The Last Dao Lecture

The Last Dao Lecture . . . 

Qin Wentian found himself on a stone pillar, gazing up at the sky with an inexplicable sensation of movement. The vast expanse above him seemed to be in motion.

"Starry space," he murmured, his eyes fixed on the horizon. Constellations adorned the celestial canvas, each separated by unimaginable distances. Yet, even from this distance, the power and majesty of these colossal celestial bodies were palpable.

"Are we traversing through space?" This question echoed in the minds of many. Suddenly, an intense light cascaded from the heavens, blinding in its brilliance. It outshone the sun, forcing those nearby to avert their gaze, and many succumbed to unconsciousness under its radiant assault.

A thunderous roar reverberated, and finally, Qin Wentian's immortal sense managed to break free. As he opened his eyes, he remained atop his stone pillar, but Qing'er, Mo Qingcheng, and their companions had vanished.

Before him hovered a figure he had never encountered. This man, clad in simple attire, possessed a modest cultivation level, only at the sixth level, the same as Qin Wentian. Yet, his presence exuded an otherworldly harmony, as if he had melded seamlessly with the cosmos—an achievement beyond Qin Wentian's reach.

"Between us, only one shall leave this place alive," the enigmatic figure declared, furrowing Qin Wentian's brow. The sacred academy's final lecture had become a life-and-death ordeal? Who was this stranger?

As his opponent turned, Qin Wentian felt a shift in his aura. A divine radiance enveloped the figure, unleashing an overwhelming power that seemed to command the very heavens and earth. It was as if the entire world existed solely for him.

While Qin Wentian was confident in his abilities, he sensed an impending peril from this opponent. This newcomer clearly hailed from outside the sacred academy.

Qin Wentian unleashed his own aura, his eyes darkening with determination. This was an adversary of formidable strength.

"BOOM!" Without warning, his opponent sprang into action. Countless bolts of lightning descended, enveloping Qin Wentian in a tempest of electric fury. The stranger, now surrounded by thunder and lightning, appeared before Qin Wentian. An invincible chariot materialized, charging forward with a force capable of obliterating everything in its path, including Qin Wentian.

Fear washed over Qin Wentian as he witnessed the sheer might of the attack. His opponent's true capabilities exceeded all expectations, and this firsthand experience was far more terrifying than he had anticipated.

Calling upon the power of the God's Hand, Qin Wentian launched several palm imprints. Simultaneously, a phantom of a divine turtle shielded him, its ancient characters of suppression swirling around it.

"BOOM, BOOM, BOOM!" The onslaught of the charging chariot obliterated everything in its wake. Palm imprints shattered, and the ancient characters disintegrated. Even the protective phantom of the divine turtle fractured. Qin Wentian was flung through the air, crashing brutally to the ground. He groaned in agony, expelling a mouthful of blood.

His complexion turned ashen as he stared in disbelief at the figure before him. The boundless destructive power, composed of lightning and thunder, continued to gather around his opponent, their brilliance blinding as more war chariots materialized.

"Body of laws, immortal-king might," Qin Wentian muttered through gritted teeth, his gaze unwavering on his formidable adversary. In every aspect, he had considered himself remarkably accomplished. Yet, a single exchange of blows had left him wounded. The opponent before him surpassed even Huang Shatian in sheer dread.

"The sacred academy has honed your combat prowess significantly. Without that, my blow would have snuffed you out. Regrettably, your knowledge is inadequate. Hence, death is your sole recourse," the opponent declared, his tone as emotionless as if discussing a trivial matter. Qin Wentian's eyes glinted with unyielding determination as he unleashed his bloodline power, unleashing a formidable aura.

A flicker of interest passed through the opponent's eyes. But moments later, an equally potent bloodline power surged from him, his long hair dancing in the wind as the sky reverberated with thunderous roars. The world seemed to morph into a realm of thunderous laws.

"Bloodline power?" The opponent chuckled as a savage aura enveloped him, his bloodline power equally tyrannical.

"ATTACK!" With a swift finger point, the opponent set his thunderous chariot hurtling forward with incredible velocity. Powered by thunder and lightning, it threatened to obliterate everything in its path. Qin Wentian retreated, unable to resist the boundless might of his foe's attack. This innate technique had been honed to perfection, rivaling secret ultimate arts.

Qin Wentian's immortal foundation radiated a crimson light, conjuring numerous Greater Demons. Yet, they couldn't hinder the chariot's advance.

"Impressive, holding out this long." Surprise flashed across the young man's eyes. In an instant, with the crack of thunder, he vanished, reappearing above Qin Wentian. A thunder lance materialized in his grip, and a dark, destructive aura spiraled around it. The chariot descended from the heavens, aimed straight at Qin Wentian. Regardless of the strength of Qin Wentian's attacks, they crumbled beneath the thunderous onslaught.

