I Arrived At Wizard World While Cultivating Immortality Chapter 677: Dao Integration

The sky above the Infernal Sulfur Plane was perpetually a deep crimson.

The instant Jie Ming emerged from the spatial teleportation array, a potent aroma of sulfur assaulted his senses.

He paused, drawing a deep breath, and a sense of relief washed over his features.

He had returned.

With all necessary arrangements concluded, the time had arrived to dedicate himself to secluded cultivation for his imminent breakthrough.

Despite this declaration, Jie Ming did not immediately enter isolation. Instead, for the subsequent three days, he methodically addressed the backlog of matters accumulated over recent years. This included operational metrics from the Black Giant incubation pools, identifying coverage gaps within the nest's information network, reviewing the latest training reports for the Dao Soldier legions, and analyzing the growth statistics of Incense Fire Divine Dao adherents across various territories…

Rather than returning to his administrative chambers, he took a seat on a stone near the central altar of the Incense Fire Divine Dao, meticulously perusing the submitted documents and setting them aside after infusing them with his spiritual power.

A Black Giant priest, assigned as his aide, maintained a silent vigil nearby, observing Jie Ming's diligence with a visible trace of unease. Finally, he could no longer restrain himself and spoke, "My Lord, do you not intend to take some rest?"

"Ah, there is no need. This itself is my form of rest."

Upon hearing this response, the Black Giant priest offered no further attempts at persuasion.

As the third evening commenced, having given his final approval to a document, Jie Ming placed the magic network terminal down.

He remained seated by the stone for an extended period, unoccupied, his gaze fixed on the six auxiliary towers nearing completion in the distance.

These subsidiary structures had been erected by the Black Giants specifically to facilitate his breakthrough. Each tower was crowned with flames of distinct hues—scarlet, radiant gold, verdant cyan, chilling azure, pristine silver, and profound black. These six-colored flames danced playfully beneath the somber red sky, their reflections shimmering upon the polished altar stones, creating six slender beams of light.

Jie Ming had been truthful with the Black Giant priest; these preceding days had indeed been his period of repose.

Following three days of recuperation, his essence, energy, and spirit—the Three Treasures—had regained their equilibrium, and his Dharma Form had settled after its prior instability.

He resembled a powerful steed that, after a strenuous gallop, finally ground to a halt, its mane ceasing its agitated trembling as its breaths gradually deepened.

The moment had arrived.

Jie Ming rose and addressed the Black Giant priest at his side, "I shall now enter seclusion. During this time, refrain from bringing any matters before me."

"Understood." The Black Giant priest offered a solemn bow. "Is there anything you require us to prepare for you?"

"No, that will not be necessary."

Manifesting his true form, bathed in resplendent dark golden light, he proceeded into the newly constructed dwelling adjacent to the altar.

Positioned at the heart of the altar, Jie Ming initiated his preparatory procedures.

Divine sense anchoring, soul imprinting, memory sequestration, consciousness partitioning, heart demon vows, and attunement with his natal magic treasures…

He had perused the records pertaining to Dao Integration within the Great Dao Book Pavilion no fewer than ten times, reviewing them repeatedly. Every safeguard for preserving one's path, meticulously refined and validated by countless generations of cultivators, was examined and implemented.

Each technique acted as a bulwark, a stake driven into the periphery of his consciousness, bolstering the resilience of his will.

Midway through these arrangements, he paused, casting his gaze downward towards the altar beneath his feet.

The hexagonal black giant stones, the six ancillary towers, the spectrum of six flames, the subterranean energy conduits, and the imperceptible channel linking to the devotional energy of tens of millions of believers.

When Jie Ming had initially contemplated establishing the Incense Fire Divine Dao, he had deliberated for a considerable duration. Only upon confirming its potential to substantially aid his future journey had he committed to the endeavor.

Now, standing upon it, he felt a surge of conviction that the resources expended then had been a prudent investment.

The dozen or so preparatory measures were undeniably beneficial for ascending to the Dao Integration Realm, yet their tangible efficacy could only be described as… adequate.

The true depth of the challenges encountered during Dao Integration remained immeasurable beforehand.

Within the experiential accounts of Dao Integration left by his past iteration, a single sentence stood out: "You believe you are prepared, yet the Dao disregards your preparations."

Confronted by the all-encompassing principles governing existence, no matter how stringent one's defenses, inherent vulnerabilities would invariably persist.

Quantifying their impact, of Jie Ming's projected ninety-five percent success rate, these supplementary measures likely contributed a mere fifteen percent, while his own Dharma Form accounted for a more significant twenty percent.

Of the sixty percent that remained, half stemmed from Jie Ming’s investigations into anomalies and the replica’s experiences, with the other half originating from the Incense Fire Divine Dao. When factoring in the Divine Dao’s contributions in other domains, it was accurate to state that this Incense Fire Divine Dao functioned as the third golden finger Jie Ming had personally devised!

As for his second golden finger… that was his body-forging method.

To be precise, during the breakthrough to Dao Integration, the Incense Fire Divine Dao served less as a bulwark and more as an “anchor.”

