Li Mu took in the shock, Epiphany, confusion of the strong cultivators, and even the collapse of Soul Devouring Demon God, along with the different reactions of the Demon Gods.
With a thought, the wisp of “Origin of Self Intent” slowly dissipated in Li Mu’s palm, like ripples from a stone cast into a deep pool, finally settling into calm, yet leaving an Eternal imprint deep within everyone’s Divine Soul.
Li Mu surveyed the crowd, looking at faces that were either enlightened, struggling, surprised, or deep in unprecedented thought.
“Fellow Daoists, regarding the secret of the ‘Dao-Sowing Realm’ and ‘Origin of Self,’ Li has said all Li can today. The profoundness of the Great Dao cannot be fully expressed in words, nor can it be achieved overnight; it requires a transformation of the state of mind, a re-forging of the Dao Foundation, and within the cage of despair, igniting that Eternal Heart Fire originating from the ‘Self’!”
Li Mu’s gaze swept over the seed of fire intent brewing within Celestial Venerable Fentian, passed over the buzzing Heaven-Opening Sword Intent in Grand Profound Sword Revered’s sheath, paused on Mind Clarity Holy Monk’s gentle Heart Lamp, and finally did not overlook the collapse of Soul Devouring Demon God and the confusion of Blood Hell Demon God.
“However, time waits for no one!”
Li Mu’s tone suddenly sharpened, and he solemnly said, “The cancer of the Heretical Dao, its infiltration has never stopped! The Demon Abyss Seal is merely a temporary plug for the finest capillary it extends into this ‘withered leaf’ world. If its will is allowed to accumulate and permeate within the Seal, once it grows stronger, this Seal will eventually become a mere formality, and this world will completely become nourishment for the ‘cancer,’ with all living beings perishing and the Dao path cut off forever!”
“Fellow Daoist Li!” Star Dome Old Ancestor paused slightly and asked with concern, “What do you intend to do? Do you already have a countermeasure?”
“Indeed!” Li Mu said decisively and in a deep voice, “Sitting idly by is not the Dao of our generation! Passive defense will eventually end! To seek a glimmer of hope, we must take the initiative to strike, severing its claws extended into this world, weakening its will, and buying us time to… sow the Dao from our Origin and break free from the cage!”
Li Mu’s gaze was like lightning, looking towards the location of the Demon Abyss Seal deep within the distant Star Domain. His voice, like a proclamation, resounded through the Void Realm: “Three hundred years from now! I will personally open the Demon Abyss Seal!”
“What?!”
Eternal Night Demon God’s shadow fluctuated violently, exclaiming in shock, “Opening the Demon Abyss Seal? This is tantamount to self-destruction!”
“Fellow Daoist Li, this move is too dangerous!” Bone Emperor Demon God’s eerie flames flickered rapidly, and his skeletal body emitted cracking sounds, “Once the Seal is opened, the Heretical Dao’s will will surely pour out like a breached flood…”
“Not a complete release!”
Li Mu interrupted him, his eyes shimmering with determination and wisdom: “Instead, with the Chaos Treasure Mansion as the core, and my newly comprehended rudimentary ‘Origin of Self’ as the guide, I will open a controllable ‘fissure’ above the Seal! Like carving a controllable floodgate in a dam!”
Li Mu looked around at everyone, stating unequivocally: “At that time, I will need to delve deep into the fissure, directly attacking the core node of its will entrenched in the depths of the Demon Abyss, and—eradicate it! At the very least, I must severely cripple its Foundation in this world!”
“This journey is fraught with peril! Although the Heretical Dao’s will is weakened by the Seal, its backlash is by no means something ordinary cultivators of the extreme Dao can withstand! I need power! Power sufficient to open a battlefield in the chaotic Demon Abyss and withstand its frantic counterattack! Power sufficient to deliver a fatal blow when I lock onto its core node!”
Li Mu’s gaze was substantial as he swept over the extreme Dao cultivators and Demon Gods present, continuing, “Fellow Daoists, regardless of whether you believe or doubt, understand or are confused at this moment, if there remains a glimmer of thought to protect the living beings of this world, an Eternal persistence in your own Dao path…”
“Three hundred years from now! Before the Demon Abyss Seal! Li will await Fellow Daoists at the Chaotic Boundary Sealing Formation to join this battle!”
