Interlude 2-L-In Pursuit of the Dao

Perhaps I was a little too hasty, just readily deciding to wait and all that. While sitting on the beachfront was a novel, if unremarkable, experience, it had gotten old really fast.

Starring at the sand, I began making sculptures to relieve my boredom. On the other end of my soul, my main body scoffed. Da Hai was bit disrespectful to me, if I were not a bit desperate, I would not do this.

Well, not that desperate. It's just that the Devilish Dao needs some new blood. I know he'd never commit to my cultivation style, any godfiend will say no unless absolutely forced to. But his presence will not only support me in the face of the old bastard as well as inspire new branches to be birthed.

Yes, I made the right decision. I was never the most talented of my batch. Not like Hongjun had been, damn bastard he was, but his commitment to taking me on is something I'd always be grateful for.

Fat load of good that friendship did. Ten Yuanhui worth of friendship and now we're on opposing ends. Destined to clash for the fate of the world and all that. But so is the way of chaos godfiend, the true path of the Dao as was taught in Tai Chu temple.

I raised my hand and formed a structure. I wasn't intentionally doing it, merely an action unconsciously done by instinct. No matter where I am, I will always remember that place.

The miniature temple I constructed was both a mysterious and sacred place. Though it likely no longer exists given Pangu's actions, it will always hold a sacred place in my heart.

Tai Chu temple, the palace of grand beginnings. The birthplace of all godfiends. The site of equals as many deaths as potential chaos godfiends.

A few dolls manifested by my will. They began clashing against each other to my enjoyment, puppets of my will. These were but a mere reminder of the events that transpired during my time in Tai Chu temple.

"We are all brothers and sisters now, the legacy of senior Tai Chu. Henceforth, you are no longer connate chaos lifeforms, but Chaos Godfiends."

I remembered the Destiny Demon God's words like the back of my hand. Fucker was a true bastard and a cruel cunt. But I will always remember him for being the man who inducted us.

That's right, I was a proud Chaos Godfiend. The ideal godfiend, more so than Hongjun could ever hope to be. I will surpass even Tai Chu and push into the Dao realm, a task no godfiend has ever been able to accomplish.

Breaking out of my musing, I checked the time. The information of the cosmos as well as the quaking anger of the Heavenly Dao flowed through me. Heh, as if you can do anything about it. A mere world will can never amount to anything. The right to ascend should belong to me so just sit by and pudge yourself up for me.

The Heavenly Dao's importance wasn't that special in the grand scheme of things. It was worthless to me, I have ground million of universes to dust for materials. All those other Heavenly Dao that tried to resist all perished in the end. The only difference was that none of those Chaos Worlds could ever compare to the Primitive World.

The only thing this Heavenly Dao has going for it was its relation to Pangu and the primitive world. The theoretical power it could draw would be immense if the world continues on its current trajectory.

As such, Hongjun cannot be allowed to absorb it. The authority of the Heavenly Dao may be worthless to me but I cannot let the old fool obtain it. My goal of the ultimate physique cannot be compromised by him.

Yet at the same time, it has also done a decent job in managing the world. Within a single Yuanhui, this universe has already surpassed 99.9% of universes in the chaos sea.

What a magnificent fool Pangu had been to achieve this. Magnificent, but still foolish. Even though I saw it coming, I still do not know why he would do this. Why swing that axe and exhaust his own life? Why did he not breakthrough and ensure his survival?

But the will of a deadman don't matter to me. His deed allowed me the chance to reach Grand Dao, that was what mattered in the end.

As the data flowed through me, I stood up and stretched my body. Before I knew it, a few months had already gone by. I quickly scanned the east continent for signs of Hongjun's return.

Hm, he hadn't yet, guess he was still chasing Sheng Feng. Honestly, you've gotta admire the wind fiend, he was the bravest little shit you would ever meet. Opportunistic and dumb, but his sheer audacity was something to be admired. Made for a good laugh too.

Props to Da Hai for catalysing that event. He deserves my friendship just for that.

Speaking of Da Hai, I looked around. Where had he gone? He seemed to still be at that cliff face he raced off to. Now he seemed to be cultivating. Wonder what he's doing.

Strange bloke that one. He's disappointingly not at all acting like a godfiend. It was most vexing as I could clearly sense he was both an inheritor as well as a reincarnation of the ancestor of the great sea.

His way of acting was oddly mundane. From interacting with him I would've just assumed he was a mortal. That was if I didn't know any better.

But his strength cannot be denied. His Dao also, can not be denied. Both of which can really help me in this contest. But sadly, he'd turned out to be quite antagonistic.

I rubbed my chin in thought. That man, I hope to bring him into the fold, otherwise I'd have to kill him. He lives in the east sea and this place is so well defended against divination that even I'm practically blind.

Say what you want about the Heavenly Dao, but it's defences weren't meant to be trifled with.

I waved my hand and disintegrated the sand constructs I was playing with. The entertainment had gone stale. My true body still hadn't stopped working and my other avatar is busy with another induction exam.

"Hm?" I was briefly startled. The ground had suddenly begun shaking. The wind around me picked up speed and wired high into the air. My long haired swayed as I looked around in confusion.

"What is?" I held my hand out towards floating specs of grey light. They were like a pollen cloud, travelling in every direction. They were in extreme quantities too. Already, they had enveloped ten million kilometres of the east continent coast.

I released my tongue and tasted the spec I caught. "Dao essence," I muttered. My vision went slack and my footing became unstable. I couldn't help but wobble on my feet.

