Chapter 345: All Living Things Under the Frosty Sky Compete for Freedom!

[Wu You Heaven], above the layers of sea clouds.

Chong Guang stood amidst the clouds, somewhat surprised, because this time he hadn’t replaced the identity of Perfected One Primordial. Instead, he appeared here in his original form.

“Greetings, Fellow Daoist.”

Turning toward the voice, he saw the clouds rise and fall, revealing an elderly man with white hair and a youthful complexion, looking at him with a smile. “Fellow Daoist is the first to walk to this place.”

Chong Guang didn’t answer. Instead, he continued to survey his surroundings before speaking in a deep voice, “I originally thought this final tribulation would be a scene of Fellow Daoist Seeking Golden Core in the past… Did I guess wrong, or does Fellow Daoist wish to chat with me for a bit before I officially begin, just like before?”

“A bit of both, I suppose.”

Perfected One Primordial smiled faintly and waved his sleeve. The cloud qi instantly transformed into a tea pavilion. He took a seat first, and Chong Guang followed closely behind, sitting opposite him.

“Fellow Daoist has already experienced four tribulations. Can you speak of your feelings regarding them?”

Perfected One Primordial’s tone was unhurried, appearing very composed. “My life has been full of tribulations. In Fellow Daoist’s eyes, what did it look like?”

Chong Guang frowned slightly upon hearing this.

But soon, his expression relaxed, and he spoke frankly, “It was indeed not easy for Fellow Daoist.”

“The first four tribulations… [Essence of Myriad Fragrances] was Fellow Daoist’s tribulation during Qi Refining. At that time, Fellow Daoist was too young and couldn’t suppress the desires of the heart. Being plotted against was unavoidable.”

“[Sea of Sorrow] was Fellow Daoist’s tribulation at the early stage of Foundation Establishment. With no hope for the Dao Path, despair was born in the heart. For Fellow Daoist to overcome it and regain your Dao Heart was truly no simple feat.”

“[Ferry of the Lost] was when Fellow Daoist sought ‘Void Attainment’. You searched everywhere for other methods but found none. Being a loose cultivator, you couldn’t obtain the orthodox heritage of the high sects. The confusion born from this stems from the innate difference in background. It cannot be blamed on Fellow Daoist; one can only say Fellow Daoist was born with a lesser share of destiny.”

“As for [Song of Everlasting Regret], it represents the resentment after Fellow Daoist realized the truth.”

Speaking to this point, Chong Guang summarized:

“Looking at Fellow Daoist’s entire life, you were always under the rule of the Perfected Lords. They plotted against you starting from Qi Refining, leaving not a single path to survival. To be honest, having what you have today is already a stroke of Heaven’s Fortune.”

Hearing this, Perfected One Primordial laughed loudly. “Heaven’s Fortune… Heaven’s Fortune, hahaha!”

“Fellow Daoist speaks the truth.”

“If not for Heaven’s Fortune, how could I have reached Foundation Establishment Perfection? If not for Heaven’s Fortune, how could I have found that seed of a World Realm and evolved [Wu You Heaven]?”

“It is all Heaven’s Fortune…”

In the next second, Perfected One Primordial’s laughter came to an abrupt halt. “But someone like me, who received Heaven’s Fortune, still couldn’t become a Perfected Lord. Does Fellow Daoist think that is reasonable?”

“I know the rumors outside. Many Perfected Lords have come to my [Wu You Heaven] to probe, believing I am a cultivator who wants to possess someone to enter [Wu You Heaven]. They think I want them to replace me in undergoing the tribulations, and that in the end, the one who passes the five tribulations will be Perfected One Primordial, not themselves…”

At this point, Perfected One Primordial smiled coldly:

“…A pity. In this world, that group of Perfected Lords are all selfish individuals. Even if I told them clearly, they wouldn’t bother to think about it.”

“Hm?”

As these words came out, Perfected One Chong Guang instantly narrowed his eyes. A flash of their previous conversation crossed his mind, and suddenly, a light panned in his eyes:

“Because you have no soul?”

Perfected One Primordial laughed immediately upon hearing this and nodded. “Correct!”

The him of this moment was merely a consciousness existing within [Wu You Heaven]. The true soul of Mu Changsheng had long since reincarnated. He had said this long ago.

To everyone who entered [Wu You Heaven], he would say the same thing.

Yet no one noticed, no one discovered it.

“The Golden Nature required to achieve the stature of Perfected Lord… is extracted from the soul! I don’t even have a soul, so what would I use to seek the Golden Core? What would I use to ascend to the position?”

He had placed the answer right on the riddle’s face.

Yet no one discovered it.

Or perhaps, even if they discovered it, they didn’t believe it. After all, if not for seeking the Golden Core, if not for ascending to the position, why would Perfected One Primordial create such a grand array?

Chong Guang’s expression gradually became solemn. “So… what is it that Fellow Daoist truly seeks?”

“To [Restart].”

Perfected One Primordial’s tone was calm. “This restart is not for myself, but so that the me who has already reincarnated can restart.”

