pull, it tugged at a corner of the entire Chaotic Boundary Sealing Formation, and that mysterious feeling of controlling all Laws reappeared.
"Chaos is neither mixed nor chaotic; neither broken nor established; neither existent nor non-existent; neither born nor destroyed."
Li Mu whispered, his voice soft, yet carrying a Soul-stirring majesty, knowing that he had taken a crucial step towards the Chaos Extreme Realm.
The Five Elements and Yin and Yang were merely two branches of the Chaotic Great Dao; having attained Epiphany today, perhaps tomorrow it would be space-time, Karma, Years...
The Chaotic Great Dao had just begun.
"Forty-nine Years have actually passed." Li Mu looked up as if sensing something, calculating the time of his Epiphany, and couldn't help but feel enlightened.
However, it was a deep level of Dao comprehension, and the outside world had already changed dramatically.
Li Mu stood in place, his robes gently fluttering, his gaze like a reflection of the starry river, a faint chaotic aura swirling around him.
Forty-nine Years was a long time for a Mortal, but for him, it was merely a profound journey of Epiphany.
Now that he had returned, heaven and earth had changed, but his Dao Heart was even firmer.
Li Mu slowly closed his eyes, his Divine Sense spreading out, instantly spanning ten thousand li of the Void Realm, penetrating mountains, rivers, earth, seas, and clouds, sensing the location of the Seven Profound Sect.
"It's time to go back!" Li Mu whispered, his voice without a ripple, yet it seemed to startle the entire heaven and earth.
Li Mu took a step, and a faint golden taiji diagram appeared beneath his feet, Yin and Yang intertwined, the Five Elements circulating, and as his figure moved in an instant, space was easily torn apart before him like paper.
The next moment, a deep spatial crack opened in the sky, and a figure slowly walked out of it.
What Li Mu used was the Grand Evolution Escape Method · Return to Chaos, which evolved the Law of Space and Time using Chaos Power, taking Yin and Yang as the guide, the Five Elements as the Foundation Establishment, traversing between reality and illusion, formless and traceless, making it impossible for ordinary Cultivators, even those skilled in escape techniques, to match him.
At this moment, Li Mu's Chaos True Essence formed a Small World of its own, the Extreme Five Elements were complete, the Extreme Yin and Yang were harmonized, and the projection of the long river of time could also appear in his Sea of Consciousness, truly a nascent Great Dao.
Above the Spirit Valley of Seven Gods Mountain in the Seven Profound Sect, Li Mu appeared out of thin air, treading the Void Realm as if on solid ground, no longer needing to fly on a sword, nor needing to use any Magic Treasure to cast spells, merely relying on his own Chaos True Essence to roam heaven and earth. (End of Chapter)
