Chapter 1573: Another Path to Enlightenment
"Enlightenment doesn't require the Dao Tree, Dao Flower, or Dao Fruit?"
Qin Mu and the two sisters—the Empress and Yuan Mu—were each stunned. In their ingrained understanding, the most distinctive feature of an enlightened one was that their Great Dao transformed into a Dao Tree in the ultimate void, blossomed with Dao Flowers, and bore Dao Fruits.
Yet the woman beneath the sea surface said that the path of Dao Tree, Dao Flower, and Dao Fruit was still quite primitive, which contradicted everything they knew.
As far as Qin Mu knew, even the Master of Miluo Palace cultivated a Dao Tree and Dao Fruits—and hanging from his Dao Tree were sixteen Dao Fruits!
Other enlightened ones in Jade Capital City also mostly had Dao Trees and Dao Fruits, and the Fourth Young Master of Miluo Palace was no exception.
Could there truly be a path in this world that didn't require Dao Trees or Dao Fruits?
The woman beneath the sea surface said, "Enlightenment is not limited to the path of the Great Dao transforming into a Dao Tree. In fact, transforming one's Dao into a Dao Tree upon enlightenment is nothing more than a shortcut."
Qin Mu humbly sought instruction: "Second Sister, why do you say that? I observe that our teacher, the Master of Miluo Palace, also has a Dao Tree—so why do you call it a shortcut?"
"The Dao Tree is the World Tree. This world already has a World Tree. When you achieve enlightenment and shape your Dao into the form of the World Tree, isn't that borrowing the power of the World Tree?"
The woman sneered coldly: "You cultivate your entire life, achieve enlightenment, and in the end, you imitate the World Tree, hoping that by doing so, your Dao can remain evergreen and undying like the World Tree. If that isn't borrowing power, what is? Even more laughable—imitation is imitation!"
She mocked: "The World Tree can survive the great tribulation of cosmic birth and death, but the World Trees you imitate cannot survive that tribulation. Isn't that ridiculous?"
Her words carried great logic, and Qin Mu couldn't help but nod repeatedly.
The Empress and Yuan Mu didn't know much about the great tribulation of cosmic destruction, so her words didn't resonate much with them. But Qin Mu knew that countless enlightened ones in Jade Capital City relied on the protection of that divine city, hoping to survive into the next universe.
And beneath the roots of the World Tree, there were countless prehistoric powerhouses attempting to smuggle themselves into the next universe.
Most of these people cultivated along the path of Dao Tree, Dao Flower, and Dao Fruit.
"Mediocre talents are just mediocre talents!"
The woman sneered: "Even the teacher who first cultivated the Dao Tree, Dao Flower, and Dao Fruit inevitably fell onto this mediocre path. Cultivating a Dao Tree makes it impossible to survive the tribulation of birth and death, so they can only rely on smuggling themselves across. Only by cultivating a second Dao Fruit in their second life do they have a chance to survive the tribulation of birth and death. But to enter the next universe, they still have to smuggle themselves! Even someone like the teacher, who has cultivated sixteen Dao Fruits—what difference does it make?"
She sneered: "If he wants to cross over, doesn't he still have to smuggle himself? This is the tragedy of the Dao Tree system!"
Qin Mu thought for a moment, then suddenly said, "Second Sister, you've been saying 'tribulation of birth and death' rather than 'tribulation of destruction.' Why is that?"
The woman's gaze fell upon his face, and she praised: "Old Seventh is indeed clever—no wonder you've been able to stir up trouble for so long. That's right, it's the tribulation of birth and death, not merely the tribulation of destruction. The universe is born and dies. Destruction is a tribulation, but birth is also a tribulation. When the universe is destroyed, it annihilates all life, all stars, all space—this is the great destruction."
"When the universe is born, heaven and earth split open, destroying everything of the past, everything decayed, and from chaos new life emerges—this is the tribulation of birth. That's why I call it the tribulation of birth and death. Those called enlightened ones might endure the tribulation of destruction, but they may not necessarily endure the tribulation of birth."
