Slaying Demons: Starting with Upgrading my Calligraphy-Chapter 473 - 418: Hidden Dangers of Dao Embodiment!
"If the elder hadn’t taken it head-on, it probably wouldn’t have come to this."
With a chuckle, he replied. Qi Xiu was very clear in his heart that just now the old man had almost entirely withstood his Thunder Magic without any trickery. And he managed to comb and tame the overwhelming power of the thunder that flooded the heavens and earth, merging it into the palm of his hand. Both of these processes were things he admitted he couldn’t achieve.
"If I didn’t take it head-on, how would I know exactly how capable you are?"
As he extinguished the last strand of thunder light in his palm, Gu smoothed his hand over his still-smoldering beard, which immediately returned to its original state despite the scorched blackness.
"Each generation of the [Primordial] has been exceptionally talented, surpassing all in the world. All the laws under heaven, none not mastered, none not understood. Your generation has also not disgraced the name of the [Primordial]."
With a wave of his large hand, two meditation cushions appeared before him, and Gu gestured for Qi Xiu to sit down. He did not bring Qi Xiu to this space to really fight with him. Beyond testing his capabilities, there were things that only the two of them should know, which could not be heard by a third person or a Dharma Spirit.
"I still have a long way to go. But after all, I’m a Shenxiao Sect Member, and Thunder Magic is the foundation of my standing; I can’t afford to slack off."
With a bow, Qi Xiu sat down on the meditation cushion, humbly waving his hand in response to Gu’s praise. Commanding myriad paths and harnessing myriad energies is the ultimate goal of the Mixed Yuan Path; I indeed still have far to go.
"It is good that you remember you are a Shenxiao Sect Member. Although you have now achieved the Dao Body Realm, it is merely the threshold you have crossed on the path to enlightenment. Not to mention the Primordial Spirit Great Path that looms above the firmament, overlooking all living beings. Even in this Dao Body Realm, your journey has only just begun. I have observed your vital energy; it is vigorous and limitless. It is said that those of the [Primordial] transform from the primordial qi, and while other cultivators must painstakingly accumulate their Dao Yuan, for you, it seems quite simple to gather. Now it seems, this is indeed true. In that case, you need not accumulate Dao Yuan; you can start planning directly, preparing for Dao Embodiment. How about it, have you thought of which Great Dao to embody first? There is a cooling-off period for Dao Embodiment; you cannot proceed consecutively, so the first Great Dao you embody may directly affect your combat capabilities for a long time afterward."
Gu was very satisfied with Qi Xiu’s response, nodding frequently, seeing that the young man in front of him was grateful and did not take his grace for granted. During their conversation, he also began to offer guidance, worried that Qi Xiu might take the wrong path and waste time.
"Regarding Dao Embodiment, this junior does have some ideas..."
Gu, as an ancestral Dharma Spirit, though for some unknown reason his strength was only at the Dao Body Realm, it was clear to the discerning eye that this was not his complete strength. Facing such an ancient being rich in cultivation experience, Qi Xiu didn’t hold back and openly shared his idea of embodying the [Five Elements Great Dao].
"The [Five Elements Great Dao]?"
Stroking his beard, Gu murmured as he tapped his lips, "That could work. Among the Three Thousand Great Paths, the Five Elements Great Dao ranks within the top hundred of the Innate Great Daos. However, embodying the Five Elements might require a lot of effort from you. As far as I know, there is only one person among the living cultivators who has successfully embodied the Five Elements. If you also choose to embody the [Five Elements Great Dao], that person will surely sense it when you raise your Dao. This person has no small private feud with us. He might secretly try to trip you up to obstruct your Dao Embodiment."
Qi Xiu furrowed his brows; he had not expected such risks with embodying the Five Elements Great Dao. If I hadn’t encountered this ancestral Dharma Spirit, then when I go to embody my Dao in the future, and that person really makes a covert move against me, wouldn’t I be completely unprepared?
"This person is..."
With a flash in his eyes, Qi Xiu tried to inquire from the ancestral Dharma Spirit.
The time of Dao Embodiment is when a Dao Expert is most vulnerable. Raising one’s Dao to the heavens is an extraordinary state. Even a Primordial Spirit Boss might not be able to lend a hand in this state. Since it’s impossible to prevent a sneak attack while embodying the Dao... then why not take care of the attacker in advance? The outcome would be the same, right?
Hearing Qi Xiu say this, Gu raised an eyebrow and looked at him. "You’re very decisive, kid. Thinking of making a move?"
"A struggle over the Great Dao is life and death—what’s wrong with that?" With a smile, Qi Xiu rolled up his sleeves and whispered.
"Hahaha, good, you’re quite straightforward. If it were Junior Dongfang, he wouldn’t voice such thoughts at all. He’d secretly use every means possible to make a move in the shadows and leave no trace behind. One a hypocritical gentleman, the other a true scoundrel. You two are a perfect match."
Clapping and laughing, Gu slowly nodded. "However, regarding making a move, you’d better give up that thought early. That person may also be in the Dao Body Realm, but he holds a special status, and the place where he resides is as secure as a fortress. You will not have the opportunity to lay a hand on him." 𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝚠𝚎𝚋𝗻𝗼𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝚘𝐦
At those words, Qi Xiu’s eyes flickered. His mind raced through the powers that the Shenxiao Sect could not offend, or rather, should not offend. After a process of selection and elimination, only one place fit what Gu had described.
"Shangjing? The royal family?"
"Eh?"
Lifting his eyelids in surprise, Gu looked at Qi Xiu with a strange expression. "I have to admit, your cleverness is strikingly similar to that of Junior Dongfang."
Hearing this, Qi Xiu felt a sense of relief.