Qin Wentian bellowed, unleashing his most potent strike, his body resembling a fiendgod. Augmented by the God's Hand, he released a demonic energy-infused blow that seemed capable of devouring the heavens. The chariots were swallowed whole by the devastating vortex.

His opponent's brows furrowed as he wrested control of the chariots, leading them out of the vortex just before it collapsed with an earth-shattering boom. Although the vortex was destroyed, the thunder chariots were annihilated in the counterattack. The young man appeared somewhat disheveled, though unharmed.

"That decrepit academy actually managed to nurture someone like you in a mere 40 years. It's truly extraordinary," the young man declared, exuding an air of haughty arrogance. He continued coldly, "Nonetheless, your end is inevitable."

With those words, the chariot reappeared, this time multiplied to eighteen. The amount of immortal-king might he commanded eclipsed even Huang Shatian's. Coupled with the augmentation from his bloodline, this young man was unrivaled within the entire realm of immortal foundation.

Despair crept across Qin Wentian's face. Never had he fathomed such a nightmarish adversary. As the eighteen thunder chariots advanced, they left devastation in their wake, their destructive might ruthlessly penetrating Qin Wentian's body. In that moment, an overwhelming sense of resistance surged within him. After forty years of relentless effort, was he destined to meet his end like this?

What would become of Qing'er and Qingcheng once he was no more? If they found themselves in a similar plight, would they manage to survive?

And who would avenge his parents once he was gone?

His resolve wavered as his spirit seemed to hover between heaven and earth, gripped by profound reluctance.

After a moment, a cascade of memories burst forth in his mind like a movie reel, each scene playing out one after another. From his youth in Chu to the moment he met Qingcheng, a profound sense of yearning filled his heart.

"Why do you pursue the martial path?" A voice echoed in his consciousness.

In this life, why had he chosen the path of martial cultivation?

He had torn the Pill Emperor Hall asunder for Qingcheng, journeyed through countless realms in pursuit of Qing'er, and learned of the unimaginable suffering his father endured before his death. He had embarked on this path to ensure that the brutal realities of their world wouldn't thwart the desires of his heart.

Suddenly, his mind quaked, and his consciousness returned abruptly. Qin Wentian opened his eyes to find himself drenched in sweat. He surveyed his surroundings and saw Qing'er and Qingcheng gazing at him with tearful eyes, their expressions mirroring his own relief.

Had it been real or just an illusion?

Qin Wentian gazed at the Sky Connecting Realm, grappling with uncertainty. Had it all been a mere fabrication? Why had it felt so real, down to the vivid sensation of the techniques used? The opponent's strength, the energy he had wielded—it was as if he had lived through it himself.

Was it real? And why had he called the Heavenly Dao Sacred Academy a "rotten academy"?

"Earlier, I believe all of you discovered the essence of why you pursue the martial path. You now possess a clearer understanding of your own paths. This newfound insight will serve as your enduring motivation. The deeper your obsessions and reasons, the farther you will advance on your respective journeys."

A resonant voice echoed, and an enigmatic figure materialized above the stone pillars. The entire Sky Connecting Realm now floated in a starry expanse. Who was this master of the Sky Connecting Realm? Was he the academy's headmaster, teaching the way of the dao?

The figure's words prompted deep contemplation in Qin Wentian. The obsession one held toward their path would ultimately drive and fortify their determination to progress further. His unyielding determination had catapulted him to his current level. Without it, he might have reached this stage, but far more slowly.

"I've encountered many people in my life. Some lingered at the pinnacle of the immortal-foundation realm, unable to break into the immortal-king realm despite years of trying. Eventually, they lost faith in themselves. Others remained trapped in the immortal-king realm, unable to breach the immortal-emperor threshold. Heart demons plagued them when they lost sight of their initial aspirations. In such moments, lacking unwavering conviction, they remained stagnated forever. This applies to everyone here, not just one individual. Everyone will reach a point where they can't progress any further."

The figure's voice held a mystical power that resonated with everyone. The gathered geniuses recalled their own struggles when they reached certain cultivation levels. Indeed, after prolonged stagnation, some would be tormented by their lack of progress, descending into despair and losing their sense of self.

Cultivation was an arduous journey. While their talents granted easy entry into the immortal-foundation realm, reaching the immortal king and immortal emperor realms was an entirely different challenge. How many hardships would these prominent figures at the peak of the immortal realms endure before reaching a state of serene cultivation? These individuals were likely marked by exceptional willpower and unyielding determination, essential qualities to sustain their journeys.

The final lecture of the sacred academy differed from past ones. It delved into the realms of death and one's state of mind, leading the geniuses into profound introspection.