"After those enlightened ones obtained Jade Capital City, they still had to make arrangements, waiting until mass-energy exchange could draw enough energy and matter from the future universe before they could enter it. This is precisely because their Dao, their physical bodies, and their primordial spirits might survive the tribulation of destruction, but they cannot survive the tribulation of birth. That's why they scheme and plot, expending great effort on their arrangements."
The woman said leisurely: "This is the drawback of borrowing the World Tree's power—a primitive method of enlightenment."
Qin Mu's eyes flickered, and he was about to ask a question when Yuan Mu beat him to it: "Then Senior must surely have mastered the true method of enlightenment, right? No wonder Senior was suppressed here by the Master of Miluo Palace—that so-called Master of Miluo Palace must have been jealous of Senior's abilities, which is why he suppressed you!"
"Silence!"
The woman was furious, her voice sharp: "Speaking ill of my teacher—even if you are of my Guixu lineage, I will show no mercy!"
Yuan Mu shuddered and dared not flatter her recklessly again.
The woman said coldly: "You don't understand the Master of Miluo Palace at all. You don't understand my teacher. His breadth of mind is beyond your ability to fathom. When he stands there, he is enough to make everyone submit and admire him. Although I hold some resentment toward him for being suppressed by him, I don't hate him in the slightest."
Yuan Mu stuck out her tongue and dared not speak.
But Qin Mu's mind wandered with longing, murmuring: "If I could meet him even once, this life would be worth it..."
"Everyone thinks that."
The woman said: "Although I believe his path was wrong, that doesn't stop me from revering him."
The Empress said: "Then, Senior, what is the path to enlightenment you've comprehended that doesn't require a Dao Tree?"
The woman laughed: "Once you cut the red strings and rescue me, I will naturally teach you. My path to enlightenment is different from those mediocre talents. My path does not fear the tribulation of birth and death—I can calmly pass through the evolution of one cosmic epoch after another. As long as you help me escape, I will not only help you merge, but I can also teach you my path to enlightenment."
The Empress hesitated, and Yuan Mu was also indecisive.
This Second Young Master of Miluo Palace was definitely not a kind-hearted person. Earlier, when she lured them to climb the twin lotus and cut the red strings, she had intended for the Master of Miluo Palace's seal to refine them to death.
It was only after Qin Mu revealed his identity as the Seventh Young Master of Miluo Palace that she divulged much seemingly useful information.
But none of this information was of much help to Qin Mu, the Empress, or Yuan Mu.
Clearly, she was still trying to get something for nothing.
Qin Mu said seriously: "Second Sister, what about my twin lotus..."
The woman said: "Giving you the twin lotus is impossible. However, I can give you a lotus leaf. The lotus leaves in this Chaos Sea can also survive the tribulation of birth and death—they have endured sixteen tribulations without perishing. With a lotus leaf, you can be assured of living healthily into the next universe after this one is destroyed!"
Qin Mu's heart pounded wildly, and he looked down at the lotus leaf beneath his feet. Suddenly he said: "Second Sister, the lotus leaf is fine, but it's not a lotus flower after all..."
The woman frowned, a hint of anger rising within her. But she had come into contact with Qin Mu in a past universe and knew his temperament well. If she didn't give him something, he would probably stir up more trouble.
"Old Seventh, since you and I are both young masters of Miluo Palace, and you're the youngest, I'll be generous."
She pondered for a moment, then said: "In my Chaos Sea, there are lotus flowers, and naturally there are also lotus seeds. I'll give you a lotus seed. This seed is extraordinary—if you have the ability, you can even grow a twin lotus from it. What do you think?"
Qin Mu nodded eagerly.
The woman swam beneath the sea, her figure disappearing.
After a moment, her figure reappeared, and a lotus seed rose slowly from the Chaos Sea, radiating brilliant light, containing a strange Dao resonance, sacred and extraordinary!
