Longevity, starting from being a chicken raising servant Chapter 2419: 208: Spreading the Dao (Part 3)

“Thunderfire?” The cultivator showed a bit of surprise, then looked somewhat astonished: “I haven’t revealed any Dao Law, so how could you know I’m skilled in the Fire Method?”

Wang Ba simply smiled and stayed silent. With his current realm, it would truly be odd if he failed to peer into the origins of just a Nascent Soul cultivator.

Xuan Yuanzi’s eyes brightened, and he quickly urged:

“Quickly thank True Man Taiyi for his advice!”

Even though the cultivator still felt a touch of bitterness, he bowed respectfully to Wang Ba and departed swiftly, his brows knitted as if anxious to check if Wang Ba’s observation held true.

With this start, the rest of the cultivators grew curious too.

Regardless of whether the man’s words rang true or false, they at least carried a ring of truth, and unlike Master Xuan’s explanations, they felt far less ethereal and more practical.

Right then, a Unification cultivator couldn’t resist inquiring:

“So, how exactly should one grasp these rules?”

Wang Ba eyed the individual briefly, then shook his head a little:

“You cannot grasp them.”

“Why not?”

The Unification cultivator blinked in shock and followed up with a trace of annoyance.

“You’re a notch above the last fellow, but not by much. You know your own way, yet your insight lacks depth. Your Primordial Spirit appears frail, and your Dao Domain feels scattered and rough. To seize the rules, you must first strengthen those two elements.”

Wang Ba scanned once more and pointed out offhandedly.

The cultivator’s face shifted upon hearing that, and his stare turned more serious.

Though he had no idea how the other could spot his flaws in a single look, he dimly sensed his own weaknesses, making his attitude toward Wang Ba far more polite and deferential. He gave a small bow to Wang Ba, exchanged a few words with Xuan Yuanzi, and hurried away without delay.

As Wang Ba offered direction to two in a row, the remaining cultivators paid close heed, no longer dismissing him lightly. A few clever ones even pondered his advice to those pair, weighing it against their own circumstances, and gained fresh insights.

Wang Ba sensed the growing reverence in the eyes of the nearby cultivators, and a thought crossed his mind.

His link to the Quiet Cave depended solely on Xuan Yuanzi as a bridge; if he shared some wisdom with these folks right now, it might just deepen his ties to the Quiet Cave.

With that in mind, he caught on suddenly, turned toward Xuan Yuanzi, and noticed the man gazing back with a flicker of thanks in his eyes. He sent a mental message:

“Wang Ba thanks you for your hard work and support.”

Xuan Yuanzi gave a faint smile at the transmission and said little else.

His favor stemmed both from settling the debt for Wang Ba’s aid in his past escape and from scheming for the Quiet Cave’s future.

After all, without a single Crossing Tribulation expert in this domain, it suggested the Master of Quiet Cave’s long labors hadn’t borne fruit yet. What he did now repaid the Master’s grace, aligning with his claim of motives that mixed self-interest and altruism.

Wang Ba went on to instruct them carefully, one after another.

At his present cultivation level and perception, he ranked among the elite just shy of Mahayana across the Realm Sea.

Plus, his grasp of Dao Law likely outshone everyone in the whole Realm Sea.

While others might shine in a single field, he shone in almost all, so no matter what Dharma these cultivators followed, he could provide straightforward counsel.

As he offered detailed direction, the cultivators gained deep understanding, with long-tangled problems suddenly resolving.

Among the group were the talented sorts, but also the slower ones, and Wang Ba, seeking to build rapport, gave sharp observations:

“You cling too tightly to ‘self,’ overly bound by memories from your prior life. It clouds your view of the here and now. Try this: I’ll veil your recollections, letting you start fresh in cultivation and seize your genuine self.”

This Nascent Soul cultivator had lingered near the Dao Secret formation for almost a thousand years, and his life span neared its close, pushing him toward rebirth.

Hearing Wang Ba’s suggestion, the Nascent Soul cultivator bobbed his head eagerly, fully on board.

A red gleam flashed in Wang Ba’s eyes as he fully blocked the cultivator’s past-life memories.

