Chapter 1645: Mountain and Sea Avenue Appears

Light suddenly vanished, and endless darkness enveloped the World of Samsara.

From the eerie abyss, countless muddy tentacles seemed to emerge, tightly entangling the giant hands of the figure in purple.

Fire-red clouds stretching for thousands of miles, like a sharp sword, slashed outside the abyss. A cry of anger and shock from the figure in purple flashed and was then drowned out by endless violent explosions.

As the Five Venerables of Samsara acted to intercept the figure in purple from the Other Shore, the entire World of Samsara was also undergoing inexplicable changes.

Ten million long rivers flowed in parallel, seemingly drawn by something, rolling back and converging end-to-end. They transformed into concentric closed circles.

In an instant, they wove into a gem radiating pure yellow light!

Veiled by a mysterious rhythm, the sounds of clashing weapons from outside slowly faded. Eight figures guarded the central yellow gem; although they appeared motionless, in reality, amidst shimmering light and shadow, they had already traversed thousands of mountains and seas!

"We've temporarily shaken off their pursuit. However, even if we can move again, it's not a long-term solution," said Immortal Ming Dao with a heavy tone.

"Unexpectedly, another Great Dao has appeared between the mountains and seas. This was completely unforeseen and led to our premature exposure."

"The comparison of the paintings is almost complete. We absolutely cannot abandon it halfway. If it becomes truly critical, I will use my conceptualization ability to construct the World of Samsara and actively reveal myself to lure the enemy, buying you time," the white-haired youth said with a solemn expression.

The others did not object:

"Don't worry, we will not forget your contribution."

The white-haired youth smiled and shook his head:

"I was already a dead man, resurrected from conceptualization and gaining another experience; I am content. If I can help all of you achieve your Great Dao, then my life will not have been in vain."

After a moment of silence, the gazes of the eight figures once again focused on the yellow gem in the center.

Once in a safe place, the concentric lines forming the gem unfurled again, transforming back into ten million streams of light and shadow.

Within these streams of light and shadow, the beings within the conceptualized possibilities seemed to be frozen, losing the concept of time's passage during this period. They remained unaware of the various changes occurring outside.

Not long after receiving a safety notice from the Venerables, they resumed their previous way of life. Xingfu was one of them.

However, he would occasionally look beyond the World of Samsara, his expression subtle.

"I can't clearly see the outside world of mountains and seas; it must be the Venerables who have acted to seal it off."

"I just wonder how long it can last."

Xingfu felt no fear about the possibility of exposure at any moment; instead, he harbored a hint of anticipation.

"The Calamity of Samsara must be far more complex than the Venerables described to me. Otherwise, even with the figure in purple at the doorstep, a thorough search wouldn't cause them to flee at once. There must be something inside that all the Saints of the Other Shore care about."

The answer was obvious.

The Great Dao of Mountains and Seas!

"The method they imparted for conceptual comparison and copying the Great Dao of Mountains and Seas should be real. It's just that they've concealed the progress!"

Xingfu looked up at the formless, invisible yellow gem suspended above the myriad flowing rivers of light and shadow.

"Whether intentionally or unintentionally, actively or passively, every time the so-called awakened ones, myself included, perform a copying within the World of Samsara, it is likely recorded and counted towards the overall comparison progress."

"However, the Venerables didn't lie; once the progress is complete, the Great Dao of Longevity will appear. Who becomes its master within the World of Samsara will depend entirely on individual fate and fortune."

"Seizing or snatching it will be useless."

"The reason this information isn't made public..."

"Knowing too much would make one uneasy and hinder conceptual copying."

It took Xingfu a long time to forcibly suppress the surging tide of thoughts.

This discovery, in fact, brought no change to Xingfu's life.

Even if the progress was 99.99%, before it was truly complete, it was effectively no different from zero.

He didn't know when he would truly glimpse the unknown form of the Great Dao of Mountains and Seas, but the pursuit from the Other Shore was real and highly likely to resume.

Xingfu keenly noticed that the overall atmosphere in the World of Samsara was gradually changing compared to before.

Especially the awakened ones. They were no longer as focused as before, and the efficiency of their conceptual construction was affected.

"They're already distracted. Their ability to handle pressure is a bit too poor."

Noticing this, Xingfu secretly felt strange.

Logically, these awakened ones all possessed transcending abilities. Their mental fortitude should absolutely not be this weak.

"Unless..."

"It's a case of forcing growth, not true transcendence achieved through self-cultivation."

Xingfu's attention first fell upon his colleagues.

