Chapter 1573: Another Path to Enlightenment
"Enlightenment doesn't require a Dao Tree, Dao Flower, or Dao Fruit?"
Qin Mu and the Empress and Yuanmu were each stunned. In their ingrained understanding, the most distinctive feature of an enlightened being was that their great Dao transformed into a Dao Tree in the ultimate void, bloomed into a Dao Flower, and bore a Dao Fruit.
Yet the woman beneath the sea surface said that the path of the 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 the Miluo Palace cultivated a Dao Tree and Dao Fruit, and his tree hung with sixteen Dao Fruits!
Other enlightened beings in Jade Capital City also mostly had Dao Trees and Dao Fruits, as did the four young masters of the Miluo Palace.
Could there truly be a path in this world that didn't require a Dao Tree or Dao Fruit?
The woman beneath the sea said, "Enlightenment is not limited to the path of transforming the great Dao into a Dao Tree. To be honest, turning enlightenment into a Dao Tree is actually just a shortcut."
Qin Mu humbly sought instruction: "Second Sister, why do you say that? As I see it, our teacher, the master of the Miluo Palace, also has a Dao Tree. 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, aren't you 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 your Dao can be as evergreen and indestructible as the World Tree. If that's not borrowing power, what is? Even more ridiculous is that imitation is just imitation!"
She scoffed: "The World Tree can survive the great tribulation of cosmic birth and destruction, but the World Trees you imitate cannot survive that tribulation. Isn't that laughable?"
Her words carried great logic, and Qin Mu couldn't help nodding repeatedly.
The Empress and Lady Yuanmu knew little about the great tribulation of cosmic destruction, so her words didn't resonate much with them. But Qin Mu knew that countless enlightened beings in Jade Capital City relied on that divine city's protection, trying to survive into the next universe.
And beneath the roots of the World Tree, there were countless prehistoric powerhouses attempting to sneak into the next universe.
Most of these people cultivated along the path of the Dao Tree, Dao Flower, and Dao Fruit.
"Mediocrities are just mediocrities!"
The woman sneered: "Even the first one to cultivate the Dao Tree, Dao Flower, and Dao Fruit—our teacher—couldn't avoid falling onto this mediocre path. Cultivating the Dao Tree makes it impossible to survive the tribulation of birth and destruction, so they can only rely on sneaking through. Only by cultivating a second Dao Fruit in their second life do they have a chance to survive the tribulation. But to enter the next universe, they still have to sneak through! Even someone like our teacher, who has cultivated sixteen Dao Fruits—what difference does it make?"
She laughed coldly: "If he wants to cross over, doesn't he still have to sneak through? That's 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 destruction' instead of 'tribulation of destruction.' Why is that?"
The woman's gaze fell on his face, and she praised, "Old Seventh is still sharp-witted. No wonder you've been able to stir up trouble for so long. That's right, it's the tribulation of birth and destruction, not just destruction. The universe is born and destroyed. Destruction is a tribulation, and birth is also a tribulation. When the universe is destroyed, it annihilates all life, all stars, all space—that's the great destruction."
"When the universe is born, heaven and earth split open, destroying everything of the past, all decay, emerging from chaos—that's the tribulation of birth. So I call it the tribulation of birth and destruction. So-called enlightened beings might endure the tribulation of destruction, but they may not endure the tribulation of birth."
"Those enlightened beings, after obtaining Jade Capital City, still had to scheme, waiting until mass-energy conversion brought enough energy and matter from the future universe before they could enter it. That's precisely because their Dao, their physical bodies, and their primordial spirits might survive the tribulation of destruction, but not the tribulation of birth. That's why they fuss and scheme, putting great effort into their plans."
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 Lady Yuanmu beat him to it: "Then, Senior, you must have mastered the true method of enlightenment, right? No wonder you were suppressed here by the master of the Miluo Palace. That so-called master must have been jealous of your talent and thus suppressed you!"
"Silence!"
The woman erupted in fury, shouting sternly, "Slandering my teacher, even if you are from my Guixu lineage, I will show no mercy!"
Lady Yuanmu shuddered and dared not flatter her recklessly anymore.
The woman said coldly, "You don't understand the master of the Miluo Palace at all. You don't understand my teacher. His breadth of mind is beyond your ability to fathom. Standing there, he is enough to make everyone submit and admire. Though I have grievances against him and was suppressed by him, I don't hate him in the slightest."
Lady Yuanmu stuck out her tongue and dared not speak.
Qin Mu, however, looked lost in admiration, murmuring, "If I could see him once, this life would be worth it..."
"Everyone thinks that."
The woman said, "Though I believe his path was wrong, that doesn't stop me from revering him."
The Empress asked, "Then, Senior, what is the path to enlightenment you've realized that doesn't require a Dao Tree?"
The woman smiled: "Once you cut the red rope and rescue me, I will naturally teach you. My path to enlightenment is different from those mediocrities'. My path fears neither the tribulation of birth nor destruction, allowing me to calmly pass through the evolution of countless universes and epochs. As long as you help me escape, I will not only help you merge but also teach you my path."
The Empress hesitated, and Lady Yuanmu was also indecisive.