The cultivator stared blankly, his gaze empty, yet unburdened by old weights and past forgotten, he settled into meditation with a spark of new vigor.

Witnessing that, Wang Ba lightly formed an Array and moved on to advising the others.

From his elevated realm, directing these people felt like watching from on high; each phrase he uttered struck true.

The cultivators reaped huge gains, and even Xuan Yuanzi, stuck from advancing his own cultivation for now, hung on every word as if spellbound.

Even Ji Hu, the figure with a snake’s head and human form, had slipped into the Domain’s mist unnoticed, captivated by Wang Ba’s lecture.

At the peak of his discourse, Wang Ba just dropped to the ground cross-legged, lost in the flow.

He covered everything from Qi Cultivation to forming the Dao Secret, up through Crossing Tribulation.

Having preached many times before, this session served as a full recap of his cultivation path too, and though his words lacked flashy flair, the cultivators absorbed them eagerly, loath to skip a single syllable.

Only when he wrapped up did the cultivators linger in reflection, still immersed and unable to pull away…

Just then, the Nascent Soul cultivator whose memories were veiled and who had begun cultivating on the spot released a distinct aura all at once.

“Dao Secret!”

“He’s formed his Dao Secret already, that fast!”

The nearby cultivators snapped from their daze at the stir and turned to him. Slowly, awareness dawned, and one blurted out in awe.

Right as the Dao Secret took shape, a mass of clouds crackling with lightning gathered overhead.

“Immortal Ascension Thunder Tribulation!”

The cultivators knew thunder tribulations well, and this Immortal Ascension Thunder Tribulation didn’t stand out much.

What stunned them was how this cultivator, mired in Dao Secret formation for nearly a millennium, broke through with such ease thanks to Wang Ba’s help.

As a result, their looks toward Wang Ba burned with even greater zeal.

Xuan Yuanzi brimmed with respect too, regarding Wang Ba with genuine esteem:

“I had some reservations about Fellow Daoist’s feats in the Cloud Sky Realm clash before; now I see they’re truly earned.”

Wang Ba dismissed it with a grin and a wave.

Then, he steadied himself a touch:

“A lot of the hurdles these cultivators hit come mostly from their past-life memories’ sway. I suggest you found a Sect—Quiet Cave or whatever name fits—where only those hitting a set level get their Innate Wisdom unlocked; that’ll help them shake off too much hold from former lives.”

“On top of that, lacking a Realm Spirit in this Great Realm poses a real issue. Cultivation goes beyond just sitting in meditation, secluded retreats, or refining Qi—one needs real-world trials to reveal one’s true nature and push ahead. Think of Little Cang World: for all its big sects, it still let minor ones sprout for exactly that.”

“A Realm Spirit would let more entities emerge, boosting cultivation… keep in mind, ‘only when a hundred flowers bloom does spring truly come.’”

“Quiet Cave might foster small sects inside or reach out to trade with other Domains—shutting everything in will never breed real Great Cultivators. How could penned-in cultivators ever scale the Dao’s heights?”

Xuan Yuanzi took it in and replied with gravity:

“I’ll make sure to pass Fellow Daoist’s advice to the Master of Quiet Cave.”

Wang Ba nodded, then swept his eyes around:

“Also, with spirit plants and spirit materials at hand; if they’re missing, fine, but having them and letting them sit unused is pure squander.”

Xuan Yuanzi listened and committed it to memory, giving a nod:

“I’ll report these points to the Master of Quiet Cave as well.”

Wang Ba let out a chuckle, holding back further comments, but as he reckoned the time, he realized over a year had slipped by in this Domain, and something felt off:

“Didn’t the Master of Quiet Cave plan for me to depart in just days? Why hasn’t anyone pressed me to go?”

Xuan Yuanzi hesitated, then chuckled:

“Isn’t that a stroke of luck?”

At those words, Wang Ba burst into laughter, letting the matter drop, and kept instructing the Innate Demon Reincarnation bodies in this Domain.

Time flowed on silently.

In a flash, years had gone by.

One day, a notion hit Wang Ba, and he pulled a communication Dao Treasure from his sleeve.

His eyes settled on the item, and his face shifted faintly:

“The Supreme True Buddha has come?”