“This battle is not for supremacy, nor for personal vendettas! It is only to sever the shackles, for ourselves, and for this ‘withered leaf’ world, to seize an Opportunity for Rebirth, to glimpse the vast branches beyond the cage! To strive for a… future of sowing the Dao from our Origin!”
As his voice fell, Li Mu said no more, merely nodding slightly to the strong cultivators, whose expressions varied and whose hearts were experiencing tumultuous waves, as a farewell.
With a “hum.”
Li Mu waved his hand, and a slowly rotating Chaos vortex silently formed in front of him. He stepped into it, and his figure was instantly swallowed by the Chaos, disappearing completely.
The Chaos vortex quickly closed, and the Star Domain returned to deathly silence.
Only Li Mu’s declaration, “Three hundred years from now, before the Demon Abyss Seal, let us join this battle!” echoed repeatedly, like a great bell, deep within the Divine Soul of every strong cultivator.
Celestial Venerable Fentian’s Dao Fire within his eyes retracted, condensing into a single scorching core. He stared in the direction Li Mu disappeared, his voice hot and low:
“Hmph! What a ‘sowing the Dao from our Origin’! Three hundred years… I want to see if there truly are the vast branches beyond this withered leaf as you say! Count me in for this battle!”
Before his words finished, his figure suddenly twisted, transforming into a blazing Golden Crow Divine Bird! With a long cry that rent the Void Realm, the Golden Crow tore through the dark Star Domain, turning into a dazzling stream of light that incinerated the Void Realm, rushing straight towards the scorching eastern Star Domain, vanishing in an instant!
Grand Profound Sword Revered’s serene face suddenly broke into laughter:
“Severing shackles, breaking the cage… This sword, it must be unsheathed! Everyone, three hundred years from now, see you at the Demon Abyss!”
A clear Sword Cry suddenly erupted! Man and sword became one, and a pure, ultimate Heaven-Opening Sword Light cleaved through space, shooting directly towards the northwestern Star Domain, where Sword Qi was dense. The sharp Sword Intent lingered for a long time!
Mind Clarity Holy Monk clasped his hands and softly chanted:
“Amitabha. Fellow Daoist Li’s grand vow is also an Opportunity for the liberation of all sentient beings. The withered leaf contains vitality, this poor monk will surely come, to do his best for the Rebirth.”
Golden lotuses bloomed beneath his feet, and enveloped in Buddha Light, he stepped into the Void Realm, like ripples merging with water, gradually moving away towards the peaceful southwestern Star Domain, leaving only a faint sandalwood scent.
Bone Emperor Demon God’s eye sockets flickered wildly with eerie flames, and his skeletal hands creaked:
“Hehehe… Li Mu! What big talk! Breaking free from the cage? This Emperor wants to see what you’ll use to sever the shackles! Three hundred years… wait for you to prove it!”
The massive skeletal body stomped fiercely, shattering the Void Realm! Monstrous Devilish Qi enveloped in chilling bone-fire, like a meteor falling into an abyss, crashed into the dark fissure below, and the fissure instantly closed!
Blood Hell Demon God’s surrounding sea of blood surged into a towering frenzy, his crimson eyes interweaving fierce light with resolve, his voice roaring like blood waves: “Not for personal vendettas? Ridiculous! But… if I can truly glimpse the ‘World Tree’ and fight for true freedom! Blood Hell… I’ll go crazy with you on this one! Three hundred years from now, before the Demon Abyss, this Venerable wants to witness it personally!”
With a sky-shattering roar, Blood Hell Demon God exploded, transforming into an boundless, churning sea of viscous blood! A fishy wind and resentment swept through, like a blood-colored torrent, pouring back into the southeastern Blood Fiend Star Domain, disappearing without a trace!
Profound Fiend Demon God’s surrounding Devilish Qi first froze the Void Realm, then violently boiled: “Hmph! Withered leaf world? Cage? What exactly do you know? Three hundred years… that’s enough time for this Venerable to investigate! If what you say isn’t false… Hmph!”