"Those whose minds weren't much affected didn't detect anything amiss."

"As for those whose minds were disturbed..."

"It's as if their conceptual constructions, though seemingly real, are ultimately not truly real!"

After an unknown number of years of accumulation, Xingfu had developed his own unique understanding of conceptual construction.

With this careful observation, he finally discovered the hidden truth.

"Furthermore, this incongruous sense of falsity..."

Xingfu frowned in thought, and based on a faint sense of familiar similarity, he suddenly remembered the young white-haired Venerable he had seen earlier.

"Was he also one of the conceptualized creations?"

"Has the conceptualization art of the Calamity of Samsara reached a point where it can almost perfectly mimic reality?"

Xingfu immediately felt suspicious.

Just as the Great Daos of Mountains and Seas would be attracted to each other, artists would also feel a sense of camaraderie.

Xingfu had now entered the realm of conceptual construction. However, he didn't feel that the Venerables of Samsara had significantly surpassed him in this art. Although he had no concrete evidence, it was an inexplicable guess in his heart.

But Xingfu was almost certain; it was highly probable.

Xingfu himself didn't know where his confidence came from.

"Perhaps it's the talent I've displayed in the divine ability of conceptual construction?"

"That white-haired youth, though a conceptualized creation, was treated as an equal by the Five Venerables of Samsara and Immortal Ming Dao."

"If I put myself in their shoes, would I treat my own conceptualized creations as equals? Absolutely not!"

Xingfu's eyes flickered, and he already had an answer in his heart.

"He was conceptually constructed by someone else and left behind as an aid."

"As for who..."

"The answer is also clear. It should be the Mountain-Sea Traveler who taught the Five Venerables of Samsara!"

As his thoughts rapidly spun, Xingfu had already deduced part of the truth.

"Conceptualization can transform from void to reality, but it must be generated from familiar memories. If that white-haired youth was conceptually manifested by the Mountain-Sea Traveler, then his original identity..."

"Came from the End of Mountains and Seas?"

Xingfu couldn't help but recall the words of the Five Venerables of Samsara.

"He himself is not the originator of this divine ability. Its true origin lies with the last prodigy among our cultivators, from the very end of the Mountains and Seas."

"...His talent was so profound that it even surpassed that of the Mountain-Sea Traveler."

Xingfu secretly nodded in his heart:

"Perhaps it is precisely because his true identity is extraordinary that the Venerables treat this conceptual creation with such respect."

He really wanted to know the specific situation at the End of Mountains and Seas from the white-haired youth's memories. However, ever since the figure in purple from the Other Shore attacked, the Venerables of the World of Samsara rarely appeared before others.

They seemed to be jointly busy with something.

Xingfu could only ponder this. Even though he had glimpsed part of the World of Samsara's secret, he merely buried it deep in his heart, not revealing a single bit to anyone.

In the remaining time, he continued to silently and ceaselessly perform conceptual construction, adding to the progress of finally depicting the Great Dao of Mountains and Seas.

A period of time, even longer than before, passed once again.

On this day, Xingfu, who had just completed a copying session, suddenly felt an inexplicable palpitation in his heart.

Then, a stream of tears flowed down his face without reason.

Xingfu wiped them away, greatly shocked. At the same time, doubts suddenly arose in his mind:

"What's happening? My mind instinctively feels sorrow, and tears are flowing uncontrollably."

"This should be an anomaly that occurs after the death of a blood relative. But all my relatives perished during the Calamity of the Immortal Realm's destruction long ago. What on earth is it?"

Xingfu was completely baffled. He wanted to investigate further but couldn't find a way.

In the end, he could only bury this question deep in his heart.

After that, countless more years passed.

The final completion of the Great Dao of Mountains and Seas copy seemed to be just a hair's breadth away. But this sliver was like the difference between heaven and earth. No matter how persistent the beings within the World of Samsara were, they could never fill it.

However, as the "progress bar" neared completion, corresponding changes also occurred within the World of Samsara.

The most significant change was in the ten million flowing rivers of light and shadow. Originally mere conceptual creations, Xingfu could discern their true nature at a glance.

But now, they could almost pass for reality!

Even with Xingfu's mastery of the path of conceptualization, he had to carefully distinguish to perceive the subtle differences between them and the true possibilities within the mountains and seas.

Those not proficient in this path would certainly find it difficult to detect their "conceptual nature."

"With no more danger of sudden destruction, the people of the Star Sea of Light are living increasingly free and unrestrained. They've almost forgotten me," Xingfu mused, his expression momentarily dazed. Besides these conceptualized possibilities, the yellow gem suspended above the flowing rivers also underwent significant changes.

