Cultivating for a hundred lifetimes to ascension Chapter 1759 - 946: Discarding Method

Upon hearing this, Zhao Xuanjing let out a sigh, a touch of worry coloring his tone. "Alas, without dispelling this Heart Demon, it is a perilous journey to prove the Dao! While I hold some confidence, I cannot guarantee achieving the Dao."

Zhao Sheng's mind raced, a sudden recollection of the "Great Brightness Root Mantra" occurring.

Yet, he quickly reconsidered, reining in this thought deep within his heart.

"Before the Second Ancestor's Ascension, he must have undoubtedly left behind his life's experiences. Ancestor, perhaps you could search within the Heavenly Fate Cave Heaven." A shift in his thoughts led Zhao Sheng to make this sudden suggestion.

A spark ignited in Zhao Xuanjing's eyes, his immediate approval following. "An excellent notion! I shall depart momentarily."

With his pronouncement, he recalled his Ten Thousand Feet Dharma Image and transformed into a streak of light, taking his leave.

"Wait, I shall accompany you." Zhao Sheng conveyed this through Divine Thought in haste upon witnessing the departure, then pursued using his tunneling light technique.

With their swift exit, the two Great Venerables of the Zhao Family vanished, leaving the other Tribulation Crossing Venerables bewildered and speculating about their destination.

After an epoch spanning a million years, the Taiyi Spirit Realm finally witnessed the emergence of a new Immortal.

As the Ganlin Jade Dew descended, blessing every corner of the Spirit Realm; as the heavens displayed myriad auspicious colors, and the Spiritual Energy density surged, countless astute observers realized that a Tribulation Crossing Venerable within their realm had successfully ascended to Immortal Heaven.

On this momentous day, paramount forces such as the Taiyi Spirit Palace, the Supreme Sect, the Mystic Sky Sect, and the Spirit-controlling Immortal Sect were the very first to receive the Great Venerable's decree, thereby learning the identity of the recently ascended Immortal.

All revered forces, without exception, immediately dispatched Great Powers from the Integration Realm to the Zhao Clan's Ancestral Land.

Each Integration Realm Great Power arrived bearing significant treasures, hurrying to the Divine Continent on that very day to present their congratulatory gifts.

On the side of the Three Saints Zhao Family, the Integration Realm Great Power Zhao Luo Mo personally welcomed the arriving Integration Realm Fellow Daoists.

Zhao Luo Mo, experiencing both surprise and delight, received the continuous procession of fellow Daoists while adeptly managing their subtle inquiries.

The event of Tianyunzi proving the Dao and ascending swiftly sent ripples throughout the entire Taiyi Spirit Realm.

In the subsequent nearly one hundred years, visitors incessantly arrived at their doorstep, each presenting lavish gifts. Ostensibly, these were to offer congratulations on the Heavenly Fortune Ancestor's Ascension to Immortality, but in truth, they aimed to forge favorable relations with the Three Saints Zhao Family.

The ascension of Tianyunzi after proving the Dao exerted an ineffable and profound influence on the future trajectory of the Three Saints Zhao Family.

It could be asserted that this event not only solidified the designation of the "Taiyi Spirit Realm's First Immortal Valve" as truly earned but also elevated the Three Saints Zhao Family to an equal standing with esteemed powers like the Taiyi Spirit Palace and the Supreme Sect.

Henceforth, the Three Saints Zhao Family would face no threat of annihilation and would, in fact, flourish and prosper eternally.

The potency of an Immortal's influence was undeniably manifest!

...

As anticipated, the Second Ancestor, Zhao Hongyun, had indeed inscribed a "legacy" within the Pocket World Spirit Core.

Zhao Sheng and his companion, no longer concerned with external acquisitions like Magical Treasures or Cultivation Techniques, quickly located their objective after a brief search.

It manifested as a translucent Jade Tablet, standing two zhang in height and nine chi in thickness, bearing the inscription "Discarding Method" in three Immortal Seals upon its front surface.

"This is precisely it." A unique light flickered in Zhao Xuanjing's eyes as he declared with certainty.

Observing this, Zhao Sheng, with keen curiosity, detached a thread of his Divine Thought, gently probing into the secrets of the Jade Tablet.

Instantly, a resonant Dao sound flooded his consciousness: "Worldly attachments are ephemeral, like lightning's flash; those who release their grip are truly liberated. A heart ensnared by myriad threads forms a cocoon; to shatter and discard a single thought is the ultimate liberation.

I possess a method, known as the 'Discarding Method'... Discarding signifies severing the roots of the past; Shedding entails abandoning the shackles of one's bloodline; Departing involves ridding oneself of the eight sufferings afflicting the Dao Heart.

This method does not advocate for the heartless extinguishing of emotions but rather illuminates a path toward clearly perceiving one's true nature. My descendants must understand: obsession is the true demon; the place where you achieve letting go is the sacred Mount Ling.

The method unfolds across three realms: the first realm, shattering illusions... the second realm, shedding obsessions... the third realm, departing from forms..."

This method demands traversing the Ten Thousand Red Dust, akin to lotus roots taking root in mire, only to blossom gloriously under the sun... My descendants must forever remember this: what you relinquish are not external possessions, but the shackles of the heart; what you depart from is not the mundane world, but ignorance. When the heavens clear and the waters become pristine, you shall discover that demonic thoughts are merely the echo of prajna wisdom."

