Chapter 1507: Beyond Profound-Hollow-Void

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Chapter 1505: Beyond Profound-Hollow-Void

“Who is the Ancestor of the Bai Clan?” Mo Hua asked.

Bai XiaoSheng replied, “I’m not telling you.”

Mo Hua’s expression froze.

Seeing Mo Hua’s reaction, Bai XiaoSheng immediately felt quite smug and said with a grin: “The Ancestor of my Bai Clan has nothing to do with you. You’re not a member of the Bai Clan anyway, so even if I told you, you wouldn’t understand.”

Mo Hua glanced at Bai XiaoSheng, a thought suddenly occurring to him, and he said: “Is it… that you don’t actually know who this Ancestor is either, and can’t say it, so you’re not telling me?”

Bai XiaoSheng’s eyelids twitched slightly, thinking to himself that this kid was truly a little monster, acting like a fortune-teller, which was a bit unnerving.

Seeing Bai XiaoSheng’s expression, Mo Hua confirmed his suspicion, then asked in confusion: “But… if he is the Ancestor of your Bai Clan, and even spoke to you, guiding you on these principles of the Great Dao, why don’t you even know who this Ancestor is?”

“That’s something you wouldn’t understand,” Bai XiaoSheng said.

Mo Hua waited for him to continue, but Bai XiaoSheng suddenly stopped talking. Mo Hua urged, “Go on.”

Bai XiaoSheng said, “Even if I told you, you wouldn’t understand, so why should I say it?”

Mo Hua countered, “If you don’t tell me, how do you know I won’t understand?”

But Bai XiaoSheng just shook his head, unwilling to discuss the Bai Clan’s affairs further with Mo Hua.

Although he didn’t think much of a mere Mo Hua, he had to be extremely cautious when talking to him.

Because, intuitively, he always felt an inexplicable sense of insecurity.

…

Upon hearing about the Bai Clan’s Ancestor and this matter of the Dao of All Living Beings, Mo Hua couldn’t help but feel deeply shaken.

Back when his Master taught him Formations, he had said something similar:

“The ‘grades’ of Formations are determined by people, not by the inherent grades of the Great Dao of Heaven and Earth.”

Now, the Ancestor of the Bai Clan was also expressing a similar view:

The cultivation levels of cultivators are human-defined realms, and they likely are not the inherent “grades” of the Great Dao of Heaven and Earth either.

Looking at it this way, the cultivators of today might not be cultivating the “Dao,” nor seeking “immortality,” but rather pursuing certain artificially defined “hierarchies.”

“The Dao gives birth to all things, the Dao transforms all living beings, and all living beings are the Dao.”

These words might sound somewhat illusory at first, like empty, grand principles.

But Mo Hua had a deep understanding of this.

Born into poverty, he had witnessed the hardships of Rogue Cultivators in Tongxian City, the corpse plague in Nanyue City, the mining disaster in Gushan City, the blood sacrifice ritual in Qian Province, and the wars in the Great Wilderness…

Everyone was cultivating the Dao, everyone was seeking immortality. Yet, the world was growing worse, and not a single person had truly become immortal…

This indicated that the “Dao” of this world was flawed.

Or perhaps, everyone’s cultivation was flawed.

Mo Hua followed this line of thought, and the more he pondered, the more shaken he felt. He asked Bai XiaoSheng: “What exactly is the identity and realm of that Ancestor of your Bai Clan?”

Bai XiaoSheng still refused to say.

Mo Hua grew displeased. They were just having a conversation, yet Bai XiaoSheng was being secretive, which was quite boring.

Mo Hua began silently calculating something in his mind.

As soon as Bai XiaoSheng saw Mo Hua’s distinct black-and-white eyes darting around, a chill ran down his spine.

He knew that when this kid’s eyes darted like that, he was definitely brewing some mischief, planning to trick him.

What decent person could withstand his mischief?

A wise man knows when to yield. Bai XiaoSheng felt a chill run down his spine and hurriedly said: “Alright, alright, since we’re all acquainted and not outsiders, I’ll tell you.”

Only then did Mo Hua stop racking his brains for mischief and asked, “Really?”

Bai XiaoSheng sighed, “Really, really.”

Mo Hua said, “Then speak.”

Bai XiaoSheng sighed again, “I truly don’t know the name of this Ancestor.”

“You should also know that, as a general rule, the higher a cultivator’s cultivation, the less likely they are to casually reveal their name.”