The immense power of faith from tens of millions of devotees streamed into his Fate Subsystem via the altar. This luminous golden core would continue to shine steadfastly during the most vulnerable junctures of his consciousness. Even if his memory faltered, causing him to forget his identity or the path back, the collective faith of his followers would ensure his return.

While contemplating these matters, Jie Ming proceeded to enact the concluding arrangements one by one.

With all preparations complete, he assumed a cross-legged posture at the altar’s core and shut his eyes.

He then relinquished all internal restraints.

He had committed the Great Dao Book Pavilion’s lore on Dao Integration to memory.

Dao Integration was not merely a breakthrough or advancement; it represented an irreversible metamorphosis of one’s essential life force.

Consequently, the process of ascending to the Dao Integration Realm did not manifest with ostentatious displays.

Following Jie Ming’s closure of his eyes, his physical form emitted no light. The sulfurous rivers encircling the altar remained undisturbed, and the flames atop the six subsidiary towers exhibited no alteration in their rhythmic flicker. It was as if no significant event had transpired.

Yet, from Jie Ming’s internal vantage point, a profound transformation was underway.

His consciousness dissociated itself from the singular identity of “Jie Ming.”

More accurately, his consciousness, previously confined within the vessel of the “self,” found that vessel dissolving. Consequently, the “liquid” contained within immediately commingled with its surroundings.

He perceived the “Dao.”

Those conceptual threads, which previously appeared as mere energy undulations within his All-Purpose Eye, the strands of fate manifesting as intricate causal networks in his Fate Subsystem, and the fundamental logic of the world that surfaced between the opening and closing of his vertical pupil… all underwent a fundamental shift at this precise moment. They unfurled simultaneously, extending toward infinite distances.

Without boundaries, without discernible structure, and without any fixed reference points. It was an infinite expanse woven purely from universal laws, and he was an intrinsic component of this expanse. He had always existed within it; he had simply remained unaware of this fact until now. It was akin to a paralyzed individual, confined throughout their existence within a lightless chamber, never realizing the presence of walls, a ceiling, or a floor. Suddenly, the illumination flickered on, and they discovered they were not merely an occupant of the dwelling, but the dwelling itself. The walls were their skin, the ceiling their bones, the floor their muscles…

Upon accepting this revelation of his being, Jie Ming found himself involuntarily immersed in the totality revealed through his merger with the world. It was the most elemental, the most commonplace of all things, yet it held him captive with an inexplicable fascination.

During this profound absorption, Jie Ming began to shed memories that were intrinsically his own. The first casualty was his sense of purpose. He forgot his objectives, his aspirations, his ambitions, and what he had initially intended… Next to vanish were his connections. He retained a vague awareness of having interacted with certain individuals, experienced particular events, and lived a thing called “life.” However, the linkages binding those elements to himself frayed and severed, one by one. Finally, his very “self” began to dissipate. “Jie Ming.” Two characters. He understood that these characters had once represented a specific entity, but now they were utterly devoid of significance. It was like a word endlessly repeated until it devolved into a meaningless syllable. Throughout this process, Jie Ming also perceived numerous interfering “noises,” as if attempting to forcibly expel him from this state of being. “Ah… those must be the secret techniques I prepared…” Jie Ming mused this way. He recognized what these elements were, their intended function, and the nature of his current state. Yet, none of it held any consequence, as these cognitions, much like his name, were losing their distinct “syllables” through constant repetition. He drifted aimlessly upon the ocean of the Dao, growing progressively lighter, more ethereal, and less like a person. The vast expanse of the “Dao” absorbed him with remarkable gentleness. It resembled the rhythmic cadence of a mother soothingly patting a child’s back to lull them into slumber. There was no sensation of pain or struggle, not even a trace of discomfort. He was simply becoming more “faint.” The individual existence that had been Jie Ming was gradually, imperceptibly, merging into the boundless “nothingness.” He no longer recalled his humanity. He no longer remembered “himself.” Eventually, as his state of forgetting reached a critical threshold, the Incense Fire Divine Dao was activated. Across all corners of the Infernal Sulfur Plane, within the communities encompassed by the Incense Fire Divine Dao, hundreds of millions of believers simultaneously experienced a distinct sensation.Although no explicit order was given, they ceased their current activities and halted completely. Turning to face the altar, they folded their hands and shut their eyes. The Black Giants, as if by instinct, commenced their prayers. Their individual voices were not overpowering, but when compounded by the millions, they created a resounding vibration akin to the planet's own heartbeat. This potent force materialized as countless ropes, lancing out from myriad points in unison. Within the boundless expanse of the void, these ropes located the fragments of that lingering consciousness. Then, much like a gentle breeze cushioning a falling leaf, they stabilized it. The wind was not forceful. Yet, it proved sufficient. "I... am..." A voice, delicate as a moth battling a tempest, emerged from the void. But buoyed by the ceaseless influx of power, the voice persisted: "...Jie Ming." This was existence reaffirming itself, consciousness slowly returning. The continuous stream of incense power, flowing from millions of sources, provided it with fresh vitality. At long last, Jie Ming's eyes slowly fluttered open.