One step across that open hall gate was like crossing the boundary of time and space, stepping from the dimension of reality into an ultimate secret realm composed purely of "Dao" and "principle."
The scene behind the gate was completely different from any magnificent, grand imagination of the outside world.
There were no resplendent decorations, no mountains of treasures, not even clear spatial boundaries. What appeared before his eyes was a boundless void flowing with chaos-colored airflow. This void was not dead but "alive"—countless clearly visible, colorful Great Dao laws, like living spirit serpents, wound, interweaved, collided, and derived in this chaos void of their own accord.
Earth, water, fire, wind, thunder, light, darkness, life, death, time, space, karma, destiny... all basic laws constituting the universe and even some difficult-to-understand supreme rules appeared and evolved here in their most origin, most direct form. Sometimes they transformed into brilliant galaxies, sometimes condensed into ancient runes, sometimes enacted magnificent scenes of opening heaven and earth, sometimes presented the cycles of all things' birth and death. Merely standing here, breathing that innate Dao rhyme so concentrated it had liquefied, one could feel one's cultivated Dao resonating with the entire universe's origin laws. Many barriers that had been difficult to understand through bitter contemplation actually showed signs of loosening on their own!
However, the center of this law void, the focal point that attracted all gazes and made all things submit, was not these laws that evolved all methods themselves.
At the void's very center, where the chaos airflow was most concentrated and peaceful, floated a seemingly ordinary gray cushion.
Upon the cushion sat a figure.
That figure was extremely blurry—its face couldn't be seen, its clothes couldn't be distinguished, its specific form couldn't even be determined. It seemed to be condensed from endless Dao rhyme, the manifestation of the concept "Dao" itself. It sat there quietly, without emitting any powerful aura, yet naturally became the absolute core of this endless law void, as if it were the spine of this world, the foundation of all laws' existence!
Dao Ancestor Phantom!
Though no one told them, the instant they saw this blurry figure, this title branded itself into every living soul's depths that entered this place like truth. This was not the Dao Ancestor's main body, might not even count as an avatar—merely a remnant strand of will manifestation that remained here, maintaining the Transmission Hall's origin, containing the Dao Ancestor's supreme Dao rhyme!
Below this Dao Ancestor phantom, in an area where chaos airflow was relatively gentle, floated nine slightly smaller cushions. These cushions were equally ancient and unadorned, presenting different chaos colors, faintly corresponding to certain basic Great Daos. They surrounded the Dao Ancestor phantom, forming an irregular arc, as if positions specially set for those listening to the Dao teaching.
At this moment, three of these nine cushions were already occupied.
The palace-robed woman who had entered first was sitting properly on a cushion emitting "order" and "deduction" Dao rhyme. Her eyes were tightly closed, spiritual light flowing at her fingertips, seemingly fully deducing and absorbing the vast law information here.
Ling Jueyi of the Myriad Swords Sect occupied a cushion emitting extreme "sharpness" and "destruction" meaning. He held his sword; his entire being seemed to have merged with the sword Dao laws emitted by the cushion. His sword qi was restrained, yet gave people a terrifying sense that he might slash through the void at any moment.
And that black-robed cultivator, using some unknown method, had also occupied a cushion. That cushion emitted "concealment" and "devouring" dark fluctuations. Black mist swirled around him as he greedily devoured law fragments around him that matched his Dao.
Besides these three, Buddhist cultivator Master Hui Ming sat cross-legged in the void, a golden lotus platform naturally forming beneath him. Though without a cushion, he was also immersed in the vast Buddhist Dao rhyme. The bronze-skinned burly man relied on his powerful physique to firmly stand his ground in the violent power law area, tempering his body. The Mysterious Turtle Elder remained in a relatively peaceful Wutu law area, quietly comprehending.
Tang Xiaoqi's entry immediately drew everyone's attention. The palace-robed woman and Ling Jueyi only slightly opened their eyes to glance before immersing in comprehension again. The black-robed cultivator, through churning black mist, cast a cold and hostile gaze.
Xiao Qi ignored the black-robed cultivator's hostility. His gaze was first attracted by the Dao Ancestor phantom and the cushions below it. He could sense that these nine cushions were not simple seats but "interfaces" connected to this place's core laws. Sitting on them to listen to the teaching was far more effective than comprehending on one's own at the periphery.
Just then, light and shadow flashed behind him. Mu Xue and Ao Qin had also successively passed through that open hall gate, entering this law void.