"It seems I guessed correctly. But why would a member of the royal family hold a grudge against my Shenxiao Sect? Isn’t Dianchuan a large province far from Shangjing?"
"It’s not a grudge against the Shenxiao Sect; to be precise, it’s against Junior Dongfang," Gu said, spreading his palms.
"A grudge against the Sect Master?"
"This person is the granduncle of the current Great Xuan Emperor, named Zhao Qianqiu. It was probably over 1,600 years ago when Junior Dongfang had yet to reach the Primordial Spirit Realm. During his travels, he discovered a Five-Lotus Green Heart Heaven Reaching Ginseng, one of the Spiritual Objects that had been extinct since the Primordial Era. Its appearance was tantamount to the emergence of an absolute treasure in the world. By rights, since Junior Dongfang was the first to find it, it should belong to him. However, Zhao Qianqiu, who arrived shortly thereafter, immediately promised a hefty sum and expressed his willingness to purchase this treasure. Although the Five-Lotus Green Heart Heaven Reaching Ginseng was precious, our Shenxiao Sect does not cultivate the Five Elements Great Dao. Having it would merely mean keeping it in a treasure hall with limited use. So, after pondering for a moment, Junior Dongfang agreed to Zhao Qianqiu’s terms and conceded the treasured plant to him. Who would have thought that once Zhao Qianqiu got his hands on the treasure, he would renege on their agreement? Relying on the fact that he was accompanied by three Dao Experts, making it four against one, he intended to kill and silence Junior Dongfang."
At this point, Gu paused, his gaze shifting towards Qi Xiu.
"Obtaining the treasure only to try and get it for free—Zhao Qianqiu was truly unprincipled. What was the outcome?" Qi Xiu asked curiously.
"It must be said that Zhao Qianqiu had bad luck. If it had been Junior Dongfang of today, he might just beat him up and demand some compensation before letting him go. But Junior Dongfang of that time was not like he is now. Wielding the Tianxing Sword, he dared to stand at the Mountain Gate of the Hundred Thousand Great Mountains and rant for three days and nights, with not a single person daring to confront him. After his good faith in giving up the treasure was met with an attempted ambush, Junior Dongfang, in a rage, drew his sword and fought Zhao Qianqiu and his three companions. When members of the Zhao Family, who had yet to control Shangjing at the time, and people from our sect arrived at the scene, besides Zhao Qianqiu, the three Dao Experts had already been slain by Junior Dongfang. Even Zhao Qianqiu would not have escaped becoming a lost soul to the Tianxing Sword had it not been for the Sect Master himself speaking out. Although Zhao Qianqiu narrowly escaped death, he could not avoid dire punishment. All his Cultivation from embodying the Dao five times was completely stripped by Junior Dongfang. A thousand years of arduous cultivation, reduced to naught. Would you say that resentment is great or not?"
After listening to Gu’s explanation, Qi Xiu nodded. This isn’t just a private grudge; this is a towering hatred! To undergo Dao Embodiment five times only to have a thousand years of Cultivation destroyed. Anyone would remember this for a lifetime, seeking every possible means of revenge.
"After his Cultivation was destroyed, Zhao Qianqiu chose seclusion, rarely making public appearances. Even when the Zhao Family triumphed and took over Shangjing, he only briefly flashed by in the entourage entering the city. But the man has some backbone. Despite having his Cultivation destroyed by Junior Dongfang once, he managed to claw his way back up through sheer talent and successfully embodied the Five Elements once again. Three hundred years ago, an Outer Realm Evil God suddenly descended on the Great Xuan Imperial Palace, breaking the Central Imperial Court’s Great Formation. At that time, the Zhao Family’s Emperor was in secluded meditation. In the absence of a Primordial Spirit Realm presence, Zhao Qianqiu single-handedly withstood the Outer Realm Evil God for three days, forcibly holding off until the Central Imperial Court’s Great Formation was repaired. His combat prowess was evident. Being in the imperial palace, he is indeed considered one of the top Dao Experts, so if you’re thinking of targeting him, this old man advises you to think better of it. The Five Elements Great Dao is good, but it can be postponed. Once you’ve accumulated some strength, even if Zhao Qianqiu wants to trip you up, he might not have the ability to do so."
Realizing that Gu was speaking the truth and genuinely advising him on how to avoid potential calamities, Qi Xiu nodded in agreement.
"Your advice is sound, senior, and I will give it serious consideration. But if I do not embody the Five Elements, do you have any other suggestions?"
"You, this kid, for all your cleverness, can be quite simple-minded at times." Gu slapped his thigh and inched closer to Qi Xiu, his eyes rolling mischievously. "With all I’ve told you, you only remember the matter with Zhao Qianqiu."
Startled by Gu’s rhetorical question, Qi Xiu furrowed his brow in thought.
"Is there something else?"
Unable to help himself, Gu prodded Qi Xiu’s forehead with his finger and sighed deeply, "I’m already old; must I really throw away my dignity to spell it out for you? I’ve rambled on at length just to suggest you choose Thunder Magic for your initial path of Dao Embodiment."
Qi Xiu, taken aback, suddenly comprehended and apologized with a smile, raising his hand, "I see, I thought too much and misunderstood your intention, my apologies. But I’m not sure my Dao-Treasure Thunder Heavy Pupil is up to the standard for Dao Embodiment."
"You needn’t worry about that. Have you forgotten who I am?"
Smiling mysteriously, a bright Divine Light flickered in Gu’s eyes, full of deep implications.
Upon hearing this, Qi Xiu came to a sudden realization. But... the Primordial Sky Annihilating Thunder Skill Compendium is the core teaching of the Sect Master’s lineage, isn’t it?