“At the Golden Core stage, it’s still somewhat acceptable, but once they reach Feathered Ascension, the vast majority of cultivators only refer to themselves as ‘True-Person,’ using only their surname or a self-chosen alias, and rarely reveal their true name.”

Mo Hua was taken aback, and upon careful reflection, it seemed this was indeed the case.

Among all True-Persons at Feathered Ascension or above, he truly knew very few names.

His own Master rarely revealed his true name; others only referred to him as “Mister Zhuang.”

As for his Martial Uncle, it went without saying. With “Strange” as his alias, the two words “Strange Daoist” were even considered taboo, let alone his real name.

To this day, Mo Hua didn’t even know his Martial Uncle’s surname.

As for others, like Old Mister Xun of the Great Void Sect, Sect Leader Bai, and the sect leaders of the Tai’a and Chongxu lineages.

And those he encountered in the Great Wilderness—whether it was True-Person Zhuge, True-Person Huá, or that True-Person Mu, including the True-Person commander of the Yang family, and even True-Person Rong of Little Luan Mountain…

None of them revealed their true names.

Mo Hua had previously thought this was just a coincidence, but now, hearing Bai XiaoSheng say this, it seemed there was some reasoning behind it.

Why—

After a moment of contemplation, Mo Hua said, “Is it because a cultivator’s true name is inherently entangled with cause and effect?”

Bai XiaoSheng glanced at Mo Hua, thinking to himself that this kid, who knew which Dao lineage he cultivated, was only at the Early Golden Core Stage yet seemed to know everything.

Bai XiaoSheng nodded, “Exactly. A person’s name is given by their parents and close relatives after birth. The surname represents the family lineage you inherit, while the name carries expectations for your future, encompassing the causes of the past and the effects of the future.”

“You’ve used this name since childhood—in daily life, cultivation, interactions with others, being called by it, and remembered by it. This name is essentially your substitute, inseparable from you.”

“Therefore, to some extent, a person’s name also influences their ‘fate.'”

“When one’s cultivation is low, there aren’t so many considerations, as low cultivation also means limited understanding. But once cultivation reaches a higher level, and one comes into contact with the Great Dao and Laws, their understanding changes. They become more sensitive to these ‘mysterious and profound’ matters and must exercise extreme caution.”

“Thus, True-Persons at Feathered Ascension or above, and even Profound-Hollow-Void Ancestors, rarely reveal their true names except to those close and familiar to them. Those who have names known to the outside world mostly use aliases…”

As Mo Hua listened, his expression grew serious, as if deep in thought.

Seeing Mo Hua thinking, Bai XiaoSheng grew somewhat afraid, worried he might be scheming again, and asked, “What are you thinking about?”

Mo Hua looked grave and slowly said, “I’m thinking… whether I should come up with a few more aliases.”

Bai XiaoSheng was taken aback, “What do you need aliases for?”

Mo Hua replied, “Didn’t you say that a person’s name is connected to their fate? If I don’t come up with a few more aliases, what if someone uses my true name to harm me in the future?”

Bai XiaoSheng rolled his eyes, inwardly sneering:

You troublemaker, it’s already a miracle if you don’t cause trouble for others, let alone others harming you.

“Don’t worry,” Bai XiaoSheng said helplessly, “these things aren’t that simple.”

“To harm someone just by knowing their true name—that would require an immense mastery of cause and effect, almost impossible.”

“Besides, if Feathered Ascension and Profound-Hollow-Void True-Persons could really be killed just by having their true names exposed, what kind of True-Persons would they be? What kind of Ancestors would they be called?”

Mo Hua was taken aback. “That’s true.”

Bai XiaoSheng slowly explained: “This is just a precaution.”

“Most True-Persons and Ancestors conceal their true names primarily to avoid cause and effect.”

“By not getting entangled in too much worldly cause and effect, not being bound by too many unknown connections, they keep their Dao Bodies unconstrained, reducing the risk of unexpected failures during future cultivation breakthroughs caused by foolish cause and effect.”

“As for you… an Early Golden Core Stage cultivator who hasn’t even touched the door to Feathered Ascension, what cause and effect are you avoiding?”

“Even if you are the so-called Young Master of the Great Void Sect, the dual champion of Qianxue and Formation Dao, at most you have a bit of a reputation in Qianxue and Dao Province, and only within the Foundation Establishment Stage.”

