Chapter 578: Chapter 184: Emperor Wu Spreads the Dao
Not to mention the three young people, Chen Tang.
Even though Ye Xuan had heard about this from the Sword Sect before, listening to it again now, his mind couldn’t help but be stirred, and he said, "What Emperor Wu did afterwards makes people even more impressed."
"What happened later?"
Chen Tang asked eagerly.
The Sword Sect showed a hint of reminiscence and said, "That year, Emperor Wu was forty-six, precisely the sixth year of the Wu Dynasty, when Emperor Wu suddenly invited all the Grandmasters of the world to gather at Kunlun Mountain."
"Emperor Wu did not explain the reason, nor did anyone know his purpose. Some Grandmasters at the time guessed that Emperor Wu intended to capture all the Grandmasters in one sweep. They were cautious and didn’t go."
"There were others, either out of curiosity, competitiveness, or thinking that gathering together, even if they couldn’t defeat him, they could at least escape, so they all went to Kunlun Mountain to see what it was about."
"Later, we proved that we all guessed wrong."
After pausing, the Sword Sect continued, "Upon reaching Kunlun Mountain, we learned of the existence of Biluo Palace on it and saw the Dao Sect for the first time. At that time, the Dao Sect was already in the Returning to Void Realm, far surpassing the strength of a Grandmaster."
"And it was only then that we realized Emperor Wu had entered another level of the Martial Arts, namely the Transformation Realm."
Chen Tang suddenly understood.
No wonder the Sword Sect said they all guessed wrong.
If Emperor Wu wanted to capture all the Grandmasters worldwide, with his strength, even if all the Grandmasters joined forces, they would likely not be his match.
"So, why did Emperor Wu summon all the Grandmasters to Kunlun Mountain?" Ye Yushi asked.
The Sword Sect replied, "To witness a battle."
Chen Tang was taken aback and asked, "Did Emperor Wu go up Kunlun Mountain to challenge the Dao Sect?"
"Indeed."
The Sword Sect said, "Before entering the Transformation Realm, Emperor Wu had been invincible for many years. Now that he’s achieved the Great Grandmaster level, he didn’t even consider us worthy opponents. The only one qualified to be his opponent was the mysterious Dao Sect of Kunlun Mountain!"
"And it was on that day that we, the Grandmasters, witnessed the power of the Transformation Realm and saw the battle between Great Grandmasters firsthand."
Chen Tang was somewhat puzzled, saying, "Did Emperor Wu invite all the Grandmasters to Kunlun Mountain merely to witness his battle with the Dao Sect?"
This was not quite like Emperor Wu’s usual style.
The Sword Sect did not directly answer but said, "At that time, many Grandmasters had reached their peak in cultivation and were stuck at bottlenecks, unable to advance. To become a Grandmaster, one’s talent must be top-notch, but we couldn’t see the path ahead, not knowing how to cultivate further. One wrong step meant endless damnation."
Chen Tang’s heart stirred, considering a possibility, he exclaimed, "Was Emperor Wu preaching the Dao?"
The Sword Sect smiled slightly, nodded, and said, "It was precisely because of this battle that we were exposed to the power of the Transformation Realm, lifting the fog at the end of the Martial Way."
"To this day, I am thankful that I did not shrink back but went up to Kunlun Mountain to witness that battle."
"In the following twenty years, several Great Grandmasters emerged among those of us who journeyed to Kunlun Mountain, forming the later Nine Great Sects."
Chen Tang and the others felt chills down their spines, their hearts deeply shaken.
The birth of the Nine Great Sects was largely due to Emperor Wu!
This matter sounds astonishing and unconventional!
Ye Yushi pondered for a while before asking, "What was Emperor Wu’s intention with this move?"
If it were anyone else, having developed a higher-level Martial Arts technique, becoming invincible, why would they easily pass on the Daoist skill?
The Sword Sect chuckled and said, "Some say Emperor Wu was too arrogant, fearing not at all the passing down of the Transformation Realm method. In his view, even if all the world’s Grandmasters entered the Transformation Realm, he would still be invincible."
"Others say Emperor Wu was too lonely at the highest level of Martial Arts and wanted to cultivate some opponents."