"Once you have this seed, you must climb the twin lotus and cut the red strings!" The woman said sternly.
Qin Mu said solemnly: "Second Sister, rest assured. Although my reputation isn't the best, I value integrity above all! I can write you an IOU!"
The Empress and Yuan Mu wore strange expressions.
"No need for IOUs."
The woman said flatly: "If you take my lotus seed and try to escape, I will tear you into ten thousand pieces. Other young masters might not be able to kill you in your current state, but I can sink you into this Chaos Sea, erase all traces of your past and future, and make it so you never existed at all!"
Qin Mu shuddered several times, hastily took the lotus seed, hesitated for a moment, scratched his head, and said: "Then, about that lotus leaf..."
"Enough!"
The woman shouted, saying coldly: "You've already gotten a bargain, and you still want more?"
Qin Mu said awkwardly: "Generosity never hurts. Besides, while the lotus leaf is good, it can't compare to the lotus seed. Since Second Sister has already given me the lotus seed, why be stingy with a single lotus leaf?"
Beneath the sea surface, the woman's face darkened as she stared at him intently.
Qin Mu felt uneasy but gritted his teeth and held his ground.
After a moment, the woman said flatly: "The lotus leaf can be yours, but only after you've cut the red strings."
Qin Mu breathed a sigh of relief.
The Empress and her sister were extremely envious and immediately spoke in unison: "Senior, could you first teach us how to refine that little wretch to death and become the true Guixu Goddess?"
Qin Mu's heart tightened. The woman said: "You are of my Guixu lineage, so I naturally won't mistreat you. You think you are two people, but in truth, you are one person. It's just that your experiences and circumstances differ, which led you to believe you are two. Actually, you don't need to merge—you only need to awaken your true self."
The Empress and Yuan Mu were startled.
"Someone forcibly merged you before, but that person's skill was mediocre and they never realized your true nature."
The woman said: "The Guixu Goddess has always been one person from beginning to end, yet he treated you as two people to merge. Write the character for 'person.' The head of that character is your foundation, and the two strokes are your two consciousnesses. You are actually the Goddess's consciousness split in two. All you need is to awaken your foundation, and the two of you will completely merge and return to your origin."
Qin Mu frowned deeply, looking at the Empress and Yuan Mu.
The Empress and Yuan Mu were also frowning, their gazes turning toward him.
The woman continued: "At that point, the Guixu Goddess's consciousness will grow stronger and stronger, while your consciousnesses will grow weaker and weaker. Eventually, only the Guixu Goddess will remain. Your consciousnesses will be mere branches and twigs, gradually becoming insignificant, unable to interfere with the Guixu Goddess. I have a method called the Guixu Mirror. If the two of you work together to forge this mirror and each take a look into it, you can awaken your true body."
Her divine consciousness rippled as she transmitted the method of the Guixu Mirror to the Empress and Yuan Mu.
The Empress and Yuan Mu shared one body, and both received her teachings, but neither activated the Guixu Mirror.
Both of them rolled their eyes, harboring treacherous thoughts.
Qin Mu, however, breathed a sigh of relief. Although the Second Young Master of Miluo Palace was incredibly powerful, she understood too little about human hearts.
Both the Empress and Yuan Mu were proud and self-centered, unable to tolerate the other. They each wished to devour the other, refine the other to death, preserve themselves, and become the supreme existence.
But the Second Young Master of Miluo Palace intended to awaken the true self within them—the Guixu Goddess—reducing them to appendages, to branches and twigs, to insignificant existences. This outcome was worse than death for them!
Furthermore, the two women could never coexist. After awakening the Guixu Goddess, they would be forced to coexist within one body—naturally, they would never agree!
"Their glances toward me mean they'll still come looking for me, to borrow my path of reincarnation to solve their problem." Qin Mu smiled slightly.
"You've already received your benefits—why haven't you left yet?" The woman suddenly spoke.
Qin Mu exchanged glances with the Empress and Yuan Mu, then immediately leaped up and began climbing upward along the twin lotus.