As the resonance of the Dao faded, countless visions inundated his spirit, with the Second Ancestor, Zhao Hongyun, being the sole protagonist in each.

It transpired that prior to his ascension, the Second Ancestor had personally 'imprinted' this Jade Tablet with thousands of years of his recent experiences, leaving them for future generations to scrutinize.

Deeply touched by the Second Ancestor’s profound selflessness, Zhao Sheng inwardly felt his own efforts paled in comparison.

Upon reviewing the Jade Tablet's contents, Zhao Xuanjing was immediately overcome with emotion, exclaiming, "Hongyun... your thoughtfulness is truly remarkable!"

Having never personally endured the Heart Demon Tribulation, Zhao Sheng remained oblivious to the true depth and significance contained within Zhao Hongyun’s Jade Tablet.

Yet, Zhao Xuanjing’s situation was vastly different. Beset by the torment of Heart Demons, he keenly understood the immense value of the "Discarding Method."

With Zhao Hongyun’s recorded experiences serving as a guide, the challenge of cultivating the "Discarding Method" was immediately diminished.

After merely a cursory examination, Zhao Xuanjing felt a substantial increase in his understanding, with a subtle yet noticeable refinement in his state of mind.

In reality, even without the Ancestor’s explicit commendation, Zhao Sheng inherently grasped the profound importance of the "Discarding Method."

Consequently, the two Tribulation Crossing Venerables, heedless of any external distractions, immediately immersed themselves in unraveling the mysteries of this Heart Refining Technique.

In their absorption, they swiftly lost all track of time, completely forgetting about the clan juniors who awaited the Ancestors' crucial decision.

Fortunately, both possessed Avatars stationed within the Cave Heavens, which capably managed affairs, thereby preserving their true selves from undue expenditure of Heart Power.

...

Spiritual enlightenment often dawns like a dream, where the passage of time becomes almost imperceptible.

By the time Zhao Sheng and Zhao Xuanjing had fully assimilated the profound wisdom of the "Discarding Method," a staggering hundred years had elapsed.

Laden with newfound understanding, Zhao Xuanjing felt an urgent desire to return to the Cave Heaven and fully integrate his realizations.

Observing this, Zhao Sheng, with a sense of reluctance, shouldered the significant responsibility, granting the Ancestor leave to retreat to the Cave Heaven for solitary meditation.

As a flash of light illuminated the scene, Zhao Sheng found himself alone once more within the Spirit Core Space.

With a graceful sweep of his long sleeve, a veritable mountain of treasures materialized in the air, only to vanish without a trace into his garment.

After meticulously collecting the abundant treasures, he excavated his way out of the Spirit Core Space, emerging directly above the Heavenly Fate Cave Heaven.

The vast expanse of clouds drifted lazily, and the powerful Gang Wind howled with intensity.

Suspended in the emptiness of the Void, Zhao Sheng’s Divine Thought unfurled like an inexorable tide, rapidly enveloping the majority of the Cave Heaven.

Three elders of the Returning to Void Realm, sensing his presence, were immediately filled with immeasurable joy.

Without delay, the trio hastened to present themselves.

Upon confirming the presence of the Fourth Ancestor, the three offered their most profound and respectful salutations.

Zhao Sheng engaged in conversation with the three for a period, swiftly gaining comprehensive knowledge of all significant developments within the Zhao Clan over the preceding century.

The reactions of the various powers within the Spirit Realm were largely as anticipated; Zhao Sheng paid little attention to the stances of other factions. His primary concern lay with the internal transformations occurring within the Zhao Clan itself.

Following further inquiries, he paused in contemplation for a moment before issuing seven or eight distinct commands to the assembled three.

Once the three had received their directives and departed, Zhao Sheng did not linger to oversee the Heavenly Fate Cave Heaven but instead made his way directly back to the Five Elements Cave Heaven.

Within a mere handful of days, the highest echelons of the Three Saints Zhao Family became aware of the Fourth Ancestor's reappearance.

An even more momentous and astounding announcement soon reverberated through the clan.

"With the Second Ancestor's Ascension, the Heavenly Fate Cave Heaven now stands without a designated master! The Fourth Ancestor has issued a decree: all elders of the Returning to Void Realm are to be summoned for the selection of a successor to inherit the Heavenly Fate Cave Heaven."

Upon his true self’s return to the Five Elements Cave Heaven, the Avatar Dongzhenzi was promptly dispatched to the Ancestor Hall to assume command of all ongoing affairs.

Beyond these seemingly "minor matters," once his true self had returned unobserved, the legendary Five Zhas awoke from their profound slumber.

Having experienced two successive Ganlin baptisms, the Five Zhas had undergone a dramatic transformation, not only expanding their respective Cave Heavens to encompass millions of miles but also maturing in appearance from mere adolescents to youths in their early twenties.

This marked a significant milestone, indicating that the Five Directions Treasure Mirror had achieved the caliber of a standard Primordial Yang Spirit Treasure.

Naturally, whether the Five Zhas were destined to evolve into a Heavenly Spirit Treasure rested entirely upon their individual destinies!