“Great Void Sect prodigies rotate every three years; Qianxue champions compete every three years.”

“When it’s your turn, you may shine brilliantly, but glory is fleeting. After a while, if you don’t show up, people will gradually forget.”

“The Cultivation World is vast, cultivators are numerous, and matters big and small are countless. Except for those truly close to you, who would keep you in mind every day for no reason?”

“Don’t worry, your fame isn’t as great as you think, and your true name being leaked isn’t a big deal.”

Mo Hua was still somewhat uneasy and asked: “What if one day my fame becomes so great that it shakes the nine provinces, my true name spreads everywhere, and the cause and effect tied to me becomes as endless as the sea? What should I do then?”

“This…” Bai XiaoSheng was also stumped by Mo Hua’s question, then said somewhat speechlessly: “Why don’t you just ascend to heaven?”

“It’s like asking, what if one day I earn two billion Spirit stones, how should I spend them?”

“What if one day a courtesan falls in love with me, what should I do?”

“People should have self-awareness; don’t spend all day thinking about things that don’t exist.”

Upon hearing this, Mo Hua nodded, feeling that Bai XiaoSheng made sense.

However, deep down, he still had some concerns, thinking it was better to take precautions. He should come up with several aliases in the future to conceal his true name.

Just in case? Fame is feared by people as fattening is feared by pigs. What if one day his fame really becomes too great, the cause and effect too heavy, and he’s constantly on people’s minds? That would be troublesome.

Lost in thought, Mo Hua fell silent, and the carriage instantly quieted down.

After a while, Mo Hua suddenly realized something and said to Bai XiaoSheng, “Why did you stop talking? Keep going, tell me about your Ancestor…”

Bai XiaoSheng truly had no way to deal with Mo Hua and sighed: “Didn’t I tell you? Since he’s an Ancestor, naturally he conceals his true name. Not just his true name, but even some titles are hidden.”

Mo Hua was surprised. “Even from his own disciples?”

Bai XiaoSheng said, “The Bai Clan is a great family. Counting only the main lineage, there are no fewer than a million descendants.”

Mo Hua’s mouth fell open. “A million?”

Bai XiaoSheng nodded, “And I’m probably underestimating, since I’ve never actually counted. Think about it—with so many disciples, how could everyone possibly know the names of all the Ancestors?”

“In fact, the vast majority of Bai Clan members will never lay eyes on a single Ancestor in their entire lives.”

“Even among the Bai Clan’s elders, many have no idea just how many Ancestors the clan truly has.”

“Rumors even speak of certain Bai Clan forebears who evade the will of heaven, avoid cause and effect, and reside in immeasurable realms, having carved out their own pocket dimensions. They have never shown themselves, leaving only sparse records in the clan genealogy and hearsay—whether these tales are true remains unknown.”

“Given all this, how could I possibly know which Ancestor I encountered?”

Hearing this, Mo Hua felt a chill in his heart.

The Ancestors were too numerous to count—the depth of the Bai Clan’s foundations was truly terrifying.

“Moreover—” Bai XiaoSheng continued, furrowing his brow as if puzzled by his own words, “I only encountered this Ancestor when I was very young, in a dazed and confused state. We exchanged a few words, and he gave me some guidance. After that, I have no memory of it—not even what this Ancestor looked like or how his voice sounded.”

“I asked my parents, elders, and those around me, but none of them knew of this Ancestor.”

“Even when I was punished and made to kneel in the Bai Clan ancestral hall, I never saw a portrait resembling this Ancestor among the ancestral tablets.”

“It was as if this Ancestor simply didn’t exist, appearing out of nowhere just to offer me a few words of guidance before vanishing.”

Mo Hua found this hard to believe. “This Ancestor appeared just to guide you?”

Bai XiaoSheng nodded, though he himself seemed uncertain. “Perhaps it was fate, my own cause and effect. It was precisely because this Ancestor enlightened me, leaving a karmic imprint in my heart, that I abandoned the Bai Clan’s orthodox path and cultivated the Dao of All Living Beings.”

“And because I cultivated the Dao of All Living Beings, I left the Bai Clan, roaming the world, mingling among the common folk, and witnessing the myriad faces of humanity.”

Mo Hua nodded and pressed further, “Then do you know what cultivation realm this Ancestor was in?”

Bai XiaoSheng sneered, “That was over a hundred years ago. I was just a child—how could I possibly know?”