With that, Profound Fiend Demon God merged into the Starry Sky, disappearing without a trace.
Eternal Night Demon God’s figure seemed to inherently belong to the darkness, now completely merged, with only two points of starlight in his eyes flickering on and off:
“Rebirth… glimpsing beyond the cage? Three hundred years… this Venerable will ponder where this ripple leads…”
As the words faded, the Eternal Night Demon God's figure, like ink dissolving in water, silently dispersed and diluted, the starlight dimmed, and finally returned to nothingness, leaving behind only a deeper, all-consuming Domain of darkness, making it impossible to discern direction.
The Star Dome Old Ancestor's expression shifted, stars appearing and disappearing within his eyes as he calculated: "The Chaotic Boundary Sealing Formation... the Demon Abyss Seal... planting Dao from the Origin... Fellow Daoist Li, do you intend to overturn this dead end? Three hundred years... this old bag of bones of mine should also move..."
The Star Dome Old Ancestor sighed, raising his hand and pointing at the Starry Sky! Buzz! A brilliant Star Road instantly paved itself beneath his feet, pointing directly towards the splendid Star Sea deep within the firmament.
The Star Dome Old Ancestor stepped onto it, his figure blurring amidst the flowing starlight, as if treading a long river of time, riding the stars and drifting far away, the Star Road vanishing.
The Soul Devouring Demon God's face was filled with fear and resentment, as he trembled and said: "Madmen! All of them are madmen! Breaking free from the cage? Don't drag me into your suicidal acts!... Hmph!"
The Soul Devouring Demon God, like a frightened bird, suddenly trembled, transforming into hundreds of twisted, screeching resentful spirit afterimages, disappearing without a trace, leaving only a hint of chilling dread.
The withered leaf at the Azure Emperor's fingertip turned to ash, his gaze piercing through space and time: "Withered leaves... new sprouts... branches... Fellow Daoist Li, what you see, is it that slim chance of survival? Three hundred years... may your 'seed' bring about change..."
The Azure Emperor sighed, and with a gentle flick of his sleeve into the Void Realm, a massive, verdant, dripping green leaf, brimming with vitality, appeared, instantly transforming into an ancient green boat.
The Azure Emperor floated down to the bow of the boat, and the green boat moved without wind, traversing the desolate Void Realm, spreading ripples of vitality, leisurely sailing towards the edge of the barren, deathly silent Star Domain in the west, instantly blending into the background, leaving only a wisp of freshness.
Three hundred years!
Long for Mortals, but for these Eternal existences, merely a flick of a finger.
However, these three hundred years were destined to be the most perilous, most agonizing, and most crucial three hundred years on their Dao path!
To be trapped in a cage, waiting to be consumed by the 'cancer'?
Or to break the cauldrons and sink the boats, following Li Mu, to strike a Sword Intent that severs the shackles in the depths of the Demon Abyss, towards that Strange Dao will?
Everything awaited time's revelation.
Another remote, silent, and dim Star Domain.
A Chaos vortex silently opened, and the next moment, it closed.
The next instant, deep within a desolate and unfamiliar Star Domain, space rippled like water, and Li Mu's figure stepped out of the vortex, as if walking from a painting into reality.
After refining the Strange Dao Origin, Li Mu gained this great Opportunity, directly crossing the Extreme Dao Realm and entering the Seed Dao Realm which he had comprehended himself.
However, though the Dao Seed had been born, making it take root and sprout was no less difficult than creating Heaven and Earth, reopening a Domain.
Nevertheless, Li Mu also reached an inhuman level with this cultivation.
Looking around, Eternal coldness and darkness enveloped all sides, shattered remnants of stars floated like reefs, and thin nebulae glowed with a sickly dark purple, lifeless and stagnant.
This place was far from the main Star Domain of the Spirit Realm, the Law was chaotic, and even starlight was scarce and distorted.
Li Mu stood silently in the Void Realm, his black robe moving without wind, and slowly closed his eyes.
Boom—!
A powerful, irresistible, yet extremely pure and condensed Divine Thought, like an invisible cosmic storm, erupted with him at its center! This Divine Thought was not a crude sweep, but carried a unique "Self-Origin" rhythm, like billions of self-aware motes of dust, precisely and efficiently permeating, probing, and discerning in all directions!