Chong Guang raised his eyebrows slightly. “Fellow Daoist’s soul has reincarnated. You have already restarted.”

Perfected One Primordial shook his head. “With the various Lords in the sky, and the Perfected Lords watching, everything is illusory. Where is there any restart? It is merely repeating the same mistakes!”

“Regarding this, Fellow Daoist’s understanding should be very deep.”

At this point, Perfected One Primordial curled his lips mockingly. “With Fellow Daoist’s natural talent, dao heart, and comprehension, the position of Perfected Lord should have been in the bag.”

“But what was the result?”

“How difficult was it for Fellow Daoist to attempt Seeking Golden Core? And Fellow Daoist can even be considered lucky to have met that madwoman Xue Feihong, leaving you with a sliver of a chance.”

As his voice fell, Chong Guang instantly recalled the past.

It was the day before he was reduced to a discarded pawn and Perfected Lord Qingcheng Feixue decided to switch her support to Hong Yun’s attempt at Seeking Golden Core. He had been called before Perfected Lord Qingcheng Feixue.

“You are useless to me. Leave.”

At that time, Perfected Lord Qingcheng Feixue’s face was impassive, and her tone was without ripple. “From here on, you have to rely on yourself. Each relies on their own ability. You should understand.”

“If you die, it only proves you have exhausted your way.”

“If you achieve something, in the future, I will call you Fellow Daoist.”

Thinking of this, Chong Guang couldn’t help but shake his head and laugh, then affirmed Perfected One Primordial’s statement. “Indeed, being valued by the Perfected Lord was my fortune.”

Perfected One Primordial smiled coldly at this.

“But even so, it is still difficult for Fellow Daoist to seek the true result. It shows that one or two people cannot change the general trend. This world is already akin to a pool of stagnant water!”

“Even so, what does Fellow Daoist intend to do?”

Facing Chong Guang’s inquiry, Perfected One Primordial sat up straight and said solemnly, “I wish to reverse this general trend and overthrow that sky above the heads of the world’s Perfected Ones!”

“Impossible!” Chong Guang shook his head.

“Permanently, of course, is impossible,” Perfected One Primordial said in a deep voice. “But if it is only for a period of time, the current [Wu You Heaven] can do it.”

“…What?”

Seeing Chong Guang’s surprised expression, Perfected One Primordial suddenly smiled. “Actually, [Wu You Heaven] has a very special aspect that no one has noticed.”

“Or perhaps they noticed but didn’t care.”

“[Wu You Heaven] has no corresponding Dao Foundation or cultivation method! Its foundation is built entirely upon other Foundation Establishment Perfected Ones!”

“In other words, [Wu You Heaven] itself does not nurture Foundation Establishment Perfected Ones to support it. Instead, it plunders and cultivates the Foundation Establishment Perfected Ones of other Dao Fruits, making them support itself… In this way, as [Wu You Heaven] rises, the other Dao Fruits must inevitably fall!”

As these words came out, Chong Guang was stunned.

He understood Perfected One Primordial’s method— to use [Wu You Heaven] to strip away the Foundation Establishment cultivators under the rule of the world’s Perfected Lords, thereby causing their Dao Fruits to fall!

Once successful, the world’s Perfected Lords would inevitably be affected!

Because the high and mighty Dao Fruits also needed the Foundation Establishment Perfected Ones under their rule to support them with their own Dao Foundations. If there were too few Foundation Establishment Perfected Ones, the Dao Fruit would go into seclusion.

If the Dao Fruit went into seclusion, it would be difficult to attain.

And if there was a Perfected Lord seated on a Dao Fruit that went into seclusion, then once the Dao Fruit receded, the Perfected Lord would also be restricted, making it difficult to interfere with the present world again!

Even with the power of a Perfected Lord, they could use their own Grotto-Heavens to re-support the Dao Fruit to manifest in the world, but that was not something that could be done overnight.

And that period of time would be the opportunity for the world’s Perfected Ones!

The ocean is wide for the fish to leap; the sky is high for the birds to fly!

However, correspondingly, the initiator of all this would inevitably be regarded as an enemy by the world’s Perfected Lords.

“Fellow Daoist, this is your fifth tribulation.”

“Its name is— [Competing for Freedom].”

As his voice fell, Perfected One Primordial extended his hand, a ball of light appearing in his palm. “As long as Fellow Daoist is willing, you can begin the tribulation right now.”

“If you are afraid, it is still not too late to leave.”

“…”

Looking at Perfected One Primordial before him, Chong Guang fell into a rare silence for a moment. Then, the corners of his mouth curved up, and a burst of carefree laughter squeezed out from between his teeth.

“Hahaha… Good, good!”

“Mu Changsheng, what a genius!”

Before his laughter faded, Chong Guang’s expression turned resolute. He immediately grabbed the ball of light and refined it in an instant. “‘All living things under the heaven compete for freedom’—how can there be talk of a tribulation? This is precisely my opportunity to attain the Dao!”

Boom!

In the next second, heaven and earth underwent a drastic change.

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