Upon entering, Mu Xue's cool gaze instantly locked onto an area in the void condensing extreme "ice-cold" and "stillness" laws. There, coincidentally, was an empty cushion emitting ice-blue Dao rhyme! Her form swayed, and she had elegantly landed upon it. Ice lotuses faintly appeared around her as she immediately produced deep resonance with that cushion and the surrounding ice element laws.
Ao Qin's dragon eyes swept once, also discovering that one cushion emitting "water element" and "imperial" majestic fluctuations was empty. He laughed long, transforming into dragon-formed flowing light, steadily occupying it.
At this moment, five of the nine cushions were taken, only four empty positions remaining.
Xiao Qi could clearly feel that among the remaining empty cushions, one emitted "vitality" and "purification" fluctuations, faintly resonating with his Green Lotus origin; another emitted "guarding" and "stability" meaning, matching his Guardian Sword Intent; another had relatively neutral and peaceful fluctuations, containing the true meaning of "balance" and "bearing"; the last one had a chaos aura, as if able to contain all things.
Clearly, these cushions would automatically manifest corresponding attributes according to the entrants' Dao rhyme characteristics, attracting those with destiny.
Just as Xiao Qi was about to walk toward the cushion most compatible with "vitality purification," another change occurred!
That Dao Ancestor phantom which had been sitting properly on the central cushion, seemingly unchanged since ancient times, moved extremely slightly.
Not a substantial movement, but a change in "existence" state.
Immediately after, a "Dao sound" impossible to describe in words—its profundity, its vastness, its inclusiveness—was not transmitted through air but like warm sunlight and nourishing rain, directly sprinkling into every living being's heart field, soul, and even foundation depths in this law void!
No specific language, no fixed melody, but within that "Dao sound," it seemed to contain the first thunder of opening heaven and earth, the first strand of vitality of all things' growth, the first spark of civilization's birth, the eternal laws of stars' rotation, the essence of love and hate, the cycle of birth, aging, sickness and death, and that single, eternal "Dao" transcending all appearances!
All laws return to source!
At the instant this supreme Dao sound rose, all Great Dao laws in the entire law void, regardless of their attributes—whether destruction or rebirth, order or chaos, light or darkness—all seemed to receive a supreme summons, uniformly emitting buzzing sounds of submission and resonance toward the Dao Ancestor phantom's direction!
Countless law runes like subjects paying homage to their king circled and danced around the phantom; brilliant law light bands like hundred rivers returning to the sea merged into the chaos around the phantom. Even those violent and unbridled destruction laws, those strange and unpredictable curse laws, at this moment became gentle and orderly, following some deeper, unified "principle" in their operation.
This was the Dao Ancestor teaching the Dao!
Not transmitting specific techniques and divine abilities, but pointing directly at the Great Dao's origin, expounding heaven and earth's supreme principles, guiding those listening to the Dao to comprehend that "One" that governs all laws!
Xiao Qi felt his soul shake violently. All his previous understanding about cultivation, about heaven and earth, before this vast Dao sound, seemed so shallow and one-sided. Countless inspirations burst forth like spring water in his heart. Countless confusions and bottlenecks encountered in past cultivation all found their roots and directions at this moment.
He no longer hesitated. Strongly suppressing the impulse to immediately immerse in Dao enlightenment, he took one step, steadily sitting on that cushion most compatible with his own "vitality purification" origin.
The instant he sat down, a gentle yet vast power came from the cushion, instantly closely connecting him with the corresponding "vitality" and "purification" laws in this law void. The Dao Ancestor's supreme Dao sound, through this connection, became even clearer, more profound, like enlightenment pouring over his head, washing his foundation, elevating his Dao realm.
He involuntarily closed his eyes, completely immersing in this once-in-eternity Dao enlightenment opportunity.
After him, the Mysterious Turtle Elder also finally found a Wutu cushion compatible with himself. Master Hui Ming's lotus platform drifted above a cushion emitting "compassion" and "transcendence" fluctuations. The bronze-skinned burly man roared low, relying on qi and blood to forcefully occupy a cushion representing "power" origin.
Thus, all nine cushions had owners.
Inside the Transmission Hall, the Dao Ancestor phantom hovered high, all laws returned to source, Dao sound was ethereal. An ultimate Dao enlightenment concerning everyone present's future Dao path, and possibly affecting the entire cultivation world's landscape, thus unfolded. And hidden undercurrents and crises, beneath this supreme Dao rhyme's cover, quietly surged.