"Yet others say Emperor Wu wished more people to become Great Grandmasters for mutual sparring, to deduce the realm beyond the Transformation Stage... Many theories abound, resulting in much speculation."
Arrogance, solitary pride, broad-mindedness, boldness...
Various explanations reverberated in Chen Tang’s mind, gradually aligning with his memory of the man standing on Snow Mountain Peak—wearing thin clothes, chest exposed, looking pale.
Suddenly remembering something, Chen Tang asked, "Emperor Wu practiced a method for Horizontal Body Training and inner strength of viscera. If he deduced the Transformation Stage, then how could Grandmasters practicing different techniques be inspired?"
"That’s Emperor Wu’s prowess."
On this matter, the Sword Sect sighed with admiration and said, "His understanding and insight into the Martial Way surpassed us by far."
"The Grandmasters of the world, in terms of Martial Arts cultivation, remained stuck in different techniques. Yet after that battle, Emperor Wu spoke of the truth that ’Many methods originate from the same source, different paths lead to the same goal.’"
"In the beginning, there might be various techniques, but ultimately, they converge. Whether it’s the Profound Sect, Martial Arts, Body Refining, or other techniques, they all ultimately involve Refining Essence and Transforming Qi, Qi Refining and Transforming God, Refining the Spirit and Returning to Void, Refining Void and Merging Dao—these sixteen characters."
"Before reaching the Transformation Stage, it’s essentially the process of Refining Essence and Transforming Qi, and Qi Refining and Transforming God. Though techniques differ, they ultimately point to one end, which is Refining the Spirit and Returning to Void."
The Sword Sect took a deep breath and said, "The method Emperor Wu used to break through to the Transformation Stage was ’the fusion of essence, qi, spirit’; Three Flowers Gathering at the Crown, refining the Divine Soul, building the Bridge of Heaven and Earth, internal and external worlds resonating in harmony, forming a Great Cycle, achieving mastery and becoming all-pervasive!"
These words contained so many Martial Arts technique secrets that Chen Tang and the others, lacking sufficient realm, could only listen in confusion, understanding little.
Only Ye Xuan seemed thoughtful.
After a long moment, Chen Tang asked, "Who won the battle at Kunlun Mountain?"
"Both were gravely injured, but Emperor Wu had the upper hand."
The Sword Sect said, "The Dao Sect retreated into Biluo Palace, a powerful array set around the palace prevented Emperor Wu from breaking it, and he descended the mountain afterward."
Chen Tang secretly clicked his tongue.
According to the Sword Sect, it was the sixth year of the Wu Dynasty when Emperor Wu stepped into the Transformation Stage.
Yet within that year, he directly ascended Kunlun Mountain to challenge the Dao Sect and won!
Yet this battle also sowed the seed of disaster.
The Battle of Xiajiang occurred in the twenty-sixth year of the Wu Dynasty.
Twenty years had passed since the battle at Kunlun Mountain.
Ye Xuan snorted coldly, saying, "Emperor Wu ascended Kunlun Mountain to fight the Dao Sect in an open and honorable manner. Yet the Dao Sect dared not battle openly with Emperor Wu, opting instead for conspiracy, truly despicable!"
The Sword Sect smiled leisurely and said, "Some act in a straightforward and righteous manner. Naturally, there are also those who are cautious, moving only after careful planning."
"Some in the world are always convinced they can control everything, outsmart others, devise flawless plans, forever hiding behind, calculating against others. Yet the world is full of unexpected variables and surprises; human efforts cannot truly account for everything."
"The only constant is change."
Chen Tang reflected deeply.
What the Sword Sect seemed to imply was directed at the Dao Sect, yet it might not just be about the Dao Sect.
Chen Tang asked, "Has the Dao Sect always stayed on Kunlun Mountain?"
"I don’t know."
The Sword Sect said, "According to old tales, Kunlun Mountain has always been forbidden. Apart from Emperor Wu, no one has dared to tread there over the years."
"But it was exactly because of Emperor Wu that the myth of Kunlun Mountain was shattered, revealing a hint of the outer realm’s iceberg. According to Emperor Wu, within Biluo Palace might exist a Biluo Immortal Sect, possibly the key to breaking this world and achieving Ascension to Immortality."