It was still not in a state of ultimate conceptual reality. Instead, it hovered between reality and illusion.

When not observed closely, it appeared to be merely composed of myriad illusory outlines. But upon careful inspection, every facet of the yellow gem was strikingly realistic. It was indistinguishable from reality descending.

This superimposition of dual real and illusory states captivated Xingfu even more. He would often look up and observe, and a sudden feeling arose in his heart.

The day of its true transformation was not far off.

Xingfu's premonitions were always accurate.

Three thousand five hundred and sixty-nine years passed thereafter.

On this day, Xingfu's copying inexplicably ceased. For Xingfu, whose conceptualization divine ability had reached perfection, this was almost impossible.

Yet, it truly happened.

Simply because...

Instantly realizing something, Xingfu's body began to tremble violently and uncontrollably due to extreme excitement.

"Exclude all discordant lines."

"The Great Dao of Mountains and Seas, hidden within the void, has finally been depicted and outlined by us."

Like the countless beings within the ten million flowing rivers of light and shadow, Xingfu looked up at the exquisitely brilliant yellow gem above his head.

Figures appeared one after another around the gem. These were the Venerables of the World of Samsara, who had not appeared for a long time. However, there were not eight of them, but only the Five Venerables of Samsara remaining.

The other Venerables, including Immortal Ming Dao, were nowhere to be seen.

Under everyone's gaze, this yellow gem, successfully reproduced after countless years of hardship by the myriad artists of the World of Samsara, actually began to gradually disintegrate.

As if endless lines surged forth from it. They became increasingly dense, like countless brushes, outlining a Great Dao that should not exist within the mountains and seas.

With the Great Dao of Mountains and Seas appearing, the World of Samsara, hidden for many years, could no longer remain concealed.

The isolating aura broke, and a rift was suddenly torn open.

Xingfu could clearly see the scene of a majestic, sacred white ring standing not far away. That white circle seemed to stand amidst the mountains and seas; though it looked incredibly distant, it was also extremely close.

It arrived in an instant, sealing and suppressing the World of Samsara.

But at this moment, the Five Venerables of Samsara, and indeed all beings within the World of Samsara, were no longer important. All gazes were fixed on the about-to-be-born Great Dao of Mountains and Seas.

Within the white circle, light and shadow flickered. The Saints of the Other Shore manifested with solemn expressions.

And at the same time, a figure in a black dragon robe and a crown quietly descended upon the scene. He sat alone on an imperial throne, though he was but a single individual. The substantial oppressive feeling he brought was no less than that of the Saints' illusory forms.

The might of the Saints was like a violent storm. Although they had restrained themselves as much as possible, and their power was somewhat diminished under mutual restraint, yet, for the beings present, it was still unbearable.

The vast majority fainted the moment the Saints descended. The few who managed to remain conscious dared not look at the Saints' figures. They could only barely force their attention onto the Great Dao of Mountains and Seas, which was about to disappear.

Rather than disappearing, it was more like being copied and reproduced from nothingness, and then hidden within the mountains and seas.

Xingfu faintly had a premonition that whether this Great Dao of Mountains and Seas could be controlled by those present hinged on the instant of its descent.

"If it intends to conceal itself..."

"Even Saints might not be able to find it."

All breathing ceased as they collectively awaited that moment.

When all the lines of the yellow gem had dissolved and completely merged with the mountains and seas, the Saint Emperor Taiwei suddenly snorted coldly, manipulated his imperial throne, and vanished.

This action surprised even the Saints of the Other Shore.

"Still so arrogant."

The Saints' comments could faintly be heard emanating from the white circle.

The departure of Saint Emperor Taiwei did not affect the descent of the Great Dao of Mountains and Seas.

Soon after, everyone present sensed a contradictory aura: ancient and vast, yet newly born. It flashed and was gone.

"Dao Annihilation plunders the very foundation of the Mountains and Seas, the key to their decline."

"The root of heaven and earth, giving birth to all things."

"This is the Great Dao of Xuanpin!"

A rumbling voice emanated from the white ring of the Other Shore. The speaker was none other than Duke Shouqiu, who commanded Longevity!

The Saints within the light and shadow were about to make a move.

However, the entire stretch of mountains and seas suddenly seemed to freeze. Endless white mist emerged from nothingness, enveloping the mountains and seas.

"It's true!"

All beings could only faintly hear a voice emanating from within the white mist.