Wherever the Divine Thought passed: cold meteorites were instantly pierced through, their internal structures revealed in minute detail; strange inert energy lurking in the dark purple nebula was ruthlessly repelled and filtered.
Deep within the stellar remnants, faint traces of ancient Dao rhythm, almost annihilated, were keenly hooked, then immediately crushed by Li Mu's will—too inferior! Not qualified!
The Divine Thought was even more like an invisible sharp blade, forcefully piercing through several layers of spatial folds, probing into those hidden dimensional crevices!
Li Mu was searching—for a Dao-bearing spiritual object!
To forge a supreme Dao Artifact capable of penetrating deep into the Demon Abyss and striking directly at the core of the Strange Dao will, ordinary Heaven And Earth Treasure were mere scrap metal! Only peerless treasures containing fragments of the Universe's Origin Dao Law, capable of bearing and amplifying his "Self-Origin Intent," were qualified to become the Foundation of the sharp blade in his hand that would sever all Laws!
Li Mu's Divine Thought spread like a net, covering a distance of billions of stars.
Time, in this desolate Star Domain, seemed to freeze. Only that invisible net of Divine Thought stubbornly wove and explored in the cold darkness.
Suddenly!
Li Mu's tightly closed eyes snapped open, a sharp light like a physical sword piercing the darkness, locking onto an inconspicuous corner of a distant Star Domain—deep within a seemingly ordinary, slowly rotating stellar dust vortex!
The Divine Thought fed back a trace... faint, yet pure and incredibly resilient, an ancient Dao rhythm that had endured countless tribulations and remained Eternal! Like a peerless bright pearl sleeping in an endless swamp, it was finally awakened and resonated by his unique "Self-Origin Intent"!
"Found it!"
A cold glint flashed in Li Mu's eyes, and his figure transformed into a phantom, disregarding spatial distance and violent Law turbulences, taking a single step towards that stellar dust vortex!
Death storm belts roared and howled, shattered stars were like knives, and spatial turbulences gnawed like billions of venomous snakes. Li Mu's body shimmered with the faint glow of the "Self-Origin" rhythm; wherever he passed, the storm gave way, and the turbulence slid aside, as if parting waves and cutting through them!
His gaze pierced through the barrier of destruction, firmly fixated on the very core of the vortex—
Buzz...
There was no anticipated burst of divine light, no soaring Treasure Qi!
There, only an extremely faint, almost transparent "pulsation"! It was formless and insubstantial, as if it were merely a weak heartbeat of this chaotic space itself.
However, it was this almost imperceptible "pulsation" that emanated that ancient Dao rhythm, which had endured countless tribulations and remained Eternal, pure and incredibly resilient!
This "pulsation" was not inanimate. It contracted and expanded extremely slowly, at some profound and unfathomable frequency. Each contraction was like a cosmic millstone, silently stripping, crushing, and utterly annihilating the surrounding violent stellar dust fragments, chaotic Laws, and even sparse dark energy, transforming them into the most fundamental "emptiness"; each expansion, conversely, seemed to re-germinate an ineffable "Foundation of order" within this absolute "emptiness," yet one sufficient to stabilize the Universe!
It was the "heart" of this chaotic vortex! Using itself as the Origin point, it constantly stripped away Impurities in destruction and anchored order in nothingness! This terrifying characteristic of stripping away all Laws and anchoring the Origin was precisely the Dao-bearing supreme treasure Li Mu sought.
"Void Realm Source Core!"
Li Mu's eyes burst with brilliant light; this object was a wonder of Heaven and Earth—it could only be born by chance as a "point of order" in absolute "nothingness," at the core of extreme Chaos and energy counteraction!
It contained a ninth-order Dao Origin, a supreme Dao Law that stripped away all external illusions and pointed directly to the fundamental "emptiness" and "Origin of order"! This was the most supreme core divine object for forging a Dao Artifact that could bear the "Self-Origin Intent" and break through all Laws!
Just as Li Mu's Divine Thought, like threads, was about to touch that formless pulsation—an anomaly suddenly occurred! (End of Chapter)