Mo Hua said, “Take a guess?”

Bai XiaoSheng frowned and slowly replied, “Based on my intuition, this Ancestor was likely… a transcendent existence at the late-stage Profound-Hollow-Void realm, or even at its peak…”

“Only at the peak of Profound-Hollow-Void?” Mo Hua asked.

Bai XiaoSheng sighed, “How can you say that so casually? Do you have any idea how unimaginably powerful a peak Profound-Hollow-Void existence is?”

“Once one reaches the Profound-Hollow-Void realm, advancing even a single stage is as difficult as ascending to heaven, and the disparity in strength is immense.”

“Peak Profound-Hollow-Void, or even late-stage Profound-Hollow-Void, is on an entirely different level compared to ordinary Profound-Hollow-Void cultivators.”

Mo Hua asked in confusion, “Then… what lies beyond Profound-Hollow-Void?”

Bai XiaoSheng shook his head. “What are you thinking? There is no ‘beyond Profound-Hollow-Void.'”

Mo Hua was taken aback. “What do you mean? There’s no realm beyond Profound-Hollow-Void?”

Bai XiaoSheng explained, “The realm might exist, but no one has reached it—at least, no one in the Bai Clan. Of course, it’s possible I’m just ignorant.”

Mo Hua still found it hard to believe. “How is that possible? Isn’t the Bai Clan a sixth-grade family?”

Bai XiaoSheng retorted, “Who told you that a sixth-grade family necessarily means having cultivators at the sixth-grade realm?”

Mo Hua was taken aback, only then realizing that indeed no one had ever spoken to him like this before.

The Dao Court had never truly announced the criteria for classifying sixth-grade clans.

If you were a sixth-grade clan, then you were already sixth-grade.

If you were not a sixth-grade clan, then in all likelihood, you never would be in this lifetime.

But this still raised significant questions…

Mo Hua asked in confusion, “Then how did the Bai Clan achieve sixth-grade status?”

Bai XiaoSheng replied, “Our clan had an Ancestor whose cultivation reached the pinnacle of the world, advancing to the peak of Profound-Hollow-Void. He rendered illustrious military service to the Dao Court—specifically, the ‘merit of aiding the dragon’—and was thus enfeoffed as sixth-grade…”

In other words, achieving “sixth-grade” at the clan level was now almost impossible.

Because there could no longer be any “merit of aiding the dragon.”

Mo Hua asked further, “Then what is the sixth-grade realm…? At the very least, it must have a name, right?”

Bai XiaoSheng shook his head, “I don’t know.”

Mo Hua frowned, “You don’t know either?”

Bai XiaoSheng sighed, “In this world, the vast majority of cultivators never come into contact with sixth-grade clans in their entire lives, nor do they ever meet a Profound-Hollow-Void Ancestor. So much of what they believe is merely their own conjecture.”

“Although sixth-grade is powerful, worlds apart from fifth-grade, it is not as they imagine.”

“Others might think that since the Bai Clan is a great sixth-grade clan, it should naturally have great beings of the sixth-grade realm…”

“But at least from my life in the Bai Clan, growing up there, I have never seen, nor even heard of, any elder or Ancestor who could break through to a realm beyond Profound-Hollow-Void…”

“Peak Profound-Hollow-Void cultivation is already terrifyingly formidable, capable of manipulating reality and illusion, with Dharma Manifestations reaching the heavens—almost standing at the pinnacle of the current era. As for what lies beyond Profound-Hollow-Void, it remains shrouded in mystery, even somewhat unimaginable…”

Mo Hua frowned, still feeling that these revelations overturned his previous understanding.

Yet upon careful reflection, it seemed indeed to be the case.

Even his Master had never mentioned to him the existence of realms beyond Profound-Hollow-Void back in the day.

During his studies at the Great Void Sect, he had never come across even a single word or phrase documenting anything beyond Profound-Hollow-Void.

But for Profound-Hollow-Void to be the ceiling… that simply couldn’t be possible…

Mo Hua’s brow furrowed deeply, his thoughts sinking into a deep abyss of pitch-black confusion.

He felt as though the entire Cultivation World was like a black hole, still harboring far too many unsolved mysteries.

And just as he was lost in doubt, the carriage had already arrived outside the Flower Street.

Lifting his head, he saw the resplendent, gold-and-jade-like towers amidst the blossoms.