This Second Young Master of the Miluo Palace was by no means a kind person. Earlier, she had lured them to climb the twin lotus and cut the red rope, intending to let the master of the Miluo Palace's seal refine them to death.
It was only after Qin Mu revealed his identity as the Seventh Young Master of the Miluo Palace that she divulged much seemingly useful information.
But this information wasn't very helpful to Qin Mu, the Empress, or Yuanmu.
Clearly, she was still trying to get something for nothing.
Qin Mu said solemnly, "Second Sister, what about my twin lotus?"
The woman said, "Giving you the twin lotus is impossible. But I can give you a lotus leaf. The lotus leaves in this Chaos Sea can also survive the tribulation of birth and destruction, having endured sixteen tribulations without perishing. With a lotus leaf, you can live lively and well until the next universe after your universe is destroyed!"
Qin Mu's heart pounded wildly as he looked at the lotus leaf beneath his feet. Suddenly, he said, "Second Sister, the lotus leaf is good, but it's not the lotus flower..."
The woman frowned, a hint of anger rising in her heart. But she had interacted with Qin Mu in the past universe and knew his temperament well. If she didn't give in, he would likely cause more trouble.
"Old Seventh, since we're both young masters of the Miluo Palace, and you're the youngest, I'll be generous."
She pondered for a moment and said, "In this Chaos Sea, there are lotuses, and naturally, there are lotus seeds. I'll give you a lotus seed. This seed is extraordinary. If you have the ability, you can also grow a twin lotus. What do you think?"
Qin Mu nodded repeatedly.
The woman swam beneath the sea, and her figure disappeared.
After a moment, her form reappeared, and a lotus seed rose from the Chaos Sea, radiating brilliant light, carrying a strange Dao resonance, sacred and extraordinary!
"Once you get this seed, you must climb the twin lotus and cut the red rope!" the woman said sternly.
Qin Mu said seriously, "Second Sister, rest assured. Though my reputation isn't great, I value integrity above all! I can write you an IOU!"
The Empress and Yuanmu's expressions turned strange.
"An IOU is unnecessary."
The woman said lightly, "If you take my seed and try to escape, I will tear you into 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!"
Qin Mu shuddered several times, hurriedly took the lotus seed, hesitated for a moment, scratched his head, and said, "Then, about that lotus leaf..."
"Hmph!"
The woman shouted sharply, saying coldly, "You've already gotten a bargain, and you want more?"
Qin Mu stammered, "More gifts don't offend. Besides, the lotus leaf is good, but it's not as valuable as the lotus seed. Since Second Sister has already given me the seed, why begrudge a single leaf?"
Beneath the sea surface, the woman's face darkened as she stared at him.
Qin Mu felt uneasy but gritted his teeth and persisted.
After a moment, the woman said lightly, "I can give you the lotus leaf, but only after you cut the red rope."
Qin Mu breathed a sigh of relief.
The Empress and her sister were extremely envious and immediately said in unison, "Senior, can 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 from my Guixu lineage, so I won't treat you poorly. You think you are two people, but in reality, you are one. It's just that your different experiences and circumstances have led you to believe you are two. Actually, you don't need to merge; you only need self-awakening."
The Empress and Yuanmu were taken aback.
"Someone forcibly merged you before, but that person's skill was mediocre and didn't understand your essence."
The woman said, "The Guixu Goddess has always been one person, but he treated you as two to merge. Write the character for 'person.' The head of the character is your foundation; the two strokes are your two consciousnesses. You are actually the goddess's consciousness split in two. You only need to awaken your foundation, and the two of you will fully merge and return to the root."
Qin Mu frowned and looked at the Empress and Yuanmu.
The Empress and Yuanmu also frowned and looked at him.
The woman continued, "At that point, the Guixu Goddess's consciousness will grow stronger, while your consciousnesses will weaken. Eventually, only the Guixu Goddess will remain. Your consciousnesses will become trivial details, gradually insignificant, unable to interfere with the Guixu Goddess. I have a method called the Guixu Mirror. If you both work together to forge this mirror and each take a look at it, you can awaken the true self."
Her divine consciousness rippled, transmitting the method of the Guixu Mirror to the Empress and Yuanmu.
The Empress and Yuanmu, sharing one body, both received her teachings but did not activate the Guixu Mirror.
Their eyes darted around, harboring ulterior motives.
Qin Mu, however, breathed a sigh of relief. Though the Second Young Master of the Miluo Palace was immensely powerful, she understood too little of human nature.
The Empress and Yuanmu were both proud and self-centered, unable to tolerate each other. They longed to devour each other, refine each other to death, preserve themselves, and become the supreme existence.
But the Second Young Master of the Miluo Palace intended to awaken the true self within them—the Guixu Goddess—reducing them to appendages, trivial details, insignificant beings. This outcome was worse than death for them!
Moreover, the two women could never coexist. After awakening the Guixu Goddess, they would have to coexist in one body, which they would never accept!
"They looked at me, which means they'll still come to me, borrowing my path of reincarnation to solve their problem." Qin Mu smiled slightly.
"You've already received your benefits. Why haven't you set off yet?" the woman suddenly said.
Qin Mu exchanged glances with the Empress and Yuanmu, then immediately leaped up and began climbing upward along the twin lotus.