I narrowed my eyes despite the sudden nausea. Digging my foot into the sand for support, I gathered myself and looked around for attackers.

"No, not an attack," I realised. The grey specs were not an attack or spell of any kind. In fact, they did not do harm aside from bringing forth Dao. "This is a byproduct."

So much essence, this Dao essence. It's…it's…it's… marvellous. Just what is going on?

My mind felt dizzy. Throughout my consciousness, I felt the enlightened thoughts of such magnitudes, that I struggled to grasp what was being said.

A staff appeared in my right hand and shot into the sand as I supported myself. "So…Many…Ideas," I gasped.

So many ways, so many mysteries, so many possibilities. It was hard to describe. Even my Dao, as apex as it was, felt like a bucket beside a lake.

Someone, someone had understood. A fundamental truth of the universe that I hadn't thought of. The visions of the future never told me how I'd achieve Dao and while I had inklings, much was still shrouded.

Yet now, for the first time in years, I felt a clue.

Tai Chu was the ancestor of godfiends and the one who started the chaos godfiend civilisation. He was also the closest being to the Dao that we know of. But he was also a mythical being who disappeared long ago and the knowledge to reach such heights was gone.

The knowledge of cultivation taught us how to form the Dao. During my youth, Hongjun and I constantly obsessed over his scriptures, hoping for a clue. But Tai Chu never left behind knowledge of a path after Primal Zenith Chaos Immortal.

The perfection of the Dao fruit was the end of the Dao. We didn't know how to reach true Dao resonance, true enlightenment.

But now it was different.

These specs, these specs, these specs.

They didn't speak of Dao. They spoke of DAO.

A higher order concept. The supreme existence that is without limit. The name Tai Chu spoke of but never divulged of. The great principle of primal chaos that is without limit. The clue to reaching true Dao realm.

I, I finally, I finally had a clue. For the first time, my path was no longer hazy, any uncertainty was washed away. I see now what I must do. What I must comprehend.

"You!"

That voice, Da Hai?

"You dare! You are unworthy," the voice spoke of intense rage and immense power. A power that forced the world to quake. The oceans rose and the lands cracked. The sky darkened and spacetime distorted.

One moment was stretched to a thousand lifetimes and another became instantaneous. Each grain of sand before me seemed like they were so far away, forever out of reach. Yet at the same time, fully visible and revealed to me.

My arms, my very palms. These limbs connected to me felt foreign, alien, the sensation to move them was not there. My mind was not my own, I could not perceive things accurately anymore.

"DIE!"

…

My eyes snapped eastwards. Floating swords dropped onto the stone floor as I dashed for Mt Sumeru's peak.

THUD!

Mara landed by my side startled. "What's going on?" The silver haired man said.

"I…my avatar's senses are not advanced enough," I responded on impulse. "I couldn't tell."

The golden clouded sky above Sumeru appeared peaceful and majestic. I narrowed my eyes feeling something was off. Yes, something was off.

"You feel that?" I said sensing a colossal amount of Qi coming at my direction.

"Feel that? I think I can see that," Mara pointed at the distance. Beside Mt Buzhou's shadow, a wave of power travelled. I couldn't help but feel sweat drip from my back.

"This presence, so similar to him," I gasped. "But Pangu is dead," I said.

I opened my left hand, the 12 Petals Black Lotus appeared spinning. The Mill of Destruction appeared behind me while the God Slaying Spear appeared in my right.

"Step back, this is beyond you," I told Mara.

"Beyond? I have stood in the presence of the destroyer," he sounded almost insulted.

"Didn't mean any offence. But do you think you can stop that?" I gave him a look. Mara shook his head and took a step back.

"Don't die, you still have to help me with my revenge," he said. I nodded.

Stepping onto the sky, I braced myself. My robes fluttered more and more violently as the wave approached. My strongest treasures defended my front, two top grade xiantian spiritual treasures and a single chaos spiritual treasure.

The rich primordial Qi of Mt Sumeru also pumped into my veins. The very core of the west continent was on my side.

The wave of grey was like an attack like no other. It reminded me of Pangu's axe swing so long ago, an attack that annihilated anything that stood in its wake.

At the same time, it resembled a tidal wave. An all consuming water that swallowed everything, washing them away to oblivion.

"Come at me!" I declared.

It was horrible, I have never felt so pressured since coming into power. Not even Destiny Demon God could've achieved something like this. I knew how strong I was now just as I know how strong the top four chaos godfiends were.

I knew I can easily tangle with all four of them. Be they Yang Mei, Huoyun, Si Chen, or Demon Ape. Not even Destiny Demon God at his peak can walk away from me without heavy losses.

But this was different. My true form was revealed, forced into the open. My handsome features stripped away. My great demon face resembling a lion on my belly roared in pain. My draconic upper head gritted my teeth. Resistance was difficult but not impossible, especially so in such short notice.

My four arms strained. My eight tails and two large leathery wings struggled. I roared defiantly as I continued to resist as the attack washed over me, devastating the countryside.

As I crashed into Mt Sumeru's side exhausted, I could only think of one possibility. A congratulation and a curse.

"Congratulations fellow daoist Da Hai for achieving what no godfiend has done before. You have truly earned my admiration for discovering the way of Wuji," I sighed.

"But know this. Today and for eternity, you have made I, Luohu your enemy. This enmity shall only be settled with one of us dead," I growled.